GM Tealk's - Core - Cradle of Night

Game Master Tealk

Will ponders her words and sincerity.

sense motive: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30

sense motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Depending upon the result of Will and Pietro's musing upon her trustworthiness, Pietro might release his hold upon the door remaining invisible, and off to the side ready wallop everyone with daylight to blind folks, or just his morningstar. ;)

Telos' weapons are in your hands :)

Using bluff to pass a secret message to my allies
bluff: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

At least she's more trustworthy than Blemia, who used negotiations to stall...

Will makes more Wills.

mirror image: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

"'Blemia'? Was that what I came down with in that tavern in Thornkeep that made run to the outhouse ever hour?" asks the ghost.

Holds the door.

Sounds like the last thing we want to do is wait around here. Are we tying her up or... dispensing with her before we move on?

"Oh no, there is no need to tie me up. I'm not going anywhere." The woman says, smiling.

"YOU AND ME BOTH!" shouts the ghost.

So you're still holding the door. What are you guys doing with her? A few rounds have passed so far...

Knock her out, please. Arrows aren't terrible suited for that, and blunt arrows aren't a thing in core

Will whispers to Aiyana Call out in her voice, say everything is fine. There was a ghost but you think you can calm it if everyone stops grabbing weapons?

Will calls out loudly in a 'ghostly' voice, You're.. not welcome here... Not your home...

bluff: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36 or perform (act), same modifier

Will, then uses ghost sound to make ruminations outside the room. It's as loud as 32 humans talking, or two lions roaring, so not bad??

Maybe Use the sound as a cover to knock her out. Those of us who are visible can sneak out the way we came in and then Pietro can open the door? I could cast a silent image of the woman in the room and have Aiyana speak for her?

So you're still holding the door. What are you guys doing with her? A few rounds have passed so far...

Yep. If the door opens outward he is probably grasping the door handle while standing on the wall with his feet planed to either side of the doorway. A funniy sight if you can see invisibility. :)

Oh right, Pietro hasn't take a hostile action yet!

Telos casts a whispering message to Darven.

Quickly, knock her out before I have to burn her or worse.

Aiyana shakes her head, "I dont think that will work Will..."

As if right on cue, the tattered woman bursts out laughing, "Ahahahaha! Oh my dear. You really don't get who you're dealing with, do you? The Reborn, have certain...protocol. I know, i know. Blah blah, I'm your captive and you're going to kill me if i do not listen. But darling, because i have been captured, my life is now forfeit." As she has this small speach, Pietro notices that the gap of space between the lower part of the door and the stone ground get's darker. Will, also notices something dark, appear around the north-east part of the house. Some dark cloud, even with his new darkvision, he cannot see through. "As is yours."

You realize now, something new is coming your way.

Map updated! Round something-or-rather! Everyone to act!

Oh right, Pietro hasn't take a hostile action yet!

Wisdom!

Understanding that something worse is still coming, Telos throws a token ray of electricity at the woman.

elemental ray ranged touched, E damage: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 241d6 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

If you're not going to be helpful, STOP talking!

Fine, knock her out and let’s fight?!?!

Hoping our fighter can do some nonlethal

If you'd like, Pietro can open the door for one or two of them, and then slam it behind them allowing the party to deal with them a few at a time. We'd just need to get the spacing right, and hope they don't have ranged weapons. :)

we may need a Daylight based on the earlier post referencing darkness . I’ll cast haste this round if that is what we want to do

I thought we could see in the dark. Though daylight is a possibility as well, but that would require revealing the party's greatest asset--Pietro!

I can try to knock her out. Nothing to do non-lethal damage, so it may take a couple strikes to do it

Darven slams the hilt of his sword across the back of the head.

attack: 1d20 + 17 + 2 - 3 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 17 + 2 - 3 - 2 = 261d8 + 6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 + 2 = 21
second if needed: 1d20 + 12 + 2 - 3 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 12 + 2 - 3 - 2 = 251d8 + 6 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 6 + 2 = 15

Or not. Yeah 36 NL in one round

"Will!" exclaims Seward, as he rushes out to his friend, bow drawn against the approaching darkness. "What's to bet that whatever spell that thing is using, is centered on it?" Using that big halfling brain of his, Seward fires of a shot into the darkness, letting his enchanted arrows do most of the work.
Shoot: 1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 15 - 2 = 211d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

You hear a quiet grunt, as the arrow finds it's mark. The darkness moves forward, only an increment, and then two arrows come flying out.
Also Shoot: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 202d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 3) + 3 = 10
Also Shoot Again: 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 13 - 5 = 101d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
@Seward, please make me a DC 15 fort save, vs poison, or take 1d2 ⇒ 2 STR damage...

The dark woman grunts, staggering back against the dark walls of the chateau. Darven's sword leaves quite the impact, as the tattered figure loses consciousness and falls.

Pietro feels a very strong tug on the door, and then a cracking sound as if someone is using a tool to crank it open from the other side.

Round 7?
Active buffs - Inspire Courage +2/+2 (round 6)
Active debuffs - --

Pietro (Invisible, MoG)
@ Darven (--)
@ Seward -10 lethal (--)
@ Telos (See Invis.)
@ Will (--)
+ Aiyana (-)

! Callivarus, the Shadow -52 -32 nl -unconsious
! Dark Creepers (green, pink, red)
! Necrophidius -43 lethal (red)
! Reborn Officer (red, blue)

Everyone may act!

Will casts haste and begins to inspire courage once more. Will agrees It's possible, but not definitive.

With the immediate foe down, Telos again focuses on the door behind Pietro.

Pietro! What do you say to letting that door fly open right when I tell you to?

He thrusts his hands forward as if to send an explosive incantation through the portal. He backs up to the wall directly opposite the door. If the cleric agrees, Telos starts a countdown...

[standard] Ready action, if/when the door Pietro is holding opens (unless absolute surrender of the guards is declared by the woman)
[5' step] SW

** spoiler omitted **

Telos looks at the surrender proceedings with disappointment.

Are you sure? What if these guys don't surrender?

Telos is resurrecting this readied action. Would you prefer new rolls?

@Will you are not in a good possition to hit anyone inside the other room. And @Telos, yes this is fine. What is the rest of the team doing?

Move in with Seward and do the buffing plan? With us being more spread out, we would have had to move in as well to pull it off on all of us.

With the immediate foe down, Telos again focuses on the door behind Pietro.

Telos Downshot wrote:

Pietro! What do you say to letting that door fly open right when I tell you to?

He thrusts his hands forward as if to send an explosive incantation through the portal. He backs up to the wall directly opposite the door. If the cleric agrees, Telos starts a countdown...

STR CHECK: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

"WOULD RIGHT NOW BE A GOOD TIME!?" Asks Pietro the Friendly Ghost™.

Pietro moves 5' to which ever side of the door doesn't have hinges, and (I'm guessing north). And if time allows ready to slam the door shut behind whatever comes through.

Yup, NOW!

The halfling yells back, intensely focused on aiming a blast through the still-closed portal. Timing is everything, must get it as far back as possible when he pops that door...

Will goes back inside with his team, and casts haste on his allies. Pietro, who has been holding the door feels a heavy tug from the other side. Luckily, Telos's countdown happens at exactly the right time the cleric loses control of the door, which swings open, and the darkness steps inside the room.

Everything goes so dark, that you cannot even see.

But not before Telos releases his powerful spell into the room.
Reflex, officer last: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 241d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 231d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 71d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

Pietro closes reaches out, and closes the door behind the creature that just entered.

...

Seward tries to fight off the poison.
Fort, vs Poison: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

...

Under the cover of complete and utter darkness, the two unanounced enemies continue to assault the team. One of them fires his bow at Seward, while the other takes a heavy at Telos.
Bow, v Seward: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 212d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 6) + 3 = 10
Bow, v Seward: 1d20 + 13 - 5 ⇒ (14) + 13 - 5 = 221d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Pick, v Telos: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 191d4 + 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (3) + (1) + 10 = 14

Round 8?
Active buffs - Haste, Inspire Courage +2/+2 (round 7)
Active debuffs - It's super dark right now...

Pietro (Invisible, MoG)
@ Darven (--)
@ Seward -20 lethal, -2 STR (--) poisoned 1
@ Telos -14 lethal (See Invis.)
@ Will (--)
+ Aiyana (-)

! Callivarus, the Shadow -52 -32 nl -unconsious
! Dark Creepers (green -18, pink -18, red-36)
! Necrophidius -43 lethal (red)
! Reborn Officer (red, blue -36)

Everyone may act!

"Now would be a good time for your daylight spell Pietro!" Aiyana shouts from the postern, also unable to see anything.

Does darkness make Telos flat-footed against that attack?

Deeper darkness does, yes.

"AND LO, CAYDEN SPAKE UNTO THEM AND SAID 'LET THERE BE BECK'S PREMIER LIGHT BEER!' AND HE TASTED IT, AND SAID 'IT IS GOOD, AND DOES NOT HAVE A TERRIBLE AFTERTASTE.'"

Pietro casts daylight upon the head of his morningstar. Also he looses his concentration upon Might of Gods.

Telos frowns with a hint of disbelieve. No aftertaste? I mean... come on! We weren't born yesterday!

Telos retrieves a rod, executes a quick incantation, and then disappears again!

[move] retrieve rod of extend
[standard] cast greater invisibility (duration: 18 rounds)

Because I see a foe right next to him...
Concentration (cast defensively), DC23: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (5) + 18 = 23 phew!

Greater invisibility: round 1/18

Will shakes his head, Cayden believes in strong beer, not pisswater..., but, upon seeing this servant produce light and not be struck down for blasphemy, accepts that perhaps the Caydenite knows his diety better than the tavern minstrel.

Will puts on a s!$*-eating grin as the 'lights', or at least enough for his current eyes to see, come back. He hastily knocks 4 arrows into the first enemies he sees.

Bard big damned hero time!
Many Shot, PBS, IC, Heroism, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 29damage,IC,PBS: 2d6 + 12 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 12 + 4 + 2 = 22
Rapid Shot, PBS, IC, Heroism, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 32damage,IC,PBS: 1d6 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 11
Haste, PBS, IC, Heroism, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 29damage,IC,PBS: 1d6 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 13
Iti Shot, PBS, IC, Heroism, haste: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 33damage,IC,PBS: 1d6 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 12
confirm Iti Shot, PBS, IC, Heroism, haste: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 = 16damage,IC,PBS: 2d6 + 12 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6, 6) + 12 + 4 + 2 = 30

See a new enemy so close, Darven takes the opportunity and unleashes a trio of sword strikes.

primary: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (19) + 17 + 2 + 1 - 3 = 361d8 + 8 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 6 + 2 = 23 That's a crit threat, but not sure if these guys can be critted, by your description at least

hasted: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (9) + 17 + 2 + 1 - 3 = 261d8 + 8 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 6 + 2 = 18

itarive: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 2 + 1 - 3 = 191d8 + 8 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 6 + 2 = 22

A blinding flash of light spread from Pietro's morning star, the rays piercing through the veil of darkness and shadows cast by the creatures of the night.

Your eyes take a few seconds to adjust to the brightness, as you do your best not to look at the source directly, the light still hinders your vision slightly. You think that you are dazzled within the radius of a powerful light effect such as daylight.

For a brief moment, you notice the Reborn assassin, dressed in black tatters, cover his eyes the light blinding the creature completely. This creates a big enough opening for Will and Darven to completely take out the assailant with their deadly combination of bow and sword. As the creature falls, the light seems to expand and move in strange ways, but eventually winning out against the darkness.

Seward fires off a volley of arrows, but as the light from inside the estate reaches outside, the creature inside the darkness retreats and in a few moments is gone.

"Seward, get inside and shut the door, quickly! Before the rest of Lyrudrada sees these fireworks!" Your ally exxclaims, as she covers her eyes with her palm to protect herself from the light.

Well done, you are out of combat. What would you like to do next?"

Well, I didn't expect that to end so suddenly :)

From somewhere in the room, the halfling remarks Well, if there are any more of them in the house, I'm guessing they've heard all of that. We need to clear and secure this place fast.
Aiyana, what's the safest way to proceed so that we don't get ambushed?

What can I say...Darven is a beast...lol

"Agreed. While you can not be seen at the moment, why don't you move ahead and scout" Darven says.

Darven will leave his sword out for the time being.

Telos takes a peek outside the door and into bedroom parlor section of this wing of the estate, onto to see that the remaining Reborn have fled. The door into the dining and study areas are closed.

Aiyana nods, "If we clear out the study and the armory, there won't be much else they could hide. But i agree, with their leader taken out, speed is a useful tactic."

Let me know how you wish to proceed.

Will responds We’ll be in freaky fast mode for 42 more seconds, best make the most of it

Telos will softly speak to the team and indicate that he is proceed to those two rooms now. If either is not clear, he returns to the previous room to inform the party before proceeding alone.

Sewards quickly runs back into the estate, and closes the hidden door behind him.

Telos, under the cover of his invisibility, quickly peers into the next few rooms.

Once a spacious dining hall, this room has been converted into a kennel. Two once-fine tables and an assortment of chairs and benches have been turned into gnawed wrecks. The tapestries and banners that once adorned the walls have been torn down and left in tangled piles. A statue in one corner depicts a dark stalker of noble bearing but bears many scratches and stains. The furnishings in this chamber have been utterly destroyed by the occupants, and the statue depicting one of Aiyana’s famous ancestors is ruined.

The other door leads to the trophy hall. The walls of this chamber are hung with all manner of banners, weapons, trinkets, and bits of armor, as well as more than a few stuffed and mounted examples of Darklands creatures. Two statues adorn the corners of the chamber. One depicts a noble-looking caligni wrapped in chains, and the other a decapitated duergar holding its startled head in its hands. The once-polished tile floor is now marred by many muddy tracks.

Both spaces seem to be clear, but the sorcerer does notice that they have been recently vacated.

You have used up a total of 4 rounds of your invisibility since you defeated the last enemy in the previous room.

Everyone proceed. These next two rooms are clear.

Telos looks around at the mess.

And by the look of it they were keeping animals in here. I think they've only just left, and so we need to remain careful going forward.

The halfling proceeds to open the next door.

I can't actually tell where the trophy room is on the map.

I have added the tabs in the rooms. Which next door sorry, just place your token there.

Thank you! Now that I see the choices, let's go with the East door, but Telos will wait until the group catches up before proceeding, because we're get perilously close to him walking into danger and dealing with it alone.

Darven follows the Halfling forward. Making sure to keep his shield and sword at the ready.