Jennix smiles. "Er, I said stronger, not dangerous. That's what my blades are for... His bows to the elf with a flourish. "I make no presumptions of my arcana being anything comparable to your eh...lullaby.
"Well, my divine energy is nearly spent for the day. I could certainly use some rest as well."
You can assume a night of rest in the cemetery where there is a font of holy water (safe to drink but can also be put in a bottle as a splash weapon) and it is comfortable enough to sleep without penalty.
Jennix directs the party back upstairs. The remaining unexplored door is stuck and it takes a few tries to bust it open. As the party is trying to kick it in, you hear the sounds of a young child sobbing in the room beyond. Eventually, the door breaks open to reveal a storeroom that may have once been well organized, although the fallen crates and broken barrels that fill the room now present a tangle of debris.
Floor in this room is difficult terrain.
Rising out of the debris is a thing resembling a gray, emaciated child, with cobwebs and dust for clothes and a fox skull for a head.
1. Undead
2. Spivey, Miso, Jennix, Terflynn, and Zachary
The creature stumbles to the entrance of the room and tries to bite Jennix.
attack:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 damage:1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1 DC 16 WIll save or fatigued for 1 hour.
Everyone within a 10' aura of the creature hears unnerving childlike whimpers, songs, and sobs and takes a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, damage rolls, and Will saving throws.
Initiative:
1. Undead
2. Spivey, Miso, Jennix, Terflynn, and Zachary
You guys are up! As usual Spivey will hold for you guys.
Sorry, forgot to post the KN spoilers like I usually do.
Jennix recognizes this as an Attic Whisperer, a type of undead that can steal someone's breath (fatiguing the victim) and steal someone's voice. It's aura of sobs suppresses bardic performance in addition to giving a penalty because it's freaking depressing.
Jennix stabs at it with his rapier but misses!
Initiative:
1. Attic Whisperer
2. Spivey, Miso, Jennix, Terflynn, and Zachary
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Oh, hey, look what happened in here? O_o
Looks like I need a Will save...
Will DC 16:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Zachary puts an arrow into the undead creature and ends it!
Out of combat!
DC 12 Perception:
You find the skeleton of a young boy pinned to the floor beneath a stack of old firewood and a heavy iron brazier. There are scribbled drawings written on the wall in charcoal. The images depict crude representations of a ninja with throwing stars, frightening bird-headed men, and lumbering magical ogres wielding axes-images made all the more frightening by their childlike quality.
Jennix peruses the room, then stops. "Oh dear, this is a disturbing image. Looks at this." He says, pointing out the skeleton and the drawings. "I think we have encountered those bird men. I hate to think we may encounter the others..."
"Is anyone hurt?" Spivey asks after the creature falls.
two channels:4d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 1, 2) = 11
two more:4d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 6, 6) = 19
That should bring everyone back up.
Satisfied that the top floor is clear, the party heads back downstairs.
The throne room is full of rotting, faded banners hanging from the walls of the long hall. The banners depict a stylized castle sitting on a seaside cliff. Thick stone pillars support the ceiling, while at the far end of the hall sits an old wooden throne, its back carved to resemble the towers of a castle wrapped in the coils of a serpentine dragon.
It seems that Kikonu has left several things scattered on the throne when he rushed outside to his doom. There is a pouch with five shiny pearls worth 100 gp each and a darkwood-and-silver disc decorated with an intricate etching of Brinewall under the noonday sun.
Also, I forgot that his kusarigama was actually a unique item, so here it is:
This +1 kusarigama makes a shrill whistling sound whenever it is used in combat. Once per day as a standard action, the wielder of Dancing Wasp can whirl the weapon above his head as a full-round action to summon a giant wasp. The wasp appears in the air above the wielder's head and follows the wielder's mental commands to the best of its ability as long as the user continues to twirl the weapon (requiring a standard action each round), to a maximum of 5 rounds, after which the wasp vanishes.
---
Heading to a door near the previously discovered ballroom, the party finds a short hallway. There is a small washroom to the right and another door on the left.
Heading through the other door, the party finds four stone pillars supporting the roof of this large hall. What appear to have once been wooden cages lie in shambles throughout the room. A heap of rags and furs in the middle of the room seems to be some sort of makeshift bed, while a large heap of partially eaten birds, squirrels, and wild turnips mounded nearby reeks with the stink of compost.
When you enter a lanky and gangling figure rises from the heap of rags in the middle of the room. Her legs bend in three joints like a dog's legs and her large milky eyes fix on you as you disturb her rest.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Miso, his trusty occasionally useful light crossbow already in hand, five-foot-steps to his left and likewise readies an action to fire if the elf's Slumber hex is shaken off.
The ogrekin had leather armor, a +1 flail, a spiked gauntlet, and 77 gp[/spoiler]
Have one of you been keeping track of the loot on your sheet? I don't ever look at it; I figured it's your stuff, I'll just post it and let you guys decide what to do with it.
---
With the ogrekin subdued permanently, the party heads to the other side of the throne room. Several ruined beds lie in various states of disrepair in this room, their moldy mattresses piled into a filthy heap against the northern wall.
Beneath the moldy mattresses is a stash of treasure: a bejeweled silk gown set with pearls worth 450 gp that is in remarkably good condition considering the filth it was sitting under.
Male Human Ranger 11 (hp 83/83) | F +10 R +11 W +8 | AC 21 T 12 FF 19 CMD 28 | Init +2
I haven't really looked at it other than to claim arrows when they show up. Wasn't planning on looking at gold or anything until we got to somewhere we could sell/buy.
I need to update the sheet. There's been a few things I'm not up to date with. I'll probably have to wait until this weekend though. Big deadline coming up at work.
No problem with the sheet. As Zach said, it doesn't matter until you get somewhere you can buy/sell things.
The party heads back to the ballroom and through the doors on the other side of it. A short hallway has two doors on either side which lead to storerooms.
DC 20 Perception:
The southern storeroom contains a case of 20 masterwork cold iron arrows and a single +1 flaming burst arrow wrapped in red silk.
Heading through the double doors at the end of the short hallway, the party emerges into small chamber. It's impossible to tell what this room may have originally been used for, as the walls and floor are decorated with countless preserved animals and creatures, ranging from small birds and forest creatures to fearsome predators. Several of the displays look uncomfortably fresh or humanoid in shape.
Jumping about the room is a small dainty elflike creature with long twitching antennae that is wearing a brightly colored dress made from butterfly wings and preserved wildflower petals.
The little fey creature says excitedly, "Oh, yes! More for the collection! You will do just fine!"
Jennix recalls that fey generally have DR/cold iron. He also recognizes this as a quickling, which have natural invisibility when not moving and are susceptible to slowing effects. They also have supernatural speed, grant then concealment.
miss chance:1d100 ⇒ 82
Jennix puts an arrow into the quickling but it doesn't seem to do much damage unless you have cold iron arrows, which I assume you would have used, knowing that it is a fey.
Will:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Spivey commands the fey to surrender but it does not heed.
---
The quickling flies forward and stabs at Miso with a short sword!
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Absolutely. Enjoy your trip, know that I'm jealous (both cos it's freaking New Zealand and cos it's summer there, LOL), and don't worry about us. :-)
I further possess, for your future use:
5 doses Blue Whinnis
1 dose Drow Poison
1 dose Greenblood Oil
And I can of course craft more. I'll be bumping my Craft(Alchemy) next level I believe, so I'll be able to make some serious poisons if we can afford them.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Should've had him seduce the remorhaz and get it on our side for this particular fight...
Male Human Ranger 11 (hp 83/83) | F +10 R +11 W +8 | AC 21 T 12 FF 19 CMD 28 | Init +2
Just waiting on a possible religion check to see what we are dealing with. I have some decent protective spells. My combat capabilities are going to be pretty nil unless we find a way to deal with the wind.
Okay, so to raise these two fellows back from the dead, we'll have to travel weeks away. Zach and I probably can't finish this tower by ourselves, no matter what spell selection I take (too bad Miso suicided). So it looks like our options are to
1) try to scare up some scrolls of Gentle Repose (or at least a caster in the caravan), then travel with the caravan back to some large town (or Pat). Then return to the tower over a month later.
2) take some horses from the caravan and ride like mad to the nearest town (or Pat).
3) sell off a ton of stuff to get Resurrection cast on these two.
I can brew up some embalming fluid to buy us some time, but not a lot of it.
On the upside, having never played anything at this high of a level, I'm learning a lot about adventuring preparations.
Yes, playing at high level for the first time is certainly a learning experience.
Another option for Miso and Jennix: if you would rather lay those characters to rest after dying in the line of fire, you could roll up new characters that are/were part of the caravan who can step up to take your spots in the adventuring party.
Not saying you can't bring them back but some people like to leave their characters dead, so I'm just letting you know that that is an option I'm willing to give you.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Suicide? He very nearly (though obviously not quite) evaded that lightning bolt! :-P
Sorry, but when you have less than 15 HP left and your only two options are to drink a healing potion or to effectively full-attack the wall, one choice is clearly suicide. Unless you thought you could flurry for about 30-40 more rounds without taking any more damage. Maybe there was something else going on I didn't fully comprehend.
Male Human Ranger 11 (hp 83/83) | F +10 R +11 W +8 | AC 21 T 12 FF 19 CMD 28 | Init +2
It was really my only option at that point. If we had been able to cut the wind out of the equation via the elevator before Jennix got smote I think we would have been okay. I would have turned her into swiss cheese with ranged attacks. Honestly when I saw our party composition at the beginning of the campaign I told EF we would probably TPK at this exact point, lol.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
90 hp each. Wow. And not a single adamantine weapon to be found in a loot pile, huh? Hmm.
As the de facto front-liner, I thought it my job to make myself a target. I didn't think I was consciously choosing suicide, but that's a matter of perspective, I suppose.
Honestly when I saw our party composition at the beginning of the campaign I told EF we would probably TPK at this exact point, lol.
Terflynn wrote:
Ha! Yes, I feared a tpk myself, but I don't know the campaign. I just know we're poorly balanced.
I was actually just having a very similar discussion in another campaign Jennix and I are playing in....
Honestly, I think that party composition and balance have much less to do with success than preparedness, tactics, and coordination. And luck, of course. You guys have had some bad luck along the way, to be fair.
I don't think it's right to blame any one person for mistakes in that last fight and I did not feel that anyone was acting suicidal. There was a lot working against you but it could have gone otherwise except for a lot of ifs. If the party had an adamantine weapon, if the party had healed Jennix up right away so he could control the platform and stop the wind/get up to Katiyana, if you had a means to dispel her freedom of movement or other way to get her out of the sky, etc. And if you had run away earlier Miso might not have need to die.
I don't think any of those things depend on the balance or composition of the party, nor on the build choices of any one PC, and especially not on the actions of any one PC. I think you guys are hard on yourselves because you've been struggling through this AP, well, a lot.
But from my vantage-point as the GM, your troubles haven't come so much from the makeup of the party but from preparedness, communication, and coordination. When you guys work together and your tactics are solid, you wipe through some difficult encounters pretty quickly. But in that last fight everyone was pretty much doing their own thing without really having a plan about how to deal with the lightning-wielding wind-protected flying enemy.
To be fair, I have seen a lot worse. You guys are on the good part of the spectrum but this is a tough AP so good is not going to be enough; you'll need to be exceptional to make it all the way through. I'm just being honest. And you do work together quite often, just not enough. At least that's my assessment. For example: I'm currently in a Shattered Star group where some (mostly one) of the players are very selfish and don't work as a team. I am absolutely expecting that to bite us in the ass at some point in the future, despite all I'm doing to prevent it. I just don't want to see that happen to you guys.
I honestly think your characters, built as they are, could make it through that fight. All it will take is a little preparation and coordination.
I'm currently in a Shattered Star group where some (mostly one) of the players are very selfish and don't work as a team. I am absolutely expecting that to bite us in the ass at some point in the future, despite all I'm doing to prevent it.
Oh, I didn't mean to say that Miso cost us the fight or anything. Just some money in raising him from the dead. Potions are cheaper. (not that I can talk--I stood next to a dragon)
As far as party composition goes, I think things like an actual healer or an actual wizard would go a long way. As it is, I cover both roles poorly (in my opinion). Of course a large part of that is my inexperience, but I still think it's valid.
As for teamwork, I think we didn't work as a team because not one of us had any idea how to survive that encounter. It took me that many rounds (days?) to come up with my plan of escape.
I'm currently in a Shattered Star group where some (mostly one) of the players are very selfish and don't work as a team. I am absolutely expecting that to bite us in the ass at some point in the future, despite all I'm doing to prevent it.
It's Bert isn't it? ;)
Lol, no. I should have clarified that it's the group I'm playing with, not the group I'm GMing for. You guys can just step back and let Argust destroy everything.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
I'm not too proud to ask about cashing in on some backstory/future servitude from our escorted pseudo-benefactor to receive Pharasma's return-to-sender stamp. ;-)
Alright, seeing no other suggestions, I recommend we try to track down some scrolls/castings of Gentle Repose, then steal borrow some horses and ride like mad. Or, if it's just too far, we take our defeat like gentlemen, sell everything we own, raise these two stiffs, then hope we don't need items anymore.
What do you think, EF? Is there a mechanic to explore this, or are you just going to yea/nay it?
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
If the hope is to balance the party out a bit, I'm willing to make soemthing else rather than raise Miso. That way Jennix can keep his guy and we only have to worry about bringing one PC back, rather than two.
Is Ameiko (or someone else with the caravan) able to offer some input?
I think Ameiko would regret losing such a strong friend and companion as Miso....
Perhaps I can come up with some solutions to alleviate the situation a bit. I'll write up something in the Gameplay later when I've had time to think over how it will work.
I can try to invent some kind of alchemical item, wondrous item, ring, or spell that might help. That seems very Terflynn-y. But I'm not sure the rules surrounding such things.
Sorry for the delay! I was back in Indiana for the weekend and all my games were a bit slower. I was hoping to have time to look at the books and write up a really satisfying gameplay post today but haven't had time. A batch of seed came out of the drier and today was a lot busier than expected organizing it and starting the processing; I have 3000+ seed packets that had to be ordered numerically and now I have to go through each packet, count and weight 50 seeds, and do several other measurements on them. Yeah, it's going to be a long project....
Sit tight and I'll try to get something up tomorrow at some point. I promise to make the wait worthwhile and then we'll be back in the game in no time.
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Pretty much what Zachary said. Real Life Comes First [tm].
Male human (Kellid) Mnk4/Sor1/DrD6 | hp 65/115 | Init +6 | AC 27/22, T 18, FF 24/20 | CMB +15 (+17 grapple), CMD 32 (34 v. grapple) | F +11 R +9 W +11 (+2 vs exhaustion/fatigue) | Prcptn +17, blindsense SM +11 |
Need to check HeroLab at home to be absolutely certain, but I think the 3250 on my PC profile is accurate.
Total cost should be about 15,740. So far we have about 7400 plus what the caravan offered. Depending on how much Jennix has, we'll have to make a few decisions. I could part with two pearls of power (1st and 2nd) for 2500gp.
