Darkhalls

Orientation

On the map -see first page of play thread- the present village of Warbaugh is marked. The main dungeon, Deep Halls, is in the easternmost mountain of the Vandillian Spike, also marked, which the locals call Near Crag.

The villagers' home hamlet of Thopp lies half way between Warbaugh and the Crag. High hills, a shepherd's hamlet, even closer to the Crag on the same rough line. The Caves of Filth are closer still on the same line. They lie in the Crag's foothills, next to a fast flowing stream. Close then to the main dungeon, The Deep Halls , which are dug into the mountain itself.

Contacts

• Twelve. Village clerk is a member of the halfling bureaucracy and accompanies the villagers
• Dwarves in Worborne. Have given cheap weapons in return for an understanding that an expedition to the Deep Halls will be undertaken soon
• Hatmaker wizard : a blue wizard (barely tolerated by the ruling magocracy). Has gifted Flory magic boots in return for future ultra-skilled labour.
• Uena. A potioner witch. Can glean potions, scrolls, low level items
• Prince Rufe!!! Alita's patron who has sent her on a secret mission in her home county. Far off in the Long War.
• Bishop of the All Saints Temple at Worborne. Introduced Alita to the party.

Rumours

(from Twelve)

• The occasional tinker or traveller who stays at the Wizard's Arms brings rumours that the South is still in confusion after the death of the local ruling Wizard. The Grand Wizard is yet to appoint a successor and for the time being the bureaucracy of (mostly halfling) clerks and stewards has taken the reigns, in no hurry to relinquish power to a new leader.
• We know the crags are riddled with caves and dungeons, and that the closest , the Near Crag, is the location of the Deep Halls. A lair we think, of terrible things, grown bold since the departure of our army, and the death of One One. That is, er, the Wizard at Stratthorpe.
• a visit to the shepherds' huts on High Hill, quite close to the Near Crag would also be appreciated, since they reported goblins , trogs and, er, unpleasantries....in their area.
• there are problems in the Crag Forest [look at the map, just below the east end of the mountain range]. Local folk have been talking about a forest drake -a little hopping dragon- that lives there. "

(from The captured goblin at High Hills):

• the goblins of Near Crag once feared and shunned the necromancer who shared their dungeon, living in the nether regions of the Deep Halls. Now for some reason they seemed to have become better allied.

(militant farmer's info)

• The goblins' first, worst raid was against a hamlet famous for a standing stone at its centre. Many goblins and defending humans died in the attack. *The goblins now hold the hamlet and its mysterious stone.
• The goblins have acquired a heroic wolf rider as their champion. The Grey Devil is fearless in battle and escapes every ambush the farmers and local militia have laid for him. He sometimes raids along the Warbaugh to Stratthorpe road as a highwayman. He spares or kills -his wolf devours!-on a whim

• The farmer has approached the local Angelman about the nature of the necromancer's powers. The wretched wizard worships a god called Xygag, a deity beloved by sophisticated, corrupt wizards in the enemy empire. The god rewards wizards who create complex dungeons to attract and ensnare adventurers, so Xygag and his cronies can observe their struggles from his Dark Palace . Every dungeon, it seems, has a signature or gimmick to amuse the god.

(Bishop's info)

• A paladin maid of the Battle Order of the High Angel Volox is here in the village. A hero from the Long War, a gnoll-killer and undead hunter in equal measure. She is here as a courier from Prince Rufe. Sent back from the front to assist at home. As you are a sworn Wizards' Clerk I can share with you that her purpose is to defend the countryside hereabouts and await further orders from the Prince. Most mysterious and secretive. I will introduce you to her. Your mission and hers align, after all. She is about her afternoon prayers."
• We believe that The Necromancer in The Deep Halls is a servant of Xygag, God of the Maze, who rewards magicians who construct strange dungeons for his unholy entertainment. I believe that the so-called Caves of Filth are an early work by the Necromancer. His first effort to please the detestable Xygag. I wondered what the Caves' 'signature' might be. The surprise or twist that confounds explorers, and delights Xygag and the demon princes he entertains.

Deep Halls

map here
The entrance way is high up on the side of Near Crag, reached by a twisting path. Ravens spy the entrance for the goblins, flitting in to caw a warning if intruders approach.

• A) The dwarves of old did not like visitors, being a fussy, private folk, so made their entry hall a kind of market where their wares could be displayed. Visitors seldom got further. Think of a weapons showroom. Areas 1-6 were side stalls and stores. Now all empty.

Area 7 is barred elevator that descends into (and ascends from) lower levels. In his day, the gate was barred to prevent entry by necromancer creations. Horrors sometimes crept in via other routes, regardless.

• B) and C): grand statues of the dwarven founders, now defaced. In his day, stonies' common areas (portcullises raised)
• D) a fountain room, since defunct. Now used with E) and F) as store rooms and cooking spaces (portcullises raised)
• G) a throne room , now used by Skrag the Sly, he guesses. Pog the Mighty sat here in his day.
• H) Skrag's own chamber, in all likelihood, since this room once belonged to Pog.
• I) and K) brute champions' quarters as he remembers.

Shared Gear

4 cure light wounds, maxed
About 50gps in shared cash
A ruby

Runa Wolfhunter

Human Gunslinger/Bolt Ace

Str 11 (+0) Dex 17 (+3) Con 14 (+2) Int 12 (+1) Wis 14 (+2) Cha 7 (-2)

BAB: +1 (Crossbow: +1 BAB+3 Dex + 1 Masterwork +1 Point Blank Shot=+6) AC: +3 Dex, +2 Armor=15 HP: 12 Fort: +4 Ref: +4 Wil: +3 Init: +5

Human: +2 Dex. Bonus Feat, Practiced Hunter (+2 Stealth/Survival, they are class skills)

Traits: Carefully Hidden, Reactionary

Bolt Ace: Proficient: Light armor, Simple and Martial weapons, all Crossbows; Masterwork Crossbow; Grit (2, restores with Crit or killing w/ Crossbow), Deeds: Sharp Shoot (1 Grit to target Touch AC), Vigilant Loading (Loading doesn't provoke if has at least 1 Grit), Bolt Ace's Dodge (1 Grit to move 5' and get +2 AC or drop Prone and get +4 AC when attacked by a ranged weapon)

Feats: Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot Skills: Perception 1, Acrobatics 1, Stealth 1, Survival 1, Knowledge (Local) 1

Equipment: Masterwork Heavy Repeating Crossbow (1d10, +1 Attack), Leather armor, Longsword (1d8), 20 Bolts

a cottage with a small garden A goat and a couple of hens outdoor clothes including hat, cloak, boots. Lots of fur involved. knife, spoon, fire gear cooking pots and paraphenalia Flint & steel Torches Shovel Walking stick Blanket, leather bottle Sack

masterwork chain shirt

History: When Rubani Bearhunter returned from the wars, he was leaving as a hero, a man whose skills had left legends behind him of his deadly skills, of the foes slain by his lethal, silent bolts. But when Rubani Bearhunter returned from the wars, he was not a whole man-- injuries had left him maimed, crippled. Worse, when he returned home, he learned that his wife had died, as had his sons. Only his daughter was left to him, but how could he provide for her, crippled as he was?

Runa, however, had her own answer to that-- she'd been hunting on her own to eat; with her father's help, she took up the weapon he'd brought home from the wars (a reward from a grateful noble) and set out on the path to true mastery-- and the path to putting food on the table with her wits and skill. She's not pretty, and she's not sociable, but all must respect her skill.

I dibs that tiny one to the east off the south road; Runa's a hunter, and doesn't do quite as much gardening. (She trades furs and meat and the like instead.)

Flory Buntzer

Female Human Witch (Tatterdemalion archetype) 2 True Neutral

Str 12 Dex 15 Con 14 Int 16+2=18 Wis 13 Cha 12

HP: 14 BAB: 1 Fort: 2 Ref: 2 Will: 4

Languages: Common, Sylvan, Dwarven, Halfling, Infernal

Skills (8/lvl)

Climb 2:10 Craft (weaver) 1:8 Craft (seamstress) 2:9 Craft (weaponsmith) 1:8 (10) Heal 2:6 Intimidate 2:9 Knowledge Arcana 2:9 Knowledge Nature 2:9 Perception 0:3 Sense Motive 0:3 Spellcraft 2:9

Witches are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. A tatterdemalion is proficient with bolas, nets, and whips.

Feats (Alertness) Spell Focus (conjuration) - Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against spells from the school of magic you select.

Mage Tattoo - Benefit: Select a school of magic (other than divination) in which you have Spell Focus—you cast spells from this school at +1 caster level. Additionally, you gain a single spell-like ability usable up to three times per day. Conjuration: acid splash

Traits Seasoned Climber - You gain a +1 trait bonus on Climb checks, and Climbbecomes a class skill for you. Bruising Intellect - Intimidate is always a class skill for you, and you may use your Intelligencemodifier when making Intimidate checks instead of your Charisma modifier.

Hexes Dancing Strings: A tatterdemalion adds animate rope to her class spell list and spells her familiarknows. She can control her clothing and cloth, rope, or woven fabric she wears in a manner otherwise identical to the prehensile hair hex. Effect: The witch can instantly cause her hair (or even her eyebrows) to grow up to 10 feet long or to shrink to its normal length, and can manipulate her hair as if it were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score. Her hair has reach 10 feet, and she can use it as a secondary natural attack that deals 1d3 points of damage (1d2 for a Small witch). Her hair can manipulate objects (but not weapons) as dexterously as a human hand.

The hair cannot be sundered or attacked as a separate creature. Pieces cut from the witch’s elongated hair shrink away to nothing. Using her hair does not harm the witch’s head or neck, even if she lifts something heavy with it. The witch can manipulate her hair a number of minutes each day equal to her level; these minutes do not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments.

Healing: This acts as a cure light wounds spell, using the witch’s caster level. Once a creature has benefited from the healing hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours. At 5th level, this hex acts like cure moderate wounds.

Spells/day 0: 4 (cantrips) 1: 3

Spells Known 0: All Witch Mage Hand Open/Close Prestidigitation

1: (Animate Rope) Cure Light Wounds Nauseating Dart Identify Mage Armor Peacebond Unseen Servant Web Bolt Jump Jury-Rig Comprehend Languages

A tatterdemalion must choose mage hand, open/close, and prestidigitation as her prepared cantrips at 1st level, and they require a piece of cloth, string, rope, or other woven material (including clothing) as a focus. Any action she takes with these cantrips must involve the focus. Starting at 2nd level, she can choose any cantrip for her remaining cantrip.

Bonus spells/day

Patron: Agility (Princess Gossamer, fey liege of spiders)

Familiar - Lady Gwendolyn Alertness (Ex)

While a familiar is within arm's reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.

Empathic Link (Su)

The master has an empathic link with her familiar to a 1 mile distance. The master can communicate emphatically with the familiar, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link's limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The master has the same connection to an item or place that her familiar does.

Improved Evasion (Ex)

When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throwfor half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells

The witch may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her familiar (as a touchspell) instead of on herself. A witch may cast spells on her familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar's type (magical beast).

Store Spells

Starting at 1st level, a witch’s familiarstores all of the spells that the witchknows. This does not allow the familiarto cast these spells or use spell-trigger or spell completion magic items. Starting at 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch’s familiar adds new bonus spells to the witch’s spell list based on her patron. These spells are automatically stored by the familiar and can be prepared as normal once they are gained.

Scarlet Spider 1/4 N Tiny vermin Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4

DEFENSE AC 19, touch 17, flat-footed 13 (+5 Dex, +1 natural, +2 size, +1 familiar) hp 7. The familiar has half the master's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice. Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0 Immune mind-affecting effects

OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee bite +7 (1d3–4 plus poison) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Special Attacks poison

STATISTICS Str 3, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 2 Base Atk +0; CMB +3; CMD 9 (21 vs. trip) Feats Weapon FinesseB Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +21, Perception +4, Stealth +17; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +8 Climb, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES Familiar

A spellcaster who selects a scarlet spider as a familiar gains a +3 bonus on Climb checks as long as the familiar remains within 1 mile of her; a scarlet spider familiar loses the mindless trait and has an Intelligence score appropriate for its master's level.

Poison (Ex)

Bite—injury; save Fort DC 10; frequency1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1 Str; cure 1 save.

Equipment

Spooky old cottage, cobwebbed but clean. Densely planted garden with puzzling herbs, flowers Full complement of (6) animals. Looms, one hand one treadle, and spinning wheel. Lots of wool, needles, shears, etc. Chest full of magical wotnots, mostly junk, but including quill, paper, etc needed for spell work. Healing kit, Sewing kit Dagger Club
Also: boots of the cat cloak of leadership masterwork whip dart of goblin slaying" masterwork weaponsmith tool set 3 darts food, wool, dyes

Background: Life in Thopp was never easy, but it's been even harder in recent times, especially for poor tradesfolk trying to make ends meet. Rosie Buntzer was a widow with three children to support, and she knew she wouldn't be able to do so with her loom alone. And so, following some rumors she'd overheard at the quilting circle, she went into the woods one moonless night, and brought her first-born daughter.

Flory had always been shy, but she was very bright. She took to the loom as if she were born to it, and soon learned to maintain the family's clothes. She even picked up stray languages from around town, which made for a more diverse clientele. Rosie always thought that she was meant for bigger things.

After they returned from the woods, the speed and quality of Rosie's work increased dramatically, and she was soon taking orders from beyond the village. Meanwhile, Flory had a new pet: a scarlet spider that she named Lady Gwendolyn. They would share secrets with each other, and soon there were rumors about what that Buntzer girl could do. When the call went out for young adventurers, the locals encouraged Flory to go, as much for their future as to get her out of town.

Appearance: Flory is a thin teenager with long, dark-blonde hair and blue eyes. She wears a simple brown dress, and a finely-made black cloak with red lining. A lace shawl that looks like netting is draped over it. Soft grey boots complete the ensemble.

Alita Blackwood

Lawful Good Female Human Paladin (Undead Scourge) 2

A local girl whose father secretly dabbled in demon worship, even branding his newborn daughter in hopes of some infernal favor. This ill-advised pursuit may have had something to do with the whole family save infant Alita dying in a roaring fire one night. She was adopted by the church and raised first as a lay sister and then, after a lot of metaphorical and some literal butting of heads, as a holy warrior, all the more driven because of the unasked for stain on her soul. Despite her unfortunate beginnings she does bear a fondness for her old home and what kin she still has there so, of course, hearing the rumors of the recent troubles, she couldn't very well not stick her nose in...

Abilities (10, 13, 13, 13, 15, 18) Strength 15 Dexterity 13 + 2 race = 15 Constitution 13 Intelligence 10 Wisdom 13 Charisma 18

Traits Flame-Touched (DR 1/- against fire type creatures and attacks) Seeker (+1 on Perception checks, Perception is a class skill) Soldier of the Faith (+1 on Intimidate checks, Intimidate is a class skill)

Drawbacks Tainted Spirit (after X rounds of combat, make a DC 10+X Fort save or be fatigued for 10X minutes)

Feats Charge of the Righteous (no AC penalty when charging undead or evil outsiders) Radiant Charge (spend X remaining uses of LoH to add Xd6+Cha holy damage to a successful charge)

Skills Diplomacy 2 + 3 class + 4 Cha = +9 Heal 2 + 3 class + 1 Wis = +6 Intimidate 2 + 3 class + 4 Cha + 1 trait = +10 Perception 2 + 3 class + 1 Wis + 1 trait = +7

Class Abilities Aura of Good 2 Detect Evil Smite Evil (1/day, +4 attack, +2 damage (+4 against undead)) Divine Grace (+4 all saves) Lay on Hands (5/day, 1d6hp)

Gear Breastplate (AC +6, max Dex +3, penalty -4, speed 20ft., 30lbs.) Heavy steel shield (AC +2, penalty -2, 15lbs.) Heavy mace +1 (1d8+1, x2, Bashing, 8lbs.)

Melee attack 2 BAB + 2 Str = +4 - mace +5, 1d8+3, x2, Bashing Ranged attack 2 BAB + 2 Dex = +4

AC 10 + 2 Dex + 6 armor + 2 shield = 20 - flatfooted AC 10 + 6 armor + 2 shield = 18 - touch AC 10 + 2 dex = 12 Fort 3 + 1 Con + 4 Cha = +8 Ref 0 + 1 Dex + 4 Cha = +5 Wil 3 + 0 Wis + 4 Cha = +7 HP 10 + 1d10 + 2 Con = 14