Kingmaker (Inactive)

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

The ice mephit flies into the chamber, but immediately curls into a small ball, coughing madly in the foul toxic air, looking at Servayn, miserable... And again, the creature can't seem to get even close to the pool.

Finally, it closes on the pool and breathes icy air on it. The tar seems to become like a thick sticky sludge. It's hard to tell whether it would support someone's weight...

Suddenly, a hail of missiles strike the mephit in the chest and the mephit is dispelled.

Stepping in front the door, a human sized zombie steps, his flesh foul and blackened. He still wears tatters of his wizardly robes, and his jaw hangs slack where it was broken as he was strangled to death.

It got nauseated from the toxic fumes. The zombie is for now out of sight. You need to step in the room to see him more clearly, meaning toxic fumes...

"Never fight a spider in its web."

I step back, "The undead are creatures of evil with a lust to destory. If we can goad it out, pique its curiosity or create some other incentive, perhaps it will confront us in here?"

"If we have the time to rest, I may be able to overcome some of these challenges with Sarenrae's gifts."

OM, I am assuming that air bubble would work against the fumes?

I can also use hide from undead, protection from energy and summon flying mounts. But not today.

Air bubble sounds like a good bet. Only one way to know ;-p

"Or I could brave it. We could tie a rope around me that Kriger can hold, and should I succumb he can pull me back."

"As much as I love our 'tie a rope around our King and use him as bait' trick, perhaps we should lure it out and see if Malaswyn can find a better solution." Servayn says sardonically.

Why do I feel like Riker telling Picard to stay on the ship?

"I am a paladin of Erastil first, and a ruler second."

Kalsgrim readies his bow and prepares to step into the room, but pauses and thinks better of it. I can't combat evil if I throw my life away... "I am willing to go along with any plan you can devise. Alas, Erastil's grace doesn't allow me to bypass...this." he says with a gesture to the simmering obstacle.

"Yeah I got nothing. I'm for lettin' Mal get that rest he's talkin' about, see what he can do afterward." Kriger shrugs, peering in the direction he saw the undead creature. "If only there was a way to get him to just stand out in the open so we could peg him with arrows. That'd be great." He grins wryly.

So, going back to...

I decide to give this problem some serious thought.
knowledge(history): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
knowledge(religion): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26
knowledge(nobility): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31
sense motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

"Hey, guys, This is the same kind of zombie we've met before, known as dread zombie, quicker than normal zombies, and with a fondness for human brains.

The clothes the zombie wears are in fashion in Brevoy, though they are in a bad shape. His clothes and the way he wears his beard and hair, with the slightest of discoloured make up under his eyes, tells of small nobility. It could be that he was one of Varn's high council"

I shrug, "Maybe we can mock his fall from grace? Or just offer him one of your brains?"

I smile to myself, delighted at my rare joke.

"I could advance, throw something at him to draw him out and attack him with arrows and, of course, Erastil's might. If he has magic to stop my arrows, we can retreat and reconsider. If he follows us in retreat, the problem will resolve itself." At that last part, he gestures to Kriger's axe.

I have a +15 fort save; how bad could that smell possibly be?

Okay, brave leader, have a crack. Hopefully he'll need to use some close range spells and the rest of us can lay into him.

I shrug, "Maybe we can mock his fall from grace? Or just offer him one of your brains?"

"HA! HA! That's a good one!" Kriger slaps the healer on the shoulder. "I say we mock him. Mockin' is fun." He winks.

As Kalsgrim mentions his plan, "Well, if you think you can do it, Kals. But if the air is too much, find your way back here pronto! Otherwise, we'll have to go in there and get you. No sense in choking to death in there." He peers back into the room, still checking to see if the creature might have shown himself.

That is a nasty Fort save, dude. You have a far better chance than the rest of us, that's for sure. Might as well give it a shot.

If you're going for it, I'll need Kalsgrim to roll perception first, then Initiative, then his Fortitude save, then he can do a surprise round attack, hoping the other can't... If you wish to taunt him, please roll the appropriate social skill you'll be using!

Perception 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Fort save 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24

Surprise round.
To hit 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Damage 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

I assume in the surprise round I cannot smite since it is a swift action and I only get a standard or a move.

You can slip a swift in a surprise round, no? I'm going to add your Smite bonuses: H+5 D+8, right?

Kalsgrim feels the fumes grip at his throat, but he stays strong and endures. He lets an arrow fly true from around the bend in the tunnel, catching the undead off guard. The arrow thunk in its chest.

Initiative Order
Group 1: Kriger and Servayn
Group 2: Dread Zombie
Group 3: Kalsgrim and Malaswyn

Kriger and Servayn are up.
Map
Don't forget you have to make a Fortitude save DC 15 the moment you get as close as Kalsgrim, or be nauseated for the round.

Servayn casts an unfamiliar spell, and Kriger's form glows blurry, as if the ripples of heat from the room have caused his outline to waver.

Displacement on Kriger for 8 rounds.

Dropping his axe and pulling out his bow, "Alright, Ol' Deadeye, I'm gonna need your help in breathin' this mess." Cast Bear's endurance

Hp's 91; AC 21; Cast(standard); Draw bow(move)

The zombie disappears.

Malaswyn and Kalsgrim, then Servayn and Kriger can act.

Great! I've got nothing.

I draw my bow and stand ready to fire upon the undead if it appears.

attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Add one to every roll if in 30ft.

crit confirm: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Kalsgrim will also ready an action to fire on the zombie if he has a clue as to its location.

You can only ready a standard action. For most, your current positioning means you can't see most of the room. Also, keep in mind you'll need to make saves every round if you move into square 5 or "south" of it.

You hear soft chanting, echoing through the cavernous room.

All of you are up.

Kalsgrim mumbles a curse, then says "Let's retreat. If it follows us, we can find a place to hole up where its invisibility is less useful."

Kalsgrim will double move back the way we came.

Fort Save for new round in the chamber 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"It is casting a spell to grant it flight.

Damnit, should have dropped a wall of fire over the entrance.

I nod as Kalsgrim passes, "Either it pursues or it wastes its magic."

I fall back alongside Kalsgrim.

"Ohhhh nice!" He states sarcastically. "It's invisible and it flies?" He looks within the vast area, "C'MON, CREATURE! COME 'N GET OL' KRIGER! Hopefully that'll draw it to us." He takes aim with his bow, takes a step back and hopes it pops back into existence.

5' step back. Will ready to fire if it shows itself.

"This is getting frustrating," Servayn mutters, calling once more to the celestial realms and conjuring forth another group of lantern archons. "Seek out evil, and strike it down, heavenly hosts!" he calls out to them.

summon 1d3+1 lantern archons, which will use detect evil to attempt to locate the invisible zombie on the first round, and then begin attempting to strike it with their light rays on subsequent rounds 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

He conjures them into the room, so they will have to make whatever saves are needed to resist the effects of the fumes.
Fort save 1 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Fort save 2 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Fort save 3 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

All are nauseated, however, and unable to act this round.

From another point in the cavern, you hear even more guttural chanting.

All of you are up! It must be frustrating ;-p

Kalsgrim will return by Servayn, hoping his celestial allies can flush out the zombie.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Second attempt at this, board going wonky.

"Now he is boosting his defences!"

If he is casting audibly then shouldn't we get a perception check to identify his square?

You're right, but the DC is quite high. Given the environment, it is 35 (xyz) or 30 (xy) to identify the square. To convey that information will be very hard. I'd say Kriger and you have a fighting chance. Please roll.

"Crap!" Kriger exclaims to the new information from Malaswyn. Kriger then attempts to pinpoint the location of the undead's voice.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 29 Dang! So close to that 30.

Can I still get a full action in? Or is a perception check a standard/move action?

Can Kalsgrim use his Detect Evil to try and pinpoint a square? If he can catch it in a 60' cone, can he continue to concentrate to focus it? I'd like to try unless he is certain it won't work that way.

perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

Kriger: yes.
Kalsgrim: It will take a few rounds, especially if je moves.

Are we all out of the room now? I could drop a wall of fire over the entrance: he'd have no line of sight unless he went through, we'd see him go through and the fire would hurt him (2d6+8, doubled for undead).

It would be especially cool as we would be able to pinpoint him: the zombie-shaped gap in the flames. Could ready actions to hit him.

If we're all out, I'll drop the wall of fire.

Kalsgrim, Servayn and Kriger are still somewhat in the room (they're all around Servayn atm). Most of you have not acted this round.

Kriger's gonna move in, in an attempt to bring him out. Plus, I got displacement on me and I don't want to waste it. :P

Irritated that they're able to do nothing, Kriger moves into the room, looking around for the zombie and hoping to draw him out.

Will move to Kalsgrim's old position. It's like 15 or so feet in.

Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Kalsgrim will start to detect evil, searching for the zombie. He'll start with a line between the cave entrance and the opening that the zombie originally came from.

Malaswyn and Servayn to post actions.

Servayn attempts to listen for the creatures approximate location, so that he can outline it with glitterdust.

Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

glitterdust covers a 10 ft. radius spread, so he's not seeking the exact square, just 'close enough'

The lantern archons attempt to resist the fumes, if that's an option, and then proceed to detect for evil emanations.

I have no idea if they get saves to resist the effects round by round, or, having failed the initial save, are nauseated for X rounds or the duration of being in the room, or whatever, but here's some rolls if it matters.
Fort save 1 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Fort save 2 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Fort save 3 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

If the two that beat DC 15 get actions, they attempt to detect evil.

Summary of the last few rounds
Round 1
Servayn gets Kriger blurry, while the ranger enhances his resistance. At this point, the zombie disappears.

Kalsgrim and Malsawyn ready their bows, but the undead does not reappear.

Round 2
More chanting from the zombie that Malaswyn identifies as casting a flying spell.

All ready actions, but Servayn summons forth some archons to detect evil. All the archons can do though, is refrain from passing out from the fumes.

Round 3
Again with the chanting! This time, it’s a protective spell...

The group regroups around Servayn, waiting for the archons to find their target, but Kriger decides to move forward and tempt the invisible flying zombie. Two archons, from their movement, have sensed evil, though it is too early to tell where it lies. Meanwhile, Servayn tries to catch the zombie with a spell, hoping that the surface will prove great enough to include it.

The zombie appears in a shower of golden dust, hissing in anger!

Round 4
The zombie extends his arms and shouts: ”Cephal Lorentus can too play this game, conjurer!” and moves his hands in a pattern familiar to Servayn. Soon enough, a shower of sparkle falls all around you, their glitter blinding you.
Will save DC 14 for all or blind.
He then flies to the other corner of the room, trying to use the cave to remain out of sight.

Status
Displacement on Kriger round 3/8
Bear’s Endurance on Kriger
Three archons summoned (assumed two are in range of the zombie).

Map
All of you are up. Remember you need a Fortitude save DC 15 if you’re where Kriger is or closer, or you’re nauseated by the fumes.

Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

That was an easy round. Kriger does nothing.

Concerned for Kriger, I enter the fume-filled room.
fortitude: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

This proves to be a foolish act.

Don't forget the Will save.

will save, +2 if this is an enchantment: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

Will save 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Fort Save 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
Will Save 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

The paladin does breathes the toxic air without so much as a cough, and does not so much as wince at the garish arcane explosion. Instead, Kalsgrim immediately focuses in on the glittery zombie, unleashing arrow after arrow at it.
To hit 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30
Damage 1d8 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30
To hit 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Damage 1d8 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29

That includes the smite bonuses.