GM Parrot's The Ferry and the Depths: Rappan Athuk (Inactive)

Game Master parrot familiar

Ref: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 2 = 3

Tiny-Trag notes the outline of an invisible foe among the flames! He also notices that it doesn't seem to fall over...

Tal and Aurora may act!

Aurora attempts to shoot the invisible one with her crossbow...

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Concealment: 1d2 ⇒ 1
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

...then reloads.

Talathel works backwards from the invisible legs to attack where the body ought to be:

1 on the d2 is a miss for concealment--Tal can't pinpoint exactly where the priest is, even though he knows which square he's in

Stab one: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 13 + 1 = 321d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 121d2 ⇒ 2
Stab two: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 13 + 1 = 291d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 81d2 ⇒ 2
Stab three: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (5) + 13 + 1 - 5 = 141d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d2 ⇒ 2

Despite the difficulties of killing an invisible enemy, Talathel's two strongest thrusts draw long gouts of orcish blood from his foe!

The priest begins a fighting retreat--his goopy legs move ten ponderous steps down the hall, and then he lets loose a wave of negative energy that envelops the front line:

Will Save Anzath (+2 enchant): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Will Save Aurora: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Will Save Bedlam (+3 spells): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Will Save Lolly: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Will Save Talathel (+2 vs enchant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Will Save Tragershen (+2 enchant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Will Gelver: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (3) - 3 = 0
Will Ipp: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

half damage for savers: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6) = 15

The priest had yet to unleash his channeled negative energy--this pulse is considerably more powerful than those unleashed by his acolytes. Gelver perishes under the deadly pressure of pure negation. Ippolit slumps, his guisarme clattering to the floor next to Gelver. Tragershen also feels the full strength of the evil blast, but the rest of the party is Saved.

...thankfully, the priest stepped away from the children before unleashing his awesome destructive powers. Why? Maybe some higher being is, after all, watching over the youngsters.

The spiritual weapon slashes at Bedlam:

Spiritual Weapon vs Bed: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

It can't pierce his bark-ed skin!

Bedlam (mutagen, barkskin)
Anzath (bull's, cat's)
Talathel
Tragershen (extended reduce)
Lolly (mage armor, paralysis)
Priest (d29, prayer 2/6, spiritual weapon 3/6, invisible)
Gelver (-27, all dead )
Ippolit (-1, mostly dead )
Aurora

All may act!

Bedlam drinks a See Invisibility Extract. He then waves at the stupid cleric.
He rumbles 20' at him pointing and grinning.
Be seeing his beady orc eyes!

Ah Gelver, we hardly knew ye.

Anzath charges after the fleeing foe, following the fresh trail of blood and the direction of Bedlam's eyes.
TH Kritfisher+Haste+Charge: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 + 2 = 17
VS dmg: 2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 4) + 5 = 14

Tragershen slips out a vial of acid, and uses it to cast acid splash at the priest, or at least where he thinks the priest is.

To hit 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 18
Damage 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Miss chance 1d2 ⇒ 2

With that lobbed, he slips back away behind Aurora. Hopefully out of another channel radius if he goes off again.

Aurora gasps as Ippolit slumps and Gelver stills. She follows Anzath and Tragershen's aim as she readies and fires her crossbow again.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Concealment: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

I'll go ahead and bot Tal

Anz's slash glances off of invisible armor.

Talathel surges forwards, stabbing at the goopy outlines of the priest:

Stab: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 13 + 1 = 171d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Stab: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 13 + 1 = 151d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Stab: 1d20 + 13 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (18) + 13 + 1 - 5 = 271d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Only his last attack has a chance to hit the foul being:

d2: 1d2 ⇒ 1

The fact that you can only see the foe's legs is proving a hindrance.

If you'd like to avoid a concealment roll, you may target the legs of the priest for... uh... half damage?

I forgot that the priest is entangled! Anzath's attack hits on a 2!

d2: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Bedlam (mutagen, barkskin)
Anzath (bull's, cat's)
Talathel
Tragershen (extended reduce)
Lolly (mage armor, paralysis (3/6))
Priest (d45, staggered, prayer 1/6, spiritual weapon 2/6, invisible but gooey)

The spiritual weapon slashes at Bedlam:

Spiritual Weapon vs Bed: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

BRB to finish the turn

Distracted by my dad's back (long story, not without its glamour, but he's busted up), but I'm back!

The priest is staggered by Anzath's attacks. His Prayer ends, his spiritual weapon is waning, and his hold on Lolly is growing tenuous. He's taken massive damage, but as an orc, he's ferocious enough to keep his gooey footing. As such, he does the jerkish thing that an evil priest would do if he/she couldn't pop a spell because of attacks of opportunity: if you can, touch that dial, because here comes another bad channel.

Will Save Anzath (+2 enchant): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Will Save Aurora: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
Will Save Bedlam (+3 spells): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Will Save Lolly: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Will Save Talathel (+2 vs enchant): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Will Ipp: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

half damage for savers: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 4) = 12

The icy waves of death break across the party, sending Ippolit to the edge of his gods and goddesses. Anzath takes the brunt of the attack, but the rest of the warriors fend off the worst.

All may act! Time to end this (encounter)!!

I was hoping someone with blades would finish this guy off, but here we go!

Tragershen steps around from behind Aurora, getting just within range of his spell (30'). He pushes up the sleeves of his ebony robe and pronounces the syllables of the most powerful evocation available to him!

Casts acid splash. To hit 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 11, Damage 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4, miss chance 1d2 ⇒ 1.

Bedlam grins at the orc!
Feral Mutagen claw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 261d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Feral Mutagen claw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 161d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Feral Mutagen bite: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 251d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

That bite must have dropped 'em.

Orc ferocity is a pain... but yeah, Bedlam should pull this off if he can beat concealment!

d2: 1d2 ⇒ 2
d2: 1d2 ⇒ 1
d2: 1d2 ⇒ 1

...the priest teeters on his last HP! Until the GM, rereading Ferocity, realizes that the priest should have lost one HP last turn. The orc-priest of Orcus falls over with a splat.

Combat over! Tend to Ippolit!

Anzath spits on the visibly dead orc.

Instinctually, she begins rummaging through the priests pockets, then another instinct kicks in. She moves past the fallen Gelver and Ippolit and tends to Dimitri.

Bedlam has See Invisibility active.

Bedlam spits on the orc.

Once it is certain all the living enemies are dead, Aurora will pulse out a pair of channels:

Channel Positive Energy (Heal): 3d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 2) = 11
Channel Positive Energy (Heal): 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 4) = 12
23 healing to everyone!

"Oh... Gelver..."

puts me exactly at full!

Holding Dimitri tightly to her breast, Anzath stares down at the lifeless body of Gelver. Holding the babe in one hand, she extends the other to help Ippolit, her other mercenary, to his feet. "Ve kan not let dem have his body," she states, matter of factly.

Not only did you have See Invisible, but the orc uncorcking a negative channel would break invisibility anyhow. My bad! Things get complicated at these levels and I've been badly distracted. But I'm back home in Seattle now, so things should settle down. Your summoner is on the way, too, I hope!

Lolygert falls out of the magical paralysis, still in a rage...made even more ragey by his inability to help out his friends!

He stalks over to the dead cleric's body, waits for Anazath to finish her search, his chest heaving as he snorts and fumes. Once she's done, he slams his sword into the body a few times, then stops, letting a long , drawn out breath out, his shoulders slumping.

He looks back at the fallen Gelver, his apology written on his face for all to see.

Sigh. I should do a quick audit and make sure Gelver really died, since it'd be my fault if someone would have killed the priest but I had forgotten about breaking invisibility.

Audit report: that priest was dead a while ago and Gelver should be alive. I'm sorry about that, folks! Regain any spells you cast in the last couple rounds and I'll try to get the hitpoints settled correctly. Next time I won't try to post while traveling/will just call a pause.

Here's a story in recompense: my dad studies languages as his hobby. Other than his rather fluent Japanese, he studies one language a year, hoping to gain enough competence that he can greet and start a conversation with a reasonably correct accent, after which he grins and admits that he doesn't know anything else in the language. It works like magic--I've seen him befriend strangers in Albanian, Korean, Japanese, Polish... you get the idea. Everyone is so happy to hear someone saying hello properly that they don't care that he has only a surface level understanding of their language. This year, it's Russian. He goes on a website where you talk to a native speaker of the language you're studying when they want to study your language, too. Eventually the chat roulette of language sits him across from a beautiful Russian Latvian engineer of about his age and... they have a really really good study session (both have 18 CHA, at minimum). After a few more study sessions they make plans to meet in Iceland and go on a proper date. Then, pandemic. Their romance is now fated to endless video chats. Finally, they realize that there IS a place where an American can meet a Latvian: Croatia decides to play it fast and loose with flight restrictions in an attempt to save their tourism industry. They meet, staying in a hotel just outside of the walls of Dubrovnik. All is well. My dad's only stat-sheet weakness being WIS, he decides it would be fun to rent a scooter and ride to the Bosnian border (is he a spy? Is she? I genuinely wonder sometimes!). So we have two beautiful people on a scooter in the Balkans when a sudden rain shower and bald rent-a-scoot tires conspire to wreck them, despite my dad's avid interest in motorcycle safety. He cracks a vertebra--she's bruised, but fine. He's in the hospital for a while, then she takes care of him for a week while he's stuck in a bed with a view of the walls of Dubrovnik (she seems pretty cool, right?). Finally, he's well enough to fly home. At this point, I'm ready to come take care of him because I'm the only unemployed sibling out of the five of us. But he's actually well enough to not need care--and yet, he summoned me home, just to hang with him. And that's where I've been, hanging out with my busted-back dad and catching up with the rest of the Virginia family. And that's why I was distracted and messed up the encounter. But I'm back from flying between Washingtons to the one that I prefer, and I should be more on the ball from here on out!

Yeah, right they were 'studying'!!! Sounds like something an 17 year old would say :) Glad he's back and on the mend.

No apologies needed!!! I know only too well how hard it is to keep track of all of this stuff. Thank you , Herolab!! :D

A diminutive green-haired gnome, invisible and sneaking by on his tip-toes, peers openly around the edge of the doorway to see what's become of the orcs that were blocking his escape from the mausoleum cave. He's surprised to see people who don't look like they'd as soon eat him as notice him, and doubly surprised, as well as a little perturbed, to notice that the dwarf seems to lock eyes with him directly. He freezes, mortified, hoping that the dwarf's eyes' trajectory is sheer coincidence.

Bedlam absently points at the invisible gnome hiding in the darkness.
Be any un gots un magic missile?

The dwarf then smiles directly at the gnome, picking his teeth.

Gelver, perhaps realizing the fickleness of the gods while not understanding that they are capable of undoing a mistake, mutters "I'm cursed" to nobody in particular.

Things are quiet in the dungeon, for once, as the party encounters the gnome... at least he's not attacking on sight like the average foe down here.

Lolygert spies the gnome, and calls out, offering his suddenly full flagon, "hey there! Fancy a pull?"

Tarapen can smell the heady scent of Gnomish Ale coming from the big , hairy man's flagon!

Anzath startles seeing Gelver get to his feet. She was sure he was dead. "Good vork," she says to Aurora.

"Vho are you talking to?" she wonders outloud to Bedlam and Lolly, then shakes her head, chastising their insanity.

Ret con, sorry...didn't see that he was invisible...forgot that Bedlam had the See Invisible on...

Be un gnome dere. Come out and play gnome.

Bedlam picks his teeth some more.

A little dejavu!!!

"A Gnome? I love Gnomes!!" Lolygert enthuses, and calls out, offering his suddenly full flagon, "hey there! Fancy a pull?"

Tarapen can smell the heady scent of Gnomish Ale coming from the big , hairy man's flagon!

And so the party meets an invisible gnome. And the dungeon remains quiet, for once. The dark circles under the party's eyes indicate their very, very tired state of being.

Tarapen hesitates a moment, but yea gods, that smell. Then, with a "what's the worst that could happen" shrug, twists the ring on his finger and flickers into full view, waddling less cautiously into the gore-spattered room and picking through the dead and bits-of-dead along the floor with more apparent concern for his shoes than for the situation.

"Absolutely love some, thank you so much. You folks going into the depths?"

Terapen accepts the offered flagon gratefully, nodding politely to the others in the room.

"We are indeed. You seem small for a minion of Orcus. Are you here by yourself?"

Even as Tragershen asks this, he is checking the fallen for valuables, including the use of detect magic.

Be not un guud place fer jabbering. Be heading ta un secured spot. Ye may come dere ta talk like un gnome.

Bedlam guards the group as they search a bit. He then leads them to the Cyclops room.

"Ve have not made it very far," explains Anzath. "Goblinz and ghoulz lie below. Vhat are you doing here small one? Vhere did you kome from?"

This menacing, ashen skinned half elf bounces a baby hobgoblin on her hip while poking through the recent slaughter.

The search for treasure: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

Cyclops room?

Be un ettin? Dumb giants be all da same...wahahaha!

The dwarfhulk seems to forget how big he is at the moment!

The gnome hands the flagon back and follows the giant dwarf towards his more secured spot.

"Pleased to meet you, miss! I'm from up above, kind of all over, you know? I was trying to see how far I could get myself, but some orcish looking types got behind me and I was a little stuck. Pretty good at sneaking around, but wasn't really feeling trying to tip-toe past a bunch of ghouls, you know? Figure they're smellers more than seers."

The gnome gnudges one of the dead ghouls with a marble-clad sole.

"Thanks for that, by the way."

As Bedlam turns to lead them to the cyclops room, Tragershen gestures for the gnome to fall in with him in the order. "You might be safer traveling with us for a while, then. Maybe." Assuming he goes with... "We have developed a cooperative to combat the forces of darkness in this place and the lands surrounding it, and culling what profit we can as we do so. If you have skills or talents appropriate to such an endeavor, we are always willing to entertain expanding our roster. If not, you are welcome to travel with us until you reach a point where you can strike out on your own again."

Bedlam--once at their secured camp--will brew a Mutagen. The entire hour, the dwarf tells the group's stories concerning the Tomb of...errr... Dungeon of Graves!

Bedlam--once at their secured camp--will brew a Mutagen. The entire hour, the dwarf tells the group's stories concerning the Tomb of...errr... Dungeon of Graves!

Tarapan's player ran the Tomb of Horrors for our gaming group a few years ago... the horror, the horror...

Tarapan's player ran the Tomb of Horrors for our gaming group a few years ago... the horror, the horror...

I mean, it was pretty humane, as I recall. Everybody just very calmly fed themselves into oblivion in a neat little line. (Possibly partially my fault, but I blame Gygax.)

The little gnome thinks for a moment.

"Well," he says at length, "I can't really say as I have talents to help with combating forces of darkness and what all, but I've got some friends who might. Wouldn't hurt to give it a go."

Tarapen rubs his hand clean on his hip and offers it to the elf.

"Tarapen Evocatore. First name's an old nickname, last one's made up. I sell rings and things. Nice to meet you!"

Tragershen shakes the gnome's hand. "I am Tragershen." He points to the others in turn. "That's Bedlam (more than just his name), Anzath and Dmitri, Lolly, Talathel, Ippoliti Aurora and Nicos."

Tragershen bears the obvious trappings of an arcane spellcaster. He wears black robes, a holy symbol of Nethys and a large pocketed pouch. He walks with a stout walking stick that clearly has seen some abuse.

Anzath is somehow doubtful of Tarapen’s story. She casts a glance to Tal to communicate her suspicions, but elsewise keeps quiet. When they arrive at their next stop, she speaks with the gnome, "If you travel wid uz, it iz important you share vhat you know of diz place. How did you get down here? Ve should know of any tunnelz in and out of de dungeon. Vhat dangerz have you seen?"

Bedlam (after brewing his mutagen) prepares some mushroom rat kabobs; over a roaring fire.

The dwarf roars at the gnome.
Hey gnome! You be gotten any un spices or sum herbs?

Aurora offers a wave as she is introduced, and follows up with, "Aurora Fallowarc, priest of Nethys. And that is Gelver," she gestures to the man in question. "He is very unfortunately cursed, but we're going to fix that when we can."

Tarapen looks a little ashamed and a little annoyed, but puffs his chest out and answers.

"Well, alright, if it's important to you, I'm looking for a magic ring that's supposed to belong to one of these Orcus types, and I'm figuring to re-home it, you know? And I didn't so much march down here as... well..." He looks awkwardly from one of the giant warriors to another, "... crawl. And dig, a little bit. Through the rat tunnels from the graveyard. I, uh..." he waves his hands vaguely. "... sometimes we gnomes get along a little bit better with burrowing rodents than with people, you know? I don't think there's anything wrong with that, really."

Hearing Bedlam's question, he turns, sees the kebabs, and turns quickly back around.

"Ah, anyway, I've mostly avoided seeing dangers. Mostly I'll only let myself in if there's no dangers left, you know? Try to send some friends in to make introductions for me. But, ah, I've seen some dead, erm..."

The little gnome furrows his brow and begins counting on his fingers.

"Slimes, I think... definitely at least one dead slime. Or possibly that was an ooze? It's hard to tell when they're dead. There was a ghoul, I think? Might have been a ghoul. Could have been a ghast. May have just been a very thin cannibal with some sort of a skin condition, but that would be sort of strange, you know? So probably a ghoul. Undead aren't really my thing. And ummm..."

He looks up at Anzath with a helpless shrug.

"I mean, I hear something moving, I go the long way around or take a smoke break until it leaves, you know? Lots easier to not get caught that way. Not that I'm complaining about your way, mind. It looks lots faster, I'd be perfectly happy to ride your coattails."