Ned will cast stone call in the south eastern corner of the barn. He should be able to hit the three ogerish men and miss the cougar.
Ned, let's throw that into the surprise round; can you give me an action for the first round too?
With Arg clinging to his back, Lleidr will weave his way through his companions, moving 4 squares east to end up adjacent to Lumpyhead Thirdarm. Arg will finish his movement by leaping off Lleidr's back, screeching and scampering through Lumpy's legs (2 squares southeast) to end up flanking with Lleidr. Arg's action is to assist Lleidr's attack, while Lleidr activates Arcane Strike and stabs at the monstrous man in front of him.
, also provides +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round (AC 24/touch 20/ff n/a)
Ned will move to the north east to attack the cougars opponent
(bull st)
Just need actions for Nich, Selia and Parthen.
So, +2 to DEX for Lleidr for 3 rounds.
Selia starts casting a summoning spell.
Gracias, Parthen! Depending on how initiative works out, that could bump Lleidr's attack result above to 23.
In lieu of waiting on Nich and instead of doing a blow-by-blow, before the Grauls have a chance to react, you've knocked them completely out of the fight.
What is that on the balcony?
Shelalu
Jeez, I feel kinda bad now. After the two outside, I thought these guys would be tougher...of course, no sign of Mammy and whatever her magic is, or the Dr. Dolittle for this kitty we rescued.
If everyone's still up and ready, Lleidr will step over to the massive double doors on the ground level and hear what he can hear.
"There's a Shelalu on the balcony. Whatever that is."
"Hello, Shelalu. Need some help?"
Ah, actually you found the large cat in the woods. It was being hunted by Rukus. Shelalu has been with the party since you solved the murder mysteries in Magnima.
I've been lax in updating NPC info ... I need to figure out a convenient format that's easy for you to reference.
BTW, the big cat is pawing at the east door, whining and growling.
"Well, let's see what is behind the door, shall we?"
Selia draws her wand of magic missiles, prepared to use it.
"There's a Shelalu on the balcony. Whatever that is."
That's your nurse, Grandpa. You know her. She's here to give you your medicine.
BTW, the big cat is pawing at the east door, whining and growling.
The east door is one of the ones upstairs? If so, Lleidr would head up that way instead of over to the double doors on the ground floor.
No, I meant the one on the ground floor, not the two on the north & south catwalks.
The ground floor east door is boarded up, however. The pair upstairs are not.
Sorry about brain locking over cardinal directions. I shouldn't post so early in the day :)
So, down at the east doors, Lleidr will cast Detect Magic, check for traps, and see if there's some sort of hidden way to open the doors from this side.
There's no sign of magic, nor of traps. The boards could be removed; alternately, either of the smaller doors on the catwalks are likely safe.
Sorry, Cringer, but unless you can work a crowbar, we gotta find another way in.
Lleidr will leave the cougar at the boarded up doors and ascend the catwalk to the north door, where I guess the ranger is, too?
If not then the ranger will follow him up. Likely with a long suffering sigh.
Lets be careful here. This whole place feels... Off. Liedr- can you sneak a peek?
You peer into a dim, stuffy room, filled with thick webs. Upon cracking open the door, you hear a moan coming from the back of the room. Looks like there are cages built into the platform itself, about 35 feet back.
If not then the ranger will follow him up. Likely with a long suffering sigh.
I thought you changed classes to fighter? ;)
"I can hear moaning from in here," Lleidr says over his shoulder as he carefully edges into the room another 5 or 10 feet, FoE out and Arg looking in whatever direction Lleidr isn't.
The majority of this large, stuffy chamber is covered in filthy webs forming a funnel that dips down into the ground. A catwalk runs around the rim of the room near the ceiling, twenty feet above the ground. In northeast and southeast corners, the catwalk expands into a ten-foot-square platform that’s fenced in by wooden beams, forming cages. The walls within each cage are hung with iron manacles. Most of the manacles, while bloody, are empty, but three in the southeast corner imprison emaciated men.
Below you, stirring upon your arrival from the funnel of webbing below, is a massive creature. It turns to gaze at you as you creep along the catwalk. This towering spider is the size of an elephant. Its legs have spiky joints and its face looks vaguely, but disturbingly, humanoid.
NOTE - Selia you were summoning something, but I don't know what you ended up with. We're about a round after the last combat, so whatever you summoned should still be with us.
"Well, I may be doing yon bestie a disservice but I'm guessing evil."
QuickDraw his bow and rangers focus
(point blank, deadly aim, Rangers focus)
(multishot)
(x3 damage if confirmed)
Selia casts a magic missile from her wand at the spider-thing.
The rhino charges the double doors, trying to get at the opponent.
A rhino? Wow :)
Lleidr will move 20 feet east to the corner, activate Arcane Strike, and throw the FoE at the eight-legged freak.
Graul Barn, Room of Wooden Cages, Round 1
Sensing your aggression, the spider leaps forth from the funneled web, its mandible clicking and eager for soft flesh, pinching Lleidr (12 dmg and I need a Fort save).
Parthen moves across the catwalk as well.
As Lleidr dashes across the catwalk, the spider snaps at him once more, but only manages to tear his cloak. It hisses and spits after being nicked with the dagger.
Selia angers the great spider as well with a flash of arcane power. The rhino splinters the door, and is enraged at finding itself tangled in nets of dirty, ropy webbing.
Ned's series of bowshots are the final blow ... the arrows fly straight through the monster's carapace, causing black-green bile to vomit from the arrow wounds, gushing on the barn's dirt floor. The spider jerks and dances from spasms of pain before crashing into the ground.
"Jakardros?" Shelalu runs across the catwalk, gazing at the other end of the room.
"Aye, tis me, and I never dared to hope to see your face again." one of the three weakened men answers with a wan smile. "You're lookin' at the last of the Black Arrows, lassie. And you're in grave peril. You must leave this place."
NOTE - well, since Ned made ridiculously short work of this awesome monster, there's no need for another map update. Also, I forgot to mention the existence of a set of iron keys the previous room, which you noticed.
Ned, just curious ... with the critical confirming, the damage on that last hit would be 18 times 3?
Yes. 54 points. A bow doesn't critical often but it's fun when it does.
"Leave? We just got here.. and we have dispatched these monstrous people, so what other danger do you know of?"
Seeing the rhino making a mess, Selia dismisses her summoned friend.
Graul Barn, Room of Wooden Cages, Round 1
Sensing your aggression, the spider leaps forth from the funneled web, its mandible clicking and eager for soft flesh, pinching Lleidr (12 dmg and I need a Fort save).
, +2 more, assuming this is poison
Nicholae stands in awe of Neds bowshot
Nicholae stands in awe of Neds bowshot
So shoes Ned actually.
He gives his bow a little pat before shouldering it, "Going to have to break you out more often"
Jakardros shakes his head. "Did you dispatch all these monsters? Have you cleaned out the farmhouse? Have you seen any sign of our companions? They ... " The ragged man staggers from the effort of speech, and hangs silent from iron manacles.
Lleidr will go grab those keys we saw, just in case he can't get those manacles open with his own skill.
"We did come here before the farmhouse... why?"
Actually, the manacles' locks are pretty primitive and prove small challenge to your skill. The men are released, but all three are unconscious and in pretty bad shape. They're dressed in little more than rags and their many wounds are obvious signs of torture to your eyes.
Shelalu is upset when seeing their condition up close. She gives each man a couple of taps with a magical wand.
Jakardros awakens and smiles again. "The Graul family lives in the farmhouse. This place was for their animals and where their least favored sons spent their days. You haven't met the worst of this lot, and pray that you never do. We need to leave this place, immediately, before the rest of the Grauls come after us."
"But what happened, Jak? What happened to the Black Arrows? Did they all end up here?"
"There's no time to explain. Please, get us safely back into town, and I'll tell you everything I know."
If we are leaving now I can heal these men to make travel easier - is that our plan?
One the men's companions, a much younger chap, pipes up after waking up a bit more once the healing magics have taken hold.
"Hang on a minute, Jak. Shelalu's friends look pretty tough to me. Look at the dead spider yonder for proof. If we can help them clean out the farmhouse, we can rid this place of the Grauls forever."
"Help them?" Jakardros snorts. "Kaven, we have no gear! We barely have clothes. I don't want to face the rest of the Grauls with naught but my bare hands."
I don't mind healing these guys up and seeing them on their way back to town. But Kaven is right: we're pretty tough, and I don't want to leave here just yet (I mean, unless you guys are totally spent, then yeah, we'll regroup). But if the group doesn't have to retreat, maybe we can locate these guys' equipment and get them battle ready? Heck, if they just want to support, someone to hold a CLW wand or position for flanking would go a long ways.
"Maybe we can wait for a few to come out to the barn to see what happened to these others, and not have to face them all at once?"