Rise of the Runelords

Game Master Kevin O'Rourke 440

As soon as Drazh opens the door, Marten takes in the scene in the room and casts telekinetic charge to thrust the dwarf at the ogre.

Yes, Marten's version of battlefield control for this round is to throw the heavily armored dwarf at the enemies so that they can't come at the rest of the party with suffering an AoO. Drazh gets an immediate attack with a +2 bonus to hit and then he gets his regular full attack action since it will then be his turn.

Flying Dwarf Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (13) + 23 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (5, 1) + 20 = 26

Hit: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (10) + 21 = 31
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 4) + 20 = 25

Hit: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 5) + 20 = 26

Vs flat footed, so probably 77 damage?

Drazh didn’t expect to fly through the air. One second he was preparing to charge and the next he was airborn. But he was flying towards the ogre, and this was happening as his comrade chanted. Trusting Marten to know what he was doing, Drazh took full advantage of the flat footed giant-spawn by slamming his hammer down upon it’s head.

As soon as Drazh opens the door, Marten takes in the scene in the room and casts telekinetic charge to thrust the dwarf at the ogre.

Drazh didn’t expect to fly through the air. One second he was preparing to charge and the next he was airborn. But he was flying towards the ogre, and this was happening as his comrade chanted. Trusting Marten to know what he was doing, Drazh took full advantage of the flat footed giant-spawn by slamming his hammer down upon it’s head.

The ogrekin loses his stomach for the fight and tries to tumble past Drazh but in his panic just leaves an opening for the dwarf... the donkey rats are dispatched shortly after. I am not wasting everyones time with finishing off the donkey rats
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13
Drazh AOO: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 3) + 20 = 29

Loot
Potion of cure moderate wounds
+1 hide armor
+1 ogre hook
Amulet of natural armor +1,
Collection of severed noses in wax-sealed tin
235 gp

With the ogre-kin and rats dispatched, Miron looks at the jars with disgust. Then searches for and using magic.

Sift, detect magic, Guidance

Perception: 1d20 + 17 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 17 - 5 + 1 = 18

Nothing really... you already got a treasure. I mean I know you're being thorough but sometimes you've just ransacked the place for all it's worth. I'd rather type this than say "You find nothing of interest or value." Keep it up but I feel a bit bad going no no treasure for you.

The room is clearly functioning as a workshop for the creation of traps.

Marten uses a gloved hand to wipe away the single tear trickling down his cheek because they have not found more treasure.

Ferocia spreads her hands wide and.... stops. She shrugs. They enemy was dead already.

"Can't say you don't pull your weight." she remarks aloud, although she doesn't specify who the 'compliment' is intended for.

She wanders through the room, looks at a few springs and tools, then drops it back onto the table in disgust.

"Where to next?" she asks.

A12
This dark, recessed corner of the basement smells of rot and old blood. Piles of gore-spattered skin lie heaped on the floor. A horrid rubbery face robbed of its supporting skull and muscle rests on top, its toothless mouth agape and empty eyes revealing only the layer of tan flayed skin resting beneath.

A14
This damp, steamy room reeks of rotting vegetable matter. Pools of mud and stagnant water dot the mossy floor, and the walls are caked with thick swaths of puffy fungus and mold... which suddenly start to move!

[spoiler=Knowledge Nature DC16[
A tendriculos is a creature brought into being through a corruption of nature, often where foul magic has seeped into the environs for many years, or where the boundaries between the Material Plane and the mysterious realm of the fey have worn thin. Tales and myths speak of arcane manipulation from other planes, while others speak of a tendriculos as being the manifestation of an angered spirit of nature. A voracious carnivore, the tendriculos is an active hunter when it needs to be but it prefers to rely on ambush tactics, choosing well traveled areas in the forest where it can lie in wait in the undergrowth.

You know bludgeoning and fire damage are best employed to counter the tendriculos enhanced vitality.[/spoiler]

Azalia Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Ferocia Initiatve: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Anneka Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Miron Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Drazh Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Marten Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Monster Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Marten
Azalia
Drazh
Anneka
Miron
Plant Monster
Ferocia

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

"Tendriculos!" Fercoia exclaims (and signs). "Smash and burn, guys."

”Don’t know what ye said, but that’s half of what I do anyways.”

Hit: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 15 ⇒ (3, 5) + 15 = 23

Anneka's impressed at the speed and accuracy in Ferocia's sign spelling, as she's never heard of a tendriculos in her life. She waits, apprehensive of its feeding habits...

[ooc]Anneka readies [url=https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/l/liberating-command/]liberating command[url] on the first ally to become grappled by the tendriculos.

Azalia steps into the room, pulls out a blunt arrow, and shoots.

Attack the huge thing: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Unfortunately she doesn't have time to get off another shot because she moved, and her attack falls very short and makes her look like a loser.

No worries Kevin. Miron is a thorough sort. And sometimes the creature loot isn't all there is of interest. But point taken.

K Nature: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

At Ferocia's words, Marten focuses his will and creates a veritable wall of fire on one side of the plant creature.

"Ranged can fire through the energy! It will only damage from one side! Drazh and Ferocia don't get too close!" he barks as he moves to the other side of his creation

Okay, the wall of energy will only give heat damage in the squares I draw it in plus an extra five feet in the direction of the arrows. I've moved Drazh on the map since he attacked. Theoretically he could be one square to the south since the ability doesn't say anything about damage going diagonally, only that it's on one side of the wall, but that might be open to interpretation. Anything moving through the wall takes 2d6+8 damage.

Wall of fire damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

Maybe not the most effective tactic, but I want to play around with the new ability and it makes sense to get the other PCs familiar with any walls of energy before a battle where positioning is more important. Plus, I don't want to use all of Marten's big spells before any final battles. I've used two already on battles that were over in one round.

Drawback: -2 to k nature today until success

Frustrated at his lack of knowledge on this creature, Miron takes solace in his capable companions.

He moves to behind the wall and launches a blob of acid at the plant beast.

Ranged touch attack with Acid Splash: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

Here are two more shots for next round, since I am sure I won't be on when you guys do it:

Attack 1: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 17
Damage 1: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Attack 2: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 20
Damage 2: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

"Tendriculos!" Fercoia exclaims (and signs). "Smash and burn, guys."

At Ferocia's words, Marten focuses his will and creates a veritable wall of fire on one side of the plant creature. "Ranged can fire through the energy! It will only damage from one side! Drazh and Ferocia don't get too close!" he barks as he moves to the other side of his creation.

Azalia steps into the room, pulls out a blunt arrow, and shoots. Unfortunately she doesn't have time to get off another shot because she moved, and her attack falls very short and makes her look like a loser.

”Don’t know what ye said, but that’s half of what I do anyways.” Drazh's armour protects him from the things 'teeth'.
Bite AOO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Anneka's impressed at the speed and accuracy in Ferocia's sign spelling, as she's never heard of a tendriculos in her life. She waits, apprehensive of its feeding habits...

Frustrated at his lack of knowledge on this creature, Miron takes solace in his capable companions.

He moves to behind the wall and launches a blob of acid at the plant beast... which doesn't seem to injure it at all.

The simple plant monster tries to tear Drazh to pieces to escape the flames.
Bite Vs Drazh: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Tendril Vs Drazh: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
Tendril Vs Drazh: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Ferocia
Marten
Azalia
Drazh
Anneka
Miron
Plant Monster HP-39

Seeing the acid hit to no effect, Miron draws his bow and launches arrows in swift succession towards the creature.

Rapid Shot

Shot: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 18

Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Shot: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 1 - 2 = 17

Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Shot: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 - 2 = 14

Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

”Course bloody giants would keep such a beastie..” Drazh grumbled as he swung his hammer again.

Hit: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 15 ⇒ (2, 3) + 15 = 20

Hit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Damage: 2d6 + 15 ⇒ (1, 1) + 15 = 17

Confirm: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23
Crit?: 4d6 + 30 ⇒ (5, 4, 5, 6) + 30 = 50

With a tremendous swing of his hammer Drazh drives his hammer deep into the tendriculos... which spasms a little for a few moments.

A15
A large chest sits against the wall of this low ceilinged chamber.

Loot
Agate-studded gold ring worth 50 gp
Necklace of emeralds and silver worth 350 gp
Pair of small leather gloves studded with pearls (actually gloves of arrow snaring)
Large sack filled with assorted coins (210 gp, 452 sp, and 108 cp)
Ruby-inlaid red dragon-scale cloak clasp worth 600 gp
Studded leather
+1 shocking composite longbow with 20 arrows
Masterwork longsword
Chainmail
+1 battleaxe
+1 handaxe
Composite longbow with 20 arrows#
+1 leather armor
+1 rapier
Masterwork dagger
Composite longbow with 20 arrows
Ring of protection +1

Once the plant is dead and the room searched, Miron will look about.

"I believe there is now the north-east of the ground floor to clear."

”Each of this treasure horde is evidence of giant-kin murders. Bah. Let’s keep clearing this charnel house out.”

A5
This simple room is strewn with “toys,” some of carved wood or bone, while others appear to be little more than partial animal carcasses. Old bloodstains mark the walls; some resemble crude, childlike paintings and feature images of dismembered horses, a ridiculous grinning horned devil tossing children off a cliff, and a big lake with a black reptilian monster sprouting tentacles from its back. Bookshelves rest against the wall, but instead of tomes they hold skulls of all shapes and sizes.

A9
This room is filled with large, flthy beds. Human skulls with antlers fixed to them are mounted on the bedposts and headboards. Against the west wall sits a large cedar chest.

loot
121 cp
110 sp
23 gp
17 mostly skeletal severed fingers

A10
Tables strewn with beakers, glass vials, old tin cans, rope, animal traps, bits of twisted metal, spikes, bones, and all manner of junk litter this area. In one corner sits some old furniture and other keepsakes.

Loot
Five flasks of acid
Three full sets of masterwork thieves’ tools

”A child play-room. If I find any younglings, they die. This place and all within it nay deserve life.” Drazh growled.

"I very much doubt that we shall find any innocents here, even amidst the young.", Miron mutters darkly.

I suspect to the barn next

A16
The barn houses several mounds of molding hay, grain stores, and even a large but crude still. Two catwalks rise up along the walls, leading to doors near the ceiling in the east wall. Lower, a pair of massive doors, boarded over with thick timbers, allows ground access to the room beyond. Several dingy kennels are built into the walls under the catwalks.

Five ogrekin turn as your group enters.

Azalia Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Ferocia Initiatve: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Anneka Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Miron Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Drazh Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Marten Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Monster Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Miron
Azalia
Drazh
Ogrekin
Marten
Ferocia
Anneka

5ft step

Hit Purple: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (15) + 21 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 6) + 20 = 27

Hit Purple: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 4) + 20 = 26

A 19 might hit vs flat footed..

Drazh stepped forward, vengeance in his eyes. These weren’t even close to enough to sate his hatred. They were watered down wretches, mere carriers of the taint of the giant. They were but evidence of the intrinsically evil nature of all giant kind. And they were all as good as dead.

Azalia throws a fireball into the center of the room with the ogrekin.

Fireball damage: 8d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6, 4, 4, 5, 4, 3) = 36

DC 16 reflex save for half damage. Dotted circle indicates the area of effect.

Marten lets loose a joyous guffaw when Azalia's fireball hits.

"Fantastic!"

Then (assuming he can after the ogres have gone) he casts haste on the party.

No shouts of rage from Miron, only disgust and a gaze seeking targets for the acquired bow.

Evidence? Yes. But more importantly, a means to more efficiently slay the perpetrators.

And arrows fly.

Rapid shot at ogre-kin, starting with the most isolated.

shocking composite longbow, +1: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 30

Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 + (6) = 13

shocking composite longbow, +1: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 24

Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 1 + 1 + (3) = 12

shocking composite longbow, +1: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 - 2 = 17

Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 + (1) = 4

First attack crit?: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 1 - 2 = 17

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Azalia outright kills two... Miron finishes off two more and Drazh kills the last. Marten hasn't even had a chance to utter an incantation and they are all dead.

Posting from phone... wow... I increased the enemy numbers to compensate for you guys having six... but all it took was three PCs. I am upping things for numbers but you've all got competent builds too!

Ferocia snarls -- and finds the fight's over again. She shrugs.

Leaving the corpses to her companions -- who she's sure will loot them down to their underwear -- Ferocia wanders around the barn, looking for anything interesting.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

"How many people have died here?" Anneka asks, staggered by the sheer amount of grissly evidence. "Can anyone hear if there are any survivors?"

As he looks over the bodies, Miron replies in speech and sign:

"It must be scores. And I imagine there are bodies for which there is no clear evidence remaining, given the ogre-kin's clear appetites. I have heard no survivors thus far."

With that, Miron cocks his head, trying to listen.

Perception, guidance: 1d20 + 17 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 17 + 1 = 32

Drazh glanced over at his elven companion with new found respect. That fireball had cleared the room quite well, and didn’t burn the building down. A plus given the amount of loot, and the fact that they were inside as well. He whispered into his pack in dwarven to his familiar, who emerged to use prestidigitation on his hammer and clothes. It just wouldn’t do to go around covered in giant-kin filth.

Checking over the bodies and area ye find nothing of great value save a few spears of passable quality but you hear the rasping voices coming from deeper into the barn.

The majority of this large, stuffy chamber is covered in filthy webs forming a funnel that dips down into the ground. A catwalk runs around the rim of the room near the ceiling, twenty feet above the ground. In northeast and southeast corners, the catwalk expands into a ten-foot-square platform that’s fenced in by wooden beams, forming cages. The walls within each cage are hung with iron manacles. Most of the manacles—while bloody— are empty, but three in the southeast corner imprison emaciated men.

The first man of Varissian descent is middle aged with black hair going grey, he has an eyepatch over one eye. "Get us out of here! Who are you?"

The next is a gurandi man with stubble on his head and a goatee, he's by far the largest of the three.

The last is a chellish man, the youngest with chellish features and chestnut hair. He is even in the current circumstances handsome.

Miron quietly observes the three men for some moments, while he replies.

"We slew your captors. Who are you?"

Detect chaos on each captive, starting from left to right.

"I am Jakardos Sovark. This is Vale Thermos-" he points towards the tired garundi man who nods. "-and that's Kaven Windstrike. We're members of the Order of the Black Arrow from Fort Rannick."

Kaven speaks up "It looks like you found some of our gear while you were poking about. How many Graul are left?"

Anneka tries to open the cage in order to heal the men. Have we found a key? Must we break through the wood?

Anneka finds a key on a hook in the room to leave the men out, each thanks her in turn as they are released.

Anneka channels healing magic over each of them. From her own hand, not the wands.

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
cure light wounds: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
cure light wounds: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

"How did you come to be here?" she asks them, watching their lips (especially those of the handsome Kaven).

The men each bare signs of torture with various open wounds.

Jakardos speaks once more "We're what remains of a long range patrol. We got ambushed by the Graul's. All of them descended on us, we killed a few but they were well prepared. They said Fort Rannick in the hands of the Kreeg's now."

Vale spits on the ground at mention of the Kreegs. "They are probably working together, that just means just more scum to kill."

"I do not know but we have killed all ww found here and in the farmhouse. So that is what transpired to get you to this state. And which equipment is yours?"

Sense Motive to judge their state: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27

Heal to assess their wellbeing: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

The three men identify the gear that was taken from them. The firepelt moves over to Jakardos and starts its neck against him, the man seems genuinely pleased and relieved to see the feline.

Gear of the Black Arrows
Studded leather
+1 shocking composite longbow with 20 arrows
Masterwork longsword
Chainmail
+1 battleaxe
+1 handaxe
Composite longbow with 20 arrows
+1 leather armor
+1 rapier
Masterwork dagger
Composite longbow with 20 arrows
Ring of protection +1

Ferocia squats down to speak to the cougar. "That's your master, then?" she considers the two for a moment. "Glad you found him."

She stands back up and nods at Jakardos. "Your cougar worked hard to get to you. Needs a spoiling."

Ferocia starts handing back the gear to the prisoners.

"Fort Rannick's fallen to the Kreeg's? Are they a cult?" She asks the Black Arrows. "We're here chasing after a cult who uses a star symbol to f*** people up. A star with seven points. Have any of you seen it?" She looks at the others, curious if they're telling the truth.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

After giving them a chance to answer she says, "We know the cult is using this star to prepare victims from Turtleback Ferry. They were supposed to have taken over Fort Rannick by now, too. Any idea what connection that has to your Kreeg's? Any members of the Fort have a tattoo of thet symbol?"

While she speaks she keeps an eye out to see if any of them have the sihedron tattooed on them.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34

I crossed out everything they said was there's that was on our loot list. I haven't deleted them yet, in case they turn out to be lying jerks or something. Two of the items were claimed already though, and I leave returning them to whoever has them: the shocking composite longbow, and the ring of protection.

”Found this ring on one of the giant-kin. If yours? Never let it be said that an Anviltamer would withhold the property of another.”

It was in the pile of stuff in the room after defeating the Tendriculous

Vale responds to Ferocias question "The Kreegs are a group of ogres from Hook Mountain, we've fought them many times before... but they've never been this daring. I don't think I've ever seen a symbol like that." The other two men mumble in agreement.

Miron begins to gather the gear, listening as Drazh and Ferocia ask questions. Particularly to Jakardo and Kaven, though he does not ignore Vale.

Discern Lies class feature, as the spell, for as many rounds as that conversation goes on, up to 7, prioritising Jakardo and Kaven.

Sense Motive to assess the truthfulness of their replies and reactions: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25