The White Boar of Kilfay - 4E D&D

Game Master FabesMinis

<whispers to Healaugh>

"Let's hope it's not up a tree."

<draws axe and follows>

<whispers to Healaugh>

"Let's hope it's not up a tree."

<draws axe and follows>

I'll do you a favor and not roll perception on that ;)

Ddraig, being conscious of his inate ability to be stealthy, decides to gently draw his sword ... and damn well stand still! (But is ready to charge forward if need be!)

<whispers to Healaugh>

"Let's hope it's not up a tree."

<draws axe and follows>

sotto voce to Macmorr

"Aye. Don't much fancy getting our Ghadmyr up trees. Could end badly."

OK, folks. Please all roll initiative.

Ghadmyr, Healaugh and Macmoor move closer to the bridge. Ddraig stays back with Ynyr.

Initiative 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7. Still no idea what we're dealing with? I did get a natural 20 on my perception roll ;)

As best you can tell they are very large humanoids.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 - init

Initiative Roll: 1d20+2 = 16+2 = 18

Apparently, Ddraig is actually awake!!!

Initiative = 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Rolling on behalf of Ynyr - 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16. Note that he doesn't seem to have finished updating his profile and he's still got all his level 3 stuff in there.

Hi folks, here's my first attempt at a map... Please place yourselves on the footpath on the left hand side of the map (the yellowy bit!). The woods (green bits!) are difficult terrain and provide concealment.

>>>>MAP<<<<

Wow! Nice map, Fabes. Bung Healaugh at S8.

Ghadmyr will be at R10

Put me at T12. And yeah, really nice map.

Have put Ynyr and Ddraig on the map. You guys have a SURPRISE ROUND, so you can each take 1 action before we go to a normal round.

>>>>MAP<<<<

Anything we need to know about the brown terrain?

"Big lads, bain't they," notes Healaugh as he finally spots the large, lurking figures.

No. And the monsters are still underwater

Move to M13. And as a free action, calls out.

"Be tha tollmen?"

I'll ready a charge if any of them emerge from the water on our side and attack.

The stepping stones in the river require a DC 5 Athletics check to jump from one to the other, but landing on one requires a DC 10 Acrobatics check to keep your footing or land prone.

Ghadmyr will move to L15, where he waits alertly, to see how they respond to Healaugh.

Ddraig moves forward (to O11) and prepares himself for the future!

Fabes DM

Ynyr?

In London and no internet access. I'm guessing Ynyr will get a little closer.

My baddies' init:

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Obvioudly Healaugh has powerful lungs.

Two green heads with lank hair emerge from the river, one of which has a fish in its fanged mouth. Horribly you recognise them as trolls.

Nature check to learn more (free action).

One of them says, "Wozzat?"

The other (fish in mouth) replies, "Lngcgh!"

They emerge fully from the fast flowing water and ignoring it by dint of their size, plod out to the far side and hide under the bridge. One of them makes an obscene gesture at Healaugh.

Init.

Ddraig
Ynyr
Macmoor
Healaugh
Ghadmyr
Trolls

"Eee. No call for that. Tha'll shock our Ddraig."

Nature - what do we know about trolls? (1d20+9=23)

Of course he's got powerful lungs. He spends half his life bellowing instructions at people on fishing boats and the other half singing horrible folk songs.

Nature check 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21

>>>>MAP<<<<

Did we remember anything useful about trolls?

I'm guessing that crossing the dam would be difficult, but what sort of difficult?

Please see above regarding the stepping stones. Are you talking about actually walking across the dam? Healaugh does like to make things difficult. It will be slippery.

Indeed, the dam. He just wants to know, in case it comes in handy.

And did the Nature checks reveal anything about trolls, such as their behaviors, tactics, strengths, or weaknesses?

Trolls - natural humanoids. These trolls are young, and thus not as strong as an adult. They are possessed of vicious claws and can bring them to bear in a frenzy when wounded. Basically, your normal D&D troll.

Does anyone want to roll initiative for the other two?

They've already rolled init, we need them to take a turn. I will do so, if we don't hear from them today.

Ddraig strides forward to the end of the bridge before it meets the river and shouts, "Declare your intentions!"

Ynyr waits behind and mutters, "Well, yes, see, I don't think I want to hear their intentions, you know?"

Initiative.

Macmoor
Healaugh
Ghadmyr
Trolls
Ddraig
Ynyr

Macmoor and Healaugh, you're up.

Healaugh marches briskly towards the river's edge and prepares to hurl abuse at any sign of aggression on the part of the trolls.

Move to M19. Readying Vicious Mockery for when they or he get in range.

Macmoor?

Follow Ddraig, axe ready.

Ghadmyr will delay until after the trolls.

The trolls retreat further into the hole, perhaps munching on fish.

Initiative

Ghadmyr
Ddraig
Ynyr
Macmoor
Healaugh
Trolls

>>>>MAP<<<<

Ynyr dithers.

"Well, now, look you. Do you think they might be wanting a change from fish? Could we be offering them some travel biscuit as variety, do you see?"

Ghadmyr decides to swim the span.

Nature 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26 - if there is anything that is going to make that swim more difficult than usual, let me know; he will probably stop at the bank if there is going to be trouble.

Move to L21 and start swimming due east. Athletics 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15. If successful I should wind up at L24.

Ghadmyr notes that the water is very fast flowing and will carry weak swimmers downstream. His skills allow him to note that the water is flowing oddly to the south as if over and through something. Perception check may tell you more.

All water squares are treated as having current that slides you 2 squares south. You can spend movement to reduce or negate the pull of the current. You need to succeed on a DC 15 Swim check to swim successfully (see Athletics skill p183 of Player's Handbook) and thus move half your speed. Ghadmyr - would you still like to swim?

No, Ghadmyr will not swim if the DC is 15. He only has +1 Athletics. He stops at the bank instead.

Perception 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

"Now then, isn't it foolish I'm being and not thinking properly? No reason at all for us to be creeping up on these fish-eating things now is there? Not when I'm carrying tanglefoot bags and we can throw them and stop them moving, can't we?"

"Tha daft bugger, Ynyr. Might have said so sooner."

Healaugh grumbles and reaches for one of the bags.

"Happen we get close enough to throw sticky bags wi'out putting selves at risk. What's tha throwing arm like, Ghadmyr?"

"While I harbor no fondness for trolls, these aren't our quarry. I was prepared for them to attack, but instead they flee. The river is treacherous, and I fear making the crossing now, as the day draws on, may force us to make camp in these woods. Perhaps we should return to the entrance to the wood and make our camp there, and then try a different path in the morning?"

I'd like to bash those troll skulls as much as anybody, but I'm not sure what in-character reason we have to do it, now that we know they're not being aggressive. And who knows, maybe we'll flub our stealth checks by the stirges to liven things up, or at the very least, we might consider fighting our way past the hangman tree to try the other path.