Rigor Rictus' Carrion Crown - Game Thread
Game Master LastNameOnEarth

"We seem to have looked into every room on this floor, except the locked room. I would say that we should search this room, and attempt to enter the locked room before we go much further."

Ember helps search the room.

"If you do not mind I will take a look at those unmarked vials."

Alistair will cast detect magic and study the vials while the searching of the room continues, attempting to identify them

FYI, I am back!! I have returned from my trip, internet access was a lot more spotty than I had expected, so sorry about that, but I am back and checking regularly again.

"Not at all, my good man. Here you go! Might not hurt to confirm the ones that are labeled, just in case someone had a sick sense of humor." Ried hands over the vials.

Assuming we head to the locked room, Ried will attempt the door over the course of a couple minutes, taking time to search for traps.

Perception Take 20: 20 + 9 = 29
Disable Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Disable Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Disable Device: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Ried, it appears there were others who would rather keep searching this room first. We'll save your rolls for later as they were good ones.

Ember and Alistair approach Ried within the room, and upon Ember's assertion that this room should be searched before moving on, the others filter in as well.

MAP

Without warning, a spectral figure of a ghostly skeleton rips into being near the center of the room, only a few feet from Ried. It screams a ghastly ear splitting shriek and rises up above Reid menacingly.

That's got to be the worst crop of rolls I've ever seen. How many '1's in there?

The suddenness of the things appearance, takes everyone by surprise. Up until now, any strangeness that had occurred had generally happened immediately upon entering the room. Only Delia is able to keep her reserve. All the others trip over themselves in their haste to run from the room as fast and as far as they can.

Everyone but Delia is "Frightened," and must flee if they are able.

Delia, any actions for you? Everyone else, unless you have a good reason and explanation why your character might go somewhere else, I am presuming you will be running down the hall and straight out the front entrance of the building.

We came in the front entrance, right? If so, that's the way Ried would go

"What in the name of all that is holy is THAT! Aaaahhhhh!"

Alistair will flee toward the place where we entered the prison. Shoving potions into his pack the whole way.

Second time that thing got me damn ><. Agnar runs to the front door to.

Valachi runs like an animal, tail tucked and on all fours.

Ember flee through the front door with the others.

As everyone runs away, Delia is uncertain of what she missed that everyone is so worried about. She decides that it may be a good idea to follow them out. First, though, she will place a quick obstacle in the path of the enemy. "Priho Ditieh Minyeh Pohmoach, Volk" as she quickly summons aid in the form of a wolf, with a silvery pelt. Its eyes backed by a golden light.

As her new ally holds firm, she moves to leave the room, trying to catch up to the others.

Celestial Wolf, Smite Attack the "ghost"? 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 (miss chance if needed for insubstantial 1d100 ⇒ 50).
Doesn't look like a hit either way.
Move 30' toward the others.

The wolf is unable to catch the ephemeral creature in its jaws. A mere moment after it tries the spectral being vanishes again. Delia is just able to see the wolf look around in confusion for the enemy it could see just a few moments ago, before she turns and moves after her comrades.

The fear effect lasts for 1d4 ⇒ 3 rounds.

The party keeps running long enough to clear the front doors and are on the green before they are able to bring themselves to a halt. White faced, ashen, and puffing for breath, the party members are able to all see each other. Now, regaining a bit of their wits, they can see that all are present and accounted for.

Ball's in your court, players.

Valachi does his best to regain his composure, mostly by scowling. "Was that... was that another haunting?"

"Not certain, but it was definitely embarassing," Ried straightens his hair and his gear. With a determined look, he says boldy, "Come on, now ... let's get back at it."

"Damn undead." growls as he makes his way back inside.

"Are you suggesting we go BACK in there to that, that, THING!? That was the singularly most frightening thing I have ever observed, heard about, or read about, and I am no stranger to fear."

Delia, having caught up to the rest, looks at them confused "What was it about that one that made it so scary? It didn't seem that much worse than others that we have faced. Heck, I almost didn't know what was going on until I looked around and saw that I was the only one left."

Knowledge Religion about it 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10, bah

Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"That was a poltergeist. They are haunts that are incorporeal, but can produce unnatural fear and also move items in their location about with great force."
Ember looks a bit shamed that she fled from such.
"We should return and confront it."

Turning to Delia, "The haunt siphons should work against it. Who has the last two?"

Please take a look at my post in the discussion forum for a response to Ember's assertion.

Rules post: Haunt Siphons

Edit: Due to the fact that I misunderstood how haunt Siphons worked, Ember will not say the last line to Delia.

"Polteregeist you say?"

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

"Does anyone have the ability to allow us to pierce invisibility? That should hedge its fearsome presence."

"It's unnatural fear would not be hedged, and of greater worry is it's incorporeal existance. I have spells that can affect it, but only magic spells or weapons can inflict damage upon it."

The team regroups and heads back into the prison. Somehow know that you just fled this building in terror has an odd effect, as it seems that much quieter, bust as though your panicked screams might still echo back to you. Outside the open door to the infirmary the group pulls short and makes its preparations to confront this apparent poltergeist.

Marching/breaching order? Any special preparations or tactics anyone wishes to use before entering the room?

MAP

"Does anyone have anything magical to attack it with? Perhaps we should return later?"

Alistair will cast resistance on the group (giving +1 to saves but only lasts 1 minute) in the following order: Delia, Father, Agnar, Ried, Ember, Kendra, Himself. Unfortunately this means that Delia only has 3 rounds of protection left.

Agnar shakes his head at Ried's question.

Delia considers it for a bit, before adding uncertainly, "I think I may have an option, but I don't know exactly how they wield their powers. It depends on the energies focused by my summons when they work to eradicate evil beings."

It really is a rules question.
First, I was looking up to see if summoned/celestial creatures were treated as using magic weapons (No, but celestials can overcome alignment based DR when they get their own DR.)
Second, I looked at Smite, and therein lies the question. Incorporeal is affected by (Su) at 50%. Since Smite is a (Su) ability, would that allow my summoned celestial creatures the ability to hit and do half damage when they are using their smite?

Someone give me the word that the group is ready to proceed and we'll get started.

EDIT: The resources received from the various sources were discussed way back in post 722. Here's the Link: Stuff. There were two oils of Magic Weapon there, one of which Valachi took, and one that was unclaimed. Any items that were carried by former group members would have been returned when they left the group. You may wish to bring these up and redistribute, accounting for those that have been used of course. I believe you have used 2 Haunt Siphons, and about 7 vials of Holy Water so far.

Ember will aid Alistair by casting her own Resistance, and also casting it upon Kendra and Ried.
That way Delia will have it for 6 rounds instead.
Then Ember stands ready to try to deal with the poltergiest.

"Holy water? Why didn't someone say so? I can chuck just about anything, but coals full of liquid, now that's my thing! I'll take a few."

Delia scans her memory, and remembers "I almost forgot, I can transmute anyone with non-weapon based attacks to treat their limbs as magic."

For the head's up, she can cast Magic Fang, and may cast on any that want it (up to 4). Father will get one for his Slam attack, Valachi you get claws sometimes right?

After Delia enhances his fists, Father puffs up his chest, flexes his arms and simply states "Thank you, my peach."

She casts 1 on him. It lasts 3 minutes. Approved by GM above to work.

Valachi you get claws sometimes right?

Indeed I do! =)

After setting up the Resistance cycle with Ember, Alistair is ready to go.

Delia will cast Magic Fang on Val as well, and then she's ready to go.

Magic fang only enhances one natural attack, so each of Val's hands will have to be enchanted separately, or he will only be able to attack with his one magic hand. Source

Roger. I was going to clarify, but reading the spell I thought it was fairly clear, so I chose not to. She will only cast it once, and is needed may cast it on him again during the fight.

Ried will arm himself with some vials of holy water and follow from the rear this time.

Ok, Ried, and I presume Alistair, in the back row. Kendra probably next. Anyone else have preferred placement? I'd imagine Delia in the 3rd row with Kendra, Father and Ember next, and Valachi and Agnar in the lead.

I also need to know how you will approach, 5ft at a time till it appears, or rushing into the room all together, etc.

I would imagine Father and Val in the lead, with their magic fanged limbs, Ried and Ember next with holy water and channel, Delia and Kendra with their spells, then Alistair and Agnar (I didn't if Agnar had anything he could use). Also, I would suggest entering and splitting to encircle the room, backs to the wall in a protective posture.

If I rage I get claws.

If I rage I get claws.

You could alternatively use one of the Oils of Magic Weapon on you Greatsword.

Edit: I have a meeting to go to this morning, but I will move us along after that.

Kendra says, "Remember Ried, the holy water must contact the creature directly; throwing the vial won't work, as it has no body to break it on. Open the vial and throw the water. Everyone else, the creature will likely appear and try to frighten us again, so steel yourselves. Afterwards it may become invisible again. Use your senses, and coordinate with your fellows to try and isolate where it is. If I'd had the foresight, I'd have memorized a spell of see invisible, but I did not, so we will have to work as best we can."

The group lines up as Delia has suggested (as she was the only one to list an order), and prepares to enter. Ember and Alistair dole out their blessings to help everyone resist the supernatural fear, as Delia casts her spells on Father and Valachi. Everyone hopes for the best.

As agreed, they charge into the room, splitting into two lines and surrounding the outsides of the area. A moment of still silence follows for a heartbeat, and then the creature appears again. The ghostly specter appears out of nowhere, hovering near the back corner of the room, above one of the old cots. It shrieks with a malevolent cry that chills everyone present to the bone. All are able to feel a well of panic rising up within them, as if being summoned by some supernatural force.

Delia, Father, Ried, and Valachi failed to resist the fear effect; Agnar, Alistair, Ember and Kendra saved, and are not affected.

Those who failed must flee if able, and will suffer the effects for 1d4 ⇒ 2 rounds.

Immediately after ending its blood curdling scream, the creature vanishes again, and objects around the room begin to stir and float into the air.

Initiative Order: Alistair, Ried, Father, Kendra, Delia, Ember, Valachi, Polergeist, and finally Agnar.

MAP
The icon depicting the Poltergeist (B7) is not necessarily where the creature is, but will be used to represent where it was last seen or contacted.

Round 1:
Actions please. Those who failed the fear save need not post, as you'll be running away for two rounds, but feel free to post for flavour, or if there is something you think you would be able to do during your frightened escape.

Round 1, Init 10
Acting after most of the party, Ember is concerned by the number of people fleeing in fear. Before Valachi has a chance to run, she casts Remove Fear upon him.

Remove Fear negates the effect of fear for the duration of the spell, 10 minutes.

Since we acted before it, could we not ready an action based on it appearing?

Since we acted before it, could we not ready an action based on it appearing?

In theory yes; however, the fear affect is a supernatural effect of it appearing, and not an action it performed after appearing - therefore you would have been immediately overcome as soon as it became visible and therefore unable to perform your prepared action.

Since Ember acts before Valachi, he will be able to take his action as normal.

Delia saved last time, and is thus immune for 24 hours.

You are right. I missed that part of the fine print. Proceed.

Delia, concerned by how many ran last time, tries to stem the flow somewhat. "Alistair, Agnar, one of you shut the doors, that should slow down anyone fleeing."

She prepares what she had planned from outside, and summons planar assistance. "Priho Ditieh Minyeh Pohmoach, Sobaki", as a flash of light appears, splits in two, and vanishes leaving two golden furred large hounds. One on either side of the space where the thing had stood. Without a recognizable enemy, they look about for something to fight.

Standard, Summon monster II 1d3 ⇒ 2 celestial riding dogs.