KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

Eben is up.

Oh, also, a sidenote: Called Shots are a full-round action, so Tanith's attack had to be regular like Farrukh's.

Eben scuttles around the battlefield to try and get a shot lined up. Only option I have. Can't turn her invisible, it's got her by the throat, they can't be that dumb... Finding a position that isn't blocked by dinosaurs, Kettites or Kordites, he snaps an arrow at the choker on Astraden.

shortbow+bless+precise shot+PBS: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 17
hell, i think that just misses, so...
Action Point: 1d6 ⇒ 4 added to the attack roll.
damage+arcane strike+PBS: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 + 1 = 7

move action: move 15 feet, swift action: arcane strike, standard action: shoot the bugger

The other choker, tired of being ignored, decided to choose a softer target this time as Eben fires within its reach.

AoO: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 = 28
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Grab?: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 10 + 1 = 14

Its spiny claw rakes across Eben's cheek, but it's not able to get a grip.

Eben fires.

But with cover, that just barely...

The arrow streaks by the choker's neck, apparently ineffectual. But Astraden feels its grip loosen. An oil-like fluid starts trickling from its throat.

The arrow grazed it—not by much, but enough—and it collapses in a shivering bloody mess.

But the other choker keeps fighting, clawing madly at Eben.

Tentacles: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 241d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Grabs?: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 1 = 181d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 1 = 16
Strangle!: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Eben is Grappled and Strangled. He takes a total of 25 damage from the AoO and full attack.

Round 2: You are up!

Hearing Eben's gurgles of pain, Tanith moves closer and hacks at the lacks choker. "Let him go you bastard!"

Hacking (Heroism): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 6 = 16

Oh. Reach. I feel dumb.

Eben's eyes bulge from their sockets as the thing strangle him to within an inch of his life. Unable to speak or draw breath, he simply stares with meek, pleading eyes at the monster choking him, silently projecting the full sincerity of what a pathetic target he is.

Using Harmless Performer performance on the choker.

Holy crap... those things do a crapton of damage.

Round 2: Actions
Standard Action: Blast the last one with more magic missiles!

Zalamandra is at once impressed and frightened at how easily the little aberrations can latch on and strangle people. It's enough for her to pull out all the stops in dealing with the beast.

She doesn't taunt the beast, instead extending her right hand again and shooting two more magic bolts at it's torso.

Magic Missile Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 2) + 2 = 7

Shield Rounds Remaining: 19/40

The heart showing the grapple was a nice touch, KC. XD

Yeah, even if I die, feel all warm & fuzzy, kind of like being mauled to death by a care bear.

Astraden lurches over to Eben. "Forget my earlier request - let laughter flow through this one!" she rasps. She then searches through her bag, pulling out several thick strips of salted beef.

"Hey, are you hungry too?" the staggered cleric yells in Common, waving them towards the choker.

Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Round 2: Scrap protection from evil to cast cure light wounds on Eben (standard action), retrieve stored trail ration (move action). Read magic lasts 284 rounds, comprehend languages lasts 359 rounds, bless lasts 4 rounds, and bull's strength lasts 15 rounds.

Oh. Reach. I feel dumb.

Eben's eyes bulge from their sockets as the thing strangle him to within an inch of his life. Unable to speak or draw breath, he simply stares with meek, pleading eyes at the monster choking him, silently projecting the full sincerity of what a pathetic target he is.

Using Harmless Performer performance on the choker. ** spoiler omitted ** DC 15 Will save, in this case.

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Eben makes a convincing effort, but the choker's attention has been diverted momentarily by Astraden's rations, causing it to completely miss his performance.

It gives a strange warble as Zalamandra's missiles hit it.

Cuetzpalli and Farrukh are up.

Spiny climbs onto the rubble and bites.

One sqaure, so should only be a 20' move.
Bite on Choker: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 1 - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8

Cuetzpalli shoots again.

Bow on Choker (soft cover): 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 7

Farrukh tries to move to a good spot and whack the thing before it can choke Eben to death.

Not sure where that IS exactly.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

1d6 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

I think it's just 30 feet to move diagonally into a square that costs x2x2 movement. So yeah you're good.

Farrukh and Cuetzpalli stab at the choker ineffectually.

It keeps choking Eben, its grip tightening.

Grapple For More Damage: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Grapple Damage+Constrict: 1d4 + 4 + 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (2) + 4 = 14

Round 3: You are up!

Seeing Eben weaken in the creature's grasp, Tanith rears back again.

"That's enough!" he roars.

Swift for Blessing of Strength

Hacking (Heroism): 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 1 = 27
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 = 19

If it's still up:

Action Point: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 = 19

Tanith completely severs one of the choker's tentacles.

Then he severs the other one, too.

It starts shivering uncontrollably, as do the tentacles, and it falls to the ground.

End combat. Nice rolls.

No strangling the new guy allowed!

Tanith grunts in satisfaction before lowering his weapon.

"You two alright?" he asks of his previously strangled companions.

Eben is at 2 HP, as his sheet will show when he comes online.

Zalamandra lowers her crossbow, relieved that the two creatures are dead.

"That could have gone much better, I think." She says, looking between Astraden and Eben. "Definitely wouldn't want one of those for the Gallery."

Tanith straps his poleaxe to his back again and moves closer toward his companions. He pauses to study Eben's wounds, sucking in a breath at the bands of deep bruising wrapping around his neck. The choker could have easily broken his neck.

"I'll give you credit - you're a lot tougher than you look", the hulking Kordite concludes with a laugh. "Most folks would have tapped out."

Astraden hacks up a bit of blood and gives a hoarse laugh. "I'm peachy." She puts the rations and crossbow away and pulls out the healing wand.

"Here, Eben. You've got a little something there. And there. And there . . ."

On Eben:
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

The Oeridian then turns the wand on herself.

Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

That leaves Astraden down 12 HP still right?

"Keep going girl. You're still in pretty rough shape."

Zalamandra's wand of healing hasn't been used at all yet...

Zalamandra cautiously pokes one of the dead monsters with her staff.

"Did anyone else understand what they were saying?"

"I'm sure he's fine. I hear a lot of people who work for Zalamandra are into that sort of thing."

Zalamandra snorts. "At least we have strict rules regarding that."

Tanith chuckles and leaves the performer in Astraden's care.

"What do you think they were guarding?"

Ninjedited you, Tanith.

"Yeah, they were ranting about food. Maybe if we'd known beforehand we could have placated them but when you're being strangled communication is rather difficult."

Astraden sits down on the broken stones. "I've got a few more spells left, and one more favor I can call in from Olidammara. Can we hole up here for maybe fifteen minutes?"

That might give Farrukh time to secure a rope up on the ledge . . . though there might be more monsters up in the tunnel.

Silly ninja-cleric.

If we stop for 15 minutes a bunch of our spells are going to expire. What do you need to prep?

Zalamandra's wand of healing hasn't been used at all yet...

Zalamandra cautiously pokes one of the dead monsters with her staff.

"Did anyone else understand what they were saying?"

Well, aside from Zalamandra?

Zalamandra leans on her staff, wiping her brow. "I still have a couple of minor magic tricks left. I've been saving my bigger crowd-pleasers for when we run into something more dangerous. Such as the leader of these... worshippers."

"I don't see why we shouldn't stop for a bit, aside from some of our spells wearing off; odds are, they know we're coming already. Delaying could convince them to come looking for us, and we can perhaps pick them off more easily."

Bless has already expired, bull's strength will in about six rounds, and shield will in another 10 (depending on the difficulty of the climb checks here, I would expect all of them to be gone by the time we all get up to the tunnel or ledge). Heroism has another 35 minutes or so, I think. Shield of faith I am not sure about.

But yeah we can try to squeeze out one more combat. I will probably save bless for later.

"Erythnulites are very disorganized. Hell, they might assume that the howler just wanted to howl - who knows how often it does that naturally?"

Depending on how you intend to climb this (I notice nobody grabbed the grappling hook) it will take anywhere from a few rounds to a minute or so. The Shield might stick around, but that Bull's Strength is probably gone.

Well there's no sense in wasting the other spells if we can squeeze out one more encounter.

Tanith looks for the best spot to begin and starts scaling the wall.

Taking 10 the whole way assuming that's enough (total 17). Once he's at the top, Tanith drops his rope for the others.

Where is Tanith climbing?

Up the rubble since it’s here and it looks like a shortcut to the bridge we’re trying to reach.

Tanith reaches the top of the ledge. He looks up...and sees two armored eyeless men "glaring" down at him.

They swing their notched falchions downward with unnatural accuracy, hollering foul warcries.

Attacks (true strike, elevation, PA): 1d20 + 5 - 1 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 1 + 20 + 1 = 371d20 + 5 - 1 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 1 + 20 + 1 = 38
Damage: 2d4 + 9 ⇒ (4, 2) + 9 = 152d4 + 9 ⇒ (2, 1) + 9 = 12

And make two Climb checks, DC 15, or fall.

Inits (grimlocks roll first): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 161d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Round 1: Grimlocks Eyeless Men. Waiting on Tanith's checks.

Also, three rounds went by—1.5 rounds to make it to the wall, one round to reach the top.

No Perception checks were permitted because the Stealth check (taking ten) was in the 30s.

Wouldn't a perception check be permitted for the spellcasting? True Strike only lasts one round which means Tanith would have been near the top when they did it.

No spells with verbal components have been cast.

Oh. They have true strike as a not-spell? =(

Can Tanith choose to fail the climb check? Staying up here seems like a lousy idea right about now.

Knock yourself out. Hopefully not literally. It's a ten foot fall, and feel free to try the Acrobatics check.

And I don't think it'll be any big advantage to the players if I tell you they have some potions. :P

True strike can't be a potion!

Crap, you're right. "Range: Personal." That's what happens when I make rapid-fire conversions. In that case, subtract -18 from the to-hit and add +3 to the damage rolls.

Also, I just realized you had to climb around the ledge to get up there. Just a sidenote for whoever's keeping track of the buffs.

Note that the first attack now misses Tanith.

Heh. I think this is technically worse for me but at least those both miss so no climb checks yet.

Tanith grunts in surprise as two very strong and angry eyeless brute appear and hack at him. A combination of his new enchanted armor, Kord’s blessing, and the awkward angle protects him from harm.

They get another chance since they’re top of the initiative.

Ninja-post! Both of those would miss. Tanith's currently AC 24 taking cover into account.

One misses. The other tidily hits your AC of 20—you aren't getting cover.

How would Tanith not have cover? They’re attacking around a corner.

Imagine this scene from a side view.

You are emerging at the top of a ledge. Farrukh didn't get cover from Theldrick back in the Hextorian Cathedral, either.