(073) Wind and Sand

Waysoftheearth's Hinterlands PBP

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Post by flightcommander » Thu May 14, 2015 4:42 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Armando heads into the stonework passageways as far as the dim light allows — dagger drawn against the gloom!
[f=4]Morin the Fighter/Medium (MV 12", AC 7, HD 2-2, hp 8/8, FC Man+1, N) scimitar+lantern[/f]

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Post by Condorcet » Thu May 14, 2015 6:43 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Helmut aids Josiane as best as he is able (always having been more comfortable with steel than bandages) as she tends to the well blooded Dieter, his respect for the one they call 'the ogre slayer' redoubled by this most recent display of bravado in the face of overwhelming opposition.

"The Tines of Seyal could use a man like you, Ogre Slayer," he says quietly, "Thuul watches over you and guides your arm."

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Post by waysoftheearth » Thu May 14, 2015 10:43 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Underground
The company verily leap from the wrecked hull of the skiff as it fills with sand, and into the beckoning underworld with a tide of sand avalanching down the worm-tunnel-canyon after them. Thoughts of assisting the wounded are hastily abandoned in the effort to avoid being buried alive, and everyone runs at top speed for the safety of the darkened catacombs, with the canyon filling like an hour-glass.

Directly ahead are what appears to be a deep, 30ft broad chamber with a 15ft ceiling that is supported by parallel runs of columns. To the left of this chamber is a much narrower stone passage that seems to run parallel but angle downward... It's not obvious where "Dieter's worm" has got to, but surely it can't be far behind?

Above Ground
Meanwhile, upon the sand-blasted surface beyond the rim of the ring crater, Highbough tries in vain to shake the dual worm pursuit, but the pair are canny hunters in their native environs and, if anything, seem to be herding the old elf at their leisure. After a brief respite the pair burst through a dune simultaneously from either flank and would easily engulf Highbough in either of their gigantic maws were it not for Godehard's Ire Spear and its preternatural ability to teleport him out of harm's way. But how long can its enchantment hold out?

Far away on the other side of the Ring crater Wen has better luck. He ducks and rolls, and doubles back behind a high dune and manages at last to elude his worm to find himself all alone on a baking red desert pan in a blasting sand storm. He is completely out of sight of anything familiar, and all he hears is the howling, scathing wind...
Will Highbough out-distance his pair of worms this turn? 1d6=2, so no. Thus the two worms are able to attack.
2d20=17,16 @-4 assuming Highbough is acting purely defensively (meaning both worms would hit and swallow AC2)!

The ref decides to roll individual initiative for the worms Ay and Beh (in the foul worm-grunt); Ay=5, Beh=6, so worm Beh snaps up the prize first! (if it has been simultaneous initiative they would have torn Highbough in half which would have been a legendary way to go). As it is Ay is prevented from getting to the food.

Highbough would take 2d6=7 hit points in the swallowing, but the ref assumes he will employ the Ire Spear a second time to save himself being swallowed. The pursuit will continue next turn...


Meanwhile, will Wen get ahead of his (un-named) worm? 1d6=3, so yes.
Will the worm keep up? 1d6=3, so no!
Wen has managed to loose his worm after two turns of pursuit. Wen's normal outdoor movement rate is 12", but through sand dunes it's rearer 9" = 90 yards per move. Pursuit turns are at quadruple moves, so 360 yards per turn.
Thus Wen has covered about 600-ish yards before outpacing the worm.

What now people?
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by ehiker133 » Thu May 14, 2015 12:10 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Making sure the others are not far behind, Desmond moves into the large chamber, looking around for unusual features and details. He observes the columns to see if they resemble any shapes or figures he is familiar with.
[f=47]Dougal Blackfoot (MV 9", AC 6, Lvl 4, HP 10/10) [/f]
[f=59]Goldwen (Sagacious* Abbess, MV 9′′, AC 6, HD 2+1, HP 9, FC 2 men, SV C3, L][/f]

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Post by mgtremaine » Thu May 14, 2015 11:33 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Wen finally comes to a stop and pauses long enough to realize he has escaped. But where is Highbough? Wen would carefully make his way to higher ground to see what can be seen. Has he entered the ancient battlefield? Are the other worms visible? Wen is cautious knowing that death awaits.
[f=4]Wen the Pale, Elf Hero/Spellbinder (MV 12", AC 9, HD 4/2, hp 11/11, FC Hero, L) helm, bow[/f]
[f=47]Kiplyn Sorefoot, Hobbet Thief (Lv: 4 AC: 5 Hp 12) Leather+Shield+Dagger, Sling[/f]
[f=59]Tass Purrfoot (Agile Hobbet Varlet, MV 9′′, AC 7, HD 2, hp 8, FC 2 men, SV T7, N)[/f]

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Post by mushgnome » Mon May 18, 2015 4:14 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Highbough soars majestically over the alien landscape. His dark cloak swirls like crow feathers as he leaps and blinks from dune to dune. He is basically toying with the worms at this point by letting them snap at his heels and then teleporting just out of their reach. The Old Grey Elf is supremely confident that the string of luck that has perpetuated his thousand-year existence will continue to hold, and he will surely evade the worms on the next attempt.
[f=59]Stern (Strong Hero, MV 9′′, AC 3, HD 4, hp 20, FC 4 men/hero, SV F4, L)[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Mon May 18, 2015 11:56 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Desmond/Mondes, Detier, Olaf, Ulric, Josiane, Ashtad, Armando, Torben, and Helmut over to thread 74 please.

Wen and Highbough remain here...
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by waysoftheearth » Mon May 25, 2015 10:42 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Wen finds his way to a dune top to survey his position. Standing there in the parching heat, looking into the blasting wind with shielded eyes, he can still make out the nearest fortress, which is still a good quarter mile off but--surprisingly--almost directly ahead. He must have turned around further than he expected... so that implies the orginal crater must lie somewhere off to his left... casting he gaze out that way, all Wen can see is sand blasted dunes. No worms. No Highbough. Nothing but red sand...

Meanwhile, quite some way off (and invisible to Wen)...

Highbough tires of playing with the two stupid, but diproportionately large annelids, and makes a sudden turn of strategy, dashing downslope along a dune perpendicular to their lumbering direction, and then making a crazy flanking leap to put himself behind them. The worms don't catch his move, and conutine to burrow off into the desert, oblivious that their prey is no longer ahead of them.

Highbough stands upon a dune ridge, a scarecrow figure in the red standstorm, his white hair and black cloak snapping dramatically about him in the gale. If there were anyone to observe him they might be rather impressed, but as it is he is all alone, and very hot and thirsty...
Highbough's Pursuit

Will the canny old Elf gain a lead over the two worms that pursue him? 1d6=4, so yes. And will the hungry annelids manage to stay in contact? 1d6=3, so no. Highbough has eluded them in the third turn of pursuit, after a 900-ish yard frocklick in a blistering desert sand storm.

What now?
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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Post by mgtremaine » Mon May 25, 2015 11:26 pm

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Wen would sigh having lost the rest of the group and yet ended up very near the fortress, it feels continuing along is perhaps a but too reckless. "Well we have two goals" he says to no one in particular. "Find Gustave, and scan the battlefield". The lone elf would move in the direction of the battlefield, cautious, trying to stay out of sight for now.
I might be remembering wrong, I'll go back to the opening of the thread. But I thought the battle field was before the fortress, so I intended to complete my part of the scanning if it is close at hand.

added: I guess thread 70 The Ring Team is not accessible.
[f=4]Wen the Pale, Elf Hero/Spellbinder (MV 12", AC 9, HD 4/2, hp 11/11, FC Hero, L) helm, bow[/f]
[f=47]Kiplyn Sorefoot, Hobbet Thief (Lv: 4 AC: 5 Hp 12) Leather+Shield+Dagger, Sling[/f]
[f=59]Tass Purrfoot (Agile Hobbet Varlet, MV 9′′, AC 7, HD 2, hp 8, FC 2 men, SV T7, N)[/f]

Posts: 16902
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:15 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by waysoftheearth » Tue May 26, 2015 12:32 am

Re: (073) Wind and Sand

Aplogies, I wasn't specific about distances (I've gone back and updated my post).

The fortress is still a quarter mile off. The battlefield is a vast thing, and still lies somewhere between the fortress and Wen, but is presently out of sight beyond a few intervening dune ridges. He can easily head toward the fortress, and this would soon bring the battlefield into view...
[f=32]Golgildir the Elf Medium (MV 12", AC 9, HD 1, hp 1/1, AL N) great cloak, lantern; spells: color spray; scrolls: sleep, sleep, charm person
Hirelings: Georges; torch[/f]

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