Beyond Fort Horizon (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Would it permissible for Ritmush to have set up a trap or two?
Or do these guys basically see the caravan and rush it?
If they are waiting in ambush Ritmush could likely try to get something ready for them. If not, well such is the life of a PC trap specialist.

Secondly, how steep is the slope on the hill?
would something like marbles* roll down it easily?
* or large rocks

Ritmush followed these creatures, which seemed to be in a hurry, and he would not have had an opportunity to set up a trap, nor any idea of where they were going until they attacked. But when all is revealed, and clues deciphered, there will be more opportunities in the future.

Portia will hear a call from Isabelle, only moments before the monsters attack, giving her a chance to ready a bow, or take some other action (I am giving Portia a Surprise round action, to take either a Move or Standard Action) just before the monsters come down the ridge.

The ridge is steep, but not high (assume it is eight to fifteen feet above the ground where the party is traveling, and eighty to one hundred feet away from the wagon. The Ridge can be descended, as it is not sheer, but has broken ledges all along its face, allowing for individuals to scamper, or hop from place to place to reach the ground quickly. There is no advantage to be gained by causing an avalanche or collapse on the ridge, as the monsters will be clear of the falling hazard zone long before Ritmush can cause such a collapse.

I did not get an opportunity to create the map.

Let’s see what the monster’s initiative will be and who will act first

Monster Ambush Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Droka, Rolandor, Minerva, and Sithundan are all looking in the right direction when they see some people like monsters come over the ridge to the north (on the left as the party is travelling) and it is immediately obvious these are hostile creatures, and shouts of warning go up

The party can act before the monsters

In the first round, placement might not be so critical, as the monsters are a good distance away , so discuss whatever tactics you feel are necessary and let me know what you want to do.

Thikka casts Mage Armor on herself, and moves to take cover behind the wagon. "Duck and cover, or get dead." She calls out.

Do those of us who failed the init get an action now, or later?

Now, I feel that with a group this large it might be better to have the party as a whole, win initiative or lose, and then only refer to individual scores if it becomes important to know if one character has to do something before another character does something that is dependent onthe first action

That makes sense...group initiative...but keep personal for key info/timing..works for me

yeah, makes sense

I'm happy with anything that means there is one less barrier for folks to post when they can.
Blob initiative is nice for play by posts.

Posting this in all my games, both run and played in.

As you all know, I've been rather busy and traveling a lot lately. This is going to continue for awhile. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the posts. It's now confirmed I'll be going on an overseas job for 6 weeks at the end of August, coming back early October. I will hopefully be able to continue posting, but wanted to give advance warning.

I'll be 11 or 12 hours off my normal schedule, as I'm going literally to the other side of the planet. :) First trip to this area, so I'm not sure what the internet will be like, or even if I can get to Paizo. So if, after I leave, I vanish for a month, please don't give up on me, it just means I couldn't connect due to country filters or something.

No worries, My daughter has spent her summers in Cambodia, and Nepal the past few years while she was working on her Master's degree, so I kind of know what you are talking about

Are we waiting on someone? I'm just waiting for the second round so as to be able to act.

No, everyone has posted, it's just me holding things up, but I'll try to get free from the things that are trying me down and update today with a map

Eh, no worries. Real life and all that, important stuff like breathing.
I just wanted to make sure I wasn't accidentally holding things up by not posting when I'm supposed to.

Okay, got map posted at the top of the page. There are four kinds of monster symbols

Medium Gnolls (MGN_(Color))
Small Gnolls {SGN_(Color))
Medium Kobolds (MKB_(Color))
Small Kobolds {SKB_(Color))

So for example the Medium Sized Token at -J,-1 (A Medium Sized Kobold Token) would be MKB_Orange

Each Character is shown in a preliminary location, and you can post, here in the discussion thread if you want to adjust the character, and I will allow up to a 10 foot adjustment before I take the Monsters First Turn

Any questions?

Is the ridge placed on the map or does the end of the map mark the edge of the ridge?
If so are the bad guys spending their first action to descend the cliff

The monsters scramble down the ridge (which is off the map to the north, top).

Round one finds the Party getting ready for the attack, and then I will fire a few arrows from the monsters

Then it will be round 2

well once ritmush acts he is likely to be a special snowflake unless the bad guys chose to do something about it. I mean if they so kindly just gave him a 10-ish foot tall, difficult to climb object to take cover behind and take potshots at them with ritmush isn't about to refuse.

I'm here, just caught up in summer projects. I will try to get back to schedule tomorrow.

Derrick – 1
Droka – 2
Minerva – 3
Portia – 4
Rolandor – 5
Sithundan – 6
Thikka – 7
Unbolath – 8
Valind – 9
Cow 1 – 10
Cow 2 – 11
Bull – 12
Wiani – 13
Kokole – 14
Victor – 15
Minerva’s Mule – 16

Target: 1d16 ⇒ 4
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 6
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 6
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 13
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 1
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 4
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 15
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 11
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 6
Target: 1d16 ⇒ 9

that should be updated, let me know if I've made a mistake. The monsters have advanced, but none have come within Melee range, this round, more arrows will be fired, once I'm sure I've applied everyone's actions for round 2.

Ritmush is now on the map

Yay, I exist as more than a figment of imagination in the mind of a bored person now!

Not really, you're still just a figment. You just imagined you weren't.

I reject your reality and substitute bacon!
*munch* Yep, this is real and as such so am I.

Also, it was not until now that I looked and realized how darn many people there are in this game. Never mind that but it seems that all of them have posted within a day of the GM, impressed i am.

Believe it or not but this group is about as big as the last one we took out of this town. Those who are here still here were the ones trying their best to keep the game going.

It does seem to be a very slow moving game so far. I think i've posted 5 or 6 times. Mostly from lack of ability to post more, I post just about every day.

Eh, I can appreciate a PbP that moves a bit slower than lightning paced. I'm an average writer in the world so having the time I need to mull over my post for a good while so I sound like I know what I'm doing is nice for me.

Though I will be excited to for when we can wrap this combat up and Ritmush gets to meet this horde of strange folk. I also get to imagine up terribly insulting nicknames for everyone. After kicking in some No-bold teeth and finding out more on that topic that is.

Derrick – 1
Droka – 2
Minerva – 3
Portia – 4
Rolandor – 5
Sithundan – 6
Thikka – 7
Unbolath – 8
Valind – 9
Cow 1 – 10
Cow 2 – 11
Bull – 12
Wiani – 13
Kokole – 14
Victor – 15
Minerva’s Mule – 16

Target 1: 1d16 ⇒ 10
Target 2: 1d16 ⇒ 8
Target 3: 1d16 ⇒ 4
Target 4: 1d16 ⇒ 9
Target 5: 1d16 ⇒ 5
Target 6: 1d16 ⇒ 6
Target 7: 1d16 ⇒ 13
Target 8: 1d16 ⇒ 2

It might help me a bit if everyone could but a list of stats, similar to the one seen on Victor’s Posts (it can be placed in the “Class/Levels” field of your alias’ profile

It should be formatted like this
(class)/(Level) | AC x, T x, FF x |HP: x/(current) | F +x, R +x, W +x | Init x, P x, I x | CMD x

I think Thikka's already got that, plus some extra bits. Is her's acceptable as is?

Aagh...forgot to put the full stats in...my bad

hang on - Valind spent his whole last action moving. I didn't move his icon on the map because I don't seem to have the ability to do so.

move to -C2

put on coat

My plan was to move far enough away that most of his companions are out of range and then selectively channel negative energy.

Opps, that was my fault, I thought I checked everyone's moves but missed yours, sorry

not a problem; do you want him to move now and then channel? There was a brief talk but that could have been shouted conversation I guess.
Otherwise Thikka (sorry Thikka) will need to have healed someone else. I'm okay with that. And Valind is indeed about to ask his god to smite this lot. For Valindor is a smitey god.

In that case, Thikka would have moved to the cow and healed it, as the only thing in range.

Honestly, she debated internally for about 2 seconds over healing the cow before Valind, it's more useful. :)

Oooh! Burn!

Pretty sure the biggest threat we got right now is the Ox on account of oxen in Pathfinder using Aurochs. Trample at 2d6+9 looks lethal right now.

Oooh! Burn!

Well, the cow gives milk, quiet companionship, cowpatties (fuel when dried), and meat and other useful parts when she dies.

Valind doesn't give milk, isn't quiet, his poop isn't burnable when it dries, and Thikka isn't eating him or making leather out of him when he dies.

See, all over, more useful. :)

I'm leaving for a camping trip today. I may have Internet access while I'm gone, but I don't think it's very likely. I may be able to post Saturday night, but it might be Sunday night. Bot me as needed, please.

Valind - -C, 2 puts you behind and to the side of Derrick, is that where you want to be?

I moved some characters around, some of you did not end up where you wanted to be, because the monsters moved. I'll update the game thread tomorrow.

I thought that was just out of range of Portia - my bad.
He'll 5 foot step and then channel if that is okay?

Hey guys. I'll be out of touch for a few days..gotta have an operation. I should be back on late this weekend. If you could, just bot my guy ok? Just don't kill him....pretty please?

Droka – 1
Minerva – 2
Portia – 3
Rolandor – 4
Thikka – 5
Unbolath – 6
Valind – 7
Cow 1 – 8
Cow 2 – 9
Bull – 10
Wiani – 11
Kokole – 12
Minerva’s Mule – 13

Ignoring those Characters who are either engaged in melee, or were, more arrows are fired

Target #1: 1d13 ⇒ 5
Target #2: 1d13 ⇒ 3
Target #3: 1d13 ⇒ 11
Target #4: 1d13 ⇒ 4
Target #5: 1d13 ⇒ 1
Target #6: 1d13 ⇒ 6

Hey Terquem,
This area effect attack requires some pretty careful placement. While
you said the monsters advance, but (I think) the map has not been updated. I get the whole separate computers thing, can you please post when the map is updated please :)
Alternatively, if I'm wrong and the map has been updated can you please tell me to open my eyes ;P
Thanks

Argh?
I forgot to move them last night! I will get that within the next hour

All the monsters have been moved for round three, the map is updated

Couple of things

Of the two monsters prone by Derrick, one crawled away, and the other tried to stand and is killed by Derricks AoO

Derrick seems to be busy, and we missed Portia's action in round three. If they do not post tonight, I'll bot them, including rolls

Round 4 is up now

Ritmush has taken a daring and complex risk, I hope everyone understands the complexity of what is going on. I'll wait for everyone to pipe in with a reaction to the threat, before I roll to see how the attackers react to the strange threat

So I apologize if my choice of persona for loroh lor has caused confusion.
Basic intent is ritmush wants to end the fight by bluffing the raiding party into believing it is the best option.
He has done so by using the spell ghost sound to make it appear that a kobold war party has set up on the cliff behind the raiders attacking the caravan.

Im not too terribly worried because the worst that happens is they dont fall for it is combat continues. They will be coming after me, but that is actually when ritmush is most dangerous.

LOL, sorry Ritmush.

As I put over in the thread, I was genuinely confused about what was going on , and the post made it sound like it was a threat to the party. Mainly because I didn't realize the kobolds weren't kobolds. I think someone said someething about it, but not out loud, so I put it out of my head as not character knowledge. Thikka thinks you're part of those guys. The part in the spoiler about the sound and the mask just made her think you're some sort of shaman with a mask. Sorry.

Nothing to worry about, I didnt plan for the trick to work anyway. You have no reason to believe what 'loroh lor' is saying so assuming some sort of complex bluff on the raiders behalf to escape this ill advised attack is just as reasonable as believing the kobolds have no designs on killing you all or that there are even kobolds up there in the first place.

As to in character knowledge, I believe ubolath stated that at least some of them were humans in the first round. Not sure what knowledge it is for kobolds but some of the raiders are stated as medium sized kobolds. I had actually figured the raiders deception was already revealed through those factors but thikka is correct I dont think it has been fully stated as truth.

I like it. It says something about Thikka that when people are accused of wearing dead people's skins she automatically assumes it is her group. ;P just kidding, I promise - I got a bit confused as well