DM Delmoth's Strange Aeons (Inactive)

Game Master Delmoth

Theophilus nods in understanding. The White Rabbit is seen taking notes.

Rest sounds splendid!

Another option would be to wake up and then return. You'd have to find a way to fly to the moon. But I don't think that's insurmountable.

Mara weighed in on the matter of resting, "We'll have to be on our guard; I got the impression there was some sort of trouble going on here. The moon-beast mentioned the possibility of 'that upstart piper above the cell-blocks' attacking."

"If we rest here, there's a chance that whoever is on the other side opens the door to this side to investigate. Solving the problem for us of getting across."

@GM ahhhh I see now. No wonder I was confused!

"I'm good with stayin' on guard if the rest of you are. We'll just gotta be careful, but it should be fine."

Seeing 3 to 1 to rest here.

The party takes turns keeping watch hoping that they don't get ambushed in the long hours. Your dreams stand in contrast to your situation, pleasant and ephemeral but its soon over. Luckily the ambush never comes.

Theo and the White Rabbit play cards in the morning.

The Witch then casts his buffs; including Feather Step on Dervak.

Does our backlash damage persist?
I'm assuming that the hex limit is reset (each person can be hexed again).

Mara had never rested in such an unusual location before. Luckily she was able to rest well enough to regain her spells.

She conducted her ritual to restore Dervak's flexibility. Then she intoned her protective prayers on her team.

Casting Restoration on Dervak.
Casting Heroism on Dervak, Kat and herself, using the metamagic rod.
Casting Barkskin on Dervak and herself.
Casting False Life and Remove Fear on herself.

False Life: 1d10 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

"OK, ready to go!"

Note that this time, she is also giving Kat a metamagic-enhanced Heroism (+3).

"Thank you, Mara. And thank Sarenrae for me."
Dervak flexes and feels much better.

He casts See Invisibility.

"Also ready to go. If we can only bring some of us across with Dimension Door, the Bracelet of Friends still has the tokens for everybody except Mara. So if she is one of the ones Theophilus brings, they can summon either Kat or myself with the bracelet."

Does our backlash damage persist?

I'm assuming that the hex limit is reset (each person can be hexed again).

The backlash damage will only persist if you haven't healed it, like any other damage, you would heal the normal amount for resting. It will persist on the Material Plane because its "real" there. And anything that would be restored on a rest will be restored.

And here we go...

"Ready. We can use the model to figure out where to go, I think. And have somebody ready to summon the last of us with the Bracelet in case we arrive in the midst of trouble."

Dervak will cast Shield as soon as we are ready to go.
Are Theophilus and Mara going to bring Kat and then summon Dervak, or bring Dervak and then summon Kat?

When you have who's going over put your tokens in the room you want to appear in and give a shout out. Assuming Kat is doing her usual buffs.

She is

"Think it makes most sense to bring you over first, bruv." She pats Dervak on the shoulder. "You're a bit better in close than me."

"Okay. Mara, you take the Bracelet. Theophilus, because it is your spell and also you are the smartest, you figure out where we should go."

Theophilus nods.
The White Rabbit takes out some measuring tape, an abacus, a yard stick, tape ruler, pencil, pencil sharpener, two tin cans tied with string, a foam mattress and a feather.
And what is the feather for exactly?

The White Rabbit shrugs.

Theo looks at his friends.
Ready? We go to the Lever Room.

He casts Dimension Door.

This room contains an enormous mechanism of gears and pulleys descending into the floor. A large metal lever protrudes from the device. Double doors stand in an alcove to the north.

Is there an engineer in the house?

The Witch cast Detect Magic.

No magic.

EDIT: Mara summoned Kat with the Bracelet of Friends.

She examined the mechanism and said, "Let's not move the lever yet — that would alert the enemy that we're here. I suggest we find the Yellow King first."

Perception, crone aspect, Heroism: 1d20 + 17 + 1 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 17 + 1 + 3 = 32

Preparing for the challenges ahead, she concentrated to make her form waver.

Activating Time Flicker (Blur).

So we've summoned Kat and are all together.
"I agree. Beyond alerting them, it would give them a way out which they don't have right now."

Assuming Kat is next to Dervak so the GM can just roll the Trap Spotter check or have her Take 10, Dervak opens the double doors to the next room.

Kat takes up position next to Dervak, her spear at the ready, as she scans for traps.

Assume she's taking 10 or using trap spotter (which I don't roll). Her perception in her header is up-to-date

Torture devices fill this large chamber, from racks and iron maidens to spiked chairs and vises. Most of the implements are stained with fresh blood, and a coppery tang fills the air. A wide staircase in the northeast corner leads down. Double doors stand in the south and west walls. The western wall of the room is dominated by a large apparatus with conical brass horns, fluted pipes piercing the ceiling, and oily tubes snaking from the apparatus to each of the torture devices. An odd, low wailing emanates from the machine like a faraway scream.

Several of the toture devices turn on their own to face the party as the doors open. Behind them is a terribly contorted ebony dragon. Shadows trail in its wake. Three exact copies of the dragon weave in and out together, each movement exactly the same. Mirror image

Initiative
Dervak: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Kat: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Mara: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Mara, Temporal Celerity: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 Always acts in surprise round, if surprised acts last
Theo: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Nightmare Dragon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Animate Object: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Arcana
Dervak: 1d20 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 3 = 7
Kat: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 10 + (5) + 3 = 30
Theo: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 = 13

Arcana
Dervak: 1d20 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 3 = 12
Kat: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 10 + (6) + 3 = 36
Theo: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25

1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Round 1
Theo <----------
Kat <----------
Animate Object
Dervak
Mara
Nightmare Dragon

Dragons, tables and chairs. Oh, my!

Theophilus begins a full round cast.

Grr post ate what you know about them.

Kat knows animated torture devices look like they are designed to load themselves. Grab and constrict, construct traits

Kat and Theo know the dragon is an adult nightmare dragon, they hunt the Dimension of Dreams for sleepers, delighting in torturing them with nightmares. They breath acid, have incredibly sharp claws, and are potent psychics. Dragon traits, acide breath 40ft cone 12d6, claws count as keen, immune to mind affecting, psychic spells known: mirror image, detect thoughts, scare, and others not appearing in this combat.

"Watch out for its acid cone, claws are extra sharp, and can't affect its mind."

Kat takes a step forward and studies the dragon as she downs an extract then enters her stance.

Resist energy (acid). Provides 20 acid resistance at this level

Five foot step, move to study, standard to drink extract, swift to enter snake style

Rack grapple vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Kat Snake style: 1d20 + 20 + 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 20 + (2) + 5 = 36

Iron maiden grapple vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Spiked chair grapple vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The torture devices advance on Kat and fail to restrain her. I think 3 of them provoke from Kat (from movement) but with her merciful longspear. They are immune to nonlethal damage so I don't think she can hurt them, until she turns merciful off.

Round 1
Theo
Kat
Animate Object
Dervak <-----------
Mara <-----------
Nightmare Dragon

The White Rabbit is seen ponderously placing the previously pointed out pieces of measuring equipment back into his sack.

How high is the ceiling in this room?

Mara concentrated, speeding up the flow of time for her allies.

Using Speed or Slow Time (Haste).

"Get ready, Dervak — I'm going to send you through!", she advised her friend.

Dervak nods.
He casts Resist Energy (Acid) on himself, moves next to Kat, and Str-Rages, with the Vorpal Scimitar in hand.

Every room within the prison is 15 ft tall.

The dragon moves about the room with unnerving grace and while staring intently at Dervak she speaks in an ethereal voice, "Surrender mortals and I will let you choose which of your number to add their death-screams to my chorus. The rest will become prisoners."

Round 2
Theo <-----------
Kat <-----------
Animate Object
Dervak
Mara
Nightmare Dragon

Kat deactivates the merciful effect on her longspear, grumbling to herself about getting attacked by furniture when there's a perfectly fine dragon to fight right there. Still, she studies one of the close beds for a chance to bash it in quickly.

Sadly, that's a standard action to turn off merciful. She will have to spend an inspiration later to put studied combat back on the dragon, but I've been too stingy with spending it anyways

Theo summons a thing and then does something else?

SM 4: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Took a chance!

Suddenly appearing around the dragon are Killa Croc and his 2 brothers!

Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 111d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

and tail slap: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d12 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Special Attack death roll, if grappled: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
plus trip

Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 171d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

and tail slap: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 31d12 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Special Attack death roll, if grappled: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
plus trip

Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 111d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

and tail slap: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 41d12 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Special Attack death roll, if grappled: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
plus trip

And, so, what happens is that there is plenty of huffing and puffing and gnashing of teeth, but no real damage done!

Theophilus shakes his head sadly. He cast Ill Omen at the Dragon.

Ill Omen

Roughly half of the teeth and tails connect with the dragon but don't so much as scratch its tough scales.

black animate slam 1 vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Kat Snake style: 1d20 + 20 + 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 20 + (2) + 5 = 37

black animate slam 2 vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

red animate slam 1 vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
red animate slam 2 vs Kat: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

yellow animate slam 1 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
yellow animate slam 2 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

The torture devices continue to flail just as uselessly as Theo's summoned villains. But one moves away to engage one of the Killa Croc Bros offering Kat and possibly Dervak an opportunity.

Round 2
Theo
Kat
Animate Object
Dervak <-----------
Mara <-----------
Nightmare Dragon

Mara concentrated, reaching out and manipulating the fabric of space, and creating a shortcut which bypassed the blocking furniture; she moved Dervak right in front of the dragon! Then she ducked out of the way in case the dragon launched a spray of acid in her direction.

Using Heaven's Leap on Dervak.

Dervak leaps through the tear in space and slashes at the dragon, hoping the sword will do its magic.
Using Destined Strike on the Iterative.
Primary, Heroism, Haste, Flanking, PA: 1d20 + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (11) + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 = 30
Damage: 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (1) + 23 = 24

Hasted Attack, Heroism, Haste, Flanking, PA: 1d20 + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (4) + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (6) + 23 = 29

Iterative, Heroism, Haste, Flanking, PA, Destined Strike 1 of 3: 1d20 + 11 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 4 = 20
Using 1/rage Certain Strike to reroll that.
Iterative, Heroism, Haste, Flanking, PA, Destined Strike 1 of 3: 1d20 + 11 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 4 = 28
Damage: 1d6 + 23 ⇒ (2) + 23 = 25

Not a great set of rolls... AC is 30.

There is no reason Kat shouldn’t take the AoO
Kat AoO (heroism, haste): 1d20 + 11 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 3 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Dervak is unlucky, primary attack: 1d20 + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (5) + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 = 24
Dervak is unlucky, haste attack: 1d20 + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (12) + 16 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 3 = 31

When Mara sends Dervak through the portal it takes a moment too long to finish the trip. Dervak knows he saw something but his mind refuses to remember it, all that's left is a profound feeling of unease. The distraction is enough to throw off his concentration. He still manages to find and disrupt the illusion protecting the dragon and with a final swipe of his scimitar draws a thin line of blood. First two attacks are near missed and auto-disrupt the mirror images, the final one does hit.

Bite vs Dervak: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (5) + 22 = 27
Claw 1 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40
Claw 1 vs Dervak, confirm?: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23
Claw 2 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40
Claw 2 vs Dervak, confirm?: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (10) + 21 = 31
Wing 1 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36
Wing 2 vs Dervak: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (9) + 19 = 28
Tail vs Dervak: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23

Claw 1 damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Claw 2 damage, confirmed crit: 1d8 + 9 + 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 + (5) + 9 = 31
Wing 1 damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Theo tries to curse the dragon with his Ill Omen but finds that it is not affected at all. Immune to mind-affecting. The dragon ravages Dervak with claws and wing; a normal man would have been gutted but the bloodrager still stands. The nightmare dragon rumbles, ”You surprise me mortal. But it was foolish for you to teleport to me rather than away.” Dervak takes 51 damage by my count.

Round 3
Theo <-----------
Kat <-----------
Animate Object
Dervak
Mara
Nightmare Dragon

"Mara or Theophilus, a bit of luck here!"
Unless either of you have better ideas. Could have Theophilus Fortune-hex Dervak and then Mara send Kat up to help.

Duh! That was a brain fart!

Theophilus does Fortune Hex Dervak. He Cackles.

The Killa Croc band play another round of tunes.
One Croc (the damaged one) full attacks the Dragon.

Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 = 231d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

and tail slap: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 = 91d12 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Special Attack death roll, if grappled: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
plus trip

Two of the Crocs go to attack the Furniture together.
Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 = 161d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Melee bite, flank: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 2 = 241d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
plus grab: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

Kat winces as Dervak gets sliced up bad. "I'm trying to clear a path! Be with ya shortly, bruv." She steps back to open up some room with her spear and starts stabbing away.

She'll start out attacking the one she studied (black), but will switch to red if she drops black. So -4 to attack and damage as listed

Primary Attack with Adamantine Merciful Longspear (heroism, haste, studied combat, power attack): 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 11 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 = 32
Primary Damage (studied combat, power attack): 1d8 + 6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 4 + 6 = 23

Haste Attack with Adamantine Merciful Longspear (heroism, haste, studied combat, power attack): 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 11 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 = 35
Haste Damage (studied combat, power attack): 1d8 + 6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 4 + 6 = 21

Secondary Attack with Adamantine Merciful Longspear (heroism, haste, studied combat, power attack): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 2 + 1 + 4 - 2 = 26
Secondary Damage (studied combat, power attack): 1d8 + 6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 4 + 6 = 19

Her sense motive bonus atm for snake style is +27+1d6(free inspiration)

EDIT: thanks for the reminder!

Don't forget Haste!

The crocodiles have trouble tearing apart the torturous furniture but somehow manage. For their part the dragon ignores them when they leave. Killa Croc is still having trouble doing anything to the dragon. Kat’s adamantine spear has little trouble cutting through it like warm butter and destroys two of them.

Blue iron maiden pins purple croc, unescaped grapple: 1d20 + 9 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 5 = 33
constrict damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Yellow iron maiden slam 1 vs green croc: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Slam dam: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Plus grab: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Yellow slam 2 vs green: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

The iron maiden next to the dragon twists Killa Croc's tail in an unnatural way causing a loud crack, pinning the creature.

Round 3
Theo
Kat
Animate Object
Dervak <-----------
Mara <-----------
Nightmare Dragon

Mara moved back into the line of fire and healed Dervak, using the connection through her phylactery. She knew his situation was desperate.

Healing Hex (Dervak): 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (4, 6) + 8 = 18

The nightmare dragon rumbles, ”You surprise me mortal. But it was foolish for you to teleport to me rather than away.”

"It's possible, beast. I make a lot of bad decisions."

Hmm... I no longer have a flanking partner, so can't use Dirty Fighting to avoid the AOO from the Blade Lash trip attempt. Well, that stinks.

Dervak takes a single swing at the dragon and moves back. This will provoke an AOO, but he can hopefully survive one attack.

Attack, Heroism, Haste, Defensively: 1d20 + 17 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 17 + 3 + 1 - 4 = 32 Forgot the +1 for MW weapon last time.
Fortune: 1d20 + 17 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 17 + 3 + 1 - 4 = 33
Damage: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

AC 33 and CMD 35. Did not use Arcane Strike on that attack. If the dragon tries to use the AOO to trip Dervak, he wants his immediate action to use Pugnacious to strike back at it. Because that AOO would actually happen on Dervak's own turn, I think he would need to have his swift action still available (normally they reset right after your turn). Also no PA - if it tries to trip Dervak, I want that AOO to hit.

AoO Bite: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (12) + 22 = 34
Bite damage: 2d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 2) + 13 = 17

Reflex, DC 23
Dervak, cover: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 2 = 20
Kat, inspiration: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23 base+dex+resist+hero+haste 6+1+2+3+1=13
Mara: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 base+dex+resist+hero+haste 2+2+2+3+1=10
Theo: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
White Rabbit: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Orange croc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Green croc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Yellow iron maiden: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Acid Damage: 12d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5, 4, 5, 2, 2, 5, 6, 5, 6, 5) = 56 half -> 28
Recharge: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Kat and Mara, I think you might have your save calculated low in your stat lines.

Dervak and the nightmare dragon trade blows as he makes a tactical retreat. Perhaps Dervak was expecting the dragon to trip him to pull him back but the dragon lets him go. And then a it rains acid melting flesh, steel, and stone alike. The pain is too much for Darvak despite his magical protections and he collapses. I believe this puts him at -10

Round 4
Theo <-----------
Kat <-----------
Animate Object
Dervak
Mara
Nightmare Dragon

Yep. -10. Should have retreated further around the corner.
This dungeon has been bad tactics and bad luck for Dervak. The bad tactics is at least something we can work on. The GM's hot dice, not so much.

Updated Mara's stat line to reflect heroism for saves. Her dex modifier is only +1 in crone aspect, but she also has a +1 luck bonus from Sacred Tattoo; 10 is the correct reflex save number.

Theophilus screams bloody murder as acid washes over him!
My attire is absolutely ruined now!
The White Rabbit winces and pulls out a clean handkerchief.

Theophilus calls the last surviving Killa Croc over to block the door.

The Witch then moves 5' toward Dervak. He uses Healing Hex. He Cackles.