RotRL: The Alkenstar Expedition (Inactive)

Game Master drbuzzard

"Not to worry Master Dwarf.. I can turn visible when I want to.." You see the pixie become visible for the first time..

"So let us get our protections from the kind lady her and be on our way.."

Assuming everyone is ready he casts the true seeing spell at the appropriate location and leads everyone in..

"Actually you have to wait till tomorrow morning since I don't have those protective spells prepared right now. "

I suppose we can just fast forward till then.

"Yeah, but if a giant alpine toad snaps you out of the air as a snack, I'm going to want to be able to drag back up out of its gullet."

The morning comes and Boom checks his gun to make sure it is loaders with shot.

Leta do this!

The next morning the ice nymphy lady casts her spells on you (life bubble, duration 30 hours) and leads you across the frozen mire. You're rather glad to be on the carpet instead of on foot as it looks like a cold, miserable slog.

Eventually the mire ends and you come to a road. "Ok, this is the path to Xin Shalast. You'll need to stay close to the road or you will lose sight of it. I expect you can still fly, but low. If you lose the road, I'm pretty sure you won't find the city at all, and the fogs will come up pretty quickly around here. "

Our sincere thanks.

"Your compatriot saved the soul of one of my sisters, it is the least I can do. Also if there is a chance of a Rune Lord awakening, it's in my best interest to make that less likely. "

"Appreciate all the help, we will do our best to prevent such a happening.."

Assuming we stay low to the ground on the carpet with Yap guiding it..

He casts trueseeing on himself..

Boom sets up in a crouch with his gun at the ready

"Wait, did you say crouch or couch? We definitely need a couch for our flying carpet."

You head on up the road as it proceeds into the mountains. As you hit a switchback you spy a cave with a large boulder in front of it.

In a display of the worst attempt to be sneaky ever, there are 2 giants in front of the cave trying to hide behind the boulder. Given that they are in armor, and gargantuan, it's not working really well.

Knowledge local to identify giant type.

Know Local: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (19) + 18 = 37

They appear to be cloud giants. They are gargantuan humanoids which can be either good or evil depending on the individual tribe.

You can ask 3 questions.

Nothibg some shot gunning can't fix

Special attacks, special defenses, damage reduction?

They throw rocks. Big rocks.
No special defenses or DR.

Jan speaks quietly to the others.

My money's on evil.

Bo casts heroism on himself and if the giants to not notice them he tries to move up casting invisibility and detect alignment..

"Wait here a second.."

Stealth: 1d20 + 33 ⇒ (7) + 33 = 40

Jan looks over at Boom.

If they are evil, how does he signal us if he's invisible like that?

"I will come back.. No reason to fight good giants.."

You are all on a flying carpet, so they are aware people are on the way (you never tried to be stealthy). So you can go invisible and get off the carpet.

"I suppose if they see you, might as well move up to talk.. If they appear to be evil I will let you know.."

Yap resumes his invisibility as well..

"Dirty giants....."

I'm a bit fuzzy on what you are doing Bo. As you still doing the 'go invisible and advance' thing or not?

Sorry about that.. I was going to sneak up and see if they were evil and come back to report, but if the giants can see the carpet it kinda doesn't make sense to do that.

"I suppose we can just fly up there and attempt to speak with them.."

As you approach, they realize they've been spotted and grab rocks to throw and yell "Bree Yark!"

init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"Well it appears they are hostile.."

How close do we make it before the yelling? Both Bo and Yap can roll a 1 and go before the giants.

You close to 100'.

Yap will fly up 30' and 30' forwards..

Bo will cast Channel Vigor and move up 50'.. He activates Judgement of Justice and Protection as a swift..

AC is 41 this turn.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Boom activates fly on his armor and advances max distance to be closer for some shotgunning next round

Initiative: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Jan will simply move as far as possible.

The giants chuck rocks at Bo and Boom.

Bo
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 1 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (5, 4) + 18 = 27

Boom
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 2 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (2, 4) + 18 = 24

bah

More giants (5) come out of the cave.

Obi is up.

Obi challenges a giant (swift) by flipping him the bird.

activates his boots (free)

and shoots the giant

haste shot: 1d20 + 23 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 23 + 1 = 43 (deadly aim, challenge, haste)
shot #1: 1d20 + 23 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 23 + 1 = 30
shot #2: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 18 + 1 = 21
shot #3: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 13 + 1 = 28

confirm haste shot: 1d20 + 23 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 23 + 1 = 39

haste shot damage: 4d10 + 120 ⇒ (8, 10, 5, 3) + 120 = 146
shot #1 damage: 1d10 + 30 ⇒ (3) + 30 = 33
shot #2 damage: 1d10 + 30 ⇒ (8) + 30 = 38
shot #3 damage: 1d10 + 30 ⇒ (5) + 30 = 35

AC -1 vs the rest of them this turn (haste +1, challenge -2)

Dead giant.

Rest of the party is up.

Bo moves up 20' and fires once at a giant.. Then reload his sepnt road as a swift action..

Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (13) + 23 = 36
Dam: 1d8 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

AC is 43 this round with BoF

Yap fly's down and casts Blessing of Fervor. Should hit everyone that moved up.. I think thats everyone but Obi..

Boom opens up with the shotgun hitting as many giants as he can

unless I missed it there is no map, but I assume with a 30 foot cone I can get 2 or 3

shotgun scatter+PB+RS: 1d20 + 36 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 36 - 2 - 2 = 42 for 1d8 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23
shotgun scatter+PB+RS: 1d20 + 36 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 36 - 2 - 2 = 36 for 1d8 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29
shotgun scatter+PB+RS: 1d20 + 31 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 31 - 2 - 2 = 37 for 1d8 + 21 ⇒ (1) + 21 = 22
shotgun scatter+PB+RS: 1d20 + 25 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 25 - 2 - 2 = 36 for 1d8 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27

Then he teleports another shell into his chamber

Module has no map provided and I'm too lazy. They are gargantuan, so you can get 2 at best. They all hit.

Works for me

Jan will, presumably, be in range so it's party time.

Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (7) + 30 = 37
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (1) + 30 = 31
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (10) + 25 = 35
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

Well that went poorly.

Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d10 + 33 ⇒ (2) + 33 = 35
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d10 + 33 ⇒ (2) + 33 = 35
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d10 + 33 ⇒ (2) + 33 = 35
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d10 + 33 ⇒ (6) + 33 = 39
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d10 + 33 ⇒ (8) + 33 = 41

And so did that. Thank goodness for Clustered Shots.

They say not to fire until you see the whites of their eyes but their eyes are so big this is ridiculous!

The '1' misses, but the rest hit. They don't have DR.

Another drops, riddled with bullets holes and buckshot.

They toss another volley of missiles. Note that one of them is wearing some armor, so must be the boss (cons a different color).

normal giants on Boom
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 12 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (3, 3) + 18 = 24 miss
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 12 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (1, 6) + 18 = 25 miss]
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 19 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (6, 6) + 18 = 30 hit
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 12 damage: 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (2, 3) + 18 = 23 miss

Big one in armor jumps down (and slowly falls, then charges with his greataxe (effectively this is a single charge action because he has a ring of feather fall).

Bo appears to be in front so he gets the axe.

to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 19 damage: 4d6 + 42 ⇒ (1, 1, 2, 5) + 42 = 51 hit be glad I took off improved critical a minute ago

PCs are up.

"Yikes!!"

Bo staggers from the blow, composes himself and attacks.. Activating smite evil as a swift action. Uses grit as a free action. +2 from BoF, haste from channel vigor.

"May my aim be true!"

Attack 1: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (18) + 27 = 45 steel
Attack 2: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (14) + 27 = 41
Attack 3: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (8) + 27 = 35
Attack 4: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (9) + 22 = 31
Attack 5: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22

Dam 1: 1d8 + 21 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 21 + 10 = 38 If he is evil outsider, dragon, or undead +10 more damage on this attack..
Dam 2: 1d8 + 21 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 21 + 10 = 33
Dam 3: 1d8 + 21 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 21 + 10 = 32
Dam 4: 1d8 + 21 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 21 + 10 = 34
Dam 5: 1d8 + 21 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 21 + 10 = 38

AC is 45 vs the Big Bad, 43 vs the rest..

Yap moves down invisible and heals Bo.. He uses +2 from BoF.

Cure Critical: 4d8 + 13 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 2) + 13 = 23

The breastplate on the BBEG now looks like a colander as all of Bo's shots go through. However it remains standing.

Jan decides to finish it off.

Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (13) + 31 = 44
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d20 + 31 ⇒ (15) + 31 = 46
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (5) + 26 = 31
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (20) + 21 = 41
Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d10 + 34 ⇒ (3) + 34 = 37
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d10 + 34 ⇒ (9) + 34 = 43
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d10 + 34 ⇒ (7) + 34 = 41
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d10 + 34 ⇒ (9) + 34 = 43
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot): 1d10 + 34 ⇒ (8) + 34 = 42

Attack (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot, Confirm Critical): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34
Damage (Lever-Action Rifle, Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot, Critical Damage): 3d10 + 102 ⇒ (4, 3, 4) + 102 = 113

Boom moves again to try to get more than one in his shot, then he fires, if he is able to move fire then move to some cover for the +4 being a trench fighter he will do so I have shot on the run for this purpose

shotgun scatter+PB+vital: 1d20 + 36 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 36 - 2 = 54 for 4d8 + 21 ⇒ (5, 1, 1, 6) + 21 = 34
to confirm shotgun scatter+PB+vital: 1d20 + 36 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 36 - 2 = 44 for 1d8 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23

Jan offs the poor defenseless BBEG leaving a widow, and three little giants behind.

Vital strike does not multiply on crits.

Jan shouts at the rest of the giants.