Cain, the beast!'s page

Everyone loves the smell of wet dog.

Eh. Anyone who makes fun is gonna end up as just a hand on your belt, right?

Cain watches in amusement as Xanos floats awkwardly through the air... hanging as if held like some stoic doll.

Cain and Alaric stand sentry duty on the gatehouse roof... Cain at the wall watching back into the keep and Alaric by the trapdoor on the floor to relay messages down to the rest of the team.

His gloved fingers tap out an impatient beat on the stone.

Just keeping watch for priority targets as Price, Shulme, and Slave open/jam the gates.
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Also, how big are the ballisae missiles? Small enough for one or two strong men to pick up the whole crate and drop them over the side? Or would that require a lot more time/effort due to having to do it a missile or two at a time?

How does the cistern to the river work? If we were able to pry the gate off, would it make a possible exit strategy once our bloody work is done? Or would we have to make a bunch of swim checks to get through it?

Cain pauses a moment in turning the ballista to appreciate the explosion or rocks then flaming birds. "Too Tall is an ass," he growls through lupine lips, "but he knows how to put on a show. Now where's that flare?"

As he works, he keeps his eyes peeled for any silhouettes on the walls, catwalks, or towers that look like they could be choice targets.

Perception to keep an eye out for the Lord, the mage, or any of the clerics.
1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Cain nods, "I'll head up top. Alaric?"

He wipes and sheaths his blade as he makes his way to the northern ladder, quickly climbing up and pausing to slowly open the trapdoor.

Stealth (to open door quietly): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27
Perception (to peek through hatch): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Cain can take Alaric's or Price's Stealth roll if it's better.

Cool. Added 2 back on (I had reduced it for DR).
Round 1

Cain stalks across the room, enjoying the moment as he closes on another of the soldiers. His blade hacks into flesh like some cruel butcher's cleaver.

Close on the guard to the north-east and attack; 2-handed power attack with favored enemy.
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Falchion 1d20 + 11 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 2 - 2 = 28
---> Damage 2d4 + 15 ⇒ (3, 1) + 15 = 19

As the man grabs for the handle, Cain pivots off his previous errant strike… this one feeling much more sure.

AoO on the man tying to open the door. Including power attack and favored enemy.
Falchion 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
---> Damage 2d4 + 15 ⇒ (2, 2) + 15 = 19

Ah, gotcha. sorry.

Apparently Cain's ill luck is catching...

"SLAVE!" Cain growls, "KILL!"

Go to town, Xanos! >:D

Cain had seen a lot of Price's tricks. This was a new one, and he watched it with a smile… part rueful, part fascination.

At her cue, the wolf snaps his teeth closed, blade flashing into his hands and towards the soldier between himself and the room's one door.

"The exits!" he barks.

Surprise round?
Draw falchion (free) and power attack the soldier directly left of Alaric.
--- power attack, favored enemy
If that drops that soldier, Cain will 5' step into his square (which will put him next to the door)
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Falchion 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15
---> Damage 2d4 + 15 ⇒ (2, 3) + 15 = 20

Cain falls in behind Price, doing his damnedest to look the part of a over-worked soldier following orders.

AA on Bluff 1d20 ⇒ 9; what?! BOOOOOOO

Should I be waiting for Alaric and Shulme to post to move things forward with Cain? I just hate to lose momentum.

That stealth should be an 18 (20 vs. humans) -- forgot to include the penalty.

As the two guards fall, Cain—wearing the face of one of the guards—licks his lips (in a decidedly canine manner), resheathes his blade and grins over at Price. "You always bring me to the funnest joints."

He looks down at the spray of dark blood on the stone, "Should we even mess with hidin' these guys?"

Whether or not they hide the bodies, Cain re-checks his illusion, making sure his disguise shows no signs of the blood splashes decorating his real clothes. Then he makes his way to the door to the courtyard. He presses his ear to the door for a second before cracking it, checking for patrols or guards before he leads the group quietly out into the night, up the stairs, and onto the walls.

For simplicity, taking 10 on Perception and Stealth (but moving at full speed; just doing so quietly)
Perception = 21 (23 for traps or vs. humans)
Stealth = 23 (25 vs. humans)

Unless I'm mistaken (always a possibility), we're in 32, which is a few levels below you two guys. We still have to go out the door (into the main courtyard), up the nearby stairs onto the wall, and then along the wall and across 24 (dealing with at least two guards on the wall on the way)... at which point we'll be at the western side of the second level of the gatehouse.
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I just intended to point out that we havne't taken the gatehouse yet (counter to Xanos's comment).

We're not in the gatehouse. We're in the tower beneath you.

Cain steps into the room a second behind Price, nodding along to her bluff. When Price strikes, Cain doesn't hesitate, drawing his blade over his shoulder and bringing it down on the guards. Brutal. Fast.

Cain will target the flanked solier first. If Price drops him in the first hit, Cain will switch over to attack the remaining soldier.

Surprise Round
Falchion (including power attack, flank, murder trait, and favored enemy: human. if we drop the flanked soldier, just reduce the modifiers as necessary)
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Attack 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 17
---> Damage 2d4 + 7 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 7 + 6 + 2 + 1 = 23

Round 1
Full attack: Falchion and bite to trip (including power attack, flank, murder trait, and favored enemy: human. if we drop the flanked soldier, just reduce the modifiers as necessary)
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Falchion 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 23
---> Damage 2d4 + 7 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 7 + 6 + 2 + 1 = 24
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Bite 1d6 + 10 - 5 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 5 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 12
---> Damage 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 10

Cain nods, ready to move on Price's lead.

Shulme, Alaric, and Price (though I guess you're still on vacation), do you guys have any feedback for Cain? Or should he just go in swinging? I'd love to keep this thing moving forward.

Cain pauses and quietly steps back down to where the others wait, whispering as quietly as possible. "I'm more'n happy to murder the two up there, but we gotta keep a low profile until we can get that gatehouse secured. One a you think you can lie the group through? Less bloody that way."

He seems disappointed that he's even saying this.

Or we could simply use my 21 and move on.

Cain fiddles with the massive doors, spending a few moments finding—then unceremoniously jamming a pin into—the hinge mechanisms (Or whatever Cain would know to work best).

Then, after a quick peek to make sure no one will spot him, he heads back down the hallway past the officers' quarters, heading up the spiral stair and towards the gatehouse. As always, his eyes and ears are open for the sounds of soldiers approaching.

There, that should do it. And he'll do it quietly, but at a normal pace.
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Stealth (penalty for regular speed): 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (6) + 13 - 5 = 14

Excellent, then Cain does exactly that... trying to stay out-of-sight as he does so.
Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Anyone with Stealth Synergy wanna give me a roll to help Cain stay out of sight? :)

As the team gets ready to move, Cain takes some time to check the mechanisms on the big double-doors that lead out onto the main bridge from the gatehouse.

How much time would it take for Cain to disable the locking device, the hinges, or any other component of the main doors joining 8 and 18... so that when the bugbears come, they can basically make a straight run through? If possible, Cain will look for a way to do so that isn't readily obvious to anyone who saw the doors.
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disable device: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

Looks to me like that pair of dots on the 2nd floor of the gatehouse is the key... which we could hopefully access by the door on that 2nd floor facing the keep.

Cain peeks out, then backs into cover. "So, back up the tower stairs and try to get up on their level?"

I think the plan is to try to get up on the walls and make it across the walkway where those archers are.. as opposed to trying to get across the main bridge. Guys?

Cain sheathes his blade as he checks his wound, powering through the wave of fatigue that often comes from a fight. After a quick look around, he jogs back and grabs one of the dead guards, carrying it back into the doorway through which they came.

As he comes near the strange gauntleted hand of XAnos, he stoops, hoping his voice carries to the wizard but not through any of the doors nearby. "Good trick," he says with his clumsy canine tongue, "I reckon I owe you a drink after that one… or maybe fifty. The trick worked… we're cleanin' up and movin' out."

Cain will drag the body back to the dead captain's room, then search it for anything useful. If people don't mind, grabbing a body and moving it this way would be good if we can. Though I guess the priority should be on getting up those stairs and on our way to the gatehouse.

AoO as the guard stands (raging, power attack, FE)
Falchion 1d20 + 13 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 2 - 2 = 17
---> Damage 2d4 + 10 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 10 + 6 + 2 = 22

That should take care of it, but if it doesn't, Cain will charge him. (same mods plus charge)
Falchion 1d20 + 13 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 13 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 30
---> Damage 2d4 + 10 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 10 + 6 + 2 = 26

Cain continues his bloody work, lips peeled back in silent snarl as he tries to cut down the final guard.

Neither guard manages to cut through Cain's defenses, but one does indeed come close to striking.

it may be dumb of me to point it out, but a roll of 19 does actually connect with Cain while he's in raging werewolf form. Should I apply damage appropriately?

Cain's snarl is lost in the silence as he darts between the attacks, responding with his own slash and bite.

Round 1
targeting the guy top-left, Full attack, falchion then use bite to trip. If the falchion attack drops the first guy, the trip goes on the other attacker (bottom left)
Rolls modified by: Favored Enemy and power attack.
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Falchion 1d20 + 13 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 13 + 2 - 2 = 30
---> damage 2d4 + 10 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2) + 10 + 6 + 2 = 21
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Bite Trip (vs. CMD) 1d20 + 12 - 5 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 12 - 5 + 2 - 2 = 15

On Price's actions, the hunter strikes, loosing his pent-up aggression on the guard with a vicious, two-handed strike that slams the flat of his blade into the man's head.

Surprise!
Rage + Falchion, dealing Nonlethal power attack, including Favored Enemy and Inv.
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Attack 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 4 = 24
---> Nonlethal Damage 2d4 + 10 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 10 + 2 + 6 = 24

If that drops the nearest guard, Cain will 5' step toward the other two. If not, he'll stay put.

Plan looks great to me. Glad we're finall kicking this thing off. Here is where I rolled Cain's Steatlh... total of 41 against the guards. That should put him in position to attack when it all goes down. >:D

The hunter stood before his prey... adrenaline barely held in check as he relished the fact that they had no clue he stood mere feet away... blade in hand.

I set my token on the map where I want him to be for the ambush. Let meknow if that's cool.

The Silence will only be up for a short bit. We should have contact with you before and after the fight.

Cain's words are hard to understand... the way they are when he's in his true form. "I gotta get in to some guards' faces without them knowin'... you got any tricks to help with that?"

Cain casts Longstride on himself as they prepare. And with that, Cain is ready to commence the beat-down. I'll assume Price places Silence on a coin or something for Cain, and that's Cain's cue to sneak quickly into position.
Stealth (invisibility, move speed penalty): 1d20 + 13 + 20 - 5 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 20 - 5 = 41

And he'll be in hybrid form, though with the disguise still up.

Cain, who had been in the middle of standing back up to face the bugbear, stops and settles back down... a considering look on his tired face.

So Alaric claims the captain's shortbow and shield (can we get that thing ID'd?), and then we gather up the Mwk Lance, Mwk full plate, and key to his room. Anything else we should grab from this crew before heading back to town?

Mark, by the time we get back, how long will it have been? (Or what day on that calendar will it be?)

The ogre illusion melts off the towering wolf-beast as the captain's body slumps headless to the ground, and the massive predator spends a few more seconds searching for another target.

When none presents itself, he bites the air once, drops of blood flipping out into the air, then he rests back on his haunches…. the fight seemingly going out of him.

"That was an exhilarating little romp," he says with a laugh. "It's not often that I'm one of the least dangerous people in the room." He ignores that he's actually standing in a field, but shrugs. "Someone should get those wounds looked at."

Still sucking wind, the wolf responds in his muddled voice, "I won't say no to some healin', but let's get this mess squared away first." His yellow eyes, fatigue heavy in them, regard the massive human, "You know how to use that polearm of a sword, I'll give ya that. And I'd give ya a rough time for how slow you are in all that armor, but you're not the one bleedin' yer guts out onto these rocks." He rolls his shoulders in a tired shrug, "You kill Talingardes well enough, though, and that's not nothin'."

He looks over at Shulme and gives a lupine grin, "I'd say you did well, but we all know you can kill sh!t with the best of 'em."

I'd say we keep the Mwk stuff, and especially the shield with the heraldry (assuming Shulme identifies that is glows magic). We can bury it somewhere on our way back and pick it up to sell when we're done with the fortress. Sound like a plan?
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Also, just as an update, Cain will be down to 21 hp in humanoid form. And I'll assume he's collecting his Tanglefoot bags back from everyone. :)
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I'll either need to heal (mostly) up or come up with a story why i have a bunch of combat wounds by the time we get back to town… and Cain can't really lie very well. Can his Circlet be used to disguise wounds?

Cain snarls as the human's sword bites into his hide once again, and he lashes out with blade and tooth once more. "Down to you, big man!"

Round 4
Full Attack on Varning, using Power attack.
If the falchion-strike hits, discharge Instrument of Agony

Also, those attacks from Varning still don't bypass DR, right? (The calling out in celestial has me worried)

Youre just trying to eat up my AoO! Fine, I'll bite (literally)… can't let 'em get away, anyway.

Cain's teeth respond to the advance of the rider, lunging at the man's throat.

I'm trying to save Shulme's spell for Varning, so I want to use Cain's bite for the AoO on the rider. I know you treat the bite if it's a part of a full attack with manufactured weapons, but as this isn't part of a full attack, i can use it as his only primary bite for this AoO, right?
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Roll modified by the same modifiers, including Power Attack
AoO Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
---> Damage: 1d8 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 25

EDIT: checks spoiler... DAMMIT! grumble grumble

Wouldnt that be the Frightened condition? I don't know of a way for an ogre to give a horse that condition.

"Focus your attacks on the ogre! There his something strange about him, he may be feral!"

"You have no idea, bub!" Cain growls, the words clumsily formed by a tongue never meant to use the human language.

He takes the two strikes with a roar before returning his own stroke... this one a vicious swing leveled to cleave the Captain's mount's forelegs off.

"Bugbears! Get the other riders! None escape!"

Full Attack on Varning's horse. If the first one drops it, the second attack goes against Varning.

The ogre's titanic push drives Varning and his mount right into Cain's reach, and the massive hunter can't help but focus on his quarry. His wicked blade clears its scabbard in one vicious arc, hissing as it speeds in a diagonal slash across the Captain's torso.

Lost in the frenzy of the moment, his followup bite is powerful but erratic.

Round 2
Draw falchion, then rage + Full attack on Varning

Actually, reduce the Tanglefoot roll by 2. The horse isn't a favored enemy.

Cain the beast (in ogre skin) clambers up in top of the rocks, dropping the rope as he grabs one if the alchemical pouches made by Xanos. Roaring his challenge to the riders, he risks an attack from the closest mounted human to launch the tanglefoot bag at the horse in the middle of the pack, hoping to disrupt any charging lanes.

MOVE to climb up on the rocks.
FREE to draw a Tanglefoot Bag
STANDARD to throw it at the horse between himself and Varning (hoping to prevent charges). If that closest rider has a lance (or other reach weapon, this provokes an AoO from him)

Fargo later goes to check the grill.

The steaks are gone... the kibble remains untouched.

Anyone bring any Scooby Snacks?

All of my research seems to show the same thing. Lycanthropes can speak in hybrid form. There's lots of evidence by omission to support this, but the biggest evidence in my opinion is this line from The PRD

The PRD wrote:

Languages Common

If they couldn't speak, this is where it would say so, and it doesn't. So yes, lycanthropes can speak while in hybrid form.

Now on that topic, I do believe making them sound like scooby doo would be pretty awesome.

"Jinkys! It's the Talingarde Throttler! Quick, run! Oh, wait, don't worry about it. Scooby is ripping his throat out, again. Looks like it's Old King Markadian up to his holy tricks again."

Rokay!

Cain throws his head back and howls as the prey falls. The thrill of the kill pounds through his veins like some addictive drug as the beast looks down at the few remaining humans.

Blood and gore from Odenkirk and one of his sailors paint his dark gray fur in a grizzly, slick, dark blackish-red.

Sigh. That was fun. Thanks for the chance to play up the bad-assery of our villains, Mark. :)
I realize all the fights certainly won't go this way.

Taking prisoners was never in the plan. The beast turns back to the cowering sailors as he sees Shulme go after the one smart enough to try running away.

Sheep.

The longbow becomes a huge club in the huge werewolf's hands, whistling at the head of one sailor as his bloody maw snaps closed on his prey's neck.

The strikes are punctuated with feral snarls as the beast rips his prey apart.

:: Round 3 ::
Full: Longbow-club and bite on OM.11. If he drops from the clubbing, switch the bite over to OM.9
I'm hoping a longbow-sized club would be 1d8 damage (becoming 2d6 when Enlarged), let me know if you'd prefer a different damage die, Xz.