Example of Play

Lisa the GM is running her group through “The Hook Mountain Massacre,” the third installment of the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. Her players are approaching the homestead of the Grauls, a family of depraved ogrekin.

Elsid (human ranger): I check to see what kind of creatures have moved through this area and how recently.

Elsid rolls a Survival check and gets a 22.

GM: There seems to be a decent amount of traffic in this clearing. Mostly humanoid, with large feet, but a few canine tracks, too. The path was used as recently as a couple of hours ago.

Elsid: It looks like that creature we killed back there wasn’t the only one of its kind. Be careful.

Karnak (human barbarian): I move out into the clearing with my ranseur at the ready.

The GM knows that there’s a sneaky ogrekin hiding in the nearby vegetation, and asks Karnak to make a Perception check. Karnak’s roll of 14 is worse than the ogrekin’s Hide roll of 16, meaning he doesn’t notice the lurking monster.

GM: Nothing happens.

Karnak: OK, then I’ll head toward the house.

GM: As you move forward, an 8-foot-tall creature suddenly charges out of the rows of corn to your right, his head a mass of tumors. He charges at you and swings a massive metal hook!

Since Karnak is surprised, the GM rolls an attack of 23 versus Karnak’s flat-footed AC of 16 and scores a hit.

GM: The brute’s hook took a piece out of your side, Karnak! Take 15 damage. Everyone roll for initiative.

The party rolls initiative. The GM rolls for the ogrekin, who scores poorly with a 6.

GM: Elena—you’re up!

Elena (human rogue): I move to the side of the monster opposite Karnak so I can flank and get my sneak attack damage!

Elena rolls an 18 and beats the ogrekin’s AC of 16, rolling her weapon’s damage dice and dealing 19 points of damage, which the GM subtracts from the ogrekin’s 61 hp.

GM: That seemed to hurt him. Sevashti—what do you do? Sevashti (human sorceress): I cast glitterdust on him.

The GM checks glitterdust’s area of effect to make sure it doesn’t catch any other players—it doesn’t—then makes a Will save for the ogrekin, who fails.

GM: Your spell catches the deformed thing right in the face, and he blinks rapidly to try to regain his sight. Your turn, Elsid!

Elsid: I rain arrows down on him!

Elsid fires three arrows—all hits—and the ogrekin goes down. Because the party cast a number of spells with short durations before entering the clearing, and in order to keep the drama up since she knows there are more ogrekin around, the GM decides to keep initiative order. She rolls a Perception check to see if the ogrekin inside the barn hear the sound of combat, but her roll of 12 minus modifiers for the barn walls and the monsters’ roughhousing means they fail.

GM: The poor guy didn’t know what hit him! Marbury, it is your turn.

Marbury (human cleric): As usual, it looks like only Karnak is hurt. You can handle it, big fella. I’m heading toward the house.

Karnak: Gee, thanks pal!

GM: Alright Jamek, you and Furball are finally up.

Jamek (half-orc druid): I send Furball ahead to scout.

Furball, the druid’s lion animal companion, approaches the house. GM: Have Furball make a Perception check.

Jamek’s player rolls a 16 for Furball. Instead of calculating the exact DC, the GM decides to save time and estimates that 16 is enough to hear ogrekin moving around in the barn.

GM: Furball stiffens suddenly and looks toward the barn opposite the house.

Jamek: OK, I move up and see if I can make out what he hears or sees.

Jamek rolls a Perception of 14—not great, but thanks to Furball’s previous success, the GM deems it enough to pick out noise coming from the barn.

GM: Jamek, you hear noise coming from the barn, but you can’t make out anything distinct. Elena, we’re back to you.

Elena: I move up to the house and check for traps on the main door.

The GM rolls the Perception check for Elena, since she doesn’t want the player to know if she succeeds or fails. A result of 15 reveals nothing, as there is no trap present.

GM: Nothing.

Elena: It looks like the door is clear!

GM: Sevashti, your turn.

Sevashti: I’m going to delay until we know whether we’re going to the barn or the house. Besides, I don’t want to get too close to the action.

The GM marks that Sevashti is delaying, and points to Karnak. Karnak: Don’t worry, little lady, I’ll get us some action. I head over to the barn door and throw it open!

Elsid: No! Karnak—wait!

GM: OK, Karnak, you head over to the barn and burst through the doors. Inside, you see a two-story barn with a catwalk around the top and stairways leading up from either side of the door you just kicked in. Three smaller versions of the monster you just killed are wrestling each other here, the smell of stale beer permeating the air. As the door clatters open, all three freeze, staring at you, then roar and move to attack...