distant rumblings

Geee, thanks
46/67 hp

Chris wrote:Geee, thanks
46/67 hp

Thought for sure I would get you to mid 50’s…

The HP is fine, I was referring to the extra droppings

Chris wrote:The HP is fine, I was referring to the extra droppings

All of Warhol’s familiars will be… defective…

navyik wrote:

Chris wrote:The HP is fine, I was referring to the extra droppings

All of Warhol’s familiars will be… defective…

Marvin applauds your attention to the special needs animals. They’re not suitable for the king’s table and need a place in the world. He has a chuckle at the elf’s repoovenation, wondering if he might learn some restraint heading into the next skirmish

Warhol's mighty hooves miss the giant.

The giant, in his rage, is swinging wildly at any enemy near him... AoO on Warhol.

Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 8 to total : 18, + 8, TOTAL: 26

A hit on the horsee.

Rolling line 1 : 3d10 + 5 to total : 2, 8, 1, + 5, TOTAL: 16

16 damage.



Top of the round, Marvin is up! Map is updated

Marvin will pepper the raging giant with two more arrows:

Sat Jul 09 2022 13:42:05 GMT-0600 (MDT)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 10 to total : 14, + 10, TOTAL: 24
Sat Jul 09 2022 13:42:04 GMT-0600 (MDT)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 10 to total : 2, + 10, TOTAL: 12

Looks like a hit and a miss. Damage on the presumed hit, adding benefits of Sneak Attack, Colossus Slayer, and Hunter’s Mark:
Sat Jul 09 2022 13:44:21 GMT-0600 (MDT)
Rolling line 1 : 3d6 + 6 to total : 6, 5, 4, + 6, TOTAL: 21
Rolling line 2 : 1d8 + 0 to total : 8, TOTAL: 8

Chopper will take the Dodge action and move slightly west to J -14 to get a little cover.

Done

The giant takes a solid hit to the head... but is still kicking.

Gor'Zax is up!

we went camping, sorry for the slow post

Chris wrote:

Gor'Zax
HP: 46/67
AC: 19/21
BM dice: 1/5d8
SV: str +7, con +6, wis +2
Action Surge 0/1
2nd Wind  0/1
PP: 15
Necro resistant
Pre-rolled save d20 : 11

Arrod
HP: 31/19
AC: 18

**ADV str checks and saves 7/10rds***

Zax will press the attack

Attack - 2 swings, no PA, no BM

attack 1
1d20+8
5+8 = 13

a 13 missed earlier

attack 2
1d20+8
17+8 = 25

that should hit!

damage
2d6+5
3,2+5 = 10

Arrod - DODGE action
no move

pffft, done

The giant is really hurting now...

He takes two desperate swings at Gor'zax.


Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 8 to total : 19, + 8, TOTAL: 27

Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 8 to total : 20, + 8, TOTAL: 28

ooh... smack and crit smack.

Normal hit:
Rolling line 1 : 3d10 + 5 to total : 1, 2, 5, + 5, TOTAL: 13

Crit hit:
Rolling line 1 : 6d10 + 5 to total : 10, 10, 6, 4, 4, 4, + 5, TOTAL: 43

Gor'zax takes 56 points of damage - sorry dude.



Warhol is up!

Fighter down!
0 HP

Warhol as a Tortle
Ac 20
Hp 53/56

passive Perception 18

Adv. Str checks and str saves 7/10 rnds

Warhol heaves his arms wide extending his neck in a most muppet-like display. From the depths of his core he releases a deep harmonic y-buzz that fills the air like a didgeridoo. A storm rapidly brews overhead and lightning crashes down (4th level) at n-18.

Result of the throw of dice "4d10" :

3 + 9 + 6 + 4 = 22

Dc 16 dex for half damage.

The giant’s skeleton lights up, showing briefly through his flesh, his hair stands on end and smoke comes out of his ears.

the last giant is now quite dead.

Well done!

I will update later today

"help" Zax wimpers


stuff a couple goodberries down my throat, preferably coated with chocolate to make them go down easier

short rest would be really nice

you can consider this a great time for a short rest.

Assuming someone gets some healing to Gor'zax, I won't ask for a death save here.


Everyone give me a perception check when you have a moment

Gor"Zax tends to his wounds in the ways of the Shadar-Kai.  He heats up his dagger and cauterizes any lacerations.  He also uses sticks and rocks to make a mock village setup to study the battle.  

HD restoration

Result of the throw of dice "7d8 +21" :

7 + 3 + 2 + 8 + 6 + 2 + 5 + 21 = 54

Chris wrote:

Gor'Zax
HP: 54/67
AC: 19/21
BM dice: 5/5d8
Action Surge 1/1
2nd Wind  1/1
SV: str +7, con +6, wis +2
PP: 15
Necro resistant


Arrod
HP: 19/19
AC: 18

BM dice, Action surge and 2nd wind refreshed


Perception check
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

12 + 5 = 17

The last giant dies and Gor'zax tends to his wounds...  Gor'zax notices that these giants seem to look 'wrong.'?? They have purple-ish, black veins that seem to run all over their bodies.

Around you is a mostly destroyed village, much of it is still in flames.




Small shapes start to emerge from the cellars of some buildings and from outside the village.  After a few minutes, you see a host of dwarves surround you offering thanks and beginning to cry at the sight of their destroyed homes.

Each giant had a large sack on them... the dwarves begin to bring those sacks to you and offer you everything that they can.

GM question - remind me please, are we still in Merciana or did we cross over into Koroth?



Gor'Zax looks to his companions for their input. "We are soldiers of the King, Arcadius III. It is our duty to protect you, no additional payment is necessary from you. Use it to rebuild your village."


Zax will have the survivors put the 3 giant sacks in one place. We can open them when the 3 of us are ready.

Zax will busy himself and Arrod helping the peasants - look for more survivors, put out flames, pull rubble, etc

still well inside Merciana

Warhol as a Tortle
Ac 20
Hp 53/56

passive Perception 18

Sorry I was visiting lawyers all day.

Maybe you can retcon a few of Chris’s HD back.  You only get half of them back after a long rest

Cure wounds 3rd level.
Result of the throw of dice "3d8 +5" :

1 + 7 + 4 + 5 = 17

And another at 1st level

Result of the throw of dice "1d8 +5" :

4 + 5 = 9

Total 26 for Gor Zax

*Warhol sends the hawk off to scout the perimeter. He is looking for other threats, signs of the Giant’s direction of approach, along with the dead or wounded nearby.

*After the flames are extinguished and the injured are tended, Warhol gathers the sacks and begins a ritual casting of detect magic. He plays his didgeridoo. After 10 minutes, any magic items in the sacks will pulse with feint light.

*Warhol also has knowledge arcana if that would apply to the Giants’ odd condition.

* perception roll
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +8" :
13 + 8 = 21

Sounds good!
If i keep the last 2 HD, that puts me at 67 w 2 hd left.

Thanks!

Chris wrote:Sounds good!
If i keep the last 2 HD, that puts me at 67 w 2 hd left.  

Thanks!

“Sorry boss,” Warhol says to Gor Zax. “I shoulda brought out the lightning sooner. Sometimes I get caught up in the forms. I’ll be more careful next time.”

Zax smiles, "Today was a good day to die!"

Marvin will collect his arrows from the giant corpses and make his way through the villagers, offering aid and condolences. He has the Folk Hero background, are the VinMarvins known to these people?

Perception roll:
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 4 to total : 2, + 4, TOTAL: 6

Choppers smell/hearing perception w/ADV:
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 3 to total : 6, + 3, TOTAL: 9

Tue Jul 12 2022 06:26:40 GMT-0600 (MDT)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 3 to total : 5, + 3, TOTAL: 8

Stellar dice.

Also, Marvin will maintain concentration on. His Hunter’s Mark spell (assuming only a few minutes of the spell’s hour duration have passed?)

Zax asks the villagers if they have a horse and a rider. "We need to send a report back to the King."

Also, we can open the 3 giant sacks now, which Zax is sure will be full of many smelly things

The people appreciate your help and you are able to find several dwarves that were inside collapsed buildings. You are able to get the fires out as well.

As you help out, a dozen dwarves come running into the village... they are heavily armed and stare at the village and then at the giants with a mixture of horror and rage on their faces.

"You there... you slayed these monsters!?"

Zax gives the dwarves a Mercian salute. "Glory to you and your clan! We are soldiers of the King, Arcadius III. We spotted the flames and rode hard to render aid."
Zax gives the armored dwarves a hard stare, "This village was defenseless! Where was the garrison?"

“Doh, dat’s haaaawrsh,” Warhol privately whispers to Marvin.

Marvin catches Warhol’s drift and bounds in front of Zax, hopefully heading trouble off at the pass…

“Well met soldiers of the free dwarves! I am Marvin VinMarvin of the VinMarvin clan. My father Mario and my Uncle Vincent send you good tidings and we ride under the banner of the King. We arrived in time to lend aid to the village, and yes we dispatched these invaders. We only wish we could have arrived sooner, a sentiment I’m CERTAIN…” he shoots a bemused glance at Zax “we all share.”

Marvin musters his best disarming smile, “Who speaks for your group?”

long update later today...

The dwarf that spoke to you gives a slight bow and so do his companions...




"forgive us my lord, we were called out to the next village over.. they have been attacked by other giants." (you can tell he's fighting back tears for his own village at this point)

"My name is Angus. I am the Guardian of this village."

VinMarvin - "we have heard of you... we are honored by your presence."

"These bastards (he kicks the corpse of one of the giants) just started raiding and burning our villages up and down the valley in the last few days.  We do not have the fighters for this... the giants have often waylaid travelers in their lands but they have never done anything like this.  Thegn Gundrun is a wise and noble warrior. But he is too old now for active service.  We're not even certain that he knows the full extent of the giants raids."

"We don't have much to offer under the circumstances, but all that we have is yours with our gratitude."

He points to a stone hall (one of the few stone buildings still standing) and suggests you might rest there.

The Giant's bags:
mostly full of obvious dwarven items - candle sticks (silver) 2 gold goblets and some other religious items as well as nearly 1200 silver pieces

and there is a small box -
Small iron box containing: Potion of Heroism, Potion of Stone Giant Strength, Potion of Superior Healing

otherwise the bags are also filled with barely edible food and, what looks like, spare loin-cloths


one of Angus' men points out to him what you observed earlier.... "cousin, they have the same purple-black veins all over their bodies" - this dwarf then makes what looks like a symbol over his head and heart. Like he's trying to protect himself from some foul magic or curse

whit10 wrote:
The Giant's bags:
mostly full of obvious dwarven items - candle sticks (silver) 2 gold goblets and some other religious items as well as nearly 1200 silver pieces

and there is a small box -
Small iron box containing: Potion of Heroism, Potion of Stone Giant Strength, Potion of Superior Healing

otherwise the bags are also filled with barely edible food and, what looks like, spare loin-cloths


one of Angus' men points out to him what you observed earlier.... "cousin, they have the same purple-black veins all over their bodies" - this dwarf then makes what looks like a symbol over his head and heart. Like he's trying to protect himself from some foul magic or curse

Chris wrote:Zax asks the villagers if they have a horse and a rider.  "We need to send a report back to the King."

Zax nods solemnly at the situation and repeats his question,  "Do you have a horse and rider?  This needs to be reported to the King.  I will also request additional soldiers to protect your villages and laborers to help you rebuild.  King Arcadius considers any attack on his people as an attack on the person of the King himself.  We are bound for Thegn Gundrun."

Zax gathers his companions, "We should use the potions, but I suggest we return the 1200 silver and dwarven items to their people.  We are paid by the King and they clearly need them more than us."

"Warden VinMarvin, can you apply your skills to track the giant's origin?  Surely something so large and clumsy must leave a trail behind it."

"Master Shapeshifter, can you study these unusual veins on the giants?  The dwarves consider them to be.... un-natural."

whoops, forgot one of your questions.

Angus goes to one of his men and tells him to find a suitable mount if any are left

I think Zax was actually talking to one of the survivors originally, all good


Zax will draft a tactical report for the King including:

• Angus' information on nearby attacks
  
• request for reinforcements for the villages
  
• laborers to rebuild the described destruction
  
• our encounter with the strange looking giants
  

Arrod can be used to help move debris, if needed.  If not, he can pasture in a field without his armor.

Chris wrote:

whit10 wrote:
The Giant's bags:
mostly full of obvious dwarven items - candle sticks (silver) 2 gold goblets and some other religious items as well as nearly 1200 silver pieces

and there is a small box -
Small iron box containing: Potion of Heroism, Potion of Stone Giant Strength, Potion of Superior Healing

otherwise the bags are also filled with barely edible food and, what looks like, spare loin-cloths


one of Angus' men points out to him what you observed earlier.... "cousin, they have the same purple-black veins all over their bodies" - this dwarf then makes what looks like a symbol over his head and heart. Like he's trying to protect himself from some foul magic or curse

Chris wrote:Zax asks the villagers if they have a horse and a rider.  "We need to send a report back to the King."

"Master Shapeshifter, can you study these unusual veins on the giants?  The dwarves consider them to be.... un-natural."

Arcana or nature, whichever is appropriate:
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +4" :

16 + 4 = 20

Marvin readily agrees to Zax’s proposed distribution of loot. He sets out on foot with Chopper padding along beside him. Marvin tries to pick up the path the giants took fronthe edge of the village without losing sight of his comrades near the giants’ bodies

Rolling Survival to track:
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 5 to total : 11, + 5, TOTAL: 16

how long of a rest are you taking? Short or long?

seems to be a tiny bit of confusion on that front

I thought short?

whit10 wrote:how long of a rest are you taking?  Short or long?

seems to be a tiny bit of confusion on that front

“Slow and steady, my hasty friend,” Warhol advises Marvin. “How bout ya figure which way they came from while I send a hawk back to the other nearby villages.”

“Hey ya chief,” Warhol addresses, “you get a bearing on where the giants you fought came from? How about other villages? Zax was making a model over here. Let’s expand on that.”

DM, can we get a compilation of the model we can put together between the hawk, the dwarves, Marvin’s tracking? Even if it’s incomplete.

Marvin flashes a wide grin at Warhol. “Don’t worry friend Warhol! I won’t go far…ther than that next tree over there…or maybe the one after that…”

Marvin continues poking around at the edge of the village, but keeps an eye on his squad mates.

GM -

I believe we already took a short rest, so no need for another. The short rest was taken before the company of dwarven soldiers arrived, as I already rolled my HD to restore HP.

awaiting tracking and nature\arcana results


Marvin and Warhol -

1 potion for each of us?
Zax would probably benefit most from the giant strength, if there are no objections?

Chris wrote:GM -

I believe we already took a short rest, so no need for another.  The short rest was taken before the company of dwarven soldiers arrived, as I already rolled my HD to restore HP.

awaiting tracking and nature\arcana results


Marvin and Warhol -

1 potion for each of us?
Zax would probably benefit most from the giant strength, if there are no objections?

Warhol gives the giant strength potion and the healing potion to Zax. “If you’re ever the last man standing, feed this to me so’s I can heal us all.”

navyik wrote:
Warhol gives the giant strength potion and the healing potion to Zax. “If you’re ever the last man standing, feed this to me so’s I can heal us all.”

Zax is truly confused for a moment, until he realizes that the Shapeshift MUST be joking.   Zax gives a loud belly laugh, " HAW HAW HAW!  You are a funny turtleman!"

Chris wrote:Loot carried by Zax for the party:


potion of healing 2d4 + 2
potion of stone giant strength
When you drink this potion, your Strength score changes to 23 for 1 hour. The potion has no effect on you if your Strength is equal to or greater than that score.

the short rest occurred as the party of dwarves were returning. Same hour or so.

So Short Rest it is.

The message is composed and sent to the king.

The veins are something you've never seen before. They appear to be growing out of the skin and also seem to have grown on the giant's eyes as well. They appear to be magical but you have no idea what might have created them.

Map of area is below. This is not a society that has a lot of maps just laying around. People know where villages are but are often lacking on complete details outside of where they actually live.



The dot to the SE is where you are. The dot in the north is the village of Glencoe, where the dwarves were dealing with another giant attack. It's about a day and half away by foot, less than that by horse, etc. The square to the west is the great hall and fortress of Gundrun. That's about another two days away.

The giants appear to have come from the NW. At least that's where the tracks lead

Did I miss anything?

Having secured the general bump of direction the giants came from, Marvin trots back into the village proper. A sudden realization pops into his mind. "Mr. Angus sir? We were sent by the king to meet up with Thegn Duncan. Is that his hall?" Marvin points to the hall the dwarf had noted earlier. "Is Duncan there? We'd be happy to meet with Thegn Gudren at some point too, but you know, 'orders' and all. We gotta keep the King happy and do what he says..."

GM's apologies. Earl Duncan is the guy you're trying to get to. There is no earl that lives in this village. Sorry about that, just disregard the other name

Marvin gets himself sorted out. “Welp, okay then. Guys, I think I can backtrack the giants’ path…or we could press on to meet the Thegn as the king ordered. He DID say though that an attack on his people is an attack on him, and we DO have a duty to defend the King.” He dramatically leans his head in the direction of the giants’ path just to make sure his companions get his point.

“He said, ‘I need you to go to Earl Duncan at his hall and find out what is going on. You are empowered, in my name, to defend the kingdom and find out who has dared to attack us and violate the peace!’ Based on what we know now, if we track the giants until nightfall, we will be closer to the Earl’s keep and to the Giants in the morning. We should know more by then than we do now in order to make a decision. Whaddya say boss?”

Zax is uncomfortable with such complicated moral dilemmas. He prefers more direct tactics. Zax appreciates the Warden's desire for combat.
Warhol's plan sounds like a fair compromise between FULL FRONTAL ASSUALT on the giants and something the King might say.
"You both share wise counsel. I agree that we should follow the giant's path for now as it accomplishes 2 strategic objectives."

Zax asks Marvin, "Was your neck injured in battle? You appear very crooked."

Marvin laughs heartily at the odd elf’s sense of humor. “So…we backtrack the giants then? Let’s go!”