Swashbuckler 5/Pure Legion Enforcer 4| AC 23 T 16 FF 16 | CMD 21| hp 51| F +5 (D+10) R +12 (D+20) W +6 (D+14) | Spd 30' | Init +6 | SR 18 Vs. Divine
Fort:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Mutahir wrinkles his nose, and waits for the others to clear out of the tunnel somewhat, the light from his wayfinder glowing softly to keep his vision clear.
Delay until I have some space to move. Pre-rolling climbs
Climb:1d20 ⇒ 2 climb:1d20 ⇒ 6
The fighter swears a few times as his fancy cape catches on things, preventing him from moving forward.
For having +7 for my initiative, my init rolls have pretty much sucked...
GM: I'm assuming that the ants have not spotted me (as my stealth roll was a 29) and that my first round action will be made from concealment, giving me sneak attack damage...is that right?
Tad, quick to react, leaps into the room, and calls upon the divine flame of Sarenrae, sending one of the fiery missiles hurtling into the far hall at the ant standing there. But the giant insect is especially nimble, as it dodges to the side, causing the bolt to miss, scorching the door frame instead. With an angry clicking sound, it scuttles unbelievably quickly down the hallway, all of its ant friends pouring into the doorway after it, as if suddenly called to arms.
The nearer one immediately clamps its powerful mandibles around him, lifting the little grippli off the ground as it squeezes (6 damage to Tad, and grappled!). A second one hurries in behind it and the two start to fight over the tasty morsel, the second one sinking its bite in as well (9 damage to Tad).
Two more ants come up over the ledge and through the far door, both of the scurrying down the hallway behind the others, one of them makes it into the kitchen as well, knocking pots of vial fungal fluids everywhere in it's haste to reach the quarry.
Behind the beleaguered cleric, Dynath manages to get clear of the rubble strewn stairway, but both Benny and Mutahir have problems... neither of them making any progress at all.
Dynath, as mentioned, it only took you one move action to reach the bottom of the steps, so would have had a normal move after that. So could be 15' further in if you want.
Male Gnome Kineticist 5 HP: 46/53, 10nl (burn) | AC: 19 (21 in cities)| T: 14 (16 in citites) | FF: 16 (18 in cities) | CMD: 15 | Fort: +8| Ref: +9 | Will: +0 (+1 vs enchantment) | Init: +4| Perc: +5
Fort:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Fimbir finds holding his nose tricky while climbing down, but manages to hold most of his lunch as he descends. Extremely trick as it turns out, as the gnome fails to make any headway at all!
Male Dwarf Ranger 6 | hp 45/51 | AC 22 T 14 FF 18 | CMB +8 CMD 22 | F +7 R +9 W +6 | Spd 20' | Init +7 | Perc +11 (dark 60) Dirty Fighter, Favored Enemy (Humans +2, Magical Beasts +4), Favored Terrain (Mountains +2)
Prepared Spells:
Level I: Lead Blades, Magic Fang
I thought it took me two move actions to get to the bottom of the stairs. In any case, now that the enemies have moved it wouldn't be fair just to put myself in range for all of them and do a full round attack
Dynath runs forward from the bottom of the stairs to stand beside Tad and takes one massive swing with his urgosh.
From the shadows, Daedîn will fire a couple of arrows at the blue ant grappling with Tad...if the first shot should happen to drop the blue ant, the second shot would instead go to red...
(Base + dex + weapon focus + magic + PBS - Rapid Shot; also have Precise Shot and Deadeye Bowman in effect)
Dynath, the last space there is not stairs. That might be the confusion. And the enemy would have been the same spaces regardless. =)
While Fimbir struggles with the climb, Dynath lumbers out of the stairwell, into the kitchen to help Tad. He brings the axe head of his urgrosh down on the ant with a crunch! It immediately starts making a strange noise, and the others get extremely agitated, though it does not drop the cleric.
Daedîn follows the dwarf's blow, with two arrows of his own however, and, as the second one sinks into its carapace, it finally seems to lose its ability to stand, and sinks to the ground. Tad finds himself suddenly free of its painful grip!
All of you notice that the ants all have strange nobby protrusions and odd fungus like growths on their bodies, none of which look like they should be there normally. Though it doesn't seem to be affecting them in any obvious way.
- Round 2 --------
Tad (-16), Dynath
red ant, yellow ant, green ant
Benny, Daedîn (-6), Fimbir (-7, 10 nl), Mutahir (-23)
The little grippli takes a step back so he can safely heal himself before another ant decides he would make a tasty treat. He then taps himself with his healing wand.
Note, Daedîn, is there a special ability I'm not aware of, that was allowing you sneak attack on your first two shots? (result is the same, either way, just curious)
Free of the ant's grasp, Tad quickly backs away, as he draws his wand, healing himself for a change.
The ant that was trying to bite him, and the one behind it, both react almost immediately to their hivemate's death, as both swarm over Dynath. He is able to knock aside both of their mandibles, but is not prepared for the stingers that follow. The first thrusts into his thigh, quickly followed by the pain of venom pumping into his blood (8 damage to Dynath). But the second stinger, that one hits him right in the chest, penetrating armor and flesh alike, as he takes a second dose of venom right near his heart! (Crit! 12 damage to Dynath)
I need two Fortitude saves vs poison from Dynath. The first is DC 16 or lose 1d2 ⇒ 2 strength. The second is DC 18 if you fail the first save, or DC 16 if you make it... else lose another 1d2 ⇒ 1 strength.
The last ant, sees tad all alone, and decides to go for that potential food source instead. It half flies, half scuttles right at him, and snaps its mandibles... but this time the little grippli is more prepared for their speed, as he quickly dodges away.
If I fire unseen (my Stealth roll was a 29 so I assume I was not noticed by the ants), I can add my sneak attack; upon reflection, I erred giving him sneak attack on the second shot as he would've been discovered after the first shot so that was my bad...
Rogue 3/1 Diviner AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15(+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 28 (3d8+3) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 vs. fear Percpetion +12, In +8
Tad takes a little step back and sends his last firey ray at the greenish ant who was just trying to eat him. GM feel free to reassign if that ant falls first
The Pathfinders stuck in the stairwell finally start to make some progress, as Fimbir reaches the base of the steps, and both Benny and Mutahir get closer!
None of them are quite quick enough to be able to help this round though, as Dynath does his best to fend off two of the insects, while Tad tries desperately to avoid the third. The dwarf slashes at one of them with the axe end of his urgrosh, but both blows deflect harmlessly off its hardened exoskeleton. He is able to pierce one of the joints with the spear end however, though the damage is negligible. In response, both ants continue trying to tear him apart. Again he manages to deflect their mandibles, and this time even ducks out of the way of one of the ants' stingers, but the second one strikes him yet again, pumping more venom into his body (7 damage to Dynath)! Even his dwarven constitution is beginning to flag.
DC 16 fort save vs poison or lose 1d2 ⇒ 2 strength
Tad steps back, and flings the last of his divine missiles at the ant trying to bite him. The fiery bolt strikes the ant squarely, but only seems to anger it, as it closes in biting and stinging. It is all the little grippli can do to avoid the attacks!
Daedîn tries to help him, with another barrage of arrows, but only one of them manages to pierce the chitinous shell, sinking in deeply, but not enough to stop it.
Rogue 3/1 Diviner AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15(+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 28 (3d8+3) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 vs. fear Percpetion +12, In +8
Benny, I rolled your 2nd check for you. (You made it). But you also needed one for this round, so we can use that.
But you still have a single normal move at the end of it you can take (starting at the bottom of the stairs) For now, I'll assume you move in to melee range.
Methinks you have your damage miscalculated Dynath. The total I gave, should be accurate, overall... not just this combat. You've only got 27 damage (out of 51)
Backed into the corner, it is all Tad can do to avoid the snapping mandibles much less cast a spell to try to drive them back, as his attempt fizzles. Luckily, Daedîn still has him covered, the elf firing another pair of arrows, both of which pierce the ant's carapace. It sinks to the ground, twitching, gooey fluid leaking out of the holes the arrows left behind.
Benny and Mutahir manages to make their way down the stairs, the halfling moving into the room to help out.
Dynath, feeling the burn of the ants' many stings, shrugs off the venom once again, laying about with his urgrosh, landing mighty blow after blow. The first swing, takes the head off the ant on his left, then the two follow up strikes, cut a small gash in the other.
Only one ant remains standing!
- Round 4 --------
Tad (-11), Dynath (-27, -1 str), Fimbir (-7, 10 nl)
red ant (-11)
Benny, Daedîn (-6), Mutahir (-23)
Rogue 3/1 Diviner AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15(+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size) hp 28 (3d8+3) Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5; +2 vs. fear Percpetion +12, In +8
This has been one of the more frustrating scenarios for the halfling :(
Male Dwarf Ranger 6 | hp 45/51 | AC 22 T 14 FF 18 | CMB +8 CMD 22 | F +7 R +9 W +6 | Spd 20' | Init +7 | Perc +11 (dark 60) Dirty Fighter, Favored Enemy (Humans +2, Magical Beasts +4), Favored Terrain (Mountains +2)
Prepared Spells:
Level I: Lead Blades, Magic Fang
EM±GM wrote:
Methinks you have your damage miscalculated Dynath. The total I gave, should be accurate, overall... not just this combat. You've only got 27 damage (out of 51)
Great, I thought that was just a summary of the encounters
Male Gnome Kineticist 5 HP: 46/53, 10nl (burn) | AC: 19 (21 in cities)| T: 14 (16 in citites) | FF: 16 (18 in cities) | CMD: 15 | Fort: +8| Ref: +9 | Will: +0 (+1 vs enchantment) | Init: +4| Perc: +5
Fimbir scrambles forwards over the last of the debris, only to see he's too late to help with most of Dynath and Tad's problems. Spotting one ant left, the gnome does what he can to try and help.
For the first time in centuries, the kitchen of the Gallery of Wonders is filled with fire and the smell of roasting meat... though this time, the fire is not in the ovens, and the meat is insect that doesn't quite cover the foul smell of the fungal concoctions on the counters and now spilled onto the floor.
Still, Fimbir's blast proves too much for the last remaining ant who goes down in flames, literally.
Combat Over!
While Dynath takes a moment to breath, you can quickly check the far doorway, through which the ants entered, to make sure there are no more en route. What you see there is a huge cavern, going as far back as you can see, and rising almost hundred feat overhead. The floor and walls are covered in an expansive variety of fungi and mushrooms with tiny rivulets of water dripping in through cracks in the walls to keep it all damp and clammy. Numerous varieties of phosphorescent mushrooms are everywhere, and the entire place is filled with a dim light that allows you to see some ways out.
The ledge where the door lets out, is about sixty feet above the floor of the cavern, and down below you see numerous wide paths winding chaotically between the giant fungal stalks, looking like they were made by larger creatures just tearing their way through. You see other ants off in the distance, all of them moving about the fungi, occasionally biting of chunks and carrying them off. None of them seem to be paying any attention to you.
Back in the kitchen, the door by the stairwell, proves to just open into a large storage area... now filled with foul-smelling fungi. You quickly close it again, before the smell overwhelms you!
The passage on the far side of the room eventually leads back to the hallway you first started down, before entering the forges.
Tad channels positive energy to try to make sure his new friends are healthy if we run into any more nasty ants or derros or mites. He warns Mutahir so he can be out of range first.
1d6 ⇒ 4 1d6 ⇒ 4 1d6 ⇒ 3
So eleven healing for everyone but Mutahir.
Tad again offers non-magical first aid to Mutahir if he wants it, such as washing wounds and bandaging things.
Daedîn ponders a moment. "Perhaps we should head out to find the prisoners we rescued...we can, of course, search for anything useful on the way out..."
Daedîn will stealthily lead the way out, stopping if anything interesting warrants further exploration, bow drawn and eyes alert...
Everyone heads back to the hallway that leads towards where you came in, the only thing of note being the large double doors across the hall and down from the kitchen. The doors looks like they haven't been opened in a long time, completely overgrown by the moss and fungi. It takes a bit of work, but you can eventually clear enough away to look beyond it, and find what appears to be a long unused temple. Numerous dust-covered pews line the center of the room, and a enormous floor-to-ceiling warhammer sits on its head at the end, handle pointed up. It is easily recognizable as an altar to Torag, the dwarven creator-smith. The derro seem to have left this room alone, and it is largely undisturbed. Mostly just dust and time having marked their passage.
From there, you easily make the entrance, and start back down the path along the side of the ravine.
You find Torvic and the others not far from where the ravine ends... all of them in rough shape, but alright. You are able to make your way back down to the previous campsite, though it takes almost all day, twice as long as it did to get up.
You end up stuck there for a few days, trying to get the others ready for the arduous trip back down the mountain to Perin's Bluff. Torvic seems to have recovered by then, able to sleep through the night... mostly. When you do finally reach the mountain town, he departs almost immediately, intent on going to the Five King's Mountains to spread word of the discovery.
Merisk stays in Perin's Bluff, still weeks away from any sort of extended trip, but Lyrehawk comes with you back to Almas. It isn't until you reach the capital that you learn she apparently has a great many influential friends among the Eagle Knights of Andoran, and you are not back for more than a day, before you are all invited to a lavish feast hosted by that very organization. The Eagle Knights commend you on your discover, but especially for rescuing Lyrehawk and end up gifting the Pathfinders with ten magical fey bane arrows and a magical quiver to hold them all in.
By the time you leave Andoran, word of your discovery has spread. You soon find random dwarves from all over coming to thank you out of the blue. You quickly gain a small bit of celebrity amongst the local dwarven clans of the Five Kings Mountains. You find it all rather novel, most of your activities for the Society ending up rather anonymous, usually.
All in all, a well-earned victory, and a successful mission!
