GM Top's Dungeon Delver's

Game Master Pete H.

I don’t remember the marching order, but Kaz volunteers to be near the front, probably behind the trap searcher.

It’s on the maps slide, currently page one. Usually page two when there is a map up.

Phantom near the front, spiritualist near the back

"All ready? Let's go. Underground. Ugh. Spirits preserve us."

Halali draws her sansetsukon and steps forwards.

I'm happy for Halali to stay at or close to the front - but Grim (her new familiar) will hang back near the rear of the group, flying.

I got you covered...just remember to duck... Ander says as he puffs away on his cigar.

second row is fine..will go last row if needed...so the others can get into the mix more easily...

Alright, I did some adjustments of the marching order. I put the highly perceptive trap finder up front and Dran second, because in the last couple missions that has been the order of things in gameplay. I will assume that for doors, Grunigon will check them and then step back before they are opened and be in the middle of the pack somewhere.

Tromping into the darkness, the dwarves seem to not care there is no light. The priestess yawns and wishes you all a successful undead slaying mission, then closes the door quickly behind you all as Grim flits inside.

Uh... what source of light will be used so the raven/rook doesn't slam into the walls?

As you all begin heading through the door, Halali motions to stop for a moment and pulls out a small glowing bauble. In a practiced motion, Grim perches on her shoulder and waits for the placement to be done. After a brief admonishment as the bird tries to snap at the item, then a treat to reward leaving it alone, it takes back to flight.

As the door grinds shut behind, the only visible light flickers behind the group as the familiar flies tight circles. Down and down the dwarves delve, heading below on the spiral stairs (map is up, btw).

They get a little past halfway when made aware of a concern. Their hackles raise as they feel the presence of... something. And immediately after, the glowing bauble blinks out as a magical darkness descends.

It doesn't bother the dwarves, but definitely effects the sight of the bird.

There is a creature hiding very well in the very tiny gap at the edge of the stairs. It cast darkness as its surprise round action, so now we have regular initiative. Let's see who goes first.

Initiative
Halali: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Dran: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9
Grunigon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Bilos: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Xev: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Ander: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Kaztor: 1d20 ⇒ 3
The Magi: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Enemy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Round 1: Darkness falls!
Ander
Bilos
Halali & Grim (in darkness)
Enemy Thing?
Grunigon
Dran
The Magi
Xev
Kaztor

Bold may act! At the RED X, BILOS, THE MAGI and GRIM saw a brief flash of a leathery black wing as they heard a screech and the magic was cast. No one else has even seen part of the critter yet. To MELEE attack or see it better, you need to be standing in the BLUE X squares, the nearest of which is ten feet up from Bilos. Ranged attacks will take a variety of penalties, depending on the location of the shot. There is no difficult terrain going up the stairs.

Blast it! I can't shoot what I can't see...anybody got a light?

waiting to see if light can be shed...

They get a little past halfway when made aware of a concern. Their hackles raise as they feel the presence of... something. And immediately after, the glowing bauble blinks out as a magical darkness descends.

It doesn't bother the dwarves, but definitely effects the sight of the bird.

Note Ander, unless you give up darkvision you can see.

missed the part where it didn't affect us...was distracted when posting earlier...dog was going bonkers...my bad...

Ahh..stupid glasses slipped across my eye...there's the little bugger! he says as he lowers his gun and starts to pull the trigger.

Cover yer ears! he shouts as he fires.

bang, PBS: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 = 81d12 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

*click* the gun spits out a pitiful puff of smoke as it misfires.

Stupid blasted....son of a motherless goat...scrap metal and toothpicks... he yells as he works to clear the jam.

...and a fine start to the scenarios...lol....will clear it next round..might need to conserve my grit...

know.arcana: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Grim is a Sage familiar

ETA: not a very bright one yet :p

"Caw! Something broke my bauble!" the Stormcrow squawks in decent Common. "Halali, it broke my bauble! Break it back, it's up here! Caw!"

The bird tries to hide behind the stair rails, and stay out of the way.

stealth, tiny: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Halali grimaces.

"An ambush. I'm on my way Grim, you stay put!"

Halali climbs back up the stairs, but can't get close enough yet to swing her staff, so she reaches into her braided hair and snaps off a spike shuriken...

shuriken: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6damage: 1d2 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Bilos chucks some rubble in the general direction of the creature.

Telekinteic Projectile: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Bludgeoning Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
Concealment?': 1d100 ⇒ 99

The foe, partially hidden at the gap of the stairs, is quite tough to hit. Bilos and Halali whips projectiles at it, but only manage to shatter them against the stone walls. A piece of metal or stone ricochets back and jams itself into Ander’s gun, causing a misfire. Unlucky!

The creature detaches itself from the wall and crawls up and onto the stairs, slamming its arm tendril things at the nearest dwarf, trying to engulf her and begin the delicious process of eating!

Slam vs Halali: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

But she is ready for the bastard, parrying the blow and sending the creature’s momentum into the floor instead. Rows of hungry teeth flash right by her face.

Round 1: Darkness falls!
Ander
Bilos
Halali & Grim (in darkness)
Enemy Thing?
Grunigon
Dran
The Magi
Xev
Kaztor

Bold may act! Everyone can see the critter now though cover may still apply. It looks like a giant umbrella with teeth. Trained Knowledge Arcana to ID. Once everyone has acted or delayed, I’ll roll over to the top of the order for those players.

Dran advances back up the stairs to the only open spot and calls out I need room ta swing a sword.

”I can’t get up there! What’s going on,” Kaz yells as he hears the scrum happing around the bend.

Dran advances back up the stairs to the only open spot and calls out I need room ta swing a sword.

"Aye, me as well."

Xev delays. Perhaps he will be able to go through the bad guy later.

Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

His eyes widen in surprise at the creature's aggressive ambush. But what is it? I recall tales of such a threat. It's called a...?

Realizing that to miss may mean harming a fellow dwarf, the vigilante carefully tracks his foe's movement before launching a purple bolt of flame at the dungeon predator.

Mystic Bolt PBS/Into melee: 1d20 + 4 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 1 - 4 = 20
Damage (cold): 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The magi quickly recognizes this creature to be an ambush predator, it looks a lot like a darkmantle. Though they usually are found to be mimicking stalactites it stands to reason the dark grey stone walls and stairs would be an adaptable location. Primarily a ‘catch and squeeze’ type predator, they aren’t very dangerous till they get hold of you.

His cold bolt drills the creature and it hisses in pain.

Grunigon? Wait or act?

————————————

This tight quarters combat is absolutely going to be a repeated situation in this dungeon and others. Lotta confined maps and there are eight of you. Hopefully though other fights won’t be quite as bad as a chokepointed stairway.

After The Magi blasts the thing with cold and identifies it, most of the dwarves wait for a chance to move into range.

Rounds 1 & 2: Darkness falls!
Ander
Bilos
Halali & Grim (in darkness)
Dorkmantle (-3 HP)
Grunigon (D)
Dran (standard)
The Magi
Xev (D)
Kaztor (D)

Bold may act! Everyone can see the critter now though cover may still apply. It looks like a giant umbrella with teeth. Trained Knowledge Arcana to ID.

Xev doesn't need that body that badly.

Would one of you mind gutting that thing while I fix this blasted contraption! If this doesn't work, I'm gonna melt it down and make belt buckles out of ot! Ander spits angrily as he works to clear his gun.

standard to clear, will move to allow someone else to move up..on phone atm...can someone move me to the back please? ty!

With the whole crowd between him and whatever is attacking Grunigon just grumbles about clusters....

If I understand the description I don't think I'd be able to see it. Correct? Call me the cheerleader?

Kaz waits until people start moving behind him, so he can move forward and thrash the thing properly.

Stuck in close combat with nowhere else to go, Halali lashes out with her three-section-staff...

sansetsukon flurry: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
sansetsukon flurry: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

The dwarves leave it to Halali, who takes care of business. She strikes the beast down with one decisive blow. And between the damage already taken from the cold bolt and a massive body blow, it collapses to the ground.

Combat Over! Nice hit, damn.

The darkmantle does not, surprisingly, have any magic or regular items in its possession. The stairwell is also empty of such things. There is a stone doorway at the bottom of the stairs.

After checking it carefully (I'll just speed us up here) the group peeks into the next room.

Old carvings cover the walls of this square chamber, thick with dust and cobwebs. Three sets of stone double doors stand in the three facing walls. Heavy bronze seals emblazoned with the symbol of Pharasma secure the doors against whatever lies beyond.

There are carvings on the walls which would require a Trained Knowledge History check to figure out what they reference.

"Well look at that. Some poor soul seems to have gone mad down here" Halali points out the wall-scrawl. Everyone can open the spoiler above.

"I wonder what the rest of this means..."

know.history, guidance: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19 +2 more if it relates to dwarves or their enemies

”Welp, it sounds as if some soul went batty down here, unfortunately. Hopefully that doesn’t happen to any of us,” he grumbles

Might have to start using this blasted thing as a club... Ander says, still crusty about his gun misfiring.

He moves to check out the scribblings.

Nope...no clue what this means...and I agree...someone went nuts down here...can't really blame them, I reckon...

Grunigon reads the text aloud and shakes his head. "Heart on the wrong side of the chest? Who wouldn't know which side of the chest your heart would be on?" He thumps his right fist onto the left side of his chest.

"They could be referring to the difference between 'inside' and 'outside' if they were this far gone."

Halali recalls the images clearly reference the ancient runelords. The seven runelords of Thassilon each ruled their own realm in the centuries before Earthfall. Each runelord was a powerful wizard tied to a particular aspect of sin magic.

She did a paper on them in dwarf technical school…

The group dismisses the graffiti as mere madness, as it surely couldn’t be relevant later in the dungeon.

Three closed stone doors await the dwarves. The do not open when tugged if anyone dares try them.

Bilos turns his phantom incorporeal as everyone else stares at the door.
"I shall determine a way through!" calls Xev as he passes through and inspects the environs beyond.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Bilos turns his phantom incorporeal as everyone else stares at the door.

"I shall determine a way through!" calls Xev as he passes through and inspects the environs beyond.

[dice="Perception"]1d20+5

We had a little cross-post there, but no issues from it. Which door Xev? There are three. You could do all three, in theory, just give me two more perceptions and tell me which is where.

Clockwise.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Dran stands as quiet as a statue not caring which door the group chooses.

that way works... Ander says with a shrug.

Is there any sort of lock mechanism on any of the doors?

The phantom zips off to do some scouting and Grunigon takes a look at the doors themselves. It seems that they are locked and said lock has an added magical boost to it.

(North is up, fyi)

Xev quickly scouts three different rooms beyond the doors.

To the west a strange statue of a half-snake, half-human creature stands in a wide alcove to the south of two large stone doors. Comprising the lower body of a coiling serpent and the upper torso of a human woman, the statue has six wings and a disk containing a seven-pointed star in place of its head. Its crossed arms hold a quill and whip, and the entire statue is covered in verdigris. The faint outline of strange runes can be made out beneath the patina coating the statue.

To the north bodies wrapped in age-yellowed linens lie in alcoves lining both sides of this wide corridor. Thick cobwebs hang from the ceiling and drape the walls of the crypt; everything is coated in a deep layer of dust.

To the east a large statue stands in the corner of this L-shaped room, depicting a tall feather emblazoned with a large open eye. Though apparently carved from stone, the statue gleams with a golden-green iridescence. A pair of stone doors stands in the east wall in the short leg of the L.

Any direction preference? How do you all wish to open the door when decided?

I think start that way...work around and clear them all...

start North, work clockwise..

”Can anyone pick a lock? These doors look locked up tight. And bashing them down will alert everything in this place!”

"Magic locks need a magic key, no? Who's got that Chime we were given?"

North is fine with me, but it sounds like we'll need the Chime of Opening to get going :)

I have it here but would not use it before we let Grunigon give it a go.

Grunigon pulls out his tools while he studies the lock. "I'll try. This looks.... difficult."

Disable?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

If Grunigon thinks he can open it he will continue working. Take 20? Otherwise he'll back off to let Dran try the chime.

Grunigon is sure this is above his pay grade.

After another scan of the interacting rules, these doors will require the chime. You may not need to chime them all though now, the areas beyond may all connect.

Two votes North, any objections?

”Use the chime on the north then. Let’s get at it! There’s evil to be Smiter in this place, I can feel it!”

Dran uses the chime. If it can unlock multiple doors with one chime he will unlock more than one door.

Dran has to unfortunately point the chime to focus its powers in a single area, so isn't able to hit all three doors at once. He aims it at the north door and swings the hilt of his greatsword at it, connecting and making a loud 'booooooong' sound.

The sound grows and grows until you can see the pharasman seal waver and fade. You figure the magical seal will eventually return, but as long as the door isn't reclosed it will stay open while you all are down here.

To the north bodies wrapped in age-yellowed linens lie in alcoves lining both sides of this wide corridor. Thick cobwebs hang from the ceiling and drape the walls of the crypt; everything is coated in a deep layer of dust.

As the dwarves file slowly into the room, then, it is no surprise that spiders appear! But how they appear, that is a bit more concerning. Rising up from four of the bodies in the side alcoves are four disturbing human skulls. The tiny skulls then sprout many legs and start scuttling in to attack!

Initiative
Halali: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Dran: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
Grunigon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Bilos: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Xev: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
Ander: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Kaztor: 1d20 ⇒ 7
The Magi: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Enemy Skull Spiders: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Two come out and skuttle up to Dran and two after Grunigon! They scurry underfoot, raise their abdomen's and attempt to sting right into a soft dwarven foot!

Red and Blue were in range of moving and attacking. Green and Yellow had to double move. All are Tiny and all have to move into a creature's square to attack. No Combat Reflexes means no AoO, this round.

Red Sting vs. Dran: 1d20 ⇒ 19 for 1 Nonlethal and Poison
Blue Sting vs. Grunigon: 1d20 ⇒ 19 for 1 Nonlethal and Poison

Round 1: SPIDER SKULL ISLAND!
Spiders?
Dran (-1 NL, Fort vs. Poison)
Grunigon (-1 NL, Fort vs. Poison)
Everyone Else

Bold are up. Trained Knowledge Nature to ID the creatures.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Grunigon feels the sting from the spider skull and he lets out a string of dwarven cursing. "Stinging skull shaped spiders? What are these freaking things!?!" Thinking about the skull and skeletons he grabs the light mace from his belt and swings it down at the.... bug?

To Hit?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
damage if that hits?: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7