GM WhtKnt's Open Water - A Skull & Shackles Adventure Path

Game Master WhtKnt

Almost as one, the group reacts to the alarm, slashing, hurling, and casting. Rogar's bomb goes off first, leaving the cyclops blinded and hurt. Riori casts prayer as Chumtooth hurls his harpoon, spearing the nearest cyclops and killing it almost instantly. Faengrim finishes the other with a series of fast blows.

Everyone is up. You have one more round before they can retaliate.

STATUS
Spell Effects:
Prayer: 9 rounds remaining
Haste: 9 rounds remaining

Cyclops 1: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 2: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 3: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 4: AC 19/8/19, unharmed

Chumtooth: AC 19/14/16, 102/111 hp
Riori: AC 25/13/19, 87/87 hp
Dantes: AC 15/15/14, 65/65 hp
Faengrim: AC 23/15/20, 124/124 hp
Rogar: AC 25/14/22, 93/93 hp

(Since the cyclopses have not acted, I assume they are still flat-footed?)

Ranged Attack, Harpoon with Prayer and Haste: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 18 + 1 = 38

Damage: 1d8 + 8 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 1 + (2, 2, 5, 4) = 26

Ranged Attack, Harpoon with Prayer and Haste: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 18 + 1 = 22

Damage: 1d8 + 8 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 1 + (4, 1, 3, 5) = 29

Ranged Attack, Harpoon with Prayer and Haste: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 1 = 24

Damage: 1d8 + 8 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 + (4, 2, 6, 2) = 24

Change Shape: Land
Con +2 (+10 hp, +1 fort); Ferocity; Swim 30'; Bite +14 1d6+4

Faengrim again rushes past the closest cyclops in favor of the second closest. His hunger for blood still unsated.

+2 Greatsword: Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 39 To Hurt: 2d6 + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (1, 1) + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 = 24

+2 Greatsword: Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 16 - 5 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 16 - 5 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 24 To Hurt: 2d6 + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (1, 1) + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 = 24

Claw: magic, silver, Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 22 To Hurt: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 9 = 17

Bite: magic, silver, Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 33 To Hurt: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 9 = 17

Confirm Crit: +2 Greatsword: Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 39 To Hurt: 2d6 + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 1) + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 = 27

The cyclopes are indeed still flat-footed.

Chumtooth and Faengrim both slay a giant apiece before the massive humanoids have time to react.

Waiting for Riori, Rogar, and Dantes.

Forgot to add.
"You can surrender and live."

Rogar waits to see how the cyclopes react to to Feangrim's offer. He keeps a bomb ready in hand just in case they decide to attack.

I'll give Riori and Dantes until tomorrow before I bot them.

Dantes grins as his captain and shipmate hack the giants to death. He casually readies a wand, and sends two arcane darts into one of the pathetic giants!

Magic missiles, damage 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 = 8

Riori, bouyed by the haste spell, can move faster on her wooden leg than normal, enough to get her through the door and into the room.

If the giants look like they are opting to fight to the death, she hurls her black starknife at the most wounded one.

Attack, Prayer, Haste, Range Penalty: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 29
Damage, prayer: 1d4 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 1 = 9

If they look like they're considering the offer, she'll delay but attack if they do.

The remaining two giants pause for a half-second, exchanging glances, then they roar a challenge and move to attack.

The party is up! The cyclopes survivors can attack next round.

STATUS
Spell Effects:
Prayer: 8 rounds remaining
Haste: 8 rounds remaining

Cyclops 1: AC 19/8/19, dead
Cyclops 2: AC 19/8/19, -39 hp, blinded 1 round
Cyclops 3: AC 19/8/19, dead
Cyclops 4: AC 19/8/19, unharmed

Chumtooth: AC 19/14/16, 102/111 hp
Riori: AC 25/13/19, 87/87 hp
Dantes: AC 15/15/14, 65/65 hp
Faengrim: AC 23/15/20, 124/124 hp
Rogar: AC 25/14/22, 93/93 hp

Change Shape: Land
Con +2 (+10 hp, +1 fort); Ferocity; Swim 30'; Bite +14 1d6+4

Faengrim meets the giants fury for fury.

+2 Greatsword: Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 27 To Hurt: 2d6 + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (5, 1) + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 = 28

+2 Greatsword: Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 16 - 5 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (11) + 16 - 5 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 25 To Hurt: 2d6 + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (6, 1) + 8 + 1 + 4 + 9 = 29

Claw: magic, silver, Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (6) + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 23 To Hurt: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 9 = 16

Bite: magic, silver, Prayer, Haste, Fav Enemy, Power Attack
To Hit: 1d20 + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (8) + 14 + 1 + 1 + 4 - 3 = 25 To Hurt: 1d6 + 4 + 1 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 + 9 = 15

Harpoon with Prayer and Haste: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 18 + 1 = 33

Damage: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Extra Attack from Haste: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 18 + 1 = 39

Confirm Critical: 1d20 + 18 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 18 + 1 = 25

Damage: 3d8 + 24 ⇒ (4, 7, 7) + 24 = 42

Second Attack with Harpoon: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 1 = 24

Damage: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

The cyclopes don't stand a chance. They are handily cut down by the captain and first mate before they are even fully awake. Before you can go further, a noise from the door draws your attention. Standing there is a member of your crew.

"Captain," she reports breathlessly, "I bring word from the ship. We were sighted by a passing vessel, and they turned to attack us, but I rallied the crew and repelled the attackers, sir."

This is the intro for our new/old player. It was a good way to introduce her and give Chumtooth an excuse to promote her to an officer.

"Well done..." Chumtooth pauses a moment to recall the sailor's name. "Prah-zi, is it? If your story proves true when we return, consider yourself promoted! Now that you have run all the way here, there is work for you. You will stay and help us conquer these one-eyed giants." He gestures to the slaughtered bodies of the cyclopses. "There are more. They will kneel or they will die."

Passing through the great doors to the south, you enter an antechamber that appears to be empty, with another set of doors on the south wall. Beyond this, a bloodstained fighting circle takes up the center of this long, rectangular hall. To the west stand three human-shaped archery targets, while two weapon racks line the opposite wall.

Two massive cyclopes are squaring off in the circle while two others look on. All four are overseen by a great female cyclops who gives shouted commands. As you enter, they all turn toward the door. The female shouts a command in their own language, and all five ready attacks.

Dantes, Prasi, and Rogar are up!

INITIATIVE
Dantes
Prasi
Rogar
Cyclops 2
Cyclops 3
Faengrim
Riori
Shaija
Cyclops 1
Cyclops 4
Chumtooth

STATUS
Spell Effects:
Prayer: 6 rounds remaining
Haste: 6 rounds remaining

Cyclops 1: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 2: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 3: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Cyclops 4: AC 19/8/19, unharmed
Shaija: AC 23/10/22, unharmed

Chumtooth: AC 19/14/16, 102/111 hp
Riori: AC 25/13/19, 87/87 hp
Dantes: AC 15/15/14, 65/65 hp
Faengrim: AC 23/15/20, 124/124 hp
Rogar: AC 25/14/22, 93/93 hp
Prasi: AC 23/15/19, 73/73 hp

Chumtooth Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Dantes Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Faengrim Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17 (+4 in water)
Riori Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Rogar Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Prasi Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Cyclops 1 Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
Cyclops 2 Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19
Cyclops 3 Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19
Cyclops 4 Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
Shaija Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Change Shape: Land
Con +2 (+10 hp, +1 fort); Ferocity; Swim 30'; Bite +14 1d6+4

"Surrender and you can live. There will be gold and glory for you all."

GM, were her commands in the Giant language? If so, can I know what she said?

Yes, and she instructed them to attack for the glory of Ishtoreth.

Oh, more of the big one-eyes. Figures...

Rogar starts with his usual way - by bombing the enemies in front.
targeting #3, #2 would be splashed

sand bomb, prayer, haste, range: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 11 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 22vs flat touch
damage: 5d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4, 1, 6) + 6 = 24 fire damage plus blinded for one round
#2 takes 11 damage + blind. Ref DC 21 to halve and avoid blinded

"Captain, she commands them to attack with religious fervor!"

I will center a stinking cloud spell on the female leader.

"Then we will drown her prayers in a river of blood. Kill them all!" Chumtooth replies.

Prasi? I'll give them one more day to act, then bot them.