Chapter 6: Crown of Fangs! (Inactive)

Game Master James Martin

Paxs casts haste on his friends and Thrak charges in to attack the nearest bodak.

With power attack:
Bite 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (1, 4) + (2) + (3) + 23 = 33
Bite 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (6, 2) + (5) + (3) + 23 = 39
claw 11d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (7) + (4) + (2) + 19 = 32
claw 2 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (2) + (2) + (6) + 19 = 29
claw 3 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 20 = 26, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (8) + (6) + (2) + 19 = 35
claw 4 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (7) + (5) + (2) + 19 = 33
Rend (Ex): 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Pax's spell of quickening hits the party as Thrak races in the room to attack the undead menace! He tears one of the bodaks apart with ease and rips into another, wounding the dead flesh.

The undead things turn their gaze to the party! I need Paxs, Pai, Slumper, Corbyn, Thrak and Ruperta to make 3 Fortitude saves vs a death effect! The two unharmed bodaks lumber toward Thrak, eliciting an attack of Opportunity against each (if he has multiple AoOs).

Bodak Slam: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 damage!
Bodak Slam: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage!
Bodak Slam: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage!
Bodak Slam: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage!

Round 1:
26 Paxs
25 Baddies
24 Ruperta
22 Pai
18 Slumper
17 Corbyn

Ruperta, Pai, Slumper and Corbyn are up!

Uh oh! I'm going to wait to post my action to be sure I won't be dead.

Fort save 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Fort save 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Fort save 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

The DC is 18 and if you fail, take 1d4 ⇒ 3 negative levels from each failed save.

Wow, that's 9 negative levels for the kid!

"Kill those things before they can act again...I'm not sure I am strong enough to fight them off!" Pai uses her arcane bond ability to create a silver wall 10' from her cutting off the undead from her. Pai then retreats 20' backwards and around the corner, hoping to be out of the sight and range of the bodak's gaze.

Cast Undeath Ward. Mindless undead and intelligent undead with fewer Hit Dice than your caster level cannot enter the area or penetrate the barrier. Undead of Hit Dice equal to or greater than your caster level can pass through this barrier by making a successful Will save against the spell, but as they do so, they take 3d6 points of damage. Once an undead creature makes its save against this spell and takes this damage, it can come and go without further penalty. This spell may only be used defensively, not aggressively. Forcing an undeath ward against creatures that the spell keeps at bay collapses the barrier.

I think they are lower than Pai's hit dice, so they should not get a save.

We all have a +2 Resistance vs. Evil bonus to our Fortitude save
Ruperta Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Ruperta Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Ruperta Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Three negative levels for Ruperta
Ruperta feels like the last undead gaze zeroes on her soul and takes out part of it. She feels a cold grip on her heart, and what she recalls is the feeling of dying...
But she won't go down without a fight. She realizes they don't have much time to beat this creatures, so she screams and starts firing as fast as she is able.
"Desna protect us!"
We don't have Blessing of Fervor anymore, but she is using Paxs' haste.
Vindicator Attack 1 (+1 haste +2 bane -3 negative levels): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35
Vindicator Damage 1 (+2 +2d6 bane): 1d10 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 8 + (1, 3) = 13
Vindicator Attack 2 (+1 haste +2 bane -3 negative levels): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28
Vindicator Damage 2 (+2 +2d6 bane): 1d10 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 8 + (3, 4) = 20
Vindicator Attack Haste (+1 haste +2 bane -3 negative levels): 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (10) + 19 = 29
Vindicator Damage Haste (+2 +2d6 bane): 1d10 + 8 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 8 + (2, 4) = 16
+1 to attack and Damageif they are within 30' (can't check Roll20 right now). Vindicator's Enhancement bonus is +5, so it should overcome any DR, and even if it counts, with Clustered Shots it counts for the sum of all the damage, and not each attack.

She also takes a step back towards Pai's defensive barrier.
"I can finish them off from behind Pai's barrier! Do not let them kill you!"
DM: How the "don't look at their eyes" works? We have to say it before we attack? And applies to the previous round gaze attacks? Or it is applied to the next ones?
Gaze attack rules

I have a cloak of resistance +2. I didn't think that would stack with Magic Circle from Evil. Am I wrong in that?

They doesn't stack, as both are a Resistance bonus.

On your action, you'll need to make another Fort Save. You can choose to avert your eyes, giving you a 50% chance to avoid needing to make the save. You can't retroactively avert your eyes, since no one in the party knew to avoid their gazes or even that they had gaze attacks.

Is that for all of us, DM?

Fort Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Fort Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Fort Save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

All saves made.

Yes, for everyone. Who are now up, save for Paxs and Thrak!

Ugh, with 9 negative levels, do I take a -4 on my save or a -9? I never remember how to do those. Either way, I'm going to need a 1 or a 2 on your D4 roll or that's curtains for Pai.

Fort save 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Please subtract the correct number from my save for me.

Even with the negs, Pai, you passed!

Why is Pai doing a Saving Throw again?

1d20 + 2 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 14 = 27Fort
1d20 + 2 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 2 + 14 = 31Fort
1d20 + 2 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 14 = 32Fort

Looking at the room is it possible to get and attack it appears Thrak is blocking everything? It appears I might be able to move through Thrak and only take the one AoO from the guy at the entrance... trying that if that doesn't work move me back! Am I able to use a free action at the end of my round to "look away" taking +2 to attack

Slumper moves up and attacks the last fiend with his shield undead bane and has good on it still

1d20 + 22 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 22 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 46shield
1d4 + 9 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 1 + (3, 5) = 21

Corbyn will tumble into the room and get behind the first monster.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25

Ruperta fires rapidly at the nearest bodak, while Pai casts a spell to keep them back. Slumper moves up and nearly flattens another bodak, while Corbyn flanks with Thrak.

Round 2:
26 Paxs
25 Baddies
24 Ruperta
22 Pai
18 Slumper
17 Corbyn

Paxs and Thrak are up!

Fort saves 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Thrak
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

-3 lvls each :(

Thrak attacks the nearest bodak.

His attack of opportunity and regular attacks
1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (6, 6) + (5) + (5) + 23 = 45
With power attack:
Bite 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (2, 4) + (2) + (3) + 23 = 34
Bite 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (5, 4) + (4) + (3) + 23 = 39
claw 11d20 + 17 ⇒ (17) + 17 = 34, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (7) + (2) + (4) + 19 = 32
claw 2 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (15) + 17 = 32, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (4) + (4) + (1) + 19 = 28
claw 3 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (6) + (2) + (4) + 19 = 31
claw 4 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 19 ⇒ (3) + (6) + (5) + 19 = 33
Rend (Ex): 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15

Thrak tears into the vile undead, ichor and gore flying everywhere. When he finishes, twitching body parts lie on the ground, but no more move...

Combat over!

You search the room, but find nothing of interest. The next room is strange. The ceiling of this chamber is covered by mosaics depicting a
huge constellation of seven-pointed stars. A huge limestone sarcophagus lies at the northeast end of the room. The sarcophagus is open, its heavy lid on the floor, broken into three pieces. On the lid is the carved image of a Thassilonian noble with a drum-shaped hat. It is empty, with no sign of its previous occupant.

"The other way, then?" Sabina asks.

With all my negative levels, I think I need to get out of here. Unless we have some restorative magic easily at hand, that is.

We don't... And yes, Pai is in a very bad shape. Even if I, as a player, would say we can handle, making Pai stay a couple steps behind, Ruperta will insist in them returning, so she can cure her friend ASAP.
Ruperta goes and cradles Pai, a tear falling from her eye.
"By Desna, are you ok? Breath, try to relax! Slumper, friends, let's get out of here so we can take care of her, fast. Join hands and let her take us back."
She will rest 8 hours so she can change her spells, and cast Lesser Restoration on Pai and whoever else need it (Ruperta needs it too) before the 24 hours elapse.
Who else needs a Lesser Restoration?

Paxs and Thrak are both down 3 lvls too
Want me to teleport us out?

Yeah, I think we need to get out of here. We also need some band aids.

First aid coming up!
DM, I think we can safely assume that after teleporting out Ruperta can heal everybody. The Lesser Restorations will have to be the next day, in the morning, before the 24 hours have elapsed. Good think they have the material component.

Restorations. Lesser won't cut it.

The party gathers together and Paxs blinks them back to the hideout, where they find everyone mostly gone, off on missions or out collecting intelligence. The few people who remain seem on edge, as if they're waiting for the other shoe to fall. The body of Ishani Dhatri is taken from you and brought to the Pharasman priests above for preparation for burial.

Pai almost collapses when the group finally gets back to friendly territory. I've never felt anything like this before. I don't know how long it'll be before I feel at full strength again."

Ruperta hugs Pai.
"don't worry my friend! With Desna's blessings we will regain our strength!"

"Ruperta will sort you out quickly enough you'll feel like yourself in no time"

I forgot!
The next day Ruperta also asks to see Ishani Dhatri body.
"It is not fair to die defending truth, and goodness. He didn't deserve that fate. It was an evil act, and act that must be punished, and corrected if it's the will of the gods. We can ask for Pharasma, the Lady of Rest, and Desna, the goddess of freedom, for Ishani's soul. If it's their will, and Ishani's, may he live again, to walk and fight and defend justice among us once away!"
She will cast Raise Dead on Ishani Dhatri's body.
If the Pharasma clergy protest, she will try to convince them it is the right thing to do.
Diplomacy Check: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 30
If they REALLY protest, she will drop the issue.

The Pharasmans seem preoccupied with dealing with the current situation and raise no fuss over letting Ruperta take the body. She prepares it, praying over it for a long time before Ishani sits straight up, taking a long breath into lungs that have not worked recently.

"What? I... Where am I?" You fill him in, and he tells you that he went to the Castle to appeal to the Queen's better nature. He says that she met him in the throne room and smiled and agreed that things had come too far. Then he was seized by the Maidens and thrown into the dungeons, where a devil tortured him for days before he died. He did see something odd: the Queen, after she called for the Maidens, sat as if blank, unseeing and unmoving, as if she was some sort of puppet that was no longer being controlled.

"Ruperta, could you ask for some sort of guidance from the gods tomorrow as to what this means? Could the Queen still have some humanity left that we could appeal to, I wonder?"

"Certainly I can pray for Desna's wisdom on that. On the other hand, we have plenty evidence now of the Queen's dealing with Infernal powers."
So, are we still going to the castle today, or wait until tomorrow?

Pai Kromnite wrote:

Reposting our checklist! Three of them achieved...

1) A new “hero of the people” has been fighting rebels in the streets. These rebels are false; they’re not my people, and I suspect that this hero, a man named Trifaccia, is false as well. Find out who or what he is. DONE!
2) I have it on good authority that the rumors of a black dragon taking nest in Castle Korvosa are legitimate. If the rumors prove true, the dragon must be defeated. DONE!
3) The role of castle seneschal is currently held by a bloated wizard named Togomor. If you can capture or defeat him, we’ll avoid a long legal complication over the revelation that Neolandus still lives.
4) Ishani Dhatri, Abadarian priest and vocal opponent of his church’s public endorsement of Ileosa, has vanished. My initial investigations indicate that he was last seen approaching the castle——perhaps some clues to his fate lie hidden within?
5) I suspect that there are Red Mantis agents sheltered in the castle. Proof of the alliance between Ileosa and the Red Mantises would be very helpful; forcing the Red Mantis to abandon Korvosa, perhaps by finding and defeating their local leader, would be even better.
6) The Gray Maidens are certainly a menace; they need to be stopped. Sabina Merrin is the commander of the Gray Maidens— —find and defeat her, and you’ll throw the entire organization into chaos long enough for us to reclaim the streets from them. Vencarlo and Grau believe that she can be reasoned with, and that she may not be as loyal a minion of the queen as she seems. DONE!
7) Rumors of devils involved with the monarchy disturb me as well. If you can find proof that Ileosa is trafficking with devils, or that devils dwell within Castle Korvosa, that should significantly help our case against her in the eyes of the city’s government.
8) Ileosa must answer for her crimes. She hasn’t been seen publicly recently but for brief appearances on the castle walls. If we can capture her, a lot of our work will

...

Ok, I think we've done all of these except the Red Mantis assassin and the wizard. Can we do a little digging and try to figure out who the Mantis leader might be in town? If we get that done, I think we are well on our way.

I am not sure if we did the 1, and we don't know who Trifaccia is yet.
And we also are missing the capture of the Queen.

Wasnt one the very first thing we did, when Slumper fought and defeated the new hero?

He defeated it, but we didn't capture him, or learned his real identity. I bet he will show up again soon.

So, what's the plan? Return to the Castle? Something else?

We need to figure out about the Red Mantis assassin. Any word on the street we could investigate? Any news from the Trifaccia front? We took a prisoner In That fight IIRC. Anyone had any luck interrogating him? Those are two loose ends we need to deal with first, IMHO.

I think he should be in the castle

agree it's the castle, I apologize for the delay it wasn't showing new posts!

"Ishani did you see the Red Mantis or the seneschal while in the castle?"

Ishani shakes his head. "The fat wizard was with the Queen, but I didn't see any assassins."

However, even as he speaks, there is a soft POOF! and five Red Mantis assassins, clad in full insectile armor appear, surrounding a beautiful woman who wears the same armor but lacks the helmet. She holds a staff, which she slings over her shoulder while barking the order "Kill them all." with military precision!

Initiative!
Pai: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Slumper: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Paxs: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Corbyn: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Ruperta: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Assassins: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Assassin Leader: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Round 1:
28 Paxs
23 Assassins
21 Corbyn
19 Assassin Leader
17 Pai
14 Ruperta
10 Slumper

Paxs and Thrak are up!

I will be traveling over the July 4th weekend, so expect posts to be slow until next week. Thanks!

Have a good holiday, everyone!

Yes, nice holidays!
Speaking of the devil, it shows up!
Dear DM: Can we assume Ruperta buffed up everybody as usual with the Feast of Heroes?

Paxs casts haste on his friends and Thrak pounces on the nearest assassin.

Bite 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (4, 2) + (4) + (1) + 23 = 34
Bite 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25, 2d6 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (5, 6) + (5) + (2) + 23 = 41
claw 11d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 17 ⇒ (2) + (1) + (5) + 17 = 25
claw 2 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 17 ⇒ (2) + (6) + (3) + 17 = 28
claw 3 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 17 ⇒ (2) + (3) + (5) + 17 = 27
claw 4 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23, 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 17 ⇒ (6) + (2) + (5) + 17 = 30
Rend (Ex): 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Paxs hastes, while Thrak rips into the assassins! He takes down one assassin and grievously injures another!

Ruperta can definitely have done her feast.

Two assassins move to attack Thrak, while two others aim for Slumper and Pai!
Vs Thrak: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 damage and Vs Thrak: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 damage!
Vs Thrak: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 damage and Vs Thrak: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage!

Vs Slumper: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19 for 1d8 + 1 + 3d6 ⇒ (3) + 1 + (5, 1, 1) = 11 damage and Vs Slumper: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22 for 1d8 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (2, 5) = 9 damage!

Vs Pai: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 for 1d8 + 1 + 3d6 ⇒ (7) + 1 + (3, 1, 3) = 15 damage and Vs Pai: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 for 1d8 + 1 + 3d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (1, 1, 3) = 8 damage!

Corbyn is up, then the Red Mantis leader!

Corbyn steps up beside Pai and attacks.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26
Damage 1: 1d6 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (3, 5) = 18

Attack 2: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36
Damage 2: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Attack 3: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Damage 3: 1d6 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (3, 2) = 13

Attack 4: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Damage 4: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Crit chance for Attack 2: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36
Additional damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Crit chance for Attack 3: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17
Additional damage: 1d6 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 6 + (4, 1) = 17

Heroe's Feast
Temporary HP: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
She didn't give anyone the other bonuses we have had this last few days. She also didn't cast Shield Other on Slumper.

Corbyn steps up and slashes repeatedly at the assassin, who sustains heavy wounds, but doesn't cry out or fall.

The Red Mantis leader touches her staff and disappears!

Pai, Ruperta and Slumper are up!