PrP: Attack on Brighton
Summary: The adventurers are drawn to the small village of Brighton to save it from man-eating ogres and their ghastly hill giant leader.
Type: Standard
Participants: Lyrana, Alba, Vroole, Takiyah
APL: 3rd
Encounters: 2 Ogres (CR 5), Giant +4 HD Ghast (CR 5)
It was supposed to be a quick stop for water and coal at a small jerkwater town for one of the airships just at the edge of Alexandria. You'd come back from one of the more routine guild contracts that pays the rent but is otherwise unremarkable (as far as sellsword work can go). Tiring of hard tack and water or perhaps the boisterous company of the airship crew, the lot of you decided to take a meal at the small roadhouse while the fuel was being resupplied.
At least until an exhausted, terrified boy no older than thirteen winters staggered in and collapsed. When he came to, he sputtered a tale of giants attacking his hamlet a day's ride to the west, one of the small border towns that are dotted throughout Alexandria and the Myrrish kingdoms. Brighton, he sputtered. He worked in the livery, brushing down the horses when a band of ogres crashed into town and began butchering everyone in the night. He ran here for help and it looks like he found it.
You quickly find travel arrangements and take the ride, out of moral obligation or perhaps a desire to reap the rewards. In any case, the ride itself is uneventful, at least until you get to the hill overlooking the small hamlet of Brighton. It seems to consist of a main thoroughfare with a branching side road that leads over a small river, with buildings of various materials clustered around it and outlying houses and farms sprinkled around randomly. Judging from the smoke rising from several of the houses and a few of the buidlings in the town proper, it it would seem adventure is afoot.
Alba wouldn't even have accepted the request herself... But when your conscience has a poison-filled tail and pincers that can snip your ears down, one tends to listen despite preferring to be elsewhere. Thus it is that she finds herself crouched on the hill, carved-bone mask oriented on the rising smoke. "Hhh... Is it even known, how many have come for the raiding?"
"Looks like this trip is going to be lively after all," Takiyah notes, glancing at her companions and making sure her own weapons are ready.
Lyrana feels a duty to assist, thanks to her oaths to the temple of Daeus and has been mostly quiet. The wargolem doesn't talk alot but is listening and paying attention, or at least seems to be.
Vroole would have come no matter the danger, children were one weakness for him and this was no different. Ogres, he had never ran into an ogre before only heard tales of the barbarous race and their bloody raids for whatever they wanted in one area or another. Looking out over the hill down to the town, already his death ray unslung and prepped for some dangerous work. "Only really one choice, we go down and see what we can stir up... Lots of trouble is my guess."
Descending the hill, it doesn't take too much time to get to Brighton proper. The wind isn't with you, however and you find yourselves downwind, take the smell of rotting flesh, blood, and burning buildings in full force as you approach. No obvious ogrish activity as the buildings draw closer, but the sounds of brutish voices arguing in pigdin Jotun can be heard just around the corner as you pass a blood-soaked wagon that has been knocked over and smashed to flinders.
Peering around the corner, you find a pair of ogres surrounded by the gnawed, cracked bones of multiple victims. They squat around a fire made in the middle of the street, each of them roasting what is most assuredly a human limb on impromptu spits.
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name----------------Notes--------------------------------------------
22 Takiyah Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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18 Alba Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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16 Vroole Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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13 Lyrana Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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1 Ogres
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GAME: Alba rolls initiative: Roll: 10 + Bonus: 4 = Total: 14
GAME: Takiyah rolls initiative: Roll: 20 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 22
GAME: Vroole rolls initiative: Roll: 14 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 16
GAME: Alba's initiative total changed to 18.
GAME: Lyrana rolls initiative: Roll: 11 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 13
GAME: You roll initiative for Ogres: Roll: 2 + Bonus: -1 = Total: 1
GAME: Takiyah casts Bless. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15
Takiyah bites back an oath. "Reos, strengthen our arms and our hearts," the gobber Forge murmurs instead, bringing a bit of encouragement to the party.
GAME: Alba casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 1 DC: 14
Upon rounding the corner and spotting the ogres arguing over their meal, the Veyshanti looses a long, furious breath between her teeth. "Close, stay," she murmurs to her pet scorpion, "but safe." Obliging, the arachnid picks its way down her clothing, slipping under the flap of the pouch at her hip as she mutters a trio of twisted syllables, a second skin of energy shimmering over her briefly. "Now... let us see if these creatures enjoy bleeding as much as to make others bleed..."
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 5: (4)+5: 9
Vroole tends to step himself into the fight, has done it before and even as he rolls around the corner, his armor comes to life, gears wearing as the armor slips outward, spinning and creating stable firing place for his death ray to fit into. Something that increases his accuracy with the gun and with that he fires. The large ogre he was aiming for the size of a large outhouse catches the electric bolt along the side, searing and a new smell of burnt orc and a startled cry fill the air.
GAME: Lyrana casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16
GAME: Lyrana rolls bab+wisdom+1: (9)+3+4+1: 17
GAME: Lyrana rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
Lyrana watches the scene and for the moment keeps her distance as the other blesses the group. She calls on the power of Daeus and a glowing longsword appears next to the ogre that Vroole shot and slashes at it, striking it with a solid blow.
GAME: Lyrana rolls bab+wisdom+1: (12)+3+4+1: 20
GAME: Lyrana rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+1: (14)+1: 15
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+9: (6)+9: 15
In a rare brainwave, the second ogre seems to recognize the source of the divine longsword rather attack the spectral weapon itself with the oak tree trunk he has strapped across his back. Turning his back on said weapon seems to be less smart as it cuts another slice out of his shoulder as he rushes forward and slams the log down on Lyrana, doing nothing but scuffing her plating in a glancing blow and putting a divot into the packed soil of the road.
Meanwhile, the first ogre focuses on the other war golem. He shakes the haunch o' human off of her 'spit' which turns out to be a rather vicous looking spear and hurls it to little effect at the stone artificer. That doesn't stop him from picking up a greataxe he has nearby and hoisting it skyward with a bestial growl.
GAME: Takiyah casts Prayer. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
Takiyah shouts "Reos, shift the fulcrum in our favor!" as she makes a few gestures. In response, the luck in the immediate area shifts from the ogres to the party.
GAME: Alba rolls acrobatics: (6)+9: 15
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Alba rolls 1d20+bab+1+1: (18)+1+1+1: 21
GAME: Alba rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
"Hehhh," the Veyshanti breathes, in answer to the ogre's roar of challenge, a sound that could almost be pleased. In answer, she drops into a crouch and darts past the wounded ogre, the oak trunk skipping off the plane of force to little effect, and closes. A dagger nearly leaps from its scabbard to be readied, and she skids to a halt in front of the great brute, her blade slicing across its belly. "You are loud," she says, voice light and mocking.
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 6: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 5: (3)+5: 8
What does one do when something that large rushes right up into your face. Well running might be an option, but when you cast electrical arcs fo death you shoot it in the chest, the electricity burning over its hairy flesh. If he could smell Vroole would probably think maybe that smell might be worse than anything else floating around. More to the point the ogre screams once more with burnt flesh smoking up over his face.
GAME: Lyrana rolls melee+1+2: (16)+5+1+2: 24
GAME: Lyrana rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8
GAME: Lyrana rolls bab+wisdom+2: (18)+3+4+2: 27
GAME: Lyrana rolls 1d8+2: (2)+2: 4
Lyrana pulls out her mace with a fluid motion and smacks it into the ogre that tried to pound on her, her mace cracks soundly against it, dropping it to the ground. Meanwhile, the glowing longsword moves and attacks the other ogre, slashing into it.
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21
GAME: Gareth rolls 3d6+7: (12)+7: 19
GAME: You damaged Alba for 19 points. -5 remaining. (DYING)
The death of his friend seems to have motivated the other ogre. Hoisting the axe back, he brings it down on the Veyshanti and carves a brutal gouge in her torso that leaves her bleeding out amongst the bones of his previous victims.
GAME: Takiyah rolls Channel: (20): 20
GAME: You damaged Alba for -20 points. 14 remaining.
Takiyah glares defiantly at the ogre. "You shall not break us!" the gobber Forge screams in defiance, unleashing a wave of russet energy that restores the health of the fallen Alba.
GAME: Alba rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5
GAME: Alba casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 1 DC: 14
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 6: (19)+6: 25
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 5: (4)+5: 9
Watching Alba take a major hit only to be revived, he takes his time to aim and lets lose with an electric arc that sears across the remaining ogre with the great axe. Vroole might cheer as the ogre groans deeply and more ogre burnt flesh is created.
GAME: Lyrana rolls melee+1+2: (6)+5+1+2: 14
GAME: Lyrana rolls bab+wisdom+2: (4)+3+4+2: 13
Lyrana moves over with her mace in hand and tries to whack the ogre though the blow just glances off. The glowing longsword tries to attack as well but it also misses.
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12
Besieged with lightning and steel from seemingly all sides, the remaining ogre takes a wild swing with his axe at Lyrana and does little but smash a section of wall out from the adjacent tavern, illiciting gasps and cries for help now unmuffled from inside.
GAME: Takiyah rolls SpearAtk+2+2: (5)+5+1+2+2: 15
Takiyah takes advantage of the ebb in the battle to maneuver around to try skewering the ogre. She's a bit out of practice with physical weapons, though, and the tip of the spear skitters across its hide.
GAME: Alba rolls melee+1+1-4: (4)+1+1+1+-4: 3
Nearly slain, brought back, a failed spell, and now unable to even swipe a knife at its toe... Alba is not having a good day, it seems.
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 7: (4)+7: 11
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 6: (1)+6: 7
Trying to take a little more time, Vroole doesn't want to hit anyone dancing around the Ogre, jsut hit the ogre, another shot slaps across the Ogre's shoulder, searing more flesh.
GAME: Lyrana rolls melee+2: (2)+5+2: 9
GAME: Lyrana rolls bab+wisdom+2: (14)+3+4+2: 23
GAME: Lyrana rolls 1d8+2: (7)+2: 9
Lyrana tries to swipe at the ogre again with her mace and is just not doing too well at the moment, and fails to come close to it. Meanwhile the glowing longsword does better and swings at the ogre, slashing into it just before it vanished.
With the bellowing yell of the ogres and the crack of lighting gone, the cries of help can be heard more clearly. Investigating the smashed in wall or the broken open double doors of the tavern reveals absolute devastation. The tables have all been smashed and thrown to the sides and the floorboards have been broken open. Staring up from the dim light are the smoke, blood, and tear stained faces of the citizens of Brighton. It looks as they turned the tavern into an impromptu larder, smashing the staircase to the basement and knocking a few holes in the floor so they can reach in and pull out a morsel or a barrel of ale, of which there are several empty that you can see.
Lyrana glances around, "Well, we need to set about getting them out." she says and nods, "Any rope or a ladder?" she asks as she does looks around a bit.
Scrabbling to her feet, Alba pauses to kick the corpse of the fallen ogre, then wanders toward the tavern. "Safer, here, they will be," she notes, casting a glance at the smashed-in cellar. "Best they remain, while the rest of the raiders are seen to."
Vroole nods to what Alba says, "If there are more, that is what we need to figure out. Too many people running around and chaos will ensue, casualties will rise." The Golem considers it all, seems they won't go without, "They might know of there were more than two that attacked though. That we should ask them and look for other tracks... Though I am not good at doing the latter."
Lyrana nods her head a bit, "WE could see if there are more."
"It's not raiders!" "Monsters!" "Demons" "Skinless Giant!" The voices call out in response to Alba, along with folks begging to be let out and a few making the attempt to climb out now that the ogres arent there to contend with them for trying. The first to manage it with a boost from his friends stops as he sees the two bodies, his face blanching. "Where's the other one?!" He calls out in horror. And just then, chaos erupts once more. The corner of the tavern closest to the street, a foot or two away from Vroole explodes into a cloud of dust and splinters. Once the smoke clears, imbedded into the brick wall on the other end is the bell from the town church, crumpled and clotted with a massive gory handprint.
Looking around the corner is a giant that dwarfs the two ogres. Standing half again as tall as the ogres, this giant is clearly undead. Naked, it is thankfully been stripped of it's genitalia along with several other chunks of flesh and almost all of it's skin, leaving maggot-riddled rotting exposed musclature. Fingerbones have sharpened down to dagger like claws and the flesh of its cheeks has been chewed or stripped away, exposing razor sharp teeth. It holds a piece of stone from the chapel up ahead, ready to throw another impromptu siege weapon!
Lyrana cocks her head to the side, "Well that explains it." she says and moves towards the giant, ready to engage.
"...There," Alba says as the brick dust clear, very much nonplussed. "There is the other one."
Vroole looks to the one that almost hit him and then the huge Undead creature, "That was close..." Once more he activates his armor and get out of the building just in case it were to come collapsing down and to keep it not being a target of the foul creature and making sure that happens.
GAME: You roll initiative for Gi-Ghast-or: Roll: 12 + Bonus: +7 = Total: 19
GAME: Alba rolls initiative: Roll: 19 + Bonus: 8 = Total: 27
GAME: Lyrana rolls initiative: Roll: 7 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 9
GAME: Vroole rolls initiative: Roll: 3 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 5
GAME: Takiyah rolls initiative: Roll: 16 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 18
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name----------------Notes--------------------------------------------
27 Alba Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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19 Gi-Ghast-or
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18 Takiyah Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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9 Lyrana Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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5 Vroole Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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GAME: Alba rolls 1d20+bab+1+4-2: (1)+1+1+4+-2: 5
With a heavy sigh, the Veyshanti woman turns and begins her charge... but it brought up short by the faint sound of something sharp tapping against glass. Grinning, she dips a hand into the pouch at her hip, plucking out a thin glass vial of a murky, tarry substance, and darts around the corner of the broken tavern and charges forward, looping her arm around in an overhand throw... Only to miss, and a roaring bloom of flame expands from the wall just past the giant's shoulder.
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+6: (10)+6: 16
The skinless undead giant hurls his stone at Alba in return fire, but not having actual skin in your hands sort of makes things slippery, what with meat juices and the like. The stone sails over her head, clipping the outer edge of her armor field before it smashes in the ground and rolls into the already smashed wagon in a Michael Bay-esque explosion of wood.
GAME: Takiyah casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
GAME: Takiyah rolls SWeapAtk+1: (14)+3+4+1: 22
GAME: Takiyah rolls SWeapDmg: (4)+1: 5
"Reos, break this monstrousity!" Takiyah calls out, sweeping her spear downward. In response to the gobber Forge's gesture, a hammer of energy echoes the swing and slams into the undead giant.
GAME: Lyrana rolls 2d6+4: (6)+4: 10
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+9: (9)+9: 18
Lyrana moves forward without hesitation and as she moves level with Alba she snds a wave of positive energy flowing from her which causes the Giant thing to start to burn.
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 6: (9)+6: 15
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 5: (6)+5: 11
Running across the street to the other side, Vroole takes up a firing position and scores across the undead giant with a full blast of the gun raking across its belly.
GAME: Alba rolls 1d20+ranged+1: (18)+5+1: 24
GAME: Alba rolls 1d6: (6): 6
Following Vroole's lead, Alba scuttles across the street, drawing a javelin from the sling at her back. Rebounding off the wall, she takes but a moment to line up her shot and with a mighty heave (despite her noodly arms) she launches the spear true, and it slams into the skinless hulk's upper chest.
GAME: Alba rolls fortitude: (16)+3: 19
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d8+6: (6)+6: 12
GAME: You damaged Lyrana for 12 points. 16 remaining.
GAME: Lyrana rolls fortitude+4: (14)+6+4: 24
GAME: Lyrana rolls fortitude+4: (16)+6+4: 26
GAME: Vroole rolls fort + 4: (16)+4+4: 24
Despite being skewered and fried by lightning, the oversized ghast seems most offended or hurt by the touch of the Holy, delivered by the war golem cleric Lyrana. Moving faster than one would think a creature so large could manage, it lurches forward and rakes its claws over Lyrana, peeling back armor plating and exposing the artificial innards of the priestess, though she and her allies manage to fight back the stomach churning charnel miasma that hangs off the abomination.
GAME: Takiyah casts Prayer. Caster Level: 5 DC: 17
GAME: Takiyah rolls SWeapAtk+2: (13)+3+4+2: 22
GAME: Takiyah rolls SWeapDmg+1: (1)+1+1: 3
"Reos, we need another fulcrum moved," Takiyah murmurs as she closes in on the ghast. The ghostly hammer strikes again, albeit a glancing strike instead of a bonebreaker, but still undoubtedly painful.
GAME: Lyrana rolls 2d6+4: (9)+4: 13
GAME: Gareth rolls 1d20+9: (13)+9: 22
Lyrana shakes her head as the blow rocks her a bit. She moves back slightly and positive energy swells from her again as she focuses to harm the giant. The energy causing it to burn more.
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d20 + 7: (9)+7: 16
GAME: Vroole rolls 1d6 + 6: (6)+6: 12
The Arcanist of black stone seems to be on a roll with his shots as another full damage blast rakes across the giant undead creature. Aim was never much the concern, but Vroole's shot have been landing with considerable damage and even now with a blessing he is inspired to do even more with the electric bolt slinging across more of the flesh peeling giant.
GAME: Alba rolls ranged+1+1: (19)+5+1+1: 26
GAME: Alba rolls 1d6: (3): 3
Lyrana watches the giant fall, "Thank you Daeus for your blessings." she murmers a small prayer and then looks around at the others, "We need to secure the village, make sure there is nothing else."
"It is certain we would be warned, were there other dangers," Alba says, picking over the corpse and retrieving her weapons, the mask making her face unreadable... though it's reasonably certain that given the stench, it's less than happy at having to dawdle inside the cloud. "But, better to know."
Vroole not liking the stinking creature with the foul green gas puts a few more electric shots into the thing. He doesn't want it ever coming back from what had happened to it. Perhaps a construct, but it was not like the War Golem, it was foul. "Now I feel better... Time to see to the villagers."
The aromatic gigantic ghoul falls and the last of the flesh eating menance is dealt with, with the except of a pair of other ogres that decided to take a "watch and see approach". Survival of the fittest looks favorably upon this pair and they wisely flee to go on to breed, or would if they weren't sterile from generations of incest. Lucky for you guys! In any case, the villagers are pulled from their prisons and treated, the dead are buried, treasure is found, rewards are given, and the day is saved!
FIN.