Dungeon Delving with the Brute Squad (Inactive)

Game Master ThorGN

Dasiji grimaces as Zedril has no better luck. "Okay, let's try it again, this time together."

Since doors hate Dasiji, I'll just do Aid Another vs. DC 10: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14 Success

For the sake of time, The door pops open after a couple of coordinated pushes.

The passage behind the door has a small stairway downward the leads into another room, however the end of the passage is so choked with large cobwebs that you will need to hack your way through to get anywhere.

Needless to say, Dasiji begins hacking away at the cobwebs with his greatsword. "I don't really want to meet whatever could make such big webs. But better that than a screaming well or a stuck door."

The room is choked with webbing. Dasiji breaks through to a more open spot in the middle of the room and notices within the webs are a number of what appear to be small, dead humanoids with dark, scaled skin, each wrapped in a cocoon of sticky webbing.

He also meets their creator, a large grotesque spider. The kind you used to fear was in your closet when you were a kid.

Round 1

Initiative:
Dasiji 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Kehl 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Irijaya 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Quintus 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Zedril 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Spider 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Dasiji has cleared enough space for himself and one other ally to face the Spider. Anyone further who wishes to get into melee range will need to make a Strength check to move through the web, or take a round to clear it.

A shudder runs down Kehl's spine. Faced with such arachnid horrors, he has to convince himself not to simply run, screaming. Instead, he draws his crossbow and launches a bolt at the thing, happy not to get close.

attack roll1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

He starts a long string of what must be cursing in Varisian as the bolt skitters of the stone, wide of the target.

Zedril raises his sword and points it at the large spider. You will not leave this room, your days of death are over. Smite Evil

I will join Dasiji in the room and make my first attack.

ROUND 1:

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 2 = 18
Zedril swings directly at the spiders face hoping to blind it with blood.
Damage: 1d10 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 1 = 12

Round 1, Init 5

Dasiji swings wildly at the nightmare incarnate, to little effect.

Standard attack w/greatsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Quintus begins to recite a spell - an attempt to put the spider to sleep. (Full-round action.)

Zedril leaves a nasty gash on the spider’s neck. But it’s not evil, so your Smite is wasted.

It retaliates, attempting to put the good Elf down.
Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14, but misses.

Round 2

Zedril
Kehl
Spider
Quintus
Dasiji

On Delay:
Irijaya

Kehl reloads. Kehl aims. Kehl mutters a prayer to the god of large boots used to squash over-sized insects. Kehl fires.

attack roll 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Kehl curses the infernal crossbow and hurls it at the ground.

Round 2:

Zedril laughs at the spiders feeble attack and returns the favor.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 --Crit!
Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Crit Damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Quintus finishes casting his sleep spell and targets an area that only covers the spider. (Will DC 14)

Holding off to see what happens...

Zedril lops off the head of the detestable beast!

Combat Ends

Within the webbing you find a couple of dead Kobolds. One of them has a small purse on him with some gold and a very nice looking Pearl in it.

On the opposite end of the room is an opening to the hallway that leads to the door out. It seems you have now explored all areas of Asad’s Keep.

Dasiji looks puzzled. "Huh. I wouldn't build something that I couldn't control. If the winds can't be stopped, maybe they can be used? Is there a way to make that carved face start blowing again?" Referring to the one at the entrance.

There are at least two things that we skipped dealing with: aside from the screaming well, there was a lair of some kind north of the holding cells (the "rough stone tunnel" in this post). Can anyone think of anything else? I would at least like to go back and deal with the lair.

Kehl exhales finally, tension escaping as the spider dies.

Thank you Zedril. I may be able to sleep now knowing there is one less abomination in the world."

"Perhaps, Dasiji. I suppose we'd best take a look at it again."

Oh, I guess you didn’t check that out yet. Good thing you remembered.

As you search the lair, you find in the pile of bones and refuse 100 gp in mixed coin, a golden crown worth 300 gp, a masterwork short sword, and a wax-sealed tin scroll tube with a scroll of comprehend languages.

Beyond the lair the earth has split to provide a narrow passage through the rock face. The dim glow of natural light betrays where the path leads.

"Might as well see where this goes, as long as we're here."

You walk/clime through and up the cleft in the racks, and fins yourself back on top of the rugged landscape, not far from the valley where you originally started. This crag blends well with the land, and would not look like anything more than a large crack to anyone passing by.

Perception check to look for the escapee.
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

I hope we didn't go through all of this just to return without the katana.

There is no one in your vicinity.

The journey back to the city is uneventful. After you arrive, you run in to Major Maldris. He listens to your story of Maurit Zergo. I know it was difficult, he says. The undead sometimes cling to life, but they always turn to evil. This was a hard lesson to learn. But as Pathfinders, we should always serve the common good and always fight for freedom.

Upon delivering the Trade Agreements to Trade Prince Aaqir al’Hakam, he seems eager to look through them, but is somewhat disappointed that not all the agreements he was hoping to find are there. He thanks you for your service in any case, and send you on your way.

Lastly, you go to see Amara Li.
How do you approach her?

I will approach her with more grace than I did before.
I will defer to Dasiji as he is more elegant than I am in conversation

Zedril does a once over his clothing and equipment so as to not offend Amara Li.

If I played him that way before, it's because I'm still getting a handle on this character -- and I have two other PbP woodsmen, one smart and one charismatic. Dasiji should really just have a kind of practical intelligence, while being very average in other respects. Also, he was late to the party; but I'll gloss over that in the interest of time.

After being introduced by the others, Dasiji bows awkwardly -- almost as if he were a Mwangi fisherman who learned Avistani manners from guardsmen, and then got thrust into a social situation with a Tian of higher rank. "Venture captain. We found the jade katana, and failed to secure it. A skulk held it and got away while we were fighting kobolds; and it escaped into water, so I couldn't track it."

"I wish that I could go back and do things differently -- and I'm sure that I'm not the only one." The ranger braces himself for delivering grim news, which is not his forte. "We found a kind of jail with three cells. In one of them, we found a letter on a prisoner's remains. It's best if you see for yourself.. uh.. who has the letter? Kehl?" Dasiji waits while she reads it over.

Amara seems eager for your return, but is somewhat disappointed as she considers your report. I must admit, I thought regaining the Katana was a long shot at best. However, now knowing it’s out there disturbs me more than if it were just destroyed in the ruins of Asad’s Keep. I thank you for your efforts, and please continue to keep this part of the mission between us. Now, if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to.

My apologies. My failure will be re-payed to you upon your future request.

Kehl exhales as the woman leaves.

"I expected taht to go much worse, though I know not why."