It seems to work! And work well. The noises draw the undead to the window, where they are killed by a combination of Warhammer, fire, and those rare bullets from Tothi that actually hits.
Eventually, no more undead come to the window. There does still sound to be something moving inside, but either it's smart enough not to be drawn to the window, or it's trapped in another room.
Elisdriel does spot some incoming undead from the battlefields, but they're still minutes away. If you get inside quickly, they may wander right past.
Nice rolls everybody! Now we can get back to normal play. Also, sorry, I over did it with my shoulder so this post came sentence at a time rather than paragraph like I wanted.
Tothi sets up a constant stream of loading bullets into her sling, throwing, and reloading again. There is enough gap between each undead appearing in the windows that she has time to reload, allowing her to send two bullets at each enemy.
Hope everybody had a great holiday! I ended up sick for part of it, but that's normal. Don't think I've had a holiday without being even mildly sick in my whole life.
This is just a partial post, I'll finish it in the next couple of days. My whole idea of writing a post over a few days didn't take into account the fact that I won't know the dice rolls until I post something. :-)
Also, just a note, since you do have some time: Silas and Elisdriel, you have actions left if you want to use them, for spells or even for something I didn't think of. (If you want to use a ranged weapon, you can also reload free between rounds, like Tothi did here. It takes a few moments for each undead creature to get to the window.) We are basically just collapsing five slightly staggered combat rounds into one set of posts, since combat isn't much fun if you can't get hurt back.
No, each of the five rolls is a separate combat round. So, if you want to keep attacking, you can add another 5 at the penalty as your second/third actions. Or do the other things.
Tothi gives a quick nod, and says, "I do, in fact!" She digs into her pack to produce the sling and starts to gather rocks for bullets.
It doesn't take long to gather everybody into their roles.
Alright, sorry for letting this game slip into inactive, let's get back into this! If you're making noise to draw them, describe what you do and roll any skill that sounds appropriate 5 times.
If you're standing guard, roll perception 5 times.
If you're attacking, roll 5 attacks and damage rolls.
If you haven't defeated them in 5 waves... We'll see what happens. :)
You can feel free to do all three if each of your actions takes only one action. Treat each of these activities like one action in a normal initiative round. So, if casting spells that take two actions, you can either keep an eye out for enemies or make noise.
Totally understandable, Silas. I hope she continues to improve, and I'll let you know!
Alright, as for the update: I'm not sure my voice will ever be stable, but, if you guys don't mind waiting a bit longer I can probably have a new post up in the next couple of weeks, and if all goes well I might be up to posting weekly again by sometime in January, possibly sooner. Maybe even speeding up from there, if I'm lucky.
I started physiotherapy about two months ago, and I've improved quite a bit. So, I think I will soon be able to type my posts, given just a bit more work. It will still be quite slow at first, since I'll have limited stamina and will probably be spreading out each post over multiple days of typing, boosted by those rare days when I do have enough voice to dictate. But, it should be much faster than waiting months like now, and if my strength continues to improve this pacing should also improve.
I had a bit of voice today, but I thought this explanation was more important to post.
Tothi looks surprised but then thoughtful at Iandra's suggestion. "Ooh, yeah, that's an option! If we draw them into that room, I bet we can pick them off! At least, all the ones downstairs. And if our guy is still alive, they'll be upstairs. Nobles always like being upstairs, and if he was downstairs he'd probably already have gone home."
So, so sorry. My anemia seems to be finally clearing up after a B12 shot, and my throat seems to be getting a bit better. (I had to drink almost exclusively orange juice to keep hydrated, for whatever reason I drink that easier than anything else when I'm sick. But, the acid was bad for my throat.)
Okay, three possible strategies:
1. Open the front door, go for straightforward fighting.
2. Try to climb the wall, go in from upstairs, in the hope of finding him quickly and without too much fighting. (One person will need a skill check to take a rope up, but if they succeed the others can climb up. There may still be fighting inside.)
3. Make enough noise to draw most of the undead into a particular room, and pick them off safely from outside. (This will involve less mechanical fighting, I'll come up with a kind of extended task to see if you succeed before the undead in the wasteland come to find you.)
Also, sorry for my own absence. I've been sick as well, the kind of sick where I've been spending a lot of time sleeping. Apparently, at one point I dreamed telling everybody that I was going to be away, because I was sure I had done it.
Starting to feel a little better, but I'm not sure how long it's going to last. I'll try to get a post out in a couple of days.
Indeed, the arrows slits on the main level are practically the perfect height. With a boost from one of the others, Tothi can peek inside. Looking in the one on the right side of the entrance, "I don't see much in there, a couple of broken bows, a few quivers lined up. Nothing moving."
"Wait, I… AHH!" Ducking back, and almost toppling off of the shoulders of whoever she's standing on, she barely misses being caught in the face by a skeletal hand sticking out through the arrow slit.
Regaining her composure, she says, "Yeah, undead. But no idea if it's the body we're looking for. We might have to go through the whole tower."
Tothi spends a few moments looking at the tower, and says, "See that platform sticking off the side of the smaller tower? That's a wizard's platform. I bet we can get in there, if we can climb up to it. Tough climb, though. The door is probably easier."
*mutter something about forgetting to click save* Sorry for the delay, my voice has been terrible and I had to start my post from scratch.
Tothi nods her thanks, and moves off to the say goodbye to each of her friends, and take a little something from each of them to remember them by. She also gathers their weapons from where the half-orcs had stored them after the fight. Their armour she leaves on, out of respect.
I just realized I forgot to give loot! Well, other than the bit you found with the note.
Loot:
2 daggers
Necksplitter
2 short swords
breastplate
hand crossbow
greataxe
mace
longbow, 20 arrows
Later, she stands in a grieving silence as the pyre burns. In fact, she says very little until after you're on the move again.
After the funeral, do you let the half-orcs go?
It's a couple more hours of travel before you reach the edge of the wasteland where the Lich was fought, and a stone siege tower that was used as both barracks and a place for wizards and archers to bombard the undead army. The tower's door, designed to keep enemies out, has been barred from the outside, nailed shut. The beam of wood blocking the door has cracked a bit, however, as if something has been trying to get out.
Nothing grows here. Even the plants are dead. In the far distance, in the wastes beyond the tower, you can see shambling figures milling about.
The halfling looks surprised, but then grateful. She nods to Elisdriel and Iandra, and says, "I'd be grateful, thank you. My name's Tothi. Tothi Caskdown. I'm not much good in a fight, but I make a good distraction, and I'm pretty good with locks and traps."
I'd planned for a bit more to this post, but I'm just not up to it. But, it works out, we can do one more post round to deal with the cremation and whatever you're doing with the prisoners, and then I can move things forward next post. Sorry, again, for all my issues!
The halfling looks startled by the question, as if she didn't realize until now that she had to think of that. "Well, it seems like I'll have to." She looks around to the dead bodies, and says, "I'll have to find someone to help bring them home for burial, at the very least."
She looks back to you, and says, indicating the half-orcs, "What about them? If you're setting them loose, I'd like a head start."
The dead half-orc's pouch contains six gold coins and two rolled-up pieces of parchment.
The first piece is, indeed, a salvage contract. After every siege, the city hires adventurers to search through the carnage to find armaments that belonged to the city militia, paying finders fees for anything recovered. It's about the lowest-paid adventuring job available. This is simply one of those contracts.
The word 'exclusive' is not found anywhere on it, nor does it specify an area to be searched.
The second piece of parchment is a note.
Quote:
Mors,
Take your guys and position them between the city and the search area. Adventurers are going to start coming looking for that brat. Chase them away, tell them Lady Xansippe gave you salvage rights. Make sure they hear that. But kill them if you have to. Our Lady needs more time while N is distracted.
Green, who hasn't actually said his name yet, looks to Silas and says, indicating Blue, "Mors had ex-clu-sive —" He pauses for just a moment, glancing towards Red, "That's the word he used, right?" After the other nods, he goes on, "Ex-clu-sive Rights to salvage in this area, given to him by the Lady Xansippe herself! That one," and he points to a dead human near the side of the camp, "said that they were going to take everything they can carry!"
"He did not!" shouts the halfling, angrily, "All he said was he was hoping he could find a magic sword! He was always saying that; he's been wanting one since he was my size!"
She does calm enough to nod to both of Iandra's questions, taking a couple of deep breaths. "You know about that?"
Seemingly reassured, if not exactly much healthier after the blessing, the halfling answers the question in Common, "We were out here looking for a nobleman who died fighting the Lich's army. We knew he was around here somewhere, except, you know, those bodies get up and walk around. And, hired isn't the right word, since we weren't being paid yet. But anyway, we came across these lumpheads. Seemed friendly at first, but then one of them started yelling at us about taking his claim, and they all jumped us!"
The two half-orcs looked between each other, and then back to the group. They drop their weapons, throwing them just enough to prove that they aren't going to reach down and grab them again.
"Yeah, we can work for you. No problem!"
The small form they saw crawling earlier sits up, groggily looking around at everybody. It appears to be a young halfling woman with dark hair and equally dark eyes, wearing leather armour. She looks to the prisoners and then to the group, and in a confused tone of voice, she asks, "Am I being rescued or is this camping spot just really unlucky?"
Iandra and Silas both stab in at the larger of the half-orcs from opposite sides even as Elisdriel flashes him with a burst of flame. He drops to the ground, dead before he can even let out a whimper.
This seems to startle both Green and Red into sobriety, and they both step back, their eyes wide. Only now realizing they are in over their head, it seems. Red finishes reloading his weapon but doesn't fire again yet, and neither does Green attack.
Green speaks up, "Wait, wait, we can talk this through! We were just following his lead, let us go and you won't hear from us again!"
You have the choice of continuing the combat, letting them go (with or without a price), or anything else you can think of. :-)
Quote:
Conditions at end of the round. Those in bold may act.
Iandra - 5 damage taken
Half-orc Green - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Red - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Blue - Dead Elisdriel - 0 damage taken
Silas - 2 damage taken
I'm very sorry for the huge delays. My cough is finally starting to go away, though I'm still having the occasional coughing fit. I going to need a few days yet, I think. :(
Negative on COVID and been out of the hospital a couple of days, but still coughing up a storm. No voice and this post is about all the typing I can manage right now. Sorry! :( Will be back ASAP!
Elisdriel moves so his spell is just barely in range, but the small flame that flies from his hand misses Blue, flying over his head.
Iandra's taunt seems to shake Blue, whose eyes flicked between his friends and these new enemies in front of him, hesitating for just a split second.
However, her follow-up with the rapier doesn't get past the half-orc's armour, making an ear-piercing scraping sound as it slides along his breastplate.
Green laughs and slurs drunkenly, "Looks like we have a brave one here!" He makes a couple of jabs with his dagger at Iandra.
Attack one:1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 2 = 19
Attack two:1d20 + 7 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 2 - 4 = 7
The first time the dagger skitters off the Champion's raised shield, and the second doesn't even come close. As it seems to finally sink in that the frontal assault isn't working, he starts to slip around to try to flank Iandra, but ends up stumbling on some rocks and doesn't make it all the way around yet.
Red fires his hand crossbow at Silas, reloads, and fires again. Neither shot comes close.
Attack:1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 4 - 2 = 15
Attack 2:1d20 + 4 - 2 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 4 - 2 - 5 = 13
Blue, still looking a bit worried at Iandra, nonetheless goes into the attack. And, he goes all in, screaming to suppress his own nervousness as he swings his axe again and again, swinging in wide arcs towards both of them.
Iandra react instantly, pushing Silas partly out of the way. Iandra reacts with Liberating Step, reducing the damage to 2. Silas you gain a free Step to use here, if you wish.
Blue's frightened 1 reduces to 0 at end of his turn, and is removed.
Quote:
Conditions at end of round. Those in bold may act.
Iandra - 5 damage taken
Half-orc Green - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Red - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Blue - 0 damage taken
Elisdriel - 0 damage taken
Silas - 2 damage taken, free Step action.
On second thought, Silas, if you want to change your actions from the previous post now that the full info has been revealed, I'll allow you to retcon in this case. :-)
Sorry, Silas, I should have been more clear. I rolled everybody's initiative already, using stealth because of the situation. (More often it will be perception.) Iandra went, and then the half-orcs. I'll slot your actions in after the half-orcs in this post, so it'll just be Iandra and Elisdriel to post this round.
Just to add: when your name is in bold in the initiative tracker, you can post in whatever order you like, and I will sort out the results to fit the initiative. :-)
Green ducks back a moment as he avoids Iandra's stabbing rapier by inches. He scrambles to his feet, drawing what looks like an Orcish dagger, managing just a single stab with it at Iandra, which slips past his shield.
Attack on Iandra, -2 for drunkenness:1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 2 = 24
Damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Red also scrambles to his feet, reaching for a hand crossbow on his belt. Realizing only as he is about to fire at the running Silas that it isn't loaded, he curses under his breath as he spends a moment loading it, not getting a chance to fire.
Blue — who was the one who was complaining earlier — gets to his feet much more steadily than the others, picking up a large Orcish axe (also known as a Necksplitter). Roaring a challenge as if embracing his orc half, he runs around the fire, charging towards Iandra and coincidentally positioning himself right in front of Silas as the cleric catches up.
Quote:
Conditions at end of round. Those in bold may act.
Iandra - 5 damage taken
Half-orc Green - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Red - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Blue - 0 damage taken
Elisdriel - 0 damage taken
Silas - 0 damage taken
Iandra - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Green - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Red - 0 damage taken
Half-orc Blue - 0 damage taken
Elisdriel - 0 damage taken
Silas - 0 damage taken
You all get quite close to the group before the drunken song ends, though they continue to laugh. There is a slight crunching sound from under Silas' foot, and the half-orcs start to look up, but Iandra is already in position.
I'm clumping the enemies into one initiative, for speed of posting. We'll see how that works out for now.
Okay, before we jump into this I want to clarify a couple of things. Note: this is my first time running a 2e encounter, so please be gentle. :-) In this case, if you're all attempting to sneak up on them, stealth will be the initiative checks, which I will roll for expediency's sake.
Since it is my first combat, (and my throat is getting too sore to do a full post tonight anyway), I want to do this a bit more by the book. (I'll try to streamline things after this first one, since I know we are at an incredibly slow pace here already.) These guys are drunk and loud so you'll be able to get close before initiative is a thing, and I'd like you to set yourselves up on the battle map in this link, in the bottom right corner. So I know who is in front if they win the initiative. :-)
final note: The trees in the map are not actually trees, but rocks, bones, and rubble from ancient battles mostly buried in the dirt. Difficult terrain. I just couldn't find a wasteland campfire map. :-) Also, the halfling token is the crawling body on the ground, couldn't find anything more appropriate.
Off in the distance, while the group decides what to do, the half-orcs begin to sing a song. You can't quite tell which song as they are completely out of time with each other and the sounds just jumble together into an almost headache-inducing mess.
Silas:
You notice one of the forms on the ground, small enough to be a halfling or a child, slowly start trying to drag itself away from the singing trio, stopping after every small movement either for breath or to check if he or she's been caught.
I hadn't noticed that about the vision types, thanks for the comment! That makes so much more sense. It really annoyed me the old way, with limited range that seemed so arbitrary.
You see a trio of half-orcs sitting around the fire, drinking and laughing, though one seems angrier than the others. There seem to be some dead bodies on the ground around them.
Elisdriel:
You see a trio of half-orcs sitting around the fire, drinking and laughing, though one seems angrier than the others.
Iandra:
You can just make out that there seems to be three large and muscular people sitting around the fire, but you can't make out any details in the very limited light, at least not without getting closer.
You're all able to hear one of the voices say, seeming to grow louder and more angry by the moment, "… said some lady sent them to find some dead body, can you believe it? Through our territory! Those towers are ours to scavenge, not some rich lady in the city!"
Another voice speaks up, "Do you think if we sent them back we'd get a reward?"
"Naw, they're so ugly she'd probably pay us to keep them away!"
The Cairnlands are eerily silent as you start to make your way through them, except for the distant rumble of the city behind you that slowly fades away as you move further.
Passing over a small hill — still miles from your destination — the glow of a campfire becomes visible about a half-mile directly ahead, and the the sound of drunken laughter echoes from that direction.
You don't need any rolls for the shopping in the previous round, sorry I didn't clarify sooner. As for this round, that will depend what you want to do, but making the assumption that listening will be involved, everybody is free to do a perception check if you want to try to hear what the voices are saying. :-)
Very sorry for my absence, still not quite back to normal but hopefully I can start to post again at least semi-regularly! I hope people are still around!
The notes from the bartender lead you towards one of the towers on the edge of the Tyrant's Grasp, the area of undead activity that surrounds the place where the Lich was recently defeated.
Once you're outside the walls of the city, civilization seems to disappear and all that's left is a barren war-torn landscape known as the Cairnlands. There's only just barely enough hilliness to the landscape that vision is limited while seeming not to be, giving the illusion of a flat plane with only various siege castles sticking out of it here and there.
Please describe what you're doing while travelling towards the last known location of the soldier. :-)
I hope everybody had a great Christmas and has a fantastic new year! I think I've almost shaken this respiratory infection, assuming it doesn't start to get worse again now that the antibiotics are over.
I'm going to give it a few more days, just to be safe, before I fully dive back in, and I'll try to better keep you updated.
Sorry for my lack of posting, I'm dealing with a case of laryngitis that just isn't going away, which of course makes dictation difficult/impossible. (I seem to get sick every year around this time, on top of my normal issues.)
Since it seems that you come to a decision, the bartender says, "The soldier was killed while fighting in one of the watch towers near the edge of the Grasp, which is the area where the undead army was defeated. It's a few hours ride from the city. Even if he was raised again, he's almost certainly still trapped within the tower. He wore a distinctive gold pendant, with an engraved cat head emblem. You should be able to recognize him. Good luck."
I think we can jump ahead here, and as anybody else has anything they want to do or say first. :-)
Sorry, I've been unable to dictate for most of the week. :-( Going to try to make this shorter.
"Lady Darchana, we believe, once had a romantic interest, but that didn't happen because of Lady Neferpatra's interference. We haven't been able to find out who that romantic interest was, but rumour has it that it was Scion Lady Xansippe. All we know for sure is that they publicly dislike each other even though they serve on the same committees. Lady Neferpatra is in charge of all law enforcement in the city, and also heads the committee in charge of making laws. Lady Darchana serves on the criers committee, but mostly she focuses leading her magic school. Lord Druld really doesn't have much interest in government, except in representing the interests of the local blacksmiths. Until recently, when he's started voting with Lady Xansippe."
"I'm afraid that's all the information I have for you."
There is a knock on the door, and the bartender pokes his head in. "I'm afraid Goodman Hugen was called away for an emergency meeting of the Grand Council. But he asked me to tell you that if you do wish to impress Lady Neferpatra, she has been searching for the remains of one of her soldiers that were killed during the fight with the Lich. A cousin of hers, I believe. She might be grateful if you can recover it, and we have a good idea where it is."
Setting down a small pile of papers on the room's table, he adds, "He had less information on other council members involved, so you may need to find your own way to approach them, but here is a list of the ones he was most sure was being influenced, and information on that lost soldier."
"You only need to let me know if you decide not to take part, or if you need any other information. Otherwise, it's best to just go about your plans."
He gives them a few moments in case they want to ask him something, then departs again.
--
The council members most likely involved:
Scion Lady Neferpatra of House Ahnkamen, First Lady of Laws (High Council)
Scion Lady Darchana of House Madinani, Archdean of the Arcanamirium (Low Council)
Lord Druld Shieldfall, Master of the Smith's Guild (Low Council)
Zar, the little goblin Champion, has been quiet since they moved to the new room. But, he grins, and says to Korso, "Good idea!"
Then he gets a thoughtful look, "He said he can't help if we get in trouble. Maybe it should be secret that one of us is in the group. I can hang back, prepare help if you need it or do other stuff to help. Like maybe set up a hideout, just in case?"
As if in explanation for not wanting to go with them, he adds, sheepishly, "I'm a bad bad liar. But I'm good at helping."
Okay, my voice is feeling a bit better, let's see if I get a post out.
Goodman Hugen smiles, and says, "The team I tried to hire before will not be an issue. They aren't dead, but I assure you they will not escape, as they want to stay that way. It seems Cheliax is not very forgiving of betrayal, even if it's magically induced."
He looks back to Iandra and says, "Completely. Only the bartender here will know you're working for me, and he will be your point of contact. If you get into any kind of trouble, I will not be able to help you unless I do so completely anonymously, which is unlikely in the best of circumstances. You will, of course, be compensated accordingly."
"Now, as to your methods. That's up to you. My suggestion would be, you could try to earn your way to a position of trust with one of the Houses or council members involved, though I would warn that House Tevineg itself has ample magical defences against spies. House Ahnkamen would likely be a better target, as they were known to despise Cheliax until very recently, but have recently started voting with Tevineg."
"Alternatively, there are a handful of members of the low council who have been influenced that might be vulnerable to robbery to look for the information, which I can recommend if that is the approach you wish to take it is riskier, however. I have another private room reserved if you would like to discuss it among yourselves before coming to a decision."
Just a heads up, I started to dictate something today but my throat is in terrible shape. Been coughing a bit the last few days from allergies/minor cold. I will post ASAP. Sorry!
Sorry for the delay, having a bad weekend for my ability to dictate.
In any case, my choices are:
Wyl
Korso
Iandra
Silas
(Though, Silas, if you can find one to fit your concept, can you please find a different avatar? The one you chose is already being used by the sorcerer who still remains from the original group. Just want to avoid confusion, if I can. :-))
I'm very sorry I couldn't take everybody, but for those not chosen, keep an eye on your private messages, I may message you if there are any further drops.
For those chosen: Please post in the Gameplay thread as if your character has been at the briefing all along.
Recruiting is now closed! I'm going to take the next 36 hours or so to decide on the who I want to pick, since I probably won't be able to post until then anyway, and to give Boss Zog chance to finish his character. If anybody else who was already applied wants to make some tweaks, now's your chance!
This is going to be a very hard choice, I like everything I've seen here! I'll post my decision Sunday evening (North American Eastern time) if I'm able. (Monday, if not. As I said, health issues sometimes keep me from posting.)
I'm always up for more 2E, so consider my interest piqued. And in fact, I actually somewhat prefer slower-paced games, not being the most active of posters myself!
As for questions: which of the current players/characters are still around? Or are you looking to move on with a totally new roster? If not, do you have any preferences when it comes to party composition? The game's premise is giving me the impression that there might be more social manoeuvring and intrigue than classic combat action, which may affect my choice of character.
Sorry, I should've included that the original post! We currently have an Elven sorcerer (who plans to archetype into monk at second level, I believe). There is also possibly a halfling druid, but he hasn't responded to private messages in a while so I'm not sure he's still there.
There is an NPC that was going to tag along with the original group, to serve as a tank since they were all casters and basically stay out of the way during the intrigue stuff, but if we can get a well-rounded group he won't be necessary.
This will indeed be heavy on the intrigue, but depending on the group's methods, there is likely to be plenty of normal encounters as well. (I'm a pretty open-ended GM, I'll occasionally have NPC's offer suggestions, but it's up to the group how to complete the mission — or even if they want to say no and go do something else.)
