DMDM's Way of the Wicked, Part II: The Dark Tower

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Well, while I'm not eager to kill any PC, I think I have to play this as it lays. I'll say this: there's a chance he might be satisfied with just taking the Judge down. Failing that, he might perhaps not realize the Judge isn't dead -- though the odds of that are low, given his habits and inclinations.

So let's say there's a 20% chance he may simply move on rather than finishing the full attack; and then also, he needs to make a DC 15 Perception check to realize the Judge isn't dead. 1d100 ⇒ 33 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Welp. Since the Judge is now prone and isn't getting his Dex bonus, he's going to hit on anything but a 1. Here we go: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Okay, so:

The little man charges the Judge and, with a swipe of his scythe, very nearly slashes his head off. As the Judge topples, spraying blood from his neck, the little man pulls back one foot and then swings the massive iron boot with all his might.

The Judge's head is kicked right off his partially severed neck. It flies through the air in what is, it must be said, a neat and graceful arc, coming to rest with a thud inside the hole that Morsum has dug in the rockpile, and rolling to rest inside the little man's half-excavated sleeping chamber.

He leaps into the air and clicks his iron heels together with glee -- clang. "Score! Score! GOOOOOOAL!!!!"

Morsum wavers and shimmers for a moment, like the air above a dark road on a hot day, and then simply disappears.

Power Attack: 1d20+11

Damage: 1d12+14

Good hit! Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to do as much damage as it should -- the little man's flesh magically repels your blow. DR 10, so he takes six points of damage.

Ulp moves to within 20 feet, and launches a bomb crackling with electricity.

1d20+11 vs touch for 3d6+5+1 automatically dazzled for 1d4 rounds

Full damage for a total of 24 so far, and also he's dazzled -- -1 to attack and Perception rolls -- for 1d4 ⇒ 4 rounds. "Argh! Feckin' lizard! Wait'll I get my hands on yer!"

Zimu threw a Magic Missile for 11 damage (total 35, and make sure you're marking off these spells). Jax cast Mirror Image on himself. The Judge and Morsum are not around any more. That leaves Dren and Grumblejack.

Dren is using his Gift of Madness (you'll need to have moved within 30'), so that requires a Will save. 1d20 ⇒ 8

Oh hey -- that doesn't make it. He's confused! What effect? 1d100 ⇒ 5

Welp, that's "act normally". "Ah ha ha ha ha haaaa! Hee hee hee!" He's giggling merrily and doing a horrible little jig as he whirls his scythe around. Your mental attack is striking home, but in this case... well, he seems to like it.

Grumblejack moans. You've seen him approach combat with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but this is different. "I hate these things," he mumbles. "Nasty, nasty." He lumbers forward and pokes rather hesitantly at the redcap. He's fighting defensively, taking -4 on his attack to get a +2 to AC, and he's not Power Attacking. 1d20 ⇒ 8

Okay, I think that ends Round 1, which means it's now the redcap's turn again. I'll do his next round in the morning.

"If it usually seems like a bad idea, it generally is. F%+*in' fey."

Splat, the Judge crumples to the ground (-8 HP).

Stabilize: 1d20 ⇒ 16 vs DC18 <-- oh so close

Spectacular Bluff!

The Judge's head is kicked right off his partially severed neck.

OMG the bastard killed the Judge!

Cуровую was about to switch to Infernal Healing this round but I don't think it helps.

The Good news, Edmin gets a (slightly used) circlet of Charisma. But seriously can we actually Raise characters now if we say 'borrow' funds from the Baron? We may have resources to bring the Judge back.

Did it really take just two hits to kill the Judge?

OMG

Isn't lopping off heads supposed to be Edmin's signature move?

At the very least we should save the Judge's head to make another skull bomb.

But really this makes me sad, read my post in discussion.

So Edmin. You're standing right next to him now, right? And I see that you're AC 21 -- not using your shield -- and have, is it 64 hit points?

Okay. [cracks knuckles]

"IT'S OLD BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL, ITS COLORS THEY ARE FIIIIIINE!" He bounces into the air again and aims a tremendous slash at Sir Edmin. 1d20 ⇒ 19

Oh oh.

That's not good.

Because he has Improved Critical [scythe].

I wasn't actually planning to kill two PCs today. But, well. Here we go. Crit confirmation: 1d20 ⇒ 12

His minimum damage with a crit is 96.

SLASH.

Sir Edmin has time to look surprised.

BOOT

This kick isn't quite as clean -- Sir Edmin's head bounces off the edge of the opening. But it does land inside.

"Aw yes! An' it's two-nil the home team at the interval! Ahhhhh hah ha haaaaa!"

That's his Round Two. Over to the rest of you. What are you doing?

wow I hope we get reinforcements soon...

welcome to the party champion.

1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 23 for 2 damage and a fort save of 13 or he falls asleep

Ulp loads one of his Drow poisoned darts and fires it into the fey's neck

Dren looks at the little death dealer with annoyance as he disrupts their mission and kills his allies. I suppose healing isn't an option. as his head rolls away.

Cast Hold Person DC 19 willpower. Back away another 15 feet.

Gift of Madness Confused for 5 rounds remaining, next rounds impact. 1d100 ⇒ 46
01–25 Act normally.
26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51–75 Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand.
76–100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject's self).

"...Huh. I didn't see that coming." Jax gets into a defensive stance and moves closer, but no closer than within 30' of the speed demon.

"If the pit is your goal, where are we supposed to aim? Hey, Grumbles, watch out for his pointy bits.."

Standard action: Cast Intensified Shocking grasp and hold the charge. Move action; move closer. Swift Action: Enchant Brink to be a +2 Keen Frost Scimitar (Default +2, adding keen and frost)

Dren, I don't think you can use Hold Person. It only targets humanoids.

"...Huh. I didn't see that coming.".... Me either!

welcome to the flat kanight!

Scootch over. I think more are coming.

Bref rushes around the flat, first he tears up the floorboards to make a place for Judge to sleep. Then he runs to another side of the room and, like a dog digging for a bone, he beings to throw refuse between his legs off of the couch so Edmin has a place to sit.

Goblin good host! He grins widely teeheeteeheeheehee

Dren, I don't think you can use Hold Person. It only targets humanoids.

That's correct. Dren, is there something else you want to try?

1d20+9+2+1 for 2 damage and a fort save of 13 or he falls asleep

Ulp loads one of his Drow poisoned darts and fires it into the fey's neck

I don't suppose it's a cold iron dart...?

Whenever damage reduction completely negates the damage from an attack, it also negates most special effects that accompany the attack, such as injury poison, a monk's stunning, and injury-based disease. Damage Reduction does not negate touch attacks, energy damage dealt along with an attack, or energy drains. Nor does it affect poisons or diseases delivered by inhalation, ingestion, or contact.

Got it...thanks.

Dren calls upon the dark powers to assist them in this combat. A rift next to the Redcap forms between our world and the world of the dark horrors. What slithers through is a mix between a slug and a tentacle...it reaches for the little creature attempting to grab onto its legs.

Chain of Perdition with my fluff CMB check to entangle 1d20 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 = 19 oh well, would have been nice if we could have had a little bit of luck at this point...

Dmdm it is a cold iron dart. All my arrows and darts are

Oh ho! Okay then. Full damage, and he has to make a Fort save. 1d20 ⇒ 1

...

Ooooooo

Cdg plz, sry guys I guess I should have done that last rd...

Look at the positive side. I have a big bag of holding with a coffin already in it.

The lizard couldn't have done that first??

yea...but he would have made the save ...like I said a poor choice sorry

No worries. I'm just dead is all......thanks.

Really it is no problem.

Ragnar howles then lunges at the red cap, but his sorrow over his headless master takes away his focus as the hound bites at air.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

get that animal back! I would note that if Ragnar strikes we are screwed. Jax cdg now!

The dart punches into the side of the little man's neck. He turns to snarl at Ulp. "Gerroff, yer feckin' lizard! I'll show yer what... I..." He reaches up to the side of his neck and pulls the bloody dart free. "I... He suddenly wobbles, then staggers. "Is it... errrr... huh..." He takes several steps in a half circle. "Huh... halftime?"

And then, quite abruptly, he falls over.

The tiefling starts laughing as the fey falls over. "Lizard, you took out the bloody thing with a dart!" Jax will walk up to the redcap and frown for a moment. "Damn resistances these things have.."

Fire says a small voice in the back of Jax's head and Brink's entire blade changes into nothing but a gout of fire..coated in frost...crackling with electricity. Free action: 1 point spent from Black Blade pool to make the weapon damage deal fire damage.

The tiefling plunges the shimmering blade of multiple elements into the redcap's chest.

1d20 + 16 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 16 + 4 = 34 Including bonuses for enemy being helpless and having a metal weapon for 2d6 + 16 ⇒ (5, 3) + 16 = 24 fire damage, 1d6 ⇒ 6 sneak attack damage, 1d6 ⇒ 3 cold damage and 12d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 6, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 1, 3, 6) = 43 electricity damage.

The redcap, if it survives, must make a DC 86 fortitude save or die :)

Hey, a 20 is autosuccess. Let's see! 1d20 ⇒ 11

Bother.