[IC] Chapter 1-9: Circle of Hate

[DM Surranó]

Present: ALL (more or less)

While Giant and Portho are having a sneak peak into a chamber above the trap door ...

Purple sparks dancing in his vision after the shock as Giant peeks inside another round chamber but it is not a vertical vault; more like a hemisphere. Considering that they can see most of the chamber they guess that the trapdoor is quite close to the east wall so the ceiling is quite close abovehead (short for Giant and thus for Portho as well as long as sitting atop the meat tower but okay for dwarves and gnomes and probably okay for Maul who's less than six feet).

The centre of the chamber is dominated by some feature, probably circular, that emanates light from the floor. Chains and shackles are scattered all around the edge of the room. Giant can see a cloaked figure with arms spread and raised slightly, citing some lengthy incantation. The figure has a slender but apparently valuable headband, maybe a crown or tiara on the head. Ivory figures start to emerge from the floor wearing shiny chain mails and holding rusty long swords.

... the rest are scrambling to reach the rope and the shaft above. Torin's up, Murkatos follows, Maul is ready to help Toot and Boo before climbing up himself. Lugar serves as the elevator.
The alarm stops just as the armorer predicted.

OOC - Please post your plans, up to three rounds at a time. The situation is still a bit chaotic and the place is narrow so initiatives don't necessarily make sense at the moment but please roll in advance so that I can rely on them when time comes.
For the time being, staying with the Cellars map on roll20 but moved the figures to the cross-section mock-up so that you may have an idea. Note that while some figures seem to be right above the guardian's head this is just because it's a cross-section. Imagine everyone close to the walls.

[Silent Giant]

Evil witchcraft - he whispers to Portho

Plan:

How far is the cloaked figure?

If others can climb up without his help then he throws the first curved dagger into the cloaked figure (or moves and throws or shoots an arrow if he is too far)
If others can't climb up without his help then he helps them.

Init: [1d20+3] = 2+3 = 5

[DM Surranó]

OOC - Portho / Giant if you come online on roll20 I can drag you two to the new map...

To Giant/Portho...

How far is the cloaked figure?

10 feet. Portho can step from Giant's neck straight to a cell adjacent to the trapdoor but Giant needs to climb out (move action).

If others can climb up without his help then he throws the first curved dagger into the cloaked figure (or moves and throws or shoots an arrow if he is too far)

Everyone can climb a knotted rope and a tight tunnel. Giant can't actually help them. If you are willing to take some actions go ahead and do the rolls, or I will do them for you.

[Silent Giant]

ooc - okay

He climbs out after Portho and throws the fine throwing dagger.

He throws dagger [1d20+10] = 5+10 = 15 +/- ?

[Lugar]

Ooc - sorry, posted this in the old thread

Lugar lowers the shield so Toot and Boo can walk on. "Tie your bear while I lift you both up." He says to Toot then he yells to the rest of the party to get ready to haul them up, using his Duergar tact. "Move your arses! I haven't got all day!"

Initiative = 20 (on roll20 it says 18.06 but didn't add Cat's Grace)

Climb = 12

[Portho Nihilbuck]

Portho jumps off Silent Giant as Giants shoulders come through the trapdoor. while his first instinct is to hide, he realizes that his best chance to survive this is if his new companions can get up here quickly. He begins to sing...

[move action to get off of SG.. moving along the wall.. Standard action start Bard Song - a rousing poem of battle ...
Inspire Courage (Su)
A bard with 3 or more ranks in a Perform skill can use song or poetics to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to hear the bard sing. The effect lasts for as long as the ally hears the bard sing and for 5 rounds thereafter. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 8th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by 1 (+2 at 8th, +3 at 14th, and +4 at 20th). Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability]]

Round 2 he will continue to sing while firing his bow (unless attacked in melee by any of teh newly risen undead) Bow Attack against spellcaster - Portho Nihilbuck: rolling d20+8+1 Bow attack (10)+8+1= 19... Damage: rolling d4+2 damage (4)+2= 6... If melee those attack rolls would be 18 rather than 19 and the same damage]

Round 3 he will continue to sing and attack (safely assuming that unless something drastically changes he will be in melee by then ... rolling d20+7+1 Rapier attack (8)+7+1= 16... damage: rolling d4+2 damage (1)+2= 3]

[Toot]

[1st round] Toot/Boo will climb onto the shield and then Toot will quickly tie the rope to Boo's exotic military saddle.  When he hears the commotion going on upstairs, Toot looks at Lugar a bit worried then reluctantly tugs on the rope to be pulled up with Boo while calling out, "Hello... anytime..."

[2nd round] If They are pulled up this round, Toot will step back to hide behind the group to assess the situation while untying the rope from Boo's saddle.

[Torin]

OOC - Init: 04.01
As I see the battle is started.
[1st-3rd round] Moving after to SG and Portho and cast some nasty spell (SM III, SM IV, Hide from undead, Shield of Faith, Cure XY, ...) or turn undead. It's depend on the correct state of the battle.

OOC - Torin's Spellcraft check: 30 for the next casted spell from the opponent which he see or hear.

[DM Surranó]

OOC - Torin and Portho please connect to roll20 and stay connected so that I can move you to the new map...

Round one
One of the skeletal figures speeds to the trapdoor before Portho could act and swings its scimitar with a blinding flash, hurting the gnome badly (AC28, -11HP)
Portho jumps off to the south as Giant climbs further and exits north.

As Giant moves a gnarled, clawed hand appears out of thin air and slams at the barbarian but he uncannily dodges the incoming attack. The cloaked figure appears and Giant can't fail to notice the dismay on his face. It is a pale human with silver hair and the item adorning his head is indeed a lithe crown, not unlike the ones the party found in the crypt.
Still, Giant is so distracted by the attack that the next one, coming from the skeleton warrior, strikes true (AC27, -10HP)
Giant, on the other hand, strikes true on the cloaked figure but just as the axe leaves a grievous wound on the opponent the wound closes almost completely in an instant.
Another warrior approaches Giant and cuts through all his defenses, only to be stopped by the thickened skin granted by his amulet!

The remaining two skeleton warriors get to Portho who's overwhelmed by the assault: both strike true (AC22, -12HP and -9HP).

Portho tries to return the favor but the rapier seems to be ineffective as it barely gets around their shields and is stopped by their armor.

Torin climbs up and, seeing the situation, immediately invokes the power of Liir to drive back the foul creatures.
The skeletons look at the dwarf, startled, but don't seem to have been frightened. The cloaked figure sends a lopsided grin towards the priest. (OOC - almost...)

Toot and Boo climb Lugar's shoulders and request some elevating force from those above but they are pretty much overwhelmed... (OOC - Boo may climb up himself if needed, the rope may serve as a safety measure)

Round two
The cloaked figure claws at the priest mockingly but all he achieves is a sickeningly screeching sound of his claws failing to get through the adamantine dwarven plate.
"Play with them" he says haughtily and leaves, stalking around the circle in the middle, giving Giant and Torin the opportunity to hurt him more. He proves to be too agile, though, and Torin fails badly while Giant manages to make contact, only to be blocked by skin hard as rock a wound, only to see more than half of it close in an instant.

Lugar gives Murkatos a lift.

One of the skeleton warriors strikes at the dwarf, only to be blocked by the adamantine plate. It steps back, as if luring the dwarf to get closer, leaving more space for some blade dance.

Giant's turn!

OOC Toot / Lugar - I know it's more than a bit chaotic now but it's really crowded up there so feel free to cast some spells or do whatever else you can while downstairs. Those I described above are no more than a single move action for each of you.
OOC Giant - What weapon is it exactly in your hand? those above assume the double axe but if you have one of the other weapons then things may differ (which one? If one of the daggers: first or second one?)

To get a better picture:
- Portho and Giant are upstairs, one step from the trapdoor
- Torin is at the trapdoor and can get out with half a move action (not a five-foot step) and his move will draw an attack of opportunity from the single opponent standing next to him (unless he turns successfully before moving, for example)
- Toot is atop Boo in the shaft and Boo can climb up
- Murkatos is above Lugar, ready to enter the shaft as soon as Boo climbs further
- Maul and Lugar are still downstairs

[Silent Giant]

OOC - He wanted to throw the first dagger but he had no time to change weapon and throw. The cloaked figure disappeared so he wields his double axe.
HP updated: 42=(62-10-10)