DM Panic's Scourge of the Slavelords Prologue

Game Master wakedown

Mukluk translates for Doruk.

"Just an alarm. No telling how old it is...or is there?"

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 Spellcraft/Arcana to ID spell effect and how long these spells can last

Mukluk thinks for a moment.

"Well, the good news is that it's speaking dwarven. Mobled, maybe you should lead."

"Don't worry Doruk. I've thunk more about it. That spell stays until it triggers...it might be centuries old. Or new. Mob, maybe you want to shout ahead in dwarven that we are friendly?"

"Dwarven traps can last this long, I suppose an alarm can as well. The real question is what was making the noise, and is it still?"

Martigan clutches his shield to him, ready to defend himself from more dwarven cunning.

"Coz, 'ave we seen any dwarves alive? Other'm me 'n ye, I mean. I figger there ain't no court left t' welcome us with airs 'n pomp. But alright, I'll yell."

Shockingly, a burly, but feminine dwarven voice responds to Mobled from the other side of the door.

Mobled turns and proudly snorts at the party. "That one's putty in me hands, don't ye think?"

Mukluk steps up and also speaks the one true tongue.

Mukluk holds up his signet ring to the door/voice.

Oh, Highforge. Well, Mobled would know that even though I don't...

Mobled glares a bit at Mukluk, suspecting that he's moving in on her conquest...

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Wisdom 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

"She's a duergar, she is. Definitely not as purdy as Rinalda, but I'll be happy t' wrassle wi' 'er anyways."

You can make out several different voices in dwarven beyond the closed door.

Hearing the beginning of the drawn out dwarvish conversation, Petrel has a flash of brilliance, and realizes now would be the perfect time for his disguise.

He will trot back up the stairs to the statue room and change into his "dwarven miner" costume.

An outfit that you're told a miner would wear if they were going to a "fancy party"
a disguise kit (+2 to disguise)
a fake beard of dwarvish style (as cheap red wig)

Disguise 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20

He will sneak back and join the conversation (in common):

Stealth 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

"I'm a dwarf too! Open up!"

He will then give the "thumbs up" sign to Mukluk, with a big grin under his fake beard.

Martigan gently palms his face as Petrel returns.

"That's...that's a great disguise Petrel. Hey, what can these duergar do?"

The voices beyond the door no longer responds in any language, seeming to indicate they are either waiting for you to depart, or enter.

"Any of ye 'ave any special magics fer makin' me fists hurt more? Methinks they're hunkerin' down for battle."

"Who are they though? Maybe they think we're aligned with the Orcs. Could they actually be Dwarves who've been in hiding all this time?"

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 Perception
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14 Wisdom
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Linguistics

"Duergar? Here? Are you sure Mobled? In *MY* fortress?!" Mukluk seems to be irritated.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Knowledge: Local on Duergar MM will share what he knows with the rest.

"Ain't no way they are staying in my fortress. They are the worst kinds of dwarfkin, they are smelly rude and ugly. Ain't they Mobled?"

"Let's prepare for a fight...if they be insulting the Clan Highforge, then the lot of them have no honor among them." Mukluk whispers.

Mukluk pulls out a scroll (Glitterdust) while looking at the preparations of others. He stops short for a moment when he sees Petrel-Duergar, but then smiles widely.

"Good thinking, Petrel. We'll confuse them."

He's the best. Too bad he didn't bring cats to throw in the room as well. That would also confuse 'em.

Last call for any preparations, spells, disguises, what-nots before Mobled throws the door open and I give you a glimpse into the room beyond.

I'm going to assume standing at the top of the steps is Mobled followed by Doruk, Martigan, Petrel, Mukluk, Tiabar - all in a nice straight line unless I'm told otherwise...

Could we have a map for placing ourselves? Did I miss one? Mobled will have a potion of enlarge person in hand, ready to drink.

Mobled does a rather too loud stage whisper in Common. "Ready with the fireball, Coz? On a one, two, three... four... five..."

Bluff 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (15) - 2 = 13

Mukluk nods and is ready to go.

Fireball? FIREBALL? What kind of idiot arcanist thinks fireball is a worthy spell? Evocationists are morons, all of them.

The map I posted when you opened the door is still valid. I didn't place any PCs since I wasn't sure who was where exactly. I'll line the six of you up starting at the door if that's the plan to rush into the room quickest... or I can do an alternative placement if you have "concerns" about that.

Map Link

Cool. So this is a 10' door?

Mobled signals to everyone but Doruk to wait behind the corner as she gets ready to open the door. More area effect fire for us, DMPanic? Might as well have it in two posts simultaneously!

Martigan will line up along the wall, out of site of the door but ready to support his companions.

I hope this ends well. At least we're not charging a dragon. I hope.

You're right, that hallway is 10ft wide. It's unclear, but I figure it's a standard 5ft wide doorway, it's just in the middle of the 10ft passage.

Thus I'd typically put you guys lined up at the door like:

Ti : Ma : Do : Door
Mu : Pe : Mo : Door

Mukluk steps 10' back down the stairs, certain that is magicks can reach any foe, but is ready to go.

With a grunt, Mobled throws the heavy door open like it's a sack of barley, revealing an immense 100ft long, 50ft wide throne room beyond.

Ten great pillars are carved into fantastic images of giants and dragons straining to support the massive vaulted ceiling 30 feet above.

Guttering orange torches are set into scones 10 feet above the floor and illuminate the length of the room all the way to the might throne that sits upon the dais at the opposite end.

The walls were once covered with frescoes, but these are long gone, smashed into tiny fragments and replaced with Orcish graffiti. There are five other doors not counting the one you just entered through.

A small fire smolders on the floor in front of the dais, and a half-dozen sleeping pallets lie empty here, surrounded by packs and various supplies.

The room appears empty (i.e. you don't see nor hear any dwarves)

Updated Map

1--
24 Petrel :
23 Mukluk :
20 Tiabrar :
16 Doruk :
19 Duergar :
6 Mobled :
5 Martigan :

Now Up: Petrel, Mukluk and Tiabrar

Round 1, Init 20

Tiabrar would drink his mutagen before the doors opened and have his bow in hand.

Upon seeing the empty room, he looks about for the people or any traps.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

"Um. I don't think it's safe."

Female voice: You're learning. Good.

Tiabrar doesn't notice any obvious traps - at least mechanical or magical ones that he thinks would require disarming; obviously the fact the room is empty and quiet after the recent conversation suggests that it is indeed, a trap of some sort...

Tiabrar readies to fire an arrow if something comes out.
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 +1 if within 30'
1d8 ⇒ 6 +1 if within 30'

Round 1, Init 23

Mukluk delays.

"Don't look at me, I ain't going in there first. Mobled, she's your woman, you go."

In classic impulsive "striker" style, Petrel will dart forward despite being squishy & wounded.

Petrel will sneak into the room, weapons ready. He'll enter then immediately go south, hugging the wall and going towards a pillar. He'll have his hungry magic weapon in one and and a (non-masterwork) knife in the other. If he sees someone, he'll throw the knife, otherwise he will take another move up to the pillar.

Stealth 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Believe Petrel has a str penalty to damage, forgot about that during the grick fight.

Single knife no-sneak 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Vs flatfood add + 2d8 ⇒ (6, 7) = 13

"Careful little Petal."

If Martigan had the chance to notice Petrel injured, he'd have healed him with two hits from the wand for 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 3) + 3 = 11. GM call on this one but I can't see Martigan not making sure everybody was full health before this went down.

I would totally buy that Martigan heals Petrel before you guys continued - 3d8 looks like 3 wand hits not 2, correct?

Petrel is moving at half-speed for sneaking. I'm giving the duergar a +10 circumstance bonus to spot Petrel as their eyes are trained on his only point of entry, yet somehow several still fail to notice the disguised dwarf crawling into the room...

As Petrel works his way along southward the outer wall, it takes a few moments for the room's occupants to comprehend what is happening as a voice from somewhere deeper in the large chamber calls out.

1--
24 Petrel : Sneaks into A,10
20 Tiabrar : Readies to shoot something
19 Duergar : ??? (only a voice is heard)
16 Doruk :
6 Mobled :
6- Mukluk :
5 Martigan :

Updated Map

Now Up: Doruk and Mobled (Mukluk and Martigan might want to wait to see what those two do before posting... just saying)

Doruk moves into the room 5' and then goes roughly diagonally the opposite way of Petrel. He moves in 20' total and readies to attack (combat expertise & power attack) anyone not in the party if they get close enough to strike.

Mobled drinks her potion and moves into the room, ending up at C:D/6:7. She pulls out her dorn dergar, twirling it's now wrecking-ball sized steel fist as she goes.

** spoiler omitted **

I would totally buy that Martigan heals Petrel before you guys continued - 3d8 looks like 3 wand hits not 2, correct?

Yeah, wrote 2 and then got a whole 7 out of the deal so I threw in a third.

Round 1, Init 6-

Mukluk moves to the doorway where he can see in.

Mukluk readies to wand any badguy he sees.

"GlimsSkie!"
1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 force damage

As Doruk and Mobled cautiously enter the room, a voice shouts out from the central part of the chamber in dwarven.

A pair of balding, gray-skinned dwarves suddenly materialize into view and swing their oversized battleaxes at Doruk and Mobled. The second duergar slashes across Mobled's unprotected arm (-5HP to Mobled) while Doruk easily steps away from the downward swing.

A third duergar, this one female (or so Mobled would insist) shimmers into view, also magically enlarged and discharges her crossbow directly into Mobled's face with a disgusting slurch noise. (-18HP to Mobled)

At the sight of the vicious wound, the female duergar cackles and taunts Mobled.

Mukluk's arcane bolt and Tiabrar's arrow soar through the air and both impact the axe-wielding duergar attacking Mobled.

1--
24 Petrel : Sneaks into A,10
20 Tiabrar : Readies to shoot something
16 Doruk : Advances, readies (still need to roll)
6 Mobled : Drinks potion, advances 20ft
6- Duergar#1 : Misses Doruk
6- Duergar#2 : Hits Mobled for 5HP
6- Ghared : Crossbows Mobled for 18HP
6-- : Hits D2 for 6HP
6--- Mukluk : Moves, missiles D2 for 3HP
5 Martigan : TBD

2--
24 Petrel :
20 Tiabrar :
16 Doruk :
6 Mobled :

Updated Map

Now Up: Doruk has a readied attack and Martigan has a round 1 action. Then Petrel, Tiabrar Doruk and Mobled to begin round 2.

Round 1, Initiative 16

Readied Action

Guisarme combat expertise & power attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 doing 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (1, 2) + 9 = 12 damage.

Round 2, Init 6 {>B:C/5:6}

"ARRGH!"

Mobled rages, kicking at and then head butting the duergaress, attempting to smear her foe all over with blood from her cranial gash. Her darn dergar continues to spin threateningly.

Flurry 1 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 possibly +2 if Petrel gets into flank
1d8 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Flurry 2 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 possibly +2 if Petrel gets into flank
1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Dwarvess needs food badly.

Oops. Not sure I had the duergaress' positioning right. Well, ordinarily I'd say Mobled goes after her, but if she only has 5'+reach to one of the others, I guess she'll attack that one. She would then move 5 feet toward the vile cow who spurned her, but with sense enough not to encourage a flank.

Round 2, Initiative 16

Guisarme combat expertise & power attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 doing 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 2) + 9 = 15 damage.

"Mobled, are you OK?"

Those were some serious hits. I would not be doing well under that onslaught!

"I need a cleric 'n my hands aroun' yon cow's neck. No 'm not ok."

Round 2, Init 20

Tiabrar delays until Mobled and Petrel go, hopeful that they will take down one. Once they have gone he will step up 10' to be in front of Martigan for a clear shot at square C-9 of the duergar.
If a 10 misses touch AC then 1d8 ⇒ 4 puts the miss at D-9, so only the duergar catches the splash damage of 6

If the one duergar is taken down, he'll fire at the other one (C-2).
A miss would land at C-1, so only the duergar catches the splash damage of 6

1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 1 = 10
2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 + 1 = 14 Fire damage
-Target takes 1d6 fire damage each round until the target spends a round extinguishing the flames and a successful DC 15 REF save.
-Splash damage is 6 (minimum damage from bomb). DC 15 REF save for half.

1--
16 Doruk : Hits D1 for 12HP
5 Martigan : TBD

2--
24 Petrel :
20 Tiabrar :
16 Doruk : Misses
10 Mobled : Hits D2 for 8HP
7 Duergar#1 (-12):
7 Duergar#2 (-18):
7 Ghared :
6 Mukluk :
5 Martigan :

Doruk slices at the northern duergar warrior, while Mobled's arcing kick manages to knock the breath out of the other one. Between Tiabrar's arrow, Mukluk's wand and Mobled's kick, he looks about ready to fall over...

Still Up: Martigan (round 1), Petrel (round 2)

"Mobled, attack this one! Dwarven Style!"

Petrel will take a (5 foot) step south east and ready to stab at the duerger should Mega-Mobled 5-foot over and provide flank.

non-masterwork throwing knife sneak + flank 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 2 = 281d4 + 2d8 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (2) + (3, 3) + 1 - 1 = 8
Potential crit? 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 2 = 141d4 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 - 1 = 1

bloodthirsty knife sneak + flank 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 271d4 + 2d8 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (2) + (1, 4) + 1 - 1 = 7

Need to save up for the agile enchant!

Round 1

"Mobled, stop letting them hit you!"

Daft dwarf is...wait a minute. Is Mobled a girl? He is, Mobled is a girl! Well what in the sweet sunny name of Pelor is a girl dwarf...actually never mind.

Martigan rushes forward and attempts to staunch Mobled's wounds.

Silence->CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 8) + 3 = 18