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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 9806945" data-attributes="member: 16069">Not KotSSession #018b: Not A Titanic Battle.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.<s>#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).</s> COMPLETE<s>#008 Save the Lowder’s and their farm from the Bloody Heck slavers. 250 XP reward.</s> COMPLETEOkay, here goes, and let’s begin with the caveats.The first segment of this session (18a) represented about an hour of game time mostly spent shopping and arguing about whether Fionulla should be allowed to accompany the Inspectors, and then the descent to here.The encounter that follows- that took another two hours- the rest of this session to play out, plus another hour (and a bit more) of the next session to get through. It was…It was… well, I’m duty bound to say it- it was the best one yet, and for lots of reasons.However, it starts slow- oh so, very slow.[ATTACH=full]423070[/ATTACH]We were here.Twenty-six minutes later, we are here-[ATTACH=full]423071[/ATTACH]Now, you’re probably thinking that this second image doesn’t reflect a whole lot of progress.Or indeed any progress.You’d be very right.And so, what event took twenty-six minutes of real time to play out? Simple- fretting and worrying.The Inspectors are mostly broken, they’ve got their short rest powers back but very little left of everything else, including healing HD, spells etc. They’ve been muttering about this situation throughout the session- remember this is the same day that they fought and killed the ancient undead dragon (twice).So, for twenty-six minutes here the chatter is- should we go back to the surface? Should we take a day off- or else get an extended rest in somehow? There are still two days to go before the undead army is due in Kirkgate, tomorrow will be one day to go- twenty-four hours to get to evil Karl and make it all stop. That should be enough. Shouldn’t it?The conversation goes back and forth, and back and forth, and… until, at last, we get to a new resolve.It’s toe in the water time- the plan is to see what’s going on down here, and if it looks bad- then the plan changes to run away very quickly, or else retreat a bit, or… well, just not to get sucked into another titanic battle.No way.Never.Not a chance.Let’s see how that goes.[ATTACH=full]423072[/ATTACH]The cautious approach- it takes five minutes to get to here- there are a lot of checks being made. Keep in mind ‘here’ is the next cavern over from the one the PCs started in, and as Mavis said- it’s a crypt, or else a catacomb, but there’s an open door (far right) and so that needs to be investigated.Very carefully.Oh, and all the PCs blessed with darkvision are doing the scouting, the see-in-the-dark PCs are in effect paired up with those not as blessed.[ATTACH=full]423073[/ATTACH]But the crypt chambers prove to be empty, or else they contain ancient sarcophagi- none of them with any adornment or markings- most of the receptacles are open, not broken open but eroded and collapsed over time, there’s nothing to be found within, at least not in the one (or three) that Travis looks in to.Note, for some of the pictures here we have positioned the PCs so that more of the map can be seen. Keep in mind the Inspectors are moving very cautiously here- exploring the first crypt chamber before breaching and venturing into the second.The place is empty.The Inspectors head on, to here-[ATTACH=full]423074[/ATTACH]It seems to be a central chamber; a set of stone steps spiral up and around a massive pillar to a ledge thirty or perhaps forty feet over head. The area is vast; it’s a massive chamber- the ceiling out of sight (so more than sixty feet up above).[ATTACH=full]423075[/ATTACH]But then, after a brief whispered debate, Snakebite attempts (I say attempts-, she rolls a ‘1’) to sneak across to the stairs, at which point a nine-foot tall, and clearly already very dead, ogre lurches out the shadows and the dark to the northeast.Heading straight for the half-orc monk, the creature lacks stealth and so is seen and heard by the monk’s comrades.The DM calls for initiative, and…The Inspectors go for it, they figure they can deal with a lone zombie ogre- particularly as the thing is not speedy, they fling and fire whatever they’ve got, and the big lad proves to be very easy to hit.Snakebite rushes in to beat on the big zombie, the monk lands a few hits but suddenly must dodge back and away as a fist sized lump of oozing rotten flesh splats into the spot that the half-orc was previously occupying.[ATTACH=full]423076[/ATTACH]There’s a strange looking- zombie-like humanoid on a ledge, a little way up (about thirty feet up) and behind the ogre.Snakebite calls his colleagues over, but just seconds later…[ATTACH=full]423077[/ATTACH]And now there’s a second similar-looking zombie on the ledge up and behind the Inspectors position, and it too is throwing rotten gobs of flesh- at Mavis this time, who is smart enough to re-roll her failed Dex save (IP: a success) and therefore not get hit by the foul fleshy missile.The Inspectors watch as the latest zombie on the ledge tears a fresh fist of its own rotten flesh from its body, this clearly to make another fling attack next turn.What is that thing? Is the question being asked, although on their turns none of the PCs even think about making Monster Knowledge checks (which would have helped them considerably- see later).[ATTACH=full]423078[/ATTACH]But the Inspectors are really dishing it out here. McGow has taken a big hit from the zombie ogre (about 14 damage- there was swearing) but other than that, no other hits to report. Whereas the zombie ogre is almost down, and Mavis has just hit the rot-flinging zombie on the ledge closest to her with some of Chauntea’s sacred flames.[ATTACH=full]423079[/ATTACH]Travis gets into cover, his crossbow sings and the big zombie takes a crit (with extra sneak attack), and moments later- another crit from Snakebite, the half-orc monk kicks the ogre’s head in, the big undead lad is down.The Inspectors are in this fight and holding their own. The players are still talking about whether they should go on with the fracas i.e. take it upstairs, but there’s really no contest- they’re on a roll here.The decision is- we go on.Funny how that played out, as if someone had planned it. Just saying.[ATTACH=full]423080[/ATTACH]Snakebite leaps up on to the central stone stairs and rushes up- at which point the half-orc gets hit by a flung rotten flesh gobbet and kinda wishes that she hadn’t come this way. The monk is bloodied in an instant, a bunch of necrotic damage followed by a saving throw to avoid… who knows what. She passes the save.[ATTACH=full]423081[/ATTACH]But the Inspectors are on it, and so while climbing the central stairs they fire off a few warning shots of their own. Mavis gets one of the rotten bastard zombies with another sacred flames spell, while Fionulla gets the other with an arrow from her bow.A word about Fionulla- played by me, your dependable DM. Fionulla is feisty, she is committed, she is brave and she is… on it. Well, apart from the fact that her first three attack rolls were all ‘3’s, after that she’s been hitting mostly twice per turn with her bow. The Inspectors, even those that had their doubts, are now seeing the value of another body in the fight.But then… a voice echoes down from up above.“We’re coming to get you…” and it’s in a sing-song voice, squeaky and… with a bloody silly laugh at the end.It’s Hagrid.The squeaky bastard deep gnome that just won’t stay dead.The Inspectors- some of them- have plenty to say in reply, none of it fit to print here.In precis- Hagrid is not long for this world (again) according to a majority of the Inspectors.But Hagrid, at least atm, is not the problem, as the Inspectors make it to the top of the stairs, they are met by the sound of multiple stone doors grinding open- the huge space suddenly comes alive with the noise.[ATTACH=full]423082[/ATTACH]Zombies! Ten of them. Note, Hagrid is but barely visible (southeast corner) the deep gnome is shouting and hollering through a window/opening, or else firing station, in one of the walls here.[ATTACH=full]423083[/ATTACH]Lots of zombies, heading the Inspectors off at the pass, or else at the top of the stairs. Note the rotten zombie on the ledge is still flinging its rotten flesh at the PCs- but constantly missing. The other rot flinger is fast approaching this fracas.But the Inspectors are still doing okay here, still only Snakebite and McGow that have taken any damage.[ATTACH=full]423084[/ATTACH]But here’s the second rot flinger in action, and McGow gets it full force and is reduced to maybe three hit points.Several PCs begin to question the wisdom of the various decisions that have brought them to here, and yet- Mavis, of course, has a plan.And zombies are getting killed here- these things are zombie rotters, low hit points, and low threat attacks. There’s some joy to be had here for the PCs.Also, while all of this shambling and flinging is going on the DM has gained his voice- Hagrid is back, and he’s got quite a lot of lines to deliver, most of them versions of- “I am your DOOM!”, or else, “I will be the DEATH of YOU!”, and a variety of other equally corny phrases.There’s something else going on however- Hagrid is happy, nay- delighted to meet the PCs/Inspectors again, evil Karl- according to the recently deceased deep gnome is going to be over-joyed that the PCs have come to visit at last.It’s not as obvious as I’ve laid it out up above, and the chatter starts now and goes on for… well, a good long while. Keep reading.But that’s the gist of it. Hagrid is delighted to see the Inspectors- cock-a-hoop in fact. Which is… disturbing.The PCs are somewhat dismayed to hear Hagrid’s words and can’t quite for the life of them figure out what’s going on here. Have they made a mistake here, miscalculated, or else… WTF? The Inspectors (some of them) try asking Hagrid why he’s so happy to see them, and the DM allows short breaks from the combat action for a little bit of back-and-forth chat-wise. But Hagrid isn’t here to explain things to the Inspectors- the ex-deep gnome is here to revel in the present situation, and to add his annoying laughter to the dynamic. Oh, and to kill the Inspectors.Back to the fracas.[ATTACH=full]423085[/ATTACH]Mavis drops the Turn Undead bomb. It doesn’t go quite as well as planned, but still… lots of the zombie’s start plodding away from the fight.[ATTACH=full]423086[/ATTACH]And then, at last, and after a particularly stinging taunt for Hagrid (I think he called him a ‘filthy little gnome’), C-Fax gets into the fight. The paladin has been missing a lot of his attacks so far.And the paladin is all in now, his orders (taken by the other PCs as more of a suggestion) are for the Inspectors to “Inspect the [Naughty Word] out of these [Different But Similar Naughty Word]”, it’s the most vociferous (& sweary) anyone has seen or heard the holy feller.The other players do a lot of chelping and worriting, but their PCs actions are… I think the word I am looking for is- conclusive.[ATTACH=full]423087[/ATTACH]The aggression-ometer goes up several notches, McGow (still on three hit points, or thereabouts) chases down one of the zombie rot flingers, and in combination with Snakebite the pair do the zombie to death.[ATTACH=full]423088[/ATTACH]At which point, or else very soon after, another one or three (hidden- some of them) doors grind open and a bunch more zombies emerge, another trio of zombies- but these guys are much tougher. Also visible, briefly- spied by McGow is Hagrid, the gnome (bottom left) appears to be very wan-looking, and now fanged, and a little more hunched- oh, and clawed.Hagrid, it is quickly decided, is a ghoul.The Inspectors are not wrong.[ATTACH=full]423089[/ATTACH]There’s Hagrid bottom left. Then the rot-flinging zombie that McGow just put down gets right back up again and terrorizes Snakebite, who if it wasn’t for her relentless endurance would be down and dying right now.The zombie corruptor (flinging its rotten flesh) is regenerating, the PCs and the players had not spotted this yet.This news does not go down well.Snakebite moments later spots that there are yet more zombies approaching the bottom of the stairs here. See bottom right of the above image.This news does not go down well.The doubts are back, and multiplying.[ATTACH=full]423090[/ATTACH]Then, out of the same window/opening the Inspectors previously spied Hagrid comes… well, a homunculus (as identified by C-Fax, what a roll that must have been- he’s not a bright lad).“Fly Humpydunk! Fly! Tell our Master that his wait is over!” Calls Hagrid, after the tiny winged monstrosity as it flutters off up the stairs.And out of sight.This news does not go down well.[ATTACH=full]423091[/ATTACH]Then, Mavis bathes the zombie corruptor in her sacred flames once more and this time it explodes- there’s no coming back from this, more miraculously all the PCs in close vicinity save to avoid its necrotic burst rotten flesh combustion.The Inspectors are back on it.They’re going for it. All in.McGow (still on three hit points) races into the duo of (much tougher) zombies and starts swinging. C-Fax has applied the last of his lay on hands to Snakebite, who also swigs down her (only) healing potion.McGow has already downed his healing potion and burnt his second wind.[ATTACH=full]423092[/ATTACH]Hagrid has stopped his shouting now and disappeared out of sight. There’s another tougher zombie coming from the north, and more zombie rotters coming up the stairs.Also, it was bound to happen- McGow gets clonked by a flailing zombie slam. The dwarf is down and dying.And so…[ATTACH=full]423093[/ATTACH]Fionulla rushes into the breach and crits both zombies with her deadly(-ish) arrows. One down.This gets a cheer.The first for a while, it’s gone a bit quiet.[ATTACH=full]423094[/ATTACH]Travis goes after Hagrid, he wasn’t even asked- he just dived right on in there- whispering to his colleagues as he went- “I’ll get that annoying little bastard”, which sounded odd even at the time.Travis is fast becoming the hero of this story, or else he’s changing for the better.Note, in the above image C-Fax has put down the other zombie here and Mavis has used a healing potion to get McGow up and running. The priestess of Chauntea has no spells or powers left, same goes for C-Fax, et al.Although the sharp eyed amongst you will note that Travis still has an IP left. I think it’s his escape plan, he’s a smart kid the halfling.[ATTACH=full]423095[/ATTACH]But ghoul Hagrid is up and out of the window- he gets away, Snakebite arrives just in time to spot the hazy version of the little ghoul’s rump and legs departing the stony opening. Hagrid has got his blur spell going- the half-orc shouts to warn her friends.Just in time…Maybe.Because that’s the end of this session. Two hours of fighting (minus prevaricating time) and the Inspectors are out of everything- save Travis’ one IP, and maybe a few healing potions between them. McGow and Snakebite are just broken- no hit points and no easy access to healing, Fionulla is just above bloodied, Mavis only bruised, while C-Fax and Travis have not taken a hit yet. The rogue has been nowhere near the front line, while C-Fax’s fine health is all down to the luck of the god’s or else my busted dice. The paladin has been in the front line since the get go, he’s also started hitting now.It’s… well, I’ll tell you what it’s not- it’s not a titanic battle to the death. It can’t be. The Inspectors were adamant- they’re not doing that again.Next time.Cheers goonalan and the Tokyo Massive.</blockquote>

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