Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Initiative chart
Camlo 23
Illes 22 (surprised)
Spiders 20
Hudak 14 (surprised)
Sefayll 13 (surprised)
Alwyn 9 (surprised)

Hudak got hit. I'm sure he looks great in that crop-top chainshirt, but, man, his AC is terrible.

Camlo deftly dodges the web and tumbles under the closest spider to get into a flanking position without being attacked by the two behind.

Move to N9, drawing rapier. Attack.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (19) + 22 = 41

Atk: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23 dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Hudak got hit. I'm sure he looks great in that crop-top chainshirt, but, man, his AC is terrible.

Girls dig seeing a man's muscles.

And my trip was nice thanks - to the Gower Pennisular - how was yours?

Wow. Place of Outstanding Natural Beauty, huh? No pressure there! Our trip was great. We located another abandoned railroad line that has been converted into a hiking/biking trail, so we rode part of that and we hiked in a nearby nature preserve on another day. Very peaceful and a wonderful several days with my best friend. And we enjoyed a slower pace in some small towns.

Illes hums to himself as he draws his rapier with a flourish and splits off into a crowd of six. The bard bounces light on his toes and darts in and out while advancing on the spider.

SA: Mirror Image Images: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Acrobatics (Versatile Dance) To Avoid AoO: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (10) + 20 = 30
MA: 10' to K11 (20' due to acrobatics)
Drawing rapier as part of the move. Flanking with Camlo.

I put Illes in K10 as K11 doesn't flank with Camlo.

Illes and Camlo nimbly close on the spider. The floor around the creature crawls with tiny arachnids which swarm up their legs, nipping and biting as they go. As they get close, they notice that the spider's exoskeleton is full of ragged holes, the masses of its smaller kin crawling in and out where its organs should be.

Camlo's rapier tears a bloodless wound in the spider's hide. It reacts by turning and biting at him. The others continue to hang back, slinging webs.

DW3 bites at Camlo
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28 to hit, damage 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 6) + 12 = 21

DW1 and DW2 try to web Illes.
DW1 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 v Touch AC
DW2 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 v Touch AC
DW2 looks like a miss. Rolling 1d5 to see if DW1 hits an image. On a 1 it hit Illes and Entangles him. 1d5 ⇒ 3

Map updated.

Hudak.

Hudak 5' steps to K11 before unloading on DW3.
Attack 1: 9+21+2(flank w/Camlo)-3(Power Attack)=AC 29, damage 1d10+19+9(PA)=35.
Attack 2: 17!+16+2-3=AC 32, confirm roll 11+16+2+4(Critical Focus)-3(PA)=AC 30, dmg 1d10+19+9(PA)=34x2=68.

Sefayll.

Isn't Hudak entangled? Can he move 5'? And Aubrey said K11 doesn't flank Camlo - that's why he shifted Illes to K10.

OK, I guess we can move at half-speed. It doesn't assume we are anchored to the nearest surface like I feared.

Caught in the web, Sefayll narrows her eyes and slowly and carefully speaks the words of power as she retrieves something from her spell component pouch and flings it toward the closest giant spider. The suddenly-glowing bead flies over the creature and explodes near the other two with a breath-taking whoosh of flame!

Concentration DC 18 to cast fireball: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24

Fireball! Reflex DC 19 half: 9d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 5, 2, 6, 2, 3, 4) = 31

He's not entangled - he just got bit. And if there's no flanking, just reduce the ACs hit by 2.

Ah, I was thinking he and Sefayll were the targets. Nothing to see here.

Alwyn then Cam

No move. I'm using my wand of Flame strike; the blast goes off in the K/L 7/8 intersection and hits all three spiders, but, crucially, not Illes or Camlo. Damage 9d6=37 (half is fire, half is Holy), Reflex DC 19 for half damage.

Hudak's sword slices the legs off the spider down one side before he uses the backswing to slice off its head.

DW3 down. What is it with fighters? They are just so useless!

Almost before it has a chance to collapse, the cavern is filled with fire.

DW1's Reflex v Sef's Fireball 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
DW2's Reflex v Sef's Fireball 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
DW1's Reflex v Al's Flame Strike 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
DW2's Reflex v Al's Flame Strike 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Map updated.

Camlo.

Camlo will delay until one of the spiders closes.

Initiative chart
Illes 22
Camlo 23 (delaying)
Spiders 20
Hudak 14
Sefayll 13
Alwyn 9

Illes.

Did the combined fire attacks help with the infestation of tiny spiders? I was picturing them as a swarm that we shouldn't ignore, but they aren't on the chart, so I didn't know if they were mechanically a swarm or just flavor or an extension of their host spider.

A band of Illes' darts in at one of the spiders with their rapiers on guard, but stumble on the uneven cave floor. One after another they slip on the same patch lurching into and through the others before regaining balance and pulling apart. Then they lunge as one with blades outstretched toward the spider.

Versatile Perform Dance = Acrobatics: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21
To avoid AoO. Well that's no good.
Move to J7
Keen Rapier: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22, Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Don't worry, I'm keeping tabs on the infestation.

AoO on Illes from DW1
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35 to hit, damage 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (5, 5) + 12 = 22
1d4 ⇒ 4 to see if Illes is hit - hit on a 1, otherwise a mirror image is destroyed
EDIT: Quite useful to miss a crit like that.

Illes punctures the side of the spider. The two arachnids then crowd him, hoping to take down one enemy quickly.

Both DW1 and DW2 attack Illes.
DW1 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25 to hit, damage 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (1, 6) + 12 = 19
DW2 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23 to hit, damage 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (4, 3) + 12 = 19
OK, both hit. Rolling 1d3 twice to see if the spiders hit - a 1 is a hit, anything else destroyes a mirror image
DW1 1d3 ⇒ 1
DW2 1d3 ⇒ 1
Ouch!

Initiative chart
Illes 22
Spiders 20
Hudak 14
Camlo 23 (delaying)
Sefayll 13
Alwyn 9

Hudak.

Map updated.

Hudak moves to K9 before attacking DW2 using Lunge. Attack roll 12+21-3(Power Attack)=AC 30, damage 1d10+19+9(PA)=36.

Camlo, then Sefayll.

Hudak's attack, at full reach bisects's the creatures head. It flips on its back, legs kicking, before finally dying.

DW2 down. Camlo continues to delay. Sefayll.

Map updated.

Initiative chart
Illes 22
Spiders 20
Hudak 14
Sefayll 13
Alwyn 9
Camlo 23 (delaying)

I assume you meant that Alwyn's attack finished off DW2, but he's not moved on the map - perhaps Hudak finished DW2 and Alwyn's attack would be redirected to DW1? Checking before I decide, but at this point, I'm inclined to delay my action and let strength of arms carry the day. You know, so the worthless fighter feels more useful and all that.

I agree. So...

"GAAAAAAAH!" With a fierce warcry, Alwyn crashes into the remaining spider.

Attack! Charge to L6 before attacking with Vital Strike, Power Attack and my Destructive smite domain ability. Attack roll 14+11+2(charge)-2(Power Attack)=AC 25, damage 4d6+5+6(Power Attack)+5(Destructive smite)=30.

Illes!

Seeing the others taking care of the spiders, Camlo will move to N6 to make sure no more come from that tunel by surprise.

Acrobatics if needed: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

Aubrey-
You started with a d4 there for mirror image and went to d3. That would assume I created 3 images and the 4th is Illes. I have 5 images so it should have been d6 to begin.
Do you want to check vs image again for the 3 attacks?

Re Illes.. OK. I'm not going to reroll the one I got a 20 on as that missed you anyway. I'll reroll the last 2.
Attack 1 1d4 ⇒ 3
Attack 2 1d4 ⇒ 4
OK, both miss, you now have 2 images.

Alwyn's charge provokes an AoO
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20 to hit, damage 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 7) + 12 = 25

Alwyn plunges his sord into the creature. But somehow it clings to unlife.

Illes.

Map updated.

Illes.

The remaining Illes' rush the spider ducking and starting to roll under it just before one hairy leg slams down in front of them blocking their path. Finding himself brought to an abrupt halt, Illes slashes out at the leg in his way.

Dance/Acrobatics to avoid AoO: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22
Damn. I am not meant to use acrobatics in this encounter. Trying to move to offer a flank for Camlo, but a 1 then a 2.
Attack provoked. Unable to move through enemy squares.
2 images remaining so 3 potential Illes.

Rapier: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Fortunately Alwyn sucked up the AoO so you just fail to move through its space.

Illes can't make headway past the spider, and his rapier appears to have lost its wit. The spider ignores him, instead trying to bite Alwyn to death.

Attack on Alwyn
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 to hit, damage 2d8 + 12 ⇒ (6, 7) + 12 = 25

Hudak.

Hudak 5' steps to K8 before attacking with Lunge and Power Attack..
Attack 1: 10+21-3(Power Attack)=AC 28, damage 1d10+19+9(PA)=33.
Attack 2: 13+16-3=AC 26, damage 1d10+19+9(PA)=34.

As per last round's discussion, I'll take Alwyn's action right away. I'm attacking with Vital Strike and my Destructive smite domain ability (no Power Attack for now, as I'm prioritising actually hitting). Attack roll 15+11=AC 26, damage 4d6+5+5(Destructive smite)=26.

BTW, the spider missed me with the AoO, but hit me with the regular attack.

Sefayll and Camlo.

That looks like three more hits, so I will wait for Aubrey before I make an action.

Hudak chops the final spider to pieces, hollow pieces of empty chitin husk falling to the cave floor.

End of combat. 1,440xp each.

"Disgusting. Let's shove the big husks out of the cave and into the river, just in case they regain their mobility. And then we need to make sure there aren't any more spiders in here. And burn those webs. And... This place needs some refurbishment. At leaat we're out of sight of the giant armies."

"Those were tougher than I thought when we came in. I hope there aren't more of them."

Survival, DC 15:

Survaival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

That result would be dismal even if you had any skill.

Indeed. Camlo is a city boy through and through.....

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Huh, I didn't expect that.

"Much as I am inclined to fire the webs, it would be a strong signal to those outside that something out of the ordinary is happening in here."

"True, true. Our success is dependent on us staying undetected. Let's make sure no more monsters lurk in this cave; we can airwalk into the fortress once the night falls."

Since he's not about this weekend...

Camlo notices that the cave appears to go back further beyond the layers of webbing.

Sefayll uses the reach of her halberd to brush down webbing so they can explore.

There is a narrow, low passage about three feet wide and five feet high leading off into the depths.

A perusal of the cave throws up some interesing items, amid the usual dried-out husks and bones.

Treasure (with Spellcraft DCs to identify):
- a halberd (DC 20)
- a Large longsword (DC 20)
- a set of full plate (DC 20)

Spellcraft checks:
Halberd: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Sword: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Armour: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28

Sefayll takes a look, also.

"What have you found?"

Spellcraft for halberd: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29

Spellcraft for sword: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 40

Spellcraft for armor: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (20) + 22 = 42

The sword and the full plate are both +1. The halberd is +2.

Sefayll looks at the halberd, "Beautiful. The enchantment is not insignificant." She looks up, "However, a better weapon in my hands is not the best tactical choice. Does anyone wish to use this?"

Hudak takes the mail. I was going to suggest that he take the halberd as well, but, as halberds don't have reach, there's not much point to it. We can sell both weapons later.

"This mail is too heavy", Hudak grumbles as Alwyn helps him armour up. "It chafes, it restricts my movement and it is noisy."

Alwyn's having none of it. "Any of that is better than being eaten by giant spiders. And you were always easy to spot coming, mail or no mail."

Add a chainshirt +2 to the party treasure pool.

Sefayll's main weapon is a halberd, so she might as well have it even if she is unlikely to use it much - saves having to magic one up later.