Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

The party remains unmolested through the night (so you get all your spells back and so on). After dawn, picking carefully along the gully, the narrow gorge eventually joins a wider valley heading north. The going becomes easier and progress swifter. There is no evidence of the presence of the Seren, although it is clear from tracks that last night's war party came this way.

Perception, DC 15, followed by Knowledge (Engineering and Architecture), DC 15 - not necessarily the same person:

By midmorning, the group come across the recently butchered carcasses of a trio of jungle pigs, impaled on six-foot stakes by the trail. Flies buzz around their wounds and the area is filled with a strange peppery stink.

Knowlege, Nature, DC 25:

Perception, DC 15:

First Perception check:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Second Perception check: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Runzyl examines the pot of body paint and smiles, turning to Janosz. "There's two pots of it here. I think you and I would benefit most if we want to scout up ahead further."

Runzyl will take one pot and offer Janosz first dibs on the second.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21 And Perception #2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Wow, glad I'm on your team. And that you don't need another hitter. Sorry for the afk time, but it's going to be sporadic for a while yet. Now let's see if I can make the dice thingy work...

Appraise: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Perception (first): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

Perception (second): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Note: She has a +3 on perception checks vs traps, if that's what she's trying to perceive.

Re: Second perception check

Gil, not exactly a country girl, seems a bit overly excited and her eyes unusually large as she says, "I hear something large coming this way, at least three of them! I think they baited the trail to attract predators to our position!"

Jalana
First Perception check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Knowledge (nature) check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Second Perception check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Wings-of-Silver
First Perception check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Second Perception check: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Rolund
First Perception check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Second Perception check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Basher
First Perception check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8
Second Perception check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

OK, what do you want to do?

Rolund uses his lay on hands to heal Farlowe completely. Afterwards he helps dispose of the bodies. As they continue their journey, he has shield slung on his back.

As the large things get closer, Rolund turns to their guide. "Frogshanks lead us away!"

casts divine power on m'self....+2h, +2dam, +1 atk on a full atk.

As the large things get closer, Rolund turns to their guide. "Frogshanks lead us away!"

Ah, but it's too late for that...

Or, Where The Large Things Are, a charming picture book in which brave adventurers go into the woods and encounter...

As Rolund speaks, the bushes close to the trail thrash and two greenish-black, chitinous claws as long as a man push through into the open. Following them comes a squat many-legged segmented body over which arches, ten feet in the air, a long tail with a bulbous stinger. The elephantine scorpion, its eyes sunk in armoured pits, swings round to consider the party, its gaze inscrutably alien.

Roll initiative.

Jalana
Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Wings-of-Silver
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Rolund
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Basher
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Init Rod:
1d20 ⇒ 17

did I get my buff in?

Runzyl, ever vigilant, steels his gaze as the monster approaches.

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Init 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

did I get my buff in?

You are buff in every way.

From the carcasses: Knowledge (nature) 15+19=25, perception 3+16=19.

Initiative 12+7=19.

"Heh. They've sprayed the carcass with pheromones to attract seriously pissed-off scorpions. I like these guys! Ah, and here it comes..." He shakes his head as the first scorp crashes through the undergrowth. "Sounds like a couple more are on the way. However, with a bit of luck, they'll prefer to fight each other rather than us. As for now, try to just slowly pull back. The pheromones are a territorial thing, and it might let us go if it thinks we're leaving. Unless it's hungry, of course..."

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Init: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Init Rod:

1d20

did I get my buff in?

Aren't you forgetting the +1 from your Dexterity?

oh yeah....(lol) I haven't had a dex bonus forever; that's Pathfinder upgunning.
So I guess my init is 18. Derpderpderp!!!

Initiatives:

Runzyl: 20
Janosz: 19+
Wings-of-silver: 19
Rodergo: 18
Ezreal: 17
Gil: 15
Basher: 11
Jalana: 10
Lightbringer: 9
Rolund: 3

Megascorp of doom: ?

"Pull back! Pull the f!%$ back!!"

OK, try a Talk with the Animals roll. (I know it's not really supposed to work on vermin, but it'll be fun getting Janosz to do scorpion body language.)

Janosz swallows hard and steps forward as the monstrous arachnid stares at the party. Suddenly, his body bends and arcs in odd angles as he starts emitting odd chirps and clicking noises.

Luckily I have a Speak with animals spell memorised, and this seems like as good a time to cast it as we will ever have. It's more fun when I start 'talking' like them rather than just have us understand each other, so we'll go with that.

::Greetings, huge hardshell! As you can clearly see, we are different creatures than you, unable to steal your mates or your land. We are only temporary visitors and will cause no trouble. Please let us continue on our way::

Animal Empathy check 13+5+4(action point)=22. This will be veeeeery interesting.

The rustling in the bushes, from behind and to the east, is getting louder. The scorpion shifts slightly, its pincers waving.

Janosz:

Janosz continues wheezing and clicking

Aubrey:

As Janosz capers and grunts, another huge scorpion crashes through the underbrush and on to the track behind the party. It turns, its clawed feet scraping up the black forest soil, and the two scorpions square off against each other. They raise their tails belligerently, their stingers twitching, and wave their claws, clacking them open and shut. Then they charge down the track towards one another, oblivious to the insignificant mammals in the way.

Reflex save, DC 15, or take 1d8+6 damage from being run over by a scorpion. Fail it by more than 5 and you take 2d8+12 instead from being run over by two scorpions (though it will give your characters a tale to dine out on – “Did I ever tell you the story about when I was trampled by not one, but two giant scorpions – in one day?”).

The two scorpions crash into each other with load thud and hiss. They grasp claws and begin pushing and shoving, trying to flip the other over while their stings hover, ready to pierce a gap in an armoured hide.

As the scorpion showdown plays out, the third emerges from the side of the road. Slightly smaller than the others, its claws twitch as it takes in the scene.

Janosz:

Reflex 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

A bit of layout. A-T across the top, 1-30 down the side. The track runs roughly I-L/1-30. The sides of it are largely obscured by bushes and trees, though behind them the darkness of the canopy makes it fairly open behind that.

So there are bushes at G-H/2-3; M-N/1-4; G-I/5-7; M-P/6-8; F-H/9-11; M-N/10-11; F-H/14-17; M-O/15-18; F-G/19-22; M-O/22-26; F-H/24-25; F-I/28-30; L-M/28-29. There are trees at T1; O3; I4; D9; M9; G12; R13; E18; O19; B23; P27; D28; R30. Bushes are difficult terrain and grant cover (-2 to hit), trees simply occupy their spaces, though you can obviously stand behind one for cover too. The dead piggies are at I16 and count as difficult terrain.

The two scorpions are slugging it out at J-L/19-21 (scorp 1) and I-K/24-26 (scorp 2). The newcomer (scorp 3) is at K-M/12-14. The PC are somewhere in I-L/12-26 – please place yourselves.

It will be quite a while before I can draw up the map, but Gil would be attempting to maintain a position in the middle, but closer to the back, of the party. Whoever gets a map drawn up first is welcome to place her wherever they feel is appropriate.

Reflex Save vs. Scorpion Stompion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Got it all mapped out in excel. If anybody wishes a copy…

Jalana
Ref save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Damage: 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 6) + 12 = 24
Location: I22

Wings-of-Silver
Ref save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Location: J15

Rolund
Ref save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Location: I18

Basher
Ref save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Location: J-K/16-17

This is beyond awesome. If David Attenborough played RPGs, this is what it would look like.

Reflex save 5+14=19, so no trampling damage. I'm in J13.

With a loud chittering noise, Janosz dives out of the way of the charging scorpions. Rolling back onto his feet, he finds himself within touching distance of the slightly smaller newcomer.

Aubrey:

He turns slowly towards Basher and Rolund. "Um, guys." His voice has a bone-dry rasp to it and is punctuated with odd wheezes and clicking noises. "The new guy is a bit brighter than the other two and wants to eat rather than fight. Can you break off the sticks the pigs are on and hand him the carcasses? Preferably without the other two scorps noticing?"

Janosz:

Janosz, try a Diplomacy or Wild Empathy check.

Wild Empathy 11+6+4(action point)=21. I'm burning action points like there is no tomorrow, but these things terrify me, especially with the new PF poison rules.

Aubrey:

Janosz keeps clicking and chirping, pointing at the party bruisers and the pigs.

Janosz:

The scorpion grabs for Janosz with its pincers.

Roll initiative.

Reflex 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 Init 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Initiative 12+7=19.

"Bah! So much for reasoning with insects. He wants to eat now, it seems." Janosz drags out his flail as he tries to dodge the scorpion's massive pincers.

Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Got it all mapped out in excel. If anybody wishes a copy…

I'd welcome a copy. zackthestguy (at) gmail (dot) com Thanks!

Init: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Didn’t we roll for initiative already? But if you need them again…

Jalana
Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
She’s down 24 hps from being trampled.

Wings-of-Silver
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Rolund
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Basher
Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Ez, Gil, LB, Rod, and Runzyl haven’t posted their locations yet.

Didn’t we roll for initiative already? But if you need them again…

Jalana
Init: 1d20+2=
She’s down 24 hps from being trampled.

Wings-of-Silver
Init: 1d20+1=

Rolund
Init: 1d20+1=

Basher
Init: 1d20+1=

Ez, Gil, LB, Rod, and Runzyl haven’t posted their locations yet.

You're right, we did, there is an initiative table above.

Reposting initiatives:

Runzyl: 20
Janosz: 19+
Wings-of-silver: 19
Rodergo: 18
Ezreal: 17
Gil: 15
Basher: 11
Jalana: 10
Lightbringer: 9
Rolund: 3

Hungry, hungy scorpion: ?

We still need locations for Ezreal, Gil, Lightbringer, Rodergo, and Runzyl.

I'll take J14....next to Janosz.

reflex save 1d20 ⇒ 15

I'll take J14....next to Janosz.

reflex save 1d20

15(from above)+5=20

Put me at I-12. Thanks for the map, GG.

L16 for LB.

(lol)I was just looking at my map and saying, "who the f~%~ is DP at I 16? Ooooh....dead pig....that's right."

OK, looking for positions for Ez and Gil. AG said he might be spotty in posting, so someone can place Gil where he indicated (somewhere in the middle of the party, maybe next the to piggies).

Runzyl: 20
Janosz: 19+
Wings-of-silver: 19
Rodergo: 18
Ezreal: 17
Gil: 15
Basher: 11
Jalana: 10
Lightbringer: 9
Scorpions: 7
Rolund: 3

Runzyl.

Ez I 14, Gil I 15