GM Tektite's #02-26 The Mantis's Prey (Inactive)

Game Master Hawkwen Agricola

Hawthorne's down 10 pts. but he has a wand of cure light wounds.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Hawthorne will take a look around the room.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17
+1 for traps and have Trapspotter

"I'm fine."

Searching the room the relatively barren room, Hawthorne does find a letter in the corner of one of the cages. It appears to be written in Infernal.

Anyone searching the bodies finds, that the four Red Mantis assasins each carried; an assisting glove, potion of bull strength, potion of
heroism, mithral shirt, masterwork daggers (2), masterwork sawtooth sabres** (2), cloak of resistance +1, Red Mantis outfit with a nonmagical Red Mantis mask.

The other two, that appeared to be leaders, carried; scroll of feather fall, mithral shirt, masterwork sawtooth sabres* (2), Red Mantis
outfit with a nonmagical Red Mantis mask. While searching the last two, the party notices that each of the leader had snakes for hair.

"Haven't seen that before." Noble comments as he reveals the snake haired assassins.

Curious — asps on their heads. What could that mean?
Any relevant Kn: checks? +10 on planes...

Hawthorne holds up the letter found in the cage. Does anyone read the tongue of devilkind? I may be able to muddle through it, but if someone understands it I'd rather not miss a key word or two.

Hawthorne has +10 in Linguistics, if no one can read Infernal.

"I of course speak Infernal."

Mr. K will use his wand of unseen servant and will direct the servant to get the note and hold it out for him.

Mr K summons the note and reads it.

Mr. K will read the note out loud.
"Release me Nehemalis, Holder of the Dark Key, and I will fulfill my pledge to you, even if it means the end of all we have built here.

What now?

Any applicable Kn: checks on the snake-oil-hair-sales-Mantis?

These doors to the left of the stairs here must go to rooms, or to stairs; they would otherwise let out onto the passage through which we just came. Perhaps we should check them out first.

Hawthorne looks at the double doors Perception (+1 for traps): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19 and the single door Perception (+1 for traps): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24.

Also, what is in the cages? Anything?

Mr. K will nonchalantly set his unseen servant about to collect the gear of our fallen enemies.

Hawthorne finds nothing else of interest in the cages. He then check the doors for traps, but no traps are evident.

The two snake-headed ones were variant medusa.

[ooc]Just to move thing along.[ooc]

Hawthorne opens the double doors and finds a corridor with a collapsed ceiling. The corridor leads to a small tunnel, that exits through a secret door back out onto the waterfall ledge. Retunring and opening the other door reveals, a chamber that was once a storage room as well as a workshop for the repair of musical instruments. Someone has erected a portable altar along the southeast wall. Covered in blood, the small shrine pays homage to a strange insectoid god.

Take 10 on knowledge religion regarding the shrine => 24

Studying the shrine, Mr K. deduces that this is shrine to Achaekek, the mantis god of assassins, and patron of the Red Mantis cult. Hawthorne notices a small compartment under the shrine. Opening the compartment, the party finds three doses of Stone Salve as well as a red gemstone that appears to have tiny engravings on each of it's facets.

Important to have, with the modified medusa thingies about.

Hawthorne notes the gemstone with some interest, but will leave it to Mr. K to sort out its meaning and/or use. He will move to the double doors on the right side and check those out. It would appear this is the way to go next.

Mr. K will have his servant hold out the gem while he examines it.

Knowledge (anything): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

When Mr K. has his unseen servant hold the gemstone aloft, he notices that when the light shines through it, the etchings project an image on the wall. The image appears like some sort of coded writing-

Vklrog L phhw dq xqwlphob ghplvh,
hqvxuh wkdw Judqgpdvwhu
Wruf k fdq qrw uhpdlq lq f kdujh
ri wkh vkdgrz orgjh – D.K.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

Mr. K casts light on a useful point to help brighten the image on the wall and studies it for a bit.

Hawthorne will auto-assist on Mr. K's Linguistics check.

After just a few moments of study, Mr K easily cracks the code and deciphers the message.

The deciphered message reads- Should I meet an untimely demise, ensure that Grandmaster Torch can not remain in charge of the Shadow Lodge. -A.H.

Where to?

I'm a little lost, where haven't we been yet?

You've been everywhere, heading back?

Edit: If you are heading back, which way are you going? Back up the stairs or up the ladder?

Ah okay, I say stairs.

"Hawthorne, would you be kind enough to give this place a once over for any secrets we may have missed before we make our egress via the stairs."

Of course.
Should I take 20? That's a 36 (37 for traps). Otherwise, I'll roll it.

I think just give it the once over, unless you're feeling especially paranoid.

Righto.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
(+1 vs. traps)

Lets go back up the stairs.

Hawthorne thoroughly searches the area, but finds nothing more of interest.

The party begins to head out of the hideout via the stairs. As the party begins walking down the natural cavern hall, suddenly a Red Mantis appears out of nothing and attacks Noble!

Attack vs Flatfoot: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (18) + 19 = 37
Damage: 1d8 + 9 + 5d6 ⇒ (1) + 9 + (2, 1, 2, 5, 6) = 26

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23
Crit Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

The mantis strikes the unaware half-orc and slashing blow, just barely missing a vital artery. The mantis then turns and runs back further into the cavern.

Initiative:
Mr. K
Mantis
Noble
Gina
Hawthorne

Mr. K is up!

Map

Remember that technically, at this point you can't see the Mantis as he's gone around the corner.

Not sure exactly how far the Mantis got, and not wanting him to escape. Mr. K will draw his wand of glitterdust and cast Dimension Door, taking Noble and Hawthorne with him.

Map is on view only at the moment, but I would like to teleport us to just southeast of the top of the ladder, assuming up on the map is north.

Lol. Considering that Gina is unfamiliar with how everyone thinks, Gina will be quite surprised that everyone suddenly abandoned her.
"Wait. Where did everyone go?!

On another note, damn, he made a single attack and moved that far in a surprise round? Or was that a ranged attack with an arrow?

Considering you have +18 spellcraft, there's no way you could not know it's dimension door at least. Mr. K isn't big on exposition though.

Mr K. draws a wand and suddenly everyone but Gina are instantly standing near the ladder in the cavern. Looking north, the three see the assassin standing halfway up the cavern.

The mantis assassin dashes toward the party and his sabre slices out toward Hawthorne.

N1,H2,K3: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Attack vs Noble Flatfoot: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27
Damage: 1d8 + 9 + 5d6 ⇒ (2) + 9 + (2, 4, 5, 4, 2) = 28

THe sabre sinks into Hawthorne, opening a nasty gash. As the assassin withdraws the blade, he jumps down the ladder hole and runs off down the narrow hall.

Initiative:
Mr. K
Mantis
Noble
Gina
Hawthorne

Party up!

I went ahead and pulled the assassin off the map, since no on wold know where he went. Map is can also be edited now.

MAP

I very much wish I was playing my halfling charger right now, if only to be able to use one of his primary schtick lines: Well, that was just rude. :-D

Assuming we saw him jump down the hole, Hawthorne will Quick Draw his bow and jump in after him.

Gina put up a massage spell back by the gliders. Is that still active? If so, Hawthorne will be sure she knows where the assassin went and that he's in pursuit.

I'll agree with Gina, too; that is a whole bunch of actions in one round, even if he's hasted. Talk about being thwarted by boxed text!

Yeah, I missed Gina's comment. I spaced the fact that it was a surprise round. That is what I get for following the text verbatim. My bad. Allowing for some retcon. I can put the assassin back up in front of the party and Mr. K can retcon his action.

Mr K. will instead cast Boneshatter (Fort 22) damage: 8d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 6, 2, 3, 1, 6, 1) = 29 on the assassin while drawing the wand of glitterdust.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

The assassin howls in pain as the party hears the sound of his bones splintering.

1d2 ⇒ 1

He strikes out at Noble again.

Attack vs FF: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 5d6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + (6, 5, 1, 5, 6) = 31

The sabre once again slices into the half-orc. The assassin then moves back down the passage.

Party up!

Looks like Noble and Gina both get an AoO due to Combat Reflexes.

I'm not sure the assassin can get that far while exhausted.

Speed in 70 ft :)

Dirty cheater face. :Þ

AOO: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39

1d8 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Confirming: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30

1d8 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23

Going to go ahead and post Gina's AoO. Let me know if I have the modifiers incorrect.

Gina AoO: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 17 + 2 = 22
AoO Damage: 1d6 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

As the assassin moves away, Noble and Gina both lash out at the retreating form. Noble's attack connects, dealing the assassin a brutal blow.

Party up!

"You're not going anywhere!" Noble races to catch up and attempts to sweep the leg.

Trip: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (6) + 27 = 33

If it succeeds, Noble will drop the elbow.

Vicious Stomp: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (9) + 23 = 32

1d8 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

1d100 ⇒ 62

As Noble races up to the assassin, he notices to his surprise, the assassin seems to fade from existence for a moment. The half-orc's trip maneuver passes right through the fading form.

Blink I'm assuming?

Gina casts Dispel Magic at the Assassin, then moves up adjacent to him.

Caster Level Check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Not Blink, (supernatural effect) but you do dispel one of his buffs.

Gina casts a spell and she senses that one of spells that the assassin has cast own himself is dispersed, as she moves up next to him.

Hawthorne and K!

Mr. K will move up a bit and use his wand of glitter dust on the assassin.

Targeting behind to hit only him. Will Save, DC 13

Hawthorne moves up, drawing his glaive on the move, and strikes at the assassin using Power Attack, Furious Focus, and Vital Strike.

attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
damage: 2d10 + 14 ⇒ (7, 6) + 14 = 27