SR's - Great Southern Isles (PbP) (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Jayse looks from Ushari to Straehan, then over to Jofram with a clear who are these two? look.

Then he turns back with a shrug, "Excellent work, then. So, search this area then move on?"

Using previous Perception rolls...

You search the cages and find little that is exceptional. Only one of the cages is of the original metal - it is heavily rusted and deteriorating. The other cages are clearly a recent addition. Also, the stone in the corridor is odd. It is Shaudran but only on the surface and it is patchy in spots. It looks as if the Shaudran rubble was used to create a patina over more modern construction... trying to give it a more ancient look.

The skeleton in the doorway, is just that - a human skeleton in ragged clothes and bits of rusted chain armor.

Ushari nods, "I will keep that in mind, Strae but I am no weak-kneed child. Still if you insist on handling that on your own, I will be right behind you...if only to pull your feet out of the fire."

She glances at the skeleton and briefly wonders how long it had been lying here, before taking her place in the middle of the group.

"I am ready to go."

"Courage has nothing to do with it. I'm simply better and quicker at sniffing out traps. You don't see me grappling foes or tracking elusive prey, do you? Those are Jayse's and Jofram's strengths and I leave those tasks to them because they are better suited."

He gives her a polite bow and waves a hand at the front of the group. "If you want to take point - take it. I won't object. Putting our healer in the path of immediate danger seems foolish to me but if you feel the need to prove your mettle or belittle my abilities by implying you could perform the task as well as I... then be my guest."

If everyone is ready -

Leaving the macabre prisoner behind, Jofram turns South, following the footprints through the dust.

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33

The gnome pads to the front alongside the Ranger with not nearly the same level of stealth... and they proceed cautiously down the hall.

Stealth 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Strae and Jofram arrive at the door in the relatively featureless hall. Like the majority of the cages, this door is a relatively new construction. It doesn't appear to possess a lock.

So, how do you want to approach doors? Strae checks for traps, Jofram listens and (assuming nothing seems odd) open it?

Straehan gives the door a once-over and gives the ranger a silent thumbs-up.

Perception (Trap Spotting) 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23

Usahri walks behind the two front party members. When Straehan glances back towards the others with a questioning look, she nods silently, Go ahead.

Sounds like a plan to me.

I don't know Jofram's availability with work and all, so I'll just make the Perception rolls...

The Ranger and Sorcerer take a long moment listening at the door. They shrug at each other as if to say I don't hear anything.

Blade whispering from his sheath, Jofram nods to his small companion to open the door...

Works for me.

The door opens on a fairly sizable store-room that shows signs of recent use. It contains a couple of large trunks and strongboxes, baskets of food, unlabeled barrels, piles of armor pieces, weapons in various states of repair - mostly axes, spears, shortbows, and javelins as well as a dozen quivers of arrows. There are a few freshly exhumed coffins still coated in dirt... which is from where you imagine the horrendous smell emanates. There are also several piles of bones.

What really draws the attention, however, is the dirty rag-doll sitting atop a heap of small clothes kicked neglectfully into the Northwest corner. The patterns and colors look like children's pajamas. A close second, in terms of grabbing interest, is the mouldering and decayed gnoll body that appears to have collapsed near the Southern wall. The prints Jofram has been tracking lead right up to it.

Hmm... or maybe that is where the smell is coming from.

Gnome and Half-Elf cautiously enter the room and survey it from the doorway. Nothing seems amiss.

Tower of Despair

Straehan glances at Jofram, "I'm not seeing any traps... just don't go opening anything without Ushari or me taking a look first."

What is everyone doing? Anyone staying in the hall? Etc...

Ushari waits for Straehan to give the all clear before she enters the storeroom.

"Let me look at the gnoll corpse, Strae. Cover me."

Heal 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
Knowledge Religion 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Ushari practically has to hold her nose to examine what remains of the gnoll.

Turning away from the fetid corpse, Jofram asks their gnoll companion, "Shaggar, what do you know of this fallen gnoll?"

Anyone else curious about what's in the chests?

The gnoll growls. "Look like Dooher. Taken during alone hunting days ago. Found spear and lots prints of humans."

Ushari looks up, a grim look on her face. "It looks like we are dealing with either a priest or necromancer...and not the pleasant kind either. This Dooher was recently a zombie."

Straehan drily opines, "So we've got a shape-shifting werewolf necromancer on our hands? This day is just getting better and better."

Jofram - if you want Strae to check a barrel or box, just let me know. I figure he's just milling around at the moment.

Send in the gnome! That's the ticket!

Jofram carefully opens and examines the contents of a nearby trunk. Catching the eye of the idle Straehan, he gestures to another box. "Lend me hand?"

When in doubt... Gnome it out!

Straehan examines the large chest carefully. "Looks good." He is, thankfully, correct.

Sadly, he is gravely mistaken about the room. Whether it is his foot or the ranger's that lightly touch the ridiculously thin magical scrollwork embedded in the floor beneath the trash - the result is the same. Scrollwork along 15' of flooring glows briefly with a nacreous green light...

Straehan has only a second to look at the Ranger, "Sh!t. Sorry."

BOOM.

Perception (Trap Spotting) 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24

Jayse leans against the doorframe while the rest of the team explores the room. He barely has time to register the green flash and Straehan's words before he falls through the melting wall and into the now molasses-like floor with Shaggar. The mud sucks at the warriors, binding them up to their hips.

Where the door and wall once stood, now there is only a slurry of mud. Worse, the wall across the corridor from the entrance is slurry as well... revealing a room and a sight better left to nightmares.

The creatures pouring from the dark were once gnolls. Their naked bodies are emaciated, like starved greyhounds. Greyhounds that:
Reek of death and destruction...
Have elongated hyena skulls...
Sport double-length canines...
and have 3' long serrated tongues.

The pack runs along the ceiling and walls, claws digging easily into the stone. They leap across the gap, and sweep among the heroes dividing and isolating their prey. They hang from wall and ceiling - claws, teeth, and tongues seeking flesh. Their glowing red eyes are so numerous, its like staring at a glittering malevolent constellation on a moonless night.

This is the surprise round and I don't believe any of you can take AoOs before your actions, so the greyhounds move among you without impediment.

An ill wind sweeps along with Hell's Pack - a choking miasma of rotten meat. You all manage to hold the contents of your stomach... except Shaggar. You doubt his stomach turned at the smell. It was more likely the sight of his tribe's females turned into these flesh-seeking abominations.

OK, guys, please roll Initiative.

Greyhounds

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 68|68
Us's HPs: 45|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 52|52 SICKENED

Initiative 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Initiative 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Actually, Jayse has Combat Reflexes, so he can take up to 4 AoO's even if he's flat-footed. How many rolls should I make? :)

Initiative 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25.

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Actually, Jayse has Combat Reflexes, so he can take up to 4 AoO's even if he's flat-footed. How many rolls should I make? :)

:scribbles: Note to self - kill monk horribly.

I'm sorry, what did you say, Jayse? I couldn't hear you over my white hot rage. :) LOL. Take 3 AoOs, stud. Looks like that feat is going to pay for itself.

Straehan throws a small bouncing ball of flame, hoping to provide Jayse and Shaggar spots on solid ground. The ball strikes the greyhound North of Jayse, rebounds off the wall and flares against one of the creatures threatening Shaggar.

Round: 1

ORDER: Straehan, Jayse, Greyhounds, Jofram, Ushari, Shaggar

Greyhounds

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 68|68
Us's HPs: 45|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 52|52 SICKENED -2 for 5 mins

Jayse & Shaggar:
Moving through the mud is a full move action to move 5'. While in the mud, you have -2 to AC and -2 to hit.

I'll update the map after Jayse's AoOs and attack.

Instincts and discipline kick in where Jayse's senses fail him, and his blade darts out among the mutated mutts even as he sinks into the mud. Straehan's bouncing fire spell adds a certain spectacular flair to Jayse's flurry of motion as he goes from defending to attacking. "Straehan, you're a wonderful guy, and I love you like a tiny little brother, but I'm really beginning to hate mages. You guys help Shaggar get clear of this muck!"

Jayse - Am I missing the spot where you deployed your Mindblade? It is still a move action for you correct - not Free?

At 5th level, a Soulknife can manifest their blade as a free action. :)

Ah, OK. I didn't see that noted on your character sheet and I just skimmed Soulknife.

Yah, it's weird. Jayse doesn't have the Quickdraw feat, he actually has a Quick-draw class feature that only applies to his mind blade. As such, it's noted in his Class Features spoiler. It's the last feature under Soulknife before Add'l.

Well, for their poor organization of data and you not listing it on your character sheet which forced me to work for the data... you lose 1 XP. Taste the PAIN! :)

But.. but.. it was on my character sheet! I NEEDZ MY XPZ!

It wasn't in bold, Red, font size 35, with Dancing Ants around it. :)

A few of the savage ceiling-runners get past Jayse before he rights himself in the mud. The blue blade springs to life in his hand. He slashes as the pack running above his head. Two tumble soundlessly from the ceiling and splash into the mud, their bodies neatly bisected by his blade. A third, seeing what happened to her sisters, leaps to one side as the blue blade seeks her flesh. She is quick enough to escape death but not a fearsome wound. She springs from ceiling to wall to wall - ending in a crouch on the wall behind the Ranger. Her tongue lashes and her front claws flex while her rear ones keep her comfortably clinging to the wall... like a vicious gargoyle.

Round: 1

ORDER: Straehan, Jayse, Greyhounds, Jofram, Ushari, Shaggar

Greyhounds

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 68|68
Us's HPs: 45|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 52|52 SICKENED -2 for 5 mins

For the sake of seeing your positions on the map, I have not included all of the greyhound icons. You each have one above your head. Merry Christmas!

EDIT - I forgot to update the pic with the damage from Jayse's flurry. I'll get that done and repost.

The combination of clinging mud slowing his naturally dextrous movements and the unnatural agility of the greyhounds stymies Jayse. Only one of his attacks manages to catch the creature dancing across the ceiling unawares. It is a serious wound but the creature doesn't falter.

Map Updated...
Up Next... Greyhounds

"Straehan, you're a wonderful guy, and I love you like a tiny little brother, but I'm really beginning to hate mages. You guys help Shaggar get clear of this muck!"

The gnome gives him an I KNOW look. "What have I been saying all along? Mages are a pain in the ass! Lucky for you, my job is to be a pain in our opponents' asses." He waves vaguely at the mud in which Jayse is mired. "I hope the Striper didn't set this trap himself. It is FAR beyond my skills. This is a transmutational Rock to Mud enchantment."

In other words, if the Striper cast this... he has access to 5th level spells.

Knowledge: Arcana 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

Great, Jayse thinks as he tries to stay mobile in the sludge, now we're hoping that our opponent has an untouchably awesome interior decorator...

Claws flex, jaws stretch, and tongues lash. The moment slows to a crawl and then explodes in a vortex of chaos and motion as every greyhound descends on you. It is worse than you imagined.

Guys, I tried to do this as a single post but since I'm eliminating unnecessary saves and adding in crits, it changes the allocations of later rolls. In some cases, that benefited you and in others, sealed your fates. To make it even remotely manageable. I'm going to do this from an individual attack perspective until we've thinned the amount of baddies (or heroes :P) to a reasonable number. I'll run it in the normal attack order.

Jayse...
Having already killed two of their number, Jayse is surrounded by greyhounds intent on tasting his flesh. They swing from the ceiling, slashing with their claws and carressing him with their serrated tongues. The monk is practically yanked from the muck as a tongue lashes around his throat in a hold that threatens to snap his neck. Sets of steely, filth encrusted claws rake across his face and back. One greyhound nearly takes his left eye with a very deft slash.

While the razor tongue is disturbing, the claws are worse. Jayse feels their creeping evil work into his system... threatening to lock his muscles into paralysis.

Ja's HPs: 30|62

Jayse - you just missed the final save. You could spend a Hero Point to adjust that roll. Otherwise, you will be paralyzed.

Can I use my Resistance psionic power? Spend one of my power points as an immediate action to boost that save roll by 4?

Yep. That works too!

Jofram...

Jofram is caught perilously unaware. Everywhere he turns gnollish jaws snap at him, tongues lash, and claws rake through his invisible armor. He is savaged up and down. His blood sprays everywhere from a dozen wounds. The filth and corruption of both bite and claw enters his blood. Paralysis and disease threaten.

Jofram - you are about to be paralyzed and have contracted Ghoul Fever. Unless you've got a nifty ability like Jayse, your other option is to spend a Hero Point to adjust your roll and stave off Paralysis.

Jo's HPs: 15|68

Ushari...

Thief and acrobat that she is, Ushari whirls maniacally attempting to avoid the claws and teeth that have scarred her teammates. Is it nimbleness or divine intervention that saves her? Of the fell creatures that try to tear the flesh from her bones, only a single saw-toothed tongue rasps across her face leaving a bloody whiplash mark.

Us's HPs: 36|45

Straehan...

Speed keeps the little gnome alive - speed and Mage Armor. Straehan dodges or sees every blow deflected, except the last set of claws which dig into his shoulder. Before he shakes the Greyhound loose he feels his shoulder going numb.

Strae is heading to Paralysis City where the chicks ain't pretty. A Hero Point bonus to my save won't be enough.. so I'm going to take a Hero Point re-roll in character. Doing it here would be unfair, I've already seen the number it would generate.

Next up... the attacks on Shaggar.

St's HPs: 49|53

Hero Point Reroll

Claw Save - Fort DC15: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 or paralyzed - bullet dodged

Shaggar...

Trapped in mud and facing females he once knew, Shaggar is helpless in the onslaught. A surgically precise tongue wraps around and nearly cuts his throat. Shaggar fights them off as best he can but their claws do their wicked work and paralyze their former tribesman.

Round: 1

ORDER: Straehan, Jayse, Greyhounds, Jofram, Ushari, Shaggar

Greyhounds

Ja's HPs: 30|62
Jo's HPs: 15|68
Us's HPs: 36|45
St's HPs: 49|53

Gn's HPs: 13|52 SICKENED -2 for 5 mins ; PARALYZED for 2 rnds

When I get my hands on that Striper... Ushari's thoughts of vengeance soon vanish, to be replaced by thoughts of survival. She sees the ghouls savage her companions and knows only her divine power will keep them alive.

Round 1:
Standard action: Channel Energy (Su) 3d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 5) = 9 Will save DC 16 for half; 6/day - 1 used).

I may have missed a flanking bonus against Straehan which could have potentially turned a couple of misses into hits. Since I can't recall exactly which attackers were against him, I'm going to assume one would have hit and ding him for another 8 HP... putting him at 41 total.