Kirth Gersen |
Jaegr's limbs seize up; he's unable to lift his pickaxe, or even take a step. He can feel the bonds of the spell holding him, and can try to save again next round.
Caspian is attacked by one of the goons:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 41d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
and needs to make a concentration check to avoid losing his spell or drawing an attack of opportunity.
Caspian Barefoot |
Hey! What! that goon was facing Mr. Jaegr and would have to know the spell worked to move and attack....otherwise he just left a lady in the lurch, and opened himself to an AoO from the same Mr. Jaegr!
spellcasting in combat = bad idea
Concentration check
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Kirth Gersen |
Hey! What! that goon was facing Mr. Jaegr and would have to know the spell worked to move and attack...
Correct! On seeing Jaegr freeze in place (a free action, as the effect would be obvious IF you're looking for it), the goon immediately starts ignoring him and turns on you instead. This makes it clear to you that the guy knew exactly what to expect: i.e., that he'd been briefed, or that he'd worked with Kaylissa before. Caspian, deducing this immediately, proves again that he is indeed a very clever halfling. Caspian -- award self 1 hero point.
P.S. Defensive casting succeeds!
Total HD affected: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5
Goon's save: 1d20 + 0 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 0 + 2 = 18
Kaylissa's save: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 = 23
Note: The "+2" is for being in combat, per the spell description.
Kirth Gersen |
Unfortunately, the hobbit's deduction regarding the possibility of previous events just like this one doesn't help his spell work any better; neither of his opponents stops and stares blankly at him. Instead, the goon tries to get around you to attack from behind.
Acrobatics:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Kirth Gersen |
Seeing her ally miss pathetically, and knowing her spell on Jaegr could possibly end at any time (allowing him to kill her if she doesn't act now), Kaylissa gets serious. Raising her left hand, she displays what looks like a small piece of obsidian. The room seems to darken for a moment, then a wave of destructive power bursts from the stone, enveloping the room. You feel as if your flesh is being destroyed by some necrotic disease or crisis of aging.
Negative energy damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 2) = 12
DC 14 Will save applies for half.
Kirth Gersen |
Goon save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12
Kaylissa's ally, now anticipating your conterattack instead of watching what his boss is doing, takes full damage and is instantly heavily wounded and exhausted. A look of horror crosses his face.
Captive save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15
The guy had crawled almost all the way to the window when the wave of power hit him. On top of the damage from the sound burst, it's too much for him, even on a successful save. He's now unconscious and appears to be dying.
Kirth Gersen |
The goon, having just been blasted near unconscious, takes Caspian's sword in the gut. He staggers, reels, and falls to the floor -- leaving you, Jaegr, and Kaylissa the only people in the room still moving, among a rapidly-growing pile of bodies.
Jaegr: Second saving throw attempt!
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
been on the road all day, but here comes a phone save
First the save vs damage will: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 = 13
Then second save for paralyze 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25
Kirth Gersen |
Jaegr is struck by the lashing of energy and heavily wounded; he gasps in pain and reels, but retains his feet -- and, to his relief, finds that the spell binding his limbs has abated!
Jaegr -- unless I missed something, you're at 4 hp and are heavily wounded, with a -3 on all rolls. However, you're no longer paralyzed after that awesome save.
OK, back to the top of the order: Jaegr, then Kaylissa if she's still alive, then Caspian again.
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Power attack with crushing blow 1d20 + 9 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 9 - 3 = 25
Damage 1d8 + 10 - 3 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 3 = 14
Jaegr feeling the weight of his blows slow him down decides to press the attack.
doing this by phone again so I can't look up what take a breather does with the Fast recovery feat that gives quicker healing. Plus Jaegr would probably do this vs a breather anyways. I should have done a breather after last fight, forgot about that!
HPs 4/33
Kirth Gersen |
Jaegr: Taking a breather allows you to regain up to 16 hp sustained in the last encounter = (3rd level + 4 Con) x2 due to Fast Recovery feat.
Caspian: unless I'm adding wrong, you've got 7 hp left at this point.
Kaylissa reels under the unexpected attack, and the force of your blow. She quickly realizes she needs to kill you immediately to avoid your next attack killing her, and raises the chunk of obsidian again.
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 3) = 10
DC 14 Will for half.
Those on the floor who were bleeding out their lives are now quite dead.
Jaegr "Knock Knock" |
Jaegr: Taking a breather allows you to regain up to 16 hp sustained in the last encounter = (3rd level + 4 Con) x2 due to Fast Recovery feat.
Hmm sounds like I should have done that last round instead. Oh well.
Will 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14
Endurance 1d20 + 10 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 3 = 10 Not even close
Jaegr collapses as well. HP -1/33
Kirth Gersen |
Back outside of town...
The crow comes flying back into the clearing at breakneck speed, flying in circles over your heads while screaming "REDRUM! REDRUM!" When you get him slightly calmed down, Cricket gets the picture: the crow found the right hotel room, only to be met with a scene of bloodshed and murder. He flew back right away to let you know.
Kirth Gersen |
You make it to the hotel in record time. Both of you are intensely aware of the odd lack of police presence in the neighborhood -- certainly something as grim as what the crow described would call for a troop of gendarmes, especially in light of the police response to the event at the Forge! But the City Watch is nowehere to be seen. Indeed, the scene is almost ridiculously innocent; in front of the grand hotel, a small woman in a chef's outfit is loading up a covered wagon with the name "DuChambier's Catering" on the side; a fountain sprays water into the clear air; and people are walking in and out of the place unconcernedly.
Kirth Gersen |
You're checking out the doorman to see if he's got a hidden weapon; the people walking in and out of the foyer to see if they're looking surreptitiously at you (they are, but it's just because you're a goblin); the dude trimming the hedges around the side; the woman drinking absinthe on one of the 3rd floor balconies. Nothing seems at all out of place.
Wyvurn |
Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Specifically to check out what is being loaded into the truck. Then take a look around for the crow. Is it still near us or leading us somewhere else--like a window or service door.
"Try to look wretched and pathetic...like a...gob...I mean kobold. Let's see what we can find out. Keep an eye on your feathered friend as well and see if he points to someplace specific."
To try and get a closer look, Wyvurn will attempt to impersonate a beggar.
Bluff 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
"Excuse me Ma'am but is there possibly any leftovers or scraps for two poor wretches like ourselves"?
Kirth Gersen |
There are a several crates -- about 6 ft. long -- being loaded into the wagon by hotel porters; they appear to be quite heavy. Portable cooking setup, maybe? Whole pigs, complete with apples in their mouths? Big platters? It's hard to tell.
Wyvurn looks absolutelty nothing like a beggar, and isn't sure how to act like one, other than to ask for alms. Subconsciously, he attempts to get into the role rather than just ask for food point-blank:
Perform (Acting): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
This skill covers disguise, impersonation, and assuiming a role as opposed to simply being a smooth liar.
Kirth Gersen |
The tone of Wyvurn's voice was very presuasive, and the woman actually pulls out a handful of coins and is about to hand them to you when she spots Wyvurn's erect stance and powerful musculature. Then, taking one look at his scarred face, the woman decides that she is, in fact, being mugged in broad daylight in front of the nicest hotel in town! She immediately screams for hotel security and for the city watch, and backs away from you towards the hotel entrance, trying frantically to get everyone's attention.
Wyvurn |
"Ugh"
Bluff and Stealth 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 221d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Wyvurn will make a lunge at the woman attempting to cause her to cower and then use the diversion to hide.
Accelerated movement to get to someplace where I can hide
Kirth Gersen |
The woman shrieks, runs to one of the doormen who has walked over to see what the problem is, and begins ranting about robbers, giving Wyvurn the chance to step behind the fountain. From there, he can circle the carriage area, behind the wagon.
The lady in the chef's outfit who's overseeing the loading of the wagon, having noticed some of the commotion, seems to be yelling at the porters to hasten the loading process. One of them slips and drops his end of a crate; the woman steps forward very quickly and cracks him across the face with the back of her hand, then checks to make sure the crate hasn't broken open. It has, a bit, and she shoves the lid back in place and directs the porters to pick it up again, more carefully this time.
The doorman pulls a truncheon from his belt and starts looking around the area menacingly. Luckily, he misses the fact that Cricket, crouching among the hedges, is invisible to the naked eye.
The crow is on one of the upstairs balconies, jumping up and down frantically. He jeers out a message that sounds like random cawing to everyone else, but that Cricket understands to mean "Six dead guys in here, none of them the ones you described!"
Caspian is still unconscious, but tries to sympathetically hide in his sleep.
Kirth Gersen |
Perception for Wyvurn:
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
You've found Caspian.
Cricket the Sexy Goblin Druid |
Okay, I may be taking liberties with layout here, so if anything I write contradicts it, let me know.
First, Cricket summons a horse to appear next to the head maid and start kicking the wagon. (With a +4 to its Strength and Con, btw, because I'm awesome.)
Hopefully, this will attract the attention of the truncheon-armed flunky. When he heads towards the wagon, Cricket directs Wolvie [Handle Animal] 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
to herd the people away from the side of the building that the crow is squawking at.
If this occurs as planned, Cricket motions to Wyvurn to follow him as he makes his way stealthily [Stealth 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 to the balcony below the crow and starts climbing up the balconies one by one.
(I'll roll for those when and if my plan works. I also haven't seen the rolls yet. Eh, not terrible.)
Kirth Gersen |
Wolvie does his best rabid wild animal impression, foaming at the mouth and snarling at the people to move them away from that side of the building. Personally, you think he's overdoing it a bit, but it seems to work!
Bluff to intimidate: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (19) - 2 = 17
The people back away, most of them pulling out weapons -- you count several rapiers and a hand crossbow -- the last one worries you a bit. But the distraction is enough to let you try and start climbing, if you want to.
Wyvurn |
Wyvurn will use the commotion to see if he can hitch a ride unseen in or under the carriage. He will attempt to signal Cricket if he can.
Stealth 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31
Bluff 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Kirth Gersen |
Wyvurn: The woman pulls a rapier out from under her costume and begins slaughtering the screaming horse with it, while the porters watch gape-mouthed. With their attention thus engaged, it's easy to hide under the wagon; an Escape Artist check might allow you to find some means of ingress or cavity up under the floor, or to somehow strap yourself to the undercarriage. Barring that, you can make Athletics checks to hold on. The only down side with your vantage point and stealthy operation is that you're hidden from Cricket just as much as you are from everyone else.
Cricket: You can toss a Perception to see if you even notice Wyvurn.
Your climb check isn't good enough to climb to the first balcony, but is sufficient for you to assess the situation (the lobby/ground floor is as tall as two stories, with few handholds, although the brick makes it easier; call it DC 15 overall; with a 20-ft. climb to the first balcony, 2 successful checks are needed).
Cricket the Sexy Goblin Druid |
If this occurs as planned, Cricket motions to Wyvurn to follow him as he makes his way stealthily [Stealth 1d20+9 to the balcony below the crow and starts climbing up the balconies one by one.
May I draw your attention to this, Mr. Dungeon Master, sir?
In case my appeal is rejected (Perception) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23