Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Seeing Bref scamper out of the water, and up the wall, Tohram attempts to help Dren climb up.

Climb(aid another): 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11 <-- not sure if there is any bonus as I am helping him with the rope, did not include the armor check penalty as it does not seem applicable if I am just puling the rope or pointing out handholds.

Edmin, see if you can help Grumblejack.

DMDM - as a question, since water is not compressible, when the boulder hits the water, what will happen? I assume one of two things should occur. The boulder will skip across the water, unlikely. Or it will create a huge wave pushing everything in the water, such as Grumblejack, up with it.

DMDM - as a question, since water is not compressible, when the boulder hits the water, what will happen? I assume one of two things should occur. The boulder will skip across the water, unlikely. Or it will create a huge wave pushing everything in the water, such as Grumblejack, up with it.

I daresay we'll see soon enough.

I was thinking that pulling the rope up isn't really a climb check but a STR check to lift me up...
climb 1d20 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) - 1 + 2 = 3 hmmmm, not good, this looks like the end of Dren.

so I guess I dont owe you that last 150 gp! Dont worry Bref will come back and make some Dren jelly.

It may be the end! However, climbing this wall is a move action, so you get one more try. And other people can help you.

Grumblejack could help you, but he's still annoyed at you for that Intimidate a while back. (Yes, you healed him later. That just means he's not going to attack you. But he's still annoyed. He's an ogre. They hold grudges.) So he's just going to climb up his own rope:

1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 5 = 18

And up he goes!

I assume Bref cannot aid since he had to swim and climb, but if he can 1d20 ⇒ 12 I do not have any negative skills, so that should aid whatever if I can. Apparently Bref wants to pay his debt before making Dren Jelly sandwhiches.

Heave that rope, Judge!

Jax will grab the rope with Dren and try pulling him up. Str check: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Maybe the water and the hill will slow it enough to where we can put our weight together and stop it?

Bref can't aid. Everyone else can.

I rolled my aid another. I am -1 on Strength and -3 on climb (-2 from armor). So, if it is just strength, I got an 11 on my aid another. If it requires the full climb modifiers, then I only got a 9.

Attept to aid Dren 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

wow. Cуровую almost falls back in!

'Dren use The Dark Side!'

...Bye Dren.

If Dren get's two move actions to try and climb up.
climb with aids...1d20 - 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (16) - 1 + 2 + 2 = 19

Daaaaang!

With seconds to spare, Dren scrambles up the rope. He throws himself over the edge of the wall just as the boulder slams into the pool.

SPLOOOOSH

CRACK! The boulder hits the wall hard enough to knock several of you prone.

Bref scampers over and hugs Dren's leg. Goblin glad Shadowshanks' shank not smushed.

What is ahead?

And then... it stops.

Under the boulder, the last draugr is pinned against the wall. It twitches with some remaining spark of undead vitality. One of its arms flails slowly back and forth, as if waving farewell.

The top of the wall is actually the antechamber to the next room. You've finished this room. You have survived.

Darn, really thought we had a dead PC there. Oh, well. Next time. Moving right along...

The top of the wall is actually a 20 x 20 room. A staircase departs it, going up.

We'll move things along by noting that there are no other exits and the staircase is not trapped.

At the top of the staircase is a door with writing on it.

Bref looks back over the boulder trail. That fun, want do again!

Then examining the room Bref sees the writing and then...

Bref flops himself on the ground and has a tantrum.

More EVIL WORD PICTURES! GOBLIN HATE EVIL WORD PICTURES!

Looking down and the insane goblin, the Judge simply shrugs.

Let's see what this door tells us.

The Judge then reads the words on the door.

Then he turns to Bref: Remember, your EVIL WORD PICTURES, are to assist us. If you do not learn from them, you will die and I certainly will not seek to save you.

The Judge then begins his now commonplace ceremony which after a minute results in his shadow lengthening and stretching until it is three dimensional. Then suddenly two glowing red eyes, red claws and a large set of teeth appear as the Judge keels over in pain and looks quite ill for a few moments.

I resummon Morsum.

Edmin turns from the ledge giving Ragnar a pat on the head and moves towards the door. "What damnable task do we have to do now?"

Bref continues to flail ignoring, or perhaps not hearing Judge's statement. When Morsum reappears Bref stops flailing.

Shadow Beastie!! You miss all fun!

Bref skips over to him and excitedly starts telling him what happened.

Whoops, I almost forgot!

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 1d20 ⇒ 9

Sir Edmin, you notice Grumblejack moving towards Ragnar the dog. The ogre is still nursing a nasty bite on one hand. (You may recall that he rescued Ragnar and got bitten in return.)

Grumblejack draws back one leg. His obvious intention is to kick Ragnar off the top of the wall.

You have initiative, so you can intervene or not, as you choose.

That is what you get for posting when you are tired and just home from work. I totally forgot we just finished a run for our lives and would probably be taking stock of what we have and being relieved of being alive.

At the same time, this is the Judge who uses people until they are finished and then tosses them from something younger and more useful.

The Judge would probably have taken a breather and begun to recall Morsum before venturing to the next door.

Edmin holds his left hand up palm out towards Grumblejack, the knight's right hand holding the headsman's axe. "I would not do that ogre. I thank you for saving Ragnar, but he is what he is. Mine. Now, we can let that bite go, and I compensate you later for your deed as friends, or you kick my dog and I split your rather large skull with my axe. You decide."

Seeing the potential conflict, the Judge calls to Grumblejack:

Grumblejack, STOP. That is a poor choice my friend. We finish this test together, or we die together. If we fight now, we all fail and we both know Zargo loves failures. Do you wish to be part of Zargo's next chemical experiment?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

In giant to Grumblejack

'Great one, once we are done hear I promise you your wounds will be healed, slaves will massage your tired powerful muscles, and a feast for you large enough to satisfy ten of your kin. For now, we ask that you let the hound live, it may prove useful.'

Aid Diplomacy 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Dren lays there on his back panting for a moment. He has barely escaped with his life, the voices whipering to him that he should have stayed down there and joined them into the dark nothingness.

He sits up and grins, it is the first time he has really felt alive, the adrenaline still pumping through his veins making his hands shake.
Is this what it feels like to be alive? he muses to no one in particular.

He looks up to see the Ogre moving towards the dog.
Dren had already decided that the Ogre will have to die at the next opportunity shortly after he climbed up the rope past him. For now he would buy his time until they were done with him...unless he acted rashly now, then Dren's magic would spell his doom.

Bref is too busy flailing to notice this mess.

Bref scampers over and hugs Dren's leg. Goblin glad Shadowshanks' shank not smushed.

What is ahead?

Dren looks at the large headed Goblin, I am glad you made it as well Bref. We have much more to accomplish and many to have revenge on before we can go to the darkness.

The Judge's silver tongue pierces the ogre's sullen resentment!

"Compensation, huh?" Grumblejack snarls. "I want a hundred gold and... a keg of ale. The good stuff!"

Let's see.

Dogman and Beetles
Zargo
Bloodmist
Dretches and Squire Timeon
Irin and her cards
Sherkov's Fun Run

So, ahead lies the seventh room of your test.

The Judge moves up to the next door and sees what the words say, glancing and the goblin and his absurd antics whenever words are involved.

The knight smiles, but his eyes still appear to be ready for bloodletting. "Done ogre. Let no one say Edmin Al'Roth is not generous."

Jax pats Dren on the back and snickers. Well..that was damned close! I totally thought you were going to end up a pancake with the way you were flailing at that wall. Let's see if we can all make it out of the rest of this hell-hole in one piece, eh?

Judge, what does the door say? I'm eager to be done with this task and sit quietly in the library with a bottle of wine..perhaps with Irin.

I must admit feats of strength are not what I am best at, I was not blessed with the muscles of Grumblejack or Sir Edmin...

The Judge sourly looks back at Dren.

You were blessed with more than I.

Cast Detect Magic on the potion I picked up and the one Dren has if that's alright by him.

Spellcraft 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Spellcraft 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

edit - why do the high rolls just come when I'm out of danger?

Is anyone still injured? We should heal some before finding out what is beyond the door.

Uses the following charges if anyone wants one:
Cure light wounds wand 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Cure light wounds wand 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Cure light wounds wand 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Give one to judge, then one to Bref.

Maybe another to judge if he needs it

The Judge sees Dren pull out his curing wand and quickly steps back. Tohram then looks down at himself and realizes that Grumblejack managed to give him a fair number of wounds in the process of being dragged through the passages.

None of that for me unless you all want to be carrying me through the rest of this place.

If you can channel negative energy, I will welcome the rejuvenating power. Otherwise, I will drink another of these.

Tohram pulls out a vial of dark viscous liquid which almost radiates evil.

If someone can cast Inflict Light Wounds, I will take a blast, otherwise I will drink another potion.

Still waiting on what the door says.

thats right, i will take the first charge then, and be filled up

When I summon the dark powers, they seem to heal others. I am guessing this would harm you. When I learned about this earlier, I did procure a coupl of scrolls of this damaging magic. I am thinking this will heal you. If you want I can burn one of these vs. one of your potions?

The Judge looks hesitantly at Dren: Might as well try your scroll then. I can use the potion at any time if you are not around.

Assuming Dren uses the scroll:
ILW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

You all see the dark aura of negative energy surround the Judge, then a moment later it fades and his wounds have closed some.

HP: 15/18

Anyone else hurt? Ragnar, Grumblejack?

Cуровую зимy watches her allies take stock, as she herself determines the properties of the potions, she will recast Message with the group's 'leader' Edmin, and Bref, the goblin scout.

She then walks over to read the writing that leads to the next challenge.

Now, she supposes, what can top a boulder of death?

Okay. Here's what the door says:

Our Father recognizes many sins: carelessness, sentimentality, disobedience, mercy. Of course, he has punishments prepared for all of these.

But there is one sin he scarcely needs to punish. For it is the sin that punishes itself.

Love

Thus is the boulder of death, topped.

goblin sneak!

stealth 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (19) + 15 = 34

Bref quietly opens the door and looks inside.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

As Bref is opening the door and charging in, the Judge cautions him:

Read the words goblin. Your every action reeks of carelessness. If you continue on the careless road you travel, you will find yourself dead, or suffering under the First's lash.