OK, if it's just Lleidr, I need a stealth & Perception from him. Ned, can you give me a Perception check?
Parthen and Selia are also hanging back?
Hello, all, I'm back and feeling sober(ish) and (kinda) responsible again.
, +2 for being close to Ned
, +2 for being close to Ned
You see a particularly ugly fellow skulking about the trees edging the farm's property. His grotesquely deformed head resembles a giant pumpkin on the right side—a huge puffy mass of tumors and overgrown bone giving his head a lopsided look.
He appears to be busy, wiping the blade of a massive hook against a rotting log. The firepelt cougar tenses and begins a low growl.
Group's gone quiet! If you wanted to initiate combat, you've got surprise. Or if you'd rather do something else, you can do that without pumking-head dude interfering.
Sorry... I'm back in the woods with the horses. Thats up for Ned and Lleidr to decide but if you want my opinion, we're not really prepared for an assault just yet.
Oh and on that note, I've a bunch of inlaws staying with us for a month who just arrived so posting from me is gonna be flaky as I'll be driving miss daisy for them for the next few weeks (had to burn my annual leave).
"Just cause he's ugly don't mean he's bad, just look at Lleidr. Ok, bad example. Still I think we should say hi."
"Hey! My mom says I'm the best looking halfling in Wartle...after my dad, of course."
I've gotten a little turned around. Are we just west and a bit north of Claybottom? If so, this could be the notorious Graul family. That one certainly looks to have ogre or something in his background. And if Selia is correct about this firepelt cougar being a druid or ranger's animal companion, it's reaction doesn't speak well of Pumpkinhead.
On the other hand, the last time we saw a firepelt cougar companion, it was hanging out with that goblin druid from Thistletop...
Lleidr thinks we should try sneaking around a bit more, see if there are any others around, then we can buff up and attack if necessary.
Lleidr, correct on the geography. you are north and west of Claybottom Lake.
The pumpkin headed fellow dashes over to his field of sickly corn, chasing away a flock of crows.
"Git outta here, you stinkin' magpies!" he yells, waving his arms like a madman.
Shortly after that outburst, you hear a deep voice singing a crude ditty about eating kittens. This voice is coming from the south, headed towards the farm.
"Hey, Crowfood! Seen that big stinkin' cat sneakin' 'round? That blamed varmint got away from me!"
Crap. Maybe we should skip the sneaking around more part and get right to returning to the group for buffing for a fight?
Yeah, they're sounding evil enough.
Ned, you're STR is +4 for the next 7 minutes!
Shelalu tries to calm the horses.
"These are the infamous Grauls, no doubt. They may know something about the Black Arrows." She readies her bow for whatever is coming from the south.
"That means we need to talk to them. But it doesn't mean we shouldn't rough em up first! Still, I suggest we go prepared for a fight, but try diplomacy first"
But I'm strong! And apparently a fighter :-)
I hate to do this with the players of our two most diplomatic characters on limited availability, but Lleidr's not much of an interrogator. He'll move off from the group a bit into the trees (say 30' to stay within sneak attack range), ready his short bow and Arcane Strike ability, and wait.
, +2 from proximity to Ned
'All right then, everyone ready?"
Ned will wait until everyone's prepped then shout, "Hello the house!"
At the sound of Ned's voice, the one named 'Crowfood' whips his head round towards Ned, his lower face twisted into a snarl.
The speaker south of the party is soon in sight - he comes blundering around the bend of the trail, brandishing an evil looking spear and with a pack of snarling hounds round his feet.
"I's huntin' cat, but found some men with it and then horses to boot!. And right pretty wimin. Crowfood, we's havin' some fun toniiight!"
Initiative:
Cougar
Lleidr - you're Stealthed away
Shelalu
Nich
Ned
Selia
Grauls
The cougar zips south of the party, making a beeline for the lead hound, and crashes into it, its body wrapped around the dog. The dog yelps in surprise and fear as its body smacks into the ground.
Forgot Parthen; he acts just before Selia.
I know the Map is zoomed out pretty far; it's cause you guys are spread out a good bit. If you can make it out OK, I just need your action and movement, please.
Lleidr will hold his action, waiting for Crowfood to come closer. If he gets within 30', Lleidr will take his held action, hitting his weapons with Arcane Strike and shooting an arrow at the...whatever the heck he is.
Nicolae tethers the horses with one movement and casts bull strength on himself with the next.
Anyone else having problems w/ the map?
Looks like we need actions from Selia and Ned to proceed.
I'm not sure what I'm looking at on the map. As you say, it's zoomed out a ways. It looks to me like Ned will have to charge to get an attack in...
(Bear strength, charge, power attack)
Sorry about that! you should be able to dl the map and see things closer up in an image viewer.
Yes, you and Lleidr are closest to Crowfood, the pumpkin headed guy on the north edge of the map. Everyone else is closest to the 1-handed guy with all the black hounds.
OK, disregard the charge then. Ned will walk over and smack him.
Selia casts a summoning spell, bringing forth a unicorn to help win this battle.
The unicorn double moves to the front of the group.
Let's say you spent the surprise round starting summoning, which means you can each get 1 move or action this round. Do you have stats for your summoned animal or can i just use a standard unicorn?
Ned, you're 40' away, so yeah, you'll need to charge to reach him.
Hey, don't you need a virgin to control a unicorn?
Graal Woods, Round 1
Shelalu looses an arrow at a hound, racing towards the party, then steps sideways into the trees, blending into their cover.
Nich is now blessed with divinely increased strength, and the horses are tethered to nearby trees.
Ned runs towards the pumpkin-headed Crowfood, smashing into him with his sword. Crowfood curses and takes a step back from the furious assault.
NOTE - got clarification on what Parthen is doing - he's spraying the south-approaching villains with magic missiles.
Selia summons a creature from deepest myth whose presence causes your foes faces to fall in dismay. A unicorn leaps forward, coming around to flank Pumpkinhead.
Lleidr fires at Crowfood, who dodges the arrow.
Crowfood swings about, wielding an ugly, over-sized hook with deadly expertise (20 dmg to the unicorn, 18 to Ned). The hounds and Rukus run toward the south end of the party; Rukus is close enough to grab at Parthen's cloak!
Since you guys are spread out so much, I went ahead and split it up across 2 images.
"Good morning sir, do you have time to take a short survey?"
(power attack, flank, bull st)
(power attack, flank, bull st)
ok, where are you moving to, Nich?
Also need actions from Lleidr, Parthen, and Selia (including your unicorn!).
ok, but straight line to whom? You're the only PC on both maps, and I think you're wanting to run towards Crowfood, who's on top of the north map. The new guy, the one with the dogs, isn't 12 squares south of you.
Lleidr will move out of the trees to get a better view of the melee and fire a magic missile from his wand at Crowfood.
auto-hit
Parthen: 5' step and casts Mirror Image
Selia: crossbow attack and step behind Nich
Unicorn: continue to flank, melee
Graul Woods, Round 2
Kibb fights with unchained ferocity, badly mauling two of the dogs.
Shelalu flings her bow to the side and slashes wildly with her short sword, trying to keep the hounds at bay.
Nich rushes to engage Crowfood.
Ned delivers a devestating attack on Crowfood, but his second thrust is parried with the great hook, wielded with monstrous strength.
Parthen takes a step back from the second ogrish fellow, and now there are 4 Parthens, each moving in perfect synchronization.
Selia's unicorn bats away at Crowfood, hitting him with a glancing blow. Selia fires a bolt from her crossbow, hitting the ogrish man square in the chest. He pulls it out and tosses it to the ground. "Found one o' you's hairpins, darlin'."
Lleidr flings an arcane bolt at Crowfood.
The hound previously pinned to the ground by Kibb tries to stand, only to have its throat ripped out. The two remaining hounds leap and snap at Shelalu, but the elven woman has the better reach with her sword, and she keeps them at bay.
"The durn cat's bein' a whole mess a trouble." The misshapen newcomer steps over to Kibb and spears the poor beast, driving his weapon right through its body. The cougar cries out and then is silent.
"Trespassin' on muh land. Mammy won't like it. Mammy'll git you all." Crowfood's anger begins to give way to dismay and he spits out the last sentence like a curse. His hook lashes out and tears into the unicorn, who vanishes at once. Crowfood brings the hook around to his other side on top of Ned (39 dmg).
I removed the 3 hounds who were reduced to less than 0 hp, but i left in poor Kibb. sniff
back to one map tonight ...i think you're closer together so that putting everything in 1 image isn't such a stretch.
cool