The March of Kings

Game Master Daniel Rust

hey Mr GM ; what's the Looty Booty

You search the bodies. They are ill-kempt but their equipment is of reasonable quality. You can retrieve two sets of leather armour, two longbows, two short swords, 35 arrows, 22 gp, 26 sp and 10 cp. One of them wears a silver ring with initials A and D carved on the inside.

As Rhaegel is looking around he spots two tiny, winged humanoids fly down over the dam, flit about it for a few seconds then fly on, into the forest. They must have been 4-5 inches high and were only there for brief moments.

If Rhaegal describes the creatures to Guðrún, does she think they could be mites? She saw tracks of mites just before they started work on the dam. And if they are mites, what at the chances of such creatures working with the bandits?

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Does Rhaegel share it?

Oleg and Svetlana's wedding ring was gold, not silver - right? This ring can't be the one we're looking for?

"The Fae watch us"

Rhaegal will describe what he saw but in short growling sentences and one word answers.

Party loot spreadsheet updated!

Oleg's ring was gold, yes.

You don't think these 'Fae' were mites. You know of mites as much bigger - about 2 feet tall - and they don't fly. Fey creatures yes, but more in the "goblin-men" vein. These were true fairies. Pixies perhaps or maybe sprites or atomies?

Ok. It seems you don't want to do anything more here.

You loot then bury the bodies and prepare to set off for camp. It's pretty late in the day now. Approaching nightfall.

You already have a map here. The crosshatched wooden structures are lookout towers.

If you go now, you'll still have some light. If you wait a couple of hours it will be dark.

I think chaps, we should clear the Dam before we leave.

There are other creatures (maybe those Fae) and possibly even settlements downstream that may depend on this water.
It has served our purpose. It is unlikely to serve the same purpose again.

It shouldn't take too long to clear the blockage and get the river flowing again ; Nature will then sort the rest out.

"Agreed, but we should clear the dam quickly. I'd like to reach the bandit camp and attack once it gets dark."

Let's not forget that we've left that badly wounded bandit Kreg tied to a tree (or something) not too far from here. I'm assuming we left him in a safe place... but let's not forget about him entirely. We can probably wait until after dealing with Kressle, but I don't want him to starve to death because he slipped our mind!

And Valin is tied up on the back of pony... I guess we can just take him with us and he'll be no trouble.

"Lets crack on then. We know that there are a couple of lookout posts. Do any of you have the skills to scout them out without being seen?"

It takes a couple of hours to clear the dam, but you head towards the camp before dark.

Rhodeus keeps an eye on Valin and Jess the Mule as you approach. There is smoke from a campfire up ahead.

Anyone who wants to sneak up can roll stealth and perception.

I want to sneak ; lets see how this goes

Jorquimo gets out his sword & shield in readiness, and sneaks forward ready to attack.

Sneak: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Dark vision & low-light senses

Will try to get close enough to see what's going on, and hopefully formulate a plan that isn't "Job them". Unlikely, I know. I've moved Guðrún on the map into a likely location where she can try to move forward cautiously. She'll keep to the foliage and stay low to avoid being seen by any sentries on the raised platforms.

The Perception roll includes +2 from Favoured Enemy, assuming that it applies in this situation.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Dan ; based on my ropey rolls: please suggest a location on the map to put Jorquimo

If you want to do anything before reaching the camp, do say.

Gudrun spots a lookout on the watch tower (the crosshatched wooden structure) shortly after entering the map area. She can flag Jorquimo to a halt after he stumbles. The guard looks your way but doesn't register either of you.

Looking around further you can see a second wooden tower the other side of the stream (which is fordable, difficult terrain). There's an empty wagon further along. There are voices coming from the camp fire direction.

Jon - if you enter together, Gudrun can stop you before you stumble into the camp. How's that for fairness?

fbm

Yes, that sounds like a very sensible thing for Guðrún to do!

Is there just one look-out on the nearer platform? And is it possible to see if there's a look-out on the second platform on the other side of the river, or is that obscured from where I am?

And how likely is it that the nearest watchman can be taken out silently? I'm unlikely to repeat the lucky sling shot from the last combat.

Will happily wait for Steve and Graham to input before doing anything drastic.

The 6'6" hammer wielding Angelkin decides that subtlety is not is strong point and will hang back a little.

Sanglamore will cast guidance on Rhaegal and will scan the forest, but won't try to sneak up himself for fear of giving the game away.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Dan I have made a few tweaks to Sanglamores character sheet as I mentioned a few weeks ago. Nothing is drastically different though

Rhaegal will sneak up beside Gudrun and Jorquimo.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Stealth (including guidance): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

That would be a natural 1! It seems that I needn't have worried about Sanglamores lack of stealth! Perhaps Rhaegal will be mistaken for a beast?

As Rhaegal moves forwards, a cry goes up from the second watchtower, where Guðrún indeed does see another lookout, "Halloo, halloo! It's that beast again!"

In the nearer tower, the other bandit looks towards the call and then scans the trees.

What do you do?

Rhaegal will fall back into the trees away from Gudrun and Jorquimo attempting to draw the eyes of the lookouts away from his allies.

He will aim to put enough trees between him and the lookouts so that the inevitable incoming missile fire has a reduced chance of success.

whispering
Are you gonna take a shot at him or are we sneaking forward some more?

Well, my "what do you do?" was aimed at everyone, but if you insist I shoot at Rhaegal, I will...

Both lookouts take potshots at Rhaegal. I'm considering him to have partial cover as he moves.

"I see it. Kill it!"

Bow shot 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 81d8 ⇒ 2

Bow shot 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 201d8 ⇒ 4

"Got 'im!", calls the sentry from across the stream. "It's still alive though. Finish it off."

There are other calls from across the stream.

Actions?

Sorry, been away for half term.

Have drawn a line on the Thorn River camp map. Am I right in thinking that Guðrún can move that far in one round? I'm assuming it's difficult terrain. Can she get that close to the look-out without being seen - i.e. on the same stealth roll?

If she can move as indicated then she will do so. She assumes that Rhaegal will make it back to Sanglamore for help, while she and Jorquimo can go for this guy.

Remind me: how high is the platform from the ground?

Rhaegal will move west into the deeper woods next to Sanglamore.

You can get there with 10ft of move left. (First diagonal move counts the same as a vertical/horizontal move - second counts as double move.) You can keep the same stealth roll.

The watchtowers are 15ft high. You can see an attached ladder on the side nearest the river. See arrow.

"Sorry friend"

Sanglamore examines Rhaegals flank.

"To deal with those watchtowers, I think we need disposable flyers. Could you ease their passage from the other side"

Rhaegal glares intensely but then nods as Sanglamore dismisses him.

If Sanglamore gets another go before I next log on, he will summon a celestial eagle and send it to attack the nearest tower!