DM Frogfoot's Homebrew Adventure - the Wastes of Belkzen (Inactive)

Game Master Dalton the Thirsty

"By the gods, lass - quiet! Marco, this 'ere rank rider's bungled our score. I don't think we can all make fer the dark."

Gryndar draws his dagger and flings his crossbow on his back, pointing the prisoners towards the Ogre Statue with his free hand.

"Aye now, get! That way!"

He shakes his head and stands crouched with his feet spread, preparing for combat - his back turned towards Erwin and Marco.

"Ye ready for a scramble down the alleyway, boys?"

Standard Action: Delay

Guide my shot, Pharasma

Caln shoots crossbow at Orc Shaman.

Attack Roll: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Damage Roll: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Ausk, hefting his earthbreaker, follows Caln's bolt, dashing up just behind the orc shaman.

Surprise round

use alter self (sp), currently wielding lance (it has reach)

Arwen concentrate his sense toward the battle head and summon his inner strength

He's close enough for you to move and attack, Ausk, if you choose to. I know that wasn't clear - I'm posting a battlemap soon for distance references.

Am I close enough to attack the Orc Shaman too?

"FEK! Fek, fek, fek, fek, fek!" Are Sunny's exclamations, even as she does her best to begin herding the prisoners in the right direction. Making sure she's the last in line.

Head 'em up an' move 'em out! Raw-hide!

1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 = 16 ... add two if it's a standard action charge!

2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 4 + 2 = 9

Aisle slams the hammer down on the shaman's back with prejudice.

Surprise round: Jethro stepped into the shadow of the ogre statue, eyeing up the orc shaman. "הנשר שרת," he said, and again the strange darkness crossed his face. Reality shifted again, and the shadows twisted and folded like a piece of origami, folding into an eagle. In position, ideally, to block the shaman's advance, to attack him if he tries to cast a spell, and to provide a flanking bonus to someone who needs/wants a flanking bonus.

"Quickly now," he turned and hissed at the confused mass of escaped prisoners. "Behind me, past the grey half-wall, and to the right. Company's coming, so move it!" As the prisoners flowed past, he glanced up at the ogre statue for signs of a sudden arrival of reinforcements.....

Head 'em up an' move 'em out! Raw-hide!

Quick! Him go that way! You take-um short-cut, head-um off at pass!

Battlemap, including Jethro, Caln, Ausk, Arwen, and Suny's actions.

Your attack was a charge, Ausk. As such, you hit!

Ausk's hammer interrupts the unsuspecting shaman mid-squawk as he berates the orcs just now rising from their slumber. "Awk!" he cries, shouldering the pain with a squint-eyed grimace. He can't even stop to get over the sudden injury, though, as Jethro's shadow-puppet eagle begins to immediately harass and threaten him.

Suny, you see a sleepy-looking orc walk out of the barracks just behind the last prisoner in line to make it through the corridor. The orc hasn't acted yet, but he brings a cruel-looking scimitar to bear and threatens the prisoner from behind! You can also see another orc waking up in the other barracks, and, in each building, you see an unexpectedly tall figure gradually beginning to move. All you can tell from what you can see now is that it's big, it's ugly...and it stinks. You can smell them from where you stand.

Marco, you're the only one who hasn't acted yet, the last one in the surprise round.

surprise round, sneak ATT.

Marco steps forward silently and attacks Orc 1.

LS ATT: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
LS DAM: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + (1) = 12

Round 1, sneak ATT

Marco attacks the same Orc with both swords.

LS ATT: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
LS DAM: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 3 + (5) = 9

SS ATT: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
SS DAM: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (6) = 10

Once it is Caln's turn in Round 1:

Since Caln has seemingly no ability to actually hit a target, a change of tack is in order.

Cast Bless: Burst Radius 50 feet. Each ally gains +1 on attack rolls and saves against fear effects. Duration is 1 minute.

Suny's action is to simply try as hard as she can to get between Prisoner No last and said Orc of current doom. (Not sure if that's a move action or what) Thence, pulling her tonfa's and going full defensive on his @ss.

"Okeys folks, we's leaving!" She says to the former prisoners, even as her attention is distracted by the Orcs and...other...things.

"♫ ♪ They be wakin' up ♪ ♫." Sunny sing-songs "Were that part of tha' plan?" Sunny calls.

Yah...getting to the back of the cue and helping people move along.

Ausk grins as the blessing of Pharasma overtakes him. "Not today, jackanape!" he shouts as the creature squawks at his wound.

He drops the hammer down a second time, battering the poor shaman mercilessly. He needs to drop him NOW and move on to something before things spiral out of control.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 24
Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 4 + 2 = 11

If it drops him, I'm moving up to the ???? and threatening it and Orc 2 the best I can!

Initiative order for those curious is:

Marco
Suny
Ausk
Orc 2
Caln
Erwin
Jethro
??? 3
Orc 1
??? 4
Gryndar
Arwen

Marco moves into the orc's barracks with a grim glint in his eye, but the waking orc possesses a katana, and he blocks each stab with the skill of an experienced orc raider. Marco, as the first one inside the gloom of the barracks, you see what the ???'s are - tall humanoids with dull, giantish expressions. Ogrekin.

Suny moves in to challenge the orc, holding her tonfa at the ready as she adopts a defensive stance.

Ausk sees the shaman recovering from his first hammer blow and beginning to mouth the words to a spell. His earthshaker takes care of that, shattering the unfortunate orc's face. He drops, dead, his eyes staring in opposite directions.

The orc that Suny's threatening is filled with malice and rage, probably due to a bad hangover. He stabs the prisoner with his scimitar, and growls "Ոչ փախուստը!"

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The blow connects, and the prisoner, a terrified looking human youth who couldn't be older than 18, is stabbed through the heart. The bloody scimitar tip emerges from his chest in a violent mess. The boy falls off of the blade and crumples in a heap, staring at nothing. The prisoners give a fresh collective cry of terror and keep running away.

Caln raises his holy symbol high and a divine light bathes him and his allies. Pharasma's presence fills all of you with confidence and surety in your strikes.

Erwin calls upon his strange druidic magic as he gestures at Orc 2 with an angry expression. Orc 2's scimitar begins to glow red-hot and he attempts to drop it in surprise! Orc 2 reflex save: 1d20 ⇒ 7
He fails to drop it quickly enough, however, and it burns him. You hear him screaming as the metal scorches his flesh for 3d4 ⇒ (2, 2, 3) = 7 damage.

As the battle progresses, prisoners are attempting to flee, screaming. All pretenses of stealth are gone as they run wildly into the hills in a panic.

Updated battlemap. When Jethro, Arwen and Gryndar post their round 1 actions I'll finish round 1.

Round 1:

Is there room between Marco/Gryndar and Suny/Ausk for me to drop a Fire Blast (10' radius)? If so, do it. Otherwise, I'll save the spell. And after that,...

After making a hurried tactical decision about whether or not to fry his party-mates in their own grease, Jethro moved to help the prisoners move as quickly as possible down the path to safety. The eagle moved (round 1 of 2) into the middle of the group of orcs and ????'s, biting at ???? 1 as it did so, and moving to a flanking position to Ausk.

Attack roll for eagle: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Damage roll for eagle: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Minor emendation: See if I can provide a flanking bonus for Marco, instead, as I think he gets sneak attack damage....

Jethro, there's no way to fire a 10' radius blast in there without hitting Marco and Ausk. Eagles can ignore buildings and such in their movement, right? Since they fly?

Round 1

Arwen double moves to get 5ft away form orc number 2

J Eagles can ignore buildings and such in their movement, right? Since they fly?

I believe so, yes. Subject of course to the whims of the GM, as indeed are the very laws of physics.

Jethro, there's no way to fire a 10' radius blast in there without hitting Marco and Ausk.

Without being a PITA,... I'm looking at battlemap version 2.1 and it looks like a 10'radius blast centered on the square below ???2 would hit all four combatants (orc 2 is exactly 10' south of that square) without hitting the good guys. Am I misreading, or has someone moved?

Seeing Marco engage the foes in front of them, Gryndar rushes forward to assist his companion. As he closes in he slips his dagger downwards, nearly scraping up dirt the lower he gets to the ground - and brings it forcefully upwards towards his foe.

Standard Action: Move to Attack
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Kazthka thkaan, poaazthk."

At the death of the young man Suny goes still and looks at the Orc.

"Ye can start running now...and live." She says in a very calm and controlled voice. "Or...you can stay and I promise you I will make your life...Your offspring's life...Your grand-children's life...heck even their grand-children's life tha' sort of nightmare that every other tribe will be telling tales about forever....." She says.

"Ye've just upset an Elf, which is something that no-one should ever take lightly...We live a very long time..."

Bring it scruffy!

My bad Jethro, I was thinking of the radius of a 15' blast. 10' works.

My bad Jethro, I was thinking of the radius of a 15' blast. 10' works.

No problem. Damage is 1d4 ⇒ 3 points, reflex save 14 for half. Soften them up a little bit, basically.

Immediately after Jethro causes flame to appear out of thin air in between the orc barracks, the two ogrekin that Marco saw awaken fully and scream in rage. As swift actions, they reach their forearms unnaturally deep down their throats. Unbelievably, their formerly empty hands emerge from their own gullets holding weapons - enormous clubs with crude nails hammered in. Instead of swinging his right away, the first ogrekin vomits a spew of green, thick sludge all over Marco and Gryndar. You both take 2d4 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5 damage and are entangled, Reflex save for half damage and not entangled.

Orc 1, the Katana-wielder, must have heard too much of the legends of Tian Xia where katanas are common, for he makes a lot of kung fu noises, screaming as he swings his katana at Marco. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7.

The second ogrekin, after vomiting up his weapon, flies into a rage and moves toward Suny to attack. 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 = 8

End of round 1.

Round 2 Actions
I guess I never got the attack off in round 1 if I fail the reflex save, and if I do - I did?

Reflex Save vs vomit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Gryndar cries out in pain as the vile sludge burns into his skin. He gathers himself only to see the Katana-wielding orc slice deep into Marco's skin. Angered, the dwarf returns the blow his wounded friend suffered, and attempts to shiv the orc with his dagger.

If entangled
Attack the Katana-wielding orc.
Melee Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

If not entangled
Ready Action: Fight Defensivly (Towards the spewing Ogrekin)
Gryndar places one hand behind the hilt of his dagger, stabbing towards the Ogrekin in front of him, while trying to shield himself from a counter-attack. -4 attack +2 AC = 18 AC
Melee Attack: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Not entirely sure how far away the Ogrekin that vomited is.

I've updated the battlemap for the start of round 2.

Gryndar, for your round 1 action you are entangled where you originally stood - however, you can still move at half speed, so your round 1 action is still valid. You take a penalty to your attack rolls and Dexterity, but you still hit even with those penalties, just know that you're covered in ogre vomit now and it's making you not as quick as before.

Gotcha, thank you for clearing that up.

Round 2, Flanking Sneak ATT, HP: 5/10, AC: 15, Entangled

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Assuming that failed...

Marco again attacks the same Orc with both swords.

LS ATT: 1d20 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 2 - 2 = 9
LS DAM: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 3 + (2) = 12

SS ATT: 1d20 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 2 - 2 = 19
SS DAM: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (5) = 8

Caln Round 2 Action

Pharasma hear my prayer and let me help my friends.

Cast Selective Positive Energy Channeling Will select not to heal damaged foes.
1d6 ⇒ 5

Suny takes a 'five foot step' to her right and continues to threaten the Orc there who's brought on the first fatality.

"Well...are ye gon'a run...?" She reminds him of her promise.

The summoned eagle (round 2 of 2) landed in between two of the humanoid opponents, screaming, biting, and tearing. Start by attacking the ogrekin, full claw/claw/bite routine. If the ogrekin falls over, switch to the orc.

Eagle claw 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9, Damage 1d4 ⇒ 4
Eagle claw 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15, Damage 1d4 ⇒ 4
Eagle bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6, Damage 1d4 ⇒ 2

What pathetic rolls. I guess that's what happens when you fold an origami eagle out of shadow stuff.

Jethro didn't stop to admire his handiwork, instead dashing to the corner of the huge statue and motioning the prisoners to move behind it and into relative safety. He watched the fray closely, looking for an opportunity to enspell an opponent. Move action, followed by a readied action: fire jet spell if/when I have a clear line of fire.

Orc 2 snarls, baited by the hated elf in front of him. He licks his lips as he stares at her, and mutters "Ես պոկել եմ իրարից, elf wench, haha..."

Attack, scimitar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Attack, bite: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0 Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

The first vile ogrekin smirks as he sees his vomit covering the human and the dwarf who have invaded its home. Grasping its club in one hand and leaning forward to bite afterward, he attacks Gryndar fiercely.

Attack, club: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Attack, bite: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Damage club: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Damage bite: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Orc 1, meanwhile, is trying to defend himself from Marco and Gryndar's ferocious assault, not to mention the shadow-eagle. He attacks Marco, screaming "Hi-YAA!!"

Attack, katana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Crit confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

The second ogrekin attempts to wrap Gryndar up in its arms and eat him, dwarves being a rare delicacy in these parts.

Grapple: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

"Stop," says Ausk plainly, and smashes the living hell out of the orc who had just threatened Sunny.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 20
Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 4 + 2 = 16

Satisfied at his work, he spits on the ground. "Hammer time."

An orc with a katana and one of them shouted 'hi-yaaa!' ... I can't help myself.

As her target gets whumped Suny just sighs, before starting to move backwards covering the prisoners escape/retreat.

So, yeah, 'five foot steps' or what ever movement to keep the rear of the people running away covered/safe

Arwen will move up to the next available enemy and attack him

Longspear: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 161d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Current AC 15

Round 3, Flanking Sneak ATT, HP: 3/10, AC: 15, Entangled

Strength Check to break entanglement: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Marco again attacks the same Orc with just his Long Sword.

LS ATT: 1d20 + 4 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 2 - 2 = 15
LS DAM: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 3 + (6) = 17

Round 3, edited.

Gryndar's face bleeds heavily from the blow received from the Ogrekin's club.

Barely able to stand on his feet, Gryndar is easily overpowered by the Ogrekin.

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Currently at 0 hp, grappled and disabled.

I'm coming, Gryndar!!!

Round 3 Action

"Druid, help the dwarf!"

Caln will move in the direction of the melee stopping before he enters the range of the ogrekin.

Pharasma please grant your healing to my friends.

Selective Channeling: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Thanks Caln - I needed that!

Help me Ausk Ja'el Gunn, you're my only hope! That said, man my hit points are ping-ponging all over the place!

I hope everyone's keeping track of their fluctuating HP in their stat blocks so I can see it easily while posting! Gryndar's format is excellent.

Technically Suny, your action is before Ausk, so on your turn the orc is still alive. I realize that you know that Ausk is going to cream him, but you needn't worry about stepping on other player's turns. If you did kill orc 2 before Ausk's turn, for example, I would use the rolls for Ausk's post on whatever else he tried to do on HIS turn. But the way it worked here is okay. I just want to see you hit something!

Updated battlemap, round 3.

Marco and Gryndar, working together, finally manage to get past the katana orc's canny defenses. Marco brings down his longsword in a swift overhand chopping motion, in Varisian style, which the orc blocks. Then, also in Varisian style, the TRUE strike from the shortsword hits home. The shock of the pain that the orc feels from the underhanded stab from Marco leaves him wide open for Gryndar's knife, and the dwarf stabs the orc in its foul heart. He falls off your two blades and bleeds into the dirt. He's dead before he hits the ground.

You hear the sounds of battle that are spreading through the ruins coming ever closer.

Meanwhile, Ausk completely annihilates the orc who was busy trying to break through Suny's defenses. Similar to the teamwork that Gryndar and Marco demonstrated, Suny and Ausk likewise work as a coordinated unit despite barely even knowing each other. When the scimitar-wielding orc strikes Suny in the tonfa, she twists it around cunningly, binding his blade for a few precious seconds. That's all the time Ausk needed. The orc realized its situation an instant before the hammer blow came down with a sickening crunch. The orc dies.

Charging across the field past the prisoners, Arwen, in his altered self form, is taller, broader, and stronger than before. Strangely, you sense an almost angelic presence coming from the quiet deputy, manifesting in a faint halo of light surrounding him for a few moments as he readies his spear and steps over the body of the fallen scimitar-wielding orc. The prisoners give a rallying cry when they see Arwen moving in, and seem to recover some lost morale.

Arwen sees an opportunity in the back of the second Ogrekin (ogrekin 4) and strikes with the speed of a viper. The ogrekin roars in pain as the spear slides between his ribs. Blood, foul and ogrish in smell, pours out hotly over the haft of the spear and runs down to Arwen's fingers as he growls in determination, holding on tightly to the haft.

Caln's healing spells are also flashing divine light, knitting your wounds even as the orcs and ogrekin open them. As a conduit to the Holy Boneyard, Caln manifests an occasional ghostly image around his face and armor as he channels the energy of the Goddess.

Erwin moves forward and closes his eyes in concentration, reaching out to touch Gryndar carefully as he struggles weakly against the ogrekin that has him in its clutches. Cast Cure Light wounds.

1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Ogrekin 3 maintains his grip on the struggling dwarf:

Grapple: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

And, assuming the dwarf is still in its clutches, gets a free bite attack.

Nom nom nom: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Ogrekin 4 is angry. Very angry. He shifts closer and attempts to disarm Arwen. 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 This provokes an AOO.

Have I a clear shot at either ogrekin?

Reposting Initiative order.

Marco
Suny
Ausk
Orc 2
Caln
Erwin
Jethro
??? 3
Orc 1
??? 4
Gryndar
Arwen

I'm going to rule that because you said you were trying to direct the prisoners from atop the statue, that you have climbed up onto the pedestal it's standing on. You spent 1 of your move squares to climb up 5 feet, and so you have a commanding view of the entire battlefield. Yes, you have a clear shot. You can also see the fighting of the other orcs among themselves and the battle's getting closer by the second.

"We're about to have guests, ladies! Better make sure we're prepared to receive them!" (How far away is the rest of the battle? Do I have any idea how many more orcs we're looking at? Or is it just "lots"?)

Jethro took an opportunity to cast another spell. A bolt of fire lanced out from the base of the statue towards ogrekin 3.

Attack (ranged touch): 2 + 1d20 ⇒ 2 + (6) = 8, damage (fire, no save) 1d4 ⇒ 4