The Crimson Kings - Pentor Lionsmane's Mercenary PbP - #1 Squad (Inactive)

Game Master sunshadow21

Rnd: 9 HP: 8/8 Status: Thinking

Declan looked at the formation they had inadvertently adopted, and tried to find an unoccupied target for his magic. There was one, but it was a bit difficult to get a good shot at it, so he prepared, but didn't cast the spell, yelling to Shuriken, "Take a step to your left, Neko!"

If she did, he had a spell ready for the one zombie he could safely hit without fear of accidentally hitting a squadmate.

Bottom of Round 9
Zeljka finishes off the one that Corporal Running started on as Declan delays until he can get a clear shot and Bear moves around to where he can hopefully get to Neko. "This way, lass, for healing." Alestar finishes off the round as you can hear faint sounds of fighting elsewhere on the battlefield.

the tian youth will slash the Zombie at N2 with her dagger (the one below her left wrist) and take a 5 foot step to O1 to recieve healing from bear.

attack roll 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

damage roll 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

damage is slashing

Rnd:10 , HP: 8/8, Status: Delayed Action
Neko moving allowed him to cast a minor working at the only zombie that was not trying to attack anyone now, another snowflake floating out from his cupped hands to drift towards it. Unfortunately, something was performed incorrectly, and instead of even reaching the zombie, it disappeared just after leaving his hand.
Attack@N4:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Round: 10
Current HP: 9
Status: Uninjured

As tempting as it was, to shoot the zombie battling Neko in the back while it was distracted, Talbot thought better of it and decided to conserve resources. "Use your blades and finish these stinking fleshbags! We gotta rally up and help those knights!"

Standard Action: Full Defense (+4 AC)

Move Action: Move to I,4

Hangman moves to N4 and attacks the zombie at N3.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 1 = 14
Damage:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 4) + 9 = 15

Round 10 start
Hangman ruthlessly takes out one of the remaining zombies as Talbot moves to cover the party's backside. Neko does a bit more damage to the one zombie as she moves toward Bear to receive some healing, and Declan tries to convince a zombie to chill out, but is unable to barely bring the snowflake into existence. The remaining human zombies are completely unsuccessful this time around as both Neko and Alestar easily avoid getting hit. Corporal Running steps up to the one on Alestar, and sends it back to its grave.

middle of round 10
Initiative: Zeljka (11), Bear (delayed), Fort Guards (9), Goblin Dog Zombies (8, +3), Alestar (8, +2), Goblin Zombies (7), Hellknights, Eagle Knights (last) (bold still to go this round)

Bear moves forward to heal Neko.
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Bear looks at the wand and then at his club and growls. He thinks about snapping it in half so he can get back into the action....but thinks the better of it for the moment.

Round: 10
Current HP: 9/13
Status: Scratched

Alestar strafes diagonally to flank with Neko, (M,3) and lashes out with his dagger obviously fighting from a defensive stance... (fighting defensively)

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Round 10 wrapup
As Bear heals Neko, Zeljka and Alestar finish off the last remaining zombie by them as fighting continues elsewhere on the fields. "Given your pasts, Hangman and Alestar, I'll let you two decide whether to go towards or away from the Eagle Knights; no need for confrontation unless it's necessary. Whichever way you decide, we need to head toward the fort entrance so that at least one of us can get a bird's eye view of the town before proceeding further." You can still see a handful of goblin zombies near the northern breach, and the southern breach is too small to see if anything is meandering about just inside at this distance.

Breather
For now, we are out of initiative. If we need to go back in, we will use the existing one.

Hangman spits on the ground as he tries to clean the gore off of his blade.'Screw 'em. Let the Eagle Knights fend for 'emselves."

Slipping his hand back out of the weapon chord of his heavy steel mace and tying it to the belt at his waist, Alestar hustles over to the tree line and retrieves his light crossbow. Already loaded...he brushes it off, inspects it for damage and jogs back over to the group...

"I'm with Hangman...the Eagle Knights are fine on their own. Although, I wouldn't say I am comfortable about shaking hands with some Hell Knights either."

"The cold hand of law is often indifferent to circumstance and ardent in it's indignation."

"Speaking for myself, I would rather chance a peak at the smaller southern breach in the wall. The northern one still looked pretty crowded to me last time we checked and the smaller breach may deter the larger zombies from assembling there."

"I gotta agree with Brom here. Makes good tactical sense, though I don't feel one way or another about Eagle Knights or Hell Knights."

You work way around the south and find the way mostly clear to the gate, though you do have to take a few zombies out on the way. As you move, you can hear the battle sounds concentrating themselves to the the two gates and the northern breach. You actually catch a glimpse of the crowd of zombies that has stopped the hell knights dead in their tracks. As you move through the village, you finally get a chance to see the earlier carnage. Goblin undead, goblin dog undead, human remains (both regular and undead), spiders, and some strange looking small blue creature remains lie amongst festive decorations and colorful merchant stands. When you get to the gate, there is a militia member waiting to open it once you have fully secured the area immediately in front of it.

Taking Stock of the Situation
Description of the fort:
There are 16 militia men total with a captain and 2 sergeants up here. There is also an adept. The iron gate opens up to a ramp that angles up for 20 feet before reaching another iron gate with a stone wall surrounding the ramp where it would open up to the top of the plateau. Stone walls surround the edge of the plateau, and otherwise the plateau is open except for a small single story building with an observation post on top, a single iron bound door and arrow slits. Inside the small building are stairs that lead down to an underground cave where the remaining citizens of the village are waiting for the village to be cleared.

"You sum b++$!es asked for help, well here it is. Close those dang gates and lets figure out what the Hell's have been goin on around here. Malnivar pulls his greatsword from its sheath and holds it point down next to him.

Alestar hustles over to the wall of the interior building and drops his backpack and equipment belt. Opening the wooden box he starts to mix up some herbs and other components, already prepared...

"While the Captain or one of the Sergeants fills us in I can try and patch up some of your wounded. Kings, if you need any injuries treated come on over. There is only so much I can do without a proper healing kit."

Heal Check to Treat Deadly Wounds on first five people. DC 20:
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Yikes. A lot of good that did...Even with a Healers Kit I would have only healed one person. Would the real healer please stand up...

Declan was happy to finally make it into relative safety, shucking his pack off of his back with a relieved sigh and slumping against the nearest wall. That was certainly more eventful than he was expecting, and he knew it was not over yet, despite whatever was going on outside. After taking a minute, he raised his head and looked around the fort. He managed a small nod, then set himself to reviewing what just happened, and how he could have done better. "This isn't over yet", he stated with some certainty.

After a few rounds to for Bear to get people healed up, Corporal Running orders the group back out to help finish the fight. The only immediate help the folks in the fort can give you is a couple of holy waters. The Eagle Knights look they holding their own, but the Hellknights, and more importantly their horses, don't look they are doing so good.

Round 10 start:
return to the action

Initiative: Hangman (23), Talbot (22, +5), Spiders (22, +3), Neko (20), Declan (delayed),Human Zombies (15), Corporal Running (12), Zeljka (11), Bear (delayed), Fort Guards (9), Goblin Dog Zombies (8, +3), Alestar (8, +2), Goblin Zombies (7), Hellknights, Eagle Knights (last) (bold still to go this round)

Party Status
Corporal Running Init: +5; HP: 16/16
Alestar Init: +2; HP: 9/13
Bear Init: +2; HP: 7/11
Declan Init: +1; HP: 8/8
Hangman Init: +4; HP: 10/13
Neko Init: +3; HP: 2/13
Talbot Init: +5; HP: 9/9
Zeljka Init: +2; HP: 5/10

Enemy Status
Goblin Zombies 12 hp
Goblin Dog Zombies 12 hp
Human Zombies 12 hp; DR 5/slashing
Spiders 12 hp

Sorry about some of the stuff being out of order, the website was having difficulties as I was trying to get this up originally.

The folks in the fort are able to give little more information than what you were already able to deduce. An army of goblin and goblin dog undead was basically pushed into town by small blue creatures riding spiders, whom the undead were apparently unable to see, and at first the townspeople thought they were doing alright despite heavy losses leading up to getting everyone in the fort. Than the human dead started rising up and they realized they were in trouble. They are able to confirm that the humans seem to be the only ones that require slashing weapons; the goblins and goblin dogs don't, but have other ways of being terrifying.

DOT

Assualt Continued Round 1

Initiative: Hangman (23), Talbot (22, +5), Spiders (22, +3), Neko (20), Declan (delayed),Human Zombies (15), Corporal Running (12), Zeljka (11), Bear (delayed), Fort Guards (9), Goblin Dog Zombies (8, +3), Alestar (8, +2), Goblin Zombies (7), Hellknights, Eagle Knights (last) (bold still to go this round)

I apologize for the disjointed post of the update, but the website was not cooperating.

Until the Corporal gave the order, Declan was content to sit and recover his composure, though the sounds of movement made him sigh, as he knew that he would be getting up and moving again. That the dead had made it here, and then caused the fallen to rise was something that he had not expected. It sounded like some sort of contagion, then.. Much like the way a Ghoul could kill and the fallen would become ghouls themselves.

Still, he regained his feet and headed over to where the Corporal was, leaving his pack where he was sitting. There was nothing in there that he needed at current, and in fact, without being weighed down by it, he felt a good deal better already.

K.(Arcana):1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

You would need knowledge (religion) to really understand what was done, but based on the sickly clouds you have seen from the goblin zombies, you can make an educated guess that something about that cloud has the ability to make those exposed to it rise as zombies.

"Woah, that's...um, should we be reinforcing those Hellknights?"

"I guess. Well, we might as well go help those iceholes."
Hangman moves to the gate and looks at the guards. "Well this gate aint goin ta open itself now is it?"

"Glad to see you've had a change of heart Hangman. Let's give those devil lovers a hand." Grasping his crossbow firmly, Talbot intertwines his forearm with it's sling, creating a tight brace of sorts for the weapon. Walking in a low crouch, he follows the hulking Andoran, eyes level with the barrel of his crossbow, watching for movement.

current map

Since the map link above doesn't seem to be working, here it is again.

Alestar, disgusted with his attempt at dressing wounds, slammed the lid on his box shut. Grabbing a few other items out of his kit he quickly downs a potion and pulls the stopper on a pungent dose of Plaudementium and chokes it down...

"I will not be able to burn anymore of our putrid friends out there. I've used all the materials I had. Hand me those holy water vials they will be best used in my hands."

Doubling over at the waist Alestar wretchs a few times and sweat begins to pepper his brow. His neck becomes red and swollen and almost seems to widen at the base while the shoulders of his leather shirt seem to fill out slightly and pull taught. Staggering he straightens back up and unfastens his heavy mace from his belt, now holding it with one hand with ease.

CLW Extract: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Plaudementium: STR +4, AC +2, INT -2

Shuri will delay until the moment somebody heals her. even though she could take a serious beating for her small frame. her body was pretty badly bruised and she seriously required medical attention.

Round: ?
Current HP: 9
Status: Uninjured

"All right soldiers, eyes on me. I'm gonna move south and look for targets." Skulking past the others, Talbot darts into position.

Move Actions: double move using stealth to S,17 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Once in position, Talbot will utilize the nearby structure for cover, placing his back to the wall and peering around the corner.

Perception: detect targets - 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18 (if required)

If Talbot spots potential threats, he signals to his squad through simple hand gestures, denoting enemy numbers.

No perception check required at this point. Neither side is overly quiet.

Talbot can see the Hellknights being swarmed by zombies of all types. The knights themselves seem to be doing alright, but at least one of the horses looks rather sickly.

Briskly Alestar weaves his way through the small market located in the center of the zombie ridden town. Not to worried about stealth he presses his back up against one of the canvas tents (R,21)with a firm grip on his heavy mace held before him. Pressing his forehead against the cool steel for a few moments he closes his eyes and takes a few slow deep breaths, trying to gain his composure from the aggressive chemicals pumping through his body. Almost instantly, he stops sweating and the veins in his neck seem to stop bulging, his pale complextion returning to his face. Reaching down with one hand he pulls a vial of acid out of his satchel and lift his gaze to the others by the gate...a large grin forming across his face.

One Move Action utilized to gain position at the coordinates indicated on the map.
Second Move action to Retrieve a Stored Item.

As the squad began to move out again, Declan sighed, and this time checked his crossbow to make sure it was ready to be used. Then he followed, assisting Talbot-- if he had seen him. Instead, until he saw Talbot, he was going to follow the nearest squad member.

Zeljka will hold back until the mini-ambush our stealthers seem to be going for is sprung, and then charge into battle.

Hangman follows Dead eye, letting the sharpshooter take point. "Dont worry, I'll kill anything before it gigs ya."

Stealth:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Moving forward cautiously, the party sees the Hellknights start to carry out a strategic retreat as one horse looks like its about to collapse under it's rider's weight. As yet, none of the zombies seem to notice the party.

Hangman moves to get a clear shot on the spider. "If ya can kill 'em at a distance get at it!"

Move to S 21
Attack Spider at S24

Bow Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Round: 2
Current HP: 9
Status: Uninjured

Talbot swivels out from his hide, crossbow held at eye level. Moving at a brisk pace, he closes the distance between him and his targets. "Good work squad, I think we got the drop on em'. Let's focus our efforts, one target at a time." Following his own advice, Talbot targets the same creature Hangman attacked, sending a bolt whistling down range.

Move Action: move to S,19

Standard Action: ranged attack (creature in S,24) - light crossbow - 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Damage: masterwork sharpened bolt - 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2 (if applicable)

The spider, almost dead after the two ranged attacks, throws a web at Hangman, entangling the large man, in retaliation before retreating (moving to N-30).

Hangman is now entangled in a spider web.

Initiative: Neko (20), Declan (delayed),Human Zombies (15), Corporal Running (12), Zeljka (11), Bear (delayed), Fort Guards (9), Goblin Dog Zombies (8, +3), Alestar (8, +2), Goblin Zombies (7), Hellknights, Eagle Knights (last)

the Tian Youth will scan the area and attempt to identiy her surroundings to get a firm grip of the situation and attempt to notice any more hidden combatants whether enemy or ally. either by sight, sound, scent, or displaced current in the air

perception check (move action)

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

she will then attempt to cut the webbing around hangman in an attempt to make it easier for him to escape (standard action)

aid another on his next attempt to escape the webbing, i assume it would be an attack roll in this case

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

if i have to delay to do this, so let it be.

Figuring out how things were going to be moving after a few seconds of watching, Declan moved over so he could have a better vantage point on the zombies, aiming and firing after he moved.

Move to T16, firing on S-24 Attack:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Neko doesn't see any further combatants than what are visible as she helps Hangman get free of the webbing. (Hangman gets a +2 to his attempt to break free). Declan tries to get a better vantage point to shoot the zombies from, but his movement impairs his ability to shoot them. One of the human zombies notices the party and comes over to Hangman, but the other one is still oblivious to the threat on it's flank and continues to go after the knights. The Corporal moves to R-23 and clears the path to the rest of the zombies by taking out the human zombie that came over to look for dinner.

Initiative: Zeljka (11), Bear (delayed), Fort Guards (9), Goblin Dog Zombies (8, +3), Alestar (8, +2), Goblin Zombies (7), Hellknights, Eagle Knights (last)

I'm alive, really!

Zeljka moves up to Hangman quickly as a zombie lumbers its way toward him, guarding the impaired comrade from harm with her battleaxe, the head nearly ringing as it cut the air in wide swaths.

Attack! 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Damage! 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Update coming later today. I think we lost Bear.

Round: 2
Current HP: 9/13
Status: Slight Injury

Alestar swings out from behind the merchant tent (S,22) and lobs a vial of liquid in the center of the enemy group (S,27)...

Attack Roll: Targeting Grid AC 5: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Acid Damage: 4 points to all in targeted grid.

Then steps back behind the tent and immediately begins to fumble with his belt satchel.

I can hold my round till goblin zombies and fort guards go. Don't want to waste vial if they are not in group.

As the party secures the attention of the remaining zombies at the southern gate and Alestar drops a vial of acid in the middle of them, you hear sounds of healing spells coming from the Hellknights by the gate and a squeal from where the spider disappeared to shortly after bolts flew in that direction.

The party is up

I've pared the initiative list to remove creatures that either are all dead or are non factors in your remaining section of the fight. All of the spiders are dead, the guards really can't see you where you're currently at, and couldn't do much if they could, and the Eagle Knights are busy doing their own thing.

Hangman struggles to free himself from the spider's web.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Round: 3
Current HP: 9
Status: Uninjured

In a fluid motion, Talbot reloads his crossbow with an audible rack. Moving closer to Hangman, he coordinates with the Tian youth. "Hey Neko, wanna give me a hand? Let's see if we can free the big guy, they don't call him Hangman for nothing!"

Move Action: reload light crossbow, 5 ft. step to S,20

Standard Action: Aid Another - Hangman's strength check - 1d20 ⇒ 12 (success, +2 on Hangman's next strength check to escape)

Actually, the 13 was enough to break free.

Hangman shakes off the webs.