Rise of the Runelords IC

[Erloas]

As Lizuga slips past the portcullis Lebwen slips under it and steps into the space she just left, letting it drop behind him. His sword glows as he transferred energy into it, slashing at the hound.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

used arcane pool to enhance the sword 2/6 AP left for the day
I figured holding the portcullis up I wouldn't have been able to use the shocking grasp wand or just cauterize to spellstrike.

attack
(1d20+7)[9] (6 standard, +1 from AP bonus)
(1d8+5)[11]

(4 standard, +1 from AP bonus)

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

Wounded, shaken, Lizuga withdraws behind the first portcullis, squeezing into the alcove with the statue. On the way, she brushes against Lebwen, fortifying him for the fight.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Withdraw action to N40, swift actio to heal Lebwen.

Spoiler: Defense, AoO etc.

Show

[Attack of Opportunity (reach, combat reflexes)]Lucerne Hammer +7, damage 1d12+4 - or shield bash +6, damage 1d4+4.

AC and other defenses: AC 11 (+1 Dex, +2, +0 armor). Counter: Oaken Shield (+4 AC)
Fort save +4, Reflex +2, Will +6
Resource tracking: Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield, Encouraging Roar, Curates Strike, Piercing Strike.
Triage: 1/3
Hit Points: 15/24Sheet link

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"Look out, this area - there's some sort of pit trap!" grunts Iris, holding the portcullis up as best she can.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Hold further actions for now, until after Justin

[DrK]

Justin

Justin backs up into the first chamber, a hurried, "Everyone retreat. Get behind the portcullises and we can just shoot that hell spawned dog and the witch." He retreats behind Iris and covers the others waiting for Lizuga and Lebwen to reach them.

[u-b]

Adalbert plays a tune helping Lizuga overcome the fear and do more than just running away. She withdraws just a little, healing Lebwen while at it. Lebwen moves forward, alone against the hound and the woman on his side of now-dropped portcullis. He imbues his sword with magic and swings at the hound, but is nowhere close to hitting his target. Iris and Justin pitch advice, but are, for now, otherwise not involved in the combat.

The yeth hound bites, taking a sizable part of Lebwen's leg for 10 damage, but unable to drag the man to the ground. Lebwen suddenly feels unsure about his bold plan to solo it. The woman, eyes glowing with fury, swings her large sword two-handed, but only hits the corner of the wall between her and Lebwen, the sword making a deep notch in the stone.

Spoiler

Show

Yeth hound bite: (1d20+7)[17] for (2d6+4)[10] trip (1d20+7)[11] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Lebwen will: (1d20+3)[13] - shaken
Woman sword: (1d20+12)[15] for (1d10+9)[19] vs AC 20 (+4 cover) is a miss

Lebwen is shaken until the opposition's next turn.
Lizuga is shaken for some serious time.
Justin is ready, but so far nothing's coming his way.

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[Spore]

Come on guys, you remember what a Yeth hound is. It may be a fiend, but it bleeds, and if it bleeds, it can die. Don't you give up now! Adalbert says as he slips under the portcullis, dagger in hand to the other side of dog and woman.

Spoiler

Show

It's do or die. Naturalist vs. Yeth Hound. Escape Artist to slip through the porticullis: (1d20+6)[23]
AC 20 (I hope I get soft cover from triggering the AoO on a square with soft cover.)
I move to P42.

[u-b]

Adalbert slips between the bars of the portcullis and gets face-to-face with a hound that, instead of letting him through, attempts to eat some of the suddenly appearing face. Having a better use for this piece of himself, Adalbert recoils and gets under Lebwen's feet, complicated by the fact that the man does not expect this sudden change of direction.

Spoiler

Show

It's not described in the AP whether the portcullisses can be squeezed through. I assume, at least DC30 for a medium person, if at all possible, but let's say 23 does it for one of Adalbert's size. I will ignore both timing and semi-tracked encumbrance this time. Now there is a trick of moving through the enemy square...

Adalbert acrobatics: (1d20+6)[7] vs CMD+5
Yeth hound bite: (1d20+7)[17] for (2d6+4)[8] trip (1d20+7)[26] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round - the halfling evades

If you attempt to move through an enemy’s space and fail the check, you lose the move action and provoke an attack of opportunity.

You can move through a square occupied by a friendly character, unless you are charging. When you move through a square occupied by a friendly character, that character doesn’t provide you with cover

Sometimes a character ends its movement while moving through a space where it's not allowed to stop. When that happens, put your miniature in the last legal position you occupied, or the closest legal position, if there's a legal position that's closer.

This last one is tricky because I cannot really move you anywhere, so now you are stuck in O41, where you should not be able to remain while in combat, and where you are getting under Lebwen's feet one way of another (the man is fighting for his life there, after all).

Choose whether you are knocked down OR both of you are squeezing (can respond IC or OOC).

=> Party (excluding Adalbert)

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

"Adalbert!", Lizuga cries out. She reaches through the portcullis to brush against Lebwen, healing his wounds.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Come on Lady. Look at the brave little fool. His heart is in the right place. And those things are hellish. Please. Help me keep them alive". A burst of fortifying warmth rolls over her friends.

Lebwen heals 9. Everyone gains 9 temp hp (1 minute), and +3 to fort saves (1 round).

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

swift actio to heal Lebwen. Full round to recover maneuvers, recover 1 use of triage, and bestow temp hp.

Spoiler: Defense, AoO etc.

Show

[Attack of Opportunity (reach, combat reflexes)]Lucerne Hammer +7 (-cover, shaken,possibly squeezing), damage 1d12+4 - or shield bash +6, damage 1d4+4.

AC and other defenses: AC 11 (+1 Dex, +2, +0 armor. -4 squeezing?). Counter: Oaken Shield (+4 AC)
Fort save +4, Reflex +2, Will +6 (-2 shaken)
Resource tracking: Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield, Encouraging Roar, Curates Strike, Piercing Strike.
Triage: 1/3
Hit Points: 15+9/24Sheet link

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"Come on, you cretins! Help me hold this up." Iris snaps at the nearby goblins, frustrated that they don't speak the same language.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

No further action for now, while Iris is still holding the portcullis up. Will delay and potentially act after others if the situation permits.

[Erloas]

Lebwen again attacks the dog and if possible tries to move out of the way in case Justin steps up.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

The space is a mess. After my attack I can try to move back, assuming there is any room and Justin wants to step up. If not then I'll just stay there.

Thought about trying to do the shocking grasp with the wand but not entirely sure how using the wand while casting defensively would work, and I'm not entirely sure I actually took the wand from Adalbert previously.

(1d20+7)[19] (6 standard, +1 from AP bonus)
(1d8+5)[10] (4 standard, +1 from AP bonus)

I'll be away for the next week.

[u-b]

Lizuga seriously medicizes everyone and Lebwen in particular. Iris keeps holding the portcullis and unsuccessfully tries to motivate the goblins to provide any help. Lebwen swings the sword, hitting the demonic hound for 5 damage. The demonic hound snaps back and bites Lebwen's leg for 8 damage, pulling said leg from under the man causing him to fall prone on the floor next to Adalbert. The woman, still staying behind the corner, swings her large sword two-handed and hits Lebwen mightily in the head for 33 damage. The man passes out and is halfway dead.

Spoiler

Show

Assuming Justin and Iris keep waiting for the rest to retreat or do something else that is of no big consequence to the opposition. There is a portcullis between N41 an O41 blocking the retreat for Lebwen. It takes a standard action to raise it because of its weight.

Yeth hound bite: (1d20+7)[19] for (2d6+4)[8] trip (1d20+7)[27] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Lebwen will: (1d20+3)[20]
Woman sword: (1d20+12)[32] for (1d10+9)[15]
Woman confirm: (1d20+12)[22] for (1d10+9)[18]

Tha map is like above except that Adelbert is in O41.

Lebwen is -7/26

=> Party (excluding Lebwen; Iris and Justin can also post for previous round if so desired)

[Spore]

Adalbert takes a 5 ft. step back, drops his dagger and casts another CLW from a scroll onto Lebwen.

Spoiler

Show

(1d8+1)[9]
e: I remember I am prone so probs defensive casting. I roll in OOC.

[CasualViking]

Lizuga

Lizuga reaches through the bars to touch Lebwen's fallen form. A scorching ray of sunlight erupts from her eyes.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

swift actio to heal Lebwen. Standard action to use Curate's Strike, firing a Sun's Gleam at the hound. (1d20-4)[5] EDIT: was supposed to be +4 not -4 Touch AC 13 (shaken, other modifiers not included), damage (1d6+3)[9] force. Lebwen heals 9. If the attack hits, Lebwen heals another 10.

Spoiler: Defense, AoO etc.

Show

[Attack of Opportunity (reach, combat reflexes)]Lucerne Hammer +7 (-cover, shaken,possibly squeezing), damage 1d12+4 - or shield bash +6, damage 1d4+4.

AC and other defenses: AC 11 (+1 Dex, +2, +0 armor. -4 squeezing?). Counter: Oaken Shield (+4 AC)
Fort save +4, Reflex +3, Will +7 (-2 shaken)
Resource tracking: Maneuvers readied: Oaken Shield, Encouraging Roar, Curates Strike, Piercing Strike.
Triage: 0/3
Hit Points: 15+9/24Sheet link

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

"Oh, for the love of...." Seeing Lebwen fall to the woman's blade, Iris releases the portcullis and starts shooting arrows into the fray seeking to provide some cover.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Wait for Justin to act, then:

Free: Drop portcullis
Full: Longbow vs hound (1d20+6)[16] (+2 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 weapon, -2 Rapid Shot, +1 Point Blank) damage (1d8+3)[7] (+2 Str, +1 Point Blank)
Longbow (1d20+6)[15] (+2 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 weapon, -2 Rapid Shot, +1 Point Blank) damage (1d8+3)[6] (+2 Str, +1 Point Blank)
Ignore allies as soft cover due to Friendly Fire Maneuvers.

Immediate (if needed): Agent of Chance (one adjacent ally to reroll a skill check)
Immediate (If attacked): Adoration - immediate sanctuary (Will DC13)

[DrK]

Justen

Justen races up as far forward as he can make it and throws himself against the portcullis stretching over Lizuga's arm. He heave at the door, "If I can lift it a few inches drag Lebwen back!". One hand rests on his sword, the other pushing up against the bars.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Strength check to lift the bars (1d20)[9] sadly +0 from the weak strength

[u-b]

Adalbert miscasts a scroll and stays there prone in mere inches of the demonic hound. Lizuga revives Lebwen into semblance of consciousness and blasts a beam of sunlight just above the hound's ears as it ducks down under the beam, growling. Justin gets to the eastern portcullis and lifts it off the ground - not too high, but enough to crawl under. Iris lets the western portcullis fall down and shoots two arrows at the hound, hitting it in the chest for 2 and 1 damage.

Spoiler

Show

Lebwen and Adalbert are prone in O41. Lebwen is at 2/26 hit points. The portcullis between M41 and N41 is down.

=> Lebwen (standard action only)

[Erloas]

With Justin holding the porticullis up a little and Lebwen still hurting and on the ground he decides to roll under and away from the hound.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

back from my trip

move while prone, only 5ft, so shouldn't be a problem of distance

[u-b]

Lebwen rolls under the portcullis, evading the hound's jaws closing in the air behind him. With only one target in reach, the hound switches attention to Adalbert, but the halfling rolls nimbly aside and also evades the bite. The woman swings her sword, but Adalbert rolls yet again, into an area more protected by the corner and barely evades a swing leaving a deep mark in the stone floor next to him.

Spoiler

Show

Hound AoO: (1d20+7)[10] for (2d6+4)[11] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Hound bite: (1d20+7)[13] for (2d6+4)[16] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round
Woman sword: (1d20+12)[18] for (1d10+9)[18]

The map is basically the same. Lebwen is prone in N41. Adelbert is prone in O41. Portcullis between M41 and N41 is down, the one between N41 and O41 is barely raised by Justin.

=> Party (everyone, any order)

[Erloas]

Lebwen stands up, taking the portcullis from Justin and saying "I'll take this while I recover, take them out."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Shouldn't require anything to get up, will try to raise the portcullis completely to free up any attacks.

(1d20+3)[15] str if needed

[Spore]

You know what they do in Cheliax with witches? They burn them. Adalbert says as he grabs his alchemical supplies. He throws a vial with a crimson liquid that explodes in the face of the cultist.

Spoiler

Show

Alchemist's Fire: (1d20+7)[20] touch
Damage: (1d6)[2] fire, DC 15 Reflex and fullround or take another 1d6 next turn.

Lebwen, the dog and Adalbert take 1 splash damage each. Adalbert provokes an AoO.

[u-b]

Lebwen stands up and lifts the portcullis. Adalbert takes a bottle of alchemist's fire, waves it before the muzzle of the demonic hound, that would very much like to bite him, but does not risk biting the bottle, and throws it at the woman's face, causing 2 damage and setting her long white hair on fire. Adalbert and the hound are sprinkled with the flaming liquid for 1 damage each, but isolated spots of flame quickly die out.

Spoiler

Show

Lebwen is now squeezing with Justin in N41. Adalbert is still prone in O41.
Hound AoO: (1d20+7)[9] for (2d6+4)[12] and will DC 14 or shaken for 1 round

=> Iris, Justin and Lizuga

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

Iris continues to fire arrows into the chaos. With the arrows somewhat ineffective against the hound she switches target to the crazed woman swinging her sword at Adalbert.

Spoiler: Actions/ rolls

Show

Full: Longbow vs hound (1d20+2)[5] (+2 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 weapon, -2 Rapid Shot, +1 Point Blank, -4 cover) damage (1d8+3)[9] (+2 Str, +1 Point Blank)
Longbow (1d20+2)[14] (+2 BAB, +4 Dex, +1 weapon, -2 Rapid Shot, +1 Point Blank, -4 cover) damage (1d8+3)[10] (+2 Str, +1 Point Blank)
Ignore allies as soft cover due to Friendly Fire Maneuvers.

Immediate (if needed): Agent of Chance (one adjacent ally to reroll a skill check)
Immediate (If attacked): Adoration - immediate sanctuary (Will DC13)

[DrK]

Justin

Looking through the grate at the savage dog Justin feels a wave hate build up and growls back. Seconds later timing it for when the snarling hound is near he strikes, lunging through the grate with his shortsword outstretched.

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Using +5ft reach from stance
Attach throug the grate (taking -4 assuming it's like cover)
(1d20+4)[17] dam (2d6+6)[11] with Cold iron

[CasualViking]

"KILL THOSE CURSED THINGS!", Lizuga roars. She reaches out to grab Adalbert and pull him back into safety.

swift Encouraging Roar, +2 [morale] to hit and damge for one round.

[u-b]

Iris shoots two arrows, one of them hitting the wall and the other catching the burning woman in the side for 10 damage. Justin, squeezing along with Lebwen between two statues and two portcullisses (one of which Lebwen holds open), reaches to attack the demonic hound and barely makes a cut on its neck for 6 damage. With a roar, Lizuga gets Adalbert out of immediate reach of the hound. Instead of closing to bite, the hound bays. Loud. A wave of intense fear overcomes seemingly everyone. The woman, doing nothing to put down the fire, burns for another 5 damage, which consumes most of her hair, and raises the hands shouting "The Mother damn you all!" You all feel adverse effect on your health, indicating that the "Mother" is listening. This seemingly is too much for Lebwen, who loses consciousness and falls to the floor. The portculliss, no longer held by anybody, slams down into the floor. You, all too eager to escape, barely notice a click as the section of floor between the portcullisses sags a little. Suddenly, the glaives, held by statues to the north and south, move quickly striking at the space between them. Justin is able to avoid one glaive, but is hit by the other for 10 slashing damage. The glaives start to rise slowly. You notice that the goblins just ran up the stairs.

Spoiler

Show

The hound bays:
Justin will: (1d20+3)[4] - failure
Lizuga will: (1d20+6)[10] - failure
Adalbert will: (1d20+5)[9] - failure
Lebwen will: (1d20+3)[8] - failure
Iris will: (1d20+4)[9] - failure
...or panicked for (2d4)[5] rounds

The woman burns for (1d6)[5] fire damage and channels negative energy for (2d6)[6] (save for half):
Justin will: (1d20+3)[12] - failure
Lizuga will: (1d20+6)[18] - success
Adalbert will: (1d20+3)[4] - failure
Lebwen will: (1d20+3)[17] - success
Iris will: (1d20+4)[16] - success

Glaive (north): (1d20+8)[12] for (1d10+4)[9]
Glaive (south): (1d20+8)[19] for (1d10+4)[10]

Both portcullises are down. Lebwen is prone and unconscious at -1/26. Adalbert is prone. Everyone but Iris is between the portcullises.

=> Okay, boys and girls, unless I missed some thing (do check those saves) you are ALL panicked, even though Lebwen can only roll to stabilize. This is for FIVE rounds. Go ahead, step by step, until mostly everyone is out of the area.

[Spore]

Seeing the burning woman ignore her pain and incant the demonic forces to aid her while the demon hound bays its bone chilling bark, finally Adalbert is panicked. He stands up and fumbles in his pockets, but to no avail. He scratches and tugs at the western porticullis while trying to fight his fear to get a potion out of his pack to save Lebwen.

Spoiler

Show

Trying to squeeze through the porticullis. I don't know if I could heal Lebwen while panicked as there is no way to actually flee. I guess Adalbert could go for an Escape Artist check: (1d20+6)[19]

[CasualViking]

Lizuga's eyes glaze over. She smells smoke, sees the ruins of her childhood village around her. She grabs the fallen man by his cloak and drags him along, lifting the burning beam - or is a portcullis? - with the other hand to squeeze under. All thoughts of combat are forgotten, her weapon left where it slipped from her fingers, her shield yanked off in the hurry to get away.

That's probably 2 rounds of actions to be honest. Drop weapon, remove shield, grab Lebwen; Raise portcullis, go through. Lizuga has Str 18.

[Ghostfoot]

Iris

All is lost! Iris sees the trap that has been set, feels the wash of evil draining her lifeforce, sees Lebwen fall and the bloody glaives swinging. The otherworldly hound bays and it chills her very spirit. She's filled with visions of her soul cast down into the Abyss itself. It's too much.

Her bow slips from her fingers as she turns and dashes, no thought for the others just get away. Is that screaming her? The stairwell is dark but she can hear the goblins scampering ahead. They're survivors. Follow them. She scrambles up fingers clutching at the walls as she tries to find the way out of this dungeon.

Spoiler: See ya!

Show

Free: drop bow, drop light source.
Full: Run away!

Since Iris no longer has any light source I presume that she'll have to drop to half speed once she gets to the (dark?) stairwell. Tries to ascend blindly.

[u-b]

Adalbert tries to squeeze through the porticullis, but is unable to get through. He barely gets out of being stuck betwenn the bars when Lizuga raises it all the way up. By that time Iris is already safe on the stairs behind the corner, and you see Justin following her at top speed once the porticullis is up. This leaves only some of the party present when the woman with smoldering hair raises her hands again. "Damned be you all! You won't survive coming here!" Adalbert and Lizuga feel more adverse effect on their health. You don't wait for this to continue and both run at full speed just as the glaives swing again above dying Lebwen. As you run, you hear the woman cast a spell and then another spell and then you are too far and stomping too loud to hear her.

You regroup in the goblins' exercise yard where the goblin wives, who seem really excited, explain something to Shalelu while pointing in the northwards direction, from which you appear, and trying to get past Shalelu, who blocks their attempts.

Spoiler

Show

@Ghostfoot: you can use magic to speed up your reateat and the light pays for itself the round it's cast, so let's assume you cast it first thing in the dark. This won't be much help for those trailing too far behind (i.e. Lizuga), but the room on the other end of the stairs is illuminated anyway.

Lebwen stabilize: (1d20+4)[17] - success

Channel negative energy for (2d6)[8] (save for half):
Lizuga will: (1d20+4)[20] - success
Adalbert will: (1d20+1)[9] - failure
Lebwen will: (1d20+1)[20] - success

Lebwen stabilize: (1d20+0)[11] - success

I'll assume you'd want to regroup after the panic is over. The fastest of you should be somewhere around the exercise yard where you meet Shalelu and the goblins. The others are assumed to continue until they are there too, but that is not mandatory. You cannot be sure whether there would or would not be a chase. I'll give you the following amount of time starting from your given positions before we decide what happens next:
Iris - 10 rounds
Justin - 10 rounds
Adalbert - 9 rounds
Lizuga - 7 rounds

You can post it at once, piecewise or whatever other way you prefer.

Current hit points, by my count:
Adalbert 5/20
Justin 21/28
Lizuga 15/24 + 2 temporary
Iris 17/17 + 6 temporary and 2 nonlethal damage
Shalelu 43/53

Spoiler: Lebwen

Show

Lebwen fall: (1d6)[2]
Lebwen stabilize: (1d20-2)[1] - failure
Lebwen stabilize: (1d20-3)[13] - success

You are temporarily out of the action, but not dead yet, -8/26 at the moment and stable.

=> Party (excluding Lebwen; check the first spoiler to see how many rounds you have)

[CasualViking]

Lizuga angrily yanks off her shield, then starts unbuckling and removing her broken armor. She strips off the sweaty padding, keeping only her undershirt and breeches. Then, with nothing more to busy herseæf with, she flops down against the wall, bends her head forwards, hides her face in her hands, and shudders in great, silent sobs.