Steel Wolves - A Mercenary Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Cool cool - just remember that there's about 50ft from the screen to where the spikeys are going to be milling about.

"This guys got problems!"

"Doc, you think you and Kaavel can pin the the left one down, while we try to make the one on the right come after us?"

Dark continues to hold his position, ready to assist however he may be needed.

"We c'n try. We c'n def'nitly slow it down an piss it off."

Voice, if the two spiky guardians were standing one behind the other, could the trap hit them both with it's swing?

Unlikely to get a 2 for 1 deal.
I've currently got the trap set to tripwires just behind the entry screen - so will trigger as soon as one moves around... you could revise to being active triggered (as in by one of you) - but then might be harder to catch them. Plus most of the momentum would be spent by hitting target 1 anyway.

Sentis silently wonders why the Wolves seem to be stalling. He thought they had a solid plan but he wasnt a tactician so he could be wrong. He stayed back at the entrance with a spell in mind and a tanlgefoot bag in hand until the time to act came.

"Let's do this." Doc growls, setting himself up with his mortar, taking time to calibrate a shallow-angle shot.

"Ever'one ready?"

Blaze nods, moving into a defensible position. He then says a few words in the fiery language he sometimes speaks, and lets loose a pair of force bolts at the spiked creature on the right. Casting Magic Missile. 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 2 = 7

Tanglefoot bag, left target: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Aaand mortar fail. Again.

Action Tracker (Surprise Round): Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk
So single standard action only

As the first of you emerge from behind the screen the statues easily discern your ill intent. You see then begin to lumber into movement as you unleash the first volley.

Doc's tanglefoot flies awry, bursting against the wall to little effect.

I would like you to nominate where you are standing on the map also please.

Map

Cross-hatch is the kill-box for the deadfall

I'm guessing the black lines are walls. If so, Blaze is at I-17

Yep - black lines are the walls

Put Sentis at H-20

The druid will call the spell he had in mind to fruition and a flaming shere appears. I assume that it appears right in front of me at H-19

Not sure where you should put me......

...Maybe F-14

Map

Action Tracker (Surprise Round): Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk

Hmm - seem to have accidentally left the statues off the surprise round tracker... *shrugs* will run with it :P

Dark will wait at F-16, ready to take a 5 foot step (if necessary) and attack.

I've got Blaze in for the magic missile, but still need any surprise round actions from Kaavel and Grusk.

E-17, ready action to attack.

Kaav, throw a tanglefoot bag. Might want to delay until it gets a little closer, but the idea was to bombard them and since Doc missed it's up to you.

"If yall err sure this is a good idea."

"It's doubtful any of this is a good idea, but then, if we were inclined to follow good ideas, we probably wouldn't be here in the first place, would we?" Dark comments wrily as he waits for the things to close on the party.

Grusk just prepares himself to get out of the way in an epic-acrobatic way.

Blaze sends a couple of force bolts flying through the air to break against the right statue.

Action Tracker (Round 1): Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran, Statues, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk

Map

Just sneaking things forward to round 1 - Doc can have another mortar pop and Sentis can direct his sphere before the statues get a turn (assuming Dark remains poised as the rear)

"Damnit!"

Tanglebomb Touch Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Crit confirm touch attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Fire damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 = 16
crit damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 = 8

and dc15 reflex save or be glued down. Success still means 1/2 speed.

Moves the flaming sphere to J-14

(assuming Dark remains poised as the rear)

Dark will hold position as he doesn't really see any benefit to doing anything else atm.

Doc's bomb bursts over the left statue...
Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
...the viscous fluid not singing it's armor, but the mass holds the figure in place... for now.

The statue from the right moves first, jerky movements sweeping it forward and up to where Grusk stood. It loomed over the half-orc threateningly. It has reach

The other one attempts to wrest itself free from the gloopy slime...
Strength: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
...tearing itself free from that which restricts it and lumbering forward.

Tanglefoot Duration: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

Updated Map

Technically the flaming sphere might have set off the trap - but I handwaved that chance.

Action Tracker (Round 1): Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran, Statues, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk

Augh! Why the hell are we there!? Everyone move!

"Pull back, pull back! Grusk, get th' hell outta there!"

Anyone else? - everyone except Doc is still up...

Kaavel after hearing Doc's shout, says to Blaze "What is Grusk doing?"

Just going to stand here, thought the plan was to pull back and spring the trap?

Aye, aren't we to spring the trap before engaging in the guardians?

Flaming sphere 2/4 rounds, move to F-13

The druid directs the firey sphere towards the closest guardian.

Reflex DC 16 or take Fire Damage - 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 5) = 10

Dark is waiting where he is to make sure that the creature doesn't simply use it's reach to avoid the trap, by giving him a target to follow. When the creature gets close enough, Dark can quickly step back, and, hopefully, pull the creature with him right into the trap.

Grusk moves away acrobatically...

so the trap can be sprung

Acrobatics 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Gah - last night had the net go out and tonight have baby sleeping on chest making detailed post difficult.
Tomorrow morning for sure - appreciate patience

Babies > online game. I know this because of my little sister, so much crying.

Just a note from earlier - the plan was indeed to attempt to lure the statues into the trap, but at the time I posted Grusk was in base to base with one, and I was leaving open your options to ready actions or take ranged attacks, etc.

As Grusk attempts to flip out of the way, the spiked guardian lashes out with it's trident...
Trident: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 13 - 4 = 26 for 2d6 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (6, 4) + 7 - 4 = 13
...catching a painful gouge to his hip - though still able to move out of the way.

Doc then unleashes another bomb at the near foe that struck Grusk...
Doc - you can't combine both of those effects into a single bomb. It's one or the other - so would you prefer the tanglebomb or smoke?

Sentis directs his flaming sphere into one of the statues... but the flames merely lick harmlessly at their metal form - having no tangible impact.

The other squaddies remain ready and clear of the killzone - awaiting the approach of the statue and the big reveal...

Action Tracker (Adjusted): Statues, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk, Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran

Just need Doc's confirmation on his preference of smoke or tangle for his bomb.

You can't? I must have missed that. I guess it would get a little silly, especially at higher levels. I'll go with smoke.

"Tha sucker was faster tha I thought he'ed be!"

"Did I get em in tha right place Doc?"

Doc's smoke bomb bursts near the approaching statue, filling the air with acrid smoke.

Concealed from it's prey, the spiky armored being advances after Grusk... straight into the kill zone. The trip wire is broken and massive blocks of stone swing on straining rope towards it...

Doc - make 2 x melee touch attacks at your BAB, dealing 3d6+9 damage each. If both hit, then the statue gets knocked prone.

Action Tracker (Adjusted): Statues, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk, Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran

Updated Map

The other statue, seeing it's kin swathed in smoke advances warily to the side of the screen that is not concealed in fog.

In the smoke it should also be flat footed to the attacks.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
3d6 + 9 ⇒ (1, 6, 2) + 9 = 18

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
3d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 1, 2) + 9 = 15

Move action to move flaming sphere to J-13, Reflex DC 16 or 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 6) = 17

Sentis steps a little closer and lobs his tangle foot bag at the trapped statue.

5' to H-19

Ranged attack 2 increments at H-15 - 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The statue is rocked by the impact of the swinging rocks, though it manages to keep it's footing.

Setis directs the flaming sphere, but the fire is again ineffectual. The tanglefoot bag breaks against the statue already hit by the trap...
Reflex: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 4 = 25
...though it reacts swiftly enough to avoid being glued to the earth.

Action Tracker (Adjusted): Statues, Blaze, Kaavel, Grusk, Darkbiter, Doc, Sentis + Baran

Dark uses his shortbow to try to continue to draw the thing toward the party.

attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
damage 1d6 ⇒ 4

Kaavel not having ability to attack from a range says to Doc "Keep pulling back or push forward?"

"There's a net on mah belt! See if'n ye c'n use their tricks against 'em! Hopefully Grusk's chains 'll slow 'em down too!"

Between the glue and the spikes there should be plenty to snag them on.