GM Kate's Ruins of Azlant (closed) (Inactive)

Game Master Kate Baker

I’m not sure I understand the tripwires. Are we able to avoid them and is there a check to do so? Are they the dotted lines on the map? Also, can we try to disable them?

The tripwire is next to the blue grindylow. You can get past it without setting it off with a swim check, or it can be disabled. The white dotted lines actually show the area of effect of the trap.

Thanks Kate!

Hakkuho swims to join up with Silt. Double move

”We should try to disable these wires before we chase these creatures too far.”

Trying to lure us ahead… agreed.

Purpose Creche continues his slow advance; he can just make out the lower half of Sil'tchaak and Hakkuho through the churning bubbles of their encounter with the grindylow. Thankfully, their words filter through.

"Careful. They may trigger the trap themselves."

Double move!

The blue grindylow swims away, and pulls the trip wire after safely crossing. Large rocks fall from the ceiling!

rocks fall on Silt: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
ouch ouch ouch: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 3) = 11

rocks fall on Hakkuho: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
ouch ouch ouch: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 2) = 7

Sorry, guys!

Toby
Silt
Green Grindylow
Cedar
Purpose
Red Grindylow dead
Blue Grindylow

Recovering from the surprise pain, Silt will heft his spear and charge the blue grindylow.

Charge; Spear +5: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Piercing, Smiting: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Is there a possible reflex save for half or it was just a roll to hit? Hakkuho has evasion.

Nope, roll to hit.

Boo. Oh well.

”I knew these terrible creatures were up to something,” Hakkuho says as he shakes off the rocks.

Toby swims forward over the fallen rocks and fires past Silt. 20ft swim forward, ending at exactly 30ft away.

kinetic blast, pbs: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15 <--before cover
damage, pbs: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9

Silt's attack misses, and Toby tries too hard not to hit his friends in the way, also missing. The green grindylow swims off down the eastern passage.

Toby
Silt
Green Grindylow
Cedar
Purpose
Red Grindylow dead
Blue Grindylow
Added an arrow to show which way it went.

Rocks plummet and crash just in front of Purpose Creche, and the water erupts into foam and churning muck. He hustles forward, climbing onto the rocks and ending waist-deep above the rubble.

"Hakkuho. You're hurt." He digs into his pack and produces a stoppered vial. "Here."

Walk forward, move action to grab a potion of cure light wounds. Plus taking some creative liberties with the physical space ;)

Plus taking some creative liberties with the physical space ;)

Absolutely always okay.

Free action

We're being led. Let's regroup.

Hakkuho takes the potion from Purpose Creche and drinks it.

"Wonderful, thank you."

potion of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Acrobatics to tumble: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

The blue grindylow attempts to avoid Silt's spear, but with less success.

AoO for Silt. If you don't kill it, it follows the green one. Either way, we can either continue in rounds, or you can take a moment to regroup.

AOO Spear+5: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Piercing Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

I vote we take a moment… I don't like being led around!

Silt now has a grindylow-on-a-stick.

Out of rounds, for the time being. I moved the boxes around to try and make it more clear where the tunnels are.

Do we have any of those potions left? I would like to save my spells.

Do you have any of those vile raspberries left, too?

No… none of those horrible pods left… I should have picked some on the way, but forgot. He looks away. Apologies?

Bluff: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (10) - 2 = 8

We can go the other way — these tunnels may go in a loop. Not what they expect.

Purpose Creche's pack is swung around to his side, and he opens it to reveal five more bottles and a slowly depleting quantity of seawater. (We'll just assume I left any delicate things back on the ship!)

"Take what you need. And yes, let's be careful before we move on. But let's be quick. The grindylow setting up defenses speaks to some level of organization. Who knows what lies further in the cavern. Or what the one who fled has managed to alert or prepare."

Once the others have taken whatever potions they need, he spends a moment quickly removing his shield from its place against his chest, then stows the sword and splinter in favor of a utilitarian dagger with a grey pommel.

He refrains from commenting on Sil'tchaak's lack of remorse or raspberries.
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Silt drinks the potion.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Let's move on to the next area.

Silt waits for his friends to follow, then swims back the way they came, to where the cavern splits.

This large open cavern has three large natural columns.

Silt and Purpose both see miniscule waves from behind each column: grindylows.

Purple grindylow
Black grindylow
Hakkuho
Toby
Silt
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Green Grindylow

You technically don't see the one outlined in black, as it rolled super high on stealth. The pillars block line of sight, but you sensed that they're there. If Silt and Purpose want to take one retroctive surprise round action, they may do so. The grindylows are lying in wait.

Purpose Creche closes and adjusts his pack, then descends the rock fall. He sinks step by step into the water, until he’s just a dark, indistinct, and slowly moving shape following Sil’tchaak from beneath the rippling surface.

When he notices the grindylow in the chamber, he places a hand on the iron band about his waist.
What would you think of me now, progenitor, tending to a different sort of community?
The dagger pulses and sends a weak shockwave into the surrounding water. Surprise round action, use legacy weapon on the dagger to give it a +1 enhancement bonus.

I'll be out and about until the end of the day. Sorry guys!

Hakkuho swims in and readies a tail slap and grab should a grindylow come within 10 feet.

Oh look. They don't seem surprised!

Surprise round

Silt begins casting a spell (enlarge person).

He will also 5' step forward.

We might be cross-posting, but just in case, Silt also has a regular round available.

Thanks!

Silt finishes casting Enlarge Person, and moves ahead, to cover the area between two of the aisles between the rocks.

"Dang, more of them? Nasty little buggers. They don't even sing!"

Toby swims forward next to Hakkuho and readies to blast the first grindylow he can see within 30ft.

The orange grindylow swims over slightly and hucks a spear at Silt, but misses completely in its surprise at the suddenly large locathah.

spear throw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Purple grindylow
Black grindylow
Hakkuho
Toby
Silt
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Green Grindylow

Purpose Creche continues his torturous underwater advance, dagger ready and shield up, alert for more of the tentacled beasts.
Double move!

The green grindylow swims to a more advantageous position.

The black grindylow swims from his hiding spot down to Purpose. His spear misses, but the tentacles trip up Purpose once again.

The purple one follows the green one.

spear: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

tentacle trip: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Purple grindylow
Black grindylow
Hakkuho
Toby
Silt
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Green Grindylow

Silt is going to see if Toby's ready can finish off black before going.

My ready went off, so it's not actually my turn. Kate says it did not hit, so the black grindylow is still there.

Hakkuho moves in and attempts to tail slap and grab the black grindylow.

tail slap: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15 damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 grab: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Seeing that Hakkuho has things in hand (or tail?), Silt readies to attack anything that comes within reach.

Let them come to us!

Hakkuho wraps one up in his tail, though not quite taking it out. The orange one moves in and grabs the spear from his grappled friend.

Purple grindylow
Black grindylow
Hakkuho
Silt
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Toby
Green Grindylow

Moving Toby into the same block as Purpose rather than between Purple and Black for the sake of speed.

"Hmph. I hate waiting!"

Struggling to find a clear shot at the narrow Southern end of the cavern, Toby reluctantly decides to heed Silt's advice. He swims next to the enlarged locathah, ready to fire at any grindylow that gives him a clear shot. Readied condition: If a grindylow comes within 30ft and does not have cover.

Great ideas on pre-rolling your readied actons! Here is Silt's

Hampered by the water and unable to retreat without giving the grindylow an opening, Purpose Creche stabs at the black creature wrapped up in Hakkuho's tail. (I think black should be adjacent to Hakkuho now that it's grappled?
+1 dagger: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 vs. its presumably lower AC, thanks to being grappled!
damage: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Good call on the grappled creature being adjacent! I have fixed it.

Purpose's dagger almost strikes the creature, but he can't quite connect.

The black grindylow bites at his captor, but only gets a mouthful of air.

chomp!, grappled: 1d20 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 - 2 = 13

Green and Purple swim out and throw their spears at the large locathah. Toby's blast goes off against Purple but he misses.

Purple spear vs. Silt: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Green spear vs. Silt: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
ouch!: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Purple grindylow
Black grindylow -3 hp, grappled
Hakkuho
Silt
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Toby
Green Grindylow

Cool story; Dennis reminded me that thrown weapons don’t work underwater. I will retcon later.

Hakkuho maintains his grapple and tries to bite the black gindylow.

"You're not getting away so easily."

Maintain Grapple: 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 5 = 26

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Bah, I forgot about grappled moving closer, too, or I would have stayed and shot at that one. Oh well, I missed in my readied action anyway.

The green grindylow moves in to stab Silt, but the locathah is ready and waiting! The purple grindylow moves in quickly behind. Silt gets an AoO on the purple one.

spear attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
ouch!: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

tentacle trip!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

To be clear, Silt does NOT take the 7 damage from my last post. He does take the 2 damage from this post, unless his AoO takes down the grindylow.

Hakkuho bites at the grindylow grasped in his tail, easily taking the creature down.

The orange grindylow moves in and stabs at Purpose, ineffectively, but the tentacles trip up the wyrwood once again.

spear attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
tentacle trip!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Purple grindylow
Hakkuho
Orange Grindylow
Purpose
Toby
Silt

Silt is ready for the attack that finally comes:

Spear+5: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Piercing: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (1, 6) + 7 = 14

"Woah, Grindykabobs!".

Seeing Silt lay waste to the creatures to the north, Toby swims between the rocks and through to the other side, seeking a clear shot on the last grindylow. Double move.