SR's - Silent Gods (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Inish: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

The flickering torchlight reveals what has the goats spooked and running around the paddock... and they have a right to be afraid. The Black Mist has induced a premature birth from one of the does. Or rather, the mutated offspring decided to exit its mother's womb in its own time and none too gently. The hulking, slick, placenta-coated beast seems to be absorbing what remains of the destroyed doe into itself. A leg sticks out of its side haphazardly. In its first few moments of life, it wobbles to its feet - on five legs. It is hard to describe the pale abomination. It most resembles a sickly white, mange-ridden, three horned goat with a broken neck. Most horrific, aside from the malignant intelligence in its glassy eyes, is its lamprey-like circular mouth lined with a row of needle teeth and an outsized fanged ridge along the top. As it breathes, it exhales a wispy cloud of putrid black mist.

The lamprey mouth tears the neck vertebrae from another fleeing goat. Then it lowers its body onto its victim and starts merging the corpse with itself. In a moment, the dead goat's head begins to wobble back and forth while bleating.

Hopping the paddock fences (assuming you choose to do so) makes each entry square difficult terrain. Once again, whoever is in bold is up.

Round: 1

ORDER: Ezekiel, Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Aerik, Lyrica

MAP: What's Got Yur Goat?

Mood Music?

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Yeesh, not good. ;-)

Jak's mind reels at the abomination. "What the hells is that thing?!" he yells to no one in particular as he falls back to the protection of the group. He silently curses himself for losing his crossbow in a mean hand of Three-Kings Pickup. The hand just looked so good at the time, he thinks as his mind scrambles for what to do.

As he rounds the corner of the Wynn house, he's confronted with a haggard and scared mass of Dies Drear survivors, and the answer is clear. Our folk are tough. They just need to remember it.

"THIS IS OUR HOME" he roars. "LET'S KICK WHATEVER-THAT-IS OUT ON IT'S ASS!" Every word adds a grain of strength and courage to everyone in sight.

Round 1
MOVE: to Q.20
STANDARD: Inspire Courage +1

Jak shouts a warning and a rallying cry as he sprints from around the far end of the house.

Moving on in case Ez is gone for the holiday...
Next UP... Marcus.

Round: 1

ORDER: Ezekiel, Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Aerik, Lyrica

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

Marcus sets the lantern down, drawing a throwing axe as he moves closer for a better look.

We've got to lure it away from those poor goats before it...grows anymore, he says, taking aim and throwing the axe end-over-end at the horror's face.

Just keep your distance--it's spittin' out that mist. I don't think it'll kill us outright, just keep us nice and still. That thing's a blood sucker, prob'ly likes his prey alive.

Free: drop lantern

Move: to T25, drawing throwing axe

Standard: Throw Axe, Inspire, one extra range increment 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 3 + 1 - 2 = 15

Damage, inspire 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

Marcus - I'm going to assume you dropped your lantern in front of your final position, otherwise the Goat is in dim lighting which gives you a Miss chance.

Marcus stalks the abomination through the dark night, approaching via the narrow gap between the huts. Bolstered by Jak's words and assisted by the beast's inattention while it 'joins' with the goat beneath it, the Ranger's axe flies true. It buries itself in the beast's skull just below one of its trio of twisted horns. The fell beast coughs up a hoarse bleat with black phlegm that steams as it pools.

Next UP... Ez and the 'Goat'

The Ghul Goat's body bloats and grows as it fully incorporates its last victim. Then the foul beast's nostrils flare as it scents easier prey than the other goats trapped in the paddock. It rises up on its sizable haunches and charges towards the paddock gate. The wooden cross-bars can't withstand the assault. They shiver and snap as the gate nearly comes off its hinges. The fence barely slows the creature down. Free of the paddock the Ghul Goat turns its baleful eyes in all directions - on the hunt. Uphill it smells the living Ruskes and Howells interspersed with the sweet tang of the generous dead. Along the river it sees the survivors clustered near the Balatin house. It enjoys the taste their fear briefly but its nose is assaulted by the disturbing scent of their determination. Many in that large group, if pressed, will fight. Finally, it scents the death in the village - intoxicating and hard to resist. The nearest body is so ready...

The Ghul Goat fixes its eye on the crumpled corpse of poor Selwyn Guthwite, outside the Odenbrand house, (T18) and drools...

Next UP... Ez (can either take an action while the GG is in the paddock or delay in the order to act after the GG), Lyrica, and Aerik.

Round: 1

ORDER: Ezekiel, Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Aerik, Lyrica

MAP: What's Got Yur Goat?

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

Round 1

Fear had gripped Ezekiel upon seeing the creature. His instincts told him to run, to make sure Rowan and Olivia were safe. And run he was about to. But hearing Jak's words take hold of Ezekiel. He moves forward, reaching into his bag and retrieving more mixtures. "A bottle of alcohol and a heating catalyst. Should pull off the same effect as before." The doctor moves next to Jak and flings the mixture at the creature with a grunt of exertion.

Move to Q19, standard to throw bomb.

Attack, PBS, Inspire Courage vs. touch: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10

If that misses touch, 6 damage, DC 13 reflex for half.

Hearing Marcus' warning, Aerik bursts out of the doorway, his shield illuminated with magical light.

"That... creature, isn't going anywhere."

His free hand clasps the symbol of Gozreh around his neck, as the solemn druid chants some words of power. Grass and tree roots grow around the Ghul Goat, grasping at its misshapen form in an attempt to hold it fast.

Move action: Skirt around to R-19

Std action: Cast Entangle centered in the square south of Z-16. If I'm counting right, since it is a 40 ft radius, all of us should be out of the area of effect. If he can't see that far, he will move to S-19 instead, so only he is affected and his allies are ok.

Round 1

Lyrica pulls out her scimitar and moves along the back of the Wynn's house to W24 where she will remain covered behind the corner of the house and watches for an opportunity to flank the goat creature.

Dear Sarenrae, guide me and protect me as I endeavor to do you will.

The Bonesetter's alchemical flask shatters across the distended side of the beast and quickly catches flame. The smell of rancid burnt goat and hair wafts through the air accompanied by the pained braying of the creature.

Direct hit.

Grasses and roots come alive around the Ghul Goat, on the trail, and on the bluff. The Goat finds its five legs snared and a long root coils around its midsection. On the bluff above, the shouts of locals indicate the plants have snared more than the Druid intended.

Reflex DC:14 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Aerik - you don't have your DCs listed on your character sheet. I'd prefer it if you'd list them and any relevant save information in OOC script when you cast a spell. It saves me time having to look things up. Check out Ezekiel's post for an example.

In the confusion of explosions and spells, Lyrica sneaks between the houses, slipping past the Ranger, and looking for a good opportunity to strike...

Round: 2

ORDER: Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Ezekiel, Aerik, Lyrica

MAP: What's Got Yur Goat?

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

SR, do I have to make a climb check to hop the fence, or is it just two squares of movement, or both?

That first square will cost you two, after that you are over the fence and your move is normal.

As the echoes of Jak's shouted encouragement hangs in the night air, he takes a step forward–refusing to look down at whatever former townsfolk he's now straddling–and pulls a silver coin from his pocket. "Good to see you still drawing breath, Zeke," he says to the town bone-setter before muttering a few unintelligible words. The coin lights up like some kind of tiny, steady torch. "I'll try to keep some light on it."

Round 2:
FREE: discontinue Inspire Courage - Lingering Performance: rd 1/2
FREE: 5' step straight south
MOVE: Draw a coin from his coin pouch
STANDARD: Cast Light on the coin.

Marcus deftly hops the fence, drawing his remaining axe as he maneuvers past Lyrica. He again heaves the axe at the goat's face before turning back and speaking to the young paladin.

Best stay behind me, miss, if this thing comes our way. His quiet but firm tone suggests this matter is not up for debate.

Move: To W23

Standard: Throw Axe, IC, one additional range increment 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 1 - 2 = 12

Damage 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9

"Best stay behind me, miss, if this thing comes our way."

"I may be badly wounded, Marcus, but they killed my mother and I can't just stand around and let this fiend destroy the rest of the townsfolk! Let me help and do what I can!"

Jak sets a coin glowing but its light fails to chase away all of the shadows surrounding the fell Goat.

Marcus' axe caroms off the tangled horns of the creature as it thrashes against the entangling vines.

Next UP... the Goat

The fused heads sticking from the Ghul Goat's body are apparently under the creature's malign influence. Their teeth tear at the largest roots binding it, even as the five large hoofed limbs threaten to free it from the entangling grasses. With a sod-turning rip the beast rises and struggles forward. It stalks slowly up the alleyway between the buildings until it is free of the roots that try to delay it. The Druid and Rascal stand their ground even as the fetid black breath of the creature assaults their nostrils and turns their stomachs. It smells of rotting corpses and stagnant ponds.

STAND: STR Check to Break Free
MOVE: Move (difficult terrain)

Round: 2

ORDER: Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Ezekiel, Aerik, Lyrica

Be aware of the brighter greener area within the black lines - that is the area of the Entangle.

MAP: What's Got Yur Goat? (Updated)

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

STR v DC:14: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Round 2

Lyrica moves along the perimeter of the Wynn's house skirting the edge of the entangling plants and roots area. She comes out at U20 (or U21 if Aerik has taken that spot) and stabs her scimitar into the Ghul Goat from behind.

"By your faithful light, let us strike down this hideous beast!"

Scimitar: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 (+1 BAB, +3 Str, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 Inspire Courage, +2 Flank)
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 (+3 Str, +1 Inspire Courage)

um, she would have had to go thru my entangle. i was going to withdraw and drop the entangle anyhow, so i dunno how SR normally handles this kinda stuff. Either way, this was gonna be my move:

free action: 5 ft move to Q-20

std action: dismiss entangle

move action: draw dagger

"Clear the area! Let the Doc throw some more fire at this beast!"

Sorry, half-squares or less than half-squares are not viable for movement and the entangle reaches up to the house. So you can't skirt it. The only obvious way to avoid the entangle while passing through its area would be a jump that doesn't intersect any half or fully blocked squares... so a 'leap of faith' from X22 to U19. However, since Aerik acts before you... the issue is moot. The entangle is gone by the time Lyrica moves to flank. :)

The Druid slides away from the unnatural creature and dismisses the entangling vines with a wave of his hand as Lyrica races around the building and buries her scimitar's blade deep in the Ghul Goat's haunch - the fleshy leg buckles. The beast's mangy head whips around to regard to Paladin. The circular rows of teeth gnash as it belches a menacing, blood-tinged bleat.

Next UP... Ezekiel

Round 2

Reaching into his bag, desprately seeking something else to use, he comes upon another vial. "Distilled oil shale, this might do it." Removing the vial, he throws it at the creature.

Attack, PBS, Inspire Courage vs. touch: 1d20 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10
Scatter: 1d8 ⇒ 5

5' step north, standard to bomb. If that misses touch, 6 damage, DC 13 reflex for half. Considering the roll, I rolled scatter which would put it at the intersection of R19-R20; S19-S20. Meaning Jak and creature take splash (10 damage, DC 13 reflex for half) if the roll missed.

As Lyrica rounds the corner of the building, Ezekiel hurls a small vial at the Goat. It bounces off the creature's knobby spine before exploding behind it, singeing the beast's flank. Fortunately, Lyrica checks her speed and avoids immolation.

Unless I'm reading the Splash rules wrong, Ez, your direction roll of '5' has the flask detonating behind the Goat since the position of the blast keys off your position in relation to the target... i.e. a roll of '1' always has the splash weapon falling in between you and the baddie. All rolls after that are counted off clockwise. So '5' puts the blast on the Goat's flank. I could be wrong on that.
I was reasonably certain you three wouldn't polish off the creature so I didn't delay you further in the order than immediately after the Goat... so Lyrica hadn't run up and stabbed it yet - otherwise, she'd be getting a faceful of alchemical explosion.

Round: 3

ORDER: Jak, Marcus, Ghul Goat, Ezekiel, Aerik, Lyrica

MAP: What's Got Yur Goat? (Updated)

A's HPs: 7|14
E's HPs: 7|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 5|15
M's HPs: 14|14

Reflex Save DC:13 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

You are correct, I had it reversed. I thought a 1 was an overshot and went clockwise from there. Glad you looked it up ;p

Well, I didn't want to enjoy watching you scorch a teammate due to a misread rule... I'm content to wait for it to happen when it is all legal and proper. :D
Hmm... guess that makes me a Lawful Sadistic DM.

Jak, you want to delay until I come up so we can flank it? Lyrica, you might not want to run up next to this thing unarmored. Check out its remaining HP (I know it's meta, but that thing will be around for a while and I'd rather it not kill you and absorb your body.) SR isn't one to pull punches, or monstrous goat bites in this case. ;-)

I say we stick with the actions posted. don't wanna start retconning this early in the game. :)

When Jak sees Lyrica step into the other side of the goat-thing, there are about a million reasons why a retreating step is suddenly not an option. (Pride can be a b!tch, can't it?) So instead he lashes out with his knife, trying to avoid its terrifying mouth.

Round 3
STANDARD: Attack GOAT-MAN! (rolls modified by Inspire Courage +1 & flank)
Lingering Performance: rd 2 of 2
.
Dagger: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 + 1 + 2 = 18
---> Damage: 1d3 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 1 = 7

SR isn't one to pull punches, or monstrous goat bites in this case. ;-)

What?! Slanders, lies, and calumny! Honestly, you TPK the previous party just once and then nuke half a town of good upstanding Dies Drearians and all of a sudden you've got a bloodthirsty rep. Where's the love?

Faced with attacks from all sides, the Goat swings around... giving Jak an opening at its exposed neck. He hilts the dagger into what passes for a throbbing artery in its patchily furred throat. Black blood, sticky as molasses, spurts across the Scoundrel and paints a curlicue script across the nearby hut. Such is the strength of the beast that it does not drop.

Jak - a d3 Dagger? Did you suddenly become a gnome?

Next UP... Marcus

Lol. Sorry, typo, you want a re-roll?

Nah, you aren't likely to roll any better and could quite possibly roll worse... so let's let the 3 stand.

Lol. Sorry, typo, you want a re-roll?

no arcane strike? ;)

Holding it so i can use Timely Inspiration (immediate action) if the opportunity presents itself.

Holding it so i can use Timely Inspiration (immediate action) if the opportunity presents itself.

gotcha. i didn't realize timely inspiration could be used during the "lingering" phase of a performance. if im not mistaken though, if you use arcane strike during your turn this turn as a swift, you can still use timely inspiration after your turn as an immediate, by forfeiting the following turn's swift action.

it doesn't require active Performance. :)

Marcus stays low as he hugs the building, hopping the fence again and holding up his shield as he moves to engage the monstrous creature. He swings his axe with all his might, hoping that it is too preoccupied with the others to dodge the blow.

Move: To U19, drawing/readying shield on the way.

Standard: Attack with Axe, Inspire 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Damage, with inspire 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

I can't imagine it'll matter with a roll like that, but that's flanking against a creature that size. :D

I wasn't sure, so I left it out, but definitely good to know. Meanwhile, take 15 damage to the FACE, you evil goat! ;-)

The Ranger waits for the beast to turn its head before driving his axe at a skew angle between the weapon-snagging horns. The axehead slams deep into the Goat's skull just above its baleful eyes. The foul creature's head whips sideways as its lamprey mouth reflexively snaps in Marcus' face trying to clamp down on his head in its death spasm. A moment later, its legs shake and the vast bulk of the bloated thing slams into the earth. Then the body squelches and separates in a wash of amniotic slime - leaving three broken and partially digested goats in a rotting skin-sack where there was once a single foul creature. You all stand ankle deep in the noisome effluvium of the beast.

COMBAT OVER

Aerik, Jak, Marcus - Horror Checks (Fort Saves), please.

Aerik watches with disgust as the foul creature shudders and dies.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

"Get away from it. We don't know if the....wrongness... is contagious."

Fort 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Lyrica heeds Aerik's warning and steps clear away from the dead beast.

"Thank Sarenrae, we lived! What was that hideous beast? I have never seen a goat like that before! What happened to it?" As Lyrica realizes how close the situation was she expression her genuine appreciation to the other. "Thank you, everyone! I would not have survived much longer without your support. I guess we are the tough bunch that Jak says we are."

Turning to the ranger, Lyrica apologizes quietly, "Marcus, I am sorry that I did not heed your words and ran out to attack the creature. I just didn't want anybody else to die, and I though that if I acted quickly I could help put this creature down before it could strike at any of us."

Taking a deep sigh, Lyrica, looks around and then to the others and asks, "How are you all faring? Do any of you have wounds that need addressing?"

Finally, the young paladin turns to her peer, gives him a weak smile and says, "Jak, I'm so glad to see you are alive!" She then puts her arms around him in a tight embrace as tears come to her eyes and she cannot help but think of the loss of her own mother. "I am afraid to ask, but how is your family?"

Jak has seen some bad things in his day... but nothing like this. His mind rebels at the horror of the puddle he's standing in, the bodies in the streets, the reek of omnipresent death, and the nightmare that has begun. He wipes his face and it comes away smeared with the black blood of the goat-thing. Aerik's words kindle a fear in his heart - contagious. What if the blood turns him into something.

Give yourself 1 Horror Point, Jak. It has no adverse effects.