Steel Wolves - A Mercenary Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Continues the patrols. Checks docs inventories of supplies on the wagon.

"Hmmmm...seems we err a bit low on chain, holy water, tanglefoot, smokesticks, anti-toxin, anti-plague, and nets."

"Would not those behemoths there attempt to halt us in our task?" Doc says in perfectly accented high elven, pointing to the spiky metal golem-things.

Sentis was glad he wasnt the only one trying to think up questions for the strange Ghol-Gan. He wasnt sure where they were trying to go with it right now but he was thankful they werent making the hasty decision to free him just yet.

"Maybe them hangin in tha halls err tha las one who tried tah free tha throne-tied feller."

The dessicated eyeless cyclope cocks his head "What beings? My eye was taken before I was bound to this throne, so I know not what you speak of."

"Right." Doc says in his usual gruff speech. "Plan b. Anyone who can't speak wit' th' friendly cadaver, yer givin' me a hand. Ah plan t' build me a big-spiky-guy killin' machine."

Unless anyone sees any reason not to, I'm planning on taking twenty to build a trap that will demolish those things if they decide to come to life.

From my side - I'd just need a description of what sort of trap and where / how you'd plan to set it up.

Sentis will describe in detail the two armor plated constructs that flanked the Ghol-gan to their host.

Surely you can understand our hesitance? What can we expect for our risk?

"I do not know of the beasts you describe... I am sorry."

"Beneath me they placed the trappings of my life... time must have claimed some, but for some their power may linger still. Release me to the abyss and they are yours."

Beneath you? So this place is even larger than we can see here?

"Time tah leash them dogs downstairs, maybe Docs got enough chain fer tha."

A throaty chuckle "Beneath the seat of my throne... forever near but forever out of reach"

Dark listens quietly to the response before turning to his companions. "I see no reason why we shouldn't release him. I will volunteer to go forward and strike the chains with my sword, allowing the rest of you to ready for the attack back here."

Assuming all action will wait for everyone to be present ;)

"That there, tha's what we call a bad idea. Yer sword ain't gonna dent those chains, an' if those spiky devil golems 're here t' keep 'im from 'scapin', we need t' git ready fer 'em. Ah got an idea. Jus' gimme a bit t' work out th' details."

"Doc is right. We can't just free the Thronebound without being ready for those statues to possibly come alive. Grusk, Dark, help our trap master with whatever he needs. Sentis and I will see if we can't learn a little more about what's going on here."

I have K:A, K:D, and K:N, along with Spellcraft. Can any of those help me learn anything about the statues that might be useful, such as if they if they might actually animate, or if they are just spooky decorations??

Blaze - quite possibly. When you detected earlier you got some signals from them.
Go ahead and roll them bones :)

I dont know what else to ask Sunny. The only question that needs answered is 'do we trust him?' and I admit that I'm not very good at determining the truth in peoples word's. I might be able to dtermine more about those mean looking statues though.

Sentis will cast Detect Magic and focus on the statues for now.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 K:A

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 K:D

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 K:No

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 Spellcraft

Can I take 10 on Spellcraft?

As when you first detected magic, there is a strong signal from the throne that seems to suppress some other traces with it's strength. The throne radiates abjuration magic beyond your ken, but based on your knowledge of magic that would tally up with the description of the throne sustaining the cyclops unnaturally. Try as you might, you cannot pick out the other threads.

The signal from the statues is focused around their tridents - and seems to indicate a minor enchantment to their combat worth. Vanilla +1

The statues don't correlate to any creatures you're aware of dwelling below the earth. The design seems to be more similar to some kind of outsider.

Although your studies don't cover the ghol-gan nobility in detail, what the cyclops has said is consistent with the little you know. He could very well be telling a reasonably accurate story of his fall.

Sentis still believed the Ghol-gan and despite Sunny and Doc's concerns had yet to hear anything to cause alarm.

Thronebound, why were the people in the halls so brutally murdered?

If he is unaware then Sentis will describe the horrid scene.

Has anyone tried to free you before?

if so

What happened to them? Why were they unsuccessful?

Still, he trusted his brother's instincts so he listened carefully for any deception.

Sense Motive - 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Dark just waits for orders of how to proceed, pondering the state of mind that would allow someone to mutilate bodies like what he had seen in the other rooms.

The cyclops is unaware of how his followers were killed, and after Sentis explained their fate he grew silent for some time "They were killed by ritual, and sullied so that there would be no descendants of their heresy."

"You are the first to have come Undying... the first in such a long time."

Sentis gets a feeling that he speaks the truth on that issue.

"Alright, I think we've learned all we can here. Doc, do what you must to set up your trap, then we'll see about freeing our "friend" here."

I trust the Ghol-gan Sunny. I think we should help him. Although I wont be able to back the Wolves up with spells until I rest again. Doesnt seem like we need to be in much of a hurry either way.

in Elven - Thronebound, we have decided to free from your bindings. First we will have to deal with your captors and this could take some time but the Steel Wolves will prevail.

"Git some rest boys, this 's gonna take a bit."

Doc starts taking measurements with some kind of device he holds up to his eye while turning a nob on the side.

He scratches some calculations into the dirt with a stick, and ushers the rest of the wolves out of his newly claimed work area.

"Blaze ah got th' camp set up fer ye but ah'm gonna need the biggest tree you can cut down, drag over with the oxen, an' lower down 'ere. It can't be any longer'n twenny feet an all th' limbs need t' be lopped off."

Hey Doc, what are you looking to do? I might have access to some spells that could fit right in.

"Classic mancatcher. Gonna rig up a pendulum at th' mouth o' th' ziggurat an' use someone quick as bait. They run, golems follow, trap triggers, an' we hit 'em wit' a thousand pound hammer."

Unfortunately for Doc, the sinkholes are in the middle of the plains, so while there are some scattered trees - they tend more towards the small and scraggly than the large and heavy.
Trap is intended to go behind the screened area? - or at the entrance to the ziggurat itself? (the statues you're concerned about won't fit out the small tunnel to escape the ziggurat proper).

"Doc bet we could build a wall here where tha room opens, set a passage tha creatures kent get out of."

"Wait. Doc says to Blaze, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "There's no trees up top, are there? Damn. A rock then. Ah need a good size boulder dug out an' rolled down here."

Turning to Grusk he says, "Ah aint sure what yer askin' me, Grusk. Build a whatnow?"

"Them bugs is big, iffen we seal this tunnel even part way we ken leave an they kent foller us."

"Ah, gotcha. Donno. Lemme look around a' what we got t' work wit'"

"A chain net might holdem off our arses an let us get out."

"Worth a shot. We'll put a couple up as a failsafe. Might slow 'em down at least.

Traps aside - perhaps the others could discuss what the intent is and who is to be the first to approach the throne?

"Alright, Doc will rig up whatever he can to help us out. I'll try to cut him free with Sunstrike. It's magical so it might have a better shot at getting through the chains."

"Better be quick, boss. If'n those things wake up you'll need t' git all th' way out 'ere a'fore they catch ye. If we need t' go in t' pull ye out, this whole thing'll be shot. Also, when the hammer comes down when ye pass th' threshold, it should be high enough up t' clear yer head, but ye might still wanna duck. Ropes tend t' have a bit o' stretch to 'em, ye know?"

Voice, anything else we need to do, or can we have a construction montage and get things rolling?

Montage ho!

Doc sets squad to working and even with Grusk's constant suggestions for improvement real progress is made on the traps. A simple deadfall trap with a twist is rigged - large stones hoisted roofward on rope and shackles to swing like a pendulum towards the screened area. Triggered by a triprope, Doc has built a failsafe in that the boulders should leave a two to three foot gap where if pressed the Wolves can lie flat and have the rocks swing o'er their heads... at least as long as Grusk measured right...

Grusk also sets up some baffles and posts in the main chamber that are easy enough for a man to slip between - but something the size of the statues would have more difficulty moving. Once both are well satisfied with their work, the squad collapses in mutual exhaustion and leaves the gambit of interest until the next day. Thronebound endures as he has for the last centuries... one day more will not cause him undue distress.

When the time has come, Blaze slowly approaches the throne where the cyclops is interred. When he reaches 15 feet from the throne itself, he notices the heads of the statues swivel to face him like silent sentinels.

Any final prep just state it in retrospect, and I've assumed Blaze is the only one approaching the throne proper...

Darkbiter follows about 10 feet behind Blaze, on the other side of the room, so that if they move to attack, he can keep Blaze from taking the brunt of both of them.

Grusk flanks the otherside behind Blaze and opposite Dark.

Blaze will summon forth some mystickal protection, and enchant his scimitar to strike better blows. Casting Shield and spending an Arcana Pool point to add +1 to Sunstrike

After helping with the trap, healing the party and resting; Sentis was as ready as he could be to face the dangerous looking statues.

Some of us should stay back at the zigurat entrance and be prepared to hit them when they chase you all back there. I have a couple of spells prepared for this. I only have one Cure spell ready.

The half elf will also cast Bear's Endurance on Sunny since he's taking most of the risk. And then he'll take up position by the entrance.

Dark does have his sword drawn.

The statues do not react as of yet - as Blaze has not yet taken any action upon the throne.

My choices are either attempt a sunder check vs the chains, or try and what? Cut through the thronebound's limbs in an effort to free him?

Ask him what he prefers?

Your choices are whatever you want to do - I was merely suggesting that there were at least two ways to 'free him from the shackles'

Not positive, but would the +1 Sunstrike has normally apply to my CMB roll? Pretty sure the +1 from my Arcana Pool does.

Weapon related bonuses add to combat maneuvers specifically using that weapon. So yes - magic bonuses on weapons add to sunder checks - but wouldn't to a maneuver like a grapple.