The Devil We Know Series (Part IV: The Rules of the Swift) (Inactive)

Game Master Baerlie

Team reassembled, and more importantly, light provided, Iso works his way along the narrow sewer edge and peers around the next corner.

I took the liberty of moving Tippy on the map.

After the group reassembled Iso peers around the next corner. All he can see is a long sewer tunnel leading into darkness.

"Should we check the other side before we get too deep into the sewers?"

"Sounds like a good plan. I will follow you!"

"I want to check out that eastern passage where the bodies came from," Tippy says.

Iso shrugs in the manner of a large bear.

"Bodies are bodies, but Iso will stay close to protect yours."

He leaps the sewer to start working his way back up the other side.

Keeps on with taking 10 for 17

Iso leads the way to the tunnel leading to the east. It stretches for about 50 feet and ends in a room. Someone constructed a large dam here made of wood scraps, ship beams, broken crates, and rocks. Beyond the dam is a room that once functioned as a catch basin for the sewers but now has dry, clean floors. In the northwest corner of the room, a sewer grate is set in the floor, and a huge chalk drawing of a rat about to pounce is sketched on the floor near the dam. The room is lit by a
single torch in the west wall. Two cultists are guarding this room.

the bodies were coming from this room

Iso charges into the room, axe at the ready.

"Hello![/]b" he calls out in a deceptively friendly voice.
"[b]I am looking for a black rat. Have you seen it?"

Celentrai quickly moves into the room to join Iso.

Borrobol moves up next to Iso, ready to charge into one of the cultists.

Tippy moves up into the room, staying on the walkway for now.

"The sewers are full of black rats. Go and find your pet somewhere else!" one of the cultists answers and both draw their quarterstaves.

Round 1
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow
Cultist blue
----------
Iso

Borrobol charges at the cultist dressed in yellow, planning to knock him to the floor.
Overrun (charge): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Attack with Armor Spikes if Overrun Successful: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Since that fails, I moved him back to stop in front of the cultist.

Tippy flings daggers, one at each cultist.

Dagger vs blue: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 2 = 8

Dagger vs yellow: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 2 = 7

Clank clank they go as they somehow manage to collide with each other mid air and drop to the ground.

Borrobol charges the cultist in yellow but is blocked. Tippy flings a dagger at each cultist, but misses.

Round 1
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow
Cultist blue
----------
Iso

Celentrai steps forward for a clear shot and sets crystals of ice at the bandit in blue.
Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 3 - 4 = 4

Celentrai shoots a ray of frost at the bandit in blue, but the frost orb explodes when it hits the wall. The cultists attack Borrobol and Iso and step back towards the trap door to guard it. yellow: 5-ft-step; blue: Aoo for Iso
yellow vs. Borrobol: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
blue vs. Iso: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Round 1/2
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow
Cultist blue
----------
Iso

Tippy double moves along the walkway, drawing two daggers as he does.

"If at first you don't succeed..." Slower this time, Borrobol pushes his way toward the man, attempting to knock him over again.
No charge this time.
Overrun: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
One square north of the man if successful. One square southwest if not.
Attack with Armor Spikes if Overrun Successful: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Ios advances on the thug in blue who had the audacity to injure him.

"Iso sees you! Stand and take punishment like a man"

attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
damage: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Iso advances and when stepping closer to the thug he hears a faint noise. Suddenly a magic arrow flies towards Iso. acid arrow trap
Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage 1: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5 acid damage for 4 rounds

Iso hits the fighter in front of him, but leaves a minor wound. While Tippy moves closer Borrobol tries to overrun the fighter in yellow, but is stopped again. "...does not mean you succed at the second attempt." the fighter finishes Borrobols sentence.

Round 2
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow
Cultist blue -8HP
----------
Iso

Celentrai sends another cluster of ice at the Cultist.
Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 3 - 4 = 4
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3 and once again by passes the clutist and decorates the wall with frost.

Celentrai tries again to hit, but misses. The cluster explodes at the fighter's shoe.

Round 2/3
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow
Cultist blue -8HP
----------
Iso

Maddened by the unsporting trap, Iso's eyes bulge and slobber starts to fly as he all but foams at the mouth!

"That HURT"

attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
damage: 1d12 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Yeap, raging

If blue guy is still up, Tippy moves into a flanking position. If he's down, Tippymoves in to flank the yellow guy with Borrobol.

Acrobatics to avoid AoO from blue: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Attack vs blue (or yellow): 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 2 = 24
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 2d8 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (1, 3) = 8

Tippy buries his dagger in deep and gives it a twist.

Celentia tries once more
Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 3 - 4 = 11
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3
you would think with touch I could hit once in awhile!

Having failed to knock down the cultist, Borrobol decides to try smashing him with his longhammer.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 Plus 2 if Tippy winds up in flank
Damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (1, 4) + 7 = 12

With a mighty blow Iso brings the first guard down. Tippy moves around the second guy to burry the dagger deep into the guy's kidney. Celentrai throws another frost ray at the remaining guard, but misses again. Borrobol tries to hit the guy next to the door with his longhammer, but even with Tippy's help he misses.

The remaining cultist roars in pain and swings his quarterstaff at Tippy.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Round 3/4
Tippy
Celentrai
Borrobol
----------
Cultist yellow -8HP
Cultist blue -22HP defeated
----------
Iso

Iso, enranged and hurting stomps over to behind the remaining guard and hits him with his axe again.

Assuming, additional acid damage this round? acid: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5

attack: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17 (includes flanking)
damage: 1d12 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"You're going to pay for that, stick boy!" Tippy growls through the blood streaming down his face.

Dagger: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 2 - 2 = 18
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 2d8 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (2, 5) = 10

Dagger: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 2 - 2 = 18
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 2d8 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (6, 2) = 11

Borrobol slides over so that he can see around Iso and tries to slam into him with the hammer again. "I think your curse has switched to me Iso!"
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (5, 5) + 7 = 17

The frothing Iso looks like he would like to break into a grin and make a witty retort. However this is Iso "game face" Soturi hard at work making the sewer a damper and smellier place. One axe blow at a time.

Were he not frothing at the mouth, you would guess his reply would be along the lines of :

"Friend Tippy knows a cure. Iso has studied it and would be happy to apply it to friend Borrobol. Iso considering seeking out Shaman to train under." Alas as his mouth is full of froth, perhaps we won't be blessed with such witty repartee.

Yes, thanks for reminding me about the acid trap!

The acid still burns Iso's skin but the big man swings his weapon at the remaining cultist nevertheless. He hits and Tippy kills the man with two dagger stabs.

combat over

Acid R3: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3
Acid R4: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

"Well, these thingamajigs look worthless but at least their weapons and armor might be worth something. Ready to head back toward the entrance and check the rest of this side?"
Appraise: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Iso tries to pour water or ale over himself to see if he can wash the acid out before it finishes burning him.

Does that mean he can avoid any of the round three or four damage?

Iso pours some water over the acid, just enough not to contract filth fever but to wash away the acidic liquid. you can avoid the damage

You head back to where you came from but search the rooms on the other side of the sewer stream. The first tunnel to the right ends in front of a gate like the tunnel on the other side. The second tunnel is a bit longer before it ends at a gate and a smaller tunnel leads to the west. up

Borrobol moves to the edge of the tunnel going north and waits for everyone else to get ready before proceeding north.

Is there not a trapdoor in the room with the rat diagram?

Wincing a little as he walks, Iso follows Borrobol.

"That trap hurt Iso! Iso advises caution when fighting such men without honour or valour!"

I think it was a sewer grate. Might be something we could go down, but we should probably clear this area first.

Iso joins Borrobol at the room entrance.

"You know friend Borrbol. Iso thinks that smell of sewer is starting to grown on him. Iso is becoming aware of certain subtle fragrances that before even his sensitive nose could not detect."

Celenbtrai picks up the items left by the dead cultist before she follows Iso and Borrobol down the tunnel.
"Iso tell me are you really enjoying this smell!"

Iso looks around the sewer, moves his head delicately from side to side and inhales deeply.

"Iso enjoys many things. Iso is not sure he is really enjoying smell any more than Iso enjoys blue cheese or performance of Chelixan opera. However each has an offering that Iso can appreciate. "

He nods his head.

"Celentrai is very smart. Iso sure sewer reminds him of Chelixian opera Iso attended. Iso wrote very truthful review. Iso is not sure he is welcome in Chelix these days."

He shakes his head sadly. "Still, Loss to Chelix is Gain to Sewer. So Iso is here now."

Sorry for folk newish to Iso. His first ever scenario was Amongs the Living and he as been an active amateur critic since. Never quite got around to putting a skill point into profession(critic) so he's never made a copper from his reviews of high society events and shows. But he does attend them when ever he gets the chance.

Iso shakes his head, and small silver bells woven into his beard tingle.

"From opera in Oppera!" he announces proudly.

Yes, there is a trap door.

Borrobol leads the party to another room. This room appears to have once been the basement of the building above, the wall seperating the basement from the sewer long ago smashed in and repaired, giving it the appearance of a natural part of the sewer system. The ceiling here is 30 feet high and the room is lit by torches in the north and south walls. Stacks of crates and barrels line the North wall, and a set of finely carved stone stairs start on the south wall and make their way up and around the west wall to a door high above the room in the northwest corner.

This room is clean and well-maintained, a harsh difference from the sewer just outside the archway. The torches provide normal light within 20 feet of the north and south walls, and dim illumination in a small bit of shadow at the center of the room. The crates are 6-feet-tall and weigh 500 lbs. The barrels are 3 feet tall and weight 50 lbs. each.

In the room are two men and three mites. They attack when they spot you. One of the men looks like Dalirio Teppish.

Round 1
Tippy
Celentrai
-----------
Mite green
Grench pink
Rackutio purple
-----------
Iso
-----------
Mite red
Mite blue
-----------
Borrobol

Iso points his axe at Dalirio.

"Has Iso not killed you once already?"

Tippy moves 20 feet in and hurls a dagger past the mite at the pink guy.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Damage: 1d3 + 2 + 2d8 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (7, 3) = 14

The tiny dagger flies across the room and lands squarely in the man's guts.

Celentrai carefully takes aim.
ray of frost: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

not sure if I put Tippy at the correct position, please adjust if not

"You must be the one who killed my brother!" Grench answers and gets even more aggressive.

Tippy hurls a dagger at the guy with pink shoes and hits. The dagger strikes the man's guts and he starts bleeds heavily. Celentrai fires a ray of frost at assuming the mite in front of her. The mite shrieks and drops to the ground.

The mit with the green cape moves towards Tippy and tries to hit him with its dagger but the dagger hits only air.
Dagger vs. Tippy: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10 miss

Grench gets closer to the tunnel and casts a spell. Suddenly Iso feels strange, he can't make a difference between friend or foe.
Lesser Confusion: DC13 will to negate or become confused

Rackutio gets closer and touches Iso with a weird smile in his face.
touch of chaos

Round 1
Tippy
Celentrai
-----------
Mite green
Grench pink -14HP
Rackutio purple
-----------
Iso
-----------
Mite red defeated
Mite blue
-----------
Borrobol

will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Yes! Iron Will for the save!

Enranged, Iso charges the spellcaster!
Sorry, not sure which figure he is, move Iso as appropriate and take AOOs

attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 <-rage but not including a technical charge bonus as no clear route
damage: 1d12 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

"Family of wicked sorcerers you all are. Iso is doing world a favour."

And Iso's luck continues.

Even worse, Iso has to roll twice and take worse result (didn't matter here) from the touch of chaos. This time, he really is cursed!

In this case it doesn't matter :D, the touch of chaos lasts only one round. Both of the guys are clerics, the one in front of Iso touched and cursed him so I assume he attacks that guy?

Iso attacks the guy who just brought him even more bad luck, but the attack misses. The third mite moves to the other side of the room and prepares to attack Tippy as soon as his companion falls.

Round 1 + 2
Tippy
Celentrai
-----------
Mite green
Grench pink -14HP
Rackutio purple
-----------
Iso
-----------
Mite blue
-----------
Borrobol