DM Irthos Master of the Fallen Fortress PbP

Game Master OmniChaos

Well, now that we have all introduced ourselves, can someone answer my question, do people feel prepared to continue upward in this tower? The battles we are fighting seem to be getting tougher and I know that the good Indeo has expended a fair portion of his healing for the day.

My vote would be to retreat to the second level and hole up in the trapped room. Perhaps we could even reset the trap so that if any of the trogs attack, they will take a good piercing.

The other options are to move forward and explore the rest of this level or to continue up the stairs. But, we have no idea what lies before us with these options.

I... I wouldn't feel alright sleeping next to Scar's body, and I'd hate to leave it outside for the lizardboys to eat... so I'd prefer us to clear this floor and then get some rest says Deslin coyly

Well then, Deslin, can you listen at the doors. I say we go to the southwest door first.

Deslin seems relieved and nods gratefully at Nngara for not insisting in the matter as he moves to search and listen the southwest door
Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

That gets my vote as well. I've still got half my powers left we should be good for the rest of this level.

Unless someone protests I say we head southwest and Deslin, if you wouldn't mind checking the door?

Here Deslin, let me give you a hand with that door Assist 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

"Let us search this floor, then we can be sure we are somewhat safe if we camp here."

FYI, I think I got it wrong. Isn't it the Southeast door? DM - we are searching the south door, whichever side it may happen to be on.

Deslin does not hear anything of note.

Its the southeast door btw

What is our new marching order? Colyne, Bryon, Indeo and Nngara? Just thought we should get that figured out before we travel onwards.

What is our new marching order? Colyne, Bryon, Indeo and Nngara? Just thought we should get that figured out before we travel onwards.

Sounds good unless we think that an attack from the rear is likely, then Indeo and I should switch.

Sounds good to me...lets go LOL

Byron is okay with that marching order.

I assume to move things along, Colyne opens the SE door. -- We might also want to add Deslin into the order rather than just forgetting him. I say behind Indeo for now.

Colyne
Byron
Deslin
Nngara
Indeo

my vote.

Ack!! Sorry Deslin!!!

Yes, I move to the SE door and open it, if it is not locked.

As soon as Colyne opens the door he is met with the all to familiar sight of flying javelins. Colyne manages to avoid most of the missiles but one strikes true driving deep into his flesh. Almost as a repeat of your fallen comrade he is impaled but somehow still standing. A brazier of glowing coals sits in the center of this room, its acrid smoke mixing with the ever-present troglodyte stench. A few knives, pokers, and other metal implements lie atop a rusty iron box nearby. Gazing into the center of the room you see three troglodytes and another larger four armed lizard creature with much more muscles and great fangs. They all seem to be behind overturned tables and other items in a makeshaft barracade. A second volley comes at Colyne, his luck holds out as they all fail to land.

Colyne takes 9 dmg, at 3 hp by my count. Deslin is up. All enemies have partial cover. Their stench does not reach the door but it does pass it.

Deslin moves his fingers as he weaves a Sleep spell against his enemies
Cast Sleep with as many enemies in the AoE as possible. Save Will DC 15)

Deslin cast his spell. Two troglodytes fall over asleep. The lizard like beast throws more javelins at Colyne, they miss their mark and the wounded warrior remains standing.

Troglodyte 1 and 2 are asleep, attacked missed. Nngara, Indeo, Byron, and Colyne are up in that order. I remind you that all enemies have partial cover, the two sleeping now have full cover. Also the enemies are 35 ft. from Colyne.

Lets take out the one with 2 arms first, then focus on the mutant.

Fire readied crossbow at Trog 3

--> no +1 to attack and damage for point blank shot as I am more than 30'

Crossbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Crit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

burn magic weapon for clw for Colyne 1d8 ⇒ 4

Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18.

Ignoring the stench, Byron charges the one with two arms that is still standing!

Elven Curve Blade: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 2 = 26, for 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Slashing damage.

Crit confirmation: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 2 = 24, for 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 extra Slashing damage.

HP:7 - thanks Indeo
I do not have Knowledge: Nature - so no guesses for me!!
Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Also ignoring the smell, Colyne moves 20' into the room and throws his ax at the 4 armed monster before him.

Attack-Ranged(4-armed creature): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Not sure if anyone is in my way for the ranged attack..I think I am the furthest in the room at the moment.

Byron please repost your actions sense unless I am unaware of something. Your guy can not attack and move 40 ft. not counting the makeshaft berracade between you and the enemies, which you have to go around, to make a melee attack.

My bad. I misunderstood; I thought they were standing behind a barricade, which was giving them partial cover - I assumed we would be able to attack the across the barricade? As to moving 40', I did say that I charged :-)

If that does not work, Byron will simply double move into the room - Let me know if I can actually do that :-)

Guys, before we all charge in, perhaps we should pull back. We can step to the sides of the door and make them come to us. Or, since there are no windows in this area, we could soak 2-3 arrows in oil, light them and see if we can get their barrier to catch on fire. Then close the door and smoke them out. If enough smoke comes in our room, we can always pull back farther to the 2nd level until the smoke clears.

Nngara's bolt finds a mark but the troglodyte does not seem to be greatly wounded. While Colyne's axe flies wide of the beast. Byron darts his way around the barricade. The beast bellows a strange roar.

Nngara deals 6 dmg to Troglodyte 3. Combat is suspended for now.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Linguistics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Guys, lets pull back. I will not have innocent blood on my hands.

I lower my crossbow and step back. But remain ready to shoot again.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Sense motive 1d20 ⇒ 15

Yeah I think Nngara is right, we should let those two sleep peacefully says Deslin as he tries to signal the man he has understood him.

Bluff 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

When the DM's hints don't work, straight up threats do the trick eh?

"Yeeeeeah, lets leave these gentlebeings to their meal."

Whispered to the group:

"Lets take this opportunity to retreat and regroup, I'm not liking our odds in this fight."

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Colyne, breathing heavily, looks at the others like they have lost their minds. But obeying orders had been ingraned into him, so he backs out the door with the others. "What the heck was all that about? What were those scaly monsters saying and who was that guy??

Byron looks at the others incredulously, but shrugs.

"Very well. I dare say that they will just kill him anyway, regardless of what we do - they will still have him hostage if we ever come back..."

He then moves to leave the room.

Lets retreat down to the room on the second level. I know that is where the good Skaar sacrificed himself, but perhaps we can honor his sacrifice as it is the safest room we have found yet and the most easily secured so that Indeo, Deslin and I can rest and recover our spells.

Maybe we could go outside and try to sleep without this foul stench around us says Deslin

Colyne agrees with Deslin. "We might as well make our selves comfortable if we are not going forward."

We all retreat back out of the fortress. Barring any encounters, we set up camp and sleep for the night. I say Byron with his low light vision for the first shift and Colyne for the second. Indeo, Deslin and I all need 8 hours sleep to regain our spells I believe.

@ everyone -- update your character sheet for level 2 as I believe we have leveled unless DM Irthos indicates otherwise. Roll for HP on the OOC sheet.

The party after a good nights rest is refreshed and ready to go for the most part. The night had been silent and the night watch had seen nothing. Yet their first visit had shown them that dispite all appearances the fortress was alive with enemies. The new day was eager to write their story.

Round two people, doubt their will be a third. ;)

So, everyone ready to head back in? Just to let you know. When we are ready to start adventuring new areas, I have memorized several spells which should help our fighters fend off attacks. I memorized two Mage Armor spells and some other defensive spells as it seems that the front line fighters are our most important offense and defense.

So, everyone ready to head back in? Just to let you know. When we are ready to start adventuring new areas, I have memorized several spells which should help our fighters fend off attacks. I memorized two Mage Armor spells and some other defensive spells as it seems that the front line fighters are our most important offense and defense.

Retcon - I may change the spells if Mage Armor does not stack with regular armor, trying to figure that out right now.

Just figured out that Mage Armor does not stack with regular armor, so I switched my memorized spells from Mage Armor to Shield. DM Irthos, let me know if this is not ok.

Everyone, the previous statement holds, but the Shield has a 1min/ level versus a 1hour/level for the Mage Armor, so I will case them just before we take on the Trogs again.

Nngara, just letting you know, since it seemed like you were trying to tailor your spell selection to helping the front-line fighters, Shield is a target: Personal spell, so you can only use it on yourself...

Ok, best I think I can do. Memorized Protect from Evil x2, Magic Weapon x2, Mage Armor (for me). My plan is to cast the protect from evil and magic weapon spells on Colyne and Byron before going on the attack, should give you both +2 to AC and +1 on attacks and damage for 16 rounds (2 minutes - the 4 rounds to cast). I will still have my bonded item spell which will probably be Grease on the area behind the barricade.

Now, hopefully we are ready to hit these guys.

I'm ready, it's time to save that poor man and give those lizardboys hell!

I'll start Inspire Courage just before we open the door (+1 to hit, damage and will saves against fear) and will cast sleep in my first round if I can without getting any of you in the AoE

Ok - lets head back into the fortress. Marching order is Colyne, Byron, Deslin, Nngara, Indeo.

We make sure that we have a snack for the electro-lizard if we have to go through his room. Other than that we head up to the 4th level. Carefully watching to see whether the trogs have restationed guards anywhere and watching for traps since the trogs seem to like them.

If we make it to the 4th level without incident, I will cast protection from evil on Colyne and Byron and also Magic Weapon on both of their main weapons -- the elvish sword and Colyne's primary axe. Then Deslin starts strumming and we open the door.

If someone else wants to put forth an alternate plan, please post it.

Ok...up we go!!

Deslin make two perception rolls for traps.

Indeo, could you give me a hand here? Asks Deslin as he searches for traps.
Perception 1st 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Perception 2nd 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 61d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Indeo is too busy being distracted to be of much help at first but Deslin brings him back to reality with an interesting discovery and he is able to point out some barely visable marks on the stone.

Colyne triggers a trap on their way up to the 4th floor. The spear finds it way thru his armor finding flesh. The party makes its way up to outside the door of the beast's room.

Colyne takes 5 dmg. Post your actions in the order they will take effect.

To Indeo: You should use a cure wounds on Colyne so that we are going in here at full strength.

I will cast Mage Armor on myself first.

Next I cast Protection from Evil on Colyne and Byron and then cast Magic Weapon on Byron's Sword and Magic Weapon from my focus item on Colyne. All this is done immediately before we go through the door to the 4th floor.

Spells in effect:

Mage Armor(Nngara) - 2 hours - +4 to AC
Protect from Evil(Byron) - 20 rounds, 17 rounds left after all casting -- +2 to AC vs. evil
Protect from Evil(Colyne) - 20 rounds, 18 rounds left after all casting -- +2 to AC vs. evil
Magic Weapon(Byron) - 20 rounds, 19 rounds left after all casting -- +1 to attack and damage
Magic Weapon(Colyne) - 20 rounds, 19 rounds left after all casting -- +1 to attack and damage

This is all done immediately before going through the door to maximize the spell durations. If anyone else wants to offer a plan, this discussion would happen prior to going through the door - and likely while we were still outside.

Cure light on Colyne: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

"We've gotta stop meeting like this. Learn to duck". Indeo grins briefly then steels himself for battle.