Into the Desolation

Game Master Zorblag

Bannog looks wistfully at the Bufo, but not having any iron bits he doesn't get any. Instead he seems eager to move along. He bobs his head sharply at the suggestion of moving back out. "Me ready to head out!" he says happily.

It sounds like there's a bit of lack of consensus on where you're headed next, so I'll invite everyone to make some proposals or weigh in. I've moved the map of the Ashen Wastes to the top of the maps and handouts, so if you'd like to discuss a potential destination there that might be a place to start. You don't have to head to the Ashen Wastes of course, but it's the first place the road takes you.

I think the obvious destination to explore the Azer lair where Helgash died, which I think is in the Ashen Wastes . After the wastes maybe the Chaos rift and Old Death who might be a basilisk and if so we should see if the Emporium sells Smoked Goggles... After the Azer battle Tristan wants to be better equipped vs gazes

Agree, let's finish the Azer lair.

yup yup!

Thought I was clear about going there, but I suppose it was odd phrasing. We should finish the place we started.

I think we're in agreement. To where the wild Azers roam...

I'm good with going back to the Azers.

Auleth isn't sure if there are dragons that have petrification breath, but the petrification effect is definitely more of a problem than the dragon part.

Finishing up old business seems to be a better deal than looking for new trouble, Auleth suggests. It seems there's danger enough out there, without going from hazard to hazard.

Auleth also will have asked about the exchange rate for iron bits and where to get them, and tried to figure the cost in gold based on listening to what other people order. He'll have asked the others in the party quietly, Is iron the local currency, or is Bjorc here just strange?

@Groff, sorry, I did take your your comment to mean that Groff thought you should be done with the location now rather than finishing it up. Pesky natural languages and their ambiguities.

Iron bits are the local currency and the only thing you'll be able to use in the Camp. If you sell items at the Celestial Emporium (the Camp's market) you'll get normal rates, just in iron bits rather than gold. If you want to exchange directly the Usurer (the Camp smith and, well, usurer,) will give you iron bits at a rate of 1 iron bit for 5 gold. Trading back through the Usurer he's offered a rate of 1 gold for 2 iron bits. The group has a supply of iron bits from selling loot and some interactions at the camp, but has not taken the Usurer up on his exchange rates for some reason.

After gathering the information from Bjorc, the group brings the newcomers up to speed with the current situation and spends the rest of the day recovering. After the evening meal, rituals and whatever discussion about standing watch takes place (Bannog is presumably the candidate to stay up with Groff with another Ring of Sustenance; you can RP that discussion if you like,) the night again passes uneventfully. The group sets out in on the road back north the following morning.

The day is grey and chillier than previous days have been and the dust in the air seems thicker than normal, making it feel almost as though you're walking through a bank of fog. Breathing is unpleasant and everyone has fashioned makeshift masks to filter out some of the dust. You start out heading north on the road, taking advantage of its easier passage to start the day and knowing when you're going to have to head east to get back to the structure you'd last been at two days ago.

You've been on the road for less than an hour when Auleth spots a large shape emerging from the cloud of dust ahead of you, flying some 40 feet in the air and 60 feet to the north. It seems to be moving towards you, though with the dust its impossible to make out what it is from this distance. Whatever it might be, you brace yourselves for a possible attack.

Everyone can now roll initiative and take care of whatever morning preparations you would have done previously. I also need a new marching order for the party for the outdoors.

8:55 AM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Auleth points the shape out and draws his bow.

Given the lack of visibility, and hence the lack of warning, casting spells that you don't have up and running long term will be something you'll need to do in the first round. It'll be a full round rather than a surprise round.

In the morning, Khoran prepares his spells:

Before setting out on the road, he casts an extended False Life.

False Life, Extended: 1d10 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Thriceborn Charm: 3d20 ⇒ (19, 10, 5) = 34

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Khoran steps backwards, away from whatever it is. Raising his shield for cover, he prepares to hex it if it closes...

5' step back,
Ready Action to hex when the range drops to 30'

In the morning, Bannog pulls out his "spellbook", and spends an hour or so intently "studying" said book. If you were to look over his shoulder, you would see that this book is filled with various doodles of Bannog performing various magical acts such as flying, shooting lightning bolts, and standing in front of a hail of arrows that are being blown off course. He takes this study time very seriously, and as he studies the air about him begins to move and swirl at a faster and faster rate, with little shimmers of electricity flowing through it.

Powering up my elemental defense, Enveloping Winds, with 3 points of burn. This will give me a 40% miss chance against all physical ranged attacks (excluding massive weapons, e.g. boulders or ballista). I can turn it on or off as an immediate action.

When he closes the book, the air around him gradually returns to normal, though a close look would show a constant breeze against his face even when there isn't any wind.

Turning off elemental defense until I need it, but basic aerokinesis will always be up, giving me a constant +2 bonus on saves against very hot conditions, severe heat, breath weapons, and cloud vapors and gases (such as cloudkill, stinking cloud, and inhaled poisons)

When the dust fog settled in, Bannog would fly up to see how far up the fog bank goes. If the air is clearer within a reasonable amount fo distance, he would likely stay up there and keep a lookout. If it would be higher than 60ft or so, though, he likely would stay down lower with the group. Up to GM how high up I am at this moment...

Init: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

As soon as he spots the potential threat, he squeaks out to Caer "Heads up, whatchoo think? Danger? Zap it?" The air immediately begins to swirl around him anew, and lightning sprouts between his long fingers, as the white rabbit pokes it's head up out of Bannog's pocket and takes a look.

Know(any): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Morning prep as usual

At the start of each day Tristan casts Lucky Number on almost everyone. Remember your own Number and use at your discretion, Tristan only has four of these spells remaining after casting it on himself and one person will not have it cast one them, to be determined randomly each day

Lucky Number, Tristan: 1d20 ⇒ 4

who doesn't get the spell: 1d5 ⇒ 2
#1Lucky Number, Auleth: 1d20 ⇒ 4
#2Lucky Number, Bannog: 1d20 ⇒ 6
#3Lucky Number, Grimm: 1d20 ⇒ 2
#4Lucky Number, Groff: 1d20 ⇒ 14
#5Lucky Number, Khoran: 1d20 ⇒ 6

Grimm casts Mage Armor on Tristan and himself at the start of each adventuring day

init: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Init: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Yes, Grimm casts mage armor on himself and Tristan prior to the encounter.

If he wins initiative, Grimm will cast haste on the group.

init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

When Bannog explores the extent of the dust he finds that even 60 feet up visibility isn't any better and that his companions below him are growing hard to make out, so he returns to the group.

Creature Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Round 1 Initiative Order

Bannog
Grimm - Casts Haste
Creature
Auleth
Tristan
Khoran
Groff

Bannog (and Grimm who casts haste) can act before the creature. Right now it's too obscured by dust to make out what it is beyond something large and flying. At it's current height it has effective distance of 80 feet from Groff and Bannog at the front of the party. The combat map is now up in the maps and handouts.

8:55 AM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

"I cannot see it through this dust, but I would be willing to bet that something that size in the middle of the Desolation approaching straight toward us is probably not friendly" Caer says to Bannog. "I would recommend zapping with extreme prejudice."

Bannog gives a sharp nod of his head, his ears flapping wildly because of it, and says "Incoming evil, me zap it!" He then brings up his small hands, palms cupped open, and begins a wild humming sound. As he does, bolts of lightning swirl through the air around him, causing a sharp crackling sound. The lightning makes its way to his cupped hand, forming there into a small but bright ball. He mutters out a string of gibberish clearly meant to be an arcane casting, while just as clearly not actually being any such thing, then punches his hand forward toward the oncoming cloud. A brilliant flash of lightning streaks out from his cupped hand, the ball there shooting like a meteor directly toward the oncoming threat.

Move action to gather power, reducing the burn of my next blast by 1. Standard action to use Extended Range (1 burn, -1 from infusion specialization) Empowered (1 burn, -1 from gather power) Electric Blast. Can hit a target anywhere within 240ft.
Blast Attack vs touch AC, Haste: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 1 = 23
Damage: 4d6 + 7 ⇒ (6, 1, 4, 6) + 7 = 24
Empowered 24*1.5=36 Damage Total

Spell Resistance roll in case it is needed
SR: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Bannog's bolt of lightning streaks out and makes contact with the incoming shape, but doesn't slow it down. It seems to speed up as it grows closer, emerging from the dust as a red dragon-headed chimera. It's three heads roar in pain and anger as it focuses on the less-armored target in the front of the party (not having been able to make out who the blast came from.) It charges in fast and it's central lion head makes a snapping bite attack at Bannog.

Full-round action to charge with power attack
Bite Attack: 1d20 + 12 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 2 - 3 = 31 hits, crit confirmed
Bite Damage (B, P and S): 2d6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 + 6 = 14
Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 12 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 12 - 3 = 25
Bite Damage (B, P and S): 2d6 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (2, 2) + 4 + 6 = 14

28 damage to Bannog.

The savage beast mauls Bannog with on set of its powerful jaws as it's other two heads howl in glee.

Round 1 Initiative Order

Bannog - Shot Kinetic Blast
Grimm - Casts Haste
Creature - Charged
Auleth
Tristan
Khoran
Groff

Round 2 Initiative Order

Bannog
Grimm
Creature
Auleth
Tristan
Khoran
Groff

The entire party is free to act.

8:55 AM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

Khoran focuses his will on the monstrosity, attempting to force it to sleep...

5'step back and wide of the party
Standard Action - Slumber Hex, DC 17

Bannog's large eyes get even bigger than usual when the monstrous beast closes in so quickly and tries to bite him. As the jaws snap shut, the little goblin tries to hop out of harms way.

Trying to use Roll With It to negate the hit, DC 5+28
Acrobatics, DC 33: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

Seeing the jaws closing in fast, Caer tries to help by squeaking out "Roll to the right, he looks to be slower on that side!"

Can Caer use Aid Another to help with the acrobatics check here? Unsure of rules, so not going to write out the rest of the turn yet.
Aid Another Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

As the Chimera flies in Tristan let's loose with a flurry of starknives

Flurry -2 haste +1
attack haste : 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 10 - 1 = 25
damage #1: 1d4 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

attack #1: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 10 - 1 = 19
damage #1: 1d4 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

attack #2: 1d20 + 10 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 1 = 17
damage #1: 1d4 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Auleth considers the fearsome creature and invokes Dame Torren’s favor, also judging that striking accurately will be most vital.

Casts Divine Favor and invokes Judgment of Justice. Net +5 hit and +3 damage going forward from these buffs.

@Bannog, Aid another is a standard action, so Caer would not be able to use it as an immediate action here. Further, if you're going to have Caer assist with things like that in combat he'll be a reasonable target for attacks as combat goes along. It's up to you whether that risk is worth it.

@Tristan, I think that you've already figured the -2 for flurrying into the +10 to hit (instead of +12), though at 25 feet you would have a range penalty to your attacks which amounts to the same rolls you've got there.

Will Save vs. DC 17: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

As Khonan focuses on the Chimera it drifts into a slumber, only to be awakened almost immediately by the first knife toss from Tristan. The next two knives then miss as the chimera, being prone, is lower to the ground than Tristan had expected when he released them.

Auleth readies himself for future rounds of combat.

Round 1 Initiative Order

Bannog - Shot Kinetic Blast
Grimm - Casts Haste
Creature - Charged
Auleth - Casts Divine Favor, Invokes Judgement of Justice
Tristan - Attacks
Khoran - Used Slumber Hex
Groff

Round 2 Initiative Order

Bannog - staggered
Grimm
Creature - Prone
Auleth
Tristan
Khoran
Groff

8:55 AM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

How high off the ground is it?

(Forgot to post it: What knowledge check would I need to know the type of creature chimeras are, and could I have done that as well?)

@Groff, the chimera is prone on the ground at this point (on the map there's some text with it's distance above the ground beside it; I'll do that for creatures that are flying typically.)

@Auleth, it would be an Arcana check to learn about the Chimera. You can have done that as well if you like as it's a free action.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 (using Monster Lore) — What are chimeras and what are their main strengths or weaknesses?

Drat and bother, didn't think about aid being standard. I likely won't use him in combat in that case, other than for knowledge checks. Speaking of which, can I make use of the nat 20 Caer rolled for knowledge now that he has been able to see him, or do I need to roll again?

The jaws snap shut hard on Bannog's left arm before he has a chance to roll away, causing him to yelp out in pain and giving him some disorientation with the additional yank on his shoulder as he tried to pull away. As soon as the jaws loosen, Bannog zips to the back of the group, out of range of the formidable creature.

Using the Withdraw action to avoid an AoO, which is usually a full round action but can be done as a standard action if you are prevented from taking a full round action, but with the limitation of only being able to move your normal speed instead of 2x your normal speed.

Edit: I can't update the map, looking to be down two squares and left one square of Tristan's current position, still at ground level.

know arcana: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32

Groff with apply some meat tenderizing action with his implement.

haste, power attack

to hit: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 damage: 1d10 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25
to hit: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 damage: 1d10 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
to hit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 damage: 1d10 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22

Chimeras are flying magical beasts with poor maneuverability in the air. They don't have any particular weaknesses and will have a breath weapon based on the type of dragon head they posses. This one, having a red dragon head, will be able to breath a cone of fire.

@Bannog, that position would take you 35 movement to get to, but since you're flying by default you should have a fly speed of 60, so it's no trouble to get there. If you'd like to request permission to edit the google sheets I'm happy to give it so that you'll be able to move your character on your own in the future.

@Groff, I'm pretty sure you're shorting yourself by 3 on those attack rolls. It should be 14 -2 +1 for the first attack, power attack and haste unless I'm missing something.

Bannog, still airborn, staggers away from the Chimera. Fortunately for the goblin the large creature does not appear to be able to reach far, so he avoids its claws and jaws as he withdraws.

Groff meanwhile makes most of this moot as his first two strikes crush the skull of the Chimera and it collapses in a bleeding heap, finished.

Combat is over.

8:55 AM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

Khoran calls to Bannog, "Come here Bannog, I cannot fly to treat you..."

I seem to have a knack for mathematical illiteracy in this game. I'll try to be better. This is shaming my engineering degree.

Groff cleans off some of the blood splatter from his armor "That's just gonna make us too confident. "

NAH..Don't think that's possible after the Azers

Tristan inspects the body and looks for any magic (detect magic)
perc: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Bannog floats forward to the healer, grinning ear to massive ear. "That dragon so scared of me. Bad idea to mess with wizard!" When Khoran finishes his healing touch, Bannog's big head bounces up and down in a vigorous nod of thanks. "Much better! You good at that!" He quickly does a little flying figure 8 before looking back at the group and tilting his head. "We ready to keep going?"

That brings me up to 77/87, I should be good for the time being if we want to conserve healing resources.

Khoran mends Bannog and Tristan searches the corpse, but finds nothing magical or particularly interesting on it. The chimera seems to have been out hunting, but as it was flying there's no way of tracking it back to it's lair or knowing how far away that might have been. As such, with nothing else of interest here the party moves on.

The trip up the road and then to the structure that the group had opened up before takes another 7 and half hours including a short stop along the road for a spare meal with nothing other than the dust of particular note. The wind never picks up enough to make the dust a hazard, but it's clear that the conditions here aren't hospitable for any but the most hardy of living things. The undead may be another story, but you don't encounter any of them either during this stretch of your journey.

Arriving at the domed building you pause outside to take stock of the situation and determine the best course of action.

4:25 PM on Solstag, the ninth of Eostre, 3517 I.R.

I've moved the building map to the top of the maps and handouts and place everyone outside the building in no particular order. Mage Armor has worn off for Grimm and Tristan. You have about 2 hours left in the day before sun sets, and it will get fully dark at around 7:00.

"Welp, here we are... One way or another we're camping out here. Do we camp now and go in tomorrow morning, or do we go in now?"

Camping outside didn't work out that well last time. I'd prefer to clear out the building before trying to sleep in it's shadow again. Just my 2 coppers

"I'm not the one to comment on being low on resources, but I'm good to go. I agree the last time we slept out here didn't go so well. "

"Me ready to zap!" Bannog excitedly exclaims.

"You are still slightly injured, you may want to rest before putting yourself in danger again..." Caer mutters to Bannog.

"Caer agrees, we should go!"

One way or another, we're sleeping in this building's shadow, unless you're proposing a night march after clearing the building guys... Still, that's 3 votes to go in so far, with 1 undecided (Khoran). 1 more takes us in...

So, proposed order of march for 10 ' wide corridor:
Bannog
Groff, Auleth?
Khoran, Tristan?
Grimm.
Auleth and Tristan to switch places depending on who's better in Melee. Normally I wouldn't leave Grimm exposed at the back, but this layout is not conducive to someone getting behind us... Khoran is in the middle because his hexes have limited range and he can heal almost everyone...
for single file:
Bannog
Groff,
Auleth?
Khoran,
Grimm
Tristan?

Groff is front line.

It occurs to me that I should give a description for those who haven't been here before.

The edifice rising before you from the ashen plain is constructed of some dense gray stone. A buttress emerges from the center of each of its four walls reinforcing its squat structure and making it look impregnable to any assault. On either side of each buttress is a large statue in bas-relief of an armored knight, hands crossed at his waist and resting on the pommel of a down-turned sword. His bare head is bowed with eyes closed as if asleep or grieving — or perhaps dead. Each statue is subtly different in its details, but each appears to depict the same individual. The gray walls and statues are stained darker by centuries of weathering. Atop the entire building is a dome built of the same gray stone. The look of impregnability is belied here by a large crack that has formed at the apex and runs partially down one side of the dome, probably from the years exposed to the harsh conditions of the Desolation.

In their last trip here the party found a secret door in the north section of the west wall. When no locking mechanism was discovered and a knock spell didn't open it Groff's dorn-dergar was used to break down the door (after which it was revealed that the door was locked and double barred and could only have been opened from the inside or with multiple uses of a knock spell.) The shattered door still lies in on the sandy ground and the opening to the dark interior looms between a statue's legs.

"Groff, you're our tracker, has anything wandered inside through the hole we made?"

"I'll check. "

survival: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Though the wind moves the dust constantly, Groff does detect evidence that some sort of medium quadrapeds have entered the building since you were here last. Numbers are hard to make out with any certainty, but it looks like there were probably between 5 and 10 of them. You find no evidence of whatever left the tracks leaving, but rather the trail seems to lead in exclusively.

"Hmm, looks like somethings came in. Fair number. Can't tell what. "