Strange Aeons, with GM Pendrak

Game Master karlprosek

Detecting no traps, Xander opens one of the doors. Mighty iron boilers crowd here, their pipes piercing the walls and ceiling. Shadows and rust fill the narrow gaps between the cold tanks.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
"Boiler room," he announces. "Nothing to... wait, there's something glowing toward the back." He slowly approaches to take a peek.

Xander catches a glimpse of glowing eyes and writhing face tendrils as he moves to investigate, then several creatures come scurrying out from beneath the boilers. Two are clearly dire rats, and bad-tempered ones from the look of them. The third is one of the strangest creatures you've ever seen.

This skittish amalgam of beast parts has luminous eyes, a rat’s tail, simian appendages, and tendrils extending from a nose akin to that of a star-nose mole. It's eyes glow and emit light. The creatures seem aggressive and begin to move forward to attack.

Mashiki can act.

Kn(arcana): 1d20 ⇒ 8

From her vantage point, Mashiki can see one of the giant rats through the doors. She moves up to get a shot at the rodent of unusual size.

Once she gets into the room, she gasps, her eyes going wide "What's that thing!?". A small pool of purplish black liquid pools in her hand and congeals into a blob which she tosses at one of the rats.

acid ray: touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
acid: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

The sorceress's acid glob smashes into one of the oncoming rats, sizzling and popping. The dog-sized rats rush forward towards Mashiki, nipping and biting her, once in the leg and once on the wrist.

The stranger of the three creatures mumbles something in strange, alien-sounding language.

It rushes up into the doorway and bites Xander with it's strange, tentacled maw.

Mashiki takes 3 points of damage and needs to make two DC 11 Fortitude saves to avoid contracting filth fever. Xander takes 4 damage, and 1 bleed. The bleed occurs at the start of Xanders turn, so right now he has 4 damage total on him. John, Alico, Xander, and Durril can act.

When his turn comes around - as he is last...

Know (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Harrow, seeing the rats and the strange thing, draws out his sickle and spins it in his hand, whistling as he does. Upon hearing the mutant creature speak, the female part of his voice rises and laughs, seeming to speak the creature's tongue.

"No." The male voice retorts, swinging with his blade.

Sickle Strike: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Sickle Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

He will strike at the amalgamation if it is still alive by the time his turn rolls around. If it is dead, he will strike at any remaining rats.

"Eyes in the dark!!!"

Cage charges the strange abomination and cuts it with his longsword.

longsword: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 2 = 18 (charge)

damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

kn:arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17+inspiration(free): 1d6 ⇒ 6=23
"Dammit," Xander snarls. "Zoog!" As if I didn't have enough to worry about. Now I'll have to heal myself!
He slashes at the zoog with his shortsword. Blood drips from his leg.
sword: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Moving over to where he can see into the room, Durril is confronted by a strange but oddly familiar sight. Immediately, zoog comes to his mind, along with a flood of other uncomfortable knowledge. Gripping his dagger tightly, he lets loose a silent scream at the creature.

move and cast ear-piercing scream
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6 sonic, daze. DC15 fort save negates daze and halves damage

Mashiki recoils as the rats nip her "Why did we run into the room? Why didn't we protect ourselves first? What were we thinking?

fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Time for some filth fever action!

Cage charges the strange abomination and cuts it with his longsword.

There isn't really a good way to charge the creature. He can 5-foot step and attack around the corner. The zoog has cover, however, from the doorway, and the attack misses. The map is available in my tagline, and should allow you to edit it as well to move your token.

John steps forward and swings at the zoog, but his longsword glances off the doorframe and misses. Alico's attempt to attempt from the other side of the doorway with his sickle brings about the same result. But they perhaps distract the creature, because Xander is able to deliver a solid blow with his short sword.

Soon after, the zoog is clutching at it's ears with its monkey hands, its eyes rolled back in its head, in obvious distress, and you can see blood rolling out between his fingers from his bleeding ears. Durril's spell has taken its toll.

Pouch hits, but Harrow and Cage both miss due to cover. The creature fails its save against ear-piercing scream, causing it to take the full 6 damage and become dazed.

Mashiki can act. She will begin to show symptoms of filth fever in 3 days.

By the way, Alico, unless I specify differently for some reason when I say "John, Alico, Xander, and Durril" are up, or similar, everyone in that list can act in any order. Block initiative, I believe, is what it is called, like Durril or someone mentioned earlier. Really I should have told Mashiki to go ahead and post her action as well, though that would definitely actually take place after all of your actions.

Now, if you know that one of your allies is about to do something, like a buff, that you want to wait for, you can freely delay within that initiative block, or even basically just post with your rolls saying, for example "I attack, waiting until the bard starts singing first to do so."

After Mashiki acts, John cuts at what the others are calling a "Zoog", although he's pretty sure somebody made that name up.

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

In a panic Mashiki grabs the sickle she had found among the belongings and waves it frantically at the rats surrounding her. "That thing talked! It wants to eat us!" she exclaimed indicating the zoog.

Move: draw weapon. Standard: full defence-AC16 for this round. My first action was posted in haste before a busy day and I have been regretting the terrible move since ;p

Despite Mashiki's defensive posture, both rats manage to bite her once again, blood now dripping from their maws.

The zoog stands in a daze doing nothing, and John takes another slashing blow at the creature, cutting it through it's torso to the backbone. The creature goes unconscious, and seems very near death.

Ouch, both rats hit, and Mashiki takes 6 points of damage. Luckily John dispatches the zoog, despite cover. Alico, Durril, Xander, and Mashiki can act.

Trying to control the bleeding on his leg, Xander steps back, hoping one of the more martial-types can help. Dammit! Stay in the back. Don't confront.
With a wince of pain (taking another bleed point), he casts a healing spell on himself.
clw: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Fortunately, it's enough to close the wound entirely. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much else for the others.

amnesiac spell recollection: 1d100 + 1d10 ⇒ (1) + (4) = 5 ...seriously?

Durril tries to pull forth more of his psychic power against the rats, but it doesn't seem to work. Instead, he takes a defensive stance as well, though it's not likely that he'll be attacked.

can't do much without spells, and I failed that roll so badly that I can't cast this round, so there's nothing to do but total defense! +4 dodge bonus to AC for 20

Harrow groans, the feminine voice once again calling out in that alien tongue. The male voice almost barks in frustration, at himself or the situation isn't clear, as he takes a swing at the nearest rat.

Swing: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

As his sickle strikes the stained tile flooring Harrow growls again, his aim not improving.

"NO!" Broom called out in fear as she slashed at the wounded rat.
sickle: 1d20 ⇒ 19
Yay!
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
sigh

She then turned, trying to hide her wounds from the rest of the group, more concerned with what they might see than with her own personal safety.

Inky black blood oozed from the vicious rat bites and stained her clothes. Where it dripped to the floor the droplets seemed glisten and undulate for a moment before laying still.

AC drops to 12.
Am I going to be killed by giant rats?
I'm going to be killed by giant rats, aren't I.

Rats up?

Really sorry about the slowdown. Had some stuff come up at work last week, and then had to go out of town unexpectedly for the weekend (when I planned to catch up) and didn't have internet access. Things should be back to normal now, but I do apologize for not giving you guys notice.

The rats continue their relentless assault on Mashiki, and she is overcome by the loss of blood, collapsing to the floor. However, the wounded rat also falls unconscious due to the exertion and his injuries.

The zoog appears to have died.

The red rat was at 0 HP after Mashiki's hit, so it falls unconscious after his attack and is bleeding to death. The zoog has bled out. Mashiki takes another 5 damage and falls unconscious at -1 HP. John, Alico, Durril, and Xander can act.

"Dammit!" Xander exclaims. He steps forward and grabs Broom as she falls and pulls her back through the door.
@GM:I'm not sure exactly how this works in terms of actions. Do I pull her to my square, the square behind me? Can I make a heal check on the same turn?

Cage chops down at the last rat.

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Durril moves over to get a clearer view of the inside of the room, and looks for anything that can be used as a projectile inside the room. If he finds one, he flings it at the remaining rat with his psychic power.

5 ft step, then cast telekinetic projectile
ranged attack (not touch) vs rat: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
damage vs rat: 1d6 ⇒ 1 B

If the blue rat ain't dead...

Wordlessly Harrow strikes at the remaining vermin.

Sickle Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Sickle Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

stabilize DC(11): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

While the odd blood still seeped from the wounds here and there, the flow was no longer life threatening.

I would say it would take Xander's whole action to move, grab Mashiki, and get her away from danger.

Xander moves up, grabs Mashiki, and pulls her away from danger, cradling her in his arms. She is still breathing, and seems stable for the moment.

John steps into the room and takes a swing at the remaining rat, but it skitters out of the way.

Durril looks into the room and spies a piece of broken, ceramic tile and telekinetically hurls it at the rodent, grazing it.

Alico moves into the room, the rat snapping at his leg fiercely, and biting his leg, as he passes. He swings his sickle wildly, to no effect. The rat tries to bite him again, but misses this time.

Alico takes 1 point of damage. John, Alico, Durril, and Xander can act.

Cage chases the rat around the room, swinging his sword at it ineffectively.

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Harrow cries out as the rat's teeth sink through the leggings into his flesh. That green-black mist seeps from his eyes and mouth and he lunges forward with his off hand trying to touch the rat.

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

You know how Lovecraft and horror in general is supposed to make you feel helpless against the onslaught of what threatens to destroy you? Nah, this is making me feel frustrated!

The rat darts out of reach, and Harrow looses a furious shriek that is too shrill for a man to naturally make.

Is there such a thing as Lovecraftian slapstick? :D

Durril continues to throw loose objects at the rat, visibly getting frustrated as everyone continues to miss.

Telekinetic Projectile, again...
ranged attack (not touch) vs rat: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

I wasn't planning to attack, just try to make sure Broom is okay, but with all those misses, I might as well try
umm, if I move in there to get to the left of John, how many attacks does that provoke? If it's only 1, I'll try I guess. If it's two, I'm just gonna stay put

We can only hope for some humor in this horror ... Hurror? Hormor? What do we even call that?

if we can just survive to 2nd level, hopefully it will be less of a 'Three Stooges Meet the King in Yellow' kind of scenario

Actually you won't even provoke one AoO, because the rat just took one on Harrow.

Xander moves forward into the room, and with a downward stroke impales the remaining rat on his short sword, ending the rat's life along with the battle.

Okay! That's over. I really hope things start going your way. But then again, I do think that the constant, desperate fight for your lives is appropriate to the campaign, even if it's just some rats you're fighting.

Cage cleans his sword and looks around the room.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

With the last rat down, Xander wipes the beads of sweat from his brow. "Look around, but be careful. I'm not sure we can afford to disturb anything else at the moment."
He hurries back to Broom's side and checks her pulse.

Mashiki's pulse is strong and regular, however it's location has an unnerving tendency to slowly slide out from under Xander's fingers, forcing him to readjust accordingly.

"She isn't actively bleeding out, so that's good." Hmm, her blood is... curious. Whatever. As long as she's on our side. He stands up and stretches.
"I realize we haven't made much progress, but what's the consensus on continuing? I'm not sure we could manage much against another foe, particularly not a doppelganger."
He helps the others search just in case they've missed anything.
perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

Durril has to take several deep breaths to calm himself from going over the edge like last time, even though all the animals are dead. With his pulse still pounding in his head, he leaves the others to examine the room and looks further down the hallway, listening for any signs that their fight had attracted more hostile creatures.

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Harrow limbs about, his leg turning dark from trickles of blood. He glares murderously at the corpses of vermin, kicking the one that had bitten him before joining the others in checking their surroundings.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

"Well," the female element of his voice drown out the other half, "wasn't that simply thrilling, dearies?"

Cage and Xander search the room, and Xander spies a pair of unused sunrods that have rolled beneath a boiler, about 4 feet from the nearest edge. A Small or smaller creature can climb under to collect them, but larger creatures will have to devise some method to recover them. The deathly quiet in the room is only punctuated by a slow but steady dripping from one of the boilers.

Durril looks out into the hallway, but sees little.

"It looks like those sunrods are just a little too far back under the boiler for me to reach." Cage says as he studies the problem.

"How bad is Mashiki hurt? Do we have any healing magic?"

"She'll live. But I won't be able to work any magic on her til tomorrow."
if the sunrods don't weigh much, prestidigitation will move them. Or if someone has mage hand, other than Broom of course. Ah, perhaps Durril can telekinetically pull them

A sunrod weighs one pound.

A broom lies where Broom fell, perhaps it is long enough to fish out the sunrods?

Unfortunately I didn't take Mage Hand. I could Telekinetic Projectile them out of there, but they'd take 1d6 B damage. Not sure how well that would work.

Cage borrows Broom's broom and tries to use it to fish out the sunrods.

Grimm John is able to use the broom to sweep the sunrods out from under the boiler and into reach.

"These might prove useful if we have to go somewhere in the dark." Cage says.

"Do we want to leave Broom here and search up this hallway to see if we find a source of healing?"

"Well...if the people out there were right, there are doppelgangers up that hallway, right? I'm not sure if that's a good idea." Even though he doesn't see or hear anything, Durril doesn't particularly want to head off blindly in search of something that may not exist.

"As much as it pains me to wait, I have to agree. If we get in to too much trouble, there's not much we can do. We could take Broom back to the others and ask if they have a doctor who could help her. One would think, this being an institution, that SOMEONE here has medical expertise. But we've no idea if any of them survived."