Thursday, February 8, 2018

On Moonlit Wings: Valtyr #3

I forgot to note that the first session’s character sheet says Valtyr has a mace. I switched that to an axe to keep the character in theme. He’s a Northlander and a viking. It would make sense he’s familiar with an axe, sword and spear due to his culture, and I don’t think Northlander clerics would have the same restrictions as other clerics (especially with class based weapon damage).

Player rolls for next area: Empty

Plot Stress: +5 (15)
GM rolls Stress Check: 95
Location: (20) Port/station/transit
Quality #1: (56) Cold
Quality #2: (03) Mine/shaft/tunnel
Quality #3: (02) Cave/cavern

The cleric passes through the door, the light offered by the enchantment displays a sharp turn with stairs that lead up. They spiral gracefully around the perimeter of the tower. Any commotion from the fleeing kobolds are long since gone.

The tower has been left in a state of disrepair for a long time. Coming around another bend, Valtyr sees a pile of rubble blocking his slow climb up the tower. A tunnel leads of to his left, burrowing further into the mountain.

He stops and presses against the wall, dimming the light of the coin in a loose fist.

Question 1: Are the fleeing kobolds near?
Player rolls Yes/No: (31) Yes

GM uses Miso to determine state:
Option A: Waiting in ambush
Option B: Further in the cave
Option A - 3, Option B - 1

GM rolls Physical + Subterfuge for Stealth: 20
Player rolls Intellect + Subterfuge vs DC 20: 10

GM rolls for Encounter Budget: 21
GM uses previously fled kobolds: 7 weak officers (7)
GM rolls for foe encountered: common leader (10)
GM rolls for foe encountered: brute (10)

7 kobold noble guards (CR 0, minions): 1 HP, AC 12, shoddy pole weapon (1 dmg)

kobold sergeant (CR ¼): 5 HP, AC 12, sword +3 (1d6)

kobold war hound (CR ½): 10 HP, AC 14, bite +5 (1d6)

Valtyr listens at the tunnel’s entrance; he had heard something further in the passage, a subtle scrape and voices deeper within.

Valtyr opens his fist to light the way and pulls his axe into his hand before slowly walking into the tunnel.

The tunnel is narrow, perhaps as wide as two people walking shoulder to shoulder. It opens into a naturally formed cave, stalagmites and boulders are scattered across the cavern floor. The ceiling reaches up past the perimeter of the light spell; the air has grown colder the deeper Valtyr ventures into the tunnels.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 14: 10, 18, 5

A trio of spears fly from the dark corners, two of them clatter against the rocks beside him. One cuts across the arm holding the glowing coin.

Player rolls initiative: 12
GM rolls initiative: 17

A loud howl emerges from the back of the cave and several figures burst into action.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 9, 17, 12, 16, 15
Valtyr takes 1 damage (6 HP remaining)
Player rolls Intellect + proficiency vs AC 12: 22, 9, 12

Valtyr soon finds himself surrounded by a small throng of kobolds, each stabbing at him with long pointed sticks. Three of them strike against his shield, pushing him back and almost off balance. The fourth seizes the opportunity to stab into his leg. Another howl answers the first, and a large mangy hound charges from the shadows and crashes into his shield.

Valtyr grunts beneath the impact and growls in response; he lifts the axe hand and uses the arm ring of blasting, splitting the ray into three beams aimed at the kobolds.

White runes lined in orange spring to life from the arm ring, floating a lazy circle around it. A searing beam shoots forward and forks into three lines; two kobolds howl in pain as their fur scorches and skin burns.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 16, 18, 15, 14, 10, 21
GM rolls for damage: 1
Player rolls Intellect + proficiency vs AC 12: 15, 8, 5
Valtyr takes 2 damage (4 HP remaining)

Natural 1: The Candle is extinguished; Dread Track gains one token.

The cleric soon finds himself surrounded by five kobolds and a warhound. The kobolds are clumsy in their attacks, and he almost avoids each of their attacks. One of them scores another hit and opens him to the attack from the warhound. Its black claw tears through the scale and scores a weak hit against Valtyr’s back.

Valtyr channels more energy from the arm ring and fires another trio of scorching beams into the mass of kobolds. The prior attacks has him off balance, one beam sears a kobold, the second flies wide and the third despairingly hits a nearby boulder.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 19, 1, 10, 6, 20
GM rolls for damage: 2
Player rolls for healing: 15
Valtyr has 10 HP and 4 MP remaining

The situation quickly falls to desperation. One kobold steps forward and stabs into Valtyr’s chest. Three kobolds continue to flail against his shield, leaving a wide opening for the hound to bite into his shield arm. Fortunately, the bite was not nearly as lethal as it could’ve been. The cleric kicks the dog free and swiftly utters a prayer to Eir for more healing.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 19, 12, 4, 12, 23
GM rolls for damage: 3
Valtyr takes 4 damage (6 HP remaining).
Player rolls Intellect + proficiency with Disadvantage vs AC 12: 20, 24, 17

GM rolls Personality + proficiency vs DC 15: 5, 12, 17

Natural 20: The Candle is sparked.

Once again the kobold tactics of pressing against his shield forces Valtyr off balance. A light hit scores a slight wound, but it allows the dog to bite his leg to cause a more severe one.

Grimacing beneath the weight of his enemies attacks, the cleric pulls the last charge from the arm ring and fires another set of burning energy into the kobolds. Three of them fall to ash as incinerating rays fueled by anger burn them to death. The two kobolds around the cleric stare at the pile of ashes and turn to flee. One voice from the shadows barks orders, ignored by the fleeing kobolds.

Valtyr is left with one kobold and a snarling war hound.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 20, 6
GM rolls for damage: 3
Valtyr takes 3 damage (3 HP remaining)
Player rolls for healing: 9
Valtyr has 10 HP and 1 MP remaining

The kobold sergeant steps from the darkness, brandishing a sword and ordering the dog to continue attacking. The dog’s attack rips into his leg; the kobold sergeant chops with his blade, but the attack is turned aside by Valtyr’s shield. Spent, Valtyr pulls the last of his healing magic to save himself, closing bleeding wounds and preparing for the end.

GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 10, 8
Player rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 14: 9
GM rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 17: 21, 9
GM rolls damage: 4
Valtyr has 6 HP remaining.
Player rolls Might + proficiency vs AC 14: 19
Player rolls damage: 5
GM rolls Personality + proficiency vs DC 15: 14, 10

At first, the fight is evenly matched. The duo square off against the cleric, using the kobold’s attacks to open a way for the dog to charge in. Neither side gains any advantage.

Then, the sergeant swings into the shield and bashes it aside, leaving Valtyr exposed. The dog uses the opportunity to rip into the cleric’s leg and causing a major wound. Valtyr, angered, wounded and desperate, brings his axe down on the hound’s head. The chop inflicts heavy damage.

The dog yelps and growls at him. Severely wounded, it retreats back to the shadows, following the other two kobolds. Left alone, the sergeant levels his sword at the cleric and utters something in the growling, snarling language before turning and retreating as well.

Valtyr doesn’t have the energy to pursue. He’s almost half dead. He has no energy to draw from. His arm ring is empty of charges. Valtyr collapses against a boulder, exhausted.

Plot Stress: +8 (23)
GM rolls for Stress Check: 100

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