GM Tarondor's Ptolus Campaign

Game Master Tarondor

Tung stows all his weaponry and tries to catch his ragged breath by sitting against a wall.

"Hurt might be an understatement. Do we think it's safe enough to rest here?" The aasimar coughs after his commen and wipes away the blood coming from both ears.

He looks up at the strange gears and plates around the room.
"Perhaps we can deduce how to use these plates while we rest."

Are there actually doors on the eastern wall of the circular room?

Also, I used a Hero Point in the fight. If we only got 1 pt at the end of the fight then I think I should be at 1 even if 2 is a more lovely number.

Tilver just sinks to the ground as he watches the ogre mage burn. "We should be safe enough for the moment. If there was anyone else with them nearby, they would have come into help before we killed them. While we don't know much about them, these Pactlords do seem to help each other. I doubt they would leave their members to die if they had a choice."

After catching his breath for a few moments, he winces and reaches into his pack for his healer's tools. Using a some gauze and a wooden tool, he painfully realigns his broken nose. "Aaargh!" Afterwards he takes a few deep breaths where he can actually breathe through his nose and looks to see who else needs help.

Medicine (DC20): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22
Healing: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (8, 8) + 10 = 26

Tilver has Continual Recovery, so can do a medicine check every 10 minutes on someone. Do you want me to do the rolls or handwaive it with enough time? I think we need to do a few checks here before we might fall back.

Are there actually doors on the eastern wall of the circular room?

Yes. Two of them, side by side.

Also, I used a Hero Point in the fight. If we only got 1 pt at the end of the fight then I think I should be at 1 even if 2 is a more lovely number.

It's 1. :-)

STATUS
Tilver - 47/85 hp, Wounded 1
Ogre Mage - 7 hp
Tung - 3/78 hp, Wounded 1
Skarvek - 64/76 hp
Isabel - 24/64 hp
Dain - 33/85 hp
Silas - 75/109 hp

He looks up at the strange gears and plates around the room.

"Perhaps we can deduce how to use these plates while we rest."

Tung notices four switches on the central pillar.

"Well young Tung, you really chose some rough trade. Do we not have the option of sending an army down here, or are yee more worried about what might be found?" Skar looked around in wonder and admiration at the room. "Ya don't see things like this on a fishing trawler for sure and true."

Tung spits some blood off to the side.
"I'm not sure how we'd fund an army to get down here, and I'm less sure that army wouldn't try to use what's down here for good. This place is full of either powerful evil or things to stop powerful evil. Either way, it should be purged and closed before anything can escape."

He groans as he stands to his feet.
"What do you think those levers are for?" He says as he points them out to those entering the room.

Isabel wanders into the room slowly. She pulls a wand out of her sleeves. "I have a wand of heal. Tilver. Here. Tung needs it first. I can try to trick the item, but..." she shrugs. "I'd rather not take the chance right now."

She also pulls out two potions. "If we need them I have two lesser Healing Potions." Then she flops down on the floor, and stares into the shadows Focusing to regain her spell.

"I think we can wait a bit for Dain and Tilver to work on everyone. It might be good to save the potions for a future fight when time is more of an issue." Silas says as he plops down and considers if the rune on the falchion might fit on his blade.

"I've got two of those potions too, but agree, we could save them for in a pinch." Tung replies as he studies the levers some more.

"I'm tempted to pull one of these, but with this place who knows what horror will be released. Let's wait until we have caught our breath."

Tilver makes the round to the most wounded trying to help them. He takes the ring and sets it beside Isabel while she is in her trance so that she will see it afterward and be able to investigate it.

So tempted to be pulling a lever as Tung said that.

"Seems a fair choice to husband what resources we do have." He said as he inspected the levers.

"We should not mess with any of these until we have to. Once we are well enough, we should see if we can get through those doors without using these levers. They might free something that we do not want freed." Silas warns.

Dain also used a Hero Point during that encounter, so he too should be at 1.

Dain looks around at everyone's condition. "I can probably...ummm...convince the spirits to heal us a bit more, but not much."

All Dain has left are 3 1st level spells.

"I don't think we are that pressed for time. Tilver is doing a great job at tending to wounds. It just takes a while. I think we should avoid getting restless and take our time." Silas says.

I think we can afford to take the time to let Tilver or Dain just slowly heal us all up. We have the Hand and got rid of another group of the cult. If we spend all our spells and potions now we will just be sleeping anyway. Unless I am missing some plot point that makes time more precious?

I think we can afford to take the time to let Tilver or Dain just slowly heal us all up. We have the Hand and got rid of another group of the cult. If we spend all our spells and potions now we will just be sleeping anyway. Unless I am missing some plot point that makes time more precious?

Well, multiple groups have shown an interest in exploring the Banewarrens, and many of those are nefarious. You have certainly set back the agents of the Quaan and Navanna Vladaam, but how many others are there? How long until something truly horrific from Praemal's past is unleashed on the city or the world? What happens when the underworld organizations of Ptolus, the Longfigers Guild, The Balcazar crime family, Kevris Killraven, etc., find out about this place? Or the terrifying entities of the Necropolis? Or the Chaos Cults?

Then too, there are many more benevolent organizations like the Inverted Pyramid or the Church of Lothian who could easily screw this up almost as badly.

Finally, there is the other thread you were investigating, the Night of Dissolution and the rise of the Chaos cults. You may not have as much time as you think.

In short, there is no no specific ticking bomb at this moment, but there is definitely a short window in which to resolve the issue of the Banewarrens before it gets much worse. Not saying you can't go home and rest, but if you do it after every fight, you will find things spiraling out of your control.

Two and a half hours go by. You've eaten lunch and Tilver has healed everyone of their wounds and everyone who needs to has refocused. What now?

STATUS
Tilver - 84/85 hp
Tung - 78/78 hp
Skarvek - 76/76 hp
Isabel - 54/64 hp
Dain - 85/85 hp
Silas - 109/109 hp

"I vote for trying to get through the doors and leaving the levers alone if we can for now. What do you all think?" Silas asks.

Tilver examines the levers and weird mechanisms to see if he can understand what they do. "This is an interesting contraption..."

Crafting +15; Also "That's Odd"

Dain, do you want to check out that ring?

"Hmmm, let's see." Dain calls up his spirit sight and takes a look at what the spirits powering the ring are doing.

Cast Detect Magic. Arcana/Nature/Religion all +11(T)

Tung nods to Silas and investigates the door with his Traveler's Any Tool in hand to deduce if it could be used to get the door open.

He listens to the others without comment.

Isabel sees the ring lying next to her, and picks it up. She attempts to learn what she can about it.

Identify: 1d20 ⇒ 14 +10 Arcane T, +14 Occult M

Isabel and Dain agree that the squid-head ring is a ring of energy resistance (electricity).

Tilver, nothing suspicious or odd here. Just a strange machine. It's clearly operated by the switches. Anyone have Engineering Lore or something similar? Otherwise, you'll find out what it does when you flip a switch.

Tung, there are two doors here, not one set of double doors, and neither appears to be locked. You can open them with the usual arrangement of doorknobs.

Anyone have Engineering Lore or something similar? Otherwise, you'll find out what it does when you flip a switch.

I assume this is directed at the others, right? I think that's what Crafting is.

While Dain & Isabel investigate the ring, Magill wanders over to the doors with Tung. She sniffs at both, then pops up on her hind legs and scratches at the door on the left.

Dain looks over at her. "She wants to go through that door. Probably...mmm...smells some mice."

Anyone want to be resistant to electricity?" Isabel holds up the ring. "I'm all for following Magill. It's as good a direction as any. Unless someone can figure out the levers."

"I could try if no one else wishes to take a dive."

Tung shrugs with indifference and stands idly by Magill, waiting for a consensus on lever or door.

"I say we go with Magill and take the sinister path." Silas says a his vote.

And to Isabel he replies, "Perhaps Dain or you should take the ring. Such attacks are more likely to include the two of you and you are both on the fragile side."

Go ahead and figure out who keeps the ring. I'm taking you to the left door.

This chamber smells nauseating: a horrible, ancient rotting stench.You hear a strange gurgling growl and suddenly a towering beast lurches forward. It has a bearlike head and appears to be made of pieces of animals roughly stitched together. Patches of fur hang from the old, decaying flesh more in mockery of a bear than truly resembling one.

It turns and roars at you, standing on its hind legs.

INITIATIVE
Dain: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21 +2 Initiative if Perception, wins ties regardless of which skill is used.
Isabel: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Skarvek: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Silas: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Tilver: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27
Tung: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34 +2 Initiative
Bear: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

STATUS
Tung
Bear
Tilver
Silas
Dain
Skarvek
Isabel

Tung, go!

Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

That didn't work. Is it one check with scaling information or three separate Arcana checks?

Should have made that clear. The Arcana/Crafting/Occult checks are just one check with progressively more information depending on your level of success.

Plus, you should only roll them when you spend a Recall Knowledge check on your turn.

Tung thinks on his reading within the Blade Chapel...
Religion (E): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
...but only a hint of something crosses his mind.

"Do we funnel it in the hallway or surround it?!"

Based on parties reaction, Tung Readies an action to Tumble Through the bear, or move to flank it. I have Mobility, so moving half Speed doesn't provoke.
Acrobatics (E): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35

<Elevator muzak plays>

"Move in and surround it!"

Recall Knowledge, Ready an Action. That's 3 actions. Sorry to not clarify.

A Ready action needs an if:then statement, not an either:or statement. I'm going to just keep moving on, however, as it seems that Tung is not moving immediately.

1. Stride
2. Strike
3. Strike

1d2 ⇒ 2 Tilver

Dead Bear Guardian Claw: 1d20 + 18 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 18 - 1 = 262d10 - 2 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (9, 5) - 2 + 7 + (3) = 22 plus prone

Dead Bear Guardian Claw: 1d20 + 13 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 13 - 1 = 242d10 - 2 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (6, 7) - 2 + 7 + (4) = 22 plus prone

The dead bear charges forward in a terrifying rush, seizes Tilver by the leg, drags him down to the ground and mauls him!

STATUS
Tung
Dead Bear
Tilver - 41/85 hp, prone
Silas
Dain
Skarvek
Isabel

Everyone, go!

Silas sees Tilver being mauled next to him and Rage fills his blood and ice coats his blade as he lashes out with two massive strikes at the creature.

Rage, Strike, Strike. That was a better round then I was having in the last fight.

First Strike w/ +1 Striking Fearsome Falchion: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35

First Damage w/ +1 Striking Fearsome Falchion: 2d10 + 4 + 2 + 8 ⇒ (8, 9) + 4 + 2 + 8 = 31

Second Strike w/ +1 Striking Fearsome Falchion: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Second Damage w/ +1 Striking Fearsome Falchion: 2d10 + 4 + 2 + 8 ⇒ (8, 5) + 4 + 2 + 8 = 27

Silas enters a terrifying rage and carves the bear's left foreleg from its shoulder! It roars in anger (but not fear). No blood oozes out, but a only a sickly black fluid.

[b]STATUS
Tung
Dead Bear - 89 damage
Tilver - 41/85 hp, prone
Silas
Dain
Skarvek
Isabel

Tilver, Dain, Skarvek, Isabel and Tung, go!

Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Free Recall Knowledge (Arcane): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

Tilver lets out a yelp as he falls to the ground and then a scream as the creature savages his leg. His vision blurs a bit, but he is able to spot some of the stitching between the bear parts. "It's some sort of dead bear construct, put together!"

He rolls to his feet, putting the weight on his uninjured leg. He tries to slash at the stitching he saw to cut the bear apart.

Strategic Strike: 9 + 16 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 6 + 2d6 ⇒ (5, 4) + 6 + (4, 6) = 25

Actions:
1. Stratagem + free recall knowledge
2. Stand
3. Strategic Strike (Tung, it's flatfooted to your next attack)

My mistake on lacking an if/then.

While the bear is savaging Tilver, Tung tries to slip by on the other side.

Tumble Through vs Reflex
Acrobatics (E): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
Assuming the dead bear doesn't have +20 Reflex?

Slipping past the grizzly creature, he slams his blade twice into it's side.

+1 Striking Cold Iron Rapier (1): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
Damage (P): 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 3) + 6 = 15
Deadly?: 1d8 ⇒ 1
Sneak Attack?: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

+1 Striking Cold Iron Rapier (2): 1d20 + 16 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 16 - 5 = 20
Damage (P): 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 3) + 6 = 14
Deadly?: 1d8 ⇒ 6
Sneak Attack?: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

"I guess that is a thing..." Skar shook his head before beginning his tamping dance and song.

"Oh we were the first and the last
the last and the first
and all went down the Whitewind way..."

Stride back to the edge of the room, not at my computer this minute so I can't adjust the map. Inspire Courage on party flurry still within the close range. Dexterity 4 + expert 4 + level 7 +1 weapon + inspire 1 -2 range, bear should have light cover for +1 ac.

1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

2d8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 8) + 2 = 11
2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 4) + 2 = 12

With a storm of violence, the team eviscerates the bear-creature, with dies rather suddenly.

The room stinks faintly, but is otherwise bare and empty.

COMBAT OVER

Tung wipes his blade clean and examines the room beyond the bear.

There is a single door leading north out of the room and nothing else.

"What are the chances they had traps in this room with the giant undead bear?" Silas says as he scans the room for any sign of things that are not what they seem.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

"Should of brought more arrows with me. At this rate I will finish me quiver before I finish a song."

"Tilver did you want to rest while we treat your wounds or would you like to use one of our potions. That way we can keep moving?" Isabel asks the Investigator.

"Let me take a potion and then we can open that door there. If there's nothing, then we can rest a bit." Tilver mixes together a tonic and drinks it. Some of his smaller wounds knit together, but he's still hurt. He waves at them. "Yeah, let's try that door."

Lesser Elixir of Life: 3d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 4, 2) + 6 = 13

After drinking the potion, Tilver opens the northern door. There is a hallway leading north and a small alcove to the east.

STATUS
Tung
Tilver - 54/85 hp
Silas
Dain
Skarvek
Isabel