Serena's first night back she enjoys the fruits of civilization.
Her tales are met with delight and her acquaintances are happy to see her. She wins several hands at the gaming tables and makes a nice take: 25gp
Unfortunately, some of her gaming partners are not as enthusiastic about her wins and harsh words nearly turn to blows. Violence is happily averted under Durnan's watchful eye, but the game and the night is soured. Serena returns to the guild dormitory with no new contacts.
Entering under M. Flynn's instruction, Serena does her best not to embarrass her former instructors and her team.
He takes her through a series of actions repeating some in scrutinous loops, throwing in alternatives here and there just when she felt she had done something well - testing her to the utmost:
"Salute. Extend. Good."
"En Garde! Extend - Lunge! - Recover. Again!"
"Extend, Hup! No - relax the hand. Again. - better"
"Extend in 4. Direct attack. Hup! Recover."
"Beat quarte extend in 6. Hup! Recover."
"Extend. Attack with opposition in quarte - recover in quarte. Hup!"
"Advance. Advance. Attack in Sixte. Hup! - No lunge. Again!"
"Advance. Advance. Retreat. Attack to open. Good. Again!"
"Passe avant, lunge!"
"Parry quarte, riposte sixte"
"Parry sixte, riposte quarte. No - faster! Again. Again."
and on and on and on until Serena's legs, arms are on fire and her mind feels like mush.
"Enough! En Garde! Salute!"
Juro makes a an elegant salute and strides up to Serena as if having just warmed up."A good start. You have potential. You will be here each morning an hour after sunrise. Get some rest."
Serena sleeps well that night, her body exhausted, but her mind swims with all the intricate circles, attacks, counters the Maestro seemed to engage.
Seeing the opportunity to make a dent in the drug trade in Waterdeep, Tresvar arranges to join the muster.
Being of greater martial experience, she is assigned her own squad - two teams with a second in command - for a total force of 10.
The sting operation is to be on a drug den called Dankmire in the South Ward. Reports are of a large group of drugged cartel members operating out of and protecting the warehouse. Exact numbers are unavailable although the squad may expect to be outnumbered easily if not careful.
Tresvar is to form her teams and to prepare for the attack.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Serena struggles somewhat with her training in the beginning but she is intent on eventually impressing her teacher. Reluctantly her carousing will not be as late into the night but she will still find some time in the evenings to enjoy herself.
Some new rolls, just in case they're needed. Performance: 11 Playing Cards: 21 Persuasion: 20
She also makes her best effort to be on time and please her teacher with hard and focused training.
These rules use a structure like the combat rules in the Player’s Handbook. The biggest change centers on resolving attacks, which uses BR rather than attack rolls, AC, and damage.
Time
The mass combat rules use a timescale different from the regular combat rules, with 1 round representing 1 minute of action. This timescale accounts for the time and complexity needed to maneuver hundreds or even thousands of combatants.
Initiative
You don’t roll initiative for units. Instead, each unit has a fixed initiative: Initiative = 10 + unit morale rating + commander’s Charisma modifier
Units act in order of initiative, from highest to lowest as normal. In the event of a tie, randomly determine the order in which the tied units act. Determine this once, and then use that order for the rest of the combat. As in the regular combat rules, a unit can move and take one action on its turn (see “Action Options” below). A unit can use some or all of its movement before taking its action, and can then use the rest of its movement after acting.
Speed
A unit’s speed equals 10 times the lowest speed of its members. It can use movement modes, such as flight, only if every member of the unit can use it. Don’t count the speed of mounted creatures when determining the unit’s speed and movement types. The riders use their mounts to move.
Movement.
A unit must stop moving if it moves adjacent to an enemy unit, and a unit can’t move if it is adjacent to an enemy unit, unless it uses the Disengage action that turn. Otherwise, use the rules for movement from the Player’s Handbook to resolve how far a unit can move.
Action Options
When a unit takes its action, it chooses one of the following action options: Attack, Dash, Defend, Disengage, or Guard. Each option is described below.
Attack.
An attack is an opposed check between a unit’s BR and its target’s BR. A unit can attack at any range that all of its members can make attacks at. Full details on resolving attacks are given in the “Attacks” section below.
Dash.
A unit that dashes increases its speed for its turn. This increase equals the unit’s speed.
Defend.
A unit that defends focuses on building a shield wall or otherwise making itself harder to hurt. Until the end of its next turn, units that attack it suffer disadvantage on their BR checks.
Disengage.
A unit that is adjacent to an enemy unit normally can’t move. If the unit takes the Disengage action, it has the chance to move away. The unit must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If it fails, it loses its action and doesn’t move. If it succeeds, it can move up to half its speed. During this move, it doesn’t need to stop if it moves adjacent to an enemy unit.
Guard.
A unit that guards prepares to attack any enemy that draws close to it. The next time an enemy unit enters a space adjacent to this unit, it immediately makes an attack against the enemy unit.
Attacks
Attacks in the mass combat rules use opposed BR checks to determine which side has the upper hand. A unit can attack an adjacent enemy unit if any creature in the unit is within 5 feet of the target. It can make an attack at range if all its members can make ranged attacks that can reach the target. When a unit attacks a target, the attacking unit rolls a d20 and adds its BR, as does the target. You then compare the results to determine the result of the fight:
Tie. Nothing happens if the attacker and the target tie.
Target Wins. If the target’s total is higher, the attack has no effect.
Attacker Wins by 10 or Less. The attacker scores casualties, but not enough to break the target unit. The target’s BR is reduced by 2.
Attacker Wins by 11 or More. The attacker scores heavy casualties on the target. The target’s BR is reduced by 5, and it must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If the check fails, the unit flees the battle and is eliminated. Remove it from play.
The attacker can gain advantage or suffer disadvantage on its BR roll, based on the following factors:
Advantage The attacker is on higher ground, such as uphill from the defender. The defender is adjacent to at least one enemy unit, other than the attacker.
Disadvantage The defender is partially behind a wall or similar cover. The defender is adjacent to at least two friendly units.
Abstraction and Battle Rating
Remember that the mass combat rules are designed to make running big, important battles fast and easy. It uses BR to summarize a creature’s spells, special abilities, and so on. There are no special rules for resistance or spell casting because the rules assume that CR has already accounted for them.
Morale Checks
In addition to the morale checks caused by certain actions, a unit must make a morale check if certain conditions occur during the battle:
Casualties. If a unit is reduced to half or less of its starting BR, it must immediately make a DC 15 morale check. If it fails, it is eliminated from the battle. Remove it from play.
Friendly Casualties. If a friendly unit within 500 feet of the unit is eliminated, the unit must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If it fails, the unit can’t move or take actions on its next turn.
'my team- this is such an important mission to the future of Waterdeep. I am honored to serve alongside you, and lead you into battle. We will find those responsible for this, and bring justice to them all" Tresvar says, her shield and sword in hand.
When Banjo makes it back to the library Tyrus practically falls out of the bookshelves in delight. "Oh ho hohooo! Back so soon! How have you been? Did you find the mountain? Was the stronghold where we thought it was? Did you find Khundrukar?"
This last he utters in mixed eagerness and fear; eager to learn more and fear of knowing what had come of the dwarves of Khundrukar.
Serena's carousing sees mixed results. Durnan is glad to see her return, although he does not show it in his gruff exterior. He does seem to take special care in making sure Serena's mug is always a little fuller than the average pour.
While she enjoys herself at the tavern, luck is not with her tonight and she returns to the guild with a lighter purse ((loss 5gp))
((For future gambling, please state amount wagered and make three separate checks: Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation). Your proficiency with a particular gaming set can replace the relevant skill in any of the checks.))
Fortunately her previous night's take covered her expenses with M. Flynn for the week, ((- 25gp))
M. Flynn is ready upon her arrival, sipping tea and reading the paper. He stands up and makes a courteous head bow taking her hand and leading her to the piste. There he takes on a relaxed but serious tone. "Let us begin."
Master and student salute and begin their lesson:
((Please roll a Rapier attack (with advantage), an Acrobatics check(with advantage), a Con Save and an Int save.))
Coming back the next day for a new tough lesson, her muscles still aching from yesterday's practices, Serena would put extra effort in to compensate for last nights less than successful outcome. She draws her magical rapier with a flourish and salutes her teacher before beginning her lesson.
Rapier: 19 Acrobatics: 21 Con save: 13 Int save: 7
In the evening she would return to the Yawning Portal, convinced her bad luck won't stay on more than a night or so. Playing cards: 8 Deception: 22 Intimidation: 13
But she also continues to entertain the others with sharing her adventures between singing and dancing. Performance: 11 And perhaps find some new good company. Persuasion: 18
(Heh, Serena would need some more gold then. Was there any loot from Khundrukar that she could have to pay for her fencing lessons and her carousing? :-) (Also, I'm fine with roleplaying any of this out if that is preferable :-)
Banjo drifts through the guildhall, feeling listless and unfulfilled. They had invested such time and effort, and were so close to cracking they mystery of the old dwarven stronghold. Not to mention, it was so jarring to go from a sturdy, mountain fortress to these flimsy and inconstant surface dwellings....
Stepping into the library, he is startled by Tyus' zeal. "Find Khundrukar? Well, of course we found it. We found it right here in these halls lo those many weeks ago when we were digging through those maps and charts. From then on, its location was never in doubt."
"Erm - But, yes, to answer your question, we did find it."
Banjo goes on to elaborate on the orcish menace occupying the upper halls, the duergar working away on... something... in depths. Rumors of a dragon, but what do duergar know of dragons? "Like as not, there was probably just some drake or perhaps a lost wyvern down there." He expounds on the tragic fate of the dwarves, and the macabre mystery they were investigating just before Sneeze called them away. "It appears that one of their number was a mage of some skill, and in his desperation he began to raise the fallen dwarven defenders as skeletons to continue in the defense of the fortress even in undeath."
"My great regret is that we did not secure any of the lost dwarven weapons said to lie there. Oh, what a historical find it was to have been. And they are still DOWN there! I confirmed as much with a spell. I had only just cast it to locate and lead us to any such items, and it found some. It found some! Three, at least and all within 1000' of where we stood. Oh... but it wasn't to be, Tyus. It wasn't to be...".
Banjo wanders through the stacks and plucks a book at random off of the shelves, then finds a quiet place to read and be alone with his thoughts.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
(Heh, Serena would need some more gold then. Was there any loot from Khundrukar that she could have to pay for her fencing lessons and her carousing? :-) (Also, I'm fine with roleplaying any of this out if that is preferable :-)
((I added 105gp to all of your inventories for the orc trophies... I believed that Banjo was otherwise loot treasurer? Maybe there three should chat in-between their own excursions))
Righto! Here was the last tally for the Khundrukar loot...
[Updated treasure haul:
791 gp
400gp (orc bounties)
3006 sp
Orc plate armor
+1 Rapier (Serena!)
3 Healing potions
Unidentified potion (The potion is separated into brown, silver, and gray layers resembling bands of stone. Shaking the bottle fails to mix the colors.)
2 flasks of alchemists fire
Bone scroll case (valuable?)
Scroll of Web (Banjo!)
Scroll of Spider Climb (Banjo!)
obsidian stone and a tiger-eye with dark brown, caramel and green bands (10gp)
a small figurine of feminine shape, made of carefully shaped lava rock. The figure appears to be a lady looking into a hand mirror (???)
A piece of Malachite (5gp)
I marked down 400gp for Orc bounties but I don't recall where that came from. Does that include the 105 you mention just now?]
All this reminds me... assuming no objections Banjo would like to try to copy both Web and SpiderClimb into his spellbook. He will gladly take a reduced share of the loot in exchange for using these valuable spell scrolls to expand his knowledge of the arcane.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
(If okay we try to split magic items fairly evenly and just split the rest into equal shares after selling it, unless the guild wants a share of course. Serena took the rapier so she's quite content with magic items. :-)
((the 105 is included in the 400 for the orcs - your guide collected the proof and submitted in town in return for the reward to the party. The rest of the list looks about right.))
((The guild is content with your tales and your membership dues))
((Other items you may sell for profit or identify before selling))
Tresvar encourages her squad and they set out to the South Ward.
The teams form up quietly outside the location known as Dankmire. It is low warehouse type structure surrounded by a high wall. It appears quiet and otherwise uninteresting aside from the fact that only entrance through the outer wall is an apparently armed guard post. From where Tresvar's squad is situated across the street, they can see two guards on each side of the gate.
M. Flynn's instruction focuses on footwork and a repetition of motions. Serena seems to catch onto these well as she finds them almost akin to a dance. He finishes the lesson with some more intricate defensive parries and ripostes. He begins to comment on some minutia of her technique striving to nurture the most from her. Unfortunately by this time, she is a bit fatigued and the extra instruction does not appear to sink in. M. Flynn recognizes this and after finishing with having her complete some simple, but beautifully executed lunges, he says - "Enough for today. You are doing well... keep practicing."
Serena heads out to her usual haunt around twilight - taking in the colors in the city at this magical time. There is a bit more wind than the previous evening and the warlock pulls her hood closer as a strong gust threatens to push it off her head. In so doing she happens to look up and see a lovely display of shooting stars - seven distinct glittering strands showering down from a single point upon Waterdeep. How lovely.
Durnan greets her as she returns and fills her mug.
After a while she commences entertaining and gathers a delighted crowd. She finishes politely, excusing herself for a rest at the gaming tables.
She soon finds herself at a game table with 5 other players and a small crowd of onlookers. Her first hands do not go so well, but Serena manages to bluff her way back with some good stakes. This does not sit well with a weathered looking player who smells strongly of fish. Angrily he throws in his losing hand and pounds the table - "She tricked me - what other tricks is she using to cheat us!" At this, his chair legs seem to break under him and he is sprawled out on the floor - his fight knocked out of him. On closer inspection however, his chair is in tact. "Kurt, you seem to have lost your balance. Maybe slow down on the ale." says another player, while the others encourage him to rejoin the game peacefully. Kurt stands up gruffly, examining his chair with distrust. "Err, weird... uh yeah... sorry... Let's play" He pulls up the chair gingerly and sits down - accompanied by a distinct sound of a fart. The rest of the table attempts to suppress their snickers while Kurt's cheek flush.
The rest of the game goes well enough for Serena. Kurt exits the game a few hands later and stomps off.
Serena retires from the table 15gp richer. She makes her way to the main bar where Durnan passes her another 5gp for her earlier entertainment.
At the end of the bar is a skinny halfling with black hair who seems to be making his way through Durnan's stock of apple pies. Half a dozen empty pie pans are haphazardly piled near him with the ruins of crust stuck to them. Upon his face is an enormous grin as he lifts another pie and appears to almost guzzle it down like ale. Finishing he burps loudly, the gigantic smile not leaving his face for a moment. "Excellent Durnan! Another!", he calls, "and some more mead!"
He turns to Serena as if he has been talking to her all night, "He knows how to make them right. The trick is honey and white raisins." Then with a tip of his head toward the gaming tables, "That was some entertainment you gave us at the table." He says in a friendly manner with a wink under his brown bangs.
Tyrus takes Banjo's explanation well enough, but stands dumb as Banjo seemingly dismisses him in a huff.
Banjo sits down with the book he has pulled from the stacks. The book, bound in black leather with “A Deep and Creeping Darkness” embossed on the thin spine, shows minimal signs of wear and tear other than a few pages creased through carelessness and a spot here and there. The work is neat though not flawless, containing notable spelling errors and ink blotches.
Banjo looks back at the area he pulled the book from and realizes it is a section with works on mysterious mining disappearances. Shrugging he opens the book and begins reading.
A Deep and Creeping Darkness tells the tale of a mountain village whose residents went missing over the course of several months. The book presents a series of vignettes allegedly collected from “those who were there”: survivors, traveling merchants, and (in secondhand accounts) residents of nearby settlements. It is unclear whether it is a fictional tale, folklore, or history. The content seems factual, but the language is extravagantly dramatic.
Vermeillon, established after settlers discovered a platinum vein in the mountainside, did a booming business in both the raw ore and the refined metal for around a decade. Due to the rough terrain and the harshness of the climate, the village never grew large. It intermittently hosted a succession of traveling merchants who came to the village for a week or two, sold and traded their wares, then left again. The nearest civilized settlement was three days’ ride on horseback down the mountainside. The inhabitants named in the book include Mayor Lei Duvezin, a kind and talented dwarf smith named Tormun, and his wife, Blenyss.
Seventy years ago, an explosion rocked the platinum mine, collapsing the tunnels and burying workers under tons of rubble. Sixty miners were underground that day. Over thirty of them died in the initial collapse, and the instability of the tunnels made rescue of the others slow and dangerous. The miners who survived the collapse were trapped for days or weeks before they were rescued—or perished in the deep, alone and terrified. Sixteen came out alive. Eleven were never found.
In the wake of the catastrophe, another horror plagued the village as people began to disappear, starting with the survivors—not all at once, however. One or two would vanish in a single night, then a tenday might pass before the next disappearance. These unexplained disappearances terrified the remaining miners. After all the survivors either disappeared or fled, other villagers began to vanish. The villagers tried to protect themselves by sleeping with weapons and taking shifts on watch, but nothing changed. Traveling in groups didn’t help, since a companion might vanish while even briefly out of sight.
With no one willing to keep the mine open and the disappearances leading to fears that Vermeillon might be cursed, merchants and other travelers stopped visiting the village. The end of the patchwork story claims that the village is still there, though whether anyone inhabits it is a mystery. The volume’s writer muses over the decline of the village, speculating about the fate of its inhabitants. They wonder whether it would be worth hiring adventurers to see if anything remains of the village—particularly the platinum ore. Sketched on the back of the last page is a rough map of the village’s location, with directions from the closest mountain town, called Maerin.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Ever impatient, especially with her own fencing progress, Serena tries her best to hide this as she gracefully salutes her teacher before heading over to the portal.
As the seven stars fall Serena stands in awe for a moment, whispering a grateful prayer to Selûne, almost sure this starfall has some greater meaning. Religion to interpret this phenomenon in the sky over Waterdeep: 7
"It is called bluffing and it is what the game is all about." Serena tells Kurt with a polite smile as he gets up to resume their game. She's a bit curious about the incident with the chair though and discreetly glances around to see if there's anyone that seems to pay special attention to her and Kurt. Perception: 16
"And just how did you find my game entertaining from over here? You wouldn't know anything about that cahir toppling over like that would you?" Serena asks with a polite but curious smile playing on her lips, moving closer to the halfling and taking a sip of her glass of red wine. "I'm Serena, but I can't remember seeing you here before. New in Waterdeep are you?"
Serena feels happy contemplating Selûne's impact on her life, but can't see any concrete connection between the phenomenon observed and the pantheon of powerful forces playing with Faerun.
Looking about, there is too much movement in the thick crowd to see if anyone else might have been watching the game more closely than the standard onlookers.
The halfling chortles at Serena's introduction, hopping down from his stool and making a very formal presentation of himself. "Very pleased to meet you Lady Serena," he says with a bow. "Nathair, at your service." He winks merrily at you from beneath his auburn brows and bangs. "I find any circumstance entertaining which provides such a clear opportunity for a lesson in humility." - his smile plastered in that enormous grin.
"Oh, a Lady now am I? It is a pleasure meeting you too Nathair."Serena says with a warm smile, jokingly presenting her slender hand for the halfling to kiss, or shake. "So what do you do the Nathair, when you're not giving lessons in humility to those who deserve it?" She continues, taking her glass of wine again to take another sip.
Closing the book, Banjo is a bit surprised to see he has spent the entire day and most of the night lost in his research. This is probably as much to do with working through his own ill ease with leaving their last exploration unfinished as with the enthralling nature of the tome. He jots down several notes and underlines and circles 'Ask Sneeze About This' before returning the book to its proper place on the shelf.
After getting some well-earned shuteye in a comfortable bed, he spends most of the next day ritual casting identify on some of the items they collected. It is more for practice than any expectation that they found lost magical relics in the dust. Still, why leave things in doubt when a little time and examination can change that doubt to certainty?
Last, he will go about attempting to copy the spell scolls for Web and SpiderClimb into his spell book, diversifying his portfolio and options.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
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Serena's first night back she enjoys the fruits of civilization.
Her tales are met with delight and her acquaintances are happy to see her. She wins several hands at the gaming tables and makes a nice take: 25gp
Unfortunately, some of her gaming partners are not as enthusiastic about her wins and harsh words nearly turn to blows. Violence is happily averted under Durnan's watchful eye, but the game and the night is soured. Serena returns to the guild dormitory with no new contacts.
Entering under M. Flynn's instruction, Serena does her best not to embarrass her former instructors and her team.
He takes her through a series of actions repeating some in scrutinous loops, throwing in alternatives here and there just when she felt she had done something well - testing her to the utmost:
Juro makes a an elegant salute and strides up to Serena as if having just warmed up. "A good start. You have potential. You will be here each morning an hour after sunrise. Get some rest."
Serena sleeps well that night, her body exhausted, but her mind swims with all the intricate circles, attacks, counters the Maestro seemed to engage.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Seeing the opportunity to make a dent in the drug trade in Waterdeep, Tresvar arranges to join the muster.
Being of greater martial experience, she is assigned her own squad - two teams with a second in command - for a total force of 10.
The sting operation is to be on a drug den called Dankmire in the South Ward. Reports are of a large group of drugged cartel members operating out of and protecting the warehouse. Exact numbers are unavailable although the squad may expect to be outnumbered easily if not careful.
Tresvar is to form her teams and to prepare for the attack.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Serena struggles somewhat with her training in the beginning but she is intent on eventually impressing her teacher.
Reluctantly her carousing will not be as late into the night but she will still find some time in the evenings to enjoy herself.
Some new rolls, just in case they're needed.
Performance: 11
Playing Cards: 21
Persuasion: 20
She also makes her best effort to be on time and please her teacher with hard and focused training.
Tresvar's assigned second in command is Erna Mathiesen, a female warrior ((CR1 sidekick NPC)) who appears stern and confident.
Each will lead a team of 5 Gray Hand Soldiers into the raid, with Tresvar as the overall commander.
Tresvar's team has a Battle Rating (BR) of 2 and Erna's has a BR of 1.
The squad as a whole has a starting Morale of +8
Base initiative for each team is: 21 (10 + Morale + Tresvar's CHA bonus)
((The raid will follow the rules set out in: https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/2017_UAMassCombat_MCUA_v1.pdf Running Battles is excerpted below))
Running Battles
These rules use a structure like the combat rules in the Player’s Handbook. The biggest change centers on resolving attacks, which uses BR rather than attack rolls, AC, and damage.
Time
The mass combat rules use a timescale different from the regular combat rules, with 1 round representing 1 minute of action. This timescale accounts for the time and complexity needed to maneuver hundreds or even thousands of combatants.
Initiative
You don’t roll initiative for units. Instead, each unit has a fixed initiative: Initiative = 10 + unit morale rating + commander’s Charisma modifier
Units act in order of initiative, from highest to lowest as normal. In the event of a tie, randomly determine the order in which the tied units act. Determine this once, and then use that order for the rest of the combat. As in the regular combat rules, a unit can move and take one action on its turn (see “Action Options” below). A unit can use some or all of its movement before taking its action, and can then use the rest of its movement after acting.
Speed
A unit’s speed equals 10 times the lowest speed of its members. It can use movement modes, such as flight, only if every member of the unit can use it. Don’t count the speed of mounted creatures when determining the unit’s speed and movement types. The riders use their mounts to move.
Movement.
A unit must stop moving if it moves adjacent to an enemy unit, and a unit can’t move if it is adjacent to an enemy unit, unless it uses the Disengage action that turn. Otherwise, use the rules for movement from the Player’s Handbook to resolve how far a unit can move.
Action Options
When a unit takes its action, it chooses one of the following action options: Attack, Dash, Defend, Disengage, or Guard. Each option is described below.
Attack.
An attack is an opposed check between a unit’s BR and its target’s BR. A unit can attack at any range that all of its members can make attacks at. Full details on resolving attacks are given in the “Attacks” section below.
Dash.
A unit that dashes increases its speed for its turn. This increase equals the unit’s speed.
Defend.
A unit that defends focuses on building a shield wall or otherwise making itself harder to hurt. Until the end of its next turn, units that attack it suffer disadvantage on their BR checks.
Disengage.
A unit that is adjacent to an enemy unit normally can’t move. If the unit takes the Disengage action, it has the chance to move away. The unit must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If it fails, it loses its action and doesn’t move. If it succeeds, it can move up to half its speed. During this move, it doesn’t need to stop if it moves adjacent to an enemy unit.
Guard.
A unit that guards prepares to attack any enemy that draws close to it. The next time an enemy unit enters a space adjacent to this unit, it immediately makes an attack against the enemy unit.
Attacks
Attacks in the mass combat rules use opposed BR checks to determine which side has the upper hand. A unit can attack an adjacent enemy unit if any creature in the unit is within 5 feet of the target. It can make an attack at range if all its members can make ranged attacks that can reach the target. When a unit attacks a target, the attacking unit rolls a d20 and adds its BR, as does the target. You then compare the results to determine the result of the fight:
Tie. Nothing happens if the attacker and the target tie.
Target Wins. If the target’s total is higher, the attack has no effect.
Attacker Wins by 10 or Less. The attacker scores casualties, but not enough to break the target unit. The target’s BR is reduced by 2.
Attacker Wins by 11 or More. The attacker scores heavy casualties on the target. The target’s BR is reduced by 5, and it must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If the check fails, the unit flees the battle and is eliminated. Remove it from play.
The attacker can gain advantage or suffer disadvantage on its BR roll, based on the following factors:
Advantage The attacker is on higher ground, such as uphill from the defender. The defender is adjacent to at least one enemy unit, other than the attacker.
Disadvantage The defender is partially behind a wall or similar cover. The defender is adjacent to at least two friendly units.
Abstraction and Battle Rating
Remember that the mass combat rules are designed to make running big, important battles fast and easy. It uses BR to summarize a creature’s spells, special abilities, and so on. There are no special rules for resistance or spell casting because the rules assume that CR has already accounted for them.
Morale Checks
In addition to the morale checks caused by certain actions, a unit must make a morale check if certain conditions occur during the battle:
Casualties. If a unit is reduced to half or less of its starting BR, it must immediately make a DC 15 morale check. If it fails, it is eliminated from the battle. Remove it from play.
Friendly Casualties. If a friendly unit within 500 feet of the unit is eliminated, the unit must immediately make a DC 10 morale check. If it fails, the unit can’t move or take actions on its next turn.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
(cool! Tresvar is +3 charisma)
'my team- this is such an important mission to the future of Waterdeep. I am honored to serve alongside you, and lead you into battle. We will find those responsible for this, and bring justice to them all" Tresvar says, her shield and sword in hand.
When Banjo makes it back to the library Tyrus practically falls out of the bookshelves in delight. "Oh ho hohooo! Back so soon! How have you been? Did you find the mountain? Was the stronghold where we thought it was? Did you find Khundrukar?"
This last he utters in mixed eagerness and fear; eager to learn more and fear of knowing what had come of the dwarves of Khundrukar.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Serena's carousing sees mixed results. Durnan is glad to see her return, although he does not show it in his gruff exterior. He does seem to take special care in making sure Serena's mug is always a little fuller than the average pour.
While she enjoys herself at the tavern, luck is not with her tonight and she returns to the guild with a lighter purse ((loss 5gp))
((For future gambling, please state amount wagered and make three separate checks: Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation). Your proficiency with a particular gaming set can replace the relevant skill in any of the checks.))
Fortunately her previous night's take covered her expenses with M. Flynn for the week, ((- 25gp))
M. Flynn is ready upon her arrival, sipping tea and reading the paper. He stands up and makes a courteous head bow taking her hand and leading her to the piste. There he takes on a relaxed but serious tone. "Let us begin."
Master and student salute and begin their lesson:
((Please roll a Rapier attack (with advantage), an Acrobatics check(with advantage), a Con Save and an Int save.))
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Coming back the next day for a new tough lesson, her muscles still aching from yesterday's practices, Serena would put extra effort in to compensate for last nights less than successful outcome. She draws her magical rapier with a flourish and salutes her teacher before beginning her lesson.
Rapier: 19
Acrobatics: 21
Con save: 13
Int save: 7
In the evening she would return to the Yawning Portal, convinced her bad luck won't stay on more than a night or so.
Playing cards: 8
Deception: 22
Intimidation: 13
But she also continues to entertain the others with sharing her adventures between singing and dancing.
Performance: 11
And perhaps find some new good company.
Persuasion: 18
(Heh, Serena would need some more gold then. Was there any loot from Khundrukar that she could have to pay for her fencing lessons and her carousing? :-)
(Also, I'm fine with roleplaying any of this out if that is preferable :-)
Banjo drifts through the guildhall, feeling listless and unfulfilled. They had invested such time and effort, and were so close to cracking they mystery of the old dwarven stronghold. Not to mention, it was so jarring to go from a sturdy, mountain fortress to these flimsy and inconstant surface dwellings....
Stepping into the library, he is startled by Tyus' zeal. "Find Khundrukar? Well, of course we found it. We found it right here in these halls lo those many weeks ago when we were digging through those maps and charts. From then on, its location was never in doubt."
"Erm - But, yes, to answer your question, we did find it."
Banjo goes on to elaborate on the orcish menace occupying the upper halls, the duergar working away on... something... in depths. Rumors of a dragon, but what do duergar know of dragons? "Like as not, there was probably just some drake or perhaps a lost wyvern down there." He expounds on the tragic fate of the dwarves, and the macabre mystery they were investigating just before Sneeze called them away. "It appears that one of their number was a mage of some skill, and in his desperation he began to raise the fallen dwarven defenders as skeletons to continue in the defense of the fortress even in undeath."
"My great regret is that we did not secure any of the lost dwarven weapons said to lie there. Oh, what a historical find it was to have been. And they are still DOWN there! I confirmed as much with a spell. I had only just cast it to locate and lead us to any such items, and it found some. It found some! Three, at least and all within 1000' of where we stood. Oh... but it wasn't to be, Tyus. It wasn't to be...".
Banjo wanders through the stacks and plucks a book at random off of the shelves, then finds a quiet place to read and be alone with his thoughts.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
((I added 105gp to all of your inventories for the orc trophies... I believed that Banjo was otherwise loot treasurer? Maybe there three should chat in-between their own excursions))
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Righto! Here was the last tally for the Khundrukar loot...
[Updated treasure haul:
791 gp
400gp (orc bounties)
3006 sp
Orc plate armor
+1 Rapier (Serena!)
3 Healing potions
Unidentified potion (The potion is separated into brown, silver, and gray layers resembling bands of stone. Shaking the bottle fails to mix the colors.)
2 flasks of alchemists fire
Bone scroll case (valuable?)
Scroll of Web (Banjo!)
Scroll of Spider Climb (Banjo!)
obsidian stone and a tiger-eye with dark brown, caramel and green bands (10gp)
a small figurine of feminine shape, made of carefully shaped lava rock. The figure appears to be a lady looking into a hand mirror (???)
A piece of Malachite (5gp)
I marked down 400gp for Orc bounties but I don't recall where that came from. Does that include the 105 you mention just now?]
All this reminds me... assuming no objections Banjo would like to try to copy both Web and SpiderClimb into his spellbook. He will gladly take a reduced share of the loot in exchange for using these valuable spell scrolls to expand his knowledge of the arcane.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
(If okay we try to split magic items fairly evenly and just split the rest into equal shares after selling it, unless the guild wants a share of course. Serena took the rapier so she's quite content with magic items. :-)
((the 105 is included in the 400 for the orcs - your guide collected the proof and submitted in town in return for the reward to the party. The rest of the list looks about right.))
((The guild is content with your tales and your membership dues))
((Other items you may sell for profit or identify before selling))
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Tresvar encourages her squad and they set out to the South Ward.
The teams form up quietly outside the location known as Dankmire. It is low warehouse type structure surrounded by a high wall. It appears quiet and otherwise uninteresting aside from the fact that only entrance through the outer wall is an apparently armed guard post. From where Tresvar's squad is situated across the street, they can see two guards on each side of the gate.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
M. Flynn's instruction focuses on footwork and a repetition of motions. Serena seems to catch onto these well as she finds them almost akin to a dance. He finishes the lesson with some more intricate defensive parries and ripostes. He begins to comment on some minutia of her technique striving to nurture the most from her. Unfortunately by this time, she is a bit fatigued and the extra instruction does not appear to sink in. M. Flynn recognizes this and after finishing with having her complete some simple, but beautifully executed lunges, he says - "Enough for today. You are doing well... keep practicing."
Serena heads out to her usual haunt around twilight - taking in the colors in the city at this magical time. There is a bit more wind than the previous evening and the warlock pulls her hood closer as a strong gust threatens to push it off her head. In so doing she happens to look up and see a lovely display of shooting stars - seven distinct glittering strands showering down from a single point upon Waterdeep. How lovely.
Durnan greets her as she returns and fills her mug.
After a while she commences entertaining and gathers a delighted crowd. She finishes politely, excusing herself for a rest at the gaming tables.
She soon finds herself at a game table with 5 other players and a small crowd of onlookers. Her first hands do not go so well, but Serena manages to bluff her way back with some good stakes. This does not sit well with a weathered looking player who smells strongly of fish. Angrily he throws in his losing hand and pounds the table - "She tricked me - what other tricks is she using to cheat us!" At this, his chair legs seem to break under him and he is sprawled out on the floor - his fight knocked out of him. On closer inspection however, his chair is in tact. "Kurt, you seem to have lost your balance. Maybe slow down on the ale." says another player, while the others encourage him to rejoin the game peacefully. Kurt stands up gruffly, examining his chair with distrust. "Err, weird... uh yeah... sorry... Let's play" He pulls up the chair gingerly and sits down - accompanied by a distinct sound of a fart. The rest of the table attempts to suppress their snickers while Kurt's cheek flush.
The rest of the game goes well enough for Serena. Kurt exits the game a few hands later and stomps off.
Serena retires from the table 15gp richer. She makes her way to the main bar where Durnan passes her another 5gp for her earlier entertainment.
At the end of the bar is a skinny halfling with black hair who seems to be making his way through Durnan's stock of apple pies. Half a dozen empty pie pans are haphazardly piled near him with the ruins of crust stuck to them. Upon his face is an enormous grin as he lifts another pie and appears to almost guzzle it down like ale. Finishing he burps loudly, the gigantic smile not leaving his face for a moment. "Excellent Durnan! Another!", he calls, "and some more mead!"
He turns to Serena as if he has been talking to her all night, "He knows how to make them right. The trick is honey and white raisins." Then with a tip of his head toward the gaming tables, "That was some entertainment you gave us at the table." He says in a friendly manner with a wink under his brown bangs.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Tyrus takes Banjo's explanation well enough, but stands dumb as Banjo seemingly dismisses him in a huff.
Banjo sits down with the book he has pulled from the stacks. The book, bound in black leather with “A Deep and Creeping Darkness” embossed on the thin spine, shows minimal signs of wear and tear other than a few pages creased through carelessness and a spot here and there. The work is neat though not flawless, containing notable spelling errors and ink blotches.
Banjo looks back at the area he pulled the book from and realizes it is a section with works on mysterious mining disappearances. Shrugging he opens the book and begins reading.
A Deep and Creeping Darkness tells the tale of a mountain village whose residents went missing over the course of several months. The book presents a series of vignettes allegedly collected from “those who were there”: survivors, traveling merchants, and (in secondhand accounts) residents of nearby settlements. It is unclear whether it is a fictional tale, folklore, or history. The content seems factual, but the language is extravagantly dramatic.
Vermeillon, established after settlers discovered a platinum vein in the mountainside, did a booming business in both the raw ore and the refined metal for around a decade. Due to the rough terrain and the harshness of the climate, the village never grew large. It intermittently hosted a succession of traveling merchants who came to the village for a week or two, sold and traded their wares, then left again. The nearest civilized settlement was three days’ ride on horseback down the mountainside. The inhabitants named in the book include Mayor Lei Duvezin, a kind and talented dwarf smith named Tormun, and his wife, Blenyss.
Seventy years ago, an explosion rocked the platinum mine, collapsing the tunnels and burying workers under tons of rubble. Sixty miners were underground that day. Over thirty of them died in the initial collapse, and the instability of the tunnels made rescue of the others slow and dangerous. The miners who survived the collapse were trapped for days or weeks before they were rescued—or perished in the deep, alone and terrified. Sixteen came out alive. Eleven were never found.
In the wake of the catastrophe, another horror plagued the village as people began to disappear, starting with the survivors—not all at once, however. One or two would vanish in a single night, then a tenday might pass before the next disappearance. These unexplained disappearances terrified the remaining miners. After all the survivors either disappeared or fled, other villagers began to vanish. The villagers tried to protect themselves by sleeping with weapons and taking shifts on watch, but nothing changed. Traveling in groups didn’t help, since a companion might vanish while even briefly out of sight.
With no one willing to keep the mine open and the disappearances leading to fears that Vermeillon might be cursed, merchants and other travelers stopped visiting the village. The end of the patchwork story claims that the village is still there, though whether anyone inhabits it is a mystery. The volume’s writer muses over the decline of the village, speculating about the fate of its inhabitants. They wonder whether it would be worth hiring adventurers to see if anything remains of the village—particularly the platinum ore. Sketched on the back of the last page is a rough map of the village’s location, with directions from the closest mountain town, called Maerin.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
Ever impatient, especially with her own fencing progress, Serena tries her best to hide this as she gracefully salutes her teacher before heading over to the portal.
As the seven stars fall Serena stands in awe for a moment, whispering a grateful prayer to Selûne, almost sure this starfall has some greater meaning.
Religion to interpret this phenomenon in the sky over Waterdeep: 7
"It is called bluffing and it is what the game is all about." Serena tells Kurt with a polite smile as he gets up to resume their game. She's a bit curious about the incident with the chair though and discreetly glances around to see if there's anyone that seems to pay special attention to her and Kurt.
Perception: 16
"And just how did you find my game entertaining from over here? You wouldn't know anything about that cahir toppling over like that would you?" Serena asks with a polite but curious smile playing on her lips, moving closer to the halfling and taking a sip of her glass of red wine. "I'm Serena, but I can't remember seeing you here before. New in Waterdeep are you?"
Serena feels happy contemplating Selûne's impact on her life, but can't see any concrete connection between the phenomenon observed and the pantheon of powerful forces playing with Faerun.
Looking about, there is too much movement in the thick crowd to see if anyone else might have been watching the game more closely than the standard onlookers.
The halfling chortles at Serena's introduction, hopping down from his stool and making a very formal presentation of himself. "Very pleased to meet you Lady Serena," he says with a bow. "Nathair, at your service." He winks merrily at you from beneath his auburn brows and bangs. "I find any circumstance entertaining which provides such a clear opportunity for a lesson in humility." - his smile plastered in that enormous grin.
Eryndor - Red Dead Annihilation | GM - Volo's Trade Franchise - PF2e Adventures set in the Forgotten Realms
"Oh, a Lady now am I? It is a pleasure meeting you too Nathair." Serena says with a warm smile, jokingly presenting her slender hand for the halfling to kiss, or shake. "So what do you do the Nathair, when you're not giving lessons in humility to those who deserve it?" She continues, taking her glass of wine again to take another sip.
Closing the book, Banjo is a bit surprised to see he has spent the entire day and most of the night lost in his research. This is probably as much to do with working through his own ill ease with leaving their last exploration unfinished as with the enthralling nature of the tome. He jots down several notes and underlines and circles 'Ask Sneeze About This' before returning the book to its proper place on the shelf.
After getting some well-earned shuteye in a comfortable bed, he spends most of the next day ritual casting identify on some of the items they collected. It is more for practice than any expectation that they found lost magical relics in the dust. Still, why leave things in doubt when a little time and examination can change that doubt to certainty?
Last, he will go about attempting to copy the spell scolls for Web and SpiderClimb into his spell book, diversifying his portfolio and options.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War