Carrion Crown [PFS Pbp] (Inactive)

Game Master James Martin

Sonny looks at Xerice. You wanted excitement, well we may just have found it.

"They are just some rats. If one of us steps out of the way my dear godess can take care of them."

Xerice waits for someone to move 30 ft. away, advances to within 30 feet of the rats provided some stronger men can hold the rats back, and then holds her holy symbol. "Dear Calistria, please remove these pathetic vermin, but avoid those who would protect your devoted servant."

channel negative for channel: 1d6 ⇒ 4 dmg against each rat.

Sonny moves 30' away. That is dangerous stuff you meddle with, I'll gladly get out of the way.

Zanu obeys Xerices command to move out of the way moving in the direction sonny was heading. okay.

Ezechias waits until Xerice is done, then moves in, mace at the ready.

I have selective channeling and a high charisma, so only one person has to stay away. Like with the centipedes :)

Xerice steps forward as the chittering becomes threatening. She calls upon Callistria's vengeance and the rats's squeaks become panicked. Suddenly they surge forth, a swarm of feral rats barrelling down the wall and at Xerice! They cover her with tiny bites, dealing 1d6 ⇒ 1 damage! Xerice I need a Fort Save vs disease and a Fort save vs distraction!

Initiatives!
Cireth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Zanu: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Xerice: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Ezechias: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Cesare: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Foes: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Sonny: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Round 1:
27 Zanu
20 Ezechias
19 Rats
17 Cesare
13 Xerice
12 Cireth
5 Sonny

Zanu and Ezechias are up!

the things are quite a distance from Zanu, but his magic missile can reach damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Zanu's missile strikes a random rat, but the swarm seems not to be diminished!

Ezechias!

Was hoping to be level 2 before we faced swarms :(. Oh well.

Rats, why did it have to be rats. Cireth mutters.

Ezechias charges and strikes the rat swarm with Hope!
Hope, charge: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 2 = 121d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

A bludgeoning weapon does full damage against a swarm of tiny creatures like rats by the way. Only the smaller creatures composing a swarm are actually immune to weapon damage.

don't ratsie swarms only have 15 ft movement? :(
fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Xerice jumps up and down in annoyance that the rats got close to her.
"I thought you protected your companions Ezechias! "

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Xerice is nauseated for 1 round!

Ezechias charges the swarm, but he's unable to connect! The swarm continues chewing on Xerice! Chew and bite and claw!: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Once again, a fort save vs disease and distraction!

Caesare, Xerice, Cireth and Sonny are up!

Sonny approaches the rats and attacks.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Looks like you found plenty of excitement now Xerice. How are you feeling?

Caesare dances back and tuses an aid another option to aid Ezechias.
aid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Being unable to do much else. Xerice withdraws behind her allies as far away from the rats as she can.

"I feel that I overestimated the bravery and might of my companions Sonny! "
Xerice says in disgust at their inability to harm the swarm.

fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

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Cireth charges and grows claws, imbuing them with power as he goes, striking at the rats.

Free Action: Grow Claws
Swift Action: Arcane Strike

Charge: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 15
Damage + Arcane Strike (bludgeoning/slashing): 1d4 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 = 8

AC - 9

Caesare attempts to aid Ezechias, but ends up tripping while trying to avoid the rats! Xerice blames her companions and nauseated, retreats. Cireth lays into the swarm, cutting and smashing several rats, but the swarm continues to chitter and screech! Sonny slashes, but the rat swarm is unfazed!

Round 2:
27 Zanu
20 Ezechias
19 Rats
17 Cesare
13 Xerice
12 Cireth
5 Sonny

Zanu and Ezechias are up!

Zanu comes up behind the paladin and cast vanish on him.
it will last for 1 full round or until you attack, but because you are invisible the enemy is flatfooted against you and you get a +2 to your attack roll for the round. Invisible: Invisible creatures are visually undetectable. An invisible creature gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls against sighted opponents, and ignores its opponents' Dexterity bonuses to AC (if any). See Invisibility, under Special Abilities.

Unaware of the magic bestowed on him, the paladin strikes with all his might on the rats!
Hope, invisible (vs. FF): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 2 = 231d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Zanu bestows Ezechias with momentary invisibility and he puts it to good use, smashing the swarm with Hope. With this, the swarm falls apart, individual rats racing off to hidey holes.

End of Combat!

Sonny walks over to Xerice, And I thought you liked a little nibbling. He then gives her a big smile.

"Never from pathetic creatures. And if you keep making fun of me, I will show you how much of a nibbler I am!" Xerice says with a slight scowl on her face and demonstrating her canines in a mock bite.
"Now move away. I need to use that dangerous stuff to heal myself."

Xerice holds her symbol and prays. "Dear godess, please heal your loyal servant for her companions failed to protect her."

channel negative: 1d6 ⇒ 6
The negative energy swirls forth and the wounds on Xerice's body close completely.

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We don't need to step away if you are using it to heal, unless you just want some alone time :).

I don't know what you are complaining about Cireth says as his hands become normal and he attempts to clean the rat-gore from himself and flexing his strong arms.

You rushed ahead and pissed off a bunch of rats. About ten seconds later they were dealt with and what remained was sent scurrying away, and this is somehow a bad or unexpected result. Now come, lets keep moving, we still have a lot of ground to cover.

Zanu defends Xerice, though his voice isn't angered or loud or tempered in any way, though defensive for her I think the next time Xerice tries something like that, someone should be in front of her so whatever tries to get to her has to go through that person first. And she had every right to attack those rats. Exploring what is up there might be important to our investigation and just going near them would set them off with a swarm like that. I feel there was no other way, she was trying to off them by surprise, but it didn't work. The question I want to know is how are rats that smart that they know the channel came directly from here, it is a thing of energy with a 30 foot radius? I would expect the rats to attack a random person.

As you approach you smell the rancid stench of rat feces and you can hear loud screeches of rats inside. Indeed, hundreds of tiny glowing eyes peer at you from the shadows.

Yes, when suddenly assaulted by something that causes them pain, why would a swarm of rats who watched you approach attack the nearest strange thing they saw? It's completely insane.

DM that was my in-character asking. Also my out of character thought everyone except for maybe me and whoever elese moved away were all at the same distance from the rats when Xerice channeled, give or take 5 feet.

Eh, being farther away was probably good for us to be honest. *metagaming hat on* Charging gives an attack bonus, AC doesn't matter vs a swarm, and the only person attacking twice on a full attack is Cireth I believe and the 13 he rolled probably would have missed without the charge. Distance is not something I'd be complaining about in the slightest :).

Except rat swarms have a climb speed, so going straight down was a lot closer than going the long way down the stairs.

Now that the rats are cleared out, the tower reveals very little of value. The roof has collapsed in and any useable materials have been stripped by looters over the years. The heavy stench of rat urine and feces make your eyes burn and you're not able to access the wall due to the collapsed roof.

Continue around the inside of the wall or clear the collapsed wall to access the top of the wall?

Eh, being farther away was probably good for us to be honest. *metagaming hat on* Charging gives an attack bonus, AC doesn't matter vs a swarm, and the only person attacking twice on a full attack is Cireth. The 13 he rolled probably would have missed without the charge. Distance is not something I'd be complaining about in the slightest :). Indeed, if we were all bunched up and it was a big swarm the results could have been worse.

One person got a couple nibbles and from Cireth's perspective (and mine) it was handled quite efficiently. Yay rat bait :)

Zanu goes up there to investigate now that the swarm is gone. masterwork scimitar in hand.

Ezechias moves in alongside Zanu to clear the path.

Sonny hangs back to protect Xerice and leans over to her.

Sonny watches the party's back to make sure nothing sneaks up on us.

Caesare checks around for anything worth noting.
Perc: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
"Nothing worth noting here. And to be honest the building will hold answers. We should not waste daylight and enter the prison proper. I seems looters have already be here, so let us move on!"

Xerice moves away from Sonny and places an arm on Zanu's arm.
"Thank you Zanu for your support. It seems at least someone here knows basic combat tactics. And for the next time, you need not fear the energies. I can avoid 4 of you. So as long as one person is 30 feet away everyone will be fine and I can damage all enemies at once." Xerice says as she cleans herself from the blood with some water from a flask.

"Now let us move on and go inside. There is nothing to be found out here. Let's see if we can find some ghosts in there.

Hopefully next time you can protect me, as you promised Ezechias. That way I can support the group in battle properly." Xerice says to Ezichias in particular.

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Ezechias remains calm and silent, as ever, not wishing to meddle into petty grievances. The half-orc nods and replies "First way of protecting yourself is not to put yourself in harm's way recklessly and unnecessarily."

"Well, there was a strong half-orc in front of me but he walked away. But I will remember your wisdom next time you require my aid." Xerice retorts.

shall we discuss a marching order for inside? Xerice us best somewhere in the middle for her domain powers and channels.

Zanu heads in with the group he is in the middle, cold-iron masterwork scimitar in hand. The good news is, we have quite a few people here with darkvision on in cast there are some dark areas in here.

Then he whispers to Xerice

Cireth nods.

I also have the ability to produce light, so hopefully darkness itself isn't a problem. Of course magically produced darkness would be an issue however.

After about a half hour's sweaty work moving heavy blocks of rubble, you have a clear path onto the walkway around the wall. From this vantage you can see into the courtyard below and across to the second floor of the Prison. However, the only thing of interest you notice is the arcane runes continue around the outside of the Prison's walls.

The wall ends on the other side of the prison in rubble, where it seems to have collapsed into a pond. The water is grey and murky and nothing seems to stir within it.

You're on a 30' tall wall. Where would you like to go now?

Zanu wants to go swimming.
Zanu will look at the vantage point to what is near and around the prison or inside it using the vantage point. not sure if the 30 foot height gives me an advantage or not.

Zanu looks for about 24 seconds.

perception: 1d20 ⇒ 7 to look north
perception: 1d20 ⇒ 7 to look south
perception: 1d20 ⇒ 19 to look East
perception: 1d20 ⇒ 9 to look West

"Let us find entrances. Main entrance and maybe side entrance. Are the blocked or can we proceed."

From your height and vantage, you know of two entrances: the main front door and through the ruined portion that has partially collapsed into the pond.

Well, it looks like it's time to go into the inner courtyard.

I agree. I don't relish going into that pond. With that you see a small shiver in Sonny of some remembered past.

when Zanu tells them about the two entrances he asks the party which one they want to take. Obviously Sonny wants the front door.

"Let's not delay, then." says Ezechias as he moves towards the inner courtyard.

Xerice follows the group falling into place somewhere in the middle behind Zanu.

At least this one would try to properly protect me.

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Moving carefully closer to the entrance and checks for unpleasentries.
perc: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Making your way carefully back down the wall and the staircase, you head toward the front door. Something in the air seems too still and the entrance yawns like a mouth ahead of you, open and waiting...

This was once a wide hall flanked by a pair of waiting rooms, but the foyer to Harrowstone now lies in ruins. With little left to hold up the ceiling, the wooden beams above sag dramatically. The wall to the north contains a large pair of oaken doors.

Caesare, you see nothing dangerous, but as you look up, you recognize that the balcony above is unstable and any weight placed on it may cause it to collapse into this foyer.