Wayward Expeditions - Rise of the Runelords - Episode 12

 	Intro: For much of written history world events followed chartered routes. Oracles and seers mapped out the future in the stars above and their prophecies always gave a reliable view of the ages to come. Until a god died a century ago. No one saw that coming. And now the old prophecies are failing, oracles go mad and seers desperately tried to account for the loss of the future. While some cry out that the world is at an end, they've been doing so for a hundred years now and the world is still here, it's just unclear where things are going. The future of Golarian is open, ready to receive the triumphs and failures of a new generation of heroes. Welcome to Rise of the Runelords!

GM: We left off with you guys fighting a deformed goblin hero, slaying him and finding that he was guarding this statue. This shrine that you identified to be a shrine to Lamashtu, the mother goddess of monsters. And on the shrine is a small pool of water, like a basin. It's got a little bit of water in it and as you're looking at this water, which is churning and black and bubbly, it slowly started to rise a little bit and kind of fill up, just a few little centimeters worth of more water. And that's where we had left off.

Taury: It's bubbling?

GM: Yeah.

Loyal: "It's probably best not to mess with that right now. Though, if no one's opposed, I would like to at least take a vial of it to possibly study, figure out how we can purify it, possibly?"

Markus: "Maybe after we know what else is down here."

Loyal: "That's fair."

Markus: "Because whatever else that thing is, it's not normal magic."

Morana: "I mean, we do technically have a quiet moment for now."

Fenwarin: "But is it safe enough to approach it?"

Loyal: "My guess is no."

Fenwarin: "Looks very ominous."

Markus: "Well, wouldn't it be something you'd need to explicitly activate?"

Loyal: "I'd imagine so. Perhaps the activation is simple, as simple as walking up to it? Or there might be defensive measures in place, hence the black water?"

Markus: "No, I think the black water is perhaps more to do with who the second effect contacts. Either that or someone really thought it would look cool."

Loyal: "Well, considering it's bubbling, I have a feeling it's definitely either a byproduct of the shrine or created by the shrine itself. I guess it's a byproduct anyway."

Markus: "Maybe, it depends which came first. And I suspect the shrine is more recent than the ruins, so..."

Loyal: Can I examine how-?

GM: Would you like to do a Knowledge dungeoneering on that?

Loyal: Yeah, I was about to ask that. 

GM: Yeah. 

Loyal: Boom.

Taury: Can we all roll on those?

GM: If you want?

Taury: Um, there's kind of no point but I'm rolling it anyway. Fuck it.

GM: Alright. Loyal and Taury, both of you can tell that this shrine was constructed at the same time as the rest of the walls, the weathering, and whatnot in this dungeon, it's the same as on the shrine.

Loyal: "Based on the condition of the shrine as well as the ruins, it seems like they were constructed at the same time. It's probably been here for a long time. I have a feeling that goblin was corrupted by the shrine itself and became its defender."

Markus: "Wait. This is a shrine to Lamashtu?"

Loyal: "Yes, well..."

Markus: "And you're saying you believe that this has been here as long as the rest of the ruins?"

Loyal: "It seems that way. Doesn't bode well for the rest of this dungeon."

Markus: On an out of character note, is there any indication that the shrine's been repurposed or that the deity that it was to, has changed?

GM: Hmm, if you were a dwarf, you could have some Stonecunning added to that, but you're not. So, no, you can't really tell.

Markus: How obvious are the holy symbols of Lamashtu on the shrine?

GM: Fairly obvious.

Markus: Are they taking the form of things placed on top of the shrine, or are they actually things carved into stone and the like?

GM: Carved into this black granite, or marble? 

Markus: Ok.

GM: It's essentially a black marble, like how this statue you saw earlier was a red marble. 

Markus: Yeah, yeah.

Taury: Obsidian.

Markus: I, really...hmmm

Loyal: "The shrine is clearly causing a corruption that I imagine, before we leave this place, we might want to find a way to cleanse it or destroy it."

Markus: "If you want to piss off an angry deity, feel free."

Loyal: "It's probably... Considering what happened to that goblin. It's probably not safe having it down here."

Markus: "You assume that that was what caused it? I'm not entirely sure. We still haven't seen what else is down here. "

Loyal: "That's fair."

Markus: "But if this shrine dates back to the- back to Thassilon, that has some... Yeah, that has some interesting implications."

Loyal: "Well, are we going to deal with this issue now or get back to it later and just continue exploring?"

Markus: "I think we need to continue exploring for now."

Loyal: "Probably best. Don't want to be messing with this thing before we know it's safe-ish down here."

Markus: "Ok."

GM: All of you give me a Perception check.

Loyal: Oh, God!

Markus: I was just about to say, Markus is stepping forward to try and listen at the door to see what's on the other side. So...

Taury: Oh boy, that's not good.

GM: Alright, Fenwarin. 

Fenwarin: Yup!

GM: The hair on the back of your neck stands up. You are acutely aware that you all are not alone.

Fenwarin: "Everyone, stop. There's something here."

Loyal: I take a good look at the water. See if I notice anything.

Markus: "Can you be more specific?"

Fenwarin: "Something is looking at us or can hear us, so be careful."

Markus: "Where is it?"

Morana: Morana is going to cast a Detect magic and look around the room to see if there's any fields that weren't there before.

GM: As you look around the room, give me another Perception check. Alright. Morana, you don't see anything at all. No magic, nothing visual, but you hear faintly the flapping of wings. Like bat wings.

Morana: Morana looks up.

GM: Again, you see nothing. No matter what direction you look. No magic. Nothing visual. But you hear very faintly the flapping of wings.

Morana: "It sounds like something is flying. I can't see anything though."

Fenwarin: "So you hear it too?"

Morana: "Well, yes."

Loyal: Having that pointed out, can I try to listen for the direction that the flapping is coming from?

GM: Yes.

Taury: Can Taury do that as well or...?

GM: Perception checks, yes.

Markus: Yeah, I think that's something we all probably want to do.

Taury: Well, it just depends on if we have an inkling to do that.

GM: Markus and Loyal both can't detect anything at all. Taury, however, you also notice this. This faint wrongness that you're not alone and the very faint flapping of wings.

Taury: Can I tell what direction it's coming from?

GM: Not with perception alone. You can now, that you've detected it, attempt a Survival check to pinpoint it.

Fenwarin: All of us that heard it.

Morana: I'll try that as well. Ok.

Taury: Oh.

Loyal: Nice.

Taury: I'm guessing that pinpoints it?

GM: Yeah. Taury, about 10 feet up, real close to the ceiling, you know that there's a creature - not exactly what it is - but you know that there's this creature there. You can't see it, but you can see a little bit of like cobwebs floating around and some dust swirling. And that's what's giving away its location.

Taury: Ok. Oh boy! So she would be gesturing to anybody looking in her direction, or not looking in her direction, to look in her direction and pointing to exactly where you described that thing is visible but not visible.

Fenwarin: Oh, Fenwarin nods at Taury. 

Markus: Yeah, Markus slowly nods as well.

Taury: So it's 10 feet in the air?

GM: Yep, right up against the ceiling.

Taury: Ah ha. And I mean, suffice to say, it hasn't noticed us? Or at least hasn't reacted like it has noticed us? ... Oh, I don't like that silence.

Markus: I want to Ready-in-action.

Loyal: Loyal will take his crossbow out, just to have it out.

Fenwarin: Fenwarin's taking crossbow out.

Taury: Yeah, Taury's taking her bow out.

Morana: So it's hiding in darkness, you said 10 feet up?

Taury: Ten feet up. Kind of touching the roof, I think.

GM: Not hiding.

Morana: Well, do we want a better look at it?

GM: You can't see it.

Taury: We can just hear it.

GM: It is invisible.

Morana: Oh okay, so it's not just in darkness?

GM: Correct.

Taury: Can we do any kind of Knowledge check to see what we think it could be? 

GM: No. 

Taury: No? Didn't think so. 

GM: You haven't seen it yet to identify it.

Taury: Yeah, it was a fucking longshot.

Markus: Wings and invisible, could- yeah, there are a lot of things that meet that description.

Taury: Are any of them cuddly and friendly? I fucking doubt it.

Fenwarin: Some of them. Some of the Fey, for example, can be friendly.

Taury: I wouldn't call Fey cuddly and friendly, but Ok.

Loyal: I have a feeling this is not Fey. Loyal is just kind of looking to everyone like, what do we do?

Taury: Taury is taking aim in that direction. Kind of waiting on someone to tell her not to shoot it, in that direction.

Loyal: Oh, this might be going out on a limb, but Loyal will speak in Infernal and say, "We know you're there, show yourself."

Markus: Interesting.

Loyal: Is there any response to him saying that?

GM: There is.

Fenwarin: Ooh.

GM: It is in Thassilon. Thassilonian response.

Loyal: I don't know that language.

Markus: I do.

Loyal: Good.

Taury: That's helpful.

GM: Markus, from like right above you, you hear a very, very faint, like almost, like it's said under their breath, feminine voice correcting his grammar.

Loyal: Oh.

Markus: Oh, okay. Is that enough for me to try and pinpoint where this thing actually is? Or is Taury pointing it out enough for that?

GM: You have the same general idea as Taury does, now of where it's at. Again, it's still invisible.

Markus: Speaking aloud in Thassilonian, without directing it to where I think the sound is coming from, just speaking generally to the open air, Markus will say: "Come now, be kind. Languages do shift somewhat over time."

GM: All of you hear a stronger voice now, as if replying directly to Markus, but none of you'll understand what's being said: "What are the heroes doing in my lair? Why have you come here?"

Markus: "Your lair?"

GM: "Do you seek my aid?"

Markus: "We seek knowledge for, over the years, plenty has been forgotten."

GM: "Knowledge has a price. Are you willing to pay?"

Markus: "That depends on the price."

GM: "Speak what you seek. I will set the price and then we can negotiate."

Markus: "A very interesting offer! Before I speak, might I at least be permitted to know who exactly I'm addressing, to avoid any doubt or miscommunication?"

GM: "You may call me Erylium."

Markus: Out of character. Knowledge check to recognize the name.

GM: Knowledge planes.

Markus: Well, yeah. I kind of wish I had rerolls available.

GM: Yeah, that name's meaningless to you.

Markus: "I see, are there any limits to what precisely it is you can offer?"

GM: "I can only answer what I know."

Markus: "You called us 'heroes'. Does that imply you have knowledge of current events outside these passages, outside these ruins?"

GM: "My knowledge extends above and below."

Markus: "Then, safe to say, you must understand that the reason we came down here was because we had encountered things before that were a potential threat to this town."

GM: "And have you dealt with them?"

Markus: "Those we have encountered so far, yes."

GM: "I have yet to hear a question."

Markus: "I know. I have not yet asked one. I am making sure we are both equally aware of the context of any question that might be asked, because context is important. I assume you understand this?"

GM: "Information has a price. The more you try to learn, the higher the price will go."

Markus: "Then let me be blunt, do you, or anything else that we have yet to encounter here in this place that is under your direct control, pose any threat or have any intent to act in relation to the town above?"

GM: "[Laughs] That price is one that you will not pay."

Markus: "I see. Quite certain are you? Well then, a different question perhaps? What was the original purpose of this construction, these rooms, these passages and the original tower?

GM: "Put a silver on the ground for that answer."

Markus: Markus blinks at that, and then gets out a silver and puts it on the ground.

Taury: As he's about to do that, Taury runs over to him and grabs his hand. "What are you doing? What is it saying?"

Markus: "We are having a... polite conversation about exchanges of knowledge and prices."

Taury: "Polite?"

Markus: "So far at least. Oh, it's been rather insulting of Loyal's grammar."

Taury: Taury's looking up at like the thing that's not there and looking at Markus like he's insane.

Markus: "If I may continue? This might be important." Is Taury still stopping Markus getting the money?

Taury: I would say that just like a long pause and then eventually she lets go, but she's pretty unhappy looking, to say the least.

Markus: Okay, yeah, then Markus will get a silver out and toss it on the ground.

GM: "Good, good. You stand beneath what was once a Hell Flume."

Loyal: "A fuckin what?"

GM: "This area was under the control of our lady Alaznist, set along the borders of her region. She constructed many of these Hell Flumes that could spew war fire out to a mile or more, to protect her borders."

Loyal: So we're standing in a giant artillery weapon?

Markus: You are, but you don't know that in character.

GM: Correct.

Taury: Because Markus is a dick! 

Loyal: [Laughs]

GM: "She was guarding her borders against Runelord Karzoug, who had also built monuments along the border, and they were essentially at a Cold War standoff. When Starfall occurred, much of these borders were destroyed. Which you refer to as 'the old light' is the remnants of the only one still standing."

Markus: "Interesting. Did Alaznist worship Lamashtu?"

GM: "No. But you already knew that."

Markus: "Yes. And yet somewhat surprised. Why would there be a shrine to Lamashtu here?"

GM: "Why do you wish to know?"

Markus: "Because it is odd, unusual and not in keeping with my understanding of the nature of this place, especially given what you've just confirmed."

GM: "Will tell you for a gold."

Markus: Markus is visibly hesitating over that, then slowly pulls out a gold coin and tosses it on the floor with the silver.

GM: "That shrine was built by my former master."

Markus: "Can you be more specific?"

GM: "Yes, I could."

Markus: "But you are choosing not to be. Come now, you were so forthcoming with your answer to the first question."

GM: "They were less personally involved."

Markus: "I see, but you used the word 'former', implying they're no longer your master?"

GM: "Well, that was over ten thousand years ago."

Markus: "Ah, the obvious implication being that your master was a servant of Alaznist in some capacity?"

GM: "Oh, I'm sorry. Did you need confirmation for that?"

Markus: "No."

GM: "Or are you just puzzling aloud?"

Markus: "I wanted to see if you had a particular comment to that. Why stay here if your master is gone?"

GM: "I was trapped here? There was no exits? But seeing as how so many have come as of late, it's safe to assume I'm no longer trapped. I could leave if I want to, but this is my home. I've grown accustomed to it."

Markus: "Yes, ten thousand years would tend to do that." Ok, out of character to avoid Metagaming. Would I have any clues to the nature of the creature that I'm talking to? 

GM: Yes.

Markus: Would I have heard enough for me to actually work out what I've suspected is out of character?

GM: Yes. Give me a Intelligence role.

Markus: General, or specific skill?

GM: General. Yep, Markus is pieced together that this is likely the Quasit that you had heard was down here by Tsuto's Journal.

Markus: "Consider me curious, how exactly is it you spend your time down here?"

GM: "The price for that is for you to put all of your weapons, from your entire group, into the waters."

Markus: "I assume you're not expecting me to pay that particular price?"

GM: "Not really. Do you expect to have an answer unless you do?"

Markus: "I said I was merely curious. Ten thousand years is a long time to sit and stare at the same walls without something to occupy yourself with?"

GM: "You have my price."

Markus: "I know. I'm just thinking of other questions that might have...lower prices. Because I'm curious, what was your master's name? - Former master's name, I should say."

GM: "Hmm, gold coin."

Markus: "That information is that significant to you? Interesting." Markus will pull out another gold and toss it on the ground.

GM: "I've forgotten."

Loyal: This mother fucker!

Markus: "Really? One would have thought that someone binding you to their service for presumably a number of years, would be a significant event? 

GM: "No."

Markus: Yeah, Ok, Sense motive is definitely appropriate for this whole conversation and in particular that response.

GM: Oh! Finally, going to do a Sense motive, okay.

Loyal: I don't know what he's saying. I don't know what he's saying. I can't!

Taury: That's what I was thinking the whole fucking time! But all right. It's like, sure, I'll just throw money at it. It'll be fine. Yeah.

GM: She's not lying.

Markus: Has she been lying about- Do I get the sense that she's been lying about any of this or...?

GM: Not really. She seems to be enjoying having somebody to talk to.

Markus: "You mentioned other people had been in this area, recently. Who else has been down here?"

GM: "Gold coin."

Markus: No hesitation this time. He just pulls out a gold and throws it on the ground.

GM: "Hmm, should have asked for more. There was some smugglers that found this cave years ago or made the cave that gained access here. I met them. They fled in panic and bricked up the entrance. It wasn't until decades later maybe, that a young couple broke down that wall and ventured in. They came back once or twice, but I haven't seen them recently."

Markus: "And what of the goblin? Or do you not count them as a person?

GM: "Oh yes, goblins. Do you pay notice of every insect that crawls into your home?"

Markus: "That depends on whether they're the type that sting."

GM: "Exactly." You feel an accusatory bite, a pointed remark from that 'exactly' as if she's referring directly to you and your group as being insects that sting.

Markus: Yeah. Ok, out of character again. Knowing that I've worked out what I think this creature is, I'm assuming it will be Knowledge planes to know more about quasits in general?

GM: Knowledge planes? Yup.

Markus: I'm having alternatively really bad and really good rolls today.

Taury: Be great if you shared some of this information with the party. Maybe we could help? [Laughs]

GM: Yep, that definitely was too low to know anything.

Markus: Yup.

GM: "Are you done conversing?"

Markus: "Hmmm, I find that perhaps the questions I have left are ones that the price might be too high for, unless you care to revise some of your earlier prices?"

GM: "They can always go higher."

Markus: "Of course." And switching back to Common, "Then I believe we're done." And if nobody else is going to react when he says that-

Loyal: You're talking a language we don't know.

Taury: I mean, we have no idea what just happened, so we have no context for what that might mean, like... [laughs]

Loyal: No.

Taury: As far as we know, you're shooting the shit with a fucking demon, like what?

Markus: Ah, fuck, Ok. Yeah, Markus is going to start pulling out shadows and sending them, sending a web of them in the general direction of this creature, which is going to completely miss.

GM: So you're attacking her? 

Markus: Yeah.

Loyal: Alright.

Markus: Sorry.

Morana: I don't see this blowing up in our face.

Taury: Stabbing her in the back directly in the face! Nice. Nice!

GM: Hmm. I need a Will save from all of you as Markus throws-

Taury: Ah!

Loyal: Fucking hell!

GM: - a network of shadows at the ceiling.

Taury: Great, a Will save!

Loyal: I don't think I have bonuses to that, no.

Taury: Fucking, Taury's saves are fucking sick, dude! I don't think I've failed a single save.

Loyal: Ah, mine's like 'meh', mine's 'meh', but it might make it.

Taury: I failed one save, and that was back in the fucking tavern. I don't think I've failed one save.

GM: Alright. Morana, congratulations, you're the only one who fails. 

Morana: Awesome!

Taury: [Laughs] Rip.

Loyal: I fear this shrine is fucking something.

GM: You are now shaken.

Morana: Neat.

Taury: Is that a condition?

GM: I am double-checking that that's what is, what is happening and that you are not panicked.

Taury: No.

Loyal: It's a level of fear, I think yeah.

GM: Yeah, you are just shaken. And Markus, I need you to call high or low.

Markus:  Oh, let's go with high.

GM: Alright. So what is the save for what you just did?

Markus: It's a Ranged touch, so I'm assuming a 9 missed, even if she was flat-footed.

GM: That is correct. Alright, so you would have hit 'cause you passed the mischance for trying to attack an invisible creature.

Markus: Yeah, but-

GM: But you did miss overall, so. 

Markus: Yeah.

GM: Ok, and you've initiated combat.

Loyal: Oy!

Taury: Oh, this is going to go well.

Loyal: Click. Ok, I can get behind that... Fucking hell, alright.

Taury: I misread '-77', I was like, 'that's not right'. [Laughs]

Loyal: Good initiatives. [Laughs]

Taury: Good job Markus rolled high on his initiative. 

Loyal: Yeah.

Markus: Yeah, maybe. 

GM: Hmmm

Loyal: What? Oh my God!  

Markus: Yeah.

Loyal: The one time we roll high on initiative! [Laughing] The one time, she was higher than all of us.

Taury: Oh, wow. Rip Markus.

Loyal: Good-bye.

Taury: What's even worse is if he did die, we wouldn't know anything any different anyway, because he didn't relay any of the information yet. [Laughs]

Markus: Yeah, I know.

Loyal: Bash, fuck!

Taury: It's fine. We're fine. We're fine.

Loyal: That doesn't look fine!

Taury: No, we're not fine at all.

Loyal: We're definitely not fine.

Taury: And this positioning too? 

Loyal: Oh great.

Taury: Fucking A-star combat positioning. 

Loyal: Yeah.

Markus: Really?

Loyal: Burn.

Taury: Oh, we're surrounded. That's great!

Markus: Point of clarification: If she's- A. if she's actually casting that, how is she actually casting that at faster than a full round?

GM: Yeah, that doesn't happen yet.

Markus: Okay. Right, okay.

Taury: Still screwed. You start the next turn.

Markus: No. That's important because we can potentially disrupt the casting. If she's-

GM: Yeah, you could.

Taury: You could, but it's so not going to fucking happen.

Loyal: You have to hit it first.

GM: Ah, no. Instead. Good call. Thank you for reminding me. I have to go by script. Those doors fling open.

Taury: Great. Great. I feel like that's worse. I feel like the other thing was better. [Laughs]

GM: And, because they flung open, you don't know where she's gone.

Markus: Ok.

GM: The doors fling open and you see a huge room that looks nothing more than an immense underground cathedral. The stone doors that stood to either side of the main entrance are flung open. Beyond them, the walls are carved with strange, spiky ruins. In the center of the room, is a large pool with a ring of polished human skulls balanced on stone spikes, arranged in a circle around the deeper midsection. At the far end of the room, a pair of stone stairways lead up to a pulpit on which sits a second pool. This one, triangular and filled with churning bubbling water that looks almost like translucent lava. Yet white wisps of what looks like heat and steam rise from this strange orange liquid, the room itself is deathly cold.

Taury: Well, I don't like this. I don't, I don't like this at all. Can we roll Perception to see if we heard it leave, with its wings?

GM: Oh, you know it did, as it went through the doors.

Taury: Hundred percent. Ok. Well, it could have just opened because of bullshit, you know. But she spe- it opened the

Loyal: Like, telepathically, like-

Taury: you know. 

GM: Yes.

GM: Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I'm just going to carefully step five feet.

Taury: [Laughs] Classic Fenwarin!

Fenwarin: Because I don't know what to expect. And my crossbow is ready.

GM: Markus.

Markus: "It's the Quasit from the journal."

Loyal: "It would have been good to know."

Markus: "Talking in front of it?"

Loyal: "It doesn't know we have a journal."

Taury: You're getting the evils from Taury."

Loyal: "Oh boy!"

Markus: Markus will move into the room and see if he can locate this creature. I'm assuming that's a Perception?

GM: To locate is a Survival check. 

Markus: Okay. 

GM: You have no idea where they could be. As you step into this cathedral, you realize that the ceiling is 60 feet high. 

Loyal: Hell, alright.

Markus: Yeah, they have plenty of room to move in the air then.

Loyal: Never going to find that thing! [Laughs] Ever.

Taury: It'll find us though!

Loyal: Oh yeah. 

Taury: That's comforting.

GM: Loyal.

Loyal: Seeing as he charged in. 30 to right there. I see a staircase and a door. And I guess I'll look around for it. Boom. Nope.

GM: Taury.

Taury: Can I roll a Survival from here to try and track which direction it went when it went in, or would I have to move in first to do that?

GM: Either way. 

Taury: Either way, it's the same thing? 

GM: Yup. 

Taury: Ok. Yeah, I'll roll it now. Not a fucking clue. Ok, well, I guess I'm going to join the group then.

GM: Morana, you are no longer shaken.

Morana: Alright. Hmm, that raises the question though, do I really wanna go in there? Hmmm, I guess she'd move up to about here, no, one step further. She's not crossing that threshold right now, though.

GM: Alright. Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: I'll just step inside now then. And I'd also like to do a Survival check... Oh well.

GM: Markus.

Markus: Hmmm, yeah, I'm still debating. Ah, let's try another Survival check to locate it... Yeah, no, that's not going to- 

GM: Anything else you want to do?

Markus: Move a bit, but yeah, that's it.

GM: Ok. Loyal.

Loyal: Right. I guess first thing I'll do is look around for it. Ah.

GM: Alright. Loyal, you think that it is flying somewhere above this pool.

Loyal: Cool, cool. I say, "It's above the pool somewhere. I'm not sure where," and I guess its standard action to look around, Survival or no?

GM: A Survival's a move action-esque, you're- It's not like a free action 'cause it does take some concentration and time, but it's not necessarily a standard either. It's move-equivalent.

Loyal: Ok. In that case then, I'll just take a fucking blind shot with my crossbow. [Laughs] Try to hit something. Peripheral mischance? Boom. It probably doesn't hit anyway. If it does, though, 8 damage.

GM: It misses. 

Loyal: Yeah. 

GM: I'm not even going to roll the mischance on whether or not you get close, 'cause that's just a flat out miss. 

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Taury.

Taury: I mean, with him saying where it generally is, probably still isn't really enough to warrant a shot, is it?

GM: You have to pick a square that you're going to target.

Taury: And aim for that?

GM: Right. Since you don't know specifically where it's at...

Taury: That's the thing.

GM: you have to guess. It's like a big game of battleship.

Taury: I mean, I'd say it's harder than Battleship, but- 

GM: Little bit.

Taury: Can I roll another Survival then to try and- 

GM: Yeah.

Taury: more specifically target it? Hell yeah, man! 

Loyal: Nice! 

GM: Hmm, you agree that it's somewhere above the pool. You can see the ripples from the wind its wings are generating, but it's not enough to really pinpoint. You can't tell.

Taury: Is it somewhat central?

GM: No idea.

Taury: Well, is it causing ripples on the outside pool or just the inside pool?

GM: No, it's all one pool. There-

Taury: The whole fucking thing?

GM: Yeah, they're only separated by-

Taury: Skulls?

GM: -the ring of skulls on spikes. And, because of them, you know, the ripples are going all which way, as whatever is being generated hits them and then causes other ripples and...

Taury: All right, well, we'll take a blind shot with my bow.

GM: Ok. Tell me where you're aiming?

Taury: The very center.

GM: Very center? Ok.

Taury: Yeah. And obviously upwards.

GM: Sure. 

Taury: That's not going to hit anything?

GM: Nope, you're not sure if you're too high or too low, but you definitely don't hit anything. Morana.

Morana: Ah, there's not really a whole lot I can try and do. Umm, take one more step forward. Can I try and do a Detect magic on this pool here, try and figure out what exactly that might be?

GM: Sure. As you cast Detect magic, you're knocked unconscious from the immense-

Morana: Of course!

GM: ...evocation...

Loyal: Holy fuck! Ok.

GM: ...that is coming not from the pool that you were looking at, this one, but from the triangular one, up on the pedestal.

Loyal: Artefacts of some sort?

Morana: Opens eyes, pow! I sleep.

Loyal: Bleeding out, unconscious or just unconscious, unconscious?

Morana: Just out cold.

GM: Just unconscious.

Morana: I need to stop trying Detect magic on things, it backfires every time lately.

GM: It appears there, just above the ring of skulls, and then swoops at Taury.

Taury: Of course it fucking does!

Loyal: Why wouldn't it?

Taury: They always fucking go for me! I'm not even the one in the lead and I still get fucking attacked first.

GM: You look like the strongest, therefore-

Taury: Oh, of course!

GM: ...the most dangerous.

Taury: I would do the same thing. [Laughs] Just fucking sucks, that's all.

GM: It's better than the other options I had against you.

Taury: [Laughs] That's comforting.

Morana: At least you didn't knock yourself out!

Taury: Yeah, this is very true.

GM: And it will miss.

Taury: Of course it does. A fucken AC, boys. When I get a fucking swing at it, it won't be around for any!

GM: Ah huh. Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I just take aim at the eagle right as I noticed it and fire off a shot.

GM: Okay. It's easier to shoot at targets you know where they're at. 

Fenwarin: Yeah.

GM: That misses. 

Fenwarin: Yeah, I figured. 

GM: Markus.

Markus: Clarification: Are cone effects 3D? 

GM: Yes. 

Markus: Ok, have other players been pointing out where they think it is?

GM: Yes, based on their guessed shots.

Taury: And Loyal said as well. He like pointed.

Loyal: Yeah, I did point. I said above fountain, not sure where above the fountain, but somewhere.

Taury: But also, that's like, what, a 60-foot height or some shit? So.

Markus: Ok, Move action: remove my coat. I'll actually carry it with me, sling it over a shoulder or something, but I need it to not be encumbering me right now.

GM: 'Encumbering' as in the weight of it? Or 'encumbering' as in you need to get rid of the Spell failure chance?

Markus: I was thinking more of the fact that it's medium armor. But yes, that second one, which I suppose will be obvious when I cast a spell anyway.

GM: As you step on the edge of the pool. 

Markus: Five-foot step, yeah?

GM: Yeah, I need you to give me a Will save. 

Markus: Ooh, Ok.

GM: All right. Ah, that's a fail. Would you like high or low?

Loyal: Oh boy!

Markus: Let's go high again.

GM: Going high again? Ok. Ah, congratulations, you fall asleep. 

Markus: [Laughs]

GM: And fall into the water, but with your face, like, not, like, covered the way you fall, so you're not in risk of drowning at the moment. That's good!

Taury: But also, not waking up.

Loyal: Also that. [Laughs]

Markus: Interesting.

GM: The rest of you, see Markus just collapse as if fallen asleep. There is no chanting, there's no spell casting, no spell effect. Just Markus falls asleep. It looks very similar to what Markus does when enemies fall asleep, the few times you've seen that happen.

Taury: Ooh!

GM: Loyal, it's your turn.

Loyal: Loyal's gonna be- he's going to wake up, Morana, just kinda shake it, "Morana." Be like, "okay, come on, come on, we need you."

Morana: "Ah, aah, my head! Ow."

Loyal: It's probably standard action to wake up. 

Morana: That's my guess. 

GM: Yup. 

Loyal: Okay. With that-

GM: No, you know what? Move equivalent. Why not? 

Morana: Okay.

Loyal: Move equivalent. With that, I guess-

GM: Depends on how gentle you want to be. You want to like, kick her a couple times to wake her up, or you want to, like, bend down and shake her?

Taury: Ah no, I'd definitely kick her. For sure, Loyal, you should kick her. Fuck it!

Loyal: Yeah, I'd definitely kick in this situation. "Okay, get up!" [Laughs] There's two people out cold, fucking out cold now. Damn!

Taury: She wakes up and then you knock her out again.

Loyal: [Laughs] And then I'll just- Fuck, I haven't reloaded my crossbow yet! Hmmm, I guess, I'll throw a bomb, like, right here to, first of all, hit the bird, but maybe hit the Quasit in there, during that. 

GM: Okay. 

Loyal: Go bomb!

GM: Well, that will hit the bird in the splash. 

Loyal: Yeah!

GM: Which, causes the bird to dematerialize. 

Markus: That's good at least. 

GM: Taury. 

Taury: Ok. So, I'm going to move, going to move to here. I'm going to touch Loyal on the shoulder and cast Guidance.

Loyal: Oh, Ok. Cool, cool. Ah, +1, saving throw might be nice.

Taury: I'm thinking I could be helpful.

Loyal: Yeah. 

Taury: And that's all I'm going to do.

GM: Alright. Morana.

Morana: Morana is going to get to her feet. You still can't see anything in here, right?

GM: Nope, it's still invisible.

Morana: Yeah, I don't have an app for that, so... Hmm. Well, I don't know. That won't do anything either. Hmm, she's not going further into the room.

All: [Laugh]

Taury: She is literally sitting on the fence.

Morana: Yeah, no, multiple fences, because she's contemplating some things right now. Nothing really I can do, so, yeah. Pass.

GM: Alright. Fenwarin.

Taury: Ready in action to press the panic button?

Fenwarin: Is it possible to somehow get over to Markus and try and pick him up out of there?

GM: Yeah. Move action to get there, Move action to reposition him. 

Fenwarin: Alright. 

GM: Oh, you go on over there and not that square right there?

Fenwarin: Oh, yeah! Yeah. 

Loyal: [Laughs] Smart.

GM: That's cool, that's cool. Alright, as you go to reposition Markus, I'll need a Strength check. 

Fenwarin: Ok.

Loyal: Oh, boy!

Taury: I knew that was coming.

Loyal: Oh, boy!

Taury: And now he does drown because he drops him into it. [Laughs] Oh, nice, nice.

GM: No problem. Go ahead and put him at any other adjacent square to you.

Fenwarin: How about to my right?

GM: Ok. It's a nice line you've got going. 

Taury: Oh, I was going to say!

Fenwarin: [Laughs] Nicely lined up!

Taury: This formation is killer!

GM: A beautiful line.

Fenwarin: We're just shimmying past the goal instead of [Laughs] close to the wall.

Loyal: Single line, just like, across there.

Markus: I'm assuming-

GM: Markus is still asleep.

Markus: Yeah, I'm assuming me being manhandled like that doesn't wake me?

GM: It does not.

Markus: Ok.

GM: It was not expressly attempting to wake you. It was not rough enough to. 

Markus: Yeah, Ok.

Taury: Yeah. I, I don't think it will be manhandled, I think Fenwarin would be rather gentle with you. 

GM: He is an elf.

Taury: Yeah.

Markus: That's the problem.

Fenwarin: That's the problem. [Laughs]

Taury: Yeah, I just thought you said it like 'I was manhandled'. I'm like, I'm sorry, Fenwarin would never do that.

Morana: He moved over far too daintily.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I just skipped over and picked him up. [Singing] La, la, la.

Taury: Yeah, yeah. [Laughs]

GM: Loyal, it's your turn.

Loyal: Ah, I was going to wake up Markus, standard, just like, use my standard convert to a move to wake him up.

GM: Slap him a bit. Cool.

Taury: Yes, slap him pretty damn hard.

GM: Taury.

Taury: I'm gonna do a Survival check.

GM: Hmm, not a clue.

Taury: Not a fuckin notion. Alrighty.

GM: Morana.

Morana: Do these stairs look like they lead to another level or?

GM: They lead up to where the podium is with the other pool that looks like lava.

Taury: The cold lava. 

GM: Yeah.

Morana: Yeah. No, I really don't have any interest in that either. Hmmm.

GM: [Laughs] Why not?

Morana: Ah, I can't imagine why. Umm.

GM: It could be so fun.

Taury: Morana wants to go home and have some hot chocolate. She's not here for this shit.

GM: Yeah, you know what, let me go to the dynamic lighting layer so you can actually see up on top of this pedestal because you should be able to. 

Loyal: Oh!

Morana: Yup. No, I'm good. Alright, umm.

All: [Laugh] 

GM: That didn't help you at all? Ok.

Morana: Morana is torn between checking one of these two doors and just advancing toward future victory.

GM: Hmmm.

Taury: Running the fuck away?

Morana: Advancing toward a future victory.

Loyal: We don't even know where the fuck this thing is right now.

Morana: Alright, let's, fuck it, let's try this door over here.

GM: That door over there?

Morana: Yup.

GM: You open the door.

Loyal: Oh God!

GM: Bracing for the worst. 

Morana: Yup.

GM: There's nothing in there. 

Morana: Okay, well, yeah... [Laughs]

Taury: It's a broom closet or something.[Laughs]

Loyal: A broom closet, yeah.

Morana: What an adventure! Ok, well.

Taury: You're a wizard, Harry.

Morana: I didn't take my standard to open the door. Alright, standard to a move, I'm going back over here. 

All: [Laugh]

GM: Ok. Her turn.

Loyal: Great!

GM: Well, if you're not going to go to the water, let's have the water come to you.

Loyal: Fucking a cow!

Fenwarin: Oh, no!

Taury: [Laughs] Yeah, fucking saw that coming! This is fine.

Fenwarin: This is fine?

Taury: I don't know what you're talking about. It's fine.

GM: The pool, all that churning and stuff, then rises up into this vague humanoid form and steps right out of the pool at Fenwarin.

Loyal: So is it like the entire pool itself or just a portion? Like all of the water?

GM: A portion. A bit of the water recedes away as this thing comes up. I'm a fan of this.

Taury: Yup.

GM: Have a slime attack.

Loyal: Yup.

GM: Oh, it misses

Fenwarin: It slipped on itself?

Taury: It slipped on the water. You know, it's got to- the edge of pools, man, they're fucking lethal. It slipped on itself, yeah.

Loyal: That's why they say no running at the pool.

GM: And then, a small, slightly glowing blue dagger flies out of the air right at Loyal.

Loyal: Ah!

GM: As you guys see...

Fenwarin: Oh my God, what?!

Taury: The pause means you're preparing something.

Loyal: He's just going to fucking reveal something.

Taury: Yes.

GM: Yeah. I'm going to show to players, show to everyone, as you see Erylium appear, there's a little dagger in her hand in the image, is what has been thrown at Loyal.

Loyal: Oh, is it magical?

Taury: Is it wrong that I like her?

Loyal: She kinda looks pretty dope, honestly, I love the- I really like the blue wings.

Taury: I'll like her even better when she's dead.

GM: It is magical.

Loyal: Oh, boy! Free magic dagger. It's mine now! Before she's called it back to her hand.

Markus: It's probably returning.
 	
GM: And I'm going to put her six squares in the air.

Loyal: Oh boy, oh boy.

Taury: Just for fun.

GM: So you know how high up she is, for targeting purposes. So that will be six, seven, eight, nine, nine squares total for this throne weapon. So we're at a negative eight for what this was.

Loyal: Cool, cool, cool. Fucking -

GM: Does that-

Taury: Fuck.

Loyal: Ok, it's only 2 damage.

GM: Does that-

Loyal: 26 does hit me! Oh, it is returning. God damn!

Taury: It's not even 26, is there a minus after that or is the minus already taken away?

GM: No, the minus is not taken away. So -8, does that hit you?

Markus: So, 18?

Loyal: Do I still have that Mage-, How- You ca- Someone cast a Mage armor on me, how long does that last?

Fenwarin: An hour plus my levels.

Loyal: Oh, ok. Ah, that's a plus, extra +2, 17.

GM: Yes, that puts you at 17.

Loyal: So, yes it does hit-

GM: Yeah, that gets-

Loyal: For 2 damage. Damn!

GM: You have 2 points of beautiful damage, and as soon as it hits you, it pulls itself out and flings it in the air- 

Loyal: Of course! 

GM: -right back to her hand.

Loyal: That's what's really cool to have though.

Taury: I don't, I don't, I don't like this. Yeah.

GM: Fenwarin, it's now your turn. 

Fenwarin: Ah!

Taury: Stick it with the pointy end, do it!

Fenwarin: Well, I'd like to back up five feet. Ah, there's no attack opportunity for that, right?

Markus: If it's a five-foot step, no.

Fenwarin: No.

Taury: Yeah, any more than that and yeah.

Fenwarin: And then I try to blast through a ray of frost.

Taury: Oh, that's fucking smart!

Loyal: Ice sculpture.

Fenwarin: Ah, it's supposed to say nothing?

GM: It's a Ranged attack, so you roll your dex.

Fenwarin: Oh, my dex. Just general dex?

GM: Yeah.

Fenwarin: Okay.

GM: Yeah, rays are always a Ranged attack.

Fenwarin: Oh, my God!

Taury: And with a +2 as well!

Fenwarin: Ah, yeah. [Laughs]

Loyal: Believe it or not.

GM: Markus, welcome back. There is a water elemental stepping out of the pool at you and Erylium has just attacked Loyal.

Markus: Yeah, Ok. Move action to put my coat back on. 

Loyal: [Laughs]

GM: That will provoke an attack of opportunity.

Markus: Will it?

GM: Yup, any move equivalent action provokes.

Markus: Ok, possibly not doing that then. I don't want to have to Defensive cast though. And it's a spell light, so I can't do that without provoking. Where are the light sources in the room, is it just Fenwarin and Fenwarin's torch?

GM: Yep, well, and the bubbling, churning lava liquid up here.

Markus: Is it actually lava though?

GM: It looks like lava.

Taury: It's worse, it's cold. That's not good.

Loyal: 'Clava'.

Markus: Oh, yeah.

Taury: 'Clava.'

Markus: And I have an educated guess what it might be, but anyway.

Taury: Yeah, not good.

Markus: She's six squares up, so that's 30 feet up. Yeah? 

GM: Ah-ha

Markus: Yeah, Ok. Yeah, that's annoyingly out of range of most stuff.

GM: Hmm, like it was planned.

Markus: Hmm. Yes.

Taury: It's almost like she's mad at you or something, I don't know.

Markus: Yeah, this is some brilliant positioning with the- where the Elemental is.

Taury: It would have been worse if you hadn't been picked up. [Laughs.]

GM: Oh yeah.

Loyal: Yeah, I thought about that, I'm, like, if he was unconscious it would have just started wailing on him, while he was unconscious.

Markus: Yes, it would-

GM: Ah-ah, ah-ah.

Taury: It would have fucking-

Loyal: Oh yeah, it would have fucking drowned him.

Markus: Drowning me, yeah.

Taury: It would have dragged him in 100 percent.

Loyal: Glad we got him out.

Markus: Yep.

Taury: Well, Fen did!

Loyal: As Loyal-

Taury: The rest of us were like, ah, fuck it!

Loyal: I was gonna- If Fen didn't do it, I was going to do it. But, with that +1 additional bonus. 

Markus: Right, Ok.

GM: You figured it out now? You got a plan?

Markus: Five-foot step, draw a weapon. 

GM: Ok. 

Markus: And, yeah, be ineffectual with the magical longsword at a water Elemental.

Loyal: Do it!

GM: Alright.

Loyal: Yeah. [Laughs]

GM: That misses.

Markus: But at least Taury might get a flank.

GM: Maybe. 

Taury: Hmmm.

Loyal: It's a little close to the water.

Taury: I don't know if I want to walk towards the water to be honest with you. [Laughs]

GM: Loyal.

Loyal: Alright. Move action: reload the crossbow. Fire at the stupid fucking quasit.

Taury: You also have a +1 by the way, but you have to declare that before you use it. 

Loyal: Got it!

Taury: Just, just if you wanted to use it before a-

Loyal: Sure.

GM: Reminder of guidance.

Loyal: Let's use it on this one. Yes, let's use it on this one.

Taury: You don't have to, but...

Loyal: It's out of range for my bomb, but not out of range for my crossbow. Additional +1. No, 11. 11?

GM: That does miss.

Loyal: Damn it!

GM: Clear shot and he still can't hit. 

Loyal: That's my turn.

GM: Alright. Taury, it's your turn.

Taury: Alright, I'm going to drop the bow, take out the Switch scythe and swing, at the water thing!

GM: You going for the flank or not?

Taury: I don't really want to move towards the water. [Laughs]

Loyal: It's justified.

Taury: Yeah, like, I mean, I could, but I just don't want to. Bad things can come out of the water so, I'm not going to. I'm going to stay where I am.

GM: Ok.

Taury: Oooh!

Loyal: God, we suck today!

Taury: Is that- Is that a 1?

Loyal: That is.

GM: That is.

Loyal: That's a 1.

Taury: Oh, I've already used a- I've already used a reroll today, technically. 

GM: Yup. 

Taury: It's once per day, so fuck! Can't reroll that.

GM: Alright. Morana.

Morana: Hmm.

GM: I believe in your bravery.

Morana: Dought, I mean, you can say that.

GM: I did say that. I believe it's non-existent.

Morana: Yeah. 

GM: [Laughs]

Morana: Alright, let's try this door.

GM: I'm sorry, the GM should not heckle you as much as the GM is.

Morana: You can heckle all you want-

Taury: No. Do it, do it!

Morana: It's not going to imp-

Taury: It's motivational.

Morana: It's not going to impact what I do in any way, shape or form. When I decide to 'G.T.F.O.' I will 'G.T.F.O.' You can say whatever you want, I'm gonna be alive!

Taury: He's not at all salty. Can you tell?

GM: Yes. Ah-. 

Morana: No.

GM: Just the same as that other closet, this one's full of nothing too. 

Morana: Cool.

Taury: Just like your hopes and dreams right now.

Morana: Alright, let's see. That was... Ten feet... Five, Ten, fifteen. If hit from there, though six feet, six squares up, that's way out of my range. Hmm. Nope, we'll be right here.

All: [Laugh] 

Loyal: Into the same God-damn spot!

GM: Back to the exit. Very well.

Morana: I used all of my level ones last week, I have no range that I can hit that thing with. I'm good over here.

GM: Erylium flies over to his pool.

Taury: Oh, I don't like that.

GM: Takes the dagger in hand, slices her own hand, and then drips blood into this boiling lava-looking pool.

Taury: Aaaah!

Loyal: Summoning shit!

Taury: She's summoning shit! Yep, going to have water shit and fire shit in a second.

Loyal: Now we just need air and earth!

Taury: Oh, it's worse! [Laughs]

GM: So much worse. As she does this, you see the blood drip into the lava, and what looks like steam and stuff coming off of it turns into, like, rolling fog, like a dry ice effect, billowing out and spilling onto the floor and rolling across the ground. A few mere seconds later, crawling out of this pool and flopping out onto the floor, adjacent to it.

Loyal: Sinspawn? 

Taury: Nothing good crawls.

Loyal: I bet it's a sinspawn. I fucking knew it. 

Taury: Put it that way.

Loyal: I fucking knew it! That's how these things are down here.

GM: It then clamors to its feet and is ready.

Taury: Should we send her, like, a 'congratulations on your newborn' card? 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

GM: Add to Turn tracker.

Taury: Well, like, at least it's far away. But, you know.

Fenwarin: How about not adding it?

GM: No, no, definitely adding it, definitely adding it. Initiative roll 19. What's your bonus, Loyal?

Loyal: It is a +3, 16.

GM: +3. Alright, so it gets to go before you.

Loyal: God damn! [Laughs]

Taury: Oh, that's not good!

Loyal: That's not good at all.

Taury: 'Cause look where you are.

Loyal: Yeah, I know! [Laughs]

Taury: Why are you there?

Loyal: Because-

GM: That was the entirety of Erylium's turn, though.

Taury: Yeah, poor her! It's a full action to give birth to a fucking demon. 

Loyal: [Laughs]

GM: Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yeah. Well, I'm just gonna use my ray of frost as a spell like now and try to actually hit the water elemental.

Taury: Please hit.

Fenwarin: Yeah. How about no?

Loyal: Why can't we hit anything?

Fenwarin: I don't know. I'm asking myself that question too.

Taury: Because I was going to cast Guidance on you before that. But I was like, nah, it'd be better to do it on Loyal 'cause of his bombs

Loyal: Ok.

Taury: Even that wouldn't have helped you in this situation.

Fenwarin: [Laughs] No.

Taury: 'Cause it's only +1.

Fenwarin: Yes.

Loyal: It didn't help me either.

GM: Your turn, Markus.

Markus: Hmm, how visible is the platform above?

GM: It's about 15 feet, maybe 20 feet up. You can see up there, just not perfectly. You're aware enough of what's going on. You can see it. It just- based on the angle, it might have cover if you're trying to shoot at it.

Markus: Yeah, that's what I'm thinking... 

GM: What you doing?

Markus: Five-foot step and, given the elevation would I actually be within 30 foot?

GM: Sure. Maybe just out, but I'll give it to you. 

Markus: Cool.

Loyal: Please save me?

Markus: Yeah, Markus is going to try grabbing some shadows and throwing them at the Sinspawn.

Loyal: Do it. -Fuck! We can't do anything today!

Taury: Ah, these rolls!

Loyal: There have been so many eights and so many tens-

Taury: Yes,

Loyal: It's been eights and tens!

Taury: It's been shit.

Loyal: What the fuck?

Markus: Oh, and as a Move action, put my armor on.

GM: Ok. [Laughs] So-

Fenwarin: I didn't like that small laugh.

GM: It's the Sinspawn's turn. It will move there.

Fenwarin: Oof-oof-oof.

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: You're not surprised by this.

Taury: No, we should all just retake that and pretend to be surprised.

Loyal: I expected as much.

Taury: Oh gosh! Oh, no.

GM: Oh.

Taury: What is it doing there?

GM: Gasp! Clutching pearl necklace. Oh my! Uh, and it attempts to bite you.

Taury: Classic Sinspawn, dude, classic Sinspawn! I love this guy.

Loyal: Yeah, oh I'm Mr. Slow.

GM: It's your turn now, Loyal.

Loyal: So, Disengaged is an action yeah? It's a thing?

GM: It is.

Loyal: You're, like- Ok.

GM: It lets you do a double movement as a full-round action, you double your movement and the first square you move from doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity. However, the rest of the movement gained still provokes as normal.

Loyal: That does not help me right now. Ok. [Laughs] I guess- fuck it, let's just eat the opportunity to attack. Alright, let's distance like 10 feet here. I'm gonna be taking the opportunity to attack no matter what I do, so.

GM: Alright, it will attempt to bite you again.

Loyal: Yeah, I figured. Fuck me! [Laughs] So 5 damage and I have to make it save, yeah?

GM: Yeah, the crit did not confirm.

Loyal: Good.

GM: And that is a- What save is this? Will save.

Loyal: Not good that.

Taury: Ooh!

Loyal: Fuck!

GM: Alright, you have been infected by the sinful bite. You are now overwhelmed with wrath. You are sickened for 1D6 minutes. 

Loyal: Alright. 

Taury: Ay!

Fenwarin: Hey, good.

Taury: That's better than it could have been.

Loyal: It's still the entire encounter, but...

GM: It goes minutes, not rounds.

Taury: Still, could've been worse!

Markus: That's only what? 10 rounds?

Loyal: Alright. So, that's- That's 10. Yeah that's Ok.

GM: 10 rounds.

Loyal: So. It's Ok. And that's 30 to here. And then I'll do Standard action convert to move. I don't want to move fucking next to this goddamn pool. Fuck it! Draw dagger. Let's do this shit! "You just stop that thing from summoning more!" That's my turn. That's all I can do. I guess because, it also makes sense, I'm fucking filled with rage now, so. 

GM: Yeah.

Taury: Yep, it's going to be a really fucking brave death. I'll give you that. [Laughs]

Loyal: Listen, [laughs] I'm angry, grrr!

GM: Yeah. Alright, Taury.

Taury: Gonna swing for this fucking water dude, with a 21.

Loyal: Nice! There we go. There we go.

Taury: Yes, so I think Savage's abuse really just empowers me, honestly. I feed off the pain.

Morana: It's why I do it.

GM: 21, you say? That does hit.

Taury: For 9 slashing damage.

GM: Alright. Your scythe goes right through it as if you're cutting through just normal water.

Taury: Mmm-hmm.

GM: You feel very little resistance.

Taury: Mmm-hmm.

GM: What else are you doing?

Taury: [Exhales] I'm gonna stay here.

GM: Ok. Morana.

Morana: I'm going to move here. She's staring at the Sinspawn and I'm sending you a D.M.

GM: Oh, fun! Ok, a bit of the stair breaks away as the Sinspawn's, like, stomping around and it falls down the staircase, taking 6 points of damage,

Loyal: Nice.

Taury: Nice.

Loyal: Nice.

GM: As it, as it tumbles down the stairs.

Taury: See, swimming pools, dude, dangerous.

Loyal: That's why, there wasn't a lifeguard here to blow their whistle.

Taury: Exactly.

Markus: Does it leave it prone or is it able to get itself up?

GM: Yeah, it's, it's kind of prone.

Morana: I sent you a slight correction.

GM: It's squatting.

Taury: Is it prone or not prone? [Laughs]

GM: It is on the ground.

Markus: Does it count as 'prone' for the purposes of combat?

GM: We'll find out soon. Is that all you're doing, besides moving into the room finally?

Morana: Yeah, I'm good.

GM: Ok. It's Erylium's turn.

Loyal: Yeah. Try to fly away from me, bitch! I'll fucking stab you.

Markus: Oh, is she still six squares up or does she have to actually come down to use the summoning thing?

GM: Oh no, it was just dropping a drop of blood in.

Loyal: Oh damn! My plan fails. [Laughs]

Markus: No, you can still get her from there.

Taury: How tall is Loyal?

Loyal: Ah, I think he's like five-eight.

Markus: Yeah, and you're throwing a bomb upwards, so.

Loyal: Yeah, well, I ran up into- I ran up with a dagger for the purpose of, for some reason I thought it had come down to the ground to do that-

Taury: -His arm would still reach it, hopefully. Maybe. 

GM: Hey Loyal?

Loyal: Yeah. 

Taury: Hmmm.

Loyal: Ok. I don't like that.

Markus: That requires a Ranged touch.

Loyal: Versus touch, Mage armor as- Does Mage armor increase that?

GM: Oh, so I'm just rolling against your touch? No, touch is without armor.

Loyal: Ok. So in that case, 13.

Markus: Don't- don't save yet. It might miss.

GM: It might, might, might miss.

Taury: I mean, I really don't think it will, but...

Loyal: Solid play. I mean 13 isn't that hard to hit.

Markus: If she's tiny, probably high dex, so-

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Double checking anything that might add to this. Nope. Ok.

Loyal: Ha. With ten and it misses. There you go.

GM: Just barely misses.

Loyal: Yep, Ok. We're good.
 	
GM: And then she'll move... 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. And then, she will fly up into the air farther, which will put this at a 11. Water elemental, it's going to smash the Taury.

Loyal: Ooof! That's real rough!

Taury: That hits-

Loyal: That fucking hurts!

GM: That does hit.

Loyal: Oh, my God!

Taury: Yeah.

GM: 9 points of bludgeon from the Water elemental.

Loyal: You still have the other two healing potions I gave you at least?

Taury: Ah, I have one healing potion, and I don't think I have any fervor left.

GM: Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yep. I'm going to use a Force missile on the water elemental now. So, 4 damage.

GM: The water just splashes to the ground and then doesn't immediately evaporate but, like, dissolves and disappears just like that eagle did.

Fenwarin: Alright.

GM: Is that all you're doing Fenwarin?

Fenwarin: I guess I'm backing up a little bit too. Like so.

GM: Alright. Markus.

Markus: Ah. Yeah, most of what I can do relies on- hmm, okay. Yeah, stab the Sinspawn... Oh, or not. 

Taury: Ooof!

GM: That is a 'not'.

Taury: That hurts because the damage was actually more than 2. If it hit.

GM: Alright, it gets to its feet, readies- it rights itself from the fall. So that will be an attack of opportunity.

Loyal: Do it.

Fenwarin: Come on, Markus.

Loyal: Eh! A fucken 1 of course!

Markus: Oh, that's better. 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

GM: That does hit.

Markus: Not that the +1s counted into it. [Laughs]

GM: It will then maul Markus.

Markus: Yeah. 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

GM: It will bite.

Fenwarin: Oh, come on. 

GM: A claw. 

Taury: Oy!

Markus: Um, it stood up from prone, how is it doing a full attack?

GM: No, you're right.

Markus: But he gave me-

GM: Technically, it was.

Markus: He gave me an attack of opportunity for it standing up, so. 

Loyal: Ah!

GM: The claws don't happen, just the bite.

Taury: I mean, the bite probably hurts the most. 

Markus: Yeah, the bite hurts, the other two would have missed anyway, but, it's eking out every advantage we can get in this situation, I think.

Fenwarin: [Laughs] Of course.

GM: I need a Will save. 

Fenwarin: Nice.

Markus: Yeah, that should do it.

GM: You fight back the wrathful thoughts and are only staggered for one round. -Or sorry, not staggered, 'sickened' for one round. 'Staggered' is a whole different beast.

Markus: Um, based on what you posted in chat before, Will save negates.

GM: Oh? Where was he in the one round? Oh, that's if you're affected by the bite a second time. Oh, I need to bite somebody twice.

Loyal: Please don't bite me?

GM: It'll be fun. Alright. Ah, Loyal, it's your turn.

Loyal: My assumption is, considering it's fucken 11 squares up, I probably can't hit with a bomb from there without suffering a lot of penalties, yeah?

GM: Ah, you totally could, if you take a running charge directly for this square, jump into the air and, like, try to slam dunk the bomb into her.

Loyal: That sounds really cool!

Fenwarin: Do a Kobe!

Loyal: Ah, that sounds really cool now. Fuck, I want to do it!

Fenwarin: Do a Kobe!

Loyal: Fucken Kobe!

GM: I'm completely joking.

Loyal: Oh, Ok.

Markus: But bear in mind, she's, she's 11 squares up but you're technically 3 squares up, so.

Loyal: Yeah, like, yeah. 8 squares and fire across? 8 squares, perfect! Ok. So, I mean, I guess I'll just, like, reload crossbow, fire crossbow. That's probably my best bet right now.

GM: Probably.

Loyal: Peew!

GM: Nope, not at all!

Loyal: Fuck it, I keep rolling max damage on this shit too! 

GM: Taury.

Taury: Okey-dokie. Gonna cast Cure light wounds on myself.

GM: If you think it's necessary.

Taury: Yeah, 'cause then I'm gonna run at these bitches in the next fucking turn. 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

Taury: And that Caster level, that's the level to which the spell is being cast at, right?

GM: Nope, it's the level of Caster levels you have in that class,

Taury: Which-

GM: That you've got that spell from.

Taury: -Is 1?

GM: Aren't you a second-level character?

Taury: Well, that's why I was gonna ask, yeah. So, it's 2? Ok.

GM: Yeah. Yeah.

Taury: Ok, sweet. Watch this be like a fucking 2 or some shit.

Loyal: Which is why I'm glad we hit the second level before I actually made this potions. Well, it's a 3, it wasn't a 2.

Taury: I'll take it. 

Loyal: [Laughs]

GM: 5 total. Not terrible.

Loyal: Could be worse, but.

Taury: Yeah, I'll take 5. I'll absolutely take 5.

GM: Alright, so that's your standard.

Taury: Eh, Ok. If I moved in front of the Sinspawn, does Markus get flank?

GM: No. 

Markus: Wrong side.

Taury: Yeah, because he's not behind it.

Markus: You could move there and I can technically move on to the stairs. If that's possible.

GM: It'd be a Climb check, but sure.

Taury: Oh, I don't like that fuckin uncertainty.

Markus: Yeah, Ok.

Taury: So, no. I'm going to stay where I am, for now.

GM: Alright. Morana.

Morana: Morana is going to move here. And this time, because she's in front of Taury, Taury will actually see the metallic orange hair shoot out from underneath Morana's hood, to a 10-foot length, wrap itself into almost needles, and stab towards the Sinspawn.

GM: Alright. 

Loyal: What the hell?

Taury: Maybe she's born with it? 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

GM: That will hit.

Morana: 6 damage.

GM: Ok.

Morana: And that will be it.

GM: Delirium is going to cast a spell at Morana now.

Loyal: Oh, don't like that.

Morana: Alright, Will save. "Get the fuck out of my head!"

Loyal: Nice.

Fenwarin: Wow. [Laughs]

Taury: Morana is Jean Grey, confirmed.

GM: And then she'll move over here to the doors. 

Taury: Mmmm.

Markus: How tall are the doors?

GM: Twenty feet tall, she is right at the top of 'em.

Markus: Doesn't that also make her a lot lower? 

GM: It does.

Loyal: Do it! Now I can slam dunk a bomb.

GM: That puts her 4 squares up. Fenwarin, it's now your turn.

Fenwarin: Ok, if I cast magic, will I provoke an attack of opportunity from her?

GM: No. 

Fenwarin: No?

GM: She's still four squares away from you.

Fenwarin: Can I cast sleep on her?

Loyal: That's a good idea.

GM: Sure, you can attempt it.

Fenwarin: Hopefully, this works.

Loyal: It's a good choice.

GM: That will be a Will save. That's it's Will save!

Fenwarin: Ah! Yup, negated.

Taury: Markus, your wife's a whore. Just sayin.

Loyal: [Laughs] Fuckin what? What the hell-

GM: What does that have to do with anything?

Taury: The character-

Loyal: Ok.

Taury: The fuckin, it's like, he was chatting to her, he knew her, you know?

Loyal: Ok, Ok. I got ya!

GM: Ok? I'm following the line of thought now, at least a little bit.

Taury: I said, 'Markus'. I didn't say 'Quiet'.

GM: Well, no, but still, I'm like, we haven't established in-game if Markus is married. I didn't know we were talking about that.

Taury: Well, he clearly knows this chick, you know, that was the point that I was making.

GM: [Laughs] Okay, ah, so that was Fenwarin. Markus, it's now your turn.

Markus: Hmm. Note to self, spells that target saves other than Will, are really useful sometimes.

Loyal: [Laughs] 

Markus: Yes, so I will provoke for that.

GM: Fun! Let's go for that beautiful bite, beautiful bite action.

Loyal: Eee!

GM: I believe that hits.

Markus: It does just, yeah.

GM: Yeah, right on the dot.

Markus: Yeah, and she can make a Saving throw, a Will, as Markus casts a spell. And the DC is technically 1 higher than that. Ah, she fails. 

GM: Alright. 

Markus: Yeah, Markus casts a spell and her own shadow reaches out to try and grapple her again. Or grapple her, as you've seen before, I should say.

Loyal: That's real good.

GM: Ok, Sinspawn does not like Morana.

Loyal: Yeah, makes sense.

Morana: Kind of figured.

GM: Will five foot up and maul the Morana. 

Morana: Oooh, yep.

Loyal: Ok, well, a low damage at least.

Taury: Yeah.

GM: Does that 17 hit? Yeah, it does. So that is 6 points of damage and a Will save? Yes, Will save. You are not affected by the wrath. 

Morana: Yay. 

GM: Loyal.

Loyal: Ok. So, I have a question: So I measured it out and I believe I can get to, like, right here, this square. That's starting at, and it's 20 feet away but, I know it is up in the air, could I throw a bomb and not suffer penalties there? From-

GM: From here, was it?

Loyal: This square. That's where I can get to with my movement. Yes.

GM: You would be at a negative 2.

Loyal: Hmm, I'm already at an additional negative 2 from fucken sickened, so. I don't to hit him with a bomb. Hmm.

Markus: So aim for the wall, maybe, and hit with a splash?

Loyal: Maybe, maybe. Yeah, he has no reason to do what he was going to do earlier. So, yeah, I'll do that. Aim for the wall, hit with a splash, top of the doorframe, I guess, sort of thing. Go! Hell, yes!

GM: Alright. You definitely hit where you were throwing for. Too bad that wasn't at your enemy.

Loyal: Yeah, I wish it was at her but, it was the safer bet. 'Cause I want a Crit confirmed too. God damn, okay. 

GM: Yeah.

Loyal: It should have been an extra D6, so, and I did roll mid-damage on the roll, I guess, so it's not too big a deal.

GM: First damage you've done.

Loyal: So, it's Reflex saved to half for fire.

GM: Oh, right! Reflex for half. What is her reflex? That's her reflex!

Taury: Wow, with the +8 and everything!

Loyal: -Ah so 1 lower, nope, that fails. 

GM: Yeah? 

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Yeah. The fire from the blast disrupts the shadows. 

Taury: Bugger. 

GM: Taury.

Loyal: Fun. The fire seemed, did the fire seem fully effective?

GM: Great question.

Loyal: 'Cause- 

GM: Yeah.

Loyal: I know that's a thing with these creatures.

GM: Ah no, it didn't. She seems completely unaffected. 

Loyal: Ok. 

GM: But this is the first damage you've attempted to do to her, so.

Loyal: Correct. He's like, "fucking should have known that, right."

Taury: So, gonna move to here and take a good ol' swing with this scythe, at the Sinspawn.

GM: That will miss.

Taury: Goh! Always with the fucking height damage, man!

Loyal: It's max damage too, it's max!

Fenwarin: Every damn time.

Loyal: It's only the high damage that misses, God!

GM: Morana.

Morana: I'm gonna try and hair the Sinspawn again.

Taury: 'Hair the Sinspawn!' [Laughs]

Morana: Damn!

Taury: Nice

Loyal: Nice.

GM: Roll to confirm.

Taury: Welp.

Loyal: Damn it! We never confirm.

Morana: And min damage. Actually, I'm just going to stay where I am.

GM: Alright. It's Erylium's turn. 

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Do any of you know Abyssal?

Taury: Yeah.

Loyal: I do.

Taury: I do.

GM: Alright. Those of you that understand Abyssal, plainly hear her curse you, as she then turns invisible.

Loyal: Fuck, I knew it! Full of shit. God!

Taury: Fuckin hate this bitch, man.

Loyal: Fucking Know this. Knew it. Aah.

GM: Even if the shadows had not been disrupted by the bomb earlier, turning invisible and no longer casting shadows would have freed her from Markus's spells. Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yeah. Ok, do I attempt to do a Survival check to see where she went?

Loyal: It's all we really can do at this point, other thing is dead.

Fenwarin: Mmm-hmmm. If that's going to help.

GM: Yep, you're not sure where she's gone. She could have left the room entirely or flown up towards the ceiling or gone deeper into the room, in some other direction, you have no way of knowing. Markus.

Markus: Yeah, I have no idea either, but I will step up to the doors, so hopefully, yeah.

GM: Loyal.

Loyal: It's clear who ran at this point. I guess I'll just kind of you- He kind of says under his breath "Make sure she can't use this shit again." 5, 10... Move up here. It's like 20 feet. I'm going to cast a darkness on my dagger and throw it, essentially, next to the- or like a rock or something, something I can like slide next the pool to just shroud the pool in darkness.

GM: Ok.

Loyal: So I'll throw it, like here-ish and then move back down.

GM: Alright. It drops it from dim to dark.

Loyal: Correct.

GM: I see. Yeah.

Loyal: Yeah. Making it harder to see the pool in case she wants to come by and fucken try and drop blood again.

Taury: Yeah, she'll completely forget where her pool is.

Loyal: You never know. 

GM: Taury.

Taury: Ah, suppose I'll throw out the old Survival check. Presume that's unhelpful?

GM: Yeah, not sure where she's gone. Morana.

Taury: I'm going to move to here as well, by the way.

Morana: Morana is going to move-

Loyal: Oh, I read how darkness works, Ok. It's not like 5E darkness where it's just a fucking sphere of black. 

GM: No. 

Loyal: Ok. It's just actual like, makes it darker.

Morana: Good to know.

GM: What you're thinking of is the spell Deeper darkness.

Loyal: Ah, I see.

GM: Where it becomes magically dark that even people with Dark vision can't see through it anymore.

Loyal: Cool, cool. I just fucken wasted my turn then. [Laughs]

Morana: Morana's going to move up here. Alright now, before I got knocked the fuck out by that Detect magic, did I manage to see enough that I can try to figure out what is on this thing? So I can try to figure out how to disable it?

GM: Yeah, give me a second. The Runewell radiated strong necromancy and that's what knocked you out. 

Morana: Ok. 

GM: I think I might have said-

Morana: 'Evocation', I think you said.

GM: Evocation before. Yeah, sorry, it's necromancy.

Morana: Ok. Will it be knowledge arcana or spellcraft to try and figure out specifically what I was picking up?

GM: Spellcraft in this instance.

Morana: Of course.

GM: The only thing you can figure out about this is that it is a minor artifact.

Morana: Yeah, that's it for me.

GM: Ok, Morana, you'll be the only one to see this right before it happens: As Loyal is descending the stairs and you're looking at the Runewell, Erylium appears right behind him. 

Loyal: Ah, you little shit!

GM: -Almost grabbing his back, and just shoves her dagger right into his back. Sadly, that is not a coup de grace and I do still have to roll an attack, but it is a melee.

Loyal: Cool. I got mage armor so that's 17. 

GM: Ah.

Taury: Ah!

Loyal: Fucking hell!

Taury: 2 damage, though.

Loyal: 2 damage.

Taury: Not too bad.

Loyal: So no, whatever will I do? Whatever will I do?

GM: And then she grips on to the back of your backpack.

Loyal: Alright. 

GM: Which is not actually a Grapple check because she's not trying to, like, control you or anything, she's just staying out of your reach, behind you, where you can't do anything.

Loyal: Interesting.

GM: Alright, Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yeah.

GM: You hear Loyal scream of pain as he's poked with a tiny dagger.

Loyal: Probably just like, "You little shit! Grr!" Like, swatting at her.

GM: Does her dagger or do anything special, or is it just a +1 returning?

Loyal: It's just cold iron, assuming that's a thing.

GM: Yep, that's it. That's all she does. It doesn't do anything special. 

Loyal: Ah, gotcha.

Fenwarin: Am I able to fire my crossbow at this demon? Or am I- 

GM: Yeah.

Fenwarin: Ok. So I don't hurt Loyal?

GM: Yeah, it'll be at a neg 4 because he's in melee.

Fenwarin: Yeah.

GM: The neg 4 is to account for you trying not to hit Loyal.

Fenwarin: How about just casting a forced missile at it? 

GM: That will definitely hit. 

Fenwarin: Yeah, let's do that instead. Alright, 4 damage.

Loyal: Cold iron is fucking valuable. Holy shit!

GM: Yeah, it's, it's not bad.

Loyal: Especially if it's a +1. 

GM: Yeah.

Markus: Its +1 returning?

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Yeah.

Loyal: Holy fuck! This thing looks like its worth a lot.

GM: It's a pricey little dagger.

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: By little, I mean it's sized for a tiny creature. It is minuscule.

Loyal: Yeah, it's like a little fucken needle.

GM: Pretty much. Okay, you did some damage to her. Congratulations. 

Loyal: Good. [Laughs] 

GM: Markus.

Markus: She's on Loyal's back right now.

Loyal: She's on my fucking back, yeah. Bet your ass I'm fucking slamming a bomb into her, I'm angry.

GM: [Laughs]

Loyal: I mean a bomb did nothing, nevermind.

GM: That will miss. 

Markus: Oh.

GM: Loyal, it is your turn.

Loyal: Alright. Is the silver known for having, like, any additional effects against demons, or no?

GM: Some of them. Or is that devils?

Loyal: I don't know. I also threw my other dagger with darkness on it, 'cause I didn't know how that worked. I'll take a swing with my silver dagger, just, like, one less damage, I think.  Ah, go! No, doesn't even matter.

GM: I will remind you all, since none of you have done this yet except Markus, that you can attempt a Knowledge planes on this little creature, Erylium, to learn more about her. 

Fenwarin: Alright.

Loyal: I guess I'll try that then. Go! No, sickened.

GM: Taury, it is your turn.

Taury: Hooray. Now, if I was to put away the scythe and take out the bow, I could do that as my full turn, unless I wanted to drop it, which would be a free action, yeah?

GM: Correct. 

Taury: I could still fire it if I chose to just drop the scythe? 

GM: Correct. 

Taury: Cool. Well, I'ma do that then.

GM: Alright.

Taury: Do I take any negatives if Markus is standing there or does that matter?

GM: Markus doesn't matter but Loyal does, so it'll be a -4.

Loyal: Yeah. Yeah.

GM: That does hit.

Taury: Hell yeah, mother fucker! I think that is, like, the first time I've actually hit anything with the shagin bow.

GM: Yeah. So, you see the arrow hit her and what you expect is that the arrow will go almost, like, completely through her or, like, stop halfway through or something, you expect to do like massive damage with this arrow.

Taury: Mmm-hmmm. 

GM: It hits her and barely breaks her skin.

Fenwarin: Oh, God! 

Loyal: Arrrgh!

GM: Alright. Morana.

Morana: Alright. I'm gonna move over to here. I'm going to try a Knowledge planes.

GM: Alright, Morana, you identify that Erylium is not only a female Quasit, but also a Witch. 

Morana: Hmm, okay.

GM: And, you get one question about this unique Quasit.

Morana: Oh. Hmmm.

GM: You know that she is a tiny outsider of chaotic demon evil, an extraplanar type.

Morana: Ah, resistances.

GM: Sure, she has a Damage resistance. She resists acid, cold and fire.

Loyal: Yeah, figured.

Taury: I kind of figured she'd be resistant.

Loyal: Yeah, Loyal had suspicions, but worth a try. You never know, sometimes the lesser ones don't have it.

Morana: That DI doesn't help either. I can't ask it, I sort of want to take a gamble on that. Might as well try it, though. What the hell, could work for a second. Try to daze her.

GM: No roll needed. It doesn't work.

Morana: Nah, I figured she had more than 4, was just worth a try. Yeah, that's it.

GM: Alright. Erylium's turn. Taury, and everyone who can see her, which is everyone but Loyal because she's on your back, Loyal-

Loyal: Nice.

GM: You see the little scratch that Taury did with her bow, completely heals over.

Loyal: Why?!

Fenwarin: What that, too?!

Loyal: Why?

Fenwarin: Ah, no.

Taury: I hate this dungeon!

Loyal: This sucks, this sucks! She won't- You can't hit her and she heals and we do.

GM: Ah, Loyal, she is going to now maul you. 

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: Doesn't even try to use the dagger, she's just going to bite and claw. 

Loyal: Cool.

Taury: Cuddles.

GM: So, bite.

Loyal: No.

GM: Claw.

Loyal: Yes. That's 1.

Taury: But it was 1.

GM: Claw.

Loyal: Plus poison?! What?! I'm sorry!

Taury: It's still only 2 damage though.

Loyal: I've got Poison resistance, but. It saves against poison. But I'd imagine, hopefully it's a save.

Taury: She's nasty. I don't, I don't like her, man.

Loyal: Alright, so 2 damage. I don't fucking like this, I hate this! Really hate, I really hate this!

Taury: I mean Loyal's got to have some cool scars though.

Loyal: On his back, yeah. I guess she's biting into like my shoulder and neck and shit.

Taury: Probably your neck and shoulder. Yeah.

GM: Alright, I need Fortitude saves, two of them.

Loyal: Two? Alright. I have an additional +2 if it's against poison, 'cause alchemist. That doesn't fucking matter, apparently. Second one, second one's a 13.

Taury: That sickened condition, though.

Loyal: It's not great. It's really not great.

Taury: Yeah, it sucked when, like, what, me and Quiet had it before. It fucken sucked.

GM: And the nat 1 definitely fails.

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: And the second one, even though you've got a 13- Oh wait, nope, sorry, 13's on the dot. You just saved.

Loyal: Oh, thank God. Thank God for Alchemist poison resistance.

GM: Double-checked. I was thinking it was 14 for a second. Nope, it's 13 exact. Alright.

Loyal: Essentially, the poison resistance is canceling out the sickened.

GM: Yeah. So you're not double affected. Which is good because it would have added more rounds. However, you did get damaged.

Taury: It's still not fun.

GM: So...

Loyal: Yeah, probably it still sucks.

GM: For the next six rounds, once per round, you'll be making this save again, each time. 

Loyal: Okay.

GM: The effects of which are a 1D2 dexterity damage.

Loyal: Ok. That's not great. I don't like that. I really don't like that.

Markus: Ooh.

Taury: That's, that's-

Loyal: I really don't like that. It sucks.

GM: Two. Have 2 points of Dexterity damage all for you! 

Taury: Oof.

Loyal: Camp negative 2, alright. Ah! There goes my- any attacks, ah. Well, the dagger still says the same.

GM: That was her full round. Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Yup, alright, first off, let's do this. That's not great, but.

GM: You also identify her as a quasit witch and can get a single question.

Fenwarin: [Sighs] What question to ask though? Is it possible to know her health?

GM: Are you asking how many HD she has? Or about her supposed Fast healing as she's closing wounds in front of you?

Fenwarin: Well, I guess how much Fast healing then, because that's troubling.

GM: She has Fast healing 2. 

Loyal: Fuck!

Fenwarin: Ok.

Taury: So what, what does that mean?

Loyal: Ever- At the beginning of her turn, she gets 2 hit points back.

Taury: Oh, that's great. 

Loyal: Fantastic. 

Taury: I like that.

Fenwarin: Yeah, that's fun. Yeah. So, throw another force missile at her, because damn bitch!

GM: Yeah, that worked well.

Taury: Yeah, because fuck you.

Loyal: Guaranteed damage.

Taury: [Laughs]

Fenwarin: Exactly. F5 damage, there you go! 

Taury: Nice.

Loyal: Nice. That's two rounds of- That's, like, two and a half rounds of Fast healing.

GM: Alright.

Taury: That's an 'ouch', that's what that is.

GM: Fenwarin, you have garnered her attention because that's the second time you've done that.

Fenwarin: Smack, smack!

GM: You have dealt the most damage to her of anyone here. So, yeah, you feel her glaring daggers at you. You assume they will become real daggers, either flying at you or her herself, momentarily.

Loyal: Bad idea.

GM: Markus.

Loyal: Help? Please? I just- grrr! It's, like, swiping this fucking thing on his back.

Fenwarin: Please, kill her?

Markus: I'm assuming she effectively counts as being in Loyal's square? 

GM: Umm. 

Markus: Given how small she is? 

GM: Technically.

Markus: How would flanking work? Or wouldn't it?

GM: No, flanking would be any square adjacent to Loyal.

Loyal: I do have a dagger out.

Markus: Yeah. 5-foot step and stab with longsword.

GM: Alright.

Loyal: It is magical, so hopefully that'll be something. 

Markus: Nope. 

Loyal: Or not.

GM: Standard performance from Markus. 

Taury: [Laughs]

Markus: I should know better. I really should know better.

Taury: Performance issues! Got to love it.

GM: Loyal, it's now your turn.

Loyal: Ok, I have-

Morana: It's alright, it happens to everybody. 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

Loyal: For- Does that orange liquid look like it could harm something that's shoved into it? A creature?

GM: Unknown.

Taury: Knowing her, it'd probably fucken heal her.

Loyal: Ah, yeah, with our fucking luck! Or summon another Sinspawn or something. I don't even know.

Taury: Yeah, she transforms into two of her.

Loyal: I am going to try and grab, like, fucking grab her and just, like, with my hands around the throat grapple, essentially.

GM: Alright, roll me a Combat maneuver check.

Loyal: It's being affected by sickened right now. No, it does not do anything. 

Taury: Oh!

GM: Alright. Your attempt will provoke as you fail.

Loyal: Oh! Well, now, I know.

GM: She will hit you with a claw again, or attempt to.

Loyal: Of course. Of course, she will. Nope, misses.

Taury: The claw!

Fenwarin: Nothing can stop the claw!

Loyal: I have to make the Fort save again, yeah? 

Taury: [Laughs]

GM: Alright, Taury.

Loyal: I have to make that save again, yeah? Against the poison?

GM: Oh, yes! Thank you for reminding me. I need to put a little token on you so I can remember that you were poisoned-did-did.

Fenwarin: Poisoned-did-did-did! 

GM: That's right.

Taury: Yeah. It's when you, like, combine 'sickened' and 'poisoned' together-

Loyal: It's poisioned-did-did, yeah, I am both right now, so.

Taury: Yeah. [Laughs]

GM: Alright, so it was six rounds. This was the first, so you have five remaining.

Loyal: Boom!

GM: Go ahead and roll that save.

Loyal: Plus 2, so 18.

GM: Hey, alright, you've saved one round. However, it requires two to be good, so you need one more correct save, otherwise this continues on.

Loyal: Cool, so-

GM: And even though you did save-

Loyal: -Still take it.

GM: It still affects you because, yeah, it's still going.

Loyal: I feel this is kind of like the final boss fight. Alright, it's only one. At least big- It's one of the big boss fights of this god damn dungeon. Alright, there goes another plus-  another one of my modifiers.

GM: Alright. 

Taury: Ok. So, if I still shoot from here, do I get any negatives still 'cause Markus? ...might be in the way? 

GM: Yeah, it's still -4.

Taury: Okey dokie, so, I mean, is this pool technically in the way or is this flat?

GM: It's all flat.

Taury: Yeah, so I can just move and...Ok. I shall move to here, which is directly across from it, so surely I don't get any negatives on that, yeah?

GM: Ah, still -4 for shooting into melee.

Taury: Ok, well, fuck it! I'ma shoot it anyway. 

GM: Alright.

Morana: No.

Loyal: God! Why can't we do anything?

GM: Alright, Morana.

Morana: I'm gonna move up here which I believe should give me flanking?

GM: Yes.

Morana: -You said? And ah, whip hair on this bitch.

GM: Alright, let's see what happens. 

Morana: Of course!

Loyal: God-

GM: That is a miss.

Loyal: Damn!

GM: Ok, her turn. Little bit of those wounds from those Force missiles start closing up. 

Fenwarin: Yeah.

Loyal: Yep.

GM: Ah, all three of you will get attacks of opportunity as she leaves Loyal and goes over for Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: Come on, guys, hit her.

Loyal: Boom. Fuck! It's the silver one so it's a -1 to damage anyway.

Markus: But the silver might just be important.

Loyal: Yeah, it doesn't matter if I can't hit. 

Fenwarin: Woah!

Taury: That's a zero, so, ah, that's a nope!

GM: Markus, are you taking an attack? Oh, there it is.

Markus: Yeah.

GM: All three of you miss as she flies away. Fenwarin you'll get an attack of opportu- No, you won't, you don't have any weapons out, nevermind! 

Fenwarin: [Laughs] Yep.

Taury: He giveth and he taketh away.

Loyal: She's on him. 

GM: She gets into your square and stabs you with that dagger.

Fenwarin: Mmm. Yeah, that definitely hits, yeah.

Loyal: Oof! That's only 2.

Taury: We keep saying it's only 2 but those twos are stacking. [Laughs]

Loyal: They're going to add up. [Laughs]

GM: And, yeah. It's now your turn, Fenwarin.

Fenwarin: [Sighs] Ok.

GM: Remember she's technically in your square.

Fenwarin: So, do I maybe attempt to grapple her then? If she's on me.

Loyal: Does provoke, fair warning.

Fenwarin: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So is she on me like she was on Loyal before?

GM: She has not grabbed onto your back or anything to stay out of your reach, no.

Fenwarin: Alright. With the quarterstaff then, an attack.

GM: It's a decent roll, however it misses.

Fenwarin: Oh, man! 

Loyal: Grrr! 

Fenwarin: Holy!

Markus: She's tiny!

Loyal: Don't like this.

Markus: Hard to hit.

Loyal: Really don't like this.

GM: Markus, it's now your turn.

Loyal: We need more physical damage dealers. Too many people get hit and shit.

Markus: Yeah, we do, don't we? Markus will begin casting a spell.

GM: Alright. 

Markus: And it's not going to finish this round.

GM: Ok. Loyal.

Loyal: Alright, I am gonna step like here, and then I'm going to drink my- standard action-  just drink my Cure light wounds extract that I have.

GM: Give me an Acrobatics check as you jump over the railing.

Loyal: I was just, like, running down the stairs and then around.

GM: Ok.

Loyal: It's like-

GM: That's fine then. 

Loyal: Yeah, cool.

GM: No problem.

Loyal: Boom! Hey, it's good health. Alright, cool, that helps. And then Fortitude save.

GM: Yeah, roll the fail.

Loyal: Fuck. So, 9!

GM: Hey, you did fail!

Loyal: +2, 9. Alright, what's the damage?

GM: Well, first we're gonna knock this down to a four, four rounds remaining. That resets your save count because you need two consecutives.

Loyal: What? 

Fenwarin: [Laughs]

Taury: Rude!

Taury: That is so fucken rude!

Loyal: This is so fucking mean.

GM: Yes, two consecutive saves.

Fenwarin: This damn dungeon!

Loyal: Fuck this! 

GM: And, rolling a D2, another point of damage.

Loyal: Cool. I'm a negative 4 now. So, I'm at 12. 

GM: Nice.

Markus: Yeah, be grateful this isn't a constitution-

Loyal: Oh yeah.

Markus: -effect, for something that requires consecutive saves.

GM: If you get dropped to zero on your dex, you're just unconscious until it can get healed. Which will require a Lesser restoration.

Loyal: I mean, the amount of rounds, multiply, like, four rounds times two, I can't be dropped to zero. The lowest I will go if you roll all 2s on those remaining rounds is 4 now. So, I'll drop to zero. I'll just be fucking useless!

GM: Very well. Just, unless it's a Constitution damage, none of your other stats dropping to zero will kill you, unless the monster's stat specifically specifies it. There are some undead that drains strength and can kill you.

Loyal: Yeah, like ghosts and shit.

GM: Yeah, some ghouls, or whatever, they turn you into undead.

Loyal: Yeah.

GM: If they drain you all the way down or damage you all the way down. Otherwise, it's only Constitution that can actually kill you if your stat hits zero. This is the first time you guys are encountering stat damage. That was Loyal, Taury.

Taury: Ok, is she on his back?

GM: No.

Taury: No?

GM: No. A tiny creature doesn't have the reach to attack from five feet. They have to enter your square to do melee.

Taury: Ok, so I can charge her? 

GM: Yes. 

Taury: And that I can charge and attack, essentially? 

GM: Yeah. 

Taury: Cool.

Loyal: Ok, nice. Extra +2, that's nice. If you're 'charging-charging'.

Fenwarin: Just turn her into slush or something, something appealing like that. 

Taury: [Laughs]

Loyal: I see why they gave us magical weapons. - A magical weapon.

Taury: All righty. Now, if I am charging, how does that work with a bow then? That wouldn't, I assume?

GM: Yeah, you can't use a Ranged weapon.

Taury: Yeah. Can I drop the Ranged weapon as I charge and pick up a weapon? That's two actions, isn't it?

GM: That would be two actions. Ah, well, dropping is a free, the charge is fine, you can draw a weapon during your charge. You dropped your scythe-

Taury: Yeah, but I-

GM: Your scythe was dropped right here.

Taury: It's dropped there, yeah. Well, now I still have the axe, so I could just charge with the axe.

Fenwarin: Nice.

Loyal: It gives you a +1, to attack. Which we need the actual bonus to attack right now, let's be fair.

Taury: Yeah. So, I can just do the same thing, but just with the axe. So that's what I'm going to do. 

GM: [Laughs]

Fenwarin: Nice action scene.

Taury: And that's a +2, because I'm charging.

GM: Yeah.

Taury: I think it's still going to miss. I think.

GM: Give you another +2 from flank. Oh, wait, no, Fenwarin isn't threatening with any weapons.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I-

Taury: He has a staff. He took out his quarterstaff- 

Fenwarin: Quarterstaff. 

Taury: And attacked with the quarterstaff.

GM: Good, good remembering???. 

Fenwarin: Yeah!

GM: Good, good. 15 will still miss.

Taury: Yeah, I thought as much.

Fenwarin: Tiny damn pixie!

GM: Trying to give you every bonus I can. Morana.

Loyal: Can we kill this thing? That's what I'm wondering right now.

GM: I'm beginning to question it myself.

Fenwarin: Me too.

Loyal: I'm gonna be fucking useless in a minute when my dex is 4.

Morana: Morana is going to glare at this thing, and you've got another DM.

GM: Ah, don't you have to be within a certain range for that?

Morana: I'm in 30 feet aren't I? By measurement?

GM: Oh wow, yeah! Just barely. 

Morana: Yep.

GM: Right on. I thought you were further away. 

Morana: Nope.

GM: So that's a Wisdom save, correct?

Morana: I don't think there is a save. Hold on, I'll link the-

GM: Oh, you DMed me, Ok.

Morana: Yes.

Taury: Yeah, I love that Morana's power is 'DM'.

Fenwarin: See- Secret.

Taury: He actually sends DMs.

Fenwarin: Secret.

Taury: Yeah, you just see her, like, writing on a piece of paper and scrunching it up and throwing it, like, into the sky. [Laughs] And she gets back another piece of paper that says, "No, you can't do that." 

Loyal: [Laughs]

Morana: Note to the heavens.

Taury: [Laughs] Yeah.

Loyal: She casts commune with the DM.

Taury: Yeah, yeah.

Morana: Power word yeet.

Taury: Stop it. Stop it. Stop with the 'yeet'. There's no need for that language! There's no need for that kind of language!

Morana: Remember: 'Kobe' for accuracy, 'yeet' for distance.

Fenwarin: Yeah, exactly.

Taury: This is a wholesome, wholesome game. It's a wholesome game, we don't need any of that.

Fenwarin: We all, we all-

GM: The queen's English only. Thank you.

Taury: Yes. None of that unholy bullshit.

Morana: Edith.

GM: Oh man! How- What, what to do?

Taury: Spoiler: let us kill it?

GM: Ah, I'm going to go with this: Morana glares at this scene of Fenwarin swinging at it with the staff and Taury charging with an axe. During this glare, Fenwarin, you get a little frightened 'cause Erylium is in your square. So, as Taury swings with the axe, you duck back a little bit, thinking that the axe is about to hit you, just instinctually. As you do, you also raise your staff, again instinctually, and step backwards, tripping on your own robe and falling down.

Fenwarin: Oh! Oh, fun.

Taury: That's so rude!

GM: When you do, you fling the staff upwards and hit Erylium perfectly, smacking her into the wall.

Fenwarin: [Laughs] What?! Matrix, baby!

GM: You're now prone.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I'm prone, Ok.

GM: Yeah, you're now prone. Erylium who has been smacked into the wall, is now prone. 

Fenwarin: What the fuck?

GM: Ah...let's see, uh, Taury, you're fine. Nothing happens to you.

Taury: Of course not.

Fenwarin: What the hell was just DM-ed?! What the fuck?!

Loyal: Just what I'm wondering! 

GM: Yeah, don't worry about it. 

Loyal: What the fuck?

Taury: That was fucking sick! That was fucking sick, whatever it was, and I'm here for it!

Loyal: Divine intervention or some shit? 

Fenwarin: [Laughs] And-

Loyal: Also, a reminder, Taury, you have that True strike thing I gave you. If you drink it one round, your next round is +20.

Taury: Oh, yeah, yeah, I forgot about that.

Loyal: It does take a round to drink, though. One has- The attack has to be on the next round.

Markus: Really useful for grapples, etcetera.

Loyal: But, that's the thing. 

Taury: Yeah, yeah.

GM: Hey, and Erylium takes a little bit of damage from being slammed into the wall from a flailing staff.

Fenwarin: Yeah, I would suspect so.

GM: Kind of like knocks the wind out of her tiny form.

Taury: Is it just me or did the wall do more damage to her than we have?

Fenwarin: [Laughs] 

Morana: It did. 

Loyal: It's about equal.

Taury: It did. It actually did.

Loyal: About equal.

Taury: No. No, I think the highest that was attacked on her was a 6 and that's a 7.

GM: You did 7 with your arrow?

Fenwarin: Yeah, you did. 

Taury: Did I?

GM: Yeah, it's the same amount of damage you did with the arrow.

Taury: No, I forgot about the arrow.

Loyal: 'Arrow' is equivalent to 'wall'. 

Taury: [Laughs] Yeah.

Fenwarin: [Laughs] 

GM: Technically, Fenwarin has done the most damage of any of you with Force missiles.

Loyal: Yeah, it's guaranteed.

Taury: Yeah, he has.

GM: Which is why she's targeting him.

Morana: Morana, Morana is going to move here.

GM: Wonderful. And I think that's where we're going to call it. 

Loyal: Ah!

Fenwarin: Oh, come on!

Taury: No!

Loyal: That fucking a little shit!

Fenwarin: No, not a cliffhanger!

GM: You guys are nowhere close to defeating her and we're getting pretty close to time. So, I think calling it here is fine, instead of getting, like, one, maybe two more rounds in.

Loyal: Trying to figure out what the fuck I can do. 

Fenwarin: Hmm!

Loyal: It's just like-

Morana: Yeah, probably.

Loyal: I've got nothing.

GM: This will give you, like, a week to strategize a little bit and try to come up with if there is anything effective you can do, or if running is your best course of option? The real question is, was this battle entirely necessary? Did you do this to yourselves?

Loyal: No, it was not, Markus.

Taury: We were not planning on attacking it, I don't think.

Fenwarin: No.

Loyal: I was not at all!

Taury: I definitely was not planning to attack it.

Morana: No.

Loyal: Neither was I.

Morana: I made that point quite a while ago.

Taury: A hundred percent wasn't going to attack it. I was just going to keep going.

Fenwarin: I wasn't ready for Markus's 180 there.

Taury: Well, the thing is, I wasn't expecting Markus to try and provoke it. I was expecting Markus to go, "Ok, well, we're going to go now." 

Fenwarin: Yeah, yeah.

Taury: But this one time, you don't want him to fight something, he's like, "Yeah, I'm gonna fight it. Fuck it!" [Laughs] I was like, "No!" So, that sucked.

GM: I expected someone else to take the first pot shot, honestly. 

Fenwarin: Mmm.

Markus: Yeah.

GM: I figured someone would pull the trigger at some point and cause battle. I did not expect it to be Markus.

Loyal: [Laughs] That was the last person I expected, honestly-

Taury: No one else did either.

Loyal: I expected Taury out of all the people.

Markus: The others were patient, which was interesting.

Loyal: Ah, we didn't know what was being said!

Taury: I think at this point, Taury was considering shooting fucking Markus. 

All: [Laugh]
 	
 	That's all the time we have for now. To learn more about the show, the cast, etc. head over to http://wayward-expeditions.com/ .