Round 4
Mishtes does a double move to pass Cedic, Lazar and Phaedra to make sure the ghost is betweem him and Maria and tries attacking it with his bardiche
bardiche:1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 2 = 15charge miss 0-50%:1d100 ⇒ 25 damage:1d10 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 (critical: 19-20/x2)
@ GM_DBH: I think I can pull off a charge this way.
But if the rest of us can't see the ghost, Mishtes would've missed anyway.
The Piper doesn't have anything that can effect you now apart from the constant will saves against his piping. He's already hurt from Cedric's Channels, and so he falls to Maria's blade and is taken by Vesorianna, never to return.
Who had the Silver flute from the cursed items? Playing it, while risky would have inflicted 1d6 damage a round on the Piper. Now it is just a MW silver flute.
The rest of this floor is barren, Skeletons rest in cells, but out of the Pipers range they are merely bones awaiting their long overdue burial. There is nothing left of any value on this floor.
This leaves you with only the worst part of Harrowstone to venture into, the lower level where the most evil prisoners were kept.
Male Human Wizard (Spellsage) 7. Initiative +5, HP: 49/49, AC: 17(/14), FF: 14(/11), Touch: 13, Fort +7, Ref +6, Will+6, Perception +12. Focused Spell 1/1. Spell Study 2/2
"At least we've lightened the late ladies burden. A short break before heading down might be wise as you say Lazar." Gadren looks quite placid and content again now that another one of the infamous prisoners had been put to rest once more.
His pipe was what I was trying to play the cheerful tune on. I thought it might have an affect on him or the control over his stirges. That's why I rolled untrained for them since my character does not actually have wind instruments as a perform skill and why she complained that the pipes were supposed to be useful against the Piper. I only used flute for the one round since it didn't seem to have any effect on him.
Maria looks around the top level while Mishtes catches his breath. "Well that's nice. Hopefully we can deal with a couple more surprises before sundown."
@Phaedra. I wasn't clear which instrument you were using sorry. And you would have needed to be closer to effect the Piper anyway. He was fixed in the west wing proper.
Maria can't help humming a village ditty to herself as they head downstairs. We're going into the heart of things now. We'll purge this place or die trying. A small smile dances on her face.
When they reach the lift room, she sets up her block and tackle as quietly as she can then asks with a grin "Who's first?"
Do we know the distance to the bottom of the lift?
Phaedra peers down the lift shaft. "Do we want to send down someone well armored first or someone light in case we need to pull them back up real quick?
I bet there are a lot of rats down there. Phaedra frowns at her inner thoughts.
Maria hefts her shining sword. "Heh... heh... I like this. It makes me feel like one of those fancy 'warriors of the light' that you read about in books." She shakes her head with a confused mixture of angst and excitement. "But those fancy guys always have clean, shining armor." With that she ties the rope around her waste and gets ready to head into the shaft first. She hands Mishtes the other end looped around her block and tackle. "Give me a lift?"
It feels so uncomfortable trusting these strangers... but they've been good so far... Really helpful actually...
Activating detect evil and getting ready for the basement.
Male Human Wizard (Spellsage) 7. Initiative +5, HP: 49/49, AC: 17(/14), FF: 14(/11), Touch: 13, Fort +7, Ref +6, Will+6, Perception +12. Focused Spell 1/1. Spell Study 2/2
Gadren starts helping with the rope still being quite well muscled for his age. "Not once the fighting starts Maria in battle armour becomes dented and dirty soon enough but many of the really good ones have the means for it to be nice and shiny for parade day again."
U1. Hell’s Basement.
This cavernous chamber may have once been an underground cellblock, but it has long since collapsed. The crumbled walls are thick with mold and stained with soot, and heaps of fallen stones and charred wooden beams line the area. Water drips and seeps along the walls, collecting in a dark, murky pool in the middle of the room. To the north, the twisted remains of a wood and iron lift lie in a heap in a shallow portion of the pool. A jagged hole in the roof yawns twenty feet above this ruin. To the west, a partially blocked opening seems to open up after several feet into a dark but stable tunnel.
As soon as Lazar sets foot in this chamber, the room fills with a cacophonous roar of screams and howls, echoes of the cries of those who burned to death in this room. This unsettling manifestation causes no harm, but an instant later, the surface of the dark pool of water begins
rippling around the ruined lift as four ectoplasmic spirits rise up, dripping and horrible, to attack.
The dead do not rest quietly here, the presence of the living has triggered an eruption of hatred.
Male Human Wizard (Spellsage) 7. Initiative +5, HP: 49/49, AC: 17(/14), FF: 14(/11), Touch: 13, Fort +7, Ref +6, Will+6, Perception +12. Focused Spell 1/1. Spell Study 2/2
Gadren leans over the opening and casts a cantrip at one of the specters completely missing it but leaving the way open for others to descend to aid Lazar.
Maria's face erupts in a glow of righteous anger and zealous joy. These people get me into all sorts of fun!
She holds her glowing sword in one hand and grabs onto the other to slide down the rope.
Not sure if check required:
But here it is of so. Strength check:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Haha. Of course.
Maria probably ends up at the bottom of the shaft either way. If she can do the slide as a move action, here's her standard, if she's standing when she reaches the bottom.
power attack blue:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 Dam 1 if relevant:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 5) + 9 = 19
Cedric seeing his compains in danger throws caution to the wind, and half jumps, half slides down the rope into the room before letting out a burst of radiant energy. 2 used today
There is enough of a gap between the ceiling and floor for those arriving to swing away and land somewhere that isn't Lazar's poor head.
Lazar counts his blessing as others in his party plummet down around him, having a heavily armored warrior landing on his head would not have been pleasant!
Maria gracelessly clatters to the ground and hacks one of the things to pieces. Mishtes follows her looking around for something to hit.
Cedric surprises everybody and leaps into the hole, swinging down to an elegant landing, channeling and destroying all the remaining creatures.
Male Human Wizard (Spellsage) 7. Initiative +5, HP: 49/49, AC: 17(/14), FF: 14(/11), Touch: 13, Fort +7, Ref +6, Will+6, Perception +12. Focused Spell 1/1. Spell Study 2/2
"Well done! That wave of positive energy of yours put them to rest quick enough Cedric." Gadren starts climbing down the rope. "We should press ahead and swing north I think."
Cedric's shining arrival draws a surprised look from Maria. She mutters under her breath "No wonder he has such fancy ideas about light." Maria nods at Gadren's suggestion "North sounds good."
She waits to see if anyone wants to look ahead stealthily. If not, she'll lead the way North while using her divinely-granted senses to search for evil.
Last to descend, Phaedra lands among the shattered remains of the undead creatures who had been destroyed by Cedric. Carefully watching her step, she avoids stepping on any remains or scurrying critters...
"That was amazing Cedric."
When Maria begins heading North, Phaedra follows behind. I hope that this place is still structurally sound enough not to come down on our heads.
Phaedra casts Light upon the tip of her morningstar and holds it aloft like a torch to illuminate the area around her as they walk.
U2. Central Dungeon Chamber.
Four dark hallways exit from this large empty chamber, each striking out in one of the four directions of the compass, and each decorated with a soot-caked brass nameplate affixed to the ceiling just above the entrance. A rubble-choked stairway leads up in the middle of the room, while eight skeletons dressed in scorched prisoners’ robes lie on the ground.
The stairway here once led up to area S9 above, but the deadfall has rendered it impassable. A look reveals scratches along the rubble and stone blocks—testimony to the prisoners’ futile attempts to dig out the deadfall from below.
As the enter the chamber the Skeletons all stir and begin to rise to their feet. Surprise, surprise!.
You have 1 round as they get up.
What are you doing now?
Lazar. They animate the moment something living enters, so your stealth doesn't help you sorry.
Lazar's illusion against undead is a good thing, but given his teammates are opting for an all out attack, he starts knocking an arrow in case there's any skeleton standing after the round of sword and magic.
If, and only if, there are any skeletons left after everyone has acted:
Well that was quick. :) Though had the Skeletons lasted 3 rounds they would have started burning, becoming Flaming Skeletons.
Cedric's golden light bathes the room, the Skeletons freeze where they are rising, and then crumble back to inanimate bone.
The brass nameplates that hang above each of the four hallways leading out of this room identify the cellblocks that lie beyond, although the soot must be wiped away to reveal these names. To the north lies “The Oubliette.” To the west lies “Reaper’s Hold.” To the south lies “The Nevermore.” And to the east once stretched “Hell’s Basement.”
"Reaper's Hold sounds more like a Splatterman place to me, but I'm fine with checking out the Oubliette first. We'll have to clear this whole place anyway."
U3. The Headless Guard.
The door to this guard room hangs slightly ajar. Within stands a table surrounded by a few rickety chairs, along with a pair of moldy but serviceable cots.
The the group stealthily advances there is a stir of movement from within the small side room, once the guardroom that controlled the portcullis that blocked entry to the cells in U4.
Now the portcullis is locked open and a flaming skeleton, lacking a head and armed with a hand axe lurches from the side room to attack.
Hasn't noticed Lazar, is going for Maria. It's action this round to to rise and leave the room.
Okay, I've got to ask: what does "dirty magus" mean exactly?
Haha didn't even consider the other implications but I meant physically dirty. Because he is a drunk who often sleeps in the mud.
The idea is that he is an elf who used to the bodyguard to some important elf noble or what have you. Blended spell and sword, married to a priestess, living the Elvish high life. But then a heroic human paladin came along and stole the heart of his wife. He didn't take the divorce well and has been on a very long bender.
Male Human Wizard (Spellsage) 7. Initiative +5, HP: 49/49, AC: 17(/14), FF: 14(/11), Touch: 13, Fort +7, Ref +6, Will+6, Perception +12. Focused Spell 1/1. Spell Study 2/2
So it just struck me I'll have someone to trade spells with. Huzzah!
Gadren generally focuses on buffs for the party, utility spells and battlefield control for combat (create pit and grease are his most used offensive spells!).
On the plus side I can keep my muscle wizard championship belt. Our new magus might be better with their blade than Gadren is with his longsword but he's still rocking an impressive strength of fourteen... I'm honestly glad it's a dexterity build so I can still consider him the swolest arcane caster in the party.
I have a player with a black blade kensai magus in a Kingmaker game I am running. There's a lot of overlap in feats and stat assignment so I have no doubt you know what you're doing. I expect terrible things from your damage output now!
Ah the joys of trading spell books. Theo will definitely be able to dish out some damage but also has a number of ways to keep the party safe. I can kit his spells for more protection than damage and Bodyguard lets me give adjacent allies a +6 AC bonus with an Attack of Opportunity. That will increase as my Arcane Strike damage bonus increases.
Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness
Corrik wrote:
Javell wrote:
Okay, I've got to ask: what does "dirty magus" mean exactly?
Haha didn't even consider the other implications but I meant physically dirty. Because he is a drunk who often sleeps in the mud.
The idea is that he is an elf who used to the bodyguard to some important elf noble or what have you. Blended spell and sword, married to a priestess, living the Elvish high life. But then a heroic human paladin came along and stole the heart of his wife. He didn't take the divorce well and has been on a very long bender.
I'll get a build worked up.
HA! Gotcha. Sounds good.
Hey, if your interested, Outflank might be a handy feat to pick up(I know, I'm totally metagaming here). But of course it's gotta "fit" your character. If he's more of a solo guy then it just wouldn't make any sense.
Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness
I gotta confess, for the life of me, I have NO IDEA what you mean by that, Cedric. At a complete loss. Unless you are talking about that Stallone movie: F.I.S.T. But that's all I got.
@DBH: You know, ultimately I'm not a teamwork feat fan at all but I ABSOLUTELY love Outflank. That feat just flat out rocks.
Looking at Theodluin's sad life story. We can say he arrived far too late for the funeral and has been erratically following the party when not out of his skull.
I'll run Maria until this part is over, there is one more section when Theodluin will join the unimpressed party.
Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness
Honestly, between spells and fighting defensively, Bodyguard isn't really necessary for Jack if that's who you had in mind to use it for. Now if you're going to use it for the others then sure, keep it. But not for Jack.
Of course, Jack will not object to benefitting from it, mind you, but it's not critical for him by any stretch.
Sounds good, swapped Combat Reflexes and Bodyguard for Outflank and Intensify spell. Dropped gloves of arcane striking and Benevolent for Headband of Int and more pearls of power.
Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness
Oh man a DC 30 disable device?! Nasty. Here goes nothing I guess. :P
Edit: Hey, for what it's worth, Jack has Trapfinding +1. So I guess technically he did roll a 30. I didn't realize it was a trap we were looking for. So... cool. :)
I have to admit this book has been the weak one of Carrion crown. There's always one book in an AP that lets it down and this one is poorly designed and railroady.
Male Humanly Awesome 'n Totally Rockin' Paladin of Greatness
For what it's worth, it really hasn't felt railroady to me. Of course, I don't know anything about this book(or any of them for that matter) so without knowing every detail of the story it's probably a lot more difficult for me to tell.
But I'm also the type of guy who likes to follow a storyline. I don't mind sandboxy type stuff, mind you, because that can also be fun, but a little nudge here or there will get no complaints from me. :)
