Dungeon Master S's "Abomination Vaults" AP

Game Master Chris Marsh

I've met some Calistrians who would make very different use of those prayer beads, Noroc muses aloud, before wandering toward the alcove Elena mentioned.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30

Noroc finds a false stone that opens to a switch! Bibi gives the clear so he opens it.

The floor of this rough-hewn cavern is strewn with bones and scraps of metal and cloth.

Map updated.

As the party inches it no the cavern, the sounds of wet clacking start a gentle crescendo. Afore long, a pair of man sized creatures skitter into the light. Each walks on 6 legs. The clacking comes from their trimandibular mouths. They reek of something that smells a bit like castor oil. Occultism to ID

???: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Initiative assumes Talborel is Scouting
Bibi: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 1 = 33 Avoid Notice (T)
Carrufikus: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 1 = 21 Detect Magic (A: +2 (U), N: +11 (T), O: +2 (U) , R: +11 (T))
Elena: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 9 + 1 = 27 Investigate (A: +13 (T), N: +9 (T), O: +11 (T) , R: +9 (T))
Noroc: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 1 = 26 Search (E)
Peldur: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 1 = 22 Avoid Notice (E)
Talborel: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 + 1 = 15 Scout (Init ties to Tal)

Elena's barrage of missiles nearly destroys the wisp!

ROUND 1:
Bibi: Go
Elena: Go
Noroc: Go
???: TBD Occultism
Peldur: TBD
Carrufikus: TBD
Tal: TBD

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

I've met some Calistrians who would make very different use of those prayer beads, Noroc muses aloud...

Bibi creeps to within about a foot of the beads, eyes them suspiciously, and sniffs the air. Nodding with satisfaction, she says I think these are OK Noroc

When the beasties appear, Bibi gives a start and launches an arrow at Green

attack v flat footed: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
SNEAK ATTACK!: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 6) = 16

ooohhh that could be a crit.
deadly: 1d10 ⇒ 8 When critting FF, target is pinned to adjacent surface (DC 10 Athletics, Interact)

Bibi catches the first creature completely off guard. she shoots the smelly, oily thing through a joint, pinning it to the wall! the wound is severe! That's a helluva start, take a Hero Point.

ROUND 1:
Bibi: Crit
Elena: Go
Noroc: Go
???: TBD Occultism
Peldur: TBD
Carrufikus: TBD
Tal: TBD

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Noroc runs into the room and has no idea what they're facing, but knows they're ugly...

horsechopper +1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
slashing, magic: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Stride x2, Strike.

Noroc finds their shell really hard, though he strikes through it easily enough. Hit, no crit

ROUND 1:
Bibi: Crit
Elena: Go
Noroc: Hit
???: TBD Occultism
Peldur: TBD
Carrufikus: TBD
Tal: TBD

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Elena moves into the passage, stopping just shy of entering the chamber beyond. She works a quick bit of evocation magic, creating an orb of biting cold around the creature Bibi struck.
Frostbite (Cold), DC 21 Basic Fort: 4d4 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 1) = 10

Elena casts a fancy remastered spell. REF: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22 The creature, despite being immobilized, twists enough to avoid the worst.

The creature immediately tries to tear free: Athletics: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 it barely takes any effort. The oil on its body make it extra adept at pulling free. It skitters forward until it practically bumps into Elena.

The other steps in to simply bite off Noroc's leg:
Trimandibles: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29 for DMG: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (3, 7) + 5 = 15 and a FORT
Trimandibles: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for DMG: 2d8 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1) + 5 = 8 and a FORT

ROUND 1:
Bibi: Crit
Elena: Cold
Noroc (43/58): Hit FORT + FORT
???: ATK Occultism
Peldur: Go
Carrufikus: Go
Tal: Go

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Fort saves are my favorite (1): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Fort saves are my favorite (2): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Noroc feels sluggish, like he's had to much to drink. Clumsy 1

Occultism to ID:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Tal nocks an arrow.

"Elena! Get out of there!"

1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19, Damage On Hit: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 3) + 2 = 11

Hunt Prey

Scalathrax! aberrant creatures of the underdark. The good news is that Noroc won't die of the poison. The bad news is that the poison is nothing compared to ingesting the highly flammable oil they're covered in. Though Tal doesn't quite remember why there's a waning about ingesting the oil. Did someone lick one once?

The arrow careens off the shell.

ROUND 1:
Bibi: Crit
Elena: Cold
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Poisoned): Hit
Scalathrax: ATK
Peldur: Go
Carrufikus: Go
Tal: Miss

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Unwilling to leave Noroc to fight alone, Peldur rushes forward, leaping over the first scaly.

Acrobatics, Tumble Through: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

He crouches low as he lands and swipes at the one near Noroc.

Claw: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Claw: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 13 - 4 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Stunning fist stuff

Move, Stance, Flurry

Carrufikus steps forward and casts Electric Arc!

"Zapplearkem!"

Electric Arc: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 4) = 12

A lightning quick bolt of electricity zaps between the two aberrants!

Basic Reflex Save DC 21

Pedlur uses the wall to get inside the fight. His opening blow is off target, but his follow up strikes true. FORT: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 It's enough to stun the thing a bit.

Green REF: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25
Black REF: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28

Bibi's spell nearly kills one of the scalathrax, and the other seems moderately wounded.

ROUND 2:
Bibi: Go
Elena: Go
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Poisoned): FORT + Go
Scalathrax: TBD
Peldur: TBD
Carrufikus: TBD
Tal: TBD

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Bibi drops her bow and darts forward, skirting besides Elena, bouncing off the wall, and actually stepping on the closer monster's carapace to jump to the other side of it, putting her back to Peldur.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

On the way, her blades come out.

that's 2 moves and an interact to draw

Noroc moves around Black (movement provokes) and tries to slice open the scaly thing.

horsechopper +1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
slashing, magic: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

horsechopper +1: 1d20 + 12 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 12 - 5 = 10
slashing, magic: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Stride, Strike x2. AC now 19 due to Clumsy 1.

oh joy, moar Fort saves: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 Probably not.

Bibi backs out as Noroc moves around. The poison continues to wend its way through the oracle's system. His action slow down and he's clearly sluggish Clumsy 1, Slowed 1.

The clicking and clacking changes cadence as both creatures rear back on their hind pairs of legs. Both then vomit forth a shocking amount of that oil on almost everyone! Everyone EXCEPT Noroc needs a REF save, DC 21. It's not a basic save, so I'll handle results after.

ROUND 2:
Bibi: Move REF
Elena: Miss REF
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): Miss
Scalathrax: Spray
Peldur: REF + Go
Carrufikus: REF + Go
Tal: REF + Go

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Reflex:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26 Saved.

Shortbow Vs. Green:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33 YAS... 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 4) + 1 = 11

2nd Shot:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 I'll stride to shoot the second if the first drops. 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 5) + 1 = 9 on Hit.

Tal gets a bit of the oily substance on him. Taking Poison DMG: 1d8 ⇒ 1. He immediately counters by shooting the creature to death! His follow up misses by a hair.

ROUND 2:
Bibi: Move REF
Elena: Miss REF
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): Miss
Scalathrax: Spray
Peldur: REF + Go
Carrufikus: REF + Go
Tal (65/66): Crit Kill

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Ref: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Bibi takes the full monte. Poison DMG: 2d8 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10. Until Round 12 you also suffer the following: Weakness Fire 5, any critical fail on an attack roll and you will drop your weapon.

ROUND 2:
Bibi (46/56, Oily): Move
Elena: Miss REF
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): Miss
Scalathrax: Spray
Peldur: REF + Go
Carrufikus: REF + Go
Tal (65/66): Crit Kill

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Reflex save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Do I lose my actions? Or is this a copy/paste error?

Not a paste error in that you need a REF save, but you did get skipped.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Carrufikus advances into the room and follows up with another spell. This time it is Ray of Frost!

"Fizzlefrost!"

Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Cold Damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 4, 1) = 8

DMG: 1d8 ⇒ 8 Carrufikus suffers a bit, but it could have been worse, striking the remaining thing with a ray of frost!

Elena DMG: 1d8 ⇒ 2

ROUND 2:
Bibi (46/56, Oily): Move
Elena (46/48): Go
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): Miss
Scalathrax: Spray
Peldur: REF + Go
Carrufikus (60/68): Hit
Tal (65/66): Crit Kill

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

With Tal having slain the scalathrax closest to her, Elena safely moves into the chamber. She repeats her spellcasting, looking to encase the remaining monster in frost.
Frostbite, DC 21 Fort save: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 1) = 6

FORT: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25

Elena's spell lightly wounds the thing, but it's got a lot of fight left.

ROUND 2:
Bibi (46/56, Oily): Move
Elena (46/48): Go
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): Miss
Scalathrax: Spray
Peldur: REF + Go
Carrufikus (60/68): Hit
Tal (65/66): Crit Kill

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Reflex: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Peldur steps forward to support Noroc and punches the thing.

Claw: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
On a critical success with your tiger claws, if you deal damage, the target takes 1d4 persistent bleed damage

Claw: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 13 - 4 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Stunning fist stuff

DMG: 1d8 ⇒ 7 Peldur takes a fair bit of damage, but absolutely gives it in return. His claws tear enough that the monster starts.... oozing.

FORT: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

ROUND 3:
Bibi (46/56, Oily): Go
Elena (46/48): Go
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): FORT + Go
Scalathrax: TBD
Peldur (76/83): TBD
Carrufikus (60/68): TBD
Tal (65/66): TBD

Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Tactical Map
Tracker
Party Conditions:
Terrain Conditions: Elena's light
Enemy Conditions:

Unable to set up a flank, Bibi goes for simple stabbity.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Dagger: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Damage: 2d4 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 = 8

Elena repeats the same spellcasting, determined to freeze their foe dead.
Frostbite vs Scalathrax, DC 21 Fort save: 4d4 ⇒ (4, 4, 1, 1) = 10

She follows this with a quick word to give her a magical shielding.

Bibi immediately moves into position for another kill! With both monsters slain, attention turns to the fading Noroc...

ROUND 3:
Bibi (46/56, Oily): Kill
Elena (46/48): Redo
Noroc (43/58, Clumsy 1, Slowed 1, Poisoned): FORT + Go
Peldur (76/83): Go
Carrufikus (60/68): Go
Tal (65/66): Go

still more Fort saves: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 I can crit fail Fort saves on my own WITHOUT natural Jeffs, thankyouverymuch. I VOLUNTEER THIS HERO POINT AS TRIBUTE

still more Fort saves: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 LMFAO, this dicebot is comical. "Random", my ass.

Noroc has had better days.

Tal takes out his healer's tools and attempts to treat poison.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Good enough?

Noroc gets increasingly.... sloppy, and unfortunately.... pees his pants. After a minute though, he recovers. Bibi takes a fair bit longer to scrape the oil off.

In the end, no one dies, which is a win.

The victory also brings with it 60 XP for everyone!

Noroc stares at his soaked breeches for a long while. This might be worse than that night in Absalom with the spiked club and the leather mask...

Finally he waves his hand and tidies himself over the course of about half a minute. Cast prestidigitation.

Carrufikus looks over Noroc. "You look like you have been through the ringer! I think I have just the right amount of hocum pocum to sort you out. Let me see what I can do."

The gnome healer also attempts to treat Poison on Noroc.

Medicine (Treat Poison): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Carrufikus makes sure he's alright, and Noroc makes sure he's decent...

Now what?

Once everyone is ready to move on again, Elena points down the passage. "Let's keep going, yes? I'll check to see if there's any magic along the way."

She casts detect magic, letting someone else take the lead to watch for traps and other dangers.

Noroc is a Calistrian?

Talborel is on point, scouting

"You guys are so curious that you cannot stop yourself from seeing what is around the next corner. However, I need to make sure you are all healthy, so give me just ten minutes and let me see what I can do!"

Carrufikus, the expert healer, hurries to treat wounds on Noroc before everyone starts exploring again.

Medicine (Treat Wounds) DC20: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Hit Points Healed: 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (3, 3) + 10 = 16

The gnome also casts a three action Heal I spell to try and reduce the swelling on every else's injuries.

Heal I: 1d10 ⇒ 6

Health Status:
Bibi (52/56)
Elena (48/48)
Noroc (58/58)
Peldur (82/83)
Carrufikus (66/68)
Tal (66/66)

Ten minute rest taken. We are good to go!

While C does his healing thing, Bibi takes a look around the chamber for possible hidden goodies.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Bibi finds no treasure, but she does find TWO secret doors. It's not all that impressive though as they're designed to be hidden on the other side. Still an average person would have missed them...

"Bibi, aren't you glad that I encouraged you to slow down? Now we have a secret way out of here!"

Noroc is a Calistrian?

Not really, just...had an "interesting" time in Absalom.

Well, a secret way somewhere, if not necessarily out.

There shouldn't be any traps pointing inward, right?

Peldur heads south, down the narrow passage. At the door, he steels himself. He kicks the door open and somersaults through. He rolls to his feet, ready for action.

Ha!

pogs moved