High priest Thaban looks at you in disgust (and only partly because of the way you smell), but he can't be held responsible for allowing a new band of wererats to roam the countryside. With the help of the newly arrived priest of the temple of the Moon, a surly elf named Melchior, he manages to scrape together enough magic to rid you all of the infection.
However, there is no such thing as a free lunch in Warwik (excepting Beamus's soup kitchen). Thanks to his contacts at the Academy, Thaban thinks that he has located a cave where an ancient holy greataxe is hidden. It is supposed to be really powerful against the undead, and would help clear out the den of evil that has recently been uncovered. Thaban wants you to go and get that axe for him.
Kirwen grumpily accepts the healing, but he stares a long, long time at the cleric before finally nodding. "It's a fair deal," he says at last. "But that's all it is, priest. I'm not a fan of taking orders from anybody I ain't volunteered to work for myself."
Petra (Raven) is ready to go. You all notice she’s now a blond. Stomping her foot she tries to explain.
- I dyed my hair black in Warwik. I didn’t want anyone to recognize me, especially not anyone from back home. Life in the city didn’t turn out the way I hoped it would, and living on the streets was not....not nice.
But now I'm free and proud again so I got my hair back to normal.
She’s grateful to her rescuers and Petra will join them (Petra stays close to Clarke).
Assuming you're all ready, you set out westwards. Where do you want to go first - looking for the axe or searching for the Green Tree bandits?
Assuming you're all ready, you set out westwards. Where do you want to go first - looking for the axe or searching for the Green Tree bandits?
"I'm not sure it matters which task we pursue first. Which is closer? And do we know who (or what) guards the axe?"
"I'm not sure it matters which task we pursue first. Which is closer? And do we know who (or what) guards the axe?"
The bandits are probably closer, hiding somewhere in the Penprie forest, but you don't know their exact location. You don't know if anything guards the axe, but you could make a Knowledge (history) or (religion) check if you like.
Brock is not at all happy that he now will be risking his neck for people who care less about him then there own filth, but will do what he must to be "Fair".
As they head towards the gate and out the city, he looks to the group and asks
"So do ye want ta fight a bunch of bandits, or de ya want to go get HisFancyness an Axe?"
At the name HisFancyness Brock does a little jig.
Kirwen chuckles at Brock's "fancy" two-step. "That depends on whether we know anythin' about this axe in the first place. Anybody ever heard of it? Particularly, why it's been sittin' in some cave this whole time, rather than in somebody's hands? I'm guessing it's not gonna be just sitting out on a pretty table with a 'Take Me' sign next to't."
"Our choice is to pursue bandits that are a current danger or to recover a weapon to payback a debt, right? Without knowing more of the circumstances, I'm leaning toward removing the danger first, then retrieving the axe."
A debt is a debt, but the axe doesn't seem to something that need to be found immediately. Although undead are an abomination.
So she'll do whatever the group decides
While you're at it, you could also put together some sort of marching order.
"I say to the Penprie."
Petra would like to march somewhere close to last but not last, but as long as she doesn't have to be first anyplace is fine by her.
I would propose basing ourselves at the Roadside Inn at the moment
This would allow us to explore the eastern forest step by step while not having to camp at the beginning
Also, while we would be doing this , we would be able to hear of any attacks by bandits
On the road , I'll close the march . In the forest , i'll be the scout
After only an hour and a half of travelling down the dusty road you are greeted by the strangest sight. Thrakhir suddenly sees something orange ahead.
As you approach you can see more clearly. In the middle of the road there stands a dwarf with bright orange hair, gripping an axe in a determined posture. On either side of him and slightly behind there stand two men, an unarmed half-orc and a gray-haired human male in banded mail wearing a grey tabard.
The latter shouts out at you in an incongruously happy voice: "It's your lucky day today. This is the day when you die."
Brock ,Thrakhir, Clark, Kirwen, Petra, Juliare
I added Brock :)
I added Brock :)Brock ,Thrakhir, Clark, Kirwen, Petra, Juliare
Brock looks at the human thats standing next to the dwarf and give a little chuckle
"Who's doing the killing? The wee one? Or maybe you ugly (He points to the Orc)... No maybe its Mr. Grey! "
Brock bellows a mighty Laugh... "No fellows the only persons be going to die, be the one that tastes me Axe!"
Juliare, Kirwen:
You notice that the dwarf looks rather the worse for wear and that the man you thought were a half-orc is really a very ugly human (hare lip, bent nose, yellow teeth and severe acne).
Thrakhir speaks in Dwarven to the orange haired dwarf.
Come now, brother, times are hard on all of us. But, couldn't you find more honorable work than random killings?
EDIT: Combat map
"Go get them, Firefly", the gray man gleefully shouts, drawing his sword and advancing to 0713, and the dwarf starts lumbering forwards.
You hear the twang of a crossbow and a blot bounces off Clark's armor. Suddenly you spot a nasty-looking halfling hiding in the bush at 1010. "You were wondering who's doing the killing", he sneers. "That would be me."
The dwarf shuffles to 0914, brandishing his axe. You realize that this dwarf is not only slightly battered, but quite dead.
Thrakhir and Juliare are up.
Knowledge religion ckeck by Petra:1d20+4=24 Are they all undead?
Knowledge religion ckeck by Petra:1d20+4=24 Are they all undead?
No, just the dwarf. The gray-clad man is a cleric of the moon.
Moving to 1117 while drawing my bow
Thrakhir moves to close with the halfing drawing his masterwork handaxe along the way.
Brock charges the Dwarf!
I presume Clark is surprised since his initiative was relatively high. On his turn:
Charging longsword attack 1d20+5=6, damage 1d8+2=6
Failing utterly, he brings his shield around to protect himself from the counterattack he's sure will follow.
Kirwen smiles, showing his teeth, then spreads his arms wide and says, "Grow." He swells upward, muscles bulging.
Thrakhir and Juliare prepare to attack. At that point the air suddenly explodes in sparkles as a dark-skinned half-elf appears out of nowhere in 0717, weaving some kind of magic.
The ugly man moves to 0816 and takes up a defensive stance. Kirwen starts to cast a spell .
The gray-clad cleric casts another spell on himself. Petra casts Bless and you're filled with clarity and determination. The halfling fires again at Clark but misses again, Thrakhir being in the way.
Clark, Brock, Thrakhir and Juliare are up, then the mage and his bodyguard.
Will save Petra: 1d20+5=9
Petra cast bless and move to 1614
2:nd save: 1d20+5=22.
The ugly man moves to 0816 and takes up a defensive stance. Kirwen starts to cast a spell .
Juliare let fly at the mage
Attack 24,Damage 9
Kirwen starts to cast a spell .
He cast Glitterdust, so besides being all sparkly you are blinded. You are entitled to a new save at the end of your turn.
Thrakhir will attack the halfling (1d20+4=17, 1d6+1=6) with a swing of his handaxe.
He cast Glitterdust, so besides being all sparkly you are blinded. You are entitled to a new save at the end of your turn.
Kirwen roars in anger as his vision is filled with brilliant motes of light, but he continues to grow in size.
Brock is blind... and runs in the same way still to hit dwarf?? lol I dont know
Brock is blind... and runs in the same way still to hit dwarf?? lol I dont know
You tell me. You run at half speed and have a 50% miss chance, but it's still possible. Also you get a new save at the end of your turn.
If the path is clear, Clark will charge the dead dwarf, drawing his longsword as he moves , I believe.
Charging longsword attack 1d20+5=6, damage 1d8+2=6
Failing utterly, he brings his shield around to protect himself from the counterattack he's sure will follow. AC 15 after charging
Thrakhir manages to wound the halfling, who looks more annoyed than frightened, and the mage winces as he is hit by an arrow.
He retaliates by casting a spell on Juliare , while the ugly man charges Brock and bashes him over the head with his quarterstaff for 7 points.
At the same time, the dead dwarf strikes Clark with uncanny force for 12 points of damage. The cleric draws a shortsword and moves to engage Kirwen, slashing his arm for 8 points of damage. The halfling drops his crossbow and draws a shortsword, stabbing Thrakhir for 4 points.
Petra, Clark, Brock, Juliare and Thrakhir are up.
The cleric draws a shortsword and moves to engage Kirwen, slashing his arm for 8 points of damage.
Spellcraft check, DC 19, to avoid losing the spell (1d20+5=9)
Will save 8
In case I can still shoot the mage
Fumble
Petra tries to get as close to Clark as possible and then channels enery. She'll not include damaged enemies in the channeling, that is Mage and hafling....and the cleric because she hates him and his 'cult'
Undead must make will save
Roll chanell energy: 1d6=3 Everybody heals 3.