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[KittenMaster]

<I think you only need one hit actually to make him unconscious. Dreadstone did just enough damage that his hit points equaled your first non-lethal damage from AoO and then exceeding that puts him unconscious.>

<Crossbow #4 fires at Stricia and misses
Rapier drow stands up and takes an AoO stunning first, he saves the fortitutde roll, and then attacks Stricia (I'm sure you already applied the damage from earlier so I won't need to repeat it here)

Alf's summoned wolf charges Crossbow #2 and trips him
Alf attacks the axe drow and scores a trip
Gnaw attacks Crossbow #2 and kills him

Crossbow #1 attempts to attack Gnaw, but misses
I'm just gonna treat Crossbow 3 as in the pit for the remainder of the round and out of combat even though there are rules which he can get out

Niko forces the Centaur to be unable to move with grease, but the others he targets made their save
Dreadstone puts an arrow into the rapier Drow, but misses on the 2nd hit. This hit staggers the drow.
Draco attacks the drow but misses

Axe Drow does a full round attack while prone on Alf Full Attack vs. Alf (while prone) (1d20+8-4=23, 1d12+3=6, 1d20+3-4=13, 1d12+3=6)
Centaur can't move

Stricia flurries the rapier drow, and knocks him out
Lady attacks the axe drow, but the drow is still alive>

---

The party presses on and starts to repel the aggression, with animals ravaging drow afflicted with the pheromones like they had starved for days, and the spell caster of the group gradually trying to disable groups of them, finding that they are able to avoid his traps very well for the most part.

The more brash of the two drow brothers is toppled over by the man wolf, but his will to fight doesn't cave in. With the animal upon him, he holds the axe blade at the wolf's throat and pulls, slashing at the skin and then with a second swing at the apex of his pull tries to catch the beast reeling away from him.

The diligent one, the one that better defends himself is easily overpowered by the three that surround him. He skillfully flicks Draco's blade away with the sword's movement from his wrist, but is then struck in the chest with a well placed arrow, forcing him to raise his buckler to take another... the arrow actually bounces off of the shield instead of sticking in somehow. Finally, he is beaten by the strange looking human, the blunt forces dulling his body. As he collapses onto his knees, he weakly answers her earlier accusation, "Ignorant...," and then falls over.

<I need to see if there's anybody that needs to make a save at the end of this turn.>

 

[Azih]

((I thought the only ones who needed to make a save where the enemies in grease and vines.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Yeah, I don't think any actual saves needed to be made because the only guy still in the vines got knocked out, and I don't believe you need to roll for grease if you're standing still.

All the crossbow drow that goes before everyone is gonna do is attack and do 1d8 damage IF it hits. Unless that somehow kills somebody, go ahead and post your turns.>

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Draco drinks an extract of Expeditious Retreat and then heads to the other side of the wagon where I believe there is much less entangle getting in the way.

 

[KittenMaster]

<I think this is what the situation looks like before you move, Draco. I am thinking Niko intended the very spot just above Stricia to be where the entangle starts and extends out past that.>

EDIT: <Changed map with Draco's actual position>

 

[DeadPhoenix]

<I think this is what the situation looks like before you move, Draco. I am thinking Niko intended the very spot just above Stricia to be where the entangle starts and extends out past that.>

((In that case...))

Instead that stuff I said above, Draco charges crossbow drow #4.

Attack;Damage: (1d20+7+2=21, 1d6+3=6)

 

[KittenMaster]

<Oh, where are you this round? I think I forgot to move you but either way I think there's a risk of the entanglement being difficult terrain that would impede your charge.>

 

[Azih]

((DeadPhoenix, maybe you could talk to the Centaur as well during your round. You're due for a decent diplomacy roll maybe))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((I was standing next to Strica, just to her right. I assumed the entangle wasn't any further south then where drow we were fighting was... If that is the case though, I might just go with the talking.))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I see now. I assume charging lets you hit a diagonally adjacent opponent? In that case I can give you the charge then.>

 

[Jackben]

Ranged Crossbow vs Axe Drow: 1d20+4 &#8594; [6,4] = (10) ((that's definitely a miss))

As the battle rages on, the sorcerer draws his crossbow from his hip and fires off a shot at the drow currently being attacked by Alpha and Lady. "Blast, I knew I shouldn't have slacked off in practicing." He watches with a raised eyebrow as the horse-man holds his ground instead of risking walking across the perilous coating of grease laid down by his spell. Making a snap decision he yells out an offer to him.

"Warrior of the forest! Lay down your arms and on my honor no harm shall come to you!"

Diplomacy: 1d20+4 &#8594; [14,4] = (18)

http://beta.ditzie.com/52645/52db3515eb18c

 

[KittenMaster]

<I'll let you know how that diplomacy goes once I describe the turn in full.>

 

[ThLunarian]

((Summoned Wolf charges the Axe Drow:

Summoned Wolf Attack Roll (incl. Charge and Pheromone bonus) and Damage (1d20+10=20, 1d6+7=12)

Going to assume that this kills Axe Drow. If it doesn't, then the following attack roll(s) will be against him instead.

Alf moves to the guy in between him and the centaur and attacks.

Alf Attack Roll, damage, and CMB attempt to trip (1d20+8=12, 1d6+5=10, 1d20+8=10)

Lady will also Charge that same guy.

Lady Attack Roll (incl. Charge), Damage, and CMB attempt to Trip (1d20+7=19, 1d6+2=3, 1d20+5=15)))

Alf is caught off guard by the agility of his opponent even while splayed out on the ground, and pays for it by taking an axe wound to the shoulder. The strange smell is overwhelming to his senses, however; he barely feels it as he prepares to strike.

His summoned ally beats him to the punch, however, barreling in from the other side and sinking its teeth into the throat of the dark-skinned drow, taking him out of the fight.

Alf and Lady exchange a glance, mentally deciding to bumrush the target directly ahead of the two of them; as a team, they lunge forward and prepare to pounce. On the way, with his senses clearing up due to the sudden lack of pheromone in the air, Alf notices that the strange half-man, half-horse creature has not done much of anything this battle, and he attempts to assess whether it poses a threat.

Sense Motive check to determine the aggression level of the centaur (1d20+2=14)

 

[KittenMaster]

<Axe drow is dead, your attack on Crossbow #1 misses, lady hits but she fails to kill or trip>

At the time Alf tries to study the Centuar's actions, he mostly sees him struggling to get up from the greased road, the meshing of icy road and the greased addition leaving him struggling to get up just from his legs.

 

[Azih]

Round 3

With the field rapidly thinning of foes Stricia moves straight east to a position where she can charge either the crossbow to the west or the centaur to the north as needed. ((if no such position she will prioritize the centaur)). She also attempts to sense the motivations of the only non Drow that they are facing.

sense motive: 1d20+7=11

((Centaur got some poker face))

 

[KittenMaster]

Stricia can see that the Centuar is kind of preoccupied with the hazard that takes over beliefs for the moment.

 

[KittenMaster]

<You guys will have to excuse my crappy sleep schedule lately. I think I just need Dreadstone's turn and I can end turn three.>

 

[KittenMaster]

<I have to cut the battle early and give you guys the win, because I've become sick and can't stay up to catch you guys and get the game back going at a steady pace, so I'm gonna give you guys an aftermath to RP against and then I'll respond when I wake up late tonight. On the plus side I am actually bothering to make tiles for an upcoming map this time, since you guys highly prefer having a map.>

The remaining two drow are not privy to give up so easily, but pay for their bravery with quick deaths. The last remaining individual is the centaur the group is so curious about.. and he is sprawled in the grease, as if trapped by his failings. He looks at the oncoming enemies, and seeing how they have killed everybody else nearby, is forced to raise his hands and drop his spear as a gesture. He speaks nervously, unsure himself how they'll act, "I-I surrender! I'm just a mercenary they hired! That's all I'm here for!"

When the party searches for loot, they will find from the two front line combatants that they were using the following among the both of them: A +2 Rapier, a +2 Buckler, a +1 Greataxe, and both were wearing Mithral Shirts. The rest, including the Centaur still living are equipped with cheaper items they could easily get from Ruby Keep's supplier.

 

[Azih]

((That's alright KM, just get well soon and don't worry about the game until you feel better))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Letting the battle continue on with a couple of enemies that couldn't scrape you was kind of silly anyway.>

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf loses interest in the centaur the moment it surrenders. He allows everyone else to deal with the prisoner and loot-gathering, and instead starts sniffing around for more information, remaining in his lupine form to do so. If these Drow came from the same direction that the party was heading toward, it would be important to know that, on the off-chance that their friends weren't quite so pathetic. He enlists Lady to assist him with the attempt.

Aid Another attempt at tracking by scent (1d20+5=24)

((Should give a +2 bonus to my roll, which I forgot to add when I rolled it, but modified in the text of this link))

Tracking the Drow by scent to figure out what direction they came from (1d20+16=24)

 

[Mike M]

((Sorry for not posting yesterday, had a minor car accident late Saturday night and was dealing with claims and what not. Everyone was unharmed, thank god.))

As the battle concludes with the centaur's surrender, Dreadstone lets out a grunt of satisfaction and stows his bow. Behind the wagon, out of sight of the centaur, he slumps down to the ground and exhales heavily. Gripping a crossbow bolt with a blood-slick hand, he tugs it loose and casts it aside.

Gnaw comes limping up to him, having sustained injury himself at some point in the battle, but having been so caught up in the frenzy of bloodlust, he had failed to notice.

The wound to Dreadstone's abdomen is serious, but not immediately life-threatening. He'd probably already been down and out if it was. "Medic," he mutters aloud.

 

[Jackben]

Glad things have settled for the time being, Niko drops his crossbow and concentrates a moment, conjuring an invisible force from the void ((Mage hand)). As Alpha scouts ahead for further sign of attack, a mystical force pulls the spear the centaur dropped from his reach and drags any other weapons in his vicinity toward the wagon. As the horseman surrenders the sorcerer sighs inwardly in relief but says "Good choice. I intend to honor my word about not harming you, but we'll likely need further cooperation before we let you go."

Turning to Dreadstone he pats the pockets of his cloak to retrieve another wand, this one made of polished white oak. "Alf is still in hunting mode by the looks of things. But I can help if you'll allow me to see your wound." He turns the wand in a circle, appearing to wind light into his left hand as if spooled from a ball of yarn. He then passes his glowing hand over the air just above tiefling's wounds. He repeats the motion twice on Dreadstone before offering the others the same.

Cure light wounds ((1d8+1))

((Get well soon, KM. Your health > the game. And sorry to hear that Mike, but glad you and yours are OK.))

 

[Azih]

((Ugh, crap weekend MikeM, glad to hear no one was hurt))
Stricia accepts one use of the wand for the slash she had received on her upper arm from the rapier wielding drow with a thankful bow. She gives a deeper, apologetic one to DreadStone "If I had been faster then he would not have gotten to you at all".

Speaking of the drow that had injured them both Stricia nudges his unconscious form to confirm that he really has fainted. He is terribly wounded from the fantastically damaging arrow unleashed by Dreadstone and breathing very shallowly but had been knocked out by her before his wounds had become terminal. "This one might have some useful information" ((I'm pretty sure he's not dead anyway based on my understanding of lethal and non lethal damage)).

Retrieving the odd goggles that he had been wearing she examines them carefully. "This was a well equipped patrol and as he did know of the prison it is safe to say that his people may be in charge there. If they have similar equipment then there will be no stealthy time of day in which to approach"

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Draco tosses the newly acquired equipment in the back of the wagon, surprised to find they were so well equipped. Sadly his unique style of fighting makes these items nearly useless for him, but if no one else has use for them, they will be worth plenty at the market.

"Now," the investigator asks as he approaches the centaur, "How about you tells us everything you know about these drow, what they are doing here and why?"

 

[KittenMaster]

The wolves fail to pick up any fresh trail except for where the drow have stepped around recently. They would have had to been standing around for several hours, accounting for the hardened ground and the bridge for their trail to be cold.

A little nudge would not be enough to wake the painfully unconscious.

The centaur pleads, "Listen! They would kill me if I talked, even about the smallest things! I'm just somebody they're paying, not one of their in-buddies."

on the off-chance that their friends weren't quite so pathetic.

<Hmm...>

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf looks to the others to report his findings.

"Rarf!" is all that comes out of his mouth.

He tries again. "Arf!"

He continues to try for a minute, struggling to form human words with canine lips and failing miserably.

He allows the frustration to flow through him. He didn't realize until now how much he had grown to rely on language to communicate his thoughts. He tries to remember how he would have signaled a cold trail to his old pack, before remembering that his new one wouldn't recognize the gesture anyway.

Now is not the time to abandon his current form, though - not when danger lurks about.

Alf walks back toward the wagon, and on his way notices that Gnaw seems to have suffered an injury during the battle. He approaches the pup non-confrontationally and holds out a paw; green tendrils of soothing energy reach out and envelop the wound, closing it completely((?)).

Satisfied that he can still pull that trick even in this form, he turns his healing energies inward to mend his hurt shoulder, then gets back in the wagon with Lady.

((Cast Cure Light Wounds on me and on Gnaw, healing up to 13 hp each time))

 

[Azih]

((How would you restrain a prisoner? We have enough rope to tie him up I think))

Stricia crouches next to the unconscious drow feeling a bit confused as to what to do with their unexpected prisoner. "We should bind him and heal him. He might know more about our objective. Maybe we could exchange him for the release of the prisoners?"

Edit: Stricia retrieves rope from her belongings and ties the senesless dark elf up carefully ensuring that she doesn't jostle his wounds.

 

[KittenMaster]

<They removed the use rope skill and instead made binding with a rope part of the grappling process if you have pinned somebody in a grapple. Since he's unconscious and therefore would automatically fail any opposed grapple, you can just bind him with a rope without having to roll any dice.>

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone grunts as he stands back up. The curative effects of Niko's wand have diminished his injuries, but not reversed them completely. He'll have a few new scars to add to his already considerable collection.

Gnaw seems to have gotten over whatever hang ups he may have previously previously had with Alf, licking the man-in-the-form-of-wolf's muzzle affectionately and accompanying him to see to the well being of Lady.

"Don't you fret now," the tiefling says to Stricia after she apologizes, "I didn't get anythin' I didn't bring down on my own head. I'll just comfort myself thinkin' how much worse off I'd be if we hadn't gotten the drop on 'em."

Reaching into the wagon's enchanted haversack, he pulls out a set of barbed manacles and fetters. "Get these on that one before we ask him to join the land of the wakin' once more. I'll be wantin' to ask him some questions 'bout his friends ahead."

The pleas of the centaur reach his ears, and he politely excuses himself from the others gathered around the back of the wagon and approaches their conscious captive, putting on his best game face. "Kill you, will they?" he says, thrusting his greatsword into the ground before the centaur. "What do you think I'm gonna do? Worry 'bout me, son. You done taken up arms against the crown, you in a whole heap of trouble now."

He leans in close--uncomfortably close--to the centaur's face and shows him a grin filled with sharp teeth. "Now why don't you tell me everythin' you know and let me be the judge of its worth."

Intimidate check:  1d20+11=27

 

[KittenMaster]

The large horse-man is easily left hopeless, suddenly becoming depressed and droops, "Okay... okay... if I'm going to be killed anyway.. I was told to stand guard and that whoever comes would probably be weaklings, and that we could take them on even if we were outnumbered.. some job that turned out to be."

 

[Azih]

Stricia claps the manacles and fetters around the dark elf's hands and legs and carefully carries him into the wagon. "Mistress Forrester, please let us know immediately if he tries to escape" ((he isn't dying is he?))

She comes out in time to hear the centaur's hopeless confession. Standing guard on a bridge? She looks out at the road and trees beyond the bridge and comes to a realization. "This is a border crossing. Across the bridge is hostile territory."

"Where were you recruited?" She asks the centaur. "Are there many drow there or did they just recently appear? How much did they recruit you for?"

 

[KittenMaster]

<Creatures only bleed out when their hit points reach negative.>

The girl in the wagon eeks at the sight of a body flying into the wagon near her.

The centaur answers, "Actually... they found me. A small group. It was like the drow here, but there were a couple of humans and half-orcs too. They didn't seem to mind that I am a centaur. It wasn't a lot I was going to be paid, but I could've fed a family with the money I was going to get.. if I had one."

 

[Azih]

After what happened with Jake Stricia realizes she has no idea what 'a lot' would mean for the centaur and asks him to clarify. To the rest of the group at large she asks if centaurs are uncommon in the rest of the continent.

((Edit as an aside, I don't think we need a full interactive map for combat KM, even the MS Paint specials are enough to have an idea of roughly where everyone is. Though slapping the MS Paint doodle on some grid like this http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/amsler-grid.htm would be awesome))

 

[KittenMaster]

"Well... I suppose a lot would be the price of a magical charm, even a cheap one, but food is actually really cheap when you really think about how much crafted things cost. Five gold per day lets me buy more meals than I actually need."

<I do have an involved map coming up (that started out as MS Paint garbage that's now a legitimate map) that I managed to do in about two days. Also, I do have a grid with coordinates now. This game I'm DMing is basically supposed to help me fill my portfolio with artwork so I want to avoid quick doodles unless it's absolutely necessary.>

 

[Azih]

"Well... I suppose a lot would be the price of a magical charm, even a cheap one, but food is actually really cheap when you really think about how much crafted things cost. Five gold per day lets me buy more meals than I actually need."

<I do have an involved map coming up (that started out as MS Paint garbage that's now a legitimate map) that I managed to do in about two days. Also, I do have a grid with coordinates now.>

((See this is why Stricia thought she was being super generous with the gold coin to Jake. She just got her nose broken for the trouble! BTW how common are centaurs? They seem kinda rare?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I dunno I just added one to pad the difficulty and diversify the bad guy cast a bit, and suddenly he's an actual character now. #dndlore>

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone huddles with his traveling companions as they confer over what to do about the centaur. "He's of no use to us. He don't know much 'bout anythin', an' the Drow aren't gonna care about seein' one of their hired swords returned safely to them. He's dead weight to us.

"Not that I'm suggestin' we cut 'im loose, either. He's just tryin' to get by, but that don't absolve 'im of his sins none. I say we tie 'im up an' leave 'im here. Collect 'im on the way back an' turn him in. If he cooperates, he might get a reduced sentence and not a trip to the gallows for treason."

Jerking his thumb over his shoulder to the cart containing the bound and unconscious dark elf, he adds, "That feller in the wagon there is our goose with the golden eggs. He'll know more, and his friends would be more inclined to have 'im back. Presumin' they don't got no death pact type thing goin' on between 'em."

 

[Azih]

((What the Heck Sense Motive check on Centaur)

Sense motive check: 1D20+7 = [10]+7 = 17


((Invisiblecastle seems down? Using this coyotecode alternative)

 

[KittenMaster]

<Oh, Coyote Code lets me view your roll history. Should probably switch standards because Invisible Castle has broken pages in some parts.>

The centaur seems docile compared to the others they fought, but part of that might have been Dreadstone's intimidating prowess.

 

[ThLunarian]

((I heard or read somewhere a long time ago that 1 gold was supposed to be roughly equivalent to a one-night stay at an inn. Based on that, I've always used the rule of thumb that 1 gold is equal to somewhere between $30-50. Using that metric, magic items are INSANELY expensive and adventuring is incredibly profitable, but eh... DnD. *shrug*))

Listening quietly, Alf cringes at the thought of leaving the man-horse tied up alone in the woods for an extended period of time. To him, the options were to either let it go, or kill it; either would be more merciful than this.

He's not invested enough in the man-horse's well-being to make a fuss about it, though, and since he is unable to raise a mild objection on account of being voiceless right now, he stays silent.

 

[KittenMaster]

<Food and tool prices are really something I could've house ruled to use the standard gold currency, but I didn't, so food and services are still very cheap in the world to an unrealistic extent (I see it like paying for a dinner with nickels and dimes while having a $20 in your waller). That and I'm basically giving you food for free so you don't have to worry about silver or copper pieces except on a rare basis.>

 

[Mike M]

((Even in the last game we kinda glossed it over. Did anyone even remember the magic apples in the end? When was the last time we paid for an inn?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Somewhere out there that bowl of enchanted apples is still feeding people.>

 

[Azih]

Stricia objects as well. "I do not think he knew there was anything treasonous happening. He was just paid to guard a bridge."

She proposes alternatives: "He seems driven by small amounts of coin, maybe we can hire him as a guide. He may not know the drow, but he may know the area around the prison. If not then we can send him back to Dortumn as a messenger. He should know that the drow, have gotten bold enough to set up a de-facto border at this bridge in the woods." She glances back at the horse-man still shivering miserably in his puddle of grease. "He looks capable enough to be a part of the city millita if we vouch for him in the message."

 

[Jackben]

Niko nods in agreement with the monk's sage advice. "Agreed. I gave my word no harm would come to him by our hand if he gave up and I've no intention of breaking it." He paces as he ponders over their hot-blooded adversaries words and tactics. "I doubt him returning to the drow is likely given they do not seem to be the forgiving sort..."

"Whatever we decide, I think we should proceed through the rest of the forest with caution. As Stricia said we are now past the threshold of the enemy."

 

[DeadPhoenix]

"Yeah, leaving him tied up in the woods with who knows what around here is a death sentence. Worst yet we don't know how long we will be gone, so even if he doesn't get attacked by some wild animal, if we get delayed he could starve which honestly sounds even worse. However if he is wiling to come with us, I'm sure Forrester wouldn't mind some company and maybe a little back up if something goes wrong. Though I suspect that drow will mostly be preoccupied with us."

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone's face is impassive, but the thrashing of his tail beneath his cloak belies his agitation. "This ain't a military operation," he says in a carefully measured tone, "so I can't rightly pull rank on all you. But I can speak from a place of experience and tell you that every prisoner would spin exactly the same story he has. If we took 'em at their word, every army ever fielded are composed of nothin' but good 'ol boys never meanin' no harm makin' their way the only way they know how."

He sighs heavily. "Fine. We 'bide by the conventions of democracy this once. But if I wind up dead with a knife in the back, I'm comin' back from the grave for the lot of you!"

Striding back over to the centaur, Dreadstone makes a show of rifling through the demihuman's belongings. "Today's your lucky day," he muses, eyes narrowing as he inspects anything containing identifying information. "Seems I've been outvoted. You get a second chance to square yourself with your misdeeds."

Dreadstone tosses a small flurry of the centaur's possessions into the captive's face. "I know who you are. I know where you live. I catch so much a whiff of a double cross, I will be on you like the fury of the hells. There ain't nowhere you can hide that I won't find you, because I am the best at what I do. And what I do is hunt men."

Dreadstone stands back up to his full height and stares at the centaur with silver eyes that seem to float in the blackness if the shadows of his hood. "Now then. We understand each other?"

 

[KittenMaster]

With his coins and personal trinkets splattered against his face like he was just spit at, the half-creature lowers his head dejectedly, skin reddened and his breath visible from the harsh night winter air. He mutters, "I.. I won't stab your back.. I can't at all."

As the consequences weigh down on him, his words become heavy, "To be honest... I am a kind of coward. I had a chance to attack one of your dogs, but.. I got scared and held back. I heard the whimpering and saw the painful breathing of a puppy in my head and I just couldn't do it. I got my partner killed because of that. I never liked the idea of hurting animals or even people for that matter; I was hoping I could coast with these so-called revolutionaries doing all of the work and still get paid for it."

Swallowing, his face and voice become more strained, "You're right.. I should be tied up and abandoned here. My worthlessness hurt a lot of people today and now there is nobody that would accept me. I would give more to the earth as meat for the wolves."

He concludes, deciding it would be best to help them about something he wasn't explicitly asked about, "You probably know more about who I was working for than I do. All I know is that they call themselves revolutionaries and orphans," the term revolutionary being spoken twice of redundantly now, "and something big happened at the prison I wasn't a part of. I'm guessing that's where you want to go. I only saw it once when I was being recruited, but there were a couple of guys on the roof and some dogs in the yard. I only visited the barracks there, maybe a dozen guys off duty."

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf's ears perk up. He spends a moment trying to come up with a way to say what he wants to say without words, and when he can't think of one, he transforms back to his human form. Giving Lady the signal to stay in the wagon, he hops out and approaches the centaur.

"Man-horse," he says urgently, "You say there is dogs in yard. What kind of dogs? Breed is most helpful, but if not, tell me how they look as much possible."

He turns to the others. "This may be our way in."