Damvorak HP: 17/17, AC: 16 (f14/t12)
Weapon Equipped = Staff
Conditions = None
Hand of the Acolyte = 3/6
Resistant Touch = 6/6
Channel Energy = 2/3
Ferocity (Act 1 round at below 0hp)(1/1)
Spells
Cantrips DC 13: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First Level DC 14: Identify, Command, Remove Fear
Damvorak tries to keep his distance from the pool as he takes an alchemy fire from his pack. He offers to pass it forward to someone more skilled at throwing things…
Round 1
23 Alaric : Readies attack
22 Ramli : Backs away
16 Ugnoth : Readies attack
15 Sad Rock : Draws alchemist fire, moves to D12
13 Damvorak : Draws alchemist fire, offers it
9 Alaric : (Ready triggers) Swings, does no damage
8 Ugnoth : (Ready triggers) Swings, does no damage
7 Bat Swarm #1 : Flies into the room
7 Bat Swarm #2 : Flies into the room
Round 2
22 Ramli :
15 Sad Rock :
13 Damvorak :
9 Alaric :
8 Ugnoth :
The bats filter into the room, flapping in erratic madness as they circle around Alaric and Ugnoth. In the cacophony of flapflapflapflap and screeching, it's difficult to make out, and Alaric and Ugnoth soon learn their weapons have little use against the diminutive creatures.
They wince with pain as dozens of the creatures sink their hungry teet into their flesh (2 damage to Alaric, 5 to Ugnoth).
As the two men glance at their injuries, they bear witness to the blood quickly and easily flowing from their bodies (you have a bleed effect and will take 1 damage per round until stopped with a Heal check or a magical spell).
@Alaric, Ugnoth: Make DC11 Fort saves or become nauseated from the Distraction extraordinary ability.
Damvorak HP: 17/17, AC: 16 (f14/t12)
Weapon Equipped = Staff
Conditions = None
Hand of the Acolyte = 3/6
Resistant Touch = 6/6
Channel Energy = 2/3
Ferocity (Act 1 round at below 0hp)(1/1)
Spells
Cantrips DC 13: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First Level DC 14: Identify, Command, Remove Fear
After Sad Rock takes his Alchemy Fire, Damvorak pulls his other one and throws it at the first swarm (square C10), trying to damage both swarms with one blow! Sad Rock may also be hit by the splash (sorry!!!), but he’s more worried about burning the swarms with what little ammunition he’s got.
Half-Elf Fighter/2 Paladin of Shelyn/1 | Init +8 | low-light vision, Perception +1 | AC 22/12/20 | HP 25/27 | F +6 R +2 W +3; +2 vs charm and compulsion | CMB +7, CMD 19 | Loyal Oath (Su) [1/1]
Fort:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Alaric loses himself in the chaos, unable to hear anything around the scratching of a thousand flapping bats clawing at his armour. Emboldened by the explosions of flame and unable to hear the sound of his own voice, Alaric lifts his visor to shout encouragement at his comrades, only to get a faceful of bat for his trouble.
To simplify this combat a little, as long as you guys "feed" one PC to each swarm, they won't move and you can always hit two swarms per throw. I'll always assume a miss is in your favor and simply hits both swarms. I'll also count the 50% damage increase instead of rounding it down for misses.
Round 2
22 Ramli : Hangs back (GM fiat moves to C5)
15 Sad Rock : Lobs an alchemist fire, hits both swarms for 1.5, moves to Damvorak (5ft to D9), grabs alchemist fire
13 Damvorak : Lobs an alchemist fire, hits both swarms for 1.5, 5ft to D7
9 Alaric : Runs around, distracted
8 Ugnoth : Lobs an alchemist fire, hits both swarms for 1.5, moves to B9
7 Swarm #1 : Stays with Ugnoth, inflicts 3 damage
7 Swarm #2 : Stays with Alaric, inflicts 4 damage
Round 3
22 Ramli :
15 Sad Rock :
13 Damvorak :
9 Alaric :
8 Ugnoth :
Damvorak, Sad Rock and Alaric all clumsily hurl vials of fire at the swarms, with nominal results. The bats continue to circle about Alaric and Ugnoth, biting in a furious feeding frenzy (3 damage to Ugnoth, 4 damage to Alaric) while their wounds continue to bleed profusely.
@Alaric, Ugnoth: Make DC11 Fort saves or become nauseated from the Distraction extraordinary ability (again)
Damvorak HP: 17/17, AC: 16 (f14/t12)
Weapon Equipped = Staff
Conditions = None
Hand of the Acolyte = 3/6
Resistant Touch = 6/6
Channel Energy = 2/3
Ferocity (Act 1 round at below 0hp)(1/1)
Spells
Cantrips DC 13: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First Level DC 14: Identify, Command, Remove Fear
”All right everyone. we're out of alchemy fires so it’s time to back off. We can’t best this foe presently, all we can hope to do is outrun it! Maybe they won't follow us to the light of day!”
Damvorak falls back toward the stairwell with a double move (to H5).
Init +7;AC 20 (18 w/o shield), HP 35/35, F6/R2/W7.
Round 2
Sad nods, agreeing with Damvorak, but still holding Damvorak's alchemist fire.
Wow. Not sure how a party of newbies is supposed to handle this except by running away. Even with a burning hands or two, we'd still need to get lucky to kill both swarms. This is a fat CR4 fight.
Sad looks at the door in C13...is it a solid door? Can we trap the swarms within? How deep is the water?
M HP 16/16, AC 15/12/13, F +5, R +2, W +3, Init +2, Per +6 Human magus (hexcrafter staff magus)
Ramli retreats, his disgust with their circumstances writ large on his face.
How long have we been down here? What time is it? I agree with Sad, mostly. If we want to rest the night, I can prepare three burning hands spells and hope that does the trick but I just have nothing I can do here.
Yes, fat CR4 fight. Blame Bulmahn. I think the expectation is most groups run away.
You've been in the crypt for about about an hour or so and arrived just as night fell, so it's likely around 9-10pm.
As mentioned earlier, C13 is not a door, but a thick iron portcullis that the swarm flew through. The evil water pool is maybe 2 1/2 feet deep.
The five Pathfinders withdraw from the hundreds of bats, which continue to screech and swarm about the room. Alaric slams the door shut and you double back to the earlier intersection.
Ugnoth will follow the others out but once the door is closed he start to rummage through his pack.
You may be out of alchemical things, but the warriors of the steppe are more prepared than that.
He hands everyone 2 flasks of oil and holds an alchemist fire and points to his bandolier.
I still have 1 fire left, 2 flasks of acid and 2 alkali flasks. Sad light a torch, Alaric open the door, we shall not flee from mindless vermin! Throw in your oil, remove the stopper first for a better spray and i will add the last of the alchemist fire while Sad throws in the torch. We shall make these bats a blazing light in the darkness!
Obviously I am using my Inspire Courage for a +1 attack and damage as well.
Half-Elf Fighter/2 Paladin of Shelyn/1 | Init +8 | low-light vision, Perception +1 | AC 22/12/20 | HP 25/27 | F +6 R +2 W +3; +2 vs charm and compulsion | CMB +7, CMD 19 | Loyal Oath (Su) [1/1]
Alaric has been quietly glowering at the door since their retreat, arms folded. "I like not retreating from our foes... but..." Alaric sets his jaw and looks pointedly away. "On the battlefield, I have never met a foe that couldn't be felled with raw steel. These bats are too quick and too many, and I have nothing to combat them with."
"Perhaps we can smoke them out? But that is more like to hinder us than them..." Alaric curses. "Perhaps if we keep searching we may find something to fight them off, or at the very least a way around... but a knight of the Crown and Lion does not sit around like a wounded dog licking its wounds."
Have we enough damage to fell the swarms do you think? If they don't die to our barrage we're left with nothing to combat them with, but with Alaric's pride on stake I could go either way on this one.
My barbarian pride is also at stake. In character I'dhave stayed in there if GM fiat hadnt dragged me out.
Ramli, Damvorak if we wait here the night who knows what may wander onto us...besides the chamber with the pool is more defensible, especially with the fresh water. Also, Alaric isnt there a maiden to be rescued down here? Potentially she is beyond that portcullis being tortured or dying as we debate here. Sad, you're not a monster, you're a hero...heroes over come challenges, defeat foes. We are pathfinders, they call us murder hobos and we cant even kill some bats? Really?
Sorry, character says go, despite players better judgement....can ya'll convince Ugnoth otherwise? Roleplay challenge, Character vs Player, GO!
"Fine. I'll open the door and you lot throw down what we have. I can heal those who may fall to their attacks, but if we need to fall back, we fall back. Sure there may be a maiden down here somewhere - but I sincerely doubt she went this way."
Damvorak prepares to open the door to the hoards once the various oils and alchemy flasks have been distributed.
I didn't mean for GM fiat to stifle any RP! Imagine you are all simply withdrew for a moment back into the first crypts to regroup and count your alchemical items.
With the door opened again, the swarms begin to fill yet another room with their frenzied biting.
Everyone go ahead and throw their alchemical items as part of round 1 and we'll see where we end up... imagine if you miss, you do splash to both swarms and if you hit, you do full damage to a primary swarm and splash to a secondary. :)
Half-Elf Fighter/2 Paladin of Shelyn/1 | Init +8 | low-light vision, Perception +1 | AC 22/12/20 | HP 25/27 | F +6 R +2 W +3; +2 vs charm and compulsion | CMB +7, CMD 19 | Loyal Oath (Su) [1/1]
Stifle? I say you encouraged it! We wouldn't be having this interaction at all if we weren't beaten back. Besides, that's the kind of pacing PbP needs. It's difficult to come to a consensus about this kind of thing from opposite sides of the globe.
"There's a difference between valor and foolishness, Ugnoth. We don't know that these bats guard anything at all, and cleaning out vermin is servant's work, not soldiers..." he snaps, the shoanti's last comment striking a nerve. "But very well, we'll carry through with your plan."
Init +7;AC 20 (18 w/o shield), HP 35/35, F6/R2/W7.
Sad looks at all the talkers and planners, wondering how things are going to end. He holds Damvorak's alchemist fire in his hand, unsure what to do with it just yet.
His head turns from speaker to speaker waiting to know what to do next.
Stay cool, Sad. Stay cool. They don't know what that you have no idea what they are talking about.
Ugnoth will hand his last alchemist fire to Ramli, You may do the honors friend mage.
Ugnoth will hand Sad the torch and 2 vials of oil, to Damvorack he will give an acid flask and a vial of oil. For himself he will hold a vial of oil and his earthbreaker read.
Nodding to Damvorak If we are all ready then, time to brighten a light in this darkness!
Continuing Inspire Courage as a free action.
Tossing an open flask of oil if the bat swarm is present 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6
Otherwise he begins pounding his earthbreaker to summon the swarm back.
As the door opens, it takes the bats a moment to realize that they have more freedom to move, and the bleeding warm bodies have returned for their benefit.
I'm going to run this loose and mapless. As long as you "feed" 2 PCs of your choice to the swarms, each swarm will only attack a single PC. You can manage this by spreading out intelligently and by the fact I play bat swarms as not smart enough to break their 2x2 square (some GMs let them form lines far too easily).
As long as you hit their touch AC (which is 16), you'll do full 150% damage with an alchemical item. If you miss, I'll give the splash damage to both swarms.
I'm going to assume Alaric and Ugnoth are the two PCs that "feed the swarms" each round until they state they are moving out and someone replaces them (as they are usually the two guys closest to a door opening). However, you finish off the first swarm in the first round, so you only need to feed 1 PC (which I'll assume is Alaric).
Alaric : Lobs alkali flask at swarm #1 for 6 damage
Ugnoth: Lobs flask of oil at swarm #1, misses, 1.5 splash damage to both
Damvorak: Lobs flask of oil at swarm #1, misses, 1.5 splash damage to both; Swarm #1 dissipates
Ramli: Muses about fire
Sad : Holds Damvorak's fire and considers using it
Swarm #2 (-7): Swarms Alaric
Swarm vs Alaric:1d6 ⇒ 1
@Alaric: You take 1 damage and begin to bleed, and need to make a DC11 Fort save to avoid their distraction effect.
M HP 16/16, AC 15/12/13, F +5, R +2, W +3, Init +2, Per +6 Human magus (hexcrafter staff magus)
I actually threw the alchemist fire Ugnoth gave me last round, though I realize I was not at all clear about that in my post. I hit with a 22 doing 1d6 ⇒ 5 damage.
"One down! One to go!" Ramli cheers. With no more fire at hand, he waits, grinding his teeth at his inability to do anything.
"Throw the flask of fire at the bats, Rock!" he urges.
5 damage from Ramli and 1.5 from Sad Rock is enough to hit the magic number of 13hp done.
A few more flasks thrown at the massing bats, and their numbers begin to thin. What little remains of the bats disperse into the crypts and seem unlikely to reform for weeks, if not longer.
Out of combat!
The iron bars at the end of the pool room look nigh impassible barring someone who may have an adamantine saw... let me know how you'd like to proceed.
The room behind the bars looks clear of danger.
And as long as nobody looks at the pool of water, you don't need to make any Will saves.
Ugnoth performs what he feels is a fairly thorough search of the room with the evil pool of water, but finds no indication of a mechanism to raise the portcullis.
He begins to believe if such a mechanism exists, it may be in one of the yet unexplored rooms.
Regrouping, you backtrack to the main foyer of the second floor and head south, follow a turn to your left (to the west) and enter a new chamber dominated on the far side by a silver fountain quietly burbling perfectly clear water.
An inscription above the fountain reads:
"Kassen’s legacy lives on with his people. Drink and be refreshed."
