The Ruins of Ramat - 0-level funnel

[Max_The_Judge]

Of course, sorry about that. Yes, my characters will follow in this order: Ken, John, Ned, Andre, Robert. John will light his lamp. Everyone readies their weapons. Ned's cow will remain outside.

[Judge Perky]

Of course, sorry about that. Yes, my characters will follow in this order: Ken, John, Ned, Andre, Robert. John will light his lamp. Everyone readies their weapons. Ned's cow will remain outside.

Ok, fine.

Given that the hole is 10' wide, I'm assuming that characters are lined up two by two like so:

Farmer Karl, Squire Jon,
La La, Lyanna,
Ragged Rob, Ken,
John, Ned,
Andre, Robert

fireinthedusts's characters mill about for the moment, uncertain.

Farmer Karl glances at Rob, then at the hole, and then shrugs.
"Reckon we should get movin'," he mutters and steps into the hole. Squire Jon follows close behind...

Stepping into the hole, with a yelp of surprise, Farmer Karl disappears from sight, plunging 10' down onto a rough, angular surface. He takes 6 points of damage, breaking his neck in the process.

Squire John must now roll a DC 10 Reflex save to see if he manages to stop himself before also tumbling in. If he doesn't make the save, he too falls into the hole and takes 5 points. If he does, he manages to balance teetering on the edge of what he now sees is a 10' drop to the surface of an ancient staircase covered in moss and detrius, descending into the darkness...

[doddwaco]

[Squire Jon Reflex Save: 12-1=11]

Leaping back, Squire Jon shouts "Mother, Maiden and Crone!" as the farmer falls to his death in front of him. Taking off his hat, he bows his head for a few moments and then calls back to the others, "We're going to need some rope!"

[Max_The_Judge]

Ken Katcherman steps forward and says "What a way to go. I've no rope but I have this sturdy chain 'round about twice a man's length."

[doddwaco]

Lyanna checks out the chain then peers into the hole.
"Think that's about long enough to get us down to the stairs. Maybe two of us hold the chain as we all descend? Not sure what the last two folks are gonna do."

[fireinthedust]

OOC: sorry for the delay.

IC: The jester shakes his head. "That's horrible! How cute is this dog? Like, really cute? Cute enough that we should fall to our deaths?! Sorry if I'm not willing to die just so I don't seem rude..."

The copromancer peers down the hole. "It's not the dog, Jenkins. It's that a beast hunts our homeland, from ruins beneath the earth. The dog would smell of men, their soil and refuse caked upon its fur. Our fallen companion's body would be the taste of blood it would need to scrabble up to the surface and nip at us while we sit in daily contemplation. This cannot be allowed."

Looking down the hole, the Tax Collector frowns. "Fine, it's bad for business. But let's look before we leap, shall we? I can't tax those who can't earn."

ooc: and with that, they help get down there.

[fireinthedust]

Xim, the halfling dyer, offers to go down first. "I'm lighter, plus if I tie my 3 yards of cloth to the last link of the chain, I could make it the last few feet."

Mugg the herder agrees. "I'll help as I can. My sheep dog here is dear to me, and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it."

[Judge Perky]

OOC: sorry for the delay.

No worries, please assign names to the rest of your characters and give me a marching order.

IC: The jester shakes his head. "That's horrible! How cute is this dog? Like, really cute? Cute enough that we should fall to our deaths?! Sorry if I'm not willing to die just so I don't seem rude..."

The copromancer peers down the hole. "It's not the dog, Jenkins. It's that a beast hunts our homeland, from ruins beneath the earth. The dog would smell of men, their soil and refuse caked upon its fur. Our fallen companion's body would be the taste of blood it would need to scrabble up to the surface and nip at us while we sit in daily contemplation. This cannot be allowed."

Looking down the hole, the Tax Collector frowns. "Fine, it's bad for business. But let's look before we leap, shall we? I can't tax those who can't earn."

OOC: Well role played! If I had edited this adventure, for the record, I would have switched it so the little girl was the one who vanished, and it was her dog came back to the village, Lassie style. But hey... well played.

So let me know who is holding the chain and/or how it is being secured for descent. Assuming Xim descends first, give me a DC 5 reflex save once you reach the stairs to avoid slipping on the slick surface and sliding down to the bottom.

For the rest of you, its relatively simple for you to climb down to the stairs one by one.

[fireinthedust]

Xim: I rolled a 14, so I'm guessing the halfling survived.


Marching Order: at the bottom: Xim the halfling, Marvin (tax man), Joseph (shepherd), Copromancer (gong farmer), Jester Jenkins.

[Judge Perky]

OOC: Ok, here's the marching order as I see it:

Xim the halfling, Marvin (tax man)
Joseph (shepherd), Copromancer (gong farmer)
Jester Jenkins, Squire Jon,
La La, Lyanna,
Ragged Rob, Ken,
John, Ned,
Andre, Robert

The fourteen of you have managed to lower yourselves down onto the stairs, while maintaining a precarious footing. You gently move Karl's body aside to pick up on the way home and carefully walk down the ancient stairs to the landing below.

As you walk forward about 20' in the corridor at the bottom of the stairs, faint light trickles down from the hole above, which along with your torches and lantern dimly illuminates a 30' square chamber in front of you. The detritus of centuries litters the floor, with many bones scattered amongst the refuse. A musky, animal scent fills your nostrils as you warily look around, waiting for your eyes to adjust to the gloom. You see that the room has three exits, one on each of the facing walls (you entered from the West).

Please give me an INT check and let me know if anyone gets a 15 or better.

[Max_The_Judge]

Red Robert the Hunter rolls a 19. All my other characters fail.

[doddwaco]

[Int Checks: Ragged Robb=18; La La=3; Squire Jon=3; Lyanna=16]

As the group marches by poor Farmer Karl, Squire Jon reaches down and picks up the dead man's pitch fork. Ragged Rob goes so far as to rifle through Karl's pockets, finding some tools. La La snatches up Karl's chicken at the last second.

At the chamber with three exits, the four search around the room on the floor, looking for anything of value.

[Judge Perky]

As your eyes begin to adjust to the light, almost simultaneously, Red Robert, Ragged Robb and Lyanna catch some subtle movement in the Southeast corner of the room... as if something large is preparing to pounce!

Its coloration blends so well with the surroundings that you can't immediately make out what it is.

Everyone roll for initiative...

[doddwaco]

[OOC: One initiative roll per player or one per PC?]

[Initiative: 13 (Just rolled a d20 no modifier)]

Ragged Rob screams "Aaaagghhh! What is that!?"

[Judge Perky]

[OOC: One initiative roll per player or one per PC?]

[Initiative: 13 (Just rolled a d20 no modifier)]

Ragged Rob screams "Aaaagghhh! What is that!?"

Good question, thanks.

One per player for funnels.

[fireinthedust]

Int check: rolled an 18, 14+3, and 16. Marvin, Copromancer, and Xim all pass.

Initiative: ugh, rolled a 5.

[Max_The_Judge]

HA! Natural 1 for initiative, baby!

[Judge Perky]

Nice...

Ok, doddwaco, the beastie rolled a 6, so your fellows have first crack. Tell me what your characters are doing, and if attacking, please roll to attack and for damage (in case they end up hitting)!

What you see in the corner is basically this, but the size of a St. Bernhard... and it's poised to leap.

[Judge Perky]

Did I scare you all away?

BTW, anybody care to share their G+ (ie 'real' names) so we know who's who?

I'm Jonathan.

[doddwaco]

[OOC: Sorry. I was away camping this weekend.]

Shrieking in terror at the sight of the spider, Ragged Rob lets fly with his sling but the bullet flies wide. [Attack Roll: 5 ]

Squire Jon and Lyanna charge the foul creature with their pitchforks [SJ: 14; L: 5], and La La closes in with her handaxe [Attack: 7].

[OOC: Wow. You don't get more 0-level funnel than those rolls!]

[fireinthedust]

OOC: Nah, just waiting on the group to go, as I believe I'm last?

[Max_The_Judge]

OOC: Pretty sure I'm last with my natural 1.

[Judge Perky]

OCC: Good point.

Maybe it's the dark, the loose material covering the floor or maybe its just nerves, but Lyanna and La La both lose their footing slightly as they bring their weapons to bear and their aim is off.

Squire Jon, however, just manages to brings his pitchfork around in time to rake the bottom of the spider as it leaps at La La (that 6 Luck is a bummer, id'n't), its fangs dripping with brown venom...

Squire Jon, roll for damage (and going forward please remember to roll your damage rolls and post them with your attack rolls).

And the others can now take their actions (if attacking, their attack and damage rolls).

OCC: We'll do initiative as 1. Those who roll above the monster go, 2. The monster goes, 3. Those who roll below the monster go.

[doddwaco]

Even Squire Jon seems shocked to have hit the giant spider! [1d8: 8!!! Wowza!]

[OOC: Did I miss it? Has La La gone to that big 0-level funnel in the sky?]

[Judge Perky]

The spider lands on La La, knocking her flat...

And lies still, oozing ichor from the gaping wound in its abdomen all over her startled, but uninjured body.