Hey gang,
Sorry for the delay, what with the whole Turkey Day thing coming up. I am flying out to visit family today, but I will have an Internet connection, so I will update later tonight, once I get into Reno.
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Yep. Just a gate.
Wexley: He seems genuine enough. It is still pretty early in the day for setting up camp. The group continues on the road for much of the rest of the day. The fog never quite lets up entirely, but visibility does eventually extend to about a hundred feet. As you walk, even the non-trackers can tell the trail is descending into an unseen valley, though the way is not overly steep or difficult. As the day draws on into evening, the path levels out somewhat, and the forest recedes beyond the fog. In the distance along the road, somewhat beyond the line of visibility, a small handful of lights, like lanterns, can be seen.
I know this is somewhat sudden, but we will very shortly be adding a new player to the group.
Just after you pass through the gates, you all think you hear movement through the woods off to your left.
Barring any other interaction with the gate, the party continues through unimpeded. Only once Wexley has passed through and the gate is almost out of sight behind him does the grating peal of rusted iron ring out again as the doors swing slowly shut.
Indeed there is no building. Nor, upon closer examination, is there even a wall of any kind continuing into the forest. Merely the gate across the road, here at this place. The stone is pitted and weathered, to the point that it's a wonder the gate hasn't rusted completely away. The faces on the statues' heads are worn beyond recognition, mostly by wind and rain.
You are unrested and depleted from the night's activities. You continue along the road, heading north-ish, for about another hour or so. The fog continues to lift ever so slightly during this time, but never fully dissipates. Vision is still limited to about 50-60 feet. Some time mid-morning, a large gate looms up out of the fog. Twenty foot high stone buttresses jut out from the forest on either side of the road. A pair of dew-clad and rusted iron gates hangs between them. No name or sign of any kind marks the border gateway. To either side stand ancient and weathered stone statues in the shape of armed knights, their swords out with points down. Their heads, now missing from their shoulders, lie in the weeds at their feet. They greet you only with silence. Almost as soon as you spy it, the gates swing open of their own volition. Their rusted creak is startling and loud in the mist shrouded morning. It is only after the intrusion of such an unexpected sound that you realize how quiet the morning has been. On the other side of the open gates, the road and forest continue, with no other apparent sign of life or habitation.
Simon, the Wayfinder shows that the road runs roughly SSW to NNE. You don't really recall a road nearby running such direction, but there it is.
Don't know why this double-posted.
Jeremiah: Despite the gray haze, you attempt to get your bearings, leaning close enough to the ground to attempt to find the trail, and lean in close to nearby trees to look for any signs that might reorient the team. The leering faces in the fog are still quite distracting as you go about your work. One in particular seems more hideous than any you've seen yet. Terrifying and grotesque, it seems to take substance and solidify before your eyes -- some vile goblin-demon or bizarre gargoyle materializing out of the fog to attack. Oh. That's Dourmahr. The fog seems to be lifting somewhat. You all begin to appear to one another out of the fog. Visibility remains limited to about twenty to thirty feet, however. You are on the trail. A trail or dirt road of some kind, anyway.
Jeremiah: Despite the gray haze, you attempt to get your bearings, leaning close enough to the ground to attempt to find the trail, and lean in close to nearby trees to look for any signs that might reorient the team. The leering faces in the fog are still quite distracting as you go about your work. One in particular seems more hideous than any you've seen yet. Terrifying and grotesque, it seems to take substance and solidify before your eyes -- some vile goblin-demon or bizarre gargoyle materializing out of the fog to attack. Oh. That's Dourmahr. The fog seems to be lifting somewhat. You all begin to appear to one another out of the fog. Visibility remains limited to about twenty to thirty feet, however. You are on the trail. A trail or dirt road of some kind, anyway.
Lyra: There is nothing in your knowledge or experience that fits this specific description, however you have heard of certain powerful magical effects being tied to a place or a person, usually because of extremely strong emotions, or powerful or violent events. Although you've also heard of places in the world that just have bizarre weather sometimes, like extra thick fog, or rains of frogs. Wexley: The fog thins somewhat at the treetops, in that you can actually see far enough to make out a handful of the tops of the closest nearby trees. And if you look straight up, there's a large, very pale blue patch above you that is likely sky.
(Just another driveby again today. Three more days and I have a little bit more free time) It is with wuite a bit of work and fumbling that you all gather yourselves and your gear together, rope yourselves off, and head back out into the night. It is some time before you begin to realize the fog should have abated at least somewhat if it was only an area effect spell. Or if you have left the area of the spell, the mists seem to have thickened to the spells consistency. As you trudge slowly through the night, looking for the path, or perhaps better shelter, strange shapes and horrifying, demonic faces seem to form and vanish from the mist before your eyes (to the extent any of you can see). Prodding carefully along, to prevent falls or other hazards, it is only when the mist begin to turn from dark to light that you realize the night has passed and morning has come. Not that the day improves visibility.
Just a quick drive-by. Can't stay to write up my next post, but I wanted to answer Dourmahr and Ensebullus' Kn: Arcana rolls. Whatever that was, it was very similar to a winter wolf, but clearly a unique and enhanced worg. Ensebullus, the effect you all seem to be under appears to be some kind of obscuring mist effect. Probably cold-related.
Round 4 Resolution pt. 2: The burns from the coals overcome the netted worg and it dies. Everyone braces for the next wave of attacks from the worgs. The remains of the pack can still be heard circling the camp. If anything, it sounds bigger than before, but remains unseen, hidden by the fog and the night. Then, a larger animal is heard moving among the pack. It steps up to the edge of the firelight to reveal itself. A towering worg with piercing black eyes, standing as tall as Jeremiah, walks to the edge of the firelight to gaze at the party. The rest of the pack settles down and can no longer be heard. Seeming to gaze briefly at each of you individually, before anyone can respond, the enormous worg breathes out a freezing cloud of vapor, and fog instantly thickens around you all. The chill from his breath pierces you to the bone, and sets your teeth chattering. The fog becomes impenetrable. You are each barely able to see your own hand even if you touch your palm to your nose. Even being right next to the firepit and thus the light spell, you cannot see past your nose, the fog is merely very bright - the light getting too diffuse to more than make a dark gray world into a light gray world. You each brace for whatever attack may come next, but after a few moments, you each begin to realize no attack is coming. It is only then you begin to realize you no longer hear the pack circling the camp.
Round 4 Resolution, pt. 1: With a pair of thrusts from his blood-slicked weapons, Wexley brings certainty to Shroedinger's worg's life. Or rather, death. Jeremiah's pistol roars out again at the worg attacking Lyra. The bullet smashes through the worg's skull and it drops like a stone. Red's original target vanquished, she and Jack spy another one, hovering at the edge of the firelight, preparing to attack Calvin from surprise. As she screams out her battlecry, she charges mercilessly into her foe, practically splitting the creature in half with her axe blow, and launching its carcass back into the gloom of night. Calvin holds his hex and cackle, lacking any valid targets. Lyra spies another worg approaching the camp and fires an arrow at it, hitting its flank. Simon yanks on his end of the net and drags his trapped foe into the coals of the fire pit, burning it. The stench of burnt fur and searing flesh fills the air.
Ensebullus and Dourmahr also currently lack valid targets and hold their actions.
Simon and Lyra, I already have R4 actions from you, but will take those as R5 actions if necessary.
Again, I am so, so sorry gang. This week is my busiest period. I'll post Round 4 today (shortly). Thursday and Friday are going to be super busy again, and I have three more days of clean up on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, but then after that, my schedule opens wide up, and I'll be able to post multiple times a day. Again, my sincerest apologies for not being very available these last two weeks. They've been busier than I thought they would be, made worse by catching a very nasty, lingering cold. Also, was anybody in our group in the path of Sandy? Has everybody checked in?
Further R3 Resolution: Both attacking worgs (one on Lyra, one on Simon) fail.
Round 3 Resolution continued: Dourmahr steps over the dead worg in front of him and thrusts his hand at the badly wounded but not dead worg in between Ensebullus and Wexley. The worg begins shuddering and convulsing, uttering a disturbing and guttural sound that would only be described as a laugh by a fiend or a madman. The worg attacking Lyra, badly wounded itself, takes another bite at her. Attack rolls (take the worst):
Trip rolls on the off chance (take the worst):
The worg in Simon's net makes another attempt to attack him, from within the snare.
The worg in between Wexley and Ensebullus withdraws from Wexley cautiously, stepping away from immediate danger, but still hovering within the campground. Tactical Summary: Dourmahr, Ensebullus, and Wexley are in the northeast corner of the campsite, facing a badly wounded worg, but not directly engaged at the moment. Lyra, Jeremiah, and Simon are near fire in the center, toward the south west side of the camp. On their western flank is a badly wounded and hexed worg. Simon is also holding another badly wounded worg in his net, near him. Calvin and Tobias are toward the southern end of the camp, away from immediate danger. Red and Jack are astride a pile of fallen foes, in the southwestern corner of the camp. You can all hear more worgs just outside the edge of the camp, but no new ones rush in to attack. Round 4 Action Summary: 1. Wexley - Stab nearby worg
Nah, I forgot to post worg actions yesterday, my bad. Updating now.
Round 3 Partial Resolution: Wexley steps toward the new worg and plunges his rapier and dagger into its side, delivering a pair of deep wounds (possibly killing it, who knows? Maybe there's a cat in a box nearby?). Jeremiah turns and fires another round into the new worg attacking Lyra. The bright flash casts strange shapes and shadows through the fog and upon the rock wall. Red brings her greataxe around on her new foe, using her full strength and arc of motion, cleaving the beast in half in a new shower of blood. The smell of copper is strong in the air now. The large pools and streaks of blood glint black in the night. A fine mist of it has mingled somewhat with the fog, and Red and Jack are quite covered with it now. Calvin: worg save Lyra steps away from her attacker, reloads, and fires a bolt into the beast's muzzle. Simon:
Ensebullus quickly steps back from the worg attacking him and fires an arrow at it, drawing and loosing in one swift motion. The arrow sinks into Schroedinger's worg, wounding it further (maybe, or maybe it's already dead).
Also, Dourmahr, it's up to you, but if you rise and step into the fray to at least threaten the worg, that will give Wexley someone to flank with. Otherwise, I don't think his sneak attack damage is going to be able to count, as I don't believe Ensebullus' ranged attack threatens. That's usually how I rule in these circumstances (flanking with a bow), but everybody is welcome to chime in briefly with their thoughts.
Excellent. Writing up the turn now. GM Note: Dourmahr, I'm going to say that the point of combat with the new worg is at least five feet away (essentially, on the other side of the now dead worg). You may stand safely without provoking an AoO.
Which, by the way, I should make this all kind of official and stuff. I'll even bold it, for emphasis: In this game, death is not necessarily the end of your character. Just putting that out there. And since you all are already here, it would be silly of me to take the character over! Unless you're just a mindless zombie or something. 'Cuz just typing "Uuuuuunh, BRAAAAAIIINS" or "Grr, Argh" over and over again probably isn't fun.
I'm just trying to, you know.... kill you all. Or turn you into undead abominations. Or whatever. Look, a shiny thing!
Attack of Opportunity: The worg Jack yanked to the ground tries to rise and return the attack, but Red brings her axe down on its head with all her strength. The savage blow splits the worg's skull in two, spilling warm gore.
Indeed. Now edited to reflect that.
Okay, gang. Sorry for the delays. Here we go: Round 3 Action Summary: 1. Wexley - Step up to the nearby worg and full attack
Did I miss anything? Ensebullus, any action? Anybody need to throw anything else in before we resolve Round 3?
Hey! We're back! I kept getting the goblin/no-store picture most of yesterday, then it seemed like the board was up, but I kept getting a (non-illustrated) error message when I tried to get to do anything.
I lied, I'm not quite in bed yet. Reposition Combat Maneuver. Make a CMB roll.
Round 2 Resolution: With his arm fueled by fear and adrenaline, Wexley flings his starknife hard at the worg attacking Dourmahr, burying it deep into the side of its skull. The worg lets out a whimper. Then Wexley moves to help Another flash belches out from Jeremiah's pistol, the bullet sinks into the worg's side, but it remains standing. Red's axe removes their worg's head from its neck. Jack, sensing the danger to another member of his new pack, turns to attack the worg chewing on Tobias, latching onto the worg's hind leg with its jaws and dragging it to the ground. Calvin - Calvin utters another hex, this time upon the worg attacking his familiar and friend. The worg, already prone now from Jack's attack, falls into a slumber. Lyra steps away and cranks her crossbow, firing a bolt at the worg attacking Simon. This shot finds its mark, clipping it along the side of its face, giving it a lopsided red smile. Dourmahr changes his chant to cast his spell, and overwhelm the worg with arcane boredom, but the worg's mind manages to slither out from under the spell. Simon rises with a deft twist and flings his net over the worg in front of him, entangling it. Ensebullus cast his whip-like spell, which wraps around the worg's neck, draining its physical energies. As the spell saps the worg's strength, it is overcome by its wounds and dies. The worg attacking Simon takes a bite at his target ans misses. The worg attacking Tobias tries to rise (Red, Jack, and Tobias may make an Attack of Opportunity, if they so choose) take a bite at their targets and miss. Three more worgs then leap into the camp circle. One takes a bite at Red, another leaps out at Lyra from the western edge, and one steps out to attack Ensebullus. Each one snaps their jaws around only air. Tactical Summary: Wexley is now over on the eastern side of the camp, with Dourmahr and Ensebullus, standing over a dead worg and fighting off a new attacker. Lyra, Simon and Jeremiah are near the center of camp, each stepped back from the severely wounded worg trapped in Simon's net. A new worg has appeared to threaten Lyra. Calvin, Tobias, Red, and Jack are near the southwest edge of the camp, standing near a prone, badly wounded worg, and a new worg has stepped up ROUND 3 Everyone please post your Round 3 actions and die rolls.
Some of those rolls are "just in case" as I believe the worg attacking Dourmahr is actually dead, after CON adjustment.
GM dice rolls
Worg attacking Dourmahr:
Worg attacking Simon:
Worg attacking Tobias:
New worg, attacking Lyra:
New worg, attacking Ensebullus:
New worg, attacking Red/Jack:
Nope, AoO failed.
AoO Roll:
Nope, your Redirect didn't work, you're back to being on the ground. Tactical Summary Revision: Simon is back to prone.
Oh yeah. Let me work that out real quick.
I hear the stay at home mom thing is filled with all kinds of craziness and excitement. Just, you know, kid craziness and excitement.
You guys make my life sound lame. If it helps, I wish the money were better. Freelancing means never having to worry about job or income security, because you've got neither! Seat-of-the-pants living, my friends.
and animated his own severed hand to be his familiar. Very Evil Dead 2. Love it.
Although, I realize I need an action from you, Simon. I think everyone else is set.
Tactical Summary Revision: Simon is NOT prone. His Improved Trip allowed him to resist the worg's trip attempt. The worgs have a CMD of 19, 23 v. trip. Round 2 post being written now.
Yay! We still have a Dourmahr! Howdy friends. In case anyone is wondering, I am a freelance audio technician and designer in Los Angeles, and my current gig is working at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. I bring this up for two reasons -- one, I seem to have caught a nasty, nasty sinus infection over the weekend, which probably accounts for the massive exhaustion I've been feeling for the last two or three days. Second, just as a heads up that this weekend, being the final weekend of the attraction, is probably going to be a little crazy for me again, so I might not be around all that much again. In the mean time.... I have the next four days with almost nothing to do but sit around my house, sleep, and run the game. I just got up, after sleeping for about twelve hours straight. Give me a couple of hours to to put my day-brain on, and I'll get the game moving again. Thank you all so much for your patience.
Friends, I apologize for my non-appearance yesterday (and pretty much today). It's been a long and exhausting couple of work days for me. I'll advance the turn hopefully tonight.
Red and Jack descend upon their foe. Red, you notice a venom in Jack's snarls as he attacks. A tone that is returned by the snarls of your enemy. As you sink the blade of your greataxe into the vulpine form before you, you understand Jack's blazing animosity - Worgs. Your axe bites deep into flesh and bone, wounding it badly. Jack's jaws snap around the worg's neck, and he yanks it viciously to the ground. Calvin steps up to the camp's edge, near where Red and Jack have engaged the enemy and calls upon his enigmatic powers to bind their target with misfortune. Tobias waddles after to keep near his companion. It is then that three of the worgs leap into the camp, each choosing a different target. As the first one breaks the tree line, a deafening crack sunders the night and a snap of bright flame leaps from Jeremiah's hand. His bullet bites into the lead worg, who gives pained yelp but continues on. The worg Jeremiah shot charges straight for Tobias. He lands a bite upon the strange bird and tosses him into the air with a vicious shake of his head. Another worg charges toward Lyra and Simon, apparently hoping to juke around the more dangerous looking male to get to the female behind him. Simon's whip snaps out - not quite as loud as Jeremiah's pistol, but almost as startling. The whip finds its target and bites into the worg's shoulder, snatching off a tuft of meat and fur and leaving a red gash behind. Lyra's crossbow string hums as her bolt is loosed, but it zips by the attacking worg harmlessly, passing close enough to part the animal's fur along the way. The worg decides it can't get around Simon to get at Lyra, so it sinks its teeth into Simon's leg, instead. In doing so, he yanks hard and pulls Simon to the ground. The third worg makes for Dourmahr, the other target that would make a crunchy snack. Ensebullus fires his bow at the charging creature, but his arrow too fails to find its mark. Unhindered, the worg lands a bite on Dourmahr's arm, tossing the gnome over his shoulder to the ground behind him. Tactical Summary:
Ensebullus is backed up near the face on the eastern side of the camp. Dourmahr was next to him, between Ensebullus and the fire pit, but now that position is occupied by a worg (within 5' of you, 'Seb), and Dourmahr lies prone, just to the south of him. Simon and Lyra stand at the southern point of the fire pit, with Lyra between Simon and the fire. Simon is now prone, and being attacked by a worg. Jeremiah was standing next to them, to the western side of the camp. Wexley is backed up against the rock face, on the western side of the camp. Red and Jack were near him, as was Calvin, before they moved from their positions. Red and Jack are engaged with their worg, just beyond the tree line/edge of bright light, in the southwestern corner of the camp. Calvin and Tobias are just inside the tree line in the same direction, and Tobias is now prone, and being attacked by a worg. Red and Jack's worg is badly wounded and prone. The other two worgs are also wounded, but neither seems badly hurt. Tobias: Takes 5 damage and is now prone.
ROUND 2 Everyone except Wexley, please declare your Round 2 actions. Wexley will be burying his starknife deep into some poor worg's skull. If you are making an attack, go ahead and make your attack and damage rolls now, and roll to confirm any possible crits.
GM Dice Rolls:
(s) (a)
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