(5E) Odyssey of the Dragonlords - By Supreme Being (Inactive)

Game Master scranford

The centaur arches an eyebrow at the human's question and replies, "that's an oddly specific rumor." He takes a sip of his wine.

After a pause, "No. I was raised tribeless, and my father sacrificed himself, so my mother and I could live." He looks away and finishes his cup of wine.

After a very uncomfortable silence while he refills his cup from the pitcher on the table. "What's your blood status that others want to use?"

"I'm one of Pythor's bastards," the big centurion nearly spits the statement out, but narrowly avoids it out of respect for the excellence of the wine. "One of many I suspect." Lysander rolls his eyes in the direction of Estoria. "Somewhere in that city, my father rules as a king. And back in Mytros, those that don't revere Mytros herself, bend their knee to my father who has forgotten them. If they worship the five at all."

Lysander sits up, placing his empty cup on the table. "It's why I retired. I spent nearly my whole life in the Centurions. They worship Pythor above all others. So to them I was their personal hero. To those in Mytros that wanted to bend the ear of a king I've barely met and have no sway over? I was a perceived means to an end. And to our enemies, I was the demigod to frighten their children. It has never been a role I would have wanted. So it is the life I tried to leave behind. Apparently the Fates have other plans."

"Yes, people put too much stock in the blood of our ancestors. It's our own personal actions that should define us." The centaur takes another sip of wine.

"Well, I don't give an eff who your father. To killing and eating fresh boar." He said with a grin offering a toast.

With a smile, Lysander raises his glass. "To the god-hog!"

"I don't believe I've caught your name and, since we're hunting a great beast tomorrow, I would like to. What brings you to these crossroads of destiny, looking for wisdom from the Oracle?" Mateo asked, waving down the server to receive another cup of beer.

Glaring, for a moment it seemed the conversation was over before it began as she roasted "Much that carries in a name." But a moment passed and she shrugged off the guarded notion "Hah...though it hardly matters...if we are what the Oracle says soon all Thylea will know of us. I am Novyn, the Estorian potter she dreamt of..." chuckling a little and taking a hard swallow. The load seemed to get stuck in her thin, fragile throat...and only with a great effort did the woman force it down. She looked incredibly worn and sickly, much more like an old woman at the end of their life than a young just starting out on adventure.

"I care of nothing but the talk of fortune. Certainly not these farmers or this bounty hunter who would not even freely share water. Tch...golden arrow. Who would cast such a thing?"

Okay. I'm going to move to the next morning. We can retcon anything else needed...

@Novyn.. The night before.

Kyrah and the two hunters are waiting outside the tavern an hour before dawn. The hunters are named Taneias and Javon. The morning is cold and foggy, and the ground is wet with dew. The hunters lead the party away from the tavern and deep into the hills to the north. The party passes many farms and settlements that have been destroyed by the corrupted boar.

As you make your way northward into the Heartlands, you pass many ravaged farms and settlements, all attacked by the boar. The rocks and trees along the road have been gouged by its tusks, leaving deep, ragged trenches. Carrion crows flock in the fields, picking at the bodies of failed hunters and unfortunate settlers.

WIS: DC 10 (Survival) to track the boar. One player may roll, with advantage from the hunters, and the other PC's.

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Coronus is up early and ready for the hunters and Kyrah. Moving a bit faster than the bipeds and ranging a bit in front of the hunters, the centaur investigates the marks of the boar. He tries to estimate the size of the boar.

Considering the fog, he wears his shield on his left arm. It bears the emblem of lidless eye of Sydon with a tail of a comet.

Aristeides follows the experts, not having a clue of what needs to be done to find a track. From time to time, he munches an almond he picks from a handful he's carrying in his hands, part of the dried food he asked at the tavern.

Novyn awoke a new woman.

Gone was the bored and haggard urbanite, and in her place stood one accustomed to the harsh life of the Greater Steppes. Her tight leathers were a sandy tan, and she wore an opaque sky blue veil just below the eyes. Her gear was stored in a tight bundle under her flowing black cloak, and hanging on her shoulder was the gastrophetes. She certainly seemed quite experienced surviving in the wild, and even perhaps a quality hunter. The color of her crossbow so closely matched her cloak it was almost concealed, looking more like an outline or pattern of stitching as it laid on its harness around her neck.

Still, there was no denying the lack of muscle on her bones, and her eyes remained gaunt...the veil was actually an improvement on Novyn's looks.

"This would be easier if at least one of us had a horse...boar can easily be run down and tired out. I've seen it -- they just fall over at a certain point...even astride a mere courser."

She kneels to peruse the spoor after the others have passed. It was clear they were already headed in the right direction...but she wanted a measure of the party's relative skill to her own...

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

...and truly surprised she was that they had caught something she herself could not. Perhaps this group was worth following after all.

The centaur's hair and tail are blonde while his horse body has pure white hair. His human body shows deep tans lines where his chain mail exposes his skin to the sun. His weapons's harness carries a sheathed longsword, sheathed shortbow, and a quiver of arrows. At his withers, he wears a pack with a coil of rope strapped to it, and a lion’s pelt is secured to his back and loin.

Now that he's moving, you see an amulet around his neck with an emblem that matches his shield.

Kaia awoke in a barn, unsure where she was.

Standing, she staggered out of the barn and drank some water from the horse trough. Her stomach grumbling, she walked into the tavern as the sun just began to crest over the horizon.

In a daze, she just asked for some bread.

As she sat eating her bread she just silently started crying.

Getting up before dawn after an evening of drinking with comrades-in-arms is the type of old habit Lysander would have hoped to have lost in the year or so since he started his retirement. Yet as the dawn's first light began to shine into the Sour Vintage, Lysander stepped out into the air resplendent in his polished breastplate and helm, with his kit arranged for long travel and combat. At some point in the early morning hours, the decarus had used Mateo's perpetually razor sharp xiphos to trim his beard to a more respectable length and cut his shaggy growth of hair to the military length that better fit his helm.

Lysander draws in the crisp morning air in a deep breath and lets it out slowly, indulging in the crisp air and rising adrenaline of impending battle. Odd to have missed this.

As they travel, Lysander gives Mateo a good natured cup on the shoulder. He sees them falling into old habits that had served them well in the outskirts over the years. Two halves of a whole idiot, their old decurion had commented on occasion. But it was the kind of camaraderie that made them so effective as battle brothers and made the inevitability of this harrowing journey much more worthwhile.

With Coronus, Lysander finds himself making plans, strategies on how best to use each other's strengths to their collective advantage. A night of good conversation and spirits could well make bonds between would-be enemies. But that does not keep Lysander from keeping his distance from Kaia and the reputation she has in his eyes, or from keeping a wary eye on the scholar.

Lysander points to the stones and trees damaged by the boar in response to Novyn's comment. "Anything that can do that is no normal beast. If it has indeed been corrupted, horses would be little more than panicked bait. Better we are on foot and away from the chaos they would engender. Besides, Coronus could probably outpace any mount we could manage if we still wish to use that tact."

Sorry, misread something that led to my last post. Replace the above with this:

Kaia awoke on an unfamiliar mattress. Still in a daze, she made her way to the common room and quietly asked for some bread and water.

She sat there silently crying as the sun started to rise.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the others came down, Kaia asked "Where did Kyrah go. She never answered my question about Kathandrax."

The Night Before...

Mateo nodded softly as he thought over the name, as if he had remebered something with the name. He had thought it was her, she matched the description of what he had been told the few times he passed by Estoria and met some of its citizens. Mateo's dark eyes seemed to stare into hers for a moment longer than one would expect before he shrugged, finishing off his glass.

"Who knows? Perhaps it was once a gift to one of the Gods> Our luck, it was stolen from the Titans and now they're really missing their priceless...golden arrows." His words were mirthful at the end. The cheer from the two men beside him brought a small chuckle to the soldier's lips. It seemed that Lysander had made friends with the centaur. That was good, it would make things far easier if they all started off on. He raised his own glass to Novyn in turn.

"To the hunt, to delicious fresh boar, to fortune, and a change in our fates."

The Morning...

Early in the morning, Mateo would rise and strap his armor to his body, his sword and spear following afterwards. There was a quick prayer to Pythor, a habit of being with the Centurions for so long, before a more personal prayer to Vallus, the Goddess of Wisdom and Queen of Mystros. It was then that he caught sight of Kaia making her way back into the tavern. The carefree nature that half-elf had displayed was no longer there, instead replaced with a confident smirk and a determined gaze.

"Kyrah and the trackers are leading us to the boar. As for your question..." Mateo murmured, checking his weapons and armor one more time before his eyes flickered towards her. "...she said you would need others to hunt down this Kathandrax. It seems the Oracle herself has your answers. If you want them, you need to hunt with us. Get your things, we head out soon." He had heard the woman crying gently in the common room from his own resting spot, the Odyssean's ears keenly aware of movement around them. Once ready, he made his way out into morning light. The hunt was on.

On The Hunt...

Mateo looked quite familiar in garb to what Lysander wore, albeit it of lighter materials. While not as armored, he was able to move more swiftly and it did little to hinder his movements. Staying up ahead by the hunters, he kept his eyes not on the tracks but the world around them. One never knew when an ambush could occur.

The scenes of devastation brought a wince to the experienced soldier's face but it was what he was expecting. This was no angry boar, scaring farmers and making noise in the night. This was a monster, a mad beast that had to be brought down. The cup on his shoulder brought Mateo out of his grim observances and brought a warmer smile to his face. He was not alone out here in the Heartlands; he was with comrades both familiar and new.

"I don't think the brave centaur would be willing to take any one of us as a passenger. At least he'd survive if we have to run..." Mateo half-heartedly joked, his eyes focusing back onto the centaur. His eyes focused onto that shield's emblem again but only for a moment. "Of course, I call first ride if that isn't true..."

The morning:

Kaia nods quietly and wipes the tears from her face.

On the hunt:

Kaia tracks through the brush, helping to look for signs of passage. She wore exactly what she had the day before, her face clean but the rest of her still covered in ash. She carried her bow with an arrow notched, but not drawn.

Okay moving along.

@Coronus

See discussion thread for marching order / camping discussion.

Kyrah spends the morning talking to herself, and you realize she's trying to make the journey you are currently taking poetic. Every now and then she nods, and stops writing something down, before scurrying to catch up to the group.

You keep travelling into the hills, rising higher and higher. Finally shortly after noon the scene changes.

From this height, you can see miles of mountainous hills to the west. A thick blanket of fog hangs over the lower land, and you can hear a gentle chorus of birds greeting the morning sun. Eventually, you pick up the boar’s trail: another path of wanton destruction, split tree trunks, and splatters of blood. The trail ends at the shadowy mouth of a cave. Ear-splitting grunts and squeals echo from inside.

What is your plan?

"The boar is inside. What is the plan?"

"This boar is big. It's tusks appear to hang taller than me. His feet are almost two feet in diameter. If we let that beast loose, I might be able to stay away from it, but you'll probably be trampled."

"It might be better that it's already bottled up in the cave. We might be able to fight it with the scholar and the archer behind a shield wall." The centaur offers.

Aristeides agrees to whatever the plan his more expert companions devise, since he doesn't know their full capabilities. As one of his master's during his short time in the Academy always said, "don't make a judgement without knowing all the facts". However, he nods when the centaur, Coronus, talks about him being after a shield wall. Looks like a safer than in front of the boar.

Novyn gazes around at her surroundings, looking for a way to exploit them in her favor "Some of us could take to the trees to fire down upon the creature..." she finally suggests.

Trying to device a strategic use of his spells, Aristeides inquires about his companions' capabilities. "How many of you plan on fighting the beast face to face?"

"I do," Lysander answers the scholar automatically. "I can take point and try to deal with the brunt of its wrath. That should allow others to target it from a distance or the sides. And with his superior mobility, Coronus can harry it to force it to go in my direction. Like a shepard's dog."

Lysander looks at the others. Fate may have brought them all there, but part of what made Lysander a leader and a hero to the centurions was a willingness to stand in the way of the greatest peril while letting others escape or claim fame. The others may not have been given the blood of a god. And Lysander would never let them suffer when he could protect them all.

"If we can keep it's attention on me, we can deal with it before it could cause more havoc."

Kaia looked down at her bow then back at Aristeides the moved to start climbing a tree.

Coronus arches an eyebrow at being referred to as a dog. Then, he watches the archer start climbing the lone tree, "So, the archer has decided that the battle will take place out here."

"When everyone is in position, I'll call it out of the cave." He plans to go to the mouth of the cave and shout into it using Thaumaturgy to boom his voice, then retreat behind Lysander.

Kaia looked down at her bow then back at Aristeides the moved to start climbing a tree.

Are you climbing the lone tree 90' from the cave entrance (DC15 Climb check), or one of the trees close to where you are now (120' to 150' from cave entrance) (DC10 Climb Check)?

I'll give everybody the rest of the day to lay out any duties, then move the encounter forward tomorrow. (Sunday).

Why a climb check? Just curious for rp description, usually there isn't a check for climbing stuff.

Athletics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Novyn scurries up whichever copse of trees the archer doesn't.

Why a climb check? Just curious for rp description, usually there isn't a check for climbing stuff.

[dice=Athletics]1d20+4

Novyn scurries up whichever copse of trees the archer doesn't.

Did you guys read the Discussion thread about the layout of the encounter. There is (1) tree within 90' of the entrance. It has been gouged, and de-limbed by the boar, but was too big for it to knock over. It's hard to climb.

The only other trees are 120' from the entrance to the cave, near where you guys are planning behind a slight rise. You are in full gear with weapons etc. If you use anything to help you climb, you may take advantage to do so. In 5E Climbing is an athletics check. Were you to just decide to casually climb a tree there would be no check, but in this case unless you strip off any armor, leave your pack at the foot of the tree, and take your time (Which you might or might not have). then I might not require a check.

120-150; the range on a longbow is 150', so something right before that.

120-150; the range on a longbow is 150', so something right before that.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Athletics

1d6 ⇒ 3 Falling damage.

Kaia starts trying to climb a tree right beside where you are strategizing, but her bow catches a crooked branch, and she tumbles to the ground hitting it hard.

Do you wish to try again?

Yeppers.

Kaia picks a different tree and climbs up.

Athletics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

DC 16 Perception check from everyone before the encounter starts.

Perception, ignores dim light penalty: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Aristeides nods to Coronus's words. "I'll get to those boulders as soon as we set the scenery. Your going to call that best, right?" he explains. "When you do so, please retreat for our give feet from the entrance, as I will lay a trap for the beast to trip. That way or archers can have extra shots at it before you have to face it."

He holds his staff with both hands, ready to cast his spell and run away when the centaur does his part.

He will cast Grease just about the entrance.

So I need perception checks from Aristeides, and Coronus... then we'll be ready to roll. I I don't get them by later tonight, I'll roll for them, and get things started. It should get more smooth after we've played a while and learned the other Pc's strengths and tendencies.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Climb
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 Climb (Advantage)

Kaia rubbed the sore place on her elbow, and decided to climb the tree without her gear, then have sombody send it up to her on a rope... and is finally able to find a perch about 130' from the entrance of the cave.

I didn't apply any fall damage for the second failure, as I don't want your PC's to die before the adventure starts... I might not always be so generous :-)

Novyn is about 50' off the ground in the big barren tree 90' from the entrance to the cave.

Aristedes is behind s small boulder (50% cover) either somewhere in front of the cave, or on the hillside above it.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Third attempt to post

If theres time, Novyn will attempt to hide herself up there...using the trunk for cover perhaps.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

..Mateo.. 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Perception

Only Mateo who is turning to make sure eveyone is in a good defensive position is surprised by the next action. Mateo is surprised this round.

Suddenly, you hear a bestial grunt from inside the cave. A massive boar suddenly charges from the cave mouth, goring one of the hunters on its tusks! Tossing the body away like a ragdoll, the creature draws itself up to its full height. It’s an ancient white boar with fierce red eyes and bloodied yellow tusks.

The great boar has several spears and arrows lodged in its back, all the result of failed attempts to kill it. The boar is bleeding from these wounds.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 DEX Save vs. Grease.. and though its' feet scrabbles a bit trying to find traction, its momentum quickly carries it out of the greased area, and result in the instant death of one of the hunters. The beasts maddened eyes focus on the three fools bravely daring to provide it a target.

Those within 40' of the beast (Mateo, Lysander, and Coronus?) need to make a DC10 Wisdom save as the beast approaches.

DM Rolls

Group 1 Actions: Kaia, Lysander, Novyn, Aristides
Group 2 Actions: Legendary White Boar
Group 3 Actions: Mateo*, Coronus.

* Surprised this round.

Mateo took to trying to help the others, ensuring that the party had the best chance against the foul beast that awaited them within the cave. After handing Kaia her bow, he heard the roar of the beast seconds before it came emerging out of the cave as he stood beside (and behind) the centaur and the godblooded.

Wisdom: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

My perception should've been two higher but I forgot to update that in the header, so that's my bad. :)

Novyn swung round at the sound of the snorts and tried to plant a new ornament in the pigs eyes...

Xbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Xbow, adv: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Dmg+Snk: 1d8 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 3 + (1) = 5 f%~! you double 1s...

A brief swearing sprouts from Aristeides's lips when the boar goes past his grease puddle. Well, they'll have to rely on the string warriors to keep the beast away from the squishies.

Invoking some magical energies, he launches a bolt of fire that flies towards the big hog.

Firebolt: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 1d10 ⇒ 9

After Coronus called the Legendary White Boar from his cave, he dropped back 30 feet behind Lysander and Mateo. He gripped his sword and shield ready for a charge.

Lysander bangs on his shield to get the boar's attention, positioning his spear to deal with the inevitable charge. (Readied action)

"Everyone stay behind my shield or well out of its reach."

Wisdom: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

DC10 Wisdom save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Kaia???

Kaia notices movement at the mouth of the cave, and follows Novyn's example, loosing an arrow at the rampaging beast. Her aim is true, and the arrow sinks deep within the beasts chest adding to his numerous injuries.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 Bow

1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 Arrow

<<Mateo>> Mateo creeps forward, and hoots for the beast to emerge, before hightailing it and running behind Coronus and Lysander. By the time he turns around, the beast is among the knot of defenders. (Surprise round).

<<Novyn>> Novyn takes careful aim, and though she doesn't hit the eye she was aiming for, her bolt does take the beast in the jowl, enraging it even further.

<<Aristeides>> Aristeides turns slings his bolt of fire at the beast, but it's speed... even through the grease causes him to misjudge the shot, and it lands behind him.

<<Lysander>> Lysander bangs on his shield and calls forth a challenge at the charging beast, banging his shield, and planting his spear to intercept the oncoming charge.

The beast then turns it's beady eyes, and bad intentions on the other hunter, determined to treat him like his companion.

The boar is rewarded with a help of pain, and a fresh shower of blood as the 2nd hunter is removed from the mortal plane, almost torn in half by the force of the blow. It then turns it's ugly eyes on the PC's.

Man you guys were lucky on that one :-). Lysander gets his held attack, which will probably not have a great effect on the beasts last action, then Coronus. Mateo is surprised this round, then we'll go back to Group 1 Initiatives.

Boar Damage Track: -12

DM Rolls

Sorry, had internet issues yesterday.

From life, death. whispers Kaia as she draws her bow full mast, holds for a moment, then looses the shaft.

Attack Roll: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Damage Roll: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

That's awesome =.(

Sorry, had internet issues yesterday.

From life, death. whispers Kaia as she draws her bow full mast, holds for a moment, then looses the shaft.

[dice=Attack Roll]1d20+8
[dice=Damage Roll]1d8+4

Timing is everything. You can use my roll if you'd prefer :-)