The Slumbering Tsar Saga (Inactive)

Game Master Something Wicked

Chased by horrors, Ulave ran. All thought of his Goddess, all thought of his duty, all thought of his sacred mission fled with him. Into the dark he fled, tripping over stones, and roots, and old memories, until he landed, his face in the mud. Before him, was an ancient gravestone and earthen mound.

Something moved in the gloom. Something cold. Something ...

In desperation he whispered a prayer, to whom, he was not sure, and as if in answer, the sky opened, and the rain came down, ever harder, until his dream was washed away.

He started awake to the sound of an alarm. Quikwaw!!! Quickwaw!!! And then their new companion began to shout.

"UNDEAD! IT HAS SNARED ME! AWAKEN!"

Ulave leaped up, the fog of his dream clinging to him like too much drink. Groggily, he grabbed his his weapon, and stepped outside. Not far away, he saw the hanged man strangling Agyen. The hanged corpse in the square? Ulave has no time to wonder. Remembering himself, he called forth his lady's righteous wrath against the undead, and attacked.

Foul, uncouth, undead. Do you not understand? This realm is protected!

They're gonna complain that we killed their hangman, just watch. Cornu mutters darkly.

Iyon wakes to the piercing sound of the alarm and reaches into the handy haversack to draw his tetsubo and his shield as he gets to his feet. The cry for aid from Agyen confirms that there is no time to clad himself in his armour. "To arms, behead the would be hangman!" he barely stepped out of his meager shelter but tried to discern it's nature the better to kill the foul thing... but it seemed this would be a learning experience.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The noose tightens around Agyen's neck, biting into his skin relentlessly. In a heartbeat, his air is cut off, and he can feel pull of the rope dragging him down to the ground as he struggles to squeeze a finger between the course rope and his throat. To his dismay, he finds no such relief, and the rope feels as though it's ready to squeeze his head off of his shoulders.

The roar of flame and heat is accompanied by the stink of burnt hair as Ammonis's scorching rays strike the creature. Just as quickly, Ulave's arrows pierce the creature, burning it with their own divine fire. Note it took a move to stand, so a full attack wasn't possible, but you could still use your boots of speed to gain haste and an extra attack.

What the creature was, why it was here, or what it aimed to do remain a mystery, as it is reduced to ash in short order. The dry wind carries its remains south, scattering them over the derelict structures of the Camp.

Far away, a series of screams issue from the darkness of the Desolation.

____________________________________

The Next Morning.
Preparations? Back on the road north to search for the caravan?

Agyen rips the remains of the rope from his neck.

Coughing, he eventually is able to turn to the others.

"My thanks for your swift aid. I do not know how long it would take me to return to this place should that hangman have choked the life out of me. I shall resume my vigil."

He picks up the rope with his spear tip, and tosses it into the fire.

Same spells for Agyen and he is content to go north after that caravan.

"Good job Ammonis." Iyon says as he reflexively touches his own neck.

"I was getting up soon anyway. Agyen will you assist me in donning my armour and I'll get working on breakfast, I'll rather not be caught outside it again tonight if we have any more visitors."

After the caravan!

"Certainly. We should arrange ourselves so that our vision covers as much as possible during said donning."

Rurik claws his way free of his ramshackle tent which had collapsed upon him during the fight. Standing erect, he glowers at the mess of branches and canvas, then turns to his friends.

"This camp sickens me more by the hour. Why do I have a premonition that some day we shall come back here wielding fire and iron against the Usurer and his allies?"

Rurik spits.

"No matter. I'm ready to pursue the caravan when you all are."

"It is not a wholesome place. I do not especially wish to return here, but it is the closest out here to pass for 'civilised' climes."

Yes. I had hoped that there, at least, was some security to be had in the camp. But no, it is a pit of vipers.

Ammonis prepares his day's spells, and then packs up camp.

[b]I have prepared multiple camping spells. However, before we leave, I recommend that we buy a few things. No more of this traveling on foot.[/ Let us by some horses or donkeys. It will allow us to carry more, to travel faster, or if necessary, get the hell away faster. b]

"They will cost in this place. But better gold - iron - spent here, than left with our rotting bodies in the wastes."

Yes, let us go and see if the hanged man in the common yard is the same as strangled friend Agyen. Then we can go.

Ulave shakes his head.

Now, I wonder, if that ghast is not doing this community a service by eating the deceased. In this land,the dead do not stay that way for long I fear. Only a cleric or paladin of great power can permanently sanctify the bodies of the dead. I can only do it for a day, and there are too many dead.

Area 1: the Common
The hard packed earth of the Common is your only greeting this morning, as those few up this early pay you no mind. At the center of the Common stands the old wooden gallows, leaning with age. The body of the hanged man is nowhere to be seen, although the sign that had been tacked to his breast, “Cheater”, has been nailed to a beam.

With that little mystery solved, at least in part, the group turns its eyes to the bitter northern horizon, and the lonely road that leads inexorably into its clutches.

Assuming a walking speed of 3 miles per hour for an unencumbered adult, and an 8 hour travel day, it will take 2 full days of travel to reach the Crossroads at the center of the desolation.

The weather is hot and windy, as usual, and occasional clouds of white dust fly over, leaving you coated in a layer of fine, white powder. The hours pass, as conversation lapses into quiet contemplation of the recessed dirt road on which you march. Occasional bones, mostly non-human, litter the path, and here and there you find an old, rusted piece of armor or equipment, most likely lost or abandoned by the various companies of would-be traders and adventurers that have crawled over this area like so many ants.

Far to the west, a giant leathery wings rises high into the sky like a malignant sail. Tag? Investigate?

You travel in this manner for half a day Just after noon before Iyon notices a familiar, troubling site. To the west, a roiling bank of dark clouds heralds the approach of another rain storm. At its current rate, he expects it will be upon you in approximately 18 minutes.

Actions?

Is it paranoid to think these clouds sent after us?

Looking for anything that might look like natural shelter from storm.
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

Ulave sees none.

Seeing the ominous cloud approaching, Agyen turns to the 'Cornu'.

"Ammonis, I think it may be time for another hut."

I have no interest in facing a dragon or other flying source of death today, do you Ulave? Ammonis points to the giant pair of leathery wings to the west.

Continuing on, once again the dark clouds rise. Ammonis nods at Agyen's suggestions.

Turning to Fey Fly up, is there shelter nearby?

While she looks about, help me set up a tent. My hut spell has enough room for erm..9 of us. That leaves one horse and one mule in the open.

o we can try a tent, or we can have a live demonstration of what this acid rain does to flesh. I say tent.

Prior, back at the Camp
This early in the morning, you once again find that Finn has not yet emerged from his ramshackle home. However, there is a townie hired by Finn who's feeding the animals this morning. Unfortunately, Finn currently has only two heavy horses and three light horses available, and all of these animals are in bad condition, requiring at least a week of rest and regular feeding in order to be back to their normal condition. All of Finnelaus’s better stock, you learn, was purchased by the Bard’s Gate caravan that departed about a week ago. They expect the horses will wander back in from the Desolation on their own eventually, though you might soon be noting with concern that some of the bones you encounter on the road are suspiciously equine.

Now, on the Road
Fey flies up, reporting to Ammonis that there is no clear shelter in site. However, the wing extending high into the sky is actually attached to what might be an enormous, dragon-like carcass lying still upon the Dead Fields. To the east, Fey spots some sort of debris lying upon the dirt, but can't make out exactly what it is from this distance. She can say it doesn't look anything like shelter.

The storm approaches, approximately 17 minutes away.

Agyen steps up.

"Then let us set up a tent."

We should leave a bit of a tent exposed to the rain to see what happens.

[b]Seeing as we have no horses, save Ulave's donkey, we will all fit in the hut. Unless, we should see shelter under that wing over yonder.

Cornu begins to cast tiny hut.

"Aye, a tiny portion of tent, to test the rain. I would rather trust our fate to your proven magic than to a decaying wing, good Ammonis.", Agyen replies with a cold sliver of a smile.

Tucked inside the relative safety of Ammonis's conjured dome, you again watch the heavy rainfall trickle down the sides of the transparent bubble. The rain falls hot for about four minutes before passing away to the northeast, leaving its unmistakable chymic aroma.

There is very little remaining of the tent. In fact, the fabric has been completely dissolved...

Okay, it's a little after noon. You have about 7 hours of sunlight remaining, and you've almost reached a distance where you'd need to turn back or else be out after dark (it's about six hours of hiking). You can, of course, camp out here. You have the (currently empty) road north/south, as well as possible anomalies to the east and west. Actions?

I think an old shirt would have served as well as a newly purchased tent. Oh well, too late now.

Let us be thankful that Ammonis had the foresight to contrive this shelter for us. I wonder if there is some other way to prepare us for such weather. A potion or scroll perhaps?

In any case, I suppose we might take a look at the dragon's carcass, or perhaps some of the debris over yonder. Or just stick to the path and carry on. Adventure in this place will come to those who seek it.

It was just a bit of a flap. I'll mend it soon enough. But obviously, there is no reason to sleep under a tent. I feel we must come to a better solution than my tiny huts...what if you lose me? Cornu ponders for a while, staring at the bleak landscape.

It is a wonder anything can live out here in the wastes.
Does it appear to the group that the rain clouds follow the road, or do they scour all the wastes?

There are spells to resist acid, communal spells even, but unfortunately they require the same power and study as this hut spell.

"Depending on the nature of the dragon carcass it might be resistance to acid... a dragonhide tent might seem extravagant but so does relying on Ammonis to keep casting spells. Lets give it a look I think."

I only can memorize three such powerful spells...Their necessity lessens my abilities in a fight. Lyon, I do wonder if you are correct. Whatever it is made of, certainly has resisted the acid until now. This acid rain is really an impediment. I vote we go explore the carcass. Worst case, Ulave gets to kill something already dead.

"We should investigate the dragon carcass and then the debris."

Agreed.

Our band of brave adventurers turns west, setting out upon the accursed Dead Fields.

The Dead Fields exist as a hardened plain of bare rock, thin soil, and brittle bones. The entire brown expanse is dotted with gleaming white patches where bones and bone fragments protrude from the hard earth, and every step produces a crunch as these remains are reduced to powder and white flakes underfoot. Amidst the many dead are the skeletal remnants of many siege weapons. Rolling towers, covered rams, armored battle wagons, and crude breastworks dot the plains and hills, all in extremely poor repair.

A single leathery wing rises high into the air like a malignant sail. Ahead is the ponderous bulk of a massive dragon, lying on its side, its scales a dull, charcoal gray. It lies on the ground completely still. One wing extends skyward, locked into its current position. Its other wing is curled beneath its bulk at an awkward angle. Its skull-like head stares vacantly ahead into eternity. The carrion stench floating on the breeze is horrifying.

Despite its obvious condition, there is no clue as to what killed this magnificent predator other than the trail of blood and bile dried around its lips and on the ground around its maw. Yet as you draw near, a horrifying clue emerges. Bursting forth from the corpse, the hide splitting and disgorging, a swarm of huge beetles appears in a disgusting display of viscera and comes straight for you!

Effects:

Conditions:

Round 1

PCs are up first (see below)!

Initiative (bold may act):
Rurik
Ulave
Agyen
Iyon
Beetles
Ammonis

Agyen, due to some IT issues I had to give you a custom token in Roll20. I’ll correct that soon (unless you prefer the image I’ve chosen).

This dragon has been dead about a week, and those are gore beetles. Vermin...and mindless. Illusions won't distract them.

Swarms..

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37
Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33

The beetles, armored insects the size of a small dog whose heads have four composite eyes and sawlike mandibles, chitter excitedly at the prospect of fresh meat...

Gotta smash them flat, they don't bleed so slashing at them doesn't help much. They also don't have regular organs, so poking them doesn't help much either. Also, they can fart really bad. Make you keel over, it will. No joke. the Cornu frowns. Can't recall if they fly

Rurik wrinkles his nose in disgust as the horrific stench wafts over him, the reek so powerful it makes the air seem to shimmer with greasy waves. Burying his face in the crook of his elbow, he squints at the ashen form of the fallen dragon and then lets out a bark of alarm as the beetles burst forth.

At the sight of them, he begins to retreat, moving carefully back over the bone strewn plain, until at last he raises his hand and whispers a few words of deadly power, unleashing a stream of virulent, cleansing white light that arcs over his comrades and flashes amongst the swarm.

Ranged Touch Searing Light: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Damage: 3d8 ⇒ (4, 5, 6) = 15

Remarkably, Ulave fell into a deep dreamless sleep after the encounter with the undead hangman, as if in dispatching the creature, he had relieved of himself some psychic burden. He woke, refreshed, and began performing his morning rituals. Since having made camp here, he had given some thought to making it a place suitable for contemplation of the seven aspects of his Goddess's face. To this end he had, in addition to cleaning the site, built a simple altar of small stones. Upon this, he lovingly placed her sigil, and then unrolled his prayer mat. On his knees, he began to slow his breath, and to clear his mind of everything but the sight of the sigil. Deeper and deeper into his meditation he descended, until it was as if when looking upon a lake one finds oneself looking instead at the sky.

Lady.

Before him she appeared, clad in armor and bearing an enormous shield. The sun was behind her. He shielded his eyes.

Ulave, my faithful servant. You have chosen well. Now, I grant thee favors. For your companion Lyon, I grant thee the power to bestow Righteous Vigour and a Bed of Iron to ease his sleep. I also grant thee a Belly of Fire.

And then she was gone, and Ulave was returned.

He rose, and greeted his companions. While he cooked the morning's breakfast, he watched Lyon and contemplated the lady's gift. Something would happen today.

It had been a long day traveling, step after bone-crushing step. When they finally reached the corpse of the dragon, Ulave had half expected it to rise and assail them. He was only half wrong.

Gore beetles?

Ulave had seen them only once, long ago, and after they had been destroyed by the old ranger. He knew that this fight was not his to win.

He then remembered his lady's gifts. Stepping forward he whispered to Lyon. Permit me, but I will put a blessing on you. Every successful strike will grant you greater vigor, and stronger life.

Ulave touches Lyon, granting him Righteous Vigour for 5 rounds.

Yikes! Ammonis backs up as far as he can and dangerous words fling are uttered as if from a dark and dank place Just fall in and die! Though the usual combination of syllables differed from this, for an inexplicable reason, it had always worked for the Cornu Ammonis.

Fey leaps up into the air, and again oily words escape her faerie lips to slick up the the ground beneath the gore beetles.

Ammonis hopes he didn't just condemn Lyon to death again.

On roll20, black rectangle: grease. Dark blue rectangle 30 foot deep pit, light blue rectangle: make reflex save or fall in pit.
Create Pit 30' deep
DC for Dark Blue Square: Reflex DC19 or fall in
DC for Light blue outer squares: Reflex DC17 or fall in.
Grease DC: 14

Ready yourself Lyon, bash them if they try to leave the pit, but do not fall into it!

Heal DC 17: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Knowledge (Arcana) DC 17: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Knowledge (nature) DC 18: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Seeing that Ammonis is slowing the beetles down, Agyen begins to incant, to summon a beetle of his own to pin down the swarm a little more.

Summon Monster I: Celestial Fire Beetle, to appear flying on the far side of the pit, to distract the gore beetles.

swarm Ref DC 19 v pit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Aaaand they make their save v. the pit, so the problem of grease is avoided for the mean time.

The beetles buzz angrily and scatter as the ground upons up beneath them, reforming nearby on solid land.

damn

Let's say that Ammonis cast pit first, and now Fay casts grease, so they still need to make a second save v. grease.

swarm Ref DC 14 v. grease: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 saved again.

Even Fey's magical grease proves ineffective, as the chitinous exoskeletons of the beetles prove impervious to lipid saturation.

Iyon is up, followed by the swarm.

Iyon draws out an alchemical silver mace and steps forward. Like offering an arm to a rabid dog he expected them to bite him... hopefully the others would back away in the meantime and use their abilities to good effect. "Get back while I tried to hold up any who avoid the pit."

Thanks for the buff Ulave but I needed to get the right weapon out... and I do not want to get into the grease

Effects:Righteous Vigour (Iyon)

Conditions:

The beetles swarm forward, mandibles snapping, as they mindlessly crawl upon the first and freshest meat they find: Agyen and Iyon.

The swarm provokes an AoO as it enters your squares, which you may now make in addition to your full turn for Round 2.

swarm damage @ Iyon and Agyen: 4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 4, 3) = 14

Agyen and Iyon must make a DC 22 Fort save or be nauseated one round.

___________________________

Round 2 (bold may act):
Rurik
Ulave
Agyen
Iyon
Ammonis
Beetles

Iyon gets a solid blow on one of the beetles as they swarm around him... but the stench is momentarily overpowering and it takes everything he has not to vomit inside his helm.
AOO Power Attack with Light Mace: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Temporary Hit Points: 1d8 ⇒ 6
Fort Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Replacing Searing Light damage for an Alchemist Fire.

Alchemist Fire: 1d6 ⇒ 2

+1 splash damage to each adjoining square.

AOO longspear: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Damage, P: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Fort dc 22: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Another +4 vs disease, but I doubt this is. Also, wouldn't change the result.

He staggers back, retching uncontrollably.

5ft step east. Can someone move Agyen?

It begins with a searing cramp in his gut, and smoke from his nostrils. Ulave breathes fire, and then coughs and wipes acrid tears from his eyes.

firedamage: 1d4 ⇒ 2 I think multiply damage by 1.5

A magical fire warms your belly, granting you fire resistance 5 and making your gut hot to the touch (but not enough to damage you or anything else). As a standard action, you can breathe a 15-foot cone of flame that deals 1d4 points of fire damage (Reflex half, SR applies). Each time you use this breath weapon, reduce the remaining duration of the spell by 1 minute.

Ammonis, irritated that he created a hole for no reason, makes Lyon squish bugs.. Casts haste on Lyon ranger 40' Fey again casts grease beneath the beetles the flies south to Ammonis. Ammonis hands her an alchemists fire. See roll20

Effects: Righteous Vigour (Iyon), Haste

Conditions:

Iyon gets a solid blow (hit, full damage) on one of the beetles as they swarm around him... but the stench is momentarily overpowering and it takes everything he has not to vomit inside his helm.

Rurik hurls a flask of alchemical fire, smiling it grim satisfaction is it burns away many of the insects. Still, hundreds remain… (hit, 3 damage)

Agyen fumbles with his spear, failing to strike the beetles. He staggers back, retching uncontrollably. His celestial fire beetle appears, fighting back a wretched version of itself!

celestial fire beetle bite v. swarm: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 21d4 ⇒ 2 miss

It begins with a searing cramp in his gut, and smoke from his nostrils. Ulave breathes fire, and then coughs and wipes acrid tears from his eyes.

swarm Ref DC 16 v. firebelly: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 success, 1 damage

Ammonis, irritated that he created a hole for no reason, makes Lyon squish bugs.. Fey again casts grease beneath the beetles, then flies south to Ammonis. He hands her an alchemists fire.

swarm Ref DC 14 v. grease: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24 success

The beetles instinctively move away from the grease spell, swarming south. Yet they continue to feast upon the warm, blooded flesh of Ulave and Iyon.

swarm damage @ Iyon and Agyen: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 4, 2) = 15

Iyon and Agyen must make a DC 22 Fort save or be nauseated one round. Note that, even if nauseated, you can use a move action to move out of the swarm.

___________________________

Round 3 Initiative (bold may act):
Rurik
Ulave
Agyen
Iyon
Ammonis
Beetles

Infused with arcane and divine magic Iyon felt as if he had become and avatar of destruction smashing the carapace of giant beetles with each swing.
Power Attack with Light Mace: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 10 + 1 + 1 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Temporary Hit Points: 1d8 ⇒ 1
Power Attack with Light Mace: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Temporary Hit Points: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Power Attack with Light Mace: 1d20 + 10 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 3 + 1 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Temporary Hit Points: 1d8 ⇒ 7