Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk [3.5 D&D]

Game Master Stiehle

"He would have to make it back past us to warn anyone. And I doubt his old employers would be all that kind to word of failure." Sobok says. "But I am not necessarily adverse to ensuring he does not prove problematic in the future."

LOL! I was only rolling to point out that Morrow doesn't have the needed skills to collapse this. Besides, I'm sure this module doesn't want us to collapse the castle to keep the army from invading. They'd just find a different way up!

Turning to the soldier Morrow motions to some of the bigger, heavy items that the group wasn't taking. "Here's an idea for you. Take what you can carry. Haul this stuff up to the city. Take it to the Green Dragon Inn and speak to Richard. Let him know that we sent you with it. He'll help you get a good price for it, and he'll get you a good meal and drink. Ask him about a mage named Glorb. He'll help you too. You'll never need to worry about your bosses down here again. You'll have plenty of gold for a long time, maybe even the rest of your life if you invest it well. And, if you tell them about the army down here, they'll see you as a hero, concerned for the people of the city. You'll be doing us a favor, and one for all of the good people of the city. A total win-win for you! What do you think?"

Keep it simple. He's just a soldier. Pay him well to do a job and it will probably get done! Now we go down and find that cleric and the minions that keep kicking our butts! Get ready with some obscuring mist or illusions to make the archers less effective, and some buffs for us. Haste anyone, once we get to the combat!

Since Charm Person would wear out long before he gets back to town, I'm presuming you're going with Morrow's plan to buy him out with some of the heavier expensive gear and appeal to his sense of greed? In any case, once you're agreed on a plan, let me know how you're heading downstairs. Buffs, light sources, and marching order. It'll take about ten full minutes to make the long descent, and the stairwell is only 5' wide, so I'll need a single file marching order.

"Also there is a rather...friendly barmaid who would be more than willing to...express her gratitude as well..." Reonnyn chimes in with a suitably charming inflection in his voice.

If Lindara hears of this then she will roast me over an open flame!

Reonnyn would take rear guard here on the way down. I say we travel in darkness here as he can see ok in the dark.

Have the sneaky ones that can see in the dark scout ahead. Morrow can see fine with Norebo's Hand, but his ability to move silently is poor at best.... Have the noisy ones that need light at the rear.

Agreed with just pay him. Someone else write the letter (or just let is happen offscreen - "I write a letter explaining what's going on"); Fash ain't the guy as he has no contact with Mordenkainen yet...)

"As usual, I've got point. Don't follow too close, but be ready to come a running."

Ok, we've presumably spent 20 minutes post-fight setting this up, and another 10 to descend the stair. So I'm at:
Fash 68/68 [Darkvision & Lowlight Vision; Cloak of Shadow (grants 20% miss chance (can Hide as though concealed), only True Seeing or sight in magical darkness can overcome this ability); Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 9060 minutes; Spider Climb [20' speed, cannot run] for 9060 minutes; See Invisibility for 9060 minutes; Invisible to Darkvision (using magical ring)]

I will add a Rary's Telepathic bond, Me, Reonnyn, Morrow, Vegeir
Once I get close to the bottom of the stairs (30s or so of sneaking), I will add expeditious retreat and invisibility. I will not be assuming that invisibility works on whatevers down there, so I will be sneaking when I get down there...

Sobok will take up the rear position and follow along after the others.

Gear follows the others, staying back with the non-sneaky bulk of the group.

Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for about an hour.

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With little choice but to trust the mercenary - who seems sincere in carrying the message back to Greyhawk - the party gives him some of the loot they can't carry and send him off with the letter. Then they are headed down the stairs, with Fash leading the way through the darkness. The party has no light source lit to give away their position and are moving slowly down the steps with a bit of distance between them to stay as quiet as possible and not bump into each other, making the trip last a bit longer than it otherwise might. The gnome figures he's getting close to the bottom based solely on his memory and casts a couple of spells to boost his speed and to make him invisible to normal sight - in addition to his invisibility to Darkvision granted by his magical ring - and continues onward. About a minute later he rounds a bend in the stairwell with the others a good distance behind him (though they sound like an army of soldiers to his sensitive ears) and stops suddenly. One of those freakish four-armed demon archers lurks at the bottom of the steps only fifteen feet away from him - where Fash can see it stands upon the bottom landing that opens up into the massive cavern beyond...

Fash, give me a Stealth check, please. I'll also want a Stealth check from everyone else, just to see how much noise you're all making back up the stairwell. I'm guessing that Fash is maybe 40' or so in front of the group? But yeah, it's quiet down here and that stairwell sure does echo! Still, myabe the demon has heard the group and maybe it hasn't - depending on your rolls. Sobok, I'm guessing you've got your Senses draconic aura going, yes? Marching order as I interpret it is below:

Fash <------ 40'------> Morrow <- 10'-> Gear <- 10'-> Sobok <- 10'-> Reonnyn

Combat Map

Dungeon Map

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Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 = 62
9 rank +2 dex+4 racial +4 small+5 Cloak of Elvenkind +5 boots of elvenkind+20 invisibility

"Arrow demon, just 15' from the bottom of the spiral stair..."
Fash uses telepathic bond to report.

Reonnyn has his ring of invisibility activated, for what it's worth.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 1 + 20 = 33

If possible, I will just take 10 on all stealth checks. That gives me a 9 after my Armor Check Penalties. If I cannot take 10 for some reason, I have rolled in a spoiler.

Ditto 11, or

Stealth? Gear doesn't do that.: 1d20 - 7 ⇒ (9) - 7 = 2

Fash winces at a particularly loud clank from the battalion behind him...

Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for about an hour.

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Fash mentally calls back a warning to those he is in telepathic contact with, as the party continues to make their way down the stone steps. The gnome watches the demon carefully, but it doesn't seem to tense or otherwise react as he watches it.

Demon's Listen Check: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17

OK, so we're going to continue this in a sort of round by round progression with each of you posting your 'actions' for this 'round' outside of combat. The current pace is about 20' per round descending the stairwell, and thus far nobody seems to have alerted the demon - at least so far as Fash can tell. Recall that everyone is in pitch darkness and I'm presuming you are continuing downward at this same pace. If you are simply continuing to descend for your action, I'll need another Hide/Move Silently checks from anyone doing so (recall these have been combined per my house rule into a single roll). If anyone is doing something else (for instance, Fash - who has stopped moving downward now that he's about 15' away from the demon standing guard), let me know exactly what you are doing for this 'round. If so, remember that if others are moving and you're stopping short, you might have to whisper something to the fellow behind you or they might wind up bumping into you if they do not possess darkvision.

Fash <------ 20'------> Morrow <- 10'-> Gear <- 10'-> Sobok <- 10'-> Reonnyn

Combat Map

Dungeon Map

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Morrow slows but keeps moving down the stairs until he reaches Fash.

Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

"I'm sneaking past to scout. Wait for me. I don't think it's heard you yet, but no closer..."

Fash telepathically proposes a plan, and slips out of the stairwell, past the demon...

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 = 51
9 rank +2 dex+4 racial +4 small+5 Cloak of Elvenkind +5 boots of elvenkind+20 invisibility

@GM West, I have put a Fash figure on slide 5, showing where I am going. Could you put the demon on the map? I am currently assuming it's roughly in the yellow box.

Gear pauses at Fash's mental whisper.

He'll wait where he is, no actions.

Reonnyn also pauses here and keeps his eyes peeled behind the staircase, knowing full well the teleportation capabilities of the demons.

No actions.

Are there any more enemies in sight? Or can we hear any movements? I have trouble imagining demons standing guard quietly and patiently....

Sobok will stop when he hears Fash's telepathic message.

Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for about an hour.

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Most of the party comes to a stop with the exception of Morrow, who continues down the steps as quietly as he can to join the whisper gnome as Fash tries to figure out a way to get past the demon. Even invisible, it will be difficult to do so without alerting the creature, as he will quite literally have to go right through it - either between its legs or over its head. And the demon is quite tall, so there's only a few feet of room between its head and the ceiling that's about ten feet or so where the archway leads out into the cavern beyond... And then, he hears Morrow moving behind him, and though the human is doing a fair job of keeping quiet, it sounds like he's clomping down the steps...

Demon's Listen Check: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29

... and this time, the demon cocks its head and begins climbing the steps to investigate - and Fash knows for certain it heard the barest scuff of the duskblade's boot against the stone steps...

I've adjusted the Slide #5 to show actual positions - the demon is blocking the steps so getting past it would be very, very tricky. Even if weren't alerted, which it is now. Fash can mentally shout a warning before Morrow and the demon can see each other as it starts to move toward Fash. I'll go ahead and let you all roll your own initiative since we're pausing it here and combat is imminent. If you have telepathy with Fash, you KNOW the demon is moving up the steps and you can take a standard action immediately. If you don't have telepathic contact, you won't until there's the sounds of combat. Fash can also use Message to warn everyone (so everyone would get a standard action), but that might alert the demon to the presence of an invisible foe since he has line of sight on Fash's 'square'. Note that when the demon is 15' away on the stairwell (including the square it is in), you and it have line of sight on each other (with cover). So currently, only Fash can see it. Once it moves up the steps 5', it will see Morrow, and vice versa.

Demon <- 10'-> Fash <> Morrow <- 30'-> Gear <- 10'-> Sobok <- 10'-> Reonnyn
*Each 5' above is an empty square on a combat map

Combat Map

Dungeon Map

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Fash sends an urgent telepathic warning: "It heard you and is coming to investigate. Jump it!"

He slips forward and squeezes himself against the outer wall of the staircase, hoping to slip past the demon as it climbs the steps. As he does, he draws Kelviernan's gift (his runestaff) and readies his magic...

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 = 65
9 rank +2 dex+4 racial +4 small+5 Cloak of Elvenkind +5 boots of elvenkind+20 invisibility

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
+2 dex

And I have a rules question for GM West in discussion

Reonnyn freezes here in position, fully expecting the demon to teleport to cut off the party's escape here, readying to blast it once it does!

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Ready action to blast the demon once Reonnyn sees it: Eldritch Blast RT: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 14 + 1 = 25; damage: 4d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 3, 1, 5) + 2 = 16
CL Check: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 1 = 19

On slide 5 are we above the green thing near G1? Is it possible for Gear to Charge the target down the stairs?

Init: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Gear braces to rush down the steps, Paragon lighting the stairs with golden light.

Waiting to see if he can charge and if any other melee PCs act before him.

Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Crap! Even my natural 20 was too low....

Morrow moves forward as fast as he can to attack the demon. Assuming Fash lets me by?

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Attack once I get there....: 1d20 + 11 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 3 + 2 = 23
damage?: 1d8 + 1d6 + 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + (5) + (1) + 3 + 2 = 16

Weapon is treated as Good Aligned for overcoming DR.

Crap! Even my natural 20 was too low....

Morrow moves forward as fast as he can to attack the demon. Assuming Fash lets me by?

...
Weapon is treated as Good Aligned for overcoming DR.

Fash has hopefully moved past the demon, with his 65 stealth check...

As Morrow rushes down the stairs at the demon, Fash tries to kick things off, channelling his magic through Kelviernan's Gift...

UMD: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25 vs DC 20
+14 ranks

Fash, I'll need an Acrobatics check if you want to move through the demon's square.

If I need an acrobatics check to go past him, even while invisible, can I change my action? (With no ranks, there's no way I will make that against any sort of CMD...) If so, I will 5' step away from the demon (making room for Morrow), and cast my Scorching Ray (same targetting).

Considering your size and the fact you are invisible, I'll allow that you only truly 'fail' that roll if you are under the CMD by 10 or more. If you miss by 1-9, you get through, but it knows you're there and will take an AoO (though you'll still be invisible, so at a 50% concealment miss chance.) Success means you breeze through and he's none the wiser. That said, yes, you can change your action to what you've just posted. I'll try to post this round in another couple of days, giving you time to decide, if you'd like.

I figure it's CMD is at least the mid-20's; I have a CMD of +2... I will take the 5' step back and cast, thank you. Then Morrow can get in here...

Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for about an hour.

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Fash hurls scorching rays at the demon's quiver...

Fash's Caster Level Check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 vs SR ? = Success! Damage = 37/2 [18 damage]

The fiery ray strikes it solidly, burning it away from the demon's shoulder and burning most of the ammunition inside as well as the quiver itself - rendering it practically useless! Emboldened, the gnome sends the other two rays at the demon, and though they strike the surprised creature true, the fire doesn't seem to affect it too much (DR 10 = 4 damage total) In the next instant, the gnome appears out of thin air, though his magical cloak makes him appear somewhat shadowy and insubstantial, but he steps away from the demon and disappears from its sight again - due to angle of the spiral staircase - and the fact he's moved behind Morrow.

Demon Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Shyrath's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Figuring that stealth is no longer needed, the party heads down the steps swiftly, with Morrow in the lead. But even as the duskblade rounds the corner, he sees the demon vanish! As they head out onto the broad landing, there is no sign of the demon, though they can see the ruined pyramid just to the west...

Staying Round by Round for now, and figure the first round ends as Fash and Morrow (in the lead on the staircase) can move onto the landing, the rest of you are sort of logjammed up on the steps. Next round, the rest of you can make your way out as well. With regards to Fash's spell, based on my readings, energy damage does half damage to objects, but that critical hit pretty much destroyed the quiver and most of its contents, I judged. I also ruled that in order to affect an 'attended' object, you needed to get past the demon's SR (which you did), so I had those last two rays strike the demon, and both hit it's FF AC - though it's got pretty good DR vs Fire attacks.

Combat Map

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Fash promptly re-activates his ring of the Darkhidden and then slips forward, hiding in his cloak of shadows...

standard - activate ring of the Darkhidden
Move - 30' half speed for full stealth (normal is 30'+30' for expeditions retreat)

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 = 36
9 rank +2 dex+4 racial +4 small+5 Cloak of Elvenkind +5 boots of elvenkind
and a further +20 if being observed using Darkvision (ring of the Darkhidden)

Gear murmurs a quick prayer, invoking Boccob's sight to allow him to sense the unseen.

OOC: Move action to keep with the group, Standard action to cast Blindsight on self.

Sobok holds his polearm as he goes down and changes his aura to aid in damaging the creatures in melee.

Change to Power aura.

Reonnyn tails along behind the party, ever wary of the demon's ability to teleport here...

Move to map position and maintain Readied action.

Morrow continues down the staircase figuring the demon teleported down to warn the others.

Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for about an hour.

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The rest of the party moves onto the shelf of rock overlooking the pyramid with Reonnyn guarding the rear, as Fash activates his ring - effectively disappearing from view - and Morrow eases down the steps, peering into the depths of the ruined temple with the Darkvision granted by the magical sword. Nothing attacks, all seems quiet for the moment...

Next round actions? Please move yourself on the map, keeping in mind that you move at half-speed if sneaking (usually...) Morrow, give me a Spot check and a Listen check, please. What is everyone doing for light - those that don't have Darkvision? There's some phosphorescent light in this vast cavern, but it's no better than having the barest sliver of a moon at night. You aren't totally blind, but you can't really see much except for what's right next to you and only vague shapes beyond that up to maybe thirty feet tops.

Combat Map

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Spot: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15
Listen: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15

Gear's sword casts light as a torch, so when they're not sneaking there's a 30' radius illumination around the big guy and his big sword.

Sobok continues heading down. He stops at the base of the stairs and readies an attack against any foe that appears within reach of his glaive.

Assuming it does not take additional movement down the stairs, I should be here with a move action. And since I need light I will stop and ready an action. I will put an attack in a spoiler in case it comes up.

Reonnyn is more than happy to allow the others to take the lead here, clearly convinced a trap lay ahead. Clearly not convinced his ring was enough protection here Reonnyn elects to look for a suitable place to hide...

Move to map position, Hide: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 = 29 add +20 if Invisibility is a factor.

Sobok edges down the steps, catching up with Morrow, who has paused just behind the curved shaft of the enormous scythe held by the crumbled statue of Nerull. The others continue to watch, but nothing appears as of yet...

Go ahead and give me another round's worth of actions for Round 4. Sobok, give me a Listen check, if you would.

Fash slips along, wrapped in concealing shadows, moving with magical speed. Even as he does so, he wraps himself in more concealing magic, while searching for the ambush he expects...

move - 1/2 speed for stealth = 30' (expeditious retreat makes my speed 60')
standard - cast invisibility (again...)

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 5 + 5 + 20 = 55
9 rank +2 dex+4 racial +4 small+5 Cloak of Elvenkind +5 boots of elvenkind+20 invisibility
I suspect that the cleric has some kind of anti-invisiblity effect going, so I am not relying on magic. I am using conventional stealth as well.

Spot: 1d20 + 14 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 14 + 2 + 5 = 35
14 rank +0 wis+2 racial +5 eyes of the eagle

Listen: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Listen (14 rank +0 wis +2 racial)

Reonnyn watches Sobok and Gear closely here expecting the trap to be sprung any second now...

Reonnyn will again Ready an action to blast any enemy he sees here:
Eldritch Blast RT: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 14 + 1 = 23; damage: 4d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 6, 3, 1) + 2 = 17
CL Check: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 11 + 1 = 23

Morrow is ready to attack but doesn't see a target. With his sword in hand he has darkvision, but maybe they are out of range?

He continues scanning the area and listening while the team joins him.

Spot: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10
Listen: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (13) - 1 = 12

Could be worse....

Gear continues following the group. With stealth thrown aside, he draws his sword, lighting the room in a warm golden glow.

Do I need to roll Perception with Blindsight on?

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Listen: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Sobok moves to look into the area and listens for whatever might lurk within.

Move and ready a PA attack with the glaive. I will do a readied attack and an AoO attack in a spoiler.