Rise of the Runelords

Game Master Upaynao

Daelric joins the group, but sees nothing that has not already been commented on. The rest look to each other and nod their readiness to continue. Andrezi approaches the remaining door and sees a large seven pointed hole with intentions and carvings matching the seven pointed star he just picked up. Carefully he fits it into the door, and with a deep grinding and clicking, the doors part with a puff of dust and stale air.

This room is lit by a ten-foot-wide and ten-foot-deep pit of flickering fire that fills the room with a strange humid heat and the smell of burning hair In he northern corners of the room, wooden risers each hold several dozen golden candles that burn without melting, while to the south the wall bears an immense carving of a seven-pointed star.

Please make sure that your tokens are moved appropriately from here!!!

"What is that?" whispers Kiera. "I guess there is some kind of magical forge in here. She nods to the symbol on the opposite wall and says, [b]"Same shape as that strange key-device you picked up, Andrezi."

I take a step into the room and have a look around for any dangers.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"Not sure Mistress Kiera, strange that it is still warm and with flames." Volkar stepped into the room and went to the right of Daeric.

As Daelric steps into the room, eyes peering into the corners, he is astounded to see a creature borne straight from some nightmare materialize before him. A larger purple creature with a canine maw but goblinoid proportions stands before him in all of its 10 foot tall majesty. Saliva drips from sharp overlapping incisors and a maddened hunger gives light to the creatures demonic glowing eyes. Huge paws extend into daggers of claws, sharpened to knife edges. It gives a roar that rumbles out through the complex and rattles the flagstones beneath your feet.

The rest of the group gasps in astonishment as the dwarf disappears from their sight as he steps within the room, then feel their hearts leap into their chests as a thunderous roar from the depths of hell erupts through the room. Suddenly, both dwarf and creature becomes visible!

I was trying to describe Daelric walking into a "Invisibility Sphere". To the rest of you, he would step forward, disappear, then the roar would hit before the spell was dropped.

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric
Creature
Kiera
Volkar

Orik mouths an expletive filled with horror and dread as he lifts his bow. Fear coursing through his veins, he releases an arrow that comes nowhere near the target as his quivering heart is transferred to his quivering hands..
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

I am shocked to see such a large creature before me, but instead of getting scared and fleeing, I raise my shield up to my face as swing my axe at the weird creature.

Dwarven War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Dwarven War-Axe Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

The fiend easily bats away Daelric's swing, roaring once more in anger at being attacked!

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric
Creature
Kiera
Volkar

With a wave of its hand, the beast begins to quickly fade in and out of sight.. one moment it is there, solid and lethal, and in next moment it is gone before returning. It roars in defiance and anger at the invaders of its space!

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi x2
Orik
Daelric
Creature
Kiera
Volkar

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"I can't counter that kind of magic!" says Kiera unhappily. "It's phasing in and out of physical space! Just hit it as hard as you can!"

Kiera leads off with glitterdust before the group charges into melee combat.

DC 16 Will save or blinded.

Round 1

Shocked by the appearance of the huge goblin-like creature, obviously the one from the crude drawing above, Andrezi is a bit slow to react. Gathering his wits, he casts a spell of blessing over his companions.

Casting Bless.

Round 2

Andrezi reaches out and taps the dwarven paladin on the shoulder, granting him a bit of luck.

Would the Bless have made my previous attack hit?

Feeling a lucky due to Andrezi's weird touch, I swing my axe again.

Dwarven War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 1 = 20
Bit of Luck: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8

Volkar watched the creature blink out of existence and then back and then out again. He fished out one of the small vials in his tunic with his left hand and used his teeth to pull out the waxened cork to allow him to guzzle the liquid elixer. His right hand fished for one of the last oaken casks he had left. "Daelric, I can toss this if you think it would help, otherwise, we have to figure out how to keep you fighting."

"Will that thing set me on fire again?" I nod anyway, not able to speak much more due to the fight.

Daelric: It would not have.

Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Kiera casts a spell, but the creature easily shrugs it off. IT continues to glitter when in this plane, but now it is a giant golden brute covered in gold dust.

Andrezi snaps into the action, first casting Bless on his friends, then turning to Daelric and granting him the powers of luck once more.

Daelric takes another mighty swing, but once again misses the creature.

Volkar drinks one of his extracts, warily eyeing the creature standing before him as he tries to come up with a plan.

Meanwhile, Orik continues to fire arrows into the room unsuccessfully.
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

The creature lashes out at Daelric with its canine maw, fangs dripping with saliva and hate.
Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35
Dmg: 2d6 + 8 ⇒ (4, 5) + 8 = 17

Oric moves into the room and tries another arrow but this one ends up in the ceiling.
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 17 dmg
Creature
Kiera
Volkar

"Daelric, fall back!" Andrezi yells before casting a healing spell on the paladin and moving back himself.

Casting cure moderate wounds. Losing lesser restoration to do so.

CMW: 2d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5, 7) + 3 + 1 = 16 (trait)

I swing at the creature once again and then take Andrezi's advice and take a step back, with my shield high.

Dwarven War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15

I let out a moan as my attack misses, and then suddenly the pain that coursed through my body a second ago dissipates.

Do I still get my 1 DR / Adamantine? If so, then Andrezi has just fully healed me.

Volkar looked at where the beast was and tossed the bomblet at the creature.

Kiera: good call, thank you!
Miss Chance 20%: 1d100 ⇒ 82 Still holds, unfortunately.

Andrezi calls out for Daelric to retreat, while healing him of his wounds. Once the healing glow dissipates, he swings his ax once more, but misses again.

Volkar grabs a catalyst and bomb, quickly mixing the infusion and tossing it through the air. Unfortunately, the cask crashes through empty air as the creature blinks out and back in.
Miss chance 50%: 1d100 ⇒ 11

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric
Creature
Kiera
Volkar

Kiera launches a duo of magic missiles at the creature, hoping to hit it before it becomes ethereal again.

Magic missiles can hit incorporeal creatures because they are force effects, but I'm not sure if they can target ethereal creatures.

Magic missile damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 2 = 7
Miss chance (high hits): 1d100 ⇒ 42

The spell stipulates that force effects work normally. "Force effects and abjurations affect you normally. Their effects extend onto the Ethereal Plane from the Material Plane, but not vice versa."

Kiera sends a pair of force missiles screaming into the dog creature, leaving blackened scorches on the beasts fur!

It grunts in pain, then growls at you "For millennia, I have been imprisoned here.. Your flesh will be a feast worthy of the wait, Wizard!!" It licks Daelrics blood from its toothy maw, while staring at you with hate filled eyes. Suddenly, he swipes his claws at the stalwart dwarf in front of him, easily cutting through the dwarven armor to draw deep wounds on Daelric's torso.

Claw 1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Claw 1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 77
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 87

Dmg: 1d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 - 1 = 5
Dmg: 1d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 1 = 4

With a cry, Orik drops his bow and rushes forward sword in hand but gets no closer to hitting his target.
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 9 dmg
Barghest- 7 dmg
Kiera
Volkar

"Imprisoned?" Andrezi questions. "Daelric, Volkar, Orik, get out there. [b]"If the room is its prison, perhaps it can not leave." the priest says, pointing at Daelric and granting him a bit of luck again.

I grunt as the creatures claws rip through my armour like parchment, I swing my axe quickly before stepping back out of the room.

War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 1 = 10
Bit of Luck: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11

"I think it'll follow us, we did open the door that was locking it in!"

So ... does my DR apply to this creatures attacks?

it does.. that's the -1 I added into the damage roll this time, and I had changed you to full health when Andrezi healed you.

-Posted with Wayfinder

As recommended, Kiera backs out of the room. Frustrated by this partially-ethereal foe, she hurls her returning dagger as she goes.

Returning dagger, into melee: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 - 4 = 12

Andrezi fade back away from the room, calling out once more for the others to join him. Of course, this is after granting Daelric his customary extra luck!

Daelric continues to swing at the creature, but with no luck.

Kiera falls back with Andrezi, tossing her dagger before she does so. The dagger clangs off of the stone wall before returning to her hand.

Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 9 dmg
Barghest- 7 dmg
Kiera
Volkar

"Alright then," Volkar said in response to the suggestion that they clear the room and let it keep the thing imprisioned therein. He moved to the open door and held it ready to shut when Daelric backed through it.

"Daelric, to me and the door," he said loudly in dwarvish.

Volkar moves back to the door, prepared to shut it on the beast before them, when the Barghest stops blinking and steps forward. It points a giant claw at Volkar, and words dripping with honey flow out of the creature. "I am but a friend! You wouldn't leave me trapped here, would you? I have been imprisoned for far too long to be left alone!"

Casting Charm Monster, DC 19 Will save please. You receive a +5 bonus to your save because you are in combat, but if you fail, you must move within the room and refuse to allow the doors to be shut.

Seeing the rest of the party running for the door, Orik swipes one more time at the now solid creature before withdrawing towards the door.
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 9 dmg
Barghest- 7 dmg
Kiera
Volkar- DC 19 Will, +5 Bonus

Volkar, you know I had already stepped out of the room before You, right? I will wait to see the results of Volkars save before posting my action, in case he cannot leave the room.

Volkar listened to the creature's plea and then shrugged, "not my court, and not my sentence, but you can deal with that I would think."

He moved to where he could shut the door and was ready to do so when all of the party was behind him.

In the likely event that his hunch is wrong, Andrezi calls for a blessing from the Song of the Spheres.

Casting Bless

Volkar: That was a DC 19 Will save. You failed the save. You must move within the room and refuse to allow the doors to be shut. This spell lasts for 10 days, or if attacked by the Barghest. Charm

Volkar switches directions, and moved into the room to stand resolutely before the open leaves of the door. Andrezi prepares for the worst, casting Bless upon the group of friends!

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 9 dmg
Barghest- 7 dmg
Kiera
Volkar-

I sigh as Volkar remains in the room and seems to be ignoring the plan, so I lift my shield, shake my head and step back into the room with the creature before swinging at it again, hoping that I will be able to hit it this time.

War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 = 12

But my axe goes through where it was a moment ago, before it reappears again.

Andrezi, you cast Bless in Round 1.

Hmm...apparently I did. Switch that to a bit of luck for Daelric then since that has been the most common action.

Bit of Luck: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15

Good catch! And so you did, Andrezi! I am so used to you casting Bit o Luck (indeed you did so in the same post) that even I completely forgot about that! Change noted!

Daelric swings once more at the vile creature before him, but even without the blinking to wreck havoc with his aim, he is no luckier than before in his endeavors!

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 9 dmg
Barghest- 7 dmg
Kiera
Volkar- Charmed

Also, just as a reminder Kiera: You have in your possession from the loot you have recovered thus far: Scroll Burning Sphere, Scroll Burning Hands, Wand of Magic Missile. More info in the campaign header..

Noticing that the creature seems affected by force magic even though weapons pass through it, Kiera digs for the wand of magic missiles and waves it with a flick and a firm command word.

Magic missile damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Kiera sends another bolt of force into the creature, scorching another small hole in the beasts hide and eliciting another roar of pain!

The barghest lashes out once more at Daelric, claw glittering in the flickering light of the fire in the pit.
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Dmg: 1d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 - 1 = 7

Orik shakes his head at suicidal dwarves, then follows Daelrics valiant lead as the beast is once more engaged. He swings out with his sword, trying for once to hit the creature. This one gets a lot closer, but still does not connect.
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 16 dmg
Barghest- 11 dmg
Kiera
Volkar- Charmed

Kiera waves the wand once more and again blasts the beast!

Magic missile damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"I'm gonna call you 'old reliable,'" she says to the wand after firing another bolt.

I grimace as another attack rips through my armour with such ease, I swing my axe again, hoping to actually hit the creature this time.

War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 = 22
War-Axe Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Blink Miss (50 % Low hits): 1d100 ⇒ 22

I quickly touch my fresh wound with my hand, letting the green glow flow through my body and the wounds being to mend themselves.

Lay on Hands: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Does the creature also have the miss chance on attacking me due to the blinking?

The creature is no longer blinking, and hasn't since my post on Sun, Sep 10. "the Barghest stops blinking and steps forward. It points a giant claw at Volkar". If this should change Kieras actions, she may repost.

Daelric steps in and with a bit of a holy boost, is finally able to lay his ax on the creature! Using a bit of his own holy powers, he then heals some of his wounds.

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik
Daelric- 13 dmg
Barghest- 14 dmg
Kiera
Volkar- Charmed

Volkar stood and held the door open. He looked back at the creature and nodded in agreement with the request to keep the doors open.

Ah, sorry. I completely missed that bit!

Now that the creature has stopped phasing in and out of existence, Kiera pauses from using the wand and instead fires one of her stronger spells.

Ranged touch attack: Acid arrow, into melee: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 3 - 4 = 18
Acid damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Unsure of why Volkar continues to hold the door open, but knowing something has to be done, Andrezi rushes back into the room past Volkar and targets the creature with a spell.

Admonishing Ray: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 - 4 = 3 (bless, firing into melee) vs touch AC
Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 2, 3) = 12 (non-lethal)

Of course...

Kiera and Andrezi rush back into the room, refusing to leave Volkar behind.
Kiera sends a bolt of acid to follow the scorched path woven by her bolts of force. This one too hits unerringly, eliciting a more primal scream from the ugly creature.
Andrezi tries to use holy powers to Admonish the barghest, but is unable to connect.

Turning away from Daelric for the moment, the barghest swipes at Orik.
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24
Dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Oric reels from the solid blow, and tries to get his first hit in on the brute. His sward strikes the Barghest, but is incapable of piercing its thick hide.
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Dmg: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"Bold May Post"
Andrezi
Orik- 9 dmg
Daelric- 13 dmg
Barghest- 21 dmg
Kiera
Volkar- Charmed

With multiple allies injured, Andrezi calls forth the healing energies of his goddess.

CPE: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11 (Excluding the Barghest)

I swing my axe again, hoping to hit it another time.

War-Axe Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 5 + 1 = 22
War-Axe Damage: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

"I think I can just hold the door open here, we could probably just have it come with us," Volkar said a bit sympatheticly towards the creature. "If we just let it be, it wouldn't be so mean to you all."