Re: Adventure #5 - March of the Frost Giants

[Malazek]

With Talmut and company at the top of the ziggurat, Elodie transforms into a bird-of-prey and soars off to look for the giants ... but she doesn't have to go far. A mile from the Arx, she spots the giants fast approaching. Staying as low as giants can, they weave between the foothills as stealthily as possible, getting ever closer to keep. They pay little heed to the wayward raptor overhead.

[Glitz]

Elodie flies back to the top of the ziggurat and transforms into her human form again. "They're less than a mile out, and moving quickly!"

She will then turn to keep a close eye out. As soon as a giant comes into view, Elodie will raise her wand and summon a pillar of fire.

Readied action.
Trigger: Giant comes into view.
Action: Use Wand of Flame Strike.
Damage: 40

[Swifthand]

Talmut nods at Elodie's alert.

Talmut will cast Fly and then fly to the wall, ready to cast Cloudkill when the giants are all within range.  Can I cast the Cloudkill behind them, so that, as it spreads, it will force them towards the Arx?  I definitely do not want it to spread onto the walls.  I also assume that the Captain will be approaching the Arx from the east, as the giants are approaching the Arx from the west?


GM Edit: OOC: After looking at the spell and talking to Swift, we realized he would have to fly past the giants to get Cloudkill to force them toward the Arx. So, he'll fly out past the wall, instead of "to" the wall (staying well overhead).

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will order the men to prepare themselves on the wall that the giants are approaching. He will order the men to fire as soon as the giants are within distance. He will place himself in the middle of the wall so he can share his bonus with as many men as possible.


"Get ready to fire men!"

[Malazek]

Original Initiatives
- Gumphrey 23 with Readied Action
- Jeremiah 19 with Readied Action
- Corporals 18 with Readied Action
- Lance Corporals 17 with Readied Action
- Recruits (Troopers) 16 with Readied Action
- Talmut 16 with Readied Action
- Glory 15
- Stone Giant 15 will Delay
- Elodie 13 with Readied Action
- Lindy 12 with Readied Action
- Flint 12 with Readied Action
- Halvar 11
- Frost Giants 7
- Hill Giants 6

---

OOC: Since most of your side is sitting with Readied Actions, everyone's initiative will change in the first round of combat.

Just before everyone else sees the giants, Talmut sees them from high above. They notice the "little man" flying overhead, and start yelling among themselves (in Jotun) "WE'VE BEEN SPOTTED! QUICKLY! CHARGE AHEAD! CHAAAAARGE!!"

Round 1 ...

Init 23 thru 12
Waiting with Readied Actions and/or Delays.

Init 11
Halvar waits.

Init 7 and 6
The giants come crashing through the hills, racing across the killing field that Talmut (and Mittens) had previously cleared. As soon as they pass under Talmut, he casts his spell, conjuring a noxious cloud that billows around the giants, causing them to choke and wheeze and the poison fills their lungs.

- Fort Saves = 31, 27, 13, 33, 34, 22

At the same time, Elodie hits the lead giant with her wand. In turn, the fire spirits create a pillar of holy flame to destroy the giant! But he seems un-affected!! It's almost as if he is under the same magical protection as the "other" giant from before.

Just shortly after, all of the archers fire! There arrows rains down, all around the lead giant, sticking them like pin-cushions.

- First Volley 21 (Hit) 4 Damage
- Second Volley 22 (Hit) 10 Damage
- Third Volley 27 (Hit) 8 Damage
- Fourth Volley Natural 1 (Miss)
- Fifth Volley 12 (Miss)
- Sixth Volley 27 (Hit) 2 Damage
- Lance-Corporals 31 (Hit) 7 Damage
- Lance-Corporals 23 (Hit) 3 Damage
- Lance-Corporals 16 (Miss)
- Corporals 32 (Hit) 4 Damage
- Corporals 27 (Hit) 8 Damage
- Corporals 29 (Hit) 10 Damage
- OOC: I applied all that damage to the lead giant, for ease of number tracking.

Gumphrey, too, fires his bow. His arrows soars right into the lead giant, puncturing its face. the giant continues to race forward, with an arrow jutting from his now-bloody cheek.
- Longbow: Natch 20 & 12; 30 to verify (one Crit, one miss): 21 Damage

OOC: Everyone who took readied actions now has an initiative of 8.

Init 5
The last giant finally makes an appearance, cresting the hilltop above the other giants. Jeremiah immediately recognizes it as a Stone Giant Elder! Extremely rare, the Stone Giant Elders are bigger and badder than normal giants ... plus, they wield powerful magicks, to boot!

The ancient brown giant strides to the hilltop, while weaving mystic signs and chanting words of power ... then, all of a sudden, it vanishes.

---

Adjusted Initiatives for Round 2
- Jeremiah 19 with Readied Action
- Glory 15
- Lindy 12
- Flint 12
- Halvar 11
- Gumphrey 8
- Corporals 8
- Lance Corporals 8
- Recruits 8
- Talmut 8
- Elodie 8
- Frost Giants 7
- Hill Giants 6
- Stone Giant 5

The assault has begun! Post actions for Round 2!!

[Malazek]

OOC: This map is so huge, I suggest using the magnify tool. If you click on the map, it takes you to Photobucket. The magnifier is in the lower right corner.

[Glitz]

Elodie shifts her aim slightly and once again attempts to set fire to the first giant...and the one beside it, as well.

Use Wand of Flame Strike at 7MMM.
Damage: 37

[Swifthand]

Talmut conjures a mass of sticky webs amidst the giants, attemting to keep them contained within the poison cloud!

Standard: Cast Web on the giants, anchored between the KKK 5 tree and the RRR -1 tree, centered at NNN4
Move: to HHH -2

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will order the next volley of arrows to be fired at the giants.

"Ready.....Fire!"

OOC: Elodie remember you get a +2 bonus to hit/damage for being so close to me.

[Malazek]

OOC: I am going to post a bit later, tonight. I a helping my son with some important homework that is due tomorrow. I will post as soon as I am able.

[Alpha Omega]

OOC: No worries, sounds just like Gabe to wait until the last minute, lol!

[Malazek]

Round 2 ...

Init 19
With critical giant-slaying precision, Jeremiah orders another volley of arrows to be fired.

Init 15 to 12
Without significant ranged weapons to contribute, Glory guards the the gate while Lindy waits for the giants to draw closer.
Meanwhile, Flint (who also lacks greater range) stands at the top of the ziggurat, eager to defend Talmut when he returns.

Init 11
Halvar waits beneath the wall, waiting for any giant to breach the palisade.

Init 8
All of the arrows fly, blackening the sky. The lead giants catch the brunt of the assault and the already wounded giant-leader falls.

- Gumphrey: 27, 23 (Hit, Hit); 5, 5 Damage to the leader.
- Corporals: Natch 1, 14, Natch 20 verified with a 27 (Miss, Miss, Crit); 27 Damage to the leader (Dead)
- Lance-Corps: Natch 1, 9, Natch 20 verified with 18 (Miss, Miss, Hit); 7 Damage to the Tracker
- Recruit Volleys: 15, 16, 22, 26, 26, 25 (Miss, Miss, Hit, Hit, Hit, Hit); 10, 10, 7, 8 Damage to the Tracker

With her main target defeated, Elodie shifts her aim to the "next" lead giants. The fire spirits erupt into a volatile pillar of while flame, severely burning the two giants. Mighty and brutish, the giants do not fall, but they are clearly burned to the bone.

- Reflex Saves: 5, 9 (Fail, Fail)

The magical cloud of poisons gas rolls toward the keep. Caught in the noxious miasma, the giants violently choke and cough.

- Fortitude Saves (Frost):21, 33, 23, 30 (All Successful)
- Fortitude Saves (Hill): 17, 22, 28 (One Fail, Two Successes)

At the same time, Talmut casts a spell that conjures a giant spider web. Anchored between the two trees, the web catches four of the giants, who are instantly stuck the sticky strands.

- Fortitude Saves (Frost): 12, 12 (Fail, Fail)
- Fortitude Saves (Hill): 16, 11 (Fail, Fail)

Init 7 and 6
Most of the giants stuck inside the web pull themselves free, but one of them is unable to do so, and I only gets more stuck as he struggles. Those that do break free, move toward the outside edge of the web, but get stuck again as they fight to reach the edge.

- CM Check: 28, 25, 16, 26 (Three Success, One Fail)
- Reflex Saves: 15, 17, 11 (All Fail)

- GM EDIT: OOC: Oops, those last three Reflex Saves were supposed to be CM Checks. Oh well, it's too late. I don't have time to fix it, so I'm sticking with that result. I will use the correct mechanics next round.

The three that somehow managed not to get stuck in the web move out of the poisonous cloud and then continue their charge toward the keep.

Init 5
???



OOC: Sorry the map is so slopped; i'm under serious time constraints. I will "freshen" it up next round.
OOC: Please post your Round 3 Actions.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will order the troops to fire at will from this point on. He will then make his way down to where Halvar is standing and prepare to meet the giants in hand to hand combat.

OOC: Do I think it's possible to scale down the wall?

Climb +13
Acrobatics +15

[Glitz]

Elodie summons another pillar of fire, this time focusing on the two giants that are still charging that don't look so battered.

Use Wand of Flame Strike, centered at DDD9.
Damage: 36

[Malazek]

OOC: Do I think it's possible to scale down the wall?

Yeah. It's possible.

[Swifthand]

Talmut will cast Black Tentacles on the rearmost giants, trying to keep them in the poison cloud.

[Malazek]

OOC: I am working on fixing the map for my next post, but I don't think I have enough time to put up the entire post, yet. I will try, but I I don't finish it before I have to leave, then I will finish it when I get back.

[Malazek]

Round 3 …

Init 19
Giving the order to fire at will, Jeremiah swings over the battlements and scales down the wall.
- Climb Check = 16 to move 15 feet down the wall.
- Free action to drop the rest of the rest of the way down.

Init 15
Glory guards the gate. Flint guards the high-tower. Lindy waits for the giants to draw nearer.

Init 11
Halvar holds his ground, waiting for the giants to breech the palisade.

Init 8
Gumphrey continues to fire, sinking an arrow into the shoulder of a giant.
- Attacks = 16, 23 (Miss, hit); 3 Damage

The troops fire at will. They manage to slay the giant tracker and injure several others.
- Corporals: 22, 15, 16 (Hit, Miss, Miss); 7 Damage
- Lance Corporals: 23, 17, 21 (Hit, Miss, Hit); 3, 4 Damage
- Recruits (firing at will): 13, 16, 7, 5, 5, 13, Natch (w7), 21, 12, 12
- Recruits (firing at will): Natch (v23), 10, 15, 23, 12, 6, 19, 9, 13, 23
- Recruits (firing at will):  19, 8, 19, 13, 5, 5, 7, 11, 13, Natch (v6)
- Recruits: One Crit, Five Hits, Fourteen Misses; 17, 3, 5, 7, 6, Damage

Elodie continues to devastate the giants with her brutal wand. The fiery column destroys the hill giants and critically injures the frost giant.
- Reflex Saves = 7, 10 (Fail, Fail)

The poison cloud continues to roll toward the keep. The giants caught within the miasma are looking weaker by the second, as the poisonous gas fills their lungs.
- Fort Saves = 22, 12 (one success, one fail)

Talmut adds misery to woe, by conjuring a nest of writhing black tentacles!
- CM Check = 19 (All Fail)

Init 7 and 6
The giants stuck in the web tear at the strands, and rip themselves free! Once free, two of the giants hustle away from the cloud and move toward the keep. The other two take a little longer getting loose.
- CM Checks = 24, 38, 24, 21
- CM Checks = 21, 40

The closest giant continues to charge the keep. As he runs, he lifts his heavy spear (more like a ballista bolt, really) and prepares to throw it. As he draws near, he shouts (in Jotun) “FORWARD BROTHERS, INTO THE BRINK! TONIGHT WE JOIN THRYM IN HIS MIGHTY HALL!!”

Init 5
??



OOC: I forgot to apply the damage from Gumphrey and the NCO's, but I don't want to edit the map just for that. So, the Hill Giant at FFF7 is down another 17 HP (-41 Total).
OOC: Also, the Frost Giant in OOO-3 is only down 14 Max HP (I was thinking 2 Con Mod, instead of 2 Con Score. Oops).

[Glitz]

Elodie now focuses on the giant that is closest to the moat. She snarls in an attempt to mimic the shouting of the giant.

Use Wand of Flame Strike at OO11.
Damage: 29

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will move to Halvar's position, then debate on whether to swim across the moat or use the bridge to get to the other side of the water.

OOC: My axes are craving giant blood...

[Swifthand]

"Great Lady Xerona, Queen of Light, grace me with aid from your mighty courts!"
 

Cast - Summon Monster 3, Lantern Archon, Extended via the Rod of the Chameleon Lord
Free - Instruct the Archon to attack the giants from the air

[Malazek]

Round 4

Init 19
Moving along the base of the wall, Jeremiah goes to Halvar's side.

Init 15
Glory guards the gate. Flint guards the high-tower.

Lindy throws her spear at the approaching giant, but it dodges the attack with surprising grace.
- Attack Roll = 19 (miss)

Init 11
Halvar continues to wait.

Init 8
Gumphrey fires! The troops fire!
- Gumphrey, Attack = 18, 18 (Both Miss)
- Corporals, Attacks = 19, 19, 25 (Two Miss, One Hit); 6 Damage
- Lance-Corporals, Attacks = 11, Natch (v21), 18 (Two Miss, One Crit); 27 Damage
- Recruits: 21, 14, 20, 18, 21, 18, 15, 15, 14, 23 (Three Hits, Seven Misses); 9, 9, 10 Damage
- Recruits: 5, 21, 8, Natch (v8), 20, 8, 15, 5, 16, 14 (Two Hits, Eight Misses); 10, 5 Damage
- Recruits: 11, 17, 6, 21, 16, 17, 17, 12, 8, 11 (One Hit, Nine Misses); 6 Damage

Elodie points her wand again, causing the lead spear-hurling giant to collapse into a smoking mound before he looses his first spear.
- Reflex Save = 17 (Fail)

Init 7 and 6
The toxic cloud continues to roll; the giants continue to suffer.
- Fortitude Saves = 13, 23 (Fail, Pass)

The last giant caught in the web finally breaks free and starts rushing the keep.
- CM Check = 38 (Success)

The remaining giants charge forward.

Talmut summons another Agent of Xerona and commands it to attack the giants.

The Archon flies after the charging giants, and beams the lead one with a beam of light.
- Touch Attack = 15 (Hit); 4 Damage

Init 5
Suddenly, the Stone Giant Elder appears as he emerges from the water and grabs the top of the palisade. Yanking on it with all his might, he breaks it free from its foundation and throws it as it breaks apart into dozens of smaller pieces!!
- He takes (d4 x d4+2) 6 damage from the palisade.
- Strength check to break it = 29

Halvar immediately steps forward and strikes the giant
- Readied Action: Attack: 22 (Hit); 14 Damage!
- Halvar's INIT becomes 8.

[Glitz]

Elodie targets the giant that has come crashing through the palisade. 

Use Wand of Flame Strike.
Damage: 33

[Swifthand]

Talmut will conjure an Acid Arrow and hurl it at the giant below him.

Standard - Cast Acid Arrow, Extended via the Rod of the Chameleon Lord on the Frost Giant Hurler in GGG -4

Move - 60' down

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah will furiously attack the stone giant elder.

"Halvar, step left so I can hack this scum down to pebbles!"

Jeremiah will hold his initiative to wait for Halvar to side step.

AoGS #1: 14 + 20 = 34 | DMG: 23
AoGS #2: 16 + 15 = 31 | DMG: 21


MwHA #1: 10 + 15 = 25 | DMG: 10
MwHA #2: 14 + 10 = 24 | DMG: 9

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