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

Game Master nomadicc

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

"Ugh! What in the Abyss is that thing?"

Cherias activates a Lifelink between himself and the guardsman who's being grappled by the creature, if he is still alive, and moves 10 ft closer, struggling through the crowd.

I'll try to keep him alive, but when the party engages the creature, I'll drop him and link to Segang, Absinthe, and Seren, unless Seren doesn't plan on being in melee.

No melee here. Will post later

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Segang reaches for his earthbreaker as he begins to move nimbly through the crowd.

Segang, as an Urban Barbarian, has Crowd Control - His movements are not impeded by crowds at all. He can charge. :) He hopes to now so that the creature will not be able to take an AOO on him, as it just did against the guards, right? I hope... .

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Melianthe casts Mage Armor and slips and shoves through the crowd. Is 10' movement enough to get me within 30'?

Map sent... you can make more specific inputs now. Note for Segang, you can move through the crowd with no issues, but there are still tents and stands that will block your charge. I need to make a token for Cherias, too.

EDIT: Also, to answer Segang... the creature's attacks were not AoOs, per se, but it's action (cinematic setup, etc).

Unable to fully close with the creature, Segang moves up to where he has a clear throw and throws a javelin.

Javelin: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 61d5 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Melianthe moves to I16. as my first round of movement, to be specific.

I have the map now and will move to K17

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Seren moves to G15 to be within 30 feet and casts acid splash

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3 + if flat-footed Sneak Attack Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Assuming I start around G16, my 10-ft move would be to I-16.

Round One
Initiative Order: [18] Melianthe, [16] Absinthe, Segang, Cherias, [15] Otyugh, [12] Seren

Melianthe brings up a defensive magic and shoves her way forward. Absinthe slips past a few scurrying shoppers, hopping atop a fruit cart and then vaulting to the roof of a market tent. Careful to remain on the support spars, she circles to get a view of the market center.

Segang uses his city instincts to weave through the crowd, hurling a javelin once he has line of sight to the monster. Thrown off-balance, the missile feebly lands a yard short of its target. Cherias makes a life link to the held guardsman, feeding him some of his own vitality. (5 pts at your next turn)

The otyugh bellows in rage, continuing to constrict the guard's neck while lumbering forward and slapping a long tentacle out at Segang. The barbed pad slaps Segang in the chest.

Seren moves to gain a clear view before sending a glob of acid into the creature's abdomen.

With a clear view of the market center, you see a great breach has been made through a sewer grate by the central statue. The enraged otyugh appears to have broken out from below.

Note: Moved Cherias to I-17 because Melianthe got to I-16 first. Moved Seren to G-13 for LoS to the monster (G-15 blocked by the tent).

Inputs for R2?

Round 2, INIT 16

Cherias takes damage from the link as his lifeforce is channeled into the luckless guard. This may just keep him alive, the boy thinks.

"Nirvana grant us clarity of purpose!" he exclaims as he casts Bless. +1 morale bonus to attacks and saves against fear for all allies within 50 ft. Cherias considers the guards to be his allies as well.

HP 21/26

Edit: forgot Move action.

Cherias also takes a step back when he hears Segang exclaim about the creature's reach, and pulls out his crossbow, holding it in the same hand that is wearing his buckler. 5-ft step to H-16.

Melianthe gazes at the otyugh with an evil eye. targeting its saves. Rather than move, she adds a horrible mirthful smile to complement her gaze, appearing to laugh silently at the creature.

Acrobatics to keep moving over tent roofs and hopefully avoid AoOs: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20.

Ryvin goes flying. There is really no other way to describe what she does without resorting to references to squirrels, and the black streak shooting from stall-top to stall-top does not resemble any kind of squirrel.

When she comes to a stop at the final stall, her rapier flickers out at the monster's lashing tentacles.

"You should not be here!" she hisses. "Why did you come up here? Has the sewage run out?"

Ryvin moves to N14, getting ready to set up a flank if Segang can move to an opposing square next round.
Melee attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 damage

Eergh. That's a miss, unless I'm mistaken. :-\ Better luck next round...

Ryvin? :)

Seren switches to his bow, firing a normal arrow

Hit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Crit: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Dam: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Ack! ^^; My head was stuck in another RP. Sorry. But yes, it was I, Absinthe Mooneye, going swashbuckler-style-y.

You forgot the +1 from bless, Seren, not that it would probably have made a difference.

Truth, but thanks for the reminder

Hey, at least you got a hit in. ^^

Round Two
Initiative Order: [18] Melianthe, [16] Absinthe, Segang, Cherias, [15] Otyugh, [12] Seren

The otyugh's eye tentacle recoils from Melianthe's evil eye, and it appears strangely shaken. Absinthe circles the monster, leaping from tent to lightpole to market stall before closing. In its rage, it ignores her questions.

Segang ducks around a stall, hoping to close on the monster unawares, but it is ready for him. It forgoes the long tentacle, and instead its body stretches to bite as he nears, leaving a jagged wound. Segang's earthbreaker hit a moment later elicits a terrible roar. Cherias blesses the group while gritting through the guard's shared pain.

The otyugh drops the choking guard to the ground, turning all of its attention on Segang, missing with its limbs but landing another bite.

Seren fires an arrow, precisely targeting a soft spot between the thing's tentacles.

Inputs for R3?

After feeling another wave of pain from the guard flow through him, Cherias raises his free hand and a glowing ball of energy flashes, expanding outward around him. Channel energy, all healed within 30 feet. Selective channel: excluding the baddie.

Channel Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7 HP of Healing for the guard, Kit and Segang.

Cherias then loads his crossbow with a normal bolt.

HP 23/26

I assume the guard is still alive at K12. If not, the Lifelink ends and Cherias is at full health instead. Also, is the guard at N9 moving or apparently alive?

You didn't take any additional damage from the lifelink, as the otyugh dropped the grapple. K-12 is alive, N-9 is unconscious or dead.

Should the creature get an AOO on Segang while it is grappling the guard?

So the guard was within 5 hp of full health at the beginning of Kit's turn?

Segang, there's a rule for creatures with Grab that lets them still make AoO's if they take a penalty to grapple checks. I imagine that's why the creature lost its grip on the guard, because of the penalty.

Just read Grab. I do not see that. If they take -20 to their grapple check then they do not gain the grappled condition.

You can't make AoOs if you have the grappled condition.

"...you can, as the creature that initiated the grapple, release the grapple as a free action,..."

Both grappler and grappled have the Grappled condition. You can only perform free actions on your turn.

You can only perform free actions on your turn.

I'm pretty sure I've never read that. Swift actions yes, but free actions such as talking or dropping objects can happen at any time. I'll play with the description of the battle to make it more readable and cinematic than *you attack, you hit*, but I'm still following the rules 'behind the scenes', as it were.

EDIT: If there's further discussion to be had, please move it to the OOC thread.

"Begone!" Absinthe hisses as she lashes out at the monstrous being, targeting its weakest areas with her darting rapier. "Go back home! Begone!"

Absinthe attacks 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 normal damage plus 1d6 ⇒ 3 sneak attack damage.

*sigh* Swing and a miss...

Inputs from Mel and Seren?

Fire again

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

third round input! :P

Melianthe focuses a Misfortune Hex on the invading sewer beast whilst cackling to maintain her Evil Eye Hex.

Round Three
Initiative Order: [18] Melianthe, [16] Absinthe, Segang, Cherias, [15] Otyugh, [12] Seren

Melianthe continues to weave her hexes on the otyugh, but struggles against the surprisingly strong-willed creature. Absinthe and Segang lay in attacks, but they are foiled by the otyugh's rubbery hide. Cherias calls out a burst of healing energy for the group.

The otyugh rages on, now turning on Absinthe, lashes her with a spiked pad. She ducks clear of the second tentacle and lurches away from the thing's snapping jaws.

Seren's aim is true again, landing another arrow into the otyugh's body. The Korvosan guard, now released, lets out a battle cry as he hacks his longsword into it's flank, drawing some viscous blood.

Inputs for R4?

Seren will reach into his shadow and send a piece of it toward the otyugh.

Binding Darkness Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Effect: Gain entangled condition and it considers everything concealed as well as everyone considers it concealed (for a round) unless they have darkvision.

Well that won't hit and although I know it screws Segang a bit, I think the overall benefit would be a worthwhile. Now that I've tried it, I'm open to suggestions about whether or not to continue it?

Round 4

Standard action: Cherias creates a Lifelink with Segang He currently has 2 of 4 active, as he has not ended the one with the guard who is standing.

Move action: Cherias moves towards Seren, trying to find a way around the creature's reach towards Absinthe and the downed guard. Is there still a crowd, such that the area is considered difficult terrain? Or have they cleared out? If no difficult terrain, move 20 ft to H12, otherwise 10 ft to H14.

Let's say by now most of the crowd has cleared the battle area.

@ Segang: In a RL game, that would induce some dice throwing, for sure!

Absinthe hisses with pain.

"Filth-eater! Abomination!" she snarls, and lashes out at the otyugh once again.

Attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 damage plus 1d6 ⇒ 3 sneak attack damage!

Seren--Melianthe can see the otyugh via darkvision (I guess-can you use that and normal vision in daylight?), so her hexes will still work. More obscuring darkness and her hexes stop. So, darkblast away! (next time!)

Melianthe squints at the otyugh again. Evil Eye hex, targeting attack rolls. Current effects: EE Hex vs. saves, Cackling up a storm.

Oh my gosh! Cackle has been FAQ ruled to be an actual sound coming from the facehole!

Melianthe squints and laughs.

Gratz on the hit Absinthe! You are making me feel a little useful as a flanking buddy, even if I cannot roll anything but a 1. And Mel, what was cackle before?

Thanks, Segang. ^^ By the by, my Darkvision means the Darkblast isn't a problem for me, either.

Seren , Segang seems to be screwing himself just fine without your help. What is the dark blase miss chance for the concealment? I am betting the creature has dark vision since it lives in the dark. Likely it only screws us.

Still entangles it, and ill have to double check if its 20 or 50

Round Four
Initiative Order: [18] Melianthe, [16] Absinthe, Segang, Cherias, [15] Otyugh, [12] Seren

Melianthe tries another hex on the otyugh, which takes hold. Absinthe finds a soft spot and stabs her rapier deep into its body. Segang again bounces his earthbreaker off its hide, while Cherias moves around the fountain for a better view of the fight.

The enraged otyugh lashes out in all directions, swinging tentacles at Absinthe and the guard, while gnashing its jaws at Segang. Melianthe's hex appears effective, as the monster hits only air and ground.

Seren tries some shadow magic, but misses his target. The guardsman connects again, drawing more blood. Still the creature fights!

Inputs for R5?

Melianthe lays on yet another Evil Eye hex, chortling away. Targeting AC now, maintaining hex on saves and attacks. I'd hurk up some spiders, but they would attack Segang on the way to the otyugh, and our Shoanti has had enough bad luck.

Round 5

The pain of Segang's wounds washes over Cherias, and he lets out a tiny whimper, but doesn't stop. 5 HP damage, now at 21/26. Segang is healed by 5.

The young aasimar moves to K10, ducking behind an overturned cart. (Can haz partial cover?)

He then tries to establish a lifelink with the downed guard. If he fails to feel any life-force from that source, he establishes the lifelink to Absinthe instead.

Cherias, Segang has not been hit since you linked me. I don't think you can take any of my wounds yet.

Segang, still in the flank with Absonthe, tries again to hit the creature.

Earth Breaker: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 252d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (6, 1) + 7 + 3 = 17