The Dead Roads[

Game Master Seldlon the Swift

Drawing a dart, Niu again throws a pinch of sand at Etgar.

"Why is that one glowing?"

Is this ostovite special?
Knowledge(Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Move: Draw Weapon, Standard: Protective Luck on Etgar

Knowledge Nature will help with that question. You know that ostovites do not glow.

Agnimitra moves into position to help Donovan with the little pest.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The ostovite dies and continues to glow. End initiative. Etgar's search of the shelves reveal bags and boxes that are neatly placed on the shelves and contain an assortment of brushes, rags and polish.

Etgar skips back slightly from the creature...then bumps into Donovan behind and him and curses the cramped quarters. He nods his thanks to Nui and Agnimitra and then motions towards the shelves.

Not much here, it seems...except more of these little beasts. Let's move on.

I should keep these in mind, in case we need them for something...

He then heads around to the southern room, looking to the east. Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

"Etgar, why is that ostovite glowing? Is that carapace from some local insect that glows?"

This wide room has a hallway leading out of the north wall and a set of stairs leading up to the east. An elaborately lifelike image carved into the south wall depicts a mustachioed knight kneeling before a slender woman with feathery wings. The woman holds a rapier above her head with one hand while the other is extended to the knight, who is kissing it. Lettering above the image reads, “Faithfulness Always to the Red Crusader.” The source of this room's illumination is three glowing insects clinging to the western wall. They are housecat-sized, dull brown in color and brightened by two glowing green-yellow spots on their carapaces.

Round 1
Current Effects - none
Agnimitra 10/13 Donovan 12/12 Etgar 9/9 Niu 7/7

Etgar ✔
Bug, Yellow Bug
Niu, Agni
Green Bug
Don

Knowledge nature for the glowing: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Inspiration: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Etgar grunts at the somewhat expected sight of the glowing creatures, then turns slightly to call over his shoulder. More of them...plenty of them. Let's create a bottleneck here. He then takes a step back next to Agnimitra and prepares a strike, should the little creatures advance.

Assuming I'd be squeezing in that square. Ultimately, depending upon their size the bottleneck may not work anyway, but Etgar doesn't want to risk getting completely surrounded. Ready a strike, should a creature come into range.

Etgar knows these to be fire beetles. They are not particulary dangerous in that their only defense is a bite. A fire beetle’s glowing glands provide light in a 10-foot radius. A dead fire beetle’s luminescent glands continue to glow for 1d6 days after its death.

Etgar - readied action
Bug, Yellow Bug - both readied attacks if you get within reach
Niu, Agni ✔
Green Bug
Don

The readied standoff!

Etgar puts a hand up. These are fire beetles, known for their luminescent glands. Not terribly dangers, save for that fact that they'll no doubt try and bite us if we get close.

"Fire beetle, huh?" Agni ponders, as she switches the mace to her shield hand. "Guess it's worth known how true their name is." She summons up the power of her goddess, and flings a bolt of flame at the middle (yellow) beetle.

Swift Action: Switch weapon hands.

Standard Action:
Fire Bolt vs. TAC: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Fire Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Niu shrugs. "They certainly are big beetles, Neb-en-toti. If they aren't aggressive, maybe we can just walk by them. It isn't our job to clean up the entire structure."

Niu double moves, staying away from the beetles and heading up(?) the stairs.

The yellow bug falls to the floor.

The green fire beetle flies in pursuit of Niu.
bite v AC 13: 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Etgar - readied action
Bug - readied attack if you get within reach
Niu, Agni
Green Bug
Don ✔

Donovan moved after the bug chasing Niu.

Double move.

Round 2
Current Effects - none
Agnimitra 10/13 Donovan 12/12 Etgar 9/9 Niu 7/7

Etgar ✔
Bug
Niu, Agni
Green Bug
Don

Seeing his allies jumping into action, Etgar foregoes his defensive stance for an offensive one. He springs to the south and slides out his spear in a stabbing attempt at the beetle to the West.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Etgar kills the bug.

Etgar
Niu, Agni ✔
Green Bug
Don

Turning the corner, Agni sees that she is currently able to get into the fray with the others. Instead, she stows away her shield.

Watching happily as the large bug approaches, Niu is surprised when it attempts to bite him, pulling his leg out of the way at the last moment as he drops the dart he was holding.

Instead drawing a long sinuously bladed knife, he stabs at the bug. "I thought you said they weren't dangerous?"

Dagger,Flank: 1d20 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (15) - 1 + 2 = 16
Damage?: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

Niu manages to scratch the fire beetle.

It bites the human.

bite v AC 13: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Etgar
Niu, Agni
Green Bug
Don ✔

"No, just no!" The paladin lashes out at the bug.

Swing Flail: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Bashing Damage (cold Iron): 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"Don" misses.

Round 3
Current Effects - none
Agnimitra 10/13 Donovan 12/12 Etgar 9/9 Niu 5/7

Etgar, Niu, Agni ✔
Green Bug
Don

Agni spends the next few moments pulling out her crossbow, and loading a bolt.

"Ow! It BIT me! Get it off!" Niu screams, while laughing hilariously.

Dagger,Flank: 1d20 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) - 1 + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Niu kills the fire beetle. End initiative.

Kicking the beetle down the stairs, Niu pauses to pick up his dart and put his dagger away. Pressing a hand against the bite wounds, he leans against the wall of the stairway.

"Let's get out of this death trap and see what is waiting above. I'm done going first, though."

Seemingly a bit disappointed at not being able to use her crossbow, Agnimitra puts the weapon away and pulls out her trusty shield and mace once more.

She takes a look around the room before they leave, looking to see if there are any more clues to their surroundings.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 As it may apply.

Agni believes this relief is a fantasy that belongs to Roslar. She is quite certain the two never met.

Etgar moves forward, frowning in concern at Nui. Nui, please don't try that again...who knows what you could be rushing into in this place. I'll take the lead.

He moves into place at the head of the group and leads the way up the stairs, slowly, keeping his eyes open for danger and spear ready.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

"Despite the heroic stories," Agni says as they make their way through the room and up the stairs, "Roslar was just a man, with desires and weaknesses like any other."

"Perhaps not 'like any other'... Most men don't become besotted with planar avatars, betray them, and cause them to be forcibly reanimated as a lich.

Oh, and nearly defeat the purpose of the Shining Crusade in the process. It is no wonder the knights chose to hide his infamy, but the fact that he is revered by regular people to this day must be a blot on their order."

Agni shrugs at Niu's comment. "All true. But he was made famous by those same people's own perceptions of a falsehood which they created. People don't like to see their heroes have flaws."

"We should not judge a man by his lowest moment, but we should also not spread ignorance, or allow ignorance to to continue."

Etgar, focused on the task at hand, merely tracks ahead silently. He seems intent upon getting out of this place, though the reality of this Roslar's story does indeed hold his interest.

This will be a lengthy report...should I be alive to write it.

Niu nods to Donovan in acquiescence. "Agreed. Heroes are judged not by how they lived, but instead by how they died. By all respects Roslar died well and heroically.

The rest - the legends, the stories - are more than likely made up by people who wanted to put themselves forward as having a brush with heroism. Personally, I would like to avoid brushes with heroism. It never ends well for the heroes or those close to them."

MAP

As Etgar leads the way upstairs he recalls

"Ow! It BIT me! Get it off!" Niu screams,

There will no surprising anything in this next room.

This room contains a row of four marble busts with a strong family resemblance. Each bust rests atop a narrow stone pillar. The bust farthest to the north—of a proud man with a wide mustache—wears an elegant wig of actual hair. An archway opens into another room to the north, while a set of stairs descends to the west.

Four squat humanoid creatures have been alerted to your presense. They all hold darts in their hands. They seem to be nearly all head—an unfortunate circumstance, considering how ugly their puffy blue faces are. They are jabbering to each other in a language none of you know.

Round 1
Current Effects - none
Agnimitra 10/13 Donovan 12/12 Etgar 9/9 Niu 5/7

Don, Etgar ✔
yellow, blue, creature, red
Niu, Agni

"More importantly," Agni interjects as they climb the stairs. "We must be willing to forgive people their faults, and be willing to place them on the correct path, let's they be burned in the fires."

The four figures in this new room put Angimitra on edge. "What foulness do we face now?"

Knowledge(Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Nature to identify these guys.

Not me then. Pretty sure Deric is familiar with these guys though (not that the meta knowledge does me any good here) *whistle*

What new threat is this?

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Inspiration: 1d6 ⇒ 2

This is a common fey known as a mite. You may ask 2 questions regarding its abilities.

Alighnment and special defenses please?

Etgar knows that mites are lawful evil creatures. He also knows that they are easier to harm if one uses cold iron weapons or projectiles.

These are fey, called mites! They're evil, watch yourselves; hit them with cold iron or projectiles, if you can!

Not really having an option given those weaknesses, Etgar stays where he is and keeps himself on guard as he stabs out at one of the little beasts.

Fighting defensively: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 4 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

AC is 17 until start of next turn.

Etgar pokes the mite but he feels like it did little if any damage.

Etgar
Don ✔
yellow, blue, mite, red
Niu, Agni

Donovan hesitates the mites look pretty human, but at Etgar's urging he steels himself and swings at the nearest mite.

Swing+Power attack Flail: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 5 - 1 = 18
Bashing Damage (cold Iron): 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14

Donovan kills the blue mite. The yellow mite moves to get a clear throw and the other two move away from the humanoid. They all launch darts at Don, one of them hitting him.

dart v AC 18 : 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

dart v AC 18 : 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

dart v AC 18 : 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
damage: 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Etgar, Don
yellow, mite, red
Niu, Agni ✔

Once more, Agni steps into the fray, heading for the little red mite at the back to smash it with her mace.

Move Action: Move 20'

Standard Action: vs. red
Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Agni takes out red.