Giantslayer: The Hill Giant's Pledge [IC]

[lostsole31]

R3T13: Aasgar moves south as far as he can through the bones but begins calling out tactical advice. As he does so, the dragon's long neck bites him in the shoulder (12 DDP), holding Aasgar in its jaws when the dwarf actually calls out that advice.

Spoiler: Maneuver

Show

Red zephyr's strike.

R3T7: Cici prepares for a closer encounter by casting a protective spell on herself before moving in.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T27: Abenor nods to Cici since she brings the flank, layering his martial stances, both blades flashing. Though the dragon's scales are thick, it is more vulnerable in flank while focusing its holding bite on Aasgar, and Abenor strikes a foreclaw for 12 and its back for 9.

R4T23: The drake worries Aasgar in its mouth for 9 (+11 DDP)!

R4T20: Gharmez, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Aasgar in the hole ...

[Admyral]

"No Dwarf snacks today, foul creature!" Gharmez yells out as she moves into the bone pile while readying her earthbreaker. Using the weapon's size to keep a safe distance, she strikes the beast.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

MA: 5' S
ATK: (reach 5') (1d20+8)[14] DMG: (2d6+4)[10]

[lostsole31]

R4T20: "No dwarf snacks today, foul creature!" Gharmez yells out as she moves into the bone pile while readying her earthbreaker and dropping her crossbow. Using the weapon's size to keep a safe distance, she strikes the beast. Any other day, she would miss, but with it grappling and having flank with Abenor she just manages to succeed in clipping it in the wing for 10.

R4T19: Though invisible, a line of bones get kicked around as Galakhar approaches. He appears again, having stabbed it in the upper rear leg for 9.

R4T13: Aasgar Chewtoy, what do you do?

Cici on deck, Abenor in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar attempts to free himself from the creatures grasp whilst letting forth with a bellow to bolster his allies.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

MA?: Try to break free

Encouraging Roar: Allies w/in 30' +2 morale attk/ dmg

[lostsole31]

R4T13: Aasgar attempts to free himself from the creatures grasp but finds that this monster's jaws are incredibly strong. He shouts, trying to bolster his allies, but his ability to do so isn't contingent on just making noise, but is a function of properly bodily alignment; he neither makes the maneuver, nor expends it. In fact, being grappled takes him completely out of stance as well (so, stance is dropped). His wounds catch up to him from the effort, as he takes 23.

Spoiler: Maneuvers

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First round fallow.

R4T7: Cici stares menacingly at the dragon.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T27: Abenor nods to Gharmez and gives her a backhanded compliment, "Excellent strike; of course, it's par for the course for an Abadaran to hammer a savage into submission, isn't it?"

He shifts to a more offensive stance, putting as much power as he can behind his strikes to get the drake to drop his friend. He cuts deep into its hip and haunches for 25 with one blade, but with little Kyadrimme he gives a vicious flat-blade thwack which does 35 NL!

The drake falls, and Aasgar is spilt from its mouth unceremoniously ... making a re-inflating squeaking sound.

Combat Ends!

Now what?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar climbs to his feet and collects his dignity. Putting a hand to his ribs, he winces. ”Might as well have a quick look around since we’re here.”

[lostsole31]

Lying among the reeds and bones of this den is the following ...

• Masterwork Buckler
• Masterwork Heavy Pick
• Three vials - all different - that all radiate magic. Galakhar IDs them as elixir of swimming, oil of flame arrow, and potion of resist energy [electricity]
• Scroll of spear of purity
• Coins: 5 platinum, 20 gold, 35 silver
• Gem: Bloodstone (25 gp value).

Then, regarding wounds, Cici had already used her healing hex for today for the "blonde twins" (well, one is blonde, the other is white-haired, er, "platinum blonde").

Gharmez can spend her last positive energy burst to get Abenor to where he needs a good night's sleep. It takes Gharmez spontaneously casting two of her most powerful spells to get Aasgar to the same point, and then the party collects the treasure.

Are we done here?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar is ready to go if everyone else is.

[lostsole31]

The party returns to the keelboat, and you see it is ready to sail despite the evening. The captain had a job to do, and he didn't want to stop here, but wanted to get the horse back. You travel an additional 90 min. or so downriver.

You see, Captain Bloodtusk had a scheduled stop to make as you are no longer in the Holds of Belkzen, but coming to a riverside way station in Lastwall. Staffed by the Knights of Ozem, the station services river traffic and provides a disembarkation point for people and supplies heading inland to Castle Firrine. Bloodtusk is supposed to deliver the arsenal of battleaxes, spears, and chain shirts in the keelboat’s armory to the knight staffing the way station, but as the keelboat sidles up to the crude dock, it is clear the station has come under recent attack.

A few orc and dire wolf corpses litter the ground outside the way station—a testament to the knight's prowess in battle.

A broken pier rises from the gently flowing waters of the river, its pilings blackened by fire and splintered by axe. Only a few waterlogged planks remain, hanging drunkenly from twisted nails. A path leads up from the dock toward a small stone building atop a low hill nearby.

Bloodtusk stopped here 15 days ago and the way station’s dock was sturdy and whole. Worried at this sign, the captain asks the PCs to take the jolly boat and row ashore to scout the area and learn what happened to the knight in charge of the station. Kurst rejoins the group for this.

As the PCs take the jolly boat closer in, you can see a bloated orc corpse tangled in nearby reeds. It is dark now, so you need your light sources as before.

[Admyral]

Gharmez picks a coin hanging on her tunic and casts Light on it. She looks around the area for anything obvious indicating what happened.

[lostsole31]

The area of the dock and grounds is searchd by the party, including a wider circumference of the area.

Other then the scattered bodies of orcs and dire wolves (who have been picked clean of anything valuable, useful, or informative), and the copse of trees to the west and north, you find nothing.

As far as the way station itself, T\there are a set of stables on the southern portion of the eastern exterior (you haven't closed in to search more that way; there are external double doors on the ground level of the building, on the eastern portion of the building's north facing; and finally, a set of stairs go up to a lowered drawbridge where there's a door on the second story (south facing).

What now?

[Admyral]

"Isn't it odd that those stable doors are still intact and closed?" Gharmez says in a questioning tone. "Perhaps we should investigate around the river side of the building with the drawbridge?" As they walk amongst the dead, she tries to ascertain if they were killed by violence or magic.

[lostsole31]

"I wouldn't mind taking a closer look at the stable first, but after that, sure," says Kurst.

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar agrees with Kursts suggestion so as to leave nothing behind them.

[lostsole31]

The party had taken a wide perimeter about the place, not wanting to get hit by pot shots from fortified orc archers. One thing they seemed to miss was the stables, but what was in the stables, at the time, didn't really care about you, either.

Two dire wolves, fur matted with the blood of horses they were killing, step out of the stables, look at the party, and growl.

Begin Round One ...

R1T31: Galakhar's rapier is in his hand in a flash and he is in one-handed stance, zooming across the dirt. He takes a quick measure of the rear dire wolf and stabs it in the chest for 18.

R1T21: Kurst runs around the back of the group to give himself some time and room to ready his shield and draw his sword, but closes to meet Red and attacks, missing.

R1T18: Abenor comes around on a smaller arc and quick draws his smaller blade (the katana was out to provide light) to slash Red in the upper chest for 23. He begins giving his defensive advice to the party.

R1T17: Aasgar, what do you do? Your axe is stowed right now.

[BuckGodot]

Asgaar draws his axe and moves forward to engage shifting his stance.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

SA: Draw weapon
MA: Step SW to engage RED 1 square
SwA: Valiant Keeper's Stance

Combat Reflexes: He may make 3 AOOs/ rd

[lostsole31]

R1T17: Asgaar draws his axe and moves forward to engage, shifting his stance.

Spoiler: Maneuver

Show

Red zephyr's strike.

R1T16: Red snaps at Abenor, but the elf evades and moves a few feet away.

R1T11: Cici gets into her fighting style, moves around the stump and then south while drawing her waveblade, and then misses wildly.

R1T16: Blue attacks Galakhar, who fails to parry but does duck out of the way.

R1T6: And anchoring the round for all .... Gharmez! What do you do? Like everyone else, your weapon isn't in hand as you were in "investigation mode."

Galakhar on deck, Kurst in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez moves up to the closest beast, readying her earth breaker on the way. She attacks the foul creature.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

MV: SW 5', S 5'
ATK: (1d20+8)[10]
DMG: Bludgeon (2d6+4)[6]

[lostsole31]

R1T6: Gharmez moves up to the closest beast, readying her earth breaker on the way. She attacks the foul creature, but it is a wild swing.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T31: Galakhar studies Blue for a second. "Nothing special," he says. "Dire wolves. I know the A-team already fought them in the tunnels before we got there. Big, strong, fast, can knock you down."

While maintiaing a focus on defense, he makes a special maneuver that actually cuts into both wolves standing next to each other, doing 14 to Red and 16 to Blue.

R2T21: Kurst nicks Red for 4 with his sword, but bashes it on the snout for 5.

R2T18: Abenor is slightly winded from last round and recovers and moves around to the eastern part of the battle where he can protect the most people. The blue of his katana, already lit a lambent blue, glimmers a little bit whiter like the light of the moon as he strikes Red for 17 + 9 force, killing it outright.

R2T17: Aasgar, you no longer have an enemy in front of you, but an obstacle. Red is dead, and acts as difficult terrain. What do you do?

Cici on deck, Blue in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Realising he cannot easily reach his foe, Aasgar lets out a frustrated but encouraging bellow and steps back 5 feet. "Make this beast come to us!" he shouts.

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

SwA: Encouraging Roar

MA: 5' step back

[lostsole31]

R2T17: Realising he cannot easily reach his foe, Aasgar lets out a frustrated but encouraging bellow and steps back 5 feet. "Make this beast come to us!" he shouts.

Spoiler: Maneuver

Show

Scything strike

R2T11: Cici casts a spell, infusing a coarse black hair into her casting, but nothing happens and she backs up to the other side of Aasgar to enjoy Abenor's protection.

R2T16: Blue makes a vicious attack againt Galakhar, who in turn is able to read his foe and defend brilliantly.

R2T6: Gharmez, what do you do?

Galakhar on deck, Kurst in the hole ...

[Admyral]

Gharmez changes to her crossbow and attacks the remaining wolf.

Spoiler: Tech Info

Show

ATK: (1d20+9)[19]
DMG: piercing (1d10+1)[9]

[lostsole31]

R2T6: Gharmez drops her earth breaker at her feet to change to her crossbow and attacks the remaining wolf, the bolt striking it in the neck for 11.

Spoiler: Gharmez

Show

It takes a MA (provokes AOOs) to put a weapon away, and another MA to draw a weapon (doesn't provoke), so I had you drop the earth breaker.

I don't mind you adding in the Point Blank Shot, since I put it specifically on your sheet. You merely forgot to include it in your attack roll, but had it there for damage.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T31: Galakhar catches the wolf in the forepaw for 9, and then steps back. He looks at Gharmez and nods. "Nice shot."

R3T21: Kurst steps back to Aasgar, readying a strike. He shakes his head and mutters to the dwarf with a smile, "You want us to step back, but you give us a great exhortation to kill. Confusing."

R3T18: Abenor recovers from a little extra effort he had expended. He also seems prepared to attack.

R3T17: Aasgar, they listened to you. The engaged pulled back. What do you do?

Cici on deck, Blue in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar backs away again and encourages the others to do so. "Draw it out! Use ranged attacks and then we can surround it and be done!"

Spoiler: Technical Information

Show

Move another 5' step north holding further actions.

[lostsole31]

R3T17: Aasgar backs away again, stepping up onto a tree stump, and encourages the others to do so. "Draw it out! Use ranged attacks and then we can surround it and be done!"

R3T11: Cici steps in front of Aasgar and while still in Crane Style she tosses couple shuriken at the dire wolf, one hitting for 3.

R3T16.1-16: The dire wolf comes around the body of its fallen and as soon as it gets to Kurst strikes it in the shoulder for 9, and Abenor teleports and cuts its forepaw off at the knee, dropping it. It is summarily beheaded by Abenor.

Combat Ends ....

All stances and styles end, and all maneuvers refreshed. Cici's shuriken are unrecoverable. Also, she has Lucette chill out back at the pier to hide and give her a mental warning in case of trouble.

Now what? The northern doors at ground level? or, the weird upper-level drawbridge door?

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar suggests that they stick with the ground level before heading up...

[lostsole31]

Abenor puts his hand on Aasgar's shoulder softly to have him hold off, a common gesture over the years to keep Aasgar from getting tunnel vision.

The elf moves around the stables and inside to get a better look. A hitching post stands outside a simple stable with two stalls built along the eastern wall of the way station. Two horses were normally housed here for the use of the knights posted to the station, but the attacking orcs slaughtered the steeds, and several black-tipped javelins now pierce the unfortunate beasts’ flanks. They were dragged in the cramp space where the dire wolves started to feed on them.

His survey complete, Abenor guides the group around to the northern doors, a shed attached to the stables, really. There is a simple lock attached to the shed. Galakhar moves up to look up at and says, "The orcs didn't break into the shed. I'm going to pick the lock and we'll have a quick look. But if there aren't prisoners or something there, then we leave it alone. Otherwise, it is theft of the waystation ... for now."

Galakhar doesn't even really put much focus into the lock, it is that laughably simple. There are some tools and the like. as well as extra tack and a very fine saddle, but Galakhar clsoes up the shed and relocks the door.

The party makes its way around to the south where they would have to go up to the ladder leading straight up to the narrow platform with the drawbridge to the door. Abenor sheathes his daisho, Galakhar his rapier. Kurst puts away his sword, but keeps his shield readied.

Abenor looks to the party and even though you've all made the sounds of battle, yet he whispers. "Aasgar, you should go up the ladder and knock first. You are the best armored while begin our best physical shock trooper. I will wait, hiding on the top of the stairs. Cici, you behind me. Kurst with shield at bottom. I recommend Gharmez take a standoff position to the west-southwest in the woods at a distance where this ladder-and-platform and the drawbridge won't foil her shot. Galakhar stay with her in case there's anything in the woods. Sound good?"

[BuckGodot]

Aasgar agrees and approaches the ladder. As he puts his hands on it, he turns to look back to the group for a silent nod to proceed.

[Admyral]

Gharmez says, "I think this is a great plan." She picks up her earth breaker and stows it while moving to the position Abenor suggested. Readying her crossbow, she waves a hand to let the party know she's prepared.

[lostsole31]

Everyone gets into position. Aasgar, you climb the ladder onto the platform. A flight of steep stairs and a lowered drawbridge lead into the dark interior of the way station. Inside, a single room contains a large fireplace, a table and chairs, a pair of bunks, and stacks of crates and barrels. The only light inside the way station shines out through the open doorway, providing dim light.

Aasgar, what do you do?