GM Redelia's Falcon's Hollow Arc (Inactive)

Game Master Redelia

Tsaer felt much more at ease in the wilderness though he might have preferred not to be with company. But when it was so important, he would deal with those he was with, not that there was anything particular bad about the three of them.

Yet he was slightly disturbed by the state of the witch's hut. He wrinkled his nose slightly as he looked around, joining in when they were looking for the rat's tail. He snorted when they found it conveniently in a jar. He glanced at Riwaka. ”I doubt the witch will be back for quite some time, if ever. I would suggest that we take it and then head to the Eldest Tree or the Dwarven monastery.”

In your careful search, you notice the jar of rat's tail, and a pile of gems worth about 30 gp. What do you do/touch/take?

As rodent like rogues hailing from a race known for wandering peddlers, Pokey and Shanko feel uncomfortable about taking any more than is absolutely necessary for fear of being labelled a nuisance.

Shanko - "No taking the money, or we gets smackded and arrested. We should be going to see the dwarfses."

Pokey - "We likes dwarfses. They are will be giving us good beer! Oh and we just remembers that they also are helping to cure the sickos."

"Allright, let's take this rat's tail and get out of here."

Riwaka reaches out his hand to take the jar of Rat's Tail. As his fingers close on it, the cauldron behind him begins to move. Pokey shouts a warning to Riwaka, who turns around in time to fight the monster cauldron.

initiative:
cauldron: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Riwaka: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Rat Boyz: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Tsaer: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Order is Tsaer, Pokey and Shanko, cauldron, and then Riwaka. Tsaer and the Rats can post now, initiative order among the party doesn't matter. You're in a tiny hut, so everyone can reach, no need for a map.

On their turn, Pokey and Shanko immediately revert to their instinctive swarm tactics. They occupy the same square and count as flanking the coffin, granting them the ability to sneak attack the cauldron, assuming it isn't immune to precision damage (which it probably is). They are attacking with natural weapons. They have 2 claw attacks and one tail attack listed. Am I correct in thinking they can use all three?

Pokey - "Eeek. Nassssssty pot!"
claw 1 - attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 5
claw 2 - attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6
tail - attack: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10 damage: 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Shanko - "Nassssty indeed. We kills it to death!"
claw 1 - attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 1
claw 2 - attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 3
tail - attack: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 damage: 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 6

I included the sneak attack damage as a separate role to make it easier to remove if it isn't applicable. GM Redalia, is this how I should continue to format my attack posts?

Sneak attack damage does apply. Unfortunately, so does hardness. If you get a full attack, you can use both claws and tail. If only a standard attack, you either get 2 claws or 1 tail attack for each rat. Format is good.

Pokey's first claw damages the cauldron, but less that he expects. Shanko's second claw hits the cauldron, but the cauldron is too hard to take damage from that hit.

I'm just going to go ahead and have Tsaer attack the cauldron.

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Tsaer slices at the cauldron, and hits it. The cauldron clangs as the blade hits, and Tsaer knows that the hit did less damage than usual.

The cauldron grabs at Riwaka with its open top.
attack:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

It almost catches him, but he gets away at the last second.

Tsaer
Pokey and Shanko
cauldron -4hp
Riwaka
All those in bold may post their next turn.

Pokey and Shanko both attack again.

Pokey
Claw 1 – Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Claw 2 – Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Tail - Attack: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13 Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 1 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Shanko
Claw 1 – Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Claw 2 – Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Tail - Attack: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9 Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2 Sneak Attack: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Pokey and Shanko, you forgot about your flanking bonus. You also had a critical threat on Shanko's first claw. With hardness as an issue, that is huge. I'll roll the confirm for you this time.

Shanko crit confirm:
attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 2 = 24
crit damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Pokey hits several times, but is unable to damage the hard cauldron. Shanko gets in two hits, one of which damages the cauldron.

Tsaer also attacks again.

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Riwaka takes a quick step back. He sees the clinging of his allies' metal and hopes his magic might fare better.

Ice Missile: Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Cold damage; on hit stagger unless fort save DC 13

5 current arcane reservoir points

Tsaer's blade hits the cauldron, but bounces off harmlessly.

Riwaka, you forgot the -4 for firing into melee, but there's a +2 for flanking. Thus, your attack is actually 11, which hits. There's not room in the tiny cottage to step back. If that had been a spell, it would have triggered an AoO because you are in an adjoining space, but Su abilities never trigger AoOs.

Riwaka's ray hits the cauldron. Being metal, the cauldron is brittle to cold, and so shatters from the spell.

Combat over, out of initiative now.

Seeing the guardian defeated, Riwaka guesses that there is not much more protection in the hut. He picks up the gems.

"For our trouble."

Riwaka then walks out of the hut.

Don't forget to add the stuff you picked up to your inventory. Since they're party property, I'd suggest either putting a comment next to each or making a separate section. Don't forget to put the Rat's Tail in there, too.

OK added it, I can manage all the party property, should we pool gold?

You leave the hut and travel towards the eldest tree. It gets dark, and so you stop to rest. Your rest is undisturbed. In the morning, you resume your journey to the tree.

As you are walking, you see a tree splattered with multicolored blood. Near the blood are the bodies of three sprite-like creatures. Their bodies are changing into wood. Tsaer knows that these creatures are keld piksies.

The dense trees and thick brush of the forest give way, parting seemingly in respect for the titanic darkwood tree that dominates this
clearing. Several times taller than a temple minaret, in one direction the obviously ancient tree reaches into the sky with branches like a
giant’s arms, while in the other it plumbs the earth with roots thicker than a man’s waist. Its limbs broad and strong, its bark thick and
so richly colored as to almost be black, and its leaves the size of bucklers, the giant thing is less a tree and more a cathedral of boughs
and branches.

Tsaer perception:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Riwaka perception:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8
Pokey perception:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Shanko perception:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Tsaer initiative:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Riwaka initiative:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Pokey and Shanko initiative:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
??? initiative:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Rather like a large snake, a creature sits up in the tree. It has the head of a dragon and a pair of clawed arms to help it move along and grasp prey. A sickly green mist wafts from its open maw.

suprise round:
Pokey
???
Tsaer

Go ahead and post your action in the surprise round, Pokey. The creature is 50 feet ahead of your party.

Pokey and Shanko attack with their light crossbows.

Pokey - attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Shanko attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

[ooc]Rats, unless you have some special ability that lets both go in the surprise round if one can, only Pokey gets to go, not Shanko. Let me know if you have such an ability, or if you misunderstood my post.

Pokey's crossbow bolt sinks into the monster. It roars and slithers down the tree and makes it most of the way to the party.

bold may post:
surprise round:
Tsaer
round 1:
Pokey (I'll take that solid roll for Shanko from before as this turn)
Riwaka
??? [-4hp]
Tsaer

First, I'm going to do a knowledge nature check:

nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Then, I'm also going to shoot it with my bow:

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15; damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Tsaer, you know this is a Tatzylwurm. It's a flightless kind of dragon. It is immune to paralysis and sleep, and has poisonous breath.

Tsaer's arrow hits the serpent right between the arms.

Whoops! I just didn't read closely enough and assumed that you lumped them together. I'll roll again for Shanko's attack this turn.

Pokey and Shanko are both going to attack with their crossbows again.

Pokey

attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Shanko

attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Still using Shanko's earlier rolls...

Pokey and Shanko both send crossbow bolts flying into the monster. It roars again in anger and pain.

Now just waiting for Riwaka to post his action.

Riwaka throws a barrage of ice missiles at the beast.

Ice Missile: Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Cold damage; on hit stagger unless fort save DC 13

5 current arcane reservoir points

Riwaka's ice missiles go right past the serpent. The serpent turns and moves away, looking quite hurt.

bold may post (out of order is OK):
round 1:
Tsaer
round 2:
Pokey
Shanko
Riwaka
Tatzylwurm [-17hp]
Tsaer

Monster is now 50 ft away, so check your range penalties, guys.

I'm having Tsaer shoot once again.

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20; damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Tsaer's arrow strikes the serpent in the back. The serpent is now hurt so badly he can hardly move.

Riwaka sees the beast in such bad condition, and decides not to waste any more magic energy on it. He draws his crossbow and shoots:

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

The Tazylwurm falls in a heap near the base of the eldest tree.

Guys? Helloooo......! What do you do now?

Pokey and Shanko search the body for anything of interest.

Pokey and Shanko don't find anything on the body. What do you guys do now? Is there anything else you want to do in this clearing?

Riwaka looks around the tree for some sign of the moss they need. He also examines the piksies and asks Tsaer if what is happening to them is normal.

Being city rats, Pokey and Shanko don't know much about trees or forests, but even they realize that such a large tree is unusual. Pokey turns to Tsaer for answers.

Pokey - "Umm escuzing us Mr pretty elf man, but we is thinking that the biiiiiiig tree is not being normal. What makings the tree to be sooooo big? Is it magics?"

Riwaka finds the moss that matches Tsaer's description. The piksies were about an hour's journey from here.

Riwaka suggests we move on to find the third ingredient on our list.

Tsaer gives the rats a funny look at being called 'pretty' but answers both their inquiries and Riwaka's. ”The Eldest Tree is said to be the forefather of the entire forest. Legends say that its seeds created the saplings of all the other trees.” His voice is a bit wistful. ”It is so large since it is very old.”

Shanko - "Now we goes to Dwarven monastery for last ingredient?"

I assume that Riwaka collects the needed moss.

You travel towards the monastery for the rest of the day. You make camp for the night. The night passes without incident.

In the morning, you continue your journey. You follow a path to the monastery.

Sitting squat at the foot of an imposing mountain,
a ruined monastery comes into view
between ancient gnarled trees. Made of simple
stone blocks, worn smooth with the passage
of time, the stout building is falling apart. Sections
of the slanted shale roof have collapsed
and portions of the outer wall have crumbled.
Weeds and wild thorn plants run rampant
across the field leading up to the place, leaving
only the slightest indication of a path that ends
at the ruined front doors. Beyond, an overgrown
yard sits in shadow.

The old path that leads up to the ruins
ends about 50 feet from the monastery.
Before entering the yard, the path passes
between a pair of old stone statues. While
one of them is little more than rubble,
the other is relatively intact. The 5-foottall
statue is incredibly worn but it can
still be made out as a dwarf holding aloft
a great stone hammer. Moss and creeper
vines cover most of its surface. Removing
the vines around the base uncovers an
old dwarven inscription that reads “All
praise, [this part is defaced].” Unfortunately,
the missing name was scratched
off a long time ago and is no longer legible.
This statue is from the time of
the last great dwarven kings, many centuries
ago.

When you walk into the yard, you see:
Tall grasses and chunks of stone debris have all
but overtaken this small yard. Off to one side,
a wooden stable has collapsed into a mound
of rotting timbers and moldy straw. The outer
wall on the east side has also collapsed, leaving
a ragged hole. Three doors exit into this yard—
a pair of double doors to the east, a single door
to the north, and a lone door leading into the
squat tower in the southeast corner.

This part of the adventure turns into a bit of a dungeon crawl, so I will get a map put up tomorrow.

OK, guys, here's the map. I've never made one like this before, so let me know if it works. Pokey and Shanko, I had to pick in icon for you. You're also sharing one icon because of the share space thing. You may move your own icon when you tell me you are going somewhere. I will remove the white boxes as needed.

So what do you guys do?

Riwaka moves to examine the door to the tower. He'll take a listen at the door, and if nothing seems alarming he'll open it and look inside.

Percception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9

The door is very hard to open. It seems stuck. Strength check if you want to try to force it.

Riwaka will give it a push in case it is only lightly stuck.

Stregth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Riwaka can't get the door to budge.

Tsaer comes over and pushes at the door. (take 10 for 11)

The rats come and help.
1d20 ⇒ 20
1d20 ⇒ 12

The door opens.

Thick webs cover much of the ancient crates
and barrels stored inside the base of the tower.
A rickety wooden staircase ascends along one
wall to reach an open trapdoor above.

A spider drops down and attacks Tsaer, who is in front of the door.

surprise round:
Tsaer
spider

regular initiative:
Tsaer
Riwaka
rats
spider

Tsaer, you may post your surprise round action.

The spider is in the square directly in front of you. I'll get the map updated before everyone else's turn.

Map is updated and available at the top of the page.

I'm going to attack the spider with my Elven Curve Sword

attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Tsaer swings his sword, making solid contact with the spider.

The spider bites at Tsaer.
attack:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
damage:1d6 ⇒ 6

Tsaer's fort save:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Tsaer is poisoned by the spider's bite.

Please roll a fort save at the beginning of your turn, Tsaer.

Initiative:
Tsaer -6 HP, poisoned
Riwaka
rats
spider -7 HP

All in bold may post