Garand Stone-of-the-Moon |
"I would welcome a return to the caravan as well, to rest. Koya's healing touch may be just the thing to help us recover." Garand says, begrudgingly adding, "And she may know far better than I how to deal with these unquiet spirits..."
Friggin' haunts and channel energy. That's *just* what D&D needed, a pair of new mechanics to punish parties with no clerics!
Izumi Chosokate |
Izumi looks a little dismayed that the party is going to head back, but they would be no good to Ameiko if they died from recklessness. "We should double our watch tonight, if we are leaving enemies in the castle who know of our presence."
Raith Shadar |
Not sure what happened to my post. I agree. Back to the caravan. Koya can top us off with healing and more help in a fight while resting.
It's ok Garand. I prefer haunts without a cleric or positive energy. The fun of haunts is experiencing them. Sort of boring if a cleric wipes them out with positve energy before they even occur. Imagine a haunted house movie with a cleric. That would be one boring movie.
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
The group makes its way back. At first, what tasted like defeat, turned slowly to a sense of victory in the making, especially as they met with their good friends, saw their expression of relief at finding them alive and... well enough, and listened with great interest at the fascinataing tale of their adventure in a treacherous castle.
Koya takes Garand away and gets a scroll out of satchel: "Best to take no risk with what hails you." She hums and lights a pipe. Flowing smoke twists and swirls around the druid as he feels his connection to the earth grow stronger.
The next day, a warm meal and energy replenished, the companions make their way back to the castle.
Please note I'll be away Friday through Sunday.
Izumi Chosokate |
Izumi takes some time to talk with Sandru upon their return to the caravan. Sandru's sensibleness and straightforward attitude was just what Izumi needed to get his senses reoriented.
Izumi does not look well rested in the morning. When his watch was up, he had spent the night at Ameiko's side, and had fallen asleep on the floor next to her bed. His reward for this is a bad crick in the neck, which he can't get rid of.
Garand Stone-of-the-Moon |
Garand thanks Koya for her help, and gives her the scroll of restoration that the group had recovered earlier, to replace the one she used on him.
None of us have that spell anyway, so it's best in her hands, so that she can make a relatively easy caster level check and use it on one of us.
Sorin Saldward |
Sorin takes the time to quietly rest, review his spell book and contemplate the best preparations to deal with the unknown spellcaster remaining in the fortress.
Sorin leaves the longsword with the caravan and swaps out his prepared Summon monster for another Mage Armor.
Pavel |
Pavel cleans and oils his weapons, cracks his knuckles and gets ready to head back in.
We found a +1 longsword- should Izumi take that to have a magic weapon? Or take whispering shrike from me and I'll take the longsword? Can Raith use either of those? It's a good idea to have magic weapons on hand for everyone that relies on smacking guys around.
Pavel |
Pavel does some advance scouting, looking for recent signs of movement during the night (especially tracks) and making sure the route back into the castle is free of any surprises.
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Survival-Tracking: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Raith Shadar |
Soon as Pavel lets us know if anyone is watching us, we'll decide the approach.
Raith scans the gate and tower walls for signs of life while skulking about the brush.
Stealth:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Perception:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Raith Shadar |
I didn't even notice. Garand was hit by a wight. That's where he picked up the negative level.
We head back to the area we were at before taking the same route going in through the front gate. We have stairs and doors to check in that area. We'll start with the doors on the east wall in the first big room. I thought we had already searched that area and it was where we ran after the priest and killed him. But it isn't open to us yet as near as I can tell. If the last map is the updated map, our objective is to go back to where we were and make sure it is clear.
We are not moving particularly quiet with Izumi. No use moving slow if our chances of stealth are slim. So we just move along at normal speed.
Perception:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Sorin Saldward |
Sorin follows along after the party, secretly happy that they are not making any attempts at stealth after his previous bungling attempts. Failing miserably and repeatedly at something does not put Sorin in a good mood.
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
You make your way back to the main throne room and explore the area to the north east. The rooms you pass through are in a filthy state, but more or less empty. The dungeon has an inner courtyard with a small pond, where you easily spot an insect lying in wait. You easily turn the ambush against it.
In one of the storage rooms, you find a set of twenty arrows wrapped in red silk. these are cold iron and show arcane enchantments. Sorin identifies them as flaming arrows (+1 flaming, added to loot; let me know who has them.)
You reach the last chamber, but the muffled sound of laughter stops you in your track. Yet, the laughter stops immediately.
Sorin Saldward |
Sorin quickly rattles off several spells, the magic making little fizzles and pops as runes crawl into existance and wrap themselves around the various members of the party.
Finally Sorin kneels on the stone floor, his finger sketching a silver-white fire on the ground as he chants under his breath. In seconds, the densly packed writing has coalesed into a silvery pool, from which a silvery tendril rises, and wraps around Sorin's arm. Sorin raises his arm over his head before bringing his palm down to slap the pool spewing the radiance outwards. As Sorin stands, brushing off his hands and patting his robes back into shape, the droplets coalesce into a circle with arcane writing around the periphery that moves with Sorin in the center.
Mage Armor:Raith, Mage Armor: Sorin, Prot Arrows: Sorin, Bull Str: Pavel, Protective Ward 10' centered on Sorin
Sorin rummages in his scroll case for a moment before pulling out a single scroll, he then nods to Pavel.
"I believe that we are as prepared as we can be."
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
Raith Shadar |
We had a night's rest and additional healing from Koya I assume. I accounted for healed hit points.
Raith moves into the room behind Pavel falling into the Crane Stance.
Total Defense. Crance Stance.
Perception:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
Initiatives
R: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
S: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
G: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
P: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
I: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
B: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
M: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Initiative Order
Group 1: Pavel and Raith
Group 2: The Bad Guys
Group 3: Garand, Sorin, Izumi
Round 1: Pavel and Raith
Pavel kicks in the door left ajar and steps in slashing. His blade find a fat and greasy ogrekin, dressed in velvet leather and carrying a flail and spiked gauntlets. It howls in pain at the slash, mumbling: "Humans... I'll start with your heart!"
Updated Map
Raith is up, then the Bad Guys.
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
Round 1 - The Bad Guys
The ogrekin howls in anger at Pavel: "Stupid human! Buttersnips, what are you waiting for?"
It lashes with his flail at Pavel's legs as he punches towards his face.
F: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19; 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
P: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21; 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
The flail catches Pavel squarely in the knee, sending pain through his skull as the spiked gauntlet catches his jaw and cuts his bellowing cry. (-17 hp to Pavel)
On cue, an elven-like lithe figure of olive skin and white hair appears at the end of the hallway and steps forth to engage Izumi with great speed. Its black eyes shine with evil intent as it produces a shortblade, aiming for the warrior's kidneys.
S: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29; 1d4 - 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) - 1 + (3) = 3
Confirm: S: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28; 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
The blade catches him completely off-guard, but fortunately, the armor stops most of its puncturing momentum. (-3 hp to Izumi)
Updated Map
All of you are up.
Izumi Chosokate |
Phew, that could've hurt :D
Seeing Pavel take a heavy blow, Izumi is distracted and suddenly a sharp pain in his side causes him to look over. A small figure, armed with a blade equally as small. Izumi knows that Pavel needs to retreat before he takes another such blow. He calls out for Pavel to retreat so Izumi can take his place.
Standard action to use Tactician to grant Escape Route to all allies. If allowed, Izumi will wait until Pavel falls back and take his place.
An ally who also has this feat provokes no attacks of opportunity for moving through squares adjacent to you or within your space.
Garand Stone-of-the-Moon |
Garand casts a spell, and then he and bear-spirit move forward into the room with Pavel and the ogrekin.
Standard action to cast cure moderate wounds, holding the charge, then move action to go to C3. Bear-spirit goes to C4, and makes a single bite attack on the ogrekin.
bite 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
bite damage 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Sorin Saldward |
Seeing Izumi hard pressed, Sorin unseals the scroll in his hands and begins chanting. Little flecks of light begin to drip off of the parchment, disappearing before they reach the floor. Summon Monster
Raith Shadar |
Raith darts into the room following Izumi's commands to avoid giving the enemy any openings. He tries to grab the ogrekin's forearm wrist.
Move to E4 using tactician. Grapple Ogrekin: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Pavel |
So... Garand has a charge of cure moderate wounds to deliver, but he's way the heck in the corner. Izumi wants me to back out so he can meat shield, but then Garand won't be able to heal me and the spell's wasted. And if I back out from the room into the corridor, that leaves Raith, Garand or the bear to take the brunt of the ogrekin's smashing before Izumi can get in. Okay, what I'll do is fall back into the hallway. Izumi steps into my square after the half-ogre and the elf go and Garand can patch up the next person they wound.
Pavel takes a parting slash at the brute before slipping past Izumi and into the hallway.
Whispering Shrike: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 261d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Now at c5.
Garand Stone-of-the-Moon |
So... Garand has a charge of cure moderate wounds to deliver, but he's way the heck in the corner.
Garand moved into the room with you (to C3). He can deliver the spell next action, if Pavel remains in the room. He just couldn't move and cast without provoking an AoO and probably losing the spell.
The Celestial Bureaucracy |
Round 1 - Izumi, Sorin and Garand
Seeing Pavel take a heavy blow, Izumi is distracted and suddenly a sharp pain in his side causes him to look over. A small figure, armed with a blade equally as small. Izumi knows that Pavel needs to retreat before he takes another such blow. He calls out for Pavel to retreat so Izumi can take his place.
Garand casts a spell, and then he and bear-spirit move forward into the room with Pavel and the ogrekin.
Pavel feels the healing move through him as Garand touches him. (Cure moderate: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8 You can deliver the touch after your move without needing an action. That’s how I’ve always read the touch spells. Let me know if you think I misread.)
Bear-spirit gets a taste of ogrekin as it sinks its teeth in the monster’s calf.
Seeing Izumi hard pressed, Sorin unseals the scroll in his hands and begins chanting. Little flecks of light begin to drip off of the parchment, disappearing before they reach the floor.
Round 2 - Pavel and Raith
Raith darts into the room following Izumi's commands to avoid giving the enemy any openings. He tries to grab the ogrekin's forearm wrist, but can’t get a good grip on its huge wrists...
Pavel takes a slash at the brute before repositioning himself (You couldn’t get that far without drawing an AoO, plus Garand managed to heal you.
Round 2 - The Bad Guys
The ogrekin snarls as the room fills, obviously getting pumped up: "Ah! More food!!!"
It lashes again at Pavel punching and flailing.
F: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17; 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
P: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17; 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Fortunately for the ranger, both attacks miss. The ogrekin steps back to avoid being flanked.
The elvish looking creature darts left and right, stabbing at Izumi, before stepping back in the room.
S: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23; 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Again, the blade sinks in the flesh, but without too much strength. [ooc](-1 hp to Izumi)
Status
Tactician round 1 (That’s a really useful power!!!)
Summon Monster in casting
Updated Map
All of you are up.