So the group beds down, divided between the Glassworks (Zer, Talis and Tanrov) and Cathedral (Cat and Glum).  Tanrov is sold a polearm from the town guard.  (pick one Tanrov)

   The night passes quietly, but does not end that way.  Early in the morning the folks at the Glassworks are woken up by a scream from outside.  Rushing outside they find a woman screaming at a mutilated body spread out (with the familiar rune) in front of the window to the room Zer had spent the night in.  Written in blood on the wall is, "How many more must die Zer-wedula?"

    A brief investigation shows he died in the same manner as the others with the same rune inscribed on his chest.  He was a single Varisian man, known for shaking down merchants and probably involved in several robberies, an experienced thug.  The Sheriff will inform you that apparently Banny Harker was skimming the books at the mill.  Greed is definitely the connection.  None of the guards heard or saw anything and Hosk tracks the footprints back to the river.

Talia quips, "Zer, I think your friend is getting impatient."  He is concerned at first about whether the man had a family who might have been killed, but is relieved when it turns out there wasn't.  "We dodged that issue, this is 1 greedy person I don't mind seeing dead."  He gets a far away look in his eye for just a second, then shrugs it off, "While there are several greedy people I wouldn't mourn for, we can't take the chance he might start another ghoul farm or kill other innocents.  We need to finish this ASAP."

Talis wants to leave for the Misgivings at the first opportunity.

"If I wait long enough," Zer-wedula muses, "Only the killer and I will be left."

The Misgivings is the home of Aldern Foxglove, the noble you rescued from the goblins.
-Foxglove Manor is 80 years old, and has been the seat of the Foxglove family the whole time. Some sort of tragedy struck the family a few decades ago, and no one’s lived there since. Common rumor holds that the place is haunted.
- Foxglove Manor is known as the “Misgivings” by some locals, particularly the Varisians. It certainly has a bad reputation, sightings of strange lights in the attic windows, muffled sounds of screaming from above and below, and even rumors of a huge bat-winged devil living in caves below the manor are but a few of the tales told about the place. The Foxglove family lived there as recently as two decades ago, but then a fire burned down the servant’s building, Cyralie Foxglove was found dead, burnt and dashed on the rocks below the cliffs behind the house and Traver Foxglove was found in his bedroom, dead by his own hand. The children, including young Aldern Foxglove, were sent away to be raised in Korvosa by distant relations.
- Aldern Foxglove recently returned to live in the manor, but he had a hell of a time hiring locals to aid him in the reconstruction and repair of the old building. Until Aldern moved back in, the place was cared for by a man named Rogors Craesby who came in three days a week from Sandpoint to air the place out, check for squatters, and make minor repairs.
- Foxglove Manor was built by Vorel Foxglove(80 years ago), a merchant prince from Magnimar. He and his family lived there for 20 years before the entire family perished from disease. The surviving Foxgloves of Magnimar shunned the place for 40 years, until Traver Foxglove moved back in.

Aldern Foxglove;
-15 years ago, his father killed his mother in the house, and then committed suicide, leaving behind Aldern and his older sister.  They were sent to live in Korvosa with relatives.  About a year ago, Aldern returned to Magnimar a rich, popular and successful merchant.  He reestablished his claim to the mansion and started the rebuilding process.  In the spring (about 8 months ago), Aldern met and married a beautiful Varisian girl named Iesha after a hasty (1 week) courtship.  This to the dismay of several of Magnimar’s daughters.  There were rumors of jealousy and paranoia, but nothing specific.  She is (supposedly) away visiting friends in distant Absalom (some say she left him).  Work on restoring the manor has come to a break while he awaited more funds to pay for the final stages of the restoration.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:04, Mon 21 June 2010.

Glum prayed hard, that morning and came out of his meditations "loaded for bear".  He had a bad feeling about the day to come and was uncharacteristically glum as the group made its preparations.

Don't forget to update your spell lists in the spells thread, thank you.

To save time, I am going to run 2 scenes at the same time, feel free to respond to both.
Scene 1
Everyone has responded and are assumed to be present
   The body is quickly cleaned up, but word has already spread and, despite the morning dampness and chill, a small crowd gathers.  When Zer-wedula is seen he finds people staring at him and muttering to each other.  There is a sudden bellow from down the street, "YOU, you killed my Katrine...sob...I'm going to kill you with my bare hands."  Ven Vinder is running down the street toward Zer-wedula, face contorted into a blood thirsty rage, fists clenched (he does have a reputation of anger issues and being VERY good with his fists).  As Ven runs by Talis, Talis almost casually sticks a leg out and trips him.  Thud, Ven hits the wet ground and several guards grab him.


Scene 2
   It is still early morning as the group leaves Sandpoint, the sky is gray and threatening.  The sky reflects the mood of the town.  Zer-wedula in particular recieves many fearful glances.
   You stop by the farm to return the wagon and the farmer greets you but has nothing to report.  He asks fearfully, "When will it be over?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:25, Tue 22 June 2010.

Scene 1
Talis says in a casual tone, "You can break Zer's nose later, good master Vinder.  I need him now to kill a ghoul lord.  You can deal with him later", with a wink and nod to Zer.

Scene 2
A grim Talis says, "Hopefully tonight.  Otherwise, next time you see me you should run, because I will be a ghoul.  Stay inside and keep your family safe and pray to the gods for us."

Well, everyone has logged on since my last post, and I can but assume you have looked at the scenes and have chosen not to respond.  So onward...

Scene 1
   The guards pick Ven up from the ground even as he struggles to break free.  The man is obviously mad with grief.  "You brought this killer here...sob...", the rest is lost in his sobs.

Scene 2
   The group continues on as the clouds gather and the rain starts to fall off and on in a dreadful fall day.  The wind seems to say, "goooo baaack", but that must be your imagination.
   The route leading out to Foxglove Manor is a three-mile hike along a narrow path that follows the Foxglove river from the covered bridge where it flows under the Lost Coast Road to the dark sea cliffs overlooking the Varisian Gulf. Here, wild sea birds call out to a roaring ocean that churns hundreds of feet below.
   As you near Foxglove Manor, it almost seems as if nature herself becomes sick and twisted (Cat even begins to have trouble with Garious). Nettles and thorns grow more prominent, trees are leafless and bent, and the wind seems unnaturally cold and shrill as it whistles through the cliffside crags. The path slowly rises, turns a steep corner in the cliffs, and then Foxglove Manor looms at the edge of the world.
   The strangely cold sea wind rises to a keening shriek as Foxglove Manor comes into view. The place has earned its local nickname of the “Misgivings” well, for it almost appears to loathe its perch high above the ocean, as if the entire house were poised for a suicide leap. The roof sags in many places, and mold and mildew cake the crumbling walls.   Vines of diseased-looking gray wisteria strangle the structure in several places, hanging down over the precipitous cliff edge almost like tangled braids of hair. The house is crooked, its gables angling sharply and breached in at least three places, hastily repaired by planks of sodden wood. Chimneys rise from various points among the rooftops, leaning like old men in a storm, and grinning gargoyle faces leer from under the eaves. That the manor clings to the cliff is remarkable, as the whole far side is nothing more than a sheer drop down to the ocean below, a fall of over three hundred feet. Out front, the foundation stones of a long burnt outbuilding stand sentinel astride the weed-choked approach; a low stone well squats morosely amid these ruins.
   The place looks decayed and old.  Grime and mold encrust the windows which will make it difficult if not impossible to look inside.  Most seem to have curtains drawn anyway.  It is 3 stories tall, though the top story is probably considered an attic.  It’s impossible to tell how many floors the outbuilding hat stood here once had, for all that remains are the crumbling stones of its foundation.  The stones still bear scorches and cracks from the fire that destroyed the building long ago. To the east, a four-foot-wide stone well sits, partially collapsed, in the corner of the ruins.


what do you do?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:59, Tue 29 June 2010.

Scene 2
Talis looks at the uninviting place, "I have seen friendlier jails, not that I have been in any.  So, go in through a window or 1 of the doors?  We seem to have a key.  Or maybe one of or spellcasters has a better idea."

Scene one, I will feel sorry for Ven.

Scene two, Tanrov is going to complain pretty much the whole way, it's the kid in him, he's just not used to big walks.  He states, "We're going in there" again the kid in him because of fright will say, "not me, you can't make me go in there"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:43, Wed 23 June 2010.

Glum sighs.  "We have to go in there... unless the place is struck by lightning and burns to the ground in the next few minutes.  I suppose I ought to pray for a miracle."

Not sure if Cat is scene 1

DM:yes, I said everyone was present

scene 2
Cat is tired. Sleeping in the cathedral wasn't fully restful for her and wrestling Gae has been hard. She looks about, "Shall we knock?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:19, Fri 25 June 2010.

Scene 1
...I was hoping for a little more roleplaying and character development...


Scene 2
   The group heads to the front door, disturbing a few sickly looking ravens are perched atop the foundation stones; they fly clumsily away.  The front door has a good lock (dc 30), but you don't have to worry about it because the key you got from the Rogers ghoul on the Hambley farm fits perfectly.  With a >click<, the lock opens and, with a deep breath, you open the door.
   The sound of the house straining and creaking gives this long, highceilinged room an additional sense of age and decay. The place smells damp, the unpleasant tinge of mold lacing the air as surely as it stains the wooden floor, walls, and furniture in pallid patches. A curving flight of stairs to the south winds up to the upper floor, while a pair of large stone fireplaces brood to the north and south. Heavy dark-blue curtains hang over the windows, and the frames above each
of the two doors are carved with dancing gargoyles and skeletons.  Trophies hang on the wall to the northeast: a boar, a bear, a firepelt cougar, and a stag, their glassy eyes staring from fur crusted with mold and cobwebs, yet they pale in comparison to the monster on display in the center of the room. Here crouches a twelve-foot-long creature with the body of a lion, a scorpion’s tail fitted with dozens of razor barbs, huge bat-like wings, and a deformed humanoid face.  The stuffed beast’s poorly maintained fur has fallen away in places, allowing the sawdust filling it to sift out into tiny mounds on the platform below.
[Private to Zer-wedula: Zer identifies it as a Manticore]
   A 15' hall leads to apparently a dining room with large stained glass windows.  The large amount of glass, not to mention stained glass, speaks of the wealth the Foxglove family had.  It's hard for the humans to see in the dim light (grime/moldy windows, curtains and heavy overcast).  You wonder, just how far along Aldern got with his repairs, the outside and this room don't look like they have been worked on in decades.
[Private to Glum: For just a moment Glum thinks he smells burning hair and flesh.  But a quick look around shows no smoke... he must have imagined it.]
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov: You hear what sounds like a brief set of sobs coming from somewhere upstairs.  It's very faint, maybe it was the house settling.]

what do you do?
-north door
-south door
-stairs
-explore the room
-hallway
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:59, Tue 29 June 2010.

Talis moves over and carefully opens the curtains with his polearm, "Let's get some light in this place."  As a general rule, Talis will open all the curtains when he first enters a room (unless there are more vital concerns).

Glum sniffs.  "Does anyone smell that?" he asks as he looks around the room.  He begins, carefully, to explore the room.

DM:Everyone smells mold and decay.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Mon 28 June 2010.

scene 1 (OOC sorry my oops)

Cat goes to  the man, "Please sir, don't blame Zer. We believe this murder has been here for years. May even be responsible for some of the old murders before the Time of Troubles. But we must investigate."

scene 2

Cat holds up a hand, "Shhhhh. Hear that?" She doesn't say what she heard as she points upwards and rushes towards the stairs, "Come on ... Hurry." Not again ...


Yes, Cat's stretching there in scene 1. There are things I think I remember from early on in the game.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:33, Mon 28 June 2010.

Talis opens 1 curtain and then follows Cat, "Slow down little sister, you don't want to go anywhere in this house alone."

"Hey I hear sobbing from somewhere on the second floor," states Tanrov before he investigates the room and continuing the war between the kid in him that is overly scared of this place and the adult in him that just walked into this place without a care in the world.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:29, Mon 28 June 2010.

Scene 1
Ven focuses on Cat, "But the killer is writing to that halfelf bastard."  As he is led away by the guard (to spend more time in a cell) he yells at Zer, "This isn't over, my Katrine will be avenged."


Scene 2
I am going to assume the party is going to stay together, if you want to split up, please specify that in your post...
Who has what light out, if no one specifies then I will assume you are just using the light from the outside, which in places will be completely inadequate for everyone but Glum and his darkvision.
   The group heads heads upstairs following Tanrov and Cat.  The stairs creak, but seem strong enough.  Cobwebs (ordinary spiders), mold and neglect are evident on the next floor as well.  At the top of the stairs is a window and Talis carefully pulls back the curtains, providing a little illumination.  The stairs lead to a hallway with 6 doors.  The smell of mold and decay is just as strong here.  The floor creaks as you walk on it and the far away sound of the water crashing on the cliffs far below are the only sounds.


pick a door or continue down the hallway?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:58, Tue 29 June 2010.

"Let's be systematic", said Glum, "And follow on to the end of the hallway then work backwards till we're outside."

"I like being systematic", say Tanrov as he gets lights his Eternal torch in order to see better.

DM:I will assume everybody has at least 1 Eternal torch (borrowed), and if you wish to carry them around, regular torchs.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:02, Tue 29 June 2010.

Seeing Tanrov get his light out, Talis says, "Lead on."

The group turns the corner and finds that the hall ends in 2 doors.  Picking one, you open the door to find what was a bedroom.  This once-fine chamber has been destroyed. The bed is smashed, mattress torn apart, walls gouged as if by knives, chairs hacked apart, and paintings on the walls torn to pieces—with one exception. A portrait hanging on the northwest wall seems to be untouched, although it hangs backward, its unseen subject facing the wall.  The furnishings are newer, and not as old/decayed as the rest of the place.  Talis enters and opens the curtain.

Explore the room
Other door at end of hallway
other doors
downstairs
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:32, Tue 29 June 2010.

Looks around the room and resists the urge to say, "Olly, olly oxen free, come out, come out wherever you are".

DM: All you see (other than what I posted) is that the ravens who flew off on your approach have returned to a tree outside.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:51, Tue 29 June 2010.

Cat heads towards the turned portrait. "Odd. Also, the crying seems to have stopped. Wonder if it was crying or just the house?"

Glum looks around the room at everything other than the turned portrait that Cat is investigating.  He examines the remains of furniture with the tip of his staff, sifting as carefully as he can.

Next time you post, please tell me what you have out.

On closer examination you confirm that almost all of this furniture is new, and what isn't new was repaired prior to being destroyed.  Even the door to this room has been repaired.  As she turns the portrait around, it is obvious it is also of recent manufacture.  The portrait reveals a beautiful dark-haired woman in a thoughtful pose.  Both Talis and Zer-wedula gasp.  The woman is pretty, but their reaction seems...odd.  As she turns around Cat seems to be caught up in some internal struggle as she grips her weapon so tight that her knuckles turn white.  As you all look for a threat or seek to find out what is wrong, she relaxes.
[Private to Zer-wedula: Upon seeing the portrait you experience a sudden inexplicable wave of sadness.  It sweeps over you in an instant, and is gone just as fast.]
[Private to Talis Revain: Upon seeing the portrait you experience a sudden inexplicable wave of fear.  It sweeps over you in an instant, and is gone just as fast.]
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: As Cat turns to ask the boys about their reactions, she hears a woman’s shrill voice say "What are you up to down in the damp below?”; for several seconds you feel this intense anger against woman and feel a desire to hurt the nearest one, which happens to be yourself.  But you will is strong and you fight this feeling off. (You made your will save)]

Glum, still with his staff in hand, begins tapping on the walls, seeking hollow places.  He doesn't do it long though and suggests, "Shall we move on to the next room?"

Talis looks at the portrait and considers it's age, "Iesha I presume.  Cat what happened?  I felt a momentary touch of fear."  When finished discussing, move on to the next room.

sword, light, force shield

Cat has a spear in her right hand and unlit sun rod in her shield, left hand. She backs away from the picture. "She wanted to know what were doing 'down there'. And there was a rush of anger against women, so me." She is all for moving on. Maybe talking later.

You open the other door at the end of the hallway and find stairs going up to the attic.  That would have been a long way to hear sobbing, and through a closed door.  Do you want to check upstairs or another door on this level.

Glum sighed... "I suppose we'd better go up there first."

   Following Glum's advice to "follow on to the end of the hallway then work backwards till we're outside" you move up the creaky stairs.  At a landing Talis opens the curtains on another moldy window, letting in a little more light.  The attic appears as decayed as the rest of the place, with mold seemingly everywhere in strangely unsettling patterns, ceilings that sag, plaster heaves, and timber rot.  The air has a pervasive smell of decaying wood and mold, the periodic groaning of the house’s joists reacting to unaccustomed movement within, give an air of ancient neglect.  Passing a door, you turn a corner, passing more doors you turn another corner and see the end of the hallway at the other side of the house ending in a window and 2 doors, left and right.  After Talis opens the curtain, (the window has a great view of the ocean and coast, or would if it wasn't so dirty) you check the doors.  There is nothing that differentiates them, so you randomly pick one and open it.  This door is wedged shut by dampness and rot, requiring a DC 14 Strength check to open and it takes someone a couple of tries to open.
    Although this chamber is cluttered, it seems to have remained undamaged, avoiding the decay and vandalism present in other rooms.  Shelves of books line the walls, interspaced with curious objects such as skulls fitted with stubs of candles, tribal fetishes, and decorative scroll cases. An empty birdcage lies near the southern wall beside a small desk and a fine leather chair. Statues and sculptures grin outward from all corners of the room.  There is a painting of a vast crowd that leers and cheers a bullfighter on, the huge bull aurochs towering
over him.
   Talis moves over and opens the curtain of the rooms single window, taking a moment to look outside.
Search?
[Private to Talis Revain: More ravens have arrived, but they're only birds and no threat to people.]
[Private to Tanrov: As you approach the room to peek inside, you hear the sound of pages rustling, as if a book were being read rapidly inside the room.  Looking inside you don't see anybody with a book, but then you "remember" dozens of memories of expeditions, sea voyages, and travels to exotic locales.  They race through his mind, remnants of "your" journeys before "you" settled down here in Varisia. As the memories build momentum, they become increasingly infused with a sense of bitter disappointment and regret, and "you" become increasingly aware that these are memories that never were, memories of fantastic discoveries "you" could have made had "you" not chosen to settle down with a shrill harpy of a wife.

The overwhelming sense of depression and loss cause you to lose 1 wis.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:58, Fri 02 July 2010.

Talis will search the room, "I find it interesting this room is significantly less decayed."

Glum had a nasty feeling about this room. Why was it not rotted.  He took two steps into the room and looked around at all the objects in the room and the layout of the room itself.  Could he be in the presence of a shrine to somethign evil, he wondered.

23:04, Today: Glum rolled 13 using 1d20+7. Know Religion (could this be a shrine).

"Hey Guys, I,m getting really depressed and lost right now.  I'm getting the feeling that there was someone up here just a few minutes ago or in the past looking through some books and memories of sea voyages and such if he hadn't settled down with a harpy of a wife.  In other words, guys one of the Foxglove men was in here."  "I don't think it was Aldern"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:20, Sun 04 July 2010.

   The oddments include several dozen curious tribal fetishes and masks, but the most impressive piece is an old painting of a bullfight. The painting bears a plaque that reads “Throwdown in Swynetown,” and in the painting, vast crowds leer and cheer the bullfighter on, the huge bull aurochs towering over him, its cruel forward-jutting horns each the length of a spear. Dozens of bodies lie in the streets—the aurochs has clearly rampaged through them already, and although a score of brightly colored spears jut from the creature’s flanks and back, it still rages on.  This painting is, in fact, an original work by renowned Magnimarian artist Andosalu and seems to have escaped major damage, easily worth several hundred gp.
   The initial assessment that the room was undamaged wasn't entirely correct.  The damage is subtle, mold and dampness are the major problems.  Analysis (the painting and books) indicates this room was used about 15 years ago, so it was probably used by Traver Foxglove, Aldern's father.  It does not appear to have been disturbed since that time (ie; Aldern has apparently not cleaned since he returned.)
   The books and Pathfinder Chronicles are mostly on tribal cultures and history (most of it local and relating to the Shoanti tribes), along with numerous maps of mysterious realms and ship charts. Closer examination reveals subtle mold damage so none of the books are particularly valuable. The scroll cases contain more maps, along with two arcane scrolls.  The spells appear fairly complex, 2nd or 3rd level spells, or maybe a simple 4th level.
   Other than the painting and scrolls, nothing else of value remains in the room, most of the curios are junk, probably with sentimental value to someone who died 16 (or so) years ago.
   Moving on to the right door, like the door on the left, it too has not been opened for many years.  After some effort, the door opens onto a storage room with 20 year old furniture and such.  The decay and mold is just as prevalent in this room as elsewhere.  Over in 1 corner a space has been cleared and there are a few dolls scattered around.  It looks like a pair of girls might have been playing house.  As Zer-wedula looks in the room, a sudden gasp of breath indicates another haunting.
[Private to Zer-wedula: When you see this room you hear the sounds of a child sobbing and suddenly becomes convinced that your parents are trying to kill each other, and that whichever of them survives will be coming to kill him next; you have a vision of your mother(red haired - not Iesha), wielding a torch, and his father(not Aldern), festering with tumors and wielding a long knife, both struggling to kill each other. The vision passes as fast as it occurs, but the mind-numbing terror of the sight causes you to loose 1 wis.]

"I don't like this place did I forget to mention this fact."  States Tanrov/Garth matter of factly.

Talis says with a shaky voice as he moves to open the curtains, "You can say that again Tanrov," wondering when he will be next.  He will search the room.

DM: Nothing else of interest or value in the room.  The furniture and toys used to be nice, again highlighting the fact that the Foxgloves are/were(?) rich.  But after 15 years of mold and decay...not worth moving.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:59, Mon 05 July 2010.

Zer-wedula puts his weapon away so he can look at the arcane scrolls.  He also clumsily clutches his wand of shocking grasp.

"There is something evil here, friends, and that is rarely found up where the sun can reach.  I think we must head down and down to see who or what lurks in the cellars."

DM: using Read Magic, Zer determines the spells are lightning bolt and keen edge, both at 5th caster level.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:46, Mon 05 July 2010.

Until a majority says, "do something else", I will continue to go room to room...so far Zer=head downstairs.  I should note, monster locations HAVE been changed.  Who knows who is where...

Still following Glums advice, the group goes to the next door, which Talis manages to open in 1 try.  A desk and a chair sit in the middle of this drafty room. Chimneys rise to the west, while to the east, two intricate stained-glass windows are set into the wall. The northern window depicts a dark-haired woman with pale skin, large green eyes, and a black-and-red gown; with both hands she wields a jagged iron staff. The southern window has been broken on its lower half and patched with canvas; what remains of its upper half depicts a handsome man dressed in regal finery and a crown of ivory and jade. Small scorch marks mar the wood near the broken window. A battered and ruined telescope lies on its side near the desk and a large trapdoor in the roof has been tied shut by several lengths of rope.
   These windows have no curtains, but do block the view of the beautiful ocean vista with stained glass.  You enter to make sure nothing and no one is hiding in this room.

[Private to Glum: Again, you notice the sudden stink of burning flesh.  What do you do?]

Cat goes over to Tanov, "None of us like it here, This place is ,... wrong on many accounts. But we really need to find out what Foxglove's connections to the murders and the undead are." She yells out, "Zer, get back here!"

Quickly searching the room, Talis responds to Zer, "Bottom, top, does it really matter, he could be anywhere, this is his home.  No wonder he went insane, living here though."  Talis will follow where the majority want to go.

Glum growls.  "I smell burning flesh", he says, brandishing his holy symbol.  "There is evil in this place".

"Since Zer is downstairs shouldn't we follow just so we don't have to fight a Zer-ghoul later." says Tanrov resignedly and brandishing his scimitar and shield.

DM: Zer is NOT downstairs, he wants to go down stairs instead of investigating the rooms as you go. 
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:27, Tue 06 July 2010.

Glum went toward the trapdoor, saying, "Perhaps more sunlight would help  Why has so much effort been made to keep this closed?"  He takes a look at how the trapdoor is secured, how many ropes, what sort of knots and so on.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:37, Tue 06 July 2010.

   The trapdoor in the roof could once be raised and lowered, exposing a slice of the sky for observation, but the pulley system has long since fallen apart. The trap door can now be opened only with brute Strength, and it looks pretty heavy and rusty. The broken telescope on the floor was once a magnificent piece of equipment but is now beyond repair.
[Private to Glum: You suddenly feel uncomfortably hot and believe you have  suddenly caught on fire, you can see and feel it all over you, and that the only way to put the flames out before you burn to death is to throw yourself through the unbroken window and, hopefully, into the sea below. The compulsion is so strong, only your strong will power and training allow your to overcome it.]
   Glum stops and starts to writhe in pain, as if his whole body was covered in something painful (and since he just mentioned burning), like he was on fire...but the rest of you see nothing.  He starts to take a step toward the window, but then a look of concentration comes over him and you can hear him repeating a mantra.  The event passes and Glum is once again in control of himself.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:35, Tue 06 July 2010.

Tanrov/Garth wonders out loud, "What would happen to this place if we just left and burnt this place down to the ground.  Would that work on the EVILNESS OF THIS PLACE."

Concerned, Talis says, "Well there's something keeping this place up and it doesn't look like the integrity of the walls.  I take it, there is more going here then meets the eye.  What did you see Glum?  We saw nothing."

He wants to continue searching room to room, we don't want to miss something.

"Room by room, and breath by breath we die," Zer-wedula mutters to himself.  He puts his equipment away and takes Willi out, slowly stroking the weasel as he follows the group.

"I was... am on fire." hissed Glum through gritted teeth.  "It wants me to jump out of the window".  He snarls and adds, "I suggest we go and come back with an army of priests to consecrate the whole damned area to good."

[Private to GM: Glum thinks, that if he got some warning, he could try to dispel the hauntings with a undead turnings/application of positive energy.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:16, Wed 07 July 2010.

So far it is still 2 votes for room-by-room, 1 vote for skipping

   Glum realizes, most clerics wouldn't stand a chance in this place (as most are lower level than you), and by the time you found and recruited a sufficent army, Aldern would have started another ghoul farm and more innocents would be dead.  Pressing on, the next room has a ceiling that angles down steeply, leaving only four feet of headroom to the southeast. A low cot and a dresser are the room’s only furnishings.  Probably a servants room.  You see a couple of rats (normal sized) scurry off into hiding.  At first glance you ignore them, but then...those rats didn't look right.  Their fur was patchy and there was too much skin.
   As you continue on, you see more rats and confirm your suspicions, the rats are very unhealthy.  The next 4 rooms are storage rooms containing old boxes of stuff, clothes (15-80 years out of date) and such.  At first glance with the general decay and mold around this place, you doubt if anything has survived to be of any value.  The last room (at the top of the stairs) contains a large number of planks of wood, rope, and other repair supplies. The ceiling above sags noticeably; in several areas patches of the sky above are visible. Dozens of ceramic urns and metal pots sit on the floor below to catch leaks, and are all full.  It looks like this room started to be repaired, but they stopped halfway into it.  Glancing out the front window, you see the ravens are still there.  There sure are alot of them.
Do you want to thoroughly search the attic storage rooms?

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: You hear what sounds like a brief set of sobs coming from somewhere downstairs.  It's very faint, maybe it was the house settling.]
[Private to Talis Revain: You hear what sounds like a brief set of sobs coming from somewhere downstairs.  It's very faint, maybe it was the house settling.]
   Heading back to the 2nd floor, the stairs creak alarmingly...but hold.  You get to the next door, which takes a couple of tries to open, and see a washroom.  An iron tub sits in the middle of this room, the floorboards around it sagging with the tub’s weight.

What do you do here?

Cat pauses, looking about, "Good gods, now the sobbing is coming from down stairs." She starts to head on down, then stops. She walks to Glum, "I have a thought. I think the house is playing tricks on us. Making me hear sobbing and feel anger. Making you feel fire. Making Tanrov afraid. Is this possible?"

[Private to Glum: Easily possible with powerful enough magic.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:44, Wed 07 July 2010.

Talis looks at the storage rooms, "Nah, probably worth the time it would take.  Someone want to see if their is any magic?"

Looking out the window, "Hey Cat, is it normal for ravens to gather like that?  Wait, I too heard what sounds like sobs from downstairs."

Looking at the tub, "I don't like the way that floor is sagging, let me check it out?"  Search +8

DM: with help from Tanrov you determine the floor is on the edge of collapse, too much weight and...>boom<.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:46, Wed 07 July 2010.

Glum nodded to Cat... "Yeah, you could do that but it'd take some pretty powerful Juju.  This place is evil.  Let's get out, burn it down and then consecrate the place where it used to be."

DM: The place is obviously magical and evil, such places don't destroy as easy as "burn it down".  Besides, if you do that, do you have any confirmation that Aldern is here and would also be destroyed?
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:03, Thu 08 July 2010.

Actually T/G is afraid because of the kid in him, the reputation of the house location (also the kid) and mainly because he feels over his head in danger (the kid too, he's just not used to this much magic and danger.

So...
Talis - room by room
Glum - leave and burn it down
Tanrov - hide in a corner
Zer - go downstairs


   The next door takes a couple of whacks to open, and you can see why once it is open.  This entire bedroom is caked with a thick, spongy layer of dark green, blue, and black mold, worse than any you have seen so far.

[Private to Glum: You hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?”...what do you do.]
[Private to Tanrov: You hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?” but are unable to act before...]
[Private to Talis Revain: You hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?” but are unable to act before...]
[Private to Zer-wedula: You hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?” but are unable to act before...]
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: You hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?” but are unable to act before...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:35, Thu 08 July 2010.

"Hey guys I'm hearing a child ask, what's on your face, mommy?", States Tanrov bravely.

Zer-wedula prepars to cast Fireball.

Cat turns sharply at the voice. She backs out of the room and its mold. "Glum, normally I'd fully agree with you. But this house holds many secrets, big and small. We must find Foxglove's connection to the ghouls  and the murders. Then burning down might be good." So, on to next room, hoping the voices stop.

"Looks like we all hear it", says Glum, his hand going to his holy symbol as he prepared to do battle against evil.

Haunts;
1- most have a listen and wis roll to see if you are surprised.
2- if you are not surprised, then you roll initiative to see if you can act before the haunt does (it's a "trap"-like event, not a real creature).
3- Then you usually get a save (will usually)

So far, most people have been surprised or lost initiative.  For this Haunt, everyone but Glum either failed their surprise or their initiative roll, except Glum.  That is why he is the only one that can act.  Tanrov could act on the surprise round, but there was no one who could act to stop him.  Talis, with his usual poor initiative acts so late that there are people who might be able to act.
   Just thought I would let you know that there is a process I am using and not just random events.

  As you all feel like there is something on your face that you must get off, and feel a compulsion to claw it off, Glum attempts to use positive energy to dispel the effect...but to no avail.  For a heart beat you feel the compulsion lessen for just a bit and it seems that the mold writhes a bit, but it doesn't last.  Before anybody can do anything, Tanrov is clawing at his face, scratching long gashes (4 hp dam + 1 chr dam) before sitting on the floor weeping, "No mommy, no, help me mommy...."  He stops the scratching and just cries.
[Private to Glum: Glum: turn failure- rolled way to low, you get the impression you had a 50/50 shot at stopping it.  Don't forget to mark off 1 use of turn undead.]
   Both Cat and Glum start to reach for there faces, but their magical training kicks in and they both resist the urge.  Glum's knuckles turn white as he grips his holy symbol and Cat buries her face in Garious' fur.  Garious, while generally upset about the whole place, does not appear to be affected by the haunts, licks her face.  Glancing at Talis and Zer, Zer seems to be fighting the magic, but Talis is dropping his sword and starting to reach for his face with a look of horror.
   Cat and Glum have a chance to help Talis...what do you do?

Glum touches Tanrov with his Holy Symbol and casts AID to help Tanrov (for five minutes Tanrov will have +1 to hit, an additional 13 hit points, and +1 on saves versus fear effects... hopefully, that gives him another attempt to shake off the compulsion.)

DM; The spell does allow Tanrov to feel braver and recover(he is no longer despondent), but he has already scratched his face, so the damage remains.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:30, Sat 10 July 2010.

"Can Garious track down Foxglove by scent, perhaps?" Zer-wedula asks.

DM;Garious might help to alert you if/when he gets close, but it would be difficult to track Aldern down.  This is his home (or was, it's difficult to believe anyone would consider this dump Home), so his scent would be everywhere.  Also, Garious is obviously upset and doesn't like this place.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:17, Sun 11 July 2010.

Cat explains to Zer, "In the best case, we'd need something of his to track him down. But I'm not sure he even lives here." That said, she goes to Tanrov to check on him.

[Private to DM: Most weekends  I'm very busy. I can easily read but not easily post. Sorry.]

  Both Cat and Glum concentrate on Tanrov, leaving Talis to claw his face just like Tanrov did, (doing 4 hp and 2 chr damage).  After clawing for a few seconds, Talis stops.  Both Talis and Tanrov have faces covered with scratches.  Hopefully they won't scar, but no one has enough healing skill to be sure.  You are sure that the fungus/mold reacted to Glum's positive energy.

  This room had once been a bedroom for a halfling, gnome or child from the size of the bed, but since everything in this room is covered in mold, it's hard to say.

"My face hurts", whimpers Tanrov childlike.  Then states adultly, "Damn this Place" as he stands up and tries to forget the memory grabing both sword and shield.  "Glum and Cat go tend to Talis now, I'm fine now."

"The mould is evil" said Glum unnecessarily as he moved toward Talis.  He summoned up positive energy and tried to remove the scarring and any trace of the mould from his wounds.

[OOC: spontaneous casting.... cure minor wounds (1pt healing) in place of one of his light spells]

After being healed a little, Talis will comment while backing into the hallway and closing the door, "Thanks, that felt so real, I could feel the growth of...something on my face.  Perhaps there are clues, what else has everyone experienced."

Let's share what we have seen or heard and try to make sense of it all.

-hear a child’s voice, quivering with fear, ask “What’s on your face, mommy?”, feel like there is something on your face that you must get off.

DM:  The healing helped, and you think it might not scar, but you still aren't sure.  (That would be the heal skill, and the group has very little skill in that area.)
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Tue 13 July 2010.

Cat has a feeling, "Out! Everyone out, now. Into the hall." Cat helps Tanrov out, ready to cast a healing spell. "That room has a ghost or something. I didn't want anyone else harming themselves."

OOC: Note to self: read DM posts more carefully.
Is there a basement or something?

DM; there could be, but basements can't be seen, so you would have to go downstairs to check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Tue 13 July 2010.

"Well, I for one heard a child ask her mother what was on her face, in fear I might add," Zer-wedula muttered.

Glum, following behind the others as they retreat, said, "I heard the same as you Zer-Wedula, and then had the feeling there was something there, but shook it off."

"I also felt very sad when I saw the painting of the lady.  Perhaps the mother became possessed and had to be put down."

Zer-wedula mused for a moment.  "Perhaps we should listen at doors and if we open them only go in if we see someone."

Glum nodded, then added, "Oh yes, and it seemed like a real entity, I felt as if I almost turned it, so a ghost or something else undead and very evil."

"All I heard was a child asking its mommy what was on her face and than felt like I had something on my face and I couldn't get it off."
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:25, Fri 16 July 2010.

Cat sighs, "I wonder who the boy is, A ghost or something else? Same for the sobbing. A person or the house playing games?

Map is updated

   Continuing on after talking about what everybody has seen, You open the door to the cliffside room.  This large room features two padded chairs and a long couch facing a wide alcove lined with stained-glass windows. Several music stands lean against the southern wall next to a violin, two flutes, and a large harp; all three instruments are in poor condition. The windows themselves depict a diverse array of animals and plants—from north to south are a large pale and ghostly scorpion, a gaunt man holding out his arms as a dozen bats hang from him, a moth with a strange skull-like pattern on its wings, a tangle of dull green plants with bell-shaped flowers, and a young maiden sitting astride a well in a forest while a spindly spider the size of a dog descends along a string of webbing above her.  The stained glass, once again obscuring what must be a spectacular view of the ocean.  It is obvious the instruments are useless, from decay and mold.
   Moving on to the other set of double doors, they open into a gallery.  A stone fireplace sits in the northwestern portion of this chamber.  Paintings hang on the walls to the north and south, each covered over with a thick sheet of dusty cobwebs that obscures its subject from view.  Out of curiosity, the cobwebs are wiped away to reveal a portrait of a woman with red hair.  Zer recognizes her as the woman from his vision.  These portraits might help unravel the mystery.
   Wiping away the dusty cobwebs over the paintings reveals them to be portraits of the previous tenants of Foxglove Manor. The three to the north depict Vorel and Kasanda Foxglove and their daughter Lorey. Vorel is a tall, middle-aged man with long dark hair, a clean-shaven face, and dark blue noble’s clothes, while Kasanda is a stern-faced brunette woman with wisps of gray in her short hair and a flowing blue dress. The five to the south show Traver and Cyralie Foxglove, their son Aldern, and their two daughters Sendeli and Zeeva. Traver, like Vorel, is tall and thin, but with an even narrower face and a thin mustache. Cyralie is a young woman with long red hair and an impish smile. Each painting bears a plaque that identifies those pictured within.
   When all of the portraits have their cobwebs cleared away, you look at them.  Various people seem to recognize the figures from their visions, but before you can do much about it, the temperature in the room drops dramatically.  Everyone notices the room growing colder but you only have time for a "Oh, &%$#*..."  Breath frosts in the air and fingers of rime slither across the walls. The figures depicted in the portraits suddenly shift from paintings of living people to those of dead folk. Kasanda and Lorey slump into misshapen tumor-ridden corpses. Traver grows pale as a long cut opens in his throat and blood washes down over his chest. Cyralie blackens and chars, and her arms, legs, and back twist as if broken in dozens of places. Aldern’s flesh darkens with rot, his hair falls out, and he deforms into a ghoullike monster. Both Sendeli and Zeeva’s portraits frost over but otherwise remain unchanged. Vorel’s entire portrait, frame and all, erupts into a sudden explosion of fungus and tumorous growth. This wave of fungus  washes over the entire room, including the party (though oddly, Garious doesn't react to it) in seconds before the room suddenly reverts to normal.
[Private to GM: Failed/infected with Vorel’s Phage Zer and Cat;
but until the disease has a chance to incubate, these symptoms remain invisible to others.]
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Zer-wedula: You notice tiny splotches of mold and tender red bumps on their flesh.]
[Private to Tanrov: You seem drawn to the bedroom, in particular, the desk.]
[Private to Talis Revain; Zer-wedula: You hear a noise outside the room, from behind a closed door.  A loud >Thud<, followed by a short sob.]
   The door to the next room bursts open at the explosion of mold.  The furniture in this bedroom, while dusty and unkempt, does not exhibit any major signs of water or mold damage. The one exception is a dark stain on the desk near the northern window.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:42, Tue 20 July 2010.

"I heard  a noise and  a sobbing I think we should investigate.  Now!" Zer-wedula commands as he heads towards  the door. His hands seem to be picking  at flacks of mold, real or imagined.

DM; No one sees what Zer is picking at.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:52, Wed 21 July 2010.

I go over to the desk and investigate it

Glum looks at the stain, and then at the corners of the room, but he does so from somewhere in the centre.

Talis will follow Zer, "You heard that as well, let's not wander around alone.  Don't stray too far little mother, in this house not even Garious could protect you."

Cat sighs and shakes her head, following Zer, "Zer, it's the house messing with us." She too brushes at her arms, "Mold. Never a good thing."

In the Hallway, there is definitely sobbing behind one of the closed doors.  Garious seems to notice this disturbance from the hallway as well.

In the Bedroom, Tanrov moves over to the desk and picks up a dagger and starts to raise it to his throat.  Only Glum may react to this (as he made his spot check and initiative rolls).

[Private to Glum: You moved in after Tanrov, and looked at the desk as you looked around the room. When you looked back, a shiny dagger sat on the desk in the dim light (not that you care about dim light, having darkvision).  It was not there before, so you are alert when Tanrov picks it up and starts to his throat.  It isn't a big room and has a bed in it, so you are easily within 5' of Tanrov.  What do you DO (...and say, but please DO something).]

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Zer-wedula: The mold doesn't come off.]

Talis moves to unlock the door with the sound behind it.
Open locks +11

"Tanrov!" shouts Glum, "Drop the knife".  And as he shouts, he moves forward to try to wrestle the knife from Tanrov's hand.

23:45, Today: Glum rolled 12 using 1d20+5. Grapple Tanrov.

Glum grabs Tanrov, but can't quite get him in a pin.  Tanrov lashes out with the dagger at Glum, but misses.  As he finishes his swing, Tanrov relaxes, giving Glum time to pin him.  The “dagger” falls to the floor and reverts to its true form—a splintered but very sharp length of wood.

to Tanrov: You shudder and are suddenly overwhelmed with the conviction that you have just killed the person you love most. Overwhelmed with despair, you felt a compulsion to cut your own throat with the silver-handled dagger you kept in the desk, before the voice returned.

Updated the collected information.

[Private to GM: opens door and sees wardrobe open, a crouching sobbing femal hiding her face , full length mirror

Talis- says we are here to put an end to this horror, if you help u, you may know peace.  GRIPPING HIS SWORD WITH HANKS TO Desna.  Thinking, please let it be alive.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:53, Fri 23 July 2010.

Talis says, while picking the lock, "Cat, would you tell them to keep it quite, I'm trying to concentrate".

;)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:06, Thu 22 July 2010.

Cat continues to follow Zer, muttering about mold. She even has her water flask out. She sighs at Gar, Great, the house is even affecting Garious. As she starts to wash her arms, she's distracted by shouts. She turns to see Glum and Tanrov going at it. She rushes forward to get the dagger/splinter, missing Talis' request.

   Tanrov relaxes, the compulsion to slit his own throat, and the dagger to do so, gone.  Looking around the room, the dark stain on the desk is definitely long dried blood.  They have plenty of time to look around, but find nothing else of interest.

   Talis finds the lock difficult to open, but after a couple of minutes, smiles as he hears it >click< open.  This bedroom features a child-sized bed, a chair next to a toy box, and a looming stone fireplace big enough for a child to get lost in.  A full-size mirror in a dark wooden frame of coiling roses leans against these bricks, angled toward the window.  There is a large wardrobe with a busted down door (busted open from the inside.  In front of the wardrobe is a huddled figure, this is where the sobbing is coming from.  Apparently a woman with black hair, you can't see her face as she huddles on the floor between the wardrobe and the mirror.  Garious starts growling, apparently this figure is real.

Talis says, "We are here to put an end to this horror, if you help us, you may know peace."  Gripping his sword, with thanks to Desna, thinking, please let it be alive.

Glum says nothing but grips his holy symbol with a white-knuckled grip as he prays for protection for Talis [ooc cast protection from evil] he waits to see whether this creature is Lorey or one of the sisters, Sendeli or Zeeva.

Zer-wedula readies his wand of shocking grasp.

As everybody waits for something to happen, you hear the sobbing is words, they had been muffled by the door before.  "No...not...me...".  She seems to be hiding her face from the mirror.

"Boy am I glad I didn't slit my throat," Tanrov says shakily.  Tanrov will put a cover or something over the mirror before the female voice can come out of the closet.

"Thanks Glum", goes and leans over the woman and says, "Talk to us so that we can help you."

Situation- Both Talis and Tanrov move into the room.  Zer is in the doorway with Glum behind him.  Cat is in the hallway.

Tanrov takes a moldy blanket from the bed and covers the mirror as Talis talks.  Suddenly, the figure bursts to life, leaping up and knocking the mirror over, shattering it.  She says in a hate filled voice, "Aldern, honey! I can smell your fear! I’ll be in your arms soon!"  It is Iesha Foxglove, Alderns wife, who he said was visiting friends in distant Absalom.  Or rather it was her.  She has a black bruise around her neck and is obviously dead, or rather undead.
[Private to Glum: This is obviously an undead called a Revenant.  Vengeful spirits bent upon the death of those who wronged them, revenants are creatures of pure animated hatred driven by the need to avenge themselves. They seek their enemy always, needing no rest or sleep and never halting until their revenge is fulfilled and they can be at peace.  Aldern murdered his wife.  Such events usually happen in places of great necromantic magic.]

Actions? (her's was to knock over the mirror)
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:17, Tue 27 July 2010.

Talis get's in front of the door, "I think we might have an ally here."  Ready an action to attack if she attacks.  Mutters, "We need to tear this house down.  The only thing keeping it up is the mold."

"Get back, Talis", said Glum.  "She is a revenant.  She shares our goal I suppose, but they don't negotiate.  Don't get close to it."

"Madam, where is Aldern?" Zer-wedula quietly asks.  He readies an action to use his wand on her.

Though she shouldn't be, Cat is surprised to find undead here. Not able to get to the woman, she readies a couple pebbles, doubting answers will be forthcoming.

Tanrov will ready his scimitar for an attack if need be.  Silently praying to Sarenrae to give him strength to deal with all this unnatural stuff going on around him and his friends.  May she grant me the power to overcome the many compulsions that I am/will be facing.

   Iesha stops, smooths her dress in an manner of a woman who is making sure she looks ok.  Even in death, and undeath, the remnants of her beauty, though marred by hate, are clear to see.  She turns her eyes to the party in the doorway.  "You are not my husband", she pauses as her eyes unfocus for a second, "but he is here, downstairs.  Now get out OF MY WAY"  The last is said with such a dreadful purpose and intensity that everyone but Zer-wedula can do nothing but cower in fear.
Wow, it was only a dc16 will save, but only Zer made it.  Only Tanrov and Talis were in a position to attack.  But they were looking for a physical attack, and neither made their spellcraft roll (oddly, both have a rank in spellcraft) to notice this magical attack.
   She starts to stalk out of the room, right past Zer, with a singleness of purpose, clenching and unclenching her fingers.  Her nails look long and dangerous.  With a mad glint in her eye, "Honey, come out, come out wherever you are."

Zer-wedula, do you wish to try and stop her, or let her go?

[Private to Glum: Revenants are very single minded and have an OCD mindset with respect to their killers.  The group is in the only doorway, so she is trying to get out.  You could probably get her to talk, but only while she hunts Aldern down.  I doubt you could get her to stop and have a chat.]

"Get out of her way", said Glum.  "And we will follow.  And may the gods forgive me."

Talis responds to her "husband" comment with a soft voice, "...a fact for which I am eternally thankful, thank you Desna".

As she leaves, in a trembling voice, "Yeah, what Glum says."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:52, Wed 28 July 2010.

As I cower in fear, "We're here to help get Aldern, won't you let us help" but then Sarenrae gives me the strength to get up and get moving.  This is so I can follow her to him in order to slain him.  Finally realizing that destroying Aldern is a divine quest of faith for me.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:07, Thu 29 July 2010.

Zer-wedula nods and smiles and follows the woman, wand in hand.

After a few seconds of cowering in fear, Cat gets up to follow Zer, ready to blow the undead to pieces.

  Heeding Glum's advice, that was echoed by others, Zer-wedula stays out of her way.  She heads downstairs and out of sight.  The group takes a few seconds to recover their wits, then quickly follow.  She is easy to follow as she makes no pretense of hiding and carries on a monologue.  And as long as you don't get in her way, she will respond to questions.  Though her answers tend to be short, angry and derogatory toward Aldern.

Madam, where is Aldern?
he is here, downstairs

Let us help you (from various people)
I will find him and I will rip his (various appendages) off and (do creative and painful things with them).  You get the impression she responds to specifics and this is too general to garner a useful response.

   You follow her down the stairs and hear from down below doors being smashed open.  As you get to the Entrance Hall (with the stuffed manticore), you notice the curtains and front door are closed, even though you left them open, the door across from the stairs is closed, but the door to the right hangs open.  This cozy-looking drawing room is marred by the unnatural dampness and the thick sheets of mold that cling to the curtains closed over the southern window.  You can easily hear Iesha from the right, so you head that way.  As you pass by the manticore, Glum suddenly focuses on the stuffed monster and dodges as if he is being attacked...(PM to Glum)[Private to Glum: You don't notice the smell of burning as the manticore lurches to sudden life, its face shifting to resemble that of Cyralie Foxglove and its fur erupting into flame. Its burning tail strikes forward in an attempt to burn you, but even flat-footed, Glum is too hard to hit and it misses.  Then it returns to normal.  You notice no scorch marks and the burning smell vanishes in an instant.]...but the rest of you see nothing.  It is all over in an instant as you hear another door being smashed open and Iesha falls silent.
insert Glums response here

   You continue the chase down a short hall with closed doors on each side.  A rather gruesome antique —what appears to be a mummified monkey head— hangs on the northern wall here. A bellpull extends from the monkey’s gaping mouth. A ratty throw rug partially obscures a foul stain of dark-colored mold on the floor.  The stain under the rug is about ten feet across, a swirling pattern of dark blue, sickly green, and black mold that grows in a spiral.  From just ahead you hear Iesha shriek a blood curdling sound, which once again causes the group (but this time, everybody failed their save) to cower in fear.  From ahead you hear Iesha yelling, "You jealous *&^&#%, we weren't doing anything wrong.  Why did you kill us?  I still loved you...", insert more ranting.  By the time you recover and approach the next door, the ranting has died down and you have just enough warning to get out of her way.
   The offending room is a library which features a pair of chairs, one of which lies on its side, set before a stone fireplace. Every available inch of wall space features floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with books, their spines riddled with mold. What once was a brightly colored scarf, its reds and golds contrasting sharply with the drab, moldy palette of the room, is torn to shreds by the fallen chair. A single book, open and face-down, sits on the floor between the chairs. A stone bookend, carved to look like a praying angel with butterfly wings, lies on its side in the fireplace itself.
   The room you are in is a dining room.  A large mahogany table surrounded by high-backed chairs sits in this room. The table is covered by a moldy white cloth, and a cobweb-choked chandelier hangs from the ceiling above. Twin fireplaces loom to the west, while to the east, a bank of stained glass windows obscures what could have been a breathtaking view of the Lost Coast. Each of the windows depicts a stylized monster rising out of smoke pouring from an intricate seven-sided box covered with spiky runes. From north to south are depicted a gnarled and tangled tree with an enraged face, an immense hook-beaked bird with sky-blue and gold plumage, a winged centaur-like creature with a lion’s lower body and a snarling woman’s upper torso, and a deep blue squid-like creature with evil red eyes.
[Private to Zer-wedula: The images in the glass are four exceptionally long-lived monsters, and each of these stained-glass windows depicts one of the four—a treant, a roc, a sphinx, and a kraken.  The runes on the box are necromancy-related, that the monsters seem not to be emerging from the boxes but rather being drawn in, and that perhaps their snarling visages aren’t of rage but of fear.  Thinking back to the previous windows, the ones in the music room (msg 78) were classic spell components for necromancy magic.  The 2 people depicted in the attic (msg 41) might be necromancers,  but that would be a guess.  Who they are/were still eludes your knowledge.]
   Iesha starts across the dining room toward the far door, "Honey, this hiding is pointless, I will find you and then we will see how you like to be strangled."

I will now give everyone a chance to respond.  Ask a couple of questions of Iesha if you want.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:28, Sun 01 Aug 2010.

Glum gasps and steps back from the manticore's burning sting.  "Cyralie", he said, "Rest or speak.  You belong in the afterlife, not here."

DM
There is no response.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

"Iesha, what did Aldern do to you?  Oh, and is he a wizard?" Zer-wedula asks, moving his wand from hand to hand.

DM
Zer-wedula's question actually provokes a response from Iesha.  "HIM a wizard?", and she laughs.  If she wasn't undead, she would probably have a pretty laugh...but now it comes out as a mockery, filled with bitterness, hate and contempt.  "He liked his amusements too much and was too lazy to put the effort in."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

Talis asks, "What do you think about this house, do you know how we could destroy it?"

DM
"I wish I knew, I always got the feeling I as being watched all the time."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:19, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

Cat doesn't enter the library. Mold. She isn't sure why, but mold bothers her. She lets the others question the undead woman. She turns as Glum speaks, "Glum?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:20, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

"Catessa?" Glum wondered what she wanted then added, "Oh, the manticore, I had a vision of it striking at me, but it was also Cyralie."

Tanrov asks Iesha this, " Besides killing you what did Aldern do to you to make you with such bitterness, anger and hatred? "

GM
"He was jealous and mean.  When he found me consulting with a carpenter about this horrid house, he thought we were having an affair and killed that poor man before he strangled me."
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:20, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

  She crosses the dining room with the odd stained glass windows and opens the next door.  She does so with an ease Tanrov would envy.  Evidently her undead state gives her great strength.  "Honey, I just want to welcome you home properly, like you used to after you would lock me in this place to protect my honor."
   This dusty room features a long couch, its cushions caked with white sheets of wispy fungus. The couch faces a stone fireplace with capering imps and birds carved along its mantel. Eddies of dust skitter along the warped floorboards as if caught up by a slight breeze, yet no wind is noticeable in the air.
[Private to Tanrov; Zer-wedula: You notice the dust seems to be being disturbed, as if an invisible person were pacing violently back and forth before the fireplace—footprints even manifest momentarily in the dust with each step before fading from view.
Do you want to do anything?]
   Iesha glances around, but sees nothing and continues on out the other door out of this room. A few feet down a long hallway Iesha opens another door and enters the room...and shrieks (this isn't the fear inducing shriek).  As you look in you see a simple washroom. An ancient metal washtub stands to the west, a ring of mildew crusting its inner surface. A strange, furtive scratching comes from inside the tub.  Iesha is looking at whatever is in the tub.  She turns and bursts through the other door into the next room and stops.  You carefully look into the tub, ready for whatever could scare a Revenant...and see a rat, a pathetic rat.  The creature is a horrific and pitiful sight, a rodent the size of a cat whose face and back are a dripping, pulsing mass of raw tumors and sores. The rat is blind; the tumors have grown over its eyes.  As you approach, it sniffs and begins to shriek and squeak in a frenzy, making a desperate attempt to clamber out of the tub.  But the smooth metal offers little purchase for it's claws.

"Rest in peace, wretched little beast" as he moves to get a better angle and throws a dagger at the thing.  Under his breathe, "I hate this house, it even tortures animals."

To hit 11
dam 15

Notice, I am NOT retrieving the dagger, I've got plenty more.

DM
The dagger hits and kills the rat outright.  It was alive (not undead) but obviously diseased and sick.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:32, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

Poor rat. If Cat can, she asks Iesha, "What's with all the mold?"

In reply to DM (msg #116):

Tanrov looking at the dust asks Zerwelda in a frightened voice if "he can see invisibility" and asks Glum if "he can see invisible undead."

"I can do it once a day", said Glum "... and Iesha's there already, but I'll try it now".

Glum casts Detect Undead.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:50, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

   Cat and Talis follow Iesha into the next room.  This oak-paneled chamber must have once been a breathtaking dancing parlor, but is a sad sight now—the floorboards are warped with moisture and the paneling scratched and splotchy with mold. A once-magnificent crystal chandelier lies smashed on the floor, while frescoes depicting dancing scenes have been ruined by rot and are barely recognizable.  A grand piano, its surface splotchy and keys warped, leans tiredly in the southeast corner.  Iesha just stands in the middle of the room, "I don't remember it being this bad" in a small voice.  She almost sounds vulnerable, almost...in a burst of energy she slams her fist down on the piano, >BAM<, and the piano collapses with a cacophonous ring.  Her strength is tremendous, perhaps up to giant levels.  She whirls gracefully and exits through the next door.  As Cat and Talis prepare to follow, the piano starts to play a catchy but discordant Varisian song and Talis begins to dance around the room in the arms of an invisible partner.  The dance is wildly spinning and Talis does not look like he wants to be there.
[Private to Talis Revain: You can see your partner: Iesha in all her vibrant
beauty.  You feel as if your strength is being drained, as from a long days work, -1 str.]
[Private to GM: nat 3 on 1st save, 20 on next save]

   Tanrov and Glum are in the previous room dealing with the dust.  Glum looks at the dust...1 round...[Private to Glum: yes, there is an undead presence there...]
round 2...[Private to Glum: The undead presence is so overwhelming, Glum is stunned for 1 round and the spell ends.  There was 1 undead, VERY powerful and all around...this is not a good thing...]after 2 rounds, Glum slumps, staggers and drops whatever he is holding.

   Zer-wedula is in the hall.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:03, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

Cat sighs, shaking her head, Evil, evil house. She goes to tackle Talis.

I have no clue what the modifiers for grappling are.

DM
Cat and Garious ride over and Garious easily jumps up on Talis and bowls him over onto the ground.  At this point, a ghostly Iesha appears, radiantly beautiful, but that lasts only a second.  Her beauty grows less as her neck darkens into an angry blue-and-black bruise, her eyes bulge and water, her mouth twists in pain, and her tongue protrudes as if she were being invisibly strangled. She shrieks in rage, and vanishes.
Everyone in the room made their will saves to avoid wisdom damage
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:24, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

Talis pets Garious, "Good boy, I owe you a beef bone, now quit licking my face and let me up."  Get up and ask Cat as he follows Iesha, "Hey where is everybody?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:25, Tue 03 Aug 2010.

In reply to DM (msg #121):

Tanrov will go over and give support to Glum and will pick up what was dropped.  If dust isn't disturbed anymore than we will go into the room where the others are.

Glum growls as he drops everything.  His hand goes to his Holy Symbol but then drops away.  He takes his stuff back from Tanrov and says, "Rest assured.  We are surrounded by a single extremely powerful undead presence.   If we are in this building, the undead is present.  Iesha didn't even register."

DM;
I didn't make this clear, sorry.  Iesha was not in the area of effect, so she wouldn't have registered anyway.  3 things come to Glum's mind as what was registering as undead;
1- the area itself could be registering
2- the house could be registering
3- the mold could be registering
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:16, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

ooc: If you want to pause and do something (search, grab stuff, look at stuff), just say so.
  The group catches up to Iesha as she is searching the entry room (with the stuffed manticore), "Aldern, honey, you're just delaying our inevitable reunion.  And I am so looking forward to it."  She finishes and moves into the short hall with closed doors on each side and the gruesome mummified monkey head on the wall.  She stops and absentmindedly pulls the bellpull that extends from the monkey’s gaping mouth. The head gives out a shrill simian shriek akin to an alarm spell.  She smiles, then closes her yes for a moment and looks downward, "What are you doing downstairs Aldern, you always said that was the servants quarters and that you wouldn't be caught dead down there."  She appears to notice the stain under the rug, (the foul stain of dark-colored mold is about ten feet across, a swirling pattern of dark blue, sickly green, and black mold that grows in a spiral)"Is this still here, it always gave me the creeps."  As your attention is drawn to it, it looks almost like an image of a spiraling staircase descending downward, with each step littered with skulls and bones.
  Iesha rips open the door to the left and starts down some stairs.  "Honey, if you've hired a pretty young cook, I know the recipe for Mountain Oysters."  The stairs lead to the Kitchen.  A large oak table, its surface covered with moldy stains and rat droppings, sits in the center of this large kitchen. Shelves line the walls, and an oversized fireplace dominates the northeast portion of the room. The shelves in the southwest wall are in a much greater state of disarray, and two one-foot-wide cracks in the wall near the floor lead south into the earth beyond the basement walls.  She moves to the right and opens the door and enters the room.  Iesha, "Honey, I'm home...oh, yeah, I AM married and you have really let this place go to the Abyss.  Now where are you."  As the group enters the kitchen, you get a bad feeling as you hear the rising wave of rodent squeaks of what sounds like MANY rats coming from the 2 cracks in the wall.

What do you do?

New map done
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:13, Wed 04 Aug 2010.

Tanrov asks Talis as he digs into his pack for the two flasks of oil, "what are we going to do now" "and will someone else get a fire going so that these flasks can be thrown at the rats".

At her mention of "Moutain oysters", Talis walks funny for a couple of strides, as if his legs clenched together.

Talis gets out his tinderbox while moving to a good tactical position, "If we had some magical fire over there, it could light the oil for us...", looking questioningly at the spellcasters.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:16, Thu 05 Aug 2010.

Glum calls into existence his spiritual nunchaku, which beat down upon the lead rat at the narrow gap, seeking to force it back.

22:48, Today: Glum rolled 9 using 1d8+1. damage spiritual weapon.
22:47, Today: Glum rolled 13 using 1d20+6. possible critical spiritual weapon.
22:47, Today: Glum rolled 26 using 1d20+6. attack spiritual weapon.

OOC spiritual weapon will remain active for 4 rounds after this one.  If it changes targets there will be one attack in the first round but if it remains on the same target there will be two attacks in subsequent rounds at +2 to hit (ie the spiritual nuchaku is capable of a flurry of blows.)

Cat asks Iesha, "What's the connection between Aldern and the ghouls?"

Rats, nasty creatures. She sends an energy blast their way.

15:47, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 14,4 using d20+9,2d6 attack damage
[Private to GM: My DD books are still packed. I don't know if eldrich blast does 3d6 now.]
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: Yes, 3d6...though I think Talis was hoping for a Flaming Sphere]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:06, Fri 06 Aug 2010.

Zer-wedula will assist Tanrov and Talis.  Tanrov gets the flasks out, Zer-wedula will light them and Talis will throw them.

As 100's, maybe 1000's of rats start pouring out through hole the party attacks...
   Glum's spiritual weapon (Swarms are immune to crit's) kills many;
   T,T,Z's oil flask kills many;
   Cat's blast kills a few
...the area at the 2 holes fill with flame, smoke, magical energy and a force nunchaku...but the rats behind push the ones into front into the fire and eventually smother the flames with the sheer mass of dead, stinking rat flesh...and they keep coming as the kitchen fills with the smell of burnt, dead rat.

   The rats are similar to the rat from the tub, covered with tumors and sores and most appear blind.  Confused by the smoke and sound, rats wander all over the kitchen, including over by the stairs where the party is.  Aoo whittle the rats numbers down further, but there are so many, some slip through and start biting on everybody.  By the time you can act again, most of the rats are dead and 1/2 the remaining rats are still searching for you (confused by the smoke- they will be on you next round).

OOC;
You destroyed 2 swarms and damaged 2 more.  1 swarm is in the kitchen and the other is attacking the party.

Swarms are resistant to many weapons (taking 1/2 damage), but take extra damage from Area of Effect attacks (like oil flasks)
Please do the following on your next post;
- roll 1d6, that is how many hp's you take
- roll 2 for saves, dc12 vs distraction and dc10 vs disease
- If you are Distracted, then you take the Nauseated condition for 1 round.
Nauseated
Creatures with the nauseated condition experience stomach distress. Nauseated creatures are unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move actions per turn.

[Private to GM: glum does 9 dam to 1; oil=9 dam to 2; Cat 4 dam  4 swarms/16hp each
2 down, 2 at 7hp each]
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:40, Sat 07 Aug 2010.

"If everyone will back up I will Fireball the swarms," Zer-wedula announces.   He will cast his two Fireball spells as needed.

damage 1
Distraction 17
disease 10

Help anyone who needs it out of the swarm,
otherwise move out of swarm, pull out flail and swing away.
"Hey guys, let's get out of here and let Zer do his fireball before we get eRATicated."

Glum agreed with Talis and, batting off the little monsters that had bitten and scratched him, he jumped and sprinted from the swarm as fast as he could so that Zer could cast his fireball. (Movement and defence, no attack)

21:02, Today: Glum rolled 5 using 1d6. damage.
21:02, Today: Glum rolled 22 using 1d20+6. Disease (Fortitude)  save.
21:01, Today: Glum rolled 25 using 1d20+7. Distraction (Will) save.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:05, Sat 07 Aug 2010.

Tanrov will follow the example of Glum and move defensively (No Attack), getting out of the way so Zer can fireball the swarm.

Rolled 6 1d6 damage to self
Rolled 15 for Fortitude save - distraction
Rolled an 18 for Fortitude save - Disease
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:36, Sun 08 Aug 2010.

   The party moves to give Zer the space to fireball...
>BOOM<
...and the rats are eliminated. The door Iesha went through opens and she looks out, pausing as she surveys the scene, "Good, you took care of that rat problem.  But where's the rat I married."  She looks through the rest of the basement, getting angrier and more confused as she goes.  There are servants quarters,
Two bunks stand in this room, their sheets relatively free of dust and
mold. A single chair lies on its side between them.
a pantry that was the rats den;
Although once a pantry, this room has become a filthy, reeking lair of
what must be hundreds, if not thousands, of rats. Swaths of fur cling
to everything, and mounds of rat droppings cover the floor. Numerous
cracks in the walls doubtlessly allow the rats that live here access to a
wide network of tiny tunnels beyond the basement walls.
and a wine cellar,
Two wine racks line the walls here, their shelves empty and dusty. Mounds
of broken glass bottles clutter the floor.
but still no Aldern.  She walks down a hallway, "What's down here?"  She comes to a door made of iron, and while patches of rust mar its face, it remains quite stout...and locked.  She tries to break it down, but it appears strong enough that even her rage driven undead strength is not enough to do so.  Pausing, she closes her eyes for a second and looks down and looks even more confused and angry, "Down. there is no more down."

Talis says, "This could take awhile...just give me some time and room, unless someone has a knock spell..." looking at Zer-wedula.  Talis convinces Iesha to give him some time.  So while Iesha paces up and down the hall, Talis does a quick trap search and works on the lock.  This is quite a good lock (dc30), but not beyond his skill.  Almost as soon as he says "done", Iesha is through the door and looking about the room.
   This room looks to have once been some sort of arcane workshop, although little remains but broken glassware, shattered jars of pottery that contain dust and mold, and several rusty instruments and tools.  A row of soggy books sits on the northern end of a workbench along the western wall. At the other end of the workbench, what looks like three iron birdcages sit, each containing a dead diseased rat.  The cages seem to be new additions and are not covered in a fine layer of dust. To the east, two stained-glass windows loom. The northern window depicts a thin man with gaunt features (easily recognizable as Vorel Foxglove)drinking a foul-looking brew of green fluid, while the southern one shows the same man but in an advanced state of decay, as if he had been dead for several weeks. His arms raised and head thrown back in triumph, his rotting body turns to smoke and spirals into a seven-sided box.
   Cat suddenly slips through the party in a very pushy manner and makes her way over to the books and touches them...and she doubles over in pain.  As the party reacts, she straightens up...
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: Cat experiences a sudden urge to cross the room to read the books on the workbench. Too late, she notices how the figure in the stained glass moves as she touches the books and freezes in place as a flood of information flows through her mind. She experiences a series of visions chronicling Vorel Foxgloves arcane research.  Researching using these books (among others), gathering magical components(The creatures and box from the stained glass- msg109), brewing a potion (with components from msg78) and finally  culminating in a vision of Vorel taking his potion and doubling over in agony as his body began to rot away. All of these visions take place as if in a realm of animated stained-glasswindows.  Vorel must have had the windows made to record his magical quest.  As Vorel doubles over, Cat is filled with blinding shame that a loved one would do this to himself, followed by a burning rage that he must be stopped before he finishes his ritual. These visions take only a few seconds to occur; once they end, Cat doubles over in an agony of anger.  She is suddenly filled with terror at the knowledge that Vorel has already succeeded in transforming himself, and she must flee at top speed upstairs to try to find her “child” and rescue her. For a brief instant the others are transformed into Vorel, but Cats superior training and will power exert themselves and the moment passes.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:34, Mon 09 Aug 2010.

Zer-wedula readies his wand of shocking grasp.  "Better that I did not touch the books, I think," he whispers.

Sorry, been dealing with a powerful headache.

Cat straightens up slowly, looking about wildly, "Who??" She leans against the wall, edging away from the bookcase. "Good, just you all. Looks like we found Vorel's workshop. Not quite sure just what he was working on." She points at the windows, "Not sure I want to know. But looks like he was messed up in the same seven stared cult as we found in the goblin's keep."

"So... should I perhaps try to consecrate this place in order to remove the evil from it?"

" I'm just speculating here but the way in which Vorel's image went into the box could mean that he has been here all along and causing trouble for everyone associated with this house."  " In other words, could the grandfather's essence be the evil driving the Foxglove descentants mad."  States Tanrov matter of factly.

Iesha ignores this interplay, finishes looking around and goes through the next door saying to herself, "Now where do you go...Aldern, what other evil are you in to."  You hear her open another door, "More down...where do you lead to, my stinking rat of a murderer husband no doubt."

Follow or discuss what you know in light of this room? 

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield: You forgot to roll damage, you take 5 dam from the rat swarm]

[Private to Zer-wedula: You forgot to roll damage, you take 5 dam from the rat swarm]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:10, Tue 10 Aug 2010.

Talis seems to want to pause and talk, "Good thinking Tanrov.  So perhaps the mold IS Vorel.  His picture exploded in mold and the mold is EVERYWHERE, which would explain detecting just 1 BIG undead.  What did you just see Cat?  Maybe our wizard can help put the pieces together.  What was it about the scenes in the glass, do they all tell a story?  They hide such a stunning view with scenes of death.  Why would anybody do this?"  He examines the cages while he talks.

Cat sighs at the question, "I was compelled to touch the books. As I did, I saw him," She points to Vorel in the stained glass windows, "move. Then a flood of images. He studying, gathering components, brewing the potion and finally drinking it to become something undead. Ghoulish? I don't know. Maybe the same has happened to Aldern. And I had a bunch of dark feelings during the images and I wasn't sure who was whom. But it seemed at some point that he knew what he was doing was wrong. You can see a lot of what he did in pictures here and about the mansion. Now, should we follow Iesha?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:26, Wed 11 Aug 2010.

"I think we'd better follow Iesha for now."  said Glum, "But remember we may need to leave in a hurry."

Talis shrugs, "I still think we ought to figure out what's going on here before we walk in to it, but ok, let's get walking."

[Private to Talis Revain: The cages have a small symbol of a pig with a mouthful of lockpicks peering at a keyhole; under the pig is a guildsign that says “Pug’s Contraptions—Magnimar.”]
   Following after Iesha, she is still easy to follow because she keeps up a running tirade against her husband.  You are out of sight because it took Cat a bit to recover and it took a bit to discuss follow/not follow.  So you are a round or 2 behind her.  You follow down some stairs to a small room.  Piles of broken stone, dirt, and a few ruined pickaxes line the edges of this room. The floor in the middle of the room has been torn up, within the last few weeks, to reveal an ancient set of stone spiral stairs, obviously of much older construction than the surrounding basement, winding deep into the bedrock below. A foul stink, like that of rotten meat, wafts up on a cold breeze from the darkness.

[Private to Zer-wedula: Zer-wedula experiences a sudden vision of Aldern, sweaty, filthy, and wildeyed, digging away at the stone floor of this room with a pickaxe.  With each swing, he grunts out two words: “For you.” Zer-wedula knows that Aldern is speaking of him. As the vision ends, Aldern breaks through into the room beyond, and a horde of shrieking ghouls rises up to pull him into the darkness below before they turn their lambent eyes to the him.  But his mge training allows Zer-wedula to shake off the vision.]
   As Zer-wedula enters the room, he stops for a moment, steps back with a look of fear on his face, and shakes it off, looking like one coming out of a trance.  From down below you hear the sounds of fighting (Iesha and the howls of ghouls).

"I saw Aldern dig this open.......for me.  Ghouls then dragged him down." He sighed.  "I think we must go down, but we should pepare first."

Great, more riddles. Cat sighs, "Any idea where the ghouls came from? And I still have a bunch of these pebbles."

Talis grins, "Hand me one as we go see what Iesha has unburied... ghouls... unburied... oh never mind."  Talis will head down, "Zer, if you have an Enlarge Person spell handy, you might want to get it ready for once we get down below."

Who is going to have light out?

Tanrov will have a light out along with his scimitar and shield.  He'll say a silent prayer to Sarenrae to give him strength and to smite the undead with the scimitar.  "Now's a good time for a bless, Glum, if you have one?"

"Can't do you a bless today" says Glum, "But I can do a magic circle against evil once we're down there.  Oh and I can do a protection from evil for one person as well."

Talis starts down the stairs, but stops as no one follows him and are still talking at the top of the stairs.  The sound of battle continues... ghoul howls and Iesha's curses (my how that woman can curse).


Talis is the only one who posted action and actions speak louder that words.  Please post what your character is DOING, not what they have or are capable of.

When the others are ready, Glum casts protection from evil on Talis and prepares to follow him.

[ooc updated for clarity]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:04, Fri 13 Aug 2010.

"I have a heroism spell, an enlarge Talis, and a bull's strength, my hasty friends," Zer-wedula seems to complain as he pads after his comrades.

Talis says as the others follow him down the stairs, "Cat, be ready to use those pebbles, they were handy against the other ghouls.  You might hand some around, I would like 1."

Tanrov will follow Talis down the rough hewn stairs with scimitar and shield out

Cat hands out 2 pebbles to those who want them, readying an energy blast for herself as she heads onwards. Gods, she hates ghouls.

"Cat, may I have two as well," asks Tanrov

   The group starts down the spiral stairs, with the (by now) familiar ghoul stench getting stronger and the noise of combat getting louder.  Iesha has ruined any chance of surprise, but if probably making inroads on the ghoul population.  The stairs end (facing east)in a limestone cavern. The walls drip with moisture, and swaths of black and dark blue mold grow in spiraling, tangled patterns on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Bits of rubble and broken bones clutter the floor, and a rhythmic sound—as of the breathing of some immense creature—echoes through the cave from three tunnels, one to the north and two to the west. Of the two western tunnels, the southernmost one seems to be a relatively new creation.  The sounds of battle come from the northern tunnel, but a much more ominous sound comes from the west tunnel, >caw, caw< as thousands of crows come flapping in from that tunnel.  But these aren't ordinary crows, they are some hideous undead murder/swarm.  There is also a >snuffling< sound from the south as an undead dire badger also attacks...

I am currently at Dragonflight in Seattle, WA...and will provide a map soon...

Zer, Talis and Glum have initiative on the undead, the badger is right next to the stairs, but is currently flat-footed and a swarm of undead crows is just entering the room, 20' away.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:29, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Glum cast a new spell, sending a bright blue ray of light from the palms of his hand toward the undead crows.

OOC the spell is searing light... Glum needs to make a ranged touch attack on the swarm and if he makes it, the swarm takes 5d6 damage (or 5d8 if they are particularly susceptible to light.  There is no saving throw.
22:35, Today: Glum rolled 15 using 5d6. searing light damage.
22:35, Today: Glum rolled 16 using 1d20+4. ranged attack (touch).

Talis whirls and throws a stone at the badger, before making drawing his sword and activating his shield.

23 to hit
11 dam

Zer-wedula takes a step back and casts Fireball upon the swarming crows.

"Talis, strength, size, or skill?" he asks.

Cat just shakes her head, Ghoul animals? What's next? She sends an energy burst towards to badger. "I  can strengthen people too."

17:41, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 24,4 using d20+9,3d6. attack, damage.

Tanrov will swing at the sniffing undead badger.

Rolling a 19 to hit (1d20 +7)
Rolling a 8 to dmg. (1d6 +2)
This message was last edited by the player at 23:54, Sat 14 Aug 2010.

Round 1
Glum casts a spell and a beam of light shots through the Murder (of Crows), vaporizing any it touches.
[Private to Glum: This is a Carrionstorm;
Where the dead walk, the carrion birds follow. In most cases,
birds that feast on the remains of the undead simply grow diseased
and die. Yet the flesh of some ghouls has an altogether different
effect upon such scavengers, for when they die of the poisoned
repast, they do not stay dead for long. Alone, the isolated
undead crow or vulture is little more than a hideous mockery,
but in rare cases where ghoulish activity is thick, entire flocks
of carrion birds can succumb to undeath, retaining their flock
mentality yet no longer seeking the flesh of the freshly dead
to sate their hunger. Carrionstorms, as these flocks of undead
birds are known, find brief respite from their morbid hunger
only when their meals are warm and screaming.]

Talis hit's the badger, but it is a tough undead and keeps coming forward as he draws his sword and shield to face the birds.

Zer-wedula unleashes a small bead of fire that shoots into the flapping birds and detonates with a >whoosh<, and the mass of birds fall from the air.  For a brief instant, you hope that ends the threat.  Alas, you hear more birds behind and after a second, the cavern is filled with undead crows.

UndeadBadger unleashes his fury on Glum, but seems to withdraw from the holy energy of the Searing Light, and misses all 3 attacks.

Crows 3, 4, 5 fly forward, looking for flesh to sate their undead hunger, but they are clumsy fliers (their undead wings don't hold the air well) and do not make it to the group this round.

Tanrov/Garth deals 8 damage to the undead Badger.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious  attacks the undead Badger, easily hitting, but not doing much damage.  Her energy is weak.


Tactical Situation
see map
badger is damaged (about 1/2)
there are still 3 swarms left

            dam      status
Badger     - 23
Crows 1    - lots    destroyed
Crows 2    - lots    destroyed
Crows 3    - 0
Crows 4    - 0
Crows 5    - 0



Glum, Zer and Talis post...
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:23, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Talis starts to say, "Cat a Flaming...", but then sees she has already shot, "...never mind.  Strength Zer, thanks and impressive fireball." so Talis drops the sword, and delays until Zer can cast his spell.  Then he deactivate the shield and move forward tumbling past the swarm(20 tumble), pulling out his flail in a 2handed grip.  Moves over next to where all the birds are entering the cavern and starts swinging

(assuming I get a bull str spell);

hit 16
dam 9



[Private to GM: aoo 14, 10, 15]

Glum spread silver dust around himself and made motions in the air, sending a circle of force around the whole party to protect them from the carrionstorm.

[ooc Magic Circle Against Evil]

DM;
Those within 10' of Glum get the following vs evil - please check your bonus types to see if these benefits apply;
note- Undead are not summoned - but are evil

+2 deflection bonus to AC
+2 resistance bonus on saves
the barrier blocks any attempt to possess the warded creature
or to exercise mental control over the creature
prevents bodily contact by summoned creatures

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:32, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Since Zer-wedula offered to cast a spell, I am assuming that is what he will do this round...

Round 2
Glum casts a spell on himself and now has a 10'r aura of protection.

Talis waits....

Zer-wedula steps forward and casts his spell on Talis before drawing a weapon or item (pick one).

Talis moves and attacks, knocking many birds out of the air with each swing.

UndeadBadger turns his attention to Tanrov, who can't use his shield properly whil he is also holding the torch.  Tanrov gets hit twice with 1 claw and 1 bite (crit on the bite), for 27 damage and Tanrov stops moving as he is paralyzed from the bite.
[Private to GM: 5 rounds]

Crows 3, 4, 5 fly forward, looking for flesh to sate their undead hunger, Talis gets Aoo on all of them - Glum, Zer-wedula, Cat and Garious also get 1 Aoo each.
3 moves forward, but between Talis and Glum (the rest miss) the majority of birds are destroyed and the remnants join 4;
4 attacks Glum, Cat, Garious, Tanrov and Zer-wedula doing 3 damage to everyone;
5 attacks Talis doing 5 damage;
Everyone needs to make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated(unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.) for 1 round.



Tactical Situation
see map (will be posted tuesday)
Tanrov is paralyzed
Everyone is in a swarm of undead crows
badger is damaged (about 1/2)
there are still 2 swarms left

            dam      status
Badger     - 23
Crows 1    - lots    destroyed
Crows 2    - lots    destroyed
Crows 3    - 15      "destroyed"=dispersed
Crows 4    - 6
Crows 5    - 5



Everyone post...
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:44, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

Glum shrugged off the effects of being in a carrionstorm and stepped outside of it to cast the searing light spell against the badger.

23:21, Today: Glum rolled 15 using 5d6. searing light damage.
23:20, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+7. ranged attack (touch).
23:19, Today: Glum rolled 27 using 1d20+8. Fort save (incl +1 for protection).

OOC edited to change smell to spell

[Private to Glum: I forgot to mention this before, the Searing Light spell didn't really do all that much last time.  It just doesn't have a big effect on swarms who are pretty immune to rays.  Since it is an anti-undead spell, I let it do some damage, but not full damage.  The Badger on the other hand would be a better target.  Also, you are within reach of the badger, so unless you move away you will take an Aoo.  Also, casting in the swarm would incur a concentration check to cast a spell, over and above the successful For save.

Your best bet is to 5' step out of the swarm and cast the spell on the badger.  Please feel free to edit your action.]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:39, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

AC 13, hp 42/50


21:28, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 17 using 1d20+6. Fort save.



After casting Bull's Stength on Talis, Zer-wedula moves to pull Tanrov out of Harm's way.

Cat: AC 18 HP 26/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30


Cat tries to stay on the stairs, for now. As the crows fly near, she swings with her spear at the crows and then tries a blast at the badger.

15:25, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 12 using 1d20. crit?.
15:19, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 28,8 using d20+9,3d6. attack, damage.
15:19, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 14,spear dam using d20+4,spear dam. attack, damage AOO on crows.
15:18, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25 using 1d20+5. for save.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:38, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

Covered in undead crow gore, Talis almost looses his lunch, "Zer, thanks fo...oh, oh...".  He can only move out of the swarm, but his tactical subconscious directs him to move toward the badger and he moves around the south side of the stair column to 10' away, staying out of melee range for now.


For save 12

This message was last edited by the GM at 19:24, Wed 18 Aug 2010.

Round 2
Tanrov/Garth remains paralyzed by the ghoulish fear...

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious finds that Garious doesn't like this and wants to run, but Cat controls him and moves out of the swarm to shoot around the "corner" of the stairs, and attacks the undead Badger, easily hitting and damaging the thing.  Garious snaps at the birds, biting one.  Then he starts opening and closing his mouth (like a dog eating peanut butter) trying to clear the taste out.
1)Don't forget to roll a For save for Garious,
2)as a free action, roll a dc13 Handle Animal check to control Garious each round, otherwise he moves up the stairs 1 movement, then stops.
[Private to GM: Undead are immune to crits.  Also, Aoo are taken with whatever melee weapon you have in hand.  Your EB may not be used to Aoo.]

Round 3
Glum casts a spell and a beam of light shots through the Murder (of Crows) and hits the undead badger vaporizing a large hole through it, but being undead, the badger wasn't using his liver (or stomach, or intestines...) anyway.

Talis moves away from the birds.

Zer-wedula moves and drags Tanrov out of the swarm and places him on the floor.  There isn't really a safe place to go, surrounded by Carrionstorms and a undead badger, with sounds of combat coming from the other tunnels...so he stands over his paralyzed comrade, ready to defend him.

So many choices...
UndeadBadger has definitely seen better days and is on his last legs, but the necromantic energies flowing through it are powerful and he lurches after his chosen target, Tanrov.  The badger finds Zer-wedula in his way and attacks him instead, doing 12 damage. Zer-wedula makes his save and manages to overcome the fear that paralyzed Tanrov.

Crows 4, 5
5 follows Talis and does 5 damage to him.
Talis is unable to attack due to nausea
4 follows Garious and Cat, doing 4 damage to them.
Cat takes an Aoo, but misses
Talis, Cat and Garious need to make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated(unable to attack, cast spells, concentrate on spells, or do anything else requiring attention. The only action such a character can take is a single move action per turn.) for 1 round.


Tactical Situation
see map
badger is heavily damaged
there are still 2 swarms left, both damaged

            dam      status
Badger     - 46
Crows 1    - lots    destroyed
Crows 2    - lots    destroyed
Crows 3    - 15      "destroyed"=dispersed
Crows 4    - 6
Crows 5    - 5



Everyone Post...
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>

Talis finishes his nausea and is able to act (for save=24).  Sweeping the air with his flail, not so much "attacking" as harvesting the gory "crop".  As he stumbles out of "his" swarm, covered in gore, he notices feathers in Garious' mouth and his mouthing motion, "I know how you feel boy" and swallows.  Talis moves around the other swarm, and next to the undead badger(so if Zer moves 5', we will flank), "Thanks for the strength".

To hit 16
dam 15
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:25, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

"My spell Selection is of little use," Zer-wedula apologises. "We can fall back or I can go berserk.....poor choices both."

Glum casts Hide from Undead and, when the spell has worked, moves to Tanrov's side ready to remove his paralysis.

"Hack that critter to bits..." after we flank it.

Cat: AC 18 HP 26/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

Not sure anything she does is helping, Cat casts a Flaming Sphere at the nearest murder, holding Gar tight. "Falling back gains us naught."

15:48, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 8 using 2d6. damage - flaming sphere.
15:45, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 13 using 1d20+6. handle animal.
15:44, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25 using 1d20+5. for save (Gar).
15:44, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 23 using 1d20+5. for save.

Round 3
Tanrov/Garth remains paralyzed by the ghoulish fear...but will recover his senses at the end of the round.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious has Garious step out of the swarm so she can cast her spell, which sits on the stairs, and then starts rolling down them.  A few of the crows manage to evade the flame, but the swarm itself is dispersed.  The sphere bounces down to the bottom of the stairs and Cat/Garious follow it.

Round 4
Glum casts a spell and moves, the badger and crows do not appear to notice him as he slips right by them.

Talis "harvests many of the birds and the swarm is looking pretty ragged, then he moves away from the birds to deal with the badger.

Zer-wedula adjusts and hacks away with the magical bastard sword he got from Nualia.  Hitting for 6 damage.

UndeadBadger is almost destroyed, but has just enough energy to focus attacks on Zer-wedula, doing 14 damage. Zer-wedula is almost paralyzed, almost.

Crows 5
follows the the food, and get dispersed by several Aoo and such.

   The remaining crows and badger are easily destroyed next round.  As you take stock of the situation, and without the loud noises from the crows, you realize it is quiet...too quiet.  You no longer hear Iesha or the ghouls.
   The stairs end (facing east)in a limestone cavern. The walls drip with moisture, and swaths of black and dark blue mold grow in spiraling, tangled patterns on the floor, ceiling, and walls. Bits of rubble and broken bones clutter the floor, and a rhythmic sound—as of the breathing of some immense creature—echoes through the cave.  There are three tunnels, one to the north and two to the west. Of the two western tunnels, the southernmost one seems to be a relatively new creation.  The sounds of battle came from the northern tunnels and the crows came from the southwest tunnel.
What do you want to do now?

Glum examines Tanrov and, realising that he will soon recover his senses, holds back from removing the paralysis.

Talis looks around, relaxes just a little and says, "Cat, Glum, can I get some healing.  Those sharp little beaks hurt, alot.  So, go where the dead birds came from or where the Foxglove seeking scorned woman disappeared to...it's mighty quiet up there."

down 11hp; 1 clw ought to do it.

Glum frowned.  He moved toward Talis but then realised that what spells of appropriate level he had left might well prove essential in an undead haunted house.  "Cat?" he asked, hoping she had something more appropriate to use and waiting to see whether she did before he decided what spell to sacrifice to cure Talis.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:39, Wed 25 Aug 2010.

"I'm sure glad that is over", states Tanrov/ Garth coughing and spitting and shaking his head and reaquiring his gear that he may have dropped when the paralysis hit.  "I now know how you feel about ghouls, Talis."  Tanrov is all for going the way of the mad undead women known as Iesha.   "It does seem alittle to quiet right at the moment", thinks Tanrov.


Down 27 hp
This message was last edited by the player at 23:09, Wed 25 Aug 2010.

Everyone might want to say in their posts how many hps they are down so the healers can judge what to use.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Wed 25 Aug 2010.

Cat goes about the group slowly, "I have several healing spells. Few strong though. Zer?" She looks about and gives a small sigh, "Damn, more mold. Wonder if we should look for Iesha?"

down 5 hp.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:44, Wed 25 Aug 2010.

Glum nodded, "Apart from some very low level ones that can be sacrificed for minor wounds, my remaining spells will be much more useful in fighting the undead and perhaps cleansing this house than they would for healing.  That said, I'm beginning to think I may have used some of the spells I've used prematurely.  I think the best thing is to find the source of all this mould and consecrate the place in the hope that puts an end to it."

full hitpoints but still at str 7 - the weakest dwarf of all as well as the least dour.

Tanrov could use some healing even though he wasn't very useful in the fight.

While the group is gathering around for some healing, Talis comments, "Is that some sort of undead invisibility Glum?  Maybe you could scout a little while our Little Mother takes care of her children?"  He grins at Cat.

Zer looks to be down 34
Tanrov 27
Talis 11
Cat 5

Tanrov, failed saves happen...don't sweat it.

Cat, what spells do you want to use to heal those numbers (if I recall you convert your spells to cures instead of Summon Nature Ally)
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:53, Thu 26 Aug 2010.

"It is some sort of undead invisibility", said Glum, "But sadly not a long lasting one, and one I can use only once today."

Cat, on your next post - indicate what spells you are using to cure with from msg190.

  Looking around for tracks, you discover a lone pair of recent tracks (probably Iesha) heading due north.  Following them through a tight, newly dug passage, the tunnel opens up into a  10x10 room with a passage on the other side.  The mold seems to grow particularly thick in this portion of the tunnel.  Several pickaxes have been tossed into the corner of the room—one of them looks particularly well-made.
  After looking around carefully, you see no sign of ambush and the tracks just continue through the room.

Cat casts a stronger heal spell on Zer and a lesser on Tanrov, "I have more healing power but want to wait a bit. Yes, we need to figure out the mold and what Aldern was/is up to."



15:41, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 13 using 1d8+5.clw.
15:41, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 21 using 2d8+5. cmw.

Talis comments, "Well Zer, your "friend" doesn't seem to be around, can you tell if that pick is magical, it seems to be in pretty good condition, considering the circumstances.  Anyone detect magic?"

"Thanks Cat", says Tanrov examining the hollowed out room

"Thank you for the healing," Zer-wedula murmurs.  He takes the pick and makes a pass over it.

Casts Detect Magic.

"We need to end this soon," he states.

Glum nods.  "Yes we do.  And we have to do it ourselves I think. Not rely on a revenant."

So after some healing;(damage)
Zer 13
Tanrov 14
Talis 11
Cat 5


[Private to Zer-wedula: Yes, it is magic.]
   As you start to move about the room, Cat looks at mold, and then warns you that the mold is dangerous.  [Private to Catessa Fallowfield: It's Yellow Mold.  You touch it and it bursts in an area and fills your lungs with lethal spores.]Do not disturb it.  Carefully you pickup the pick.  It's a nice looking heavy pick that has withstood the damp, the other picks look like they are ready to fall apart, but this one has nice heft and balance.  The head is as sharp as when it was new.
   After it is put away, you continue forward carefully, as the rhythmic sound—as of the breathing of some immense creature—echoes through the cave from ahead.  The tunnel narrows for 15' before expanding out into an intersection of several passages, 2 go left (1 definitely goes back to the stairs) and 1 ahead.  The breathing sound comes from ahead.  This room was where you heard the sound of Iesha's battle with the ghouls, and the ghouls got the worst of it.  Many ghouls lay scattered around, or rather, many ghoul parts are scattered around.  A quick guess would be around a dozen ghouls or so ghouls were destroyed, literally ripped apart with great strength.  Most appear to be long dead ghouls, maybe decades old.  A couple are fresher, among them a goblin.  (Ha, so you thought you were through with goblins...:) )  The dead ghouls indicate she fought her way to the passage ahead.  You still hear no sound from Iesha.

Ahead or left?
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:32, Sun 29 Aug 2010.

Talis pauses as he surveys the destruction of the ghouls, in particular the goblin ghoul "And you thought you coulg negotiate with these things?.  Can we use the healing wand, I really think we should be at our best before we continue."

ooc: I really think we should be at full hp's, so let's use the wand.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:47, Mon 30 Aug 2010.

Glum nodded.  "We should use the wand, and we should follow Iesha."  He wracks his brains trying to recall whether revenants were destroyed once they achieved the purpose of their obsession.

10:06, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+7. know Religion.
10:06, Today: Glum rolled 18 using 1d20+7. Know Arcana.

DM: Yes, when their killer is destroyed, they can rest in peace and continue their journey to their afterlife.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:27, Sun 29 Aug 2010.

He also looks over the bodies, "She was strong and Talis, I do understand why you hate ghouls so much."
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:41, Mon 30 Aug 2010.

   Using 6 charges from the wand and everybody is fully healed.  Then, the group advances onward.  The cramped tunnel opens into a vertiginous gulf here, a cathedral-like cavern with a roof arching thirty feet overhead and dropping into a sloshing pool of foamy seawater fifty feet below. A steep stone ledge winds down to these surging depths, its slope glistening with moisture and mold. Narrow fissures wind into the rock face to the northwest, rivulets of water dripping down from them across the sloping ledge into the pool below. A stone door stands in the northern wall about halfway down the slope.  To the left is a passage that has a horrible smell from it.
   The left passage opens onto a cavern.  The western half of this foul-smelling cavern is heaped with bones, each scarred by the scraping of teeth. Most of the bones have been cracked open for the marrow within. The horrific stink of the place seems to mostly come from a wretched pile of body parts- some animal, some humanoid—heaped in a dismaying mound to the east.
   Back to the main room, the sound of the water surging and sloshing is the source of the strange “breathing” sound heard throughout these caves.  The door is open with a dim light flickering out of it and you hear a voice coming from behind it.  "...she is gone, there is no need for HIM to come.  That is what his Lordship says."  It doesn't sound like Aldern Foxglove, but it could be him, maybe...
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:11, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

Looking over at Zer, Talis smirks "Me thinks you played to hard to get too long Zer, why don't we just go show them the error of their ways."  Looking at the wet and moldy slope, Talis says hopefully, "Anybody have a spider climb spell or some other magic to help get down there?"

OOC: Warning: I'm dealing with about 10 hours of sleep over the past 4 days, Sorry if I sound loopy.

As the group starts moving, Cat warns, "Be careful of the mold. It is deadly."

Hearing the voice Cat hands out more pebbles, then edges around trying to get a better view, bur staying far away.

Glum whispered.  "I'm afraid I have no such spell... but perhaps if we listened on, we might learn more."

occ: what is the dc for this, do I have a guess?

Talis looks at Tanrov and Zer-wedula, "Maybe you guys might want to slide down on your shields if things get bad.  We can listen while we get down to the door."

DM-
balance dc12 (1/2 speed)
or
climb dc5 (1/4 speed)


Talis will start down, carefully balancing (take 10 = 15), checking for traps.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:47, Tue 31 Aug 2010.

"Shield sliding sounds fun", say Tanrov (the kid in him really thinks it would be fun but the adult side means it in sarcasm.)  As he slowly climbs down to the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:02, Wed 01 Sept 2010.

06:46, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 9 using 1d20+1. climb  check.

Zer-wedula climbs slowly down the stairs, tilting his head to listen to the voices.

Talis will move forward and glance in the open door as the party arrives.

   Leaving a torch in a crack at the top and putting the rest away, so that the light won't alert who or whatever is in the room, but still give you light to get there by.  Taking your time and being careful, everyone finds they can navigate the slippery slope (Zer-wedula and Tanrov climbing, everyone else can just use balance), but it takes time.  Talis doesn't find evidence of any traps.  It will take 6 rounds to get to the door.
   Over the rhythmic "breathing" of the water, the whiny voice continues, "One does wonder what she is doing here.  She's dead, we hid the body ourselves.  Could they have done this.  They said if I delivered the mold to HER, they would take care of that problem, and now the rats.   No, no...they like me...they understand me...they said they would help.  Mustn't think about this or HE will come, don't like it when HE comes, it will be better when I replace that Zer-wedula, all will be better when I am Zer-wedula."
   By this time you have arrived at the door, apparently unnoticed.  As you are starting to prepare, Talis glances in the room as Cat and Tanrov glance over the edge...
PM
[Private to Talis Revain: You see a short passage (maybe 15-20' total length) that opens into a room.  While you can't see the room, you can easily tell that it is Aldern talking.  There is light coming from the room.]

[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov: You hear a strange sound from the water, as you both look over you see 3 goblins come climbing out of the water.  Let me rephrase, you see 3 goblin ghouls come climbing out of the water, 25' below.  1 is directly below you, 1 15' left, 1 15' right.  You have a surprise round.]
...there is now a surprise round for Cat and Tanrov.  I will assume anyone who wants them has a couple of Cat's Magic Stones, just mention them in your 1st post so Cat can subtract them from her total.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:59, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

Tanrov will throw a magic stone at the goblin ghoul directly underneath him.  During regular round, he'll throw the other stone at this ghoul.

Rolled 24 to hit (1d20 [19] +5)
Don't know if 19 is crit range
This message was last edited by the player at 21:07, Wed 01 Sept 2010.

Great, not just goblins, nor ghouls but goblin ghouls. Cat quickly tosses one of her pebbles at the abominations.

17:30, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 11,8 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.  wonderful failure

Round Surprise
Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious  throws a stone downward and seems upset at missing, there is a loud >bang< as the stone impacts the wall.

Tanrov/Garth also throws a stone downward and his loud >bang< is followed by a goblin-like howl.
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov: The goblin ghoul Tanrov hit howls, but is not down.]

As Talis is looking into the room, he hears a loud >bang</howl behind him, [Private to Talis Revain: Aldern stops talking.]


Tactical Situation
There is something coming up from the water [Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov: 3 goblin ghouls] and there is something in the room beyond the door [Private to Talis Revain: Aldern Foxglove], the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.


            dam      status
?          - 10      ?
?          -



Talis Post an action, everybody else may post short statements
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

"Now", said Glum, "Might be a good time to pray".

AC: 18
Hp: 44

Talis jumps forward at the sound of the magic stones, shouldering aside the door and running down the passage.  Entering the room he says loudly, "Hey Aldern, Zer's here, just outside the door."  He will attack with his sword (if he can) and activate his shield.

natural 20
dam 8]
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:01, Thu 02 Sept 2010.

I realized I forgot to take light into account and had given Talis some wrong information, so the posts have been edited from msg 202

Round 1
Talis runs down the passage [Private to Talis Revain: jumps on the table and swings a blow that should have cleaved Aldern in half, but Aldern reacts instantly to the threat and rolls out of the chair an instant before it hits (ie: he has plenty of hps left).
 You glance in the room.  This damp cavern contains several items of furniture. A rickety table sits in the middle of the cave, its damp surface cluttered with all manner of what appears to be garbage.  A painting leans against the far side of the table, facing a large leather chair that sits nearby. A smaller table sits against the southern wall, its surface heaped with silver platters, fine porcelain plates, and crystalware. The “food” on these plates and platters is rotten meat.  Yet the horrific stench of the room seems somehow even thicker and more overwhelming than this gruesome display can account for on its own. An undead Aldern Foxglove sits in the chair, talking to himself, or maybe the picture.]

Goblin Ghoul1,2,3 seem particularly adept at climbing, their animal-like claws easily gripping the rock as the scramble up to where the party is balancing on the slope, ready to attack next round.

Aldern Foxglove [Private to Talis Revain: looks at Talis at first with fear, but it changes to a patronizing sneer, ]"Good try, but now I can teach you the meaning of respect.  I will turn you, then you will do my every bidding.  Perhaps I will have you kill you lady friend, as she waits for you by the sea.  Or perhaps I will turn her and claim her for my own."  [Private to Talis Revain: He easily stands with such grace and speed that you get no chance to attack.  For a second you almost get distracted by an image from behind you, but it dissipates(will save, saved).  You also hear some strange rattling and feel this almost overwhelming urge to eat the fungus... but you mentally resist (will save, saved).  However, Aldern does manage to hit you with a claw (7 dam) and you find yourself frozen.  As you stop moving, Aldern smiles a toothy smile, but gets distracted by the sound of combat outside.]


Tactical Situation
3 goblin ghouls are attacking the party and there is something in the room beyond the door where Talis ran after Aldern Foxglove, the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam      status
Goblin Ghoul    - 6       ?
Goblin Ghou2    -
Goblin Ghou3    -
Aldern Foxglove - 8

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:08, Fri 03 Sept 2010.

AC: 18
HPts: 32

I throw a second stone at the one I hit earlier.

Rolled a 17 to hit (1d20 [12] + 5)
rolled a 6 on damage (2d6 +3)

DM: -
1 you are supposed to roll a balance or climb 1st.
2 the goblin ghoul is right next to you.

Reediting here:

Tanrov rolled a 6 (1d20[3]+ 3 for str.)on his climb check, I might have slid into the water if there are any mods involved.

Rolled a 1+5=6 (1d20 [1] +5 = I missed with my scimitar
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Sat 04 Sept 2010.

AC: 18
HPts: 32

Glum holds his Holy Symbol high and snarls at the ghoul goblins, "Begone in the name of all that is Holy."

22:39, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+9. balance.

20:44, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 7 using 1d20+1. climb.

Zer-wedula mutters something vaguely as he clambers back up the slope five feet and casts Shield.

Sorry, one of those weeks.

Cat: AC 18 HP 31/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

Cat continues to try and kill the ghoulish goblins with pebbles.

07:34, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25,8 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.
07:33, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 10 using 1d20+3. balance.

PM
[Private to GM: For the thousandth time the thought crosses his mind, "I HATE ghouls."]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:59, Sun 12 Sept 2010.

Round 1
Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious
Cat starts to throw a stone, but her footing betrays her and she slips and falls off the edge into the water taking Garious with her, hitting the edge of the ledge, both taking 10 damage.  The waters are fairly difficult (dc 15 swim check), but Cat makes it over to 2' wide ledge, (the one she hit) and pulls herself out and stands up.  She has lost the stone she had in hand.
You may keep the to hit/dam for use on your next throw, but that took your whole action.

Glum channels positive energy, but there is something bad about this place.  Something very evil and negative.  His turning damages the goblin ghouls, but doesn't destroy them.

Tanrov/Garth holds on with 1 hand and swings his scimitar with the other, but his efforts are futile and the undead easily avoids the blows.

Zer-wedula moves up into the passage Talis ran down and casts his spell.  He is no longer on the ledge, so doesn't have to make balance/climb checks any more.
You need to specify which direction your shield spell is facing each round.

Round 2
Talis [Private to Talis Revain: As Aldern gloats, you both hear the sounds of combat, and a familiar voice (Zer-wedula) suddenly casting a spell from inside the passage.  Alderns eyes seem drawn to the passage.]

Goblin Ghoul1,2,3 their feet seem to grip the ground as they move forward and attack.  Glum proves hard to hit as he retains his dex to ac while balancing, but the goblin ghoul gets lucky and connects with a claw for 3 damage.  The foe on Zer-wedula has to move forward 10' and misses with a bite.  Tanrov, hanging on so he doesn't fall, is an easier target, though his chain shirt manages to deflect both claws, the bite hits for 6 damage.
Both Glum and Tanrov need to make DC 13 Fortitude save or be paralyzed.

Aldern Foxglove [Private to Talis Revain: looks back at Talis as he moves to the passage and looks down it.] appears at the end of the passage and stares at Zer-wedula.  His eyes widen in a mixture of fear and delight, “No! You were supposed to die! You still live! You still live!”  Then, his countenance changes to an almost feral smile, and in a slightly different voice says, "And Hunter will deal with this your Lordship..." he springs forward, drawing a war razor (masterwork at least) and attack before Zer-wedula can register this new threat.  The razor hits for 10 damage (note; the hit was a critical, but he got no sneak attack).

Tactical Situation
3 goblin ghouls and Aldern Foxglove are attacking the party.  Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.
There is no sign of Talis.
Cat is 20' below the party, soaking wet.


                 dam     status
Goblin Ghoul    - 9      ?
Goblin Ghou2    - 3
Goblin Ghou3    - 8
Aldern Foxglove - 8

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>

Glum was somewhat taken aback by the goblin ghouls' failure to disitegrate but he held on with one hand, just barely, and once more raised his holy symbol.  "In the name of all that is right and good, get ye hence, ALL of you damned abominations."

11:24, Today: Glum rolled 13 using 1d20+9. balance.

DM: Again, the ghouls didn't take as much damage as they should, only #2 drops, though 1 and 3 are almost down.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:52, Wed 15 Sept 2010.

Continues climbing, 21

Swings at ghoul 1, 23 to hit, 7 dam;
cleave into ghoul 3, 9 to hit, 6 dam

Dm: #1 goes down, only 3 is left
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:26, Sun 12 Sept 2010.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

Cat hates falling in water. Hates goblins. Hates ghouls. Hates Aldern. Yes, Cat is unhappy. She slogs her way up, getting another pebble and tosses it at the last goblin.

15:05, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 18 using 1d20.  (+3 for climbing)
07:34, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25,8 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.

Round 2
Glum damages 2 and destroys 1 goblin ghoul with turning.

Tanrov/Garth uses his scimitar and destroys 1 goblin ghoul, but misses the other on his cleave.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious takes out the last goblin ghoul with a stone.

Zer-wedula swings and misses, maxed combat expertise.

Round 3
Talis PM[Private to Talis Revain: still paralyzed.]

Aldern Foxglove attacks and misses Zer.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:09, Sat 18 Sept 2010.

AC: 18
HPts: 32

The power of virtue wouldn't work, but glum still had the power of magic or at least a little.  He reached into himself and called his spiritual nunchuks into existance behind the creature fighting Zer-wedula, the shaped force slamming Aldern in silence.


22:34, Today: Glum rolled 9 using 1d8+1. nunchuk damage.
22:33, Today: Glum rolled 25 using 1d20+6. spiritual nunchuks.
10:19, Today: Glum rolled 27 using 1d20+9. Balance (oops forgot).


This message was last edited by the player at 09:20, Fri 17 Sept 2010.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

Cat smiles a tad as the goblin goes down. Now, to the main threat, As she climbs to the bridge, she lobs a pebble at Aldern.

15:41, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 17,11 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.
15:40, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 8 using 1d20+2. climb for gar.
15:40, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 9 using 1d20. (+3 climb)

Rolled a 15 on my balance check (1d20 [12]) + 3 = 15
AC:16 Shield not out
Hps:44 total without any hits

Tanrov will put away his scimitar and pull out a masterwork dagger to throw at Aldern next round.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:29, Thu 16 Sept 2010.

AC20 with expertise5, shield towards Foxglove
40 hp

20:47, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 13 using 1d20+1. attack on foxglove.


Zer-wedula swings wildly at Foxglove.  "Don't make me angry, Foxy!" he warns.

PM

Round 3
Glum moves, balancing easily on the slippery slope.  He hits with his spiritual energy.
(You needed to move to get line of sight to the square behind Aldern.)

Tanrov/Garth carefully stands up and lets go with his 1 hand, "this isn't so hard" he thinks.  He sheathes his scimitar and draws his dagger.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious
Cat starts climbing and falls down.  Garious, sensing his mistresses distress, also starts to climb down the slippery slope.
Don't forget 2HD from being an animal companion, thats an extra 14hp(10 for 2d8 +4con).

Zer-wedula swings and misses.

Round 4
Talis [Private to Talis Revain: Since you are so familiar with this sensation, you can feel the edges of the paralyzation wearing off, you can act in 1 more round.]

Aldern Foxglove goes through a reverse transformation (see msg 226), when Glum's spiritual nunchuks hit.  His face loses it's feral appearance and a look of horror and revulsion comes over his face.  He drops his war razor, as if he can't stand to hold, sobs, and begs "Save me from HIM, Hunter is terrible. He...he makes me do things...horrible things.  Help me, you're my only hope."  He seems genuinely terrified.
[Private to Talis Revain: At this point, you can almost sense the anger and frustration from the mold...wait, from MOLD!]


Tactical Situation
Aldern Foxglove has stopped attacking Zer-wedula in a 5' wide passage.  Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.
There is no sign of Talis.
Cat is still 20' below the party, soaking wet.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 17

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:51, Sat 18 Sept 2010.

Throwing the dagger as he is transforming I rolled a 16 (1d20) +7, but I think it missed because of being in a melee attack.

23:02, Today: Zer-wedula rolled 12 using 1d20+6. roll to hit without expertise.


"I will believe you when you're dead!" Zer-wedula yells as he cuts wildly at Aldern.

Glum simply held his balance while directing the spiritual nunchuks for two attempts to strike Foxglove, perhaps not as successful as they might have been.

12:19, Today: Glum rolled 4 using 1d8+1. Nunchuk damage 2.
12:19, Today: Glum rolled 6 using 1d8+1. nunchuk damage 1.
12:19, Today: Glum rolled 14 using 1d20+6. Spiritual Nunchuks second blow.
12:18, Today: Glum rolled 16 using 1d20+6. Spiritual nunchuks first blow.
12:18, Today: Glum rolled 23 using 1d20+9. balance.

Round 4
Glum balances easily on the slippery slope.  He "hits" with both, but only 1 does damage (the other doesn't get over the natural armor).

Tanrov/Garth throws his dagger, but goes high.  there is just to much in the way.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious continue moving.
Climbing is a very slow process (1/4 speed).

Zer-wedula swings and hits, since Aldern isn't resisting.

Round 5
Aldern Foxglove goes through another transformation.  The fear of His Lordship and the feral nature of Hunter are replaced with a look of utter selfconfidence.  He shows great skill and magic as he leaps over Zer-wedula, off the wall and over Tanrov.  Casually balancing on the slope he pulls out a mask and breaks into a wide grin, bows before the PCs, and says, “So you do not want to hear what that fool Foxglove might have said, good.  Norgorber likes his secrets kept secret.  Let me introduce myself, I am the Skinsaw man, free at last.  I wonder how your deaths shall affect your friends. What things might you have done that will go unfinished? What will those broken promises spawn? How will your murders shape the world?”  You notice, with this last transformation, his wounds healed.



  This mask is crafted from leathery preserved sections harvested from several different human faces, draped one over another almost like scales and leaving the eyes and mouth exposed—the overall effect is similar to that of a scaled skull. As he puts it on, the mask desaturates his color, making him appear insubstantial and shadowy (granting +5 to hide) before  the mask’s features begin to slither and take on the appearance of Zer-wedula, changing his whole appearance to look like the halfelf (disguise self).

The cult of Norgorber is a complex organism, but the god of
murder, secrets, greed, and poison would have it no other
way. Many thieves’ guilds include small shrines to his guise
as the “Gray Master.” Hidden sects of conspirators who
venerate him as the god of secrets know him as the Reaper of
Reputations. And those who see divinity in the poisonous know
him as “Blackfingers.” Yet the most sinister and dangerous of
his followers are the Skinsaw Men—they know Norgorber as
Father Skinsaw. These fanatic murderers are not assassins—
they kill, not for wealth, but for the sick joy of it. The Skinsaw
Men hold that all of their murders serve a greater cause, their
leaders receiving visions of victims which they believe to
be divine messages from Father Skinsaw. With each murder,
society is shaped—deeds the victim might have accomplished
go unrealized and the lives of those who knew the dead shift
and change in subtle ways. Over the course of years, or even
centuries, murders can shape nations and write the future’s
history. And when the Final Blooding occurs, then shall Father
Skinsaw reveal to his flock the purpose of this shaping of
society by death.



Tactical Situation
Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove -

Everybody may post, including Talis;
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>

AC 15 with Shield towards Skinsaw Man
HP 40/50

"Fine," Zer-wedula mutters.  "Too much in the way too reach me, Skinflint."  Zer-wedula casts Heroism on himself.  As Willi pokes her head out of his robe pocket, Zer-wedula says, "Nice disguise but my friends will know me by the weasel in my pocket."   (+2 to hit, saves, and skill checks)

Glum sighed and allowed his nunchuks to continue the attack.  The first blow landed nicely albeit blocked partially by damage reduction.  The second missed as Glum tried to keep his feet.  He scrabbled to hold onto his balance but then the nunchaks winked out of existence.

9:51, Today: Glum rolled 7 using 1d8+1. First blow damage.
19:51, Today: Glum rolled 7 using 1d20+6. Spiritual Nunchuks second blow.
19:51, Today: Glum rolled 15 using 1d20+6. Spiritual nunchuks first blow.
19:50, Today: Glum rolled 12 using 1d20+9. balance.

Talis thinks, "no I don't feel insane", and looks around for clues.

Climb check 14

full defense

Round 5
Talis can be heard in the other room;
[Private to Talis Revain:
  This damp cavern contains several items of furniture. A rickety table sits in the middle of the cave, its damp surface cluttered with all manner of what appears to be garbage: empty bottles, bits of clothing, crumpled
bits of paper, and more, lying in neatly organized rows.  A closer inspection of the collection on the table is enough to worry Talis, for this is Aldern’s collection of relics from that Zer-wedula's life.  They range from mundane
things like used potion bottles and scrolls on up to objects as personal as an  envelope of hair (perhaps harvested from him as he slept or from a discarded comb).  The only objects here that weren’t taken from Zer’s garbage are a stack of charcoal drawings on water-damaged parchment depicting an idealized perfection of Zer.
  A painting leans against the far side of the table, facing a large leather chair that sits nearby.  The portrait is a clumsy attempt to repaint the portrait with blood and bits of runny rotten flesh into a caricature of the Zer.  What the portrait was before is unknown, some person in a room in a city.
  The chair’s high back and cushion are horribly stained by smears of rotten meat and its arms are sticky with blood. A smaller table sits against the southern wall, its surface heaped with silver platters, fine porcelain plates, and crystalware. The “food” on these plates and platters is rotten meat, in some cases humanoid in source, and in all cases writhing with maggots. Thick, rotting blood gels in the crystal.
  Yet the horrific stench of the room seems somehow even thicker and more overwhelming than this gruesome display can account for on its own. The stench seems strongest to the west, where the cave’s wall has been overtaken by a horrific growth of dark green mold and dripping fungi. At the center, a patch of black tumescent fungus grows, its horny ridges and tumor-like bulbs forming what could almost be taken to be a humanoid outline. What appears to have once been an exquisite puzzlebox the size of a man’s fist lies smashed on the ground at the fungoid shape’s feet.  The box is the same as the one depicted in the stained glass windows.]

Glum his blows miss as the weapon follows Aldern.
You should have 2 rounds left on your weapon, you cast it in round3, and it should be good until it's last attack in round7.
Also, the Spiritual Weapon attacks on it's own. independent of you, so you may act as well.

Tanrov/Garth just tries to defend himself.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious climbs forward and throws a rock, hitting for 11 damage.  Garious seems unsure of what to do, so he stays above where Cat is.

Zer-wedula casts heroism.

Round 6
Aldern Foxglove ignores Tanrov and attacks Glum with his claws.  Glums skill at balancing allow him to avoid the claws, but the bite hits for 3 damage.  He(Aldern, not Glum) begins to smell bad, r.e.a.l.l.y bad.  "Watch Zer, as you fail to save your friends."
Glum
DC 19 Fortitude vs paralyzation
Fortitude DC 19 vs Disease
EVERYONE within 20' of Aldern
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened


Tactical Situation
Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 11

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:14, Thu 23 Sept 2010.

Tanrov will try to help Zer with The Skinsaw Man some how by trying to hit him with the scimitar.

Rolled a 9 on my climb check (1d20 [6] +3)
Rolled a 20 to hit with the scimitar (1d20 [13] +7)
Rolled a 8 for damage (1d6 [6] +2)
Rolled a 17 on the fort save vs disease and fails
This message was last edited by the player at 21:38, Tue 21 Sept 2010.

AC18 HPts 29/32

Glum's weakness was purely in strength, not in fortitude, and certainly not in the delivery of violence.  When Aldern moved to bite him, Glum's highly trained, if no longer strong, fists were there to greet him.  Glum shook off the ill effects even of the stench.

00:34, Today: Glum rolled 5 using 1d8-2. second blow damage.
00:33, Today: Glum rolled 5 using 1d8-2. damage first blow.
00:32, Today: Glum rolled 16 using 1d20+6. second blow.
00:32, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+6. first blow.
00:30, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+6. fort save 3.
00:30, Today: Glum rolled 26 using 1d20+6. fort save 2.
00:30, Today: Glum rolled 19 using 1d20+6. fort save 1.
00:37, Today: Glum rolled 18 using 1d20+9. balance.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Mon 20 Sept 2010.

Sword in hand, Talis moves toward the combat, with a longing look at the obviously magical/something box, wishing he had paid more attention to his uncles lessons on the deeper mysteries of arcana.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

Cat  watches the transformation with a feeling of dismay, almost to the point of missing a hand hold. Almost. She really doesn't want another swim. And just what is a Skinshaw man? She lobs another pebble at Foxglove.

10:59, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 18,13 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.
10:58, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 15 using 1d20+2. climb for gar.
10:58, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 6 using 1d20+3. climb .

Round 6
Talis appears behind Zer, sword in hand.  While gagging at the smell, he keeps it together and makes his save vs stench.

Glum ignores the stench, and the gut wrenching fear.  He swings, and manages to connect once.  His spiritual weapon swings but misses.

Tanrov/Garth starts to swing at Aldern, but suddenly looks green and seems distracted.  he misses.
Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious climbs forward and throws a rock, barely hits.  Garious, at Cat's distress, starts moving forward, but as he starts to get close to Aldern, he stops and starts whimpering.  he can no further without handle animal rolls from Cat.
Aldern has Unnatural Aura (Su) Any animal within 30 feet of Aldern automatically becomes panicked and remains so as long as it is within this distance.

Zer-wedula seems dazed and glances back in the room behind Talis.  He runs into the room[Private to Zer-wedula: and starts eating fungus off the walls
You failed a save vs a haunt and were overcome with the desire to eat the fungus

When he sees the strangely humanoid shape on the wall, he realizes the shape matches that of his own shadow exactly, and suddenly experiences a sensation of vertigo as he feels compelled to feed on the fungus to reclaim his stolen shadow].
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the
phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a
sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.
immediate, failure, 3 chr 4 con]

Round 7
Aldern Foxglove looks at Cat, "So you want to play too Little Mother" in a parody of Talis, "let me deal with this lummox, first."  Aldern savages Tanrov, who is flatfooted because he is climbing, with all 3 attacks for 28 damage.  To Zer, "Wait, we are just getting to the best part."
Tanrov - don't forget -2 for being sick;
3 DC 19 Fortitude vs paralyzation
1 Fortitude DC 19 vs Disease
EVERYONE within 20' of Aldern must make this save each round, once you are sick you may stop making the save (
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened


Tactical Situation
Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 29

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Fri 24 Sept 2010.

Glum ignored the stench and stayed balanced on the slippery slope as he rained blows on the miscreant, physically and spiritually, though not all that effectively.

22:48, Today: Glum rolled 8 using 1d8+1. possible damage second spiritual.
22:48, Today: Glum rolled 3 using 1d8+1. possible damage first spiritual.
22:47, Today: Glum rolled 1 using 1d8-2. possible damage first blow self.
22:46, Today: Glum rolled 24 using 1d20+6. Spiritual Nunchuks second blow.
22:46, Today: Glum rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Spiritual nunchuks first blow.
22:45, Today: Glum rolled 8 using 1d20+6. second blow self.
22:45, Today: Glum rolled 17 using 1d20+6. 1st blow self.
22:45, Today: Glum rolled 22 using 1d20+6. fort save.
22:45, Today: Glum rolled 23 using 1d20+9. Balanc.

Tanrov is paralyzed (1d20 [13 +5 included])but is not diseased (1d20 [18] +5 not included for a total of 23)

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 30/30

There seem to be a few good things about staying this far from the fight it seems to Cat. While she lobs another pebble, Gar looses his footing going back for a swim.

15:04, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 13,7 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.
15:03, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 5 using 1d20+2. balance for gar.
15:02, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 14 using 1d 20+3. dc climb

Talis looks back at Zer (eating fungus, not a good thing), then looks at outside (where Tanrov just got paralyzed), "Out of the frying pan, into the fire".  From the nice, nonslippery surface of the doorway, Talis throws 1 of his 2 stones at Aldern.

for vs stench = 10
20-2 sick-4 into melee=14 to hit, 10 dam

Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Round 7
Talis pulls out a stone, but misses and fails his save vs stench; Sickened.

Glum ignores the stench, but in all the attacks only his spiritual weapon hits, once.  Perhaps under more advantageous circumstances (say, with someone flanking) a couple more would have hit.

Tanrov/Garth freezes...
Sickened
[Private to GM: 4 rounds -1]

Catessa Fallowfield  & Garious climbs forward and throws a rock, missing.  Garious, tries to scramble away from Aldern, looses his balance and starts sliding down the slope.  Luck is with him and he doesn't slide off into the water.  He slides down the slope until he hits the door for 6 dam, >thud<.  However, now he is well within the Aura and is outright panicking.
Aldern has Unnatural Aura (Su) Any animal within 30 feet of Aldern automatically becomes panicked and remains so as long as it is within this distance.
[Private to GM: Garious; 2 rounds]

Zer-wedula PM
[Private to Zer-wedula: Eating the nasty magical fungus was a bad idea, you have a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.  -4con, -3chr.  Similar to Kasanda and Lorey pictures in the Gallery (msg 78)].
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.
immediate, failure, 3 chr 4 con]

Round 8
Aldern Foxglove looks pleased with his work, "Here Little Mother, have a present".  He uses Tanrov to vault over Glum and Talis to the other side of Garious (jumping/tumble move), this causes Tanrov to slide down the slope.  Tanrov get's lucky and his scabbard catches on the wall halfway down.  Tanrov takes 1 damage, and even luckier, he keeps a grip on his scimitar.
   Aldern looks at Garious and in a parody of Cat croons softly, "Poor doggie, are you afraid of me..."  He switches to a menacing voice, "...you should be," and he slashes a claw at the dog, doing 14 damage.  Garious stops moving, paralyzed. (he almost saved, but the combination of sickness and panic was too much)  Licking the blood off his claw, Aldern casually asks "What to do, what to do...Little Mother, would you like your dog back?"

within 20' of Aldern must make this save each round, once you are sick you may stop making the save (
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened

Only Glum remains unaffected (and Cat who isn't within 20')


Tactical Situation
Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 37

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:11, Sat 25 Sept 2010.

AC18 HPts 29/32

Glum could feel his feet slipping beneath him as he tried to get low enough to help Tanrov.  He held on though [ooc I hope] as he reached down to cast Remove Paralysis

23:25, Today: Glum rolled 19 using 1d20+2. climb.
23:24, Today: Glum rolled 16 using 1d20+6.
23:23, Today: Glum rolled 12 using 1d20+9. balance.

DM: Tanrov, you may go ahead and act. 
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:29, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

Throws his last magic stone at Aldern, without comment and then draws forth his bow.  "It's look's like just you and me Glum.  I hope they can climb up that slope quickly.  Do you want me to stay and fight or help stop Zer from eating the angry mold?"

to hit 24
dam 13
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:35, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Gar: AC 20 HP 18/30

Though it feels like abandoning Garious, Cat starts climbing again, away from what ever Foxglove has become. "You used to be nice. Yes, I'd like to have Garious back. "She wastes a pebble. Maybe it'll distract him.

11:38, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 11,11 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage.
11:37, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 11 using 1d20+3. climb
Not sure what I can do with Gar.

"Zer's eating the mould?"  Glum turned toward Talis.  "Don't let him do that.  We need to find a way to destroy the mould but I'm at a loss as to what to do."

Muttering "thanks" to Glum for his spell and so Aldern doesn't hear. Tanrov will move to standup.   Get scimitar ready etc.   Once on surer footing Tanrov will climb to attack his foe.

Climb 14
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:24, Sun 26 Sept 2010.

Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Round 8
SickTalis misses and draws his bow.

SickGlum spiritual weapon vanishes and Glum frees Tanrov of his paralysis.  Though he gets sick from the stench.  He realizes, Aldern is more then a ghoul, he is a ghast.

SickTanrov/Garth feels Glum's magic encompass him and he finds himself free from the paralyzing fear that had gripped his heart.  With scimitar in 1 hand, he stands and starts the slow climb toward Aldern.

Catessa Fallowfield stone slams into the wall, >boom<.

SickZer-wedula PM
[Private to Zer-wedula: Spends the round looking around.
  This damp cavern contains several items of furniture. A rickety table sits in the middle of the cave, its damp surface cluttered with all manner of what appears to be garbage: empty bottles, bits of clothing, crumpled
bits of paper, and more, lying in neatly organized rows.  A closer inspection of the collection on the table is enough to worry Zer-wedula, for this is Aldern’s collection of relics from that his life.  They range from mundane
things like used potion bottles and scrolls on up to objects as personal as an  envelope of hair (perhaps harvested from him as he slept or from a discarded comb).  The only objects here that weren’t taken from Zer’s garbage are a stack of charcoal drawings on water-damaged parchment depicting an idealized perfection of Zer.
  A painting leans against the far side of the table, facing a large leather chair that sits nearby.  The portrait is a clumsy attempt to repaint the portrait with blood and bits of runny rotten flesh into a caricature of the Zer.  What the portrait was before is unknown, some person in a room in a city.
  The chair’s high back and cushion are horribly stained by smears of rotten meat and its arms are sticky with blood. A smaller table sits against the southern wall, its surface heaped with silver platters, fine porcelain plates, and crystalware. The “food” on these plates and platters is rotten meat, in some cases humanoid in source, and in all cases writhing with maggots. Thick, rotting blood gels in the crystal.
  Yet the horrific stench of the room seems somehow even thicker and more overwhelming than this gruesome display can account for on its own. The stench seems strongest to the west, where the cave’s wall has been overtaken by a horrific growth of dark green mold and dripping fungi. At the center, a patch of black tumescent fungus grows, its horny ridges and tumor-like bulbs forming what could almost be taken to be a humanoid outline. What appears to have once been an exquisite puzzlebox the size of a man’s fist lies smashed on the ground at the fungoid shape’s feet.  The box is the same as the one depicted in the stained glass windows.  With a flash of insight, Zer knows what happened.
   Vorel Foxglove was a necromancer trying to become a Lich and the box was to be his phylactery.  Somehow his wife Kasanda found out and confronted him, probably at the climax of his ritual.  She disrupted it, which caused a magical backlash, transforming the wizard into the fungus and infecting his wife, their daughter Lorey and all the servants with some unique magical disease, which killed them.  In some strange way, th spirit of the near-lich lives on in this patch of fungus and inhabits the house as well.  It really is a haunted house, possessed by the spirit and evil of Vorel Foxglove.  No wonder the Foxglove family went crazy, they were influenced by his evil.]
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.
immediate, failure, 3 chr 4 con]

Round 9
Aldern Foxglove looks at Cat, "His Lordship was the weak one, HE was Foxglove and some remnant of humanity.  I am the Skinsaw man, hand of Norgorber."  He slices through the poor dogs head (coup de grace) and pulls it off, "I have no such weakness.  Here's your dog back" as he rolls the grisly object down the slope.  It bounces off Tanrov and over the edge into the water.  "Zer you're missing the show.  One down, who's next."

within 20' of Aldern must make this save each round, once you are sick you may stop making the save (
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened


Tactical Situation
Most of the party is on a slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 37

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>

Talis will shoot and then move back into the room, "Zer stop."

hit with a natural 20
confirm...wait, undead
dam 9

[Private to Talis Revain: Zer-wedula has an obviously painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deterioration of the skin across the entire body.  -4con, -3chr.  Similar to Kasanda and Lorey pictures in the Gallery (msg 78)]

Gagging, Zer-wedula splashes oil onto the central mass of fungus.  "Burn this," he grunts.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31

Cat lets out a primal scream, seeing Gar beheaded. Torn between running away in terror and charging down in revenge, she stays put, lobbing another pebble down. She doesn't know what is Skinsaw man is or who Norgorber is.

9:28, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 14,9 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage. *sigh*
09:28, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 23 using 1d20+3. balance. [Private to GM: You know I hate you.... ;)]
This message was last edited by the player at 14:57, Wed 29 Sept 2010.

AC18 HPts 29/32

Glum moved as directed by Zer-Wedula and, drawing out his tinder box, attempted to set fire to the fungus.

14:56, Today: Glum rolled 23 using 1d20+9. Balance.

Screaming for help and in pain from previous wounds Tanrov will try to get to the undead Aldern climbing all the way.

Rolled a four on my climb check
This message was last edited by the player at 17:15, Wed 29 Sept 2010.

No combat map will be posted for this round as the group is split.
Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.
immediate, failure, 3 chr 4 con]

Round 9
Talis and Glum join Zer in the room
[Private to Zer-wedula; Talis Revain; Glum:
SickTalis follows Glum's advice and moves back into the room after shooting Aldern.

  This damp cavern contains several items of furniture. A rickety table sits in the middle of the cave, its damp surface cluttered with all manner of what appears to be garbage: empty bottles, bits of clothing, crumpled
bits of paper, and more, lying in neatly organized rows.  A closer inspection of the collection on the table is enough to worry everyone, for this is Aldern’s collection of relics from Zer-wedulas life.  They range from mundane
things like used potion bottles and scrolls on up to objects as personal as an  envelope of hair (perhaps harvested from him as he slept or from a discarded comb).  The only objects here that weren’t taken from Zer’s garbage are a stack of charcoal drawings on water-damaged parchment depicting an idealized perfection of Zer.
  A painting leans against the far side of the table, facing a large leather chair that sits nearby.  The portrait is a clumsy attempt to repaint the portrait with blood and bits of runny rotten flesh into a caricature of the Zer.  What the portrait was before is unknown, some person in a room in a city.
  The chair’s high back and cushion are horribly stained by smears of rotten meat and its arms are sticky with blood. A smaller table sits against the southern wall, its surface heaped with silver platters, fine porcelain plates, and crystalware. The “food” on these plates and platters is rotten meat, in some cases humanoid in source, and in all cases writhing with maggots. Thick, rotting blood gels in the crystal.
  Yet the horrific stench of the room seems somehow even thicker and more overwhelming than this gruesome display can account for on its own. The stench seems strongest to the west, where the cave’s wall has been overtaken by a horrific growth of dark green mold and dripping fungi. At the center, a patch of black tumescent fungus grows, its horny ridges and tumor-like bulbs forming what could almost be taken to be a humanoid outline. What appears to have once been an exquisite puzzlebox the size of a man’s fist lies smashed on the ground at the fungoid shape’s feet.  The box is the same as the one depicted in the stained glass windows. 

SickGlum hears Zer yell and moves into the room as well, getting out his flint and tender, leaving Cat and Tanrov to deal with Aldern.  As Glum enters he sees the strangely humanoid shape on the wall, he realizes the shape matches that of his own shadow exactly, and suddenly experiences a sensation of vertigo as he feels compelled to feed on the fungus to reclaim his stolen shadow.  But his will is strong and he ignores that crazy idea.  One look at Zer-wedulas obviously painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and sickening deterioration of the skin across the entire body (con and chr damage), similar to Kasanda and Lorey pictures in the Gallery (msg 78), prove the wisdom in NOT eating the mold.]

From outside the room, Cat screams at the death of Garious, Tanrov says "Help", >thud<, >splash<, >boom<
[Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov: SickTanrov/Garth tries to move toward his foe, but slips and starts sliding down to the bottom, right past Cat, slamming into the wall head first (sorry, my dice were hot 20 damage), before splashing into the water and starting to sink.  Cat can tell he is unconscious as he slides by her, blood coming from a nasty head wound.


Catessa Fallowfield stone slams into the wall, >boom<.  ]
[Private to Tanrov: -5hp...and drowning...TPK, here I come.]

[Private to Zer-wedula; Talis Revain; Glum:
SickZer-wedula throws a flask of oil on the fungus.  The cavern is fairly damp, but a flask of oil will probably do the trick, though it will take time.  Magical fire or something like Alchemist fire would be better.
   As the oil soaks into the fungus, you can see the human shape recoil from it, almost in anticipation of the fire.  This is followed by a slight wave in the rest of the fungus radiating out from this human shape.  This then is the center of the evil fungus which Talis has postulated is what is keeping the house standing.
   It will take someone a full round to light the oil on fire with the tinderbox.
]

Round 10
Aldern Foxglove [Private to Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov:
watches as both Talis and Glum run into the room and Tanrov slides down into the water and stops moving.  Smiling at Cat, he leaps twice and ends up right behind her.  He whispers, "They have deserted you, leaving you to my tender care.  I guess it would be kind of me to reunite pet and owner.  That's just the kind of guy I am."  He delicately licks the blood off his claw.

Cat, dont forget-
within 20' of Aldern must make this save each round, once you are sick you may stop making the save
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened]


Tactical Situation
slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 46

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:04, Fri 01 Oct 2010.

Talis looks surprised to see Glum, he looks to the passage to the cavern, "You guys take care of this, maybe a bless or something might help, I'm going to help Cat and the kid."  Talis moves and shoots.

move to the doorway and shoots at Aldern if possible

to hit 15

Tanrov bleeds into the water.[Private to DM: Rolled an 18 on stabilization]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:33, Wed 29 Sept 2010.

Zer-wedula leaves Glum to finish the burning.  "Best I can do," he wheezes as he casts Bulls Strength on Tanrov.

AC18 HPts 29/32

Glum says as Zer-Wedula goes, "Then bring Cat.  I believe she has some skill in magical fires" For his own part, he casts a zero level spell to hurt the fungus (cast cure minor wounds)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:44, Sat 02 Oct 2010.

Cat: AC 18 HP 21/31
Cat's screams start to turn to sobs as she calls out for the others...
pm
[Private to DM; Tanrov: Cat's screams start to turn to sobs as she calls out for the others. She wants and needs to help her fallen comrade but to do so would expose her to Foxglove, She's no good to anyone dead. She continues to climb as it easier than staying put. She lobs another pebble at ... whatever Foxglove is.

11:54, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25,11 using d20+9,2d6+2. attack, damage. finally.
11:53, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 10 using 1d20+3. climb. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:20, Sat 02 Oct 2010.

Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
[Private to GM: Zer = Vorel’s Phage took 3 chr 4 con
                Cat = paralyzed 4 rounds]

Round 10
Talis and Zer-wedula join Cat and Tanrov, leaving Glum in the fungus room.
[Private to Zer-wedula; Talis Revain; Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov:
SickTalis shoots and misses.  Both Talis and Zer find Tanrov sinking down into the water, apparently dead or unconscious.  There is blood in the water.  Aldern is right behind Cat, who really has nowhere to go.  You notice 2 things floating in the water, a dogs head and Tanrov's scimitar.]

[Private to Glum: SickGlum casts a cmw, and carefully touches the fungus.  The fungus shrivels a little from the point of touch, but an insignificant amount.  Of more concern is the finger Glum used comes away red, tingling and irritated.  Touching the fungus is probably...no, certainly...a BAD idea.  (You barely made a For save...)]

From outside the room, Cat screams for help, >arrow hitting rock<, >boom<, Aldern says somehing
SickTanrov/Garth PM[Private to Tanrov: stabilized at -5hp, but of course is also currently in the process of drowning, but hey, your scimitar floats.]

[Private to Zer-wedula; Talis Revain; Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov:
Catessa Fallowfield throws a stone (his Aoo misses) that slams into Aldern, who shrugs off the damage (he still has lots of hp left).  Cat is not sick yet, (made her For save vs Stench).

SickZer-wedula moves and puts a Bulls str spell on Talis.


Round 11
Aldern Foxglove sees Zer-wedula behind Talis "Oh good, you have arrived just in time to watch another die."  He carefully attacks Cat as she tries to not slip, hitting with 1 claw and 1 bite for 19 damage.  As she stops moving he pokes her, "Wow, she's tough for such a little woman, I do believe she's still alive.  Amazing."  He moves slightly, putting Cat between himself and Talis, "I wonder how much they value you as their companion little kitty?"
Cat
You failed the save vs paralyzation
Fortitude DC 19 vs Disease
Stench; DC 19 Fortitude save vs Sickened]


Tactical Situation
slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 57

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.]

AC18 HPts 29/32

Seeing the effect of touching the fungus, Glum has another idea and he begins sprinkling silver and Holy Water in an attempt to consecrate the room and, he hopes, destroy the evil within.

[cast consecrate]

   Talis thinks, Ameiko, I want to die worthy of your love.  He says quietly, "Desna, protect me," then loudly "Hey Skinsaw, don't you want to see the terror in her eyes, as she realizes you're about to kill her again."  He will try to use the slope as a slide to get down to Cat and Aldern (and attack Aldern if possible - with his magic sword).  As he (hopefully) slides past Cat he gives her a look and says, "Wildshape."

12 to hit

[Private to GM: 17 ref save
jump  ok
12 to stay on lnad=yes
aldern avoids getting knock over
misses aoo]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:55, Sun 03 Oct 2010.

Cat: AC 18 HP 2/31

A very paralyzed Cat isn't diseased but is sickened. She thinks bloody murder at Foxglove.

14:45, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 8 using 1d20+5. for save 2.
14:45, Today: Catessa Fallowfield rolled 25 using 1d20+5. for save 1. [Private to DM: I can't wildshape while paralyzed, can I?]
This message was last edited by the player at 23:29, Sun 03 Oct 2010.

PM

Zer-wedula pulls his weapon and rages. "Get over here, coward, and face me!" he snarls, somewhat weakly, at Aldern.

Sickened: The character takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
[Private to GM: Zer = Vorel’s Phage took 3 chr 4 con
                Cat = paralyzed 3 rounds
                Tanrov = -5/stable, holding breath for 2 of 16 rnds]

Round 11
Zer-wedula has an obviously painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and sickening deterioration of the skin across the entire body (con and chr damage), similar to Kasanda and Lorey pictures in the Gallery (msg 78).  It is now painfully easy to tell them apart, the hideous real Zer-wedula and the perfect Aldern Zer-wedula.
[Private to Zer-wedula; Talis Revain; Catessa Fallowfield; Tanrov:
SickTalis throws caution to the wind.  Dropping his bow he jumps onto the slope and slides toward Aldern, drawing his sword.  He builds up dangerously high speeds, but unlike Tanrov before him, he was expecting this.  As he approaches his foe, Aldern easily moves aside and they both slash at each other as Talis slides by.  They both miss.  Talis slams into the wall at the bottom and manages to stay on the land.  Talis takes 4 real and 4 subdual damage (I rolled really badly this time).]

[Private to Glum: SickGlum casts consecrate...the fungus  suddenly animates and tears free from the wall. The thing howls in a sloshy, barely human voice, then crumbles to dust—the haunt of Foxglove Manor is thusly exorcised, and is no longer haunted.  Realizing there is nothing more that Glum can do here, he moves toward the entrance right behind Zer-wedula.  He arrives to find Cat(paralyzed), Tanrov(dead or unconscious sinking into the water) and Talis on the ground, all at the bottom of the slope with Aldern.  Garious is lacking a head, which is floating in the water along with Tanrov's scimitar.]

There is a strange howl from inside the room, and shortly thereafter Glum appears behind Zer-wedula.  At this point the cavern shakes a bit.
SickTanrov/Garth PM[Private to Tanrov: stabilized at -5hp, but of course is also currently in the process of drowning, but hey, your scimitar floats.]

Catessa Fallowfield is still paralyzed, but the good news is she was in such a position that she doesn't fall over when the cavern shakes and she saves vs the stench.

SickZer-wedula snarls and yells at Aldern.


Round 12
Aldern Foxglove looks at Zer-wedula and Glum, then to Talis "Ah, he does care Little Mother."  Looking back at Zer and smirks, "And what exactly are you going to do up there?  That fool Foxglove idealized you and your magic, but the Skinsaw man sees you are what your are.  You will watch as your friends die one by one, and only then will you die, slowly."  He starts to move toward Talis, but hits a particularly slick rock, (finally rolled low, a 1)slips and falls into the water.  He sinks even faster than Tanrov.

Tactical Situation
slippery ledge, dc 5 climb, 12 balance - please review the rules on climbing and balancing.
At the start of your turn, roll a balance or climb(requires at least 1 hand) check, if you fail, you fall down and start sliding.
Talis is on the ground.
Cat is paralyzed.
Tanrov and Aldern are 10' below the water.
Glum and Zer-wedula are at the entrance to the smaller room.


                 dam     status
Aldern Foxglove - 57

Everybody may post
<AND DON'T FORGET TO INCLUDE AC AND HP(CURRENT/TOTAL)>
[Private to GM: Vorel’s Phage
 To most victims, though, the phage causes a painful and hideous outbreak of facial tumors and a sickening deteoriation of the skin across the entire body.
Infection—contact or ingestion; Fortitude DC 20; Incubation 1
day; Damage 1d4 Charisma and 1d4 Constitution.]