GM Brayden's "Rise of the Runelords"

Game Master Brayden Green

I have sticks of charcoal if we need any other marker, I imagine we march to the same order.

"I'm glad to see everyone here so prepared, you'd think we'd meant to explore caverns when we woke up this morning. Excellent."

So... which way do you go?

Bugsby points firmly, "Lets go that way!" Right!

Lead the way kerdin. I will be following close behind. Bugsby if you and Brennan could keep track of where we are going that would be good.

working on the lvling part sry for the delay

You follow that trail for a few mins, to a dead end. The ceiling looks like it has caved in.

lol, now what?

Bugsby makes an about-face, pointing yet more firmly this time, "That way!" he says, undaunted. He lets the others make the appropriate marks to keep track of their progress. So going down the left path from our starting point now.

This leads to a dead end too, some ways down the cavern.

Perception checks!

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Take 20 (27) to search both dead ends

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 [+2 Perception checks to potentially notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors.]

Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

This is actually a fake wall, that leads you right out onto the beach. An ingenuous outward entrance into the smugglers tunnels.

"So the right path is a dead-end, and the left path leads to the beach... where could this demon he spoke of be?"

Bugsby walks out onto the beach with the others, looking around. "Well, no demons here! A great way to sneak inside though... Oh." The gnome turns to the others, "This is bad, but maybe we can use it to our advantage somehow? Set an ambush or something? Of course we don't even know when they're going to attack." He gestures back inside, "Shall we keep going?" What kind of business is Ameiko in anyways? I need to get a wall like this for myself, think how sneaky I would be! he thinks to himself.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

"Yeah lets keep moving, but I'd still like to block this passage soon."

So... moving on?

Yep! Although the beach is nice this time of year.

So you pick the middle one and follow it for a few minutes, and come to a large clearing in the narrow tunnels.

Map Here, no peeking. (Edit it as I tell you.

You see a creature that you have never seen before.

It looks like THIS, and as soon as it sees you, it moves toward you.

End of surprise round.

I will post INIT.

Encounter Map HERE

How far away is it?

"Good gods, what is that?" Virgil clutches his holy symbol, speaking a silent prayer for strength.

Knowledge checks, everyone! :)
Knowledge (religion) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

INIT

Iodem (I promise I won't skip you this time...maybe)

Brennan

Zen

Virgil

Bugsby

Freaky Thing

Kerdin

You are technically in INIT now, so if you would like to identify it, it will cost you either a move or a standard, just FYI.

Post round 1 actions in spoiler format.

It is holding a big old spear looking thing. It does not look happy at your presence. As far as how far away it is, it is in the 50' range.

You use knowledge checks as actions? The PFSRD says a knowledge check is a free action, unless making it untrained. Maybe another interpretation. I just want to know for in the future.

hmmm... I've always played that way, and seen it played that way. Just must have been a house rule they used and I integrated.

Good call Brennan. Jordan, this will be especially helpful for the Council game. You learn something new every day

Carry on, as if I hadn't opened my big mouth :)

Even with a high check, Virgil, these are unique, and not known anywhere. Which leads me to think: If you kill all of them, you will be endangering a species... is that an evil act? I kid, I kid...

Iodem pushes his way forward turning towards the freaky thing and quickly knocking an arrow before letting it fly at the spear holding freaky thing. It hits but doesn't seem to do much damage.

Brennan waits for an opportunity to get behind the thing. (ready for a clear flank opportunity.)

Zen delays. Let's get 'em Kerdin.

Virgil holds his symbol and mutters. If you need healing I am preparing it.

Bugsby Seeing the approaching creature Bugsby has to keep himself from running as fast as little little legs will carry him... no one else seems to be. Please don't die, self he thinks to himself. He shouts, "I'll try to stick it in place!"[/oooc] before committing to his action. While moving forward to be just behind Kerdin, he simultaneously gathers the strings of magic that only he can see, gathering them into the sticky ball of energy. He hurls it at the creature, and it appears to shake for a second, and then to move on as if not affected.
[spoiler=Bugsby]This creature has SR. I will roll it for you. 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Failed. [/dice]

Kerdin hits the thing standing right next to him. What in the nine hell is that monster? [b]Neva see an uglier monstar da dat althou I have seen goblins or humans Keeping his cool and this time seeing first what is going on Kerdin gives vicious hit towards it.

Zen springs into action, trying to get behind the creature. THe creature swings at Zen as she tumbles.

Acro 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 Im guessing on your acro, but the total is not even close to what you need, so it will get an AoOp.

The creature swings the ranseur 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 hitting Zen. 2d4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 2) + 1 = 7 Zen takes 7 damage, but gets into position. Your turn. FOR THE ORDER! Zen hits the creature, and that ends round 1.

New INIT order:

Iodem (I promise I won't skip you this time...maybe)

Brennan

Virgil

Bugsby

Freaky Thing

Kerdin

Zen

ROund 2 in spoilers. Go team!!!

New INIT order:

Seeing that his arrow did little damage he moves a little closer while knocking another arrow .A determined looks creeps across his face as he hopes to put it down quickly. His manner is very practiced and calculated. He shoots wide though.

Brennan waited for the thing to get stuck in, then vaulted past it in hopes of flanking it. He yells out Zen trade me spots, I think my daggers have an opening from there. Brennan readies that if Zen moves, he will occupy that spot. In tumbling however, the monster does swing at him with the spear looking thing 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 and misses.

Seeing an opening with Brennan distracting the monster, it moves over and touches Zen on the shoulder quickly, a shimmer of energy, like the halo of a campfire, courses from his arm into Zen. "Fides tua salvam vultis."

Cure light wounds. 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Bugsby sees the thing eye-balling him after his spell failed in spectacular and confusing fashion and almost takes an involuntary step backwards in fear. Raising his hands he looses another mass of sticky energy towards the terrifying creature. Protoplasm DC 19

Freaky Thing gets hit by the spell, and 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 seems to be affected by it (for 1d3 ⇒ 3 rds). 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14 It appears to be rooted to the floor, unable to move.

Releasing again his inhuman voice Kerdin slashes at the monstrous creature but this time as Kerdin rages he is shining in a little perplexing blue light here and there along body. The monster is hit quite viciously by the axe.

Zen steps over, and swings the iron qstaff, dropping the miserable looking creature.

Combat over. As you finish the monster off, half of you look around, and are in what appears to be a large, semi-circular chamber. It has no visible exits. The only item that you find is a ranseur, the spear looking thing.

So, what happens now?

(100 xp each for killing the freaky thing)

Perception check for non visible exits 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Lets give this room a thourgh check. considering we found a secret entrance on the other tunnel

Oh I get a natural 20 on skill checks but not on combat checks

Yeah too bad a 20 on skill checks doesn't autowin

"Any idea what that was? Why was it down here; guarding something perhaps?"

Bugsby goes and squats next to the thing, prodding it, looking at teeth and rolling back it's eyelids (if any) clearly horrified and facinated. "What in Golarion is this thing?" he says in a mystified voice. He watches as his spell dissipates after a moment, and experiences a quick feeling of satisfaction he was able to assist his friends to bring down such a horrible creature. He gets out a dagger, then thinks for a moment before looking at Kerdin, "Ah, good Kerdin, would you mind?" Bugsby pantomimes knocking the things tooth out, a hopeful look on his face. He then stands and begins searching for traces of magic all around, hoping to detect another secret entrance in the area via his magical search. Cast detect magic around area and creature

"Dear Mr. Featherfoot, would you mind coming and taking a look at this weapon? I wouldn't want anyone to touch an artifact of vile evil or anything before we checked it out first."

"But of course Mr. Longstreet! I can't speak to it's evil-ness but I can see if it's magic!" Bugsby virtually scampers over in his excitement to check out the wicked looking weapon. He looks for lines of magic on the weapon, and gives it a judging look.

Well ya, go ahead if ya like! I will be doing ma own knocking for it Kerdin speaks as he prepares to hit its face to remove some tooth

Nothing appears to be magical in the area. As to the creature, you have no idea.

Knowledge religion and arcana would be your best bet, I think. With the emphasis on religion.

There are no secret doors in the area. Even with a *very* thorough serch by our pal Zen.

As to xp, I want to get back on board with keeping track of that, as you will be fighting most of the things that the book has for you to fight, now. Most encounters actually matter from here on out, rather than just random spiders in broom closets, and dumb things of that nature. So count yourselves as 1100 , and I will start awarding bonus xp's for good roleplaying and gamesmanship and stuff.

The weapon is a ranseur. Two handed spear/ slicey thing.

A survival could probably tell you more about this place, if you wanted to find out.

Mr Longstreet thank you for the quick healing.

Looking around
Well looks to me like there is only one exit Let us move along I dont want to be down here any longer then I need to be

"I agree with Zen"

Resume marching order?

Turning to look at others after collecting his fallen woe teeth Kerdin raises his axe to rest on his shoulder Ay lads, Ma think da its in order to resume our lil journey ya? I don´t feel so bad yet for da day but keeping up with ya still

Scratching his cheek as watching at the corpse Dat... well ya, kind of raging if ya ask me is taking kind of toll on me and getting kinda weary after that but will be ok afta some whil ya know. Holding ma ground still nodding along his speech