Confrontation in the Gloom - Round 11

[Eclecticon]

Situation: The Fellowship has vanquished the servants of the Shadow in their lair beneath Lake-Town.  But the news has come that one of its remaining thralls dwells in the household of the Master of Lake-Town, and is even now preparing to serve wine to the Council of the North.  Can the remaining companions arrive in time to prevent a terrible poisoning?

Combat Advantage dice:
• Arbogast 0/1
• Esgalwen 0/2
• Hathcyn 0/0
• Laeral 0/2

Situation Modifiers:
• The companions have the initiative. 

Physical Modifiers (complications):
• The platform is slippery, but broad enough that characters are not in danger of falling.

PC/NPC

PARRY

ARMOUR

HOPE

END

STANCE

STATUS

Arbogast Esgalwen Hathcyn Laeral

• 6 ( +3) • 6 • 7 • 8

• 2d ( +3) • 1d ( n/a) • 2d ( n/a) • 3d ( n/a)

• 10/16 • 10/14 • 8/13 • 9/12

• 0/26 • 27/27 • 11/29 • 20/28

Defensive Defensive Defensive Rearward

unconscious normal unconscious escaping combat

ENEMY		PARRY		ARMOUR		HATE		END		NOTES
The Haunter of the Lakeshore Bowman 1 Bowman 2 Bowman 3 Knifeman 1 Knifeman 2 Knifeman 3 Knifeman 4 Knifeman 5 Knifeman 6 Beorning Guard Beorning Warrior Wulfdan Broken-jaw Lake-Beast		• 6 • 4 • 4 • 4 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 3 • 4 • 4 • 5 • 4		• 2d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 1d • 2d • 2d • 3d • 2d		• 0/10 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 2/2 • 4/4 • 5/6		• 0/50 • 1/14 • 1/14 • 1/14 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 0/12 • 12/12 • 14/14 • 0/14 • 13/24 • 0/32		Fleeing ?? ?? ?? Dead Dead Dead Dead Dead Fleeing Dead (?) Fleeing Dead

STANCES

Forward - action order 1 Close combat TN 6+ parry Forward Maneuvers

Open - action order 2 Close combat TN 9+ parry Open Maneuvers

Defensive - action order 3 Close combat TN 12+ parry Defensive Maneuvers

Rearward - action order 4 Ranged combat TN 12+ parry Must be 2 other PC's in Close Combat; May not use if outnumbered 2:1 Rearward Maneuvers

From any Stance Escape combat Must start in Rearward or roll TN 10 + highest attribute level of opponents Athletics roll. On success, may safely flee from the scene of combat

[Eclecticon]

For the sake of fairness,I will let you know that there is a countdown running for you to be able to foil an attempted poisoning of the Council (see above).  Each round of combat, and each failed roll thereafter until you reach the Council, will make it tick down.

For the sake of narrative tension, I won't tell the players with active characters how many more rounds, or failed rolls, remain.

[Telcontar]

  i missed the part that the wine was poisoned.

[Eclecticon]

You're right - I messed up that revelation.  With the indulgence of the group, I will go back in the morning and retcon it to make more sense. 

EDIT: Done.  As you were, gentlemen.

[tomcat]

Esgalwen drew Nimronyn from its scabbard and looked to the Elf, "Lady Laeral, though I fear that separated we are weaker against the power of the Shade, still we must heed the words of Wulfdan. If there is a traitor within the council, then much is in jeopardy. Any alliance of Dwarves, Elves and Men may be lost to a clandestine act that destroys the trust that binds us all.

"You are fleet of foot and may be able to make it to the council chamber in time! I will see to the last of these Beornings and to Wulfdan. Mayhap I can even save my friends."

The Ranger had not forgotten about the fallen forms of Arbogast and Hathcyn, and she worried whether they still lived. Her choice set, she began the arduous task of climbing onto the path that led under the town, leaving the raft for Laeral to take or leave in her race back to the Master's Hall.

If this be foolish, she thought, at least maybe they will one day write a song about us... three individuals out of place that gave all to see that the North was unified.

To the Beorning ahead she called, "Your brother is injured and needs your aid. I will not harm you if you drop your arms and see to him instead, but should you stand against me I will see you both share a dishonored death!"
Matt, if you disagree with this idea I can either retcon my post or work any change into the next round. For now, I believe I need to roll an Athletics test. I am also including an Awe test to see if I can intimidate the last opponent. I would like to add my Noble Lineage trait to have a commanding voice to try and sway him (if everyone agrees).

Here goes...

TN ?? athletics 2d

1d12 : 12, total 12
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 4, total 8

TN ?? awe 3d

1d12 : 1, total 1
Rolled 3d6 : 1, 5, 2, total 8

[tomcat]

Well she easily walks along the plank with the success, but it looks like she makes little headway in deterring any upcoming fight. It might be worth a , if that would make a difference.

[Telcontar]

   Hathcyn was unlike other men, he was a Beorning, he was a shape shifter, his spirit and his body did not share the same relationship as that of other men. So the foul spell of the wraith held additional horrors for him. He felt his body swoon and fall to the slick slimy planks. His nose inhaled the sickness and decay spiced with the fresh addition of blood.  He lost awareness of the mortal world around him as his spirit left his body, and unseen by the other folk of men the spirit shape of a fox with a silver tail appeared by his side.

The Wraith too spied the creature and with the spirit eyes of the fox Hathcyn behold the wraith in all his horror. No longer a fearful thing clothed all in shadow and black, it now had hideous form. The smoky outline of the creature laughed at the fox and the spirit bones of the creature froze in terror. Wispy tendrils flew from the wraith and took the form of darts to strike at the spirit beast. In an instant the fox turned and fled. Plagued by the darts each seemed to clip another hair from its tale. Always the planks twisted and turned seemingly making no progress, only the prick of the darts and terror drove the creature on, the under belly of the city a blur of decay and shadow without sanctuary. Like a predator which took amusement from the hunt always the darts came close but did not strike, no matter which way the fox turned.

Endlessly the race went on and always the spirit form of Hathcyn thought it was losing ground. With a great sweep then the fox was falling, falling, and falling into the lake or the ether he did not know, only that he had been captured. Now, instead of the scene beneath the planks the fox was in a yard. One that was eerily familiar. The chickens, the fence, all seemed like a wraith painting of his childhood home. Now the darts were gone and in their place, he saw a wraith, spear in hand stabbing at the fox. The blows were closer and harder to avoid. Each one seemed to strike closer and closer, he felt the spirit fur pricked and wounded. He twisted and turned and tried to call out and has he squirmed he saw again the attacker and his insides turned to cold water. The wraith bore his own face with a sneer and a scowl. Their eyes met and he felt the spear pierce his body, the wraith tip pinned the creature to the ground, and it seemed as if his life blood fled. In an instant he though of his brother, and the face, now his brother's said, "Yes kinslayer. Pierced by your own spear, here is the revenge of a murdered brother." The voice laughed and the word invaded all his consciousness, "Kinslayer."

Again, the fox was on the planks, running from the darts and the torture began again. 

[Eclecticon]

That is some mighty fine self-inflicted torture, Tom.  Would you like to give us a Corruption roll to go with that?

Well she easily walks along the plank with the success, but it looks like she makes little headway in deterring any upcoming fight. It might be worth a , if that would make a difference.

Oh man, even with a Hope point, it still doesn't cut it.  Looks like Esgalwen's going to have to spend at least one more round defending herself and her companions. 

Matt, Laeral now has a choice - pole the raft back into the market pool and try to get to the Town Hall from there (slow-ish, but presenting an easier-to-navigate route) or try to move past the Beorning guard (requiring at least one Athletics test, plus an Explore roll once she's up through the trap door to figure out where she is and where to go next).  She could also try to Awe the guard out of his enchantment (though that brings her no closer to the Council) or you may be also able to think of something else. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

 
Can Fierce help her with this situation to get through to the last guy?


Though she knew she could help with the healing, the council had to be the priority right now.  With little more than a nod, she grabbed the pole to traverse the pilings to get there in time.  "Go! Save them and maybe more will be!"

With all that was left in her, Laeral pushed that pole and raft like all she knew depended upon it because, though she didn't really know, but it did.

Athletics -  1d12 : 9, total 9
Rolled 2d6 : 4, 5, total 9

Explore -  1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 1d6 : 3, total 3

[Eclecticon]

Nice rolling - the Athletics roll will mean it'll be two rounds to get out from under the timbers instead of three. 

In the meantime, the Beorning guard attacks Esgalwen:

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 1, 6, total 13

[Eclecticon]

Seizing the pole, Laeral bends her back to the task and soon has the raft coasting through the twisting channel that leads back to the light of day.  Behind her, the last man still standing pays no heed to her going but takes up his spear and in a fluid movement hurls it at Esgalwen, tearing her cloak as it passes by her by the smallest of margins.  Then, gripping his torch with both hands, he advances across the slick planks towards her. 

EDIT: I'm going to split the action into two threads to avoid having to make Matt wait while time creeps along at combat round pace.  Doug, we'll resolve the last skerrick of the fight in combat format as usual.