SESSION 53: UNION
AND LITTLE INTERLUDE BECAUSE SOMETIMES I FORGET STUFF
A few days before Risandor had asked Erdan of The Good Trade if he had any arcane scrolls. Erdan didn't but he said he'd keep his eye out for Risandor and the next time he's back she should check back with him. [DM's note I've given this a 1 in 10 chance per week of a random scroll].
The previous evening Halee adds the final ingredients in her attempt to Craft two doses of Blue Whinnis poison. She needs a DC 14 (see page 558 on crafting poisons) and Halee has a Craft Alchemy skill total of 4 so she'll need to roll a 10 or more and will need to pay ½ the cost of 120gp for each attempt. She rolls 12 and 19 and makes two doses.
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THE NEXT MORNING
As they are having breakfast Trone comes down stairs and joins the party. He says that he's keen to go back to the caves as soon as possible to seek revenge for the death of Tedrick.
Risandor asks if Lothar would join them too. Trone explains that Lothar needs to meet with Heinrich but he might make the next trip. After breakfast, the party marshal out the front of The Salty Tusk.
Thomas is playing with Baby Cord and the party are amazed at how much the little crocodile has grown over the past month or so.
The updated character sheet is below. [Thomas can now give Baby Cord Handle Animal commands and Baby Cord will fight as per the stats in the updated Character Sheet].
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JUST TO EXPLAIN
I think there is a need to consolidate the two parties into one. I've had a couple of emails in this regard and also it's been pretty difficult for me to try to keep momentum with multiple parties so I think that consolidating the two parties will solve a couple of problems. So Trone will join the neutral/good party and I'll retire' Lothar who doesn't have a player and is also a little more difficult to get to join in any case because he comes with Luki and Luther. I'll keep Ansic going in at least the short term because I think the party needs the extra tank capability. Hopefully no one has a big issue with this but I think it's for the best.
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AND BACK TO THE STORY
Forming up they move off to the south. Uthalin starts to rib Thomas about being scared and never fighting from the front.
"Yer gotta start pullin yer weight in the front rank" he demands. "From now I'll watch the back for yer."
Thomas starts to uncomfortably shamble to the front but Trone intervenes. "No need. I'll show you how a real believer in Asmodeus fights. I'll take the front rank." And with that Trone step in front of Thomas and pulls out his mighty fine glaive.
Relieved Thomas sulks into the middle of the formation, staying away from Uthalin.
They wander up the road and pass the narrows between the stream and the woods. Another mile or up further to the north east they find the path that leaves to the caves and they turn to the north west.
As they enter the woods it becomes darker. Sound is suppressed in the dense under foliage and it becomes eerily quiet. And then there is this funny noise. The noise of crunching. But it's not the sound of twigs breaking but rather the sound of bones being crushed and consumed.
Party rolls to see if it is surprised: d20 = 13 + 8 (best party perception check) = 21 against the ghouls Stealth of d20 = 19 + 7 = 26. The party is surprised and hears the sounds too late to react.
SURPRISE ROUND
The south eastern most ghoul charges Ghislain. The attack is against his flat footed armour class of 17. The ghoul virtually leaps at the man at arms who doesn't see the attack coming and bites him on the arm doing 3pts of damage. Much to Ghislain's horror it then rakes at him with its claws but it misses both times. Ghislain must make a DC 13 Fort save against being paralysed for 1d4+1 rounds and a DC 13 Fort save against contracting Ghoul Fever. His Fort save modifier is +3 so he needs to roll a 10 or more twice. He rolls a 15 and an 8 and thus isn't paralysed but is diseased.
The middle eastern ghoul charges Dedrik and hits him with one claw attack, grazing his arm and causing 3pts of damage. Dedrik must make a save against paralysis (not disease which is only given by a bite attack) and he rolls a 11 and just passes.
The north eastern most ghoul moves towards Ansic but doesn't have the range to get to him yet.
The south western most ghoul attacks Lorah and bits him once on the neck and scratches him on the right leg doing 7pts and 6pts of damage. Lorah falls to the ground unconscious and starts to bleed out. He rolls an 8 against the disease check and he has contracted Ghoul Fever. No need to check for paralysis.
The last ghoul has just the distance to charge the flat footed Trone (who as such doesn't get an attack of opportunity with his glaive). He bits the unaware warrior on the shoulder but misses with both claws. 5pts of damage are dealt by the vicious bite. Trone's Fort save is +5 and thus he'll need to roll a 8 twice. He rolls a 11 and a 3 and avoids the paralysis but is diseased.
ROUND 1A DELICIOUS
Initiative. Monsters d20 = 16 + 2 = 18. Party = 7 + 0 = 7.
The south eastern most ghoul continues to attack the unfortunate Ghislain but he misses with all three attacks.
The middle eastern ghoul attacks Dedrik and gets a savage bite on the guard for 2pts of damage but fails to hit with the claws. Dedrik rolls a 9 for his paralysis save and fails and is paralysed for 2 rounds (the two capital Z's represent the amount of remaining rounds that he is paralysed for). He rolls a 15 for the save against disease.
The north eastern ghoul 5ft steps and attacks Ansic but he cannot penetrate the big warriors armour.
The south western ghoul starts to feast upon the unconscious Lorah and does 6 + 6 + 3 = 15pts of damage in the process, killing the unlucky warrior.
The northern western ghoul attacks Trone and misses with the bite but hits with one of the claws dealing 5pts of damage. Trone rolls a 5 and is paralysed for 5 rounds. Unless distracted the ghoul will begin to feed on him next round.
DEW
brings us his latest painting odyssey...
