The Red Arm of Absalom - Ongoing Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM Red

As Cup picks the last important document out of the cabinets, a deep growl sends trembles throughout the cellar floor. Small tremors ripple through the basement and rocky debris falls from a crumbling ceiling. The cabinets teeter back and forth precariously, threatening whoever is standing in front of them. It looks like the whole place is coming down, and quickly!

Everyone, give me either a Reflex save to dodge a falling cabinet, or a Strength check to prop one of them up. If you choose the same check type as someone else, you can voluntarily take a –2 penalty on your check to give a +2 bonus on the other player's check. We'll go theatre of the mind with this, so don't worry about moving your tokens. Aaand go!

D. is reminded of the faction he works for.

"You make a point of handing it over to the Camarilla Dark Archives. It is a risk, though, that some curious fool will use it."

"But that will be a concern, of the archive, for another time."

For those who haven't heard of it, Masquerade Bloodlines is an awesome game.

Uesugi turns when he watches Madame Poshkettle throw herself in front of the papers to protect them.

'Admirable she defends the papers like lioness protecting her cubs.'

He is about to say something when he feels the ground start to shake. He goes quickly to protect the others and pushes his back up against one of the cabinets about to fall.

"MOVE NOW!"

strength check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

"Madame Poshkettle grab the vial in my pouch QUICKLY"

I had taken out a enlarge potion so I m hoping Cup can grab the vial and feed me it.

"While gruesome, we need to record these sacrificial details so they may never happen again. It is better to know the fool than to be the fool." Sirettis grabs her mace. "Let us smash that altar, so no one- oh!"

The room begins to shake.
Reflex Save, Aid: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 3 - 2 = 12

Sirettis is all to happy to help someone, even if a bookcase clobbers her.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Gallix blinks in shock as Cup dresses him down for suggesting they burn the notes about the ritual. Once he recovers himself a bit, he opens his mouth to give his response, but the sudden rumbling cuts his words off. Uesugi dives to keep the cabinet from crushing Cup, while Gallix moves to protect Peppers from another cabinet from which the elf had been gathering some notes as well.

Strength check, Mutagen: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14

"Unseen Servant, feed Uesugi his potion!"

Meanwhile, Cup tries to aid... It's what she likes to do!

Aid Another, Strength: 1d20 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 2 - 1 = 0

But she slips, unable to do it!

Cup would totally try to aid someone else, at the expense of herself.

Mr Peppers listens to the responses on what to do with the evil ritual notes and is slightly taken aback at Uesugi's stance on the matter For someone with such a stance on Oni I'm surprised at his respect for this knowledge

He does he best to hide a smile of pride that quickly brews as the pint-sized parchment protector bears her claws and fangs at the numerous mentions of burning. "Well then I guess that's that, I can't say I'm a fan of sacrifice and demon summoning but oh glorious Nethys would strike me down if I let such research be destroyed!"

Rumble in the concrete jungle...

Mr Peppers ducks for cover so he doesn't get squashed I wouldn't be the first Elven Wizard to die being crushed under a cabinet of research I bet...

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 He looks up and stares down the cabinet as it comes for his head "Accckkkkkk! Nooooo!"

Uesugi throws a cabinet across the room while Sirettis dodges another. D telekinetically pushes a teetering one out of harm's way, and Gallix dives and grabs a cabinet from the legs, throwing it into the wall. Cup's strength fails her and the cabinet falls on her leg! She's able to free herself easily, but Mr. Peppers gets distracted by her cry of pain and doesn't see the cabinet coming for his head.

Damage to Cup: 1d3 ⇒ 1
Damage to Mr. Peppers: 1d3 ⇒ 3

__

The crumbling of the ceiling and the tremors intensifies as unstable abyssal energy surges through the Estate. You make your way back into the altar room, where the web comes alive with dying and panicking mites trapped in the demon's bile, blindly grabbing for anything they can.

Everyone, give me an Acrobatics check to tumble past them, or a Escape Artist check to wiggle away! You are able to take an action in between these obstacles, including casting a spell, quaffing a potion, or using an ability that takes no more than a full-round action to function.

"Peppers! Are you alright? Come on let's get out of here." Gallix seizes Mr. Peppers by the arm and pulls him toward the doorway. As they step into the writhing webbing, Gallix pulls another vial of holy water from his pack. "Don't suppose this'll help much would it? Oh well, use 'em if ya got 'em I say!" He throws the vial in front of himself, hoping the blessed liquid will help clear a path, at least for a few feet.

Holy water vs AC5: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Damage, splash damage: 1d6 ⇒ 61 = 1

He then tries to find any spots the water cleared and find his way through.

Escape Artist, ACP: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 6 - 1 = 12

Please be advised for those who are injured: 'Sugi and Gallix only? I rolled up 4 CLW wand successes: 8, 4, 7, and 4 hp for whoever needs before this started so if you need them that's say +11 and +12 hp for each of you, or anyone else that's injured that I didn't notice.

"Oh gross, keep those things away from me! LETS GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" His Elven agility (and fear of being groped by the nasty mites) kick in Escape Artist + Season 8 Boon: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 3 + 2 = 22 as he and Gallix rush through the room.

He nods in agreement with Gallix's plan and does the same to aid those running behind them Holy Water AC5: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 92d4 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Dex Check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13 Wow, I'm having an average escape here.

Sirettis, remembering the bile-infused centipedes, wraps some of her hair into the bile and infuses some of her healing energy into it. The mix of energies, she theorizes, will hurt the mites.

Healing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

"I hope Anilda takes this opportunity to flee!"

Good idea. I'll give you a +2 to your rolls for the use of holy water or healing magic. Remember that for this and all subsequent checks, it's possible to take a -2 to your roll to give someone else a +2.

would the same bonus apply if I draw my cold iron wakizashi and start slicing a way through the web?

I was planning on using my holy water to aid someone else so give them that bonus

aid Cup or D I'd say

It is cold iron, so yup!

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
I don't know if you can pour it into a bandolier pouch, to bless it as such.

D. dodges the hands trying to grab him.

"Not a chance, cretins."

If anyone does get grabbed, he shoots a sand bullet to help them get away, aiming for the hands.

Aid Vs grabby hand: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 112d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2) + 6 = 9

Uesugi pushes his hand in front of his mouth as the vial moves to pour the contents down his throat. Seeing Madame Poshkettle on the floor Uesugi runs to help her up with his other hand.

Madame Poshkettle quickly calls to her unseen servant telling it to stop. Watching the others safely navigate through the haunted web he makes his move "Madame Poshkettle have your unseen servant use these. Follow me closely! " Uesugi stows the magic vial back into his pouch and hands Madame Poshkettle two vials of holy water

Drawing his cold iron wakizashi he dashes forward dodging the animated hands and cutting down any that stand in the way of Madame Poshkettle and himself.

Acrobatics+cold iron aid-armor penalty: 1d20 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 2 - 2 = 14

Are we waiting on that feisty gnome? I can bot her if needed to move along. Since everyone else has acted so far you can add my +2 to the gnomer's roll.

Yes sir, we are. Go for it!

**GNOMISH PRATTLE BOT COMMENCING**

"You're going sooo fast Uesugi, remember these short legs! No need to cut such a wide path, I don't have Dwarven hips, just Dwarven legs!" The little gnome certainly doesn't with acrobatics like that! Acrobatics + Uesugi + Peppers: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 + 2 = 17

Gallix tosses some holy water ahead as he charges through the web, dodging the tiny hands left and right. Mr. Peppers follows closely behind, and Uesugi slashes a length of web away from the door ahead. Sirettis, Cup, and D easily scramble through the mess just in time, as a large concrete slab falls from above and crushes the altar to pieces.

No damage to anyone!

The collapse continues to intensify as you end up back in the flooded cellar. The barrels floating along the surface roll around haphazardly, and it's either under them or alongside them that you'll have to go to escape!

Get your Donkey Kong on. Give me a Constitution check to dive under the barrels and towards the stairs, or a Swim check to attempt to swim along the side of them.

Mr Peppers looks at the watery room with disdain "I'm not too stubborn to admit I may need some help here!"

He hoists up his backpack with books and scrolls and gets ready to 'swim' across, waiting for some help hopefully...

My swim and con checks are exactly the same, so...

Con Check: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Sirettis tries to swim underneath the barrels, but her lungs clearly aren't up to the task. "My luck has run out..."

SPIRIT! Uesugi watches as the Spirit goes down but does not submerge and then watches as Isa begins to chirp hysterically. Not even delaying he grabs the vial from his pouch and immediately downs the liquid. You watch as his body begins to grow to twice the size. "Aid the others over as much as you can I will find her." Uesugi voices booms out over the room.

If I am over 10 feet now the water only comes to just above my knees I take it so not sure how you want to deal with the swim check I will roll regardless
Swim: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 4 - 2 = 6

Perception+Isa: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 2 = 9
Taking some liberties here but I am confident that Isa would be flying over Sirettis so Uesugi is going to check there first

Man can these rolls be any worse I've rolled a 6 three times now

The floor trembles, as things come crashing down.

"This house is commencing its own attack on us. Make haste, we evacuate, now!"

Con: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Con Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Cup went under the water, looking for her sister. Bobbing like a cork, she comes out to shout, "i found her! She's right here!"

Con Check Aid Another: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 2 = 20

She dives down, puts her mouth on Sirettis and gives her a puff of life-saving air. Come on, Sis! Live!

My Aid Anothers are always +4

Seeing as Sirettis needs as much if not more help than he does, Mr Peppers will try to make the trip on his own

Using Time Lost Chronicler boon for +1 to my swim check

Swim Check + Boon: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 Its clear that keeping both his head and his backpack out of the water is proving.. difficult. "I'm getting there... I think?"

Whew! Glad that slab destroyed the altar. I was worried about that for a minute.
Also, Red, my mutagen lasts 30 minutes right now. I know our fight with Wormgnash was short, but let me know if our perusal of the documents and all that exhausted the rest of that time.

Gallix sees Mr. Peppers belly flop into the water and begin floundering. With a heavy sigh, he leaps into the water after the elf.
Also using my Timelost Chronicler boon on this check to aid Peppers. It'll serve to counter my ACP at least!
Swim, mutagen, ACP, boon, aid: 1d20 + 3 + 2 - 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 2 - 1 + 2 - 2 = 20

They pretty much threw out all mechanics for these obstacles - the damage is flat and things like depth and holding your breath for this don't really matter. It's actually a good thing considering some of your rolls :) Oh, and Gallix, your mutagen is still up.

Gallix swims along the side and pulls Mr. Peppers along with him, but the frail elf smashes into a barrel and is slightly bruised. Cup dives under the water and finds Sirettis, grabbing her by the wrist as she struggles to swim. She surfaces before she's inhaled too much water. D manages to find a clear path through to the stairs, but Uesugi gets a splinter in his shoulder on his way through.

Damage, Sirettis: 1d3 ⇒ 1
Damage, Mr. Peppers: 1d3 ⇒ 1
Damage, Uesugi: 1d3 ⇒ 3

After hoisting yourselves out of the water, you stand at the bottom of the crumbling staircase. It's either you scramble up to the main floor as quickly as you can or carefully step along the remnants of the stairs.

Give me a Climb check to scramble up, or Perception check to tiptoe along carefully.

Emerging from the water Uesugi assists anyone wishing to climb and then will climb out himself. He can feel the effects of the potion slowly fading from his body.

"Keep moving. We must leave this area as quickly as possible."

assist with climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

climb to the main floor: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 - 2 = 5

wow these rolls are hunting me down

Miss Poshkettle and Sir Uesugi lift the frail woman above the surface. "Thank you, friends. And thank you too, Isa. Let us make haste."

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Sirettis doesn't want to survive, does she?
Even with Isa's help, Sirettis isn't paying a lot of attention to the stairwell.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

D.'s will to escape is taking him to places, it seems.
What the others may not see, he likely does.

"This way, follow my route."

Mr Peppers flops out of the water on to the landing and looks up the stairs with a keen eye. He throws his backpack back on hoping things didn't get too wet and starts to make his way up, picking through the crumbling remains.

Assuming I still have the vision elixir active, has it been an hour? He will help the struggling Sirettis move along. If it isn't active then he fends for himself.

He takes the Slyph by the hand and tries leading her through Perception + Elixir - Aid: 1d20 + 2 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 10 - 2 = 15 "Come this way Sirettis! That way doesn't look as sturdy! D seems to have a good route there."

Cup has to aid people!

Although climb is not her best skill, she cannot help but try to aid Uesugi when he falters.

"Climbing works better with a rope!" Throwing up mage hand, she delivers her silk rope to Uesugi.

Climb, Aid Another: 1d20 - 1 - 2 ⇒ (14) - 1 - 2 = 11

+4 to Uesugi's Climb

Gallix clambers up Cup's rope after Uesugi makes it to the main floor, his the blood rushing through the veins of his arms pulsing with the mutagen's added strength.

Climb, Mutagen, ACP: 1d20 + 3 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 - 1 = 12

Only D and Mr. Peppers are able to carefully tiptoe up the broken stairs. Gallix and Cup slip on a step and crash into each others' shoulders. Sirettis nearly reaches the top but a jagged rock from the ceiling cuts her arm, and Uesugi falls and bruises his ankle on his way up.

Damage, Cup: 1d3 ⇒ 2
Damage, Gallix: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Damage, Sirettis: 1d3 ⇒ 1
Damage, Uesugi: 1d3 ⇒ 3

You've now made it to the kitchen, and the stairs behind you have completely fallen away. The cellar is quickly filling up with debris, but the kitchen seems strangely stable. However, a stream of frenzied rats blocks the way out! You can see the exit to the garden just outside the kitchen, but you'll have to make your way through the nest of rodents first.

Last one! Give me a Knowledge (nature) or Handle Animal check to herd the rats out of your way, or to tough out the situation and wade through the rats, give me a Fortitude save. The exit's in sight!

Too many to charm. We must move quickly!

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 2 = 25
"Move your feet forward, but swaying. Move in a rhythm and the rats won't bother you."

The rats seem to move aside as her feet land.

Intimidate rats, angry yell.: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

None of the above is in D.'s repetoire, obviously.

If that doesn't work..

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Dare I try a Fort save? Or perhaps...

Gallix pulls another vial from his pocket. The fluid inside is a lively red, while the vial itself is decorated with a small pictograph depicting a bursting flame. "Smoke 'em if ya got 'em," he yells, holding the alchemist's fire aloft. But then Sirettis steps through the swarm as if she were dancing. Wha--? Oh! Maybe I could do that too. Gallix steps forward into the swarm.

Fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 There we go!

Mr Peppers knows rats, why, on his first mission he knew rats so well they gave him filth fever for a week! He shares his knowledge with Master Uesugi so he won't need to risk getting rat bites Knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 2 = 19

"Ugh... rats... we meet again..."

"Thank you Mr. Peppers I shall heed your words" seeing the exit so close Uesugi waits for everyone to reach it before he takes a long, slow breath and wades through rats with uncanny resolve.

using Resolute from my Resolve special ability.

Fort save #1: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 = 19
Fort save #2: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 = 27

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

"Wait a minute, why is everyone dancing through the swarm?" Then she pauses. "Oh, because it is dangerous PERFORMANCE ART! I love ISGER!"

She joins her friends in dancing through the swarm, but unfortunately, she comes in a much more convenient snack size.

Sorry Hmm I assumed you'd have a good Knowledge: Nature!

Everyone is able to dodge the stream of rodents or carefully coax them aside, and as you exit out to the garden, the collapse seems to suddenly come to a halt. Luckily for Anilda, The abyssal energy must have only affected the basement.

.... And done! You're all out safely. Shall we head back to Saringallow and wrap up?

Wrap and double time rewards!

With the documents in hand, Estate cleared of all traces of Demon's Bile, and Wormgnash banished from the Material Plane, you depart the Sarini Estate and head back for Saringallow. Uesugi finds his (second) noble steed, Yurei, waiting for him at the stables, and Mayor Trinelli greets you with careful hesitation in her office. "The fact that you've returned relatively quickly could mean anything. What happened at the Estate? I thought I'd heard tremors off in that direction and was concerned something horrible happened. Are you all okay?"

"We will live. More importantly the threat is no more. I will let Mr. Peppers and Madame Poshkettle tell you more of what has occurred."

Gallix hangs back in the mayor's office, watching and listening to allow Peppers and Cup to tell the tale of their exploits in the manor. He leans against the wall near the door, his arms crossing his chest. From time to time, he shifts his feet uncomfortably, as if he had been standing in the same position too long, but he remains still otherwise.