__________________ PC: Curse of Strahd(5e), Eberron Escapades(5e), Masks(CoC), Odyssey of the Dragonlords(5e), Out of the Abyss, To the CallHill(5e), Way of the Wicked(PF1e), The Third Imperium (MgT2e) DM: Horror on the Orient Express, Under Otari (PF2e), To the StarHill:Dead Suns (SF)
Last edited by Bluejack; Jun 23rd, 2022 at 02:17 PM.
The blast of frigid air from above almost seemed impossible for how could one get colder than one already was standing out on the icy plain outside the frost giant hold. Nonetheless, Chutakki was colder and the lizardfolk was unable to escape the cone of cold that bore down upon them and he had no shield to hide behind like Raackma.
Blocking out the numbing cold that threatened to steal the sword from his claws, Chutakki darted back into the fray. One giant had been knocked off its feet by Raackma and that was where the lizardfolk went first. Leaping upon the giant's chest, he drove his sword deep into its chest. The magic of the blade kicked to life and drained the last vestiges of whatever soul a frost giant had and transferred some of that to the scout that killed it. Looking up, Chutakki spotted the other giant still standing and darted over to it. He drove his blade into its thigh and drove a fist into the meat of the calf, causing the muscles to cramp and contract.
Strategy overwhelmed instinct and Chutakki held his position. The flying giant was beyond his ability to affect. They would need Raackma's arrows which meant the colonel had to remain alive. So, Chutakki stood his ground in front of the massive frost giant.
Movement: per Roll20 Action: Shortsword attack Frost Giant 2, crit hit 10 slashing & 10 necrotic damage; Shortsword attack 2 Frost Giant 4, hit 10 + 3 sneak attack Bonus Action: offhand attack frost giant 4, 7 damage (20 total against fg4) Reaction: [B]Defensive Duelist (AC to 22) or Deflect Missiles Free Action: Conditions: cold Rolls:Rolls
Chutakki | Level 8 Shadow Monk / Level 4 Swashbuckler Rogue | Lizardfolk HP: 56 (10) /112 | AC: 18 (22) | Ki Points: 0/8 | Initiative: +4 | PP: 18 | Sneak Attack: 2d6 | Speed: 45 ft. land / 30 ft. water | Ki Save: 16 DC | Inspiration: 1 STR: 11 (0) | DEX: 18 (+4) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 8 (-1) | WIS: 18 (+4) | CHR: 11 (0) Weapons:+8, 1d6+4, P, finesse, lightShortsword, +8, 1d4+4, P, finesse, thrown, 20/60Darts Features:Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.Bite, As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan's tools, such as leatherworker's tools.Cunning Artisan, You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.Hold Breath, You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.Hunter's Lore, You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.Natural Armor, In battle, you can throw yourself into a vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.Hungry Jaws, lightArmor Prof, simple, shortswordsWeapon Prof, Leatherworker's Tools, Thieves' Tools (Expertise)Tool Prof, While wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.Unarmored Defense, Your practice of martial arts gives mastery over unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons without the heavy or two-handed property.
You gain the following benefits when unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and not wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Unarmed strikes and monk weapons count as finesse weapons (if they weren't already), allowing you to use either Dexterity or Strength for attack and damage rolls with those weapons.
You can use a d4 in place of the normal weapon damage dice with unarmed strikes or monk weapons. This die increases as you gain monk levels, as shown on the table above.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you may make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Martial Arts, At 2nd level, your training allows you to channel the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this power is represented by a number of ki points. You have a number of ki points equal to your monk level. When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at which point you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at 30minutes of the rest meditating in order to regain ki.
Some ki powers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the effects. The saving throw DCis calculated as follows:
Ki save DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
You start with the knowledge of these three ki powers:Ki, Immediately after taking the Attack action on your turn, you may spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus actionFlurry of Blows, You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.Patient Defense, You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. When you do so, your jump distance is doubled for the turnStep of the Wind, At 2nd level, your speed increases when you are not wearing armor or using a shield. This bonus is listed on the table above.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You must end the movement on a solid, upright surface or risk falling or sinking.Unarmored Movement, At 3rd level, you may use your reaction when you are kit by a ranged weapon attack to deflect or catch the missile. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0 in this way, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have a hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or ammunition as part of the same action. You make this attack with proficiency, and treat the missile as a monk weapon for this attack.Deflect Missiles, At 4th level, you may use your reaction to reduce any falling damage taken by an amount equal to 5 times your monk level.Slow Fall, At 5th level, you can attack twice whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.Extra Attack, At 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in another creature's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.Stunning Strike, At 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.Ki Strikes, At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain attacks, such as a dragon's breath or the fireball. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and half damage if you fail.Evasion, At 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.Stillness of Mind, Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.
As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, or silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don’t already know it.Shadow Arts, At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.Shadow Step, At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves' tools. (Stealth & Thieves' Tools) Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves' tools) to gain this benefit.Expertise, Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.Sneak Attack, During your rogue training you learned thieves' cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves' cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey sue h a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly. In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves' guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.Thieves' Cant, Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.Cunning Action, When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to land a s trike and then slip away without reprisal. During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature can't make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.Fancy Footwork, Starting at 3rd level, your unmistakable confidence propels you into battle. You can add your Charisma modifier to your initiative rolls.
In addition, you don't need advantage on your attack roll to use your Sneak Attack if no creature other than your target is within 5 feet of you. All the other rules for the Sneak Attack class feature still apply to you.Rakish Audacity, When you are wielding a finesse weapon you are proficient with, and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss.Defensive Duelist, While wearing this cloak, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. In an area of dim light or Darkness, you can grip the edges of the cloak with both hands and use it to fly at a speed of 40 feet. If you ever fail to grip the cloak's edges while flying in this way, or if you are no longer in dim light or Darkness, you lose this flying speed.
While wearing the cloak in an area of dim light or Darkness, you can use your action to cast Polymorph on yourself, transforming into a bat. While you are in the form of the bat, you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. The cloak can't be used this way again until the next dawn.Cloak of the Bat, When you attack a creature with this magic weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, that target takes an extra 10 necrotic damage if it isn't a construct or an undead. You also gain 10 temporary hit points.
Proficiency with a shortsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.Shortsword of Life Stealing, Requires Attunement
While wearing this ring, you have Resistance to cold damage. In addition, you and everything you wear and carry are unharmed by temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.Ring of Warmth, Choose a class: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You learn two cantrips of your choice from that class's spell list. In addition, choose one 1st-level spell to learn from that same list. Using this feat, you can cast the spell once at its lowest level, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again.
Your spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the class you chose: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard.Magic Initiate:Warlock Magic Initiate Spells:Evocation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (5-foot radius) Components: S, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp) Duration: 1 round
You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target on a hit, and the damage the target takes for moving increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (2d8 and 3d8) and again at 17th level (3d8 and 4d8).Booming Blade, Transmutation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: 10 feet Components: V, S Duration: Up to 1 hour
This spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range:
You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.Prestidigitation, 1st-level enchantment Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (the petrified eye of a newt) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.
If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to curse a new creature.
A Remove Curse cast on the target ends this spell early.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 8 hours. When you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours.Hex
Copious blood had flowed – giants’ worth of the stuff. And feet, human, elf and dwarf, lizardfolk and dinosaur and giant and ogre and trampled and skidded amongst the stuff, raising a field of foul, pink, steamy slush. With entrail and bowel torn, the field stank. Already, specks of carrion could be see – who knows from where – but a feast was being prepared.
The last of them were felled. It did not matter that Nokomis fell short with her spear, there was a tyrannosaurus there – while its jaws snapped at air, its tail cracked the ribs of on of the last standing gargantuans. Raackma’s blade too snickered and snacked its way through these foes. Stepping from behind his rimed shield he first saw that the hill giant runt was put down and then carved into the next giant he could see – pushing it to the ground, where Chutakki suddenly appeared standing on its chest the carving through jugular.
Which left just one standing in the killing zone. It swayed, losing blood by the pint seeking which foe to strike. Ulster leapt forward, bringing his hammer down in a shock of holy light and watched as the creature fell to one knee, barely clinging to life. A life that that forking bolts of energy that Ozgur summoned soon extinguished.
Above them? It was just sky again. Whatever this cold summoning creature was it was gone once more. The seconds past as the giant slayers guarded against another shock …
… but it did not seen to come.
Instead the heroes were standing, exhausted, depleted in the frozen cold, in the sea of terrible slush. They’d won this battle – but at the costs of nearly everything they had to give.
And in the distance the croaking of the approaching birds could be heard in the winds.
Out of combat
You survived! Picture the scene – it will be messy and smelly!
RP how you react to all this for a bit and then work out what to do next.
Remember we are in slow healing game here – resources matter. You can use HD on short rests and regain spells in the normal way.
But at the moment, your resources are low and you are in the middle of the tundra. You have no idea which direction civilisation is! Maybe a long-rest will help?
COMBAT
Initiative
xx
Raackma
xx
Nokomis
xx
Chutakki
xx
Ozgur
xx
Ulster
xx
Begon
xx
Gaznul
Enemies
Name
Position
HP
AC
Action
Notes
‘Small’ Hill giant 1
Per map
0/59
11
DEAD finished off by Raackma
S(+4) D(-1) C(+3) I(-3) W(-2) Ch(-2)
Frost Giant 2
Per map
0/138
15
DEAD Raackma hit twice and Chutakki two more- My brain hurts INT check
S(+6) D(-1) C(+5) I(-1) W(-) Ch(+1)
Frost Giant 4
Per map
0/138
15
DEAD wacked by t-rex tail 23 and Chutakki 13, and 9 from Ulster and finished off by a bolt from Ozgur My brain hurts INT check
Begon knew battle was over… the enemy lay like broken dolls all around… arms… legs… heads strewn about with abandon… connective tissue still attached… nerve endings still firing making the corpses twitch in the reddening snow. The battle was over but Begon was not able to end the war within himself.
Morphing back into his muscular orc form, Begon stalked across the battlefield, his hot breath being exhaled in forceful blasts as he slammed his fists into his chest, roaring for the heavens to hear. Finding the corpse of a fallen giant, the barbarian clambered up on the giant’s chest, grabbing a fistful of beard to pull himself higher.
Begon stared at the dead frost giant, staring into the sightless eyes bigger than a dinner plate as his breath came in deep heaves.
Without warning, Begon whipped his glaive into his hand and began to stab the giant… over and over again. The blood, bone, and gristle flew through the air as Begon carved deep into the frost giant skull. The glaive was tossed aside and Begon continued the assault with his bare hands until his blood mixed freely with the giants.
Only when his anger had run its course could Begon accept that the battle was finished. Amazingly, the orc was without major wounds, however, when he slid back down to the ground, his legs quivered as he tried to stagger away.
Begon collapsed into a sitting position, leaning against the giant, his head tilted up looking at the scavengers circling above.
“I tired.”
exhaustion level 3
Movement: Action: Bonus Action: Reaction: Current effects: Immune to fear, poison, wis save adv Applicable Skills
__________________ Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception. I have taken The Oath of Sangus Most people are not just comfortable in their ignorance, but hostile to anyone who points it out.
Last edited by Begon Ugo; Jun 27th, 2022 at 09:57 AM.
Chutakki thought about trying to get between the raging orc and the obliterated giant corpse he was slamming his fists into but the lizardfolk thought better of it as a renewed wind billowed into him, reminding him of the precarious nature of his existence in the cold without the ring he had lent to Begon. Instead, he let the orc rage on as he stalked back toward the cave, hoping it would continue to hold after it had been blasted with a fireball.
Passing the polar bear carcasses, he made note of their location. They could be used for food, for darts, for arrows. Hopefully the giants had sent their last out to meet them in the red snow fields and they would be granted a reprieve. Ulster was devastated over his wolf, Raackma was feeling the affects of his curse and he was fairly certain the even with Nokomis and Ozgur's help, those bears wouldn't budge from the sludge of battle.
Despite the chill, he waited for Begon to cease his fury as the orc sat upon the ice and declared, "I tired."
"One more job and then we rest, friend. Aid Chutakki in dragging this carcass into the cave. Have you ever had bear? Greasy but good and I think you would look daunting in a giant red and white cloak"
Purely for RP purposes as Chutakki is a leatherworker and also has the Cunning Artisan feature, he'd like to drag a bear corpse into the cave to work on while they rest. Might need more than Begon and Chutakki though since a regular polar bear can be 1000lbs. Not sure how much bigger these ones are.
Chutakki | Level 8 Shadow Monk / Level 4 Swashbuckler Rogue | Lizardfolk HP: 56 (10) /112 | AC: 18 (22) | Ki Points: 0/8 | Initiative: +4 | PP: 18 | Sneak Attack: 2d6 | Speed: 45 ft. land / 30 ft. water | Ki Save: 16 DC | Inspiration: 1 STR: 11 (0) | DEX: 18 (+4) | CON: 18 (+4) | INT: 8 (-1) | WIS: 18 (+4) | CHR: 11 (0) Weapons:+8, 1d6+4, P, finesse, lightShortsword, +8, 1d4+4, P, finesse, thrown, 20/60Darts Features:Your fanged maw is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with it, you deal piercing damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier, instead of the bludgeoning damage normal for an unarmed strike.Bite, As part of a short rest, you can harvest bone and hide from a slain beast, construct, dragon, monstrosity, or plant creature of size Small or larger to create one of the following items: a shield, a club, a javelin, or 1d4 darts or blowgun needles. To use this trait, you need a blade, such as a dagger, or appropriate artisan's tools, such as leatherworker's tools.Cunning Artisan, You can hold your breath for up to 15 minutes at a time.Hold Breath, You gain proficiency with two of the following skills of your choice: Animal Handling, Nature, Perception, Stealth, and Survival.Hunter's Lore, You have tough, scaly skin. When you aren't wearing armor, your AC is 13 + your Dexterity modifier. You can use your natural armor to determine your AC if the armor you wear would leave you with a lower AC. A shield's benefits apply as normal while you use your natural armor.Natural Armor, In battle, you can throw yourself into a vicious feeding frenzy. As a bonus action, you can make a special attack with your bite. If the attack hits, it deals its normal damage, and you gain temporary hit points (minimum of 1) equal to your Constitution modifier, and you can't use this trait again until you finish a short or long rest.Hungry Jaws, lightArmor Prof, simple, shortswordsWeapon Prof, Leatherworker's Tools, Thieves' Tools (Expertise)Tool Prof, While wearing no armor and not wielding a shield, your AC equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Wisdom modifier.Unarmored Defense, Your practice of martial arts gives mastery over unarmed strikes and monk weapons, which are shortswords and any simple melee weapons without the heavy or two-handed property.
You gain the following benefits when unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and not wearing armor or wielding a shield:
Unarmed strikes and monk weapons count as finesse weapons (if they weren't already), allowing you to use either Dexterity or Strength for attack and damage rolls with those weapons.
You can use a d4 in place of the normal weapon damage dice with unarmed strikes or monk weapons. This die increases as you gain monk levels, as shown on the table above.
When you use the Attack action with an unarmed strike or a monk weapon on your turn, you may make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Martial Arts, At 2nd level, your training allows you to channel the mystic energy of ki. Your access to this power is represented by a number of ki points. You have a number of ki points equal to your monk level. When you spend a ki point, it is unavailable until you finish a short or long rest, at which point you draw all of your expended ki back into yourself. You must spend at 30minutes of the rest meditating in order to regain ki.
Some ki powers require your target to make a saving throw to resist the effects. The saving throw DCis calculated as follows:
Ki save DC= 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Wisdom modifier.
You start with the knowledge of these three ki powers:Ki, Immediately after taking the Attack action on your turn, you may spend 1 ki point to make two unarmed strikes as a bonus actionFlurry of Blows, You can spend 1 ki point to take the Dodge action as a bonus action on your turn.Patient Defense, You can spend 1 ki point to take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action on your turn. When you do so, your jump distance is doubled for the turnStep of the Wind, At 2nd level, your speed increases when you are not wearing armor or using a shield. This bonus is listed on the table above.
At 9th level, you gain the ability to move along vertical surfaces and across liquids on your turn without falling during the move. You must end the movement on a solid, upright surface or risk falling or sinking.Unarmored Movement, At 3rd level, you may use your reaction when you are kit by a ranged weapon attack to deflect or catch the missile. When you do so, the damage you take is reduced by 1d10 + your Dexterity modifier + your monk level.
If you reduce the damage to 0 in this way, you can catch the missile if it is small enough for you to hold in one hand and you have a hand free. If you catch a missile in this way, can spend 1 ki point to make a ranged attack with the weapon or ammunition as part of the same action. You make this attack with proficiency, and treat the missile as a monk weapon for this attack.Deflect Missiles, At 4th level, you may use your reaction to reduce any falling damage taken by an amount equal to 5 times your monk level.Slow Fall, At 5th level, you can attack twice whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.Extra Attack, At 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in another creature's body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.Stunning Strike, At 6th level, your unarmed strikes count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.Ki Strikes, At 7th level, your instinctive agility lets you dodge out of the way of certain attacks, such as a dragon's breath or the fireball. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and half damage if you fail.Evasion, At 7th level, you can use your action to end one effect yourself that is causing you to be charmed or frightened.Stillness of Mind, Starting when you choose this tradition at 3rd level, you can use your ki to duplicate the effects of certain spells.
As an action, you can spend 2 ki points to cast darkness, darkvision, pass without trace, or silence, without providing material components. Additionally, you gain the minor illusion cantrip if you don’t already know it.Shadow Arts, At 6th level, you gain the ability to step from one shadow into another. When you are in dim light or darkness, as a bonus action you can teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see that is also in dim light or darkness. You then have advantage on the first melee attack you make before the end of the turn.Shadow Step, At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves' tools. (Stealth & Thieves' Tools) Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies.
At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves' tools) to gain this benefit.Expertise, Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe's distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon.
You don't need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn't incapacitated, and you don't have disadvantage on the attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.Sneak Attack, During your rogue training you learned thieves' cant, a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves' cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey sue h a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly. In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves' guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.Thieves' Cant, Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.Cunning Action, When you choose this archetype at 3rd level, you learn how to land a s trike and then slip away without reprisal. During your turn, if you make a melee attack against a creature, that creature can't make opportunity attacks against you for the rest of your turn.Fancy Footwork, Starting at 3rd level, your unmistakable confidence propels you into battle. You can add your Charisma modifier to your initiative rolls.
In addition, you don't need advantage on your attack roll to use your Sneak Attack if no creature other than your target is within 5 feet of you. All the other rules for the Sneak Attack class feature still apply to you.Rakish Audacity, When you are wielding a finesse weapon you are proficient with, and another creature hits you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to add your proficiency bonus to your AC against that attack, potentially causing it to miss.Defensive Duelist, While wearing this cloak, you have advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. In an area of dim light or Darkness, you can grip the edges of the cloak with both hands and use it to fly at a speed of 40 feet. If you ever fail to grip the cloak's edges while flying in this way, or if you are no longer in dim light or Darkness, you lose this flying speed.
While wearing the cloak in an area of dim light or Darkness, you can use your action to cast Polymorph on yourself, transforming into a bat. While you are in the form of the bat, you retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. The cloak can't be used this way again until the next dawn.Cloak of the Bat, When you attack a creature with this magic weapon and roll a 20 on the attack roll, that target takes an extra 10 necrotic damage if it isn't a construct or an undead. You also gain 10 temporary hit points.
Proficiency with a shortsword allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.Shortsword of Life Stealing, Requires Attunement
While wearing this ring, you have Resistance to cold damage. In addition, you and everything you wear and carry are unharmed by temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit.Ring of Warmth, Choose a class: bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, warlock, or wizard. You learn two cantrips of your choice from that class's spell list. In addition, choose one 1st-level spell to learn from that same list. Using this feat, you can cast the spell once at its lowest level, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it in this way again.
Your spellcasting ability for these spells depends on the class you chose: Charisma for bard, sorcerer, or warlock; Wisdom for cleric or druid; or Intelligence for wizard.Magic Initiate:Warlock Magic Initiate Spells:Evocation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (5-foot radius) Components: S, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp) Duration: 1 round
You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects and then becomes sheathed in booming energy until the start of your next turn. If the target willingly moves 5 feet or more before then, the target takes 1d8 thunder damage, and the spell ends.
At Higher Levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 thunder damage to the target on a hit, and the damage the target takes for moving increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (2d8 and 3d8) and again at 17th level (3d8 and 4d8).Booming Blade, Transmutation cantrip Casting Time: 1 action Range: 10 feet Components: V, S Duration: Up to 1 hour
This spell is a minor magical trick that novice spellcasters use for practice. You create one of the following magical effects within range:
You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.Prestidigitation, 1st-level enchantment Casting Time: 1 bonus action Range: 90 feet Components: V, S, M (the petrified eye of a newt) Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour
You place a curse on a creature that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, you deal an extra 1d6 necrotic damage to the target whenever you hit it with an attack. Also, choose one ability when you cast the spell. The target has disadvantage on ability checks made with the chosen ability.
If the target drops to 0 hit points before this spell ends, you can use a bonus action on a subsequent turn of yours to curse a new creature.
A Remove Curse cast on the target ends this spell early.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd or 4th level, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 8 hours. When you use a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can maintain your concentration on the spell for up to 24 hours.Hex
__________________
I have taken the Oath.
Last edited by tomplum; Jun 27th, 2022 at 10:37 AM.
"Run, you bastard!! Run!! We are coming, like Kelemvor to a wake! We are coming!!" Raackma hoped he would strike fear into the heart of the flying frost giant. They had hacked, bit, shot, and spellcast their way to victory. The Colonel was a bit afraid of his colleagues himself, and that brought a smile to his face.
When he turned and saw the wolf, his grin faded. "Ulster, I am sorry. I am so sorry." The fighter moved over towards the dire wolf, and began to pat his bloody head. Then the Colonel stood back and gave the Irregular salute. He turned away towards the others, then stopped to look back for a moment.
"Oz will immortalize him, Ulster. The bards will sing his name."
Raackma paused, still aware that the dwarf blamed Raackma for the fall of Quill Kadaran. He knew he could only offer so much before it would be disingenuous. The fighter paused a moment more looking for more to say, but he could not find anything suitable. He was a warrior after all-leave the verse to Oz.
When he saw Begon, the Colonel placed a hand on his shoulder to brace the warrior. "I am tired as well, Begon. Go rest." Raackma knew they would not send another force right now. He wondered how there could be any frost giants left. His armor, hair, face, equipment were all red. Raackma was covered in giant blood.
"A short bit of rest here, then we need to move to another place. I am well and will stand guard. We need our spells back. We need our resources. After a short rest we will need to find another place to rest longer."
Raackma kept an eye on the horizon, then started searching the bodies for loot. They could use all the resources they could get.
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__________________ PC: Curse of Strahd(5e), Eberron Escapades(5e), Masks(CoC), Odyssey of the Dragonlords(5e), Out of the Abyss, To the CallHill(5e), Way of the Wicked(PF1e), The Third Imperium (MgT2e) DM: Horror on the Orient Express, Under Otari (PF2e), To the StarHill:Dead Suns (SF)
Last edited by Bluejack; Jun 27th, 2022 at 02:49 PM.
It was, of course, always a waste of life when war came. Not that they had not tried to spare them their deaths. They had tried to scare the wolves off, only to have to kill them. They tried to wall off and sneak away from the giants only to be chased down. Why did they desire so much to die?
She noted there were no women or children here. Certainly some of those giants had mates and offspring, that were now without their hunters and protectors. Yet did they stop to think about that? No.
What did they do? Chased a bunch of heroes through the wintery tundra, heroes that had not stolen from them, had not done more than interrupt their story telling, and what did they get for it but more pointless death? Even their blood spilled on the ground was of no use; there were no plants here to drink it and grow. No bugs those plants might support that could feed the birds of the air and the rodents on the land.
Useless. Nokomis kicked a mound of flesh that was on the ice in frustration. Nature had purpose, death had purpose. This...this was purposeless and it frustrated her almost as much as when she stood on the last field of battle when the elves they had rescued had been dangerously polite, but not exactly welcoming to the outlander.
Chutakki at least thought of something useful. They could use the bear skins to make warm coats. "One more job and then we rest, friend. Aid Chutakki in dragging this carcass into the cave. Have you ever had bear? Greasy but good and I think you would look daunting in a giant red and white cloak"
"I second this idea. We could build a fire and use the coals to create wood ash, and melt some snow to mix it with, rub that into the skins to toughen and preserve them a bit, and put the fur on and that should warm us quite a bit. Though I admit I am not a leatherworker nor seamstress, I am sure we could cobble together something."
It at least mollified her some. Yea it was still a waste, a giant (pun intended) waste, but at least they could get something out of it. Though the thought of eating bear meat put her off a bit, she knew she had to eat something and it would be at least a few hours before she had recovered enough, physically and mentally, to draw upon nature for some tasty berries, so it seemed she was stuck as she helped to pull the bears to the cave, helped to slice the flesh off the skin, and helped to move the giant carcasses away from the main camp where they could be used to lure scavengers and hopes that said scavengers would stop there and not come here.
Tanning the skin would take time. First they had to remove it without ripping it. Then they'd have to patiently scrape away muscle, fat, and sinew that clung too it. Then soak the skin in a mixture of brains and water for a bit, stake it out to dry by the fire, then rub it with the ash/water mixture and then dry it again. After a good leatherworker could actually cut it and sew it into clothes, but given their skill here, they'd probably be better off going for cloaks/aka blankets but we prefer the fancy term cloak instead.
Rosewood Carved Container: 1/d, druid drains own blood into it (1D4 damage) and enchants a ritual. When complete it puffs spore curing 1D10+Spell casting ability (17) to all in 20 ft radius.
Equipment
Spells Readied
Cantrips: Guidance, Shillelagh, Druidcraft
L1 Spells: Faerie Fire (C), Entangle (C), Thunderwave (I)
L2 Spells:Flaming Sphere (C), Barkskin (I), Hold Person (C)
L3 Spells:Call Lightning (C), Water Walk (I), Wind Wall (C)
L4 Spells:Ice Storm (I), Wall of Fire (C), Ice Storm (I)
L5 Spells:Insect Plague (C), Contagion (I)
L6 Spells:Sunbeam (C)
Spells
Elf: Advantage on Charm Effects
Druid (moon): Wildshape
Feat: War Caster
Inspiration: 1 Negotiating a peaceful resolution to the Manticores
Combat Abilities
One: NA
Two: NA
Associates
__________________
Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist.
Children already know that dragons exist!
Fairy tales tell children that dragons can be killed!
Ozgur sank to his knees in the bloody slush that covered the killing ground. He had seldom felt so drained. But a quick look around told the bard that, comparatively, he had suffered little. Begon, released from Ozgur's spell, had reverted to the shell of the ferocious fighter that his exhaustion had wrought. Ozgur forced himself to rise and walk over to his friend.
"We'll get you some rest." Ozgur hoped his voice had some assurance in it. The Orc was shattered, that much was plain. It would take a combination of time and powerful magic to restore him - two things that were in short supply. "We'll find somewhere warm."
In the remains of the cave, the grisly work of turning the bear corpses into food and supplies made Ozgur's stomach roil. His magic ring protected him from the cold, anyway, so the bard abandoned the dubious comforts of the cave and joined Raackma at the entrance. "We need someplace where we can rest for maybe two days," he suggested. "Begon's strength is shattered." Ozgur shrugged helplessly.
Well, if we need a place, someone has to find it. That much was plain. Ozgur made a quick return to the cave, just long enough to fetch the rope lashed to his pack. Returning to Raackma, Ozgur tied one end of the rope into a loop around his waist, then handed the other end to the Colonel. "Just in case," he said with a wry grin. Then Ozgur ventured out as far as the length of rope allowed,
Dice Perception:
1d20+9
(19)+9
Total = 28
Dice Survival:
1d20+1
(17)+1
Total = 18
casting his gaze about for any sign of shelter or hidden paths in the snow...anything that might buy them a few more hours of survival. To hope for an entire day's succour seemed absurd.
Raackma stepped forward when Oz handed him the rope. The It has actually. Fighters be OP.short respite had not been enough. Though his health was returned for the most part, his soul was quite weary. His attention waned for just a moment, and the Colonel tripped. He had to lean on the bard so he would not tumble into a pile of guts.
"We are beaten down for sure. The frost giants, however, they are beaten. That flying coward will fly back to their chief and report that we eliminate their main force." The Colonel was not nearly so confident, but Ozgur had to think so. The bard knew him well enough to know he suffered along with the rest; it was his duty not to show it.
"Now is the time to negotiate, Oz. From strength." The Colonel looked out into the snow, considering their options. "We parlay. We offer safe passage for frost giants to leave the rift. At the least they will argue about that, at the most they will dissemble and have deserters. We've killed two dozen giants by my count. Close to two dozen hill giants and ogres. I can't believe they would all stay and fight."
"Oz, you could do that. I know it. Negotiate that." For just a moment, Raackma let down his guard. "What do you think of that idea? Is it good?"
He trudged out into the snow with Oz, looking for a place to rest. He had no idea where they were, but there had to be someplace better than an ice cave stuffed with gore. He stopped for a moment before they left looking to Begon and considering.
"I'll need the other ring. Start a fire. Warm him up." Raackma felt awful taking the ring, but there was no choice. "If the two of us don't find shelter we may all die. I'll need the ring."
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__________________ PC: Curse of Strahd(5e), Eberron Escapades(5e), Masks(CoC), Odyssey of the Dragonlords(5e), Out of the Abyss, To the CallHill(5e), Way of the Wicked(PF1e), The Third Imperium (MgT2e) DM: Horror on the Orient Express, Under Otari (PF2e), To the StarHill:Dead Suns (SF)
Last edited by Bluejack; Jul 4th, 2022 at 09:22 AM.
The ending of battles still, to this day, always catch him off guard. When the last enemy is slain. When the retreat is called. The noise of weapons clanging, and beings screaming in pain is almost instantly silenced, as if a silence spell had been cast on their location. He stood looking at the carnage that they had unleashed against their pursuers. What was once a formidable party was now nothing but gore that painted the ground in various shades of red, burgundy, and some tinges of black. They mixed together as they began freezing to the ground, the smell still pungent even in it's frozen state.
In the centre of it all, he stood. Transfixed on the battlefield. A sight that he had seen so many times before over the centuries. A sight he never got used too seeing, even after all this time.
The sound of flesh slapping against flesh caught his ear, and he turned to see Begon....the actual Begon...releashing what was left of his rage on a Giant's corpse. He was covered with the brains and gore of the Frost Giant's cracked skull, it's innards leaking out onto the frozen ground. He could see that he looked ready to collapse, his legs trying their best to hold his bulk vertical. Yet he understood. There was no need for this fight. These fools had seen what they were capable of, and yet still pursued them. And they paid with their lives.
'And this time, so did they', he though, the realization of what was lost returning to his mind.
He turned back to where Gaznul fell. HIs body lay motionless, his neck lying at an unnatural angle where the giant had swatted him away like an oversized fly. HIs eyes stared into nothingness, as if seeing something shocking that is no meant for mortal eyes. He felt the grief that he couldn't feel before during battle threaten to wash over him as memories washed over him. The first day he had met him in the stables of Sundabar, his step lively at the prospect of adventuring into the faerum wild. Their countless battles over the years. Lying out under the stars with a belly full of mead and roast pork. He closed his friends eyes and held his furry head close, the warmth of life already faded from him. He knew that dwarves were not known to show emotion; they were like the rock that spawned him; hard, cold, unyielding. While he had left his home decades ago, and had become more of a "sky dwarf" then most of his kin, it was a hard habit to break. He wanted to roar at the heavens, to curse every giant in faerum for daring to take his friend. But all he could do was hold his cold corpse tightly, a few tears slowly soaking, then freezing into his beard.
He felt another hand brushing Gaznul's fur on his head. He slowly looked up to see the worn form of Raackma, looking at him with the eyes of one that had seen many of worth and valour fall in battle. "Ulster, I am sorry. I am so sorry.", he said softly, his voice so different from the roars of defiance he had uttered only a few minutes ago. He stepped back, and gave a salute before turning away. He knew of it as one from the band he had once led. The Irregulars if he remembered correctly. He briefly turned back towards the cave, then stopped, as if he had something else to say, but was having difficulty finding the right words. "Oz will immortalize him, Ulster. The bards will sing his name.", he said finally, his words having the weight of near certainty to them. He nodded back in response, acknowledge the old humans words of respect and admiration for his fallen friend. Raackma paused, his expression one that he wanted to say more, do more, but the actions and words were not forthcoming. Eventually he turned back to the cave where the rest were, leaving him with Gaznul and the whistling of the cold wind.
He didn't know how long he had sat there after Raackma left, but it was long enough that his metal armour had begun to freeze to the icy ground below him. He was awash in memories; memories of his adventures with Gaznul over the years and decades. He had had many direwolf companions over the decades, but he had been wise enough to always allow them a well deserved retirement, to go out and enjoy their reminding years, chasing prey, making more direwolves, and doing whatever they liked. This was the first that had fallen in battle, the first where he had let his ignorance and pride blind himself to the stark fact that he was in battles that were too dangerous for his furry friend to handle. And Gaznul had paid the price.
He slowly stood up, the cold making his joints stiff. Softly placing his fallen friend on the ice briefly, he walked over to where Raackma was searching through the corpses of the fallen fools that dared to face them. He briefly placed his hand on the old human's shoulder to prevent him from being startled. "I'll have to teach Ozgur some proper dwarvian to sing proper words of praise.", he said quietly. The grief was still there; naked for anyone to see, but there was a twinge of humour and respect. He remembered when he first met Raackma; it felt like years ago now. He had slug some harsh words and sharp accusations. He remembered someone saying "Let his actions prove his worth" when he left the tent in an angry huff. If Quinn was right, then it conflicted with the man that now was before him. One that was much different then the stories he had been told by kin. His actions had proven his worth time and time again. Enough that when this was over, he was going to have words with Quinn.
"It was a mistake to bring Gaznul on this expedition.", he said to Raackma. He didn't know why he was telling this old human this, but as he was the only one that had reached out, he felt that he should know. "I thought it was be a quick fight. We'd vanquish some hill giants and be done with it. Give him one last battle before heading back to Sundabar to be put out to stud.". He paused for a second, the emotion threatening to bubble to the surface once more. "I've had the first born direwolf of his forebearers for almost two hundred years. Gaznul was the first to fall in battle. I was......I was arrogant to think he could stand against the bastards that we faced here, and this arrogance cost him his life."
Time passed for a bit as he helped Raackma finish going through their enemies possessions. He was so laser focused on the task that he hadn't noticed Ozgur coming to them. He mentioned the dire state that Begon was in, his ferocity now demanding its penance. "I can help that along,", he said bluntly, "but it will be at least tomorrow before I can provide any help there.". Ozgur lashed himself and went for a stroll in the still howling storm, himself and Raackma holding the rope to keep him from being swallowed by the Malestorm.
When he returned, Raackma mentioned actually wanting to negotiate with these bastards. He gave a look of disgust at the sheer thought. "You didn't ask, but negotiating with these bastards has long since past. Hill. Frost. All of them. They're all the same. They all need to die. We need to keep vanquishing them in numbers where even the Annam All-Father gives pause, and their supposed Jarl comes begging for peace. And then my warhammer will have the pleasure of crushing his skull.", he finished sternly, slapping the business end of his warhammer into his open palm.
He left them to hear his words, although he had no idea if they had any weight. It mattered not; they were in to the thick of it, there was no going back now. And he had work to do. Solemn work. One to pay his last respects. Another to send a warning to those that killed his friend.
Having a viking funeral for Gaznul. Then he's going to set up totems that giants would understand out of the fallen enemies. A message that says that death awaits those that come here. Turn back, or meet your death
After nearly freezing to death more than once, a fire was very welcome. That and some rest. Polar bear steaks were surprisingly good, even with the simple spices the team had in their packs. "I've had bear before, but not polar bear. Fatty, a little gamey, but good." The Colonel ate a huge portion, one that looked far too big for the size of his weakened body.
"Ulster says no to negotiations, Oz." The Colonel didn't have the heart to convince him otherwise. He wondered if the frost giants would just abandon the rift given the losses they had taken. Somewhere between two and three dozen enemies had been dispatched by the Irregulars, and even Raackma would have made a strategic retreat after such lossses.
"What are they trying to accomplish, Oz?" Raackma wondered what they needed the captured slaves for in this frozen waste. "They wouldn't even survive. The cold, it would kill most men." Raackma watched the air for the flying giant. The coward.
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__________________ PC: Curse of Strahd(5e), Eberron Escapades(5e), Masks(CoC), Odyssey of the Dragonlords(5e), Out of the Abyss, To the CallHill(5e), Way of the Wicked(PF1e), The Third Imperium (MgT2e) DM: Horror on the Orient Express, Under Otari (PF2e), To the StarHill:Dead Suns (SF)