GM Captain Trips - Kingmaker! (Inactive)

Game Master Chad Newman

Oh darn, I forgot to move my piece after my last post, and it seems I can't move it right now, for some reason. Castor should be next to Brom and Will as this turn starts, as I said in my previous post. Might want to adjust things in consequence.

Standing behind Brom, Castor places a hand on the Barbarian's shoulder, and utters a Celestial incantation of good luck.

Using my Bit of Luck domain power on Brom. For this round, if you roll a d20, roll two and use the best one instead.

As the battle unfolds and Brom finds himself facing off against multiple bandits, his insides quiver with anticipation. Seeing the gate closing the barbarian shouts loudly to whoever is controlling it, "If zhat is a bandit shutting zhe door, know zhat ve vill stomp your face to dust! ...If you are no bandit, zhen now please be opening zhe door!"

Brom fends off a few attacks, but then an axe finds it's way through his defenses, slicing his upper arm. The pain of it sends little shivers of pain and pleasure through his body and he gasps audibly. Eyes closed he mentally grabs the pain, focuses on it, and then loses himself to it. Enter Rage. His eyes snap open and he whirls a few steps to the northwest (5' step) between the two axe-wielders, bringing Krasa up and over his head as he does so. Now flanking with two of his allies he uses the momentum from his spin, and a bit of divine luck, to bring the mighty hammer down at a deadly angle towards the bandit to his south. I think it hits. As the hammer connects, Brom doesn't even admire his handiwork, the rage driving him to greater exhertions as he doesn't allow the hit to slow his massive arms. The strike continues, plowing through the air towards the bandit between him and Cappi, exposing himself to greater injury but determined to do as much damage to his foes as he can. "KRASAAAA!!!"

Earth Breaker- Rage Attack (pwr,blss,inspr,flnk): 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 16
Using Touch of Luck to roll d20 again
Earth Breaker- Rage Attack (pwr,blss,inspr,flnk) & Damage (pwr,inspr): 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 282d6 + 6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 3) + 6 + 3 + 1 = 18
---------
Earth Breaker- Rage Cleave Attack (pwr,blss,inspr,flnk): 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 20
**EDIT**Using Touch of Luck to roll d20 again
Earth Breaker- Rage Attack (pwr,blss,inspr,flnk) & Damage (pwr,inspr): 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 212d6 + 6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 1) + 6 + 3 + 1 = 16 I included it, but I don't know that I can power attack and cleave at the same time...

HP 15/18* (*3 rage hp) | AC12/16 | Conditions: Raging, Blessed, Inspired, Touch of Luck (ended) | Rage 1/6 used.

*EDIT* After seeing Castors notice I can use Touch of Luck for every d20 used on my turn. Good catch on the +3 power attack, I forgot that part.

You get to apply bit of luck to both attacks of your cleave, not just one. It affects every d20 rolled in your turn.

Also yes, as far as I know, you can power attack and cleave at the same time. By the way, given that you're using a two-handed weapon, Power Attack should be adding 3 damage, not 2.

Edit: Welp, there go those two bandits, I believe. Ouch, all of these buffs are making Brom a walking death machine. (I mean, more than usual.)

Fortune favors the bold. Cappi tells himself as he sees the gate begin to close. There's a brute in front of him with an axe, but axes are such cumbersome things. Cappi blows the bandit with an axe a quick kiss and winks as he springs backwards, head over heels.

Attempting acrobatics to escape threatened square and also pass through square threatened by dagger bandit attacking Castor. First is CMD of axe-bandit, second is CMD of dagger-bandit at a -2 penalty for Cappi
Acrobatics 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Acrobatics 2: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 2 = 13

He continues vaulting, springing past the second bandit near the gate and landing in a crouched position inside of the gate, directly over a recently felled bandit. He tries to smile amiably at the knight towering next to him, with a recognition that his actions may seem less than honorable.
In a display of trust, however, the halfling turns his back on the night and faces the closing gates, preparing to lash out at any bandits that might try to sneak beneath the rapidly closing gates as well.

Move Action: 10 feet of movement to space of dead bandit inside gates. 2 threatened squares, rolling acrobatics to avoid AoOs. [i]Remainder assumes he passes the Acrobatics DC.
Standard Action: Readying attack against any bandits that attempt to pass under the gate before it closes.

With Brom's fierce display clearing the path, Will tosses his long bow to the side and draws his longsword as he steps into range of the bow wielding bandit, and after feinting, tries to drive the blade through the bandits shoulder while he continues to bellow out his song.

"We were forty against hundreds
In someone else's bloody war
We know not why we're fighting
Or what we're dying for
They will storm us in the morning
When the sunlight turns to sky
Death is waiting for its dance now
Fate has sentenced YOU to die."

Move to draw weapon, 5' diagonal step to engage bandit head on, and attack. Free action to continue song. 4/6 rounds remaining
Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 61d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 = 3

In a stunning display of prowess, Brom brings Krasa up high and then down upon the head of the man facing him. The huge hammer drives the man's skull into his spine and crushes the life out of him in one stroke. Not satisfied, Brom diverts the momentum of the hammer sideways, using his hips to transfer the energy along a horizontal line and sends the weapon into the other man adjacent to him. The hammer blasts through the man's defenses, shattering ribs and crushing organs, sending him flying to the ground, oh so very dead.

Cappi now faced with only one opponent, feints at the bandit and then quickly ducks back to the other side, causing the bandit to overextend and be out of reach of the rogue, allowing Cappi to tumble past the man and come up inside the gate, weapon at the ready.

Will, keeping his song alive and bolstering his companion's efforts, takes a swing at the man with the bow in front of him, but his enemy was more nimble than he realized, the bandit ducking the swing and working to get away from the bard's attacks.

I'm a little lost as to the state of the front gate. Is it closed or open? Won't be able to post too much until later this afternoon, so here's my post for whenever, in advance.

Catching sight of his earlier attacker missing a strike on Cappi, Castor nocks an arrow into his bow and takes aim for the bandit.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Its open, and closing slowly.

From inside the gates the party hears. "If you are who you claim, Sound it so! Otherwise, we'll get to you in a bit!"

The voice then cries out, "By the Fifth Freedom!" and you hear a loud crash from the area inside the gates.

Are we in init still? Are you waiting on us?

Busy morning, tidying up now...

Castor fires a shot at the lone bandit remaining outside of the gates, but the missile flies wide and misses the man completely.

Denarial and Cappi are up. Only one bandit standing on the outside of the gates, and one archer standing inside the gates. The ground is covered with the dead.

The gate seems to be closing slowly, and a majority of the bandits have fallen. "We're with Oleg. " Cappi shouts in reply, "So we'd appreciate a parlay, or at least a warning before meeting blades." As he shouts this, he cuts around the front of the horses inside the gate, clicking at them as he wheels by, and lashes out at the final archer still within the gates.
attack main hand: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
attack off hand: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Cappi deftly strikes out at the archer, one strike, then another, cutting the man on the thigh and then catching the femoral artery with a dazzling slash and causing the man to crumple to the ground as the last of his life flows out of him.

That leaves the final bandit remaining, inside the gates. For those outside the gates he is considered to have full cover due to the horses.

Unable to see any standing foes Dendarial double moves toward the gate. This should allow him to move past the horses (I think) and choose a good spot to draw a bead on the remaining bandit. Nice shot there Cappi. he comments as he moves past the halfling admiring his blade work. He then addresses the remaining bandit. Your life is forfeit human if you do not drop your weapons now!

@Den - Your double move puts you inside the gates, and you manage to glimpse the man as he runs around the corner towards the back of the post. You have initiative on him but it would be impossible at this point to move next round and be in a place to fire before he gets another move. Check the map and see what you can figure out for a plan.

"Parley can wait." The young man, who's voice you heard in response to Brom's challenge, replies. "If you're friends of Oleg's, make certain no Bandits succeed in fleeing the field. From outside the post if you please." He continues, his sword held at guard. "The best way to lose people unintentionally is to have unknown 'friends' show up in a pitched battle."
"Hadin! See to your Aunt & Uncle! Boon, Heel! Theod! Sir Karse just scared the last of them deeper into the post, see if you can't catch him!" He bellows into the trading post. Holding up his free hand, the man adds. "One last matter, if you please." Turning back to the finely armored 1/2 Orc farther within. "Sir Karse, please tell me you left at least one of them alive enough to question."
Finally turning back to you, Cappi, he looks down. "I don't suppose any of your number possess a talent for healing?"

Keeping a watchful eye on the newcomers, Sire Karse begins checking the bodies of the bandits, to be sure they are dead. If any live yet, he will attempt to stabilize them.

Heal check (untrained): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

After the first failed attempt, Karse gives up on trying to render aid and just checks to see which are still alive.

"I told you we would defeat them," Sir Karse calls back. "I'll see if any are yet breathing."

Brom surveys the ruin of bodies outside, and his largely uninjured companions, then listens as Rufus offers him guard duty when one more bandit is left alive. The blood pounding in his ears and the pain-induced rage still coursing through him he sniffs casually as he stoops under the half-lowered gate, bashing his head with a curse, and stalks inside, standing tall with a blood-dripping Krasa clutched in his hand, wounded shoulder and forces the words through grated teeth, "Ve are certain zhose bandits are dead." and tosses his head behind him referring to outside the gate. "You say zhere is vun more? Krasa and I vill finish zhis. Vhere is zhe bandit-veasel?" He notes the many bandit bodies as he speaks and surveys the area searchingly, clearly impressed at the results and obvious prowess of those standing inside.

HP 15/15, AC14/16, Conditions: Raging, Bless, Inspired | Rage 2/6 used. Just going to count this as 'next round actions' and use that round of rage.

Rufus' eyes narrow as both one of 'Oleg's friends' & Sir Karse feel it needful to make commentary on an unresolved, uncertain battle.

"Right." "Theod! There is a shaven-pate wall of muscle says he can take the Bandit down before you do! Try not to kill him!" With that, Rufus rests the point of his blade on the toe of his boot & swings his off hand as though to say 'there you go'. Shaking his head slightly, Rufus turns back to Cappi. "You say you are friends of Oleg, when Oleg says similarly, I will welcome you with open arms." Finally, he raises his voice once more. "Ho, Bandit! Your chances aren't looking well at the moment, what say you save yourself an imminent gruesome death & surrender while that remains an option?!"

Castor rushes into the fort, and observes the carnage, missing Rufus' order in his desire to help the wounded.

"Is anybody in need of healing? I would hate to let allies suffer needlessly. As for the bandits, please tie up the survivors. I have more than enough healing to go around."

Once assured that no bandit is still living but unrestrained, Castor channels positive energy over the camp, to ease off the wounds of battle for all present.

Channel Positive Energy: 1d6 ⇒ 4

I'm not sure on the rules, been a while since this came up for me: Does magical healing automatically stabilize the injured?

Yes

Seeing Rufus does not intend to stop him, Brom smiles a broad and crazy-looking smile at him, that and his eyes still burning with reflected rage. Giving a quizzical and angry look towards Cappi, "Ve are Olegs friends?" he shrugs massive shoulders and turns to look for the remaining bandit, speaking to himself "I zhought ve vere killing zhe bandits." He starts heading west around the stables, and catching sight of Castor coming in with proffered healing, spits into his injured upper arm to preserve the scar. He hurries off, giving the same maniacal smile to their new friends.

Double Move west around the south side of the stable. 3/6 rage rounds used.

"The only way there are going to be any survivors among the bandits, you pulling iepure, is if you work on them, now!"
"If you can't be bothered to heal them before it's safe, get out!" Rufus retorts to the long-eared priest.

Castor does as told, preferring not to engage in any more conflict, but anyone can tell he resents Rufus' shouting.

"Is any of you injured still, not accounting for the bandits?"

Castor looks around the entrance of the fort, searching for any wounded combatants.

"Of course we're Oleg's friends!" Cappi shouts back to Brom, grinning ear to ear. "He may not be convinced of it yet, but it's more about intention than current status. Besides, the integrity of the comment was less of a concern to me than the result."

As he yells this back to the massive barbarian, Cappi takes of sprinting through the buildings in pursuit of the final bandit. He has no idea if the man is intending to hide, or has a knowledge of passage worth noting. Eitherway, it seems the knight is getting frustrated with the man's escape. Cappi would prefer to package up this conflict with a nice ribbon as well. "Brom! He's heading toward the back left wall." He wishes he was better at directions. "He may have a horse back there, that I'd rather you get to first."

With the fight winding down, Will ends his song and enters the fort, and seeing Castor checking the fallen, lets him continue unchecked. "Good sir," Will directs towards the bellowing Rufus, "I think our actions have served to show our true colors well enough, and if that doesn't work, perhaps this charter we all carry will be sufficient to cease your incessant yelling." he says, pulling out his charter to show the man.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, we have business to attend to." Will then heads to the very first bandit Dendarial shot, the one he used a blunted arrow on so it would not be lethal, and does his best to tie up the knocked out bandit for questioning later.

"Incessant... Rufus turns to the smaller man. "Have you ever been on a battlefield, business man?" He retorts. Taking the proffered document, he unrolls & reads it. "Lady Lebeda, would you bring your Charter here, please?" he calls to the young woman at the Gate winch.

Ok, couple of quick things. Before each of you performs too many actions make sure you know we are still in loose initiative as we have a bandit running away. So try not to overflow the thread with anything that isn't happening within the span of six seconds. If you aren't giving chase personally I'm fine with you acting out of initiative as long as its understood you can't join the chase later. I need to keep track of the rounds in my head as this guy tries his best to escape.

Second, and Theod can back this part, I come from the school of enemies don't get negative HP unless they are important. You reduce a critter or lackey to 0 and they die, no chance to save them. This is why often I will use pretty graphic descriptions of their demise, its colorful and adds flavor factor. I can't do this if I'm worried about them coming back from negative HP. This works in your advantage and against you. Unless you want a channel to fire off and suddenly have 8 bandits pop back up from the dead. So unless you are specifically saying you are doing non-lethal damage, if you drop something, its toast. The blunt arrow doesn't mean non-lethal, it just means blunt.

Having said that, Kurgan did specify non-lethal on his attack, so you do have one groaning bandit with a giant knot on his head that survived the attack.

Going to wait for a few others to post before I deal with Brom and whoever else might be giving chase.

Will glares at the man who just snatched his charter, "Quite often SIR, it's how I honed a voice that carries over the clash of combat."

OK, I thought Dend said non-lethal too, but if that guy is dead, Will will have tied up the groaning one first.

OK, I thought Dend said non-lethal too, but if that guy is dead, Will will have tied up the groaning one first.

He didn't take the -4 on the shot, and I'm pretty certain Den has a solid grasp of the mechanics, so I was pretty sure he was going lethal. The blunt arrow part did confuse me though. :)

Winifred starts stomping down the ladder after walking away from the winch, when she gets to the bottom of the ladder, she angrily points a finger at Rufus message spell and then with a very angry look on her face she begins whispering.

Cappi is giving chase as well. Not sure if I made that clear enough in my post.

Will smiles back at the young woman who had been manning the winch, "No milady, you do not. We were the hammer to your groups anvil quite successfully. Now, will you please show your charter to this... overzealous... protector of yours so we can stop this pointless bickering?"

Castor looks over the fallen bandits once more, now stabilized by his channeling, before asking aloud, "Is there somewhere in these fort where these outlaws could be put under lock and key until we figure out what to do with them?"

Will Thatcher wrote:

OK, I thought Dend said non-lethal too, but if that guy is dead, Will will have tied up the groaning one first.

He didn't take the -4 on the shot, and I'm pretty certain Den has a solid grasp of the mechanics, so I was pretty sure he was going lethal. The blunt arrow part did confuse me though. :)

If you must know the truth, the shot was lethal as the DM noted. The blunt arrow was for two things. While not in the rules I though it might be reasonable that a blunt shot might not bleed out, but that was before the speech on NPCs dieing at zero (Fine by me). But he main reason was in case they were in negotiations with the men (he did not know for sure they were bandits) so he could claim it was non-lethal if it became important. >:)

Dendarial ignores any human speaking to him and double moves to stand beside the bandit, drawing his short sword as he moves. If you run I will cut you down. he tells the man.

Also Castor, per our GM the bandits all died except one. Plus the runaway .

Thanks for the clarification, Captain Trips. I guess that channel only hits friendlies and, thanks to Selective Channeling, ignores the knocked-out bandit, with the fleeing bandit, Brom and Cappi being out of range by the time Castor channels.

Hell, the fleeing bandit never got touched. He's looking in tip top shape. He just wasn't planning on so many dead bodies around him and it was time to beat feet.

"Pointless? Listen songbird, your act may send the ladies swooning where you're from, but this is the River Kingdoms & as far as people here are concerned the main difference between you & the fellows we just cut down like so much wet grain is that we just cut them down like so much wet grain."
"Foreigners have tried civilizing these parts before...
Do they look civilized to you?"
Turning once more to Winifred, Rufus holds out Will's Charter. "Do you want to compare them, or should I?"

Will looks around and does some quick counting, before responding, "Well lets see, by my count, about half that wet grain was cut down by us, and one of US had the intelligence to keep one alive, which is more than I can say for you. Now, if you are done throwing a tantrum to salvage your pride after being saved by people you think are less then you, I suggest you close that trap of yours and let the grown ups talk."

Making a point to turn his back on Rufus, Will then address Winifred, "Milady, I trust my charter will be safe with you, I have other business I'd like to attend to." Will then heads back out of the fort, collecting his bow and heading down the road to bring Bob and Capella back to the group.

"When the grown ups start talking, I'll consider it worth listening to." Rufus responds. "On the subject of sums...
Since you went there. Your party took down about half...
looking at matters, you have almost twice our numbers and magic at your disposal...
yet you were only able to take down about half. Congratulations on keeping one alive when you have them outnumbered & outforced. I look forward to your next encounter, with something more your weight."
As Winifred has seemingly taken possession of the Charters, Rufus will make his way into the Trading Post once more. "Oleg, Svetlana, how do you fare?"

But he is in a walled fort full of armed enemies and the gate closing. And a particularly bloodthirsty elf is standing beside him with a sword ready to fix the whole "tip-top" thing. :)

Thats why the gods invented the climb skill! :)

I am enjoying the drama between some of the members meeting for the first time, but let's all remember that IC is not the same as OOC and let's keep things strictly IC. Don't get ruffled!

Since folks are dialoguing, I'm going to move to the next round of "run away, run away" hosted by Brom, Cappi, Dendarial, and our fleeing bandit leader.

The fleeing bandit cuts a corner around the stables and heads for the wall of the fort. As he comes to the wall Brom sees him appear in his field of view, a straight shot from the barbarian.

The man quickly tries to scramble up the wall in hopes of getting out of this place, fast...

Climb Check
Climb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

...as he begins to make the climb his footing between the logged walls of the fort gives way and he tumbles back to the ground, only to be staring down the charge of a fairly nasty looking barbarian.

Brom, Cappi, and Dendarial only may now continue to give chase.

I was a little ahead of myself there - both Captain and I moved Den. NOW he will move to where I wanted him to go.

The ranger moves to where he last saw the fleeing bandit and spots him again. He prepares to take a shot at the man next round if he does not surrender.

Linguistics checking for forgery: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21I'm assuming that roll is high enough to realize it's not a forgery, so I'll continue with that assumption

"Not only does the document bear the same message, I can assure you that it is a legitimate document of the Swordlords of Restov, they are indeed here for the same reason that we are."

Winifred hands Will back his charter and speaks once again, "Please forgive Rufus' rudeness, I am Lady Winifred Lebeda, it is nice to have your assistance in this matter." She says with a slight curtsy.

As the range passes by the others he cocks his head thinking he hears something, but if he did, it was too quite to make out.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

The Chase!

Leaving the arguing folks behind Brom looks north and south for signs of the last bandit when he comes around the corner, eyes wild with sustained barbarian rage. His vigilance is rewarded when the bandit comes sprinting west on the far side of the stables and tries to scale the west wall. Brom's brief look of consternation is replaced by glee as the bandit falls, and the scarred barbarian roars, "KRASAAA!!" and charges, all 215 lbs of muscle and scarred flesh bearing quickly down the narrow alley between stable and wall. He lifts Krasa high over his head as he charges, aiming to smash the remaining villain into the dirt.

+1 Earth Breaker, Attack (chrg, bless) & Damage: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 162d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 5) + 7 = 18

HP 15/18*, AC12/16 | Conditions: Raging, Bless | Rage rounds used 4/6

*EDIT* Yikes! That's gonna be close!

Tshilaba reacts to the fleeing bandit with a sleep spell, and while he is casting, smiles as he hears the other man shouting something about taking one alive. He attempts to get the spell off before the raging barbarian can get to him, but it may be close.

Casting Sleep: DC 16
I might be able to get this off before Brom if this is round 4 as I beat him in initative. I'm afraid I will be posting a bit less for the next 10 days, but if I can get this in, I'll still be of some help.

Taking the charter back from Winifred, Will returns her curtsy with a slight bow. "You have a staunch defender there Lady Lebeda, his words were taken as someone who doesn't trust anyone, and must ensure the safety of other before himself." Will then collects the bandit's animals as best he can, and leads them all to the groups horse hitch with Capella and Bob.Am I correct in thinking we just acquired 4 more horses, or is there more?

Sir Karse moves to join Winifred and Rufus. "I am sorry, but you neglected to tell me that you wanted one alive for questioning. I made a vow to defend this place and these folk with my life, and I have done so. You should be more specific in your desires."

He gives a bow to Lady Winifred. "And you, milady. An interesting trick you performed. Obviously there is more to you than I first suspected." He bows again and moves to join Will with the horses.

"Well met, friend. The Lady Winifred tells us that your charter is the same as ours, so I guess that makes us allies. I am Sir Karse, of House Orlovsky." He offers his hand in friendship. The towering half-orc smiles; a somewhat unsettling prospect.