Swarm's page

Chronicle is good, thanks :)

day job (craft: alchemy): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Swarm levels his crossbow, ready to shoot.

Move to get a clear shot (if possible), standard to ready: shoot

Swarm levels his crossbow, ready to shoot.

Move to get a clear shot, standard ready action: shoot

"A fascinating display. I would suggest that the azata fragment is possessing you in some fashion. She can only stave off the inevitable for a time before both she and you decay of course."

"I doubt that the trogolodyte survived. Bry-Anne is also likely dead."

I am travelling today, but should be able to post tomorrow :)

Swarm's spell completes, bidding sleep upon the trogolodyte shaman. AoE is a burst so Swarm doesn't need to see the trog, just centre the burst within 10' of him. Will DC17 avoids.

The melted man steps up, and reaches out towards Aoa with his magic.

"Your time will come. But not today."

Cast Stabilise on Aoa.

"It is a vicious beast, but it is only flesh and flesh is weak."

With this pronouncement, Swarm commences spellcasting. Sleep, 1 round cast time.

Swarm ascends the stairs.

know.nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

"An albino cave crocodile. Clearly out of its natural habitat. A creature belonging to the trogolodytes."

Move action.

"The frog is of no interest. We should continue our ascent."

Swarm hands over the scroll that he just examined, to the sound of a muffled croak.

"This must be yours. I trust you are able to use it."

"If you refer to the large trogolodyte, it is dead" Swarm tells the captive. "The reptiles captured you. Inside the tower, or elsewhere?"

Swarm holds on to the healing scroll, but passes the spell of Invisibility to Bry-Anne. "You will likely have more use for this."

Invisibility is not on the Witch list - though Swarm's UMD is high enough he'd have a chance of casting.

Thanks. I think everyone here is in at least one other game with me, but anyway, I am back now.

I will be going to hospital with my daughter tomorrow. We may be in for a week, or we may be back home the same day. I think the hospital will have wi-fi, but my posting opportunities may be somewhat limited.

Please bot me as necessary.

Swarm examines the scrolls. Simultaneously, a dozen sets of arthropod and arachnid eyes peruse the documents - the eyes of some of the multitude that dwell within the melted man - as well as those of another of swarm's inhabitants: a warty toad that pushes its way out of Swarm's mouth and hops down his arm to the vellum pages.

"I could employ either of these spells" Swarm advises "though the invisibility spell will be more difficult to incant. Bry-Anne?"

The toad croaks - insistently.

"If the scrolls remain unused when our exploration is concluded, we would consume the healing scroll and absorb its power for later use."

The toad nods emphatically. Satisfied, it pushes its way back inside Swarm's mouth and vanishes down the magic-user's gullet.

Slides is saying I need permission to access, which wasn't the case previously.

Swarm looses a crossbow bolt - not in expectation of actually hitting the trogolodyte, but simply to sustain the threat against the monster.

xbow, into melee: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 - 4 = 4damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1
I expect a Cover penalty will also apply, but can't see map just now.

Fort vs sicken: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 4 = 24

His artificial body being resistant to the toxins that afflict weak creatures of flesh, Swarm calmly focuses his will upon the large troglodyte before stepping away to allow AoO and Bry-Anne to confront the beast.

Cast Daze at the big fella, Will DC16 avoids (assuming not more than 4HD)

The troglodytes separate, and from his vantage point at the back of the party Swarm sees only the reptilian headed for the door to the right. That troglodyte finds it suddenly prefers to take a restful nap...

Swarm can centre the area effect of the Sleep spell ten feet behind Black so as to only catch the trog. Unless it has more than 4HD, it must pass a DC17 Will save or fall asleep for one minute.

After his spell completes, Swarm steps into the room.

Fort vs sicken: 1d20 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 4 = 19

And if any troglodytes still stand, Swarm launches another simple spell.

Daze, Wil DC16, vs the nearest standing trog.

Beleg, you rolled a threat :)

"The troglodytes' numbers increase. I have a spell useful for dealing with masses of the weak-minded."

From his position in the rear, Swarm begins casting a Sleep spell.

1 round cast time, so will complete just before his next turn. I'll specify the spell point of origin then.

"Your aim was flawless, Beleg."

Swarm pockets his acid flask and followers the summoner and her shade.

know.nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 special attacks, special defences please

"Beleg's attack mode is optimal. There are too many for single quarrels to prove efficacious."

Swarm approaches, and withdraws an acid grenade of his own.

That's two move actions for Swarm.

Whilst Beleg works the lock, Swarm asks "Bry-Anne, Nuwa, do either of you wish to hold the scrolls? If not, I have sufficient facility with magic to attempt the castings if needed."

"What of you, Aoa?" Swarm adds after a moment's pause. "Have you any facility with magic?"

Swarm studies the scrolls briefly.

Spellcraft Take 10 for 20

"I concur. The other scroll holds a Shatter spell. Nethys the Protector, and Nethys the Destroyer. He too shall wither away to nothing in the End, the Destroyer destroyed."

Assuming Beleg destroys red:

Swarm steps away, taking a position between Bry-Anne and Beleg, and looses a bolt.

x-bow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

"I have little of use against undead, save for a spell better used to repair the living."

know.religion (untrained): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

"They did not burn their own" Swarm states flatly. "At least, not by design. This is a temple of Nethys - the most likely hypothesis is that these troglodytes fell victim to Nethys the Destroyer. There may be magical traps."

Swarm scans the room with Detect Magic.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

know.local: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

"The banner is from the Band of the Phoenix, one of Absalom’s most famous hunting lodges during the Age of Blades. It is accordingly of some value."

Swarm attempts to recover the two crossbow bolts that missed their targets.

50% each, I normally say low roll succeeds.

recover?: 1d100 ⇒ 23
recover?: 1d100 ⇒ 35

Swarm sidesteps, reloads, and aims at the black trog. I'm sure red is down. If it's not, Swarm takes the penalty for firing into melee.

x-bow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Yeah, take it easy - if you can :)

Swarm aims his crossbow at the injured and dazed trog...

quarrel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

...but almost breaks the weapon as he overcranks it!

"A crude device, one I have little use for."

"Let the beasts come to us" Swarm advises. "They are weak-willed, and my magic will addle their minds. Ware their stench, it is potent."

Swarm steps forwards, readying his magic.

Ready action to cast Daze on the first trog to get within 25 feet of Swarm. DC16 Will avoids.

know.nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Swarm peers through the opened door.

"Troglodytes" he says quietly. "We can take them by surprise if we act now. There is no doubt that they seek the secrets of this tower."

Special abilities, special defences, saving throws please.

"I have no use for etiquette" Swarm answers. "And I am not flesh, though I have the appearance of flesh. I am Machine."

"Hmm? Yes. The One. The One who will come and devour all flesh. The One who will cleanse this world and all worlds. Some look for him in the night sky - they look at the moon hanging over their heads and say, 'There is the One! See how He waits and watches!'

They are fools. The One is here already. Under our feet. In the earth. The process of inevitable decay has already begun."

A cockroach crawls out from Swarm's sleeve. The melted man takes the creature in his hand and holds it up. "Here is the Herald of the One. The Harbinger of the End of All. This insect and its countless brethren devour all flesh. In the end, only the Blessed Machine will remain."

"When the creature awakens it will be agitated. Aggressive. Let us go by."

Swarm scans the critter's room with Detect Magic.

You rolled a d12 to attack Beleg - still an 11 isn't too shabby ;)

"I possess non-lethal attack forms in limited number" Swarm adds.

"I judge none of them suitable for dealing with the shocker lizard at this time. I choose to allow the angry ghost her outburst."

Swarm has a couple of sleep spells prepared, but the Witch lacks any attack cantrips beyond Daze, which only works on humanoids. Swarm will Delay, snapping off a hail mary crossbow shot if the shocker deals any damage to anyone.

"Your ghost has emotional issues" states the machine-man.

"If she kills the lizard it is of no concern. All flesh will meet the same fate."

Swarm raises his crossbow but does not shoot - consider it a Readied action to shoot the lizard if it somehow gets to the door in front of Beleg.

know.nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"A shocker lizard" Swarm notes. "Not immediately hostile, but beware of provoking it."

Swarm reloads his crossbow but keeps it lowered.

"I have an adequate supply of rope" Swarm says as he hands a knotted silk rope to the azata and brushes the remains of the spider's tether away.

"It will be simple enough to climb with a wall to brace against."

DC5 for a knotted rope with a brace I think. Swarm will take 10 and succeed.

The melted man's android eyes easily pick out the spider in the dark.

"That arachnid is a threat to our exploration of the fortress. It must be eliminated."

know.nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
special attacks, if I hit the necessary DC, please

Stepping into the ruin, Swarm looses a crossbow bolt...

xbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

"The hound is not worth expending ammunition on. It will die and rot away to nothing soon enough."

Swarm neverthless reloads his crossbow out of prudence, and raises it again.

Swarm is about to explain something to Nuwa when the pack of mangey dogs appear. His attention turns to the mutts and he steps to one side to get a clear shot.

xbow vs red dog: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

At the last moment, a beetle crawls from Swarm's hand behind the crossbow's trigger - resulting in a crushed beetle instead of a skewered dog.

Swarm recognises an aphorite as easily as an azata eidolon.

Swarm laughs: a dry, hollow sound accompanied by an echoing drone from the creatures that inhabit him.

"Do you think your flesh will be spared when the One comes? It matters not whether you issued from an outer plane or this earth. Even the gods fear the coming of the One. All flesh, mortal and divine alike, shall wither away, and only the blessed machines shall remain."

Swarm is your healer ;)

He has one CLW prepared and one scroll of CLW.

Swarm takes 10 on Knowledge (Planes) for 20.

Several large beetles emerge from Swarm's ears and mouth. Perching on his head, they appear to fix the azata with oddly synchronised stares as the melted man comments: "I owe you nothing, eidolon. You are a mere shade, as you recognise, and are bound to Nuwa here. Your protestations are futile, and in the end, both you and Nuwa will turn to dust."

Swarm loads his crossbow and looks towards the tower's opening.

Oh yes. (I have an alchemist with a tumour familiar).

Putrefactor witches get an ability called "infestation of entropy", and another called "disgorge familiar". Tbh "disgorge familiar" is how tumour familiar should have been written and I wish they'd errata the tumour familiar to that effect, it would have prevented the Protector shenanigans that got Protector tumours banned.

Putrefactor familiars don't get fast healing whilst within them, unlike tumours, but on the plus side Improved Familiars are possible.

I am tempted by the idea of making Riddywhipple a groetus-following machine cultist :o

I may add a ley-line boon to Swarm, but no rush. Might also use it on one of my dwarves ;)

Swarm has a familiar but I've not statted it nor added it to the slides as yet. Like a tumour familiar it is able to remain fully inside Swarm, and I think that is where it is going to stay, at least during level 1.

"Not eat. Host. Swarm speaks to me." A beetle emerges from Swarm's ear and crawls to the top of his head.

"Father found me in the Mwangi Expanse."

A stooped mwangi male looks up at the half-elf. He is as ugly as the woman is beautiful - his flesh melted as though it were wax. His silver eyes gaze intently at Nuwa before he speaks in a dry, flat voice.

"I am Swarm. Father sent me. I am to be a Pathfinder. The Fallen Fortress no doubt holds many useful relics. Do you desire relics?"

A cockroach crawls across Swarm's face. Swarm opens his mouth and the insect crawls inside. Spiders weave webs amongst his tattered robes.