Kingmaker - GM ST

Game Master SodiumTelluride

"Yeah, I wasn't too confident we'd be able to talk our way through this, either." Alyssa says with a sigh, as she looks from the cowering mite to the hole leading down. With a shrug, she makes her way there and tries to climb down as well.

Climb take 10: 10 - 2 = 8

Climb Take 10: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Showing the grace of a good girl who stayed home and helped her mother rather than running around the streets and climbing things Adela bumbles down the hole.

Look out below!

Erik's chakram misses the mite and embeds into a root above its big blue head causing it to squawk in alarm. It begins descending faster clearly more afraid of the party then falling.

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Everyone who is Taking 10 will make it to the bottom without issue, but it is not a speedy descent as you carefully pick your way down using the roots and other handholds. The DC is only 5, so if any of you want to abandon your caution and roll a straight Climb check to get down faster, go ahead now. As it stands, the mite's roll means he is about to leave all of you behind and get away since Taking 10 (10 + Str bonus + ACP, no roll needed) will not be the quick descent needed to catch it.

From the description, I cans still see the mite and it is climbing; it hasn't turned the corner on me...

"Rrgrr" Erik growls in frustration as first throw goes awry. Standing at the top of the hole, he draws his second chakram and tries again...

move action - draw chakram Swift action - no to-hit penalty for ranged attacks
standard action - attack mite with thrown chakram; it may be Flat footed if it is climbing...

To Hit: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 24 vs FF?? The mite if Flat footed if climbing, unless it has some sort of special
1 bab +3 dex +1 PBS
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 1 + (1) = 4
+1 str +1 pbs +1d6 sneak (if FF)

The chakram splits the mite into pieces as the bladed edge slices through its upper abdomen and part of its head. The pieces and accompanying gore fall down into the darkness.

Combat is officially ended. You may continue descending or return to the initial chamber and take the other path out (no climbing needed) if you prefer.

In the sudden silence that follows, Erik whispers harshly: "At the very least, I want my chakrams back, so I say down...."

Adela is definitely taking 10 to descend.

Arm hooked around a strong root Adela catches her breath, she can't tell what is happening down below but guesses Eric hit something.

She carefully starts finding footholds to continue going down in the dim light.

Adela is concentrating on not falling at the moment. She can't see much so is following what those ahead of her are doing?

I guess that's 2 votes for down - Erik and Adela - do we have a third?

"Well, if we're going further in, I guess it makes sense to hurry before they notice these ones are missing." Alyssa says as she looks down the hole, and then glances back at Tau-75, still cowering in the corner. "But shouldn't we tie Tau up or something first? Or do you want to just leave it be for now?"

"I mean unless it's an extremely convincing actor that might just completely terrified and unlikely to try anything." Rhiann replies, continuing her climb down.

As last man at the top, Erik casts a glance at the cowering Tau-75, and declines to be the designated executioner. Rather, he begins climbing down after the others, grabbing his first chakram from the root along the way...

Climb, Take 10: 10 + 1 - 3 = 8vs dc ?
+1 str -3 ACP

Once reaching the bottom of the shaft, he retrieves his second chakram, and takes up his point position again.

As they party descends to the bottom of the shaft, cries of anguish and torment make their way to everyone's ears. The vines and earth had muffled the sounds from being heard above. It is easy enough to drop down to the ground from the shaft's opening as again the ceiling and floor are relatively close together. Bundles of vines and groups of stalactites/stalagmites obscure the view of the room well enough that unless one is looking, those entering or descending from the shaft would not be easily noticed.

Erik finds the body of the dead mite easily enough, a pile of gore hidden from sight behind the earthen formations. When the body struck the ground, the screams must have covered the splat! from the those occupying the room.

Just a ways beyond six mites are seen taking turns cruelly jabbing a kobold with the same sooty coloring as the ones previously encountered hangs from the ceiling by its arms which have been lashed to a stalactite with vines. Its cries of pain echo throughout the small chamber. Three other kobolds are also hanging throughout the room, but they do not move. Their bloody bodies hang limply, and they do not seem to be breathing.

What would you like to do? The mites and kobold have not noticed your presence. You can choose to make yourselves known in whatever fashion you wish, or you can choose to reascend the shaft if you prefer.

Not daring to whisper, Erik's eyes flick right and left, trying to read Rhiann and Alyssa's faces...

Sense Motive, Rhiann: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 24
1 rank +3 trained +1 wis

Sense Motive, Alyssa: 1d20 + 1 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 + 3 + 1 = 15
1 rank +3 trained +1 wis

Then he tenses in his crouch, his focus narrowing on one mite in particular, as he readies himself to lunge forth...

Uses Studied Target on Mite 1

I think it's time to kill more mites, but what does everyone else think?

Her face showing nothing but disgust at the Mites behavior. Adela firmly nods in agreement with Eric's suggestion,

she raises her crossbow, ready to attack when the group does so.

Yes to stomping the Mites!

Erik can easily read Rhiann's darkening expression as they watch the kobold being tortured for sport. As they all share a glance, committing to a course of action, the fighter steps forward her weapon lashing out to cleave right through one of the mites.

Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard / Cramped space: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 2 = 24
Slashing/ Cold iron: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Confirm
Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard / Cramped space: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 2 = 8
Slashing/ Cold iron: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Sorry I was rushed last post. Now I can join the battle properly.

Adela aims carefully at Mite 2 and shoots.

crossbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 6

No Cold iron weaponry sadly :(.

Alyssa nods at Erik's questioning look, and focuses her magic on her hand, conjuring another ball of acid which she lobs at another mite.

Not sure which ones went down from everyone's attacks. Preferentially targeting any of them that are still standing after getting hit.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Damage (Acid): 1d3 ⇒ 3

Mite-y Six and the Ko-bound: Surprise Round

Mites 4 & 3 fall in sprays of blood, eviscerated by Erik and Rhiann's obvious martial prowess.

Mite 1 receives enough damage from the Alyssa's magical acid to fall unconscious, but its labored breathing show it still lives.

Mite 2 falls to the ground bleeding out, and it will likely pass on very soon.

Mite-y Six Three and the Ko-bound: Round 1

The remaining two mites shriek in surprise staring aghast as their comrades blood sprays across them and the bound kobold.

"Please, please no hurt Mimek," the sooty-colored kobold whimpers.

Erik and Adela have actions.

Erik ignores the kobold's whimpering, focusing on taking down the enemy as swiftly as possible. He rounds the hanging kobold, and lunges again...

move action - move 15', following the pink line. This will draw an AoO if Mite 5 is not still flat footed.
standard action - attack Mite 5 w/rapier

To Hit: 1d20 + 1 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 3 - 2 = 4 vs FF??
1 bab +3 dex (weapon finesse) -2 caverns penalty

Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (3) = 5
+1 str +1d6 sneak

Adela lines up Mite 6 carefully.

crossbow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

crossbow: 1d8 ⇒ 2 Bounces off :(

She frowns as the Kobold whimpers, wondering what to do in a situation like this?

Mite-y Six Three and the Ko-bound: Round 1

Erik's attack isn't quite on the mark and whiffs past Mite 5's startled face.

Adela can see the bolt from her crossbow appears to simply strike Mite 6 in the nose and be deflected by the giant lumpy shnoz.

Eyes wide at the larger humanoid in front of him, Mite 5 flails with his sharp pointy stick in Erik's general direction.

Stabby Stick: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Rhiann and Alyssa have actions

Rhiann steps forward, cursing the cramped space that makes her attack on the other mite (#6) extremely awkward.

Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard / Cramped space: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 2 = 9
Slashing/ Cold iron: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Alyssa tries to follow up Adela's bolt with another ball of acid, careful not to hit Rhiann with it instead as she too strikes at the same target.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 4 = 8
Damage (Acid): 1d3 ⇒ 2

Mite-y Six Three and the Ko-bound: Round 1

Neither Rhiann or Alyssa manage to get a hit on the other mite. It jumps as Rhiann's deadly looking fauchard gets briefly tangled in a vine deflecting it past the mite's head. Then when a magical glob of acid strikes the stalagmite just to its left it gasps at the sizzling chemical reaction the substance has with the rock before the spell vanishes into magical vapor.

Quite terrified it drops its stick and turns to flee. But its abject terror causes it not to be very careful and forget its footing.

Acrobatics DC 10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Mite 6 trips on a vine falls in a tangle of limbs.

Round 1 ends

Mite-y Six Three and the Ko-bound: Round 2

Erik and Adela now have their opportunity to finish off the cruel mite tormentors.

Erik studies his target as he takes a mindful set of mincing little steps, into a position where his target is menaced from both sides, and then he lunges again...

Move action - Use studied target on Mite 5
5' step - this generates flank with Rhiann on Mite 5
standard action - attack Mite 5 w/rapier

To Hit: 1d20 + 1 + 3 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 3 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 7
1 bab +3 dex (weapon finesse) -2 caverns penalty+2 flanking+1 studied target

Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 + (4) = 12
+1 str +1d6 sneak +1 studied target

Adela sighs to herself, as if hitting the Mites wasn't hard enough it was now prone!

Using a swift action to avoid the penalty.

crossbow - prone target: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 1 - 4 = 3

As she expected her shot is pitiful. "Just stomp the loathsome thing!" she mutters in frustration.

Mite-y Six Three and the Ko-bound: Round 2

Erik's intended target lives for at least another few seconds as his slice is intercepted by a vine which floats loose as a soft fetid draft from further down the cavern causes the plant appendage to sway.

However, the prone mite tries to scramble away on all fours and Erik's instinctive slash nicks an artery in the mite's leg. It cries out as it flees, its movement now hampered and a moment later it has bled out (technically post combat, but it never gets out of your line of sight).

Adela attempts to end its suffering, but the bolt digs in to the cavern floor a few feet away.

The remaining mite shrieks in anger and tries to stab Erik again with its pitiful spear.

Stabby Stick: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

It fails to even cause a scratch.

Rhiann and Alyssa are up.

As the mite charges Erik with it's reckless attack, Rhiann brings her weapon in a sweeping strike across the middle of its body.

Masterwork Cold Iron Fauchard / Cramped space: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 2 = 15
Slashing/ Cold iron: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Alyssa conjures another orb of acid and lobs it at the remaining mite.

Ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 1 - 4 = 17
Damage(Acid): 1d3 ⇒ 3
Confirm?: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 1 - 4 = 16
Crit Damage(Acid): 1d3 ⇒ 2

Mite-y Six Two and the Ko-bound: Round 2 end

Alyssa feels a surge of power from within and conjures an extra large orb of acid which completely engulfs the remaining mite. Even as its form begins to dissolve, Rhiann's dangerous fauchard slices the prone mite's neck sending its head flying from its shoulders.

Mimek's eye rolls in the direction of the melting mite and the kobold spits a gob of aspirated blood in its direction.

Only two mites remain alive, however temporary: Mite 1 is barely breathing but remains unconscious for now, and Mite 6 weakly pulls itself along the cavern floor over the vines as it bleeds out from the leg wound (It will officially die on Mite-y Six Two and the Ko-bound: Round 4).

Mite-y Six Two and the Ko-bound: Round 3

Can stay in combat rounds, or end combat as you see fit.

Full party is up.

Striding over to the barely breathing mite (Mite 1), Rhiann strikes down, plunging the blade of her fauchard into it's body.

CDG Mite 1

I think I lost a post, boo! I thought I did this Tuesday.

Erik takes his cue from Rhiann and puts the last mite out of his misery...

CDG Mite 6

Adela keeps her eyes open, peering into the gloom in case there are any more of the Mites coming to attack?

She does whisper a quick prayer to Pharasma under her breath asking her to send the dead on to where they belong. Even if they were Kobolds Adela finds torture vile.

With the mites dealt with, Alyssa moves towards the kobold, and tries to get it free. "After all it suffered at the hands of the mites, the lewst we can do is let it go free."

Mite-y Six Two and the Ko-bound combat is over

The kobold flinches from Alyssa's touch and bares its fangs which appears to be nothing more than a grimace. When it sees she is trying to undo the knots, it relaxes, well, collapses in total submission whimpering quietly.

The kobold seems completely depleted of energy once its feet touch the ground. It looks around warily through half-lidded reptilian eyes and briefly leans on a stalagmite for support.

"Th-thank you. Mimek thanks you," the kobold says through ragged breaths.

"You're welcome, Mimek." Alyssa answers with a comforting smile. "How are you? Think you're well enough to make your way out of here? These mites seem to be hunting kobolds, for some reason, so it might be safer for you to leave, if you can manage it."

Ok, I am assuming Mimek is speaking common, unlike the last set of kobolds, who spoke Draconic.

Erik looks about, trying to find a spot where we could hide the poor bastard, and says "We can't carry him with us, but maybe he could hide in that cubby over there? We could pick him up on the way back out..."

As he waits for a reply, he searches the room...

Perception: 1d20 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 2 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 25
2 rank +3 trained +2 racial+1 wis

"That could work, or could you heal him a bit Adela?" Rhiann asks. "Do you think you could get out to safety then?" she asks, turning to the exhausted kobold and crouching town to address him.

Adela nods, truthfully not having a problem healing the Kobold. What had been done to him sickened her.

Converting Command to CLW

"This will heal you" she tell the Kobold in Draconic. Slowly reaching out to him so as not to startle the wounded creature.

CLW: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Mimek regards Adela's hand with some fear, but once the light of her spell washes over him, he blinks a couple of eyelids and gushes with gratitude.

"Mimek feels so warm, strength returns...[/b]" the kobold rasps as he watches the punctures and other wounds heal. His eyes once hazy from the pain looks around at the mite slaughter surrounding him. As if the sight of the corpses and their bluish blood draining into the earth humbles him, Mimek drops to his knees and clutches his claws together.

"Mighty warriors with magic! Please help Mimek. Please, please, please!" The kobold drops his torso like ne in fervent prayer. "My party has failed, but you are powerful and can save the Sacred Statue!"

"There were others with you that were killed by the mites?" Rhiann asks. "They have taken something of yours?"

The kobold drops his torso like ne in fervent prayer.

Apparently some kind of auto correct got involved here. This should have said:

The kobold bows from his torso as in fervent prayer.

"There were others with you that were killed by the mites?"

Three other kobolds are also hanging throughout the room, but they do not move. Their bloody bodies hang limply, and they do not seem to be breathing.

Mimek forces himself to look at the corpses of his comrades. "They were brave but foolhardy and fell too easily into the traps the mites laid for us."

"They have taken something of yours?"

Mimek nods at the human woman. "The Sacred Statue. It is a powerful artifact which is...sacred to the Sootscale Clan."

With everything they'd experienced of the mites so far, Rhiann had no reason to disbelieve Mimek's account. "What does the Sacred Statue look like?"

"It is a statue of Old Sharptooth! A great kobold hero so powerful he grew wings!" Mimek taps his chest in salute fashion. "Mimek hopes to grow wings one day, just like Old Sharptooth."

Mimek gestures to the east side of the room.

"We must cross the chasm and find the mite war leader. He will know where the Sacred Statue is found."

Mimek roots among the bodies of the mites the party has slain and arms himself with two daggers in rather poor condition and one of the simple spears they used to jab him and his comrades. He hisses and stabs the sharp end into one of the mites bodies, trying to reclaim the feelings of powerlessness he recently experienced.

At a loss to find anything to say Adela makes sure her equipment is still ready and follows the others onwards.

The tight quarters and pressing darkness are making her feel very uneasy.