Balator's keen nose proves right as he opens the door and looks within-the Southern doors hold a kitchen on the E side and a pantry on the W. A wall divides them with a door allowing access between spaces. The pantry appears to be enchanted by what Randtam determines is a permanent chilled solid fog; the effect allows the room to remain heavily chilled.
In the kitchen a large fireplace dominates the southern half of the room, which is used to prepare food. Wooden cabinets line the west and northeast walls, while a butcher’s block takes up the center of the room.
There seems to be an inordinate amount of cobwebs in the corners of the rooms although no spiders are visible.
"More evidence of spiders Randtam, I'm not sure what it means but there must be some reason for it..."
Check out the area by the north stairs next.
*looking at previous posts didn't Uuranx use wand to heal a lot of same damage that Alamin healed, so Alamin should get back the spells that she burned for cures.
Uuranx's heals get Alamin and Balator to max. If you want to retcon it to save her spells and still be damage you can. Not sure if Uuranx is still damaged.
A set of stone stairs winds along the walls of this square tower. In the center of the roof, long ropes descend through a perfectly round hole about a foot in diameter.
More spider webs and nests line the walls, although no spiders are seen.
Randtam takes another look at this puzzle of he spiders. There must be something I know.
Randtam realizes that either some force or foe came in and consumed/destroyed the multitude of spiders that all of these webs should be filled with, or more likely there is some unnatural force controlling the spiders. It is not unknown for swarms of creatures to be controlled by otherworldly entities and spiders make for very good swarms....
The sight of a carpet of swarming spiders is unsettling indeed—particularly when the swarm is made up of spiders each the size of a gold coin and possessing blade-like mandibles capable of lacerating flesh with sickening ease. A swarm of spiders is a colonial mass of arachnids that relies on overwhelming much larger prey with sheer numbers rather than catching smaller snacks. While spider swarms spin webs, these webs are incapable of catching larger prey and typically serve the swarm as a lair rather than a method of capturing dinner.
A swarm is a collection of Fine, Diminutive, or Tiny creatures that acts as a single creature. A swarm has the characteristics of its type, except as noted here. A swarm has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single Armor Class. A swarm makes saving throws as a single creature. A single swarm occupies a square (if it is made up of nonflying creatures) or a cube (of flying creatures) 10 feet on a side, but its reach is 0 feet, like its component creatures. In order to attack, it moves into an opponent’s space, which provokes an attack of opportunity. A swarm can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey. A swarm can move through squares occupied by enemies and vice versa without impediment, although the swarm provokes an attack of opportunity if it does so. A swarm can move through cracks or holes large enough for its component creatures.
A swarm of Tiny creatures consists of 300 nonflying creatures or 1,000 flying creatures. A swarm of Diminutive creatures consists of 1,500 nonflying creatures or 5,000 flying creatures. A swarm of Fine creatures consists of 10,000 creatures, whether they are flying or not. Swarms of nonflying creatures include many more creatures than could normally fit in a 10-foot square based on their normal space, because creatures in a swarm are packed tightly together and generally crawl over each other and their prey when moving or attacking. Larger swarms are represented by multiples of single swarms. The area occupied by a large swarm is completely shapeable, though the swarm usually remains in contiguous squares.
Traits: A swarm has no clear front or back and no discernible anatomy, so it is not subject to critical hits or flanking. A swarm made up of Tiny creatures takes half damage from slashing and piercing weapons. A swarm composed of Fine or Diminutive creatures is immune to all weapon damage. Reducing a swarm to 0 hit points or less causes it to break up, though damage taken until that point does not degrade its ability to attack or resist attack. Swarms are never staggered or reduced to a dying state by damage. Also, they cannot be tripped, grappled, or bull rushed, and they cannot grapple an opponent.
A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate), with the exception of mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms) if the swarm has an Intelligence score and a hive mind. A swarm takes half again as much damage (+50%) from spells or effects that affect an area, such as splash weapons and many evocation spells.
Swarms made up of Diminutive or Fine creatures are susceptible to high winds, such as those created by a gust of wind spell. For purposes of determining the effects of wind on a swarm, treat the swarm as a creature of the same size as its constituent creatures. A swarm rendered unconscious by means of nonlethal damage becomes disorganized and dispersed, and does not reform until its hit points exceed its nonlethal damage.
Table: Swarm Damage by Size
Swarm HD Swarm Base Damage
1–5 1d6
6–10 2d6
11–15 3d6
16–20 4d6
21 or more 5d6
Swarm Attack: creatures with the swarm subtype don’t make standard melee attacks. Instead, they deal automatic damage to any creature whose space they occupy at the end of their move, with no attack roll needed. Swarm attacks are not subject to a miss chance for concealment or cover. A swarm’s stat block has “swarm” in the Melee entries, with no attack bonus given.
The amount of damage a swarm deals is based on its Hit Dice, as shown on Table: Swarm Damage by Size.
A swarm’s attacks are nonmagical, unless the swarm’s description states otherwise. Damage reduction sufficient to reduce a swarm attack’s damage to 0, being incorporeal, or other Special Abilities usually give a creature immunity (or at least resistance) to damage from a swarm. Some swarms also have acid, blood drain, poison, or other special attacks in addition to normal damage.
Swarms do not threaten creatures, and do not make attacks of opportunity with their swarm attack. However, they distract foes whose squares they occupy, as described below.
Swarms possess the distraction ability. Spellcasting or concentrating on spells within the area of a swarm requires a caster level check (DC 20 + spell level). Using skills that involve patience and concentration requires a DC 20 Will save.
As the party studies the arachnid mystery, there is a sudden crack and shudder as the massive bell above breaks free of its tether and plummets towards the ground.
The sturdy bell ricochets around the area dealing
Alamin
Balator
Randtam
Uuranx
DC 25 REF save for half.
Holy suns!
-22HP
Balator nimbly jumps aside, 0 damage with evasion.
52/87 HP left
The dust settles and the noise from the crashing bell fades, although your ears still ring somewhat. Clearly whatever inhabits the abbey is now aware that there are intruders on the premise.
Balator critically perceives the spiders. He lets the others know. Climb the stairs up the tower when everyone is ready.
Four windows allow a modest amount of natural light into the second floor of the abbey’s bell tower. Stone stairs along the walls lead both up and down, while two doors open to the west and north.
"Look at that swarm of spiders going up the ropes for the bell."
Wasting all my good rolls!
Randtam watches the spiders run away thinking they will end up under control of some super nasty creature that will attempt or may kill us. Other than fireball or teleport Randtam has no ideas.
Whichever knowledge roll helps
It occurs to Randtam that the spiders are indeed ALREADY under the control of some maleficent force and that the swarm that just skittered away somehow released the bell which crashed down to injure the party.
The maleciect force knows we are here. Do we want this or walk away.
Doing this to help an olagaric vampire.
Up or down boys....
Up the stairs into the tower
Nine windows allow a tremendous amount of natural light inside the third floor of the abbey’s bell tower. A large hole in the floor and the ceiling shows the path that the bell fell through. On the far side of the room is another set of stairs leading up to the third and final floor of the bell tower.
As with other rooms, there are a copious amount of spider webs and nests. The tail end of a spider swarm can just be seen scurrying up the bell ropes to the third floor.
Uuranx/Balator bump.
Continue the climb up the tower of spider doom.
As Balator leads the party towards the stairs going up the floor of the tower gives way!
DC 25 REF for Balator; DC 15 for everyone else or fall and take.
~Randtam Bot~
Randtam stops his momentum before he fully enters the room.
-22HP
Alamin barely scrambles to safety as the floor falls away around her.
The collapse takes him a bit by surprise but Balator still manages to leap out of the way.
"I hope the roof doesn't come down next."
Balator/Uuranx bump
Carrion Crown CAW
Sun, May 7, 2017, 07:49 pm | FLAG | LIST
There are 2 doors on the South wall spaced about 40' apart. There is a room in the NE where the stairs are and double doors in the SE. Finally a set of double doors are by the stairs in the SW area of the room.
Try double doors in the SE next.
The description above is for the first floor.
You think, with caution, you can still navigate your way to the top level of the bell tower. There are additional rooms on the second floor that you have not yet explored through an exit on the North end of the stair well.
So:
Up to top level of bell tower.
Explore 2nd level rooms.
Back to bottom floor and try doors in SE.
I'll use your perception roll above for whatever you do next.
To the top!
In a strange scene of anti-climax you reach the top of the bell tower.
Although it gives a commanding view of the surrounding countryside there is not much else of note but you do see the tricksy spider swarm rappelling down the side of the building eluding you once more.
To the second floor, exit at the North end of the stairwell.
The pungent odor of strange chemicals and reagents hangs in the air of this wide chamber. Several tables fill the room; they’re covered with dozens of glass bottles and flasks, some placed upon small burners, connected to one another with elaborate glass tubing. A large cauldron sits over an open flame in the southern fireplace, bubbling with a dark reddish liquid.
A half dozen men dressed in full plate, wielding great swords, stand between you and the cauldron.
One speaks-You are not welcome here intruders. Go home.
As the words wash over your ears you feel a tremendous magical compulsion to comply.
DC 25 Will save or be forced to return to the city.
~Randtam bot~
Randtam turns around and starts heading down the stairs.
Stand fast Randtam!
Casts protection from evil on Randtam.
~Randtam bot~
Randtam cannot overcome the magical compulsion to return to Caliphas....
"We should do as these men say, I will accompany Randtam."
I will cast Prot. from Evil on Balator
"Stand firm Balator!"
"You should come with us Uuranx."
Sarenrae aid me!
But her magic is unable to counter the effects Randtam and Balator are suffering.
Use last quickening to cast Haste and attack
haste attack
last attack
Uuranx cuts through one of the armored men's defenses sending him to his death.
Three of the remaining 5 attack him while 2 charge Alamin
On Uuranx
On Alamin
-53HP
UNGHHH...
The air comes out of Alamin as she absorbs a mighty two handed blast.
With a last look at Balator and Randtam as they continue their journey back to Caliphas and softly wheezes out-Good luck my friends., before turning back and striking at her foes.
She lands two cuts, but her holy weapon senses no evil in these clearly charmed men-at-arms.
2 images destroyed before crit
- another image destroyed
activate Touch of Rage 3
hasted attack
last attack
-20hp
2 images
Uuranx's first mighty strike fells a foe while the remaining one does significant damage to one of the other two.
Uuranx feels an unwelcome magical energy pass over him. DC 21 Will save.
On the far side of the room a woman dressed like a spellcaster appears.
Swordsmen on Uuranx
Swordsmen on Alamin
A thin foul smelling mist then fills the room.
DC 22 Will or take -10 on Will saves.
Alamin's blade flicks out again:
She hits three times leaving one of her two foemen severely wounded.
falchion
hasted attack
last attack
-16hp
1 image