GM Fuzzfoot's AP: Giantslayer, Dwarven Brigade (Inactive)

Game Master PJP

The Ballista blasts through that orc, sending him back 20 feet, bleeding to death.

Double move towards yellow, end of turn. If yellow is still up next round, will use longhammer to attack for reach

Crossbow Attack v Pink: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 5

Gundar looses another bolt, growling as once again his aim goes wide.

The orcs on shore see the futility in a ranged conflict, and charge the anchored boat. (Lots of double moves.)

Round 4: (Bold may act)
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (26 dmg)
Tark/Yellow (46 dmg)
Belir
Gundar

Round 5: (Bold may act)
Kragmyr (inspiring rage: +2 Str and 2x primary naturale resources)
Orcs: Red, Green, Blue, Pink

"Hang in their Ulark, we'll patch you up right after this beast goes down!" Thozar roars as he continues to let the simmering anger of ages past control his actions.
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Axe vs Yellow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 181d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Hammer vs Yellow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 151d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Thozar makes another small nick, but the large orc is not going down easy.

Ulark lets his hand slip from the haft of his axe the graze it over the latest cut.

Lay on Hands: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

Just a scratch. the warriro yells back to Thozar as some of his gashes seem to mend. As Kragmyr advances to back up the assault, Ulark lets the longaxe fall to the deck, lunging at the orc with a pair of ghostly handaxes. I'll be fine! Worry about putting some more scratches in him.

Attack 'axe' 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 for damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Attack 'axe' 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 for damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Torith uses his connection to earth to summon up more rock to hurl. He takes aim at the orc swimming around the side of the ship. Targeting green.

earth blast attack, elemental overflow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 = 20

earth blast damage, elemental overflow: 2d6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 6 + 2 = 18

Torith blasts apart one of the would-be borders.

Thozar and Ulark each make another cut on the main orc, who is starting to look bloodied.

The raging orc continues to concentrate his assault on Ulark, all but ignoring the others. Luckily, Ulark is able to use his ghostly weapons to keep that deadly blade at bay.

Falchion: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Falchion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Round 4: (Bold may act)
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (21 dmg)
Tark/Yellow (53 dmg)
Belir
Gundar

Round 5: (Bold may act)
Kragmyr (inspiring rage: +2 Str and 2x primary naturale resources)
Orcs: Red, Blue, Pink

Unable to reach the raging orc with his axes, Kragmyr swung his longhammer instead.

Hit with heroism and hatred: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 4) + 9 = 19

Due to the soft cover provided by Ulark, I am afraid you miss.

Seeing the orcs advancing Belir swings the ballista back around to the orc aboard the ship and fires.

TWANG!

Ballista; medium size: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 - 4 = 16
Damage: 3d8 ⇒ (2, 3, 1) = 6

With all of the orcs nearly taking the vessel over Belir draws his axe from his belt loop. "Let's do this already!"

Seeing the orcs charging the boat, Gundar grins and drops his crossbow. That was more like it. He whistles and points, and his owl stoops with Kragmyr's induced rage powering it's talons...

Don't have an exact position marker for the owl, but I'd told it to take flight in an earlier round.
Gundar Attack v Pink: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Gundar Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Owl Attack V Pink: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 15 Flanking
Owl Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Not sure which orc Belir meant, but if yellow, there is no line of site. I will assume pink, since that has the best effect.

Belir hits another orc with a large missle, injuring it but not taking it out of the fight. But the pink orc was not expecting a killer owl, and he is brutally damaged. Bleeding from multiple wounds, he sinks into the water.

Blue climbs on boar (AoO from Gundar), as does Red.

Round 5: (Bold may act)
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (21 dmg)
Tark/Yellow (53 dmg)
Belir
Gundar

Round 6: (Bold may act)
Kragmyr (inspiring rage: +2 Str and 2x primary naturale resources)
Orcs: Red, Blue, Pink

Enjoying the rush of rage, Thozar continues trying to rip the orc before him to pieces with his dwarven brethren.
________
Axe vs Yellow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 121d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Hammer vs Yellow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 241d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Confirm?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 131d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Favored enemy! Your owl gets it too btw :) Not gonna lie, I thought this was gonna be a mook fight. This orc though is a straight savage. Nice job with that ballista!

A hammer blow to the chest is still not enough to put this beast of an orc down.

Round 5: (Bold may act)
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (21 dmg)
Tark/Yellow (59 dmg)
Belir
Gundar

Round 6: (Bold may act)
Kragmyr (inspiring rage: +2 Str and 2x primary naturale resources)
Orcs: Red, Blue, Pink

Er, that was, uh... on purpose. Yeah, I don't have anything specifically against the pink guy. Seemed like a nice bloke.

Yer a tough one, I'll give ya that. Ulark grunts at the orc. He draws forth a burst of adrenaline and lands two quick cuts that break through the raider's defenses.

'axe' 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 for damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Confirm?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 for more: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
'axe' 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 for damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

But we dwarves are made of sterner stuff!

Ulark slams ghostly weapons into the orc barbarian, creating fatal wounds. He growls through it (damn orc ferocity), and slams his falchion back into Ulark.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 12 - 1 = 27
Damage: 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 1) + 9 = 14

Skipped Torith since he is concentrating on the others, but he can still go.

Round 5: (Bold may act)
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (14 more dmg)
Tark/Yellow (82 dmg, staggered, bleeding)
Belir
Gundar

Round 6: (Bold may act)
Kragmyr (inspiring rage: +2 Str and 2x primary naturale resources)
Orcs: Red, Blue, Pink

Belir leaps down from the ballista platform and crashes into the wooden planks with his heavy armor. Seeing Gundar in trouble Belir draws his shield and slowly makes his way to him.

Double Move.

Not sure how high up the platform was but assuming 10 feet.

Fall Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Hit vs Tark with cover penalty: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 4 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 6) + 9 = 18

Taking careful aim, Kragmyr swung his hammer at the raging orc. ”This hammer has drank a river of orc blood, your’s shall make it an ocean!”

Kragmyr crushes the orcs head, dropping him to the deck with a solid thud!

The few remaining orcs flee, seeing that this ambush has simply been a disaster.

Combat over!

Letting his bloody hammer high, Kragmyr yelled out ”Good shooting! We need to find a way to bring that ballista with us!” Then turning to Ulark, whose ethereal hammers were already fading, he said with a grin ”The way ye swung those axes makes our ancestors proud. Well fought.” As he said that he was already mentally composing the continued saga for the group. Axes, ballistas, stone commanded with but the mind! Truly, the stuff of legend.

As the anger slides out of his body, Thozar shivers. "That's heady stuff, I can see why you like it so much..." I'm uncertain I will try it again. I fear what I will do if I let go like that again, and again, and again.

"It was! Dwarves crushing orcs, the roar of mighty siege engines, we will be hard pressed to top that one!"

Aye! You're got a good armament here captain. I can see how you've plied the waters for so long.

Ulark pats himself to heal a few more of his wounds as he speaks to Kragmyr. Lay on Hands: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6
It felt good enough, and your song made them sharp as they could be. Saved me at the close. He frowns as he picks his longaxe back up. Have to find some way to adapt when they duck past the brace. Keep running into trouble when the orcs get right in the face.

Belir hops down and kicks the orcs. Making sure each is dead as he plants his axe blade into their necks before searching the bodies.

Torith lets out a cheer as the final orc falls to the combined might of the dwarves and the others flee in terror.

"Maybe those cowards will spread the word of our might. The orcs is this region will learn the hard way that you don't cross a band of dwarves when they're on a mission!"

To Ulark, Kragmyr said ”A dorn dergar? A good traditional weapon, not used much nowadays. But our ancestors made it for that exact issue.”

As Belir searches the bodies, the orcs in general have nothing of value (unless you need more javelins). The big one on the boat, however, has some gear worth noting.

potions of cure light wounds (2)
fire ward gel
mwk chain shirt
falchion
javelins (4)
belt of incredible dexterity +2
a letter from Melira, the saboteur on the boat (see Handout #1 in Notes, and text here as well)
21 gp

Captain Bloodtusk agrees to wait here for your return. Silvermane’s marker shows that you’re in the right place, but to find the hidden entrance to the Vault, you first need to find a will-o’-wisp to place in the ghostlight lantern that Silvermane gave you. Once you disembark from Bloodtusk’s keelboat, Silvermane’s instructions are to head northward from the marker into the swamp.

Gundar keeps an eye on the shore and treeline while the others deal with the dead. "Thick on the ground here, the greenskins are," he remarks to no-one in particular.

Has anything happened to this Melira? Because Thozar is about to have her roll initiative if the Captain hasn't done something about it.

Knowledge Will-o-Wisps: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

"Bah! We need to find a will-o-wisp?" Kragmyr complained to the dwarven band, in general. "At least orcs will give ye the decency of a fight straight to your face. But a wisp? Faint balls of light, bobbing in the air, they be. The little blighters are pure evil. They're immune to magic! They can become invisible whenever they want! And the worst part? The absolute bloody worst? They feed on fear. That's what they live on. They lead travelers on into danger, and then hover nearby eating their terror as the poor sods die. And now we have to and bloody find one.I really hope that someone here can see through invisibility. Otherwise we're probably going to end up dying in a bog or somesuch while the little blighters eat up our last moments."

Torith isn't sure what to make of the description of the wisp. He's especially worried about how his powers would work with a creature that is 'immune to magic'.

Even with that concern he keeps one eye on Thozar. With all the trouble the dwarves have had on the boat he wonders what the druid will do if he can get his hands on the person who has been plotting their demise.

To Ulark, Kragmyr said ”A dorn dergar? A good traditional weapon, not used much nowadays. But our ancestors made it for that exact issue.”

Never had the chance to really train in the thing, Ulark says wistfully. But yes, after this, when we get back, it may be good to wok to remedy that. Thank you Kragmyr - always keeping the past to the fore.

At the mention of will-o-wisp's evasive methods, the dwarf frowns. Any netting we could borrow? It's a rough go of it, but if seeing them'll be a challenge maybe trawling could snatch a few.

Belir grabs ahold of the letter. "Says here." He jams his finger into the paper. "That Melira is on board the ship!" Belir tosses the letter to teh Captain. "Seems ye might have a stowaway Cap'n."

"Sure, you can borrow some nets, not a problem. But it sounds like we need to search the ship, first!"

The Captain orders the crew to assemble. One of the crew is missing. The cook, Gashnakh, has not been seen since yesterday, it seems.

Our blood is on his dirty tusker hands. He vouched for his crew and one of his own is the reason for ALL OF THIS! Thozar stands silently fuming as the Captain goes through with his lackluster procedure. "I'M GETTING OFF THIS F*%&ING BOAT!" He shouts as he gathers his stuff and leaps right off, too angry to care if he is jumping into water or land.

"I'll meet you all on shore when you are ready and let Captain Tusker sort through his traitors," he sneers.
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GM, would Thozar think Faerie Fire would do anything useful with a Will-o-Wisp? That's the only druid spell I can think of that would do anything to combat the invisibility! This is the same day as the nautical orc raid, right?

It is the same day. In fact, you just searched the orcs when you found the letter.

Thought you'd like a bit of justice Thozar? Ulark says. Find this Melira and show how you feel about her little tricks and lures?

He turns to the captain. Ship's not that big. How can a whole person be unseen for weeks?

"Leave her to the Captain to handle. We have bigger fish to fry." Belir stomps off the boat. In his mind he would rather have soggy land than sit around on that cursed boat for another minute.

Put this next part in a spoiler since the GM said he had to tweek some things. Pending his tweeks, this may or may not happen, but I was in the mood so I wrote it now!

The chef seems newly missing, but I don't think Melira was one of the crew mentioned. Which means she's either been stalking us and infrequently boarding us, or hiding somehow.

With Belir and Thozar both leaving, Kragmyr shrugged. Thozar certainly had a point. And while he might once had wanted to be civil himself, the captain hadn't treated them with any degree of kindness. He certainly felt no warmth towards the half-orc.

"I've heard tell that a ship's crew is like a family. Given that all aboard are orc-touched, this is likely true here. As such, a traitor in their midst is a clan issue, and such problems should be dealt with internally. Let us be on our way and let them deal with their own."

As seven dwarfs stomp off into the swamp in a huff, the Captain and crew scratch their heads in confusion. Then they get busy searching their boat.

Ulark has only 5 hp remaining currently. I will allow you to retro acting on this information before moving on to the following:

North of the stone marker on the riverbank, Ghostlight Marsh is comprised of slow-moving streams, pools of stagnant water, and scattered hummocks of mud and waterlogged reeds. On average, the water is 4 feet deep (and counts as deep bog (Core Rulebook 427), requiring 4 squares of movement to enter a square and providing cover to creatures in the bog).

Not far into the swamp, something nasty suddenly bursts out of the muck. Multiple angry snake-like heads rise from the sleek, serpentine body of this terrifying monster.

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Belir
Kragmyr
Thozar
Torith
Ulark (only has 5 hp!)
Gundar
Creature

Skald magic isn’t as important as the spells of others...so...

CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
CLW: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Ulark is at full wounds

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

”A hydra! Lads, use ______ to kill it! It’s resistant to ______!”

GM, please fill in the blanks. Also inspire rage. +2 Str and 2x ghostly axes for everyone!

Belir stomps through the swamp and hunches down as the hydra emerges from the water. He stomps through the much drawing his sword and shield. "I got me blade and me shield. what more do ye need."

Double move 2 squares.

Greatly appreciated Kragmyr!

Concerned about what they may come back to, Ulark nevertheless readies his weapons and treks off into the swamp with his fellow dwarves. Almost immeaditely, he grows to hate it even more than the boat Least then we had solid footing below us

As a beast roars up from the muck and brush, the warrior trudges forward along the strip of land batting away overhanging branches as he closes.

Double Move

No special resistances, but:
Hydra Traits (Ex) A hydra can be killed by severing all of its heads or slaying its body. Any attack that is not an attempt to sever a head affects the body, including area attacks or attacks that cause piercing or bludgeoning damage. To sever a head, an opponent must make a sunder attempt with a slashing weapon targeting a head. A head is considered a separate weapon with hardness 0 and hit points equal to the hydra's HD. To sever a head, an opponent must inflict enough damage to reduce the head's hit points to 0 or less. Severing a head deals damage to the hydra's body equal to the hydra's current HD. A hydra can't attack with a severed head, but takes no other penalties.

Regenerate Head (Ex) When a hydra's head is destroyed, two heads regrow in 1d4 rounds. A hydra cannot have more than twice its original number of heads at any one time. To prevent new heads from growing, at least 5 points of acid or fire damage must be dealt to the stump (a touch attack to hit) before they appear. Acid or fire damage from area attacks can affect stumps and the body simultaneously. A hydra doesn't die from losing its heads until all are cut off and the stumps seared by acid or fire.

"Steel trap, that mind of yours Kragmyr! Go for the heads and I'll try to sear them as you do!" Thozar calls out as his arms erupt in a green blaze.
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How many heads do we see? Cast Produce Flame with Place Magic, CL 5.

5 heads. Still waiting on Torith and Gundar, I think.