Black Tom's Rappan Athuk (now dotted, hopefully)
Game Master Black Tom

Brow furrowed, she looks again.

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 including a bonus for aid

"Are you pulling my leg again? I don't see anything."

"What...Err...Let me take a look", Kem states, raising his head from scrounging around in his sack. he then sets a dull gray stone to whirling about his head, that then begins to glow as a torch.

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 Perception

"Oh! I think that would make me dizzy trying to read things."

Half-serious, the halfling shields her eyes from the circling torch.

Seriously, cool item for an alchemist to carry.

"I'm telling you theres a door right there." move over next to it and point

"Tika, stop making her crazy and just open this mystical hidden magic door of yours."

Giggles, "Gregori, if I'm crazy, it was long before I met Tika!"

The little sorceress puts her arm around the bard's shoulder. "Too bad I'm blind and crazy. Do you hear anything through your imaginary door?"

"Wait"! "Let me check it to make sure it's not warded".

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20 Perception

"It's not an Imaginary door It's right there." As Tika getting annoyed at the teasing attempts to push open the door.

"Please, someone open the door that may or may not be there," Artival groans, shaking his head.

Twinkle in her eye, Roylenna looks the wall over skeptically. It's obvious that she's not looking where Tika's pointing. "Um-hmm..."

Going anywhere exciting? I just got back from Great Sand Dunes - definitely someplace I would recommend to anyone.

Went up to Rocky Mountain National Park. After getting a headache from hiking a whole whopping .3 miles we decided that the Fort Collins fire was affecting air quality and continued north til we reached my favorite place in the whole world...Yellowstone/Tetons! We had a great time there.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Ka'kara laughs at 'Lenna's antics, "Thank the spirits we don't rely on your vision instead of your ogre-charms!"

When we were in the dunes, the New Mexico fire was affecting air quality and we could see the haze in the air even when we couldn't spell the smoke. It did not keep us from our hikes, though, and we saw some fabulous sunsets.

We're also big fans of Yellowstone and the Tetons, but the Great Sand Dunes are, relatively speaking, more accessible, so I suspect they may become a regular stop -- besides, it's on the way to another region we like very much - Grand Canyon (2004/2014), Zion NP (2011), Bryce Canyon (this fall). So many places I want to see, so little time...

Glad you were able to adjust and 'salvage' the vacation.

Beyond the door there is a narrow twisting passage leading on. A horrible smell of carrion wafts out of it. You hear rustling ahead.

Ka'kara wrinkles her nose but smiles all the same as she readies her greatsword, "Well, it smells promising..."

Lyria advances, pulling out her holy symbol, "Maybe it's promising, but it still stinks. Bad".

Kem falls into line. "Oh I don't know". "I've smelled worse...I mean not me personally smelling bad, but I have experienced smells that outstripped this...I mean...Yes let's go forward".

"I doubt anything good is going to be behind a smell this bad."

I take it you finally enter the smelly passage. It twists and turns for a bit, the smell getting worse and you find yourselves stepping in things that you'd rather not guess what they are. There's a fair number of bones, rat, human and otherwise strewn on the floor.

Finally the passage opens up into a large cavern. Dozens of pairs of hungry eyes leer at you. You have entered the lair of at least a score of ghouls.

Roll for initiative.

Init 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"I got something for these guys", Kem says reaching into his sack and pulling out an obvious explosive device.

Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"So does she," indicating Lyria, "that's why they call her Ghoulbane, I wager. That's how we met her, actually, entering a cave full of not-dead things like them."

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 11

The barbarianess just grins wickedly and leaps into the fray...

1d20 ⇒ 20

Gregori's countenance seems to erupt in a righteous blaze as pulsing golden light radiates from him. The golden glow spreads forth, washing over his friends and fortifying them with a touch of his trademark confidence.

Power of Faith: standard action. Glow radiates 30', all allies gain +1 AC, attacks, damage and saves vs fear

Initative

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

What type of bonus is the power of faith Is it a moral bonus?

DM, I'll be out most of the day, so I'll post Artivals action now.

Artival delays until after Lyria's action, hoping she can put the hurt of the undead.

Kem stops himself from throwing the bomb just in time as the warrior leaps into the fray.

Is there somewhere to throw the bomb without hitting friendlies? If so he'll still throw it if not, he'll spend this round stashing it and thinking of his next step.

Sounds like there are more than enough targets to go around and yes she is a wee bit brash :)

Got you a battle map (under Campaign info). Power of faith is a morale bonus.

The ghouls go on 9, so Ka'kara, Gregori, Tika and Artival go first, then the monsters. Also, some of them are ghasts, so if you go into the room, you'll need a Fort 15 save or be sickened.

Seriously? 25 ghouls and ghasts? Don't get separated, folks, or I think we will be in a world of hurt!

Initative

1d20 + 4

What type of bonus is the power of faith Is it a moral bonus?

Morale bonus, so doesn't stack with bardic music but the AC bonus still helps. and the +1 saves vs fear is in addition to the +4 vs fear from being in Gregori's personal Aura of Good

Power of Faith is also a standard action so that's Gregori's for this round

Actually bardic music grants a competence bonus. And this IS Rappan Athuk after all. ;o)

Tika begins to inspire courage the others whilst getting her longspear ready (+2 to attack damage plus vs fear and it stacks with the aura)

Artival fires off a bolt of fire at the closest undead to the group.

Cast scorching ray.

Ranged Touch 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 24

Damage 4d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 1, 4) = 7. Not sure if bardic bonus applies. If so, add two more.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Her smile just broadening at the odds, "By the restless spirits there sure are alot of them! Gregori, you get the left I'll get the right." She steps off to the immediate right and prepares to cut down the first thing that approaches, surprisingly apparently heeding her little sisters unspoken advice.

Greatsword power attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (5, 5) + 19 = 29

You still have a move action so you could move forward Gregori.

After the Ghoul's move Kem will cast his Alkahest bomb where it can do the most splash damage, without hitting a team member.

Ranged Touch 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21 Point Blank, Spell, Bardic

Acid Damage3d8 + 7 ⇒ (2, 4, 7) + 7 = 20 Point Blank, Spell, Bardic

Splash Damage 10 to all adjacent

Kem will remain in the doorway until there are no targets to throw at before entering the room.

Gregori strides into the room veering to the left.

Fort1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 1 = 21

Ka'kara and Kem destroy two ghouls and Artival finishes off a wounded one. Then the undead army closes, and to your dismay you see that they are wearing tatters of the banners of the army of good that asssaulted the temple long ago.

Ka'kara is hit for 15 points of damage and needs a Fort 17 save. Gregori and Kem manage to fend off the undead.

Map updated.

You are all up.

"Let's step lively, my friends!"

She casts Haste on Ka'kara, Gregory, Lyria, Kem Het, Tika, and herself. Sorry, Artival - one more level and I can hopefully stop excluding you!

She will remain outside the room for the time being, with Kem Het.

Was waiting for Lyria to wipe them all out but I guess we'll do this the fun way... :D

Greatsword power attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31
Damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (1, 3) + 19 = 23

Hasted Greatsword power attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (1, 1) + 19 = 21

Greatsword power attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (2, 4) + 19 = 25

Hasted Greatsword power attack crit confirm: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (2, 6) + 19 = 27

Fort Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Kem prepares, and launches another Alkahest Bomb at F23. (Swift Alchemy)

1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24 Point Blank, Hasted, Inspired, Power of Faith

3d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 7, 6) + 7 = 28 Point Blank, Inspired, Power of Faith

10 damage to all surrounding squares

Lyria sighs as the ghouls advance towards the party, trying to surround as many party members as they can. She shouts to the others to fall back to the corridor as a choke point, and immediately raises her holy symbol and beings to channel energy in what has become almost a habit for her. Blue waves of energy repeatedly hit the ghouls, adding the sickening smell of burned flesh to the already horrible stench existing in the small cave.

Channel Energy, 3d6 + 5 ⇒ (1, 6, 5) + 5 = 17 damage, +2 to their DC and they are not supposed to add their channel resistance to their saves.

Gregori wades in on the opposite side to Ka'kara Bade slicing wikedly into the undead.

1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 21
1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 + 1 + (2) = 13Cold

Hasted attack
1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 21
1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 + 1 + (4) = 12Cold

Artival goes looking for any stragglers and fires off his magic missle toward the closest one standing.

Damage 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 1) + 3 = 9

After your combined show of force there are only a few stray ghouls standing, so I will assume that you cut them down with little effort.

You get 1714 xp for the battle.

You are ill at ease as you discover that most of the ghouls are wearing the insignia of Iomedae or Sarenrae. They were obviously part of the army of good that assaulted the temple. On the other hand that shows that you are on the right track. There are a number of dwarves among them but none of those that you are seeking.

There is a lot of other stuff, though. You find 2301 gp, 4204 sp, 2910 cp, all manner of common weapons and armor, including several suits of chainmail, a breastplate, a full suit of dwarf-sized half-plate, two masterwork steel shields (one heavy and one light), a masterwork heavy mace, a masterwork short sword, a masterwork morningstar, a silvered dagger, a composite short bow (+1 Str), 18 +1 arrows, a +1 keen punching dagger, a +1 returning handaxe and a +2 warhammer and three potions: 2 potions of cure light wounds and a potion of remove disease.

I'm assuming that you will be able to identify it all. None of it is very hard.

Also I'm going on vacation for a week and will be back on the 8th of July. See you then.

Enjoy your trip!

Roylenna looks at the recovered equipment sadly. "Warriors never carry the fun stuff, have you noticed that?"

Looks like some cool swag for the martial types. Step right up!

Artival helps the ladies identify all the magic items and fills the front liners in on all the goodies in the room.

Ka'kara looks greatly pleased with the handaxe as she experimentally throws it into one of the corpses only to have it return to her hand. Glancing toward Roylenna with a look of wonder, "By the spirits, have you ever seen such a thing?"

She'll take the handaxe unless anyone has an objection.

"My uncle told me of a dagger that would come back when he threw it. I always asked if it came back when you throw it, where is it now? He would just laugh and tell me that was a tale for another day. I thought he was telling me fables, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings because they sounded so fun if they were true."

She takes the handaxe from the Furyheart scion to look at it, "Maybe they really were." Looking up at the ceiling, she says, "Sorry, Uncle Milo, I should never have doubted you." She hands the axe back without looking at Ka'kara and makes a show of sorting out the magical arrows from the mundane ones, keeping her eyes down.

And to see a halfling's eyes when she wants to avert them to the floor, you will have to about lay on the floor and look up. ;-)

With the number of undead around, the warhammer would beuseful against the more skeletal ones. Does anyone else use a bow?" Gregori asks as he peruses the catche of weaponry.

Gregori seems like the only bow user in the group. The war hammer would be his backup weapon so if someone needs to upgrade their primary by all means go for it.