[LPF] Distant Relations

[deisenhut]

Yoshiki Akita (Human Monk 4)

OOC: I looked up Anna's character sheet. None of the spells she knows or bloodline abilities are effective against swarms. Pray for good rolls with the alchemist's fire!

[sblock=Ministats]Initiative: +4
AC: 19 Touch 19 Flatfooted 14
HP: 28/28
CMB: +8 CMD: 23 Fort: +4 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+2 vs. Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Deflect Arrows
Speed: 40 ft

Conditions in Effect: None
Elemental Fist: 4/4 remaining
Ki Pool: 5/5 remaining
Expenditures: 50 gp
Additional Equipment: 2 flasks alchemist's fire
[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

[sblock=ooc]*Headdesk*. Sorry, Qik, you were actually exactly right about how the surprise round was supposed to go. I'm a dope. But since it's a dopiness that benefits you guys, I'm not going to even think about retconning. I'll just fix it by running both surprise and first round actions for the swarm and we'll call it even. Again, apologies.[/sblock]

With what sounds like a tiny collective shriek, the spiders quickly flee the presence of the fire creatue, opting to swarm forward toward the ready meals which aren't burning. Quioan and Anna, at the front of the group, find themselves quickly covered, hundreds of tiny mouths biting at any exposed flesh. For now, that doesn't amount to much, though the swarm seems determined to wriggle its way through any opening in their clothing to get at more.

[sblock=actions]Surprise round: swarm moves forward 20 ft. Since it ends its turn off the elemental (and thus doesn't attack it), no burn damage.

Round 1: Move to F-G. Quioan and Anna take automatic damage. Also, each of them will need to roll two Fort saves (DC 11): One vs. nauseate from the swarm's distraction ability, one vs. their poison attack. Please label which roll is for which when you make it.[/sblock]

[sblock=status]Spiders: undamaged

Quioan: 23/24 HP, saves pending
Anna: 24/25 HP, saves pending
Elenka: 23/23 HP
Yoshiki: 28/28 HP[/sblock]

GM: PCs up

 

[Qik]

OOC: No worries, jk.

Swatting emphatically at the swarm of spiders crawling all over him whilst trying to avoid crushing open the vial of alchemical fire in his palm, Quioan manages to yell out, "Split up!" before moving further down into the corridor, towards the fire elemental. Nodding her understanding as best she can under the circumstances, Anna moves in the opposite direction, drawing out her own vial of alchemist's fire as she does so.

Turning as he moves, Quioan chucks the fire expertly into the spot he just vacated, smiling viciously as the area bursts into flames, momentarily igniting the corridor.

[sblock=Actions]Anna: move to J, draw alchemist's fire.
Quioan: move to D, attack (+8 = 2 BAB + 5 Dex + 1 PBS) swarm at F with alchemist's fire.

Few things I'm unsure about: whether the swarm (at G) gets the extra 1 damage for being within 5' of the explosion, whether the main 1d6 damage benefits from PBS (an additional +1; I see nothing to suggest it wouldn't - the text for PBS doesn't term it "precision damage" - but I still withheld it just in case), and if so, whether that +1 would get added to the 1 damage at G, if it occurs.[/sblock] [sblock=Stats]
Quioan Scorchsong
HP: 23/24
AC: 17 (Touch: 15, Flat-footed: 12)
CMD: 19
Fort: +3, Ref: +8, Will: +3
Perception: +9
Spells:
- 0: Light, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound
- 1: Mage Armor, Gravity Bow, Shield
Bonded Item: Unused
Consumables: Wand of CLW (23 charges)[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

[sblock=answers]Answers, by my reading:

* A swarm counts as a single creature, so I'd apply the Large/larger creature rules to the splash weapon: "If the target is Large or larger, you choose one of its squares and the splash damage affects creatures within 5 feet of that square." So, no, I don't think the swarm takes extra splash damage in that way. Swarms take 50% more damage from area attacks, though, which will apply.

* The fluff of Point Blank Shot uses the word "accuracy," but nothing in the crunch actually calls the damage bonus precision based. I believe PBS is multiplied on a crit just like other damage, and poking around it looks like bombs can benefit from PBS, too, so I'd say it applies.

all of which means...[/sblock]

The alchemist's fire bursts in the midst of the spiders, a ball of flame filled with the tiny burning specks of the predators. The creatures scatter, survivors skittering back up the walls as their kindred sizzle in the flames. Soon there is nothing but the charred mass of burned spiders on the floor, the crackle of flames along the body of the elemental, and the quickened heartbeats of the party as the tunnel falls silent again.

[sblock=ooc/options]Okay, guys, this is the second XP-granting encounter in a row where Anna's had to be an NPC. However quick both encounters were, I don't think it's fair to keep doling out XP to Anna for however long it is toasterferret may be absent.

The populace of the Dunn Wright and the nature of this adventure, however, make it pretty much impossible for me to get a replacement for you. The options as I see them:

1) Declare Anna an NPC in your control, ineligible for XP/GP rewards (other than time, I suppose, since that doesn't impact any other party members), so you guys will get a larger split without having to be down to sub-minimum characters for the remainder of the adventure

2) Write Anna out of any remaing conflict (I have ideas on how to accomplish this without effectively 'blowing your cover'). It means you'll only have 3 PC's to finsh this out with.

In either event, I don't think it's untoward for me to make it a 3-way split for this encounter. I'm going to post a link in the General thread, too, to see if I can get a judge to make sure I'm not breaking any LPF rules doing things this way.

XP awards for the the three player-controlled characters: 133 xp each.[/sblock]

 

[deisenhut]

Yoshiki Akita (Human Monk 4)

Yo swings his bag off his shoulder and quickly grabs both vials of alchemist's fire from within. Taking a step further back, he looks back up at the swarm of incoming spiders. With flames dousing half the spiders and Anna fleeing the rest, Yo lobs one of his flasks to the point where Anna was just at.

[sblock=Actions]Move-Equivalent: Draw flasks of Alchemist's fire from bag.
Free-Action: 5-foot step back
Standard Action: Ranged Touch attack with alchemist's fire at spot where Anna was. (BAB 3 + DEX + 4 = +7)
[/sblock]

OOC: Wait, one hit killed them?

Yo pulls his throw and scans for living remains of spiders...

[sblock=Ministats]Initiative: +4
AC: 19 Touch 19 Flatfooted 14
HP: 28/28
CMB: +8 CMD: 23 Fort: +4 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+2 vs. Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Deflect Arrows
Speed: 40 ft

Conditions in Effect: None
Elemental Fist: 4/4 remaining
Ki Pool: 5/5 remaining
Expenditures: 50 gp
Additional Equipment: 1 flask alchemist's fire
[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

OOC: Wait, one hit killed them?

GM: Yup. Was just a CR1 spider swarm, with only 9 HP. With his PBS bonus and the extra 50% damage swarms take from area attacks, Quioan took them out with one shot. This encounter's not meant to be a big nasty one (though swarms always engender a lovely sense of panic). Those come later.

 

[deisenhut]

Yoshiki Akita (Human Monk 4)

Seeing that the direct hit from Quioan did the spiders, Yo lowers his throwing hand and says it a low voice, "Good throw. Are you two okay?" Putting one flask back in his bag, he keeps the other at the ready and moves towards the front again. "We should keep moving. Hopefully we won't run into any more of them."

[sblock=Ministats]Initiative: +4
AC: 19 Touch 19 Flatfooted 14
HP: 28/28
CMB: +8 CMD: 23 Fort: +4 Reflex: +8 Will: +7 (+2 vs. Enchantment)
Defensive Abilities: Evasion, Deflect Arrows
Speed: 40 ft

Conditions in Effect: None
Elemental Fist: 4/4 remaining
Ki Pool: 5/5 remaining
Expenditures: 50 gp
Additional Equipment: 2 flasks alchemist's fire
[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

After a tense moment between the dying down of the chemical flames and the realization that the threat had been dealt with, Quioan relaxed out of his combat stance. "Thanks," he nodded to Yoshiki, withdrawing another flask from his pack. "I'll keep another one ready, too, just in case."

With that, Quioan and Anna shuffled back into their respective marching positions before the disturbance.

[sblock=OOC]I feel a bit guilty that Quioan has one-hitted two out of the three combat encounters: sorry guys, not trying to hog all the action.

As for Anna, my vote is to keep her on and NPC her. I'd like to keep the fourth, just in case she's needed to handle any future fights, and that way we can avoid having to rebalance any encounters and write her out. I'm happy to pass control of her around like we've more or less done so thus far.[/sblock] [sblock=Stats]
Quioan Scorchsong
HP: 23/24
AC: 17 (Touch: 15, Flat-footed: 12)
CMD: 19
Fort: +3, Ref: +8, Will: +3
Perception: +9
Spells:
- 0: Light, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound
- 1: Mage Armor, Gravity Bow, Shield
Bonded Item: Unused
Consumables: Wand of CLW (23 charges)[/sblock]

 

[GlassEye]

Elenka coughs some as she inhales a bit of the smoke produced by the fire. Quickly snapping her fingers she dismisses the summoned elemental. She waves one hand trying to clear the air a bit.

"Good work, Quioan! Maybe this passage isn't used as much as I first thought. Anyway, let's keep moving."



[sblock=Actions/OOC]
Anna: There are pros and cons to both ways. Leaving her as an npc leaves the option that toasterferret could rejoin us. But, keeping her with the party means someone will have to keep track of her actions (which you all may not mind doing, but I don't have time/interest to do so). My personal preference/recommendation would be to write her out unless doing so would mean having to recalculate encounters. Then I would say leave her in, or maybe I could use DMC to boost Elenka to 4th to compensate.

Move --
Standard --[/sblock][sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Elenka[/size] Human Summoner 3
Initiative: +2 Perception: +5

AC: 15 (12 touch; 13 flat-footed)
HP: 23 Current: 23
CMB: +3 CMD: 15 Fort: +1 Ref: +3 Will: +5

In Hand:
Spells:
1st level: 4/4 remaining.
Special: Summon Monster 2 4/6

[size=+1]Drevezh'Korol[/size] Eidolon
Initiative: +1 Perception: +0; Darkvision 60 ft.

AC: 15 (11 touch; 14 flat-footed)
HP: 29 Current: 28
CMB: +7 CMD: 18 Fort: +4 Ref: +2 Will: +3

In Hand:
Conditions: In the Other World[/sblock]

 

[jkason]

[sblock=ooc]It's my understanding that reducing the party to 3 also reduces the APL by one overall when determining CR / difficulty. If we do that, all the remaining encounters get that much harder (at least one of which would wind up Epic, even if Elanka and Quioan level). As GlassEye said, reconfiguring the remaining encounters is daunting for me, so I'd rather avoid it if possible. If diesenhunt and Qik are okay with taking Anna's actions, I'd prefer that. We have a bit before the "split point" I have in mind, though, so we can continue to discuss, and I'll keep things moving.

FYI, with time XP, Elenka's painfully close to leveling as it is. If I have it figured right, she's about 6 days from it after this encounter award. We're going into a weekend / new year's, anyway, so there may be no need for DMC on her.[/sblock]

Despite the heightened tension from the spider attack, the rest of the tunnel seems clear. Another fifty feet of moldy smells and dripping noises, and they reach another door, presumably one which will open into some section of The River's Tears.

GM: FYI, I'm under the assumption you're all still wearing your cultist's robes and possibly your masks. Since they're robes, I'm fine saying your normal attire is on beneath them, but I thought I'd make sure we were all on the same page.