The Tomb

I was just messin wit ya man... Gun is noted.

A shudder runs up JT's spine as the stench reminds him of the Somme.  His normally jovial expression drains like color from his face.  He turns back to his friends, with a pale and haunted look in his eyes.  There is no fear, but just the grim understanding of what lies ahead.

JT puts a single stubby finger up to his lips.  JT motions for weapons to be drawn by pantomiming his axe and pistol.  JT indicates the room behind him and spreads his hands wide to demonstrate it's size.

JT brings his hands closely together to represent the narrow hallway in which they are currently standing.  JT widens his hands and collapses them, as if in a funnel shape.  JT then puts both of his thick hands around his own neck in a choking manner, pointing to the corner of the hallway.

JT taps his chest and then hooks his own cheek with 1 finger, in a fishing motion.  JT closes his eyes in a moment of silent communion with the earth and the stone around him.  JT has always known that the underground is his home, but it will also be his tomb.  JT opens his eyes to see the steady determination in his new friends' eyes and he knows..... not today!

JT cracks a grin on one side of mouth. He silently pivots and begins to creep into the room, axe and pistol drawn.

Stealth
Roll(1d20)+13:
6,+13
Total:19

(ugh)

love the roleplaying!

The rank miasma of old death hits Elliot's nostrils and he suppresses a shudder. The urge to flee wells up within him but he forces it down, standing fast..

His grip reflexively tightens on the heavily modified pistol in his hands. The .45 he carries is truly one of a kind in the world.. It's grips fashioned from carved down and polished human bone, the slide handmade, intricately worked with a raised skeleton motif down the length of the weapon. The ebony skulls dancing upon it seem to leer at him with empty eyes and broken mouths.

The weapon is heavy, and his palms suddenly sweaty in the dank blackness of the tomb.

He is momentarily afraid for his body and soul. Still, he has been in this position before, and trusts his God, and the blessed weapon in his grip to deliver him once again from evil and the clutches of certain death.

In his mind he begins to repeat to himself an old familiar litany, as he has so many times before, sending forth a silent prayer of protection..


St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen..


He nods grimly to JT, seeing his drawn face, his outline shadowed, painted in shades of gray in the magical sight granted him by the witch Olivia..

He raises his weapon to the ready and prepares to take the room with his new friends, or die trying.

CR3 readies his kusarigama, for once without flourish or haste, but instead with the deliberation of potential energy. Any hint if his usually curious wit is consumed in paused violence. He is a drawn bow.

Initiative for everyone please... Rob, you may still take one action after you notice that you detect undead (everyone basically had an action at this time, so you should too)

Initiative
Roll(1d20)+5:
1,+5
Total:6



one dead dwarf.... coming right up

14+4=18 initiative

Chris wrote:

MAS wrote: "Quite. Perhaps we should set a camp out side for a few days, and relax while this process unfolds"

JT grumbles under his breath about the pace of his work, noting that he is the only one actually working.

Robyo wrote:Olivia is down for an extended rest. She needs to get some spells back anyways. The party hasn't rested since leaving the boat.

"I think it's a good time to catch a nap. CR, be a dear and watch for any roaming mummies, would you please." She forms her hair into a hammock suspended from the ceiling and starts to snooze.

Chris wrote:

but.... we just got here.  The party hasn't done anything since we left the boat.  Olivia just cast a bunch of spells (detect undead, detect secret doors, darkvision x2).  All those spells will wear off if we rest and you will just have to cast them again.  

JT padfoots back around the corner

JT motions for the others to follow

"let's keep moving... and BE QUIET"

MAS wrote:We have had consensus for several pages. The party is following JT through the tomb. Elliot and CJC have stated this, Rothschild has stated from the beginning that he is co-locating with CJC. Olivia has not objected, and has supported the search with spells and buffs.

Our subtle dialogue implies that we are all ready to proceed...

We are all excited and interested to further explore the tomb, lets go!  

---

CJC maintains a default readied action of "on sight, engage hostile with rifle, target preference spellcaster or most powerful seeming foe" unless otherwise noted.

Olivia rolls her eyes and frowns. "Wait. You first suggest resting, then in the next breath say there's consensus to go on?" She yawns. "If I didn't already know you to be nonsensical dwarves, I'd question your sanity. Now we are preparing to battle the undead and I am not at full strength. Again, the party bullies get their way. Very well. Stand back if you can manage, and let me try my magic once more. I will attempt Command Undead on whatever lies ahead. However, the spell will not work if you initiate aggression. I'm unsure if your feeble dwarven minds can resist running in half-cocked, but please, for the love of the Divine Mother, try!"

Olivia will hold her pre-combat action until she has permission to try her spell.

Initiative: 2 + 4 = 6

And since I won't be able to check in until tomorrow evening, I'll take my turn now. If the party agrees to hold actions until Olivia can cast her spell, it will go thus:

Her mask begins to glow with an eerie green magical hue. She moves towards the target of the "ping" of her Detect Undead spell. She need not see the creature, it only needs to hear her voice.

She speaks with authority,"Attention undead dweller of the ruins! I promise to do you no harm if you will allow us safe passage. Serve as my guide and perhaps I can find a way to release your spirit to the paradise beyond."

Olivia spends a hero point to gain +8 to her DC.

DC: 25, resist negates.

Of course, if the party wishes to attack, then Olivia will do something else on her turn (attack).

well, the enemies that you are facing may go first. Let's get all initiative rolls first and then go... I should have been more clear, I was referring more to if you were maintaining any detection spells or something. If you're going to cast another spell, please wait till your turn in initiative (not trying to go after you Rob).

Waiting on the Colonel and Elliot's Initiative rolls

That's fine, but it remains the same, Olivia requests the party to hold actions until she can cast her spell. If someone wants to spend a Hero point so she can preceed them in initiative (in case the monsters happen to roll high initiative), that would be appreciated too.

I forgot to add bonus for Controlled Rage and Raging Vitality. DC: 28... Only intelligent undead get a save, non-intelligent undead get no save vs this spell.

Olivia grits her teeth as she channels the rage inside her into magic.

Robyo wrote:That's fine, but it remains the same, Olivia requests the party to hold actions until she can cast her spell. If someone wants to spend a Hero point so she can preceed them in initiative (in case the monsters happen to roll high initiative), that would be appreciated too.

I forgot to add bonus for Controlled Rage and Raging Vitality. DC: 28... Only intelligent undead get a save, non-intelligent undead get no save vs this spell.

Olivia grits her teeth as she channels the rage inside her into magic.

seeing as JT is the bait in this fishing scenario.... and he rolled a 1 on his initiative check..... good chance you can enact your plan. I think everyone has declared that they are on "overwatch" with readied actions to cover JT. JT plans to pull things back to the hallway.

CJC initiative -
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

2 + 7 = 9

---

I've been making my intent to "shoot any hostile that pops up immediately" well known during the last several weeks of posting by readying the action to do so. I understand where your going with this, but some warning/communication would have been nice. I'm certain the party would have been open to cooperation and been better able to support the move.

CJC will NOT use his readied action, and will hold until after Olivia's spell.

Rob, where are you getting a DC of 28? I'm getting 23... +11 for your Con modifier (and the Con booster you get plus Rage) and it's a 2nd level spell.

I'm also not seeing how you cast spells when Raging? This can't normally be done. I looked all over your character page and didn't see something that gave you an exception... Please clarify for me or re-think your action (I will allow that in case there was confusion).

As it stands now, everyone has froze and is waiting on Olivia's spell (you detect 8 undead coming from the room ahead)

Still waiting on Elliot's initiative

whit10 wrote:
(you detect 8 undead coming from the room ahead)

Olivia: [reading a motion detector] I got signals. I got readings, in front and behind.

Elliot: Where, man? I don't see shit.

Colonel Jim: He's right. There's nothin' back here.

Olivia: Look, I'm telling ya, there's somethin' movin' and it ain't us! Tracker's off scale, man. They're all around us, man. Jesus!

JT: [looking through Darkvision, walks right past an Undead] Maybe they don't show up on infra red at all......
[the Undead pounces on him and drags him into a sarcophagus]  aaarrrghhhh!

lol...

"Man, this is a big fuckin' signal"

...haven't watched that movie in ages

Chris wrote:

whit10 wrote:
(you detect 8 undead coming from the room ahead)

Olivia: [reading a motion detector] I got signals. I got readings, in front and behind.

Elliot: Where, man? I don't see shit.

Colonel Jim: He's right. There's nothin' back here.

Olivia: Look, I'm telling ya, there's somethin' movin' and it ain't us! Tracker's off scale, man. They're all around us, man. Jesus!

JT: [looking through Darkvision, walks right past an Undead] Maybe they don't show up on infra red at all......
[the Undead pounces on him and drags him into a sarcophagus]  aaarrrghhhh!

Lol.

Sorry for delay, Elliot Initiative: 1d20+4 (12+4)=16

Elliot is willing to hold action and wait for JT to enact his plan, or trade counts with JT, or whatever to help the dwarf enact his plan.

you're good dude... new baby and all that.

THATS IT MAN! GAME OVER!

MAS wrote:THATS IT MAN! GAME OVER!

no, no.... CJC is Hicks - the calm, rational one with actual leadership ability

(pointing to Olivia) she's Hudson




original script version:

Hudson: [reading a motion detector] I got signals. I got readings, in front and behind.

Frost: Where, man? I don't see shit.

Hicks: He's right. There's nothin' back here.

Hudson: Look, I'm telling ya, there's somethin' movin' and it ain't us! Tracker's off scale, man. They're all around us, man. Jesus!

Dietrich: [looking through an infra-red scope, walks right past an Alien] Maybe they don't show up on infra red at all.

[the Alien pounces on her and drags her up to the ceiling]


JT is just a red-shirt named Dietrich

nah... JT is Vasquez

Chris wrote:

MAS wrote:THATS IT MAN! GAME OVER!

no, no.... CJC is Hicks - the calm, rational one with actual leadership ability

(pointing to Olivia) she's Hudson




original script version:

Hudson: [reading a motion detector] I got signals. I got readings, in front and behind.

Frost: Where, man? I don't see shit.

Hicks: He's right. There's nothin' back here.

Hudson: Look, I'm telling ya, there's somethin' movin' and it ain't us! Tracker's off scale, man. They're all around us, man. Jesus!

Dietrich: [looking through an infra-red scope, walks right past an Alien] Maybe they don't show up on infra red at all.

[the Alien pounces on her and drags her up to the ceiling]


JT is just a red-shirt named Dietrich

ROFL, good stuff!

Glad that Olivia is rocking the "detection" spells, at least we have some idea how many we are dealing with!

whit10 wrote:nah... JT is Vasquez

You always were an asshole, Gorman

Definitely appreciatin' the Aliens in-jokes!

Sequel definitely has the best story/dialogue, but the first one is just beautiful and horrible. In an artistic way!

Didn't really like any of them after that...

whit10 wrote:Rob, where are you getting a DC of 28? I'm getting 23... +11 for your Con modifier (and the Con booster you get plus Rage) and it's a 2nd level spell.

I'm also not seeing how you cast spells when Raging? This can't normally be done. I looked all over your character page and didn't see something that gave you an exception... Please clarify for me or re-think your action (I will allow that in case there was confusion).

Okay, sorry. Never mind the morale bonus to Constitution from the rage powers. Urban Barbarian ignores penalty on skill checks, but not for spell concentration.

Her DC would be 25.

DC 25 = 10 (base) + 2 (spell level) + 5 (Con mod.) + 8 (hero pt.)

whit10 wrote:As it stands now, everyone has froze and is waiting on Olivia's spell (you detect 8 undead coming from the room ahead)

She can only target one creature, so I guess it's whatever one was first detected.

ah, yes, the Hero point... are you sure you can make it a +8 to a DC, I thought that was only to saves or skill checks that you didn't know the DC for? The PRD isn't working for some reason right now or I'd look it up myself.

new map coming...

whit10 wrote:ah, yes, the Hero point... are you sure you can make it a +8 to a DC, I thought that was only to saves or skill checks that you didn't know the DC for?  The PRD isn't working for some reason right now or I'd look it up myself.

the +8 can only affect a roll that you yourself make, if you spend a Hero point to affect another's role it is only +4 or +2 if used after the roll is made.  Spell DC is not actually a roll, it is the target number for the enemy save.

however, there is the open-ended "special" as noted here:

Special: You can petition the GM to allow a hero point to be used to attempt nearly anything that would normally be almost impossible. Such uses are not guaranteed and should be considered carefully by the GM.  

just a suggestion, since it is a creative use of the Hero point.... Rob is attempting to influence the roll of another, so perhaps instead of adding +4 to his allies roll, he could lower the enemy's save roll by -4.  That has the same net difference as adding +4 to his spell DC, but fits the normal usages more closely.

this does "open the door" as the attorneys say.... to using a Hero point to modify ANY roll made by enemies - to hit, crit confirmation, other saves, etc.  you would probably also have to allow a Hero point to force an enemy to reroll, since that is an option for Hero pts.  

personally, I don't see any of this as gamebreaking.  I would vote to allow Hero Points to be used to modify any roll, +8\+4 to your own roll, +4\+2 to any other roll (ally or enemy), reroll any single dice roll by anyone

good idea, Rob!

Debuffing as an option for hero point use. Brilliant! I think Ill be adding that to any game I run.

Solid mechanic!

While I like the out of box thinking here, you have to be careful with that as well.  There are spells, potions and feats that you can take that increase the number of hero points you can have significantly.  Since you only get them when you increase in level (or do something 'Heroic') I guess that still keeps it to a minimum...

For now, I'm allowing it as Rob is using it.  The DC is a 25.

His save (one target is all you can get here, sorry) is a....

Roll(1d20)+3:
14,+3
Total:17

...failure.  I have posted the map with everyone where they should be.  Since everyone waited (and your enemies just moved).  We can now just go with normal Initiative order:

CRIII: 18
Elliot: 16
CJC: 9
Plague Zombies: 8
Olivia and JT: 6 - highest Dex.



JT is able to see several forms moving towards his position... they smell of decay and rotting flesh.  They are moaning something in a low tone and are dragging themselves out of their smashed sarcophagi.

(any space with a sarcophagus in it is considered difficult terrain to move through)


Olivia has control of the Zombie at 1709

I think everything has been taken care of... CRIII is up.

CR3 will go after the colonel, but before the biters.

If CRIII is waiting on the Col, will post Elliot's move as soon as I get home from work.

whit10 wrote:  

I have posted the map with everyone where they should be.  Since everyone waited (and your enemies just moved).  We can now just go with normal Initiative order:

CRIII: 18
Elliot: 16
CJC: 9
Plague Zombies: 8
Olivia and JT: 6 - highest Dex.

I think everything has been taken care of... CRIII is up.

Ok, I am a bit confused here....  CR3, Elliot and CJC all delayed (so Olivia could cast her spell), so we should all be stacked on a 6 Initiative, behind Olivia.

you just said the Plague Zombies moved

so now we all get to go, before the Zombies go again.  as I am reading what you wrote, the zombies would get to act again before JT had a single action.  wouldn't the new initiative order be:

rd 1
Plague Zombies - already moved
Olivia (since everyone waited for her) - already cast
CR3
CJC
Elliot (waiting on CJC)
JT

with CR3, Elliot, CJC and JT all going before rd2 and the zombies again

I'm sorry if I confused you... all people that held actions now get to go. JT would get to act now as well as he did not get to go yet given when Olivia cast the spell.

JT first, to finish the round. Then CR III. Sorry for the confusion.

So Elliot doesn't get to go this round?

He was waiting on JT, not CJC.

I was under the impression that everyone was waiting until Olivia cast her spell, since JT goes simultaneously with her, he goes first, then all who held their actions can go... so you get your action this round, it's just out of order right now.

Actually, we will have a new initiative order at the start of round 2 as most of the party held their actions. (which means you all go at 6 or less now)

Ok, I got it. Elliot will hold until the GM prompts then.

"Gentlemen, it's been an interesting journey thus far," says the witch, holding her bo-staff before her and long dreads writhing like snakes. "Might I suggest a defensive posture? Let the zombies come to us."

Oli can tank and is capable in melee. So is CR3. Those two can form "a wall" in front of the corridor. The other heroes can use their ranged weapons from behind.

Or, everyone moves back behind the corner and the ranged guys just duck around the corner, picking off zombies. Don't think the zombies are too dumb to walk into that trap though.

That's why putting melee folks up front might lure them in.

Unless someone else would rather fight up front, then Olivia will stand back casting more spells and buff/debuffing.

And if the zombies ever get bunched up, JT is welcome to use some fireworks. Just try not to bring the tomb down on us!

They're just suggestions. Remember, the zombie straight ahead is under the witch's command( hex 1709) and shouldn't be attacking us. Try not to target him.

"My friend," the witch calls out to the commanded zombie, "move to the back corner of the chamber, please."

whit10 wrote:I was under the impression that everyone was waiting until Olivia cast her spell, since JT goes simultaneously with her, he goes first, then all who held their actions can go... so you get your action this round, it's just out of order right now.

Actually, we will have a new initiative order at the start of round 2 as most of the party held their actions. (which means you all go at 6 or less now)

so the initiative order is like this, yes?

Chris wrote:
rd 1
8 - Plague Zombies - already moved
6 - Olivia (since everyone waited for her) - already cast
6 - CR3
6 - CJC
6 - Elliot (waiting on CJC)
6 - JT

I didn't add the numbers the first time, because they really have no meaning anymore. The zombies go on 8 and we all go on 6, in order of who held their actions first (not Dex).

so CR3 is up?

Robyo wrote:
Oli can tank and is capable in melee. So is CR3. Those two can form "a wall" in front of the corridor. The other heroes can use their ranged weapons from behind.
Or, everyone moves back behind the corner and the ranged guys just duck around the corner, picking off zombies. Don't think the zombies are too dumb to walk into that trap though.
That's why putting melee folks up front might lure them in.
Unless someone else would rather fight up front, then Olivia will stand back casting more spells and buff/debuffing.
And if the zombies ever get bunched up, JT is welcome to use some fireworks. Just try not to bring the tomb down on us!

table talk, since the above was out of character...  yeah, that was the general idea with JT acting as the bait to lure them into the hallway.  Just remember LOS rules, the guys with guns can't fire through their own melee tanks, the melee tanks block LOS.  

perhaps JT's hand signals didn't make sense, sorry.  we should use the hallway as a kill box, if we can.  the melee can engage the zombies at the opening of the hallway, with the melee partly\mostly inside the main room, like guardians at the sides of the hallway entrance so that the 2 shooters have LOS.  JT will stay in the main room, trying to maneuver for flanking hits using his tumbling.  If the melee are near the hallway entrance, then the zombies can't move past them without granting AoO or only going 1 sq at a time (allowing the shooters to cut them down)

GM - can you somehow indicate which zombie is Rob's pet?  (in PP - you can color the photo using shading)?

I will mark him on the next map update... I said what hex he's in, that should be sufficient for now.

whit10 wrote:I will mark him on the next map update... I said what hex he's in, that should be sufficient for now.  

yeah, I saw that, thanks. I was thinking about it for after their next turn, when they all move

...that came out snottier that I meant it... sorry.

whit10 wrote:...that came out snottier that I meant it... sorry.  

it's all good, no worries. I will try to stop being a backseat GM (but it's not likely)

you backseat GM? No, can't be

So who's up/on deck next?

CR III, then Elliot

With a look at the Colonel that says by your leave, CR3 glides through the group.

"I'll take the one in the corner," he boasts casually, leaping aggressively to 1908. I sure hope that madwoman is right about her spell...

With an uncharacteristic, but brief, pause that only occurs outside his comfort zone CR3 attacks the zombie at 2009 with his kusarigama (10' reach).
11+11=22 attack
2+2=4 dmg

navyik wrote:CR3 attacks the zombie at 2009 with his kusarigama (10' reach).

2+2=4 dmg

they must be trembling now

A minor hit that only knocks off a finger...

Elliot is up

Elliot moves past JT, keeping his pistol raised in his tactical stance. He halts just past the corner in 1507 and sweeps the barrel to the right, trying to clear the room. He catches the zombie in 1409 dead in his sights. He doesn't hesitate to pull the trigger of his Colt.

Attack Roll: 1d20+11 (10+11)=21
If that hits: 1d10 +4 (8+4)=12+ 2d6 vs. Undead (6+6)=12
Total damage: 24

Elliot is done.