GM Whiteroses Curse of the Crimson Throne: On A Knife's Edge (Inactive)

Game Master Vanulf Wulfson

Joeseph moves carefully to the door and tries the keys they found earlier. "Do sharks like gnome meat?", he muses.

When Joeseph's gestures to the spider bites, Viria nodded in understanding. Quietly to him, she said, "Thank you for trying to protect me from the spiders. One bit into my flesh, yet it is a mild flesh wound. Once we are away from these spiders, I can heal the both of us, if you wish? Please let me know." (Not sure if some of the spiders are not quite dead and since Viria doesn't have selective channelling at this level, I don't want her to restore some of the spiders to health if they're dying but not dead. If they are truly dead, via GM clarification, then Viria can channel to remove the non-lethal damage as neither she nor Joespeh were poisoned by the venom.)

"I am uncertain this is the best route to Lamm's hiding place - it appears quite a difficult course with narrow corridors and the possibility of shark attacks. Do we truly wish to continue this way?" she furtively asked her companions, as she glanced once more at the secret door in the port side of the hull and watched Joeseph's motion with the keys.

I would say we weren't hurt enough to warrant a channel energy, but then I saw you have a million per day. XD

Healing is twice as effective if you have both regular and nonlethal damage. Your comment really should have been IC, not OOC though Joeseph.

"I think it's better to go this route. He won't except us coming here. Even if he woke up from the ruckus earlier, odds are he'll except any trouble to come from there, not from down here. We can make it through the opening one at a time. I suggest that Sykes go first, then I go second. My protection spell is still active and if he's alert, I could try to put him to sleep. What do you think?" Aleziella says and looks expectantly to the others

If they agree she'll start pulling out her cards to cast guidance. "We might as well get guidance up on everyone before we go in, anything to help tip the scales in our favor, right?"

Sykes nods to the harrower, not having any objections to the current plans.

Everyone check your placement on the map and make any changes you want. I put Joeseph first since he has the key to open the door, the rest of you following, ready to rush in once it's open.
Remember: It's going to cost you an extra move action to fit through the half sized door unless you succeed on a DC:20 Escape Artist check.

I suggested to put Sykes first, then me second, though most haven't responded to that. If you want a different order, please say so.

I think Hookshanks should be placed in the middle of the party to ensure he doesn't run away or break his bonds and attack us from behind. I think it's best for Joeseph to take the flank because it makes no sense for the cleric with the lowest AC to be right at the back, protecting the flank. I'm used to always having my cleric protected and in the middle of the order in my other games, so it's strange for me that Viria is always in the back of the party.

===

I would say we weren't hurt enough to warrant a channel energy, but then I saw you have a million per day. XD

Looking to Joeseph, Viria simply and quietly added, "I will heal us as soon as I am able," and said no more on the matter.

"I think it's better to go this route. He won't expect us coming here." ...Sykes nods to the harrower, not having any objections to the current plans.

With Aleziella and Sykes resolved to continue on this path toward Lamm, a nodding Viria acquiesced with some reservation. They had come this far so she could concede so as to not impede their progress.

"I suggest that Sykes go first, then I go second. My protection spell is still active and if he's alert, I could try to put him to sleep. What do you think?" Aleziella says and looks expectantly to the others.

"I do not have issue with Sykes and you leading the way. If you can put Lamm to sleep all the better. I feel, however, that the gnome should be kept in the middle of the party to ensure he doesn't run, warn or break free of his bindings and attack us from behind. I prefer to follow the gnome and Joeseph protect the rear for he is better able than I in such matters." Viria gave Joeseph a small, gentle smile for she did not want to upset or displease him with her suggestion. Still, she felt awkward for she did not know any of her companions very well.

(Suggested order: Sykes, Aleziella, Hookshanks, Viria, Joeseph.)

"We might as well get guidance up on everyone before we go in, anything to help tip the scales in our favor, right?"

"Such a boon is sensible. If you use your cards on Sykes, I can call upon the Everlight's divine guidance on Joeseph and myself."

Viria nodded her head and then speaking the words to her goddess' guidance spell, she laid her hand on Joeseph's arm and then repeated it on herself before waiting for her turn to enter through the secret door into the narrow space.

====

Viria casts Guidance on Joeseph and then on herself. Lasts 1 minute or until discharged. I have moved my token into relative place - I'm unable to move Hookshanks' token, as Viria wants him before her in order.

Yeah, that setup works for me.

Joeseph agrees with Viria's suggestion and passes the keys to Sykes. He adds "I believe you still have my crowbar.", suggesting to Sykes to give him his tool back.

”In better condition than when I took it,” he replies as he trades the investigator back his crowbar for the keys.

Aleziella smiles at the cleric. "Sounds good to me. I only hope Hookshanks doesn't somehow manage to betray us at this final hurdle. Your compassion could still prove our undoing. I hope he'll reward your mercy instead by redeeming himself, but I'm not holding my breath. Let's do this." Right before entering Aleziella provide the guidance of the cards to both herself and Sykes.

Joeseph says in reply to Aleziella "Well, he's a kick away from being shark food. I think he'll behave." He says it loud enough for the gnome to hear.

Once everyone is ready Sykes will inspect the door area before using the key.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 1 = 27

Sykes checks the door but doesn't seem to find any traps or tripwires. Inserting the brass key he slowly opens the door. The air in this large room is chilly and stinks of the river, thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the river shore three feet below. Several pilings emerge from the waters to support the roof eight feet above the floor, with mossy ropes slung between them. In two places, rusty manacles hang from the ropes over the water. Two five-foot-wide walkways cross the hole to the other side of the chamber, where a collection of old cabinets, lockboxes, and piles of clutter are strewn about. Chipped porcelain plates, a cracked goblet, badly rusted silverware, an old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm, and other “treasures” litter the floor of this side of the chamber. Three tables heaped with clutter stand amid this mess. In the southwest corner, a wooden door provides access to a walled-off section.

The thrum of a crossbow being fired sounds as the door opens but instead of being fired at you it is fired into the pit in the center of the room. Suddenly an enraged creature, a crocodile, burst forth from the water where it had been sleeping to snap it's jaws wildly at whatever had harmed it.
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
1d4 ⇒ 2

Standing in one of the corners of the room is the man who all brought you here, Gaerden Lamm. The man who brought so much suffering into your's and countless others lives. "I was wondering what that infernal banging noise from upstairs meant and now I know" he says as he begins to span his hand crossbow.

His crossbow reloaded Lamm waits for someone to stick their head through the door.

”I’ll get their attention, get Lamm,” Sykes tells the others before lifting and bracing his sword before him and marching into the room.

Standard Action for Full Defense, AC is 22.

I don't think you can double move and use a standard action at the same time. Since we need to move through the opening, we only have one action left.

Aleziella moves through the opening and starts moving around the other way of the crocodile around the water.

I don't think I have actions left, but if I do I would like to slumber the crocodile if it's next to Sykes.

Ah, I had indeed forgotten about the half sized door, moving my token back then. It will at least draw Lamm’s fire.

He'll probably just shoot at someone else. Though I'm kinda more worried about the crock...

As Sykes crawls through the open door Lamm fires his crossbow at him. The bolt finds the gap between the fighter's armored shoulder and his exposed neck, just barely scratching the skin and leaving a trickle of blood running down his neck.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

As Aleziella enters the room she gets her first look at Lamm in years. Gone is the bogeyman of her dreams, replaced by the man in front of her. The years have not been kind to Lamm, his pale skin is speckled with age and his bald head only has a fringe of hair remaining. His skin hangs slack on his bent frame making him look like something just this side of dead, dressed in a suit of gray padded armor. His yellow, jaundiced eyes focus on her "I remember you. You were just a little girl then but you've grown up, and out, since then. Once this, this disturbance, is over you and I are going to have some fun before I feed you to old Gobbleguts."

Joeseph gets ready to move and goes over the plank carefully.

Act after everyone. Double move into the room.

As Sykes opened the door and was readying himself to crawl through, Viria quietly called upon her goddess, "Fill us with your divine strength , O' Everlight, so we may pass through this door and battle what is within with heartened courage." With golden eyes shining, a burst of divine magic came forth from Viria and passed through each ally on either side of her; filling her and them with a deeper, resolute fire. And when it was her turn to move toward the the half-sized doorway, she started forward and then positioned herself by the small opening until she could move through it.

(Viria cast Bless on herself and her allies. All the party receive a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and on saving throws against fear effects for 1 minute.)

Thank you, whoever moved my token in the map.

Viria's blessing washes over her new found friends, bolstering them with the warmth of Sarenrae's light as Joeseph crawls through the tiny opening and emerges next to Sykes.

The crocodile, who you assume must be "Gobbleguts", swims over to the edge of it's pool bringing both Joeseph (1) and Sykes (2) within reach of it's snapping jaws.
1d2 ⇒ 2
Swim check DC:20: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Lunging forth from the water the reptile bites at Sykes. Fortunately for him the angle is too great for Gobbleguts to get a clear shot and the croc's jaws snap shut only on empty air.
Attack roll (bite): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Anyone adjacent to the opening gets a +2 cover bonus to AC.

Initiatives (round #2):
Lamm
Viria
Aleziella
Sykes
Joeseph
Gobbleguts (-2)

"Get them, you miserable beast. Kill them! Lamm shouts at his "pet" crocodile as he aims his crossbow at Sykes again. Looking confused as Joeseph appears from the doorway "Do I know either of you? Should I?" he asks absentmindedly trying to remember if he had wronged either of them "No matter, you'll be dead soon enough." He fires his bolt at Sykes, which skitters off his protective armor harmlessly.

Attack roll (hand crossbow): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Joeseph looks angrily at the old man and says "You don't remember, huh. Well you will. You will remember before I kill you!" He realizes that it won't be as easy getting away from the crocodile, so he steps carefully to the side, hoping Sykes will get the idea and do the same towards the other side.

He stabs the creature with his sword cane.

Stabby: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

However, he is too focused on Lamm to actually aim properly and his thrust only grazes the crocodile's hide.

”Wait for it to strike, then go,” Sykes tells Viria before striding towards Joseph with his sword ready. ”We have no quarrel with you, great lizard.” he tells Gobbleguts.

Standard Action for Full Defense, AC 22. Move action to Joeseph which does provoke.

"Only fun we'll be having together old man is celebrating over your corpse, old man." Aleziella says vehemently to the old man.

Seeing Sykes refuse to attack the crocodile she says. "We can't reason with a crocodile! We should strike it down while it sleeps, or if you can't get to it, move fast forward to Lamm." She then pulls out one of her cards and stares at the crocodile. It shows 3 glowing ball of lights hoovering over a hand sinking down into a swamp. "Like the demon's lantern compel their foes, I too compel you into slumber in the depths." She then continues to move along the walkway, towards the old man.

Slumber DC 16 on gubbleguts

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Aleziella's magic takes hold as Gobbleguts eyes glaze over and it's eyelids slowly droop shut as it sinks to the bottom of it's pool.

Joeseph and Sykes since Aleziella goes before either of you in the initiative order you can amend your actions if you wish.

All right, thanks. I would have walked towards Gaerden if it weren't for the AoO

As he speaks his words of hatred, Joeseph walks towards Gaerden Lamm.

Double move towards Gaerden

Viria moved carefully through the small/narrow doorway and then stepped mindfully along the nearest walkway and waited to see what the current situation was.

2 move actions.

(Active Effects: Guidance on Viria & Joeseph (Duration: Round 3 out of 10 ). Bless spell on Viria and her allies. (Duration: Round 2 out of 10))

At Aleziella's magical knack sending the gator to the bottom of the pool Sykes will hustle towards Lamm since the coast is cleared.

Double move.

As Gobbleguts lies snoozing at the bottom of the pool Gaedren curses up a storm. Suddenly confronted by Joeseph and Sykes he drops his hand crossbow and draws his dagger. Continuing his assault on Sykes he lunges at him and finds a chink in the Nidalese's armor, only a hair's breadth from the man's heart, but due to his age and infirmity he fails to do more just scratch his chest and draw a drop of blood with the stroke. He steps between Joeseph and Sykes only to see Viria as she enters the room, He smiles a dirty grin at her as he recognizes her "Ah, my little "priestess" have you come to try and redeem old Lamm? Save your breath to explain to her how you failed after I send you off to meet her personally."
Attack roll (dagger): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Damage: 1d4 - 2 ⇒ (1) - 2 = -1 = 1 point non-lethal damage

Initiatives (round #3):
Lamm
Viria
Aleziella
Sykes
Joeseph
Gobbleguts (slumbered)(-2)

Seeing that Lamm is next to the crocodile's pond, Joeseph yells "Sykes, kick him into the pool!"

The middle aged man is maddened by rage at the sight of the man who brought him so much disgrace, and disregards the possibility that he might hold anything valuable. He also doesn't care that he is just beating down an old man.

He thrust his sword cane into the old man.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

His rage makes him thrust wildly and he pokes a hole in the wooden ground.

”That would be cruel to the lizard, let him sleep,” Sykes nonchalantly says as he steps into a flank with the Investigator. ”So... this is what you look like,” he says to Lamm before slashing at him.

Greatsword: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 15
Slashing: 2d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 6) + 4 + 2 = 13

Dangit Joeseph take back your dice XD

No waiting for me when you know what I'm going to do, tsk.

"We are here for vengance old man. Fall into slumber and never wake up!" Aleziella says as she pulls out another card from her deck, this time it shows a blue-tinged hand pointing right at the head of a man sending a bolt of some kind at him. Visions have brought us here, and with visions and dreams it will end.

Slumber DC 16 vs will

Either way she moves closer after the others, she doesn't want to be close to the edge if Gobblegut wakes up and comes for them again.

"Ah, my little "priestess" have you come to try and redeem old Lamm? Save your breath to explain to her how you failed after I send you off to meet her personally."

He wished to antagonise her with his words and the priestess gave Gaedren a small smile before replying in low, steady voice "The Everlight is beyond your reach, Gaedren Lamm, and, when it is my time to leave behind this mortal coil, I would gladly feel her divine succour. Succour which will be denied you."

Viria, light mace still in hand, took a careful step forward (5ft), and, not knowing where Lamm's pet crocodile had sunk to or when it would rise, she waited defensively for Aleziella to undertake her slumber hex, as the witch had planned before entering through the door.

(Standard Action: Going Total Defense, raising Viria's AC to 17 for 1 round.)

===

(Active Effects: Guidance on Viria & Joeseph (Duration: Round 4 out of 10 ). Bless spell on Viria and her allies. (Duration: Round 3 out of 10))

Will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Viria ignores Lamm's taunts as she prepares herself for any attack he might try to launch her way.
Aleziella draw forth another card from her deck and cast her magic aroud Lamm, who succumbs to her hex and slumps to the floor, asleep.

Sykes and Joeseph can redirect their attacks against the now helpless Lamm.

Seeing Lamm collapse Sykes steadies his blade and plunges it down like an executioner into the slumbering villain.

Coup de Grace: 4d6 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (4, 4, 4, 2) + 8 + 4 = 26

Fortitude DC 36 to not die outright.

Fortitude save: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Sykes slams his blade into Lamm's body with such force that hr actually impales the body to the floor. Gaedren gives a blood filled cough, his body spasming once before lying still as a final, ragged breath escapes his lungs.
Everyone stands in shocked silence as the object of their vendettas lies dead at their feet. The silence is short lived as Gobbleguts wakes from his magic sleep and begins searching for those who tormented it. The crocodile swims along the boardwalk before lunging from the water at Viria, but perhaps still disoriented from it's sleep, the creature fails to clear the water far enough to reach the Cleric.
Swim check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Initiatives (round #4):
Lamm
Viria
Aleziella
Sykes
Joeseph
Gobbleguts (-2)

”... was that all?” Sykes thinks aloud as he sees some familiar flowers start to sprout from the blood leaking from Lamm. The moment of introspection is broken as the gator awakes and attacks. ”Okay, NOW kick him in.”

Joeseph forgets to swallow his saliva as Gaedren dies on the floor. His saliva drops from his mouth when the crocodile starts attacking again. Without thinking, he tries to attack it again.

Attack using guidance: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 11
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Alezeilla smiles as Lamm is finished. "Good job Sykes, but don't kick him in! He might have something valuable or useful on him.... But now we have to deal with the crocodile. Unless someone got any way to coerce it to leave, I suggest that we kill it with arrows. Sykes?" She points at his bow. She draws her bow to shoot at the crocodile and lets an arrow fly straight at the beast then moves away from the edge so she can't be attacked.

Bow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

I'm not sure if anyone have wild empathy or handle animal, or even if they will work at this point.

I have Wild Empathy but I doubt it would be a good idea at this point.

Sykes nods to Aleziella and releases the grip on his sword currently sheathed in Lamm as he draws his new bow and arrow. ”Get away from the lizard before you’re lunch, Joeseph.” he calmly tells the man.

Longbow: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 16
Piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

(BTW, Aleziella, you forgot to include the +1 morale bonus to your attack from Viria's Bless spell.)

==

As the late Gaedren's "pet" lunged at her and thankfully missed, Viria attempted to get herself out of the immediate range of the crocodile's maw, without giving it another chance to lunge/bite at her again.

Acrobatics check to move through threatened square with Guidance bonus: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 1 = 20 (Hopefully that succeeds so croc doesn't get an AoO on Viria as she used acro to move out of the way at half speed, past Sykes.)

Then laying her hand gently on Sykes' shoulder, Viria began to cast, hoping to grant him divine guidance in his efforts against the crocodile. "May the Everlight's wisdom guide your hand against our foe."

(Move action: Acro to move through threatened square at half speed
Standard action: Cast Guidance on Sykes (+1 competence bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, duration 1 min or until discharged.)

===

(Active Effects: Guidance on Sykes (Round 1 of 10) and Bless on Viria and all allies/the party (Round 4 of 10).)

Viria adroitly tumbles out of harms way as the arrows from Sykes and Aleziella bury themselves deep into the creature's leathery hide whereas Joeseph's sword thrust fails to penetrate the crocodile's skin.

Severly wounded Gobbleguts dives beneath the surface of the water and begins to swim away, trying to escape it's pool but alas it has grown too big to fit underneath the floorboards and escape into the river beyond. Once submerged it attempts to hide beneath the blood stained water.

Move action to swim away which will draw an AoO from Joeseph as it attempts to flee.

Initiatives (round #5):
Lamm
Viria
Aleziella
Sykes
Joeseph
Gobbleguts (-20)

"What happened to Hookshanks? Did we just let him go?" Aleziella days as she calmly draws another arrow. She carefully takes aim into the bloody water and lets loose.

bow with guidance and bless: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Aleziella's arrows continue to pincushion the the great beast which shudders once and then lies still at the bottom of it's pool.

”I do believe he fled once he had the opportunity.” Sykes says as he keeps his eyes on the waters.