Revival of the Runelords (Inactive)

Game Master Cellion

Right before stepping into the room, Flo notices that the floor around the sofa (and therefore directly in front of Kargas' new doorway) appears to have nothing but rotten boards. She gauges that stepping near the sofa would result in the floor giving way. Furthermore, her sharp ears hear the sounds of groaning coming from the end of the hallway to the west. There appears to be multiple distinct groans and they sound strangely wet and slow.

The creaking up above seems to have stopped.

Where to next?

Assuming Flor warns me...

"Oh! Yeah good looking out," Kargas takes a half-step back and pokes at the rotted wood, careful not to punch the adamantine through. "Anything in there look magical? If not I figure it can wait until we've finished clearing things out. Flo's moaning door is fine with me."

Kellek summons the arcane energy to see magical auras, and has a look.

If he spots any auras behind the walls, floor or ceiling (and we can stand still long enough) he Takes 10 on knowledge (arcana) for 23 to identify the school(s) involved.

With the creaking above having stopped, Guiness says quietly, "The noises upstairs have halted for now--let's beware of possible additional enemies coming down the steps. Colvyn, can you cover the stairwell?"

Guiness moves up behind Kargas and asks, "Do you have the door, or do you want me to open it for you?"

"You took the last one, I've got this."

Flo needs no encouragement to delay a more thorough investigating of a room with a skin-couch. Once Kargas is ready to open the door, she grants the group a token of Desna's favor.
________
If that ain't a barrel o' Zombies, I don't know what is! :P Bless on the group! Gotta burn through this wand at some point...

Guiness nods to Kargas, his flaming hammer and shield at the ready, saying, "Let's go when you are ready, Stormscar."

Kellek takes a minute to sweep his detect magic in multiple directions - up, down, and every space in between. He detects a bundle of auras toward the west, covering almost the entire spectrum of spell schools (Divination is the only one not represented, seven in total if I'm counting right). He also dimly detects three weak auras directly below (Two abjuration, one evocation).

---

With Flo's blessing, Kargas kicks the western door down. The cloying stink of this room is nearly overwhelming. Buckets of old, congealed blood are stacked against the walls, fat ravenous flies lazily circling their rims. The room itself is dominated by an immense bed, its ratty sheets stained beyond hope. A huge easel sits next to the bed with a palette of various shades of brown and red paint. A set of brushes made with human hair jut from a broken skull by the easel, while a comb made from a human mandible sits on a small oak bedside table nearby, its teeth clotted with thick strands of greasy black hair.

Directly in front of the open doorway stand the bodies of six horribly deformed men dressed in ragged finery. Their mouths have been tightly stuffed with lengths of hair and their hands have been rendered into sharp claws. A staggeringly corpulent woman floats directly above the bed, surrounded by a cloud of flickering duplicates of herself. She points a gruesomely adorned staff toward Kargas and utters a single guttural syllable "EAT!"

Pic in Handouts for those brave enough.
I was really hoping to hit this encounter on Halloween. But this is close enough :)
----

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless

Pic in Handouts for those brave enough.

I was really hoping to hit this encounter on Halloween....

Election day is close (and scary) enough. I'll be heading out in less than three hours to save myself a spot in line. If you can and haven't already get out and vote, otherwise we might be stuck with that rotting jack-o-lantern for another four to eight years.

"HOLD THEM BACK!" Kellek shouts to Kargas.

Kellek begins weaving a spell.

And attempts to ID the creatures he is casting it against.

"What is going on, are we fighting something? I can't see!" Slamming his fist against the wall next to him, Colvyn looks rather upset. "This is why I hate fighting indoors, can't do anything from here!

Just posting so that I don't look like I am doing a disappearing act.

"What is going on, are we fighting something? I can't see!" Slamming his fist against the wall next to him, Colvyn looks rather upset. "This is why I hate fighting indoors, can't do anything from here!

Not entirely true. Colvyn can shoot from there, or from around the corner (using the wall for cover for himself!) from the square at the base of the stairwell, the latter of which he might be able to get to in one move. Sure he's shooting through soft (party member) cover, but it is still a thing.

Colvyn "Slick" Dashtail wrote:

"What is going on, are we fighting something? I can't see!" Slamming his fist against the wall next to him, Colvyn looks rather upset. "This is why I hate fighting indoors, can't do anything from here!

Not entirely true. Colvyn can shoot from there, or from around the corner (using the wall for cover for himself!) from the square at the base of the stairwell, the latter of which he might be able to get to in one move. Sure he's shooting through soft (party member) cover, but it is still a thing.

I know, just doing some roleplay ;)

Bumping Kargas back a little to keep us rolling.

The three zombies closest to Kargas swing in with their claws. Orange and dark blue are impeded by the corner of the doorway and do little more than scrabble noisily against the wood, but green manages to rake a shallow gash on Kargas' neck before stumbling forwards and wrapping its limbs around the bloodrager. (8 dmg after DR, Green is grappling Kargas)

The rest of the zombies crowd forwards, but they're unable to push past their allies to get to the delicious half-orc flesh beyond.

|||| INIT ||||
Kargas (8 dmg, grappled)
Flo
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Mammy (5 images)
Kellek
Six Friendly Ogrekin Zombies

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless

For now, Colvyn blesses his bow with holy energy.

Blessing of Good, Holy Strike

(8 dmg after DR, Green is grappling Kargas)

"Good. Good. Keep them occupied." says Kellek distractedly while looking through his component pouch.

Rage, attempt to reverse the Grapple

Grapple check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

"If you're going to do something, do it now!" Kargas bellows over his shoulder as he slams the zombie's wrist against the doorframe, trying to break its grip.

Kellek pauses and looks up from his pouch.

"You don't have to get snippy about it, Kargas. Magic is a difficult and time consuming art, that is both difficult to master and potentially dangerous to practice. I try to be as efficient as possible in my magic-use. You screaming about being eaten by huge zombies doesn't help my concentration."

He tuts, and returns to his rummaging.

Guiness delays, waiting for an opportunity to step in and strike with his flaming war hammer.

"Oh no, absolutely not," Flo says, shaking her head. Raising her gifted holy symbol in the air with the hand that already has already been marked by Desna, both momentarily erupt with light. Her friends crackle with divine energy in response.

Against her better judgement, she takes a step closer to the couch.
________
GM, would Flo's Shield Other spell still be active? Blessing of Fervor! I don't have the time right now to double check, but if we learned it wasn't safe to actually step in, Flo would instead move behind Kellek!

With Shield Other being hours per level and you guys sticking together as a group, I don't see why it wouldn't still be up.
For the sofa, I've put a yellow box on the squares that would give way if you stepped on them. You'd have successfully ID'd these with your perception check earlier. I've moved Flo back to Kellek's spot.
----

While Guiness is biding his time for the right moment to strike, the bloated floating ogrekin woman glides into clearer view. She waves her staff and calls out "Tresspassin' brug fulches. Slittin' the throats a' my boys is MY pleasure. Not yours!" She sends a wave of magic across your group.

Flo Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Guiness Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Kellek Will: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Kargas Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Colvyn Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

But you all shrug off her magic like it was nothing, feeling nothing more than a brief sensation of sluggishness before pushing through.

|||| INIT ||||
Kargas (8 dmg)
Flo
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Mammy (5 images)
Kellek
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)
Six Friendly Ogrekin Zombies

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

Considering that Kellek was hyping up his spell, I'm gonna give him until tomorrow's update to chime in before delaying him.

Kellek casts a small pea-sized packet of something into the room over Kargas's shoulder. "Bola de fuego!"

KAH-BOOM!!!

Kellek casts fireball. (9th level, via arcane pool, DC 19) This should hit everyone in the room but dk. blue.

fireball (DC 19): 9d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 5, 6, 2, 6, 6, 4, 2) = 41
Well, in Magical Christmas Land that's a possible total of 246 points of fire damage to the inhabitants of the room. :D

If that massive spell takes down a zombie blocking the path into the room, Guiness will come off delay and move into the room, swinging Dragonfist against a nearby target. Otherwise he will continue to delay and wait for a path into the room.

Dragonfist Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19
Dragonfist Damage: 1d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (3) + (3) + 9 = 15

Guiness rushes in and dispatches the last zombie with a solid slam.

|||| INIT ||||
Kargas (8 dmg)
Flo
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Mammy (41 dmg, 5 images)
Kellek
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

"Colvyn," Kellek turns to the bird man, "you were saying something about fighting at range?"

Flo can't help but to be elated as fire finally materializes in this wretched house, but the Gods damned smell that soon follows makes her gag a little. Pulling a scarf around her nose and mouth, she grimaces and moves back into the hallway.

Seeing Colvyn start to line up a shot, she dives to the floor after passing him, but not before sending a faint butterfly past the combatants and right into the Ogre's chest. As it collides, it puffs into a gentle mist that tries to erode some of her magical protections.
________
Dispel Magic (Targeted Dispel) vs Mammy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Don't forget Blessing of Fervor everyone! Using the +2 AC/Reflex option this round. Move, cast Dispel Magic, fall prone.

"...yeah, alright. That works." Kargas shakes off the scorched stump still clinging to his wrist and bulls into the room on Guiness' heals, drawing his falcion as he goes. (I'm assuming I would have had to drop the adamantine sword during the grappling)

"Avenge the Black Arrows!" Kargas roars as his falchion flashes.
Power Attack: 1d20 + 14 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 14 + 1 - 2 = 15 Damage: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (2, 4) + 21 = 27

I think she's got Mirror Image going so while that won't get her AC it might still pop a bubble!

Blessed by Floredana and his own spells, Colvyn sends a volley of arrows toward the fat blob in the room.

Longbow1: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 12
Longbow2: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 16
Longbow3: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 17

Damage1: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (6) = 19
Damage2: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (6) = 22
Damage2: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (2) = 19

Using fervor to cast Divine Favor.

Bonuses are Point blank shot, bless, divine favor, favorite enemy, rapid shop, deadly aim, soft cover.

Dont forget the Blessing of Fervor to get a +2 with that one attack Kargas or an extra attack with a full attack, Colvyn.

Kargas' slash cleaves through an image, as do two of Colvyn's arrows, leaving the obese spellcaster with only two images keeping her protected.

Caught between an angry half-orc and her own immobility, she attempts to shield her casting. Successfully casts defensively She reaches out with a clawed paw and slaps it into the center of Kargas' chest. A burst of shadowy wriggles emerge from her hand and sink into his armor. She chokes out "Starve in 'ell!"

Kargas Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

A moment later, you all see the shadowy worms crawling up Kargas' face... seemingly just underneath his skin. They settle in place, turning his face into a child's mad charcoal artwork. At the same time, Kargas feels a weight settle on his shoulders and an intense hunger build in his core. His intestines churn and twitch. (You've been cursed with Starvation's Agony. You take a -4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws. Three times a day, you can scarf a serving of raw meat as a standard action to alleviate these effects for 1 minute.)

|||| INIT ||||
Kellek
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)
Kargas (8 dmg, Starvation's Agony)
Flo
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Mammy (41 dmg, 2 images)

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

Colvyn sends a second volley of arrows.

Longbow1: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 27
Longbow2: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 20
Longbow3: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 - 2 - 4 = 25

Damage1: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (2) = 16
Damage2: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (1) = 15
Damage2: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (4) = 20

Wincing in sympathy with Kargas as he recalls dealing with his on Phage, Guiness steps up and unloads on the horrendous creature with multiple attacks, boosted by Floredana's holy power! Swinging his hammer one, twice, three times in rapid succession, he finishes with a steel headbutt aimed at the evil matron's sunken brow!

Dragonfist Primary Attack (with Bless): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17
Dragonfist Damage with Flame: 1d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (5) + (5) + 9 = 19

Dragonfist Secondary Attack (with Bless): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Dragonfist Damage with Flame: 1d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (1) + (4) + 9 = 14

Dragonfist Fervor Attack (with Bless): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16
Dragonfist Damage with Flame: 1d8 + 1d6 + 9 ⇒ (4) + (4) + 9 = 17

Steel Headbutt Attack (with Bless): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Steel Headbutt Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Mammy whines with fear and pain.

|||| INIT ||||
Kellek
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)
Kargas (8 dmg, Starvation's Agony)
Flo
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Mammy (75 dmg)

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

"What...did you...do to me?!" Kargas screams, a feral look in his eyes as he slashes at the ogress.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 + 2 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 14 + 2 - 2 - 4 = 29
Confirm?: 1d20 + 14 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 14 - 2 - 4 = 21
Damage: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (1, 2) + 21 = 24 Crit?: 2d4 + 21 ⇒ (2, 4) + 21 = 27

Dropping his falchion the half-orc falls back against the wall and sinks to the floorboards, shuddering as he stares at the charred zombie corpses with ravenous revulsion. Ending rage after the attack

What a narratively appropriate crit! Love it!

"What the Hell was that? Kellek, what did she do to Kargas?!" Flo shouts back. Sticking to the floor, she clenches her fist and waits. Let's see if you can get another spell off now!
________
Readied Magic Missile vs Mammy: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 3) + 2 = 7
Readied to cast Magic Missile from her ring if Mammy starts casting!

With a single vicious blow, Kargas parts Mammy's head from her torso and sends it flying across the room. Her scream cuts off almost immediately as her body slumps to the ground.

Out of Combat!

A few small grease fires have begun burning around the room, filling the air with the smell of rancid oil and general filth. By the look of the oily, bloody surfaces nearby, it won't be too long before the fire spreads across the entire room and likely the entire house afterward. Some quick action now could put those out if desired.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

"Colvyn, watch the stairs," spouts Guiness quickly, looking around the room and trying to find something to beat down the flames with. If he finds nothing, he will use one of his spare sacks from his pack.

"Guiness, I've got this, go back Colvyn up!" Flo offers, motioning for one of his spare sacks. After damping down the sack with conjured water, she goes to work putting out as much of the fire as she can. "As much as this place deserves to go, we can't risk anything useful going up in smoke too," she grumbles.

While she does so, she keeps an eye on Kargas. "Hang in there, friend, once things settle down, Desna will have the chance to bless me with something to undo whatever it is that witch did to you!"
________
If Kargas goes to eat raw meat (per his curse description), she will try her hardest to physically stop him. Especially considering the best source of raw meat right now is Mammy...

What is with this AP making people eat gross stuff when they fail Will saves? Guiness feels your pain, Kargas.

Nodding to Floredana, Guiness rushes over to the base of the stairs.

To be fair, I'm not compelled to do it. I just have the option to do so to get around that -4 penalty, so I'll just be bad at everything for a while!

Kargas buries his face in his hands, trembling from the effort at pushing down this sudden unnatural hunger. With shaking fingers he reaches into the pouch on his belt and pulls out Iesha's scarft, twisting it around his hands. Is this how it felt, when you came back? Did you find it hard to think too?

Colvyn nods and to the bottom of the stairs with his bow raised. If nothing shows up after a few seconds, he silently makes his way up. How many more of those monsters we have to put down today?

Stealth: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27

The ogrekin attempting to (rather loudly) sneak down the stairs are completely caught off guard by the presence of Colvyn at the bottom of the stairs. The two deformed individuals stumble into sight at the top of the landing and audibly groan their dismay. Clearly they expected the way forward to be entirely clear. The two of them are armed only with basic spears.

The moment of surprise gives Colvyn the initiative!

Surprise round for Colvyn. They literally can't beat that stealth :)
----

|||| SURPRISE ||||
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)

|||| INIT ||||
Kellek
Flo
2x Ogrekin
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg)
Kargas (8 dmg, Starvation's Agony)
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

"What the Hell was that? Kellek, what did she do to Kargas?!"

Kellek did stay in veiw to watch what the monster was casting. Take 10 for Spellcraft 28.

Otherwise, he stays in place to see what Colvyn does.

"A curse?! Be strong Kargas, this'll all be over soon," Flo promises.

When Colvyn catches the Ogrekin, she runs back down the hallway and slips past the others, then tips the balance of luck in her favorite Dwarf's favor.
________
Bit of Luck on Guiness.

"Nice of you to join the party, now please stay there while I fill you with arrows." With that, Colvyn releases the arrow and send it flying into the ogrekin.

Longbow: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 30
Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + (6) = 19

"Nice of you to join the party, now please stay there while I fill you with arrows." With that, Colvyn releases the arrow and send it flying into the ogrekin.

[dice=Longbow]1d20 + 12 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 2 - 2
[dice=Damage]1d6 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 2 + 2 + 1d6

(If you wanted to step back after shooting so Guiness would be ready to take whatever attack the ogrekin mount, the dwarven warrior wouldn't be mad...)

Not sure if I could in a surprise round. But if yes, I would take a step back.

Not sure if I could in a surprise round. But if yes, I would take a step back.

Right, sorry. 5 foot step would work but you are blocked behind you. Surprise round you only get the one action...

Kellek would have recognized the earlier spell as Bestow Curse

The second ogrekin follows, but with as much fright as anger.

|||| INIT ||||
Guiness (7 dmg, 3 Dex dmg, luck)
Kargas (8 dmg, Starvation's Agony)
Colvyn (1 Str dmg)
Kellek
Flo
Green Ogrekin (19 dmg)
Blue Ogrekin

Bold are up
Buffs: Bless, Fervor

Pushing to his feet with a groan, Kargas scoops up his falchion and follows the others into the hallway.

Double Move to behind Kellek