DM Bigrin's Second Darkness (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

With sensation flooding back into his limbs almost as fast as relief floods his mind, Bruendor whips around to see one of the acolytes focused on Calla. "HEY!", he shouts as he steps in behind her. "Think fast!"

Step to AE42 and attempt to feint on that acolyte. If this succeeds, she will be flat-footed against my attack this round.

Bluff, FE: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 2 = 25
Attack, FE: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 15 + 2 = 32
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Sneak!: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 5) = 10

My apologies for my absence. I'm working from home most days of the week, and feel myself a bit burned out from doing things with my laptop in the evenings, which is when I'd do most of my gaming. That and the whole pandemic thing hanging out in the back of my head...
I'll endeavour to do better.

Bruendor snapped back into action, sliding behind the nearest drow and stabbing her in the back. The acolyte stepped back and started to cast a spell, her mouth moving without a sound coming out. Consternated, she drew a short sword and glared at Bruendor.

The ones across the hall backed away from Lefrik, one casting a spell at Bruendor, wracking his body with pain. The other motioned at Lefrik, casting another Hold Person spell.

Kelendra is up
R2: acolytes 1, kelendra, acolytes 2, anklebiter, calla, lefrik, bruendor

Umm...here's the map?

if Lefrik fails the save, then Kel will cast dispel magic and target the hold person, she would need a 6 or better on the roll

maybe dispel?: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

if Lefrik makes the save, then Kel will use chain lightning on the drow at AG-48 and arc to the other 4 near it

maybe SR check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

chain lightning damage: 12d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 6, 5, 6, 3, 3, 1, 6, 6, 5, 5) = 55 damage, DC 22 Reflex for half, secondary targets are DC 20

Will Save1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Woot, made it just barely, so go chain lightning! It's a dream ah ah, drow will scream... Chain Lightning!

Will save, hardy: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 = 12

Not moments after being freed from paralysis, Bruendor watches as the world speeds up around him. "Daaaaaaaaamn yooooooooouuuuuuuuu," he shouts in slow motion to the acolyte, beginning to raise his sword to attack.

Kelendra's spell killed two of the acolytes outright, and the other three it touched were badly wounded. One of them cast a hold person spell at the oracle, while another cast the same spell at Lefrik again.

Lefrik feels the spell try to tighten him, hold him fast...and decides he doesn't like these people.

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Nope. Not a bit.
As he finds he can't move.

Calla smirks coldly as they begin to cut down the drow and steps forward, unleashing another storm of arrows. Targeting green; if she drops, white, then blue

"Be so good as to stop those two from using their wands, please," she calls out to Bruendor.

5-foot step to AG-39
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank, bane): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 4d6 ⇒ (7) + 11 + (6, 6, 4, 3) = 37
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank, bane): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 11 + (5, 3, 1, 3) = 24
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank, bane): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 4d6 ⇒ (7) + 11 + (5, 5, 5, 1) = 34
Bonus shot from BoF: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 11 + 4d6 ⇒ (7) + 11 + (6, 5, 1, 6) = 36
Wow; lousy rolls

Anklebiter chants a by now familiar spell - and flame blossoms at the rear of the battlefield!

Spell penetration 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 2 = 32; Fireball to AG 50 for 10d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 4, 6, 3, 2, 2, 5, 2, 4) = 38 fire damage, Ref. DC 18 for half.

"Wiiiiiiiith pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaasuuuuuuuuureeeeeeeee," Bruendor replies to Calla, turning his attention back to the drow acolyte before him. He bounds towards her as though he were moving through treacle, his blade slashing towards her form. Fro his perspective, she is moving at blinding speeds, and it's all Bruendor can do to focus his blade at her vitals.

5' step to AE 41 and attack Blue.
Attack, FE, slow: 1d20 + 15 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 2 - 1 = 23
Damage, FE: 1d8 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10

Lefrik felt his muscles lock up and was forced to stand still and watch his companions mop up the rest of the drow. They did a pretty good job of it too. Anklebiter's spell left one of the drow dead adn two more barely clinging on to life. Calla killed another with her arrows, and Bruendor had the last one sorely pressed.

However, a drow barely clinging to life still was able to cast spells from a wand, and the one in white pointed one and harshly spat out a phrase that sounded like 'actero'. A pea-size ball of fire flew from the wand and drifted over Anklebiter before exploding, treating the goblin wizard and his allies to a taste of the fireball spell.

The wounded drow fighting Bruendor snarled at her sister acolyte, but she was forced back on her heels from the dwarf's assault.

Reflex 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

The flames lick across Anklebiter, but the Goblin seems to just sidestep most of it ... and what is left just fades away into nothing.

11 damage x 0.5 becomes 6. Fire resistance 5 soaks up most of that. Energy absorption cancels out the remaining 1.
Energy absorption now at 35/36.

Reflex (with Shake It Off): 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 = 14

Just a second too slow to avoid the worst of it, Calla hisses as the flame catches her. GM, I have myself at 83 hp

DC 18 will save: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22

DC 15 reflex save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Kel shakes off the spell and avoids the worst of the fire, then launches a bolt at the distant acolyte.

target grey, BoF: +2/+2

+1 paueliel light crossbow: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 2 = 22
damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Reflex, slow, hardy: 1d20 + 15 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 15 - 1 + 2 = 25

Though his reaction time is lessened, Bruendor moves on instinct, dodging out of the way of the blast.

"Yooooooooouuuuuuuuu miiiiiiiiisseeeeeeeeed...", he mocks.

Kelendra's bolt picked off the last of the second batch of drow priestesses, sending the acolyte spinning to the ground. That freed up the rest of her group to focus on burning down the remaining ones.

With little ability to change his targets while it feels like he's fighting submerged, Bruendor redoubles his effort to slay the drow before him.

Attack, FE, slow: 1d20 + 15 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 15 + 2 - 1 = 28
Damage, FE: 1d8 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 2 = 13

I think Lefrik is held /paralyzed and thus wouldn't get a save. Sorry for slow posting

Calla launches more arrows at the remaining drow. Looking at an older map, but white, then gray.

+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, Point Blank): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

BoF attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Crit?: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Damage: 2d8 + 18 ⇒ (6, 7) + 18 = 31

Posting for AB
The goblin, realizing his friends have things mostly in control, rushes forward to help protect Lefrik. Move to AH-38 (Calla is at AG-38) and activate protective ward -- +3 deflection bonus to AC

@Calla - thank you for taking the initiative

The two remaining drow went down easily under the combined attacks of Calla and Bruendor. Quickly looting the bodies, you find all eight of them similarly armed, with nearly-depleted wands of lightning bolt or fireball, magical short swords, and silvery mithril chain mail under their robes. The rooms off the corridor all appeared to be bedrooms or dorms of a sort, each with the acolytes' personal gear. The sheets are the finest black spidersilk, and between each pair of beds is a stone coffer with personal items.

Knowing what to look for now, Bruendor spotted the telltale signs of another glyph ward on the double doors to the east.

@Bruendor - do you want me to make the DD rolls for you? Or do you want to do them yourself?

Calla claims one of the short swords for herself believe it or not, I was still using a mundane martial weapon, so this will be better whatever is it and watches as Anklebiter stows the offensive wands.

She helps Kelendra heal the group with these new wands as Bruendor looks for the next trap.

Everyone roll for what healing you need. Kel, you take two wands, I'll take two also.
4d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 8) + 10 = 23 Two charges from one of the wands.

When Lefrik can move again, ,he grunts. "I think I may lost part of my eyebrow from that last flame spell."

"I do have protective spells to cover all of us, but they'd only last an hour. I'm not sure when best to cast them..."

Hmmm, good question. I get why - I'm clearly going to try to disarm them, so asking me to roll is just slowing us from reaching the conclusion. Moving forwards, I'm OK with you rolling if I notice them.

DD: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25

as Calla suggested, everyone roll for the healing needing from the wands

Kel admires her new cloak as the party works on disabling the latest traps.

CMW: 4d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 1) + 10 = 16
CMW: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (3, 6) + 5 = 14

Bruendor senses Kel's frustration as the drow wands initially refuse to heal his wounds properly. "Damned dwarven resistance to magic," he grumbles. "Usually works out in the long run, but sometimes it's a pain the ass."

Bruendor got to work on the glyph on the door, then felt a tingling in his fingertips. He dove to the side as the trap energies exploded outwards. Well, the trap was no longer armed.

Bruendor takes 8d8 ⇒ (1, 5, 2, 8, 4, 8, 2, 4) = 34 electricity damage, DC 24 Reflex for half.

Kel, do you want to subtract those three charges for Brue. I'll do one more for Lefrik (rolled below).

2d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 4) + 5 = 17

Calla shakes her head as Brue avoids the trap and then waits for him to continue on.

Reflex, trap sense, hardy: 1d20 + 15 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 2 + 2 = 29

After failing to disarm so many mystical traps, Bruendor has developed an almost preternatural sense of when things are about to go pear-shaped, and dives backwards. Almost immediately afterwards, a burst of energy encompasses the door and area he was just in, filling the room with the unmistakable scent of ozone.

"Well," he says at last, watching the magic fade from the glyph. "It's disarmed at least."

That's 0 damage taken?

Yep, success on that save plus Evasion means I'm fine.

"Any explosion you can walk away from and the other guy can't is a good one," Anklebiter agrees, nodding sagely. "And that glyph isn't going anywhere, so... good job!"

Kel, do you want to subtract those three charges for Brue. I'll do one more for Lefrik (rolled below).

2d8+5

Calla shakes her head as Brue avoids the trap and then waits for him to continue on.

Thanks.

"Do you think it alerted anyone?"

Bruendor was still a little shaky as he stood up and headed back to the door. After making sure the others wee ready, he flung open the door and stepped aside for Lefrik to head in first.

Four towering rooster-headed, snake-legged statues of stone dominate this large antechamber, massive sculptures that seem carved out of the pillars that hold up the cavernous ceiling. Glowing runes wind around the statues, along the walls, and in strange shifting coils across the polished stone floor and domed ceiling above. A pair of double doors to the west bear more symbols, dominant among them the demon head with snake tails trailing from the mouth. To the east, the chamber opens up into a large cavern.

Of course, what truly caught your eye was the towering, three-tailed, six-eyed beast seems like three rune-backed serpents partially melded together into one body. It hissed at you in a sibilant common.

"Silly mortals. Did you think you could force entry into the Throne of Abraxas with secrecy or impunity? The mistress is a bit occupied at the moment with her experiments, but I will be happy to ensnare your souls for the Master of the Final Incantation. Come, and let us speak of your future service."

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Will (with Shake It Off), stalwart: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 15 + 1 = 24

"Careful, Anklebiter," Calla calls. "They can redirect spells, and turn us against each other!"

Holding off on my action until I see what folks do save-wise.

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

The words are lost on Lefrik as he wanders with a dazed look on his face, unaware of anything but a commanding serpentine demonic will

Will 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22; Knowledge 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26

Anklebiter does not reply to Calla, but instead starts to plod along behind Lefrik...

Wait. Can we take actions while moving towards snakey longkins, or can we only do what it tells us to?

Seeing her companions walk toward the creature, Calla decides its time to take action.

"My mistress is more powerful than yours, demon," she retorts as she begins launching arrows, "and she has no use for you!"

Justice and deadly judgments
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, justice judgment): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, justice judgment): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
+1 adaptive composite longbow (Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, heroism, greater magic weapon, justice judgment): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Possibly relevant: If an ally threatens it, I gain a +1 bonus on ranged attacks. Also, total the damage from all hits before applying damage reduction.

On its turn, the subject moves toward you as quickly and directly as possible for 1 round. The creature may do nothing but move during its turn, and it provokes attacks of opportunity for this movement as normal.

Tsk! I hate compulsion effects.

DC 24 Will save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 +2 if enchantment

Terror runs through Kel when Anklebiter start plodding forward. Lefrik can take a beating, the goblin cannot. She prays to Desna to move the horrible compulsion.

Dispel Magic check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Hardy probably doesn't apply here, but if it is a spell, add 2 to my result.

Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

The demon's words echo in Bruendor's mind, and begins approaching.

@Kelendra - are you trying to remove the effects from a single person? Who?

The demon hissed in laughter as three of its five opponents walked blindly forward into its grasp. The remaining two, though, weren't interested in its laughter. Calla let fly a trio of arrows, all of which shattered upon the snake's diamond-hard armor.

Holding the rest on Kelendra's response, as it may make a difference

Yes, trying to remove it from AB. All, if I'm missing something important here about how Dispel works please let me know? And I'm cool with Kel's usage of Dispel being changed if so

@Anklebiter - since Kelendra acts before you in init order, Congrats! You get to act normally this round!

Anklebiter shakes his ears, startled, as Kelendra's spell washes over him and removes the fiend's influence. Seeing just how badly things have gone, the Goblin decides that it's time for desperate measures!

The little Wizard forward (move Anklebiter to AE 58) and presents a gem with a smouldering core. He shouts words in a language from beyond the veil -

At once, a large fire elemental appears. Bellowing in its roaring language of flame -

Large fire elemental attacks:
Slam #1 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28 for 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 damage; Reflex save DC 16 or suffer 1d8 ⇒ 6 burn.
Slam #2 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32 for 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 damage; Reflex save DC 16 or suffer 1d8 ⇒ 4 burn.

The demon hissed in laughter as Bruendor and Lefrik approached it, moving against their natural inclinations. The laughter only increased in volume as each of Calla's arrows shattered on its diamond-hard skin. It completely ignored the fire elemental. Even the blow that the creature landed seemed not to phase the snake demon.

The snake demon only had one head, which was bad enough, darting in to strike Lefrik and pump him full of a poison that wracked both his mind and body. It's three tails, however, slapped Bruendor around a bit, then one wrapped itself around him and squeezed.