Sfounder's Curse of the Crimson Throne PbP
Game Master Chris Marsh

Are the Scythes secured in some way? Can we remove them? If so Odric attempts it.

As soon as Gaius moves towards the door, the remnants of Morkeleb's magical detection spell flash, but before he can so much as make a noise, Gaius sets off a trap that he failed to detect. The scythes come crashing down towards the Calistrian. 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34 and carve a deep gash in his side. 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 4) + 9 = 17. That's not the worst of it. The skeletal heads force out a cloud of noxious green gas. A single breath is enough to affect everyone in the room. Your perceptions twist. The murals laugh at you. Your companions begin to decompose and fall apart. You look down at yourself and see death spreading. Insanity begins to seep into your puny mortal mind. Give up. For this is the end.

FORT Saves:

Odric: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Sandor:1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 2 = 17
Ferox:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 WIS dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Morkeleb:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Grym:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Bucho:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10WIS dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 4
Gaius1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Most of you fight off the insanity, but Ferox and Bucho can't escape it.

Ferox:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Bucho:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 WIS dmg: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3

When Bucho finally shakes it off he's not the same...

If anyone has abilities that can prevent Round 2 for Ferox or Round 2 & 3 for Bucho. You may do so.

The ranger scoops up his beloved dog, Wizard! Can you help him? Whats wrong? The normaly fearless ranger is slightly panicked with his dog clearly acting strange. Any price, Iwill pay it...

Umm did this affect even those wearing the masks?

Yes, it does. The masks make you immune to a single disease (Blood Veil) and give a +2 on all saves versus poison and disease. The two who failed REALLY failed. You are correct, I didn't add the mask bonuses, and I should have. Though it does not change the outcome.

it looks like the results of the failed saves were low enough that the Resistance spell didn't matter...the only thing I could do to help would be to give antitoxin after round 1, but I don't find it reasonable to think Morkeleb would realize what was needed, and who needed it, AND administer it, in 1 round. if you disagree, S, then I'll do it, as Bucho is in a bad way and maybe you think that *is* reasonable.

Seeing the only human (or demi-human) affected by the foul poison being Ferox--and only lightly--Morkeleb seems relieved, until Grym's broken voice reaches him.

The wizard has always been a bit detatched, perhaps more than a bit. But seeing the brave animal suffering, and the brave ranger so affected by it, shows just about the first crack in "The Wizardly Venier" any of the companions have yet seen.

He puts his hand on Grym's shoulder, and looks him in the eye. I am sorry. Restoring the dog's mind is beyond my skills. Our best chance will most likely be divine magic; perhaps the Abadarians can help... he glances at Ferox and nods differentially ...for a price, of course.

Gaius, that is one nasty wound. I have cure potions--will you take one?

Ohh I knew the outcomes wouldn't change with the +2 bonus. But I was hoping that there was a hidden benefit that you didn't reveal from the detect magic on the masks, so as not to spoil the "Trap" reveal.

ohh btw did we see the bard's brother in any of the beds?

Nope. At no point did you see her brother. Good call.

Now that the trap is sprung, does Odric think it is possible to remove or break the scythes to render the trap useless?

Anything can be broken if you spend enough time breaking it....

So, from a rules standpoint you can Disable the Device. This involves making a single check. Extremely high rolls can let you get creative with it (rig it, reset it, etc). If you simply want to smash it, swing away. Each hit does damage. Eventually it'll gain the "broken" condition.

The trap looks as if it will require manual resetting. The skeletal mouths are still open and the scythes are down.

My thanks, Morkeleb. I accept your help.

Odric starts attacking and doesn't stop until the trap is broken.
Power Attack (Furious Focus) with MW Falchion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 for 2d4 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 6 + 2 = 14 damage.

Power Attack (Furious Focus) with MW Falchion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 for 2d4 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 6 + 2 = 14 damage.

Power Attack (Furious Focus) with MW Falchion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 for 2d4 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 6 + 2 = 13 damage.

Power Attack (Furious Focus) with MW Falchion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 for 2d4 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 6 + 2 = 12 damage.

Excellent. Well, any semblance of surprise we might have had is definitely gone.

That's ok Ferox. I'm sure that at least somebody was alerted when the trap went off. Although I'm sad to see such a fine blade being used for vengeance on a door. Especially when an axe is better suited.

Sandor holds his axe out to Odric and shrugs his shoulders.

Mike, what kind of potion did you just give me?

One way or another, I've done my job and gotten rid of the trap. Can someone wrangle Odric. Let's form up and keep moving. If we have to be loud, let's at least be mobile.

Odric is complete. He tries to follow Gaius carefully without slipping in the man's spilled lifeblood.

Which way gentlemen? No alarm sounded through Odric's antiarchetecture.

Mike, what kind of potion did you just give me?

2 CLW

One way or another, I've done my job and gotten rid of the trap. Can someone wrangle Odric. Let's form up and keep moving. If we have to be loud, let's at least be mobile.

Indeed. Let us hope thepassage is long enough that Odric's remodelling went unnoticed.

The double doors have been made safe. Let's head through and see what we find.

Dozens of the living dead line the walls of this chamber, their rotting faces sneering and broken fingers clawing at each other. A layer of rotting bodies lines the floor, the shattered forms twitching in vain, bones and splintered appendages grasping hopelessly. Yet, rather than some massive, nightmare grave, this horror-show seems instead to be a stomach-churning attempt at art, as the mangled living dead lie trapped behind walls and beneath a floor of thick glass.

wait... are they real undead or dead bodies posed to look scary or paintings or sculptures?

sounds to me like they're undead, crammed together behind panes of glass. That's just flippin' gross

Morkeleb's lip curls slightly in disdain and disgust. It appears that, after everything we've seen thus far, the villain Rolth has actually managed to outdo himself again. I believe I have never been as disgusted. This place needs to be burned to cinders in cleansing fire.

He turns to Sandor... My apologies ahead of time if I offend, good dwarf, but reducing this nightmare to ash seems to be the best course of action. I shall tell you now, before we face him--I *will not hesitate* to burn Rolth to a charred husk, regardless of your, er, history with fire, if that is the quickest way to deal with him--agreed?

Sandor just looks at the Wizard for a moment. If he be undead that's fine, but lets see it when we get there

Is this some sort of religious thing or could Rolf who was living in the catacombs have enough money and time to create this?

knowledge Religon: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6.

Also on the same roll which god would a necromancer worship?

Ferox tests the glass floor. If it seems sturdy enough, he'll step into the room and examine the undead.

CLW Potions:2d8 + 2 ⇒ (5, 7) + 2 = 14

The glass floor holds firm. Sandor, you're not sure about ANYTHING in this whole situation.

Forward to the Double doors?

wait, how tough to the undead under the floor look? And are the ones behind the walls compartmentalized from the others? Could a fellow break open one section and deal with a small sample of baddies without flooding the area with all of them?

You know this is going to end up with us swamped in undead somehow, might as well address them piecemeal now if possible.

Slight meta-gaming here, but from the look of the map, moving forward through the double doors will leave a lot of unexplored space which could come and bite us in the ass, as it were. I'd like to check out the doors to the south and north, if possible first.

Seeing the floor as solid and sturdy enough to hold his weight, Ferox moves into the room. He holds back his bile as the undead writhe below and around him. He approaches the first door in the southern wall and listens at it for signs of anything beyond.

Perception w/ Guidance: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Chris, are we considered to still be in the Hospice? Does Ferox still benefit from the bonuses from Zellara? Was that bonus also accounted for in the poison roll?

It's not really metagaming. A skilled adventurer knows that leaving the unknown behind you is asking for it.

Odric: It doesn't look like the compartments of a ship's hull. It looks like one contiguous set up. No one yet has passed a Knowledge (Religion) to ID the undead.

Ferox: Your preternaturally keen hearing picks up shreds of conversation, but voices are hard to make out. Someone is instructing/ordering at least 2 other people on the other side. They're speaking loudly such that you think it's a large room.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

The ranger kneels brooding over the damage to Buchos mind. Grym strokes the dogs ears with one hand while he grasps a blade with the other. The ranger is ready to bring whoever caused these abominations to justice. Preferibly on the edge of a blade...

Ferox motions the others to come over to him and get ready as he prepares to open the door.

Gaius moves up with Ferox.

Ferox motions the others to come over to him and get ready as he prepares to open the door.

The ranger and his crazed dog move up. He nods his readiness to the Inquisitor.

Wait, which door? we were just talking about going back to the unopened doors behind us...

It's the door on the map with Gaius and Ferox next to it.

late night post have been busy. Let me see if I can catch up.

Speaking softly Yup lads back at the War Acadamy, they taught us when clearing our MOUT house, and using our CQB skills that you never left a door unopened behind you, and you always closed it after the room is cleared.

and on that note, I will be the first one into the room to the south he looks at both doors, and thinks, well we know trouble is behind the door in room 2, so maybe we should try the 2 doors in room 1 first.