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Pooling your resources and knowledge base, you discover several things about the situation. Keeper, you recall knowing a little about chaos magic, oddly specific to this situation. Chaos magic, by its very nature, defies catergorisation and rules, so making steadfast statements about it is always difficult, however, you believe that if Lydia did wish to reverse the change she had undertaken, there might be several ways of doing so. It would probably wear-off on its own after some time, perhaps slowly and perhaps in a flash, but if you were looking to make a more predictable change, a simple anti-magic ritual should disperse the chaotic feedback that might cause such a transformation. Thora, surveying the shaman's strange trinkets and charms, you deduce several things about his particular breed of magic. The goblins in this part of the world worship di-theistic spirits, that is gods with light and dark halves. Any god has a shadow side and a light side, and provides magical boons to their priests, shamans and oracles with similar natures. Whilst the goblin's breath over these icons had summoned harming spirits, it might be possible to use them to heal as well. If you want to, roll another arcane based check - a 15 will recharge a healing surge or whatever they are called in 13th Age. Delilah, you bind the golbin shaman to the best of your ability, but you have no idea if the bindings will hold. As the shaman begins to stir, he struggles and effortlessly untangles himself. The ropes seem to just slip and fall from his body in a way that you couldn't anticipate. His eyes flicker up to the wall as he struggles to get away, only to see Lydia's bizarre and child-like shadow puppets dancing there. Goblin facial features are tightly clustered in the centre of their faces and their expressions are hard to read, but you see a distinct twitch akin to a raised eyebrow. The goblin is perplexed by what you are doing. He notices his trinkets and dagger are missing, so scrambles back against the far wall of the cave, hissing and barking at you all.
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Jul 3, 2016 21:38
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 Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric Keeper looked up from the steaming porridge and paused, seeing the goblin easily slip his bonds. He quickly scoops some into a bowl and offers it to the shaman. The Archive hasn’t finished updating his Amalgamated Goblinese, but needs must. “Errr, <<Hellos spirit-boss. Deal we give. Us, food and night peace. You, knowing of the here and night peace. Morningtime, everyone go away.>>” I keep myself and my voice low, and use slow motions to pantomime the flow of knowledge from him to I. Luckily, my faceplate makes it difficult to see how nervous I am in the situation. I continue to hold out the bowl of porridge, and there's a quiet squeak as the corners of my voice-slot turn up to approximate a smile. Using A Quiet Word to get the Shaman to tell us stuff: 1d20+4 6 (plus stat. Sorry guys, its not looking good) pre:Keeper Stats Battle/At-will* Daily HP 27/30 [] Spirits of the Righteous [ ] Bless AC 19 [ ] Javelin of Faith* [ ] Shield of Faith PD 14 [ ] Racial: Never Say Die* MD 13 [][] Heal [ ] Invocation of Lore Rec. 6/8 (1d8+3) [ ] Invocation of Community MBA 1d20+3; 1d6+2 [ ] Invocation of Healing
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Jul 3, 2016 23:49
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 Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter All in all, the night had been going rather poorly, from walking straight into a pack of goblins to messing up some basic tying of knots. It could have been worse, she supposed. At least the shaman hadn't managed to escape. Yet, anyways. Delilah looked over at Keeper's attempt to communicate, and quietly placed a hand on the pommel of her sword. She doubted that the shaman would try anything in this scenario, defenseless and outnumbered as he was, but it never hurt to be careful. Although considering how well her other attempts to be careful tonight had gone, she wasn't so certain. Regardless, the halfling kept her gaze trained on the very much excited goblin, ready to intervene or intercept if he tried anything. If she was to be honest, Delilah was hoping that he would. She had been far too much on the defensive during the fight for her liking, and the repeated failures was beginning to grate on her nerves. pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 4, 2016 06:45
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With the final attempts to communicate proving completely useless, the goblin shaman drops to all fours and dashes for the exit. His feet and hands slap against the stone and his breath comes in short, rasping grunts. The cave is too narrow for him to really be able to put any space between himself and you, and is forced to rely on your good nature for his life. He keeps his yellow, beady eyes on the cave mouth and the raging storm outside. As he passes between Delilah and Thora, he closes his eyes. Alone, and with his magical items in your possession, the goblin provides very little threat, but if there are other tribes in the area that will be the first place he goes. Delilah, Thora, you can kill him without a roll or you can let him go.
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Jul 4, 2016 07:38
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 Alain Recovery: 1d6+2 8 Keeper feels (or does he? Does a sentient mass of metal feel anything?) a fluttering gust of wind against his cheek and then the pinprick of tiny claws as The Raven alights on his shoulder. "That was entirely the wrong approach," it says, blandly stating the obvious. "Goblins are a rough, nasty little race. In their short brutish lives they know little beyond cruelty at the hands of their betters. They have a kind of caste system, did you know? The weak serves the strong, unless he manages to poison his master or strangle the breath out of him while he sleeps. Then of course he is the stronger and worthy of being served." The Raven cocks its head to look directly into Keeper's face, its one eye a dark shining little jewel, perfect black and totally unreadable. "Goblins don't understand mercy. You'd have gotten better results if you'd promised to tear his arms from his body if he didn't tell you what you needed to know." Alain, meanwhile, has approached Ludwig (Lydia?) his brows knit with concentration. He has something he wants to say, something sensitive, but he's clearly not used to using his words with any degree of delicacy and the strain of choosing them is giving him a headache. "Ludwig, um, Lydia," he says. "Look, uh, your, that is, your spell, it uh... it did something to your... uh... your... well... um. Look do you, uh, do you want me to fix it? I think I can fix it. The matrix is not as fully formed as a proper spell effect, it should just be a matter of disrupting core array with a targeted incantation to collapse the thing into the surrounding aether and then you'll, you'll... uh, well. Look. Um. Do you want me to fix it or not?" Baby Babbeh fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Jul 26, 2016 |
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Jul 4, 2016 21:18
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter Without hesitation, Delilah cuts down the shaman as he attempts to speed by between herself and Thora, disappointed but not surprised. Perhaps it was better this way; if left alive, who knows what kind of damage he could have caused to the village? Still, she wished they had gotten something out of him at least. If luck wasn't to be on their side, then any information at all could have proved useful, if not vital. No point in fretting about that now, she thought. Just gotta work twice as hard to make up for it. "Well, that could have gone better. Mind helping me move these bodies, Thora? Probably don't want these in our resting area. Unless anybody else has any ideas for them...?" Though the question was worded generally, the halfling's eyes were aimed towards the crow perched on Keeper's shoulders. She wasn't certain what the bird ate, if anything. Other than it having some kind of connection to Alain, she knew very little about the creature at all. Not that she cared to know, really, as it certainly made no efforts to endear itself. pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 5, 2016 00:06
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 Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin "... oh. Oh. Thank you. Yes, let's... let's deal with this." Thora tries to shake off the indecision that stayed her hand. Mercy is a difficult subject for the warriors of the Great Gold Wyrm -- how does one balance the need to do as little harm as possible in the world, to stem the tide of suffering, and the concerns of safety? There were already goblins fleeing; would the addition of the shaman to their numbers have mediated whatever they told their tribes, or just increased the chance of dangerous reprisal? She just hadn't known, hadn't been able to make a decision, and Delilah had made it for her. There was so much left to learn, and she'd have to learn it quickly. Setting down her hammer and shield to free her hands, Thora steps towards the bodies. "Best to bury them, I'd think, if we have the tools. I don't know what goblins do with their dead. We can't exactly burn them in this cave, and going outside for it isn't really an option..." Of course, they could probably just be thrown outside, but that felt wrong. Perhaps goblins didn't have much dignity, but rotting goblins in front of the cave would surely attract unwanted attention. And, of course, there would be a smell. Oh, yes, what an adventure they were having. pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 5, 2016 04:17
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The Raven The bird on Keeper's shoulder swivels its head toward Delilah in that jerky sort of way that birds do, too fast to catch the movement so it simply seems to pop into a new alignment. "Appreciate the thought," it says. "But goblin doesn't agree with me. The meat is quite gamey and it tastes rather worse than it smells, if you can believe that." Baby Babbeh fucked around with this message at 18:59 on Jul 5, 2016 |
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Jul 5, 2016 09:39
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The corpses are dealt with, the cave is cleansed. The wind doesn't cease that night. The rain falls hard and thick and heavy. Some of you sleep, others do not. By the time the sun rises, the storm has passed. With the summer sun breaking through the gaps in the trees outside your path further along the riverbed feels a little less daunting once more. Birds sing and animals scuffle around in the undergrowth. There are some droplets of rain left on the leaves and bark of the forest, and the moss growing on the logs and stones is soggy. However, when you stand beside the river it is as dry as ever. The dirt at its base is darker than it was yesterday, and the dry dust that had blown along it is gone, but there is not a single trickle passing through. The situation back home will be very temporarily better, but unless there are nightly storms, the situation needs dealing with quickly. Surveying the land, you come to the conclusion that there are three different paths available. You can continue along the river itself, but the ground is uneven and not intended for travel. You could find a more even and travelled path through the woodlands. Alternatively, you could attempt to navigate through the woods to a rocky outcrop bursting through the threes some way away. It is a mossy, sapling covered mound which punctures the sky like a large, dull arrowhead. The first choice is the most thorough, and probably most direct route to whatever might be stopping the water. The second choice is easier and safer than the first, but may take longer. The third choice is out of your way, but would provide a vantage point that may help identify what is stopping the water from running long before you have to deal with the cause. It is time to make a decision.
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Jul 5, 2016 10:31
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 The gnome hasn't slept all that well. Alain's honest concern had touched Lydia as much as his explanation had gone over her head, and while she felt entirely normal, it was plain to see that the rest of the group was absolutely sure she'd changed in some way. So she had allowed him to "fix it", whatever "it" was, partly to calm his own nerves and partly, well, just to be on the safe side. Afterwards, Ludwig felt as perfectly fine as before and said as much, and then laughed until he couldn't breathe when the group explained what had happened from their point of view. That exhiliaration gave way to not a little amount of worry later in the night, when Ludwig lay awake and thought about how strange it was that the magic could mess with his head that much. Changing gender was one thing, but immediately forgetting he had ever been any different... it brought up the nasty question what else there might have been in the past that he had simply forgotten. So now Ludwig is squinting at the sun and catches up with the group discussing their options. He listens a while to the pros and cons of each one, then pulls out a coin. "Well, I'll make this easy on myself and go with what you lot decide, but if you want a vote from me, then heads means following the riverbed, tails means we find a safer route. Time's pressing, after all." He flips the coin in the air... Coin Flip... with a twist (1-heads, 2-tails, 3-unforeseen outcome): 1d3 3 ... and blankly watches it twirl in the air, catching the sunlight as it rises higher and higher, steadily gaining speed until it disappears from view. "That's how it is, is it," he mutters. "Well, I guess I say we go up that hill and see what we can see. You know, for my money."
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Jul 5, 2016 18:39
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Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric Keeper had to admit to himself that existence had definitely taken a turn for the interesting since setting out from the Vale. Case in point, while he was aware of the existence of talking animals, he was now aware that they could in fact instill a sense of existential dread in his higher functions. Perhaps it was sentience unfettered by the preconception of a bipedal form? In any case, Raven had been filed under Continued Observation Needed. He also had to admit that fully knowing that one’s free will was merely a second-order effect of his self-preservation and information-gathering drives leaves an impact on one’s decision-making process. He ran the variables through the Tactical Matrix, which threw an error at the sight of Ludwig’s coin-trick. “Hmmm, yes. While Mister Ludwig’s means are a bit… unorthodox, I must admit that having a vantage point over which to survey the area has certain tactical advantages. As we discovered last night, the wilderlands seem to start closer to the Vale than I thought, and it wouldn’t do to wander into another ambush. Unless the outcropping is itself an ambush. Hmmmm.” pre:Keeper Stats Battle/At-will* Daily HP 27/30 [] Spirits of the Righteous [ ] Bless AC 19 [ ] Javelin of Faith* [ ] Shield of Faith PD 14 [ ] Racial: Never Say Die* MD 13 [][] Heal [ ] Invocation of Lore Rec. 6/8 (1d8+3) [ ] Invocation of Community MBA 1d20+3; 1d6+2 [ ] Invocation of Healing
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Jul 6, 2016 01:08
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin Thora had slept acceptably, once she'd slept; it had taken a bit to calm her nerves after the burial, and longer to inspect her armor to make sure no serious damage had been done, but afterwards she slept like a stone. Like the dead, to use the human expression, unpleasant though it was. She felt alive now, at least, if not at her best. She would go on, and so would her companions. Ludwig was himself again, which was at least going to cause a bit less confusion... even if his coin trick managed to cause a bit more. Where in the world did he get all this? "I was thinking that way myself," said Thora quietly, already cautious for what might be watching or listening. "Those goblins had to go somewhere. If there are camps nearby, I'd rather know before we stumble upon them. I'd rather have as few surprises as possible... are we all in condition to climb the ridge? I'd rather stay together, but if anyone's not feeling capable..." pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 6, 2016 04:14
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter Her energy already spent from both the fighting and finishing the burials with Thora, Delilah hadn't gotten nearly as much rest as she wanted or needed; while it was unlikely that the two goblins who had escaped would return, it didn't stop the halfling from sleeping with one eye open the whole night. So it was with more irritation than she had intended when she put in, "Sure we can afford the detour? Time ain't exactly our friend here. I mean, sure there's all that rainwater from yesterday, but who knows how long it'll last? And even then, maybe the villagers survive, but what about crops and the like?" After a moment and taking a deep breath, she resumed. "Not that going through the river seems all that smart either. So guess I'm voting the woodlands path then." pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 6, 2016 15:22
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Alain Alain slept well and he had woken feeling rested and a bit more prepared for the road ahead. This was one of his great gifts: No matter where he was, no matter what happened, he never had any issue falling asleep. The passage from consciousness to unconsciousness was immediate, like a candle being snuffed out, and he slept as a dead thing sleeps, in a stillness where dreams rarely intruded. It had been a great comfort to him on many cold nights in the deep woods, when the night was dark and home seemed very far away. When the discussion turns to which path to take, he deliberates for longer than the others. Each option seems bad for different reasons. On the other hand, each option also seemed good for several reasons. Keeping all of those pros and cons in his head at once so he could compare them was a lot of work, and he needed to concentrate. Finally, he turns to The Raven and says, "What do you think?" "I'm all for not wandering into an ambush, but you shouldn't read too much into the presence of goblins," it replies. "That had all the makings of a scouting party, which means they might be as far from their homes as we are. That being the case, we probably gain more from speed than we do by taking a major detour to get the lay of the land. So I say keep it simple, a straight shot up the river and we're done before they can send a real war band to deal with us." Alain nods. "Yeah. Keep it simple. I think so too," he says. He makes a complicated little gesture with his hand, and suddenly he's holding Ludwig's coin in his fingers. He hands it back to the jester, grinning sheepishly.
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Jul 6, 2016 19:46
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Ludwig "Haha! Next Harvest festival, you're coming on stage with me, buddy!" Ludwig briefly considers flipping the coin again before he pockets it, but then decides no - fate has made its opinion on the matter quite clear. Who knows how that's gonna manifest if he tries to press the matter again.
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Jul 7, 2016 12:35
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin "Mm. Yes, there's something to be said for simple speed... the riverbank, then? It may not be easy travel, but we don't have much time to lose, and if it's too hard going, we can divert to the woodlands. Of course, if anyone isn't feeling capable of hard travel... well, that changes things." pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 8, 2016 02:07
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter Pleased by the direction the discussion was taking, though a little surprised that Alain was willing to go along, Delilah nodded at Thora's suggestion. "Right, right, if everyone else is fine with it then I'm happy to head up the riverbank. Heck, can carry anyone who gets tired if I have to. Well, maybe not Keeper, but Alain doesn't look like he weighs much." pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 8, 2016 03:41
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Having settled on the riverbank as the best most sensible path, you begin the arduous but direct journey towards what you hope will explain the lack of water. The ground is surprisingly hard to traverse, being made up of a combination of loosely packed earth, salt residue and stone. It is tiring, but no doubt quicker than hacking a path through the undergrowth, and certainly more direct than heading in the perpendicular direction in order to scout things out. After half a day of travel you are drawing nearer and nearer to the mountains, and you have seen nothing of note. The weather looks as if it will stay clear, which is a blessing, but your little trip out into the woods is beginning to look like more than you were expecting. Up ahead the mountain claws at the summer sky like a talon of stone and ice. There are undoubtedly larger and more impressive mountains in the world, but this is the largest and most impressive anywhere near Summer Vale. It strikes you once again how arduous the journey will become if the problem with the water supply is near the river's source. In such a case, this may be a job for real adventurers. Some of you aren't sure that you fit that description. It is early afternoon when you see the tracks in the riverbed. They are strange - at first you think perhaps two men and one man on a horse, then perhaps a man on a horse leading cattle and sheep. They appear at strange and random points, crossing the river, crossing back. The grass around the river is chewed up and churned where a group have climbed in and out just as you have. An hour later you find it. In the riverbed lays the body of a creature you have never seen before, but you suspect you know what it is. The troll's corpse is seven foot tall and four foot wide. Its body is bruised and beaten. Three completely mismatched crossbow bolts protrude from its shoulder and there is a shortsword embedded in its flank. The neck stops in a jagged wound and severl yards away the troll's green head sits atop a spear driven into the ground. There is a discarded shield, snapped in half on the floor beside it and a flag bearing a bloody hand print hanging from a tree. What do you do?
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Jul 8, 2016 08:09
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Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric “Oh my, that’s certainly… unexpected? And while I doubt that this is the source of the issue, Sanitation Protocol requires that we remove corpses from the common waterway. I recommend caution, groups allied with certain… unsavory powers are known to use such symbology.” Keeper slowly approaches the corpse, arm reconfiguring to expose the prayer emitter in an almost instinctual response. Data is feed into the Tactical Module, and it struggles a bit to bring coherence with such little in the way of obvious threats. Track spacing and distribution. Wound pattern, spacing, and ichor release. Manufacturing details of the items left behind. It all churns inside of Keeper’s local combobulation unit as he attempts to deliver useful information to his companions. Can Keeper recognize anything important? Lorekeepering the Riverbed Scene: 1d20+5 19 (plus stat) pre:Keeper Stats Battle/At-will* Daily HP 27/30 [] Spirits of the Righteous [ ] Bless AC 19 [ ] Javelin of Faith* [ ] Shield of Faith PD 14 [ ] Racial: Never Say Die* MD 13 [][] Heal [ ] Invocation of Lore Rec. 6/8 (1d8+3) [ ] Invocation of Community MBA 1d20+3; 1d6+2 [ ] Invocation of Healing
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Jul 9, 2016 02:18
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Ludwig The gnome has jumped into a bush almost before he knew himself he was going to. When there doesn't seem to be any immediate danger, he warily pokes his head out, looking left and right and all around. "It is... actually dead, is it? I mean, yes," he adds, gesturing towards the severed head, "but you hear stories, you know? Just be careful getting close." "Big green troll - probably - , big green troll... come on, come on..." he mutters to himself trying to remember if he knows anything about these creatures. And if yes, trying to remember that, as well. After all, wizards write down all kinds of things besides spells. Maybe there's a margin note on trolls or unsettling bloody hand imagery buried somewhere. He's hoping for something like "strictly solitary." Does Ludwig know anything pertinent about trolls or the bloody hand symbol? Living Spellbook: 1d20+3 12 plus stat
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Jul 9, 2016 08:12
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Assessing the area, Keeper and Ludwig attempt to make sense of the hideous scene before them. Keeper, you stare at the prints in the earth, attempting to make sense of the seemingly random chaos. Then it strikes you. Why make sense of them? Why apply logic in a chaotic and random world. Beastmen. These are likely the tracks of the warped animal men who live in the deep woods of the world. They are part animal, part human, with the instincts and drives of beasts and the hearts and minds of men. They care little for civilisation and the cares of the Archmage, Emperor and High Priestess mean nothing to them. However, they pledge loyalty to The High Druid and consider themselves very much part of her domain. Many hunt monsters with a reckless and hungry need. Ludwig knows little of trolls, though he remember enough to be afraid. Trolls are vicious, brutal in their violence, and nearly universally loathed. Some consider them cousins of goblins, others think they are the descendents of cursed orcs. This is not the sort of enemy you were expecting to encounter so close to Summer Vale. You also recall something about regenerative abilities, that they fight far longer and harder than they should unless damaged in certain ways. These sorts of things are probably wisdom checks. Assessing or remembering details would be in my opinion, though you could argue intelligence for the latter. In the distance you hear a deep, rumbling bellow that sends flocks of birds flying into the sky above the forest.
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Jul 9, 2016 15:48
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter At the forgeborn's words, Delilah set to work attempting to push the troll's corpse from the riverbed. Didn't need it polluting the river once they got the water flowing again, after all. And while it was a large and very heavy creature, she was far stronger than your average halfling. Really, when it was the body was all stiff like this, it was hardly any different than removing fallen trees from the fields in a way. Of course, trees hardly smelled so bad and reeked of blood, but the theory was the same. Moving the troll's corpse aside Farmer's Daughter: 1d20+9 26 Grunting from the effort, she afterwards placed a foot against the troll, trying to pull out the shortsword from its side. While she had gotten accustomed to her preferrred blade, it never hurt to keep a sidearm in the off-chance that she needed it. if she didn't, then she could always turn it back in for one of the other guards to use. As she did, the loud rumbling from afar gave her pause, and a wry grin spread across her face. "That don't sound good. Think we should investigate?" pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 9, 2016 17:18
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Ludwig "I think we should investigate the fastest way away from whatever that was, yes. Might have been that one's mate, and I don't want to stick around and see what happens if it finds this. Probably gonna put the head back on and whoops, now there's two again. Besides, it's not gonna help the Vale if we wander off and become some thing's meal."
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Jul 10, 2016 17:49
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Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric Keeper’s surprised gasp at the Archive’s return is drowned out by the bellow. “I don’t think running is an option Master Ludwig, I believe the woods may harbor bands of beastmen. Strong enough to do that.” I indicate the corpse Delilah is pushing aside. “If we encounter such a group in our flight, unless we can convince them that we too serve the High Druid there is a strong possibility they would see us as threats. A steady advance, with heightened situational awareness, may be our best option to avoid blundering to unnecessary combat situations. I would recommend stealth, but I do not believe we have the appropriate skillset.”
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Jul 10, 2016 21:38
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin Delilah didn't seem to need help hauling the troll corpse, but Thora stood by just in case she did -- it was, under the circumstances, the least she could do. At Ludwig's words, she paused. "... The head can be replaced? And the troll wakes up? Should we keep it farther away? We could bury them separately, but that'd take time, and I think I agree with Keeper. We should be ready for whatever's going to happen, but we should keep moving. I don't think there's any way we can convince wild beastmen that we're their allies, not with... all the metal we're wearing. And that Keeper's made of." She glances again at the troll's head. Really, they can come back from that? pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 11, 2016 05:53
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Deciding the bellowing note from the forest is probably more danger than it is worth, you drive ever onward. Although it is hard to exactly track your progress through the woods, you find yourselves impressed with the distance covered. Sticking to the riverbed lets you cut directly through a lot of the thicker undergrowth, even if there are points where the ground grows less even or the prevelence of stones and shells makes for uneven footing. And then you see it. Up ahead. The riverbed suddenly climbs steeply up a short but tightly angled hill and at its peak stands a wooden structure. Thick logs, stripped and shoved together into a makeshift wall, cross the entire length of the riverbed. Thick black tar has been painted over the face, plugging the gaps and making the wall entirely waterproof. The structure seems well built and robust from where you stand, but it seems impossible that such a dam would hold the river for long. Likewise, there is no overflow - no visible flooding. You hear no rushing water from the other side. An ugly brutish creature with thick bottle-green skin stands atop the dam, a rusted spear in his hands. It is hard to tell from the distance, but the orc is maybe 6 feet tall and though his thick with muscle, he is very much a local variant of orc. Short yellowing tusks jut from his bottom lip and piggy red eyes glare out over a dribbling snout. He glances around the woods with disinterest, occasionally picking at his spear or stomping on the dam as if to test its strength. Something about this dam isn't quite right. The orc atop it appears to be on guard duty, there are likely others very close by. What do you do?
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Jul 11, 2016 17:11
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Alain "Something about this seems wrong. If this is a dam, where's the water? And what are orcs doing building a dam, anyway? They aren't known for their skills in civil engineering" The bird on Alain's shoulder hisses. "We need to know what that Orc knows before we proceed." "Yeah," Alain says, staring off at the brutish figure on the dam. "But... I've heard naught of orcs but that they kill everything that crosses their path. And... that don't look friendly. We can't exactly ask him to tell us what he's doing here and where the water went." "Yes we can," the bird insists. "You can make him tell us." For a long moment, the woodcutter's son registers no comprehension. But then his eyes widen in horror. "What? No! I can't! That's... that's... that magic is..." "...It's a tool, just like anything else. You think manipulating a mind is any different than summoning fire or mending knife? A fire can burn and a knife can cut. A mind can be turned toward evil thoughts or it can... be turned toward more productive enterprise." "But... it... frightens me, making decisions for folk like that." "THAT is not folk, Al. THAT is an orc, and it's squatting on our river, choking off our water and killing our crops. Do you want Summer Vale to starve? More to the point, do you want to kill that orc? Because that's what it will come down to, I guarantee. It will spot us and it will attack, and we'll defend ourselves, and it'll die or we'll die and we'll be in the same position we are now, only with less knowledge. Or you can use your power, and end this peacefully." The bird spreads its wings dramatically, puffing its feathers. "When there is conflict such as ours there can be no other outcome. One side submits, or one side bleeds. Blood or submission, Al. That's the choice you're making. No less. This magic... it's a kindness. It's a mercy." Alain sighs. He clearly doesn't like what he's about to do, but the bird makes a good point. He begins to chant, in a low and resonant voice. As the spell goes on, a white mist begins to gather about him and the sounds of the outside world begin to hush. In the quiet you can hear other voices, inhuman voices, repeating the words and many others, growing in volume and urgency. They reach a crescendo as the spell concludes, and the mist shoots toward the orc and spills into it's mouth, it's eyes, and it's ears, filling them to the brim. Charm Person on Orc Guard: 1d20+3 19 Baby Babbeh fucked around with this message at 23:21 on Jul 19, 2016 |
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Jul 11, 2016 19:52
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The orc freezes as the magical mist fills its body. It stands atop the wooden dam, momentarily still as if beguiled by some unseen image in the sky, then slumps slightly to a more casual stance. It turns, red eyes taking on a less aggressive sheen. There is a moment where it seems to wobble on its feet, then it leaps down from the dam with a hulking jump. Dust kicks up around its feet as it slowly makes its way over, smiling a vicious grin. It drags its spear like a child might drag a blanket, not at all like a weapon. "My friend, it is good to see you," it snarls in a deep, gravelly voice. He speaks to Alain, but he takes you all in one by one, nodding shortly to you in greeting. From over by the dam you hear another snarl. "Vajak, where the hell are you? Vajak? VAJAK you bloody oaf!" More orcs, some bigger, some smaller than the one before you, pour onto the dam with their weapons drawn. It appears they have noticed their guard missing, but Vajak pays them absolutely no attention. They stare over and see their companion, talking amicably with you and all of them freeze, seemingly not quite sure to make of the situation. "Ignore them," he grunts. "They are bad. They are mean and ugly. They are fools." One of the other orcs clambers haflway down the dam, then drops himself the rest of the way and begins approaching cautiously. He carries a mace in his calloused hands. "Vajak...." he asks, before grumbling something in orcish. Not quite sure how to play charm person with this one, so we'll do it like this. You've got a few moments to talk to the charmed orc before his friends attack, but there's probably going to be a fight. If so, he's going to sit it out and fight for neither side. Feel free to attack and roll for initiative, or get some information from Vajack and then run into the forest.
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Jul 11, 2016 23:48
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter A dam? She had never heard of one being built all this way upstream before. Was it new, old, relevant? Delilah knew little to nothing about orcs, but she didn't think them the type to be builders. Or were they? "Oi, Vajak is it? Did you and your lot make this hunk of wood?" She gestured toward the slowly approaching pack with her sword, already beginning to try and take count of their number. Just how many were there? Half a dozen? More? "First goblins, a troll, beastmen, now this? We really know how to find trouble, huh?" Grumbling more for complaining's sake than anything else, Delilah hunched low, preparing herself if the orcs came rushing in. Want to ready a melee swing against the first hostile orc coming at us. If I can only ask or ready, then I want to ask. pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 12, 2016 01:12
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Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric Orcs. Barbarians to the core, but still with a low cunning and the loose trappings of a society. More dangerous than goblins, but perhaps more likely to listen to reason? Alain has given us an opening with his spell, perhaps it could be capitalized upon. They’ll fight us if we don’t try, so its worth a shot. I take a few steps forward and address the other orcs with open arms. “Greetings neighbors! We are explorers, seeking the source of the River of Summer Dreams. Might we parley, perhaps share hospitality? I’m sure that we would be able to aid each other, for instance I’m a licensed priest and skilled in the healing arts. What say you?” A Quiet Word on the Orcs: 1d20+4 23(+stat) pre:Keeper Stats Battle/At-will* Daily HP 27/30 [] Spirits of the Righteous [ ] Bless AC 19 [ ] Javelin of Faith* [ ] Shield of Faith PD 14 [ ] Racial: Never Say Die* MD 13 [][] Heal [ ] Invocation of Lore Rec. 6/8 (1d8+3) [ ] Invocation of Community MBA 1d20+3; 1d6+2 [ ] Invocation of Healing
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Jul 12, 2016 02:25
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin The others seemed to have the talking under control, and frankly, Thora figured she was better off focusing on the dam and the potential danger than thinking too deeply about whatever it was Alain had done to... Vajak? The orc. (It was strange to think of orcs having names, but they were people of the world, not simply a threat to it. Weren't they? That was a fact to meditate about, sometime when she had the time and freedom to meditate.) Besides, the structure of the dam had caught her interest. Wood wasn't her or her family's specialty, but even so, it seemed obvious that it simply wouldn't work -- not half as well as it appeared to be working. There was a trick here. Perhaps it was magic, perhaps it was engineering, but it was a trick, and they'd have to know it if they intended to see it torn down. They would, of course, see it torn down. However the chat with Vajak went, the structure he guarded would not stand. Thora had promised as much, and now she just had to figure out how best to fulfill that promise. Rolling my Daughter of the Hraskens background, which involves a certain amount of building/architecture knowledge, to try and figure out what the deal is with this dam: Figure out the orcish dam engineering: 1d20+4 19 That's with Wisdom. If this is more of an Int roll, that's an 18. pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 12, 2016 04:44
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Vajack nods slowly at Delilah, briefly seeming to comprehend that something isn't entirely right, then shrugging it off. "Yeah, yeah, it took a long time. We had to drag the tree trunks over one at a time whilst we cleared a patch of woods. Most of the cutting had down had been done for us though, there's a lumber mill not far from here, abandoned now, but the wood was still good." As Keeper extends his arms peacefully, the approaching orcs slow but do not stop. One atop the dam slowly and deliberately notches an arrow in his bow and levels it for you. Those running over stay just out of attack range, but they are close. Their skin varies in colour from mossy and bright to almost black, but all are tall, broad and muscular. They carry an earthy scent with them that makes you think of swamplands, but it is nowhere near as bad as the stories and legends of wild orcs would have you believe. "You want the reason there's no water, then its your lucky day," one of them snarls. His fangs are the biggest of the group, thicker and longer, reaching almost up to his snout. "There's nothing to parley about though, tin can. We don't need no stinking healing, and we don't need your hospitality. We need one thing and one thing only - your gold. We're holding the river to ransom. Thats right. That dam might not look like much, but it'll hold. Maybe not forever, but long after your sleepy little town is gone!" He claps his large hands. "Dead! So pay the ransom and we'll blow this thing up ourselves. 1000 gold coins and we'll be away and out of your 'air forever." "Ere, look at thems clothes," one says. "I don't think they're got that sort of money." "Well... then they should go back and get it then. That was always the plan anyway." "They saids thems adventurers. If they aint got the money now, they aint going to go and get it. If the mayor gives them 1000 gold coins, then the'll just run off wiv it!" The other orcs are watching with interest, but looking over you, they do not seem hopeful. Tensions are slowly running higher. The orc with the arrow aimed over at you twitches and shuffles his weight uncomfortably. Thora, you take one look at the dam with the eyes of an architect and immediately determine the whole thing is a sham. Magic or engineering could have this effect, but with no water overflowing, no flooding of the forest valleys, and no trickling streams sneaking through, you come to another conclusion. There is no water on the other side. This plan to extort money from the town is a sham and its not a particularly good one. Whatever is stopping the river is happening further up the riverbed and these opportunists are not responsible.
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Jul 13, 2016 00:08
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin With diplomacy clearly breaking down and the orcs already having made their demands, Thora sees no need to stay silent. "You're bluffing. You've done good work with this dam, but it's not blocking anything, is it? You found a dry riverbed with a village downstream and decided to try your luck. Leave now and we'll let you go peacefully, but don't think your extortion will work." pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 13, 2016 00:20
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter For a tense second, Delilah's jaw locks tight, and her sword begins to raise. Not only had they stopped the water, but they had the gall to threaten them further? Try and extort them? A growl rises without even thinking, when Thora's voice quickly cuts through the air. "A bluff...? You think this is some kinda joke, you godsdamned bastards?" She spits on the ground between the group and the orcs, chest heaving. Just who in the hells did they think they were? Some greenskinned punks, that was all they were. "You're lucky my friend here's kind enough to let you off easy. So get!" pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 13, 2016 02:42
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Ludwig "Or!" Ludwig cannot believe the nerve of these orcs and he's more than ready to give them a good thumping, but there might yet be a way to turn this around... after all, getting people to like him is literally his job. "Or you lads just come with us. I don't think the whole town has a thousand gold between everyone - I mean, sure, I've got something put away, here and there and everywhere," and with that he appears to pull some coppers and a silver coin from his pocket, behind Thora's ear, and a bush, letting them dance between his fingers, "but it's never going to add up. But I tell you what, whoever did block up the river is bound to have something of value, and if you help us find and deal with them, we can share the spoils, so to speak. And after that, who knows... maybe folks back home start thinking, we could use some riverguards, and if we make a triumphant return and tell everyone we couldn't have done it without these big strong orc lads we met, the job's as good as yours..." Town Jester: 1d20+8 26 - that's including CHA
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Jul 13, 2016 07:39
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The orcs are on the verge of attacking when Ludwig speaks. There is a murmur of curiosity between some of the assembled orcs. Vajack looks ever so slightly uncomfortable at the turn of events, having not raised his weapon. He takes a few steps back and clears his wobbling throat, picking at the earth with the tip of his spear and scratching his barrel of a chest. A fight breaks out, in orcish, between the assembled group. Some of them clearly thinks Ludwig's offer is a trap. Others seem eager to accept the split of the loot that the halfling promises. They gesture to the dam, to the mountain rising in the distance, to the forest, to Ludwig and in the direction of Summer Vale. One particularly large orc throws his swords into the ground so that it stands upright, then stomps over to stand with Vajack. Following his lead, two smaller orcs do the same. "We choose we no fight!" one grunts. "Let God decide." One orc, her skin the colour of seaweed is growing increasingly irate. She is shouted over several times as the discussion escelates until finally she has had enough. She bellows at the sky, spreading her arms wide, rips the larger orcs sword from the ground and charges for you. With a clear path seemingly chosen, the others fall into line and follow. That's a great roll, but these orcs aren't going to fall for that however charismatic you are... not all of them anyway. You've got some assistance and the ranks of this fight have been thinned out a little. Roll for initiative.
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Jul 13, 2016 08:52
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Ludwig The survivors will only be more loyal if they've had to fight their friends for this. All according to plan!  Observing the heated debate, it's obvious not all of the orcs would be charmed by Ludwig's speech. In fact, he's surprised it's working on as many of them as it does. The dam catches his eye, and suddenly he feels a wave of disgust wash over him. These orcs ripped trees from the forest, burnt the lifeblood out of them, and to finish the insult, blocked a waterway with it? They will pay. Thunder rumbles. Initiative & Chaos Magic: 1d20+4 15 1d6 6 - Iconic Iconic Roll: 1d12 7 - The High Druid Only one spell available, but if it hits it's gonna damage two enemies. No miss damage on that one, though! pre:Ludwig Chaos Magic: aadd
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Jul 13, 2016 11:13
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Keeper, Forgeborn Cleric The soft amber glow of Keeper’s eyes go a sickly red at the orc’s demands, and various low hums and whirring noises come from his body. “Threat to Archive-Shrine infrastructure detected. Neutralizing with extreme prejudice.” Initiative: 1d20+1 2 pre:Keeper Stats Battle/At-will* Daily HP 27/30 [] Spirits of the Righteous [ ] Bless AC 19 [ ] Javelin of Faith* [ ] Shield of Faith PD 14 [ ] Racial: Never Say Die* MD 13 [][] Heal [ ] Invocation of Lore Rec. 6/8 (1d8+3) [ ] Invocation of Community MBA 1d20+3; 1d6+2 [ ] Invocation of Healing
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Jul 13, 2016 12:14
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Thora Hrasken, Dwarf Paladin For a second, it seemed like Ludwig's offer might work, and Thora is briefly hopeful. The orcs do seem to have a knack for construction, after all; there'd be plenty of gainful work for them in the village -- And then, of course, it doesn't work. Thora has only a moment to prepare herself, but thankfully she wasn't so hopeful as to entirely override her caution. Initiative: 1d20+1 13 pre:Stats HP 30/33 AC 20 PD 14 MD 14 Rec. 8/9 (1d10+3) MBA 1d20+4; 1d8+3 RBA 1d20+1; 1d6 Battle/At-Will* Daily [ ] Bastion [ ] Hammer of Faith [ ] Divine Domain: Leadership* (1/rd) [x][ ] Bonus Smite Evil Uses [ ] Racial: That's Your Best Shot? [ ] Invocation of Leadership [ ] Smite Evil
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Jul 13, 2016 14:18
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Delilah Heartspring, Halfling Fighter There's no way this was going to work. That was what Delilah had thought as she watched Ludwig parley with the orcs and she was right, to a degree. Yet some them seemed to have seriously considered his offer. She wasn't particularly excited about the prospect of working with orcs, but that would have to be debated another time. Now, they had to deal with those who refused to cooperate. "Gonna enjoy this, I really am." Initiative v. Orcs: 1d20+4 8 pre:Stats HP 29/30 AC 19 PD 14 MD 11 Rec. 6/9 (1d10+2) MBA 1d20+5, 1d8+4 RBA 1d20+4, 1d8+3 Threatening: -3 to disengage checks against me Battle/At-Will* [ ] Shield Bash* (A) [ ] Carve an Opening* [ ] Defensive Fighting* [ ] Racial: Evasive [ ] Tough as Iron [ ] Skilled Intercept* (1/rd) [ ] Counter-Attack* (1/rd)
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Jul 13, 2016 17:29
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