CF - Volo's Adventurers' Guild - PbP Campaign

Livia tries to aim, but as Tresvar enters her line of fire, she lowers her crossbow. She's afraid to hit Tresvar accidentally and chooses not to attack instead. "Tresvar, be careful. I almost shot you now." Livia says. Trying to think about how she might be able to kill the rats without shooting them, she focuses her attention on one rat. Unintentionally, she releases a strand of her magic at the rat. The rat then hears a loud sound of bells, high-pitched bells.

Action: Casting Toll the Dead, targeting the living rat in front of Tresvar. The rat must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom save, taking 4 necrotic damage on a failed save (I don't suppose it is missing any of its hit points, but if it does, it takes 2 instead).

 (Can Banjo reach the rat to the SW of Tresvar?  If not, can he take advantage of his small size to move into Tresvar's space - "Pardon me, Tresvar." - so he can target that rat to her SW with a melee spell attack?)

Once again, shocking grasp for Attack: 14 Damage: 8

(Sorry-  Tresvar should have moved into the room to not block everyone.  But in her mind she’s protecting you all.   Sure, you can squeeze through Tresvar’s square.)

"Yet another trick up your sleeve I see Livia." Serena calmly comments on Livia's spell, as she carefully aims and fires another crossbow bolt at a giant rat.
Light crossbow: 16 Damage: 6

The sonorous chime of Livia's spell resonates above the Giant Rat in front of Tresvar.

Giant Rat 2 Wis Save 8

Then Serena misses, but thankfully does not hit her commrades.

Banjo finishes off the Giant Rat in front of Tresvar.

The last Giant Rat, intuiting the danger it now finds itself in, squeaks and turns, trying to find cover to escape within the nest.

Giant Rat: tries to hide - 7

Banjo and Tresvar can clearly see the Giant Rat trying to hide, looking for any crack to scurry into along the back (West) wall of the room with the stinking nest.

Meepo runs up behind Banjo and Tresvar and stabs the bloated rat corpse with a chorus of "Die rat die".

((Tresvar's turn))

“I think I got that one Meepo-  I’ll go for the last one!” Tresvar says, and moves to the corner to attempt to kill the last rat.  

23 to hit with longsword 

5 damage if that hits.

She stabs the last rat, and (assuming that did it) she looks around the room to ensure there aren’t any more.. 

Assuming Tresvar kills the last giant rat Serena starts cautiously investigating the room. Investigation:5 

The last rat goes down beneath mighty Tresvar's blade. The stench here makes one woozy.

The humanoid corpses in the chamber include two goblins, a kobold, and one human male - all in various stages of having been eaten or decaying.

((Using Banjo's excellent roll from previously))

Banjo begins to search the putrid pile of rotten material which the largest rat had formed into a nest.

((Helped by the others?)) the party uncovers 312 sp, 68 gp, and 3 gems (worth 25 gp each). On and around the human corpse are several items: studded leather armor, five daggers, a longbow, a backpack (containing a water skin, one day’s rations, a bedroll, a tinderbox, and three torches), a quiver with six arrows, a potion of healing, and a pouch that holds 17 gp. A gold ring (worth 10 gp) one of his fingers is engraved with the name 'Karakas'.

Livia can't force herself into the room to search with the others. It is simply too awful a sight, not to mention the smell. She waits outside unil they're done.

“Well, good news is I don’t think this body is either  Talgen or Sharwyn.  Probably one of their friends.  I could use a couple more daggers,  and we might be needing these torches if I run out of oil.    Someone should carry this potion.   Banjo- you want to help us divide out these things? Anything anyone else needs?”  Tresvar says.   She takes two of the daggers, the torches and the quiver with arrows If others are ok with that.  She doesn’t seem that bothered by the smell or the bodies, just very matter of fact about it.

Once the items are accounted for, Banjo steps back.  "May the gods have mercy on these poor souls, man and kobold and goblin alike."

Then looking to Livia, Serena and Tresvar, "Please, if you see anything of use to you clean it off and take it.  So that's 2 daggers, quiver and arrows, and torches for Tresvar.  I suggest you also take the potion, my friend.  You're most like to find yourself on the front lines and at most risk."

Banjo will divide up the coins.  Among Tresvar, Livia, Serena and Banjo, each will receive 70sp, 17gp.  Banjo will hang onto the 3 gems, for later resale to be split among the group.  

"Assuming no objections, I am going to pack up this man's armor and other possessions.  Perhaps we can locate his kin, or perhaps they will be of sentimental value to the twins when we find them."  He will clean out the back pack, and pack away the studded leather and the pouch of 17 gold, into which he will drop the engraved gold ring.

He will take the tinderbox for himself.  He will also pack up the remaining 3 daggers, longbow, waterskin and ration if no one else wants it.

To Meepo, Banjo will offer 32sp for their brave help.  He will also offer Meepo the bedroll, otherwise that will be the only item left behind.

"Would it be wise to burn this nest?  We cannot offer burial to these souls and perhaps it will serve as both a makeshift funeral, and prevent these beasts from just repopulating the nest.  I'm not well versed in containing fires however...."

(If anyone wants to claim any of the items Banjo packed away, just say so.  Banjo will not object.)

Tresvar says “Thank you for these items, I will carry this potion in case it is needed by anyone”. .  She equips the daggers so they will be readily available for throwing, and places the other things in her pack.   Having the potion makes her a little more confident about the group’s survival, and so she places her hand on her earlier injury. , (lay on hands for 3 hit points). 
“I don’t have means to start a big fire like that. But it seems like a good idea- as long as we don’t burn this place down.   It seems like mostly stone though.    I think we should quickly go find the others.   I hope they are in better shape than this one..  And of course, Meepo’s dragon.”

As the stench overwhelms her, Serena quickly joins Livia outside the room. "Yes you go ahead and take all that from those mostly decomposed bodies, knock yourself out." She says to Tresvar and Banjo, looking a bit nauseated over the whole thing. "But I agree, burning the bodies seems like the proper thing to do." She adds, while checking on her crossbow. She is then ready to move on.

With all evidence collected, Banjo will as delicately as possible arrange the bodies over the nest (not the rats - they can be left to rot) and pull out the tinderbox and set fire to the pile.  

"May whatever gods you served in life step forward now to shepherd you home, all you fallen souls."

He will linger near the doorway to observe for a few moments, then close the door, hoping the fire will eventually run out of air and snuff itself out.

When he rejoins the others, Banjo is dirty, sooty, covered in rat hair and filth and his steps seem heavier.  Perhaps as much from the ordeal of seeing to the mess in that room as from the extra backpack, bow and other items now hanging off his back.  

The mass of corpses and rotten material quickly builds to a large, smokey conflagration. The smoke begins to billow out from the room, starting to fill the fountain room and passage-way.

"(cough) Perhaps we should keep moving.  At least a portion of that smoke used to be (cough) bloat rat."

"Ok, quick now, let's get out of here." Serena says, taking Livia by the arm, moving south. "Come on, this way." She says, motioning to the others to go through the door in the western wall last discovered and closing it as soon as everyone is through, hopefully escaping most of the smoke. Perception when needed:21

Link to image of party escaping the smoke and ruins thus far

Tresvar gives help for anyone searching the room we escaped to