Medieval Europe PbP campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Michael Johnson 66

Why 40'? She has Darkvision for 60'.

But at the center of a 40-ft chamber, there is 20 ft of chamber before the corridor begins....

She does indeed see 60 ft in darkness, but she must move to the archway of each corridor to see 60 feet down them....

Ah, gotcha. Missed the 40' chamber part.

Paddy carefully wslks ahead, hus senses straining to locate any threats.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Paddy carefully wslks ahead, hus senses straining to locate any threats.

[dice=perception] 1d20+6

Paddy hears the thin piping music from the north corridor....the ancient dies irae echoing faintly and eerily....

He moves north, cold iron dagger lighting his path like a blazing torch.... The light reflects off a set of eyes ahead in the darkness....

The dies irae grows shrill and mocking as the piper is exposed by the light of Paddy's dagger....

An emaciated man-shaped thing of horror squats atop a stone funeral bier, a flute carved from human bone at its gore-speckled, rotting lips....

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Hisao holds up both the new heavy mace and his blade and shakes them around inquiringly.

A macabre dance of human skeletons begins!

Skeletons leap with a rattle from their wall niches in the chamber wherein the ghoulish piper plays, and stalk toward the heroes menacingly, points of hellfire burning in their eye sockets, and rusty weapons clutched in bony claws!

Initiative 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

There are 1 ghoul and 4 human skeletons in a 30-ft-square-by-30-ft-high vaulted chamber, some 20 ft from the front of the heroes' line....

The heroes stand in the north most 10-ft-by-10-ft-high corridor, 60 ft long, that connects with the central vault they first entered, in whatever marching order you now declare....

....From the previous evening when we were at Jean Lamarre's inn, never addressed by the DM,

gold ring with arcane symbols engraved around it, inlaid with turquoise and amethyst Iommi-Tyr Magnusson casts Detect Magic.

Depending on the Ring (and our Spellcraft), one of us may be wearing it!

....Father Renaud, thank you for these vials of Holy Water to take for use in the fight against the Necromancer. Iommi-Tyr Magnusson accepts 14 vials of Holy Water, bringing his total to 15.

....Upon descending to darkness: Paddy, Alphonse, Tevaga -- would you prefer to advance ahead of us (60') because we need light to see and you do not because of your birthright? (Assuming we know Paddy is a Tiefling)

....Perception to hear the haunting music: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
My vote is to go up the north catacomb, where plays the melody. Iommi-Tyr Magnusson will prefer placement in the middle-rear of the line of PCs.

"Gladly." Alphonse responds.

Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

"The dead are upon us!"

Kn.Religion Skeleton: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Kn. Religion Ghoul: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Assuming he recognizes the Ghouls:

"Beware their bite and claw, unless you like the thought of being paralyzed and helpless against whatever depravities it chooses to carry out!"

Hisao is in the 2nd row or, if that is full then 3rd

We know Paddy and Alphonse have gone one Move Action ahead in the north catacomb path -- has anyone else, perhaps Tevaga?

And the rest of us, when the musical ghoul & skeletons appear before Paddy, Alphonse (and others already forward), are at the bottom of the stairs in the 40' chamber with catacomb paths going north, south, east & west.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 8 + (5) = 18 Zombie
Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 8 + (6) = 18 Ghoul
So I can share what I know about these Undead to my new companions (and point to the best choice for Hisao to wield).
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson points to Hisao's new Heavy Mace and gestures loudly in positive.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't post the skeleton song.

Hisao nods and then waves at everyone, points in a circle around the mouth of the archway and then points at the enemies with a come hither motion.

Charades time

initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

The Chinaman has a good idea: bottle-neck the undead at the opening into the chamber!

The zombies of the catacombs look all too much like the ones Jean has seen in malicious vision. He braces himself for the moments to come with a gulp and a prayer...

Seigneur, protect us...

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Jean holds his longspear In front of him, to allow the light to give him a longer range of vision, and to put something between the wretchess and himself.

knowledge religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 ghouls
same: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 skeletons

I think that's his know relig mod, but I might be off. 2 int mod 4 rank+trained 3skill focus

initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Music?Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

hearing the warning of the undead, Charmaine tries to hide any outward sign of fear, she raises her long sword up with both hands ready to stike anything that come towards her and moves up behind the front members of the group

i would have been just behind the front of the pack as we walked along before combat started

ROUND 1!!

Hisao!
Paddy!
Alphonse!
Jean Lamarre!
Ghoul!
Skeletons (4)!
Tevaga!
Iommi-Tyr!
Charmaine!

Eeeeek!! Eeeeek!!

Alphonse, Jean, and Iommi-Tyr all recognize both the ghoul and the skeletons for what they are, and know of their weaknesses and strengths....

Hisao steps one square southwest of the mouth of the mouth of the arch and raises his mace to ready an attack on the first skeleton or ghoul to step into a threatened space. His idea is that as soon as they step outside the archway they can be attacked by six people rather than just two.

Readied heavy mace attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 51d12 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Jean moves forward enough to get between the backline of allies and the undead, readying his attack for when the ghoul moves forward, his breath and frame quivering for fear of the jaws of the ghoul...

Move forward as a buffer. There is no real map right? Readying attack action for potential charge brace damage... also reach AoO's are funsauce.

Readied Longspear Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 131d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Potential Attack of Opportunity: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 101d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

I think as long as we indicate we're moving back (Alphonse & Paddy) or moving forward (Hisao, Jean Lamarre) to form the bottleneck, Mike will let us form the bottleneck. Those 4 go before the Undead and luckily for us, can bottleneck the mouth of the chamber.
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Question: Is it safe to assume the skeletons, going after the pied-piper-ghoul, will be behind the ghoul, or is the ghoul staying behind them?

Question: Tevaga, with her Darkvision, said she wouldn't have minded going forward with Paddy and Alphonse.... Did she go forward or is she still back with the rest of us..
Since, you know, unbeknownst to us she will be flat footed when the undead attack.
(We may have to rescue Tevaga if she gets swarmed!)

Question (for the third time): Did that god-blasted ring radiate magic?!!! Read our posts, Mike!
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Round 1:
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson takes a five-foot-step behind the ring of PCs blocking the undead from advancing into the chamber.

Move Action:Draws a Holy Water.

Standard Action:Throws Holy Water at the Ghoul if he is in the back -- and thus NOT in melee -- or a Skeleton that is not in melee if the Ghoul IS in Melee.

Holy Water of Death, Singing a Symphony of Destruction!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 Touch AC

Melting away this many of your eeeevil HPs: 2d4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 4) + 1 = 8
+1 damage to any adjacent Undead.

*(attack = +2 DEX; +1 Point Blank; +1 Firebug Trait)

(If threatened) Tevaga withdraws behind the wall of allies.

The ring radiates abjuration magics (ring of protection +1)....

Well, would ye look at that....nasty undead beasties patrolling tha catacombs. I never would have thought that...

Paddy stepd back to setup the bottle neck. He checks behind the party in case of others trying to surround them.

Retroactive:

Of the "front-line" PCs in our group: Charmaine Da'vi the Warpriest, Tevaga the Inquisitor, Alphonse Veritas the Ranger and Hisao the Monk -- it is Charmaine Da'vi with the lowest AC (16) -- thus I posit that she should have been given the Ring of Deflection +1

Charmaine Da'vi would now have an AC of 17.

Alphonse Veritas the PALADIN (ignore the spoilers). I also have 16 AC. But Charmaine can have the ring if she wants it.

Yeah, I had thought you were a Paladin -- I remember talking about it back near the end of Recruitment and Iommi-Tyr Magnusson referred to you as a Paladin back at Notre Dame.

But your page, under "Crunch," has you as a Neutral Good Spirit Ranger with an AC of 19 and 21 HP. Just saying.

Admittedly, I just glanced at it, didn't ignore the spoilers, before calling you a Ranger.

Charmaine will take the ring seeing as Alphonse seems a bit tougher than her. ;)

The Skeletons form a rattling line in the chamber where the ghoul pipes, protecting their ghoulish piper....

The piper continues to play the Dies Irae whilst watching the fresh meat with eyes that reflect the party's light to blaze like bonfires....

Alphonse moves into an open space to complete the blockade, and readies himself to attack the next creature that comes in reach.

Scythe attack!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Damage: 2d4 + 6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 6 = 12

Now that the Undead have taken their 1st rd actions, Iommi-Tyr Magnusson's attack would proceed, as mentioned, against the Ghoul:
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Round 1:
Iommi-Tyr Magnusson takes a five-foot-step behind the ring of PCs blocking the undead from advancing into the chamber.

Move Action:Draws a Holy Water.

Standard Action:Throws Holy Water at the Ghoul if he is in the back -- and thus NOT in melee -- or a Skeleton that is not in melee if the Ghoul IS in Melee.

[dice=Holy Water of Death, Singing a Symphony of Destruction!]1d20+4* Touch AC

[dice=Melting away this many of your eeeevil HPs]2d4+1
+1 damage to any adjacent Undead.

*(attack = +2 DEX; +1 Point Blank; +1 Firebug Trait)

That was a 17 Touch AC on the Ghoul for 8 damage, +1 HP for each adjacent Skeleton.

As the holy water strikes the ghoul, a sizzling sound like water on a hot skillet echoes in the chamber, and the ghoul shrieks in pain, dropping its bone flute....

Hisao makes a sound mimicking breaking glass and splashing water and then laughs at the ghoul.

The adjacent skeletons throw up carpal bones to deflect the splashing holy water....

Paddy draws his bow and fires at the ghoul.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 101d6 ⇒ 2

Paddy draws his bow and fires at the ghoul.

1d20+4; 1d6

The arrow whizzes harmlessly past the ghoulish flautist....

So the ghoul has cover then or can he not be targeted at all by the holy water?

So the ghoul has cover then or can he not be targeted at all by the holy water?

Partial cover from the line of skeletons, but yes, the ghoul can be targeted.... It was just hit by Iommi-Tyr with a holy water....

Round-- the second:
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Move Action: Draw another flask of the blessed water, permeated with holy vengeance for my enemies

Standard Action: Fling with all my zeal the holy projectile at the wannabe-bard-Ghoul

Righteous Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 vs Touch AC

Melting this many of the Ghoul's slimy HP: 2d4 + 1 ⇒ (2, 1) + 1 = 4
+1 HP Splashing to adjacent Skeletons

how can we havr yhe second round when the monsters havent even attacked yet?

-Posted with Wayfinder

They formed a line (presumably readying attacks) and played pipes.

Taking two rounds then. Will depend on how Iommi responds

Hisao motions towards the flasks at Iommi's belt questioningly and mimes throwing them.

Sorry about any confusion, all -- the Ghoul and the Skeletons (on Wednesday at 9:13 & 9:17 AM) formed their skirmish line & played music -- pretty much did nothing but it was still their turns, yes? I figured that was their first round action.

So I waited 3 days and posted my 2nd Rd turn. Obviously anyone who hasn't gone in Rd 1 would still get to go for Rd 1 -- I assume. I just wanted to get the game back on track after 3 days.

No harm, no foul, right?...
But I am still new to PBP protocol so if I goofed I didn't mean to. Add my attack whenever it's appropriate.

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Iommi-Tyr Magnusson, if he's allowed to gesture an affirmative to Hisao of the Yellow Reeds' pantomimed inquiry, does so.
Take a couple off my belt, Good Sir.

Paddy readies his bow as he curses(almost unintelligibly) at the ghoul and skeletons in a mish-mash of languages.

attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 61d6 ⇒ 5 for his attack on the ghoul, in case I don't check again early enough. Apologies if it is a bit presumptuous.