GMTrex's Devil We Know Part III -- Crypt of Fools (Inactive)

Game Master Andrew Trexler

...aaaand we're out of combat!

After allowing the huddled humans back up to the surface (you identify them as some of Queck's engineers and masons; they also inform you that someone named Dalirio was planning to turn them into skeletons), you search the room and find three massive tumblers adorning the base of the well. On each are inscribed hundreds of esoteric symbols--crucially including the three that led you here, one on each tumbler. You rotate the rings to align the symbols...

With a final audible click the tumblers lock into place. Suddenly, the fountain begins to rotate and its stale waters drain rapidly. The grinding of the gears echoes off the stone walls, causing the ground to shake. As the fountain rotates, a spiral staircase appears where the fountain’s solid basin once sat. A slick staircase slopes down into Cassomir’s bowels, twisting its way down and around a deep cistern.

Heading down the wet steps leads to another door, this one unlocked. After a quick check-over, the party trapfinder opens the door. An enormous room lies ahead, filled with dozens of family crypts decorated with family names, heraldic crests, and a variety of death-themed statuary. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of smooth, polished stone, and the crypts are made of thick, square blocks of granite. A handful of statues stand throughout the room, though they don’t seem to be placed with any plan--some face the wall, some lie on their sides, and others are damaged beyond repair. The southwest quarter of the room is dominated almost entirely by a single large crypt. The name 'Ismacco' is displayed across the front of the crypt. Two enormous lit braziers on either side of the Ismacco crypt’s doors light the entire room.

Welcome to the Crypt of Fools.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Isabella holds her right hand with the lightgiving gem above her head, and tries to see if anyone has been here recently

Well we found it, now lets go split some skulls. Grenda whispers as she clanks into the room, ax and shield at the ready.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Miaka will try to aid Grenda's perception with respect to finding traps around the crypt doors ...
Aid Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Drystan inspects the room with a trained eye, searching for anything out of place.

Perception take 10: 10 + 10 = 20 - +1 vs traps, +2 vs unusual stonework (these stack)

Everything seems out of place. All of the tombs appear to be transplanted, some more carefully than others. The only possible exception is the massive crypt to the southwest. This grandiose crypt stretches toward the room’s ceiling with two large, copper braziers that flank its impressive floor-to-ceiling doors. At the building’s base, a faceless statue holds a gibbous moon aloft.

"I think this crypt with the statue is the place we want ... any ideas on who the statue represents?"

"Hard to tell, it's faceless..."

Untrained Religion: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 - 2 = 23

Grenda kneels infront fot he statues and says a prayer that the end will come.

"Grenda, get back on your feet! We are here to find this dreadful cult to Groe...whoops"

Let the end come to some sooner than others. She adds as she gets to her feet. She then looks to Drystan to check the door before she kicks the doors in.

"It seems our question has been answered."
Miaka holds her bow ready with an arrow notched and follows Grenda.

Drystan checks the doors for traps and (finding none) Grenda kicks in the doors.

Ornate carvings decorate the walls inside the Ismacco crypt, creating several stylized burial niches. Tall, marbled pillars stretch to the 20-foot-high ceiling, creating three alcoves that hold massive oak sarcophagi. At the rear of the chamber, stairs ascend into a basilica-like dome. A musty smell permeates the chamber, and several dozen torches burn brightly in wall sconces throughout the crypt.

A dozen yards ahead, three skulky-looking fellows stand guard and straighten at Grenda's grand entrance. "Hey! You can't be in here! Oh, it's those bastards! KILL THEM!"

Round I - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella
2. Thugs

"I am not a bastard!" Isabella calmly replies while positioning herself just behind a pillar, ready for the inevitable attack.

"Grenda, get beside me on the other side of that pillar, they will never get past us!"

Move action: move to current position, while drawing sword
Standard action: ready attack, to be made as soon as an enemy is within reach

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Isabella will use her parry and riposte against the first attack in each round

Parry: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Riposte: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Round 1 Flurry of Blows; Perfect Strike; Point Blank; Precise Shot
Miaka makes a perfect strike at guard who spoke ...
Comp Lg Bow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Comp Lg Bow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 << and takes this one for Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Threat: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 for If Confirmed: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 2 = 7

Second Attack from Flurry of Blows
Comp Lg Bow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 for Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Grenda hustles forward, moving into position. Time to die fools! she growls at the guards.

Move 20ft ready attack
Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 1 = 8
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

@ Miaka, you need to move into the room and get around the column in order to shoot, so only one attack. Please place your mini where you want it.

Just waiting on Drystan.

Placed ... single attack increases Miaka's to hit by 1, to the critical confirmation roll would be 13 now if that matters at all

Thanks! Confirm misses by just 1, sadly. Good damage though!

Drystan!

Grenda and Isabella both run forward and prepare to strike as Miaka looses an arrow. The thugs come rushing forward with screams about the apocalypse, one catching Miaka's arrow in the fast and another doing the same with Isabella's sword. Grenda's axe clangs into the column.

The thugs enter melee with clubs. One thwacks Isabella, the other two crunch harmlessly into Grenda's armor.

Club @ Isabella: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 CRIT THREAT Confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 not confirmed, not parried Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Club @ Grenda: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 MISS
Club @ Grenda: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 MISS

Round II - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella (15/18hp)
2. Thugs (left @ 6dmg, right @ 8dmg)

Round 2 Flurry of Blows; Point Blank; Precise Shot; Soft Cover
Miaka continues firing at the thug, trying to avoid hitting Grenda ...
Flurry: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 = 5 for Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Flurry: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 6 - 4 = 14 for Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
... and may have managed to clip him with her second arrow?

"You will bleed for that..."

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Parry: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Riposte : 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Grenda starts to laugh wildly again as she hacks at the thugs.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 1 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 15

Miaka does clip the thug on her second arrow, staggering him right before Grenda clobbers him into oblivion. Isabella's first cut is clumsy and hits only air...

Club @ Isabella: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18 PARRIED
Club @ Grenda: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 critical miss

...but her parry and riposte catches the guard by surprise and joins his companion on the floor. One remains!

Round III - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella (15/18hp)
2. Thugs

Round 3

Miaka moves up beside Isabella, then readies her attacks should the thug pursue her retreat.

Grenda continues to laugh wildly as she hacks away.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 1 = 5
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 = 15

Isabella rolls forward
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

stands up and attacks the foe
Attack, Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 4 + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Parry, Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8
Riposte, Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

If the acrobatics roll was not sufficient she will parry and riposte on the AoO, remove the flank bonus in that case

Isabella stabs the remaining thug, who turns to follow and replies again with the club--to no avail.

Club @ Isabella: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 MISS

Round IV - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella (15/18hp)
2. Thug

Isabella attacks the foe
Attack, Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Isabella strikes the half-orc and severely wounds him!

Round IV - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella (15/18hp)
2. Thug (5 dmg)

I think the thug is at 9 damage, 4 from earlier attack (AC19) and 5 just now

Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10
Mwahahaha!

Yep, you're correct - forgot to note it in the last tracker. Grenda's axe has nearly destroyed the column at this point...

Round IV - bold may act!
1. Miaka, Drystan, Grenda, Isabella (15/18hp)
2. Thug (9 dmg)

Round 4 Point Blank; Precise Shot;
Miaka sidesteps to get a clear shot, then sends another arrow toward the thug ...
Lb Bow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 for Piercing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

And he falls! Out of initiative.

UMD: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
UMD: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Isabella fools around with a wand for a few second and then her wounds close. A short time after that the extravagant plume on her hat seems to wilt. She removes the hat and stows it in her backpack.

"Did these thugs carry anything worth noticing? No, let's move on then"

Plume of Panache used to regain 1 panache, now at 2

Chain shirts and clubs are all you find on the half-orcs. There are, however, two slaves locked up in cages in the southwestern-most alcove, as well as two sets of stairs near the back of the crypt. One leads up to the domed rotunda, the other leads even further downward.

Isabella tries to open the cages and free the slaves
"Here you go! Do you think you are able to reach the surface by yourselves? We will go further down, with any luck we will find the mastermind behind this operation"

The slaves are fearful and uncertain. After a moment to convince themselves that this isn't a trap, they proceed to thank Isabella energetically for freeing them. "The bad man is below! Ghastly, just ghastly... he's been using magic to turn us into undead, one by one..." *shudder* "I think I heard someone say his name was... Dalirio? Maybe."

"Can you take us out of here?" the other asks timidly. "I don't think I can face the dark again." *shudder shudder*

"Here, I have some torches for you. We shouldn't leave this place yet, who knows what this Dalirio might do while we are escorting you out! You can follow us downstairs,after we have taken care of Dalirio we will escort you back out. Or you might want to use these torches to find your way back out again on your own, the way out is not difficult"

Bah! Stop coddling them! They'll be fine. Now lets get moving. Why does the name Dalirio sound familiar?

"AIIEEEE!" screams one, pointing at an inanimate statue. "AIEEEEEEeeee- oh. Sorry. I just. I think we'll wait here. Don't forget us!" The slave takes several of the torches.

"Let's check the stairs then ..."

Miaka make her way to the stairs and waits for the rest of the party to follow ...

See they'll be fine. Now lets get a move on. Grenda says as she takes the lead, heading down the stairs.

At the base of the stairs, several more ornate burial niches adorn the passage walls. In the passage’s southwest corner, shattered niches reveal a massive set of iron double doors. An image carved on the doors depicts a dispassionate figure holding a gibbous moon.

Isabella leaves four torches with the captives and lights one for them. "We will be back for you, don't listen to the dwarf."

She then follows Grenda downstairs, sword in one hand and lightgiving gem in the other.

"Again? I am quite fed up with these gibbous moons!"

Its called a theme. Crypts and holy places tend to have them. Or is it what they represent that you find off putting? Why do you fear the end Isabella? It comes for everyone from common beggar to mighty king, even the gods must face it. As a human I would think your would find comfort in that.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Grenda doesn't notice anything untoward about the door, other than an odd purple light spilling out from the edges.

"I am fully aware that we humans live short lives thank you. It's not the length that counts, it's what you do with it! I'd rather spend my short life experiencing things than just looking sitting around and waiting for it to end."