[For Kolan] Not... Dead... Yet...

[patransom]

Kolan awakens somewhere in the woods to the sound of distant drums. Getting his bearings, he finds himself in a strange position for someone just recovering from unconsciousness: he's upright and his arms are suspended above his head. Looking up, he sees his arms are in shackles. Between the shackles, a chain loops over a tree branch above his head. It's the shackles and chain that have been holding him upright. His arms ache as if he's been hanging there a while. Now that he's conscious, by stretching his legs, he can barely reach his toes to the ground and take some of the weight off his aching arms.

Kolan determines that he's not wearing any clothes at all, but some of his worst wounds have been bandaged with dirty rags. Looking around him, he determines he's in a small clearing. There is small a campfire in the middle with a pot of some foul-smelling black liquid bubbling atop the fire. A single, bored-looking orc leans against a tree across the clearing. An unusually pale dwarf in a greasy-looking black tunic stands next to the fire, holding a sharp metal rod right over the flames. Seems he's been heating the rod for some time, as its end glows orange.

As Kolan moves to take the weight off his arms, the dwarf looks up at him. “Awake, eh Human? Good. It's time to talk now. Tell me about the army you're bringing here...”

[Kolan apparently received some sort of healing while he was unconscious. He has 8 hp now (9 damage)]

[Jayel]

Kolan says, “"I wouldn't call a party of 6 much of an army."”

[patransom]

The dwarf scowls at Kolan, “Don't lie to me, fool! Two of your dead comrades wore the armor of Knights of Caithness.”

He pulls his red-hot poker from the fire and approaches, “Unless you wish to join them, you will talk. Now!”

[Jayel]

“Believe what you will. My 'comrades' and I happened to be on a mission for the Knights and we were aided with two of the rank.”

[patransom]

“ enough of your lies! ” The dwarf moves up to Kolan and applies the hot end of the poker to Kolan's foot. [4 hp damage; Kolan made a Fort save to avoid taking DEX damage]

After the screaming stops, the dwarf commands, “Now, how far away is your army?”

[Total damage: 13]

[Jayel]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Is the dwarf within range to kick at with my other foot?

[patransom]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Is the dwarf within range to kick at with my other foot?

Yes. You've found the flaw in the way he's got you tied up: he doesn't realize he's dealing with a monk. Unfortunately, if you kick at him, you will have to make a fort save to avoid nonlethal damage, as it will put all your weight on your aching shoulders.

[Jayel]

Kolan kicks at the dwarf with his free foot.

Attack: +3
Damage: 1d6+2
Fort DC mod: +5

[patransom]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    This was a very unexpected turn of the dice!

Kolan lashes out with his free foot. The kick catches the dwarf completely by surprise and catches him in the temple, crushing his skull. The dwarf drops to the ground, gravely wounded. [Critical, which is the only way you were going to knock out the dwarf]

Unfortunately, Kolan's kick throws him completely off-balance, putting too much weight on his aching shoulders. He feels as though he is about to black out again, but barely hangs on to consciousness. [Failed the fort save and took 4 hp nonlethal, putting Kolan at exactly 0. Because it's nonlethal damage that brings him to 0, Kolan is staggered, not disabled: he can only take a standard or move action each round, but will not take damage from strenous actions.]

The orc guard, startled by this sudden turn of events, draws his falchion and rushes across the clearing at Kolan... [Do or die situation now, as the orc is certain to kill Kolan if Kolan can't knock him out first]

[Jayel]

Kolan will try to swing his legs up to the branch intending to break it if possible.

[patransom]

Kolan swings his legs up acrobatically, connecting with the branch above his head. There is a thud, but the branch remains solid. Worse yet, the pain in his arms from Kolan's strenuous action causes him to black out [1 hp nonlethal puts him at -1].

Kolan doesn't know exactly what happens next, except there is pain, followed by a vision of St. Cuthbert welcoming him to the gates of Heaven...

[The orc was mad about Kolan killing his boss, and not bright enough to realize that his masters still wanted him alive for information. The orc cut the unconscious Kolan into itty bits. If it's any consolation, the orc was punished fatally for his mistake...

A tough break. It would have taken another critical to break the branch, then a successful fort save to avoid passing out. It might have been easier to simply try to kick the orc, but that was by no means certain survival either...

Let me know if you want to create a new character. We can handle the details over PM.]