SeanDM's Leverage

Game Master Mur

Heroic-Level Eberron Campaign
Starting at 2nd lvl


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Female Eladrin Bard 2

Woah, cowboy. "Let me go first," Orla says quietly but clearly. "Once I reach point where I can see in the room, I can use my fey step to get into the room without blocking the top of the stairs for the next person." She pauses a moment. "Actually, give me one of those spark flasks and I'll see how many of them I can get off-balance before the rest of you come up the stairs."


Male Human Fighter 2

"I'm ready, let me at em!"

Thringorn stands ready at the base of the stairs waiting to proceed.


Female Genasi - Cindersoul Swordmage 2

I move into the middle of the little group and face Orla, with a concerned expression on my face. Orla, are you sure that you want to do that? This is what they do... I wrap my knuckles gently against one of the fighter's armored chest plates, trying to emphasize their level of protection.

Turning to the rest of the group... We might not want to line the stairs, but rather go in two waves once we know we're clear to keep moving. At the same time, we need to watch our backs since the boneguards could come from other parts of the prison behind us.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Orla smiles. "I guess it's a bit risky, but if enough of them stop guarding the top of the stairs to come after me it will make it easier for everyone else to get up the stairs quickly and help me out."


The rest of the prisoners nod at Savi's instructions. The Karrnathi have no problem taking orders and Savi has proven herself in combat to them... a few raise eyebrows at Orla's taking the point position, but they don't offer any objections.

The group heads down the hall with Orla in the lead, and a slight separation between those in front and those in back - Thanis volunteers to be rear guard.
Marching Order: I switched the npcs around a bit
Group1: Orla, Alester, Thringorn, Savi, Zvia, Niri, Rallnik
Group2: the rest, Thanis.
And again, this will be your initiative count because the tight quarters prevent anyone in the back from acting before those in the front.


Orla, give me a Stealth Check and a Perception Check as you near the stairs.
Everyone else is welcome to make the same rolls, but the farther back you are from the front, the harder it is to hear anything...


Male Human Blackguard Level 2

Alester's eagerness for battle hones his hearing skills...

Perception check 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

but he may not be able to hear anything over the load clanking of his plate armor...

Stealth check 1d20 ⇒ 1


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 5 - 2 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 2 = 19
Inspired by the equipment to find new hope and energy, Orla quietly sneaks towards the stairs, shield on one arm and a spark flash in the other hand.


Female Genasi - Cindersoul Swordmage 2

Stealth 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
I cannot stifle my giggles at Alester's attempt at "sneaking" and almost trip over him when he turns to give me a stern look.

Perception 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
In order to avoid his disapproving gaze, I pretend to pay attention and find myself actually paying attention.


Male Human Fighter 2

Stealth

1d20 ⇒ 14

Perception

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12


Orla, as you approach the stairwell, the room above is *mostly* silent (Good Perception Check) - you catch a faint creaking noise. You can't make out the number of skeletons up there, but it certainly sounds like a few shifting or settling in for an ambush. (Skeletons are generally dead silent -haha- if they're not moving... so the presence of a faint noise tells you there are enough up there that they need to jostle for position or a few are just now settling in for the ambush).

Savi, as you enter the stairwell, you note the nozzle tips of what appears to be a trap in the stairwell (Good Perception Check). You figure that these stairs are trapped in the same way as the previous stairs (Necrotic energy that wounds AND slows - activated by someone in the room above).

Remember the stairs are slow going, DIFFICULT TERRAIN.

Orla nears the top. Anything else before she makes her final turn of the stairs and teleports into combat?


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Orla gives herself a quick pat down to make sure all the new gear is properly in place, and then makes the turn.

HP: 29/29 Surges: 4/8 AP: 1


Male Human Fighter 2

Thringorn nods forward to Orla to make her move. He is ready as always for a good fight.

HP: 42/42 Temp HP: 0/0 Surges: 6/10 AP: 2/2


Orla, as you make the last round of the stairs, you see the familiar boney feet of a skeletal guard, and as easily as breathing you activate your eladrin blink - an instant later you are in the room, shock flask ready to throw, voice ready to spin painful mockeries -- and... nothing.

The room looks like the broken house in some deserted ghost town. The closets that were stacked full of "treasure" in the last room stand at strange angles, empty, with their doors creaking slowly back and forth. Dust and dirt cakes the floor; cobwebs and stale air fill the corners. Some broken furniture occupies the southern wall where the desk was in the previous room. Two dead skeletons lie on the floor - one very close to the stairwell (which is what triggered your Readied Action -- if you simply rest for ~5min you'll have your Fey Step recharged)... The room is empty besides that. Eerily empty. And if possible, you're positive you might just see a tumbleweed go drifting across the tiny room -- it's that deserted!

The room is mostly dark, a faint light spills in from the western door (that's the door that leads directly to the courtyard and freedom).

I would assume that Alester charges up soon after you blink. Fury fueling his steps... followed closely by Thringorn itching for a fight only to come up dumbfounded.

Asside from everything mentioned above, the room has the exact same layout as the previous chokepoint guard room <<as seen in this map in case you forgot>>.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

"What in the gods' names is this?" Orla says softly.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

How long does it look like it's been abandoned? Does the dust caking the floor have more recent footprints in it?

Perception: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 2 = 16


Male Human Fighter 2

Thringorn will move directly to the exit door and stand close guard while the group searches the room.

"Someone secure the trap lever," Thringorn says to Thanis' group.

Perception
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

HP: 42/42 Temp HP: 0/0 Surges: 6/10 AP: 2/2


Female Genasi - Cindersoul Swordmage 2
SeanDM wrote:
The room is mostly dark, a faint light spills in from the western door (that's the door that leads directly to the courtyard and freedom).

Does this mean that the door is open/ajar?


The door to the west is slightly ajar.
Thrin, are you just listening at the door or peaking through it?
You do know that on the other side of the door is a large open courtyard and a small side gate that you were escorted through when you arrived.

Orla (Good Check), there are tracks all over the room -- some at various stages of "freshness", though you're not properly trained in tracking so you can't really tell how fresh is fresh... Certainly the room has been neglected for a while - even if a castle is "short-staffed" cleaning and repair is always kept up: simple spells and rituals can be cast with little effort, even by apprentice wizards, and in Karrnath a lot of the simple tasks can be given to the undead servants. So, it is strange that this room is in such a state.

You could try an Int Check to see if you can call up a memory of what this room looked like when you were first brought in... that memory might tell you something.

Timeline of Prisoners:

In case you forgot or are curious:
Orla has been in Castle Bones's Prison the longest, she arrived 2-3 weeks ago.
Savi arived soon after, within a day or so.
Thringorn, Alester, Zvia all showed up at the same time -- they are the most recent additions to the prison, and they have been here about a week.

(That week is represented by the first few posts of everyone getting to know each other and explore the prison and its routines).


Male Human Fighter 2

Thringorn is just listening at the door but will keep it closed until the room is secured/searched and we proceed out as a group.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Orla tries to remember what this room looked like 2-3 weeks ago.

Int: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Not sure if her -2 applies to this or not, if so it still needs to be applied to that number.

"How could they be hiding?" Orla softly murmurs. She struggles to remember what arcane methods might be used to hide a group of skeletons, or make us come out in a different room.

Arcana check: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 - 2 = 16 Remember Orla's got the crazy conspiracy theory version of low wisdom: she'd still consider very unlikely scenarios here!

Then Orla has a sudden practical thought.
Wisdom: 1d20 - 1 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 1 - 2 = 4
"Guys! Could they have hidden behind one of those other doors, to ambush us from behind when we try to get out?" Orla does not use her quiet voice for this.


Male Human Fighter 2

I had forgotten the door was already ajar; that being the case the Thringorn will not keep it closed but just keep it unmmoved as it is and he will peek out.


The rest of your group slowly files up the steps. A few of Thanis's men step to the trap lever and begin to disable it. Rallink makes it into the room and lets out a low whistle.
"Well this is strange. I don't think the skels would be hiding behind any of these other doors... they give up the advantage once we're all in the room." He uses his sword to point into the stairwell, "That thing is their 'ace' - it gets us trickling into the room, it's trapped, they get free shots on us... This doens't make any sense."

Rallnik continues to scratch his head and Nirifanya and Thanis move over to listen at the other doors in the room.

Orla,
Int Check (5) = the prison food is really messing with you. You've been here the longest, you barely remember there being a room here, lol.
Wis Check (4) = yup, you played your results well :)
Arcana Check (16) = You are unable to sense anything overt (a conjuration or zone), but clearly if there were a strong enough wizard to mask an entire 35' x 35' room, his or her work would not be so easy to detect anyways... Clearly you are dealing with the masterful touch of a high powered wizard.

For Orla:

There are numerous spells, powers, rituals that could be used to achieve any effect here:
Prestidigitaion, or Illusory Terrain, or Magic Image could change the look of the room.
Mass Invisibility, Chamaleon's Mask, or even Mass Suggestion could be used to get you to not see the skeletons.
Any form of Teleportation may have been used to put you in a room that is not the one you think you're in.
...
And probably countless more. If there's an effect, some wizard somewhere has a power to do it.


Thringorn, you're able to keep your shoulder into the door to prevent it from moving. A quick peek outside reveals the courtyard you-all were brought in through.

This guardroom is positioned on the southest corner of the castle's outer wall complex. Along the East wall to your right, you can just see the paddocks and stables. Along the South wall, to your left, about 100feet away, you can make out the rear enterance to Castle Bones (your exit to freedom). And on the northern end of the courtyard, you can see the rear portions of the actual Keep (and at least two doors that lead into the structure). Bones Keep is several stories with towers and bridges contecting the structure. A quick glance tells you it looks run-down and in need of repair... it doesn't look like it will collapse at any moment, but give it a few months and it might be close.

Grand total, you can make out about a 50 by 100 section of the courtyard. It appears empty.


Male Human Fighter 2

"The courtyard appears to be clear, we can make our way out along the South wall," says Thringorn. "We should make our way soon before our escape is noticed."


Is the marching the order the same? Any precautions once you head out??... you'll have to file single file through the door at both ends (here and the exit of the courtyard).
Current Marching Order:
Orla, Alester, Thringorn, Savi, Zvia, Niri, Rallnik, the rest, Thanis bringing up the rear.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

"Wait a second," Orla says. "Can we bar the doors in here, just in case?" She looks around for heavy stuff to drag to the two interior doors....


There is plenty of debris that you can use to barricade the doors (Large Cabinets, Desks, and such) AND/OR You can make a Thievery Check to try and disable the lock (a reverse pick-lock, effectively). It will mostly just slow down any pursuit, rather than stop it completely... but maybe slowing them down is exactly what you want.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Orla recruits some of the grunts to help her move desks in front of each of the interior doors. (Guess that's assuming they open into this room...)

Oh, and Orla would prefer to move back between Savi and Zvia in the marching order. Being able to teleport five squares won't help much crossing the giant killing field...


Female Genasi - Cindersoul Swordmage 2

I want to know if I remember anything about this room from when I came in.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15


Savi, you've been in Fort Bones for somewhere close to two weeks. You could be mistaken but you're pretty sure that this room was not in the best condition when you first passed through... it didn't look this bad, but then maybe it just got worse with the passing of the last several days -- got REAL worse with the passing of the last several days. You'd guess that normal wear and tear should not make it look this bad after only two weeks.


Male Human Fighter 2

If there are no objections by anyone Thringorn will make the move and open the door. He will either follow Alester outside if he is ready or lead the way himself. He will stay tight to the wall and move towards the exit out of the courtyard.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Once the interior doors are blocked, Orla is in favor of getting moving. She won't admit it, but she's distressingly hungry...


Male Human Blackguard Level 2

I am ready Thringorn! We will let these fools know our fury soon enough...

I will gladly take the lead and my character is angry and is looking forward to bust some head with his flail!


Male Human Fighter 2

Thringorn will follow Alester out the door and along the wall towards the courtyard exit. Thringorn motions for the rest of the group to follow as he exits the door.


Female Genasi - Cindersoul Swordmage 2

I agree...I don't know what hit this place, but they either found what they wanted or they didn't, and I don't want to be here when they come back.

I am right in the mix of the first group (as before). I cannot keep the grin from my face as I feel freedom so near. I am practically pushing to get out the door.


Female Githzerai Seeker 2

I nock an arrow in my bow and fall into position behind Savi-kai. No reason to raise my aim just yet -- I don't have any reason to shoot her in the back at this point.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Orla can't shake the feeling there's some essential key to understanding the current situation that she's completely missing. Still, nothing for it but to get on with things -- after all, there's fresh food out there somewhere!

Quietly humming an ancient Eladrin clan march, Orla takes her place behind Zvia. She draws her songsword, and soon it is quietly humming along with her.


Male Human Blackguard Level 2

So....should I charge loudly ahead???


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Charging quietly ahead might be better, just in case we haven't actually alerted everyone that we're coming out... But some sort of charge is definitely called for!


Male Human Blackguard Level 2

So... I charge silently into combat then...on my tippy toes...

Stealth Roll? 1d20 ⇒ 5...not sneaking up on anything with that roll...


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Hey, you never know -- maybe they'll roll crappy on Perception! After all, we've yet to meet anyone here who has ears...


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Mostly I was thinking there might be a small advantage to charging out without yelling "Hey!! We're escaping now, please shoot us!" at the top of your lungs.


The group makes its way across the courtyard. The sky is gloomy (not that unusual for this part of the country) and dim -- it could be morning or evening... it's tough to tell. The area is deserted - scrap and bones cover a lot of the grounds, barrels, hay, broket tools. It's similar to the room you just left. Unattended to for who knows how long. A few crows take flight from somewhere in the keep and the noise is jarring to everyone's alert senses.

Thrin and Alester about halfway to the gate, the majority of your party has exitted the room, when the double doors on the side of the keep burst open and out rush two huge Karrnathi Skeletal Warriors (remember, they << look like this >>). They're taller than the regular skeletons you have faced and they appear well armed, armored, and *intelligent*.

In a loud resonating voice one of them booms out, "Those that fall are not worthy of the prophecy!" It doesn't seem to be addressing you - it sounds more like a command to others in the bailey/courtyard.

From the rampart walls, up jump half a dozen skeletal archers ("regular" skeletons - similar to one's you've already faced) and a few pour out of the keep. Arrows ready...

COMBAT'S ON!

For those characters that have fought with or against the Karrnathi Army:

Karrnathi Skeletons and Zombies made up the bulk of the Karrnathi Army during the Last War. These are actually the fallen soldiers of Karrnath, raised with their abilities and intuitions still intact. They have undead strength and resilence mixed with their warrior skills and training and granted different arcane powers/resistances upon creation (depending on the need or the creator). They are far scarier than normal skeletons (READ: above your level).

Most importantly, in a keep this size, you would expect to see a sizable force of these Karrnathi Warrior Skeletons -- meaning: where there's TWO, there are probably MORE on their way, LOTS MORE!


For ease of action, we're sticking with the same initiative as marching order -- the skeletons get their surprise action, but then the rest of your basically just act together, I'm just listing you in marching order.

EVERYONE, on your turn, you also need to make Perception Checks (free/no action)

The Skeletal archers let loose their arrows, each one picking different targets and to rain down shots on your party.
Ranged Shots vs AC:
Thringorn: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21, HIT for 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Savi-Kai: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20, miss
Orla: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20, HIT for 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Zvia: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15, miss
Rallnik and 3 of Rallnik's men -- two (AllyB and AllyC) get hit.

Total Damage to PLAYERS:
Thringorn: 9 from an arrow
Orla: 6 from an arrow

Current Player Status:

Alester: fine
Orla: suffering imprisonment effects (-2 to all skill checks and lose 1 Healing Surge per day).
Savi-Kai: suffering imprisonment effects (lose 1 Healing Surge per day).
Thringorn: fine
Zvia: suffering imprisonment effects (-2 to all skill checks and lose 1 Healing Surge per day).
**Imprisonment effects last till you reach 1 more milestone.

Enemy Defenses:

Archer Skeletons == AC: 17, Fort: 14, REF: 13, WILL: 12
**They explode with Necrotic Energy when Bloodied or Killed
Karrnathi Skeletal Warriors == better than a regular skeleton!

IMPORTANT Map Notes

  • The exit is to the Southwest (U2), but it is blocked by a gate (T2). You will need to Break it/Lift it/Pick it/Blow it up in order to get past.
  • Several other doors lead from the courtyard, if you want to check out the Keep (probably not a good idea right now).
  • There is walkway about 25feet up that runs along the wall - it provides cover (+2 Defenses) to those on it - it can be accessed by the ramp (regular movement) on the Eastern side (T18), or you can Climb up any of the walls (Athletcis Check: DC 22 and requires 10 squares of movement - see "Climb Rules" Below).
  • There is a main enterance to the Keep on the other side of the courtyard (off map) as well as the main enterance/exit to the Courtyard (also off map).
  • There is debris all over the courtyard. It doesn't affect movement, but you can spend a Move Action to Create a Barricade. Pick TWO squares you want it in, and it provides cover (+2 Defenses) from all attacks that pass through those squares, additional Move Actions can provide additional squares of cover with the same rules.


Standard Map Notes:

The ally npcs are colored green (lettered A-H).
Rallnik, Thanis, and Nirifanya are labeled with thier first initial.
BLUE CORNERS on ally's are reminders to me that they are effected by something special (like slow)

RED DOTS indicate bloodied npcs (ally and enemy, players are NOT indicated).
ORANGE DOTS indicate Savi-Kai's mark.
PURPLE DOTS indicate Thringorn's mark.
BROWN DOTS are NPC marks.


======================================================================
INITIATIVE -- bold shows who's turn it is
Warriors
Archers
Alester
Thringorn
Savi

Orla
Zvia
Nirifanya
Rallnik
Rallnik's men (A-D)
Thanis's men (E-H)
Thanis
======================================================================
Alester, Thringorn, Savi, you're up!

<<map>>

ALSO, even if it's not your turn, if you want to make any checks or ask any questions, you don't have to wait for your turn.

Climb Rules:

Climbing - an Athletics Check made while moving (once per Move Action)
Fail by four or less and you lose your Move Action. You don't fall, and you can spend another Move Action to keep trying.
Fail by five or more and you lose your Move Action and you are FALLING.

Climbing is effectively Difficult Terrain (it costs two squares of movement to move 5ft). The Walkway is about 25 feet up, so that's 5 squares of climbing, or 10 squares of movement. That also means, that most characters need TWO Move Actions to get to the top (and thus, TWO Athletics Checks)

TAKING DAMAGE: If you take damage while climbing, you need to make another Athletics Check at the same DC (or DC+5 if you are Bloodied). If you succeed, no harm - you are fine. If you fail the check, you are FALLING.

FALLING: You may attempt to grab hold as a Free Action, it is an Athletics Check, DC + 5 (so, in the case of climbing this wall, the DC to avoid falling is 27). If you succeed, you're fine. If you fail, you actually fall and take 1d10 per 10feet of the fall.


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Stung by the arrow, Orla looks up at the walkway, then notices the ramp up she's standing next to. "Savi, want to help me seize the high ground?"


Female Eladrin Bard 2

Oh great and powerful GM: Am I correct to think that it is only enemies which grant cover from ranged attacks? ie if the top of the walkway is S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Savi Orla Zvia, then Savi grants Orla and Zvia cover from any ranged attacks from S1-S6, while S6 grants S1-S5 cover from any ranged attacks from Orla and Zvia?


Male Human Fighter 2

Thringorn takes a second to survey the area before charging into combat.

Perception Check
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Thringorn takes a double move to charge the Karrnathi

You shall pay with your un-lives scoundrels!

Thringorn charges to J10 and swings his greatsword at Karrnathi Skeleton 1
1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 1 = 23

Damage
1d10 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

HP: 33/42 Temp HP: 0/0 Surges: 6/10 AP: 2/2


Orla wrote:
Oh great and powerful GM: Am I correct to think that it is only enemies which grant cover from ranged attacks? ie if the top of the walkway is S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Savi Orla Zvia, then Savi grants Orla and Zvia cover from any ranged attacks from S1-S6, while S6 grants S1-S5 cover from any ranged attacks from Orla and Zvia?

Yes, Savi would provide cover for you and Zvia were she standing between you and the skeletons' arrows.

And Yes, Skeletons in the front of the line would provide cover to those at the back of the line if you target those in the back with RANGED ATTACKS, but not from area attacks ("Burst"/"Blast") and not from Melee Attacks. Enemy creatures only provide cover to other enemy targets when you use a Ranged Attack (like the bow).

Thringorn's blade hits the Karrnathi warrior, but it doesn't even seem to notice the cut.


Male Human Fighter 2

Is that because he has an ass ton of hp or does it seem that he has some kind of damage reduction?


lol, "ass-ton" - new favorite phrase :)
Karrnathi Skeletal Warriors do have resistances to certain things, but not the case here... the skeleton has a lot of hps and the -9 doesn't bother him too much.

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