Dark Sun, Pathfinder Edition (Inactive)

Game Master tribeof1

Surveying the scratches by the stream, Grit determines that a pair of the dark spiders were here until just moments ago. Both appear to have fled with some haste to the east, following the cavern carved by the stream.

Giving chase, the group advances down the cavern with haste. The rough-hewn passage is relatively level but twists and turns. Rounding one corner, Raun manages to stop just in time to avoid running into a mass of silvery webbing. Although not particularly thick, the webs criss-cross the passage. Hundreds of small bones and pebbles have been woven into the web nearer the wall, with the mass drawn tight toward the center of the cavern by a pair of fresh strands still glistening in the light. With some work you might be able to remove the web without disturbing the bones, but burning the web or pushing through it is going to cause a great deal of noise.

Enough time has passed since the last fight that any spells with a duration of 1 minute or less have expired. The web alarm can be disabled with a series of three DC 20 Disable Device checks, but that will take several minutes, causing any minute/level spells to expire, as well. Burning the web or barging through will sound an alarm but save enough time that your minute/level spells will remain active for the next fight.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

<<There are voices down the tunnel, but I can't hear what they're saying.>>

<<I could burn this away but it would be rather noisy, can we disable the alarm instead?>>

perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22

The kreen stares down the passage, antennae twitching to sense the vibrations of voice, hearing nothing intelligible.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

As the group pauses Grit casts Barkskin on himself. <<They are ahead. We should make haste. They already know we are coming for them.>>

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

<<Indeed. The sooner we're there, the less time they have to prepare.>> Gorkhan moves off along the ceiling, blending into the stone and darkness.

Stealth: 1d20 + 32 ⇒ (19) + 32 = 51

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

Woki frowns at the webbing blocking the passage as the small halfling tries to wiggle through without disturbing the bones and rocks.

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

[dice=Perception]1d20+20

<<Indeed. The sooner we're there, the less time they have to prepare.>> Gorkhan moves off along the ceiling, blending into the stone and darkness.

[dice=Stealth]1d20+32

Just to be clear, in this instance speed and stealth are mutually exclusive. You can choose to plow through the webs and make a lot of noise or take your time and try to remain undetected (although not unexpected).

Abandoning stealth in favor of speed, the party follows close behind Raun as the half-giant clears a path through the web-filled passage, rattling bones trailing behind on ragged ribbons of silk.

The stream shifts away from the corridor a hundred paces in, where a fissure in the walls hints at some great shift of the earth in centuries past. Another hundred paces after that, the corridor opens up into larger cavern that echoes with the sound of flowing water.

Crude lanterns illuminate the cavern. The group finds itself on a wide ledge overlooking a jagged channel carved in the rock. A steep path leads down to where the stream bubbles below then up again to the other side, where more ruins fill the cave.

Time-worn pillars on a stone platform give the place the look of a temple - although the rust-brown stains on the stone hint at the savage nature of the worship practiced here. As your eyes adjust to the flickering light, you see a dark spider move into view on the platform, its spiny hide covered in patterns of phosphorescent purple and glistening black. A small, pale figure is clutched in its arms.

Grit and Däina beat the spider's initiative and may go ahead and act now. The rest of the party will have to wait until after the spider, but go ahead and let me know if you'd like to be placed differently than I have you on the map (but within the same general area).

Cavern Map

I figured since Gorkhan moves that much faster than the others, he could get ahead of them, even with taking care in the webbing. No matter.

<<I can cast Air Walk on one of us, likely me. And then carry people across the chasm.>> Grit sends as he delays for Däina to act.

<<It's not that wide, just jump it.>> "Tairais!" Daina weaves a spell over the party.

Haste, go get 'em kids.

I suspect you are not counting from the start of the chasm, but from the water. The chasm is at least 25' wide.

Ohhh, yeah I gotcha now. I didn't quite understand the map. I'll hold off on the haste for now than.

Ok, so ... actions?

<<Does anybody have a way to get across this jump? I can do all of my damage from here.>>

<<I can take one rider over if they tell me know they want to go. Otherwise I am going over. >> Unless someone responds Grit casts Airwalk on himself and walks 60 feet towards the enemy, gaining 10 feet in altitude.

<<Enemy has villichi prey in arms. Do no ball of fire.>>

i have enough range, i can forego passage for now. Raun probably needs help, Gorkhan might be able to jump it, Woki might have some kind of fly power. Don't forget that Haste gives the +30 to base speed, which translates to a +12 acrobatics!

On his turn, Gorkhan can either walk across it via the ceiling or, if it cuts through that too, just walk across the air, just at a slower pace (25' instead of 55' while in the air).

So grit casts and moves up to 70 total feet, though some of that is used gaining a little altitude. I figure its good to spread out against what we know are casters. We might be in negotiations in a moment through…

Ok, still waiting to hear a final action from Daina. Will move things along regardless this evening.

Since the party seems to have a way around the cavern, I will go with my original plan to cast haste.

Grit takes to the air as Daina completes her spell. You feel your senses speed up, but the supernatural celerity only lasts a moment before words of power echo across the cavern. A second spider appears amid the ruins to the south, surrounded by a circle of ash from the defiling spell it used to dispel Daina's haste incantation.

"Come no closer, filthy sun-dwellers!" The spider holding the villichi girl shakes the small body roughly. "Stay back, or I will sink my fangs into the pale child and send her soul into the hungry abyss! Lay down your weapons and leave this place if you want her to live."

You feel building power as the spider on the dais readies some manifestation of the Way.

Note: Woki is still flying. Gorkhan, you can use the ceiling to traverse the ravine just fine. Others will have to blow 10 feet of movement crawling down to the water and then an additional 15 feet (in addition to horizontal movement) to climb back up. Or try jumping.

~~~~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~

You're up!

Updated Map

Combat Round 1

Initiative Group 1: Däina, Nnn'tkklik'l, Raun, Gorkhan, Grit, Woki

Initiative Group 2: Dark spiders

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Well that was bloody rude. Daina looks at the child and is torn; she doesn't want to endanger her, but they can't just leave. Then she knows. The new spell I researched! "Jedark buatleb!" A globe of shimmering force encloses the girl, entrapping and protecting her. [b]<<She is safe, attack!>>[/b

Resilient Sphere. It's my last 4th level spell for the day, but if I can save the life of the girl it's worth it. I'm not sure if the little girl is conscious, but if she is she can receive a reflex save to avoid the sphere if she chooses to do so. DC 23.

Round 1
Effects: Air Barrier (+6 AC), Fly

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

Move Action: Fly forward over the crevasse.
Standard Action: Cast bless on the party.

The spiders showing themselves and their hostage seem to anger Woki. The halfling floats across the crack as the spirits are once more beseeched for their aid. Woki points his spear at the lead spider (hostage-taker), "Weak hunter hides behind little tall-ones. Show worth."

Grit, standing in the air, shifts into his cat form and moves to stand directly over the spider near the girl maintaining just enough altitude to do and threaten it.

perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19

Gorkhan, melded into the dark ceiling of the cavern, rushes along it, towards the spider and it's prisoner.

Double move up to 160' to get behind the spider thing (although remain on the ceiling and away from it's reach... just setting up a spring next round).

perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29 awwww

The kreen tries to pull the pale girl into the collective, unless Daina's sphere blocks the effect. Then the kreen would try to pull the spider in. DC 22 Will.

The dark spider on the dais curses as a glowing ball of energy forms around the villichi girl. Grit walks forward through the air as Gorkhan follows, seeming almost to fly himself as he runs along the ceiling.

Unable to pierce the warded sphere Daina had created, Nnn'tkklik'l focused his mind on the dark spider, drawing it into the collective. Flying across the gap, Woki called down a benediction. Roaring a challenge, Raun summoned her rage (activating the same bloodrage spells as last time) and makes a running leap over the chasm. Landing safely on the other side, she continues toward the spider revealed to the south.

Hiding behind the ruined wall, the southern spider mutters the words of a spell before flinging a pair of fiery bolts at the approaching half-giant. Both fly wide, spattering against the far walls of the cavern as the displacement effect surrounding the half-giant spoils the spider's aim. A hej-kin rises from the stone floor behind her but has no better luck with its claws.

To the east, the spider on the dais take a step back before targeting Grit and Gorkhan with a blast of psionic energy. Gorkhan manages to resist the mental assault, but Grit is almost knocked senseless. Grit is stunned for 2 rounds.

A third spider appears to the north of the dais, its invisibility fading as it flings a wad of sticky webbing that envelops Gorkhan. Gorkhan is entangled. Standard action to try to escape with a DC 16 Escape Artist check or Strength check at -4.

~~~~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~

You're up!

I was away from my computer and couldn't update the map. Grit and Gorkhan are both near the eastern dark spider, Grit five feet away and Gorkhan in striking distance. Another spider has appeared near the farthest north set of stairs. Raun is near the westernmost stair, along with a hej-kin just to her north.

Combat Round 2

Initiative Group 1: Däina, Nnn'tkklik'l, Raun, Gorkhan, Grit, Woki

Initiative Group 2: Dark spiders and hej-kin

Escape Artist DC 16: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Gorkhan struggles to escape the webbing in vain.

Round 2
Effects: Air Barrier (+6 AC), Bless (+1 to atk, +1 vs fear), Fly

Standard Action: Cast ball lightning.
Move Action: Direct the two orbs toward the spiders. They move 20 feet per round, perfect manueverability, and stop if they enter a creature's space and do their damage.

If I can't get them to both to separate spider spaces in the first round, I'll move them both to the closest spider.

Woki swirls the bone-laden spear round and round, causing a loud whistling noise as the air goes through holes drilled into the bones while chanting for the spirits to show their fury with the dark many-legged ones. The air crackles and whines as two dense balls of pure electricity coalesce into being before zipping off toward the defiling spiders.

Lightning Ball 1 Damage: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3, 4) + 1 = 12 Reflex DC 19 negates
Lightning Ball 2 Damage: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 2, 5) + 1 = 13 Reflex DC 19 negates

Daina raises glowing palms. "Valignatir xtirl!" One searing beam of fire blasts out towards the creature next to the little girl. The other one arcs just of to the side of Gorkhan, setting the web ablaze.

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 2, 6) = 15

The second ray I'm shooting 5 feet away from Gorkhan. Most webs are highly flammable and will burn away at 5 feet a round, so Gorkhan will take 1d6 fire damage but he'll be free. At this level 1d6 damage doesn't mean much so I'd rather have him free.

Edit

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 4 = 17
Failed Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 1, 1) = 8
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Er, if you shoot the ray 5 feet away from Gorkhan it will miss. This isn't a web spell that is anchored to anything, it's a web thrown by the spider that is entangling Gorkhan. The only webs are those wrapped around his body.

I'd say it's still flammable, but you'll have to actually target Gorkhan with the ranged touch attack. I'll let you try with the same -4 penalty as if you were trying to deal nonlethal damage with a lethal weapon. If you succeed, he only takes 1d6 damage from the burning web. If you miss by 4 or less, he takes 4d6 from the scorching ray plus 1d6 from burning.

Nnn'tkklik'l attempts to pull life from the vile spider-creature he pulled into the collective.

22 dmg, DC 22 will halves, spider is at -2 penalty

Grit remains stunned and Gorkhan struggles in vain against the sticky webbing thrown by the northernmost spider as the rest of the group advances.

Growling a battle-cry, Raun charges south, her hammer smashing into the defiling spider with a resounding crack.

Behind her, Woki summons two glowing balls of lightning. Seeing the damage inflicted by Raun's stone hammer, the halfling sends the spell rolling toward the spider on the dais, but the bloated arachnid manages to dodge the crackling spheres.

The foul creature manages to dodge the flaming missile Daina sends its way, as well. But the arcanist's aim is on target as she sends a second flaming arrow at Gorkhan, burning away the webs that had entrapped him while inflicting only superficial damage. Gorkhan is free, loses 2 temp hp.

Nnn'tkklik'l, meanwhile, exerts his will as he siphons lifeforce from the spider on the dais. The creature squeals and curses as he draws its energy into the collective. No one is injured right now, so the drained hit points are lost - as far as I can tell you can't bank them.

Screeching in terror as Raun looms over it, the southernmost spider takes a step back while carefully preparing a spell. A pair of fiery missiles streak toward the half-giant, only to fly off course at the last minute, diverted by the Champion's psionic shield. Following behind the Raun, a hej-kin swipes with a shimmering claw but also misses.

Across the chasm, a second hej-kin rises from the floor between Däina and Nnn'tkklik'l, its claw tearing through the thri-kreen's carapace. Nnn takes 16 damage.

Screaming its wrath, the bloated spider on the dais scuttles away from stunned Grit across a rickety bridge to the south. The phosphorescent lichen on the walls shrivels and darkens as the spider spits the words of its spell. It summons a pebble-sized ball of fire that streaks toward Däina and Nnn'tkklik'l then explodes, scorching the pair along with the hej-kin attacking them. Nnn fails his save and takes 48 damage from the maximized fireball. Daina and the hej-kin each take 24 damage.

The northernmost dark spider, meanwhile, summons a glob of ectoplasmic energy that surrounds Gorkhan and Grit, shutting them away from the fighting. The spider then begins scuttling toward the villichi girl, still encased in a cocoon of force summoned by Daina's spell.

~~~~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~

You're up! Grit is stunned this round but will return to normal next round. Gorkhan, you are stuck inside the wall of ectoplasm but can try to cut your way free.

Updated Map

Combat Round 3

Initiative Group 1: Däina, Nnn'tkklik'l, Raun, Gorkhan, Grit, Woki

Initiative Group 2: Dark spiders and hej-kin

Grit in Togone form reels as best he can in his stunned state as the ectoplasm every surrounds him.

yeah, i was kinda hoping someone would be dealt damage after i declared action but before i siphoned it. no chance of it being used on myself after that fireball and claw?

also, i see you did not include my +1 vs fire in the saving throw, although it wouldnt have mattered in that instance.

<<need heal>> the kreen sends a pained broadcast to Grit, Woki and Daina.

Noting any healing done would be negated by the hejkin's next assault, the kreen seeks to make some space between him and his attacker.

acrobatics: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38 to avoid AoO

acrobatics: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39 to cross chasm

Nnn'tkklik'l manifests Vigor on Daina and himself, adding 35 temp HP each to the duo.

accounting for Nnn's increased base land speed, haste bonus, half speed through the hejkin's threatened squares, and stellar jump roll, Nnn should end up with a net movement of 3 squares down, 9 squares right (although he moved diagonally).

Daina's haste spell was dispelled/countered as soon as she cast it, so you don't have that extra movement. Your rolls look plenty high to avoid the AoO and make the jump, so just let me know how your movement changes. And sorry , no healing from the siphon as it occurred before the bad guys acted.

ah, then it is all f+$~ed then, i dont have a bonus that high without the haste... guess i'll just stand there and Vigor us both then. manifesting defensively, either of those rolls would have sufficed to avoid an AoO, and I'll 5ft step diagonally down-right.

Actually I was going to cast haste again this turn, and I act before Nnn.

With the other spell laid in place, Daina puts up another haste spell.

ah, whew, i can really use that haste. I am down to 1 hp

Gorkhan vaguely sees the bloated spider through the sticky ectoplasmic wall encircling him. That was all he needed and as he stepped towards it, he disappeared, appearing beside the spider where he unleashed an attack before retreating.

Channeling the Seeker to turn part of movement into teleportation.
Spring attack bloated spider and end in the N part of that little alcove (so partial cover from Red and behind the ectoplasm circle from fat purple). Hard to tell distances on my phone though. Have 55' move (hadn't realized Haste was cancelled right away).
Blow focus for +2d6. Use punisher's ring for max damage (half nonlethal)

Spring Attack w/ higher ground, spatial awareness: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 1 + 2 = 30
Damage: 10 + 7 + 2 + 12 = 31 16 lethal and 15 nonlethal damage

That Haste would only affect Nnn and Daina then. Everyone to be affected has to be within 25 feet of someone else IIRC

Raun vaults the crumbling wall, trusting on the champion's continued protection to keep her safe from the Hej-kin's attack so she can keep up the assault on the defiler, landing another heavy blow.

Move over the wall, keep up the attack. Vital strike etc.

Earthbreaker: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33
Damage: 4d8 + 25 ⇒ (2, 6, 2, 3) + 25 = 38

Just so I'm clear, because we barged through the webs that means she still has Shield and Expeditious Retreat up, yeah?

Just so I'm clear, because we barged through the webs that means she still has Shield and Expeditious Retreat up, yeah?

Yes.

Also, I'm going to give Woki another couple of hours to post, then move ahead.

Nnn'tkklik'l feels his hearts beating against the scorched edges of his cracked carapace, the rhythm faltering as his tortured body tries to keep moving. He feels a surge of energy vibrate through his body as Daina steps back from hej-kin and mouths the words of a spell. Leaping past his attacker, he launches himself to temporary safety across the chasm while surrounding himself and the half-elf in a protective cocoon.

As Grit begins to recover from the spider's psionic assault, Gorkhan flickers out of sight, reappearing next to the bloated matriarch before plunging the Seeker's blade into its body. He slides away out of sight as the bruise-colored creature screeches in pain.

Turning her back on the hej-kin, Raun goes after the wounded spider to the south. She feels a cold claw slice open her thigh as she straddles the ruined wall. 9 damage after DR as the hej-kin lands its AoO. The cut doesn't throw off her aim, however, and her hammer slams down to dispatch the spider with a satisfying crunch.

"Quag! You dirty sun-walkers killed Quag! the northern spider screeches as Raun raises her hammer, slick with spider gore.

A step behind, the hej-kin throws itself at the half-giant but its wild slashes are all off the mark.

To the north, the other hej-kin ignores the burns covering its hide as it slashes at Daina with its own claws, the blows tearing away most of the protection raised by Nnn'tkklik'l. Daina loses 31 temp hp.

Peaking out from the stone alcove, Gorkhan is struck by blinding pain as the northern spider assaults his mind with a jagged blade of mental energy. Gorkhan takes 48 damage from mind thrust, removing his temp hps plus another 30 hit points.

Scuttling to the edge of the stony platform to which it retreated, the bloated matriarch utters another spell as it catches a glimpse of Gorkhan, sending a quartet of glowing bolts of energy slamming into his body. Another 19 points of damage to Gorkhan.

~~~~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~

You're up! Woki can act twice, and Grit is no longer stunned (though he is trapped inside the wall of ectoplasm).

Updated Map

Combat Round 4

Initiative Group 1: Däina, Nnn'tkklik'l, Raun, Gorkhan, Grit, Woki

Initiative Group 2: Dark spiders and hej-kin

Daina flinches, glad that Nnn's abilities protected her. But she knows they won't last long, and she won't be getting help soon. So she plays defensively. "Bahsk trilvol!" Mirror images of Daina spring up around her.

Mirror Images: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Casting mirror image. To avoid confusion, is it ok to say that rolling a 1 means they hit the real Daina?

waiting to see if any heals come into the collective before i act

Round 4
Effects: Air Barrier (+6 AC), Bless (+1 to atk, +1 vs fear), Fly

Delayed Standard Action: Cast cure serious wounds on self for Nnn to hijack.
Delayed Move Action: Move ball lightning back on spider.

Standard Action: Cast cure moderate wounds on self for Nnn to hijack.
Move Action: Move ball lightning back on spider.

Channeling won't do much good as spread out as we are, so here are a couple spells to use, Nnn.

Cure Serious Wounds: 3d8 + 8 ⇒ (4, 8, 5) + 8 = 25
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (5, 6) + 8 = 19

Lightning Ball 1 Damage, Reflex DC 19 negates: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4, 1) + 1 = 8
Lightning Ball 2 Damage, Reflex DC 19 negates: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 3, 4) + 1 = 14
Lightning Ball 1 Damage, Reflex DC 19 negates: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 3, 5) + 1 = 10
Lightning Ball 2 Damage, Reflex DC 19 negates: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 4, 3) + 1 = 14

Woki calls out for the spirits aid once more as the spiders seem to be hammering the rest of the group with spell after spell. Finger dance as the ball lightning is directed to zoom in again and again at the spider they are circling.

Not sure what it means to be caught in a wall of ectoplasm. Most walls cannot entrap someone. Is the wall shaped in a hemisphere? Is Grit entangled? I see on the map that the wall is in a circle. Can Grit simply climb over it, or is it a dome? if trapped inside can he attack the wall?

Is the wall shaped in a hemisphere? Is Grit entangled? I see on the map that the wall is in a circle. Can Grit simply climb over it... Is it a dome? if trapped inside can he attack the wall?

Yes, no, no, yes, yes. It's a hemisphere connected to the cavern ceiling. You can try to claw your way out.

Trapped but unhurt, Grit turns his attention to a section of the wall, ripping into it with abandon.

Bite: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 15 + 1 = 202d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 5) + 9 = 19
Claw: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 15 + 1 = 312d4 + 9 ⇒ (1, 2) + 9 = 12
Claw: 1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 15 + 1 = 252d4 + 9 ⇒ (2, 4) + 9 = 15