The Carrion Crown (E7 goodness with House Rules frosting)

Game Master Helaman

From the tower to your left a bunch of rats stream down the stairs ... though there is some distance yet and they are, for the moment now blocked from view by the house in which the stirges hide.

Baradlon gets ready to smash some rats with his cestus.

"Well I suppose that works, too," Elidal says as she draws her sword and readies herself for action.

Simeon raises his own crossbow to bear upon the stirges but lowers it with a sigh as they retreat into the roof.

Seeing the surge of rats coming towards the group, he shakes off the feeling of creepy-crawlies that assails him at the sight of the skittering swarm.

Standing with his companions he brandishes his staff and manages to look at least a little menacing.

Jaru frowns as his offered bomb is spurned by his obviously more agile non-human companion. The priest wonders if the elf has takes some foolish oath against ranged attacks as he prepares to toss the alchemist fire himself when he sees the red of the rat horde's eyes.

A minute passes - neither you nor the creatures move and then the previously seen group of rats rounds the side of the house... and stops.

Baradlon takes the flask from Jaru, moves forward and tosses it onto the rats.

Ranged touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Which group?

The one that's close to us and that my token is looking at.

Simeon leans forward in anticipation of what will happen when the flask hits....

bah. dicebot is just being mean now. At least Nighteye's throw is in the ball park.

The fire bomb lands solidly among the rats near the cottage.

1d6 ⇒ 2 X 1.5 = 3

The rats dont scatter like you expect... even burning they watch you as they squeek and and some of their number die. The smell of burning rat wafts past you.

And that small group moves in a mass into the elf and attack.

Nighteyes AoO 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 - Nighteyes attack is ineffectual.

Rat Attack
Damage to Elf 1d6 ⇒ 1
distraction (DC 12) Will Save
1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Disease (DC 12) Fort Save
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

The other critters just watch... waiting. It is very unsettling

Round 2
You then Rats.

Slightly unnerved by the watching creatures, Elidal attempts to assist Nighteyes in the most obvious manner that she knows of. Taking aim, she swings her sword at the biting and clawing mob, hoping to take a few more of them down.

Longsword: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

What on earth is wrong with these things??? Normal rats don't behave this way!

Not sure if Elidal's Divine Favor is still going or not. If not, just subtract 1 from both the attack and damage roll above.

Its still going... waiting for the others before posting actions

Jaru joins the fray smashing at the mass of rodents with his mace.

Light mace: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

and the dice keep sucking... and that would have been a FULL 1 hp of damage :P

His academic interet in the rats' actions pushed aside for the moment, Simeon raises his staff high and brings it down upon the squirming horde....

Attack 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 5

Simeon brings his staff down, splattering rats most satisfactorily, he sweeps it side ways, crushing many and batting away others.

Nighteyes stomps in and around as well and whatever thing is holding the surivors of that group of rats breaks though fire consumes the majority of them as the burning alchemical concoction does its job. The grass to your left is littered with rat corpses smoking gently in the light rain.

Fire 1d6 ⇒ 5

The other rats and you think the stirges watch you still.

"Well struck, Simeon," Jaru smiles encouragingly. "Forward, but keep an eye out for those stirges."

Just waiting a bit for other posts as some events are dependent on certain others

Simeon puffs up his chest at Jaru's word and comically strikes a heroic pose, his staff thrust out to one side. It is then that he notices the patterns of rat gore seems to spell out .....his name.

With a startled yelp he drops the staff, then at the other curious gazes , slowly leans over the staff to investigate.

"I thought I saw my name written on the staff...." he says weakly.

Just assorted gore of rodent origin as far as can be seen.

"I'm beginning to believe that anything could be possible at this point," Elidal says grimly. "Stay alert, I want to test something."

Elidal cautiously approaches the corner of the old ruined building, curious if the creatures will only attack based on provocation and proximity.

Moved her on the map slightly.

Nothing stirs as Elidal moves towards the cottage.

Jaru replaces his mace and loading his crossbow follows with Nighteyes on point.

"Hmm...nothing else to do but see if we can get by them and into the prison, I suppose."

Elidal waits for the others to catch up before continuing onward, allowing Nighteyes to lead the way as before.

GM- you going to manage Nighteyes or do you want one of us to run him for this bit.

I'll bot this for now...

Nighteyes starts moving towards the building when the rats surge forward... with a stream of rats running off to the side and towards the water.

Initiative. Group.

Adventurers 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Rats 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

The come at you in a frantic squeaking wave of brown and black fur.

I've bunched you together assuming you are moving forward in a group with the elf leading

was that the swarm's turn? what is the rubble? difficult terrain? default was Nighteyes 10' ahead.

Jaru breaks off keeping his crossbow trained on the skies.

readied shot for stirges.

I'm assuming the swarm moved up and now it's our turn.

Anticipating the swarm's attack, Elidal steps closer to Nighteyes and swings her longsword in a low arc, hoping to cleave a fair chunk of them in half.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

i can put Nighteyes 10 ahead but that puts him mid swarm - your call (I didn't want to be a complete bastard) - there is difficult terrain on the entrance - left over from your last visit. That was the swarms move.

The priest aims, ready for flying parasites while Elidal cuts into many with a spray of gore. It does little to stop them. Nighteyes lays in with his cestus. 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 1d4 ⇒ 3. He mashes more.

Just waiting on Simeon

Simeon snatches up his staff, giving it a rough wipe with his cloak to obscure any suggestion of a message if any kind.

Advancing to Elidal's side , he swings his stsff in a low arc, trying to strike as many of the vermin as possible.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Damage : 1d6 ⇒ 4

-Posted with Wayfinder

This time his blow is ineffectual and the swarm rolls over the group as a wave... Simeon is on the outskirts, avoiding the mass for now.

Damage
Elidal 1d6 ⇒ 2
Nighteyes 1d6 ⇒ 4

DC12 saves fortitude vs disease and DC12 will vs distraction.
Nighteyes fort 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 will 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

The Stirges launch themselves at Jaru... Who takes a shot 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 hitting and killing 1.

They dive bomb him and try to attach themselves seeking out his blood.

Touch attack.
1 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
2 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

He is grappled by the survivors, who try to force their probosci into his flesh.

And a small pod of rats continues to run towards the water.

Map to be updated as I am posting from phone

Poor Nighteyes never has had much luck with saving throws this entire campaign...

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

As the rats swarm over her and her companions, Elidal swings again and again at the mass, desperately trying to cut her way through so she can turn her attention to aiding Father Toth.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 1 = 24
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 3 + 1 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 1 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

I think I did it right? Yay?

Dont think you crit swarms... checking

No crits buuuut it was a good hit

Elidals low wide swing does much to take out a lot of rats but they aren't dispersed yet. Nighteyes is too distracted by the creatures crawling all over him to attack.

Jaru gives a fearful shriek and immediately drops his crossbow. Grabbing his mace once again, he beats frantically at a bloodthirsty bat-thing, but fumbles in his panic!

Light mace: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Simeon up

A bright spray of blood shows Simeon how well Elidal was doing with the mass of rats, but Jaru's shriek brought his head around to the Pharasmin's predicament.

Running over, Simeon tries to bat one of the stirges from the priest's body.

Attack 1d20 ⇒ 19 Crit threat!
Crit confirm 1d20 ⇒ 8 Nope!
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 3

The wizards blow stuns one of the creatures temporarily but it continues to nuzzle for blood.

The rats continue to roll over Elidal and Nighteyes

Nighteyes 1d6 ⇒ 3
Elidal 1d6 ⇒ 5
DC12 will save vs Distraction and DC fort vs Disease if you haven't failed already.

Nighteyes Will 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11 and Fort save as auto fail for story purposes.

The stirges both feed on the cleric.
-2 Con and a Fort Save DC12 vs disease

If diseased please make a note of it on your status bar

Nighteyes panics, flailing around impotently.

Your turn

fort save: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 1 = 6

Jaru's eyes bulge in terror as he feels his blood pulled from his body while the piping noise fills his head. He continues beating about himself wildly.

lt mace: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

just. wow.

Simeon and Elidal

This is rapidly going from bad to worse...

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

And there we go. I'm assuming distraction means I stand around slack-jawed?

Or screaming if you want to get stereotyped... But you can a do single move action per turn - mechanically same as nauseated.

Seeing the horrid creatures nuzzling in closer to Jaru and the priests own panicked yelps, Simeon pulls back his staff and attempts to dislodge one with the butt.

Attack 1d20 ⇒ 1

LOL

Oh dear...

Both Stirges feed on the priest again, and there is the triumphant little riff in the mournful dirge that Father Toth is hearing.

-2 con. We'll talk disease later...

The flying abominations drink deeply of his blood.

I'll assume the inquisitor moves and that Elidal is not in the swarm but Nighteyes doesn't move... Stubborn bastard that he is. Otherwise take same as Nighteyes

1d6 ⇒ 3
-10 hps at this stage for Nighteyes

Will save 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16.

The elf overcomes his revulsion and panic and goes into a frenzy.
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12, 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 but fails to do anything more than stomp a few rats dead.

The other rats keep up their manic dash towards the stagnant water.

You're up.

Weakening quickly to the unholy thirst of the bugbats, Jaru wails for a retreat while still trying to kill the injured creature.

lt mace: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

The priest crushes it in a gout of blood.