Dungeon Issue 43 IC

[jakarta]

Gerrard, Half-orc Mage

Gerrard bowed his head in apology. "My mistake, sir. I did not mean to offend. Is there someone here you might recommend we ask, perhaps a little more approachable than Jacob?“

To Nyx, he nodded, but didnÂ’t answer otherwise. He still wasnÂ’t sure he had convinced her about abandon her prejudices ... but perhaps she was at least willing to set her hatred aside for a bit and tolerate his presence.

---

OOC — [roll0] to see what is bothering our halfling server.
[roll1] for any other locals that might be willing to chat

"No offense Sir, just... an unpleasant memory. I became lost from my mission group and found shelter here. But in the 3 winters since I have found none willing to escort me elsewhere, or allow me to join their company." He sighs..."The ranger, Gaylord there, he is most likely to know of the temple you speak of."

[rs2excelsior]

Melaia gives the halfling a puzzled look. "No one willing to let you join their group? It's rather sorry travelers who leave someone stranded. Which way are you headed? It seems that several of us are headed the same direction once this mess is over. I can't speak for the others, but I would be happy to escort you somewhere once this all clears up." She glaces towards Nyx and the others to see if they had any objections. "I don't think this is the sort of place I'd prefer to stay in for longer than I had to, even without the spider attacks."

[jakarta]

Melaia gives the halfling a puzzled look. "No one willing to let you join their group? It's rather sorry travelers who leave someone stranded. Which way are you headed? It seems that several of us are headed the same direction once this mess is over. I can't speak for the others, but I would be happy to escort you somewhere once this all clears up." She glaces towards Nyx and the others to see if they had any objections. "I don't think this is the sort of place I'd prefer to stay in for longer than I had to, even without the spider attacks."

The halfling looks doubtful. "Alas, I have only 32 pieces of silver with which to pay for your services and purchase my own supplies."

[wkwkwkwk1]

"I suppose I'll go as well," Kiendoli shrugs. "One temple of Freya is just as good as another, for a wandering cleric. And I might as well be of assistance to someone who needs it," she smiles pleasantly.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Spot: (1d20+8)[24]

[NiKkatsu]

After everyone's answer, Nyx is beaming.
To the halfling she says: ''I agree with Melaia: if you so wish, accompany us. Artemis willing, we will bring you to safety. And after seeing some of these fine people go up against that spider, I doubt you would be in any danger tagging along with us. Where were you headed?''

[jakarta]

After everyone's answer, Nyx is beaming.
To the halfling she says: ''I agree with Melaia: if you so wish, accompany us. Artemis willing, we will bring you to safety. And after seeing some of these fine people go up against that spider, I doubt you would be in any danger tagging along with us. Where were you headed?''

He looks like he is about to cry. "I don't even remember in which direction home lies, but I'll scrub floors at Apollo's temple and wash his supplicant's feet if only you will be kind enough to take me there."

[rs2excelsior]

"Gladly. We were headed that way anyway, so no need to worry about payment, at least from me. And as for supplies... you'd be travelling with a huntress. There will be provisions aplenty, Artemis willing."

[jakarta]

"Gladly. We were headed that way anyway, so no need to worry about payment, at least from me. And as for supplies... you'd be travelling with a huntress. There will be provisions aplenty, Artemis willing."

The halfling looks like he is about to burst with emotion.....

Suddenly, everyone is sitting bolt up right. From upstairs comes such an anguished scream of agony and terror that the very sound of it is painful to hear. The scream seems to echo for several minutes. It makes your hair stand on end and your flesh crawl. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the scream stops. Everyone is now standing, looking at the top of the stairs. A smashing crash, like the sound of glass and wood giving way all at once, is followed by the thud of something hitting the ground outside. Then the only sounds are the crackling of the fire and the howling of the storm. The two barbarians are the first to shake off the paralyzing effect of the scream. With a great shout of, “Egdar! Egdar, we are coming!” the two barbarians run up the stairs.

The barbarians charge up the steps, with Gaylord, a young ranger, and Drenla, a middle aged wizard. Close behind. The guard upstairs (area17) begins shouting for Jacob, who comes out from behind the bar with his heavy crossbow. Jacob orders Ubbi and Begley to look after the bar, then heads upstairs. Chief Tonazk sends one of his bodyguards, Ax, upstairs to investigate, but he and Kazickerk, his other guard, remain in the main hall. The 3 fur trappers and the old ranger remain in the main hall as well.

[NiKkatsu]

Shaking away the fear, Nyx heads to where she left her longsword, grabs it (she won't forget it twice!) and runs upstairs, following the others. Pushing her way through the crowd of concerned patrons, she moves to the location of the scream, ready to inspect the scene.

Spoiler: actions

Show

Nyx runs up the stairs, towards where she thinks the scream came from, alert, and readies an action to strike if anything comes her way. I'll roll a perception, just in case: [roll]1d20+4[/roll]

[rs2excelsior]

Melaia snatches up her bow, looking upstairs towards the sound of the scream. More of the spider creatures? She glances towards the door - might be more of them outside. If there were, the nailed-shut door should hold them, at least for a little bit. Head for the present danger, worry about potential danger afterwards. Nocking an arrow, she follows the train of people upstairs, just behind Nyx.

[Zero Prime]

Jhereg Vaeleris, Knight of Iomedae
^{AC: 16 | Flat footed: 15 | Touch: 11
HP's: 48 of 48
Conditions: Normal.}

Jhereg listened intently as the death scream rattled through the wayhouse, he watched as the outlanders, furriers and trappers charge up the stairs. Something else had occured, the crashing sound of glass and wood, the thud of something in the deep snow. He stepped in front of Melaia, blocking their path towards the stairs, "No," a hushed whisper, "whomever made that scream is beyond our help m'lady. I have need of your eyes, and your wits, it is my guess that the killer has leapt from their victim's window. I require a huntress to follow their trail, will you aid me?!"

With that said, he gabbed a torch from the wall and headed outside into the snow.

[jakarta]

Jhereg Vaeleris, Knight of Iomedae
^{AC: 16 | Flat footed: 15 | Touch: 11
HP's: 48 of 48
Conditions: Normal.}

Jhereg listened intently as the death scream rattled through the wayhouse, he watched as the outlanders, furriers and trappers charge up the stairs. Something else had occured, the crashing sound of glass and wood, the thud of something in the deep snow. He stepped in front of Melaia, blocking their path towards the stairs, "No," a hushed whisper, "whomever made that scream is beyond our help m'lady. I have need of your eyes, and your wits, it is my guess that the killer has leapt from their victim's window. I require a huntress to follow their trail, will you aid me?!"

With that said, he gabbed a torch from the wall and headed outside into the snow.

The GM leans in. "The party is splitting? Running blindly into the blizzard? Excellent!

Does Jhereg go left or right out of the door? PM the answer to me.

Does Melaia immediately follow? Or does she go up the stairs? Or does she go some where else?

Anyone else going outside?

Up the stairs?

Anywhere else?

[Starbin]

Gerrard, Half-orc Mage

Gerrard stood quickly, his sword drawn and a wand in his hand. He nodded at Jhereg’s words, commenting, "Agreed that something went out the window and hit the ground. However, whether a killer or its victim, or both perhaps, I could not quite tell. If you hold a moment, I can transform you into a titan, or rather a giant. Well, maybe just an ogre.“

---

OOC — Drawing weapon and wand. Will cast enlarge person (full round) if Jhereg agrees, and depending on if he could still make it out the door or up the stairs.

Spoiler: Status

Show

AC 13 HP 30 Init +7 Move 30
F +6 R +9 W +5
Weapon: MW longsword (+3, 1d8+1), Light mace (+2, 1d6+1), Short bow (+4, 1d8)
Spells: prestidigitation, mage hand, detect magic, read magic / mage armor, color spray, silent image, mount / create pit, summon monster II, summon monster II
Shift: 7/7
Key skills: Perception +4; Sense Motive +3; Disable device +10; Appraise +10; UMD +9; KS Local +10; KS A/D/P +9; KS E/Na/No/R/G/H +8; Spellcraft +9; Linguistics +9; Acrobatics +7; E. Artist +7; SoH +7; Stealth +7
Effect: darkvision 60'; enhanced summoning (+1 rnd, +4 Str/Con)

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Agreed. I say we head outside. But someone upstairs might need healing... Cadan, do you think you can handle that?"

With that, she shoulders her gear, lowers her hood, and follows Jhereg and Melaia out the door.

"Stick together, everyone! We don't want to split up in this storm."

[rs2excelsior]

Melaia starts to push past Jhereg, but he does have a point. If there's still something up there, there are already plenty of armed people headed towards it. Maybe it was best to cut it off from the outside. She nods and follows the others out of the door, arrow still at the ready.

[jakarta]

Melaia starts to push past Jhereg, but he does have a point. If there's still something up there, there are already plenty of armed people headed towards it. Maybe it was best to cut it off from the outside. She nods and follows the others out of the door, arrow still at the ready.

Ok, let's clean this up a bit.

Nyx goes up stairs.

The Barbarian, Cleric, Ranger, and Wizard head outside. While they take a round to pry the nailed shut door loose, the Wizard uses the wand to Enlarge the barbarian just as the barbarian steps out the door and turns left.

Who turns left to follow the Barbarian?

Who turns right to circle around to the back the other way to cut off whatever went out the window?

What does the Bard do?

I'll give it a while for the Bard to post, then I'll advance the scene.

[Starbin]

Gerrard, Half-orc Mage

Having enlarged Jhereg, Gerrard followed the others. "While I can hold my own in a limited melee, I am no match for a true threat. Do you wish me to stay here and summon something to circle around, or shall I come with you both?”

---

OOC — Gerrard will join the others if they ask. Otherwise, he’ll stay here to ‘guard’ the entrance ... and work on summoning a buddy .

Spoiler: Status

Show

AC 13 HP 30 Init +7 Move 30
F +6 R +9 W +5
Weapon: MW longsword (+3, 1d8+1), Light mace (+2, 1d6+1), Short bow (+4, 1d8)
Spells: prestidigitation, mage hand, detect magic, read magic / mage armor, color spray, silent image, mount / create pit, summon monster II, summon monster II
Shift: 7/7
CLW wand: 50 / EP Wand: 49
Key skills: Perception +4; Sense Motive +3; Disable device +10; Appraise +10; UMD +9; KS Local +10; KS A/D/P +9; KS E/Na/No/R/G/H +8; Spellcraft +9; Linguistics +9; Acrobatics +7; E. Artist +7; SoH +7; Stealth +7
Effect: enlarge person (in Jhereg, 9 rounds left); darkvision 60'; enhanced summoning (+1 rnd, +4 Str/Con)

[jakarta]

OK.

Nyx:

Spoiler: sees at the top of the stairs...

Show

She follows a couple turns in the hallway {think small hotel layout) and

sees that There are several people huddled around a doorway,attempting to see into the room.As you push your way to the front, you see the two barbarians standing grief stricken in the center of the room. A third barbarian,the one called Egdar, is definitely dead. His face is frozen in a terrible mask of fear and pain. Most horrible of all, his chest has been literally ripped open and the room is awash in gore.

Whatever did this deed left via the window. There is a trail of blood from the corpse to the window sill, and the
window has been smashed. One wooden shutter is loose and banging loudly in the wind.

If the Bard goes upstairs he reads the same spoiler tag.

At the porch, the barbarian goes left, the ranger goes right, the wizard stays on the porch.
(If the bard stays in the lobby then the party will be split into 5 groups, but he is probably following somebody.)

Which way does the CLERIC go?

---
Situation and conditions:
Thick layer of slippery snow. Reduce move speed by 10. If double moving, running, charging, or grappling, dc 13 balance (acrobatics?) check or fall prone, after moving 1d% of the intended distance. Same dc to stand as a move action. Standing as a full round action is automatically successful.

Wind blown snow/darkness. Vision reduced to 25 ft for all vision modes. Light is from the watch fires and cantina widows .

---
From the front door it is 60 ft in either direction to get to the corner of the building which is about 120 x 60.

Everyone moving can roll their balance checks, or just single move each round to not need to roll. When you get to the corner I'll describe what you see next.

Might as well put this in rounds

SCREAMOFBLOODYDEATH

Round 1
Nyx runs up stairs
Bard ?
others discuss

Round 2
Nyx sees what is in bedroom.
bard?
Others open door, go on porch, barbarian enlarged. (which doesn't affect speed)

Round 3
Nyx Jumps out the window, feather fall item activates.
Bard?
Barbarian goes left
Ranger goes right. Edit, gets 20 ft, slips on ice.
Cleric goes right, casts exped retreat, moves 20 ft.
Wizard summons buddy?

Round 4
Some people probably slip on ice... Edit: yep!
Ranger. Fails at standing up.
Cleric Activates floating disk.
Nyx. Casts Mage Armor, looks around.

Round 5
Ranger climbs on floating disk
Cleric directs disk to travel ahead with ranger, 30 ft
Cleric moves 20 ft, carefully. (ranger moving ranger another 20 ft). Ranger spots something in snow...


Round 6
Cleric moves 20 ft, reaches corner of building.

Round 7

[rs2excelsior]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Acrobatics checks:
Double move to front corner of building: (1d20+3)[12]
Double move to back corner of building (unless I see something before then, of course): (1d20+3)[10]

In case it's needed in the heavy snow:
Perception: (1d20+11)[21]

I didn't say, but since she's hurrying I think she'd have tried to stand up quickly, so that second acrobatics check should probably go to that... which means she slips again. If you want me to re-roll for that attempt I will. After that fall she will single move the rest of the way around.

Deciding that speed is of the essence, Melaia rushes off into the snow... and promptly finds a patch of ice which throws her onto her back. She scrabbles to get up, slipping and sliding some more, before she gets a hold of the side of the building and carefully pulls herself to her feet. More slowly now, she continues around the corner of the building.

[jakarta]

SPOILER=OOC]Acrobatics checks:
Double move to front corner of building: (1d100)[53]
Double move to back corner of building (unless I see something before then, of course): [roll1]

In case it's needed in the heavy snow:
Perception: [roll2]

I didn't say, but since she's hurrying I think she'd have tried to stand up quickly, so that second acrobatics check should probably go to that... which means she slips again. If you want me to re-roll for that attempt I will. After that fall she will single move the rest of the way around.[/SPOILER]

Deciding that speed is of the essence, Melaia rushes off into the snow... and promptly finds a patch of ice which throws her onto her back. She scrabbles to get up, slipping and sliding some more, before she gets a hold of the side of the building and carefully pulls herself to her feet. More slowly now, she continues around the corner of the building.

Well see how everyone else fares with the ice, then I'll describe the scene. No need to reroll. Let's see how far you got.
(1d100)[53]

(You know what this style of character sheet seems to be missing? Speed. So assuming normally it is 30, and in this situation it is reduced to 20, and you tried to go 40 and got (rounding) 50% of the way. So you went 20 ft, fell down, didn't succeed in standing up the first time, slowly stood up, and now are moving 20 ft a round... so we know what you are doing for the next few rounds...)

[wkwkwkwk1]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Cleric goes right

Kiendoli pauses for a moment outside the door, just enough to decide that Jhereg would fare better than Melaia if ambushed, and turns to follow her.

"Be careful!" Kiendoli shouts as Melaia takes off far too fast, but too late to stop her from slipping. "This icy ground is teacherous... as I'm sure you have noticed."

She directs the floating disk by her side (can I just assume I always have it active?) to rest near Melaia, and says "Climb aboard, you'll go faster like this," reaching for the golden falcon under her cloak. She focuses for a moment, and steps quickly but carefully into the snow.

"Let's go."

Assuming she climbs aboard, Kiendoli then propels the disk foward, following closely.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Round 3
Standard Action: Cast Expeditious Retreat (Domain spell, increases movement speed by 30 ft., minus 10 ft. from the armor, minus 10 ft. from the snow, so +10 ft, so a total of 20 ft. land speed)
Move Action: Move 20 ft.
Free Action (?): Direct the floating disk next to Melaia.

Round 4
Standard Action: Wait, isn't a double move just using a standard action as a move action? Why would it cause slipping?
Move Action: Move 20 ft.
Free Action (?): Direct the floating disk, carrying Melaia, 25 ft. forward (assuming a CL 1, correct me if I'm wrong).

[rs2excelsior]

Thankful for the help, Melaia climbs aboard the disk, a bit damp and with injured pride but overall no worse for wear.

[jakarta]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Cleric goes right

Kiendoli pauses for a moment outside the door, just enough to decide that Jhereg would fare better than Melaia if ambushed, and turns to follow her.

"Be careful!" Kiendoli shouts as Melaia takes off far too fast, but too late to stop her from slipping. "This icy ground is teacherous... as I'm sure you have noticed."

She directs the floating disk by her side (can I just assume I always have it active?) to rest near Melaia, and says "Climb aboard, you'll go faster like this," reaching for the golden falcon under her cloak. She focuses for a moment, and steps quickly but carefully into the snow.

"Let's go."

Assuming she climbs aboard, Kiendoli then propels the disk foward, following closely.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Round 3
Standard Action: Cast Expeditious Retreat (Domain spell, increases movement speed by 30 ft., minus 10 ft. from the armor, minus 10 ft. from the snow, so +10 ft, so a total of 20 ft. land speed)
Move Action: Move 20 ft.
Free Action (?): Direct the floating disk next to Melaia.

Round 4
Standard Action: Wait, isn't a double move just using a standard action as a move action? Why would it cause slipping?
Move Action: Move 20 ft.
Free Action (?): Direct the floating disk, carrying Melaia, 25 ft. forward (assuming a CL 1, correct me if I'm wrong).

It would be a bit of an affectation to have a personal coffee table following you around, wouldn't you say?
Standard action to activate. Caster level 3.

The cleric tows the ranger slowly to the corner of the building. (because moving 40 ft in 6 seconds is a lot faster than moving 20 ft.)

[jakarta]

The disk, with the ranger on it, floats 30 ft ahead of the cleric and advances when she does.

The disk overshoots the corner of the building by 5 ft and stops advancing, as it can't make the turn without breaking line of effect to the broach.

Mel sees

Spoiler: a

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n odd 10 ft wide semicircular mound of snow against the middle of the wall of the building.

The next round the cleric will reach the corner of the building, and can direct the disk to move ahead of her if she wishes. Perception check.

[rs2excelsior]

As the disk pauses Melaia half-draws an arrow, aiming loosely towards the snow mound. After what happened with the snowman, she's not about to take any chances. "Something odd up here, be careful," she calls back to Kiendoli.

[NiKkatsu]

Nyx takes a split second to shake the dread away as she scans the horrifying scene. She takes a deep breath and, running through the room, jumps out the window. A soft breeze of wind immediately kicks up around her to break the fall. As she lands gracefully, she finds herself alight in a multicolored hue of flashing rainbow lights (she looks fabulous!). Tightening her grasp around the hilt of her longsword, she can feel her heart beating in her throat, as the idea of battle has always made her nervous.
Trying to compose herself, she calls upon her blood, chanting words of power under her breath while tracing arcane symbols in the air with her free hand. Her irises disappear as she completes the spell, leaving only two large, black pupils and a barely visible field of force shimmers around her. Then, Nyx looks around for the inevitable trail of blood that would be left behind by whatever did...that - she feels a shiver run down her spine, remembering the gory scene upstairs. Do I really want to find this perpetrator? she thinks, now completely alone.

Spoiler: actions

Show

round 3: Nyx jumps out the window. Her orcish amulet breaks her fall as she lights up in multicolored fabulousness. round 4: Nyx casts mage armor and looks around her - does she see anything. If there is a trail of blood, for example, she will follow it.

[jakarta]

Nyx takes a split second to shake the dread away as she scans the horrifying scene. She takes a deep breath and, running through the room, jumps out the window. A soft breeze of wind immediately kicks up around her to break the fall. As she lands gracefully, she finds herself alight in a multicolored hue of flashing rainbow lights (she looks fabulous!). Tightening her grasp around the hilt of her longsword, she can feel her heart beating in her throat, as the idea of battle has always made her nervous.
Trying to compose herself, she calls upon her blood, chanting words of power under her breath while tracing arcane symbols in the air with her free hand. Her irises disappear as she completes the spell, leaving only two large, black pupils and a barely visible field of force shimmers around her. Then, Nyx looks around for the inevitable trail of blood that would be left behind by whatever did...that - she feels a shiver run down her spine, remembering the gory scene upstairs. Do I really want to find this perpetrator? she thinks, as she notices her newfound friends turning around the corners of the Inn, and Melaia nocking an arrow.

Spoiler: actions

Show

round 3: Nyx jumps out the window. Her orcish amulet breaks her fall as she lights up in multicolored fabulousness. round 4: Nyx casts mage armor and looks around her - does she see anything except her friends? If there is a trail of blood, for example, she will follow it.

There are some cries of astonishment from Jacob and the others as Nyx jumps out the 2.5 ft wide window and becomes a disco ball.

She is alone at the moment. Her friends have rounded the front corner and haven't reached the back.

Looking down, she sees the broken window and bits of the frame and shutter. There is some blood on the debris, but no trail leading away.

[NiKkatsu]

No tracks.. in this heavy snow? The..whatever it was must still be around Nyx thinks to herself. She spins her blade into a reverse grip, taking a defensive posture, and scans the scene, ready to defend herself if need be. I hope the others will catch up to me soon.. Why am I always so reckless?

Spoiler: round 5

Show

Seeing as there are still a few rounds left, Nyx will go into total defense and make a perception check of (1d20+4)[19]

[jakarta]

Nyx hears someone shouting down at her from the window. In all the wind it is hard to tell who.

"WHAT'S DOWN THERE?"

[NiKkatsu]

''I-I don't see anything. Only some blood and shattered glass. Do you notice anything from your vantage point?'' She cries back.