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

Game Master Chris Marsh

Stealth: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26

ONE OF THE GIANTS IS MOVING!!!!

As everyone freaks out, Ushyle catches the truth, it's not the giant, it's something IN the giant.

It's the biggest single shadow rat you've ever seen! It's easily the size of the two from the Plague House put together, and it leaps out of the rib cage to attack! Ushyle gets surprise round

Enemy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Raen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Ushyle: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Vael: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Whistle Pig: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Doxon: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Hamilton: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Remember light issues. If you don't have darkvision, you have a miss chance based on your proximity to the light source.

The rats skitters down to close with Ushyle (move action).

Surprise Round:
Dire Shadow Rat: Squeak!
Ushyle: Go

Round 1:
Vael: Go
Dire Shadow Rat: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD

Knowing that the darkness is a burden for some of his allies, Vael decides to shed light on the shadow rat. Motes of dust materialize around the rat, twinkling like stars in a clear night sky. They're revealed, glow like a candle!
-1 to attack rolls and sight-based Perception checks for the next 3 rounds. It also cannot benefit from concealment or invisibility because it glows like a candle, so... take that, darkness!

Botting Ushyle...

With the shadow rat nearly upon him, Ushyle swings his greataxe at the creature. Attack w/Greataxe: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
But the creature is unexpectedly fast.

Ushyle misses, but not terribly so.

Vael instantly responds by illuminating the rat and making sure the party has an easier time of it.

The rat ignores the light and bites at Ushyle's thigh: Bite: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 1 = 20 for DMG: 1d4 ⇒ 4 but the shadow rat also sucks your virility for STR DMG: 1d3 ⇒ 3 AND I need a FORT save versus disease.

RUMBLE! CRACK! RUMBLE! By the gods! The giant with the magic spear is standing up! It creaks and pops as its ancient bones animate. With its wicked spear it strikes at Hamilton!

SPEAR!: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27 and impales the man for DMG: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 4) + 9 = 16

Round 1:
Vael: Stardust
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: Go
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

WP is getting used to being surprised. "nothing has been easy since that hopeknife ceremony"

WP puts a bullet into his new weapon and let's the knot go with a crack!!

bullet to the rat: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Whistle Pig's stone misses the rat by a hair, cracking against bones still dormant.

Round 1:
Vael: Stardust
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: Miss
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

5' Step and I'm going to try to kneecap him with my shield.

Shield Bash:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Ick.

Damage on HIt:1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Fort save vs.disease: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Ugh.

That hurt! he thinks, trying desperately to ignore the burning wound and its consequences.

His senses in flux after the moving skeleton and the horrid shadow rat, he calls on the power of Milani to aid him and his companions!

Cast bless, excluding the rat or skellie as allies but including everyone else.

Hamilton's shield smacks clean into armor, not harming the skeleton.

Ushyle feels the bite intensely, and calls for a blessing of Milani.

Round 1:
Vael: Stardust
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: Miss
Hamilton: Miss
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Bless
Doxon: Go

With things looking grim, Raen turns to a magic she hadn't dared attempt before. Her eyes glaze over, visions of mountains and caverns far larger than this one reflected in her pupils. A deep rumbling echoes beneath her, and the stone floor hardens in a runic circle bedecked with strange riven sigils.

Full Round casting. Please five foot me east.

Still suffering under the predations of the rat swarm, Doxon rushes in to help Ushyle.

Use Fervor to swift cast Protection from Evil.

Pick: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

The nausea still not completely out of his system, Doxon swings wide as his stomach cramps up a bit.

Raen begins an extremely complex spell, and moves to stay safe, while Doxon closes, but an't connect with his pick.

Round 2:
Vael: Go
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD

Vael moves a bit closer the fray. Seeing the situation Hamilton is in, he calls upon the spirits. Grasping a holy symbol to Desna, he says, "Manifest your martial might..."

A translucent starknife appears beside the skeletal giant, immediately attacking the dangerous undead creature!
Spiritual Weapon (Starknife): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

The starknife flits about the skeleton, but does not connect.

The rat takes the easy target, and bites down on the back of Doxon's knee: Bite: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 - 1 = 23 for DMG: 1d4 ⇒ 3 AND STR DMG: 1d3 ⇒ 1 AND I need a FORT save versus disease.

The giant skeleton performs its duty silently, staying with the ranger:
Spear Thrust 1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 MISS
Spear Thrust 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 for DMG: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (3, 3) + 7 = 13

The

Round 2:
Vael: Spriritual Starknife
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: Go
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

Round 2:
Vael: Spiritual Starknife
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: Go
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

Round 3:
Vael: Go
BADDIES: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuudge...

Fort Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Phew!

WP yells a Doxon, "Hold on!

bullet to the rat: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Vael's spiritual starknife will continue it's assault.
Spiritual Weapon (Starknife): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Spirits, tend ta this poor soul..." the shaman's voice trails off into a quiet chant, eyes solid black as positive energy flows from his hand. He then moves toward Hamilton, and lays a hand to heal the militiaman.
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (2, 1) + 3 = 6

Hamilton takes the spear, which pierces his body. He's hurt, and hurt badly. He gurgles a little, and coughs up blood, but doesn't quit.

5 HP left guys. Another blow like that could kill me. Can anyone help? I am too close to withdraw.

5' Step, Full Defense.

The party strikes back! Whistle Pig nearly kills the rat with a single powerfully launched stone!

This time the starknife finds hold and shaves a bit of bone off while Vael brings relief to Hamilton.

Round 2:
Vael: Spiritual Starknife
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: hit!
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

Round 3:
Vael: SW & CMW
BADDIES: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD

Hamilton protects himself and starts to back away...

The party strikes back! Whistle Pig nearly kills the rat with a single powerfully launched stone!

This time the starknife finds hold and shaves a bit of bone off while Vael brings relief to Hamilton.

Round 2:
Vael: Spiritual Starknife
BADDIES: ATK!
Whistle Pig: hit!
Hamilton: Total Defense
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

Round 3:
Vael: SW & CMW
BADDIES: TBD
Whistle Pig: TBD
Hamilton: TBD
Raen: TBD
Ushyle: TBD
Doxon: TBD

Seeing the rat swaying from Whistle Pig's bullet to the head, Doxon starts swinging.

Pick: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Pick,offhand: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

The rat's swaying only seems to add to its effective dodging.

Ushyle moves over (provoking from the shadow rat), his physical strength draining away seemingly by the heartbeat, desperate to make one of the threats go away. He fights through the haze and swings at the shadow rat, putting all of his military training to use.

greataxe, flank, bless, 8 pts STR dmg: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 2 + 1 - 1 = 20
greataxe, flank: 1d12 - 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) - 1 + (4, 4) = 10

Raen's mind is far afield. The sounds of battle have receded from her ears, and her vision is filled with a dizzying multitude of crystals and stones. They rush past her metaphysical self, almost sweeping her away, but she holds on. Yonder is a terrible wall of unyielding granite, looming taller than the sun is wide, and she speeds toward it with an impossible force. Try as she might, she can't seem to slow her inexorable advance -- indeed, she doesn't even seem to have a body. The cavernous distance seems inevitable, and yet...

*WHAM*

The sound jolts her from her jaunt. Before her stands a being of earth and rock, within reach of the giant. Incredibly, somehow, she's done it!

She wastes no time, speaking quickly in a guttural language with sounds like an avalanche. Terran. "Grind its bones to dust."

The elemental obeys.

Power Slam @ Giant: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 3 = 14

Damn it. I hate when I roll my attack poorly enough that my damage exceeds the attack roll.

Raen's team looks more battered than when she left them. She moves immediately to the next spell, firing a bucket of grease beneath the undead titan.

Grease under the bastard. DC 17 Reflex or fall.

Actually, that's a 14 on the attack with Earth Mastery.

For the inevitable counterattack, the elemental's AC is 17 and it has 17 HP.

Raen summons an earth elemental! The elemental's slam is ineffectual, but it does get the giant's attention. The Varisian follows up with a grease spell underfoot REF: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14 and the skeleton drops!

Doxon can't connect with the shadow rat but Ushyle comes back to finish the job. The rat bites at the half orc AoO: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 1 = 8, but misses as Ushyle's axe kills the shadow rat!

Vael heals Hamilton a bit while the starknife gets to work. The skeleton stands up, heedless to danger AoO from Elemental: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 - 1 = 14, but the elemental again fails to connect. is time the advantage of a prone giant helps and a bone cracks DMG: 1d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 3 = 15.

Once up the giant drives its spear at the elemental, ignoring the damage to its leg: ATK: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31 for DMG: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 2) + 9 = 13 Elemental HP: 4/17

Round 3:
Vael: SW & CMW
BADDIES: ATK
Whistle Pig: Go
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Go
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

Raen winces at the scrape of steel on stone. She takes heart knowing that the elemental will not truly die here. The elemental, for its part, keeps up the fight.

Power Slam @ Giant: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 1 - 1 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 3 = 13

Raen piles on the hits with a pair of magical bolts.

Magic Missile: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8

Elemental: AC 17, HP 4/17

WP sizes up the former giant and ponders the situation. Bullets break bones on animals so why not undead? He spins up the sling and lets it go.

hit?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 (add 1 for bless)
If a 15 hits...
damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Whistle Pig's stone ricochets off the giant skeleton's armor, but the elemental follows up one hit with another powerful hit. Raen's missiles add to the onslaught.

The damage to the skeleton is immense, and a solid hit from anyone in the party could be enough to send this guardian back to death...

Round 3:
Vael: SW & CMW
BADDIES: ATK
Whistle Pig: Miss
Hamilton: Go
Raen: Hit and hit
Ushyle: Go
Doxon: Go

The half-orc drops his greataxe at his feet, tries to table his way into flank with the elemental...
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
...and, drawing his morningstar on the way, tries to hit the skeleton!
morningstar, bless, flank, 8 STR dmg: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 = 25
confirm?: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 + 2 - 1 = 20
dmg: 1d8 - 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) - 1 + (1, 6) = 14 plus 1d8 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4 if confirmed.

Ushyle uses every ounce of training he has to set up the perfect swing. When he dodges the skeleton's guard the half-orc finds himself with a clean shot to the lower spine. The morningstar smashes into the lumbar, destroying the magic that kept the guardian together.

The realization that this is no mere "hill" and that the entire assault was simply a ruse begins to sink in.

For destroying the rat and skeletal guardian, each party member receives 335 XP.

Looking around, the spear is the only magical item here, but there's enough armor and metal to help Trunau rebuild much of what was lost.

Ushyle watches the bones crumble with a sense of satisfaction, despite the aching in his muscles. He bends over to pick up his greataxe and the rat bites overcomes him momentarily, as he goes down to one knee, breathing heavily.

Doxon sags down to the floor. The weight of his new armor and all of his gear burdens him like he has not felt since being an acolyte. He struggles back to his feet and offers congratulations to his friends.

Good work, all. I'm sorry I couldn't do better. I'm feeling wrecked. But I'll do what I can to hold my own. I'm wondering how the orcs got past here without disturbing all of this.

The fight finished, Raen bows with deep respect to her elemental.

Then, with the urgency of battle now fading, her curiosity comes to the fore. She gazes at the towering necropolis all around, and searches for clues of its purpose: inscriptions, style and make of weapons and armor, architecture of the site, and anything else that stands out to her magic-enhanced eye.

Detect magic and any applicable Knowledge, Linguistics, or other appropriate rolls.

After a moment, the heavy breathing of her companions catches her attention, and she surveys their conditions. "I am prepared to continue, but perhaps a visit to Tyari would be appropriate first?" She flashes a smile at Hamilton, just to embarrass him.

There seems to be nothing to read, and the spear is still the only source of magic... though casting the spell gives Raen a slight headache for a reason she can't place.

Vael hefts the magic spear. "Well made, this is..." His words drift off when he sees Ushyle. The powerful half-orc's back is bowed, as if many lifetimes weigh him down. He rushes over to, feeling his own waning strength. "Alright, let's git ta Tyari. Now."

Ushyle tries to wave Vael off, but cannot seem to find the strength to do so. I'm fine! his mind says sternly, but no sound escapes. Finally he surrenders, managing a feeble nod to the dwarf.

I wanna scout a little further first, see if I can see the trail.

Wp's natural curiosity gets the better of him and he pads his way East. He thinks the dead are watching so he treads lightly.

stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

He takes a look around

perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Raen volunteers to stand with the militiamen outside the cave entrance, just in case, while the others seek the healers.

While she waits, she uses the pearl of power embedded in Agrit's necklace to recall her grease spell.

Vael, Ushyle, and Doxon leave the cave as quickly as they can. The trip to see Tyari at Sanctuary is made at a hustle. Everyone assumes that Whistle Pig's curiosity might kill him.

Once ushered into the presence of the cleric of Iomedae, Vael speaks, "Sorry ta bother ye, priestess. We've been set a task by Kurst, ta explore a trail that leads... Well, ta a previously unknown place in Trunau, methinks. Shadow creatures attacked us though, and I worry we'll lack tha strength ta finish tha job. Ken ye help?"

Vael intends to use what fame/prestige he's gained to get free spellcasting. Looks like it's 1 prestige for a single casting of Lesser Restoration. Going to roll it now.
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Ugh. That's not much, but it'll do for Vael.

Once Ushyle and Doxon pay for their spells, we can return to the cave...

Doxon stumbles in to Sanctuary with Vael and Ushyle, the weight of his armor and gear looking like it might be too much for him to bear.

Once Vael is seen to, Doxon gives a nod to the clerics he's worked and interacted with in his time in Trunau, thankful for their help.

Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Lesser Restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Once the clerics see to Doxon's affliction, he's feeling nearly his old self. A good night's rest will be in order once their business in the tunnel is done, but Doxon feels confident he'll be back in the thick of things again to get them through.

Tyari gives Doxon her full attention after Vael. When she turns to Ushyle, she holds up a finger and goes to grab a scroll, "It will take everything I have this day and then some for you my friend."

Ushyle begins counting the money he has, unaccustomed to the concept of not exchanging coin for goods and services. Even as Tyari patiently explains the idea to him, he seems to have trouble wrapping his mind around it — That's not how this works; that's not how any of this works.

Still, he knows he is short in actual gold, and at last consents to the barter. I will repay you for your aid when I can, he says again and again, unhappy with the notion of being in debt to anyone, least of all the Sanctuary paladin who has been kind to him and especially to Katrezra.
lesser restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 1
lesser restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 4
lesser restoration: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Three prestige spent. He is earnest in his intent to pay it back, whether that restores his prestige count or not.

When she is done the exhausted Tyari's head hangs low. "Go, Trunau needs its heroes still."

The trio quickly heads back to the others in the cave. They've been quiet, and have nothing new to report. Before Whistle Pig can get himself in to any trouble, a voice from the east echoes as it reaches you.

Ushyle translates for his non-Orcish speaking friends.

The siege lasted most of the evening. It was nearly midnight when you felled the giant. Reports were that someone went in just before you arrived. You then got what sleep you could, you headed straight in after a quick trip to equip. Whoever is ahead of you has been in here for roughly 10 hours or so already...