Name:Nephthys
Race:Elf
Class/levels: Cleric 3 (Pharasma)
Adventure: Haunting of Harrowstone
Location:Nevermore
Catalyst: The Splatter Man
Name: Dair Za'Sar
Race: Elf
Class/Levels: Magus 11 (Black Blade)
Adventure: Ashes at Dawn
Location: The Glass House
Catalyst: Vindictive Vegetational Vengeance
The Gory Details: Half-Elven Vampire Druid, Merrick Sais thought she had the matter well in hand with Dair Za'Sar, the lightning-themed magus of the party dominated under her control. She was caught off guard when a well timed casting of murderous command from the party cleric forced the magus to assault her new queen with a devestating lightning blade attack.
Unfortunately, Dair was caught off guard when Vampire Ivy's favorite pet, a gigantic albino flytrap called Dragon, flew into a horrendous rage at the gaseous dissolution of its Mommy.* Too unintelligent to figure out the elf had been bespelled, it clamped its massive jaws around Dair Za'sar and locked them into place. Neither strong enough nor slippery enough to escape, unable to weild her spells or sword... even the magus's elemental body could not do enough damage to disuade the forlorn monstrosity. In little under half a minute of agony, Dair Za'sar perished, crushed and digested into a pulpy ooze.
*(to be fair, the party psion helped destroy Merrick in the same round, but she escaped Dragon's reach;)
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It is also worth noting this was not the worst of possible outcomes. Frankly, the magus's signature shocking grasp cast-through-her-sword spells are devestating enough that dominated she could electrocute her way through other party members with... ahem... shocking alacrity.
Seems that the Magus had a quite low will save, given that he failed two saves in a row. Invest in a cloak of resistance, maybe? ^^
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Name: Ragnar
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Cleric Caiden 4 / Rogue 2
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: The Gatehouse
Catalyst: Disorganized Assault
Name: Elessar
Race: Half-Elf
Classes/levels: Ranger 5 / Inquisitor 1
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: The Gatehouse
Catalyst: Disorganized Assault
Name: Ausk
Race: Half-Orc
Classes/levels: Fighter 6
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: The Gatehouse
Catalyst: Disorganized Assault
The party headed to the castle to investigate the Beast (aka "Boots Milton") 's mutterings that he had "Something to settle" with his "father" and that his father's house had "Many rooms, and I was not his favorite son".
Approaching the Gate-house, they spotted the troll hounds and started taking pot-shots from the road while the ranger crept up closer to the edge of the underbrush. Grork returned fire, as did one of the trolls from the gate house once the fighter and the cleric were trying to break down the door.
Now I extended the gate house by doubling it's size and adding a second room of similar size with a covered center for the storage of carriages and horses. This was to give the characters more room to manuever and hopefully not have them just mauled by trolls taking full attacks every round.
The cleric and fighter started beating down the door while the rogue got a boost up onto the wall from the Enlarged ranger, who then when to the front door to toss up the fighter.
Grork saw the rogue, and promptly rushed to him, prompting the rogue to jump back over the wall and take some falling damage.
The fighter advanced up a stair well, drawing one of the trolls to squeeze down after him, while the ranger beat on a troll and the cleric ended up leading Grork on a chase around the walls.
The rogue joined the ranger and managed to put down a troll, finishing him off with a wand of acid arrow. At the same time, the troll in the stair well exited and promptly tore the fighter to shreds. (We were mistaken in thinking he died at -10 rather than his con score, so we later ret-conned in a rescue of the disabled fighter, although I also forgot about Rend the entire encounter, so he really should have died.)
This prompted the party to gang up on that troll, which was soon dropped, but not before putting some additional hurt on the ranger.
The party then moved to confront Grork, who had just leapt off the wall chasing the cleric.
Now the rogue/cleric of callistria had a great plan to deal with Grork - he tells the rest of the party to wait, casts true-strike, and then attempts to trip Grork with an AOO as he moves in - and rolls a natural one. Grork heads to the Cleric and drops him into negatives.
Over the next few rounds, the rogue tried to get his fallen cleric back on his feat while the ranger tangled with Grork. Unfortunately, the massive troll hit with all three attacks on the ranger,and permamently killed him (even without the rend) as he bit off and swallowed the noble warrior's head.
In the end, Grork was full hit points, a second troll had recovered, and the rogue downed a potion of invisibility and then learned the hard way that trolls have scent. He escaped with his live at 1 hit point, leaving his cleric friend to bleed out.
With 2 characters disabled, the rogue had time to mount a rescue mission. Unfortunately, 3 hungry trolls were making snacks of his friend, and each additional resource he tried to gather late at night in Lepidstadt, was precious time. Rolling randomly, the trolls first ate the ranger, then the cleric, but the fighter who we retconned to alive at -14 was able to be rescued.
Brootal.
I had hoped my players learned a lesson about planning and also about when to retreat. They returned with a new party and slaughtered the trolls as they traveled overland. I have a feeling that I will be making a new post now, as they just fought the golem-hound and are at the doors to the Schloss.
Wow! Brutal is right. What do you think the party should have done differently? What do you think would have been the best approach for the assault?
It also sounds like your PCs suffered for lack of an arcane caster.
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Wow! Brutal is right. What do you think the party should have done differently? What do you think would have been the best approach for the assault?
It also sounds like your PCs suffered for lack of an arcane caster.
Yeah, they have chosen a really weird party balance. I told them outright some things they would struggle with, but other things would be easier. They are (were) really, really good at mugging people in hand to hand, but then they met foes who could soak the damage and return it with a vengeance.
They didn't have a plan going in, and and didn't regroup to make one when they found out how tough the trolls were. Honestly, I felt like they just got over-confident and didn't back down when they were getting into single digits. Most of the time they were scattered throughout the gatehouse and facing foes one on one, which was not a good matchup.
It was a learning experience, hopefully, as they haven't had many good multi-combatant fights in this ap. Mostly they have been able to surround and wail on opponents.
Yes, I've noticed the lack of multi-combatant fights too. This is also going to be an issue for my party, but at least they have a dedicated arcane caster.
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-Brootal Fight-
OUCH. Both times I ran this module, neither group had this much issue with the tower. Well, just with the trolls- the second time, the Barbarian lept past the guardhouse, saw the troll/trollhound/golem hound, and immediately lept into fighting them. Barbarian took to fighting the Golem alone.
He is very lucky that I metagamed him into having a Ring of Feather Falling (brand new Pathfinder character/player, so I wanted to be nice.)I'd definitely encourage your group to focus on teamwork and staying together. Synergize. Don't ever hesitate to kill a player character for being stupid and trying to play the hero (ha). Obviously it doesn't bother you too much already, just encouraging. :P
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Yeah. I'm a "simulationist" so I don't pull punches or try to cater to the characters too much - the world is as it is, and it's up to them to adapt and figure it out.
At the same time, I really felt the pain as each character went down, as I've been playing as a player in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and the body count has been staggering!
I used to like to chuckle and utter foreboding warnings and play up the "evil DM" trope for fun, but I don't have the heart anymore. I loved the characters my PCs were playing!
Seems that the Magus had a quite low will save, given that he failed two saves in a row. Invest in a cloak of resistance, maybe? ^^
True, but unfortunately, she did succeed on a third save. Well, technically, it was her second save, and the one vs. Murderous Command was her third. Because her Black Blade has an ego score, I had it try to take over her mind through personality conflict after the initial domination, to keep her from killing her buddies.
She did succeed at that save, unfortunately. Heh. Hah. Uuahahahaa.... ahem.
Sorry, I was kind of wickedly amused at the idea of the party's most instantly deadly member turned against them.
Actually, I think she has a cloak of resistance +2, but I could be wrong.
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Name: Ugh Ugh
Race: Orc
Classes/levels: Superstitious Barbarian 5
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: Vorkstag and Grine's
Catalyst: Everything and the kitchen sink + bad math
(Technically not a kill but he won't be back)
Name: Willard
Race: Ratfolk
Classes/levels: Rogue 5
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: Jail
Catalyst: Many crimes that will earn him a nice jail sentence.
Things went to crap because Vorkstag and Grine had been expecting something like this and their golem dog was out. Willard saw this and started running around town assaulting people and yelling about another golem in town. This resulted in several guard members chasing Willard around town until they got back to the chymist lab where the guards caught him.
Willards reaction to this (just when the guards were about to listen to the explanation of the sorcerer) was to drop a smoke bomb and break free of the guards and start running through town screaming again. The guards eventually brought him down and took the struggling rat to jail. Of course the next day when the guard catch some of the children that the rogue brought together to help build up the riot and organised them to break into folks homes while this was happening his jail time will be extended for quite a while.
This left just the Cleric Sorcerer and Ugh Ugh to break in. After a valiant fight with the golem dog where they were assisted by the sudden appearance of a magus, poor Ugh Ugh was nearly beaten. In a valiant assault against Grine he took even more damage from some thrown poisonous axes before a lucky hideous laughter brought Grine down to earth to meet the ready barbarian.
Of course this attracted the attention of Vorkstag who after downing the Magus proceeded to bomb the barbarian from afar but before the alchemist could escape Ugh Ugh caught him with a well thrown lasso of rope (Nat 20). Vorkstag had just enough time to scream for the monks before meeting his end. The pair of zombies came and lashed out a few blows before being brought down.
The party had survived but only just. This was until two days later when Ugh Ugh’s player realised that he had used +4 for con instead of +2 while raging and should have been dead by nearly 20 points several times. So out of dramatic sensibilities Ugh Ugh went to sleep while the others looted the chymist lab and never awoke, the wounds and exertion too much for him.
This was until two days later when Ugh Ugh’s player realised that he had used +4 for con instead of +2 while raging
I'm lost here. Barbarians get +4 Str +4 Con while raging... did his archetype change that, or what happened there?
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This was until two days later when Ugh Ugh’s player realised that he had used +4 for con instead of +2 while ragingI'm lost here. Barbarians get +4 Str +4 Con while raging... did his archetype change that, or what happened there?
My guess is that he thought it was a +4 to modifier, not +4 to score and so only +2 to modifier.
Easy mistake for a new player to make, actually. I'm pleasantly surprised that he's a good enough sport to let his character die for that. If I were GMing, I'd let him live but make sure it never happened again.
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My guess is that he thought it was a +4 to modifier, not +4 to score and so only +2 to modifier.
That's correct. He thought he was getting a +4 to the modifier. Part of the reason I ruled for the character to die is that he was playing as a no retreat no surrender style character so eventually the player knew he was going to die due to that. Also the party was struggling with healing due to his having to save against healing spells. The player said that he already had another idea in mind and agreed that this was a fitting death.
I too enjoyed the write-up. What was Willard trying to achieve by running around town screaming about the golem? He was trying to start a riot so that the children he hired could rob some homes? This AP demands a lot of self-sacrifice, so it seems appropriate that a character with those motivations has found an appropriate exit...
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I too enjoyed the write-up. What was Willard trying to achieve by running around town screaming about the golem? He was trying to start a riot so that the children he hired could rob some homes? This AP demands a lot of self-sacrifice, so it seems appropriate that a character with those motivations has found an appropriate exit...
Thanks for the compliment.
In regards to Willard he was trying to get people to riot at the chymists for owning a golem while the city was up in arms about golems instead of rioting at the courthouse. In part this failed due to his own hysteria as the way he roleplayed the scene it seemed very much like Willard had snapped.
ie Running up to someone, grabbing them and screaming at them "GOLEM! IN TOWN! NEED TO STOP IT! ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!" then running off screaming again (Probably with arms flailing Kermit style). Even when he did mention the chymist by that time the guard was after him amd he looked quite seedy due to running around screaming like a madman so most folks disregarded it.
The other problem was because it was too late. The mob had already started gathering at the courthouse and the party began their raid while Willard was still running about town. The ones who did check it out found the front gate smashed in and the half wrecked scrap of golem. The sounds of combat from inside made people stay out and assume the guards were raiding the place. Since you can't see what is happening inside the chymist from the outside due to the grime and fumes. Since the threat of another golem had been neutralized physically it only serves to fuel the mobs own demand for justice.
And the fact that Willard was a ratfolk in a city with few non-humans certainly didn't help matters I suspect!
A couple of my players left early and everyone else still wanted to play, but not go into Harrowstone because they didn't want to cheat the absentees. So I ran a side quest about a mad wizard who was building a zoo filled with exotic monsters. One of the wizard's lackeys bargained with the pc's for his life. He told them about a vault that had enormous 'treasure' in it. Turned out Treasure was the name of a female T-Rex. Even though they were only level 3, I find players tend to believe they won't run into anything they can't handle. Even though they identified her before entering the room, they decided to provoke it. RIP for the party's Cleric and his corpse companion Steven. Also, the cleric had all the Haunt Siphons.
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Name: Arach Deatheye
Race: dhampir
Classes/levels: Ninja 9/Shadowdancer 1
Adventure: Wake of the Watcher
Location: Skum Tunnels G 10 Garden Grotto
Catalyst: Mi-go Mist Projector
The Gory Details: The adventuring band known as the Redeemers of Shadows entered the Garden Grotto, the dhampir ninja and elven spirit ranger invisibly scouting ahead followed by the master chymist, barbarian, and goblin pistoleer.
Alerted by the sounds of battle from the Hall of Father Dagon the Mi-go utilized their strange mist-projector catching the entire party as they entered the cavern nullifying the advantage of their stealth. Unable to target the projector wielding alien and harassed by its partner and their dimensionally summoned minion the rod wielding Mi-go fell back three times blasting the room in cold death knocking the ninja unconscious on its second attack and freezing him to death on the third.
--Vrock Salt
Name: Miloš Fortuna
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Paladin 2 / Bard 1
Adventure: Haunting of Harrowstone
Location: Room U3: The Headless Guard
Catalyst: Gurtis Vortch
The Gory Details: The party won initiative, and moved in, roughing Vortch up a bit. Then Vortch rolls a natural 20, confirms his hit and makes his concealment check. 30-some-odd points of damage later, Miloš drops lifeless to the floor. The party continues to wail on Vortch some more, who then, on his turn...
Name: Tobo Stoutfoot
Race: Halfling
Classes/levels: Rogue 3
Adventure: Haunting of Harrowstone
Location: Room U3: The Headless Guard
Catalyst: Gurtis Vortch
The Gory Details: ... rolls another natural 20, confims, and slays one Tobo Stoutfoot, walking-lockpick extraordinaire. At this point, the party Inquisitor decides a Judgement might be in order...
Name: Elhael Talathion
Race: Half-Elf
Classes/levels: Inquisitor of Pharasma 3
Adventure: Haunting of Harrowstone
Location: Room U3: The Headless Guard
Catalyst: Gurtis Vortch
The Gory Details: ...but to no avail, as Vortch rolls his third natural 20, confirms, and kills Elhael outright. The party wizard finally manages to put the skeleton down with Stone Call...
Name: Brier Brassbottle
Race: Dwarf
Classes/levels: Wizard 3
Adventure: Haunting of Harrowstone
Location: Room U3: The Headless Guard
Catalyst: The Lopper
The Gory Details: ... whose 40ft radius of effect attracts the attention of The Lopper. With no spells of use against the incorporeal, and unable to run due to the difficult terrain created by his spell, Brier joins the ranks of The Lopper's ectoplasmic minions in only a few short rounds.
TPK. Three deaths in as many rounds. God, I'm depressed.
Did your book burst into green flames? Did the dice melt into puddles of blood? I don't think your party should try this adventure path any further - something out there wants you to stop.
Perhaps Paizo's activating some contingency spell to make sure parties need a new game to play just as Runelords is re-released?
Did your book burst into green flames? Did the dice melt into puddles of blood? I don't think your party should try this adventure path any further - something out there wants you to stop.
Perhaps Paizo's activating some contingency spell to make sure parties need a new game to play just as Runelords is re-released?
Yeah, we're switching to Jade Regent.
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Haunting of Harrowstone: Party Kills-2
Trial of the Beast: Party Kills- 2
Broken Moon- Party Kills-2
Wake of the Watcher: Just finished. In the final battle in the Migo lab, our PC 'mad scientist' alchemist/Vivisectionist's head explodes off his body leaving tentacles behind forcing the groups dwarf to go into very negative Sanity Points. He is currently in an Asylum in Caliphas in a straightjacket. Other party member leans over and flips off the GameMaster screaming, "I finally made it through one of these adventures without losing my character! HA!"
Name: Lawrence Trueheart
Race: Human
Classes/levels: 8th lv Paladin of Iomedae (Undead Slayer)
Adventure: Broken Moon
Location: Feldgau
Catalyst: That damned circle of death spell
The Gory Details: My brave paladin was slain by the vile magic of Auren Vrood, who had appeared to flee after a proper righteous arse-kicking by the afore-named paladin, only to return and slay half my party with that horrible spell!
Name: Ahmed Antar
Race: Halfling
Classes/levels: 8th lv Rogue (Investigator)
Adventure: Broken Moon
Location: Feldgau
Catalyst: That damned circle of death spell
The Gory Details: See above and wow, did it suck.
Other party member leans over and flips off the GameMaster screaming, "I finally made it through one of these adventures without losing my character! HA!"
I live for moments like these. <evilgrin>
Other party member leans over and flips off the GameMaster screaming, "I finally made it through one of these adventures without losing my character! HA!"I live for moments like these. <evilgrin>
Is this purpose of you playing or GMing, Turin?
Is this purpose of you playing or GMing, Turin?Other party member leans over and flips off the GameMaster screaming, "I finally made it through one of these adventures without losing my character! HA!"I live for moments like these. <evilgrin>
BOTH!! ^__^
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Name: Fenton the Weaponsmith
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Magus 6
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: The Rope Bridge
Catalyst: The Full Fury of the Fury
The halfing witch flew across the bridge and secured a rope on the far side, allowing the party to cross with a +5 bonus for a secure hand hold (but meaning they had no weapons out).
The Magus was the first to cross, triggering the trap and summoning the Erinyes. On his turn he rushed to the other side while the party repositioned in the Alchemy lab and took some ineffectual arrow fire at the Devil.
The Erinyes then turned her full fury on the Magus, as he was the only one across the bridge. Two hits and a crit later, and his lifeless body plummeted into the river.
He was the only one to go down, however, as the rest of the party really pulled out all the stops in terms of teamwork to deal with her. The hafling witch managed to put her to sleep, which ended when she hit the water. The rapid-shot ranger got aid from the Ninja/cleric with a "touch of luck" and plinked away at her hit points the whole time. The final blow came at the hands of the barbarian and the fighter (who was the crippled survivor of the near TPK in the gatehouse, and who came in to replace the fallen magus) who hauled a wooden mixing tub out of the wreckage and hurled it at the lady Devil as she flew over the bridge.
Awesome fight.
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But Gary was made of sterner stuff. "Take heart, men!" he shouted. "Iomedae is watching over us, and this opponent cannot harm us!" Whereupon, the scythe immediately decapitated him with the most ironic critical hit I've ever seen - particularly since if he'd only accepted the healing that had been urged on him, he'd have been recoverable!
Priceless! Sounds like you guys have a great group. Gary's player amused?
Catalyst: That damned circle of death spell
Hate to break it to you, but the only reason he even has that spell is an error in his stat block. They forgot to include the spellcaster level reduction from his prestige class.
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Name: Azkaellon the Sanguine
Race: Aasimar
Classes/levels: Cleric 6 [Iomade]
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: In front of the court house
Catalyst: Pitchfork [and possibly torches]
The Gory Details:
Azkaellon and others approached the mob with caution, attempting to beseech them to calm themselves, alas, the sudden action of the half-orc, Quag, inflamed them to riot.
While Quag was attempting to push through the crowed to its leaders, the crowd moved to block his way and slung anti orc slurs at him. He then used monk prowess to soar over their heads in a might leap. while shouting at them aggressively [his heart was in the right place, he was trying to avoid a conflict, he just has poor charisma, and acted completely in character, his character doesn't understand why his authoritative shouting to comply was not heeded.]
Once the mob struck out at Quag, it was over, the whole thing went pear shape, and the mob swarmed. Suddenly the PCs found out that 70 peons (used speak with dead on the children in court) and a bunch of heavy x-bows can be deadly, even at level 6.
The swarm grappled, pinned and tied up Azkaelleon, and a number of others over the rounds got likewise endangered. The Tiefling was able to escape a bludgeoning death by torch by activating his fly ability and taking off (the peasants having leg go of him when they thought he was tied up.) More then once the paladin had to throw off a pile of peasants heaped atop him.
Poor Azkaelleon's fate was a coup de grace by the pitch fork wielding mob. The damage itself was not lethal, but the natural 1 on a DC 15 save was.
The fight got real after that, and nearly a TPK. Interestingly, Quag had a truly epic kung fu movie moment, when it was over he stood in a ring of dead, dying and injured peasants having pretty much taking on half of the mob single handed.
The fight was a blast, even if it was an ignoble way of losing a character, and the whole time I had the song Dead by TMBG running through my head.
Oooo! So they took out how much of the population? Just what was the fallout?
More to the point, how will it impact the trial when the people trying to clear him happen to eliminate a sizeable chunk of the populace? :D
More to the point, how will it impact the trial when the people trying to clear him happen to eliminate a sizeable chunk of the populace? :D
I could go both ways. A group of straight up BA people just whooped half the city. And they have a ginormous death machine that likes them (probably) that those manacles probably can't hold. So either they are mad and the populace starts threatening the judges, the judges change their mind because you killed one of their cousins, or maybe the peasants come back with fire and decide the building works as good for a pyre as the burning man. OOOORRRRR...they are scared to death of the PC's, realize that at the very least, dozens more of them are going to die if they challenge them, and completely act cowed and frightened.
Interesting...
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Well, only five peasants died and the rest either fled or were subdued thanks to the pally with his merciful bonded weapon, the monk with his kung-fu grip, and a mysterious flying man of iron.
The trial went very well. Dramatic evidence and moving orarory carried the day and justice was done, although tainted by the death of the party's angel-blooded diplomat. One can only hope that their new benefactor, the eccentric Lord Antoni Starkesi, is up to the task.
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Name: Sundar
Race: Dwarf
Class: Stonelord Paladin
Location: Schloss Caromac Gateway
Name: Syldar
Race: Sylph
Class: Bladebound Magus 6
Location: Schloss Caromac Gateway
Name: Yet to be named (Created and died in the same session)
Race: Human
Class: Aldori Swordlord 6
Location: Schloss Caromac Gateway
The Trolls! My god the Trolls!
After successfully completing the trial and getting the beast declared innocent Lorni the sorcerer needed several days rest and her constant carer Gene Eric decided to stay behind to nurse her back to health. With the arrest of their ratfolk rogue Willard and the death of the Barbarian Ugh Ugh during their last encounter the group was down to bare bones
So as the last remaining original member shy Ira spoke with Judge Daramid who wanted to investigate what is happening at Schloss Caromac. The judge recruited Patricia, cleric of Sarenrae and Sundar, paladin of Torag and member of the eye to assist Ira the Alchemist, Syldar the bladebound magus and Gregory the jack of all trades hunter of undead (Ranger, Cleric, Gun slinger, Alchemist) in this valiant endeavour.
Sensing something was amiss as they approached the group found themselves in a desparate encounter with two trolls, two trollhounds, 3 goblins and their troll leader Grokk who despite his fixation couldn't help but notice the explosives of the alchemist.
Moving first Syldar used invisibility to sneak past the trolls and head towards Grokk hoping to surprise the troll while brave Sundar moved right in front of the hounds standing fast against their assaults while Ira lobbed bombs into their midst, Gregory blasted away with his blunderbuss and Patricia tried to keep her allies alive.
Sadly Syldar overestimated his chances and stumbled while attempting to skewer Grokk failing to connect with his enchanted blade. Grokk's counter attack was swift leaving Syldar nearly on his knees. Escaping away without even harming the great troll who turned back to keep firing from his vantage point.
Sundar bravely kept all of his opponents preoccupied smashing his foes down with his earthbreaker helping Ira and Patricia bring down the two hounds and all the goblins only to see Gregory knocked into the earth by a shattering set of blows. Syldar appeared from behind and seeing his fallen comrade torched both trolls with a burning hands spell. Finally able to reach a foe that was singing them with fire one troll charged and brutally took a large chunk out of the whispy magus leaving him bleeding on the ground but giving Patricia time to heal Gregory back enough to starve off death and give Ira the opening she needed to down the first of the trolls.
Seeing one of his females killed Grokk came down from his vantage point and charged the group. Between his and the other trolls blows Sundar finally fell but not before giving his allies the chance to escape. Patricia and Ira ran away and during the confusion Gregory snuck off as well tail between his legs deciding he might have better luck elsewhere.
The remaining two went back to town to recruit more members gaining a Cavalier named Mark, a Aldori swordlord and a new mysterious stranger who claimed to be a gun slinger. Alerting Judge Daramid to the danger facing the Schloss before leaving the group came prepared with alchemist fires, flaming weapons and a readiness to win.
The group fared better this time with the cavalier fending of blows left and right assisting his allies defence. At first the group was handling things well keeping the fire damage up to prevent the trolls from regenerating before Grokk realised this and ordered the other trolls (Calling in the ones from the next room as well) to attack the one defending the others. One troll was brought down before Mark took one too many blows and fell to the ground. The sword lord stood firm but in one sickening flurry of blows the swordlord was grabbed up and ripped in half by Grokk (Rolled exactly the numbers to kill him. I actually didn't know his hp since this was a new character). In return Patricia threw Keros oil onto Grokk and in with one bomb Ira brought down the second troll and set Grokk on fire.
With all his allies dead, on fire and with multiple enemies around Grokk finally ran away taking a fireball to the back from the enraged fire cleric but still managing to get away. Just to get into the front entrance the group had lost 3 companions. They looked upon the gateway into the suddenly far more foreboding Schloss with fear.
DM:
I really have to admit that I should have toned down the encounter. I should have had Grokk not get involved in the fight in the first place. During the first fight as well I completely forgot that he was advanced for damage and only remembered the AC pump. As well I shouldn't have played up his advancement with the fact that it does increase all stats including intelligence and wisdom which was why he noticed the fact that Mark was blocking blows with Aid Another and benevolent armor and ordered him to be targeted.
It also didn't help that I was rolling half in the open (several players could see my rolls and some were indeed watching) and for once the dice gods decided to shine their light on me. I have never rolled so many nat 20's in my life (admittedly I also rolled a ton of 1's as well). The group was handing me different d20's throughout the day and my rolls kept turinng to gold. The dice only had 6 numbers it seemed 1,2,17,18,19,20.
My party is now incredibly afraid of the dungeon and are probably going to be disappointed. I really didn't expect it to be that bad. I upped the XP and was semi glad for the loss of characters since their equipment helped the party a lot. The group didn't take stuff from Vorkstag and Grines in part because it was a crime scene and in part because it actually all belonged to someone, which means the group will likely not ransack the Schloss requiring the party to be given rewards at the end.
Hate to break it to you, but the only reason he even has that spell is an error in his stat block. They forgot to include the spellcaster level reduction from his prestige class.
Catalyst: That damned circle of death spell
Thanks for pointing that out. I was a little concerned about dropping that on my PCs (especially by an invisible flying foe). Have you seen this error discussed anywhere else?
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Thanks for pointing that out. I was a little concerned about dropping that on my PCs (especially by an invisible flying foe). Have you seen this error discussed anywhere else?Hate to break it to you, but the only reason he even has that spell is an error in his stat block. They forgot to include the spellcaster level reduction from his prestige class.
Catalyst: That damned circle of death spell
There was a late change to the PrC after the adventure was developed, but Vrood's stat block was unfortunately not updated to reflect that. It probably doesn't hurt the adventure to lower his CL to 10 (he only loses 2 spells), or you can give him another level of necromancer, which also increases his CR by 1 (and involves greater changes to his stat block).
I believe this is what you are looking for.
Name" Aella
Race Human
Class: Barbarian 5
Location of Death: Vorstag and Grine's Chymic Works
Cause of death:: Vorstag's Bombs
Name: Ramon
Race: Human
Class: Gunslinger 8
Adventure: Broken Moon
Location: Feldgrau
Catalyst: Mr. Vroon
The Gory Details:
Our party decided to go directly for the tower. We were kinda ambushed by the unfriendly necromancer. Ramon was killed on Round 1 by a Phantasmal Killer spell when I missed the will save by 1. Rolled 23 when i needed 24. Botched the fort save thereafter. Well, at least I made a nice zombie.
Name: Dr. Acula (Stolen Identity, real name unknown)
Race: Human (Scarzni)
Classes/levels: Rogue (Cut-purse) 3
Adventure: The Haunting Of Harrowstone
Location: Central Dungeon Chamber
Catalyst: Igniting Skeletons
The Gory Details: (optional)
Despite general softness and a striking inability to roll well on his HP (and a negative con modifier), the good 'doctor' made a habit of running head first into the fray with the paladin, and given his substantially lower AC, also had a habit of taking a beating.
Having been brought down to 1 HP from having the beats laid on him, there was a skeleton to the west and the south of the good doctor when they finally ignited, dealing exactly eleven damage from the initial opening of their auras and cooking the good doctor.
Me being merciful, and decided that unless it's really cool everyone gets one, fudged the rolls for him though. Next time they'll be roast doctor on the menu.
Name: Elan the Mad Alchemist
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Alchemist 5
Adventure: Trial of the Beast
Location: Vorkstag & Grine's Chymic Works - Courtyard
Catalyst: Flesh Golem Hound
The Gory Details: (optional)
Having found evidence at multiple crime scenes to link Vorkstag & Grine to the acts of violence attributed to The Beast, the party try to break into their Chymic Works in Lepidstadt. The main gate is barred from within and the wall is 20ft tall. Elan the Alchemist drinks his potion of spider climb and scales the wall, spotting the Flesh Golem Hound ambling around in the courtyard beyond. He throws a flask of Grease into the courtyard, hoping the foul beast will slip and be prevented from reaching him before he opens the gate for the rest of the party. The GM rolls spectacularly well on the hound's Reflex save and the horrible thing manages to attack for 22 points of damage. For some reason, I didn't think escaping up the sheer surface of the wall (via Spider Climb) would prompt an Attack of Opportunity, but it did and the Hound tore poor Elan to bloody ruin. :(
But then we decided it would have to make a Reflex save to make an Attack of Opportunity while standing in a puddle of Grease, which it failed, so Elan was returned to life and the rest of the party kicked the monster's ass. :D
(Our level 5 dwarf fighter walked away from a Critical Strike from this CR6 monster, which we all thought was pretty miraculous!)
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Name: Alexander Moltumesc
Race: Varisian Human
Class: Paladin 15
Book: Shadows of Gallowspire
Catalyst: Adivion Adrissant
After dealing nearly 200 damage with super-powered smiting with Raven's Head to the enhanced BBEG I cooked up, he failed his reflex save against the soul lash and went tumbling down the gallowspire to his death.
Name: Alexander Moltumesc
Race: Varisian Human
Class: Paladin 15
Book: Shadows of Gallowspire
Catalyst: Adivion AdrissantAfter dealing nearly 200 damage with super-powered smiting with Raven's Head to the enhanced BBEG I cooked up, he failed his reflex save against the soul lash and went tumbling down the gallowspire to his death.
If you have to go down, go down after putting your sword through the BBEG's face!
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Name: The Aberrant Promethean
Race: Flesh Golem
Catalyst: Claymation Monster Fight
The players ended up skipping the menagerie entirely and only fighting a flock of Gargoyles I added in between the schloss and the tower. They entered the tower and defeated the guardian, but when were in pretty ragged shape when they rescued Coromarc.
In my game, they had witnessed The Beast return, pry open the roof of the tower, and then struggle with the Promethean before tumbling into the water. Thinking the tower clear, they rescued Coromarc and were able to get the gist of what the Way had done as well as the lowdown on the Bondslave Thrall.
As his speech concluded, they heard sounds of movement from below as the Promethean began moving back up through the tower, tearing away the stones to make passage in between levels.
Meanwhile "Boots" was spotted scaling the outer wall of the tower in a red fury. The Bondslave was activated and The Beas slid down the hanging chains to give battle to his brother.
The party was in no shape to go toe to toe with the Beast, and I didn't feel like they should be punished for rescuing the Count as the module had been pointed them to do, so the Promethean opened up with his Sonic fear ability, scaring off most of the Party and then tangled with the Beast.
At the end of the Day, the Beast had been reduced to zero hit points, and the party was at death's door, when they finally brought the thing down due to a combination of Acid Arrow, the Beast's Damage, and the Fighter and Barbarian leaping from the top of the tower from where they had fled to slam into the Promethean with their melee attacks. (Epicly funny. We ad-hoced that they added the falling damage done to themselves as a bonus to their melee damage if they hit.)
In the end a lot of punches were pulled, but it was a pretty ridiculous set up for the final battle and I'm just glad to have it behind us!
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My players didn't even know about the bondslave when they got into the tower and used a swarm of mobile laser platforms, aka lantern archons, to roast the AP before he could kill anyone. Then they went around and looked at the chalk drawings that weren't all that important, right? Sigh. Players do the impossible because they don't know better.