GM SpiderBeard's Carrion Crown (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Let me know if you're carrying the baby or leaving it in a crib or... what.

Whiskeyjack smashes up the holy symbols, doing some good in this world. Not hearing anything out of the ordinary, you head southwards into the three remaining rooms on the bottom floor to check them out. They are a dining room, bedroom, and living room and don't appear to contain any living occupants.

Let me know if you'd like to do a thorough search, head upstairs, or otherwise.

"You keep the ring... Wait what did you say about me?!"
Arval glares at Whiskey.Annoyed he grabs the crib, with baby and all, and shoulders it.
"Well, let's go..."
He says in a tired and hopeless voice.

Perception to scan the rooms: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

The burly warrior, with the crib on his shoulder, makes a quick scan of the rooms before moving to the stairs. He motions for the others to go in the front.

"Le's be leavin' th' babe in th' crib while we look abou'. Carryin' a wee one int' battle may be well an' good fer th' stories, bu' I be needin' me hands free. We can come back fer i' in a bi'."

Whiskeyjack took another look around before heading upstairs.

perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

Wren waits to explore the south now that the baby issue has been taken care of.

"My guess is it belongs to the two humans we met earlier," Eldon tells Whiskeyjack.

He plugs his ears with his fingers as he follows the others. "Human babies never stop producing noise, do they? I'm glad halflings aren't like that. Halflings are very good at being quiet. I've got exceptional skill in being quiet, as you're all obviously aware of. Which reminds me of this anecdote..."

Lena, by this time able to tune out the droning that is the default Eldon noise, follows whiskeyjack.

Whiskeyjack does a better search than Arval, who spares the rooms a bored glance, while the careful dwarf instead rummages through the place before heading to the stairs. This turns out to the dwarf's undoing as the moment he moves near the cushions of the couch, a swarm of ticks which were hiding out in the couch boil out to envelop the group!

Everyone but Lena and Arval are up! Whiskeyjack and Kawrock are not technically in the swarm yet - it's in the process of getting out of the couch.

Arval listens to Whiskey and puts the baby down at the base of the stairway, heading up after with the rest.
"WHAT IS THAT?!"
The burly warrior nearly jumps out of his skin as the ticks swarm out of the couch.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"Those are ticks," Eldon responds to Arval. "Although ticks don't normally swarm, when they do, they are one of the greater dangers of the natural world. Spreading disease and draining blood, they are capable of leaving mighty forest beasts as mere husks within seconds."

Eldon turns away from the swarm and hurries out of the room, moving past Arval.

"I advice our fire specialists torch the swarm!" he then yells from behind Arval. "I recall normal weapons to be less effective versus swarms!"

Argh! ticks! getem off, getem off!

"Gah! Knew we shoulda jest le' th' firebugs burn this place down!" Whiskeyjack scrambled to get away from the titchy things, knowing that if they got inside his armor, he'd be says in getting them off.

"I can't eat all those!" Kawrock exclaims before taking a step back and engulfing the swarm in flames.

Burning hands DC 15 for half: 5d4 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 2, 1) = 11

Round 1, Init 20

Wren squawks in annoyance as the ticks emerge as she is *way* too close to the little buggers for her liking.

I think she can target the back corner with a fireball and not hit any of her friends, or Lena, :), so...*

Wren offers up a nice ball of fire to the ticks because is all some insects (and some birds) understand:

9d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 4, 2, 4, 6, 3, 4, 3) = 37 fireball & reflex DC20 for half.

She then flutters away...way away because ewwww! ticks.

@Wren - you're good for the fireball. Just.

KABLAM!

As Arval rushes the inconvenient baby to safety, Kawrock and Wren let the ticks have it with a burning hands followed by a fireball! The ticks scatter in response to the spells spectacularly, only being partially harmed by them.

The ticks are, however, very, very tough and Whiskeyjack and Lena have a very bad day as the swarm of nasty biting insects envelops them and begin digging down.

Whiskeyjack takes 10 damage, 1 con damage, and is nauseated for one round!

Lena takes 10 damage, 2 con damage, and has contracted bubonic plague!

Everyone is up!

um, do I get a save? Edit. I see my save. 20 didn't make it? What was the dc?

Round 2, Init 20

Wren tries to recall what she knows of the tick swam. 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30 Know (Nature)

She moves outside and 15' above the ground, hoping the swarm can't fly. That would be one of her questions. Also, how best to kill.

"Come out here and I'll try to pit the swarm...or more fire. But it's too dangerous in the building," Wren squawks, showing her usual courage.

Arval lashes out, trying to kill some of the ticks on Whiskey.
"Don't move!"
Afterwards he takes a step back, as per Wren's instruction.

Atk: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29
Dmg: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

Atk: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Dmg: 1d10 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

Swatting, stomping, and trying desperately not to throw up into his armor, Whiskeyjack could feel the little vermin moving about inside his plate and under his hair to feast on tender skin and the blood it kept inside his body, where it belonged. He stumbled after Wren, trying to get away from the vicious things, but barely making it tot eh outer room.

Oh dear...

Eldon sees everyone's retreating past him, and decides going outside is indeed the better option. He turns around and runs past Whiskeyjack and Wren.

DC was 21. These guys are bastards.

Arval starts trying to kill ticks and manages to bravely kill five or six. The remaining thousands are unimpressed.

Wren knows that tick swarms cannot fly, and are like all swarms vulnerable to area of effect attacks and immune to conventional weapons. Frankly, this is just a typical swarm. Just very, very mean.

Whiskeyjack bolts, slapping the ticks from him.

Whiskeyjack and Lena have ticks attached. They'll do damage next turn unless they succeed on a DC 20 reflex save.

reflex save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Lena withdraws a bit, and casts burning hands on the swarm.

burning hands: 5d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 3, 2, 1) = 11 x 1.5 vs swarms so 16 damage. dc17 save for half

Refelx save, hahahahahahahahhahaha

ref: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

lol, at least you don't have the plague.

yet

Just FYI Lena you can cast the spell and move or just move out of the swarm. Lemme know where your token should be as Wren is trying to get you guys outside.

Rushing out, and just covered in ticks, Lena turns around to blast the swarm with a burning hands spell, which annihilates several ticks - although the swarm moves to avoid the spell as it did the fireball.

kawrock still has an action!

Lena moves out of the swarm and casts; map updated

Burn them Kawrock! Burning hands spell!

"I already did! That's the only one I have for the day," Kawrock replies to Lena's request. "Think I have something else that might work," The Tengu adds before casting a spell that encircles the tick swarm in a violet ring of flame.

Wall of fire: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3

Damage when passing through: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (5, 1) + 10 = 16

Focusing the heat to the middle of the circle so no one on the outside is getting burned.

Huh... well, a wall of fire is a pretty surefire way to deal with a swarm.

Kawrock throws up a wall of fire spell - the living room is also properly on fire now. The tick swarm are completely confused by the fire on all directions and start to spread apart, trying desperately to avoid the flames. It is their undoing, as one by one the ticks are completely destroyed.

Whiskeyjack's Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Outside as the group get ready to deal with the tick swarm, Whiskeyjack just hits the ground and starts rolling around wildly. This does the trick, and the remaining ticks are crushed beneath his armour.

End of Combat

Wren chitters happily (and with relief) as Kawrock's wall does the trick.

"Nasty things those were. Nasty. Shows what happens when nature gets out of control," Wren opines as she readies to go back in the house.

After letting others heal, she will do a quick scan of the tick room with Detect Magic, then be ready to follow the team upstairs.

Unfortunately as is often the case, the ticks guarded nothing. They were really just nature's jerks.

---

Wren tries to scan the room, but it's on fire which complicates things. Whiskeyjack wasn't having any luck turning up valuables as he searched though.

Good description of ticks, in general.
Lena sits down, feeling unwell (due to con drop).
She uses her spark and prestidigitation cantrips to remove any ticks on her.
Not feeling the best, Whiskyjack.

Eldon reenters the mansion and notices Lena's feeling icky. He walks up to her and inspects her, of course sharing whatever he learns with an overabundance of details and a funny anecdote involving ticks and his grandma.

Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

"... Such a dear she was, but little did she know the ticks had infested her melons. Of course, I knew all about ticks and melons, and I knew the solution..."

Arval whistles at the neat little trick Kawrock pulled.
"That's a life saver."
He makes a quick round of the room before picking up the baby again, after Eldon finishes with Lena, and taking it to the base of the stairs.
"Do we go up?"

actually, i don't know if that worked eldon. I got a 20 on my save roll and failed, and the heal dc is based on the disease dc. Also, melons, really?

Even if I don't know anything, I'll still pretend to know it all while covering my lack of knowledge up with the anecdote! ;)

I love that you guys are talking about the saves, but how about a push post and actually moving the story and action along?

Wren floats over to the stairs and waits for others to go up. She will float along side the stairs to the second level.

A person's feeling ill and that, in combination with the red flag raised by what a tick swarm can cause, is reason enough for me to inspect that person instead of moving on. I am currently waiting for the GM to (maybe not) share info, so I can (maybe) do something to help Lena. If I don't know anything, or can't do anything, I'm ready to move on.

Eldon's heal check is fine enough to detect that Lena has likely caught something.

Eldon looks over Lena. Yup, some sort of gross disease. Problem for later. The group retrieves their tasty baby, and heads to the staircase to go to the top floor.

----

Once you reach the top floor, you're faced with a single door leading forwards. If you recall correctly, on the other side of that door you recall seeing a man in a chair during Kawrock and Wren's flyby. The room is likely occupied.

Map is updated - you're looking at a door and you're pretty sure someone/thing is on the other side.

The baby is left at the base of the stairs.

Arval listens closely at the door and hears that something is behind it. He motions for everyone to make themselves ready. He draws his sword and puts his hand on the handle of the door.

Once everyone is ready he opens it, revealing the thing/person behind.

After Eldon's assessment and while Arval get ready at the door. Kawrock casts a quick spell and places his clawed hand on Lena's head.

Cure disease: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Kawrock looks a bit confused for a moment before shrugging. "Perhaps tomorrow then," he says as he readies for what is behind the door.

Whiskeyjack climbed to his feet, hoping that his thrashing and all the metal of his armor had crushed the little vermin. He'd have to take it off later and check for survivors, and since it had been about three weeks since he had last really removed it for a cleaning, it was probably about time.

"Lass, dinnae be worryin' yer wee head abou' th' plagues them ticks were like t' be carryin'. I ken be castin' a disease removal spell come mornin' tha'll cre all yer ills. Well, i' willnae be doin' anythin' fer th' permanent headache we be carryin' wit' us, bu' th' plague'll be gone."

Upstairs, he nods to Arval, then kicks the door in.

Wren squawks and fluffs her feathers. She preens and checks to be sure none of Lena's nasty bedbugs have infected her beautiful 'armor'.

She stands near 'Jack as he kicks the door in, wand in hand.

BANG!

Whiskeyjack sends the door flying open to reveal a lounge within.

This room has weathered the years better than the rest of the house, as wooden shutters remain closed over the windows, keeping most of the elements out. A low hearth stands in one wall, over which hangs an elegantly rendered painting of a tall ship in the midst of a storm. Spaced about the room are three cushioned armchairs, and a wooden pipe rack hangs upon the south wall.

Within the room, a man looks to be in mid-search. He has a round face and a horrid complexion of scaly pockmarks and a double chin. His eyes and large and spaced far apart, giving him a profoundly unpleasant look. He wears incredibly ornate robes, similar to the ones the vicars you fought earlier had. He is clearly a man of import and turns to regard you coldly.

"I thought I heard fighting, you've made a grave mistake."

Wren and Eldon are up!

Aquaman? I'm pretty sure that's aquaman.

Round 1, Init 25

Wren peers at the man carefully, noting the holy symbol around his neck (from the picture).

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30 Perception
1d20 + 18 ⇒ (11) + 18 = 29 Know (Religion)

"Oh boy, more of them fish f**$ers," Wren explains offhandedly. "The same as we saw in the chapel. Oh dearie, what is this world coming to."

Wren casts Haste on the party, then moves out of line of sight & effect, retreating and letting the yowls and grunts of combat tell her what is going on.

Haste (1/9): +1 to attacks/reflex/AC, more movement, yadayadayada, you know the deal.

"Th' only mistake we made was no' gettin' here sooner, methinks! Ye an' yer fish god been preyin' on this village fer too long!"

Kawrock peeks into the room to get a look at the strange man. "Wait he f#!&s fish? Am I getting that right Wren?"

Wren nods back at Kawrock. "Oh yeah. The reason they are stealing babies is that they can't make their own. 'Can't' is the wrong word. 'Won't' is more accurate as their religion is predicated on f%#%ing fish, you see, Dearie, so that they satisfy the needs of their perverse god." Wren explains. "So they don't make many of their own babies."

"I'm quite sure that his one here probably has mackerel stuffed down his armor right now. Mark my words. It's sturgeon for the lessers, mackerel for the high priests."

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25

"Be careful!" Eldon yells. "His face and skin... there's indeed something fishy about this man!"

Eldon squints his eyes and thinks hard to remember what makes skin move like that. "Maybe he's not really human, but a fish disguised as a human?" he opts.

Knowledge (Whatever applies): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

The brilliant halfling keeps his distance, but encourages his allies to approach the weird man. "You go in first! This is an excellent learning opportunity for you!"

Inspire Courage +2 is active!

Eldon has no idea what's going on with the guy, but he does look a little weird. His face contorts in rage at Wren's insults.

"I'LL SHOW YOU FISH F%!*ING!" he screams, red-faced and apoplectic. He raises his trident into the air, calling out the power of his demon lord. A sickly green wave of energy courses through his body, empowering him. He points his trident at Wren. "YOU will die first."

Everyone is up!

Round 2, Init 25

Wren moves to cast Greater Invisibility on WhiskeyJack.

"Watch out for the eel in his trousers. Nasty things. Nasty," Wren chirps helpfully as Jack goes unseen.

Haste (2/9): +1 to attacks/reflex/AC, more movement, yadayadayada, you know the deal.
Gr Invis @ WJack (1/9): Dude, you're invisible, go beat some face.