DM Carbide's Rise of the Runelords

Game Master John Woodford

The party advances into the wider chamber, and no one is surprised when three ghouls attack!

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Ghouls-acted
Nia
Andrezi
Vidar
Garrick

All three go after Nia, as she's in the lead, and two of them hit for 15 HP, plus 2 DC 13 Fort saves vs. paralysis and a DC 13 Fort save vs. disease. If you fail either save vs. paralysis, paralyzed for 2 rounds.

Everyone can act!

Ghouls: AC 14 T 12 FF 12 HP taken - Black: 0 Blue: 0 Red: 0

Aw frick.

Fort save Disease, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Fort save Para, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Fort save Para, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Nia screamed as the ghouls rushed her, easily breaking through her usually impeccable defenses. The scream dwindled as her voice choked off and she froze in place.

Don't worry...the rest of the party will disassemble them in short order.

Garrick steps forward, and as he notes Nia freeze up, he releases the power inside him, his eyes taking on an unnatural green hue while his skin hardens into bark.

Waraxe (PA, Raging): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23 for 1d10 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 2 = 15 Weapon counts as magical thanks to Arcane Strike.

Garrick strides forward and cuts one of the ghouls down easily.

Andrezi and Vidar to go!

In the interest of ending the fight quickly and protecting the paralyzed Nia, Andrezi brandishes his holy symbol and channels a burst of energy to harm the ghouls.

CPE, Will Save DC 16 for half: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 1) = 7 Well that was less than stellar...

Was that your last channel for the day?

Round 1 (ongoing):

Holy power sears into both of the remaining ghouls, but it's not enough to put them down.

Vidar?

Was that your last channel for the day?

1 left.

Vidar launches a magic missile at the second ghoul.

Magic missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 3, 1) + 3 = 8

Vidar's spell finishes off the second ghoul.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Ghoul-acted
Nia-paralyzed
Andrezi
Vidar
Garrick

The final ghoul bites Nia for 6 HP, plus another DC 13 Fort save vs. disease, then flees into the darkness.

Everyone can act! Nia, you can only take mental actions at this point.

Ghouls: AC 14 T 12 FF 12 HP taken - Black: 7 Blue: 0 Red: 0

How far did it flee, asking as someone with darkvision and less worries about said darkness he's hiding in

30 feet from where it started, so 40 feet from Garrick. Note that you're unable to charge through Nia without a special ability.

Fort save, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Aw frick. Well once she's un-paralyzed she'll drink her antiplague and re-roll.

Andrezi will put himself between the helpless investigator and the ghoul, firing off a bolt from his crossbow.

Light Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Confirm Light Crossbow?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Extra Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Round 2 (ongoing):

The last visible ghoul drops!

Garrick and Vidar to go!

Garrick moves forward, axe in hand, stepping in front of Nia to defend her.

Can't do much else, I'm in a bloodrage at the moment

Vidar mutters the first words of an incantation, holding back just enough to not discharge it yet.

Ready a magic missile

Round 3:

Nia recovers from the paralysis effect.

Nia gasps as her muscles suddenly loosen and she falls to the floor, coughing as her diaphragm heaved and she fought to not throw up on herself. Shuddering, she blindly gropes in her belt pouch for a few seconds before finally finding whatever it is she's looking for. Without even looking at it to confirm, she flicks the stopper out of the vial and gulps down the contents.

Antiplague re-roll, DC 13: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 3 + 5 = 25 (Also +5 to saves vs disease for 1 hour)

After a few seconds her spasms stop and her breathing slows, the wild bright red color in her cheeks and forehead fading as the ghoul fever recedes and she regains control of her body.

"Oh, gods," she says weakly from the floor. Her eyes are still closed and tracks of tears are visible on her face. "Just... just give me a second, ok? I just... need a second... to catch my breath."

Garrick nods, "Take all the time you need.. but there's still one out there.. think it's staying just out of the range of my darkvision."

Garrick, Andrezi finished that one off. However....

Everyone can hear the sound of movement from further into the cave passage.

Will anyone be doing anything else during Round 3?

How much further, guesstimating? Could she light a torch and throw it in that direction and we'd probably be able to see it?

It sounds like whatever is making the noise is very close. We're still in the same round count as the first fight, we're not to Round 4 yet, and Nia spent all of her Round 3 actions drawing and drinking her antiplague.

Garrick moves forward, "Don't think there's any good in sneakin' anymore," he mutters, his dwarven eyes piercing the darkness as he does.

Round 3 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Ghouls-acted
Nia-acted
Andrezi
Vidar
Garrick-moved

Garrick advances and sees four more ghouls rushing towards him!

Andrezi and Vidar can act! Garrick, I only moved you a single move, so you still have an action remaining.

Vidar moves forward and takes a moment to asses the situation.
"More of the walking dead is it? Humph."

Muttering a few oaths under his breath, he holds back for now, waiting to see how the situation unfurls.

Andrezi moves up right behind Garrick and unleashes the last of his divine energies to harm the oncoming undead.

CPE, Will DC 14 for half: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1) = 7

Could Garrick charge to close the distance and attack?

Sure, it's a straight shot and you guessed that there was something present.

Ok, and since we were still in rounds, he's still raging (and therefore not fatigued and unable to charge)

No problem! You definitely heard them coming right after Andrezi dropped the last of the initial trio.

I had rolled an attack that didn't post... Weird. Guess I previewed and then got distracted.

Garrick rushes forward, swinging his axe, the energy of life flowing through him.

Waraxe (Charge): 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 2 = 21 for 1d10 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8 Arcane Strike

Boo. Rolled a 12 last time. Hope that hits.

Round 3 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Ghouls-acted
Nia-acted
Andrezi-acted
Vidar
Garrick-acted

Garrick rushes forward with Andrezi hot on his heels. The combination of positive energy and arcane blade are enough to drop the first ghoul, but the other three are still active and threatening.

Vidar, do you want to take an action now?

Ghouls: AC 14 T 12 FF 12 HP taken - Black dead Red: 7 Green: 3 Blue: 3

Vidar delays.

Round 4 (ongoing)

Initiative order
Ghouls-acted
Nia-
Andrezi-
Vidar-delaying
Garrick-

The ghouls swarm over Garrick, clawing and biting at him, but only one manages to hit him for 2 HP, plus DC 13 Fort save or paralyzed for 4 rounds. You're lucky I rolled so poorly--average d20 roll less than 6.

Everyone can act!

Fort: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Garrick winces slightly as the claw tears into his barky flesh, then smiles as the power flowing through him causes the wound to knit and heal even as he swings his axe to hew another ghoul.

Waraxe (PA): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18 for 1d10 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20

Hit for 2, then fast heal 2, so that works.

Round 4 (ongoing)

Initiative order
Ghouls-acted
Nia-
Andrezi-
Vidar-delaying
Garrick-acted

Garrick fells another ghoul.

Nia, Andrezi, Vidar to go!

Seeing another Ghoul fall, Vidar decides to conserve his remaining spells for now.

The square south of Garrick- would a PC be squeezing to fit in there (and taking appropriate penalties)? Basically asking if there's a way to get another person on the front line or not.

Sure, you can do that.

Nia dashed forward to assist, squeezing in next to Garrick and stabbing at a ghoul (red).

MW Cold Iron Rapier, Fighting Defensively/Dex Mutagen: 1d20 + 9 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 2 + 2 = 29
Dmg if hits: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7
Crit confirm?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

AC is 29 this round (19 touch/24 FF)

I believe that you're too far away to manage that, unless you have some ability to charge through Andrezi, or a 40' movement rate.

Andrezi steps back while loading his crossbow before taking a shot at the red clad ghoul.

Light Crossbow (firing into melee): 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 6 - 4 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 8

Oh, ok I hadn't counted the squares, sorry. She'll just move into position this round, then. Still Fighting Defensively for the AC bonus. Just use the rolls next round when she's in range.

Andrezi brings down another ghoul.

Round 5 (ongoing):

The last ghoul flails ineffectually at Garrick before Nia drops it.

Out of combat!

There's no treasure to be had here, but one of the ghouls had a piece of stone embedded in its head. Examination shows it to be part of a statue...a wing, to be exact, which matches the broken statue found upstairs in the room with the homicidal scarf.

Where to now?

Garrick releases the power flowing through him, his skin softening and the green of his eyes lightening. "Well, that was... fun," he says, "Just give me a minute."

Nia gestures up ahead. "Let me go up ahead and see what's there."

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30 +2 if it's dark
Perception: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 12 - 1 = 24 +2 if it's dark

Sneak to the intersection on the map, Perception check to see/hear what there is in the 2 directions, come back to group to tell them what she finds.

Continuing into the cavern (I assume you're not doubling back to check the small area you haven't explored yet), Nia comes to a branch. She hears nothing from the lefthand passage. The other passage echoes with a sound like rushing water, and she can smell a combination of salt and rotten meat.

Is this house near the ocean?

Nia stealthily returns to the group to report her findings.

Is this house near the ocean?

Oh, yeah...it's been over a year. Here's the original description of Foxglove Manor.

Yeah, totally forgot we were near the ocean. Thanks!

Nia reports what she found. "It sounds like one way leads outside and smells like there's a monster in there. The other way probably leads deeper into these caves. We should go that way, I think."

We were following Iesha, right? Has there been any indication she's been down here at all? I searched and the last post I see about her is from before we got down to this level.