KArlan moves.
Karlan Attacks.
Lunge. P.Attack.
Attack
Damage
Crit Conform
Damage
Bree wipes her blades clean and begins to look around the opening (as much as is possible).
"Huh, not much of a bruiser considering it's size. Guess two heads aint better than one after all." Kabal's grumble was mostly bluster though as the ettin had got a lucky shot on him.
Ailetha looks to the others, although none of them can see her:
Want me to scout ahead? I will be invisible for several minutes.
If there is a yes, she will carefully make her way forward.
Perception:
Stealth: <-- +20 for invisible
"Go ahead Ailetha, you may as well make as much use of your magic as you can."
"I'm glad we finished off that one. There just seems to be something completely unnatural about having two heads. Let's see what he keeps for treasure. Maybe it will give us a clue as to what they are up to."
Celestra searches the Ettin and his belongings.
Sable takes in the two women sorting through the cave and the now dead body and asks, "What trinkets are you hoping to find in this vulture's nest?"
He moves to stand where he can keep an eye on the entrance.
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Further inspection of the dead creatures lair reveals he (they!?) keeps his treasure in a disorganized heap near his collection of sleeping furs in the northeastern cave. A quick tally taken in hurry before you move suggests the haul is probably in the thousands of gold and shiny trinkets - a lucrative find!
***
Ailetha moves forward and finds another 15' wall to get over, and with that out of the way she can push forward up a long passage of stairs leading up and onto the dam proper.
The upper walk of Skull's Crossing is relatively clear of rubble, though a three-inch layer of water has pooled across much of its surface.
Here and there, sections of the dam's surface have crumbled away, although this damage appears relatively old. A tower of skull-shaped domes sits at the center of the dam's walk. To the north surge the choppy waters of the Storval Deep, while to the south, the slope of the dam's face drops away nearly three hundred feet to a muddy lake below.
Ailetha notes the scummy water on the top of the dam looks quite slippery and treacherous...
Further up the walkway, she spies a beast of an Ogre sitting on a stone block in the rain, meanwhile four other ogres are busily crushing stone and apparently merrily trashing the dam - though at this rate they could be there for months.
Ailetha will return back and inform the rest of what she saw. She will also drop a rope to help the others get over the 15' climb.
"Well, it sounds like the ogres are the ones responsible for breaking up the dam! I just don't understand why they can't leave good enough alone. Do they really think they are going to find any more joy in life by making everybody else's life miserable?! Let's just destroy this damn, free as many sea monsters as we can and let them go down and destroy Turtle's Ferry while we're at it! Maybe as a bonus they are thinking they can flood the valley as well. Well, my friends, I don't think we got here a moment too soon. Let's head up and put an end to this damn ogre problem!"
Ailetha nods:
I know that most of you enjoy facing evil face to face. However, we will be almost three hundred feet from the vile creatures when we get up on the dam. Perhaps we should start shooting once up there. I am sure that we can get a half dozen volleys off before the monsters are close enough to attack.
I can also make the area across which they would have to charge rather slick to hopefully slow them down.
"This all feels too simple. I get the feeling they'll run the moment a bunch of archers come after them. Where are the trolls?"
Bree crosses her arms and speaks in a neutral tone, "It doesn't look like there's really many other options unless you would rather go back the way we came and spend time looking for other entrances."
Ailetha suddenly gets a vicious grin, although nobody can see it, so it is probably pointless.
Well, there is one other option. I can walk out invisible and use my songs, sung in a guttural giant tongue, to fascinate them. Then, I can suggest that they are very tired and should lie down and take a nap.
"I've heard worse plans. Go for it."
"I like your plan, Ailetha. I just hope they don't figure out that it's you. You will be a long ways out there without a lot of support. Just please don't attack them and break your invisibility until you are sure they are all napping. We'll be here watching and waiting for your signal. Good luck, my dear."
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Having received the support of her companions, Ailetha once more heads out invisible. She moves to within about 80 feet of the furthest ogre, and then begins to sing.
The hills are alive,
With the sound of ogres
With pain they ring necks
For a thousand years
.
The hills fill my heart,
With the sound of destruction
Their heart wants to crush
Every thing they see
.
They all want to beat trolls
And rip holes in dams
That rise from the lake to the trees
.
They rip hearts from men
Like to cause a disease
And make death on the seas
.
To laugh at the pain
When men trip and fall
Over stones on their way
To slink through the night
Like the dark
Which is dying today
Ogres go to the hills
When they gather whats stony
They all want to hear
Death like they've heard before
The dam will be smashed,
With the sound of ogres
And they'll growl once more.
Sung to the tune from the sound of music, but in giant. (Ok, so it probably does not sound at all like the song from the sound of music).
Will DC 20 or become fascinated. If this works, she will start to suggest each round that one of the ogres take a nap because of the hard work they have been doing and that there are no trolls watching them, because the lazy trolls are all relaxing elsewhere.
Suggestion is also a DC20 will. (Perhaps the ogres will get a -1 or -2 on their saves because of the reasonableness of the suggestion.)
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Ailetha makes her way out, noting NOT to step on the grime covered edges of the dam.
Ailetha - Stealth check to move out -
Opposed:
Ogres
She manages to make it out safely, the distance ensuring none of them see her dsiplacement of the water.
At 80' she starts her song.
Ailetha makes her way out, noting NOT to step on the grime covered edges of the dam.
Ogres
Luckily the first Ogre has just taken a short respite from the hamering and by sheer fluke the wind carries the notes to him, he seems to half enjoy the song until the mention of the trolls when you can see his facial expression twist in anger and alarm.
Will save
The Ogre crinkles his brow, his friend next to him also noticed the singing, they grunt to each other loudly and all the hammering stops as the Ogres pause to find out what is going on - the bigger Ogre stands up and they start calling to one another - trying to work out what is going on and where the evil song is coming from.
Yup :)
They got perception checks to notice your approach.
They then had to make perception checks to hear you, as you are trying to perform at 80', in the rain, over the sound of construction (destruction) going on - your performance has to be heard to be effective.
At 80' the first one is effected, but the next one is further away (as they occupy 10' squares) and the first one made a 23 on his check.
I had taken the furthest ogre as being the closest to you, ie the furthest of the work party, otherwise youd have to get really close before you started given your range limitations and the spread of Ogres...
To get close enough to hit them all you would almost certainly give away your position before you got to cast due to the terrain issues.
As she is invisible, she would have +20 on the stealth. My plan was to move up fairly close, within 20-30 feet if necessary, so that all of them would be fascinated.
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Per invis rules, there is the rider about stepping in puddles etc- this can't really be avoided in the situation as outlined, the whole top of the dam is covered in water. You'd need a fly ability so as not to make footfalls in the water as you move.
Thats hard for them to see at a long range, but as you'd have to move right in on the first set of Ogres to reach the most distant ones, you'd almost certainly have been spotted (or your displacing the water) before long. Ogres have a half decent perception skill.
Leaving the cave you had cover/concealment due to the rain allowing stealth, but the open top of the dam provides little opportunity to use the stealth skill - it is entirely open.
Fascinate also targets 1+1/3 levels after that, so thats three creatures? You have five Ogres to deal with, including the 'Boss Ogre'. The reason they had to make perception checks was to even hear the singing in the first place, as outlined, they are in a noisy environment and working away, perform says firstly that they must be able to hear/see you, and that they must be capable of paying attention.
How close together are the ogres? If she can get at least 3 in the 15' radius area of effect, then she will move back to about 120' from the closest ogre and will cast Confusion (range 170' and try to get at least 3 ogres, including the boss ogre, in the range). She will wait for a minute or two if necessary to get as many as possible in the range, perhaps while they are discussing the strange song.
Cast Confusion - DC19 Will or lots of fun
Have a peek at the map... you are the wee tiny dot... they are the big ugly things on the dam. The squares are approx 25' each.
We running with the Confusion plan instead?
Make a note on the map where you are, and also the area of effect you wish to hit :)
Ok, positioned Ailetha. She will center the confusion spell on the top right corner of the third ogre in the line, at about 160' from where she is. From that point, she should catch 4 of the ogres, 3 grunts and the boss. Only the closest to her will be out of the radius.
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Ogre
Ogre
Ogre
Ogre Chief
1
2
3
The spell takes hold and very quickly a fight breaks out. Seeing what is going on, the Chief and the unaffected Ogre stop and watch for a few moments when the Chief makes a signal to withdraw inside - He and the last Ogre withdraw, the other Ogres do a good job of beating each other to a pulp - rendering them dead or dying.
As soon as the ogres begin to hit each other, Ailetha moves back and alerts the others so that the can move forward before reinforcements arrive.
Not being needed to scout ahead at the moment, Bree drops to the back of the group to keep an eye out for anything approaching from the rear as they move.
Sable likewise remains near the back of the group, letting those with stronger arms and more armor lead the way.
While returning with the party.
I got three of them to beat each other up pretty good. I could not catch the big one or one of the little ones with my confusion spell unfortunately.
There is a small building into which the ogres went after the fighting started. I expect them to be there waiting.
"Good work. Let's see about the rest."
"Nice work, Ailetha, I was wondering if they would spot you in the rain. So can we head out onto the damn or will we be spotted?"
Celestra joins the others as they move out to take on the remaining ogres.
Ailetha shakes her head (not sure how long the invisibility lasts, although it will also effect Celestra as she did not attack last time).
I don't know who else may be there. Once we get closer, I can check more carefully.
To everyone: Move slowly, the top of the dam is quite slippery.
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You begin the push across the dam and are surprised to see another commotion in the distance - the fleeing Ogres being chased back out of the structure by a bunch of Trolls. The Ogres simply throw themselves over the dam and into the Storval Deep and begin swimming.
The Trolls fall upon the wounded and dying Ogres with a vicious intent.
You can get to with 60' and get a surprise round start on them as they are busy, not paying attention, and the weather is lousy.
Surprise Round
Standard action only.
Karlan strides forward confidently and frowns a little when he sees the trolls rush out.
"This makes things...interesting. I suppose we should try negotiation first. Ailetha you speak troll?"
Knowledge(nature): <-- does Ailetha know anything about trolls?
1) Defenses
2) special attacks
3) anything else useful?
"Real slick work there Ailetha. Now its time for the main event. Better a bunch than a mob. At least the ogres are out of the fight."
Kabal hefted his axe and stayed on Karlan's left side. He'd give the group a quick chance to parley but he was pretty sure they were here to kill the trolls.
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Bree smiles to herself and mumbles something about writing them a five page letter first.
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Knowledge(nature): 1d20+11 <-- does Ailetha know anything about trolls?
1) Defenses
2) special attacks
3) anything else useful?
Relatively easy to hit.
A great fortitude, and robust enough to take a bit of a beating, however they recover from wounds rapidly unless you use acid or fire.Their claws and bite are mean, but if they can get two claws on you then bad things happen.