IC The Thirteenth Moon: Night of the Blood Moon

Berrent, Human Rogue

Berrent cautiously ascends the narrow steps with the rest of the party, dagger in hand. Once in the upper room he looks around carefully. "That magic circle's made out of blood. And I don't know what those black candle are made of, but it's not wax. This is all kinds of bad." At Alise's warning he looks around frantically. "What? Where!? How many?"

Vigil examines the circle upon the ground. He intones, "Death, blood, power, favor... the symbols are indicative and positive proof of Blood of Vol activity."

In response to Alise's warning, Vigil says stoically, "Ambush or no, the lives of the interlopers are forfeit should resistance be presented."

Vigil suddenly feels excitement and vindication all at once. He believes this to be the feeling of 'a rush' as described by youthful patrons of the festivities. He tightens his grip on his mace, eager to strike down the foes of his Guiding Light.

Dorius keeps his back to the wall and draws his longsword, his quashing his instinct to record everything in his notebook.

[sblock=DM notes, not for PCs]Cultists
hp C1: 7/7, C2 8/8, C3 6/6, C4 8/8
S 13, D 11, C 12, I 8, W 10, C9
Init +0
AC 12, T 10, F 12
F 14, R 11, W 11
Mel 14 (1d6+1)
Rng 12 (1d4+1)
Feats: WF (club)
In +3
club, leather armor, throwing darts

Shorty
hp 29/29
S 14, D 17, C 12, I 12, W 10, C 8
Init +3
AC 17, T 13, F 14, uncanny dodge
F 14, R 19, W 13, evasion, +2 vs. enchantment/telepathy
Mel +5/+5 or +7 (1d8+2/19-20) (1d6+1/19-20)
Rng +7 (1d4+2/19-20)
SnAt +3d6, trapfinding, trap sense +2
Feats: Least DM Death (inflict light, 3/day), Lesser DM Death (inflict serious, 2/day), TWF
Ba +12, Cl +11, Hi/MS +12, Ju +11, Li/Sp +11, Tu +12, UM +8
mithril shirt, mw longsword, mw short sword, throwing darts, wand of glitterdust, grapple with rope[/sblock]The cultists of Vol, clad in their crimson red robes leap out of the shadows, hurling wicked darts at you. Meanwhile their leader, a very short fellow with pointed ears and a strange tattoo upon his face waves a wand from the far corner of the room. When he has completed the incantation a brilliant flash erupts around Vigil and Brad, engulfing them with a flood of shimmering particles which cover them from head to toe. Then he makes a move towards the window, crying out, "Kill them, blessed Seekers! Their blood will make a noble sacrifice to Vol!"

The cultists then begin to close in with barbed clubs in hand to engage in melee. They swing with fervor, seeking to end your lives as a sacrifice to Vol. Their leader moves for the window, pulling out a grapple which is attached to a rope. "As long as the Blood Moon sits in the sky, the House of Vol shall thrive," he seethes through his teeth as he hooks the grapple on the edge of the window and he leaps over the side.[sblock=Combat Notes]Brad, Berrent, Vigil, and Alise need to make flat-footed defense checks against DC 12 for the throwing darts. Damage is 1d4+1 if you are hit (if you are hit, roll the damage yourself and apply it to your current hit points, remember the players roll all the dice variant and simplified combat rules on the wiki are in play). Brad and Vigil must make DC 13 Will saves versus the glitterdust or be blinded for three rounds (as a house rule, you may take a full-round action to try to shake off the blinded condition and make another Will save, much like hold person, if you choose). Finally, Brad (C1), Berrent (C2), Vigil (C3), and Dorius (C4) now have a cultist adjacent to them and must make DC 14 defense checks or take 1d6+1 damage if they are hit (C# indicates which cultist is adjacent to you). Because of his readied action, Vigil may make his attack pre-emptively to the melee attack of the cultist and if his attack fells the cultist, he need not make a defense roll against the melee attack, however that is the only action he may take this round. After the surprise actions and normal actions of the cultists have been resolved, the rest of the PCs may act. The leader, a short elf, has total cover as he has now leapt over the side of the window, but he is within close range.

Special Note: You may use action points on defense rolls and magic attack rolls. I am giving you all the DCs and I do not mind if you use that information to your advantage when deciding whether or not to use an action point.

Cultist defenses
HP C1: 7/7, C2 8/8, C3 6/6, C4 8/8
AC 12, T 10, F 12
F 14, R 11, W 11
Leader
HP 28/28
AC 17, T 13, F 14, uncanny dodge
F 14, R 19, W 13, evasion, +2 vs. enchantment/telepathy[/sblock]

Dorius neatly turns aside the cultist's club, but his own attack is no better, striking the flagstones and sending up a stream of sparks.

[reserved for description of actions based on dice results]



Vigil is unsurprised though taken aback at the sudden rush of action all around him. He reflexively raises his shield and hears several thunks from the other side. A sparkling mist of golden dust settles peacefully over his metallic body, and he barely has time to acknowledge it as a Vol cultist lurches at him, club drawn. Vigil's morningstar quickly lashes out, striking the cultist squarely in the chest; the cultist collapses (0 HP?)... without a word.

Alise manages to barely miss being struck by a dart.

Berrent, Human Rogue

"What in the Host!?" Berrent yells as he dodges darts and cudgels. "I think this qualifies as being 'attacked'. Someone stop the guy going out the window!" He turns to the cultist who just swung at him. "But first, you got a nasty piece of business there, buddy." He draws his rapier and attacks the cultist but misses.

Brad gasps in pain as a dart strikes him. He blinks and just barely manages to see through the cloud of glitter. A cultist's barbed club draws more of his blood. (ooc: Brad hp 5/12)

So much for making the arrests peacefully.

He brings his greatsword around and performs a largely downward chop, striking down the cultist who clubbed him. (ooc: C1 hp -5/7)

"Surrender now, lawbreakers, or die!" Brad informs the suspects of their options.