Neverending Dungeon: Crawler (OMG PONIES)

[term1nally s1ck]

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.coyotecode.net/profiler/view.php?id=10651)

[OMG PONIES]

I'll do OOC notes in spoilers, if that's okay. On the map, is the "S" me or is it the sconce mentioned in your post? Also, I've exhanged my 4 ranks of Escape Artist for 4 ranks of Autohypnosis.

Crawler looks around the room, taking a deep breath and steeling himself for the challenge ahead. After checking the floor panels, sconces, and walls for pressure plates, trap springs, or secret doors, he scurries up the wall and makes his way toward the door.

Taking 20 to search all squares of the room, that's 24 minutes of game time. Search result: 27.

[term1nally s1ck]

S for Start.

You find...nothing.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler searches the door for traps and, assuming he finds none, checks to see if it is locked. He then attempts to Listen at the door for any signs of life on the other side. The tiny man then opens the door, prepared for whatever faces him on the other side.

Taking 20 on all skill checks. Search 27, Listen 28, Open Lock 27.

[term1nally s1ck]

The door is made of thick lead, and seems to open by sliding into the wall. The 'handle' is a depression in the door, and it looks unlikely that you could brace anything against it to hold it shut.

You find no traps or anything, and ass you open the door, you find the corridor outside is unlit. You can make out enough to see that it goes east and south, but that's it...unless you have a non-standard vision mode?

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler has darkvision out to 60 feet.

[term1nally s1ck]

To the south, the corridor goes 30' before ending in a T-junction. At 20', there's a turning east.

To the east, the corridor is longer than your vision range. At 10', it splits north/south, at 30', door north, and at 60', another north/south split.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler turns right, taking the passage to the south. He crawls slowly along the West wall and up to the ceiling, using his darkvision to scan for anything out of the ordinary while he keeps an eye and ear out for anything in the dungeon. His slow movement and the cover of darkness allow him the opportunity to move with the stealth he learned in his youth. Balls of your feet, he can still hear his father say, and never touch the floor if you can help it. Everyone looks down, the shrewd look around, but only the dead look up. As he comes to the T-junction in the south, he scans the darkness in both directions.

Crawler will use his spider walk invocation at all times unless specifically noted otherwise, invoking it just as the previous duration expires.

[roll0]
[roll1] or take 20 for 28
[roll2]
Search take 20 for 27
[roll3] or take 20 for 28

On a semi-related note, are there skills on which you can’t take 20? I don’t think that I can with Hide and Move Silently (since they’re part of a move action). Likewise, I don’t think I can take 20 on reactive Listen & Spot checks, but what about subsequent checks (usually a move action)?

[Jarian]

You cannot take 20 with a skill check if there is a chance of failure. Thus, you generally cannot take 20 on a jump check to clear a pit, but could take 20 on a high jump made to grab a ledge, provided you had enough time. You can't take 20 with use magic device, since rolling a 1 renders the item inert for a time.

You can take 20 on active spot checks, but it would take a minute of staring and blinking at mostly nothing, and as such is generally useless unless you intend to admire artwork from a distance.

--

Five feet down the southern passage, you depress a pressure plate in the ceiling. [roll0] darts shoot out of concealed holes in the ceiling.

[roll1] piercing damage
[roll2] piercing damage
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Jarian]

Forgot attack rolls.

[roll0] vs flatfooted AC
[roll1] vs flatfooted AC

4 piercing damage, then.

[OMG PONIES]

Was my Search check of 27 not good enough to notice the pressure plate? Or can I not take 20 on Search checks because you can fail (thus not noticing the trap)? Also, might I have still been on the West wall at that point? Sorry for not specifying--should I state whether I'm on the wall or ceiling in each square?

[Jarian]

For some reason I assumed that was you searching the door. 27 will indeed reveal the trap before you reach it. Note that taking 20 on every square traversed will take two minutes per, which may begin to add up.

[OMG PONIES]

Is there a time limit for completing the floor? I was thinking slow & paranoid wins the...er, stays alive. If there is a time limit, how many Search checks should I make--one per square, or less?

Crawler notices the pressure plate and moves around it, continuing along the West wall toward the T junction. If he can't move around the pressure plate, he'll disable it.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
Taking 20:
Search every square 27
Listen & Spot 28

If there is a time limit:
[roll5]

[Jarian]

There's no time limit per se, but sleep deprivation effects begin to occur after 24 hours, and eating and drinking rules apply.

You can move along the wall to avoid the plate on the ceiling.

How high are you climbing along the wall, or are you going back to the ceiling immediately after?

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler continues toward the T-junction along the West wall, 10 feet off the ground (or as close to the ceiling as possible, if shorter than 10 feet).

What mechanical effects does sleep deprivation have? Also, can we just assume that my above checks apply until I reach the T-junction, or do you need a new set?

If you need new ones:
Still taking 20 on search for 27
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Jarian]

I believe the effects were (in order of each 24-hour period) fatigue until rest, exhaustion until rest, and forced sleep. (I suggested insanity until rest for the 3rd step, but cest la vie.)

All ceilings are 20 feet tall unless otherwise specified. How high are you climbing?

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler is 15 feet above the ground as he heads to the T-junction in the South.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[OMG PONIES]

Bump for great justice.

[Jarian]

I think TS thought I was taking this over, rather than simply providing some updates on the fly. Sorry for the lack of DM communication.

I'll update this again tomorrow, then see what I can do to get things back on track for you.

[term1nally s1ck]

You reach the T.

To the west, the corridor turn south after 10'.

To the east, it turns north after 40'. After 35', there's a red and white painted bullseye on the floor, with a door north.

Time elapsed: 42 minutes.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler keeps to the west wall. He peers down the hallway to the South, making use of his darkvision (60 feet). If he doesn't see anything suspicious, he begins heading South. He crawls along the wall 15 feet above the ground.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Search (take 20) 27 x 4 squares = 8 minutes
Time elapsed 50 minutes
Child of Shadow active

I realized that I accidentally have one feat too many; Titan Fighting should not be on the build. It was probably an artifact of when I was building Creeper a little differently. Am I okay to simply remove it from my sheet, or would that require a restart?

[term1nally s1ck]

OOC: S'fine, just scratch the feat.

You go 10' south, and it turns east. The corridor now extends further than you can see, with no features.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler sticks to the wall that he's on (now the South wall) and proceeds slowly to the East. He still takes his time, however, being sure that every step is safe.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Search (taking 20) 27 x 13 squares = 26 minutes
Time elapsed 1 hour, 16 minutes
Child of Shadow active
15 feet up on the South Wall

Assuming all goes well, Crawler will travel 60 feet to the East and see what awaits him.

[OMG PONIES]

Bump. Don't mean to bother you; how long should I wait in the future before bumping? I know you're crazy busy.

[term1nally s1ck]

Ehh, in general it's not worth bumping. I don't read threads unless I can update em. I'm trying to get it more regularly, and I've dropped one committment so should be more regular.

[term1nally s1ck]

So, after a distance, you find a door north.

Am I to assume you intend to stick to the right at all times if possible?

[OMG PONIES]

Yes, that's correct. Always go right. :smallbiggrin: Not to be a stickler, but can you tell me the distance? I'm trying to make a rather detailed map of the dungeon as I go :smallredface:. So far, I'm assuming that the corridor I'm in goes at least 65' East, since it extended beyond my 60' darkvision.

[term1nally s1ck]

The door north was after 65'. After another 85', it turns north for 20', then west for 30', then south for 10', then west for 30', then north for 10', then west for 5' before hitting a dead end. Make a spot check.

[OMG PONIES]

[roll0] At the dead end, I'm presuming?

[term1nally s1ck]

You note that the dead end is a slightly different colour.

[OMG PONIES]

Search check, taking 20 to search for secret doors and/or traps. Result: 27.

[term1nally s1ck]

It appears to not be cemented. You could knock it down with a little effort.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler attempts to knock down the discolored section of the wall, peppering it with Eldritch Blasts and strikes from his mace.

[term1nally s1ck]

Knocking down the wall reveals the following room:
{table]|A_|B_|C_|D_|E_
1|||||
2|||||
3||||1|
4|||||
5||||| [/table]
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]

You're outside E3.

[OMG PONIES]

[roll0]

Crawler holds up a hand to greet the orc in the strange hidden room. "Oi, friend," he says, "why you hide in here?" While Crawler is friendly, he is acutely aware that this could turn sour at any time.

Ready action to Eldritch Blast the orc if he takes a hostile action.
[roll1]
[roll2]
Free action: declare orc as dodge target
Child of Shadow active (19 AC vs orc, 20% miss chance)

[term1nally s1ck]

He activates a charging maneuver, bull-rushing you.

No AoO, your readied hits but doesn't stop him.

[roll0] bull-rush for [roll1] damage.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler skitters back 10 feet along the wall and fires another Eldritch Blast. "Oi, that's hardly an answer," he smirks.

16 vs touch AC* for 6 damage

[roll0]
[roll1]

Free action: declare orc as Dodge target
Child of Shadow vs orc (19 AC, 20% Miss Chance)

*Hopefully lowered due to charging

[term1nally s1ck]

That's a bull-rush check. You defend with an opposed strength check, not your AC. :smallbiggrin:

[OMG PONIES]

My bad, I thought there was an attack required, like with grappling. Quick question, though--how is the creature bull rushing me when he seems to be on the ground, and I am on the wall 15 feet above the ground? I don't think he can move into my space. Therefore, I would argue, no bull rush.

[term1nally s1ck]

Good point, I'm very much used to people going through doors into rooms. Puts them ground level.

Anyway, you had to be at most 5' off the ground to see into the room, so he moves out and steely strikes you. Still the readied hits and doesn't kill.

[roll0] for [roll1] (-1, typo)

[OMG PONIES]

Okay, so to be sure I have the new order of events correct, is it something like this?:


Crawler's initiative: ready action
Orc's initiative: moves to attack (triggers readied action), attempts to initiate Steely Strike (and misses, since I'm assuming the d20+9 above is his attack)
Crawler's initiative: moves back and eldritch blasts vs 16 touch AC for 6 damage (as per prior post)
Orc's initiative: coming up


Is that correct? If so, and both of my attacks have hit, he has taken 10 damage so far and I have taken 0 damage. :smallbiggrin:

[term1nally s1ck]

150 XP, a 50 gp gem, Ripper, sundark goggles, 3 javelins and chainmail.

[OMG PONIES]

That's right, sucker! Now what's a Ripper? Also, do we calculate weight for encumberance in this game, or just let characters lug around all the crap they want?

Naturally, Crawler will poke the orc with eldritch blasts until it's actually dead, then take 20 searching every inch of the secret room the orc was in.

Search check 27.

As a footnote, I totally forgot my Inspiration points in that encounter. I'll have to remember them next time around.

[term1nally s1ck]

We do track encumbrance.

However, most people just drag stuff around and drop it at doors anyway.

A Ripper is a Piercing Greatsword, costs 25g more.

[OMG PONIES]

Okay, I'll take everything then.

Does my 27 search reveal anything in the room with the orc? Traps, secret doors, etc? If so, Crawler will examine them closely. If not, Crawler will retrace his steps along the super-long hallway that runs East to West, stopping at the door* about halfway to examine it.

Search (take 20) for 27
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

*The Door in Question:

The door north was after 65'. After another 85', it turns north for 20', then west for 30', then south for 10', then west for 30', then north for 10', then west for 5' before hitting a dead end. Make a spot check.

[term1nally s1ck]

The door is the door at the south of this room.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler works his way back around, following the hallway to the West, North, and East as he cautiously approaches the bullseye on the floor. No fool, he stays on the wall at the same height the entire time.

Search (take 20) for 27 on squares he hasn't searched yet.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[Deadlykire]

You slipped through the cracks on me. My apologies.

Opening the door reveals the following room:
[spoiler]{table]|A_|B_|C_|D_|E_
1|||||
2|||||
3||||1|
4|||||
5||||| [/table]
There are doors at B1 and B5. You came through the secret passage it seems which is at E2. Can you please tell me which door you go through?

[OMG PONIES]

Just to confirm, how did I get into this room? I was just approaching the bullseye on the floor in the hallway. The room you've posted looks very much like one in which I already fought an orc--has my map failed me, causing me to loop back around? If my map is correct, the bullseye I was approaching is nearer the corner of a hallway just west of the room that's been described.

[Deadlykire]

The door is the door at the south of this room.


You slipped through the cracks on me. My apologies.

Opening the door reveals the following room:
[spoiler]{table]|A_|B_|C_|D_|E_
1|||||
2|||||
3||||1|
4|||||
5||||| [/table]
There are doors at B1 and B5. You came through the secret passage it seems which is at E2. Can you please tell me which door you go through?

I'm combining these two to try to figure out where you are on the map actually. I have a lot of threads and the descriptions in each are not the same. The room is indeed the one with the orc! I just need to know what door you exit out of to continue towards your bullseye.

[OMG PONIES]

I had exited back through the secret entrance and retraced my steps. From the starting room, there's a hallway that heads 30-35' South, then splits into East and West directions. Following that hallway East for about 40' reveals a bullseye on the floor. That's where I'm investigating, though I'm about 15' up on the wall right now.

[Deadlykire]

As you investigate the squares around the bullseye nothing seems amiss.

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler investigates the door on the Northern side of the bullseye, taking 20 as always for a result of 27.

[Deadlykire]

Nothing is wrong with the door. No traps to be found! I'm assuming you always take forever to check these things (that is what taking 20 means). So I will post if and when you find a trap per your operating procedures.


DM Notes:

6

[OMG PONIES]

Yes, my procedure is to take 20 whenever possible, keeping high up on the walls if I can as well. Crawler will open the door and peek in.

[Deadlykire]

Opening the door reveals the following room:
{table]|A_|B_|C_|D_|E_
1|||||
2|||||
3|||||
4||||B|H[/table]
There is a door at A-2, another at E-4, south side and another at E-3. There is a human wearing a chain shirt and holding a longsword standing behind a beast with patchy dark fur that covers its unhealthy shrunken black skin in some places. Open sores dot its hide and a feral, catlike head glances with it's blank eyes at the wall in front of it.
Initiative:[roll0]

[OMG PONIES]

Crawler sighs and calls out to the human, "Oi, friend, you need help? And who's your friend?" However, learning from past experience, the gnome knows to remain on his guard--just because he was 15 feet up a wall didn't mean he was safe from attack.

Actions:
[roll0]
Free action: drop loot from last fight if encumbered to avoid encumbrance. If not encumbered, please ignore this.
Move action: Scamper 10 feet West along the wall I'm on (I'm guessing I'm starting at the South door in E4). I'm hoping this keeps me in line of sight to the human, but out of the beast's line of sight. Additionally, the movement activates my Child of Shadow Stance for 20% concealment.
Free action: designate human as Dodge target (AC is 19 vs. the human, 18 vs everything else).
Free action: [roll1] to determine what the beast is.
Standard action: ready action to Eldritch Blast the human if it attacks me. [roll2] vs touch AC for [roll3] damage (using Inspiration point 1 of 2 for this encounter).

[Deadlykire]

The human reaches down and grabs something out of a bag at his waist. His longsword is drawn and ready to be used.

If you attack:

Throw in a will save with your actions

[OMG PONIES]

OOC: No attack, since my readied action isn't triggered.

Crawler scampers away another 10 feet if it allows him to keep the human in line of sight. "Cat got your tongue?" he asks, still suspicious.

Readied action remains, though I can make new rolls if you'd like. Everything else still stands (dodge, Child of Shadow)

[Deadlykire]

[roll0] vs. touch. From a range.
[roll1]Cold Damage if the above hits. This also triggers your readied action. That then triggers his readied action. So will save as well.

[OMG PONIES]

"Oi!" Crawler shouts. "I see how it is, then! Have at you!" With that, the gnome sends a blast of Eldritch energy shooting forth towards the human.

[roll0] 1-20 misses me (from Child of Shadow)
[roll1] Using Inspiration Point 2 of 2 for this encounter

Sorry, somehow I forgot about this game. Back now, though.