KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

"Plus if the morning is when they plan to deal with us 'festering fools'... makes sense to take action now."

"Agreed. Murder is good for the digestion anyway."

"Or so I've heard."

Carina leans back in her seat. "Well, it's a good thing I've got a full complement of bombs. I've also got an extract of see invisibility and resist energy ready to go--on top of my lesser restoration extracts. If you give me a few minutes, I can whip up some more."

I'm sensing some confusion on where you guys are—are you at the shrine, or the Roast?

The Roast...why would we be at the shrine already?

I was acting on the assumption that we were still at the Roast.

Alright, just clarifying. So, actions?

Walk to the temple, kick in the door, and shove a sword up a Hog's ass?

More specifically: walk there, dimension door underground, fight stuff.

Carina did you need to have any open slots for prepping extracts?

"Agreed. Murder is good for the digestion anyway."

"Or so I've heard."

"Well, you're supposed to wait half an hour after eating before killing someone, I think." Eben finishes poking at his meal, then stands up and puts a few coins down. "Just got to run and get my bow from the Crooked House, you guys finish up here." He heads back to the inn and, as stated, gears up for a likely fight. On the way back, he buys himself a few skewers of non-Ket-spiced street meat from a cart vendor, which he tears into with gusto. This despite the fact that the meat itself is of extremely dubious origin.

1 gp off for dinner, 2 cp for gross street vendor food.

1d100 ⇒ 51 Okay, I won't ask Eben for a Fortitude save.

The group hurries to the shrine as Carina bestows extracts on her colleagues. List pending.

When they reunite before the shrine's locked door, Rodrigo is faced with a small dilemma: He doesn't know exactly how far down the trapdoor goes.

First, do you try to get inside first? Second, how far down do you try to teleport?

Farrukh searches for a way to open the entrance.

Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

The building is windowless, and the door appears to be locked and barred. The adjunct shack in which Forwell sleeps does have one window someone could squeeze through to get in through the shrine's other door, but it's also a tiny room containing Forwell Hog.

Working on a simple map, but there's basically the shrine building with a glorified closet attached. There are two doors—one leading from the outside into the shrine, one leading from the shrine to the shack—and one window, leading from the outside into the shack.

Carina hands off her extract of see invisibility to Farrukh.

As the party looks for a way deeper into the shrine, she takes the opportunity to mix up 2 extracts of fly.

Shrine (neighboring buildings not shown).

Clearly, we need to get a bunch of pigs and have Rodrigo teleport them down in 5-foot increments to get a sense of how deep the trapdoor goes.

Considering Rodrigo has to go with them each time, he might have a few questions about that plan.

Well that spell he used only moves a 5-foot cube right? So 10 feet down should put us at the base of whatever's down there.

Correct, ten feet down would put you directly beneath the trapdoor (assuming the chamber/chute beneath goes all the way around the building, of course—you'd have to be standing right above the trapdoor to be 100% sure).

Of course, there's no telling how deep the shaft is. Can't we just tie up Hog in his sleep and then take pickaxes to it?

Technically, it'd be shovels, not pickaxes. ;)

So we're waiting until after nightfall to move, right? Astraden could refresh her spells then. I'm preparing basically what I did a couple days ago:

Good question. Is the group waiting, or in a hurry?

It's about 8:00 pm right now, so the sun's just starting to touch the horizon.

We're trying to save a guy so it seems like we should go now.

I think the guy's already been killed- I can't imagine Forwell just going to sleep otherwise- but I'm fine with whatever we do.

Rodrigo takes Farrukh and Tanith's hands and teleports exactly ten feet beneath the ground. They vanish from sight of the other three partymembers.

They appear beside the ceiling of a vast chamber. It seems like it might once have been part of the sewers before someone drained it out, and indeed there are several collapsed portions of the surrounding walls that might have led to sewer tunnels. Now, though, it's just one room.

One enormous room. Roughly sixty by sixty feet, and with a slightly tapering fifteen-foot high ceiling, the cold, dank chamber could comfortably house all but the greatest of dragons. This much can only be determined by some slightly phosphorescent fungi growing around the edges of the cave, though, as there is almost no other light source down here.

Having appeared ten feet above the floor, the trio immediately plummets.

Make Reflex saves, at a -4 penalty, to negate 1d6 ⇒ 4 points of lethal falling damage. If you fail these saves, you are also knocked prone.

They land on the ground, and become aware of a revolting odor. It's one they're well accustomed to by now: The saccharine smell of cadaver. Rodrigo feels something squishy beneath his hand that he doesn't especially want to look at. The smell is almost overpowering.

Ahead of them, perhaps forty feet off, is a shape. The particulars are impossible to make out in the darkness, but it is immense, sprawled, spindly. A spider's shape looms against the gloom.

Twin red eyes gleam with alien intent. A clicking, chittering sound can be heard.

Only Rodrigo is able to immediately see the revolting scene that he and his friends have tumbled into.

I encourage you non-Rodrigos out there to not read this spoiler. It's a spoiler.

Inits: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 = 131d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 101d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 191d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The three of you get a surprise round before the creature's go (the Dimension Door is considered part of the surprise round).

Meanwhile, Above:
Perceptions: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 161d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 261d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Stealth: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21

Map updated. Note that the figures in black and white (the somewhat larger spider, Farrukh, Tanith and Rodrigo) are the ones underground and in relative darkness. The spider is considered to have total concealment against them, though they're aware of its squares. The circle represents the underground chamber.

The rectangle by the tiny red spider is part of a house. Other houses not pictured.

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Farrukh does a triple frontflip and sticks the landing on one foot, landing as gracefully as a leaf floating on a summer's breeze.

His only regret is that he is invisible, and thus nobody saw how amazing he is.

"Oh, this is about to get disgusting..." mutters Eben as he reaches for his bow.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

You guilt tripping bastard.

"Um... really big spider that's avoiding us..." Eben says, now clutching his bow firmly in hand but being kind of indecisive otherwise.

Because, sorry, 'spider the size of a cat' is not an itsy bitsy spider, it is a really big spider until put in a room with, say, Shelob.

And drawing my bow counts as my surprise round action, so I can avoid being the one to initiate a fight with our housefly-population-reducing friends.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 = 4

Tanith is not nearly as graceful as the unseen Farrukh and lands with a crunch on his kilted ass. The big man grunts in pain and conjures a softly glowing light. "What the hell is that smell?"

Standard for light. Swift for fervored ironskin. Tanith will burn an AP to stand from prone.

"Body bits," Rodrigo gags. "Phase spider, I assume, looking at us."

If I have a standard action, I'll summon a tiger.

Surprise Round: Actions
Move Action: Draw Crossbow

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

"...Eben, it's just a spider." Carina draws her crossbow and makes sure it's loaded. "A kinda big spider, but I think as long as you don't bother it, it won't bother you."

How naive of her.

Incidentally, it's an arachnid, not a bug. I know, semantics.

She taps Astraden on the shoulder and points out where the spider is.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 - 10 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 10 = 14

"Spiders are more afraid of you than they are of them! C'mon Eben, not everything's out to kill us." Astraden looks carefully towards the shed adjoining the shrine, though.

Perception: is Hog still asleep?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Incidentally, it's an arachnid, not a bug. I know, semantics.

Alright, Ms. Smartypants, it's an arachnid. And because you're suuuch an expert on them, now there's fifty.

Rodrigo used his standard action to dimension door in. But remember to make your Reflex save.

As Tanith's light illuminates the room, he and Farrukh can see the scene they're in. As the aasimar said, there are body parts everywhere. Strewn about seemingly at random are pieces of intestine, feet, faces—like the cast-offs of some monstrous picky eater.

A picky eater that is directly facing the intruders, surprise evident by its posture. And little else, for it is an immense spider. With outstretched, almost arm-like front legs, a carapace colored like pale flesh and painted with strange and colorful patterns, the creature is clearly no ordinary giant spider. An enormous mask-like object attached to its abdomen seems to eye you as well, adding to the alien-ness. Farrukh knows this to be a phase spider, though the markings and mask aren't usual.

The spider's two huge red eyes show a twisted expression of...curiosity. It is impossible to precisely understand such a thing's feelings, of course, but it doesn't seem hostile. Not exactly. Its head tilts to one side as it looks over the newcomers and chitters excitedly.

Underground: Farrukh still has an action.

Aboveground:
The needlessly paranoid Eben draws his bow and the creature reacts the same any ordinary, miniscule spider would: Giving a hiss and moving to skitter faster around the group, heading straight for the shack.
Inits: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 81d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 71d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Aboveground: You are up.

"Well, how come it isn't sitting in a web somewhere waiting for a fly to get stuck? Or, y'know, a rat or stray cat..." Eben says, chagrined a little but not really, carefully tracking the spider as it maneuvers around the three of them.

Wait, it passed within 5 FEET of me!? Gy'yaaah!

Eben dances from one foot to another and makes sounds that would be unworthy for anyone standing in a shrine to Kord, if this were actually a shrine to Kord, as the spider gets entirely too close for comfort during its journey from point A to B.

It gave you a 10-foot berth—the movement line isn't fully accurate. My mistake.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

It gave you a 10-foot berth—the movement line isn't fully accurate. My mistake.

Oh. Well. I'm too lazy to edit my prior post, so Eben just gets squicked out that it's even ten feet away.

You actually got a 16, Rodrigo, since you take a -4 from the save, but that still makes it.

"Well, we've found our Phase Spider. I'm going to circle around it. No telling when it might change its mind and attack." Farrukh whispers to his friends.

He moves slightly farther away from his companions and tries to make sure the thing doesn't notice him, and Studies it in case it attacks.

Stealth: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36 Plus 20 Invisibility. HOT WHEELS M&+&&&&$*#$+

I'm not really understanding this map. Are we where we are, and it inside a separate room with a door open sorta thing, or are we just in the big circle, and the shrine is the square, and the spider just hapens to fall "inside" the shrine?

Either way I want to move where I'm kind of behind it. 20 feet of movement while sneaking.

The circle represents the area beneath the shrine. The square represents the shrine above. So, the latter.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

The spider eyes the group, not hearing Farrukh's whispered words. Its mask takes on a strange ethereal glow, and Tanith and Rodrigo hear a voice in their heads. ~Oh, hello! Who are you? That was an interesting trick just appearing in here like that.~

Farrukh/Rodrigo/Tanith are up.

”We’ve got lots of them”, Tanith growls aloud as he squares off with the monstrous figure. ”It was you that killed Varda. Was it because he figured out that Forwell was feeding the Muddle’s old folks to you?”

~Who?~ The creature stares blankly. ~Oh, the priest. Actually, that was my servant's doing. He's very protective of me, and when 'Varda' started to look into scripture, Forwell knew something had to be done. It's sad, but that man really shouldn't have meddled in other people's business like that.~

”Your servant is spreading blasphemy about Kord’s teachings and you’re eating the poor fools that buy it. That’s coming to an end. Now!” Tanith says as he levels his poleaxe and closes on the spider-thing.

Not sure where Farrukh is approaching from (and I guess Tanith wouldn’t either because he’s invisible) but assuming it doesn’t look like it has reach that’s Tanith’s route. If it does have reach he’ll stop a square short to avoid an AoO.

Blessing for Strength Surge

Chop (blessing): 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 13 - 2 + 3 = 22
Damage (smite): 1d10 + 10 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 6 + 4 = 30

Depending on where Farrukh is add +2 for flank.

"See? Perfectly harmless. Let's see where it's going." Astraden follows the spider as quietly as she can.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

”Your servant is spreading blasphemy about Kord’s teachings and you’re eating the poor fools that buy it. That’s coming to an end. Now!” Tanith says as he levels his poleaxe and closes on the spider-thing.

Not sure where Farrukh is approaching from (and I guess Tanith wouldn’t either because he’s invisible) but assuming it doesn’t look like it has reach that’s Tanith’s route. If it does have reach he’ll stop a square short to avoid an AoO.

Blessing for Strength Surge

[dice=Chop (blessing)]1d20+13-2+3
[dice=Damage (smite)]1d10+10+6+4

Depending on where Farrukh is add +2 for flank.

Tanith's poleaxe screeches against the phase spider's incredibly hard carapace, drawing bright sparks. The enormous creature is unphased, though it does seem slightly startled.

Up above, Carina is up. I separated the two maps.

Round 1: Actions
Full-Round Action: Start following the spider as stealthily as possible

With Astraden making a lot of noise, Carina realizes that any hope for stealth may have been well and truly dashed. She sighs and moves to follow her.

Not that it stops her from trying to be stealthy...

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
...and instead, showing Astraden how to utterly fail at it. Her vials *CLINK* and *CLACK* together as she moves.

She puts a hand to her face and sighs in resignation. "Sorry."

Farrukh steps over a bit and utilizes one of his least used abilities: Secret Shank.

Edit: Wait, who moved Tanith? He was within 5 feet of me stepping over to flank with him before.

Secret Shank vs Flatfooted with a +2 from Invis: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 14 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 14 + (5, 4) = 25

Not So Secret Shank (Bash): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Not At All Secret Shank (Bash Iterative): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Damage?: 1d6 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Eben sighs and doesn't even bother trying to be stealthy as he follows. "How are the two of you stepping on so many branches? We're in a city, there shouldn't even be branches to step on!"