Ongoing Games (In-Character)Play-by-post games are going on in this forum as we speak (well, read). All threads on this board are actual games, so please, only post on a thread if you are a player of that game.
Daralis surveys the horizon, notes the dense underbrush and recognizes an ideal setting for an ambush. She turns and informs Vaelas of her thoughts, and asks
What's your inclination? I think we can set a decent trap for those fellows.
Okay. You and the Professor head towards brush, but keep moving forward in this direction as well, stay calm, and don't rush. I'll head off towars the west; either they ignore me and I get behind them, they ignore you and I lose them and catch back up to you, or they split in which case whoever gets the one can assist the other with the two.
Spoiler
This plan is predicated on the idea that the orcs are to the west, the brush is to the east, and we have been heading either north or south, presumably north. When we split, we will be making a Y shape, 90 degrees between our two new paths (northeast and northwest). When we split, I will increase my speed marginally to either "full speed" or a hustle.
Last edited by SamRoswell : 02-03-2008 at 08:30 AM.
Daralis nods. Her azure eyes remain fixed straightforward, her face placidly expressionless, but she eagerly fingers the fletchings of an arrow in anticipation of the impending combat. Daralis hears the Ambassodor breathing heavily and recalls her conversation with Vaelas at the Tankard. Based on outward appearances, she judged Thorius incapable of gaining the advantage in combat, yet Vaelas perceived the dwarf's frailty was deceptive...
Tirion interrupted Daralis' musings with an impatient snort. Daralis senses the immense dog's agitation, and increases the tension on the reins. Forcing Tirion to maintain a leisurely gait, Daralis deftly guides the her towards the dense coppice.
If they end up chasing me, then I will attack then ride ahead, attack then ride ahead.
If they end up chasing the other two, I will swing back behind them, and attack whoever is in the back.
If they go about their merry way, I'll let them live this day.
Tactics:
Spoiler
Atack the mount of the nearest mounted opponent with my bow. When they cease to be mounted, put away the bow, move up to the closest and whack on him with my sword for a bit (2-handed) while my horse kicks and bites. If a second gets within melee range, I'll ride away (65 ft.) and start putting arrows in the first. When he drops, move into melee, whack, kick and bite.
The orcs seem to prefer elf blood and follow Vaelas. Vaeles keeps his horse at a slow gait to lure the orcs closer. He can hear them spewing vile curses about what they like to do to Elven women and how many elven heads they've staked on spears. They finally come into spear range and each throw a spear. Two of the spears are thrown to short. The third comes close to hitting Vaelas' horse but Vaelas quick maneuvering makes the spear miss. Vaelas takes aim at the orc that threw the closest spear and fires an arrow. The arrow strikes the orc in the throat and he slumps down in his saddle. Vaelas spurs his horse to an increased speed, still a moderate pace for the horse but much faster than the boars can match. The two remaining orcs throw spears again but are still throwing too short. Vaelas lets lose another arrow and it strikes home, penetrating the orc's chest. The orc falls sideways off the boar and lies limply on the ground. The two riderless boars seem to lose interest. The one remaining orc turns back as Vaelas easily outdistances him.
Spoiler
I decided to roll for you lest I let my advance knowledge of rolls subtly influence the sequence of events I assigned you. These rolls include all applicable modifiers including range and firing from horseback. Please correct me in the future if I'm calculating yours wrong. Orcs first volley, 5+1 = 6, 4+1 = 5, 17+1 = 18 (ride check of 22 beats). Orcs second volley 3+1 = 4, 11+1 = 12. Luke's arrows, 18+1 = 19, damage 2d6+5 = 12, 19+1=20, damage 2d6+5 = 11.
Daralis and Thorius make it to the brush and plunge inside to hide themselves. All seems quiet and well until Thorius tries to crawl out a ways in an attempt to see how Vaelas is doing. Daralis hears the cracking sound of a branch and Thorius yelps in surprise. Daralis turns to see an open pit once disguised by brush where Thorius had been and hears him hit the bottom with a thud.
Daralis limberly crouches amid the juniper branches, and listens intently for the footfalls of approahcing orcs. The professor's clamorous plummet fills her with a mixture irriation and anxiety. She immediately scans the groundcover for other potential pitfalls, quiets the animals to ensure they remain concealed, and silently makes her way to the lip of the pit. Using a trick her father had taught her as a youth, she twinkles her fingers and hums tunelessly until four luminous spheres appear in front of her, and descend into the opening. She expectantly peers over the edge, awaiting a sign from Thorius.
Spoiler
VB says these are the skills I might need to roll.
Survival 3 + 6 = 9
Move Silently 18 + 11 = 29
Handle Animal 3 + 12 = 15
Cast Dancing Lights, 4 lantern-style, down the hole.
The orc is unable to outrun or avoid the swift-riding Vaelas and takes an arrow in the back a few seconds later, sending him to the ground. The boars don't seem to be hostile, though they might be if approached too closely. Two of them seem to be locking tusk and snorting at each other.
Vaelas rides closer to the seperate direboar and attempts to 'befriend' it with soothing words and some of his apples.
I should gather the bodies and head back to the others; it will be a lot easier if I can use one of these boars as a beast of burdon
Spoiler
Wild Empathy roll: 18
Even if not successful, he will try to gather the bodies and anything that dropped from them, using Silvermane to carry them, and walking him back:
Search roll 1: 15 + 7 = 22
Search roll 2: 15 + 7 = 22
Search roll 3: 10 + 7 = 17
Daralis peers over the edge of the pit. Thorius is at the bottom of a roughly 30 foot pit. The bottom seems to open up into a larger cavern. He looks up and says, "Thanks for the light, lass. Luckily I always memorize a feather fall spell for just such occassions. It comes in useful when you live underground. Why don't you lower me down a rope."
Tirion sighs and plops his head down on his paws to take a nap. However, Berwyn seems agitatated. He sniffs the air and growls softly. Daralis looks up and catches sight of three camoflauged goblins trying to sneak up on her. Daralis' eyes meet the closest goblin's and they reach for their weapons.
Thorius yells from below, "Moradin's beard! There's a scorpion in here, throw that rope down!"
Spoiler
Initiative Order: Daralis, Goblin, Goblin, Goblin, Scorpion, Thorius. You can command Tirion using Handle Animal, but he won't be able to act this first turn. The goblins are wearing leather armor and have shortspears.
Vaelas
The dire boar initially snorts viciously at Vaelas, but softens quickly once it smells the apple. The 12 foot long savage beast becomes soft and compliant once fed. Vaelas stacks the bodies on the beast and it willingly follows him to toward the brush.
Spoiler
I think that roll should be handle animal instead of wild empathy since the boar is trained. Either way the roll is enough to get it to follow you. You think you'd have to work with it a bit more to command it, though. I've gone ahead and rolled your spot and listen checks. You will not be aware of the scuffle in the brush for 2 rounds, at which point you'll be 100 feet away.
Daralis lithely scampers around the circumference of the pit. In the glimmer of the lantern lights, Daralis faintly makes out the fearsome scorpion. She aims her bow and fires two shots in rapid succession. She murmurs softly to Tirion, The slumbering dog abruptly arises, and lumbers toward the goblins emitting a guttural growl.
Spoiler
5 foot step, move such that the pit is between me and the goblins.
Handle animal, order to attack. 7
Rapid shot at the Scorpion. 14, 17 Damage rolls 6, 6 (VB says HOLY CRAP!)
VB says I may or may not get my sniper bonus, and doesn’t know the size of the scorpion, so I’ll just put up all my rolls without modifiers. Sorry to make you do math!
Two quick arrows to the head fells the man-sized scorpion; Its tail shudders and goes limp just as it was raising it to strike Thorius. The goblins advance and throw their spears at Daralis. One of the spears goes long and disapears into the brush. One of the spears falls short and clatters into the pit. The third spear impales Daralis in the leg. Thorius looks up and says, "Thanks, lass. What's going on up there? Who is throwing spears?"
Spoiler
Daralis takes 3 damage. The scorpion is dead. Tirion now acts on your turn. The goblins are about 15 feet from Daralis, about 10 from Tirion.
Daralis grimaces in pain. Being a gnome of few words, she merely mutters,
Goblins.
and proceeds to loose 2 more arrows, one each, at two of her assailants. Simultaneously, Tirion lunges toward the third goblin with her fangs bared.
Spoiler
no movement.
Rolls only, no modifiers.
Rapid shot, one arrow each at goblin 1 and 2. 4 and 9 :( Damage rolls 3, 4
Tirion attacks goblin 3. 14 Damage roll 6 ☺
VB says I can do an attack of opportunity with my bow blade on one goblin if they get close, but it’s at -2 apparently. I thought I should roll that too, just in case. 11. Damage roll 2.
The first arrow catches the closest goblin squarely in the chest and he stumbles forward into the pit. The second goblin deftly dodges the arrow, scurries around the right side of the pit, and tries unsuccessfully to spear Daralis. The third goblin is intercepted by Tirion, who clamps his massive jaws on the goblin's neck. Soon the third goblin is dead. Thorius shouts, "Goblins! Nasty little buggers." Off in the distance, Vaelas here's the sounds of combat coming from the brush where Daralis and Thorius went.
Daralis whistles to Tirion, who is masticating upon the deceased goblin. She reluctantly drops her prey, and trudges toward a new quarry. Daralis pounces upon the goblin and plunges her bladed bow at his chest.
Spoiler
Rolls only.
No move for Daralis.
Tirion ordered to close and attack Handle Animal: 2 ( I hope that's enough!)
Upon hearing the sounds of combat, Vaelas drops the reigns of the direboar, brings Silvermane into a canter, and strains to make out the combatants while readying his bow.
As Tirion extinguishes the life of the remaining goblin, Daralis vigilantly guards against additional assailants, scanning for goblin shadows amidst the darkened silhouettes of poplars, willows, and pines.
Convinced she is alone, Daralis peeps over the lip of the pit and hails to Thorius.
Henceforth, they will not be bothering us. Any inclination as to to why these irritable fellows pursued us?
She frowns at the jagged laceration on her calf, but cheerfully stumps toward Tirion--offering the beast an entire sweet cream pie as recompense for the diligent goblin-thrashing (Berwyn receives a quarter slice to reinforce the well-timed forewarning). With some effort, Daralis awkwardly drags the goblin corpses to the lip of the pit, and proceeds to merrily relieve them of their "burdens".
Spoiler
Spot and Listen for more foes. Spot 20 + 5 = 25. Listen 15 +13 = 28
Search check for the goblins 13 + 0 = 13, 5 + 0 = 5
When Vaelas arrives, he finds Daralis looting corpses and Thorius yelling about rope. Trusting that Daralis has taken care of any immediate threats, he puts away his bow and dismounts.
You will find three more bodies to search on the direboar about a hundred feet back. Feel free to claim any trophies as your own.
Not seeing Thorius, but hearing his voice, Vaelas takes a moment to examine his surroundings. Realizing the dwarf has somehow fallen into a pit, Vaelas retrieves his rope from his saddlebag and lowers one end into the pit, bracing himself to help the dwarf up.
A search of all the bodies turns up little of interest. They were armed with crude spears, wooden shields and leather armor. They carried no money and surprisingly no food either.
Thorius climbs out of the hole. "Thanks my elven friend, obviously your ears are keener than this here gnome's. Feels like I've been hollering for a rope for hours." He brushes himself off. He has cuts and bruises but appears largely okay. He looks around. "Now which direction were we going, that pillar's around here someplace."
Daralis grins sheepishly but remains wordless. Concerned that idle passersby will note their presence, she discards the cadavers into the pit. After sending the goblins to their impromptu graves, Daralis rejoins her companions, gestures in the direction they had been heading previously, and spurs Tirion into an brisk trot.
After a few more hours of travelling, something begins to take shape in the distance. In the wooded foothils of the mountains in the distance rises an enormous stone pillar. Though you are still unsure how tall it is, it looks far larger than any tower you have ever seen and you would not be surprised if it were constructed by giants. Lower than the central pillar are a pair of stone shapes flanking it. They look to be pillars as well but you can't tell for certain. They seem to rise just above the tree line.
As a consequence of her diminutive size, the majority of objects Daralis encountered appeared rather towering. Daralis squinted at the pillars soaring against the horizon, and recognized these were no exception; indeed, they were massive.
Impressive. Ambassador, you mentioned that examining the pillar would yield valuable insight into giant's linguistic structure. What specifically do you expect to find written on the pillar-- list of genealogies, poem, account of past battles?
The two side 'pillars' intrigued Vaelas; Thorius did not mention them before. The central pillar was massive and impressive, yes, but it was a lingering relic of the dead civilization of a nearly dead race. A race that had long ago proven itself unworthy. But even dwindling races can always attempt to rekindle past glories; their remnants attempting to honor their ancestors.
As they approach closer, the forms come into focus a bit more. The central pillar must be at least 300 hundred feet high, and it has large glyphs covering it. The smaller objects don't appear to be pillars at all. They are a much more modest 40-50 feet you would guess. They appear to be statues of giants, though you can only see their shoulders and heads above the trees.
"A record of the deeds of the giant king who built it. The dates and descriptions of events will aid our knowledge of history as well as linguistics. You see, it is written in 4 ancient dialects of Giant as this was built by Malbolge the Unifer who had recently conquered and unified the hill giants, stone giants, frost giants and fire giants."
Thorius reigns in his pony and dismounts. He opens up a pouch and begins to pour earth from it onto the ground. To your questioning looks he responds, "I'm worried that the slaves may be using the pillar as a base so we might need some extra protection." He moves his hands over the pile of dirt and speaks a few words of magic.
the dirt seems to sink into the ground, which begins to crack and rumble. A bulge rises in the ground where the dirt had been and soon a large humanoid form of rock and earth rises from the ground to tower above the dwarf. A nine-foot tall clump of earth with stony trunks for arms and legs and the hint of a head stands before you.
"This is my familiar, Arthos," Thorius says. He speaks a few words in another language to the earth elemental and then mounts his pony again.
RSS Feeds: 
Re: HoHo Game, Prologue 3: The Third Prologue
