Wrath of the Righteous for Paladins

Game Master trawets71

Leothar has both of his LOH, but I'd like to keep at least one in reserve being as Leothar is the main target (that Tiefling's fanatic gnome-hatred notwithstanding). What was that about? Maybe Baphomet cultists have a preference for attacking whoever is smallest and weakest.
Who is wounded now?

Petsha nods at Ian, "That's more than enough to help, yes. I thank you. If anyone could help tend to Ardriel's wounds I would feel more comfortable going forward, though we could also make use of one of the potions we've found to help with that."

I believe that Ardriel is at 10 hp now. Fley is up to 14 and Ian took care of my wounds. Leothar, Donnen and Ian are all showing 20 hp, so I assume that's accurate?

I believe that Ardriel is at 10 hp now. Fley is up to 14 and Ian took care of my wounds. Leothar, Donnen and Ian are all showing 20 hp, so I assume that's accurate?

Ian's is accurate

Smiling at Petsha, "Good!"

I am at 10 HP, but I only have 16 total, so that's actually over halfway.

Yarnala speaks to Ardriel,

Ardriel touches his hand to his breast, and divine energy heals some of his wounds.

LoH: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Gonna save the rest.

"I am ready should we encounter any foes. I may, however, hang back and use my bow a bit. I believe I have fulfilled my promise to Chief Sull to use his morningstar to kill a cultist."

I think I got the finishing blow on one of the cultists with the morningstar, which should count as keeping my promise.

Donnen just observed the others. As much as he knew how to heal with his hands, Torag hadn't blessed him with such light yet. The power would grow, he knew, but he'd have to deserve it - and was patient enough to wait for it.

I'm ready too. - says the dwarf, approaching Ardriel - Someone has tae' have our back, and I'm glad you'd be one of such, mate.

I'm fine on health - the 20 is accurate. I do still have the LoH class ability, but different than other of my abilities, this one is still keyed off Charisma, so until I have enough paladin levels to compensate for it, I literally end up with 0/day. An oversight for the designers of the archetype but oh well :)

'Ardriel has fulfilled our promise to the Mayor.' Nodding in agreement with Ardriel, "that makes sense Ardriel." Hearing Donnen was ready to go too, Ian steps into the hallway and looks at the hole. Holding his cloud walking scale in his hand. "We have two scales, we be able to do three in each group if we find something to stand on." gesturing towards the hole. "If the hole is big enough."

DM Trawets Could Leothar tell if the water is directly below the opening? It looks like the opening is less than 5 ft., will more than one person be able to use the scales?

With your narrow view through the hole all you can see is water and only one person can fit through it at a time. It's about 10 or 15 until it opens into the cavern below.

"Send me down. If I see a dry spot to stand, I can push myself sideways against the wall to reach it. If I can't see a dry spot, I'll ask to be levitated back up and we'll reexamine our options."

Pulling out his cloud walking scale Ian offers it to Leothar, "My scale has two charges on it left, why don't you take, that way if you need to levitate back up, you'll be able to." He then begins to take off his shield and attach it to his pack. "I will get ready to climb down the rope."

"Ian, if you use the scale on me, I can be ready to respond to threats."
Levitate can be used on other targets and Terendelev's scales have CL15, so great range. That way Leothar doesn't need a free hand to hold the scale, and doesn't need to use his move actions to change altitude. Open to Leothar holding the scale himself but it seems better for someone else to use it on him.

Nodding in agreement with Leothar, Ian finishes packing his shield away so he can climb down the rope, "Ok, here we go. Tell me when you ready to come back up." Then holding the scale he casts levitate on Leothar watching him lower through the hole. Ian quickly begins to follow Loethar down the rope.

taking 10 (5) on climb, going down the knotted rope.

The shaft drops 40 down and opens into a small cavern roughly 15 feet in diameter and the water another 15 to 20 feet down. The river below extends to the northeast and southwest but the ceiling dips down below the water in each direction.

Leothar pushes off the wall to move over laterally, and stands on the floor of the cavern. He has Radiance in one hand and his shield in the other.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

If all looks safe, he will call out "All clear!"

There is no floor, the entire cavern is water.

Oh, I see.
"Lift me back up!" shouts Leothar.

'Back up!' Hearing Leothar call "back up" Ian scurries back up the small part of the rope he began to descend, and uses the scale to have Leothar levitate back up.

When Leothar is back on solid ground, Ian asks, "So what did you find?"

lol, we had raised the rope so no one could climb up, did we perchance find a bucket on the end?

"No place to stand. Just a cavern full of water. I didn't see any enemies. The underground river appears to flow through the cavern, but the exits are underwater.
If you want to send me back down with the current use of Levitate, I can spend more time looking around, but there didn't seem to be anything there. If you'd want me to go underwater, I'd want to remove my armor and have the rope tied around me. Swimming is not my specialty.
Or we could just move on."

Leothar is happy to do as asked by the others here.

"We can probably safely leave an underground river alone unless we run out of other options to move forward, or end up needing a large amount of water for something. I'd vote to move on."

I don't imagine many mongrelmen will be down in the water. They probably just use it as a well or something to get water. Let's move on.

Agreed. We can always come back later. Let's keep going! - says Donnen, barely stopping before continuing - We probably already trip'd all kinds of alarm 'round here. Time is of the essence.

Not sure how long the levitate lasts, but it's only been seconds right?

'At least we are of a like mind.' Nodding in agreement with the others, Ian gives an odd smile, "Well, Leothar shall I float you up the ladder?"

Ardriel frowns. ”Why would the mongrelmen run a rope down to a river that doesn’t go anywhere? Well, regardless, if there’s nothing there, there’s nothing there. The ladder next, then.”

Assuming you are done down here.
The party heads back into the room, Aravisnial asks "What did you guys find? Was there anything downstairs? A way out?"

"Not a way out, no. There were some more of the cultists. We did, however, find something they'd stolen, as well as the locations of three demon safe houses in the city. We might be able to catch some more of them once we reach the surface. As to what they'd stolen, they grabbed Radiance out of the Grey Garrison."

Nodding in agreement with Ardriel, Ian points to the ladder, "That looks like our way out."

Who wants to go up the ladder first? I can sneak up and see what's up there.

Upon hearing mention of the safe houses Aravashnial asks "Where are these safe houses? What information do you have on them?"

"The safe houses are located at Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, and the Tower of Estrod - along with a passphrase that can be used at the Tower for entry."

Upon hearing of the list of places Anvenn exlaims, "We must get this information to my wife and the Eagle Watch." Aravashnial nods his head and says "Yes a good idea. I would like to know more of the Tower of Estrod in particular."

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
"Horgus, the mention of the Nyserian Manor seems to surprise you. I don't know anything about this manor. What can you tell me about it?"

Horgus shrugs and says "I'm surprised as I know him and never would have expected him to be a traitor."

'Huh, Horgus knows him.' Shaking his head, "A pity, traitors in Kenabres." Nodding in aggreement with Anvenn, "But getting the information to the Eagle's Watch sounds like the best thing we can do for now." Looking from Fley to Leothar pointing at the ladder. "Do we send Fley up to sneak about, or do we use the remainder of the scales spell to levitate Leothar up?"

I don't remember anyone rolling a knowledge check of the Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, or the Tower of Estrod so just to refresh our memory I thought I would give it a try, in case you need one for each.
knowledge: local (untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 16
knowledge: local (untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 14
knowledge: local (untrained): 1d20 ⇒ 5

Ian thinks about the safe house for a moment and remembers that Topaz Solutions is herbalist’s shop that specialized in alchemical equipment
and potions. Nyserian Manor belonged to Kandro Nyserian one of the nobles in town and was rather stately. You know of no rumors that either was used by the Teplars of the Ivory Labyrinth.

Who wants to go up the ladder first? I can sneak up and see what's up there.

"I'll go up the ladder. I won't have my shield, but I'll have my armor at least."

Fley Flaxon wrote:

Who wants to go up the ladder first? I can sneak up and see what's up there.

"I'll go up the ladder. I won't have my shield, but I'll have my armor at least."

isn't the scale still active, can't we just levitate you up?

The scale lasts for 19 minutes so yeah, you got a few minutes left on it.

Okay, that works.
Leothar will ascend, shield and Radiance in hand, to ensure the top of the ladder is secure.

Making sure he doesn't levitate Leothar into the tunnel walls, Ian climbs up the ladder after him. 'At least it shouldn't be a room full of water this time.'

Shield and weapon still put away, taking 10 (5) on climbing.

Ardriel will wait at the bottom of the ladder until the others have ascended and given the all clear, then use the last use of his scale to levitate Anvenn up, since Anvenn would probably have trouble climbing with his broken leg.

With the glowing hammer leading the way, Leothar floats up into the room above. Three big rats turn towards him and snarl!

Round 1
Party except for Ardriel up

Init Ardriel: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Init Donnen: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Init Fley: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Init Ian: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12
Init Leothar: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Init Petsha: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Init Rats: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

'Is that snarling?' Climbing the ladder as quickly as he can, Ian calls down, "I hear snarling." as soon as he gets to the top he moves out of the way, drawing the hammer.

10 ft ladder? move action, accelerated climb, take ten, move action, 15 ft drawing hammer: no shield so AC is 17

Don't worry about climb checks, it's a ladder at max DC 0

After Ian calls down that hears snarling, Fley's ears perk up. What kind of snarl is it Ian? Big animal or small?

Fley will shimmy up the 10 ft. ladder as fast as he can. When he gets to the top, a rat snarls at him.

Fley snarls back and casts Speak With Animals.

We wont harm you if you let us pass peacefully.

Donnen follows the others, climbing as fast as his small legs allow him to move. As he gets up, he assumes a position of readiness to attack, but waits for the results of Fley's snarling first - as much as he has no idea what his companion is "saying" to the rodents, he imagines it's some sort of control spell (or even just bravado).

What is going on? - he whispers audibly towards Fley.

It is a move action to climb the ladder and then another for any movement. So there are no standard actions available for anyone down below.

Leothar likewise waits for the result of Fley's rat-snarling magical negotiations, but is prepared to strike if the rats attack.

A bit of retcon

Fley moves to the base of the ladder. As Ian yells down 'Rats!', Fley will yell snarl back up after casting Speak With Animals: We mean you no harm. My friends will not hurt you unless you provoke them. Let us pass. We have food if you want it.

My legs are old and tired. In my youth, I would be up that ladder by now.

Move action to ladder, standard action to cast Speak With Animals, free action to speak to rats.

Leothar smashes the rat in the skull with Radiance and it falls to the floor twitching.

Round 1
Petsha up

The chittering of the rats turns into "Intruders! Intruders! Kill! Kill!" after using his ability to speak with animals.

Petsha scrambles up the ladder and finds his way to a corner where he prepares his bow for a future attack.