Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Perhaps the cathedral may be a better choice or what’s left of it. I can’t really tell from the description if the temple has been broken in half by the crevasse or just one its towers. If the latter only, we can take shelter in it and force the nightwing to come after us in its confines. Bonus if its still hallowed or consecrated.

Good thinking. I think we'll need to wait till Aubrey posts a map or gives us a clearer description though; I'm not sure where we are in relation to the temple, any entrances to it, or whether the crevasse prevents any of us from entering the temple.

Even so, the fact that the nightwing emerged from the temple (albiet a broken bit of it) and probably had somehting to do with the bell ringing suggestes that it is probably no longer holy ground.

That sounds sensible.
It'll be a bonus if we don't get teleported to Oz, Narnia, Wonderland, or Halloweentown trying to get there......

Even so, the fact that the nightwing emerged from the temple (albiet a broken bit of it) and probably had somehting to do with the bell ringing suggestes that it is probably no longer holy ground.

Strange. I was thinking it was the other group who rang the bell to alert us to their location. Ezreal using mage hand or something.

That sounds sensible.

It'll be a bonus if we don't get teleported to Oz, Narnia, Wonderland, or Halloweentown trying to get there......

Well at least most of those places don’t have dragons, pirates, robots, dinosaurs, steampunk, futuristic technology, vampires, ancient ruins, Indians, zombies and zeppelins ... or nightwings presumably.

Lightbringer wrote:

Even so, the fact that the nightwing emerged from the temple (albiet a broken bit of it) and probably had somehting to do with the bell ringing suggestes that it is probably no longer holy ground.

Strange. I was thinking it was the other group who rang the bell to alert us to their location. Ezreal using mage hand or something.

Could have been – we can ask them now!

Or maybe it was planned that way....

The insane metal babbling continues. "Friends/subjects/remains come greet/eat/join with us. Become us. Feed us."

There is movement in the centre of the square. Creatures begin climbing over the lip of the pit. Deformed muzzles snuffle at the air as they crawl on all-fours, claws scraping the ground, their backs and limbs twisted and gnarled. Sores weep and fester on pallid skin drawn tightly over protruding ribs, skulls and spines. Dead eyes fix upon the adventurers hungrily and fanged jaws slaver. Perhaps most horrifying, it is clear that beneath the effects of some terrible transformation these creatures were once human.

More and more creatures stream from the depths, and in a few seconds they mass on either side of the crevasse in the dozens. At some unspoken signal, they howl and charge.

If you haven't rolled initiative yet, do so now.

Knowledge (Religion), DC 11:

"Come and meet your final rest!" Rolund yells at the incoming horde.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8.

Map.

The erstwhile Group 1 are on the east side of the square, Group 2 on the west. Please place yourselves - you've had enough time to be more or less where you want, within those limits. If it's not obvious, the dark grey is the cathedral, the lighter grey other buildings, and the black is the hole in the ground.

Nightwing: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Undead Horde 1: 1d20 ⇒ 1
Undead Horde 2: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Initiatives:
Gil: 21
LB: 20
Janosz: 18+
Runzyl: 18-
Undead Horde 2: 13
Basher 10
Ez: 8
Roly: 4+
Bor: 4-
Rod: 2
Undead Horde 1: 1

Bor – Init: 1d20 ⇒ 4. Group 2 should position Bor.

Basher – Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10. Position: AN-AO/18-19.

Rolund at AO/16.

"Said it, didn't I? Hordes of f@#!ing ghouls, pouring outta the abyss." Making a quick decision, Janosz pulls back a few steps and starts fumbling around in his quiver for his special silver arrows. "Keep the dog-boys off me, and I'll make the big bat regret ever leaving the grave."

I'm in AQ 13.

Runzyl will start in S18. Bor will be next to me in Q-R/18-19.

Ezreal in S20
Kn Religion 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

AM 14 for LB.

Know, religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Any chance I got my spell off prior to combat? No worries if not, just want to plan accordingly.

“Festrogs,” Lightbringer glances up from his spellcasting at the emerging undead monsters. “Plague carriers, and dangerous in such numbers. Matilda, stay behind us.”

I gotta do something about my persistently terrible initiative. Tentacles would be pretty handy right now, but they'll be on top of us before I get get one in place.

AQ16

"Couldn't agree more, Lightbringer. Couldn't agree more."

I gotta do something about my persistently terrible initiative. Tentacles would be pretty handy right now, but they'll be on top of us before I get get one in place.

You should be able to get the horde on your side before they move. I think you’d be hard pressed to get both hordes with one spell anyway.

AQ16

"Couldn't agree more, Lightbringer. Couldn't agree more."

Gil’s up! Given the immediate threat of the undead, the fly spells might need to wait ...

I missed that they had different Inits. Yay!

know: religion 1d20 ⇒ 2

"festrogs.....diseased dead. Not too tuff, but there's a bunch of them."

I'll take p18...

Gil casts Haste centered on the east team before drawing her wand and moving back 5' AR16.

Waiting on clarification on whether LB was able to cast his spell prior to combat, and also whether the mob counts as a single creature for purpose of smite evil etc before posting action.

If you actually cast a spell, it went off. If you just talked about it, it didn't. The mobs are treated a bit like swarms. As such, for game purposes they are single gargantuan monsters that will take damage from Smite Evil.

If you actually cast a spell, it went off. If you just talked about it, it didn't. ooc]

[ooc]He did, previous page, while the nightwing was yapping and before the undead started crawling out of the ravine.

“Taste my blade abominations,” intones Lightbringer, as his eyes again flash silver. He hefts the sword in question, then charges at the mob of diseased dead as they boil out of the canyon.

Swift action: select horde 2 as smite evil target.
Full round action: Charge! Smite! Charging Smite! Power Attack!
Charge to AJ 15. 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38. Damage: 2d6 + 53 ⇒ (4, 1) + 53 = 58 (attack counts as silver and magic).

Edit: possible crit confirm roll (if appropriate): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (2) + 19 = 21. Damage: 2d6 + 53 ⇒ (4, 1) + 53 = 58

So... if mobs are treated as gargantuan creatures I'm guessing black tentacles has to contend with the single unified cmb of a gargantuan creature with massive size bonus? In other words, something way out of the range of possibly containing. Here's a roll to see if he has an idea about that before casting.
Kn Arcana or Spellcraft (whichever is appropriate): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34

Damage: 2d6 + 53 (attack counts as silver and magic).

It's cool guys, you don't need me anymore. LB's got it covered. :)

5' step to AP 12 before firing at the nightwing using Rapid Shot and Manyshot. I'm using my precious silver arrows, so the attacks count as magic and silver.
Attack 1: 14+16+1(Haste)=AC 31, damage 2d8+6=17.
Attack 2: 9+16+1(Haste)=AC 26, damage 1d8+3=6.
Attack 3: 2+11+1(Haste)=AC 14, damage 1d8+3=4.
Attack 4 (bonus from Haste): 12+16+1(Haste)=AC 29, damage 1d8+3=9.

Runzyl.

So... if mobs are treated as gargantuan creatures I'm guessing black tentacles has to contend with the single unified cmb of a gargantuan creature with massive size bonus? In other words, something way out of the range of possibly containing. Here's a roll to see if he has an idea about that before casting.

Kn Arcana or Spellcraft (whichever is appropriate): 1d20 + 18

The tentacles wouldn't have a great deal of effect on a seething mob.

Lightbringer hurtles into the baying mob, his sword glowing silver as it carves an arc through the onrushing undead. Limbs fly and blood and pus spray, and the supernatural carnage is horrific. Lightbringer is drenched in the rotting bodily fluids of the festrogs but he is undaunted.

I'm assuming, as a warforged, LB is immune to the sickened condition.

Janosz fires his silver arrows at the nightwing. The missiles disappear into the blackness of its form but appear to do little damage.

Janosz, Perception DC 24:

Map updated.

Runzyl.

Lightbringer wrote:

Damage: 2d6 + 53 (attack counts as silver and magic).

It's cool guys, you don't need me anymore. LB's got it covered. :)

Heh. That's a one round only thing. I get double my normal smite damage with the first smite attack on undead, and I get a bonus 2 times my normal smite damage on top of everything for my charging smite ability.

Pity I didn't cast devastating smite as well ...

I'm assuming, as a warforged, LB is immune to the sickened condition.

Correct.

Just to be that guy... silver arrows each do -1 damage.

Lacking the blessing of greater powers, Runzyl steels himself and steps forward with a furious battlecry towards the approaching horde. His frost-rimmed blades arc and slash though the assembled mass of bodies in a hurricane of steely death.

5' step to T17. Activate whirling frenzy. Full attack on the horde.
#1: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + (3) = 15 damage.
#2: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 8 + (2) = 13 damage.
#3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + (6) = 18 damage.
#4: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage.
#5: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 damage.

You're probably going to ask for a Fortitude save because of the nastiness. Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26.

EDIT: Crit threats on 3, 4, & 5 (love Improved Crit!).
Confirm #3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 damage.
Confirm #4: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage.
Confirm #5: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 to hit, dealing 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage.

Perception 11+16=27.

"Oh, crap... Uh, Rolund... The bat-whatzit seems mostly immune - not totally immune, mind you, just mostly - to my silver arrows. D'ya know anything about its weaknesses?"

Perception 11+16=27.

"Oh, crap... Uh, Rolund... The bat-whatzit seems mostly immune - not totally immune, mind you, just mostly - to my silver arrows. D'ya know anything about its weaknesses?"

You’re probably on the money with your earlier idea of DR / good (possibly in conjunction with magic and/or silver). To do my good devotion thing requires an immediate action, I don’t think I can do that in the same round that I use a swift action, and have used my swift action to choose my smite evil target. Also, I’ve used good devotion today, so need to burn some Lay on Hands to do it again. If everyone wants to move in a little I can use it next round (it’s probably a sensible thing to do either way) - try to get within 30 feet of me ... and lets hope this nightwing doesn’t have a breath weapon or other area effect attack!

Knowledge (religion) to find the nightwing's weaknesses: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17.

Knowledge (religion) to find the nightwing's weaknesses: 1d20+7=.

Sadly, not enough...

Runzyl's blade slices through undead flesh. This is not a time for finesse and subtlety, just fury and speed. Festrog parts thud to the ground or spin through the air as the elven juggernaut reaps his harvest. The spatter of foul diseased fluids on his face, in his eyes nose and mouth, causes his gorge to rise, but Runzyl clamps down on the feeling and concentrates on his deadly work.

The other undead mob surges forward to attack Lightbringer.

Horde 2 attacks. Mobs have a reach of 0' so they have to enter your square to attack you. This provokes an AoO from LB. We'll resolve that first.

AoO: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25 Damage: 2d6 + 26 ⇒ (3, 6) + 26 = 35 Lightbringer continues to hew about himself as the howling mob closes in.

Knowledge (religion) to find the nightwing's weaknesses: 1d20+7=.

same thing.

You both rolled on the last page.
Rod: 19 +2 Aid from LB for 21.
Rolund: 25
We all rolled so-so. 25 was the best so far.
Ezreal, Rolund, Rodergo and LB have all tried. Don't know if anyone else can.
Unless I've got it wrong you only get one Kn roll per creature. You ID it at DC of 10 + the CR and get one useful bit of info for every 5 you beat that by. If this thing is very rare it might be DC of 15 + CR.

"Oh, crap... Uh, Rolund... The bat-whatzit seems mostly immune - not totally immune, mind you, just mostly - to my silver arrows. D'ya know anything about its weaknesses?"

"My studies with the Purified were prematurely ended before we went into much detail about those things," Rolund replies.

“Bash!” Basher shouts as he charges into the undead horde to assist his fellow warforged.

Free Action: Rage.
Full-round action (powerful charge, Power Attack +4): 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 15 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 35. Attack counts as magic and adamantine.
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 4 + (5, 6) = 34.
End charge at AL-AM/17-18.
Note: AC 15 until next turn.

Ezreal

The festrogs rush forward, and Lightbringer is lost amongst seething limbs and long snapping teeth (5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3, 3, 6) = 18 damage to LB). He hacks about him, but the undead pound and rip and him. Then Basher hurls himself into battle, and his fists pound more of the undead into paste. The festrogs fall back in disarray, their ranks broken.

Horde 1 dispersed. Forgot to put the nightwing in the initiative list above - now corrected below:

Gil: 21
LB: 20
Janosz: 18+
Runzyl: 18-
Undead Horde 2: 13
Basher 10
Nightwing 9
Ez: 8
Roly: 4+
Bor: 4-
Rod: 2
Undead Horde 1: 1

So it's the nightwing's go, then Ez.

The nightwing unleashed a massive burst of cold. A ripple rolls through the air, over Lightbringer and his companions, as the moisture in the air instantly freezes and falls as snow.

Cone of Cold, hitting everyone in Group 1 except Gil who fortuitously took a step backwards. 14d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 5, 3, 3, 6, 2, 2, 4, 4, 1, 4, 1, 5) = 45, Reflex save DC 20 for half damage.

Map updated.

Ref: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Basher: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Ezreal pinches a tiny ball of sulfur rolled guano from his pouch and flings it at the animalistic horde. Mid-flight it takes on a life of its own streaking into the center of the mob as an incandescent bead that detonates in a fiery blast. The flames engulf the entire group stopping just short of Runzyl.

Fireball 9d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 1, 2, 2, 2, 4, 5) = 22 Reflex DC 19 for half
CL in case of SR 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
I don't know if mobs are vulnerable to AoE like swarms, but thought I'd mention it just in case. 33 damage if they are.
Rolund Up.

Rolund uses his shield to block most of the cold before pointing his sword at the remains of the undead horde. “Awake, Tarrnish! Awake and serve me once more!”

Spiritual energy from the downed festrogs coalesce around his blade, tarnishing slightly and emitting a pale harsh light.

Ref save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20.
Swift action: Lay on hands 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9.
Burning 2 APs to get use of Death’s Bond ability again for the day.
Standard action: Activate Death’s Bond ability adding keen and undead bane to sword.

Bor.

Ref: 1d20 + 8

Basher: 1d20 + 2

Not that it matters with such poor rolls but don't forget to factor the +1 bonus from Gil's haste.

Gil: 21
LB: 20
Janosz: 18+
Runzyl: 18-
Undead Horde 2: 13
Basher 10
Nightwing 9
Ez: 8
Roly: 4+
Bor: 4-
Rod: 2
Undead Horde 1: 1

Bor to RS 17-18, joins Runzyl in the grim harvest.

Greataxe 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19
damage 3d6 + 10 ⇒ (6, 6, 5) + 10 = 27

Greataxe 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
damage 3d6 + 10 ⇒ (4, 1, 1) + 10 = 16

Rod sears the nightwing with searing light.

Touch attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
action point 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + (5) = 8

damage 7d8 ⇒ (6, 5, 8, 6, 1, 8, 8) = 42