Big Trouble In Little Punjar — (RAPID URBAN FUNNEL PbP)

[GnomeBoy]

Brun's swing is deflected by an iron neck!

-- But Gunnar's swing gets around all obstacles and the axe embeds in the guard's chest! He crumples, just as his right arm was starting to transform!

This is one of the nameable NPCs, if you remember from the top.

My notes have him as _____ Of The Irons Necks, but all that can be turned over if you've got a good idea or three!


Meanwhile:

[GnomeBoy]

The door he guards is locked, but your ring of keys does not fail you! It takes a bit of trial and error, but soon enough you have opened the door.


Beyond is a down-ward sloping passage that curves to the left. At the bottom of the ramp, is a large room, full of statuary of all sorts... standing warriors, ferocious animals on plinths, mythical beasts, strange abstractions, etc. There are easily 150 statues here, nearly wall to wall. The ceiling is high, hung with a few banners toward the walls.

Easiest for this room to let you each run your Zeroes as a group, so no "front rank", "second rank" and all that. The room is big enough that you can spread out as much as you'd like.

At the far side of the room is another door.

And you do... what?

[jeff c]

Zeppo and Sanitor search the Iron Neck's body, soon as they can (and retrieve the throwing star).

[GnomeBoy]

He had 12 throwing stars, including the one in the stair.

1d4 damage on a hit.

[jeff c]

Zeppo and Sanitor each take 3 and offer the rest to their comrades.

[ProdigalWilliam]

Tommy and Travis sigh a huge sigh of relief on that killing blow and won't go near the creature. Lala hadn't properly seen the monstrosity in action and laughs at the two "boys." She takes one throwing star as a souvenir and retrieves her javelin.

My group enters the new room and walks at a brisk but cautious pace. They marvel at all the statues. Tommy is looking at a few in particular, trying to decide which would look best in front of the Iron Boot. As they are looking at the statues, do they notice any that look out of place, maybe something that looks cheaper or more expensive, maybe with moving parts or maybe one set apart from the others or on a particularly ornate plinth?

[jeff c]

In the statue room, Zeppo and Sanitor take careful looks at them. This day has been a bit of an eye opener and they've become more wary. As a test, Zeppo touches the most harmless looking statue and waits to see if it comes to life. Sanitor stands ready to stab it.

[GnomeBoy]

.
The statues all tend to look expensive to your eyes (so far as I can remember, appraising art isn't in anyone's occupational wheelhouse). None has moving parts. They are all bronze or stone or plaster or jade.


As the furthest of you gets about three rows in, a figure at the far end of the room leaps into the air -- except he's not leaping!

HIS LEGS EXTEND TO ABSURD LENGTH as he starts striding atop the assorted statues, toward you all. He is readying a small crossbow as he makes his way in your direction...


ROUND ONE:
His initiative is (cripes!) a natural 20. He has no modifier, and I'm pretty sure at least one of you has a +1 or something, so let's see if you can beat him!

Even if you don't, let me know what your intentions are... and I can adjudicate the round quickly (fingers crossed).

[jeff c]

Init: 7+1=8
Sanitor shouts: "what an exceptional day!" With some relish.
Are the statues arranged in such a way that we could maybe tip them domino style at him? If not, Zeppo and Sanitor will throw stars at him unless he closes to attack them and then they're melee all the way!

[ProdigalWilliam]

13 initiative.

Tommy hacks at a leg, 8 to hit. He cannot wait to get back to the Boot and drink this life of swinging and missing with swords into the past.

Travis tries to pin down a leg by driving the pitchfork into a foot and rolls a 6. He is just about ready to give up on his story as a hero, now he's a guy that killed two thugs in the street.

Lala throws her javelin (in response to the crossbow bolt that is probably coming), 12+1=13 to hit, 2-2=1 damage.

[GnomeBoy]

Init: 7+1=8
Sanitor shouts: "what an exceptional day!" With some relish.
Are the statues arranged in such a way that we could maybe tip them domino style at him? If not, Zeppo and Sanitor will throw stars at him unless he closes to attack them and then they're melee all the way!

It would be hard to predict how the statues would topple exactly, but it's certainly something you could attempt. They are almost exclusively vertical in composition and fairly-ish close together. It might work.

Let me know if you want to wait for him to get close, and then try to topple stuff -- or if you want to go with throwing throwing stars this round and consider toppling statues next round...

[jeff c]

Zeppo and Sanitor will proceed with toppling statues! Heave!
What kind of roll would you like?

[GnomeBoy]

For any given statue, the toppling DC would be 10+1d3. If two Zeroes team up to topple one statue, the DC drops by 2.

So, it'd be a Strength check (1d20 + Str Mod) to equal or beat the DC. In the case of a team up, one roll with the highest Str Mod is made.

I'll trust you to roll your own DC number, as well as the Str check.

Whether or not they create any sort of domino effect, I'll settle randomly on my end once you have one (or more) toppled.



And hey! I've only just today realized I can subscribe to this thread and get notices that new posts have been made... kinda handy...

[jeff c]

Alright both are gonna shove so DC is 10+2-2=10
And the STR check is 13+1=14! Success!

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Crap! It didn't post! Here's what I was about, if I still can:

Gunnar and little Kylie pass on throwing stars, deferring to tried-and-true axe and sling. Brun, in his wounded state, asks to keep three- just in case! They spread out a bit in the statuary, not to be caught unawares by things lurking behind, and react fairly quickly when the "longstrider" thing attacks...
Init(+2)=19(ALMOST!)
Gunnar, charging with the axe:att(+5)=24, dmg(+2)=8
Brun with a shuriken:att=11, dmg=1
Kylie:att(+2)=12, dmg=2

[GnomeBoy]

The Longstrider (is this the name you're going to give him?? ) dashes across the statue tops in dizzying fashion.

He attempts to topple a statue on: Tommy.

Atk roll: 4! A jade statue depicting a waterfall falls and shatters, but not near enough to Tommy that he even needs to jump out of the way!

He kicks a statue at: Travis.

Atk roll: 7 -- much as the first one... an armored figure hits the ground as his first and last attack in this world comes to shattering end!

He kicks a statue at: Gunnar.

Hitting a 10 -- if that's a hit, it's 8 points of damage as a heavy bronze of a rearing horse falls to the ground!


But! This is as Gunnar is charging with his axe -- if he was hit, he can make a Luck check vs. a DC 15 to have the axe blow land as he's simultaneously swept under the bronze.

Brun, Kylie, Tommy, Travis, and Lala all miss.

With the Longstrider so close, Zeppo and Sanitor together heave a statue over -- hoping it will foul the 'Strider's step!

It crashes into a second statue but the effect stops there.

-- However, it happens to work! The Longstrider didn't see that coming and mis-steps!

His AC is significantly lowered for...

___ROUND TWO!___

Longstrider Initiative: 15


Let me know what you do and when you do it! EDIT: Please re-roll your initiative.

[jeff c]

Zeppo advances to strike with his filleting knife. To hit 17, dmg 5 (finally some real dmg!)
While Sanitor throws a star at (I propose) Baddy Long Legs. To hit 15+1=16, dmg 4

Were we supposed to reroll initiative? Mine was 8.

[GnomeBoy]

Yes, sorry, let's re-roll initiative this round, because of the changing surface of the battlefield.

Fog of war, and all that.

[ProdigalWilliam]

I hate to say it, but that 7 hits Travis - give me a damage roll.

Initiative re-roll is again a 13.

Tommy rolls a 12 to hit and 5 damage. If we lose a few members this round before he gets this attack off, he'll burn luck to make the hit connect.

If Travis somehow survived, he takes another stab (10 to hit, 8 damage).

Lala might be picking up the pitchfork if Travis has fallen and will try to thrust it up into the long legged freak's tender bits. She does not with a 3-2=1 to hit.

[ProdigalWilliam]

Haha, Baddy Long Legs!

[GnomeBoy]

I hate to say it, but that 7 hits Travis - give me a damage roll.

YEEOWCH!!

A full 10 points of damage -- that plaster and stone warrior had more life in him than the sculptor realized!

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Gunnar: Luc(+1)=14 (Can I burn Luck to make a Luck check???) GUNNAR IS DEAD!!!
New Init(+2)=3
Brun and Kylie scream in anguish as Gunnar is crushed beneath the tide of bronze. Brun draws his longsword and rushes to avenge his brother, and the twice-orphaned Kylie fires her sling despite her tears...
Brun, charging: att(NAT 20!+3)=23, crit table=3, dmg(+!)=7
Kylie: att(+2)=18, dmg=1


(Longstrider just popped into my head as something the characters might say, but I have NO idea what this thing even is! )

[jeff c]

My new initiative is: 11+1=12

[GnomeBoy]

As Travis is crushed, Longstrider, the Baddy Long Legs, is reeling from Zeppo and Sanitor's toppled statues under his feet, pulling back to make use of his now-ready crossbow. Before he flees, he topples a couple more statues of his own...!


VS. little Kylie!! Atk: 7! -- A MISS!

VS. Lala: 13! -- A HIT!! Damage 9!!


Tommy burns 2 Luck and hits! Zeppo and Sanitor BOTH hit! Brun and Kylie BOTH hit!

The remaining Iron Freebooters show their steel! They hack and slash the absurdly long legs of their foe, causing so much blood loss that he deflates back to normal proportions, pale as a ghost. His crossbow lies next to him, undamaged and still ready to fire.


Again, a period of fumbling with the keys will open the next door and bring you closer to finding Other Molly!


I'll give you a 'moment' to re-group, then we'll get to the next area...

[Fenris Ulfhamr]

Kylie hefts Gunnar's axe and padded armor to any sturdy enough to weild it. Brun gathers up his brother's belongings, poses him respectfully and prepares to end the wizard. A silent Kylie looks years older.