GM Endless Forms' Rise of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Waiting to see if the first lamia survives to pick my action.

It takes another two blows from Seal's dorn to take down the first lamia. Rissi's spells continue to harass the other lamia in the back.

Initiative:

1. Kufieno and Seal
2. Lamias
3. Rissi, Lucian, and Miana

blue: 33 dmg, 5 images

Lucian, Miana, and Kufieno are up!

Kufieno moves past the pit and darts through the wall of fire, then stabs at the lamia.

Using extra movement.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 = 33
Arcane Strike: 1d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 = 19

Of course.

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 = 27
Extra Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 4 = 18

2d6 + 11 ⇒ (2, 1) + 11 = 14 No fire damage for you!

Can't fail jumping across the pit with my plus 19 to Acrobatics +4 more for my speed

Miana leaps over the pit and into the fire and delivers a heel kick to the lamia's jaw to hopefully stun the evil creature.

BoF for +2 to Attack/AC

Defensive Stunning kick @ Blue: 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 15 - 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 30
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5, 6) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 19
If it hits, then DC 19 or stunned

AC is 31, CMD is 34

Not being able to see through the fire, Lucian prefers to refrain from wasting any more magical resources before the proverbial smoke clears.

1d6 ⇒ 6
1d5 ⇒ 1
Fort: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

Kufieno pops an image! Miana then moves in and hits the actual lamia with her stunning kick! The lamia calls out to Lamashtu and lets the foul energy wash over you!

negative energy: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 6) = 13
DC 16 Will for half; hits Kufieno, Miana, and Seal

Initiative:

1. Kufieno and Seal
2. Lamias
3. Rissi, Lucian, and Miana

blue: 52 dmg, 4 images

You guys are up!

Will: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
"Lamashtu will not save your evil reign!"

The paladin's eyes flash as she unleashes a series of rapid, lightning fast kicks at the lamia.

BoF for extra attack, swift action to Ki point another attack

Defensive Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 31
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 16
Defensive Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 28
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 15
Defensive BoF Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 23
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5, 3) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 16
Defensive Ki Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 15 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 31
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 15
Defensive Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 28
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (6, 1) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 15
Defensive Flurry kick @ lamia: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 - 2 - 2 + 1 + 2 = 28
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 13

Kapow!

Will: 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 + 1 = 12

Kufieno steps southeast, to flank, and keeps stabbing, trying to pop all the images.

Power Attack, Buffs, Flank: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 35
Arcane Strike: 1d6 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 19
Sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5

Iterative, Power Attack, Buffs, Flank: 1d20 + 8 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 22
Arcane Strike: 1d6 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 15
Sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

BoF, Power Attack, Buffs, Flank: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 27
Arcane Strike: 1d6 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 16
Sneak: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9

Confirm?: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 35
Extra damage: 1d6 + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 4 = 17

So I like the attack dynamic this party has. Seal has the big hits, I have the insane number of attacks, Kufieno has a middle ground with extra precision damage. Rissi has debuff, CC, and AoE while Lucian has a good mix of support, CC, and direct damage spells; both are our primary source of ranged damage.

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Seal takes 6. Lucian takes 7. Keep up oracle!

After crushing the lamia before him. Seal sprints to leap over the acid pit and through the Wall o' Fire. Seal's dorn his heliocoptering above his head as he swings and brings the boom down on the she-beast.

30' Move

Jump: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (10) + 24 = 34

Dorn of Doom vs Lamia: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (11) + 23 = 342d8 + 25 ⇒ (1, 8) + 25 = 34

Lucian conjures healing energies to get his companions alive and well!

Mass Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Miana gets rid of the images and then follows that up with two solid hits on the lamia! This leaves the lamia open to the assault by Kufieno and Seal which brings the lamia down!

Out of combat!

The two incense burners on the altar in this room are made of silver chased with mithral-each is worth 400 gp. You also notice that the altar has been slid across the stone floor several times. Seal is able to push it aside to reveal a small hollow in the ground below, within which sit several vile books full of descriptions on how to disembowel, decapitate, drown, and otherwise slaughter all major types of giants and humanoids, especially in ritual killings and sacrifices. Many of these horrific sacrifices involve the opening of a victim's belly, inserting a small but ravenous creature like a rat, and then magically healing the belly wound shut so that the creature is forced to gnaw its way to freedom in a mock birth. While horrific, these scrolls are lavishly illustrated by a talented (albeit demented) artist, and are worth 500 gp in all. Near the end of the book is a page that functions as a scroll of remove curse.

Seal takes a long look at the books which the main subjects are giants. He quickly flips through the pages, ogling the pictures, sometimes turning the book sideways and upside down to get a different perceptive.

"Oh this is a good one. Honey on giant balls near an ant hill. I'll just hold on to these ... for the time being."

Thunderpuss looks barely awake. Seal takes the healing stick and begins to tend to the wounds of his fallen companion.

Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Seal just emptied the 14 remaining charges on the two highly-used wands of CLW, so we'll need to buy a couple more the first occasion we get. I'll also chime in for a slight retcon.

"Hold on, Seal, let me heal you and Thunderpuss myself."

Conjuring healing energies, Lucian closes the wounds of all his companions with a powerful spell.

Mass CLW: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Mass CLW: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
That saves a lot of the charges of the wands, which you can use on yourself. Where is everyone HP-wise? I'll use my own spells to heal ourselves, but we may want to rest after one or two more encounters, if that's okay.

Kufieno is at full hp after the heals.

The AoE heals also covered me

With the Mass CLW (shouldn't it be +11?) Thunderpuss only needs the first 4 wand charges to heal Thunderpuss to full. Seal is good with just the Mass CLW

It's +10 because I lost a CL by taking the first level of the Evangelist class. It's a small price to pay for all the goodies in that class, actually!

As for the charges, there is one wand left with 7, another with 3 then.

Past the lamia's chamber/chapel, the walls are hung with furs. To the southeast the tunnel constricts and slopes down sharply. The tunnel walls wind deeper into the ground to further to the southeast, yet the presence of rough contours along the cave walls seems to lessen every several paces— the deeper the cave goes, the more like worked stone the passageway seems.

There are some rooms and a ramp going up to the ground floor left on this map but nothing of real import to the story and the few stray stone giants can be won over by telling them you allied with Conna the Wise. You were told the tunnel heading down to the southeast leads to the ancient library where you should find Mokmurian and his closest minions. Ready to head down?

"My apologies for the *squeak* fires. I was attempting to separate the their forces, but I did not realize you would pursue them so aggressively."

She sighs, although at her own incompetence or the abandon of her allies is unclear.

"Since we approach the library, I have another stoneskin ready to protect. Although, I doubt it will do much against the magics of a giant *chhhh* wizard"

"Fire ring was good. That way she couldn't shoot her lazer magiks at us!"

Seal ignores the stone giants, as if they are already dead to him.

"Kufieno, want to scout ahead to see what we are dealing with?"

In either case, Seal will draw out Isoult and his wand of Lead Blades.

I'm all about class goodness, Lucian!

I'm ready here, I can handle a couple more encounters, I think.

"No worries little Rissi, you were only trying to stoke the coals of justice."

"Still, can't ignore brute force being part of Mokmurian's repretiore."

Kufieno shrugs. "Fire's never bother me much, Miss Rissi."

Nodding to Seal, Kufieno casts another vanishing spell and creeps down the to scout.

Posting from mobile. Not sure how far away Kufieno has to go, or whether vanish will last long enough. Kufieno would try to gauge when he should cast it.

Stealth: 1d20 + 18 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 18 + 20 = 46
Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30 +2 more for traps, with trapspotter.

Seeing Kufieno vanish to scout ahead, Rissi quickly calls out.

"I expect a wizard skilled enough to pierce the mysteries of rune magic will have persistent magic to pierce *chhh* simple glamers like an invisibility dweomer. I would. If you are *squeak* insistent on trying, use my magic. Only, Kufieno, do not depend on it."

Rissi pulls and uses a scroll of invisibility on Kufieno. "This will last at least a few minutes." She will also cast her own prepared see invisibility spell.

Kufieno can cast invisibility as well. Wasn't sure how long it would take.

Kufieno uses a vanish spell to sneak down the tunnel. To the left he can see worked stone ending in a collapsed tunnel but to the right (south) is a large room with two more double doors in it. He can see the shadows and hear the sounds of a giant moving about in the chamber.

New map is up!

Now with the report from Kufieno, want to head down? Any preparations?

Recap of what spells are currently up for the group and options for buffing now? Is the time negligible from one map to another or does it takes "minutes" to get to the next floor?

And Happy 4th of July everybody. My body feels as if ran over by a clown car. Then the clowns came out, beat me with their rubber bats, got returned to the clown car and backed up over me.

Rissi waves her hand and encases Miana in a skin of stone, glittery pieces of diamond floating around her. She sighs, contemplating the magical energies to be expended in the coming confrontation with Mokmurian.

Sealman: stoneskin. Miana: mage armor, stoneskin. Rissi: mage armor, overland flight. Probably all of us have the tail end of the last Good Hope, if hasn't been more then a few minutes.

Shield Other on Sealman and Rissi, Good Hope should still be up, Resist Energy (fire), communal too.

Lucian is fidgeting, apparently nervous at the thought of being away from the stars for too long. "I'm ready to go down and face this Mokmurian." he simply says.

"Yes, let's take care of this threat to Sandpoint and Varisia."

"Yes let's take care of them... all of them."

Once at the base of the stairs and ready to move into another room, Seal will use his wand of Lead Blades on Isoult.

"One might even construe the *chhh* re-emergance of rune magic as a threat to all formulaic magic users". Rissi waves her hand, mirroring herself 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 times over.

It will take a few minutes to descend from one level to the other but Kufieno already scouted so you know when to stop and buff.

The party prepares for the fight ahead and, warned by Kufieno, heads to the south to fight the hill giant he supposed was guarding that chamber.

A pair of double doors stands in the southern wall of the room and the floor is made of glossy, polished black-and-gray marble. To the east, what might have once been another exit has long since caved in. yet nothing in the room compares to the curious effect that its walls have-looking into the room, it is bizarrely impossible to judge the chamber's exact dimensions. Any wall looked at directly remains stable, but through peripheral vision the walls everywhere else seem to stretch away into impossibly infinite gulfs, as if the room itself were somehow "unhooked" from its own physicality. The sheets of pale light that flicker across the walls only add to the disorienting effect.

[ooc]DC 23 Will save from everyone or be disoriented by the room as it becomes difficult to judge distance (nauseated for 1d4 rounds)

Also, DC 23 Fort save or you succumb to the magic of the chamber and are reduced in size as if by a reduce person effect.

The chamber is indeed the guardpost of a single obese giant, his body covered with scars in the shape of Thassilonian runes. The runeslave giant wears a heavy hide breastplate and has a slightly hunched back and pale lanky hair. His arms and legs are twisted and monstrously overdeveloped muscles bulge and strain against his seemingly too-tight skin.

Initiative:

1. Kufieno, Lucian, Seal, and Rissi
2. Runeslave Giant
3. Miana

Kufieno, Lucian, Seal, and Rissi are up!

Will save: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 16 + 2 = 28
Fort save: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 2 = 24

Will Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Fort Save: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 15 + 2 = 28
Nausea: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Seal is disortiented by the room's architecture. Ever persident, he begins slowly make his way to the giant, while tossing his cookies at the time time. Narf!

Thunderpuss Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Nausea: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Thunderpuss follows after his master, coughing up hairballs along the way.

Note: the reduce person effect can happen even if that spell would not normally effect you (ie Thunderpuss and the sulis).

Well played, Endless Forms. Well played.

Thunderpuss Fort Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Boom-chaka-lacka!

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Fort: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
1d4 ⇒ 4

Kufieno vomits on the floor.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
1d4 ⇒ 3
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Rissi transforms into an inconsequential creature.

I now have Little Bunny Foo Foo in my head.

If we had time to buff before initiating the fight, consider good hope to be renewed.

Will: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 20 = 23
Fort: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
Lucian manages not to vomit from the disorienting effect, but is reduced to a smaller version of himself!

"Uh oh. I promised Ameiko I wouldn't touch a pipe of dream weave until I got back to Sandpoint..."

Reacting fast to the giant's presence, Lucian curses the giant with the curse he himself is bearing.

"Curse of flames, curse of pain, take this tainted creature!"

Casting oracle's burden: Will DC 20, if he fails he'll take a -4 penalty on all weapon attack rolls.

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Seal, Thunderpuss, Kufieno, and Rissi are all disoriented by the strange room! Lucian gives the giant horribly burnt hands yet the giant lumbers forth relentlessly to swings its greatclub at Seal!

greatclub power attack: 1d20 + 16 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 16 - 2 - 4 = 27
vital strike damage: 4d8 + 13 + 6 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 8) + 13 + 6 = 33

Initiative:

1. Kufieno, Lucian, Seal, and Rissi
2. Runeslave Giant (-4 attack)
3. Miana

You guys are up!

Tiny Rissi withdraws from the room to settle her stomach.

2 rounds of nausea remain

Miana darts forward, moving up defensively as she to slip in and strike at the giant to protect her friends that have been affected by the room's design and arcane traps.

Acrobatics vs giant CMD: 1d20 + 19 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 19 - 5 = 24
Defensive kick @ giant: 1d20 + 15 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 15 - 2 + 2 = 32
Damage on hit: 2d6 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 5 + 2 = 14

AC is 29, CMD is 32

Kufieno staggers closer, trying not to slip on his bile as he retches again.

16 pod to Seal. 17 pod to Lucian

"Thunderpuss, protect the lady."

Seal begins to duck and weave the giant's club in hopes of not begin hit again. Evade Reach

Thunderpuss leaps forward with claws and fangs at the ready. Sharing his hatred for giants, Thunderpuss attempts to take out the giant's legs like a good dwarf would.

Thunderpuss Bite: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
Dmg: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Thunderpuss Claw 1: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
Dmg: 1d4 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Thunderpuss Claw 2: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24
Dmg: 1d4 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Seeing wounds open on his own body at an alarming rate, Lucian prays Desna for healing.
CMW: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (5, 1) + 10 = 16