DM Rah's Strange Aeons

Game Master Kobash

@ Mariner. That's a lot of ones you rolled. two ones for D12's and a D20. That is a deadly snakeyes! Just think of it as you are saving the good rolls for the big terrors of this place!

Fearless hurls his dagger. It spins over Cats’ shoulder and sticks into the bloody guard, the rips free and flies back to the halfling’s hand.

Brother Butterfly’s razor slashes at the skum on the ground and the creature groans and looses consciousness. The priest then calls upon the power of his goddess and heals most of the Watchmen’s wounds.

Cats steps back through the door and fire two arrows, but the bloody guard twists and dodges both.

The Mariner hacks into the remaining skum, injuring it badly, then Pinkie finishes it off with his swords.

Red Destiny: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Red Destiny: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The bloody guard looks at Cats, and smiles. Then turns and dashes through the door to kitchen.

INITIATIVE
Fearless (34/34) *Aid 44/50 rounds
Butterfly (46/46)
Cats (30/38)
Mariner (70/71) *Shield of faith 44/60 rounds
Pinkie (48/48) *Shield other 4/300 minutes
Bloody guard

I have an idea. Let me try something strategic.

If Cat's pauses long enough for me to act and for Kast to NOT run into the room chasing the bloody Guard.
This is contingent on everyone still in the spots marked
Brother quickly moves to the other room. With the door marked "doghouses" He takes a moment and opens the doors to D1 and D8 , then opens the dog door in D7., and dashes back into the room with everyone else. saying, Close it! Close it! Let the dogs mess with the soldiers! That'll keep them from sneaking up on us!

If I see it correctly, opening the dog kennel doors lets the snarling dogs into the areas we have already been. But, our section of the keep is closed off from the dogs. Correct?

Huffing and puffing as he gets back through the doorway, He also mentions:
We need to smash any mirrors we see. we have two rooms we've seen. I bet there's mirrors in both of them.

Cats totally chooses to wait for Brother, totally. No, it's not because Brother acts before him in the initiative, but that Cats is a holy and giving soul, who thinks about others more than himself and wants Brother to succeed, totally.

Cats, aka Kast, delays for Brother...as if that is necessary.

@ Cats, Very funny post. I composed what I did, as I felt that opening doors and running around a bit would take up 2 rounds vs. just two movement actions. I wanted to make certain that I didn't step on toes.

Brother Butterfly opens some doors and enacts his plan to let the dogs in before retreating quickly to the dining hall with the other Watchmen. As he’s closing the door he can see a dog, nose raised and sniffing at the air, venturing into the office.

Meanwhile, Pinkie has gone through the skum and the cupboards and turned up some valuable loot. The tableware (goblets, platters, candlesticks, and more), decorations, and tablecloths in the chests are worth a total of 200 gp. A pair of crystal goblets, used for marriage ceremonies, rests in a velvet-lined box and is worth 250 gp as a set.

The large semi-circular chamber to the east appears to be a courtroom. The walls of the room are clad in wood up to half of their height, and decorated with murals of the town’s civil life on the upper half. A bench runs along most of the curved outer wall, under three grated windows fitted with stained glass. Opposite the bench are a trio of high-backed chairs and a desk with a stool. Two more benches sit in the middle, near a central pillar that supports the ceiling.

The desk contains some pen and ink and parchment for a scribe to record proceedings, but there is nothing else of value in this area.

A door leads north from the courtroom.

Fearless taps on the door with his knuckles as Pinkie scours the room for valuables.

"No need to perv beyond the door on this one Shapeshifter. It was another set of stairs."

"Pinkie, keep a cat out on those doors, I'm going to see if there are any clues in here. Something that we're missing."

Now that Brother has handle the dog problem, Cats relaxes a bit enough to drag the skum into a pile so can do a thorough search of the two rooms.

Take 20 perception = 30. I don't think we're rushing and the doors are covered.

Cats will also get the wand for some healing.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 CLW
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 CLW
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 CLW
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 CLW 4 charges.

The Mariner kicks the skum bodies aside and stalks into the room. "You sure about only stairs behind here, Fearless?" He opens the door and peaks in.

Fearless shrugs. "That was a bit ago but everything else seems to be so far." As brother Butterfly joins them Fearless cringes internally for what he is about to do.

"Good thinking on the dogs Brother."

There he did it! He gave the shapeshifter a compliment. And with that mere sentence his heart grew two sizes.

Cats takes some time to search the dining hall and courtroom, but finds nothing else of value.

The Mariner cracks open the northern door and looks in upon a room nearly fitting the description Fearless gave. Two wide cabinets with reinforced doors stand against the north wall and an ascending stairway in this room. A perforated metal bin sits near the fireplace in the northeastern corner.

"Hmm" the Mariner nods with content, no skum jumping at his throat. He stands guard watching the stairs and listening for anyone coming.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Cats finishes his search and lines up behind Mariner.

"We're missing something here. Not sure why all these skum and undead are here at all. They don't usually need catposts for any reason. And why are the skum and undead catting together? Something is tying them together. We need to figure that out."

Cats is ready to go to D10 or up the stairs again.

Jasper is a bit shocked at the compliment. He takes it in stride. not knowing if it's some move/countermove from Fearless.
Then he shakes his head - clearing out the cobwebs. NOW HE's being paranoid. That's the realm of Fearless and BB would do well to leave him THAT piece of fettered kingdom of the mind.

Well, Thank You Fearless. I appreciate the compliment. But, let us not get all chummy. You know I'm still a conieving biomorphic that is here for grand ruination.
And with that, he gives a huge and exaggerated smile. Not his normal " Baron Munchausen" smile. This is the cat that the the canary or "joker" type smile. And winks for all the Watchmen to see.

Back to seriousness. Let's go through THAT door. Box of 4 formation with Mariner opening the door and Cats as the forward scout.
BB points to the D10 door. if no enemies are there, he presses for them to go through D6. Saying that they will mark and search that room later.

Under the direction of Brother Butterfly The Mariner opens the door to the west. Beyond is a connecting hallway to other parts of the fort.

The north wall features an arrow loop, and you are pretty sure the door on the south wall opens to the area of the courtyard housing the dogs. Casual observation reveals dirty, webbed footprints leading from the stairs to the eastern door.

Cats sneaks in, looks around, then waves the others in if the area is clear.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 Stealth
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17 Perception

Cats will then sneak to the door, examining as he goes.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 Stealth
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 Perception

Hey Pinkie or Fearless, do you have some lock picks or something to use to lock this door over here? If we lock it, we help protect our backs.

I need to step up here and be prepared with Mariner to protect Cats.

BB is ready to spring into action if anything happens. But also knowing he needs to be quiet to let Cats do his thing.

"Don't have any lockpicks on me but I can try to jam it up." Grabbing a small handful of crossbow bolts Fearless jams them into the crevices around the door and lock, similar to nailing the door shut.

Disable Device; Take 10: 10 + 9 = 19

Each bolt enters the wood with a resounding *Thunk* Though he isn't sure it helps with Cats sneaking around like some sort of...well cat.

"I am betting she is somehow pulling the undead and skum together."

If prompted, Cats will help lock the doors, as necessary.

1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31 Disable Device

The Mariner looms behind Cats as the lock and door is examined. He give a questioning look if all is clear. If this turns out to be another barracks, surely it is occupied corpses that smell like fish and fishes that smell like corpse.

perception assist: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Cats clears the next room, then aids Fearless, who finds the task a little harder then he expected, to lock the door in the dining hall. Pressing on he opens the next door and finds an empty barracks.

"Who exactly do you think manned this place before...well before the undead and skum?" Fearless looks around, flipping a mattress.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Cats keeps an eye on the door stairs coming down and the far door while Fearless guts the mattresses.

"I have no idea, Catless. No idea. We don't have a clue what happened here and we're reduced to sifting through mattress straw looking for a needle of information," Cats replies.

When others are ready, he'll open the doors towards D3.

"Pinkie. Stay in the back. Watch your back. Might be more foes coming down the stairs."

Thank you Kast for locking that door. We are in better shape not having so many avenues for the enemy to attack us by.
Mariner, can you support Kast as he progresses through. I am going to ask Desna for special sight and see if there's any magic in these few rooms.

Caat detect magic and concentrate as I look around. once I sweep through, I will join Cats as he opens the doors to D3.
perception Room D10: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
perception Room D6: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
perception Room D5: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Fearless murders and loots a mattress, but finds nothing but lint in its pockets. And a picture in its wallet of two pillows now left bedless thanks to a wandering murderhobo.

Brother Butterfly scans the area for magic, but finds none.

Cats checks the next door, gives it an an all clear, and the Mariner opens it.

The L-shaped room beyond but holds a few neatly stacked piles of military-style camping gear sitting against the walls. A case of arrows sits near each of the arrow loops. An extinguished hooded lantern sits on the floor near the arrow loop in the western wall.

The room also contains a handful of bloody guards that turn toward the sound of the door!

INITIATIVE
Cats (38/38)
Fearless (34/34)
Pinkie (48/48) *Shield other 5/300 minutes
Mariner (70/71)
Bloody guards
Butterfly (46/46)

Round 1, Init 22

Cats double fires at the red, not pausing or anything. He then 5' steps back to make way for the goons.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 to hit;
1d8 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 8 + (4, 3) = 16 damage.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 to hit;
1d8 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 8 + (4, 1) = 21 damage.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22 to hit; (pot crit)
2d8 + 16 ⇒ (2, 1) + 16 = 19 moar damage.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Fearless tries to peek into the room to identify the guards as his new dagger dances in his hands.

Fearless chucks his dagger through the doorway, into the room to head off the Mariner's assault.

Thrown + 1 Returning Dagger Aid another DC 10; Covering fire; PBS; Precise;: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16

Mariner and Fearless +4 to AC vs Red

Seeing the undead guards, the Mariner nods, Yep - fish. He swings into the door frame and thrusts the lucerne forward,

lucerne,power,furious: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 - 2 + 2 = 171d20 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 4 = 21

Cats raises his bow to take a couple quick shots. He fumbles the first arrow, dropping it before even knocking to the string, but recovers well, firing a second arrow through the eye of the closest guard. It goes limp and collapses.

Fearless hurls his magic dagger and it spins around the head of the second guard, distracting it.

Capitalizing on the distraction, the Mariner steps in and chops into the guard’s arm. It looks at the weapon, but does not react like a living person would to the pain such a wound would inflict.

Pinkie holds back at Cats suggestion, guarding the rear.

The bloody guards attack...

Mwk Longbow PBS: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Mwk Longbow PBS: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

A guard down the hall raises a bow and fires at the Mariner. A moment later a second guard arrives at the corner with another arrow ready to fire. Both shots veer off wildly.

Mwk Longsword - covering fire: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 4 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

The last guard drops his bow, draws a sword and takes a powerful two handed swing that cuts through the Mariner’s armor and draws blood.

INITIATIVE
Butterfly (46/46)
Cats (38/38)
Fearless (34/34)
Pinkie (48/48) *Shield other 5/300 minutes
Mariner (58/71)
Bloody guards (orange -16)

What strange bedevelment is this? These things don't act like normal shambling Undead. They move faster than I do. Which isn't saying much, but STILL. Kast or Mariner, does fighting any of these things bring back memories? These are abominations, but I am sheepishly in awe of their remaining fighting prowess. opps, I hope I didn't just say anything to anger Desna.

Seeing the huge two handed gash that Mariner receives, BB advances and brings out the wand of cure light wounds.
Eldersage
CLW Wand on Mariner: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"WELL, THEIR AIM IS STILL S#IT!" the Mariner shouts back as arrows sails by. OOOphm! They still hit hard though..., he drops the polearm and draws his magical sword with a side sweep.

broadsword,power,furious,2h: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 221d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 17

Round 2, Init 22

"Brother! Get out of the catting way!"

Cats double fires at the yellow, sending shots around someone's bulbous head.

1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 4 = 22 to hit; (-cover)
1d8 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 damage.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8 to hit; (-cover)
1d8 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 damage.

Pot Crit:
1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 6 - 4 = 21 to hit; (-cover)
2d8 + 16 ⇒ (4, 8) + 16 = 28 more damage.

Ah yeah...not even Brother's shiny head can distract from Cats' steely aim.

The undead have always fascinated Fearless. They go against everything logical. He does what he can to creep closer and study the undead at the end of the hall.

Studied Combat Yellow

"What do you think brings them back? Is it disease?or biological man made creation? Magic?"

Acrobatics to avoid AoO from orange: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Earning a tongue lashing from Cats, Brother Butterfly steps forward and heals the Mariner. Despite the rotund cleric blocking most of the doorway, Cats still manages to fire an arrow past him and take down a guard at the far end of the hall.

AoO vs Fearless: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Fearless slips past the group and tries to get around the guard fighting the Mariner, but draws a sword slash as he does. Luckily the blow was aimed at human neck height.

Drawing his magical blade, the Mariner cuts down the guard before it can recover. With the fight seemingly going well, Pinkie remains at the rear.

The last guard drops it’s bow and draws a sword of its own, moving quickly to close in behind Fearless. Turning, the halfling jumps back as the blade whistles by.

AoO vs Fearless: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

INITIATIVE
Butterfly (46/46)
Cats (38/38)
Fearless (34/34)
Mariner (66/71)
Pinkie (48/48) *Shield other 5/300 minutes
Bloody guard

The Mariner drives forward and into melee with the standing guard. Not bother to arm himself with a shield, he continues the double grip and brings the blade down.

broadsword,power,furious,2h : 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 23
dam: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 12

"I got this one!" Fearless ducks and brings his dagger up into the undead's neck.

Move- Studied Combat
Swift- Challenge Purple

+1 returning dagger; Studied Combat; Challenge: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 25
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5
Studied Strike Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Round 3, Init 22

Cats double fires at the purple.

1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 6 - 4 = 14 to hit; (-cover)
1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 damage.

1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 = 16 to hit; (-cover)
1d8 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 damage.

Officially I am Delaying.

Brother Butterfly moves to get out of Cat's arrow path. He knows that with Cat's skill at archery, he got 20th level DESNA cleric lucky that the previous arrow didn't hit him.

Delaying until one of the others Mariner or Fearless move. if they create a space, He moves to position and with his mace and shield he presses the attacker. Looking to lend a flanking aid to the more skilled fighters.

attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 1 = 13
Pinkie - keep watching our backs. This is about the time that mini-me's come popping out and shanking one of us in the back. Or one of the TRUE Us's shoots like crap and their arrows hit us instead.

I can't move my icon without messing with the map. Can GM move me please?

Brother Butterfly gets out of the way, but Fearless and the Mariner still block a clear shot for Cats, and his arrows miss their target.

Fearless slashes the guard across the leg and the Mariner cleaves into it's shoulder, but the undead menace remains in the fight.

Mwk Longsword - PA: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Mwk Longsword - PA: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

The guard thrusts down at Fearless, his sword penetrating deep. It sets itself to drive the weapon deeper, but Fearless pulls away before it can run him completely through.

"Uncle Evon wants to know if you need help?" Pinkie calls from the other room.

INITIATIVE
Butterfly (46/46)
Cats (38/38)
Fearless (19/34)
Mariner (66/71)
Pinkie (48/48) *Shield other 5/300 minutes
Bloody guard (-23)

Yeah Fearless. That happens to me a whole lot. I say, or at least think, YEAH - I- HAVE- GOT - THIS. and then One of the eight good or one of the eight evil Gods decides to rain on that parade!

Thankfully, you have Desna smiling on you. She thinks you are kinda cool and certainly worthy of her healing.

With that, BB steps forward and uses the wand of Eldersage to give Fearless some fortitude.
clw wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Fearless looks down in horror at the sword penetrating his guts. Gritting his teeth he flips the dagger up and stabs it down into the undead's chest.

Move- Studied Combat

+1 returning dagger; Studied Combat; Challenge: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 = 5
Studied Strike Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The wound nearly causes him to drop the dagger as his hand gets sticky with blood. He stumbles backwards against the wall As 'Desna' heals him he tries to come up with an appropriate and snarky response for BB but only pain and blood comes to his lips.

So I am guessing that Fearless noticed that BB actually used the non-denominational wand and not a specific spell from Desna.... ;^)
In his defense, his beliefs are that ALL healing- that he orchestrates- comes from Desna. But he did know the juxtaposition when he did that, and Fearless noticed too.

The Mariner yanks the blade free then throws his weight into the broadsword and drives at the guard again.

broadsword,power,furious,2h : 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 27
dam: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 12

Round 4, Init 22

Cats moves up to get one clear shot off.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 to hit;
1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 damage.

Cats moves for a clear shot, but his arrow bounces off the guard’s armor, as does Fearless’ dagger. The Mariner powers through its defenses though, and hacks off an arm. Congealed blood splatters the ground and the undead man falls.

Though soiled with blood and grime each guard carries well-maintained weapons.

Loot:
4 suits of studded leather
4 masterwork longswords
4 masterwork longbows
38 arrows

There is also a pile of camping equipment including 28 days of field rations, some cooking pans and utensils, a folded tent, hooded lantern, and a box of 20 tindertwigs rests near one of the arrow loops.

BB applies another healing to Fearless.
I think this wand is spent. I'll need to move onto the second wand. Who has that?

cd8+1lw wand: 1 = 1 - for Fearless
CLW wand Fearless: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 - For Fearless.
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 for Fearless

We should stuff these items into the bag that holds everything. I'll update the velum that shows a list of all our stuff. We have things to sell once we obliterate this Keep.

Hehe. :)

Fearless begrudgingly thanks BB for healing his mistake. More embarrassed at himself that that of BB tending to him once again. Standing up and flexing his hand it feels almost new again.

"Why do all these undead have field rations? WE are their field rations..." He points at all in the room. His stomach rumbles and he looks up at Mariner. "Time for second breakfast yet?"

Fearless slowly shoves the supplies into the sack as BB takes inventory.

Only wand I am aware of is wand of CLW (38 charges) from Bard Wren. We might be out of wand.

"Dephminitlee-", the Mariner was already stuffing his mouth with some jerky, after he had given it a sniff test. The early morning maiming session was strenuous, Fearless's second breakfast idea sounded great, he hands the halfing a piece of rawhide and gives it a toast.

when ready, Mariner heads up the D10 stairs

Cats/Kast bought two wands of CLW at the market. I think they are in our inventory. We also took 6 charges off it already.

Cats gathers the normal arrows, keeping them apart from his usual cold iron arrows.

"Why do all these undead have field rations? WE are their field rations. Time for second breakfast yet?"

Cats looks at Fearless and smiles, knowing the quarterling has a point.

"Yeah, cat point," Cats says, reaching for a field ration and tearing it open with his teeth. "We are the food...and their killers too. Nice of them to have food waiting for us."

Cats eats, sharing with Fearless.

Cats keeps his bow close and his eyes on the doors as he eats, knowing that there are probably more foes around, including dopplecatters and skum.

When others are ready, the pushes up the staircase at D3, up to D15d, then to D15e, then to the unexplored room. He assumes that Pinkie will still be watching their backs.