DM Alexander Kilcoyne's Kingmaker PBP- Chapter 2 (Inactive)
Game Master Alexander Kilcoyne

Kip claps Cas on the back adding, I must say, from one caster to another, nicely done sir! I wasn't sure something that big could be brought down like that! Something for me to keep in mind for the future!

"I plan on giving Hargulka the same treatment, once we face him, but using a bit of a different method. Once we arrive, I suggest you all march ahead together, to prevent a repeat of this situation where our warriors are without spell support. I will borrow a charge from your wand of expeditious retreat and use my invisibility to race ahead and circle him from behind. Once in position, I will use my magic to enhance my ability to strike true, and trip the troll leader from behind. That should allow us to surround him and finish him while he is down."

I think we can safely fast forward to us getting back on the mounts and racing towards the castle at full speed.

Alex, when we get to within sight of the castle, maybe a minute or less away, Malthir will go ahead and summon the spirit of the sword and make it flaming.
If you don't have one of those items we found, you might want to claim one for the upcoming battle.

To the best of my knowledge...
Those currently without a ring of protection +1: Fenna. (Please add to your character :)
Those without an amulet of natural armor +1: Fenna, Malthir & Ricter. (Who takes this then?)

Bear in mind whoever takes the items, they are essentially on your character temporarily until the next loot split sorts out ownership.

Let Ricter hold onto it for now, Malthir already has an item in his amulet slot.

Yes. And we are quite overdue for a treasure split. :)

Previous treasure awaiting division can be found here.

As you can see, Malthir's and Kalev's rings of protection also fall into the temporary category currently.

I still owe you guys for the +2 flail. I'll have that amulet for now, however.

Yeah... I'll have to go through the treasure spreadsheet when I get a chance again. It has been so long I am forgetting things. :P

Ricter's ring of protection is also temporary. Ricter please add the natural armour amulet to your sheet if wearing it and update normal and FF AC.

You race back to your mounts after ensuring the bodies of the fallen are well and truly burning. Your spells wear off as you mount up and ride for Kardasholme!

I've played out the last mass combat turn offline to add a sense of suspense... :).

You arrive to find your city relatively intact, with a few ragtag survivors here and there in hiding and seemingly in shock. Your riding through the main street leading to the castle from the north- and less than a kilometre from the walls itself, you spot a wrecked house and the broken form of Red Eyes lying in the ruins. Dead trolls line the bottom of the walls, almost two dozen of them in all. The castle gate is firmly closed but from this distance, Kardasholme seems eerily silent...

BAAAAARRRRHHHUUUUUUMMM!

In case we will have to bypass a barred gate, I assume that at least Casamir as Spymaster, if not all of the Guardians, knows the same secret entrances as the kobolds.

Malthir continues to ride towards the gate, heedless of the danger...as it gets within sight, light erupts from his sheath.

"May the Shepherd watch over our fallen ally," Fenna prays hastily as they pass Red-Eyes, hardly slowing from the gallop towards the castle, "that his soul might only go to face Pharasma when he is ready."

Stabilise, unlikely to make a difference, but you never know.
Concentration 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26vs. DC15

Fenna uses her stabilise orison on Red Eyes as she passes but isn't sure if it had any effect.

Riding on, you reach the walls and gate of Kardasholme.

Now what?

Knock?

Do we even have knock? I thought we bought a scroll or two...will it even open a gate such as this?
If not we listen and then send Kalev to climb over the wall and open the gate after he gets a shield other on him and invisibility.

I was refering to the act of repeatedly slamming your clenched fist against a hard surface, Maladin - not the spell :-)

I was refering to the act of repeatedly slamming your clenched fist against a hard surface, Maladin - not the spell :-)

Lol. Welcome to high level D&D

We must act quickly, this can't be good, no one on the walls and no enemy. Kalev, can you scale the walls invisibly and open the gate from the other side?
Fenna, maybe you should put the shield other enchantment on him?
Malthir dismounts and walks up to the wall offering Kalev's boot his cupped hand to help.

I can try, though I can't promise success. But if the enemy has taken the castle, I need to get you in quickly, before they discover me. Perhaps throwing down a rope is better than trying to open the gate?

Do you wish to be invisible and or enlarged Kalev?

Is the gate firmly shut? Did Nagrundi batter any medium-sized holes in it?

Well, continuing in that thought stream, we don't even have confirmation the gate is actually closed... :P

Investigation reveals that although the gate looks a bit battered, it seems to be barred firmly shut.

From inside Kardasholme, you can hear a faint sound, similar to a battering ram.

Either way, get up on the wall and then either drop a rope or open the gate depending upon what you see :)

Once we are on the wall if you have time hit me with that enlarge wand.

Yes, Kip, size will benefit me, if there are enemies within. But there's no way I can climb this wall without assistance. Hopefully, no one will hear the noise. Save the spells till the hook is in place.

Kalev finds his hemp rope a grappling hook, ties the rope carefully and tries to catch the parapet with the hook.

Throwing Grappling Hook: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 against AC 5 + 2 per 10 ft. distance.

Once Kip has enlarged and turned Kalev invisible, he attempts to scale the walls.

Accelerated Climb (15 ft): 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 11 - 5 = 23 against DC 5
Accelerated Climb (15 ft): 1d20 + 11 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 11 - 5 = 8 against DC 5

Once at the top, Kalev glances around.

Done and done. Spells marked off...

Kalev easily scales the walls with his rope and grappling hook, and can see the carnage on the upper wall- a handful of trolls lie dead on the walls but it appears as though the two hundred or so strong defenders were defeated. Dead or dying militia litter the wall, and in particular over fifty men seem to have died in a strange pattern- in a formation that resembles an inward facing semi-circle of warriors, as though surrounding something large and dangerous. Kalev notes in particular that this large group of men seem to have been incapacitated or killed by fierce flames that scorched their flesh.

Kalev knows that the gates mechanism isn't particularly easy to open and is a little time consuming, so instead opts to throw a rope down to the other Guardians. He notes that the outer door into the main keep has been torn off its hinges, the remains of a barricade behind it rendered useless. From inside, he can hear the sounds of what seems to be another heavy wooden door under heavy assault.

Kip scrambles up the rope as fast as he can...
Accelerated climb (10ft): 1d20 - 1 - 5 ⇒ (12) - 1 - 5 = 6 vs DC 5
Accelerated climb (10ft): 1d20 - 1 - 5 ⇒ (12) - 1 - 5 = 6 vs DC 5
Accelerated climb (10ft): 1d20 - 1 - 5 ⇒ (20) - 1 - 5 = 14 vs DC 5
... and as he makes it to the top of the wall he draws his wand of enlarge, holding it at the ready in his hand. Kip will enlarge anyone who wishes it as they reach the top of the wall. (Presuming we are somewhat close to the keep and the sound.)

As he waits for the others to reach the top, Kip looks about, taking in the death and destruction around him. Taking particular note of the fire blasted bodies. Hmmmmmm.... It appears they aren't just trolls... but trolls with fireballs?

Hearing the sound of the door being battered, Kip remarks to the air, not quite sure where the invisible ranger is, Good Kalev, perhaps you should see who or what is making that noise? We will join you as soon as we can!

Can we just take a 10 as we are not in combat? DC 5 Malthir doesn't have to roll, if so he would be up next!!! and then on his way to the sound.

As per usual, take 10 is fine- assuming you can still make the DC...

I've not marked off a shield other, yet, since it ends if Kalev moves more than 35' from Fenna.

Fenna waits until the others have began their climb, before pulling herself up after them.

Cas takes 10 to climb.

As soon as he is upon the wall within view of the entry to the keep, he points towards the hallway and whispers "Kesten, Vaysh, Jhod, Akiros, Sootscale, Oleg. Can you hear me? We are in the outer courtyard." message - range 160 ft

As soon as Malthir is on the wall, he looks around to make sure there are not any immediate threats. When he sees none he begins to head down towards the main part of the castle until he can hear the source of the sounds and will then move in that direction...he doesn't wait for the other Guardians, his flaming sword is out as he marches towards his enemy...

Basically he gets on the wall and waits for 2 rounds of game time before he marches down. That would probably put everyone except for Ricter and Fenna up. Malthir isn't running but he is double moving towards the sound as soon as he picks it up.

In other news - the RPG Superstar round 3 entries are up. As always, I would greatly appreciate your support and your votes.

Take 10 on climb check, +4 strength -3 armour penalty.

Once Ricter reaches the top of the wall he declines the wand Kip offers.

"Size can be a weakness - as we just proved"

He then immediately heads off after Malthir, muttering a blessing to the dead as he does so.

"Dutiful to the end. You time in the boneyard will be brief and you time after blissful"

He then raises his voice to a shout, so that any of the dying soldiers that can hear him know they bought just enough time.

"YOUR TIME HAS COME, FEEBLE TROLLS! COME FOURTH AND SUBMIT TO EXECUTION"

While the rest has climbed up, Kalev casts Lead Blades and the sneak, invisibly down into the courtyard, towards the doors.

Though it can't be seen due to his invisible state, a cold-burning rage has entered Kalev as he witnesses the many dead or dying soldiers, and silently he vows revenge.

Malthir seems to see the carnage around him for a second...all of the dead and maybe more to come...he stops for a second before he loses sight of anyone else and casts his last spell, maybe the last spell he will ever cast...bless. It bolsters him and his uncertaintly fades away...he marches towards the sound of the banging.

Hopefully I can catch most of you, if not.....Malthir doesn't care abot anything else anymore, just reaching the troll and finishing them...making them pay for all of this!

The Guardians all reach the top of the wall in relatively good time to each other. Malthir blesses the group but the bless doesn't include Kalev, who has stalked ahead, the size of a giant, bardiche augmented, invisible and with fire and fury in his heart. He reaches the courtyard and can see the main set of doors into the keep are ruined; with the next set of doors leading into the great hall also torn off their hinges with a similar barricade behind them.

Casimir receives a single reply- from an especially anxious sounding Vaysh.

Casimir, the great hall, quickly! Their leader has almost broken through, Akiros could fall at any moment...

Full speed ahead? A fair warning, i'm not going to hold back Hargulka's actions to make time for your buffs.

Kip joins the others running towards the great hall.... full speed ahead, yes. ;)

Sparing just a brief glance to the carnage, Fenna runs after the others into the keep.

Malthir was already full speed ahead other than the bless.... :)

Casimir rushes after the others, realizing that no power is going to be able to make Malthir wait.

He calls out to the others: "They are in the great hall. Vaysh still lives, and Akiros too - he is fighting off Hargulka, but he is hard pressed."

He then activates the link to Vaysh again. "Vaysh, is the leader alone? Is there anything we should know that might help us defeat him, or anything we should be careful of?"

Hearing Casimir's call, Kalev increases his pace, almost running ahead, but letting a shimer of caution get the better of him.

move up to 60 ft (two actions), unless something happens

Kalev enters the keep first, and moves quickly through the corridors, noting ruined doors and shattered barricades as he moves towards the crashing sounds. Entering the final corridor leading to the great hall, Kalev gets a clear view of Hargulka, the troll leader, attempting to batter through another door leading to the kitchen.

The troll is smaller than Nagrundi was but is still a physically impressive and imposing member of his race- he is clad in full hide armour with a steel helmet atop his crown, and wields his morningstar in both hands as he batters the door before him. The large double doors are clearly reinforced on the other side, perhaps by Akiros himself, a barricade or both. Hargulka turns at the sound of Kalev's heavy footsteps, pausing in his assault to peer down the corridor, sniffing the air.

The Troll King

Round 1-

Ordered Initiative-
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 Hargulka

Hargulka- 21
Ricter- 20
Kalev- 17
Kip- 8
Casimir- 6
Fenna- 5
Malthir- 4

Active Effects-

Rushing through the keep has taken you 15 rounds so far, for the purpose of durations.

Lead Blades on Kalev
Enlarge Person on Kalev
Invisibility on Kalev
Bless on Party
Malthir's Flaming Sword

Map-

Link (Init 20)

Notes-
The remnants of the broken doors on the map are treated as difficult terrain.

I figure that although Ricter and Casimir are faster than Malthir, they wouldn't outpace him. Thus, Kip, Fenna, Malthir, Ricter and Casimir are sixty feet behind the start of the map but yet don't have line of sight on the corridor (theres a turn 10 feet behind the start of the map so you have to move at least 50 to see whats happening).

Action-

Reacting swiftly to Kalev's response, Hargulka growls and moves to block the narrow corridor leading into the great hall, keeping his morningstar up in a defensive posture as he scans the room for the unseen threat.

Skulking around your own castle like the cowards you are. the Troll King intones in the common tongue, in a loud, deep, earthy accent, just about audible even to the other Guardians who can't see him yet. His Taldane is good, as natural sounding to you as any native speaker although the lungs behind the words are far more powerful than any mans.

This place is a fine prize. A good trade for the crumbling ruin once inhabited by the Kobold fondling, Fey-humping Elves that once claimed these lands. Come and die, Guardians, for I know your tricks and do not fear you...

The group are up!

He then activates the link to Vaysh again. "Vaysh, is the leader alone? Is there anything we should know that might help us defeat him, or anything we should be careful of?"

Btw, i've not exactly run message RAW here but for the sake of plot I let it slide. Won't be this generous with the use of it in future.

Casimir receives a reply just as the round starts-

Casimir I don't think hes just a warrior... He slew most of our soldiers with a fireball... Akiros is holding the door but hes wounded...

Upon hearing Hargulka's taunts Ricter breaks into a run, crashing round the corner and into cover on the north side of the corridor.

Run 90' to B3

Racing along, Casimir relays what he has learned from Vaysh.

"Careful, he may be able to cast spells. Vaysh says he used a fireball to kill our soldiers."

Double move towards the action.

Seeing Hargulka having noticed him, Kalev calls upon his training and experience to find weaknesses in the troll's defenses and fighting style.

Ranger's Focus

He moves just within his incredible reach and strikes at the large foe.

Don't know if I can make one, so let me know if I should make a second.

Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
Damage: 3d8 + 20 ⇒ (8, 6, 7) + 20 = 41

Ricter arrives on the scene just in time to see Kalev make a powerful swing with his bardiche that Hargulka contemptuously swats aside, forcing the head of the weapon against the wall with his morningstar. Straining against the troll king's strength and skill, Kalev frees his weapon and strikes once more- but the strength of the blow has been robbed and although Hargulka only manages a partial parry with his hafted weapon, its enough to divert the weapon into the strong, central section of his hide armour.