Piet the scout leads the way. Squire Edmin runs alongside Sir Nonus -- half a step behind, of course. They're bringing up the rear. This is the place of danger, because the bugbears are surely on their trail. The knight takes the place of danger, and the squire's place is with his knight. As it should be.
Sir Nonus is breathing heavily. Gasping, honestly. Icicles dangle from his long mustaches. "All right, then... boy." He wheezes, but continues: "The more of me... you take... the more you leave... behind. What am I?"
Edmin has been with Sir Nonus two years now, so this doesn't keep him for long. However, the old knight likes to think that his riddles are head-scratching difficult. So Edmin puts on a bit of a show, frowning, grimacing, shaking his head. But after a minute or so, he says brightly, "Footsteps, sir!"
"Heh. Good... boy. And we're certainly... making enough of them." Sir Nonus breathes heavily for several moments. "All right. Your... turn."
Edmin has no talent for composing riddles. But for Sir Nonus' sake, he has spent a fair amount of his spare time thinking about them anyway. He's managed to come up with a few that he thinks are not too bad. He tries one of them now. "Yes, sir. Black child of a red father; embrace me and weep. Who am I?"
"What?" Sir Nonus is silent for several moments. "Ridiculous! There's no... hum, hum... wait a moment..." For the moment, Edmin can tell, all is forgotten: the cold, their desperate danger, the pain in Sir Nonus' aging legs and lungs. For just a moment, the riddle takes the old knight away from all that.
But only a moment, because Sir Nonus is very good at riddles. "Ha! Not bad, boy. Smoke."
"Yes, sir." Edmin wishes he were better at this.
Sir Nonus takes a moment to gain back his breath, then raises his voice. "Piet! How much further to... the dropoff?"
But Piet doesn't have a chance to answer, because just then the dragon attacks.
As a general rule, if I want to restrict a spoiler, I'll put that restriction in the spoiler tag: "Edmin" or "DC 10 Int check" or whatever. The flashbacks (this is the second one) are pure lagniappe; they add backstory but don't directly affect gameplay except insofar as the player wants them to. -- So, short answer, yes.
My next action, I am not sure who we are waiting for at this point.
Seeing his blood coating the floor behind him as his head begins to pulse with pain, Tohram suddenly recalls the bottles of pain he received from Zargo earlier.
He reaches in his pouch and quickly downs one of the bottles.
Use Potion of ILW: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Also, Grumblejack. If you knock me out, who is going to call these nice ponies to slow the boulder.
My next action, I am not sure who we are waiting for at this point.
Well, I'm waiting to see what -- if anything -- Dren or Zimu do about the bottles. Let me requote:
"Grabbing ONE potion is a free action -- you can grab one potion and then move 60' as a double move (not running). If one person grabs BOTH potions, then that's a move action -- you can still move 30' or take a standard and a 5'. The Judge could grab a potion. Bren, Dref and Zimu could all grab one or both potions." -- Bref has chosen to ignore the two potions and run 30' forward, so now we're waiting on Dren and Zimu.
To be clear, you're totally free to ignore the potions. Zimu guessed it might be a time-wasting trap. That's entirely possible.
Sort of a hint:
You've had a chance to interact with three of the Cardinal's high-level associates. (Note: the Cardinal may have high-level associates who you are not going to interact with. That could be because he doesn't want you to meet them, or because they're busy elsewhere, or because they'd simply kill you. Tiadora, for instance, would probably not make a good encounter. Sir Marcel, maybe not either.)
Zargo interacted with you pretty much exactly as you'd expect: he built an insane construct-thing and tried to capture you as test subjects. Similarly, the setup in Irin's room reflected Irin's personality, subject to the constraints currently placed upon her.
Now it's Sherkov. You haven't had a lot of time with Sherkov. Still, perhaps you might have formed an impression.
There is a difference between lying and deceit. The cabinet said what potions are in there, these guys are not going to lie. Sort of goes against the LE thing. They might confuse you or make things appear different than they are, but if they tell you the door is not trapped, it is not trapped. It might have an ancient red dragon behind it, but hey, it is not trapped.
In this case they flat out tell you that there are two potions, one to save, one to kill. It is up to us to figure out which is which.
Just my 2 cents on this if that helps speed things up any.
Female Aasimar Wizard 6 (HP 53/53; AC 18/18/15; CMD 16 Fort +5; Ref +7 Will +8; Init +3; Perception +11; Darkvision 60 ft)
To clarify, I have put up my actions several times on this thread and the discussion thread. I think I have offered to cast Mount thirteen times now, and with the potions now available that leaves another option.
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
What up Cymu! glad to see someone online during my london layover
Female Aasimar Wizard 6 (HP 53/53; AC 18/18/15; CMD 16 Fort +5; Ref +7 Will +8; Init +3; Perception +11; Darkvision 60 ft)
Bref
Spoiler:
Hi Bref! I just came from a late night party soooo tired but decided to look at what I had been missing. I also made a total piggy of myself after work, ate bacon stuffed potatoes, a ham omelette, and fried mozzarella sticks. Basically all the wrong food before going to bed. Soooo not healthy!
Female Aasimar Wizard 6 (HP 53/53; AC 18/18/15; CMD 16 Fort +5; Ref +7 Will +8; Init +3; Perception +11; Darkvision 60 ft)
Cуровую looks back, then begins to stroke the air around her with long, strong movements that pantomime pulling forth something large from somewhere else - and casts Mount to the limit of her range ...
'Your Kingdom for a horse Edmin! Forget me not when you rule from on high.'
A large sized white charger appears, its beautiful mane coated with a slight bit of frost, and cold breath steaming from its nostrils and mouth. When the group is later less harried they will notice that the horse has blue, almost human like eyes.
The equine looks more fit for a princess than a champion of the pit ... but as the old wise saying goes 'any four legged mount will do when 3 rumbling tons are chasing your a$$ in a trap concocted by the Cardinal's lackeys.'
Satisfied that her spell has called forth Snowmantle, Cуровую then grabs a potion and begins her supernatural, jarring, dead child movement again. Move 30' further.
Grumblejack - Having opened the cabinet with the Judge (teamwork!) he is now standing in front of the open portcullis at 650.
Bref - Opened the portcullis, then ran 30'. You're at 680.
Dren - You said you grabbed a potion and moved 30'. However, grabbing just one potion is a free action, so you could have moved up to 60' this turn. That would put you at 710 -- in the lead! But... see below. I will assume you're at 685 instead.
Jax - Could run up to 700 (but see below). I suspect you're at 685.
Zimu - grabbed a potion and ran. You're at 675.
Edmin - flat-out run. You continue to wade through the second pool. It slows your movement to half, so you only move 70' this round. That puts you around the hairpin. You're at 620. 30 feet ahead, you see the portcullis, Judge, and Grumblejack.
Judge - still carried by Grumblejack, holding at 650.
Snowmantle the horse moves alongside Sir Edmin, ready for mounting...
The boulder was at 545, moving at 75'. It slows down 5' for every 5' of water that it passes through, so it will slow to 60' before it departs the second pool. The hairpin will slow it another 5', down to 55'. However, whenever it is below its top speed of 100', it accelerates by 10', so it accelerates back up to 65'. But then a pony runs into it!
CRUNCH
So it slows back down to 55'. It's now at 600. It has fallen a full 20 feet behind Sir Edmin! Go, Sir Edmin!
However...
Standing at 695 is a draugr. Ten feet beyond him, at 705, is a second draugr. The first one is on the left, the second is on the right.
Jax could have run to 700 and Dren could have run to 710. However, this would not only subject you to AoOs, it would also have you end your turn standing next to the draugr, forcing you to roll init against them next round (and maybe suffer another AoO as you run away). So I assume you both stop just out of reach.
This ends Round 8, unless someone wants to retcon one of the moves above. We begin Round 9. (The Judge has already said he wants to drink a potion this round.)
The mount uses the rest of the player's move that round -- either a standard action (in this case I think 50'), or a double move if he makes the Ride check.
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
Do like this!
Bref moves at half speed
Acro 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Bref's over confidence might have gotten the better of him on that one...[ooc]Fort save1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 4 - 1 = 15
You can attempt to mount or dismount from a mount of up to one size category larger than yourself as a free action, provided that you still have a move action available that round. If you fail the Ride check, mounting or dismounting is a move action. You can't use fast mount or dismount on a mount more than one size category larger than yourself.
You can move up to 100' this round. You can choose to charge one of the draugr; if you do, you'll get +2 for the charge and another +2 for striking down from horseback.
Six men stand in the snow, looking at a dead dragon.
"You killed it." Edmin is gasping a little. He truly thought he was going to die for a moment there, when the thing was coming right at them. "Sir, you killed a dragon."
"It was... just a... little one... boy." Sir Nonus is gasping more than a little. One of his legs is encased in a thin coating of ice from the knee down: dragon breath. There's a claw mark all down his side, and blood is trickling slowly through his armor. But the dragon is dead in the snow at his feet.
It's small enough, that's true. Edmin can hardly believe it. The dragon had dropped two men with its terrible breath. And then Sir Nonus had... taunted it! Baited the beast to attack him! And it came at him, came at them, and all Edmin could see was the open mouth, the fangs, the claws... but now that it's dead, Edmin can see that it wasn't actually that large. Its wingspan is wider than a tall man, but the arms are membranous, insubstantial. The dragon's body is no bigger than a dog's.
"Bigger than a hatchling, but not by much," says Piet the scout. "The Frozen Tears must have stolen an egg. No other tribe would dare, but they think their demon-mother protects them."
Sir Nonus nods."I believe you... Piet. It was trying to scatter us and drive us back the way we came. All the more reason for us to... move on." He turns away from the corpse in the snow. "Well then. How is Delan? I saw him go down."
"He didn't make it, sir. And Gaheris is in a bad way." The scout's expression has gone very blank.
"'Bad', Piet? How bad is 'bad'?" Sir Nonus looks at Piet keenly. "Will he survive the hour? Can we bring him home?"
"Well... he'll survive a little while, sir. But he can't --"
"If he can't walk, then we have to carry him, Scout. Of course." Sir Nonus lowers his voice. "I understand what you're saying, Piet. But no. We take our chances."
"Sir." Piet nods curtly.
Sir Nonus raises his voice again. Despite his age, his injuries and the exhaustion that is dragging him down, he speaks clearly and swiftly. "You three. Stop gaping, now! Your cloak and yours, and we have a pole, and Squire Edmin here has kept his spear, I see. Piet, a travois. Quickly. Do you think the bugbears will stop because we've killed their pet? I assure you the hunt is still on. You and you, attend to Delan -- Edmin, go and watch over that. Collect his effects, say a prayer. I'm afraid we'll have to leave him, but it's just a body. What matters has gone home. Quickly, now. Quickly." The old knight turns away and lowers his voice once more. "Well... boy. When all else fails, when all seems lost... what can you always count on?"
Edmin knows this one. "My fingers, sir."
Sir Nonus smiles. "Off to your duty, squire."
Edmin turns and tramps through the snow towards the dead man. He's trying to compose some last words for the late Declan. But all he can think is Sir Nonus killed a dragon.
Female Aasimar Wizard 6 (HP 53/53; AC 18/18/15; CMD 16 Fort +5; Ref +7 Will +8; Init +3; Perception +11; Darkvision 60 ft)
Edmin why did we not cast Mount for you earlier? We may have to consider a wand of Mount for you later on, seems to work wonders, like an Expeditious Enlarge Person.
If Edmin barrels through both the sentries and each makes an attack on the horse and rider, Cуровую would not want to waste Edmin's gallantry and Snowmantle's fury of a gallop, she would take the next round at a full run, mindful of more surprises.
If I had Summon Monster II, I would have called a horse for him. The problem was that Edmin and I were too close to the boulder and one mistake and we were both pancakes. I could have summoned a pony for me which would have sped things up. The biggest issue was that with Morsum, I had to dismiss him which is a Standard Action. If I had taken a Standard Action rather than running, I would be the ex-Judge. Once Grumblejack grabbed me, if gave me the actions to dismis Morsum and start calling boulder slowers, er, My Little Pony.
I am drinking the potion as 1hp is a little low in my opinion.
Bref's over confidence might have gotten the better of him on that one...[ooc]Fort save1d20+4-1
Since you're trying to move past two opponents, you need two checks -- with the DC at +2 on each one.
Anyway, you failed the first check, so the first draugr gets an AoO. Does it hit you? 1d20 ⇒ 2 Ooh, lucky. But hang on to that Fort save, because you need to make a second Acrobatics check.
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
So, mid-round status: Grumblejack, Edmin and the Judge have acted. (Judge, did you roll your potion?)
Zimu is taking a full run, so she'll suffer an AoO. I'll roll that in a moment. Zimu picked up a potion from the cabinet but is not doing anything with it this round.
Bref needs to roll a second Acrobatics check.
Jax and Dren have both been hovering in front of the first draugr. They can run, attack the second draugr, or do something else. Dren has the other potion from the cabinet.
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
Douglas Muir 406 wrote:
Bref needs to roll a second Acrobatics check.
See above here are both of them + fort saves
Acro 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Bref's over confidence might have gotten the better of him on that one...[ooc]Fort save1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 4 - 1 = 15
Cуровую will keep up with team See Evil Run and follow the comrades with higher AC through the obstacle course.
DM I stated that Cуровую would follow in the footsteps of her comrades with higher AC as to not incur an AOO.
Okay. Well, Bref triggered the AoO for the first one, and it missed. (Damn things don't have Combat Reflexes. Hmf.) And then of course it's dead now anyway. I mean, more dead. I mean... you know what I mean. Anyway, let's see about that second fellow.
Okay, the second draugr swings at Bref. 1d20 ⇒ 6 Phooey, just missed.
So both draugrs' AoOs have been discharged, and also the first one has been destroyed. So everyone else can freely run past the second one to whatever awaits beyond.
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
What awaits beyond: spoilered for people who are running at least as far as 720.
Spoiler:
From 740 to 760 there are 20 feet of spikes on the floor. The spikes aren't very long, but they're sharp. Very sharp. You have three obvious options here.
-- Jump over them. DC 20 Acrobatics check, but if you fail you'll fall on the spikes and take damage.
-- Run over them. You can, but then you'll have to make a Fort save. Fail, and you'll take damage and also be reduced to half movement for 3 rounds.
-- Walk slowly and carefully over them. Possible, but you'll move at 1/4 speed... in other words, it will take 80' of movement to cross this 20' stretch. (Mind, you don't have to do it all in one round.)
M DEAD!! KILLED BY EVIL EVIL DMDM!! Rogue1/Barb (Feral)1 temp hp 14/17 and 9 con (HP 24/25+4 when Raging; AC21/17/15(-2 Raging) ; CMD 16 (18 Rage) Fort +4(6); Ref +8; Will +1( 3); Init +6; Perception +5/6 for Traps; Darkvision
are we in the next round? I assume Jax runs since it is safe.
If/when we are:
Bref currently at 710 will double move and do a quad flip over the spikes Acro1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 ending at 750
"I go up and down, but never move," says Sir Nonus. "What am I?" Squire Edmin doesn't answer, for the answer is right in front of them. Tac Tor rises six hundred feet above the frozen landscape of the North, a nearly sheer cliff. Untold centuries ago, some ancient civilization carved a way up: a combination of paths, ramps, and steps. The beginning of it is before them: a staircase, going down the cliffside.
(At the top of the staircase, there was once a building of some sort. Watchtower? Fortress? Customs house? Whatever it was, there's nothing left but a few crumbling walls, reduced to shapeless white masses by the drifting snow. Whatever it was, it was a long time ago.)
"Going to be tricky, sir." Piet frowns thoughtfully. "Nobody goes down this in winter, and there's reasons for that. Ice, drifting snow, avalanches. There are places where it gets so narrow a strong wind can blow you off. We'll want to be roped together. Once we reach the bottom we should be fine, but it's going to take -- "
Behind them comes a weird, high-pitched ululation, something between a wolf's howl and a whistle. Six men turn as one and look back into the snow. There's nothing to be seen, but they all know what it means: the bugbears have found the dragon and are close on their trail, just a few minutes behind them.
"Down."
* * *
Six men look at a wall of snow. They are halfway down Tac Tor. The avalanche must have struck a few days ago. For a hundred feet beyond them, there is no path... just a smooth curve of whiteness over a three hundred foot drop.
"How long?"
"Roped together, I go first with crampons and cut holds on the icy parts... twenty minutes." Piet's face has gone deadpan. None of the men speak. The bugbears are perhaps five minutes behind them, certainly no more than ten.
Sir Nonus pulls at his long mustaches for a moment. Then he simply says, "Very well. Piet, begin. Squire Edmin, a word." The old knight turns and begins limping back up the staircase behind them, back the way they came.
Edmin scrambles after him. After a few yards, Sir Nonus turns. "Squire Edmin. You may recall that we turned a corner on the trail a hundred feet back or so."
Edmin nods. He's not likely to forget. Tac Tor is steep but not smooth; the cliff face is full of indentations and ridges, stony scars left over from whatever ancient cataclysm created it in eons past. The old stone path goes around a right angle in the cliff face just above them. It is eroded down to just three or four feet wide. Between the ice, the wind, and the lack of any railing or handholds, it is absolutely terrifying.
"Squire, if you have been paying attention to my training... and I believe you have, for you've always been attentive... you will have noticed that it makes a natural defensive point, where one man may hold off many. The bugbears can only approach one at a time. They cannot easily use archers or other missile weapons against a defender standing around the corner. Therefore, I shall climb back up the path and hold them off while the rest of the party escapes."
"Sir... yes, sir." Edmin swallows hard. He hadn't imagined his career as a knight-in-training would be so short. But such is the life of a soldier. And... Edmin peers over the edge of the path. It's a sheer drop into whiteness. "And they can't take us alive... one step makes sure of that. I see. Very good, sir."
"Ah." Sir Edmin pulls at his mustache for a moment. "Your offer is appreciated, squire. But it will not be necessary." Sir Nonus pauses, takes a deep breath. "Edmin Al'Roth, I release you from my service."
"W-what?" For a moment Edmin simply cannot speak. Sir Nonus is... firing him? "Sir, no! Sir Nonus, I, sir, I... I refuse!"
"But you are no longer my squire, Edmin," the old knight says very gently. "And I have a different task for you. Here." Sir Nonus takes Edmin's hand and puts something in it. It's a small package, wrapped in oilskin paper. "I want you to deliver this, please. To my sister, in the Vale of Valtaerna. She is my only surviving family. Tell her --"
"Sir, no! I won't go!" Tears are streaming down Edmin's cheeks now. "You can't make me! A, a squire's place is with his knight! Sir!"
"I see." The old knight sighs deeply, then pulls at his mustache one last time. His eyes flicker behind Edmin for a moment, then turn back to the agonized young man. "Edmin, you have been... you have been a fine squire. Perhaps the best I have ever trained. You are diligent, skilled and loyal. You are... well." Sir Nonus glances behind Edmin again, then says suddenly, "Perhaps I shall allow you to stay with me, after all! But you must answer a riddle first."
"What? A riddle -- Uh, yes! Sir, yes I will!" Edmin is going to stay whether he can answer the riddle or not, of course. But --
"If you break me, I do not stop working. You can give me away, but do so with care! For if you lose me, nothing will matter. Who am I?" For the last time ever, Edmin sees Sir Nonus smile. He's obviously pleased with this one.
"If you lose me... wait, I --" Edmin never finishes his sentence. For just then the hilt of Piet's sword crashes into the back of his head, and the world goes black.
HP 169/169; AC:37/21/29; Saves: +22/+23/+20; Init +10; Per +28(See Invisibility), CMD 42
Misc:
Effects: Resist Cold 30, Fly 30', Telepathic Bond
Jax will huff and puff and run after Bref's agile, acrobatic form. If he reaches the spikes, he'll take it safe and walk but still taking a double move (90' movement).
Cimu, That levitate is going to be useful for you now!
Grumblejack - Just smashed one draugr; is now standing over its corpse at 695.
Bref - Acrobatics around draugr, jump overs spikes. You're at 780.
Dren - You JUST made the Fort save, which is DC 16! So you could be all the way up to 805... but see below.
Jax - You were at 685. Running to 740 is 55', which leaves you with 65' of movement. That lets you pass 15' of the spikes, tiptoeing carefully. You're at 755, with five feet of spikes ahead of you.
Zimu - You were at at 675. Running to 740 is 65', which leaves you with 55' of movement. That lets you pass 10' of the spikes, tiptoeing carefully. You're at 750, with ten feet of spikes ahead of you.
Edmin - On your horse at 695.
Judge - still carried by Grumblejack, at 695.
The boulder was at 600, moving at 55'. It gains 10' of speed every round it's not at top speed, but it loses 5' for running over the portcullis. So, it's now at 660, moving at 60'.
Dren and Bref, since you're far ahead of the party, here's what you see starting at 780.
Dren and Bref:
From 780 to 800, the passage slopes down more steeply. If you run down this at full speed you might have to make a Reflex save. Dren, since you're the frontrunner, you're the only one who might have done it in this round. You can roll the save and run down to 805, or wait at the top and go down more slowly next round -- that will put you at 780.
This ends Round 9, unless someone wants to retcon one of the moves above. We begin Round 10. Bref, you have one more round of running at top speed before you have to start checking for fatigue. (Does anyone else have a Con that's 12 or lower?)
