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Thread: Machines of War

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    Default Machines of War

    You have barely escaped with your life. The orcs attacked in daylight, unusual for any circumstance. Stranger still, there were no lookouts on duty and the gates were unlocked. Now the fort is a smoldering heap, your comrades in arms are most likely dead, and you are being followed by at least one scouting party bent on your total destruction.

    Characters: Jaster the Elven Ranger/Rogue
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    How far are the orcs behind me? if it is less than 30 seconds I will run as quietly as I can without sacrificing speed and hope that there are some bushes between the tress where the J is. If not then I will try to climb the trees and hide there. If I have a more than 30 seconds and no line of sight towards them I will try climbing with the tree between me and them. I won't have any weapons out, yet. If there is time I will be leaving as little trail as possible. Let me know how many orcs are in the search party. Also let me know if Snakebite sees any signal devices, eg a horn.
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-13 at 11:44 PM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    You think the orcs may be a minute behind you. The ancient trees' rough bark gives easy handholds and footholds, but the nearest branches are about twenty feet up.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    What are the shadows and brush like? I know it says mild vegetation. That is what, knee high grass with some incidental bushes, or more like the undergrowth in an old growth forest with lots of shadows? Right now I am looking for a good dark shadow and hopefully a depression somewhere as well where my cloak of elvenkind will really help me. Should find some good shadows around those two trees.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    It's enough vegetation that you can easily hide, but not enough to impede movement.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Well then I am going to hide as well as I can in the brush and see how many there are. I will put the hood on my cloak up, try to find a tree very close to two bushes and either sit or lie down with my back or my head towards the tree and not move. I will also keep my hands on my short sword and dagger, at least until I have an idea of how many there are.
    I am also going to wish I had rubbed my arrowhead in stinging nettles or dipped them in some crushed castor bean paste, which is toxic, or even for some poison ivy or oak, which has got to hurt even worse if put on an arrow and shot through something. But lets see how many orcs there are and if they have any way or reason to signal the main group. About how far away from it am I?
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-14 at 08:03 PM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Okay, you are hiding. Roll a hide check. You think you're about a mile away from the fort, crouching in the underbrush. You can hear at least three orcs crashing through the brush in your direction. They do have hunting horns, but you know there is a cave half a mile to the south. Two are armed with falchions that look like huge meat cleavers and stained with the blood of your comrades. The other has a quiver of javelins and a dagger.

    DM rolls
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    spot - (1d20+1)[4]
    spot - (1d20+1)[6]
    spot - (1d20+1)[3]

    If anyone sees Jaster, they will blow the horn and attack. If they do not see him, they will spread out in the area where he stopped running.


    Edit: I just looked at your sheet again. Your chain shirt should have an armor check penalty of 0, max dex of 6, and spell failure rate of 10%.
    Last edited by madtinker; 2011-11-14 at 10:48 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
    Spoiler: Current characters
    Show

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    hide-1d20=2+14= 16
    I used the die roller on the hyper text, how do you use the one here again?
    Stay hidden. I am not going to move until they are gone. The only way I am going to move is if one of them is about to trip over me. If that happens then I am going to try to cut his throat using a dagger and catch them flat footed on a sneak attack. I am going to wait and see what type of searching they are using. If/when they are past me a about 100 yards I will slowly and quietly crawl out in the direction they came from.
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 12:15 AM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Using the die roller:
    Spoiler
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    type without spaces [ r o l l ] # d # [ / r o l l ] Of course, you'll us numbers instead of pound signs, so it reads like 1d6 with the roll tags around it.


    The orcs seem to not notice you, but have slowed their pursuit and are searching the bushes nearby.

    DM rolls
    Spoiler
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    searches for the orcs
    (1d20-1)[11]
    (1d20-1)[18]
    (1d20-1)[10]


    As they're bushwacking with their falchions, one almost trips over you, almost whacking your head off.
    Last edited by madtinker; 2011-11-15 at 12:06 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
    Spoiler: Current characters
    Show

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Has he noticed me?
    1d20=20+14=34
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 12:21 AM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Yes, he jumps back in surprise.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    jump up and cut his throat with the dagger
    1d20=20+6=26 critical threat
    1d20=19+6=25 critical hit
    2d4=3

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    A nineteen is not necessarily a critical hit, but a twenty is. If these guys had a higher AC for example, you would only get regular damage. And, you also add your strength bonus to damage, x2 for the critical hit, so you do 5 + sneak attack - (1d6)[5]. You get the sneak attack because you effectively readied an action by saying you would cut their throat if they tripped over you, and the orc was surprised so you are able to use your sneak attack.

    Despite his unusually large size, the orc goes down like a sack of potatoes. Your scramble in the brush alerts the other orcs to your presence.

    Roll initiative.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    (1d20)[9]+4
    also, I how far away are they?
    Also, do I use +4 inside the roll brackets, if so, where?
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 12:52 AM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Oh yeah, just put #d#+#. You can use minuses too. The remaining two orcs roll:javelin orc - (1d20)[7], falchion orc - (1d20)[2].

    You win initiative, so your go. And, I'm taking off for the night.
    Last edited by madtinker; 2011-11-15 at 12:55 AM.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
    Spoiler: Current characters
    Show

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    I switch to bow (quickdraw) and shoot at the orc with the javelin.
    (1d20+7)[9]
    1d8+1=3

    * post roll count doesn't match database
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 02:28 AM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Your shot goes wide, missing the orc by a yard. He steps behind a tree, draws and flings it in your direction.
    attack - (1d20+1)[8]
    damage - (1d6+3)[4]

    The tall, lanky orc, lifts his falchion, lays back his wolflike ears, and charges you.
    attack - (1d20+6)[7]
    damage - (2d4+4)[9]
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
    Spoiler: Current characters
    Show

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    Thanking Chuckles for sending his not so competent minions I draw my shortsword and dagger and attack the orc with the falchion.
    1d20+5=16
    (1d6)[6]
    1d20+4=13
    (1d4)[4]
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 03:15 PM.

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    I'm assuming you dropped the bow. Neatly jabbing and parrying his heavy sword, you handily disembowel your opponent. Seeing his companions minced like garlic, the last orc turns tail and heads north.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    I will let him go. He probably has enough of a head start on me that catching him would put Jaster in greater danger. It may not be in his best interests to tell the others that I am still alive. First I am going to loot the bodies, but be looking for potions, money, equipment, and magic items. Let me know what they have. I won't spend more than 10 rounds on looting. I will also pick up my bow.
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-15 at 08:27 PM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    There isn't much to loot. These orcs didn't set much stock in equipment maintenance, so their armor is in poor condition and their blades are pitted with rust. It's rather surprising they didn't just fall apart. They have some rations (4) and a few gold coins (9) between the two of them, as well as a necklace of shriveled ears of various origins.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    I'll take the gold, the rations, the horn, and the necklace of ears and it out of sight for now. It probably doesn't mean much, but a string of ears can be helpful in establishing that you are a bad-A, or any other slightly disgusting use. About that cave, how familiar am I with it? Is it a place I just know of, or a place I have been inside several times? I will head there and be using my spot checks on the way to see if I can find anything or things that might be use able as torches, such as pitch loaded limbs, or even accessible sap sources that I could put on a piece of thick bark or a rock and use as a lamp.
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-16 at 12:49 PM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Do a survival check to improvise a torch. You haven't ever explored the cave, but you have seen it several times. Similar caves exist elsewhere: they are often burial sites.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Survival (torch)
    (1d20+5)[10]
    When I get to the cave I am going to check out the inside of it and how far it goes back, for as far the sunlight goes. If it goes back further I will investigate it for tracks and anything else. If it is empty I will hole up for a day or two.
    Survival, tracks, (generally search for signs of habitation).
    (1d20+5)[9]

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    Do a search check. And I'll add the cave map to the google doc.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    search
    (1d20+3)[12]
    did I find anything to make an improvised torch with and did I find any signs of habitation, or even much of anything?

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    You did find some stuff to burn, but it is smoky and not very bright. In the cave you just see the stuff described earlier, but you do notice a fairly obvious attempt to cover a hole in the wall. Rocks are carefully stacked, but they are a different texture than most of the stones in the cave, like they were brought from outside.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    Grateful for my low light vision I search for a trap in the rocks.
    (1d20+3)[9]
    If I find one I try to disable it.
    (1d20+5)[18]
    I take off enough rocks from the top to shimmy through and try to place them in such a way that from the outside it still looks like the hole is covered, if possible.
    Also, Jaster decides that as part of his duty (hasn't gone chaotic nasty yet) he will go to the nearest place he can send a magical message to the elves letting them know of the groups destruction. If it isn't too much of a journey, or there is an elven embassy, or some other official elven agent to report to then he will go in person.
    Last edited by INWranger; 2011-11-17 at 12:36 AM.

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    Default Re: Machines of War

    removing the rocks isn't difficult, and there appear to be no visible traps. As you shimmy through to the other side, you are in a low ceilinged natural cave. At times you have to stoop low to avoid hitting your head, but it is apparently free from beast droppings and vermin nests. It appears to branch off in two directions. (see map)
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant
    An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
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    Default Re: Machines of War

    I take the one to the right first. Also, does my lamp flicker when I stand still?

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