Adventure 2: Jaston's Good Fortune

[Primeval Stasis]

 

Eabha

Eabha is already staring out at the treeline when Otto points her that way. She could see the fire of life burning out there before there was ever a glint in the moonlight. She was grateful for him rousing the rest of the group - she had been deep in contemplation when she spotted them and her brain hadn't thought to include the others.

Her heart felt as cool and sharp as the steel under the leaves of the forest. The reassuring glow of Naihm's spirit rustled beside her, a physical and spiritual reminder of the Goddess's presence. She tussled the foxes ear, fur soft and lush.

Stepping forward just a hair, enough to be able to scan the entire breath of their unwelcome guests, she said a quick, silent prayer and spoke up. Her voice carried across the field in her deep, commanding tone. "The Goddess of the Dead One reveals to me fifteen souls lost in the wood." Her words flow out in a rhythmic cant as when she prayed for a group. "Who comes to delay her ritual with their steel and hasten it with their blood?" Naihm weaves in sounds of her own, a haunting yowl that evokes spirits of the dead.

Though not an accurate depiction of her worship, the conviction is real and a deception to avoid the spilling of blood would not anger Airmed. As she waits for the reply, she prays the Goddess will bolster the strength of her words.

 

[Powderhorn]

Day 5 - The Road North of Erilune, Late Night

"The Goddess of the Dead One?" the apparent leader responds. "You'll need to do better than that - the gods are dead, and if you surrender peacefully you may not have to join them!" He says something else as an aside to someone next to him, but it is not easily heard.

As Xan uses Open MindCommit Effort as an On Turn action. While Effort remains Committed, you may detect the current emotional state of a visible living creature as a Main Action. This discernment isn’t fine enough to identify the object of their emotions unless it’s obvious from the context to learn as much as possible, a thin sense of disgust tugs at her senses, like a rotting carcass in the distance. It seems to be directed at the party, but it is not immediately clear why.

 

Dungeon Master

Anyone wanting to try to catch what he said as an aside can roll a Notice (10). INT or WIS as a modifier as desired.

 

Edited April 13 by Powderhorn
Added Primeval & Bobcloclimar for Private Text Notice Results (see edit history)

[Tecumseh]

Otto Eckhart

Otto nods at Eabha's speech, thinking that it's a good bluff.

 

[Primeval Stasis]

 

Eabha

As the old man whispers what heard in her ear, Eabha smiles coldly in the dark. It is not the first time she had been called a weirdo, or even worse. "They will fight," she tells Otto.

Calling out again, with Naihm's screeches still backing her, she yells, "The Goddess deems you fairly warned. So shall the deathless haunt of our camp curse you and cause evil to follow you beyond your impending end." The man won't be dissuaded, but she can only hope she causes some to back out, or at least weakened their morale.

Turning back to her friends, she says, "The Goddess will grant us victory this night, and will preserve us through any injury. Stick together and watch out for each other, and call on me if you are hurt."

[Bobcloclimar]

Toktok contemplates what the leader of the bandits just said.

Edited April 13 by Bobcloclimar (see edit history)

[Powderhorn]

Day 5 - The Road North of Erilune, Late Night

"Save the mouthy one's hide!" the leader shouts to his bandits. Taking it as a sign to attack, suddenly the forest becomes alive with movement as they push out into the open!

The bandits sprint outwards, at first seeming to just be rushing the party, but quickly it appears that it is in fact organized. Those with cudgels in hand close with the group and prepare to swing, while those who also have bows move into positions that give clear lines of fire, denying the benefit of cover from the wagon. The leader stays roughly between the two wings of the attack, coordinating them and calling out encouragement.

While sprinting in, one bandit trigger's Toktok's trap!

 

Dungeon Master

Your group has the initiative, but the general vibe I got was that generally, everyone was holding still. I posted up the rules around "Holding an Action" and "Delaying an Action" in the OOC thread. If you don't mind, as you will essentially have the option to go after them in the first round, and then go first in the second round, I'd just ask that you add a line break between the two rounds for any book keeping that may come up.

Bobcloclimar, if you could resolve the trap as well, I'd appreciate that. I also added you to the private text above for the notice roll.

 

Round 1 Map

 

Round 2 Map

 

[Tecumseh]

Otto Eckhart

Otto says a quick prayer to Goibhnie, Blacksmith of the Gods, that that the armors he has made will stand this test.

He waits until the bandits rush in, then throws his spear at the bandit leader. However, it's dark and he has difficulty discerning the distance of the running bandit. He throws too high, the spear sailing well over the bandit.

Then he pulls his hand axe, raising his shield to parry the man coming on his left while chopping at the man on the right. It's a poor swing - really the worst he could have managed under the circumstances - but it such close quarters it may find some purchase yet.

OOC

Round 1

Move: Hold an Action (wait for bandits to close the distance)

Main: Make a Ranged Attack (and miss badly)

Round 2

Move: Screen an Ally (Eabha, in case they run around Otto)

Main: Make a Melee Attack (and roll a Nat 1, Shock 2 vs. AC 15)

Edited April 13 by Tecumseh (see edit history)

[Bobcloclimar]

Seeing the bandits break towards them from the treeline, Toktok hurls his first axe at the nearest one, then draws his second and swings for the first man attempting to break through the gap.

 

OOC

Round 1

Hold Action until bandits close to short range, then throw axe (+4).

 

Round 2

Draw second axe and Attack (no movement) (+4).

 

[Primeval Stasis]

 

Eabha

As the bandits rush forward, Eabha steps beside Otto to plug the gap, swinging her shield towards the closest attacker. The shield connects, jostling the man. She tries to combo it into a stab with her dagger, but the attack goes wide.

 

Naihm darts around the back of the silt cart to try to distract the crossbowmen.

OOC

Round 1

Shield bash.

 

Round 2

Dagger stab.

 

[Ikul]

Suibne greets the rush of enemies with a blade flung into the dark, and then quickly produces a second to throw again.

 

OOC

Round 1: Move: Hold attack.

Main (As Instant): Ranged attack with my Lucky Dagger (1d6(+2), 1(+2)/15)

Round 2: Main: Follow up with a thrown Throwing Blade (1d4(+2), -)

 

Both at the guy between TokTok and himself, or whoever else is available otherwise.

 

Edited April 15 by Ikul (see edit history)

[another aka]

Xan Lycas

Holding fast to her anger and her faith, Xan at first directs her energy to protecting her peers as the enemy approaches.

Round 1

On turn: Delay an Action (wait until enemies close in)
Instant: Total defense
Move: Screen ally (Éabha, in case archers take a shot at her)

Round 2

Move: Close distance with closest bandit
Main: Make unarmed melee attack

[Powderhorn]

Day 5 - The Road North of Erilune, Late Night

The bandits seem entirely unexpecting of the ferociousness of the defense. The party's blows seem to land, one after another, dropping the bandits foolish enough to engage in melee like flies. Before their morale can break and they panic, however, the Bandit Leader calls out, "Fall back! Fall back and keep shooting!"

The archers, at this point the only survivors save for one bandit still engaged in melee with Otto, dutifully fire and fall back, attempting to cover their own retreat. Two of their arrows land, striking Toktok and Xan, but the injuries are far less severe than they could have been.

 

Dungeon Master

The bandits with a red X are slain. Toktok and Xan each take One (1) Damage from arrows. Bandits are additionally numbered for easier book keeping / targeting.

 

Round 3 Map

 

[Tecumseh]

Otto Eckhart

Otto is grateful that his hand axe finds some purchase in a bandit. Not enough to finish the job, but Suibne takes care of that with a skillfully-thrown dagger.

While technically still engaged with the bandit just to his right, Otto is far more alarmed by the bowmen and their instructions to, "Keep shooting!" Otto doesn't want to give them any practice lest their aim improve.

With a not-very-terrifying cry, he shrugs off his attacker and charges straight for one of the bowmen and tries to plant his hand axe in him. "Yaaaaghhh!"

Otto's momentum helps him deliver a savage blow, burying his axe deep within his victim.

OOC

Round 3

Move + Main: ChargeA combatant can make a wild charge before hurling a
weapon or crashing into a foe, moving up to twice their
normal move in a straight line before making a melee or
thrown attack at +2 to hit. The charging attacker must
be able to move at least 10 feet to get the requisite momentum
and suffers a -2 AC penalty for the rest of the
round. Charging takes both a Move and Main Action. southeast at Bandit 5

There are several things that are going on here. First, Otto is leaving Bandit 6 without using the "Make a Fighting Withdrawal" action. That gives Bandit 6 a free melee attack on Otto, but he's confident his armor will deflect it, including any Shock.

Otto gets +2 to strike Bandit 5 but will have -2 AC the rest of the turn. Temporary AC will be 19.

Good attack and damage rolls. That should do the trick.

Edited April 16 by Tecumseh (see edit history)

[Ikul]

Seeing Otto abandon his position, Suibne moves to close the gap, pulling the axe from the loop on his belt by the head, adjusting his grip mid-run to be wielding it, and finally bringing it up towards the bandit.

 

OOC

Move: move to the hex two hexes under Eabha;

Main: Attack, Axe, 1d6+2 3/AC 15

 

Edited April 18 by Ikul (see edit history)

[another aka]

Xan Lycas

Flying high on the success of their first interaction with the bandits and inspired by Otto's unspoken dedication to the Lady Morrigan, Xan follows suit, letting her faith in her Arts, her Goddess, and her companions propel her forward, disconcertingly silent.

OOC

Move + Main: Charge Bandit 3, ending movement between Bandits 3 & 4

Instant: Reclaim Effort being used for Open Mind