Dungeon Master S's "Giantslayer" AP (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

Fort save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Vael calls upon the spirits in a low chant. Motes of dust materialize around the shadow rats, twinkling like stars in a clear night sky. They're revealed, and glow like a candle!

-1 on attack rolls and Perception checks. Also shed light like a candle and cannot benefit from concealment or invisibility effects.

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Doxon panics as he feels the many little bites. He starts swinging away like mad.

Pick: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3) = 9

Pick: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

Holding action until Raen goes.

Go Team!

Doxon rears up to swing, but the nausea from the swarm overwhelms him before he can swing.

Vael lights up the rats, making them plan to see in all their horror...

Round 1:
Hamilton: Move
Shadow Rat Swarm: Warm
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Naueated
Whistle Pig: Go
Vael: Motes

WP is thankful he grab the 'chemical fire.
He grabs one out of his backpack and lods it at the lower left corner of the swarm.

throw at corner: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Doxon and Ushyle can move out of the swarm even if nauseated, yeah?

"Oh these are much worse," Raen comments, hastily retreating. She too draws an alchemist's fire and gets ready to toss it.

Ready to throw as soon as they're clear.

Toss @ Swarm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Yeah, nauseated just leaves you a Move action, so Dox should be able to get out.

Ushyle steps out of the swarm, drawing his greataxe and hacking at the mass of rats.
greataxe: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
slashing dmg: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Being nauseated, Doxon wouldn't have been able to swing at all. Instead, he stumbles out of the swarm, trying to swipe off as many rats add he can.

can't move Doxon from my phone. Please, if someone could move him to safety.

Raen targets the swarm with an alchemist's fire. Your benevolent DM will interpret that as aiming for a square. rats squirm and writhing in the flames.

Ushyle sweeps his axe through the swarm, catching some rats in its path.

Whistle Pig's flame too burns plenty of the rats.

Round 2:
Hamilton: Go
Shadow Rat Swarm: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle:TBD
Doxon: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Vael: TBD

Hamilton closes and attacks with his longsword. There is a show of sparks and nice audible SCHWING as he pulls the sword from his enchanted scabbard.

Longsword:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage on Hit:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Bits of shadow rat go flying, though it's an inexact method of attacking them. The swarm still includes a carpet of biting rats:

Interested in chewing on the maximum amount of living flesh the rats advance into the back of the party. Raen, Ushyle, and Whistle Pig all take DMG: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12 AND STR DMG: 1d4 ⇒ 1 AND need to make a FORT save.

Fire Round 2 for both: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

Round 2:
Hamilton: Hit
Shadow Rat Swarm: ATK
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go
Whistle Pig: Go
Vael: Go

WP can't stand the pain and moves to put some distance between him and the rats.

Fort: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

"Ow ow OW!" Raen curses the stinging bites. She stumbles out of the swarm and tries to simultaneously grab another vial and peel the leeching rats from her skin. She slams the last of them to ground and turns to throw the flask.

As soon as Ushyle is clear.

Toss @ Swarm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Fire Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Ushyle fights off the disease again, but the struggle has sapped much of his strength, not to mention his blood. With growing desperation, he feebly swings his axe, which feels like lead in his hands.
1d20 + 6 - 3 ⇒ (1) + 6 - 3 = 4
1d12 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 - 4 = 5
With little alternative, he moves out of the swarm again, driven by some vague sense of duty to put himself between the mass of rodents and Raen.

Whistle Pig barely makes it out, but he weasels himself free of the swarm. Raen keeps her breakfast down and launches more fire on the shadow rats. UShyle gets free, but spends most of his effort getting out.

Round 2:
Hamilton: Hit
Shadow Rat Swarm: ATK
Raen: Fire!
Ushyle: Miss
Doxon: Go
Whistle Pig: Pukes his way free
Vael: Go

Vael sighs. Time to step up and take it.

He moves forward, drawing the well-made warhammer he found from a dead orc not a day ago. Aiming for a cluster of shadowy rats, he swings it.
Attack w/Masterwork Warhammer: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
His movements are too slow and deliberate to be effective though.

Doxon steps up next to Vael and musters as much righteous fury as he can, blasting the swarm with divine retribution.

Fervor: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Vael misses, and Doxon's power doesn't seem to do much, though the swarm is clearly weakened.

Hamilton: Go
Shadow Rat Swarm: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Vael: TBD

Ham drops his blade and approaches the swarm, using his shield to swat at the pile of rats.

Two Handed Shield (Bash?):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage on Hit:1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Hamilton goes full tilt with his shield dropping down on and slamming the shield down on the majority of the shadow rats. Most perish instantly, some scatter to the recesses of the cave's shadows.

For defeating the swarm of shadow rats each character receives 200 XP.

You finally have a moment to breath in this large cave, a cave that has stood unknown to Trunau. Echoes tell you it's large, and water below you somewhere splashes and churns.

Beyond your vision you hear sounds that could be caused by anything you can imagine, and perhaps things you cannot...

Hamilton comes up on one knee and scrapes ectoplasm off his shield onto the ground. He strolls over to his blade and kicks it up with his foot, catching it and sheathing it in a fluid motion. Then he grabs his sunrod and looks around in wonder.

Who knew this was here? It's enormous.

Vael jumps into action, switching his warhammer for a curative wand.
On Vael (down 7)...
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
... back to full

On Ushyle (down 19)...
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
... down 1 only now

On Doxon (down 7)...
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
... back to full

On Raen (down 12)...
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
... down only 4 now

On Whistle Pig (down 12)...
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
... down 1 only now.

WP Thanks Vael for the assistance.

"Who would have thought there would be undead rats? At least they still catch on fire."

"I'll need to make us some fresh fire when we have a breather," Raen nods to the halfling. "Too useful to be without." She snaps her fingers and threads of force spring up all over her body, coalescing into a shape distinctly more armor-like than yesterday's. This is not lost on Raen, who allows herself a small smile. Getting better at this!

The Varisian tucks a loose lock behind her ear and strains her hearing for the sounds below.

Knowledge to Identify: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 add 2 if Arcana or Local

WP checks his pack. "I still have 4 left. If I use all those, it will be a very interesting day."

Raen can't place the sound by the nature of the splashing, and there's no language to provide a hint.

Botting Hamilton based on a Slack post of his: Once back in the cave, Whistle Pig spins his new hoopak while Hamilton tries to check for tracks (Survival T10): And it looks like the orc went south. Doesn't look like any tracks go east.

WP takes to scouting for the group. He moves south trying to make as little noise as possible.

stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

We'll give WP some distance, but follow.

Whistle Pig makes his way forward, as quietly as he can be (literally)

While waiting for Whistle Pig to come back, the rest of the party hears... a bird squawk to the east.

A bird? Underground? Suspect.

Knowledge Nature:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 Any local birds underground?

Hamilton knows that it's no normal bird, but can't place the source.

Indeed, I'll take a Knowledge (Arcana) to identify

Raen... That's no bird. What do you make of it?

Botting Raen: Arcana: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

She knows exactly what that cry is from. It's from a Gryph; a hawk-sized avian that looks much like a six-legged stork. Its feathers are unkempt and greasy, and its beak is razor-sharp. The scary part is their ability to inject their eggs into a host, and the eggs aren't small... Still, Raen doesn't think it'd be hard to take one out if it came to that.

Native?

If so, we should keep to the south and find our sabator

Native to this plane, yes, it is a magical beast in nature.

Vael watches Whistle Pig skulk off south. When the noise coming from the east occurs, both the shaman and his thrush familiar take note.
Knowledge Arcana for Tulia: 1d20 ⇒ 12

"Ken ye take a look ta tha east? Quiet-like, of course, and come back as soon as ye see it," Vael asks. Tulia nods, then flaps off to the east.
Stealth for Tulia: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (7) + 19 = 26
Perception for Tulia: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Tulia comes back, having scouted without giving herself up. There are 2 birds, but there are also 4 Whistle Pig sized spiders.

"There are two Gryphs, and also a number of large spiders. We may want to deal with that threat first," Tulia suggests, resuming her perch on Vael's shoulder. "Once the halfling returns, of course."

"We shou' keep followin' those tracks. Our reason for bein' here be orcs. Let's keep on tha trail, and leave tha local wildlife be," Vael suggests.

They're pests to be sure... With the way open to Trunau, we'll have to be rid of them. But the Orcs need to be dealt with first. We go south.

WP comes back after a few minutes. "I couldn't see much because it was too dark, but I did hear some sounds that can only come from dire rats."

of you plan on stealth, roll it Andover your pog to the point you'd be able to see around the corner. Include whether or not you have a light source

-Posted with Wayfinder

Raen defers, keeping to the general rear (but not the very rear).

Take 10 on Stealth is, um, 11.

Actually, checking everyone's characters, I can assume T10 for this part.

The party turns to corner to find something they never, not once, ever, expected to find inside the walls of Trunau. wide ramp slopes down to the floor at the western end of this cavern. Half a dozen huge humanoid skeletons, each ten feet tall or more, line the walls of the cavern, standing in silent vigil! The skeletons look ancient, like they've been here longer than the town. The giants are still armed and armored (though thankfully covered in dust and not moving.) Armor and weapons of various makes shows them to be an eclectic group.

Still, the shock is there. You're in an ancient giant burial ground!

Damn it. This is Pet Cemetery all over again.

Damn it. This is Pet Cemetery all over again.

That movie scared the crap out of me as a kid. But my crush on Tasha Yar made me persist.

Track. Take 10, 17. Any signs of our quarry?

Doxon will cast Detect Magic and scan the skeletons and the hallway ahead.

Doxon sees that there's a magical spear held by one of the giant skeletons. It's a short spear to the giant, but a longspear to most. Hamilton confirms that something came through here recently.

Raen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Ushyle: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 (Darkvision 60')
Vael: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 (Darkvision 60')
--->Tulia: 9 = 9 (LLV)
Whistle Pig: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Doxon: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 (Darkvision 60')
Hamilton: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22