Statice Blue 'Staci' Portrow's page

Staci watches for a moment, but sees little threatening despite it's bluster. She shrugs, "May Gozreh's power deliver you to Pharasma's judgement."

Lightning arc ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4 ... damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

INit: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"I don't like it either. It doesn't seem natural. We could fire into the smoke." Staci steps in front of the door with her shield and pitchfork ready.

"YOU in the room. Show yourself."

I propose a ranged strike. Staci can use her lightning touch attack and still be ready to defend with shield and trident.

Staci raises her shield and levels her pitchfork, but doesn't enter the room yet.

"I think we want to go down, but let's try the door first. I don't want any surprises behind us."

"All right. Roldare stays." Staci shrugs. " Let's get moving again."

I say start in the beetle room with the door.

Staci considers. "We are going to keep looking. I wouldn't leave her here. But if something happens to us, he'll be as good as dead here and her too. If he goes back to town he could get back here with help in three or four days. Even if something happens to us Dimira will still have a chance."

Not planning to give him a choice.

Stairs and a door in the beetle room.

Staci wakes and prays before eating her cold breakfast. She talks with her companions quietly while Roldare gibbers in a corner.

"Roldare is useless here. Do you think that he could make it to town alone? It will get him out of the way and may ease his mind. I would be happier if I knew help might arrive in a few days."

+1 hp for resting!

We'll see what the others say. We've got 2 potions of CLW left, but Staci's out of decent spells. Channels in plenty are good for undead hunting. I think my vote is rest.

Staci composes herself and summons the power of life again, letting it build up and then wash out of her.

Last channel: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Perfect!

Then she focuses on Qina.

burn bless for CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Gurcich, hit it again to make sure it's dead."

Staci drops to a knee beside Qina and looks her over quickly. By Gozreh's power she can still be saved.

Drawing upon the god of nature, she radiates the power of life.

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 3 Everyone who's hurt can get in on it.

Staci -- 6 hp. 1 channel, bless, calm animals remaining.

And we have 2 potions of CLW. Calm animals is a domain spell so she can't use that for CLW.

And it's all up to Gurcich....

Staci desperately drives the pitchfork at the beetle again.

Pitchfork, flank: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 = 14 .... damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Edit: Sugar! I just realized that I should have healed Qina. She's guaranteed to put it down. But that would be using meta-knowledge. So yeah, I was nobly ignoring the OOC knowledge. That's the ticket, I was nobly ignoring the OOC knowledge.

Seriously, I'm not ignoring Qina. I just thought that healing her with CLW before killing the beetle would still leave us both vulnerable. I can't channel because I'll heal the beetle too.

Corsario, I thought you said Gurcich would be a melee monster with that staff? :-)

Staci steps back raises the pitchfork overhead and drives it toward the beetle again.

Pitchfork: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18.... damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Corsario, condolences on the poor attack rolls. The dice will turn around for him.

Saved mine for later. Odds were 4/8 that I'd waste healing if I drank it right away.

Oops.

Reflex save: 1d20 ⇒ 20

hp 3/12

Staci charges in to drive her pitchfork at the beetle.

Charge. End in square opposite Stefan.

Pitchfork, charge: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 2 = 21 .... damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Seeing the giant beetle, Staci whispers hoarsely in a voice like sand rubbing on rough steel, "Close the door Stefan. We'll not save Dimira with this fight."

With Roldare

"You can't leave the crossbow in his hands. He's daft enough to shoot us again. I'll take it just so no one gets hurt."

Staci will leave her heavy non-combat kit with Roldare however. She takes one of the potions and stashes it in her belt pouch.

If Stefan wants it that's fine too. Staci's not going to leave it with the hair trigger cobbler.

Closest door. We can't leave an unsecured area close to Roldare.

At the door.

Staci hefts her pitchfork and gets ready for whatever is behind the door.

Staci glowers at the cobbler throughout his interview with Qina. "Witless git," she mutters to Gurcich and Stefan. No doubt her opinion is influenced by the crossbow bolt which sliced her shoulder.

When Roldare asks them to stay the night, Staci's scowl deepens. "You think your sister is in danger, but you counsel rest. We'll lose hours." She turns from him.

"What do you all think?"

"Enough of this!" Staci reaches for a piece of the barricade. "Stop that in there. Something's gone wrong and your friends are all dead."

Strength check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

She wrenches a piece of the barricade aside.

"I'll go back and get the saddle from the horse. Maybe we can jam the door open."

"I think we must throw the switches together, then hurry through the door before it closes. I will take the door because I am slow in this armor but strong. I may be able to hold it open. Qina should take the closest switch."

And I repeat my query about a saddle.

"I think it does, Stefan. If we get the door open, it probably closes again quickly. We will have to hurry."

Corsario, was there a saddle on the dead horse?

Staci takes Stefan's rope and lowers one end down to Qina. She wraps the other end around her waist and plants her feet wide.

"Come on up out of there."

I'm hoping Stefan or Gucich have some rope. How rough are the sides of the pit? Can she just try to climb out?

DOH! I have rope! It was part of the gear I bought her before the game. I tagged it as 'at home' when we started because she wouldn't have brought it to see the mayor. But surely she would have brought her stuff for a camping trip. With our DM's kind indulgence, I will change that 'at home' status.

The Maze of Pits

This large chamber contains a maze of pillars that obscure the far side of the room. Next to the door is a pile of empty saddlebags and three brooms.
[dice=DM Roll]1d5
There are a host of hidden pit traps scattered throughout this room. Qina is the first to discover them!
She screams an stumbles into it... falling in a group of pillows at the bottom.
[dice=Non Lethal Damage]1d6
** spoiler omitted **
The door leading out of this chamber to the south is locked with a complex mechanism that is very difficult to pick (Disable Device DC 30).
Also there are three small switches around the room (marked with an S on the map).
The wailing that could be heard in the entrance chamber is much louder in this chamber and appears to be coming from the door to the south.
Cambat Map

Staci frowns. "The pillows! They were bringing the pillows. The pit is part of the town's ceremony."

Then she kneels down at the pit's edge. "Qina, we've got to get you out of there. Has anyone got some rope?"

How deep's the pit?

By tacit agreement, Staci follows 10 feet behind Qina with shield and pitchfork in hand.

Staci and Qina also receive a bonus for extra distance.

Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (18) - 3 = 15

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Staci frowns and nods. "Maybe we should go back to town and get help...."

Gurcich and Karvili would have gotten the benefit of the two channels (6 hp) also if they were within 30'.

No one knows local?

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Staci stares at the gear. "What is it with the blunted arrows?"

"You're welcome. We probably wouldn't have survived those wolves without you, and someone probably would have gotten hurt worse here too. Everyone pulls their weight."

Staci looks at the skeletons. "The horses. These skeletons. I can't believe anyone in town knows about them. Something's going on here that's not part of the ceremony."

Magic remaining: Two channels. One useful spell and one useless domain spell that I should have tried against the wolves.

Staci rushes forward and drops onto her knees next to Stefan. The pitchfork clatters to the ground. Calling on Gozreh she holds her holy symbol out.

Channel to heal: 1d6 ⇒ 1 Edit: Nice.

Channel to heal: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Staci pitches the scimitar blade away with a sweep of her shield and again drives her pitchfork forward. This time at the skeleton's head.

Trident: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 .... damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Edit: If only she could hit.

"Stefan!"

Staci lets the holy symbol drop back to her breast and drags her shield from right to left to sweep the skeleton's arm out of the way. Then she drives her pitchfork at the skeleton's ribs.

Trident: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 .... damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Let's hope G's Q-staff scores big.

Staci feels the bones crunch beneath her feet as she steps forward. She slips her trident into the hand holding her shield and grasps her holy symbol in her free hand. She holds her holy symbol high.

"Gozreh send you all to judgement."

Step forward onto one of the skeleton corpses to block the doorway. Channel.

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 2 DC 12 Will save for half.

She shifts the trident back to her right hand and awaits the skeleton's charge.

Staci readies her shield and trident. She leaves her holy symbol dangling from a lanyard around her neck.

Are we going to charge in or try to lure them out? Can we use the door to gate them?

"I think you did the right thing. We know the skeletons would chase you out here and now Gurcich and I won't be surprised. We might even be able to set a trap for them. Gozreh might be able to help...."

Staci pulls out her leaf-shaped holy symbol and her expression goes slowly vacant as she looks at it.

Know(religion) Skeleton traits: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4 No info there.

A moment later she shakes herself from the reverie. "I think I could focus a little of Gozreh's raw power to harm them, but I've never done it before. "

I think shooting them is a good idea. Stefan could retreat past Gurcich and Staci on either side of the door so we might get readied attacks and AoO if they give chase. We could possibly use the door cut some off. Which way does the door open. Alternatively we could barge in and try to catch as many as possible in a channel.

Heal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 The heal check DC is only 10. Anyone can take a crack at it.
Percept: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Staci looks at the bones. "Did the horse just happen to fall on top of an old skeleton? How likely is that? There's something fishy going on."

Looking all around, she hobbles toward the cave mouth. "Qina, Stefan, be very careful. Will you need torches?"

Backing up a bit to the aftermath of the fall.

Staci gratefully accepts the crutch. She smiles back at Qina. "I think I can manage with this. ~waves the crutch~ If it gets bad, we'll try to splint it."

To the cave

Staci frowns and prods a dead horse. "This isn't some cheap trick to scare us. It's too real."

Any clue how long the animals have been dead? How did they die? Nice clean throat cutting, many weapon blows, or big bites?

Staci collapses at the bottom of the ravine and clutches her ankle. A small whimpering sound seeps from her.

"I wish I weren't. This really hurts."

She draws a deep breath and concentrates. "Gozreh spare me. Healing warmth spreads from her fingers into the ankle.

Cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Acrobatics,slow: 1d20 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) - 3 + 2 = 5
Acrobatics,slow: 1d20 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) - 3 + 2 = 5
Acrobatics,slow: 1d20 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) - 3 + 2 = 12

Staci slings her shield across her back and tries to move carefully down the slope, but her foot slides out from under her.

Ref save 1: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Ref save 2: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Staci stabs again to make sure the wolf stays down. "Stupid, wolf. I told you we were not prey."

Then she straightens up and looks at Stefan. She drifts back toward the female carcass and kneels beside it.

"I suppose that pelt would make a fine cape. If we can get it off intact. I've never skinned a wolf."

She looks around again piecing the battle together in her mind.

"Stefan! She must have been right on my heels!"

Staci pulls him into a quick hug. Although well-meant, it's probably not pleasant. She's strong and squeezing hard, and covered in steel links of mail. And the dagger hilt at her belt jabs into his stomach.

"Give me a moment!"

So an AoO?

When the wolf wheels away Staci she stabs the pitchfork at its flank.

Trident: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16 ... Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

If no AoO Staci will give chase and throw the trident after the wolf. -3 on that attack.

Nice attacks there, Ira.

Sorry for delaying. Work piled up.

Staci charges forward to force one of the wolves away from Qina. She drives her pitchfork toward the wolf's eyes and jaws.

"You were hungry! Try eating this!"

Trident: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20 ... Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 20 x3

"NO! I want to kill the treacherous sons of b~%!+es." Staci grabs up her pitchfork.

"Qina, lookout!" But the Halfling is already moving away from the danger.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Looks like we've got the jump on them. Surprise or regular round?

Pitchfork in hand, Staci stalks toward the wolf. She coughs and barks and whistles while brandishing the pitchfork.

Talk with animals. Tell the wolf there's no prey here and look intimidating.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Yeah. That's not working.

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Staci reaches for her pitchfork while she looks where Qina points.

Staci follows Gurcich's lead in the matter of the directions and camping. She's spent enough time in the woods with him to know he doesn't get lost often, and finds the best places to camp.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Once the fire is going she settles in story-telling. Her brothers have all run off adventuring and have returned with many tales. This one is about her brother Griffon.

" ... and then he says, 'It's a hippogriff! Not a hippo, Griff!'" She starts to laugh.

Staci grins, "If we were still kids when we got back we could raid his garden. He has some good looking fall peas. But I guess we'll have to be dignified adults..."