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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9796697" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #017a: Dying to Find Out.The Inspectors.Chromium Malifax aka C-Fax (Rob), Male Silver Dragonborn (Noble) Paladin of Bahamut Level 2Mavis Golightly aka Mave (Sandy), Female Half-Elf (Acolyte) Cleric of Chauntea Level 2Arbuthnot McGow aka McGow (Al), Male Mountain Dwarf (Soldier) Fighter Level 2Snakebite (Kenji), Female Half-Orc (Outlander) Monk Level 2Travis Pickle (Yui), Male Lightfoot Halfling (Criminal) Rogue Level 2Dead PCsThe Inspector aka Spek (Kenji), Male Rock Gnome (Charlatan) Sorcerer Level 1- Killed in Session #2 by Eggnog the Kobold Dragon Priest.To-do list/Quests-#001 Save Dicky Bird aka The Fat Pidgin, and bring him home safely to Edna Gingster, although Dicky is on his way to the Narthex, which is in the Labyrinth, which is near the Seven Pillared Hall- which is in the Underdark- Bugger. Reward: 2000 XP & 1000gp each.<s>#002 Find and investigate the ancient dragon burial site Dicky was looking for, he might be there. Reward: 250 XP.</s> COMPLETE<s>#003 Destroy the kobold menace, including their leader- ‘Chopper.’ Reward: 250 XP & 75gp, with 1gp paid for every kobold tail handed in.</s> COMPLETE#004 Stop Orcus-worshipping Karl’s ritual to bring an undead army to Kirkgate. Basically, save the village, begs (eventually) Lord Crumble. Karl is in Kirkgate. 1000 XP & 500gp reward.#005 Find/Save Cheggers. That's it really, the PCs just need to find/save Cheggers (he’s with Karl, if he’s still alive), for Fionulla (the spy). Reward 100 XP.#006 Find and kill/capture the Bloody Heck- including any leaders. Recover any prisoners they have kidnapped. Reward: 400 XP & 100gp, with 1gp paid for every member of the Bloody Heck confirmed dead or captured.#007 Find all five symbols of Kurgan Kurgan’s office to open the way below Kirkgate. 1000 XP reward (and the PCs get to keep the items of course). Four items found so far.<s>#008 Save the Lowder’s and their farm from the Bloody Heck slavers. 250 XP reward.</s> COMPLETERemember this place…[ATTACH=full]421731[/ATTACH]“Pull me up. I don’t like it.”McGow does, anyway- it’s two days to go before the undead army are coming to Kirkgate, the Inspectors are refreshed- fully rested, and back on it. Oh, and they’re early to work it’s 6 AM or thereabouts when the PCs set off again for the deeps.Back to the ruined temple with a massive statue of a devil in it, back to the location of the last of the much-needed Bahamut items- the longsword. C-Fax grins.Oh, and this one was a cracker- the best yet, I appreciate I say that a lot but, it was really (really) good.Cautiously we get to here…[ATTACH=full]421732[/ATTACH]All the Inspectors have made their way down, and things are moving very slowly- very cautiously now.Oh, but it’s not a devil- the massive statue, it’s a hooded-cloaked, clothed (like an adventurer), horned, (bifurcated) tailed and armed (wicked looking dagger and wand) tiefling. Most… disturbing.None of the Inspectors have the first clue as to who this is, whoever they are, or were, they were being worshipped here, because this is a temple- complete with altar, pews etc.Lots of checks get made, using a variety of skills, and yet the only thing forthcoming is the statue is over a millennium old, and for its time extremely well-made. The holy duo (after a dozen or so checks between them) can add nothing to McGow’s initial (stonecunning) based assessment.Travis however has another goal- the floor around the altar, and thereabouts, is scattered with coin- gold and silver, not a lot of the former- but enough to keep the rogue interested, all told the halfling gathers up nearly a hundred silvers and just shy of twenty gold coins. And, just lying on a nearby pile of rubble- an intact potion of healing, which is snaffled by the rogue when his friends are not looking. The coin, Travis eventually figures out, was thrown down the hole- offerings? Hence, it’s scatter pattern- around the altar.McGow is, after briefly examining the statue, standing about- he’s on watch. He generally doesn’t get involved with the exploring element of adventuring.Snakebite on the other hand has investigated both raised crenelated sections and is now heading west. The entire cavern sags to the southwest- the water could prove to be deep she thinks.It’s at this point (see the image above) that the PCs remember what they are down here for, and then- instigated (as always) by Travis, they collectively (sans McGow) offer a prayer to Bahamut.The last Bahamut missing items is- to the west- in the water?And then it’s not.[ATTACH=full]421733[/ATTACH]Oh F…! This is McGow’s point of view of things.Note the large (twelve foot tall with a twenty foot or so wingspan) skeleton dragon is not flying, rather it is slowly emerging from the depths here- moving quietly towards the shore, revealing more of itself as it approaches dry land, it’s heading straight for- well, McGow.Oh, and enclosed within the ribs of the undead dragon is a shimmering longsword swathed in light.I wonder what that could be.There is both screaming and shouting. How lucky I am.Mostly the words- “End-of-level-bad-guy!”, or their equivalent in Japanese.And another word- beginning with ‘F’.[ATTACH=full]421734[/ATTACH]Here we all are, as seen from the POV of the tielfling statue, not that it’s watching.The dragon, at the end of its surprise turn (Initiative ‘8’, my dice hate me, I think I had +5 or +6 on that roll) has only just made it to the shore, at which point McGow intercepts it.[ATTACH=full]421735[/ATTACH]The skeleton dragon doesn’t like bludgeoning damage (vulnerable) McGow discovers, but in reply to the dwarf’s attacks the undead terror tears into the surly fighter. It has three attacks- two claws and a bite, and it hits with two out of the three, but its damage rolls are very (very) low (both ‘1’s).[ATTACH=full]421736[/ATTACH]There’s a lot of shouting, and a fair amount of missing. Mavis gets a Bless running on Snakebite, McGow and Travis- although this happens at the end of the turn, shame- because Snakebite misses all three of her attacks (with IP) and C-Fax is unable to get into the fight yet.The paladin fires up his once/day Blessing of Bahamut, from his magical holy symbol.This is it.Travis is firing off sling stones and keeping in cover. Only one hit- the skeleton dragon’s AC, the Inspectors discover, is 16.But then, and with all their Blesses going, the Inspectors spend a turn hitting- unleashing everything that they have got- IPs all get spent, ki point used, action surge etc. It helps that the skeleton dragon is also vulnerable to radiant damage- and the PCs are all using bludgeoning weapons here.And so…Suddenly I (the DM) am bemoaning my lot.I didn’t build this guy tough enough, just shy of 150 hit points but with bludgeoning and radiant vulnerability, the bastards are making short work of my beauty.[ATTACH=full]421737[/ATTACH]It doesn’t help (the DM) that the skeleton dragon fails to land a single attack this turn. The undead is heavily wounded, which in Fantasy Grounds terms means Bloodied- below half HP.A little better…[ATTACH=full]421738[/ATTACH]McGow gets bitten (again) while C-Fax gets clawed. But the dragon is still taking hits, and the pile on of bludgeoning damage is really taking its toll.The DM is fuming- and letting the players know that this guy is supposed to be tougher than this. The four hits I’ve landed so far, the highest damage roll (on a D10) has been a three plus bonuses.Some days you are the statue.The skeleton dragon doesn’t last…[ATTACH=full]421739[/ATTACH]This is the start of the fourth turn, the first turn being the surprise turn when only the dragon was in initiative.The DM (me) is… I think the word is apoplectic.Oddly, the Inspectors are more sanguine about events, they’re response to the DMs fury is calm, polite and respectful, and… they’re all laughing at me, and at themselves, and at the joy of it all.And soon after C-Fax has a new longsword, the blade is called Aegis, and it’s the last missing Bahamut item, formerly belonging to Kurgan Kurgan.The way down- the way to Karl is open.There is delight.Aegis, C-Fax learns is a +1 longsword that does an extra 1d4 radiant damage to any fiends or undead that it hits- woo-hoo, it can also shed light to thirty feet on command, which will save Mavis from keeping on having to cast Light on the paladin’s shield.Note, C-Fax instantly attunes Aegis (no short rest needed), furthermore the blade cannot be wielded (with the above powers) by anyone other than a paladin of Bahamut.There is much joy to be had, although very soon after Travis and Snakebite go off for a bit more exploring, to see if there’s anything else of worth or value, or wonder, down here.They’re the lucky ones.Now here’s the thing, while the PCs have been slapping themselves on the back the dastardly DM has been clicking through the initiative tracker, basically running the clock down, that is until the Inspectors various Bless spells (et al) have only got two turns left to go.Why?We get to this…[ATTACH=full]421740[/ATTACH]The entirely regenerated skeleton dragon suddenly lurches back to life (now that the radiant holy longsword has been removed from its chest) and spews a storm of splintered and slice-sharp shards of bone. McGow, C-Fax and Mavis’ saving throws are ‘2’, ‘3’ & ‘5’, I forget which belonged to which. Plus, bonuses of course. None of the PCs have an IP left, so they can’t re-roll their saves. That’s 5d8 damage for the dragon’s breath weapon and… twenty-something piercing damage each.If you look closely on the above image, or click on it to expand, you’ll note that all three PCs are down and dying.Nice!I tricked them. Oh, yes, I did.Mavis’ Bless spell has obviously stopped working, C-Fax’s hasn’t. That might become important later, although it only has two turns left to run.Anyway, back to the game.The PCs take it in turns (some of them) to call me some very hurtful things.Actually, what they don’t do is take it in turns- they mostly all do it at the same time.We do anger, then despair, and then… we all wait to see what Travis, next in initiative (now the surprise round is over- again), is going to do next.And it takes a good long while to get to the answer. Travis considers all his options- his primary concern is- can he (safely) escape from this place, preferably on this turn. The answer of course is no, but he might be able to get up the rope and out of the hole in the ceiling the turn after- if Snakebite plays her part and keeps the dragon occupied.Hmm…And so, after a good ten minutes of deliberating, I didn’t want to rush Yui. I was preoccupied; I was… I think the word I’m looking for is basking- that’s what I was doing- I was basking.Anyway, cut to the chase, and…A hero is born.[ATTACH=full]421741[/ATTACH]Travis dives down off the raised area he was formerly investigating, scampers over to the fallen Mavis and glugs a potion of healing (his last one he tells anybody listening, which is a lie, but it adds to Travis’ cache) into the priestess’s slack-jawed mouth.Mavis blinks open her eyes.Travis’ parting words to Mavis, as he scurries off to hide behind the nearest pile of rubble (but closer to the exit)- “Don’t mess this up!”Which is a lot to ask, because Mavis isn’t quite sure what to do for the best, but here’s the thing.She gets there.[ATTACH=full]421742[/ATTACH]Mavis instigates her Preserve Life power, healing herself and C-Fax, and then casts a Healing Word on McGow, hissing a warning to her waking comrades she scurries back a way, out of range- she hopes- of another dragon breath attack.Then… then the buggers get on it, and my dice turn to crap.The Inspectors also realise fairly quickly that the dragon is now regenerating (10 HP/turn, unless it takes radiant damage) but…[ATTACH=full]421743[/ATTACH]Snakebite attacks, she misses with her staff but then crits with her open-hand attack; the skeleton dragon therefore turns to face the only creature attacking it- Snakebite and then misses with all three of its attacks (I needed to roll a ‘9’).McGow scrambles to his feet and smashes the dragon with his warhammer- while swearing up a storm; Travis thumps another sling stone (with sneak attack) into its skull; Mavis douses it with her Sacred Flames, but… it’s C-Fax and his new toy.And a Crit.The bastard.The paladin is doing an extra 1d4 radiant damage with his new sword Aegis (against undead and fiends only), and another 1d4 radiant from his magic holy symbol of Bahamut (for one more turn only), and with an extra 1d6 radiant if he lands a crit (again from the holy symbol).I forget how much damage it was, and I refuse to go back to the chat text to find it.Thirty-eight damage?Something very similar.You’ll note in the above image the Inspectors have all spread out, nobody is keen to get in the way of the breath weapon again.But here’s the thing, the dragon started (again) with 148 hit points, and so- not even bloodied yet.[ATTACH=full]421744[/ATTACH]It doesn’t last, the dragon’s breath weapon refuses to recharge (5-6), and this picture is at least a turn later, and the dragon still hasn’t landed a hit. The Inspectors however- well, most of them have been missing too, but not Mavis with her wand of magic missiles, or Travis with his sling, or… bloody C-Fax with his magical sword.[ATTACH=full]421745[/ATTACH]We, inevitably, get to this. After the breath weapon the dragon didn’t land another hit. C-Fax, in the end, got him again with Aegis.Here’s the bad guy, right at the end-[spoiler= The Bad Guys]Enc#24 The Ancient Dragon from the Ancient Dragon Burial Site 1800 XP CR 5 Deadly.1 x Ancient Skeleton Dragon (1800xp) First Incarnation Large Undead NE; AC 16; HP 148; Speed 30ft (No Fly); Str 14 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 10 Cha 8; Initiative +5 (somehow); All Saves +2 (and +2 on Dex and Wis); Vuln: bludgeoning, radiant; Resist: piercing; Immune: poison, necrotic & exhaustion, poisoned; Blindsight 10ft & Darkvision 60ft; Prof Bonus +3; Three attacks- Claw (x2) +6 to hit, 1d6+3 slashing damage & Bite +6 to hit, 1d10+3 piercing damage. Second Incarnation As above except add Regeneration 10 HP/turn except if it takes radiant damage; Breath Weapon (two types) (Recharge 5-6) Rot Breath: 25ft cone, DC 13 Constitution save or Poisoned (save again at end of turn) & Shard Breath: 25ft cone, DC 13 Dexterity save for half 5d8 piercing damage.Tactics- Kill! Kill! Kill![/spoiler]We take an extended break for ribaldry, and ‘do you remember when…’ stories.Kenji is laughing so hard he sounds like he has swallowed an owl.Bloody players.Next time.360 XP each for the encounter with the dragon, and a bonus of 100 XP (as demanded initially by Mavis) for Travis, and an extra 50 XP for Snakebite (for the same reason i.e. Do the Right Thing, as Spike Lee told us).Also-#007 Find all five symbols of Kurgan Kurgan’s office to open the way below Kirkgate. 1000 XP reward (and the PCs get to keep the items of course).Complete. That’s another 200 XP each.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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