The Tomb of Abysthor

Game Master Ierox

Shrugging, Rhiannon followed the others, working to ensure she could keep line of sight open and accurately launch bits of rock if need be. Either that or wall off an attacker for long enough for the group to retreat.

Rhiannon really can't see anything from back there. Nevermind the people in front of her; the tunne twists enough that she can't get line of sight to Arianna most of the time.

You follow the tunnel upwards for a good ten minutes. It's slow going, and a tight fit - even the air is stale to the point that you have to put out your torches, or choke on the gas they give off.

But, it has an end.

Arianna is the first one out, emerging up into a space where she might reasonably be able to almost stand upright. This cave isn't even five feet high at the highest place, but it comes close. Aside from the lack of height, there's actually quite a lot of room in here, easily twenty feet from wall to wall

It's also filled with dozens of oversize rats, milling about in the filth of their nests.

As soon as Arianna pokes her head out, the rats move to deal with the intruder.

Dire rat initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Rhiannon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Gren: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Zatinya: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Keshokkar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Arianna: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Lorien: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

I'll have a map up soon. Sadly, most of you will be stuck in the tunnel for a while during this encounter. On the other hand, phat rat nest loot! Conditions-wise, while you're in the tunnel you're prone and squeezing, for a total of -8 to hit and -8 to AC(+0 total against ranged attacks). Moving uses the crawl action, which is 5ft. as a full round action.

Edit: You all beat their initiative, so the party goes first.

Map updated.

Delay

"By the gods, there are rats everywhere!" Zatinya crawls 5 feet out of the tunnel, leaving her prone next to Arianna in the more open space.

I think I'll have to delay until after Gren moves... but if she can, Rhiannon would like to five-foot ste- er, crawl forward, then raise a Kinetic Cover to the left of Zatinya, reducing the areas the rats can attack from.

Moving is a full round action, sorry. You could lay still and use the barrier, but then you'd be getting in the way of Keshokkar and Lorien who's still behind you.

Barrier could still be worth it. Lorien can at least spellcast from the back. Unfortunately, it seems like Kesh is 4 turns away from escaping the tunnel and may just need to sit out.

Well, he's ahead of me and I don't know there's even space to get out, so... XD Might just move and follow, then.

"Uh. Oh." Arianna says before drawing her blades and trying to soothe the rats.

"Fire would be good! Fire would be really good about now," Arianna calls out as she slashes at the closest rat.

Attack Longsword: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Unfortunately, her time in the cramped tunnel has made her stiff and slow.

Lorien quickly casts bless on her comrades.
"That are a lot of rats folks!"

Gren crawls as quickly forward as he can, dips his right shoulder a bit so that he can move his arm and grabs a vial from his belt. Twisting slightly in the tunnel, he pops the contents in his mouth and gags. "Oh that's bad...and it's not even because my hands smell like rat droppings."

Move 5 ft crawl.
Drink Extract - Long Arm

Yeah, so crawling is apparently a move action - I could've sworn,
but no. That's the rules.

Ahh...missed that. Sorry. No extract for me.

In that case, I'll go with the crawl and barrier. XD

Ahh...missed that. Sorry. No extract for me.

No, you're completely right, I was wrong. Crawl(move) + standard action(extract) is fine. Edit: In other news, I moved Rhiannon and drew in the barrier she raised.

Based on this new revelation, Zatinya readies an action and stands up after Rhiannon puts up the barrier. Not sure whether Dire Rat 18 still gets an AOO.

You have cover, so no AoO. I think.

Are we just seeing if Kesh wants to move now?

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"Are you well?"Lorien looks worried after Kesh.

Sorry, sorry, yesterday was move-in day and the apt doesn't have internet yet!

"I can't see a damn thing, what are you heckin' softskins even doing up there?!"
Kesh is of average size for a human--but his broad wings expand his bulk considerably, and the crawl has been difficult and uncomfortably for him, fraying his temper and team spirit. Move forward as far as I can.

The rats come swarming forward, trying to nibble at Arianna.

#17, cover: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18, 1d4 ⇒ 1
#18: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8, 1d4 ⇒ 1
#14: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19, 1d4 ⇒ 3
#20, squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2, 1d4 ⇒ 3
#21, squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7, 1d4 ⇒ 1
#6, squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16, 1d4 ⇒ 3
#12, squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8, 1d4 ⇒ 1
#10, squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6, 1d4 ⇒ 4

That looks like 3 hits for 7 damage? Please give me 3 fort saves vs disease.

"Okay you rats, time to burn!" Zatinya summons energy from within and hurls a blast of fire into the crowd of rats.

Burning hands diagonally southwest at the rats. I assume if Zatinya doesn't take an AOO from standing up, she won't take one from casting either.

Burning Hands: 3d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 3) = 7 Reflex DC 14 for half damage.

She then draws a pair of unlit torches.

Reflex saves, +2 from cover(same reason you don't get AoO'ed).

#3: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
#4: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
#11: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
#18: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
#12: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
#13: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
#14: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
#6: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
#15: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

There's lots of squeeling all around, although few of the rats seem to actually die from the fire.

Squeezed as she was behind Gren, Rhiannon was... less than fabulously accurate at the moment, in part because she didn't have that much room to even see the rats. Raising another barrier to give Zatinya total protection might've been a bit much, too... they had to move around themselves, but maybe she could do something. Gesturing, she began to move dirt and rocks around, aiming to build a low wall of sorts to Arianna's west. It wasn't a full-on barrier, but an improvised defense might cause a lot of trouble for the rats.

Basically, I'm trying to use Basic Geokinesis to create an improvised barrier for normal (rather than total) cover. XD Given the limitations on what Rhiannon can see, I'm not sure I can do much else.

Eh, you can shoot into the space south-west of Zatinya from where you're at. It doesn't need to be *that* restrictive. There's cover,
though.

I'm already squeezed so -4 to hit but do 18 and 12 also have cover from my long arm?....so many rats!

They have cover from Arianna. On the bright side, they're squeezing too. (although not prone)

Fort saves: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 231d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 121d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Pretty sure I failed the second one.

Getting nibbled on by the rats proves to be an unnerving experience. Arianna manages to avoid panicking, but only just, and she becomes a whirlwind as she starts slashing and punching at the rats around her.

Longsword (TWF) vs. 12: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 - 2 = 5

Cestus (TWF) vs. 12: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 2 = 14
Damage (Off-hand): 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Whoever did that," she calls out as the last embers of the flames die, "Do it again!"

Lorien looks to the others and shrugs. "If you are wounded, I will gladly heal you."

Gren does his best to get his weapon into position and thrusts it at one of the rats that is harrying Zatinya.

Thrust vs. 12 or 18 if 12 is dead: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 4 = 22
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 4 = 9 That looks like a fail :(
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Arianna and Gren finish off some of the rats that didn't die before. There's now a little bit of extra room in here.

Zatinya could move up into that space, making room for say, Rhiannon to crawl past Gren and get into the room.

"Someone tell me what's happening!" Kesh's annoyance is clear as he strains to see into the room.

Are we waiting on anyone?

Lorien will draw on the power of her goddes and channels. channel: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 5) = 9

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Zatinya and technically Kesh have a turn to take. Although I'm not convinced Kesh can do much from back there.

I don't think it's my turn. The rats have not attacked since I used Burning Hands. I declined to move or 5-foot step into the spot in the middle of the room.

*Shrugs* I acted.

King of waiting on Keshokkar. But I can see he's kind of blocked up, and did say he'd delay, so we will go ahead.
, 1d4 ⇒ 3
The rats continue to come forward, doing their level best to kill Arianna.

#10: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21, 1d4 ⇒ 2
#17, cover: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16, 1d4 ⇒ 2
#11, Squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
#14, Squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11
#6, Squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
#20, Squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6
#21, Squeeze: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7
#21, Squeeze+cover: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (8) - 5 = 3

Arianna hasn't failed a fortitude save yet, but please give me 2 more.
DC 11.

Fort Saves: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 221d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Attack Longsword: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 2 = 8

Attack Cestus: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 - 2 = 12

"Zati! Flames on me," Arianna calls out, a shrill note of panic in her voice as she misses with both her strikes.

"Stay strong Arianna. It may take some time but we will break through."

Gren again aims a thrust past Zatinya at the rats that are attacking her.

Long Arm Thrust! vs. 10: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 7 - 4 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Active Effects: Long Arm - 28 rounds

"I'm all out of magic flames, just keep your back to the wall and we'll take them down!"

Zatinya tries to encourage her allies to slay these rats quickly. Inspire Courage, +1 atk/dmg to attacks.

Inspire courage - 7 rounds remaining

"Let me through, let me through! I'll tear the hairy little vermin to shreds!" the wyvaran bellows from his spot in the tunnel.

Is it even possible to squeeze past allies in a tunnel where you're already squeezing?

As the rats continued their attacks, Rhiannon launched a rock, aiming for the most-exposed target she could see. Alas, the squeezing still hampered her movements a bit, which was kind of unfortunate since her attacks were fairly magical to begin with...

Ranged Attack (Squeezing): 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 4 = 6

...and the rock simply bounced off of the far wall without doing any particular damage. Drat.

I don't think so Kesh without a reduce person spell.

I think we are just waiting on Lorien right? I guess if she has a spell or something she may be able to help.

Lorien will delay till her powers are needed!

Fair enough - though, for PbP, perhaps we should try to find a way to help her be needed? XD We're all in this together, after all!

Better idea, not great. She could cast an attack spell but without line of sight that is too dangerous.
Lorien will cast bless on her comrades.

The oversized rats are tightly packed around Zatinya and Arianna, forming a living, biting wall of fur and tails and teeth several feet deep in front of them.

#17, squeeze, cover vs Arianna: 1d20 - 7 ⇒ (13) - 7 = 6
#9, squeeze, cover vs Arianna: 1d20 - 7 ⇒ (4) - 7 = -3
#10, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (1) - 3 = -2
#11, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (14) - 3 = 11
#14, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (3) - 3 = 0
#6, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (20) - 3 = 17, 1d4 ⇒ 3
#20, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (1) - 3 = -2
#21, squeeze vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (13) - 3 = 10

#6, confirm vs Arianna: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (7) - 3 = 4

Arianna recieves a single nasty bite from one of them, but otherwise it's just a lot of squaking. 1 more fortitude save please.