Spooky's Wrath of the Righteous group 2 (Inactive)

Game Master Nidoran Duran

Anyone still need to level up? Or can we hit the road?

I'm ready to move as soon as you guys want!

Ready!

Gah, forgot to ask; will you be taking the NPCs with you? Or leaving them behind to rejoin you once the coast is clear?

From the hamlet of Neatholm, the tunnel wides mostly southeastward for about 2,000 feet. The tunnel narrows down to a 5-foot-wide passageway, walls carved with picks and chisels. You are clearly drawing close to their den.

Soon, you spot barricades made of heaped loose rocks and wooden boards bisecting the cavern. Beyond them, a wooden screen covers the lower half of the tunnel mouth.

Given how much dangerous stuff is down here so far, I'd prefer to take them with us where we can care/heal for them if need be. Especially if we're on our way back to the surface.

I'm just about to head to work, but I'll try and post Piety's actions once I get to the office.

Steave would have left the decision to the NPCs whether they want to continue or stay at Neatholm.

At the sight of the barricades, Steave signals for everyone to stop and withdraws backward out of line of sight. Signaling everyone to gather round, he whispers, "Aeryx, Mulberry, do you want to first try and sneak up and see what we're up against? It looks like a strong defensive position. Charging up and through will be painful if it's defended."

I'd say we bring the NPCs with us, too.
"Better be careful: they're allied with demon cultist. We don't know what they're up to." Menedemus will say, as they plan the next course of action.

Aeryx nods calmly at Steave's suggestion, then looks to Leander for his decision. Once it's decided, Aeryx slips his bow onto his shoulder, arms himself with longsword and shield and moves toward the barricade, making no more noise than a bird in flight.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

I can go either way with the NPC's.

Asking. The man was getting the idea. Leander nodded and lowered into a crouch as he started to move forward. If there were any guards they didn't want to alarm them. He moved silently and surely, secure in his ability.

Silently he drew his shortsword, the blade of his goddess. If it came to charging in he'd do so with pride and wielding her blade.

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

I'm fine with bring the NPC's and so is Leander. He'd simply insist they wait behind a bit for the first foray so they know what is waiting for them.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19

Leander and Aeryx's scouting ahead lets them spot two mongrelman guards standing watch from behind the barricades, heads peeked up to look out for intruders, but their eyes don't catch their visitors.

On seeing the two mongrelmen, Aeryx looks to Leander and tips his head toward the guards and pats his blade, then tips his head back toward the party, as if to ask, Hit 'em now, or go back and report?

He takes a careful look at the wooden screen for signs of weakness or indication of how best to open it from the outside.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The screen is on a crude, makeshift hinge, and can be opened from the outside just fine.

Still here just not a whole lot to do until the sneaky guys come back.

Aleister sends his familiar along with the others to act as a scout. He can speek Common.

After studying the screen a moment, Aeryx concludes that he and Leander can get it open and surprise the two men inside, and that the noise they make will bring their companions running to join the fray. Better than the lot of us trying to sneak up and alerting them all, I'd say.

He then turns and sees Aleister's little bird come flitting up and he smiles. Nice to have someone else with wings along... Aeryx takes a few steps back from the barricade and whispers to the bird, "Pass this message on: two guards, we'll try to take them out, come when you hear us attack."

He makes eye contact with Leander and tips his head towards the barricade. He points at himself and then the guard on the left side, then indicates Leander and the guard on the right, then pats his sword-blade meaningfully. I'll take the one on the left, you get the guy on the right. Once he gets a nod from Leander, Aeryx approaches the screen quietly. When he is near enough, he pulls hard on the crude wooden barrier, exposing the guards and striking at the left-hand mongrelman quickly with his sword.

Not sure if we get a surprise round, nor if I can open the gate and attack, but here’s a roll just in case:

Cold iron longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Piety listens anxiously for any sounds of combat ahead, her shield and the new mace clasped firmly in hand. Although the weapon feels unnatural compared to the sword she had spent so many hours training with, she is comforted by the obvious care the Chief had shown it.

Assuming either Aleister's familiar returns with the message or Piety hears the sound of combat, she will charge up the slope and attack the nearest hostile with the mace

The screen is behind the barrier, relative to you, and the barricade is in front of it; the guards are standing between it. The screen is just a door leading to the interior.

The guards don't notice the Aasimar and Tiefling sneaking up behind them. They don't seem to be guarding very closely, just standing and waiting for their shift to end without much thought to the idea of anybody coming toward them. Even the nearest tribes are likely dealing with the fallout of the earthquake, so they don't see much point to standing watch.

Aeryx's sword strikes one of them, and it howls out in pain.

Oh, and Piety, you're currently under the effects of Bless for the day. Not sure if I told you in the summary, but good idea to tell you now before the fighting.

Aeryx's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Aleister's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Leander's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Menedemus's Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Piety's Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Steave's Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Anevia's Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Aravashniel's Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Horgus's Initiative: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14
Mongrelmen Initative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

After Leander acts in the Surprise round, Steave and Aeryx are up in initiative order. Then the Mongrelmen. Then everyone.

Ah, I see. One of the challenges of playing without maps, I guess. I didn't have a clear picture of the layout, and didn't want to spend a bunch of posts going back and forth for a more detailed description. As long as it all works out, though, I'm good.

Steave will charge one of them if he can.

two-handed shield bash charge: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 16
if hit, damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Aye. For the purpose of letting you guys navigate the lair fine, I stuck the map of it up. Hopefully it'll clear any confusion.

As Aeryx attacked with his longsword Leander lashed out with his own blade. He'd switch to the rapier later but the first hit was for Chaldira. That was how it should be.

Surprise
Attack, added sneak attack

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (6) = 9

Crossbow: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 4 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Aleister takes a shot with his crossbow keeping a fair distance from the combatants. His familiar once again takes a perch on his shoulder.

Steave and Leander manage to drop the first mongrelman before he can do anything, but the other survives Aeryx's strike. As he swings his club at the Aasimar, he begins screaming and stomping wildly, trying to alert the other guards to an attack.

Attack on Aeryx: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Ominous roll: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6

Aeryx got his surprise round attack, but not his attack in regular initiative, so he'd go before the shouting mongrelman.

Aeryx swings at the mongrelman still standing.

Cold iron longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Thanks for putting up the map, by the way. Very helpful!

Oh, right. In that case, no screaming. Combat's over.

Except for that Secret door into H12

Oh, right. In that case, no screaming. Combat's over.

I was hoping you'd say that. :)

With the guards defeated and no alarm given, Aeryx smiles grimly at a job well done. I guess I'm getting used to this, I like when it works out and everyone works well together.

He moves toward the crude door at the back of the barricaded area and peers around it. If he sees nothing, he moves quietly forward.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

I think we're at the east side of H1, so I'm trying to look into H2.

You still have to find the door in-game, and the mere knowledge of a door may not be as useful as you think.

Beyond the door, the very first room of the cavernous hideout seems to be a rough living quarters, with several bedrolls encircling a fire pit that flickers with weak flame; it's not been tended to in quite a few hours. Two of the bedrolls are occupied with more deformed guardians sleeping peacefully, not woken up by the rather quiet dispatching of the guards outside.

Menedemus will follow the other as quietly as possible. As they enter the room with the two sleeping guards he will whisper to the party "What do we do with them?"

Steave waves the team away to discuss and whispers, "can we sneak in and knock them unconscious? Then we can tie them up."

Lying prone should balance the penalty of doing nonlethal. Then, coup de grace is possible if PCs are willing.

"What, and give them the chance to sound the alarm when they wake up?" He looked at Steave, "I'm not out here for blood but the Chief made it pretty clear this lot sided with those demon cultists."

He then looked down at his bloodied blade, "If we do this, we have to drag them into the tunnel. We don't want them to come bother us later."

Steave sighs and whispers, "They would be gagged when they are bound. After we secure the place, we can figure out what to do with them. Maybe not all of them are true believers."

"I agree with Steave," says Aeryx quietly. "I had the thought as I killed the first guard, that we're doing all of this on the word of one man we don't know. My gut tells me he spoke true, but I'd like to kill as few as we can until they prove themselves to be as evil as Chief Sull said they were. I say we sneak in and subdue them, and if we later learn for sure they're on the side of the demons, I'll race Leander back here to slit their throats."

Never thought about it, but is it possible to do a non-lethal coup de grace, knocking out a sleeping character in this case?

"I wanted to knock them out without killing them, too. Demons have black hearts and honeyed tongues: they could have swayed these people with false promises." Menedemus will glance for a second at the sleeping mongrelmen. "There are surely some of them that have fully went down a wicked path, but most people just follow the crowd and don't even think of what they're doing. There's still hope for the latter."

Yeah, I'd allow a nonlethal coup de grace. Rules don't say anything one way or another, but it certainly makes sense.

"I agree keeping them unconscious for now is best. At the very least we'll have someone alive to interrogate later." Aleister says.

Seeing that most of the group support a non-lethal approach, Aeryx approaches the bedrolls and stands over one of the sleeping mongrelmen. He waves Menedemus forward and, when the scarred man is in position, he gives him a nod and raises the pommel of his sword over his target's head, holding the weapon firmly in two hands. At the same instant that Menedemus strikes, Aeryx brings the blunt pommel cracking down on the man's skull.

Nonlethal coup de grace: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (4, 5) + 8 = 17

Piety had followed her companions up to the guardroom, and was greatly heartened that the consensus was to treat the guards with relative care. Her earlier concerns that these traitors were redeemable had certainly not diminished. So when Aeryx's pommel strike came down as hard as it did, Piety lurched forward automatically to make sure the afflicted guard was not mortally wounded.

Untrained Heal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Assuming Menedumus's strike is equally damaging, Piety will do a quick untrained heal check to make sure the non-lethal wasn't enough to do excess lethal. Once the guards are bound and fully gagged, if - and only if - they are severely wounded she'll channel for 1d6 ⇒ 3 to make sure they're all right

While the others were busy hitting sleeping guards on the head to knock them out Leander moved through the room. He had insisted the guards would be removed from this place lest some of their friends find them but beyond that it was their business, not his.

He kept to the shadows as much as he could as he did not want to be the first target if someone or something else decided to check on this room.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Stealth: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Moving next to the mongrelmen, Menedemus will hold his greatsword as Aeryx is doing.
At the Aasimar's signal he will hit the guard, trying to dose his strength to not give the sleeping man any fatal wound.
Non-lethal Greatsword damage: 4d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 2, 2, 5) + 6 = 21

The blows do not kill either man, but ensure they won't likely be waking up from any commotion in the near future. Piety confirms a pulse on each of them. Leander's skulking about doesn't gleam any new features of interest in the room; its simplicity is rather apparent.

While Steave binds and gags the unconscious prisoners, he signals for everyone to stay quiet and listen to doors.

CMB take 20+5=25

Aeryx moves cautiously up to each of the doors and gives them a careful listen.

Listen at door to H10, then H3, then H4.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Forgot stuff...

After Steave binds and gags the unconscious prisoners, he drags them into the guard room H1 closing the door when he returns. He'll also listen to the doors.

Perception H10: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Perception H3: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Perception H4: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Against the northern door, you can hear low conversation between two people that sounds much more familiar than the oddly accented mongrels you've been encountered. No sounds come from either of the eastern doors.

Steave whispers what he heard to the others far away from that door. "That's probably the cultists. Want to get them first? Maybe one of the now front-liners opens the door for the front-liners to charge in. Unless a caster has a spell for this sort of thing."

"Yeah, I say we take them out first if we can," responds Aeryx. "I'll go in first. Menedemus, you coming? And you, Steave? Maybe Piety can give us her goddess' blessing before we run in, and get the door for us."

Piety can cast guidance on a few of us before we charge in, or just cast bless on all of us before we go. If we really want to keep things quiet, a nice sleep spell from Aleister would be good too.

"I have a Summon or Sleeping spell if you prefer." Aleister informs his group.

"Sleep might be useful to keep our presence unknown for as long as possible. Aleister, it's your call."

"If at least two of them are within proximity then I'll do it but if they are not we should go with your plan."