Megan's Kingmaker PbP

Game Master Megan Robertson

The bird is a species new to you. It has dark green feathers apart from the belly and under the wings where it is light blue. It's about the size of a raven, and has a long, curved pointed beak.

If you take Barnabus's advice and back off from the nest, it resumes its aerial patrol.

The bird is a species new to you. It has dark green feathers apart from the belly and under the wings where it is light blue. It's about the size of a raven, and has a long, curved pointed beak.

After studying the bird for later research (or a new knowledge check after she's gone up a level), Rhasa will lead the party away to continue their explorations.

A bird is a bird; and while Gorguk appreciates the vast bounty and wonderful variety of life here, he does not take any more interest in the animal once it has continued its normal behavior. Instead, gorguk will watch for any signs that the bird attracted other creatures attention by its antics. Once Rhasa leads on, Gorguk will follow in his usual place.

The rest of the day and the following night pass without incident, and by midmorning on the next day you enter hex F3.

Map - as we haven't linked to it in a couple of pages!

Still grassland, but a bit more uneven, rolling hills.

The first thing you see is a herd of wild horses, pale brown with creamy manes and tails, which scatters at your approach.

Then, as you crest the next rise, you come upon what can only be described as an animal graveyard. An area with a radius of nearly 200 feet is strewn with the skeletons of boars, deer, bears, and a few humans (or at least humanoids) for good measure.

Rhasa calls a halt on the rise as she regards the scene below. "Anyone familiar with places where animals go to die? I don't believe this would be holy to Erastil, but I'm loathe to offend him because of a lack of knowledge." Considering more mundane causes:

Knowledge (nature) 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Survival 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

I know of nothing that could cause this many animals to die in one place outside of a predator that kills and brings his food back here. But what type of predator would be out here in the open I haven't any ideas?
Unless, but no it can't be. I mean they would have to be huge to take out bears and such. Even then we should be able to see them from here. Sorry, I am thinking back on our conversation with Bokken. He mentioned in passing about large spiders 2 days travel from his place. This can't be what he is talking about though. I thought his talk about large spiders would be that they were the size of my hand. Not large enough to cause this travesty of life.

Perc 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11

I love pbp for the sole reason that I can go back through conversations with others. I usually have the hardest time remembering what happened in past gaming sessions.

"It seems tha horses aviod this predator in some way, perchance it is this area they avoid rather than some moblie predator ..dangerous vines perhaps?"

Perception check
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Rhasadilara, your thoughts run along the lines of a particularly messy predator or a watercourse that suddenly dried leaving creatures without water - but there is no stream here although the grassland is lush and shows no signs of parching.

Gorguk, you can see that some of the humanoid skeletons still wear their armour.

Barnabus, was that a chittering or hissing sound? No, it's gone again. Maybe just the wind.

What type of armor, I am always looking to upgrade to so as I may defend my companions better? If I see anything looking promising, even a chainshirt so that I may wear it at night, I will cautiously advance towards it.

Calinder has just been riding along, keeping mostly to himself and enjoying the time spent exploring the outdoors, it is so different from his life spent in the confines of the temple to Erastil.

As they come in sight of the remains left in the open to decay, Calinder casts asks Erastil for added insight and then looks around for signs of what might have done this and if it is still here.

Clainder cast Guidance and then makes a perception check: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17, well hopefully that was enough to spot anything there.

"Gorguk, watch and be careful, as you now have me recalling Bokken's words as well, and these spiders if they exist should be near to where we are now."

Barnabus makes a knowledge nature check

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

"Spiders, spiders, spiders.." He says to himself

Rhasa shakes her head, "His spiders were west, not here. And I wager they grow much larger than your hand. Wait a moment before you move closer."

Rhasa will settle in and watch the area for any movement for a while, hoping any threats will reveal themselves with impatience.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Gorguk will pull up on Durok at Rhasa's words and maintain his position until he gets the go ahead to continue forward.

Aren't we west of Bokken or am I confused yet again on my directions? If I am confused, then what direction are we headed?
I would prefer to have the spiders much larger, if we are dealing with something small, it must be very dangerous to kill so many creatures. Poisonous perhaps. The larger they are the less likely they are poisonous...I hope

Gorguk will pull up on Durok at Rhasa's words and maintain his position until he gets the go ahead to continue forward.

Aren't we west of Bokken or am I confused yet again on my directions? If I am confused, then what direction are we headed?

She nods, "West, but mostly south. I took the hermit's directions too literally, I suppose. We should not discount the possibility."

I would prefer to have the spiders much larger, if we are dealing with something small, it must be very dangerous to kill so many creatures. Poisonous perhaps. The larger they are the less likely they are poisonous...I hope

The elf smiles at the remark regarding spiders, "Would only be fair, would it not? Sadly, 'tis not so - the bigger they are, the more potent their venom. I doubt one bite would kill, but it would certainly have an effect..."

She does not take her eyes off of the boneyard while she responds. Come, what has caused this? Are you still here?

"Whatever got all these things fer certain they did not see it comin either, take all caution."

Barnbus dismounts at the far edge of the skeleton field...

"Maybe we should walk tha edge an get a better look, maybe we can see something from a different perspective."

A good suggestion Barnabus, let us circle the field and then if we don't see anything proceed in farther. As we go around, I will stay 20ft in the field so as to prevent anything from from reaching you first. We can continue like this in a spiral if you so choose, with me always 20ft farther in than you as we explore this desolate scene.

Still mounted with shield and sword ready. Guide with knees ride check 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

perceptions1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16

The boneyard occupies a slight depression in the ground, at the centre of the 'bowl' there appears to be a flat rock. One of the skeletons near to it does appear to be wearing a chain shirt.

Nobody can see any spiderwebs, however Barnabus, you recall that there's a variety called a trapdoor spider which does not build a web but hides and leaps out at its prey. You are not sure just how big they get but they have a nasty (and venomous) bite.

So, with Gorguk performing some spectacular riding stunts, who's doing what?

Calinder readies his crossbow. He then prepares to cast a spell at the first sign of trouble.

"Before any of us move closer to the center of the area, I can place a magical protection on you that may help you if you are bit by a venomous creature. If you wish that is."

Calinder offers to cast Resistance on each person in the party. He also prepares to cast Divine Favor on himself at the first sign of trouble.

Calinder, your guidance spell suggests extreme caution towards the centre of the depression.

"Ware a trap-door spider who can leap out of the earth an attack and bite...

Barnabus readies his spear....thinking it better to impale a leaping spider...

Rhasa will nod at the suggestion to circle the field of skeletons and agrees that Barnabus may have identified the type of foe. "Remember - whatever it is, it can bring down a bear..."

She will dismount from Sunset and lead him partway down the hill away from the skeletons before returning, nocking an arrow, and waiting for a target. Anything that appears to threaten the explorers will do nicely.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

With everyone else providing range cover and support, gorguk will gladly take the resistance spell offered and head deeper into the bone lair. Periodically (after the spell ends, but won't know exactly when it will expire) Gorguk will come back to get it replenished. He will continue this until the area is searched or he is attacked.

Here is to hoping a +9 fort does the trick on a spider bite.

If nothing happens to him or his horse, Gorguk will eventually near the flat rock in the center near the chainshirt.

*edit*One of these days I am gong to remember detect evil in the original post. I will also detect evil as we search this area. Not that I expect anything evil, but more that is whatI would do inthe situation anyways.

Calinder gladly fulfills Gorguk's acceptance for additional protection and cast a spell that will give Gorguk some additional protection against any venomous bite if there is a spider here.

Casts Resistance on Gorguk

After casting the spell Calinder says, "Gorguk, the promptings I'm getting from Erastil tell me that we should be wary of the center of this area. Another indicator that this may indeed be a trapdoor spider as Barnabus suggests.

I will dismount and follow behind you a bit, as I am not a steady shot from horse back. Hopefully by hanging back, if we are suddenly attacked, we both will not be hit and can cover one another."

Nothing particularly 'evil' here...

What do you want to do, Gorguk? Just ride around looking, or do you want to investigate the remains?

We have been tasked with exploring the Greenlands and would be remiss if we did not explore this area fully. Therefore into danger we must go. Onto the remains...and whatever else awaits.

Lothar will dismount from his mule and quietly shadow Rhasadilara as she investigates what's going on; If necessary, he will make a Stealth check to remain unseen and quiet while keeping close by his partner.

BTW - Sorry about my absence. Work and Dragon Age II has been keeping me distracted. I'll try to do better.

I don't know if you want a perc check or appraise for the chainshirt remains but here they are if needed as we get closer.

perc1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
appraise1d20 ⇒ 11

"I hope tha spider jumps out at yah gorguk I think I will be ready to enlarge yah if need be, better fer tha spider tah bite off mor than he can chew, plus I don not want yerself tah end up dragged into its' hole."

Calinder continues to follow Gorguk towards the center of this messy graveyard and as he does so, he once again cast a spell, this time on himself.

With a voice that is now sounding a bit jittery, Calinder says, "Gorguk, how do you say 'chicken' in orc?"

Calinder cast Resistance on himself as well.

Since Barnabus has indicated that he will enlarge me, I will dismount and have Durok go back to Rhasa and Lothar.

quick dismount 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
handle animal 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Almost falling off his horse, Gorguk dismounts and takes a moment to steady himself before having Durok retreat to safer footing and protection.

Proceeding onward towards the chainshirt and the remains with shield and sword ready. Weapon cord also attached to myself and the sword.

The word you are looking for is 'kypnua', Cal. Hopefully you don't end up like most chickens and be dinner. Don't worry, I won't let that happen.

I just used a russian translator for the word chicken. Hope that works ok.

Handle Animal 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

"Durok, good boy. Follow Lothar, go to Sunset, ok?" Without taking her eyes off the scene below or her hands off her bow, "Lothar, can you take Gorguk's warhorse to where Sunset waits? They will both be safer if they are together while we are distracted. But I need your eyes back here - it's going to happen soon, I think."

"I hope that I don't end up as dinner as well. I hope none of us end up as dinner. Fighting bandits and goblins is one thing, but I just can't wrap my mind around giant spiders at the moment."

Yes, you got my twist on a quote from one of my favorite books/movies. It's Kuritsa spelled phonetically in English.

"Don't worry about me, I'm just a little jittery. I'm going to hold position a little over half way and cover Gorguk from there."

Calinder will stop when he gets to about 75 feet from the center of the area they are investigating.

You'd swear Durok was chuckling as he trots obediently off following Rhasadilara's directions, Gorguk.

Then you begin your cautious advance, feet crunching on bone. All is quiet, the sun burns down and the air is still.

Reaching the humanoid remains with the chain shirt, you realise that it was probably a human male, about six foot in height and broad across the shoulders. The chain shirt seems in good repair although the leather binding on the hems has worn and frayed, it'll probably need replacing else the shirt'll chafe around the neck when worn. His belt has rotted, and you're none too confident that, even if restrung, his bow could withstand a full draw.

That's when the top of that rock appears to almost blow off as a giant red and black spider springs out and straight towards you!

As you were half-expecting trouble, it doesn't totally surprise you.

Initiatives, please: and post actions and relevant rolls. Readied spells can take effect, please remind me so I don't have to go scuttling back up the thread!

Spider's initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

As far as Durok is concerned, he will get his just due after I deal with the spider and make sure that he knows that I am trying to take care of him not Rhasa.

Calinder is in the middle of muttering 'Kuritsa' to himself several times when the attack begins. He jumps as the 'rock' pops open and out comes the biggest spider he has ever seen.

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 20

"That's one big spider!" Calinder says as he raises his crossbow to take aim at the beast.

Initiative
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Readied spell...
Casts enlarge person on Gorguk

I guess I did not say Rhasa was taking a readied action in so many words, but that was the intent and the reason she had remained still while the others explored. If she gets the readied action, here's the attack roll:

Longbow attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 Assuming range between 30' and 110'; no penalty for firing into melee thanks to Precise Shot
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 7

Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"Lothar, I'm glad you are near. I will concentrate on the beast - hopefully there are no others close. I don't know if this type of spider is solitary or not..."

Forgot to say what Cal's first round action is.

As the spider pops out and charges at Gorguk, Calinder is first to react. Gasping at the size of the beast, he raises his crossbow and fires... possibly in too much haste as the bolt goes wide of the mark.

As the bolt flies past, Gorguk moves to place himself betwixt spider and Calinder, bracing himself in an attempt to skewer the spider on his sword... and finding himself swelling up as Barnabus targets him with an <i>enlarge</i> spell.

Rgasadilara fires her bow, neatly placing an arrow in the spider's abdomen just as it runs straight into Gorguk's swinging sword!

Hissing angrily, its mandibles snap at Gorguk... 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14... it hisses again, even more angry as its jaws close on empty air.

Next round's actions and rolls please

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Lothar maneuvered himself around outside the spider's reach to take a flanking position with Gorguk, drawing his dagger as he moved. Once he was ready, the magician threw down his dagger so that it landed point first into the ground and began to cast a favored cantrip of his. A strong, sickly sweet odor began to emanate from the weapon. If Lothar was correct in his thinking, the sudden appearance of the scent wafting from his blade should provide just enough of a distraction to the spider so as to enable the paladin to get in a good solid hit on the arachnid.

Action: moving to flank with Gorguk, as stated; using prestidigitation to perform an Aid Another [+2 to hit] to benefit the paladin, for a total of +4 to hit.

Is there an AOO on the spider for attack when I have reach? If so, Enlarged Power Attack on the spider 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
damage 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 2) + 6 = 14 Oh well so much for that

Seeing that I have the spider's attention and that I am now large, Gorguk is going to aatempt that which him, lothar and Rhasa have been practising at Oleg's.

With Lothar's assistance, Gorguk manages a lucky but hard placed hit upon the spider futher demanding the attention of the spider.

Round 2

"Lothar? Lothar?" Realizing where her spotter had gotten off to, she smiles and says to herself, "Yeah, well, that works, too."

Hoping Gorguk and Lothar remember to keep her firing line open, she moves 10' closer (I assume I'm still quite a ways away)and continues to attack:

Longbow attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 Assuming range between 30' and 110'; no penalty for firing into melee thanks to Precise Shot
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 4

Round 2:

Calinder moves thirty feet to the side to try and get a good shot around the now enlarged Gorguk. He mutters to himself as he moves, "Pull yourself together Calinder, your companions need you to be at your best."

Calinder then cast a spell asking Erastil to grant him his favor in helping to defeat this creature.

Calinder casts Divine Favor on himself granting a +1 to attack and damage rolls for the next minute.

Round 2

Calinder, you mutter furiously to yourself and pray to Erastil, feeling a familiar comforting glow wash through your body as you reposition yourself.

Lothar, you move into a flanking position, throwing down a dagger and casting with practised ease... a strange smell washes over the boneyard, and indeed you see the spider's antennae twitch in the direction of the scent.

Nice tactic! What's the scent, out of pure curiousity?

Barnabus, you remain watchful, waiting for an opportunity as Rhasadilara moves closer.

Rhasadilara, you raise your bow and draw back, hand brushing your cheek, check everyone's position and loose...

... a second arrow THUDS! into the spider's side...

Gorguk, with a medley of images from your practice sessions running through your head, you step in and land an almighty blow on a spider who's already reeling from bowshots, rapidly moving figures and a wierd smell...

... and with a horrible squelching, crunching sound, the spider is neatly cleaved in half at that narrow bit inbetween its thorax and its abdomen. Nasty yellowish-grey ooze spills out, and the smell quite overwhelms Lothar's magically-generated scent.

Combat over, and beautiful coordinated tactics... well done!

Yea, team!!!

Rhasa, her next arrow nocked, lowers it slightly to call out, "Is everyone OK? Do you see any more of the beasts?"

"I fear if there are more they are in yon hole."

Barnabus moves up light on the spear and sticks it into the darkness.....

"I fear one of us may have to go check."

Nice tactic! What's the scent, out of pure curiousity?

Lothar nodded in agreement with Barnabus as he manipulated the released chakra of his spell to neutralize the spider's scent entirely. Assuming, of course, the hole can accommodate any of us. If it can, then this humble one would like to be the first to volunteer for the task.

After waiting to verify that no other threats present themselves, Rhasa walk to top of the rise to where she can see Sunset and Durok. She tries to call them to her.

Handle Animal for Sunset 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Handle Animal for Durok 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

She will climb into Sunset's saddle and keep watch from her elevated position.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

{b]As I am too large to fit properly, I am fine with you going down to inspect the hole and see if there are any more spiders in there. Let us tie a rope around your waist so that we may drag you out if you are attacked and can't defend yourself properly.[/b]

If there are no more spiders, Gorguk will look at retrieving the studded leather armor from the corpse.

Nice job everyone. Noe damage taken and only lasted 2 rounds. Doesn't happen too often.

"Lothar an I can go an look o we can take turns an everyone can go. I would like to learn more o tha spider so my knowledge must be more complete."

Perception
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"Plus mah scorpion like holes such as this!"