WR Rise of the Runelords

Game Master wicked_raygun

Mruf, who had been itching to steal Bruin's ball of yarn, was thankfully completely distracted by the entrance of the madman and his keepers. The madman set him on edge... and when Grayst attacked, Mruf sprang into action.

Unwilling to simply kill a man who had been committed and was sick (not to mention that doing so would destroy any further chance of interrogating him), Mruf didn't draw Rowl. Instead, he drew the mace at his belt as he approached the madman, intending to tap him on the head and send him drifting off to dreamland.

mace + nonlethal: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 - 4 = 2
nl dmg: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Wow. The dicebot hates a (temporary) pacifist. :P

The wildly bobbing man shifted aside at the last moment, and the tap meant for his head bounced harmlessly off his straightjacket.

ETA: Forgot the flanking bonus... not that it would have helped. :P :P :P

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
Bull Rush: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

As the sick and pitiful man lunges at Beromar, Amaya swings her staff in front of her, and attempts to use it to push him backwards from the Dwarf, without doing him any harm. "Mr. Grayst! Get ahold of yourself!" She cries out. "We're here to help."

Here is the map.

Please move your figures. Mind the tables. Beromar is still up.

Waiting for Beromar to be placed before Mruf knows where to be.

Assuming I don't have my hammer drawn so no AoO

Stay away from me ye mad man!

Beromar shouts as he swing his hammer in a wide arc.

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15 Damage 1d12 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

LOL! That's the dwarven way to end an argument! XD

If there's still any fight in Grayst after being clocked, Mruf will position himself somewhere with flanking if possible. If there isn't, but he's still alive, Mruf will scrape up what's left of him and lay him near Bruin for healing.

Beromar nearly crushes Grayst's skull with his hammer. And then Amaya steps in and bull rushes him back. Unfortunately this meant that Mruf's carefully orchestrated knock out blow was way off the mark.

Grayst is still up.

Doctor Habe backs away and screams, "By the gods!"

Round 1, Cont.
Mruf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Amaya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Habe: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Serolt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Tieflings: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Grayst: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Bold are up.

"Bero! He's not a zombie, just sick!" Bruin shouts.

He then marches up to the grayst and tries to knock him out with a mace strike to the leg.

Mace (non-lethal): 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 5 - 4 = 7

But the halfling's attack is wide off the mark.

Serolt is up.

Round: 1, Initiative: 10

Unprepared, Serolt draws his bow and takes a single shot at the madman. Conscious of his ill nature, as opposed to evil (though Serolt is not so sure) he’ll launch a blunt arrow, intending to subdue (nonlethal damage).

Bow (silver, magic, blunt): 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 8 - 4 = 10 (nonlethal) damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

He holds Regin in check as his arrow goes very wide of the mark as well.

The tieflings back away from the maniac dwarf with the hammer. They were not getting paid enough for this.

Can't adjust the map just yet. I'll do that when I get home tonight.

Grayst screams, "I must honor the Skinsaw Man!" He then kicks at the tiny halfling next to his feet.

unarmed strike vs. Bruin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Bruin easily dodges the clumsy attack.

***

EDIT: I had Grayst's AC mixed up with another NPC. So this is a retcon.

Bruin's mace slams into Grayst's knee. The sick man crumples to the ground. And then the tiefling guards move in to secure his strait-jacket again.

Combat over.

Doctor Habe calls out in a panicked voice, "My gods, I had no idea he would break out of his restraints! I beg your forgiveness! Please don't tell anyone about this. My reputation is at stake."

*What reputation, you rude old git,* Mruf thought, but thankfully had the restraint to avoid saying.

Instead, he pushed the tieflings aside when they were done restraining the crazy man, and aided Bruin with what little skill he had to help keep Grayst alive, and hopefully wake him again.

"That was quite a crack you put in his egg, Beromar! But it took Bruin's help to put him down," he couldn't resist teasing.

More seriously, he asked Bruin, "Will he recover fast enough from being clocked for us to ask him some questions?"

He blinked as a thought occurred to him. "You... Dr. Habe. Why hasn't this man been treated at the cathedral? Bruin says he's dying from a disease!"

"I didn't realize he was sick. I just thought his symptoms were a psychosomatic reaction to his mental disorder."

"But please, I beg you, again, don't tell anyone about this."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Rough.

"With some healing magic, he'll regain consciousness. But that might not be the best idea given the state he's in, Mruf."

"As for you, Doctor, no matter what you suspected, you still should have treated his disease--or at least, consulted someone. He's suffering from Ghoul Fever. If he's not treated immediately, he'll die, and become a ghoul. No one deserves that."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

"A ghoul!" Serolt reacts strongly, making Erastil's symbol in the air by way of defense.

"Let us take him to the church that they may heal him, I don't trust the good doctor to manage it as overworked as he is." he adds dryly.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Amaya looks at the sick man with concern, before turning to Bruin. "Serolt is right - Father Zantus may be of assistance if there's time. Can you tell how advanced the disease is?"

Sense Motive1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Well someone who can't recognize da Ghoul Fever can't treat it I bet. Best we take the man with us to sandpoint. He's too important a witness for us to let em die here...

Beromar remarks. Irregardeless of the fact he barely clobbered the mad man to death himself.

"Removing disease is a very potent clerical magic. And one that I personally know is beyond Father Zantus. Beyond me as well," Bruin says guiltily.

"But you're right. We need to get him out of here. If we're lucky, Zantus might have a scroll we can use. And if not, he can still heal him with more traditional means. Healing his mind though--well, it's not impossible. I have heard of clerics who are that powerful. I've never met one though."

"No! You can't!" Habe screams. "I'll be ruined!"

Doctor Habe makes a run for the southern door and pounds on it with his fists.

"Caizarlu! Help me!"

I'm not going to roll for initiative just yet. Just tell me what you want to do.

Serolt is surprised by the man's crazed demeanor. Does it take a crazy man to heal the insane? he wonders idly.

"Look here sir, this man is dying. Would you have him die just to preserve your reputation? You'll come out of this OK in the long run, but we need to save his life and prevent him from becoming an undead."

"Surely you understand that is bad, right?"

Mruf, equally astonished, kept an eye on the tieflings. If Habe was this crazy and in charge of them, there was no telling what they'd do.

He casually slipped his mace off his belt again, just in case.

The tieflings look confused about what they should do. But it's very clear that violence is springing to mind. Doctor Habe meanwhile shrieks in fear at Serolt's words.

"No, no, no! That will ruin everything!"

He fumbles with the door locks, and then finally opens it. And when he does, he is leaped upon by a hunched over humanoid, naked from the waist up, with a rat-like face, and a long naked tail.

It sinks long, pointed teeth into Habe's neck, and a gush of blood paints the walls.

Round 1

Serolt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Amaya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Mruf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Tieflings: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Rat Man: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Bold are up. I'll update the map tonight.

"Ratman!" Mruf exclaimed, stuffing his mace back into his belt and drawing Rowl. "If that's Caizarlu, I bet that wasn't the kind of help Habe was looking for!"

"You!" he yelled at the tieflings. "Grab that thing and pull it off Habe! You don't get paid if he dies!"

Round: 1, Initiative: 23

I still don’t see a new map, but I’ll take my shots anyway. Up to 30' move to get a clear lane if I can - or to move toward a clear lane. If there’s cover, please apply the penalty.

”What the hell is that?!” Serolt shouts as the new creature bites the hand that, presumably, feeds him. He focuses his animal nature to improve his aim (swift), draws his bow as he moves (move), and then lines up a quick shot at the newcomer (standard).

Bow (silver, cold iron, magic): 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 = 21 (point blank) damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8 (point blank)

He hesitates sending Regin in, for fear of blocking better warriors from the fight, and holds him back for now in heel.

Map is updated. Beromar and Amaya are up. Mruf, roll me a diplomacy for the tieflings.

Double move

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 3 Welp...

The tieflings seem intent on ignoring Mruf.

Waiting on Amaya. I'll DMPC her tonight if she can't respond before that.

Amaya gets into position and attacks the rat creature from around the corner with her staff.

Quarterstaff (power attack): 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 9 - 2 = 27; Critical!
Confirm: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 = 21; Confirmed!
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 + 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 + (6) + 4 + 4 = 27

Even with a +4 cover bonus. That's nuts.

She lands a powerful hit, that slams the silver coated arrow sitting in its chest right into its heart. The poor creature staggers momentarily and then falls. And it is dead before it even hits the ground.

Combat Over.

A few moments passes, and then the odd rat creature begins to slowly morph into an old man with a deranged look on his dead face.

Damn, I was really hoping to give someone lycanthropy.

Bruin runs over to Doctor Habe, but he is already dead. The two tiefling guards, meanwhile, simply run out the front door.

What do you do?

"Way to go, Amaya!" Mruf cheered, but was sobered quickly. "Well, THAT isn't suspicious," he commented on the tieflings. "Maybe they're the ones who hid that crazy ratfolk here. That's why they wouldn't help Habe."

Then he realized the "ratfolk" was turning into a man. "What the what?!" he hissed.

Haha, turning into a giant rodent? Mruf would die of shame. When he calms down, he'll go look at what's behind all the doors.

K. Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

"It wasn't a ratfolk. It was a cursed human known as a wererat--a lycanthrope."

The halfling stares at the open doorway.

"He came from downstairs. And the doctor was signalling someone. We need to prepare before we go down there."

Bruin casts a spell to increase his speed. Longstrider.

Serolt nods at Bruin, ”You’re expecting more trouble then?”

He casts Shield Companion on Regin using the Rod of Reach. He hesitates, ”How bad could it be?” he asks idly. Nervously he follows it up with a Barkskin also on Regin.

When the party is ready to proceed, he follows it up with a quick casting of Aspect of the Falcon on himself and he rushes forward, bow in hand.

"Remember, not everyone here may be hostile. This is a sanatorium after all..." he wonders how they'll tell the difference between the insane and the merely hostile.

Evryone might be mad though... and ye can't exactly claim that the boss had things under control...

Beromar grumbles as he sprinkles some silver particles over his hmmers head.

Applying silver sheen

Mruf hesitated, but finally, didn't put away Rowl. "If there are more wererats, I'll be ready. If there are any patients running around, you guys can..." He thought of Beromar braining Grayst, and Amaya whacking the wererat.

"Uh... maybe Serolt and Bruin can calm them down before they attack us."

"Worth a shot," Bruin admits as he is finishing tying up Grayst.

The Heroes finish up their preparations and make their way down below. There is a foul odor of rotting meat and acrid chemicals in the air, as they descend.

Room A14

This large room combines the features of a catacomb with some sort of laboratory--several tables bearing bodies covered by drapes dominate the room, while tools ranging from shovels to dissection implements sit on shelves against the wall.

And inside are four naked, shambling corpses.

"Zombies!" Bruin calls out, having already faced such creatures before.

"This is my home!" a voice calls out. "I'll not let you ruin my work!"

Round 1

Mruf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Serolt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Amaya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Caizarlu: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Zombies: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Bold are up. Working on a map now.

Mruf's hair stood on end. He hated the undead. They were so... unnatural.

Mruf took aim with Rowl, but not at the walking dead. Instead, he waited for whoever had made them to come into view, reasoning that such a madman would be more dangerous than his minions.

At least a sanatorium was the right place for such a person, but apparently Habe hadn't been keeping him locked up...

Got to get to work, will post rolls when I get home again.

Don't forget you'll need to move to get into position. You're currently on stairs which count as difficult terrain. You'll need to be on the ground floor or no more than the first square on the stairs to get a shot.

Intimidate (Untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 6

"Zombies?" she mutters, thinking back to the scene in the sawmill. As the other voice shouts out, she yells her own reply. "We are Sandpoint Deputies! And we have questions!"

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Without waiting for a response as the zombies move closer, Amaya moves quickly, leaping over Serolt and drawing her Quarterstaff, bracing for them to come to her, and intending to keep them from getting to the stairs.

Round: 1, Initiative: 19

Serolt moves just a few feet into the room summoning the skills of a tiger as he does so (Animal Focus, swift), being already at the foot of the stairs. (I think I can 5’ step off the stairs, but if not, only one attack, but at +2 to hit. He shoots at green)

Bow (silver, cold iron, magic): 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 = 18 (point blank, aspect) damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11 (point blank)
Bow (silver, cold iron, magic): 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9 (point blank, aspect) damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 (point blank)

He then calls Regin and guides him to a far flung zombie (double move).

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 (Questions: DR, Resistances, Special defenses)

”Anybody know what we need to kill these things? I remember… something, but I always get the specifics wrong.”

Thinking better of using Rowl as the others pass him, Mruf draws a thunderstone as he pads down the stairs, preparing to lob it at the feet of anyone suspicious-looking who wasn't a zombie.

readied thunderstone attack w PBS: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 = 12 Ouch. Good thing the floor is AC5.

"You need a sword, or an axe! They need to be cut to pieces!" Bruin calls out.

Translation: slashing weapons.

Serolt fires at the zombie dead ahead of him. His first shot lands perfectly, but it knocks the zombie for a loop enough for the second shot to go wide. Amaya tries to get the clearly imbalanced man to stand down, but gets only a simple, "I'll murder you all!" for her trouble.

Mruf keeps a thunderstone ready for this presumed Caizarlu. Eventually the man appears at the doorway. Only there appear to be 4 of the man occupying the same space.

Fortitude DC 15: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Mruf launches his thunderstone perfectly, but the man seems to shrug off the effects.

"You'll never tell anyone what you've seen here!" he screams. He then casts a spell, but nothing seemingly happens.

Round 1, Cont.

Mruf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Serolt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Amaya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Caizarlu: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Zombies: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Bold are up.

Was waiting on Beromar before I posted my move, but, might as well get something on the board.

Bruin stays where he is and begins another sermon to Desna.

Inspire Courage +1. Beromar is up. If he can't post by tonight I'll DMPC.

Beromar steps in front of Serolt, and unleashes the fury of his longhammer on one of the zombies.

Beromar vs. Orange Zombie: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 11 + 1 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 8 + 1 = 17

He crushes the zombie in a single blow. The undead monster's head exploded from the impact like an overripe melon.

Insert Gallagher joke here.

One of the zombies staggers towards Amaya, while the other two slam their bare fists into swift and loyal Regin.

Zombie Slam vs. Regin: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Zombie Slam vs. Regin: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

But the nimble firepelt dodges the awkward strikes with ease.

Round 2

Mruf: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Serolt: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Amaya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Caizarlu: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Zombies: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5

Bold are up.

Round: 2, Initiative: 19

Serolt sees a non-zombie, and decides that should be his target all things considered. He shoots at the figure in the doorway.
Bow (silver, cold iron, magic): 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 2 = 6 (point blank, aspect, cover) damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 (point blank)
Bow (silver, cold iron, magic): 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 2 = 8 (point blank, aspect, cover) damage: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 1 = 13 (point blank)

Regin digs in against the red zombie with all he’s got.

Regin Bite (magic): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30 damage: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Free Trip: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Regin Claw (magic): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 damage: 1d2 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Regin Claw (magic): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 damage: 1d2 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Nice to see Regin doing well at least...

At Bruin's mention of slashing weapons, Amaya sighs. "Always unprepared, Ms. Kaijitsu." She mutters to herself. "This is indeed becoming habit." Clasping her quarterstaff tighter, magic flows from her palms into the staff, charging it to a glowing red/purple colour as she swings hard at the undead creature coming towards her.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 - 2 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 + 1 = 13

Power Attack + Arcane Strike, not sure if making the weapon deal magical damage will help but, worth a shot.