DM Brainiac's Dungeon Crawl Classics

Game Master Brainiac

Clancy glances at the others, then back toward Istevan. "I mistrust this idea of a death cult, but at this point they have broken no laws or committed any evil acts that I've seen. This place reeks of evil though, and I believe they are up to no good. Let us go forward and investigate further before making any decision on how to approach them. Perhaps someone could scout ahead a bit? I would likely give away our position with my two left feet." He grins ruefully.

Send someone ahead of the group? Maybe just 30' or so? That drumming may cover our sounds to some extent, but we should have someone sneaky take a close look *cough*Degan*cough* :D

Degan will scout ahead to the north, listening for any sound other than the drums. Such as voices of the drummers.

Sneak Silently: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

He will go about 60' ahead of the party, then report back.

Degan sneaks ahead into the northern chamber. The thief is almost overwhelmed by the hot stink of rot rolling from the chamber before him. Sickly yellow roots hang from cracks in the walls and ceiling, and the floor is overrun with thick patches of black moss and scabby lichen. Across the chamber crumbling stairs rise to a stone balcony above. Sputtering torches hang about the lower level, casting weird, flickering shadows throughout the chamber.

Three men stand on the balcony. Hunched and bent from massive tumors and growths, the sentries wear tattered cloth hoods, stitched with grandiose sigils and hung with the bones of rats. They are armored in patchwork chain and ring mail, and wield spiked, banded staves. Each carries a quiver of javelins at his waist.

Two of these men keep watch on the chamber below, while the third beats slowly on a massive drum in front of him. They haven't noticed Degan spying on them yet.

The bottom of the stairs is 50 feet away from the entrance to the room. The stairs rise 30 feet to the balcony.

"Well... I guess we won't be able to surprise them on approach -- or approach them without having javelins thrown at us -- but an arrow or dagger through that drum should at least delay or halt whatever ritual they are performing."

Since they are pretty far away and it sounds like maybe there isn't much cover between the corridor and the cultists, we'll have to be exposed if we want to do anything (or, at least, anything non-magical). Istevan's not particularly self-sacrificing, but he could run out until he's within range for his crossbow, shoot, and either run back (assuming they are close enough to do that) or keep going toward them; or double-move toward them, which would get him to the bottom of the stairs. I would like to disable that drum, though, even if we aren't attacking them.

"Now that we know where these cultists are stationed I can direct my bats to attack them. It will buy you enough time to reach the balcony and engage them face to face." Miring chimes in.

Having reported back, Degan prepares to hide behind the warriors.
"They have a good defensive position. Shooting the drum seems a good way to get their attention, and maybe lure them out of that position to come after you.
I mean, come after us. Not just come after you. But making them leave a defensive position would be good, wouldn't it?"

Okay, this sounds like a plan -- Mirinde and bats create a distraction; Istevan and Zathra can run for the stairs; Degan can shoot at the drum (Degan has a crossbow, right?)

"Wait, you want me to take a shot at the drum?
Okay... let me know when. If I have a line of fire to them, they have a line of fire to me, so let's get that distraction in place first."

Degan gets out his crossbow.

I'm hoping between the bats and the fighters, they won't notice Degan. The alternative is that we fire at the drum from the corridor, but I think that's Medium range.

Oh! Nevermind -- depending on how you interpret "The stairs rise 30 feet to the balcony" it's either 55' or 85' to the top of the balcony from the corridor (based on some back-of-the-envelope math). Regardless, that's medium range for a javelin but, at most, 5' away from short range for a crossbow.

So, new plan! Let's take a first round shooting at the drum (by anyone who has a crossbow) before we charge in. Maybe we'll be able to draw them out far enough that we can run up to them in a single round.

Clancy nods in agreement. "I'll be ready with a spell to help, when my magic is needed." He adds.

It's 55' total to the top of the stairs.

Once you are ready, Mirinde sends her bats shrieking towards the cultists as you prepare to fight!

Degan and Mirinde may act first!

Degan moves up and shoots at the drum with his crossbow!

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Bah... not burning all my luck on that.

Seeing Degan take a lousy shot here Mirinde knows the drum must be destroyed...so she calls upon her dark magicks to do just that!

Cast Magic Missile, targeting the drum.
Spell Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 single missile does 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 damage.

Mirinde's magic missile slams into the drum, tearing through the hide covering and destroying it! The three cultists shout in alarm as they grab javelins from their quiver and hurl them down at the elf. Two fall harmlessly around her, but one javelin scores a critical hit, driving Mirinde to her knees! The cultist takes advantage of the opening by quickly hurling a second javelin into the elf!

Javelins, Medium Range: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (20) - 2 = 181d20 - 2 ⇒ (12) - 2 = 101d20 - 2 ⇒ (8) - 2 = 6
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Crit: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Powerful strike hammers foe to their knees. Make another attack.

Bonus Attack: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

8 damage to Mirinde. Everybody may act.

See, now that's what would have happened to me if I hit the drum - lucky that I missed!

Degan scurries back the corridor to get out of sight of the cultists.

Picking out the cultist who was drumming, Istevan looses a crossbow bolt:
1d20 + 1d5 - 1 ⇒ (5) + (4) - 1 = 81d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Sure would be great if this warrior ever hit something...

Hopefully, there's some cover offered by the corridor -- I was imagining sort of poking his head out and taking a shot before ducking back into the corridor. If they aren't going to come down the stairs, though, I guess we'll have to rush them.