Caverns of Azlantia

Game Master Dread

[ooc]during those few rounds, all dropped weapons are collected.

on the bad guys
2 Masterwork Longswords.
2 suits of scale mail
2 sunrods.
20 torches
30 days worth of trail rations
12 short spears
10 light wooden shields
890 Gold
10 daggers
10 suits of leather.
12 water skins

Urtar finds none of the bad guys can be saved.

After about a minute, Arronus comes back from his chase, his skeletal servant carrying the body of the last deathwalker.

He shakes his head and says "He wasn't willing to surrender. But these guys are a part of some organized bunch. The guys in the building were presumably on watch, and were being relieved by the bunch who came up from down the trail... So their camp is going to figure out pretty quick that something has happened here, when the guys who were being relieved don't come back to camp. We need to get whatever we want from this place, and then get out of here, preferably without leaving a trail, because whomever comes to investigate will probably be loaded for bear..."

Tessai heals some of her wounds with a soft prayer, and a silvery glow emanating from her body.

LoH: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7

That should bring her up to full HP.

"I am ready to continue"

Time: 340 pm. sunset 5:00

The group looks at the pile of gear, the dead bodies. the building, the one door they have not checked. The jungle is silent. What they do know is the scent of death will draw scavengers and the guard change will go noticed when they dont return. What will they take? where will they go?

Tessai grabs some extra rations - "We should head into the main building - if others come, they will probably not follow us inside"

Urtar puts away his weapons and grabs his dropped spear. Then he gathers the group and heals all who suffered some damage.

Channel Energy 1: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8
Channel Energy 2: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

He takes the money and masterwork weapons, then says "I'm not trained to use these, but they are very well made. Should be useful somehow." He also says "I want to take a quick look into that building they marked and were manning. There should be an indication of what they might be doing here."

He also carefully checks the cultist boss Dondo. As a leader, he might have a document or another that could indicate something about the cult's presence. He, then, enters the building where the cultists were. He first checks for traps.

Take 10 on check for traps for a total of 20

Maybe I can retcon and not spend my LoH? :P

that's fair

I hope (and am assuming ) that Urtar waits for Arronus to return before he starts with the channelling.

Arronus stretches after basking in Urtar's channels, enjoying the freedom from pain. He thanks the priest, "Thank you for your blessings", and joins Urtar in checking for traps (his rat familiar aiding him):

Perception, Aid Another, Rat: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 3 + 1 = 26 vs DC 10
3 ranks (master's) +3 trained +1 wis

Perception: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 0 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 3 + 0 + 2 + 4 = 23 and another +2 if aid another succeeds
3 rank +3 trained +0 wis +2 racial +4 Skill Focus

If he doesn't find a trap, he still sends the expendable (skeletal warrior) through first...

Thanks to the defensive magic beforehand, Gideon came out unscathed. ”Thanks for the magical defenses Urtar. Tessai, when you say go into the main building you mean go underground, right?”

Then he goes over the gear and grabs the sunrods and torches. ”Urtar, you mind if I take one of those swords? Would be a handy weapon for close combat.”

Urtar gathers everyone close and with a a couple prayers to the Green positive energy heals everyone of their wounds. He checks the two leaders bodies, and sees noting of note, except both carry holy symbols to Zon Kuthon, where the warriors dont. Then they search the building, first going around the corner, and seeing theres nothing of note. Then after search the door with the symbol on it for traps, they determine its not trapped. Then they open it...its a long staircase going down. 60' down to a hall that turns north.

Active Spells/Conditions
Necromatic Servant- 280 Rounds (Arronus)
Soulbound Puppet- 180 Rounds (Arronus)
Shield of Faith 10 R +2 AC (Deflection-Gideon) AC20
Barkskin 281 Rounds +2 AC (Natural-Gideon) AC22
Bless 12 Rounds +1 Hit and Fear Saves ALL

"Hold up!" Rather than let any signs be trampled, Arronus gets in the way of anyone trying to go down the stairs. He continues "Anybody know enough tracking to tell if there's been anyone down these stairs recently?

Anybody got survival covered as a skill? I'd like to know if there are any tracks going down the stairs, or other signs that the deathwalkers had this door unlocked at sometime...

"Maybe, let's go check it out." Gideon goes over to the stairs with Triari to check for recent tracks.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27

Jenna tries to discern any tracks.

survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

But is unable to make out anything. :(

Gideon looks it over and can tell it's well traveled. Little at all dust.

that's fair

Thanks!

Thanks to the defensive magic beforehand, Gideon came out unscathed. ”Thanks for the magical defenses Urtar. Tessai, when you say go into the main building you mean go underground, right?”

"Correct" - Tessai nodded - "And I would grab one of those swords myself, if you are not using it Urtar?"

Gideon looks it over and can tell it's well traveled. Little at all dust.

Assuming Gideon shares his findings:

"It seems this part is more well traveled than I thought - I still think we should proceed - anyone care to scout ahead?"

Gideon fetches Flash while the others decide who will scout. When he gets back, "Did we have any takers? If not, I'm more than happy to lead the way. There won't be anything stealthy about it. Kind of a recon by force."

Gideon does have a +12 Perception and he has blended vision so he should have a good chance of spotting traps. He won't be disarming anything but spotting he could do.

if the intent is to go down the 60 feet of stairs I want an order of march. single file. make sure to make room for the necromantic servant (who if he is in front cannot speak or alert anyone) and flash. ...the whole party will take up 40 of the 60 feet

Urtar has no problem giving the swords to the people who asked them.

He does not lead the group downwards, and says he can close the line.

Jenna will take one of the short spears as a melee weapon.; Can't use the longsword.

Tessai follows after Gideon, if there is no scout.

Probably best to let Arronus or Jenna lead. We both have trapfinding.

Ok, then Tessai stays in the middle or rear of the group with Urtar.

"Kind of a recon by force"

"Capital! Now that's my kind of recon!" enthused Dr Occellus, "If we do spot any traps I might be able sort them out, well on a good day anway, what!"

With his anytool shifted into thieves tools he has +9 modifier on disable device.

"Ok, stop, strategic question. If there's been a bunch of recent travel on this stair, it's presumably more of the guys who were guarding it up top. So there would be enemies ahead of us. And as mentioned, we're likely going to have a bunch of them coming up behind us, pretty soon. Do we want to go down here and potentially get caught between a rock and a hard place, or should we try to get out into the jungle and approach the ruins from another side?"

"Stop being such a sissy. There's so much movement through here I can't tell how many went in and how many came out. It's possible those who went down, came out and we just killed them. Or, there are things that have come out of here and roamed the jungle and went back and those guys were hiding from it in their building. Either way, I think we could at least find a room to lay up in for the evening and limit the directions from which we could be attacked." Gideon says shaking his head at Triari.

I just realized I have an 8 Charisma so I will try to play it a little bit. Maybe kind of terse. No offense to anyone, just trying to get a handle on the Charisma thing.

Urtar says "If there was someone down there and didn't come up to participate in that last fight, chances are they aren't combatant. I think it's safe to go."

After a brief discussion Arronus starts into the narrow stairway. Followed by his skeletal companion. He can see to the base of the stairs and how the flooring changes from carved stonework to tile. Next Gideon starts down leading flash, while holding his Fauchard in his other hand, carefully maneuvering the stairs. Flash folds his ears back and watches the stairs, hes not liking the descent, but he follows.

Then a head and shoulder pokes out ahead, Its another cultist, at the base of the stairs. Arronus pauses. The straw Rat on Arronus' shoulder sits up and looks at Arronus with an alert.

Flashes ears go up and forward and his nostrils flare. Outside Jenna, Dr. Ocellus, Urkar and Tessai stand waiting. Tessai is looking around watching the jungle.

Ok, I guess it's been decided that we go down... I'm happy with point, but I'd like to make a few changes in how we are doing this... I would like to send the rat ahead as a scout (with it's high stealth)... And Arronus will be sneaking after it.

Also if Tessai is leaving us, I'd like to grab one of the masterwork longswords, rather than have her disappear with it... Also, should we lock the door behind us?

Apologies for not putting this IC; something has come up here, and I will have to come back to it later.

"Whoever's tail end charlie, when we are in, use a couple of those shortspears to brace the door so anyone following us has to break it down to get in."

As he is talking, he send his animated straw rat forward as a scout...

stealth, rat: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 3 + 2 + 4 + 8 = 28
3 ranks (master's) +3 trained +2 dex +4 racial +8 size

Perception, rat: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 3 + 1 = 15
3 ranks (master's) +3 trained +1 wis

He follows after it (trying not to give the game away), after giving it 30' of lead...

stealth, Arronus: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 1 - 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 3 + 2 + 1 - 3 = 21
3 ranks +3 trained +2 Dex+1 trait - 3 ACP

and keeps his eyes peeled for anything the rat missed

Perception, Arronus: 1d20 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 3 + 2 + 4 = 30
3 rank +3 trained +0 wis +2 racial +4 Skill Focus

I'm fine with going down the single stairs I guess. It makes more sense to me to go to the big stairs but perhaps these guys found something interesting.

Outside Dr Ocellus remarked softly to Jenna, Urkar and Tessa "Something tells me this is going to get 'interesting'!"

The little Ratlike creature bade of bone and straw scranbles down from Arronus' shoulder and forward down the stairs as the party creeps forward, with Jenna entering the stairs down as well, then Dr. Ocellus until at the bottom the puppet looks afeared, and Arronus feels the fear through his link, and the puppet comes running back scrambling back up his leg . Arronus is unsure why the little make believe rat would be put off because hey do not share a visual link, just that the rat felt it had to return to let master know there was danger ahead.

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Here is your opportunity to go out and to the main stairs if you wish.

Arronus slips back to the rest of the party and whispers "There's something down there that scares my rat..."

We can stick with the narrow steps.

"Let's have a look see." Gideon says trying to step past Triari unless the elf wants him to hold.

Ive changed the active map to level 1.

We can stick with the narrow steps.

"Let's have a look see." Gideon says trying to step past Triari unless the elf wants him to hold.

Arronus shifts himself to put a shoulder into Gideon's chest, not letting him past, as he waits for the less impatient members of the party to get their say...

Gideon looks down at the elf's shoulder and then back to Triari's face, "You and I are going to have a word about that someday."

Dr Ocellus said, "Something that scares your rat. That could be almost anything. Still if we go down we should expect a fight, but ideally not among ourselves..."

"Yes, let's go down. No need to fight right now. Do you want to take point Triari or shall I?" Gideon says. He will wait a moment for a decision from the elf before pushing past and going down himself. Whether Triari leads or Gideon does he says "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." as they begin to move.

in the narrow passage Gideon shoulders past Arronus bringing Flash with him. and starts down the stairs The Miles nostrils are flaring and his ears flatten. Gideon gets to the turn and looks left seeing 20 feet of hall in the darkness before it drops off into a chasm with a 40 foot long bridge of rope and wood crossing the chasm to another harrow hal on the otherside. A Single Deathwalker is waiting at the rope bridge and as he see's Gideon round the corner, he starts across.

Urtar thinks that this must be a very brave Deathwalker. He whispers to the others "Let's wait until he's across before he sees us."

Having been spotted, Gideon pursues the man.

If an attack can be landed.

fauchard atk, PA: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 8 - 1 = 15
fauchard dmg, PA: 1d10 + 5 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 3 = 10

Gideon runs forward and strikes the man attempting to flee across a wide chasm on a rope bridge. Caused him to almost lose his footing and plummet into the chasm but not quite as he quickly affirmed his grasp.

The next two posters can go before I move the Deathwalker

Active Spells/Conditions
Necromatic Servant- 275 Rounds (Arronus)
Soulbound Puppet- 175 Rounds (Arronus)
Shield of Faith 5 R +2 AC (Deflection-Gideon) AC20
Barkskin 276 Rounds +2 AC (Natural-Gideon) AC22
Bless 7 Rounds +1 Hit and Fear Saves ALL

"It's as dark as a hag's nighty down here..." muttered Doc Occelus as he fumbled to get flint and tinder out of his pouch to light a torch.

That's probably several rounds worth of actions.

Dr. Ocellus Lights a torch.

1 round besides the current ;)

Jenna sighs as the Doctor lights up the area. She moves past him and peers around the corner to see what is happening?

Urtar walks and fires an acid dart at the deathwalker.

Acid dart, touch attack, bless: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 1 = 22
Acid Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

It hits the cultist straight in the back, sizzling his armor and burning his skin.

Can't see his HP in roll20 or combat summary, so can't tell if he falls. Given the last ones had 17 HP and this one took 16 altogether, I suppose he's still up.