Aubrey's Wrath of the Righteous (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Sorry, Aubrey, but I am fairly sure that 'dragon' is a masculine gender noun in the local dialect. :-p

"Don't worry about it Horgus. I've never heard of the accusations, or you." Sol mentally rises to the defense of the blind mage and Anevia. But he doesn't actually say anything, and a few seconds later realizes it was well that he didn't. These people will think I am a fool.

Should I have written dragona to avoid confusion? Or dragonne? Or perhaps dragoon?

Jod scrambles through the pile to investigate the closest mother-of-pearl item, as he picks it up, he freezes at the sight in the distance.

In an even tone, he says, "I'm sure that will be much more important when we are aboveground. For now, we appear to have company that didn't fall down with the rest of us. Can any of you tell what yon creature is?"

He points into the darkness.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
knowledge planes ID: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Do I know what it is?

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Oops, should have at least rolled

Again keeping his voice level, he describes what he sees, "It must be pretty good size as it's across the chamber. It appears to be waiting - I haven't seen it move. But it's crouched too much - I cannot make out the exact shape in the darkness."

After pausing to see if it moves, he returns to his scavenging, picking up all of the flat pearl-like objects as he goes.

A morbid thought - does he find quite a few bodies as he goes, also?

Other knowledges may be useful. Planes is only good for Outsiders....

Other knowledges may be useful. Planes is only good for Outsiders....

Of course, but that's the only trained Knowledge I have. Someone else will have to step up.

Nevynxxx wrote:

Other knowledges may be useful. Planes is only good for Outsiders....

Of course, but that's the only trained Knowledge I have. Someone else will have to step up.

Hehe, me too...

Kira can't even see it, let alone identify it, with that roll.

As Jod picks up the silver objects, he feels a rush of emotion. Not his own, but something imprinted on them - sadness coupled with resolute determination. He realises these are scales that fell from Terendelev when she died and that, as well as being imbued with her state of mind, they contain a fragment of her magical power as well.

There are dead bodies around, but many are half buried under enormous boulders and very few will have anything resembling useful equipment or immense riches.

There are four of the scales. Each is imprinted with a different magical power and effectively operates like a wondrous item. I'll stick up the descriptions in the campaign page and you can decide how to distribute them.

The creature in the dark doesn't move, even as Horgus's voice gets louder as he argues with Aravashnial and Anevia.

I should have just left the roll off.... gah!

"Hey Uncle Moneybags! Shut it! Something is over there and you keep yapping you may draw anything else down here!"

Sol squints toward the shadowed shape. "I could send my lights over there, but maybe we should all be prepared to ru -- move before I do."

Happy Thanksgiving. I may not post again until Monday. Please run SOl as you all see fit to keep things moving.

Jod holds up a hand to stop Sol before he follows through with that idea, "Let's be sure we are prepared to deal with it before we wake it up. It is better to avoid a bear than poke it to make sure it's a bear."

"What *are* you all on about?"

Jod looks at the young woman, pointing into the distance. "On the edge of the light. There appears to be some large creature crouching in wait. Whether it is a threat or not, we need to gather our gear and our people and prepare to get back to the city, right?"

He holds up one of the items he has been gathering. "I found four of these. When I pick them up, I feel something - I think these are scales of the dragon. I can feel... sadness and magic."

Horgus pauses in his argument with Aravashnial. "A creature? Down here?"

"Perhaps we could concentrate on getting out of here," interjects Aravashnial. "What sort of creature is it?"

"Who put you in charge?" counters Horgus.

"Can we all just try to put our personal feelings aside for the moment?" says Anevia, "We are in a difficult enough situation as it is."

Sense Motive, Dc 15:

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

"Seriously, just shut up! If we want to find a way out of here, we need to start at the edges and work around, until we find an exit. Are you sure what you can see isn't just a statue that fell in with us?"

Sense Motive 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Mulluq'Tar feels at a loss for the fact that he has no way of helping any of these people at the moment. He watches as they help with the woman's leg, and try to deal with the loss of Master Aravashnial's eyesight. All he can due is wallow in the idea that he has nothing to offer these people in need if there isn't some threat to throw himself in front of for them.

That is, until the one named Jod mentions something lurking at the edge of the light. "I will investigate this threat, it is the very least I can do in this situation, as I have nothing else to offer you all in aid beyond my meager existence." With that he once again draws his blade, and heads toward the shape with his shield at the fore. "I will swear on my life that I must do all that is in my power to see you all safely to the surface. In the end, if my life is indeed the cost, then I shall pay it. Masters and Mistresses, Lords and Ladies, please keep back, as I would not have any of you hurt."

As he closes the distance, he uses his knack for recognizing his own inherent evil in others, meanwhile speaking out to get its attention. "Hail there, up ahead. I ask that you state your name. Do you need assistance?"

How clearly can I see it with my Darkvision?
Detect Evil at the shape

"Hold on, big man. You are not alone."

He moves over to the Kellid girl. "Here. Do you feel the magic?" he hands her the dragon scales before drawing his falchion and moving to join the tiefling.

Rhok hangs back with the bickering trio of Kenabrites while the warriors move forward. "Now, if I may, could I make a small suggestion? Consider our situation. The wardstone is broken. Your guardian dragon is dead. The demonic Storm King has returned, and his legions are currently razing your city. We are injured, lost and isolated from our friends and allies. We Kellids have a saying - the herd must go in one direction; otherwise, chaos reigns - that seems applicable here. Our current predicament requires us to work together efficiently; otherwise, we might as well turn our lights off and sit quietly down and wait for the demons to come and get us."

"So, while the three of you clearly have a history, we all need you to rise above that and combine our talents effectively. Otherwise the Storm King wins."

Diplomacy, if applicable, 12+7=19.

Mulluq, with his darkvision, makes out the shape of a crouching spider.

How are the members of the bickering trio equipped?

Thinking that two might not be enough against a large shadowy creature, Sol follows in the wake of Jod and Mullaq.

He speaks over his shoulder, toward the others, "The shape appears to be a spider. It has not yet made a move. I will stand as a bastion if it decides to act. Please, young Master Eastwind, keep at least a step behind me, that I may take the brunt of any assault that it levels upon the group. If the rest of you find a way out, let me know, else we may have to push forward into the territory of a spider that I do not think can be reasoned with to just let us pass unmolested."

Fighting defensively, ready an attack if the spider moves within range.

"Hey, you can take all the shots if you really want to."

Looking back toward the others, he sees Master Calondar, "Sol, your friend with the broken leg will get around better with a crutch. Can you see anything she might use?"

"We are taking them with us then?"

Jod looks over at her, "Our tribe never leaves wounded behind unless there are warriors to protect them. There are not enough of us here to do both. To protect them, we have to take them with us."

"If you'll excuse me, we have a monster to deal with." Rhok grabs a spear and gives it a good twirl before leaving the trio of locals, heading towards Jod and Mulluq'Tar. "Stay here, please."

... "Sol, your friend with the broken leg will get around better with a crutch. Can you see anything she might use?"

"She can borrow my staff."

"The shape appears to be a spider. It has not yet made a move. I will stand as a bastion if it decides to act. Please, young Master Eastwind, keep at least a step behind me, that I may take the brunt of any assault that it levels upon the group. If the rest of you find a way out, let me know, else we may have to push forward into the territory of a spider that I do not think can be reasoned with to just let us pass unmolested."

"Makes sense. I'll have a look around the rest of the cavern."

Sol hurries back to the knot of injured people. He hands Anevia his staff. "We may have to move soon. The creature is a giant spider. Jod and the big -- tiefling are keeping watch. I'm going to look for a another way out."

Sol begins moving counterclockwise along the wall, looking for another way out.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Kira nods at Jod. "Good. I hoped you'd say something like that."

A word on the equipment of the NPCs. Anevia and Aravashnial are adventurer-types and have their equipment and weapons with them. Horgus isn't. He has the clothes he stands up in and not much else.

At Rhok's sensible words about pulling together, Horgus harrumphs. "Well, at least there's one other person here who talks sense.

As the able-bodies adventurers move forward, it becomes clear that there are two exits from this cavern. Unfortunately, both go quite close to the motionless spider.

Sol finishes his circuit of the room. "No other exits. Do we try to sneak past the spider and launch an attack before we try to pass it?"

Mulluq keeps his gaze focused on the spider, answering the man over his shoulder "Young Master Calondor, I am certain with our noise and actions, that it is well aware of us by now. That it hasn't struck makes me feel it is protecting something, maybe a recent meal. If you all pass, I will position myself between it and all of you, until the last of you has made it safely past. Then I will follow."

"I'll go last, I can cover the spider with my crossbow while Mulluq moves once I'm past." Kira will indeed ready her crossbow, and be ready to fire if the spider moves.

"I'll go first, and I'll cover you from the far side once I get there."

For the brief transit past the spider, Sol doesn't ready his bow. It's shield and dagger as he prepares to move forward.

To the blinded elf, Jod asks, "Will you be able to get along with a hand on someone's arm or shoulder? I guess being blind is new to you, but one of our old shamans said that was the best way for him to use a guide."

Looking at the other two with their lack of weaponry and/or injuries, he suggests, "I think each of you should pair up with one of the able-bodied warriors in case that thing chooses to jump when you pass."

Jod is not assuming that any of the three will want to pair up with him, but from his body language, he is pretty obviously willing to help one of them.

"That sounds about right." She walks over to the gruesome looking elf and grabs his hand, "Here, hold on to the strap of my bag and we'll shuffle along just fine."

As Jod hands her the scales, "Whoa... Just how ancient does a dragon have to be before parts of its body just carry on with part of its power? The aura on these is really strong. This one seems like it would offer some level of protection against extreme cold and electricity. I think this one is some kind of minor shape changing. Here we've got levitation and the last one- I think it would let your weapons hurt demons that would normally be more or less immune to that kind of thing... These are insane!"

When people get ready to sneak past the spider Hannik says, "Let go for a second Aravashnial. If we are going to do this we might as well be prepared. The rest of you- don't freak out. I'm going to call up a little help. He's not dangerous unless you piss me off." After a pause she stares at Kira dead on and adds, "That goes double for you. The buzzard is an ignorant old man not known for his tolerance of other faiths or cultures. If you are one of his hard liners we'll have to agree to put that to the side for now and part company once we get out of here."

The stocky girl kneels down with one palm open on the ground and begins calling out low and slow in Hallit.

An intricate runic circle flares with blue light on the cavern floor with one central glyph in the dominating the circle. The light peaks and begins to flicker and fade leaving a crouched monstrous figure in its center with the central glyph of the circle glowing just above its eyes. The figure rises to a height of seven feet or more and flexes a wicked set of black talons and spines running down its back. Once the circle fully fades it takes a step out on inverted legs and looks around the cavern. Its head swivels back around and it croaks in Hallit and they begin conversing until she becomes irritated and snaps at it,

The same glyph from the circle now marks Hannik's forehead as she glares at Kira, more or less daring her to say anything.

"Okay Aravashnial, now we are ready. She slots a bolt into her crossbow and guides his hand back to her strap.

I had not considered it until now, but as it has no points in Linguistics at the moment the eidolon will only speak one language and it seems like Hallit makes more sense as the language of Sarkoris. That may be a pain for now, but he can learn Common when he gets some skill points.

Kira just smiles at Hannik, and watches the Eidolon form with interest.

For what it's worth, Jod also speaks Hallit.

Jod is a little taken aback as the ... creature appears. He finds it oddly comforting and disturbing at the same time that it speaks his native tongue.

He shakes his head and returns his attention to the known threat in the distance.

"So, we have a plan?"

As Hannik begins her chant, Sol turns his head away from the spider to see what she is about. What does she summon? Some demon or --?

Fearing treachery, he raises his shield and grips his now pitifully small seeming dagger. He jerks his gaze toward Mullaq, then back toward Hannik.

When neither moves aggresssively, he slowly relaxes. I hope she can control it. It looks fearsome. Another thought occurs to him. Could it have been just such incidents that tore the third crusade apart? The shadows of crusader cultists haunt us still.

Despite the prevailing calm, it takes a real exertion of will for Sol to return his attention to the spider.

Know planes: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"Fascinating. The magic of old Sarkoris - I thought it had been forgotten. Where does this creature come from?"

Not really the best time to have a chat about magic when facing a giant spider.

The group shuffles forwards, trying to circle the spider. It doesn't move, and on closer inspection there seem to be patches of grey mould growing on it. Its body shudders slightly as something were moving about inside it, and there a faint liquid sounds of chomping and slurping, but it does not react.

As the adventurers try to move round it, the lights seem to disturb something. With a wet rip, a section of its spider's exoskeleton sags open. Three huge maggots, each about five feet long, flop out and begin wriggling to defend their home and meal.

Roll initiative. Map to follow.

Out of interest, what does Kira's readied action do to he init?

Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

He has been carrying his falchion as they approach the spider.

Hannik Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Ghroth Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Initiative 11+6=17.

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Init 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Ghroth 21
Hannik 19
Rhok 17
Sol 14
Mulluq 10
Jod 9+
Kira 9

"Oh nooooo! I did not need to see that!"

In Hallit she shouts, "Ghroth, now!" and fires her crossbow.

The towering eidolon lopes ahead taking a swipe at one of the maggots.

Ghroth attempts to move in close enough to swipe at it with a cla while keeping the maggots at reach.
Claw, Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 1 = 9

Lt Crossbow, PB Shot: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9
Not sure if an ally being at reach still counts as "in melee" for the purposes of ranged targeting. Probably so, and if so she takes another -4 for 5 to hit.

Nope.

Map.

Hopefully the map is reasonably self-explanatory. You are trying to edge out of the chamber into one of the tunnels on the right. Please place yourselves as you described in your actions above (more or less) between A and M. Also, please place the NPCs, since you have to look after them.