GM Endless Forms' Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

You made it mad! Argust yells, not understanding the magic that is at work here. Put it back!

"Uhm...maybe you should turn it back..

"I think you are right Argust! It seems to be rather unstable, perhaps best to leave well enough alone." Brelar returns the controls to their original settings.

Looks like we're in for a fight.

A dark spot appears in the sky above the city. The spot grows steadily larger until it suddenly splits and becomes recognizable as two horrible, long-limbed quadrupeds with toothy maws and enormous, alien eyes!

The hounds give Brelar and Argust ripping gazes!

Argust:
slashing damage: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 6, 4, 6) = 19
DC 18 Fort negates

Brelar:
slashing damage: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 2, 5, 4) = 20
DC 18 Fort negates

Initiative:

1. Hounds
2. You guys

You're up!

Fort: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Argust shakes whatever evil thing the critters did. He then attacks the one near him!

One: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (6) + 19 = 25 for Damage: 2d6 + 21 ⇒ (5, 1) + 21 = 27
Two: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18 for Damage: 2d6 + 24 ⇒ (3, 3) + 24 = 30

Bert calls on his luck and fires at the one on Brelar.

DA ranged touch attack, incl. PBS and luck: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 11 + 1 + 2 = 28
DA bullet damage (silver, cold iron, magic), incl. PBS and luck: 1d6 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 12

Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Brelar feels the full force of the beast's gaze!

45/65

Stepping back, Brelar casts communal protection from evil.

Karn channels to heal, since the party didn't heal up after the kytons.

Channel: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 5, 6) = 19

Argust cuts into one of the hounds! Bert then puts a bullet in the other while Brelar steps back and protects everyone from the evil dogs!

----

H1: 27 dmg
H2: 12 dmg

Karn is up!

Ninja'd!

Karn channels! The two dogs step away and become invisible!

You guys are up!

Brelar casts see invisible and calls out the location of the hounds!

Karn casts a spell giving Argust the strength of a bull!

Bert casts glitterdust, centered on the lower right-hand vertex of the square currently occupied by the right-hand hound.

ETA: Or where Brelar is indicating.

Argust steps forward and tries to strike the invisible hounds!

One: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32 for Damage: 2d6 + 21 ⇒ (2, 4) + 21 = 27 2 is hit: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Two: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17 for Damage: 2d6 + 24 ⇒ (3, 2) + 24 = 292 is hit: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Ugh

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

----

Argust swings and misses as the party works to deal with the invisibility!

The first dog pops out of invisibility as it goes for Argust!

bite: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
damage: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4) + 3 = 8

claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The other hops up to the ceiling, out of reach of the party.

Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

----

H1: 27 dmg
H2: 12 dmg

You guys are up!

There you are!

One: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 19 + 1 = 28 for Damage: 2d6 + 21 + 1 ⇒ (5, 2) + 21 + 1 = 29
Two: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 14 + 1 = 30 for Damage: 2d6 + 24 + 1 ⇒ (3, 5) + 24 + 1 = 33

Bert manages to jam his pistol!

DA ranged touch to airborne hound, incl. PBS and lingering luck: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 1 + 2 = 15

Brelar takes out a scroll of scorching ray and reads it!

Releasing both rays to the one on the ceiling!

Ranged touch 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Ranged touch 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Damage 1: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 2) + 1 = 17
Damage 2: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6, 6, 4) + 1 = 22

Argust takes down the first Hound! Brelar then hits the other with a firey ray while Bert's gun jams.

----

H2: 45 dmg

Karn is up!

Karn creates a weapon of force to attack the hound on the ceiling.

Spiritual Weapon: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Karn's trident bites into the dog! The dog slips into a nearby crack and pops out another near Brelar!

bite: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
damage: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 1) + 3 = 8

claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

claw: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

---

H2: 52 dmg

You guys are up!

Argust moves after the creature as it attacks his beloved liege!

Vital Strike: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 19 + 1 = 27 for Damage: 4d6 + 21 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2, 3, 5) + 21 + 1 = 34

Argust finishes the Hound off!

Brelar! Are you alright? Is everyone alright? The dwarf looks around for more invisible hounds. I think those things were guarding the thingy!

Bleeding lightly from the hound's wounds, Brelar says "Perhaps I'll be more careful..."

hp 46/65

"Nice job, Argust! Anyone hurt?"

Bert glowers at his pistol, knowing it'll take some time to repair.

"I don't think they were guarding it, Argust. I think they were called to it when the magic started to go wrong. They're creatures of time."

Karn uses the healing wand on himself and anyone else who needs it.

CLW: 5d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 3, 8, 2, 4) + 5 = 30

"Not anymore than usual.....now what? The door?"

Yeah, ok Bert. I guess that make sense. The door? Yeah, we can try the door unless something else is guarding that.

"I didn't see any traps on it before Brelar tried to change the setting on the orrery. Argust, you can open it when we're ready."

Traveling south!

The walls and ceiling of this stone chamber are partially covered in a strange, organic-looking honeycomb of papery material, as are several long workbenches. There is the corpse of a halfling in the room and the place is overrun by a hideous, buzzing cloud of insects comprised of black and yellow wasps with hungry red eyes! A young woman wearing monk's robes but with her lips stitched shut kneels over the still body of the halfling, making a wordless keening noise.

The woman begins to whistle her rage through her stitched lips and you recognize the crazed look in her eyes as unfriendly, to say the least.

The hellish wasps move forward to engulf the party!

damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 5) = 16
DC 18 Fort save against distraction (nauseated).
DC 20 Fort save against poison or take 1d6 ⇒ 1 Dex damage

The woman moves to the door to assault Argust!

unarmed strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
DC 17 Fort save or stunned for 1 round

----

You guys are up!

"Hellwasp swarm! Weapons and fire are useless!"

ETA: DC 18 Fort save vs. distraction: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
DC 20 Fort save vs. poison: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

ETA2: Bert retreats out of the swarm, drawing an acid flask and preparing to throw it.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Fort vs Distraction: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Fort vs Dex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Argust takes 11 and Karn 5, I'm at 87/101 now.

Argust fights off the effects of the swarm and dodges the attack of the woman. He then strikes at the woman himself!

One: 1d20 + 19 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 19 + 1 = 36 for Damage: 2d6 + 21 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 21 + 1 = 30
Two: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 14 + 1 = 23 for Damage: 2d6 + 24 + 1 ⇒ (4, 6) + 24 + 1 = 35

Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
Knowledge (dungeonerring): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

Brelar takes a 5' step back and pops out a wand of lightning bolt from this wrist sheath.

Damage: 5d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 3, 5) = 13 DC 16 Ref for half

Ref: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Argust quickly kills the woman! Brelar's measly lightning bolt only burns away a few bugs.

----

6 dmg

Karn is up!

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Karn takes out a flask of acid and tosses it at the swarm.

Toss: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Acid: 1d6 ⇒ 6

He then steps five feet.

Can't see map atm

Best to step first, then throw, as you're in the swarm to start with.

Sounds good. Also, whoa! What do we have, to deal with these?

Karn steps out of the swarm and douses them in acid!

The swarm maneuvers to encompass Brelar and Karn!

damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 6) = 11
DC 18 Fort against distraction
DC 20 Fort against poison or 1d6 ⇒ 6 Dex damage

Brelar is already poisoned so I guess he just needs to make a continuing save. Bert also needs another save against poison or 1d6 ⇒ 2 Dex damage

----

15 dmg

You guys are up!

Argust grabs an alchemist fire and Throws it at the swarm!: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33 for Fire!: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Its all I got I think

Don't forget, Bert said they were immune to fire.

Ah yes, I wasn't paying attention to the swarm at first since the chick attacked me. I got nothin' then. I'll search the woman to see if she might have something useful by some chance.

Yeah, I misspoke on that. They're not immune, but they're resistant, and I don't think alchemist's fire will get through their resistance.

Argust notes that she has magical bracers, a small vial of liquid, and some gold. But no splash weapons.

Also, they only have fire resistance. But yeah, alchemist's fire is not going to be terribly effective because of that.

For the record, swarms are stupid. Fire resistant ones even more so.

Fort (distraction): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Fort (poison): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Up to 7 Dex damage

His body burning with poison and wasp stings, Brelar moves back toward the northern door and does the only thing he can...fireball! Centering it on the swarm, Brelar's magic bends the flames away from his friends, and the clockwork device.

Damage: 9d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6, 2, 1, 5) = 29 DC 21 Ref for half.

Bert calls on his luck and hurls the acid flask at the swarm, his aim thrown off by the poison and nerves. Nevertheless, some of the acid splashes onto the wasps. I think they take 1 point of splash, plus PBS and luck bonuses gives 4 points base and 6 points total.

DC 20 Fort save vs. poison, incl. luck: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19
Acid flask to swarm, incl. PBS and luck: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 + 2 = 17

Currently at -3 DEX.

Yeah.....swarms with fire resistance and DR/good...

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Karn steps away and channels healing.

Channel: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 5, 5) = 15

Killer Bees! Holy Shnikes!

Ref: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Brelar blasts some of the killer bees away. (Holy shnikes!) Bert's acid burns away a few more but most of it splatters against the wall. Karn channels to heal and Argust stands frustrated that he can't hit them with his sword.

The hellwasps move over Karn and Bert!

damage: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 2) = 12
DC 18 against distraction.
Keep those poison saves coming. DC 20 or 1d6 ⇒ 5 Dex damage; 6 round duration if you're keeping track.

---

50 dmg

You guys are up!

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Karn retches and moves away from the swarm.