[Completed] Corvin/Mordred/Kasper Adventure 1: Battleaxe Gang

[archolewa]

Is there is broom, or similar, in the kitchen? Corvin has find traps, so he could move down with the broom (if there is one), checking

There is. There is also a long boar spear in Hrek's room.

[shaidar]

Corvin will go and grab the spear and use that to check as we decend.

[archolewa]

80 minutes left on Protection from Evil

The group creep slowly down the stairs, Corvin tapping against the floors, walls, and ceiling with the spear, occasionally pausing to study a suspicious crack in the floor, or pausing to stare at flickering shadows on the walls, looking for the telltale holes of dart or arrow traps.

As they descend the spiral staircase, a faint orange flicker bathes the walls in front of them, as from distant torches or candles. When they reach the base of the stairs, the floor a foot or so away from the last step flexes under Corvin's spear, and they get the faintest whiff of rotting meat, and an icy dread.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Using the spear Corvin tests the 'flexible floor' left and right to see how wide it is and then tries to determine how far it goes away from them.

[archolewa]

There looks to be a stretch of solid floor along the right wall, that looks wide enough for a person to walk on comfortably, though there isn't quite enough room to fight, without risking stepping on the trap door. As Corvin eases along the strip of solid floor, pushing on the trap door, he determines the trap door is about 10 feet long.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin continues to move along the strip of solid ground alongside the trap-door until he gets to the far side. As he goes he uses the pole to check the ground in front of him and at the point the spear reaches beyond the extent of the trap-door he starts to check the floor beyond, hoping to establish a safe area they can regroup on.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

Mordred waits for Corvin to give the go ahead, and then will follow along the same route, and around the trapdoor.

[archolewa]

The floor beyond the trap door seems safe. However, the wall on Corvin's right falls away into an open room. It appears that the stairs open into a small alcove which contains the trapdoor. If the group tries to move fully past the trapdoor and regroup, they will emerge from the alcove and into the larger room.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin will peer around the corner to the right, trying to be as quiet as he can be with a long spear and torch.

[archolewa]

65 minutes left on Protection from Evil

Corvin, careful to keep his torch behind him, carefully peers around the corner. An open room fades away into the dimness, very faintly lit by flickering candlelight. He can make out the dim shapes of four fluted columns, hung with dark colored curtains, perhaps red or purple, though it is difficult to tell in the dim light, the curtains cutting off much of the view of the room. A circle of black candles light up the center of the room, about fifteen feet away. Their light is almost harsh compared to the dimness of the rest of the space. In the center of the circle rises a towering, eight foot tall bronze statue. Corvin's eyes slide right off the statue, his entire being recoiling in a foreign horror, and he cannot bring himself to look directly at it. The statue is of a tall man, holding a goblet in one hand, and a decapitated head in the other. A headless body lays at his feet. His head is adorned with a twisted five-pointed crown.

None can see it and fail to recognize it. It is the Kinslayer, in the moment after he slew Cornucopia and drank her blood, infusing himself with her power and announcing his true nature to all the world.

A figure kneels before the statue, chanting in some inhuman language, in an inhuman voice. The words are so high-pitched they sting Corvin's ears, even as their low pitch rumble in his chest. The sounds crawl across his skin like a thousand ants, and his tongue dries between his teeth.

Hide in Shadows for Corvin: 1d20+3 = 18 < 20. The chanting stops. The figure stands, and turns. Their face is obscured by a mask of some kind, though Corvin cannot make out the details in the darkness.

"Who dares?" the figure calls in an all-too-human female voice. "Who dares violate the sanctity of His temple? Who dares interrupt my rites?"

Corvin does NOT recognize the voice.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin tries to remain calm. He whips his head back around the corner and freezes. "Oh, sh*t!" he thinks to himself and listens to see if he can tell if the woman is approaching. He makes eye contact with Mordred, to see his reaction.

[archolewa]

There is a rattling of bones. A prickle dances up everyone's spines.

"Come out here and face me!" barks the woman, her steps echoing in the darkness. "Or by the Great One's Unknown Name, I will hunt you down like rabid dogs."

Morale check for Geraint: 1d20+13 = 29 > 20. Geraint sucks in a deep breath, and his torch wavers, and he moves to flee, but Kasper puts a steadying hand on his shoulder. He speaks in a low voice. "Remember why you fight. Your grandfather, who stood against this evil himself once, and the family above, who even now cower in its shadow. Fear lives in you, but it need not rule you."

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

He nods at Corvin confidently - "No turning back now"

Not sure if Mordred can pass Corvin by without falling into the pit. If he can, he moves into the room, sword drawn.

"No need to hunt us, we do not intend to run" - he drew his blade - "We come seeking justice for wronged friends" - the magic-user snarled, his insignia clearly visible - "What is your purpose here?!"

[archolewa]

I'd say that Mordred can get past the pit, maybe with a bit of a hop over the near corner, but nothing that requires a roll.

The woman stops short, and draws herself up. Her expression is hidden behind her mask: a bronze mask depicting a man with dozens upon dozens of eyes. For a second, Mordred can almost swear all those eyes focus on him, before some flick to the left, and right, and look behind, though none of them move.

Six skeletons emerge from the shadows, clutching jagged daggers in their bony fists.

"My purpose?" says the woman in a dangerous hiss. "Stick around, and you will find out soon enough, Magic-User!"

She raises her arms and begins to sing a dark, terrible song, one of monsters lurking in the shadows, beloved children snatched away into the night, a dagger plunging for a vulnerable chest. She contorts in a twisted, inhuman dance. The candles flicker, bathing her unnaturally twisting body in a dance of light and shadow.

Actions! The priestess is casting Cause Fear on Mordred. @Edeldhur in addition to your other combat rolls, I'll need a saving throw vs. spells, in case she's able to cast the spell without being interrupted (if you damage her, her spell will be interrupted). Don't forget your +1 bonus from Protection from Evil!

The skeletons are going to move to attack Mordred, though only three of them can realistically get to him right now (that might change if he moves to attack the priestess). Sebastian is going to try to move in and attack the priestess if he has room, so long as he doesn't block Kasper (otherwise he will just flatten himself against the wall). Geraint will flatten himself against the wall to allow Kasper to try to get closer. Kasper will wait a moment (meaning he'll automatically lose initiative), and then try to get within view of the skeletons and turn them.

Note: Mordred knows that you can't move while casting a spell, and she still needs to see him to cast the spell. If he is no longer in sight when her initiative goes off, she can abandon the spell without using it up.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin thinks of Wendy and her family and his anger replaces his fear and surprise.

He follows Mordred out and races to attack the priestess, hoping if he can knock her out he can end the fight quickly.

"I will get revenge for Wendy and her family, you murderous witch!" he growls at her as he runs, teeth bared.

I'm assuming that he can reach her this round. If that's not the case then he will join up with Mordred and attack skellies with his claws.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

He is happy to have Corvin at his side, and being a caster himself, he understands the danger the woman poses.

"Very well" - he advances on her without hesitation.

Dice

Initiative: [1d20]=16
Attack (Bastard Sword 2h): [1d20+3]=2+3=5 Damage: [1d8+3]=4+3=7
Saving Throw vs Spell if needed: [1d20+6]=5+6=11

[archolewa]

Initiative:
Sebastian: 17
Mordred: 16
Corvin: 1d20+2 = 15
Geraint: 14
Skeletons: 12
Priestess: 3
--- Lost ---
Kasper


Sebastian, unable to get past the others, flattens himself against the wall to allow Kasper past. Meanwhile, Mordred and Corvin charge out into the room and attack the casting priestess. 5+8 = 13 < 20 A pair of skeletons cut Mordred off and drive him back a step before he can reach the priestess. Corvin slips past him, and lunges at the priestess, teeth bared. His bracers glow with a pale silver light as he swings his fists at the villain. 1d20+2+1(bracers) + 8 = 29 > 20, damage = 1, save vs death = 1d20+9-1(bracers) = 9 < 20. His fists strikes the priestess like a hammer blow, raining down on the woman, driving her unconscious to the ground. The spell cuts off as quickly as it came, and the building terror in Mordred's mind vanishes.

With Corvin next to him, only four of the skeletons are able to reach Mordred, and they attack. 4x 1d20+1+3-1 = 11, 23, 8, 10, damage 1d4 (dagger) = 4. Mordred takes 4 damage. Mordred backpedals, fending off the thrusts from the two skeletons in front of him, while another fails to get past his armor. The fourth however, ducks under his swing, and plunges its dagger into a crease in his shoulder. Mordred twists, and staggers, avoiding a killing blow, but leaving a nasty bloody hole in his arm.

Kasper strides forward, holding aloft a pendant in the shape of an open eye. Radiant blue light erupts from the holy symbol, battling against the darkness in the room. The shadows around the statue undulate and almost seem to throw themselves against the light. "Back tortured spawn of murder! This Land, these People are under the Seer's Gaze! You are not allowed here! BACK!"
1d20+11-1(due to the dark power of the Kinslayer in this profane temple) = 17 < 20. The skeletons pause a moment, but the shadows swirl, and smother the holy symbol, bathing the space in flickering darkness once more.

Note that I am ignoring the saving throw bonus that targets get based on HD against knockout. Higher HD targets already have better saving throws, so giving them another HD-based bonus on top of that feels like double dipping. I'm ok with unarmed attacks become less effective against more powerful enemies, but I don't want them being utterly useless.

Corvin's bracers grant him a +1 to hit on unarmed attacks (including with his claws and wrestling), and impose a -1 penalty on enemy saving throws against knockout (in the case of Unarmed) and strangling (in the case of Wrestling). They do not affect damage.

Three of the skeletons will break off and attack Kasper. Two will turn on Corvin, since he was the one to knock out the priestess. The one who injured Mordred will continue to attack him. Kasper will lower his holy symbol and punch one of the skeletons facing him. Geraint and Sebastian will charge out. Geraint will attack a skeleton fighting Kasper, while Sebastian will move to attack the one attacking Mordred.

Actions please!

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin looks satisfied as the priestess slumps to the ground, but that quickly passes when he notices the skeletons turning towards him, daggers raised. He strikes at one of them with his claws.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

With a snarl and a smile at the fact Corvin has dispatched the woman, Mordred strikes back at the skeleton on him, attempting to bring the creature down.

Actions

[archolewa]

Initiative:
Geraint/Sebastian: 14
Corvin: 1d20+2 = 10
Mordred: 1d20 = 9
Kasper: 6
6 Skeletons: 2

Man. Those are some terrible initiative rolls across the board...


The skeletons hesitate a moment, the magic animating them likely disrupted for a moment when the priestess collapsed. The team does not waste their chance. Sebastian charges into the room and swings his kosh at the skeleton attacking Mordred 1d20+7+1 = 11 < 20, but the skeleton moves with surprising speed to evade the swing. It is clearly the largest, and most well put together of the skeletons. Geraint intercepts the three skeletons moving to attack Kasper, and swings at one of them 1d20+8 = 13 < 20, but his sword skips harmlessly off bone. Corvin snaps at one of the skeletons attacking him 1d20+7+2+1 = 18 < 20 but is driven back by the skeleton's thrusting dagger. Mordred presses the attack against the skeleton who wounded him 5+7 = 12 < 20, but his swings are slowed by his injury and the skeleton evades the attacks. Kasper attacks a skeleton facing off against him 1d20+7+1 = 17 < 20, but his fist deflects off the bone.

The skeletons counter attack. Three of them push past Geraint, and charge Kasper 3x 1d20+1+5 = 26, 26, 22, daemage = 3, 1, 1, 5 damage, Kasper has 1 HP left. Their attacks are fierce and ferocious, drivng Kasper back to the edge of the pit, their daggers punching past his chainmail, or slicing his face, leaving him staggering under the onslaught. The two attacking Corvin press the attack 1d20+1+7 = 25, 17. damage = 1d4 = 2. Corvin takes 2 damage. Corvin knocks one skeleton's attack wide, but the other plunges into his side. Meanwhile, the skeleton fighting Mordred finds an opening and thrusts 1d20+1+3 = 17 < 20, but his dagger deflects off Mordred's plate.

Kasper has his heels on the edge of the pit, three skeletons arranged in front of him. He is going to attempt a fighting withdrawal back along the wall to the far side of the pit. Geraint is going to throw himself with reckless abandon at the skeletons, letting out a battle cry 1d20+10 = 12. Sebastian will move to support Corvin. Two skeletons will attack Kasper, the third will turn to face Geraint. One of the skeletons fighting Corvin will continue to attack him, while the other will turn to meet Sebastian's attack.

Actions!