GM Shady's Price of Immortality (Inactive)

Game Master shady18

"I have read works by your father Goldilocks Sugarsnap Ferrywarden and I'll admit they were captivating if not overly inspiring, it is always interesting to read how lesser minds view the world."

There is no malice or spite in his words, but they are none the less cold. As the trio arrive, the last, at the crypt, Ehlers looks around

"So this is the legendary crypt eh... I assume the horses are not a permanent feature. We start by finding this Roldare character."

And as if it were decided he gestures Jarif to move

"age before wisdom old man"

Jarif moves aside for the much older elf, allowing him to take the lead that he's requested. "As you wish, elder one."

He tries (I promise, he really does!) to keep the smirk off of his face.

Ehlers does not move

"Old is a state of mind, a state of being. What I have is experience and knowledge. You have frailty. That and a knack for scouting, so get to it. Or do you fear the once dead?"

"All that may be true, but age is a number, and though you may be young and sprightly for your age, your number is bigger." He smiles. "Don't worry though, I always intended to take the lead when we go in."

Jarif looks to the rest of the group. "But I don't intend to go in until we know what we're doing. I most certainly do fear the once dead. Don't believe my jesting; it's a mask. I'm terrified at just the thought of the dead roaming around. Do we have a plan, or a strategy, other than walk in and hope they don't kill us or run us off like they did gesturing at Goldi your friends?" Realizing he doesn't know her, he introduces himself. "I'm Jarif, by the way."

Haska looks at the old man. "We walk in and put those bones to their final rest." What more plan can be made than that?

He glances at Goldi and extends his hand in greeting. "Haska Graniteheart" he says. His voice is not friendly or unfriendly, just straightforward.

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I've reset the Roll20 map. I'll upload tokens later this evening. The previous party made it through part of the map, so what you're seeing is what they left behind, though parts have been re-invaded. I'll repeat some of the descriptive text from the original module where appropriate.

Some of the information as regards what you're finding here can be found in "Story so Far" in the Campaign Info section, but you don't know all of this, not having quizzed Jaer for very long, and won't do so until you encounter Ka'narg, so you should regard all of that as spoiler information, and treat as if you're just coming across it.

The party enters the crypt. The faint light from outside reveals a long chamber with risen platforms on either side. A faded painting of Kassen is on the far wall. The room appears to be the site of a gruesome battle, with two bodies piled in the centre and a large number of smashed skeletons scattered around.

There are doors on both the left (east) and right (west) side of the room.

real quick to save some time..

Goldi greets everyone and introduces herself and truffles. She seems like she normally is the happy-go-lucky sort of person, but events lately have put her in a slightly somber mood.

It is clear that the uncertain fate of her friends are weighing heavily on her.

now back to the crypt...

Goldi was getting herself situated, bringing up the rear of the group until she turns to see the sight before her. AHHHHHHHH! Wha-wha-wha-what is th-th-th-that? pointing to the bodies, her heart racing shock in her eyes, she immediately is worried these are some of her friends from Kassen.

Goldi is to much in initial shock to move at the moment.

sorry, but Goldi is not a seasoned adventurer and this stuff is all new to her... maybe this is why she wasn't chosen in the firs place?

Jarif approaches the bodies carefully, leaning down to take a close look. He turns to Goldi. "I know it's hard, but you should probably look; are any of these the Kassen 'adventurers'?"

The bodies are unrecognisable. The faces have been slashed away by either claws or sharp blades.

Heal check to figure out any more detail on the bodies.

You want me to what?

Goldi nervously goes to the bodies to check them out. Truffles by her side as encouragement, as well as protection.

heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Robilar gets closer to the corpses, trying to ascertain any details they may occult.

Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
The attacks were too vicious, I can't barely tell a thing... but they trust me to be the medical expert, so I gotta day something he thinks.

... after poking one of them with his crossbow he says "As I suspected, they are pretty much dead. Can't get much deader."

They're the bodies of two men. Both of them wear villager's clothes, not armour. They were killed by slashing wounds, across the body and across the face; either by deep claws or by a sharp-sided sword, such as a scimitar.

They've been dead around a week. Too long to have been members of the expedition, which was ambushed only two or three days ago, according to Jaer. They could be members of the civilian group previously sent to the crypt to prepare the tests.

Goldi kneels beside the bodies, she looks like she is about to cry, They were not the chosen ones, but they were from Kassen, and thus my friends.

Looking to the distance, but why? who would do this?

Truffles goes up beside Goldi and nudges her, <sympathetic> snort

He tries to urge her to get up and go on.

"I'm... sorry, child. Truly I am. I didn't know them, but they were my people too." He seems unfamiliar with providing comfort, but appears to be trying to do his best. He pauses a bit, then realizes he's got nothing more to say, and moves on lest the empty beat become too awkward.

Jarif will move to the west door, where he will check for traps before he proceeds. Assuming top=north.

Haska was unsure of how to comfort the girl. To keep himself occupied, he advanced further into the crypt. He looked down any of the open hallways, but left the closed doors alone.

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Jarif - I tend to run all the passive perception checks but feel free to roll it yourself when checking something specific. Also you can take 10, or for that matter 20 (but I will move the timer forward more quickly if you take 20, to reflect the amount of time taken). Anyhow ...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

No traps as far as you can tell (I'll assume you take 10, so 16 minimum). The door is open.

@Haska - there are no open hallways at this point; however you or others might want to roll survival to figure out the tracks on the floor (in general you should be able to track the progress of the first party).

Elhers walks casually past the bodies and inspects the painting on the far wall

"So this is the mighty Kassen... hasn't aged well has he..."

Spinning on his heel he seems to notice the emotion in the room for the first time

"Yes, very sad. Lead on Jarif."

How much do we know about the original quest Shady, do we know why the villagers were here etc?

@Ehlers - apart from Goldi, you only know what Jaer said - you know the original quest was attacked and that additionally two villagers (Roldare and Dimira) survive. Goldi would have known that a group of villagers went up in advance to "prepare" the crypt (without really knowing what that involved) and would have concluded that they had also been attacked.

She'd know that, if the bodies were a week old, they would be from that group. She'd probably know that the group included 4 males (Roldare, Gerol, Vark, Krayl) and 2 females (Dimira and Shelyn) and that, given the bodies are male and that Roldare survives, this is 2 from Gerol, Vark and Krayl.

"Why undead and why here?..." wonders Robilar to himself "Hey, Haska. You are a priest. don't they teach you about undead abominations in priest schooL?"

Haska shrugs. "A little."

knowledge, religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

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Assuming you need to move on, you need to pick a door - north/west or south/east. First 3 votes either way to choose. You might want (to repeat) to run a survival check if you want to retrace the route of the original party.

"I don't know why they weren't awakened previously, lad, but this is a crypt."

Haska tries to study the ground for tracks.

survival, tracking, untrained, aid another of possible: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

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Survival, and wisdom generally, is not really Ehlers' thing, i'll vote west. Since that is where Jarif is headed.

hey all busy couple of days...

Goldi starts to collect herself. surely these fellows were seasoned adventurers. maybe there was a chance that some of the others are still alive and in hiding.

The rest seem ready to just push forward, they don't have a personal connection to those lost. maybe that's the secret to being tough, but that isn't her nature.

Goldi wanted to be friends with everyone, she enjoyed getting to know them, hearing their stories. If she couldn't do that, she didn't want to be an adventurer.

Still, she needed them to find the rest. Goldi, with Truffles by her side, starts to look about for an indication as to where the quest group most likely would have gone.

survival to track: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
truffles to track with scent: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Goldi takes a look at the tracks on the floor. They tell quite a story.

There was a scuffle here about a week to 10 days ago, presumably when the two villagers died. They had come in through the door from the west, chased, apparently, by their attackers. Those attackers then ran outside, presumably killed the waiting horses, and returned here to lie in wait. There's no sign of them leaving this room.

There was another fight here more recently, maybe 3 days gone. It looks like the quest party entered the crypt, then immediately had a fight near the bodies of the villagers. This may explain the large piles of bones that are strewn across the floor of the room. Then the quest party headed out through the door to the east; there's no sign of any of them coming back (apart from Jaer, below).

Finally, there's one set of small tracks, coming from the door to the west, running. These are probably of Jaer. It looks like she wasn't chased, as such.

Jarif is standing at the west door. "I've checked here for traps; is this the way we should go, or should we try that one? He points across the room to the east door.

With a loud thud, the butt of Ehlers' staff hits the paved floor where he stands next to Jarif

"SuD ’ach wov" Orcish

At this uttering a light springs forth at the top end of the stave, glowing a very pale blue.

"Are we standing around all day, or are we hoping to find someone alive?"

Until anyone mentions it I'll assume Ehlers is ignorant to the tracking information.

Re the tracking, in general if there's private info I'll put it in a spoiler but for this kind of stuff I'll assume Goldi (in this case) recounts it rather than re-types it in, unless she wants to somehow rephrase it.

As to direction, just vote or express a firm opinion and I'll move you as soon as I have a majority. It's also possible for one individual to just march off independently; given Jarif is leading he can pick and I'll assume people just follow.

"I say we go east, walk the same way they did."

Ehlers stares at the doctor in silence for a moment

"Are you suggesting this Jaer girl left her party and ran the long way out?! She came out of this (west) door, it is obvious to me that this was her nearest exit.

"Correct. But they seems to started by the east. I have no preference whatsoever anyway." smiles back Robilar

"I agree with Ehlers; if it's true that Jaer came from this direction, it could be the quickest path to any other survivors. That is our most immediate goal, no?"

Jarif opens the door, checking for threats. If none are apparent, he will continue through.

There's a short corridor, opening into a large chamber.

In the centre of this room is a large pool of clear water, fed by a fountain on the wall above it. The fountain has a stone statue of a weeping maiden holding the slain body of Kassen, but his head has been broken off and is nowhere to be seen. Around the base of the fountain are written, in common, the words "Magic is the Key".

At the south side of the room is a large pile of bones, strewn in a 20 foot circle.

There are two doors on the south side of the room, and multiple recent tracks running between both doors and the pool, as well as underneath the bone pile.

I'll update Roll20 in a second has been updated.

Magic? Haska murmurs a prayer and scans the room.

detect Magic

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@Haska: No magic here, now.

"the tracks run under the bones..."

Elhers strides over to the bones and attempts to scatter them with the base of his staff.

"...meaning these bones are newly here."

Jarif enters the room, and looks around at all the interesting decor. Examining the pool and fountain, he wonders. "Magic is the key. Hmmm; I wonder what that means?" He turns his attention to the bones and tracks. Do the bones look new or old (i.e. dry or fresh; Jarif agrees with Ehlers that they are likely new to this location)? Is there any pattern in the tracks that he can suss out?

Survival (tracking): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Goldi eventually makes her way to the others. Still a little distraught over losing some of her friends.

Truffles by her side.

more bones? I wonder if they are even alive anymore.

Truffles, sniff around, try and find the others,

survival sugar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Truffles starts to sniff around hoping to pick up a scent.

track with scent: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Goldi and Jarif can see that the tracks lead out through the door on the eastern side of the room's southern wall, then one small set of tracks - Jaer runs back through and into the room from which the party just came. Following her, a large number of non-human feet.

As Ehlers walks towards the bones and tries to scatter them, and before his staff hits the ground, the bones begin to coalesce - with loud cracking and knocking sounds, six complete skeletons, holding scimitars, arise from the bone pile.

Initiative.
Goldi: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Jarif: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Ehlers: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Haska: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Robilar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Truffles: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Skeletons: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

So initiative (use blocks, so anyone within the same block - denoted by {} - can act in any order): { Goldi, Haska }, Skeletons, { Jarif, Ehlers, Robilar, Truffles }. Goldi and Haska are up.

@Haska: can you please add your short stats to your profile?

I will update Roll20 in a second. Note the skeletons are labelled A to F; if you don't pick a target I will pick one, either the closest or a random one.

Unable to bring his hammer to bear against the skeletons, Haska hoists the hammer high and positive energy radiates out from it.

channel energy to harm undead; DC10 for half damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

*shakes head*. I knew that would be a waste. Just knew it. I should have stuck with my original plan of bless

AHHHHH ZOMBIES! Goldi yells a s she fumbles for her weapon that has really never been used for actual combat.

swishy scythe: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Goldi closes her eyes and starts swinging wildly in front of her at the skeleton.

TRUFFLES get it she yells as she is swinging.

command Truffles to attack DC 10: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Oh great.. high roll to handle animal, low roll to actually hit something...

Will saves, alphabetical order A-F, at +2: 6d20 ⇒ (14, 6, 2, 1, 12, 20) = 55
... so A, E, F pass. HP A-1, B-2, C-2, D-2, E-1, F-1

Now the skeletons. None of them has a flanking advantage. A can see 4 possible targets, B can see 2, C & D see only Ehlers, E and F cannot reach a target.

Targeting is in alphabetical order, Ehlers, Goldi, Haska, Jarif, Robilar, Truffles where relevant get assigned the corresponding number.

A targeting Ehlers, Goldi, Jarif, Truffles: 1d4 ⇒ 4
B targeting Ehlers, Jarif: 1d2 ⇒ 2
So A attacks Truffles, B Jarif, C and D Ehlers. All of these are flat-footed.

A scimitar attack: 1d20 ⇒ 5
A claw attack: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (15) - 3 = 12
B scimitar attack: 1d20 ⇒ 12
B claw attack: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (11) - 3 = 8
C scimitar attack: 1d20 ⇒ 19
C claw attack: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (12) - 3 = 9
D scimitar attack: 1d20 ⇒ 2
D claw attack: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (6) - 3 = 3

Only one hit, on Ehlers with a scimitar
C scimitar damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4 Ehlers takes 4 damage

The skeletons hack and claw at the adventurers, but only one of them, with its broken scimitar, manages to hit, a blow on Ehlers, gashing his leg.

Jarif, Ehlers, Robilar and Truffles are up.

"What in the nine... SKELLETONS!" yells Robilar, barely containing himself. Quick, you need a plan... they are pretty damaged, a tactical volatile device may finish them before they harm us. he thinks as fast as possible, as he grabs a vial labelled "Do not Touch" and throws it at a skeleton.

Targetting F with a Bomb. 3 bombs remaining.

Bomb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Fire Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
... Rolling to see square where the bomb falls.

"Crap! Sorry Ehlers, these things give me the chills!" says Robilar as he smells burned hair.

Reflex saves for B, C, E, F in order, at +2: 4d20 ⇒ (11, 13, 13, 18) = 55

... all pass, so 5/2 round down = 2

Three of the skeletons go down - B, C and D. A, E and F are still standing.

Note if Ehlers misses his reflex save he will fall. Robilar has the higher initiative bonus so his action (the bomb) is resolved before Ehlers, so if Ehlers falls, he loses his action.

The bomb goes off with a loud bang, the resulting fireball blowing one skeleton apart and toppling a couple of those already damaged.

Jarif, normally quick and sharp, actually looks his age a bit as he stands in shock, staring at the walking bones in front of him. Of course I'd heard... but I never... they're so... real!

Snapping out of it, he swings both of his swords at the still standing skeleton in front of him. "Die!!!!!!!" he screams, not hearing the inherent error in this exclamation.

MW Short Sword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Short Sword: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

After his attack, feeling claustrophobic, he quickly glances around himself, looking for an opening to step away. Seeing only the pool, he tried to judge it's depth. If he would be able to take a 5' step into the pool to open up some maneuvering space for himself and the others, he will. If the ledge is too high to step over, or the water too deep, he'll stay where he is.

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Ehlers staggers as skeletons manifest all around him and cries out as one slashes a rusty scimitar across his chest. He is just preparing to sweep his staff at the foul creature when something impacts his left shoulder. The pain is unbearable as fire consumes him and the world fades...

I'm at -6 HP

I may be wrong, but if I did you 5 damage -sorry- and the skelly 4, shouldn't you be at -1?