"If I fall my reward will be etern-" The final syllabus is lost as the flames overwhelm her.
Chark stands tall as she falls.
Half the party stands over her. The is outfitted in leather armor, gray robes, trident, and a wooden religious symbol of Gozreh defaced with demonic runes. In death there seems to be nothing special about her weapon.
Before anyone can speak, the sound of metal bending and twisting comes from the bronze doors to the west. The beasts depicted on the door turn to look at you, and speak the following words in an unearthly chorus.
“Corruption has shut this door, but that cannot keep us out."
“Cleanse these halls of the corrupted that infest it, and we will open this door for you."
“Or, if you are one of the chosen of the Wind and Waves, then you may enter.”
The door then reverts to its normal shape without another sound.
Chark nods. We appear to have our next assignment, she says, turning back to the summoner with disdain and picking up the defaced holy symbol with two fingers and her thumb. Ugh, she grimaces as she looks it over, then ignites it after producing another ball of flame.
With that done, she looks at her companions. Let us take a few moments and see to our wounds.
"Any of you the G...gg.gatekeeper or chosen?" Charlie looks around to the others as they get bandaged up.
Tiny feels much better.
Dendillion winces from the wound, but is thankful for Chark's tender ministrations. "Thank you, as always my friend. I'd tell you that you've got a way with your hands, and follow that up with a wink, but I fear you'd stab me with that needle," the bard can't help but joke.
"I'm guessing none of you make your prayers to Gozreh, right? In that case, we should do the deity a service. I, for one, am not one to argue with talking doors."
At no point does the bard unsling his lute during their downtime, a clear sign of his exhaustion. "Also... is this day over yet? I could do for a bath now, and the holes in my clothes! What a crime."
Yes, I am, Chark replies to Den, and yes, I would.
It's been quite a day, and while I am loath to leave a task unfinished, I wonder whether we have the resources to continue before a night's rest.
Tiny shakes his head "I don't think leaving this place half completed will do any favors to the mayor or any other innocents here. Anyway we'd like have to retreat back down through rocky terrain with at least the mayor in tow..."
"Oh I agree Tiny. Pressing matters and all. But I'm still tired."
Tired or not, Chark says with a sigh, we go onward. She points south, asking Tiny to lead the way.
1. Have a quickpost up top. This allows anyone in the party to copy and paste the door protocol. This way we don't need to wait for the first party member to post. whoever pastes the post must make sure the map is updated.
2. If there is a balance between encounter rooms and filler rooms, I'll play the game as normal. Someone pastes the quick post with an updated map, and we play. I will do my narrative best to balance immersion with efficiency. (i.e. in non-encounter rooms I'll occasionally throw in some dice, some archaic adjectives and some tone so that you can't tell instantly if it's a live room or a fluff room.
3. If there is an area with a LOT of fluff rooms, I'll narrate our way to a point where there is a balance. This means I'll make a DM decision on fast forwarding a room to room search. Hopefully you'll be unable tell if I switched back to a tactical game just before an encounter, or with a couple of fluff rooms.
4. If anyone feels I erred in switching between modes, speak up. If you want me to rewind, speak up. If you don't like this method, speak up (though please also suggest an alternative.)
5. In either Slack, or in the discussion tab, please decide TODAY on a "door protocol." HERE are TWO examples.
APs are written as entire sweeping campaigns. Within the Iron Fellowship, this seems to be the most common game. I've noted a drastic shift over the last couple of years to APs being the core of the Iron Fellowship Pathfinder/Starfinder scene. This means there are a lot of people in a lot of APs. Given the pace, it can be hard to track the metaplot of an AP over time. I know I frequently think to myself "why am I in the mountain complex again?" Ideally, having a timeline should take care of this, but as the game ages, the updates begin to fall off. This is also one of the myriad reasons I vastly prefer challenge/story based XP awards.
I simply don't have the bandwidth to be the one to track the timelines, but what I CAN do (and will in my other APs as time allows) is offer a Summary of the Story Thus Far. This should help keep the metaplot in mind.
"I w..w..w.ould rather not sleep in the crypt." Charlie says as he looks back at the walled off room.
Tiny nods to Charlie "Let's push on for now."
Tiny heads south and takes up a defensive position just past the first two doors and motions for Chark to come up and take a look.
Tiny leads the party south.
Tiny moves past the door for Chark to check it. Once given the go, Tiny steps back into position. The party moves down the hall, room by room. The next three rooms are much the same. Each room has a large and very comfortable canopied bed, an armoire for clothes storage, a full-length mirror, and light provided by fist‑sized glowing orbs mounted in ornate wall sconces. A folding screen in each room conceals a metal bathtub. In the two northern guest rooms, the bedclothes are neatly folded and tucked away in the armoire. Only the southern guest room shows evidence of recent habitation; its bed is made and its bathtub is filled with lukewarm water.
”It seems almost cruel that as exhausted as we are from this day that each room has a bed that seems so comfortable...”
Haldan inspects the glowing orbs to see if it’s something magical or something he could carry with him instead of leaving it on the wall. Maybe even attach it to a staff, possibly.
”Did we kill someone who was about to take a bath?”
Haldan looks at the globes, and sees that they're firmly attached to the wall. This path also ends in a door that looks more like a hallway door than another set of quarters.
Well, clearly, when we are ready to rest, we've some nice options, Chark says with a slight smile.
She checks the door at the end of the hall and then moves to let Tiny open it.
Chark checks the door. It's hard to make out any detail, but she definitely hears some kind of activity...
Tiny shuffles his clan dagger from one hand to another nervously as he looks back for a nod from the rest of the party that they are ready for another potentially violence filled room.
Something going on in there. Let's be prepared.
When everyone is, she nods to Tiny to open the door.
Tiny opens the door. The north wall of this long dining hall contains a stone oven, a cauldron, and several metal tables. Several long, wooden tables and benches are lined up against the south wall, providing accommodations for two dozen people to eat together. Doors lead east and west. Within the room is a hermit cooking something with FAR too much coriander, though she's busy ordering a trio of quasit sous chefs to help her. Her trident and shield are by the door.
Upon seeing the door open...
Round 1:
Charlie: Go
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Go
Tiny: Go
Hermit: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
(Scout)
(Search)
(Detect Magic)
(Avoid Notice)
(Search)
Tiny moves across the room with surprising alacrity, seizing the opportunity to make it to the far side and grab the shield.
Chark takes a moment to recall what she might know of these winged demons, then moves into the room, summoning a shield of force to protect herself.
Charlie moves into the room behind Tiny as he grabs the shield. "Goo..goliath get in there and help her." He points to the red quasit. Goliath bounds through the room knocking over tables and chairs as a large paw swipes at the quasit.
HP 36/41
AC 20 (22 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Focus 0/1
Hero Points 0/3
Goliath
HP 32/32)
AC 17
Action 1: Stride
Action 2: Recall Knowledge
Action 3: Inspire Courage
Dendillion follows after the group, quickly seeing a cook and, more importantly the planar creatures that serve her. He scrutinizes the nearest one, sharing what he knows.
Expecting this to be an ugly fight, he strikes up an inspirational tune. Magic flows from each word as he once more sings of the Red Wolf.
When a humble bard
Graced a ride along
With Jeralt of Taldor
Along came this song
Tiny grabs the woman's shield as Goliath barges into the room and immediately eviscerates the closest quasit. Demonic hatred keeps it in the fight, at least for now!
Dendillion can't put any details to the creature in the chaos, but it doesn't stop his inspirational song!
Chark pegs these a minor demons named quasits as she preps for defense.
The cook charges towards Tiny with her meat cleaver!
MISS
for
"You scoundrel's! I'll throw you in the stew!"
Round 1:
Charlie: Crit!
Dendillion: Bard fu
Chark: ID
Tiny: Shield
Hermit: ATK!
Haldan: Go
Quasits: TBD
Red: 18
”Not sure how good of a stew it would be. Although I would imagine Halfling is quite tasty.”
Stride twice, cast Hand of the Apprentice. Guy in front of me.
Haldan's card passes overhead as the trio of demonic enemies crash in on the party:
The one to the west closes in with Tiny and tries to slash him across the face: for The claws are coated with poison!
The one in the center of the room vanishes after a quick spell.
The injured one quickly mutters something profane to heal some of its wounds . It then flits north to get away from Goliath before slashing at Chark: for The claws are coated with poison!
Round 2:
Charlie: Go
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Go
Tiny: Go
Hermit: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Blue: SW of eastern door
Red: 16
Goliath keeps on the injured quasit as he tries to bite the wings off of it. Charlie lines his bow up and looks to pin the little demon to the wall with a pair of arrows.
HP 36/41
AC 20 (22 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Focus 0/1
Hero Points 0/3
Goliath
HP 32/32)
AC 17
Tiny gets scratched but as usual Dwarves are immune to poison.
Also bleeding from a cleaver wound Tiny drops low into his combat stance and attacks the demon.
Tiny then puts the shield in between his face and the cleaver.
Goliath bites the wings off the quasit, thrashing what's left. Neither of Charlies arrows come close, but it's not a big deal as the quasit if very dead.
Tiny drops low, and trikes the quasit twice, the first one breaking most of its bones, and the second one taking it out!
Round 2:
Charlie: Kill
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Go
Tiny: Kill
Hermit: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Blue: SW of eastern door
Chark barely notices the scratch as she draws her scimitar and moves across the room to get to the cook.
Action 1: Stride
Action 2: Stride
Action 1: Seek
With the music ringing out, Dendillion strides to the middle of the room and tries to find the invisible quasit.
Dendillion starts looking about the room for the invisible Quasit, but in those precious seconds, he doesn't spot it. The party continues to ride high on his music though.
Chark also moves into a better position for the fight.
The cook slides to the side and starts hacking madly at Tiny, "I will FILET you!"
MISS
MISS
Round 2:
Charlie: Kill
Dendillion: Move look
Chark: Move prep
Tiny: Kill
Hermit: ATK
Haldan: Go
Quasits: TBD
Blue: SW of eastern door
Stride and cast.
Haldan hurls some flame at the cook, but she ducks under it with surprising dexterity.
The quasit appears again by Charlie, staring into his eyes with magical power! [ooc]Will DC 17 v. Fear
Then slashing with his claws:
MISS
Round 3:
Charlie: Go
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Go
Tiny: Go
Hermit: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Charlie gives a sharp whistle as he backs away from the quasit, his hands shaking violently on his bow.
HP 36/41
AC 20 (22 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Focus 0/1
Hero Points 0/3
Goliath
HP 32/32)
AC 17
Chark moves over opposite Tiny and slashes at the cook.
Charlie feels the fear in his bones, but it doesn't stop Goliath from taking a bite. Chark joins the fracas, but fails to connect.
Round 3:
Charlie: Goliath hit
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Miss
Tiny: Go
Hermit: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Quasit: 11
Nodding to Chark Tiny claws into the cook.
Tiny claws a 3rd time as he raises this shield.
The cook continues to deek and dodge as Tiny can't seem to connect!
Round 3:
Charlie: Goliath hit
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Miss
Tiny: Miss
THE COOK!: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Quasit: 11
Action 1-2: Telekinetic Projectile
Action 3: Seek
Dendillion sings a couple notes, the musical magic in his voice taking possession of a nearby folk that flies out at the quasit!
Hero Point!
He then seeks out any other invisible enemies.
Dendillion hurls a for like he's the Blue Raja, but it misses.
He looks about for the tell tale signs of a hidden foe, but comes up with nothing.
The cook takes a step out of the flank and continues to try and butcher Tiny:
MISS
MISS
Round 3:
Charlie: Goliath hit
Dendillion: Miss
Chark: Miss
Tiny: Miss
THE COOK!: ATK!
Haldan: Go
Quasits: TBD
Quasit: 11
Haldan hurls a card, but it strikes the wall next to the chef.
The quasit goes to town on Goliath!
for and
Round 4:
Charlie: Go
Dendillion: Go
Chark: Go
Tiny: Go
THE COOK!: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Quasit: 11
Action 1: Inspire Courage
Action 2: Telekinetic Projectile
The bard resumes his song, the echoes of the previous refrain waning. The sound once more fills the group with the courage they need to do battle with this, or any foe.
The talented musician somehow adds a second note in a different octave, the counterpoint having its own magic. A magic that he uses to fling more cutlery! This time, a knife!
Goliath strikes out at the quasit as Charlie moves further away to properly back the bear up.
HP 36/41
AC 20 (22 w/ shield)
Wooden Shield 12/12; [AC Bonus +2: [Hardness 3] [HP/BT 12(6)]
Focus 0/1
Hero Points 0/3
Goliath
HP 27/32)
AC 17
Charlie and Goliath fail to pin down the quasit, who responds with sinister laughter! the laughter stops as Dendillion flings a knife into the creature's wing!
Round 4:
Charlie: Miss
Dendillion: Hit
Chark: Go
Tiny: Go
THE COOK!: TBD
Haldan: TBD
Quasits: TBD
Quasit: 22
Chark nimbly follows the cook, dodging around tables and chairs before unleashing a powerful ray of fire point blank into the cook.
----
Tiny grins as the cook turns and unleashes his own series of strikes.
Tiny follows up once more, before raising the shield in defense.
Chark's ray sizzles the cook's hat, but doesn't connect with her. Clearly she's favored by whatever gods she now esteems.
Tiny, however, is having none of it. His first hit lands and she takes the wound, but shrugs off the worst of it.
Her rage is intense, but she keeps her wits about her. She slashes savagely at Tiny, not thinking to move away
Failing to connect. Seeing the situation, she eyes an escape route.
Round 4:
Charlie: Miss
Dendillion: Hit
Chark: Miss
Tiny: Hit
THE COOK!: ATK
Haldan: Go
Quasits: TBD
Cook: 7
Quasit: 22