Rappan Athuk [Pf]

Game Master Chris Manos

Aright, This is what I'm looking at. Adjust yourselves if needed.

Looks fine to me

Approved.

"Well, looks like we found it. Let's take it slowly and go in."
Belle casts heightened awareness on herself from the wand just before entering the place, if they get that far.

Cool with me.

Tony relays the information back with a question to the group, "Anyone know the habits of ghouls. From the crack in the earth there could be a stupid large gathering underneath or a stash of rotten clothes for all i know?"

"Nothing here. I usually deal with people that are alive. This is all new for me."

"Hmmm" - Garrosh ponders what he knows about ghouls.

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

You have about a 30 foot muddy slope down into the gully before you can enter the dark hole.

Garrosh knows that ghouls are obviously undead, and as such can see very well in the dark, are immune to mind-affecting effects, death effects, disease, poison, they do not sleep, cannot be stunned and do not bleed. They are tireless, resistant to positive energy, and their bite and claws both cause premature rigor mortis in live tissue. Their bite also bears a disease which will, if left unchecked, turn it's victim into a ghoul themselves.

They usually haunt graveyards and prefer the taste of rotting meat. They are cannibals, eating the flesh of humanoids. Often, they will not wait until a victim is dead, but will feast on their soft parts while their victim is still alive, and paralyzed. But often, they will bury a fresh corpse to 'age'.

Ghouls are incredibly intelligent and cunning, and often form together into large underground clans. Rumor has that their tunnels connect to every graveyard in the world, and even to the graveyard surrounding Orcus' throne of bones.

Garrosh shares what he knows with his companions, making sure to whisper so they are not prematurely detected - "We would do well to understand if this may be such an underground clan, and how big" - he finishes.

Know. Religion: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 :/
"If we would be willing to wait some time, I may be able to perform some divinations."
Just remembered I could do Occult skill unlocks. I really Should add that to my character sheet.

Not like too much information ever hurt anyone. Get back here Tony.

Brodin shrugs.
"The longer we wait, the more likely this mist will go. I'm no' keen to fight when I can't see well so waiting suits me just fine."

Agyen takes out a shimmering crystal and gazes at it, using it as a focus for his psychic power to predict the future, and to see the past. Assuming you guys are willing to wait 12 minutes
Using burst of insight, plus psychic virtuoso, for a total of +18 on snse motive and +13 on appraise.
Prognostication (Sense Motive): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26 :/ Needed a 29.
Psychometry the ravine (Appraise): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 2 pieces of info.

Tony quietly makes his way back to the group.

Agyen gazes deeply into the crystal. The rain continues around him, forming rivulets down the surface of the transparent stone. He is unsure if it is due to the rain, or what, but his prognostication is not successful. However, just as he is ready to give up and put the crystal away, he gets something. His psychic ears pick up screams of terror. Two people, roughly handled, dragged through water and mud. A flash of the dark opening, the stench of death, a feeling of utter terror. The empty eyes of the skulls in the wall looking down at the kicking and screaming pair. Just before disappearing into the darkness, one more image is seen. That of yellow eyes peering from the mud walls, before the darkness closes.

Tony, what are the names of two of your fallen party?

Agyen, you get that there were two taken alive into the cave recently, and you get their names; those that Tony will give.

Agyen, you also get that there is something hidden under the mud and soil in the sides of the ravine, watching and waiting.

Agyen's voice quiets, not wanting to be heard by anyone but his party.
"There were two people taken into the cave, recently. There is also something in the walls of the ravine, hidden in the mud."
Courage wells inside the party, pushing them onward. A blue disk flickers into being in front of Agyen for an instant before fading into a faint outline.
Bless, shield

Can you pinpoint where this thing is? We can't pursue into the tunnels with something potentially waiting at our backs.

"I have a request. If anyone can cast Arcane spells, I have a wand that casts a spell of mage armor; I can use the spell but I cannot cast it. Will one of you cast it on me, and any other that can make use of the armor?"

"Sure"

No need to ask out of combat in the future. Just assume Belle will cast it.

"Could we hit it with a magic missile or is it buried too deep?"

"I'm unsure where exactly it is, but it's close enough to the surface to see out."

Belle will try a detect magic to see if that gives off any reading.

"Hey, Brodin, care to fire a few arrows into the area he's talking about?"

Hmmm, let's go with Sandor Von Eisenhorn, the mysterious employer. And Janessa Brightdew, the muscle.

Tony thinks with the group for a bit, and starts readying his light crossbow.

"We can try baiting him out...or better yet fish him out."

Gonna say we retrieve the climb gear after we got everyone up.

Tony sets his rope and grappling together before presenting it to the group, "Ever try undead fishing, the catch is always horrible. But the shear satisfaction of trying."

Tony makes a grunt of satisfaction.

Belle detects nothing with her detect magic.

Belle will summon an earth elemental, cast vanish and tell the earth elemental to go rip up the earth in the area where we think the thing is lurking. Hopefully at the same time as Bodin puts some arrows in the same area. Uh, Belle will move back a bit after she does this.

Belle is casting vanish on herself, or the earth elemental?

Herself. Though if this thing has tremorsense too it may not do all that much good.

Brodin fires a few arrows into the wall in the vicinity indicated.

"Things in the wall, eh. Never heard of such a thing. Any o' ye heard of such?"

Not too hard to imagine. Things dig.

as there really hasn't been an 'indicated position' yet, I'd suuggest Brodin hold his shots, otherwise he's got a very slim chance of hitting something. Once the elemental is active, and pinpoints, then you'll have a better chance.

Alright, hearing no other actions, I'm gonna start some myself.

Belle finishes casting her summoning spell. Out of the earth rises a small creature composed of the very earth and rock. A mushroom clings to what you believe is it's back, along with stray bits of lichen and moss. The creature makes a sound that is like gravel on gravel and moves down the muddy wall of the ravine. It reaches the bottom and begins to tear into the ground near where several skulls are set into the mud. But the elemental reveals a body. A body attached to a head. A body which thrusts a hand out at the elemental as it crawls out of the earth, mud dripping off it's humanoid body. It's mouth opens in a shriek which echoes through the ravine. The creature's claw rakes against the stony surface of the elemental, but it doesn't appear to do any damage. From what you can see through the muddy camouflage, the creature is a ghoul.

With that, Belle speaks a word and disappears.

Alright Belle and the elemental have acted. All the rest of you can act. Considering this the surprise round, so single actions.

The ravine is about 30 feet deep and definitely too steep to attempt to move down unless you do so acrobatically, or climb. Tony set a rope and grappling hook on a nearby tree, marked on the map as an orange line. Climbing the wall with the rope will be a DC 15, DC 10 for using the rope (already modified for slipperiness). Move at 1/4 speed while climbing (so, like 1 square latterally). For Acrobatics, you wouldn't be really falling down the slope, so I'm not going to use the falling rules. I will say, with a successful DC15 Acrobatics you can move halfway down the slope without falling as a Move action.

FYI:

Stats for

Though I'm sure you can look them up as well. I thought it might be nice to have the stats in the gameplay thread.

yep, I have the PFSRD page open, but thanks!

Assuming he has clear line of sight and doesn't have to move

Brodin unleashes a full volley at the newly appearing ghoul,

flurry of arrows, #1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
flurry of arrows, #2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
ki arrow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

damage if hits, flurry#1: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
damage if hits, flurry#2: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
damage if hits, ki arrow: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Arrows shot this combat: 3

Reynaud's not going down there while Brodin and the Casters doesn't that sound like an awesome rock band? can plink away at whatever it is from up on the ravine, so he waits until something wicked his way comes.

Agyen's dagger appears above the ghoul, striking down at the undead creature.
FF SW: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 221d10 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Tony takes moves to the portion of the ravine over looking the abomination. Having a nice clear view, he takes a nice pot shot into its horrid flesh.

L. Crossbow: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

DMG: 1d8 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + (3, 6) = 16

Crossbows are great! Thanks for placing me just within sneak range.

9/10 bolts left

Before Garrosh can act, three arrows, a ghostly dagger and a crossbow bolt strike the ghoul, killing it dead before it can even raise another hand. Reynaud stands by with his longsword slung over his shoulder, watching impassively.

As the ghoul falls to the ground, several of you notice the ground begin to heave in several places in the ravine, as if there were more creatures under the earth.

Garrosh can go, and Reynaud, if he wants to do something, and then the ghouls...

"Well, I'm sure we found the lair now. Wonder if there are more inside."

"Probably. But I think they will be coming out now, so lets give them a hearty welcome, with plenty of arrows, bolts and daggers!"

"Well, that's preferable to the alternative, I suppose."

G&##@+ I love the high ground

"Let me know if you need something to chuck"

Garrosh takes a step forward, looking down in the ravine. "My strong arm would do better good down there. All I have for a missile weapon is a sling." he takes a step up and touches Brodin's bow, which begins to glow with a yellow-green light.

Holy Strike Blessing on Brodin's bow. Powerful combination with a zen monk..."For 1 minute, this weapon glows green, white, or yellow-gold and deals an additional 1d6 points of damage against evil creatures. During this time, it's treated as good for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction."

Tracking Expendibles
Blessing: 1/4 used

The figures strugging out of the mud are revealed to be three more ghouls, which shriek in fury.

On the map, numbered 1-3 for your convenience. Highlighted with a red dot as some don't show up well against the terrain. Climbing out of the mud is their only action this round.

ROUND 1
1) All of you in any order
2) Ghouls (Uninjured/Uninjured/Uninjured)

Agyen's dagger zips across the across the ravine, stabbing the left most ghoul.
FF SW: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Going to ready an action to magic missile any ghoul that gets up to our position, otherwise it's not really worth wasting the spell.
EDIT: readied FF MM: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 = 8

Reynaud readies an action to attack any ghouls that make it up the ravine.

Falling into a familiar rhythm, Brodin shoots arrow after arrow, picking the nearest target and moving onto the next when that one falls

flurry of arrows, attack#1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
flurry of arrows, attack#2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
ki attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

damage if hits, attack#1: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 6 + (2) = 16
damage if hits, attack#2: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + (3) = 10
damage if hits, ki attack: 1d8 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (6) = 16 Not likely but you never know

Arrows used this combat: 4

Seeing the emerging ghouls, Tony rushes past Garrosh to get into a hidden position. Dropping low to stay out of sight.

Stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Does kneeling on higher ground count as cover?

He reloads the crossbow for another pot shot.

Belle will move int position and ready an action to heal anyone that is injured. The elemental will slam the nearest ghoul.

slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

I have the worst luck hitting with summoned creatures.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The next ghoul is hit by Agyen's dagger and Brodin's first arrow, felling it. Brodin's second arrow strikes another ghoul, but fails to slay it. His third arrow is easily dodged by the undead. Belle's elemental moves toward the nearest ghoul. Reynaud and Garrosh make ready to strike anything coming up the ravine.

The ghoul on the earth elemental attacks in a flurry of tooth and claw on the earth elemental, while the ghoul closest to the cave opening quickly surveys the ambush and scrambles inside the darkened crack in the wall. One of the ghoul's claws digs deeply into the elemental.

Brodin's third arrow fails to hit. Belle's earth elemental takes a double move toward the ghoul. Tony, if you go prone, you will have cover, or there is a bush 10 feet to your right.

Ghoul claws Elemental: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Ghoul claws Elemental: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Ghoul bites Elemental: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Interesting. Elementals are not immune to disease. Not that it is going to matter

FF SW: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 201d10 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Agyen's dagger moves to the final ghoul, landing a minor cut.