20000826 LastThrow

<H1> The Last Throw </H1>
<H2> Role Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Prince Donner </TD>
 <TD> 6th/5rd Human Fighter/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Auric </TD>
 <TD> 8th Human Druid </TD>
 <TD> Keith Farrar </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 8th Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kill'Dar </TD>
 <TD> 9th/3rd Elf Wizard/Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Ox (NPC) </TD>
 <TD> 3rd Human Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Dave </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Grackle </TD>
 <TD> 6th/5th Half-Elf Fighter/Rogue </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Colin </TD>
 <TD> 12th Human Fighter </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura (Full Risk, Full Reward) </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Fingle </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/7th Gnome Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Richard Jacobsen (Full Risk, Full Reward) </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kieran </TD>
 <TD> 7th/4th Half-Elf Cleric/Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang (Full Risk, Full Reward) </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Prelude </H2>
<P>
<B>Guest Scribe:</B> Mark Whisler
</P>
<P>
Now that the 3E rules are out, the character changes have been
finalized.
</P>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<P>
Auric of Home introduces himself, a druid of the plateau. He arrived
with young Philip, teleported in with Donner. He is someone we've
heard of (apparently), but never actually met. Young Philip has eight
berserkers with him. Young Philip has apparently been leading monster
hunting expeditions on the Plateau, and he and some of his friends are
in the market for bigger game. 
</P>
<P>
The Black Lions have cleared a kill-zone by taking down buildings
near the gatehouse. They have cleared an area of the inner city that
includes roughly 1/3rd of it, and torn down burned out buildings to
create a clear space roughly 60 yards (600?) across, facing a
breastworks. The kill zone has been seeded with Continual Flame stones.
There don't seem to be many houses in the inner city with people in
them, apparently the denizens of the inner city moved out when the
orcs moved in. Most of the houses have been turned into barracks
for orogs, the rest are empty or have people in them lying low. The
Black Lions are in the city, along with the Heavy Infantry, and
Cavalry, while the archers and small groups of Heavy Infantry are
stationed on the wall. 
</P>
<P>
Travian in unconscious (stable at -11), Colin is gravely wounded but
conscious (4 hp), Grackle has 55 hp, Kill'Dar has 82. 
</P>
<P>
When Donner heads for Hagal's HQ. when he, Grackle and Kill'Dar arrive
with Auric and Philip's men. Donner requests Auric's help in healing
Travian. Travian regains consciousness after being ministered to.
Travian realizes that the sword he was wielding (+1/+3 vs evil) got
left behind when he went down. When Auric is finished, both Colin and
Travian are feeling much better. (Colin 11hp, Travian 18hp).
</P>
<P>
The party is told that Hagal is out patrolling the lines, and they go
hunt him down. It quickly becomes apparent that he is combining a
morale visit with his inspection. The Black Lions are divided into
groups of 10 or so bolstering the Heavy Infantry and Cavalry along
the lines.
</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Hagal:</B> Well met. How did it go?
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> We failed to kill the high priest 
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> That will count against us.
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> What can we do?
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> Does your flying device still work? 
</P>
<P>
<B>Donner:</B> It has some time left on it, but it has been heavily
 used today, I'm uncertain how much time we have
 left. We'll be waiting in the gatehouse to respond
 to trouble.
</P>
<P>
<B>Hagal:</B> I have set a trap in case they try to attack the
 mage's barracks. If you hear trumpets making this
 signal (describes the "get here now signal")
 then that is where you are most needed. We have a
 system of signal horns for this sort of situation.
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>
Colin turns to Ox and says " I am unable to guard the Prince the
way I have been, so I am charging you to guard him?" (In the
distance the party hears Prince Donner howling "Nooooo!")
Colin is assigned to the barracks where the spellcasters are resting
to provide a surprise should the enemy try assassination. Kieran and
Fingle are resting there.
</P>
<P>
Young Philip comes to Donner and says "Where do you want us?
Where is the enemy?" A brief discussion ensues regarding where
Donner reluctantly decides that Philip and his berserkers should
take a position close to the front lines.
</P>
<P>
The party takes their position in the gatehouse, and settles down
to wait for the night's events. It gets really quiet. After an
hour passes, Donner and Kill'Dar start to rest. After about 4+ hours,
they figure that the dark of the moon has come and gone. They hear
booming of drums coming from outside the walls, in the outer city.
This is apparently some form of signaling device. They build in
intensity, and the party begins to hear chanting. 
</P>
<P>
Grackle starts singing an Aquarnan tavern song, "99 orcs are
climbing the wall." Amongst muted laughter, some of the
troops chime in, but the desired effect is not achieved, that is,
to help morale with a countersong. Grackle is no bard.
</P>
<P>
They party hears answering drums from the inner city over the
sounds of singing. The troops show signs of realizing that there
is no way out, and we've been fighting all day. Suddenly, the
drums and chanting go silent. A runner comes from Hagal with a
message for Donner. Grackle intercepts the message.
</P>
<P>
"One of my seers has received notification that the watcher at
the secret passage has been slain." Grackle decides not to
disturb Donner. 
</P>
<P>
An hour past moonset, close to midnight, drums begin from the inner
city again, followed by drums from the outer city, and chanting
begins in both. After 5 minutes another runner delivers a message:
</P>
<P>
"Watchers at the inner keep reports the gates have opened and
troops are marching out. Some of the troops marching out are not
alive." Grackle maintains the watch without rousing Donner,
knowing that his orders from Donner are not to disturb him unless
its something dire and that there are horn signals for emergencies.
</P>
<P>
Outside the walls, the party sees what appears to be a river of
motion headed our way. Grackle sends word of this to Hagal. We
can also see something of a similar movement coming from the inner
keep. 
</P>
<P>
A section of the Continual Flame area of the kill zone goes out, then
a few seconds later, another section farther in goes out. Outside
the wall a wave of orcs heads for the gatehouse. Horns go off inside
and outside the wall. We see a mass of troops heading through the
darkened part of the killing zone (KZ). Horns are calling from along
the length of the wall as well as the inside. 
</P>
<P>
The central column crosses the KZ about the time that Donner joins us,
in armor and ready for battle. In the central column, there are orogs,
4 war trolls and a giant. The giant is throwing hunks of rubble over
the Black Lions' breastworks. The orogs are shooting burning arrows
into the city beyond the breastworks as well. The wall is being
attacked from numerous places, the orcs outside are trying to put
ladders up but not having much success. Our troops seem to be holding
on the wall.
</P>
<P>
On the ground, the giant has made a big hole in the earthworks and
orogs are penetrating. Over the central column a dark column
appears, 100' high and 100' wide and 600' + long. Kill'Dar sees
what appears to be some huge winged thing that was enveloped in
darkness just as it swept into the light, 25' wingspan perhaps. He
is uncertain as to whether it was demonic, draconic, the wings
seemed to be larger than the body of the creature. 
</P>
<P>
The party hears the "Come here now" horns from the right
wall, and then from the center area where the black figure appeared.
Donner assigns Travian and Ox to run along the wall, Ox takes off
while Travian argues for a round, then finally agrees. Donner,
Grackle, Kill'Dar, and Auric mount the carpet with Donner flying,
heading along the wall towards the area of the wall. [<B>Future
Tactical Note:</B> Always have someone with lots of HP fly the
carpet.]
</P>
<P>
Five rounds or so later, we arrive at a section of the wall that has
become dark, the darkness extends for perhaps 200'. Some of us can
tell that there appear to be Orcish troops pouring over the wall and
there are battles at either end of the wall darkened area. The orcs'
area of control is expanding. Donner flies back along the wall, and
tells Travian to go seal the breach. Then he turns the carpet towards
the column of darkness having decided that it is the greater threat. 
</P>
<P>
The darkness has stopped advancing, but inside the darkness is a huge
noise of a massive amount of troops. Donner flies the carpet to the
leading point of the darkness, where the fighting sounds the worst.
Kill'Dar uses the Ring of the Silverveils to cast Detect Evil. At
first it seems that there is a lot of evil, but nothing overwhelming.
The party flies closer to the darkness and around to one side, Donner
tries to put a continual flame into the darkness with no effect,
Kill'Dar uses the Ring of the Silverveils to dispel a 100' sq section
of the darkness. Below, a bunch of orogs suddenly look up noticing
the aura of the Ring of the Silverveils on Kill'Dar and that they are
no longer covered in darkness. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 1 (10:00):</B> Everyone on the carpet scans the mass below,
 Grackle sees that it appears there are
 invisible creatures in the mass of orogs and
 decides to wait, Auric the same. The orogs
 shoot at the carpet and everyone is hit once.
 The orogs are all repeating some word but
 Grackle can't relate it to anyone. Kill'Dar
 looks for someone in charge to shoot but
 can't see anyone. Donner moves the carpet
 farther towards the front of the darkness. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 2 (10:22):</B> Grackle and Auric wait for something to
 happen. Out of the darkness looms a demonic
 form similar to the one they faced earlier
 in the day (See
 Don't Let
 Sleeping Dogs Lie and
 Casualties
 of War). Kill'Dar's Protection from Evil
 flares and the demon attacks Donner. He is
 hit three times for 12 hp. Kill'Dar swings at
 the demon with a touch attack but misses the
 chance to overcome the creature's spell
 resistance. Donner swings the carpet around
 so Grackle can swing at the demon. Grackle
 takes a mighty swing and does max damage.
 Or he would have had he gotten past the
 creature's tough hide (damage reduction
 +2/-15?)
 <P>
 Meanwhile, Ox and Travian reach the place
 where the breakthrough is happening. As
 Travian has run along, he has raised morale
 among 80% of the soldiers, the other 20% are
 cynical. 
 </P>
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 3 (11:09):</B> Auric waits to switch places with Kill'Dar,
 the demon savages Grackle, then Auric and
 Kill'Dar switch places, but Kill'Dar can't
 get through the demon's spell resistance.
 Auric casts a cure on Grackle. Donner
 flies the carpet backwards from the demon
 and holds up Fulchar for Grackle. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 4 (11:33):</B> The demon shrieks (Forttude save), and
 Grackle and Auric are stunned. It's flying
 just out of reach. An arbalest bolt comes
 out of the darkness and hits Auric. On the
 wall, the half-orc assassin (HOA) takes a
 shot at Travian, but bounces his bolt from
 the armor. Travian feels something cloud
 his mind but shakes it off then plows
 through the first few orcs. Ox pushes up
 to Travian, who won't let him by.
 Kill'Dar casts Color Spray, but it has no
 effect. Donner flies down to avoid
 collateral fire by the orogs and giants. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 5 (11:54):</B> The HOA shoots at Travian again, with no
 result. Travian sees a wizard casting a
 spell from out over the outer city as a
 spell hits him, but he saves. The demon
 casts mirror image, gets 6 images and flies
 back over the orogs. Travian pushes farther
 into the orcs on the wall. Auric comes to
 his senses. Grackle comes out of it and
 takes the sharpened +3 longsword from
 Kill'Dar and replaces it with the Sword of
 Wounding. Kill'Dar fires arrows at the
 demon's images and hits three of its images
 reducing the number of demon images to four. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 6 (12:15):</B> Orcs try to swarm Travian, but can't get
 through to him. The enemy wizard launches a
 fireball which bursts in the air behind the
 wall. Weakened from the day's combat,
 Travian falls, while Ox remains standing.
 Auric tries dispelling the mirror images but
 doesn't overcome the spell level. The demon
 restores the darkness over the orogs. Ox
 ploughs into the remaining orcs (bull rush)
 and starts hurling orcs from the wall.
 Donner recovers Fulchar from Grackle.
 Grackle draws a handaxe. Kill'Dar takes no
 action.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 7 (12:33):</B> Auric heals Grackle back to full, orcs and
 the HOA shoot at Ox, but miss. The enemy
 wizard casts at Ox, but he saves. Ox bull
 rushes the last orc between him and the HOA,
 and pushes the orc into the HOA. Donner
 flies the carpet over to the darkness and
 asks Fulchar to flame on.
</P>
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Donner:</B> Hey Fulchar do you wanna burn something?
<P>
<B>Fulchar:</B> You mean like this carpet?
</P>
<P>
<B>Party:</B> <Groans>
</P>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Grackle readies to strike the demon, and Kill'Dar dispels the darkness.
<P>
<B>Round 8 (12:44):</B> Auric readies to swing at the demon. The
 demon casts a spell and says "The elf's
 gone mad and must be subdued. Do it
 immediately." Grackle fails his save
 and looks at Kill'Dar. On the wall the HOA
 slides down a ladder, while orcs fill in
 behind him, preventing Ox from attacking.
 Arrows rain towards the carpet, but only
 Auric gets hit. From the carpet, they can
 see Hagal's squad pushing into the orogs,
 and they can also see the berserkers with
 Philip, who appear to be down two guys.
 A trooper stabilizes Travian and they
 begin to pass him back through the troops.
 Grackle pushes Kill'Dar off the carpet.
 Kill'Dar falls the short distance to the
 ground into a mass of surprised orogs,
 taking minimal damage. Donner flies the
 carpet down to where Kill'Dar is standing
 and Kill'Dar dispels the spell effect and
 falls onto the carpet. The group is at
 ground level surrounded by orogs.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 9 (1:06):</B> Auric readies for the demon. The orogs
 swarm the carpet and Donner is mauled,
 Grackle is hit once. Donner is looking hurt.
 The demon repeats its spell from last time
 but no one buys it. Ox holds his own.
 Donner swoops under the demon and Grackle
 swings, dispelling one image. Kill'Dar
 touches the demon again, but fails to
 bypass its spell resistance yet again. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 10 (1:21):</B> Auric takes his swing and dispels an image
 (down to two, the demon and one image). The
 demon sprays the group with spores of evil.
 The start burrowing into any exposed skin,
 affecting everyone. Ox is fighting orcs one
 on one. Donner swings and dispels the final
 image. Grackle swings 3 times and hits twice
 doing moderate damage. Kill'Dar cures the
 spores in Donner with the Ring of the
 Silverveils.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 11 (1:29):</B> Auric attacks the demon but misses. The
 demon retaliates against Grackle and scores
 twice. Auric is hit with an arrow from
 behind and Kill'Dar gets hit once. The spores
 keep growing doing some damage. It becomes
 apparent to all that if they keep growing,
 the effect will impede movement and
 eventually smother the party. Donner swings
 and misses, Grackle swings and hits once.
 Kill'Dar touches it, the Dispel Evil finally
 works, and the demon is banished. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 12 (1:40):</B> Auric cures Donner with his final cure spell.
 Another hail of crossbow bolts rains past
 the carpet, and there are hits all around.
 Ox slays the orc he's against. Donner flies
 the carpet away from the arrow fire. The
 vines continue to grow in those infected.
 Grackle begs Kill'Dar for healing, but
 Kill'Dar heals himself. Perhaps he resents
 having "fallen" from the carpet.
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 13 (1:45):</B> Auric does nothing, as does Grackle. Ox
 continues to fight on the wall, and is
 supported by a Black Lion strike team.
 Donner flies out of hazard and lands the
 carpet. Kill'Dar cures the poison on Auric.
 A cavalry unit arrives under Colin's command
 to disrupt the orog archers that were shooting
 at us. 
</P>
<P>
<B>Round 14:</B> Kill'Dar heals Grackle of the poison. The Orc High
 Priest never makes an appearance, Colin's cavalry
 charge manages to strike home and do great damage as
 do the Black Lions, Philip's berserkers do a great
 amount of damage, having lost one more of their
 number. Hagal and his strike force manage to take
 out the giants and war trolls. The Aquitanian troops
 hold their own really well, better than expected.
 The casualty ratio is something like 20:1 in the
 Aquitanians' favor. At one point, we have to
 retreat from the inner wall, but are able to retake
 them at dawn. 
</P>
<P>
Of Philip's men, two are killed, four were knocked out including Philip,
but were dragged clear by their companions. 
</P>
<P>
As dawn breaks, the party finds themselves in control of most of the
city, it appears that large quantities of orogs and the HOA, enemy
wizard and Orc High Priest have escaped. 
</P>
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
<P>
</P>
<P>
Base Experience: 
</P>