JZ's Carrion Crown - (Wake of the Watcher) (Inactive)

Game Master JamZilla

Average of last five d20 rolls? 4
Bwahahahaha!

Curse you evil dicebot!

Zed: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 Miss

Gets no better when I DM-PC someone!

The party fights desperately as the massive centipedes slither disgustingly toward them, their carapaces shining in Hazel's light. Both Zed's club and Vala's quarterstaff bounce harmlessly off the insect's chitinous hide while Raj is able to only barely nick the one before him.

Round 2 - Enemy

Hazel fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 Fail
Dex damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

Hazel's movement continue to grow ever more sluggish as the venom injected into her wound begins to course around her body. Even so she is able to sidestep the attack of the centipede as it lunges at her, hungry for the taste of more blood.

Centipede 2, Hazel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 Miss

The other attacks Raj once more but this time its bite cannot penetrate his armor.

Round 3 - Heroes

Centipede 3, Raj: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Latest Map
Giant Centipede

Rajuna slides behind the foul creature, looks for a chink in its armor, and stabs.

~ Round 3 ~
FREE: 5' step to F6
MOVE: Studied Enemy
STAND: Stabbie!

Finally Raj finds the gap he has been looking for and in standing behind the centipede he rams his blade between two plates of hide where the flesh is soft and giving. It comes away covered in pale ichor as the thing thrashes about on the stone floor before finally laying still.

Centipede 2 is dead

Redirecting Kaz' round 2 action to centipede 3.

Using solely the power of his mind, Kaz sends a sling bullet hurtling toward the centipede, driving a hole through its body

Injured but not dead

Vala tries once more to bring her staff to bear against the scrabbling insect but still can barely even strike the agile creature, let alone crack its armor-like hide.

Quarterstaff: 1d20 ⇒ 9for: 1d6 ⇒ 1

"Uh...little help here, guys?" Hazel calls, attempting to fight her growing alarm as her limbs continue to grow more heavy and unresponsive. Still, the young woman stubbornly continues to fight, swinging her starknife at the remaining centipede once more. Whether desperation or something else now guides her aim, it does the trick - she smiles with grim satisfaction as the blades of her weapon hit home.

Attack (Starknife): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Hazel fort : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 Success

Hazel steps forward and decisively buries her glowing star knife into the things head. It spasms once and then flips to the ground like a length of thick rope.

Combat Over

Constantin looks about cautiously, not sure if more centipedes will show up. Finally he says, "Is everyone all right?"

Does the successful save end/restore the Dex damage or will that need to wear off over time?

Hazel winces as she inspects the wound that the centipede left on her arm. "Just a scratch, but those over-sized bugs have some nasty venom in those pincers," she mutters. "It made me feel sluggish and my arms and legs heavy, but I think I've weathered the worst of it."

Once the group has determined that everyone is still upright and ready to proceed, she turns her attention to the second chamber that lies ahead and the lone stone sarcophagus that rests inside. "Maybe this is just paranoia talking here, but do you think there might be any traps or other guardians lurking around in here, official or otherwise? I know, you'd think I were talking about some ancient pyramid in Osirion instead of a mausoleum in the middle of a tiny village but you never know..."

Relieved to see everybody alive, Zed scans the area with his weapon out. "I would stay on high alert. No doubt there are more dangers awaiting us. We should also post a rear guard."

You see no more threats within, only the stark stone sarcophagus at the end of the chamber. The footsteps lead right up to it.

Hazel, the successful save ends the ongoing dex damage but does not restore it. That can only be done through magical healing or at a rate of 1 each day

Vala comes up alongside Hazel as she takes a wobbly step forward, "Oh my! Looks like maybe that venom has more punch than you thought, dear. Here, let me help you, sweetie." As the younger woman leans upon the older, Vala nods toward the sarcophagus. "Yusef and Jane are watching the entrance, Zed. If anything comes from that way they'll let us know. Let's hurry up and see what Petros left behind though. I've about had my fill of mausoleums and giant bugs for the day."

"I have a bad feeling - could there be funereal traps?" Constantin adds.

Zed nods. "Very well." He slowly walks forward, weapon held low in preparation. He approaches cautiously, then moves to open it...

"A moment, Zed," Kazamir calls, limping forward, looking a little pale. "One more look can't hurt".

Take 20 (for a 29) to search the sarcophagus for traps.

"Thanks, I guess you're right that there's no sense in overdoing it," Hazel replies with a bit of a grimace as she accepts the elderly woman's aid. "And Kaz, you look like you're barely keeping on your feet! Vala's right, let's try and be done with this as quick as we can before anything else happens. I just hope there's still something left in there that we can use!"

"Kazamir, dear, let me have a look at you!" With a few gestures and words, Vala waves a hand over Kazamir's most grievous wound and nods with satisfaction as the flesh begins to knit. "There. We're hoping to leave this place with supplies, Kaz, not have you bleed out on the floor."

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Zed leans on the heavy lid and, with some trepidation, gives it a shove. The sound of stone grating on stone reverberates around the crypt and becomes almost deafening.

Once removed, he waves away a small plume of dust and coughs once on the stale air that billows from within.

Inside is the cache of weapons the Professor described. Although he has clearly raided it himself, there is still a lot of useful items remaining.

For the sake of expediency I’ll assume someone casts Detect Magic and I’ve given the potions and scrolls letters so you can tell me which ones you try to identify etc. Remember I consider Identify a 0 level spell for anyone who cares to prep it.

18 silver arrows
A masterwork silver dagger
6 sun rods
8 flasks of holy water
(A) 15 arrows (magic)
(B) 6 arrows (magic)
(C) 3 arrows (magic)
(D) 7 vials (magic)
(E) 3 potions (magic)
(F) 2 scrolls (magic)
(G) 3 scrolls (magic)
(H) 2 scrolls (magic)

A thin darkwood box decorated with an image of a scarab with a single eye glaring from its back – the same design as one one of the books you are to deliver – Manual of the Order of the Palantine Eye. The box is worth 100gp. Within the box, sitting on it’s plush velvet interior are;

(I) Some kind of game board (magic)
(J) 5 iron and glass vials containing tiny, churning wisps of vapour (magic)

There are another 5 indentations in the lining the same size and shape as the iron and glass vials although they are empty.

Zed pulls out the items, looking over them with curiosity and confusion. So much silver. I wonder if he was hunting something weak to it. He pulls out the pile of magical goods. "Can somebody take a look at these?"

Hazel whistles as Zed removes what seems to be a small hoard of items from the sarcophagus. "Wow! If this is what's left after the Professor helped himself, I would've liked to have seen what was here to begin with!"

With a curious look, she picks up one of the potions (E) and uncorks it. "I'm afraid I didn't prepare anything to help with figuring out what all of these scrolls and arrows do, but maybe I can at least figure out what these are with a bit of exeperimentation," she muses as she carefully dabs a drop of the potion onto her finger and has a taste.

Perception (Identify Potions): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

The potions are Lesser Restoration

Hey, everything alright down there? Yusef shouts from up above.

"This is an odd piece," Constantin says as he regards the game board (I). He purses his lips and thinks...

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Raj leans tiredly against the wall, wipes the gore from his blades, and responds to Yusef, "Yeah, we're good." He waits patiently for the more knowledgeable folks to evaluate the equipment, only offering, "If it's all the same to you folks, I can put that silver sticker to good use."

"Thank you, Vala - that is indescribably better!" Kazamir sighs contentedly.

Looking over the trove, he suggests, "Shall we retire to the Lorimorr house and evaluate them in relative comfort and safety?"

"I agree. With whatever relative safety the house provides."

The group gathers the items and replaces the stone lid of the sarcohpagus.

Yusef and Jane make no attempt to stop you, clearly Grimburrow's permission for you to explore here is enough for them, but they do suggest you check back in with the elderly priest soon. Yusef then runs to fetch a new lock for the tomb.

Never even knew this was here... Jane muses.

As you find your way back through town, the sun comes out and with it the streets begin to fill again. Even Old River can be seen sunning himself like some shaggy bear on the stone steps outside the Laughing Demon.

Hazel notices the group of girls from the other morning playing in the street. They aren't jumping rope this time but rather playing a kind of skipping game where they defty hop from one chalk square to another whilst singing;

Put her body on the bed.
Take an axe and lop her head.
Watch the blood come out the pipe.
Feeds the stirge, so nice and ripe.
So lonely, all she does is cry
Hang you up, put you to dry
Drops of red so sparkly bright.
Splatters spell her name just right.
Cover your mouth, without a sound
Put you down into the ground
With a hammer killed his wife.
Now he wants to claim your life.
Tricksy father tells a lie.
Listen close or you will die.

As they walk back into town, Zed frowns as the sun comes out. He slows down and hunches away from it for a moment, fishing in his armoured coat pocket before team reemerging with a pair of very dark spectacles on.

Zed gives a rare smile and kneels next to Old River, scratching him behind the ears and feeding him some jerky. "I bet you miss him old boy. So do I." He still considers bringing the dog with him when he leaves. It would be an interesting companion to have, but he knows it's just another friend he would eventually outlive.

Still undecided on the pet matter, Zed leaves the more educated members of the group to their research with the magical items and goes to see father Grimburrow. Keeping the father informed was his responsibility, after all.

"Oh! I remember this taste; these potions are supposed to give you a boost if you're tired and repair minor damage done to your vital energies! Certainly nothing to sneeze at," Hazel remarks, cheered by both the discovery and Vala's tending to Kazamir's wounds. "Zed's right though, we can finish looking at the rest of these back at the house."

As the group meanders back through town, Hazel's smile drops slightly as she spies the girls once again playing and singing their disturbing song. "There it is again! I'd love to find out the origins of that little ditty, but last time I tried talking to the girls I nearly got flogged by an overprotective and vengeful aunt! Maybe I'll try asking Zokar or one of the others about it later, just to satisfy my own curiosity," she rambles, waving at Zed as he breaks off from the group to go check in with Father Grimburrow. "At least the sun is out now and it isn't so cold..."

"Strange lyric," says Constantin. "I'm not really familiar with the way that children's rhymes get started, but it seems a little... on point? Like the sort of thing that would be based on something that the children saw, or that someone told them."

The scholar squints in the bright sun and follows the group on their return to the house, but he seems listless. He keeps his hands clutching his wide belt, as if they might wind up twitching or causing mischief if left to their own devices.

"You all realize, of course, that we will need a different place to stay if Kendra does sell the house."

"Kendra might be packing in earnest, Constantin, but I suspect it will take some time before all the appropriate arrangements are made for her to truly move. Don't worry yourself over that, dear. Nethys knows we've got enough to worry over as it is."

JZ, Vala has to prep identify as her spirit spell each day. When you say it works like a cantrip, do you mean it's actually a 0-level spell or that casting it doesn't expend the prepared spell? If the former, perhaps we could come up with a thematically appropriate replacement for it?

Constantin replies to Vala, "Well, I've been staying at the inn anyway as I didn't want to get underfoot in an already-crowded house, but I also think it's something she hasn't really thought through all the way. Where will she go? It's a sad end to the Professor's legacy." He seems morose as he says this, with his brow furrowed and a heavy cast to his features. "Anyway, we should just keep it in mind, if we're going to be in town for a while we will need to figure out accommodations that won't get in her way."

Vala, in my games it works like a 0 level spell so yeah, open to suggestions on a replacement spell :)

"That's sorta what I thought too...like it's something based on a true story or maybe a local legend. It's just so creepy for a children's song, though. Hearing something like that would've given me nightmares as a child, but maybe you have to be made of sterner stuff growing up in Ustalav like Rajuna said," Hazel nods in response to Constantin.

"As far as moving goes...I dunno, while I'm pretty sure that Kendra would like to get away from here considering what's happened, she doesn't strike me as the type to do anything hastily. She seems like her father's daughter, from what I've been able to gather. I'm sure she'll let us know if we need to change lodgings anytime soon."

From a meta perspective, Kendra plans to leave at the end of the month. Which coincides with your 30 day 'watch' over her

You head through the town centre and,to your surprise, actually see Kendra coming the other way.

Ah hello everyone She says pleasantly Did you find what you were looking for?

A young man, clearly a street performer, set up a folding seat some distance away across the square. He lays out a blanket, a bucket to collect loose change and takes out his instrument. Hazel recognises it as an oboe, a wind instrument that can create a rich, textured sound. It's a fine one too by the looks of it, excellent construction.

The young man licks his lips a few times and then begins to play. The tune is morose and haunting, like a lament for a lost love. You listen for a few minutes appreciating the skill and applauding politely when he is done.

That's Zokars boy. says Kendra. He's actually very good!

Suddenly realising he has an audience, the boy blushes and gives a grandiose bow. He then takes the instrument up again and begins to play once more, this time a quicker tune with a much more catchy rhythm and played at a higher pitch.

The other noise starts as an irritating hum. Something you can't quite put your finger on. But eventually it builds in volume and intensity, a buzz that drills into your head.

Somewhere you hear the cry of a woman and when you look you see one of the townsfolk looking aghast and pointing to the sky above and beyond the Outside Inn. Others have seen something too and people begin scooping up their children and running for cover.

The performer stops playing and runs toward the Inn, keeping his head stooped down. As his music stops playing the sound intensifies, as do the screams.

Hazel blinks with surprise as Kendra comes walking toward them, then waves. "Kendra! Yes, we did! We were just on our way back to the house and I think Zed was going to go check in again with Father Grimburrow. What brings you out? Anything we can help with?"

As the young man sets up across the square, she laughs when Kendra identifies him as Zokar's boy. "Pevrin, right? Seems like several folks here have some musical talent; between him, Yusef from the temple and maybe one or two others I'd bet they could form quite the little band," she muses as they pause to listen to him play, tapping her foot along to the rhythm. However, the odd hum that begins to swell in volume quickly has her shaking her head in irritation.

"Do the rest of you hear that? It's some sort of hum, like bees in my head..." her voice trails off as her attention is drawn to the shrieking and pointing townsfolk. As they begin to break and run, she squints up at the sky, trying to see what they were pointing at. "By the Dreamweaver! What's going on!?" she gasps, covering her ears with her hands as the buzzing continues to intensify.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Raj looks around for the source of the sound, pulling a vial (Alchemist's Fire) from his bandolier.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

You look into the sky as the square clears of townsfolk and see a dozen or more flying creatures swarming out of the sky. These insectoid creatures have two pairs of bat wings, a tangle of thin legs, and a needle-sharp proboscis. They fly erratically but unerring toward the centre of town.

Kendra backs away under the cover of the doorway to the Outside Inn. She makes sure none of the townsfolk can get past her and into harm's way.

Someone shouts; Get the sheriff! whilst others start looking for makeshift weapons and more still cower under tables.

Kendra mutters a few words of power and sends two gleaming orbs streaking through the air from her outstretched hand. They fly unerringly and punch through two of the creatures as easily as an arrow through paper. The insects tumble awkwardly to the ground.

Round 1 - Heroes

Latest Map

"Move back!" Zed shouts at the crowd as he runs forward. He squints and mutters a curse at the bright light, cloaking himself in protective magic.

Double move to S8, swift action for resiliency judgement to get DR 1/magic.

What is the appropriate knowledge for these creatures?

Suddenly even more grateful for Vala's healing intervention, Kazamir grates "It seems we are not done, today!" and strides forward. He hefts his heavy cane in his right hand, and fishes out another sling bullet with his left. He sights carefully, then telekinetically sends the bullet flying towards one of the creatures.

[ooc]Move to U10, Telekinetic Projectile at critter #7 (in W4).

1d20 ⇒ 5
1d6 ⇒ 1

Knowledge Nature Kaz

Know/Nat: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

If Kaz recalls anything, he will share it with the group immediately.

These creatures are quite common, though not in such numbers apart from in very marshy areas.

Stirges are vicious, blood-drinking swamp pests that prey on wild animals, livestock, and unwary travelers. While weak individually, swarms of the creatures are capable of draining a man dry in minutes, leaving only a desiccated husk in their wake.

Closer to mammals than insects, stirges carry their bodies through the air on four fleshy wings, searching out warm-blooded prey. They are fond of hiding near watering holes and waiting for travelers to drop their guard, then swooping out to attach and drink their fill by thrusting their long feeding tubes into unprotected veins. After feeding they flap heavily off into the mud and reeds to lay their eggs and rest until hunger drives them to hunt again.

Stirges are usually 1 foot long, with a wingspan of twice that, and weigh just under a pound. Their coloration is rust-red or reddish-brown with a dirty yellow underbelly, though stirges that have not fed in some time are often pale pink, their color deepening as they gorge.

Their blood-draining quality - especially in groups - makes them quite deadly

Vala turns at the strange droning sound, "-the devil is making that racket?" but her face blanches and her question falters as the screams rip through town and she sees the cloud of winged creatures descending. "Stirges! In this number? What? How?"

Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
If anything more is discovered, Vala shares it with the group.

Standard action: Monstrous Insight

Not a great deal to know about stirges tbh. They are individually very weak

Given his weakened state, Raj opts to not engage these creatures up close. He moves away and draws his bow, then sends an arrow at one of them.

~ Round 1 ~
MOVE: Fall back and unshoulder bow
STAND: Fire!

"Like in the rhyme? Feeds the stirge...?" Constantin moves adjacent to Vala and brandishes his longspear. "Vala, stay close, I'll try to protect your back."

"The rhyme...seven couplets, seven dangerous prisoners..."