Tuesday, March 14, 2017

In the First Chamber


Okay, I haven't placed anyone properly on this image except for Bergthora.  But now that you have a top-down, you can decide by number where you are.

The symbol found on the book cover.

The creatures awake!
And here is the layout following the party's move.  The two red rings below the one creature are to indicate that it is part stunned and has lost two of its attacks.  Bergthora did a third of its remaining hit points after Embla's javelin weakened it.

I will forego putting up the x.p. until probably the next round, after someone has taken damage.


39 comments:

Lothar Svensson said...

I'd like to be in 0914.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I'm good where I'm at.

Position yourselves, I'll then get to the spell and crack open the thing.

You all would do best to make like Lothar and hang back, some gas could fill the entire chamber and either way I won't be able to participate in a combat while under the spell's effect.

Embla Strand said...

I want to be in 1111.

Pandred said...

0811 is preferable for me.

Let's get dangerous.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Very well, I cast Sanctuary and open the lid of the chest.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Engelhart, I understand that you want to push the limits of the spell Sanctuary as far as you can, but I will point out that the spell description states, "the cleric is PHYSICALLY restrained from taking any AGGRESSIVE action . . ."

It does not say, "restrained from combat." The words are intended to specifically deny you the action you're attempting to undertake. The definition of aggressive includes "forceful, vigorous, energetic or dynamic aims and interests."

You cannot cast the spell and then take part in a forceful, physical activity. A "sanctuary" is a haven, a safe place, a place of protection. It is not a means by which you can act while being exempt from the consequences of your actions.

Since your teacher would have explained this to you, I won't hold you to having cast the spell. But you'll have to make another plan.

Embla Strand said...

New plan: Engelhart and I will trade places and then I'll open the chest. I'm fairly hale and do fairly well against traps, so I should be fine. Sound good?

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Go get 'em, Embla.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Alexis: be kind to place me in 1014, instead, please.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Do you want to cast the sanctuary spell while Embla opens the chest?

Engelhart Askjellson said...

Fair question, but no... think I'll save it come the time to open the door.

Alexis Smolensk said...

As Engelhart moves up the hall, behind Bergthora, she will look at him briefly and narrow her eyes, before looking back towards the chest.

Embla Strand said...

I open the chest.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Embla strains somewhat, but as she is not trying to actually lift the stone, but only slide it, her encumbrance limit does not come into effect. She feels a strain on her shoulders and hands, but in moments the lid half shifts from its place, revealing what's inside without actually falling off.

Inside, you can see a large, leather-covered book laying on a nest of woven twigs and branches, which themselves sit upon a layer of brown curls, burrs and dust, which you will guess would be the remains of leaves, bark and perhaps grass.

The book has not been made like a modern tome of the 17th century. The leather is rough, heavy and not cleanly shorn at the edges. There is no title, only a symbol that is a straight line with two half circles [I will update the post above. Finally, the book is bound together with strings of sinew, similar to a bow string, tying it closed.

Embla Strand said...

Shall I pick it up?

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I'd well count on these floaters coming to get us if that book is moved. It's also bound to be written in the same undecipherable script we found topside in the stone inscriptions, so its value might well be questionable.




Embla Strand said...

That said, this is the first definitely valuable thing we've found down here, and it's prominent location here means that there is going to be something important contained within it.

And I'd rather not deal with whatever is behind the door and these floaters at the same time, which might happen if we open that door and move deeper within the dungeon.

Lothar Svensson said...

So pick up the book and then deal with the floaters? Engelhart, can you turn undead? We might be able to knock them back into the water if they get corporeal on us.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

No problem, I'm fine either way, just pointing out that picking a fight over treasure is one thing, over a museum curio is another. Adopting the tomb-raider mentality, as it were, particularly with creatures that might be immune to all of our arsenal.

Regarding turn undead, I was already of a mind to check it (if it's not been made into a sage ability!), but given our low level, I wouldn't hold my breath about being able to turn spectrals.

Pandred said...

Either way. Stavanger is only a day away. Rowan can't have been the only Druid in existence.

Let's do this!

Embla Strand said...

I pick up the book.

Alexis Smolensk said...

As you touch the book, the four floating creatures animate in a few seconds and drop to the floor, becoming green in color and, as far as you can tell, fully alive.

Since the party mentioned the possibility of the creatures waking up, I won't have anyone roll surprise. But I will need a d6 from Embla.

Embla Strand said...

I roll a 6.

Alexis Smolensk said...

That gives the party initiative. Give me a little time, I'm waking up this morning, then I'll correct the map above and let you all take your first round.

Alexis Smolensk said...

I've added a new image with the players' locations. Please act as you will. Go ahead and make rolls if that's your action, but please be sure about your AP counts. Just for clarification, the crossbow is right now unwinched and in the elevator, as per Pandred's statement.

Embla Strand said...

I move to 1110 and draw my battleaxe.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Embla, earlier you had your javelin at the ready. While you were using both hands to move the chest's lid, there's no reason to think your javelin isn't still in reach, either on the ground or leaning against one of the two statues. Wouldn't it make more sense to grab it and throw it at this time, rather than leaving it behind?

I recognize this sounds like I'm correcting you, but your character would SEE the javelin right there; moreover, you've been trained as an assassin and I'm just going on what you've told me.

Embla Strand said...

Thank you, Alexis. You are quite correct, and I appreciate the reminder.

I pick up my javelin and throw it at the creature in 1211. 19+1=20(bless) to-hit and 3+1=4 (Strength) damage.

I then move into 1110.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

I move to 1012 unload my sling at the critter in 0809, rolling a 6 to hit.

I end the turn facing 1011, dropping the sling and drawing the hammer.

Lothar Svensson said...

I move to 0910, sword and shield at the ready.

Alexis Smolensk said...

I don't see you having your sling loaded, Engelhart.

Alexis Smolensk said...

Bergthora wasn't mentioned, so she will move to 1111 and attack. She'll roll an 18 and cause 6 damage.

Embla's javelin did not stun, but Bergthora's hit does. However, as these creatures have a claw, claw, horn for attack, a quarter damage or even a third damage is not enough to completely stun them.

It is very hard to slow down creatures with multiple attacks. A quarter damage will remove one attack; a third damage will remove two; half damage will remove three attacks. The attack causing the most damage will always be removed first.

Pandred said...

I'll bring my handaxe down on the frog in 0710.

d20=9 (+1 Bless, +1STR) Total 11 To-Hit

d6= 6 (+3 Str) Total 9 Damage

Then I'll step into 0911. Let's stay together.

My shield is out, so AC 6 when it comes to it.

Alexis Smolensk said...

The roll is a miss, Pandred. When I get Engelhart sorted, we'll move on.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

If I don't have the sling in hand, I'll stay where I am and try to Turn Undead upon the same target as before (0809).

I don't know my target number, though the roll came up an 11.

Alexis Smolensk said...

You sense no undead in the room.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

S'funny, I actually thought they might not be due to your description hinting at it but it seemed a far-fetched thing to be asking. Stasis spell it is, then.

Ok, I just draw the hammer and move next to Lothar in 0811, facing 0710.

And good call on the sling thing, just one of those things one could swear he's written before but didn't, you're entirely correct.

Engelhart Askjellson said...

(Didn't realize my turn undead action had been counted all the same, kindly disregard what I wrote after).

Alexis Smolensk said...

I went and created the next round, Engelhart; I'm going to count your detection of undead as 3 AP and move you into 0912.

The next post is up; I'll be updating the image for it.