Shadow of the Demon Lord (Inactive)

Game Master bookrat

Fast Turn: Attack

The orc howls in anger and pain, and swings his staff at the injured bandit.

Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

That's a hit! The bandit that went after Cyrenik has Defense 14 (brigadine armor + shield), the Bowman has Defense 13 (brigadine armor; he put his shield away), and the three others all have AC 11 (shield only).

Sluggoth Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Injured Bandit is severely injured right now.

Fast Turn Attack as well:

Kandl again swings his blade, hoping to end the bandit he damaged earlier.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

When the young ones are safely obscured by the forest, Sköllji points his club at the bandits. "This is all they send te face Sköllji the Spinebreaker!? Ha! I'll cave in yer skulls and use your 'eads as mugs for wine!“ Sköllji cackles like a dwarf possessed, and charges at the enemy.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + (4) = 13
Adding boon for Thug profession? Ignore if it doesn't apply. Either slow or fast at your discretion. I don't want to attack them this round, just look like I'm rushing them.

Fast Turn here. I'm assuming Brinda is not engaged in melee, let me know if she is and I'll change my action.

Brinda cries out as adrenalin floods her body, and seeing Slugoth take a number of blows, she swings her sling, firing a bullet at the injured bandit.

Sling: 1d20 ⇒ 17
Dmg: 1d3 ⇒ 1

T.A.S. is getting nervous as he sees the orc and goblins taking some serious hits. I won't be able to defend Mary alone, if they die! And we have no idea where we are. He had to act quickly.

In an act of despair T.A.S. fetches the magic scroll from his pocket and rises it high so all bandits can see it.

"Let's end this nonesense!" he shouts putting all his concentration into a firm and powerful voice.

Instead of reading from the Scroll T.A.S. loudly recites random words in dark speech. Words his master used when he tried to teach him dark magic. Words that will hopefully scare them off or at least distract them enough for the group to rout them.

Bluff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Bane?: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Fast turn.
I don't have the book with me right now. I faintly remember something about bluffing to roll intelligence against the targets intelligence? If that is only out of combat as well (as intimidation), count this as a distraction roll instead (targeting the healthier of the close bandits). Added a bane roll in separately in case you feel like a bluff like this is more complicated to pull off.

Jexen sees the confusion and terror of battle. And feels....Comfortable? Did I enjoy fighting? Or am I missing something?

Regardless, he has a task to do. To bring low the bandit leaders, and hopefully drive off the younger ones.

Cyrenik needs aid now. I must support my brother in arms. Where did that come from?

"Hold fast, Cyrenik! You are not alone!"

Fast init, called shot vs head of bandit attacking Cyrenik

Sling: 1d20 - 1 - 2d6 ⇒ (13) - 1 - (4, 2) = 6

Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Fast:
Cyrenik
Slugoth
Kandl
Toy
TAS
Jexen

Slow:
Sköllji

Pork ?

Let's start with some Fast in it's.
Sluggoth's staff cracks down on the bandit's head, giving him a serious injured as he staggers back, fortunately allowing Toy's sling stone to just barely miss him.

TAS bluffs a spell, and between the spell and the mad dwarf charging in, the frightened Bowman cries out, Run! Frightened creatures cannot act on the Fast init, so they'll move on slow the same time that Sköllji goes; I'm just putting it here for story coherence.

The uninjured bandit remaining - the one who was chasing Cyrenik - does not see the commotion and continues to press in again him.

Meanwhile, Jexen's own sling stone clangs off the bandit's shield (D14).

Pause here to see if Pork wants to go on Fast init, then I'll do enemy actions.

I thought my 17 attack roll might have hit the injured bandit...

I thought my 17 attack roll might have hit the injured bandit...

It did, I just totally misread it. :(

Sweet! Take that 1 damage, dirty bandit!

I was thinking a magic class for Toy, but maybe Brinda wants to be a warrior now...

Pork stays on fast initiative, moving through the bushes to try and flank the bandits.

Sorry guys, woke up and there were like 12 new posts overnight. I have a feeling a few of us are on different time zones/sleep schedules, lol

Definitely! GMT here. :)

Pork moves through the foliage to get a good position to attack.

Fast Enemies:
The injured bandit, seeing he's outmatched and hearing the fear in his friends, retreats into the woods, right past Pork! Pork, you can make an attack again him on your next turn.

Slow PCs:
Sköllji charges in like a madman, scaring the Bowman and the two boys.

Slow enemies:
The Bowman and the two boys all run into the forest. In their fear (and in the case of the boys, inexperience), they simply run, granting one free attack from each person in melee range (Slugoth, Kandl, and Sköllji are in melee range of the boys and Bowman, if each of you want to make one free attack against them; if there are other PCs in range that I missed, go ahead as well).

The uninjured bandit who chased Cyrenik does not realize his friends have fled, and he presses the attack after Cyrenik, Get back here, you coward! he cries at Cyrenik as he charges afterwards.

Move and attack

Lunging Attack v Cyrenik: 1d20 + 2 - 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 2 - (1) = 12
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

The bandit used a lunge attack to get some extra range to hit Cyrenik. If you want to melee back at him, you'll either need to go slow to move and attack, or take a Lunging Attack yourself. Meanwhile, everyone else who's still in the back (hasn't rushed up to where Slugoth is) can make a melee attack against this bandit. Defense 14.

The club cracks against his side, taking the breath out of Cynerik for a moment. All thoughts stop and seem to disappear, leaving just the chaos of the skirmish going on around him. Someone shouts his name but the man's thoughts drift back to an earlier time, an earlier place.

"You worthless sons of b#!*&es are the boys I've been taught to train. You will only have a few months of training, just enough time to get yourself killed on the field. If you listen to me though, I will make sure you die well." Sargeant Klove shouted to the scared, disorganized rabble of peasants under his care. Within that mass of humanity was Cynerik. "We'll start with the basics; thrust and parry. Move in, attack, deflect the blow. Now pair up, you worthless scum!"

The military training that Cynerik had was rudimentary at best but it was training that he had held onto. Rather than break away from the bandit, potentially leaving him open to attack Mary or find the crying baby, he stepped back into close range.

"Strike, then parry. Strike, then parry." Cynerik repeated in his head over and over again as he swung with his blade.

Slow turn. Move into combat, attack. Going to add a boon for my military training coming into play.

Attack: 1d20 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 1 + (5) = 17
Damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Sköllji will not attack the boys, but will take a free swing at the bowman.
Club Swipe: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Damage?: 1d6 ⇒ 1
After seeing Cynerik take a hit from the armored bandit, Sköllji will turn his charge toward them. He swings his club low, attempting to bust in the bandit's kneecaps. A trick he used frequently in his line of work. Especially against taller opponents.

Kneecap that fool: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Free attack on the Bowman: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Damage Roll: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Slow Init:
Cyrenik
Sköllji

Undetermined:
Brinda
Jexen
Kandl
Pork
Slugoth
TAS

Jexen cries out to Cyrenik:

"That's more like it!"

And launches another bullet at the bloodthirsty bandit.

Fast init

Sling: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Brinda's initial rush of adrenaline has subsided somewhat, and is replaced with fear. Fear of death, but also fear of domination, of being taken alive. She moves away from the fighting, but whirls her sling once more and releases it.

Slow init, moving away, towards allies if possible, then attacking. Aiming for the most injured bandit. Also, won't attack the boys if the other bandits fall.

Sling: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Dmg: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Free Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Kandl and Slugoth; you can take a Slow Init to move and attack the last remaining bandit, or do the same to chase those retreating (including the one previously injured).

Sorry, just to clarify my target, I won't go for anyone who's fleeing. If it's just the one uninjured bandit attacking still, that's who I'm going for.

Ever the opportunist, Pork runs out to the injured bandit and tries to smack him down.

Attack: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Damage: 1d6 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 - 2 = 3

I think I did that right-my strength is pretty bad, so maybe using a staff wasn't the best choice?

T.A.S. takes a deep relieved breath - something he does more for the gesture itself as he does not need to breathe - as he sees most of the bandits fleeing. Who knows if it was his bluff or the mad charging dwarf that scared them off. But it worked.

He puts the scroll away, looks around for Mary and goes to calm her. The remaining enemy was wounded already and the others will chase him off or end his life. "That.. was a great robbery!" he shouts sarcastically over his shoulder to the wounded bandit and his fleeing comrades.

Assuming Mary is still hiding behind a tree or something

Kandl will move and try to finish off the remaining Bandit.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Damage Roll: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Ok, I think that's enough waiting, so I'm going to skip everyone who hasn't acted.

Fast:
Pork
Jexen

Slow Init:
Cyrenik
Sköllji
Kandl
Brinda

Undetermined:
Slugoth

Out of combat:
TAS

Fast PC:
Pork takes a swipe at the injured bandit as he got close, but misses wildly.

Jexen's sling stone clangs off the final bandit's armor, slightly hurting him.

Fast Enemy:
None.

Slow PCs:
Cyrenik's dagger clangs off the bandit's armor, the blow deflected.

Sköllji lands a solid blow against his kneecap!

Brinda's stone smarts the bandit hard.

Kandl runs up and takes a stab at the bandit, but misses.

Slow Enemies:
The final bandit takes a retreat action, withdrawing from the combat; once he is far enough away he turns and runs into the woods.

2/11 HP remaining, he's going to run away.

Combat over; unless someone wants to chase down the last guy.

Otherwise, please tell me what you do next: stay here or expression another hex. If you're staying, how long? If you're exploring another hex, which direction? Roll an intellectual challenge roll, no bane for being on the road.

The last bandit runs away from him, backing away and choosing caution over valor before he began to flee into the walls. His ribs ached from where the bandit had scored him, every breath aching in his lungs. Cynerik looks over the others, eyeing the Orc for a moment before stepping closer to the man.

"You alright? You look a bit rough." Rough was an understandment, the Orc had taken two solid blows from the bandits and still was standing. It was just like the stories that he heard; they were bred for war. Looking back at the others, he'd call out softly. [b]"We should follow the road, keep moving. It will only be a little while before the bandits came back with reinforcements.

"Agreed. We should keep moving. It's not safe here." says Kandl in response to Cynerik's statement.

Sköllji spits at the fleeing bandit, deciding that chasing him into a potential ambush might be a bad idea. "Ain't so big, are ye now!? Scamper back te yer b!@&& leader n' tell 'im to bring better men next time! I'll be waitin'!"

Sköllji rests his club on his shoulder and walks back to the group. "Everyone alright?" He motions to Cynerik, "Looks like 'e got ye pretty good, but you'll live." The dwarf motions an upturned palm toward the orc. "An' as for this madman... That took sum real balls. That 'er a thick skull. Hells, likely both!" Sköllji chuckles to himself deeply, “Coulda used more like ye in my profession. Ahh, but that's neither 'ere nor there. We need te get ye patched up. Can ye walk alright?"

Cynerik grimaced at the dwarf, stretching a few moments later to test how much damage had occurred before nodding softly. ""We're fortunate that they brought boys with them. They won't underestimate us next time." Not if they had a competent leader behind them.

Ignoring the pain of his side, he'd approach Jexen, T.A.S., and Brinda, looking them over carefully before nodding in appreciation. "Thank you all for your help. Your charges alright?" His attention turned towards Jexen, a small frown coming across the man's lips before spoke again. "Where was your training? I saw you drilling with the marines. I thought you'd do...well...better, honestly."

Seeing the fleeing bandits, Jexen feels relief.

No more blood needs to be spilled here.

He hears the loud boasts of Sköllji with some distaste.

Who would *want* to fight like this? Or at all, if they could help it?

After Jexen approaches, he replies:

"I could use a turn. Brinda wound my key just before the original ambush, but that was a while ago. "

On his comment about the marines, Jexen perks up.

"Marines, you say? I fear that I remember little of it, the shore tactics mostly. Some motions, say with the sling, have come back just there. And...maps. I remember maps!"

As soon as he can, Jexen trudges over where he hid the baby and retrieves him.

"We should leave and soon. I remember bits about maps, it might help."

Does that help Jexen get any bright ideas about getting this group to safety?

Academic (geography): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

Next person to post who isn't crossed off the list in the spoiler (exploration mode) of my last post - please roll an Intellect Challenge Roll DC 10 and pick a direction. 2 Bane (-1 for each Wilderness Profession) if you're going into th forest.

North into the forest
Northeast along the road
Northwest along the road
Southwest into the forest
Southeast into the forest

You came from the southernly direction.

Jexen - with a passing grade geography roll, I'll let you remove one bane from the group's intellect challenge roll for exploration. This will be a once per day check for this module.

Sounds fair to me.

Jexen says:

"For now, north into the forest. The bandits may lose our trail!"

Bane: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Exploration: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (15) - 5 = 10

Before heading north, Mary pops out of the forest to rejoin the group.

Map Updated

?: 1d6 ⇒ 3

The forest darkens the sky a bit to the point where it's difficult to see the sky, but enough light filters through that you can make your way North.

Remember, those who haven't rolled for food today, you still need to do so. Perception challenge roll, plus a Boon for an appropriate profession (or Bane from a lack of profession, if you think it's appropriate).

DC 10 to get food for 1. DC 20 to get food for 1d3. Remember you have two NPCs with you. This is a once per day check.

Next person to post who isn't crossed off, pick a direction and roll your intellect challenge roll.

Jexen keeps an eye out for edible plants on the group's travels in the forest.

I think that given his background, Jexen would neither have boon or bane to his rolls here. While not a specialist, he would not have been unfamiliar with foraging.

Forage: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

Food: 1d20 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (3) = 6 Looks like Mary is going to be hungry today

While following the group T.A.S. keeps looking for something to hunt or at least some berries to feed Mary. When he sees a shadow lurking in the bushes he does not hestitate long to chase it with his sling drawn. However only a few yards out of sight of the group he trips over a root and whatever he was chasing escaped. He returns to the group and only shakes his head at his own failure.

Forage: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Brinda stays close with TAS, and though she finds some food, it isn't enough to feed both her and Mary. She willingly gives up her food to ensure Mary can eat.

Cynerik disagrees with losing the bandits in the forest but he doesn't say a word, understanding the fear of encountering more dangerous men and women. He just feared what darker, more terrible things lingered in the dark woods and awaited them within it. With each step, he looked for food nearby to supplement the food he had upon him, ever little bit helped.

Forage: 1d20 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + (4) = 16

Having traveled the roads for months now, Cynerik had felt the gnaw of hunger before within his belly. There were plants that could get you sick, plants that could feed you, and plants that could kill you. The forest was full of potential, if you knew where to look. Digging out wild onions, nutritious leaves, and other tidbits, Cynerik collected enough to eat that day and not lessen his own rations by that much. He kept an eye on others though, watching them carefully to see who had food and who did not. Catching up alongside Jexen, Cynerik would give a nod before he continued talking.

"Aye, the Marines. You fought up front with a shield and small sword in hand, perfect for fighting under a boat. You were the first Clockwork I've ever seen and...well...honestly...were frightening to watch battle." The machine never tired, never gave out, never stopped unless it wished too. Such a foe was a nightmare. Cynerik's eyes moved down to the small child he carried, a slight smile spilling along his lips. "That child will be safe with you, I'm sure of it."

Kandl, Brinda, Pork, or Slugoth - one of you is up for the next exploration roll.

Took me a half hour to type a post and the site deleted it. Ugh.
Having grown fat off the fortune of others, Sköllji knows little of foraging, but as his magnificent gut can attest, he knows his food.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

The potbellied dwarf waddles through the dense foliage back to the other survivors with a fist full of quite possibly poisonous berries. He pops a few into his mouth as his companions come back into view. He grimaces at the taste.

When he's back with the group, he notices Brinda isn't eating anything. With a cheek still full of sour berries, he removes his backpack and roots through it with one hand. He barks at Brinda, "Hey, girlie! What, are ye watchin' yer fig're?" He tosses her one of his day's rations. "Yer already skin 'n bone. Eat up." The dwarf cracks a smile before turning back around and munching on a few more berries. "Blech!"

"I know it is hard, but we should keep moving forward. We can't be too far from the town now, which will mean safety from the bandits!"

Intellect Challenge w/2 banes, in the same direction we were heading before: 1d20 - 2d6 ⇒ (4) - (4, 2) = -2

The dense woods has you walking in circles. Shadows have played tricks making the woods seem darker than what they should be. Combined with the shouts of the bandits not too far away, and the distractions have led you back to where you've started.

No progress.

Time of Day: 9 am

?: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Fortunately, you've encountered nothing scarier than the shadows of the trees.

Now that we're down to three people left on the list, I'm going to reset it. Anyone can roll for the next exploration.

The hour of walking was tense, the shadows in the woods looking dangerous as they shifted under the thin rays of light that broke through the dark canopy above. The sounds of the bandits in the distant kept them moving but as they traveled, yet they would enter into a copse that was too damn familiar.

"No...no, no no...this is where we've been already!" Cynerik lamented, glaring at the goblin for a moment before shaking his head. "You've brought us closer to the bandits, damn it!" He moves beside Jexen, confirming the geography with him before pointing to the northwest. "This way. We follow the path where the road seemed to be going and we'll keep it close enough. There should be a town connected to it." Whether that town would be infested with bandits or something worse was yet to be discovered. The trees seemed to groan hungrily as the group took a moment to catch their breath, Cynerik taking the lead to head deeper towards the Northwest.

Intellect: 1d20 ⇒ 4
I was aiming to go NW. We'll see where we end up.

??: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Map Updated

Time: 10 am

Cyrenik moves you through the forest, and you're certain you're finally not walking in circles. However, he leads you straight back to the road! Only this time, it's different. This time, you've stumbled upon the wreckage of your caravan.

The wood of the wagons is all burnt up; not even the embers are smoldering. The smell of smoke is in the air, and with a slight southernly breaze, you have an idea as to why you didn't smell it before.

Looking about, there's no one around. Those earlier bandits must have come from here, but they're no where to be seen now.

Dead horses and dead bodies lay where they fell. Vultures pick at a dead horses, while various ravens peck at the other bodies lying around. Most of your fellow companions are missing their eyes. Watching a raven peck an eyeball out of a child's body soon reveals the reason why.

Flies and other insects swarm the area, and the smell wafting away from the bodies is almost as strong as the old smoke.

The sounds of thousands of tiny insect wings fill the air.

Pause here to let people respond and decide what to do.

Cynerik looked about the area as they re-emerged from the forest and returned back to the road. Yet this was not the same road that they had emerged from; instead it was where they were the night before. The smoke from the fire tinged the air and the smell of bodies radiated from the ruined wagons. Only the scavengers and the insects held domain now, Cyrenik's eyes flickering over the scene of the massacre. That hungry raven took a child's eye before fluttering off into the treeline, bringing a low murmur from the man.

"God have mercy on their souls..." He felt the need to kneel down and pray but there wasn't time to hope that the souls of the innocent were taking softly into God's hands. No, they needed to keep moving and they needed to get out of here.

"I...I'll see if there is anything left behind." It was a low chance of anything worthwhile being but in the hectic darkness, who knows what could be found. They needed more than daggers, staffs, and slings if they were going to survive these dark woods.

I'm going to have Cynerik look amongst the dead for anything worthwhile. I feel that as a refugee, he has passed through battlefields before and has scavenged for supplies, weapons, anything worthwhile to pay for his voyage northwards.

Perception: 1d20 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (4) = 5

As he searched fruitlessly through the wreckage, his arm in front of his mouth to keep the bile in his throat and the worst of the smell from assaulting his senses. He'd point in the direction the ruined wagons were going, looking back at the others.

"That way, that is the way to Fletcher's Rest." As terrible of a scene as this way, it at least given some kind of reward.

Sköllji gags when he sees the massacre. He'd seen dead bodies before. Lots. But this was different, and the taste of sour berries wasn't helping. He turns around and retches into the brush. "Bloody savages. I'll tear their f+~~in' spines out their a%&+@~+*s."

As Cynerik walks forward to search the remains, Sköllji feels a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He understands the need to gather supplies, but taking from... them? That's just begging for a curse. The sick feeling lightens slightly when nothing is found.

"Well, we're just going in circles at this point, ain't we? We should get out of here. Fast. The youngin's need not see this." Sköllji wipes a little spittle from his beard and begins walking.

Earlier...
As Sköllji speaks to her in his growling voice, Brinda shrinks back a little, fear in her eyes. As he passes her some of his rations, her expression softens, and she gives a timid smile. "Thank you master dwarf." She seems a little reserved, but willing to give the fearsome-acting dwarf the benefit of the doubt.

At the ruined wagons...
Brinda looks highly discomfited as she walks among the dead and the wreckage. However, she soon sets to looting, picking carefully around the bodies, looking for any weapon or thing of value she can find.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Searching the site is an auto success, so no need to roll.

Looking around, you find equipment that the bandits must not have seen, or they had to leave in a hurry and missed them. But for whatever reason, there are a few things they did not find:

• One crossbow
• A case with twenty bolts
• two swords
• seven days of travel rations
• healing potion
• two scrolls
• a holy book outlining the teachings of the Cult of the New God