Though the swarm engulfs him and the rats tear and bite SCG does not cry out...


He attempts to crush the rats on his shield into the rats still on the ground in front of him.
Awaiting DM ruling if possible or not


I have a trait for this type of thing.... Bellis Honey Harvester Source Andoran, Spirit of Liberty pg. 18 Category Region Requirement(s) Bellis [in Andoran] Your frequent exposure to bees—and their stings—makes all such creatures seem more like nuisances than actual threats. You gain DR 3/— against damage dealt by swarms and a +1 trait bonus on saving throws against distraction and poison from swarms.

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Not the first time...probably not the last either

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This message was last edited by the player at 18:53, Mon 11 Mar 2019.

Murkau rushes to the paladins aid, swinging his maulaxe down at the rats again and again, crushing them with the sledge side of his peculiar axe. "Back to tha hole ye came from!"

---

Full-round action: Charge! to H-6
Hit AC 25 for 6 bludgeoning damage.

Murkau Holdheart rolled 25 using 1d20+6.  Charge attack - maulaxe.
Murkau Holdheart rolled 6 using 1d6+2.  Maulaxe damage.

Seeing Constantine engulfed in a swarm of rats he reaches down to his belt and pulls one of the flasks he picked up back in town. "This is not how I planned to use these." he thought as he drew his arm back and shouted. "Constantine, move!" As soon as the paladin moved out of the radius Garland threw the flask into the swarm, hoping for the best.

Garlands vial of lobbed acid went wide, splashing against the far wall and engulfing only a few of the rats which squealed and began to curl with acrid smoke as they melted. Constantine held his shield like an anvil and Murkau charged down like a hammer, squashing and scattering the chittering vermin. Ravenous and enraged, the rats swarmed over this new antagonist.

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  A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T

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Key:
D - Doors, both are currently open
S - Stairs leading to the upper floor
con - Sir Constantine
dar - Darcon
mur - Murkau
gar - Garland
*Shara is currently upstairs but can arrive this round and act immediately.

Enemies:
rat - Rat swarm. HP 8/16, AC 14, Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2, Swarm Traits (Half damage from piercing and slashing weapons)

Combat:
Constantine spends the round nauseated but recovers and can now act normally.
Murkau deals 6 damage to the rat swarm.
Garland misses the swarm's touch AC of 14 and his throw deviates, doing 2 points of splash damage to the swarm.

The rats swarm over Murkau, dealing 3 damage. Murkau fails a will save and is nauseated next round.

It's now the player phase.

"Careful!" Darcon called out, gripping his staff in both hands as he watched his companions getting swarmed by the rats. After a moment of indecision he moved quickly, skirting the edge of the swarm until he found a clear place close enough to affect the rats but not injure his friends.

Raising his staff he slammed it point down onto the ground while uttering a word of power. Lightning flashed with a low crackle inside the house, sending sparks flying in all directions...

---

Move Action: Move to I7;

Upon hearing the sounds of conflict, Shara ran down the stairs, her spiritual companion in tow. She flung a piece of debris at the swarm using strange telekinetic powers, as her companion closed in and swung a spectral blade at the swarm.


18:45, Today: Shara rolled 5 using 1d6+1. Damage. If it hits (flanking?), Murkau can make an immediate action attack.
18:44, Today: Shara rolled 12 using 1d20+3.  Phantom Slam.
18:43, Today: Shara rolled 4 using 1d6.  Damage.
18:43, Today: Shara rolled 16 using 1d20+2.  Telekinetic Projectile.

Garland let out a curse as he held the morningstar in his dominant hand and took a step forward, swinging with as much might as the cleric could muster.

“Take care my friends swarms are very common and survival is most likely,”

With that SCG pummels the rats with his morning star

13:45, Today: Sir Constantine Godalming rolled 7 using 1d8+1.  Morning star damage . 13:45, Today: Sir Constantine Godalming rolled 22 using 1d20+3.  Attack roll against swarm.

Combat:
Darcon's light flash does 5 damage to the swarm.
Shara's TK projectile does 4 damage, enough to disperse the swarm.
Everybody else smashes or stomps on fleeing rats as they scurry away.

Combat concluded, victory!

---

Our hero's swift action sent scurrying, mangy bodies flying as spells and steel pummeled at the break in the wall where the rats were boiling out. Shara's telekinetic throw struck a decisive enough blow the scatter the largest knot of rats, and the rest squealed and dispersed, scampering out the doors, through the broken windows, and into dozens of little hidey holes in the walls.

Kendra shrieked and performed an awkward, panickey dance as rats ran past her ankles on the way out. She shuddered and rubbed her hands together as if cleaning off something disgusting.

"Horrible little things." She said as the last rats scurried away.

A further search of the house revealed little more than the moldering remains of the Hawkran's personal effects, Shara's rusty iron key was the only noteworthy artifact in the place.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:02, Wed 13 Mar 2019.

"Ugh."  Keanala slowly loosened the tension that she had drawn on her bow.  She plucked the arrow from the string and held it in one hand.  "Nice work on those things.  Never liked rats.  Everyone okay?"

SCG makes certain all the rats are off of him and quickly checks for bites and scratches, especially deep ones that may result in infection.

“Better than horrible massive things.”


“Check for deep wounds rats can cause disease.  I took more than I first thought though in coming to my aid it appears our friend has taken more.  I was the appetizer and he the main course.”

Kendra fussed over Constantine and Murkau until she was satisfied that the weren't in imminent danger of expiring from their wounds. Apart from deep scratches around shins and ankles anywhere not covered in armor they seemed fine, but Constantine was right about the propensity of rats to spread disease. Kendra resolved to keep an eye on both of them over the next couple of days to make sure they were in good health.

"Lets hope that key comes in use inside the old prison," Darcon murmured, implying his hope that the effort expended here had been of some use. "Since there appears to be nothing of interest here let us move into the prison proper, there must be some clues as to the fate of the Professor and the affairs of The Whispering Way there."

Garland took a few moments to look at both injured party members and their wounds for a few moments before he stepped back. "I have several chances to channel energy. If either of you would like healing in that way you need only ask. When we return to the Lorrimor estate I want to examine both of you to see if you're suffering from infection or disease." he stated, smiling warmly as he looked at their faces with a reassuring tone in his voice. "I've spent several years of my life working as a doctor in Caliphas, you'll be in good hands."

He looked over at Darcon as he made the suggestion and nodded in agreement, gripping his mace tightly in his dominant hand as he walked toward the door. "I agree, the main prison seems the next best place though keep a lookout for someway to scale the walls. I would like to take a look at the area above where Petros passed."

"Dastardly little things, alway's after the littlest bit of food. If I feel worse for the wear I'll let ya know, for now lets get goin'." The dwarf cleans the sledge side of his maulaxe before moving out of the decrepit house towards the prison.

“Indeed we should keep going; if we gave up now old wives would ridicule us to no end with brooms and buckets they have fought such swarms.   Perhaps we can find a place the wall has fallen away or a door is open.  Scaling walls is not my favorite thing.”

Our heroes moved across the grounds to the prison proper, hesitating for a scant moment in front of the crooked wooden doors.

There was a palpable feeling of dread as they crossed over the threshold, the oppressive feeling of claustrophobia, the lingering tug of men who had died in anger and terror and hate, the faintest scent of charred flesh. A collective shudder seemed to move through the group and, although none of our heroes were unduly put out, Kendra seemed shaken.

The massive doors, once strongly barred, were easily pushed open with the groaning screech of rusted hinges. Our heroes moved through a small foyer and then into an entry way that split off in four directions. A quick peek through the doors showed corridors flanked with doors to the west and north, and a large open chamber like an auditorium to the east. South were the doors that the party had entered through.

---

Shara looked around at the possible paths through the prison before them.

"I don't suppose anyone has a good idea as to where we should start in our search? Perhaps where the professor met his fate?" she asks, with a sideways glance at Kendra.

Seeing her friend a little shaken, Keanala went to Kendras side.  She rested a hand on the other woman shoulder, giving a soft squeeze of reassurance.

"So.  Big open area first?"

“Aye it would give us a chance to secure and control a large area and deal with larger threats first.”

SCG heads to lead the way into the large chamber on the right

Garland reached over and put a hand on Kendra's shoulder, a gesture he used with many new acolytes back at the cathedral when they began to loose their nerve. "Process of elimination. We need to check every room for clues but be sure to stay together. It's important that everyone is honest with one another, bravery and pride be will get you killed. If you're feeling, seeing, hearing, or smelling something odd say something as soon as you can."

Garland then points his morningstar towards the auditorium "I agree, lets start here."

Darcon entered last, glancing about the gloomy place with trepidation. Narrowing his eyes he peered from underneath his hood, his gaze raking across the area. "Careful everyone, watch your step. Remember the trap in the crypt earlier, we don't want to fall for something like that again," he advised. "Be alert for signs of anyone else having been here recently as well," the mage added.

When Garland pointed towards the auditorium Darcon shrugged and replied, "Seems as good a place as any, lead on."

---

Perception: 23 (looking for anything useful or interesting in sight, such as tracks, traps, secret doors, etc)

Our heroes moved swiftly to take advantage of the last few moments of Garland's undead detecting enchantment. They moved into the large room east of the foyer but Garland held up a hand to forestall them from moving in any further.

The room was a large meeting hall or auditorium. The rows of benches and podium towards the front of the room painted it as the location of guard briefings and meetings with officials. However, thick eye bolts set into the benches showed a dual purpose, places where inmates could be chained while groups were inducted into the prison or disciplined. And at the center of the camber, just before the podium, a pair of manacles were set into the floor. Clearly this was where the condemned would stand when the auditorium served as impromptu courtroom.

Just as his enchantment faded Garland detected a strong undead presence centered there, on the manacles. Nothing could be seen by the naked eye, most likely some haunt was tethered to the place where the condemned had stood. It would be possible to move through the room without disturbing that location, but any investigation of the front of the room or the lectern would likely trigger the haunt. Darcon's keen eyes roved over the area and could not see any visible papers or clues. It would be impossible to tell what was in the lectern drawer without investigating closer.

The far side of the room had two exits, leading to another open room to the north (A4) and a small office to the south (A5).

---

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A1 - Entryway
A2 - Foyer
A3 - Auditorium - You are here
A4 - ???
A5 - ???

SCG strides into the room,
Between the two doors and below the room designator

“Anybody see any signs of vermin or other things?”

Garland stood at the doorway, holding up a hand to stop everyone as he stood there, seeing the aura of something not of life and deaths natural course. "Hold, I detect an abomination. Give me a moment to investigate." he said as he closed his eyes, looking even more deeply at the room as he cointiued to survey the situation.