Giantslayer by DM DoctorEvil

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

No worries. Still here.

It is not clear on the map I posted wihtout tags, but each square is 10' on this Inner Quarter map, rather than the usual 5'.

As Zan and Zirelle go over the barricade, they can see that bodies of all kinds litter the square -- orcs and humans, men and women, children and elderly. They lie scattered across teh cobblestones where they fell, veins of watery blood crawl from the base of the well in the center of the square, spreading from teh limp body of a slain Trunaun guard draped over the side of the well. A rare moment of silence on the battlefield accentuates the sounds of crackling flames in the distance and the steady hollow drip of blood into the well.

The guardsman has dropped his crossbow into the water, 20' below, but his body still holds a longsword, a heavy shield, 10 bolts, a full healer's kit, 50' of hemp rope, keys to the guard towers above and around you, and 15gp. His scale mail is broken, a long gash running down the side where the soldier was fatally wounded. A healing potion lies in the bloody mud at the base of the well where it fell from the gaurd's lifeless hand before he could use it to save himself.

The buildings that Zan sees to the west appear heavily damaged and abandoned. The last structure to the northwest is a popular Trunau bar called The Killin' Ground. There seems to be some sort of commotion going on inside, that Zan can hear, but he can't see inside.

The architecture of the bar is unique. It has a retractable canvas roof and a 1' gap between the walls and the ground, which allows the owner, one Rabus Clarenston, to just allow rain to clean the establishment's floors from time to time.

"To the bar!", Acacius exclaims, clearly eager to engage the invaders.

Zan grabs the healer's kit, rope, keys, bolts and potion ignoring the gold as currently it could save no lives and would only slow them down. He waves for Acacius to come over to his position. "There's a crossbow down there if you have any ideas to fish it out while I scout ahead."

The adventures seem to assume you'll take everything not nailed down regardless of circumstance. Scavenging for useful materials to protect the town is one thing but outright looting a fellow guard for gold is well past the line.

Acacius quickly assesses the situation. If he thinks he can quickly retrieve the crossbow, he will. Otherwise, he will wait on Zan's return.

Zirelle takes the gold, and casts detect magic to see if any of the weapons are magical.

I'm pretty sure we're in different places, at least according to the map. Cool if you came to the well with me and then moved on, but I don't think you are with me when I do that, so hopefully no lecture. :)

After getting anything valuable at the well, Zirelle moves east, looking around for anyone alive.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Seeing Acacius and Zan head to the Killing Ground, Nakoma hurries after Zirelle to check out the buildings on the east side of the street. Since Zirelle seems to be approaching the nearest one with the closed door, Nakoma moves to the house directly behind it, with the open, crumbling doorway.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

None of the items, except the potion, on the corpse at the well are magical. There is no easy way to reach the crossbow down the well short of using a hook and fishing for it or climbing down there. Since there is a major crisis on-going, Acacius leaves the weapon for now.

Zan, you are medium encumbered, just FYI. No one said you had to scavenge anything from the downed guard, but you all did, so I guess listing the things was valuable...

When Zan and the fighter have moved off, Zirelle grabs the purse full of gold crowns as well. The house to the east is familiar to you all, it is the home of Agrit Staginsdar and Sara Morninghawk, you were just at this place the night before. Long flames lick the walls of this sizable home, and burning beams crumble to the ground beneath the weight of the sagging roof. Though the front entrance remains accessible for now, the conflagration rages beyond control, threatening the lives of any residents that might be trapped inside.

The doorway, and interior of the house, seems to be completely concealed by thick black smoke rising from the fire within.

There is no way inside the house, except the main door, which is marked. The smoke provides complete concealment inside the house, but also comes with a Fort Check to avoid inhalation.

As Nakoma and Zirelle survey the fire-bombed house, and worry about their friends who may be inside, a group of orc raiders rounds the corner and shouts, looking to attack.

Zan and Acacius, I need your position to be accurate on the map. I thought Zan, at least, was near to the Killing Ground. Did he ever go inside? Acacius said he was holding position at the well at least until Zan returned.

Staginsdar Household - Round 1

20 Red Orc
20 Blue Orc
18 Zan
10 Nakoma
8 Zirelle
5 Acacius
4 Green Orc

Red Orc spies Nakoma first and launches a javelin at the warpriestess, which strikes her in the side.

Before Nakoma can react, another orc has rushed her, cutting a great wound in her belly, that disables poor Nakoma.

Hit by javelin for 5, but the falchion really hurts causing 12dmg and dropping Nakoma to 0hp early on. All the party is up. Nakoma is disabled, and any standard action drops her to -1 and unconscious.

Wanting to make sure that Agrit and Sara are okay, Zirelle calls out to them

Agrit! Sara! Are you in there?

When she sees the Orc Raiders and witnesses Nakoma being grievously wounded however, she bravely (or stupidly, depending on how you look at it) moves up to attack the Orcs and take the focus off Nakoma.

Cast Defensively: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 (success)

She casts Burning Hands, engulfing the first two orcs in flames.

Burning Hands Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 (DC 14 Reflex save for 1/2)

Zan had been sticking close to the edge of the building trying to remain unseen but seeing the raiders come out of nowhere he springs forward to strike at one of them.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

With the crossbow out of quick reach, Acacius looks around from his position near the well.

There is quiet. And then there is chaos.

Nakoma falls swiftly.

Acacius is already moving, realising that he has to act quickly or more will fall. He rushes past Zan's left and roars at the orcs, while swinging his polearm.

"Orcish scum! Face me!"

Any blow towards me is a blow away from them.

Charge and attack blue orc, or another orc if blue is already dead. Acacius gets +2 to attack, -2 to AC. His current AC with charge is 17. All of the orcs are within reach with his polearm, so they ignore him at their peril. He has combat reflexes and will try to trip the orcs if they provoke an AOO from him, such as charging the others.

Glaive-Guisarme against blue orc: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9

Ouch! Haha.

Nakoma looks in shock at her torn open and bloody stomach. She mutters something in a foreign language, and some of her wounds close.

Using fervour as a swift action to heal herself.
Healing: 1d6 ⇒ 5 Leaving me at 5 hp.

Bravely to the end...

Then she clutches her star knife in her hands and spins it, slicing the half-orc who nearly gutted her in the arm.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

I think I mentioned before that each of the squares on this map is 10' vs the usual 5. So Zan to move where he is takes 40' of movement. At medium encumbrance that's a double move, no attack.

Also, Acacius isn't going to be able to charge through the rubble of the burning/collapsed house. So that's a double move, as well, no attack. I used your attack roll as AoO vs Green as he advanced.

The distance also means that Burning Hands only catches one orc.

Not sure why Paizo uses 10' square maps still, but we'll figure it out together. I did reduce the size of the tokens to try to remind you of the grid size. Make best efforts to position you token in whichever corner of the square they can get to.

Staginsdar Household - Round 1 - concluded

Zan rushes forward, covering as much distance as he can, but cannot make an attack against the swarming orcs.

Nakoma, faltering, makes a prayer to Desna for healing, and just as she is about to fall, the divine energy lifts her slightly. Fiercely standing her ground against superior numbers, Nakoma stabs the orc who sliced her, disabling him as well. Only his orcish ferocity keeps him standing, as the bloody wound courses.

Zirelle steps forward, casting in combat, and burning Blue Orc, who despite all the wounds, still stands roaring. As she calls into the smoking ruin, where the roof is collapsing, she hears a weak voice return the call: "Help me! It's Sara, she's trapped!" from inside, followed by a coughing fit.

Moving quickly forward, Acacius tries to cut off the other orcs before they can join the attack. Stumbling through the debris of the burning house, he at least gets within reach of his polearm for next turn.

Green orc advances against the closest foe, which is now Acacius. The reach attack missing, the orc gets inside his glaive, and makes its own attack, which carmos off Acacius' armor with a resounding ring.

End of Round 1

blue Orc DC 14 Reflex: 1d20 ⇒ 12
Green Orc falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Staginsdar Household - Round 2

20 Red Orc
20 Blue Orc (-7hp, disabled)
18 Zan
10 Nakoma (12 hp dmg)
8 Zirelle
5 Acacius
4 Green Orc

Drawing is own sword, Red Orc moves forward spewing curses as he swings on the already injured Nakoma, but his blade hits a burning column of the house's porch, and sends burning embers flying everywhere, but hurts no one.

Blue Orc, drips blood and burnt flesh on the ground, but hisses fiercely ready to try to fight still. His blade crashes down on Zirelle, also wounding her seriously.

Zirelle takes 9hp dmg from Blue, who is slowly bleeding out. All the party may act. Don't forget the map scale.

Red Falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Blue Falchion, disabled: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Blue dmg: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (4, 1) + 4 = 9

You did mention the 10ft squares, I missed it. My apologies. The modified token sizes do help a lot in gauging the distances.

Acacius stomps through the rubble of a ruined home, increasingly furious at the orcs.

The sooner the Hold of Belkzen is burned to the ground, the better!

There is a brief flurry of weapons as one of the orcs clashes with him.

The ground is too uneven for a measured withdrawal. Time for close work.

Acacius glares at the orc while dropping his polearm and pulling out his shortsword. He has time to also seize his shield or strike at the raider.

He strikes.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Sorry I forgot as well. I find it hard as both a GM and a player to remember when they do maps like that.

Zan moves forward to harass the injured raider further but over extends himself and has to step back to avoid a blow from the orc.
Scimitar Vs Blue: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Zirelle takes a step back behind Nakoma, feeling like a coward, and drinks her potion of cure light wounds.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Down to one, back up to six. Sorry for trying to help and then using you as a shield instead Nakoma.

Nakoma mutters to herself softly, still a little confused by the chaos around her.

Fervor to heal herself as a swift action: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Another holy light pulses through her body, healing some of her wounds. Seeing Zirelle get nearly cut in half, and hearing voices from within the building--her good friend in danger, no less!--she growls in rage at the orc. As she stabs forward with her star knife again, she screams:

"LEAVE HER ALONE!"

It's hard to tell whether she means Zirelle or Sara...

Attacking Blue: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

@ Zirelle: No worries. Haha

Staginsdar Household - Round 2 - concluded

Zan climbs over more smoking debris, making an attack on Blue Orc, but the injured raider avoids without much effort.

After a burst of divine energy helps heal her wounds slightly, Nakoma stabs Blue Orc with her starknife, seeking revenge for the grievous wound it left on Zirelle. The favored weapon sinks deeply into the neck of the already wounded orc, and he drops dead at the feet of the Shoanti priestess.

Having got more than she bargained for from the orc warriors, Zirelle ducks behind Nakoma and consumes her healing potion, which restores most of her lost vitality.

Zirelle, I htink you should've been full entering this fight, so I have you at 8, not 6 hp. Since had a night's rest since the assassin ambush, you would've healed back naturally. did you get hit already in this fight?

Acacius pulls out his shortsword for close work, and stabs Green Orc, gutting the invader. But by pure ferocity, the orc remains standing, making a counter attack but even without his shield, Acacius is able to turn the blade aside at the last moment.

End of Round 2

Green Falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Staginsdar Household - Round 3

20 Red Orc
18 Zan
10 Nakoma (11 hp dmg)
8 Zirelle (4hp dmg)
5 Acacius
4 Green Orc (6hp dmg, disabled)

Suddenly outnumbered, Red Orc looks around in surprise, and starts to falter. He takes a step back but still swings at Zan. The ranger's chain shirt turns the blade aside harmlessly.

All the party is up once again in Round 3.

Red Falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

"We've got this," Nakoma calls out over her shoulder to Zirelle. "Get Sara and Agrit out of the fire!"

Desna, let them be alright...

Some of Nakoma's wounds continue to heal...

Fervour as a swift action to heal: 1d6 ⇒ 2

And then she steps forward and lunges at the half-orc with her star knife. Moving forward and attacking red.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Not sure where the mix up is hit point wise. Your post said "Zirelle takes 9hp dmg from Blue..." I have 10 hit points when fully healed. So I was at one. Then I drank a potion, which gave me 5, so I am at 6. Maybe you thought I had more than 10 hit points total?

Zirelle does as Nakoma asks, and what she has been wanting to do, and moves into the house to help Sara and Agrit.

Can we five foot step? Isn't this all difficult terrain.

Zan continues to press the attack striking at the orc though with the unsteady footing his scimitar is easily parried.
Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Acacius looks into the face of his enemy.

No wonder they are such a threat! They do not even care that they are dead walking!

His left hand by pure instinct slides back and seizes his shield, bringing it forward. The many shields of the sigil of Lastwall are clearly emblazoned upon the steel surface, as Acacius steps into a crouched fighting stance.

"Look, orc! Look upon a man of Lastwall! The one here to slay you and drive the rest of *your* kind back out of *OUR* LAND!"

And with that, his right hand drives his shortsword forward, to clash against the orc's guard.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Staginsdar Household - Round 3 - concluded

Zan counterattacks Red Orc, but he cannot land a blow, and their struggle ends in a draw.

You are right, the rubble filled squares are all difficult terrain. No 5' step. Think I forgot that myself.

Still chanting her healing prayers, Nakoma recovers a bit more from her serious wounds, and continues to engage the orcs. She steps forward and drives her starknife into the neck of Red Orc who was engaged with Zan, the blood of the creature seeps out but its bestial ferocity keeps it standing, for now.

The house is completely filled with choking black smoke, but inside, she hears Agrit calling for help. The dwarven magician stands next to her fallen spouse, a large beam from the ceiling pinning the unconscious Sara to the floor. The town smith is bleeding out slowly.

Being in the smoke-filled house requires a DC 15 Fort save, +1 to the DC for each consecutive round inside, or spend the round choking and coughing. Consecutive rounds spent choking will cause 1d6 non-lethal damage. Smoke also give concealment (20%miss chance) to creatures within.

Acacius short stab into the vitals of the wounded orc glances off its armor harmlessly but his able to pull his shield up in defense.

Green Orc counterattacks against Acacius, swinging his falchion as hard as his failing body can. The fighter's shield is a blessing this time, as it turns aside a blow meant to decapitate Acacius.

End of Round 3

Green falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Staginsdar Household - Round 4

20 Red Orc (9hp dmg, disabled)
18 Zan
10 Nakoma (9 hp dmg)
8 Zirelle (4hp dmg, needs DC 15 Fort)
5 Acacius
4 Green Orc (7hp dmg, disabled)

Hurt badly and taking on two foes, Red Orc flies into a battle-rage, savagely striking out at Nakoma who stuck it in the neck last round. The furious attack overwhelms Nakoma, who is struck down, falling to the ground unconscious.

Zirelle needs DC 15 Fort to act in the smoke, Nakoma needs to stabilize. The boys are facing disabled, but desparate orcs. Go!

Red falchion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Crit confirm: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Dmg: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11

Fort Save: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Zirelle calls out Agrit! Sara!, but as she does so, she breathes in a lungful of smoke, and spends the round coughing and choking.

I can't move at all while coughing? A +1 on the DC every round with my +0 makes this mostly a hopeless task, but Zirelle doesn't know that, so she will keep trying to help.

"Die and be done with it!", Acacius growls at the orc as he stabs and parries, seeking an opening to finish off the orc and begin moving to assist his companions.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 3 = 3 Failing. Losing 1 hp, and now at -4.

Some smoke blows into Zan's eyes making them water... continuing his trend of not being able to contribute in a meaningful way against the orcs.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Staginsdar Household - Round 4 - concluded

Zan continues to be ineffective in his attacks on the orc raiders, this time his blade is parried by the target, knocked aside with relative ease.

Nakoma's blood pools around her as she lies in the burning embers of the house, hopeful that some healing will save her.

Zirelle swallows a lungful of smoke filled air, and is overcome by a wracking spasm of coughing that doesn't allow her any action but to choke it out.

Acacius is able to skewer the disabled orc with his shortsword, holding the foe on the blade until his body goes limp, and he falls aside dead. He tosses the body to the ground and picks his way through the shattered house towards Zan.

End of Round 4

Attached the language from PRD below on effects of smoke inhalation. The way I read that, there is move or standard actions allowed. It will be DC 16 vs smoke next round.

Staginsdar Household - Round 5

20 Red Orc (9hp dmg, disabled)
18 Zan
10 Nakoma (-4hp dmg; unconscious; bleeding)
8 Zirelle (4hp dmg, needs DC 16 Fort)
5 Acacius

Red Orc swings his falchion at Zan as if his life depended on it, and with Acacius bearing down on them, it very well might. The blow is just turned aside by the ranger's shield at the last moment.

Rest of the party may act. Remember Zirelle will start taking non-lethal this round, if she fails her DC 16 Fort save.

Red Orc falchion, disabled: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 - 2 = 17

Acacius circles around the last visible orc, seeking a flanking position. His polearm lies where he dropped it, temporarily abandoned with the necessity of immediate action.

I have to get this right, and now.

He aims a slash at the orc's back, hoping to end the fight there and then.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 20

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 4 = 1 Failing. At -5 hp.

Okay... so can I cover my mouth/hold my breath so I can move? Otherwise, how could you ever get out of the smoke once you walked into it? If not:

Fort Save: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Zirelle spends another round choking and coughing.

Non-Lethal Damage for the round: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Zan's eyes water as the smoke stings his eyes and tears roll down his face.
Scimitar Vs Red: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Staginsdar Household - Round 5 - concluded

The smoke blurs Zan's vision enough that the cannot cleave through the leather hassock worn by the orc warrior, and his blade glances aside.

Nakoma's blood continues to run in the street, unstaunched.

Overcome by the smoke, Zirelle continues coughing and hacking, and inhaling more dangerous smoke all the while. She slowly feels the room begin to spin as oxygen deprivation becomes a real threat.

Acacius slinks up behind the remaining orc foe and drives his shortsword into the wounded creature, hurting him badly, but not ending him.

End of Round 5

The rule doesn't give the option to hold breath or move. Being overcome is part of smoke inhalation, which kills more than actual fire does. Will be higher DC next round, with the likelihood that Zirelle falls unconscious in the smoke. That's not good.

Staginsdar Household -Round 6

20 Red Orc (15hp dmg, disabled)
18 Zan
10 Nakoma (-5hp dmg; unconscious; bleeding)
8 Zirelle (4hp dmg, 4 NL; needs DC 17 Fort)
5 Acacius

Red Orc turns on Acacius, blood runing from his many wounds and tries to strike the fighter but misses.

All of the party is up.

Red Orc falchion, disabled: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 2 = 11

Zan tries and upward slash aiming for just below the orcs ribs this time trying to catch it off guard. He grins as he sees the blade strike home.

Scimitar Vs Red: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Confirmation Roll: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8
Damage if a Crit: 1d6 + 3 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 9 = 18 Well not with a nat one to hit on confirmation...

Nope, not good, but apparently there is no other choice.

Fort Save: 1d20 ⇒ 16 (Fail because it was 17 this round.)

Zirelle continues to choke.

Non-Lethal Damage for the round: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Zirelle is staggered. She will be unconscious next round unless she rolls an 18.

If the orc is still standing:

Acacius lunges at the orc with his blade to less effect than he hoped.

Shortsword: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 = 12

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

If Zan's blow felled the orc:

Acacius will run to Nakoma, dig out a potion of cure light wounds, and pour it down her throat without ceremony.

Staginsdar Household - Round 6 - continued

Finally able to score a hit, Zan cuts down the remaining orc and then hurries towards the door of the burning building, knowing Zirelle has gone inside, but not returned yet.

The smoke is just too much for Zirelle to penetrate and she feels the strength leaving her as she staggers around, not knowing which way is out.

Acacius kneels at the side of the wounded Nakoma. He uses his own potion of curing to pour down her unconscious throat, seeing its magic will be enough to recover her. He is quite pleased to see her sputter and her eyelids flicker and finally open.

Nakoma should be at +2hp now, and has the final action of the round.

CLW potion: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Seeing Nakoma recover, Acacius drops his shield and shortsword, and runs towards the burning building, to save whom he can.

Free action to drop weapons. Moving swiftly inside. I think Acacius has enough movement to reach Zirelle this turn. If he has a standard action left he will pick up Zirelle.

Nakoma gasps as she comes to, and staggers to her feet. She looks around, but doesn't see Zirelle, Angrit or Sara.

"Sara..?" she croaks.

Seeing Acacius hurry into the building, Nakoma places a hand to her chest and let's out a prayer.

Move to stand, standard to cast cure light wounds on herself.

Healing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Up to 11 hp.

Seeing Acacius coming out of the smoke, Zirelle croaks

I'm fine. <Coughing, clearly not fine> Help Agrit. <More coughing.> Save Sara.

Fort Save: 1d20 ⇒ 6

After which she continues to cough and choke, and

Non-Lethal Damage for the round: 1d6 ⇒ 1

lapses into unconsciousness.

Seriously though, save Sara.

Hearing Zirelle, but not her fall, Acacius will continue past her to find Sara, trying not to choke on the thickening smoke.

I'm not sure who's who in this smoke. I'll just have to keep grabbing people.

With his strength and fortitude, could Acacius reasonably hoist two people over his shoulders and exit?