GM Blood's Age of Worms in Golarion #2

Game Master David James Olsen

Round 6
Kilthan winces as the claws glance against his armour, I should have paid more attention to the lessons on hunting the things of the deep.... He takes a deep breath and swings again, complaining, "By the stones, this thing takes a lot of killing."

Dwarven Waraxe (PA): 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 24 {Flanking w/ Justin} for 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Kilthan's blow finally puts the strange creature at rest

Combat Completed

The creature defeated, Dryn'taka falls to her knees to catch her breath. After a couple moments, she looks at the fallen creature. "So, what do you think it tastes like?" The mirth in her voice tells she is at least partially joking.

Rohara replies to Dryn with a smile, "I have likely eaten a lot worse things in some of the taverns I have visited in my years."

She looks at her companions, several look to have small cuts and bruises but Kilthan and Justin seem to have bore many of the creature's hits.

"Let me see to our wounds..." She takes up the small wooden butterfly once again and ask for her goddess' healing blessings. A wave of holy energies wash over the party...

Channel Energy 1d6 ⇒ 2 and again... 1d6 ⇒ 4 ---> 6 hit points total healed

Status: Post-channels, Kilth has 11hp

Dryn's full, and out of bombs.

Justin is 12/13

"Thank you Rohara, I think I am much better now."

Justin picks up his trident. After making sure none of the little buggers were left hiding in his armor or helmet, Justin rushes over and hugs Dryn'taka in his huge arms and lifts her off her feet.

"Those bombs were the only thing that had much of an effect on the swarm. Being this big and having every bit of me covered with them....well let's say it was uncomfortable."

Justin shudders at the memories.

"Shall we run back to town and meet our benefactor. I think we need to recharge our batteries. Scout, you can come out now."

Justin's dog returns from his hiding place.

"Oof, wasn't anything, big guy. Monster's like us got to stick together, right?" She returns the hug as best able, giving her biggest smile. "Gotta say, good thing Rohara fixed us up, or that hug might've been the breaking point. Heading back sounds good to me. I've got to mix up some more stuff for tomorrow." She goes up to Rohara before leaving. "Oh, and uh, sorry for burning you abit. I think I got abit overzealous. Um, friends still?" She extends her hand toward's the cleric, giving her a hopeful look.

"What the Heck was that thing, It freaked me out so much I could not get my thoughts together."

Not sure what it was. I will ask Alustan when we get back to town. I still have some healing left - for everyone except Kilthan and Ingrid. Should we see what is down the hole we just opened before we leave?

Those bombs were definitely effective. There are spells that I can use which would affect a swarm like that, but I do not know them. I could probably buy the scroll in town or from Alustan.

"Discretion is the better part of valor. Although I do not quit the field of battle when comrades are in danger -- I don't think we should explore the hole until refreshed."

Justin cringes thinking of another of those swarms with no more Dryn bombs left.

You look down the hole where the chamber should be and it appears to go down to the edge of your darkvision. Below you see the broken chamber and what appears to be a room. The sides of the shaft appear pitted and scarred which would give easy handhands to climb down. DC 5 Climb

If you head back decide where you will go and what, if anything you'll do in town.

Unless we need to return to town. We could simply camp out here. Set three shifts with Justin and Kilthan in the middle of night so that the ladies can get eight hours of rest to recover our spells and Dryn can put her bombs together.

Unless we really need something in town, I see no need to return and risk being followed when we come back. This is the type of dungeon which adventurers have been searching for for years in this town.

Justin considers Arakess' words, "I like your thinking. Well, the wolf den is much more defensible. Maybe we move there. Better watch the bag with the crazy two-eyed monster in it carefully on watch too." Justin points to the sack.

Justin looks to the rest, "Sounds good to me. Going back to down may just draw attention to us."

I really don't like your friend there Justin, as long as we can whack it every few minutes to keep it unconscious, then I am fine with it.

Unless someone else disagrees, we head back up to the wolf den and climb in.

First watch - Aarakess & Ingrid
Second Watch - Justin & Kilthan
Third Watch - Dryn & Rohara

--> Figure this will get Dryn restocked first. I still have some spells if necessary. Will also get Rohara her healing back.

--> Before I go to sleep, I will Healing Hex anyone injured. Let me know if you are down. I already used it on Kilthan and Ingrid today.

Kilthan says, "I agree -- unless we need supplies, going to town's just a long walk. Still, it's too bad we can't spin that back the other way -- I'd feel safer knowing that only we've explored the only open path."

"If something happens, I do keep a few alchemical reserves too." Dryn'taka pulls out 3 flasks of acid and an alchemist fire. "My normal bombs I mix up on the spot. You don't want to try it untrained, or well, there's a reason you can tell a good alchemist by counting how many fingers they still have. Or is that experience like tree rings? Either way don't do it.

"These here are the normal stuff you see in the shop, throw and go. Anyone here should be able to use it. In case we run into anymore icky beetles. I still have my bombs I'm mixing here, so I'll be fine. Well, unless I run out too. But that won't happe, right?"

Fine with the watch order. Gives someone with darkvision on eatch watch too.

While the den is defensible, it also stick horribly. You do your best to clean as you can but the smell never quite goes away. However, you are not bothered at all by anything and you are at full strength.

The hole awaits or you could try and move the sarcophagus again.

The climb down is DC 5 and you can "Take 10" to climb down as long as you aren't in combat and your climb with armor check isn't -6.

Oh yea, one more thing. When preparing extracts, I still prepare one CLW, but I'll leave the other open for later, in case something specific is needed.

Right behind the ranger down the hole.

Down we go. I am sticking with the same spells - 2xEnlarge Person, Mage Armor.

Kilthan looks down the hole, "Looks pretty easy. Let's see what's down there."

Seeing the paladin about to join him he says, "Keep a bit of distance. A wise man always listens for trouble, and your armour rattles loud as a smith's hammer."

With that, he stops before the hole to listen, and then swings himself down into it (pausing to look and listen every so often as he descends).

My climb modifer, even armoured *is* +5. Can't fail, barring additional modifiers.
Perception (Before starting): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Perception (Midpoint): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Kilthan scrambles down the hole with ease. Kilthan doesn't see or hear anything unusual as he reaches the bottom. The ceiling is 20 above the floor so the last 20 feet of the climb was slightly tougher DC 10. Kilthan instantly recognizes (thanks to his time with the dwarves) that the stonework is markedly inferior to the last area they descended into.

Dozens of bas-relief figures similar to the one on the sarcophagus lid in the room above stare disapprovingly from the walls here. Many sport crossed arms and stern expressions. A large glyph that looks like a stylized arrow points down a short corridor to the north that leads to a four-way intersection.

Map of Room

The glyph is the same as the one found on the amulet in the room opposite of the brown mold on the other level. (The personal symbol of Nadroc, a Bralani Wind Duke.

Once we get the go ahead, we all follow Kilthan down.

Not sure how far it is, but I would like to string 1-2 pieces of rope together so that we can more easily climb back up. Should also make the last 20 feet down easier.

Rohara in even after stowing her shield does not like the look of the climb down and is more than happy to use some rope to help on the way down. The woman takes her time the entire way down... at the last 20 ft she uses the rope exclusively...

(( Her climb check is -5... stowed/dropped/given to others to carry down/lowered down the shield makes it a -3... knotted rope is even better... Climb checks for the last 20 feet 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (11) - 3 = 8 not sure of the difficulty with rope...))

It is a DC 5 all the way down with the rope making it OK for you to take 10 to the bottom without fear of falling

I am at 10 all the way down with no modifiers. I follow Rohara down.

Everyone gets down to the bottom. The metal chamber that would have popped up, is crushed and beyond repair. Aarakess is able to confirm the glyph shown is the same as the one on the amulet in the other room, that of Nadroc.

I don't have much engineering training. But it definitely appears as though this transporter failed to operate, catastrophic failure from the appearance of things.

So, lets see what this section holds.

Kilthan's up to lead the way.

North of the room the passage splits. East and West both lead to another room, while north the passageway leads to what appears to be stairs leading down.

Ingrid does the engineering check for Aarakess' question

Know(Engineering): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

"Aarakess, I may have an answer about the engineering"

Justin waits as Kilthan explores the east and west passages.
"Downstairs last after this level is secure."

The shaft leading up has those great handholds for climbing, which Ingrid is fairly certain was caused by acid. Checking out the device, you see acid scarring on it too.

Looks like the acid beetle swarm did a job on everything here.

Lets start to the east first.

I carefully look and listen down the passage to the east.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Aarakess, you hear the scurring of thousands of bugs, much like you heard up above before down the east passage

Anyone have oil and other flammable objects? It appears as though there may be more bugs down here.

Don't think it was clear from my earlier post, but I was offering up the acid and alch fire to anyone who wanted to use 'em. Anyone wants, please feel free.

"I predict they will be immune to acid. I also am very clumsy when it comes to throwing flasks and bottles."

Justin defers to others.

I will take an alchemy fire, or two. With 16 dex, I probably am better throwing them than most.

Kilthan groans at the sound, "Maybe we should get out of here?"

"While I did not have the experience of those wee bugs, it did not look pleasant. Lets try a different way." The cleric suggests. "Hopefully we have better luck."

Justin quickly agrees with the assessment to leave.

"Kilthan and I will bring up the rear, go, go, go."

We can come back later.

Ok, so tell me the plan

Orderly retreat and turn the sarcophagus again?

We have a full stock of bombs right now and are not going to be better prepared if there is another swarm, we are prepared for it. If there are multiple, then we might have a problem. I think we should deal with this now. When it comes to it, we cannot seal this alcove because it is a giant hole now. If we go to the next alcove, we might flee back up and find a swarm sitting by the sarcophagus waiting for us.

My vote is to attack the swarm on our terms and clear this area out.

Murder swarm is my vote as well.

OK I have no capabilities except to offer myself as a target. Or drag the injured away. I think Jordan's chauvinism is cured now.

Kilthan says, "Can't say I like being in a fight I can't win and feeling useless -- But if you lovely ladies can kill 'em before they finish ripping the hide off my bones, then let's do it."

Justin quickly agrees with the assessment to leave.

"Kilthan and I will bring up the rear, go, go, go."

We can come back later.

She is teasing you a bit and your chauvinism too

in a joking tone.
"I thought a Paladin's job was the protect civilians and the ladies, not the other way around."

Justin looks at the ground.

"What if it is something you can't stop or effect with anything you have no matter how hard you try?"

This philisophical dilemma seems to be really getting to him.