At the Foothills of Leng - GM Assembler's Rise of the Runelords

Game Master DM DoctorEvil

Standing on the beach Ari looks around, and up. He stretches his arms and shoulders and realizes that he had been hunching over while in the cave. Maybe he just didn't like tight spaces? The open air combines with the flow that always surrounded him....

"Well, We found how the goblins were able to sneak in. Now let's track it the other way and see if we can find that quasit!"

No branches or side passages come off the main tunnel as you wander back the 1500+ feet to where you began. The side tunnel that leads back to the cellar of the Glassworks is the only thing you see.

Once you continue south from that point, its not long before the tunnel, which seems to be sloping gently down, comes to a Y-shaped intersection -- you can either go left or go right. From here, there is not a visible, audible or other means to differentiate the two.

"We should discuss it with Ameiko before making any move to shut it off permanently. She might want to use it for something, since the Glassworks is hers now. Though I would advise her to install a strong door with a good lock, at least." Grod says.

You do recall that the back part of the Glassworks cellar WAS bricked off, and looked like something broke those walls out recently...

"Not sure we'll be able to keep it sealed if things are breaking out anyway."

"I agree. But she can make that call."

"Hmm.... Left or right?" He pulls out a coin to flip.

1:Right, 2:Left: 1d2 ⇒ 1 "Let's go to the right first!" He pockets the coin and continues ahead, watching carefully this time since they have plenty of time....

Perception looking for any signs of recent passage or a hidden door?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

"The sheriff and or the mayor may not leave it as an option. This is a liability to the town's defenses. But, they can discuss that with Ameiko." Garen says to the tunnel discussion.

...

"Right it is. You want to look for traps or shall I take lead and assume something mean and nasty is up ahead?" Garen asks.

The passage on the right runs straight for about 100' then there is a sharp bend, making it nearly due west. At this point, a broken down wall of bricks litters the floor of the man-made tunnel. It looks like the bricks are mostly knocked inward, so they were likely broken in by someone standing where you are. No footsteps are visible as the floor here is hard rock without much dirt or dust. If you can see ahead, it appears the passage beyond the wall here becomes much more natural looking, as opposed to the man-made smuggler tunnels you have been in, and it bends to the north just at the edge of your vision.

Remind me again what you are doing for light sources, and also, a marching order, if you please. The cavern past the broken wall is roughly 10' wide, so you could be two abreast if you choose to.

"Odd. Somebody broke through here, but didn't enter? Or didn't leave any tracks. This might be the way to the quasit though. Izzy had a good eye finding that trigger for the door. Maybe she and I should lead, looking for traps? We'll go slow and search careful for any sort of traps. I can keep my dancing lights active unless someone else wants to use a longer lasting light spell?"

Should the GM make the perception rolls here so we don't know if we missed something?

Erridon and Izzy lead the team into the passage. About every 50' Ari signals the group to stop and hold position so they can listen for any sounds ahead. They aren't being very quiet, especially the heavily armored in the rear, and he knows the light is a beacon for creatures that live in the dark.

After several seconds listening if nothing is heard he starts ahead again.

Moving slow and careful. Thinking about the potential fight with a demon ahead Ari is concerned....

Izzy nods and keeps her eyes out for traps as directed, she fights the urge to hum dramatic sneaking music.

You follow the more natural looking tunnel until it bends north, and then a bit farther, taking extra care -- looking and listening for any traps or perceptible signs of trouble.

Eventually, the team comes upon something new, a passage that leads off the main tunnel. It appears about 5' ahead of where Ari and Isidiana examine the tunnel. As they wait and listen, both swear they can hear something breathing down the tunnel to the right. The passage can also continue straight ahead where another branch to the right seems to be open or continue north.

See the map linked at top margin if you wish to get a better idea of the layout.

Ari signals for a halt and backs up to whisper to the fighter types behind them. "Something breathing." He motions to the right and steps back to let the armored folk ahead.

Garen nods to Ari and moves forward so he can see around the corner (15’ mvt). If it is a person he will speak to them. If it is a monster (goblins and orcs are in this category for Garen) he will step up and attempt to split it in half.

falcata: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
dmg: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Garen changes places with Ari, giving up silence for firepower at the front. When the paladin peers into the opening using his darkvision, he is a bit surprised to see a rather large open chamber. The entire chamber appears to be empty except for a pair of the most horrendous creatures Garen has ever seen. The denizens are hairless humanoids lurched on back-bent, dog-like legs. They have hideous mouth with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a long forked tongue. The mouth is flanked by tiny arms with three-fingered hands at reach and grasp sickeningly. The creatures also have longer than normal arms that are willow-thin and reach almost to the ground. Very long curved black claws are at the end of both arms and legs.

When the creatures see Garen, they both seem to alert forward, clearly ready to fight.

Blue Creature Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Red Creature Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Garen Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Erridon Init: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Tot Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Isidiana Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Grod Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

What the Hell is That? - Round 1

25 Ari
19 Red Creature
18 Garen
17 Blue Creature
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

Map is linked at the top. Ari is up first, though he's not sure exactly what is around the corner yet.

Knowing that surprise is blown Ari runs by the opening past Garen, taking a look in to see the monsters....

Knowledge-????: 1d20 + 8 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 8 + (5) = 28 Arcana and History are +9. All others are +8

If he has any clue about it he tells the others.

What the Hell is That? - Round 1 - continued

25 Ari
19 Red Creature
18 Garen
17 Blue Creature
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

Ari rushes past the opening, peeking at whatever creature Garen has spied. He seems to recognize the horrors from his studies on dungeoneering as a type of aberration called a sinspawn. Sinspawn are corrupted products of magic used by spellcasters in a past era as shock troops for their armies. Literally the embodiment of a sin made flesh, they are sentient abominations of distilled ectoplasm imprinted with the soul-image of slain creatures that possessed an abundance of a particular sin.

One of the creatures sprints forward, moving unexpectedly quickly for such a gangly thing. As it closes on Garen, it attacks with bite and both sharp claws. But all of those natural attacks are ineffective against the well-armored paladin.

Striking back, Garen lashes out with his stabbing falcata, scoring a mild hit against the scary foe.

Blue Creature also advances into the cave opening, but when it sees the bardic gnome adjacent, it whirls and attacks Izzy instead. Fortunately, all those attacks are also misses as the creature seems to be distracted by the dancing lights, or something.

Is there any question you want answered about the sinspawn? Red is hit for 4hp dmg. Tot, Izzy, and Grod are all up now.

Red Sinspawn Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Red sinspawn Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
Red Sinspawn Claw 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Blue Sinspawn Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Blue sinspawn Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Blue Sinspawn Claw 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Forgot to put that in the post. Normally wanting to know any weaknesses or any special attacks. If the roll is high enough any resistances/immunities/DR. Knowledge rolls always seem strange to me. If you make the roll you learn 'something'. Make it by 5 over and learn something more. But what 'something do you learn? DR we usually learn when a hit doesn't do as much damage as it should. If we see wounds healing fast we know we are in trouble.... etc.

The knot of silently brooding emotions that Tot has become since finding Ameiko and confirming that her brother did truly betray her is unraveled by the unsettling beasts that come darting from the chamber. Fear, pent-up rage, and frustration mix and boil over and her eyes burn like bright coals as she slips past Izzy with her sword in both hands and tries to go for the kill. Unfortunately, the petite fighter's movements are too stiff and jerky to even come close to landing a hit.

Longsword (Power Attack) vs. Blue Sinspawn: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 1 = 8

Isidiana begins to sing a soulful ballad meant to inspire her friends to a fierceness, "Dungeons so dark, another day
As things quickly go insane
I see your faces trying to eat mine
I'm gonna have to bring you pain

Whatever you are, whatever you do
We will here slaying all of you
Whatever it takes, to make your ranks break
we will be right here slaying all of you!"

With apologies to Richard Marx. Inspire Courage, Plus 1 to hit & Damage, and morale saves vs fear

Stabby! 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Alas alack, she hits her high notes easier than her target!

Forgot to put that in the post. Normally wanting to know any weaknesses or any special attacks. If the roll is high enough any resistances/immunities/DR. Knowledge rolls always seem strange to me. If you make the roll you learn 'something'. Make it by 5 over and learn something more. But what 'something do you learn? DR we usually learn when a hit doesn't do as much damage as it should. If we see wounds healing fast we know we are in trouble.... etc.

If you like, I can just tell you the most important things you should know in descending order (IMO). so you'll always gain something useful. Its the point of your character after all. LMK if that's how you want to play it.

What the Hell is That? - Round 1 - continued

Inspire Courage active, +1 to attacks/dmg

25 Ari
19 Red Creature (4hp dmg)
18 Garen
17 Blue Creature
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

While Ari works out his knowledge about this aberrant creatures, Tot leaps into the fray stabbing at Blue, but her attack misses everything.

Isidiana starts spitting out Top 40 tunes, inspiring her colleagues.

Grod is up now. Ari can post round 2 actions when ready. Izzy, starting Inspire Courage is a standard action, so we will pretend we didn't see that attack roll. I will assume you keep it running (free action) through combats, unless you specifically say otherwise, or run out of uses.

Round one
Thoroughly disappointed with what he knows of these things Ari still relays it. "Sin spawn. Created things out of history. No known weakness and they resist magic. Their claws look nasty, but the bite is worse. The bite will attack your mind, making you think on things you may have done in the past that you regret. It'll split your focus and make it hard to continue fighting!"

Round two
Not wanting to get in the way he readies his bow and tries to hit the one in the rear.
attack shortbow: 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 4 + 1 = 21
confirm?: 1d20 + 4 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 4 - 4 + 1 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
damage if crit confirmed?: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

I will bot for Grod tomorrow if we don't see a post before then.

Never fear!

Grod hustles to join the others, hurdling Izzy and barely sliding past Tot in the process.

Double move. Darned 20 foot move speed. Gotta get me some mithril or something.

What the Hell is That? - Round 1 - concluded

Inspire Courage active, +1 to attacks/dmg

25 Ari
19 Red Creature (4hp dmg)
18 Garen
17 Blue Creature
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

Grod rushes up to join the others in the fray, and considers the wisdom of keeping the slow-moving heavy hitter at the back of the marching order.

End of Round 1

What the Hell is That? - Round 2

Inspire Courage active, +1 to attacks/dmg

25 Ari
19 Red Sinspawn (4hp dmg)
18 Garen
17 Blue Sinspawn
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

Ari draws and fires at the Red Sinspawn, scoring a direct hit, though it is not enough to bring down the aberration.

Red Sinspawn attack Garen, the only one it can easily reach, with bite and both claws. The toothy maw and the first claw are turned aside by the champion, but the second claw slashes his neck but its just a minor wound.

Garen takes 4hp dmg and is at 18/22hp. He is up now.

Red Bite vs Garen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Red claw 1 vs Garen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Red Claw 2 vs Garen: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22 hit
Slashing Dmg vs Garen: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

"Take heart and hold the line. We'll send these spawn back to the hell from which they came." Garen says as he hacks at the creature that just clawed him.

falcata: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 1 = 15
dmg: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

What the Hell is That? - Round 2 - continued

Inspire Courage active, +1 to attacks/dmg

25 Ari
18 Garen (18/22hp remain)
17 Blue Sinspawn
11 Tot
8 Isidiana
6 Grod

Garen encourages his allies, and stabs at the sinspawn with his falcata. The blow is a mortal one, indeed sending this horror back to the hell it came from.

Blue Sinspawn continues on, seemingly indifferent to the fate of its colleague. It makes a series of bite and claw attacks at Isidiana, always a critic apparently. After slashing the bard, the aberration steps back a bit, cutting off any attempt to surround it.

Isidiana takes 4hp dmg from a claw, and is at 11/15hp. Tot, Izzy, and Grod are up to end round 2. Ari and Garen can post for round 3, but they will be adjudicated after.

Blue bite vs Izzy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Blue claw 1 vs Izzy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Blue claw 2 vs Izzy: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22 hit
Slashing dmg vs Izzy: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Longsword(Power Attack, Inspire Courage, 2-handed) v. Blue Sinspawn: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 - 1 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 3 = 10

Tot slams her emotions into iron chains of self-control after seeing Izzy take a hit. She steps up in the monsters face as the flames in her eyes grow cold. The icy veneer of calm is enough to steady her hands and her movements as she drives forward with a powerful thrust of her sword.

Grod moves forward, moving past Tot to divide the spawn's attention between himself, Garen, and Tot. Then he attacks, his axe rising from a low guard toward the creature's chest.

Attack, Greataxe: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 2 = 18
Greataxe: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

What the Hell is That? - Round 2 - concluded

25 Ari
18 Garen (18/22hp remain)
17 Blue Sinspawn
11 Tot
8 Isidiana(11/15hp remain)
6 Grod

Between the two of them, Tot and Grod slash and skewer the remaining aberration, killing it mercilessly and ending the fight.

End of Combat

Garen and Izzy have minor wounds down 6 and 4hp respectively. Not sure any spells or items were used up as part of this fight, other than a round of Bardic Performance and Ari firing one arrow. We are not tracking XP exactly, but this encounter was worth about 300xp per player or about 10% of the way to next level-ish.

”Let’s check this cave for any clues as to what these things were doing here. After that, it appears we have two ways we can go, I’d recommend we go to the right.”

Ari moves up to examine the bodies. He'd only seen badly drawn pictures in books, and they didn't do these creatures justice.... "I wonder. Maybe I should learn to draw properly? The books aren't really valid for these things. Oh. Not really important Garen, but these things aren't from Hell, or the Abyss. They are created things. The Thassilonian arch-mages used what they called their sin magic to create these. Supposedly absorbed the power of people's sin and used it? I've read about it but don't really understand it. Zorlen might have. Each school of power was different of course...." He turns one body over to study the backside of it. "These things can't have been here for the thousands of years since the wizards died though. ?? There must be something here. A magical device that still has power to create these. We need to find it, study it, and if possible, destroy it!"

He moves ahead to take a peek at the tunnels.

Tot shivers as she hears Ari describe what these monsters supposedly are, or were, she guesses, but her attention is focused on Izzy. She likes the gnome, and that Izzy got hurt because she wasn't focused enough to kill it before it could do so gnaws at her. After a moment, she kneels down next to Izzy and tries to look her in the eyes, only to fail as she starts to stammer out her apology.

"I--I'm s-sorry, I-Izzy. I-I--I should--I should have been better," she says quietly as her tail writhes like a snake over coals about her legs and waist.

"Are you kidding? I am going to have some amazing scars from this! How dramatic is that going to be?" the gnome looks at her wound excitedly "I tell the story, folks don't believe me, and what do I say? Then how did I get 'these' and show them? HA!"

Tot blinks in surprise as she sits back on her heels.

"Buh--Whu--Doesn't it hurt," she blurts out in a rush.

"Of course it hurts, life hurts. Stubbing my toe hurts. Listening to two drunk dwarves sing together a love song about a lost hammer BADLY, that hurts. But while no one wants to hurt all the time, life is to be savored, and just like sour can make you appreciate sweet, a little hurt makes you treasure the positive things. Those who have never dwelt in darkness never really appreciate a sunrise." The gnome says with a smile, "We gnomes drink in experience like you might drink in various wines. Bitter dregs make you appreciate the good stuff."

Tot gives Izzy a goggle-eyed stare as the young tiefling tries to wrap her head around what Izzy just said. After a moment, all Tot can do is shake her head in disbelief.

"But it should have been me that got hurt, not you," she mutters under her breath, more loudly than she realizes since she doesn't mean for anyone else to overhear.

"Don't be so selfish," The Gnome pokes Tot lightly in the thigh, "You cannot protect all the party all the time, if you could why would I wear armor? or clothes? We shall all take our lumps, earn our scars and more. Why what if a harpy sang to bespell you but you resisted, should I protest that you should have let me counter song before you tried to use your own willpower? 'I' should have dodged better perhaps? Either way, it's in the past. Don't beat yourself up ,Tot. Those scars aren't glorious at all." She smiles, "Tot, focus on the now and the future, not the five minutes ago."

"Dispatching them to hell was as much a declaration of my intent as it was a figure of speech. They have been destroyed and that was the point. Now, let's see what is around this next corner." Garen says and steps around the corner of the next tunnel to see if there are more monsters there.

You state Garen is down 6 pts but you list his HP as 18/22 which is only 4. It looks like red only hit me for 4.

"I'll try," Tot promises, though from her expression, it's clear she's still beating herself up.

You state Garen is down 6 pts but you list his HP as 18/22 which is only 4. It looks like red only hit me for 4.

You are right, 4 it is, my fault

There is nothing of further interest that you find in the rest of the oval-shaped chamber, except the corpses of the sin-based creatures. Moving to the tunnels that remain, you can go west or north.

To the west, the cavern-like tunnel continues for about 40' but those with darkvision can see that after that the surfaces changes to worked stone, maybe a junk-filled chamber and a door -- its hard to tell exactly.

To the north, the natural cavern continues about 10' wide and at the edge of you vision, you think you see a branch to the west, and the tunnel continues to the north as well.

Map updated, hopefully you can see it easily.

i believe you meant east and north.

”I think we should take this first tunnel to the right and see what that worked stone is about.”

Ari nods and leads, looking for anything dangerous.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

The gnome trails after Erridon and keeps her ears open.

"Don't be so selfish," The Gnome pokes Tot lightly in the thigh, "You cannot protect all the party all the time, if you could why would I wear armor? or clothes?

Grod turns and cocks an eyebrow. He's not sure that he wants to ask what Tot would be doing that would mean Izzy didn't need to wear clothes. And anyway, that image may or may not have caused him to miss the rest of the conversation.

Tot hustles to catch up with Ari and Izzy, not wanting them to be alone if something bad should come out of shadows to attack them.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20