Eberron Adventures

[Bigmac]

After clearing up the camp, the group is ready to move on. The cavern moves down at a good pace now, and Wrench needs to fasten a rope so that he is able to travel down the passage safely. Caskin is easily able to retrieve the rope once it is finished being used. After the decent, the tunnel levels out once more and starts to widen. What was something brely noticable when camp was broken is now fairly obvious. It is getting hot in the tunnels, and the heat seems to eminate from up ahead.

The tunnel suddenly opens up into a large cavern. A river of lave flow across the room in front of you. Two swaths of earth can be used to cross where the lava flows underneath the ground. Across the cavern is a lavafall that spalshes lava on the ground around it. The thing that catches most of your eyes, however, are the Khyber dragonshards that populate the area. That, and the encampment in the middle of the cavern. Humans, half-orcs, and dwarf bodies are strewn about a few tents set up as a makeshift campsight.

OOC:

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Map to come later. The cavern is pretty huge, about 150ft across, about twice that long. Campsight is across the river but before the waterfall. If you have magic of eberron, that map is in that book around page 18 or so. Go ahead and roll spot / listen checks. And initiative (no combat yet, but it will be good to know just in case. heh).

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

"By Aureon's twisted Shadow and all the Sovereigns and Six," Sesil breaths, "What infernal force cause this carnage?"

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Spot: (1d20+4)[17](21) , Listen: (1d20+1)[4](5) , Initiative: (1d20+1)[3](4)

[Fester]

Johann

"Hard to say", says Johann as he looks up at Cecil grimly. "There are things lurking within the depths or Khyber that would shatter a man's sanity in mere moments, things that could destroy you so utterly that not even the most potent spellcasters in recorded history could bring you back, and things that could do far, far worse."

Johann gestures toward the encampment.

"This was probably a mining expedition, and they were most likely attacked by things they had unearthed; if this was the work of a rival seeking to commandeer the dragonshard vein, then they would have gotten rid of the bodies and simply subsumed the camp, rather than just abandoning it and leaving the corpses here to rot. There is a force at work here that is...unhuman, to say the least. Even fiends recognize the value of the shards, and a shrewed thing of Khyber would most likely wait until the vein had all but run dry before launching the attack on the camp so it could claim the harvest as its own; that is, assuming it did not simply cajole, threaten, or enslave the miners. No, what killed these men is something different entirely; either a thing so powerful that it was unconcerned with the power that dragonshards hold, or something which is wholely unconcerned with wealth."

Johann reaches into his robes, and produces a small crossbow, sized perfectly to fit into his child-like hands. Another hand reaches into a pocket and finds a bolt, which is meticulously cocked into place.

"You had best be on your guard, Soldier. It is not just the dark we should be afraid of."

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Spot: (1d20)[10] Listen: (1d20)[4] Initiative: (1d20+1)[10]

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

Butch looks back and forth to Sesil and Johann, an incredulous look on his face. "You're kidding right? I'm surprised we aren't already dead. If that is really lava, then something is seriously suppressing the heat and smoke. Sure it is hot, but we should be bursting into flames right now, if we hadn't already passed out from the fumes. My guess is this mining crew has some sort of protective device active and it stopped working for a moment."

Butch snaps his fingers in sudden inspiration. "Whatever caused the protective device to fail probably knocked out the airship's power as well."

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

Wrench offers no further commentary on the state of things. Instead, he just takes in the scene. He is somewhat surprised by Butch though. For someone who claims to be a simple country boy, he seems to know more than his share about mining, and lava, and more than a few other things.

Spot - (1d20-2)[5]
Listen - (1d20-2)[2]
Initiative - (1d20+1)[14]

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

The old man smiles grimly, lowering his sword a fraction. "Butch, you're probably right and I'm overthinking it," he says. "What was it the Sovereigns said? BLAH BLAHDY BLAHBLAH BLAH BlAHDY. BLAH BLAHDY BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHDY BLAH*?"

*Gnomish:

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There's something moving behind the pillar. I don't think it knows I see it. Want me to light it up?

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

"Well, looks like at least one of us needs to test the 'safe' ground. Mr. Sesil is out because he needs to guard our package and we need to keep Mr. Johann safe too. Mr. Caskin, you may take part in this if you wish but otherwise it is down to Azmirith, Wrench and myself. Whoever goes, we can wrap them in water soaked blankets to try to afford a little protection. And don't take the Wonder Packs with you, just in case. Alright, lets draw lots... short straw tests the path."

Spot - (1d20)[14]
Listen - (1d20)[14]
Initiative - (1d20+2)[17]
Straw - (1d20)[8]

[Asmodeus]

Wrench

While Butch starts trying to find straws, Wrench will just start walking down towards the camp.

[Fester]

Johann

Johann gently pats Cecil on his side. "Your memory must be failing you, soldier. I believe it goes *insert other language gibberish here*."

*gnomish

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If its hiding, it probably isn't friendly. My magic missles most likely hit harder than yours, so if you light it, I can blast it.
SPOILER WITHIN A SPOILER

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Readying Magic Missle to cast at whatever is hiding, assuming I'm in range and it looks dangerous

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

In response to Johann, the old campaigner snaps his fingers. Four familier balls of dancing light swarm past Wrench and around the movement he'd spotted.

[Bigmac]

Mappage, click the link for a bigger version.



Purple = dead people
Brown boxes = campsight / tents
Yellow box = something that ran behind the rock pilar. It was on 4 legs and looked like nothing you have ever seen before.

[Asmodeus]

{OOC: Are we in initiative? And was it absolutely necessary to put me inside a lava pool?}

Wrench

Wrench sees the lights go zooming past him, and draws out his weapon, while watching where the lights are going.

[Bigmac]

@Asmo,

Not in initiative just yet, something just darted away from the lights and ran behind the stalagmite. Wrench probably was only aware of the lights flying over his head.

@All

Disregard the lavapools in the party's area, as well as any descriptive text (ie futher into khyber ect) in the picutre.

[Citizen Joe]

Butch

Butch reaches into the haversack and pulls out a quiver then readies his bow nocking an arrow. "Ready Sir. Say the word and I'll test the air over that lava over there. We'll see how far this protective field extends."

[Bigmac]

Four creatures rush forth at the party at nearly the same time. Two emerge from a tent within the campsight, while the other two come around the stalagmite running past the dancing lights. The things are roughly the size of a bulldog but have four stubby legs that branch out of their sides and are closer in nature to spider's legs. Each creature also has two whipelike tenticles that protrude from where a face should be. There are no eyes nor mouth visable on the creatures.

Butch is the first to react. We're no officially in combat.

Mappage:

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Click for a bigger version.

Initiative:
Creatatures
Butch
Wrench
Johann
Sesil
Azmirith
Caskin

[MandibleBones]

Sesil (Free action: speaking)

"Butch," he says drily, "Consider the word given."

[Citizen Joe]

Butch
AC: 17 hp: 21(25)

"Ack! Demons!! Wrench! We'll make our stand at the entry tunnel!" Butch calls out as he lets his brown fletched arrow fly, then pulls out a black fletched arrow, preparing for his next shot.

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Standard Action: Fire normal arrow at closest creature. Range is 110' for the bow but I'm not sure just how far the creatures are so I'm not modifying for range.
Attack - (1d20+5)[16](21)
damage - (1d8+4)[10]
Move Action: Prepare Cold Iron arrow (the black fletched ones).

[Asmodeus]

Wrench
HP: 16/16
AC: 21 (vt:11 ff:20)

Wrench focuses a burst of magical energy upon his weapon as he infuses it with a Frost enchantment.

{Spending 1 action point for a speedy infusion}

[Fester]

Johann
HP: 18/18
AC: 15 Touch: 12 Flat: 14

Johann fires the loaded bolt in his crossbolt, then scrambles to place Butch between himself and the strange creatures.

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Attack [roll]1d20+3[/rol]
Damage (1d6)[3]

[Fester]

OOC: i'm targeting whatever butch is targeting, and i fudged that attack roll, so i'll redo it below.

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(1d20+3)[23]

[Fester]

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threat confirmation (1d20+3)[13]
extra damage (1d6)[5]

[MandibleBones]

Sesil

Smiling the grim smile of someone actually prepared for combat this time, the old campaigner, Sesil moves toward the bridge in front of him, placing his back against the wall and not straying too far from the group. Nothing he has will reach the distance, so he steels his will for the fight to come.

"Don't let them gang up on you, gentlemen," he says, his voice as steely as his readied sword. "We're at the top of our game today, and I for one would like to see our Zilargan friend's mettle too," he grins a half-smile at Johann, all teeth and determination. "And what better creatures to fight than spawn from the depths of Khyber herself?"

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Readying an action to arcane-channel Shocking Grasp and attack the moment a beast crosses my path

[Bigmac]

Caskin fires an arcane blast, that combined with Butch's and Johann's projectiles manages to bring one of the creatures down. Azmirith moves next to Sesil and draws his morningstar.

The remaining creatures charge forth at full speed towards Azmirith. As they do so one of them passes next to Wrench and another by Sesil. Both get an opportunity to attack the creatures as they pass.

OOC

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All the creatures run towards Az. Wrench gets an AoO and Sesil's ready action triggers. After this, it goes to the top of the round. Butch is up.

Map:

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[Asmodeus]

Wrench
HP: 13/13
AC: 21(vt:11 ff20)

As the creature foolishly rushes so close to Wrench, he reacts quickly and swings his morningstar around, leaving a trail of frost in the arc of the swing.

AoO Attack - (1d20+3)[23]
AoO Prc and Blud Dmg - (1d8+1)[4]
AoO Frost Dmg - (1d6)[5]

[Asmodeus]

(Threatening Critical)

Critical Confirm - (1d20+3)[21]
Critical Damage - (1d8+1)[3]

[Citizen Joe]

Butch
AC:17 HP: 25/25

Unable to get off a second shot, Butch drops his bow and takes up his scythe, swinging it hard at one of the creatures.

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Free Action: drop bow
Move Action: equip scythe
5 foot step:
Action: Power Attack (2) + flanking
Attack - (1d20+8)[13](21)
Damage - (2d4+10)[15]

[MandibleBones]

As the creature charges, Sesil brings down his mighty falchion.

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Attack! (1d20+7)[16](23)
Damage: (2d4+3)[2][2](7)
Possible crit confirm (on 18-20): (1d20+7)[11](18)
Possible crit damage: (2d4+3)[2][3](8)

[Asmodeus]

{OOC: Butch, you confuse the hell out of me. Going by the map, there is no way you can 5 ft step and flank anyone. But then, I don't really rmeember who any of the colors represent other than I'm green and Sesil is Blue.}

Wrench
HP: 16/16
AC: 21 (vt:11 ff:20)
(if charging, reduce AC approprately)

If an opportunity is available, Wrench will move into a flanking position with an ally and attack. Otherwise, he'll just charge the nearest foe and attack anyways.

Attack - (1d20+5)[17]
Mods: +1 STR, +2 BAB, +2 Flank or Charge
Damage - (1d8+1)[6]
Frost Dmg - (1d6)[4]

[MandibleBones]

As Sesil swings, arcs of lightning crackle from his blade.

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Forgot the arcane channeling. Shocking Grasp: (2d6)[5][6](11)

[Fester]

Johann
HP: 18/18
AC: 15 Touch: 12 Flat: 14

Gnomes are notoriously two faced, and Johann was no exception. The smile was a mask which he whore; a mask which could mean any number of things. This smile, however, was different from any of the others he had worn before. There was a sense of purpose behind his eyes, a sense of knowledge of things beyond mortal comprehension. This was not a trick or bravado, not an intimidation tactic or a bluff; the gnome simply looked like he knew, although what he knew and how he knew it none could say.

With this newfound determination, Johann quickly steps behind Azmirith and makes various arcane gestures with his left hand. He speaks in magic tongues, and his hand begins to glow with a faint red light. As his spell finishes, a bolt of red leaps from his outstretched hand and is sent careening towards one of the beasts.

"You're done."

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Swift action: entering Prophetic Favor, +1 to all saves
Move action: moving to the square to the upper left of Azmirith, so anything that wants to hit me will need to provoke an AoO.
Standard Action: Casting Magic Missle on whichever beast looks the weakest
[roll0]