DMDM's Fingerprints of the Fiend

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Callinda takes the half elf's flank, sizing up the distant figures as they approach.

know(local), freedom fighter: 1d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 4 = 19

That's a slave settlement. There's a low shelter along one side that consists of just a long piece of canvas tilted 45 degrees. You recognize it as a typical Chelaxian field accommodation for slaves. It'll keep off rain, and at night the slaves are chained in a row under it. Then there are some work spaces in the center, including one that's giving off smoke. You put the slaves in the center, guards around the perimeter.

There's also a larger building made of wood and canvas. That's... different.

Morvius looks down disconsolately at his shirt, which is pierced with arrows and stained with his own blood. "It was a good day for Andoran when I joined the Service; but it was an even better one for my tailor. Still, there's no point in clothing these dashing looks in rags, I suppose."

He nods gratefully as he accepts whatever healing is on offer. "So what next?"

I could do with a couple of rounds from the CLW wand if there's time to spare now that Janeesa has provoked the wrath of DM

I guess Janeesa can't make an untrained know/local check.

If Callinda imparts that knowledge to the party, Janeesa will definitely have a reaction. Right now I'm assuming only she knows this.

"Sorry, my friend, didn't realize you were still somewhat injured."

CLW: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
CLW (from wand): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Callinda will share her observations, and point out any guards she can see.

"They're hiding something, though, under that building -- they're excavating, perhaps, or constructing something?"

I am also going to assume that Callinda will impart that to the party. All the more so as it's not in a spoiler. ^_^

"What is next is we approach that large wood-and-canvas building and murder all the guards in GLORIOUS COMBAT. Then the slaves will rejoice at their freedom and they will provide us with all the information we could wish for. They may even join our efforts out of gratitude. Perhaps we can hammer them into a proper militia...."

"While I'm all for a stealthy and less aggressive means of freeing slaves in general, I'm inclined to agree with my Gorumite colleague. I cannot abide slavery nor turn a blind eye."

Okay then -- march straight across the plateau and kick some slaver ass?

"Let us do this." Morvius nods, grimly. "I detest slavers even more than I detest people who dress badly." He pauses for a moment in thought, eyes narrowed. "Actually, belay that comparison. There's no excuse for bad taste."

Okay then -- march straight across the plateau and kick some slaver ass?

What could possibly go wrong with that plan?

Before we go, Janeesa casts Divine Favor on herself, granting herself a +2 luck bonus to hit and damage.

Okay then, off you go! Any particular party marching order, or just spread out in a skirmish line?

My only request is that Janeesa would try to stay central to the party, the better to reach people with healing if need be. Other than that, she'll just aim for the first appropriate slaver.

While most often Grinceroy stays toward the front, with no chance that they haven't already been seen this time around, Grinceroy migrates to the back, watching their backtrail to make sure that they are not surprised there.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20

do we _see_ any guards yet, or still far enough away to just see indistinct figures moving?

Callinda will take a front line position, in hopes of closing into melee as quickly as practical once targets are identified.

As you approach, you can see a flurry of activity -- the slaves are being kicked and shoved into their shelter, and then the guards are turning to face you. The guards get 12 + 1d12 ⇒ 12 + (10) = 22 all but two of the slaves into their shackles. 1d20 ⇒ 3

All right then: seven people turning to face you.

First there's the obvious BOSS. Boss is a big husky guy with a black beard. He wears spiked black chain mail with a black helmet and a tunic with some sort of twisted serpent insignia. He's swinging a bastard sword, two handed.

Next there's OVERSEER. Overseer is a lean agile guy in studded leather armor. His blonde hair is tied in two braids. He carries a whip and a club.

Then there's WEASEL. Weasel is small and skinny and he has a little goatee. He wears a chain shirt and a rapier and has a bandolier of knives. He's hanging back a bit behind the others. He's singing or chanting or something.

Finally there are four MOOKS. The Mooks have chain shirts, shields, and longbows. (They also carry heavy maces, but right now they have their longbows out.) The Mooks will open fire when you get close enough; as noted, there's not a lot of cover up here. So, they'll get a couple of free shots at you, but then will have to swap weapons.

Unless you have any other preparations, I'd say let's just roll initiative. (N.B., if anyone wants to do an initiative macro, I won't object.)

Mmmmph. If we had a blaster mage, this would be very different. But it looks like we're three melee and a healer.

And whatever Grinceroy is.

Actually...

As the group of friends approach the line of evildoers, Attero stops them. He places his hands on Callinda and Grinceroy. He intones, "The blessings of Mach Krieg be upon you."

As they approach the slavers the three companions feel more...warlike.

Blessing of War: At 1st level, you can touch an ally and grant it a tactical advantage for 1 minute. Each round at the start of its turn, it can select one of the following bonuses: +10 feet to base land speed, a +1 dodge bonus to AC, a +1 insight bonus on attack rolls, or a +1 luck bonus on saving throws. Each bonus selected lasts for 1 round.

Including me, three blessings used.

Did we agree to let the GM roll everyone's initiative? can't remember. If not...

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Janeesa's plan is to attack a "mook" since she's hardly the heavy hitter of the party. She'll keep an eye out for opportunities to heal.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Happy for DMDM to roll group initiative, it keeps things moving

Morvius 11
Janeesa 17
Brother D 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Callinda 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Grinceroy 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Boss 1d20 ⇒ 3
Whip 1d20 ⇒ 11
Weasel 1d20 ⇒ 17
Mooks 1d20 ⇒ 8

Okay, so Init orderis Weasel, Janeesa, Callinda, Whip, Grinceroy, Morvius, Brother D, Mooks, Boss If nobody objects, I'll say that combat starts when y'all are at a range of 200'. Yes?

wait!!!! See discussion.

Morvius advances at speed with the others; when they're within reasonable distance, he fires off a volley of arrows and steps behind the portable cover that Grinceroy manages to conjure up from nowhere.

bow, full attack at range: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 - 4 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

bow, full attack at range: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 4 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 2 - 4 - 5 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Aiming to take down the mooks first - if they're using bows and not shields then hopefully both attacks hit!

I guess I "hang back and take Total Defense action."

Anyone else shooting or doing anything?

Callinda advances with Morvius and joins him in firing on the underlings; she'll concentrate fire with him under one falls --

shortbow, full attack, x2 range: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 4 = 12
shortbow, full attack, x2 range: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 4 = 10

In theory, an ideal round would be:
All: Gather at 210.
Grinceroy: makes wall at 180
Morvius and Callinda: go to wall and shoot arrows (preferably at Mooks).
Janeesa and Attero: take Total Defense.

Attero hangs out at 210 and also takes the Total Defense.

"I wonder what they will do," he rumbles at Janeesa.

"Hopefully take the bait and approach us. It would be annoying if they just turned and ran somewhere to get backup."

Okay, let's call this Round 1. Morvius, your excellent shooting has killed one mook before combat has even started! So, over to Team Slaver.

Boss, Overseer and the three surviving mooks close to 170'. Weasel hangs back at 200' with the injured mook. You can see Weasel gesturing. A simple Spellcraft roll will tell you what he's up to... oh? Ah well, never mind. Snap, crack goes the whip -- Overseer has no missile weapons. Boss has a small hand crossbow, and the mooks are all shooting longbows.

1d20 ⇒ 61d20 ⇒ 31d20 ⇒ 51d20 ⇒ 20 check to confirm on that last one 1d20 ⇒ 6

Wow, a lucky shot at long range by Boss -- didn't crit, but did get a hitsy in. Morvius, take 1d4 ⇒ 2 points of damage, and then please make a DC 12 Fort save.

Meanwhile, Weasel's gesturing has paid off. FWOOMF! A cloud of hundreds of tiny bats suddenly appears around Morvius and 1d4 ⇒ 4 Janeesa. They whirl, they squeak, they slash at you with their tiny sharp little teeth. The swarm isn't doing any damage yet -- it does damage on its turn, and it only just appeared -- but it will force a concentration check on anyone who tries to cast while inside it.

"Yes!" Brother Attero yells as one of the enemy bowmen go down. "You see? Already do they fall to our STEEL. Grinceroy, I trust you have some surprises for those whirling gnats. Begin with Janeesa, so she may heal brave Morvius without interruption.

And, if they wish to play with pets, I might invite a few of my own."

Attero grabs the rosary around his belt. Concentrating on a larger pearl, he begins his work.

Pearl of Power 2. Summon Monster II. I was wrong about the archons, but something else should work well too. =)

"They can make it uncomfortable for us, but not as much as we will for them!"

Callinda takes her time watching the archers move and lining up a shot, with a little more confidence that the slavers aren't able to do serious damage at this range --

shortbow, studied, 2xrange, vs slavers: 1d20 + 9 + 2 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 2 - 4 + 1 = 20for: 1d6 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 12

move action: studied target, two of the mooks.
standard action: single attack

Seems like Morvius is down 12 now? Was at 42, took 2 from one missile weapon, took 4 (along with me) from the bat swarm. Is that correct?

Think the d4 was a random die roll, not damage - the swarm hasn't attacked yet.

Fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Morvius winces slightly at Callinda's bravado: "Speak for yourself, dear girl - it's not you who's facing the threat of bat guano! That stuff stains horribly, you know. And as for the rest..." He dolefully inspects the damage the crossbow bolt did to his frock-coat. "First my shirt and now this! Have those ruffians no respect for a gentleman's threads?!"

He moves out of the bat swarm and looses off a reproachful arrow at his sartorially-challenged foes.

bow: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 - 4 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

"I DEMAND satisfaction!"

Grinceroy charges at the bats, a mace made of plant material forming in his hand. He smashes it into the swarm where it explodes outward at the creatures.

Kinetic Weapon: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Damage: 3d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 5, 4) + 4 = 19

Think the d4 was a random die roll, not damage - the swarm hasn't attacked yet.

Thanks. In that case, since I took Total Defense as my standard action, can I use a move to get out of the bat's radius, or am I stuck there until next round? An AC bonus will do jack against a swarm.

Sounds reasonable to me! If you used total defense then you have a move action remaining. Plus it's a new round, I think? (I posted my actions on that basis)

If my Total Defense happened prior to Round One (can you even Total Defense in a surprise round? Is there a reason to?)...

Janeesa's Round 1 Action:

step out of cloud of bats in a different direction than Morvius did, to a distance of 30', then do Total Defense again, the idea being to make them move toward just one of us, or somewhere else. If this exposes me to more weapon fire, so be it; at least the AC boost will do something for me.

I believe Total Defense is a standard action.

Grinceroy, is Kinetic Weapon something you can just do at will? How does that work?

Damn. Psionics are weird!

Okay, so the kinetic weapon does weapon damage, right? In that case, the swarm takes no damage -- it's immune to weapon damage. Your mental mace catches a bat or two, but there are hundreds of them, and most just flow around the attack. It's like trying to fight a swarm of bees with a hammer.

Since Grinceroy moved right into the middle of the swarm, it'll just chew on you for a bit. The swarming bats only do 1d6 ⇒ 2 of damage. However, it's bleed damage, so you'll take 1 point of damage per round until you get healing magic, make a successful Heal check, or die. Also, please make a DC 11 Fortitude save (pretty easy) or lose your next turn.

You haven't specified whether you're concentrating fire on individual mooks. I'll say there's a 75% chance that you are. 1d20 ⇒ 6 Okay, so mook #2 is down. Back to Team Slaver, then.

-- Huh, based on the discussion thread, looks like Grinceroy's psychic houseplant attack does in fact kill swarms.

Man, I don't even know what that looks like. Elemental plant energy? I guess... a plant appears in Grinceroy's hand, like a wooden staff but with flowering branches? And when he swings it, there's a blast of... pollen? And all the bats sneeze once, very hard, and then fall dead or helpless to the ground.

Okay, Team Slaver.

Weasel: heals the mook you injured last round. 2d8 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7. The mook groggily staggers to his feet, and will get a shot off. These guys are both 170' away.

Boss and Overseer: Boss saw that Morvius shrugged off his crossbow shot.
So he drops the crossbow, pulls out his bastard sword, and barks a command. The two of them hustle 120'; they're now within 50' of you now.

Mooks (3) move 30' (to 140') and shoot: 1d20 ⇒ 111d20 ⇒ 111d20 ⇒ 12 Well, the mooks need to roll a little better than that -- you guys all have really high ACs. They could hurt you, but they need to roll a bit above average, and they seem weirdly unable to do that.

Back to you guys, then.

With melee combat now imminent, Janeesa has to fight the urge to charge the overseer, so strong is the hate she feels welling up inside her. She realizes, though, that this would complicate the archers' efforts for one final volley, so she simply moves a single move closer the Overseer and readies her morningstar.

Morvius nods in approval at Janeesa's tactical thinking. His own tactics need to change as well, now that the enemies are nearer. He draws an arrow, and places it on the bowstring before sighting along the shaft at his target.

"Hm, whom to pick, whom to pick... We'll, it's not really a hard decision, is it? There's only room for one whip-wielder on this island, and I win on the basis of being far better dressed and infinitely better-looking. Toodle-pip, old chap. I'm sending you the memo: it's shaped like an arrow, but don't let that confuse you."

bow, full attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 2 = 28
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

bow, full attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 - 5 = 7
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

bow, Crit confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16
Critical Damage: 3d6 + 12 ⇒ (6, 2, 2) + 12 = 22

OK... Using 4 points of Combat Stamina to get the crit confirm to a 20, hopefully that's enough!

STATUS: 40/46 HP, 2/8 Stamina

Callinda continues to follow Morvius' lead, changing her focus to the overseer and loosing one last arrow.

move action: studied target, overseer & boss

shortbow, studied: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 = 17for: 1d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8
run action should negate his dex bonus to AC? if so, add: sneak attack damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5