GM FangDragon's Cult of the Ebon Destroyers (Inactive)

Game Master FangDragon

Hey that's kinda cool, I've put a graphic for the radius of Dirge of Doom. She's only just inside.

Have to give credit for the poem to Ukrainian poet and writer Yevhen Hrebinka - 1843, but your character pic sent me looking, kinda went along with the Thakur's conversation from earlier I thought.

Shikyo ghosts forward, turning invisible as he does...

Moved to the base of the pillar, and turned invisible...gonna KI jump/sneak attack next round.

Sorry should have mentioned this before.

Continual flame spells illuminate the hall’s edges, leaving the middle of the central area in shadow. The walls are smooth stone and rise to the ceiling 70 feet above the hall’s floor. A variety of weapons rest embedded in training dummies or set against the walls.

As Shikyo gets closer to the edge, he realizes the pillars rise out of a 40' deep pit. The tops of the pillars are a few feet above the level of the floor. The pillars are made of sheer polished stone, climbing will be difficult.

Shikyo please confirm if you want to keep that action or change it.

Lilly draws her bow.

Opening her palm at the woman, she softly ushers a few words.

Cause Fear, DC 16.

Edited actions

Shikyo darts forward invisibly and prepares to leap to a pillar....

Moved north and will leap using KI to the next pillar...his plan is to dropkick the chick off the pillar

Shikyo vanishes and moves north.

Shikyo Stealth: 1d20 + 12 + 20 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 20 = 52

Alwyn sings a subtly disturbing song, and casts Haste.

Master Bvar tries to shoot her, she bats aside his first shot contemptuously, but his second opens a shallow wound on her arm.
Full attack with haste and deadly aim.
Long Bow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 15Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 4 = 17 --> MISS
Long Bow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 28Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 4 = 13 --> HIT

Lilly casts her spell!
Will Save: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 1 - 2 = 9 --> FAIL

Something snaps in Deepti's mind and with a blood curdling scream, she makes a swan dive off the pillar and dissapears into darkness.

COMBAT OVER

Bvar glances at Lilly and mutters, "Well that was unexpected. Now what?"

Pratavh watched as their attacker took a swan dive and fell to her doom. He couldn't help a sigh of relief, "Well, that was easy, too bad the others likely will not be."

Lilly was silent in surprise, her spell had reached the mind of the target.

"Ok...i'm not complaining here.
How are you boys holding up, anyone hurt?"

After any of those answers, Lilly peers down into the pit.
"Anyone able to cast floating lights? It wouldn't hurt to be sure she's dead."

Alwyn gladly conjures up some lighting for Lilly, rolling it down the column with a counter-clockwise flare, breaking off to center on Deepti once found.

Using mage hand he then brings the Chackrams up for a closer look, as well as anything else that looks interesting range 45', weight < 5 lbs

With the light conjured by Alwyn you spot a shaft that leads down into the inky darkness.

Alwyn you'd need to go into the pit and view down the shaft to do that, it's also too deep for your spell. The pit itself has polished rock walls and will be very hard to climb. Likewise the shaft is also polished rock.

Bvar walks over to the edge of the pit and remarks, "Can't see the bottom of that shaft from here, but it looks pleanty deep. What do you all suggest? Should we try and go down there somehow or should we try the corridors to the north and east?"

"Hirati can see a body down there but not many details. It likely is her corpse but still, I imagine it would not hurt to make sure." He concentrates and thinks at Hirati, Why don't you create some lights to send further down towards that body, we need to make sure that it's her and she's dead. The little dragon sends a though of agreement and conjures up a small group of bouncing and spinning lights which she directs down towards the corpse. She then peers carefully and tries to identify who it is.
Hirati Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

Hirati uses her dancing lights ability and sends them 130 ft down towards the corpse (or however much of that she needs to see it clearly). She'll move lower if necessary but only just far enough to make sure the corpse is the person we fought.

Hirati Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

Hirati flies over the pit and sends an elaborately dancing pair of multi-colored sparkles down the pit. These send garish shadows dancing all around before being swallowed up by the shaft, leaving only a ruddy square of light on the distant roof.

Suddenly Hirati comes back all excited, "There's a corpse, well more of a training dummy really. And and! Near the bottom, there's a net! Oh and you'll never guess what, there's a trapdoor. It's closed and I don't know where it goes, but I bet she went that way!"

I remember a druid casting feather fall, prior to falling into a trap. If i feared her, would she still cast it?

"Darn it, now we have to cut her down after all."

Lilly, take a closer look at what the Frightened condition says. It's in a spoiler a few posts ago :) You'd be aware of what the spell does.

"How far down is it Hirati? I have the means to bring us to the bottom safely so long as it it within oh 450' or so. We can follow her directly or continue to search this level until we meet with her again. If we continue to search this level, we should check the double doors first I believe."

Hirati tells you, "The shaft is about 60 or 70' deep, and the net is around 20' from the bottom."

Shikyo shrugs She will die, as will all these cultist scum...and if I had my say so would their entire bloodlines. Shikyo inspects the doors and opens them if he finds no traps

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Stealth to open the doors quietly: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Which doors are you opening?

Prior to entering anything else, Lilly casts some CLW on herself.

CLW x2: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 8) + 10 = 19
Back to 64.

Drew a red arrow

Seeing Lilly's spell use, Alwyn tsk, tsk under his breath. "That's what these are for silly, save those next time."

CLW(Alwyn): 3d8 + 6 ⇒ (2, 1, 7) + 6 = 16 full
CLW(Shikyo): 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 5) + 4 = 16 full

Alwyn pads after Shiyko to the next set of doors down the hall, remaining about 30' behind.

Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Lilly and Alwyn tend to the party's wounded and then Shikyo san leads the party forwards, into a large room were cold white light pours down from the ceiling, illuminating a raised platform in the center of the area. The room is two stories high, with a series of balconies running around the upper level, overlooking the platform. Two narrow walkways cross above the center of the platform on the second story. Stone pillars positioned around the lower level support the balcony and walkways. To each side at the rear of the chamber, steep steps ascend to the upper level.

As they entered into the theater like room, the sight of balconies and catwalks changing his mind from a theater to a Colosseum. "I do not like this place, it seems perfectly made for a trap, a very lethal trap at that." He keeps a wary eye on the various balconies and catwalks as does Hirati.
Pratavh Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Hirati Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35

From the balcony above the arena, a female voice rings out, confident and bold. You look up and see a statuesque woman with a
charcoal dot on her forehead, she wears a fitted black sari and veil, set off by an intricately jeweled nose ring.

She calls out to you "What is you want? Those pathetic fools in Niswan sent you of course, but did they really think they could tame the likes of you? Could you really be beholden to such cockroaches? They think they rule this land!" Her derisive laughter rings out, "The Thakur doesn't even control his harem, let alone his court or the city of Niswan. It is ours, and has been for centuries. I chose the Thakur, it was my hand that raised him! I know everything of importance in the city, I know all of you..."
She points and says confidently, "There is Alwyn something of a bard and fair shot with that bow. Then there is the lovely Lilly, bound up in prophecy. Did you know we have a prophecy about you too? If you try to kill us, you'll never know what it was. Then there is the unflappable Pratavh, one who has given so much for others and has gained precisely nothing, I would rectify that. Who is that cowering back there, ah Master Bvar, a bit of a joke around the royal court by all accounts, although he knows what he's doing with that bow. Finally there is Shikyomaru Kuro and Mohktar, inseparable or so one would have thought. Where is Mohktar, did something happen to him? Such a shame. Still there is Shikyomaru, apparently you want to wipe us out, you wouldn't be the first to try..."

She sips water from a stone ewer before continuing, "Still, have you considered, really considered, what you are here to do? The Thakur has promised to crossed your palms with silver if you rid him of us. Something he and his predecessors have singularly failed to do for the past thousand years. Perhaps you think you are strong enough, such hubris has happened many times before and will likely happen again. It has always been a waste. Your talents are most useful, it would be a shame to snuff them out. Have you ever considered what could be done with the proper guidance and assistance? Nations shall fall and rise at our command. The glory for the conquerors shall know no bounds! The Thakur promise you petty silver, Dhalaevi is far more generous. In this world and the next! Her faithful have spread far from this isle, the power behind the throne for many nations. All that wax and wane in the inner sea do so at our command. Join us! Sip from Dhalaevi's cup! Her faithful shall inherit the world! Together no one shall gainsay us!"

She looks at you with piercing eyes, awaiting your response.

Alwyn bows to the lady above....

"Such eloquent and beautiful words to be found in this place, yet what have they told us? Your name? No, perhaps we should start there.

For so far, Dhalaevi's cup so far has been shown to be a caustic drink indeed, and yet you wish for us to drink. I should think not."

Alwyn is currently feeling the new speaker out, not being antagonistic

Shikyo stays silent and invisible....his hands are on his katana and ready to deal death.

Here is some artwork for Zaffira.

"My name is Zaffira Canelezza del Margo. I tend to the spiritual needs of the brethren, just has my predecessor and their predecessors have done back to the age of darkness. It seems you think of Dhalaevi as a harsh mistress, it is true our dark mother jealously guards her faithful. Yet what monarch does not do the same? Moreover every monarch has their chosen agents, it is not even required for you to drink from the cup. All you'd have to do is little tasks here and there, and some greater tasks if you so desire. Think of the glory to be had, we shall soon be the secret rulers of every nation in the inner sea! Ever wanted to be a lord and master of an estate, or perhaps ruler of a city, or maybe even three." She points to a large map of the region on the western wall, "There's plenty to go round! They shall all be ours to the glory of Dhalaevi! Maybe they shall be yours too?"

Without Mohktar to be his conscious, Shikyo is being persuaded...

Lilly brushes behind her ear a lock of her blonde hair, before crossing her arms.

"A prophesy, about me? Now i 'really' feel i'm being toyed with....
Yet, if you'd want to take over, you'd just need to grow influential.
Bureaucratic politics and such, sadly, win alot of things, without the necessity of murder."

She was curious though...

sense motive: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
"All it takes for the mighty tower to fall is for the good watchman to fail to do his duty.
One of your agents, chose to sow discord in the town by attacking a beautiful soul, trying to corrupt her soul in that attack. Others were destroyed for what use other than to cause panic and despair among the weak and those unable to protect themselves.
Those are not qualities I find beneficial in a leader, you offer power and land but at what cost? My soul; whether figuratively or literally, it is a price I cannot and will not pay. For all of your pretty words, to join you would be to barter my soul to the devil."

Zaffira nods, "Yes you are being toyed with, by the gods. You never asked for those powers, did you? Suddenly one day the spirits started following you around, I suspect that was a nasty surprise. It was for me too. I see they are still there hanging around behind you, ready to knock away anything you drop and to mess with your things. Did you know more than god bet upon the outcome of your birth? It was predicted you would come here and be the agent of great change. There is more to the prophecy than that of course..."

She listens to Alwyn's words and adds, "What you probably don't know is The Thakur was warned repeatedly not to change the Tea laws. Lesser warnings were ignored. Sometimes leaders have to send people into battle knowing they will die. The Thakur sent Bahni into combat asking her to perform at gatherings supporting his reforms. Not so very different as sending a soldier into war, and it wasn't as if he didn't know what would happen."

She pauses and drinks again from her stone ewer before adding, "You ask the price of power? They say power corrupts, this is true regardless of our dark mothers blessings. We wield much power here, but we live simply and eschew the hedonism and decadance you witnessed in Niswan. It is inevitable such a society will decay from within! You can either help us or be on the wrong side of history."

She pauses, "Of course if you can not be dissuaded by words, perhaps there is an alternative. A duel. I will take on your champion. The bloodshed would be a waste, but I am not afraid to test my faith. No one will interfere!"

Ironic isn't it, a duel sort of suits Lilly's personality.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

"She's...serious about the duel."

"Of all people i've fought with over the years....it's a master of a dark cult, who has a sense of honor. You are one rare woman on the side of a cult, i'll give you that.

"If one of us wins, what is in it for us? Our freedom, the destruction of that dark altar, with the knowledge there are still many sects of your faith scattered throughout the world?"
....pause

"Yet if you win, what do you get out of it, aside from the defeat of the challenger? Forced employment, captivity for life?"

Sorry, yesterday was rather busy.

"You are incorrect that I have gained nothing madam, I've learned much and made at least two friends since I came to this land, helping to bring one of them back from the dead in fact. I grant I have gained little of materiel wealth or power but those things are not as important to me as you seem to think. Even if you could offer me land and power I would not believe or trust you because of the strings attached to it."
Pratavh Sense Motive 1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Hirati Sense Motive 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Pratavh listened intently to all that was being said by his companions, he could understand their reasoning and that the offer of power was tempting them, fortunately not so tempting as to make up for the loss their souls should they take the offer. "I am afraid I do not even know what these tea reforms even are Surely there would have been a way to work within the system to stop them instead of murdering people in such a hideous way."

Pratavh Sense Motive 2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Hirati Sense Motive 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Pratavh Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Hirati Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Pratavh found himself shocked at the honesty of the offer of a duel, the crazy cultist was quite serious. He and hirati also noticed the large number of cultists surrounding them in addition to a second master. Warn the others Hirati then, if this turns into a fight, I want you to flee back to the elephants, no argument. If we do not return in a period of two days from that time you are to go back to the capitol and tell the Thakur that we have likely given our lives in trying to kill the cultists and then make your way to Vudra to tell my family that I love them and will see them on the other side when they join me.

The little dragon is almost crying as she projects her thoughts to Alwyn, Lilly, and Shikyo, [i]This is bad, there are a large number of the cultists and a second master surrounding us.[i] She gives the locations to them of where each is hiding as Lilly considers the duel. The little dragon climbs down to Pratavh's arms and hugs him tightly, a hug the now middle aged mage returns with love.

Shikyo whispers Take the duel Lilly... and he begins to plot.

Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Shikyo hides several throwing stars in his palms.

Alwyn waits to hear Lilly's decision, the duel hers to accept. Ticking off the spells he knows that might help her in that fight should it come.

Zaafira tells Lilly, "I propose the following rules. 1. Both duelists must fight on the dueling platform and neither may voluntarily leave it. 2. The duel should be a test of the combatants's strengths, neither duelist is to receive aid or outside interference during the duel. 3. The duelists cannot have others cast spells or other magic on them before combat. 4. If you win, the remaining monks will depart from this isle never to return. 5. If you loose, your companions will depart from this isle never to return. Do you find these rules acceptable?"

She is deadly earnest again - that's what the module says.

It's been fun...i'm off to my death ^^.

Lilly has a last question.

"Correct me if i'm wrong, but in the past, leaders of gangs had done preparations before fights, magical too.
If you want to duel me on my best, surely you wouldn't mind me doing so as well, right?"

"Sounds like you can cast magic upon yourself, her words were no outside aid or interference, So neither Pratavh or I may cast anything upon you to help you, either before or during the contest. Your innate magic use would be considered one of your strengths in my book."

Turning towards Zaffira "Your rules as stated do not prevent Lilly from preparing herself for battle through her own magic use, is my interpretation correct or flawed? If magic is not to be used at all for this contest, I request to keep detect magic in place for the contest, one of the others you have here may feel free to watch as well. For the duration of your contest I will cast no other spell other than detect magic."

In a short aside to Lilly "Lilly the choice for this course will be yours, can you beat her in a straight up fight?"

"As much as i'd love to, i have a feeling i can't.
Call it female intuition."

Zaffira considers for a moment before replying, "What goes for one goes with the other. If she casts spells first, then so shall I, or we can both start with none. Which is it to be? Detect magic will be acceptable but anything else will be considered an act of aggression."

Alwyn nods to the concession of Detect magic being allowed, and for the moment waits on Lilly's decision. Ready to back her whichever way the duel falls

Shikyo has no qualms about lying and killing Zaffira once battle has been joined....

Are we going forward with the duel?

Bvar whispers to Lilly, "Are you going to duel that crazy cultist? I reckon you have a chance, but that's a hell of a thing to do."

::Whisper::"I don't know.
Fighting zombies and cultists is one thing......fighting a master is another, and there's this feeling....as if facing her alone will spell doom.
It took 5 of us to take down a Rakshasa."::whisper::

Agh....dueling would be epic, but my gut says something will go bad the moment it starts.

Sense Motive, is she giving hints to 'hidden' people?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Somewhere in her subconscious, a voice whispers her not to, as it's
'too early to see your tale end.'

She sighs, still holding her sword and shield, she goes to stand between Pratavh and Alwyn, putting her arms around the shoulders of the two.
Since...well it's impossible currently with Shiko.

"I'd be delighted, but thing is, i wouldn't want my friends and Master Bvar to miss out on anything.
I recall a day on the boat sailing here, where we said to 'fight together and die together', what kind of lady would i be if i didn't keep my promise to them?"

Cast protection from evil commune on us.
+2 to AC and saves against evil sources.

The others knowing Lilly was far more an adventure loving rowdy girl than a proper lady, they knew she was joking even in this moment.

Not going to foolish jedi vs sith master here.

To the others:
::Whisper::"I suggest we stick close together, no telling what might try to drop on us."::Whisper::

:Whisper:"If that is your desire then so be it though I am confident you could take her if you fought. I think if we did not kill them all we would forever be looking over our shoulders for their vengeance even should you win."

:whisper:"Fair enough, wouldn't want you to have all the fun. It shall be a battle for the ages I believe. Trust your reflexes and the weapons, these must be evil so they should perform better."

Alwyn says reminding the other of the words he spoke earlier in the day

"Pretty much anything beyond those column will be evil and this will make your weapons hit that much harder 2d6 vs evil and it will last us until sundown. Pratavh, you should take the silver horn, after much thought I don't believe it will work for me. " Alwyn is straight up Neutral, the horn is usable 1/day Turning to Shikyo he hands off another potion. "Use this at our time of greatest need, it will soak up a lot of acid damage 100hp but will only last about an hour." Each of them receive 2 potions of cure critical wounds(cl7) 4d8+7 to use when needed."

Believe we already forgot about the damage bonus during the first first fight

GM, 3rd out of 4 flurries on Alwyn missed.

Protection from evil commune ;)
+2 to AC & saves from evil sources.

Guys, what Alwyn quoted, we have a evil bane buff on our weapons. 2d6 extra dmg vs evil targets.

Shiko, did you calc that in?
Extra ninja power....

We might want to heal Bvar, the guy's good with that crossbow.

GM, does Deefti have returning shakrams? She's got many on her, otherwise.

Holy crap that was insane on those saving throws! I didn't expect that to happen.

She has like 30 on her. She will run out at some point.

Aye Pratavh, you got unlucky there :( Will is the strong save for all of them.

Sigh looks like I messed up sorry. Lilly killed blue rather than attacking Zaffira. So Shikyo's crit didn't have the sneak attack damage and she isn't dead.

:(

Re-winding this is painful.

I think the best thing to do is pretend Lilly teleported next to Zaffira (deus ex machina) and she full attacked her. Thoughts?

I know the feeling......a trip monk with combat reflexes, an oracle who rolls twice on init, ending up higher than the mooks.

If it kills her, the epic transpport seems good.
But her tripping me would be less ^^

I agree, if it kills her go for it, just change my missile's target to the cultist closest to me and I'm good with it.

I just wished Lilly would have been more aggressive and flanked with Shikyo early in the fight.

Hindsight talk, i had cultists in front of me 1st. :)

OK I think we'll go with Zaffira being very dead. It suits the story better.

Lilly will be teleported into what would be flanking position. In game this is a continuity error, rather than something the characters notice.

Pratavh can zzap the closest target.

GM, blind condition causes a needed acrobatics to be able to move at full speed or drop prone, if i recall.

In our fight with the swine-omancer back at the carnival i had to as well.
Would it have mattered?

Probably not its only a DC10 check and she has a very high acrobatics mod.

On a side note, Heroism, is a morale boost to hit and other thing same as Inspire Courage - so at this point has little use since Alwyn has 23 rounds of bardic performance that can be extended using lingering performance. Or cast it and the switch to dirge of doom on the opposition?

So that's pretty much the end of the module. There's one last thing to do, if you can, which is destroy the altar.

Wow...you had me worried there, GM.

I was expecting to read the untimely demise of Shiko and myself.

Sorry guys drawing a blank on how to destroy a dragon eating magical floating alter. Especially after the GM comment that we knew touching it, after the will save earlier, would be a BAD thing

Destroying an artifact is no mean feat, this particular one is destroyed by things inimical to it: love and forgiveness.

Note there might be a way to hide it away for a generation or two, although like the one ring, something of this power will want to be found.

Well this took a bit longer than I expected, but we got there in the end!

I intend to take a break from GMing until the new year, but I might run curse of the crimson throne if there's enough interest.

Thanks alot FangDragon, i had fun.

I'm currently already in a CotcT.

I've enjoyed the game, and had a blast with all of you. Thanks for running this Fang!

As for Curse, I'm in one right now, but it might be nice to start from the beginning, we'll see.

Thanks again Fang for inviting me along for the ride, thoroughly enjoyed it and the others involved here.

Not currently in Curse or have I played it before. Looking forward to an invitation if you decide to go with it.

I like Shikyo's send off, very good sir!

I'm not really into CotCT, I'm already in one game but I'm kinda coasting along in it.

Jade Regent though, Shikyo could make a return!

Jade Regent is a possibility too, although I hear the caravan mechanic doesn't really work. Will let you all know what I decide :)

We would just ignore that part of it. I've also heard about that mechanic and its flaws.

Since Niles didn't run it, I'm getting tempted to run Hell's Rebels. Would probably start a month or so from now. Anyone interested?