Blood Sword Campaign 1: The Battlepits of Kraarth

[champskees]

498

(SAGE) You try to free your mind from the effort of concentrating, to 'let go from trying', as your Adept Masters taught you. Suddenly you enter a state of serene calm in which all things are clear, and in this state of Nirvana you sense the thoughts of others around you.

SPOILER: Click to show

Drifting outwards with this expanded sense, you feel the presence of an immensely powerful creature at the end of the corridor. Then, examining the side walls of the corridor, you detect brief flickers of thoughts, as though several beings of very low mentality lurk beyond the mirrors.

You return reluctantly to normal.

Turn to 216.

216

The corridor ahead terminates in vast bronze double doors. To either side, gilt-framed mirrors wink in your torchlight. Unless the mirrors conceal some hidden passageway, your only route lies through the bronze doors in front of you.

If there is a Trickster in the party who can examine the mirrors, turn to 511. If not, you can try looking behind the mirrors anyway (turn to 76) or advance to the end of the corridor and open the bronze doors (turn to 456).

[kieran]

Unless Greenspine wishes to try some trickery, I'm up for looking behind the mirrors anyway - 76.

[sylas]

I sense a powerful entity at the corridor's end, of good or evil I cannot tell. There are beings of lesser intelligence beyond the mirrors - perhaps another party of champions. I would recommend going that way also. 76.

[a moderator]

Leave the mirrors to the expert, please (511).

[champskees]

511

(TRICKSTER) You bend close to each of the mirrors in turn, listening intently for any sound beyond. Gently tapping one with your fingers, you hear a slight movement as if something was lurking behind it, perhaps even waiting in the darkness to ambush you. You tap each of the other mirrors in turn and hear the same rustling sound behind each of them except one. Examining the gilt frame of this mirror, you find a concealed catch which, when flicked down, allows the mirror to swing away from the wall. Behind it, a low tunnel leads off at an oblique angle to the corridor in which you stand.

Turn to 379.

379

You scramble along a low tunnel that leads off the red-carpeted corridor. The tunnel seems very old, as if hewn from the bedrock of the Keep above many hundreds of years before. After a while it enlarges a little, but you still have to crouch slightly as you advance up a twisting flight of rock-cut steps and then begin to descend a long pebble-strewn ramp. At last you reach the end. A grille is set into the floor. Looking down, you see a corridor of grey marble which ends in a bronze-bound door. The grille you're looking through is set in the ceiling.

There is the sound of a key being turned, then the bronze door slowly swings open. Four burly Barbarians stride forwards, slamming the door behind them. Apparently not noticing the grille in the ceiling, they stop directly beneath you and consult a scrap of parchment.

'What's it say, Erek?' mutters one.

'Well, I'm not sure, Snorri,' says the fellow with the parchment, scratching fleas out of his hair. 'I can't read, can I?'

'By Muninn and Huginn!' bellows a red-bearded ox of a man. 'Have you no learning, Erek?' He snatches the parchment and peers at it. 'Well, it says ... it says ... I reckon it says one of the passages up ahead is a dead end. But what do you want to listen to a bit of parchment for? The only way to find out for sure is to see for ourselves ...'

They are about to move on. If you want to dislodge the grating and jump down to attack them, turn to 6. If you stay where you are and watch what they do next, turn to 141.

[a moderator]

Wait. If there's anything nasty in the vicinity, the Barbarians can fight it, and then we should have better odds against whoever survives.

[kieran]

I'm not sure such action would be befitting of heroes. Also, that map they're carrying may be useful and we may lose them if we wait here. I'm for dislodging the grating and attacking - 6

[sylas]

I'm with Kieran on this one.

[champskees]

6

You wrench up the grating and drop lithely to the floor in the midst of the astonished Barbarians. They reach for their axes, but are taken by surprise, and this means you get one free action before the normal sequence of combat begins.


Barbarians
Fighting Prowess: 8
Psychic Ability: 5
Armour Rating: 1
Awareness: 7
Damage per blow: 1 Die+2
Barbarian A Endurance: 12
Barbarian B Endurance: 12
Barbarian C Endurance: 12
Barbarian D Endurance: 12

If you flee along the corridor, turn to 43. If you defeat the Barbarians, turn to 191.

This will be intense. So, each of the characters has a free round before the combat starts, but these guys are no joke. I'm excited!

[kieran]

I'll attack the barbarian to my right (if I were facing the top of the chart) as my free action.

Roll 7=hit
Roll 2=2 damage

[a moderator]

I'm surprised. I imagined attacking the Barbarian before he was ready wouldn't be suici heroic enough for you.

I throw the dagger at the Barbarian south of the Enchanter, as it's not good to have him surrounded like that.

9. Missed.

Oh well, it was nice knowing you.

[sylas]

I didn't plan on surrounding ourselves with no room to manoeuvre. I will shoot at the Barbarian south of the Enchanter.

Roll: 6 (hey i hit something!)
Damage: 4

[champskees]

Round I: Barbarians!

The Trickster throws the Dagger of Vislet at the Barbarian nearest to the Enchanter, but misses.

The Barbarians ready their axes and adopt an aggressive battle stance. They look surprised, but also hungry...

Filled with bloodlust, the Warrior begins the combat by striking Barbarian B, inflicting 2 Damage.

Although he is now surrounded by two hulking Barbarians, the Sage bravely looses an arrow at Barbarian C, inflicting 3 Damage. 

The Enchanter desperately attempts to cast a spell, but rolls an 8. Thick beads of sweat begin to drip down his brow as he concentrates even further.

End of Round I.

Please give me your orders for round 2. With the Sage damage, best to tell me what you rolled so I know if you have taken into account modifiers such as armour etc. Note that no one has moved as yet.

[kieran]

(Just a question on fleeing, how do we specify if we want to flee? And do all players have to agree?)

Putting such cowardly thoughts to one side, I again raise my sword against Barbarain B.

Roll 8=Hit
Roll 3=3 Damage

[sylas]

ok. I rolled a 4 for the first Damage.

I continue shooting at Barbarian C. Have at me, savage!

Roll 6 = Hit
Roll 3 = 3 Damage

Bit less damage this time. I hope the Enchanter is brewing up something good.

[kieran]

Don't forget the barbarians have an armour score of 1 so that lowers the damage you did in the past two rounds to 3 and 2 unfortunately.

[sylas]

I guess it's up to you guys then as I am the least battleworthy.

[a moderator]

I fire an arrow at the same Barbarian as before.
[4] - a hit, for [6] 5 damage. That's a bit better.

[champskees]

Round II: Barbarians!

The Trickster puts an arrow through Barbarian C's back, inflicting 5 Damage.

Barbarian A attacks the Warrior, rolling a 6 & 2, striking the Warrior, inflicting 1 Damage.

Barbarian B also attacks the Warrior, rolling a 7 & 3, striking the Warrior, inflicting 2 Damage.

Barbarian C turns around to strike at the feeble Enchanter, rolling a 7 & 1, inflicting 1 Damage.

Barbarian D takes a swing at the Sage, rolling an 8 & 6, inflicting 6 Damage. 

The Warrior continues to pummel Barbarian B, inflicting 3 Damage.

The Sage is unable to shoot as he is locked in combat with one of the Barbarians. Instead of shooting, he strikes Barbarian D with his quarterstaff, inflicting 2 Damage. 

The Enchanter continues to attempt casting a spell, but rolls a 10. He realises that the end is near...

End of Round II.

Please give me your orders for round 3. Note that you cannot shoot if you are being attacked in a round. To flee, you have to move to the flee area (1 turn). Because we have a lower awareness than our enemies, we would be attacked twice each before fleeing (i.e. likely all dead - except for the trickster). Remember that the Trickster can act twice once per combat...

Current Status:

Barabarian A = 12 attacking Warrior

Barbarian B = 7 attacking Warrior & Sage

Barbarian C = 4 attacking Enchanter

Barabarian D = 10 attacking Sage

[kieran]

I think our priority needs to be to protect Sylas as he's the one who can heal us all after (if there is an after!)

That said, I shall take another swing at Barbarian B.
Roll 7=Hit
Roll 5=5 damage

[sylas]

'Do not despair comrades for I have faith that we will see this through.' That said, the Sage grits his teeth fighting past the pain of his wounds and brings up his staff ready for the next onslaught. 'Wizard, if magic be your name and nature, now would be a good time to show it.'

I think the best idea would be for the Trickster to try and take out Barbarian B or C. We need the Enchanter for area damage and arcane stuff the rest of us don't have. Currently at 6 Endurance, I'm going to Defend instead. I don't think i should be threatened by Barbarian B either.

[a moderator]

Fire an arrow at C.
[3] - a hit, for [6] lethal damage.
Take an extra shot at D.
[7] - a hit, for [4] 3 damage.

[champskees]

Round III: Barbarians!

The Trickster looses another arrow at Barbarian C, piercing his groin. Barbarian C is dead!

Barbarian A swings widely at the Warrior, rolling a 4 & 2, inflicting 1 Damage.

Barbarian B makes a desperate lunge at the Warrior, rolling a 7 & 3, inflicting 2 Damage.

Barbarian D grins evilly as he slashes at the Sage, but narrowly misses, rolling a 10.

The Warrior, shrugging off the Barbarian's powerful blows, turns into the last attack and delivers a lightning fast riposte to Barbarian B, inflicting 5 Damage.

The Sage uses his monastic training to ward off the Barbarian's attacks, using his quarterstaff to keep distance.

The Enchanter finally realises his error; he was using the wrong spell component! Pulling out a small piece of amber, he rolls a 7 & 6, successfully casting White Fire on Barbarian D. The poor Barbarian roars in pain as the spell inflicts 7 Damage. 

As Barbarian D is extinguishing the flames, he looks up...and is greeted by the Trickster's second arrow of the round, piercing the wild man's left eye and continuing right through to the brain, a very small target I am sure you could imagine. Barbarian D is dead!

End of Round III.

Note that as the Sage begins with only 10 endurance and has taken 6 Damage already, he actually only has 4 Endurance left (so v.nice call on defending!). The tide has definitely turned, but how long can the Warrior's mighty armour hold up?

Current status:

Barbarian A = 12 attacking Warrior

Barbarian B = 2 attacking Warrior and Sage

[kieran]

"Ha! See how our enemies fall. It's not over yet though boys!"

I'm gonna suggest to Greenspine that he tries to take out Barbarian B before he can get another attack on me. For my action, I'm gonna attack B if he's still alive, if not I will attack A.

Roll 3=Hit
Roll 5=5 Damage

[sylas]

I'll continue to Defend and hope my comrades fell the one next to me before I fall myself.

[a moderator]

I fire at Barbarian B.
[7], another hit, for [2] just 1 damage.

[kieran]

Dang, let us hope the fates continue to be with me.

[champskees]

Round IV: Barbarians!

The Trickster looses an arrow at Barbarian B, hitting him in the chest. The Barbarian's armour saves his life, the arrow inflicting 1 Damage.

Barbarian A finally breaks through the Warriors defences, rolling a 7 & 6, inflicting 5 Damage.

Barbarian B makes a desperate lunge at the Warrior, rolling a 5 & 4, inflicting 3 Damage. The Warrior is Dead!

The Sage continues to use his monastic training to ward off the Barbarian's attacks, using his quarterstaff to keep distance.

The Enchanter brings White Fire to mind.

End of Round IV.

Well, looks like the meat shield has fallen. Kieran if you could take over the Enchanter, that would be great. You will have to roll a 6 or less next round to cast the spell successfully, and it does 2D6+2 Damage if successful.

Current status:

Barbarian A = 12 closest to Enchanter
Barbarian B = 1 attacking Sage

[kieran]

Warrior falling to his knees, coughing up blood: "And so I die, my friends. I'm sorry... I dragged you... into...ugh"

Enchanter: "No, the noblest of us all has been killed! You will burn in white fire!"

Target: Barbarian A
Roll 3: My spell works!
Roll 7: 8 damage.

[a moderator]

Fire at Barbarian A.
[9] - missed.