Completed Play-by-Post: In Search of the Sorcerer

[nikolokolus]

People do a quick inventory of their belongings. Brule starts to swear bitterly. It appears his rations are completely gone. Likewise Borric is also the victim of larceny and discovers that his fine fur cape, taken from the tomb is also gone.

 

[Grimgravy]

"He picked a good time to run off. Dealing with him will have to wait."

 

[nikolokolus]

Brule nods, "Agreed. If the swamp doesn't swallow that cur, then hopefully the wolves or a cave lion will get him. With any luck he won't know the land well enough and he'll leave plenty of tracks for us to follow. Now then, we should descend and prepare. Night will be upon us soon enough." He flashes a sour look toward the swamp and sighs before grasping the rope that descends into the cave and sliding down.

 

[nikolokolus]

Spoiler

So . . . let me know what your characters are doing in the next 20-30 minutes

 

[Wayward Son]

Mab is standing in the chamber, checking the fidelity of his trap, and generally making sure he and others are ready.

 

[Helly]

Ker looks for a recluse corner of the chamber and meditate, trying to renew his connection with the gods of nature in this wretched place.

 

[nikolokolus]

People carefully enter the chamber where Mab has laid his snare and take up positions in the brooding darkness.

Ker separates himself slightly, entering a trance-like reverie; he closes his eyes and tries to think about Cernunoss, Danu, The Dagda and the hosts of Keltic Otherworld, focusing his mind on the task at hand. Like storm clouds gathering on the horizon your mind is gradually filled with dread as you are gradually made aware of a dark presence entering your consciousness. Startled, you snap your eyes open expecting to see a black-mawed beast hovering right in front of you, but there is nothing there.

Seconds later a great calm falls over the cavern as the black pool in the north of the chamber ceases to churn and goes perfectly still -- even the sulfurous clouds of gas have stopped belching forth.

 

[L'ennui]

Urash tenses. He hopes this fetid place will not be his last...

 

[Helly]

Ker shakes his head, rejecting the apparition. "Men... It's coming. Time to help Marcan write his next epic." He then takes position behind the others, readies his sling, strap the lion shield and check the availability of his evergreen mistletoe.

 

[Wayward Son]

Mab looks at the others. "Men, this may be your last chance to leave. I personally would not blame you if you did."

 

[Llywelyn ap Gruffydd]

Cormac looks around nervously and grips his shield tighter, pulling it close to his chest.

 

[Grimgravy]

Rhenmyr likewise prepares for combat. He positions himself between the pool and Urash.

 

[Siveon]

Marcán moves opposite of Borric, setting up a would-be pincer attack. He nods to Ker with a smile. Whip in one hand, blade in another.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Borric holds the spear at the ready and moves astride Marcan.

 

[nikolokolus]

Tensed and ready, the group stands nearly stock still in the gloomy cavern as the seconds stretch into what feels like an eternity. Almost imperceptibly at first, there is a strange "shimmer" that ripples across the surface of the pool of jet-black water. That shimmer intensifies and a pinprick of greenish, eldritch light at a depth that seems almost infinite flickers to life. This pinprick slowly grows in size, risiing like a bubble floating up from the depths. Growing, and growing until the width of the pool nearly suffused with the weird glow.

At last the "bubble" of light breaches the surface of the pool and fills the cavern with its brilliant and otherworldly rays. Involuntarily, you one-by-one look away or shield your eyes from the hellish glare that erupts in a flash of light and then just as quickly vanishes. When you each lower your hands or look back, there standing before you in the center of the pool is the great wolf-like Blaidd Mawr.

He casually strides from the center of the pool appearing to walk on it's surface as if it were solid ground. He regards the lot of you cooly, but his eyes flare when he sees Borric with the Spear of Ulfheonar. His jaws open and a baleful howl echoes off of the cave walls right before he leaps at the fierce Kurgan Barbarian.

Roll initiative. (Don't forget the +1 bonus from the spear ERYFKRAD)

 

[nikolokolus]

Round 1:

Blaidd Mawr Initiative [1d6+1] = 5+1 = 6

Brule's Initiative [1d6] = 1

 

[Siveon]

Initiative: [1d6] = 6

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Initiative: [1d6] = 6

And + 1 so 7?

Even as the wolf leaps at Borric, he holds the spear steady in front, to impale the wolf on its own momentum.

 

[nikolokolus]

Round 1 Order:

Borric & Rhenmyr
Blaidd Mawr and Marcán
...
Brule

 

[ERYFKRAD]

To hit fey wolf: [1d20+5] = 12+5 = 17

If the hit is successful, Borric attempts to pin the wolf.

Spoiler

What is the opposing strength check?

 

[nikolokolus]

To hit fey wolf: [1d20+5] = 12+5 = 17

If the hit is successful, Borric attempts to pin the wolf.

Spoiler

What is the opposing strength check?

As the wolf flies through the air, Borric plants the butt end of the spear in the ground and the tip bites into its flesh

Spoiler

So go ahead and roll damage for the first round.

To pin it, you must make a strength roll as per the grappling rules (except that the opponent doesn't get an opposed attack roll to dodge the grapple). The base chance is 50% +/- 5% for every point your strength score exceeds or falls short of your opponent's strength. The wolf has a strength of 19, thus you have a 40% chance to pin it and hold this round. You can maintain the pin without having to roll your attack again so long as you keep passing your strength check on your turn. If you fail your strength check it escapes and moves freely (of course you can try to pin it again). While pinned with the spear, an opponent can't move, but they can still attack anything inside melee range.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Damage:
Spear damage: [1d6+6] = 2+6 = 8

Strength Check:[3d6] = 9

 

[nikolokolus]

Damage:
Spear damage: [1d6+6] = 2+6 = 8

Strength Check:[3d6] = 9

Spoiler

Just roll a d100 for percentages

 

[ERYFKRAD]

[1d100] = 31

 

[Grimgravy]

Initiative [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

To hit (Serpent Spear): [1d20+3] = 1+3 = 4, Damage [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7
Rhenmyr tries to skewer the enemy, but it seems, the eldritch light have affected his eyes.