Palace of the Vampire Queen (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

"Ua..." Miagnik looked from the left door to the right. An expression of utter shock, quickly turning to anger showed plainly on his face.

"What is that supposed to mean? Some kind of riddle?! You stole my magic! Give it back!"

Hal's brows furrow and he shakes his head realizing it was too late. "Aw hells. This ain't good."

He was feeling way out of his depth but he stayed where he was, axe in hand, just in case something happened.

Trying to compose herself, Stephanie still sobs lightly as she pushes herself up from her knees. "That door took something from me... knowledge... we should be careful around it. But it may be something we can use to our advantage if we keep it in mind."

"But, what's on the other side?" Atharessa asks, innocently.

Clearly still angered at the loss of his power and not immediately being answered, Miagnik marched forward and put his hand on the door.

"We're going to find out right now. Open for us!" He said and began to push at the door on the right.

Hal started to protest, but he wasn't about to go after another crazed goblin on a rampage. Last time he did that he'd nearly been burned alive.

Hell, I think that was yesterday. It's all startin' t' blur together." he grumbled to himself.

Instead he sighed and waited to see what would happen next.

Gripping his axe firmly, "Blast'd door stole me prayer."

"I've a baaaad feel'n 'bout this." Rownig looks cautiously at the door, trying to stay out of the blast radius with Miagnik pushing on it.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
+1 of trapped

Day 7, late evening, 115 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:10 pm)

Miagnik is surprised at how easily the huge door swings into the room beyond.

It is a cavernous and mysteriously appointed room. It is easily eighty (80) feet wide (east to west) and fifty (50) feet deep (north to south. The ceiling here is over twenty feet high, arched and reinforced with thick wooden beams that come together in a low radius arch at the center of the room.

In the North corners of the room (east and west each) are what appear to be two large statues that occupy a square fifteen feet on a side. The Western stature is covered by tarps of burlap and wrapped in ropes, but the eastern statue is not. The eastern statue resembles the carving on the right hand side door, but is has been painted, and decorated in a garish fashion. If it were not for the decoration of the eastern statue, and the out of place setting of a long elegant dining table near the center of the north wall, this room would almost look like a respectful temple.

The table

Of course the first thing you notice are the large statues, but then you notice a long elegant table close to the north wall in the center of the room. It is covered with serving trays and a feast is set out. You can smell cooked meat, pickled vegetables, fragrant spices, sweet fruits, and rolls dripping with butter. There are four chairs on each of the long sides of this table (it is almost 30 feet long) and two chairs, one on each side of the short ends of the table.

You feel a cold stillness in the room, and nothing stirs, but you can see from the door that five bodies, all Dwarven, sit slumped at various chairs of the table.

"Don't be eatin' anything." Hal said moving into the room. The dwarves he was pretty sure didn't need the warning. Goblins, on the other hand, weren't known for forethought when it came to food.

Rownig slip in the room with Hal. "Wait! Let me search remember that first hallway we entered?"

DM Rownig will take 20 or 10 to makes sure the way is safe. If you want rolls instead, I can do that.

In response to Hal's warning, "I think eatin' fuud is the least of our concerns."

Rownig takes a long slow look around the places, taking in all he can see, but nothing looks out of place or dangerous.

Hallister, Miagnik, and Windel should make Knowledge Religion Checks, please

religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Ahhh, minor, false gods when compared to the divine almighty Praggul Strongfist, God of War. Simple parlor tricks.

Stephanie knows little of religion, but has learned a little bit of human nature. There seems to be a mockery occuring in this room, with one statue bound and the other painted garishly. "I agree, let's not do anything until we have a better idea of what's going on here. Does anyone know anything of these gods?"

She desperately wishes she could use her cantrips at this moment, feeling naked and vulnerable without them. You never realize how much you appreciate the ability to conjure light, or clean your clothes, until the means to do so have been removed.

She suddenly realizes that she's been subconciously lifting the hems of her robes so as not to let it come too close to the ground, ever since she lost her cantrips.

Miagnik blinked at the statues and then the dead bodies set around the table.
"Hmm, not what I was expecting to find."
K.Religion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

He looked at Hallister and said, "Oh, well if you say not too." In truth, his stomach did yearn for the fine smelling feast on the table.

Thought Dwarves were resilient to poison... Although those ones may be dead for another reason.

"Well" He said aloud. "What is the point of a feast, when all the immediate guests are dead, and there is no host to greet us?"

"A last supper."

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

"This ain't right…" Hal said. "Goblins don't do this sort of thing anymore. There's only two goblin temples on the whole island, and they're practically in ruins."

"Now we walk out of a perfectly preserved and protected shrine into this?"

"A'right. What do I know about this stuff." Hal mused to himself, thinking as he stared over the table full of the dead.

"The texts of Praggul Battlegod say that Lorenze Forgefather sought new ways to pull metals and gems from the deep places of the world. Praggul thought Lorenze greedy and prone to unnecessary risks and disapproved when Lorenze sought Fath’Reen, the goblin god of trials. Fath'reen showed Lorenze how to survive the deeps. That was how Lorenze met Bescourt."

"The goblin gods I know little of, but it seems the goblins don't know much of them either. Those two goblin temples. One is dedicated to the god of trickery, who doesn't have a name, as near as I can figure. The other is dedicated to Zeenthia, who is supposed to be the Mother Goddess, but is actually a fake. The real mother goddess is Een'Droth."

Something dawns on him.

"Any of you goblins happen to know the name of that Trickster god of yours?"

Day 7, late evening, 115 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:10 pm)

Hallister, alone, approaches the table and is careful not to disturbed a thing. He tries to get a look at the dead men (and they are all male Dwarves). He does not recognize them, nor does he recognize their dress. These Dwarves are dressed in expensive suits, and wear fine boots.

They have not been dead for very long, and they have not yet begun to decay. The skin on their faces and hands is pulled tight against the muscles and bones almost as if these Dwarves have been drained of blood. Their heads are tipped back against the chairs and their eyes are open starring lifelessly up at the ceiling. Their arms are limp at their sides, their hands clenched tight in fists that hold forks or knives.

Miagnik thinks on Hal's question for a moment but his attention is caught by something else entirely. "Can't say I would know... but that door there" He says, pointing to the hidden door. "is something we should take a look at. I think I've had enough of looking at this macabre of a dinner table..."

Then something occurred to Miagnik as he said the last words. His eyes widened and he spun on his heels and pointed a finger at one of slumped over fingers.

"Dreroc Akaal."Disrupt Undead.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Stephanie slowly ventures away from the others, wishing to examine the statues. She knows better than to touch anything, and even tries to pay attention to where she steps, as to not accidentally bump or trip. She worries that there should be a degree of reverence here, though it seems to be rather lacking. She would very much like to clean the place up, help it to look like a true temple once again. But she questions what divine arts may already be at work... as well as whether these gods really deserve reverence.

When neither of the Goblins answers Hallister's question, Atharessa meekly steps up and actually raises her hand to get Hall's attention. When he is looking at her, she says as quietly as she can,

"Didn't that ghost king say that this 'Zeenthia' is a creation of the priest of Rath'Zeen, the goblin goddess of trickery? And that Ein'Droth, is the real mother-goddess of the Goblins. Maybe one of these statues is Ein'Droth, and the other is Rath'Zeen, and the whoever is in charge here is trying to hide one and mock the other? It doesn't make much sense to me."

The door catches Rownig's attention. "I agree we need to check out the door, but lets sweep this room first. Windel can y'see what caused the kins deaths?" Rownig stays near the secret door and begins to exam it for traps and locks.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
+1 if trapped

Windel will examine the dead dwarfs. "I ain't much fer tellin' poisons, could pray fer it tomorrow."

heal check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Miagnik glanced down at his finger and then at the statues in the room.
Steal the magic outside and heighten it within?

He was loathe to suggest it. It was something he never thought to be without but he reluctantly said it anyway. "Athareesa may be right. Something is strange here. I would not use any more magic in this place. Also, though I am not a true believer, I find it highly unwise to mock any sort of God."

Then he looked at the statues again. "Call me crazy, but since we're staying in the room anyway. I think it might be best if we were to undo any of the work these intruders may have done here. It might only be a small and indirect blow to them but I think it should be done all the same."

"I meant it when I said don't touch anythin'." Hal grumbled. "We don't understand what we're dealin' with here. First rule of tombs is don't disturb the dead if you can help it. Messing with stuff is the fastest way to end up chewed on."

Stephanie turns from examining the statues at Hallister's warning. She had been extremely careful not to touch anything, but was growing curious enough that the temptation was growing.

Perhaps I should just keep my hands behind my back.

"The most unholy has happ'ned here. The older men were a meal for at least one vampire. Perhaps more than one since they all died about the same time. don't really see any signs of struggle 'forehand." He blinks a few times. "Granted, I'm seein' in black and white, if'll bring 'ver the a torch maybe more can be seen."

need to thank Stephanie for knocking my head and getting me to remember that I missed something

Rownig motions for the others then gives the door a slight shove. "Ready?"

Day 7, late evening, 115 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:10 pm)

When Rownig opens the door he is startled as a flood of giant* spiders comes skittering out of the space beyond.

I would like everyone to make a Perception Check, with a DC of 12. If you fail you are Surprised, and do not act immediately, otherwise you can act in the Surprise round on your initiative Count

Spider Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Roll Initiative!

I’ll update the map soon, and then ask everyone to please select a square within 20 feet of Rownig to set initial placements, you can discuss your plans now

*These are Small creatures (about the size of a border collie with legs two feet in length, so not regular giant spiders which are medium sized creatures). They have shimmering blue bodies, and there are a lot of them…

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
init.: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

"SPIDERS! The red face, nearly blood frenzied cleric yells. His surprise stuns him keeps from immediately moving.

init.: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Like a scene out of a nightmare, Princess Stephanie sees the chittering legs before they even spill out into the room. Like some sort of divine retribution for her earlier comments, she finds herself face to face with these creatures she so naturally fears.

Stephanie has a colorspray cone that could at least hold some of these things for a bit. After earlier conversations, she'd likely be hesitant to actually harm them, so that's likely as offensive as she could get in this first round.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Miagnik's head had turned for just a second to look once more at the room around them. Just for a second, but that was all it took. He looked back to see a sudden swarm of giant spiders came flooding out and he shook his head in sudden, unfortunate, realization.

If it had just been me and some other Goblins then maybe... maybe the spiders wouldn't attack us. But with this many Dwarves, they're more likely to go into a frenzy and just kill.

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Day 7, late evening, 115 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:10 pm)

Hallister Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Hallister Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

Surprise Round – Each Character Able to Act in the surprise round may make either one Standard or one Move action, Rownig and Stephanie will go first, Then Hallister and Moralane

Hallister coninues to scan the room looking for any clues. When he see's Rownig moving to open what appears to be a secret door, he is about ready to voice a warning, but it is too late. Fortunately, he is always ready for danger.

Rownig was on edge, for some reason, and he reacts immediately to the threat. Stephanie watches the door closely and notices danger immediately.

If any of you have a friend, who is looking to play in a PbP game here, I may need help recasting Melodak, as there has been no response from the player as of yet. I would like to see this character continued in this adventure, but I can drop her if I have to

Rownig will move out of way...20 ft. (-BR, -1 to get him reasonable close to allies for flanking).

"Lots of spiders coming!"

A fire begins to light in Stephanie's eyes as she watches the spiders pour out of the opening. Instinctively she reaches for her spell components, but something inside her stays her hand. Instead of casting her spell, she begins to backpedal to stay just ahead of the spiders. Only 10 feet back. Perhaps a more intellectual approach would serve better.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Color Spray is a Mind Effecting spell, which spiders are immune to. With her ranks in Spellcraft, Stephanie would probably know that.

Hal rushes up to the doorway to try to stem the tide.

Moving to BP2. Is this a Surprise round? What kind of action is it to shut the door? If possible, I'd like to shut it and hold it closed. If not, Hal will enter Crane Stance and go Defensive bringing his AC to 23.

Ah, indeed! Thanks.

It is a Surprise Round, and Hallister can rush the door, but he cannot close it in time.The door slides into a pocket, making it difficult to close without putting forth some effort (a Full Round Action is required to shut this door).

Moralane pulls hard on her bow and fires an Arrow, aiming low and to Hallister's side

Ranged Attack, Point Blank, Precise Shot, Deadly Aim: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

But the spiders are too small for her to get a clear target with Hall in the way.

"Whatcha thinkin' rownig, why didn't y'close th'door?" The dwarf is obviously talking to himself.

Day 7, late evening, 115 (Turn of the Clock, The approximate time of day is 7:10 pm)

Round 1, Surprise Round

The Spiders come flooding out of the room, running past Hallister on either side.

Hall can take his AoO on any of the spiders as they rush by him, just pick a color! Miagnik may take an AoO at any spider other than Lt. Blue. Windel may take an AoO at Spiders Red, Green or Pink. Rownig may take an AoO at spiders Orange, Yellow, or Green.

The Spiders spread out and move to attack everyone!

Windel is overcome with rage and does not act, other than to strike out reflexively with his AoO. Atharessa begins chanting a Dwarven Children’s song that just happens to have a verse about stomping spiders, and it lifts everyone’s spirits

Inspire Courage! In Round 2 everyone can apply a +1 to attack and damage rolls.

I will update the map tonight, but let me give you spider positions
Red – moves to –BR,6
Orange – moves to –BR, 2
Yellow – moves to –BQ, 0
Blue – moves to –BQ, 1
Green – moves to –BS, 6
Purple – moves to –BS, -1
Pink – moves to –BQ, 8
Lime – moves to –BP, 1
Lt. Blue – moves to –BP, 3

It is now the top of Round 2

Windel swings his mighty axe down on the pink spider.

Kreescandiq Axe: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12;damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

The dwarf's emotions calm as his hands become one with the weight of the axe. There's a musical quality as blade cuts the air. "♫
Kreescandiq the defender of faith, ♪♫ ♪, no vermin evil enough t'test ye blade. ♪ ♪ ♪"

If giant size (I'm not sure if these qualify as giant size in your game)
bane: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

I've updated the map. Yes they count as "giant" spiders, but looks like you missed, all excited to finally be using the axe must have thrown off your aim

Unfortunately Miagnik was not armed and did not have his claws at the ready so no Aoo for him. Instead he will backpedal his way to BP-5 and unleash an arc of burning hands on the red, green and pink spiders. Sadly provoking from the Blue-green and orange spiders.

Miagnik was not surprised by the amount of spiders that came surging out of the small room. It was simply how they worked after all. But that was all the time he had for stray thoughts as the room exploded into motion around him.

With the Dwarves withdrawing or moving up in every which way he held his ground just long enough to see a sizable group spread out around where Stephanie and Melodak were. Windel swinging wildly close behind them. He decided that's where he would begin and started to move when one of the spiders came at him.

It was a vicious little one. He didn't need help determining that. He saw another close by. No! Could back away slowly... No. Just go.

Trusting in his own swiftness and protective magics to stop any incoming bites, he rolled away from the two spiders.

If he doesn't get hit, or at least fail his save, then Dc. 15 Reflex for the above spiders.
Damage: 4d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 2) + 4 = 15

Wild Magic Roll: 1d6 ⇒ 4