GM Fuzzfoot's PBP: Black Waters (#0-06) (Inactive)

Game Master PJP

Nemis sees a fully-submerged, severed human arm jutting up from the blackened silt near the center of the pool.

Erevan looks at the arm with disgust. "Is she showing us where she died?" he asks. He looks carefully at the area to see if anything is amiss.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

Oh, and I keep meaning to say but then forgetting...I have an Ioun Torch! So we do have a light source by the party at all times rotating around my head!

Fool turns slowly, waving his arms in arcane guesture as he senses magical auras in this forsaken place.

Sorry - my response here just disappeared...

"Well *I'm* certainly not going in there to see what that arm is..." looking sideways at Erevan.

Not seeing a map...do we know where we are trying to get to? Do we need to get through this room? If we can't see any other obvious options (doors, etc.), Erevan will move toward the arm to investigate.

I think the only indication we got was it was under the school.

I'll admit to being a bit lost too.

Lady Dacilane knows nothing of the necropolis. "However, I recall my daughter once mentioned that lesser children" —not her Junia mind you— "skipped class to tell ghost stories by candlelight in an abandoned corridor beneath the school. Perhaps it's connected?"

this could be that

"Bubbles mean breathing, gas escaping decay, or water draining. This could be any of those."

Kon Kon looks around for a stick, or bone, or some other longish implement to fish out the arm from the middle of the pool.

The man says "Mrs. Heracks says this is the entrance to the necropolis. That is what you seek, no?"

Sorry - no map for this one.

Evarin moves in, and sees that the hand is grasping a metal handle. It appears to be covers in large, white eggs.

"I think we need to open this handle," the swordsman says.

"But I don't like the look of those eggs...spiders or something. I'll go ahead and open it, but I advise preparing some flasks of acid or something to toss should things get dicey."

He moves up to the handle, and after careful observation, pulls on it.

perception take 10: 10 + 11 = 21

A giant water bug, emerges from the silt and attacks Everan.

No map for this one, but your are basically in a puddle and everyone is 5 or 10' (your choice) away.

Surprise Action: (bold may go)
Kon Kon, Erevan

Round 1: (bold may go)
Fool
Opponents: Giant Water Bug
Kon Kon, Erevan, Nenis

Definitely choosing 10'!

Is there anything about that's say... less than 5 lb?

Kon Kon delays until Erevan steps into position, then takes up a flank, drawing both of her daggers.

Dagger: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Dmg1+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (6) = 9

Following his companion's gazes, Fool waves his hands exciredly and curses the insect with bad luck!

Misfortune (Su): The witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to suffer grave misfortune for 1 round. Anytime the creature makes an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, it must roll twice and take the worse result. A Will save dc 15 negates this hex. This hex affects all rolls the target must make while it lasts.

Fool steps to the side, wary of other bugs in the silt, and tries to line up an angle where he can catch it in a cone of fire should it prove formidable.

"Haha! En garde!" Erevan yells as he assumes a stance and taps the water bug with the tip of his blade.

MW Dueling Sword (cold iron): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 191d8 ⇒ 1

Also, I meant to ask someone to use my wand of mage armor on me, but forgot. So I guess for this combat I'm only 17 AC. Will someone use it on me after, though!?

No problem, Mage armor is on my spell list

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

The giant water bug is hexed by misfortune. I really wasn't sure if a bug would be affected, but I couldn't find anything that specifically said that Misfortune was a mind-affecting thing...

It continues it's attack, taking a slight nick from Erevan, but it's sudden turn of fortune cause it to miss the target.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 - 2 = 23
Attack 2: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 2 = 15

Round 1: (bold may go)
Kon Kon, Erevan, Nenis
Round 2: (bold may go)
Fool
Opponents: Giant Water Bug (1 hp damage, misfortune -2)

Ah, that it was a surprise round earlier slipped past me. Hence only the draw action counted. My bad. Not that it really mattered, being a critical miss.

Kon Kon steps in to the attack, enjoying the flanking offered by Erevan. Set this up in surprise round. Her daggers move with surprising quickness, as if the daggers were extensions of her hands.

Dagger1(TWF): 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 2 = 12
Dmg1+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (6) = 10
Dagger2(TWF): 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 2 = 3
Dmg2+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (4) = 6

Kon Kon barely avoids cutting herself with her offhand. Maybe some more practice is in order.

Round 1

Seeing the size of the bug, Nemis instead looks at the creature with gimlet eyes. From his forehead a bolt of energy erupts, slightly larger and more intense than a wizard's. Magic Missile, Spending 1 point from my PHrenic pool to increase the d4 to d6.

1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

I really wasn't sure if a bug would be affected, but I couldn't find anything that specifically said that Misfortune was a mind-affecting thing...

yeah, it's one of the few that are not mind affecting.

Yay...misfortune saved me from a crit! Thx!

Now flanking with Kon Kon, Erevan uses the kitsune's distraction to strike the water bug from behind, once again drawing black blood from a puncture wound.

MW Dueling Sword (cold iron): 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 2 = 241d8 ⇒ 5

Blast it all. Even though I said "flanking" and rolled sneak, I neglected to add the +2 flanking bonus in the "To hit" roll. That makes the first roll a 14, rather than 12. The critical miss is still a critical miss, however.

That's some odd luck, getting critical misses two rounds in a row.Are you sure "Fool" targeted the bug and not me?!

Unfortunately for Kon Kon, she just can't seem to connect. Nemis and Erevan make soem decent hits, however.

The bug snaps again at Erevan. He grabs him good, inflicting damage, but also pulling him and holding him underwater. @Everan, I assume you are holding your breath?

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 2) + 4 = 7

CMB: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Round 2: (bold may go)
Fool, Kon Kon, Erevan, Nenis

Opponents: Giant Water Bug (12 hp damage, misfortune -2)

Gritting his teeth, the witch draws his dagger and moves to flank with the rogue.

Aid another Melee, flanking,: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Kon Kon, determined not to let some recent misses get her down, renews her attack, slashing at the bug that has trapped Erevan.

Dagger1(TWF+flank): 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 13
Dmg1+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (3) = 7
Dagger2(TWF+flank): 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 24
Dmg2+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (2) = 6

Plus, any to hit bonuses from Fool's "aid" action.

Nemis quickly calculates the odds, options, and risks. His mind works exceptionally fast, and in the end, he opts to hit the ant with another blast: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Ugh

Oh, so close...

Kon Kon, with Fool's help, manages to slide a dagger into a critical spot, injuring the bug further. Nemis blasts it again, but fails to do significant damage to it's hard carapace.

Round 2: (bold may go)
Fool, Kon Kon, Erevan, Nenis

Opponents: Giant Water Bug (20 hp damage, misfortune -2)

Indeed, I would like to hold my breath.

Despite his quick reflexes, Erevan is not able to escape being pulled beneath the surface of the water. He struggles mightily to get away.

escape artist: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

As Everan escapes the giant bug's maw, it attacks again, this time missing the nimble half-elf.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Round 3: (bold may go)
Fool, Kon Kon, Erevan, Nenis

Opponents: Giant Water Bug (20 hp damage)

Not wanting to use up all his mental strength already, Nemis looks about for a piece of rubble (under 5 lb) without a move, it accelerates in a flash and slams into the bug (hopefully.) 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20 DMG if hit: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Kon Kon once again attacks with both daggers.

Dagger1(TWF+flank): 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 12
Dmg1+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + (2) = 3
Dagger2(TWF+flank): 1d20 + 4 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 - 2 + 2 = 9
Dmg2+Sneak: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + (4) = 6

Fool slashes left and right, making a big show of absolutely nothing.

aid another: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Nemis mentally throws a rock, knocking the bug out.

Out of combat.

"So, ah, where it come from?" Kon Kon pokes in the remains, looking for anything interesting. She examins the handle briefly (traps?), then gestures for one of the stronger members to give it a pull.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 (+1 more to find traps)

Wondering how he got to be standing in knee depth black water, Fool gets the Hades out of the way after giving the fox a portents hex.

guidance

Fiddling with the wands, he casts a healing spell and an armor spell on the half elf.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Thx for the heal, Fool. I do have my own wand...I can take charges off my own if you would rather, or I can take the next one. Also, my AC is now what is shown on my bar.

Erevan thanks Fool for the healing, and offers him his own healing wand.

"I can do little with this magic mumbo jumbo," he says.

"I wasn't planning to get that wet," he adds. "I would have preferred to bathe in water with...fewer floaties, let's say."

The half-elf keeps his sword drawn with one hand, and pulls the handle with the other. The ioun torch rotates slowly around his head, providing a constant light source.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Since you have your own I kind of assumed we were using yours. I've got Infernal Healing only 'cause that's the way I roll.

"I wonder what they were doing to get their arm stuck."

Awesome...that's what I'm used to and I'll take a charge off. Thx!

The arm looks like it was recently severed. The bug had been hiding under the water, under the layer of silt that is there. Other than that, you see no traps.

@Erevan - is 14/21 current HP (after the heal) or before?

"I don't like it, but perhaps we should push onward.... downward."

"That arm looks fresh, that means this area isn't as forbidden as we were told."

Erevan pushes the severed arm away with his blade, then opens the hatch.

Sorry, took the charge off but forgot to update hp... full health

As you open the hatch, there is a gurgling, whooshing sound, as the water quickly drains from the room.

Make an acrobatics DC 15, or be swept down the whole with the water, taking 1d6 damage. If you succeed (or if you were not in the water, as Fool and his animal friend noted), then there is a wet and slippery ladder to climb down. It is a DC 5 Climb check, or the same falling fate.

When the water starts to suck the group down, Erevan nimbly jumps on top of the bug's carapace, and then from there to safety as it too is sucked down the hole.

"Look out!" he yells to the others.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

"It seems the we are meant to head down."

Kon Kon peeks over the edge. If it is lit (at least low light), and looks safe, she will climb down. Otherwise, she'll look to her party for the next action.

take 10 on Climb? Dancing lights down hole. Don't forget to check for traps =)