Kingmaker, with GM Pendrak (Inactive)

Game Master Pendrak

Sure - let's close that gap!

Let me know if you have any issues with where I put Trai’eltharian's entangle spell. I know it's not actually a square, but I'm not sure how to make the actual shape of a 40 ft. radius in Google Slides. He will immediately be affecting the leader and two bandits with this set-up while avoiding hitting his wolf. I also presumed that the wolf attacks Red, the bandit he originally ran up on.

The wolf rips into one of the bandits nearest him, pulling him off his feet. Meanwhile the elf casts his spell, wrapping the southernmost bandit up in vines.

Seeing her ally badly injured, the bandit leader lays into the wolf with her two hatchets. The wolf dodges one blow, but the second takes him in the back, causing him to whine in pain.

Now that he is close enough Álainn casts his spell on Kressle, the bandit boss, but she merely shakes her head in confusion for a moment before looking around for the source of the attempt to influence her mind.

Enack runs forward, continuing to close the gap as well.

The entangled bandit fruitlessly struggles with the plants, unable to break free. Another bandit climbs down from his post, moves over into the stream, and fires at the elf, a wild shot that flies over his head. The bandit the wolf tripped tries to stand, while the last of the four moves around to get into a flanking position.

Green remains entangled. The bandit made her save against the charm person spell. The wolf takes another 5 points of slashing damage. Trai’eltharian and the wolf can act, plus the wolf can take an attack of opportunity on Red as he stands (and he looks badly hurt) or at Blue as he moves around to flank. If the wolf is unable to take Red down with the AoO though, it will take another 7 points of damage, which I think would knock the beast unconscious.

The wolf lashed out at he man standinup, then at the one who moved behind him.

Meanwhile, Trai’eltharian steps forward from the tree he was using for cover and let’s an arrow fly at the bandit crossing the river as he too advanced and moves towards the main fighting.

AoO vs Red, Attack Blue. Trai’eltharian attacks yellow and moves 40’ towards the fighting.

Wolf AoO vs Red, Bless: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Trip: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 = 11

Wolf vs Blue, Bless: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Trip: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5

Bow vs Yellow: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Seeing the bandit leader fight off his magic Álainn shakes his head and closes the gap to weigh the whole of his mind on the bandit leader.

"Your will is mine, little girl."

Close to 30ft and Charm Person again, DC18 with a -2 on her will save!

The wolf rips the bandits throat out as he tries to stand, leaving only three and the leader remaining. The wolf then turns and bites the hand of the man who had moved behind to flank, causing the brigand to cry out in pain.

The bandit leader attacks the wolf with everything she has, hatchets twirling, but the wolf nimbly avoids the ax. Then Álainn casts his spell, and Kressle's eyes glaze over for a moment as she looks over at him.

"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? What are you doing in these parts? Help me kill these demihumans and their damned wolf and we can talk!" she says.

Meanwhile, the one bandit manages to break out of the vines and heads out of the spell area. Another bandits misses the elf with his longbow once more.

Enack doesn't like what he sees, and so he reaches into his pouch and pulls out a live cricket, still chirping. As he says some incantation, he tosses it into the air, and it disappears.

The bandit leader and the bandit standing next to her drop to the ground, each letting out a loud snore as they do.

You guys can act, since the bandit leader is unconscious. She will still be charmed by Álainn when she wakes.

Trai’el, tired of missing, pauses and takes careful aim at the bandit nearest him, hoping to plant an arrow between his eyes.

Meanwhile, seeing the men around him fall as if they were dead, the wolf snarls and charges the remaining prey still up!

Trai’el Bow Attack, Bless: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 1 = 24
Damage If Hit: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Trai’el Confirm, Bless: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20
Bonus Damage If Crit: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 = 8

Wolf Charge Attack. Power Attack, Bless: 1d20 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 1 + 1 + 2 = 20
Damage If Hit: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Trip: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

The elf slay one bandit, and his wolf tears into another. Things aren't looking good for Kressle's band.

Álainn can act.

"Run, little fools, run!" Álainn hisses at the remaining bandit(s).

Intimidate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

The remaining conscious bandits make a break for it, running south as fast as their legs will carry them.

If you want to pursue they could still be caught, but otherwise the combat will end.

Trai’eltharian will pursue them. No escapes. He and the wolf should be able to outrun them. If you want to roll it out lemme know.

Álainn takes advantage of Trai'els absence to wave Enack out of sight and awake Kressle.

"So, what are you doing out here dearie? Bit of a crumby place for a woman like you? Why aren't you at the main camp - running things there?"

Will have lots more questions, but depends on first answers.

The druid and his animal companion are able to hunt down the fleeing bandits, and give them a quick death. None can escape the wrath of Trai’eltharian, it would seem.

Meanwhile Álainn awakens Kressle and begins interrogating her.

She seems a bit puzzled by the first question-- ambition seems not to particularly be part of her portfolio-- but she smiles at the thought.

"Oh, I think I'm doin' right well for me'self. You know how it used to be for me. Never staying more than'a week in one spot. Been a bandit since I twas a wee one, stealing right along side me ma and pa. Then after me parents died in that ambush up down Mivon, I started making me way north."

She laughs, reminiscing, "Managed to make me way through the worst parts of the Greenbelt, only to run afoul of some of the Stag Lord's men. They told me all about their operation, and it sounded right good to me, right up until they proceeded to try to rape me. So's I cut off a hand with me axes, and another four fingers besides, and they backed off then. They ran off, but I tracked 'em, all the way home to the Stag Lord's fort. When he heard the story, the Stag Lord killed the two what was maimed and what had tried to rape me, threw 'em to the dead fields, and recruited me on the spot. I've been working with 'im for a little over two months now, and I just recently got this promotion."

She seems quite proud of herself.

"Where did that elf and gnome go? We need to find them and kill them."

"We can find them later!" Álainn dismisses the demi-humans as unimportant."What are the dead fields? They sound pretty impressive. So does the Stag Lord, if he convinced you to follow him. What is he like? Capable with axes like you?"

"There's a path leadin' up to the backside of the fort. But it passes through an old haunted cemetery, full of zombies. Luckily they don't follow ya once you leave the fields and start up the hill."

She smiles as she thinks of the Stag Lord.

"Our boss is a monster of a man. He’s a deadeye with the bow, good with a sword, and I saw him crush a prisoner’s hand to mush in one fist. Come to think of it, I’ve never seen him without his creepy stag helmet on. Some of the boys think he ain’t got no face under it, and others say that creepy helm is his face! Fools, all, but he is an impressive specimen," she says, "Especially when he can manage to go easy on the drink."

"Likes a bit of a drink does he? Well, who doesn't!" Álainn laughs. "Tell me about the fort - I'd like to go that way some time and meet him myself. It'd be good if I could say you'd sent me."

"Well, he may like the drink a bit too much, if there's such a thing," she says, with a bit of a worried look on her face.

"The fort's near forty miles to the south. Palisade fifteen foot tall, and plenty'a men to watch it."

"Interesting. Interesting." Álainn responds, before leaning in to cup Kressle's face with one hand. "I'm a real mess dear, would you mind grabbing me some water? I'll need to wash a bit..."

As Kressle moves off Álainn turns to the bushes where he is almost certain Trai'el is now waiting.

"I've got everything we're likely to get."

Trai'el nods. He then attempts to sneak up on the woman and plant a well placed blade slice across the back of her neck...

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Since she is without her weapons and outnumbered so badly, and since you got a good first hit in, I'm not going to bother with running the combat out.

"Some water, sure," says Kressle, and she walks over into the brush. There is then a loud, SHUNK and a THUD, and her head comes rolling out, removed from its body.

Then Trai’eltharian emerges, his blade wet with blood, and his wolf trailing behind.

"So, this is an outpost of the Stag Lord's bandits. They have a fort to the south and the Stag Lord himself is an impressive man and fighter, although he apparently likes drink - quite a lot from what Kressle said. Apparently the fort is surrounded by unquiet dead buried under the earth, but they won't attack the path. If his men are as good with a bow as the Stag Lord is supposed to be, I suspect that won't help much though..."

Álainn summarises the information and looks to Trai'el for his opinion. "I know you want the Stag Lord's head - might be difficult just the two of us though, perhaps we could look for more allies as we head south?"

”Maybe. But with proper guidance, the wilds themselves will rise up and oust this murderer,” Trai’eltharian says as he moves body to body, searching them for any further clues or items of use.

Trai’eltharian loots the bodies of the fallen, while Enack begins to look around the camp.

"Hey guys! Over here, I found something," cries the gnome.

Enack locates the bandits’ spoils, kept hidden under less interesting supplies like food, firewood, and tents under one of the platforms.

There are lots of places yet to explore. Just decide on a direction and we'll get rolling again.

Anything here you want Trai'el? None of its much use to Álainn.

Álainn examines the gear in a cursory fashion, and has clearly mentally disgarded most of it before the search is even over. "We should take this back to the fort. I imagine Oleg and Svetlana could sell this on, and we'd make a decent profit." He comments. "After that... well we want to work southwards eventually if you're serious about taking on the Stag Lord. I say we work westwards, through the forest. Tyg-tug and Pervilaesh will be more helpful there."

Trai'el rummages through the bandits' belongings a bit before shaking his head. "I figure the potion could come in handy, but the rest I have no use for. But I agree with you on the route. Let us stick to the Narlmarches. I am more at home here, and we can use that to our advantage against the bastard."

So keep the potion, cart the rest back to Oleg and Svetlana for money and then work our way through the Narlmarches.

"We should keep hold of the whiskey though." Álainn says suddenly as they trek back to Oleg and Svetlana's old fort. "The Stag Lord is a drunk apparently - having alcohol for him would likely make passage into the fortress much easier!"

”If you wish to deal with the humans, that is your decision,” Trai’eltharian replies. ”but know that it will only lead to trouble. Humans follow coin like a snake tracking the scent of a field mouse. So long as I get to take that bastards head, my hatred for their kind can be tempered.”

"If they are anything like most humans they are weak." Álainn responds. "If you slay the Stag Lord I will turn the rest of them to a better use - use them to deter more humans from the north perhaps. That would be a good use of their lives."

Sorry for this slowing down again, I've had a lot going on, but I hope to have a big update soon.

No worries - I've been away for 10 days so I certainly can't point fingers!

And I’ve been working overtime since March. So yeah...lol