14:56, Fri 23 Jan 2015: Bethany Scristos rolled 3 using 1d6 ((3)).

"You belong to the Raven Queen abomination," Bethany called out, sword and shield at the ready, "let me return you to her embrace!!!"

Given that the ending of such beings is her calling in life, the Paladin will attempt to be front and center...

21:23, Today: DM Storm, on behalf of Eagle, rolled 5 using 1d6 with rolls of 5. Init.

The party decides to retreat toward the stairs when the ghasts become keenly aware of their presence. Miralla is the furthest in the chamber, while Grakh, Beth and Shale stand a bit further back, near the bottom of the staircase. Tyrien and Eagle remained at the top of the stairs, waiting for further report.

Miralla races past Beth, Grakh and Shale and quickly flies up the stairs as the ghasts give chase. Scarcely a few seconds pass when that trio spots the first ghast entering the round chamber. The robed-undead lopes into the chamber, slobbering and growling, when it draws to the center of the room, about 10 feet distant from Beth and Grakh, Shale just a few feet behind the paladin and fighter.

The ghast then turns its head and regards the three adventurers, a cruel smile forming on its partially devoured face. "There it is..." it growls lowly, before slowly advancing...

The ghast is on Grakh a moment later, raking its claws across the half-orc's flesh. Fortunately, Grakh is heavily armored, but that doesn't take the sting of the attack away. More importantly, armor does nothing against the ghast's paralyzing touch...

A moment later, four more ghasts appear in the hallway. They growl and hiss in cruel delight upon noticing prey.

Then, the stench of death fills the chamber, assaulting Beth, Grakh and Shale's olfactory senses.

OOC: Grakh is hit for 6 points of damage and must make a saving throw vs Paralysis or become paralyzed. Beth, Grakh and Shale must make a save vs Poison, or will be overcome by the stench and suffer -2 penalty to attacks.

1 ghast is engaged with Grakh. Ben and Miralla are within 10 of that ghast. Miralla made it to the top of the stairs, where Eagle and Tyrien are currently located.

Ghasts, 5
AC: 4
HP: Dead (G/B), x/?, x/?, x/?, x/?, [Private to GM: (4/17, 15/17, 13, 20, 20, 19)]


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Beth     3   10/10   4   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Eagle    6   38/41   4   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Grakh    1   08/14   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +1 Init
Miralla  7   05/05   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Shale    2   07/07   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +3 Init
Tyrien   5   09/09   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10


Round 1
Stage 1: Ghasts (6)
Stage 2: PCs

OOC: PCs are UP!


This message was last edited by the GM at 18:40, Sat 24 Jan 2015.

Though half-orcs in principle were not Bethany's favorite folk, Grakh was a comrade in need of help! Stepping forward, the Paladin swung her blade!

"Feel the wrath of the Raven Queen, fiend!" she cried! Her blade seemed to swing true, but a sudden cough at the stench of death caused her blade to go awry...

00:01, Today: Bethany Scristos rolled 17 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 14. bastard sword, one handed.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:41, Sat 24 Jan 2015.

Grakh'tuul braced himself as the creature launched at him. He grimaced as claws slipped through the gaps in his armour and raked his flesh. He felt a strange sensation as it's deathly venom attacked his body but he managed to shake off it's effects. As the smell of the chamber assaulted his nostril he roared in anger. It would take more than a nasty biff to bring him down.

He pushed the creature back and slashed it across the chest with a hefty blow, then stabbed forward, skewering it through the belly. "Back to hell you diseased streak of piss!"

He then continued to back away, hoping to reach the sanctuary of the open sky.

08:31, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 13 using 1d8+8 with rolls of 5. Damage.
08:31, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 20 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 16. Attack 2 v ghast tgt16.
08:30, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 16 using 1d8+8 with rolls of 8. Damage.
08:29, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 17 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 13. Attack 1 v ghast tgt16.
08:28, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 20 using 1d20 with rolls of 20. Save vs Poison tgt16.
08:26, Today: Grakh'tuul rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17. Save v paralysis tgt16.

Thank you dice god, the burnt offering is on it's way. I made both saves and delivered a total of 29hp damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:42, Sat 24 Jan 2015.

Miralla was happy to retreat further, gladly following the plan opf leading the Ghasts into the open. She was amazed at the Half-Orcs ability though and cast an awed look at Grakh'tuul before scrambling outside!

In reply to Miralla (msg # 34):

'Get out of there', Eagle yells, and races backwards away from the stairs to the other side of the courtyard, ready to be able to use his magic on any emerging ghasts.

OOC: presumably the call lightning that I prepared earlier is ready to go off?

When Eagle moves quickly away, Tyrien really wants to follow him, its smart for the druid to be protected, but the smell and sound of what is below sends a chill through him.  He stays at the top of the stairs, helps Miralla up the last few steps and stands ready with his bow to fire at anything evil he sees coming up those steps.

Shale, relieved that the skinny half-elf made it out of the charnel pit, began to take tentative steps upwards after her. Still, though, he faced the darkness, and as the stench of the undead churned his tender elven gut and the monstrosity began to savage the orc down below, Shale sent loose two arrows astray into the darkness.

Then he turned and leapt up the stairs like an antelope.





OOC: Failed save, missed twice with bow.

07:26, Today: Shale rolled 4 using 1d20 with rolls of 4. save vs. poison - target =14.

07:30, Today: Shale rolled 12 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 11. attack with longbow, -2 stench, -1 into melee.

07:30, Today: Shale rolled 5 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 4. attack with longbow, -2 stench, -1 into melee.

Beth and Shale are overcome by the powerful stench of death and begin uncontrollably retching at the bottom of the stairwell. Still, both continue to fight on, attacking ineffectively between bouts of projectile vomit.

Grakh savagely cuts down the robed ghast, whom Eagle would instantly recognize as the human that used to be Saliq, slicing the thing nearly in half, right down the mid-section. Any sense of victory from the success is instantly diminished when four more ghasts file into the room. Fortunately, Beth and Grakh are in the vanguard, at the base of the stairs and are thus able to minimize the number of potential assailants to two at a time.

Two ghasts sweep in to fill the void left by the slain ghast, with two just behind, reaching out their grasping claws in hopes of dragging a victim to them.

A powerfully-built ghast in tarnished banded mail (Eagle would be so pissed!) claws at Grakh, striking the half-orc once, grabbing hold of his collar. The ghast latches on and moves in to bite the side Grakh's face. The wounds prove too much for the mighty half-orc and he slips into unconsciousness, falls to the ground, and begins to slip closer to death.

Standing at his side, Bethany looks up between bouts of puking and sees her long lost brother advancing toward her. Except this isn't the lovable, if not scrappy rogue from the Narrows anymore. Ben has transformed into a creature of horror, his skin a grayish-screen and marked up with deep wounds covering the entirety of his form. There is no look of recognition in this monster's eyes', only pure, absolute evil. Ghast-Ben throws himself at the Paladin. Beth wards off both the ghast's claws, but begins puking again, giving the ghast an opportunity to sink its teeth into her arm. Beth shoves the thing aside before it can make good on its intent!

Miralla has now rejoined Eagle and Tyrien at the top of the hidden stairwell, in the decrepit grand hall. Shale is firing arrows from his bow as he retreats up the stairwell. Grakh lies unconscious and dying at the base of the stairwell. Beth is pressed on all sides by growling ghasts.

OOC: Grakh is hit for 10 points of damage and unconscious and dying.

Ghasts, 5
AC: 4
HP: Dead, x/? (B), x/? Dazed (B), x/? Dazed, x/? Dazed, [Private to GM: (0/17, 13, 20, 20, 15/17)]

+2 to attacks vs Dazed ghasts


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Beth     3   10/10   4   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Eagle    6   38/41   4   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Grakh    1  -02/14   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +1 Init, Unconscious and Dying
Miralla  7   05/05   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Shale    2   07/07   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +3 Init
Tyrien   5   09/09   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10


Round 2
Stage 1: Ghasts (6)
Stage 2: PCs

OOC: PCs are UP!


This message was last edited by the GM at 23:46, Sat 24 Jan 2015.

Shale halted. The sounds, the smells were horrific. The orc was down, but the heroic Bethany Scristos still stood, all flashing steel and angry eyes. Shale would not leave her to fall in darkness.

In truth, he did not see the family resemblance, but he singled out the ghast that was Bethany's brother, and with a poetic incantation and a flourish of his slender fingers, Shale called forth arcane light from the creature's face -- a distraction, he hoped, that would allow the paladin to withdraw or to bring ruin on the walking dead.


OOC: cast light on Ben-Ghast.

A glowing orb of light appears directly behind the disheveled ghast engaged against Bethany, further illuminating the chamber in arcane light. Though the ball of light is unsuccessful in blinding the ghast, its sudden appearance momentarily dazes the other three ghasts as they shield their eyes from the brilliant light, howling in protest!

OOC: Ghasts will be dazed for 1 round (+2 to attacks vs dazed creatures)

Horrified at the evil that has taken hold of Ben's body, Bethany let out a prayer, hoping his soul was not inside the ghast-ly form suffering!

Swinging her sword yet again, she finds her retching and the death-grin of her brother too much to overcome, swinging wildly.

Feeling guilty and frustrated Miralla hovered unhappily at the top of the steps. Her own magic was useless against these creatures and lacking combat skills or heavy armour these beasts would tear her apart if she ventured down.

"Back up!!! Back up, back up, back up!!!"

Common sense coming too late for this round, she will hope to retreat at soon as possible.

"Why did we even engage these bastards in the first place, they would have followed us!"

"The ending of such beings is your calling in life!" Shale reminded Bethany. "It's understandable that you'd want to be on the front line, even at your peril. Now RUN!"

In reply to Shale (msg # 44):

<dark green>'Get them out in the open air,'</dark green> Eagle yells again, from the courtyard in which he is waiting for the scouting party to emerge into.

Tyrien realizes that with anyone coming up the steps, there won't be room to shoot a bow past them, so he stows his bow, taking his flail and shield out, he backs away from the top of the stairs about 10 feet and waits.

With Grakh lying dying at her feet, Beth faces off against one of the ghasts whom was not affected by the sudden burst of light that filled the darkened chamber. The ghast growls menacingly and throws itself at the Paladin of the Raven Queen, attempting to claw through her defenses. A furious exchange ensues and Beth defends herself admirably, but is raked across the face once, a superficial wound, but it does not take much for the vile undead foe's touch to have a paralyzing effect. Hopefully for Beth, her God would see her through so she can escape to the safety of numbers, calling to her from the top of the narrow staircase.

The other ghasts shield their eyes, howling in protest as their eyes adjust to the light. A momentary reprieve, perhaps?

OOC: Beth is hit for 2 points of damage and must make a save vs paralysis (Good luck!) Grakh is unconscious and dying on the floor.

Ghasts, 5
AC: 4
HP: Dead, x/? (B), x/? Dazed (B), x/? Dazed, x/? Dazed, [Private to GM: (0/17, 13, 20, 20, 15/17)]

+2 to attacks vs Dazed ghasts


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Beth     3   08/10   4   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Eagle    6   38/41   4   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Grakh    1  -03/14   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +1 Init, Unconscious and Dying
Miralla  7   05/05   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11    Retching (-2 to attacks)
Shale    2   07/07   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    +3 Init
Tyrien   5   09/09   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10


Round 3
Stage 1: Ghasts (6)
Stage 2: PCs

OOC: PCs are UP!

Bethany shrieked at the raking fingers, and hurried backwards, foregoing her return blow in an effort to speed up their efforts to lure the foul denizens of the keep out into the open.

The only hope for the half-Orc lay in finishing this quickly, and she wasn't the person to do that job! not yet, anyway...

00:07, Today: Bethany Scristos rolled 20 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 18. target 14 save.

Miralla looked around for a suitable hiding place. When (if!) those ghasts came up she planned on hitting them from behind, relying on a good honest stab in the back.

Of course if things went badly hiding could have other benefits...

When it was clear that Scristos was breaking off from battle to lure the hungry fiends forward, Shale hastily retreated, emerging from the stairway and moving to a position some 20' away, arrow trained on the opening. The bile still burned in his throat and nose.

Having little experience in actual battle, and none with undead, Ty has been going back and forth trying to figure out a strategy.  Seeing Shale move 20' away and get his bow ready, Tyrien will mimic this, he moves back another 10 feet and switches to his bow, waiting.

In reply to Tyrien (msg # 51):
Eagle stands way back from the entrance, out of sight behind some of the wrecked courtyard flotsam of possible.

Shale and Tyrien retreat from the top of the stairs, drawing back about 20 and 30 feet respectively, just outside the gaping hole leading into the ruined western wing, both drawing and taking a bead at the top of the stairs to ready themselves for if and when the ghasts emerge. Bethany also flies up the stairs and takes up a position next to some topped wooden beams. Eagle is several feet beyond her, perhaps trading glances at the darkened skies above, their lower folds heavy with Melora's fury. Miralla glances around the ruined hall for a suitable hiding place from which she can possibly later spring for a back attack. She eventually settles on hiding behind one of the stairwell banisters, halfway to the balcony and over the previously concealed stairs leading down into the ghasts' lair.

The ghasts' howls and snarling grows louder as they clamber up the stairs, a moment later four ghasts spill into the hall. Eagle will recognize three of the ghasts immediately as his former companions: Ben, Inas and Rath! The fourth is wearing the tattered vestments of a nobleman, a golden circlet studded with magnificent gems crowning the creature's vile head.

The four ghasts emerge from the narrow stairwell, sniff the air while looking around, before finally leveling their glazed, yellowish eyes on Bethany and Shale, just 20 feet distant. They growl and begin making slurping noises as they advance!


OOC: The ghasts are about 10 feet distant from Beth and Shale, 20 feet distant from Tyrien and 30 feet distant from Eagle. Miralla is located on the stairwell 20 feet northwest of the ghasts.

Beth, Eagle, Shale and Tyrien are standing in the courtyard, amidst the rubble and debris. Miralla is still inside the keep.

Ghasts, 5
AC: 4
HP:
Rath-Ghast: -1/x [Private to GM: (19/20)]
Ben-Ghast:  -5/x [Private to GM: (8/13)]
Inas-Ghast:  x/x [Private to GM: (20/20)]
Nobleman-Ghast: -2/x [Private to GM: (15/17)]
Saliq-Ghast: Dead

[Private to GM: (0/17, 12/13, 15/20, 20, 15/17)]


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Beth     3   08/10   4   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10
Eagle    6   38/41   4   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Grakh    1  -18/14   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    Dead
Miralla  7  -15/05   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11    Dead
Shale    2  -13/07   2   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    Dead
Tyrien   5   09/09   1   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10    50% movement (entangle)


Round 4
Stage 1: Ghasts (6)
Stage 2: PCs

OOC: PCs are UP!


This message was last edited by the GM at 07:56, Mon 09 Feb 2015.