GM Ietsuna's Shadow's Last Stand Part 1 - At Shadow's Door (Inactive)

Game Master Ietsuna

fortitude: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"Ha, they will never hear us coming! Let's sneak in under the cover of bells!"

Edwin heads down with his sword in hands.

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Tashi, you are deaf for 2 minutes also.

The Cathedral of Aroden’s former congregation hall fills an enormous, high-ceilinged open space, with the rectangular nave opening into a large circular chamber beneath the building’s grand dome.

Along the dome’s ceiling, a fresco depicts Aroden’s apotheosis and his famed battle with the wizard-king Tar Baphon on the Isle of Terror. Although intricate, the fresco’s crumbling perimeter and fading colors betray the lack of recent maintenance. A narrow wooden balcony, lined by a finely carved balustrade, encircles the dome’s base and the cathedral’s nave. The balusters depict men following several different professions, while fine calligraphy graces the top railing.

Forty feet below, an enormous altar—itself the size of a small building—stands stoutly below the dome’s apex. The cathedral’s nave stretches out to the south. Soft blue light streams into the enormous space through dozens of meticulously decorated stained-glass windows lining the nave. They illuminate trophies of all sorts—from weapons to wands—hung from the hall’s many columns.

Signs of last night’s gala and the massacre that interrupted it are obvious: freshly painted sunburst decorations, tables swathed in fine cloth covered with spoiled food, a portable stage standing empty but bloodstained, and corpses littering the floor below.

I am getting a floor plan up. I will have it up in the next 15 or so minutes. Link will be at the top of the thread.

How far up are we? What are our movement options?

Bennett will continue to climb down carefully, keeping an eye out for any enemies.

You are in the dome's viewing gallery, the balcony runs around the edge of the large room. You are 20 feet up from the ground floor.

Correction then:

Bennett will round the balcony to get a comprehensive view of the room below.

Below you see the remains of the party. Seventeen corpses, many important members of the Almas elite, lie here.

Is there a place on the balcony to tie a rope if we want a faster way down (but not so fast as plummeting)?

There is a railing, balustrades etc. Any of these could provide a reasonable anchor for a rope to climb down.

Miseria examines the balusters and reads the railing.

Kn. Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

"All the guises couldn't save him. The Starfall Doctrine, prophesy of glory all for naught. Aroden died and so too did the hope of so many people waiting for a new age of glory."

A dang fool, if you ask me. I'm not much one for religion myself though. The gods don't concern themselves with what goes in in the streets. Bennett ignores the decorations and keeps an eye out.

know relig.: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Edwin climbs down and looks around.

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

"What? What?" Ivan can see that his comrades are talking but can't make out what they are discussing or why they are speaking so quietly. But when he sees Edwin climbing down he stows his pistol away and also descends the rope. Take 10 on climb for 12.

Bennett will opt for the door and make his way down as well.

Seeing a lack of action on our part so moving forward some more.

Bennett walks out onto the ground floor of the building. He approaches the center of the building and something leaps out from beneath the alter and swoops up towards the ceiling. It sits up 30 feet from the floor.

Round 1 - Bold May Act

Bennett
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red)
Ivan
Miseria

Do I know how to get the party started or what?

Bennett turns to the creature, takes aim, and looses an arrow...or two.

rapid shot 1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
rapid shot 2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Bennett's shots both go wide of the air elemental.

Edwin takes out his shortbow and shoots.

shortbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Tashi moves to get as close as possible to the air elemental before throwing his dagger.

Thrown dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

I'm a bit confused about where I should be on the map. I had previously stated that I was taking 10 to climb down the rope but I didn't move myself on the map since I wasn't sure what the result of that would be or where exactly the rope was. Should I put my token on the floor of the lower level?

Yes, you successfully climbed down. I will move your token down to the floor.

Tashi's dagger slices into the enemy, leaving a hole in its wake.

The enemy flies down at Tashi, attacks and flies back up toward the ceiling.

Red Vs Tashi: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Tashi manages to dodge around the attack.

Round 1/2 - Bold May Act

Bennett
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red) -5
Ivan
Miseria

Edwin shoots another arrow.

shortbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Bennett fires off two more arrows, trying to lead it a bit as it attacks the crew.

mwk comp longbow rapid shot 1,pbs: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 + 1 = 16
mwk comp longbow rapid shot 2,pbs: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 1 = 25
mwk comp longbow rapid shot 2,pbs,cofirm: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 1 = 25
NICE
crit damage: 3d8 + 9 ⇒ (6, 1, 4) + 9 = 20

Miseria will just double move this round to get closer to the rest of the group.

Edwin fires again and again misses.

Bennett's arrow strikes right in the centre of the enemy Sorry, immune to crits

Round 1/2 - Bold May Act

Bennett
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red) -14
Ivan
Miseria

Ivan moves to where he is just beneath the creature (single move action) and then takes aim with his pistol.

How high up is the creature? If it is within 25' Ivan will fire at it now. Otherwise he will ready to fire at it when it descends to within 25' (which is the range increment for his pistol). He is shooting a bullet with black powder.

mwk pistol, first range increment (25'): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Yeesh, a misfire on my very first shot! Using the Called trait to once/day reroll a nat 1 on an attack roll.
mwk pistol, first range increment (25'): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Seriously?
B/P dmg: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Ivan's pistol gains the broken condition.

Ivan stares at his pistol in dumb disbelief and then starts to curse, though with his deafened condition he cannot hear his curses, so he curses even louder.

It is 30 feet up, with some math we can work out the distance between you and the enemy, but it is absolutely beyond 25 feet, so your attack is readied and will go off when it comes by you next

Drawing another dagger Tashi lets it fly.

thrown dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Tashi throws and misses.

The enemy again swoops, this time aiming for Bennett.

As it swoops Ivan fires, but his pistol takes the damage as it misfires.

Enemy Vs Bennett: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Round 2/3 - Bold May Act

Bennett -5
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red) -14
Ivan
Miseria

"Will I hit this time!?" Edwin shoots another arrow.

shortbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

thrown dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"Come down here and fight me you cowardly ...thing!"

Dropping her sword for a moment, Miseria pulls out her longbow and fires a single shot.

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

It's time we take this thing down. It might take another swipe at me, and that won't do. Bennett fires a few more bow shots at the thing.

mwk comp longbow rapid shot 1,pbs: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
mwk comp longbow rapid shot 2,pbs: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Edwin's arrow finds its way into the target this round. It strikes leaving a hole.

Tashi and Miseria both miss with their projectiles.

Bennett fires twice. The first goes wide, but the second finds its mark.

Round 2/3 - Bold May Act

Bennett -5
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red) -25
Ivan
Miseria

Ivan moves to Bennett and heals him with his wand.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

on my phone. Will someone pls move me? Thx.

The enemy swoops at Ivan this time.

Enemy Vs Ivan: 1d20 ⇒ 5 Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The enemy swoops and misses.

Round 3/4 - Bold May Act

Bennett
Edwin
Tashi
Enemy (Red) -25
Ivan
Miseria

Miseria tries again.

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

thrown dagger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Tashi throws again, as his bandoleer gets lighter and lighter.

Bennett shows a smile for having hit his target a few times and not being the subject of the battering this time around.

bow rapid shot 1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

bow rapid shot 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

"Will you die?"

shortbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Bennett's first shot hits, but his second shop narrowly misses.

All of the other shots also miss. Fortunately Bennett's shot is enough to bring it down.

Combat Over

Ivan looks at his broken pistol mournfully and shakes it a few times, as if that might somehow repair it. "Aye, this might be a problem..."

"Let's see what we have here." Edwin starts to search the room.

perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

"Ha, I knew it! Gold in the altar... And a secret exit?" Tashi points out the stash and trap door to the group.

If there's no objection... Ivan assures the others: "Don't worry, this'll just be a moment. Or two. I've done this before. I think. You just have to connect this part here and then flip that part there and then if you just... or wait, maybe you have to... Just give me another few moments..." This goes on for some time (An hour, in fact) but eventually Ivan does manage to repair his pistol. "All right then. Where were we?"

Miseria gathered up her arrows and waited for Ivan to finish.

"I'd suggest the secret exit. Anyone brave enough to scout ahead. The way she'd said it you get the sense that she really meant foolish when she said brave.

The trapdoor below the altar seems to be locked. Disable Device if you want to try to unlock it

I'll do some scouting if someone opens the door. Bennett keeps his bow raised for when the door is opened for him.

Not averse to Ivan taking the time to fix his gun but seems like we're on "minutes" not "hours" right now.

I can't unlock the door but I can use my sword on them.