GM Jhaeman's "Doom Comes to Dustpawn" (Inactive)

Game Master Jhaeman

LOL! Great RP! :-D

kn religion : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Almaas looks at Dawa condescendingly.

“Can you please stop acting like a child? Get a grip on yourself. This is official business!! Do I always need to take the role of a father that needs to teach his children?“

Almaas greets the woman warmly.

”I am glad you trust us and we are eager to support! I understand that also my companions are affected by this phenomenon! We would be grateful if you could support us as well with your divine power of the dawnflower!! I am a follower of Erastil and care for a community’s wellbeing.“

diplomacy : 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33

He looks at his companions.

”So what is the theory that we can present to our friends here?“

"I guess we should make haste to the mines before someone's anger boils over and innocents get hurt."

Friggen dwarves. I swear I hate 'em all. Izlin huffs out a few choice words before addressing the table. "You want a theory? Whatever the Dark Tapestry shat out is affecting the local populace in varying degrees. It may or may not be tied directly to proximity or contact. It is most likely responsible for transforming at least one human female, but given the dreams, the process may have begun in some of our team." He stares daggers into Almass, "Or have you not been paying attention?"

The tiefling takes a breath to settle himself. He slowly draws a dagger with a silver blade. "The corruption may be a form of lycanthropy. Somehow transmitted without the need to come into contact with the victim's blood."

Ready to head out.

Dawa glares at Izlin. "Didn't I already tell you that the Dark Tapestry doesn't exist? The very idea of there being a part of the heavens outside of the Lunar Light is very offensive to me and my beliefs. Try to show a little more respect! Also, speaking of the gift of lycanthropy as "corruption" - why, it's almost as if the Moon has never shone her beneficent light on your head! You've been outside at night, haven't you? You should really try it - it would do wonders for your disposition."

Also ready to head out

After receiving some quick directions from Dalviss, you all set out for the Nesher Mine. You start out following the same trail as before, but instead of following it along the edges of Old Frog Swamp, you take one of the branches that head into the hills. Soon you find yourself in rugged hill country. After about four hours of walking, you reach the mine.

The mine itself is relatively unimpressive from the outside: merely a cave opening at the base of a hill that’s been widened and braced with timbers. A hand-painted sign above the entrance proud names it the “NESHER MINES”. The cave beyond is relatively shallow, extending only 15 feet before ending. A hole in the center of the cave must allow access to the mine proper, and a wooden lift operated by a hand-cranked winch mounted on a platform over the hole allows for descent.

"No such thing as...? But its a proven fact that-- Lycanthropy is a what now?" Deciding that further debate will get one or both of them injured, Izlin walks away from the table muttering something about 'mindless zealots'.

******

The magus is disappointed to see only a single point of entry. Eyeing the worn and rusty chains, "Well, so much for a discrete entrance."

Friggen dwarves. I swear I hate 'em all. Izlin huffs out a few choice words before addressing the table. "You want a theory? Whatever the Dark Tapestry shat out is affecting the local populace in varying degrees. It may or may not be tied directly to proximity or contact. It is most likely responsible for transforming at least one human female, but given the dreams, the process may have begun in some of our team." He stares daggers into Almass, "Or have you not been paying attention?"

The tiefling takes a breath to settle himself. He slowly draws a dagger with a silver blade. "The corruption may be a form of lycanthropy. Somehow transmitted without the need to come into contact with the victim's blood."

Ready to head out.

Almaas is momentarily flabbergasted. A little ashamed and with a lower voice he admits.

”Ehh ... well I ... I didn’t say I know everything!“

* *

Now:

Almaas walks forward to investigate the entrance.

perception : 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (10) + 18 = 28

“Be careful, several support ropes have been intentionally cut! If anything bigger than a gnome or halfling tried to ride down in this lift, the whole thing would collapse!“

He steps back.

“So what now?“

Moonbridge?

It looks like the shaft is about 20' deep. If someone wants to try, you could repair the damage to the lift with a Disable Device check. Dawa, I don't think the Moonbridge would work well--it's smooth and wouldn't be suitable to climb down on. I guess you could angle it as a sort of slide :)

PFft! 'Moonbridge'? Is that his answer for everything? The tiefling takes out some tools and gets to work. He looks at the others, shrugging at their various reactions. "I wasn't always the fine upstanding soul you see before you today."

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17
Disable Able Device: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

If need be, I could fly the team down one by one. I can't imagine that would take more than a minute or two of flight (10-20 rounds).

"Hope he knows what he's doing!"

Izlin carefully (and quietly) repairs the sabotaged lift, making it safe to use.

Tachonius casts a few spells to enhance his abilities as they work on repairing the lift.

Heightened Awareness
Discovery Torch
Heroism

Taking the now-working lift down, you find yourselves in a ten-foot-diameter cavern full of pickaxes, shovels, buckets, sledges, and other mining gear. These tools look serviceable, but none are particularly valuable. Lanterns hang periodically in nooks along the walls, casting the surrounding stonework in in gloomy light.

To the north a winding tunnel leads deeper underground.

I've now placed you all on Slide # 2. Feel free to rearrange yourselves as desired.

Tachonius offers to take a position at the front of the group and keep his eyes peeled for any danger.

Perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (8) + 21 = 29

Soon, the tunnel splits into a western branch and a northeastern branch.

Dawa casts the same buffs as before when they set out from town: Defending Bone and Ant Haul on himself So these are 4 hours into their duration; unless I say otherwise, these will just be standard casts at the start of each adventuring day.

"Let's go to the left!" says Taman and turns to the left.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Following the the left branch, the passageway widens into a larger cavern. The cave floor is cleared of debris, save for a few drifts of dust and dirt, while the ceiling above is obscured by a thick tangle of cobwebs. Remnants of a mine cart track lean against the wall to the north, while a tunnel slopes down deeper into the ground at the west side of the room.

Almaas starts to search for any secret doors and checks the mine cart.

Perception : 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23

Almaas heads into the room and takes a look at the walls and the remnants of the mine cart.

Taman follows Almaas inside.

As Taman walks into the room, a massive steel pendulum, suspended from the ceiling and hidden in the spider webs, comes crashing down onto his back! As he staggers forward, he barely avoids a connected trap that shoots barbed spikes up from the floor! But Almaas isn't so lucky and the bottom of his foot is pierced, trapping him in place! And to make matters worse, clouds of yellow spores are released into the air!

Taman, you take 24 points of damage. Almaas, you take 10 points of damage and are hooked by a barbed spike, unable to move until you succeed on an Escape Artist check to pull free without further damage or a Strength check to pull free with further damage.

Taman and Almaas, both of you need to roll DC 15 Fortitude saves vs poison--on a failure, you take 1 points of Constitution damage.

This is one of those traps where the first person into the room (Almaas) steps on a pressure plate to prep it, and the second person into the room (Taman) is the one to actually activate it.

fort save : 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30

”Arghhh, that hurts!!“ Almaas shouts.

He tries to break free!

Strength : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

FORT: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16

"Yes, that hurts!"
Taman stands up and tries to free Almaas.

"Look out!" Dawa yells, belatedly.

Immediate Action: cast Liberating Command on Almaas, letting him make an Escape Artist check as an immediate action, with a +14 bonus (in addition to his normal Escape Artist bonus)

Edit: this action is if Almaas' STR check to get out fails (or, if I can jump ahead of the posting order, then I would have done this immediately, possibly saving Almaas his round's actions to get out of the poison cloud?).

Thanks! Would that be in case I don’t make the str check or replacing it?

Thanks! Would that be in case I don’t make the str check or replacing it?

Actually, I posted before I realized that you had attempted the Str check. It's a GM call but my guess would be that by posting-order, if your STR check fails then my Liberating Command occurs, and if your STR check succeeds then my Liberating Command never happened.

Okay! I’ll roll just in case the str was not enough! Thanks again!

escape artist, liberating command : 1d20 + 1 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 14 = 33

As the pair yell and scream in pain, the dispassionate magus shakes his head. So much for a stealthy approach. Surely the entire complex knows of our presence. They probably heard these stuck pigs all the way back in town. Izlin then looks for any other surprises.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19
Disable Device (if needed): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

Almaas manages to pull free of the barbed spike, but it hurts.

Almaas, you take 2 more points of damage in pulling free.

GM, so Liberating Command was NOT used, correct?

Right.

Taman takes his wand out and gives the wand to Dawa to heal Taman.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Almaas uses his own wand to heal himself.

CLW: 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (6, 8) + 2 = 16

Almaas continues down the tunnel!

Perception : 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32

Taman follows and looks around.

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Tachonius also keeps his eyes open.

Perception: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (3) + 21 = 24

Advancing forward, you reach a point where the mine splits between northern and southern branches.

"Can someone please cast a message spell so we can communicate? I hear a distant, sing-song feminine voice repeating words that I don't understand. The sound seems to be coming from the northwest."

Xilt wakes up from his reverie and puts up Message on the party. He nods to Almaas at his sage suggestion.

I have been a little distracted over the weekend but I will try to catch up today.

Are folks ready to continue on to the northwest or did you have other preparations you wanted to make?

I'm ready to keep going.

Following the sing-song voice, Almaas leads you to the northwest. There, around a corner, is a strange sight: a half-transformed elven monstrosity, with one arm transformed into a bat’s wing, patches of oily fur growing from her flesh, and a bat-like face and ears! Seeing you, her face scrunches up, she emits a bat-like screech, and it's clear she's about to start casting some sort of spell!

Initiative (Round 1)

Almaas
Izlin
Xilt
Dawa
Tachonious
Taman
Bat-like Creature

Bold may go!

"Can somebody understand what she's saying?"

GM, I assume the walls provide some kind of cover to the elf.

Knowledge local to identify: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Spellcraft to identify spell being cast: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

"Again another Lady! Okay, please do not be hostile and cast no spells! You are outnumbered!" he shouts.

Almaas 5 ft steps to get a better view and studies his target.

He uses Dawa's banner as inspiration and readies and action to shoot the woman should she try to cast to prevent her from succeeding.

He shoots bludgeoning arrows and tries to do nonlethal damage.

Ready action with deadly aim, banner +2, studied target +2, cover -4, non-lethal -4: 1d20 + 14 + 2 + 2 - 4 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 14 + 2 + 2 - 4 - 4 = 21
Longbow damage, nonlethal, studied +2, banner +2, sneak attack as flatfooted +d6 : 1d8 + 5 + 2 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 2 + 2 + (5) = 19

Just a note on cover--I'll usually add it to their AC, so don't subtract it from your attack rolls. We could accidentally end up with a double penalty that way :)

Tachonius moves ahead with his falcata drawn observing the woman closely.

I can't figure out the distance moved because of the strange shape of the halls.

Seeing that it might be another cursed person like Leera, he takes a moment to observe.

DC to cast arcane spells in the are Tachonius threatens are increased by 2.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17

Swift: Judgement (purity/protection) +2 to AC/saves. Light radius increases to 40 feet.

If it only took a single move action to get next to her, I will ready an attack.