Valdisara, you brush against some cobwebs which, to your surprise, hide a tripwire, about elbow-high. Please make a Reflex saving throw.
Unable to refrain from letting out a small cry of shock, Valdisara instinctively attempts to dodge as the wire stretches across her torso even as Cale's sing-song warning reaches her ears.
Valdisara, a beam, about two feet long, drops out of the rafters and embeds itself in the floor next to you. There's a hook on the top, presumably no longer connected to whatever was holding it up there. There's a spike on the bottom, smeared with some sort of orange jelly.
From somewhere on the other side of the room, Cale lets out a short laugh. "I'd seen that spike but couldn't tell just what would trigger it to fall."
Martaug drags the boy back toward the door, but speaks loud enough he's sure Cale can hear him "One'a da striplin's found us out an' about an' tole us you'ld attacked 'em. Dis here kid hangin' seems ta imply somethin' else completely. Can we talk dis out some, 'cuz ya might have some misconceptions 'bout us, too. Da only intention we gots ta da Blackspeares is ta see 'em thwarted. What're yer aims out here, Cale? Are ya lookin' fer a way back home?"
What're yer aims out here, Cale? Are ya lookin' fer a way back home?"
"You didn't expect to find me here, eh, Grumblenaught? And now you fear that I am after the prize you love, the Blackspeare's hidden treasure trove! Well you know it contains a gift to genie-kind, for which they'll lift the curse that's laid upon me full these --
"Um, 'full these years have drawn...?'
"Oh, hang this rhyming nonsense! The treasure is mine! Not those brats', and not yours, either. Leave. Or. Die.
"Who's your lunk of a partner, there, Grumblenaught? I recognize that one woman from the other day."
By this point, you have a pretty good idea about where Cale's voice is positioned: above you and on the other side of some pumping equipment. He's probably only 20' from the door, straight-line distance, but the likely way to run there would be up a short flight of stairs to the left, and then around to the north side of the windmill axle. Your best estimate is that it would take 45' to walk there. The sodden footprints don't go that way; they lead right around the machinery on this level, which looks to be a dead end back there.
Grumblenaught
There are wight footprints all over the place in here.
It's plausible that stooch had been heading towards the staircase.
Once he gets the boy dumped out the door (which he will do with expedience, not a lot of gentleness, Martaug will return quickly to the group. His hand tightens around the shaft of the Black spear as he listens to the maniacal yammer.
"Well, tried ta be nicey-nice about dis, but hrumph, lemme try dis...
Yer threats 'a our death's enough ta make me scoff. Why doncha cram 'em up yer bum an' go bugger off. Hmmm. Yer right, it's tough ta find somethin' good ta go wit' "drippy jackass"."
I glance amongst my companions,
nervous I'm missing out on crucial details, especially that last bit of Mar-Tog's.
"Da... Bad luck for Old Cale, small childs believe storychant words and want follow you example.
Yalka here for Deputy Win honor, find bandits who kill farmer, not for find treasure.
Why not you talk us outside with no weapon?
You listen our plan in town and sneak here with no tell, maybe if act honor now, you step away path of death?
If Old Cale no see or hear real world, only scared of children and ghosts,
Yalka know he not live long, many bear and deadly creature in hills ready eat blind food like him."
Martaug, if you'd like, please make an Intimidation roll, with a +2 bonus. He's kinda sensitive about that 'drippy' stuff.
"Da... Bad luck for Old Cale, small childs believe storychant words and want follow you example.
Yalka here for Deputy Win honor, find bandits who kill farmer, not for find treasure.
The voice spits out at you, "By all the gold in Brass, do all the Kellids have sod for brains? There are no bandits here, you cow; there are a dozen death-traps, all protecting the entrance to ancient treasure caverns. The Blackspeares are all dead and gone, and if you don't have the sense to leave now, you'll be joining them."
"Oh, no,
Black Spears want make us join them in un-death, but we leave their bodys real-dead back at farm. Posse come this way for see tracks of wights going to hills, and others say see Black Spears head this way. Black Spear Un-dead fix mill for pump waters is why working now. Have Old Cale not meet Black Spears yet?"
"You didn't expect to find me here, eh, Grumblenaught? And now you fear that I am after the prize you love, the Blackspeare's hidden treasure trove! Well you know it contains a gift to genie-kind, for which they'll lift the curse that's laid upon me full these --
"Um, 'full these years have drawn...?'
"Pfah!" spits the dwarf, anger flushing his cheeks. "Ain't innerested in th' trinkets." He continues speaking as he moves slowly and cautiously towards the stairway to his left. "Alls I am wantin' outta this jaunt is t'see their heads on pikes, an' ta stymie whate'er it was what chewed on th' Deputy."
"Oh, hang this rhyming nonsense! The treasure is mine! Not those brats', and not yours, either. Leave. Or. Die.
"Enough threats. If yer gonna drown us with summat other than words, then let loose. If yer gonna keep yappin' yer sing-songish jackanapery, then whyn't ye surrender an' we'll let ya talk th' whole wagon-ride back t' town."
"Who's your lunk of a partner, there, Grumblenaught? I recognize that one woman from the other day."
The dwarf motions to Yalka, indicating the sodden trail leading into the machinery.
"Don't know that it matters who me remaining friends are, though I have one less to me tally than I did this dawning, that's certain."
"Speakin' o' friends, I might point out that yer muddyin' up quite a good batch of wight footprints. Have ye given a thought to confrontin' them yet, Cale?"
Valdisara continues sliding to her right, giving the jellied timber a wide berth, and keeping a wary eye out for similar hazards.
"My name," she says, her voice as cold and razor-honed as the edge of her blade, "is of no concern to you, murderer."
Good. Let me set up a map before combat starts.
"Wights? You try to scare me with the threat of wights, in the daylight?"
Yalka, the water is indeed draining out the side of the cliff, eventually feeding the river at the bottom of the gorge.
GHAAH! I swear, I posted another version of the post this Sunday. I hit "submit post" and there it was.
All right. Let's try it again, very briefly.
You can hear Cale casting a spell.
If anyone makes a Spellcraft check of DC 17:
Initiative (no surprise)
Valdisara: 11+4 = 15
Cale : 14
Yalka: 11+2 = 13
Martaug: 12+1 = 13
Grumblenaught: 8+3 = 11
Edit: And yes, Yalka, you can certainly have made a spiked gauntlet from Mad Slasher spikes last night.
My idea was to back out of the room & jump/climb up to the balcony, then stealthily head down to Cale (by stairs or possibly jumping if there's an open railing inside) to hopefully flank this degenerate sorceror. I take precautions against traps by sweeping my spear ahead of me.
Excellent. I'm at work right now, but I'll reply to this tonight.
I'm still here, and moderately frustrated. I really appreciate you folks sticking ith me while this gets sorted out.
I've been having trouble posting to the Paizo boards. I suspect there's an increased amount of traffic for the RPG Superstar or something, but the boards have either been down when I've been available to post, or else they crash on my entries.
I'm interested in trying another play-by-chat session soon. How many people would be able to make a session on Sunday morning the 8th of March?
--CM
p.s. my email address is c.mortika@gmail.com That's always a lot more stable.
I'll try posting the relevant information for the current battle tomorrow morning.
I'm interested in trying another play-by-chat session soon. How many people would be able to make a session on Sunday morning the 8th of March?
Grumble's action for the round is going to be either a double move to get close enough to grapple, or a bullrush/flying tackle if close enough.
Excellent. Then let's count that day as a "go".
Excellent. Then let's count that day as a "go".
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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That wasn't my intention, but that looks like the ways things have turned out. I intend to make a substantial post on Friday evening, to bring us all up to date, provide people with things their characters know and/or see, and take the first round of combat into account.
Then we'll start on Sunday.
No apologies necessary; I hope your daughter is doing all right.
Let's see: noon Eastern time is 11:00 Central. Hmmm. i can certainly run for 2 or 2.5 hours then. Will that work for everybody else?
One last question, now that the PaizoCon II boards are up: one of the ideas of this campaign was for us to get together there for a live session. How many of us, given current circumstances, are planning to attend? (How many are planning to attend Origins or GenCon, I suppose?)
If it's a doctor appointment for the little one,
perhaps it's best to schedule in some 'wiggle room' in case it runs late...???
But that time (already mentioned) should work fine for me here on West Coast time.
re:Paizo Con
I was just looking at airfare to Seattle... I think I will press the "yes" button soon :-)
Thanks for the concern - Livia is fine, she's just joining a study to determine why some infants at high-risk for juvenile diabetes develop it, and why others don't. She has to donate small amounts of blood and poop on a quarterly basis, along with some questionnaires and survey bits for us parents.
Anyhow, we *should* be back in a timely manner, but regardless of timing, we'll log on as soon as we're settled in.
Thanks for your understanding!
Re: PaizoCon.... I wouldn't count on us this year, tho I'd love to attend and meet y'all, my wife would kill me if I suggested dragging the baby cross-country ;)
From the Sunday Chat session:
09:25:01 ‹Chris Mortika› All right. This is the information I've been trying to get to you folks:
The millhouse is three short stories above ground. The main building is square, 25' on a side, with an immediate drop off from the northern face down to the gorge below.
The major motorworks for the mill / pump are located on the first and second floor. You are all on the first floor, which we'll map as A-E going west to east across the top and 1 - 5 going north-south down the side.
The floor in here is covered with caltrops, some of which are also embedded in the walls. The major machinery on this level takes up C3, D3, and there are two complex sets of ropes in D4, one white and the other dyed blue, running from a pit in the floor to the upper stories in D4. The doorway leading to a short flight of steps to the outside is in D5.
Two windows set in the north wall, backlighting the machinery, regularly occluded by the spinning windmill blades outside. The spear trap that almost killed Valdisara is in E5. Stooch was in B4. The stairs leading up to the second story are in A1 - A3.
The ceiling in A4, A5, B4, and B5 is open to the second and third stories.
‹Yalka› sounds good... i take it the stairs "start" at A3? ...so we heard Cale doing his thing from behind the machines on this level?
‹Chris Mortika› The second story includes an extra 15' x 15' addachment, presumably for living space for the pumphouse operator.
Yalka, yes, the stairs start at A3. The damp footprints go behind the machinery on this level, but Cale's voice is coming from the hole in the ceiling, above C2 or D2.
‹Martaug› I had dragged Stooch out, so I'm assuming I'm around D5?
‹Chris Mortika› The extra room is off to the south, I'd say B-D, 6 - 8. It has a lot of narrow windows, but isn't really an easy entrance for a Medium-sized person. The best bet for climbing in might be the windows on thrd floor.
Martaug, D5 is fine.
‹Martaug› Is Val still in E5?
‹Chris Mortika› The illustration is at http://www.wizards.com/dnd/ima...map.jpg (for ease of reference)
Val is still in E5. Grumblenaught is moving to the stairs, so we'll put him at A4.
‹Martaug› The ropes in D4, are they moving or are they still?
‹Chris Mortika› The blue ones are moving. This pumphouse is operational.
In any case, during round 1, Valdisara does detect evil. I hope Kelly doesn't mind my speaking for her character, but she says, "There's two of them!"
‹Martaug› (I think under the circumstances there isn't a lot of option)
‹Yalka› so as far as we all know, they are on the 2nd floor or higher, not the 1st?
...I was kind of hoping they would be able to show soon, but perhaps we should go ahead anyways?
(whisper to Martaug) "Think good charge in or withdraw short time and make them act?"
(Martaug whispers back) "Dunno, since dere's two'a 'em, could be pretty dicey"
The order is Valdisara, Cale, Yalka, Martaug & friend, Grumblenaught. (And Cale is casting a spell)
In any case, Cale's spell triggers.
Yalka› If go out, Yalka can climb top to surprise... I hear spirit-words from Cale, Yalka know it not good to fight spirit-talker when they ready.
do we notice anything (from spell?)
‹Chris Mortika› A bight of the white rope suddenly animates and flings itself at Martaug. Martaug, would you be kind enough to roll a Reflex save?
<Martaug rolls dice› 1d20+1 » + 1 [+1] = 2 D'oh!
‹Martaug› bugger
‹Yalka› (if Martaug has a animated rope around his neck, I will understand if he doesn't respond right away)... OUCH!
‹Martaug› lol, thanks for your understanding
‹Yalka› so IS that rope around Martaug's neck right now (or grappling him, etc)?
‹Chris Mortika› All right, Martaug is entangled. He'll need to make a DC 20 Strength check or DC 20 escape Artist roll to get free.
Yalka, you're up.
‹Yalka› Okay, I want to get Martuag out of that, so I will attack the rope itself... I will use my better judgement if my Claws would work better than my Greatspear (DR vs. Piercing?)
‹Chris Mortika› Up on one of the higher floors, you hear three heavy *thud*s rapidly follow the rope animation.
Yalka, the claws are a better choice. More precise, three blade instead of one, with a loss of leverage that shouldn't matter.
‹Yalka rolls dice› 1d20+5 » + 10 [+5] = 15
‹Yalka rolls dice› 1d4+2 » + 2 [+2] = 4
‹Yalka› 15 to hit, 4 damage
‹Chris Mortika› Martaug is free. The rope, however, is cut. Both pieces whipsaw around the room for a half second and disappear down the hole in the floor.
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d3 » + 2 = 2
‹Chris Mortika› Martaug, take 2 points of damage from rope burn.
Down below, some goodly distance away, you hear a splash.
Martaug, you're up.
‹Yalka› I'm starting @ C5, so I will run up the stairs (I guess you can run thru others' squares as long as you don't end up there)... Depending on what I see, I will choose where I end up, so what do I see from, say A1, Chris?
‹Martaug› Is the blue rope moving up or down?
‹Yalka› oh wait, I took 2 attacks, so I only have a 5' step.. put me in B4 then.
‹Chris Mortika› Yalka, you only needed one attack. From A5, you can see a lot more light rolling in the windows from the south. This is the floor where the main axle of the mill turns. The machinery here, in C3, C4, and D4, is a mix-matched patchwork of very old, dilapidated parts, and new replacement pieces.
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d20+5 » + 13 [+5] = 18
‹Yalka› ok, if I run up the stairs to (2nd floor A1) what do I see? I have 40' of movement, so could get to D1 if I wanted...
‹Chris Mortika› Yalka, you hear Cale's voice laughing hoarsely, coming from a spot just north of the equipment, perhaps D1 or D2. But you can't see anyone there.
Yalka, let's put you in A1, second floor. You'd need to stop there and look around, in any case.
‹Yalka› OK, I stop at B1 and am "Fighting Defensively" (+3 AC) if possible (?)
‹Chris Mortika› Mataug, some of the blue rope is moving up, other parts are moving down.
<Martaug› Martaug will make a hissing bark at the wolf to attack, sending it running up the stairs. Then he will attempt to grab the upward moving rope to get lifted to the next floor.
(Character hinderance: Slave to Cinematic Action)
‹Yalka› "He is here, Martaug, but he hides from my eyes with his cowardly magic..." (invisibility probably)
Orc on a Rope? new marketing craze?
‹Chris Mortika› Excellent! We'll resolve your action first, Martaug. You move forward to grab the blue rope. This square is, perhaps surprisingly, not trapped.
‹Martaug› huzzah!
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d20+3 » + 2 [+3] = 5
‹Yalka› BTW, I switched back to my spear while going up the stairs, so I MAY threaten Cale (with -4 penalty from F-Defensively) though Invisibility might negate AoOs...?
‹Chris Mortika› Grabbing the rope is simple. Holding on as it carries you up is a little trickier. Give me a Strength check DC 15.
‹Martaug rolls dice› 1d20+2 » + 9 [+2] = 11
‹Martaug› this site hates me.
‹Yalka› Ow!
(more ropeburn?)
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d20+3 » + 20 [+3] = 23
‹Chris Mortika› Martaug, you grab the rope and get about three feet off the ground, when you look down and see a man in brown leathers, hiding in the darkness on the first floor. He's got a crossbow, aimed in your general direction. You feel your grip on the rope loosen, and you drop back to the ground.
‹Yalka› wolfy?
‹Martaug› I'm assuming the wolf charged up the stairs to the full extent of his movement?
‹Chris Mortika› Your wolf rushes up the stairs after Yalka, but when it gets to A4, it hits some trigger, and collapses through a pair of false steps. I need a Reflex save for the wolf.
‹Yalka› ...Isn't Grumble also in A4? Would he also fall? (Some heroic drama we're turning out to be )
‹Martaug› (pulling up srd online)
‹Chris Mortika› (Reflex bonus of +5)
Yalka, sorry; I meant A2.
‹Martaug rolls dice› 1d20+5 » + 9 [+5] = 14
‹Yalka› let me blow on them first next time, Martaug
‹Martaug› no kidding
‹Chris Mortika› So, he needs to make a Fortitude save as well. (Also +5)
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d3 » + 2 = 2
‹Chris Mortika› And he takes 2 points of damage from the needles under there.
‹Martaug rolls dice› 1d20+5 » + 5 [+5] = 10
‹Martaug› *yelp*
‹Yalka› can he continue moving though?
‹Yalka› "he"?
‹Martaug› he
‹Chris Mortika› And 10 is good enough to avoid the poison damage. He'll come to a stop in A2, though. Yalka, you're amazed that you didn't suffer the same fate, because you stepped there as well. And then you notice the string you've stepped on, which leads from the north wall down into the stairs at that area.
‹Yalka› (gingerly step over string) I guess I made my save?
‹Martaug› Thank goodness for at least a half-assed good roll
Chris, what is the location of the crossbowman?
‹Chris Mortika› Crouched in D1.
Grumblenaught is delaying his action.
‹Yalka› ...so it rolls over to Validisara then? (+crossbow dude whenever he fits in)?
‹Chris Mortika› Valdisara is still concentrating on her Detect Evil. "There's one on this floor," she says, pointing towards the man Martaug saw, " and a stronger source, right under the first."
‹Martaug› "Yeah, I saw 'im."
‹Chris Mortika› Cale's voice comes from the second floor. "Watch your step, this place is full of traps to keep its contents well." The crossbowman stands and gestures at Valdisara.
‹Yalka› "Cale: I think more Evil here than even you. End your madness now and we spare your life..."
‹Chris Mortika rolls dice› 1d20+6 » + 8 [+6] = 14
‹Chris Mortika› Although the man on the ground floor is mouthing the words, the sound of Cale's casting comes from above him. Valdisara turns pale for a moment, and her eyes grow wide with dread. She's about to turn out the door and flee, but grits her teeth and turns back to the man on the first floor.
‹Chris Mortika› Yalka, you're up. (Or, we can pause here and give Grumblenaught and Valdisara a chance.)
‹Yalka› yeah, hmm... what do you think, Martaug?
btw, so Cale just ignored me but I seem to have heard him cast a spell?
‹Chris Mortika› Yes. That was definitely his voice.
‹Martaug› I think dammit, we are so close to making something happen but we should probably wait for them
‹Chris Mortika› All right. I'll save this session and post in in the gaming thread. We'll continue on from there. Thanks, guys!
Let's see: noon Eastern time is 11:00 Central. Hmmm. i can certainly run for 2 or 2.5 hours then. Will that work for everybody else?
Apologies for our no-show... we forgot to account for daylight savings time, and overslept, throwing the whole day upside down.
We'll have posts up ASAP, after Val gets home and reads the log.
- C
I thought this might help you two get a handle on things so far.
link to map of windmill "According to Yalka"
The sticking-out-part on the 2nd floor has windows but since we can't climb thru them, I didn't draw them in, or other windows in the building that are too small for Medium creatures. It's also missing the stairway from 2nd->3rd and we of course don't know what's on the 3rd floor yet
(Chris did say we saw some larger windows up there, big enough to climb thru)
The pdf's are terrific, with the minor quibble that the ropes only go to the second floor.
Grumblenaught casts a quick glance at Martaug, reassuring himself that the half-breed is un-roped and suffering more from bruised pride than actual wounds. Satisfied, he turns to the crouched man.
"Dunno who you be," he says levelling his crossbow and squeezing the trigger, "an' so I am much less inclined t' take ye back still breathin'."
Color returning to her face, Valdisara squares her shield and steps to the man who so recently tried to bespell her, leading with a fierce thrust at eye-level. The fury in her eyes belies the chill tone of her voice as she calls upon her goddess.
"Iomedae, let me be the vessel for your wrath, and the instrument for your justice!"
Hearing only Cale's threatening incantations in response to my words,
I do what I came up here prepared for, close my mind to useless thoughts and channeling my ancestor's strength and courage (Rage), I whip both ends of my spear into where I last heard him:
Three attacks: 14 to-hit (11 dmg), 9 to-hit (15 dmg), and 17 to-hit (13 dmg).
I step to B-2 after my attacks, to make more room for the Wolf.
Grumble, you won't be able to see him until he steps forward and casts.
"Dunno who you be," he says..
Actually:
Color returning to her face, Valdisara squares her shield and steps to the man who so recently tried to bespell her, leading with a fierce thrust at eye-level. The fury in her eyes belies the chill tone of her voice as she calls upon her goddess.
"Iomedae, let me be the vessel for your wrath, and the instrument for your justice!"
Excellent. He gets his arm up just an instant too late to block the shot, but he deflects it enough that your point slices along his temple, which is bleeding badly.
I'm attacking where I think he is. D-1 it is. If the first two don't hit, I'll attack D-2 with the final attack. I step to B-2 after my attacks, to make more room for the Wolf.
I regret to report that none of your attacks hit, but when you swing into D2, your spear-point brushes against one of the newer parts of the mill machine, and a ridiculously sharp sliver of copper springs out and embeds itself a foot-and-a-half in front of the machine. Then something inside belches some nasty-looking orange mist into D2, and the sharp sliver turns from brown to light green.
Stepping around up here, you realize that even an invisible opponent would make noise as the ancient floorboards groan beneath him. As it turns out, though, B2 does not appear to be trapped.
Yow!, so he must either be staying very still, or...
I pay heed to the Wolf, whose nose might help him find Cale by scent...