Garren Kodlak's page

Hey all,

This is a blanket apology going out to all the threads I’m active in. We had a surprise FDA inspection last week and my life was flipped upside down for the majority of the last 7 days. They’re gone and life should be back to normal. Sorry about the absence.

Twil

I was mistaken, Garren has a sickle, not an axe

Garren follows Salereon into the hole, just behind him is Veroca with Garion taking up the tail. He keeps his eyes wide and trusts in his other senses as well.

If needed, he will light and carry a torch so the party can see.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

GM: let me know if Garren's carrying a torch.

Garren hefts his axe for a moment and looks to Garion. A pair of archers leave their bows and crawl into a hole in the earth... His tone carries as if he's starting a joke.

This should be fun...

He looks to Rupert. Can you guard the entrance in case any flee while we are inside?

Salereon, can you please knock the beast out? We'll take him to the kobolds afterward to answer for his crimes.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

GM, when it comes to group rolls like this, and I can only speak for myself, please roll for me. I'd hate for my inability to post frequently to slow the game. This goes for perception or knowledge or init or what-have-you

Garren pores through the contents of the sack, hoping to find some kind of clue about those carrying it. Can one of you tie him up? He might be useful later and, in the least, will have to answer for crimes committed against those of this land.

Garren follows swiftly after Salereon, loosing an arrow as he goes. The arrows flight takes it ahead of the mites, trying to scare them off their path.

As he nears the sacks he gives them a cursory inspection.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Attack roll if necessary. He's mostly just trying to scare them from their direct course to the tree.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

We do. Garren says with a nod.

Swiftly they approach the scurrying mites. Garren hopes that Garion's working on flanking the beasts.

Before they engage the enemy he calls upon Erastil to bless their blades and their spirits.

Casting bless before the combat. lasts 2 minutes.

Garren mulls over the scenario for a few moments before rousing the others. After all, they do plan to assault the hive of evil fae either way...

Up and at 'em lads and lassie. We've got company approaching the tree at a decent clip. He points out the approaching mites and lets the others get as ready as they need. We can cut them off if we hurry.

Is there any chance of us cutting them off from the tree or is this just Garren seeing them enter?

Fixed

Unless party compostion changes, can we assume the following watch schedule?

Veroca
Garion
Salereon
Garren

I'm fine with Corsario rolling for me for watch if it means we don't spend a possible couple of days waiting for everyone to stop by and roll a single 20 sider.

To make sure that this doesn't go south and someone winds up Fatigued... Also to make sure the casters get their 6 hours.

Veroca, take the first watch. After two hours, wake Salereon. He will wake Garion, who will wake me.

@Corsario: If you're back around before the other three, it'd probably speed things up if you rolled for the party.

Presumably eveyone keeps watch. There's only 4 of us.

Garren will take the last watch of the night.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Garren will get to setting up camp. Any fire built is shielded from the mites' tree with a wood and earthen wall. It seems we're best off approaching sometime after dawn. Perhaps two bells past?

Heading towards the tree. Exploring or making a b-line is up to the group. Spending another day on a gold mine instead of helping others just wasn't on Garren's to-do list.

I live a life of service to my people. At the moment many of them are anxiously awaiting an attack from this Stag Lord. The sooner we can return to them, the better.

No. Garren says forcefully. I'll not continue risking the lives of our friends for the sake of possible risk to possible monetary gain sometime in the distant future. If I have any word in it, we are moving on.

Without hesitation Garren channels his last spell into the mother bear as a cure.

CLW: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Garren approaches and attempts to sort out what might be the matter with the mama bear. As he evaluates her, he asks Erastil to guide her back to them.

Casting Guidance. He suspects it has something to do with the Tatzlwyrm's noxious breath.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother. Hopefully she managed to live a full and happy life.

Don't stress the missed posts on our end. I, for one, am just glad you're doing alright. Well, as alright as the above post allows.

Welcome back man and try to stay sane in the coming storm.

Garren looses his arrow at the Tatzlwyrm, calling out to the others as he does. Leave the bear be.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 15
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

So we have a surprise round and the first action of the subsequent round then?

Garren concludes his prayer and Garion and Veroca feel Erastil's blessing shine on them like warm sun in a field of wildflowers.

Bless+1 to attack rolls and saving throws for the next 2 minutes.

Rolling init. Let me know when we're good to proceed with actions.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Are we getting a map, or just attacking?

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Garren snatches up his bow and heads out of camp quickly on hearing the mother bear being attacked. He nocks an arrow and aims his bow at the wurm with a prayer on his lips. He glances to Garion and waits for a nod indicating he's ready. In the back of his mind he wonders, Now, where are Salereon and Veroca?

Corsario, are Sal and Veroca going to be NPC'd (if their Players are still MIA) or are they sleeping at camp?

I had the same worry as Garion. That much bookkeeping can lead to burn out. Also, with several groups you are going to run into pacing issues. Group A will be a bunch of posting fiends and they'll wind up a few IG weeks ahead of group B who's posting at a fairly normal rate, while group C is slow as heck and are barely out of Restov (y'know what I mean there).

If you find a way to fight that and you think you can manage to not burn out, good on ya.

Rupert, do you think it likely someone will take the cave in the next few weeks if they haven't in the last few years? His tone isn't condescending. Rupert's suggestion was inspired by something and Garren truly want to know what that was.

Garion, what do you think our chances are of hiding the cave instead of just marking it as ours? I'm prety sure that, between the two of us, we can make a decent blind or mask...

We as a group are missing a skill monkey, which seems like a problem in Kingmaker.

We're also missing a full time Arcanist. Lexi appears to have lost internet again. Even with Veroca around, Witches occupy an odd spot.

We're sorely lacking in Kobolds...

I'd worried for a long while that this would wind up being a 3 player game with Johnny, Garion and Garren mucking about. At this point, we're down to 4, with two players (at least slightly) MIA. A week's not terrible and this week is a big Vacation week for many Americans. I know my office has been dead all week.

I'm still around.

I think the rulings and RP that are going out are just splendid.

My only complaint, and I'd be as much at fault for this as anyone else, would be posting rate. We seem to have really declined. I'd like to see us get back to ~1/day.

I've heard there was a vow of poverty in 3.5. I don't know what it did other than make you competent without equipment. Does anyone have info on that feat?

@DM, if the feat's not one of the ridiculous feats from 3.5 that make you a god, would you be willing to entertain allowing it?

Hmmm... This could be useful later...

Garren notes the cave's location on the map.

He takes a sample of the rock with him. I'm fairly sure this is auric ore... He doesn't want to hide the information from Rupert, and if the freshly minted man known the term, all the better.

If that's all that's in the hole in the ground, Garren will head back outside and stowe the sample. He'll spend a moment checking Goat's tack and allowing the others to speak up as need be.

Garren enters with Rupert keeping a wary eye about for any dangers. He considers the fact that this may be the kobold's warren. He looks at the wall of minerals with little idea of what he might be seeing.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Appraise: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Garren looks to the others, Anyone up for some spelunking?

Chances are we should mark this on the cave and ask one of our compatriots to explore the thing later. I'd say on to the tree and then back to Oleg's to ensure everything is well.

Hunh... didn't go through...

I was hoping for a labeling system for the map's hexes. Y'know, columns are Letters and rows are numbers and we say we're heading to C3 to explore? I'd drafted up an example and can post a link to that as soon as I'm able.

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/14948/Hexagonal-grid-for-games-and-othe r-projects-Part-1

This isn't what I'd drafted, but it's the same idea. 4th image down. Just replace one of the number systems with letters for clarity's sake.

Here's what I was thinking.

Yep. Exploration is the way to go. Also, posting a request in the disussion thread Re: The Map.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Relevant rolls for the next hex.

Of course, Rupert. Thank you for being patient with me. I'm still getting used to not being a hermit. He cracks a smile at their guide.

@Lexi: You still out there?

@Everyone: Man, I'd love to see us with a kobold companion...

Then again, I just really really love kobolds.

Garren wishes the Kobolds good day and safe travels.

Rupert, you are not a servant. You are still a free man. You do not need to bow and scrape to us. Garren tries to assure the man that service isn't necessary. His desire for restoration is all that Garren requires from him. The others may or may not disagree, but this behavior bothers the cleric.

Take us towards the tree then, Rupert.

Heading ESE towards the Old Sicamore Tree.

As they ride on Garren looks to Salereon, I've thought about what you said yesterday and it's true. Kobolds have a history of betrayal. I need to understand that we cannot save everyone. Perhaps they will prove different than kith and kin, but I cannot depend on that...

This is the second task that's called us to the tree. Perhaps we're receiving a sign that it's a source of unrest in the area.

He looks to the diminutive draconians in the clearing. Won't they just become a source of trouble if we remove their competition? I know little of Kobolds. Can they be redeemed?

Something needs to be Telugu...

తీవ్రంగా అబ్బాయిలు ఎందుకంటే ...

ఈ స్క్రిప్ట్ అద్భుతం.

I don't care what, it just looks awesome.

Welcome back Sal.

It depends entirely on who they are and who they worship. I've heard, on rare occasion, of societies of Kobolds dedicated to Law as opposed to Evil. If there's a dragon in the area, I think we'd like a bit of warning about it.

Garren quietly pleads with Erastil to assist Garion in the trial to come.

Casting Guidance when Garion is heading out. +1 on your next skill check / Attack within a minute.

Garren whispers to his companions. Kobolds. They're wily beasts... Do we approach them or attack? Not all are necessarily evil.

He's obviously not sure on this one and looking to see how the others feel.

Do the kobolds appear to be aware of us? I can't imagine we're overly skilled at sneaking around as a group. *Pointed look at Sal*

I'm just putting this out there. I think we did this before, but I want to re-iterate.

I do not mind my PC kicking the bucket. I'd rather not have a GM pull punches or put us on easy mode. If the worst comes to pass, I can roll a new PC.

I'm pretty sure that went out to this game, but that might have been with out last GM.

Edit: Looking at the map again... Restov is on the southern border of Brevoy. We traveled south for several days before reaching Oleg's Trading Post. I think the Brevoy / Stolen Lands border should be farther north (several hexes at least).

Cool beans. I think, without further ado, our heroes should go explore the Hex to the south down & left) from Oleg's.

Possibly relevant die rolls:

Knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Shouldn't the two between Oleg's and the Thorn River Camp be explored?

We'll need to confirm all of this. The map looks a bit old and the Riverlands are known to change over time. He looks over thr group one last time. Everyone ready to ride?

Garren gathers everyone and prepares for a trip to the southern camps. He consults Rupert about their location once more and asks if Rupert is coming with them or staying with Oleg and their new guard.

He's also curious about this tree full of mites. Mostly, where is it located in regards to everywhere else they're going.

Garren has no interest in the folk one way or t'other. Unless someone thinks they'll abandont the Slough in order to help us defend here, which it doesn't sound like.

Garren's all for leaving for the south at dawn.

I think I missed something. Team arriving the next day?

I'd say we're heading south to some of the camps that Rupert named. Take our time getting there and actually mapping the features of the land. If we find any bandits, give them the same chance we gave Rupert.

Johnny will be dispatched to watch at the Thorn Ford camp for the Stag Lord's aproach. While he can't warn us, he can warn the Trading Post.

With an obvious threat to our friends at the post, and a guard that seems to just be here to placate Oleg, Giovanni should be on guard and watching for the Stag Lord. Perhaps they can hold off the bandits long enough for us to return.

Hopefully we'll be able to return every few days and check in.

Agreed

Indeed. Garren nods, thinking he understands Veroca's concern. We will certainly do what we can to aid these people. But our first priority must be protecting them from this so-called Stag Lord and his men.

Garren looks to the others as they prepare for the tasks ahead of them and smiles. I do not know how all of you fare, but I can feel Erastil smiling upon me. His blessings ring through me. I am sure that we are on the correct path.

I'm more than happy to tough things out with who we have. Especially if the rest of the party is alright with it.

I'm surprised with how comfortable I am with that here. Though an 8 man party seems a bit big.