DM Crispy's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Bill Dunn

Dammit Kaa!

Reaching for the cow hammer he stops as his eyes begin tracing along the dancing ivory, getting lost in their patterns and movements.

Do we get a new save each round or are we out of the fight entirely?

Dazed for multiple rounds? That's killer!!! Sure it's not dazzled?

Yeah, exactly why I was asking. Serious suckage right there.

The effect says dazed, not dazzled. That being said, I agree, it sucks majorly. The fact that I rolled super low for the will saves and super high on the duration sucks as well. I won't replace the dazed with dazzled, but I'll throw you a bone and let you roll your own saves and see what happens.

Thankies :3

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

I need two there, Wednesday.

Thanks mate, I'll stick with the GM roll. Just wanted to double check!

Now to drive myself crazy with a "what if...?"

Save that never was #1, resistance: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 = 18
Save that never was #2, resistance: 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 = 20

Fie to my curiosity.

I need two there, Wednesday.

Ah, my bad.

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Gotta love those extremes.

Gaius nods at Zart's cantrip, then flashes him a sarcastic smile.

Should I call a barrister to get the trial proceedings started, or can I destroy these things?

He shoulders past the others (square to the right of Raamanti) using the shadow-caller's blessing to strike at the undead horror.

Longsword attack with power attack and guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 1 - 1 = 26

Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12

Crit confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 - 1 = 12

Extra crit damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12

If Daud wasn't Dazed he would be snickering right now.

Tolenn blinks as the undead creature's mezmerising motion momentarily distracts her. However, with a shake of her head , she shakes off the effect.

She see's however that some of the others are not as fortunate.
Leaping forward, she attacks one of the swaying creatures...

Standard attack, scimitar: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Since Pyron has a base will save of +5, and an additional +2 with his halo turned on, which has does have, I will go ahead and reroll, unless the updated numbers actually means he passes on both will saves from the GM's rolls.

Will save 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Will save 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Edit: Pyron will continue to cackle every round in addition to hexing the same creature with evil eye until it is down, then onto the next creature. Here is how he plans on doing it: -2 to AC, -2 to Attack, -2 to saving throws (unless no one is casting spells at it), and -2 to either ability checks or skill checks if the creature seems to be using them. With evil eye going, the hexes never go away; they always continue by another six seconds: it's like a never-ending hex! Cackle-cackle-cackle!

Edit again: Pyron must use his move action to cackle, so he won't be able to cackle on the first turn. So, he will move in and then use his evil eye. He will have to use it again and then cackle on his second round. So, from round two, Pyron will have to start all over again. First evil eye to apply a hex, then cackle to extend all hexes by one more round.

Wednesday Daze: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

The thing in the room revises its estimate of how long it will be reduced in effectiveness down to six seconds.

Tolenn steadfastly shakes off the effects of whatever those things are's shake, rattle, and...just a shake and rattle. She leaps to the defense of her allies, swinging her scimitar at the thing attacking Raamanti. Her aim is true, but the blow appears ineffective, the scimitar's edge glancing on a rib bone before sweeping between a couple and passing through with little visible effect.

Gaius sees the trouble the group is in, and decides a little risk is worth it. He tries to scoot past Tolenn, but the thing is on to him and attempts to strike. The inquisitor/ranger deftly avoids the blow, landing a solid hit on the thing. This appears to do some damage, but as Tolenn noticed, the edge of his blade seems a poor weapon against these fell creatures.

Acrobatics: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Bite on Gaius: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Pyron decides he can be most effective by laughing maniacally and staring at things. The thing's skull contains no eyes, but if it did, they might have just widened with fear at its sudden misfortune.

Save against Stinkeye: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Need an action from Zart and we'll clear the block.

I'm not 100% sure what the positioning is after all the actions, and it kind of matters for Zart's move. Please do update my actions appropriately as you see fit for what I'm trying to do.

Zart steps in a little closer and uses his telepathic bond with Raamanti (not bond senses, just a telepathic conversation) and tries to identify what these creatures are.

I know that they're probably knowledge religion, but just in case they're extra planar or maybe even constructs like we expect the Shoanti to be part of...

Zart knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Zart knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Raamanti knowledge (plans): 1d20 ⇒ 3 -- if allowed, relayed via telepathic bond

Zart, Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 --Not sure if I need to make these or not when I look at the creature, though at Raamanti's warning, Zart will try to avoid looking at the hypnotic display if possible.
Zart, Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Sensing that Raamanti won't be much good in a fight, Zart calls out, "Raamanti, drop your hammer!" before beginning to chant in the super cool tongue of shadowmancy:

"καλέσει τέρας, σκιά λύκος" summon monster II, shadow wolf, using SLA.

Dazed says a creature can defend itself and thus doesn't lose the bonus to AC. Not sure if that extends to if they can drop a weapon or not. If he can...

Raamanti drops his lucerne hammer. As the shadow wolf appears, his bond to the world grows tenuous, before being lost entirely. Raamanti flattens and blends in to the ground in front of him before elongating until it reaches Zart. It then snaps elastically back to more precisely mirror Zart's silhouette. The only sign of Raamanti is now the renewed shadow at the shadow caller's feet.

Zart places the shadow wolf as close to a flank as he can. If it needs to, it will take a 5-ft step or a move action to get into flank (with Gaius if it can).

The shadow wolf snarls at the skeletal vipers, picks its target and lunges with its dark and shadowy jaws. Even shadow canines just love bones!

Shadow wolf bite, flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 = 16 -- Double checked, bites do B/P/S, so all good vs the DR.
Damage if successful: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

When attacking the shadow wolf, please remember that Zart's shadow summons have a 25% miss chance against them due to concealment.

Crap! My bad... it is a standard action to dismiss my Eidolon - it's only the summon spells that get dismissed in that way. Please just read the summon wolf as a dismiss eidolon and make the summon spell Zart's next action. Took me way to long to write for me to delete it now! Happy to leave those wolf rolls (they probably miss) or re-roll them as needed.

We'll reroll when Mr. Wolf comes next round. Thanks!

Zart, seeing the predicament his best friend is in, mercifully dismisses the eidolon. Raamanti fades out of view, eyes still transfixed on the dancing serpent-bone-things.

The hexed snake-thing moves forward, trying to bite the bedazed Wednesday. The most inept of bone serpents, it is unable to capitalize on Daud's trance-like state.

Bite!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Meanwhile, the other two things slither up to Gaius, giving him a warm welcome with a couple of bites.

Bite 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Bite 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Gaius, I need 2 Fort saves

Summary:

Gaius - 8 damage
Thing 1 - 7 damage

Round 2: Pyron, Zart, Things, Tolenn, Gaius, Wednesday (2)
Round 3: Pyron, Zart, Things, Tolenn, Gaius, Wednesday

Party Up!

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

If I can still act...

Gaius tries to shrug off whatever fell substance he has just been exposed to, dropping his sword and swinging his morning star at the wounded creature.

Attack, power attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 - 1 = 23

Damage, bludgeoning: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 = 13

Sorry, Gaius, you're paralyzed for...4 rounds

Uh oh!: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Sorry, Gaius, you're paralyzed for...4 rounds

Cou de Grace time!

Like ghouls, huh? Remember the good ole days when elves were immune to ghoul poison? Daze and paralytic poison is a pretty nasty combo. Tolenn may need to start smiting to save all of our sorry, dazed/paralyzed asses. ;-)

*bows before the benevolent redheaded battle goddess*

We are not worthy!

Wolfy time!

A shadow wolf appears above the skeletal snake just north of Gaius Daud, and chows down.

Shadow wolf bite, flank: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 +2
Damage if successful: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

**EDIT** Just realised when I did Zart's post that Gaius won't be providing a flank. Please have it appear north of Daud's skeleton instead.

**EDIT EDIT** Daud won't provide a flank either!

"This thing is called a Necrophidius," shouts Zart, indicating the creature his wolf just bit, "Watch out for their bite they can..." Zart notices that Gaius has frozen in place, "... paralyze you with it. Dammit! Hit them with bludgeoning weapons if you can, their bony bodies have a harder time of turning such attacks aside.

"Pick up Raamanti's hammer and give it all you've got. These seem unfinished somehow, so they're likely to be a little weaker than the ones I've read about. Since I know about them, it means they are constructed and not undead in nature. Positive energy will do little against them."

Let us hope the Shoanti flesh golem we destined to face is similarly hampered, Zart adds to himself.

Pyron will focus on the closest living and fighting snake: AC first, Attack second. He will also keep on cackling.

We'll give Tolenn till morning to act, then proceed.

Inwardly cursing her faulty strategy, Tolenn drops her scimitar and brings her flail into her hand, striking at the skeletal serpents...

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Tolenn, with Zart's help, realizes the futility of her attacks, dropping her scimitar and retrieving her flail. This attack meets with more success, shards of bone flying in multiple directions from the thing. Alas, it remains upright.

Pyron looks at the thing funny, laughing to make his funny look last longer.

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Zart finishes his summoning spell, a wolf of shadow appearing on the other side of the creature trying to bite Wednesday. The wolf lunges forward, biting heavily, and grabs the skeletal construct. A powerful shake of the jaws sends bone pieces flying everything, and the thing is no more.

Both things turn their attention to the newly summoned wolf. Both of them seem to be more proficient attacking humanoids, as the wolf deftly dodges both attacks.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Summary:

Gaius - 8 damage
Thing 1 - Dead

Round 3: Pyron, Zart, Things, Tolenn, Gaius (2), Wednesday (3)
Round 4: Pyron, Zart and Wolf, Things, Tolenn, Gaius, Wednesday

Party Up!

Growling in a disturbingly deep baritone, the shadowy wolf snaps at the bony serpent menacing Gaius (square immediately north of Gaius)

Shadow wolf bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Bite damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Going to do something that helps maximize my damage output at the expense of some dailies... here goes!

Knowing that another summons will immediately dismiss his previous summons, Zart nevertheless elects to have two wolves attacking almost simultaneously. Drawing upon his limited reserves of innate shadow summoning magic, Zart chants:

"καλέσει τέρας, σκιά λύκος" -- summon monster II, shadow wolf, using SLA.

The shadow wolf disappears and a new shadow wolf appears, but on the other side of the battle lines.

It appears just north of the left-hand skeleton snake. If I don't miss my mark, this wolf should be getting a flank from Tolenn, assuming she moves up to attack.

Shadow wolf bite, flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 25
Bite damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Well, damage rolls aside, I think that went pretty well! Smash 'em Tolenn! ;-)

Pyron continues his hexing.

Pyron, please be specific in what you are doing...I'd rather not go back 30 posts to see which hex you are doing now.

We'll move things along in the morning.

Agreed, Zart. Much better to get high attack rolls and low damage than vice versa. :)

Zart pulls the ole' switcheroo on the bone snake things, his first shadow dog pulling out a rib bone from the snake about to make a meal of Gaius, before disappearing in a puff of shadow.

Immediately, another shadow canine appears to the north of the other snake, again finding success with its bite attack. The dogs seem to be ruling this fight.

Tolenn steps forward into the void left behind by the dog as she twirls her flail a couple of times to build momentum. She brings it down in a crushing arc, hoping for an impact. Too tensed after seeing her companions locked down so efficiently, her attack goes wide, smashing into the floor.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Pyron again hexes, using it on the snake thing on the right. It manages to escape the worst of the witch's powers. (-2 to AC for 2 rounds)

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Seeing fresh blood, the left-hand snake snaps at Tolenn. It's aim is true, but the paladin expertly interposes her shield between herself and the monstrosity.

Snakebite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

The right-hand snake attacks the newly-appeared dog. It manages to catch it with a couple teeth, dealing a shallow gash. With a yelp, the dog pulls back, shaking its head, fighting off the stiffening muscles that the bite tries to enact.

Snakebite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Miss Chance, Low is good for the dog: 1d100 ⇒ 66

Dog Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Summary:

Left Snake - 5 damage
Right Snake - 6 damage
Shadow Dog - 2 damage
Gaius - 8 damage

Round 4: Pyron, Zart, Things, Tolenn, Gaius (3), Wednesday (4)
Round 5: Pyron, Zart and Wolf, Things, Tolenn, Gaius, Wednesday

Party Up!

Not sure, but I think Tolenn should have had a flank for her attack. Probably doesn't make a difference with that roll... but the shadow dogs will have flank.

The shadow dog likes the taste of reconstructed bones. It snarls deeply and bites at the creature again.

Shadow dog bite, flank vs left snake: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 25
Bite damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Noting the effectiveness of his strategy, Zart uses his innate summoning ability once more:

"καλέσει τέρας, σκιά λύκος" -- summon monster II, shadow wolf, using SLA.

The shadow dog appears to blink out of and back into existence, as it is dismissed an instant before another identical dog appears in exactly the same place. The only clue that the dogs differ is that the livid snake bite mark has miraculously disappeared.

Shadow dog bite, flank, left snake: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 2 = 22 --If the left snake fell to the previous attack, this shadow dog will 5-ft step to the right and bite the right snake instead, no flank.
Bite damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Round 1: thing 1: -2 to ac for one turn
Round 2: thing 1: -2 to ac for two turns (because of cackle)
Round 3: thing 1: -2 to ac and -2 to attack for two turns (because of cackle) (I believe it is dead now)
Round 4: snake on the right: -2 to ac for minimum of 2 turns (cackling still)
Round 5: snake on the right: -2 to ac and -2 to attack for minimum of 2 turns (cackling still)

Intending to do this unless the snake on the left is dead
Round 6: snake on the left: -2 to ac; snake on the right: -2 to ac and -2 to attack (all minimum of 2 turns) (cackling still)
Round 7: snake on the left: -2 to ac and -2 to attack; snake on the right: -2 to ac and -2 to attack (all minimum of 2 turns) (cackling still)

Was a dunderhead and completely missed the flank, Zart. It would have missed anyway, but I need to pay better attention! Nice rolls with the dogs, by the way!

For my turn I will feel sorry for Pierce Hawthorne.

Tolenn swings her flail once again, hoping for her effectiveness to increase in this melee. She nods in grim satisfaction as her flail smashes away a few rib bones off the creature in front of her.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Pyron continues to hex and cackle, having set up a production facility for such things.

Right thing Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Zart continues to play the action economy game, his first shadow wolf biting and taking down the necrophidius on the left. His newly summoned wolf proceeds to continue the canine success story, ribbing apart a swath of the bones of the right-hand creature.

The final thing decides to bite at Tolenn...if such a thing can be truly capable of thought. If the man who had animated this creature could see it now, he'd surely throw it in the scrap heap and start anew.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 2 = 5
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Tolenn again attacks the thing!

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The magics holding the things together are quite weak at this point, and Tolenn's glancing blow is enough to ensure it drops to the ground, a disgusting pile of bones, but no more.

Combat Over!

"Well, my friends, if this is any indication of what Rolth is capable of creating, then we may need to worry," says Zart with a grim look on his face, "What do we possess in the way of healing magics? Gaius is the only one wounded, but I fear that if we go much further into this warren then we will sorely need more healing than whatever it takes to help him out. Should we retreat briefly to pick up some healing scrolls for Pyron to use? That way, we can at least heal up after battling these guardians."

While everyone discusses what to do, Zart sits down in the room they were in previously and sets up some candles. He begins his minute long summoning ritual that everyone has no doubt seen many times before.

How good was my roll-good on those d20s? Let's see if it continues. 1d20 ⇒ 20 Holy crap. The next skeleton was rubble! ;-)

Raamanti forms from the flickering shadows of his master, flickering himself as he grows in size before finally becoming solid and real.

"IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR YOUR SUMMONS, MY MASTER," he says softly in his sonorous voice, "IT LET ME KNOW THAT EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT. WELL DONE EVERYONE ON DEFEATING THESE THINGS. I AM SORRY THAT I SUCCUMBED TO THEIR LURE AND WAS UNABLE TO HELP."

Raamanti walks over and grimly retrieves his hammer. As a precaution, he continues to smash any smooth skulls he finds.

As the hypnotic dance of the snakes fade away Daud gives his head a few groggy shakes. "Bluh... Wha, the fight over?"

Just going to assume that between an oracle and a paladin that the party has a means for healing Gaius here and move along. Not much point dragging out the post combat - unless folk really do want to wuss out and leave the dungeon... ?

If no-one has a means of healing Gaius, Zart will give him his only potion...

Cure light wounds potion for Gaius: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Yes, Daud, the fight is over," says Zart, repeating the obvious, "You are welcome. If we are going to press forward, best we do it sooner rather than later. Let us move along, Raamanti my friend."

Before Raamanti and everyone leaves, Zart recasts resistance on everyone before using one more charge from his wand of shield on the eidolon.

With that, Raamanti hefts his lucerne hammer on his shoulder and marches forwards, keeping an eye out (as always) for signs of danger.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33

When he reaches the end of the corridor, Raamanti kicks open the door to the right, no need to be subtle, if someone is in there, they've heard us by now! and charges in, ready for anything.