OutPost I: Redelia's Beyond the Halflight Path (Inactive)

Game Master Redelia

I could try to knock it down from range if you point it out to me.

Perception: 10 + 16 = 26

"What about the passages to the north? Should we search there first? Maybe we can find a way around the deathtrap ooze."

"Long" Beau looks around at the rest of the team. "Does anyone else know anything more about such creatures?"

Jaan shakes his head "Only that they are vile slimy creatures."

Any of you who would like and are trained can try the same knowledge checks.

Long Beau looks around carefully, but he is unable to find any way to get around the trappy ooze. It is blocking the only way to get deeper into the cave system.

Flora sees a faint shimmer, but otherwise sees a normal trap, now that Scarlet has pointed it out to her.

Taking the advice of Scarlet, Flora puts the trap at the end of the light and begins to gather power...

Not sure if I should roll anything yet

You can go ahead and roll you attack now if you want, Flora.
Is anyone else going to send a ranged attack at the thing, too?

I'm being a little fuzzy about the initiative rules here because this thing stays in its trap form until you do something to make it change. Thus, you can plot and set up a few attacks on it before we start initiative.

Scarlet moves over to Flora so as to stop everyone getting bottlenecked.

She draws her crossbow.

Ready to fire when it all goes off!

Reesa prepares to join in with a round of magic missiles once the trap is sprung on the creature.

Damage 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 4, 4) + 3 = 12

Flora releases her gathered power in a spray of nettles that begin to bloom and sprout around the creature.

Empowered, Entangling Wood Blast accepting 1 point of burn.

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16 Damage: 3d6 + 13 ⇒ (4, 1, 2) + 13 = 20 * 1.5 = 30 magic piercing damage. On a hit the ooze is entangled unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save. It can break free by using a standard action to make a DC 16 Strength or Escape Artist check or by dealing 12 points of damage to it.

Otto will stay back while the ranged attackers attempt to deal with the ooze from a distance.

Jaan will enlarge himself and ward off the ooze with his naginata in case it approaches after the ranged attacks.

"Long" Beau tells Scratch to defend him. Then the cleric casts guidance on Jaan.

Reesa sends three hard little pellets of magic slamming into the trappy oozy, and Flora sends a magic blast.

ref save: 1d20 ⇒ 16

The traps shape shimmers even more, and it melts down into a thick, black ooze. The ooze is able to slosh slightly out of the way of Flora's blast, so is not entangeled. Scarlet sends a crossbow bolt at it, and Jaan, Otto, and Long Beau prepare in case they need to deal with the ooze in melee.

The entire party acts before the ooze. Scarlet, you get a shot with your crossbow and also your normal turn.

status: ooze -42 HP

Does Poppy engage in combat, or is she for skills and scouting?

Also, Otto and Jaan, I just wanted to make sure that you still count as a creature 'made of flesh.'

She engages, I have her on the map - all is fair in love and war.
Init mod is +7

Scarlet fires off the bolt.

Attack 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage 1d8 ⇒ 1

I figured it is immune to crits/precision damage
Scarlet watches to see what effect a mundane piercing weapon has, and whether the bolt is eaten by acid

Reesa targets the creature with another volley of missiles before it can engage the group.

Damage 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4, 1) + 3 = 10

If you don't object, I will have Poppy act on Scarlet's initiative for simplicity.

You're right that the ooze is immune to precision damage

Scarlet sees that the bolt hits the ooze and injures it. The bolt remains embedded in the ooze without any appearance of melting.

Works well :)

Scarlet is happy with the outcome...

Calling Scratch to follow him, "Long" Beau moves into the northern cavern and casts guidance on Flora Mossgreen.

"Figure I'm just getting in your way, Otto," the cleric explains. "Flora, may Erastil guide your next blast."

Definitely made of flesh.

Jaan lets out his battlecry as he attempts to end the foul ooze.
Bloodrage, my blur is useless vs the ooze sadly.

Jaan then plants his feet and makes 2 swift attacks against the ooze.

naginata: 1d20 + 16 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 16 - 2 = 18
damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (2, 5) + 19 = 26

iterative naginata: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 - 2 = 18
damage: 2d6 + 19 ⇒ (1, 1) + 19 = 21

magical, cold iron, silver slashing damage

Otto and Rhon are both 'made out of flesh.'

Otto will tell Rhon to Defend him, cast Shillelagh on his club, and move up. He threatens 10' away so if the ooze attempts to move into his square he will take the following AoO:

AoO if needed: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
dmg: 3d6 + 11 ⇒ (6, 4, 1) + 11 = 22 magical, bludgeoning

Crit Confirmation if applicable: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Extra Crit dmg: 3d6 + 11 ⇒ (1, 2, 5) + 11 = 19

Flora gathers power and fires a blast of acorns at the ooze.

Empowered, pushing, wood blast

Wood Blast: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Damage: 3d6 + 13 ⇒ (1, 5, 3) + 13 = 22 * 1.5 = 33 magic bludgeoning
Pushing Infusion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 vs CMD to push back 5 feet

103 more damage to my poor, harmless little ooze. It only wanted to kill you... :)

Flora, Otto, Jaan, Reesa, and Scarlet all damage the ooze, which appears to dry out and crumble, turning into dust.

Scarlet and Poppy again scout ahead of you. The room which the trap guarded the entrance to has stone walls riddled with small cracks. The eastern wall is partially collapsed, its component stones scattered throughout the room and passage to the east. They find a small leather bag with contains three potions. Two of them are clearly the same, and one looks like it is something different.

Scarlet and Poppy continue to move forward, and the rest of you follow at a little bit of a distance. In the next room, every surface is blackened with soot and several inches of ash coat the floor. The room is also unusually warm. On the floor, Poppy notices a small wooden box full of parchment bits. When she and Scarlet look more closely, it is a Deck of Illusions.

I'm going to pause here, rather than march you through more of the dungeon without stopping. Go ahead and put in any actions you would like to have taken during the exploration of the last few rooms.

Assuming a Take 10 as we move. Poppy has continuous Detect Magic and Detect Evil running.

Scarlet picks up the potions and Poppy examines them.

Poppy
Spellcraft (two similar) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Spellcraft (one different) 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

"Don't play with the deck, I reckon such things only lead to mischief"

***

"What's with all the soot and ash, something has obviously been burning things down here... don't recall hearing about a lost dragon"

”Very good scouting, Scarlett! I can cast Resist Energy Fire a few times a day. Maybe I can protect Scarlett while she is scouting around. And get the rest of us, if we have good warning.”. With no objection, she casts the protective spell on the scout.

Assuming that at least 6 minutes have passed since the fight with the Ooze Otto will use a Pearl of Power to regain his Shillelagh spell.

If spellcraft checks are still needed on the flasks
Spellcraft (2 similar): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Spellcraft (1 different): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Assuming that only Scarlet and Poppy yet know about the sooty room and the deck etc.? Also, do we have a Message spell between the two scouts and anyone in the party? Otto can't cast it but hopefully someone else can...

Otto continues to examine each cave in hopes that he may spot some clue as to the disappearance of his long-lost dog.

"Good thinking Reesa!" Otto adds, "I can also cast Communal Resist Energy if it would be helpful."

Assuming that we in the rear have been informed about the sooty room..."Why do you think it's best to leave the Deck of Illusions alone, Scarlet? 'Twould seem it might be most useful, no?"

Reesa has Message, I presume it was cast :p

"Seems like a tool used by a Wizard, yet we haven't any... I am simply concerned about it. You may feel differently though"

Poppy and Reesa look carefully at the potions, and discover that they are two healing potions (cure moderate wounds) and a potion to make someone move fast (haste).

Otto, you can get another room out of the spell, I would say.

You take some time to confer about what the scouts have discovered, and to place protective magic on your scouts. Then they continue on to the next room, the rest of you trailing behind a safe distance.

The next room that the scouts examine seems almost like a giant broke it in half. The southwestern part of the room is about ten feet below the rest of the room. Scattered around the room are piles of bones. There are numerous exits from the room, leading into the unknown. You cannot tell what direction it is coming from, but you think you can faintly hear voices in common, begging for mercy and calling for help. The only response you can hear to these cries is a reptilian cackling sound.

Because of the vagueness of the map, I've put red arrows for the various exits from the current room. Please choose which to investigate first. You also may roll perception if you would like to try to get a better answer which direction the voices are coming from.

Jaan nods, remaining large for now 7 minutes

Between himself and Otto, Jaan suggests that they try one of the larger passages further along.

Changed suggested arrow to green.

When the scouts report back, Reesa agrees with Jaan and heads to join the others investigating that particular passage.

Poppy and Scarlet listen in for the voices...

Perception Poppy 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Perception Scarlet 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Following the voices is probably the way to go - Mission first :p

Scarlet and Poppy can't tell exactly what door the sound is coming from, but they do pick out a general direction. Yellow arrow is that general direction; it does not indicate a particular exit.

Looking back over everyone's posts, I see that one concern is the enlarged party members and narrow passageways. I have put a double arrow next to the larger exits; you do still have options.

If need be Otto can drop out of wildshape and return to his normal (medium) size. He is also not opposed to squeezing if need be.

Looks like our target is in the South, so let's go up via the 'Double Red' arrows. Otto you SHOULD be ok (Squeezing) as we aren't stuck fighting in the tunnels, hopefully, it opens into a chamber and we can let you run around looking massive

Exit via double red

"Lead on, sounds like someone to the south needs saving."

"Long" Beau casts bless on the party. (Duration: 6 min.)

You hold a quick whispered conference to decide which way to go. As Scarlet and Poppy lead the way towards double red arrows you hear a scream, followed very quickly by a sickening crunch. Just before the crunch, you hear a high pitched reptilian cackle. "Nice job, Job! If the rest of your work is equally effective, we Shardstings may get to be known as the master trapmakers we are. Now, let's test out my handiwork. I'll go get one of the prisoners to test it with." A deeper voice answers "That's not fair, Jess, we agreed that I would go next after Job!"

Hearing this, the rest of you follow Scarlet and Poppy. You still let them scout, but stay more close than you have in the past.

Scarlet and Poppy move into the next room. They see what appears to be a pit trap that has already been sprung, with a body in it. With Poppy's aid, Scarlet also notice some sort of trap that has not yet been sprung.

the little red circle is the trap that has not yet been sprung. You still hear the sound of moving feet from the next room over.

Whic direction is that conversation coming from now?

Scarlet's tail twitches in aggravation and she flexes her claws.

I've placed a yellow arrow to indicate the general direction of the source of the conversation.

Exercising caution, "Long" Beau approaches the body in the sprung trap. He attempts to stabilize the victim, if possible, and determine what killed him or her, if not.
Heal (DC15 to Stabilize): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Scratch crouches next to the cleric, ready to defend him.

The victim appears to have broken his neck from hitting the bottom of the pit of the trap. He is wearing ragged clothing, and looks like he has not eaten for a few days.

Jaan remains silent and vigilant for now.

Reesa follows the others in, keeping quiet. She was appalled by the horrible scene but kept her head about her and cast Detect Magic as she ventured forward.

Bent over the man, "Long" Beau looks up at the others and shakes his head.

"Broken neck from the fall," he whispers as he rises to his feet.

Scarlet signals everyone forward...

"Let's go save some lives"

Moved us up, suggest Jaan and Otto rush in so we can get in behind them and they don't get bottlenecked

Jaan nods at Scarlet's suggestion.

Flora attempts to activate her wand of shield and then moves up with the group.

Use Magic Device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

The map is set up; you all may take a single move action to get in position before the combat starts. The four kobalds you see are on the map; the purple circle represents a cluster of human and halfling prisoners.

As you move into the room where the voices are coming from, you see a small group of kobolds conferring. They do not seem to be getting along with each other very well. As you enter, they turn to you, ready to fight.

Jaan moves into the room and around the corner, taking advantage of his extra movement speed in heavy armor.

Moved