[Game Thread] Chapter 1: Sellswords of Luskan

[DannoE]

No one wants to go to Luskan.

Some go to escape the law. Some are brought there. Some are sold there. A few unfortunate souls are born there. But no one wants to be there. No one desires it. The one time City of Sails houses some four thousand souls, but it is home to none. “Home” implies hearth and family. Warmth. Safety. Security. Belonging. Luskan has none of these things. It’s a cesspool. A sewer. A blight upon the world. It is the cankerous tumor on the backside of the Sword Coast, the Hellhole where the sins of the past are continually revisited upon the sons and daughters of the future.

Luskan. The City of Shame. The City of the Damned.

Unfortunately, the life of a sellsword is rarely about going where one wants. A safe place has little need for soldiers of fortune. A happy home employs few dogs of war. No, for those for whom battle is a business, life is not about the creature comforts. It’s about going where the work is. It’s about doing what’s necessary to survive and thrive.

For the sellsword, there’s profit in human misery. And in Luskan, the misery business is booming.

***

You’d seen the note posted in the Warmaster’s Guild House, back in Waterdeep. You’d grabbed it, holding it out for your companions. “Did you see this?” you’d asked. “This guy’s offering fifty gold, just for taking a meeting!”

Of course, Old Bruno had scoffed. “Bah! Only fifty? It’s hardly a king’s ransom, m’boy.”

“What d’you know about it, Bruno?” you’d fired back. “All you do is stand here. Hell, you been standin’ here with a tankard in your hand for damned-near as long as I can remember.”

“I know that young pups ought’a learn to read the fine print.” Bruno had said, smiling. He’d pointed with one of his meaty fingers. “That meetin’ there’s in Luskan.”

“So what? It’s the middle of the gods-damned winter, Bruno. A man’s got to go where the work is. No?” At least, you’d thought, that’s what Master Wu-Tang always said.

“True enough,” Bruno’d replied. “At least until he learns to save his silvers. Then he can ride out the winter drinkin’ with Old Bruno.” With that, the old bastard had laughed. “Make sure to take yer hat, puppy. It’s colder than a witch’s teat in Luskan this time o’ year. But I guess you’ll be learnin’ that soon enough.”

Jackass.

But he’d been right, of course. After a week of searching, you’d managed at last to find a caravan headed in the right direction. You’d signed on as guards, riding heard on a bunch of skinny merchants from the snow-swept lands of Icewind Dale, the lonely, forgotten land that lay north of the Spine of the World. So far as you knew, those hardy men had been the only people on earth willing to brave the snow-packed Northern roads at that time of year. And you’d said goodbye to them earlier in the day. They’d turned for home a full league short of the City, unwilling to go any closer to Luskan than was absolutely necessary.

You’d continued on alone.

***

Today marks the fifteenth day of the journey northward and the tenth in a row in which you’ve seen the sun for less than a pair of hours. Between the constantly grey, snow-filled skies of the Northern winter and the shortening of the days before the winter solstice, you can hardly remember what a true sky of blue looks like. Or what it feels like to be warm. It’s been a cold, lonely road, with barely a farmhouse or roadside inn to break the monotony. It has been a hard slog, without even the company of the merchants from Icewind Dale, now that they’ve said goodbye.

Closer on, something you can’t quite put a finger on raises the hairs on the back of your neck. But there’s nothing to see. The wind has blown the snow into great mounding piles on either side of the road, and visibility is poor. Snow—swirling in the air and piling on the ground—prevents your seeing anything beyond about thirty feet, and the fast fading light of day does little to illuminate what little you can actually make out.
You pull your cloak tight. What is it that’s out there?

OOC: Getting Started! Hah! Nothing like an ambush to bring a new party together. Please roll initiative and give me some idea of where you want to start and what your marching order is. No hurry. Take your time and work it out together. Also, if you want to make any skill checks in addition to your initiative roll, those will be a minor action. You've got time to take TWO before the hounds descend on your position. If you've gt any questions, that's fine. Ask them in the OOC thread. Yes, we're ahead of schedule. That's a good thing.

[TheHumanDynamo]

Seemingly ignoring the biting cold around him, Ginagel trudges along through the snow. Not for the first time on this trip, the Dwarf is drunk, his supply of alcohol seemingly endless as day in and day out he's drinking anything he can get his hands on. During these bouts of inebriation, Ginagel's temper is generally abated, unless provoked. On the not so rare occasions you've seen him fly off the handle, his strength and brutality have become quickly apparent, as he already killed one of the merchants' horses when he stumbled into it and dropped his beer. He made no apologies for his actions, and simply glared at everyone around him, daring them to challenge him after such a vicious display of violence. At least the horse provided fresh meat for the group to eat.

Pulling his cloak about him a bit, the Dwarf cursed loudly, scanning the horizon once the feeling of ill ease hit him. Gripping his crag hammer tightly with one hand, he stopped in his tracks and called out loudly in a thick accent, "Look lively lassies, somethin be out there watchin us, and I mean ta be ready for it. COME ON THEN, COME GET A PIECE O' ME IF YA WANTS SOME!"

Actions & OOC Initiative: 8 Minor Actions: Perception 8, Nature (checking to know what kind of beasts are likely in this environment) 20 (rolls are in the same link as above) OOC Notes: Ginagel has a heavy Scottish accent, just to give you guys an idea of what he sounds like when talking. I have no preference where I start, though unless someone objects and has made the effort in character, Ginagel will take the lead as he is an arrogant bastard and thinks he should lead. Place me on the map accordingly Dannoe.

[Kyryc]

Heath Ruik walked along a short distance behind the drunken dwarf, his head hung low to fight off the biting cold. His hood was up, but still the wind cut through the thick traveling garments. Below, the cold metal of his Finemail stung through the padding and simple clothes below. Across his back a flag waved limply in the wind. Half frozen, it's movement was stiff and very un-flag like.

Heath looked up as the dwarf barked his warning. His first thought was to pay no attention to him. Heath had lived his life in and out of taverns and had learned how to best deal with drunk people. Which ones to confront, which ones to avoid, which ones needed simply to be knocked across the head with something heavy. This fellow was one to be avoided, Heath could already tell. Still, something in the Dwarf's warning made him look up and around. For the first time he noticed he was not alone. There were others traveling with him, apart from just the dwarf.

Heath glanced up through the sheet of snow that obscured most vision, peering out into the woods along the road; searching for whatever it was the dwarf had seen.

Actions Heath will start around O-18 He makes a Perception (27) and Arcane (14) check against anything that might be out there. Initiative is 5. All roles can be found here.

[Ravenminded]

Pendrax trudges through the snow and out of habit he moves through the group, perhaps occasionally offering corn whiskey to the dwarf, to help with the cold, after his display or engaging the others in short conversation, his deep rumbling voice accompanied by a sly smile. Now, however, with his drink gone and only a fur cloak to keep out the blowing snow his mood is less than pleasant.

"How I hate the outdoors." he thinks as he tries to keep his supple tail from dragging in the snow.

With his head down and his hood pulled up, his hardly notices anything as frosted breath is whipped away by the wind. When the dwarf call a warning his instantly at the ready however, his hood tossed back as his other hand slides up to finger the collection of wands on his belt. His peers through the snow blotted air as he tries to listen for clues in the air, his deep voice rumbling "I hate the wild."

OOC Actions: Init Roll:22 2Minor Actions: Perception +2 and Nature +2 (to identify any animal sounds if heard) Skill Rolls Position: Would stay near the middle of the group

[HFLep]

Jaeron is also reconsidering the wisdom of this trek, glancing up at the rapidly darkening sky, an involuntary shiver going through his body as another gust of wind blows, seeming to ignore his armor to cut straight to his flesh. Let's hope that the wind's the only thing today that'll be cutting through the armor. he murmurs to himself, holding his axe by his side.

His eyes follow a reflection of the setting sun that hits something reflecting, almost like eyes watching them from the drifts by the side of the road. He stops, about to announce what he sees when the Dwarf right behind him bellows his line. Looks like our welcoming committee to Luskan's just arrived boys. Seems the local predators think us easy pray. he grins.

I say we eat 'em after we dispatch them, just to show 'em who's on top of the food chain.

ooc actions Init Roll: 17 2 Minor actions: Perception(+5)=22, Nature(+10)=29 Free action: Talk smack. Position: Out front. Let's say around M 17.

ooc TheHumandynamo, I hope you don't mind me putting Jaeron out in front of the barbarian.

[sandrock]

Baslim the Cripple

A scarecrow-ishly skinny, bearded figure draped in a billowing deep brown robe, Baslim - who had been enjoying trading tall tales with Pendrax as well as the increasingly inebriated and surly Ginagel - freezes in place, his one arm sweeping back his robe revealing the hilt of a longsword.

He peers carefully into the snow flurries, something about the scene striking him as unnatural, fighting back laughter at Jaeron's bluster.

Crunch! Initiative (+6): 23 Minor Action: Make out any movement or figures in the snow - Perception Check (+3): 13 Minor Action: Is the decreased visibility manufactured by magical means? Arcana Check (+11): 27 Baslim should be situated next to Ginagel

[DannoE]

You stumble through the snow, alert now... or at least as alert as you can be. As quick as thought, you see a movement--a trio of wolves and goblin. There might be more in the snow, but it's hard to tell. Still, it would be unusual to see a goblin by himself with three wolves, especially in the middle of a blizzard. Still, wolves are a norm for this part of the country, and for what it's worth, you can tell immediately that it's real snow and not some kind of magical effect.

However, before you can get a better look at the goblin, it darts forward in the snow and unleashes some kind of psychic assault. Your heads ring with the force of it, and indeed, the creature completely disappears to all but Jearon and Pendrax.

Initiative and Actions! Initiative Order: Goblin Baslim Hostile Pendrax Jaeron Hostile Ginagel Health It is now Baslim's turn.

[sandrock]

Baslim the Cripple

Baslim, figuring resignedly that he can't do anything about an enemy he can't even see, dashes forward, his robe billowing out around him, until he's within a few yards of two of the wolves.

Pointing at the closest one, he *clucks* his tongue at it sadly and calls out, "Such a shame you're the runty bitch of the litter," before wheeling suddenly, drawing his longsword and charging the one he'd seen on the other side of the road.

Gotta keep them off-balance, he tells himself, and as he tries to skewer the wolf before him, he visualizes chains of energy binding it to the earth.

Crunch! Move: 5 to X-16 Minor: Aegis of Shielding marking Wolfie 1: -2 to attacks on anyone but Baslim, reduces any damage he does to anyone but Baslim by 8 as an immediate interrupt -   At-Will ✦ Arcane Minor Action Close burst 2 Target: One creature in burst Effect: You mark the target. The target remains marked until you use this power against another target. If you mark other creatures using other powers, the target is still marked. A creature can be subject to only one mark at a time. A new mark supersedes a mark that was already in place. If your marked target makes an attack that doesn’t include you as a target, it takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls. If that attack hits and the marked target is within 10 squares of you, you can use an immediate interrupt to reduce the damage dealt by that attack to any one creature by an amount equal to 5 + your Constitution modifier. At 11th level, reduce the damage dealt by 10 + your Constitution modifier. At 21st level, reduce the damage dealt by 15 + your Constitution modifier. Standard: Foesnare (Charge Attack) (+4 Mod +2 1/2 level +1 Weapon Expertise +1 Lighting Longsword +1 Charge) +9 vs Wolfie 3's AC: 16 Effect: if Foesnare hits, Wolfie 3 is immobilized until the end of Baslim's next turn.

[DannoE]

Baslim's attack hits, binding the wolf to the ground and holding it in place--but not doing much in the way of injury.

Around the party, there is a moment of eerie silence. Then you're up and moving again.

Actions One of the hostiles defers. Jaeron and Pendrax are up. And then the monsters. That's permanently change initiative to: Goblin Baslim Pendrax Jaeron Hostiles etc...

[HFLep]

Jaeron grunts as the strange feeling washes over him, but quickly shakes it off, moving to engage the goblin that somehow managed to get so close to the party. Putting his shield before him, he moves in to engage the little green runt. Stay behind me. he says simply to the rest of the party, Or at least so that I am always between you and the enemy.

With that, he strikes at the goblin, trying to push him back from his blinded companions with his shield, and aggressively moves into the green runt's 'personal space'.

ooc-combat actions Move: Move 2 spaces to AB 17 Standard: Tide of Iron (at will) vs Goblin at AB 16, +4 str, +1 fighter talent, +1 weapon mod, +2 trained, +2 level=+10 vs AC (18); +4 str, +1 weapon damage=+5 damagae (6) Target pushed to AB 15 if hit, Jaeron shifts to AB 16. Free: Mark the goblin at AB 16 (-2 to its rolls unless he attacks Jaeron, Jaeron can get an immediate interrupt attack if the gobbo tries to attack anyone else but him or even shift past him.)

[Ravenminded]

Pendrax scoffs at all the dramatics, mainly because they're stealing from his own. Calmly he lifts a silvered wand from his belt and raises into the air as the looks to the goblin with a smug smirk. An arcane phrase rumbles from his lips and two brilliant blue rays of frost fire from the tip of the wand, one at the goblin and another at the wolf attemping to flank them.

OOC Actions Move: Draw Master's Wand of Magic Missle Standard:Cast Ice Ray(2 rays) Ice Ray vs Goblin: (+8vs Ref):+2(half level),+1Implement Expertise (Wand),+1Master's Wand of Magic Missle,+4 Int Mod Hit 17/Damage 13 Ice Ray vs Wolf2: (+8vs Ref):+2(half level),+1Implement Expertise (Wand),+1Master's Wand of Magic Missle,+4 Int Mod Hit 27/Damage 8 Special: Targets immoblized on hit until end of my next turn.

[DannoE]

Jaeron moves forward and attacks. But though his strike is near perfect, the goblin--amazingly--dodges his attack with relative ease. One moment, the little creature is standing still, the next it simply isn't there. It's as though the goblin barely exists. Oh it's real enough. But you've never seen, never heard of anything even remotely like the battle skill of this little creature.

The same is true for Pendrax. His attack on the wolf freezes the creature immediately. It's both wounded and held in place by the wizard's magic. But the goblin? It dodges, and easily.

Clearly, this is no ordinary goblin.

Just as the party orients on one set of foes, another leaps from the frozen tundra. First the wolves charge, engaging both Baslim and Jaeron. Jaeron manages to interpose his armor between the wolf's jaws and his tender flesh. Baslim deflects by other, more arcane means. But while Baslim's attention is focused on the wolf, a mighty bugbear warrior emerges from the snow, narrowing a predatory eye and smiting the distracted swordmage with an incredibly heavy blow.

Poor Baslim drops like a stone, dazed and knocked to the ground--damn near unconscious.

As if that weren't enough, a hail of crossbow bolts streaks out from the snow. One strikes Baslim, further bloodying him. Another barely misses Ginagel.

And yet, now the party has weathered the storm. Baslim is down, but the rest are still very much alive and with two of their number still ready to strike.

OOC: Enemy Actions! Wolf 2 is lightly wounded and immobilized. The goblin is unaffected, save by Jaeron's mark. Wolf 1 attacks Jaeron and misses. Wolf 2 attacks Baslim and misses. The Bugbear Warrior charges Baslim using his Skullthumper power (vs. Fortitude), with CA and using his Predatory Eye to enhance the attack. Baslim takes 21 damage and is knocked prone and dazed (save ends). The northern goblin sniper also hits Baslim, who takes an additional 11 damage. The southern goblin sniper misses Ginagel. It is now Ginagel's and Health's turns.

[HFLep]

Seeing himself flanked by the wolf, and the goblin preparing to attack him, Jaeron steels his defense, covering all the gaps he has in them to make sure he gives the enemy no chance to hit him.

ooc Immediate Interrupt: No opening against the Goblin Chieftan right before his turn (so, after the rest of our party goes). If, by some miracle, the rest of the party manages to kill the chieftan, I wouldn't use the power. But chances are he'll be there. No Opening (Encounter power)--denies combat advantage to the next attack aimed at Jaeron.

[TheHumanDynamo]

Seeing the one armed member of the group drop, Ginagel ignores the wolf in front of him and bellows a might challenge as he lifts his crag hammer in two hands. Gripping the haft tightly, he begins to froth at the mouth a bit as he charges forward, blind siding the bugbear and laying into him with the head of the maul.

Actions Full Round: Charge, moving to X-18(using Howling Strike in place of my melee basic attack) vs the Bugbear's AC (3 str + 2 proficiency + 1 charge - 2 power attack=+4)Hit 15, Damage is 16 (Damage is 1d10+3 str + 1 weapon focus + 1 versatile + 3 power attack + 1d6)

[Kyryc]

Heath's reaction is slower than the others, but still quick enough to quickly move towards the middle of the combat. Seeing one of his allies injured, Heath starts to sing a soft, sweet melody, infusing the song with words of healing magic. He swings around the standard at his back. He slams the pointed tip into the ground, The flag springs to life, waving in the blizzard's wind. With the battle standard planted,

Actions Move: Move 5 Squares to Z-19. Heath travels diagonally to AC-20, then over and back up as to avoid an Opportunity Attack from the Goblin. Minor: Plant the Battle Standard. All allies within 5 squares take 1 less damage from enemy attacks. Standard: Majestic Word targeting Baslim. He can spend a Healing Surge and regain an additional 4 HP. Also, if you want you can be slide 1 square, but that's your call.