Tomb of Horrors (4e) - Group 2, Part 2
Game Master Rev Rosey

I can just spend a HS and get to 97 out of 106, which is close enough for me.

Is this right? Do I only have 1 HS remaining? Something seems off about this. Maybe I forgot to reset them at last Extended Rest...

As I recall, this is the same day of the slaad fight and such, but I don't recall Lanthair getting beaten up by the Giths that badly to only have 1 surge left.

This is your first combat in a while - since you levelled up in fact, so I'm guessing you did forget to reset.

I think I targeted Lanthair specifically for one Inspiring Word, and I used two powers which let everyone in the radius spend a surge. Although I think Lanthair wasn't in radius for the second. But that's the most he could have spent, I think.
Arishat will plant her Standard, so every HS spent gives everyone else one hit point recovered. She'll spend one, and is five hit points below her maximum, two surges spent today.
Any humbugs available?

I agree. By my count I've only used 3 today. Okay, corrected.

Is Raya going to spend a surge? If an adjacent ally gets 16HP back, then James might sidle over to her....

Anyway; Inspiring Word 26 + 3d6 + 6 + 1 ⇒ 26 + (6, 1, 3) + 6 + 1 = 43

Shocker, Arishat likes humbugs ;p

James shares out the sweets making sure to keep some back for Vocar as they take a breather in the quiet park.

I will let you know when I get home to check my stats, but yes I've always preferred healing first in the short rests, its more efficient.

James sidles over to the paladin, whilst she looks towards the drain. He holds out the bag of sweets in it's general direction and crouches down keeping his body straight. "Vocar, we're friends... we have some sweets..."

Bending his neck he looks towards Raya; "Are we alright?" he queries.

Guardian Iatos gives a bare glance towards James, before looking back into the sewers. "I...would say naught." She checks to see if it's possible to lift the grate or if some other manner of entry is needed. "I listened to you, and heard a man of loss. I gazed into your eyes and saw three shades of regret..." She wipes her hands, looking back at James, "I view you in battle, and see man of heinous action." She adds, standing up, "Perhaps I am the fool in this matter, not calloused enough to view such matters with a firm pragmatic gaze."

'She cuts to the quick, this one. Like...' James looks on. "No... No, pragmatism is where hope goes to die. Your honesty and insight is like a beacon of light. Pure and golden, though some of us stay in the shadows."

"Shadows... yes." With a little cough; "My Goddess."

Moving to crouch down the grate he appraises it. "In battle my actions are harsh, but borne from necessity. I have to lost too many comrades. I would not want that to happen to you.... Or any of the others." he adds hastily.

Tapping his hat with cane, the diamonds in the headband, the shadows inside shift subtly as if the trapped souls are trying to escape. "It purifies the spirit, then they pass on to a better place. A grotesque, of course, but 'tis better in my hands." he concludes sadly.

I won't roll Insight vs a player, but shall I assume James believes his own words?

Spend one Surge, so everyone garners the 1 hp from the flag. James recovers 19 HP (the Healer's Brooch works with this too)

She pauses for a moment, then changes the subject slightly. "Set me before a score of undead, or the foul and I will stand against them. I do not care to fight radiant beings, despite however ill their makers.

Raya pulls her hair back, "He does not respond, we simply must go in after him then." She makes her way back to the rest of the gathered group. "He can not have gotten too far on foot, Would be best if we searched the sewers for him, and promptly."

James believes his words (mostly though he is throwing on a bit of charm) HP-wise he is now fine.

"Same here, the dead need to rest..." he pauses silently examining the grate.

Thievery 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32

He taps the metal with the edge of his cane; "I think I can see where the catch is, as for the weight of it..." he looks down at his lean body, then realises. "Yeah, going into the sewer. Good thing I'm already wet."

His nimble fingers get to work on the sewer grate, producing a thin velvet pouch of goodies. James oils the hinges and flicking the catch, he then looks to it and the others; "Yeah, I am not sure if there are any magicks on this. And I don't think I can lift it alone?"

The iron sewer grating remains resolutely shut. It seems that something specific is needed to open this particular sewer - a key of some kind, possibly of an unusual type.

And I don't think anyone's done this yet. If it turns out that you have, my apologies.

No, we haven't & James DSA resets to 0

"The angel mentioned sugar just before he departed. I suspect it as being a key to the portal." Thom adds. "OH I remember now. Stuff the sugar cube in your mouth and then stamp on the grate to activate the portal."

James quirks an eyebrow; "Well, I did hear something like that and you are the mage. You know all the arcane tricks..." he bites his lip hoping that he wasn't insulting the kind wizard.

"I thought you, might have a magic gizmo or key that you have picked up? Anyway we'll see if this can do. Otherwise I have sugar back at my croft." James puts a few of the sweets in a white hankerchief and stomps on them until it becomes a powder. He sprinkles the sweet/sugar powder upon the lock.

Tries to move it, then places a sweet in his mouth, as directed by Thom and stamps upon the grate. He gives a slow shake of his head, feeling very guillible and foolish.

... and vanishes from sight, leaving a glowing portal behind him.

Shades of Robert Helpmann and the childcatcher :D
EDIT: Perception check please James.

I know he is becoming more creepy, rather than less.

"What a strange portal." Raya starts to repeat the act, "If this is the only reason Vocar was known to seek out sugar, then I wonder how much of his raving was but an act." She stomps on the grate after placing the candy in her mouth, following James' actions.

Pause and let them catch up I think. Only a few seconds have passed.

Thom turns to the remaining party members. Well, that answers that. Are we going after him now?" Seeing Raya vanish, he nods "All right then..." He pops a sugar cube in his mouth and stomps on the grate as well.

Raya and Thom too vanish, their mouths full of boiled sweet.

"I wonder if this would work with aniseed?" Arishat pops a sugar lump in her mouth and stamps on the grate.

While he never had much of a taste for sweets, Lanthair will follow his companions' actions, taking one of the candies and stomping on the gate.

Barel is away at the moment I believe, but I don't think he'd want to be left behind in the plaza.

The gang follow and discover the stink of the sewers first hand. Although the ledge is clear enough, the sewer water looks unsavoury to say the least. Falling in might not be a good plan.

Vocar's voice continues to ramble around the corner, and you can all see the approaching bubbles now.

MAP

I already rolled my initiative if needed.

"It's alright Vocar, I have some sweeties. We'll take you somewhere safe, warm and with lots of nice things." He looks back to the others with a querulous eyebrow quirk.

Thom mutters to himself, "I suspect Vocar is a LOT smarter than we are giving him credit for." He watches the bubbles getting closer, and grips his staff tightly.

Initiative 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
add +5 for Arishat = 26

Inish
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23+5 from Arishat = 28

"We wouldn't seek him for knowledge otherwise..." Raya hefts Ruinblade in anticipation.

Everyone is now aware of the circling bubbles. Now there seem to be more of them and they are positioning themselves with some care. Vocar's happy chanting is overlaid by a soft scuttling from above as well.

MAP

Raya
Lanthair
Thom
James
Arishat
Barel
? (SR - 32) - readied action
? (RL - 28) - readied action

"Of all the places NOT to fight, I think this is top of my list." James' hand tightens on his cane. "Hopefully Vocar is brighter than us and not walked into this blind."

"[b]I wonder exactly how deep the water is.{/b]" Raya walks forward a few steps, watching the bubbles.

Move to O7

Readied action: Ardent Strike on first bubbly target that appears.

James looks on aghast as the paladin questions the 'waters' depth; "Miss Raya, I would not wish to test out the depth of slurry." Then he makes way for her to squeeze past him, whilst keeping his back from the slick and slimy walls of the tunnel. Breathing shallowly through his mouth, he tries not to gag in the unpleasant environs.

As Raya squeezes past James, the stink gets incredibly strong. An arm rises from the sewage, assailing the nostrils of the pair and something invisible claws at Raya's ankles.

Claw (Fort).
1d20+21=22. Miss.

MAP

Note that submerged Sewer Revenants are invisible and do not provoke OAs when in water.

Raya - moved; to roll readied action
Lanthair
Thom
James - in stench (10 acid start of turn)
Arishat
Barel
? (SR1 acted) - readied action
? (R) - readied action

Ardent Strike
1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 34 for 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 and is under Divine Sanction.

Pervasive Light says if it has radiant weakness, deal extra damage to target equal to that weakness.

Raya hews into the beastie, murmuring "Thought so."

Raya, it's invisible. Did you include the -5 for that to your attack roll?

Yipee, back from vacation and then camping, just in time for a quick jaunt into the sewers to battle invisible kind-a dead things!

Barel does indeed follow into the sewers and was eyeing the bubbles nervously, until the gash appears on Raya's ankles!

Welcome back :) At least it's not pink elephants.

I did not, I missed that, Whiff central then I imagine.

The truly appalling smell puts Raya off and her blow misses - albeit narrowly.

MAP

Note that submerged Sewer Revenants are invisible and do not provoke OAs when in water.

Lanthair
Thom
James - in stench (10 acid start of turn)
Arishat
Barel
? (SR1 acted) - readied action
? (R) - readied action
Raya - in stench (10 acid start of turn

Delay.

"I think we need to see if we can lure these things out of their foul soup."

With a wink; "I can, I have an idea...." he says very ominously.

"Wonderful...he has an IDEA..."

Delay until after James.

MAP

Note that submerged Sewer Revenants are invisible and do not provoke OAs when in water.

Thom
James - in stench (10 acid start of turn)
Arishat
Barel
Lanthair - delayed (place holder init, jump in at will)
? (SR1 acted) - readied action
? (R) - readied action
Raya - in stench (10 acid start of turn

EDIT!

Cross-posted with Thom.

Lanthair and Thom give way to James and his idea ...

MAP

Note that submerged Sewer Revenants are invisible and do not provoke OAs when in water.

James - in stench (10 acid start of turn)
Thom
Arishat
Barel
Lanthair - delayed (place holder init, jump in at will)
? (SR1 acted) - readied action
? (R) - readied action
Raya - in stench (10 acid start of turn