JD's Abomination Vaults

Game Master Jack Daniels

Round 2: Mac

Mac grunts in pain at the damage of the fey's claw attack. He attacks the flanked fey. "Thanks for the flank, cuz!"

◆Rage
Attack vs. off-guard AC: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29...missed a crit by 1!
Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 2 = 12
Attack vs. off-guard AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15...miss
Temp hps: 6
AC: 19

Hagrym keeps the creature flanked with his cousin. He then swings his hammer at it again. He raises his shield after his swing.

Attack versus off guard AC 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Damage 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Garidan grapples the creature. Pen's attack lands, inflicting 18 damage, followed by Mac for 12 and Hagrym for 6. Total damage: 61.

Round 3: Lurker in Light
They fey tries to escape Garidan's grapple.
◆Escape vs. DC 18 Athletics DC: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19 --- success!
◆The fey creature realizes it is almost dead to it tries to fly away, setting off a reaction strike from Mac.
Mac's Reaction attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30 --- crit!
Damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 x2 + 1d12 ⇒ 1 = 25 damage!
Mac kills the creature as it tries to fly away. Combat over.

In the room, after the combat, you find:

*Iron key bearing a defaced symbol of Aroden between two chair cushions.
*A slender volume called Ineffable Hauntings tucked inside of a larger book about ghosts. This volume contains the formula for the create undead ritual to create poltergeists. It also contains a detailed, academic analysis of the ghostly weapon spell. A character who can cast 3rd-level arcane or occult spells can use these notes to retrain a 3rd-level spell they know into ghostly weapon with only 1 day of downtime. A wizard can simply transcribe this spell into their spellbook. This book is worth 20 gp.
*1 Bulk of books to give to Morlibint.

From this room, there are 2 doors: one to the north which leads to a washroom, with nothing of interest and a door to the south, which leads to stairs heading to the lower level.

Places left to explore:
N and S doors from room with mist elemental.
Western Secret door in central room and southern door.
Southern door from hallway to Rosk's room.
Eastern door in main library.
Northern corridor from main library.
Which way next?

How long is Jon blinded for?

While moving out of the room and picking up his lantern, Garidan suggests: "There was a hallway leading to a door from the tattoo guy's office. Let's head there next."

Penflower is happy with his findings. He pats Mac on the back for a job well done and makes sure to get all the writings.

He agrees with Garidan to go the tattoo artist's office and leads the group there.

”Hold your horses, everyone. This one still can’t see a foot in front of him,” Hagrym grumbles, jabbing a thumb in Jon’s direction. ”Lets get him situated and then get going…”

Medicine check to maybe give some answers. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

How long is Jon blinded for?

Apologies, lol. You were blinded for a minute and then your sight came back.

You head south from Rosk's office and find that the door to the south opens onto solid stone. From your past experience, you remember finding an elevator on the upper floor and you presume that the elevator lowers and opens in this area.

Where to?
N and S doors from room with mist elemental.
Western Secret door in central room and southern door in the same room.
Eastern door in main library.
Northern corridor from main library.

The map is confusing to me. It says C6 is where we fought the mist elly, but I don't see C6 on the map. I'd say go west in the big round room.

Pen, I understand your comment. Unfortunately, I cannot show the full map without exposing undiscovered areas. For now, we will have to rely on theater of the mind with regard to the map.

Going west in the big circular room leads to a secret door, which opens to reveal:

The walls of this circular chamber are decorated with intricate, intertwining runes and shapes carved into deep into the sone and filled with dull, silvery metal. The floor and ceiling are polished to a reflective sheen.

You have run into 2-3 similar rooms, one on each level. You have previously deduced that this must be some type of teleportation room, but you still have not figured out how to activate them.

Where to next?

Mac would have asked Hagrym for his auto-heal check after the last fight against the Lurker. After 10 minutes, Mac would be fully healed. Mac comments, "It seems the denizens of this place most likely used these portals to move between levels. Wonder how? Something arcane related I am sure."

"Since the southern door probably leads to more ghoul reinforcements, since that was where Rosk was headed, I say we go to the northern corridor from the main library. My 2 cents."

Hagrym nodded. The group had to clean out this whole level, so hitting the northern hallway was fine by him. ”Anyone else need to be patched up? No telling when we run into another of those super ghouls again…”

"The northern corridor is a fine next target," Jon says, still rubbing his eyes periodically in response to his minute-long blindness.

You follow the northern corridor 40' to a door in the eastern wall. The corridor continues west into darkness. Within 60' of your current location, you see no doors down the western corridor. You try the eastern door and it is locked. You try the different keys in your inventory and the iron key you just found with the defaced symbol of Aroden unlocks the door.

Shelves with books line the walls, while what appears to be a partially completed—or perhaps partially ruined—sculpture of a sprawling city sits atop a five-foot-diameter circular table.

What do you do?

Garidan casually checks the covers of the books. Maybe he recognizes some. of the writing or picturing. Similarly, he wonders what city is sculptured on the table.

As Garidan enters the room, he hears a noise in the NE part of the room as sculpture of wood carved to resemble Belcorra comes to life to attack!

Initiative:
Wooden Belcorra: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Garidan: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Hagrym: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Jon: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Mac: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Pen: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Order: Hagrym, Wooden Belcorra, then rest of party.

there really should be a benefit of rolling a Nat 20 on initiative...

Not knowing anything about this sort of creature, Hagrym casts Protection on his cousin before Mac wades into battle.

+1 to AC and STs for Mac.

there really should be a benefit of rolling a Nat 20 on initiative...

I'll buy that argument! Garidan can act first. I will assume you will use one action to RK for weaknesses. 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 --- The creature is actually a wood golem - vulnerable to shape wood spell and will be negatively harmed by fire. You have your other 2 actions.

Garidan walks into the room, staying just far enough away to have the golem in reach of his whip. When he slashes and makes his arcane symbols with his lantern, he also superheats his whip with his lanterns fire.

◆Scorpion Whip: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Slashing and Fire Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Round 1: Golem

The wood golem of Belcorra flicks his wrist and a splinter of wood flies at Garidan!
◆Ranged attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35...critical!
Damage: 2d4 + 8 ⇒ (2, 2) + 8 = 12 x 2= 24 damage!
It then ◆steps to punch him!
◆Fist attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18 --- miss!

Rest of Party is up!

Into the Fray Jon draws his pistol◇ and whip◇.

Jon strides into the room◇ (free via Into the Fray), activates◆ the acid round in his pistol and fires◆ at the golem.

+1 Double-Barreled Pistol (rng. 30'): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
P/Concussive + Precision Damage + 1 acid splash: 1d4 + 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + (2) + 1 = 4

Then he fires the second barrel◆.

+1 Double-Barreled Pistol -5 MAP (rng. 30'): 1d20 + 12 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 12 - 5 = 16
P/Concussive + Precision Damage: 1d4 + 1d4 ⇒ (3) + (4) = 7

Round 1: Mac

Thanking Grym for the buff, Mac uses Sudden Charge to move twice into flank and attack the golem.
◆Rage
◆◆Sudden Charge: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 2 = 8
AC: 20
+6 temporary hit points

I will give Pen until tomorrow to post and will then move on.

Ow Garidan, take cover!

Penflower moves in and swings his sword making it ablaze.

Stride, Spellstrike with Ignite

Spellstrike: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 241d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Fire damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 2) = 5

"I caught a splinter!" Garidan covers his pain with a laugh and ◆ retreats behind Pen.

◆◆ Take out and drink minor healing potion Healing: 1d8 ⇒ 7

The golem uses its reaction when struck by Mac to strike back as a jagged, sizable splinter of wood lances out at the dwarf, but misses!

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17

When Pen's flaming sword makes contact with the golem, the fire combusts inflicting great damage!
Pen's attack deals 7 physical damage and 4d8 ⇒ (4, 5, 8, 7) = 24 fire damage.

Recap of Round 1:
Hagrym cast Protection.
Garidan moved up and missed with his whip.
The golem struck back for 24 damage and moved adjacent to Garidan.
Jon's bullet landed inflicting only 1 persistent acid damage, but the whip missed. The golem has DR, as its wooden "skin" is tough to penetrate.
Mac's warpick landed but inflicted only 3 damage.
Pen's attack inflicted 7 physical damage and 24 fire damage.
Total damage to golem in Round 1: 35.

Jon is up in Round 2.

If it's taking persistent acid damage, doesn't the golem get a flat check at the end of its turn to see if it continues?

Jon frowns at his pistol and steps◆ forward into whipping range. He uses a reloading strike◆ loading a cold round into his barrel.

+1 Whip: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
S Damage, nonlethal: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

He strikes◆ once more with little hope of hitting to load a life shot round into the second barrel.

+1 Whip -5 MAP: 1d20 + 10 - 5 ⇒ (2) + 10 - 5 = 7
S Damage, nonlethal: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Completely forgot the persistent save. Thanks, Jon.

Round 2: Wood Golem
The golem is not a dumb creature and realizes that Pen is the most dangerous adversary for his use of fire so it focuses its attacks on him.

1st Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24...hit
Damage: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (4, 7) + 8 = 19
Pem uses his reaction to shield block and reduce the damage to 14 damage, thereby breaking the shield.
2md Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20..hit
Damage: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (7, 7) + 8 = 22 --- Pen drops to Dying 1.
3rd attack on Mac: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 --- misses!
Persistent save vs. DC 15: 1d20 ⇒ 16 --- success!

Party is up! The golem has DR 5 vs. physical attacks.

Round 2: Mac

Though he is raging, Mac realizes that his attacks will not win the battle. With Pen down, Garidan and his flaming whip is the group's best option.

◆Athletics check to trip the Golem vs. Reflex DC: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26..if successful, it is prone.
Prone: You're lying on the ground. You are off-guard and take a –2 circumstance penalty to attack rolls. The only move actions you can use while you're prone are Crawl and Stand. Standing up ends the prone condition.
◆Attack vs. off-guard AC: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8...miss!
◆Attack vs. off-guard AC: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11
AC: 20

Jon and Garidan should switch places to help me get flank when it stands up.

The golem falls prone, as Mac trips it.
Total damage on golem: 42.

Did my first whip attack get through? I rolled a 29 for 6 damage, so after DR that should either have dealt 1 or, if it critted, 7 damage.

Ouch.

Flat check DC 11: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Did my first whip attack get through? I rolled a 29 for 6 damage, so after DR that should either have dealt 1 or, if it critted, 7 damage.

Zero damage, it is immune to nonlethal attacks.

Waiting on Hagrym and Garidan.

Garidan starts round 3

Garidan grabs his Scroll of Bless and casts it. It looks like reading the newspaper.

Sorry, guys. Real busy week over here.

Hagrym double moves to Pen’s side and uses a 2nd level heal spell on him.

Heal 2d8 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3

Garidan, I missed it when you drank the healing potion, but you have the lantern in one hand and the scorpion whip in the other. So to take the scroll out or have drunk the potion last round, you need to have dropped the lantern or the whip. Which one?

Round 3 Jon frowns at his whip and looks at Garidan's. "Maybe I should get one of those." Then, seeing Pen's plight and small healing so far, he says, "Hold still. I got a healing round, so this won't hurt a bit."

Jon activates◆ and fires◆ his life shot round at Pen. (Pen is off-guard if (as I'm assuming) he is willing to be hit by the "attack." Edit: Actually since he's prone, he'd be off-guard regardless.)

+1 Double-Barreled Pistol (rng. 30'): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19
Healing: 1d4 ⇒ 3

That will hit since he is off-guard (AC 20->18) and his shield was broken.

Then he fires◆ his other barrel at the golem.
+1 Double-Barreled Pistol -5 MAP (rng. 30'): 1d20 + 12 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 12 - 5 = 19
P/Concussive + Precision Damage: 1d4 + 1d4 ⇒ (3) + (4) = 7

@Mac I have reach with my whip so we already are flanking against the golem right now. Unless having an ineffective weapon doesn't count towards flanking. I guess that would be up to @GM.

That is true for the potion, but not for the Scroll. I can draw and cast scrolls with my implement-holding hand. I dropped the whip for the potion, though

Nice job with the healing shot, Jon! I did not expect that. Also, yes, I would rule that you still provide flanking with your whip. Since you have been healed, Pen, you can now act before the golem. You are prone and your sword is on the floor. So to stand and pick up your sword, it is two actions.

Thanks Garidan for the clarification.

Sorry, guys. Real busy week over here.

Hagrym double moves to Pen’s side and uses a 2nd level heal spell on him.

Heal 2d8

why not use the two-action version, which saves striding and heals 2d8+16?

Speaking of tactics...Garidan, Mac did drop the golem prone specifically so you could fire whip it 2-3x (see his post). Curious as to why you decided to cast Bless instead...

Penflower gets up and picks up his sword. Then, he moves away from the golem to recover. He says "Thanks guys, I need a sec and I'll rejoin the fray."

Mac tripped the golem and inflicted some damage.
Jon healed Pen but missed his shot.
Hagrym healed Pen.
Garidan cast Bless.
Pen woke up, gathered his belongings, and moved away at Wounded 1.

Round 3: Golem
The golem stands up and provokes a reaction from Mac. Please post so I can continue with its other 2 actions.

Mac tripped the golem and inflicted some damage.
Jon healed Pen but missed his shot.
Hagrym healed Pen.
Garidan cast Bless.
Pen woke up, gathered his belongings, and moved away at Wounded 1.

Round 3: Golem
The golem stands up and provokes a reactive strike from Mac. Please post so I can continue with its other 2 actions.

Yeah, Garidan, I tripped him to make him easier to hit so so you could burn him! Oh well...

Mac's reactive strike, which takes place after the golem stands in the flanked position:
Attack with Bless vs. off-guard: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 = 32 --crit, right?!
Damage: 1d12 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 = 7
I am going to use Hero Point on that damage to re-roll it
Damage: 1d12 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 = 16 x2 + 1d12 ⇒ 9 = 41 damage. Even with DR that is respectable.

Mac lands a powerful critical on the golem. causing several pieces of wood to fall off. Total damage: 78.

The wood golem stands and launches 4 Splinters from its body, one each at Garidan, Jon, Mac, and Pen, drawing blood on 3 of its opponents!

◆ ◆ Splinter Volley:
Attack vs. Garidan: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20 --- hit
Damage: 2d4 + 8 ⇒ (3, 3) + 8 = 14
Attack vs. Jon: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26 --- hit
Damage: 2d4 + 8 ⇒ (2, 3) + 8 = 13
Attack vs. Mac: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25 --- hit
Damage: 2d4 + 8 ⇒ (4, 1) + 8 = 13
Attack vs. Pen: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17 --- miss!

Party is up!