Saphren |
Saphren looks expectantly to Besh and seems ready to act.
How much in and out traffic is there? Traffic in the area? If the trap door drops down in front of the main door it seems like there would be a good chance to be observed if we go up.
Beshtori Sankral |
Sorry gang, I was out of town for Thanksgiving weekend and my ability to post was more constrained than I thought it would be.
Pushing up zir sleeves in preparation to cast, Beshtori winks at Saphren: "No bet. Alicnaviss is definitely looking for something and doesn't want to be implicated. It might be a good idea for us to make a rough copy of those maps she's looking for..."
Invisibility
Besh also has Mage Armour and Prot from Evil if anybody is interested.
(also, a quicker way to get to that trap door would be to Enlarge Brenna :P )
Saphren |
Saphren fades from view much like the Cheshire Cat and, activating his slippers, pads quietly away. He goes up the wall, searches for traps, listens and then tries to open the trap door.
Stealth: 1d20 + 23 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 23 + 20 = 60
Perception for Traps: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (6) + 24 = 30
Perception to listen: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26
Is the trap door locked?
GM SpiderBeard |
The traffic in and out of the main door is relatively slow. You've arrived as the party is in full swing. Someone comes by, knocks, utters a password, and enters ever few minutes or so but it's not too steady.
Vex flies up to check on the trap door. It is closed and latched shut, with the latch opening on the other side. It wouldn't be too difficult to open the lock if someone had a means of opening a lock ten feet in the air.
This is exactly something Saphren has though. Invisible and using his slippers, he crawls along the underside of the building before settling into check out the lock. The door is clearly not trapped. He pauses for a moment as a drow woman bangs on the door, hisses a password, and is allowed in.
Listening at the trap door doesn't yield much thanks to the noise of the party downstairs. There is nobody immediately on the otherside making any noise at least.
Saphren |
Disable Device: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (20) + 23 = 43
[b]It barely takes a moment for Saphren to lift the latch and begin opening the trap door. Opening the door just enough to see in the rogue assesses the room above.
Beshtori Sankral |
Beshtori stands near the corner of the building, trying (and failing) to look nonchalant.
GM Bugman |
Zoso aids in Beshtori's attempted ruse, wishing he had a cigarette to further the act. "Sounds like a lot of people in there. Do you think this is a 'head of the snake' thing or more of a 'burn it down'?" he asks, not immediately remembering Besh's affinity to fire. "Huh, just might be your day."
GM SpiderBeard |
Saphren gets to work and in no time manages to pop the trap door latch open. He slowly opens it and peeks in.
Relatively clean air fills this handsomely appointed apartment. The smell of oiled leather pervades the room, and adorns several large chairs surrounding an imposing desk and a cruelly decorated bed. Several bookcases and cabinets of dark stone line the walls, their shelves lined with grim trophies—drow hands, dwarf skulls, fleshwarped limbs, and less identifiable appendages. Overlooking the bed, oily black eyes stare from the mounted head of a gigantic centipede, its oversized visage easily the size of an ox’s skull.
You are currently in the bedroom, which adjoins the living room of the apartment. In the living room you spot a burly drow male who matches the description of your target. Two mercenaries are near him, as well as a drider.
GM SpiderBeard |
So what's the plan? Are you invisibilifying yourself or is everyone just heading up the rope as fast as possible? As a note, your bloodlinks grant you dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire - not levitate.
Vex starts looking around for auras. The drow are all decked out in conventional magical equipment with the seated male, presumably Ovrigato, wearing some fairly high-quality stuff.
The guards shift uncomfortably but a glare from Orviganto has them snap back to attention. The drider is motionless, a spider waiting for prey to arrive.
Lyr Scarheart |
Lyr use the Bloodlink to cast Darkness so they could move in and climb the rope without being seen.
"One at a time, move into the dakness and up the rope. Brenna, you first. Go."
Vex, Lyr's familiar |
Vex took a moment to scan the room specifically for anything that might detect or counter invisibility.
Any invisibility wards, or anything like that?
Lyr Scarheart |
Depends on the normal ambient light level. If it's already dark or dim light, the Darkness spell sinks the light level into "magical darkness." Creatures need the See In Darkness ability to see through that.
Beshtori Sankral |
Doesn’t simple darkvision that all drow have overcome Darkness?
I'm pretty sure that's right. In the older system (? or maybe just a different one), Darkness was impenetrable even to Darkvision, but that's not how I read it in the rules here.
Beshtori can cast Invisibility on all of us individually, though Invisibility Sphere might be more efficient.Beshtori Sankral |
@Lyr: possibly you are thinking of Mythic Darkness? But I might be missing something - as I said, I've seen several variations on this. Regardless, I think a globe of Darkness is likely going to signal our entry more than conceal it.
After some consideration, I don't think it'll be possible to keep everyone within a 10' sphere while trying to climb a rope, so...
Besh quickly and telepathically relays zir rough plan to cast Haste then Invisibility on each of zir companions as they ascend the rope, and to slide in (visibly) through a dimensional crack just as we launch the attack. there's no need to waste another Invisibility on Besh if we are just going to attack anyway. Dimensional Slide is part of movement, so Besh won't lose a round, and we'll all be Hasted anyway
Saphren |
I concur. I do not think Magical Darkness will help at all. It would likely give us away while not hiding any of us. Even if the first person up is noticed we are still better off starting the fight here than below I think. Lets do this. Maybe send one more up invisibly? Your call Besh. Now, how do I kill a drider?
GM SpiderBeard |
Okay, so I'm going to simplify this. Saphren is up first, everyone moves together, but Brenna is last since she's noisy and it makes sense.
Stealth: 1d20 - 4 + 20 ⇒ (20) - 4 + 20 = 361d20 + 11 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 11 + 20 = 421d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 281d20 + 6 + 20 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 20 = 33
Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 261d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 151d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 221d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18
Behstori gathers everyone, pops off five invisibility spells, casts haste, and with incredible speed you all make your way over to the dangling rope and right up it before attracting any attention.
Brenna, for some reason, channels her inner mouse and is quieter than Saphren. All of you get up into the cramped top area without being detected.
Brenna rolled a g+#*%*n 20. SO somehow you're upstairs without being spotted.
Saphren |
<<Drider first. We need the room to move>> Saphren sends through Vex as he readies a spring attack on the spider thing as soon as someone else opens. He hopes for a big opening.
Beshtori Sankral |
Besh shrugs - it wasn't what ze initially planned to do, but to zir mind, "make a hole" is interpreted swiftly and simply.
For a fraction of a second, the torches flicker and dim. The air pressure in the small room dips slightly as a purplish ember speeds from the tip of the now visible staff into the next room.
WHUMPF
Fireball
Damage: 9d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 4, 5, 3, 2, 2, 5, 6) = 38
DC=19
Spell Resistance
Drider: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Guard 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Guard 2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22
Orvignato: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Saphren |
The blast triggers Saphren's action and he "springs" into action, sneak attacking the drider. He finishes his spring attack on the wall 10' up and out of the way.
+1 shrinking cold iron falchion: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 14 + 1 + 2 = 362d4 + 10 + 6 + 5d6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 10 + 6 + (6, 6, 5, 4, 6) = 48
Confirm? Flat footed enemy from invisibility: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 1 + 2 = 222d4 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (1, 2) + 10 + 6 = 19
Vex, Lyr's familiar |
As soon as the fireball went off, Vex rushed in, aiming to swipe something.
Going to use Flyby attack to Steal something. Priority goes to Spell Component Pouches. If there aren't any,I'll go for the item witht he strongest Aura. I've had plenty of time to appraise things and sort out magical auras with Detect magic. I'll let you surprise me with what I nab
1d20 ⇒ 5
If it's a Steal maneuver, that's a 20 vs Flat Footed
If it's Slight of Hand, that's DC 24 Perception to notice.
Lyr Scarheart |
Lyra stayed up in the hidden hall. With a wave of her hand she created a thick tangle of thorns around all the walls, cutting off easy escape.
Casting Wall of Thorns. Leaving an opening for us to pass through from our entry point. Other than that, I'm sealing the perimeter and probably tangling up anyone standing next to a wall.
Brenna Eklund |
Battleaxe attack, haste, power attack: 1d20 + 15 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 15 + 1 - 3 = 33
Battleaxe haste attack, haste, power attack: 1d20 + 15 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (12) + 15 + 1 - 3 = 25
Battleaxe iterative attack, haste, power attack: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 1 - 3 = 10
Battleaxe confirm crit, haste, power attack: 1d20 + 15 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 1 - 3 = 20
Battleaxe damage, power attack: 1d8 + 5 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 6 = 16
Battleaxe damage, power attack: 1d8 + 5 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 6 = 15
Battleaxe crit damage, power attack: 2d8 + 10 + 12 ⇒ (8, 8) + 10 + 12 = 38 (In the unlikely event of confirming the crit)
WHACK! WHACK! WHISH! Brenna immediately lashes out at the drider to clear up some space by chopping it up like an eight-legged piece of bloated cordwood.
Beshtori Sankral |
Our GM's tied up running a conference (yesterday and through the weekend) and likely won't be able to post before Monday. He sends his regrets and apologies.
GM SpiderBeard |
Thanks Besh! Your GM is now back. So a key thing here is you don't get a full round attack before initiative starts - you get a surprise. So I'm reducing all of your activities to standard actions only. This doesn't change much.
Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Reflex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20
Orvignato: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
SOldiers: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Drider: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Saphren: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Brenna: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Besh: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Zoso: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Lyr: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 (+2 in surprise)
Concentration: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
SR Checks: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 121d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 171d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 241d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 101d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
KABLAM!
The drow all hit the deck as the fireball goes off, which the two soldiers mostly avoid, and Orvignato manages to dodge entirely. Vex then moves in at Orvignato, positioning himself to grab a nice-looking amulet at the first opportunity. He is also wearing a quite powerful belt, but there is no real way to remove it.
The drider snarls, turning southwards, only to get skewered by Saphren and then beaten into a bloody pulp by Brenna. It remains alive, but only barely. Desperately, the drider weaves a spell, firing it into the middle of you. Strange sparkling magic fires around, and apparently affects one of the drow soldiers as it lands on all of you.
Drider (-83)
---
Brenna
Saphren
Beshtori
Lyr and Vex
Zoso
---
Soldier 1 (-19)
Soldier 2 (-19)
Orvignato
That's a lot of blown SR checks. ONLY SAPHREN must make a DC 21 will save or be confused! Everyone is up. Note that Vex has not yet successfully stolen the amulet.
Brenna Eklund |
Brenna smashes the drider to goo, then turns and swings at the drow on her left around the outcropping wall.
vs. drider
Battleaxe attack, haste, power attack: 1d20 + 15 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (17) + 15 + 1 - 3 = 30
Battleaxe damage, power attack: 1d8 + 5 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 6 = 14
vs. drow around corner
Battleaxe haste bonus attack, haste, power attack, around cover: 1d20 + 15 + 1 - 3 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 15 + 1 - 3 - 4 = 12
Wiff!
Battleaxe iterative attack, haste, power attack, around cover: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 3 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 1 - 3 - 4 = 13
Wiff!
I took a -4 penalty for swinging around that outcropping of cover on the left. If the drow is prone though that might cancel out, but with those rolls I'm still unlikely to hit him.
Vex, Lyr's familiar |
In the name of fairness, I'll keep my original roll. Vex swipes the amulet with Slight of Hand. That's a DC 24 Perception to notice as it's happening.
Lyr Scarheart |
Looks like all of them are caught in the wall of thorns. Saphren, do your thing.
Lyra touched Saphren on the shoulder, blessing him with Freedom of Movement.
Saphren |
Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
dc 21 is a hard save but I pulled it off. Even for a 4th level spell doesn't that represent a 24int? No complaint, just an acknowledgement of the threat.
GM SpiderBeard |
The drider has a stupid high charisma. I'm using a different conversion set.
Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
Brenna absolutely beats the drider into goo, killing it quickly with her attacks, but her follow-throughs on the nearby drow aren't nearly as effective. Orvignato snatches at the air as his amulet vanishes, realizing something has taken it. "They have something in the air stealing things!"
Everyone is still up. Well except for Brenna. She is not up. Go go go!
Beshtori Sankral |
As Beshtori raises zir arms overhead, an enormous creature of stone and dirt rises before Orvignato.
Large Earth Elemental
STR 28; CON 21
HP: 8d10 + 40 ⇒ (5, 9, 10, 1, 9, 6, 8, 9) + 40 = 97 (or 84, if I was supposed to take the average)
Hearing Besh's boulder-crashing instructions in Terran, the elemental fixes its gaze on Orvignato, and shoves him into the Wall of Thorns behind him:
Greater Bull Rush: 1d20 + 18 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 18 + 4 + 1 = 41
As a move action, Besh'll convert a 4th level spell into Arcanist points
GM SpiderBeard |
Elemental is on the map now - Orvignato is already in the wall of thorns since they showed up on his location sitting in the throne. You have nowhere to bull rush him to. Also again, Lyr, Zoso, and Saphren are up!
Beshtori Sankral |
oh! I thought they were just around the outside and he'd somehow been missed. In that case:
Large Earth Elemental
HP: 97; AC 18; DR 5/-
Str28, Con 21
F 11, R 1, W 6
Melee
BAB 8
2 slams +16, 2d6+9
Earth mastery: +1 hit / +1 dam
Power Attack: -3 / +8
Slam1: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 34
Damage1: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 30
Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 22
CritDamage1: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 30
Slam2: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 22
Damage2: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 1) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 21
Cleave, maybe? From my reading of the feat, I have a feeling this isn't permitted, but for some reason it's listed on the Elemental's ability list, so perhaps I've missed something. Just in case, here's a roll to hit the nearest Soldier:
Cleave: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 34
Damage3: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 23
Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 16
CritDamage3: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (3, 6) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 27
PS: thanks for the elemental image - I've moved it to be adjacent to Orvignato, since that was my intended target
Saphren |
Saphren will spring attack the closer drow, using acrobatics to not provoke from the second drow. Other than Freedom of Movement what buffs are up?
+1 cold iron falchion: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 1 + 2 = 222d4 + 10 + 6 + 5d6 ⇒ (4, 4) + 10 + 6 + (6, 6, 5, 4, 3) = 48
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33
Beshtori Sankral |
Haste is active. And I think Lyr put up Magic Circle (that is, Lyr put up a bunch of things, but I think that's the only one that affects the rest of us)
GM SpiderBeard |
Cleave can't be used as a full attack action. You basically give up iterative attacks for the ability to cleave.
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22 Damage: 1d6 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 Damage: 1d6 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19
Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28 Damage: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 Damage: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
The elemental grabs Orvignato and slams him into the wall, although the second attack misses. Meanwhile, Saphren flicks in and out of the fight like shadow, leaving a dead drow in his wake. Zoso bursts into song, motivating you all for further smashing.
The soldier wrenches himself free of hte wall of thorns and lunges at Saphren in an attempt to avenge his fallen comrade. Saphren gets slashed by the rapier. Orvignato, completely pinned in by the wall of thorns and the elemental, decides to try and destroy the elemental.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! SOUND THE ALARM!"
All you hear in the distance is dancing, music, and moaning.
Brenna
Saphren
Beshtori
Lyr and Vex
Zoso
---
Soldier (-29)
Orvignato (-
Saphren takes 19 damage. Mr. Elemental takes 22 damgae! Everyone is up!
Brenna Eklund |
"Knock knock," says Brenna as she smashes her axe repeatedly into the drow attacking Saphren, opening the way for him to leap at someone else.
Battleaxe attack, power attack, hasted, inspired: 1d20 + 15 - 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 15 - 3 + 1 + 2 = 32
Battleaxe haste bonus attack, power attack, hasted, inspired: 1d20 + 15 - 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 15 - 3 + 1 + 2 = 16
Battleaxe iterative attack, power attack, hasted, inspired: 1d20 + 10 - 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 3 + 1 + 2 = 17
Seriously?
Battleaxe damage, power attack, inspired: 1d8 + 5 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 6 + 2 = 19
Saphren |
Hey, that's my blood! Saphren notes with irritation as he springs back behind his attacker to flank with Brenna before moving into the wall of thorns.
+1 cold iron falchion: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 14 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 342d4 + 10 + 6 + 2 + 5d6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 10 + 6 + 2 + (5, 1, 5, 3, 5) = 41
Beshtori Sankral |
Mr Elemental has DR 5/-, in case that was overlooked.
Rumbling with rage, the vaguely humanoid lump of stone launches itself at the drow again:
Slam1: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 24
Damage1: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (4, 4) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 26
Slam2: 1d20 + 16 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 1 - 3 = 16
Damage2: 2d6 + 9 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (1, 5) + 9 + 8 + 1 = 24
Fist-shaped marks appear in the walls as the elemental misses again, causing Beshtori to groan: "Aww... c'mon!!
Ugh, fine - dodge this!"
Magic Missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 4, 2, 2, 2) + 5 = 17