Monday, April 13, 2009

Campaign: The Tower III

At last.

Kazimir and Delfig had just finished climbing the ladder onto the level of the tower which is equal in height to the top of the city wall. There are three guards in the room, all disturbed by the sounds of distant booms and pops coming from the core of the city—which can’t be seen without opening the door facing both the wall and the city centre. However, the scene through the arrow slits in the tower is enough to disturb all three guards.

Two guards hold heavy crossbows on the thief/assassin pair, and one of them will notice “fred,” who is tied up on the bed on the level below. “What is going on?” will ask the guard who seems to be the leader of the three.

Have I forgotten any details?

36 comments:

  1. "We were sent to stop this." Delfig says in a low voice. "We need to see Hornung. He's the only one who can help. We've been sent by the Friar. We couldn't get in the gate, so we crawled up to the slit in the tower. We saw those unspeakables and a dark figure who had just tied your friend up. We tried to kill them all with the oil from the lamp, but he disappeared and those... abominations just burned. Then you found us."

    "Please, please... we can do something about this. Go get Hornung or please take us to him, but in Gods name, don't just let us die at the hands of these ... evil demons!"

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  2. (rolling reaction check)

    They seem highly skeptical of this story. "Hornung!" cries one. "Do you think we have him in our packs?"

    "Quiet Roland!" orders the leader. "This 'dark figure' then leapt out through one of the arrow slits I suppose. How very convenient. Why shouldn't we just kill you for thieves?"

    Whereupon the guard at the window shouts, "God SAVE us!" and falls back in horror. Both guards holding crossbows are completely distracted by this.

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  3. Can I see what he saw out the window?

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  4. [OOC - This is where Delfig does the "Is this smart" intelligence check. We're in a jam. The guards don't believe us. They're freaked by the mess outside. The intelligence check is that Kazimir (I'm not sure if he's around today) and I want us to rush the two guards with crossbows to try and disarm them and flip the tables and then get the hell outta here. The check is whether or not this is a realistic option? ]

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  5. It is a reasonable, if risky option. Your intelligence should suggest that the total strength of the guards is probably that the leader is 1st, perhaps 2nd level, and that the two others are probably zeros. The zeros would have an average of 5 to 6 hp, the lead guard an average of 11 to 13 (depending on constitution).

    On the other hand, your pick pockets skill would be your indication of simply pulling the crossbow out of the lead guard's hand, disarming him, possibly successfully shooting the other guard before he could fire his crossbow (both guards would be surprised on a 1-2; your 14 dex doesn't give you a bonus to initiative however, so you'd have to be lucky and roll higher).

    If the guards were surprised, and they are 0 or 1st level, then Kazimir has a 50% chance of simply assassinating one of them before he can even fire his weapon. His chance to assassinate a second level is still 40-45% (I'd need the book to be certain, but I can get the answer with a phone call). If that happened, then you could pull the crossbow, shoot the lead guard, Kazimir could kill the other guard and that would leave 2 on 1 right after.

    Would be pretty cool, huh?

    On the other hand, you might get the chance to roll up new characters.

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  6. (OOC - extremely cool - the pick pockets option is something I wouldn't have thought of right off the bat, that adds to my choices. Based on what you're telling me, I could try the pick pocket and if I fail, I can at least wrestle the guy for possession while Kazimir attempts his attack.

    Kazimir is still AWOL - and I really hate to make these choices without him at least chiming in, especially when this could go really wrong, really fast. Do you mind if we pause until we hear from our friend Kazimir, or until a little later this afternoon?)

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  7. I don't think we can dare go further without Kazimir, and I am loathe to run his character. So I will take your suggestion and we will see if he appears. This will sometimes happen.

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  8. Kazimir,

    If you read this, feel free to ask any clarifying questions before making a decision on what to do.

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  9. (OOC - I got a one line email from Kazimir: "Might as well try it. Delfig, if you want to jump them, I will try to assassinate. ")

    Let's pretend Kazimir slid his eyes at me, squinted in such a way that I knew (from the time we've been together prior to now) that he was going to do something and he attempted the assassination.

    I'll attempt to pick pocket the other guard and pull his crossbow.

    (The assumption is that if we don't succeed, and we possible can, we'll attempt to grapple with the guards to wrestle the crossbows from them while trying really hard not to get the proverbial bolt in the gut. If we fail, we're dead. We watch you roll the dice...)

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  10. (I should also mention that the one liner had a preface - something came up "unforeseen" for him.)

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  11. I'm assuming, from other thread, that we're done for the day? I can stop hitting refresh on the page? ;)

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  12. Yes, we'll begin on this thread tomorrow.

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  13. Well, this is it. The guards roll a 1 on a d6 and are surprised.

    I know what you've indicated what you might do in such an event, but as it has now happened, I need the players to describe their exact actions in order.

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  14. I think Kazimir must be on the West Coast?

    I've sent him a couple of email prompts. How long do you want to wait?

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  15. Until I get definite word from him about what he wants.

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  16. (OOC: Midwest, actually, but this week has been messed up so far.)

    If the guards are surprised, Kazimir will indeed attempt to assassinate the guard. (The one I think might be a 0-level)

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  17. I will attempt to grab the crossbow of the guard nearest me (using the pick pockets mechanic you mentioned).

    If I succeed, I will shoot the same guard.

    If I fail, I'm going to grapple/wrestle for the crossbow and try to get it to discharge harmlessly so that it's not a threat to us.

    Is that enough to start this?

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  18. (OCC: This is one of those moments when I doubt the logic of playing online. Obviously, if you fail, bad things will happen; I find I must trust you, however)

    Will you both please roll a d100.

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  19. d:100 - 00 + 5

    (I took a picture because I wanted there to be no doubt. (Of course, how the f'in hell I'm going to get it off the phone is another story...))

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  20. (OOC: You rolled zero-zero? I'm confused by the "+5" I don't know what that means)

    Assuming you roll 00, that's a failure. You reach for the crossbow and fail to wrest it from the guard's grasp. However, you and the guard must roll initiative to see if you can take another action (possibly pulling the lead guard's weapon to point at the third guard by the window) before the lead guard can shoot you. The natural tendency will be for him to shoot by reflex, so it will work if you can win initiative, aim his weapon and the third guard and hold it there while the lead guard shoots.

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  21. Oy....90.

    I will not be available again until about 3:00 central time, if we are still playing then.

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  22. (OOC: I suppose that's too much information, and I should let you think of it; but I'm wanting to emphasize that the rules as I play them allow you to think outside of the box when it comes to combat)

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  23. Kazimir blows his chance to assassinate. According to the rules, he automatically does damage. Can you roll a quick damage Kazimir, before you go?

    If not, do so as soon as you are able and you've returned; I may run your combat and Delfig's slightly out of synch.

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  24. (Yes, I rolled a 00 + 5 (I have 2 d10s, one does 10s, one does 1s, so I rolled 00 (tens) and 5 (ones) - 5% - I'm sorry I confused everyone. OK, so I failed the pick pocket, nothing ventured, nothing gained...)

    d6: 3

    Argh! I will indeed push the crossbow to point at the third guard. Or take a bolt in the gut.

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  25. (OOC: Delfig, for future reference, please just give the number from one to one hundred when you roll a d100. A "5" is much clearer. And it indicates that you did, in fact, successfully snatch the crossbow from the guard).

    And you win initiative. Roll a d20.

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  26. I can't remember. Are you proficient with crossbow?

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  27. (Will do. I'm sorry. Yes, proficient in crossbow and swords.)

    d20: 6

    (If you need damage, I rolled d6 for ... *sigh*... 1)

    (OOC: funny enough, these are the same black DM dice that I use at my games. I can consistently win initiative but then roll a series of fumbles for troll magi. Had he not fumbled at least 3 times, my little "near" TPK would have probably been a full one. Just thought you should know that dice are brutal all over.)

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  28. Be of good cheer. The d6 worked out for you. You hit.

    Just so you know, a heavy crossbow does 2d6+2 damage, so your minimum would much greater than 1.

    Please roll damage.

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  29. That's great!

    "Please roll damage."2d6: 5,4 +2 = 11

    (I'm in a meeting from 3 til 4ish, just in time to go commuting home. Sorry.)

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  30. I'm back. Do I share initiative with Delfig? I presume the 90 I rolled indicates failure on my assassination attempt?

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  31. Kazimir,

    Yes. The assassination attempt fails (typical for the first one), but you automatically get to roll damage. So while Delfig does 11 damage to the lead guard (killing him), you roll damage on the other guard with the crossbow, depending on what weapon you're using. Given the situation, you have time to draw any weapon of five lbs. or under (hand axe, dagger, etc) and shorter than 3'.

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  32. Do you want me to wait until Kazimir resolves his combat with the single guy?

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  33. Pretty much. I'm at home, working on my book, you need to take the train and Kaz is I don't know where. Combats, I'm afraid, are going to be perpetually like this.

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  34. (The reason I'm wanting to wait is because if Kazimir doesn't take down his target, I want to draw my sword and kill his target so we can be two on one against the leader. If he does take down his target with his damage, then I can proceed with confronting the leader and possible parley or beat-down. I give very low odds, but he might surrender... who knows?)

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  35. My apologies, gentlemen. For the remainder of this week, my posting will likely only occur around noon to one, central time, and perhaps from three to four. Please don't hold the game on my account.

    Unfortunately, Kazimir rolls 1 for his damage, plus any strength bonus he might have. If we are using standard ability bonuses, a 15 Strength adds nothing to this. Sorry, Del... today is not my day, dice-wise.

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