Toramin Gearsmith |
"It was my first avalanche too. But, odd and exciting things happen to us all the time."
Dalton Barrowwheel |
"Too often." Dalton caught his breath and looked about. "Where to from here?"
Toramin Gearsmith |
"At this point, Dalton, I assume it's our thing. Some friends have secret handshakes; we kill world leaders and battle obscure and surprisingly well-funded evils."
DM Omen |
Coralla shakes her head, still wide eyed. "I, uh...I..." She just stammers into silence at the near death experience.
Viktor gives Toramin's shoulder one last look before grunting and stepping to the front. "Right, let's get out of the open." With nothing more said, he marches forward.
Most of the party finds themselves tired or exhausted by the time camp is reached, but luckily nothing else jumps up to challenge them. Viktor has yet another cave where he starts up a hearty fire and starts cooking dinner.
Going to bed. Congrats on getting past the avalanche. I was looking around and saw "Avalanche CR 7" and I was like "WELL THAT'S PERFECT!" Have fun talking amongst yourself or whatever else until I awake.
Toramin Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Bjorkus Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
Dalton Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 Fail
Rilka Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 Fail
Coralla Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 ⇒ 15 Fail
Viktor Survival: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 72
Bjorkus |
Omen did you catch the reply to Yix?
Bjorkus follows their heavily armored guide in relative silence while the party finishes the last bit of distance between them and shelter for the evening. Once they are within the safety of the cavern and Toramin's dislocated shoulder is tended to, the bull is quick to peel out of his snowmelt and sweat-soaked furs once again and lay down his things. Bjorkus keeps his own company, dedicating his time by the fire to practicing his admittedly amateur scrimshaw carvings.
Toramin Gearsmith |
Toramin will eat and sleep so he can be ready for the second watch.
Rilka Featherfeet |
~~~~~Grand Tour, Day 17~~~~~
As the snow, ice, and debris pass below them, Rilka can’t believe their luck. The display of Nature’s power leaves her quiet for some time as she thinks about how close they were to dying. Once they start marching again, she needs all her energy focused on the march, not chatter that can wait until camp. Multiple times she looks behind them to see if they are being pursued.
Arriving at the camp, she collapses onto a blanket and closes her eyes. ”Give me a moment,” she says breathing deeply. After a few minutes she strips off her armor and sweaty clothes and into dry garments. She arranges her wet clothes near the fire to dry. ”Teamwork once again saved us,” Rilka says with a short laugh, born of the day’s stress and harrowing events. She helps prepare the meal.
Bjorkus |
"Used me. Lied to me. Used me some more. I should be blamin' myself. I'm the damned fool who keeps fallin' for it. A pirate's gotta remember to look out for himself. Nobody else in this soddin' world will. The bad part is that I think I still need 'em."
DM Omen |
Bjorkus |
"Yeah, the lies soddin' bother me. What gets under my hide more is that they're usin' me to make those lies mean something. They've got the whole damned city callin' me a hero when I couldn't feel much lower. Every time I hear it it's like Targ's f~~$ing sword's stuck in my belly again. I keep lookin' for a fight - something left in Akropash worth doin' where my strength could make a difference that'll let me look folks in the eye again but there's nothin' left. Raul's the Aesceretics's prize prisoner, the strongest slavers are all dead or underground, and Targ's not comin' back from the grave anytime soon."
He glances at the catfolk with a bit of desperation in his eyes as he finishes his current drink. "Tell me you've got something for me, something the Aesceretics havent got their lyin' paws into yet."
DM Omen |
Yix gets a drink in his hands and sips it. "I've been gone this past week spying on the neighboring slave princes. They smell blood. There's going to be more fighting in Akropash. But not until the Aestherics leave. The two princes considering attacking are wary of the strange foreigners who caused so much damage."
Bjorkus |
"Tell me 'bout these slave princes. Are they based in Akropash or somewhere outside her walls? Could we strike now and catch 'em off-guard?"
DM Omen |
He gives Bjorkus a cautious look. "I'm not talking about some powerful slaver, I'm talking about two princes. With armies. They own entire spans of Yenrick. To take them down is an entire mission in itself line what you did here. Plus they're already aware of how Targ was taken down and are wary of such attempts."
Bjorkus |
"Sounds like I'm not gunna find much of a fight with them either. Damn", the bull grumbles in frustration.
DM Omen |
"Why the need for a fight? The way I've heard it you've been practically bathing in blood the last month."
Bjorkus |
"We did the impossible and brought down Targ. Akropash is free and got a decent shot at a real future for the first time in who know how many years. I couldn't be happier for all of that - I personally promised that girl Coralla that I'd see it happen", the bull explains. "But somewhere along the line people started callin' me a hero and I wanted to believe it. I fought hard to make it true - I went down into Targ's soddin' dungeon I wanted it so bad but nothin' I did ever really mattered. It was all just me gettin' my ass kicked over and over again", Bjorkus laughs a bit at the irony.
"Now the revolution happened anyway and the Aestherics found a way to turn my failure into a rallying cry. Good on them. If the Aestherics think Akropash needs a flag flyin' to get 'em fighting then let 'em do it but I need some part of it to be true. I need to know that some part of all this was my doin' and not just more Aestherics lies. I need to leave here knowin' that there was some fight out here - a real fight - that mattered that I was part of or I won't be able to respect myself again."
Bjorkus gestures dismissively. "Those skirmishes I've been helpin' out with were just me searchin' for one last good fight out there in Akropash."
DM Omen |
"You set up the fire. You made the slaves stand up from their lives of resignation and acceptance of cruelty. You got them ready, and when the head was cut off you lead the people in a charge to burn away anything else that could have spawned from Targ's death." He pokes Bjorkus in the chest. "You say you want to have been the one who made the difference in those two little fights. I say you did ninety percent of the work here without ever laying a hand on either one of them. Beating yourself up about this is like being angry about losing a copper piece when you just got a dragon's horde. You weren't brought here to kill Targ and Acera. You were brought here to kill what they stood for and to make sure it never comes back."
Bjorkus |
"Thanks for the info Yix. Let me know if you hear about anything else that needs my attention. I'm gunna go... find a drink or something."
Dalton Barrowwheel |
** spoiler omitted **
"To put it bluntly, why the Aestherics were formed instead of manipulating already existing groups. The latter is right up your alley. As a founder, it strikes me as odd you took the long road instead of the short path."
DM Omen |
Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 391d100 ⇒ 371d100 ⇒ 73
The night passes quietly. I'll update the Grand Tour in a bit.
DM Omen |
~The Grand Tour Day 18~
The night passes quietly, everybody waking up warm and refreshed for the next day. Bjorkus is delighted to see Coralla found her way to his side at some point in the night, but upon waking the stands and walks away, not making eye contact.
After a breakfast everybody gets geared up and Viktor leads out the cave for another day in the cold. Today is spent following a winding game trail between the mountains, sight being limited to only a few hundred feet. After two hours Dalton looks on the verge of passing out.
Coralla is fatigued, Dalton is exhausted. Taking a break, carrying Dalton, or healing his exhaustion?
Toramin Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Bjorkus Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36
Dalton Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Fail
Rilka Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Coralla Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 ⇒ 6 Fail
Viktor Survival: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 75
Hour 2 (DC 16)
Toramin Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 +2 from survival passes
Bjorkus Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
Dalton Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 Fail
Rilka Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Coralla Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 ⇒ 16
Viktor Survival: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 46
Toramin Gearsmith |
Toramin wants to press on until lunch and recommends that Bjorkus carry Coralla while he carries Dalton.
Bjorkus |
This terrain was the kind of place where you wanted to know the person at your back trusted you and Bjorkus knew he should try to work things out with Coralla but he doesn’t have it in him. He lets the girl walk away and sees to his own things instead, tucking the assorted bits of bone and horn he’d been working on into his pack. He eats his breakfast in silence save a grunt of thanks for their guide.
Leaving decisions about healing/travel up to Toramin.
Edit:
Bjorkus follows Toramin's suggestion and picks up Coralla.
DM Omen |
Is Toramin technically tall enough to carry Dalton? I suppose over his shoulder or cradled like a babe. I bet that's quite a sight.
With the two people struggles being picked up, the trek continues. Viktor leads the party to a trail through the snow with a fifteen foot cliff on the left open area to the right, although both sides are filled with pine trees. Toramin finds carrying Dalton to be tiring.
"Rawwwrrrrrr!!!" With no warning there is suddenly an immense lion jumping off the small cliff. This beast resembles a large lion but with over-sized canines and a shorter mane. It bears down on Rilka and positively mauls her, opening terrible wounds with its claws and closing its jaws around her, picking up its meal as blood drips from its jowls.
As the shock of the brutal attack sinks in, another low growl is heard from the right, where a second lion is circling, eyes on Coralla.
Init Order
Enemy
Rilka
Dalton
Viktor
Bjorkus
Toramin
Coralla
Dalton is exhausted and Toramin is fatigued. Rilka takes 50 damage and is currently grappled by the lion. Sorry, it won initiative and attacked what looked like the easiest target, the small person without a lot of armor.
Toramin Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 4 = 13
Bjorkus Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 17 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 17 - 4 = 32
Dalton Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 4 = 19
Rilka Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Coralla Fort vs Altitude: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Viktor Survival: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Encounter: 1d100 ⇒ 90
Dalton Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Toramin Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4
Rilka Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Bjorkus Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Viktor Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 16
Coralla Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 18
?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Bite vs Rilka: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Bjorkus Init: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Dalton Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Toramin Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Rilka Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Viktor Init: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Coralla Init: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Enemy Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Claw/Claw/Bite vs Rilka: 1d20 ⇒ 141d20 ⇒ 61d20 ⇒ 13
Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 151d8 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 131d8 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22
Grab: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24
Toramin Gearsmith |
I don't know why, but I'm feeling very Ripley at the moment. "Let her go you, b&%~&!"
Toramin use his Lay on Hands to wash away his fatigue. Then he will assume his defensive stance
Toramin swings Talev's Legacy at the beast who brutalized Rilka.
Krr-Thunk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
Damage: 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
Krr-Thunk: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Damage: 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
If it tries to move away and/or if the other lion comes closer:
(AoO)Krr-Thunk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30
Damage: 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
(AoO)Krr-Thunk: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Damage: 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Toramin Gearsmith |
Combat Reflexes lets me make AoO while flat-footed. Would either of the first two attacks have missed Rilka with a +3 AC bonus? Because when it pounced, I could have attacked it or shielded her. I think. If I get how the abilities work.
Bjorkus |
Nature: 1d20 ⇒ 14
With Coralla in his arms, Bjorkus back away from the beast savaging poor Rilka. He wanted to help her but what could he do against such primal power?
”Cave lions”, he manages to rumble. ”They’re just animals but they’re so strong…”
I guess I'll wait and see what Dalton's got in mind.
Rilka Featherfeet |
It’s totally believable for a lion (or any hungry predator) to pounce on the smallest member of the group. Starting the combat at −8 hp has to be a record for one of my PCs. I normally don’t look under the “dice” spoiler and just want to be sure that the lion beat Rilka’s FF of 15. I assume there’s a modifier to the roll that you don’t want us to know, right?
Rilka never sees what attacks her. There is simply a burst of agony and pain then darkness.
Next round, save vs dying.
DM Omen |
The rules for dying is you need to make a constituon DC 15 check to stabilize. You take a penalty on the check equal to your negative hit points. Lucky for your, ability checks automatically succeed on nat 20s, so you're no longer bleeding to death! On the verge of death and in the jaws of an apex predator, but not bleeding!
Toramin Gearsmith |
"We need to free Rilka! Vicktor, Dalton -- do everything you can to free her. Bjorkus, strike it down! Your strength could probable cleave through its neck!"
Dalton Barrowwheel |
There was little the worn mage could do to free Rilka, but he could make the beasts less able to escape.
With a transmutation beyond the material realm, he decelerated time around the lions.
Slow on both lions. 8 rounds remain. DC 21 Will save.
"They should be more sluggish now - at least they can't outrun us if we chase them!"
Know(Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Bjorkus |
With the lions crippled by by Dalton's time-magic the doubt that was overwhelming Bjorkus begins to recede. Maybe they're weak enough for me to fight 'em now...
The bull drops Coralla as gracefully as he can and gestures for her to take cover before rearing back with his huge fists. "Let her go you ugly bastard", he growls with a hint of the fire that he'd been absent for weeks now. It wasn't enough to summon up the battle-fury that he used to wield but maybe it was enough to distract the beast.
Slam: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 4 = 13
Slam: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 4 = 14
Whoa.
Confirming: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Extra Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 4 = 14
Confirming: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Extra Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 4 = 13
If it's still alive:
After knocking it back a foot, he gives an angry snort and barrels forward to drive his horns in the big primeval feline.
Gore: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Damage: 1d6 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + 6 = 17
DM Omen |
Dalton uses his transmutation magic to slow down the two lions, making it appear as if they're moving in slow motion. Viktor roars in anger and starts swinging at the lion, opening up two wounds in it's side. It growls in response, then gets a face full of quarter cow to its side. Bjorkus slams it once in the face, loosing it's jaw, then with another slam completely shatters its jawbone. Finally he gores it for good measure, leaving it in a bloody pulp on the ground.
The other lion growls in anger as it's hunting partner goes down, stepping forward to attack. Toramin slams down twice on it as it approaches.
Init Order
Rilka
Dalton
Viktor
Bjorkus
Toramin
Coralla
Enemy
Bjorkus killed the first cave lion so I redirected Toramin's attacks at the second one as it approached. Since it's in difficult terrain and slowed by Dalton's spell, all it could do was approach this round. Party to act!
Damage: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 121d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Rilka - 50 damage
CL2 - 28 damage
Bjorkus |
Bjorkus kneels and cradles Rilka's tiny torn and bleeding form. It's my fault. I shoulda been stronger. I shoulda protected her.
As he does, the half-minotaur hums a soothing tune. "Come on Rilka. Don't die."
CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Toramin Gearsmith |
Stone Strike: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 14 + 2 = 34
Damage: 1d10 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 12 + 2 = 22
Stone Strike: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 = 23
Toramin draws power from the earth to crush this beast who would seek to eat them.
DM Omen |
Vicktor has healing, yes?
Pffft, stingy dwarf.
Viktor runs to Rilka's side, helping Bjorkus cradle her as she wakes up from his healing magic. "You'll be alright, Bjorkus saved you. Just give me a minute..." His hands glow once, twice, then three times, sealing her sounds. He stands and claps Bjorkus on the shoulder. "That was well done, you just saved her from a slow death being torn apart by lion cubs." He turns to the fully grown ones, a smile coming to his face. "If you thought glacier toad was good, just wait till you try my roasted cave lion!" He brandishes his sword again and sets to harvesting the carcasses.
By my calculations Rilka is at 40/42 hp.
Dalton Barrowwheel |
"Here, allow me to assist with the carriage."
Dalton conjures a disk of force a few feet above the snow, setting some on the bottom so it becomes visible. "It'll hold a good few hundred pounds and follow us for a few hours. Miss Rilka, you may wish to hop on - after a bit like that, I know I wouldn't be much for walking!"
Toramin Gearsmith |
"Well done, Bjorkus! Thank you, Vicktor! Rilka, I'm so glad you are well."
How close are we? It's been several days and since the trip was supposed to be about a week and we halved the time we should be close, right?
DM Omen |
You have spent two days traveling without Bjorkus's magical aid, and one full day with it, or in total 32 hours. With the 3 hours traveled today, doubled by Bjorkus, you're at 38 hours. A week's travel is normally 56 hours, which leaves you with 18 more hours. At double speed that's 9 hours, which means you should arrive midday tomorrow.
Bjorkus |
I'd imagine cave lion is super stringy and gamey. Viktor must be a culinary miracle worker! On the other hand, camping food often does taste better than its constituent parts.
The praise slides off the hulking bull's frame practically unheard as he uses handfuls of nearby snow to scrub the gore off of his huge fists. With Rilka alive and on the mend he stands up, leaving her in Viktor's more capable hands. "She's gunna be okay right?" he asks as he moves back to pick up the weakly breathing Coralla from the ice.