Action Thread #12: The Lower Valley

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf

"I'm ready to charge up there," says Thurinor. "But I suppose it would be wiser for our thief Osborn to stealthily scout?"

At the stairwell the elf clutches crossbow in one hand, vial of acid in the other.

[ChubbyPixie]

"Indeed, yes. Let's do it that way. I'll stealthily scout ahead upstairward, you fighting types be ready to charge up and assist if I call out in a way that sounds like I fear disembowelment," replies Ozborn. He edges through the doorway and begins scouting carefully, prodding here and there carefully, looking for signs of traps, mysterious cracks, steps that wobble, dangling 16 ton weights - the usual stuff.

[ragnboneshopper]

The party prepares to ascend to the next level of the tower, readying weapons and deciding who will go first. At the suggestion that stealth might be of use, Ozborn volunteers to go first, tapping at odd stones and carefully studying even odder ones before tapping at them too. He is not exactly silent as a mouse, but he nevertheless keeps to the shadows like a black cat on a dark night.

Move Silently: [1d100] = 99

Hide in Shadows: [1d100] = 1 (had to post these rolls for you all to see! )

Feeling his way rather clumsily through the dimness, the young rogue finds no traps. At the top of the stairway he peeks around the open doorway and sees a circular room with all kinds of implements, sharp and devious looking, and more cages with little animals in them, some dead and stinking, others cowering in the deep shadows. Off to one side along the wall, keeping watch, obviously alerted to Ozborn's ascent but somehow completely unaware of his actual presence peeking through the doorway, is a frog-woman. She holds an ornamented spear at the ready with gloved hands, and a fine dagger is tucked into her belt. She looks to be a fierce and capable defender.


So I could have PMed this info but since Oz was going to call you if he found trouble, I figure let's not waste time with that. Ozborn can react to what he's seen, and the rest of you can react to anything that Ozborn does to get your attention, whether he creeps back down the stairs or whether he calls out.

As always, please make any attack/damage rolls even if you're not sure they will actually happen...

[Majik]

The party prepares to ascend to the next level of the tower, Fairfax recalling his lack of success with the summoned demon stands close to the mage and prepares to defend him by attacking whatever else this conjurer has set to foil the schemes of rivals and thieves.

In case of battle with the Frog-woman:
[1d20+5] = 1+5 = 6[1d8+6] = 1+6 = 7[1d12+6] = 10+6 = 16

[1d20+5] = 3+5 = 8[1d8+6] = 5+6 = 11[1d12+6] = 10+6 = 16

[Sir Clarence]

OOC: Is Andrin indeed at second place of the marching order as posted in the appropriate thread? In case he is, I'll post what he'll do after entering the tower chamber. If he is among the last coming up, he won't do anything as it's likely too crowded up there to see or act effectively.

Andrin steps aside so the warriors behind him will be able to enter the tower chamber, and casts faerie fire at the frog woman.

[onlyme]

Malone will ascend in order, and guard against any attack on himself. If the frogwoman attacks him, he will slash back. If she doesnt, he will stand down.

To Hit with Halberd: [1d20+3] = 2+3 = 5, Dam(s/m): [1d10+6] = 4+6 = 10, Dam(l): [2d6+6] = 6+6 = 12

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf

Thurinor follows from his rear position. If battle ensues and there is a clear shot, with no chance of mistakenly hitting a comrade, Thurinor will hurl a vial of acid at the fearsome frogress. Otherwise he will let loose the serpent rod on the enemy.

Thurinor acid [1d20+1] = 2+1 = 3

[ChubbyPixie]

If the frog woman looks to be of the vicious, evil type, like the one from the basement, Ozborn will try to fire off a surprise volley from the shadows, then call for the others:

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 12+3 = 15, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 5

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 5+3 = 8, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 7

If she looks more like their frog "friend" waiting outside, he'll cover her with his bow, then say, "Lay down your spear! We have you surrounded. Not literally, of course, since that is spacially impossible given the layout of this tower, but there are a lot of us and one of you. The demon is dead!"

[saalaria]

If Oz calls for help, Swlibosh rushes up the stairs ready to fight.

Battle Axe To Hit [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12 Damage [1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10

[ragnboneshopper]

Round 1

party Initiative: [1d6] = 4; Monster Initiative: [1d6] = 1 PC's go first; frog lady second...

Seeing that the frog woman is intent on combatting anything that comes through the door, her eyes flashing dangerously, Ozborn steps forth and lets loose a single arrow before she can do anything. The arrow flies true but, almost impossibly, the frog woman dodges the missile at the last second! Ozborn calls out for his companions then, who rush up the stairs to his aid even while he lets off another arrow, but this one flies way off target.

Andrin arrives first of Ozborn's companions and casts faerie fire while allowing the rest of the party to rush past him. As they converge on the frog woman, the druid's spell takes affect and she is outlined in a glowing nimbus of magical light.

Despite the help of Andrin's spell, Thurinor hurls a bottle of acid nearly harmlessly at the wall, hurting nothing except a work bench, the acid starting to eat a hole into the wood.

Fairfax steps in front of Thurinor to guard him and manages a couple of feinting attacks, but does not manage to hurt the frog woman, who deftly parries with her spear. Malone likewise tries to damage her from afar with his halberd, but cannot bring his weapon adequately to bear.

Even the fearsome Swilbosh, axe in hand, cannot damage the swiftly moving frog lady, as she dances out of the way of every attack. "You are no warriors!" she says, and makes her own vicious attack with her spear, catching the lizard man in the shoulder (3 damage). "You would be wise to leave this tower now, before my mistress does away with you."

[1d20+1] = 19+1 = 20
Spear damage: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

The frog woman backs away as you advance, holding a position that keeps you from easily getting by her to the stairs leading up to the tower's fourth and final floor.


Since there were stairs to climb to reach the battle and limited space to fight in, I'm going to say that Ogirdor and Stonjuz are following along behind the rest of you. I'll NPC them into the action next round, or you can shout instructions if you have particular ideas for them. Next actions? Swilbosh is closely engaged in melee, Fairfax and Malone are somewhat behind, and those of you casting or hurling missiles this round are clustered around the doorway. There are a couple work tables in the middle of the room that make it hard to get at the frog woman with more than three of you in melee at a time. On the other hand, the tables give clear avenues for hurling more missiles at her (reduced chance of friendly fire, 25%).

The field of battle looks something like this:


...........FW...........
......[t]..Sw..[t]..Fa
Ma..[a].......[a].....
...............Th
......[l]..Oz..[l]......
An..[e]..Og..[e]..St

[saalaria]

The Lizardman takes a big swing at the creature's head:

Battle Axe To Hit [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14 Damage [1d8+2] = 4+2 = 6

[Sir Clarence]

Andrin watches the battle from behind, ready to help out if necessary.

[onlyme]

Malone stays to the leftward edge, to allow the missiles to come in clear.
He will swat with his halberd, doing nothing more than stirring dust on the floor, apparently.

To Hit with Halberd: [1d20+3] = 3+3 = 6, Dam(s/m): [1d10+6] = 10+6 = 16, Dam(l): [2d6+6] = 12+6 = 18

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf

"Kill the kermit," says Thurinor, using the elf word for frog. He throws down the serpent rod to unleash the snake upon the frogstrosity.

He fires his crossbow at her.

Crossbow to-hit: [1d20+1] = 18+1 = 19; Damage S-M/L: [1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2/[1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5. Is she Large size?

[ChubbyPixie]

Ozborn will take a chance, against his better judgement, and try to shoot around Swilbosh when he sees an opening. "Cover your good eye, Swilbosh!" he yells before letting loose.

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 6+3 = 9, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 4

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 13+3 = 16, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 8

So with Faerie Fire that should be an 11 and an 18, respectively. If the second one doesn't hit (pleasenotswilbosh, pleasenotswilbosh) I suggest promptly running away?

[Majik]

Seeing Ozborn shoot into melee combat, Fairfax holds back level with or behind the archer.

[saalaria]

Ozborn will take a chance, against his better judgement, and try to shoot around Swilbosh when he sees an opening. "Cover your good eye, Swilbosh!" he yells before letting loose.

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 6+3 = 9, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 4

To hit w/ Short Bow, sheaf arrows: [1d20+3] = 13+3 = 16, damage (s/m/L): [1d8] = 8

So with Faerie Fire that should be an 11 and an 18, respectively. If the second one doesn't hit (pleasenotswilbosh, pleasenotswilbosh) I suggest promptly running away?

Yoinks! He's running out of eyes!

[ragnboneshopper]

Round 2

party Initiative: [1d6] = 5; Monster Initiative: [1d6] = 4 PCs go first! Just barely...

Thurinor tosses the rod of the serpent to the floor, uttering the dwarvish command word, and the rod begins to grow into snake form once again.

By this time, Ozborn is already trying to pepper the frog woman with arrows. One hits, and the other flies up and over the heads of all those in melee. (8 damage! Friendly fire roll was 48, well above the 25% mark...) The frog woman reels back a step, the arrow in her side having pierced her ribs.

Thurinor adds his own crossbow shot, which rips through the flesh of her arm. She reels but levels her spear once more, maintaining a fighting stance.

But the frog woman cannot withstand Swilbosh's ferocious attack. The lizard man's battle axe sinks deep, splintering through her shoulder, and she falls with a look of amazement in her bulging eyes, breathing her last. At this Malone waves his halberd in the air without gusto, yet another bloody battle over as quickly as it started. The snake slithers over toward the body, its tongue flicking in and out with serpentine interest. The frog woman still grips the spear in gloved hands, a magnificent-looking dagger tucked into her belt.

Fairfax's eye is drawn to these weapons. They bear the marks of his people, the Kharg horse lords...


Well, that's that. I thought she might give you a good fight, but the faerie fire really made a difference. What next?

[Majik]

Fairfax slowly moves to get abetter look at the items, "These bear the marks of my people, the Kharg horse lords, will try to recall in what way they might be significant to us."

at this point I will tell the party whateverit is that Fairfax is supposed to know. :p

[saalaria]

Swilbosh casts his eye round the room for any other enemies or exits.

Did the stairs carry on up the tower too?