"Stop swinging your sword at them, you can't kill a hundred rats with a single sword! You need something that hits them all at once! Fire, or something. I doubt a hundred rat ghosts are any easier to kill with one sword either!" Kiana calls out.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
OOC Kiana Question:
Kiana Sunbane wrote:
[dice=Kn(Nature)]1d20+1
"Stop swinging your sword at them, you can't kill a hundred rats with a single sword! You need something that hits them all at once! Fire, or something. I doubt a hundred rat ghosts are any easier to kill with one sword either!" Kiana calls out.
Is that a successful knowledge check response or a failed knowledge check response?
PFSRD wrote:
. . . as a swarm of tiny creatures, a Rat Swarm takes only half damage from piercing and slashing attacks . . . .
Kind of both, it's also a swarm of ghost rats, which means unless you have a magic weapon, you're done. Spells that target individuals, like chill touch, affect one rat ghost. Weapon swings do half damage to rats, but rat ghosts are incorporeal, and immune to all physical attack forms. They take half-damage from magical weapons and spells. Which means, if you combine swarm with ghost... they take 1/2 damage from B weapons that are magical and 1/4 damage from all other magical weapons. However, Kiana doesn't know that much and can only make a DC 10 on both Kn(Nature) and Kn(Religion), so a garbled idea of how swarms work that still gets the idea across that seemed best to get the idea across that magic is needed to kill them.
Helac ineffectively swipes at the swarm.
Kiana rolled well enough to know how swarms work. However, this particular swarm is made of undead, so knowing the specifics of it (i.e., that it is incorporeal and so can only be hurt by magic) will require a Knowledge: Religion check.
Reposting initiative order (new page):
Nik'o--20+
Kiana--20-
Revion--19+
Tierney--19
swarm--19-
Helac--8
This is a swarm of ghost rats--all of which died at the same time. They have the physical characteristics of incorporeal undead which you now know, but are mentally little different from a normal swarm of rats. The swarm may have slipped between the planes to haunt its killer. Or, it may have been brought here deliberately by a mage. Or both. In any case, their presence on this plane is probably temporary, and they will most likely return to their home plane in a short time if not forced back sooner.
M Tiefling Magus Kensai 3 | Init +5 | HP 24/26 | AC 18 FF 12 T 17 | Saves +4/+3/+2 | Perception +5 | BAB +2 CMB +5 CMD +15
The chaos of the situation nearly overwhelms Tierney. The swarm will kill Helac if it is not stopped. There is a healer in the group who can aid him after the swarm is destroyed. The group is in dire straits. It is time for a gamble.
Tierney thrusts his left hand at the swarm and a gout of flame bursts forth.
Burning Hands
Damage
3d4 ⇒ (3, 1, 3) = 7
DC 14 Reflex save for half damage.
Kiana holds...
The wolverine that seemingly died earlier leaps up and pounces towards Tierney!
You can tell it is starting to attack, but it does not actually get a turn until after Revion and Tierney.
...
Revion's turn.
Startled by the dead creature rising to life, Kiana fires two arrows at it in a flurry of motion... unfortunately, she wasn't expecting it to move, and her shots are wide.
Revion is unable to hit the swarm of rats with his acid.
Tierney creates a burst of flame and flings it at the ghost rats:
reflex save:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
most of the fire seems to pass through, but the rats do seem to be harmed a little bit.
The swarm subsequently flies over to Revion and starts biting at him:
swarm damage:3d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 4) = 12 And DC 16 fortitude save or be nauseated for one round. Even on a save, spellcasting/manifesting requires a concentration check (DC 16+spell/power level).
Now the wolverine reaches Tierney and swipes at him with its claws!
claw:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 damage:2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9
but in its haste misses him wildly.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Transfer Wounds:
Transfer Wounds (Su)
All vitalists learn how to transfer wounds with but a touch. As a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, a vitalist may touch a target and heal it for 1d6 points of damage. The vitalist suffers the same number of points of non-lethal damage (up to the amount the target is actually healed). . . A vitalist may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Wisdom modifier. A vitalist may not use this ability upon himself.
Helac moves over to Revion and lays a hand on an exposed body part.
Assuming unconscious count as willing, and therefore abolishing the need for the touch attack part...
Transfer Wounds:1d6 ⇒ 6
Helac concentrates for a moment and takes some of Revion's pain into himself.
Nik'o applies the vermin repellent on him and moves back up to the door, cursing as the animal is animated again and he sees his companion down.
Vermin repellent:
This vile-smelling white paste keeps vermin at bay if spread on the skin. Normal-sized (Fine) vermin avoid you. Swarms of vermin must make a DC 15 Fortitude saving throw in order to enter your square. Once applied, vermin repellent remains effective for 4 hours or until you spend 1 round washing it off.
The ghostly rat swarm shimmers, and starts to fade away. Whatever power brought it to the material plane is weakening! The swarm is still here, but more translucent and seemingly weaker...
Nik'o tries to use vermin repellant, but it has no effect.
Undead, immune to effects which allow a fortitude save. Also, not vermin.
Kiana's turn.
M Tiefling Magus Kensai 3 | Init +5 | HP 24/26 | AC 18 FF 12 T 17 | Saves +4/+3/+2 | Perception +5 | BAB +2 CMB +5 CMD +15
On Tierney's turn
After eluding the wolf's attack, Tierney seizes the opening it left to counterattack. He channels a portion of his magic into his blade as we thrusts it rapidly at the canine enemy.
Spellstrike attack #1 with Touch of Fatigue DC14 Fort save
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Spellstrike attack #2
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Critical confirmation roll for attack 1
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage for attack 1
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Damage for attack 2
1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Why bother? I have confirmed a grand total of one critical in about seven years of PbP games.
Kiana seems to be befuddled by the rat swarm's fading and so misses her target.
Revion is still unconscious.
Tierney hits the wolf directly, twice.
fortitude:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
The creature is visibly wounded, but appears unfazed by Tierney's magic. In fact, it appears to grow even fiercer...
The swarm leaves the fallen Revion and floats back to Helac. But, due to being far less substantial than before, it feels a lot easier to resist.
swarm damage:2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5 And DC 16 fortitude save or be sickened (not nauseated) for one round. Even on a save, spellcasting/manifesting requires a concentration check (DC 12+spell/power level).
The newly enraged wolf gnashes its teeth at Tierney, and swipes at him with its claws:
claw 1:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24 2d8 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9 claw 2:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 bite:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Now Helac has to make his save/concentration to see whether or not he can heal Revion. After that, Nik'o's turn again.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Fortitude Save:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 So... sickened for one round.
Sickened The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Concentration Check:1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 - 2 = 21 I'm assuming that will do it for a first level power augmented to an effective third.
After taking a little pain into himself a moment before absorbing 6 points of damage from Revion, putting him at 2 Helac takes a step back and feels a wave of illness wash over him as the swarm re-engulfs him.
You can do this, Helac. Thank you for the vote of confidence, my bauble, but I need to focus.
Helac, amidst the swarm, focuses on speeding healing, on natural clotting and the knitting flesh and then echoing it to Revion Spirit of Many. A bass-pitched hum issues from around Helac and Revion, eerily akin to many deep-pitched voices, soft enough that it can be heard only within fifteen feet. His eyes burn like points of silver fire for a moment and a rainbow-flash of light sweeps away from his body for a short distance.
Natural Healing. Two power points for six hit points, and one more to affect an extra target. Primary, Revion. Secondary, Helac. This should bring Revion to 8hp unless I am missing something.
"Damn! My repellent doesn't work. I'll work the wolf!" shouts Nik'o, trying to be somewhat helpful. He moves up to the wolf from behind, using his companions to keep him occupied, then stabs at the beast's hamstring.
Revion strikes the wolverine directly! It's eyes flash wildly, and the same sort of mist rises out of it before darting out the door. The wolverine itself slumps down, apparently dead again. It's body remains solid.
Minitash awakens, apparently back to his old self.
"I...wha..."
He stammers for a few moments, then stands back up.
"I understand not what happened, but I believe I and my remaining companions should find a way to return home. I know not how we shall return, for the one we believed to be Deenya teleported us here, and she is gone, but we shall find a way."
M Tiefling Magus Kensai 3 | Init +5 | HP 24/26 | AC 18 FF 12 T 17 | Saves +4/+3/+2 | Perception +5 | BAB +2 CMB +5 CMD +15
Even though the kalashtar appears to have reasserted his persona, Tierney does not sheath his sword. He keeps his eyes fixed on Minitash in anticipation of any treachery.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac reaches out along the psychic web connecting him to Nik'o, Tierney, and Revion, and takes mental stock of their relative level of health. Health Sense. Swift Action. Gauge the relative health level of collective members, determining the amount of damage, in hit points, that an ally has taken. Realizing that Nik'o and Revion are still wounded, he concentrates for a moment and speeds the natural healing of Nik'o and Revion, trying to be unobtrusive about the exchange. Suppressing Display
Suppressing Display:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Natural Healing. 2pp for 6hp and 1 more pp to hit two targets... Helac is now bereft of power points.
Minitash answers Nik'o softly
"I come from a town known as Pihdri in southern Adar. I and my companions were teleported here by one who we thought was our acquaintance Deenya. But...now I am not sure. I fear I have been misled by a doppleganger or shapeshifter of sorts."
Kiana:
The name Pihdri, despite being spoken in the Riedran tongue, sounds remarkably similar to that of a community of minotaurs in northern Droamm, allegedly descended from the first Minotaur to come to Khorvaire.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
I would guess... good Tierney, that they are still upstairs where... I saw them last. Minus the false Deenya.
Helac turns to Minitash with an odd intensity. Pointing at Minitash with his mace, he says, You... and yours have done something. It's consequences... remain to be seen. What we need now is... as much of Deenya's words as you can remember. Why... did she want to bring back the halfling? What did she say about... this place and why was it important?
Start over at the beginning. Leave nothing out.
Pointing again with his mace, he continues, Better yet... let us go upstairs and get the stories of all three. Maybe the differences... can also tell us something.
M Tiefling Magus Kensai 3 | Init +5 | HP 24/26 | AC 18 FF 12 T 17 | Saves +4/+3/+2 | Perception +5 | BAB +2 CMB +5 CMD +15
If the others are upstairs they should have heard the carnage and come to investigate. This entire situation casts doubt on the kalashtar's account of things.
"I come from a town known as Pihdri in southern Adar. I and my companions were teleported here by one who we thought was our acquaintance Deenya. But...now I am not sure. I fear I have been misled by a doppleganger or shapeshifter of sorts."
Nik'o shrugs. Yes, it can happen...
"I suggest we hear his story first. I want to know a lot more about Deenya for starters. And we're in no shape to face more opponents..." he says, covered in blood, most of it his own.
"I can explain what I know," he says.
"My companions and I are devoted to the Path of Light. As your Elan friend likely knows already," he gestures to Helac as he speaks,
"there is a common belief that Dal Quor, the region of dreams from which kalashtar spirits originate, undergoes a cycle of enormous changes. The common belief in Adar is that the next age of Dal Quor will be far better to the current age, and we seek to speed along the transition."
"The quori who possess the Inspired feel differently. They aim to halt the universe's natural cycle, to preserve the current age of darkness and nightmare, by manipulating the people of Eberron. That is why Adar has been under siege by Riedra for as long as it has existed. Even the name 'Adar' means 'refuge'."
"Four days ago, one who I believed by be my friend and companion Deenya requested that I aid her in reviving the halfling. It was not a name I recognized, but Pihdri is large enough that I do not know everyone. She told me we were going to revive a friend of hers who had died investigating a ruin in Sykarn. What I thought was curious was her assertion that her friend could only be revived in this one spot. I had not heard of such a thing before. But Deenya is skilled with mental powers, and so she brought us to Kasshta Keep through her psychoportation, and we traveled here on foot."
"Thinking back, there was a point yesterday in which I heard her muttering something about it being 'key to her plan' that someone would 'vanish and be gone'. It was during her morning meditations, I thought little of it then, but...."
While Minitash is speaking, his companions descend the steps and nod at his explanation. Both of the newcomers are kalashtar, one male and one female Halkelk and Kashaana from earlier, who Revion and Helac have met but Nik'o, Tierney, and Kiana have not.
"Wow, that was quite a commotion!" exclaims the female kalashtar.
"Thinking back," the male kalashtar (Halkelk) comments, "I overheard the false Deenya whispering something about the 'Death Tooth'. Perhaps it is related to the 'Shadow Tooth' you mentioned earlier?" He gestures towards Helac and Revion when he says "you."
Nik'o listens attentively and raises a hand absentmindedly to greet the newcomers, than thinks better of it and turns to bow to them: "I am known as Nikolai. A pleasure to meet you. Did you travel with Minitash as well?" he asks.
"Greetings, Nikolai." The female kalashtar replies.
"I am known as Kashaana, and this is Helkelk. Yes, we to were lured here by one who impersonated our friend Deenya."
Helkelk seems to be eying all five of you suspiciously--he is as uncertain about you as Tierney seems to be of them.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Taking a step forward and standing up straighter Helac begins Halkelk... you did not think to mention the Death Tooth when we asked about the Shadow Tooth earlier? Were you...
Then stopping himself, he closes his eyes and takes a breath, letting it out slowly. No... that's fair. We were interlopers and you thought Deenya was your... friend.
Kashaana, Halkelk, and Minitash. You all seem pleasant, and it is only current events that make it unpleasant. I wish we had met under different circumstances.
I plan to check on my mount, the room behind the blasted door, and the vault upstairs, and in that order. If anyone wishes to aid me, thank you. If not, thank you anyway. Helac once again hangs his morningstar on his belt and beings shrugging his shield onto his back while heading outside.
As far as hit point loss, not much. Helac did a lot of healing:
Helac wrote:
Helac reaches out along the psychic web connecting him to Nik'o, Tierney, and Revion, and takes mental stock of their relative level of health. Health Sense. Swift Action. Gauge the relative health level of collective members, determining the amount of damage, in hit points, that an ally has taken. Realizing that Nik'o and Revion are still wounded, he concentrates for a moment and speeds the natural healing of Nik'o and Revion, trying to be unobtrusive about the exchange. Suppressing Display
[dice=Suppressing Display]1d20 + 7
Natural Healing. 2pp for 6hp and 1 more pp to hit two targets... Helac is now bereft of power points.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
That puts the group roughly at...
Revion 14/22.
Nik'o 18/22.
Helac down 2 non-lethal (which disappears a point per hour, I think).
Tierney unharmed.
Kiana unharmed.
No current ability damage that I am aware of.
No current conditions that I am aware of. (Which doesn't necessarily mean anything. We could have the ghost version of filth fever right now...)
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
That does however remind me...
Health Sense/Heal Check:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Helac stops at the door, apparently distracted. He feels along the mental network stringing Nik'o, Tierney, Revion, and himself together, looking for signs of not just a lessening of vigor, but also lurking dangers like disease and poison.
Health Sense:
Beginning at 2nd level, a vitalist may take a swift action to gauge the relative health level of collective members, determining the amount of damage, in hit points, that an ally has taken. In addition, the vitalist may make a Heal check as a standard action, with a DC of 15, to determine if any of the members of his collective are afflicted by a disease or poison. . . .
Satisfied that no one is in immediate danger from either the ghostly claws or gnashing teeth they encountered, Helac continues on to check on Adharc.
