DMD's Shattered Star Table A

Game Master dickie

Honestly, I don't see us leaving them behind, especially since we just have to turn around and go back in to accomplish our mission. But I get that it is the story.

Wait, Bel... no...

So, are we someplace where the two groups can see each other yet?

Do we know there are tunnels and chambers within the Crow? If so, Tormnyr would suggest going there. I'm just not sure if he has that information.

Honestly, I don't see us leaving them behind, especially since we just have to turn around and go back in to accomplish our mission. But I get that it is the story.

Wait, Bel... no...

So, are we someplace where the two groups can see each other yet?

Yeah, I could have handled it better, just didn't want to keep the party split forever or have extra work with bots make me avoid updates, which I could easily see me doing. I probably should have just addressed the point in Disccusion. Chalk it up as a learning experience on my part.

Tormnyr can be considered to understand that the Crow has chambers inside based on what Captain Heidmarch and Natalya have said off screen.

"Let's head to the Crow. In tunnels and chambers we can negate any numbers advantage these thugs may have."

Yeah, I could have handled it better, just didn't want to keep the party split forever or have extra work with bots make me avoid updates, which I could easily see me doing. I probably should have just addressed the point in Disccusion. Chalk it up as a learning experience on my part.

Oh, no worries. You're doing great. Just noting that it feels wrong leaving them behind, but maybe it will work storywise if we know they are captured or whatever... nice motivation to keep after the Tower Girls forever (that and their now-undead leader).

The delay between Tormnyr emerging from the doorway and Sokkla barreling through a large window off to one side feels like hours, but in reality it is only a few seconds.

"Sorry!" she calls over her shoulder as she dusts shards of glass from her surcoat "So we keep going, we deal with the water if we get there. To the crow."

She restarts her loping, galloping gate and heads for the sound of the water.

Underbridge

The group runs through the empty plaza. Terisha watches from a far away rooftop. "Where are you going, Natalya?" she shouts out. "Do you think running to the Girls is going to help you?" She punctuates the last bit with a rasping, chortle of a laugh.

Three of the Wreckwash Blade goons exit the tenement in a scramble to catch the Pathfinder agents. On the other side of the plaza they run into an alley only to turn a corner and come upon a six-foot fence blocking the trio's path.

The option here is climb/jump the fence with a climb or acrobatics check, or deal with the thugs before you can double back and go around.

The Crow

From across the open opening comes the sound of Bel's rapier clanging on another. Clearly the Tower Girls have gotten past Mallory and up the stairs.

Feel free to tell me when you're at the exit and by the boat you took to get here, I want to leave room to milk the "all is lost" moment if desired!

Zadira hears Bel fighting not too far behind, so she urges the spellcasters to go faster. She is full of regret. She couldn't keep them safe by herself. They should have stayed at the stairs. That was a defensible position. Now their only hope was full retreat. But wait... the shard she was given. It had the power to... yes, that might work. Possibly.

When they get to the room next to the dock, she casts a spell using her shard Major Illusion

The sound of an explosion and an avalanche of rock is heard down the corridor and as the Tower Girls come down the stairs, they see that the ceiling and walls are completely collapsed, sealing off everything beyond the end of the stairs. Rock dust still floats through the air. The way might be able to be cleared again, but it will take weeks of work, at best. Thankfully, at least for the Tower Girls, it looks like the people who caused the damage miscalculated, for there are at least three bodies in there as well, and maybe more, as they note a leg here and a shoulder there, under the rubble.

Standing on the other side of the illusion, behind an illusory pile of rubble, Zadira maintains her concentration, in case she needs to adjust rocks or puffs of dust if they try to move something. She motions the spellcasters to the rowboat, knowing that she couldn't keep this up all day, but hopefully it was enough to keep them from being pursued.

Okay, we are at the boat. Is Natalya joining the party?

Sokkla eyes up the fence as she lumbers towards it
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

I'm at your mercy GM. Play it out as you see fit given those rolls.

Natalya ably hops over the rickety barrier while Sokkla opts to barrel through the decaying wood of the fence. She scratches herself on a rusty nail in the process. Fortunately for Tormnyr, she clears the path. Unfortunately, that also keeps the path clear for their pursuers!

Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 1 And a DC 12 Fortitude save to avoid contracting filth fever!

I think the improv people call that a, "yes, and..." lol

And I think that firmly establishes something about who exactly Sokkla is.

:D I think a sexy scar might be in order...

Fortitude: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

I love discovering new aspects to characters. If you'd asked me at creation how Sokkla would behave in this situation it might have been different. But having trashed my stealth roll and smashed through an entire building earlier, this is very much who Sokkla has become. As always, if anyone is unhappy with this or would appreciate a slight change of tack let me know. We're all here to have fun together.

All good here. I like her.

With Zadira's clever illusion buying them a little reprieve, the grim reality of the situation comes crashing down on Saria, and she drops to her knees as they near the boats, clutching the weathered wayfarer from her belt and staring at it for a moment.

I... I was supposed to make sure we all got back safely, just like I told Bel yesterday. But I... I couldn't do enough and now we've lost both her and Mallory.

Tormnyr follows behind Sokkla.
She doesn't seem a professional at this, but she's strong and has some good instincts - even if she might need a voice of reason in her ear now and then.

If it seems that the thugs will catch them before getting to the Crow, he will stand and fight. Otherwise he will keep going.

Eskander breathes hard as they reach the boat, guiding Zadira with his free hand while he clutched onto his spear, They are lost? he asks no one in particular, We'll come back for you both, I know we will... he exhales, starting to move toward the boat and settle Zadira onto it.

Tormnyr, Sokkla, and Natalya pound through the last couple of blocks to reach the portion of the Varisian Gulf which remains under permanent shade from the Irespan hoping to find a boat or a solution. They seem to have lost the rotting woman, but can hear boots running toward them from multiple directions. Perhaps 60 feet from the shoreline is a small boat with three occupants. Natalay recognizes them: Zadira, Saria, and Eskander. "That's them!" She calls excitedly, pointing toward the boat trying to roll through the gentle waves. "The others must be right behind!"

And indeed, much farther behind is another small row boat with several people aboard. It is difficult to tell who is crewing it from the distance as the other looks to have just launched from The Crow.

With a Profession (sailor) DC 10 will get the three back to shore in one round, otherwise it takes two. Everyone has one minute (10 rounds) before I advance the action and get things back on book, lol i am going to hack together a rough map, or hope something good is out there on Pintrest that works, this weekend.

Wow, I wrote a really long post yesterday that is just gone now. I wonder how I managed to lose it. In any case, it talked about fooling the tower girls with the illusion a little more--sounds that were threatening another cave in and all. I suppose that's moot now... apparently the illusion didn't scare them away or make them think we were dead as it was intended to do.

Incidentally, if they are following us, can't I just shoot them from the boat? That's what bows are for, really. :)

Lack of clarity on my part: the pursuing TGs are WAAAAAAAY far back. You three are a turn or two from the city's edge, they're about 10-15 minutes behind you! Hinted at by noting the occupants couldn't be seen, but let me say explicitly that I considered the illusion a total success, lol.

"That was quite a clever idea back there, Zadira. Thank you, your quick thinking saved the three of us." Saria stares sadly at the Crow as it gets further away as the boat makes its way towards the shore.

"With the headstart we have, we can try to lose them in the city. But then what should we do? I want to go back there for Mallory and Bel, but after what just happened, I don't think we can help them on our own."

Tormnyr knows that the occupants of the rowboat won't recognize him, so he says "Natalya, signal to them!"

He is not sure of the next steps, so he looks for a defensive position with some cover in case the pursuers have ranged weapons.

Maybe we need to go back to the pathfinders for reinforcements... although I don't really want to look like a failure. I have some gold... maybe go to an inn and hire a half dozen brawler types?

Okay, the map has been updated, I haven't added tokens for Sokkla or Tormnyr yet, but slots are there if you want to add your own. As I said before, 10 full rounds before stuff gets serious!

Natalya waves to the boat and shouts out, "Hey! Trouble! The Wreckwash Blades are coming!"

Is there room in the boat for three more people?

How many of them are chasing you? calls Zadira, recognizing Natalya.

Her mind spins, trying to weigh the risks. Better to stay here and fight the people chasing Natalya, or welcome her group on to the ship and head back towards the Crow and the Tower Girls that seem to be giving chase? They were caught between two battles with seemingly no other way out.

I guess losing them in the city is out she says to Saria and Eskander. What do you think? Try to fight the Wreckwash Blades here before the Tower Girls catch up, or get Natalya and those others into the boat and head back? Maybe we can sink their boat and get rid of a bunch of them in one fell swoop? ... Or they could do the same to us, of course.

A chicken pokes it's head out from the gorget of Sokkla's armour and she gently pushes it back in.

Turning her back on the river she stands proud, sword held ready to face whatever may emerge to harm her new friends.

"I don't much fancy swimming today" It is a strangely mundane comment given the dire circumstances they find themselves in.

Saria ponders their options for a bit before replying back "Fighting on a boat is risky for both sides, like you said. I think the best option is for us to get back on land first. We could always try to sink them as they approach, if we can handle this new gang before they get too close."

"I'd rather fight on the ground than on a boat," Tormnyr says to Natalya.

He holds his shield and axe ready, standing next to Sokkla.

Okay.

As they pull up to the dock, Zadira gets out and looks around for a place she can shoot from.

Any buildings or trees nearby that she can shoot from?

--If there is a building or something, she takes the time to go set herself up there, overlooking the potential battlefield on the docks.

--If she doesn't find anything, then she goes in the opposite direction that the bad guys will be coming from so that she will have more time to shoot. If there are any boxes around, she'll stack some up to get some elevation as well, so that she doesn't have to try to shoot around her friends.

"Thank goodness you are alright!" Natalaya says as the trio tie the boat off. "The Wreckwash Blades are trying to take put the Tower Girls and the Pathfinder team assigned to the Crow. You! I brought backup, this here is Tormnyr. Captain Heidmarch says he 'can get things done.' The Chicken Lady is a um, impromptu recruit named Sokkla. Wait, where is Bel and Mallory?"

"There are several buildings, I believe I updated the map page and will verify ASAP that I did. The baddies are closest to the north, the west side of the map ends a few feet from the edge of the screen where the cliff wall beside the Irespan rises to the giant bridge itself. The buildings you see on the map are barely intact, but provide plenty of cover and can be easily broken into with no effort.

Zadira can feel Natalya's question whirling around inside her head, threatening to undo her, so she gets through the answer quickly, locking her emotions down.

They... we lost them in the fighting. I do not know whether they are still alive or not. They stayed and fought to give us a chance to escape. We can discuss that later if we survive. Looks like we have to make a stand here, ready or not. I'm going to set up in one of those buildings to be able to shoot them as they come. We'll do what we can, but we've used up a lot of spells.

[b]Welcome Tormyr and Sokkla. Sorry to meet you under these circumstances. I sure hope you both know how to fight, because we have to finish this group before the Tower Girls get here... we delayed them, but they're not that far behind. We have maybe 10-15 minutes before they show up too.

Everyone get some cover and let's set up the best ambush we can in the time we have.

She picks a building that has a good view to the north, gets up as high as she can to get a good view, and then stands in a shadow, waiting for the enemy to come into range.

Tormnyr nods to the other Pathfinders.
"Yep. I'm backup. Been in the Serpent's Run, and I can handle myself in a fight. Hopefully keep you safe too."

"I'll go wherever you say. I am best in the front lines." The dwarf wears a breastplate and carries a heavy shield. His weapon is a dwarven axe-gauntlet.

He will position himself in front of Zadira, to keep the enemies from closing with her. Tormnyr will seek to also be in the shadows, out of direct line of sight. Because if the enemy stands off at range and shoots, he cannot very easily switch to javelins. Might look to swap out the weapon later; it's a great damage die for a Close weapon, which his archetype needs, but having hands free is sometimes more important.

Eskander looks grimly across the chosen battlefield, Okay, I guess this is as good as it gets? he asks, fishing his sling out of his belt, and looking for a place with lots of cover...

Saria nods back at Tormnyr and Sokkla "Thank you for coming to our aid." She looks back at the Crow and the approaching boat "We can definitely use the help against the Tower Girls." And making it back to rescue Bel and Mallory

Following Zadira's suggestion, she then turns her attention to picking a decent spot for their ambush, while getting her crossbow ready.

"Its nice to meet you." Sokkla offers with a warm smile. The words sound wrote, like the words taught to a child meeting strange relatives. You are not quite sure if the bright smile is born of ignorance of the danger you face together, or bravery.

"I'll stand with Tormnyr. I'm not so experienced, but I'll do what I can. Could you..." She reaches behind her breastplate and carefully draws out a plump hen and holds it out to Zadira. "Could you take her with you? Keep her out of the front line?"

Tormnyr, you should stay down here. That is where the front line will be. I am going up into one of the buildings so I can shoot them with my bow. You and Sokkla jump out and start attacking when they get here. Maybe try to attack the same person, focus your efforts so we can take their numbers down as fast as possible. Remember, this is guerilla-type fighting. if you can isolate someone and take them down and go back into hiding, do it. The rest of us will also try to concentrate fire on specific targets.

When Sokkla asks her to take her chicken, her first instinct is to laugh or say no, but Zadira sees the sincerity of the woman, and knows that she might be consigning her to death, just as she had with Bel and Mallory... so with that fresh in her mind, she instead smiles gently, nods, and take the chicken. She carries it gingerly up the stairs, lays it behind a convenient pile of rubble which partially obscures it from the sight of the stairs, and sets herself up for sniping.

DM, is the current map the right one, or were you going to show us further to the north with multiple buildings? I'd like to set up specific positioning for an ambush if possible. If it is the current map, then maybe ranged up on the roof where we can use the roofline for cover from one side or the other, and the front liners in the back alley behind the building where they can't be seen, ready to take anyone out who comes looking, or who tries to get up to the roof via the improvised staircase to the roof on the left side of the building? (Little boxes, big box, roof). I don't think the map looks like what you were describing though.

I prefer Google Slides to Roll20, as I can use it from my phone and it lets other people move your tokens if needed, but I will try to keep up with the Roll20.

Tormnyr goes where he is directed, ready to guard the stairs.

Okay, new map, which means you'll need to fix your placement. Just let me know when you're ready to proceed!

Set!

On the new map, are they coming in from the east rather than the north, or still the north?

Tormnyr sees Zadira take up position on a roof.
He sets up on the stairs leading up to her position, hidden out of sight.
"Zadira, it looks like there is a bridge from your roof to the next one. If you can't take it down quickly, then beware of them trying to get to you that way. It wouldn't be their first choice of route, since they'd be more exposed than coming up the stairs, but they may go that way when they see the stairs are blocked. Maybe push some obstacles in the way of that bridge. Or caltrops if you have them."

Set up.

"I'll join you up there Zadira." Saria runs up the stairs and loads her crossbow. "Hopefully I'll be able to slow them down with my magic as they're approaching the stairs. But Tormnyr raises a good point. We should try to block the bridge if we can."

Are there any obstacles we can use to block the bridge? And do we have time to do that before the enemies arrive?

The north is blocked just off-screen by the water of the bay and the east terminates at the edge of the map where the cliff beneath the Irespan blocks the way. The baddies will be approaching mostly from the south. Did Eskander want to remain totally out in the center area? It could be useful that way, but it sure will make him a target right off!

There is plenty of refuse and debris that could be used to make barricades or provide cover. It should take most of the time you have to find your current places, but you'd still have enough time to drag things around or cast any spells before the first goons arrive (on the map now!)

Three men wander into sight. "Come out, come out where ever you are!" taunts one of the men. The three spread out with their weapons drawn. "There's no reason to drag this out!"

Round One

The players are up first! Map is current (Esk can re-located if desired, or not, your call!) and more goons are coming!

Thanks, I was still thinking they were coming from up on the map, not down :D moved to backup the east flank. Opponents are about 140' away?

Eskander glances outside, then ducks back inside the doorway pressing his back against it and exhaling loudly. His eyes closed he leans his head back and cracks his neck back and forth awaiting something happening closer....

Soon, our enemies will come for the gates...

the half-elf shakes his head to clear the unbidden thoughts of his grandfather, and opens his eyes, adjusting the leather gloves he'd donned on the haft of the spear, and waits....

Full Defense!

What are the sightlines like from the roof? I want to wait till I have a clear shot, no soft cover... which I might have already because of being up high, but not sure.

Anyone on ground level would have soft cover from intervening bulldings/terrain.

There is plenty of refuse and debris that could be used to make barricades or provide cover. It should take most of the time you have to find your current places, but you'd still have enough time to drag things around or cast any spells before the first goons arrive (on the map now!)

So we could have blocked off the bridge to the west before combat started, or should that be our first actions on this round? Seing as they're still a bit far away and with cover, I'd prefer to follow Tormnyr's advice and try to block access to the bridge. If that's done before combat, I'll just ready an action to shoot the first enemy that I can get a clear shot at.

There was enough time to do that, feel free to draw a little box on the map when you have a second just so that I know exactly where everything is. It'd be a rough barrier, FYI, something that could be sundered or broken with a high strength check.

If those on the ground have cover against Zadira, does she have Improved Cover against them? It feels like a sniper's position should provide at least some sort of advantage.

Tormnyr holds his ground and uses Total Defense.

Still with us Sokkla? Is Zadira just waiting for a good shot this round?

Zadira waits... she didn't want to start in on them until they were closer and they could all make their shots count.

Still here. Sorry, been here all along, just missed your post kicking things off, thought e ere still preparing

As the sounds of their foes begin to echo around, Sokkla senses everyone hunker down, tense up and raise their weapons. She copies them.

Total defence