GM TOP MOD: Gallows of Madness Parts 1-3 (Core) (Inactive)

Game Master Pete H.

With no other plan, Dimple throws herself against the door in an attempt to open it. This assumes that just trying to simple turning the knob and opening the door does not work. Dimple will try that first as part of a move action.

CMB vs Door? {Bless/IC}: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 + 1 = 17

Inspire Courage, Round 11 of 11. 0 rounds remains!

Remember, +2 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to saves vs FEAR

Search through pages on my phone is very time consuming and difficult. However, I believe we have found a few cold-iron objects. So several of us should be able to hack at the webs simultaneously. Can one of you easily tell what we have found?

Break out the special gear! We have to get through that door!

Ok, this is getting serious folks. I am out of magics that can help even slightly. I have a flask of oil that we can throw on it and light. It is resistant to acid. Do any of you have the other element alchemical things to hit it with? It is healing itself by taking energy from us. That is a kinda undead-ish thing. So it might take damage from holy water or a cure spell. Though if not undead, the cure spell might heal it like normal. Other than that I can probably only use the "aid another" action to help the melee folks with attacks or defense. Any other ideas?

Kasvot is similarly out of spells; he's down to just cantrips. He does have disrupt undead as a cantrip; I'll try that as soon as we're through the door. He also has a flask of alchemist's fire. All strategizing is moot, though, if we can't get through the door!

Kasvot learned a chunk of things with his knowledge check before he passed out, but the main relevant information is it has negative energy affinity. This means it is healed by negative energy and harmed by positive energy. Holy water, cure spells, positive channeling, disrupt undead harm it. But the important thing right now is to get through the door.

As with most barriers, there are generally two options. 1) Shove it open (Strength check, usually high, Dimple's attempt was not enough). 2) Break it down (Attack rolls vs. AC 5 with damage rolled until the door has no HP left, hardness 5 will reduce the damage). There may be a third option in this case, but I can't say more without telling you all what needs to be done. I'll give Niza a bit to post an action and then move us along.

Map wise, you are welcome to move fog of war or darkness conditions briefly to confirm your location or move your piece if you are in them, just put them back once done. I'll also try to do better at keeping the PC pieces on top of stuff like that so they can be moved by their players.

Pretty certain I am out of useful spells (I have to check, I may have a single 1st level bard spell remaining). I also have my domain spell (True Strike), but it is personal, so its not like I can do a ton of damage to it.

Buncha noobs! Stymied by a door.

EDIT: Ah ha! I can do some paltry Channel damage (1d5, DC 11 will save). And I can do that lousy damage 5 more times today. We also have a bunch of CLW wands. Any ranks of UMD out there?

No ranks in UMD here, but disrupt undead is almost as good as clw for that, so I'm not too concerned as regards Kasvot's actions. I think you Dimple should channel all she can! It will heal Fromagalli at the same time it harms the demon; even if it's small, it'll be helping on both counts.

Also, thanks for the Knowledge check reminder, GM. I was so focused on my Stabilize check that I never even opened that spoiler. If I had, I definitely would have used disrupt undead instead of daze when I got up, but ahhh well.

It will heal Fromagalli at the same time it harms the demon; even if it's small, it'll be helping on both counts.

Unfortunately, that is not how it works.

A good cleric (or a neutral cleric who worships a good deity) channels positive energy and can choose to deal damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures.

So, it is one or the other, not simultaneous.

I have a +3 to UMD, so I can attempt to activate my click stick against it.
GM Top, Maybe I misunderstood something. Are the webs on this side of the door in our way or on the far side of the door binding it shut?

The webbing is attached tightly to both sides of the door.

The webbing is attached tightly to both sides of the door.

Did new webbing appear after the door was closed somehow? Because it seems that the initial opening of the door would have broken any webbing free, no?

The webbing is all over the room, covering everything. "A web of thick, pulsating goo covers the walls and part of the floor of this room."

The scenario has specifically set up a difficult door for you all to manage. Here's a peek behind my screen, "The web also keeps the door in the southwest corner of the room shut. Wormgnash (the demon), however, can will the demon’s bile to allow him to come and go as he pleases.

And since it didn't give further mechanics then that, I attempted to show that the demonic webbing controls the door at a thought from the demon. It's a nasty setup for sure.

But if you were looking at the rest of the stuff I have to deal with, none of you would really be concerned about dying here. Just work through the problem, it's all good.

Putting two and two together, Niza pulls her cold iron dagger out again and starts hacking away at the webbing on this side of the door.

Move while drawing dagger, attack the webs.

Small MW Cold Iron Dagger + Bless + IC - Shaken: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 25 for Slashing/Cold Iron + IC: 1d3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

Small MW Cold Iron Dagger Crit? + Bless + IC - Shaken: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 25 for Slashing/Cold Iron + IC: 1d3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Wow

Niza moves up and takes out her dark metal dagger, slashing a deep X pattern into the door with all her strength. It easily slices through the feindish webbing, turning that to dust. She even manages to gouge deeply into the wood of the door. A little more damage and any webbing on the other side won't even matter.

The fiend hears the hacking on the otherside, buy assumes he is safe, biting away at his blind target. But has no luck connecting with the well armored wary warrior.

Round 8: Bless is up (2 rds remain)
Vermlek Demon (-11 HP)
Door (-5 HP, no east side webbing)
Dimple (-3 HP)
Niza (-4 HP, Shaken 4 rds remain) & Albis
Liet-Gar (-6 HP, Shaken 4 rds remain, Fatigued 5 rds remain, Enlarged 28 rds remain)
Fromagalli (-4 HP, Prot Evil 23 rds remain, Shaken 4 rds remain, Blind from Total Darkness in Room)
Kasvot (-13 HP)
Vie (Shaken 3 rds remain) & Chuckles

Bold is up!

Fromagalli moves away trying to follow the wall (Half speed) He then attempts to cast a simple cantrip

arcane fail 1to35: 1d100 ⇒ 69

Casts Light

Moving along the wall away from the enemy, Fromagalli feels the demon attempt to bite him as the whoosh of teeth snap past his head. He carefully shifts in his thick armor, summoning an arcane glow to his sword. The demon seems a bit peeved at the resulting illumination.

Round 8: Bless is up (2 rds remain)
Vermlek Demon (-11 HP)
Door (-5 HP, no east side webbing)
Dimple (-3 HP)
Niza (-4 HP, Shaken 4 rds remain) & Albis
Liet-Gar (-6 HP, Shaken 4 rds remain, Fatigued 5 rds remain, Enlarged 28 rds remain)
Fromagalli (-4 HP, Prot Evil 22 rds remain, Shaken 3 rds remain)
Kasvot (-13 HP)
Vie (Shaken 3 rds remain) & Chuckles

Bold is up!

Fromagalli is certainly wishing he hadn't dropped his cold iron dagger in the other room he does have feather fall if he sees anyone falling down a pit but has no other spells

Didn't Fromagalli drop a blade during the fighting?!? Ah yes, there it is.

Vie heads over to retrieve the blade Fromagali dropped. I don't remember where Fromagalli was when he dropped the blade. Vie will go to it, pick it up, move to the door, and chop webbing. I'm guessing that will be 2 rounds of actions.

Kasvot, seeing the webbing fall away in the wake of Niza's quick dagger-work, steps back up to the door and flings it open. If he sees their foe, he quickly fires off a ray of positive energy.

Gonna move stuff along a bit, seems like we are probably a round or two from resolving this combat unless some really bad RNG comes up.

Liet-Gar hacks away at the web-less door.

MWK Cold-Iron Ranseur + str - big - fat - sha: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 = 12 for Piercing (Big) - Fatigued: 2d6 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (2, 3) + 4 - 1 = 8

Eh... close enough on damage.

The door crumbles and Niza pushes through, rushing inside to stab at the demon-dude. She connects with his less-protected body now that it doesn't have all that human goo around it.

Small MW Cold Iron Dagger + Bless - Shaken: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 for Piercing/Cold Iron: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Kasvot steps up behind her and attempts to blast away with some positive energy, but can't quite hit the target with Niza and the wall partially in the way.

The fiend steps over towards Fromagalli and frantically tries to bit him into unconsciousness as it feels to be running out of time. Body shaking with adrenaline, it doesn't manage to focus enough to connect.

Round 9: Bless is up (2 rds remain)
Vermlek Demon (-15 HP)
Dimple (-3 HP)
Niza (-4 HP, Shaken 3 rds remain) & Albis
Liet-Gar (-6 HP, Shaken 3 rds remain, Fatigued 4 rds remain, Enlarged 27 rds remain)
Fromagalli (-4 HP, Prot Evil 22 rds remain, Shaken 3 rds remain)
Kasvot (-13 HP)
Vie (Shaken 2 rds remain) & Chuckles

Bold is up!

Dimple takes out her necklace again. "You've had it!"

Channel to KILL GRUMPY!: 1d6 ⇒ 3 {Will save vs DC 11 for half}

Channel 2 of 6. 4 Channels remain

Niza moves opposite of Fromagalli. "I am about tired of you, Grumpy!!!" She slashes at the demon with her cold iron dagger, putting as much power into her swing as she can.

Small MW Cold Iron Dagger + Flanking + Bless - Shaken: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 26 for Slashing OR Piercing/Cold Iron: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Small MW Cold Iron Dagger + Flanking + Bless - Shaken (Crit Confirm?): 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 23 for Slashing OR Piercing/Cold Iron: 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Dimple's holy power burns the demon, it hisses but doesn't seem to be that injured. However... Niza now knows its weakness and stabs as hard as her little gnome arms can, twisting the dagger and ripping it out, leaving a large bleeding wound behind.

Round 9: Bless is up (2 rds remain)
Vermlek Demon (-25 HP)
Dimple (-3 HP)
Niza (-4 HP, Shaken 2 rds remain) & Albis
Liet-Gar (-6 HP, Shaken 3 rds remain, Fatigued 4 rds remain, Enlarged 27 rds remain)
Fromagalli (-4 HP, Prot Evil 22 rds remain, Shaken 3 rds remain)
Kasvot (-13 HP)
Vie (Shaken 2 rds remain) & Chuckles

Bold is up!

Bah, I realized that the DC for the save is 13, not 11. The save DC is based on my Charisma, not Cleric level. It's only 2 more points of damage, so maybe not a huge difference? Posting from work so I didn't get a chance to double check until now.

Buffs:
Mage Armor
Shield
Ac=21

Knees knocking at the foolhardy action, Vie races to Fromagalli bearing the cold-iron dagger attempting to avoid the teeth of the creature.
acrobatics to avoid the AoO: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 3 - 2 = 14

Here use this! Take it! Take it!

It probably gets to take a shot at me. Someone please move my Icon next Fromagalli.

Kaxvot steps into the room, quickly circling around behind Niza to get a better angle. He directs another ray of positive energy at the demon.

Fromagalli strikes out with a powerful blow at his enemy hoping his double handed magic infused blow will cut through the demonic protection

sword: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 - 2 = 10
damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

shirt reroll sword: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 - 2 + 4 = 24

"Oh"

"Thank you Vie"

not sure where we are on action economy but I will take that dagger for the next round. Also magic infused is arcane strike

"This...going...to hurt..." remarks LGZ. "Dimple, we're gonna get close..."

Stepping into the doorway, his massiveness landing on the mold and the gnome, LGZ raises the blade and swings for the fences!

MWK Cold-Iron Ranseur with buffs and minuses: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 2 = 4 for Piercing (Big): 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 6) + 4 = 12

from my recollection since I'm 2 sizes larger than Dimple, we can share space without squeezing - if that is incorrect, feel free to move me

Liet-Gar Zirulak shows his skill as he expertly cleaves some of the webbing from the center of the room with his long reach. It's not the right room and nowhere near his target, but no one has to know that.

Fromagalli visualizes his vertical strike for a half-second, realizes it would probably miss and instead swings horizontally to remove the head of the creature. It connects cleanly and the head pops right off, body and head thudding to the floor. Everyone pants with exertion for a short bit as their fears start fading away. The only thing of value on the creature is its well crafted rapier (medium sized).

COMBAT OVER!!!!

Vie rushes over to return Fromagalli's dagger to him. Kasvot holds off on casting his spell.

Current Status
Dimple (-3 HP)
Niza (-4 HP) & Albis
Liet-Gar (-6 HP)
Fromagalli (-4 HP)
Kasvot (-13 HP)
Vie & Chuckles

_____________________________

On the table in this last room, the pathfinders find drawings and diagrams of some sort of portal, showing a vermlek stepping through what looks very much like the sacrificial pit in the adjacent room. Wormgnash’s notes—written in Abyssal—suggest that he believed he was very close to a breakthrough that would have ripped a tiny interdimensional hole here that would have allowed several of his vermlek brethren to join him on the Material Plane.

The pathfinders also find a rough map of Saringallow with arrows and drawings of mites scribbled on it. It indicates that the fiendish fey were soon to attack the town in order to obtain bodies for the vermleks to inhabit.

There are six cabinets in the room, each full of documents. The shelves are neatly labeled, and the pathfinders easily find the missing records in the cabinet in the northeast corner of the room.

What do you all do next?

DIMPLE's CHANNEL OF LIFE!!!: 1d6 ⇒ 4
DIMPLE's CHANNEL OF LIFE!!!: 1d6 ⇒ 3
DIMPLE's CHANNEL OF LIFE!!!: 1d6 ⇒ 2
CLW vs Kasvot: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Current Status
Dimple
Niza & Albis
Liet-Gar
Fromagalli
Kasvot (-2 HP)
Vie & Chuckles

Gotta love channels! What do you all do next?

"Says he was close to finishing...any of you know if we can reverse it? You know, so noone" *YAWN* "can fin-nish it?" inquires LGZ.

Vie ecstaticly begins reading, scribing, and sketching at a furious rate.
Detect Magic for certainty. Will use Comprehend Languages if needed. Want to learn everything possible from this, but also shut it down if can be done. If any of these checks apply...
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
knowledge spellcraft: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
knowledge planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Dang. Wish the 20 was on planes since I'm guessing it is most applicable here.

Those are some nice rolls! I sorta feel bad because the scenario doesn't worry about shutting down the ritual at this point (you'll find out why later). But how about this, I'll tell you how to shut it down, more or less, and then let you keep your nat 20 for the next skill check needed.

Vie is pretty sure that cold-ironing all the webbing like they had started to do before the mites attacked will be enough to stop any demons from getting through.

"Well, we better gather some of these things up to bring back to the mayor. I suppose we can leave most of it, though, and let her arrange a team to bring back the bulk of it. But one or two key items will help her see the nature of what is here."

Vie is trying to make a copy of everything for the Society. While he is copying he is looking for any mention of the missing people in the documentation. Or really anything the city might find of interest. Also any info he can find on mites that have been sent out on other tasks or getting ready for the attacks.

Since we are, presumably, no longer threatened by these vile forces and are not pressed for time; I suggest we go over the entire property in detail looking for anything we might have missed. Let us also eliminate that metal snake so anyone checking out these ruins later is not injured by it.

I think we should take 20 everywhere to make sure we haven't missed any information they want. One the ground, we might be able to even find where the bodies have been interred (might be under the gardens). If we take 20, my perception is 31.

Niza and Fromagalli go about hacking through the fiendish webbing in the ritual room, clearing at least the demonic parts out. The fell energy that emanated from the room seems to be less pressing on your souls, though it is still a dank gross basement room. Liet-Gar dozes off leaning against his weapon. While snoozing, he shrinks back down to normal size. Dimple daydreams about... well that's just personal so I won't say.

Vie and Kasvot work through the files and cabinets, copying or collecting the necessary documents. However, their hopes for a careful search back through the manor are dashed when a powerful tremor shakes the basement, causing cabinets to topple!

Reflex to avoid being crushed under the cabinets or Strength to prop them up.

We have set of (mostly) Basic Skill checks coming up. Each phase something will happen and you will have two options to choose between. There are some additional intricacies, but I'm just going to skip those for simplicity and to keep things moving along. I will do some heavy botting here if you all are slow to post as I believe this to be almost impossible to fail. You are allowed one round of actions in between each phase to heal any damage, drink a potion, cast a spell, etc...

Reflex?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Snorting awake at the terrible tremble, LGZ leaps out of the way of one of the falling cabinets before he consciously registers the threat.

"What that...HEY! I thought we killed the baddie."

REFLEX: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Snapped out of a her hopeful and longing stare at Liet-Gar intense concentration on very important matters, "Hey! Be careful."

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 2

5th of 6 channels. 1 channel remains.

Reflex, Niza: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Reflex, Albis: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

The rumble stops Niza in her tracks. Seeing the tumbling cabinets, she tries to deftly dodge out of the way. All the commotion makes Albis squawk and fly off Niza's shoulder to soar around the room.

"Whoa!" Kasvot exclaims as he tries to keep his footing.

Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

He looks around. "Is everyone OK? We need to get out of here now!!!"

reflex save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Horrified at the thought of losing everything, The documents! Grab the documents!

Fromagalli Str: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

The strong half-elf holds up a cabinet that would have fallen, Kasvot and Vie grab a stack each of folders out of it and book it to the door. Niza follows Albis' natural instincts to flee danger and both burst out of the room first.

Liet-Gar bends deftly avoiding danger, but his extreme flexibility is very distracting to Dimple and she doesn't see the cabinet door open in front of her, whacking her on the head (Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3). But she and the rest get out into the ritual room where she channels a bit of energy to heal everyone up to almost full health.

The dying and panicking mites trapped in the demon’s bile web blindly grab at anything they can.

Acrobatics to tumble past, Escape Artist to wriggle away from them.

Current Status
Dimple (-1 HP)
Niza & Albis
Liet-Gar
Fromagalli
Kasvot
Vie & Chuckles

Acrobatics vs Chase Mechanic: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

See the potential danger ahead, LGZ handsprings into a double backflip over the mites grasp. With but a wink to Dimple, he rushes through the door.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Kasvot wriggles past the grabbing mites without much difficulty.

Escape Artist: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Vie Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Fromagalli Acrobatics: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (8) - 4 = 4

Only one of the group fail to negotiate the grabby little critters. Fromagalli ends up with a couple shallow gouges as they enter the flooded room, trying to get out before the whole place collapses on them!

Fromagalli Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Rolling barrels make movement in the flooded cellar difficult.

Constitution check to hold your breath as you dive under them or Swim to slip to the side and past.

Current Status
Dimple (-1 HP)
Niza & Albis
Liet-Gar
Fromagalli (-1 HP)
Kasvot
Vie & Chuckles

Don't forget the optional 1 round of action between rooms. You are welcome to use it either as a "heal up after" action or "prep for next room" action or just skip it, no huge issues either way.

Vie quickly reads a scroll and a shimmering disk appears in the air beside him. Someone help me get these up on here! Use scroll of Floating Disk. Then throw a little less than 100 lbs of cabinet, drawers, boxes, or just anything on the disk.

escape artist: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Fromagalli puts any documents he grabbed on the disc before wading through the water occasionally ducking under a barrel

con: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15