GM TOP #4-02: In Wrath's Shadow (Core, Outpost IV) (Inactive)

Game Master Pete H.

I am always yelling at those characters! I would make a poor horror movie cast member. LOL

If everyone is on board...
Perception (Take 10): 10 + 12 = 22
Disable Device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Kasvot cringes when he sees the bodies hanging in the room. It had to be more bodies, didn't it?

He assists Dimple however he can, making sure to keep his toothy mouth far, far away from any flesh, lest someone get the wrong idea.

Perception, aid another DC 10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

Dimple sees no traps or easy way to cut the bodies down so she starts climbing the first one. It takes a little bit, especially since it swings back and forth, bumping into all the other mummies. Eventually she gets up near the wire.

But she's a smart gnome. Instead of cutting the wire holding her perch up, she snaps the ones around her first! Then prepares for the fall and snaps the body she is hanging onto.

Maybe Liet-Gar will catch her with his big muscular arms?

He doesn't, but he does catch the mummified body instead. He carefully lowers it to the ground as the gnome slams into the stone floor.

5 bodies down, 25 to go!

The half-orc can't help but think the wrinkled dried out bodies probably taste like jerky.

Dimple rubs her sore bottom half. "Hey, if you keep letting me fall like that, my cute patoot is gonna get all bruised 'n stuff."

Kasvot just gives LGZ a little bit of side-glare before continuing to aid Dimple on the next batch of bodies.

Perception, aid another DC 10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Do you want to give Liet Gar your net so he can catch more easily? Arby asks Dimple

Kasvot I appreciate someone getting the raiders reference

Now more aware of the issues with her allies, Dimple asks if she can ride Shade while she cuts down the bodies. Assuming that is allowed, she has no issues getting them all cut down.

Anything else with the bodies? There are 30 total. The area wraps around to the south and continues on... to something!

"Um...should we say something or do a blessing? I didn't really pay any attention to that stuff at my Desna training. We did a lot of sleeping though. One kid had a holy symbol made out of a pillow. I shoulda made one into a blanket or something. You know 'BEHOLD THE POWER OF DESNA...AND I'M WARM AND COMFY!' Yeah, that would be cool." She looks at the others, "Anyone know how to make a blanket?"

Craft (quilt), no tools: 1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 2 = 10

"I might make a passable blanket, but nothing that would set the world on fire."

Stormy is fine with Dimple trying ride Shade but warns He is not trained for that trick so nothing too fancy.

We leave these here for now and finish our exploring. We can give them proper rites later heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17 They appear to have been dead for some time what do you think Stormy

Was thinking how long they have been dead but may be useful to know how they died too

Stormy bends to examine a coupe of the bodies and wonders at their purpose. it's almost like this is how they were interred.

Heal: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31

It is quite obvious that these mummified bodies have been here a very long time. It would take some significant divination magic or long term alchemical research to narrow down what era they are from.

As to death? The spiked chains wrapped around their necks and bodies and the brutal cuts across most of their body probably contributed to one of the most painful deaths imaginable. Yet many of them seem to have happy smiles or content looks upon their petrified faces.

Anyone with basic knowledge of religion can tell that this was likely the method of death these cultists wanted, so any burial rites other than hanging them back up would probably violate their wishes.

______________________

Once the group has stepped carefully through the bodies, they see a small iron ladder made of iron rungs affixed to a rocky wall. It descends fifteen feet to a small platform and ledge below. A very narrow ledge winds around the edge of a thirty foot deep pit and disappears around a rocky corner at the far end.

I moved the group up. Anyone going to climb down and/or try to head across the ledge to the back room? No climb checks for the ladder, but definitely an acrobatics check (or other relevant method) to traverse the ledge.

"I think I'll let somebody a bit more nimble than me lead the way; I'll watch your good steps and follow."

Sighs Must remember to add feather fall to list of spells required

Well if anyone speaks undercommon I could summon a mite to scout ahead but that is all i can offer by way of spells. I must remember the fall protection spell

"Oh, I have that spell! Thanks for the reminder, Arboreal."

Kasvot approached the edge and looks down, trying to see what he'd be falling into if it came to that.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 darkvision 60'

Kasvot has feather fall; he can cover all but one of us. If Niza can still fly, he can be the safety net for everyone else.

With an eye-roll, "Pfft. NO way to prevent falls? Some wizard." Her tone would indicate that she is not really impressed. "And you can't turn into a bird like Niza either? Are you sure you're a druid? Cuz, you might just be an elf that knows about trees 'n stuff." The implication is clear that the bard believes her fellow gnome is more druid than mistress of the arcane.

JK on the role-play. Not a slight or dig on Aboreal, just Dimple being simple.

For the record, Dimple has Feather Fall as well.

Sorry, back now. Earlier, Niza would have cast False Life for 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 temp hp. Also use Pearl of Power I to reset Shield Spell.

Niza arches an eye at the so called 'wizards, druids and sorcerers' as they jabber on but don't do anything, "Try wings, they work well to stop falls... and for everything else."

She shifts into a bird and flaps her way towards the cavern. Circling in the air she seems to be waiting for the group to follow, or at least someone to join her.

Cast Beast Shape I.

As Niza flies out to the edge of the pit, she and SOME of her allies hear a minor chorus of mumbling voices rising to meet her!

Initiative
Niza & Albis: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
LGZ: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Stormy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Dimple: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Kasvot: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Arboreal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Haunt: 10 = 10

Surprise Round: AAAAAAAHHHHHH EVIL SPIRITS!!!!
Arboreal
Stormy
Dimple
Kasvot
Niza
HAUNT

BOLD may act. The spoilered information below may help guide your actions, if you take any.

"Hey! I know what to do!"

Dimple Channel to save the day!: 1d6 ⇒ 1

"Wait, I think the symbol thingy was upside down. Give me a sec."

Kasvot reacts quickly, throwing a bolt of positive energy in the direction the haunt seems to be coming from.

"I know what you mean, Dimps. Did the ray even fire?"

Go Danny

Arboreal casts a spell and Dnanny flies off to the haunt

cure light wounds: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Sorry Danny who knew cure moderate wounds is a third level spell for druids

Stormy cannot both pull and use a wand in a surprise round so she and Shade back away from the haunt.

Niza also cannot do much in the three seconds she has.

She will wheel around and fly back to the group, ending up near Liet-Gar as she waits to see what happens.

Dimple blasts an amazingly weak channel of energy. It does very little to slow the swell of noise.

Kasvot wonders if he even shot his blast of energy (the answer is that he didn't as he didn't even notice the haunt).

Stormy and Shade wisely move back.

Arboreal sends his companion in as a sacrificial bird to appease the haunt. The spell does not hit and remains glowing in DB's grasp.

Danny Boy vs. AC 10 + ? to hit: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Niza gets the heck outta there!

A Chorus of horrid painful wails and terrified echo out of the cavern!

But... nothing seems to happen to anyone. Maybe the haunt is limited to an area and no one is in it anymore?

High DC Trained K: Religion might grant a bit of information about the details of this specific haunt. Otherwise, what do you all do next?

The screams fade just as fast as they came up and quiet falls. But there is definitely a malevolent presence building.

Sorry about that. I noticed Kasvot wasn't bold, but the narration didn't say anything why, so I thought it was an oversight.

"Ahhh, jumpy much?" the half-orc asks, confused at everybody's weird little freak-out.

know religion: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Obviously some kind of illusion trap meant to wast spells Anybody actaully hurt?

As a standard action, Dimple will use Loremaster (1x/day) to Take 20 on a knowledge roll. If I can get a Guidance going, the total will be a 27.

Guidance here.

Aight, I'll give you two tidbits that I think are most relevant.

Dimple recognizes that this haunt is quite powerful. It resets at a fast rate (1 minute) AND can only be completely destroyed by removing the focal point of the haunt. It serves to reason that said focal point is hidden behind the haunt to the east.

9 Rounds till reset

Dimple blurts out everything she knows in a single breath.

"Alright, so we only have a minute to cross to the other side before this," he makes elaborate finger-quotes as he continues, "'frightening haunt' tries to scare us again. Hop to!" He approaches the narrow lip around the gap and begins his crossing.

Looks on the map to be in the 1-3 ft range, which, per Acrobatics, is a DC 5 check that doesn't even require a check unless the surface itself is obstructed (gravel, sand, rocks) or slippery (wet, icy).

"Somebody less squishy should lead the way, but I've got your back with feather fall if anybody slips." Not that I'm sure where that fall ends, mind you...

As soon as someone else takes the lead, Kasvot follows, cautiously picking his way across.

1 round (full speed) to get to the narrow ledge, 1 round (half speed) to navigate across it, then squeezing at the end.

Unfortunately the map is not as accurate as Kasvot hopes and he falls right off the edge into the pit.

Acrobatics DC is set by the scenario. 12 does not get it, sorry!

Current Status
Kasvot is thirty feet down at the bottom of the pit (7 rds till reset)

Everyone else still has just a bit more time (9 rds till reset)

Danny boy will hold the charge to deliver the cure spell in around 9 rounds or so. Arboreal maintains his concentration

I did state that Kasvot doesn't go until someone else leads the way, so he shouldn't have fallen yet!

Bump?

Yeah, thanks for the bump. Here is the sitch. RePete (LGZ) has been afk for about two weeks from all his games. He's doing fine, just got absolutely slammed at work and home. We are all just getting over a cold here that ravaged out household so things have been a bit slow for my wife and I. And yes Kasvot, you did say that. But you all also had about 30 feather falls available so I figured letting everyone know that a 12 wasn't going to cut it was ideal. If someone else falls ahead of you, you are welcome to change your decision on trying to traverse the path. I'll see if my wife can get on and take an action, which will probably involve flying to the other side and looking around the corner. I'll also bot LGZ to try to acrobatics the ledge. Does anyone else (Dimple, Arboreal, Stormy) want to try anything?

The half-elf moves up, climbs down the ladder and tries to tightrope walk the thin ledge.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

He makes it to the other side.

A post on what he sees is pending if anyone else decides to join him.

With no evidence that it's harder than he expects, Kasvot attempts to follow LGZ, and finds himself having to feather fall his way to the bottom. "Some help? A rope?"

Stormy, about to cross, is there with a knotted rope. Climb fast. I don't know what that haunt will do if it catches us.

Niza wheels about and flaps along slowly as LGZ moves across the thin ledge. She peeks around the corner as he gets there.

Arboreal stays where he is ready tp try apply the cure spell if needed

I'd like to maintain this spell but that and ledge hopping seem mutually exclusive

not averse to some waiting as the post is usually worth the wait but also appreciate the polite bump

LGZ and Niza peek around the corner to see...

Set in this cavernous grotto is a statue carved from dark stone depicting a frightening demonic creature tearing a human apart. Tentacles wrap around the figure and others wriggle outward. Each tentacle terminates in a claw, talon, pincer, or other wicked appendage meant to inflict pain. Its circular maw contains rings of jagged teeth which grip an oddly shaped piece of black metal, its surface etched with symbols.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Dimple tries to move along the edge. She looks down at Kasvot, "What are you doing down there?" She leans over a bit too far and slips off. "Oh Pish and Posh!" She mutters a quick incantation. With arms folded and starring daggers at nothing in particular, the cute little gnome angrily drift down next to the sorcerer.

Kasvot yells up "Drop the rope on the other side; no sense having me climb up just to fall again. I'm not going to get better at it!"

Climbing out is a DC 0 check for a knotted rope with a wall to brace against; let's do the Climb check on the other side of the Acrobatics check. Every failure is another feather fall, and the 1st level spell slots are actually running a bit low.

Niza moves up to the statue and looks around for dangers, hoping that Liet-Gar will fill everyone in on what they are seeing.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30 +1 vs. traps

Niza does not notice any traps in the room or other dangers... I mean, there are some pointy rocks over there in the corner. And the floor is a tiny bit slippery.

Botting

Liet-Gar yells back a quick description of the room and asks, "What do you want us to do?"

"Oh just wait a pinch will ya!" Dimple climbs out of the pit after her fellow sorcerer. She plops into the room and has a look around. "Anyone else craving calamari?"

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Will cast Detect Magic before having a look around.

More Botting

LGZ turns around and tosses a rope down to the pathfinders at the bottom of the pit. Stormy does the same at the other end of the ledge.

Everyone should be about three rounds into the haunt countdown at this point.

Kasvot scampers up the rope (in two rounds). Dimple is a bit slower (taking three rounds).

The gnome bard then casts detect magic. The first round she notices... magic. The second round she starts differentiating the auras. The third round she realizes the thing hanging off the statue has an evocation aura and the statue/walls/floor/ceiling have an abjuration aura.

Current Rounds left to Act before Haunt Refreshing
Arboreal 9
Niza 7
Stormy 7
Kasvot 5
Dimple 1

LGZ (NA, holding rope)

Climb down cross pit climb up trying to maintain spell

Concentration?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Get ot wands of cure light and prot from evil

Use wand of protection or suggest using it

Kasvot looks at the item hanging from the statue, and approaches it. "Any reason I shouldn't just grab that right now? Looks like another piece to this thing we're assembling."

He pauses though. "Did you say protection from evil, Arboreal? Yeah, hit me with that, just in case." Once Arboreal casts the spell on Kasvot--assuming he does--the half-orc reaches out and snags the item from the statue.