Yet Another ... Rise of the Runelords PBP

Game Master ziltmilt

"Great. Just great."

Selia starts by casting Bless for the party.

Remember for next round, you're blessed!

You deliver an impressive volley of attacks, keeping the ghouls from exiting the desecrated farmhouse. The ghoul coming around the back is hit with a volley of ruinous acid, and then he takes off howling an unearthly scream towards the barn.

Ned's opponent has fallen down dead, and Nich's assailant is nearly there, too.

However, from the darkened kitchen's shadows, an evil presence emerges. A ghoul stronger and standing straighter strides forward, its eyes glinting with foul purpose. From it's neck dangles an ornate key.

The eyes of the ghast bulge in surprise upon finding Selia and he exclaims in a raspy voice. [b]"He said. He said you would visit me. His Lordship. The one that unmade me said so. He has a place for you. A precious place. I’m so jealous. He has a message for you. He made me remember it. I hope I haven’t forgotten. The master wouldn’t approve if I forgot. Let me see… let… me… see…"

"He said that if you came to his Misgivings, that if you joined his Pack, he would end his harvest in your honor." [\b] He retreats back into the shadows, and comes through the house's backdoor.

Three more ghouls stumble out of the barn into the afternoon sun, one grasping the hindquarters of a horse ridden with maggots. Nich's opponent attacks with teeth and nails, but the cleric's stout shield proves redoubtable.

Hambley's Farm

"Um, well that was just creepy."

Selia starts casting a summoning spell (Nature's Ally II) to bring a wolf into the fray.

(singing) "Selia an' Foxglove, sittin' up a tree, k...um...kys...s...s?...kyssngg!"
Maybe an 8 INT and songs that involve spelling don't go together very well.

Giving up on his song, Lleidr will ready his wand of magic missile and fire at the southernmost of the pack of ghouls near the barn. Pew pew.

Magic Missile: autohit
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Nicholae Channels energy, calling Iomadae's might down.

3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 1) = 7 DC14

That should drop the one I wounded last round at any rate :(

Nich, do you want to hold your channeling until more of the ghouls are closer?

Yeah though I doubt it will hurt them much

Just waiting on Ned ...

Waiting on Ned? Drat!

try to finish off the one near us...
greatsword: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 1 = 17
damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4) + 4 + 1 = 11

Ned makes short work of the last ghoul in the kitchen. Lleidr fires an arcane blast at the approaching ghast, the one with a keychain dangling from his neck. Nich and Selia frown and begin sacred chants to summon forth the power of their deities.

"Join us, beauty, join us, as my master commands." the ghast runs towards Selia, taking a passing swipe at Ned. The remaining ghouls from the barn begin running towards the party.

Nich moves in front of Lleidr (NOTE - hope you don't mind I had you do a standard move action in order to max your channel) and lets loose with a burst of holy energies, directed at these spawn of anathema.

Hambley's Farm

Next up:

Selia
Ned
Lleidr

then the ghouls, then Nich

Are the three beside Ned dead?

No, the 2 inside the farmhouse are dead, the ghast with the key around his neck appears to be running towards Selia. That's the token to Ned's immediate NE.

Lleider will fall back towards Sela without crowding her and fire another magic missile at the same ghast.

Magic missile: auto hit
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

does Ned know anything about Ghasts?
knowledge nature: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Probably not :-(

Swing at the ghastly Ghast
greatsword: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1, 2) + 4 + 1 = 8

attack of Opportunity if the Ghast trys to move hrough Neds threatend space
greatsword: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 = 10
damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2, 4) + 4 + 1 = 11

Well that kinda sucked!

Can't tell which is running toward Selia, but she will finish her spell and put the wolf right in front of it.

Selia fires a crossbow bolt at the ghoul.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

The wolf attacks, using its smite evil, trying to slow the ghoul down.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Trip: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

The ghast is knocked to the ground by the force of the wolf's assault and yet the monster still struggles. Lleidr's arcane bolt slams into the creature, but Ned and Selia's attacks both miss their targets.

The ghast crawls away from the wolf looming over him (NOTE - does the wolf get an AoO for this if he's doing a withdrawal full round action?).

Howling in unholy unison, like a chorus of the damned, three ghouls surround Nich, trying to rip him to pieces. "He burnsss, his words burn. Rip his throat, tear his tongue!" Nich suffers 2 wounds (2 + 7 hp dmg plus I need you to make a total of 4 Fort saves).

At the same time, another ghoul runs to the rear of the party and lopes after Selia, biting and slavering. "We asked nicely, but if you want to be rude, you won't be so pretty when we get you back to His Lordship."

Hambley Farm

Next up:
Nich
--next round --
Selia
Ned
Lleidr

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

How much dmg and did my channel drop the one I nearly killed last round?

You took total damage = 9 hp. I think Ned finished off the one you attacked previously. But your channel ended up doing over 20 points of damage total to all those ghouls.

What's your action for this round? You're not paralyzed.

I have been stuck prone too many times, and have never found a safe way to get away unless you have Rogue's crawl. Even a 5' step crawl draws an AoO, unless you take a full round action and make an Acrobatics role. To withdraw, you have to use a listed Move speed, which you can't do while prone. So, if it has acrobatics, you can do a 5' step, but would still be prone in that case, or could go full defense as a standarad action and stand up as a move action, which should still allow a 5' step.

let's say he attempts to crawl away and that gets him an AoO from the wolf and Ned.

"Good doggy...
AOO on ghast
greatsword: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 1 = 20
damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 + 1 = 9

The ghast is dead. Your sword nearly slices his head off, and the key slips right off his neck and into a pool of putrid black entrails and goo gushing from the wound onto the ground.

Ned gestures towards the key in it's pool of goo, "Remeber that spot. We're probably going to need that key."

Nicholae, not so sqeamish digs into the gore for the key.

Let us enter the house

Uhhh, Nich, you're kinda surrounded by ghouls at the moment. Did you check out the last map?

Lleidr will switch his wand for the the Fang of Erylium, hit it with Arcane Stike, and move around behind the ghast (1 square east, 1 southeast, 1 south, 1 southwest) attacking Selia to try and attack it from a flanking position.

FoE: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 26
damage: 1d3 + 0 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 0 + 1 = 3
Sneak Attack damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Guys, the ghast is dead. but Nich's still got 3 ghouls around him.

The one at the corner of the house (with the key) is dead, but not the three on Nich and the one on Selia, correct?

That is correct.

Ooops.

Nicolae channels energy [dice]3d6[dice]

Lleidr will stick to his declared action of attacking the one on Selia.

Squeamish?!! I'm just busy :-)

Ned will move to attack one of the Gouls on Nich, if they're still up, the one on Selia if not.
greatsword: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 + 1 - 2 = 24 (monster hunter, power attack)
damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (6, 3) + 4 + 1 + 4 = 18

Holy energies billow forth once more from the besieged cleric. Two of the ghouls collapse at once, their animating life force dispelled before they hit the ground. The remaining two screech in pain as the channeling rips and tears at their corporal bodies.

Ned and Lleidr make short work of them, and soon all 4 of the ghouls are dead.

Can someone give me a KNO Local check?

Know local untrained 1d20 ⇒ 6

Knowledge (local): 1d20 ⇒ 10

knowledge local: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Seems like we need to invest more in Knowledge skills

The key bears a heraldic symbol of a unique flower surrounded by thorns. Just pm'd Ned.

Know(local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 In case we need more info

Selia, just pm'd you.

"Looks like the Foxglove crest on that key. Their estate is just up that way. about three miles or so."

I knew it'd come down to me and that fancypants Foxglove one day.

You have history with the Foxglove's? Do the rest of us know that?

You have history with the Foxglove's? Do the rest of us know that?

Nothing in the story, although now I think that'd be cool! But no, just have had my eye on him since the first encounter when we rescued him. His attention to Selia, the attempt to get us out in the woods hunting with him, and now all this ghast business? Plus his name is a type of poisonous plant. Bad guy, all the way around.

At this point, it's early afternoon on a gloomy autumn day. Where to next, folks?

Oh, before I forget .. welcome to 5th level.

At this point, it's early afternoon on a gloomy autumn day. Where to next, folks?

Lets clear this farm and the fields - we don't want additional farmers wandering in to be caught or any more people with Ghoul Fever turning

Oh, before I forget .. welcome to 5th level.

Cool!

ziltmilt wrote:

At this point, it's early afternoon on a gloomy autumn day. Where to next, folks?

Lets clear this farm and the fields - we don't want additional farmers wandering in to be caught or any more people with Ghoul Fever turning

Ned will nod in agreement.

You find one other poor soul stuck up like a scarecrow, Lettie's husband, Horran Guffmin. Otherwise, the fields are empty. Like Lettie, he is also sick, and he appears close to succumbing to ghoul fever.

At this point, it's mid-afternoon.