Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Kaisersburg is on the southeastern short of Estren Lake, which means if you simply follow the river upstream you should walk right into it. It might take a long time, though -- and there's always the threat of bandits, hostile wood elves, goblins, or other wandering monsters. Taking a boat upriver would be faster and easier, but it seems unlikely you can just waltz back into Farmwall and demand a lift.
Hopefully cricket can talk the wood elves down, and maybe even confuse the goblins. The rest we'll just have to be careful of. I think we'll have to walk there.
Wyvurn |
"The long walk will do us good. Perhaps tempers will cool in the time it takes for us to reach Kaiserburg and our escapades will be forgotten...or Farmwall sends word ahead by boat or horse and their ready for us...Either way, the fates will smile or laugh at us."
Kirth Gersen |
Occasionally there are rocky tors or brambles or other impediments close to the river's banks, but overall following the thing is easy -- you're following the largest river in this part of the world, so it's not hard to pick up again if you lose it! And the initial few days of your journey are relatively uneventful -- you're passing through farm country outlying the town, and see nothing more threatening than an occasional hamlet, some people working in the fields, some children swimming in the river -- and once an anhkheg, a six-foot-long centipede-like monster that comes burrowing up from the earth, only to flee quickly when Wyvuen shoots it with an arrow. Caspian has thus far been pilfering enough food from the fields to keep everyone fed.
It's fairly miserable when it rains, though, and Jaeger in particular is finding it exceptionally hard to sleep under an open sky. And you're wondering what you'll do when you leave the farms behind, as only Jaeger and Cricket seem to have any survival skills.
Caspian Barefoot |
Caspain will of course be healing friends as the journey continues along......
"Yah needs yer sleep grumpy dwarf, maybe iffen yah digs a hole an sticks yer head unner a rock yah will sleep better."
Caspian continues to use his sling mainly for hunting rabbits and squirels, adding to the stores.
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
"How do you surface folk not get freaked out every time you look up at nothing?"
Jaegr will help where he can with foraging. Hopefully the journey won't take too long.
Kirth Gersen |
At one point, when you get past the farms and such, Caspian digs up a couple of very large eggs from a pile of evergreen needles beneath a stand of fir trees. The clever hobbit has found a delicious breakfast, enough for everyone, although some Perception and/or Survival skill checks might be in order...
Kirth Gersen |
None of you recognized the eggs at first, but you're all aware of mama's approach as she crashes through the trees about 50 feet away: she's the size of a kodiac bear, with a shaggy pelt and a large, serrated beak. She sees you near the eggs and lets out a teremendous, eerie bellow -- half-hooting, half-roar.
Cricket the Sexy Goblin Druid |
Aargh! If I hadn't been on strike against the internet I could have warned you not to disturb those ______ eggs! And I probably wouldn't have been surprised by this hellish emu!
Survival 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
When it is Cricket's turn, he starts squatting, holding his elbows back like he's imitating a chicken, and hopping, all the while saying Cluck, cluck, cluck in various appropriate intotnations.
Wild empathy 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Psst, back away from the eggs!
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Caspian backs away slowly.....
Jaegr draws his pickaxe, placing himself in between it and his friends. He keeps an eye on it to make sure it doesn't attack.
Kirth Gersen |
Owlbear's save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Cricket's adjusted wild empathy: 18 -4 for magical beast = 14
Unfortunately, your chicken dance makes you look like food, in addition to everyone else looking like a threat to the eggs! The owlbear charges!
Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Bee-GAWK! Bee-GAWK!
Cricket does the Funky Chicken.
That should surely enrage it to attack! Jaegr approves
Kirth Gersen |
Owlbears aren't much brighter than chickens, but the instinct to protect their eggs is even stronger than their instinct to eat small, capering goblins in rainbow garments. This one catches sight of Jaegr with one eye and Vanya with the other, and you can almost see it mentally flipping a coin as it drops to all fourse and covers the intervening 50 ft. very quickly indeed.
Who? 1d2 ⇒ 1
Attack 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 261d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Ask, Jaegr, and ye shall receive!
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Ask, Jaegr, and ye shall receive!
Jaegr takes the blow in stride and returns with a swing of his own
Power Attack with Crushing Blow 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Damage 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Add Caspian's bonus to my hit/dam if it applies this round
Wyvurn |
Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Wyvurn attempts to sidesteps behind the owlbear and hamstring it with both blades:
Acrobatics to sidestep behind: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
2 Kukri attack (one with the +1 ki enhancement and one with the +1 deep crystal) 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 201d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9,1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 101d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Well, I might be catching a beak to the face. Does not include Caspian's bonus since we literally went at the same time but does include a flanking bonus which I hopefully achieved.
Kirth Gersen |
The owlbear, in the process of rearing up to maul the dwarf, takes a quick swipe at the agile hobgoblin:
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 211d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
In its fury and single-minded intent to tear apart Jaegr, the owlbear ignores its opportunity to grab Wyvurn, and instead settles for merely swatting him as he moves past -- a mistake, as one of his kukris scores a deep gash on the monster's side.
Caspian's music begins to fill the wood, inspiring greater efforts.
Cricket -- you're up!
Cricket the Sexy Goblin Druid |
Cluck, cluck, cluuuuuuck!
I assume that with a five foot step, Cricket can step back from the horrid beast safely. If so, he ducks his hand quickly into his beautifully-embroidered mojo bag and pulls out what looks (and smells) like dried cowshiznit. He squinches his eyes, pinches shut his nose and swallows the dung. (Casts Bull's strength)
Cluck, cluck, mooooooooooooo!
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
"Knock knock
knock knock
an knock knock is his name-o""K-N-O-C
K-O
an knock knock is his name-o"
Jaegr gets pumped up hearing the halfling's music. "Bring on beak brain!"
Jaegr needs to work on his insults with Caspian
Kirth Gersen |
The enraged owlbear finally gets to start mauling!
Claw: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 231d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 41d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
Claw: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 171d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 81d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
Bite: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 201d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Luckily, the dwarf's new magic armor protects him from the worst of the beast's onslaught; only the first slashing claw connects, glancingly, and fails to grapple the daughty fighter.
A lousy 4 points of damage? And no grapple? Is that all this thing can do? I need to start using the 3.5e monster stats again...
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
The enraged owlbear finally gets to start mauling!
Claw: 1d20+7; 1d6+3; 1d20+13
Claw: 1d20+7; 1d6+3; 1d20+13
Bite: 1d20+7; 1d6+3Luckily, the dwarf's new magic armor protects him from the worst of the beast's onslaught; only the first slashing claw connects, glancingly, and fails to grapple the daughty fighter.
A lousy 4 points of damage? And no grapple? Is that all this thing can do? I need to start using the 3.5e monster stats again...
Jaegr takes his second hit and knows he has been lucky so far. He uses a more defensive pose help keep those claws away from him. He also makes sure he is flanking with Wyvurn. (AC 22)
Power Attack and combat expertise with Crushing Blow 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Damage 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
I think fighting defensively like that isn't Jaegr's thing
Wyvurn |
Wyvurn maintains the flanking position with Jaegr and smiles as his wounds begin to heal on their own.
Even if it's only 1, Fast Healing rocks
Attacks: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 131d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 251d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Cricket the Sexy Goblin Druid |
I had actually intended that Cricket attack with his staff and that Wolvie would show up on the next round. I finally (FINALLY!) got around to typing up Wolvie's stats (with +3 hit points and +3 skill points from my bonded companion option), so now he's ready to sink his teeth into this foul owlbear!
Kirth Gersen |
I had actually intended that Cricket attack with his staff and that Wolvie would show up on the next round.
Oops -- I thought he'd mounted up. OK! Wolvie's on for next round!
The owlbear, though heavily wounded, is still desperately trying to maul Jaegr to protect its eggs:
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 101d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 31d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 201d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 31d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Again, the dwarf's skill and magic armor protect him from the beast's savage claws (that second hit would have grappled you, leaving you at the thing's mercy!)
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Jaegr takes another wound and feels it is time to put this dangerous thing down. Jaegr abandons his defensive fighting style to go all out. Caspian changes his song properly inspiring Jaegr.
Power Attack with Crushing Blow 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Damage 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
Kirth Gersen |
Finally, the annoying "smooth jazz" that Caspian was blowing is replaced by a properly inspiring thrill of hard bop, and Jaegr goes to town, swinging his pickaxe in a gorgeous arc intersecting with the monster's skull. The mama owlbear drops, shudders once, and then lies still; there is soon a respectable collection of flies buzzing about the shaggy corpse.