Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

Celyne leans forward and whispers to Numalar loudly enough for Chadwick to hear her, but only just...

"Be careful how much you tell him. He is fairly new and doesn't need to know all our business with the smaller bands."

bluff assist dc 10: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

whoa, barely made that, but that gives Numalar a 31

"It will be in your best interest if you help so that the Stag Lord remains in power. Might even be a reward in it for you." Posh states, adding to Numalar's voicing.

Bluff Assist DC 10: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Now, 33. Wow, Numalar's a damn good liar.

"Reward?"
He hunkers down and draws a map in the dirt using twigs to show the location of big logs and leaves for foliage. "We don't really have tents yet so Kressle lays wherever she puts her bedroll. There were about a dozen guys there when Wilbur and me arrived on Sunday but then this big scary guy showed up and took some of them away and told Kressle to pack up when Happs and Salzarus got back. There's only about eight of them left."

Zokon moves to each party member and whispers to them

"What do we do with him? Take him with us and maybe use as a distraction or tie him up and leave here?"

Now, 33. Wow, Numalar's a damn good liar.

How would we know? ;)

So Gen Con is over, Numalar is moving into his new place (and will hopefully have internet as soon as that Tatzlwyrm of cable guy shows up), and I've dropped a line to Cyrielle asking about an ETA, so hopefully we get back to a firmer footing. And on that note, does anyone have an answer for Zokon?

1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 Heh.

PS Chick's map of the bandit camp is at the top of the page.

Poshment Underhill wrote:

Now, 33. Wow, Numalar's a damn good liar.

How would we know? ;)

Numalar never lies. If something he says turns out to be no longer true it is because of mean-spirited wizards travelling back in time and changing things. ;P

Zokon moves to each party member and whispers to them

"What do we do with him? Take him with us and maybe use as a distraction or tie him up and leave here?"

"Excuse me for a moment, Chadwick. I must confer with my friend here. Just stay where you are."

Numalar takes a few steps away from the camp with Zokon (and anyone else that joins us) until he is out of earshot. While keeping one eye on Chadwick, in a hushed voice Numalar says: "That depends. Do we want to go after them now? Or get a night's sleep and wait until dawn? I'm good either way. But leaving the horses and these... people... alone and defenseless for any length of time seems to me to be a bad idea. I'm more concerned about the horses actually."

"Lets go now.. when we get close enough you light up their camp so we have targets, they get dazzled and we attack"

And Wilbur and Chick?

Those are my words im hoping for others from people before th3y become actions

Crickets? Or is that the sound of questions and planning? Moving on soon either way.

"I'm ready... I guess." Celyne says, a bit unsurely as combat is not her forte... neither is sneaking up on bandit camps... Luna stays by her side, her hand in the tiger's ruff...

"There's usually a guard up in the hunter's blind another on the other side of the road, but I don't know where he stands watch. The road? It some old road from the past, but its the only useable cart path through this neck of the woods." Volunteers Chick. By the look of his map you are currently north of the camp.

"There's usually a few guys hanging around the fire pit even when it's not lit--Say, they'll be looking for us soon. We went to get the firewood for camp tonight and Wilbur got us all turned around. I only just figured our way back when we ran into you people."

"And they've got a couple of girls held hostage."

"Wilbur?! Since when are you awake?"

Wilbur nods. "Since the little waterfall."

"The waterfall?! And you let me drag you all this way?!" Shouts the indignant Chick looking for an answer. Wilbur looks cowed by the accusation. "Wilbur! What have you to say about that?"

"I'm a bad boy." responds Wilbur sheepishly, before turning to you.

"Don't worry though, so long as the girls are in camp they should be safe. Story goes that a couple of bandits tried to get fresh with Kressle when she was new to the area and WHAM!" He tucks booth his hands down his sleeves leaving faux stumps where they had been.

Chick looks a bit faint at the display.

Chick's map updated.

"I think we should as a group approach from the north east so as to not have any rivers in the way and to not approach where we know they have a concealed lookout. If we get lucky we might get to the camp and find and take Kressle down quickly. . Demoralizing the rest"

When needed Zokon will approach stealthily with his bow out
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"Trapped women?" Posh asks as his ears perk at this being mentioned. "We should make haste..." he states, though not being combat savvy, he is now immediately interested and wanted to help free these women from their fate.

"Lets go now.. when we get close enough you light up their camp so we have targets, they get dazzled and we attack"

"I can cause lights to appear in midair, but they won't really dazzle someone. They can look like torches though so I could have them appear on the other side of the camp to make it look as if enemies are approaching from the other way. That might cause them to split up."

"And they've got a couple of girls held hostage."

Numalar looks back at Wilbur with a raised eyebrow. "So, sleeping beauty is awake after all. I trust then that you have been listening and understand what is going on. These hostages... are you expecting a ransom?"

"Trapped women?"

"Even if Kressle is dead, we won't be abusing the hostages. Not if they are worth something."

Bluff (to pass secret message to Posh): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14
Nope... you figure it out.

"By the way, Posh, do you want to carry my crossbow for now? It seems you don't have a ranged weapon." You will be +4 to hit with it, which is better than anything else you've got. "Also, if you hit me with vanish when we get close, that might allow me to get close enough to use my fire attack."

"I think we should as a group approach from the north east ..."

"I agree. Cyrielle... you don't look well. Perhaps you will stay with Wilbur and Chick here while we visit the camp."

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

By the way guys...

I know we are good guys and all, but, let's not let too many of the bandits surrender. I am hankerin' to blow some stuff up.

Slayer ... Terminator same thing.. I promise to not intentionally shoot em in the knees

Tactical map updated.

Bound by hand and foot, and gagged as well, Scarlet is slumped across a log. The short and stout redhead has tried her best to make life hell for the bandits who captured her, resisting every step of the way and cursing at them every chance she got (hence the gag.) Finally she tired out midday, and the bandits have been thankful ever since.

Alright. Step One. Piss 'em off.
Step Two, play tired.
Step Four: I'm free!
I think I'm missing something. Eh, it'll come soon.

Scarlet grins, but quickly glances at the other prisoner. Hope they didn't rough up you up too badly. I'll carve these guys and their boss new one soon, I promise!

So the red dude is he hiding in or behind the tree and is he acting like he's seen me?

Zokon will stop before he gets too close and wait for the rest to approach a bit closer

So the red dude is he hiding in or behind the tree and is he acting like he's seen me?

Zokon will stop before he gets too close and wait for the rest to approach a bit closer

He is sitting on a recently-made stump, (those are both stumps in that area) with his back to you, mumbling something while he takes a whetstone to his handaxe. He does not seem to have you noticed yet.

Alia, also bound at her hands, and affixed to a log, keeps staring at the bandit trying to swing the sword they took from her the same way she did.
He probably can't even swing a normal knife properly. Just how did we let these no-good bandits get the jump on us.

Her expression saddens slightly, remembering the nightly raid. Her two other friends were dead, and Alia didn't want to ponder the reason why she and the women they had met on the road were only knocked out instead of killed.
She had been calm, not drawing attention to herself, but testing her bindings for a way to get free whenever she was unobserved.

The woman named Scarlet had done a very good job of drawing their captors attention...until she tired out. Now she had been stirring again, and Alia returned the smile towards her, before staring at the bandit again while working on her bindings.

Escape Artist - Take: 20 + 3 = 23 If I could get free, I don't do so right now, but rather wait for a good chance, like when some bandits leave the camp again, or the bandits themselves are raided instead...just checking IF I could free myself since there's little else I CAN do.

Posh remains back, but also makes sure to cast vanish on Numalar like he mentioned.

Posh just remains out of sight with the crossbow, feeling uncomfortable at the situation.

If explosions happen they happen. Posh's backstory he sympathies with the bandits, but if they're clearly not going to surrender he's not going to hold it against anyone.

Slightly ninja'd.

Alia while tied up (read "pinned") you cannot use your dexterity bonus meaning the most you can get currently (without bonuses) is 20--not quite enough to free yourself.

When the others approach Zokon moves to Celyne to say "Have your cat attack the closest bandit and i'll shoot and the next closest one, Numalar you get ready to move in and lay waste as you can"

Celyne nods at the plan and grips Luna's ruff for a moment as she readies to give her the signal to attack... she whispers back to Zokon, "Just let me know when to release her."

Zokon gives the signal and moves to a point where he can take a shot at orange

1 action or full round?

Bow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 171d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Celyne points to red and gives Luna the command to attack.

Luna charges red and attacks with a vicious bite.

bite: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23
dmg if hits: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Scarlet raises her eyebrow as a tiger leaps out and chews on the bandit. She struggles actively against her bindings, but to no avail.

Celyne starts summoning a creature to aid in the attacks as soon as Luna leaps forward.

More bandits yet? These are truly uncivilized lands if they even raid one another...

Already aware that she will not be able to escape her bindings, Alia attempts to press herself as flat into cover as possible, at least as far as that is possible with her bindings.

We'll probably keep most of the actions, but... first things first:

Initiative surprise round
Poshment
Zokon
? 2
Alia
? 1
? 3
Celyne
Luna
Scarlet
Numalar

Numalar looks around, trying to see if he can make out Byron among the bandits. "Keep an eye out for Byron," Numalar whispers. "The others... well, do as you will."

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

I am last so I will post my actions a bit later after we see what is going on. But I mean to run in and try to catch multiple guys in a burning hands.

Assuming Numalar looks around pre-combat, there do not seem to be anyone present fitting Byron's description.

1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 2 = 17
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7

Poshment makes Numalar vanish!

Zokon levels his bow and puts an arrow into a man's back nearly 60 feet away. He falls prone.

2 Somewhere someone readies and action.

Kressle attempts to snipe Luna with a throwing dagger.
"Thought you could get the drop on us did you? Haha! At 'em boys!" Shouts a woman garbed in forest greens and browns. She wields a hatchet in one hand with another on her hip.
dagger: 1d20 + 3 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 3 = 19 (a hit)
damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
stealth: 1d20 + 5 - 20 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 20 = -10

A nearby brigand attempts the same with his longbow.
longbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 (a hit)
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4
stealth: 1d20 + 2 - 20 ⇒ (12) + 2 - 20 = -6

At this point, what do Celyne and Luna and everyone down the line do?

Surprise Round
The Bold May Act
Poshment
Zokon
? 2 (ready)
Alia
Kressle
Brigand (purple)
Celyne
Luna (-9 hp)
Scarlet
Numalar

brigand orange -8

Infighting among bandits? Just my luck! thinks Scarlet. Still, gotta free myself and protect at least Aria.

Scarlet contemplates her abilities and remembers that time she saw a dung beetle seemingly compress itself while digging out of a hole. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Drawing upon her efreeti roots, Scarlet tries to shrink herself so she will slip through her bonds.

Not sure if this works, but I'm using the spell like racial ability to cast reduce person on myself so the bindings no longer fit and I can slip through.

If that doesn't work, I'll look for something sharp to cut against, instead.

I may have understood it wrong, but I believe I am bound so tight that I am considered pinned. That kind of does not give me many options to act...especially if I had all day to try and find a way to get rid of my bindings with no luck finding an option.

Alia, after ducking into cover as good as she could, trashes around trying to escape her bindings with force.
Combat Maneveur to escape pinned: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

how does an 11 hit ac 16?

not sure exactly how this is working... has Luna already made her attack? what did the 7 pts of dmg do to the guy? or did she somehow get attacked before she came out of hiding? if she is out of hiding, she'll attack the guy again if he's not down yet.

Celyne started casting summon spell the same round Luna attacked.. so need an answer to above question before I know what Celyne is doing.

how does an 11 hit ac 16?

not sure exactly how this is working... has Luna already made her attack? what did the 7 pts of dmg do to the guy? or did she somehow get attacked before she came out of hiding? if she is out of hiding, she'll attack the guy again if he's not down yet.

Luna is flat-footed until she's up, and yes, one group of bandits did spot the group while it was hiding. Since we kinda skipped initiative we kinda skipped them. Celyne and Luna can still attack Red who is currently unharmed (He's Schrodinger's Bandit, Luna will maul him pretty good if you do attack); Celyne can summon; or they can both do something else given the unforeseen situation. Red is still flat-footed. Kressle and Purple are not flat-footed.

Drawing upon her efreeti roots, Scarlet tries to shrink herself so she will slip through her bonds.

Not sure if this works, but I'm using the spell like racial ability to cast reduce person on myself so the bindings no longer fit and I can slip through.

It works just fine with a Concentration check DC 13. Spell-likes don't have any of the usual verbal or somatic components and are purely mental actions but while you are pinned you need to make a concentration check.

I may have understood it wrong, but I believe I am bound so tight that I am considered pinned. That kind of does not give me many options to act...especially if I had all day to try and find a way to get rid of my bindings with no luck finding an option.

It does limit the actions you can take, however there are still some things you can do. You could try to find a nearby sharp object to help you cut your bounds with (+2 equipment bonus), try to sidle up back to back with a fellow prisoner to 'aid another,' try to bluff your way out (look like you have to pee, or that you have something important to say), etc....

As for the "you can not move" bit of the rule. I would say this pertains mostly to tactical movement situations rather than over the course of minutes or hours, and might require an acrobatics or similar check, if you are tied up as you are rather than hanging from manacles on a wall (in which case you really can't move). You could 'worm' your way about very, very slowly (so slowly that under most circumstances any guards would have ample time to notice, walk over and react).

Alright, Scarlet. Time to play hide & seek. Just a little more difficult.

Scarlet takes a deep breath, focuses and...

Concentration: 1d20 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 1 + 3 = 19

Good job! Hmm, that dirt seems pretty rich in...not now! Focus!
begins to shrink.

Luna's ff ac is 12 so the 11 should still miss..

Luna still attacks (see previous attack posting) and Celyne stays hidden and casts her summoning spell

Luna's ff ac is 12 so the 11 should still miss..

Luna still attacks (see previous attack posting) and Celyne stays hidden and casts her summoning spell

It's listed as 11 in her stat block. If it is 12 then she's at 5 damage taken. Is she +3 Dex, +1 Dodge (feat), +1 Natural? If she is, she doesn't get her Dodge bonus until she goes and is hit by the arrow.

The Bold May Act
Surprise Round

Poshment
Zokon
? 2 (ready)
Alia (I'm going to go with you tried escaping this round, unless you've got something else)
Kressle
Brigand (purple)
Celyne
Luna (-5/-9 hp)
Scarlet
Numalar

---------
Round 1

Poshment
Zokon
? 2 (ready)
Alia
Kressle
Brigands (all)
Celyne
Luna (-5/-9 hp)
Scarlet
Numalar

Conditions/Damage taken: Luna -5 (or -9) hp, brigands: Orango -8 hp, Bill Scarlet -7 hp

my bad, I didn't know dodge didn't apply - I've changed her stat block line to reflect this, as well as adjusting her hp's

It does limit the actions you can take, however there are still some things you can do. You could try to find a nearby sharp object to help you cut your bounds with (+2 equipment bonus), try to sidle up back to back with a fellow prisoner to 'aid another,' try to bluff your way out (look like you have to pee, or that you have something important to say), etc....

As for the "you can not move" bit of the rule. I would say this pertains mostly to tactical movement situations rather than over the course of minutes or hours, and might require an acrobatics or similar check, if you are tied up as you are rather...

I doubt there's many sharp objects I had not noticed before while looking for a way to get rid of my bindings, and I had interpreted the "cannot move" a bit stricter considering I don't get dex on escape artist...figured If I can't even use my hands properly aid another would not be an option either. I also doubt they would care much if I told them I had to pee right now ;) Luckily Scarlet seems to have freed herself, which gives me a whole other option...

Seeing the other captured woman shrink down out of her bindings, Alia tries to roll on her side, so that Scarlet could access her bindings while covering her smaller frame from glances in their direction.

Mechanically, I'll delay my action until after Scarlet acts. Not "assisting" her as I don't want to lock her into a course of action.

Can I undo Alia's bindings without a check, or will I need something sharp?