Rappan Athuk in the Mwangi Expanse (Inactive)

Game Master Zizazat

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Dobin cleans himself odd as best he can, making sue his sword and armor are taken care of first. He then follows the others to the southern passage.

Merry Christmas!

The walls of this room are made of mortared stones, but a fossilized, skeletal stone hand pokes out from the wall. Along the far wall in a second chamber of the room the skull and ribcage of a stone skeleton protrudes from the wall along with one arm holding a longsword in its hand.

What kind of shape is the longsword in?

"Uh oh, more hands! Now I don't know if this was the thing we should avoid!"

Taking out her less valuable whip, she waves it in front of the hand looking for a reaction. If nothing happens, she'll actually whip the hand.

The longsword looks to be in decent condition other than it's stuck in the fossilized hand. Rose waves a whip in front of it with no result and then cracks her whip around it giving it a firm tug but the longsword stays put. Felix looks over it after that and comments that a hammer and chisel or brute force would probably free it.

Should we check this door here? Parfin points to the left wall. Any magic in this room? I'd hate for something to come alive while we search.

Odd, normally you wouldn't find a hand protruding from the wall! He frantically scribbles in his book.

Is this like a teleport or stone walk, something along those lines, that has gone bad? I use what skills Felix has to discern this.

Merry Christmas all!

Earlier: Kwin will use his presdigitation cantrip to help clean the warriors who were touched by the acidic and generally untidy cube. "Perhaps the glue was intended to be a trap in conjunction with the cube.

Current: "A good question, Parfin." Kwin will use detect magic to sweep the room, and as deep into the walls, floor and ceiling as it will penetrate. A couple of inches, I think.

Kwin will ponder much like Felix. Perhaps there is a creature he knows, an elemental or something, that kills victims in that way?

"If anyone has the tools, we could try to dig the fellow out of his misaligned tomb. If there is a sword outside of the wall, perhaps there are other more valuable items that survived imbedded in it?"

Moving in for futher investigation, and you see a third skeleton, which the entire left side of the body is exposed from the wall. Frozen in some macabre action pose, the jaw hangs open in a silent scream. Kwin and Felix have a brief conversation discussing the various merits of different types of conjuration magic and Kwin studies the area in more detail with detect magic but any magical auras, if responsible for this, are long since gone.

It looks like Felix and Parfin have hammers and pitons which could be used to chip into the wall given some time. Jericho also has a crowbar which could help.

"Perhaps we should leave these poor buggers alone and continue on. There are a couple of door maybe Felix could take a look at."

Jericho happily volunteers the use of his crowbar.

I believe Dobin is correct. Why disturb the resting place of this poor man? Quite to odd resting place, I grant you that.

"I agree now may not be the time to excavate him or her; the noise would draw or warn potential opponents nearby. However, I do think we should return and remove him later. If we can discover his identity, we may be able to send word to his kin of his fate, confirming what may be a haunting mystery to them. Should I fall here, I would hope my cousins would receive such a message. Also, if he or she had delved further here, some clues to what awaits us below may be trapped within the wall."

Felix spends more time investigating both doors for traps or anything beyond them...

While listening at the door, Felix starts to hear a strange sound, something clicking and clacking against stone. As he tries to place it and focus in on the noise, he realizes it's not coming from behind the door, but from the northern corridor they just left! Looking back Felix cannot see anything in the darkness beyond Rose and Kwin's light spells, but Parfin picking up on Felix's interest looks also and his darkvision allows him to see two giant ants just beyond the edge of the light. They seem to be advancing toward the party!

Round 1:
Lilia
Felix
Dobin
Kwin
Parfin
Rose
Ants
Jericho

Everyone but Jericho may act (again! What the heck dude?)

Kwin moves up to the wall and puts his back to it to steady his shot at the further ant. Alas, the way the arrow hangs loosely from the joint where it hits indicates that the missile did little if any damage to the formidable creature.

I moved his icon on the roll20 map.
To hit 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Damage 1d8 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

Edit: Squinting in the dim light, Kwin calls out "There are at least four!"

Kwin moves over quickly with his bow and lets an arrow fly, just barely penetrating the thick carapace of the giant insect. He shouts out to his lesser sighted companions that there are, in fact, four giant ants, not just two!

Dobin moves forward and places himself in the short hallway between rooms.
"They should bottleneck here! Anyone with a missile weapon shoot, while we fighter-types block their movement."

Dobin moves 20' and readies an attack against the first ant that gets close.
Attack-Melee: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Parfin heeds Dobin's advice and moves into position alongside of the fighter in the hallway.

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 = 9

Rose moves into position and readies herself to aid Parfin's attack!

Readied Aid Another: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 5 - 4 = 15 Success! Parfin gets a +4 to his attack.

Umm, yes noise there would be a lot of it if we excavate... Strange it sounds like someone is using a pickaxe behind us? By Aroden's missing divinity, ANTS, oh and they are very large, what have they been eating to get so large? Never mind that, must live to investigate further!!! Felix grabs his bow off his pack setting next to him, moves forward a bit and fires a hell marry shot at the one in the very back.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 - 2 = 18
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Like Kwin, Felix's arrow finds their caprices are very thick.

Lilia moves in behind Dobin and and also waits until the ants get closer and then hurls a dagger at one of the ants but the dagger bounces off it's carapace!

Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 10 - 4 = 7
Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Dobin waits for the right moment to strike, but his longsword just misses the advancing creature, clanging off the stone archway instead.

Parfin swings hits massive earthbreaker and connects with the approaching creature's head with a crunch!

The two lead ants then try to bite their welcoming committee!

Ant 1 vs. Dobin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 *hit*
Ant 2 vs. Parfin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 *miss*

Damage vs. Dobin: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Grab vs. Dobin: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11 vs. CMD 15

Then giant ant bites Dobin hard but fails to lock its mandibles on him!

Jericho is up for Round 1 and everyone else can post their Round 2 actions!

Jericho will move up 20', drawing his dagger, and he lets it fly at the wounded ant. GM, please apply lack of precise shot and other modifiers to the attack roll.
Dagger throw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

"I've got your back, Dobin." Rose takes a 5-foot step forward and heals him! Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Suddenly, a second copy of Rose appears! "And your back too, Parfin. There's enough of me to go around!" Move action to Copycat - creating a single Mirror Image.

Feeling the sudden sting of the ants bite, then the cooling bliss of Rose's healing, Dobin shakes himself like a wet dog!
"Thanks for that Rose! Lets see if I can connect this time!"

Attack-melee: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Crit Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Jericho's dagger penetrates the giant ant's carapace!

Lilia seems momentarily confused by the two Roses, but then nods and smiles. "Double trouble!" she shouts!

Lilia tosses another dagger, this time managing to connect and bringing the insect down!

Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 4 = 18
Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Parfin will try to take the second creature out with a swing of his earthbreaker!

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 6) + 4 = 11

Did I kill the one by me..or even wound it?? I did not see the results of my attack...

Knowing that there are more out of his line of sight, Kwin nocks and arrow and draws back, waiting for one more to come in sight before loosing his missile.

Ready an action to shoot an ant that comes into view.
To hit 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Damage 1d8 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

Dobin yes, you hit. Sorry I missed adding that in my post...I was mid coffee ingest :) In the interest of keeping things moving...

Felix and Kwin both hold their shots until the next wave of ants makes themselves present!

Kwin's arrow bounces harmlessly off the carapace!

Felix shortbow: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 2 + 1 = 13
Felix damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

In the cramped quarters Felix's arrow fails to find his target!

After moving in, oblivious to the arrows flying at them the ants bite at Dobin and Parfin!

Ant 3 vs Dobin : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 *miss*
Ant 4 vs Parfin : 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 *hit*

Damage vs Parfin: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Grab vs Parfin: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 vs CMD 16

Dobin shifts out of the way of the new threat, but Parfin is caught in the jaws of his new foe!

Jericho may still act for Round 2!

Round 3:
Lilia
Dobin
Parfin grappled
Rose
Ant 3 damage taken: 1
Ant 4 damage taken: 1 grappled
Felix
Kwin
Jericho

Frustrated that there is no room for him to attack, Jericho drops his halberd (free), pulls out crossbow, and loads it.

Dobin raises his sword and strikes at the ant which has grabbed Parfin (Ant #4)

Attack-Melee: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

To be fair, does the ant have a critical threat on Parfin?

Parfin attempts to break out of the grasp of the ant!

CMB?: 1d20 ⇒ 12 I'm not sure if I have any bonuses or not.

This would be a perfect opportunity for a flanking maneuver like back in the battle of 768 against the varisan skirmishers! In between the occasional shot from his bow, Felix keeps an eye on the other entrances to this room.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Dobin's mighty swing only glances off the hard carapace of the ant grappling his half-orc friend!

Parfin - you are correct. I overlooked that by mistake. For your CMB it's generally your BAB + Str mod. Yours is currently +4 so a 16 total for your check, which is enough to beat its CMD of 13. Also, this write up has a nice flowchart of how to deal with grapple (which sucks)

Confirm bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 *miss*

With a mighty roar Parfin manages to break free of the giant ant's mandibles!

You still have a move action if you wanted to try to do something else.

Felix fires is bow again but is distracted by thoughts of checking the door behind him.

Round 3

Hoping to help finish off the ant struggling with Parfin, Kwin continues to try and land a solid arrow hit on one of the creatures. But with the shifting bodies inbetween them, his shot flies wide.

To hit 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Damage 1d8 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

Seems I have no where to really move so I'll simply hold my position. Currently 9/15 HP.

Rose touches Jericho, giving him a Bit of Luck. Reroll all d20s for one round and choose the better result.

She then takes a step back to allow Jericho to advance. "More healing is coming, just hang in there!"

Next turn, Rose will probably move back 20 feet and channel energy to heal the party but not the ants. But she can't quite do that now.

**Edit - just changed the target from Parfin to Jericho. Jericho should be able to pick up his halberd (move), 5-foot step up to where Rose was, and strike. And he isn't liable to be grappled before his next action.

Ah ha..!

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Oh no..!

Lilia tosses another dagger which sticks firmly into the carapace shell!

Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20 *hit*
Damage: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

The ants push forward against the warriors, again missing Dobin but landing a bite on Parfin and grabbing him in it's giant jaws!

Ant 3 vs. Dobin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 *miss*
Ant 4 vs. Parfin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22 *hit*

Damage vs. Parfin: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Grab vs. Parfin: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Round 4:
Lilia
Rose
Ant 3 damage taken: 6
Ant 4 damage taken: 1 grappled
Dobin
Parfin grappled
Felix
Kwin
Jericho

Jericho is up for Round 3! I realized that Dobin and Parfin should get shifted down in the order since they held actions for the ants to move up, as did Felix and Kwin.

Lilia round 4 - Hurls another dagger at the ant grappling Parfin but misses!

Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 4 = 18 *miss*

Parfin attempts to break free from the ant once more!

Break Grapple: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Once free, Parfin will backstep 5' and try to get out of the way so another might take his place on the front line.

Parfin is at 4/15 HP now.

Rose and her illusory double both fall back. She channels positive energy.

Channel Energy: 1d6 ⇒ 6 Everyone heals 6 HP.

Rose sends forth a wave of healing energy!

The ants press their attack biting, and grabbing Dobin and crushing Parfin further in its jaws!

Ant 3 vs Dobin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 *hit*
Ant 4 vs Parfin (maintain grapple): 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 5 = 19 vs. CMD 16 *hit*

Ant 3 damage vs. Dobin: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Ant 4 damage vs. Parfin: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Ant 3 grab vs. Dobin: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 vs. CMD 15 *hit*

Parfin breaks free of his grapple and moves back!

Round 4:
Lilia
Rose
Ant 3 damage taken: 6 grappled
Ant 4 damage taken: 1
Dobin grappled
Parfin
Felix
Kwin
Jericho

Round 3 Jericho fires his crossbow at the ant grappling Parfin but missing!

Attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 4 = 1

Round 4 actions are still up for Felix, Kwin and Jericho.

Ugh, the ant being able to go twice before I could act and break loose wasn't helpful. Seems like I missed out on an action. I am at 2/15 now.

Parfin - you are right, I should find a way to correct my mistake not at your expense. And you were good about pointing out the missed crit...ignore the damage, you should be at 10/15.

Round 4
Kwin looses yet another arrow at the ant, and it skitters down the hall past the battle.

To hit 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Damage 1d8 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

Edit: Removed spell casting per Parfin's note.

Kwin, I believe I am currently not grappled and was able to step back. Unless I can save it and use it if grappled again you should do something else.

And no problem Mark, things happen. I'll trade the damage not taken for the attack I made that would have done 11 points of damage in the second round that never went off due to being grappled. Fair trade in my opinion. So once Felix and Jericho acts (and Kwin perhaps reconsiders) this will be the end of round 4 and we'll be back on track.

Darn I missed my turn and am now grappled..lol dumb ants!!

As the ants mandibules close around Dobin's waist, he attempts to break free of their crushing embrace.

Break free - 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Jericho shoots the ungrappled ant but misses!
1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 - 4 = 2

I like ants better when they are minuscule! Felix takes aim at the one that has the most daggers or dents in them.

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

I need bigger arrows..!

Dobin breaks free of the giant ant!

More arrows fly from Jericho and Felix but cannot find their targets!

Round 5:
Lilia
Rose
Ant 3 damage taken: 6
Ant 4 damage taken: 9
Dobin
Parfin
Felix
Kwin
Jericho

Lilia draws her two masterwork daggers and moves into the spot left by Parfin, stabbing into the giant ant!

Attack 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19 *hit*
Attack 2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 *hit*

Damage 1: 1d3 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Damage 2: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Rose is up, but anyone else can post their Round 5 actions pending the ants initiative.