Kingmaker PbP
Game Master Egoish

Gentlemen...There appears to be some sort of writing here that I can not interpret. Does anyone understand it?

Egan's gnomish sense of humor lets him laugh at the mostly harmless practical jokes. He synches up his saddle strap and remounts, laughing to himself. Little cousins. he is herd to murmur between suppressed laughs.

At the fallen tree, when Silva asks for assistance, Egan dismounts and walks over to take a look. His visage darkens as he reads the words. This is a warning to those who can read Sylvan. It tells us to go no further in this direction, as there is a troll ahead. Egan looks genuinely concerned, but also unsure. Is this a proper warning, or a ruse to get us to turn back? If it were in common I would think it more likely a ruse. Being in the language it is though, its a least somewhat more likely to be a genuine warning I think.

Considering further he concludes I would like to see more proof of this troll before give up the trail. Tracks at least, or some other sign if not a proper sighting. We can be wary and send a scout ahead, yes?

Silva rides ahead a little ways and looks for tracks.

Survival 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Are you moving stealthily yourself Silva?

There are indistinct game tracks all over this trail, the winter leaf mould holds tracks well but you cannot see any evidence of large creatures in the area.

Andrej does his part, continuing to move carefully and look for tracks.

Survivial
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Stealth
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

Busy day at work, phew!

Climbing over the fallen tree and leaving your mounts behind with Anza you advance down the forst trail, after a few minutes the ground becomes more rocky and you shortly come by a stream.

As you walk along you begin to notice small signs of a predator in the area, small chips of broken bone little the area with the odd larger piece showing in the bush similar to seeds scattered during sowing season. You have an odd sensation of being watched.

Perception check 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Stealth check 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Skill checks have not had range penalties/bonuses factored in.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6

Silva begins to detect evil.

Scouting around nothing strikes you as out of the ordinary that you have not already seen, though the bone chips do cover a large area. Moving through the bushes at the streams edge with caution your instincts tell you something evil resides here but your power shows no evidence.

Andrej crouches.

Do we move through or go around this area? , he asks quietly.

I guess we need to go around.

You back slowly away from the steam bed and finally emerge into the clearing off the game trail with Anze and the horses. You feel relieved with you escape from that disturbing place, however you still feel as though you are being watched.

Anza "What did you find?"

Not sure but its quiet up ahead... real quiet. My hackles are raised - though I can't say why. I think we need to move it past this area as soon as we can.

Agreed Catfoot. Anza, there are bone chips everywhere.

Perception checks...

Silva 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Egan 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Andrej 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

You quickly mount up and move away following Silva's feeling on the area...

Knowledge local or nature for info if you want

Look! Up in the trees. Has anyone seen one of those before?

I am untrained in those skills. I am not sure if I could point him out quickly enough, but it is worth the try.

Andrej looks around but sees nothing...

I think we need to move then - if you don't know what it is, then it can't be good

What? I did not see anything!

As everyone turns and. searches the treeline Andrej spots the creature too late as a huge claw reaches down an unlikely distaance and swipes Anza from her horse, you hear the sickening crack of ribs breaking as she slams into a tree and falls to the ground bloody and broken.

The creature clings to a think branch with its feet, hunched over it stands eleven feet tall, its arms half again as long as its body. Its skin seems to be scaly with a similar texture to tree bark underneath the moss that grows over its body, licking Anza's blood from its fingers it prepares to leap...

Initiative 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Initiative 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Scaytz!, Andrej swears.

I think we are screwed... run run away

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Well its not here - that is two I lost yesterday. And as best I remember I had never lost an entire post before. Hmm.

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Strangely its the same thing I rolled yesterday too.

The unidentfied creature you have been lead to believe is a troll hangs from the branches of a thick tree above the trail, having seen the extent of its reach you believe it could strike at any of you dispite it being nearly 20 feet up...

Initiative order...
Andrej
Creature
Egan
Silva

Andrej moves backwards 10 feet, drawing his sword and preparing to strike defensively it if it or its arms move within range of his blade.

Using defensive fighting -4 to hit, +2 to AC

Andrej, just so you know you cannot strike a creature with a readied action if ou do not threaten it. You might be better off on full defense.

Full Defense it is - AC22

As Andrej moves to creature lashes out with a huge claw...

Claw aoo from above 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Damage 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Following Andrej's movement it swings its hulking frame to another tree and sweeps another claw at him...

Claw 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Damage 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Is there a map? Not sure where the creature is in relation to Egan and to Anza.

Egan will either move to Anza, or he will 5 foot step away from the creature towards Anza (if he would provoke by moving) and cast Stabilize on Anza.

Working on a map but tonight is my table game night so i didn't get the chance, i'll have one up tomorrow evening. You would provoke by moving to Anza but since the creature has moved to follow Andrej she is now out of its reach. However it has used its aoo so your movement is safe for this round.

Alas, it took that aoo before its turn and has now acted, resetting its aoo. So, Egan will attempt to 5 foot step out of the creatures's reach before stabilizing Anza.

Silva will attempt to five foot step away and use a swift action to smite the creature with his bow.

Rapid Shot Smiting within 30':
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Damage:
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Both arrows strike the creature solidly in the side as it swings in the tree above Andrej, dealing deep wounds. However the bleedng stops immediately and the creature seems barely bothered by the injury.

I have always played that aoo's reset at the end of the round, rather than give npc's or pc's an unusual advantage due to the randomness of initiative. If you have a reference for when aoo's reset i'd love to see it in the discussion thread but for now make use of your action to stabilise Anza since i suspect your party will need you next round.

Andrej is up

New Round? Groovy. So the guys AaO is reset? :(

Grimacing at the pain and hoping that the other two can get their licks in, Andrej tries to keep his sword interplaced between himself and the creature - not wanting to trust the long arms by closing on it.

I'm the anvil guys... Hammer him

The troll moves in the branches above you positioning itself to threaten both Silva and Andrej with its huge reach, bellowing at Andrej with such force his ears hurt...

Intimidate 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 4 = 23

Its not too clever Silva so if you act before i get the map up you can still 5ft step away and fire without provoking. Map should be up withn the next 2-3 hours once i've cooked dinner.

Egan, now standing over Anza summons fire into his hand and throws it at the creature.

Range Touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 121d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

As the flame leaves his hand a new flame springs into its place.

The bolt of flame slams into the creatures leg and it reacts as though hit by a boulder, screaming and flailing as it rocks with the blow. Blood begins to seep out of the deep burn on its calf and thigh, and keeps pouring.

A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.

DC to intimidate me is 12. He's beaten it by 11 so I am shaken for 3 rounds

Silva takes a 5 foot step and fires 2 arrows:

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Troll Fight

One of the arrows pierces the trolls side and deals a greavous wound, it roars in agony as the wound gushes blood. The creature seems heavily wounded but no less dangerous.

Back to Andrej.

Nice map Ego!

Nice map... now, normally a 5ft step does not generate an attack of opportunity but I think in this case it does and it only has to be lucky once more with me

Andrej back at the creature in defiance and moves back and forth while keeping his blade up.

Full Defence. Hoping to keep it busy chaps...kill it

Egan throws his second and last flaming missile at the troll.

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 141d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

After the throw he pulls his crossbow to be ready to shoot next round.

Silva Five foots once again:

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Taking advantage of Andrej's movement the creature swipes at him, though its blow is sloppy and lacks the killing power of its previous swing as it keeps one eye on Egan...

1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 2 = 23
1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

I believe that puts Andrej on zero hp, so i offer a choice. Its a free action to drop to the ground which may result in the creature not killing you or you can stand your ground and possibly die while distracting it, decisions?

It hasn't rolled poorly so far... how badly damaged does it look?

One of the arrows pierces the trolls side and deals a greavous wound, it roars in agony as the wound gushes blood. The creature seems heavily wounded but no less dangerous.

Back to Andrej.

It's up next and still standing it could kill you outright...

Hang on - did I just trigger an AoO? I was moving back and forth not moving out of my square.It was to distract the beast

That was an aoo, i thought you were moving around to provoke it. I'll amend it to a full attack. That still leaves the question of drop or stand as if you drop it will step to attack Silva.

Drop and pray that I am not prey... I have an idea