cosmiy's Way of the Wicked Campaign (Group A)

Game Master cosmiy

For some odd reason, hearing the ogre speak startled Gunter for just a moment. He had not been aware that such a creature would be able to say anything. Then again, he was already in rather strange company. He moved over quickly to him, staying away from the fight at this moment, and placed his small hand against the one that grasped the bars before him.

We are. I'm not too strong, so I'm holding back until my spells can be effective. You're hurt. If I heal you, will you help us? Just his appearance alone seemed far stronger than his. He could prove useful as a body guard if he agreed.

The Ogre shrinks back at the touch, but doesn't try to hurt the boy. "You are a healer? And you can let Grumblejack out of here to slaughter the guards?"
He squints his eyes at the boy, clearly thinking very hard. Then he extends his hand to the boy.
"We have a deal."

With a bit of a smile, he took the hand extended to him and shook it.

I'm a bit of a healer, yes.. When we get the keys, we'll let you out. For now, let me heal you up a bit.

Cure Light Wounds:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 41d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

As the group moves down the hallway quietly and slowly, Lysander takes a moment to fall to the back. Do it quickly, boy, before your allies trust you even less...

Focusing his energy and slipping his hand behind his back, Lysander feels his power harden into the form in his hand. Drawing his arm out once more, he now holds the long, thin blade with which he would have slain Markadian. You will kill the pigs under him instead.

As the door bursts open and Darsis and Taemon'dow rush in to dispatch the first guard, Lysander moves quickly as well, charging in and leaping over or onto the table to stab the younger man.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Charging attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Bringing the blade back, Lysander spins around the guard, hoping to set up a flanking position, and plunges the blade through the back of his chest.

Second attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 +2 more if flanking
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

The man moves quickly and fluidly, with an economy of movement that puts him just where he wants as quickly as possible. His face is emotionless as he strikes, as though this is all just business.

The ogre looks much better already. While a few bruises remain, he thanks the boy and waits for someone to let him out.
The younger guard, on the other hand, looks much worse. Mere inches from death or unconsciousness, he starts to cry, the tears mixing with the blood spilling from his chest.

Filth, Karlyle's voice hisses in Lysander's head. Putrid, worthless children. These are what they post to guard the kingdom's most notorious criminals? Talingarde deserves to burn. Lysander's eyes grow still colder, and he hopes someone will end this lowly boy's life soon. If your blade weren't caught on his spine, you should do it yourself--what did I teach you about placement?

Katrin seeing that the boys have everything in hand will move to the door on the 'left', putting her ear to it and listening.

Which compass direction is left?

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

She keeps one eye on the ogre and Gunter, listening to their conversation.

Lysander you cannot jump over things with acrobatics on a charge unless you have a special ability.

You must have a clear path toward the opponent, and nothing can hinder your movement (such as difficult terrain or obstacles). You must move to the closest space from which you can attack the opponent. If this space is occupied or otherwise blocked, you can't charge. If any line from your starting space to the ending space passes through a square that blocks movement, slows movement, or contains a creature (even an ally), you can't charge. Helpless creatures don't stop a charge.

It's west; But more embaressingly, I misread the map (despite the fact that I must have read over Way of the Wicked multiple times). I blame the fact that I'm slightly directionally challenged, mixed with the fact that the map is on a completely different page than the descriptions of things on the map. Anyway, I am going to run the door on the left as what I thought it was, not as what it actually is.
After this level though, we're going to get maps. If nobody has any ideas about how to do it, I'll just make a google drawing and cover up the bits that you're not supposed to see yet.
Katrin doesn't hear anything behind the door.

EDIT: This is basically how the maps would work. I wish there was some way for people to move some items, but not others. Eh. Map

So the door is into the room with the blue covering it? Which cell is the ogre's? If the door is into the covered room....

Katrin will attempt to open the door.

The room that you're entering now is SUPPOSED to be the Ogre's cell, if I didn't flick up and mix them up. I thought it was a torture room, so that's what I'm going with.
Katrin looks into a torture room. There's one large chair with various bloody straps on it, and various instruments of torture on a side table. A small basin of water sits on a table nearby, although the water does seem somewhat filthy. There are a few bottles on the side-table, though they're all empty.

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Katrin will take a quick look around the room to see if there is anything worth taking.

Looking for weapons, potions, rope. Anything practical.

Perhaps she could use one of the torture implements like a dagger, if the group hadn't found enough weapons by that point.
Meanwhile, the younger guard pulls out his longsword, his hands shaking but ready to strike. Not getting up, he slashes at Lysander.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage, if needed
1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Critical conformation Edit: Ugh, plus five, but it hits anyway.
1d20 ⇒ 20
Critical Damage, if needed
1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
And the third round starts.

*Jaw drops Did... did the kid just floor Lysander? My mistake for not getting in on this. I was just working on a post to summon my eidolon after the fight I thought was a breeze.

I admit that there would be a certain irony if Lysander's was like "ha ha, this is what they have, this pathetic kid" and then the kid kills him.

Well since there's nothing in the room.

Katrin will move to the guard's chamber, entering just in time to see Lysander get stabbed in the throat and go down like a sack of flour. She moves menacingly towards the guard, half-fists held up in a fighter's stance.

Double moving towards the guard.

Mavro stares transfixed at the young guardsman as he, recoiling at the savagery of Lysander's blows, musters the last reserves of his strength and thrusts his sword forward, faster than the eye could follow, straight into Lysander's throat.

Taking a moment to savor the irony, but just a moment, Mavro steps through the portal and maneuvers over to the kid after Katrin, trying his best to get behind him.

"Well done, human," he says before grabbing for his head and casting a spell to corrosively burn him.

It's been awhile since I've practiced the arcane. Lets hope I'm not too out of practice.

Casting corrosive touch. Melee touch attack.

Melee Touch Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Welp, lets just hope he doesn't nuke me as well with his AoO.

[Attack of Opportunity]
Fire in his tearful eyes, the young man swings his blade towards Mavro.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Damage, if needed
1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
He just barely hits the half-orc.

I'm not really sure what's going on (order wise). Can we get a summary of what happened at each initiative at the bottom of every round? We're in round 3 right? Has everyone taken three rounds of actions?

Sorry. We're still in the middle of round 3, that was just an attack of opportunity, and those resolve differently.

Here's a combat summary of the first 3 rounds.
[[First Two Rounds]]
Gunter: Opens a door,then ignores the combat and goes to talk to Grumblejack and heals him twice. He may have done too much in this round.
Darsis: Charges and kills the older guard.
Lysander: Charges to the younger guard, almost sending him into unconciousness.
Taemon'dow: Tries to stab guard. Fails.
Mavro: Just kind of watches.
Katrin: Explores a room.
Guards: The Older Guard dies before anything happens, and the younger guard sends Lysander into unconciousness.
[[Third Round (what's happened so far)]]
Katrin: Double move.
Mavro: Attempts corrosive touch. Fails.
Guard: Attack of opportunity against Marvo. Barely succeeds.
So Darsis, Gunter and Taemon'dow can still move. Lysander needs to make a stabilization check if Gunter doesn't go and heal him. Then the younger guard (if not dead) will make his actual, non AOO actions.

As the battle escalates, the sound of a sword slashing alerts the boy of the ongoing fight in the other room, and he moves to enter it.

He starts to concentrate to casts a healing spell on his fallen ally as soon as he can.

Moving swiftly, Taemon'dow pulls the fallen guard's sword free of its scabbard. He then takes a step forward and aims a powerful two handed blow at the boy's neck.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d8 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Used up all my bloody luck winning a kiss from the ice queen back there. Dang it.

Stalking over and carefully moving to flank, knife and forearm slick with blood Darsis, kicks the chair even as his blade plunges forward changing the position of the boy's defensively raised sword and burying his own in the lad's neck.

As the youth slumps to the floor, Darsis seeing the mute advance on Lysander he calmly reaches forward and takes his sword and scabbard, then he begins to strip the young guardsmen with a grim efficiency and pull on the garments, having to slash some to make room for his more muscular frame. Once done hooks on the scabbard adjusting it carefully and drawing in a long contented breath,

"Can whoever takes the old man's sword do without the scabbard? I am trained in using them as weapons and a second would serve well."

Chair kick just flavour text.

Flank: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 Damage: 1d4 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

The younger guard is downed, his neck spurting blood at an alarming rate.

Both guards have longswords, chain shirts, heavy steel shields, guard uniforms, a small key, a club, and a longbow (with 20 arrows). Looking around the room, one can spot a set of keys hanging from a small hook.

Combat is over. Lysander is in a possibly dead state (read the discussion thread), though if Gunter goes over to heal him and it turns out that Lysander is dead, I'll refund the spell. Also, 66 XP for everyone.

With the threat of attack over, Gunter rushed straight over to Lysander's side, casting a spell to try to revive his ally. Sure, they had just met and he owed nothing to the man, the boy felt that it was appropriate to give at least a little consideration to someone who praised his god and held him in a high manner.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

With the spell cast, he got up quickly, going to get the keys and heading back to the cell to unlock his new ogre ally, touching his hand again.

Remember our deal.. And as for touching you, it's the only way I can communicate for now.

"What are you doing?" Darsis asks, as he sees the mute take the key, while using his rags to wipe away the guard's blood.

"You speak with the ogre?"

"Thanks." mumbles the ogre as he's let out of the cell. Turning to Darsis, he replies, "The boy speaks with Grumblejack. We make a deal- aid in exchange for freedom. He let Grumblejack out, he heal Grumblejack, so Grumblejack will help kill the guards.

Gunter simply nods, agreeing with the ogre. Better a nice strong body guard, just incase Lysander has more trouble than originally thought.

He looks around once more, seeing if there was anything else he had missed in the cell block.

Perception:1d20 ⇒ 15

Gunter sees nothing.

"You are not releasing the ogre until we have discussed it. Let's be clear," Darsis says, moving to stop Gunter if necessary.

I can't be the only one nervous about the release of a creature that can kill us all, I think we need to discuss this Darsis will physically intervene if he must. Though OOC I'm up for it once everyone is ready and reassured.

With nothing noted, he returns to Lysander's side, waiting for just a while longer to see if the man is alive or not, and if he should cast another spell.

I already released the ogre, he's standing beside me and acting calmly, keeping his word thus far.

But did so after retrieving the key when other people an react. You can't just assume people do nothing while you take rounds of actions. I'm onboard OOC Darsis would just want reassurance and the group to be armed and equipped before the ogre is freed - which I think is a pretty reasonable precaution.

Sorry, Melocracy/Gunter: Darsis is in the right here.

Ah, well, then what should I say? Just get the keys and stand around like I need people's permission to do so?

Just talk to people, Darsis already said he was cool with you touching him to do so. Sorry to be a pain, but ogres are like nine feet tall, you can see why that'd be worrying right? LOL

If you're worried about it, do a Sense motive roll on the ogre, Gunter's attention is between Lysander and the Ogre.

And here's something that Darsis or someone else can do sense motive on, if they'd like to.
Seeing that his freedom is now an issue, Grumblejack speaks out to the two. "We had a deal! You let Grumblejack out and heal Grumblejack, and Grumblejack will kill whoever the lil' 'uns want."

Darsis moves over to the ogre and asks,

"You agree to do us no harm and take care not to raise an alarm if it's not necessary if we release you Grumblejack? If so I agree with the mute, it's in his interest to help us and in ours to have him do so. What do the rest of you say?"

Sorry Gunter, but some decisions are just group decisions. You are in control of your character but we all are to. As I said I agree I just want IC assurance and to wait until we have a chance to get all available Armor and weapons equipped. If someone objects to Darsis taking the guards Armor for example I'd happily retcon until we work it out. It's a tense IC situation since we don't really fully trust each other yet and have been forced together.

I think this is a PBP playstyle issue. You can post five million actions in one day of real time, but until the DM posts saying they happen, they didn't actually happen. It's the only way to keep the timeline intact in PBP with a bunch of people in different timezones posting at different times possibly wanting to do the same (or in this case opposite) things.

"The ogre's been abused as much as us, and he could prove a valuable ally. They'll be less worried about us with a giant on the loose." Katrin says, seeing Gunter trying to free the creature. "Let Grumblejack go ahead of us and cause some chaos."

Turning to the dead guards she says, "I'd like either a sword or some armor." I'll take it from one of your bodies if I have to.

Summoning is just as much a matter of belief as it is a matter of science and skill. To summon without belief is to speak without words, it is to breath without air for a summoned creature is more than just particles of planar elements, it is the embodiment of the summoner itself. - Helmesh Jagger - "The Beasts Above - The Art of Summoning."

If anybody could spare a knife, I'd appreciate it. I'm not skilled with longswords or bows. Those kind of weapons were for the stronger of my 'kin.'" He makes sure to emphasize the word kin with as much venom as he can muster with his wounds.

After the fight, clutching his side where red stains are beginning to show through his dirty garments, Mavro steps out of the guard's barracks into the torture chamber where he grabs a malicious looking bladed object. I'm not going to use it as a weapon. This'll make sense in a second.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

Eying the mute one standing next to and performing his conversation ritual with the dirty and haggard-looking ogre, Mavro guffaws and moves over to the center of the room.

As long as the brute doesn't raise too many alarms or abandons us to a doom unsuited to my tastes then let the creature be. I'd just have him know that we'd all kill him in a heartbeat lest he follows our orders and not the other way around,

Of course the introvert would try and befriend the misbegotten elements of the other cells. They're clearly not going to be cut into this deal we've unwittingly made with the third party. I would have suggested we remove them from the equation. There'd be no need to kill them if they could stay quiet, but in the other case... Alas, it's just one more knife in the back that requires watching out for. They are the festering cysts on the already putrescent diseased corpse of a nation, and just watch as they make merry. And an ogre nonetheless!

Mavro moves over to a corner of the main prison floor. "Well," he says, still quietly in case any other guards are still amok, Now that that sordid ordeal is over with, I'd ask your favors if you could stand back and away for a moment while I conduct a certain necessity. Have no fear, it shall not interfere.

Before he turns around to begin the ritual, he twists and addresses the group again. If there are superstitious amongst you, please don't interrupt. I have first hand experience with how... plebeians react to these sort of performances.

With that, Mavro kneels down on the floor and produces the wicked looking object he took from the torture chamber. He pricks each of his fingers and creates a shallow horizontal slash across his palm. He stabs his blade into the ground and places his palm on the ground in front of him, where the blood begins seeping out and covers an area precisely in the shape of his palm. He begins chanting furiously, incessantly, never stopping to breath even for the full minute. His eyes roll back into his head while the deep cadences of his voice flow and circle throughout the room.

At the center of Mavro's person a dark red light begins to be emitted and it appears like a man sized white snake creature is emerging from the ground itself. The blade in the ground turns to dust and the blood slowly flows back into Mavro's hand. After the minute is up the snake creature is fully emerged.

Mavro sighs and hangs his head. He rests only for a moment of deep breaths before standing up again. It is done, he says to the group.

The beast is awoken. How... delicious.

Darsis wordlessly hands Mavro his dagger, and then throws the young guards armor to Taemon,

"Think you can pass yourself off as a guard if needed? I have no talent for such theatrics."

Stapping a scabbard on each hip and carefully adjusting them he takes up one of the bows and quivers slinging them across his back.

When Mavro summons the creature he studies it for a time, judging how he would butcher it if the need arose.

"What is this thing called?" He asks the summoner.

The summoned creature is a monster, a hideous white snake with glowing red eyes. Its tail whips back and forth as it lifts its fanged jaw up to Mavro's chest level.

"Well then," it says to Mavro in pitch perfect common, "It'sssss been awhile. What happened? I thought you'd tripped an fallen belly up somewhere where the snakesss'd get'ya."

The snake turns around, appearing like it's sniffing the air. "Andssss Furthermore, whensss do I get to eat?"

"Later, Mavro says, as he turns back around and moves back to the group."

It's name is Aspros, Mavro says.

"There might be an advantage to keeping the gear together. If we meet someone, a person in uniform might be able to talk his way past them. As for the ogre, I agree with the mute; welcome to the team Grumblejack."

A pleased look came to Gunter's features as some of the others approved of his newgained ally. Sure, some of them might have had their concerns, but if the ogre did decide to betray them, he was fairly certain that the other's could take care of it.

He wasn't that sure about Katrin's suggestion though. He wanted the ogre to protect HIM not the others, as they probably weren't as squishy as he was in the nicest sense. Plus, he was using up his precious spells to heal the giant. To see him get hurt again was not at the top of the kid's list.

He wouldn't say anything just though..

"I understand everyone wanting a weapon, but the uniforms are only useful if all the gear is taken together and those acting as prisoners are not obviously armed. If we encounter more guards we can kill silently, we will gradually increase the number of guards in our company. Even if all six of us are dressed as guards, six guards with one prisoner will look just fine when that one prisoner is an Ogre."

"I can do the talking and walk up front. That being the case, the second guard can be anyone, though I suggest Darsis, as he can both use the gear and looks the part. We haven't seen any female guards as of yet. Sorry Katrin."

Lysander's eyes go wide as the boy swings around with the blade, and for the second time in as many days, he feels cold steel turn hot as it buries into his flesh. This time, though, Lysander feels the weapon carve into his neck, burying in his spine, and he feels his grip on consciousness leaving him even quicker than last. As he falls, the blade in his hand tumbles and disappears in mid-air. He hears Karlyle's voice... Again, you fail! YOU ARE USELESS, FILTH! MORE UNWORTHY THAN THOSE AGAINST WHICH YOU FIGHT!

Feeling his power surging to mend the wound, Lysander falls to the floor, trying to scream in rage, and utterly unable to do so...

Spending 1 power point to reduce damage by 2 points, leaving me at -6 and ALIVE!

...

Blinking, the glistening man, gasps for air and reaches up, grabbing Gunter's arm just above the elbow. Alivealivealivearewealivewecan'tbewediedyoufeltitdidn'tyouboyyoudiedhowarey oualivewhatpowerdoyouhaveyoumaynotbeutterlyuselessbutyoumustlearnrestrainta ndtouseitandohAsmodeusitburnsithurtsyourthroat
Heaving another breath, Lysander lets go of Gunter and scrabbles backwards on the floor, clutching at his throat. His eyes go wide for a moment at the blood there, but when they touch the resealed wound, he drops his hands in wonder and slowly rises to his feet.

"You've saved me, Chosen," he whispers in wonder, his hands feeling the blood once again. "I am indebted."

The man stands still as the others move for a moment, wondering that for the second time in as many days, he has come within a finger's breadth of death... and for the second time, he has returned. For whatever reason he may have, boy--and believe me, I know it not, for I would have given up on you long ago--Asmodeus smiles on you, Lysander.

Looking at the bodies of the guards, Lysander shakes his head. "The mail shirts may serve me well, but I feel others would wear them better; as for the swords, I have no need."

Breathing again, Lysander realizes now is the time to reveal his power. Centering his focus, he holds out his hand and clenches his fist. You see his eyes flash even brighter, and his muscles tense. A shape appears to grow from his fist, toward both sides, and as it refines into detail, you see it become the dagger with which he fought, the dagger that disappeared.

"This is my gift," Lysander says when the dagger is in his hand once more. "The talent of the mind blade."

Darsis frowns,

"I'm a killer not a talker, but I could dress the part and keep silent. I can also draw a blade in the flash of an eye so if we can get close I can have a sword in their gut before they have a chance to react. But can we pass off Aspros here?" He pauses before adding, "I could also use a sword from another posing as a guards side if we set it up carefully."

Simply shaking his head once touched, he gave a moment to think back to when they were back in the cell.. He began to wonder about the veil, as the only thing he was able to get from it was the unholy symbol which rested uneasily in his mouth.

The boy walked over to Taemon'dow, touching his arm in a thoughtful manner.

I thought I saw something else that was on the veil.. A bag of sorts.. some rope.. and a potion thing.. Did you want to try to see if that bag had anything in it? It would make sense that the lady would give you something, rather than just an empty sack, right?

I was going through the play so far and started staring at the veil for a moment. I hope I am onto something! :D

Taemon'dow stares at the boy for a minute, the shock of hearing someone's voice in his head being an odd one. Then, after a moment, he pulls the veil from his sleeve and shows it to him, and allows him to remove the sack if he chooses.