GM SpiderBeard's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Barvo Delancy

@Sevenspawn is on GMPC for a lil bit.

Sevenspawn chants a couple of protective spells as well for the group while Donnell heals up Vencarlo with his wand. Vencarlo seems much better and stabs at the air briefly.

"You've given an old man new life. Give Thod your blur. I am very fast, friend Donnell."

Sevenspawn casts communal protection from evil on everyone and aid on Thod. Thod gains 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 temporary hp.

With everyone ready to go, Donnell peers into the portal, seeing the inside of cells which are thankfully open. He does not see the creature on the other side.

Vencarlo claps Donnell on the back, and the halfling jumps through the portal.

This large room is lit by a heartily burning firepit in the room’s
center. Cages hang on chains dangling from hooks in the ceiling, while racks, strappados, gibbets, and other implements of torture fill the floor space. A set of immense wooden doors stand in the wall to the north, while to the south stand several narrow cells.

As Donnell appears in the cell and pokes his invisible head through the door, he sees a six-armed, three-faced woman placing an older human man onto a rack. He is openly sobbing. "Please... I can't see them die any more..."

Donnell appears to be undetected.

Oops, I guess I should have waited to take that Invisibility until after.

At the prearranged time likely that means right now!, Donnell moves to hide behind the fire pit, from which position he will zap the creature with a wand:

UMD: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Wand of Slow (11 charges remaining)
Will (DC 16?) to negate
Staggered: Single move or standard action each turn, but not both
-1 to attacks, AC, and Reflex saves
Moves at half its normal speed

Attempting to snipe, or at least get some cover behind the fire pit:
Stealth: 1d20 + 15 - 20 ⇒ (20) + 15 - 20 = 15
Well, that was a helluva time for a natural 20...

Back in the portal room, Vencarlo is excitedly counting down. "He said thirty seconds... ten... nine... eight... seven..."

In the cells, Donnell shimmers into existence, pointing a wand at the asura. The wand fires and there's a moment before she turns around, all three faces contorted in fury as the spell harmlessly washes off of her. The party suddenly appear in the open cells as you all dive into the portal and it sorts you randomly into different cells. Donnell's opening salvo has been extremely successful. Neolandus' eyes go wide as he sees the party.

"Oh gods... I prayed..."

1 on a will save, but sweet sweet spell resistance. Everyone is up!

Thod will also chug down a Barkskin potion before moving in.

Thod eagerly charges through, his halberd blade leading the way.
"WOW, THREE FACES! THREE TIMES THE UGLY!"
Thod advances, though he steels himself before attacking.

I believe you said the cells don't have bars, so if that's the case, Thod advances to melee range directly West of the creature. I'm assuming I can occupy the square, as the rack doesn't take up the full space. Instead of attacking, I use Guarded Stance.

Raven Six will be wearing the glamered +1 chain shirt, wielding her own +1 mithral rapier. She will drink extracts of Bull's strength, Expeditious retreat and Shield before combat starts.

Running into the room, Raven Six-a eyes the creature.
"Gotta agree on that, good buddy," she says as she pulls a vial of reactants from its loop, jabs a zinc rod through the clay stopper and sends it flying.
"Maybe this freaker will look better if I blow it up some."

Raven Six opens combat with a precise bomb: no one but the triple-header is affected. Ranged touch attack 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 for 4d6 + 5 ⇒ (2, 6, 1, 1) + 5 = 15 BOOM.
CRIT THREAT! Confirmation attack roll 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 for an additional 4d6 + 5 ⇒ (4, 3, 4, 4) + 5 = 20 BOOM.

Buff suite: Mutagen; Bull's strength; Expeditious retreat; Shield
AC = 21. Strength = 18. Speed = 60 ft.
Attack: rapier +8; Bombs 5/8

Don't have access to my main computer right now. Could somebody kindly move my model directly West of the creature? As well as scratch off one

Done

sweet sweet spell resistance

I hate spell resistance with the flame of a thousand suns

Does Donnell know anything about this creature (other than its spell resistance)?

Knowledge (Planes?): 1d20 + 7 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 4 + (1) = 20
That was terrible

Donnell moves around the firepit so that he can get a better angle on the enemy before spraying her with goo.

It's probably not worth it, but can I burn a Harrow point to bump the DCs up to a 16 (from a 14)? Donnell's "spellcasting" is INT-based.

Adhesive Spittle
Entangled = –2 attack; –4 DEX
Spellcasting = Concentration DC 14 (16?) + spell level

Reflex DC 14 (16?)
Success = Half speed
Failure = Glued to the floor, unable to move. Break free = STR DC 17, or 15 damage with a slashing weapon.

Duration: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3 rounds

Sorry for the radio silence, very busy few days. As a heads-up this month is going to be insane for me so posting will be spotty at times.

@Raven - tragically, you only crit on the first 1d6 of a bomb.

As Thod clanks into range, Donnell gets a good look at the creature. He recognizes her as a type of asura. These extraplanar creatures are immortals with origins rooted in rejection and destruction; blasphemous manifestations of the mistakes of the gods themselves.

She is an upasanda, monklike asuras dedicated to poise, skills, and physical perfection so as to wreak flaweless destruction upon reality.

He cannot recall too much about upasandas, but all asuras are immune to disease and poison, they regenerate, and can summon others of their kind.

Sevenspawn clanks into place, swinging his hammer as Vencarlo rushes in, his eyes alight with the thrill of a fight after his imprisonment. He tries to tumble past Thod, but the upsanda is unbelievably fast, striking him with her longsword. As he sets up a flank, he is dismayed to see one of her faces staring at him contemptuously.

She then quickly chants a spell, and begins to speed up supernaturally. Her three faces all call out as one as she draws multiple weapons.

"I was not to harm this prisoner, but now I am free to destroy bodies, not just minds. Face Senshiir, mortals, and know your doom!"

Everyone is up! Note - she cannot be flanked. TOo many faces.

"Face a student of Brigh, you three-faced freak, and know PAIN!" Raven Six-a shouts. "Face an observer of Pharasma, and know DEATH!"
With that, the Alchemist chucks another bomb at the upasanda.

"Donnell, try the stick again!"

Another precise bomb; no splash to hurt my allies, only an explosion on the asura. Ranged touch attack 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 for 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 6) + 4 = 15 BOOM.

Forgot Donnell's loogie of death.

Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
Second Concentration Check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Raven continues to whip bombs at the upasunda, connecting with one that bounces off of her head, soars upwards, and explodes JUST out of reach.

I figured there was almost no chance it'd fail those, but I had to ask!

Luckily, it's still entangled for three rounds, which means:
–2 attack; –4 DEX; DC 16 Concentration for spellcasting; and moves at half speed.

"Donnell, try the stick again!"

Frowning at the wand in his hand: "I'll try, but I'm not sure it'll do any good. You remember that darksphinx we fought? This thing is much worse: spell resistant, damage resistant, regenerating, immune to poison and disease...."

Muttering quietly to himself: "Also, apparently immortal..."

I'll give that Wand of Slow one more try.
UMD: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Magic Resistance: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Unfortunately Donnell's wand still does not work as she ignroes the spell.

Thod and Sevenspawn are up!

His magic depleting, Sevenspawn swings his hammer hard.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
x3 Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Damage: 3d8 + 24 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 4) + 24 + (6, 4) = 41

"BIGSHARPTHINGSWORK,THOUGH,RIGHT!?"

Thod's speed matches the demon/devil/hellspawn/whatever as he unleashes a barrage of attacks.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21 Damage: 1d10 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29
Haste Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31 Damage: 1d10 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
Attack 2: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32 Damage: 1d10 + 22 ⇒ (1) + 22 = 23

HP: 145+13
AC: 23
CMD: 31
DR 2/-, Miss chance 20%
Rage: 14/25
Guarded Stance: 5
Channel Vigor: 9

Back! Thanks for being patient.

Sevenspawn's warhammer flashes down with incredible force, catching her on the collarbone and shattering her arm. She lets out three hideous screams.

But Thod is louder. The belligerent dwarf, just sick to death of this stupid labyrinth, takes out all of his trap-related frustrations out on the upasanda and his halberd goes right into her throat. Her screams turn to a gurgle, and her three pairs of eyes go with with surprise. For a moment, her six arms pinwheel before she slips off of the blade and falls to the ground, dead.

End of Combat

Vencarlo looks at all of you in astonishment. He hasn't even attempted an attack yet.

"You may want to read me some of your liturgy, friend Sevenspawn. I think we all need a little of whatever you lot have," he mutters wryly before he rushes over to release the most important man in Korvosa. Neolandus shakily gets to his feet. It's clear he has not been physically harmed, but whatever psychological tortures the cruel outsider heaped upon him have taken their toll.

"The... a Milanist? Vencarlo, we can trust these people?"

"I think they're the only people we can trust. They serve the good of the city, nobody else. ANd I believe we need the goddess of rebellion more than anyone in Avistan right now."

Vencarlo helps Neolandus to his feet, who leans heavily on the master swordsman.

"We need to get out of Korvosa. Under no circumstances can Neolandus remain within this city. Ileosa will stop at nothing to find him. Help me get him to Harse, where you took Trinia."

As the two men reunite and you meet the seneschal for the first time, Donnell gets to work looting the body and the room.

"Let us not speak any further of destinations," Sevenspawn offers, "until we are free of this place. I am sure it has ears everywhere."

Heal: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

SS is prepared to offer healing to the needy, assuming we ar enot quite free of this place yet. If Neolandus or anyone else needs it, speak up.

"Huh," Raven Six-a says. "I was all fired up, too... Hope we won't be needing those extracts I just chugged later today."

When she hears the group is supposed to leave Korvosa, she quirks an eyebrow. "You mind if I send a note to the Factorium? Only the Bank of Abadar will be down on us like a ton of bricks if they don't get their monthly payment."

Thod looks immediately dissapointed.

"Wellthatwaseasy..." So quick he still is hasted, and concentrates on talking at a normal speed.

"I understand getting Neo out of town... But whhhhaaaatttt aaabbbbooouuuuttt... *Ahem*... I mean, we'll get you out, but we've still got work in town. Lots of work. I don't think you mean we're leaving town for good. Just getting you out of here, right?"

Grimacing as he searches the creature, making a pile of useful loot on the floor, Donnell responds: "Let's get out of this hell-hole for starters. Possibly we'll have to do something about Glorio on the way out. Then we'll see about getting out of town - we do have a boat hidden nearby, so that should make things easier. Raven 6 and I can probably disguise Neolandus and," glancing at the newly re-costumed Blackjack, "possibly we can make you less conspicuous as well. At least when we have to leave town."

Once everything's been gathered up, Donnell will lead the group back out of the Labyrinth.

@SS: If you have healing to spare, it looks like Donnell is still injured from an earlier fight - he's down 17 hp. Otherwise, he'll use a wand or potions.

As you're about to head out, you notice one final feature of the labyrinth.

To the north of this room is a gigantic, massive space. Four huge pillars appear to function as axles to gears above, and attending each of them are gargantuan skeletal mammoths. It appears that when the levers are pulled, the mammoths themselves are the mechanism by which the labyrinth is adjusted.

Being undead, they don't appear to care much about their jobs.

Let me know if you have any interest in the giant supermammoths or if you're just heading to the exit.

"... I have five more bombs left," Raven Six-a says. "And Pharasma frowns on such as these. Heck, so do I. This is no way to treat the remains of such majestic beasts."

Donnell quirks an eyebrow, but is otherwise uninterested: "Perhaps you should save your bombs until we can be sure we won't need them later. We can always come back to deal with these creatures, but for now they are no danger to us nor to the city."

"I agree with friend Fox," Sevenspawn chimes in, preparing a prayer. "We have who we have come for and should depart quickly. If you are adamant, however..." He trails off, suggesting that he will do as she desires if that is the case.

Using Channel Energy; figure that will help Vencarlo and Neolandus as well as Donnell.

Channel Energy: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 6, 2) = 17

"I'm with them. We gotta get our way out of here."

"Oh, yeah. Vencarlo. You may have mentioned this already, but I forgot. What's Glorio upstairs up to in all of this? Is he some unwilling dupe we have to rescue? Jerk we have to beat up? Or some evil guy we should kill once we climb out of here?"

Vencarlo sighs. "Glorio locked us in here for his own reasons. He had some sort of feud with Vimanda but I'm unsure of any details - information is a little hard to come by when yhou're being beat up by a sphinx. I don't think killing Glorio is the first concern of mine, I'm far more concerned with just getting out of here. I'm unsure what dealings he's had with you lot though. How did you get in here?"

You make your way through the illusory wall and through the tunnels.

Note that you haven't mentioned to Vencarlo or anyone that the Arkona family are rakshasas or Glorio's insistence you come down here and apparently kill everything in sight.

"Well, they're rakshasas," Raven Six-a explains. "Seems to me those Arkonas who went out to Vudran way back when never made it home; they got replaced by those freaks. From what Vimanda said, she's been trying to trip us up for a while now. She also said Glorio's one of them... and may as be, if they were feuding, he hoped we'd top her when he told us he'd given the two of you 'sanctuary' down here."

Running a hand through his messy hair: "YEah... If we can find him, I think we'd better deal with Glorio now, rather than wait for him to cause more mischief later."

"As for how we got down here," making some minor adjustments to his crossbow, "Glorio 'allowed' us to come down and rescue you. I suspect he was hoping we'd be trapped here as well; destroying Vimanda perhaps a lucky alternative."

Donnell will keep looking for traps as they proceed, even though they've been this way before:

Perception/Traps: 1d20 + 24 + 1d6 ⇒ (18) + 24 + (2) = 44

Vencarlo and Neolandus are nonplussed at the news that the Arkonas are rakshasas and you were likely caught up in a bloody sibling rivalry and spend the short walk back discussing the implications for the city.

It's a short walk to get out of the Arkona Dungeons and over to the secret family pier. Although you've been this way, Donnell checks the area as you progress and finally Thod is the one who open the door into the pier.

Vencarlo lets out a cry of joy as he spies a barge you'd noticed earlier - an easy way out of the the family estate and Korvosa.

"Looks like they left us a boat. I suppose there's a decision to be made here. Clearly we want out of this damned city as quickly as possible but I will defer to your wisdom, friends - particularly if there is an angry rakshasa in your wake."

Neolandus is a little less diplomatic. "Glorio is a secondary concern, we need to get out of here."

Donnell rolls his eyes and very nearly tells the men to take the barge and leave. Gritting his teeth, he tries to remind himself that it's still in the city's best interests to keep these two aristos alive.

In spite of his resolution to stay quiet, he growls: "Nothing in this place is easy - let's check this barge out before we're all drowned, eh?"

Donnell is interested in examining both the barge and the surrounding water / way out
Perception: 1d20 + 19 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 19 + (4) = 25
Add an extra +5 for Trap Detection

btw, did we ever check out Room D24? Seems like we skipped that one on the way in...

Donnell takes a moment to peer into the room. The doors are now wide open, a change from when you were last here. Looking into the room, it appears to be a temple.

Four lit braziers illuminate this vast chamber, a cathedral-like space made all the more immense by its lack of benches or other concessions to comfort. The floor is polished tan marble, with the walls rising up to form a domed ceiling sixty feet above. Alcoves line these walls, six in all, inside of which stand human-sized statues of a tiger-headed man. To the south, a few steps lead up to a pulpit-like area with three more statues of the same figure—the central one being twice as tall and holding out before him two lances from which hang flags. The left is the flag of Korvosa, while the right bears the Arkona coat of arms.

Within the temple you notice a glossy long... something. Upon closer inspection, it's a rather large snake skin. Donnell does not recognize the statues as any religious figures he's ever heard of - they just look like rakshasas.

Also, there's a small figurine of an elephant that's has been left on its side near the snake skin.

Looking back outside, he takes a bit to glance at the water from afar. He notices a ripple in the water and a dark shape near the barge. There's Something in the water.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

If he can, Donnell will carve off a 3' square piece of the snake skin: "Hmm... this might come in handy - or, at the very least, I can make something out of it."

Also, would he recognize the skin and/or the shape under the water?

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 7 + (6) = 21

"Looks like we have a fight either way - personally, I'd rather fight the rakshasa on land then... that under the water."

That said, if Donnell can communicate with the thing under the water (maybe it speaks Aquan?), he'll try to persuade it to leave.

"Something to kill in the water? Sure."

Thod already begins shucking off unnecessary equipment in preparation to dive in and fight under water. Again.

"Another snake," Raven Six-a says with a sigh. "Great. I couldn't even nick the last one. Mr. Neolandus, you stay back until we deal with Kid Slither, please. For all we know, it's a spitter.

So. Should I chuck in a bomb and get it nice and angry?"

"If you start dropping bombs down there, you'll blow up that ugly barge. Also, if we go kill Glorio, we don't have to deal with that snake-thing at all..."

Glancing up at the others: "... buuut, whatever you guys want to do - either way, you folks will likely end up doing most of the work..."

er... that shouldn't be taken as Donnell sitting out, just that his skills are mostly out of combat - Thod is usually the one soaking up and causing the most damage

EDIT: Sorry - added those last two paragraphs as an edit and Raven ninja'd me

"Wellll... We might have to, anyway. Neolandus really isn't safe inside the city, so..." Raven Six-a shrugs. "Yo ho ho, me hearty," she finishes, apologetically.

"Glorio can wait. We gotta get Neo out of here. Especially before Glorio is even aware we're alive."

Neolandus stays up top while the group makes their way down to the dock with Vencarlo handy. As you move down the water ripples, and your foe appears. Donnell recognizes this strange cross between a lobster and a eel as a reeflcaw, but a STUPIDLY large one. The small, vicious predators are normally the size of a dog, while the one is at least six feet long!

Donnell knows that reefclaws are poisonous and are ferocious to the point of insanity.

Everyone but Sevenspawn is up!

Donnell moves a bit closer to stand on the edge of the dock: "Wow - those things aren't supposed to get that big! Uh... watch out for poison and... just general nastiness..."

Trying to recall if reefclaws are also resistant to poison, he pulls out Pilts's rod in the meantime and points it at the creature:

Rod of Wonder
UMD: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Are reefclaws also resistant/immune to poison? And is that what left the skin in the temple?

"Mmmm, looks like good eatin'! But let's let it come to us!"

Thod recommends the group move back a bit, so the creature has to climb out of the water to get at our group. Something that size has to have reach, and I want to avoid wading into the water if I can. Step back a bit, it'll voraciously charge at us if it's as crazy as you claim. Once it's mostly out of the water, then we can attack.

Though since I can't quite ready a charge, Thod will begin by throwing a Javelin at it, then moving back a bit.

Javelin throw: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Sorry, can't move my token right now. Though I won't leave the rest of the group standing in the open. I was thinking moving back 10 feet on the current outcropping.

You tore a crude chunk of skin.

Donnell points the rod down at the reefclaw, and green smoke starts billowing out before forming an enormous horrific-smelling cloud at the point of contact. The reefclaw starts panicking and retching into the water, and appears to be unable to do too much. Despite the javelin sticking out of it.

Raven Six is up! The reefclaw is nauseated.

Raven Six-a runs up to the others and hops onto the bridge, putting the reefclaw in range.
"If it's too toxic to touch, just don't," she says as she chucks a bomb at the thing.

Ranged touch attack 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 for 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 5, 6, 6) + 4 = 25 BOOM.

The stinking cloud spell obscures sight so...

50 or lower hits: 1d100 ⇒ 34

The bomb nails the reefclaw, and explodes noisily. Vencarlo, short of a ranged weapon, hangs back to let the group continue their fight.

Nauseated, enraged, and unable to do much to attack the group, the reefclaw vanishes beneath the waves. After a few moments, it's appears clear that the creature has left the hidden dock, although it's unclear for how long.

End of Combat

Neolandus grabs Donnell's coat. "It's gone! Let's get to the boat."

"Sounds good. Let's get him on the boat and get the hell out of here. Dock it on a shore outside of town, and let's just move. I got some food in my pack."

Donnell sighs, and mutters under his breath: "Alright... let's try not to die"

Once the stinking cloud has cleared, Donnell will take charge of the barge presumably this is operated by a pole or a sweep?

Profession (Sailor): 1d20 + 5 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 5 + (5) = 23

With Donnell directing how to row, you swipe the Arkona barge, and within moments you are out on the open sea. Neolandus openly weeps as he is freed from the claws of the rakshasas and Vencarlo starts hurriedly directing Donnell. He has one destination in mind - Harse. It is currently dark outside, and you manage to use the cover of darkness to get away from Endrin Isle and start following the coast to the north and then west out of Korvosa. You have escaped from Old Korvosa.

End of Chapter 3

================
Chapter 4: A History of Ashes
================

As you journey, you explain to the two men the events in the city, particularly Marcus' failed assassination attempt. Their eyes grow large and Vencarlo starts cursing loudly. Neolandus explains.

"We have our proof. I have suspected, but the truth is revealed. Queen Ileosa is something more than human - the reincarnation of a draconic warlord long thought to be dead: Kazavon. Her new crown is called the Crown of Fangs, and it is the key to her power and link to Kazavon."

He looks out across the sea. "I may know a way, I have had much time to think on this. For countless years before Cheliax colonized this land, this region was the land of the Shoanti. The great pyramid in our city that is Castle Korvsa's foundation. They believed a great evil was hidden within those ancient stones. The keepers of this lore are hidden among the Shoanti tribes of the hinterlands. I believe that is our destination."

"We remembered the lock the door to the house before we left, right?"

"Which one?" Raven Six-a asks.

"Locked and trapped, though that's small comfort if we're gone for very long." Donnell's heart sinks as he contemplates the loss of their personal library and his half-finished alchemical experiments.

To Neolandus: "I've studied a bit about the Shoanti in Korvosa's libraries, and though I welcome the opportunity to learn from them in person," frowning in the direction of Korvosa, "it pains me to leave the city now, though. Too many good people are in danger, and it's the gutterscum and dockrats who'll bear the brunt of it."

While the barge is still close to Korvosa, Raven Six-a pens a quick note and hands it off to her homunculus.

"Just letting the Abadarians know we'll be away for a bit. They'll foreclose on the Factorium else, and we'll be neck deep in debt if we ever make it back," she explains. "Any objections?"

"Yeah. Get that thing some clothes and a better name."