Kid Vicious aka "The Falcon"'s page

Kid almost leaves without saying anything to anyone, and when Vormog tries to stop him to talk, he brushes past and heads out through the main door. But then turns and goes back in and catches the inquisitor's attention.

"Hey," he starts, then realizes he doesn't know what to say, so he simply ends it with, "Good luck."

What the group doesn't know is that Kid's been instructed to take Grumblejack with him. He finds the ogre outside the stables looking pensive.

"Hey Jack, it's just me and you for the next bit. Ready to get out of this dump?"

The ogre grunts a response. A servant leads a horse out for Kid and he leaps onto the saddle, handling it with aristocratic ease. Some skills are not forgotten.

The two of them head out with the morning sun at their backs and a warm breeze on their faces. It felt like it was going to be a hot summer in Talingarde.

Hot as Hell.

"F$+# off, Red."

Kid takes a dark-haired girl with large breasts up the stairs to his room. You don't see Kid for the rest of the night, but you hear them all night.

Kid accepts the quill. Truth be known, he hates cutting his fingers and hands. They're his weapons after all - why damage them to make a mark? But this was a special circumstance. He jabbed the palm of his hand and let the blood flow, then made a fist and filled the quill from the drip to then sign the contract. He does not read it first.

"What the hell are we gonna do here for three days?" he asks.

Kid steps in front of Rendylyn and cracks his knuckles by making fists with both hands.

"I'm in. Who do I kill first?"

Kid relaxes a little, then chuckles. "That's a good f#~~ing idea! When we're done with whatever we get told to do here I'm gonna exhume that rotting bastard and get a cleric of Asmodeus to raise him from the dead. I got a few things I wanna know."

Kid slams his glass down and glares daggers at Vormog. "Don't judge me. I got a hundred children back home who look to me for leadership, a hundred abandoned kids, and it tears me up that I'm not there. But unlike my old man, I know what they can accomplish. I believe in them."

He shakes his finger, looking like he's about to jump across the table at the new addition to the team. "You don't know. Don't you tell me about my father."

Kid found himself nodding to Rayse' answer.

"I hated my father. I wanted him dead, but I cried when he was murdered. For years I didn't want to think about why that hurt like it did. He was not a good man. He said all the right things at parties, but he was really a bastard. He shook down merchants and bribed officials and stole from the crown and bought politicians. He got away with everything, and people hated him because they knew he was screwing them but there wasn't anything they could do about it. He wasn't a follower of Mitra but that didn't seem to matter. He was just really, really rich.

"If I had power - if I had my father's power, I'd take it all."

Kid laughs. "You already do that."

Kid chews his food thoughtfully and asks the group, "If you had power, what would you do with it?"

"Asmodeus? Sure, why the hell not. They call me Kid. Good to have more muscle in this crew."

"I already got a master," Kid responds once Treesa has given her story. He slugs down another glass of wine. "Taught me how to fight. How to survive. Got a gang back home, a bunch of kids like me, mostly younger. We survive." His tongue probes his front teeth for a stuck piece of chicken. "People don't know what kids are capable of when they're starving. We can do anything. And we don't get wrapped up in offending Mitra or whatever god needs jacking off. If I wouldn't have got caught I'd have an army by now. Would've got to the King. Kids can get places - get things done."

When the two strangers are escorted to the table he speaks up. "Fresh meat!" Then he spots the brand on each of their arms. "Bet you got a story not so different from ours. Well, maybe quite a lot different. Branderscar?" He shows his own brand, flexing his muscular arm proudly.

Kid looks at the house with disgust. He was born in a house like this one. His home was grander, by far, but similar in size and how it sat on the crown of the hill, an eyesore that could be detested for miles in every direction. He imagined that the people inside were old and fat and drank expensive wine from crystal goblets and smoked sweet cigars packed with exotic tobacco from Taldor or some other equally pretentious land. And while they drank their wine and smoked their cigars they barked at servants to hide away the children who had got excited by the hour, unwilling to go to bed.

And the grown ups would talk politics and trade while the children fantasized about killing their parents in horrible ways. A smile tugged at one side of Kid's mouth, then just as quickly crashed into a scowl. He hadn't had the chance to murder his own parents; a scoundrel did that for him. But maybe he would have now if they were still around, swindling the neighbors and kissing the King's ass.

He almost laughed when Grumblejack was kicked outside like a common dog, even while Rufus was allowed in without commentary. He watched the ogre be escorted to a room adjoining the stables, and decided the creature could have done a lot worse and would probably be more comfortable on his own out there than anywhere in this big f$!%ing house full of rich a!+!!&#s.

"Tiadora" certainly had a pole up her ass. But she was also the kind of woman Kid could have a good time with - the kind that put up a good fight before putting out. Exactly his type. When he caught her eye she sneered like she had just stepped in d&~$@~$, which only made him want to play the game harder.

SM: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

The house was unexpectedly plain inside; neglected even. Maybe it wasn't such a stiff place after all. It was nice to have a bath, even if the servants creeped him out. What the f+@+ was up with these people? Were they thralls or something? That little Rendylyn was getting into his head with all the devil worship s&+~. But what the f*#$ was this place, and why were they here? He kicked himself for not going with Morthos.

He dropped the biggest s*+! of his life, emptying his bowels noisily and with great satisfaction. He then bathed thoroughly, washing away not only the accumulated gore from bashing skulls at the prison but also years of living in a g*#@$~ned sewer. A simple white cotton shirt and brown twill pants and soft leather shoes made him feel like a school boy again. He laughed at himself and tied his blonde hair back. He was so smug he nearly took one of the female slaves for his own pleasure, but his stomach overruled. The food was first-rate; he hadn't had a meal like that since... well, since his life got flipped upside down. And he drank the special wine and felt better after that.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Everybody was pretty quiet at dinner. Guess they were as hungry as he was, although he had stuffed himself at the prison. Just as well, the quiet was relaxing. Whatever came next - meeting another "Master" - could wait a little longer. He happily drank wine and got drunk to the point where every conversation was interesting in a funny way.

"Hey Red," Kid slurs. "What do you figure they want with us? What are we doing here?"

Kid snatches the potion vial and ignores Rendylyn's taunt. The girl was wrong in the head with all her devil worship and human sacrifices. That, and she was the second-most dangerous person in the group, behind only himself. Best not to set her off in case she got some messed up notion of slitting his throat while he slept.

Actually, maybe he could make a friend to mitigate that risk. He uncorks the potion and feeds it to Rufus, with Treesa's permission.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Hey Red, why don't you just tell us where we're supposed to get to and let the map expert show us the way." He can't help himself; this girl thinks she's the boss.

Dargon's the boss because he has the good sense not to constantly run his mouth.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Kid figures out what the hell Rendylyn is going on about. But he thinks it may be funny to see where it goes with the others. And anyway, with Blackerly dead he's not too worried. Wizards that run out of spells during a fight are dead men.

Morthos brushes past Kid and quickly slays the nearest guard!

Ignoring the flesh wounds, Kid rushes the remaining bowman and throws a punch at his big stupid head.

Attack v Black: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 6 + 1 = 23 Damage: 1d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 = 9

The guard recoils and drops his bow, then, like the rest of these pathetic cowards, he crumples and begs for mercy like a battered child. Grumblejack moves through, pressing the advance out into the courtyard.

Combat Order: Bold may go!
Yellow, Guard (DEAD)
Orange, Guard
Black, Guard (-9)
Treesa Lore
Green, Dog
Morthos the Malevolent
Tomas Blackerly
Blue, Guard (-12)
Dargon Lake <-- we are here
Warden Richter
White, Guard
Posh Stemtimple
Kid Vicious (-3)
Red, Dog
Grumblejack
Rendydlyn the Red Waif

I'll have to check it later. Anyone else not get in?

That's me. I have the map basically ready. I'm sure there are things I'm missing, like how to associated tokens with users, but this gets us most of the way there for the immediate need.

Feel free to resume in Gameplay at the post referenced above where Posh claims ooc he "might have a plan." I will assume my alter ego as GM Therenger. Sometime this weekend I'll post to reestablish the vibe of the setting.

Kid will stick around until the end of the scene as an NPC. Feel free to boss him around as you have been.

This is frustrating. How do I resize the grid?

Beginning to dabble in Roll20. Here's the game link: https://app.roll20.net/join/19665741/jodlWg

Appreciate all tips and suggestions.

I've used that once, in Dargons Ironfang Invasion, I believe. It's been a while.

I reached out and four of you replied and said you want to keep playing this game. A couple weeks ago I PM'd Fairy GM and made him the same offer. It would be a shame to give this game up so early, so I will step in and DM until either FairyGM returns or we complete the Prison Break, which I was able to download from Paizo for free. We'll see how it goes and make a decision then whether to invest in the remainder at least of Book 1.

Give me the weekend to get organized (Monday is also a holiday in USA) and next week we can plan to restart from where we left off. I recommend we start immediately after this post from Posh. Morthos has opened the door, both guards are coming toward him, and the remainder of the group is as of yet unseen by the guards.

Also, 5' squares throughout the prison complex. I'll have new versions of the maps and give everyone required access to update, and each player will be responsible for maintaining their position on the map. If you can't for whatever reason, but you describe your movement like, "Kid runs to flank with Dargon," then I can figure out where you need to be.

I'll just reiterate that this will always be FairyGM's game and he is welcome to return to the helm or tell us to shove off whenever he pleases.

Yeah, sounds like you don't need us whining. Take care of yourself, GM.

I'm hoping we can be positive and helpful.

More narrative would be very much appreciated and help us stay invested.

Honestly, FairyGM, how do you feel this is going so far?

Watching the guards cower, Kid smiles. He forgets that he's supposed to take prisoners, and who cares what they have to say anyway. It's killin' time.

Mover 30' into the room, then total defense action.

AC24

Well, if this is a scenario where there's no end to the guards, we should run and not stop to fight, or use the window. If it's a crawl, we can kill them as they come and then loot at our leisure. Why not make Branderscar Prison our base of operations? I'm joking, of course. This place is a dump.

Normally I would suggest that we are in the defensible position, and the guards have to come to us, through the bottleneck of the door, which we control. As in, one party member could have the job of closing the door whenever it opens. And once they are in our room we can easily flank them. And we have an ogre. Kid's not excited about running into the gauntlet, and I mistakenly assumed again that we were using 5' squares.

On the other hand, this could draw out a bit, so we could just send in the ogre and watch what happens.

The map has not been updated recently. I believe at least one of the guards is at our end of the long hall; that's the one Kid would attack. If both guards are correctly positioned on the map, then Kid needs to get a step into the room to reach them in one round, assuming 5' squares.

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Kid follows Morthos forward, his hands behind his back and his head down, pretending to be one of the damned heading out for his execution. Knowing the ruse won't last for more than a moment, he loads a fist and throws it at the first guard.

Crane Style active

Attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 2 = 22 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

AC20

"Is there another way out?" Kid asks Rendylyn plainly.

Good, Dargon is acting like the leader again.

Kid waits to attack the next living thing that comes through those doors.

It's not the disguise, it's the single guard leading an ogre and the rest of us without chains. First we have to get the ogre to bluff like it's still a prisoner. Maybe it gives them pause. That's probably good enough.

If you think that will fool anyone.

What's Party order? How about:

Ogre
Kid | Morthos
Dargon | Posh
Treesa | Rendylyn

Kid laughs out loud at the idea of giving a human sword to an ogre. "Sure, here, whatever you want big fella!"

Kid pauses before accepting the bag from Rendylyn. He briefly considers telling her to carry her own crap, but she's handing him a bag of weapons, something he doesn't have to give back to her, and which would come in handy for the gang once he gets out of this dump.

"Sure."

"Very true Morthos. So if we can, the next fight maybe the Kid can knock a guard out without killing him? Then we can question him about the layout of the prison. Knowledge is power!"

"Just point at the guy you don't want killed."

Dargon, looks at the pile of gear, and says Kid, Rendylyn? you want the other two suits of armor, I prefer to be sneaky. The swords and the bows arent my style either, Ill stick with the dagger. He then did change into a suit of peasant clothing from the bag.

((Dargon is in 17B, near the stairs, keeping a listen for any guards.))

Kid waits with Dargon. "Pass the weapons along. I need nothing from these guards except for them to line up in front of me."

can do, just be aware doing it that way, 1 round of combat with 6 players will last a week.

Oof.

edit: I wrote a really long post with helpful ideas like color-coding the bad guys and using Party initiative, but Paizo ate it.

The first action you took, moving from the cell toward the distant guard with the horn by the door, seems to have been a surprise round action. FairyGM then gave us an initiative order for the first round of combat. That guard went before you, and used his actions to move through the door and shut it. When your turn began in the first round, you were a move away from the door he just shut, as was Dargon. Either of you could move to it (move action) and try to open it (second move/standard action), and the other could then move through (either a double move or a charge). Since you are first in initiative order, you could either declare you moved and opened it, or delay your actions until after Dargon's.

That's probably right. Except that after the guards turn, only one guard - the one in the cell, had been moved on the map. Obviously, Kid could not have attacked last round if the guard moved and closed the door behind him, so last round needs to be retconned so that Kid moved and then used his standard action to open the door. That way this round is what it is, unless the guard has moved again, but has not been moved on the map.

Regarding doors, there's this.

Please always update the map.

Kid the fleeing guard is 60 ft. away. Are you taking a double move or just a single move and you are waiting for him to run past.[/ooc]

What? No. From where you (or somebody) first moved Kid and Dargon, it was 30' to the fleeing guard. I moved and attacked. Now the guard has moved 10' through a doorway. Did I get my AOO? Should have hit with my AOO, per my previous post. This round, Kid takes a 5' step and attacks with Flurry of Blows.

5' step.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 6 - 2 = 20 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Attack 2: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 2 = 21 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 That's likely 28 total damage against this guard.

AC20

I don't understand how Kid would be able to attack a guard who moved through the doorway and shut the door after him before the Kid could act this round.

I had originally planned to retcon and attack the guard in the cell, but then I saw that Kid and Dargon had been moved into the hallway. So I rolled with it.

Kid advances to take a punch at the fleeing guard.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 2 = 23 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

AC20

@FairyGM, here are two fine posts for setting up combat in pbp. As I mentioned previously, Fang Dragon is a very good DM. He excels at the most important thing, which is to keep the game moving. Not that everyone needs follow his example, and there are DMs that do a lot more on the narrative side, but this is more or less typical of the kind of post and cadence that long-lasting pbp campaigns require to keep everyone dialed in and organized.

Start of Combat

Progressing through the Combat Round

10' squares! Okay, only halfway there... Maybe the other guard will come check on his friend.

Remember that guard also has a lantern. At least I think he dies

Oh, he definitely dies.

Kid rd 1 Attack (if we had a Surprise round): 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 2 = 23 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

AOO (if necessary): 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 - 2 = 11 Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

HP 12, AC 20 (Crane Style)

Tumbling is a move action so you can't double move or run and tumble. If you get there and the guard flees he'll take 2 aoos. I like our chances.

Or did we get a surprise round? In which case Kid would get an attack round 1. Could use more information.

Not sure how you managed that from greater than 30', not that I'm complaining. Be interesting to see if Dargon gets around that hard corner.

Requested edit access to the map.

Once the trap is sprung, Kid takes off in the direction of the south guard.

2x move, active Crane Style.