{"id":46242,"date":"2020-02-08T11:41:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-08T18:41:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/randomaverage.com\/?p=46242"},"modified":"2020-02-08T11:57:23","modified_gmt":"2020-02-08T18:57:23","slug":"ravenloft-ironsworn-part-10-the-gargoyle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/2020\/02\/ravenloft-ironsworn-part-10-the-gargoyle\/","title":{"rendered":"Ravenloft Ironsworn, part 10, The Gargoyle"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Gargoyle<\/h3>\n

Okay, it looks like time for our first actual fight in the system, so I figured I ought to take the time to make sure I get it right – there are a few more moving pieces with combat than some other situations, because RPG. Anyway.<\/p>\n

First, to review:<\/p>\n

\"|624x533\"
\nBrig has pushed up the rusty portcullis separating the southern forecourt from hind court, and Ismark and Ireena scrambled through. I was left to figure out how to get let the gate down and get out from under the thing without making a godawful racket and alert the whole castle.<\/p>\n

While this is happening, a gargoyle dropped down from the buttresses above (see picture) and into the courtyard just behind the Koyanas, and Brig\u2019s choices got a lot simpler.<\/p>\n

Brigitte charges, and the first thing I\u2019m wondering is whether that gate comes crashing down right away. It could make it a move, but honestly there\u2019s not a lot of skill being applied here – it\u2019s just dumb luck, and I\u2019d guess there\u2019s about a 50\/50 chance that the rusted track lets the portcullis slam back down.<\/p>\n

\"|105x46\"
\nWell, okay then. The gate is a little shimmied in the track, and when Brig lunges free, it slips a couple inches, gets hung up and cockeyed, and sticks. Lucky us, so far.<\/p>\n

Brigitte charges at and past her new friends, both of them wide-eyed and a little surprised – years of training making the unlimbering of shield and mace an automatic thing.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"|340x288\"
\nI don\u2019t need the gargoyle to be some terrible foe – I suspect they may be pretty common, at least around the outer grounds of the castle – but they\u2019re more than a basic farmer with an angry pitchfork, so let\u2019s make this thing a Dangerous opponent. (Inflicts 2 harm, takes 2 progress per harm.)<\/p>\n

Then, roll to determine who\u2019s in control. Ooh, I get to roll +heart. Nice. (Burning 10 momentum on a basic roll reminded me I didn\u2019t envision Brigitte being very stealthy, and that I didn\u2019t give her the stats to pull it off.)<\/p>\n

Very cool. I have initiative (which doesn\u2019t mean what it means in DnD), and +2 to my momentum track, which moves things in a happier direction.
\n\"|218x124\"
\nWith initiative, I can go for a Strike (which acknowledges I have the edge here) instead of Clash (which is a riskier kind of melee exchange).<\/p>\n

Brigitte\u2019s charge isn\u2019t a means of closing the distance – it is<\/strong> the attack, in a very real sense, and her momentum only builds as she charges across the courtyard, each step coming faster than the last. She smashes straight into the gargoyle, leading with her heavy, reinforced shield – the mace blow she follows up with is almost an afterthought.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"|228x181\"
\nIt\u2019s\u2026 super neat when I write up a really cool opening attack and the dice just SCREW me. Ahh well.<\/p>\n

The gargoyle is ready for Brig\u2019s attack, and it catches the shield with both it\u2019s clawed hands, absorbing the impact even as it\u2019s pushed back a few steps. It takes the mace strike on a shoulder, like a teenager shrugging off a younger siblings attack in a pillow fight, and then reaches over the shield with a stony claw. Brig likewise turns a shoulder to protect from the claw, and the thing gets the strap of her pack, pulling, then tearing it. Triple-stitched, reinforced leather tears like wet paper, and half the contents of Brig\u2019s pack spray across the courtyard, first at the thing tears at it, then as Brigitte pulls back and tosses it aside.<\/em><\/p>\n

[-2 supply, based on the Oracle\u2019s result. Super. Also, the thing has initiative now, which means I\u2019m Clashing.]<\/p>\n

Brigitte shucks the pack away and wades back in, stalking now, rather than charging.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"|219x125\"
\nGaaaad dammit. I cannot get a break. Okay. Keeping it a bit more simple this time, I\u2019m going for the obvious Pay the Price of Enduring Harm. The thing\u2019s claws are just tearing through my gear like it\u2019s nothing. I\u2019m taking 2 harm (since this is a Dangerous foe) and Enduring Harm:<\/p>\n

\"|228x121\"
\nI don\u2019t know how to feel about being more lucky when it comes time to take a beating than give one, but whatever; I\u2019ll take it. The 8 comes from a +1 I get from my Ironclad asset, which also gives me a +1 momentum on a hit, which I\u2019ll happily take.<\/p>\n

The strong hit on Endure Harm means I can choose either to exchange a momentum for +1 health, OR take another +1 momentum. In the long term, I\u2019ll probably want the health – it\u2019s harder to recover than momentum, but that +5 momentum might help me turn the tide RIGHT NOW.<\/p>\n

Also, I should give through to that Match. That gives me an opportunity, and it want it to be a real one this time (I\u2019ve been bad about making my positive matches kind of weak, sometimes.<\/p>\n

SO: okay. I\u2019m going to take the \u2018heal\u2019 option, I think, but I think that Match gives Brig initiative back.<\/p>\n

Brig would have sworn she was wearing armor, but you\u2019d never know it from the way this thing is tearing at her. If it weren\u2019t for her shield – for the years of training against her mentor (also bigger and stronger than her), she\u2019s be cooling meat on the cobblestones already. Even so, she\u2019s reeling, stumbling back.<\/em><\/p>\n

And then and arrow skips off the things head. Then another, snapping and striking sparks. Ismark is stringing a third arrow, and his sister is at his side, sword out and ready for the things charge.<\/em><\/p>\n

The gargoyle turns, lowers its head, growls (somehow? It doesn\u2019t have a throat!), and takes two steps… before Brigitte crashes into it from the side.<\/em><\/p>\n

Strike!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"|216x121\"
\nFucking hell.<\/p>\n

[You know, I\u2019ve pondered on several occasions whether I should move Brig to the \u201cchallenging\u201d stat array, but the fact of the matter is, I\u2019ve yet to miss a roll by anything close enough that one more point would matter. This is no exception.]<\/p>\n

Okay, so I need to pay the price, but I don\u2019t want to just \u2018hit point\u2019 them back and forth, so let\u2019s keep it interesting and see what the Oracle says.<\/p>\n

\"|151x39\"
\nAlright FINE. Asshole oracle, anyway. I take Harm (2, again), and Endure Harm. (Again, +1 from my ironclad.)<\/p>\n

\"|216x122\"
\nSame situation as last time, but without the twist. I\u2019m not going to pick anything else, either – I don\u2019t relish trying to get my health back up in an enemy castle, so I want to mitigate as much of that as I can. This means my heath is +3, and my Momentum stays stead at 3, thanks to getting one from my Ironclad and then trading it right away, twice.<\/p>\n

The charge was exactly as effective as the last one.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGet behind me!\u201d I shout at Ismark and Ireena; my shield is up and I\u2019m circling the thing, trying to maneuver it somewhere useful. Further back into the courtyard? No. Wait, WE can go further in. Yes. Maybe. Find another gate. Something we can get between us and this thing. \u201cTry to get past and see what\u2019s ahead!\u201d<\/em>
\n\"|345x265\"
\nI\u2019m going to Face Danger, using my shield as cover, which gives me a +1. I\u2019ll take whatever break I can, frankly.
\n\"|221x122\"
\nOoh, and that +1 is just what I needed for the Strong Hit. I could kiss my shield right now.<\/p>\n

Probably will, later.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t judge.<\/p>\n

So, the new plan looks like this:
\n\"|474x404\"
\nI\u2019m going to try to Secure Advantage while Ismark and Ireena slip past me and I keep this stony bastard busy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good news is, the gate\u2019s up!\u201d calls out Ismark. \u201cThe bad news is, it\u2019s probably rusted in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"|212x124\"<\/p>\n

Eh. Fine. No worse than a strong Face Danger – +1 momentum is a net good, undeniably.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine.\u201d I grit my teeth and plant myself in front of the opening, and ready myself for the thing\u2019s next attack, wishing I had heavier armor on. [seriously, it would really help my on this Clash roll\u2026]
\n\"|214x123\"<\/p>\n

\n Inflict your harm, but then Pay the Price. Your foe has initiative.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finally at HIT at least. That fills the first 4 of the ten \u2018progress\u2019 boxes on this enemy.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m ready for the thing\u2019s claws this time – mostly – I catch the first slash on the edge of the shield, then bash it over the eye ridge with my mace, right where Ismark\u2019s arrow left me a bright white target gash. The thing punches straight out with its other club-like fist, right at my chest.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"|220x57\"<\/p>\n

I take it on my shield again (seriously, totally having a shield make-out session later); I stumble back into the wall next to the gate, and slam into a release catch hidden beneath the vines on the wall. The small portcullis gate come rattling down, narrowly missing Ismark, and cutting me off.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our eyes meet through the grating.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cShit,\u201d he says.<\/em><\/p>\n

I turn back to the gargoyle and clench my jaw. \u201cYes.\u201d Then I charge.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"|336x95\"
\n[Note: this is stupid. I want to acknowledge, for the record, how stupid this is, before I roll.]<\/p>\n

Okay, I\u2019m Turning the Tide<\/strong>. I\u2019m taking back initiative, and going straight for a Strike (getting out of this fight by just getting away is no longer an easy or likely option, thanks to that gate coming down.)<\/p>\n

According to Turn the Tide, I get a +1 on the roll, and +1 momentum on a hit. Cross all your fingers\u2026
\n\"|216x121\"YES! Oh hell yes!
\n\u201cOn a strong hit, inflict +1 harm and retain initiative.\u201d<\/em> HELL yes.<\/p>\n

Okay, that\u2019s 3 harm, each one of which fills in 2 boxes on the progress track, which maxes the track out with all ten boxes filled. Nice! I\u2019m coming off a strong hit, so let\u2019s End this Fight.<\/p>\n

\"|331x274\"\"|223x133\"<\/p>\n

\u2026 seriously fuck you, dice.<\/p>\n

\n

The creature wasn\u2019t expecting either the timing or ferocity of the attack. My mace comes down once, twice, a third time – claws shoved aside and then joints attacked, until the stone begins to the crack and, once cracked, break.<\/em><\/p>\n

I do not stop. The smashing, breaking, growling attack does not let up until the thing is rubble at my feet and I am covered in thick, violet ichor with an eye-watering, sour odor.<\/em><\/p>\n

I shuffle over to my pack, retrieve what I can, and shuffle back to the gate, where Ismark is dragging the chains back up.<\/em>
\n\"|219x300\"
\n\u201cYou smell -\u201d Ireena begins.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t.\u201d I say. \u201cDon\u2019t say it. I can\u2019t hear anyone say it.\u201d<\/p>\n

[I\u2019m picking Others won\u2019t forget. You are marked for vengeance.<\/em><\/strong> Because seriously: fuck gargoyles.]<\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Gargoyle Okay, it looks like time for our first actual fight in the system, so I figured I ought<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,128,6],"tags":[150,307,269,308],"class_list":["post-46242","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-actual-play","category-online-table-top","category-table-top","tag-actual-play","tag-ironsworn","tag-pbta","tag-ravenloft"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46242","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46242"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46242\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46249,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46242\/revisions\/46249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46242"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46242"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/randomaverage.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46242"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}