DM Bigrin's Second Darkness (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

Then yes, we should follow the map. We can deal with Gadak however circumstances dictate down the line.

yep, follow the map

You waved the map at Gadak and the drow paled. "Yes, with these directions it will be chancy. We must go through the Bitter Gate, which is guarded at all times. Normally, I would say that we could go out through a side passage I know, and then use the Garznafiney's Passage, but that washed out in the Ghombat floods last season. "

The drow continued to mumble to himself, and you got the impression that he had almost forgotten about your appearance in his terror and professionalism.

Finally, he looked back to you and said, "You are them, are you not? The strange drow I brought to the city so many weeks ago?"

"And you are smarter than you pretend to be," Anklebiter said. "Smart enough to get us past those guards. Let's go."

"At this point I might as well. And you can be sure that I will not betray you. If you are fleeing the city, then I will be suspect just for having brought you in and vouched for you in House Vonnarc. Here. Get into the wagon and hide among the barrels and boxes there. I only wish I has some furs or something to help provide more cover."

"We have some ability to turn invisible when the time is right, which should help hide us too."

"Our thanks, for what you think that's worth" NOt that he speaks drow anymore.

"So no worries on that score. Quevven can ride next to you," Anklebiter says. "He'll be your helper."

Gadak moved the cart along at a steady pace, and managed to get through the city without any disturbance. Once, you thought you heard someone running along a road that paralleled yours shouting something about surface dwellers, but the words were lost.

Without too much time passing, Gadak got you to the gate, and then through it, with barely a look from the guards. The invisibility potions did their jobs, and the city watch did not, and that was that. Within minutes you were out of sight of the city and moving away.

Gadak said, "Well, what is it you want now? You have a map, and hopefully you don't need me any longer. Perhaps I should just go back to the House and feel ill for a day or two?" He said this last a bit hopefully.

"Well, really, what do you have to go back to?", Bruendor said, still wearing his illusory disguise. "Looking over your shoulder every day for the rest of your life, wondering if today's the day that one of your house mates has found out what you did, and uses it as leverage? For what? A life of driving carts? Surely you have more ambition than this. The way I see it, you can either head home and keep your head down for the rest of your life, or..."

"...you can come with us, and start your life anew," he finishes, removing the hat, allowing the illusion to shatter.

"Your choice. I won't say that earning trust on the surface will be easy, but it's got to be better than what you'd be returning to."

"I'm afraid that's dead certain," Anklebiter says as he climbs up to sit next to Quevven. "The first daughter seems clever enough. It won't take her a lot of time to figure out Gadak helped us get out. Going back to the Vonnarc would be a death sentence either way; all she needs is an excuse. Or worse, she'd use you to destruction, blackmailing you to take risks you can't even imagine right now."

Calla makes a slight moue as her kindhearted companions try to recruit the drow, but keeps her own mouth shut. She keeps an eye out for any other potential surveillance.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34

"Travel with us, Gadak." Kel implores, "It is better than returning to a nasty fate and trust me when I say the stars in the night sky are beautiful."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

"And with luck, you might be able to sell your knowledge of Drow society for a life of comfort," Anklebiter adds.

Diplomacy aid another 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Gadak seemed to consider your words. "I will come with you, for now, though I have no desire to live above the surface. But, as you say, what else is there for me here? I will come with you, yes. There is another drow city not too much farther beyond the route that your map states. I will go to that place and beg to start my life anew. But not on the surface. No, that is not for me."

The drow clicked a cadence to the lizards pulling the cart, and you moved on. The journey from Zirnakaynan was intense, and though Gadak knew the tunnels immediately around the city well, several times he had to backtrack as one route or another turned out to be impassable. You were several hours out of the city when the first attack happened. You didn't see what it was, but a small bundle of cloth and metal seemed to appear out of nowhere and slash at one of the lizards pulling the cart. The beast hissed, more annoyed than hurt, and then suddenly a hail of javelins rained down on you. no one was hurt badly, but Gadak shouted at the beasts and the cart jounced along at a breakneck pace.

When he finally got the lizards under control again, you were beyond the ambush site, but you could hear the sounds of many hunters converging on you from all directions. From out of two side passages, you could see attackers converging.

"Damn it," Calla snaps.

"Calistria, grant this warrior your favor," she prays.

Casting heroism on Lefrik (+2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks for 80 minutes; I think you're chained, right? If you're unchained, I think that'd be redundant and would do something else, but I have to run out the door and don't want to hold things up). Then pull my bow and move south, off the wagon (to AJ-24).

Claws skittered on stone as two pale-skinned humanoid creatures scrabbled along the walls ahead like cockroaches, dropping to the ground in front of Gadak and smashing at him with clubs. Two more charged the wounded lizard, crushing it down with hard blows.

Which kind of Knowledge can help me identify these things?

Anklebiter barks a Word of Power and waves of dark lethargy roll outward to touch the attackers!

Anklebiter casts Slow. DC 18 to resist.

did the lizard get killed with those blows, or just badly injured?

Also curious about appropriate Knowledge check. Taking a stab in the dark here...
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Bruendor listened to Gadak's response, and nodded at last. "That suits me. You stay true to us, and we'll stay true to you. Get us to the extraction point, and you can do whatever you want once we're gone for good."

* * *

Bruendor swears as the insectfolk scrabble towards the lizard, leaping to his feet. "Gadak, what the Hell are these things?!?", Bruendor shouted, leaping to his feet. Bloodbane was already in his hands as he clicked his heels together, rolling over one of the creature's carapaces to place himself on the other side of it from Gadak.

Activate my boots, Acrobatics through AH23's square to get into flank.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24
Attack, daredevil boots, flank: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 35
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Sneak!: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 6) = 13
Crit?: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 24

If that hits, I'd like to use Butterfly's Sting on that guy. The next person to hit him with a melee attack automatically confirms a critical on him. *COUGH COUGH LEFRIK COUGH*

Lefrik follows Bruendor's lead Heroism included To hit: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31
If that hits it crits?

Dmg 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 It's times so add 2d12 + 14 ⇒ (2, 3) + 14 = 19
For 27 total.

The dark elf cried out in alarm at the attack, and managed to shout "Morloks!" before he was trying to fend the off. The lizard lay unmoving on the ground in front of the cart, and the morlocks ignored it for the time being.

Anklebiter cast a quick spell, attempting to slow down the attackers. One of the creatures visibly slowed to a crawl, its muscles moving at half speed and making it look like it was moving underwater. The others seemed to be unaffected. Bruendor launched himself off the cart's bench, landing neatly behind one of the attackers and skewering it with his rapier.

Off in the distance, more shouting and scrabbling could be heard.

The lizard is dead.

Calling down the judgment of her goddess justice judgment, Calla opens fire on the nearest morlock, aiming for its head.

+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 4 = 11

+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 4 = 14

+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 4 = 11

"More coming! We need to leg it for the portal!" Anklebiter shouts while his hands weave a spell. The Goblin chants a single word, and five darts of force shoot towards the Morlock that looks the least hurt.

Magic missile for 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 2, 2, 1, 3) + 5 = 15 unerring force damage.

Kel points her hand at a group of the creatures and a spray of brilliant colors springs forth. cast color spray, target the three creatures at AI23, AJ23, and AJ24, DC 16 Will save

Kelendra's spell washed a chaotic prism of rainbow colors over three of the morlocks. One stopped, stunned and blinded by the swirls of chaos, but the other two managed to close their eyes in time to avoid all but momentary flashes of the colors. Taking advantage of Bruendor's distracting hit, Lefrik leaped forward and brought his axe crashing into the head of that morlock, the sharp blade splitting the hairless, slug-like skin with ease and divining the skull and brain beneath. The morlock crumpled to the ground to lay beside the draft lizard. The morlock stunned by Kelendra's spell was the target of Calla's flurry of bowshots, and fell to the ground pierced by a pair of arrows.

One of the remaining pair of Morlocks bashed at Gadak with his club, smacking the scampering drow hard about the head. The other moved in slow motion towards Bruendor, stepping over the downed lizard to reach the dwarf.

Just to make sure after AB's comment, we're not actually that close to the portal, are we?

What happened to my magic missiles?

They're probably happening right now, AB. :)

Bruendor clicks his heels together again, and tucks and rolls around the morlock, coming to a kneel. "Lefrik! To me!", he shouts, lining up his shot.

Activating another charge on my boots, and using Acrobatics to get to AJ21. Ready an action to attack the morlock if Lef takes a 5' step into flank.

Acrobatics, daredevil boots: 1d20 + 12 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 5 = 36

"Gadak, can this cart move with one lizard, or do we need to abandon the vehicle?" Expecting her companions to easily defeat the two remaining creatures, Kel keeps her attention on the sounds of shouting and scrabbling in the distance. ready action of color spray if more creatures arrive

Not close to the portal, no

@Anklebiter - they are happening now. You posted prematurely, but that's okay

Bruendor moved so smoothly and swiftly that the slowed morlock barely had time to blink before the dwarf had come to a halt. His blade was poised to drive home as soon as Lefrik got into position. Anklebiter's magical missiles smacked into the other morlock, tearing the slug-like skin on its belly and chest, but not putting it down. IN response to Kelendra's query, gadak stammereed, "M...m...maybe? We might have to get rid of some of these crates to lighten the load. And everyone will have to walk." His eyes grew wide at something behind the elf.

A second pack of morlocks joined the fray, scampering in from converging tunnels. In the back of this group, a larger and healthier specimen moved, crawling along the ceiling like an insect, exhorting the others with shouts and waves of its massive club.

"Does anyone know what these things are?" Calla snarls as she draws her bow back again, firing at the nearest one coming up from behind AD-29.

"Watch your backside, 'Biter!" she warns.

If someone (Kel or Lefrik, or AB can do it as a free action) knows what type of creatures these are and shouts it out, I'll activate bane, meaning each arrow would be +2 to hit and +2d6+2 damage. We know they're morlocks, but unless that gives me another chance to make a Knowledge check, that doesn't help me.

Using deadly aim again
Mwk longbow (point blank range): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 26
Damage (point blank range): 1d8 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 4 = 8
Mwk longbow (point blank range, rapid shot): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 26
Damage (point blank range): 1d8 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 4 = 13
Mwk longbow (point blank range, rapid shot): 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 = 22
Damage (point blank range): 1d8 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 4 = 12

Well, hopefully lack of bane won't be an issue with those rolls.

@Calla - Anklebiter already identified them as monstrous humanoids. Feel free to use that info

Oh, OK. Then I'll have used one round of bane, which I think should mean this guy went down hard. Just in case, adding the extra damage for each arrow...
2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 2 = 9 So that's 28 to hit and 17 damage
2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 1) + 2 = 8 So that's 28 to hit and 21 damage
2d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 2 = 5 So that's 24to hit and 17 damage

Kel gestures at the large creature crawling along the ceiling and a swarm of swirling lights appear and begin dancing around it.

cast Hypnotic Pattern, affects 10 HD of creatures, DC 17 Will save or fascinated

Between them, Bruendor and Lefrik slashed down the slowed morlock, then turned to face the incoming foes. Calla sent her power into her bow, enhancing its capability against the morlocks before sending a stream of arrows down the tunnel into the incoming morlocks in the second wave, down two. Kelendra tried to confuse and bind the mind of the larger morlock leading the second wave, but it shook off the effects.

Targeting the foremost Morlock, Anklebiter recites a familiar incantation - one that once dealt the finishing blow to a dragon. Inside the monster's skull, a hideous din starts!

Front Morlock gets an ear-piercing scream for 4d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 2) = 13 damage. Ref. save DC 16 for half. Fail the save and immediately succeed Fort. save DC 12 or fall prone.

Brue?

I hope no one minds, but I'm going to "DMPC" Bruendor. It's been five days since the GM's last post...

The dwarf steps up to the remaining morlock, blade flashing ... until he drives it into the creature's shoulder, just missing its chest cavity.

Move to AJ-23
Dwarf attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Crit: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Sorry, the last few days have been hectic.

Sorry for me as well. Holiday weekend and all

Bruendor rolled over the lizards, dead and alive, and engaged the morlock at the cart with his rapier, just as Anklebiter let off a horrific scream. The creature, confused and bleeding from the ears, was unable to fend off Bruendor's strike, which tore out its throat.

From the northern tunnel, the newcomers swarmed Lefrik, practically crawling on top of each other in their haste to attack him. The big man was able to turn the weaker blows aside, but the larger morlock slashed at him with an enormous swipe from her greataxe. The overlarge and wickedly-bladed axe gashed the mnorlock's forearm, even as it swept into Lefrik's side. The barbarian gasped at the pain, as the single blow nearly drove him to his knees.

Kel again tries to distract the large creature and includes it's minions in the light show.

Hypnotic Pattern to affect the 3 creatures above Lefrik, Will save DC 17 or fascinated

Targeting the apparent morlock leader, Calla fires three more arrows in its direction.

Rapid shot, point blank, bane, justice judgment, Deadly Aim
+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 + 2 + (2, 4) = 18
+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 4 + 2 + (6, 6) = 28
+1 adaptive composite longbow (rapid shot, point blank): 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 - 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 4 + 2 + (6, 3) = 18

Sorry for the short post; work's crazy right now.

Seeing Lefrik standing against the waves of morlocks, Bruendor leaps forward, stabbing at the warchief with his blade.

Move to AH22 and attack the one in the middle.

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Or not...

Anklebiter sinks into a squat, spreads his arms in a gesture of summoning and starts to chant, his eyes fluttering closed as he loses himself in the rhythm of the spell. His voice echoes into distances unseen and unknown....

Casting Summon monster III!

Lefrik attempts to repay the last one that struck him

To hit: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Dmg: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Possible crit to confirm: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15
If confirmed add
2d12 + 14 ⇒ (10, 9) + 14 = 33
to hit 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
To dmg: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Hey, all. Everyone doing alright?