GM Tarondor's Kingmaker Campaign

Game Master Tarondor

"Good point Aristu. I'll try to put some of the more intact art pieces in my bag of holding." Kern says, bending down to gather some clayware art.

Standing up from his task, he asks "I haven't seen any tracks in here, do you think it leads to a way up?"

<practices golf swing>

Kern moves up the stairs to the next doors as the others gather up some ceramic artwork. He looks over the doors.

"When you're done, we should check out the rest of this place. I'd like to get to the top of this island." Kern calls out.

"It might be good to through all of this if we have time." Mikhail says as follows Kern up to the next set of doors.

The stairs -descend- to the door, not ascend.

The doors are monumental bronze doors, green with age, but still looking strong and sturdy, presumably preserved by some ancient magic.

Piotr moves to catch up with his companions.

"It seems that we must descend, before we can reach the top of this place. I have some protective spells in place. Let me scan the door for magical wards and traps," he says before invoking a cantrip.

[ooc]Cast Detect Magic and examine door.{/ooc]

"Of course, I cannot tell you what is on the other side."

The door isn't magical.

"There's only one way to find out what's on the other side."
Kern says, poising himself to open the door when everyone is gathered.

The door opens to reveal a hallway to a larger room. Statues of one-eyed humanoids litter the room and two flank the hallway. Some of them bear bronze helms and swords.

Kern notices the telltale points of a raised portcullis in a shadowy recess of the hall’s ceiling just north of the alcoves.

"So how many of the statues are guardians of this place?" Mikhail tosses out the question as he steps around Kern to look through the large door into the room.

Aristu looks up at the raised portcullis. "Anyone have an idea to keep that from closing on us?"

"If there was a statue on this side, I would suggest putting it under the portcullis," replies Piotr.

"Is there any way that the door could be removed from the hinges?"

Kern sizes up one of the statues.
"I'm not sure how we can move those statues without magic. Why don't I just go across the bars to see if they close. If they do, I'll shift into a small animal and slip through the bars."

"You could try to jam the portcullis. But go ahead and try to see if it triggers."

A Thievery check could try to disable the portcullis.

Let me know what you do.

"I think disabling it first might be the better bet. If those statues start attacking it might be hard to change shape and get back through." Mikhail comments to Kern.

"It's not too hard to change shapes. My circle starts their attunement with nature at a very young age." Kern replies as he starts forward.

Mechanically, it's two actions to change shapes into a Tiny creature that can fly. Plenty of time.

Fully expecting something violent to happen, Aristu readies his wand and intently watches the hallway in front of Kern.

Mikhail calls upon Abadar and a floating shield of energy appears before him in case the statues with weapons do come to life.

I cast Shield.

Kern? Going in?

Kern continues forward beyond the portcullis, slender elven blade at the ready.

Moved on map just inside the gate.

Everything is as still as tomb. Whatever triggers that portcullis, that wasn't it. In the dim light of your lantern, the huge stylized one-eyed statues are mysterious and forbidding. The vast area of the room makes your footfalls echo like the sound of half a dozen men. It is eerie and the hair on the nape of your neck stands up in stark warning of fear.

Kern gestures the others forward.

Mikhail follows after Kern and begins looking over the statues and the weapons or armor that they bear. He then asks his companions, "Are there any signs of magic on these statues or the equipment?"

Piotr will refresh his spell that permits him to detect magical auras. After studying the statues and area, he replies to Mikhail.

Unless he detects something significant, he will move forward to his companions.

The area doesn't seem to have any magical auras.

Alister looks over the various statues. "Well, we've found the evidence the centaurs were looking for." He takes out his notebook and begins sketching one of the statues to show them. He also looks for any broken pieces or engravings that he might be able to take back.

Alister can collect several small pieces sufficient to prove there is a cyclops ruin here. Anyone else doing something?

Kern moves further into the room to see if there is anything of value or danger.

Mikhail wanders through towards the statues looking for anything worth bringing back or for another way out of this room.

Kern discovers a false wall to the south. It takes him another two minutes to locate the bronze finial decoration that operates the door.

Aristu moves to join Kern by the southern wall. He faces the section of wall Kern indicates, and waits for the elf to figure out how to make it open.

You can open it whenever you like.

Assuming Alister and Piotr "stack" on the door with us, I've moved their tokens.

Kern pulls the bronze decoration to open the door.

And that, of course, is when all hell breaks loose.

As the ancient door creaks open, you see a dark hallway beyond, illuminated only by your torchlight. Stairs rise up into the shadows. But a portcullis slams down about ten feet ahead of you in the corridor. Behind you, the portcullis at the entrance slams down as well. There is a grinding sound from above. Looking up, you can just make out motion in the shadows as ancient bronze valves in many places on the ceiling and vast quantities of river water begins to cascade into the subterranean chamber.

Simultaneously with all this, the walls behind the two statues in niches explode inward, revealing huge cyclops corpses like those you fought previously. Ignoring the rising water, they moan and move towards you.

Last of all, and probably unintended by the builders of this trap, a gigantic eel had made a home in one of the water intakes and it has been sucked into the trap with you, splashing angrily down from the ceiling into the rising water!

You're locked in with rising water, two deadly zombies and an angry giant eel. The crashing water forces everyone to make a DC 24 Reflex save or be knocked prone. The water is rising 1 foot per round. The room will be completely submerged in 12 rounds.

Alister: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Aristu: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Kernithar: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28 +2 for Initiative
Mikhail: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34
Piotr: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
Cyclops Zombie #1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Cyclops Zombie #2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Giant Moray Eel: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

STATUS
Mikhail
Kernithar
Alister
Aristu
Cyclops Zombie #1
Giant Moray Eel - 10 damage
Piotr
Cyclops Zombie #2

Everyone, give me the DC 24 Reflex save!
Then, everyone but Piotr, go!

Reflex: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22

Bah..So I am guessing its one action to stand, Move, Strike

First Attack with Civility: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38
First Damage with Civility: 2d12 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 4) + 4 + 3 = 15

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
Hero Point reroll: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35

Free Demoralize vs Eel Will DC (language penalty): 1d20 + 18 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 18 - 4 = 31
If that is a crit, it flees for 1 round

Alister loses his footing in the waves only to find himself pressed up against the wall where he can kick off it to neutralize the water's effects on him. "Steady. We've fought them before! They're no match for us! And the eel is just a nuisance!"

To prove his point, he tries to cast a spell on a eel, sending mental images of megasharks devouring it and its kin into its animal mind.

Lingering Performance, DC24: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28 Inspire Courage last 3 rounds

Actions:
Free: Battle Cry Demoralize
1. Inspire Courage + Lingering Performance
2/3. Cast Phantasmal Killer on Eel (frightened would apply)

Reflex save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Aristu braces himself against the waves of water and keeps his feet. Seeing Mikhail engage one of the enemies, he points his wand in that direction and unleashes a volley of magic missiles.

(1&2&3) Use Heightened Wand of Manifold Missiles to cast Magic Missile at the enemy that Mikhail has engaged.

Force damage: 6d4 + 6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4, 1, 1, 3) + 6 = 21

First Mikhail hacks down on the astonished eel, then Alister terrifies it to death! Seeing that his target is dead, Aristu adjusts his sights and blasts one of the cyclops zombies instead.

Eel Will save: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 2 = 17

1. Stride.
2. Wide Swing.

Hunk of Meat v. both Mikhail and Piotr (Piotr has cover): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 192d10 + 9 ⇒ (7, 2) + 9 = 18

The cyclops moans and shambles forward, slamming a fat fist down at both Mikhail and Piotr, but the blow is blocked by one of the statues, which it smashes. Dust and marble chips shower down.

STATUS
Mikhail
Kernithar
Alister
Aristu
Cyclops Zombie #1 - 21 damage, slowed 1
Piotr
Cyclops Zombie #2, slowed 1

Piotr, give me that Reflex save, then go!

Ref (M): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20

Kern goes splashing to the ground as the water sweeps under him.

Quickly jumping back to his feet, he sizes up the closest cyclops before shouting to Mikhail.
"Remember, aim for the tendons to collapse their anatomy!"

Stand, Hunt Prey + Recall Knowledge, Warden's Boon (Mikhail has -3/-6 MAP next turn)
If the Recall Knowledge is a crit, +1 to hit for next round.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

Piotr steps away from the zombie before casting a spell to summon an aquatic creature. A dragonfly nymph appears to attack the closest zombie.

Mandibles: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

Piotr manages to stay on his feet, but his summoned insect doesn't harm the huge undead giant.

1. Stride.
2. Strike.

Hunk of Flesh v. Dragonfly Nymph: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 262d10 + 9 ⇒ (1, 8) + 9 = 18

The second cyclops moans and shambles forward, swatting the dragonfly nymph with the rotting flesh of its huge right hand.

STATUS
Mikhail (Warden's Boon)
Kernithar
Alister
Aristu
Cyclops Zombie #1 - 21 damage, slowed 1
Piotr
Dragonfly Nymph - 28/46 hp
Cyclops Zombie #2, slowed 1

Mikhail, Kern, Alister and Aristu, go!

Mikhail strides forward to attack the damaged zombie.

Stride, Strike, Strike

First Attack with Civility: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (13) + 19 = 32

First Damage with Civility: 2d12 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (11, 7) + 4 + 3 = 25

Second Attack with Civility + Warden's Boon: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19

Second Damage with Civility: 2d12 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (9, 6) + 4 + 3 = 22

Remaining focused on the same target, Aristu invokes blessed fire and force to batter the zombie, then weaves more force for defense.

(free)Heightened Wand of Manifold Missiles casts Magic Missile at zombie #1; (1&2)Cast Searing Light at zombie #1; (3)Cast Shield.

Force damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 2 = 5

Ranged spell attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21
Fire damage: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 4, 6) = 19
Good damage: 5d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 3, 2, 6) = 18

Don't forget Inspire Courage! It applies to all damage rolls, including spells!

Alister draws his bow. "That's it, bring them down quickly!" He motions with his other hand and the sharp shards of statue that the creature had smashes come back, flying in its face.

Telekinetic Projectile: 1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 16 + 1 = 28
Damage: 4d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 4, 4, 5) + 4 + 1 = 21

Actions:
1. Draw Bow
2/3. Telekinetic Projectile

Inspire Courage: +1/+1 to hit/damage

Right. With Inspire Courage, that's 6 force damage, 22 on the Searing Light attack roll, 20 fire damage, and 19 good damage.

Kern splashes through the incoming water and flurries his blade across decayed tendons and rotten flesh.

Elven Curved Blade vs Prey (1): 1d20 + 17 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 17 + 1 = 29Damage: 2d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 2 + 1 = 14
Elven Curved Blade vs Prey (2): 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 14 + 1 = 18Damage (Forceful): 2d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (7, 5) + 4 + 1 = 17

Stride, Strike, Strike vs Hunted Prey (closest cyclops)

I forgot Bard Song. So the first hit would be 35 for 28 damage. Hopefully a critical. And the second is a 22 for 25 damage. So hopefully I hit with the boost.

I forgot Bard Song. So the first hit would be 35 for 28 damage. Hopefully a critical. And the second is a 22 for 25 damage. So hopefully I hit with the boost.

Wait, what? Why does Inspire Courage's +1/+1 give you +3 to hit and damage? What am I missing?

That is my error. I read the 3 rounds as +3. Sorry about that bad math. So 33 for 26 and 20 for 23.