AA's Kingmaker Part I: The Stolen Lands

[Leviathan]

Zinovia keeps up a stream of fire blasting the troll relentlessly. Her face is grimly determined as she struggles to keep the spell going, and beads of sweat form on her sickly brow. "Nhh... Die... Already... Monster!"

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Another burning hands, same way as last time, also just hitting the troll.

Burning hands (Ref DC18 half): (4d4+1)[12]

[RocketMan]

"Darn," Ilya pouts as the troll remains standing despite his spell. "Fine, we'll just have to knock you down the old fashioned way," he says, firing a pair of arrows at the troll.

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Rapid shot and maintain Inspire Courage.

Attack #1: (1d20+5)[10]
Damage #1: (1d6+2)[5]

Attack #2: (1d20+5)[10]
Damage #2: (1d6+2)[3]

Edit: Damn it, rapid shot!

[ApatheticAbacus]

The wounded troll bellows out its anger. The loud sound turns quickly to a wounded grunting. Viktor's sword once again cuts into it, and Zinovia's burning spell chars its hide. Ilya and Tireas' attacks have less luck. And still, the beast falls, staggering, trying to keeps its feet. It hits the ground with an earth-shaking thud. Dark blood wells up from its wounds, pouring in rivulets along its thick green skin. Soon the ground is soaked with it.

Estanos' channeled healing helps his comrades regain some of their strength, and also further mends the fallen man. He is lightly bearded, with sandy brown hair that falls to his shoulders. He wears a leather jerkin, and a shattered longbow lies near his fallen form. "Unnnhhhh..." he groans, coming round to consciousness.

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I'm impressed. I thought the random encounter table had given you a very risky fight there, but you handled it well.

[Leviathan]

"You," Zinovia directs at the groaning man; "who are you, and why are you here?" To herself, she thinks: We have saved your life; that makes it ours.

[Oh My God]

As the fearsome beast finally falls, Estanos hurries to the side of the injured unknown. Going to a knee, the priest checks his vitals and speaks in what could best be described as his Bedside Manners voice and says," You're alright, friend. You were hurt, but you're going to be just fine. The monster is taken care of, and you're safe. My name is Estanos," he shortens, figuring that his first name is all a stranger who is recovering from near death can handle," what's yours?"

After he has performed his initial assessment of the poor unfortunate soul, he turns away and calls to the others," Gently Zinovia, gently. The poor man is recovering from a very nasty shock. In any case, isn't that a troll? Shouldn't someone be doing something to make sure it doesn't just stand back up? Oil? Salt?" before returning his attention to where it's needed, helping the survivor stand if and when he wants.

[Winterfell]

"Indeed," Viktor says, listening to Estanos. "The body must be burned, and quickly." He draws a torch from his back and lights it, before returning to the side of the corpse. Looking at the body with a look of distaste, he rests the flame on the dead troll's flesh and waits for it to catch fire.

[Leviathan]

Zinovia likewise looks down dispassionately at the troll's corpse. She casually sends a few jets of fire out to strike it. "The beast shall not rise. Now, let us see to the survivor."

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Zinovia will use as many Ray of Frosts (element swapped to Rays of Fire) as it takes to burn the troll.

[ApatheticAbacus]

The troll goes up in flames, Viktor's torch and Zinovia's cantrips making short work of its huge corpse.

The man, meanwhile, pushes himself upright, leaning against the rock behind him. He groans again, looking down at his blood-soaked jerkin. "Ugh... I'm, uh, a hunter. And my mates. Damn, that's a lot of blood. My, uh, name's Fezren. We were attacked by the troll. Came out of nowhere." He looks worried, glancing around him at the encircling mists.

Estanos and Viktor

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The man is lying, rather poorly, about his occupation and his name.

[Blisstake]

"Then he's of little consequence. Shall we be on our way, then? Looks like he should be able to make his own way back." Tireas doesn't really seem to care that the hunter can hear exactly what he's saying.

[RocketMan]

"I quite agree," Ilya says, nodding his head as he listens to Tireas. "This poor man has had quite the day, and our waylaying him further won't fix that. I suggest we patch him up as best we're able and be off. He's welcome to join us, if he wishes, since we'll be passing closer to Oleg's Post, but he needn't."

[Leviathan]

"Yes yes, very well," Zinovia says bruquely. "I suppose he may as well join us, though I will not be responsible for his comfort, nor his safety."

[Winterfell]

"If this man is to travel with us, he will not bear arms," Viktor says in a surly way. "A hunter you may well be, but I will not risk that your true purpose here is banditry. Still, let us be on our way. Fezren," he says, "if you wish to accompany us, you may do so, but surrender your weapons."

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Viktor is suspicious that Fezren is a bandit. After all he is wearing armor and had other companions. Therefore, Detect Evil!

[Oh My God]

Estanos bides quietly, keeping his own suspicions to himself. The supposed hunter's response to the offers on the table will serve to sway the priest one way or the other.

[ApatheticAbacus]

You set off once more, leaving behind the remains of Fezren's comrades and his camp. The sun is soon setting over the misty highlands, and day turns into a cloudless, starry night that stands in stark contrast to the shrouded daytime.

14 Gozran, 4708

In the morning, you find that Fezren is gone, leaving behind only a few scant tracks that you are unable to follow for long. Fortunately, the man has not taken either horses or other equipment.

With nothing else to do, you continue along your planned route. Once more, the hills fall away. A river valley lies spread out before you, green with grasses and copses of trees. A wide, cold river runs down from the mountains of the Nomen Heights, its high banks flooded with fast-moving meltwaters. Salmon leap and splash through it, and once you even spot a brown bear reaching its claws into the teeming river for a meal.

You follow the river, which is known to be the Shrike, southwards. Near evening, with long shadows cast across the earth by your mounted forms, you come to a serviceable bridge. It is a simple wooden construction, wide enough to bear the weight of your horses, run down, and scarred by black marks along its sides. Beside it, the remnants of a small house sits, charred and scorched so that all that remains are the blackened lower walls. Encroaching vegetation is slowly creeping into the ruin.

A signpost beside the bridge and the shell of the house swings in the wind, creaking with each gust. It reads "Nettles' Crossing - 5 silver, ring bell of service." A rusty bell hangs by the sign.

[RocketMan]

"Well, it looks like poor Nettle isn't here any more, doesn't it?" Ilya says. "Probably burned up with his house," he observes, his voice compassionate. "The bridge will be useful though. We should cross."

[Leviathan]

"Indeed, the bridge still stands, so I see no reason not to make use of it." Zinovia says, glancing around at the burned-down house. "If you wish to say a prayer for this presumed-dead Nettles, say it as we move."

[Blisstake]

"Well there's no need to pay then, is there?" Tireas notes. "Shall we, then?"

[Winterfell]

"Agreed," Viktor says, voice betraying no emotion. "Let us continue."

[ApatheticAbacus]

As the party begins to cross the bridge, horse hooves clomping over the wooden planks, there comes an unearthly wail. Fog rises from the river, almost as though the water is boiling, until the air is thick with it. And then, from downstream, you see something approaching across the water.

It has the shape of a man, but dead, with burnt, rotting flesh that is almost skeletal. It slides without moving over the water's surface, creating no ripples or splashes. Its mouth opens in a deathly grimace.

"You are not my tormenters," comes its speech, howling. "But I must have revenge! Throw to body of my killer, the one known as the Stag Lord, into the river, that I can look upon his death, or join me in the dark waters."

[Oh My God]

" Vanished," Estanos shakes his head after the disappearance of the 'hunter'. " Not the most thankful response, but..."

~

Raising his hand as they move, Estanos raises a hand in hopeful benediction for the home's former occupants; perhaps they had escaped the fire and were living, happy and healthy elsewhere? A hope, it turns out, that was empty. The priest regards the advancing specter evenly.

" We will ensure that this 'Stag Lord' ends the lives of no more innocents. Vengeance, however, perverts everything we are here to do. Reasons are important. " The crossing of the arms of Estanos suggests that there is little room for negotiation with the raging spirit.

[Leviathan]

Fascinating, Zinovia thinks as the apparition rises from the waters. This land clearly has many secrets.

"Indeed, spectre, there are many who wish the Stag Lord dead. We have been tasked with destroying him, and so it is no trouble. But it is a tiresome chore to deposit his remains in the river after the fact. You may have to be content without the corpse."

[Blisstake]

Tireas pulls out his blade and mutters, "Are we really negotiating with a zombie here?"

He shivers slightly, not really used to such strange entities.

[Winterfell]

Viktor's brow furrows as he stares intensely at the undead creature before him. He nods as Tireas speaks. "The demonspawned, Tireas, is correct. This creature is surely one of vengeance and evil. Though it may desire the death of the Stag Lord as much - more - than ourselves, it cannot be allowed to imperil these lands."

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You guessed it, Detect Evil!

[ApatheticAbacus]

The undead remnant of a man howls as his demands are denied, in whole or in part, or even questioned. "No! You are his! Die!" A long spear appears in its hand, dripping with icy water.

Round 1

Map

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[RocketMan]

"Eugh," Ilya says, looking both scared and revolted at the same time as the dripping undead emerges from the water. Listening as his friends speak, his eyes dart back to the zombie nervously. "Do you, well, think it wise to antagonize the creature?" Ilya asks. "Why not simply do as it says?"

But it's too late; the creature seems bent on attacking. Ilya responds quickly, launching a pair of arrows in its direction.

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Rapid Shot.

Attack #1: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage #1: (1d6+1)[2]

Attack #2: (1d20+4)[11]
Damage #2: (1d6+1)[7]

Edit: and the dice gods continue to show their hatred for Rapid Shot...

[Oh My God]

" Because what it asks is wrong," is the obvious answer Estanos supplies as he steps forward, joining Tireas on the edge of the bridge. " Begone, spirit, and trouble the daylit world no longer! Embrace eternity!," he cries, holding the symbol of Sarenrae as though it were a shield 'twixt himself and the shade.

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Moving up to next to Tireas on the bridge's edge, channeling divine power to TURN UNDEAD, Will for half DC 16.

(1d6)[5]

[Leviathan]

"Immortal and too obsessed with revenge to even make use of it," Zinovia scoffs. "A sad irony, which shortly will come to an end." She fires off a silver dart of magic.

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Magic missile! (2d4+3)[8]

[Winterfell]

"Foul creature," Viktor calls. "You shall trouble these lands no longer. By Abadar's will, we shall cleanse this place!"

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Activating Smite Evil versus the undead if it detected as evil. Readying an action to power attack if it comes within melee range.

Attack roll: (1d20+9)[15] (-3 if the undead is not evil)
Damage roll: (1d10+8)[15] (-2 if not evil)

[Blisstake]

Tireas shifts to a one-handed grip as he chucks a shuriken toward the creature.

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Here goes nothing.

Hit: (1d20)[11]
Damage: (1d2+4)[5]

[ApatheticAbacus]

The undead horror slides over the Shrike River's waters. Zinovia's magic missile strikes dead on, but it doesn't stop. Tireas' shuriken and Ilya's arrows splash away into the water. Estanos' holy radiance seems to burn the most, though, and it howls in agony.

It reaches the bridge. A long, trident-like weapon that it holds in a rotted hand stabs forward with undying hatred. It pierces Estanos' abdomen with all three points, sinking deep. The decaying skull-face of the creature seems to smile in delight at its revenge.

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11 damage to Estanos.

Round 2

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N has reach, which is why it isn't beside the bridge.