GM Bigrin's Giantslayer (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

Kipa's scouting led him to the end of this particular canyon. Despite the slight misty fog, he was pretty sure he hadn't missed anything along the way.

updated map

"I guess we should go down the other fork then," Sander says. "They must have been guarding something for some reason, right?"

Quill nods at Sander from the back of the party where he usually trails and keeps rearguard vigil.

"You make a good point. Then we should go left and left again, because left is always right," Quill offers a plan as the party moves forward.

Rolling his eyes at the elve's sense of logic. "Well let's see what we can see if we go left and left and not left and right or right and left or right and right....Right?" With a smirk, Kipa heads off to scout ahead.

I posted this earlier, but apparently it got eaten. It's getting late. Do you want to rest here, or push on?

I vote push on but will go with majority.

Storn grumbles. "I'm half out of spells and almost died but haven't killed something yet. Onwards!'

Im down for resting if the casters need a recharge. Go with the majority of course

Kipa returns to the group "I found a spot we can rest for the night. We can use it as a hub for the time being. Get some more information as those that stay back & set up camp wait. Get a better plan from there."

Quill has another fight in him, but will also accede to the casters.

Quill follows the crowd, never being the leader type.

You two *are* the casters (along with Molly)...

I agree that there's no need to stop because we're running low on resources. That said, my feeling is if it's getting dark and it's been a full day, our characters would rest, since it doesn't really make sense for them to continue on in the dark. So keep going until it's dark/near dark, then camp with the usual watch, and then continue on in the morning.

Given the difficulty of the trek through the bog, you decided to camp where you were tonight, then head back the way you had come in the morning. Your presence had not yet been noticed in the Minderhal Valley yet - not by anyone that had lived to tell the tale at any rate - and the way the giants fought among each other, the carnage you have left behind you wasn't unusual. You could afford to take it slow and steady for a while longer.

The night actually passed uneventfully, and you greeted a morning fresh with new fog. It took hours to slog back across the boglands to the turnoff Kipa had spotted the previous day. Hours filled with a lot of cursing by both Storn and Kipa. Storn because the soggy ground gave way under his enormous weight and dragged him deep into the muck with every step. Kipa because the halfling frequently went into the stinking water up to his chin. Sander was just as hampered as Kipa, but because he wasn't scouting, he could rely on assistance from the tall folk of the party, and because he had a much better attitude on life he didn't resort to cursing much anyways.

Turning down the new canyon did not relieve you of the terrain, for the bog continued down this way as well. Only a few patches of solid earth poke from the ominous, glassy black water, held together by knotted clumps of sedge grass and wild rye. Deep within the swamp about two hours after you turned into this canyon, an unusual arrangement of curiously shaped, lichen-encrusted boulders juts from the waters, forming a widely spaced pattern that appears deliberate. The waters around this area are much deeper, forcing the halflings to either swim or get rides from the tall folk. Tiny biting insects swarm everywhere, skittering across the surface of the water, and the bog echoes with a chorus of crickets, frogs, and other swamp creatures.

Thank you for moving us on.

"Maybe they're homes, underwater, like beavers have?" Sander suggests, his foraging for herbs and other ingredients giving him more idea about such things than might be expected.

He looks around for any signs of life (at least signs of life that's bigger than a bug he can swat).

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

"Hang on," Molly says. "We'll ask."

Reaching into one pocket, she extracts her toad familiar, then starts... croaking?

The toad also starts to croak.

"Sure are a lot of bugs here. Getting bitten all over. Not sure my right has any blood left in it," Quill shakes his leg, removing some of the bugs and seeing if he can see any blood therein.

"This bog sucks. I wish it was a fen or a swamp instead," Quill grouses.

Sander stepped into the shallow holding the large stones and looked around, not seeing signs of any large creatures. He reached to one of the stones and brushed lightly at the lichen, then leaned in to see the runes revealed underneath. They were giantish, and read TORBAG. Apparently the stones were grave markers of a sort.

While Sander was exploring the stones, molly pulled out Kronug and cast a little hex. She called out to the amphibians in the area, letting Kronug speak to them also. Soon, she had other frogs calling back to her.

"There's predators of some sort. Slow in the water, fast on land," Molly warns.

"Great... things that may think the properly highted amongst us may be a good snack. Any one here have an idea what we will be facing? Cities are a bit more of my thing.

"It could be anything," Sander says nervously, deciding to pull out and drink his mutagen -- just in case.

"These look like graves," he notes, trying to clear the others to see if there is anything of note.

"Better than fast in water slow on land... not good in water." Storn mutters as he moves along.

May not be able to post tomorrow bear with.

Quill takes a good long look for tracks and danger before moving on, wondering what is going on.

1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32 Perception
1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 Survival

Looking out into the bog, Quill was the only one to see the v-shaped wakes heading towards them. He called out in alarm, and everyone spun to see what the elf was pointing at, but no one else could make out the forms beneath the water. It wasn't until they got very close that the creatures' shapes began to show, and it was clear that the local frogs must be amazingly fast in the water, for these creatures were swimming at a very good speed.

Quill gets a surprise round action

Noticing the critter that is trying to sneak up on the party from behind, Molly turns towards it and casts - a basic cantrip? - while shifting into her martial stance.

Daze, Will DC 15, on the critter at Z-AA 22-23.
Snake style stance. AC becomes 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26

Rounds Surprise & 1

In his surprise round, Quill moves out of the water and to (slightly) higher ground. Move to Y32. He calls upon the Elf that Hunts the World for aid in battle.

Quill squints and shoots at the bad thing approaching from the back (Z22). Might be a -2 to hit for firing through water, but I'll let the GM apply that.

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 24 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 3 + (2, 4) = 25 magic cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 33 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 3 + (2) = 14 magic cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 3 + 2 = 17 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 3 + (5, 3) = 24 magic cold iron damage; (giantbane)

Sander looks unhappy -- nothing new -- as he frantically swims for land Move to Z-33. The frogs may be faster there, but at least he won't have to be in water over his head.

Trying to make out what the frogs are exactly, he throws a bomb directly into the maw of the same one Quill was shooting at, unless the elf killed it first.

Swim: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Bomb (ranged touch, -2 for range): 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 12 - 2 = 30
Damage (cold damage), plus DC 16 Fort or be staggered next round: 4d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 6, 2, 2) + 3 = 19

Crit?: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 - 2 = 22
Cold damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Using cold damage unless my knowledge check told me otherwise, in which case it's fire.

Storn lets out a loud groan as they're attacked in the water. Thankfully he has a very long spear and a mind to use it on these creatures.

Readied Power Attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 2 = 32 Damage: 2d6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 9 + 2 = 21

Using a fervor to cast divine favor. +3 hit/damage.

Moving up a bit to stay in less deep water, Kipa pulls his blades to be ready to defend himself if any of these critters come towards him.

5 foot step to Y32. Hold attack action till something comes close enough for him to attack.Can not be flanked

@Kipa - can't 5' step in difficult terrain

@Sander - a successful swim action only nets you 1/4 of your speed (5 feet) as a move action, so I can't move you where specified. I moved you 5' and kept the attack

Sander recognized the creatures as skrags, a type of aquatic troll. They can regenerate all damage, other than that caused by fire or acid. Realizing this, he switches the vial in his hand for another from his pouch and lobs it into the troll's face. The water may have shielded it from a normal missile attack, but he fire bomb rips into the scummy water, steaming and burning the troll swimming toward you. It reared up with a horrible cry and thrashed about, taking a pair of arrows from quill as it did. Molly's spell seemed to freeze it in place as it tried to figure out what it was doing here.

On the other side of the small "island", the remaining skrags converged on Molly, Storn, and Sander. Storn was ready, setting his feet in the muck of the bog bottom and thrusting at the incoming troll, driving the blade deep into the troll. The other trolls looked at Storn queasily, the nail scale armor obviously discomfiting them. All of the skrags tried to maul their foes, but were too thrown off by pain and disgust to land a decent blow.

Snake style: set AC to 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

Cursing as the skrag breaches in front of her, Molly takes a chance -- and focuses her attention inward...

Casting Burning hands on the defensive: 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 5 = 29: success! Troll takes 5d4 ⇒ (3, 4, 1, 1, 3) = 12 fire damage. Ref. DC 16 for half.

...then barks a Word of Power and engulfs the troll-beast in arcane fire! While the creature is hopefully still reeling from the pain, Molly tries to take a 5-ft step back...

Swim 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 to W30.

Round 2

Quill squints and shoots at the bad thing approaching from the back (yellow), but if it falls, he'll target the one on Molly. He swiftly adds fire to his bow.

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 27 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 3 + (5, 5) + (2) = 25 magic cold iron fire damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 33 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 3 + (6, 4) + (4) = 33 magic cold iron fire damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 3 + 2 = 28 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 3 + (3, 3) + (5) = 28 magic cold iron fire damage; (giantbane)

Oh sorry. Forgot

Seeing as there is still some room to breath, Kipa takes aim and fires off some arrows to try and help out where he can. Knowing that Molly & Storn have a better chance of protecting themselves, he takes aim at the beasty attacking Sander.

Uh oh. This doesn't look good. Also, duh. If I'd remembered about Swimming, I'd have done something else, but too late now.

Sander eeps as he realizes the sudden danger he's in and pulls a vial from his pouch, drinking it down and disappearing in a flash!

That technically provokes possibly 2 AoO from the troll, as I pull an extract of invisibility and then as I drink it.

Since they're giants Storn's spear also has a bane bonus.

Bane: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 4) + 2 = 8

Deciding to get rid of the troll in front of him first, Storn takes a quick glance over to make sure Kipa is alright before he starts stabbing away with glee.

Attack+Bane+DF: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 34 Damage+Bane+DF: 2d6 + 9 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 9 + 2 + 2 = 15

Power Iterative Attack+Bane+DF: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 13 Damage+Bane+DF: 2d6 + 9 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5, 2) + 9 + 2 + 2 = 20

Attacking blue.

Sander yanked a bottle from his pouch and drank it down, disappearing even as the troll's claws slashed at him, catching him on the neck. Pools of red spread out into the murky water, showing quite clearly where the invisible halfling was. Kipa sent a pair of arrows into the troll, but its nostrils flared as it smelled the blood in the water. Troll claws swiped through the water, meeting hidden flesh, and there was more blood in the water now. Molly burns the one in front of her, then thrashed at the water trying to get away from it. It raised up to strike, then fell back into the water as Quill's arrows took it in the chest. The archer's first arrow, unseen by Molly, had felled the troll coming up at the from behind. Storn traded blows with his foe, giving far more damage than he received.

With the tide of battle shifting, Molly splashes back out into the water. Angling towards the Troll in direct combat with Storn, the Witch draws up close, takes careful aim so as to exclude the Warpriest from her spell's cone, and blasts the Giant-blooded monstrosity with arcane fire!

Swift action: Snake style sets AC to 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23.
Move action: Swim 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 to V 33.
Standard action: Cast Burning hands on the blue troll for 5d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 1, 1) = 7 fire damage, Ref. DC 16 for half.

Sander grimaces, though the fortification from his mutagen means he's not hurt that badly and the wound begins knitting itself almost immediately using 5 hp of spontaneous healing.

Hoping the creature can't see him well enough to really discern what he's doing, he pulls another flask and drinks it down drinking extract of fly.

That possibly provokes again, though he'd have to be able to see/sense me, I think. Also, I really messed this combat up. Also, I'll be AFK until Saturday night.

Round 3

"That's it, Sander! Keep distracting the beast with your face blood! I'm coming to help," Quill spins and fires 3 arrows at Sander's trollthing.

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 24 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 3 + (4, 1) + (5) = 25 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 22 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 3 + (2, 2) + (3) = 20 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 3 + 2 = 15 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 3 + (6, 4) + (3) = 32 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

Storn ignores the swipe and roars with delight as Molly lights up the troll he's fighting.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 35 Damage(power attack, divine favor, bane): 1d10 + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + (3, 4) = 32
Attack: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 16 Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + (3, 1) = 28
Crit!: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33 Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 + (5, 6) = 35
CMB Grapple: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

If the troll survives he's grappled!

Trying to do what he can to help his fellow halfling, he keeps firing away in hopes to add to a distraction.

@Molly - Your target is dead, and there isn't a reasonable way for me to move you to cast your spell on the remaining one. Care to adjust your actions for Round 3? Or just continue to burn the troll so it can't regenerate?

One of Kipa's arrows pinks the troll, even as an invisible Sander tries desperately to get away from the creature. Quill's arrows do a better job, with two of them driving deeply into the troll's body. To the side, Storn manages to impale his target with that amazing spear, ripping it to pieces.

I'll just burn it so it can't regenerate.

Molly's flames wash over the dead troll, keeping its regenerative powers from resurrecting it.

The other troll flailed at the bloody pool in the water where Sander was, but the lightly floating halfling wasn't there any more.

Round 4

Quill spins and fires 3 arrows at the remaining trollthing.

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 17 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 3 + (5, 5) + (4) = 30 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 32 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 3 + (6, 2) + (4) = 26 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

1d20 + 4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 3 + 2 = 21 to hit; (+DF,+bane)
1d8 + 8 + 3 + 2d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 3 + (3, 3) + (5) = 25 magic fire cold iron damage; (giantbane)

Reorienting to save his pipsqueak pal, Storn's stupidly long spear stabs out again and again to the troll to the southeast. "BURN THAT ONE NOW! BWAAHAHAHAHA THE SCENT OF FLAMES AND WAILS OF THE WEAK! STOOOORRNNN!!"

Attaculate! (power attack, DF, bane): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 Damage: 1d10 + 18 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 18 + (6, 4) = 34
Attaculate! (power attack, DF, bane): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 Damage: 1d10 + 18 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 18 + (5, 4) = 33

Staying in place, attacking SE troll.

"Sander!" Molly calls out. "I'm holding back from frying this thing until Storn's got it dead! Get over to me so I can heal you, you must've lost half your blood, there's so much of it in the water!"

Molly stands ready to give Sander a healing hex for 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 6) + 7 = 21 if he comes to her.

Yelling at Sander "Hurry up you! WIth that he fires off 2 more arrows.

attack 1 w/ SB: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3
attack2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
damaged: 1d4 ⇒ 1

"I'm fine now!" Sander calls back as he flies up higher and then drops a bomb on the last remaining troll, reappearing midair.

Bomb (ranged touch), point blank range: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 = 30
Damage (fire damage): 4d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4, 6, 4, 3) + 3 + 1 = 21

The last of the water trolls died in a flurry of attacks, never even having the chance to try and carve another opening in Sander's skin. The bog was filled with the smell of scorched troll flesh - one of the eight worst smells in the world - and the sounds of the local wildlife were silent.

Now having all the time you need to explore, you find an unlocked wooden chest on the far side of one of the burial markers. Apparently it was where the skrags stored their most valued treasures. There were fish bones, pretty freshwater shells, a polished human femur that had been carved into a flute, and a fragment of a highly-polished metal helm. Buried under that were a jar of ointment and three pieces of jade.

"How about it, Quill?" Molly says as she waggles the femur at the Elven Cleric. "Fancy shaking a leg an' playin' us all a tune?"

”On a human bone? Nah, not really my thing. Never had any training in music...and not sure I want to play the femurflute.” Quill recoils from the idea.

He steps away.

”Well, it’s about time to rest, ain’t it? Let’s see if we can find some dry ground to make camp. We’ve come a long way today, more than a few scuffles, huh?” Quill says, looking for shelter as they continue on (and others are healing).

1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29 Perception
1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20 Survival

"RAAWRWARWARWRWR!" shouts Storn, holding his spear overhead in both hands and waggling it up and down as one does. Once he gets over the battle fury he looks around and lets out a sigh.

"Gorum did not intend for man to stand in this stupid water." He looks at the flute-femur critically. "The spinal trombone is a better instrument but we can't expect craftsmanship with everyone. Ugh. Let's keep moving."

To make sure he doesn't get some sort of horrific rot, Storn heals himself.

Fervor: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

"Who needs healing?"