Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

The kobolds makes another slight shift, and throws its arms wide. Another sensory burst washes over the party.

Moves to Q25. Everyone except Trose (as he is just missed by the area of effect) and Ez (though he is out for the count anyway) must make a DC 17 Will save or take 13 points of subdual damage.

Reprised initiative:
Kobolds
LB
Janosz
Gnarly
Rodergo
Ezreal
Runzyl
Trose

AP USAGE!!!
r11+1(AP)+7=19

"Is that the best you've got, pee wee?"

Will save 4+3=7. This is when the Excel Random Number Generator gods abandon me, it seems.

Overwhelmed by the magic-induced sensory overload, Janosz' eyes roll back in their sockets as he crumples to the floor.

Knocked out by subdual damage from kobolds. Blah!

Gnarly's already out.

Will save: 16 + 0 = 16. Now, if it's an enchantment, my racial boost saves me. If not, I suck it up and take the damage. Oh, also, does magic circle vs. evil give me any bonus to this save?

"Don't leave me alone...with the kobold..."

"Don't leave me alone...with the kobold..."

Pfft. 13 subdual would be little more than a minor inconvenience to Runzyl at this point.

"Thank the Flame. He endures!"

Will save: 16 + 0 = 16. Now, if it's an enchantment, my racial boost saves me. If not, I suck it up and take the damage. Oh, also, does magic circle vs. evil give me any bonus to this save?

You save.

Laugh now pointy ears ;) He knocked an otherwise unharmed Janosz out with 51 points of subdual in 2 rounds. All it would take is one more unlucky roll for you.
Btw- I'm sure Bool would love to help mop up if it comes to that.

Amazingly, I don't have a single point of 'real' damage... Are these different types of Whelm spells?

Laugh now pointy ears ;) He knocked an otherwise unharmed Janosz out with 51 points of subdual in 2 rounds. All it would take is one more unlucky roll for you.

Btw- I'm sure Bool would love to help mop up if it comes to that.

Pshah, far be it from me to establish a tactical reserve, and protect the primary, in one easy step.

Will save: 14+4 = 18.

Lightbringer once again shrugs off the kobold’s spell by virtue of his divine grace. He levels his sword at the arcanist. “You are undone. Your brothers lie dead, as do your supporters. You have one second to surrender, or die.”

LB will delay for 1 init count. If the kobold indicates his surrender in that time, he moves forward to grab him. If he doesn’t:

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeee-haw!!!!!

Ah, the power of the Zweihander. It is a thing of beauty and wonder.

"Ghhnnngh..."

The kobold simply sneers at Lightbringer's offer, who then brings his sword down in a might swing, crushing the kobold to a pulp.

Silence settles over the Hall of the Sky Dragon. Then a thin shriek comes from the entrance, where Choom dances with delight. "Triune, Triune all dead!"

End of combat - 3,000xp each.

Huzzah! Doesn't that bring us up to level 6?

Huzzah! Doesn't that bring us up to level 6?

How much do we need for 6? That will put me a little above 16000.

The kobold simply sneers at Lightbringer's offer, who then brings his sword down in a might swing, crushing the kobold to a pulp.

Silence settles over the Hall of the Sky Dragon. Then a thin shriek comes from the entrance, where Choom dances with delight. "Triune, Triune all dead!"

End of combat - 3,000xp each.

Excellent! He didn't surrender. My 38 point damage crit was not wasted.

Runzyl lets forth a cheer and slaps Lightbringer mightily upon the shoulder before doubling over from fatigue and nearly losing his footing.

"Haha! I knew no mere kobold whelps could stand before us! You kingdom is restored, Great Choom. Remember well your allies, though. I will not see our names forgotten."

This last statement is said with a gravity that betrays the elf's usual candor. He levels his gaze at the kobold with a seriousness that chills the reptile's already-cold blood.

You can roll Intimidate if you want, but I figure it's just story.

Janosz Frogshanks wrote:

Huzzah! Doesn't that bring us up to level 6?

How much do we need for 6? That will put me a little above 16000.

Isn't it 15000? For some retarded reason, the SRD doesn't say anything about XP.

(Yes, it is 15,000 for level 6. Feats all round! Well done - that was a tough fight, EL 12 to 13.)

Lightbringer nods in response to Runzyl, then catches the elf’s arm as he stumbles. After a moment he limps over to check that Janosz, Ezreal and Gnarly are alright.

“More importantly Choom, remember that it was crusaders for the cause of light and good that won you back your kingdom. Remember this before you seek to ally with the Hags, or warlords like Anashka, Is that his name? or to continue traditions born of evil and malice,” intones the paladin warningly.

(Yes, it is 15,000 for level 6. Feats all round! Well done - that was a tough fight, EL 12 to 13.)

I thought we were gone there for a while … well, a few deaths at least. LB went down to 0, Ez was up and down like a yo-yo, Janosz and Gnarly unconscious at the end, Rod spending every round trying to keep someone on their feet … Nice work. Thank the gods for that dispel magic getting rid of the elemental.

Choom looks into the eyes of Runzyl and Lightbringer, and nods gravely. Then he turns to the whole party. “We move quick now. We show Triune dead, we show we in charge here. We cut off head of Triune and talk to people like before, tell them Triune dead, then we come out and show them dead, we them kill. People no like Triune, me make king. Me help you when me king.” He nods vigorously.

Lightbringer nods. “It is a good idea. We need to ensure that our companions are well. I think they are unconscious rather than suffering serious permanent injury – do you agree Flamebearer? We must strip the corpses of the Triune, to ensure that nothing of value falls into the wrong hands. Then back to the control room to check on Arek and Ceshto and send a message to your people Choom.”

Yes,....
wanna wait a while for them to wakey wakey, or should I heal them? I'd like to save the wands if possible.

I'm fine with that.
Janosz will be up in 2 hours.
Ezreal will be up in 6.
Gnarley in 5.

Choom yaps, "Must be soon, must show people we kill Triune. Choom need you to be near to show Choom powerful and have powerful friend."

“I believe it is worth using the wand. We need an immediate show of strength to consolidate Choom’s position and ensure our own safety.”

Right on. Wand of CLW
Jan--5+7=up! 3ch
Ez--4+7+6+4=up! 4ch
Gn--7+6+2+8=up(I think) 4ch

"good thing they had a healing wand....heh heh..."

anybody else?

(Yes, it is 15,000 for level 6. Feats all round! Well done - that was a tough fight, EL 12 to 13.)

Hey, um....

"Okay, first things first. Little King, where are the prisoners? We need to get to Norn."

EL 12 would probably have been a fatal encounter for the standard party of 4 at level 5 - it is nearly off the scale in the DMG xp table. For a party of six, plus helpers, it was still pretty rough. Th NPCs were quite fragile (being, effectively, three spellcasters even if one of them was a bit monk-y) which helped, but if Ez hadn't taken out the elemental I'm pretty sure we would be looking at party deaths. The other thing in the party's favour was that it comprises mostly martial characters, so attrition (assuming a good healer is in place) was less of an issue than it would be with a spellcaster-heavy mob (though Ez held himself in reserve for the big fight, which helped a lot). And you are all experienced players with a good grasp of tactics. In my experience, players who use good group tactics and mutual support can survive some very testing encounters that should, by the book, kill them. And you are all basically totally depleted after that encounter.

(As an aside, this was always a big problem with the suggestions from Trollman and Co that fighters are underpowered, as they based their analysis on single fights against supposedly equal foes. Over time, a caster runs out of spells (well, he does in 3e, anyway) but a fighter can just keep on swinging assuming he can stand at all - i.e. he has stamina, and can last from encounter to encounter without significant degredation in ability. But I digress.)

I agree; his "lone fighter" is like a single stock. You need a portfolio, man. You can't explain that to him, because he's 25 or less and a big know-it-all. I saw his picture at Gaming Den; he is or was a big chunky kid that probably shut everybody up by getting mad and shouting a lot.

or something.

Yeah, the gamer goatee rather gave it away. And his attitude was obviously that of someone with limited life experience. Poor boy.

"Prisoners in royal chambers," says Choom, pausing as he saws through the neck of the fallen monk with a dagger. "We finish here, then we go get them."

"Right on..."

I was worried about the last fight; that cleric of Orcus had some gnarly stuff to do, but the S.A.S. Invisibility Recon approach did the deal.

That's the thing about having good players - they are good at coping with pretty much everything you throw at them, so you don't have to pull punches. Within limits, of course.

"Lead the way, little King."

"Prisoners in royal chambers," says Choom, pausing as he saws through the neck of the fallen monk with a dagger. "We finish here, then we go get them."

"Ughng..." Janosz gets off the floor wearily, shaking his head and feeling for broken bones. "What was that? How long have I been out?"

"Choom's right. We'll need a show of force - these heads will be just the thing. Let's put 'em on the flyer's spear, like a big frog kebab. Also, once I get this pincushion down, I can reclaim some arrows." He draws his kukri and begins cutting loose the webbing holding the dead warlock.

Just levelled up. More hp (I rolled a 6 on the d8), better saves, two attacks per round... I put the skill points in Survival and stealth and perception-related skills.

"Subtlety. Go in there, talk calmly, matter-of-factly. Then, reveal the heads. Act nonchalant about the whole thing.
More effective that way. Maximizes the shock value.
Cept, Runzyl.....he can scowl a lot.
Bring the heads in a bag. I think Bool should carry them."

"Maybe. In the very least, Choom should wear Pincushion's chainmail."

"Aye. Bear witness, fellows; for we are truly witness to the Rise of a Kobold King."

thankyou. thankyou. No need for applause.

"King Choom, my friends speak many truths about the art of Kingship, which stands far above the the rank smell of these despots, or even above the simple leader of his people. Perhaps, if I may be so bold as to advise you, you could leanr more of this art, and bring far greater glory to your Kingdom if you were to be educated in the greatest schools your allies can offer."

"As the ranking leader of House Tharashk present, I enter into allegience with you, and as your ally The House of Finding offers to help you find those lessons."

"Let us provide you wiwth an education at Morgrave University, studying history, leadership and the skills of management. The House would gladly provide you with a regent and advisor to aid you while you were away, and we could even provide you, and of course your chosen ladies, with lodgings in mighty Sharn during your studies."

"With the weapon of knowledge, and the power of House Tharashk to guide you, no other maggoty filth like the Triune would ever rise against your Kingdom, not for a dozen generations. You could dine with the noble born from across Khorvaire and beyond, as an equal."

"And surely, a Kobold King, in the heart of Sharn would be spoken of and praised far beyond the realm you alone could hope to conquer. In time, the breeders of other tribes may come, falling to their knees to praise your greatness, and of course, offering themselves to you, as... servants."

I think I just pulled something stroking his ego, but if Tharashk can't get a pety kobold king into Morgrave, I ain't 1/19 orc. And there was no way I was leaving King wets-him-self in charge

Ezreal groans when he comes to, reaching up to touch his face. Bright pink tender skin shows beneath the charred flakes of his last layer, but he takes tenderly massages his temples and tries to sit up. "What the hell was that?"

When he sees Jansoz hacking at the web, Ezeal calls out, "Step back 'shanks!" and dismisses the webbing with a wave of his hand. The body tumbles through the air landing with a thud.

As an aside to Rodergo and Lightbringer, "If Trose wants to make allies of the clan I think a hit and run is not in our best interest. Some time among the clan helping them rebuild will assure them that we were here to save them rather than merciless killers from beyond the mountains." Ezreal sighs, "At the same time we have to be gone before the ogre chieftain comes for more goods, unless we plan to take him on as well. Once we leave, we know there are multiple parties on our trail potentially waiting to snatch Norn or kill us given the chance. Kerile, Marius, the warforged Darkheart and his scout friend, the barghest... I could use some time to prepare for all of that before we leave. What do you think?"

Choom gathers the heads and shoves them in a sack. "Follow, we get prisoner!" He leads the party back out of the Hall of the Sky Dragon and to the room where the last Triune Guards were slain, their bodies lying where they fell. He then heads north, into a richly appointed chamber - the throneroom. Red draperies hang from the walls and strange and gold glitters on pediments and capitals. At the far end, three thrones sit unoccupied, and the room is deserted. Behind the thrones is a door, and Choom pushes this open.

Beyond is a guard chamber, with four Triune Guards. They yap a challenge at Choom and menace him with their halberds, but he snarls something back and spills the contents of his sack on the floor in front of them. They gape, aghast at the sight of the three severed heads, and Choom yaps something else at them, pointing back to the rest of the party. The guards tremble, and then one throws down his weapon and bolts through a door to the west. In a ripple of fear, the others do the same and soon the room is empty.

"They no worry me now," sniffs Choom. He takes a key from around his neck, and fits it in a door to the east, which opens with a click. "These Royal Chambers."

Inside, considering these were the chambers of the king, are a series of surpsingly spartan rooms - they were obviously cleared of valuables when the Triune took over. There are a few straw pallets, work benches, alchemical beakers, test tubes, mortars and pestles, and the room has the stinks of chemical reagents and unwashed bodies.

Four people, three human males and a gnome female, shuffle up and gawp at the new arrivals.

"Me King Choom," announces Choom grandly. "Triune dead, we rescue you!"

I think I just pulled something stroking his ego, but if Tharashk can't get a pety kobold king into Morgrave, I ain't 1/19 orc. And there was no way I was leaving King wets-him-self in charge

Try a Diplomacy check, bub. The others can aid you as they see fit.

"Which one of you is Norm d'Cannith?" Runzyl states flatly, looking at the males.

Trose - Clone wrote:

I think I just pulled something stroking his ego, but if Tharashk can't get a pety kobold king into Morgrave, I ain't 1/19 orc. And there was no way I was leaving King wets-him-self in charge

Try a Diplomacy check, bub. The others can aid you as they see fit.

Aid another; r14+9