Level Up?

Teramotos wrote:
Instead of the "standard" order, Sonya suggests that Candelos take point with Thia. Miri and Sonya next and Kaddim in the rear... thoughts?

The party opens the doors to the stair well and see:
A wide set of stairs rise before you, up into the gloom above. The stairs wrap around the walls of the room, leaving a deep pit in the middle.

Is the order shown correct?



How will the party proceed?

The party can take turns as you like or I can roll iniative and each PC can take a turn or delay. Or you can take turns (for now...) according to your spot in the party.

I would think taking turns in the order.
I would hope Thia whould be checking for trap on the floor would be first.

Mick wrote:I would think taking turns in the order.
I would hope Thia whould be checking for trap on the floor would be first.

Sounds good. Shouldn't Kaddim have more hits, but less surges? He used he last one maximizing Sonya's +2d6.

Also, if there's an encounter here where the pit is, it's probably with a creature that can slide. Before we approach the first landing, Miri will pull out her rope from her standard adventuring pack and tie loops for all of us to stay together. As we go up, after Thia checks for traps, Miri will be closest to the pit side & cast 'light' as far down the pit as possible to see what we can. Can we see what's down there or how far it goes?

As for turns, we'll all fall in line after Thia's initiative so she can check for traps ahead of us.

Also... "level up" is a very misleading title for the thread! :-/

It should be "upstairs" or the like!

bradly wrote:Also... "level up" is a very misleading title for the thread! :-/

It should be "upstairs" or the like!

Intensional... That's why I put a question mark at the end...

bradly wrote:

Mick wrote:I would think taking turns in the order.
I would hope Thia whould be checking for trap on the floor would be first.

Sounds good. Shouldn't Kaddim have more hits, but less surges? He used he last one maximizing Sonya's +2d6.

Also, if there's an encounter here where the pit is, it's probably with a creature that can slide. Before we approach the first landing, Miri will pull out her rope from her standard adventuring pack and tie loops for all of us to stay together. As we go up, after Thia checks for traps, Miri will be closest to the pit side & cast 'light' as far down the pit as possible to see what we can. Can we see what's down there or how far it goes?

As for turns, we'll all fall in line after Thia's initiative so she can check for traps ahead of us.

Does everyone want to be tied together as Miri is suggesting? How will you be tied? Around the waist, just holding a loop?

Will Candelos have the orb in hand or stowed away?

Stowed away since she's a little pissed off at us.
Around the waist?

Thia will definitely check for traps but isn't sure she wants to be tethered. If everyone thinks its a good idea then she will do so but she likes to have mobility.

I say no tethering. Too hard to maneuver for flanking and for the squishies to run from the bad guys.

...I'll hold a loop, but no ropes around the waist. Yeah, in order of how we're standing is good.

Yeah, let's all wrap an arm around a loop. That way we can release easily if we want to spread out, and we're prepared if we get attacked by something that can slide us into the pit.

Thia and Candelos uses their passive perception and there is nothing out of the ordinary about the first flight of stairs. The party moves up cautiously to the first landing.

From where the party is they can see that each flight of stairs leads to a small landing which is 10' higher than the next.

The forth flight of stairs looks to be 20' in height. So,
If you fall into the pit from where the PCs currently are (landing #1) you fall 30'
Landing #2 40'
Landing #3 50'
Landing #4 70'

Miri casts a light into the pit and determines that it is roughly 30' deep.

At the second flight of stairs Thia notices seems in the stairs, Candelos doesn't see anything with his passive perception. Both actively search and do not detect any traps.



Move up to the next landing?

Seams in the stair? Where? At the base of each step? What are stairs made of?

Mick wrote:Seams in the stair? Where? At the base of each step? What are stairs made of?

The stairs are made of stone.

The "seems" are more like tiles. The stairs are 20' wide, instead of a solid piece of stone, there seems to be four 5' wide tiles. Until Thia pointed it out everyone thought it was a single piece of stone. Think of it as four cubes that make up each step.

That seems odd, I will take a little more time to check it out and if someone can aid me that would be great.

Yeah, this is worth checking out. I'll try "aid another" to add + 2.

Teramotos wrote:Yeah, this is worth checking out. I'll try "aid another" to add + 2.

Even with Sonya's help, Thia was unable to see anything out of the ordinary.

I'll be up in the mountains at Winter Camp most of the weekend. Anyone who wants to can play Sonya until Kobe and I return on Sunday late afternoon.

What does the party want to do?

After a round of searching Candelos and Thia don't know what the seems are.

Dwarmaj wrote:What does the party want to do?

We'll climb the stairs following Thia, making sure to step in the exact same stones she does.

yep

Awesome!

Here's where I currently have the party...



As soon as Thia steps on the first stair, a trap she didn't detect is triggered.

Each section of the stairs take turns flattening (kinda like someone running their hand along a piano keyboard).

Thia is attacked by the stairs 17 vs Ref miss. Thia is shifted one square west. The stairs are now considered difficult terrain and continue their shifting.

Where does Thia want to do now? Continue up? Move down off the stairs? So far she's only used 1 square of movement.

Back off the trap.

I will study the trap and see if there is any way to disable it.

So do you mean the Stairs make it so you shift towards the pit?

Ross wrote:So do you mean the Stairs make it so you shift towards the pit?

Yes, the trap shifts anyone stepping on them toward the pit.

Thia determines that if an attack misses you shift 1 square. If it hits it'll do much more than that.

I assume this is considered a encounter.
Candelos can teleport to the next landing, the rope could be thrown to him and we can ferry people across the shifting stairs.

I can then do the next one, etc, etc. Maybe short rests on the stairs to recharge them, or maybe we just tie a rope to someone and they try to get up.

Krystoff wrote:Back off the trap.

I will study the trap and see if there is any way to disable it.

Thia determines that it'll take at least three rounds and she should be able to temporarily disable the trap. The trap will not be disabled for long though.

Well, that is skill based and doesn't use up teleports. Lets try that and we can use teleports as a last resort.

...agree that we let Thia try first to disable with maybe a couple of us aiding. Sonya will attempt to aid Thia.

Krystoff wrote:Well, that is skill based and doesn't use up teleports. Lets try that and we can use teleports as a last resort.

Thia was able to temporarily (she doesn't know for how long) disable the trap on the stairs. It took her five attempts and she had a couple of failures.

The party moves up to the second landing.



While at the base of the next flight of stairs, Thia notices that these stairs also have "seems". She is not able to determine if they are trapped or not.

I'm going to guess that the seams are part of a trap. Can I get some help to try and determine fully?

Krystoff wrote:I'm going to guess that the seams are part of a trap. Can I get some help to try and determine fully?

Determining what the trap is requires a Perception check. I assumed Sonya was helping again when I rolled the check for you.

From the last flight of stairs Thia would know that it required a Thievery check to disable and Sonya's help didn't help much...

Can I attempt to disable if I don't know what the trap is?

Krystoff wrote:Can I attempt to disable if I don't know what the trap is?

No, you have to see the trap in action or know what it does before you can attempt to disable it.

After three rounds of studing it Thia can see that these stairs move a bit differently than the last set.

Thia attempt to disable the trap. After three rounds (failures), Thia activates the trap instead of disabling it.

Thia is pulled onto the stairs and attacked. 26 vs Ref hits for 3hp of damage. Thia is immobilized (save ends).



In case it matters...
I've rolled initiative for the party.

The PC initiative order is Thia, Sonya, Miri, Kaddim, and Candelos (including the +2 from Sonya)

Currently Sonya's turn...

Sonya's turn,
Move Action: Move over to Thia
Standard Action: Attempt to pry the stairs wider so that Thia can pull her leg out.
Free Action: "Thia, try pulling your leg out now."

ST

Teramotos wrote:Sonya's turn,
Move Action: Move over to Thia
Standard Action: Attempt to pry the stairs wider so that Thia can pull her leg out.
Free Action: "Thia, try pulling your leg out now."

ST

Thia should have gotten a save at the end of her turn, which I forgot. She rolled an 18 and is no longer immobilized.

Stu, you can redo Sonya's turn. Thia will remain on the stairs, but is no longer immobilized.

Sonya will delay...

From over the top of the stairs the party sees humanoid bird like creature (it looks similar to the harpy the party fought in a previous battle).

The creature lands next to Miri and breaths...
Cloud of Ash on Candelos 32 vs Fort (critical) hit for 15hp of fire damge. Candelos is blinded (save ends)
Cloud of Ash on Thia 28 vs Fort hit for 9hp of fire damge. Thia is blinded (save ends)
Cloud of Ash on Miri 17 vs Fort miss
Cloud of Ash on Sonya 31 vs Fort hit for 9hp of fire damge. Sonya is blinded (save ends)


Miri and Kaddim then see a second creature fly over the top of the stairs. This creature looks like a demon made of stone.

It swoops down attacks Thia, then flies back to the top of the stairs out of sight.

Claw attack on Thia 22+2 vs Ac hits for 10hp of damage.




Miri's turn...
At the start of Miri's turn she takes 5hp of fire damage from an aura being generated by the harpy.

The map I used during the harpy's turn was incorrect. Sonya should be adjacent to Kaddim and is not in the area of affect of the breath. I'll add back the 9hp and she is not blinded.



Miri's turn...

Sonya will go now...
Move Action: Move to the square south of Miri and next to the Harpy.
Standard Action: Inspiring War Cry on the Harpy + 13 vs AC for 2d12+6 Damage and + 2 to my AC vs the Harpy if I hit
Effect: I grant Candelos a Saving Throw vs Blindness
Minor Action: Inspiring Word w Saving Inspiration on Thia. Thia uses one of her surges but instead of gaining a bonus 2d6 hits, Thia gets to make an immediate saving throw vs. Blindness.

Free Action: say "Candelos, the Harpy is still 10' to your front (south); Thia, the stone demon is out of sight, move along the wall to your right to the corner if you're still blind."

Done...

Teramotos wrote:Sonya will go now...
Move Action: Move to the square south of Miri and next to the Harpy.
Standard Action: Inspiring War Cry on the Harpy + 13 vs AC for 2d12+6 Damage and + 2 to my AC vs the Harpy if I hit
Effect: I grant Candelos a Saving Throw vs Blindness
Minor Action: Inspiring Word w Saving Inspiration on Thia. Thia uses one of her surges but instead of gaining a bonus 2d6 hits, Thia gets to make an immediate saving throw vs. Blindness.

Free Action: say "Candelos, the Harpy is still 10' to your front (south); Thia, the stone demon is out of sight, move along the wall to your right to the corner if you're still blind."

Done...

Sonya's turn (cont)...
Move: move south of Miri
Standard: Use Inspiring War Cry 27 vs Ac hits for 9hp of damage.

Candelos is granted a save vs blindness and rolls a 7, Candelos is still blind.

Minor: Inspiring Word on Thia. Thia uses a healing surge and regains 15hp. She also is granted a save vs blindness and rolls a 5. Thia remains blinded.





Miri's turn...

...oh man the dice gods are not with me. 9 hits on 2d12+6, that's like a 1 and a 2; and both granted saves were missed to boot. At least I hit and gain the + 2 to AC.

Teramotos wrote:...oh man the dice gods are not with me. 9 hits on 2d12+6, that's like a 1 and a 2; and both granted saves were missed to boot. At least I hit and gain the + 2 to AC.

Yes, you rolled a 1&2, the downside of using larger dice...

I was surprised they both missed their saves too, at least it wasn't for a more damaging affect.

Miri's turn... anyone heard from Brad lately?

I called him and left him a friendly reminder message...

Teramotos wrote:I called him and left him a friendly reminder message...

Sorry guys. I haven't been on line for a couple days over the holidays.

Miri will...

move action: shift 1 sq NE next to Kaddim

standard action: cast 'Magic Missle' on the Harpy creature that landed next to me

free action: "We know the secret of getting out of here... leave now and maybe we'll let you follow us out. Stay here and we will kill you!"

bradly wrote:
Sorry guys. I haven't been on line for a couple days over the holidays.

Miri will...

move action: shift 1 sq NE next to Kaddim

standard action: cast 'Magic Missle' on the Harpy creature that landed next to me

free action: "We know the secret of getting out of here... leave now and maybe we'll let you follow us out. Stay here and we will kill you!"

Miri's turn...

At the start of Miri's turn she takes 5hp of fire damage from an aura generated by the harpy.

Move: shift adjacent to Kaddim
Standard: Magic Missile the harpy 22 vs Ref hits for 14hp of damage.




Kaddim's turn...
At the start of Kaddim's turn he takes 5hp of fire damage from the harpy's aura.

Free: Make Sword do cold damage.
Standard: Charge harpy and use Foesnare on it.
Minor: Aegis of Shielding on harpy.
Move: Shift 1 square North, between Miri and Candelos.

By the way, how many hits am I at? Stu gave me a heal awhile ago, but not sure how much it was for.