Flint casts a knock spell, and the door flies open.  What comes out is nothing like what you expected.

A skeletal humanoid spills out into the room.  Its claw-like fingers are at least two feet long, and the knife-sharp claws appear to be able to contract and extend in length from one moment to the next.  It is about 8 feet tall and weighs about 300 pounds.  It is a skeletal creature bound in a decaying robe.

You see briefly beyond it and into the far room.

There are a number of undead creatures loping in there, apparently most of them some sort of zombie or skeleton creatures.  There may be more but you cannot tell at the moment looking past this undead monstrosity that stands in the doorway.



In the room beyond, you noticed a strange configuration and device that totally leaves you wondering if you saw what you think you saw, if the laws of gravity have stopped working, or if you have gone insane.

The door opens onto a landing at the top of a freestanding staircase. The stairs lead down to the floor of a cubical room with a radiant blue aura. The room measures
50 feet on each side and is equally tall.  In the center of the room, surmounting a stone pedestal, is a colossal machine of curious workmanship. Three enormous,
counter-balanced one-quarter arcs of tarnished brass are mounted on swivels.

The room is unsettling. Six doors exit the room. All have a strange glow about their edges, each one perched at the top of a staircase identical to your own. However, they are oriented completely wrong! Some appear to lead down into the floor. Others lead sideways into walls. One even leads up into the ceiling! Each wall has a pedestal and a torch stand like your own floor, but these, too, seem to defy gravity by standing on the walls and ceiling.


This message was lightly edited by the GM at 21:48, Tue 07 Aug 2012.

It takes all of Borimer's experience and brute nerve to keep from falling back when the undead monstrosity springs out from the door, but he rushes forward instead and slashes twice at its torso.

"I sincerely hope that is not Androlus." Kahan states with a grimace, pulling out his holy symbol and stepping forward after Borimer, invoking the holy power of his god to attempt to remove their existence from this place. Or, at the very least, to make them fall back and give them some room to work.

Harak slices twice with his scimitar.

Grizz stabs at the best with his triton.  "More of these evil things from the depths of the Land of the Dead!" he cries out, his superstitions once more taking hold.

For now, Flint steps back toward the rear of the room and lets fly magic missiles at the creature to see if they have any effect.

Chrisman takes a step back in shock.  He holds the wand of frost hesitantly, afraid he might also hurt the warriors who just stepped up to do battle.

Edmure steps back into the previous balcony room, his hand running along the wall to guide him back.  "I feel the presence of such evil!" he calls out in distress as he retreats.

Naj rushes into the melee with his two handed sword swinging down.

ROUND 1

The boneclaw fiend sees your attacks and says in a deep, demonic voice, "You will die, mortals."

It extends its claws in attack as you approach, quicker than any mortal you've seen...

One set of claws hits Grizz, piercing him through the gut.  (19 dmg.)

Another set flies out at Borimer, who deftly dodges the claws.

Kahan has pulled out his holy symbol and intones a turning chant.  The zombie creatures in the room scream out and fall into simmering ash on the floor in the far room.  (All zombies and skeletons destroyed.)

Borimer strikes out, making two great hits against the creature with Chianta.  (49 dmg.)
NEW ABILITY DISCOVERED: Chianta is +5 vs. undead.

Naj strikes out and hits the bone creature, but his attack does not seem to harm it.  (Magical weapons of +1 or greater required to harm it.)

Grizz strikes out with his trident but misses.

Harak strikes out with his scimitar, hitting the creature twice.  (19 hp dmg.)


Flint sends of magic missiles, striking the creature.  (15 hp dmg.)

The boneclaw monsters retracts its claws amidst the onslaught, preparing to strike again.

OOC: Last post here updated to include Chianta's newly discovered power: link to a message in this game
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:42, Mon 23 July 2012.

Kahan pulls out his mace, glad that the other undead in the room have been vanquished, preparing to attack the bone fiend if he can find an opening in the melee.

Seeing that his sword had no effect, Naj takes some tentative steps back, guarding against attack, and drops his sword while reaching for his longbow and magic arrows.  He lets the arrows fly.

OOC: Sorry, I forgot to mention this, but there appear to be two undead creatures left in the far room that are approaching.  They were apparently immune to Kahan's turning, but it is hard to see exactly what they are yet (i.e., I'll have to get their pictures posted tomorrow when I have time).  :)

A feral grin spreads over Borimer's face when he feels the force of magic thrumming through Chianta.  He slashes at the creatures head and torso with renewed ferocity.

Grizz stabs again at the creature, frustrated at his failed attempts last round.  His trident swirls with flourish before stabbing at the creature's face.  (Called shot to head.)

As you are engaged in battle, you see someone approaching from the balcony room behind you, an elf by the looks of it.

Flint throws another set of magic missiles at the undead creature.

Harak strikes at the bone thing again with his scimitar.

Seeing that the others seem to have the task under control, Kahan turns around and levels his mace at the elf behind them in a threatening pose. "Come no closer until you identify yourself, stranger." he states, keeping wary of the beast behind him as well as the elf in front of him.

"I do believe you have a more pressing issue with that then with me.  The time for introductions is not upon us as yet."  Stopping and with a flick of his wrist sends a dagger at the beast the others are engaged with.  Pulling the hood of his cloak up over his head as he works his way around behind the monster.

Grizz, a burly human nearly as large as Borimer, but who wears no armor and shows off his chest hair with pride, says, "I hope you have magical weapons, elf.  Normal weapons seem to do no harm to this creature."

Grizz carries a trident as his weapon and appears dressed in drab fisherman attire.

ROUND 2
The creature strikes out, fast as lightning, its claw piercing Grizz through the throat.  (Critical hit, 32 hp damage.)  Grizz is bleeding profusely and is unable to complete his attack this round.

The creature also strikes out again at Borimer, its spear-like claws just missing his shoulder.

Borimer strikes back, making two great hits (out of 3 swings).

The stranger from behind you throws a dagger, which finds its mark in the boneclaw creature's face.

Flint unleashes another round of magic missiles.

Naj is switching weapons to his bow and arrows.

Kahan is switching weapons to his mace and stepping up to the fight.

Harak strikes with his scimitar but misses.

The creature screams in agony against the onslaught and crumbles to the ground, just as the other two creatures approach the large door from behind...

The two creatures approaching are a hideous sight.

The first one is running at you, unhesitant and vicious.  It is a gaunt creature, humanoid in shape, except for two long, writhing, pale tentacles that sprout from beneath its arms.  Although its features are somewhat goblinoid in appearance, wicked talons cap its long, spindly fingers, and its wide maw opens to reveal many sharp teeth, including six 6-inch long fangs.  Its hairless, gray-skinned body is covered in oozing sores that weep a pale white fluid.  It looks like some fallen goblin or hobgoblin creature back from the dead.



The other trails behind, some kind of apparition.  It floats above the ground, its skeletal face twisted in horrible pain while it makes screaming sounds like the shrieks of the dying.  It seems to be endlessly repeating the babble of the final words of those who have died.

Borimer meets the charge of the undead goblin creature with two quick slices of his ebony blade.

Harak attacks the same goblin creature.

Seeing the burly human spray blood after the attack.  Malissin changes course and runs to his side.  Tearing off a piece of his shirt he attempts to staunch the flow of blood.  "Is there a healer among you?"

Because it's getting crowded with a bottleneck, could you indicate the position of your characters?  You can crowd him at the door or step back to totally surround him.  I say this because I think we have too much melee going on with too little space if he doesn't get a couple squares into the room.



Edmure is at F4 and Chrisman is at B3.

The creature will move to the square marked "32d" unless you block its way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:44, Thu 26 July 2012.

as long as it doesn't interfere with borimer's attack he will not try to keep the creature from reaching 32d; not sure where borimer is on the map, he can be placed wherever you think is appropriate for his action
This message was last edited by the player at 04:13, Fri 27 July 2012.

Harak will move to D3 to continue the attack.

Edmure: F4
Chrisman: B4

Borimer: B2
Harak: D3
Grizz: C3

Kahan: D2?
Malissin: F3?
Flint: D4?
Naj: A2?


(I am just trying to get initial placements for the attack, you have a few seconds to position yourselves before the creature attacks, so this does not affect the round at all.)

Kahan would have been at F,3.


Seeing the damage done to Grizz, Kahan quickly rushes into the room, not worrying about his own personal safety, reaching into his pack to pull out a binding kit, quickly applying it to the warrior's neck.

Where does he want to be for the next round?  That's what I'm looking for.  I thought he was using his mace in melee.

Kahan was moving up, then he got distracted by the elf coming from behind. He will be near to Grizz, putting himself between the odd goblin thing and the warrior.

Malissin is next to Grizz having moved up to him in the previous post.

So let's have Kahan at C3 with Grizz, and Malissin at D2, where he can reach either Grizz or the creature--unless you want something different.

In reply to DM Heath (msg # 34):

Works for me

Sorry for the delays.  Having my flash drive crash was not a fun experience trying to recreate 2 weeks of work, but could've been worse.

Here's the final map for the combat round.  If you did not already post your move, please do so.

OOC: Both creatures are of human size.  Some of you may have misread "guant" as "giant" in the description.  Therefore, damage is as to medium creatures.


ROUND 1

Flint moves back out of range, preparing his spellbook.

Borimer swings his sword as the first creature moves to the center of the room, hitting it it severely.  (Critical hit, 26 hp dmg.)

Harak strikes out, and his scimitar does not touch the creature but swings full around and hits Malissin...by mistake?  (4 hp dmg to Malissin.) 

Flint's magic missiles fly out, dealing further damage to the creature.  (9 hp dmg.)

In pain, his blood seeping out of him, Grizz strikes again with his trident, just missing the creature.

Malissin has run to Grizz's side, tearing off part of his shirt to help staunch the blood flow.

Kahan has rushed to Grizz's side as well, pulling out his binding back.  He is binding Grizz.

Naj lets two arrows fly.  One of them finds its mark.  (3 hp dmg.)

The ugly hobgoblin undead creature strikes back...

Its concentration is on the severely wounded Grizz.  It leaps...

...and grapples with Grizz, fastening onto Grizz with its long fangs.  Grizz fails to evade the grapple (critical miss to repel grapple), and he screams as a painful toxin is released into his system from the creature.  Its two tentacles swing out behind it as if to attack any who dare interrupt its...dinner.  (Grizz suffers 11 hp dmg and loses 3 constitution points.)

Grizz falls to the ground.  The severely wounded fisherman had been barely holding on (reduced to 1 hp).  Now this pain is more than he can bear, and he collapses to the ground.  Grizz is dead.

The other undead creature also enters the room.  As soon as it gets in the room, it lets out a soul-numbing scream.  The scream is continuous and the loudest thing you have ever heard.

Effects:

You cannot speak to each other the next round (because the scream is continuous and so loud).

(Checks being made as saves to the scream...)
Borimer:  (Critical hit) Unaffected by the scream.
Flint:  Save made. Unaffected by the scream.
Harak:  Save made. Unaffected by the scream.
Kahan:  Save made. Unaffected by the scream.
Malissin: Missed.  Deafened for 2 rounds.
Naj: Missed. Deafened for 3 rounds.
Chrisman: Missed. Defeaned for 3 rounds.
Edmure: Critical miss. Deafened for 4 rounds.

The sight of the creature is also horrifying and has its own effects.  (Save checks being made...)

Borimer:  Miss.  Stunned with fear for 1 round. (Cannot attack in round 2.)
Flint:  Sucess. No effect.
Harak:  Success. No effect.
Kahan:  Miss. Stunned with fear for 2 rounds.  (Cannot attack in rounds 2 or 3.)
Malissin: Miss. Stunned with fear for 2 rounds.  (Cannot attack in rounds 2 or 3.)
Naj: Miss.  Stunned with fear for 4 rounds.  (Cannot attack until Round 5.)
Chrisman: Miss.  Stunned with fear for 2 rounds.  (Cannot attack in rounds 2 or 3.)
Edmure:  Immune due to blindness.

Borimer nearly drops his sword out of abject terror at the appearance of the apparition.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Flint moves behind Kahan and Grizz to B3 and then lets loose a lightning bolt to go through both creatures and into the far room so it won't rebound on any of them.

Harak, after a quick apologetic glance at Malissin, lands a vicious strike on the creature.

ROUND 2

EFFECTS:

Loud scream is continuing.  It affects everyone because it is so loud that you cannot speak or communicate with sound.

Borimer:  Stunned from fear.
Flint: No effects.
Harak: No effects.
Kahan: Stunned from fear through round 3.
Malissin: Deaf through round 3. Stunned from fear through round 3.
Naj: Deaf through round 4. Stunned from fear through round 5.


NPCs:
Chrisman: Deaf through round 4.  Stunned with fear through round 3.
Edmure:  Deaf through round 5. (No effect from gaze because he has no eyes.)

ACTIONS:

Flint Sidesteps to get in good position as he begins casting.  A lightning bolt flies from him, hitting both undead creatures and then flying into the far room through the open door.

The bonedrinker is hit for 25 hp dmg.  The bonedrinker is still connected/grappled to Grizz's body, and the lightning scorches Grizz's corpse, making it burnt and unable to be raised by the dead.  The bonedrinker shakes in the electricity's flow and falls dead to the ground.

The soul shrieker is hit for 36 dmg from the lightning.

Harak holds back for the lightning and then lands a strike on the soul shrieker.  (16 dmg, critical hit, creature's scream is interrupted, as is its attack this round, which is lost due to the monk's nimble hit.)'

As if on cue from the scream, the northern door opens just a fraction, and a silvery familiar ball rolls out and into the room.  You remember Esylia's exploding orbs all too well as it rolls toward the center of the room, followed immediately by the door slamming shut.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:06, Wed 01 Aug 2012.

Harak moves at his highest speed away from the ball and through a doorway if possible.

Kahan is too in shock to even notice the ball rolling in, blinking his eyes as he stares at the apparition in front of them.

Flint runs and attempts to kick the orb out the nearest open door, closing the door if he has time.

So I guess Borimer is the only other person who can move in Round 3.

Borimer sees Flint kicking the silver ball and turns to charge the soul shrieker, swinging the ebony artifact in three quick slashes.

OOC: I just did the AC conversion.  This deathshrieker is more powerful than I thought when I first included it, but I think you can handle it.  Its effective armor class is -8 ahd 135 hp.  Now I see why it strikes terror in your hearts.  Be creative.

ROUND 3

EFFECTS:
Fear and scream effects:
 
Borimer:  No effects. (Fear Stun is over.)
 Flint: No effects.
 Harak: No effects.
 Kahan: Stunned from fear through this round.
 Malissin: Deaf through this round. Stunned from fear through this round.
 Naj: Deaf through round 4. Stunned from fear through round 5.

NPCs:
 Chrisman: Deaf through round 4.  Stunned with fear through this round.
 Edmure:  Deaf through round 5. (No effect from gaze because he has no eyes.)

ENEMY:
AC=-8
HP=75/135
Special:
--Despair (terror stun upon sight)
--Scream of the dying (deafness)
--?
--?


ACTIONS:

Flint kicks the exploding ball.  It hits the bottom, semi-corporeal part of the flying deathshrieker, then rolls behind it to the stairs, where it explodes.  The deathshrieker, with partial cover, takes half damage.  (7 hp.)

Borimer rushes the deathshrieker, swinging three times with Chianta but missing.

The deathshrieker reaches out to attack Borimer with its incorporeal touch...but misses.

Harak moves out of the room to the south to avoid the explosion of the ball.

[Malissin and Kahan can move again; Naj is still stunned next round.]

Chrisman:

Coming out of his stunned terror at the abject horrific sight of this undead shrieker, Chrisman shakes his head, stands up as straight as he can despite his bad leg, wobbles as he walks over into position, and waves the wand of frost at the deathshrieker so it will emit a cone of frost that will miss Borimer and get the creature before anyone steps in front of him.  White crystalline motes spray forth from the wand in a cone with a 60- foot length and a terminal diameter of 20 feet.

Assuming Borimer moves to C1, Chrisman moves to C2 to avoid any collateral damage from the cone as it sprays into the far room.

"The initiative modifier is +2, and the effect lasts just one second. The temperature is -100 degrees F., and damage is 6d6, treating all 1s rolled as 2s(6d6, 12-36). The cost is two charges per use. Saving throw vs. wands is applicable.

This message was lightly edited by the GM at 18:15, Fri 03 Aug 2012.

Harak, hearing the explosion, charges back into the room to attack the deathshrieker.

Kahan, being shaken out of his terror by the sound of the explosion, moves forward after the ice storm and attempts to flank the deathshrieker, bringing his anti-undead mace to bear upon the banshee of an apparition.

OOC: For the mace of disruption, the deathshrieker will be treated as a lich for purposes of destruction (80% avoidance) but still gets 5d4 damage as an evil creature if hit (rather than 2d6 +4, which is ambiguous in the rules).

Borimer moves [to C1] out of Crisman's escape route and closes with the Deathshrieker again, Chianta only a blur around his body.

Flint decides to stand back and fire some more magic missiles at the creature while the others move in close.

ROUND 3
Borimer swings once, hitting the deathshrieker.  (16 dmg.)

Kahan, Flint, and Harak move into place.  Naj is still stunned.

Chrisman fires a cone of cold, which directly strikes the deathshrieker, making it glow blue for a moment.  (26 dmg.)

Flint fires magic missiles at the deathshrieker, hitting it. (9 hp dmg.)

The deathshrieker swings back at Borimer.  (Natural 20. Critical hit.) Borimer is stunned by the cold, ethereal hand swinging through him.  (Stun.  6 hp dmg.)  He also feels the energy drains of the creature's vile touch.  (Lose 2400 experience points; lose 3 Charisma (for 1 day).)

Borimer is stunned through Round 4.


Harak swings but is unable to connect.  Malissin likewise misses.

Kahan swings his mace of disruption, hitting the deathshrieker.  (14 hp dmg.)

The deathshrieker lets out a mind numbing wail as it is destroyed by the mace of disruption.  (Roll of 98, missing its save against destruction.)

But as it is destroyed, the deathshrieker does not leave you without one parting gift.  A shriek escapes its incorporeal body, a death rattle that sends a chill through your bones.

OOC:  The "death rattle" scream of a deathshrieker is supposed to lower your levels, but as usual, I treat this drain effect as an experience point drain instead.  It is charisma based for the save:



Borimer: Fail.  Lose 1817 xp.
Flint: Fail. Lose 1630 xp.
Harak: Sucess. No effect.
Kahan: Success. No effect.
Malissin: Fail. Lose 1520 xp.
Naj: Success. No effect.

DO NOT TAKE OUT ANY XP FROM YOUR CHARACTER.  I WILL SIMPLY SUBTRACT THESE AMOUNTS FROM THE XP GAINED WHEN I DOLE OUT XP, WHICH WILL BE SHORTLY.


Final knowledge gained:

ENEMY:
Deathshrieker (Undead)
 AC=-8
 HP=135
 Special:
 --Despair (terror stun upon sight)
 --Scream of the dying (deafness)
 --Charisma/XP drain/stun +1d10 dmg (with attack)
 --Death Rattle (XP drain) when killed


As an afternote on this, had a spellcaster cast a "silence" spell, it has the dual effects of preventing the sound-based attacks from taking effect, and it causes 1d10 hp dmg per round that the deathshrieker is within the silence.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:53, Mon 06 Aug 2012.

Borimer is still too stunned to talk or make actions, thus he stands with sword raised and shield ready.  Nothing happens.

He shakes it off and checks the doors before sheathing Chianta.

is it possible to restore lost xp's the same way lost levels are restored?

OOC: What ways are you talking about?

Kahan quickly puts his mace away as soon as the deathshrieker was vanquished, leaning down to inspect the fallen warrior. Realizing his body was too badly decimated to be restored to life, he heaves a sad sigh and pulls the fisherman's eyelids closed before reaching into his shirt for his holy symbol. "May the gods grant you everlasting happiness in the afterlife, my friend." he states quietly after a short prayer. Getting up, he looks around the room to see if anyone was badly injured in the fight, asking if anyone required healing.

restoration, limited wish and wish are the usual methods that i'm aware of.   the last two are worth too much to spend on the small amount of xps, but depending on the circumstances a restoration can be affordable (scroll, owed favor, etc).  i have borimer's previous xp losses marked down as well, and have wondered if he can get them back at some point.

The problem with restoration, as I recall, is that it restores you to the level but only at the beginning of the experience level, so you would still have lost some amount of xp.  Wishes certainly would be fine, if you had some.

I'm willing to think something out, but in the end, it's part of the danger of the game that makes it real if you can't just fix everything the moment after battle.  I think Borimer more than makes up for any lost xp by being so proactive in the game. He typically gets the most xp awarded to him, along with Adaran (formerly) and Kahan.

i agree, i hadn't wanted something at this time, just had been wondering if it was possible. so far it's less than 10k xps total and not worth too much effort.

I'd figure out some effect for a restoration spell; just not sure what it'd be yet.  Maybe half of the xp recovered or more likely, roll a percentage to see how much you get back.

"We should deal with what is behind that door sooner rather than later," Harak suggests, indicating the door the grenade was rolled from.

"Let's kill this thing once and for all."

Borimer moves to the north door.  When everyone is ready he kicks it open, careful to keep his eyes averted from anything's gaze.

Passing out XP:


These are not adjusted for xp bonus if you get such, but they are adjusted for xp drain from the deathshrieker.

Please edit your own character sheets with respect to XP, and list the last date that you edited xp when you do so.  This helps me keep track when compared with my records.