Manny Mo'Jac says, "IF any of my players are hre to do your first Icon roll right now, I would be grateful"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "I should be ready to start at 8 Central as I am in the final minute or so of eating dinner"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Hey, Phil."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "We're starting 13th Age tonight"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "So you get to see the first session."
Shiori exclaims, "yay!"
Chel Imwe asks, "we're what?"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "The plan is to start tonight."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "On the game."
Chel Imwe says, "oh."
Chel Imwe says, "uh. okay."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Since this is Thursday"
Chel Imwe says, "what's an icon roll"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Look at Icon Relationships and roll 1d6 for each point you have in the Icons"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "On a 6, you will get a benefit from that icon this session; on a 5, you get a benefit with a cost or complication; 1-4 is nothing"
Chel Imwe asks, "so, i have 2 in the emperor 1 in prince of shadows. 1d per icon or just 1d to roll them all?"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Roll 2d6 for the Emperor, 1d6 for the Prince"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Okay, nothing special this time."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Y'all will roll at the start of each session"
Mei says, "John, speaking as someone with previous experience with these sorts of mechanics (the Obligation roll and the Destiny roll) you're gonna eventually want to space these out."
Mei says, "I will roll mine now if you like."
Samantha Hunter says, "testing"
Samantha Hunter says, "and i'm set"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Yes, please"
Mike says, "Merc's got a good point."
Harrowhark says, "Sweet Baby Arthas:"
Harrowhark says, "roll 2d6"
Harrowhark says, "Priestess:"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Danke"
Kiara says, "I can do mine now."
Kiara says, "Elf Queen:"
Kiara says, "High Druid:"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "Looks like we have everyone, sans Dan, who I know is having work issues."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "We will start and work him in when he arrives, assuming he's not just here, but quiet"
Here Comes The Mouth, Episode 1: The Morning After
Last night, you all came to the Lucky Grape, planning to discuss going after the Stone Thief, only to get sucked into a massive party thrown by a group of Adventurers, the Company of the Golden Spear, who had just struck it rich and were bragging about how they would soon be loaded with First Age artifacts, though they never explained how. Your heads ache and you woke up on the floor of the common room, but you haven't been robbed, thank the gods.
Jenny Hobson, the main waitress, says to you all, "I assume you all want some breakfast?"
No one else slept on the floor, so far as you can see, but you hear stirrings upstairs.
You have dim memories of a meteor shower last night and everyone taking shots on how many would fall; enough fell to get everyone drunk out of thier minds.
Samantha Hunter says, "Sure. Yeah. Breakfast."
Kiara says, "Muuurgh." She combs a bit of hair out of her eyes and back behind her ear. "Breakfast. Nng. Breakfast good."
Jenny looks shouts, "Two platters, two mugs!" You hear Donny stir in the kitchen and get to work.
Samantha Hunter checks herself to make sure nothing was stolen
Niamh stumbles to her feet, then staggers into a chair. "Were we drugged?" she mumbles, then winces at Jerry. "Please. Do. Not. Shout," she whispers.
Harrowhark says, "Water please. From the well, not the trough. The good deep one that goes all the way to aquifer, not the one with frogs in it."
Jenny says, "You were double-handing cider, Kiara. And shouting about how you once drunk the Archmage under the table." She sounds dubious.
Kiara pulls herself to her feet, and grabs Jenny - quite gently - by the shoulders. "Coffee. NOW."
Jenny laughs. "Well water and Black Coffee," she shouts, despite your request.
Niamh says, "Please do not shout."
Harrowhark makes sure she has eyes on Impsy.
Samantha Hunter mumbles, "add 'nother black coffee."
Impsy carefully slaps his buttocks at Harrowhawk in greeeting.
"Another black coffee!" You can hear Donny making breakfast; it will probably be a mix of hashbrowsn, sausage, and onion.
Harrowhark sighs.
Kiara stares blearily at Impsy. "You know, it's be so much easier if you were just a hallucination. Then I'd know I'm still drunk." She sways a bit on her feet and grabs the edge of a table to hold onto.
You hear a woman upstairs shout, "You're responsible for your own pants, dammit." You think it's an Elven sorceress named Glimmer who was at the party; she and her two friends have been running around the valley, sticking thier heads into traps, as Adventurers do.
Niamh grimaces, and stumps back herself to the kitchen to request coffee, then stumps back to wait for her order to be filled.
Jenny soon delivers all the requested coffees, while the food finishes cooking.
Niamh says, "Numo is not a hallucination, Kiara."
Samantha Hunter grunts thanks and drinks her coffee loudly. She's a slurper.
Niamh gulps coffee.
A man shouts, "I think a gatorman ate your pants."
A second woman shouts, "Gatormen are not real!"
Niamh grimaces again.
Kiara says, "Don't I just know, Nimmer." She rubs her temples, letting out a soft groan.
Samantha Hunter grumbles something about this establishment being loud.
Nuno begins imitating Kiara's every movement to the best of his ability.
Niamh says, "I do not usually drink to excess. What happened last night?"
Niamh says, "I would suspect robbery, but nothing seems missing. From myself, anyway."
Kiara says, "A lot of alcohol. Hopefully not a lot of expensive alcohol." She stares cross-eyed at her hand. "Right now I'm guessing it was the other kind."
Jenny soon brings you all four plates of sausage hash, along with silverware. "The Company of the Golden Spear decided to drop two hundred gold on a giant party, then ran off drunk at the end of it and haven't come back. We had a meteor fall. Some of them probably hit around Quarryton but one of them just kept going across the sky and vanished off over the horizon."
Kiara asks, "Omens. Just what we need. Hopefully the Golden Spear paid their bill before running off?"
Harrowhark says, "Thunderbolt iron will be a lovely windfall for some enterprising stonemason, then."
Jenny says, "Adora began screaming about gatormen, burned her pants and fled upstairs."
Jenny says, "Madam Elspeth delivered a long talk on the history of meteors, but I assume she made it up."
Jenny says, "They paid for the party up front. They were claiming they were going to get some First Age artifacts."
Niamh just listens and drinks her coffee, seemingly just glad Jenny is no longer shouting.
Jenny says, "Which I would think would be old, busted, and useless by now." She shrugs.
Niamh says, "Items of significant magic can last many ages if not exposed to potent destructive forces."
Kiara drinks half the cup in one gulp, then begins carefully rediscovering the correct way to turn a plate of food into small bites and transferring it to the mouth.
Jenny says, "Well, maybe they will find something valuable, then."
Argument about pants and gatormen continues upstairs.
Niamh shrugs. "Doubtful. Possible."
Samantha Hunter pinches the bridge of her nose, squinting at her plate. "So about the Stone Thief."
Eventually, the trio come down stairs, waving and getting their own table. Bow, Adora, and Glimmer are soon eating hash and drinking coffee; Glimmer puts enough sugar in hers for three people. Adora is in full armor, unlike the other two.
Harrowhark says, "Our eyes may be bigger than our stomachs unless someone has already wounded the beast."
Harrowhark mutters, "Which is entirely possible."
Niamh says, "Agreed. We require power. More than we currently wield."
Kiara shrugs. "Everyone's got to have a hobby. That could be ours."
It is known to you all that the Emperor fought it in the 10th age after it ate Ironspire and came for Axis; it then vanished until the 12th age, but now mainly attacks relatively small fry and it's unclear what it thinks it is doing.
Niamh says, "We will also need to devise a lure... or a way of predicting its movements."
Samantha Hunter says, "Right. More power."
Jenny sets a place for Dan's character, in case he shows up, then leaves you to your meal and serves other people who come by for breakfast.
Harrowhark says, "It might be crippled, nearly dead."
Harrowhark says, "The most dangerous time."
Niamh straightens her black veil fussily. "It is still strong enough to attack small settlements."
Samantha Hunter asks, "OOC is it know what was used to wound it last time?"
Kiara says, "Or it might just be playing the wounded deer trick. It's pretty cunning."
You can hear varous locals discussing the meteor shower and the meteor that didn't fall.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC THe Emperor went after it in the Golden Carapace, which is more less on par with an EVA unit; it only gets busted out against ludicrously tough things because the components used on it are super rare and expensive"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC IT got away by diving down into the Underworld, where it couldn't be easily pursued."
Kiara seems to be almost back up to normal functioning at this point, and cocks a pointed ear listening to the conversation; the one that didn't fall has more of her attention than the rest.
The Trio, on the other hand, are discussing whether to go hunting Kobolds for the Baron. Said Kobolds apparently made off with some of his grapes.
Samantha Hunter says, "planting high yield magical explosives on the thing might do. If we can catch it by surprise."
Niamh says, "On, or in."
Harrowhark says, "Many have tried that with living dungeons."
Harrowhark says, "It almost never works."
Samantha Hunter asks, "and?"
Samantha Hunter says, "oh."
Samantha Hunter gives a slight scowl.
Kiara murmurs, "Okay, that's weird."
Niamh notes, "Most who try it do not go after a vital spot on the beast."
Harrowhark blinks at Niamh.
Harrowhark says, "That's... that's what almost everyone who tries it does, Niamh."
Harrowhark says, "That's the -only- reliable way."
Kiara scowls. "Omens. Gah. Can't the gods come up with something better to do?" She shoots a mildly aggrieved look at Harrowhawk.
Adora says, "The first thing we do is get me some fresh pants so I don't have to wear my armor all the time." Bow begins laughing and she glares at him. Glimmer shouts, "I want ale, dammit." She gets ale.
Niamh says, patiently, "With the explosives."
Harrowhark says, "Oh. My apologies. You are correct, of course."
Niamh grimaces at the noise from the table over.
Jenny says to Kiara, "Without the gods, everything would collapse back into the chaos from which it was born." She shakes her head.
Harrowhark asks, "The literature on these is extensive, as Niamh knows. I don't suppose any of the rest of you have studied it... ?"
Kiara says, "Yeah, Jenny, but do they have to keep sending things like big blinky lights shooting across the sky? Gets everyone all excited." She waves vaguely around the tavern.
Niamh then absently swats Numo as he waves his ass at Adora and company. "Not every falling rock is an omen."
Kiara says, "True, but most rocks don't go blink-blink-blink in a regular pattern. Like they're doing a drum beat for some kinda cosmic bard."
Jenny says, "Generally, those who complain about the gods will come to regret it." She shrugs and hustles to get Adora more coffee.
Kiara chuckles. "Complaining? Who's complaining?" She grins up at the ceiling. "They like it if we keep 'em on their toes from time to time. Keeps 'em from getting lazy."
Nuno begins doing this thing where he extends his hands towards Kiara, then pulls them back, over and over.
Harrowhark says, "That's a lie."
Harrowhark says, "Don't listen to Kiara."
Harrowhark says, "She is heretical."
Niamh says, with a bit of quiet mockery in her voice once Jenny has moved on, "From what I can tell, it is reasonably safe to complain about the gods, and rather less safe to complain about a SPECIFIC god."
Harrowhark says, "Unless you're a priest. Or a paladin."
Samantha Hunter says, "sounds about right."
Jenny lists off a half dozen leather workers to Adora's crew; you think this is in regard to pants-getting.
Harrowhark says, "The Abbess complains about T -all the time-. She's fine. In rude good health, even."
Niamh glances around.
Kiara says, "Heretical? You want heresy?" She comes back down and glares at Harrowhawk. "Try seeing a few hundred acres of some of the prettiest forest you'll ever see, just... gone. Scooped away like someone decided to take a big chunk out of the land." She takes another slug of coffee. "Damn Stone Thief."
Niamh says, "Numo. Fetch."
Numo hops to the floor, goes under a table, grabs a pair of torn pants and brings them to Niamh, then shoves his head in her breakfast and eats some of it.
Niamh sets them on a spare part of the bench and moves her hand over them, gripping her staff and muttering.
Kiara looks at Numo's antics, then against her will starts giggling as the hard line of her mouth dissolves into a smile. "Good boy," she says, rubbing Numo's head.
Harrowhark says, "What that has to do with the desires of the gods vis-a-vis us keeping them 'on their toes' I can't imagine, Kiara."
The pants reassemble themselves and now are good as new, thanks to Niamh's power. Glimmer looks up from her ale and looks right at Niamh. "Hey, Adora, I think the priestess is fixing your pants."
Vendrik says, "roll d6x2 for Crusader"
Result is: (d6) 4 (d6) 6 for Vendrik
Vendrik says, "roll d6 for Diabolist"
Result is: (d6) 6 for Vendrik
Niamh carries them over to Adora. "That will be a goldpiece, please."
Adora says, "My pants!" She slides 10 silver across the table. "Thanks! That's a big favor."
Adora says, "The guards look at you funny if you march around town in armor."
Niamh says, "You are welcome. Enjoy your pants-wearing." She pockets the money and sits back down.
Kiara says, "No lie there."
Adora runs upstairs with her pants, breakfast unfinished.
Kiara makes a disappointed face.
Bow rubs his forehead, then eats quietly, while Glimmer eats and drinks.
Vendrik enters through the front door of the taven, ducking a bit beneath the lintel. He's a little bleary looking, but not nearly so put out as some. "Was a good party," he rumbles, then brightens at the sight of waiting food.
Jenny shouts to Vendrik, "What do you want to drink?"
Samantha Hunter nods at Vendrick
Kiara waves. "Hey, Vennie! Come on over and eat."
Nuno does this odd thing; after he does it enough times, you realize, it looks like he's hammering something.
Vendrik says, "Hmph, is not yet time for proper ale. A small beer is fine."
Jenny brings out a small beer for Vendrik, then goes around, delivering more drinks to people.
Niamh glances at her familiar, trying to figure out what he's doing.
Nuno continues to hammer some invisible thing.
Vendrik begins to eat, just barely slow enough to not be rude, and with great relish. "So, what is the plan? Meteor hunting?"
You distantly hear a man say, "Yeah, a dead duck landed on my roof too. It was all burned up like someone set it on fire, but fortunately, I have a tile roof, so it just rolled into the gutter."
Niamh says, "We have no plan of yet, Sir... Vendrik, yes?"
His breakfast companion says, "Maybe we should take them to the druids." The two men then discuss whether or not the druids would care about two burned ducks.
Harrowhark says, "The thunderbolt iron is probably all claimed by now."
Samantha Hunter asks, "how would we have used that?"
Kiara grimaces. "I'm more worried about the one going blinky-blink-blink. I don't like omens, but that's because you have to pay attention or get hurt real bad."
Niamh gives a shrug of apathy.
Harrowhark says, "Thunderbolt iron is inherently valuable Samantha."
Harrowhark says, "It's worth more than gold."
Niamh says, "Magical implements and weapons can be forged of it."
Samantha Hunter asks, "could it kill the Stone Thief?"
Adora comes down, now wearing a red jacket over a white shirt and her pants; her allegedly magical sword is at her hip.
Niamh says, "Not in raw form."
Adora then digs into her breakfast.
Harrowhark says, "There are three ways to kill the Stone Thief, Samantha."
Harrowhark says, "Batter it into dust."
Harrowhark says, "Penetrate it and destroy the heart. It probably has more than one, although the Emperor may have done for a few."
Harrowhark says, "Or devise a novel means of slaying it through trickery and guile."
Harrowhark says, "Those tend to only work once."
Harrowhark says, "It's like the other dungeons adapt."
Samantha Hunter says with much unenthusiasm, "Great."
Niamh says, "There is a fourth potential way; a divine or arcane rite of sufficient power and cunning."
Harrowhark says, "I would say that falls under cunning."
Jenny says, "A bard once told us that there's a forgotten icon at the bottom of the Underworld who makes them all. Bards claim all sorts of stuff, though."
Harrowhark says, "Under novel, I mean."
Jenny then runs to deliver some beer.
Harrowhark says, "I don't think you can be an Icon if you're forgotten."
Kiara shakes her head. "Steal its heart. Hold it just outside its reach, watching something it desperately needs and longs for, until it crumbles apart and dies."
Harrowhark says, "That's been done, of course." She sips her water.
Vendrik says, "Stone Thief is cunning one. Little baby dungeons? No so clever. Easy to kill. Stone Thief survived for AGES."
Niamh says, quietly amused, faintly mocking, "Do you intend to have it fall in love with you, Kiara?"
The Stone Thief may well be the oldest living thing, since the Lich King is, properly speaking, not alive.
Though pre-Lich King Serpent Folk in suspended animation show up every so often.
Samantha Hunter asks, "so what IS the heart of a living dungeon usually? A magic stone?"
The heart of a Living Dungeon usually resembles a kind of half-flesh, half-stone heart.
Hidden away deep inside it.
Kiara looks shocked for a moment at Niamh's words, then relaxes and starts laughing. "Whoo-wheee, now wouldn't that be a fun revenge?"
Niamh says, "All of this is getting ahead of ourselves. We lack the resources to seriously make an attempt on it yet. We must acquire those resources."
Samantha Hunter says, "name the resources. We'll get started."
Kiara says, "Well, yeah." She laughs. "That's kinda the hard part. But Sam's got a point - can't get there if we don't start."
Harrowhark sighs. "Best to start with, as Sir Vendrik put it, a baby dungeon."
Harrowhark says, "It's a crowded field, though. There are many professionals who hunt those."
Niamh says, "Gold. Magical items. Above all, practice working together as a group, and more skill at our roles." She grimaces. "I admit that I have not put as much practice into killing magics as I have sagecraft and convienience. But I am willing to learn."
Harrowhark says, "You're an odd sort of Black Robe, Niamh."
Niamh says, "I am?"
Harrowhark says, "Yes."
You now hear me talking outside, and then two men clad in green robes enter, armed with staves. They are clearly druids.
They look through the room and then their eyes close in on Kiara and they begin to come towards your table.
Niamh shrugs, then looks up and frowns. "Green," she says with clear disapproval.
Kiara blinks and looks at them.
Vendrik cocks his head slightly, looking at his now empty plate and the new men. He grins a bit, teeth slightly too sharp. "You can be helped?"
Samantha Hunter raises an eyebrow.
Kiara asks, "Hey, guys. What's up?"
One of the men says, "I am Ivan, son of Gregor, a Druid of Moon Valley. We have a small problem we are willing to pay to have dealt with; the omens guided us to you." He is looking right at Kiara. "We did not foresee the rest of you, but we assumed you would have friends."
His companion sighs and looks somewhat embarrassed.
Niamh relaxes very slightly.
Ivan continues. "Our ritual was interrupted by a meteor strike. The powers went awry and several groups of vermin were enlarged to gigantic size. We are willing to pay if you are willing to help kill them before they hurt any innocents."
Harrowhark asks, "What -sort- of vermin?"
He says, "We are dealing with the ones who stayed in the forest, but we believe several groups escaped into the vale. Giant Ants. Giant Scorpions. Giant Spiders. Possibly other things."
Kiara gives the companion a raised-eyebrow look of sympathy.
Kiara asks, "Hm. How many are we talking about?"
Ivan says, "Three or four bands of creatures. We are willing to pay each of you twenty gold, three hundred silver, and we have... well, this." He lays down a bear-skin cloak on the table. "Whoever wears this can assume the form of a bear."
Samantha Hunter says, "We do need funds."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC The cloak also gives +1 PD to whoever wears it."
Kiara says, "Three or four bands would be too much for me by myself, but if you guys would be willing to join in..." She lets her voice trail off invitingly.
Samantha Hunter says flatly, "Giant insects. Sure."
Niamh says, "It does sound useful practice."
Vendrik chuckles, and pokes at the cloak. "Why shrink down to puny bear?" He laughs, and then pushes it vaguely toward Niamh. "You could use some meat on your bones. Still sounds like good fun for morning after party."
Kiara grins at Vendrick. "I think I'm gonna enjoy working with you."
IVan's companion puts his hand over his mouth, while Ivan smiles a little at Vendrik's comment.
Niamh eyes the cloak with faint distaste.
Harrowhark replies, "Twenty gold, and piece of dead heartwood from the oldest dead oak in the forest."
Harrowhark says, "It doesn't have to be a big piece." She holds up her fist.
Ivan says, "We would have to collect that, so you might have to wait a few days, but if you would rather have that than the silver, we can arrange it."
Harrowhark says, "I could go as low as ten gold and the wood. Both payable upon completion," she adds magnanimously. "I don't need an advance."
Harrowhark says, "Foregoing the silver for the wood is acceptable." She shakes the druids hand.
Ivan whistles and a cardinal flies in. "He will leead you to your targets. Once you have dealt with them, he will bring you to me and I can pay you and hopefully have the wood for the lady."
Niamh says, "Very well."
Nuno looks at the Cardinal, looks at Niamh, looks at the Cardinal, points to his mouth.
Vendrik says, "Is fine deal. Get paid to go hunting after party? Count me in."
Niamh says, "No, Numo, you may not eat it."
Kiara raises her hand in the air, then lowers it to cover her heart as she bows to Ivan. "I thank you for your offer, in the name of the wood."
Nuno petulantly pours some of Niamh's coffee onto what is left of her breakfast.
The cardinal twitters at Nuno
Niamh gives him a light cuff.
Niamh says, "Shoulder. Now."
Ivan makes the same gesture to Kiara, looking pleased. "Thank you. I see why the Forest guided us to you.'
Nuno gets on her shoulder and pouts.
Manny Mo'Jac asks, "OOC Is Niamh going to don the cloak?"
Mike asks, "OOC: Do I in fact have the lowest PD in the group?"
Samantha Hunter does not seem to like the idea of that cloak, leaving it for someone else to bother with.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC I need to hit the toilet real quick; BRB"
Kiara looks at the cloak, face screwed up in thought. "Well, it's not exactly fashionable. But in a forest, a bear might blend in very well." She shoots Samantha a disappointed look.
Samantha Hunter asks, "what?"
Samantha Hunter says, "I am NOT wearing a bear suit."
Manny Mo'Jac asks, "OOC Okay, ready to set out?"
Vendrik rises and goes to fetch his kit and put on his harness.
Samantha Hunter says, "OOC let's go"
Kiara says, "OOC Onward!"
You get your gear and head through town on a balmy summer day. The sky is blue with whisps of cloud. The cardinal leads you east out of town, then straight south through various fields where wheat, rye, barley, or various vegetables grow; at times, farmers stare at you.
Niamh takes a minute to go outside, orient herself towards Santa Cora, and do a five-minute rosary.
Kiara watches Niamh with a sort of amused resignation; she's been through this before.
It's later afternoon when you spot the first trouble.
It comes in the form of knots of peasants running northward at various angles, screaming about ANTS
You can see a farm up ahead and make out ants attacking cows, which isn't normal ant behavior... well, normal ants aren't the size of large dogs.
Niamh comments, "It is a celebrated fact that ants are in fact monstrously strong for their size, capable of lifting many times their body weight."
Samantha Hunter pulls her light crossbow out. "Let's go."
There are at least five ants, busy killing a cow and trying to hack it into pieces, probably to bear back to their nest.
Harrowhark says, "'Celebrated.'"
Kiara pulls her light crossbow. "Hey, some folks celebrate it!"
Harrowhark says, "Leave one alive."
Harrowhark says, "We can trail it to the nest."
Vendrik rolls his head, popping his neck loudly, and unslings his shield.
Kiara says, "Ah, point."
Niamh says, "Very well. If it can be done." She shrugs her scrawny shoulders, making her chest bob, and grips her staff.
Niamh says, "Although if these ants were enlarged in isolation from the ritual, they will have only a normal-sized nest of normal sized ants."
Okay, you are at Far Away Range. You can either snipe from here and get a free shot before the fight starts, or move to Nearby Range and get a free shot. If you move closer, though, the ants will be able to bumrush you the first round on their move. IF you stay here, they will have to use the first round to close.
Alternately, you could just run this round and get to melee and be in melee with them when Init happens.
Samantha Hunter takes an opening shot
Because right now, the ants are focused on cow mutiliation.
Manny Mo'Jac asks, "OOC Is your dicebot on, Dan?"
Vendrik glances at all the teeny tiny members of his party. With a soft sigh, he flips down his visor and takes three long steps forward and sets into a defensive stance.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Roll D20+4, Rod"
Samantha Hunter says, "Roll d20+4"
Samantha Hunter says, "roll d20+4"
Result is: (d20+4) 21 for Samantha Hunter
Harrowhark takes a potshot with her crossbow, not really expecting to do anything.
Harrowhark says, "roll d20+1"
Result is: (d20+1) 10 for Harrowhark
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Roll 1d6 + 4, Rod"
Samantha Hunter says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 10 for Samantha Hunter
Niamh, looking irritated, stands around and does nothing this round.
Kiara takes a potshot at the ant Sam hit.
The ant Sam shot bleeds from the wound but does not die.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC That's d20+5, Travis"
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 23 for Kiara
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Roll your damage!"
Kiara says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 7 for Kiara
"One of thee ants is now double-bleeding, yet not dead.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Everyone roll Initiative; this is dex bonus + Level + D20"
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d20+1"
Result is: (1d20+1) 7 for Harrowhark
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 12 for Kiara
Vendrik says, "roll d20"
Result is: (d20) 13 for Vendrik
Mike says, "roll 1d20+3"
Result is: (1d20+3) 9 for Mike
Manny Mo'Jac asks, "OOC Rod?"
Samantha Hunter says, "OOC one sec"
Samantha, you have Initiative. THe ants are at Far Away still but will likely spend this round closing; one of them is close to death.
Samantha Hunter shoots at the one already nearly dead
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Go for it!"
Samantha Hunter says, "roll d20+4"
Result is: (d20+4) 15 for Samantha Hunter
The shot goes right over the ant.
Vendik! Your turn!
Vendrik readies for the inenvitable charge, and barks out, "Make those shots count. Targets are no so small, see?" He spends 1 resolve, granting +1 to hit to Kiara and Niamh for one round.
Kiara, spring into action!
Kiara shoots again at the wounded ant!
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+6"
Result is: (1d20+6) 25 for Kiara
Hit, roll damage!
Kiara says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 10 for Kiara
One of the ants is hit, and rolls over and dies with three arrows in him.
Kiara gives Vendrick a thumb's-up.
Niamh, time for your horrible revenge.
Mike asks, "OOC: How many ants are left, and I assume the escalation die is at 1?"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC THere are 4 Ants and the Escalation clock goes to 1 next round; you got a free round to unload on them before the battle started."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC THe Escalation clock starts next round.,"
Mike says, "OOC: Then I will simply Ready an action, which is to cast a variant on Ray of Frost when an ant enters Nearby range."
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Harrowhawk!"
Harrowhark holds out a hand and dark power gathers inside it; she is prepared to cast Javelin of Faith at whatever Niamh casts Ray of Frost at.
Okay, the Ants!
They rush towards you; there are four; they hit Nearby range and Niamh and Harrowhawk can both attack
Niamh grips her staff, makes a few passes through the air with one hand, then points at the lead ant. "Frozen Stare of the Dancing Yug-Sage Nygothya," she whispers evenly.
Mike says, "roll 1d20+6"
Result is: (1d20+6) 25 for Mike
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Hit, roll Damage!"
Mike says, "roll 3d6"
Result is: (3d6) 14 for Mike
The ant is now covered with frost; it continues to come on but seems badly hurt.
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 18 for Harrowhark
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 9 for Harrowhark
Holy power strikes the ant and it perishes.
Slightly smarter foes might flee.
The ants rush up to Vendik but can't attack as they charged two range bands.
Vendrik laughs and lashes out at the frontmost ant. "Haaah. Is like squashing bug. roll d20+5 d8+4"
Vendrik says, "roll d20+5 d8+4"
Result is: (d20+5) 14 (d8+4) 6 for Vendrik
It is like slightly nicking his foe for 1 point
Round 2. Escalation Die is +1, so everyone gets +1 to hit. Every PC, that is. Samantha, you can close to melee and stab one, getting sneak attack damage if you hit as all three are engaged with Vendik. IF you use a ranged attack, you might shoot Vendik if you roll a 1.
Samantha Hunter moves in for a sneak attack with her wicked knife
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Okay, you have a D20+5, thanks to the escalation die"
Samantha Hunter says, "roll d20+5"
Result is: (d20+5) 11 for Samantha Hunter
Your luck is not good. Swish.
Vendick, Go for it!@
Vendrik smacks an uninjured one, to ensure he has its attention. "roll d20+6 d8+4"
Result is: (d20+6) 11 (d8+4) 9
Vendrik exclaims, "Ignore little ones, you are fighting ME!"
Vendrrk gives it a tiny scratch.
Stop! It's Kiara Time!
Kiara says, "OOC Let's test out Shadow Walk!"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Okay, roll a Charisma attack, adding +1"
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 11 for Kiara
The ABSOLUTELY Feeble minds of these ants lets it work; Kiara disappears into the grass.
Niamh, your turn!
Kiara grins, murmurs "Shall we dance?", then disappears from view.
Nuno does a little dance on Niamh's shoulder in support of her
Niamh levels her staff at the one Vendrik love-tapped. "Kelias the White's Ray-Invocation of the Great Ice-Bear."
Mike says, "roll 1d20+6"
Result is: (1d20+6) 16 for Mike
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Hit"
Mike says, "roll 3d6"
Result is: (3d6) 17 for Mike
The Ant is barely alive, now encrusted in ice.
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Harrowhawk!"
Harrowhark hurls the power of ravens at the ice-encrusted ant!
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d20+6"
Result is: (1d20+6) 20 for Harrowhark
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 10 for Harrowhark
The ice encrusted ant drops dead.
Two ants now remain.
The two ants attack Vendrik
One misses and the other bites Vendik for five mighty damage
Round 3. +2 Escalation Die. Two ants remain; one has atiny nick, the other is untouched.
Samantha, you can sneak attack again if you want.
Samantha Hunter does so
Manny Mo'Jac exclaims, "OOC Roll to hit!"
Samantha Hunter says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 21 for Samantha Hunter
You hit. Roll your regular damage + 1d4 Sneak Attack
Samantha Hunter says, "roll 1d8+1d4"
Result is: (1d8+1d4) 3 for Samantha Hunter
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC You also add +4 for your Dex + Level"
Samantha injures one of the ants.
Vendik Time!
Vendrik switches targets again, bringing his blade down on the yet untouched one. "roll d20+7 d8+4"
Result is: (d20+7) 10 (d8+4) 7
He flicks a tiny divot out of its carapace.
Kiara!
Kiara comes out of nowhere and attacks the ant Samantha damaged!
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+7"
Result is: (1d20+7) 15 for Kiara
She barely misses it.
Niamh!
Niamh grips her staff, makes a few passes with one hand, then fans her fingers at both remaining ants. "Maria Sunshine's Delightful Array of Bright Murder Colors," she softly intones.
Mike says, "roll 1d20+7"
Result is: (1d20+7) 27, crit for Mike
Harrowhark says, "I thought Sister Sunshine's spell variants were still on the interdicted list, Niamh."
Niamh says, "Only most of them."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Roll for the second target also, Mike."
Mike says, "roll 1d20+7"
Result is: (1d20+7) 17 for Mike
The faceted eyes of the two ants glow with a rainbow of pretty colors
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Roll damage for each, double damage on the crit."
Mike says, "roll 2d8x2"
Result is: (2d8) 4 (2d8) 4 for Mike
Neither dies but the rainbow continues to dance across their eyes.
Harrowhark picks out the weakest looking ant.
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d20+7"
Result is: (1d20+7) 22 for Harrowhark
Harrowhark says, "roll 1d6+4"
Result is: (1d6+4) 8 for Harrowhark
Harrowhawk is smiting and smiting today and now that weakened ant dies and only one ant, hurt a little, remains. (He's lost 5 HP)
He attempts to fight on, though it's clear he doesn't see so good.
He lashes out with an incredibly powerful blow at a foe who doesn't actually exist; the pretty lights then fade, but he bungled his chance.
New Round, Escalation Die +3, one ant remains. Samantha, your turn.
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC You now have +7 to hit this round, due to the Escalation die, Rod."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC You can sneak attack if you want."
Samantha Hunter tries that. again.
Samantha Hunter says, "roll 1d20+7"
Result is: (1d20+7) 26 for Samantha Hunter
Hit! d8 + d4 + 4
Samantha Hunter says, "roll 1d8+1d4+4"
Result is: (1d8+1d4+4) 9 for Samantha Hunter
You tear a chunk out of the ant.
Vendrik!
Vendrik merely threatens the ant alternately with shield and blade, keeping its attention. "You are not so bright, little one, this is over too soon."
Kiara!
Kiara goes ahead and tries a sneak attack since she's in range!
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+8"
Result is: (1d20+8) 22 for Kiara
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC hit! Roll damage with sneak attack"
Kiara says, "roll d8+5+1d4"
Result is: (d8+5+1d4) 10 for Kiara
Niamh!
Mike asks, "OOC: Only one ant left?"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC YEs."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC It's pretty badly hurt"
Niamh just shakes her head and points her staff at it. "Frozen Stare of the Dancing Yug-Sage Nygothya," she says again, tone final.
Mike says, "roll 1d20+8"
Result is: (1d20+8) 21 for Mike
It dies, frozen to death.
The ants lie there, dead, scattered across the field.
Niamh nods. "Trivial enough."
The Cardinal sings a little song, then begins flying southeast.
Samantha Hunter says, "next."
Niamh pauses long enough to harvest a few giant ant bits, presumably as spell components.
Kiara says, "You've gotten better since the last time we partnered up, Niammy."
Niamh says, "Thank you. I have been studying killing spells lately."
Mike exclaims, "OOC: After le cardinal!"
You follow the bird through fields; eventually, you go far enough that peasants are mostly just doing their thing. However, when they see you, one of them waves to you in a 'please come this way'. He is a middle-aged man.
Vendrik casually wipes down his blade. "Good enough for warm up." He reslings
Harrowhark approaches him. "Can we help you, goodman?"
Kiara wanders over to the man, and gives him her brightest smile. "Hey there!"
He looks like one of the Holy Folk; the valley is about half Holy Folk and half Westerners
Niamh stumps placidly over, untiring, leaning on her staff. "Yes?" she inquires.
Samantha Hunter waits for the man to speak
He says, "I am Ahmed. Last night, my neighbor's house was hit by one of the meteors. Several people went to investigate and did not return. We sent a messenger to the town but we haven't heard from anyone yet."
He says, "I have no great wealth, but Faisal was a good man and I fear some horror has fallen from the Overworld there."
Kiara looks at the cardinal to see if it reacts to Ahmed.
Niamh asks, "Where is this house?"
The cardinal alights upon Kiara's head and waits.
Ahmed points eastward; the bird was going Southeastward. "About a quarter mile," Ahmed says.
Vendrik looks willing.
Samantha Hunter says, "let's go."
Kiara reaches up a finger and gently taps the cardinal on the beak, then nods. "It's not too far from where we're going, so we could take a look."
Niamh shrugs. "It is no great distance."
Ahmed says, "Thank you. May the gods bless you."
Niamh, without any further word, starts stumping off in the indicated direction.
The trip is short; Faisal's farm is home to radishes, onions, wheat, and the 'beefsteak' plant, which is, sadly, not a steak growing on a bush.
Kiara says, "OOC Alas."
Half of Faisal's house is just gone and the rest has mostly fallen down; there's a crater and you can see tracks of people in the dirt going up to the edge, but none leading away from it.
Niamh pulls to a stop well away from it, and frowns.
Harrowhark asks, "Niamh, ixn't this sort of thing what your slave is for?"
Further observation shows bits of house and dirt strewn around the crater.
Niamh says, "In fact, no."
Nuno points at Harrowhawk like an Inquisitor accusing someone of witch-touching
Niamh says, "As I see it, we have two options here."
Niamh says, "One, one of the sneaks can slip up and have a look."
Niamh says, "Two, I can attempt to make anything in there believe someone is just outside the lip of the crater, and try to lure it to poke its head out for a second."
Kiara shrugs. "Hey, I'll take a look."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC DC 15 on a Dex check to sneak up. You can add an appropriate background."
Kiara asks, "OOC Thievery count?"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Yes"
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+4+5"
Result is: (1d20+4+5) 15 for Kiara
Kiara sneaks up to the crater and peers in; then she purses her lips in a soundless whistle, then moves cautiously back to the others.
She returns without incident
Niamh waits apathetically. "Well?"
Kiara says in a low voice, "Well, we've got a few playmates up there. Five things, about this big - " she gestures to indicate something about the size of a seal " - and made up of living green jelly. They're running all over the place inside the crater, trying to munch on everything there. There's already a bunch of bones and bits of metal and stuff." She sighs. "Some of the bones are human."
Samantha Hunter says, "great."
Nuno makes shooing gestures towards the building.
Mike says, "roll 1d20+8"
Result is: (1d20+8) 17 for Mike
Niamh frowns. "There are tales of something like this from the Overworld..." She looks irritated. "Unfortunately that is all I know of them."
Niamh says, "We could set the house on fire and let the blazing rubble fall upon it, I suppose."
Kiara nods grimly. "Oh, and they've got bones and bits of metal inside them, too - like they already ate them. Not sure how good cutting objects are going to work."
Vendrik scowls a little at that.
Niamh says, "It sounds as though acid is also perhaps not the best of weapons against them."
Kiara asks, "Maybe if you tried freezing them, then we bring the house down on top of them? Like making ice, then breaking it?"
Niamh says, "I can only freeze one at a time with the spells I know, I am afraid."
Niamh says, "If these things cannot easily be hurt by blades, then I fear we are poorly equipped to handle them. Only myself and perhaps Harrow can bring our full attacks to bear, and my strongest spell, I suspect, would be useless against them."
Kiara nods. "And yeah, the bones and metal kinda looked acid-damaged."
Samantha Hunter says, "if it comes to that, we'll have to distract them while you hit them with the magic."
Niamh considers for a moment, then says, "I could try to lure one out of the crater."
Vendrik asks, "I can step on little things, maybe squish like grapes. Only... would prefer to not damage boots, yes?"
Niamh says, "Although whether or not I got just one is an open question."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Let me take a moment here"
Niamh says, "We can also simply inform Ahmed that his friends are dead and continue on our way."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Two of you have Icon benefits you could try to bring to bear."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Travis from the High Druid (a 5)"
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC ANd Dan from the Crusader and the Diabolist "
Harrowhark asks, "Are we sure regular weapons can't hurt these knock-off gelatinous cubes?"
Vendrik asks, "OOC Do these sound like they are likely to be demon-y sort of things? Lemures or whatever?"
Kiara says, "roll 1d20+5"
Result is: (1d20+5) 14 for Kiara
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC The Crusader is connexcted to the Dark Gods and has knowledge of the OVerworld."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC So he couldhelp you"
Vendrik says, "OOC sure, I'll blow the icon roll for crusader on this."
Kiara says, "OOC And depending on what results Dan gets, I could use my High Druid to help."
Vendrik pauses as he considers his boots. "Jelly things are usually from the overworld. Also, lye is good for fighting acid demons, yes? Neutralize acid, usually hurts them too."
He brightens. "Put lye on boots, then stomp like grapes. For making jelly wine!
Niamh says, "Most of the farms in the area will have some lye. Made from ash."
Manny Mo'Jac says, "OOC Okay, we'll cut here, and next time you can get some lye soap and go after the green jellies"
Kiara grins at Vendrick. "I like that idea. Then Sammy and I can sneak up and toss jugs of the stuff at the creatures, and everyone can open up after that!"