KotB - Episode 7

A break down of the major happenings in the seventh episode of the Keep on the Borderlands play-through, with timestamps.

Character Recap
Andrew’s PCs:Lianna Moneybags (Cleric)

Dave’s PCs: The Shadow (Thief), Rolph the Younger - (Cleric)

Hilary’s PCs: Thistle Turnipsworth (Halfling), Ingrid the Plain (Fighter)

John’s PCs: Hawthorne (Elf), Chunk Flunkins (Dwarf)

 

At the Keep - Pontifex, Carnifex & Pirate-vex
 
 * 0’10” The following afternoon, as the rest of our proactive protagonists gather, The Shadow is conspicuously absent. Presumably once again attending to the shadow-y business; but likely just nursing a hangover.


 * 0’21” At The Chapel, Yorick the Curate is willing to scribe sacred scrolls for the party. Cleric spells of 1st and 2nd level require 500 GP and 1 week per spell level to craft.


 * 0’22-0’27” Before leaving The Keep, our heroes donate 1000 GP to The Chapel. In exchange, Yorick the Curate begins the fortnight long process of transcribing the Hold Person spell to a scroll.(14 days remaining.)

At the Caves - Mantlepiece Orcnaments
 
 * 0’28” Our ambitious adventurers make the now familiar journey to The Caves of Chaos. As they arrive, the morning breeze is crisp, and the ravine before them markedly quiet.
 * 0’29”-0’34” From the base of the ravine, the direct route to reach the caves further up looks challenging; so our heavily armoured hikers instead snake the long way up from the East, where the ascent is less daunting.
 * 0’36”-0’39” At the entrance to the Easternmost cave (marked ‘B’), Thistle Turnipsworth takes advantage of her small stature to scout ahead. The natural cave she peers into has been carved and widened into a square passage, reinforced with wooden beams. From the West (towards ‘9’), Thistle hears miscellaneous clattering, and the gruff grumble of Orcish voices. She sneaks back to advise the party.
 * 0’48” Our heroes regroup and enter the cave together. The shelves on the Northern wall of the first intersection (South of ‘g’), house an arrangement of Human, and Demi-human heads, in various stages of decay. A goblin skull is rocking slightly, as if recently replaced. From behind the shelves, a gruff Orcish voice booms “Now!”, as the four Orcs in the guard room to the East (room ‘7’) let out a savage roar and prepare to attack.


 * 0’50” As in previous episodes, surprise checks rolled individually for PCs. (Standard surprise rules: B23)

After First Break - “You Orcs can’t appreciate fine wine!”
 
 * 1’05” The guard-Orcs hurl a barrage of spears and bellowed invectives, charging into melee.
 * 1’09” Unflinching, Thistle Turnipsworth guts an Orc before he can lower his spear to meet her.
 * 1’11” Chunk Flunkins parries a spear thrust and beheads an Orc with a single swing of his sword.
 * 1’23” Hawthorne snarks the Orc guard captain, who dies of embarrassment.
 * 1’25” Alerted by the noise, seven more Orcs stampede into combat, rushing in from the East. (From ‘9’ & ‘10’)
 * 1’30” Lianna Moneybags survives six attacks from the Orcs surrounding her. Drawing her mace to defend herself Lianna drops her torch. It goes out, plunging the miserable misadventurers into darkness.


 * 1’30” A dropped torch has a 1 in 6 chance of being extinguished. (DM Ruling)


 * 1’33” PC DEATH Lianna Moneybags runs and so does her blood. She’s skewered by Orc spears. (Andrew’s PC)
 * 1’47” Ingrid the Plain considers a retreat as six more Orcs run to join the fray, careening in from the East. (From ‘9’)
 * 1’51” Swinging his sword in a rage-filled arc, Chunk Flunkins beheads another Orc.


 * 1’52” Moving through allies’ spaces is a DEX check, success indicates that the PC can do so without penalty, failure means their movement ends immediately before passing their allies’ squares. (Adjustment to DM Ruling)


 * 1’53” PC DEATH Ingrid the Plain is permanently planed. An second Orcish spear cuts short her romance sub-plot. (Hilary’s PC)
 * 1’54” Seeing her die, Rolph the Younger swallows all his courage and runs out of the cave.
 * 2’02” Thistle Turnipsworth falls back into the hallway, fighting bravely, if unwisely.

After Second Break - “Stay here, I’m coming back for you.”
 
 * 2’14” Chunk Flunkins runs to Thistle Turnipsworth’s side, as the Orcish horde press up, clawing over each other to overrun the intruders.
 * 2’17” Hawthorne rolls away, firing on an Orc who’s broken through the battle line. It dies, with her crossbow bolt lodged in its throat.
 * 2’18”-2’24” Rolph the Younger fumbles, throwing flask after flask of burning oil, still managing to incinerate two Orcish attackers.


 * 2’20” A thrown flask of oil that misses its target will scatter 1 square in a randomly determined direction (Roll a d8). Rolling a natural 1 on the attack roll results in 50% chance of setting yourself on fire. (DM Ruling)

 
 * 2’30” At the front line, trading blows in brutal melee, Chunk Flunkins hacks an Orc to pieces.
 * 2’34” Rolph the Younger fumbles lighting flask of oil. Scorching his hands, he flees back to escape the flames.
 * 2’38” Backing up, Hawthorne drops another Orc with crossbow fire.
 * 2’43” A well placed bullet from Rolph the Younger’s sling breaks an Orc’s neck, killing it instantly.
 * 2’46” The Orc at the cave entrance raises his spear and roars a battle cry. 80 yards to the West, two Huge Orcs echo the reply, their gruesome plate armour glinting in the light, as they burst from the cave mouth (marked ‘C’), and pound towards our blood-soaked bruisers.
 * 2’52” Rolph the Younger, Sniper of Orcs slays the last of his nearby foes, before turning his back and running away at full speed.
 * 2’55” Seeing that despite their lead, the party will soon be caught Chunk Flunkins cleverly discards his heavy golden necklace in an attempt to slow their pursuers. It works: the Orc Leaders reach The Chunklace and hastily scuffle over who gets to keep it, giving our brave brigands time enough to make good their escape.

After Third Break - No More Heroes
 
 * 3’06”-3’15” As the cold dawn approaches our supine sightseers, resting in the lee of Campfire Hill, Hawthorne hears the clatter of wagon wheels approaching, and the quiet conversation of people on the road. She listens for a moment as the sounds draw closer, before waking the other party members. Full of civic duty, Rolph the Younger and Hawthorne approach the suspicious, crossbow wielding Trader and his wagon of travelling merchants, goods and animals; but hearing that they are adventurers, the conversation quickly turns sour and the hard-eyed traders draw their swords. Despite our reckless renegades’ reassurances, and mention of Orcish war parties, the travellers remain wintery, tough, and unwelcoming. They leave, eyeing the party suspiciously.
 * 3’16”-3’20” Battered and bruised, our gallant gang return to the keep, but this time, no heroes’ welcome awaits them. Seeing the crestfallen crew the Keep’s residents turn their backs and shut their doors. “Has the gods’ favour left these adventurers?”
 * 3’21” Ignoring Carlos’ ever present smirk of inebriated derision, Chunk Flunkins looks around the tavern for prospective companions. He tells Ludmilla, the Captain of the Guard of their battle with the Orcs. Stoically, Ludmilla informs Chunk that The Castellan has allowed her to make a number of trained soldiers available to the party, to accompany them on their next foray.


 * 3’23” When the party go to recruit hirelings, they may now call on The Castellan’s soldiers. At present, level-0 soldiers are available. These soldiers are slightly braver than the standard torchbearers the party might otherwise hire, and are issued with their own equipment. When the party reach second level, first level soldiers will also become available for hire.


 * 03’24” Thistle Turnipsworth and Hawthorne tell The Captain of their dead, the losses they suffered at the hands of the Orcs. Ludmilla excuses herself to attend to her work, but her lip quivers slightly as she turns and leaves with a flourish.
 * 03’25”- 03’35” In the dim light of the tavern, the party greet three new travelling companions: a middle-rate magic detectorist named Qruzoix, a sickly but otherwise well-rounded warrior known as Cloud, and a glorified porter called Po-Shawn.

NEW Characters
Andrew’s PC: Qruzoix (Magic-User) 3hp - Spell: Detect Magic

Andrew’s PC: Po-Shawn (Magic-User) 1hp - Spell: Floating Disk

Hilary’s PC: Cloud (Fighter) 2hp  

-Return to the list of Episodes in this series-