Iron Gods Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Daniel Penfold 351

It is a 30 foot drop - so assuming Poshment goes down

The eastern side of this otherwise metal-walled room is collapsed, revealing a wet, earthen shaft leading upward. The floor is covered to a depth of three inches with stagnant water that's seeped in from the exposed earth. The west wall contains a bank of strange machinery and cracked or partially shattered glass panels. To the north, an open doorway beckons into another, larger room, but the door's frame sparks periodically with tiny bolts of electricity.

*SPLAT!*

Poshment belly flops the landing. Found the floor! He rolls over.

"I'm ok! I see some machine stuff and sparks! Am I going to die now? There's a door here, but it's closed. I'd like to know what is behind it before I die," he whines back up at his allies. While he waits, he pokes his throbbing body with a glowing finger.
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Fall Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6) = 15 So I'm really good at rolling damage!
CLW (Empowered, Spont Cast): 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 12

Alldur rushes up to the lip of the well. 'Machine? Hold on!' Alldur digs around in his pack. 'Did anyone bring a rope?'

She rolls her eyes and digs into her own pack, before pulling out the rope she has and going over to the well. "Brought fifty feet of the stuff. My mentor always made sure to espouse the importance of having rope on hand."

Using the rope you can all make it down to the base of the well.

Zimdoz is about to pull out a rope when Poshment falls into the well, and then Vivianne pulls her own out. "I have a lot of different things, Poshment. Just ask next time." He climbs down with everyone else.

'Let's see..' Alldur says to himself as he carefully moves into the room to check the machinery.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Know(engineering): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (16) + 21 = 37

As you all reach the end of the rope you start to look around. Alldur you can tell that the circuitry and electronics are from what appears to be a much older structure which seems to be still partially functioning.

Before you can have a proper look round a fine cloud coalesces from the air and starts to move towards you.

Alldur initiative: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Zimdoz initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Vivianne initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Poshment initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Grezzag initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

cloud initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Initiative order:

Block 1: Zimdoz, Poshment and Grezzag

Block 2: Cloud

Block 3: Alldur and Vivianne

You can have a knowledge arcana roll on the cloud.

Know(arcana): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 25

"But this is more fun! I think..." Poshment says, but before he can get much else out he sees the cloud.

" OH GEEZ, OH GEEZ, OH GEEZ!" he shouts. Not sure what else to do, he ignites his own hand and waits for it to get close.
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Produce Flame (Readied) vs Cloud: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 Well ain't that some s%#!.
Produce Flame SLA, will chuck a flame if/when it is within range.

"Alldur, can I axe this thing or am I going to have to use fire of my own?!" Grezzag asks urgently. Axe already in hand, he pulls out an Alchemists' Fire, just in case.
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+1 Orcish Double Axe: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 181d8 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15 SERIOUSLY?! Two 1's in a row?! UGH. Thrown weapon would be at a +10, but doesn't matter with that.
Depending on Alldur's knowledge results, either ready to swing or ready to throw when in range.

Alldur you recognise the swarm as a bionanite cloud (a variant granule swarm). They have resistance to fire and immune to weapon damage. They can fascinate their enemies and cause strength damage.

Poshment's flame misses. Grezzag;s axe also misses.

Zimdoz, your action.

'Fire and steel won't work! I've got some lightning for it.' Alldur begins reaching for his spell component pouch.

Zimdoz sputters, ”Agh, fire resistant!” He fumbles and pulls out a flask of acid, tossing it at the swarm.

Zimdoz only has a fire ordnance right now.

ranged touch, pbs: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 1 = 31
acid damage (+50% more for swarm): 1d6 ⇒ 4

Zimdoz your acid strikes the swarm, damaging it a bit.

The cloud moves over Poshment.

swam damage: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6) = 16 + strength damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Poshment can you make a Fort 15 save- if you make you can ignore the strength damage.

Block 3 your actions

Alldur draws forth a bit of fur and a small rod of glass. Rubbing the two together causes a bolt of lightning to streak out, through the swarm and over Poshment's head.

Damage: 7d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 3, 5, 2, 2, 3) = 20 +3 if they're made of metal

I'm hoping the swarm is large enough for me to fire over Poshment. DC 18 Reflex for half

She just sighs a little and walks over to Poshment, poking the part of him that's sticking out of the swarm. "I can't hurt this thing, so..."

Lay on Hands: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 5) + 1 = 11

Alldur's bolt of electricity strikes the swarm disrupting it momentarily.

Back to block 1

"OW OW OW OW OW IT HUUUUURTS!" Poshment cries out as the swarms begins to cut him up. "GET THEM OFF!" he continues, batting at them with his flaming hand as he moves out of the cloud. He moans with relief as his wounds momentarily close due to Vivianne's grace.
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Fort, DC 15: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Not rolling an attack since it won't do anything anyways. Not much Poshment can do here :(

Now that he's been warned against using his weapon, Grezzag follows Zimdoz's lead and throws his own flask of acid at the cloud once Poshment moves away from it. "Got more of that lightning Alldur? Don't think these dinky bottles are going to do the trick!"
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Acid Flask vs Swarm (Touch): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 181d6 ⇒ 3

'One more! I'm already designing a wand in my mind.' Alldur says wistfully, continuing to rub the glass rod on the patch of fur absentmindedly.

”It’s all up to you, Alldur!” He pulls out another flask of acid, tossing it at the swarm.

ranged touch, pbs: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 12 + 1 = 26
acid damage (+50% more for swarm): 1d6 ⇒ 3

Poshment you manage to shake off the worst of the effects.

The cloud moves slowly towards Zimdoz but doesn't reach him that round.

Back to block 3

Alldur launches another bolt of electricity towards the cloud.

Lightning Bolt: 7d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 5, 2, 5, 2) = 20 +3 if they're made of metal

DC 18 for half

reflex save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Alldur's bolt strikes the swarm, but it manages to evade the worse of the damage.

Vivianne, your action

Vivianne sighs and waits for someone to get hurt, so she can walk over and heal them.

[i]The cloud moves over Zimdoz.

swarm: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

damage: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 3) = 6

On to block 3

Her ready triggers and she walks over to Zimdoz, going around Alldur so he can reach a hand out to poke him.

Lay on Hands: 4d6 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4, 2, 6) + 1 = 15

Alldur begins backing away towards the rope, his jaw moving soundlessly, trying to call a retreat.

I'm out of spells and stuff that can hit and damage a swarm. Unless we've got acid flasks I suggest we regroup at a safe distance

Back to block 1

Zimdoz nods, choking on the nanites. ”Let’s go then!” He shouts, and runs towards the ladder out.

"GO GO GO GO!" Poshment shouts as he scrambles for the exit.
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Isn't it just a rope for us to climb up? Going to be slow goings... Faster PC's up first?

I'll hold them off, get out while you can!" Grezzag calls back, hucking another vial of acid at the swarm.
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Acid Flask vs Swarm: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 231d6 ⇒ 2 Come. ON.

The tick swarm is hit by the acid for a small amount of damage. It does not seem to follow you if you climb up the rope.

Once above ground

'I have a few options for what we can do. Firstly, I can make up to two of us invisible for a few minutes to have a look around down there. I'd suggest myself as one of the two to get a look at any machinery. Secondly, we can rest and when I refresh my spell-memory for tomorrow I can prepare more bolts of lightning. Thirdly, given time I could also create a scroll that would summon a lightning bolt, but it would take nearly until midnight.'

"Whoever goes down has gotta be fast!" Poshment demands before sitting down and beginning the long waiting game. "That's not me. These legs just don't move like they used to."
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Can we do all of those things? Scout, rest, and scribe? Bet these aren't the only thing we face where fire and weapons don't work!

I suppose we COULD do all of those things at the same time

Is that the plan?

One vote for yes from me!

I agree, doing everything seems the most thorough course of action, now for the scouting mission

'I can make myself and one other person invisible for 7 minutes or so. To help things along I can speed our movement and reactions for a little over the first minute of that time. Any volunteers?'

Invisibility and haste

"I'll go with you, if you'd like. I'm embarrassed that there's a bunch of little things I couldn't dispatch..."

Zimdoz kicks the ground with his little feet, looking down dejectedly.

Trying to research if there's any way for me to switch or get a bunch of non-fire damage.

Are you heading back to town first?

You head back to town to regroup and recover.

What is the plan for when you return?

"Let's try this one again!" Poshment cheers, standing atop the well again with his arms raised. "I dove in last time, but that's not really fun the second time around, now that I know exactly how much it hurts."

"Who wants to go first?! Lightning at the reaaady!"

You head back down, nothing has really changed. After a few seconds the swarm reforms.

You can all have a surprise round action.

Poshment and Grezzag head down last and are thus at the back of the formation. "Get it Alldur! THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTNING, VERY VERY FRIGHTENING ME!"

Alldur aims a blast of lightning at the emerging swarm.

Another Lightning Bolt, Mage!: 7d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2, 2, 3, 6, 3) = 25

DC 18 for half

The swarm fails the save and is destroyed.

Where to next?