Lay of the Sluagh Sídhe - a Reign of Winter PbP (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9.
Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6.

"I don't like the look of this area... it seems somehow... fouled..."

Moving to the bloodied snow, you find the remains of a hunter - torn apart and half eaten. Picking through the bits of him you find a bloody and ripped cold-weather outfit, a pair of homemade snowshoes on severed feet, and a couple of arrows in his quiver... though his bow is broken in half.

Just next to the corpse is a bloodstained pack half-covered by snow. Inside are 3 days’ worth of trail rations, a half-full hip flask of strong brandy, and a leatherbound journal.

"That... does not look good. Still..."

Olaf calmly gathers up the remaining arrows (literally just two?), the trail rations, and the brandy, before turning his attention to the journal, hoping that it would contain some clue as to what this unfortunate was doing out here.

Bastagar attempts to bring himself up to Olaf's height, a difficult prospect even when the skald kneels, to read the journal over his shoulder, pawing at him for a better vantage point and audibly straining with the effort. Simply asking for a peek seems to be beyond him.

Noting Bastagar's interest, Olaf wordlessly steps away from the gore-spattered snow, cleans off a nearby boulder, and sits, giving Bastagar a slightly easier time of it.

Hilde begins gathering the various parts of the hunter as well as stones for a cairn. She'll try Knowledge: Local to see if she recognizes any clan or religious symbols.

1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Deciding that it's unlikely that he worships Zon-kuthon, she'll wait to see if there is anything anyone else would like to point out.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Knowledge (geo): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

"Well found, Ormr." The wizard scoops up his ferret before moving over to the skald.

"The last few entries." he says, waving his hand about. "What do they say? Does it mention... No, nevermind..."

"Kelgar." he says, turning his head towards the dwarf. "What do you make of this?"

What sort of check would it be to identify the creature that killed him? Heal? Survival? Kn (Nature?)

Kn (Nature): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"Ah'd imagine t'were a wild animal, our friend here'da been drug back t' a lair or such."

Kelgar follows up his comment by pantomiming the gnawing of a bone.

Scratching his temple, he continues to quietly gaze at the body and the scene of the murder.

Taking a couple steps and making a quick circle of the site, Kelgar examines the trees and foliage for broken branches or other signs of passage by either the dead man or his assailant.

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

The journal is an account of his attempts to track a giant white weasel, larger than a man, that had been seen in the area. He had been setting bear traps on the path ahead, and it also speaks of a hut nearby that has a child's doll sitting upon it's floor. He seemed to only watch the hut from afar though.

It notes where the bear traps are set, so when you encounter them I'll note it.

A second look at the parts scattered and it looks like it could have been torn apart by an oversized weasel. Halfhand would know that the beast is not local to the Grungir... it has come from somewhere else. If it is a mortal beast, then it is likely to strike from hiding and latch onto it's target, killing through constriction and tearing maw. There is nothing on the body that suggests ties or connections to clan.

What tracks there are on the ground are relatively indistinct, but are east and west along the path you have been following.

"A beast. One not of the Grungir." The Halfhand muses. He looks over at Kelgar's mention of a lair. "Perhaps not wild, then. Perhaps it has a master. A troubling thought."

The Halfhand crouches by the remains, explaining the idea of the giant weasel to the others.

Cearb spits at the mention of setting bear traps. "Hunt the beast, fight the beast, but to trap it in pain, leaving it to chew its leg off, the man was scum, seems he was the one trapped in the end."

"Whether working man or scum,
giant weasel or one of his own,
to a higher power he'll answer,
when he stands before the Throne of Bone."

Hilde continues her work, moving onto the gathering of stones. Leaving the various spellcasters to their work, she will enlist the aid of Cearb and Cu so that she can use larger stones.

When finished, she will ask if they are ready to proceed to the house with the doll.

I'm guessing moving on? - based on the journal the bear traps are along the path between you and where the house is.
Straight along the path to the traps - or are you going to try and bypass?

I say we go straight on, being careful to avoid the traps.

Sounds reasonable to me.

Moving further down the snowy trail, the group nears where the bear traps were set. Those at the column's head get first view of the ground around the corner of a pine tree and freeze...

Standing upright within one of the traps is a skeletal form wreathed in ice, it's leg crushed within a triggered trap. The skeleton looks the same as those that were fought within the lodge... but does not seem to have noticed you yet...

Trees on both sides of the 15ft wide path, based on the journal there is a second trap just beyond where the skeleton is trapped. You're maybe 60ft distant just out of sight at present.

"How unpleasant."

Is the trap tethered in place? If so we can probably just pick at it from a range so it doesn't explode in our face.

"Looks like easy prey, though... We should be careful, nonetheless; there might be more of them."

Hilde sets down her pack, and unslings her bow. Drawing two arrows, she carefully nocks one while holding the other in the fingers of her bow hand. Having given the others time to draw their own bows, she breathes in deeply and looses.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 111d8 ⇒ 3

Despite her careful preparations, the arrow seems to ineffectively lodge in the bones of her target. Before the first arrow has even struck home however, she is nocking another.

Naturally, if anyone wishes to take actions keeping Hilde from firing, she will wait. Assuming everyone else fires, then this was the surprise round and I will shoot the next on my initiative. Note that I am still unable to roll double digits. sigh.

Cearb will have his knife ready and be on the lookout for trap less undead.

Perception -> 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

The Halfhand spews forth a glob of volatile liquid directly into the creature's face, bone hissing as the acid eats into it.

Acid Splash: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Spell failure 10%: 1d100 ⇒ 58
damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Critical: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

I think that's a crit for a touch attack.

Edit:
Range on acid splash is 30ft, so it'll have to wait for round 1 - until then, here's an initiative roll:

Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Caerb's eyes spot further tracks ahead cris-crossing the area almost randomly, but he cannot ken the numbers from so far. The falling snow and rustling wood prevent him from feeling confident about the presence or lack of shadowed threat at the side of the trails ahead.

Pregnant pause to allow any action / adjustment before proceeding with the attacks.

Olaf stands ready, axe in hand, waiting to see if there are more Draugr in the area...

"Looks like more were here, they wander here and there, they may wander and linger awaiting this one's foot to rot off so they can continue together, I say be aware for more."

He reaches into his satchel and pulls out a flask of bottled fire and keeps his eyes peeled into the surrounding brush.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Kelgar moves ahead slowly, poking the snowy ground with the spear he liberated in their last expedition, attempting to trigger any traps that they may step into that he is unable to spot.

Halfhand and Hilde move forwards slightly to a position where they might fire upon the creature - and it notices their presence. As the initial volleyed arrow passes through the empty space between ribs and hips, Halfhand conjures sorcerous saliva to his mouth.

The skeletal form responds by lunging towards you and heaving against it's trapped foot. With a shearing tear, the skeleton's shin bone is severed - leaving a foot within the steel jaws of the bear trap... and a skeleton lumbering unsteadily and ungainly towards you on one and a half legs.

Caerb and Olaf both then spot a stirring at the side of the trail... two more skeletons emerge and turn to watch their kin begin to stump towards warm blooded prey...

Apologies, but the fickle hand has dictated that this is going to be a bit more interesting - hence I need to put together a map - which I won't be able to manage until after work.
Therefore watch this space a little longer, and I'll throw up the details (including initiative) tonight.

Action Tracker (Round 1): Caerb, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Skeletons, Olaf, Kelgar

Mapski

Round 1

With the skeletons too far away to throw a knife or flask, Cearb instead moves off to hide behind a nearby tree and await a better opportunity.

Double move to B-14 and hopefully taking up a hidden position

Stealth -> 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11 ...not likely

Round 1; Addendum

The Halfhand moves to h10 to fire his shot, then blinks to I11 with his Shift ability.

Bastagar will follow Caerb's lead, moving to I-12 and ducking out of sight, leaping into the air with fright as the Halfhand materialises next to him. "Bastagar's tree this is! Find it's own!"

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Turn 1
Hilde stands her ground, nocks another arrow and fires at her previous target.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d8 ⇒ 7

A sharp crack signals the breaking of her bowstring. With a sigh of disappointment, Hilde tosses the bow aside while arming her shield, preparing for a skeletal charge. Move Action

As the gnomes and Halfhand make for the trees, Hilde's bow betrays her draw and does her disservice. Halfhand's spittle arcs more true though, eating into a skeletal collarbone.

The skeleons make no sound bar that their footfalls betrays and the howl of the wind accompanies their advance. Both able footed skeletons sweep through the snow at pace, one charging Hilde - while the second is obstructed by the trees and can merely draw near to Halfhand and Bastagar.

Charging Claw at Hilde: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 2 = 20 for 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (5) = 11
If hit, make a DC 12 Fortitude save or staggered for 1 round

The skeleton that dragged itself free from the bear trap is hampered by it's lack of a second foot - but still scrabbles to draw closer to extinguish the warmth of your life.

If you start your turn adjacent to a frosty skeleton, you take 1d6 cold damage - please roll the damage yourself where appropriate.

Action Tracker (Round 1): Caerb, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Skeletons, Olaf, Kelgar
Action Tracker (Round 2): Caerb, ?, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Skeletons, Olaf, Kelgar

Mapski

Round 1

Upon spotting the dead man shambling forward, Kelgar frowns and grumbles something in dwarvish.

Shambling ahead in the snow, he juggles the spear in his hand to better grip it and takes aim at the lone skeletal figure.

Move to H,14

Attack G,10

Spear (thrown): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 for 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Spear (thrown) crit confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 for 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (5, 1) + 6 = 12

Watching with grim satisfaction as the projectile lodges into the dead man, the dwarf reminds his companions of their ever-present auras of cold.

"Lads! Remember t'give 'em wide berth, lest ye freeze yer bibbers 'aff!"

Olaf steps up alongside Hilde, and takes a swing at the charging skeleton, hoping to take advantage of its foolish charge by attempting to cleave its pelvis in twain!

MW Cold Iron Greataxe: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14, for 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 Cold Iron Slashing damage.

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24.

1d6 ⇒ 4

11/15hp

The Halfand winces as the frosty aura falls over him, and he quickly leaps back, retreating around the tree to a position behind Hilde and Olaf.

Withdraw action arcing around the tree to h17

Round 2

Cearb moves up (E-12) and lobs a fire flask at the trailing skeleton(G-10). He has his knife ready to follow up.

Alchemist's Fire toss -> 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Miss direction 1d8 ⇒ 8 into F-9 for 1d6 ⇒ 1 on a hit and 1 pt fire from the splash.

Hilde steps in to deliver a hit of her own when the Drauger's mighty fist crashes into her temple with a loud thud. Blinking back blood and stars, the seriously wounded young woman gathers her courage and steps back in, determined to give as good as she got.

Save vs Staggered 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

I assume our resistance to cold does not spare us being staggered. Hilde has a resistance of 5 and then receives a further +2 to environmental damage due to her cold weather gear. I also assume none of the damage done was cold damage?

Round 2

Bolstered by Olaf's presence beside her, Hilde resists the temptation to activate her smite, instead laying in with her longsword.

Hitting Olaf's target, assuming it is still up.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 231d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Wahoo! I knew I had it in me somewhere!

Cast Defensively (DC 17): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Shocking Grasp: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

Bastagar shrieks as the creature bears down on him, the dreadful cold stabbing into his bones, and the creature's snapping jaws sending him into a panic Cold Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2 HP 14/16. His eyes begin to glow, and as he raises his gnarled hands to shield himself, a bright flash and a sound like a thunderclap send the creature reeling. Bastagar himself seems stunned for a moment, and turns tail to regroup with the others.

Standard: Shocking Grasp
Move: To G15, tumbling to avoid the AoO

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 Well, nuts. And here I was rolling relatively well.

Weekend hasn't been kind with baby sleep patterns - shall update you guys tomorrow night.

Hilde - the d6 was cold damage, so that can be soaked by resistance. Cold weather gear wouldn't stop the staggered or combat derived damage, but if resistance cancels the damage - then no need to save.

Olaf steps to the skeleton and while his wild swing is ill-aimed, it still strikes with force enough to sever the necromantic enegy shrouding the creature. The skeleton reels back before the bones explode with a hollow thump, spraying Hilde and Olaf with ice...
1d6 ⇒ 5 cold damage, Reflex DC 12 for half

Kelgar looses a well aimed spear that would have felled a living man. The sparse bones prevent some harm, but the creature still staggers... for a moment before Caerb's missed throw still bursts with a crack, spraying liquid flame upon the draugr and sending it to the boneyard a second time.

Halfhand withdraws as Bastagar's touch sends an arcing jolt into the final draugr, but does not enough to destroy it outright. As he retreats it lashes out...
Claw at Bastagar: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 for 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (6) = 10
Last d6 is cold damage, and DC 12 Fort or staggered next round.
...raking painfully across the gnome's back even as Hilde advances to end it with a well-timed cross slice through it's ribcage. As the skeleton explodes in an icy shower, you momentarily think the danger passed... until the very trees beside you wake up and surge towards you.
Last skeleton explodes for 1d6 ⇒ 3

With a cracking and creaking sound, two figures of wood and pine needles lurch from the shadowed eaves of the trees in which they hid. Heavy limbs slam down...
Slam at Caerb vs FF: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 for 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 and a DC 14 Reflex save or coated in resin that gives you -2 on attacks.
Slam at Kelgar vs FF: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
...though only Caerb is struck. The impact sprays a sticky fast hardening resin over his body...

Action Tracker (Round 2): Caerb, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Trees, Olaf, Kelgar
Action Tracker (Round 2): Caerb, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Trees, Olaf, Kelgar

Mapski

FYI - you did get Perception checks to notice that I rolled; but the creatures have a special ability to take 20s on Stealth.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 HP: 3/16

Bastagar, reeling, staggers away from the fighting (move to C17)

You lose all your movement after failing an acro check, dontcha?

I'll wait to see what the others do before acting. Until then, here's a horrible knowledge check:

Kn (Arcana/Dungeoneering/Nature/Planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

That seems about right for Halfhand ;-)

Ignoring the explosion of frost, Olaf charges towards the tree menacing Caerb, attempting to chop it as if he were making firewood!

Charge to D12.

MW Cold Iron Greataxe: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16, for 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 Cold Iron Slashing damage.

I screwed up and forgot to add the Yeti Cloak +1 to my byline for AC (both overall AC and FF) although I had it on my profile. I updated the profile much later than when I first updated for 2nd level and during the later update I did not adjust the byline, and that's where you got Cearb's 14 FF and not the Nat Armor boosted 15. Not a big difference but saves his bacon this round. Sorry for the confusion.

Edit: Ninja'ed by Olaf while composing this and had to change my whole post as I wouldn't have risked him to an errant Alchemist's fire toss. But not complaining as that was a great hit...I hope.

Round 3

"Wah? Pfft...pfft" Cearb exclaims as a tree branch scrubs and pierces his face with pine needles as it crashes into the ground beside him. When suddenly Olaf if there cleaving off limbs of the tree.

Cearb shifts to give him plenty of room for that axe, and hoped to whittle the tree a bit with his own knife, but finds the attack difficult having to push his face into the pine boughs while trying to reach the trunk.

Knife attack-> 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Actions: 5' adjust to e-11. Piss poor attack FRA. If Olaf kindled the tree Cearb will move to the other(H-12) and offer minimal help with his weak attack.

You only lose movement if you're attempting to move through an enemy's space. Since Bastagar was just trying to disengage, he keeps the movement.

Halfhand knows not of these creatures, but he also knows he has not seen any of them in the Lands of the Linnorm before.

Olaf's charge has the desired effect, hacking through bark and sapwood before his axe lodges in the tree's heartwood. It collapses silently without word or scream.

Turn 3

Hilde turns, sees that Olaf and Caerb are fine before stepping over to help Kelgar.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 181d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Hilde's sword flashes in the cold and snow, wreaking havoc upon the second of the tree-people. Sap flows freely from the rent, steaming and flash-setting in the cold. The tree staggers, but does not yet fall.

Kelgar and Halfhand to finish up the round.

Round 3

Kelgar nods approvingly as the last of the draugr are felled, before turning his attention to the tree-like creature attempting to impale him.

"Whaa?? Th' trees 'r alive!!"

Eyes bulging like a manic inmate, the dwarf unstraps his waraxe and immediately attempts his own impression of a lumberjack.

Masterwork Waraxe: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14 for 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

"Ach ken believe 't! M'cousin was right!"

Doing my best to channel Durkon here. :)

5ft step to I,14 to begin setting up a flank, if needed, in future rounds.

Round 3

The Halfhand continues to hang back, content to let the others deal with the creatures for now. His eyes wander, glancing about the shadows to see if there are any more creatures lurking in the woods.

Total defence and active perception

Perception (Halfhand): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
Perception (Ormr): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

However, he seems to be having a difficult time discerning illusion from reality, and is unable to pick anything of note from the regular shadowy forms that haunt his peripheral vision.