[3.5][Nostalgia] Kill Bargle

[angelfromanotherpin]

Here's what I have for the PCs so far.

Vorbar (Gnome Cleric 3)
Str: 10 [0], Dex: 10 [0], Con: 13 [+1], Int: 7 [-2], Wis: 16 [+3], Cha: 16 [+3]
HD: 3d8+3 (21 hp); Speed: Ground 20 (15 armored); BAB: +2, Fort: +4, Ref: +1, Will: +6
AC: 21 (+1 size, +8 armor, +2 shield), Flat: 21, Touch: 11
Attacks: mwci Morningstar +4 melee (1d6) or mw Light Crossbow +2 ranged (1d6)
Skills: Knowledge (Religion) +4
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Abilities: Gnome Traits, Turn Undead 5*/day, Greater Turning 1/day, Feat of Strength 1/day
Spells:
     Lvl 0 (4): Detect Magic, Guidance, Resistance, Virtue
     Lvl 1 (3+1): Bless, Endure Elements, Protection From Evil, Sanctuary
     Lvl 2 (2+1): Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Lesser Restoration
Possessions: (52/24.75 lbs)
Full Plate Armor, Heavy Wooden Shield, Holy Symbol of Pelor, Masterwork Cold Iron Morningstar, Masterwork Light Crossbow, 100 Bolts, Silk Rope (50 ft), Waterskin, 1 week's trail rations, Spell Component Pouch, 3x 100gp pearls, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Oil of Bless Weapon, Vial of Holy Water, misc monies.

Grobnar (Gnome Bard 3)
Str: 6 [-2], Dex: 16 [+3], Con: 13 [+1], Int: 12 [+1], Wis: 10 [0], Cha: 16 [+3]
HD: 3d6+3 (17 hp); Speed: Ground 20 (15 encumbered); BAB: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +6, Will: +3
AC: 17 (+1 size, +3 dex, +3 armor), Flat: 14, Touch: 14
Attacks: mw Light Crossbow +8 ranged (1d6/19+)
Skills: Bluff +9, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +9, Perform +9, Ride +6, Sense Motive +6, Use Magic Device +9
Feats: Spell Focus (Enchantment), Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment)
Abilities: Gnome Traits, Bardic Music, Bardic Knowledge, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage, Inspire Competence
Spells:
     Lvl 0 (3/day): Detect Magic, Mage Hand. Mending, Message, Read Magic, Summon Instrument
     Lvl 1 (2/day): Charm Person, Silent Image, Sleep
Possessions: (24.5/15 lbs)
Backpack, Bedroll, Entertainer’s outfit, Traveler’s outfit, 5 candles, 1 week’s trail rations, Waterskin, Masterwork Lyre, Studded Leather Armor, Dagger, Masterwork Light Crossbow, 20 silver crossbow bolts, 40 cold iron crossbow bolts, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Oil of Bless Weapon, Vial of Holy Water, misc monies.
Riding Dog, Leather Barding, Military Saddle, 2x Saddlebags, 14 chunks meat.

Norda (Dwarf Fighter 3)
Str: 18 [+4], Dex: 12 [+1], Con: 15 [+2], Int: 10 [0], Wis: 11 [0], Cha: 5 [-3]
HD: 3d10+6 (28 hp); Speed: Ground 20; BAB: +3, Fort: +5, Ref: +2, Will: +1
AC: 21 (+1 dex, +8 armor, +2 shield), Flat: 20, Touch: 11
Attacks: mws Dwarven Waraxe +8 melee (1d10+3/*3) or Light Hammer +4 ranged (1d4+4)
Skills: Climb +10 (-8 ACP), Jump +10 (-8 ACP)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Run
Abilities: Dwarf Traits
Possessions: (136.45/100 lbs)
Full Plate Armor, Tower Shield, Heavy Wooden Shield, Masterwork Silver Dwarven Waraxe, Light Hammer, Backpack, Silk Rope (50 ft), Grappling Hook, Waterskin, 1 week's trail rations, Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x2, Oil of Bless Weapon x2, Vial of Holy Water x2, misc monies.

Needs skills, feats, gear finalized. I gave her a heavy shield as well as a tower shield because she can spare the weight for the option. Wielding the tower shield gives +2 AC (relative to the heavy shield) and -2 to hit.
The 3rd level of Fighter is unfortunately empty, it could be worth trading in for Ranger or Barbarian.

Lodin (Halfling Rogue 3)
Str: 9 [-1], Dex: 18 [+4], Con: 12 [+1], Int: 16 [+3], Wis: 8 [-1], Cha: 10 [0]
HD: 3d6+3 (17 hp); Speed: Ground 20; BAB: +2, Fort: +3, Ref: +8, Will: +1
AC: 18 (+1 size, +4 dex, +3 armor), Flat: 14, Touch: 15
Attacks: mws rapier +8 melee (1d4-2/18+)
Skills: Bluff +6, Climb +7, Disable Device +9, Hide +14, Listen +7, Move Silently +12, Search +9, Sense Motive +5, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +5, Tumble +10
Feats: Weapon Finesse, [Lvl 3]
Abilities: Halfling Traits, Sneak Attack +2d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1
Possessions: (22.5/22.5 lbs)
masterwork silver rapier, masterwork studded leather armor, backpack, hooded lantern, flint and steel, waterskin, masterwork thieves' tools, 4 days trail rations, 5 pints of oil, misc. monies.

[JourneymanN00b]

The following changes are missing for Grobnar:
1. I want to get rid of the Disguise kit since Grobnar does not have the Disguise skill.
2. Replace Prestidigitation with Summon Instrument as the selected 0 level spells to avoid doubling up.

Thanks.

[Beroli]

Also please lose the diamond dust for Vorbar, he won't have a use for it until level 7.

[angelfromanotherpin]

While the final character details are still being hammered out, I may as well post the starting sitch:

The journey to Castle Mistamere has been uneventful, and the weather pleasant. Once it was the local stronghold, but it was reduced to ruin in battle several years ago and never restored. Now, the remains of the fortress loom before you, the stone walls damaged, but still largely intact, about 25 feet high. The outer gates, fallen and wormeaten, lie on the ground to one side of the path, but an inner set of doors remain standing and ajar. Beyond the fallen gates, there is a small breach in the wall.

[Beroli]

Lodin will step forward to search for traps, first on the road approaching the gate, and then inside. If he sees signs of movement inside, he'll duck back behind Norda.

(Take 20 to search each section of floor or wall.)

[JourneymanN00b]

If the leather barding isn't already on the Riding Dog, I would like to have Grobnar put it on the Riding Dog, and put away the Entertainer's outfit, 14 chunks of meat, 20 cold iron crossbow bolts, and 10 silver crossbow bolts in the Riding Dog's saddlebags. I then would like to have Grobnar load his crossbow with a cold iron bolt.

[Thaluikhain]

Ok, I think I'll stick with all 3 levels of fighter (and now appreciate a OOTS joke about level 3 fighters more). I would go Ranger to take preferred enemy if I knew what we were going to be fighting, but as it is, keep things simple.

I also think I'll go for go for Power Attack, Cleave and Improved Initiative, and Run. I think I'll put 6 skill points in Jump and 6 in Climb.

[Beroli]

Ok, I think I'll stick with all 3 levels of fighter (and now appreciate a OOTS joke about level 3 fighters more). I would go Ranger to take preferred enemy if I knew what we were going to be fighting,

Hard to go wrong with humans in most default D&D games, and Bargle himself is human.

So what "blessed gifts" did we get from the temple?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Sorry about the delay, a bunch of life happened all at once.

The temple has provided each of you with a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, an Oil of Bless Weapon, and a vial of holy water. They have also offered you an everburning torch and a magical feather found in Bargle's former lodgings. The feather was found by a Detect Magic spell and radiates moderate conjuration, but its properties are not known.

Lodin would have asked Norda to carry his gifts for him. Let me know if anyone wants to take either the torch or the feather.

In the meantime...

Lodin refuses to spend a full 2 minutes painstakingly examining every five feet of path before proceeding, but does begin to advance while searching 'reasonably.'

[surprise round]
His gaze on the path, Lodin (and everyone else) is taken by surprise when a nightmarish boneless tentacled thing slithers out from beneath the fallen doors and lashes him with a drooling tendril. Lodin goes stiff.


[normal round]
The turn order is the monster, Vorbar, Grobnar, Norda.
The thing crawls on caterpillar-like feet to drool its venom on Norda, but it only spatters on her armor.

[Beroli]

Raising his morningstar but considering positioning, Vorbar will delay his action until after Norda has acted.

[Beroli]

(Thaluikhain, you're up. Suggest moving five feet north or south to facilitate Vorbar flanking with you as best you can, and then attacking, if it's okay for me to say that OOC.)

[Thaluikhain]

Sounds good, move five feet north and then hit the thing with my axe, using my heavy shield, not my tower shield.

[Beroli]

Vorbar steps to the southwest and swings his morningstar at the caterpillar.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Technically, Grobnar acts before Norda, but I don't think it matters since it's all PCs in a row.

Norda and Vorbar step in to engage the creature, hacking and bashing at its rubbery flesh, and ichor oozes forth.

Norda hit with a 14+8=22, Vorbar with a 14+4=18. The red bar beneath the enemy tells you roughly how hurt it is. Just waiting on Grobnar's action now.

[JourneymanN00b]

I would like Grobnar to move 10 feet east, load his crossbow with a cold iron bolt if it is not loaded already, and shoot at the thing. And I would like Norda to hold onto Grobnar's gifts for now.

Oh, and is the leather barding already on the Riding Dog, and is Grobnar already riding it?

[angelfromanotherpin]

Oh, and is the leather barding already on the Riding Dog, and is Grobnar already riding it?

Yes, I assume you keep your steed's armor on the steed and not in your pack or mouth or wherever, and also keep your butt on your steed. Because the dog occupies the same number of squares as you do, it's tricky to depict — I don't have a dog-cavalry token, and there's no appropriate status symbol in the app. I'll see what I can do.

Grobnar maneuvers away and takes a shot, but the thing is moving unpredictably in response to its foes and the bolt does not find its mark. The thing seems to explode with activity, lashing out with many slimy tendrils, each seeming almost to be its own creature, while at the same time gnawing on the paralyzed Lodin. Paralytic goo flies everywhere, but the warriors are too encased for enough to contact their flesh.

Grobnar's attack was 6 (roll) +8 (attack bonus) -4 (ranged attack at a target in melee) = 10, miss.
The creature makes eight tentacle attacks against Vorbar and Norda, none of which hit, and one bite attack on Lodin, which does.
The PCs may now act in whichever order they like.

Just a reminder that no one has yet claimed either the everburning torch or the mysterious feather. If another round goes by and no one mentions either, they were left behind.

[Beroli]

Vorbar, who has the mysterious feather, steps to the southwest (if what is there is navigable) and swings his morningstar again.

(I believe that would count as flanking with Norda by the diagrams in the D&D core rule books, meaning they both now have +2 to hit.)

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to give the everburning torch to Norda, and for Grobnar to move 10 feet east, load his crossbow with another cold iron bolt and shoot at the monster.

[Beroli]

On the one hand, Norda has the highest weight allowance; on the other hand, she's the one member of the group who has absolutely no use for the Everburning Torch personally, since she has darkvision, and it's not like it has actual fire, just light. Her having it is certainly preferable to no one doing so.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, thought about taking an everburning torch, but I don't need it. I'll carry the thing for now though.

Anyhoo, attack monster again, yelling and screaming in the hope it distracts it from eating downed teammate

[angelfromanotherpin]

Beroli must be looking at different flanking diagrams than I am, not that it matters in this instance.

Hacking and bashing take their toll, and then a final bolt finishes the creature, which gives up its life in silence, shuddering as it collapses. Lodin appears to be in the process of un-stiffening, but as yet can only wiggle a few fingers.

Back in noncombat time, let me know if you want to do anything while Lodin is recovering, or if you just want to wait.

[Beroli]

(I neglected to look up the specific-to-large-creatures flanking diagram.)

Vorbar will examine the creature to see if it has anything more useful than icky caterpillar slime. "Must have been trained or something; Bargle must have been able to get past it whenever he wanted to leave." He sits down to wait for Lodin to recover.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to have Grobnar load his crossbow with another cold iron bolt, and head west by 30 feet, which should put him with the rest of the group.

[Thaluikhain]

Norda moves a few feet further down the path and keeps watch in that direction.

EDIT: And I totally don't draw a moustache on Lodin while they are paralysed.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Over the next half a minute, the companions regroup as Lodin recovers the use of his limbs. Vorbar's examination of the beast's carcass yields nothing of apparent value, and only morbid interest. Norda's advance wins her a peek through the gap in the gates.


That gap closes with a squeal of rusty hinges. A thump follows, suggesting the addition of a brace or bar.