With a Single Step (Inactive)

Game Master Bill Dunn

Yeah, no crit on that one - still a solid hit though.

The ettercap winces under Masamune's strike but still desperately claws at the samurai.

Claw 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Claw 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

As his attacks fail to hurt his target, the ettercap sobs, "No! You must die! You killed her! You killed her..."

Everybody else, then we move on to the remaining ogrekin

"The poor thing is crazed brother. Put it down. Like a rabid dog." Ash says, his emotions concerning Ameiko bringing out a cold-caring hybrid in him.

Looking at the situation, he feels that his brother has it under control and rushes to the other side, drawing a dagger as he does, though he has to grit his teeth to hold it so firmly.

Then he looks to Alara... and nods to the other side of the door, hoping to help her with the ogrekin...as best as he can.

Ready an action to move again, though only 5' to move to where Alara is standing. Trigger of her moving out of the way.

Piper continues his way down, playing his flute.

Round 5
Free Action: Maintain Inspire Courage. 8/12 rounds
Move Action: Move 30 feet

Shocking Grasp: 1d20 ⇒ 174d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 6, 3) = 15

With the Ogrekin now injured and the gate open, Rawnie found herself with few options, she could hide, or she could attempt to finish the creature off. Gathering energy into her hand, Rawnie decides to leap forward to grab the Ogrekin, sending electricity surging through it's large body.

The ogrekin spasms violently as the electricity courses through his body. Then he collapses to the ground and moves no more.

Ash gives Rawnie a nod of approval as he turns to look over his shoulder to where his brother is. "We should get their bodies in here so that they don't alert any others..."

Round 5: Actions
Actions: Start dragging the bodies of the ogrekin into the gatehouse

Alara, quite surprised (and a bit fearful) of the raw power Rawnie unleashed to bring the other ogrekin down, starts wordlessly dragging the body into the gatehouse.

Masamune doesn't glances over his shoulder at Ash as he answers him. "I'm currently busy brother so feel free to drag the bodies wherever you want them!"

Masamune then continues his strikes against the spider freak. "Just join your pet in death!"

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

AC currently 20.

The ettercap reels under Masamune's offensive. No longer audibly sobbing, the creature seems to be simply gasping to draw breath. Once again, it tries to strike back at the samurai.

Claw 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Claw 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Claw 2 damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Bite damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

A claw finally makes it past Masamune's armor. 5 points of damage
And then, the ettercap's mandibles catch a purchase as well. 6 points of damage and a Fort save

Status
Ettercap: -28
Masamune: -11

I assume that makes it our turn ;)

Ash begins dash over to his brother as his own body begins to ooze with blood from the wounds. Heal 5 Then he stops, dead in his tracks and simple heals from this range.

Channel, Selecting out all the enemies: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

Masamune should be down 2hp after that, and Ash is still down a total of 5

You are correct, Ash. It is everybody else's turn.
And I need a Fort save from Masamune that can happen outside of normal turns. I'd roll it but the samurai has a class ability that can affect saves.

Piper stops his flute playing and climbs down the ladder.

Stopping Inspire Courage. So no bonuses now.

OK, Masamune's Fort save - using his resolve:resolute ability
Fort Save A: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Fort Save B: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
and suffers no immediate ill effect of the ettercap's venom. Unfortunately, an ettercap's venom is pretty virulent and will require a second successful save next round to resist fully.

Rawnie will assist in dragging the bodies of the ogrekin into the room. "How's it going over there? I trust you have things under control?" She asks, just loud enough for those on the other side of the room to hear her.

Masamune will spend his resolve to roll the second fort save twice as well.

Fort 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Fort 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Masamune growls trying to end this spider creature's life as sson as possible.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Wow. The dice really aren't helping Masamune out tonight.

The surprisingly quick reflexes of ettercap, despite its injuries, keep it from further harm at Masamune's hand. Moreover, they enable the desperate creature to press its attacks.

Claw 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Claw 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Once again, the samurai is subjected to the claws and bite of the creature - for a combined total of 14 more hit points of damage.
Claw damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Bite damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

This time, the samurai feels the effect of the poison as he feels a numbing of his extremities. The poison does 2 points of Dexterity damage.
Poison damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2

The second dose of poison inflicts no more damage, nor requires more saves to be made at any particular time, but it does increase the duration and the save DC

And now that the ettercap has had his say, it's everybody else's turn.

One question, When does Masamune make the save for his poison. Is it at the beginning of his turn or at the end?

Masamune's wounds, once again, mend themselves and begin bleeding from his brother's own body.

"Ouch. That stings, brother..." then he concentrates on his own wounds, and the ones that he sees on his brother and lets the healing wave wash over the two of them, but not any of their foes.

Channel: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

Ash takes 5, then heals 5 from himself. Masamune heals a total of 10

One question, When does Masamune make the save for his poison. Is it at the beginning of his turn or at the end?

Making a save isn't a set part of the action economy in PF - you just roll them when you need to. When running PF, I've usually tried to have the save occur at the same point in the turn order as it was required - in this case, on the ettercap's turn. Since the end of your turn is right when the ettercap goes, that's pretty much close enough. If I were to have you roll it at the beginning of your turn, that would kind of cheat you out of an action to try get it dealt with

So by that I assume that Masamune makes the save at the end of the turn rather than the beginning.

Masamune strikes back at the spider creature trying to end its threat.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Fort save for poison: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Current AC 19 depending on poison maybe 18.

Do I need to make my move? Or did you get that already?

My actions for the last turn would have been continuing to drag the ogrekin body out of sight.

As for this round, would I be able to get into melee with the ettercap to help Masamune?

Assuming that the ogrekin bodies have been pulled in, Rawnie's next action would be closing the huge doors which leave the party vulnerable on two fronts.

The bodies are pulled in, the gates are closing (though the inner ones now lack locking mechanisms), and with a great effort, Masamune slices into the ettercap and the creature falls and moves no more.

The venom of the ettercap still courses through Masamune's system, slowly deadening his nerves and reactions.
Round 3 Dex damage: 1d2 ⇒ 1
1 more point of Dex damage

The adventurers are now in sole control of the gatehouse with no apparent enemies about in the courtyards or on the walls. In fact, there is no apparent reaction to the short burst of violence at all.

None of the dead creatures seems to have any valuables on them, nor is there sign of any in the gatehouse.

The ettercap venom has a substantial duration and virulence. Two saves in a row must be made to shrug off further effects naturally. The heal skill can help compensate. And don't forget that Spivy is back at the cemetery - willing to offer her healing services if anyone wants to head back there.

Ash rushes to his brother and begins to tend the wound. The pained hands of the healer are the perfect thing to press against the venom.

Heal Check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Round 4: No venom damage.

Ash's ministrations manage to prevent Masamune's numbness from getting worse.

And since Ash's heal check is much better than Masamune's Fort save, I'll roll round 5... and the venom has been sufficiently extracted that it will no longer cause Masamune problems. The 3 points of Dex damage will remain until healed or fixed with lesser restoration.
Heal check 2: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

In theory, if Ash had succeeded on the first try, then taking 10 would be his second attempt. That said, this is the party that will hit it's stride in 1 level, since we are all spontaneous casters...ugh right now

Masamune will nod in thanks at Ash's help.

"Thank you brother without your help I might have been left unfit to continue this fight."

Giving a nod, Ash smiles as he slides his hands into his robes once more, standing fully.

Piper climbs down the ladder and he looks to the others. He writes on his chalkboard: 'Is everyone alright?'

Masamune moves his arms through a few exercises trying to work his limbs through their normal range, and wincing when he cannot get quite as much out of them, but he nods. "That spider's poison has left me a bit less flexible, but I'll be fine."

Piper nods at Masamune. He helps the others hide the bodies, panting a bit. 'My music is almost at its end. I need a day to recharge and get my spells back.'

Alara bites her lip and takes a few breaths. "I'm alright, Piper-kun. Except my ki is almost spent for today."

Piper looks to Alara and signs, 'I know what you mean. My performances are almost done for the day and I'm unable to cast my higher end spells for the rest of the day.'

"I have half of my spells remaining, but I would like to avoid having to use them all at once. Luckily those creatures didn't seem too intelligent." Rawnie adds, dusting herself off.

"Stopping and resting could present no end of problems...but we should not continue if you are all spent. I have a good bit I could carry on, but I do not wish for us to flounder due to exhaustion..." Ash says as he watches his friends quietly, once more.

As an aside, since I think the discussion is going nicely, Spivey's graveyard isn't far if that's where you'd want to go rest. But I don't want to prejudice the discussion either for resting or for pressing on. That decision, I leave to you.

I am going to unmask some very trivial areas that I don't make you explore individually - the other towers along the wall. They have now been updated on the ground floor map.

Piper thinks about their options while he helps move the bodies.

I say that we either go to rest at Spivey's graveyard, continue on, or maybe rest at the castle (and take shifts). The first option: we can rest safely, but might risk the guards finding the bodies and putting the castle on high alert. Second option: we continue on, while we have the (supposed) advantage, but while we're low on resources. Third option: we rest at the castle, regain our abilities, and we can take shifts. However, there is the chance of us getting attacked in our sleep.

Looking over to Rawnie, Ash has a clever idea.

"Do you have a spell that can clean things?" he asks quietly as he begins looking over the ogres. "If we can clean their gear and the blood off of their wounds rather effectively...we could place them in ways that they look as if they are asleep...which doesn't seem that far off from what they were doing anyway. Then...we could hide elsewhere in a more defensible position...this, is not."

"It will take some time, but yes, I can do that." Rawnie confirms, and then gets to work using Prestidigitation to clean up one of the ogrekin first.

Piper hears Jacen and Rawnie's conversation and smiles, knowing that he can help with this. He aids Rawnie by using his own Prestidigitation on the other ogrekin.

The bodies clean up reasonably well, though the ogrekin really started as a mess, at least the blood is all cleaned up.
Now, where do you want to put everything?

Piper wipes his hands as the work is done. He looks to the others to say where they should put the bodies. He writes down: 'Maybe we can try and take them into the forest? Let the wild animals get rid of them.'

Shaking his head, "I was thinking we could place them where they were on guard duty. Make it look they had had fallen asleep. It is likely that only one of the leaders would turn them in..."

Piper nods at Jacen's idea, while stroking his chin.

Masamune nods at Jacen's plan.

"Sounds good. I'll go set them up."

Masamsune will then drag the two to where they were guarding and set them up as sleeping.

Piper helps Masamune with arranging the bodies of the ogrekin (despite his lack of strength). When it comes to the bodies of the spider and the ettercap, Piper writes: 'What should we do with the ettercap and the spider?'

"I'd say leave them in here or hide them right outside. We need to make this as low on our chances of being spotted as possible, so let's cover our tracks well..."

It's the work of several back-breaking minutes, the dire corby bodies being fairly heavy (no sign of hollow bones), but eventually the two from up on the parapet are replaced. The ogrekin are somewhat more difficult to budge being a bit over 300 lbs each. But, with little or no time pressure, the group is able to muscle them into some semblance of livelihood. The ettercap and spider prove much easier to move around than the dire corbies and ogrekin.

Alara, having been quiet this whole time, helps as best she can with moving the bodies.

"Okay, now what? Should we try to find a way into the castle proper?" She whispers.