GM Doug's The Lost Legend (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

Iniquity is a tough act to follow, but if anyone can do it Pip can! Yes, you needed the hero point. The gnome even manages to bring in some clientele from the Cracked Egg, looking for legal help…

★★★

That evening, you gather over drinks and collate what you learned. People are't really comfortable talking about the barrow; it seems to be a somewhat uncomfortable subject rife with superstition.

However, you can piece together that Warlock’s Barrow is across the Defaka River to the northeast. How far? That’s anyone’s guess…

Looks it's time to hit the streets again — on to day two!

★★★

Locating the Spooky Barrow: Day 2

Group has 4 successes from Day 1.

Iniquity
Gurmire
Packet
Pip

"Wooof"

Bailiff wags his tail expectantly, waiting to see where Pip will take him next.

Pip visits the shrine. Neither of the deities venerated there are her god, but Abadar honors law and Gozreh nature, so Pip still feels a kinship to them. She sits with the various clerics, and discusses the wisdom that can be found between these two deities, and the way this place in its own way reflects both.

Bardic Lore (Deities): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

My last hero point!
Bardic Lore (Deities): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Back to the docs!

Deception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 Ugh

Perform (E): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Iniquity prepares the night before to perform a rendition of the last siege of Absalom, but, alas, the story is too big for a one man show.

If Campaign Service Coins are the thing that allow you to re-roll other people's roll, you might want to re-roll that flub. Sorry, guys.

Having had such a nice experience with Wolke, Gurmire decides to check what the woodworkers in town have in the way of crafts. It seems woodworking requires quite a bit of geometry in order to get the corners right and square the shapes. Quite a few clamps as well.

Crafting E, eyepiece: 1d10 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 1 = 23

Perform, Hero Point: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Iniquity senses that he is losing his audience and prays to Shelyn for aid as he begins to portray the villainous minotaur generals.

A wizened human Mwangi woman named Wubeta attends the shrine with a few other acolytes. She is very interested to hear about how the scriptures of Abadar and Gozreh are interpreted on Avistan, and she and Pip spend the day exploring nuanced interpretations. In the process, they come to a better understanding of their own cultures and life experiences.

Nothuzru, an iruxi carver, is the most prominent woodworker. He carves beautiful animals that seem to capture the essence of their being. Gurmire manages to impress the old man with some tips and tricks of his own — Nothuzru, though many believe he carves with the sheer elan of a poet (a reputation he's happy to cultivate), is actually a meticulous and methodical craftsperson at heart. Good math and a good set of calipers are his favored tools. "Measure once, cut twice" is his mantra!

Shelyn inspires Iniquity to focus on a small and relatively weak party of slaves who cast off their chains to help defend the city, rather than worry about a story that might be too large. Sometimes, a smaller narrative can dramatize the core of huge issues like servitude and freedom and cultural change.

Packet finds himself faced with increasingly annoyed dock workers, who wonder if he's here to help, or just talk all day! Sorry, Packet!

That's 3 more successes!

★★★

That night, over more manta Pancake Stingray, you collate the rumors you've heard.

You determine that a creek flows past a rocky hill into a shallow bay off the Defaka that most traffic bypasses in deeper water. This rivulet smells of death and is only about 10 miles northeast of the outpost. The barrow sits on that hill above the creek. This is enough to locate the barrow! However, you have one more day and might find out more about the place.

★★★

Locating the Spooky Barrow: Day 3

Iniquity
Gurmire
Packet
Pip

Packet, feeling down about his sluthing skills, decides to amp up his game. He returns to the Cracked Egg down in the docks, this time disguised as his twin brother, Par'cel, the one with the mole on his nose.

He asks around.

Deception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Although he loves crafting, today Gurmire decides it might be worthwhile to check somewhere else. He heads to the market to search for more information. He uses some of the methods he was taught for questioning people without them realizing it.

Society T: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Pip decides to visit the Egg with Par'cel, grinning as the tales become ever more ridiculous. "Par'cel, you have not told them yet of the performances we did by royal demand. Two Kings Courts, all clamoring for us!"

All quite fantastical in their own right, but made even more absurd by Pip embellishing the details of her and Par'cel's adventures.

Deception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Perform (E): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

Iniquity considers taking the day off, since he feels topping yesterday's performance an imposing feat. However, he cannot resist an audience. Despite being sleep deprived from a late night encore, he puts on a one man show describing the chase of a wily silk merchant and her colorful bird who stole a tome full of secrets across the desert and the inevitable clash between the earth and the air elementals.

"The Egg", for short, is a seedy tavern with three-foot-by-three-foot eggshell nailed to a post as signage. It’s little more than a roof on four posts with cloth-netting walls to keep out mosquitoes. A rougher crowd gathers in the Egg, and many of them sleep on the floor (for free, if they drink enough). Par'cel hears rumors of a nosy halfling going around town annoying dock workers and asking questions. But he also learns some things from Drokrasa, the owner of the Egg, with Pip's assistance. Drokrasa especially likes their story of stealing a crown from the king's vault! Pip and Par'cel decide it would have made for an amazing (though highly illegal) tale… if it really happened. (It worked out better in the end, anyway.) Drokrasa spills information to his fellow neer-do-wells, much like a cracked egg himself. Crit success with Pip's assist. I'm not sure Pip is assisting here or rolling her own check, but it seemed flavored like an assist and the net-net is the same for the group (2 success via crit or 2 success via solo work. We'll go with the crit as I think that's more fun after watching Packet fail twice.).

Gurmire meets Darsin, an elderly iruxi man who has been a trader all his life. He spends most of his time resting in the sun outside his general goods store, people-watching and drinking homemade cold-brewed cider. Darsin is fair-minded and calm; other vendors turn to him to settle disputes — several of these incidents happen during the day. Soon enough Gurmire is sitting in a small rocking-chair alongside Darsin, helping adjudicate these disagreements while teasing out nuggets of truth. Crit success! The cider is delicious, but Gurmire's head is a little foggy at dinnertime.

Iniquity's stardom finally catches up to him. His show strives to be spectacular, but he's a bit tired and the one-man show proves a a little too complicated. He pulls it off but doesn't quite reach the heights achieved before.

★★★

You convene for the final evening of delicious stingray. Today, you have been able to learn much more than in previous nights! The people of the outpost proved resilient to your methods on the first two days, but today the secrets have spilled out!

You learn three clues of tactical importance.

1. Undead guard the barrow. A wight commands the skeletons of those slain near the place. The location is confirmed to be cursed.
2. The creek that flows past the barrow is deep enough to hide some of the wight’s minions. The creek that flows past the barrow is corrupted by undeath, and living creatures who touch it will find that it will wash away their vitality.
3.Something in the barrow empowers the undead there. Tales say they have been slain more than once, but the dead always return. This clue is enough for anyone trained in Arcana, Nature, Occultism, or Religion to posit that a magical force strengthens the undead in the area, and the PCs might be able to suppress this force.

Pip knows that Wights are Medium Undead with the Wight type; they tend to be Lawful Evil. They are immune to undead stuff (death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, unconscious), and have an ability to infuse their melee weapons with a draining attack.

--

As to suppressing the force you know that Dispel Magic might be effective; positive energy like a Heal spell might also be useful but only for a round. You might be able to do other things but cannot tell until you're there.

Laughing, his mouth full of stingray, Packet recounts the adventures of his twin brother.

"Sounds like we should stock up on holy water, if I'm to understand correctly."

During his morning preparations, Iniquity spends time focusing upon his glaive. As he sharpens the blade, the previous subtle rune is replaced by a gleaming golden rune.

Selecting disrupting rune on the glaive for my blade ally.

The next morning, you make your way to the final location.

The creek here reeks of death and flows in a rocky channel too narrow and stone ridden for even a small boat to traverse. Dead fish float in the still, murky water. A stony hill rises nearby.

You can approach from the path on the left or right of the map. Let me know how you want to approach this area. Are you looking in the creek? Taking a swim with the dead fish? Climbing over the rocks? etc.

You cannot see into the barrow itself so Read Aura will not work to learn more until you have line of effect, either by entering the narrow canyon or climbing to the top of the rocks (DC 15 Athletics in all places, following the height marked).

I've placed you on the map for now but you can move to the opposite side. You cannot approach from any direction but the paths. You can totally have weapons out and buffs up! You know there are undead here, after all!

"I suggest we make our way from the far side of the barrow so that we need not worry about the wight's minions pulling us into the waters as we try to cross over," Iniquity suggests.

Given what the rumors had suggested about the barrow and surroundings, Gurmire mixes up some of a new bomb recipe he recently got. He looks forward to trying it out, see if it works as well as theory suggests it should. He is thankful that there were no rumors of incorporeal beings, even if that is the reason he learned the formula.

——

“Might want everyone look stream before crossing log. Make sure no nasty waiting to ambush!”

With a perplexed expression, he adds “Where entrance?”

Rereading the GM OOC, seems we can start out on the other side of the stream. That sounds great to me!
The comment about crossing the log still applies, but he is just as happy if no one has to cross it.

"Let me see if I can get a better vantage," Inquity says. "Unless one of you is better at climbing. Or flying."

He stows his glaive over his shoulder in an improbable mechanism and wades into the thicket toward the stone wall where he tries find a handhold.

“Bring rope, so rest of us can use!” Gurmire helpfully suggests.

We'll kick off initiative as Iniquity climbs. It's written like that; anyone climbing 1/2 way up is noticed, so Iniquity will "pause" at 10 feet up. Though Gurmire was inquisitive about the river, it's logical you stick together. I just moved you forward a little bit but if you feel strongly that your character would be elsewhere that's fine within reason. Iniquity, have a hero point. Pip, have a hero point! Everyone should have 1 or more points at this stage.

As Iniquity climbs, an unearthly howl rises from the other side of the rock — something has heard the Champion clambering up the rocks, and it's coming! The hairs on your neck stand on end, and to make matters worse, a pile of bones that was resting just under the water moves… skeletons begin rising; their eyes glow with an unearthly light. They hold shortswords and shields.

Warlock's Barrow: Round 1

Packet
Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 1
Champ 2
Pip
Champ 3
Gurmire

If there is no objection, I placed Gurmire where he could keep watch for anything coming from the river. There are some trees in the way, so I don’t mind if you rule he can’t see all the skeletons.

Athletics (T): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

Hopefully, that DC is adequate. I think this is legal.

Iniquity climbs back down partway, complaining, "Of course climbing the cursed barrow awakens something horrible. What was I thinking?"

He makes a leap off of the stone hill and lands next Pip with a metallic clang. He unslings his glaive from behind his back.

Climb (down), Leap, Draw Weapon

Iniquity easily climbs down the wall and readies the glauve! DC is only 15!

Packet moves into the buses and attempts to hide, to get the jump on the skeletons when they arrive.

+12 stealth

The night before, Pip switches her primal cantrip to Disrupt Undead. Then later, when the skeletons are spotted, she waits. Soon.

Packet hides as you prepare for the onslaught!

Something grunts and moves behind the rocks before screeching in frustration.

The skeletons stand and move through the difficult terrain, coming toward you with shields raised, bones still remembering the instinctive training these warriors must have once had. move, move, raise shield.

Warlock's Barrow: Let's do this Thing!

Packet Hiding
Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 1 Shield raised, AOO available
Champ 2 Shield raised, AOO available
Pip
Champ 3
Gurmire

Pip was not close enough to disrupt undead, but so she quietly cast Magic Weapon on her bow. The skeletons would come closer.

♫ There's an unearthly howl,
And it don't sound good
Who ya gonna call?
Pathfinders!
Skeletons unbelievably bad
In the swampy neighborhood
Who ya gonna call?
Pathfinders! ♫

Perform: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

◈ Inspire Courage
◇ Lingering Performance
◈◈ Magic Weapon

Lingering performance success vs DC 19

Pip's words echo off the rocks, lingering as the final skeleton shambles forward and raises its shield, holding the longsword at the ready!

Barrow-Busters: Rounds 1-2!

All allies inspired; lingering 3 rounds.

Packet Hiding
Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 1 Shield raised, AOO available
Champ 2 Shield raised, AOO available
Pip
Champ 3 Shield raised, AOO available
Gurmire

Impatient to see how they work, Gurmire tosses one of his Ghost Charge bombs at the front skeleton before retreating. Hopefully they don't see Packet and will follow me! he thinks to himself.

Moderate Alchemical Bomb at #3: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 30’
Moderate Ghost Charge Positive damage: 2d8 ⇒ (8, 6) = 14 If hits, enfeebled 1 until the start of my next turn
Splash positive damage, calculated splash: 4 = 4

Looks like you forgot IC but it still won;t hit.

The ghost charge lands at the skeletons' feet, but the splash causes the bones to wither as the unlife powering them is sapped a little bit. However, the positive energy doesn't look particularly effective either. In other words, these skeletons are not Weak to Positive but do not have any Resistance or Immunity to it either.

Barrow-Busters: Round 2

All allies inspired; lingering 3 rounds

Packet Hiding
Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 1 Shield raised, AOO available
Champ 2 Shield raised, AOO available
Pip
Champ 3 -4 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Gurmire

"I was going to charge to the fore, but if you want to make a stand here," Iniquity says, leaving the rest of the sentence trailing as he moves to the bend in the path and twirls his glaive overhead.

Stride, Ready Action (Strike - Reach, 1st legal target)
Reaction: Glimpse of Redemption (no damage vs. DR 7 + Enfeeble 1)

Pink square = Iniquity's reach

“Hoping Pip have something make mace better!” Gurmire smiles, swinging his light mace in front of him.

Packet peeks through the vegetation at the skeletons.

Just a little closer...

Packet will delay and try to get a flank.

A creature comes screams in frustration and comes out from behind the rocks! Unfortunately, it cannot reach you yet. Its fingertips glow with necrotic energy! Art on the map!

The champion moves in but is obliterated by Iniquity's readied action. 38 damage before DR but it still drops the skeleton. If it had raised the shield again before moving in that would not have been a crit.

The other skeleton raises its shield and moves in. Looking at these stat blocks, they seem intelligent. After seeing what Iniquity did to the last one I'd raise a shield too…

Barrow-Busters: Round 2

All allies inspired; lingering 3 rounds

Iniquity Reaction used
Howling Thing
Champ 2 Shield raised, AOO available
Packet Hiding
Pip
Champ 3 -4 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Gurmire

"Shelyn's light send your soul to rest," Inquity says as the bones clatter to the ground. "Once we deal with whatever binds you here, that is."

Packet sneaks out of the underbrush to stab at skeleton #2!

Short Sword: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 1 = 18

damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4, 3) + 4 + 1 = 12

Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2

And Packet remembers he has another action for a second strike!

Short Sword: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 1 - 4 = 11

damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5, 6) + 4 + 1 = 16

Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Hero point!

Short Sword: 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 1 - 4 = 25

damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 + 1 = 9

Sneak Attack: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Packet misses the first attack, then jabs the sword at a clavicle, but it's hard to push or slice at the hard bone. 9 p/s reduced to 4. 8 damage total

He was able to sneak around undetected, but definitely seen now!

Barrow-Busters: Round 2

All allies inspired; lingering 3 rounds.

Iniquity Reaction used
Howling Thing
Champ 2 -8 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Packet
Pip
Champ 3 -4 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Gurmire

Pip moves closer, and then casts Disrupt Undead on Skeletal Champion #2.

Disrupt Undead: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 = 16

Pip hurls positive energy at the skeletal champion, but the creature seems to resist some of it! Nevertheless, dust begins flaking off its old bones… Basic fort save passed; champ 2 at -16 HP

The last skeletal champion comes in closer and swings at Iniquity twice — barely missing. Iniquity notices that the longsword is also glowing with negative energy. It seems the emanation from the shrine can wash over the rocks, empower the dead in the surrounding area.

Barrow-Busters: Round 2-3

All allies inspired; lingering 2 rounds.

Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 2 -16 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Packet
Pip
Champ 3 -4 HP, AOO available
Gurmire

Gurmire throws another Ghost Charge at the skeletons, hoping one of them might drop.

Moderate Alchemical Bomb at #3, IC: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 = 26 30’
Positive damage, IC: 2d8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 3) + 1 = 6 Allowing it to splash because friends are not hurt by Positive damage
Splash positive damage, calculated splash: 4 = 4

If it hits, the primary target is enfeebled 1 until the start of my next turn.

He then moves to protect Pip.

Gurmire's bomb hits! Bones weaken and crack in the splash of positive energy, but the skeletons still stand!

Barrow-Busters: Round 3

All allies inspired; lingering 2 rounds.

Iniquity
Howling Thing
Champ 2 -20 HP, Shield raised, AOO available
Packet
Pip
Champ 3 -14 HP, AOO available
Gurmire

Oh, no! Gurmire will reveal that I am secretly an evil Champion. ;)

Iniquity swings his glaive down toward the skeletal champion (#2) pinned between the resourceful halfling and himself. The golden rules along the haft of the polearm shimmer. Using the momentum of the swing, he brings the blade back around and toward the other skeletal champion (#3) in a graceful arc. He then steps into a position where he can better cover his allies.

Strike, Strike, Step (fairly confident #2 is gone from that spot one way or another)
Reaction: Glimpse of Redemption: No damage vs. DR 7 + Enfeebled 1

Glaive, IC, #1: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 1 = 30 vs. Flat-Footed
S, magic, IC: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 1 = 13 + Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 2 + Enfeebled 1 on a critical + move 1 square SE on critical + Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 1
Glaive, IC, #2: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 1 - 5 = 22
S, magic, IC, forceful: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 9 + Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 6 + Enfeebled 1 on a critical + move 1 square W on critical + Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Champion 2 tries to shield block, but the force of Shelyn's light finally overcomes the evil creature! It falls to dust; lightning flashes of positive energy crackle in the air as Iniquity sweeps his glaive back up to the ready position and steps at the last remaining skeleton. Have a hero point for 2 awesome moments in a row! I added it to the slide.

The glaive then skitters off the last skeleton's ribcage, but the bones crack… the creature teeters, barely held together by its rotting tendons… 9-5+6=10 damage.

The strange creature draws out a bastard sword, runs at Packet and swings it! The blade glows with dark energy in contrast to the light in Iniquity's glaive, crackling as it misses the halfling. I'm rolling so low!

Barrow-Busters: Round 3

All allies inspired; lingering 2 rounds.

Iniquity
Howling Thing
Packet
Pip
Champ 3 -24 HP, AOO available
Gurmire

Pip shoots at #3, and then takes a hand off the bow to gesture and say 'Boo!' as she disrupts undead again!

◈ Short bow+I.C.+M.W.: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 13
Piercing damage: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3) + 1 = 7
Deadly?: 1d10 ⇒ 9

◈◈ Disrupt Undead: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 4) + 4 = 11

Pip's arrow bounces off the tough bone, but her positive energy blasts the skeleton to dust! 1 HP left; not even going to bother rolling a save!

Barrow-Busters: Round 3-4

All allies inspired; lingering 1 round.

Iniquity
Howling Thing
Packet
Pip
Gurmire

"Thank you, Pip!" the former thespian calls out before he clenches his jaw as he begins to twirl and sweep his glaive in an intricate assault against the master of the tomb.

Strike (Hero Point), Strike, Strike

Glaive, IC, #1: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 = 15
Glaive, IC, #1, Hero Point: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 1 = 27
S, magic, IC: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6 + Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 3 Critical: Enfeeble 1, Move 5 ft North, Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Glaive, IC, #2: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 1 - 5 = 16
S, magic, IC, forceful: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 + 1 = 12 + Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Critical: Enfeeble 1, Move 5 ft North, Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Glaive, IC, #3: 1d20 + 10 + 1 - 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 - 10 = 18
S, magic, IC, forceful: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 2 = 10 + Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 6 Critical: Enfeeble 1, Move 5 ft North, Deadly: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Gurmire decides that the best thing he could do is help Packet. He runs through the trees and comes up behind the weird creature. Then he strikes a single time with his mace.

Stride x2, Strike. Assume any square with trees is Difficult Terrain.

Light Mace, IC: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 1 = 15 Agile, Finesse, Shove
Bludgeoning damage, IC: 1d4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 1 = 4