Kingmaker - GM ST

Game Master SodiumTelluride

If Erik tells us what he's seen.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Dare, more to protect the cleric than analyze the creature, goes with Adela to look where Erik indicates (The page turned, so Adela, not sure if you saw that Erik did indeed tell us. ). But seeing what he saw, she also attempts to identify it.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

But she's not sure what she sees, and looks helplessly at Adela. "I don't get it. Maybe that's the wolf we scared off, but they wouldn't leave someone alive if they've got them cornered, would they?"

She flexes her fingers, torn between protective and survival instincts.

welp.

"I may not be strong enough, but maybe if you tie a rope around me, I can take another down to the wolf and perhaps you can pull us both out?" she offers

Adela succeeded on the Knowledge Arcana roll, I think the player just didn't realize Erik had indeed shared that there was a "black wolf" down there, so hadn't responded IC yet with what she knows. So I was just RPing a question to Adela to buy some time until she could provide the info.

I don't think the cave is "down"--it's just straight in.

Dare frowns at Yuki. "Why would you want to take the wolf out? It'll just try to eat you. What I want to know is where's the voice coming from?"

Sorry I did miss Erik telling us what he saw.

"It's a Worg They work with Goblins and lay traps. Going in is a bad idea!" She whispers in warning to the group from her position at the back, looking around nervously. :)

Adela is keeping an eye on the surroundings.

perception as she looks around: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"oh? Ooooh. Right. Uhm. Then... Okay... Uh" she Stammers, now not knowing what to do

Adela sees no other signs of an ambush, but she and Erik see the worg peer out at you a second time before disappearing. "Please," the gravelly voice says. "Leg is hurt, can't walk! Just one can fit in here though, small space!"

Uses Studied enemy on the worg

Erik considers what's being said...

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 12

2 rank +3 trained +1 wis+1 studied target

Erik, you're pretty sure this is a ruse. With your wilderness knowledge you know that predators have evolved/adapted all sorts of strategies to isolate potential prey-- this seems like the sort of thing one that can talk might do.

Erik eyes narrow, and he takes his bow to full draw, ready to take a snap-shot if the worg shows itself again. He whispers to the others "I think its a trick..."

Init: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12
+3 Dex +2 trait

Adela leans in close to Yuki and whispers, "You could try and trick them to show themselves to us. Ask them something like who would fit in the cave best?"

Try and Bluff them to show themselves so Erik can shoot. :)

Dare flexes her fingers again as the others make clear the possible trick by the big talking wolf, itching to call the creature out. But as Adela suggests Yuki play tricks to catch a trickster, she nods in encouragement.

Rhiann also draws her bow, readying a shot for the first sign of the worg's reappearance.

Yuki nods, she leans in her head to call to it, using her most innocent voice

"Uhm, mister. I'm not sure, do you think I would fit? I don't want to get stuck too, then we both are stuck and no way for people to help us. So I'll stand here and just have a look from your side"

Bluff: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

"Uh, well, you uh, can't see from out there," comes the reply. The voice clearly did not expect this response. "Must come in here! Around the corner. Where it's dark." After a brief moment, the voice comes again. "Yes! Elf-girl will fit. Please hurry!"

I won't make you roll, the voice is clearly not being truthful here.

With her experience deceiving others, Yuki knows the sound of someone caught in a lie when she hears one.

Perception/w low light vision: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

perception: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 21 w/LL and Darkvision
2 rank +3 trained +2 racial+1 wis+1 studied target

Spotting the worg's head, Erik promptly takes his shot...

See above; I suspect that I miss...

Spotting the worg a second time, Erik lets loose an arrow into the cave-- unfortunately missing the creature and hearing his arrow skitter harmlessly off the rocks.

"Yes! Elf-girl will fit. Please hurry!"

Slight retcon here, rolling back this statement.

The worg's head vanishes into the darkness after the incoming arrow misses its mark, then the cave goes silent.

There is plenty of space to skirt safely around the cave if you want to leave it behind you and continue mapping. If you want to go in and hunt the creature down, I will put up a map of the cave. Or you could try to coax it out into the open, or do something else entirely.

Spotting the worg a second time, Erik lets loose an arrow into the cave-- unfortunately missing the creature and hearing his arrow skitter harmlessly off the rocks.

GM ST wrote:

"Yes! Elf-girl will fit. Please hurry!"

Slight retcon here, rolling back this statement.

The worg's head vanishes into the darkness after the incoming arrow misses its mark, then the cave goes silent.

"Damnit!"

Erik continues "Do we finish this off, or should we just leave?"

"If we leave it, that creature will continue preying on people trying to be helpful. I don't like that. Natural dangers in the wilds are one thing, but pretending to need help to lure victims is another." Rhiann says drawing out a vial of alchemist's fire.

"Let's see how whatever it is deals with not having the advantage of darkness."

Adela perks up as she sees a solution. "Perhaps we can repeat our trick with the berries? Start a smoky fire and fill the cave with smoke until they have to come out?"

"It would also show us if there are other exits from the cave." She adds helpfully. looking rather pleased that she's not standing around blankly.

"This ain't little bitty spiders, this is a big talky wolf that wants to eat Yuki like she's Red Riding Hood. Better to deal with it cornered." Dare says. She pulls a flask of oil out of a pouch. "How about I light this and bung it in?"

She works on setting a fuse in the bottle while waiting for their response.

"And he didn't even buy me dinner first" she laughs

"I'm all for it. If nothing else, it'll light things up." Rhiann says with a nod.

Seems like the consensus is to go in after it.

Due to the fixed angle of the sun, those whose eyes are not adapted to the underground see nothing but a well of blackness. Dare can see that the cave extends 20 to 25 feet into the rock, but from this angle there isn't anything else to report.

See slide 14, feel free to place yourselves. Upper right corner is what Dare sees inside.

Adela perks up as she sees a solution. "Perhaps we can repeat our trick with the berries? Start a smoky fire and fill the cave with smoke until they have to come out?"

"It would also show us if there are other exits from the cave." She adds helpfully. looking rather pleased that she's not standing around blankly.

Ok, I am assuming that I can see into the cave like Dare does...

"Pretty big cave to smoke out, we'd need a bunch of fuel and stuff. Rhiann, your have point or me?"

Adela has her crossbow ready and is waiting to see where she is needed?

Adela isn't pouting. :)

I was planning to NOT go in and chuck the lit oil bottle in to just see what happened--does it light anything on fire? Does it scare the worg and it runs in one direction or another?. She's not going to hurl a Molotov at the party if they walk in however. Would it be okay to assume she chucks in the bottle before they go in?

"You see better in darkness than I do, and I can fight from behind you." Rhiann replies to Erik, preparing to enter the cave second as she takes her weapon from across her back.

The cave might indeed be too big for the Molotov to do much, and if it's smart enough to talk and lure people in, it's not dumb enough to do the animal thing and just rush out. Fine if you want to chick it before we go in. At the very least it'll give me a bit more visual range with a light source and low-light vision.

"All right"

Erik stows his bow, and readies both rapier and buckler. He catfoots forward into the mouth of the cave...

Her fauchard in one hand, and a vial of alchemist's fire in the other, Rhiann falls in behind Erik.

"Oh, so it's bigger than I thought." Seeing the others approach the cave, she shrugs. "Alright, if you want to walk into it, I guess I won't set it on fire first. But I'm the one who actually can see in the dark, so... at least let me go first."

Dare steps in the entrance to see what her darkvision reveals.

@Dare, not sure you realize, but Erik has darkvision as well.

No, but Dare might not know that either, as she'd assume he's like most half-elves, so I'll let it stand. Feel free to correct her or not.

Adela casts Light on her morningstar as she brings up the rear. Her head still on a swivel as she looks around.

This monster has been rolling terribly on its Stealth checks.

You all make your way into the cave and see that it is indeed quite small, though not nearly as small as the worg would have had you believe. You notice easily that the worg had been watching and waiting from around a corner to the right, but when you step foot into its lair and it sees that it's been spotted, it lunges at the first interloper: Erik!

~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
Rhiann (Round 1)
Dare (Round 1)
Erik (Round 1)
Worg
Yuki
Adela

I updated the slide to overlay the interior of the cave onto the rest of the grid.

Erik sidesteps it's lunge and responds with his own, cold steel leading the way...

5' step
standard action - attack

To hit: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 13
1 bab +3 dex +1 studied target

Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 1 = 9
+1d6 sneak attack +1 str + 1 studied target

I am assuming no one is flat-footed at this point, although it hasn't come up in init yet. If it is flat footed, I would get SA damage is I hit.

It is in the process of coming at you, but hasn't acted yet. Yes it is considered flat-footed.

Ok, then that attack is vs flat footed AC, also

sneak attack damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Rhiann takes a step forward, lashing out at the charging beast with her fauchard

Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard/Weapon focus vs Flat footed AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Slashing/Cold Iron: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Being much better prepared, she at least has her crossbow ready, as the beast shows itself, she lets loose a bolt, hitting it very solidly

"Take that!" she cheers

Twang!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Crit: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Thunk!!: 2d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4, 1) + (3) = 8

[dice=To hit] 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1

1 bab +3 dex +1 studied target

[dice=Damage] 1d8 +1 + 1
+1d6 sneak attack +1 str + 1 studied target

Hit!

[dice=Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard/Weapon focus vs Flat footed AC]1d20+7

[dice=Slashing/Cold Iron]1d10+3

Hit!

Erik and Rhiann both seize the moment and bite deeply into the worg with flashes of steel.

~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
Rhiann
Dare (Round 1)
Erik
Worg
Yuki
Adela

sorry for going out of turn

Pouting because people got in her way before she could set anything on fire, Dare draws her sword and squeezes past Rhiann to swing her blade at the wolf. Drawing weapon combined with move, and standard to attack

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

But the worg dodges and she slices off a bit of hair harmlessly.

Attack: 3 + 4 = 7

Miss!

The worg is bleeding profusely but, in its own lair, doesn't give up. Now presented with a much less armored and seemingly more feeble target, the worg turns and snaps at Dare!

Bite vs Dare: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

But through the pain, it can't connect either. With that, it retreats behind the rocky corner to avoid being attacked from its flank.

Party is up!

Yuki, since you no longer have LOS your attack won't apply-- but if you move in enough to get LOS, you can keep your roll from before. (You'd pretty much have to be all the way inside, but the good news is with that corner being there your movement won't provoke.)

~~ Turn Order (Bold may act) ~~
Rhiann (Round 2)
Dare (Round 2)
Erik (Round 2)
Worg -25
Yuki (Round 1)
Adela (Round 1)

sure. She can move in

Erik swings wide and comes back in from the other side...

Move action, following the pink dashed line
standard action - attack

To hit: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 13
1 bab +3 dex +1 studied target

Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6
+1 str + 1 studied target

Adela keeps an eye out for anyone needing healing, but doesn't crowd the cave. Holding up her Morningstar so those without darkvision get a little light.

Standing at the rear of the party on guard but not moving forward.

Dare moves, seeming to give the worg space as it retreats. And then she smiles at it, opens one hand, and a jet of flame shoots out of it.

I think with the orthagonal cone shape I won't hit Erik with burning hands

Fire Damage, Reflex Half DC 14: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

"Finally!" she says.