Crimson Throne of Lore
Game Master LoreKeeper

Ten rushes forward his overly long spear brushing against the cavernous walls. Protectively he stands before his stunned comrades and levels his spear to the closest derro. Unfortunately his attack fails to connect.

Next up: Caulder, Pagrip (stunned), derro, Ten, Esmerelda

Map updated

Caulder sighs and moves forward to protect the hapless paladin. "Put some oomph into it, Darkbane," he grins. "Next time, try 'By the holy light of Abadar.'" Unable to get past the unmoving dwarf to reach Esmerelda, he presents his holy symbol and channels positive energy.

Move 15 feet west; Channel Positive Energy to heal 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) = 8

Caulder's aid comes not a moment too soon. The pale complexion on Esmerelda and Pagrip's faces takes on a better hue. An incoherent babble comes from the far side of the room as the derro speak rapidly among themselves, the words of one appear to hold some power and a noise similar to the stunning shrieks from earlier can be heard - but it appears no physical harm comes from it. The other two derro aim their crossbows at Ten - but both shots narrowly miss the tall man.

Strange crossbow at Ten 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 damage 1d6 ⇒ 6
Strange crossbow at Ten 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 damage 1d6 ⇒ 4

Next up: Ten, Esmerelda, Caulder, Pagrip, derro

Map updated

That's strange. The derros' attack definitely missed when I posted - but my feed updated with numbers that showed them to have hit. Now when I look, it appears to be misses again. Strange. In any event. They definitely missed.

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

"Caulder, behind us!" Ten warns.
Right again, cleric. I'm sure we'll hear about it later.

"33, extract 5... thanks, good boy." Ten gulps down his shield extract, checks to see if Darkbane is stable enough to defend herself, and then takes a 5-foot step towards the nearest derro. 33 threatens adjacent squares and the longspear has reach.

HP: 30; Con 12; AC 21, T 11, F 20

"I am tired of these darned derros in this darned dungeon!" Esme draws her warhammer as she moves to stand next to the closest derro (the ones on the left of the room) and swings her hammer at its head.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21Damage: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

"Oomph! and by Abadars Holy light!" Her empty hand glows with radiant energy which closes some of her wounds. Swiftly uses lay on hands on self An ok lay: 1d6 ⇒ 3

hp 19/29, Con 14, AC 18, T 12, F 16

More accurate damage roll for Esmerelda 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Well, there you go :)

A very slight refraction of the light is around Ten now, as the extract takes effect. Esmerelda clears the gap between her and the couple of derros to the south. Her hammer smashes into the freakish little blue man, it makes an audible crack along the side of the head as bone shatters under the impact. Amazingly the derro still stands, looking nervous but remarkably hale given the circumstances.

Next up: Caulder, Pagrip, derros, Ten, Esmerelda

Map updated

"Caulder, behind us!" Ten warns.

"What?" Caulder spins around to see what's coming up behind his back. "I don't hear anything."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Pagrip shakes his head as he regains his senses. He reaches down to pick up his warhammer. "Definitely something coming up behind us," he says as he hefts the weapon.

Move action to retrieve dropped warhammer.

The derro try to make a bit of distance for themselves, in the case of the one near Ten it isn't so effective, when he tries to leverage his crossbow at Ten he provokes an attack - the shot itself goes wide.

The other two derros near Esmerelda try to keep away from the wrath of the Abadarian paladin. The one starts shrieking, which causes a blast of noise that catches both Ten and Esmerelda. The other immediately shoots his crossbow - but the bolt only manages to hit the armor with an audible THLANKK! without harming the woman underneath.

Sound burst damage 1d8 ⇒ 7
Esmerelda Fortitude vs sound burst DC 15 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Ten Fortitude vs sound burst DC 15 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Strange crossbow vs Esmerelda 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 damage 1d6 ⇒ 6

Strange crossbow vs Ten 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 damage 1d6 ⇒ 5

Next up: AOO for Ten, Ten, Esmerelda, Caulder, Pagrip

EDIT: Changed for map adjustment.

Ten takes the opportunity to spear the derro...

Spear AoO 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Spear Damage 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

... but misses. Ten quickly follows through though, stepping up to the derro, to keep up the pressure.

"Now 33, get him!"

33 Slam 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
33 Damage 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
33 Grab 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

"Come here, you little blue freak!"

"Would you kindly mind STOP SHOUTING IN MY EAR!" Esme shouts at the derro as she advances on the hapless fool that she brained already while unlimbering her shield.

Hammer Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 Hammer Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

hp 12/29, Con 14, AC 20, T 12, F 18

Oops, forgot to post updated map

Map updated

Please adjust posts appropriately

Ten's spear strikes right in the derro's thigh and he immediately follows up after it. His tentacle-like experiment lashes out and hit and grabs successfully. A panic is in the derro's eyes - just enough to shine through the usual wild craze.

Esmerelda gets a good clear hit in the little blue man, leaving him much worse for wear.

Next up: Caulder, Pagrip, derros, Ten, Esmerelda

Map updated

"I can't see anything!" Caulder grits nervously as he continues to stare up the tunnel. "Dwarf?"

Delay until after Pagrip

"Yeah, yeah, I'm going," Pagrip says as he moves past Caulder and back along the tunnel and peers around the corner.

Move 20 ft along the corridor and take a look at what he can see.

Caulder splits his attention uneasily between the fight in the cavern and the dwarf edging toward the darkness. Unwilling to let either side out of his sight, he keeps his eyes on the dwarf's back but calls out encouragement to the paladin. "Hold on to your weapon this time, Darkbane, and try to finish the little blue guys quickly! Who knows what's heading our way now?"

Inspiring Word on Esmerelda: +2 on attack, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws until Caulder's next init

Pagrip moves along, but quite to his dismay he sees or hears nothing worrisome down that path. Which was worrisome. Hearing Caulder shout to Esmerelda he turns his attention back down to where the fighting was taking place - to see a thick black darkness envelope that area too.

On the other side the sudden darkness catches Esmerelda unprepared and even though her eyes desperately try to adjust, she feels the sharp pain and cramping sensation of a poisoned bolt hitting her in the abdomen. The one good thing, she reflects, is that by the irate screeching by the derro over at Ten's position the derro did not manage to escape the grapple.

Attack against Esmerelda 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25 damage 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (2) = 4
Esmerelda Fortitude vs poison DC 14 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Grapple to escape vs Ten 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Next up: Ten, Esmerelda, Pagrip, Caulder, derros

Map updated

"Darn your inky blackness all to heck!" Esme attacks the darkness where she thinks she saw a little blue man last. i.e. due south.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 = 16 Miss Chance (low bad): 1d100 ⇒ 48 Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Can Caulders boost give +2 to the miss chance as well?

hp 8/29, Con 14, AC 20, T 12, F 18

"Pagrip! Call out their positions!"

IF I survive this, I need to research an extract that improves night vision.

"33, finish this one quickly. We need to get out of this blackness." Ten grabs the derro's right arm and pulls while 33, wrapped around the blue dwarf's neck, pulls in the opposite direction.

33 Maintain Grapple 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
33 Clutch 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

HP: 30; Con 12; AC 21, T 11, F 20, CMD 18

Esmerelda is pretty sure she's attacking the right spot, it sounds like somebody was not too far off from her blade. Ten's grapple succeeds in a pained grunt and whimpers.

Next up: Pagrip, Caulder, derro, Ten, Esmerelda

Pagrip frowns at not being able to see anything behind them. With a slight hesitation, he turns back around and returns to the room to help guide the others in the dark. "Right in front of you there, Esme," he says.

Double move to ten feet west of ten.

Alone in the light, Caulder watches both corridors for derro or small bolts streaking out of the darkness.

Total defense: AC 20

Pagrip deftly makes his way into the darkness, effortlessly brushing passed a derro who only has his crossbow to hand. Nervously at the apparent impunity that the dwarf is displaying the derro steps back gingerly and levers his crossbow at the Pagrip.

Strange crossbow 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 damage 1d6 ⇒ 4
Pagrip Fortitude vs poison DC 14 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8 Dexterity damage 1d2 ⇒ 2

This time the bolt thuds into Pagrip's bicep and firmly digs in. A paralyzing sensation emanates from the wound that makes it hard him to move.

Esmerelda feels one of the creatures brush by, so close she can feel the dampness of its skin against her own.

The derro is literally going through Esmerelda's square - I'll allow an AOO for Esmerelda (with the usual 50% miss chance).

Ten feels - but does not see - how the little blue man is straining against the grip until he goes a slightly darker shade of blue. His efforts are very nearly rewarded; though the strange growth on Ten's body manages to keep its vice-like grip.

Grapple Attempt to Escape! 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Next up: Ten, Esmerelda, Pagrip, Caulder, derros

Map updated

"Be a good little blue freak and go... to... sleep!" Ten grunts as he twists the derro's arm around its back while 33 continues to wrench its neck in the wrong direction.

33 Maintain Grapple 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
33 Clutch 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

HP: 30; Con 12; AC 21, T 11, F 20, CMD 18

AoO: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 2 = 25Miss Chance(below 50 misses): 1d100 ⇒ 83Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

"I think I got one!"

Esme stumbles northward in the dark peering through the darkness as if she can see the little blue men.

Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

"Pagrip! Where are they?"

The paladin's blade momentarily flashes, visible even in the darkness, as it strikes through the derro that tried to pass Esmerelda. The creature collapses in a sickening thud. Esmerelda pushes herself northwards a bit, and is pretty sure there should be one more somewhere, but her senses cannot penetrate the dark sufficiently.

Ten's effort very nearly slay the derro he captured. It's still moving and screaming, but it seems weak and is repeating the same word again and again.

Next up: Pagrip, Caulder, derros, Ten, Esmerelda

Pagrip moves up to the remaining derro and swings with his warhammer. "Over here, Esme!" he calls.

Warhammer: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Lather, rinse, repeat last round

"Coming!"

Pagrip quickly closes the gap with the derro but his warhammer isn't as sure to find the mark. Caulder, a little worried, hopes that inside the darkness things are going fair enough for his companions. The derro under Ten's dominion makes one quick attempt at breaking free - but fails against the overbearing power of the alchemist. The other derro quickly realizes his dwindling options and decides that survival is the better part of valor and squeezes through a narrow corridor that goes off to the west.

Attempt to Escape! 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Next up: Ten, Esmerelda, Pagrip, Caulder, derro

Map updated

33 Maintain Grapple 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33
33 Clutch 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Ten shoves his knee into the small of derro's back and pulls the blue dwarf against it, hoping to hear the dwarf's bones CRACK.

HP: 30; Con 12; AC 21, T 11, F 20, CMD 18

Esme swings at the location she thinks Pagrip indicated.

"Darn. Missed again."

Ten's knee produces a prolonged screech by the derro, abruptly cut short by a crack and then silence. Pagrip - the only one to have a good idea of what is going on - sees no more hostiles.

Combat Over - or is it?

"Did we get them all?"

hp 8/29

"One of them ran off through a thin side passage over here," Pagrip says. "It's pretty narrow in there. It would be difficult to go after him."

"Over where? What thin side passage? He got away? That's alright then. Cleric! We need healing in here."

"Come out here," Caulder insists stubbornly. "I'm not wandering in there blind. Who knows what could jump out at us? Until the darkness clears, the dwarf's the only one who can do a thing anyway."

"Keep talking so I can find my way out."

Esme walks towards Caulder.

"Ouch! Who left a huge hunk of metal lying around?"

Esme picks up her greatsword.

"Nevermind."

Esme emerges from the dark, looking like a sickly porcupine.

"uh. Caulder... could you please pull these out?" Esme asks pointing at her bleeding collection of protruding crossbow bolts.

"Too squeamish to do it yourself, Darkbane?" he asks, with a smirk that says a real warrior would have pulled out the bolts and then used them as improvised weapons to skewer the eyeballs of the damned blue midgets that dared to attack him.

"Well. Excuse me, Mr Cleric" Esme says as she starts pulling out the bolts "For thinking you had other abilities apart from sitting in the dark making snide comments."

"Actually, I was in the light," he points out.

How hurt is Pagrip? Caulder's almost out of healing. There's a reason he keeps buying potions, you know. :P

"I stand corrected." Esme declares in annoyance. "Ten, Pagrip. Get into the light. Did you sustain any damage?"

why havn't we purchased a wand of cure light wounds yet? Only 187.5 gp each. Practically a bargain.

There is - perhaps - enough time for you guys to head out and get a wand. And perhaps an everburning torch too. If you go all the way back to the bank where you'd be able to get it with little effort and normally priced, it would take about 6 hours to go back and forth.

Alternatively, I'll allow a Diplomacy check to get you the items nearby and you can be back in 1 hour. DC 10 = 50% mark-up, DC 15 = 25% mark-up, DC 20 = 0% mark-up (less than DC 10 = items not available). The mark-up is calculated on top of normal cost. Attempting this Diplomacy check adds 1 hour to the time regardless of how you end up going about things - though each character can make the Diplomacy check and this only counts as 1 hour.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

"We are not well equipped enough to continue. But, luckily, I know this little shoppe around the corner where we can get everything we need."

ion torch? and wand of cure light?

Ten emerges from the darkness, 33 safely tucked back under his clothing. "No serious harm," he responds to Esme's question. "I should have spent more time brewing up alchemical solutions to problems like this," he sighs, "Instead of wasting time at public executions and riots."

"Now Ten. Unlike Abadar's wisdom, alchemy cannot solve everything."

"I'll stay here," Caulder responds grimly. "Yes, outside the mausoleum, Darkbane, but right at the door. Don't want anything getting in or out while you're on your little shopping expedition."

187.5 gp removed from character sheet. How much for the ioun torch? (asks the man who can cast light at will for free. Not that Pagrip needs it either.)