Re: Adventure #1 - The Jolly Toad

[Glitz]

Elodie will run for the door if it opens. If it doesn't open, then she will...figure out what to do next.

[Malazek]

Jeremiah moves to the door and see's if he can open it.
OOC: Depending on if he can open it or not, this will determine how he finishes the round.

- Strength check = 17 (15 on the die) vs. DC 16 to open a good-quality door that is "stuck."

Jeremiah checks the door and finds it is stuck. Putting his shoulder into it, he forces it open.

OOC: Does that mean he goes through it?

[Malazek]

R & R - TOP OF ROUND 1

Init 15
Jeremiah checks the door and finds it is stuck. Putting his shoulder into it, he forces it open ... and then pivots on his heel, dropping the torch, and firing the black arrow into the darkness.* The sound of an arrow striking the rear cave wall is disheartening.

*OOC: per Skype conversation.

Attack Roll = Natural 1

Init 14
Still engulfed in shadows, the giant swings his enormous club at Talmut.

Attack Roll = Natural 20!
Miss Chance Roll =  13 (20% chance in dim light), so it's a MISS!

Init 9
Elodie rushes through the door and finds herself in a darkened space ... she cannot see anything around her. With a word and a gesture (and a bit of wool), Maius attempts to cloud the mind of your enemy; when that doesn't work, he heads through the door, finding himself equally unable to see.

OOC: Daze does not work on foes with 5 or more Hit Dice.

Init 8 and after
OOC: Talmut, it's your action. The giants "up top" go next, but the giant that attacked you is currently 2 squares away. The door is 4 squares to your right (if you are looking at the giant).

OOC: Everyone else, please post your actions for next round ... and feel free to include contingencies.

[Glitz]

Elodie fumbles for the torch that is in her pack and tries to light it, silently praying to the spirits of the cave that there are no more giants lurking in the dark.

Survival: 14 (3+11)

[Swifthand]

With a whisper and twist of his hand, the Conjuror wills his grasp to reach across the room, behind the Giant.  Hoping to confuse the monster, Talmut tugs at his collar, a mere brush, but perhaps enough to buy precious moments.

Cast Defensively - 18+6=24

Standard - Mage Hand, cast defensively, seeking to impact the back of the Giant's neck.
Move - 30', into the room, behind the others, unless I can use my...
Swift - Slam the door shut, stopping in the doorway (unless Jeremiah is in the way; if so, see move).


Mage Hand is used, but not expired, as it is a Cantrip.

HP: 7/7	AC: 12 (16 M.A)	Fort: +1, Ref: +2, Wil: +2	Init: +2	M.W. Quarterstaff: -1Atk 1d6-2
BAB: 0	Mov: 6	CMB: -2 | CMD: 10	Per: +0	Spell Save DC=Spell Level+15, 16 Conj.

Spells Learned - 0: Mage Hand, Flare, Detect Magic; 1st: Mage Armor, Summon Monster 1, Summon Monster 1

[Malazek]

BOTTOM OF ROUND 1

Init 8
Talmut carefully tries to maintain a defensive posture while casting a basic spell ... pointing toward the giant, he magically tugs at the monster's hide collar (hoping to confuse it). Somewhat befuddled, the giant spins around, "HVA? HVEM AR DATT?" (What? Who's that?) When the giant turns, Talmut makes a break for it ... bolting through the door to join Elodie and Maius in a lightless space ... leaving only Jeremiah outside the door.

OOC: I assume Talmut does not slam the door with Jeremiah not through it yet?

Init 7
The other giants, the one's above you, return to the chasm's precipice ... with broken rocks in hand, ready to rain down stoney death upon the party.

OOC: Round 2 is upon us! Actions?

[macksgarageusa]

O.o.C.: Not sure how (or if) this even works, but here goes nuthin’.

Maius begins to shout from inside the darkened doorway, In Jotun: “Large brothers, we only ventured down here to deliver a message that we had dispatched your neighbors. If you allow us, we will return from whence we came. Leaving only our footprints as proof we were here.”

Bluff x3: d20+7= 26,13,22
Diplomacy: d20+7= 21

Don’t know how many rolls I needed, so I guessed. Amend as necessary.


GM Edit: "Storr Brodr va bare vaget sagg nadd hor fer a leverr un mulding som ve hadd sendt nabor. Hvis du vol tillat oss, vil va ga tilbock hvorfa va komm. Forlatr bare vare fotavtrykk som bevis pa at va varr hor."

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah enters the doorway and closes the door, then looks to see if there is a way to barricade it.

[Malazek]

R & r - TOP OF ROUND 2

Init 15
Swiftly, Jeremiah turns and follows his companions through the open doorway, slamming the heavy doors shut as he passes through them. Now, enshrouded in darkness, his hands scramble around, searching for a bar or lock ... even in the dark, his keen senses manage to locate a stout wooden beam, tucked into a corner next to the door. Quickly, he slams it down along the door, so that it catches in the bar supports and secures the door.

- Perception = 21 (18 on the die +7 perception -4 darkness)

Init 14
The party hears the giant's heavy foot-steps approach the door. Then, the monster tugs at the handle, trying to get it open. When that doesn't work, he tries repeatedly to rip it off the hinges ... but to no avail!

- Strength check = 24 (17 on the die) vs. DC 25 to break down a barred door (FAIL).

Init 9
Maius shouts out in the Jotun tongue, telling the giants that the ogres are dead and requesting peaceful passage.

- OOC: Maius will have to wait until the giant's turn to get a response ... but, before then, I need clarification on your intent. Are you just trying to convince the giants that the only reason you came down here was to deliver a message? If so, that's bluff. Or are you trying to convince them you will leave peacefully? Also bluff. Or are you trying to convince them to let you pass, using the dead ogres as a veiled threat? If so, that's intimidate (and takes longer than a round). You can also use intimidate to "demoralize" foes, as a standard action, which MIGHT be enough to convince them to let you go (no guarantees). Note that Diplomacy does not usually work in combat.

Meanwhile, Elodie struggles to light the last remaining torch by striking together two rocks from the ground ... after a few tries, a tiny spark jumps to the business end of the torch and begins to smolder. After blowing a soft breath, it is lit and burning.

- OOC: I don't believe any rules exist for lighting a torch, other than those described under under tinder-twigs or flint & steel. The flint & steel rules say it takes a full round action, but is basically automatic. Therefore, even with an "improvised tools" penalty, the DC would be around 2 (4 at the most). I have to assume that the reason it is so easy is because "real" medieval torches consisted of pitch-soaked rags wrapped around a stick of wood ... and that must be pretty flammable?

With the torch lit, the party's surroundings are suddenly illuminated. Mice, centipedes, and other critters scurry away from the sudden intrusion ... and the party finds themselves in a long hall, with gray masonry walls. Recessed sconces stand on either side at roughly ten-foot intervals; there are no torches in the black-iron sconces, but there are plenty of cobwebs. The air smells stale, like an abandoned crypt. 

Whatever lies at the other end of the hallway, it is beyond the extent of your torch-light (i.e. more than 40 feet way).

Init 7 & 8
- That's Talmut's action (at Init 8) ... followed by the other giants (at Init 7).

[Swifthand]

"Who were the builders that crafted this sunken hall?"

Move - Into the room, away from the door, closer to the walls to inspect them, staying within the torchlight.
Standard - Knowledge: Engineering - 15+9=24
Swift - None

Trying to get anything about the history of this place, who built it, ect.

[macksgarageusa]

- OOC: Maius will have to wait until the giant's turn to get a response ... but, before then, I need clarification on your intent. Are you just trying to convince the giants that the only reason you came down here was to deliver a message? If so, that's bluff. Or are you trying to convince them you will leave peacefully? Also bluff. Or are you trying to convince them to let you pass, using the dead ogres as a veiled threat? If so, that's intimidate (and takes longer than a round). You can also use intimidate to "demoralize" foes, as a standard action, which MIGHT be enough to convince them to let you go (no guarantees). Note that Diplomacy does not usually work in combat.  

O.o.C.: Ok so, Yes. Yes. No. To clarify, Yes- trying to convince we are here to deliver message. Yes- trying to convince we will leave peacefully. NO- not attempting a veiled threat. I thought trying to get them to let us leave would take diplomacy. I gave extra rolls because I didn’t know if I needed one for each enemy to bluff.


GM Edit: Okay, thanks. I will respond accordingly, when Init 14 rolls back around.

[Malazek]

R & R - BOTTOM OF ROUND 2 ...

Init 8
Talmut moves closer to the wall as he hesitantly moves away from the door, and then stops to examine the brickwork. He studies the composition of the bricks themselves, as well as the pattern they were laid in and the mortar that holds them in place. Finally, he runs his fingers across the surface of a brick, clearing away the dust and debris that has gathered in the impression left behind by the imperial stamp of the brick-layer. Finally, he determines that these walls were constructed by Augustine engineers, using local materials (and probably local workers). It's not a typical stone for such a brick-layer, but the longer flatter dimensions of the individual bricks (as well as the imperial mark) give away the wall's origins ... it was built by the Legio Martis (the Legion of Mars).

Init 7
The giants up above begin to taunt their brother. "KRYPE I ETTER DEM, BRORGG!" (Crawl in after them, brother.)

- They also ready an action.

- OOC: To clarify, the giant on initiative 14 is the one that will have to react to Maius's bluff.

__________

OOC: That brings us to Jeremiah at the top of Round 3. Everyone, post your actions for round 3, please (with contingencies, as necessary).

[Glitz]

With the torch burning now, Elodie's eyes are drawn to the darkness beyond the light. If the giant responds favorably to Maius' request, she will move slowly down the hallway, trying to see more of the hallway while trying to keep the rest of the party in light. If the giant does not respond favorably, Elodie will say, "Quick, down the hall, before he beats the door down!" and move quickly down the hallway into the darkness.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah stands and waits for a response. "This is as good a place as any to fight, least we have a choke point. The Giant beating on the door must be injured from that fall as well." He will ready himself to attack the Giant with his axe if he makes it through the door.

OOC: If the Giant can't get through the door I will proceed down the hall. But if he does get through the door I will put him out of his misery.

GM Edit: Standard Action: Ready an Action (attack the giant if he makes it through the door).

[Malazek]

R & R - TOP OF ROUND 3

Init 15
Jeremiah steels himself, ready for the giant to come through the door.

Init 14
Speaking through the closed door, the giant responds to Maius. "BARE KOMM TOL A FORTELL OSS DA SLAKTAT UHYRER, EHH? VEL, FINE, FINE. DO KAN BARE BO UH DET, DA! HA HAHA!" (... just came to tell us you killed the ogres, eh? Well, fine, fine. You can just stay in there, then! Ha haha!) The ogres footsteps can briefly be heard retreating from the door, but then ... BAM! Something large hits the door ... followed by another BAM! and a BAM! BAM! ... "HA HA HA! STAY IN THERE, THEN, LI'L MAN ... er, MEN ... LI'L MEN! HA HA!!" he says, in the common tongue ... Clearly, he doesn't want to fight someone who just killed three ogres.

OOC: Note: The giant did not come through the door, so Jeremiah's Initiative remains 15. So, on his initiative, he can proceed down the hall, as stated ... or he can ready the same action, again. He could even do something entirely different, if he wanted (on his initiative).

Init 9
Unsure whether the giant's response was "favorable" or not, Elodie wanders further down the hall; careful to keep the rest of the party within the radius of the torch-light.

__________

OOC: Please post actions for the rest of round 3 and round 4. Maius on 9, Talmut on 8, the other giants on 7. On 15, Jeremiah will proceed down the hall. Then, the one giant again on 14 and Elodie again on 9.

[Alpha Omega]

"That settles it then, lets go.... I'm not entirely sure though what waits for us down this hall will be much better."  Jeremiah then looks around and attempts to gather his bearings.

Knowledge: Dungeoneering 18+3 = 21

[macksgarageusa]

Maius continues with his same line of dialogue,
In Jotun: “Obviously you had troubles with your neighbors from above, otherwise they wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to prevent contact with you. We only ventured down the staircase to inform you that your drama with them is over.”

Diplomacy: d20+7= 27 (natch!)

GM Edit: "Helt klart du hadd probmud naboan fra ovanfor allars val de ikk har brukt sa mya tud pa a prov a unnga kntakt mud deg. Va bare vaget seg nad trappan a fartel dem om at drama dem ar ovar."

[Glitz]

Not sure exactly what is going on between Maius and the giant, Elodie continues to slowly make her way down the hallway, scanning her surroundings for new dangers.

Perception: 22 (15 + 7)

[Malazek]

R & R - END OF ROUND 3

Init 9
Maius continues to try and reason with the giant, explaining that with the ogres dead, their troubles are over.

Init 8
As he slowly follows Elodie further down the hall, Talmut continues to study the masonry, trying to verify the structure's age and stability. Based on the deterioration of the mortar, evidence of brick "shifts" over time, the local geology, and what he knows of August architecture ... he finds nothing to dispute his initial impression. Only further study could tell him more.

Init 7
The other giants have stopped taunting the one outside the door, but otherwise, the party has no idea what is happened up the stairs.

R & R - BEGINNING OF ROUND 3

Init 15
Jeremiah decides its time to go and examines the structure, alongside Talmut. After a quick investigation, he decides that the construction itself is fairly safe and relatively level. With both the winding tunnel and the chasm stairs in mind, Talmut guesses the party must be over hundred feet below the surface ... which makes sense, considering the variety of centipedes he saw earlier and the handful of tiny spiders he sees now (because those species typically dwell about this deep underground). 


Init 14
Whatever the giant was doing outside the door, he has stopped, because the ruckus he was making has ceased. Whether Maius's words have had an effect on him or not, it's difficult to say ... but either way, he is no longer trying to pull the door off its hinges.

OOC: END COMBAT

As the party cautiously and curiously makes there way down the hall, the continue to study the tunnel's construction. After a few more yards, another heavy wooden door comes into view, roughly 30 feet ahead of you. This one looks to be of the same sturdy construction as the first, except there is no visible way to bar it (unless it's on the other side). There is maybe 40 yards between the two doors.

In total, you count two dozen sconces (a dozen on either side), none of which contain a torch. There are no side doors, or anything else in this corridor (besides cobwebs and rat droppings).

Further along the hall and holding the torch, Elodie examines her surroundings and sees what looks like dried blood on the corner of one of the bricks.

[Swifthand]

Talmut continues to follow Elodie and the sole remaining torch.

"Quick thinking Maius, though from the sounds of it, we will have to find another way out.  It looks like this door is the first step."

The Conjuror cautiously puts his ear to the door to listen.

[Malazek]

Talmut moves forward, to listen at the new door, but just before he reaches it, the floor opens up and swallows him.
Elodie almost falls in with him, but barely manages to stumble over to the ledge.

- Talmut's Perception Check = 8 (8 on the die)
- Talmut's Reflex Save = 8 (6 on the die)
- Elodie's Reflex Save = 20 (19 on the die).
- Talmut suffers 3 points of falling damage.

Talmut finds himself at the bottom of a dark pit. He can see the torch light above him and quickly figures he fell about 20 feet. The pit itself must be 10 feet wide.

Checking his surroundings, he finds six corpses stacked up against one side of the pit, in varying stages of decay. A seventh corpses seems to be resting against the opposite wall and, although this one is fairly decomposed, it seems to be the "freshest" of them. Two heavy backpacks, covered in dust and cobwebs, rest at his feet. 

Also, there are around a hundred rusty metal spikes piled up in one of the corners. The floor has a matching number of shallow one-inch holes, spread across the floor of the pit, at even intervals. This leads Talmut to examine the corpses a little closer. It's difficult to tell, given their state of decomposition, but it seems most of them were impaled around the time of death.

[Alpha Omega]

Jeremiah pulls rope from his bag and begins to lower one end into the pit. "Hang on Talmut, I'm lowering rope now..."

[Glitz]

Elodie steadies herself and then creeps forward slightly, extending the torch as far as she can over the pit to give Talmut light. Seeing him examining the things around him, she calls, "Do you see anything useful down there? Anything that might help us get across this pit once we get you out of there?"

OOC: I can heal Talmut once he's back up here, but that will be all the heals that I have until we rest, so we'll have to proceed cautiously...

[Swifthand]

"Yes...there is something..."

I will tie the two bags to the rope and then send them up.  After, I will take a closer look around, inspecting the bodies and the pit thoroughly.  Finally, I will tie the rope round my waist, and attempt to climb out, with my friend's aid.

Perception is a DM roll, correct?  I could use the heal, but I hate to spend your last spell for 3 hps.  Will a Heal check give any back immediately?

GM Edit: Yes, Perception is a GM roll. The heal skill CAN restore hit points, but it requires 2 uses from a healer's kit. Without a healer's kit, the healer is -4 to the roll. The base DC is 20. Success grants 1 hit point (per level) and can only be done once per day. If the roll exceeds the DC by 5 or more, the healer adds her/his wisdom mod to the number hit points gained. I wasn't sure how this worked at first, because its a new rule and isn't explained very well.

HP: 4/7	AC: 12 (16 M.A)	Fort: +1, Ref: +2, Wil: +2	Init: +2	M.W. Quarterstaff: -1Atk 1d6-2
BAB: 0	Mov: 6	CMB: -2 | CMD: 10	Per: +0	Spell Save DC=Spell Level+15, 16 Conj.

Spells Learned - 0: Mage Hand, Flare, Detect Magic; 1st: Mage Armor, Summon Monster 1, Summon Monster 1

[Malazek]

Talmut sends the bags up, but takes a little longer looking around (trying to be thorough). He is fairly sure the rusted spikes are useless. He also believes that some of the bodies are significantly older than others ... but he cannot tell how old, exactly, because he's not sure how fast things would decompose down here. Based on the remnants of clothing stuck to the bodies, he thinks some may be centuries old, while others may have been down here only a few years. One of the bodies is wearing scale-mail, but it is thoroughly rusted. A couple of them are dressed in old leather that is dried out and cracked from whatever bodily salts have escaped the corpses.

The newest of the bodies (the one sitting against the wall) is unarmored and its clothes are heavily stained. A short sword hangs at his side and is in relatively good condition; it may even be usable, if a blacksmith can clean it up a bit. He also has 27 silver pieces in his belt pouch.

After the party helps him escape the pit, the group examines the backpacks more thoroughly. They find the backpacks to be in terrible condition, as are most of the contents. A few items inside, however, appear to be salvageable: a cracked (but sizable) moonstone, a small steel mirror with just a little bit of corrosion, an old shovel that's only a little rusty, a partial set of thieves's tools, some melted sealing wax, and a rotten wooden scroll case containing a perfectly intact scroll. Talmut supposes the gem is worth maybe 40 or 50 gold pieces.

- Perception = 14 (14 on the die)
- Appraise = 17 (8 on the die)

- Before the scroll can be used, it must be deciphered. That requires use of the Read Magic spell and a spell-craft roll. Doing so is a full-round action.

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