Lightbringer's page

Let's say Janosz, ever the practical one, has been looking out for anywhere that might make a decent camp site.

"Aye,....let's onward then."

To Lightbringer;
"I'm....nothing against you, my friend, but...well, it's 'forged like them that make our case for your sentience so hard, I..."
shuts up.

“The difference being that you – that is, humanity – did not grant these constructs,” he gestures to the remains of the giant corpse collectors, “sentience. To us, you did.” He nods to show that no offense is taken and then continues on his way.

“You are both right,” states Lightbringer to Ezreal and Runzyl, ever playing the peacemaker. “We cannot hope to fight and defeat every hostile being we encounter in these lands, without depleting our resources to nothing and risking failing in our time critical quest. But we cannot outrun everything either. In retrospect, these machines may not have chased us once we were away from their corpse piles, but initially this appeared as a futile race against faster, tireless opponents who stood in our way. What we cannot afford to do is stop and loot every corpse that we find in this dead land.”

Having said his piece, Lightbringer begins limping over towards where Janosz stands surveying the land and choosing a direction.

Rodergo’s use of channelled energy repairs some of the smaller rents in Lightbringers plating and composite fibres, and he lays hands upon himself twice to repair two of the most badly damaged areas 3d6 + 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 4) + (4, 3, 5) = 19 but several large dents and smaller tears remain, and the warforged moves with a pronounced limp as one leg drags, servos straining whenever he tries to bend his knee. On 78 of 109 after healing.

Good point. I don't think we've ever played that you have to work out how to make it flame (or whatever) - I think it is use-activated, and if you want it to, it works. The actual flaming-bustiness activates automatically on a crit.

Ooo, flaming bustiness.

Lightbringer uses a swift action to lay on hands (10 points) then,with the benefit of haste, he jogs to AF 21 and attacks the construct.
11 + 16 = 27. Damage: 6 + 17 = 23.

Gil

Gil is paralysed, so I suppose Rolund is up.

As a swift action, LB lays on hands on himself, repairing 11 points of damage. He will then move to W20 (thanks to haste) and channel energy as a standard action, choosing to ‘repair’ rather than ‘cure’ (warforged paladin special ability), repairing 10 points to himself and Basher.

“Matilda, Sir Rolund, try to draw it out of the tentacles a way so that I may reach it,” calls Lightbringer as he jogs forward.

LB.

Will try to understand the action and formulate a post soon ...

Reflex save: 7 + 10 = 17.

Lightbringer is flung through the air by the huge construct’s awesome blow, landing in a jumbled heap some ten feet away, managing to hold onto his sword only by some miracle – or sheer stubbornness.

Forcing his damaged chassis back to its feet, Lightbringer prays to the Flame for the strength to defeat these foul golems and help save his friends, and restorative energy flows from his hand, up his arm and through his frame, repairing some of the dents and rents he has suffered.

Swift action to lay hands on self, heal for 13 points. Move action to stand. This may provoke an AoO, assuming the golem has one to take and is paying attention. Assuming the AoO, if it comes, does not prevent LB from acting further, he will take a 5 foot step S28 and attack (with power attack): 19 + 16 = 35. Crit confirm: 12 + 16 = 28. Assuming the critical is confirmed, damage: 8 + 17 + 5 + 17 = 47 (25 if not critical).

Good point, I will use that bonus, so an additional +1 to the attack.

Lightbringer silently prays for the Silver Flame’s protection (Good Devotion activation, immediate action: LB, Gil, Bor, Ez and Rod gain DR 2/evil and their attacks count as good) then, sped up by Matilda’s spell, the paladin hefts his sword in both hands and charges past Bor and Runzyl towards the construct that Basher faces.

Charge to T27. Power attack. 1d20 + 15 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 15 + 6 = 30(AP) Damage: 2d6 + 17 ⇒ (5, 5) + 17 = 27

EDIT: Don’t like the look of a roll of 9, so I will use an action point on the attack roll. Better or 1d6 ⇒ 4 or 1d6 ⇒ 6 . So attack roll result is 30, factored into the rolls above.

AD 27

Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Lightbringer takes one step after his fleeing companions, then sees that Runzyl is not moving. He turns back to stand beside the Valenar and draws his own blade from the scabbard at his back.

“You are right friend Runzyl,” he says. “We should not squander resources fleeing from something that we will likely need to fight at some point anyway. This may be some type of primitive warforged like the titan you spoke of. A hard fought battle perhaps, but we will prevail.”

Janosz Frogshanks wrote:

"As for our journey there, it is within a day's marching. I want to go around Eston; any built-up area has too many places to hide for undead, ghosts and rogue warforged."

"Sounds wise. Of course, any obvious path around such is liable to be a hunting ground for intelligent undead, ghosts, and rogue warforged. But I like our odds better outside the city, especially with what the scavenger said about whole city blocks seeming to move around."

“It seems a wise course,” Lightbringer nods in agreement.

“The Inquisitor asked me of our mission seemingly only as an afterthought,” tells Lightbringer. “I told him that we were heading for a destination near Eston and that we raced agents of the Dreaming Dark. He seemed uninterested, but became angry when I suggested he was delaying our quest. He asked me questions of faith and belief, and seemed highly interested in the beliefs and motivations of Flamebearer Xativa.” He looks to Rodergo.

“I told him of your devotion to the Flame and your selfless quests against evil Flamebearer,” says Lightbringer. “But he seemed more interested in your unorthodox approach towards church canon. I … hesitate to ask, but were the charges of treason and heresy leveled against yourself Flamebearer? I will not hold it against you if it is the case; I know you are a good man, something that I cannot say of the Inquisitor. It saddens me that evil men such as he can claim to serve the holy Flame.”

When most of the others have spoken, he turns to Rolund. “What is the usual in these cases? I had initially thought you their target, what did they ask you?”

After speaking his piece, Lightbringer waits for a response, and looks about, in particular behind the group. Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

“Rolund is correct,” says Lightbringer. “We are not here to loot the dead.” He surveys the fallen corpses. “If all that fell on the Day of Mourning in Cyre are here, even stopping now and again for a cursory examination will slow us down too much. Our recent delay was enough. Let us make haste.”

After they have trekked a short distance, the warforged speaks again. “I believe we should share what was discussed in our interrogations. I am trying to understand what their true motive in arresting us was. I am sure that Rolund’s armour attracted their attention, but I have begun to suspect there was more to it than that. I am also trying to understand why they let us go as they did. Of course, we were innocent of the charges laid against us, at least so is my assumption. But there is something suspicious in the fact of their helping us across the river and with supplies as they did, particularly given that the Inquisitor who spoke to me did not seem to approve of certain members of our group.”

Will save: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31. If it is a fear effect LB is immune and allies within 10 feet get +4 to their saves.

Lightbringer nods his thanks to the Warden and returns his blessing before climbing down into the longboat.

How many oars in each boat?

Once Janosz has tied the boats together with LB’s 50 ft rope (prow to prow and row side by side, or prow to bow?) LB will take an oar or two and start rowing. The two boats will maintain about twenty feet distance from each other.

"We should talk further about our recent detention once we are across the water," Lightbringer says to Rod in a low voice. "I am curious as to why exactly we were detained, and why we were let go with such seeming ease. I do not think it was through anything I did or said. The inquisitor did not seem to like me."

“Was anyone hurt, injured or threatened with violence?” Lightbringer asks the others through the bars.

Aubrey:

Aubrey:

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Aubrey:

Making Knowledge (local) location based makes a lot of sense and is a logical house-rule, but so far as I am aware it has never been a core part of the rules in 3.5 or PF. I’m fairly sure it was a campaign specific rule for Forgotten Realms (have seen reference to this in some Realms products) and quite possibly Eberron too. I am cool with us using it this way, but note that it does fairly dramatically reduce the usefulness of this skill compared to other knowledge skills (unless you make all of them location based or somehow more limited as well – for example, history should refer to a specific historical period, geography should refer to a specific country or continent, nature to a particular climate zone, religion to a specific religion etc).

“Flamebearer Xativa is more knowledgeable about Thrane than I,” Lightbringer responds through the door to Ezreal. “However, I am confident that we have broken no laws through our actions since we have been here. The charges of Incitement to Riot, Breach of the Peace and Use of Necromantic Magic are clearly untrue and should be easily disproved. As I understand, freedom of religion does exist in Thrane, so I find the charge of Heresy odd. Being a foreign national, even a Karrn, cannot equate to Treason, and none of us have committed Treasonous actions – or barely any actions – since we have been here. It is also an odd charge.”

Knowledge, local is the skill that deals with laws, so Ez and Gil I think might be the ones who’ll best know how to deal with this. Presumably knowledge, religion would deal with religious laws, so the heresy charge and possibly the necromancy one might fall under that skill, and Rod might have some insight, being a Thrane and a man of the cloth.

"We should not have allowed ourselves to be taken," Runzyl growls. "They were little threat to us, easily overpowered. Now we have given up our advantage."

The elf looks around at his companions, eyes resting on Lightbringer. "I trust your judgement, warforged. I have placed faith in you this long. I had better not be disappointed."

“Disappointment is a state of mind friend Runzyl,” answers Lightbringer, his voice echoing from the stone walls of the cell. “It stems from within, not without. If this exercise results in your disappointment, I will accept what consequences may come from that, but not the blame.

“I cannot say with certainty that this situation will end favourably for us. I do know that the men who arrested us bore no evil in their souls. They may have been misguided, but they were only doing as they had been commanded, or what they thought was right. You are likely right, we could have defeated them easily; but in the process would have proved ourselves criminals, likely not furthered our mission, and have the blood of innocents on our hands.”

“Is everyone well? I pray we do not wait to long for this trial. The waiting delays our quest.”

Lightbringer places a heavy hand on Rodergo’s shoulder. “Peace my friend. Remember the teachings of The Speaker of the Flame; tolerance and understanding. These men are just doing what they have been commanded, they know not what they do.”

The man nods curtly. A watchman steps forward to take Lightbringer's weapons.

... Who hands them over.

"This is not a situation where we should fight," he tells his companions. "The warden here is a legitimate authority in this city, even if the charges levelled against us are not. We must convince them of that, and proving them by fighting is not the way."

Don't suppose I detected any evil from the dude?

“We do not wish violence either Warden. Our intentions in your town are peaceable. As you can see my weapons are sheathed; if you will allow me to reach for them I will hand them over to your watchman’s custody. Please treat them well, I will need them back once the charges against us are proved untrue and unjust, and we are released.”

LB’s at the mercy of the paladin’s code of conduct; he must respect legitimate authority. If these guys are doing their job and there’s no funny business, he’ll have to go along with it. Of course, most of their charges seem without basis, so that might give me an out – it’s not entirely legitimate in that case. If we manage to get them in a position via diplomacy where they’ll listen to reason we might be able to find out how legitimate they are, if not entirely talk them out of it.

Of course, if they’re evil, all bets are off. Nothing legitimate about that in LB’s book.

It would have been a bummer to roll a 1 on Diplomacy after writing all that.

Yeah, I was most happy when a high roll came up.

Lightbringer will then remain quiet and still for a moment or two (as he scans the Thranish knights with detect evil).

“Indeed they are,” agrees Lightbringer. “But it appears that those who claim to uphold the law in Aruldusk require little evidence to lay charges where Karrnathi citizens are involved. “

The paladin reaches slowly to his document pocket to retrieve his identity and travelling papers. “I think you will find that our papers are in order as my companion says. Also, Inquisitor Thoth will vouch for our good and peaceable intentions here in Aruldusk, as will Flamebearer Xativa here.”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

By the way, although some of that sounded like fighting words, the tone was supposed to be non-hostile – talk of the possibility of fighting and killing these people was with a tone of sincere regret or else matter-of-factness – not threat. LB does not intend to kill anyone and knows that the group has other options at their disposal, but he knows he cannot control everyone and sincerely thinks that some of these people will get badly injured or even killed once Rolund, Runzyl, Bor and Basher enter the fray.

Well … that might get them back up to unfriendly, for all the good that does.

Avoiding killing anyone doesn’t necessarily get us out of trouble the way that avoiding a fight potentially does; a fight may well attract the attention of the local guard, or attention from the quay, and we still need to negotiate to hire a boat to continue our journey, difficult to do if we’ve just fought off half the town.

“We will not leave our Karrnathi companion,” speaks Lightbringer, looking intently at the leader of the mob, before turning his attention momentarily to Rolund, “as bone headed, arrogant and stubborn as he may be. If you face him, you face the Valenar beserker, the hunter from the Shadow Marches, the priest beloved of the Silver Flame, the two warforged, the minotaur, the mages. I do not think you will defeat us, but even if you do, at what cost? I have no wish to harm any of you, but if you fight us, it is likely that people will get hurt, it is likely that people will die. You have all lived through the Last War, and though you have all no doubt lost much, you have not lost everything. If you walk away from here, you will one day tell the story of the foolish Karrn who wandered through Aruldusk in his bone armour, who you told to be gone and who never returned. If you choose to fight, then may the Silver Flame save you. Those of you who have family, would you have your mothers and wives and sons mourn you over a foolish brawl? Those of you who have friends here, would you share ale with them tonight, or would you have them raise a glass at your wake?”

He looks down at the grizzled leader. “You are a Thrane, and a brave man. Few would stand against a band who like ourselves with only a tree branch and a few brave friends. I take you as a veteran of the war. Many of us were too; clearly it was what I was made for. We were on different sides, but we have put aside our differences, put aside old atrocities for a greater good. I did not have family to lose, nor anyone to mourn me if I fell, but even a warforged such as myself could feel the horror at battling the walking dead of Karrnath, and have no love for that nation. And yet I would stand beside this man. Not because I like him – today in particular I do not. But because, despite where he is from and the regalia he wears, he is a good and honourable man, who has stood at my side in battle against dragons, giants, lycanthropes, undead. War brought out the worst in all nations, but not all who were our enemies were evil.

“The Last War is over, the leaders of our nations strive for peace, the people who have endured such horrors pray for it. In Flamekeep the Speaker preaches tolerance and forgiveness. In time, old enemies can become allies. You may not listen to me, as I am just a warforged, but listen to your leaders, listen to the priests, listen to what the Silver Flame whispers in your hearts. The War is over, it is time to start anew with a better age. Do not risk this peace because you cannot leave the past where it is, because this stubborn but ultimately good and decent man reminds you of someone who did you wrong. Do not let us pass because we ask it of you, let us pass because it is the right thing to do. Or if not, make your peace with the Flame, for we must, regretfully and stupidly, fight.”

Diplmacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 + 1d6 ⇒ 4 or 1d6 ⇒ 2

A silver pulse goes through Lightbringer’s eyes and the Flame symbol carved into his chest as he looks at Rolund. He does not add his voice at this stage, but makes a mollifying gesture to Bor and Basher, indicating that they should not draw weapons or drop into combat stances. He makes sure that Ezreal and Rodergo are positioned so that if the crowd charges in they will not be caught out unprotected.

How did I know he was going to do that? :)
If this works, and it may well, I say we move quickly and get out of here, and either lie low for some time or get a boat really quickly. Either way, some of the group will probably need to hide out in the tent for a while so as to avoid attention.

“The tent is a fine idea, and something we should have considered earlier,” says Lightbringer, watching the approaching mob warily, but making no move to draw steel. “It appears too late for that now.” The ‘forged turns to Rolund. “This was the type of notice I was hoping to avoid. We will not harm these people simply because you were too stubborn or proud to show discretion. We need a diplomatic solution here. Flamebearer, can you mollify them? Janosz, can you spy a way out if he cannot?”

I agree, I think we should let Rod or Gil lead on a diplomacy check (others can maybe assist), although Rolund may well be able to intimidate our way out of this (his intimidate score is truly impressive) ... at least for a short time. If we can get away ‘peacefully’ (one way or another) we should follow Janosz suggestion with the tent at the first opportunity.

The alleys are going to be too narrow for Bor and Basher, and most likely LB and Rolund too. Any likely looking boarded up or dilapidated doorways we can smash down if we need to make a quick getaway.

“That is interesting,” says Lightbringer. “Your business is your own, and to some degree your strategy may work. However, I counter by saying that your armour draws attention to you, and makes it more likely that people will notice you. A concealing cloak will hide your features as well as the detail of your armour.”

“Friend Janosz speaks wisely,” Lightbringer says to Rolund. “I will not suggest that you remove your armour, but some discretion may be in order. No one, except if they have succumbed to the lure of evil, should be ashamed of who or what they are, but in hostile territory the wise soldier wears camouflage. Wearing a heavy cloak or robe may smooth your way here, as it did for me during our journey through Droaam.”

Lightbringer keeps quiet during the conversation with the Inquisitor, seeing that Rodergo has things well in hand, content to play the dutiful warforged cohort on the chance that this man is prejudiced against his kind. But all goes well, and Lightbringer bows low as he leaves. “May the Flame keep and guide you,” he says before striding out.

Rodergo Xativa wrote:

his robot paladin cohort...

Hey, Mothy, how's it feel to realise you've just been a cohort all this time?

Banquat had it right all along.

Lightbringer sees that Rodergo is fumbling somewhat – trying to build up a rapport with the soldiers, but avoiding the actual question ... which may work in some cases, but the warforged is not sure that the no-nonsense looking Captain will go for it, so he risks speaking in support of the Flamebearer’s words.

“Good captain,” he says, standing and bowing his head in greeting. “As Flamebearer Xativa says, he fought in the last war, as did I – it is what I was made for after all. We fought the Karrns – all of us did, and a lasting bitterness is expected, not only due to the war, but given the fact that Karrnath, in the main, seems very against the tenants of the most holy Silver Flame. However, the war is over, and now we must strive for peace. The Treaty of Thronehold holds us to this promise, and the Keeper of the Flame preaches forgiveness and understanding. Yes, some of my companions are from Karrnath, and Sir Rolund in particular wears garb much in the style of his homeland. But they are not evil men. We have personally witnessed our Karrnathi companions put themselves much at risk in fighting against evil. Why, just a few days previously both Sir Rolund and Bor here helped fend off an attack by evil gnolls, giants and wererats – yes, I attest – against this very train. The House Orien officials here will attest to that as well. There is no evil in their spirits. It is in fact a quest against evil and horror that brings all of us through Thranish borders. None of us bring ill to good Thrane or her people.”

aid Another Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Edit, oops, started typing before Heath was finished, so there is some overlap. Aid Another brings us to 23.