Dragon's Demand (Inactive)

Game Master R D

Agnes will try to shoot an Ice Missile: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 and if she hits will deal 3d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4, 1) + 2 = 10 cold damage.
DC 14 cold dam & stagger 1 rd vs. foe in 30 ft (Fort part).

That blows.

Wayreth, standing would still provoke. The grioth is size LARGE and has reach. However, due to the vagueness of the descriptions, I'm happy to rule that you could stand unmolested.

To clarify for everyone, because of this guy's size and reach, none of you are more than a 5-foot-step away, if he chose to take that action.

Lastly, let's all try to avoid retcons moving forward. It makes the action way too convoluted. Thanks! :)
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Round 4

Everyone is standing. Please update your summary stats with accurate HP.

Hotspur is up!

To clarify for everyone, because of this guy's size and reach, none of you are more than a 5-foot-step away, if he chose to take that action.

Additional reminder: Grioths can fly. It would be horrifying if this particular enemy realized that he can simply fly ten feet above the party and full attack any one PC with reach.

Of course his fly skill might not be that high and hovering at DC15 might be chancy and of course there is the bit where you are hit you can drop 10' if you dont pass a roll too that makes that tactic not just a gimmie.

Of course his fly skill might not be that high and hovering at DC15 might be chancy and of course there is the bit where you are hit you can drop 10' if you dont pass a roll too that makes that tactic not just a gimmie.

Maybe. :-) I'll grant that you don't know, in character, what his fly bonus is. But I'll give you a hint, if you're interested:

For fun, here is a picture of your current enemy: Goladryth. He badly needs an orthodontist! I imagine that's why he's so cranky. ;-P

Hotspur withdraws per Harlis's suggestion.

EDIT EDIT:

Everything below was my original strategy before Harlis pointed out I had missed his 6 hp channel.

Sorry! And right after the GM asked us to avoid retcons!

Hotspur is disabled, so she can move, or take a standard action, and if she takes a standard action that will deal her 1 point of damage. Does a 5' step back count as a move?

My plan at the moment would be to 5' step out of AoO range so she could cast cure light on herself. Even though she would take the 1 point, she would heal through it. Does that work?

EDIT:

If she cannot 5' AND cure light, then she just inspires courage in her allies for +1/+1 this round and she drops to -1.

Er, I channeled, Hotspur isnt on 0.

Sorry, missed that channel. Yes, Hotspur withdraws as you suggested.

The grioth won't join Mensa anytime soon. But, it is smart enough to see that Harlis is undoing the damage it deals. So, Goladryth will target the cleric:

Falchion+Power Attack: 1d20 + 16 - 3 ⇒ (15) + 16 - 3 = 28, Damage: 2d4 + 22 ⇒ (3, 3) + 22 = 28
Iterative+Power Attack: 1d20 + 11 - 3 ⇒ (4) + 11 - 3 = 12, miss
Bite+Power Attack: 1d20 + 8 - 3 ⇒ (17) + 8 - 3 = 22, Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Harlis Fortitude: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14, The power of Iomedae prevents the poison from affecting the halfling.

(Pausing here to see if Harlis has any special abilities to mitigate the damage. Harlis' posted AC is 20, is that accurate? Does the bite hit? If so, then Harlis is unconscious.)

I channeled last round and my AC is currently 23, so I didn't take the bite, this also means Im still up.

I channeled last round and my AC is currently 23, so I didn't take the bite, this also means Im still up.

Cool! :-) Harlis, Ethendril, Wayreth, and Agnes are up! This is still round 4.

Ethendril growls in frustration as the creature continues to ignore his attacks.

Still, he is glad that some of his remaining vigor is transferred to Harlis, healing a few of the wounds. Life Link to Harlis, he gets back 5 hp and I lose 5 hp.

+1 Greatsword (adamantine)(power attack, smite evil!): 1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 3 = 302d6 + 11 + 4 ⇒ (3, 2) + 11 + 4 = 20
CRIT?: 1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 3 = 232d6 + 11 + 4 ⇒ (6, 1) + 11 + 4 = 22 If crit, 42 dmg

Ethendril crits!!! The grioth is now focused on the paladin!

(80 HP damage)

I have a feeling we needed that crit. I have a +2 AC vs. him from smite evil.

I have a feeling we needed that crit.

It sure helped! LOL! :-) But, between all of you, I'm sure you have it well in hand. As I alluded in an earlier post. I'm not a "killer" GM. I don't start combats with the most lethal tactic possible. Else, the grioth would have been flying and smacking y'all from reach!

The way I interpret this guy, he's more of a bully who simply revels in causing pain.

That said, even without killer tactics, this enemy is legit! He's giving you guys a run for your money. Hope you've enjoyed the challenge. :-)

Wouldn't it be +3 AC from Smite? (Ethendril's Cha). Yeah, our series of misses hasn't helped. Also emphasises our fairly low AC ratings. Waiting to see how Wayreth's and Agnes' turns go before commiting as Im lowest on Init.

Seeing Ethendril lay on the hurt, Wayreth keeps up the flank and follows suit, shaping the air around his hands into blades of swirling winds and using them to jab at the grioth's vital points..

flurry sneak attack with pirahna strike 1: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 27
damage roll: 1d6 + 5 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 4 + (5, 1) = 19

flurry sneak attack with pirahna strike 2: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 21
damage roll: 1d6 + 5 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 4 + (1, 3) = 15

sense motive vs first attack on me this round: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

Wayreth, out of curiousity, are you minus -2 to hit from Flurry? The unchained monk doesn't take that penalty.

Sorry for delay, been sick since Saturday, not online much.

Having missed the last ice missile, Agnes wants to try it again.
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 and will miss again.

Wayreth, out of curiousity, are you minus -2 to hit from Flurry? The unchained monk doesn't take that penalty.

Awaiting confirmation before posting...

Seeing the mighty blow from Ethendril causes the fading hope extinguished in Harlis' heart. Gritting his teeth over the pain he calls upon Iomedae to heal and protect again while asking Daylight to try to Harry the foe.

Channel: 3d3 ⇒ (1, 3, 2) = 6 and +3 AC

Hoof: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19. Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Hoof: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15. Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

The -2 in my attack was from pirahna strike. The +2 was from the flank with Ethendril. I'm an unchained monk, so no penalty for flurry. So all the modifiers were correct, no need for further adjustment.

Wayreth brings down the behemoth! Combat over!!! :)

Ethendril looks relieved as the creature falls.

"The guardians here...are powerful," he says as he catches his breath.

"We should heal up and continue," the paladin suggests.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Harlis, make sure you added the 5 hp you got from my life link.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 for me

You were also warned about the dragon's various lieutenants.

Pulling out the wand of curing to heal himself and Hotspur before more foes accost them Harlis gives a worried look to the others. "Well, we may wish to retreat to recover. Do you think our presence is known? I still can call upon Iomedae grace for channel four more times, but I have used my most powerful spells of healing. This also means I cannot dispel magic if that is required."

Cure Lights on Harlis: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (1, 7, 5, 7) + 4 = 24
Cure Lights on Hotspur: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 7, 5, 5) + 4 = 27

Would the party like to rest? Or press on?

I think we should let our spellcasters decide when we need a full rest. If Harlis says we need to rest, let's go back to our secretest of secret rest spots.

Sounds good.

Hm. Now's actually a good time to rest. It's also a great time for y'all to level up! :-) You are all now level 6. Standard wealth by level. I'm hand-waving purchases; your new druid friend (the dragon has his wife) can get them for you overnight.

:O

:)

Sweet! I think we need it, too! This has been pretty brutal! Thanks!

Leveled up and topped up some of the basic defense equipment. :)

Everyone nearly good to go? Agnes has been ill (in real life), so I'd like to give her some leeway and extra time to level up.

I'm leveled, and just need to buy some stuff. I am good to continue whenever, though I also don't mind giving Agnes a little time to catch up and feel better.

Leveled up, just finalising purhcases.

GM, do you permit us to buy partially-charged wands?
And before we rest, could I ask Azmur (the NPC druid) to prepare greater magic fang to cast on me the next day? Bonus points if he could also give me and Ethendril barkskin.

To the rest of the party: I'm thinking that the mummy 'optional boss' that we ran from might be optional in the sense that we don't need to kill beat him before fighting the dragon, but defeating him will lead to more favourable conditions in the final fight. At least, that's how optional bosses often work in games, I think. Should we go take another crack at it, with Harlis preparing some anti-undead spells? Debuffs to reduce his AC and attack bonus would also help greatly.

Agnes, if the GM does not permit partially-charged wands, could I pay you for some uses from your wand?

I have no problems delaying or continuing on with Agnes being fairly quiet.

Most of my stuff is actually more anti-evil. A non-evil undead will only get hit with my channels. Also if we know he isn't evil and acts as a guardian then Harlis wont be seeking to kill him.

Alignment-aside, he attacked us unprovoked and nearly killed a couple of us. He said it was to 'test' us, but his logic that if we weren't strong enough to defeat him he'd just kill us since we wouldn't be able to defeat the dragon is a pretty evil line of reasoning. But whatever.

Game on hiatus until Agnes returns then, I guess? Still need responses to my previous post btw.

Partially charged wands... Hm... We're doing this in campaign mode... Sure! Why not? :-)
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The party rests. The druid fetches magic items and other equipment from Belhaim. The party awakes newly refreshed and kitted out!

You pick up where you left off, in the large grioth's room. (F16) Nothing special here.

There are two adjacent rooms:

(F17) This otherwise empty room contains three bedrolls and evidence of something like a campsite.

(F18) Metallic coffins with vents in their lids form a line along the southern wall of this room. Numerous large stones are heaped atop the westernmost coffin, and a foul smell of decay fills the air. The ceiling is low, making the space feel cramped.

Knowledge Religion to know more in here. (F18)

I need to level still. Sorry. I will do that tonight or tomorrow morning. Work has been killer this week. Level 6 now?

Yup!

"We should continue on," Ethendril says. "I fear we may have rested too long already," he adds. Still, nothing had found them or attacked them; perhaps they were fine.

He examines the sarcophagus with the stones piled atop it, as well as the room.

know religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

He examines the sarcophagus with the stones piled atop it, as well as the room.

This room was once used by aspirant monks engaged in a grueling ritual of fasting and sensory deprivation. They would spend days at a time meditating in these dark metal coffins, an obscure practice performed by monks of Irori that has mostly fallen from favor.

"Well, it's official then. Worshippers of Irori are definitely crazy."

Harlis nods. "This sect is very definitely strange. We should continue onwards as Ethendril suggested before our presence is known by the Dragon." W

Next area (F19): Numerous statues of robed men and women occupy the niches in this curving hall.

The party takes 20 searching this area and discovers a secret door (F20): A recessed mesh of iron gridwork crisscrosses the northern end of this room. Hundreds of tiny blue runes have been painted inside of each of the small squares formed by the grid pattern. A long-dead figure lies slumped against the wall to the northeast.

This area is full of smoke. Cloudy, wispy shapes suggesting dull, red eyes, grasping claws, and leathery wings give a "demonic" aspect to the smoke in here.

(Knowledge Planes to know more)

I don't have knowledge planes. Also, I'll do a life link on Harlis, but also add one to Wayreth now.

Ethendril looks at the strange smoky room.

"What do you make of this?" he asks the group, coming up blank himself.

Ready to go. Just need to get a chance to paste it into my profile page tonight.

Agnes Kn Planes: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Harlis Kn Planes: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Oy.

The party doesn't know what's up with the smoke, but has the sense that there's definitely a malevolence here.