All That Glitters (Wander Inn Mission)

[Nettlekid]

The path the the frozen north is long, spanning craggy mountains and uneven terrain not conducive to walking. The Wanderers are forced to prove that name, and it takes many days to reach the barrow. Of course there's no deadline, the barrow can wait. It's been waiting centuries. The Wanderers finding themselves overlooking the desolate ruins from an outcropping, so that the snowy tundra stretched out pocketing the hole in a shallow canyon. The wind blows fresh powder into the air, but apart from that all is still. Eerily so.

The gruff Barbarian villagers at the last town you passed through had taken a strong liking to Yurhzorg, and given you some advice about the barrow. Although the surrounding forests have a number of wild animals, none tend to enter the barrow itself. It's usually only disgusting vermin which roam the halls. Namely, hefty Dire Rats so skeevy that the locals call them Skeevies rush newcomers and gnaw away at them in the hopes of gaining fresh meat and marrow. And Giant Spiders whose numbing venom saps your strength like frostbite earned the name Bonechill Spiders from the villagers. On their own, these beasts aren't threatening, but in larger numbers they become a threat. And running from them, it's too easy to cross into a trap.

Of course, that all lies ahead of you. Right now, there is just the barrow.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ sits down on a rock and lashes his crampons back on before cautiously makes his way down the outcropping. He's slipped more often on this journey than he cares to admit. The crampons work wonders, but they're simply not fun to wear. With the villagers warnings of the Skeevies though, he's willing to put up with the discomfort in exchange for surer footing as they make their way to the barrow entrance.
"Well Yurhzorg, we finally made. Just a little further and we'll finally be inside, with newer, more exciting threats to our continued existence. Won't that be fun? Just need to keep an eye out for those rats...

Perception check for rats that are likely sneaking up on us.
[roll0]

[planswalker]

Happy to have made friends in the village, Yurhzorg is feeling really good about this adventure. With a grace that is foreign to such a large brute, the ogre deftly climbs down to the barrow with the ease of a spider, excited to finally make it. Upon making it to the entrance to the barrow, he goes running straight in, glaive in hand, yelling "BLAACKHEEAART!"

I take back all the unkind things I said about playing an int 6 character. They can be very fun and rewarding. Especially if I trigger a trap at the entrance and get the whole party killed :smallbiggrin:

or, more realistically, have Yurhzorg embarrass himself before

also, spider climb is the best!

[nolongerchaos]

With a sigh and a bit of a chuckle at Yurhzorg's enthusiasm, Þ continues after his companion, albeit more cautiously. Þ casts a couple spells as he follows, doing is best to make sure that he is not caught off-guard by the rats they were warned about.

Þ casts Greater Magic Fang and Barkskin on himself as he follows Yurhzorg.

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg crashes through the iron door of the barrow, partially rusted but otherwise unbarred. His battlecry echoes into the depths of the earth, and he hears his voice replying to him again and again, fainter and fainter.

This first room is a small atrium. There is a warped wooden table and a few rotten chairs, and bookshelf whose contents have long since been rotted away. Immediately ahead of you are stone stairs hewn into the ground, leading further downward. At the top of the steps is a Skeevy which frantically scurries away, terrified by Yurhzorg's entry. There's a small crack in the wall that you see its wormlike tail slither away through.


Google Doc (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

[planswalker]

While he waits for his companion to catch up to him, Yurhzorg will go over to the table and cast mending upon it, trying to repair it. He finds the table curious and wants to learn more about it, but he doesn't trust himself not to crush it without fixing it first.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ makes his way down into the ruin after Yurhzorg, noting the advanced state of decay. As Yurhzorg fiddles with the table, Þ walks over and breaks off a few of the moldering chair legs, mutters few words and hilds one aloft, which begins to shine with a pale blue light. He then wanders over to the table with his companion, a little surprised to find him fixing the table.

"Hmm, I would have thought you were more of the table breaking type, not the table fixing type.
Did you find something interesting?

Þ casts Light on the chair leg to use as a torch. The others are spares should he find need of them.

[Nettlekid]

Mending manages to close a few nicks, but is unable to restore the integrity of the table substantially because it is warped by age rather than outright broken.

The torch's heatless light casts shadows on the blue-gray stone walls, and illuminates just how many cobwebs are hanging in the corners of the room.

[planswalker]

"No, the old table is old." Yurhzorg laments. "Let's go!" Yurhzorg will take the stairs down.

[Nettlekid]

An Elf Ranger would have a tough time avoiding that pressure plate, so Yurhzorg has no chance. He feels only a pinch as he takes a single point of damage from a small steel dart that shot out of the wall and embeds itself in his semi-scaled skin. Although brawny, Yurhzorg narrowly fails to tough out the feeling of the poison in his system. It must be the same type as the aforementioned spiders, because he feels his strength sapped and a chill like ice in his blood.

Dart trap shot out with a total roll of 24, Yurhzorg rolled a total of 13 on his Fort save, and takes 4 Str damage from the initial hit of the poison. Just a few bad numbers all around.

[planswalker]

Irritated by this, Yurhzorg will step off the plate and cast lesser restoration, healing himself for [roll0] points of strength damage as his cure minor wounds heals the nick itself. "Maybe I should carry you?" he offers to his friend, not wanting him to suffer the attack as well.

nah, it's good. Since my lesser restoration spell can heal up the ability damage (though not actually cure the poison) and my cure minor wounds can heal up the regular damage, this is all good. The traps will have to get a lot more dangerous before I'm worried.

[Nettlekid]

Hm, that's right. Basically you two are this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0077.html). Gonna have to think of something else for this.

Moving beyond the dart traps, as there were more than a few in the stairwell, the pair comes to an iron cage-like bridge stretching across a grander room. This may have been a dining hall or some kind of assembly chamber because there are long tables arranged in two rows along the length of the room. What look like solid, ornate benches (really just glorified slabs) line the room on the sides. There's a toppled bookshelf, next to which three Skeevies are snarling at each other over a large piece of meat. One of the Bonechill Spiders is climbing up the wall, and has noticed you, though the iron grating around the bridge leaves holes too narrow for its legs to attack through and it doesn't seem to intend to attempt.


Mapping it up in here. (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

If you want to do something from this point of view you can, otherwise you can carry on.

[nolongerchaos]

Curious to see how the rats react, Þ pulls his bow off of his back and nocks an arrow, taking a shot at the nearest rat, more interested in seeing how they react than in hitting one.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

Also, for clarification, we are on the bridge spanning the room and not standing on the floor of the hall itself, correct?

[Nettlekid]

Curious to see how the rats react, Þ pulls his bow off of his back and nocks an arrow, taking a shot at the nearest rat, more interested in seeing how they react than in hitting one.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

Also, for clarification, we are on the bridge spanning the room and not standing on the floor of the hall itself, correct?

Correct, it's about thirty feet above the ground.

Not acting evasively, the Skeevy takes the arrow in the side and is slid across the floor, leaving a trail of blood. It's panting side indicates that it's still alive, but it's losing blood and won't be for much longer. The other two Skeevies eating next to it turn to look at you from above and hiss, baring their long incisors, before darting off down a hall on the other end of the room from where you stand.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will use his spider climb to climb onto the underside of the bridge and look around.

[Nettlekid]

The iron bars around the bridge are like a mesh that maybe a Small creature could Escape Artist through. Yurhzorg would be unable to get through them unless he broke them.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will attempt to break them open. [roll0]

the +4 size bonus to breaking objects might just come in handy here...

[Nettlekid]

With his mighty ogre strength Yurhzorg is able to bend the bars, breaking a number of them as necessary, and climb out through the hole. The safety of this is questionable. Yurhzorg now stands on the underside of the bridge like a spider, while a real spider continues to consume the rat corpse.

[planswalker]

"Yep, nothing else here!" He calls out to his friend. "Let's move on!" Unless Þ suggests otherwise, Yurhzorg will continue to climb along the underside of the bridge, thinking this bonus perspective might be useful.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ gets a laugh out of Yurhzorg's rather novel approach to dungeoneering.
"Yeah, it looks like you're right: not really much else to see here, so yes, let's carry on."

Þ continues along the bridge towards the next room, doing so more cautiously than Yurhzorg's reckless enthusiasm.

[Nettlekid]

A bit more than halfway across the bridge, Þ hears an echoing rustling rising in volume from the far side of the bridge. The rustling erupts into heated chittering, and four of the large Dire Rats make the turn from across the way and race onto the iron bridge, claws rattling on the metal. The two from below have called up reinforcements, and they're angry at the intruders!


Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

It's your turn, they've spent their movement getting here.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will move to the square of R10-S11 and attempt to break open the bars there to get back to the top. [roll0]

[nolongerchaos]

Though still holding his bow, Þ opts to launch a splinter bold at the rat in 9V, following which he steps back to 8N as he puts away his bow and drops into a combative stance.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Nettlekid]

Þ's thorn skewers the Skeevy, dropping it and leaving it to bleed out like the first. Yurhzorg is able to rip through the iron grating and reemerge on the other side of the bridge, just in time to see the three remaining rats rushing Þ. The center rat moves low while the one behind and the one above charge forward. Both the center rat and the one behind cross through Yurhzorg's prodigious reach should he opt to lash out. All three however (minus whichever Yurhzorg invariably crushes) aim to sink their teeth into Þ. It's been a while since they had fresh meat.


Top Rat Bite [roll0] Damage [roll1]
Back Rat Bite [roll2] Damage [roll3]
Mid-to-Low Rat Bite [roll4] Damage [roll5]

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

I know this battle is painfully easy, but I'm gauging how your fighting works. I think it'll ramp up...If I manage to think of more appropriate creatures...

[nolongerchaos]

Rather resenting getting bitten, Þ strikes back at the filthy rat that bit him.

Eh, Power Attack for 3 I suppose.
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]
Þ's attacking the rat in O8 since that's the only one Yurhzorg wouldn't get an AoO on (unless he somehow had his glaive out already I suppose)

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg positions himself opposite of Þ (Q8-R9) and strikes an awesome blow against the bottom rat!

[roll0] [roll1]

[planswalker]

apologies for neglecting to include the cleave rolls as well. In the future, I'll try to remember to include them.

If Yurhzorg hits and his attack successfully downs the rat, he'll execute a second awesome blow on the next rat up in line [roll0] [roll1]

[Nettlekid]

Þ's strike narrowly misses the Skeevy, and the rat lashes back by biting at the hand that feeds it (Splinterbolts). It's teeth connect only with deflective force, and it hovers in the air slightly.

Yurhzorg outright splatters two Skeevies. They've smeared on the floor.

The Bonechill Spider, curious at the scent of fresh blood, climbs up and pokes its head into the hole in the iron bridge.


Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

By the way, have you guys figured out what this mission really is yet?

[nolongerchaos]

Clearly too flustered by the audacity of being bitten by a mere rat to bother striking properly, Þ takes a moment to collect himself before striking again at the rat.

[roll0]
[roll1]
I'm pretty sure there's like an 80% chance that planswalker and I are actually just using the D&D game engine to play Skyrim right now. But that might not be entirely accurate.

[Nettlekid]

This strike is true. You crush the rat's skull, and it's dying body lies limp on the floor. The Bonechill Spider starts sucking at one of the rat stains, but doesn't yet attack you.


You are incorrect. There is a 100% chance you are playing Skyrim right now.

[nolongerchaos]

Noting that the spider is ignoring them, Þ looks over at Yurhzorg as he cleans the gore off of his fist.
"Well that wasn't too bad. Doesn't look like there's much else here. You want to see what else is down here?"

More than anything I think the iron bridge over the hall solidified what was going on. Yeah there's the cold, and the dungeon, and the rats, and the spiders... but those interior dungeon bridges... so Skyrim...

Also, cure minor wounds to that one point of hp damage to Þ.

[planswalker]

Excited to be smashing things, Yurhzorg will take a 5' step to P7-Q8 and smash the spider with his glaive before turning to his ally and touching him with his cure minor wounds.

derped up the roll code, got a 22 in the ooc [roll0]
[roll=awesome crit confirm]d20+8[roll] [roll1]

"Yeah, let's see what's down there!"

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg crushes the spider with no resistance, and it leaks brown-red ooze. This bridge has gotten gory.

With no other living thing left in this chamber, the pair continues across the bridge into a cobblestone chamber with a small balcony overlooking a lower area as well as a stairway down, not too different from the antechamber you first entered. Down the stairs is another room with what looks like thick mats of torn grass, largely decomposed and by the smell of it filled with Skeevy droppings. Across the lower room is grate of iron bars, slotted into grooves in the stone. Unlike a jail cell the bars seem to be slightly loose in the grooves, as though they slide in, and there may be a mechanism to move them.


Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

Yeah, what's the deal with those iron bridges? They're pretty iconic but I don't know why.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will take the stairs down to the lower levels and poke the iron bars, curious to see if anything happens. He's not sure what's going on, but he figures poking things normally gets a reaction. I works for him.

And I'm trying really hard to play my 6 int character realistically.

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg will take the stairs down to the lower levels and poke the iron bars, curious to see if anything happens. He's not sure what's going on, but he figures poking things normally gets a reaction. I works for him.

And I'm trying really hard to play my 6 int character realistically.

There is a crunching under Yurhzorg's feet, not quite like even dried grass should. Poking the bar with a light touch does nothing, and with a stronger touch causes it to jostle only slightly in the socket. These bars seem a little stronger than those the bridge was made of, but only a little, and with his strength Yurhzorg can probably bend or break them like the others. If he tries to grip them and push them up they move slightly but then jam against a likely mechanism, which with sufficient force can probably be broken.

[planswalker]

I have a feeling like there should be an alternate solution beyond "smash things!", but i can't for the life of me figure out a way to go about finding it which fits the character...

so much for nuance and depth to his tactics

Yurhzorg with do his best to break open the bars. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

I have a feeling like there should be an alternate solution beyond "smash things!", but i can't for the life of me figure out a way to go about finding it which fits the character...

so much for nuance and depth to his tactics

Yurhzorg with do his best to break open the bars. [roll0]

Well, you could let nolongerchaos have a chance to act and walk around too.

Although Yurhzorg is strong, it's difficult to get a good grip on these bars. He manages to leave marks where his fingers had dug in, but does not manage to actually break or bend the bars.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ continues to move forward with caution, doing his best to observe the ruind meticulously. If the vast treasures that supposedly await them have managed to remain here this long, the defenses must be stronger than what they have seen so far, and anything Þ can learn of the lost peoples may help them to survive any particularly devious traps still in place.

If possible, Þ will take 20 examining the oddly symmetrical mats and the room at large.
If not, [roll0]
Also, I would've posted earlier but was unsure which direction we ended up choosing.

[Nettlekid]

Sorry, the mats aren't symmetrical, it's one big matting of grass which I portrayed as sparsely covering the whole ground by checkering the ground.

Carefully descending the stairs Þ scans the room, and an irregularity in the cobblestone wall underneath the outcropping (the part unable to be seen from the upper part of the room) catches his eye. If there's something hidden there, it would have been difficult to see if under the attack of the Skeevies which had been in this room prior.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ approaches the odd spot in the cobblestone, holding out his makeshift torch to get a better look at what it is.

"Hold on Yurhzorg, I think I may have found something..."
Regardless of whatever this thing is/does, before we move on to the next area I'd like to take a few minutes to swap out spells. Entangle probably won't be seeing much use in here...
Watch, it's a chute trap that throws me into the next room without getting to change spells...

[Nettlekid]

Well actually, Entangle would work well in this particular room because of the mat of grass. Probably not in any other though, although you don't know how deep the roots dig.

I'll say you spent the time changing spells during your look-around/Take 20.

Examining the break in the cobblestone, you find a panel that swings open to reveal a lever of sorts. It looks like you can pull and twist it. Perhaps it's the mechanism to the door.

[planswalker]

"Ooh, something to pull!" Yurhzorg lumbers over and pulls the lever.

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg yanks the lever, which pulls back on a spring and then contracts. The iron bars of the door recede with a sound like sheathing blades, leaving the door open. Also in reaction to the lever, the ground ahead of the door falls away as a hinged iron grate hidden by the grassy matting swings open, falling away. Looking into the pit, blood-splattered spikes and a plethora of bones mark numerous adventuring parties whose majority were looking at the door while one single member had pulled the lever.

So. Close.

Did you notice the differently-colored floor, or was that just very lucky? Were you expecting the trap to be under the lever, and so you were planning to go together?
Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

[nolongerchaos]

With a look of surprise, Þ glances up at Yurhzorg.
"Well that was close. It is kind of a good thing it waited for the lever though, otherwise it might have dropped you down into the pit when you tried the door."

Believing this room to be finished with for the time being, Þ will try to carefully make his way around the pit towards the hallway if he can, otherwise he'll see if there's some way to manually re-cover the pit.

[roll0]
Perception, just in case there's anything of obvious interest in the pit.

My phone doesn't like google docs, so I'd only taken a token glance at the room while at work, I didn't notice a color difference, so for me it was all luck. Maybe we'll just have to chalk it up to Yurhzorg's intuition-over-intelligence coming through via amazing roleplaying.

[planswalker]

sheer dumb luck, honestly. Didn't know what would happen, it just seemed like a good idea at the time.

While his companion is trying to figure out a way across, Yurhzorg will pick up his buddy, say, "Hold on!" and simply spider climb along the walls on one side of the pit.

[Nettlekid]

The most noteworthy things Þ sees in the pit are the many corpses. Well, skeletons. Their blood remains rusted on the spikes, but their flesh has been stripped clean by non-enormous spiders and rats that can more easily navigate the pitfall. Þ does spy a hint of shine coming from the bodies, but it's up to him if he trusts the massive lug carrying him with the dexterity to step down into the pit to inspect further. Ahead of you, through the open doorway, is a twisting pathway that looks like it could lead back into the lower level of the room you passed through with the iron bridge.

[nolongerchaos]

Upon reaching the far side of the pit, Þ will indicate that he wants to be put back down.

"Hold on Yurhzorg, not so fast. I think I saw something glimmering in the pit. Give me a moment to check it out."

Closing his eyes in concentration and with a few whispered words, Þ makes some frankly alarming motions with his right hand, which detaches itself from his wrist and transforms into a small spider, which promptly climbs down into the pit to investigate.

Go go Spider Hand!

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg obediently waits. "Want me to climb down there and pick something up?"

[nolongerchaos]

"Well, that depends on what I find."
Þ responds to Yurhzorg while keeping his eyes shut, clearly concentrating on his spell.
"Depending on what's down there, I might ask you to cast that climbing spell on me though. I'm quite a bit smaller than you, so I might be able to get closer to the spikes without hurting myself."

Þ can see normally out of the spider's eyes, but he'll take 20 on Perception if it's needed.

[Nettlekid]

It's rather sad, this team in the pit seems to have come well-equipped to deal with the perils of the dungeon, but they were laid low by a twist of fate. Between the few corpses you find, there a Crowbar, Flint and Steel, Bullseye Lantern (slightly bent), what looks like an Amazing Lock and Masterwork Manacles (both partially rusted), Small Steel Mirror (cracked but not broken), an Iron Drill (partially used, partially rusted), a Listening Cone, a Rubber Ball, 7 Pints of Oil (and more broken), a Waterskin, and 5 Sunrods. There seems to be more which didn't survive either the fall or the years. There are also a pair of boots made of heavy leather and iron which hasn't degraded, and a cloak with a white upper part cut across diagonally by a black lower part.

[nolongerchaos]

Genuinely curious about his findings, Þ dismisses his spell and turns to Yurhzorg.
"There's definitely some stuff in there that might help us out, depending on what's ahead. Do you think you could cast your climbing spell on me so that I can safely lower myself into the pit?"

If Yurhzorg does cast Spider Climb on Þ, he'll slowly climb into the pit to retrieve the gear (including the boots and cloak). Just before the point at which he'll have to start navigating the spikes, Þ will cast Lesser Vigor on himself as a precaution.

[Nettlekid]

Genuinely curious about his findings, Þ dismisses his spell and turns to Yurhzorg.
"There's definitely some stuff in there that might help us out, depending on what's ahead. Do you think you could cast your climbing spell on me so that I can safely lower myself into the pit?"

If Yurhzorg does cast Spider Climb on Þ, he'll slowly climb into the pit to retrieve the gear (including the boots and cloak). Just before the point at which he'll have to start navigating the spikes, Þ will cast Lesser Vigor on himself as a precaution.

You'll very likely spike yourself a few times, but your healing would take care of it.

[planswalker]

"Of course!" Yurhzorg gives his companion a hearty thump on the back to deliver spider climb on him.

While he's waiting for his friend to grab the trinkets, Yurhzorg will idly climb the walls and ceiling.

[nolongerchaos]

You'll very likely spike yourself a few times, but your healing would take care of it.
I expected as much. In fact, before realizing Spider Climb wasn't a Personal spell I was expecting to have to use Lesser Vigor as a means of keeping us from dying in the pit (a total of 15 hp fasthealed over 15 rounds means we'd actually be completely fine falling in as long as the spikes didn't kill us outright), so healing a few nicks and scrapes is fine. A few potential exposures to the previously and explicitly mentioned tetanus on the other hand... Unavoidable unless I want to actively try to make the dungeon uninteresting by passing up these sorts of things.

[Nettlekid]

I hope it's not too uninteresting so far. Playing it with Skyrim in mind, things tend to be a little slower paced when there's not a huge big fight scene. The both of you having healing magic definitely takes the worry out of a number of the traps, I'll say.

Although he doesn't escape without a few nicks and scrapes from those spikes, Þ scrambles around on the walls and manages to collect the various exploration equipment from the deceased adventurers. There was a moment where broken oil spread on the wall very narrowly caused him to slip, but Þ's careful balance managed to prevent the fall even when walking on the wall.

[nolongerchaos]

After climbing out of the pit, Þ lays the various wares out in front of Yurhzorg.
"Well that wasn't too bad. Now, let's see what we've found. Anything intrest you ?"

Þ will examine the cloak carefully, thinking that due to it's distinctive design that perhaps may have belonged to someone important, the design perhaps being part of a coat of arms or something similar.
1d20+1
1d20+1
Not really expecting to learn anything with those modifiers, just for funsies.

And mostly my comment was intended to mean that while Þ and Yurhzorg are fairly well equipped spell-wise to make the dungeon thoroughly uninteresting if so inclined, I do intend to get my game's worth out of this dungeon even if it gets Þ killed (but hopefully not Yurhzorg, well at least not on account of my decision-making anyway)

[planswalker]

Finding it interesting that there was a pair of boots and a cloak that weren't decaying, Yurhzorg will try to put on the boots, not realizing that anything sized for a humanoid would have no chance of fitting him.

"Just these boots. The rest of the stuff looks boring."

[nolongerchaos]

"Okay. Looking at their stuff though, I can't help but think they had a better idea of what's down here than we do, but were less careful... oh well, we've still got a ruin to explore. Onwards!

So is it okay if we retcon buying some mundane sacks? I forgot to pick some up, but it seems unlikely that Þ would have, what with this being a loot hunt mission.

Also, would you mind if I swap out Create Water for Detect Magic (no ranks in Spellcraft, so Þ won't even be able to identify things, just know they're magical)? I picked spells before buying items, and just didn't realize the Ring of Sustenance had made it somewhat irrelevant (I'd chosen it to help with Fist of the Forest's Primal Living).

[Nettlekid]

"Okay. Looking at their stuff though, I can't help but think they had a better idea of what's down here than we do, but were less careful... oh well, we've still got a ruin to explore. Onwards!

So is it okay if we retcon buying some mundane sacks? I forgot to pick some up, but it seems unlikely that Þ would have, what with this being a loot hunt mission.

Also, would you mind if I swap out Create Water for Detect Magic (no ranks in Spellcraft, so Þ won't even be able to identify things, just know they're magical)? I picked spells before buying items, and just didn't realize the Ring of Sustenance had made it somewhat irrelevant (I'd chosen it to help with Fist of the Forest's Primal Living).

Sacks are fine, as is the swap. You sure you want to though? Create Water is pretty nifty. Whichever you want.

This hallway loops around in a strange way, and gets narrow enough partway through that Yurhzorg has to squeeze considerably to actually get through (and not without dislodging a few stones on the way.) After curving around there's a long straight hallway, at the end of which you see...the same room that you crossed over earlier, the one with the tables and stone slabs. You're now on the lower level, and across the way you can see a closed stone door with some panels above it, though it's still too far to see what those panels are.

[nolongerchaos]

"Ah, I see we've made it back in a quick circle to the antechamber. Fun. Well, let's see what else awaits us."
Þ moves forward through the antechamber cautiously, keeping in mind the trap from the previous room.

[roll0]

Yeah, you're right, who needs fancy shmancy divinations anyway? Certainly not Þ, who oh yeah, didn't pick that school anyway.

[Nettlekid]

Þ's sharp eyes pay off. Only a few steps ahead is a tile raised only centimeters higher than the others, but there is a small groove between the tile and the rest of the ground, suggesting it can be depressed. Stepping over it you can see that the walls have thin slits, and there's a faint glint of dull metal in the shadows of those slits. That's best left unexposed.

[nolongerchaos]

"Careful here Yurhzorg, it looks like this tile here might be trapped. Better step around it."

Stepping around the trapped tile, Þ moves further into the room, trying to discern whatever is on the panels over the doorway.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will take no chances of stepping on it, literally backing up to the entrance of the room and leaping over the tile with a running start.

[roll0]

here's hoping his tactic doesn't have him jump past one trap right into another...

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg indeed leaps over the trapped tile, and lands with a thud in the hallway behind Þ as the latter progresses into the next room. Now, Þ had been careful and cognizant of the hallway being trapped from the path he took in, but not quite as much so on the other side. Springing out from underneath sand and dust, a rusty-toothed bear trap snaps onto Þ's leg, which shoots with pain (and 6 damage). Þ is now tethered to the ground, effectively Entangled. Even if he managed to wrench the trap open and off of his leg, he'll still be slowed (as though by caltrops). Now, normally, that wouldn't be a tremendous issue, as Þ is skilled with restorative magic. But the echoes of Yurhzorg's thud still rumble...and you quickly realize they aren't those echoes at all.

The stone slaps lining the walls like benches rumble slightly. The inner edge of each slab rises slightly, and then slides off to the outer side. Emerging from their coffins are gaunt, blue-eyed, gray skinned humanoids, whose paper-thin skin barely conceals dry blood and gritty muscle within. Some hold axes, some hold bows, and some hold nothing at all. In unison they swing out from within their tombs, and stand at attention to eliminate the defilers.


And you thought you were eagerly anticipating the next post!
Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)
A is Axe, B is Bow, U is Unarmed. There is still the bridge thirty feet above you. The tables are three feet high with one-foot-high benches for sitting, which means it's easy enough to step up and down them but you can't charge through.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will move to X7-Y8 and draw his weapon as he moves, ready to defend his friend as he is dealing with the bear trap.

"I'll protect you!" He shouts as he stumbles over his friend. Once in position he casts bite of the werewolf on himself. A howl erupts from his lips as his face contorts and expands into a wolflike form.

"COME AND GET US!" he howls in challenge.

note that he has a 20' reach with his glaive. He'll take his AoO against the first enemy to trigger it within reach, doing so as an awesome blow to try to cut down on the number of creatures they're facing at one time.

[roll0]
[roll1]

assuming he hits, the foe hit will be knocked 10' straight back from Yurhzorg and fall prone. If they hit a solid object before going the full 10', they take [roll2] damage, 1d6 from awesome blow and another 4d6+18 from dungeon crasher fighter.

which, btw, I just re-read the feature, and it apparently comes with a +5 on strength checks to smash doors and walls I hadn't counted on. Also, a +2 to saves and ac against traps. in dungeon scenarios, it's the bomb.com

I've updated the sheet's stats and ac with the effects of bite of the werewolf, though not the hp or the regular attacks. I did add in the bite attack the spell gives and calculated its stuff according to what the spell gives. I also took into account that he's getting -4 dex for being next to his buddy.

[nolongerchaos]

Not sure on the action required to remove the trap, but assuming it's a standard or less, Þ will try to remove it (twice if necessary). If he still has a move action left, he'll try to move under the bridge to where Yurhzorg tore a hole and cast Updraft (swift) to launch himself out of harms way for the moment.
[roll0]
[roll1]
EDIT: oh, right, Entangled. You said that. So there's Þ's next two turns.

[Nettlekid]

Hmm...my general intention was that Yurhzorg would be unable to push past, since Þ is stuck in place, but I suppose he can.

The trap is a standard action to try to remove, and that first roll didn't cut it, but I'll let you use the second roll next turn. I was also kind of expecting the giant-muscled trap-smasher to help pull open the trap.

One of the unarmed undead cries out in a harsh whisper, and the archers take aim and fire. Thanks to Yurhzorg's thick hide, only two shots actually manages to do harm, and Yurhzorg takes a mere 5 damage.

Seeing that their archers aren't tremendously effective, one of the axe-wielders steps over the table and down to the beast, but is walloped back by Yurhzorg's glaive. His body skids on the stone table, a heavy gash down his chest. The table itself isn't quite enough of a support for Yurhzorg's bulky strike to have its full effect, but the creature is severely injured. Another of the unarmed undead shouts, and the readied axe-men hold back. One of the furthest unarmed undead points its finger, and a yellow ray shoots out to strike Yurhzorg in the chest. It does no damage, but there seems now to be a faint yellow tether on him. The unarmed undead across the way launches a swerving, seemingly alive tube of lightning at Yurhzorg, shocking him for 13 electric damage. Another launches an identical ray, this time at Þ behind, and it jumps over Yurhzorg to deal 15 electric damage to Þ, drawn to the metal in the trap. One of the closer unarmed undead conjures a sphere of flame in his hand, and hurls it at Yurhzorg, scalding him for 10 fire damage. Another launches a beam of ice, though it goes wide and freezes the wall. And finally, the last unarmed undead (which seems to hold itself with a slightly higher stature than the others) steps forward, takes a deep breath, and roars with one single word that neither of you recognize as the Draconic word "Force!" Yurhzorg is unsteady fighting next to his ally, but manages to hold his ground. Þ, on the other hand, despite receiving a lesser version of the shockwave by being behind Yurhzorg, is knocked prone and his leg twisted in the trap (2 more damage).

Finally now, the strike force sets in. One is still battered, but the other three lunge in with their axes at the ready. One gets close, but none manage to actually break through Yurhzorg's scaled skin. The unarmed undead is disappointed.


So a lot happened there. First the archers shot their shortbows, and only two hit, dealing Yurhzorg 5 piercing damage.

Seeing how inaccurate the archers were, one caster used Targeting Ray, which helped one other use Seeking Ray on Yurhzorg (13 electric) and another used Seeking Ray on Þ (15 electric), evading the cover Yurhzorg provides. One used Lesser Orb of Fire, which hit (10 fire), and once used Ray of Ice, which missed. Finally, the last one used Ironthunder Horn to try to knock you over, which failed on Yurhzorg (you rolled a 15) but worked on Þ (you rolled a 3) and dealt an ad hoc 2 damage from the trap.

All the melee failed because you have a stupidly high AC. One of the touch attacks would have failed if not for your flaw, and one did anyway.

So the total damage this round is 28 for Yurhzorg and 17 for Þ.

Now I'm worried this is too much, after too much of too little.

[planswalker]

Well, Yurhzorg is stupid and didn't realize that Thorn would need help getting out of it, and he hasn't asked, so...

um, I think you forgot to update the map to include the melee combatants' movements. You mention in your description the axe-wielders attacking Yurhzorg but I don't see them within melee on the map. I wouldn't be a bother about this, but exactly what tactics I use really depends on specific placement here.

also, six casters, six archers, and four melee combatants? Even for a more typical Wander Inn party of 3, that's still outnumbered 5 to one. They also are using very smart group tactics, which I'm assuming makes sense for their mental scores, but still. Just might indeed be a bit much, assuming the mages can unleash another volley like that again. Even discounting the melee combatants who aren't likely to hurt Yurhzorg and the archers who likely aren't much better, the six casters alone would make for a very tough fight.

[nolongerchaos]

On his second try at the trap Þ wrenches it apart, then falls back to AA9, drawing his bow as he moves.
"The mages Yurzhorg! Go for the mages first! We can deal with the others later!"

Eh, it's more or less what we signed up for with only two of us. Even if we are two of the tankiest, magic is might.

[Nettlekid]

I did indeed forget to move the melee. Fixed that.

And yes, well, there is a reason this tomb's gone unplundered, and it's not the rats and spiders. I dunno, you guys seemed bored of the traps which weren't a threat, so I whipped up something I thought would be a legitimate concern. I would recommend turning the terrain to your advantage if you can at all, perhaps choking them out through the hall (which is why it's very fortunate you didn't trigger those blade traps).

Nolongerchaos, you are still prone and at half speed, though a free action Cure Minor would solve the caltrop-esque effect.

[nolongerchaos]

I did indeed forget to move the melee. Fixed that.

And yes, well, there is a reason this tomb's gone unplundered, and it's not the rats and spiders. I dunno, you guys seemed bored of the traps which weren't a threat, so I whipped up something I thought would be a legitimate concern. I would recommend turning the terrain to your advantage if you can at all, perhaps choking them out through the hall (which is why it's very fortunate you didn't trigger those blade traps).

Nolongerchaos, you are still prone and at half speed, though a free action Cure Minor would solve the caltrop-esque effect.

I forgot about the free action cantrips. Do you mind if I do that retroactively?
Edit: Also I forgot about falling prone (a lot happened that round :smalltongue:) and since it's apparently a move action to crawl 5 feet while prone (my characters generally don't spend much time prone so I'd forgotten) Þ would definitely have stood up over simply scooting

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will take a 5' step forward and smash at 6U while biting at 4A, the one closest to his partner. His cure minor wounds heals up a very small part of his injuries.

Should his glaive attack down the unarmed one, he will use his cleave on 1A. Should the bite attack down 4A and his glaive attack not trigger cleave first, the cleave will go to 3A with the bite.

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

[roll4] [roll5]
[roll6] [roll7]

sorry for being a butt about the map, but knowing where they're placed made a difference to my plans.

[Nettlekid]

I forgot about the free action cantrips. Do you mind if I do that retroactively?

Yurhzorg will take a 5' step forward and smash at 6U while biting at 4A, the one closest to his partner. His cure minor wounds heals up a very small part of his injuries.

Should his glaive attack down the unarmed one, he will use his cleave on 1A. Should the bite attack down 4A and his glaive attack not trigger cleave first, the cleave will go to 3A with the bite.

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

[roll4] [roll5]
[roll6] [roll7]

sorry for being a butt about the map, but knowing where they're placed made a difference to my plans.

Not at all, and not at all. (That is to say, go ahead and heal last turn, and no, yeah, it's important to know where your enemies are)

Yurhzorg's glaive strike wallops the caster, who is seriously damaged but still on its feet. The bite harms one of the fighters, but those are made of stronger stuff.

The one warrior hurled by Yurhzorg staggers to his feet and stumbles forth, ready to join the fray.
If you take your AoO on this guy and drop him, you may get your Cleave after all.
The three other warriors next to Yurhzorg make their strikes, but only 3A manages to connect substantially, dealing 6 damage. U6 gets up as well, takes a five-foot step back, and lets out a harsh whisper which permeates Yurhzorg's body and leaves him feeling without energy.

The archers let loose another flurry of arrows, their Precise Shots evading their allies and guided by the Targeting Ray. Every last bolt splinters on Yurhzorg's scaly hide.

Two of the casters eye Þ sneaking off, and look to the iron bridge above. With a hiss, they disappear from sight and you hear them land on the iron bridge, before you hear the footsteps dash in the direction of the two-level room. They seem to plan to cut you off from the other side, making escape all the harder. One of the remaining casters creeps closer, and sends a wave of horror at Yurhzorg. Yurhzorg is made of sterner stuff, but it leaves him a little shaken. The one that shot the Targeting Ray now sends a light to surround Yurhzorg, since the archers still need the help. The last caster that had shot the Ray of Ice is now angry that he missed, and launches a reliable Magic Missile at Yurhzorg.


The warriors all strike and one deals 6 damage. If Yurhzorg uses his AoO on the incoming warrior, he might get a Cleave. Alternatively he could save it for U6 who's standing up within reach too. The archers also miss. U6 casts Power Word: Fatigue to Fatigue Yurhzorg, and one uses Cause Fear (whose save he makes) to make him Shaken. Another uses Guiding Light to make it even easier to hit Yurhzorg with arrows. Two of the casters use Dimension Leap to get to the bridge, and move away. And the last uses Magic Missile, targeting with both, to deal a total of 9 damage.

[planswalker]

Taking his AoO on 1A, and cleaving to U6 should that down him, Yurhzorg hopes that the mages run out of hurty things to do to him soon, or else he's going to die.

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

On his turn, if U6 is downed from the cleave and therefore didn't get to cast the fatigue, Yurhzorg will heal himself and move to U7-V8 and wail on U5, placing himself within range to hit him on an AoO even if he takes a 5' step.
[roll4] [roll5]

Should U6 not be downed, Yurzorg will instead take another 5' step forward while healing, placing himself in V7-W8 and in range of U5 and U6, then proceed to wail on U6 once more, hopefully downing it so he can cleave to U5. Either way, if this course of action stands, Yurhzorg will bite at A4 again.
[roll6] [roll7]
[roll8] [roll9]
[roll10] [roll11]

you forgot Yurhzorg's 5' step forward last round, which means he was in W7-X8 for all that. Not that it made any difference, but it does matter this round. maybe. or maybe not, depending on the impact of the AoO.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ will stand from prone, take a 5-foot step to 9Z and cast both Lesser Vigor and Cure Minor Wounds on Yurhzorg.

[Nettlekid]

I didn't notice the step, you're right. I'm pretty sure you guys can edit the map too. Can't you?

I have to say, considering you seemed pretty annoyed at the difficulty level and the fact that they're using tactics, I'm not sure why you're not running away/making a tactical retreat to draw them into a better layout. Or using your Spider Climb and taking cover on top of the bridge. Or making use of your prodigious Stealth. If more than half of their offense is ranged, I'd recommend negating that.

Nolongerchaos, in light of my misplacement of Yurhzorg's position, do you want to be in a different square?

[planswalker]

Sorry that I came off as complaining. I really didn't mean to. I was just pointing out that this is a really tough encounter. I'm perfectly fine with the challenge, and, honestly, if this kills us off, it does.

and yeah, I'm aware that smarter tactics exist, and, should Yurhzorg survive another round, he's likely to start using such himself.

[Nettlekid]

Sorry that I came off as complaining. I really didn't mean to. I was just pointing out that this is a really tough encounter. I'm perfectly fine with the challenge, and, honestly, if this kills us off, it does.

and yeah, I'm aware that smarter tactics exist, and, should Yurhzorg survive another round, he's likely to start using such himself.

I just don't want to make it obvious that I'm pulling punches. I had kind of been expecting you to use tactics like those from the first couple of rounds.

[planswalker]

if this was a 12 or 14 int warrior, I definitely would be, but that's not how I imagined Yurhzorg fighting. In my head, he's the jump in swinging first, think later type of guy. it'd only be after such tactics prove less than effective that he'd think to do anything else. It would seem rather strange to me if he went from a bumbling goof to a straight up tactical genius because fighting has started.

and please, don't feel the need to apologize if the encounter you thought up gets us killed. Things happen, and so long as you aren't banning me from re-applying with a new character, there's nothing to be upset over. Adventures are dangerous and if we die, well, I died having fun with Yurhzorg.

[Nettlekid]

Not tactical, but his Wisdom is good, and that means good instincts. Insights like 'duck now,' 'get away,' 'find cover,' 'kill him first,' those don't have to be calculated concepts as opposed to gut reactions.

If you die you can certainly reapply, I'd just be disappointed you didn't get to have a real sense of play with his character.

That said, I'm still waiting on Nolongerchaos to decide if he wants a different movement since I messed up Yurhzorg's position.

[planswalker]

well, for what it's worth, I'm having a blast playing Yurhzorg the way I am. Whether he lives or dies, I've had fun. If it'll increase your fun parameter to dm, I'll play Yurhzorg a bit wiser so he can explore a bit more of the dungeon.

[nolongerchaos]

Well, for some reason I was thinking the mages ran off a couple rounds ago, not last round, so Þ presumably has time to get past the blades before they get back (since I was thinking it was a couple rounds ago I was concerned they might pop back up while Þ was still in the middle of the trap). That said, Þ will move action stand, move action to to AI9, with a free action CMW in there.

[Nettlekid]

Unfortunately, between the creature's leather armor and leathery skin, Yurhzorg's glaive fails to significantly harm the first warrior. However, lashing out again at the vocal caster, he rips apart the creature's ripcage from the wound he already made, and the animating spirit leaves it. Invigorated by the attack Yurhzorg swings his glaive into the other caster, seriously injuring that one was well. That one and the remaining casters each take a step and trance briefly, focusing their energy to regain a lost spell. Now it's the four warriors, who all sidle along to keep pace with Yurhzorg, swinging their axes. With the various aid of its allies one breaks through, and another manages to strike a critical weak point. Between the two battleaxes they do a whopping 19 damage to Yurhzorg. Now the archers have their shot, and there too two get through, dealing 8 damage.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ draws his bow as he retreats further down the hallway, following the wall until he reaches the junction with the other hall, then steps to the middle of both halls, ideally allowing him to see any sign of the approaching mages (AN8). Not relishing his chances of hitting the undead, but hoping at least to grab some attention from his heavily wounded ally, Þ fires an arrow down the hall, then continues to nurse his own injuries.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[planswalker]

Succumbing to his many wounds, Yurhzorg drops. In two rounds when his bite of the werewolf fades away, he'll be very dead. He'll need some serious attention before then if he's going to live.

yep, that crit did him in. He's at -4 and will be at -2 when he loses the bite of the werewolf con boost and drop to -12

[Nettlekid]

Nolongerchaos, if you'd like, I'd let you rewrite your turn to take different actions if you want to try to step in for Yurhzorg's sake. Just an option.

[nolongerchaos]

Well poop. Þ doesn't have the speed to get all the way to Yurhzorg and cast Lesser Vigor in the same turn, and though he could CMiW, doing so would provoke, and I'm not sure he could survive a round alone with all of them (particularly since the mages regained spells).
That said, I'm not even sure Þ can escape. Do you mind if we metagame a little discuss potential tactics Nettlekid?
And all this assumes they don't just coup de grace Yurhzorg next turn...
In any case, where within the room is the closest opening Yurhzorg made in the bridge earlier?

[nolongerchaos]

As he watches his companion fall, Þ realizes that the time for caution is gone, if he doesn't act decisively and act now, this will become his and Yurhzorg's tomb. Focusing healing energy in his hand, Þ dashes forward to his friend. As he reaches Yurhzorg, Þ reaches down and releases the healing magic into his friend, while summoning the elemental powers of air to lift them up to the top of the bridge, careful not to let his casting create an opening in his defenses that could ruin everything. Realizing that in order for his spell to carry them to the top of the bridge that he's actually going to have to hit the bridge and somehwat hard, Þ make sure to position himself in such a way as to protect his unconscious friend from the bridge.

[Nettlekid]

It's extraordinary that Þ manages to keep his composure literally leaping into the swarm of undead, but he manages to cast his spell nonetheless. Normally the burst of air would burst him alone upward, but being half enveloped by Yurhzorg's blubber catches the Half-Ogre in the Updraft as well. Þ manages to avoid opening himself to attack while casting, but the two closer warriors take the opportunity to lash out while Þ leaves their area. Thankfully, neither is accurate. The other two, not expecting Yurhzorg to move at all, did not react fast enough to even strike out.

The jet of air is not delicate, and as though falling thirty feet to the ground Þ smashes into the iron ceiling, taking 13 points of damage from that and an additional 10 nonlethal damage as Yurhzorg's heavy frame pressed him further. Þ has to act carefully, wedging first Yurhzorg and then himself around the iron bridge while staying within the small square of rising air. The pair finishes their ascent, and using the limited amount of lateral mobility that Updraft provides Þ is able to land them onto the top of the cage, above the bridge. From there, Þ is able to cure a slight amount of Yurhzorg's injuries, though it's a drop in the bucket.

Beneath, the archers adjust their position and shoot, but the Wanderers have full cover from the bridge. The remaining warriors and casters rush into the hall you first came from, in an attempt to hunt you down. Fortunately it seems that none has flying magic, and those who could teleport had already left to do whatever it was they were doing.

See, this is what I think D&D should be. Logical physical applications of spells and effects in a destructible world rather than a world rigidly stuck to arbitrary targeting and such that doesn't actually make sense if you were to be there in the flesh.

Here's the Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0) again, just so you have it. You two are 50 feet up, the bridge bottom is 30 feet up, and everyone else is on the ground.

[nolongerchaos]

Wincing with pain, Þ again summons healing magics and channels them into his downed friend. He then kneels down and reaches into his backpack for some of his gear.
"Come on big guy, we're not out of this yet."
CMW and Lesser Vigor for Yurhzorg. Depending on how much stuff you'll let him grab from the bag with a single move action, Þ will try to pull out his potion, a smokestick, and his dagger, in that level of priority.

[Nettlekid]

You get only one item with one move action. I might recommend regaining Lesser Vigor first so that you can cast it and let that FH kick in, rather than save that until the end. You can be casting CMW each turn, though. You are still in combat, so be precise about your actions.

[nolongerchaos]

You get only one item with one move action. I might recommend regaining Lesser Vigor first so that you can cast it and let that FH kick in, rather than save that until the end. You can be casting CMW each turn, though. You are still in combat, so be precise about your actions.

Sorry, I was intending to be consice (sorry if it came out jumbled): Standard Lesser Vigor; Free CMiW; Move retrieve stored item. And yes, I fully intended to recover Vigor next round, but might as well use the move action if I've got it. Also, definitely buying a masterwork potion belt if Þ survives this...

[Nettlekid]

Somehow I thought you had used Lesser Vigor on yourself and still needed to recover it. Okay, that's fine.

The healing starts to take hold. (I think Yurhzorg is at -1 right now?) The rest of the undead file out, and for a moment all is still. You recall that it was quite a long, twisty hallway between the gate and this chamber, so you have a short while at least.

[nolongerchaos]

Simplified next 2 Turns:
1. Full Round recover Lesser Vigor, free CMiW on Yurhzorg.
2. Standard cast Lesser Vigor on self, Move grab Smokestick from bag, free CMiW on Yurhzorg.
(If they still aren't there by the third round: Standard dump [roll0] down Yurhzorg's throat, Move grab dagger, free CMiW on Yurhzorg)

[Nettlekid]

You manage to do all those things, but you do start to hear the sounds of feet running and a couple of spells being cast. You probably have only one or two rounds at the most before the undead reach their end of the bridge.

I should mention that with the cage as is, you would need to be in the bridge in order to exit out the way you came.

[planswalker]

by my accounting, that will give Yurhzorg one round to act in before he loses the 10 hp from bite of the werewolf, just enough to let him cast cure minor wounds on himself as well leaving him at 2 hp just in time to lose 10 and be at -8, followed up by him getting potioned for 6, plus another 1 from the lesser vigor and 1 from CMiW that round leaving him at real 0 hp after all that.

Under his friend's intensive care, Yurhzorg spasms to life just long enough to contribute a small fraction of healing to himself before momentarily falling unconscious once more. A potion and a few more spells later, and Yurhzorg is at last conscious under his own power. He will then stand and add one more casting of cure minor wounds to himself.

[Nettlekid]

The undead are just down the hall. It's likely that if you were to enter onto the bridge now, they might be able to attack you with ranged weapons and spells. They're about one round of running away from your current position.

I'd recommend taking evasive action of some kind. I see Þ has some Smokesticks, that might be useful. Or the Spider Climb that Yurhzorg cast to get over the pit is still in effect, you could actually crawl to the underside of the bridge where you'd have full cover again. Although you do know that two of the casters can teleport to the lower level, where they could shoot at you. Or you could just run.

[planswalker]

"Let's run for now and come back when we're not hurting so much. Next time, we fight them smarter." Yurhzorg proposes.

Assuming his partner agrees, Yurhzorg will smash them a hole in the cage and retreat back towards the exit, healing himself another time as he does so.

[roll0]

[nolongerchaos]

"I agree. We definitely need to retreat, and fight smarter when we come back. This hasn't been our most glorious combat, but with a little more luck it won't be our last."
Þ activates his smokestick and tosses it onto the bridge in the direction of the approaching undead and then follows after Yurhzorg, healing himself before climbing down.

[Nettlekid]

Strength DC to bend iron bars: 24. Would you look at that.

Yurhzorg wrenches the bars on the top of the bridge open and the pair jumps down onto the bridge. Far down the corridor you see the first of the warrior undead emerge from the hall, before Þ's Smokestick cuts off visual contact. You book it down the bridge and reach the end, and you can hear the undead nearing but not quite getting to the other side. A Lesser Orb of Fire sears the ground where you stood, and a Ray of Ice cuts through the smoke, but swings wide since it doesn't know where you're standing now.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will heal himself once more and flee at the fastest speed available to him.

Fleeing is the bestest part of not-dying

[nolongerchaos]

Though faster than Yurhzorg, Þ stays behind his companion, attempting to provide some measure of cover for his badly injured friend as they retreat.

[roll0] to hear the sounds of pursuit. Also Þ will continue to cast CMiW on himself while he follows Yurhzorg.

[Nettlekid]

The poor man's fast healing.

Undead aren't known for making much of a clamor, but you do hear the metallic echoes of footfalls on the iron bridge behind you. You reach the stairs leading to the first antechamber and the sloping ceiling obscures your vision of the bridge just as the undead emerge from the smoke cloud, hot on your tail. You're still on the stairs, but you can feel the wind from the door that Yurhzorg burst open when you first arrive. Presumably it is still wide open.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will climb up the stairs, heal himself along the way, and, remembering the pit trap, leap across it. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg will climb up the stairs, heal himself along the way, and, remembering the pit trap, leap across it. [roll0]

This isn't the pit trap room, this is the dart trap room. But very good of you to remember a trap anyway. I was waiting to see if someone would trip it at this critical moment.

Since I haven't been using the maps throughout, this is the path you've taken through the barrow:

You entered from outside into an antechamber, and headed down the stairs south, with the dart trap at the top. The stairs curve to point east, and you crossed over a large hall from within the iron bridge, east-to-west. You arrived in the two-level room with the iron gate and the pit trap with the exit pointing north. Through that north exit was a twisty, narrow passage than ended up bringing you about thirty feet down and pointing you west, so that you entered the large hall you had previously crossed over but now on the bottom level. Two of the undead went on the bridge and then traveled east to the two-level room, to cut you off. You then went on the bridge and traveled west, back toward the stairs and the antechamber, while the undead all traveled through the twisty narrow passage into the two-leveled room. (They ended up being slowed down because the first two that went to cut you off had closed the gate from the pitfall room, then teleported behind the gate and turned invisible, ready to ambush you. They had to re-teleport out and open the gate for all the other undead coming through. That bought you a couple of rounds.)

[nolongerchaos]

This isn't the pit trap room, this is the dart trap room. But very good of you to remember a trap anyway. I was waiting to see if someone would trip it at this critical moment.

Since I haven't been using the maps throughout, this is the path you've taken through the barrow:

You entered from outside into an antechamber, and headed down the stairs south, with the dart trap at the top. The stairs curve to point east, and you crossed over a large hall from within the iron bridge, east-to-west. You arrived in the two-level room with the iron gate and the pit trap with the exit pointing north. Through that north exit was a twisty, narrow passage than ended up bringing you about thirty feet down and pointing you west, so that you entered the large hall you had previously crossed over but now on the bottom level. Two of the undead went on the bridge and then traveled east to the two-level room, to cut you off. You then went on the bridge and traveled west, back toward the stairs and the antechamber, while the undead all traveled through the twisty narrow passage into the two-leveled room. (They ended up being slowed down because the first two that went to cut you off had closed the gate from the pitfall room, then teleported behind the gate and turned invisible, ready to ambush you. They had to re-teleport out and open the gate for all the other undead coming through. That bought you a couple of rounds.)

Okay, good. After Planswalkers' post I was confused and had to go back and re-read the beginning of the thread. I was pretty sure we'd avoided the pit trap entirely and thought we were heading to the room with the table, good to see I was right.
Also, poor man's fast healing isn't too shabby in conjunction to actual fast healing :smalltongue:

Seeing Yurhzorg leap and remembering seeing him get hit by a dart earlier, Þ too makes to [roll0] over the spot where he thinks he remembers the pressure plate to be, then cures himself again as he follows Yurhzorg.

[Nettlekid]

Evading the traps, the pair of Wanderers dashes out of the stairs and burst through the broken door into the wind and snow. It's a bit of a scramble up the snowy hill, but you manage with minor difficulty. Looking back, you see the undead gathered in the antechamber, hissing. One caster has its hand in the space where the door was, but flat, as though he's placing it on a solid object. It's possible the doorway marks a boundary point that they are physically unable to cross. One archer fires a shot, but it's impossible to hit you in the wind. Scowling, they eventually turn back (two warriors prop up the broken door) and descend back to their tomb.

So what now? Are you going to make another delving attempt, or maybe return to the Inn and get some non-melee-with-Druid-spells aid before your next run?

[planswalker]

I knew I remembered a trap there!

Either way, my action stands. Jumping across the trappy part.

[nolongerchaos]

"Well Yurhzorg, what do you think we should do? I think you managed to bring down two of them, but since we know what we're up against we should be able to prepare ourselves and do better this time. I don't have any more smokesticks, but we do have a lot of oil so a fire might be an option, though probably not a good one. Do you want to leave or head back inside? If we go back inside, we should probably wait a few hours, maybe get them to think they scared us off."

Þ will recover Lesser Vigor and cast it on Yurhzorg when the current casting runs out. Otherwise he'll take off his crampons and keep CMiW on himself until he's back to full strength, about 1 minute, at which point he'll be casting CMiW on Yurhzorg until he's back to full fighting strength.

[planswalker]

"I'm not fleeing from corpses that don't realize they're dead yet. We just had to get out of the hurty long enough to get our stuff together."

Yurhzorg will continue to cast cure minor wounds on himself until healed to full. Once done, he'll spend a couple of minutes refreshing all the buffs on himself along with using lesser restoration to remove the fatigue.

"We need to be smart this time." Yurhzorg says.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ will explain the plan OoC plan to Yurhzorg, making sure he understands that they're not going right back in, but are going to wait a few hours first.
After several hours pass, Þ hands Yurhzorg his thunderstone and begins casting buffs on himself and Yurhzorg. "Well, let's give this another go. Care to handle the door. Perhaps quieter this time though."
With a grin at his companion, Þ casts Spider Hand and waits for the door to be opened after which he sends the spider inside and down the stairs a short way.

[planswalker]

Understanding the need for stealth this time around, Yurhzorg will open the door more silently, like a regular person would.

[Nettlekid]

I was going to make you make saves against cold and stuff, but...healing and restoration and stuff.

At the very least, I'm glad this mission became something quite different than it was suggested to be when you guys were having a cakewalk with the traps.

The door is off its hinges, but Yurhzorg is able to lift it and move it to open the way into the barrow. The antechamber remains as it was previously, empty. Þ's plan of taking off the table legs and weighing down the plate works well, and after avoiding the initial dart no more come out. Progressing to the iron bridge, the pair can see the stone slabs replaced save for one, which had housed the vocal caster. There are several Skeevies gathered in that chamber, gnawing away at the supernatually preserved meat and bone of the re-deceased caster.

[nolongerchaos]

Recalling the previous encounter with the rats, Þ pulls out his bow again and fires at the nearest.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will hold his position, not interested in getting down where he could be in reach.

[Nettlekid]

The arrow strikes true, and knocks out one Skeevy, leaving it to bleed out. The other four scatter, leaving the half eaten corpse.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ signals to Yurhzorg to wait, wanting to see if these rats too would come attack them on the bridge as the others had. These rats could complicate their plan, so he'd pick them off one by one if he has to.

If the rats stay in the bottom room, Þ will start trying to pick them off from the bridge.
[roll0][roll1]
[roll2][roll3]
[roll4][roll5]
[roll6][roll7]
[roll8][roll9]
Some attacks for on rats to help alleviate you having to make many posts that don't say much, which is rather obnoxious to have to do via phone.

[Nettlekid]

The rats scramble on the lower level. Þ's arrows spear most of them, leaving them shuddering and bleeding out, while one single rat runs down the bladed hall. You wait a while and don't see it coming. It may have fled elsewhere.

[planswalker]

"Are we ready?" Yurhzorg whispers loudly.

[nolongerchaos]

"Yes, I think so. Remember, keep an eye out for my little spider. I'll shout for you if I need you."
Þ recasts Barkskin on himself and Yurhzorg, and has Yurhzorg cast Spider Climb on Þ so that he will be able to avoid the spike pit. Then, recasting Spider Hand, Þ follows his spider beyond the bridge.

[Nettlekid]

Þ's spider scurries out ahead to scout, and doesn't encounter much resistance. The undead had dropped the grate again, but Þ knows where to stand and which lever to pull, opening the trap door and the grate. He scrambles over the trap and can look down the hallway into the tomb chamber.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg stands at attention on the bridge, ready to do his part.

[nolongerchaos]

Concentrating upon the spider, Þ sends it to Yurhzorg, where upon reaching the Wanderers hand, it vanishes after a moment. Hiding at the corner of the hallway, Þ readies himself to cast Create water on the Blade trap trigger once the undead enter the hallway.
Readying an action to cast and then take a 5 foot step away from the blade trap hal.l

[Nettlekid]

The spider reaches Yurhzorg unimpeded.

[planswalker]

At the signal, Yurhzorg will drop the thunderstone down where the undead are.

[Nettlekid]

The stone cracks with characteristic volume, sending a peal through the room and through the walls into the deepest reaches of the barrow. Predictably, the stone slabs slide open and the several undead emerge from their tombs, bows, axes, and spellcasting fingers at the ready, prepared to defend as they have dozens of times before.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ is waiting for Yurhzorg to try to lure the undead up to the bridge. If that doesn't work, he'll have to improvise with his bow.

[planswalker]

ugh, sorry. I've had a very busy day

"Hey you hurty undead things! Come and get me!" He'll shout, banging his fist against the bridge to get their attention.

[Nettlekid]

The undead turn their heads to look at Yurhzorg, hissing. The two casters with Dimension Leap hop up to the iron bridge, flanking Yurhzorg about 30 feet apart each, so that he'll have to turn his back on one to advance to the other with his glaive. The other undead hasten to the hallway, the warriors first, followed by the remaining three casters, and then the archers behind.

Am I right in thinking you only killed one of the undead, that one caster? Or did you get one of the warriors too?

I'll try to get a map up if I can, but it might be a while in coming. Today's a better day for it than most.

[planswalker]

I thought I'd gotten a cleave off of dropping one of the warriors

either way, I'd like a map, please

[Nettlekid]

There we go, quicker than I thought. Tuesday is probably the best day where I can make maps; as long as my computer's dead and I'm posting from my phone it's pretty impossible, but if I'm at work then I have some time at like lunch or whatever, and on Tuesdays I'm manning the Live Chat which is a lot less busy than taking calls, giving me the chance to do things like make maps.

The dark blue squares are the undead underneath the bridge, so only two are actually on the bridge. All the rest are headed toward the hall.

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit?usp=sharing)

[nolongerchaos]

As the undead have now entered the hallway en masse, Þ will cast Create Water on the Blade trap plate, then retreat as fast as possible back towards the bridge.

If the 80lbs of water created by the spell aren't enough to trigger the plate, Þ will rush forward himself and step on it, then fall back. (I don't know how many turns it will take to get back to the bridge, but if he thinks he has built up a large enough gap between himself and the undead [move speed of 50 is pretty handy], Þ will pull the lever in the spike pit room to bring down the bars, buying more time.)

[Nettlekid]

The created water is plenty heavy, and the thin plate depresses. The trap releases scything blades which swing endlessly from side to side, lacerating anything in their path. The forefront warrior undead is dealt deep wounds and torn asunder, having already borne the brunt of Yurhzorg's past assault. The other warriors are guarded by their armor, and one blade strike simply misses two of the casters, but the third caster and first bowman are dealt heavy wounds as well. The second bowman steps toward the edge of the hall and reaches around the corner, pulling a hidden chain which causes the blades to recede back into the wall, before bidding the rest of the undead to continue in their charge.

I won't update the map or describe the actions of the two bridge casters until Yurhzorg's turn, because he goes before these guys took their action just now. And yes, Þ would be able to outpace the undead and drop the gate behind.

[planswalker]

Determining U5 to be the more dangerous target as that one would be flanking him should the others arrive up there, Yurhzorg will be wailing into that one for all he's worth. He'll move to E7-F8 and strike at U5 with his glaive.

[roll0] [roll1]

[Nettlekid]

The undead is dealt a serious blow by the glaive, though it stays on its feet. Focusing, it manages to avoid leaving any spots open as it casts its spell. It snarls, and an apple-sized sphere of fire launches square into Yurhzorg's chest, dealing only 5 damage. The undead on the other side, free to act as it pleases, sends a beam of ice at Yurhzorg, and this time the attack hits, dealing a more sizable 9 damage. Yurhzorg is not the nimblest of creatures, and he fails to prevent the ice from locking his legs in place, trapping him unless he can free himself.

Edited the map. Now the undead move and get scythed, and you get to go again. It will take about three rounds to get to the lever room, and two more to get to the bridge.

[nolongerchaos]

That's further away than I'd realized, but I'm pretty confident Yurhzorg can handle the 2 mages (so long as they don't roll damage like they did last time...)
Þ continues to lead the undead back towards the pit room.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will swing again at U5, not overly worrying about the ice at this point. He figures that his brute strength will free him from it easily enough. He'll also heal himself for a point of damage.

[roll0] [roll1]

[Nettlekid]

That's a Nat 1!

Regarding the distance, do remember how long it took them to get to you when you were on top of the bridge recovering. It always feel shorter from the other side, though, doesn't it? In any case, the ones who fired those high-damage Seeking Rays were not the same as those who teleported last time.

Yurhzorg's glaive goes wide and his strike misses the nearby undead. That creature focuses again, not giving an inch, before vanishing into thin air. Was that a teleport? It didn't look like it. The undead behind Yurhzorg also disappears, leaving the brute stuck in the ice.

The rest of the horde hurries down the hall, slower than Þ.

We can fast forward a few rounds. Yurhzorg should make a couple of checks to either break the ice or damage it to breaking, and then can take whatever actions he pleases. Those holes in the bridge are still there if he's looking to jump off to the lower level.

[nolongerchaos]

Since Þ is just running (and closing the grate), a fast forward is fine for Þ. (Also, pity it would have been super OoC knowledge-y and metagamey to ready Faerie Fire :smalltongue:)

[planswalker]

actually... check Yurhzorg's sheet...

Faerie Fire is something he keeps prepared on himself all the time because invisible creatures are so crippling to his fighting style. His dad hadn't been big on ejumacation, but he did teach his bastard son to fight well.

Yurhzorg heals himself another point of damage and casts faerie fire where the caster he had been wailing on disappeared to after healing himself once more.

[Nettlekid]

That borders dangerously close to metagaming, since you've seen these guys teleport before and you didn't so much as make a Spellcraft check to identify invisibility. However,

Unfortunately, Faerie Fire bursts in that five feet and then dwindles to nothing. It looks like the undead which had been in that square is now no longer. Yurhzorg is still stuck in ice, and Þ is still running down the hall.

[planswalker]

I feel like you're being very unfair here, Nettlekid. I drew my assumptions about what's going on the same way I did for the last fight. You described the spell's effects to me, and I acted on what those descriptions sounded like. You apparently wanting me to draw a different conclusion than the one I did doesn't change what conclusion I came to.

You described their actions here very differently from when they teleported. You also didn't require spellcraft checks from us to inform us of the Dimension Leaps they made earlier. I feel like you're being very inconsistent here with spell knowledge. You made it explicitly clear they teleported earlier, but now it's supposed to be mysterious to us that they went invisible when they disappeared before his eyes and it didn't look like they teleported?

How is it metagaming that Yurhzrog saw them disappear, it didn't look like a teleport, and thus he assumes that they went invisible? It's not like he he went "Aha! My opponents have cast the invisibility spell on themselves!" He's no stranger to magical effects, and he assumes "they disappeared and it didn't look like a teleport" means "they're invisible". You've been really straightforward in describing magical effects in rather unambiguous terms. Then suddenly you decide that this particular effect is going to be "mysterious" when it's one of the most bog-standard magical effects for someone to use to hide? Yurhzorg would be using an invisibility source himself if one were on the druid list.

Guessing that they have run off for now, Yurhzrog will attempt to free himself from the ice and heal himself once more. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

I feel like you're being very unfair here, Nettlekid. I drew my assumptions about what's going on the same way I did for the last fight. You described the spell's effects to me, and I acted on what those descriptions sounded like. You apparently wanting me to draw a different conclusion than the one I did doesn't change what conclusion I came to.

You described their actions here very differently from when they teleported. You also didn't require spellcraft checks from us to inform us of the Dimension Leaps they made earlier. I feel like you're being very inconsistent here with spell knowledge. You made it explicitly clear they teleported earlier, but now it's supposed to be mysterious to us that they went invisible when they disappeared before his eyes and it didn't look like they teleported?

How is it metagaming that Yurhzrog saw them disappear, it didn't look like a teleport, and thus he assumes that they went invisible? It's not like he he went "Aha! My opponents have cast the invisibility spell on themselves!" He's no stranger to magical effects, and he assumes "they disappeared and it didn't look like a teleport" means "they're invisible". You've been really straightforward in describing magical effects in rather unambiguous terms. Then suddenly you decide that this particular effect is going to be "mysterious" when it's one of the most bog-standard magical effects for someone to use to hide? Yurhzorg would be using an invisibility source himself if one were on the druid list.

Guessing that they have run off for now, Yurhzrog will attempt to free himself from the ice and heal himself once more. [roll0]

I described the spell names to you in OoC spoilers last fight, but I didn't describe anything beyond what was visible last time. You knew they had teleported because you saw/heard them reappear in a different place last time. When they disappear here, it could easily be much the same. You've described Yurhzorg has being devotedly low-Int, so I find it skeptical that it's so easy to notice the subtlety of a fade-to-nothing of Invisibility rather than a quick cut-to-nothing of a teleport. Since he'd seen them do one and not the other, I would imagine the teleport is the more likely conclusion.

Basically, at the very least I would have liked a Spellcraft check to determine your enemy's magical tactics if your following moves are based on those tactics. So far they haven't been, so I haven't called for it. I don't think that's unfair. When you say "he's no stranger to magical effects," that's what the Spellcraft roll decides. If he is or isn't, at least to this one.

Besides, it didn't change anything in this case, so I wasn't going to make a big deal about it.

Yurhzorg wrenches himself from the ice, and seems to be alone on the bridge. Þ is still running.

[planswalker]

Two of the casters eye Þ sneaking off, and look to the iron bridge above. With a hiss, they disappear from sight and you hear them land on the iron bridge, before you hear the footsteps dash in the direction of the two-level room.

The undead turn their heads to look at Yurhzorg, hissing. The two casters with Dimension Leap hop up to the iron bridge, flanking Yurhzorg about 30 feet apart each

That creature focuses again, not giving an inch, before vanishing into thin air. Was that a teleport? It didn't look like it. The undead behind Yurhzorg also disappears, leaving the brute stuck in the ice.

While I do understand that this didn't end up impacting anything this time, you explicitly said IC that this disappearance didn't look like a teleport, and I feel like you're accusing me of metagaming when you explicitly said they disappeared in what didn't look like a teleport and I therefore concluded that they're invisible. It's hardly a great leap in logic for Yurhzorg to think disappearing without a teleport means there still here invisible.

If you ever have people dissappear from sight without teleporting and they're not invisible, expect Yurhzorg to still assume they're invisible. He can't see them and it didn't look to him like they teleported off, so therefore they must still be here. It's not like I tried to identify exactly what spell was making them invisible; I merely noted that they're not visible and it didn't look like a teleport. Ergo, if it wasn't a teleport, they're still here, somewhere. If they aren't visible, by definition, they're invisible. As for a spellcraft check, it's trained only. I wasn't about to explicitly cheat the rules to try to gain some IC knowledge that's unavailable to me.

You had no problems identifying kinds spell effects for us when magic missiles or orbs of fire were being tossed around, and you even mentioned specific spells explicitly without requiring any spellcraft checks out of anyone. Now I'm being reprimanded for looking at a spell effect I was explicitly told wasn't a teleport and not thinking it was a teleport?

I know you probably just want to drop this, but being accused of metagaming unacceptably when I drew 100% of my conclusions from what was said outside of spoilers feels very patently unfair. I'm also somewhat concerned over this because I witnessed you summarily kicking a player from this game of what sounded like exactly what you accused me of and I would really rather not walk blindly into getting kicked out of the game over something like this.

Figuring that the undead have likely run off to help their friends coming up the tunnel, Yurhzorg will cast bite of the werewolf on himself, heal himself once more, and shamble over towards where Þ will be running from.

The round after that, should nothing overly change, he'll refresh his bite of the werewolf, heal himself again, and head over again.

If the round after that is still uneventful, he'll heal himself once more and finish his journey to R5-S6 and ready to wail at the first non-Þ entity to show itself within his reach with an awesome blow.

[Nettlekid]

I'm back to my phone so coherent posting is limited, but I'll try to address things briefly.

First of all, I definitely didn't kick Darklink_shadow for metagaming. There were complaints from other players before he even was fully accepted that I agreed with, and he was rude and passive aggressive. What looked very much like metagaming was an excuse to bring my collective grievances to a forefront and then end. That's entirely not the case here, I'm enjoying playing a game with you, and I'm not about to kick you in the slightest.

Regarding descriptions, you're right, I have been inconsistent. It comes back to what I expect your characters to know versus what I expect you to know. If I've identified a spell or effect OoC, I guess I may reference the name IC to save time because you all know what I'm talking about, and so you can more appropriately envision the effects. That's you as players. You as characters will not know any of the spells by name, not until you ID them with Spellcraft. Those Dimension Leaps could have been Dimension Doors or Teleports, as far as either character knows. If the character doesn't know the difference, or even if those are spells, then to the character something just *happened*. Now, I'd describe it in such a way that the player knows what's happening, because unless deliberately confusing the player is important I want you to act with appropriate knowledge. So I'd describe the disappearance as different, so you know. But Yurhzorg has no ranks in Perception and a low Int. He's not going to pick up on the subtlety. So by my accusation of metagaming, I'm suggesting that you're giving Yurhzorg knowledge that you have and he doesn't. And I don't think it's unfair to suggest that based on these circumstances. It's quite easy for you to say he's dealt with foes going invisible before, but nothing that's actually within gameplay suggests that he can tell the difference between invisibility, teleportation, or a foe simply ceasing to exist. My perception of an IC reaction for him would be to attack the spot anyway, just in case. Using a specifically anti-invisibility technique is uncharacteristic insight, at least to my eyes.

I guess the simplest way to put this is that not everything even outside of spoilers will be purely plain as day to your characters. You should figure what makes sense for your characters to decipher, or ask if X detail was clearly observable. If that means I should hold back on the details in future, I guess I'll have to.

Yurhzorg manages to cast and then refresh Bite of the Werewolf before something happens. He's now standing on the upper level of the two-tiered room, and a clatter of footsteps marks Þ's rapid arrival through the corridors. His fleet feet have put about an extra hundred feet between him and the undead, and he's nearing the end of the hall to the room Yurhzorg's in, when the trapdoor swings shut and the iron bars descend from the ceiling, blocking any further progress.

Can't do a map, but Yurhzorg is at the top of the overlook (facing the bars, directly under him (so he'd have to walk forward, jump down, and walk back) is the hidden lever. Þ is directly against the bars, and the horde is about one full run away, single-file from the thin passage.

[planswalker]

that would be nice, please, since very clearly you and I have very different interpretations of what my character knows and how he would act, and I just plain and simple suck at playing my character according to your expectations.

and thank you for clearing up the whole darklink shadow incident. I don't keep close track of the other mission threads that my character isn't in, so I was unaware of such details. All I really knew was what spilled over to the ooc thread, which focused on him metagaming.

Seeing his friend get trapped, Yurhzorg will run over to the bars and give them a good smashing. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

I'm still not sure you have the right to be as angry as you clearly are, especially since my initial comment was pretty minor. Honestly, it's because you've been doing such a good job of sticking true to your character that I objected to that uncharacteristic action. But if you insist, I will refrain from any additional detail beyond that which is notable by a low-Perception character.

Aside from that, I want Nolongerchaos to make a choice right now that won't detract from Þ's actions. Þ sees Yurhzorg jump from the upper ledge and start to rush over to break the bars. Does Þ allow Yurhzorg to do so without comment?

EDIT: Okay, I've thought of a comparison that illustrates the "My character knows magic" vs. no ranks in Spellcraft thing. It would be like if a character had it written in their backstory that they used to be an acrobat, but they had no ranks in Acrobatics. And then trying to scale a wall by leaping without checks, because I had said that the wall could be scaled, and because "they're an acrobat so they should know how to do this" even though nothing on the sheet suggests they can. I guess that brings me back to I think the weakest part of your assertion about why your actions were 100% in character, that you responded to Invisibility because you "have experience with magic" and know what Invisibility looks like. That's an entirely arbitrary statement not reflected anywhere on your sheet. You don't really get to make a claim like that without a reason behind it. If you have no way to identify magic, then the result is that you don't know Invisibility when you see it. Or not, as the case may be.

[nolongerchaos]

Realizing what the grate crashing down must mean, Þ begins to waive his hands and shout at Yurhzorg.
"Watch out Yurhzorg! The spiked pit! Stay off the floor! Use Spider Climb!"

[planswalker]

Heeding his friend's advice, he'll switch gears and go for climbing the wall to the left of the bars before smashing them open from there, avoiding walking anywhere too near the bars.

[Nettlekid]

Even from the awkward position of standing on the wall, Yurhzorg is able to wrench apart the iron bars and open the path for Þ. Þ still has a turn.

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit#gid=0)

[nolongerchaos]

"We need to move, before they find another way to trap us."
Þ will clamber around the pit with his Spider Climb and start making his way towards the stairs pulling out his bow as he moves, but not wanting to leave Yurhzorg behind, he will stop at T28.

[Nettlekid]

Þ scampers around the possible trap and toward safety. But as he looks back toward Yurhzorg, a bolt of frigid energy narrowly misses his head. One of the unarmed undead is standing in the center of the room, finger outstretched, having missed more by a fluke than anything. Meanwhile the horde draws nearer.

[nolongerchaos]

I'm not sure if this is the next round or not, so here's Þ's action for whenever it comes up.
Seeing the mage appear from seemingly nowhere after launching the ice shard, Þ lanuches himself at the mage, sriking with his free hand.

Charge to N28, Power Attack for 2.
[roll0], [roll1]

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will heal himself and ready an action to smash the first undead to get in his reach back with an awesome blow.

[Nettlekid]

Þ stumbles slightly and whiffs the punch, allowing the undead caster to take a small step out of immediate harm's way and breathe into its hand. A shard of ice crystalizes there, which it hurls the short distance at Þ. It narrowly strikes, and Þ takes a palpable 11 damage from the icy dagger.

Yurhzorg seems to have stolen Þ's fortune, as his strike couldn't possibly miss. The first warrior passes through the iron bar threshold and is struck with a home run, clattering into the warrior behind. The first warrior's animating spirit fails, having already taken damage, and the second takes damage from the impact of the first and is knocked to the ground behind, which in turn causes the caster running at full speed to stumble over the fallen second warrior and land atop the double-corpse of the first. The third warrior clambers over the mess and out through the bars, provoking an AoO from Yurhzorg.

Assuming an Awesome Blow, Yurhzorg still manages to toss the third warrior back. It's not quite enough for a kill, but leaves the third warrior jarred.

The others in the hall continue to press forward, but slowing their step.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ uses his magic to heal his wounds before kiting around the mage and stepping back up to him.

Lesser Vigor and CMiW, then moving down and over to L28 (doing so without provoking an unnecessary AoO)

[planswalker]

His bite of the werewolf running out on this turn, Yurhzrog will heal himself and re-cast bite of the werewolf, ready to continue the assault. That done, he'll climb up a little higher on the wall and over the tunnel so that when he gets his next AoO, the undead will be sent straight down and smash into the floor.

He'll be taking his AoO against the first undead to trigger it that's either an archer or a caster, ignoring any axemen. Should that down something, he'll be taking his cleave against any such targets available. If none are, then he'll take it against any axe-users in range.

I'm talking about spider climbing 10' up taking a diagonal 5' up and to the left, and then another 5' to the left, putting Yurhzorg on the top-down spaces of P23-Q23, and occupying a 10' square section on the wall 15' above the opening.

Sorry about adding 3D to the mess of this complex combat, but it seemed like a good idea to get myself out of melee reach entirely and give me the chance to use dungeon crasher fighter on undead that come in.

By my reckoning of the geometry, he'll threaten squares in the row of O23-R23 along with P24 and Q24 with his glaive.

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg manages another inescapable strike against one of the unarmed undead that rushes out, crushing it into the floor. In a pendulum motion he cracks into a bowman, downing it as well. The force from his blow is great enough that it would splinter the stone, but because it's not stone and instead a mechanism, the trapdoor opens and sends another charging axeman into the pit. It's not destroyed outright (a lack of vital organs probably helps) but it's impaled and stuck. The bars, having been bent, remain down.

The mage that Þ is fighting takes another step back, but then simply meditates for a round, regaining a spell.


I feel like even if they're uncrittable, Nat 20s deserve some kind of respect. Annoyingly, opening the trapdoor makes sense, and I only rolled that 20 after moving all the undead, only to move them back.

[planswalker]

Feeling a sweet sense of satisfaction from this, Yurhzorg will heal again and lower himself to just below the top edge of the tunnel. From there, he readies to strike at any undead which find their way past the pit. "Not so dangerous now, are you, hurty thing?" He taunts.

that is, readying a standard action to function as essentially a second AoO.

if you'd like me to, I can pre-roll some attacks for you to help you figure out the outcome of a turn before you mess with the map

[nolongerchaos]

Þ continues to mend his injuries, then steps up to K27 and strikes at the mage again.

CMiW, [roll0][roll1]

[Nettlekid]

Nat 1 followed by a Nat 20. Huh.

The lever turns on its own. The bars rattle, and the trapdoor closes.

Yurhzorg's first strike completely misses the undead running out, but the return stroke clobbers one and knocks the trapdoor open again. His Cleave does not manage to nab another, but the cluster is still stuck on the wrong end of the trapdoor. Two of the bowmen behind the door try to shoot Þ, but they go far too wide trying to avoid their ally. The one bowman who made it out shoots at Yurhzorg, but the arrow splinters on his scaly hide.

The caster fighting Þ shoots its trademark icy ray at Þ, and strikes him right in the heart. The chill spreads through him, dealing 8 cold damage, and manages to lock his legs in ice.

[planswalker]

Deeming the lone bowman on the relevant side of the pit to be not much of an overt threat on his own, Yurhzorg heals himself And readies the same sequence of events as the turn before while calling out to Þ, "The cold stuff is irritating, isn't it?"

[nolongerchaos]

Þ strikes back at the mage and attempts to heal his wounds without creating openings in his defenses.

Since you've been really good about mentioning 5-ft steps and defensive casting, I'm going to assume the mage did neither, so [roll0], [roll1], which might cause his spell to fail, so I'll wait on that before adding the damage to Þ.
[roll2]
[roll3], [roll4]

[Nettlekid]

I might attribute that to posting at work where I have to hurriedly scribble something down inbetween two of the hundred or so calls I take in a day, but hey, an undeclared action is fair game. At least the caster narrowly made the Concentration check.

The undead spellcaster manages to get off its bolt of ice, but the benefit of limiting Þ's mobility doesn't quite come into play when Þ is within striking distance. His one-two punch comes into full effect, and the caster is knocked onto his head, animating spirit released.

Once again, the trapdoor closes. The undead rush out, and Yurhzorg's cleaving strike crushes two bowmen into the ground, but the trapdoor is not lurched open this time and the rest can finally spill out into the room. Seeing Þ locked in ice, their focus changes to the beast that's smoked the majority of their number. One caster shoots Yurhzorg with a Targeting Ray to sure up its allies shots, and all three bowmen loose their shafts. Two manage to hit, dealing 13 damage, and one couldn't possibly hit. The final caster, although inclined to attack Yurhzorg, doesn't want to let Þ go unchecked, and so lets loose that frightful Seeking Ray at the immobilized Þ, dealing 17 damage.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will leap from where he is on the wall, aiming for the square of O25-P26, using his rather skillful acrobatics to avoid taking damage from the height.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

don't know if three different rolls are needed or just one. If you feel like not all of those deserve a separate roll, feel free to ignore the superfluous rolls

Assuming that he lands on his feet, Yurhzorg will bite at U1 with an awesome blow, looking to send it over within his buddy's reach to finish it off.

[roll3] [roll4]

I'd been really, really hoping to be able to set up for this! (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fbw66)

Yurhzorg will be taking his AoO's this round (if applicable) as awesome blows if they're triggered by someone within 10' of him, as regular attacks if triggered by someone within Glaive range.

[nolongerchaos]

If U1 is up and in melee range, Þ will strike at him in melee. If not, he'll use Splinterbolt. If U1 is re-dead, then Splinterbolt at U3, with a CMiW if no one is in melee.
[roll0][roll1]
[roll2][roll3]
That's what, Nat 1#4? This character might be decent if he wasn't autofailing his attacks almost literally every other attack.

[Nettlekid]

So the wrecking ball move really isn't legal since you can't occupy an occupied space, but that's apart from Rule of Cool.

Yurhzorg crashes into the ground, the shockwave toppling the bowmen beneath him. With a meteoric headbutt he chomps at the caster, and somehow sends him hurtling away, which is the opposite of what a bite should do. The caster is significantly damaged, and is knocked into nothing upon impact with Þ's outstretched fist.

The two bowmen are stuck under Yurhzorg, and take some damage from being crushed. The standing bowman steps back and looses an arrow at Yurhzorg, but before it can fire Yurhzorg smacks it and knocks it back. It doesn't hit the wall, but seems to impact something and is knocked prone. The caster also takes a step back, and uses Cause Fear on Yurhzorg. Yurhzorg is strong-willed enough to avoid being terrified, but he's still shaken by the attempt.

The last axeman takes a step forward and chops at Þ. Þ isn't in much of a position to dodge, and takes 7 damage.

[planswalker]

actually, since he's large and they're medium, he actually is allowed to occupy space with two of them, though a third would cause some stiff penalties. The rule is that he can't move through squares occupied by enemies, and technically, he didn't. He jumped 10' forward in the air and then gravity said that he had to fall. I might not have attempted this maneuver in a more rules-lawyery game, but it isn't 100% impossible to justify according to the rules. If you'd like to know for future reference, I can dig up the page number from the DMG on the rules about creatures sharing spaces with one another which is a distinct thing from the SRD entry on moving through occupied squares.

but, like you said, Rule of Cool wins here regardless.

btw, in my head, an awesome blow with a bite is pictured as him chomping on the thing while picking it up and shaking it like a dog with a chew toy

Yurhzorg heals himself and casts mass snake's swiftness, giving himself and Þ a free attack on his turn, essentially enabling his buddy to get an extra hit in this round. Yurhzorg will be using his attack on the unarmed undead still standing. He'll be once more looking to use his bite in an awesome blow to get the creature into glaive range.

[roll0] [roll1]

that particular spell is a LOT more impressive when there's more than 2 people in the party, but still far from useless

edit: Yurhzorg will prefer to take his AoO on the caster if applicable. If not, he'll make do with anyone who does trigger one.

[nolongerchaos]

Glad someone kindly stepped into melee range while trapped in ice, Þ strikes at the undead who is trying axe him a thing or two.

, [roll=Damage]1d10+5
1d20+ for CMiW.
What sort of action will it be to break the ice? I've been assuming standard, but if it's only a move then [roll1]

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg's bite and Þ's two strikes both fall short, snapping at the air or impacting on leather armor respectively. However, when the caster begins to focus on its spell, Yurhzorg's bite manages to nab it and hurl it back. It doesn't yet perish, but it isn't able to hold onto the spell it was trying to cast.

The bowman gets up and shoots at Yurhzorg, while the axeman strikes at Þ again. The arrow misses, but the axe strikes true for 6 damage.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will strike with his glaive at U3. Should that finish the undead off, he'll cleave to B2. That accomplished, he'll heal himself. Again.

[roll0] [roll1]
possible cleave:
[roll2] [roll3]

btw, unless I'm mistaken, TWO mages went invisible, but only ONE has re-appeared...

could be trouble.

[nolongerchaos]

btw, unless I'm mistaken, TWO mages went invisible, but only ONE has re-appeared...

could be trouble.

Well something has been fiddling with the switch and one of the undead flew into something no one could see that wasn't a wall, so we've got a general idea of where it is...

Not terribly pleased with his predicament, Þ strikes again at the axe wielder and attempts to heal himself.
[roll0], [roll1], [roll2].
Edit: ...

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg's swinging frenzy takes out first the caster and then the bowman, leaving only the axeman attacking Þ, whose chop does another 5 damage to the iced Changeling. Yurhzorg is also still standing on two bowmen.

Can't update the map from my phone, but it doesn't matter so much now.

[planswalker]

Deeming that things have slowed down enough that he can take a pause long enough to refresh his bite of the werewolf, Yurhzorg will do so and then heal himself again. again.

[nolongerchaos]

Yet again Þ attempts to strike at the axewielding undead while trying to mend his wounds without creating any new opportunities to feel the sharpness of that axe.

[roll0], [roll1]; [roll2]

"I think there's still one more mage Yurhzorg so don't get comfortable yet. Something's been playing with the lever and that archer seemed to hit something when you knocked it over. I don't know where it is now though..."
[roll3] to try to detect the invisible undead, by sight (DC20) or sound. Also, for personal reference, this is the 7th round of Lesser Vigor.

[Nettlekid]

After spending several rounds missing on purpose to channel his power, Þ strikes a resounding hit against the axeman which knocks the brute back and dismisses its animating spirit. The impact was great enough that it splinters the ice around Þ's legs, freeing him. Apart from the trapped bowmen under Yurhzorg's legs (which I'll go ahead and assume are summarily dispatched), all appears still.

Þ does not pick up any signs of an invisible lurker.

[nolongerchaos]

"That hurt. Things didn't go quite as planned, but things definitely could have gone worse. I still think we might be missing one of the mages though, I don't know where it may have gone."

Þ will cast CMiW and recover Lesser Vigor. If we're out of combat, he'll spend the next couple minutes healing back up (and helping Yurhzorg if he's low) and he'll swap one of his Spliterbolts for Faerie Fire.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg takes great pleasure in smashing these undeads to re-death with his bare claws.

Next, he will recover his own expended spells and recover his missing hp over the course of the next minute and a half or so.

"If you say so. I'm not too good at counting."

[Nettlekid]

Even in the time spent preparing, nothing new happens. There's only the faint echoes of the whispering wind from the barrow entrance far away.

[planswalker]

The fighting concluded, Yurhzorg will pick through the remains of the undead and see what useful items they might have. He'll also specifically check the pit trap to see if any goodies fell in there.

[Nettlekid]

The various fighting undead don't have a particularly impressive collection on them. Each warrior has a battleaxe, and each archer has a non-composite Shortbow, and all are wearing Studded Leather Armor. Each of these items looks like it may have been Masterworked in the past, but age has dulled edges and warped wood. The casters you find were wearing simple robes, but each one was wearing an unrusted iron ring and a glittering anklet (which means you collect a total of five, once you pass back into the main chamber and loot the one in there. That one also had a tunic which is unweathered by the ages.) Between them all you also find 11 vials of probably poison, 9 pieces of candy melted into three wads of three each, 2 small amethysts, a topaz, 2 rubies, and a very small diamond. You also find 200 gold between the lot.

[planswalker]

"Would you like me to carry all the loot and we worry about dividing it up when we get back?"

It would make sense to me for one of us to just go ahead and note all this stuff on their sheet and we can summarize the stuff and split the loot when the adventure's over.

[nolongerchaos]

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea. And it'd probably be best not to mess with any of it until we can find out what it is, the things that haven't decayed yet are probably magical. Well, let's see what else is down here... and I'll try to avoid stepping in any more traps."

Þ casts Spider Hand and has the spider perch on his shoulder for the time being. Þ makes his way cautiously towards the symbols he'd seen earlier before the undead attacked.

[roll0], keeping an eye out for more traps. Also, the Spider is there to be used for scouting any new areas we may stumble upons, however literal that stumbling may be.

[planswalker]

Having an ogre's sensibilities on sanitation, Yurhzorg will pop one of the clusters of candies in his mouth and stash everything else in his ogre-sized backpack.

"Onwards! To Fighting and Loot and Glory and Fun!" Yurhzorg bellows happily as he climbs the wall to accompany his friend. This victory from the brink of death against the hurty things has him rather cheery.

[Nettlekid]

There are no more traps that the pair hadn't yet seen, and now they have the chance to examine the room in full. (I guess some of the loot you found would have been in the coffins and not just on the bodies.) The end of the room has a large stone door that seems to extend into the wall around it, so while it can slide it would be difficult to grab onto. There are four small clay mosaics around the door, above, below (just on the ground), to the immediate left, and to the immediate right. The top depicts a Couatl, the left depicts an Ankheg, and the right and bottom mosaics have been shattered and rendered undecipherable. A little further in from the door you see four tiles on the ground, all of an Ankheg. With a bit of examination, you realize these tiles can be lifted, and are in fact stone cubes with a creature on each face. The sides bear the image of an Ankheg, a Couatl, a Girallon, a Pegasus, a Shambling Mound, and a Bulette.

If you make any perception checks, please state precise where you look. That's not a general rule, just for right now.

[nolongerchaos]

Curious about the mosaics, Þ nonetheless chooses to be cautious, having seen too much of the deviousness of the creators of the crypt to continue without caution. Þ cautiously examines the area around them for signs of more traps. After finishing his search for traps, Þ begins to examine one of the cubes more thoroughly.

Þ will, if possible, take a 20 searching for traps on the walls, floor, ceiling, and the wall around the door. Assuming the floor tiles are in a similar patern to the mosaics around the door, Þ will take 20 examining the cube corresponding to the Couatl, comparing the wearing/weathering on the sides, hoping that if the Couatl is notably worn relative to the other faces of the cube, then perhaps the other cubes will give clues at to which sides they are intended to be.
If taking 20 isn't an option, then [roll0], [roll1].

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will spend his time examining a different one of the cubes and looking at which pictures are opposite of each other. He'll then compare it to another cube to see if they all have the same relative positioning for their faces. [roll0]

"Ooh, pictures!" Yurhzorg says, idly daydreaming about wrestling a bulette and picturing what sort of an epic fight that would be.

[Nettlekid]

Checking the weathering is actually really smart, I hadn't thought of that.

The four cubes are identical in orientation, but it seems that the Ankheg of all four, as well as the Coatl of a second, the Bulette of the third, and the Girallon on the fourth are scuffed, and missing the odd tile or two. You find no more traps in this room, but while looking on the wall on the right you realize that there is a very stylized pattern of a Girallon partially hidden by the coffins.

[planswalker]

I propose we try putting the girallon sides face up.

Yurhzorg isn't quite making the mental connection at the moment.

Yurhzorg will idly fiddle with one cube, checking to see which face is opposite the girallon side.

[nolongerchaos]

Oops, apparently I forgot that I hadn't responded yet.
After his examination of the cubes, Þ looks over at Yurhzorg. " I've got an idea as to how I think this might work. Let's just see..."
Þ replaces the cube with only the worn Ankheg back in it's corresponding position, then places the worn Coatl at the top, and carefully slides the worn Girallon into the right-hand slot.
If nothing unfavorable seems to happen after placing the first three in their floor slots, and if Yurhzorg has no objections, Þ will place the worn Bulette in the bottom slot and then place the golden claw into the door and turn it :smalltongue:

Just wanted to make sure I gave ample opportunity to stop Þ mid-action if necessary/desired, easier this way than to retcon an interrupt.

[planswalker]

Seeing his smart friend try a brain-thing, Yurhzorg will cooperate with his request.

[Nettlekid]

AUGH I SHOULD HAVE PUT A CLAW ON THE DEAD PREVIOUS PARTY IN THE PIT.

Upon placing the cubes such that the scratched sides are facing up, the door begins to groan and shakes off a cloud of dust as it shuffles open. The newly exposed hallway extends further out, then turns into a long flight of stairs. Unlike the previous rooms, where were largely tiled or made of brick, this hall is mostly hewn stone. The air is stale, and the stairway is lined with Everburning Torches. It's frightfully cold.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will spider climb along the left-hand wall while offering his companion the same courtesy. He figures that the traps would be designed to trigger from people walking through the hallways, not climbing along the walls.

[nolongerchaos]

Impressed with his companion's insight, Þ will accept the casting (s) of Spider Climb and will likewise traverse the corridors via the walls rather than floors.

When we reach a new room, Þ will use Spider Hand to do some general scouting before entering.

[Nettlekid]

Crawling along the walls, Yurhzorg and Þ pass over what pitfalls may have remained on the stairs, and emerge far, far deeper into the barrow. The walls look like barely more than caves, and the pillars look like connected stalactites and stalagmites. Þ's scuttling spider hand is able to clamber across the ceiling to get a good look at the large room. First of all, the ground is littered with bones. It would be impossible for a creature to cross this path silently without magical aid, since they'll splinter and crunch under a creature's weight. There's also the horrible smell of death and decay. And the source of both the bones and the smell is apparent: a hulking figure lumbers aimlessly through the cave. Its skin is icy blue and coated in thin white hair, and it holds itself with a similar stature to Yurhzorg. It's top-heavy, with thick ropy muscles and a disfigured face crammed full of rotting teeth. As you look at it, it raises its arm to its face and sinks its teeth into its own flesh, tearing off a long strip, gnashing and gnawing at itself. Before your eyes the wounded arm's flesh begins to heal, while the creature chews the only source of food it has.

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit?usp=sharing)

[nolongerchaos]

Þ looks over to Yurhzorg. "There seems to be some sort of troll or ogre in the cave ahead. Based on watching it heal as it bit its own arm for food, it seems to be able to heal alarmingly quickly. I think our best bet will be to attack it from up on the walls where it might not be able to reach us. My bow isn't likely to do much, but your glaive is likely to make very sad indeed and my spells might be able to help a bit. I'd rather not get inside its reach if we can help it."

[roll0], for simplicity's sake let's assume any knowledge I get from the roll was passed on in the previous talky bit.

[planswalker]

As much as Yurhzorg would love to wrassle with this big brute, he sees the wisdom in Þ's plan.

"How are we going to kill it? If it can eat its own arm for food, our weapons won't kill it."

assuming that this is indeed some variant of troll, do you happen to have any sources of fire or acid damage on you? If not, we're gonna have to think up something else to neutralize the threat.

[nolongerchaos]

assuming that this is indeed some variant of troll, do you happen to have any sources of fire or acid damage on you? If not, we're gonna have to think up something else to neutralize the threat.

Well, it may only be high fast healing, we'll find out with the knowledge check. As for fire, our lamentably claw-free predecessors left us almost a gallon of oil, so we've got that. Also, if it comes down to it, with a little luck we might be able to convince Nettlekid to let us incapacitate it, then go for the decapitation/cauterization combo, hydra style. Plus, one of our very barbarian-y characters would get to take home a nifty frost-troll/yeti/thing head! Imagine the prestige!

[Nettlekid]

I would allow the Hydra-esque cauterization, that absolutely makes sense by the rules of Magic Science.

As for the knowledge, you get the standard info. This is a Troll, a creature with impossible regeneration and resiliency, usually only able to be felled by Acid or Fire. They have great brute strength, but no ranged capabilities apart from thrown objects. This one seems acclimated for a winter climate, but you don't know how that affects its capabilities.

[planswalker]

I suspect that may change what sorts of energy types are effective, but shouldn't really impact our mainline combat techniques.

edit: of COURSE I roll a 3 here...

Yurhzorg will wait for a moment where the creature's back is turned to them and then sneak up up along the walls, trying to skitter up above its eyeline without attracting its attention.

[roll0]

[nolongerchaos]

Þ will likewise move into the larger room by moving along the ceiling of the hall, doing his best to move silently but more concerned about staying out of reach of the troll.

Moving at the full 20 ft since Þ would rather not get squashed by a troll even if it means losing the element of surprise. Let's see just how much noise Þ makes scrambling along the walls...
[roll0]
As for troll elements changing tactics, I'm calling your bluff, seeing as how it's down somewhere between Flare and Splinter Bolt for our character's most "elemental" options that weren't acquired in this crypt :smalltongue: nothing quite like an utter lack of elemental options to ensure our troll plan of hit-it-hard-until-it-falls-over isn't foiled by fancy-shmancy elemental resistances.

[Nettlekid]

The troll wanders aimlessly. It has yet to notice the pair.

[nolongerchaos]

A little surprised at having avoided the troll's notice, Þ catches Yurhzorg's eye and places a finger of his lips and points towards the cavern exit, indicating that they should try to leave quietly, avoiding the troll if possible.

Þ will slow down to half speed to stay quiet. I hope it's not necessary to get out, but just in case, [roll0].
Edit: there, a roll Yurhzorg can't possibly match. Happy now? :smalltongue:

[planswalker]

Yes, very :smalltongue:

Yurhzorg will creep along as well, matching his companion's speed and sticking close by. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

Although Yurhzorg manages to keep to the ceiling, his camouflage blending scaly skin into rocky cave, Þ's hand slips and send a small stalactite crashing into the ground below. The troll's ears perk and its head swivels, and it hastily lumbers over to the spot where the stone fell. Then it looks up, and snarls as it lays eyes on Þ. It takes a deep breath, and then spits a large glob of saliva at Þ. The saliva freezes midair, supernaturally chilled as it passes through the troll's mouth, and the shard of ice shatters against the ceiling just to Þ's left. The troll stamps angrily.

[nolongerchaos]

Frustrated at his slip-up, Þ curses softly at himself, then deciding to reciprocate in a manner fitting of a mature adult, spits back at the troll.

[roll0]
Not terribly likely to hit, but I felt it was the proper response to being spit at :smalltongue:

[planswalker]

Seeing that his ally was exposed, Yurhzorg will break his own concealment and give a shout of "Raaargh!" to try and distract the troll.

[Nettlekid]

The troll sidesteps the spittle, and takes half a step back in surprise at Yurhzorg revealing himself. Roaring back, he initiates a feral Duel of Wills against Yurhzorg.

That's an Intimidate check from Yurhzorg, if he chooses to participate. It's a non-action, so it's still the troll's turn after this.

[planswalker]

any way this could be a wisdom-based intimidate if it's about a clash of wills?

That'd make the check 3 higher than what's posted in the roll. If not, that's cool too.

Yurhzorg roars back, thrilled to get to participate in such a primal challenge [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

LOL NAT 1

The troll is surprised by Yurhzorg's eagerness to accept its challenge, and is quickly cowed. Yurhzorg gains +1 to attack and damage for the duration of the encounter. Hoping to regain its lost pride it spits another wedge of ice at Yurhzorg, but the shard shatters harmlessly against the brute's scaly hide.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will cast bite of the werewolf, give a primal howl, and descend closer to the troll.

[nolongerchaos]

Like Yurhzorg, Þ clambers down closer to the troll, then launches a shard of wood at the troll.

Moved 20ft down the pillar, followed by a , [roll=Piercing]4d6+2 .
Also just realised the Spittle was waay outside its range since I too hadn't checked the map to see how high we were. Oh well.

[Nettlekid]

Eh, you were like above it, and spit falls.

The troll moves toward the pillar Yurhzorg is climbing down, and shoves its piton-like claws into the stone. The troll climbs up the pillar to meet Yurhzorg, provoking an AoO as he does.

[planswalker]

!!! that's something we didn't anticipate: it being good at climbing!

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

aw yeah! first attack against a crittable foe, and it's a nat 20! with a 17 follow up!

[nolongerchaos]

Þ is a more than a little surprised by the troll, clearly he didn't know as much as he thought. That could be trouble. But thinks seemed fairly under control so far. Þ starts to back up the column, then decides to wait, staying where he is. He does however cast Snake's Swiftness on Yurhzorg.

[planswalker]

I was under the impression that we interrupted the troll's turn to resolve my AoO, which, if I'm not mistaken, does threaten instant death by massive damage (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/injuryandDeath.htm)

however, since you went ahead and took your turn, I'll do the same. Unless the troll does something a LOT more surprising than just climbing the walls, we know what we'll be doing anyways

assuming the troll has a 10' reach, I will need to take a step back to get it within glaive range, so It'd be optimal if I acted first, got my regular hit in, then you gave me the bonus attack. Otherwise, I'll have to use my bite, which doesn't hit quite as hard.

Yurhzorg will take a 5' step back to get the troll within reach of the glaive if necessary and deliver his own attack plus the attack granted by his partner.

his regular attack:
[roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]

and snake's swiftness attack:
[roll4] [roll5]
[roll6] [roll7]

[Nettlekid]

You didn't interrupt his turn, he spent the whole thing moving and climbing. I'm surprised you didn't make either of those Awesome Blows to hurl him down.

Tremendously damaged by Yurhzorg's fearsome strike, the troll is knocked unconscious but not yet killed. Losing its grip it falls from the stony pillar, crashing into the floor. Even now though, you see the gashes begin to heal over.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will drop from the ceiling and try to land in such a way as to not be too harmed from the landing ([roll0]) and to land on his feet.

Upon landing, he will perform a coup de grace to behead the troll, hoping to slow down its ability to recover.

[nolongerchaos]

While Yurhzorg tends to the troll, Þ will set to making a fire. If there is no wood about, the Conjuration(Creation) spell Spliterbolt ought to provide enough wood with sufficient castings. As long as Yurhzorg keeps periodically coup de gracing the troll to keep it down, there should be sufficient opportunity to make a fire big enough to light a torch (taking 10 on Survival should be more than sufficient), with which we can cauterize oil-treated stumps. Is this an acceptable course of action, Nettlekid?

[planswalker]

After chopping off the head, provided that the head doesn't regrow immediately, Yurhzorg will also proceed to hack off both arms and both legs. He's interested in not letting the beast get back on its feet.

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg manages to behead the beast. The body falls limp and lifeless, while the head still breathes raggedly in its unconsciousness. Already, you see the dripping blood and muscle beginning to solidify and form new tissue at the base of the neck, though only a small amount so far.

Þ is able to shoot Splinterbolts into the ground, collecting logs. With a small amount of oil and the dead adventurers' flint and steel, Þ can start a small campfire. The smoke rises, and doesn't have much of a way to ventilate itself.

[planswalker]

Not trusting the body to stay dead just because the head is breathing, Yurhzorg will still dismember it while his partner gets the fire going. He'll keep an eye on the head and, should it develop anything more than a neck, re-trim it.

[nolongerchaos]

Not wanting to underestimate the troll's survivability, Þ douses the neck stump with an entire pint of oil (even two if necessary), then tears off a strip of fabric from his clothes and dips it in another flask of oil. He then wraps an unburned splinter in the oil soaked cloth and after lighting it, holds it against the oil drenched neck.

[Nettlekid]

Even unconscious the troll registers pain, and howls as its neck is cauterized closed. Its screams drown out all other noise, echoing through the cave, but after about a minute of holding the flame to the stump you're left with an inert pile of troll flesh, and one agonized unconscious head.

[planswalker]

"What do we do with it now?" Yurhzorg asks.

Yurhzorg may not be sure what to do, but Planswalker thinks a still-living troll head makes an awesome, if grisly, trophy.

[nolongerchaos]

Not entirely pleased with the not entirely dead head, Þ glares at it a little suspiciously.
"I'm all for you keeping that thing, it's a rather impressive trophy. But it might be wise to burn the bottom of it so that it doesn't try to grow a body... that said, if you don't want to burn it, we should keep an eye on it, just in case.

But let's take a look around before we go, there might be something else interesting in here."

nolongerchaos also thinks the bloody head is a sweet trophy :smalltongue:

If Yurhzorg doesn't want to burn the head's neck, Þ will extinguish the fire (otherwise they'll put it out after cauterizing the head). Once the fire is out Þ will take 20 searching the bones and such for any remaining gear left by the devoured. Once they move on Þ will resume scouting with Spider Hand.

[Nettlekid]

I thought burning the bottom of the neck is what you did in the last post?

The majority of the bones actually seem to be the troll's own. It did engage in autocannibalism, as you saw before. However, among some tatters of cloth that were once backpacks and cloaks, you find a heavy leather glove, a ring that looks like it's made out of fanged teeth, and a brass trumpet with the word Milkdrinker etched in a circle around the edge. Among the bones you also find what looks at first to be a mere arm, but you realize that it is a single carved piece of ivory, long like a bone and then rising into the shape of a clawed reptilian hand which juts outward. Along the "arm" there are three small circles, with the marks of a Bulette, Pegasus, and Shambling Mound in that order.

It's good that you guys remember to look for treasure because I would forget to give it to you otherwise.

[nolongerchaos]

I hadn't realized at the time that I was being vague about which neck portion was being burned, I had intended Þ to burn the torso portion rather than the head portion, but as the head still isn't entirely dead this way, I got the desired result so I'm fine with having burned the head portion instead :smalltongue:

Yeah, my RL DM was a little bad at remembering to tell us about loot if we didn't actively remind him.
Also, oh hey! A claw... I wonder what this does... at least we've already encountered the monster puzzles, so it won't be particularly metagame-y to figure it out quickly (unlike when actually playing Skyrim for the first time...)

[planswalker]

Loot! Yes, teh lootz! It is ours!

Yurhzorg will stow all the loot in his ogre-sized backpack and give the base of the head another good searing before strapping that to the outside of his pack.

"That was fun, and we proved that we are the mightiest!" Yurhzorg bellows cheerfully before re-casting his buffs and refreshing them. He'll also grant his buddy spider climb as well.

Provided that Þ doesn't object, Yurhzorg will continue onward, sticking to climbing along the left wall again.

[Nettlekid]

You climb back up the stone pillars and across the rest of the room, reaching a long hallway at the other side. Unlike the cave, this hall is lined with smooth stone rather than hewn rock. After another series of traps and arrows, you come to large, circular door. The center of the door has three small indentations, and the door itself is formed of three concentric circles. With the proper application of strength the circles can be moved, and each circle bears the image of a Shambling Mound, Coatl, Bulette, and Pegasus in the cardinal directions. It looks like they can rotate such that the engraved images of each circle line up above above the three indentations, though the three images above the indentations could be any configuration of the four options.

[planswalker]

Thinking that these images look familiar, Yurhzorg will pull out the ivory arm-claw thing and show it to Þ. "Do you think this has something to do with that thing?"

[nolongerchaos]

Þ grins up at Yurhzorg. "Mightiest indeed. You definitely showed him his place."
Upon reaching the newest door, Þ examines with the new mechanism on this door. After examining the walls in search of more mosaics and fiddling with the door and its spinning circles, Þ suddenly slaps a hand to his forehead and turns to Yurhzorg. "Hey, that pronged ivory claw looking thing we found with the troll, where'd that end up? I think we need might need it to open the door..."
"Of course! Well sort of. Not really of course. Who uses weird prong-y claw things to lock doors? But that does seem to be the answer."
Þ flips the claw over, ponders for a moment, then slides the rings so that the Bulette, Pegasus, and Shambling Mound are arranged in order on the rings where north would be on a compass, then inserts the claw into the indention.
"Well, let's see what's behind door number two..."
Edit: hard ninja actioned while multitasking...

[Nettlekid]

The pointed fingers of the ivory claw sink into the indentations, and the extended arm turns like a handle. Locking systems within the door slide away, and the circles first rotate and then then recede into the floor. A bubble of stale, cold air washes out from within. The chamber before you is vast, and cut out of the stone much like the cave the troll was in. In the entrance to your left and right there are pools of frigid water, though their depth is difficult to determine. Ahead of you are stairs leading up to an elevated ledge about 10 feet up. On the center of the ledge is a table that you can see glinting with coins, gems, and likely enchanted objects. Behind the table is a wide dark stone wall that looks carved with something. The room itself is largely bare, overtaken with moss and fungus, though lining the walls are stone boxes much like upright versions of the caskets your encountered earlier. There is a similar but larger and more ornate version of this coffin standing upright at the lower edge of the ledge. Right now, all is still.


Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dbq0SigZz-Oa5b58Xd4m0OOb3BVZCBTKRcimMeTi3wk/edit?usp=sharing)

[nolongerchaos]

Þ turns towards Yurhzorg. "It looks like we might have more of those undead guys to deal with. If you have any spells you think might be good against them, this might be the time to prep them. Based on the troll's cave, I don't think we can sneak across. It'd probably be best to lure them from the next room around this corner where we can handle their numbers better. We don't have another Thunderstone, but I can try getting their attention with an arrow if you want to do something like that."

Recasting buffs and swapping readied spells.

If the moss is valid for use of Entangle, what parts of the map don't have enough moss for Entangle?

[planswalker]

Deciding that this situation called for more healing and less stealth, Yurhzorg will swap out his readied camouflage for cure light wounds.

After re-casting all his buffs on himself and refreshing them, casting spider climb on Þ, refreshing it, and taking the troll head off his pack and holding it in his left hand, he says to his companion, "Why don't we use the head?"

who said that this trophy was just for show?

[nolongerchaos]

Þ can't help but grin at Yurhzorg's plan. "That aught to do just fine. Let me get in position first, I'll try to slow some of them down so they can't rush us all at once." Þ moves forward a little past the door and waives to Yurhzorg to indicate that he's ready.

Þ moves forward to Y22 and readies an action to cast Entangle on T14 after the first enemy reaches Row 16.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg will move to W19-X20 and toss the head, aiming for somewhere around T14. [roll0]

[Nettlekid]

The head flies through the air, snarling, and rolls on the mossy ground. Its nostrils are snuffling, and it spits a shard of ice at the wall. All else remains still.

[planswalker]

"... Wasn't something supposed to happen?"

[nolongerchaos]

"Yeah... hmm... What to do...
Ah, hold on, I have an idea."

Þ pulls out his bow and aims it at the troll head, hoping that a hit (or with luck, even a miss) will anger the troll enough to make it shout loud enough to disturb the undead.

[roll0], [roll1].
If the dead to wake up, Þ will ready Entangle again.

[Nettlekid]

Bolt sunk into its skull, the troll starts roaring and hollering. The coffins remain unmoving.

Yurhzorg feels an intense pain shoot into his abdomen. A trickle of blood runs out from a grievous gash in his stomach, forming a thread hanging in midair. Rusted steel with a razor edge materializes out of thin air, and the veneer of invisibility fades from the warrior. Humanoid, but tall and imposing, clad in dark armor and holding its longsword in two hands. It twists the blade in Yurhzorg's stomach before withdrawing it and delivering what would have been a lighter cut across the Half-Ogre's chest, had it not struck so critically. From the two attacks, Yurhzorg takes 28 damage. Steadying its stance, the warrior barks out a strange word in a language you do not know, but it is some kind of Herald's Call. Yurhzorg is transfixed by the warrior, and distracted enough to be Slowed for one round. Þ is just far enough away that although he hears the shout plainly, it doesn't work its magic on him.

[planswalker]

I was slow posting and Nettlekid's response wasn't showing up when I hit "submit reply"

Wounded severely in the opening round, Yurhzorg attempts an awesome blow with his claws to knock the sword-wielding figure away. If the slowness doesn't prevent him from doing so and he can do so safely, Yurhzorg will heal himself with cure minor wounds, though he wot willing to risk an AoO to do so.

[roll0] [roll1]

[nolongerchaos]

Alarmed by his friend's sudden, grievous injury and the unexpected appearance of the undead, Þ steps forward and casts CMiW and Lesser Vigor on Yurhzorg.

5 foot step to X21. For future reference, the ranged attack penalty for firing into melee, does that include enemies being struck by reach weapons who themselves don't currently threaten anyone?

[Nettlekid]

Yurhzorg's claw glances off the warrior's armor, and the undead horror stands its ground. As it would lash out if his concentration lapses, it prevents him from casting his healing spell, although Þ is able to step in and provide a modicum of healing. Unlike Yurhzorg, the warrior seems adept at keeping his guard closed even when casting in battle, and lets out another, different shout like a thunderous horn of iron. Both Wanderers feel the cry resonate both through themselves and through the stone on the ground. Yurhzorg is hefty and keeps his footing, but Þ is knocked prone.

[planswalker]

Yurhzorg tries once more to bash the foe away awesomely with a claw.

[roll0] [roll1]

If that works, Yurhzorg will heal himself again. If not, he's still not willing to risk an AoO over 1 point of healing.

[nolongerchaos]

Deciding that since the undead don't seem to be behind them at all (yet), Þ stands and casts Entangle on T14 anyways, hoping to trip up any undead trying to sneak up on them, and hoping that if any try to tread through the entangling moss that it will give them a general idea as to where the hiding undead are.

Edit: And as a free action, CMiW on Yurhzorg since we're still next to each other.

[Nettlekid]

Entangle functions only partially, as Þ does not have Line of Effect to several squares and so the effect of Entangle cannot extend beyond that Line of Effect (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Aiming_a_Spell_(Spell_Descriptor)#Line_of_Effe ct). Nothing in the description of Entangle mitigates Invisibility's +40 to the Stealth check of an unliving creature standing still, so nothing is revealed.

Yurhzorg's claw attack hits. The warrior makes its save and is not moved back. It takes a 5 foot step to V18. Defensively, it casts Sonic Blast. Yurhzorg and Þ fail their Reflex saves and take 19 damage. Yurhzorg makes the Strength check to resist being Bull Rushed. Þ does not make the Strength check to resist being Bull Rushed, is moved to Y22, and take 2 more damage from hitting the wall.

[nolongerchaos]

Wincing slightly, Þ stands and heals his own wounds, then in his pain an frustration, launches an attack on the undead he knows is unlikely to land.

Move action to stand, free CMiW, standard [roll0], [roll1].

[Nettlekid]

The undead warrior knocks away the splinter lance with its pauldron, undeterred. Voice a little hoarse from its sonic attacks, it raises its rusty blade and sinks it to the hilt in Yurhzorg's chest, splintering draconic scale to do so. First there is a clatter - the blade has also cut through Yurhzorg's pack straps, letting the bag fall by the wayside. Then there is a dismal thud, as the Half-Ogre collapses to the floor, unable to hold his own weight. There is a grim stillness, broken only by the writhing of overgrown moss. The undead warrior now casts its gaze to Þ.

[nolongerchaos]

Þ stands still for the briefest moment, horrified at the loss of his companion, recognizing the wound is both mortal and beyond his ability to heal.

After the moment's hesitation, Þ scoops the pack from the floor and flees as quickly as he can, knowing that if he lingers alone he is likely to meet the same bloody fate.