Ruins of Azlant

Game Master pauljathome

Summarizing (and adding in the inspire courage damage)

Fenna inspired courage and hasted everybody (so, everybody is +3 to hit, +2 damage)
Vexas - Threw a ray of frost for 1+2=3 points
Sho - Also presumably readied, hitting for 8 points of damage
Sosche - readied his action, got a crit, nearly killing his Globster as it does 33 points of damage.
Bannart - readied his action doing 20 points.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure who is on which side of the boat (I should have asked). Given that
1) You're all experienced adventurers and
2) It was mostly my mistake :-).

I'm going to assume that you all decided to strike the one globster and ignore the other. Which turns out to be very good tactics :-).

The globsters approach the boat, one going to Port and the other to Starboard. All the characters except Fenna choose to go to the Port side and wait for the globster. Just as it approaches the body there is a massive flurry of sword blows and even a Ray of Frost and the poor wee beastie is chopped into pieces before it can strike.

The other one, however, has managed to reach the boat and attacks the only target on that side of the boat, Fenna.

It reaches out to strike her
Slam attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

But obviously the driving rain had confused it as it slammed into the wrong square entirely.

PCs are all up.

Note that it is a 5 ft step to go from one side of the boat to the other (if we had a map you'd have to make sure to do things in the right order, but in theatre of the mind you can just do it :-)).

You are almost certainly going to kill it before it gets another opportunity to strike. In a case like this, should I just narrate your victory and move on or is it more fun to actually kill the darn thing?

@GM - Unless otherwise specified, oozes are immune to critical hits. Adjust for that or not as you wish, but I don't think it matters even if two were still up.

Brannart steps to finish off the other ooze.

Longsword, Haste, IC +2, PA -2, Fatigued: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 = 21

Hasted Attack: 1d20 + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 13 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 = 20

Iterative: 1d20 + 8 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 1 + 2 - 2 - 1 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 + 6 - 1 = 17

Ahh, good point on the ooze-crit there Brannart. I shouldn’t have rolled to confirm, sorry about that!

Sosche continues to hack away at the enemy blob, possibly 5’ stepping.
Greatsword: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 2 = 12 (fatigue, inspire, haste)
Damage S: 2d6 + 12 + 0 ⇒ (4, 5) + 12 + 0 = 21 (fatigue, inspire)

Hasted Greatsword: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 + 2 = 23 (fatigue, inspire, haste)
Damage S: 2d6 + 12 + 0 ⇒ (5, 4) + 12 + 0 = 21 (fatigue, inspire)

Vexas stares at the first creature for several moments to really be sure it's not longer moving.

[standard] Cast ray of frost
Concentration, DC15 (cantrip): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

When he turns to target the other, it seems his footing isn't quite right. As simple a spell it is, it's broken up by his stumbling.

He grumbles and curses under his breath.

Is there still blobs to fight ?

Sosche actually manages to miss the ooze with his first attack. Missing an Ooze. Please feel free to make fun of him :-).

However, his second attack hits and the Flurry Of Death (TM) that a hasted fighter is ends the ooze and the encounter. You are all victorious!!

You proceed to row in to the island, finding a nice sandy beach that you can easily land the boat at.

Looking around, you see a beach stretching 10 to 50 feet from the waterline. Inland, there is a gently rising hill with a considerable number of trees on it with no obvious paths into the forest.

A hundred yards or so along the beach there is an ancient, square, stone tower standing in the sand at the water’s edge. The tower’s battlements show few cracks and little wear despite the construction’s apparent age, but the tower’s upper stories have crumbled away, and only a broken stump and piles of rubble remain.

It seems fairly likely that the tower was the source of the signals you were receiving. At least, there is nowhere else obvious nearby that could be the source.

At this point you are all quite tired after a very long day, it is still raining (although the rain is letting up) and night is falling.

Do you wish to go under the trees and make camp for the night. proceed immediately to the tower. or come up with some other plan so cunning that you could put whiskers on it and call it a weasel?

Sorry, you can expect BritCom references from me from time to time :-)

How big is this tower? Is it small enough to simply know whether there's someone in it right now or more of a larger broad and multi-level tower?

How big is this tower? Is it small enough to simply know whether there's someone in it right now or more of a larger broad and multi-level tower?

It's reasonably small, just a watchtower not a large fortification or anything. Probably at most a few rooms in the part that hasn't collapsed.

You see no signs that it is currently occupied but that doesn't mean much given the distance and the rain and the light level. But, for what it's worth, no lights are visible.

"I'd rather proceed to the tower. If we can catch up to the enemy, that would be best. If not, it's at least a safer place to rest. Once we deal with this 'Karnax' that they left behind. I wouldn't want it seeking us out while we were resting."

"I agree. Let's check the tower before bedding down. I'd be nervous of someone there waiting for us and finding us asleep but for a watcher or two."

Sosche summons a Fog Cloud just before the party breaks from cover and gets close so as to disguise their final approach from any possible watchers.

A watchtower? Maybe you could use it as an inspiration, Fenna.

Turning to Soshe, smiling

Nice trick you did on your first attack on the blob earlier. Didn't knew an ooze could be bluffed.

Yes, I'd rather ensure it's cleared before passing it by.

The little halfling ducks into Soche's fog cloud...

The group heads up towards the tower (hopefully now on slide 20).

As you get near the tower, you spot on the beach a boat quite similar to the one that you've been using. Examining it a little more closely, you discover that it is the Liberty Herald's ship's boat (the Liberty Herald was the ship that dropped off the original colonists).

The boat has been pulled up only a day or two ago.

In the sand outside the tower you find some partially smudged footprints. Most of them belong to medium humanoids but one set belongs to a larger creature (hard to tell any more than that, they're too smudged)

The most recent footprints head west.

Vexas Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 20
Fenna Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Other Fenna Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Sho Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 3

Both Vexas and Fenna made their Knowledge Dungeoneering and Local rolls and can identify the medium sized prints are made by a mix of Faceless Stalkers (in their base form) and humans.

None of you are able to identify the large creature by its prints

The wooden double door to the tower has long rotted away so you can easily enter. There is a steel ladder (climb DC 5) leading up to the battlements which are 20 feet above the ground. The years have caused the towers upper floor to collapse and now only the bottom floor or so remains.

The only obvious entrance to the tower itself is up on the battlements.

Note, I was assuming you saw all the above before throwing the fog cloud. You'd have been able to see into the tower a bit from a distance and the marks on the beach were more than 40 feet from the tower.

Unless the extra knowledge changed Sosche's mind, as you got a bit closer I am assuming that she threw the fog cloud so that basically the area you are now in is covered by fog but the grounds of the tower are clear. Sound about right?

Yeah, that's how I envisioned the fog. Just a block in case they had archers on the walls or whatever.

Sosche has his ranseur ready so he stows it on his back and moves up to the ladder to climb. He takes ten for a 13 climb. If he reaches the top safely, he’ll draw his ranseur and wait for the others to climb before circling around the tower.

Brannart stows his weapons and follows Sosche up. His Climb is a +6 even in full plate, for a 16 on Take 10.

Once up on the battlements, he listens for any movement or other sounds.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Vexas notes the missing doors.

How welcoming.

He follows them up the ladder.

Climb, take 10: 10 + 3 = 13

At the top he draws his rapier again and looks about to survey the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

I just realized that I have no clue who the rat faced token is supposed to be and that I don't seem to have a token for Sosche

You proceed up to the battlements with no difficulty. Nothing disturbs you and you sense absolutely nothing beyond the obvious.

You slowly inch your way along the battlements until you get to the point where you can see into the watchtower itself.

The room is largely empty. On the far wall there is a large copper plaque mounted on the wall with what appears to be a map carved into the layers of thick verdigris encrusted upon it. The lower half of the plaque has completely crumbled away.

Approximately in the centre of the room there is a large stone table with nothing obvious on it.

On the other side a staircase ascends to what would have been the upper floor but is now just a collapsed mass of rubble

Two windows look out onto the ocean and you think it likely that they'd be able to see the island of Ancorato from them (the island you came from).

Vexas walks up to the map and studies it for other points of interest on this island.

Taking 10 to Climb, total 18

Nice view up there, I admit.

The ranger looks for footprints in the dirt

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

”Looks abandoned. We missed them.” Sosche pokes around a bit but mostly stands guard in case something moves that shouldn’t.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

”Where do you think they went?” he asks idly, not expecting an answer as folks search around.

Brannart also goes with Vexas to look at the map. He tries to identify the site of the colony, and looks for any notations or text.

As you step into the room heading towards the voice, a gravelly voice speaks up from the direction of the table

Although combat is NOT inevitable it is probably a good time to roll initiative so I can sequence things if nothing else

Brannart: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Sosche: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Sho: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Vexas: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Fenna: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Something or other: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Something or other delays or does something else inobvious (note, this means it MAY act after a PC)
PCs are up

Sosche tries to figure out where the gibberish is coming from. He walks that way a bit and tries to discern what it is.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Of all the times to be without an invisibility purge!

Vexas looks away from the map and mutters an incantation in hopes that the mysterious tongue continues, and repeats its message.

[standard] cast comprehend languages

We prefered to be cautious by keeping these appearances as long as possible, just in case, so no one in the camp would ask too much questions. Call us dedicated. How are things going here?

In Aquan

bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 12
perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Brannart looks around for the source of the voice.
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Brannart is pretty sure that the voice is coming from the table itself. The table is ALIVE!!!!!!

"You're not my allies. INTRUDERS. DIE, foul scum"

With that, the table swings a leg at Brannart
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 1

And misses. Boo. There is much sadness.

Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Knowledge: 1d20 ⇒ 3

You are all up. None of you have a clue what you're facing,

It loos like I’m 5’ from the table if that’s on the map. He’ll start swinging! If not, he’ll move to reach and then swing.

Sosche 5’ steps or moves into flanking position with Brannart, and swings! (I figure I’m setting up his flank, so I didn’t add the bonus below.)
Ranseur: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Damage P: 2d4 + 13 ⇒ (4, 1) + 13 = 18

He feels good about his opener. A table! What the hell?!

Yeah, the table is the 10x10 square on the map

Now seeing the table, Vexas isn't sure how to more effectively damage it.

Um...

He mutters before drawing his blade and stabbing at it.

[move] draw weapon
[standard] attack
+1 rapier attack, piercing damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 111d4 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Sosche's blow is a firm hit on the table, and inflicts damage into the suprisingly yielding table (there is flesh under the stone).

However, his sword sticks to the table
reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

It is very close but he Sosche just manages to wrench his sword free.

Vexas, on the other hand, does NOT have that problem as his blow totally misses the table

@GM, as to the Knowledge checks, remember that Fenna has the Lore Master bard ability to always Take 10 on Knowledge checks - I might suggest just going with this for Monster ID.

Brannart takes a 5' step, takes his Lucerne Hammer in hand (though this world lacks a city called Lucerne), and strikes.

Attack, PA, Flanking: 1d20 + 14 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 14 - 2 + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d12 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 6 = 20
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

I'm glad to say that a 2 on the dice misses :-).

Fighters do get to the point where their primary misses only on a 1, but Brannart isn't quite there yet.

Should I just bot the other 2 at this point or should we continue to wait?

Yeah, I think that's fine. Post up folks! :)

Botting Fenna:

Fenna enters the room and begins encouraging the team.

[move] 15ft
[standard] Inspire courage

Botting Sho

Sho moves into the room and shoots the table-creature.
She has Precise Shot so she avoids the -4 for into melee, but does not yet have Improved Precise Shot to avoid the -4 for cover. Therefore I had her move into the room, which means no Rapid Shot or Manyshot.

Attack, IC +2, Deadly Aim -2: 1d20 + 11 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 - 2 = 20
Damage, IC +2, Deadly Aim +4: 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 + 4 = 13

Sho's arrow hits the table, sticking in far more than one would expect from an oaken table.

The table has taken 36 points of damage so far (I've added in the bard song damage retroactively, Brannart still missed)

At this point you can see that the table has teeth and a tongue, but it still tries to fight by swinging its feet.

It goes for Sosche

to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Just checking the dice roller, making sure that I did things right :-)
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 1
to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 8

It whimpers in frustration as it again totally misses.

PCs are up

Brannart continues his attack.

Attack, PA, Flanking, IC +2: 1d20 + 14 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 14 - 2 + 2 = 27
Damage: 1d12 + 9 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 6 + 2 = 22
Reflex Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

Assuming his polearm is stuck, he doesn't get frustrated, but simply lets go of the weapon and draws his longsword.

Sosche takes advantage of flank to attack!
Ranseur: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Damage P: 2d4 + 13 ⇒ (3, 1) + 13 = 17
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

I doubt that's a hit, but if it is, and a failed reflex, he too will draw a new weapon - his greatsword.

Manyshoot: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 - 2 = 10
dmg: 2d8 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (6, 1) + 4 + 8 = 19

2d shoot: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 - 2 = 24
dmg: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 4 = 14

shoot, in case of crit: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 6 - 2 = 20
dmg: 2d8 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (6, 2) + 4 + 8 = 20

Sho first arrows miss the table, so she focus on her target, wait for the perfect moment, and shoot again.

Now you know were the bullseye is on the table.

@Sho, don't forget you have another +2 to hit and damage from Inspire Courage, which multiplies on a crit. So that would be 40 damage from a single arrow if a 22 confirms!

Shoot, I forgot the inspiration too... and though I said it, I didn't add flank.

My attack should be an 18, and damage of 19 if it hits.

Maybe it'll hurt more if I scratch a name into the table? You know, like graffiti?

He attempts to scratch a "V" onto it.

[standard] attack
+1 rapier attack, piercing damage (inspired): 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 = 261d4 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 = 9

Let's hope it's not immune to crits! THat would be a waste!

Fenna shifts a bit to her left, looking to get a better angle on the weird talking table. She thrusts at it with her spear, trying to catch a leg.

I'll try to ID the table if it hasn't been done yet. Lore Master gives Fenna 19 if K Dungeoneering is right, seems like the best guess? Lingering Performance keeps Inspire Courage going.

Attack: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 2 = 22

Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 = 7

You still have little idea of what this thing is (sorry Fenna but I had rolled your knowledge earlier).

The arrow goes right into its tongue and it screams in pain.

Fenna's spear hits it in the leg.

Vexas also does a little damage.

Brannarts now stuck polearm also takes out a significant gouge.

But it is still up. It speaks out again, in a less angry voice this time.

It is in Aquan but I presume somebody will translate.

"Uh, Parlay? I surrender. If you don't kill me I can tell you all sorts of interesting stuff"

It then pauses, waiting to see what your reaction (it is pretty obviously readying to attack if anybody attacks it).

Fenna relays the table's message to the others and holds to see what happens.