GM Niles Wrath of the Righteous (Inactive)

Game Master nilesr

Waiting on me?

Victrix nods in agreement. "'E will, no doubts about that."

She leans towards Nurah. "One last thing... yeh've been 'elpful, Nurah. Yeh've given us a name ta watch for, an' who it serves. I've only got one more question."

"Do ya want ta be free of them?" Her voice is soft again... and hopeful.

Nurah hangs her head and says I don't have a choice do I....

There are actual mechanics for atonement and redemption of NPC's, In champions of purity. I have the PDF at home and I'll post em later.

Victrix pats Nurah on the shoulder. "Yeh always do, Nurah. Yeh always do."

She then gets to work untying the halfling's bonds.

The WotR Player's Guide has redemption mechanics in it too.

Oh, its been awhile since I read the Player's guide.

Nurah stays still while Victrix unties her.

Ok, I'm ready to move on unless you guys wanna extend this further...just let me know what happens with Nurah for the short term. IE: until we get to Drezen. I'll move things along once everyone posts something about their activities for the evening/day while the army prepares to march for Drezen.

Konny practices his spellcasting abilities, mainly using minor tricks. His gear changes color regularly, small items float around him, lights float around. His new scorpion friend keeps close by.

Victrix helps Nurah to her feet once she unties her, and makes sure to keep her under her protection, escorting her from the tent. After retrieving her weapons, she gives any Crusaders eying Nurah a look that basically says 'Don't try anything funny.'

"They'll need time ta trust yeh, Nurah, but the fact that yeh're helpin' fer real will go a long way. I know yeh 'ave what it takes ta truly be free from the demons." She whispers to the halfling. "An' I intend ta 'elp yeh get there."

As Victrix and Barundar converse with Nurah & Konny explores his new-found arcane capabilities, Belledonna visits the other prisoner. Seeing to his circumstances & inquiring after the details of a life which brought him to revere a being who had brought so much pain & suffering to her land & her people.

Considering he is a cleric of Deskari, Belledonna isn't particularly aiming to convert him or anything of that nature. She isn't fundamentally opposed to the idea, but it isn't really her goal.
Mostly, she is reacting to the fact that when she was treating him better, they got better information & somewhere subconsciously concluding that you should treat your prisoners how you might wish to be treated, rather than how you might think they 'deserve' to be treated.
Both of them are likely aware that it is just a question of when he gets executed, not if (at least not unless he is important enough to Exorius to attempt a jailbreak), but that doesn't mean he can't/shouldn't be allowed what dignity they are able to afford him.
Once she has finished talking with him, she is going to visit the two Crusaders who were possessed. Talk with them, try & be certain they are suffering no permanent psychic trauma, assuming she could even tell.

3/4 ain't bad I guess....

The Crusaders keep Nurah under armed guard, and despite Victrix's assertions they keep her gagged also.

Belledonna discovers the tiefling was born in the Worldwound he never met his mother or father. He had a most terrible [to Belle's estimation] life in service to Deskari and it is all he has ever known. He seems at peace with his coming death, he will however mention vague threats about how Exorius will slay them all etc, etc.

The possessed Crusaders are traumatized a bit by their experience with the Quasits. They were not part of Galfrey's army she dispatched with you to take Drezen, instead they were part of the group that was guarding the Ford. When the Ford was overrun by Tieflings, they were captured and brutalized before being possessed. When the army freed them, they integrated into the ranks of the Army.

Irabeth now knows how to spot a possessed Crusader and now she will begin routinely having Crusaders touch cold iron in her presence. She won't be fooled again.

The army marches on the next day, after beheading the tiefling prisoner and burying him in an unmarked grave. The going is tougher than before and less ground is covered. Towards the end of the march Brighton approaches you and says There is a chapel ahead...I heard of it from some of the Crusaders. It was once a proud Temple of the Forgefather, but since the fall of Drezen it has been abandoned. I would like to see it.

Aron says Likely some beast took up residence, better we skip it and continue to our destination. No use risking ourselves. There are hundreds of these sort of Chapels throughout the Worldwound, we can't save them all.

During the interim...

After the interrogation, Barundar is going to spend his time checking with the Crusaders and making sure that everything is going well. If any of them have any concerns about the traitor in the camp, he does his best to calm them down and encourage them with the fact that they ultimately located the mole and that no further harm will be done to them by her.

Still, he spends a great deal of time in reflection over the interrogation. Normally, after the interrogation was over, he'd have wanted nothing more than to give the woman what he believed she deserved...but now he was beginning to wonder if that truly WAS what she deserved. Certainly they could learn more from her, but after that...was it more important for her to be executed for her crimes? Or was there a chance, even a small one, that she could be redeemed from the evil she had done? As a dwarf, he knew very well that sometimes when put to the fire, a blade could break under the stress of forging...but that, more often than not, that same weapon could be melted down and re-made into something better. Was the same true of people?

Much of his time is spent in such reflection and little in conversation with the others as he searches himself and his beliefs for answers to those questions. When he hears of a temple of the Forgefather nearby, though, he immediately perks up.

"A temple tae Torag? ah wid lik' tae visit it masell. It haes bin a lang time sin ah paid mah proper respects tae th' Faither o' Dwarves. 'n' if th' temple haes bin defiled, it wouldn't be richt fur Brighton 'n' ah tae pass up a chance tae restore it."

Perfect timing

Barundar pauses suddenly, stopping any motion, a curious expression on his face. It's as if a sudden sensation he wasn't expecting has come over him. After a moment, he removes Radiance from its clasp and gazes at the weapon curiously.

"Radiance is...communicating wi' me somehow. Does th' weapon hae its ain intelligence? Ah sense something fae it...it wants us tae go tae th' chapel." he says, seemingly in awe of the weapon's growing powers.

At Aron's words, Belledonna turns. "No, we cannot cleanse them all...
But that does not mean we should leave such a cancer in our wake either. I have heard you Mendevs make much of terms like 'supply line' and other such things. It seems to me that allowing such a known threat to remain in our path is...
not the wisest course of action."
Seeing that Barundar also desires to investigate, she nods.

Fortitude Save (Hedonistic: If Needed): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Victrix is in a pleasant mood this morning--having made some headway with Nurah was likely the reason she's so energetic. At the mention of Radiance wanting to go to the chapel of Torag, she shrugs.

"Don't really see a reason not ta go. I'm just wonderin' if I should bring Nurah with me..."

I could potentially show her how truly effective we are, fighting on the side of good. It might do more to convince her than words.

"You hear that, Biggie? What is your take on the chapel, should we go?" Konny asks his weapon. After a while he turns to the others "I am absolutely certain Biggie is not against us going to the chapel. But he remainded me, we should talk about our fighting as a unit. I feel we need a leader in the fights. Someone whom we listen to as to the general strategy at least. Otherwise our effectiveness drops considerably as we all saw during our last fight. And that was not the first time it happened. Uncle Anvil would have been horrified." he says only half jokingly.

Ok, so the chapel is up a set of narrow stairs which can be navigated only single file and very slowly So no bringing mounts or the whole army.

Eventually, after a few hours of climbing you make it to the Chapel. light is fading, but with your darkvision that doesn't seem to cause a problem. The weather though, is turning for the worse and a storm seems likely.

If you plan on scouting the chapel, I'll need stealth/perception. Otherwise there is an obvious entrance, although the wall surrounding the courtyard has crumbled. So there may be other entrances into the compound via crumbled walls.

Map updated

At Konny's words regarding the need for a strike leader & the mention made of previous errors, Belledonna's expression darkens somewhat, but she nods guardedly in agreement. "Who would you suggest?"

"My vote goes ta Victrix." Barundar says, looking around the rubble-filled chapel to Torag. "Och, what a mess..we oughta clean this place up...is nae honor to Torag here."

Victrix is busily eying the chapel with one hand on her greatsword when the party brings up the idea of a strike team leader.

She doesn't pay it too much attention until Barundar mentions her name.

"Wait--what now?"

"Yeah, Vic is the obvious choice. And she is clearheaded enough to evaluate the situation and coordinate properly. We only need someone who decides whether we fight, flee, take prisoners and so on. Following that I think we can each do our part. The mistakes from our last fight should not be repeated." Konny says as he looks directly at Belledonna.

"Once we finish this discussion, I will scout the place out, ok?"

When the talk is over, Konny heads out to the chapel.

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

This is gonna hurt...

Konny conducts a pretty thorough recon of the exterior grounds.

D1 The gates to this small courtyard lie smashed and broken with tall grass growing amid the rubble. Two main buildings stand side by side to the east, separated by a single alleyway. The smaller structure appears to be a stable, while the other is much larger with several doors and stained-glass windows, apparently a chapel judging by the pious statues along its rooftop.

Konny you spot what appear to be the bones of humanoids in the rubble here.

D9 Stunted trees and tangled grass choke this open - air courtyard . A half-broken statue looks to the sky with what once would have been outstretched arms.

The map is updated

Konny describes what he saw to his companions upon his return. He finishes with "There seemed to be some humanoid bones among the rubble in the small courtyard."

Victrix's cheeks slightly turn the colour of her hair.

"I'm good at chargin' in an' breakin' s**t with a sword. That doesn't mean I'd be a good leader..." She mumbles as Konny leaves to go scouting.

She listens to his report when he returns. "Bones, eh? I wonder if they're from scavengers or somethin' else... in either case, we oughta be careful--we moight be walkin' into a trap."

"Bah. Tis mair than that, lassie. Ye keep a cool heid under pressure 'n' ye'r as guid or better wi' yer tongue than yer sword. Nobody wants a scarred-up dwarf fur a leader 'n' a'd wager th' ithers cop th' same aboot themselves. 'N' aye tae th' warning o' bein' canny. Demons seem tae love this all trap nonsense." the dwarf answers.

Belledonna shrugs in acknowledgment of Barundar's words.

Victrix squares her shoulders. "Alroight... I'll give it all I got."

Well, it's not like I don't already have experience leading people...

"If we're gonna check the place out, I'll go first."

Ok, where are you going D1 or D9? Are you trying to stay hidden or approaching in plain view?

"As you wish. But be careful, I do not like the feel of this place." Konny shrugs and readies Biggie.

Then he waves his hand and murmurs an incantation.

Spell Failure Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 93

And successfully casts Shield, duration 1 minute, current AC 21

Victrix cautiously walks towards D9. She keeps an eye out for trouble as she moves.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Victrix, followed by the others walk around the chapel until they enter via the collapsed wall. This seemed to once be an open air courtyard, a statue, presumably of Torag, lay in pieces on the ground. To the left the party sees the inside of an old stable...oddly enough there seems to be weaponry piled inside among the collapsed brick and wooden beams.

Three stony forms fly down at you from the top of the chapel proper!

Barundar approaches the statue in the courtyard, turning to tell the others that he feels Radiance pulling at him in front of it, as if it wants something to be done with the statue...then suddenly, the gargoyles from above are upon them!

Will wait until some others have actions posted before posting my own.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

"They are Gargoyles!" Nineties cartoon reference FTW! Belledonna calls out. "Their flesh is proof against all save enscorcelled weapons!"

If you get to the computer sooner then me, please bot me - attack + surprise strike

Surprise Round
Gargoyles fly down and engage.
Round 1
Konny [shielded 1 minute] attacks the Gargoyle in front of him 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 hitting for 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 2) + 5 = 11 and then using Mythic power to attack again! Mythic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 hitting for 2d5 + 5 + 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 5 + (3, 2, 1) = 16
Brighton chants and raises his holy symbol [prayer active, enemies get -1 allies get +1 to all attacks, saves, damage and skills]
Monsters
Red attacks Konny Claw1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19Claw2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12Gore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18 but all the attacks miss due to Konny's Offensive/Defense ability and shield spell.
Green attacks Barundar Claw1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19Claw2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26Gore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 hitting once for 1d4 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 - 3 = 3
Blue attacks Victrix Claw1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20Claw2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11Bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19Gore: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 hitting twice for 1d6 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 - 3 = 1 and 1d4 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 - 3 = 3
Barundar
Belledonna
Victrix

Round 1: Actions
Free Action: Drop Greatsword
Move Action: Draw Mace of the Penitent
Standard Action: Smack the gargoyle
Swift Action: Use Decisive Strike to grant Konny another attack

Victrix heeds Belle's warning as the gargoyle claws at her, dropping her greatsword and drawing her enchanted mace.

"Good thing I 'ave this, then!" She says as she swings her mace.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
Damage? (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

She then focuses her power, reaching out and imbuing Biggie with swiftness. "Konny! Go for it!"

Round 1
Konny [shielded 1 minute] attacks the Gargoyle in front of him hitting for 11 and then using Mythic power to attack again! hitting for 16
Brighton chants and raises his holy symbol [prayer active, enemies get -1 allies get +1 to all attacks, saves, damage and skills]
Monsters
Red attacks Konny but all the attacks miss due to Konny's Offensive/Defense ability and shield spell.
Green attacks Barundar hitting once for 3
Blue attacks Victrix hitting twice for 4.
Barundar attacks with Radiance 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 2?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 hitting twice for 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (7, 6) + 8 = 21
Belledonna casts Protection from Evil on Victrix
Victrix attacks but misses, Konny also strikes out 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 but misses also.

Round 2
Konny
Brighton
Monsters
Barundar
Belledonna
Victrix

"Didnae anyone ever tell ye it's rude to interrupt!" the dwarf shouts angrily at the gargoyle who just managed to land a blow on him (Green). He turns Radiance back against the creature once more, plainly wanting to end this fight quickly and turn his attention back to other matters.

Going Full Attack and using Stonestrike as my swift action.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Damage 1: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Attack 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage 2: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Smirking at Barundar's 'wit', Belledonna begins another of her now-familiar incantations. Focusing her arcane power upon a point beyond the foes, she calls forth a glittering cloud of dust.

Cast Glitterdust, placed to affect the Gargoyles, not her companions.

When my turn comes up:

Round 2: Actions
Full-Round Action: Attack the gargoyle in front of me!

Belledonna's protective magic settles on Victrix, spurring the berserker onward.

Victrix swings her mace at the gargoyle before her twice, trying to bring the thing down!

Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Damage (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Attack 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Round 2
Konny tumbles through the Gargoyle Acro: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26 attacks the gargoyle from flankingBiggie: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14 but he misses.
Brighton casts Protection from Evil on Barundar.
Monsters
Red full attacks on Konny Claw1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24Claw2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27Gore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 hitting for 1d4 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + (4) + 8 = 16
Green attacks Barundar Claw1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18Claw2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19Gore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 but the Dwarf is too well defended.
Blue attacks Victrix Claw1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26Claw2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23Bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12Gore: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 hitting three times for 2d6 + 1d4 + 12 - 9 ⇒ (2, 5) + (4) + 12 - 9 = 14
Barundar hits twice for 22.
Belledonna casts Glitterdust WillR: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16WillG: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22WillB: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 Red is blinded! the other two save.
Victrix smacks the Green Gargoyle for 21, sending it to the ground unmoving

Konny I'll use your last post for round 4....I botted you for 2 and 3....

Round 4

Konny attacks the closest gargoyle
Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
damage: 2d6 + 5 + 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4) + 5 + (5, 6, 5) = 31

Then decides to press the attack trying to catch the foe unaware
Surprise strike: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
damage: 2d6 + 5 + 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5) + 5 + (5, 2, 1) = 19

MP 5/7

Edit: you ninjaed me (or however it should be written), so this is for round 3
Edit 2: oh, I have not noticed you wrote both round 2 and 3 together. Ok, we will see if that is applicable, when round 4 comes.

Barundar winds up again, hoping he is just as lucky this time as he was this time.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage 1: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Attack 2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage 2: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Attacking Blue since that's the only one left. Just making sure to clarify that.

Seeing that only one Gargoyle remains & that Barundar and Victrix are likely to reduce it to little more than rubble shortly, Belledonna does what she can to examine the site more closely, calling upon her arcane perceptions as she does.

Cast Detect Magic
untrained Percpetion: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Round 3: Actions
Full Round Action: Smack Blue around!

Having taken a few lumps, and seeing how the other gargoyles have been slain, Victrix turns her attention to the last one standing.

Another two swings from her mace...

Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
Damage (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Attack 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

No map access until this afternoon, then I'll update.

Round 3
Konny attacks the Gargoyle hitting for 26
Brighton casts Shield on himself
Monsters
Red[blind] flies up Konny kills it before it manages to leave the ground.
Blue attacks Victrix hitting her twice for 6
Barundar hits once for 4
Belledonna casts detect magic and does indeed detect magical auras all over the place.
Victrix hits twice for 26!

AoO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Damage (2-Handed): 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Yep.

Guess I still need to roll it, though, since Barundar goes before Victrix.

AoO: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Well now it'll be that much closer to dead instead of unconscious and dying.

Combat Over

Belledonna sees several magical auras. I'll label them on the map.

The moment the gargoyles are all dealt with, Barundar takes Radiance in both hands and approaches the statue he was at only moments ago, looking up at it, then down to the hammer. "What dae ye waant me tae dae 'ere, lassie? Bah...if ainlie ye cuid speak..." he trails off, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, trying to zero his focus in on the hammer and see if he might get a better idea of what the weapon desires of him.