Striding Into the Gates of Hell - a Wrath of the Righteous Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Drat. Might have to wait for the map to act this round.

Fort1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Will wait for map to act

Map
Though the spell description states no visibility beyond 5ft, I've a feeling that will play out interminably slow over PbP. So for this stinking cloud - it's concealment (20%) beyond 5ft, and no concealment if adjacent.
The way forward is beyond Gregori at the front.

Choking in the fumes, Eudocia stumbles back the way they came, seeking fresh air.

Move to D3. Spread spells can't go through walls; they have to turn corners like characters do, so I don't think it can extend too far past the labyrinth, depending on the point of origin.

Theodric sees Eudocia through the haze, stumbling past him. He follows her blindly, retreating back to the entrance (B3).

He coughs, gasping for air as he tries to shout a warning to the others.

Demon...use...Cold Iron...

Am I allowed to say that when nauseated? Just retract it if not.

You can still speak while nauseated.

Eudocia withdraws from the maze seeking fresh air, pushing past Theodric as she does so. As she clears the confines of the mortared walls she does indeed find gloriously clean stagnant earthy air to breathe. Coughing out the last of the nauseating fumes she clears her head.
Eudocia is out of the effect in D3, just.
Theodric's action to be narrated at the appropriate point in initiative.

Action Tracker (Round 1): Eudocia, Nessa, Harrol, Gregori, Lann, Theodric, Dretch

"I... hghrrughhhh" Harrol wretches, doubling over as he clutches the wall for support. He takes a shaky breath to steady himself and is rewarded with another mouthful of foul air. Burying his face in his sleeve, he retreats back the way he came.

Nessa succumbs also to the choking fumes and withdraws towards the cleaner air at the entrance. She tracks the back of Harrol who is of the same mind.

Both Nessa and Harrol are still in the cloud, though Eudocia is in clean air.
Updated Map

Action Tracker (Round 1): Eudocia, Nessa, Harrol, Gregori, Lann, Theodric, Dretch

The vile stink breaks over Gregori's steely defenses like a wave against a cliff. As the Paladin turns to look after his retreating companions, he sees the dretch.

Concealment percentage1d100 ⇒ 66

Holding his sword aloft he sets his sights on the fiend. "Lann, get clear"

5ft step to G3, readied action to attack if dretch comes within range since can't 5ft step and charge in same round

Sorry for the delay, snotty toddler not sleeping over the weekend.
Gregori - you only need to roll for concealment if you're attacking.

Lann Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Lann is able to keep his wits about him, perhaps inured against stench due to rarely being exposed to the delicate scents of the surface, and does as Gregori requests - first waiting for Theodric to pass him and then withdrawing with the Chief's morningstar held threateningly before him. Noting that the shorter ones are slower, he does not move past them - instead cutting into a side passage so as cover their withdrawl.

Gregori's stance draws a shuddering and speedy charge from the dretch that appeared, lunging with snapping jaw filled with needlepoint teeth... Also triggers the readied attack
Charging Bite: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 = 7
...but in it's haste it trips on the ground and teeth find only Gregori's armor.

His resolve is further assaulted though, when scratching and scrabbling from deeper within the maze reveals a second demon. It lurches around the corner and filth crusted claws seek a gap in Gregori's armor...
Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
...scraping across it with a screech... but finding no flesh.

No map as I'm at work - but the dretches are in G4 and H3.

Those already out of the maze hear only the metallic whine of armor keeping weapons at bay and the demonic gibberings of an excited dretch.

Action Tracker (Round 2): Eudocia, Nessa, Harrol, Gregori, Theodric, Lann, Dretch

Readied attack ought to move Gregori's initiative to between Lann and the dretches. Make that d20 count, Gregori! Doesn't look like you'll be getting much help from the rest of us.

Peering into the caustic fumes, Eudocia tries to conduct a headcount. "Hurry, this way! Is that everyone? What's going on in there?"

Delay pending a reply from Lann or anyone in the cloud about the state of the battlefield

Readied action:Cold iron bastard sword1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
1d10 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Harrol will use his move action to find the edge of the cloud. "Wh... what was that thing?" he groans, clutching his head and willing it to stop spinning.

Aye he should - though he still gets another go :)

Gregori's blade of iron quenched cold when it was forged creases the charging dretch's belly and steaming ichor spills from the rent to muddy the floor of the maze. The beast itself seems to not react, showing no pain nor relent of it's assault.

Harrol will use his move action to find the edge of the cloud. "Wh... what was that thing?" he groans, clutching his head and willing it to stop spinning.

As Harrol and Nessa stumble out of the stomach-turning fog, Docia replies, "A demon, Master Harrol. Just what you came all the way from Andoran to see. Lann!" she calls into the maze. "Mr. Shadowbane! What's going on?"

"Fighting a couple of ...something, the filthy bastards even bleed disgusting" Gregori's shout comes over the sounds of combat.

Were you saying I get another go?

Knowledge religion1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Knowledge planes1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Yup. You're ahead of the dretches on the initiative count and most of us are disabled by the cloud for now.

"Yew mean he's still in dere?" Harrol says, wide-eyed. He stares at the cloud in incomprehension. "... I'd heard stories about the great Paladins, I had... but I never even imagined..."

"A couple?" Docia asks with surprise, having only seen the one. "Draw them out into the open, Mr. Shadowbane! No reason to let them choose the battlefield." She sheathes her rapier and draws her bow and arrow.

...assuming the clear air means she's no longer nauseated? If she's still limited to a single move action, she'll keep the rapier in hand rather than get caught unarmed.

As the vile creatures try to attack him in vain, the valiant paladin once again gives the monster before him a taste of the bite of cold steel.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
1d10 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Theodric takes aim, waiting to see one of the demons emerge from the cloud.

Likewise, if I'm no longer nauseated, I'll ready action a crossbow shot at the first enemy that I can see coming out of the cloud.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Theodric's blade finds flesh once more, grievously wounding the demon that he has already scored... but not yet consigning it to death...
Just stand and strike? - or do you move away as well?

Pausing to see if anyone moves back into the cloud, or if more move away. Apologies for the crappy update schedule over the last two days - but toddler plague comes first ;)

I'd suggest five-foot-stepping toward the entrance to try to give the rest of us a chance to get involved ... but it looks like that will just give the dretches opportunity to hem you in via the twists of the labyrinth. Shouldn't Lann move in to flank with the +1 morningstar of lameness? Gregori might want to pull a Smite out of his back pocket if he's in there on his own.

Lann is open to orders :P - last he was told was to withdraw with the squishies.

Yeah, thought about the 5 ft step but don't want to get cornered like you said, and the second the first one drops it's Smiting time.

This was the map at the start of round 2.

Well, Eudocia is switching weapons for her init, Harrol (and presumably Nessa) are using their single move action to get out of the cloud, Theodric is readying a shot, and Gregori has declared his attack. That just leaves Lann and the dretches for round 2.

I missed out Gregori's needing a repeat Fort save vs the stinking cloud... so we'll just assume he made it this round; though he'll need to test again in Round 3.

Nessa continues to choke against the fumes of the cloud as she stumbles into clean...ish air.

Lann Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Lann again maintains his stomach and emerges after the small ones.

Within the maze, Gregori is made to gird his loins at the dretchs seek to peel away the steel cage that protects his innards and rake at the flesh within...
Dretch #1 Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 for 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Dretch #1 Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Dretch #1 Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Dretch #2 Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Dretch #2 Claw: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Dretch #2 Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
...and the paladin is able to fend away much of the attention, though one claw digs at his hip.

Action Tracker (Round 3): Eudocia, Nessa, Harrol, Theodric, Lann, Gregori, Dretchs

Yet again at work, so map updating is an issue.

If that's an actual stinking cloud spell, none of us can do anything for 1d4+1 rounds after leaving the cloud, so it's just Gregori and Lann acting anyway -- until one of them fails a save, and then it's just someone getting torn to pieces while the rest of us stumble away. Nauseated is a brutal condition.

1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Eudocia exited the cloud on round 2 so she's nauseated through round 5.

Unable to do anything to help the paladin, Eudocia looks up at Lann beseechingly.

Help us, Obi-Wan Mongrelman. You're our only hope.

*Read read read* - huh, looks like you're right Eudocia. Stinking cloud is now officially even more brutal than I first thought...

1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Harrol too is out of the fight until round 4. On the plus side at least this fight is moving quickly? These Dretches are brutal! I never would have thought their low DC stinking clouds would be quite this threatening. I've seen Ashiel posting about stacking multiple castings from multiple low level dretches on top of each other against even level 15+ PC's. Their vision is impaired and on the ocassion that somebody rolls a one they're out of the fight. Brutal!

Harrol, unable to stop himself, begins to throw up.

Lann nods at Eudocia's imploring and steeling himself against the fumes disappears back within. Through memory he comes upon the wounded dretch and lashes out with his undesirable weapon...
Morningstar: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 2 = 21 for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
...a heavy blow resisted partially by the unholy skin of the creature... but enough force imparted to shear it's ribcage between the shoulders. It collapses into a bubbling mess.

Only one left now.

For good measure, my nausea rounds roll

1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

And Nessa's 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Fort save1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Fueled by divine rage, Gregori continues to ignore the vile fog enveloping him, and as Lann drops the wounded dretch, he quickly glances at the fallen body to ensure that it is down.

Heal check to see condition1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Channeling Ragathiel's lethal fury, the Paladin focuses, holy power flowing through his body as he strikes the other demon, his body glowing with Divine might

Smite evil (ignores all forms of DR). Gregori's AC is now 22
1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 4 = 17
1d10 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 = 10

Gregori cannot tell if the fallen demon is dead or dying, but turns his righteous wrath unto the second anyway. Divine power fuses his will and his bastard blade cuts like a hot knife into the dretch's hide. It mewls piteously as it's flesh burns and bleeds, but retains enough of it's self to strike back...
Claw,Claw,Bite: 3d20 ⇒ (12, 4, 15) = 31
...though as blood seeps from it's wounds, so saps it's strength and the paladin is unharmed.

Lann tries to keep his stomach...
Fort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
...but bile roils up and he is forced to stagger backwards coughing and spluttering.

Back to Gregori in Round 4...

Caught fully in a fit of righteous fury Gregori barely notices the cloud around him.
Fort save1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

The vile demon's pathetic attacks are met with cold steel and a burning fervor.

"In the name of Ragathiel, I strike you from this earth and send you burning back to the abyss, you have no place here!"

1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 4 = 22
1d10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 2 = 10

Gregori's blade sinks deep into the dretch once more, a second rent in it's skin and form joining the first. A keening wail fills the maze as it collapses shuddering to the ground and slowly grows still.

With the demon that summoned the choking fumes now having breathed it's last the green fog slowly dissipates to nothing. Those outside the maze's confine recover their senses to hear nothing of demons, and see nothing but the reflected light of a radiant halo.

Both are down - combat over

Gregori walks out of the maze's bend, back towards the rest of the party, ichor dripping from his blade as the divine power slowly ebbs, the glow on his armor and blade slowly dimming leaving only his radiant halo and hair.

No reaction from the others to your resplendent paladin who has ventured forth from the labyrinth having slain the demons and saved the choking lot of you?...

Harrol, awestruck, pulls himself weakly to his feet. "Are they...?" he manages after some time, staring in silent expectation.

"Sent back to the hell they crawled out of." Gregori replies, cleaning his blade. "Is everyone able to go on? Anyone need healing?"

"'Abyss,'" Docia corrects him absent-mindedly, trying to collect herself, "not hell: It's a whole other plane of existence. Not that it matters," she catches herself with an apologetic smile. "Well done. I don't believe any of us were hurt; we stumbled the other direction before the demon approached. Are you all right, Mr. Shadowbane? And Lann?"

Raising an eyebrow at the correction Gregori chuckles quietly. "I'm fine, one of them managed to scratch me but no ill effects apparently. Shall we continue before any other surprises show up?"

Lann manages to give you a nod, still working the worst of the green cloud's effects from his system.

Moving through the maze you find no further demons lurking within it... and instead once through the masonry walls you find an old sewer tunnel leading eastwards and ascending towards the surface.

Eudocia sends her dancing lights into the tunnel, looking up with clear longing on her face for fresh air and the open sky. "This is it, then? The way out?" she asks Lann. "But we have still to return for the injured and our prisoner and lead them through here, and I suppose it won't be safe until we've investigated the lower level and eliminated any threats from below." She sighs, obviously reluctant to turn around and travel further from the surface.

Smelling the air barely wafting from the old sewer tunnel, Lann gives a measured nod "Smells like it connects to the newer sewers... shouldn't be too far from the surface then." looking to the ground and forwards "No sign the traitors kept watch further forward as well... which bodes that the maze was the end of their domain."

"Sent back to the hell they crawled out of." Gregori replies, cleaning his blade. "Is everyone able to go on? Anyone need healing?"

They? How many were there?

Theodric's eyes grow wide at the paladin's prowess.

Knowledge Arcana to determine any info about summoning/calling demons to this plane: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

"'Abyss,'" Docia corrects him absent-mindedly, trying to collect herself, "not hell: It's a whole other plane of existence. Not that it matters," she catches herself with an apologetic smile. "Well done. I don't believe any of us were hurt; we stumbled the other direction before the demon approached. Are you all right, Mr. Shadowbane? And Lann?"

Theodric can't hold back a smirk at the correction, especially given the current circumstances.

Perhaps what Mr. Shadowbane is surmising is that demons have souls, and their punishment for their wicked deeds is that, when they die, they go to Hell to be tortured by devils. That would be fitting, wouldn't it?

Theodric can find no evidence within the maze or surrounds that the demons were called, instead that they were like the teeming masses of demonkind across the border in the Worldwound - dwelling on the material plane until freed by death to re-enter the churning mill of the Abyss.

Lann hooks the chief's morning star to his belt and you can sense that he's perhaps suffered somewhat through the ordeal of cleansing the traitor's lair. He ventures "You'll be keen to get above aye? Perhaps if I head back and get the rest of your company? The blind, the crippled and the arseho... sorry, nobleman" cracking a half-convincing smirk.

Suggesting Joana's suggestion from the Discussion thread.

Perhaps what Mr. Shadowbane is surmising is that demons have souls, and their punishment for their wicked deeds is that, when they die, they go to Hell to be tortured by devils. That would be fitting, wouldn't it?

"If only it were that easy to empty the Abyss, eh, Mr. Abernathy?" she responds. "Every demon slain by crusaders merely returns whence it came. The best we can hope is that it takes those wretched creatures several centuries to claw their way back to the material plane ... or that the crusaders find a way to close the Worldwound in the meantime."

Lann hooks the chief's morning star to his belt and you can sense that he's perhaps suffered somewhat through the ordeal of cleansing the traitor's lair. He ventures "You'll be keen to get above aye? Perhaps if I head back and get the rest of your company? The blind, the crippled and the arseho... sorry, nobleman" cracking a half-convincing smirk.

"I...," Eudocia glances aside at the paladin to gauge his opinion. "Of course; there's no call for you to put yourself at any further risk. If you could lead them back to meet us, we could rejoin the crusaders in Kenabres all the sooner. If...," she hesitates, "if anything were to befall us in the lower level, you'll promise to see them safely to the surface? And tell the leaders of the Crusades what we've learned below about the Templars of the Ivory Labyrinth? I'm sure Mr. Gwerm and the others will testify to your trustworthiness ... in our absence."

Lann nods at Eudocia's offer and words "Aye, I'll see them through... but I'm sure I'll be meeting you as I come past. Fare well" and he gives a warrior's armclasp to Gregori before taking his leave of you and making his way back towards his subterranean home.

Making your way back through the complex you pause at the hole still covered by stone table and chairs with rope laid beside it. Listening carefully you hear nothing of note and see fit to remove the weights and peer through the opened portal by use of Eudocia's dancing light. Beneath the room is as you first saw it... barricades unmanned and the door at the end of the room still closed.

Down and group in the lower room prior to Eudocia 'opening' the door?