Jammin's Takeover Way of the Wicked

Game Master YanJieming

Wand of Fireball (8 charges)
Scroll of Detect Magic
Potion of CLW
Cloak of Resistance +1

Eryan cannot identify the alchemical gear without proper training.

After suiting up in his new gear Vlad takes a couple practice swings with the longsword.. "Nice blade he had here.. Awesome armor as well, Lord Asmodeus favors our assassination tonight.." He then drinks some inflict light pots.. Assuming 10hp back from the wand tap

Pots: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2, 5, 8) + 4 = 21 Puts me to full..

"There could be guards with the seige weapon.. Ill go up first and reassure them everythings fine.. Once at easy we can dispacth them.. As far as the rest of the plan goes I don't think it neccessary for all of yall to be visible.. I have 1 remaining Invis pot that someone can use.. Also I dont think we should leave this place till its ours.. We give up to much advantage that we've already gotten.. With me as Havelyn I have no doubt I can get us into the gatehouse.. All the really needs to be done is too take care of the arrow stash and then open the gates.. The other captains will go down to the bugbears.. the gatehouse should be our objective now.. Thoughts anyone? Oh and Kharn would you mind disfiguring the bodies of Lord Havelyn's would be assassins please.."

The party finds no guards on the siege weapons, and after a moment of inspecting it destroys several key mechanisms that will take at the very least several days of work to repair.

"Well now that's done I think we should head to the Gatehouse.. Once we get inside we can raise the drawbridge from the tower and cut off the troops there.. Then we just need to clean out the gatehouse and send the flare.. Once Fireaxe arrives we lift the porticullis and lower the drawbridge into the Tower.. I would advise Eryan and Kharn go invis and Argan acompany me as Tacitus to back up any stories I have.. Sound good?"

Anything interesting at the treasure chest?

"Except that I've got no magic tricks... And there were two soldiers up here with Havelyn. They will miss them, since they were supposed to be guarding this level. So?"

Argan finds the chest hidden in Havelyn's chambers, but it's currently secured with a well made lock.

"Well I think that stone will hold for quite some time.. Perhaps we should all just go invisible and spider climb out of here and too the Gatehouse.. Fireaxe has more than enough troops to overrun the defenses if we can get the portcullis open.. If we can get the drawbridge up than the guards will have an aweful hardtime getting into the Gatehouse.."

Looking at the box.. "Didn't we find some keys? If not I bet Kharn would have fun smashing it open.."

While Vlad debates about what to do, Argan tries to get the chest opened, first with Havelyn's key, then he tries to pick the lock since it's faster. I was working with the chest described on #46, but if it's on Havelyn's chamber, ok...

Then he will look for documents that might indicate what happened with the Hag.

This is the chest in room 46.

Argan finds that the key fits nicely into the lock, and he turns it to open the tumblers...and then a piercing alarm sounds and the metal bands on the chest are electrified, shocking Argan!

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 5, 1) = 16 DC 20 reflex for half.

The alarm continues to blare, and from the volume of it the entire castle must hear it.

OMG! Well so much for the talking plan..

"Ok Plan B it is.. I have 1 invis pot and 2 spider climb pots, so i can give 1 spider climb pot up.. I say we can still make it into the gatehouse.."

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24
Argan's quick hands swiftly get away from the key, which gets electrified all of a sudden. "F*@+ERS!! These guys were expecting to be robbed!" Argan draws one of his sabres and attempts to break the lock so they can take the prize and leave this place. "I have my last invisibility potion. With them we can sneak past the upcoming soldiers and go to the gatehouse, but I'm not sure that's a good plan. We don't have much of an option now, it's either go somewhere or make a stand here, and I don't think that's a very good option, although they would have to keep a lot of their men on the walls... Still, too many! Take every document you can from over his table and quickly search the place for anything valuable. Then we go!"

"Yea its not an option anymore.. This place will be locked down.. Now is our chance to take the Gatehouse.. I think spider climbs might be a better idea to reach it than going back through the tower.."

Sorry for not being clear, you did successfully open the lock. I'll post the loot later. It's mostly cash.

"Well, the outside walls of the keep cannot be illuminated, right? So we could indeed spider climb out of this place. I've got none of those potions, but it's a valid option. We could navigate through the darkness and see what happens. Another thing, if the wall is lit, but the top of the keep isn't we could shoot the guards on the wall to kill some of them, right? They wouldn't be able to see us if we were in the dark."

"I believe Eryan can cast Spider Climb and I have 2 potions of it.. It should do the trick of getting us inside the gatehouse.. If nothing else we could climg to the top to get in.."

"You've been to the top of the keep Kharn, how is it up there? Are there torches on the walls or on top of the keep??"

"I agree with that, Vlad, but getting down with spider climb will depend if they will have any capability to see us."

There are no torches on the top of the keep or the walls.

"Well thats why I wanted to use Invis as well.. Being 1 potion short though someone's gonna have to use pure stealth.. I have some armor grease that will help armor be less noisy though.."

"I may play that part, then. Listen up."

filthy ninja!

"I've never used a wand of this kind, but I think it should not be hard." He's holding the wand of fire-bola. "Wouldn't it be interesting to try it when they were about to remove the stone from the first floor? Whenever they get a breach, I would send one of these fireballs. This will cause turmoil and they will know the enemy is down there, so you could use the time while they are tending to the wounded and the dead to climb down the outside of the keep. How about that?"

"When they enter, I'll drink my invisibility potion and just run for it. I've got an elixir to help being stealthy you as well, but another invisibility potion would be nice."

"We should stick together Argan.."

"Here's the plan.. We go to the roof and use our invis pots/spells and Eryan casts feather fall on us.. Once on the ground we make our way over the gatehouse via the wall and small bridge.. Once there we can use spider climb to get to the top level and disable the guards.. We can then take the 2nd level, baring the door to the small bridge and lift the drawbridge to the inside.. We then finish taking the lower levels and start reinforcing entry ways while one of us heads to the top and fire the signal flare.. We can then turn the siege weapons back on the bridges and try to keep the guards from getting it.. If all else fails we raise the portcullis and lower the draw bridge to the inside and jam/break the lifts so it cant be undone.. Im ready when yall are.."

"Got it. But I think the courtyard will be full of soldiers. Why don't we jump from here to the top of the wall on 23a? We're light or strong enough to make that jump, and it's all dark there."

"All our options seem to involve the roof, so shall we move there now already and get a better view of the castle?"

"Sounds good.. Lets go.."

Kharn moves up onto the roof and gets ready for the mission ahead.

After quickly throwing together a plan, the villains act.

Eryan mentally flicks through his spells, then makes himself invisible and a wall climber before going up the outside and climbing to where the arrows are kept. He arrives in the room and grins, seeing the oil that is there to make fire arrows. Within a few minutes there is a healthy, roaring fire that greedily consumes the arrows with a greasy black smoke.

As everybody else waits impatiently they hear banging on the trapdoor downstairs. Evidently the soldiers are having trouble getting through, until one of them yells "Go find Tiny Tim!" By the time Eryan crawls back in through the window there is a loud creaking and groaning from below, and the evident whump noise tells them the boulder has finally been moved. But they all leap from the large window, trusting in Eryan's magic to safely carry them to the ground.

They fall to the backside of the keep away from prying eyes. But once up on the wall from some spider climb spells a couple of soldiers on the ground shout, pointing up at them. Argan glances down to assess the situation and how the numbers are looking, then feels a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. Father Donnagin has just exited the chapel at hovering above him are the angelic figures that threatened Argan when he was pretending to be a priest, except now they are nine of them. Donnagin looks up at the party, and one phrase comes to mind. Demons run when good men go to war...

Soldiers are pouring out of the building like ants, many of them headed up the stairs. The party sprints to the walkway, reaching it at the same time as a group of soldiers. They have various weapons drawn with determined, angry looks. Then Donnagin steps forward, a look of anger, sadness, and comprehension on his face. The nine lantern archons float down in front of him and begin forming together. After a blinding flash they turn into what appears to be a swirling mass of fireflies in the vague shape of a human. It raises a hand, golden sword pointing at the villains and speaks in a voice that transcends all languages and chills to the bone. "Today is your last day. Now you go to burn in the fires of the nine hells." Then it slashes the sword sideways at blinding speed, two rays of light coming out to strike Argan and Vlad!

MAP

Init Order
Archon - attacked
Vlad
Eryan
Kharn
Argan
Donnagin
Soldiers

Vlad takes 9 damage, Argan takes 7. Before you (everybody) act make a DC 16 will save against a fear effect or take a -2 on attack rolls, AC, and saves.

Fixing to go to lunch so i can do a full post afterwards, but we were all invisible..

Ah yes, completely forgot to add that bit. Apparently Donnagin prepared invisibility purge on a daily basis (why is beyond me) and his archons found you with detect evil.

It's Kayle! lol couldn't resist.

Light Level?

Torches are on the wall casting normal light, although bits between them would be dim light.

Speaking quietly in infernal(curse),"Perhaps it is best if we light the signal now?"

Eryan invades the mind of one of the soldiers. The man besides you betrays you. Kill him! Murderous Command DC 16

Just so im sure about whats up.. We're at the junction of the small walkway(area 24), and the main wall right? How many rounds do we have before we are overran by sheer numbers? Just wanna know before i declare actions..

Eryan, could you specify which soldier you are targeting? I added coordinates to the map.

Vlad, you'll have at least a few rounds before you start getting swarmed. You're absolutely sure you have at least 3 rounds, but you won't have more than 7 from your estimation of the moving soldiers.

Will vs Fear: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

Vlad will burn 2 ToC to smite the archon.. He'll then move up and attack it.. "We must make this quick!"

Attack+Smite-PA: 1d20 + 10 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 4 - 2 = 31
Confirm if Crittable: 1d20 + 10 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 10 + 4 - 2 = 32

Damage: 1d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20 Bypasses all DR
Crit Damage: 1d8 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24

Touch Ac is 19 vs the Archon now.. AC 26 vs everything else.. Ranged touchs also provoke in melee if im not mistaken..

Will Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 Yes I'm awesome.
The Archons never scared the rogue, but just the opposite. He was so convict that they were weak and flawed that he did not need to concentrate much to avoid their seemingly overwhelmingly effect. He shows his white teeth in a wicked smile, answering the cadaver-to-be Donnagin. "You don't stand a chance, Father. So far you're clueless to what's been happening around you. Your doom has come!"

Argan does not understand Eryan's freaking language, but he sees Vlad rushing and does the same, although he cross-charges with the Vampire, ending up at K9 and striking the soldier in front of him.
Sabre two-handed: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 2 = 18! Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 7 + (5, 3) = 19

AC 17 for the round

Would Eryan's protection from good communal still be up, and would that effect this encounter at all?

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Kharn seems shaken by the presence of one of Mitra's own heralds, and he moves towards it but not to attack it but to rather attack the guardsman next to it.

Moving to [H,9], and attacking the guard at [H,10]. Also Raging so AC is 15, Touch AC is 9.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 15 ⇒ (1, 6) + 15 = 22

oops forgot le will save
Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 dang it

Murderous Command was directed at K10
Planes(Archons?): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Vlad delivers a mighty strike, but it only appears like a normal wound on the strong golden being. Eryan tries to invade the mind of a soldier, but surprisingly enough the man throws off the invasive magic. Kharn decapitates one of the soldiers with one blow. Argan follows suit, ripping the throat from his target with a quick slash of his blade.

Donnagin points a glowing hand at Kharn, and the barbarian gets completely locked up by a force of magic, unable to move at all. The soldiers move forward to help, but their various blows are turned sideways by armor. The Archon turns itself sharply, and suddenly turns into a whirling maelstrom of lights and wind. It rips through Vlad, then Argan, then Eryan. Vlad takes some buffering but avoids the worst of it while Eryan avoids it completely. But Argan was completely unprepared and is bodily picked up into the swirling mass, now being swirled around and slammed.

Init Order
Vlad
Eryan
Kharn
Argan
Donnagin
Soldiers
Archon

Kharn, you are currently under the effects of a hold person spell. As a full round action you may make a will save to try and break free each round. Vlad takes 3 damage and Argan takes 4. Argan, you are currently the victim of the whirlwind special ability. As far as I can tell from RAW unless you have the ability to fly you're pretty much boned.

Remeber that your charisma is 2 points higher with the headband Eryan.. That would up your dc's.. GOod thing the Archon can only hold that form for 2d4 rounds.. Hopefully he rolled low.. What worries me is that the fodder can take a 22 damage hit and survive.. We dont have all day to kill these guys..

Seeing an opening the kill Donnagin Vlad goes for it.. He burns 2 more ToC to smite Donnagin.. Steping up he strikes at the man..

Attack+Smite-PA: 1d20 + 10 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 4 - 2 = 23
Damage+Smite+PA: 1d8 + 6 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 8 + 4 = 24

Will save: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 2 = 20

Kharn sits there trying to throw off the clerics foul magics.

Is the mess of wind around him, and regretting not having a fly potion at this moment, Argan grabs with his left hand an Enlarge Person Potion, which he drinks immediately, hoping to be too big to be lifted up by the wind.

Dont forget your Superstitious buff Kharn, it will override your will buff from rage and give an additional +2 to that save..

Hoping the spots of magical darkness don't screw us up...

Eryan calls out in a strange Infernal tongue, "The fires of hell will burn your precious Talinguarde, we are but the harbingers. See what happens when the light leaves you. Darkness!"

He casts Deeper Darkness on himself, an area 60ft around him is now dark.
Edit: Also 5ft. step to J5 just in case the thing can reach him.
Concentration(in case it can still reach me in J5): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

As long as its not supernatural darkness im fine with it.. The Archon can most likely still see as well.. Hopefully its Gestalt form will be done soon..

I think only the odd spot furthest from the torches is supernatural darkness.

Darkness spells are not effected by light cast by torches or similar sources that do not have a caster level equal to or greater than the spell being cast. Deeper darkness would automatically lower the light to the ambient lighting (dim light from the moon) then would lower it by 2 steps to magical darkness. Eryan would be aware of this so I'll give him time to rethink his action.

Retcon

Eryan steps back and casts Murderous Command at the Gestalt.
J5. Concentration was 22 if I can use that roll plz.
Concentration DC 17: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 plz!

Vlad plows forward, lighting his blade up in infernal flames to cut through metal and flesh as Donnagin cries out in pain. Eryan tries to command the outsider but it throws off his attempts. Kharn is unable to do much, but he does manage to break the magic sealing him in place. And alas, Argan is a bit helpless at the moment.

Donnagin backs away from the assault, conjuring up a spiritual weapon that begins slashing and cutting at Vlad but can't find purchase in the armor. The soldiers begin surrounding and trying to take down Vlad, catching him completely off guard and actually managing to land two solid blows through the chinks in his armor. Meanwhile the Archon continues it's spinning rampage, also slamming and picking up Eryan in it's vortex of death.

MAP

Init Order
Vlad
Eryan
Kharn
Argan
Donnagin
Soldiers
Archon

Vlad takes 23 damage (Right? Soldiers actually rolled really well and took advantage of the flank), Argan takes 8, and Eryan takes 7. You guys are up!

Also, whirlwind is freaking nasty.

Well it depends on their attack bonuses.. My AC is 26 vs them..

HE steps forward and attacks Donnigan again, hoping that Kharn can actually get one of these guards off his back..

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

He then swift heals..

2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

So I drank a potion last round, and this round I'm enlarged, right?Could you please detail if I suffer anything from the whirlwind or could act freely?