Trekking the Darkmoon Vale - time to grow up boys and girls! (Inactive)

Game Master Edeldhur

I don't think we should split either. I agree it will be hard to get back together. Unless you got some magic to find us Saktar?

We also can't take Jeva with us into danger (I make no effort for her not to listen) so with all that I'd say the best is if we all go back now and we all come back together.

Sorry for not being to active. I had a realy weird and tiresome week of work.

We must save the kids.
Guys we already kill some of them. When they notice they will become alert and maibe split. Our best option to save the kids is to attack fast.

In case the rest don’t openly disagree with me
Jeva show me the way to this ruins. and Lokeemon, check if we're going the same way as the tracks. Jeva, were there many kids? and kobolds?

Saktar looks annoyed with all the indecision
Guys, we can’t take the kid with us to a fight and we should keep going while the tracks are fresh. If you two follow the tracks Saktar points to Tsin and Lokeemon you could find them without being seen. At this point we only want to see if the kids are in any immediate danger. If they are, at least there are two of us to help them. If they’re not, investigate the area, ambush any strays and regroup with us in a few hours. Grow some balls and move!

If there are still hesitations, he continues
Hell, if it helps your chicken asses, I can go alone to town and 3 of you go after the baddies, how’s that?

I’m in whatever you decide. I vote for the 2x2 split.

Like I said, we need a way to ensure we don't end up looking for each other in the middle of the woods.

Since we can't magic something, we'll just leave some obvious marks on the way so you guys can catch up.
I'm sure Lokeemon has some chalk we can use. Cof cof :)

Saktar I'm not afraid for myself, for dying in battle would be a good death for me. I'm afraid for failing the kids.

I'll use chalk to point you to our path but I'll also try to make it obvious by changing things along the way, breaking bushes or lining up stones.

Alright, sounds like we finally agree. Let's go!
I smile as I say this, and start getting ready to go

The girl seemed about to answer, but then so many things were said she simply fell silent.

Once the decisions are made, she seems happy to follow along with Duncan - "Where go?" - she asks the dwarf though.

The adventurers part ways close to where they had been following the tracks thus far - will they ever see each other again?

Lokeemon and Tsin Tao I will need another Survival for you to continue following the tracks.

Duncan and Saktar, anything in particular you want to do during the trip back?

We'll go together to the orphanage just to get you guys on the road.
Then we will have a few hours until you get back.
On the orphanage we can ask Jeva if she knows what's on the trapdoor.

Lokeemon, let them handle it. If our concern is checking on the kids' welfare let's get going without delay.

There are no tracks until the orphanage.
Duncan and Saktar are no trackers for speed sake it's better if we take them there.

After we leave them by the orphanage I take 10 on survival (unless 10 is not enough).
Survival 10 + 7 = 17

Tsin, every time they change directions I'll point you towards the new direction and while I draw some arrows and make our path obvious you can scout ahead of me.
Warn me if you see or hear something.

Alright, let's go!

Jeva was going to show us the way to the ruins I think. I forgot it and we moved so f%&# it The show must go on! :)

when we’re on our way I ask Jeva again
Jeva, were there many kids? And many Kobolds?

"Four or five" - Jeva answers Duncan, putting three fingers up - "Kobolds... Ten!" - she puts up three fingers again.

Guys, just a quick reality check regarding travelling - you can find more details here, in case I am looking at it wrong (never really delved much into this):

- You travel at about... 3 miles per hour;
- You left town around... 9PM?
- You arrived at the orphanage around midnight;
- You then traveled about... 2 more hours through the forest;
- Meaning you found the girl at around 2am
- You will be back at the orphanage at around 4am, assuming no further encounters;
- Those going back to town, will get there at around... 7am
- Also in the morning you will probably start making some rolls for not sleeping.
- You can Hustle to move faster, but this means:

Just wanted to get that out of the way before we proceed - can I carry on?

Guys, we have already killed some Kobolds. When someone notices their absence the rest will split with the kids or be ready for trouble. Either way I think we need to go get those kids now. Jeva is a strong and courageous girl (I wink at her) and she can wait for us hiding close when we attack.
When we have the kids we join Jeva and return to the orphanage and then back to town.

Tsin Tao lets out a big yawn woooooaaaahhh

Actually guys, I'm getting pretty tired.
If we want to avoid getting our asses handed to us by the Kobolds we should probably get some sleep now.

I say we make camp here and head out tomorrow.

Let's stick to the plan, we're not taking the girl to a fight. I agree with Tsin tough, we should rest first

We killed some bugbears no reason to believe the kobolds know about us.

But we need to sleep so I propose we all go to town, sleep and then come back.

Or as Tsi was saying.
We all sleep here, right now and then you guys take jeva to the city while we go track the kobolds.

Finnaly!

Saktar continues to curse something under his breath as he prepares to camp

I will need to know the watch rotation ;)

Saktar takes first watch.
Then Tsin Tao.
Then Lokeemon.
Finally Duncan.

just wake me on my turn. I give jeva my the bedroll and ask Sakar if I can sleep with his.

The group is barely asleep in the full darkness, when Saktar senses more than hears a movement behind him, about at the same time he feels three painful slashes across his back.

Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage: 1d4 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (4) = 6 Lucky... Saktar takes 6 points of damage.

Turning around as the pain assaults him, he stares straight into the eyes of... Jeva?, now looking much different than her former self, snarling and spitting at him - "You will be the first to die weakling..." - she whispers.

Ok, so this was the surprise round. Saktar, you have won Initiative (VERY LUCKY there), so you're UP. Go!

Tsin Tao and Lokeemon, you will wake up the next round (round 1), and you are entitled to a move or a standard action. GO!

Saktar hides his surprise with a growl
Bad mistake little girl

As he gains some distance from the creature he shouts an alert
Wake up, we've been duped!

He doesn't need to move much, just enough to be out of her reach, his magic will do the rest

Retreat 5' and then magic missile, spending an arcane point

Magic Missile: 4d4 + 8 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 4) + 8 = 20

HP: 23 - 6 = 17

Lokeemon get's up and picks his sword.

something tells me that I’m gone…

I get up and pickup my short sword, looking around quickly to see if there are other foes.

-- Round 1 --

The girl is hit very hard by Saktar's magic, and she howls like mad - "You will pay for that, you puny bastard!!" - she roars, launching herself at the Arcanist once again, foaming at the mouth, and trying to rip him apart with claw and bite.

Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Damage if it hits: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage if it hits: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Bite: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8
Damage if it hits: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Two of the attacks hit their mark, and she offers him a bloody smile - "Your blood tastes good... Like Elara's"

Saktar, you take another 7 points of damage (for a total of 13?)

Duncan you wake up, and like Tsin and Lokeemon before, are entitled to a move or a standard action.

You guys are up! GO!

I charge and Power attack with my greatsword.
If possible I leave the flank position to Tsin.

Greatsword: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Damage if it hits: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 3) + 9 = 15

If Saktar is less then 30 feet from me I cast my “Channel Energy” and heal him (I don’t know if I heal the b#&#@ too, it’s a 30-foot radius ability centered in me)

Channel Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9

I move to the creature's back or side in order to flank it.
Then I strike it viciously with my mighty short sword.
Hey! It's not the size that matters, it's where you stick it

Short sword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Sneak Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 2) = 7

I also say...

Speak, creature! Who the hell is Elara and what have you done with her?!

I try to intimidate her I guess

Intimidate (Charisma): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

I hope my sword on her back gives me some kind of bonus :)

The companions are fast to react - first Lokeemon wades in with his Greatsword, and without a second thought aims it at the girl's midsection, leaving a very serious gash on her side.

As she growls and sputters at the Warpriest, Tsin Tao sneaks around unnoticed and aims for a vital spot between the girl's shoulderblades, thrusting his blade hard and fast, dropping her like a sack of potatoes oblivious to his own shouts, and in spite of Duncan's massive healing wave.

'Impale foe in heart. Foe dies instantly. Heart is destroyed'

Fallen down she does not look like a monster at all, but instead like an innocent young girl covered in ugly wounds.

F~!*, just remembered who Elara is. She's the old lady that ran the orphanage. Or was I guess...

Damn, what kind of thing was this girl...?

I guess little Jeva here must have killed her. Could it be related to the fire you think?
Or maybe it happened later, after they all fled the orphanage?

Or maybe they tried to burn Jeva after she started killing everyone.
Right now we can only guess at what happened.

I also wonder if what she told us about the kids being captured by kobolds is true or not. But we have no option but to investigate.
Right now, let's stick with the plan of tracking the footsteps and find the kobolds after we sleep.

Yes, she might be related with the missing kids or not… let’s stick with the plan and see where it leads us. Just search her and see if she carries something that give us some clue.

I'll search Jeva.

If her corpse is close to the campsite I drag her away or we can move the campsite.

Saktar looks at his wounds a tries to understand the situation

Knowledge check to recongnize the creature and if I know some information about ir. Also, I try to figure out if I'm in any kind of danger from being hit.
I'll just roll once, I have arcana +10, nature, dungeoneering and religion +8. I have a few more knowledges but I guess one of these will work

knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Lokeemon searches the girl's corpse to find nothing of value or relevance, except for a garnet ring and her ragged doll.

Saktar, I will be needing a Fort Save if you please ;)

Anything special about the ring or the doll?
I cast detect magic nevertheless to look to the objects and to the girl.

Guess we must start paying attention even to "innocent little girls" :)

Nothing detects as magical Lokeemon. As for 'anything special', it will depend on what you are looking for :)

Saktar, you’ve been beaten so in case she gave you a uhmm curse or something I’ll give you some resistance for you to fight it.

By the yes by the no, I’ll give Saktar my domain resistance and some “guidance”

It gives +2 to a saving throw and +1 to saving throws for 1 min

Duncan, I think your domain power only gives you (or Saktar) +1: Resistant Touch (Sp): As a standard action, you can touch an ally to grant him your resistance bonus for 1 minute. When you use this ability, you lose your resistance bonus granted by the Protection domain for 1 minute. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

And your Granted Powers are: Your faith is your greatest source of protection, and you can use that faith to defend others. In addition, you receive a +1 resistance bonus on saving throws. This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 levels you possess.

Bottom line: +2 to that save by Saktar.

I'm guessing that this conversation is after the roll, right? too late to help me anyway?
If not I accept the help, obviously.
I'll roll anyway, here goes nothing...

Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Let's get back to sleep and track those children tomorrow.
Let's take the ring and the doll.
The ring can belong to someone from the orphanage and the doll can help us with the kids or the kids can ask about Jeva ...

Saktar went to sleep, he needed to rest to recover his powers.

But it took a while before the sleep came, he felt uneasy and troubled. It wasn’t the wounds he suffered, he had been hurt much worse before.
It wasn’t the thought of fighting a monster either, fear didn’t come often for him. But a monster who turns children into monsters… that angered him more than he would admit. They’ve dragged her body out of there like they would do to a goblin but she wasn’t. He wouldn’t forget Jeva and the creature that did this to her would regret it.
Pain will come to you soon, beast… really soon - he mumbled
And with these thoughts on his mind, he finally slept.

If no one wants to do anything else in particular, you guys wake up without any further events - how long are you sleeping in total? 10 hours?

It was +1 (Domain) +1 (Guidance spell) = +2

Yes, 10h so that each gets a full 8h sleep.

In the morning I go check out Jeva's corpse. How does she look?
We should give her a proper burial...

Does anybody have a shovel?

If not, I get down and start digging a grave with my short sword.
Then I make a crude headstone with some twigs and stick it in there.

I'd leave the doll here. Let's just mount it on the twigs.

F$@$, I don't know. Child or beast? Damn this...