BK
01
CH
Pr
SC
05

Prelude
The Empty Mansion

…continues from Book #01, Prelude, Scene #04

Synopsis

The 30th Day of Alturiak in the Year of the Sudden Journey

Zero and Tradden have successfully infiltrated an old mansion overrun by bandits. Discovering a trapdoor in the floor of the house they have gone underground and found a restrained dwarf, Khalin, in one of the basement rooms. After surviving a swarm of bats, the new found party continue to explore the tunnels and run into a brood of rats.

Scene Length

This scene started on Tuesday 20th July 2010 and completed on Monday 26th July 2010.

JUL
20

Combat
Initiative Block

I

Round #02

Combat Encounter Completed


Creatures in Play:

01) [21] Zero - 1d20+3+2: 21 - HP: 25/25 25

03) [14] Tradden - 1d20+2+2: 14 - HP: 15/26 26,23,20,13,23,15

05) [06] Khalin - 1d20+1+2: 6 - HP: 17/26 26,21,17,23,17


Removed from Play:

02) [20] Giant Rats - 1d20+3: 20

Giant Rat #01 (Dmg: 3)

Giant Rat #02 (Dmg: 17)

Giant Rat #03 (Dmg: 5)

Giant Rat #04 (Dmg: 4)

04) [08] Dire Rats - 1d20+2: 8

Dire Rat #01 (Dmg: 46) (Bloodied) 0,13,26,37,46

Dire Rat #02 (Dmg: 40) (Bloodied) 0,12,17,21,28,40

JUL
20

Combat
Battlemap

BM
Battlemap
JUL
20

Combat
Features of the Area

AF

All squares that contain a small triangle in the bottom right hand corner are marked as difficult terrain and cost two squares worth of movement to enter.

Illumination: Darkness, with light provided by torchlight. Visibility shown on map.

JUL
20

Article Notice
Originally in Google Wave

!

This scene was originally written within Google Wave. The scene has been transcribed here for completeness, and has been edited where required.

The original Wave was first used as a test bed to allow the players to get to grips with the mechanisms of Google Wave, including any usage of maps, as well as getting used to the rules for the game. Goblins and a Guard Drake were used as simple enemies, with no real plot ot storyline surrounding them. However, we quickly decided to use this as a launching pad for the rest of the story and in our minds changed the goblins to bandits and the drake to a guard dog. The transcription here takes quite an artistic licence in re-representing this Wave, using the same actions, but with different enemies.

This scene has been split into two, with the combat transcribed here. The previous storyline is in the preceeding scene.

The original Wave is now lost with the demise of Google Wave, but the PDF extract of that original scene is provided here.

JUL
16

Combat
Zero Uhlit

01

Zero, feeling even more comfortable on this side of the pit now, raised his crossbow and loosed a bolt at the closest creature.

[Ranged Basic Attack - Hand Crossbow]

[Primary Attack vs Giant Rat #02: 1d20+5+2: 25] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+3: 8] plus [2d8: 9 sneak damage] and [Dead]

Zero let fly with his bolt and it thudded straight into one of the giant rats between the eyes, stopping it instantly.

JUL
16

Combat
Giant Rats

02

The giant rats skittered over the floor, their claws rasping against the stone. With fangs drooling they charged into Khalin and Tradden.

[Giant Rat #01 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Giant Rat #01: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+6: 8 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - misses!

[Giant Rat #03 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Giant Rat #03: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+6: 25 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - hits!

[Damage: 3]

[Giant Rat #04 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Giant Rat #04: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+6: 20 vs Tradden’s AC (17)] - hits!

[Damage: 3]

Sharp fangs pierced through armour and both Khalin and Tradden succumbed to the rats’ bites.

JUL
16

Combat
Tradden Aversward

03

‘Ouch - damn you!’ cursed Tradden as he lashed out at the only rat within easy reach.

[Sure Strike]

[Primary Attack vs Giant Rat #04: 1d20+10: 16] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 4] and [Dead]

With an assured strike, Tradden cut down one of the giant rats, stopping it in its tracks.

Tradden moved up next to Khalin, ready to take on the next wave and give himself some more room.

[Move: ?, ?, ?]

JUL
16

Combat
Dire Rats

04

The two dire rats pondered forwards, mouths salivating. With ferocious snarls they attacked!

[Dire Rat #01 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Dire Rat #01: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 23 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 5]

[Dire Rat #02 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Dire Rat #02: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 20 vs Tradden’s AC (17)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 3]

Both rats sank their teeth deep into flesh, causing more pain than either Tradden or Khalin would have thought.

JUL
16

Combat
Khalin Grundokri

05

Khalin yelped in pain, then gritted his teeth and let out a battle cry: ‘I’m gonna fix that rat!’. The dwarf lunged for the nearest beast, swinging his warhammer into action…

[Furious Smash]

[Primary Attack vs Giant Rat #01’s Fortitude: 1d20+5: 19] - hits!

[Damage: 3] and [Dead]

Khalin swung his hammer with ferocity and crushed the rat’s skull against the stone floor. Tradden took heart from his comrade’s valour.

JUL
16

Combat
Zero Uhlit

06

Zero took careful aim at the remaining giant rat circling Tradden, only able to catch glimpses of the vicious creature from his position.

[Ranged Basic Attack - Hand Crossbow]

[Primary Attack vs Giant Rat #03: 1d20+5-2: 17] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+3: 5] plus [Dead]

The bolt flew into the belly of the rat as it reared up to bite Tradden. The force killed it instantly and knocked it head over tail a number of times until it fell with a thud into the central pit.

Zero grinned and chuckled. ‘Yeah, that was good,’ he murmured proudly. Unfortunately, he could now only see his two friends. He had confidence in their abilities, but notched another bolt and took aim, just in case another creature dared to poke its head into his line of sight.

JUL
16

Combat
Tradden Aversward

07

Taking heart from both Khalin’s vigour and the quick deaths of the swarm of the smaller vermin, Tradden attacked the nearest rat with his blade.

[Melee Basic Attack - Shortsword]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #02: 1d20+8: 28] - critical hit!

[Damage: 1d6+6: 12] and [Marked]

Tradden opened a large tear in the flank of the rat and blood poured out.

Then, with nimble feet, Tradden shifted to a new position so as to improve the tactical situation of the group.

[Shift: NW]

JUL
16

Combat
Dire Rats

08

The two dire rats kept coming forwards and attacking, oblivious to the demise of their vermin cousins.

[Dire Rat #01 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Dire Rat #01: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 22 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 4]

[Dire Rat #02 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Dire Rat #02: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 22 vs Tradden’s AC (17)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 7] and [Bloodied]

Both rats sank their teeth deep into flesh, causing more pain than either Tradden or Khalin would have thought.

JUL
16

Combat
Khalin Grundokri

09

‘Ignore the pain, Master Tradden!’ roared Khalin, gritting his teeth against the sting of his own wounds. ‘These vermin shall know what it means to task the patience of valiant men of the Isles!’

[Inspiring Word]

[Tradden spends a Healing Surge and regains 1d6+6: 10 hp]

[Tradden is no longer Bloodied]

Khalin then turned to face the dire rat to his left.

‘Now my pretty, you’ll find that tasting the blood of dwarfkind comes with consequences!’ he taunted, attempting to lure the beast closer to Zero’s aim.

Khalin baited the beast, then let out a warcry and struck it with his hammer…

[Melee Basic Attack - Warhammer]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+5: 25] - critical hit!

[Damage: 1d10+3: 13]

The rat shuddered with the force of the impact of Khalin’s blow.

Moving remarkable nimbly for his stout build, Khalin then deftly shifted to the right, trying to lure the rat into Zero’s line of fire…

[Shift: E]

JUL
16

Combat
Zero Uhlit

10

Seeing the opening, Zero immediately pulled the trigger, sending a sleek bolt toward the rat.

[Ranged Basic Attack - Hand Crossbow]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #02: 1d20+5-2: 16] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+3: 5]

The bolt caught the rat in its rear haunches and stuck there, quivering.

JUL
16

Combat
Tradden Aversward

11

Without pause, Tradden hefted his weapons - feinting with his shortsword he brought his longer blade diagonally down, cleaving clean through one rat and into the other!

[Cleave]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+7: 17] - hits!

[Damage: 1d8+6: 13] and [Marked] and [Bloodied]

[Dire Rat #02 takes 4 splash damage] and [Bloodied]

Having already obtained the full focus of one rat’s attention, Tradden yelled a ferocious combat challenge to the other, diverting its immediate attention away from the bleeding warlord. It seemed only right to use a war cry the dwarf would appreciate.

‘By Moradin’s Hammer!’ he cried, waving his blades around for maximum effect.

JUL
16

Combat
Dire Rats

12

The first dire rat twitched its whiskers for a moment trying to work out which of the tasty comrades to follow.

[Dire Rate #01 Intelligence Check: 1d20-4: 2] - failure!

The dwarf had enraged it more so it chased after Khalin, opening its jaws to sink in its fangs.

[Dire Rat #01 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Tradden: Melee Basic Attack - Longsword]

[Opportunity Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+7+2: 13] - misses!

Tradden tried to catch the rat as it skittered towards Khalin, but his longsword missed the rat’s tail by inches.

Howling with pain, the rat tried to gnaw Khalin to submission.

[Dire Rat #01: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4-2: 10 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - misses!

The second dire rat continued its assault against Tradden, intent on revenge.

[Dire Rat #02: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 17 vs Tradden’s AC (17)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 8]

The rat found purchase in Tradden’s legs once more.

JUL
16

Combat
Khalin Grundokri

13

Khalin forced a grin as the rat’s teeth failed to pierce his dwarven armour this time.

‘You invoke the Soul Forger, Master Tradden? Truly you must be a friend of the dwarves! You must tell me more …later!’

The bloodied but unbowed warlord gritted his teeth against the pain a moment…

[Dwarven Resilience]

[Khalin spends a Healing Surge and regains 6 hit points]

[Khalin gains +2 to defences until start of next turn]

…then refocused on the first rat, swinging his warhammer again.

[Melee Basic Attack - Warhammer]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+5: 12] - misses!

The dire rat swiftly ducked under Khalin’s blow and hissed at him through bared teeth.

JUL
16

Combat
Zero Uhlit

14

Zero took aim at the nearest rat and fired.

[Ranged Basic Attack - Hand Crossbow]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+5-2: 12] - misses!

‘Damn it!’ Zero cursed as he fumbled for another bolt.

JUL
16

Combat
Tradden Aversward

15

Zero’s bolt whistled past without reaching its target, but Tradden was nevertheless heartened by the fact that there were three of them and only two sewer dwellers left.

‘Time to make the odds even better!‘ he snarled, as he looked to put a permanent end to the nearest rat.

[Melee Basic Attack - Shortsword]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #02: 1d20+8: 15] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+6: 7] and [Marked]

Tradden sliced off the whiskers on the right side of the rat’s snout, but it just snarled back menacingly.

JUL
16

Combat
Dire Rats

16

The two dire rats, both seriously wounded, kept coming. They struck quickly with snapping jaws at the legs of the dwarf and the fighter.

[Dire Rat #01 Move: ?, ?, ?]

[Tradden: Melee Basic Attack - Shortsword]

[Opportunity Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+8+2: 22] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+6: 11]

[Dire Rat #01: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 18 vs Khalin’s AC (18)] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+2: 6]

[Dire Rat #02: Melee Basic Attack - Bite]

[Primary Attack: 1d20+4: 8 vs Tradden’s AC (17)] - misses!

Khalin’s armour did not keep the rat at bay this time.

JUL
16

Combat
Khalin Grundokri

17

Khalin yelled with pain, but quickly turned the howl into a battlecry, bringing his shield up to bear and swinging his trusty hammer once again at the first rat…

[Melee Basic Attack - Warhammer]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+5: 9] - misses!

The rat easily dodged the hammer blow.

[Action Point]

[Khalin gains a Standard Action]

The hammer whistled past, but Khalin deftly reversed the move, swinging the hammer back in a neat arc and back at the rat again…

[Melee Basic Attack - Warhammer]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #01: 1d20+5: 21] - hits!

[Damage: 1d10+3: 12] and [Dead]

However, the second caught it unawares and Khalin pinned it to the floor with a devastating strike until it moved no more.

JUL
16

Combat
Zero Uhlit

18

Zero smiled at the sight and took a shot at the remaining rat.

[Ranged Basic Attack - Hand Crossbow]

[Primary Attack vs Dire Rat #02: 1d20+5-2: 21] - hits!

[Damage: 1d6+3: 9] and [Dead]

The rat ducked in beneath Tradden’s last swing and was ready to strike once more when the bolt caught it midriff. It twitched for a moment, as if surprised, and then collapsed in a heap at Tradden’s feet.

JUL
18

Combat
Completed

19

[...Combat Encounter Completed...]

JUL
18

Combat
Short Rest

20

Healing Surges

Healing Surges are applied.

[Khalin spends 2 healing surge (6 left) to get to 26/26 hit points]

[Tradden spends 2 healing surges (6 left) to get to 26/26 hit points]

[Zero spends 0 healing surges (5 left) to get to 25/25 hit points]

Encounter Powers

All encounter powers are recharged.

Milestones

No Milestones achieved.

Experience

Experience awarded.

[Khalin gains ? xp to reach ? xp]

[Tradden gains ? xp to reach ? xp]

[Zero gains ? xp to reach ? xp]

Levelling

No characters ready to level up.

JUL
18

End of Scene

[...continued in Book #01, Prelude, Scene #06...]