DM Corerue's Carrion Crown

Game Master DM Corerue

When the gate swings open, Sour Heck gapes slackjawed at the dog-thing. “I think someone might’ve found a way around the law against graverobbing...well, unless the local pet cemetary’s had break-ins. Everybody be on your guard against cat zombies and chicken golems and the like.” The bard shakes his head ruefully. “I once heard of a wizard who was charged with practicing inappropriate magic on a goat, but this isn’t what I imagined at the time.”

Sour Heck begins to inspire courage as a standard action, and unfurls his banner as a move action.

Party buffs: +3 to attack rolls and weapon damage (+2 competence from Inspire Courage, +1 morale from Flagbearer); +2 morale to saves versus fear and charm effects (from Inspire Courage).

Pellious, that gives you +3 on your acid arrow attack roll, which might be enough against a big, clumsy thing’s touch AC.

"Down with you, you misbegotten miscreation!" Eloise snarls as she runs up to assist Peredur -- and her one empty hand is suddenly wreathed in flames! Placing the flesh golem between herself and Peredur, Eloise rams her gloved fist into the stitched-together flesh... and the fire erupts into the construct!

Eloise moves to flank, then uses one Pool point to activate Pool strike! Melee touch attack 1d20 + 5 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 3 + 2 = 23 for 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 6) + 3 = 10 fire damage. The flesh golem should hopefully be slowed for 2d6 turns...

Wow, I wrote a post here like, at the beginning of last week. I have no idea what happened to it, but it explains why nothing happened...

Eloise's flames catch the golem, which shakes, quivers, and lets loose an eerie howl. As it ponderously turns toward her, Pellious's acid catches it and burns away some of its flesh, but though it's clear it did physical damage, the creature doesn't react. Instead, it lunges at Eloise, but its bite comes just an instant too slow, and the magus dances out of the way.

Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Damage?: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (1, 8) + 7 = 16

Hound Golem is slowed. I'll use Eloise's damage roll as its rounds-slowed-roll.

Bleeding profusely from the massive wound the golem inflicted, Peredur turns on it and slashes down with his sword.

Longsword to dog, incl. banner and inspire courage: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 1 + 2 = 23
Longsword damage, if applicable, incl. banner and inspire courage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 10

"Keep at him, Peredur!" Eloise encourages the Ranger while she dances out of the way of the flesh golem's slowed-down attack. "Keep at him! We can win this!"

Eloise's black sword starts to glow with an eldritch light all its own as she slashes at the dog-shaped monstrosity.

Eloise burns a pool point as a swift action, providing her sword with +1 enhancement to attack and damage.

Attack roll 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 26 (flanking) for 1d8 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 8 damage.

Sour Heck pulls his sword from its baldric, and advances on the golem hesitantly. “I don’t know if I can bring myself to hurt it, friends. It reminds me an awful lot of my childhood pet Skitters. All that frothing at the mouth, you know.”

“Eloise, how about putting that charm on my blade too? Or the spell you used when we fought the wraith? Eloise?” The bard jumps aside as Eloise spins away from the golem’s snapping jaws. “Oh, are you busy? Hmm, how did that go...Tell ’em arcane hum! No?” He shakes the weapon experimentally. “Come on, you!” Then Heck’s eyes go flat and dark, and he raises the hilt to his mouth, whispering and hissing to the Harrowstone blade...and something in it whispers back, awake now and eager to bite flesh.

Sour Heck recoils a little. “Oh. Well, I guess I don’t know what I expected.” He shrugs, and stabs at the golem’s chest.

Sour Heck maintains his Inspire Courage performance, takes a move action to draw his whetted masterwork longsword with his non-flagbearing hand while getting next to the dog golem, uses a swift action to activate Arcane Strike, and attacks.

Longsword hits?: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 3 = 21
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 15

Party buffs: +3 to attack rolls and weapon damage (+2 competence from Inspire Courage, +1 morale from Flagbearer); +2 morale to saves versus fear and charm effects (from Inspire Courage).

"Afraid I didn't bring that one today, Sour Heck!" Eloise replies. "But I do have something else up my sleeve -- just need a moment to cast it, is all!"

If you guys can keep this thing busy next round, I'll cast Bull's Strength, either on myself or on one of you if you prefer.

Iesha casts Magic Weapon on her glaive, in preparation to attack.

If you guys can keep this thing busy next round, I'll cast Bull's Strength, either on myself or on one of you if you prefer.

I would suggest using Bull’s Strength on Eloise, not Heck. He’s stuck with one-handed attacks or we all lose the Flagbearer bonus, but she can do big two-handed chops when she's not casting, which is what we might need to punch through this thing’s damage resistance.

But what's this about keeping it busy? Eloise can buff and attack too!

Casting Bull's Strength takes a standard action...

Casting Bull's Strength takes a standard action...

Spell Combat! You take -2 to your attack, but that's better than not getting one.

Eloise Tow wrote:

Casting Bull's Strength takes a standard action...

Spell Combat! You take -2 to your attack, but that's better than not getting one.

*slow, wide, EVIL grin* Thank you, my friend. I had quite forgotten. Please excuse me for a moment... MU WHA HA HA HA HAAA~! :D

Thanks for your patience.

Peredur, Eloise, and Sour Heck all make contact, cutting into the hound's labrador shoulder, pit-bull flank, and doberman hindquarters. Pellious's acid continues to sizzle as well, though its effect is minimal. The hound continues to move slowly, and Eloise is able to clear its jaws before they can snap shut on her thigh.

Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Damage?: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 2) + 7 = 17

Begin round three, everyone's up.

Peredur chops at the patchwork pooch again.

Sword again, incl. banner and inspire: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 1 + 2 = 29

Confirm, incl. banner and inspire: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 1 + 2 = 17

Sword damage, incl. banner and inspire: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 11

"Artificium occultum magi," Eloise chants as she moves her sword in a complex pattern, her free hand moving in the gestures of spellcasting. "Magnificentia tauri!"

Eloise's black sword comes down with frightful speed, her muscles visibly swelling during the attack.

Eloise uses Spell Combat to cast Bull's Strength on herself as part of her attack. Longsword attack roll: 1d20 + 3 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 19 for 1d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 3 = 11 damage.

Sour Heck winces as Peredur’s blade chops between two of the dog golem’s vertebrae. “Is it stuck? Twist it and pull, maybe it will come loose.”

Sour Heck uses Gallant Inspiration as an immediate action in an attempt to turn Peredur’s critical hit confirmation roll into a success retroactively. This thing hits hard, so we should take it down fast.

Bonus from Gallant Inspiration to Peredur’s critical hit confirmation roll: 2d4 - 2 ⇒ (1, 4) - 2 = 3

2 out of 3 second level spells cast today. The -2 in the above calculation is because Gallant Inspiration gives a competence bonus which does not stack with the +2 he got from Inspire Courage.

Also, I just checked the map and noticed that Peredur is flanking with Eloise, so add +2 to the attack rolls as well.

Additional damage, if confirmed crit: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 13

“It’s dead! No, wait, it’s still moving. Is this golem made of dogs or stone?” Sour Heck slashes at the dog golem again.

In the third round, Sour Heck maintains his Inspire Courage performance and attacks.

Longsword hit?: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 3 = 17
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

The bard cocks his ear at his blade, which has fallen silent, and frowns. “What, used up already? Mediocre!”

Party buffs: +3 to attack rolls and weapon damage (+2 competence from Inspire Courage, +1 morale from Flagbearer); +2 morale to saves versus fear and charm effects (from Inspire Courage).

Add another +2 for flanking to my attack roll as well, please, for a total attack roll of 21...! ^^ EDIT: And another +1 to attack and to damage! It seems the power of my pool enhancement has gone up to +2 and I didn't notice. So it becomes a total of Attack 22, damage 12.

"Definitely dogs," Eloise says. "Stones don't smell this bad! Just keep hacking at it and keep it busy, I'll do what I can!"

Sadly, I can't share my +2 enhancement to attack and damage with the rest of you. That power only works on weapons I'm holding...

Iesha moves up to the front of the wagon and (if it still stands) attacks the golem hound. Glaive attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 for glaive damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

As she does, she mutters "These folks had better be responsible for something evil, or we're in a lot of trouble"

"Pharasma's priests might have a thing to say about th' creation of a flesh golem, even from dogs."

1d100 ⇒ 47
Peredur's blade crashes into the hound, lodging between two ribs until he's able to wrench it free. a rib and a bit of half-rotten flesh come with it. Eloise's sword also finds purchase, though it doesn't do as much damage as Peredur's vicious swing.

The flesh golem lets out an unearthly yelp, which turns into a retching sound as it hacks up a nasty black fluid. Whirling, it steps away from Peredur, continuing its attack on Eloise. Leaping at her, the golem's deformed jaws close around her neck, and blood gushes from the wound as it shakes her back and forth.

Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Crit?: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Damage: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (4, 1) + 7 = 12
Crit: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 8) + 7 = 23

Eloise shouts at the pain tearing through her, but continues to fight.
"I could use some healing!" she shouts. "Actually, I could use a LOT of healing!"

Down to 8 hp... 0_0; Longsword attack: 1d20 + 3 + 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 4 + 2 + 3 + 2 = 30 for 1d8 + 4 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 + 3 = 12 damage.

Iesha casts cure serious wounds on Eloise.

CSW: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 2, 1) + 5 = 16

Sour Heck grows grimmer and whispers dark things to his blade, which murmurs back eagerly. He slashes at the dog golem with abandon, trying to kill it or turn its attention from the wounded magus.

In the fourth round, Sour Heck reactivates Arcane Strike and attacks. His Inspire Courage bonus will last for two more rounds due to Lingering Performance.

Longsword hit?: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 3 = 20
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 + 2 = 15

Party buffs: +3 to attack rolls and weapon damage (+2 competence from Inspire Courage, +1 morale from Flagbearer); +2 morale to saves versus fear and charm effects (from Inspire Courage).

It's so hard sometimes to remember who's on vacation and needs botting, and stuff like that. I was totally waiting on Peredur, because he usually always posts, but I just re-read his discussion post. Sorry.

As Peredur's, Eloise's, and especially Sour Heck's blades cut into the flesh golem, it gives a a shudder and lets out a pitiful sound halfway between a whine and a grinding of bones.

Peredur Longsword: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 1 + 2 = 24
Peredur Damage?: 1d8 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 7

It turns slowly, jaws snapping ineffectually at Eloise as it struggles to get a few final blows in, but though its wounds don't bleed, the structural damage and slowing effect couple to make it miss its mark.

Bite: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Damage?: 2d8 + 7 ⇒ (8, 5) + 7 = 20

Just in time for me to be back!

Well, you certainly have your next round's actions here.

"Enough, and more than enough, out of you, abomination!" Eloise grates as she raises her sword for another blow. "BEGONE!"

The black sword comes down...

Longsword flanking attack, Bull's Strength and pool point added: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 24 for 1d8 + 2 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 3 + 4 = 14 damage!

Eloise's black blade slices into the creature, and it wobbles on its feet, struggling to find purchase. After a moment, it falls to the packed earth of the courtyard, shaking loose a small puff of dust as it does.

As the flesh golem dies (if that's the right word), a silence falls across the courtyard. A large pair of double-doors stand to the east, while a smaller wooden door opens into the room with the vats that Peredur saw into earlier.

Eloise woodenly wipes her blade clean on the dog-golem's flank and stands still for a moment, breathing heavily. Then she wipes the sweat from her forehead and straightens her shoulders.

"Let's go," she says in a grim tone. "But be careful! If the people inside didn't hear that racket and haven't used the time to get out or set up an ambush, they're utter lackwits."

Sour Heck pokes the motionless dog golem gingerly with the butt of his spear. “Too late I realize we could have lured it back to the courthouse and had Andrew make a pet of it.”

As the bard reclaims his rope of climbing, he hooks his thumb at the second floor doors the factory’s owner spoke from. “There’s a way to sidestep an ambush, if we scramble quickly.”

While his companions recover from the effort of the fight, Sour Heck tisk-tisks over Eloise’s wounds. He pulls a Pharasman healing wand from his belt and coaxes dark water from it with whispered prayers to wash away her blood and pain alike.

Cure Light Wounds from wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Cure Light Wounds from wand, again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

He then does the same for Peredur's wounds.

Cure Light Wounds from wand, again again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Cure Light Wounds from wand, again again again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Cure Light Wounds from wand, again again again again: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Cure Light Wounds from wand--that should do it!: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Sour Heck surveys his handiwork briefly. “Should probably poured some of this on those bites before sealing them up,” he says, tapping the bleach bottle sloshing in his pack. “That kills infections, right? Or is that piss? Hmmm...bad enough to be dying of an infection without an alchemist pissing on you.”

He directs his rope of climbing to the door above. “Better move before Eloise starts showing any symptoms, and while that strength spell of hers is still working. Here, take my crowbar, and climb up Walter to see if you can pry that door open. Peredur and the rest of us will be riiiiight behind you.”

"Don't mind if I do," Eloise says as she tucks the crowbar through her belt and shimmies up the rope. "And thanks for the healing!"

Climb 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17. Once at the right height, Strength check to break open the door: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Eloise makes it to the top of the rope and gives the crowbar a titanic pull. As she does, the door pops open with a gunshot clap, swinging on its hinges. Inside the room, Eloise can see a crane on guiding rails, timber and iron, that seems capable of lowering things to the ground below. A half-dozen boxes, neatly packed with straw and the occasional glint of glass, sit against the storage-room's walls, but it doesn't look like the factory's producing much. Either that, or a shipment went out recently.

Perception check, incl. favored community bonus: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 15 + 2 = 18

That's pathetic.

Sour Heck passes his longspear with the society’s banner up to Eloise, then clambers after her. (The DC to climb a knotted rope is 5, which should be in take-ten range for everyone in the party) After reclaiming banner and crowbar, the bard then attempts to slip quietly past the door to investigate the contents of the boxes.

Stealth, untrained: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Eh, what can you do? :)

If there's time to do a detailed search, Peredur can take 10.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22 If a critical success always succeeds, can I call that a pass? ^^;

Sorry, no taking ten and I don't think critical hits count for skill checks (unless I already ruled they do, in which case, I apologize. I'll give the rest of everyone a bit longer. Have we lost Pellious?

I'm still here.

Iesha scrambles up the rope and looks around for something that will help tell what's going on here.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

...and fails...

"Alright, let's move," Eloise whispers to the others. "Stay alert."

As the party presses through the loading bay, the party glimpses a flash of orange hair and a scarred face erupt from one of the packing boxes in a flurry of straw. That's all anyone has time to see before a blob of darkness settles across the room's center, blotting out most of its features.

Sour Heck Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Peredur Initiative: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20
Eloise Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Iesha Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Enemy Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Begin Round One! Light level is Darkness. Order is Sour Heck, Peredur, Iesha, Enemy, Eloise.

Miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 73

As soon as she can move (barring special developments before my turn), Eloise slashes at the attacker, her black blade nigh-invisible in the gloom.

Attack roll (barring further modifiers) 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 for 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage. (Assuming Bull's Strength is still active.)

In the brief moment of stunned silence after darkness descends but before mayhem begins, Sour Heck coughs and drawls to himself, "Well, that's a relief. I won't have to see what kills me." The bard lets go of his longspear and pulls his bodhrán from his kit.

Sour Heck starts Inspire Courage as a standard action. Party buffs: +2 to attack rolls and weapon damage, +2 morale to saves versus fear and charm effects from Inspire Courage. No flagbearer bonus 'cause we can't see the banner.

Peredur slides forward to where he thought the creature was before attacking. His blade goes wide in the darkness, though.

Miss chance (hi=hit): 1d100 ⇒ 46

Iesha chooses to activate her Deflection Aura (from her Defense Domain; Deflection Aura (Su): Once each day, you can emit a 20- foot aura for a number of rounds equal to your cleric level. Allies within the aura gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC and combat maneuver defense; so 5 rounds +2 deflection to AC and CMD for the group)

Acrobatics (avoid AoO): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

The enemy, which Eloise and Peredur believe to be a gnome, rolls for the door. Peredur tracks its movement well enough to take a quick swipe (if he wants), but Eloise loses it in the darkness and the speed of the roll. From out of the darkness in the direction he went tumbles a throwing axe, narrowly missing Peredur's head before embedding itself into the far wall.

Throwing Axe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Peredur still can't quite adapt to fighting in darkness.

AoO miss chance; hi=hit: 1d100 ⇒ 26