Hollow's Last Hope (Inactive)

Game Master nilesr

Gilmork heads to "scout" the room to the west (assumed taking 10)

A large number of undead stand all over this large room, mainly
huddled in the middle. Most are clearly zombies, a few are
obviously ghasts. The zombies stand still, while the ghasts shift
about as if waiting for something to do. To the north and south
are deep alcoves.

The great mass of zombies are all piled together to form a Swarm. A huge one.

Indeed taking 20 Niles, thanks.

Gilmork heads back to the others in the same manner as he got there in the first place.

"We've got problems in the next room. And lots of them. You could call it a 'swarm' of zombies and a few ghasts to top it off."

"Sweet Iomedae," Lucanor says at the news.

"That doesn't sound good. I've little problem cutting them up individually, but a whole massive horde at once, i cannot.
Do we have anything that might affect a large area, to split them up, maybe destroy as many as possible?"

"Large fires are a good way to deal with swarms. But I possess no magic on that scale."

Swarms are nasty. They take half damage from AoEs and we can forget melee weapons. Now there is a font of holy water in the complex - perhaps that can help somehow?

I'm somehow reminded of a scene from Constantine, where holy water is sent via a sprinkler system, onto the possessed. Maybe something similar is here?

Lucanor ponders, "I wonder if create water on the font would dilate the holyness? If it doesn't, we might be able to flood the area somehow with holy water."

"If that would be possible, i'm all for it."

Silas considers for a moment before replying, "Can you consecrate the water? If so the plan is a good one. If not we could still use the holy water. If we all throw holy water vials from a distance that would make a strong opening gambit. Of course the question is how to follow through."

"Jaxom, how efficient would one of your area spells be against this many?"

It's a Swarm of medium sized creatures (I used the troop subtype to make the statblock) so its not immune to melee weapons. Swarms also take 150% damage from AoE's including Holy Water.

Jaxom looks a little sheepish. "I only have the one. The fan of flames from my hands. It would hurt them nut I would need to be close. But it combined with the holywater would be useful."

Sounding cheerier than he felt, Silas said "Well I think we have the beginnings of a plan. We'd better go fetch some more holy water!"

Silas goes off to fetch holy waters. Lets say we get 2 vials worth each?

Sorry for delay, family member's birthday today. Lucanor doesn't have a consecrate or bless water spell spell but if he could use a hero point to bless the unrushing water that Gilmork creates to rush the fountain's surplus??

"Might be possible."

Create Water makes a trickle of water...not anything useful. It's a cantrip.

I was thinking of using the font upstairs.

Yeah that's fine, but Luc referenced blessing the water created by Gilmork. I pointed out that this isn't a valid tactic because create water makes a tiny trickle of water. The Font water is very valid (and in fact placed in the dungeon for this very reason) the problem is transport.

I think create water can create gallons per level? Is that a trickle? I think we should use water skins and spray them.

Something in that thought had been attempted in my own game.
You'd need a good amount of lvls to produce the quantity to cover 1 5x5ft square even.

It's a cantrip. A 0 level spell. You won't get many favorable rulings regarding at will cantrips from me.

Actually, I meant creating water ontop of the font to help it flood over and keeping it holy. Sorry I wasn't clearer.

It's so we can fill many sacks of holy water quite fast instead of drying out the font itself.

Having gone back upstairs, Silas empties out a canteen of water along with several hip flasks. 'What the heck', he thought, 'I've lost the taste for the stuff. That last time in Almas was too much.' He then starts filling them with water from the font.

I'd assume we all have canteens right? Might take some time for the font to refill but they should make somewhat reasonable improvised weapons.

Assume you have plenty of Holy Water vials for any fight.

So, what's next heroes? Send in the tank?

Sneaks in a peek from playing Dragonage Inquisition.....
"Me? Or do we have a panzer we can summon? I'm in favor of dividing them to separate enemies."

Having stocked up on holy water vials, Hecktor turns to Jaxom.
"Do you have any more creatures you can summon to distract the swarm of zombies, so we can chuck the vials with relative safety?"

Uhhh . . . . sure, Jaxom weighed the relative merits of conserving his spells, but the extremely cautious fighter -- who was ever loathe to be exposed to danger -- had a very valid point. It is better that summoned creatures take the brunt of the undead assault.

The sorcerer summons a cadre of hell hounds to lead the attack.

Hell Hounds: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

He plans to use burning flames through the Hell Hounds since they cannot be burned.

Oi, oi, i'm not suicidal my friend. I've been in plenty of danger.

No one is saying you haven't, but Hecktor is very defensively minded. If he were a hafling there would be a perfect feat chain for his love of fighting defensively.

Blame me ;), it's nearing the end and i don't want my finale to be death by a swarm.
Besides, there's safety precautions and the risky guns blazing.

Lucanor is happy to help gather and prepare water..."Hell hounds? " Lucanor has his doubts about fighting evil with evil. "Won't they get hurt by the holy water splash?"

"Maybe, but that isn't a concern for us. They aren't truly here in the flesh. I summoned them for their breath attack."

"Alright. I may be letting my distaste for the foul things color my perceptions," He admits

Jaxom smiles at Luc. Though he didn't understand the man's beliefs, nor his goddess, he had been more or less kind to him. "If I start calling, bargaining, or begging power from the netherworld, then you should be concerned. Though star and stone are the basis of my magic, one greater than the nether."

Can we assume we went back down stairs? BTW I vote brave brave sir Hecktor leads the assault! He was not in the least bit scared, To be mashed into a pulp, Or to have his eyes gouged out, And his elbows broken, To have his kneecaps split, etc etc ;)

Massaging his temples, Silas kinda turns pink before croaking, "Uh, crikey lets just do this. He can't keep them for long anyway."

More confidently, he bellows, "Now now then recruits, the enemy is that-a away! I want to see your war cry! I want you to make those zombies tremble! Yes they're immune to fear, but are they immune to holy water?! NO! On the count of three! One, two! FIRE!"

Silas then awkwardly lobs a vial of water in the general direction of the undead...

Move action: inspire 4/22
Standard action: Throw Holy water
Holy water: 1d20 + 2 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 + 6 + 2 = 19Holy Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

On the count of three! One, two! FIRE!"

"Three sir..".....THREE!!

One hand holding his scythe and one a vial, Hecktor throws it into the zombie swarm.

RT, inspire: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 2 = 15Splash: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Gilmrok shakes his head at Hecktor's reluctance to enter the fray and hold ground, but he can sympathise with the man. After all, Gilmork wouldn't want to do the same thing either.

As Silas and Hecktor throw their vials, Gilmork attempts to chuck one into the swarm as well, from a safer distance then the two of them though.

Throw Vial, PBS, Precise Shot, Range Increment: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 172d4 + 1 ⇒ (1, 3) + 1 = 5

Round 1
Hecktor moves up and hurls a vial of holy water
Luc does the same 3d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 1) = 6 You literally only miss it with a 1
Silas hurls!
Gilmork hurls!
Jaxom begins summoning some help.
Swarm UUUHHHHHH staggers forward 20' and deals 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 5) = 12 damage to Hecktor. HecktorFort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 Ruh roh... the Swarm begins to consume Hecktor's flesh as he is staggered by the onrushing undead horde Consume: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

A swarm in each of my games...who'd a thunk it. Also, roll 3d4 for damage on the holy water vs the swarm, it'll save me time doing math

Round 2
Goodguys(Hecktor is staggered)
Swarm

The swarm can only move 20' a round. Hecktor is the only one inside the swarm, he is staggered and being eaten alive.

"Hecktor! Hold on!"
Gilmork tries to cast a spell.
Spell Failure 1-20: 1d100 ⇒ 36

Gilmork blasts the swarm with a spell he has used before in this dungeon and a searing ray of light emerges from the centre of the zombie swarm.
Holy Smite on the center of the swarm.

Holy Smite damage: 3d8 ⇒ (4, 8, 8) = 20 times, 1.5 equals 30 damage Will Save DC 18 for half and negate blinded effect.

I'm covered in metal, how are their teeth coming through?
A 2 on my fort?

Edit: Did we forget to heal up?
82 -12 isnt exactly 45

Wouldn't they wait for the summoning to occur before they attacked? Wasn't that the point of Hecktor's ask?

I was gonna roll init for your summoning regardless...so it woulda been Jaxom starts summoning (everyone else waits) Enemy goes, which is basically where we are now, except you guys got like 30 damage of holy water in before the horde moved. @Hecktor Swarms bro, they ignore AC

But couldn't I have summoned the critters in the other room and sent them forward? It seems a snafu tactically that we were intentionally trying to avoid, but things are as you say they are.

"Get yer filthy teeth off of me!", Hecktor yells as the many hands slam and grab for him and teeth try biting his armor.

"I've got a beautiful redhead to go back to, you're NOT going to mess that up for me!"

He grabs for another vial.

For round 2.
Silas throws his vial in to the teeth of the swarm and shouts, "Back AWAY from the Zombies!"

Holy water: 1d20 + 2 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 6 + 2 = 28Holy Damage: 3d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 2) = 5

He then deftly ducks and tumbles away, landing feet up ready to throw another vial!
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

Lucnor hurls another holy water, trying to aim for Hector, or at least the spot he's at, to get his foes off him as they begin a withdraw
"Hang on, Hecktor."
To hit 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Dmg: 3d4 ⇒ (1, 1, 3) = 5

Butting his elbow into a zombie's head and head butting another....

"Just keep chucking the holy water."

This also makes it tricky for the hellhounds, as they'd burn me too.

Still waiting on Jaxom

Sorry. I thought I was waiting on you to tell us the initiative. Didn't see your previous post. My bad.

Three hell hounds emerge onto the mortal world behind the zombie throng. Each unleashes its fiery breath.

Fire Breath: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7*1.5=10
Fire Breath: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6*1.5=9
Fire Breath: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9*1.5=13

The throng gets a reflex save for half, DC: 14

Jaxom throws a vial of holy water at the horde.

Throw: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Damage: 3d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 4) = 8*1.5=12

@Hecktor You've take 26 damage, not 12. I started subtracting HP from whatever total you had on the Map. RE:Holy Water damage, its not 3d4+50% its just 3d4...the +50% is the extra D4 (Holy Water only normally does 2d4 damage)
Round 2
Gilmork nukes the swarm from orbit Will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 (The blinded effect doesn't really matter)
Hecktor hangs out in the swarm while they rip him to pieces.
Silas hurls holy water
Luc hurls holy water and wisely moves away
Jaxom summons some aid, and hurls holy water
3REF: 3d20 ⇒ (9, 5, 12) = 26 +9 The Horde takes a total of 16 fire damage.
Swarm
The swarm changes shape to encompass everyone except Silas
Swarm Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 3, 3) = 8
FortH: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 Hecktor resists the biting teeth and tearing claws
FortL: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 Lucanor resists the biting teeth and tearing claws
FortG: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10Gilmork is being torn apart by the horde. Gilmork is staggered and takes 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
FortJ: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 Jaxom resists the biting teeth and tearing claws

Round 3
Good Guys are up