Part 6: When Golem's Attack

[Inferno]

Eirik the Just:

Trask went to help Alanis in the darkness then some orcs busted in and yelled and then something is bleeding out of the darkness.
... one of them has dispatched either Trask or Alanis. Neither has made a sound from the cloud of darkness.

Behind his calm visage, Eirik feared for the worst as he tried to solve this riddle.

The darkness held: one dead party member, one living party member who was silent, and a pack of orcs.

Alanis was not known for being quiet, especially when stealth was called for. If Trask was dead and Alanis alive, then they would hear Alanis yelling to the orcs about the Rat King. But they didn't! So Alanis was dead.

If Alanis was dead, and Trask alive, why wasn't Trask shouting for help, or cursing at the orcs? Two possibilities:

Perhaps Trask WAS the traitor. It explained his unlikely story. The ambushing orcs (who seemed to know all about the party) were his allies, and Trask was standing silently (and blind) in the darkness waiting to backstab another party member, just like he did Alanis.

Or perhaps the orcs killed Alanis, and Trask isn't the traitor and he's hiding silently (and blind) in the darkness from the orcs.

To learn which was true, Eirik looked at all the orc blades. Did any have fresh blood on them?
If yes, then the orcs killed Alanis, and Trask was hiding from the orcs.
If no, then only Trask could have killed Alanis!

Grey: Depending on the answer, Eirik may change his action this round. Fyi.

[max_vale]

Lubidius; human male Thief


Lubidius saw the orcs come pouring forth and he wondered about the whole crazy situation. Deciding his party could probably handle a pack of orcs, he decided to try and do some investigating on his own.

Slinking to the back and edge of the melee, Lubidius will attempt to slowly move around the edge of the fight and then slip into the darkness towards the door as stealthily as possible....

OOC: Attempt Hide in Shadows/Move Silently to slowly slip to the edge of the Darkness Globe and then into it towards the door

[ybn1197]

Neev smiles at the troupe leader and swings his mace at the nearest orc.

Morning Star to Hit: [1d20] = 7 Damage: [2d4] = 6 / [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

Oh yeah! Great to see nothing changed here.

[GreyWolfVT]

Answers to all.... The Orc Leaders blades do have a bit of blood still on them not yet dried. Trask still has made little to no sounds. However some orcs are getting hurt.

lubidius [1d100] = 83 HS [1d100] = 24 ms Lubidius is silent but not hidden though since he is near a cloud of darkness he is hidden in the darkness cloud if he wishes to go that route

[PyroArrow]

Theodore Mumfordian (Half Sylvanian Wood-Elf) Ranger lvl:5 HP 19 / 21 AC 5):

If Theodore is still in the room & has not left to visit the sick lady, he will fire his bow:

Arrow #1: To Hit Roll (Point Blank Range) (2 Strength Bonus, 2 PBR) : [1d20+4] = 6+4 = 10 , Elven Oath Bow Damage: [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7 x 2

Arrow #2: To Hit Roll (Point Blank Range) (2 Strength Bonus, 2 PBR) : [1d20+4] = 11+4 = 15 , Elven Oath Bow Damage: [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 x 2

[Inferno]

Eirik the Just:
Ok. Thanks, GW. New, final orders for this round:

Alanis was dead! For once, Eirik’s normally serene face betrayed emotion. If Trask was responsible, Trask's next move would be to move in the shadows and backstab another party member!
Eirik risked a glance behind him to see if Trask was already there. If he was, Eirik would attack Trask, yelling: “Cowardly murderer!”
If Trask wasn’t behind him or the party, then Eirik will detect evil to find him* or other orcs.
If Eirik finds Trask moving on the party, he'll attack Trask. Otherwise, he'll attack the orc captain.

Here's the roll either way (from my previous post for this round):
Holy Long Sword: To Hit: [1d20+5] = 19+5 = 24, Damage: S/M: [1d8+5] = 3+5 = 8, Damage: L: [1d12+5] = 7+5 = 12
Holy Long Sword: Bonus Damage if Target is Evil: [2d6] = 7
15 damage if he's medium sized. 19 if he's large. Thanks

*One more thing:
GreyWolf, if Trask really did just kill Alanis in cold blood, I’d humbly suggest that that evil act should trigger a change in his Alignment, as per the rules, from neutral to evil. Neutral is a balance between good and evil, not taking sides with either. He's taken a side. If he’s killed Alanis for payment of any kind, that's the definition of an assassin. And, as per the rules, all assassins must be of evil alignment, because the taking of life for profit is an inherently evil act.

With that evil act, his alignment should have changed, and he should now be subject to Eirik’s Detect Evil power and other things!
I await your wise ruling on this, Mr. DM, sir!
Thanks.

[Synthalus]

Malakon

Malakon seizes his opportunity to slay the paladin. He emerges from the darkness and lunges forward to stile the paladin down with an assassination attempt.

Attack to hit [1d20+7] = 12+7 = 19 = success

Damage roll [1d6+6] = 3+6 = 9

Assassination attempt [1d100] = 18= success

Malakon face is a mask of indifference. He seems to have no emotional response to the act of evil he seemingly just committed. Even as his short sword burst through the paladins chest an the blade springs from his back between his shoulder blades fountain in blood all over the deck.

He just pull the sword out an turns to face the orc's next.

unfortunately you are now dead Eirik the just. It was nothing personal, only business.

[Inferno]

Hah. Awesome!!!
Poor assassinated Alanis!

GreyWolf, three questions:

1) For an assassination attempt to work (in 1e anyway, I can't speak to 2e), the victim must be surprised. By this point, Eirik was onto Trask. Did Trask surprise Eirik? Thanks.

2) In 1e, assassins must be Evil. Is that the case in 2e? If yes, Eirik would have successfully detected evil on Trask earlier.

3) As per my orders, if Eirik sees Trask advancing on him or the party, Eirik will attack him. Do we need to roll Initiative?

Thanks!

[GreyWolfVT]

To really answer that I have to say I really don't know. Paladins and Assassins are entirely foreign to me. I have to do some reading in my 2e books to really get a straight and honest answer. Half of this stuff I'm quite eager to get out of my game as I am considering never allowing either class again this has added a lot of confusion on my part. Along with a lot more work and explaining to try and conjure up.

[Synthalus]

Sorry I broke the game

[GreyWolfVT]

the game was broken a while ago Syn. If anyone is to blame it would be myself to be completely frank.

[Synthalus]

Well again sorry. If everyone wants to finish this game up by simultaneously attacking an killing Malakon I'm cool with that. But I'll fight back an do my best to make him memorable .

[max_vale]

Lubidius, Human male Thief


Lubidius, while always being more than a little wary of both Eirik AND Alanis, still considered them quite capable fellow adventurers. Watching both of them fall in a matter of moments, was the final straw. He figured he was better off getting back to a town or city and finding some wealthy merchants to steal a few items from or something.

"Sorry guys, I'm not watching any more people fall today, I'm out of here. Best of luck to all of you!"; he calls out to the others while fleeing the dungeon as fast as he possibly can….

OOC: I'm out peoples; take care and best of luck!