Atapax's Kingmaker Campaign

Game Master Aluvian

Due to RL issues (amongst them trying to negotiate buying a house and moving) I'm going to have to take a hopefully short hiatus from the boards. I'll be back as soon as I can manage it, but right now, I barely have time to keep up on email on a daily basis. If one of you wanted to pick up the mantle of GM and run with it, I'd be totally fine with that.

can we discuss this over on the Discussion Thread

After a day traveling through the forest and clearings, taking a south-easterly direction, the company of explorers move on into areas of the forest they have not visited before. Even the horses seem a little skittish and nervous as you press on through the now densely forested area. As the leaves begin to take form on the trees, you imagine that when all the trees are fully clothed, the sun would be excluded from the area.

But thick forest doesn't last for more than an hours travel, as again the trees thin slightly and the undergrowth no longer feels like its about to engulf you. You make steady progress until you spot a large hollow in the ground covered by a fallen pine. You see that from the hollow, a track emerges through the bushes, vines and grasses that cover the ground. Just into the hollow, you spot white and yellowed objects littered on the floor.

The trail is 40ft to the hollow and the objects on the ground.
Adventurers on horseback

Bregor quickly dismounts and advance carefully and methodically, trying to ascertain what these most curious objects might be.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"Hmmm, curious..."

Kyrie dismounts as well, stringing her bow and moving sideways to make sure that Bregor won't be in her line of fire if there turns out to be something she'll need to shoot at.

"Sia, wasn't this the area where Norbert said those mites were?" she asks without looking back toward the horses.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Gorax dismounts after Bregor and Kyrie, he takes the bridles and gives them to Salinthas to hold the horses whilst they investigate. Then starts to follow Bregor, "So whats so interesting here?"

Salinthas, takes the the horses, casting his eyes quickly over the track. "Hmm, don't see any clear tracks down there, though it's well used."
Salinthas Knowledge(nature) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

As Bregor gets closer to the darkened hollow, it is obvious that the objects littering the floor are bones of various animals large and small, there are more bones further into the hollow. Some bones are broken, others are whole, remnants of dried up old flesh, or cartilage from the unlucky owners stick to the old white or yellowed surface.

There are also two angry red eyes staring back out of the dark hollow.

Outside the track to the hollow, the ground is difficult to move in (light undergrowth). The monster is 30ft from Bregor, Bregor is 20ft from the horses. Kyrie is 15ft into the undergrowth. There will be no map for this encounter.
Init order: Bregor, Monster 1, Kyrie, Sia, Gorax, Salinthas.

"Well now, this shows promise, if not a lot of tact or friendliness."

Bregor will cast "Feather Step" to allow himself to move better, then he will draw his sword and await the charge, sure to come.

Sia rushes from where she was attending the horses, looking about as she hears the sounds of battle. "What the, what's going on?" The worry in her voice is palpable, as the undergrowth slows her efforts to catch sight of what the others are seeing.

Charging out of the den, is a particularly aggressive large old boar, with distinctive gray bristles and snout. Its mouth full of yellowing teeth and lolling red tongue, spittle drops in globules on the ground as it comes forward. It's snorts ring out through the air as the sound of bones breaking underfoot with the speed and weight of the charging animal echo through the forest.

With a deft use of footwork, Bregor ready for the charge steps aside like a matador in the bullring, his cloak brushing over the back of the rushing creature, as it desperately comes to a stop, ready to continue its assault on the invaders.

The sounds of the assault make the horses nervous, but fortunately Salinthas holds on keeping them quiet.

The rest of you are up...

Kyrie brings her bow up the moment the boar charges out of its lair, but carefully holds her fire until its charge slows to a halt before letting fly.

Regular shot; not sure if it already spotted me: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2
Sneak Attack if applicable: 1d6 ⇒ 1
... Probably a miss, regardless. Ah well.

Kyrie drops her bow after the shot and darts forward through the undergrowth while drawing her shortsword and dagger, taking a moment to shout "Wild boar!" back to Sia.

Gorax struggles on towards Bregor, his longsword drawn he moves carefully and slowly alongside Bregor, crushing the undergrowth underfoot. Yet he feels somewhat unsteady, with brambles and vines trying to trip him with every step he takes.

In Kyrie's haste and anxiousness to protect Bregor, the arrow whistles by the boar into the limbs of the fallen pine tree covering the den.

Round 2
Bregor you're up now again..if you're still around. Got through a whole round in a couple of hours or so...wow.

Kyrie, forget spoiler above .. all is good.

Bregor swiftly moves a little around the boar, twirls his blade and then strikes out at its massive head.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Critical hit confirmation: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Critical damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Round 2
Recovering from it's charge and enraged by the long lines of raw flesh exposed by Bregor's weapon, the boar buries its tesks in the man's legs, tearing muscle and spurting blood on the bones lying on the ground.

Bregor takes 13 points of damage.
Everybody else, take your round 2 actions.

Gorax strikes at the boar with his longsword, screaming at the beast "Come on beast, try me!".

Longsword attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 Damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Kyrie curses silently and sprints forward as the boar mauls Bregor's leg. A nimble leap carries her over the last of the underbrush, and she lands on the other flank the boar from Gorax, slashing both blades at its unguarded side.

+2 flanking, boar is denied their dex bonus.
Short sword: Attack roll 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7; damage 1d6 ⇒ 2, sneak attack 1d6 ⇒ 2
Offhand dagger: Attack roll 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23; damage 1d4 ⇒ 2, sneak attack damage 1d6 ⇒ 5
Dagger critical threat: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21; damage 1d4 ⇒ 4

Sia shrieks a little seeing Bregor so brutally mauled, and she gives the beast a glare, attempting to access her new powers rather than going in for the kill as she moves in.

Casting Cause Fear: Save DC is 14, failed save causes it to be frightened for 1d4 ⇒ 2 rounds, successful save still causes it to become shaken for one round. Immune if it has more than six HD

Kyrie strikes out at the boar, her sword striking the tough hide of the beast, unable to penetrate into the animal's soft flesh, but the dagger in the other hand strikes home, deep into the ribs of the pig. It screams and squeels in agony. The pain the boar feels, somehow negates the black waves of fear emanating from Sia's chanting. As the beast writhes in agony, Gorax using strength and accuracy pushes his longsword deep into the boar's heart, as it drops to the floor dying. Kyrie steps forward dagger in hand, slicing the neck through the jugular as the beast gurgles its last breath and dies.

After a moment with no sounds of fighting, Salinthas ties the reins of the horses to a nearby branch and makes his way over. After a moments thought, looking down at the vanquished beast, "This beast, it may match the description on a poster back at Oleg's? I'm not sure I remember correctly, do you recognize it?"

Kyrie wipes her dagger on the boar's fur, then looks at Bregor. "Looks like we may be taking Jhod up on his offer earlier than planned," she says before tilting her head at Salinthas' comment and frowning as she searches her memory.

Knowledge: Local 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Gorax, pulls his sword out from the creatures flank, before wiping the blood away and cleaning the blade. "Tis a real brute this one, at least we have some fresh meat for tonight, although he looks a tough old pig. I doubt the meat will be very tender. Still it shalln't be wasted." He starts towards his horse and saddle bag, stopping as Salinthas approaches.

He waits and responds, "What those posters back there, didn't pay 'em any heed, other than to make sure my name wasn't on them, Ha ha ha!" he laughs, as leaves to get a knife suitable to skin the beast and prepare it for cooking.

Survival 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Bregor chuckles with good nature as he gingerly feels the gash in his leg. "He certainly had spirit, the old boar here. A creature this ill tempered must surely be famous, seeing as this is a land of trappers and hunters do you not agree? Mayhap we should bring the head back to Oleg's with us as a trophy?"

Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

"Shall we see if the old boar has claimed any interesting trophies of its own?"

Sia nods to Bregor. "Right. You and I'll do that. Salinthas, can you get to work on figuring out exactly we're going to get this guy back to Oleg's if we are going to claim the bounty....." she slowly trails off, then smacks her forehead. "Well, this is a problem."

"Haha, indeed my lady Siarani, if we are to claim any bounty, the catch should be relatively fresh one would assume. As such we would either have to travel back now or forget about any bounty. Or...travel back to the temple ruins and see if we can get Jhod to take the carcass back while we explore."

Bregor frowns. "Are we close to the area the mites are now? While this exploring is necessary and needful, I crave a break from it."

Bregor will help Sia to look for anything interesting in the boar’s lair.

Kyrie remembers a poster, it was indeed wanting the head of an old boar called Tuskgutter delivered to Oleg's to claim a reward.

I'll give you your XP tomorrow.

Kyrie nods. "The bounty was for Tuskgutter's head; presumably in a mostly intact state. If we're going to claim it we'll have to return to Oleg's right away."

"What, here we go again, come down south, then back up north, then it will be come down south, like a ruddy Yo-yo" says a disgruntled Gorax. "And I was just about to skin it and get some nice juicy ribs roasting in the pot. So what we gonna do, I'm getting hungry."

Everyone gets 180XP from the encounter and mapping this sector.

"Do you also perchance remember what exactly the bounty of old Tuskgutter was Ms Kyrie? That might decide for us if the trip back is worthwhile, a mere pittance of silver would not serve our purpose, but weighty gold, weapons of exceptional sharpness and the like would interest me."

Bregor touched his leg, confident that while the injury still smarts, the worst of it was alleviated with his spell.

"In confidence I can attest to the suitability of the boars name, I am merely glad I was gored and not gutted."

"Well, maybe we should rename it 'Kneetrembler' in honor of the damage it did to your leg then Bregor." Gorax laughs, as he stands one foot on the boars body, and waiting holding a knife to insert and start the butchery. "Well, while you decide what to do, does anyone mind if I get on with the skinning. I'll leave the head intact if that's what you want?"

"Yes, please," Sia says to Gorax, sighing as she contemplates the options here. "It would help to know how much the bounty is, yes, but we could probably be back at Oleg's by late tomorrow morning and back out to work by afternoon, so we'd only lose a day. For a bounty of a few hundred gold, well, it's a fair day's work."

She notes Bregor still in pain and gives it a look. "Mind if I give this a try? I may as well practice."

Kyrie shakes her head. "Not offhand; I didn't exactly memorise them," she replies. "I imagine it should be a fairly decent amount; after all, they'd have to make it worth someone's while to track and kill a boar this far south..."

Gorax, continues with the task of skinning the beast, after hacking it's head off, all the time grumbling under his breath. "Why can't I just wait here for them to return, or just go rest with that nice Jhod. I don't want to travel all the way there and back." and so he grumbles on. "Pr'aps the girls ought to go back, it's pretty safe now, well that's what I told that soldier bloke, Kristian or whatever."

Despite that Gorax seems to revel in the job at hand. Salinthas lends his not inconsiderable skills as the both of them work away. The sun comes up, making the day very pleasant, and their brows sweat as they cut skin from flesh.

Bregor considers for a moment Sia's kind offer. "That would be most agreeable my lady Siarani, two casters with near full repertoire is better than one full and one tapped."

Bregor shrugs a little at Gorax comments. "That is not exactly a bad idea you know friend Gorax, between me and the two ladies, we can certainly travel back with our prize, and you and master Salinthas could guard Jhod as he paces about his temple."

Sia shakes her head at the boys. "Okay Gorax, if that's what you want. Though I think leaving two girls alone with Bregor may be risky in its' own right, in certain ways."

Kyrie snorts softly at Sia's remark while she helps search the lair.

Grinning deeply Bregor taps his chin in thought.
"Perhaps I should begin sleeping with a dagger under my pillow to be safe?"

Kyrie chuckles dryly. "If I really wanted to hurt you, Bregor, you'd never wake up to do something about it in the first place."

Sia's jaw drops slightly at Kyrie's comment, before she gives her friend a slightly concerned look.

As Kyrie comes out of the lair, Gorax sees her face is disappointed, "No nothing there, just as I expected, boar aren't treasure hunters."

Gorax replies to Sia, "Well, I trust you'll have an easy journey, and I have no fears on Bregor's accompanying you, he's proved a friend to us all." As Gorax slaps an arm around the man's shoulders, "I'm sure you'll have a nice trip." he strolls over to Salinthas turning his head back to the three of you, "See you back here we'll have this pig all nicely trussed up and cooked by the time you get back. It's so big we can do with the extra time. Good journey." Gorax and Salinthas wave you off.

And I thought you'd send Salinthas off to get the reward, whilst we carried on the route...It wasn't a ploy to get rid of Gorax, but to keep going and not interrupt the expedition, oh well.

Honestly, this time I'd figured on handwaving the Oleg return and back into a single post, since there's not likely any new business there aside from delivering the perishable goods.

I don't think anyone intends to ditch either Salinthas or Gorax -- it's just that when traveling in the wilderness you never send a single person off alone if you have any alternative. Not even a ranger.

Bregor grins again and winks at Kyrie.
"Oh, it was not HURTING me that I had in mind my lady Kyrie, nor do I believe my lady Siarani meant that I would be hurting YOU."

No, the only thing would be to see if there are any other "wanted" posters at Oleg's, and maybe ask the captain and Oleg if they have any jobs needing completion.

Siarani snaps suddenly "Bregor, that's enough." Then she turns back to Kyrie. "I appologize. My comment was in poor taste. We can discuss things a bit more later - in private." While not unsympathetic, her tone makes it clear that there will be a discussion about it.

I'm on vacation now, so won't be able to post often today or over Easter, as in the UK its a national holiday. Not sure about the rest of Europe, but the US I know have to work.

Kyrie's shoulders twitch once, either in a shrug or a deliberate relaxation, but it's a moment more before she speaks "... Okay, Sia."

Bregor carefully rearanges his facial features into guarded neutrality.
"As you wish my lady."

Your journey to Oleg's is as uneventful as you want to make it. Let me know when you want to be at Oleg's and what you do when you get there. Once you arrive:

You find a notice on at Oleg's it has on it a picture of a boar's head, very much like the one in you possession.

Wanted Tuskgutter

Vekkel Benzen, retired hunter seeks revenge on the ill-tempered monster pig , that took his leg from him. To any who would kill this beast and bring it's head to Oleg's, I Vekkel Brenzen, will reward you with a prize worthy of such a feat.

You will know when you come across this vicious old boar, for it is aged and cunning, yet stronger and more deadly than most of its younger brethren. It has gray bristles and snout, red murderous eyes, a humped large back and dwells to the south of here.

It is undoubtedly the boar that you killed.

During the trip back to Olegs, Bregor is noticeably subdued, saying little but remaining polite if and when addressed.

Bregor will start out with carefully perusing the notice board for other quests or requests.
After he is done he will call out to Oleg.
"Master Oleg, this one note here, about Tuskgutters head, would you know how we can turn in said head to claim the reward?"

Afterwards he will inquire with the captain of the guards if he perchance have any tasks needing performed as well.