Dungeon Master S's "The Fall of Plaguestone" (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

"We've got to keep them from opening the other cages, or this will go as badly as our last few fights!" Penryn cries out as the horse charges forward. "Focus on the orcs, and block the path to that rat cage if you can!"

He then hurries forward and fires a brace of arrows at the orc facing Blodgett!

Stride, then Strike twice at green.

Shortbow attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Shortbow damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Shortbow attack 2, MAP: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 7 - 5 = 19
Shortbow damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Penryn drives home his point with a pair of hits that nearly drop the orc!

Round 1
Lucky: Miss
Blodgett: Move
Jasper: Hit
Hostile: Open the gates!
Elvanthain: Go
Cilik: Go
Penryn: Hit

Elvanthain moves in trying to find a good shot at something with his crossbow. He moves in a lot and then shoots green with his crossbow.

crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

and he strikes true!

damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

Cilik moves towards the right of the pond of sludge. He hurls a blob a acid at the nearest orc (green).

acid splash: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Elvanthain drops one of the orcs, but Cilik can't connect with his spell.

Round 2
Lucky: Go
Blodgett: Go
Jasper: Go
Hostile: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Penryn: TBD

Blodgett's face explodes in a grin as he charges the remaining orc!

Sudden Charge: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
slashing (4 is acid): 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Rage ◈, Sudden Charge ◈◈

Wasting no time, Blodgett charges forth and with a single swing of his blade, ends the orc's brutally short life.

Round 2
Lucky: Go
Blodgett: Kill
Jasper: Go
Hostile: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Penryn: TBD

Kaleb does a sudden roll forward before stabbing the mineral horse.

silver rapier: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
piercing damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Kaleb then raises his magical shield again.

Step, Strike, Cast Shield.

"Nice job on those orcs!" Kaleb shouts to his companions.

Kaleb strikes true, but the rock nature of the horse's skin turns a large part of his thrust aside!

Round 2
Lucky: Hit
Blodgett: Kill
Jasper: Go
Hostile: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Penryn: TBD

Seeing the irrational hostility from the stone horse, he makes a mental decision. You simply cannot be good. This is the corruption, and I will free you from it.

"Erastil, help me to strike down this corrupt creature, ending its servitude to evil!" With that final word he points and a lance of pure goodness flies from his fingertip.
Divine Lance (V/S): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Good damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Then, despite the close proximity, he fires off an arrow with his longbow.
Strike: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 - 2 = 1

Jasper's lance strikes straight and true!

The horse takes out its rage on Kaleb, a flurry of hooves:
Hoof 1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30 for DMG: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Hoof 2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 MISS
Hoof 3: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15 MISS
The horse's iron hoof is shocking powerful. The strike in Kaleb's chest is awful. Crit effect, your armor takes an equal amount of damage.

To make matters worse, the stench of putrescence wafts in Kaleb's direction. It burns the lungs! Kaleb takes Acid: 1d4 ⇒ 4 and needs to pass a DC 18 FORT save or become Sickened 1.

The pool begins to roil and bubble. It begins splashing the ground near by. [ooc]If you start a turn next to it, you also take damage, though you don't breath it in. Starting now it only affects Elvanthain who takes Acid: 1d4 ⇒ 1

The rats devolve into a frenzy as they try to dig and bite their way out of the cage!

Round 2
Lucky: Hit
Blodgett: Kill
Jasper: Crit
Hostile: ATK
Elvanthain: Go
Cilik: Go
Penryn: Go

Jokes on you, Kaleb doesn't wear armor!

24-5 from shield = 19 + 4 from acid is 23 damage, leaving Kaleb at 3.

Kaleb's shield dissipates as it absorbs a bit of the ferocious kick.

fort vs sickened: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Seeing the orcs fall, a gratified smile crosses Penryn's face. "Finally, they listen to me..." he mutters, before shouting at his companions again. "Elventhain, you're a clever sort, can you do anything to secure that rat cage? I'd hate to see them get out!"

He moves a bit away from the bubbling pool, then turns his attention to the stone pony, trying to maximize the damage he does to it.

Step away from pool, Study Suspect on horse, Strike!

Study Suspect, vs Will DC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Shortbow attack, Study Suspect: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 = 16 +1 to hit and +1d6 damage only applies if Study Suspect succeeds
Shortbow damage, Studied Strike: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (5) = 9

"I think you need someone with a different skill to do that.

Elvanthain strides twice towards the horse and loads his crossbow.

Kaleb shows incredible staying power as he withstands the horse's attack and fumes from the blight!

Elvanthain doesn't stick around and loads his crossbow.

Penryn studies his foe, and it's a good thing. It's his training that lands the shot! His arrow strikes true, but the damage is lessened by the horse's rocky body.

Round 2
Lucky: Hit
Blodgett: Kill
Jasper: Crit
Hostile: ATK
Elvanthain: Move and load
Cilik: Go
Penryn: Hit

Cilik lobs another blob of acid at the horse thing in hopes of doing damage to it's stone surface.
acid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
damage?: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Cilik misses with the acid!

Round 2
Lucky: Go
Blodgett: Go
Jasper: Go
Hostile: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Penryn: TBD

Jasper once more calls upon Erastil's might, sending a lance of positive energy out towards the stone horse!
Divine Lance: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Good damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

He curses as the magic sputters and flies far wide of its target. He instead lets fly another arrow.
Strike: 1d20 ⇒ 14
Pretty sure that misses too, so...

The grin widens, unseemly as it might be, as Blodgett charges the stone pony! I think the horse is flat-footed based on where Blodgett and Kaleb are...?

Sudden Charge: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
slashing (4 is acid): 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Strike: 1d20 + 7 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 5 = 11
slashing (4 is acid): 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

Sudden Charge ◈◈, Strike.

Jasper struggles to follow up his hit from before, but Blodgett's hit nearly fells the beast! It's barely holding on, but any sense of survival has long been beaten out by the orcs.

Round 2
Lucky: Go
Blodgett: HIT
Jasper: Miss
Hostile: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Penryn: TBD

Lucky takes a stab with the silvered rapier at the remaining stone horse.

stabbing vs horse ff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

silver piercing damage: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (1) = 10
deadly?: 1d8 ⇒ 2

On the off chance that doesn't finish it off Kaleb draws his second best fork and takes another stab.

fork: 1d20 + 8 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 4 = 5
damage: 1d4 + 5 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 5 + (1) = 7
deadly?: 1d8 ⇒ 6

The party quickly overwhelms the horse! The rats continue, fruitlessly, to try and dig their way out. For the moment, there's time to catch your breath.

For defeating the orcs and their twisted horse, each hero earns 80 XP .

Aside from some shoddy equipment, the only thing of value seems to be their orc knuckle daggers.

Kaleb looks down in disbelief at his mostly destroyed shirt, nearly oblivious to his nearly deadly wounds.

"Why did that horse hate shirts so much?!"

"It's the corruption, Kaleb. Clearly it targets immaculate tailoring like yours. Maybe you should buy a suit of armor, so that your nice shirts are protected?"

Regardless, Jasper once more calls upon Erastil to heal Kaleb's wounds.
Heal (V/S): 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
"I know, Erastil. I've asked for a lot lately. Please, just a bit more?"
Heal (V/S): 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Still in the golden hour of cooldown for Treat Wounds

When the group seems ready, Jasper drifts over to the open pen to the south. "I think that's where we go next."

Stepping inside the cave, a cloud of smoke hovering around the ceiling becomes visible. Curled up in the back of the cave is a cat that looks to be on fire. It glares at the sight of another creature entering, letting out a weak snarl that fades into a plaintive yowl.

Jasper immediately goes to the aid of the animal. "Easy there, kitty. Let me help you..."

Does the animal appear injured? My background is Animal Whisperer, so I'd like to make friendly with the cat if possible.

EDIT: Per Slack, posting a Nature check
Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Jasper speaks with just the right cadence and tone. The leopard groans quietly. Jasper can see that it's injured, likely beaten by the orcs. Jasper thinks the leopard will let him approach.

"Erastil, please help me to heal this creature," Jasper prays, letting the healing energy flow through him to the leopard.
Heal (V/S): 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

He then moves forward and tries to gently pet the big cat.

As soon as Jasper heals the cat it's whole demeanor changes. The leopard bolts out of the cage, into the yard, up a wall, and out of the Pen. Unless someone wants to try to stop it...

For bringing succor to the flaming leopard, the heroes each earn 30 XP and a Hero Point to Jasper.

Blodgett watches the leopard leap to freedom. Good idea, he mumbles, turning his attention to the rat cage. Them too, I'd say.

Jasper walks over to the rat cage and does his best to calm those animals down as well...
Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Kaleb snacks on a turnip in between attempts to get his shirt to stop falling off his shoulders.

Jasper heads over to the cage and tries to work his skill with the rats. This time, however, it utterly fails. These animals are fare too corrupted. Their clawing and biting at the cage finally works as they break free!

Hostiles: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Penryn: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 ()
Cilik: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 Perception (T)
Lucky: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Avoid Notice (T)
Jasper: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Elvanthain: 1d20 ⇒ 14 ???
Blodgett: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Round 1:
Penryn: Go
Rats: TBD
Blodgett: TBD
Elvanthain: TBD
Lucky: TBD
Cilik: TBD
Jasper: TBD

"Had to go make friends with rats, did you?" Penryn mutters darkly. "What the heck is up with these things anyway?" he adds as he studies the creatures, "Those blisters are gross!"

1: Nature to Recall Knowledge, 2: Study Suspect, 3: Strike

Nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 If it's a different skill for mutant rats, bonuses are at least +6 or higher.

Study Suspect vs Will DC: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Shortbow attack, Study Suspect: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 1 = 21
Shortbow damage, Studied Strike: 1d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + (2) = 8

Penryn can tell that whatever has infected these rats, it's made them extremely angry (And therefore not Jasper's fault.) Those blisters look like... frostbite.

Penryn studies them and takes his shot grievously wounding the one with the teal blisters.

The rats dash out of the broken cave. Indeed as they go by the air around them is far colder than it should be.

Twice the blue rat gnashes at Jasper:
Bite 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 CRIT DMG: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 = 10 and 2 Cold damage
Bite 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15 MISS

And the other twice at Kaleb!
Bite 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 for CRIT DMG: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 and 1 Cold damage
Bite 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 MISS

Round 1:
Penryn: Hit
Rats: ATK!
Blodgett: Go
Elvanthain: Go
Lucky: Go
Cilik: Go
Jasper: Go

Jasper yelps in pain and falls back. "I tried my best, I really did! I'm sorry!"

"Old Deadeye, help me to strike down these corrupted creatures," he prays gesturing at the rat that bit him before a divine ray leaps from his fingers.
Divine Lance vs Aqua: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Good damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Jasper's lance strikes the rat and nearly kills it. Nearly. It seems even angrier now!

Round 1:
Penryn: Hit
Rats: ATK!
Blodgett: Go
Elvanthain: Go
Lucky: Go
Cilik: Go
Jasper: Hit

Blodgett decides that now is a good time to demonstrate exactly what being angry looks like to the rats.

With acid dripping from his suddenly-reptillian grin, Blodgett hacks at Teal.
chop: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
slashing (4 is acid): 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 ×2 for 36 (8 is acid)

His momentum then Sweeps into his attack on the other rat!
Sweep: 1d20 + 7 - 5 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 5 + 1 = 11
slashing (4 is acid): 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

But his second swing is wild.

Rage ◈, Strike, Strike with Sweep.

telekinetic projectile (blue): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
damage?: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Cilik sends a shower of debris at the rat; saving his stronger spells for bigger foes.

Resolving in order.

Blodgett's first swing is shockingly powerful, as he bifurcates the rat! Unexpectedly, the rat explodes in a shower of ice and bone. Blodgett takes COLD: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7 Basic Ref DC 14

Cilik and Jasper combine to destroy the second, though it too explodes in Kaleb's face: COLD: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5 Basic Ref DC 14

The party looks around. Where moments before was a twisted menagerie, now there is only death... and a blighted pit.

For killing the two infected ice rats, each hero earns 40 XP.

When the ice ratflakes have settled Jasper walks over to Kaleb. "Let's take a moment to rest and deal with these wounds. I know this rat bite sunk its teeth in deep, and I need to make sure it's not infected. Kaleb, may I borrow your medical kit again?"

When he yet again has Lucky's kit, he starts with treating his own wounds, then waits long enough to revisit Kaleb and Blodgett's injuries. I'm guessing we have ~30 minutes left on the cooldown for Treat Wounds with Kaleb, and I'm proposing we wait that out so I can perform Medicine checks

Medicine (Treat Wounds) on Jasper vs DC 15: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Healing to Jasper: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 5) = 13
Medicine (Treat Wounds) on Blodgett vs DC 15: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Healing to Blodgett: 4d8 ⇒ (2, 1, 6, 7) = 16
Medicine (Treat Wounds) on Kaleb vs DC 15: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Healing to Kaleb: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 1) = 9

In an abashed tone, Penryn says to his cousin, "Uh, Jasper? I just wanted to say that, after looking at them a bit more carefully, I could see that whatever pissed those ice rats off, it wasn't you." He hesitates for a long moment, then says, "I'm, um, uh, sorry. For what I said. It wasn't your fault those things attacked, they were going to try to get loose and attack us whatever we did - they were just angry ratsicles."

While Jasper heals the others, Penryn carefully searches the cages and the fallen orcs.

Penryn doesn't find anything new in looking around, but he suspects that there's more malfeasance in the cave to the north.

DC 14 Refl: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Kaleb avoids the worst of the explosion but looks increasingly disheveled.

After a nice half hour of snacking, resing and having his wounds treated Kaleb certainly looks better. Clearly his shirt will never recover though.

At Penny's apology Jasper stops what he's doing long enough to hug his cousin. It's firm and full of love.

He then continues what he was doing.

The wounds seem clean. Perhaps the icy cold inhibits the normal diseases. Regardless, the news seem good for now.

Penryn takes a quick breath and holds it the entire time his cousin hugs him, as if he's undergoing some sort of short, sharp, surgical procedure. It appears a lesson has been learned here.

Okay, never being nice to him again. Ever.

When everyone is healed up and he's mostly recovered from the hug, Penny points to the cave opening to the north, next to the erstwhile horse's pen, and says, "I guess that's where we're going, eh? Let's get it done."

The party makes their way into the cave proper. The bright light from outside is replaced by flickering torchlight in a narrow passageway cut deeply into the hillside. Suddenly, the passage opens into a broad natural cavern containing a series of large tables on the far side of the room. A series of alchemical experiments, most bubbling and frothing as they cook, are arranged atop the work spaces.

A pair of orcs, hard at work watching reagents and reactions look up at your entrance. They promptly howl in rage and attack!

Hostiles: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Penryn: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 ()
Cilik: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 Perception (T)
Lucky: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23 Avoid Notice (T)
Jasper: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 Perception (T)
Elvanthain: 1d20 ⇒ 19 ???
Blodgett: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 Sense Direction (T)

A horripilation of a hunch excites the back of Penryn's neck. There's important in this cave and in those vials.... Fitting that Penryn is investigating and mitigating an environmental disaster.

Round 1:
Jasper: Go
Elvanthain: Go
Kaleb: Go
Blodgett: Go
Orcs: TBD
Penryn: TBD
Cilik: TBD