Giantslayer, The Expendables

Game Master Corsario

"Well, I know it is still out there, and most think it's haunted. I don't think Katrezra would be able to hide there in his frail state."

Hmmmm. Sam thinks as he scratches his head. His hair flopping down into his eyes. He idly brushes it aside.

Any idea where he might be then? It could take us days to search the whole town and he would always be one step ahead of us.

"No more so than what I said..."

Int: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

"Y'know, Katrezra seems to know a lot of our kind around here. Did he have any dealings with a smith, a woman named Unrsul? She also seems to have disappeared."

"Never heard that name before. Bur Sara Morninghawk is the primary smithy here in Trunau. She might have heard of here."

Int Check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18.

As the conversation moves to the subject of Sara Morninghawk, Malthu starts to see a possibility. "Could be that if Katrezra was looking for a friendly face, he would've gone see Sara since she's a fellow half-orc."

Thank you Kurst, we'll ask around in the half-orc community tomorrow. Sam says stifling another yawn.

Ok I feel like we are a little lost and going round in circles at the moment. Katreza seems to be the lynchpin here but aside from asking around town we don't seem to have any reliable means of finding him. We could head to Sanctuary and try to pool our money to buy some divination services/scrolls?

Otherwise, I propose that tomorrow we just dedicate the day to gather information checks to find him, possibly taking ten (or even 20 if permissible) with the addition of money to boost our checks.

Well, I'm off to bed. Honestly, I can't remember a day where I've done so much running around for a long time! Good night all, see you in the morning for breakfast. the doctor says, excusing himself and trudging up to his room.

We have about four different people to find (Katrezra, Melira, Unsul, and whoever wrote the letter to Melira), and no real leads on any of them. I guess we can talk to Sara Morninghawk and Brinya in the morning and Katrezra, but otherwise Sam's plan sounds like the best one we're going to come up with.

Mortoth grunts something that sounds kind of like "good night" if you're feeling really generous and also heads for his bed.

"Alright, catch ya in the mornin' fer breakfast." Malthu makes the short walk back to Sanctuary and goes to sleep.

Where is everyone sleeping?

Shivarra stalks off towards her hut in the lower part of the town.

Actually, do we know any more half-orcs residents beyond Sara, Katrezra and Urnsul?

Sam has a room at the Ramblehouse I guess

You have not met any other half-orcs in Trunau.

So far, I have Sam and Mortorth staying at Ramblehouse, Shivarra headed for her own hut, and Malthu going to the Sanctuary.

Brinya is a half-orc too.

Grod will go with Sam and Mortoth, he also has a room in the Ramblehouse.

Yes, Brinya too.

OK, we will need to split threads again. Shivarra and Malthu join me at >> here <<. Everyone else, place you icon in the room you choose to sleep in in Ramblehouse. Since no one has already offered different, I assume you are all in separate rooms.

Gm, do you want us to wait until the situation in the other thread is resolved?

I was planning to move forward, but now that I think about it, we should perhaps wait. Therefore, we can bring the discussion back to this thread...

Good thing I waited - they are coming back... I think...

We are. That being said, are we playing this out or just summarizing? If the former, what time is it when we're back? Is everyone awake yet?

I suggest playing it out. It was about 8pm when you left so still only about 8:30 now. The others have retired to their rooms.

Malthu barges back into the Ramblehouse, moves upstairs, and starts yelling. "Doc! Mortoth! Grod! Yver! We're back, and we've got a real story ta tell. Someone tried to kill me and Shivarra by siccing some wolves on us!" He starts banging his fist on the doors, ensuring that anyone thinking of drifting off to sleep is now quite awake.

Mortoth meets Shivarra in the corridor, having been startled into action by Malthu's bellowing. "Wolves? Attacked you? What's happened?"

"Three wolves drugged with something to imitate rabies and released in our way," the witch explains succintly. "Whoever we're looking for, they are willing to take preemptive action against us, and the ability to smuggle wild animals into the town with none the wiser is concerning."

"We figured we'd better stick together until we figure out what's goin' on. Don't want them pickin' us off one or two at a time."

Goodness me, if there's one thing I've noticed about the frontier it's that it's nigh on impossible to get a good night's sleep! Sam thinks as he staggers, bleary-eyed into the corridor.

He is dressed in just a pair of pyjama trousers and hugs his lean frame against the chill.

Wolves! What? So are we safe here do you think? Not that I think a pack of wolves would go unnoticed padding up the stairs, but still. Did you see anyone handling the wolves and if not how do you know they weren't actually just rabid wolves?

I don't doubt you, it's just that I've never irritated anyone to the point of them setting wild animals on me before! the doctor gulps.

"Are you questioning my ability to tell a drug from an actual disease?" the witch glares at him. "And I wouldn't assume releasing wild animals is the only thing our as of yet unknown opponents can do. Night visitors are not out of question, nor are extra ingredints in the breakfast."

Well don't take it personally, I wouldn't be able to tell one from the other either haha. Sam replies laughing nervously, completely misunderstanding the nature of Shivarra's question. Oh and to think I had two servings of that stew at supper.... the doctor grumbles, rubbing his stomach.

So what do we do? See if they have a room big enough for all of us...?

"I doubt there's any single room big enough for us all," Grod says, "But I'm sure there's room for at least one more in my room. I've got a sleeping bag, someone else is welcome to the bed." he says, glancing toward Shivarra then, belatedly, Malthu. "I mean, if those who weren't staying in the Ramblehouse need a place to sleep tonight."

The witch raises her eyebrow at the implied preference.

"I might take you up on that offer, depending on what we decide regarding keeping watch," she replies, then smirks, "Who knows, we might not need that sleeping bag at that."

"As long as someone stays awake and on watch. We can do shifts."

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Sounds like a plan, so just give me specifics (who in which room, watch shift schedule, location for watch, etc.)

Mortoth coughs at Shivarra's innuendo, looking at the opposite wall for a moment before recovering his aplomb. "Two to a room makes the most sense, I think; we can rotate through the rooms for who's on watch. If Shivarra is... staying... with Grod, then Malthus can sleep in my room and perhaps Yver and the good doctor might share a room? I'd be fine volunteering Malthu and I for any needed watch."

The doctor, easy-going as he is, has no objections.

Sam volunteers to take a watch too

"We can all take a watch. Two to a room and each room takes a watch shift to guard the hall. Bar the windows so we only have to watch the hallway. Hopefully we'll have nothing to worry about, but we know Rodrik died in Ramblehouse and we know we're on their target list."

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Room/Watch schedule:
Shivarra / Grod
Malthus / Mortoth
Sam / Yver
1d3 ⇒ 1

Early in the night, during the first watch, dark figures ceom creeping down the hall.

Grod notices just in time to get a drop on them, and Sam awakens suddenly almost as if he could sense the disturbance.

OK, so here is the situation. Everyone except Grod, Sam and Shivarra are sleeping. Only Grod and Shivarra will have any armor on and weapons in hand, and only they currently see any assassins. During the surprise round, Grod and Sam get a standard (or move) action, and can make a ruckus to try and wake the others as a free action (giving them another perception check), or can wake a specific individual they are next to as a standard action.

Surprise Round (Std action only): (Bold may act)
Sam
Assassins - activate weapons (liquid blades) and move forward
Grod

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Malthu (sleeping), Mortoth (sleeping), Sam
Assassins
Shivarra, Yverstrix(sleeping), Grod

Surprise Round

Sam's sleep is restless and disturbed. He has horrible visions of rabid wolves chasing him down the corridors of the Ramblehouse and more than once he wakes in the night at the slightest creaking floorboard but this time, when he starts awake and soaked in sweat, something is different.

He listens intently, convinced he can hear his own heart beating and then hears it again, the sound of soft footsteps in the corridor.

Nononono.... he mutters, leaping out of bed and shaking Yverstrix awake. Wake up, wake up! I think there's someone outside! he hisses urgently.

Is it Grod's action?

For his round 1 action Sam will snatch up his bow and quiver and peek outside

Yes, the assassins drew weapons, and Grog gets a surprise round action.

Surprise Round (Std action only): (Bold may act)
Sam - woke Yverstrix
Assassins - drew weapons
Grod

Round 1: (Bold may act)
Malthu (sleeping), Mortoth (sleeping), Sam (drew bow and moved/opened door)
Assassins
Shivarra, Yverstrix, Grod

While I'm just now waking, given that we were warned that something might come and you can sleep in light armour without penalty -- could we not have still been armoured?

Yver shakes his head as Sam's words sink in, then grumbles, "Well, that's after being unfriendly.", and starts to rise... Knowing he won't be doing so until round 1.

If you want, you can have slept in armor.

So on my turn I just make another perception check? What's the DC if Grod starts making a bunch of noise?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Whoops, sorry folks. Been a bit out of pocket.

When he sees the assassins and their strange weapons, Grod takes two actions. Drawing his greatsword, he steps forward to meet them. Then he whistles loudly and shouts "CERA! WAKE UP YOU LAZY BEAST!"

Since she's not on the map, I take it she's asleep in his room.

It was 25 to start, I would say 2 less each round of noise. I am going to go ahead and bot Grod, since he hasn't chimed in yet. I assume, as a barbarian, he is going to charge into battle...

Grod vs Assassin, partial charge: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 2 = 17
Damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (6, 6) + 10 = 22

He cuts the first opponent in half.

Perception DC 23: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Mortoth hears the noises and wakes up. You are prone in bed, so you can take your action, but as it won't affect the assassins this round, I will continue.

Blue attacks around the corner (50% cover), missing, and then steps back, pulling out a potion.
Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Green and Yellow ready attacks.
Round 1: (Bold may act)
Malthu (sleeping), Mortoth, Sam (drew bow and moved/opened door)
Assassins - Blue, Yellow, Green
Shivarra, Yverstrix, Grod

Hey, there's a tactical map! Didn't even realize that.

Mortoth starts awake, hearing Grod's roaring in the hallway. He rolls out of bed, snatches for his falchion, and shakes Malthu furiously. "Wake! They're here!"

Meaning "rolls out of bed" literally - assuming I landed on the floor close enough to Malthu to wake him, Mortoth is still prone.

Malthu wakes up.

Malthu is startled to alertness. "Sons of whores!" he cries. Getting on his feet, he grabs his greataxe.

Oh, wait. Are we already in round 1? I thought I was limited to a standard/move, so I had just moved up. But yeah, I'll take those rolls. One down!