Neverending Dungeon: Dolly

[NeverEnding DM]

The air surrounding you fairly hums with the residue of magic, an aftereffect of the spell that brought you to this place. A quick glance reveals that you are in a small room, devoid of any life save for yourself. The sound of dripping water can be heard faintly, and the stone walls are slick with moisture. In complete defiance of logic, a torch is already lit, resting in a sconce near the room's single door.

Map:{table]|A_|B_|C_
1|||
2||S|
3|||
4|||[/table]

There is a door at C-4, south side.

DM notes:Sheet (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=247829)

[Blatm]

My procedure for advancing through the dungeon unless I say otherwise is as follows:

Using my collapsible pole (fully extended, 12 ft.) I will prod the square that is 12 ft. away from me with my full weight. I will keep my morningstar in my mouth. After prodding the space 12 ft. in front of me, I will search the square I'm in until I get a natural 17 or better. I will always move silently.

Questions:

1. Can I use my pole and still keep my shield equipped?

2. Is dropping my pole a free action?

3. Is transferring morningstar in mouth to morningstar in hand a free action?

4. Can I use my breath weapon when I have something in my mouth?

5. The Crusader's maneuver mechanics depend on the definition of encounter. How will you be determining when an encounter ends?

6. My understanding of the maneuver recovering mechanics for Crusader's is that if, for instance, I begin an encounter with maneuvers A and B readied (of my 5 maneuvers A,B,C,D,E), use A on my first turn, at the beginning of my next turn I am granted one of C,D,E, not one of A,C,D,E. Is that right?

7. The text for maneuvers says: "If, at the end of your turn, you cannot be granted a maneuver because you have no withheld maneuvers remaining, you recover all expended maneuvers, and a new pair of readied maneuvers is granted to you. Randomly determine which of your maneuvers are granted and which are withheld. At the end of your next turn, a withheld maneuver is granted to you, and the whole process of divine inspiration begins again." I don't understand what they mean by "you recover all expended maneuvers". It seems like the text is trying to say "the entire process beings again", but I would like some clarification.

8. Can I use the benefits of Martial Spirit against the floor or walls? Against myself, choosing to deal 0 damage? (For ease of reference here is the text: "While you are in this stance, you or an ally within 30 feet heals 2 points of damage each time you make a successful melee attack. This healing represents the vigor, drive, and toughness you inspire in others. Your connection to the divine causes such inspiration to have a real, tangible effect on your allies’ health.
Each time you hit an opponent in melee, you can choose a different recipient within range to receive this healing."

9. Can you please describe the doors carefully?

10. The text for Listening Cone says "The DC for listening through a door when using a cone increases by 2 (rather than 5)". Does this mean that when using a Listening Cone, the DC is always what it would be if there were no door there +2?


==========


Actions:

I go into Martial Spirit stance, hold my morningstar in my mouth, extend my collapsible pole, and put my full weight against the door. If nothing happens, I take 20 on a search. If I don't find anything, I take 20 on a listen through the door using my listening cone. If I don't hear anything I open the door.

[Jarian]

1. Can I use my pole and still keep my shield equipped?

Unfortunately not. "A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else."

There is, I believe, an exotic shield that functions as a heavy shield but keeps your hand free. Races of Stone somewhere, I think.


2. Is dropping my pole a free action?

Yes.


3. Is transferring morningstar in mouth to morningstar in hand a free action?

As you do not have a bite attack or any exceptional mouth features whatsoever, I'm disinclined to allow you to hold a weapon in your mouth unless there is established precedent to the contrary. While I could see gripping a coin between your teeth or somesuch, you cannot simply declare that you're using your mouth as a cheap Quick Draw.


4. Can I use my breath weapon when I have something in my mouth?

Yes, but see caveat above. Whatever is in your mouth at the time will be subjected to its effects as an unattended object.


5. The Crusader's maneuver mechanics depend on the definition of encounter. How will you be determining when an encounter ends?

There is no hard and fast rule. It depends on what you observe and what your opponent can observe. As a general rule, one minute without contact between you and an encounter will suffice.


6. My understanding of the maneuver recovering mechanics for Crusader's is that if, for instance, I begin an encounter with maneuvers A and B readied (of my 5 maneuvers A,B,C,D,E), use A on my first turn, at the beginning of my next turn I am granted one of C,D,E, not one of A,C,D,E. Is that right?

Correct.


7. The text for maneuvers says: "If, at the end of your turn, you cannot be granted a maneuver because you have no withheld maneuvers remaining, you recover all expended maneuvers, and a new pair of readied maneuvers is granted to you. Randomly determine which of your maneuvers are granted and which are withheld. At the end of your next turn, a withheld maneuver is granted to you, and the whole process of divine inspiration begins again." I don't understand what they mean by "you recover all expended maneuvers". It seems like the text is trying to say "the entire process beings again", but I would like some clarification.

They are saying that the entire process begins again, yes. You cannot be granted expended maneuvers, which is why, in the example above, you wouldn't be granted maneuver A after using it.


8. Can I use the benefits of Martial Spirit against the floor or walls?

You may declare any inanimate object of your choosing to be an enemy. The dungeon will then animate it and strike back. This is not generally advisable.


Against myself, choosing to deal 0 damage?

No. The effect triggers on struck enemies only, as do all other Crusader healing maneuvers. There is a minor flub in the execution of the wording, but the intent is clear.


9. Can you please describe the doors carefully?

It is a door. It's made of lead, about a foot thick as far as you can tell. It slides rather than being pulled or pushed, disappearing into the stone wall. The door features a shallow depression in one side as a "handle", though it appears impossible to brace anything against the depression in such a way as to block the door shut, as any pressure would cause the bracing object to simply slide out.


10. The text for Listening Cone says "The DC for listening through a door when using a cone increases by 2 (rather than 5)". Does this mean that when using a Listening Cone, the DC is always what it would be if there were no door there +2?

With regards to doors, yes. It doesn't hinder normal listen checks, however.


With all of this in mind, do you wish to revise your actions at all?

[Blatm]

Unfortunately not. "A heavy shield is so heavy that you can't use your shield hand for anything else."


I was hoping that I could maybe use my pole semi-effectively with only one hand. For more involved actions I can see it requiring two hands, but to just put my weight on something maybe I could do that with one. In neither the PHB or DungeonScape is this discussed as far as I can tell.




As you do not have a bite attack or any exceptional mouth features whatsoever, I'm disinclined to allow you to hold a weapon in your mouth unless there is established precedent to the contrary. While I could see gripping a coin between your teeth or somesuch, you cannot simply declare that you're using your mouth as a cheap Quick Draw.
This is a common tactic in the arena. Here's a google search. (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=2144&bih=1082&q=site%3Awww.giantitp.com+arena+%22in+mouth%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=)


Yes, but see caveat above. Whatever is in your mouth at the time will be subjected to its effects as an unattended object.
Can you remind me of these rules? In particular, what would happen if I used my breath weapon + Entangling Exhalation on my morningstar?




You may declare any inanimate object of your choosing to be an enemy. The dungeon will then animate it and strike back. This is not generally advisable.
What if I attack my own stuff (e.g. a piece of chalk)? Does it become animated and start attacking me back? If it does, is it going to start casting Wish at will or something?



It is a door. It's made of lead, about a foot thick as far as you can tell. It slides rather than being pulled or pushed, disappearing into the stone wall. The door features a shallow depression in one side as a "handle", though it appears impossible to brace anything against the depression in such a way as to block the door shut, as any pressure would cause the bracing object to simply slide out.
If I'm understanding correctly, doors can only be opened from one side, and once opened they cannot be closed. Is that right? Also, what is the hardness and hp of lead?



With all of this in mind, do you wish to revise your actions at all?
Pending the pole stuff and the mouth stuff. I'm worried about it taking me a full round to get my shield back on (move action to pick it up and move action to don) and a move action to get my weapon back.

[Jarian]

I was hoping that I could maybe use my pole semi-effectively with only one hand. For more involved actions I can see it requiring two hands, but to just put my weight on something maybe I could do that with one. In neither the PHB or DungeonScape is this discussed as far as I can tell.

You may apply up to one-half your weight as force one-handed. That seems fair, considering that it's 10 feet long. Agree?



This is a common tactic in the arena. Here's a google search. (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=2144&bih=1082&q=site%3Awww.giantitp.com+arena+%22in+mouth%22&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=)

That may be so, but this is not the Arena Tournament. Consider this an official "no" for now. TS can overrule this if he wishes to allow mouth-held weapons.


Can you remind me of these rules? In particular, what would happen if I used my breath weapon + Entangling Exhalation on my morningstar?

It would take damage, reduced by its hardness, perhaps further reduced based on the energy type chosen. Objects are not valid targets for entangling exhalation as far as I know, so that's it.


What if I attack my own stuff (e.g. a piece of chalk)? Does it become animated and start attacking me back? If it does, is it going to start casting Wish at will or something?

A shard of chalk is likely to stab you in the eye for the amount you healed plus one.


If I'm understanding correctly, doors can only be opened from one side, and once opened they cannot be closed. Is that right? Also, what is the hardness and hp of lead?

It's entirely possible that there's a similar "handle" on the other side of the door.

Enough of the door remains visible when slid into the wall to close it again.

I don't know the hardness and hp of lead offhand. I'll look it up if it becomes relevant, or you may search the SRD if you have a particular strategy in mind.

[Jarian]

I just spoke to TS. He confirms the prohibition on using your mouth to hold weapons. How does this affect what you plan to do?

[Blatm]

You may apply up to one-half your weight as force one-handed. That seems fair, considering that it's 10 feet long. Agree?

That sounds fair. Is this 100 lb. (half my character's weight) or 175 lb. (half my character's weight + half my equipment's weight)?


That may be so, but this is not the Arena Tournament. Consider this an official "no" for now. TS can overrule this if he wishes to allow mouth-held weapons.
Alright that's fine. I'll make due for now, but I'd like it if you could ask him, as the rules for this do seem very inspired by arena rules. EDIT: Saw your post.


It would take damage, reduced by its hardness, perhaps further reduced based on the energy type chosen. Objects are not valid targets for entangling exhalation as far as I know, so that's it.
Ok. For future reference, my entangling exhalation breath attack does 1d8/2 and steel has hardness 5, so it shouldn't do any damage.



I don't know the hardness and hp of lead offhand. I'll look it up if it becomes relevant, or you may search the SRD if you have a particular strategy in mind.
I'm not sure where to find it. I suspect it won't be relevant though.


=================


Actions: No changes from the above, save for putting my weapon somewhere where I can draw it reasonably (move action or free action as part of movement per SRD)

[Jarian]

You don't find anything out of the ordinary on the door, and you don't hear anything through it with your listening cone.

Sliding the door open reveals... another door. Huh. This one seems to slide open in the opposite direction.

---

For the record, I'm not going to roll 17 search checks for every space. You can take 20 to accomplish the same result with a guaranteed outcome.

---

Edit: Half of your light load, which more or less represents your strength without undue exertion. That is, 50 lbs. You may apply more by using two hands.

[term1nally s1ck]

Different energy has different effects on objects.


"Acid and sonic attacks deal damage to most objects just as they do to creatures; roll damage and apply it normally after a successful hit. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter damage to most objects; divide the damage dealt by 4 before applying the hardness."

[Blatm]

For the record, I'm not going to roll 17 search checks for every space. You can take 20 to accomplish the same result with a guaranteed outcome.

I'm worried about taking too much time if I take 20. Can we say that "taking 17" takes 30 seconds/space instead of the 120 it takes to take 20? If there's nothing to find in the square then you don't have to check anything, and if there is something to find my result is 15 (because I have a -2 mod) +whatever else might be influencing stuff.


@TS: Noted, thank you.

======================

Actions: Step back 12 ft. and repeat what I did for the first door.

[Jarian]

Sliding open this new door reveals a wall of bricks and mortar.

[Blatm]

Hmm. I'll try and do the same thing on the wall. If that doesn't work, I'll search the room thoroughly (take 20 on each space, result of 18 with my mod), leaving my extended pole on the ground in B3.

[Jarian]

Touching the wall reveals it to be a rather cunning illusion, one which, you assume, you can freely move through.

[Blatm]

p. 173 of PHB says that "A successful saving throw against an illusion reveals it to be false, but a figment or phantasm remains as a translucent outline." so shouldn't I be able to see through the illusion?

(Also, "A character faced with proof that an illusion isn’t real needs no saving throw." from the same section, so I assume the above applies.)

[Jarian]

Yes. You see an unlit hallway that seems to run to the east and west, though given your current location, you can't see anything more than that minor detail.

[Blatm]

I'll take 20 to search the torch for traps, and if I don't find anything I'll try and remove it from its sconce with my pole.

Question: What am I wearing? I forgot to specify in my character sheet, but ideally I'd want to have on an Explorer's Outfit for the gloves. I have no money to spend and didn't count the weight (but the weight can always be updated, depending on how outfits are dealt with).

[Jarian]

A character's first set of clothing is free, and does not count toward encumbrance. I believe Cold Weather Outfit is not a legal first choice, however, as it provided a mechanical benefit.

The perfectly normal (insofar as an 18 on a Search check reveals) torch is unceremoniously dumped from the sconce to the floor.

[Blatm]

I'll go with an explorer's outfit then (which has gloves in particular).

I drop my pole in C4. I'll use the already lit torch to light one of mine, place mine so it's sticking out of the top of my backpack (hopefully providing hands-free illumination), then toss the torch that was on the wall as far as I can to the west, doing my best not to expose myself. Assuming nothing of note happens (I listen a few times. Rolls below), I peak around the corners using my mirror.

Right now, my pole should be on the ground in C4 and I should have my shield donned and my mirror in hand if nothing happened.

Listen rolls:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Blatm]

Some pretty awful rolls right there. I should have asked: do you want to roll my listen checks or should I? If you want to, assuming I can't get a sense for how well I did, I'll listen 5 times.

[Jarian]

Do you possess any extraordinary vision modes that are not listed on your sheet?

You may roll for anything you like, including checks that would normally be made in secret (such as Disable Device), but you cannot metagame knowledge of secret rolls if you see a bad one.

Other than that, feel free to listen as long as you like. You can only make two active listen checks in a round to hear something that you missed in the previous round, and each one takes a move action to perform. Reactive listen and spot checks will be granted automatically.

[Blatm]

I don't have any extraordinary vision modes.

Is listen supposed to be made in secret? I'd rather you make the secret rolls because I don't trust myself not to metagame those, as I'm metagaming everything else right now (that's what I'm supposed to be doing, right?)

I'll take 20 on the listen (my mod is -3)

[Jarian]

*shrug* As you wish.

You hear a the torch strike something solid. Peeking out into the hallway, you see that what it struck was a wall directly to your west, because I am silly and accidentally shifted your starting location one square to the east. :smalltongue:

What is really outside the door is a hallway that runs to the east and south. Sticking the torch outside reveals the following:

To the east, the hall runs beyond the range of your torchlight. After ten feet, it splits to the north and south. After thirty feet, there is a door on the north side of the hall.

To the south, the hall runs for thirty feet before teeing to the east and west. Ten feet before the T, the hall splits east.

[Blatm]

I pick up the torch I had thrown against the wall, put it out, check for poison (wipe it down) and put it in my bag. Following the procedure I outlined in my first post, I go south. I check around every corner using my mirror. Assuming nothing happens, I'll keep going until the T. What do I see down the 3 hallways (the two at the T and the earlier eastward one)?

[Jarian]

At the split east, the hall continues east for ten feet before turning north.

As you prod further down the southern hall, a tiny sphere of acid forms in midair and flies toward you.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC, for [roll1] acid damage.

Does this change how you proceed?

[Blatm]

Hmm. Very odd. Can I get more details on where it formed?

[Jarian]

Five feet south of the intersection splitting east, forming as you poked that section of the floor.

[Blatm]

I poke that section again. (http://xkcd.com/242/)

(Hopefully this doesn't count as flatfooted).

[Jarian]

Poke.

...

Pokepokepoke!

...

POKEPRODPOKE.

Nothing seems to be happening.

[Blatm]

I'll continue along to the T then.

I'm sure the traps to come will be a bit more dangerous. (My first through was "omg invisible spellcaster with +10 ranged touch attack!")

[Jarian]

At the T:

West: The hallway runs west for ten feet before turning south.

East: The hallway runs east for forty feet before turning north. After thirty-five feet, there is a door on the north side of the hall. Just outside the door, there is a large red and white bullseye painted on the floor.

[Blatm]

I'll go west.

Edit: Question: how wide are the hallways?

[Jarian]

The hallways are five feet wide.

You go west for ten feet, then south for ten feet, where the hallway turns east. The hall runs east beyond your torchlight, utterly featureless as far as your eye can see.

[Blatm]

I'll draw that torch from earlier, light it, and throw it down the hallway.

[Jarian]

10' range increment, improvised weapon, maximum of three increments. -2 penalty for every 10 feet you try to throw it, -4 for improvised weaponry.

Ranged attack roll please (it can't go badly wrong, but...).

[Blatm]

I'll try and throw it the maximum 30'. If I'm not mistaken my mod is +3 - 6 - 4.

[roll0]

[Jarian]

The torch sails through the air, landing some thirty feet away. The hall continues to the east even further than this new torchlight reveals. However, it does reveal a door on the north side of the hall, thirty-five feet away from the torch's landing position.

[Blatm]

I'll go back to that eastward passage right before the acid orb trap and look around that corner with a mirror.

[Jarian]

The hallway runs north beyond the range of your torchlight. After five feet, there is a door on the eastern side of the hall. After twenty-five feet, the hall splits to the east and west.

[Blatm]

I'll go back down to pick up the torch I threw, and throw it again.

[roll0]

[Jarian]

On your way to the torch, you poke the ground ten feet beyond the bend, and another sphere of acid forms and rockets toward you.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC, for [roll1] acid damage.

Continue on?

[Blatm]

Poke again then continue on, yes.

[Blatm]

I'll also take 20 to search the square the acid came from.

[Jarian]

Poke.

Nothing happens. Searching reveals nothing.

You retrieve the torch. Too tired to calculate new sight. Update tomorrow.

[Jarian]

You hurl the torch another thirty feet. It reveals a further forty feet of the hall, which continues to show no sign of ending. No further features are revealed by this new area of illumination, though the door you saw earlier continues to be visible.

[Blatm]

I'll go back to the start, draw another torch, and throw it down the eastward passage.

[roll0]

[Jarian]

Where are you throwing that torch from, again? At the intersection, or from the doorway?

[Blatm]

From the doorway.

[Jarian]

The torch lands just outside the door on the northern side of the hall. By its light, you see that the hall continues east further than the illumination provides. After thirty feet beyond the torch, the hall splits to the north and south.

[Blatm]

To my standard procedure for moving through the dungeon, I'd like to add always checking around corners with my mirror.

I'll go the the space in front of the door, take 20 on a search, take 20 on a listen through the door with my listening cone, pick up the torch, put it out and put it in my bad, and proceed to the intersection I revealed (assuming I don't find/hear anything and nothing happens).

[Jarian]

At the first split before the door:

North: The hall goes north for twenty feet before turning east.

South: The hall goes south for twenty feet before turning west. There is a door on the east side of the hall after fifteen feet.

At the intersection, you poke the ground ten feet east, and the thin covering of a pit trap falls away as you do so. The pit is five feet wide, and of indeterminate depth from your current position. Do you have a good means of getting across, or how would you like to proceed?

[Blatm]

What kind of check would I have to make to throw a 50 lb. bag across the pit? What kind of check would I have to make to move 50 lb. across the pit with my pole?

I'll poke the ground directly behind the pit to check that it's safe. Further actions pending answers to the above.

EDIT: I'll also look down the pit.
EDIT2: add to my standard way of proceeding through the dungeon that I poke the ceiling as hard as I can.

[Jarian]

What kind of check would I have to make to throw a 50 lb. bag across the pit?

Ranged attack, 5' increment, improvised weaponry. AC 5 to hit a square.


What kind of check would I have to make to move 50 lb. across the pit with my pole?

You'll have to attach it to the pole somehow first, unless it has loops or something that you can use normally.


I'll poke the ground directly behind the pit to check that it's safe. Further actions pending answers to the above.

Seems solid.


EDIT: I'll also look down the pit.

Twenty feet deep.


EDIT2: add to my standard way of proceeding through the dungeon that I poke the ceiling as hard as I can.

You can reach it with the pole, but not by any other means. Is that how you wanted to poke it?

[Blatm]

You'll have to attach it to the pole somehow first, unless it has loops or something that you can use normally.
Will the straps of my backpack work?


You can reach it with the pole, but not by any other means. Is that how you wanted to poke it?
Yes, from as far away as possible, and not if I'm directly under it.

[Jarian]

The ceilings are 20 feet high. Your character has, with a 12' pole, somewhere between 20 and 23 feet of vertical reach. With a short hop, you should be able to poke the ceiling from five feet away. You should be able to accomplish this by taking 10 on the jump check. This will likely be less than stealthy to do every step of the way through the dungeon.

In addition, now that you're poking the ceiling, did you wish to poke the walls too, or is this the extent of your exploratory prodding?

[Blatm]

Ah I'd rather keep stealthy, so no ceiling poking. I'll poke whatever walls I can without making noise.

What check would I have to make to lift a 55 lb. backpack across the pit with my pole?

[Jarian]

It's under your light load, so you can do it without issue.

Do you want to do so now, or was that just a general question?

[Blatm]

I'll reorganize my stuff so that my shield and armor are in my backpack, along with other stuff that brings it to 55 lb., transfer that over with my pole, then I should be at light load with no armor check penalty, so I'll clear the DC 5 running jump check automatically with my +4 mod if I'm not mistaken. When I get to the other side I'll put everything back as it was and continue with the actions I outlined above.

[Jarian]

You make it to the doorway without further issue. Through the door, you hear a rushing noise, like a blacksmith's bellows. The door also becomes moderately warm to the touch for a moment before cooling off again.

[Blatm]

Unfortunately the most interesting thing to do is often not the thing that won't get me killed, so I'll move on the the intersection as planned.

[Jarian]

Poking the floor ten feet to the east of the door causes a tiny sphere of acid to form in midair and streak toward you.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC, for [roll1] acid damage.

Continue on?

[Blatm]

Yeah. I've been getting lucky with those but I have no idea what to do about them.

[Jarian]

You reach the intersection without issue.

North: The hall goes north for ten feet before turning east.

East: The hall continues east for twenty feet before turning south. There is a door on the east wall of the southern bend.

South: The hall goes south for ten feet before turning west. There's a blue notecard pinned to the east wall five feet down this hall.

Where to?

[Blatm]

I'll try and get the notecard off the wall with my pole and drag it to me if I can do so without damaging it.

[Jarian]

Sure. It has some writing on it, and a tear through the top where a bit was left stuck to the pin in the wall.

[Blatm]

Can I read it without picking it up?

[Jarian]

You'll need a rather keen spot check, since normal reading requires something held within a foot of you.

[Blatm]

On second thought I'm going to try and do something else. While keeping my distance so that I can't read it, I'll try and check if there's writing on both sides. If there isn't, I'll pick it up, paying special attention not to read it (I'll close my eyes if I have to) and fold it over so that the side with writing on it is on the inside. and can't be read unless the note is unfolded. Then I'll fold it over again just to be safe, store it in my bag, take 20 on a search the note was in, then move along the south path. (Obviously all this assuming nothing happens.)

[Jarian]

You avoid reading the lonely blue note without any issue, folding it up not once, but twice. You imagine you can hear its papery little bones crying out as you fold them up upon themselves in unnatural ways, then rudely stuff them into your backpack.

The space with the note looks like any other section of wall, save for a tack holding a minuscule shred of blue paper to the wall.

At the bend, the hall continues west for twenty feet before turning south. After five feet, there is a door on the south side of the wall.

[Blatm]

:(

I'll search/listen through the door (taking 20 on both).

[Jarian]

You hear the sound of grunting and something solid striking a stone surface in a rhythmic pattern.

[Blatm]

I'll peak around the corner to the west then backtrack the the blue notecard intersection and head east, listen/searching the door.

[Jarian]

At the corner, the hall goes south for twenty feet before turning west. After fifteen feet, there is a door on the west side of the hall.

Backtracking, then to the door:

At the door, you see that the hall continues south for ten feet before turning east. You don't hear anything through the door.

[Blatm]

I'll continue down this hallway.

[Jarian]

At the bend, the hallway goes east beyond the range of your torchlight. After ten feet, you poke the ground ten feet ahead of you, and it falls away, revealing a five-foot wide pit.

[Blatm]

I'll proceed as I did for the last pit and continue down the hallway for 50' past the pit.

[Jarian]

Forty feet beyond the pit, the hall turns north.

The hall runs north for forty feet before turning west. After five feet, there is a large red notecard pinned to the east wall. After ten feet, the hall splits west.

[Blatm]

I'll try and read the red notecard from 10 ft. away by taking 20 on a spot check (my mod is -3).

[Jarian]

You can tell that the message on the card is very short, but you can't make out the exact wording.

[Blatm]

Can I tell if it's written in common? Does it look like what could be written is "Explosive Runes!"?. If the answer the the second question is no, I'll inch a bit closer very carefully, shield raised, until I can get a few more details.

[Jarian]

It is written in common. It appears to be one word.

Your spot check isn't good for much at a distance. Making out tiny writing at further than normal reading range is going to be DC 25 afaik.

[Blatm]

Against my better judgement, I'll inch a bit closer very carefully until I can read it.

[Jarian]

The card reads:

"Kaboom."

KABOOM.

The card explodes in your face, dealing [roll0] force damage.

Edit: Seriously, am I ever going to roll above a 1 on damage here?

[Blatm]

>.>


I'll go north.

[Jarian]

Was that north to the split, or north to the bend?

[Blatm]

I forgot about the split. What do I see down that passageway?

[Jarian]

At the split, the hall goes west for ten feet before turning north.

[Blatm]

I'll check around that corner.

[Jarian]

The hall goes north for twenty feet before turning west.

Ten feet to the north, you poke the floor and a(nother) five-foot section falls away.

[Blatm]

I'll backtrack a bit and go north to the bend.

[Jarian]

Fifteen feet north of the split, your pole catches a tripwire. A dart flies out of the west wall, crashing into the east wall in a spray of shattered metal and glass.

Tripping the wire again does nothing.

[Blatm]

I'll continue, ducking under/stepping over the tripwire (which?).

[Jarian]

Inching under or leaping over, at your choice. It's at roughly waist level.

At the bend, the hall continues west beyond your torchlight. After thirty feet, it splits to the north. After thirty-five feet, there is a door on the south side of the hall.

[Blatm]

I'll search/listen through the door (and also look north/west).

[Jarian]

At the split, the hall continues north for ten feet before turning east.

At the door, you don't hear anything with the listening cone.

To the west of the door, the hall continues for twenty-five feet before turning north.

[Blatm]

I'll look around the bend that turns east, then look around the bend that turns north.

[Jarian]

East bend: Hall goes east for thirty feet before turning north.

North bend: Ten feet before the bend, a pit trap. You cross it without trouble. Hall goes north for thirty feet before turning west. After twenty feet, the hall splits east. Also at twenty feet, there is a door on the west side of the hall.

[Blatm]

I'll go down the path that bends north. I check down both hallways (the split to the east and the bend to the west) and search/listen through the door.

[Jarian]

At the door: No sound that you can hear.

Eastern split: The hall runs east for ten feet before turning north.

Western bend: The hall runs west for thirty feet before teeing to the north and south. After five feet, there is a large red and white bullseye painted on the floor. Also after five feet, there is a door on the south side of the hall.

[Blatm]

I'll go down the eastern split.

[Jarian]

At the bend, the hall runs north for forty feet before turning east. After ten feet, it splits to the east. After twenty feet, it splits to the west.

[Blatm]

I'll check down all three hallways.

[Jarian]

At the split east: The hall goes east for fifteen feet before ending in a door. After ten feet, the hall splits north.

Split west: The hall goes west for ten feet before turning north.

Turn east: The hall runs east for forty feet before turning south. After ten feet, it splits to the south. After thirty feet, it splits north.

[Blatm]

I'll head towards the north split after the eastern bend, but I'll check down the southern bend right after it too.

[Jarian]

At the southern split, the hall runs south for thirty feet before teeing to the east and west.

You poke the floor five feet before the northern split, and a tiny sphere of acid forms in midair (surprise!) and streaks toward you.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC, for [roll1] acid damage.

[Blatm]

Not a 1 this time. =(

I continue.

[Jarian]

At the split, the hall goes north for ten feet before turning west, then west for ten feet before turning north, then north for ten feet before turning east. Five feet to the north, you poke the ground and it falls away in yet another pit trap.

Note that you do not have ten feet to perform a running jump here.

[Blatm]

I have an idea and I'd like to know what the DC would come out to be.

The idea is that I'll put my pole across the pit and walk across it, using the wall to balance. To make sure the pole doesn't move, I'd have the far side pushing against my bag full of stuff (100 lb this time), and on the near side I'd hammer an Iron spike into the ground (I'm assuming I one only on one side as I'll be sort of pushing against it by leaning against the wall). How low will that get the DC?

Edit: I also check down the bend that goes south. What do I see down there?

[Jarian]

We'll say DC 10.

I feel compelled to point out that you could merely take 10 to jump across, however.

[Blatm]

That's a very good point. I think I'll go with that.

But before I check down that hallway that bends to the south.

[Jarian]

At the bend south: The hall runs south for twenty feet before turning east.

You jump across the pit. The hall turns east, running for ten feet before turning north. At the bend, a green notecard is pinned to the wall.

[Blatm]

I'll get close enough to get a few details about the sort of thing that's written (long/short e.g.) but not close enough to read the note.

[Jarian]

The writing is long enough to form a sentence or two.

[Blatm]

I'll take the blue note out of my bag, and making sure not to read it, I'll unfold it, place it on the ground, move back 10 feet, and do the same.

[Jarian]

The writing is long enough to form a sentence or two.

[Blatm]

Without reading it, I'll put the blue one on the ground around the nearest corner, and then read it using my mirror.

[Jarian]

"˙ǝןqnoɹʇ ɟo sǝɯıʇ uı dןǝɥ ɹoɟ ǝɯ uɹnq"

[Blatm]

Haha neat. I'll do the same with the green note.

[Jarian]

"˙unɟ ǝʌɐɥ 'pǝuosıod uǝǝq ǝʌɐɥ noʎ"

Fort save please.

[Blatm]

[roll0]

The gloves are flavour then?

[Blatm]

I'll keep the green note if poison is single use per RAW and continue north.

[Jarian]

[roll0]
[roll1]

You don't feel any different.

The gloves should protect you from any touch-based poisoning.

[Blatm]

Oo sneaky.

I'll fold up the green and blue notes and proceed north.

[Jarian]

At the bend, the hall continues north for ten feet, the tees to the east and west.

To the east, the hall runs for twenty feet before turning south.

To the west, the hall runs for forty feet before turning south.

Note that there will be a secondary save in less than a minute of exploration.

[Blatm]

Fort save: [roll0]

I'll check both bends after the secondary save.

[Jarian]

At the eastern bend:

The hall runs south beyond the range of your torchlight.

At the western bend:

The hall runs south beyond the range of your torchlight. After twenty feet, there is a door on the east side of the hall.

[Jarian]

Oops, forgot:

[roll0]
(1d100)[100]

Doesn't matter unless it's a 100, but...

Huh.

No apparent effect.

[Blatm]

That 100 is really scary.

I'll go down the western hallway, searching/listening through the door.

EDIT: To clarify, I just to to listen/search the door. Further actions pending what I hear.

[Jarian]

You hear chittering through the door, like that of a squirrel.

[Blatm]

Do I see this hallway bend to the east further south? If so, I'll go down the hallway to the west going south until I see some features. If the only feature I see is it turning to the west after a while, I'll backtrack to the start and go north.

[Jarian]

It does indeed bend to the east thirty feet to the south of the door, sorry about that.

I'm not clear where it is you're asking to go. Could you please quote a post where I mentioned your destination?

[Blatm]

I want to backtrack to the green notecard, then go to the tee just north of it, then go east, and then follow the hallway as it bends south.

EDIT: yes rereading my previous post my explanation of what I wanted to do was all garbled. Sorry about that.

[Jarian]

At the eastern bend to the south:

The hall goes south for fifty feet before turning west. After thirty feet, there is yet another pit trap. Somebody really liked these, it seems. You clear it effortlessly.

Turning west, the hall goes for ten feet before turning north, then goes for twenty feet before turning west. At the bend, the hall goes west for forty feet before turning south. After ten feet, it splits to the north. After thirty feet, it splits to the south. You've been here before.

Your torch is going to die soon, assuming your 30-second/square search pattern.

[Blatm]

I'll light another torch, put this one out, and mark the mostly used one with a bit of chalk so I can identify it easily.

Following only paths I'm familiar with, I make my way back to the pit trap south of the northern bullseye, and take the hallway near the door east of the pit trap that heads north. Let's see where that takes me.

[Jarian]

I'm sorry, I'm honestly not sure where it is you're trying to go, even though your directions are quite clear. I think it may just be a difference in the way our maps are translated. Could you please quote a post where I gave you directions to where you're going?

[Blatm]

Inching under or leaping over, at your choice. It's at roughly waist level.

At the bend, the hall continues west beyond your torchlight. After thirty feet, it splits to the north. After thirty-five feet, there is a door on the south side of the hall.

I go down the hallway the bolded part of the quote is referring to.

[Jarian]

The hall goes north for ten feet, then east for thirty feet, then north for twenty feet, then west for fifteen feet before ending in a door.

[Blatm]

I'll search/listen.

[Jarian]

You hear and find nothing.

[Blatm]

I make sure that my longsword and morningstar are accessible enough that drawing them would be a move action. Then I'll try and open the door (!) with my pole if it looks doable.

[Jarian]

From what distance are you attempting to open the door with the pole?

[Blatm]

As far as possible always: 12 feet.

[Jarian]

The door slides open, revealing a room fifteen feet wide. You see another door directly across from the one you just opened. Due to your distance from the doorway, you cannot gain further dimensions of the room at this time. You see no sign of a hostile creature from your limited view of the room.

[Blatm]

I put away my pole and draw my morningstar. While gripping (but not fighting with) my morningstar, can I also hold my mirror between my fingers with the same hand? If so, I'll advance towards the door carefully and use my mirror to look in all directions around the door frame, including up. Further actions pending what I see, including dimensions/features of the room.

[Jarian]

There's no difference between holding a weapon and fighting with it, so no, no mirror. Does that change anything?

[Blatm]

I'll go to the door mirror in hand then and do what I described above.

[Jarian]

Walking up to the door reveals the following room:
{table]|A_|B_|C_
1|||
2|||
3|||
4|||
5|||
6||1|[/table]
There is a door at A5 and C5, which you are just outside of.

On the wall at B-6, +15 elevation, there is a large, nearly dog-sized construct of bronze plating. It has a vaguely insectile shape, with an oval carapace, six spike-tipped legs, and a round head with two oversized mandibles protruding from its "mouth", which is little more than a wide, funnel-shaped hole.

The construct's head turns to look at you as you enter the doorway.

Initiatve: [roll0]

[Blatm]

imgonnadieomgomgomg

Initiative: [roll0]

[Blatm]

Maneuvers:
I begin the battle with:
[roll0]
[roll1]
(take the maneuver from the first roll out of the list and bump everything with a higher number down one)
1: Crusader's Strike
2: Vanguard Strike
3: Charging Minataur
4: Stone Bones
5: Douse the Flames

Rest of actions pending which maneuvers I get.

[Blatm]

Free: drop mirror just outside C5 (carefully so I don't break it!)
Move: to B2
Free as part of move: Draw Morningstar
Standard: Summon a swarm of bats (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Bat_Swarm) in the space the Thing is in.

Initiative for the swarm: [roll0]

[Blatm]

Clarification: I have no control over the swarm. The text for Summon Swarm says that it attacks the nearest creature. Duration is concentration.

EDIT: I seem to remember there being a way to cast spells without provoking actions of opportunity by making a concentration check. It's not relevant this round, but can you remind me of the relevant rules as I can't seem to find them?

EDIT2: That's my full turn.
At the end of my turn the maneuver I get is 1d3 (using the above list).

[Blatm]

Maneuver: [roll0]

[Jarian]

The spell Summon Swarm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonSwarm.htm) has a 1 round casting time. Does the invocation lower this to a standard action?

[Blatm]

No, I misread, sorry. I'll revise my turn to drop my mirror, take a 5 foot step back (losing LOS if I'm not mistaken), and summoning a swarm of bats as close to the Thing as I can.

[Jarian]

What's going on inside (no peeking!):Immunity to everything but the damage, so...

Swarm damage: [roll0]

Acid: [roll1] * 1.5

Ref: [roll2]

[Jarian]

You hear your bat swarm go from shrieking frenzy to, well, shrieking frenzy.

A line of acidic spray hits the ground in front of the doorway, but nothing else happens.

Your turn again. What do?

[Blatm]

To clarify, do I still hear the bats? If I still hear the bats at the beginning of my turn, I run back to the nearest 3way intersection as quickly as possible (unless I realize the Thing is following me). This breaks concentration and the swarm disappears.

EDIT: Rules clarification: would the bats have attacked by the time my turn comes around? If not, I don't run away yet.

[Jarian]

The bats will act on your initiative, not their own, for both of our sanity. Does that change anything?

You still hear the bats.

The bats acted immediately, so yes, they've acted already.

[Blatm]

Then I run away. ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

[Jarian]

You run. The swarm poofs. Your turn rolls around again.

Actions?

[Blatm]

Assuming the Thing doesn't follow me (I'll listen for it), I'll wait 5 minutes then go back to where I was before I ran and summon a spider swarm 25 feet away, in the room.

EDIT: To clarify, I ran all the way back to the 3 way intersection.

[Jarian]

Whhhrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Metal pincers, whirling like the blades of a blender at eye level, pop out of the wall to the northwest of you not six seconds after you reach the intersection. The rest of the creature follows swiftly after, emerging from its newly burrowed tunnel. The pincers slowly stop rotating, then clack together determinedly as it tries to take off a bit of your flesh.

Bite: [roll0] for [roll1] damage.

Would you like a map, or have you, as I suspect, been mapping this place on your own?

[Blatm]

I don't think it's worth taking the time to make a map.

Assuming the thing is right next to me, I use my breath attack on it with Entangling Exhalation. (Does this provoke an attack of opportunity?)

[roll0]/2 damage (Electricity), DC 14 Reflex save for half.
The thing takes 1d6 Electricity damage at the start of my turn for [roll1] rounds and is Entangled for that time (moves at half speed, can't run/charge, -2 on Attack rolls and -4 Dex. If somehow it's a spellcaster it needs to make a concentration check DC 15 + spell level or lose the spell whenever it casts one).
I can reuse my breath weapon in [roll2] rounds.

I then use my move action to go north and then east so that directly south of me there is a solid wall (well, with a hole in it), and south of that is the Thing, and if it tries to follow me I either get partial cover or an AoO. (This provokes an AoO).

[Blatm]

Also draw my morningstar as part of my move if (it's not too late to specify).

[Jarian]

Reflex: [roll0]

Tired. Posting resumes tomorrow.

[Jarian]

Whrrrrrrr

The construct once more pops out of the wall, this time above your head (+5 elevation, no AoO due to having no LoS until it appears).

It tries to nom you again.

[roll0] for [roll1] damage.

Your entangling electricity continues to damage it: [roll2]

[Blatm]

I've been forgetting about maneuvers.

When I left to run, I had 3 maneuvers available. Then it took me 2 turns to get to the intersection, so when I first saw the Thing appear again I would be starting the process again. Right now I should have 3 maneuvers.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
1: Crusader's Strike
2: Vanguard Strike
3: Charging Minataur
4: Stone Bones
5: Douse the Flames

Further actions pending what I get.

[Blatm]

Standard:
Crusader's Strike
Attack: [roll0] (Not considering possible penalties due to elevation)
Damage: [roll1]
Healed (if hit): [roll2] (the +2 from the stance)

Move:
Move as close to the pit to the west as possible (if I'm not mistaken I should be directly in front of the nearby door).

Maneuver:
[roll3]

[Jarian]

Crrrrunch.

The construct releases a violent spray of sparks, then falls to the ground, twitching. After a moment, it falls still.

150 xp, no loot.

[Blatm]

Phew.

I'll move towards the hallways right before the doorway (quickly, in case the Thing is going to explode or something), put away my morningstar, and take out/extend my pole. I'll pick up my mirror if it's still there, search/listen through the door at A5, then search the room.

[Jarian]

Your mirror is still there.

The room is as described, and your searching reveals nothing further. You don't hear anything through the other door.

[Blatm]

Is there a hole in the wall? How wide?
How high is the ceiling?
Is the acid still there? Did it have any noticeable effect on the floor?

I'll open the door the same way I opened the last one, from 12 ft. away.

[Jarian]

There is a perfectly circular hole in the southern wall at +10 elevation. It is approximately a foot wide.

The ceiling, like all the others you have seen thus far, is twenty feet high.

The acid burned a patch in the floor, but it seems to be simply a cosmetic change.

Opening the door reveals a hall that runs to the west for fifteen feet before teeing to the north and south. After five feet, the hall splits to the north. You have previously explored the area outside this door.

[Blatm]

You hurl the torch another thirty feet. It reveals a further forty feet of the hall, which continues to show no sign of ending. No further features are revealed by this new area of illumination, though the door you saw earlier continues to be visible.

(This is the long hallway near the starting point that runs east)

I'll go back there following previously explored paths and keep walking down that hallway. Is the torch still there? Is it still lit?

[Jarian]

That's not what the area is, actually.


At the split east: The hall goes east for fifteen feet before ending in a door. After ten feet, the hall splits north.

Split west: The hall goes west for ten feet before turning north.

Turn east: The hall runs east for forty feet before turning south. After ten feet, it splits to the south. After thirty feet, it splits north.

From post #102. This is the section outside the door.

What does that change?

[Blatm]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. I want to backtrack all the way to the area that I quoted and continue exploring there.

[Jarian]

Ah, gotcha.

Working your way to the torch, you find another pit trap (yawn). Ten feet after the pit trap, you poke the ground and another tiny sphere of acid forms in midair and streaks toward you. [roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC, for [roll1] acid damage. Have you come up with an idea for avoiding these yet, or do you keep poking along?

[Blatm]

Still no ideas, much to my character's dismay. I'll keep going. Is the torch still lit?

[Jarian]

Remind me, is this a torch from the starting room, or something else?

[Blatm]

The torch from the starting room.

[Jarian]

It's still burning, but it's getting close to the end of its lifespan.

From the torch, the hall continues east beyond the range of your torchlight. There is a door on the north side of the hall five feet to the east of you.

[Blatm]

I'll pick it up, extinguish it, mark it if it's not obviously different from my other torches, and store it. I'll continue along the hallway.

[Jarian]

Could you remind me of your exact searching routine? I seem to have forgotten the details, and it's spread out over several posts that would take some time to find.

[Blatm]

Using my collapsible pole (fully extended, 12 ft.) I will prod the square that is 12 ft. away from me with my full weight. After prodding the space 12 ft. in front of me, I will search the square I'm in until I get a natural 17 or better. I will always move silently. I look around every corner with my mirror before exposing myself. I poke and prod the walls if I can without making noise. (Might as well add that at every door I take 20 on a search and listen through it with my listening cone)

I think that's all of it.

[Jarian]

Listening at the door: You hear the sound of grunting and something solid striking a stone surface in a rhythmic pattern. You have heard this noise previously and turned away. Do you want to investigate, or press on?

[Blatm]

I'll continue down the hallway, heading east.

[Jarian]

Thirty feet east of the door, you find another pit trap. Somebody sure liked pit traps.

Twenty feet east of the pit trap, you poke the wall ten feet up on the north side, and a flash of light and heat washes over you. You take [roll0] nonlethal damage. Fortitude save, please.

What the hell is wrong with my damage dice?

[Blatm]

I love your damage dice. I've been getting lucky with dice all dungeon long. I still have no idea how I'm supposed to dodge these magic traps though.

Fort save: [roll0]

How long before non-lethal damage goes away?

[Blatm]

Speaking of lucky dice...

[Jarian]

Certain attacks deal nonlethal damage. Other effects, such as heat or being exhausted, also deal nonlethal damage. When you take nonlethal damage, keep a running total of how much you’ve accumulated. Do not deduct the nonlethal damage number from your current hit points. It is not "real" damage. Instead, when your nonlethal damage equals your current hit points, you’re staggered, and when it exceeds your current hit points, you fall unconscious. It doesn’t matter whether the nonlethal damage equals or exceeds your current hit points because the nonlethal damage has gone up or because your current hit points have gone down.

[...]

You heal nonlethal damage at the rate of 1 hit point per hour per character level.

When a spell or a magical power cures hit point damage, it also removes an equal amount of nonlethal damage.

Fortitude success. Press onwards, same routine?

[Blatm]

Yup. Thanks for the relevant rules. Will you let me know when an hour/two hours pass?

[Jarian]

Sure.

Pressing on...

Twenty feet beyond the magical trap on the wall, you find another pit. This place is really falling apart.

Fifteen feet beyond the pit, the hall turns north. It runs north for twenty feet before turning west. It runs west for thirty feet before turning south. Fifteen feet into this western passage, you poke the south wall ten feet up, and another flash of light and heat washes over you.

[roll0] nonlethal damage, and a Fortitude save.

SERIOUSLY?

[Blatm]

These dice are amazing.

I'm only going to poke the wall at the 5' level from now on. EDIT: And I'll also keep my head down so that I'm no more than 5' tall.
Fort: [roll0]

I'll press on.

Ouch, that's probably going to hurt.

[Jarian]

You are fatigued (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#fatigued) until your nonlethal damage heals. Does this change anything?

[Blatm]

I've heard bad things about people who just wait around in the dungeon. Will things come and kill me if I loiter for 4 hours? (Or can you not answer that question?)

If they will, I guess I'll keep moving.

[Jarian]

Resting will cause-cause-cause-*twitchtwitch**KSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH* (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E-MtJBAZvw)

Rest in the Neverending Dungeon has never been conclusively linked to increased risk of heart attack or death. Please inform me of the person or persons who spread these defamations against Tanaric, term1nally s1ck, and the Neverending Dungeon as a whole so I may issue a cease and desist order.

*twitchtwitch*

I'm sorry, I think I blacked out for a second there. Where were we?

[Blatm]

But what about, like, walking really slowly?

...

Yeah I'll keep moving.

[Jarian]

At the southern bend:

The hall goes south for ten feet before turning west. After five feet, you find a pit trap. Surprise.

After jumping over the pit, you turn west. The hall goes west for thirty feet before turning north. After twenty feet, you poke the floor and a sphere of acid forms in midair, then streaks toward you.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch AC for [roll1] acid damage.

[Blatm]

ugh.

Continue.

[Jarian]

What is your current hitpoint situation? I'd go back over the whole thread, but, well, I'm DMing six threads and you're only playing in one. :smalltongue:

[Blatm]

I have 8 hp, 4 NLD, and Rageclaws.

EDIT: I keep my hitpoints updated on my character sheet, so you can always check there.

[Jarian]

At the bend north:

The hall continues north for ten feet before turning west, then west for five feet before ending in a blank wall.

[Blatm]

I'll take 20 on a search, listen through the wall, and put my full weight on it with my pole.

EDIT: I'm a bit scared that you asked for my HP situation. Maybe this isn't the best idea.

[Jarian]

The wall looks a little odd to you.

Was that listening with a cone for something specific or just a general listen check?

[Blatm]

Take 20 on listening through the wall with my cone for anything at all.

I'll also try and get lucky and listen specifically for running water, blacksmithing, wind, and creature noises (each time taking 20). (Thinking that I might get a circumstance bonus if I pay special attention to hear what is on the other side.)

I'll also take 20 on a general listen check (without the cone, just of the surrounding area).


How does the wall look odd exactly?

[Jarian]

The wall looks odd like...

Rrrrmblerrrmblecrash!

Well, like that.

When you place your listening cone against the wall, even without applying any pressure, the wall falls away with a rumbling crash, revealing the following room:

{table]|A_|B_|C_|D_|E_
1|||||
2|||||
3||||1|
4|||||
5||||| [/table]
There is a door at B5 and another at B1, along with a hole in the wall at E-2, which you are just outside of. There is an orc in the middle of the room, twirling a wickedly serrated spear between its hands as it performs what you assume to be combat maneuvers. Beneath its simple uniform, you make out the pattern and distinctive rustle of chainmail.

The orc pauses mid-swing as it notices you, adjusting its stance to one of calm readiness.

Initiative:[roll0]

[Blatm]

I automatically win initiative.

Free: Drop my listening cone
Summon a swarm of rats in the 10'x10' square with corners at D3 and E2
Free: 5 foot step back into the tunnel, losing line of sight.

Maneuvers:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[Jarian]

You can't 5-foot step around solid corners, so that part isn't going to work. Did you want to just step back, or change your actions entirely based on this?

[Blatm]

I'm still in the hallway, 5' east of E2 right? I want to take a 5' step east to go further into the hallway.

[Jarian]

Your positioning is correct.

My DMing up to this point has been less correct.

Summon Swarm (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonSwarm.htm) has a casting time of 1 round, not a full-round action. I made the mistake of letting you use it as such the first time, but that's not the way the spell (or the invocation, unless it changes stuff) actually works. My apologies.

[Blatm]

Right. I'll take a 5 foot step first and then summon the swarm of rats as close to where I wanted it as possible.

EDIT: Ignore this post. My internet was being funny.

[Blatm]

Right. I'll take a 5 foot step first and then summon the swarm of rats in D3/E3/E2/F2.

[Jarian]

Well, two things.

1: You don't have to choose the target of your spell until it completes, which is the start of your next turn.

2: You're going to be casting a spell in a tiny hallway, and shortly be joined by a very angry orc with a very big weapon.

I'm just making sure you understand the implications of a 1-round casting time. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#castingTime)

[Blatm]

Yeah I hadn't understood that. Thanks. I'll revise my turn.

Free: Drop listening cone.
Move: to B1
Free as part of move: Draw Morningstar
Standard: Ready action: Use breath weapon whenever he gets within 5 feet of me.

EDIT: In hindsight, this was maybe not the best thing to do.

[Jarian]

He charges toward you. Take your readied action.

[Blatm]

Damage:[roll0]/2 (Electricity), DC 14 reflex for half.
Entangled for [roll1] rounds.
I can reuse my breath weapon in [roll2] rounds.

My plan being that since he's entangled, he can't charge.

[Jarian]

I... huh.

I'm really not sure how this is supposed to work. He's already charging... I'm not sure if he immediately stops, or what... Please hold.

[Jarian]

Spoke with TS. He stops before he can do anything further. Take your turn.

[Jarian]

Oh god, triple post.

Reflex: [roll0]

*prepares the microwave for these dice*

[term1nally s1ck]

Oi, RNG. Behave.

[Blatm]

Entangle damage: [roll0]

I will withdraw as far down the hallway from which I came as I can. If I'm not mistaken, that's 20 feet past "F2".

Maneuver: [roll1]

[Jarian]

The entangling damage downs him before you have to run.

Assuming you loot his corpse thoroughly, you will receive:


1 medium-sized chainmail
1 medium-sized ripper (Planar Handbook)
3 medium-sized javelins
1 pair of sundark goggles (Races of the Dragon)


Take 150 xp.

[Blatm]

Did it really take only 9 damage to drop him?

(Further actions coming)

I think I messed up my map a bit. Can you describe the hallway that I came from? e.g. "100'+ feet east, 20 feet north, etc."

[Jarian]

From the southwest corner of the long hall. Please note that all measurements assume you are standing in the last square mentioned.

150 feet east, 20 feet north, 30 feet west, 10 feet south, 30 feet west, 10 feet north, 5 feet west, false wall between hall and orc's room.

[Blatm]

Will I be able to sell stuff at the end of the floor?

If so: drop 3 torches, take chainmail and ripper
If not: take ripper and javelins

Either way, I'll go back through the tunnel all the way to the starting point, then start exploring along the nearby hallway that splits north.

[Blatm]

Er, before I do that, search the room, taking 20 everywhere.

[Jarian]

You can sell at the end of the floor, yes.

Searching the room reveals nothing new.

Back at the split north:

The hall goes north for twenty feet before turning east, then runs for ten feet before turning north, then runs for ten feet before teeing to the east and west.

To the east, the hall runs beyond the range of your torchlight. After twenty feet, the hall splits to the north. After thirty feet, there is a door on the south side of the hall.

To the west, the hall runs for thirty feet before turning north. After twenty feet, it splits north.

[Blatm]

I'll go west, checking both the split and the bend.

By now have I healed a point of Non-lethal damage? Searching that room must have taken a while.

[Jarian]

Yyyes. Searching the room took 50 minutes. -1 nonlethal.

Which, incidentally, means your torch went out shortly after leaving, assuming your 30 seconds/square search routine.

[Blatm]

I'll ditch the burnt out torch and grab another from my bag (lighting it with the one that's going out if possible, otherwise I'll fiddle with my flint and steel.)

I'll head west.

[Jarian]

Heading to the split or the bend?

[Blatm]

I'll check both.

EDIT: I'm off for the night.

[Jarian]

At the split north, the hall runs for twenty feet before turning east.

At the bend, the hall runs north for thirty feet before turning east.

[Blatm]

Facing west, I'll follow the wall to my left, trying to gauge the layout of the dungeon as much as possible. I'll keep exploring this way until I come across something interesting*. I don't go through any doors, but I'll search/listen through them.

*getting hit in the face with acid is no longer interesting.

[Blatm]

Thought: my Summon Swarm invocation is a Spell like ability, not a spell. Does that mean it only takes a standard action to use?

[Jarian]

Please hold, attempting to dig up clarification from either the Rules Compendium or the FAQ, as it is decidedly unclear.

[Jarian]

TS confirms SLAs use the normal casting time.

--

Left wall rule, onwards!

At the bend: Hall goes north for thirty feet before turning east. Pit trap after twenty. Goes east for twenty feet before turning south. Goes south for ten feet before turning west. Door on east face of bend. Hear nothing through the door. Goes west for ten feet before turning south. Goes south for twenty feet before dumping you back out into the main east/west hallway mentioned earlier. Acid trap after 10 feet.

[roll0] vs flatfooted touch, [roll1] acid.

Heading east now, from the T east/west.

10 feet beyond T, pit trap, bypassed. North at split, hall runs for ten feet before turning east. Door on north wall of hall. Listening reveals nothing. Hall runs east for ten feet before turning north. Red note on east wall of bend. Investigate?

[Blatm]

Check to see if the message is short/long then store it in my bag like I did with the blue note, without reading it, and keep going.

[Jarian]

Short.

From the bend north:

Hall continues north for thirty feet before teeing to the east and west. You pass a split to the east after twenty feet, which runs for thirty feet before turning south. After twenty-five feet, there is a red and white bullseye painted on the ground outside a door on the south wall of the hall. Break lefthand rule to investigate?

[Blatm]

I think avoiding bullseyes would be the safer option.

[Jarian]

Carrying on, from the T to the east and west.

The hall runs to the east for twenty feet before turning north. To the west, it runs for twenty feet before turning north. You head west. At the turn north, the hall runs for forty feet before turning east. After ten feet, it splits east. After twenty feet, it splits east again.

At the second split east, there is a green notecard pinned to the western wall.

At the first split east, the hall runs for ten feet before turning north. There is a door on the east wall of the northern turn. Break lefthand rule to investigate?

[Blatm]

Nope. I'm really keen on mapping this place out first because right now I have no clue where the "exit" is.

Compare the length of the text on the green notecard to the one I have in my bag, then store the one on the wall without reading it like I did for the last one.

[Jarian]

Long. No direct comparison available without reading.

At the second split east, the hall runs for ten feet before turning south.

At the bend, the hall runs east for twenty feet before turning north. After fifteen feet, there is a door on the south wall. Listening reveals scraping noises and gutteral whooping. Investigate?

(If you are set on not investigating anything of interest, let me know. Otherwise I'm going to continue pausing for things out of the ordinary.)

[Blatm]

Yeah I don't think I'll be investigating anything yet. I can't imagine there being much more dungeon to map out either...

[Jarian]

If I told you that you've only explored a little less than half of it, would that change anything?

[Blatm]

Oh dear...

Well I don't see a point in going to fight stuff if I want to live (besides healing the damage from those pesky acid traps). My fear with continuing to explore now is that it might get very boring.

I'll explore until my non-lethal damage wears off and see where that gets me. I kind of want a map (since it lets me figure out when two doors lead to the same room, e.g.), but I don't want to make you describe two and a half hours of this sort of exploration. How detailed the description of these next two and a half hours is I leave to your discretion, if that's ok.

I'm off for tonight.

[Jarian]

Is there a damage threshold at which you'll simply stop exploring? If not, I'll plot out your exploration until something happens to stop you, then give you a map as best as I'm able.

[term1nally s1ck]

Can your lightning not heal your non-lethal? :smallconfused:

[Jarian]

...lightning?

This is not the character sheet you are looking for.

[term1nally s1ck]

*checks*

Oh yeah. Oops.

*feels silly*

[Blatm]

I'll stop exploring if I drop to 3 hp or lower.