DM Carbide runs *! Rise of the Runelords !*

Game Master John Woodford

Thanks for catching that. Skarn is at the end of the Initiative list, and can act now.

Skarn will activate two Judgements: Protection +2 AC, and Justice +2 to hit.

His "normal" AC is now 27, but 31 vs giants.

Skarn will PA and charge the nearest troll that one of his buddies is already attacking...

Heavy Pick +1 Hit: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 20
Heavy Pick +1 Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 6 + 1 = 16 x4, P

Don't forget your hasted attacks!

Skarn, remember that you can't charge through your own allies. However, you do have a 40' move with the haste spell, and that's enough to reach the fight.

Round 1 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Cordwin-acted
Reynard-acted
Trolls-acted
Erond
Trox-acted
Druamin/Kobu
Skarn-acted

Buoyed by Cordwin's spell, Skarn rushes up and hits the troll that Trox already wounded.

Erond and Druamin?

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: 29 Red: 11 Black: 0 Blue: 0

Botting Erond and Druamin:

Erond begins to inspire the party (+4 to hit/+4 to damage), then puts an arrow into the as-yet unwounded blue troll.

Arrow to Blue, DA: 1d20 ⇒ 9
Arrow damage, DA, IC: 1d8 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 4 + 4 + (3) = 14

Druamin steps up, followed by Kobu, and both target the greener troll.

Battleaxe attack: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Porcupine tail attack: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Battleaxe damage, incl. IC: 1d8 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 4 = 13
Porcupine tail damage, incl. IC: 1d8 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 4 = 15

The trolls heal up some of the damage taken.

Round 2:

Initiative order
Cordwin
Reynard
Trolls
Erond
Trox
Druamin/Kobu
Skarn

Cordwin and Reynard are up!

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: 52 Red: 6 Black: 0 Blue: 9

"Keep hammering them, I will try and keep them from regenerating."

Skarn will step back far enough to not be threatened by a troll, and he fires off an acid splash at Green...

Acid Splash: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 + 4 + 2 = 19 vs Touch
Acid Damage: 1d3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Oops, not my turn yet. Ok, so I yell now, and will fire the spell when my turn comes up!

Cordwin and Reynard?

Inspired by Erond's music, Reynard turns and attacks the red troll. It's a brutal display, with teeth and claws and bony spikes all employed to deadly effect.

Attack, Bite: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 13 + 4 = 34
Damage, Magical B/P/S: 1d8 + 14 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 14 + 4 = 19

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 13 + 4 = 19
Damage, Magical B/S: 1d6 + 14 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 4 = 23

Attack, Claw: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 13 + 4 = 18
Damage, Magical B/S: 1d6 + 14 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 14 + 4 = 20

Attack, Bone Spikes: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 13 + 4 = 25
Damage, Magical Piercing: 1d6 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 4 = 21

Attack, Bone Spikes: 1d20 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 4 = 16
Damage, Magical Piercing: 1d6 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 4 = 18

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Cordwin
Reynard-acted
Trolls
Erond
Trox
Druamin/Kobu
Skarn

Reynard tears a chunk out of the troll with his powerful jaws, rakes at it with one claw as the other misses, and then hits it twice with bone spikes. The troll goes down, trying to hold its intestines in place.

Cordwin?

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: 52 Red: 87 Black: 0 Blue: 9

Cordwin will launch a bolt at the troll Reynard is fighting!

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 4 = 11
Attack Hasted: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 9 - 4 = 6
Attack 2: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 4 = 18
Damage 2: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Don't Forget yourr hasted attacks!

Unfortunately, I can't cast multiple acid orbs in Pathfinder in a round, or I'd stop more of them regenerating. For now, I'll use them on any troll that is down (primary) or inured (secondary). You guys knock them down, and I'll keep them down with acid.

Cordwin, 1) you're unable to see the troll that Reynard attacked; 2) he dropped it, doing enough damage that it's out of the fight even if Skarn somehow forgets to acid orb it; and 3) you forgot to include the +4 to hit and to damage from Erond's inspire courage. Which troll do you want to target instead?

Red please!

That's the one Reynard took down, and there's a wall between you and it.

It looks like I should have line of sight on Blue.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Cordwin-acted
Reynard-acted
Trolls-acted
Erond
Trox
Druamin/Kobu
Skarn

Cordwin puts a crossbow bolt into the troll in front of Skarn. Then the trolls attack. A whirlwind of claws and fangs comes to nothing, as the party's defenses are more than a match for trollish accuracy (or lack thereof).

Erond, Trox, Druamin, and Skarn can act!

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: 52 Red: 87 Black: 0 Blue: 21

"Enough of this."

+1 Adamantine Longsword PA: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

+1 Adamantine Longsword PA: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Frustrated Trox lashes out.... poorly. "Blasted big targets should not be so easy to miss."

Skarn executes his acid orb action from above against the dropped troll.

Skarn, I should have noticed this--a 5' step won't get you out of the troll's reach, and if you withdraw you can't cast this round. OTOH, the troll is unlikely to hit you with its AoO, and you could also cast defensively.

I have Escape Route, and lots of allies around, so I can move back without provoking or needing to withdraw. I can’t hit red from there though, green then.

Nice! I hadn't seen that particular feat before.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Cordwin-acted
Reynard-acted
Trolls-acted
Erond
Trox-acted
Druamin/Kobu
Skarn-acted

Trox hits the green troll solidly, dropping it with his first blow and doing it more damage with the second (prone target), and then Skarn shuts down its regeneration with a ball of acid. It stops moving.

Erond, Druamin, and Kobu to go!

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: dead Red: 87 Black: 0 Blue: 21

Erond will fire a few arrows. He will start with red and moving on to blue if red falls.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 = 141d8 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 + 4 + (2) = 18
Attack RS: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 = 251d8 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 4 + 4 + (5) = 17
Attack Iterative: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 4 + 3 = 241d8 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 4 + 4 + (3) = 18 Hawkeye

Erond, as I just told Cordwin, 1) Red is down already, and 2) there's a wall between you and it. It's still on the map because it's regenerating (at least until Skarn hits it with more acid). You currently have shots at Black and Blue, although they have cover from the doorway and the pair of party members between you and them. Also, you missed the haste spell Cordwin cast to open the fight, so you get another shot.

Round 2 (ongoing):

Erond's first arrow goes somewhere in the vague vicinity of Blue, but his second and third hit. The troll is damaged but not knocked down.

Druamin? Also, Erond, your hasted attack.

Druamin glances at the fallen troll for only a second then steps up to the closest one. "Ok you ugly, pathetic excuse for a creature. Let's see if I can help you about by ending your miserable existance."

He swings his axe.

battleaxe@blue,haste: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 1 = 29
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
battleaxe@blue,haste: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6
battleaxe@blue,hasted attack: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 1 = 17
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

"Kobu, get around there!" Druamin points to the other side of the troll and Kobu scampers across the stone floor to get into position. Then he smacks the troll.

tailslap@blue: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 2 = 31
comfirm, flanking: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 2 = 28
dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Cordwin-acted
Reynard-acted
Trolls-acted
Erond-mostly acted
Trox-acted
Druamin/Kobu-acted
Skarn-acted

Druamin and Kobu step up and take down the blue troll.

Erond, last arrow.

Trolls: AC 16 T ? FF ? HP taken - Green: dead Red: 87 Black: 0 Blue: 81

It's still on the map because it's regenerating (at least until Skarn hits it with more acid).

Which Skarn will safely do, on his next action.

Erond!

Botting Erond's arrow:

Hasted arrow attack vs. Black: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 4 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 + 4 - 2 - 2 = 32
Arrow damage: 1d8 + 1d6 + 2 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + (6) + 2 + 4 + 4 = 21

Erond does some damage to the troll. The three remaining trolls all regenerate.

Round 3:

Cordwin and Reynard are up! Somehow I don't think the remaining troll is long for this world....

The end is inevitable, so rather than bot Reynard I'll just call it here.

Reynard tears the remaining troll to pieces. Skarn spends the next few rounds shutting down their regeneration.

Out of combat!

There's nothing of particular interest in the room.

Where to next?

I have had maybe a dozen characters over the years with either acid splash or an element changed ray of frost on tap for just such an emergency, and Skarn is the first one ever to get to use them effectively for this purpose!

"Well now that that's over. Let's see what we can do to fix up this dam mess. But maybe there are some more uglies behind that door. Everyone ready?"

Druamin moves to the double doors straight across from where they first entered the room and opens up the door.

Reynard wipes off the worst of the troll gore and nods, moving up behind Druamin as he heads for the door.

Trox starts cleaning off his longsword and absently kicks one of the trolls annoyed.

"I am sure there is more then this. These are not the brains of this I any more then I am the brains of this group."

He looks around and moves with Druamin. "Lets go around the room, this one first."

"I am sure there is more then this. These are not the brains of this I any more then I am the brains of this group."

Skarn nods approvingly, "truer words could not be spoken my friend."

*rimshot*

The room revealed is empty of everything except the green ropy fungus, some of which has been piled into nests rather like the ones in the first room the party entered. Erond and Skarn find a loose stone in the wall near one of the nests; behind it is concealed a cracked emerald that looks to be worth about 400 gp, a bent gold comb in the shape of a behir with tiny pearls for eyes (worth about 850 gp), and a pair of lacy pink gloves that smell faintly of lilacs and are clean despite their mucky surroundings.

There are, incidentally, some indication that the trolls were eating ogres--larger bones cracked for marrow, ogre hooks, and the like.

Continuing, the party finds nothing to fight on this level.

More to come.

Magic items?

The gloves are magical.

"Those gloves appear to be magical." Skarn points.

Three round windows in the southernmost room look out over the southern view from Skull’s Crossing. Additional skull carvings decorate the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. In the middle of the north wall stand massive stone double doors, their smooth surfaces smeared with graffiti written in dried blood.

The graffiti is written in Giant, and reads "BELOW DWELLS WET PAPA GRAZUUL! ALL HAIL WET PAPA GRAZUUL!"

Skarn points at the writing, "so that seems ominous. I don't suppose anyone knows what a 'Wet Papa Grazuul' is?"

I'm guessing Dungeoneering, or Nature, I have the same bonus on each.

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11 +3 to identify creature abilities and weaknesses

Insufficient data; "Grazuul" isn't a creature name in Giant.

"In the days of my youth, there was a fish in lake that refused to be caught. The stories about this fish went back more than 400 years, which I suppose seems a very long time to some of you. Every year, the thing would steal bait, get away, and grow larger. My grandsire named it 'The Great Food-Stealer-Survivor,' which now that I say it in Taldane, it doesn't sing like it does in Dwarven. Anyways, I'll bet that's what we've got here. The Trolls have some legend of a critter they can't seem to ever catch, so they have exalted it to deific proportions."

Knowledge(Nature): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26

"Really? Why didn't someone just swim down into the water and capture that creature? Or I guess, there wasn't any real reason to. I mean, the stories were more interesting that the creature, right? But I kinda like your idea here too Skarn. So do you think they're talking about something in the water?"

"Well, they did say 'wet,' so maybe? Besides, we're at a dam, so lots of water here."

Anyone besides Skarn with Knowledge (Local), please make a check. Also, is anyone doing anything with the doors?

Knowledge(local): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 That's not going to be helpful

Anyone besides Skarn with Knowledge (Local), please make a check. Also, is anyone doing anything with the doors?

Well, my knowledge (local) is actually +10, so that's a 12!

Cordwin, always up for hearing a good story, listens to Skarn's with great interest. When he is done he applauds Skarn. You will have to tell me more stories over a stout ale, my friend!

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Cordwin realizes that in this context, "Grazuul" is likely to be a proper name; it's not an uncommon name among trolls, as it happens.

So you have this set of double doors. Is anyone going to open them?