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

Game Master Mark Sweetman

Theodric studies the corpse from a safe distance.

Knowledge (Nature) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

At the talk of the spider, Horgus blurts "Kill it! Quickly, before it strikes at us!"

He raises a hand in protest: Actually, that would be precisely what not to do. The spider is dead already, but that swarm of maggots consuming its corpse is not. If we attack the shell of the spider, the larva will be agitated and roused to anger. However, if we keep our distance and skirt around as widely as possible, we should be able to move past unmolested.

Knowledge (nature) 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

"He's right," Eudocia says softly, "they're just some form of cave scavenger. If we keep our distance, they won't pay us any mind. With the wounded with us, we're hardly in a position to seek out unnecessary violence -- or use up limited resources."

Suggest Gregori detect evil to verify it's not something that needs smiting.

To the North East or South East?

"Hold on. Given that this whole area was recently under attack by a horde of demons..." Gregori trails off as his eyes begin to emanate a silver glow as he stares at the spider's corpse writing with maggots.

Detect Evil

"I say we go around, If yew don't mind my saying so." the halfling says, gingerly. He casts a sheepish glance at Nessa.

"Fer the wounded, now, yew understand... I'm nae afraid of no bugs."

Keeping her lights low to avoid disturbing the bats, Eudocia examines first the northern, then the southern passageway. "I wish we'd a dwarf with us," she sighs. "They say they can intuit depth and can always tell how far below the surface they are.* What do you think?" she asks the others. "Do either of those look like it goes up more than the other?"

* In a previous edition, anyway. Obviously an old wives' tale in Golarion. ;)

Knowledge Dungeoneering should help with that

Both of the natural tunnels leading onwards look to keep to much the same level, and have a curve to them that makes you think there's even a possibility they might meet back together given enough distance. There is little else near to where you are at present that would betray one as a better option than the other.

As per above Gregori's detect evil came up empty.

"Looks like there's nothing unnatural about them, just scavengers feeding on the dead. Let's move out, try to keep at least a 20-30 ft distance from the spider as we skirt around. North East is as good a direction as any." the paladin says re-checking his gear in preparation of moving forward.

"Very well, Mr. Shadowbane," Eudocia nods her acquiescence. "Lead on."

Marching order? How wide do the passageways look? Must we walk single-file or two-abreast? Ought we to position Nessa at the back to protect the NPCs in case something comes up behind us? With a 20-foot speed, she'll have more ground to cover to reach any action up front.

Aarol clamps his lips in a tight expression, humbled by the superior minds about him and impressed with the calm that Eudocia delivers in their first moment of conflict. They're all right, of course, the natural process of nature as the maggots consume the corpse is just to be avoided and not a threat at all.

"Princess, Gregori, point the direction, I'll lead the way and hopefully the reach of my spear and quick reflexes will keep us from harm." Aarol swishes the little sunburst banner with as much enthusiasm as can be mustered in the dank cavern and dismal situation.

reach, combat reflexes, and good initiative, Aarol is built for point, come on Harrol, bring the healing after he takes the beating!

Two abreast or better for the most part, though some parts narrow to 5ft width.

Skirting the cavern to keep clear of the convulsing spider corpse you near the mouth of the tunnel leading to the North and East. Peering through you see a smaller cavern that appears to have once served as a campsite or temporary lair. A torn bedroll lies next to the cold remains of a fire. A pile of bones, broken equipment, and rubble lies just past the campsite.

Updated Map - You are at roughly H,12 ish. The grid scale on the map is 10ft to a square.

Aravashnial limps towards the rear of the group with Anevia at his side serving as a second crutch and similarly kept from free movement. Horgus is just before them, skittish and jumping at shadows and every sound made.

"Oh, that's interesting," Docia breathes, her eyes flashing. "An old campsite of some kind," she explains for the benefit of the blinded elf. "Someone's been here before; hopefully that means there's a natural entrance somewhere on the surface. I don't suppose any of you know of any caverns around Kenabres?"

"Careful, this camp looks abandoned, but there's a pile of bones here." Aarol moves forward cautiously, spear at the ready, as he investigates the camp site.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Nessa follows Aarol and looks to make sure the bedroll is not twitching, before using her sword point to poke through the scattered equipment and bedroll looking for anything salvageable. In a matter of fact tone she states, "The fact the camp is still here and the bones likely means the camper was eaten before finding a way out....orrrrr" she adds realizing how gloomy that sounded, especially to the squad's charges. ".....Perhaps they saw the exit while eating a very large dinner and ran to get out, realizing they would not need their equipment....yep..definitely could have happened."

Perception -> 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13

Nessa is fine in the back for now, as the wounded need obvious attention. But she is surprisingly quick, she has 30' movement when called upon.

"Can you tell how old the site might be?" Eudocia asks. If Nessa and Aarol find no obvious danger, she moves up into the campsite herself. "And did our camper leave behind anything that might be of use to us on our way out, as none of us expected to go spelunking today?"

What roll is it to tell how old the ashes and equipment are: Perception? Survival?

I neglected to buy any camping gear with Harrol until Kenabres was reduced to a smoking ruin... so if any of it is halfling sized and servicable... :P

I'm assuming that the primary and only light source at present is Eudocia's dancing lights? - I've put it in the center of the cavern so it's all in normal light conditions.

The campsite looks well abandoned, and doesn't seem to have been used in at least some days. Aarol and Nessa draw closer to it before Aarol picks up on some muted hissing and spots a pair of dog sized cockroaches within the rubble. He reacts to guard even as they burst forth from their lairs.

Initiative Tracker (Surprise Round): Aarol, Roaches, Nessa
Initiative Tracker (Round 1): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Eudocia, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori

Way this works is that I have you in initiative order as written in the tracker. If your name is bolded, then it means that you're yet to act that round - once you've acted I'll take the bold off and your name will be in normal writing.
In this case, Aarol gets a surprise round action (standard action only) before the roaches get their turn.

Mapski

Bah - didn't check the map alignment well enough... but should still be serviceable for this purpose.

I'm assuming that the primary and only light source at present is Eudocia's dancing lights?

Should be Gregori's nimbus as well, but they most likely overlap at this point. Upside of his is he doesn't have to stop and recast it every 60 seconds; upside of mine is it can illuminate things farther away from us than the paladin's head. Between the two of us, we should have it covered, although Docia will probably be hoarse by evening from recasting. When we're not actively exploring/fighting, she'll be happy to let Gregori's fiber-optic hair handle the mood lighting.

Roger roger - knew I missed something :)

surprise round

Aarol shifts forward, leveling his spear at the roaches and threatening their advance. "Take care, we have giant roaches here!"

No attack? - you can manage a 5ft step and an attack in a surprise round (they'll even be flatfooted).

didn't realize I could get the attack :)

Aarol lunges at one of the creatures.

Cold Iron Longspear: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Aarol's attempt to skewer the roach is unsuccessful, his spear scraping noisily along the cavern floor. The insects respond by scurrying under his guard and lunging at his legs...
Bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Bite: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20 for 1d4 ⇒ 2

On the northern side of the cavern two more previously unseen roaches burst from the shadowed underhang of the wall and charge towards Nessa, scurrying legs driving their gnashing beak towards flesh...
Charging Bite: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 1 + 2 = 20 for 1d4 ⇒ 3
Charging Bite: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 2 = 8

...both Aarol and Nessa ending up marked by miniature jaws and left bleeding.

Initiative Tracker (Surprise Round): Aarol, Roaches, Nessa
Initiative Tracker (Round 1): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Eudocia, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori

Updated Map

Nessa tries to curl her toes back and away from the scurrying bugs, and then they bite her. "Right. I didn't fall all this way in the middle of a demon invasion to be eaten by bugs."

Greatsword attack -> 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Status: 9/12 HP w/1 subdual; 18 AC

Subdual would have been healed by the channel earlier

"Ness! Look out!" Harrol yells at the bugs advance, scurrying forward to P10 and hurling one of his pebbles at the roaches.

Magic Stone, Into Melee, Adaptable Luck 2/3, Point Blank Shot (total mod: -1): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
In the surprising event of a hit: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Theodric unslings his crossbow and jams a bolt into the loading mechanism, searching his mind for any recollection of how vermin could be mutated to such a large size.

Move: Draw crossbow. Move (standard): load crossbow

Knowledge (Nature, Arcana, or Planes, whatever is applicable) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Round 1

Aarol shifts back and attacks the roach on the right side of Nessa. Q7

Cold Iron Longspear: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

"Curses! Stay still you little monsters!"

The cockroaches are left unhindered as stones, swords, and spears all make an enemy of either air or earth.

At your backs, Gwerm hugs to one side of the passage clearly unwilling to risk his own hide.

Anevia looks to Aravashnial and her leg with frustration on her face before giving Gwerm a filthy look and guiding the blinded elf a little further forward. She calls ahead "I'll keep an eye behind"

The roaches skitter and twitter in agitation, wings upon their back raised and fluttering threateningly. Theodric racks his brain but none of his studies were upon vermin of unusual size.

Initiative Tracker (Round 1): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Eudocia, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori

Updated Map

Knowledge (dungeoneering) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Anevia looks to Aravashnial and her leg with frustration on her face before giving Gwerm a filthy look and guiding the blinded elf a little further forward. She calls ahead "I'll keep an eye behind"

"You have a weapon?" she asks sharply. Not wanting to get in the paladin's way, she holds her position a moment.

Delay for now.

Eudocia identifies the cockroaches as similar to the smaller domestic version, merely grown to abnormal size. They have no specific resistance and attack through the force of their jaws only.

With chittering legs and fluttering wings, the beasts lunge forward again...
Bite at Nessa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Bite at Nessa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Bite at Aarol: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Bite at Aarol: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18 for 1d4 ⇒ 4
...ineffectual for the most part, though one shears through cloth to open another rent on Aarol's leg.

Initiative Tracker (Round 1): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Eudocia, Nessa, Gregori
Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Eudocia, Nessa, Gregori

No change to map. Don't feel the need to post in strict order unless you're relying on another's choices, I'll collate actions as they come and update together.

Psst, Aarol 5-foot-stepped on his init, to Q9, I presume; the roaches would have to move up themselves to attack him. Docia will most likely move at the end of the round, after Gregori's action.

Aarol's post didn't imply that he actually moved - just that he turned and attacked though.
If he meant to actually move, then I'll catch it next update - no change in essence to actions anyway as he 5fts back, then the roaches 5ft back into melee.

Aarol was intended to 5' back (I'll make it clear in future posts), but that was to force the bugs to 5' and not be able to move around his threatened range and get to others in the party, so it worked out the same

Updated Map

Nessa continues to swing...but they are really quite disgusting close-up and as big as her.

Greatsword attack -> 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Ugh! Twice as good as last time, though.

Status: 9/12 HP w/1 subdual; 18 AC

[dice=Magic Stone, Into Melee, Point Blank Shot (total mod: -3)]1d20+3[dice]

Welp.

Surging forward Gregori brings his blade skewering down.
Move to O7

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
1d10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Huh, not entirely sure what happened to the BBCode there.

Magic Stone: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The roaches prove evasive and indefatigable opponents as they avoid the affront of swords and stone. Horgus blurts out "Bloody hit the beasts... stop dancing around them."

Initiative Tracker (Round 1): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia

Harrol - it was the second set of brackets that muffed it up I think.

Round 2

Aarol attacks the same roach (Q7) with a lunging spear strike, then shifts back (P9) to maintain a line with his companions.

cold iron longspear: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

"Take that you chitinous demon!"

Aarol's persistence pays off and he is rewarded with an ichor smeared speartip. The roach is left leaking it's innards out one side, but despite needing to hobble it is not yet exterminated.

Magic Stone, Into Melee, Point Blank: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Harrol kisses his holy symbol for luck, before letting his third and final stone fly toward the roach at P7.

Theodric fires and reloads, becoming a bit more concerned with the present situation.

Shoot at I think R9? The one straight in front of me.

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

1d8 ⇒ 2

Eudocia draws her rapier and waits near the injured locals, any contribution she could make to the disorganized scrum seeming unnecessary at this point. "You're as likely to hit one of them with that as the bugs from here," she scolds Theodric as his shot goes awry. "Hold your next bolt and be ready to shoot if one of the vermin makes it past the front line. They're only cockroaches." She suppresses a brief shudder. "Of course, I don't like them when they're small."

Are we using the soft cover rules in this game? Because Theodric is taking an effective -8 on that shot between firing into melee and the AC bonus the bug gets from Aarol's soft cover. When you only have 10 bolts, you can't afford to waste one on a d20-5 roll unless you're completely out of options. When I played a 1st-level wizard, I'd ready a bolt for when my PC had a clear shot (no firing into melee, no soft cover between me and an enemy) and spoiler the attack and damage rolls. That way, you can interrupt the action in that brief moment when an enemy is moving from one ally to another or just as another PC moves and gives you an unobstructed line of effect. Better than taking a shot with such a large penalty.

Round 1 action: Move: draw weapon; standard: Total defense (AC 17)

I was on my phone so might have misread it, but I thought Gregori and Aarol moved and cleared my line of fire. Am I wrong? Not that it matters with my mighty 9 anyway ;-)

Theodric - from where you stood all of the roaches have soft cover.

Eudocia stands ready as Theodric expends a quarrel in vain. Anevia nods at Eudocia's earlier comment "Aye, a sword... I'm not as skilled as with my bow... but few arrows survived the fall."

Horgus retains the courage of a coward as the blind elf is left to lean upon his staff and listen.

Harrol's second thrown stone does not prove accurate and the roaches chitter as the lunge mindlessly at you...
Bite at Nessa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Bite at Nessa: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19 for 1d4 ⇒ 1
Bite at Aarol: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 for 1d4 ⇒ 2
Bite at Aarol: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
...two more open wounds added to those already dealt. The one torn open by Aarol's spear leaks further life upon the floor but fights on.

Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches, Nessa, Gregori, Eudocia
Initiative Tracker (Round 2): Theodric, Aarol, Rearguard (NPCs), Harrol, Roaches

Google docs won't let me share the map right now - but the roaches are in P7, Q7,8,9. Q7 is the injured one.