Clearing the Village

Log Info

• Title: Clearing the Village
• Emitter: Naneth
• Characters: Orion Level 4, Alice Level 4, Cressida Level 4, Eilora Level 3
• Place: Alexandros Border
• Time: May 27, 2014
• Summary: Hired by the Guild of Adventurers to explore a possible war-observation post on the border
• APL: 4
• Encounter 1: Various Traps (Bull Rush Statue, Portcullis Trap, Collapsing Floor) CR 6
• Encounter 2: 4 Ghouls, CR 4

Once more the call has gone out from the Adventurer's Guild, recruiting the local adventurers, mercenaries, and appealing to the local temples for help. Along Alexandros borders in a marsh along the base of a rolling chain of hills, an abandoned village has been chosen as a key observation post to keep an eye on the rising conflict between Dran and Rune. As the war between those two nations drags on, it becomes more likely that Alexandros will be dragged intothe middle, and so the country is starting to lay the ground-work.

The village has been abandoned and overgrown for many years, and the Guild is concerned there may be lurking monsters, traps, or other hazards that have taken up residence in it over the years. The mission is to head out to the location, clear it, and then return. Simple enough really. And after a long lengthy journey with some downtime to get to know one another or discuss the approach, the party finds themselves just outside the village swamp, looking down with a wide but partially obstructed view. The village looks abandoned and calm for now, no motion that can be detected in the fading afternoon light. Orion looks to the other two that are with him, "Sadly we do not have any rouge types with us for advance scouting. We shall simply have to explore the area together as a group. Seeing how I am the most heavily armed I shall go first." He waits to see if anyone has an objection to his plan. Cressida looks to her travelling companions, then looks over the village again, narrowing her eyes a bit to try to get a good look. "It looks pretty abandoned from here, which means it at least hasn't turned into a town of kobolds or something. We'll still need to check things out closer, though." She reaches to her belt, taking hold of her most recent aquisition, a new rod. With a few quick words, she casts Mage Armor, using the power of the rod to make sure it lasts as long as necessary.

GAME: Cressida casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17

Eilora adjusts the weight of her wicked looking bill over her left shoulder and surveys the swampland, frowning faintly. "This place looks welcoming enough." she says with a dry note of humor to her voice before shifting the bill to her other shoulder - the robes of her Althea obscuring the armor she wears beneath.

The village is actually built up to be out of the swamp a little bit. As in some areas of the world where there is swamps or regular flooding, the houses are built on 'stilts' of a kind with bridges and walkways between them. At the entrance to the village there's a ramp that rises up out of the muck and mire to take visitors up to that walkway, with a large gate/portcullis at the top and a half-rotted and now unreadable sign that presumably at one point proclaimed the name of the defunct little hunting community. 

Despite the afternoon sun over the marshes, the trees block a lot of the light, and an unnatural chill hangs over the air, the tense sensation adventurers learn to recognize as entering a dangerous situation with only their wits and weapons to defend them.....

GAME: Cressida rolls perception: (5)+8: 13 GAME: Orion rolls perception: (12)+-1: 11 GAME: Eilora rolls perception: (20)+5: 25

Wits prevail and Eilora sidesteps, twirling the heavy length of the bill around to block the path and keep Orion from crossing under the portcullis. Without a word, she motions above to a trap, tracing the line with her finger and then shrugging. She's no rogue to decipher how it works, but she can certainly point out the mechanical workings of the trap.

Yes, As the group begins entering the village, just in the nick of time they've notice the portcullis seems rigged as a trap to drop on anyone trying to walk through. Not magical, mechanical in nature, there must be a hidden bypass switch somewhere on or around the gate that would simply turn it off. They could try and disable the device directly, or else the adventurers could try and climb around and up the stilts on the other side.

Orion heeds Eilora warning in time and does not advance, "Thanks, stepping into that trap would have got us off to rough start." He looks over the trap then shakes his head, "Not sure how to disarm this, am wondering if it wise to try."

Cressida steps up and looks between the pair to get a look at the trap. "I would say it's not a great idea to mess with it. If we can step over it, or kind of make our way around it. Maybe climb up onto the bridge past the portcullis."

The party is able to move and manuever themselves around the portcullis and bypass the trap entirely. It does take some time though. Being very careful about the way they climb and move, helping each other along one at a time with extra assistance from one another to make sure that no one comes close to falling. The afternoon light burns and gets down lower in the sky, making the shadows long and dark and the sky overhead red as the light starts to fade in its filtering through the trees. It takes up a lot of time, but they make it around anyway with some daylight left.

The village is laid out fairly simply in square patterns, and searches of the nearby abandoned and often ruined buildings turn up not particularly much. A few trinkets here and there, items or valuables that must have gotten left behind when people left. The sort of junk that tends to be scattered around any abandoned area. There are small signs, here and there, that there has been activity. Even occasionally a bedroll or firepit that suggests some living creature spent the night. Though nothing more recent.

The search slowly takes them closer to the center of the village, which has the largest platform (maybe 60x60) and largest building. The swamp is some 30-40 feet below them at this point. A 10-foot wide bridge crosses from the perimeter buildings to the central platform, and on the other side a pair of stone statues watch over the end of the bridge. The statues depict villagers holding shields and spears, features long since weathered away....

GAME: Orion rolls perception: (10)+-1: 9 GAME: Eilora rolls perception: (5)+5: 10 GAME: Alice rolls perception: (11)+15: 26 GAME: Cressida rolls perception: (17)+8: 25

"Going aruond seems the best." Eilora says simply, settling her long weapon once more to her shoulder and looking to the stilts and the bridge. Picking her way along it, she studies the village and nods, appreciating the simple design - even if it makes it too easy for enemies to storm through. "What do you think, Orion?'

Alice looks around a little, carefully watching for traps. Her eyes narrow slightly as she looks forward. "Looks like there are some pressure plates ahead on the bridge. I am not sure there is a way around them, anyone know how to disable that sort of thing?"

Now that Alice points it out: The statues seem designed to slide across the bridge in a way that would knock people backwards or off the bridge into the swamp. The first 5 feet of the bridge is safe, the remaining 10 feet of it is rigged with pressure plates. If you guys want to search the main platform and building, there's no way around, but you do see where the mechanism could be disabled. That is, if anyone knows how to disable a device. Or, you could just move across one at a time and hope you're strong enough or fast enough to dodge the statues and make it to the other side. Cressida grumbles a bit as she notices something, looking to Alice as she notices the same thing. "I certainly don't know what to do about them. Other than maybe run quickly. Or jump, but that's a touch jump."

Orion looks to Eilora, "If there was a way around we would take it, sadly there is not. I say we try our luck, if it turns out to be too hard I believe Alice could help us cross it with a few spells which she would be able to take and cast tomorrow, which means we would have wasted today."

Alice smiles as she looks to Orion, and nods, "Well I do have them prepared today. If you want me to do spider climb on you, then you can carry us across. Would be no problem I think."

Cressida nods to Alice's suggestion. "That seems like a good plan. There's enough bridges here. You can take Eilora across, then Alice, then me. I can provide what cover I can, until it's my turn." She unshoulders her crossbow, looking around cautiously.

Orion looks to Alice, "No chance you have that other spell that would make it so I could carry all of you at once?"

Eilora's cheeks color slightly, but she nods. This should be interesting. "I can hold the far side of the bridge, if needed." she says quietly.

Alice begins to chant a spell as she reaches out to place her hand on Orion to give him the climbing ability of a spider. Then she repeats it again, this time giving him the strength of an ant as well. "That should make things a lot easier."

GAME: Alice casts Spider Climb. Caster Level: 4 DC: 18 GAME: Alice casts Ant Haul. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17

Once the spells are casted Orion says, "Ok I will take Alice first, then Eilora then last Cressida." Unless any one has an objection Orion shall do as he just said.

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d100: (18): 18 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d6: (4): 4

Cressida shrugs. "Yeah, that's fine, too. We just don't need anything attacking us while we're getting carried." She looks at the central platform, keeping her crossbow ready and looking around as Orion carries the others across, letting herself be carried across last.

Once across, Eilora takes up a watchful stance, looking ahead of the group to make sure nothing is approaching from that way.

Alice will wait and keep watch until it is her to cross then she will hold tightly onto Orion so she can get carried across the bottom side of the bridge. "On the plus side the spell lasts a while so you wont have any trouble carrying all the loot home too."

Between both spells Orion is easily able to carry every one safely and quickly to the other side, "Ok, now to explore deeper into the village. I don't believe I need to mention we should stay alert given the amount of traps we have seen so far."

GAME: Orion rolls initiative: Roll: 3 + Bonus: 1 = Total: 4 GAME: Eilora rolls initiative: Roll: 8 + Bonus: 0 = Total: 8GAME: You roll initiative for Ghoul1: Roll: 13 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 15 GAME: Cressida rolls initiative: Roll: 9 + Bonus: 6 = Total: 15 GAME: You roll initiative for Ghoul2: Roll: 4 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 6 GAME: You roll initiative for Ghoul3: Roll: 13 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 15 GAME: You roll initiative for Ghoul4: Roll: 18 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 20 GAME: Alice rolls initiative: Roll: 2 + Bonus: 2 = Total: 4

The climb goes uneventful, no one is attacked on their way across, but the sun is fully setting now. Though there's still some gray and twilight left in the sky, the sun is fully below the horizon, and from the main buildings nearby the party hears sounds of stirring and growling. Though they are not caught totally by surprise, the enemy is already on them as the doors of a few of the buildings come open and out comes shambling ghouls. A pack of 4 of the undead enemy come crawling out from behind buildings or out of piles of debris. The humanoids have long and sharp teeth, pallid flesh stretched tightly over their starved frames, ravening for the flesh of the living......

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d2: (2): 2 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d2: (2): 2 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d2: (1): 1 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+3: (16)+3: 19 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d6+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Eilora rolls fort+1: (5)+4+1: 10 GAME: You damaged Eilora for 5 points. 17 remaining.

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11 GAME: Cressida rolls weapon2: (19)+2: 21 GAME: Cressida rolls 1d8: (5): 5

Cressida reacts as the ghouls start to leap out of buildings at them. She ducks forward, bringing her buckler up to cover her movements. Pulling her morningstar from her belt, she wings it at the ghoul that's right next to her, hitting it hard in the side, but it keeps moving.

GAME: Eilora rolls 2d6: (8): 8 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d2: (2): 2 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+5: (14)+5: 19 GAME: Orion rolls weapon5-2: (7)+7+-2: 12

Twirling her bill around anf planting the butt of it firmly on the ground, Eilora produces a silver symbol of her faith and lifts it high overhead. It shines, then begins to glow as prayer is offered to gentle Althea, calling on her light to help ward off the darkness. One of the ghouls goes down in a heap, another is badly injured, the third only mildly so.

The ghouls are bursting out of doors and buildings left and right, one, two, three, four of the undead creatures. The cleric takes some damage, the breastplate not quite protective enough and the ghoul manages to land a nasty gash across Eilora's neck and shoulder with its claws. There's some fighting back and forth as the party manuevers, Cressida landing a blow with her morningstar. Then the radiant burst of positive healing energy from Althea channels through Eilora's Holy Symbol, and one of the ghouls falls down twitching and writhing, dead from the holy power as Orion misses a swing of his mighty weapon.....

GAME: Alice casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 4 DC: 18 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+2: (12)+2: 14 GAME: Alice rolls 3d6: (14): 14 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+3: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+3: (4)+3: 7

Alice carefully take a step back to get a little distance then begins to chant and summon for a ball of fire that she places over on of the ghouls, burning him up in flames as she raises her shield to defend herself.

GAME: Cressida rolls ranged-4: (12)+4+-4: 12

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+7: (9)+7: 16 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+7: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Eilora rolls 2d6: (7): 7

Cressida turns and looks at the pair of ghouls that have Orion surrounded. She chants the quick incantation to create a small ball of acid and throws it in the direction ot one of them, but it is too close to Orion and it flies wide.

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10

Eilora continues to loft the holy symbol high, flooding the area with that holy energy, letting it flow from the symbol, through her, and into the area around her.

GAME: Orion rolls weapon5-2: (4)+7+-2: 9 GAME: Naneth rolls 1d100: (46): 46

Orion tries to hit with with his great sword again, it is the first time he using it in battle so this could explain why he is having trouble hitting the ghouls with it.

GAME: Alice rolls 3d6: (15): 15 GAME: Alice rolls ranged: (15)+5: 20 GAME: Alice rolls 1d6+2: (6)+2: 8

Alice moves her flaming sphere towards one of the ghouls, burning him to ash and possibily catching the bridge of fire. However, there is no time to worry! She turns and throws a small ball of fire at the other one, hitting him in the face and killing him.

Fire mages throw out a lot of destructive power. Unfortunately, the walkway is a casualty of that destructive power. Flames lick at the platform supporting the main building, the wood starting to curl and ash away. As the flaming sphere rolls on, and then the burnt and crispy ghoul falls over, the walkway starts to creak and groan. The bridge will soon give way and collapse them to the swamp floor below. But at least they're no longer in danger of having their insides eaten by terrible ghouls......

GAME: Naneth rolls 1d100: (42): 42 GAME: Alice rolls reflex: (6)+3: 9 GAME: Eilora rolls reflex+1: (3)+1+1: 5 GAME: Orion rolls reflex: (20)+6: 26 GAME: Cressida rolls reflex: (18)+3: 21

As the party starts to take assessment of themselves in the few seconds after the battle, and probably start scrambling to get out of the flames... the bridge collapses and gives way underneath them. Sinking in and collapsing, they're running and jumping, moving and trying to get away. Cressida and Orion are able to launch themselves to safety, being at the ends of the platform already, they scramble into a safe position. Eilora and Alice are sadly not so fast, dumped 40 feet to the swamp below. The good news is the swamp is soft and marshy, the ground wet and the mud deep. It's not a fatal fall, however, they'll be pretty banged and bruised up....

GAME: Naneth rolls 4d6: (12): 12 GAME: You damaged Alice for 12 points. 28 remaining. GAME: You damaged Eilora for 12 points. 5 remaining.

Cressida stands up and brushes herself off, standing at one end of the smoldering, semi-collapsed walkway. "Well. I guess we should be a bit more equipped to handle everything around us burning. I didn't even add to the fire, this time." She looks down at the swamp. "Are you okay down there?"

Eilora lands with the disconcerting sound of breaking bones and a sharp yelping cry. A moment later, she's mending herself and flailing through the stinky mud to try and find her foot and her bill. Must not lose one's weapon.

Alice lands in the swampy mud, but she can take a fall or two. She slowly stands up and brushes herself off. She then goes over to Eilora and help her up and cast a cure light wound on her, to help a little with the pain. Afterwards she will start creating water to help put out the fires.