DM Carbide's The Dragon's Demand (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

Prep spells on self: Divine Favor, Guidance, Bless unless Gallius casts it.
Prep spell on Nezos: Barkskin.

Cora prepares by casting spells on herself and Nezos.

I'll cast Bless this time, sure! I'll also take the time to cast Communal Protection from Evil to give everyone a minute of protection, giving the fifth minute to Nezos. I'll cast the communal protection just before we're ready to go in, so no rounds are wasted.

If everyone's ready:

The party rounds the corner, with Nezos in the lead.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Grioth-acted
Machi-e
Cora
Nezos
Gallius

As soon as the half-elf sees the grioth it starts to move, though, striding closer and doing something that fails to penetrate the fighter's protection from evil.

Everyone can act!

Grioth: AC 21 T 13 FF 17 HP taken: 0

Machi-e fires his +1 tangle bolt at the extraplanetary beast.

Tangle Bolt, +1, True Strike: 1d20 + 20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 20 + 4 + 1 = 33
for: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Are you moving up to do so? From Machi-e's current position he doesn't have line of sight to the grioth.

oops, yes, moved.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Grioth-acted
Machi-e-acted
Cora
Nezos
Gallius

By a stroke of good fortune, the grioth is pinned to the floor by the adhesive.

Cora, Nezos, and Gallius to go!

Nezos charges in.

+1 Flaming Bastard Sword, charge, Bless: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 30
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (9) + (3) + 6 = 18
Crit Confirm?: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 24

Cora takes a few steps closer to get a better view and takes careful aim before firing a single arrow.

C.Longbow+Studied Target+Deadly Aim, Divine Favor, Guidance, Bless, Arcane Pool: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 21
Dmg+ST+DA, DF, AP: 1d8 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 11

5' step to get LoS, move action Study Target, standard Deadly Aim, swift to invoke Arcane Pool for 1 minute

Nezos confirmed the crit. I'll roll damage for it, since he survived the AoO. Incidentally, what's his current AC?

Nezos critical damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Nezos charges in, taking a heavy blow from the grioth (20 HP, but at least his protection from evil stopped the extra nonlethal damage), and landing a similarly massive blow on the grioth. Cora hits with an arrow.

Gallius?

Grioth: HP taken: 41

I think with Charge it's 23. Normal AC is 21 then +2 from Barkskin and +2 Protection from Evil, so 25.

Sounds about right, thanks.

I'll move into the room and channel energy to heal Nezos.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1) = 7

With the healing, Nezos should have 27 HP at the moment (40 - 20 + 7).

Round 2 (ongoing):

The grioth takes its action cutting itself free of the entangling strands tying it to the floor.

Everyone can act!

Machi-e shimmers a moment as he draws from his arcane font, then, as a now expected tactic, expels a glob of goo to hold the grioth fast again.

Adhesive Spittle. Raised the DC+2 to DC18 Reflex to avoid being entangled. Even if it saves, it will be at half speed.

Duration: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

He then scoots out of the way.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Grioth-acted
Machi-e-acted
Cora
Nezos
Gallius

Machi-e does the expected thing, but even with the remains of the tanglebolt hampering the grioth's movements it avoids the worst of the adhesive spittle.

Cora, Gallius, and Nezos to go!

Nezos hacks at the huge grioth.

+1 Flaming Bastard Sword, Bless: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + (6) + 6 = 16

Cora takes a few steps closer to the melee and fires off a pair of arrows.

Rapid Shot 1+Point Blank Shot+ST+DF+Bl+AP: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 28
Dmg 1+PBS+ST+DF+AP: 1d8 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 13

Rapid Shot 2+Point Blank Shot+ST+DF+Bl+AP: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 14
Dmg 2+PBS+ST+DF+AP: 1d8 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 17

Gallius will hit Nezos with another burst of channel, just in case.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 1) = 10

I don't think anyone else took any hits yet.

Blade and arrow take their toll on the grioth, even as it manages to dodge Cora's second arrow.

Gallius?

Already posted :)

So you did...I didn't see it this morning, but the boards have been weird lately.

Nezos' wound heals over some more. That puts him at 37/40, I believe.

Round 3 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Grioth-acted
Machi-e
Cora
Nezos
Gallius

The grioth cuts twice at Nezos, only hitting him once for 25 HP.

Everyone can act!

Grioth: AC 21 T 13 FF 17 HP taken: 70

Nezos keeps hacking away at the huge grioth.

+1 Flaming Bastard Sword, Bless: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 2 + 1 = 14
Damage: 1d10 + 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (10) + (2) + 6 = 18

Cora fires off another pair of arrows.

Rapid Shot 1+Point Blank Shot+ST+DF+Bl+AP: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 13
Dmg 1+PBS+ST+DF+AP: 1d8 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 10

Rapid Shot 2+Point Blank Shot+ST+DF+Bl+AP: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 25
Dmg 2+PBS+ST+DF+AP: 1d8 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 11

Nezos can't connect, and only one of Cora's arrows does damage to the grioth...not enough to put it down, though.

Machi-e and Gallius can act!

Machi-e draws upon his arcane reservoir again and launches another glob at the grioth.

Once again, DC18 Reflex or be entangled. Jerk grioth!

Duration: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

As long as Nezos takes the spanking, I can keep healing.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 2) = 12

Machi-e sticks the grioth to the floor, while Gallius repairs some of the damage that it inflicted on Nezos. Nezos HP: 23/40

Round 4 (ongoing):

The grioth misses both of its attacks on Nezos.

I'm going to call it here. One more decent hit will take it down. Out of combat!

The grioth was wielding a normal-sized voidglass falchion, which detects as magical. It also had a Large breastplate.

Machi-e grins. "Well done, friends. I appear to be a bit of a one-trick pony, as they say in Taldane, but we did it."

Cora nods. "I'm just glad we were able to pin it down like that. Made it easier to kill it."

Can we ID the sword to see if Nezos would be better with it than his flaming bastard sword? Otherwise Cora can take the falchion since as a half-orc she's proficient with it.

"A one-trick pony you say? I can assure you I'm feeling quite the same. Perhaps once this whole ordeal is over I should take it upon myself to practice getting my hands dirty."

He looks over the grioth's gear.

"Anyone here keen to wear this fiend's leftovers? I doubt any of it would fit me well."

I'll assume Machi-e can hit that. Nezos is better off with his flaming bastard sword. Cora can use it now that she's a half-orc.

Cora shrugs. "I feel like I could use that falchion. More of a ranged fighter but it never hurts to carry something sharp on you."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Machi-e surveys the sword and shakes his head. "Can't discern what it does at this time."

You can take 10 on the check, if you'd like.

After another minute (Machi-e would polish his spectacles if he had them), the magic user straightens up from his inspection. "A +1 cruel falchion," he declares with certainty.

I managed to put a room out of order; the room I described in THIS POST is actually accessed by continuing up the stairs from the room with the grioth. Not that it matters; you didn't find anything in it, in any case. There are, however, some other rooms off of the one you're in now that may be of interest.

It's due to that otherworldly, non-Euclidean geometry!

There are three rooms off of the library where the grioth was lairing: to the south is a low-ceilinged chamber with a line of what look like metal coffins along the southern wall of the room. The coffins have vents in their lids, though. Numerous large stones are piled atop the westernmost coffin, and a foul odor as of rotting meat fills the air.

To the west is an otherwise empty room containing three bedrolls, two of which are rolled up against one wall. There's also evidence of something like a camp area.

The northern room appears to have been a storage area for writing and bookbinding supplies.

Kn Religion: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Machi-e runs a hand over his face. "Vudrans. Goodness. Those are deprivation coffins of Irori aspirants. They would spend days in those boxes, meditating without food. Possibly without water. Certainly without a garderobe..."

He scowls. "Watch for undead. It smells like there could be a monk or two left in those things."

After taking some care to prepare, the party removes the rocks and opens the coffin. It contains the body of a dead half-orc male. After a brief examination, Gallius realizes that the body bears no apparent lethal wounds, and suspects that he died of thirst sometime between a week and a month ago. He has no gear on himself.

Cora grimaces. "Bad way to go."

Have we heard of any missing townsfolk? Specifically a half-orc?

Did we miss a door? How do you get into that black spot on the map on our level?

"Perhaps an unfortunate member of this crew, given a lethal punishment?"

You haven't heard of any half-orcs missing from the town.

There is no apparent way into the central area of the east wing. The party has been over it and under it as well, and there are no apparent accesses from above or below.

A thorough search will reveal the secret door, if you want to take the time.

Cora shrugs. "Got what they deserve, if that's the case."

Nah, not trying to metagame, I just wanted to make sure we weren't missing a door that's already been described. That said, I'm not sure where the party should head next- we've now taken out all the big threats other than the monk mummy, should we head back to him or is there another area we've yet to explore?

That's not metagaming, IMO. It's pretty obvious that there are two areas above-ground that you haven't been able to access. There are also some areas downstairs.

"Let us go to the basement first," suggests Machi-e. "I am not sure we will be judged as 'worthy' by that revenant just yet."

So, basement?

Cora nods. "Might as well go bottom to top. Let's go."

"Seems reasonable, yes."

The party cautiously descends the broad staircase leading down to the monastery basement, after the usual round of checks reveal nothing of a hazardous nature. That staircase ends in the middle of a large chamber with alcove-lined walls. Each alcove hosts a statue of an athletic man or woman with a long braid, and each figure is in a different pose of martial performance.

DC 15 Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Cora looks at the statues. "Nice statues. Don't see any monsters down here, that's good."