Atapax's Kingmaker Campaign

Game Master Aluvian

"And that'll make this job take that much longer," Kyrie replies to Bregor as she edges backward and sideways to keep a clear line of fire to the monster even if/when Gorax and Bregor advance on it. "Still, given that these things seem to prey on passersby, we'll need to take them out..."

*cricket chirp*

Bregor, ever the impulsive one takes a step forward, bangs his sword against his shield, before pointing it towards the enemy and shouting.
"Enough posturing, come then, come and taste my blade you scaly fiends!

He then gives voice to a rousing battle hymn.

Inspire courage 1/9

Sia, her face full of concentration, quietly goes through the motions of a spell, storing its magical energy in her mind and body waiting for the right moment.

Salinthas, his bow ready, takes his time to aim and fire at the closest beast, hidden amongst the rubble bridge.

Mwk Composite Long Bow attack1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Mwk Composite Long Bow damage1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

The arrow flies straight towards the reptile, but as it shifts its weight, retreating back into the rubble from the deadly shaft, the rubbish moves and the arrow strikes and sticks into a an old gnarled branch. As it does this the beast lets out a cry of warning to its mate, whose eyes ope, and its head looks around to see the disturbance.

Kyrie, steps back out of the way of any creature that might charge her way, hoping for an opportunity to inflict damage on any beast.

The first creature shrugs off its cover and struggling over the rubble until reaches close to Gorax, when it opens its mouth showing rows of razor sharp teeth, it clamps down onto the armored man. With a shrill grating noise, the teeth scrap down the armor, leaving the man unharmed.

As the sound of battle commences, Sia weaves a magical force of energy around her, which she sends towards the battle, in a cone of many colors, reds, yellows, blues and green intertwine one with the other, dancing upwards, drawing the creatures attention to the burst of color. It looks spellbound for a moment as it registers the colors in its mind, watching....before with a shake of its head, its stares once more at Gorax.

Bregor moves forward a small way onto the rubble bridge, chanting as he goes, filling Gorax and the rest of the party with renewed vigor and bravery.

Gorax, with the creature in front of hims, swings his sword at the creatures evil scaly face. It hits the hard armor of the creature, barely denting its protective skin.

Longsword attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

End of Round 2 Map
Start Round 3

I've called the next round round 3, whether it is the third or not, just so we have a consistent point of view.

Will be away next Thursday until late Monday at the Isle of wight festival...just so you know.

Kyrie finds a safe angle from which to fire on the beast without having to risk hitting Gorax, and lets an arrow fly.

Longbow attack, +1 from Inspire Courage:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Next round, she'll drop her bow and draw her blades, then advance with Bregor to flank the beast, assuming there's room for her to stand.

Sia's lips curl in a frown of concentration before she gives the beast another of her Death Glares, still exploring the limits of this new power.

Cause Fear, DC is 14. Aimed at the one on Gorax

Bregor, sensing Kyries intent, moves to a natural flanking position slightly to the upper left of the creature attacking Gorax, hoping to take it down fast, before the other one attack.

Once he has assumed the position, he twirls his sword once before striking out with a swift backhanded attack. In his minds he sees the circles forming around him, limiting his mobility, but adding concentration and clarity.

Attack with inspire courage: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Inspire courage 2/9

Gorax relishes the thought of bringing his strength to bear on the dragon-like creature. He swings his sword, hoping to slice into the head of the creature, smashing into it's brain and render it dead.

Longsword attack 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 = 23 includes inspire courage
Damage 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6 includes inspire courage

With the sounds of battle going on Sia watches as the wide mouth of the creature opens, showing its set of nasty teeth. Sia speaks aloud dark, black fearful words, as her hands weave patterns in the air, sending a shadow over the dragon. As waves of blackness from Sia's spell infiltrate the creatures mind, its eyes look blankly ahead.

An arrow from Kyrie slams into its body, breaking through its scale and causing its green blood to start to flow, causing the creature to look around at the agony as its damaged body screams pain. She drops her bow and starts to move to support Gorax and Bregor, but with her eyes on the ongoing battle, she finds the obstacles littering the floor difficult to walk over as she realizes she is unable to move into position. She returns to where she dropped her bow.
The terrain is littered with obstacles and debris on the floor, you can only move half distance, especially on the rubble bridge. I can't get you into a good position from where you were, without you either getting AoOs on you, or ending somewhere pretty useless so I put you back where you started, I can get you to (AC,47) or AD or below square.

Salithas lets loose his arrow at the creature in front of Gorax, but making sure he missed his friend's body, the arrow flew high and wide.
Mwk Composite Long Bow attack 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 = 12 with inspire courage
Mwk Composite Long Bow damage 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 = 8 with inspire courage

The dragon furthest away moves across the rubble on the bridge to a position where it can vent its anger on the nearest warm bloodied being, that is Bregor. In it's eagerness to rip the man's body apart, it pounces too quickly and its teeth snap shut short of Bregor's fine clothing.

The pain of the arrow sticking into the side of the dragon in front of Gorax, seems to bring its mind back into the fight as the it shakes off the worst affect of Sia's spell. It attack's Gorax, but somehow it's attack lacks the commitment of its previous one, as it snaps ineffectually at warrior. As it tries to regroup its mind, it moves back a step to be nearer its mate.

Bregor, holds his ground now with a slavering mouth full of teeth trying to tear him apart. Using his undoubted prowess with the sword, he strikes the creature hard in the neck, with a sickening thud, as his blade enters the creatures flesh and draws its green blood out.

Gorax steps up, following the beast before he strikes out and smashes his sword into the face of the creature in front of him, destroying its facial characteristics, leaving a bloody mess.

End of Round 3 Map
Start Round 4

This is my last post until sometime on Monday, when the DM hopes to stop this rubbish rolling.

Deep down, in the analytical part of his brain, Bregor realises that he let his impetuousness get the better of him. The terrain is not as movable as he would like, even for one fighting in the circles. And despite the fact that he possesses a perfect spell for situations like this, he charged ahead and started the battle before taking such precautions.

Of course, now that he is face to face with a beast sufficiently scary to make this a battle worth fighting, such thoughts do not bother him overmuch.

He presents his side to the beast, holding his shield out at waist level, letting his sword trail behind him, then suddenly he spins, using his shield to force the beasts head down for a moment before slashing across it's exposed neck.

Attack:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
[ooc]Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

All the while he continues his battle hymn.

Inspire courage 3/9

Just another check in. :) We're moving into the new house, got everything set up and just working on getting the last of the things moved over as well as getting the old place cleaned up. Things should be slowing down here soon. That is if it wasn't for the news I got last week that I'm deploying in 8 weeks. On the upside, after that, I should have time coming out my ears again. :)

Just another check in. :) We're moving into the new house, got everything set up and just working on getting the last of the things moved over as well as getting the old place cleaned up. Things should be slowing down here soon. That is if it wasn't for the news I got last week that I'm deploying in 8 weeks. On the upside, after that, I should have time coming out my ears again. :)

Great news, it means they'll only have to put up with me for another 2 months. Feel free to play as Salinthas in the meantime.....I don't think it's much of a secret, he's staying at the back pinging arrows at the moment, so no problem if you take over.

Gorax battles with the beast in front of him, aiming to strike his sword to smash through the creatures sharp toothed mouth, but once more his sword slides off the creatures armored scales.

Longsword attack 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10 includes inspire courage
Damage 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5 includes inspire courage

Kyrie, scans the rubble in the river to find a way to move into the action, she sees a pile of wet slippery wood poking through the water, it could make a landing point, but is unsure how stable the rubble is there and its surface is not very flat.

** spoiler omitted **

Kyrie scowls as she scans the rubble for a safe place to jump to and finds none, then picks up her bow again - if she can't help Gorax fight the beast up close, she can at least provide ranged support.

Longbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Inspire courage already factored in.

Gorax, blaming his footing for his lack of power to strike the beast, retreats from the dangerous creature , slowly away onto the the more solid ground, and stands in front of Sia protecting her, should the beast follow.

No Sia this round?

Sia reaches into her spell component pouch, quickly pulling out a handful of dried rose petals and blowing them into the face of the lizard accousting Bregor. The cloud swirls around it, inducing at least a slight yawn.

Sleep, DC 15, up to 4 HD affected. The central space targeted is actually behind Bregor, I'm just taking some liberty for dramatic effect.

What Sia's eyes perceived as a yawn, was in fact the dragon snapping it's jaws at the rose petals as they floated by. The petals continue to a point behind both creatures, where a soft song of sleep is faintly heard as a picture of night swirls around encompassing the two beasts, yet it seems not to cause any disturbance in the creatures minds as they continue with their attacks.
Creatures are immune to sleep, I assumed you didn't want to place the sleep spell close enough to Bregor or Gorax for them to be affected so had the spell go off at (z,45)

Kyrie scowls as she scans the rubble for a safe place to jump to and finds none, then picks up her bow again - if she can't help Gorax fight the beast up close, she can at least provide ranged support. The arrow thuds through the creatures scales, burying itself in its flank.

The creatures seeing their foes in front of them take the opportunity to press forward their attacks. A mass of teeth coming down to destroy the interlopers.

The creature engaged with Gorax, continues it's ferocious battle, but neither is able to get an advantage and hit through the others armor.
Even as Gorax moves back, the beast is unable to make it's attack felt.
Gorax cries to Sia, "Move back, let me fight back to back with Bregor."

Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the battle in which Bregor is engaged, the creature sends its head unerringly at the top of Bregor's chest and his shoulder, sinking its teeth into Bregor's flesh and holding him firm in its mouth. Bregor's blood spurts out, along with the hot breath and spittle of the great dragon. Bregor, his body wriggling and sqirming, manages to plant a firm kick into the creatures throat, making it cough up an obnoxious phlegm, but succeeding to break free of the creatures grasp.

Bregor takes 7 damage, I used your attack roll, modified for CMB to break the grapple.

Salinthas, sends another arrow whistling at the creature in front of Bregor.
Mwk Composite Long Bow attack 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19 with inspire courage
Mwk Composite Long Bow damage 1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6 with inspire courage

End of Round 4 Map (map coming soon)
Start Round 5

Kyrie edges further backward along the shore while sending another arrow into the monster battling Gorax.

Attack: Longbow (BAB +4, +1 inspire courage): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Confirm crit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 -- probably not.
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Kyrie moves back toward (44,AE) so that if the lizard thing decides to follow and charge Gorax she'll be in position to flank it.

Hmph, so that is their game? The worst kind of opponent, but also the greatest challenge.

Bregor, bloodied but unbowed continues his chant, waiting for a chance to strike at the scaly opponent before him. Most such creatures are weaker on their underbellies, so Bregor bides his time until the lizard rears up. Then he strikes out, aiming for its soft underbelly.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Critical confirmation: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Once Sia has added her stuff I'll do the rest. Bregor you go after the beasts, if you want a different action if you get grappled, other than use your attack to get out of the grapple, then let me know.

Damn grapplers, no, I think we can let that procedure stand, don't want to be grappled.

Will update combat tomorrow morning and bot Sia if she hasn't posted, its will have been over 72hrs after the weekend. To keep things moving as I can, I know other DMs who give 48hrs before boting a player who hasn't posted, if you agree I'll instigate that after this round of combat.

Sia's work schedule does not recognize the concept of "weekend". I'll poke her today for a response, but things have been a bit hectic for her lately.

Gorax readies an attack, should the creature follow him to continue the battle. Hoping Sia will move back, so he can maneuver the beast into a position where Kyrie can flank. Gorax aims to smash it's head to pieces, to stop its mouth and teeth from continuing there assault.

Longsword attack 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19 with inspire courage
Damage 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10 with inspire courage

Use attack roll for CMB, if grappled.

As per your suggestions, I'll be returning to play Sal until I can once again take up the mantle of GM (assuming Deevor wants to give it up :) ). I just need to catch up on about 200 posts firsts. :)

Salinthas takes a deep breath, trying his best not to let frustration cloud his aim. Reaching back once again he determinedly pulls yet another arrow from his quiver, setting it to string and letting fly once again.

Not exactly sure what kind of state the two wyrms are in but I figured I'd stick with how things are already set up for now. I also included the -4 in the roll.

Mwk Comp L-Bow: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 4

Not exactly the stellar return I was hoping for. :)

Sia gasps as she sees Bregor getting hurt, quickly focusing and trying to call up her healing energy. Touching him, she then moves aside and ten feet away, to watch for another chance to get a spell in.

Cast Cure Light Wounds on Bregor: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Sia gasps as she sees Bregor getting hurt, quickly focusing and trying to call up her healing energy. Touching him, she then moves aside and ten feet away, to watch for another chance to use her magiks to help her friends and stop the beasts from inflicting further injury.

Salinthas takes a deep breath, trying his best not to let frustration cloud his aim. Reaching back once again he determinedly pulls yet another arrow from his quiver, setting it to string and letting fly once again. However watching Bregor's struggle with the green scaled reptile, he purposely aims away from his ally, but he is over cautious and the arrow flies high and wide.

Kyrie edges further backward along the shore while sending another arrow into the monster battling Gorax. Once more it slams into the beasts flank as its blood spurts out of the wound onto the ground, it lets out a deep low roar as the pain assails its mind.

Bregor having been hurt once, uses all his nimbleness and skill as a swordsman, letting the beast lunge forward with its mouth filled with razor teeth, before slipping to the side and counter thrusting with his sword. He feels great satisfaction as the sword slips between the armor-plated scales and finding the soft warm flesh of the neck. Withdrawing his sword quickly, its blade dripping with the blood of his reptilian opponent.

Meanwhile the other follows its retreating prey, namely Gorax. Enraged with the agony of its wounds it looses all accuracy of its strike, as its hot breath and saliva pass closely by Gorax's unwashed and dirty face, it leaves itself vulnerable to a counterstrike. Gorax takes his chance, smashing the creature's head apart with his sword, as it enters the flesh below its chin, then raked up through its skull, severing its small brain in two. It's head wrecked and smashed almost beyond recognition.

Gorax extracts his sword with a smile, and moves forward to help Bregor defeat the creature, which with its severe wounds looks like it too will take its last breath in a short while. Another arrow from Kyrie's bow finds it's target once again, bring the creature's life to an end.

Rather than extend this encounter, the wyrm will be dead under the concerted efforts of the attacks by the group next round, it only has 3 HPs left. I had hoped for a more challenging encounter, but with my DM rolls only getting 1 hit in 8, with I think only 2 attack rolls being over 10 and the highest was a 12....it didn't quite work out that way. So combat is ended.

Combat ends 240XP each
End of combat map

Welcome back Atapax, I'm happy to give up the mantle when you are ready. One final thing, I'm gone now until Sunday as I have family matters to attend to.

Giving a sigh of relief as the last of the wyrms is laid low, Salinthas begins to make his way carefully over the flotsam, intent on retrieving what arrows he can. He gives Bregor an apologetic look as he does so, obviously sorry he was not of more help to the swordsman.

As he retrieves his arrows, he keeps an eye out for anything else of interest about the nest.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

"A touch overenthusiastic on that last swing there friend Gorax, but we were in need of but one trophy, so in the end, we have succeeded. Now we have but the question of what to do with it? Pity we do not have the tools to preserve it ourselves."

Bregot moves over to the body in the stream.
"Apologies my friend, be whatever possessions of yours survived your demise, you have little use for them anymore, and we may find a lot of use for them."

Sia sighs and starts going to help with the searching of the nest. Very carefully. "Salinthas, is there something you can do about preserving the head, at least for a few days until we get back into town?"

A little more quietly, she murmurs [b]"When this is over, I'm going to spend at LEAST a month in a city with decent bath houses."

Kyrie doesn't look too happy with the prospect of interrupting their exploration for yet another trek back to Oleg's either, but nods. "That's a thought, and I agree we should get back to the actual job we're chartered to do... But clearing up problems like this - and being known to have cleared up these problems - is important too."

She grins at Sia. "When the Swordlords decide it's time to send in settlers - and I'll bet you your choice of bottles from Father's collection it'll be much sooner than later - they'll be relying on goodwill and cooperation from the locals. The Charter identifies us as their representatives here, so it's up to us to generate that goodwill."

Perception (searching the corpse and the wyrms' hideyhole): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Gorax, his face happy and smiling at the work that's been done, replies to Bregor. "Ha, better it has a dead face than one that can bite and use those teeth eh!" Kicking the creature to the side, he is about to skin and harvest food and skin, when he sees Kyrie struggling with retrieving the dead body in the water. He goes over and helps her pull up the skeleton, still wearing its armor and in its hand a longsword, made of an unusual material. The rest of his equipment has decayed or been washed away.

Gorax dumps the skeleton on the piles of rubble, "There, not that I understand it, but this man has left us his legacy, this sword and this armor, though I don't understand why its not rotted away like the rest of him?"

He watches as Kyrie continues to search over the rest of the rubble, and is astonished as she lifts up rotten leather backpack. He runs over and sees her pull 38gp, 520sp, a pewter drinking stein, a silver ring, a jade carving of a naked female elven monk and a watertight scroll case. "My Kyrie, you see to have discovered an aweful lot of treasure in those creatures nests. Look everyone, look what more Kyrie's found."

"Magic, probably," Kyrie replies as she pries the backpack out of the rubble. "Sia, do you have any spells prepared that could detect magic, or are we going to have to find out the hard way what we've found?"

"Magic would indeed explain the circumstance of the equipments resistance to corrosion, but another explanation might be the material itself, the blade certainly does not look like it would be made from steel. The scroll case also interests me, if we are fortunate indeed, it might contain a map, imagine the time we would save if it covers areas we have not yet explored."

Bregor carefully handles the scroll case for a moment, then seems to think better of it and hands it over to Sia instead.
As soon as his hands are free, he mutters a quick incantation and scans the sword and armour for magical auras.

Spellcraft Sword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Spellcraft Armour: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Indeed Bregor detects abjuration magic infused into the rescued scale mail armor. A rare find indeed out here in the wilds of Green Belt. No magic seems to be present on the longsword, yet it's color is of a dark nature, much unlike steel. Knowledge(Dungeoneering) or Appraise for it's properties please.

Scale Mail +1

"Ah, well done, your guess was indeed correct, the armor radiates abjuration magic. The sword is mundane, but made from a rare material, let me see..."

Knowledge Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Bregor's careful inspection lets him conclude that the sword is of Masterwork quality and made from Cold Iron.

"Ah yes...I believe it is a sword made from cold forged iron, see the telltale blue veins in it? It comes from not heating the metal before forging it. And whoever made it was a master in the craft, look how well balanced it is. Truly a weapon fit for a warrior like you friend Gorax. I believe cold iron is the bane of certain creatures that normal steel cannot touch as well."

Bregor flips the sword around a few times, before holding it out, blade resting over his forearm, hilt presented for Gorax.

"Oh, really. It seems a very nice sword, better than mine are you sure I deserve such a mighty weapon?". Beaming at Bregor he continues, "But by the gods, if you think I can wield such a sword to defend and stand by you and the ladies, then it would be a pleasure and honor to do so." He takes the word, making sweeps at imaginary foes, almost tumbling in the rubble as he does so. Clearly he is impressed by it's weight and unusual metal.

Appraise checks for the mundane items now or back at Oleg's when the time comes, when you have more time.

So, the armor, is it any good to anyone?

"Well, sadly I have little interest in it at the moment, it is heavier than I am trained in using, And while I may be wrong, I believe master Salinthas and Miss Kyrie may feel the same way. Of course, magical armour would fetch a fine price, should we decide to not use it ourselves."

Kyrie shakes her head. "No, thank you," she says. "I'll stick with armor that lets me move freely."

Given Kyrie's future progression, she'll probably be wearing less armor, not more.

Salinthas shakes his head as well, in response to the armor. He has been spending the time working over the tartzelwyrm heads. After a time he places them each into one of the party's free sacks. "It is not in my practice to preserve... Trophies." In fact the by his expression the very concept seems rather distasteful to him. "However I have done what I can for now. I will work more on them at next camp." He looks to Sia as if to ask in what direction that will be.

Heal check, taking ten: 12 If you want a Survival check it's 18

"Tis a true pity we do not know if the head is what is desired, or the skull. If it was merely the skull, we could bury it here and let nature strip the bones bare for us. But not knowing leaves us with no choice but to attempt to preserve the head in its entirety."

Bregor motions towards the armor.
"None of the rest us seems inclined towards its use, why not use it yourself friend Gorax? Even if we decide to sell it for coin, or trade it, there is no reason it cannot be used til then."

Gorax takes the armor, trying it on for size. Though it doesn't feel as strong as his previous piece, it affords more movement and makes it more comfortable for 'everyday' wear. "Nice I rather like this. Well after such excitement, do we set up camp here by the river or move on. It won't be long until afternoon draws into evening. Perhaps we could fish from here, some fresh tasty barbel or something similar." Lookig across at Salinthas working with the dragon's head he adds, "And more time to prepare that thing too."

Sia sighs at the news. "All right. Thank you for the effort. Hopefully it will keep in preservable condition for a few days, at least."

"As to stopping for the night, I'm growing a little tired myself. We can go as far as a more suitable campsite, but it probably is about time to start looking into that. We'll follow the original route through tomorrow and check on it again."

By the way, is anyone still injured? Have some Oracle spells left.

"Right," Kyrie says as she pulls the last of her arrows out of the wyrm's body and inspects the head and shaft to see if it's still usable before returning to her horse. "I think we've got one, maybe two hours of daylight left at the most, anyway. Let's ride."

Salinthas gives a nod, then goes back to his horse as well, storing the wyrm heads astill ready for travel before way and making sure everything is still ready for travel. He then leaves the horse with the group and heads back out to his usual position on point.