Runelords 2E IC

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

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Lysander does stop when he sees Jannis and Shalendra being freezed in place by the wicked touch of the ghouls, the sellsword stands guard beside the two companions until they can move again. He then shares a depressing thought with the other while looking around "Believe we won't meet many farmers. Alive, at least."

[stack]

"I expect you are correct. Probably best to get out of this field before resting to restore my power."

[DrK]

Lysander and the others look around, or at stare over the tops of the fields. Its Shalendra's sharp eyes that note that a few of the posts near the edge of the field are now bare wood and a few rags of cloth. Where the scarecrows have gone its hard to say, but certainly they are not there anymore meaning its likley that the way out of the fields may be contested. Its obvious that the ring of ghouls may be trying to herd you towards the farm buildings at the centre of the fields but its up to you if you'll oblige them of their plan...


heaidng out of the fields or into the heart of the fields and the farm buildings

[stack]

"Not keen on having those things behind us where we can't see them, but it would be easier to make a stand in a building...unless there is something there, which seems likely. Leave the field and draw the scarecrows to us? Or get inside the edge of the grain and try to light the field on fire?"

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

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Lysander weighs Jon's suggestions and while he is definitely tempted by the idea of lighting the fields on fire and call it a day, he doesn't feel comfortable in actually doing it "Uhm, well. Setting everything on fire would certainly be a sight, but I doubt Deverin would be happy with us burning the crops Sandpoint needs." the sellsword then says, then points the sword towards the centre of the fields "I say we go there and fight them. Sure, it's definitely a trap but at least it would be easier than having to catch them one by one."

[farothel]

"The advantage of taken them one by one is that we can mob them instead of being the ones being mobbed," Shalendra said, "on the other hand being in a building means they can only get at us one or two at a time. I think we best move forward and see if we can find the cause of this, as this is not normal."

[DrK]

Pushing forward fast you soon stagger into the muddy farm yard. A stout two floored house with solid looking walls and a thick thatch is faced by a low barn and a small stable. An upended wheelbarrow, hay spilled into the mud is in the centre of the yard beside a cart tilted to one side, a spoked wheel shattered in 3 places. No ducks, geese or animals move and the house has an unseasy feeling of abandonment. The farm house, surprisingly enough, has a few windows built into the walls - murky four paned affairs flecked with grime - the Bolins must have been both rich enough to afford the Kaijitsu's wares and yet too lazy to keep the glass clean. Those of you who think to peer cautiously through after a judicious scrubbing of the glass with your hand discover the inside of the house to be in chaos. Chairs have been shoved violently aside and a table overturned, with gleaming shards of broken plates littering the floor and cold potato stew congealing in a large lumpy pool. More disturbing is the discovery of a dog carcass in the main room through the largest of the windows- at least, you're pretty sure that torn mess of bone and brown fur half-trapped under the table used to be a dog, even though this one lacks both the eyes and notably, the paws!

[stack]

Jon skaes his head as he steps back from the window, "A grisly scene, but not a surprising one. Let us enter, cautiously."

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

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"Poor dog." the sellsword says, showing more empathy for the dead canine than for the people murdered at the sawmill. He then grunts to Jon, agreeing with the druid on their need for caution; so Lysander walks in, sword at the ready, looking for threats - and since they're dealing with the undead, he pokes the carcass of the dog to be sure it's truly dead.

[DrK]

Opening the door and heading in there is a miasma of decay that reeks and hangs in the air. The front door opens into a narrow hall leading left and right to living room and dining room or up the stairs. Heading right into the dining room Lysander checks the dog and it’s definitely dead. Bite makes suggesting missing bits that may have been snacked upon. As he and Jannis discuss the situation both freeze as a creaking of floor boards can be heard as something moves up stairs!

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"And I thought dealing with demons was awful enough - at least they don't smell like...well, like this." Lysander says quite disgusted by the not-so-pleasant fragrance of corpses slowly decomposing; but when he hears movement upstairs, he immediately gets into a fighting stance "Make ready, incoming!" he alerts the others and cautiously moves towards the stairs, throwing a look up to see if he can spot any threats.

[stack]

Jon gestures to his companions, indicating positions near the bottom of the stairs, then mouths silently, "Wait for it?"

[farothel]

Shalendra had been following the others inside the house. As they heard something upstairs, she also made ready and quickly cast her shield spell to give her some extra protection.

Spoiler: OOC

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cast shield over and over again until something happens, so I have it ready to go should combat start.

AC: 21 (22 with shield)
HP: 23/30

[DrK]

As Lysander reaches the bottom of the stairs he hears the sounds of clawed bare feet scraping on wood, and from the top of the stairs get a glimpse of grey flesh dressed in a ragged yellow dress darting out of sight around the corner at the of the stairs. More scurrying sounds come from the right of the stair top suggesting more than 1 creature. Its also, the warrior realises a figure that was too small for an adult so he i left hoping for a halfling ghoul rather than a child-like one...

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

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Is that...a kid? Not that it would stop him from chopping its head off, but it would probably leave a bad taste in Lysander's mouth; still, he doesn't have much time and he shares what little he has seen with the others "Multiple hostiles! Watch out our backs, they might try to climb down and flank us!" that said, he starts cautiously climbing the stairs, sword ready to fend off enemies - better to attack now than wait for them to wear out the party bit by bit.

Spoiler

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Lysander uses Dueling Parry while climbing the stairs.

[DrK]

As Lysander advances up the stairs there is a sudden high pitched growl as from th top of the stairs a pair of small ghoul like creatures, one with the ragged remnants of pigtails, the other a small boy with a the tattered fabric of a checked shirt on. Both of the child ghouls drop down from the banisters atop the warrior!

OOC
GHoul child 1: move, move, bite (1d20+9)[17] dam (1d6+1)[6] and Fort DC 15 or paralysis
GHoul child 2: move, move, bite (1d20+9)[14] dam (1d6+1)[2] and Fort DC 15 or paralysis


Players go

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

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Whoever is behind this, Lysander hopes he's going to have a few minutes alone with them - just so the sellsword might make them deeply regret their choices. While Lysander does not hesitate to fight back, he's definitely not happy to have to chop down a couple of kid-shaped undead "Hostiles!" he bellows to alert the others so that they might join the fight, the mercenary himself slashing and stabbing aggressively to put down these two quickly.

Spoiler

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Action 1 - Snagging Strike (1d20+13)[14] Damage (2d8+4)[13] (Flat-footed if hit)
Action 2 - Snagging Strike (1d20+8)[21] Damage (2d8+4)[13] (Flat-footed if hit)
Action 3 - Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

[farothel]

Shalendra had been following at a distance and when she noticed the two child ghouls, she didn't hesitate and threw an electric arc on both of them, before calling up her shield spell again.

Spoiler: OOC round 1

Show

1-2: electric arc: (2d4+3)[7] (reflex save DC 19)
3: shield

AC: 22 (with shield)
HP: 23/30

[stack]

Jon follows-up with another electric arc, hoping that the immediate threat can be removed quickly.

Spoiler

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(2d4+3)[7] basic Ref 19

[DrK]

Lysander lashes out as the ghoul children rain down upon him, clawing and gnashing at his thighs and belly. He hacks into the little boy even as crackling double arcs of lightning flash between the ghoul children but small and agile they avoid the brunt of them. With high pitched feral screeching they continue to rain tiny sharp clawed scratches at Lysander

OOC

claws (1d20+9)[16] dam (1d6+1)[2] (1d20+5)[14] dam (1d6+1)[2] (1d20+1)[17] dam (1d6+1)[6]
claws (1d20+9)[13] dam (1d6+1)[5] (1d20+5)[11] dam (1d6+1)[5] (1d20+1)[5] dam (1d6+1)[5]
If hit Fort DC13 or paralysed

[farothel]

Seeing that her offensive spell didn't do much, Shalendra cast her shield again and then moved up to do it in melee.

Spoiler: OOC round 1

Show

1: Shield spell
2: move to nearest ghoul
3: attack (1d20+10)[30] or damage (1d6+4)[5]
EDIT: so 10 damage and deadly d8 (8, rolled in OOC) for 18 damage in total

AC: 22 (with shield)
HP: 23/30

[Farmerbink]

Jannis shakes free of his stupor long enough to send an arrow at the nearer ghoul. A moment later, he unleash a divine bolt of energy at any remaining ghouls.

Spoiler: Jannis actions

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Jannis Sotheby
M NG Human Cleric, Level 4, HP 41/43, Speed 25
AC 18, Fort 9, Ref 8, Will 12, Perc 12
Composite shortbow +8 (1d6+2 Piercing) deadly d10 (Emblazon Armament)
Spell attacks +10 (damage and type varies)
Sickle +8 (1d4 slashing) trip, agile
Dagger +8 (1d4 piercing) versatile slashing, agile
Abilities Str 10, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 14
Conditions
Divine Spells: Cantrips: Divine Lance, Forbidding Ward, Guidance, Read Aura, Shield
Soothing Words (1/1 focus)
Bless 2/2
Magic Weapon 1/1
Heal 3/3 (2d10)

Shortbow: (1d20+8)[28]
(1d6+2)[8] damage edit: doubled to 16, +3 deadly for 19 total

Divine lance: (1d20+5)[14]
(2d4+4)[8] holy damage

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

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Again Lysander manages to avoid being scratched by those horrific little claws, keeping the two ghouls at bay with his sword. Thankfully the others are coming to his rescue (not that he's in real danger at the moment, but he's definitely creeped out by these undead) and the sellsword himself keeps stabbing and slashing to make the ghouls stop moving.

Spoiler

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Action 1 - Snagging Strike (1d20+13)[30] Damage (2d8+4)[11] (Flat-footed if hit)
Action 2 - Snagging Strike (1d20+8)[26] Damage (2d8+4)[13] (Flat-footed if hit)
Action 3 - Dueling Parry (+2 AC)

[stack]

Jon scowls, launching another bolt of lightning at the abominations.

Spoiler

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electric arc (12d4+3)[30]basic Ref 19

no useful 3rd action since Jon didn't get a chance to get his focus back and you can only recover 1 focus at this level, so rather save the second for a bigger fight

[stack]

fixing roll (2d4+3)[8]

[DrK]

The ghouls, or at least the sad child-ghouls are destroyed. Even as the sword blade cleaves into them multiple blasts of divine energy and lightning slam into them rendering them into dust so you don;t have to see their pitiful remnants. Wreathed in dead ghoul dust Lysander can still hear rasping undead breathing and scratching from upstairs and as he creeps up the stairs can see one of the doors has been crudely barricaded shut with a couple of planks of woods and a chair wedged under the door handle. The door shatters from the impact of a body crashing against it.

[Bunny Commando]

Lysander - HP: 60/60 - Conditions: None - Active Effects: None

---------------

"There's more!" Lysander bellows when the door breaks dramatically, sending splinters all around that scratches the mercenary's unprotected face. The sellsword is now seeing red, anger now fueling his strikes - so he charges whatever threw itself at the door, keen to finish this fight as quickly as he can before more horrible undead show up.

Spoiler

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Action 1 & 2 - Sudden Charge (1d20+13)[24] Damage (2d8+4)[14]
Action 3 - Snagging Strike (1d20+8)[16] Damage (2d8+4)[11] (Flat-footed if hit)

[farothel]

Shalendra also didn't hesitate and making sure the extra undead would be trapped behind the door with only one or two being able to attack, she stood next to Lysander and calling up her shield again, she did attack.

Spoiler: OOC round 2

Show

1: Shield spell
2: move to nearest ghoul
3: attack (1d20+10)[16] or damage (1d6+4)[8]

AC: 22 (with shield)
HP: 23/30

[stack]

Jon follows too, taking position just behind Lysander, conjuring a spell.

Spoiler

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1. stride; assuming this gets in sight of target
2&3. If 1 target, produce flame (1d20+9)[23] for (2d4+3)[8] fire (1d4)[4] persistent on crit, if two, electric arc (2d4+3)[8] basic ref DC 19

[DrK]

The ghoul, its long straggly hair dangling lankly down to its waist and shredded filthy remnants of a patterned farm dress suggesting this may have been "mother" dies even as its still crashing out of the door. Lysander's blade hacks into twice, joined by Shalendra's slender rapier before the burning orb slams into and sets it alight. Toppling back it lets out a few incoherent screams before lying still, a greasy stench pervading the corridor.