Encounter 1 - Marauder Attack

[BowenSilverclaw]

The road crests a small rise and descends into a dusty grove in a large, shallow dell. An abandoned farmhouse, partially visible through the trees, stands on one side of the road. You've passed a dozen spots much like this one already today.

Saru:

Through the heightened senses your current form grants you, you notice that something isn't quite right. As you focus your hawk eyes on the brush by the side of the road, you glimps the glint of chain armor through the cover of the leaves. Fierce warriors - tall, hairy humanoids with wide mouths and flat faces - are lying in wait!

Not only that, but you notice that more Hobgoblins are perched on makeshift lookout platforms up in the trees alongside the road, each some 25 feet high. Unfortunately the goblinoids have noticed your group as well and ready themselves to attack.

Yamanu:

As you come over the crest, your keen ears suddenly pick up the faint sound of a pair of creatures lying in wait, one on each side of the road, located in the brush.

The Colonel:

As you follow the dusty trail, you suddenly pick up the scent of unbathed and sweaty creatures, two of them, one on each side of the road.

OOC: Initiative rolls, please

[PhaedrusXY]

Init: 1d20+4=17

[bearsarebrown]

Initiative 1d20+3=23
 

[Agita]

The woman walking next to her horse at the front of the group suddenly stops and raises her right hand wordlessly. Without moving her head, she glances to the left in the direction of the smell as she makes a fist with her hand and then raises two fingers, perhaps forgetting that she's not at the front of a military unit anymore.

Fuck it, I'll just go with Imp Init and retrain if I think of something better.

Init (1d20+8=27) Oooh yeah.

[Nanshork]

Goldflower pulls her horse to a stop and looks at the woman who has stopped seeming somewhat concerned.  "What is it child?"

Initiative: 14

[VennDygrem]

Yamanu's ears perk up as he hears the rustling of the creatures ahead, stopping just as the others seem to sense the same beings. Noticing the hand signals, he attempts to relay his own to the rest of the group, though they are slightly different due to being trained by a different organization.

Initiative: 1d20(20)+10=30

[PhaedrusXY]

The dwarf mutters through his headscarf "Enough with the finger twiddling. What do you see?" as he readies himself for what may come.

[VennDygrem]

Yamanu spits out, "Keep your voice down, it is as a war drum signaling our presence. There are two creatures looming ahead in the brush... one on either side of the road I think. Probably more, somewhere, but I can't hear them."

[BowenSilverclaw]

MAP:


KAL=Kalal/Phaedrus (on mule)
GOL=Goldflower/Nanshork (on horse; with Saru on her shoulder in Hawk-form)
YAM=Yamanu/Venn
HAR=Harika/Agita
HORSE=Harika's horse
RW1 & RW2=Hobgoblins, wearing a Chain Shirt with Chahar-Aina and Dastana, and with a Longbow at the ready; Longsword strapped to their side and Heavy Shield on their back; concealment and cover.

Terrain:
Most of the forest squares are filled with light undergrowth (2 squares to enter, provides concealment) and trees (provide cover to creatures in the same square). The escarpment of the road cut is a steep slope covered by light undergrowth ) 4 squares to enter.

Surprise Round:
Initiative:
Yamanu: 30
Colonel Harika (Agita): 27; Hunter’s Sense stance
RW: 23
Saru (bearsarebrown): 23 (I'll PM you some extra info, due to your high Spot check)

First up, Yamanu/Venn
Next, The Colonel/Agita


Let the bodies hit the floor

[VennDygrem]

If they're higher up than us, can I even target them with an attack? I hate losing my Hit-And-Run bonus, but if I can't hit them it won't matter.

[BowenSilverclaw]

If they're higher up than us, can I even target them with an attack? I hate losing my Hit-And-Run bonus, but if I can't hit them it won't matter.

Yes, you can, it's only about 2-3 ft. or so in terms of elevation difference between the road and the surrounding area.

If you're unable to target someone due to elevation or (other) obstacles, I'll explicitely mention it

[VennDygrem]

Yamanu silently slips a hand to the Longknife strapped to his side, and attempting adjust for wind and elevation, tosses the knife out with as much precision as he can muster.

Attack roll (Ranged vs. Flat-footed opponent, 30 ft. = extra range increment) vs RW2 ok RW1 I guess.
1d20(12)+9=21

Possible Damage:
1d4(1)+2d6(1,3)+18=23 damage

I believe that's all correct.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Since you didn't specify a target, I'm going to assume you attacked RW1.

The Hobgoblin's eyes widen as he sees the Jackal-man's knife flying at him.
As the knife lodges into his throat, the goblinoid crumples to the floor while gurgling.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Colonel/Agita is next.
I'll update the map after Harika/Agita's turn.

[VennDygrem]

Why would your target be flat-footed? Also, please specify a target

Edited in the target.

Unaware Targets are flat-footed in the surprise round, as are any targets who have not yet acted in the encounter (in the first round). I'm going first in the surprise round, so I figured that meant the hobgoblins would be flatfooted. If they'll only be flat-footed once the real encounter begins, since they're acting in the surprise round, then subtract 5 from my damage, for 18 damage.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Why would your target be flat-footed? Also, please specify a target

Edited in the target.

Unaware Targets are flat-footed in the surprise round, as are any targets who have not yet acted in the encounter (in the first round). I'm going first in the surprise round, so I figured that meant the hobgoblins would be flatfooted. If they'll only be flat-footed once the real encounter begins, since they're acting in the surprise round, then subtract 5 from my damage, for 18 damage.

Yeah, you caught him flat-footed. Sorry about not reading up on the Initiative/Surprise Round rules

Edited my post

[Agita]

Colonel ir'Brand doesn't notice Yamanu readying to attack until she is surprised by the sound and sight of his knife flying through the air towards its target. As time is of essence in ensuing combat, she doesn't comment and instead fixates the anthropomorphic jackal with a glare that would make a trained soldier flinch before leaping up the slope in two bounds and heading towards the source of the unwashed odor on her left side - the one within her field of vision.
Once she is on top of the slope, Harika quickly finds the smelly potential ambusher, even though she can't see him very well. A hobgoblin. She hasn't seen many of those in the past months, but they are relatively close to Darguun. Looking down at him with a confident smile, the one-eyed, apparently unarmed human woman adresses him in accented Goblin, "Hello. So, is there any special reason you and your friend were playing hide-and-seek, or is it just fun crawling around in the mud and looking at random travellers?" Just in case, she touches the tip of her middle finger with the thumb, as if to snap her fingers.

Move: Move in a straight line to J5. That's either 5 or 6 squares of movement, so it should work out.

Free: Talk.

Since talking is a free action that can be used outside your turn, I'll let the hobbo respond before deciding what to do with my standard and swift actions.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Hobgoblin response: Any special reason? Woman (DM note: condescendingly) , please, if you don't know why we do this, you're not worth of living!

After practically spitting out his response, the hobgoblin drops his bow and starts reaching for his sword.

[Agita]

In response to the goblinoid's answer, Harika's smile turns into a toothy grin saying "Thank you for picking a fight with me", and she raises her voice to allow her allies to hear her. "That counts as a threat. We're dealing with hostiles; permission to kill." With a snap of her fingers, she is suddenly holding a broadsword with a blade the length of the hobgoblin's torso. Heaving it high over her head, the colonel brings the sword down on the hapless hairy humanoid with enough force to split his armor in two.

Swift: Switch to Punishing Stance.

Standard: Mountain Hammer, bitch.
Mountain Hammer (morale bonus to hit accounted for) (1d20+9+1=13, 5d6+7=22)
Concealment (1-20 misses) (1d100=61)

If the attack misses or the hobbo is still alive after it hits, she'll spend two action points to take an extra standard action for a normal melee attack.
Attack, damage (1d20+9+1=25, 3d6+7=20)
Concealment (1-20 misses) (1d100=78)

Combat Stats

Hit Dice: 4d12+16
Hit Points: 49
Armor Class: 18 (10 +7 Armor +2 Dex +3 Natural -1 Trait -1 Flaw -2 Stance)
Touch AC: 8
Flatfooted AC: 18
Initiative: +8 (+2 Dex +2 Trait +4 Feat)
Base Attack Bonus: 4
Grapple: +8 (4 BAB +4 Str +0 Size)
Speed: 30' land; 15' burrow

[BowenSilverclaw]

Unfortunately a 13 misses, consider your Action Points spent.

"Agh!!!" the Hobgoblin cries out in pain as the Colonel strikes him across his torso with her greatsword. "Damn you, woman, our Goddess will grind you into dust!"

[BowenSilverclaw]

MAP:


KAL=Kalal/Phaedrus (on mule)
GOL=Goldflower/Nanshork (on horse; with Saru on her shoulder in Hawk-form)
YAM=Yamanu/Venn
HAR=Harika/Agita (Punishing Stance, -2 AC)
HORSE=Harika's horse
RW1, RW2 & RW3=Hobgoblins, wearing a Chain Shirt with Chahar-Aina and Dastana, and with a Longbow at the ready; Longsword strapped to their side and Heavy Shield on their back; concealment and cover.


After the Colonel's onslaught, the Hobgoblin drops his Longbow and draws his Longsword. Holding his sword above his head, the goblinoid strikes down on the Karrnathi Colonel.

OOC:

Hit, damage=8; DR makes that 0, you lucky bastard

Due to the experiments performed on her body, the Colonel doesn't feel a thing though, leaving the Hobgoblin somewhat astounded as he squares of to this new opponent.



From seemingly out of nowhere, another Hobgoblin rises from behind the brush, and fires his bow at the Colonel

OOC:

Hit, Colonel Harika is hit for another 8 damage, so 0 damage after taking into account her DR.

OOC: Saru/bearsarebrown is next