Grell Tuesday January 31st, 2012 11:19:25 PM
Grell watches the bullies leave and a plan begins to formulate in his iiiity bitty little mind. Working out was fine and good, but perhaps what he needed to work on right now was surveillance. And he knew just the right people to keep an eye on... In between classes, he finds Vaniime and walks with the ranger to her next class. "Hey Van...I need to follow a few people without being noticed. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers..." Grell grins at the thought of shutting down the bully trio.
An Excellent Adventure
DM Kathy Tuesday January 31st, 2012 11:36:01 PM Wilma manages to let her "boyfriends" down gently.
Emrys goes to find some information about Professor Silver, but the clerk tells you the records are confidential.
Vaniime is bothered by something--she's not sure what--and Grell attempts to enlist her help against his one-time friends.
But all of that will need to be put on hold for the time being. You are going to a dungeon--a real dungeon!
Professor Goodnight is, of course, known for his occasional field trips to the various dungeons of the Wold, and he has told you that your group will be the next to go.
"We will be traveling to Plateau City," he tells you, "and the Red Wyrm Inn. There, you will enter the Maw and deal with what you find there. I trust everyone remembers my lessons in Dungeoneering?"
The next few days are spent in a welter of excitement and getting-ready. Bags are packed, then unpacked, then re-packed; you discuss the relative merits of silk and hemp rope. Finally, the day arrives, and Professor Goodnight meets you outside the classroom building with two other people, whom you recognize as Professor Minz and Professor Goldsheaf of the Magic department. Professor Minz is a human man, not much older than you--in fact, he was still a student here when you were in the Lower School. He gives you an encouraging grin. Professor Goldsheaf, a halfling woman, looks a trifle put out, and keeps tsking over her hem, which is getting damp from the grass.
"We'll be teleporting to Plateau City," Professor Goodnight tells you. "Though not from here, of course; there are magicks preventing teleportation on or off school grounds. We'll need to walk down the road a ways. Is everyone ready?"
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Wednesday February 1st, 2012 7:02:07 PM
Vanime is quite surprised when Grell seeks her out for her assistance, but when she hears about what he wants a grins spreads wide across her face. Grell I do believe I can be of some assistance in that department. Unfortunately plans must wait as they are soon called by Professor Goodnight.
Excited about the prospect of heading into the Maw, Vanime spend the next several days going over all of her gear, packing and repacking rearranging things to adjust the balance of her pack and to make sure things she might need are easily reached and close to hand. Inbetween all that she searches Grell out and suggests they do some sparring against each other to better prepare for opponents and fighting styles different from what they might be used to seeing and working against.
Emrys d20+8=17 ; Wednesday February 1st, 2012 8:24:44 PM
(Using Lore Master ability and Taking 20 on Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check (28) as a standard action. 1/day)
"Yes, Professor Goodnight, I remember your lessons well. The Red Wyrm Inn, once called the Red Dragon Inn, is located in Adventurer's Square, within the Dragon Quarter of Plateau City. It is said that adventurers from all regions and points in time converge to this locale in a way that no one can explain. The dungeon below, the Maw, is an ever tangled labyrinth of mystery whose parameters have yet to be fully realized."
Emrys nervously gulps with the thought of going there. "The Maw ... a gaping chasm ... a black hole ... the abyss ... the jaws and throat of the beast!!"
He has a lot to think about as he prepares for the trip.
Grell Wednesday February 1st, 2012 11:32:37 PM
Grell grins at Vaniime, a genuine warm smile. "I don't know how Mom would feel about me hitting a girl...other than one of my sisters, but I'll give it a go."
Grell spends his preparation time either sparing with Vaniime or inspecting and polishing his weapon and armor. One can NEVER be too prepared for the Maw. Oh the stories he's heard from his Mom...it's almost enough to make a less experienced adventure wet himself with anticipation. Lucky for Grell, he's now an experienced adventure immune to such flights of fancy. Grell makes sure to double check his equipment just before he sets out. When he hears about the road then need to travel on, he rolls his eyes as he whispers to Vaniime "What do you think the chances are we'll be attacked on the way??"
DM Kathy Thursday February 2nd, 2012 12:14:54 AM
When you are all ready, Professor Goodnight leads the way out of the main gates and down the Safe Road. Professor Minz chats companionably with you, waxing nostalgic about the time Professor Goodnight had taken him and his fellow students to a dungeon. "...and we were looking and looking at this mildew, which Thratmor insisted was some kind of toxic monster spores, so we never noticed the choker sneaking up behind us..."
Professor Goldsheaf grumbles a little. "I have papers to grade, you know," she says to nobody in particular.
When you have gone about a quarter mile, Professor Goodnight stops. The two professors from the magical department concentrate for a moment, and then zing! there you are in Plateau City.
You recognize your surroundings from that brief trip to the Catacombs just a few weeks ago. There is the Quest Gate behind you, and the Gold Dragon Castle looming in the distance. Professor Goodnight gestures to shops on either side of the busy square. "Grub & Chub, and The Last Adventure," he tells you. "Both sell adventuring supplies. You can buy any gear you think you may need, but be back here in twenty minutes."
[OOC: These are mundane items, not Catacombs purchases, but you can get rope, spikes, climber's kits, or anything else you think you may need. This is a dungeon crawl; prepare accordingly. :) ]
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Thursday February 2nd, 2012 7:29:31 PM
The time spent sparring with Grell gives Vanime a better appreciation of his brute strength and power as she spent much of her time parrying and using her agility and quickness to avoid the drubbing she iss sure many others would have suffered. but just as he got several good strikes and touches in their bouts, so did she and she could feel the differences in her mind set and approach to fighting Grell by the second day, trying new though out feints and attack patterns that she wouldn't dream of when fighting the normal group of fighters she sparred with.
Not particularly looking forward to the teleport, having heard stories from her father about mishaps with the process, Van actually closes her eyes and grabs hold of Wilma's hand just before they take off. Opening her eyes when they are told they have arrived, She quickly makes a check to see that everything made the transit safely.
When Professor Goodnight mentions a quick shopping spree, Vanime thinks for a moment about the things she wished she had when packing and then asks if she can step into the Last Adventure for a moment to pick up those few small items that she had thought of.
Emrys Thursday February 2nd, 2012 9:14:04 PM
Emrys looks around the shops and notices various things he likes, but anything more would certainly weigh him down. The young bard curses his enfeeblement. Then he spots it ... "Wow!" He hurries over to it and peers down at the object of his desire through the thick, glass case. "The latest in high mechanology!! Sir, how much for the compass?" While he thinks about it, he adds, "Oh, and a jar of lantern oil."
A bell rings as he opens the door to leave the shop. He looks at the beautiful, brass compass in the light of day. He locates true north and smiles with great satisfaction. He puts it away and makes sure his lantern is plum with oil.
(Compass: 10gp. Lantern oil: 1sp)
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 Thursday February 2nd, 2012 9:26:00 PM
Wilma also made her way into the Last Adventure, garnering for herself an empty sack before also paying a visit to the Chub 'N Grub for the trail rations that she actually wasn't sure she'd be needing, but Wilma also recalled the various stories told to her by her mother. The trail rations just might be needed, so she got them.
Now all she had to do was see if she could persuade her little brother to help her with her backpack...
DM Kathy Friday February 3rd, 2012 12:25:54 AM
You very sensibly take advantage of the brief interlude to buy a last few supplies for the adventure ahead. You meet up with your professors again, and Professor Goodnight leads the way through Adventurer's Square. You pass Duncan's, the legendary travel shop, with its plethora of maps and charts. You pass Finlin Vod's, and turn the corner in front of the money-changer's. And there it is, in front of you, the Red Wyrm Inn.
Professor Goodnight strides to the front door and swings it wide open. "Enter," he says, something of a challenge in his tone.
The Red Wyrm was once the most popular in all the Wold. Adventurers from everywhere would meet for fine food, good company, and perhaps a chance at the Maw. But that was all in the past. These days, the Red Wyrm is fairly quiet. Looking around, you see a few groups at tables. Most look like retired adventurers. A sleepy-looking serving girl ambles by, carrying a tray full of foaming mugs.
"This way to the Maw!" Professor Minz cries, leading you toward the back of the inn. "What do you have in store for them, Professor?"
"Oh, the usual," Professor Goodnight replies. "Some routine dungeon hazards. A monster--a classic! I'm glad we found one. And a puzzle, of course, to make sure you've got your wits about you. Once you've solved the puzzle, you'll return to the lift."
You now see the lift in front of you--a massive platform on sturdy ropes, which can be lowered into the depths of the Maw. With you aboard.
Professor Goldsheaf climbs onto a stool at a nearby table. "I trust we have time for a drink?" she says.
"Probably," Professor Goodnight replies. He moves to the lift's controls. "If the hazards or the monster prove to be too much for you," he says, "you can reach the lift by retracing your steps. Once you enter the puzzle room, you must solve the puzzle in order to leave. Either way, give us a shout and we'll pull you back up. Well, don't just stand there! All aboard for the Maw!"
Once you are on the platform, Professor Goodnight wastes no time, and immediately begins lowering you....into whatever awaits below.
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 d20+2=13 ; Friday February 3rd, 2012 6:07:49 AM
Wilma inched closer to where her brother stood braced against the rocking of the lift as it was lowered into place.
"I know I can count on you to be the bulwark against the unknown, right..?" she asked him earnestly. "After all, you're the big, strong fighter...while I'm the weak little cleric..." The redheaded acolyte tugged at one of the straps on her very full backpack that was propped by her feet, her obviously feeble strength underscored by the fact that it barely moved. "I was hoping you could use your strength to help bear my burden, freeing me to attend to healing should the need arise..." The human female sighed gustily, lifting the back of one hand to her forehead and looking...well, like a helpless girlie cleric.
(OOC: Wilma's rolled a total of 13 for her Charisma check; I suspect that Grell would need to use his Wisdom to oppose the blatant attempt to get him to carry her 27-pound backpack for her.)
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Saturday February 4th, 2012 6:45:46 AM
Hefting her poack Van moves along with the others taking in the sights and finally getting to the Red Wyrm. Looking at the lift Van raises an eyebrow.
"Are you sure that's safe?" It doesn't look like it could hold me let alone the five of us."
None the less she steps aboard along with everyone else ready for the descent after listening to the directions from Professor Goodnight.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+9=13 ; Sunday February 5th, 2012 6:52:16 PM
With a little trepidation, Emrys steps onto the lift and puts on his best 'brave' face. "Ahh, this isn't isn't s-so bad!" 'doh!,' he thinks. The bard makes sure he is thoroughly draped within his new cloak.
(Perform (Acting): 13)
DM Kathy Sunday February 5th, 2012 10:58:37 PM
As you climb onto the platform, Wilma drops some broad hints to her brother about maybe carrying some gear. Vaniime and Emrys attempt to hide their trepidation.
As you look up for a last glimpse of your professors, you see Professor Minz give you an encouraging thumbs-up, while Professor Goodnight gives you an enigmatic smile. Professor Goldsheaf is placing her drink order.
And then the darkness of the Maw swallows you. Down, down you go on the platform, as the light of the Red Wyrm recedes above you. Finally, you touch down with a lurch and a thud. You can still see the lights of the inn, glimmering above you, but they provide little illumination at your depth. You smell dry, dusty earth, and hear the faint echo that means you are probably in a large chamber. You think you hear a small scuffling noise, though it's impossible to tell from which direction it came.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=14 ; d20+8=15 ; Monday February 6th, 2012 10:01:11 PM
"Radiata," mutters Emrys. A light quickly blinks to life. He does a quick study of the room once the light reveals their surroundings. (cast 0-level Light spell. Perception 14.)
From what he sees, he tries to assess the stability, materials and safety of the room. (knowledge (dungeoneering): 15)
Into the Darkness
DM Kathy Monday February 6th, 2012 11:48:59 PM Emrys casts a light, and you can see the chamber clearly.
It looks to be a natural cavern, rough-hewn out of some dark rock. The floor is mostly level, with a layer of dry earth over the stone. To your left, a largish passageway leads away into the darkness. It looks to be wide enough that two of you could walk side by side. If you chose.
There are no other passages, and, other than the lift, no other way out of the chamber.
[OOC: Yes, Grell can belatedly say what he bought up above.]
Grell d20+1=21 ; Monday February 6th, 2012 11:59:15 PM
Grell rolls his eyes at his sister, but shoulders her pack none the less. "You know, Wilma, you really need to start exercising more...Father would be disappointed..." Grell rubs the straps on his own backpack, thinking about the signal whistle, lantern oil and crow bar that he picked up in town. He would have liked to have picked up a mirror too, but he didn't see any (where *are* mirrors in the PHB??) He looks around, trying to see if he can spot anything moving or of interest (Perception-natural 20...whoohoo!!). His sword is at the ready as he moves in behind Vaniime, knowing that she is far more quailfied to scout for the group. He nods his thanks at Emrys when he turns on the lights.
(Kent - mirror is core equipment: mirror, steel 10 gp)
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 Tuesday February 7th, 2012 4:31:45 AM
"Thank you, Emrys!" Wilma expressed her gratitude for the bard's magic illumination with a nod and a smile, looking around her at the passageway revealed. "And thank you, too, Little Brother," she added, patting Grell on one shoulder, "I think you're right about the exercise--my stamina seems to be just fine, but I need to build up some bulk...I have all the strength of a week-old kitten..."
Grell knew that tone of voice--Wilma was agreeable and pleasant, meaning that his comment had doubtless gone in one of her ears and out the other.
"Okay...who's going first into the shadowy realms of the unknown...?" the redhead asked, waving one hand at the opening and looking around. "I seem to recall my Mama and Papa saying something about establishing a 'marching order' or the like...?"
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Tuesday February 7th, 2012 7:15:46 PM
I guess I can go first. particularly if you all stay a bit behind me with the light, that way perhaps I can use my low light vision to our advantage. Though If I yell, scream or call, you all you had best hurry.
Perhaps Grell then Wilma with Emrys and Faast at the rear?
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+10=11 ; d20+8=13 ; Tuesday February 7th, 2012 11:38:58 PM
"You're welcome. I'm right behind you ... all the way!" He then chants a few more words of power, " singan sow, singan sieve." His eyes begin to sparkle. He then magically observes the corridor, thirty paces away, as it he were standing there.
(cast o-level spell, Sift. Can examine the details of an area at range, 10-ft cube, 30 feet away. Perception check 11 ... i suck!)
Emrys takes a pinch of the dirt from the floor and examines it closely. He looks to see if it's soil foreign to a deep cavern, like if it were top soil. He looks for the particulate matter that has been leeched from groundwater. He tries to determine if the soil was brought down to cover a trap or any other hazard.
(Knowledge Dungeoneering: 13. Knowledge Nature: 20, used bard's loremaster ability to Take10 in place of a normal knowledge skill roll as a standard action.)
DM Kathy Wednesday February 8th, 2012 1:13:51 AM Emrys takes a look at the soil. You know that the Maw is different for every adventuring party that enters it, so the real difficulty is figuring out what "native" means in a place where everything changes constantly. The soil seems quite ordinary, and does not appear to be hiding anything.
Meanwhile, Grell agrees to carry his sister's gear, while Wilma and Vaniime begin to work out a marching order. Your adventuring parents have often mentioned the necessity of placing the group strategically, and of course Professor Goodnight has stressed it as well.
You sort yourselves into a likely formation [I'll assume you're going with Vaniime's suggestion unless I hear otherwise], and begin making your way down the passage. The walls are rough-hewn dark stone, like the chamber you just left. The dirt underfoot is dry, also like that of the chamber. The only sound you ear is the sound of your own progress, echoing back from the passage walls. It sounds loud.
After several minutes of steady marching, the passage begins to angle downward. The dry soil becomes rocky, then turns to scree that has a tendency to slide out from underfoot. The passage gets steeper still, and the scree becomes even trickier to manage.
After about a half hour, Vaniime, at the front of the group, comes to an abrupt halt. Clustering forward, you can all see what she sees--the passage is no longer sloping downward. Now there is a steep escarpment--a cliff really--dropping away in front of your feet. The good news, you suppose, is that it's far too steep for the scree to stay on it; it's pretty much bare stone. The bad news, of course, is that it's really steep.
Peering down, you think you can see the place where the passage continues, at the bottom of the escarpment. Clearly, you need to find some way to get down.
Emrys ac14, hp14 Wednesday February 8th, 2012 9:59:09 PM
"Well ... I can only evoke one light at a time. Maybe I should employ my lantern as well," suggests the bard. Emrys pulls out his bulls-eye lantern and his flint. The sparks ignite the oil in the lamp and he opens the apertures wide open.
Emrys then takes a loose stone from the cavern floor and casts the same light spell upon it, "Radiata!" The earlier light blinks out of existence and the stone now glows like a torch. "We might as well see where we are going." He passes the stone forward to Vaniime for her to drop over the edge.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+1=12 ; Wednesday February 8th, 2012 10:21:12 PM
Grell looks down, trying to get an idea of how far down the slope goes. He turns back to Wilma. "I don't like this. Looks like just the kind of place for one of us to get to the bottom only to have a monster waiting to gobble us up." He smiles when Emrys passes the lit stone to Vaniime. "Excellent idea!!" When she tosses it down, he listens to try and figure out how far down it is to the landing (Perception=12).
Grell fishes around in his pack and pulls out a length of rope and a small package. He undoes the clasp and rolls out the cloth to reveal a climber's kit. "Got this at a Yuletide celebration. Looks like it's gonna come in handy. Just let me know when you want me to climb down there..." The warrior is in no hurry to climb down...he'd rather wait for a little while to see what might come lurking out of the shadows.
DM Kathy Thursday February 9th, 2012 12:37:37 AM Emrys casts a light on a piece of stone and tosses it to the ground below. You estimate the cliff to be about 40 feet high. With the aid of the light spell, you can clearly see the bottom--a stretch of solid rock looking like a stone river between your cliff and the steep passage wall opposite. You see a few loose rocks, but no loose monsters.
Grell pulls out his climbing kit. Looking around, you see any number of likely-looking rock projections where a rope could be securely tied for a descent.
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 Thursday February 9th, 2012 6:52:07 PM
"Hmmm..." Wilma considered the obstacle in front of them. "...The bottom seems to be well-lit now, Grell...would it be best if you went first and then helped us as we follow you down..? I think yours is the only climbing gear we have--I know that I didn't think to get anything like that in the store before we got here. If yours is the only gear, then we'll have to go down one at a time..."
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Thursday February 9th, 2012 8:08:56 PM
Van looks over the edge and then listes to Wilma and grell and then chimes in. Well I have rope and a grappling hook if we want to use that and have two of us go down together and then the other two cam follow one at a time after releasing the grappling hook and rope to fall down to uss for later use.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=9 ; d20+8=28 ; Thursday February 9th, 2012 11:34:16 PM
"That sounds like a fine idea, Vaniime. However, I fear being a liability to this fellowship. When it comes to the skill of climbing, I lack the brawn and grace required for negotiating the descent with much proficiency." Emrys regrets not 'borrowing' his father's Ring of Featherfall when last he visited Culverheart.
The bard chants the same words of power that he had earlier, "singan sow, singan sieve." His eyes flash and he instantly observes at 10ft square section of the cliff wall from 30-ft away and employs his powers of observation and his knowledge of spelunking to find proper hand and footholds that could help with the climb down.
DM Kathy Friday February 10th, 2012 12:57:57 AM Wilma volunteers her brother to go first. Vaniime also volunteers some gear, and suggests that the group go down two at a time--forgetting, perhaps, that there are five of you. [F'aast is still with your group, as far as I know; Jerry has been sick so he hasn't been posting.]
Emrys takes a moment to study the terrain. He quickly deduces that free-climbing down to the bottom would be a challenge, although do-able to an experienced climber. However, there are plenty of places to secure a sturdy rope, and if that were done, the climb would be easy enough even for him.
Below you, the bottom of the cliff continues to be monster-free.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Saturday February 11th, 2012 8:52:44 AM
Well Emrys, why don't we lower you down on one rope as Grell climbs down then, Wilma and Faast can go down together next and then I will come down last bringing the ropes with me.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20-2=17 ; d3=1 ; d20-2=7 ; d20-2=4 ; d20-2=16 ; d20-2=16 ; d20-2=1 ; d20-2=15 ; d20-2=8 ; Sunday February 12th, 2012 11:19:00 PM
"I saw plenty of good footholds on the side of the cliff wall. With the help of a rope, I don't believe the climb to be too difficult." With a quick glance down the side, "though it's still proper to be cautious."
After a rope is thrown down and the first two climbers are chosen, Emrys waits his turn and tries his best not to break his neck.
(Climb checks: 17, 7, 4, 16, 16, 1, 15, 8. The 1d3 was accident, buttons shifted as I was clicking them. I rolled 8 climb checks since I wasn't sure how many it took to get to the bottom.)
DM Kathy Monday February 13th, 2012 12:07:52 AM
[I'll give people a little longer to respond. Hopefully Jerry is feeling better and will be posting again soon.]
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+12=20 ; d20+12=16 ; d20+12=21 ; d20+12=27 ; d20+12=21 ; d20+12=13 ; d20+12=18 ; d20+12=28 ; d20+1=16 ; Monday February 13th, 2012 11:08:26 PM
Suiting up with his climber's kit, Grell heads down the cliff. He finds the climb not particularly difficult. As he heads down, Grell is on the lookout for any potential dangers...monster or not. (Perception-16).
Climb checks 10, 16, 21, 27, 21, 13, 18, 28.
OOC: Sorry guys, the whole house has been down with the stomach bug. It was my turn to get it yesterday. :(
DM Kathy Monday February 13th, 2012 11:50:52 PM
Working together, you lower Emrys down on one of the ropes. The bard does pretty well, only slipping once. Next to him, Grell has a little trouble at the beginning, but is soon able to make his way down.
Wilma and F'aast are next to go; they cautiously make their way down safely. [I'm not going to hold up any more waiting for people; I assume Wilma and F'aast can take 10 and make a DC 5 Climb check.]
Finally, only Vaniime is left at the top of the cliff. She unties one of the ropes [right?] and lets it fall down to her friends. Then she begins making her way down.
[You have the option of leaving the rope and using it to climb down, which would be a DC 5; or you can drop this rope too and try to free climb, which would be a DC 20. Two checks are required to reach the bottom; if you fail by more than 5, you fall.]
Those of you at the bottom who can make a DC 10 Perception check notice that Highlight to display spoiler: { it is several degrees cooler here at the bottom of the cliff than it was up top.} Anyone making a DC 15 Perception check notices that Highlight to display spoiler: { while the air up above was dry, it is more humid down here; you can smell the damp.}. Anyone making a DC 20 Perception check Highlight to display spoiler: { can hear, faintly, the sound of flowing water. }.
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 d20=8 ; d20+8=24 ; d20=18 ; Tuesday February 14th, 2012 3:14:12 PM (OOC: Please accept my apologies for my unintended absence. I also neglected to make the second climb check in sequence--the first check is a total of 12; and the second is a total of 23; Wilma's Perception check was the roll that has +8 added to it.
The climb down was taxing but Wilma knew that taking her time and using the rope--as well as the able assistance of both Van and Grell--was the key to making the descent in a safe and (relatively) quick manner. As she stepped away from the ropes, the redheaded acolyte of Gargul shivered in the damp and chilly atmosphere that was on this level of the dungeon.
"Any of you guys hear something...?" she asked, squinting around her to get a better idea of the landscape now that the group was at the foot of the cliff.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 d20+23=34 ; d20+3=22 ; d20+3=8 ; d20=9 ; d20=4 ; d20+10=24 ; Tuesday February 14th, 2012 4:05:31 PM
Wanting to for go using rope altogether, Vanime remembers something her father told her about not letting ego make decisions for you, and decides to drop the one rope down to grell and to use her rope and grappling hook to climb down herself.
At first the climb with the rope is easier than she expected b][Climb DC 22[/b] but as she reaches further down the wall she somehow can not find any foot holds and has to rely solely on the rope and friction to keep her moving down the wall climb 8 (OOC: lol she would have fallen without the rope.)
As she reaches the bottom she gives her rope and hook a couple of really hard whips to try and release the hooks from their hold DC 9 & 4 but has no luck and leaves her rope hanging for their return trip.
Looking around she realizes that it is much cooler and damper down here and she thinks she can hear the sound of running water.perception DC 23
Yeah Wilma I think that sounds like running water. Ok all which way shall we head now?
"Well, I guess it's easy to assume we go that way."
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Tuesday February 14th, 2012 11:04:11 PM
Grabbing a couple of torches out of his pack, Grell hands them to Vaniime and Wilma. Then he fills up his lantern with oil.
OOC: I'm going to assume that I can use my Perception check of 16.
"It's wetter. Why is it wetter?" Grell prepares to head out when the others are ready.
DM Kathy 2d6=9 ; Tuesday February 14th, 2012 11:28:24 PM
Those of you at the bottom of the cliff realize that it is both cooler and damper down here. You discuss this as you wait for Vaniime to descend.
Vaniime decides that she doesn't want to free-climb down and instead uses one of the ropes. And when her feet slip, a little over halfway down, she is glad she did.
However, she realizes her troubles are just beginning. Even as she slips, she feels a sudden jerk on the rope. And then, the entire thing gives way!
Vaniime, make a DC 15 Reflex save or take 9 points of falling damage. You get a +4 circumstance bonus to the save because your Perception check alerted you in time.
Those of you at the bottom of the cliff see Vaniime's rope give way and come snaking down to the bottom of the cliff. The grappling hook, and the top part of the rope, are still on the cliff above.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 d20+11=19 ; Wednesday February 15th, 2012 6:54:43 AM
Almost two thirds down, Vanime feels something suddenly different about the tension of the rope and then suddenly she feels the sensation of weightlessness as she begins to fall. Somehow she manages to avoid hitting the cliff and even manages to hit the ground on the balls of her feet reflex dc 19letting the momentum throw her into a forward roll which came to a sudden stop, as she had forgotton that she was wearing her backpack. Slinding about another ten feet and rolling to her side she comes to a stop and lays there breathing and taking stock of herself.
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 d20+8=17 ; Wednesday February 15th, 2012 8:37:03 AM
"Van!!!" Wilma cried, running toward her friend in order to check her over for any injury. "Are you hurt? Do you need any healing..?" After confirming that the spirit ranger is all in one piece, the cleric-in-training turned her attention towards the rope that had apparently come apart on its own, her canny sapphire eyes inspected the part of the line that had fallen to the dungeon floor with the party.
OOC: Wilma is making a Perception check to see if the rope simply broke--or if the damage to it is not natural. Her Perception check totals to 17.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+1=5 ; Wednesday February 15th, 2012 11:02:23 PM
Dropping his lantern, Grell sprints toward Van as he watches her fall. He breathlessly watches as he knows he is too far away to hope to catch her. His breath returns with an audible gasp as Van lands safely with cat like reflexes. How does she do that?! In a flash, Grell's sword is in hand and he searches about the room to see if he can find what might have caused Vaniime to fall. (Perception-5 DOH!) Grell shifts from foot to foot in anger as he mutters "I'm gonna make me some kitty chow outta whoever did this!"
DM Kathy Thursday February 16th, 2012 12:35:10 AM
Luckily, Vaniime reacts in time when the rope gives out on her, and she is able to land unharmed.
Grell responds to the crisis with a drawn sword and angry threats, but he sees nobody to threaten.
Wilma examines the rope, and realizes that the end has been cut. The rope didn't just break; somebody deliberately caused Vaniime to fall.
But who? And where are they now?
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 Thursday February 16th, 2012 3:20:09 AM
"Hold still now..." Wilma admonished Van in the tone that doctor would take towards a fretful patient they were examining, "...that was quite a tumble you took there...I need to see if there is bleeding in your ears..." The young acolyte looked very, very closely into first one of Vaniime's ears and then the other, humming and nodding as though diagnosing a patient. In the midst of all this, however, Wilma takes the time to tell the spirit ranger in a barely whisper of Elven:
"Your rope's been cut...we have an unseen foe nearby..."
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Thursday February 16th, 2012 7:51:58 AM
Vanime nods as Wilma checks her over and whispers back.
"Yeah I know, I felt the rope being cut right before I started to fall."
As she gets up off the ground brushing herself off, she begins recoiling what's left of her rope (How much of the rope is missing?) and grumbles outloud, "That was a good grappling hook and now I am going to have to replace it."
As she hears Grell's muttering, she smiles and responds.
"Grell, I didn't know you cared?"
Emrys ac14, hp14 Thursday February 16th, 2012 10:19:24 PM
Emrys hums a tune for an divination that allows a magical second sight. His eyes flash and he looks up at the end of the rope where it had been cut.
(Cast Detect Magic)
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+1=20 ; Thursday February 16th, 2012 11:01:59 PM
Grell blushes at Vaniime's comment. "I.....errrrrr... no I don't care. I mean, I do care...just not like *that*. You're my team is all..." Though he tries to sound nonchalant, there is more than a hint of frantic back peddling to the warrior's comment.
Refocusing, the warrior continues to cast about, checking for anything out of the ordinary (Perception-20).
DM Kathy Friday February 17th, 2012 12:10:50 AM Wilma warns Vaniime that the rope had been cut, but the nimble ranger already suspected as much. Vaniime finds that most of her rope is with her; only two or three feet has been cut off. And, as she notes, her grappling hook is still up there.
Grell vehemently denies any feelings for Vaniime other than that of a loyal adventuring comrade, but time will tell on that score. Meanwhile, he looks around, but sees nothing out of the ordinary.
Emrys does a quick spell to detect for magic. The end of the rope looks entirely mundane. Then, you think you see something out of the corner of your eye, but by the time you turn to focus on it, it isn't there anymore. If it was ever there at all. Perhaps it was your imagination?
You all look around a little more, but no further clues are forthcoming. The only passage out of this area leads away to your right, so it looks as though you'll need to either head in that direction, or try to figure how to get back up the cliff and back to your professors.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Saturday February 18th, 2012 7:40:06 AM
Chuckling to herself as Grell chokes and sputters she finishes packing up the remains of her rope.
"All righty folks I guess it is that way we go." Same order?"
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Sunday February 19th, 2012 10:40:40 PM
Gathering up his lamp and finishing filling it with oil, Grell nods. "Yes, that'll be fine". Adjusting his armor, Grell tries to compose himself. He finds himself blushing a little, and the damp cave seems a bit on the warm side. All of which leaves him feeling slightly befuddled. Lamp in one hand, sword in the other, the warrior readies himself to head off into the unknown.
Emrys ac14, hp14 Sunday February 19th, 2012 11:08:08 PM
Emrys gathers up the glowing stone that they had dropped down from above. He can only guess what is to come next. "I can't help but feel we are being watched."
DM Kathy Monday February 20th, 2012 12:04:42 AM
You decide to press onward, and take up the same marching order you'd been using before.
Grell finds the cool passage a little too warm for his liking, but perhaps he'll become acclimated in time.
Emrys points out the likely possibility that you are being watched. Certainly someone, or something, cut that rope, and that person has yet to be identified. It's a creepy feeling.
You continue down the passage, which becomes increasingly cold and damp. It angles slightly downward. As you move, you begin to hear the sounds of running water, which soon grow loud enough to overwhelm the sounds of your passage.
After about 15 minutes, you emerge from the tunnel into a small underground cavern, split in half by a swift-flowing river. You can see that your passage continues on the other side of the river, but you need to find some way to get across.
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 d20+8=19 ; Monday February 20th, 2012 7:07:23 AM
Wilma looked around her, trying to make sure she was keeping her senses especially sharp. (OOC: voluntary Perception check 19.)
"It would have been nice if we had that grappling hook...assuming we have an outcropping or the like to actually grapple..." she commented, trying to find some way of getting across the water. (OOC: how wide is the stream/river/current? Too wide to jump?)
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Monday February 20th, 2012 6:23:31 PM
Taking her rope back out, Van ties an iron spike to the end of the rope and and toosses it as far as she can while wrapping the other end around her hand (should leave about 45 feet). If it makes it all the way across, she pulls it back to the water's edge and slowly allows it to sink to the bottom drawing back the slack as she goes to try and determine how deep the water is.
DM Kathy Tuesday February 21st, 2012 12:33:40 AM Wilma assesses the distance across the water. It looks to be about 15 feet. A really good jumper may be able to clear the distance, but it would by no means be a sure thing.
Vaniime tries to test the depth of the river by dragging a spike back across it. One of the first things you notice is that the current is very strong. Your iron spike is tugged pretty hard. It's difficult to gauge the depth, since the water is moving so swiftly, but you think it is 4-5 feet deep.
And you all remember the lessons learned from your adventuring parents, and Professor Goodnight, and other professors as well. No matter how well the armor is fitted and constructed--when it gets wet, it chafes like anything.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+15=19 ; Tuesday February 21st, 2012 12:49:17 AM
A sly grin finds it's way to Grell's mouth as he fishes around in his backpack and finally pulls out a grappling hook and his rope. "Oh, you mean, like this?" Grell ties the grappling hook to the rope and prepares to throw it to the other side...presuming everyone is ready for him to do so. (Throw=19)
Wilma AC16/12/14; HP20/20 Tuesday February 21st, 2012 5:40:13 PM
"It looks like leaping across it is possible..." Wilma pointed out, but her voice definitely reflected her thoughts: as a cleric, strength was not her long suit, and she would clearly be at a disadvantage should this possibility come to pass. Then there was the obvious issue of the wisdom of wearing metal armor while either trying to jump or fording the current.
"Step One...take off metal armor...?" the redhead suggested tentatively. "Whether we leap or wade, removing the extra weight seems to be the wise thing to do. Then the next best thing is probably to have my show-off brother here go across first and help those of us who come after him with getting across..." Her eyes flickered over to where Fa'ast was silently standing, no doubt deep in monkish contemplation.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Tuesday February 21st, 2012 7:52:50 PM
Wilma sound thinking to a point Grell should go first and then make sure the rope is firmly set, I will hold this end of the rope to aid the others across. Once the rope is fixed in place Grell then should be on guard with bow and sword at the ready as the others of you go across. I should go last with Grell holding the rope on that side to aid my crossing and to pull me in quickly is needed.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=18 ; Tuesday February 21st, 2012 9:20:02 PM
"Thankfully all my armor is near weightless ... made of darkwood. I hope it promotes buoyancy as well ... if I am to fall in!" He takes his pack off his shoulder and sets it with the rest. Then Emrys has a rather simple and brilliant plan. He gingerly walks over to the waters edge and drops the dense stone, with his light spell, around the first six feet from the shore. "A stone of such brilliance should be sufficient at revealing the water's depth."
(Perception 18)
DM Kathy Wednesday February 22nd, 2012 12:41:40 AM Grell, the man of action, takes out a grappling hook and tosses it across the river. He is able to get it to catch on an outcropping, and it seems pretty sturdy. However, the outcropping is less than a foot above water level. Using the rope by itself will probably entail getting wet.
Wilma, seeing the writing on the wall, begins removing her armor, while Vaniime suggests a strategy for getting across.
Emrys isn't worried about his armor, so he attempts to gauge the depth of the water with more accuracy. You think it's probably closer to 5 feet than 4 feet deep, which, given the current, is going to make it a challenge to get across.
You can probably make it with the rope, if you're willing to get wet. Otherwise, you'll need to get more creative.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=12 ; d20+8=22 ; Wednesday February 22nd, 2012 11:37:26 PM
Emrys is open to any other suggestions. He doesn't cotton to getting in the water and wading across. He begins to look around for something that might be useful. He looks up at the ceiling. "Hmmm, I wonder if there is any spot on the ceiling a hook can grapple to. Maybe we could swing across!"
(Perception: 12. Knowledge [dungeoneering]: 22.)
DM Kathy Thursday February 23rd, 2012 12:37:28 AM Emrys looks up toward the ceiling. It is pretty high just here, and your light does not reach all the way to the top. It's always possible there's some kind of ledge or projection up there, but more investigation will be needed.
Wilma AC14/12/14; HP20/20 Thursday February 23rd, 2012 5:33:42 AM
Wilma folded her chain shirt and put it inside the empty sack she'd bought before descending into the Maw, then handed the sack to her brother to hold.
"It would have been nice if there was, Emrys," she answered the bard's question, "But we'd have to get up there to see--and if we could get up there to see, then we'd be able to go over the water without any other fuss." She sighed, pulling her blue school tunic down. "I feel naked without my armor..." Sighing again, the redhead turned to the others.
"Okay...who's going first...?"
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Thursday February 23rd, 2012 6:53:24 AM
Van Takes the loose end of the rope from Grell and finds a place where she can brace herself well.
"Grell you first. And guys stay on the upstream side of the rope."
DM Kathy Friday February 24th, 2012 12:44:54 AM
[I'm going to wait until more people post actions.]
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=12 ; Sunday February 26th, 2012 10:09:39 PM
He isnt sure what he is doing. There is no evidence or clues of anything that is helpful or that will allow avoidance of getting wet, other than making a 15-ft jump. There is nothing but a vast underground chamber divided by a perfectly etched 15-ft wide river which appears to swift to cross. The well-worn trail shows no evidence how the others have crossed the river. No detections of magic. No natural bridges. They can't even see the ceiling.
"Whatever we do, we better do it quick. First step in the water will surely bring upon us the wrath of whoever is currently watching us from the darkness!"
(Perception: 12. no idea what else to roll)
DM Kathy Monday February 27th, 2012 12:18:43 AM Vaniime volunteers Grell to go first, so he is the first to enter the water. F'aast goes next, followed by Wilma, Emrys, and lastly Vaniime.
And much to your surprise....there are no surprises. Oh, the water is cold. Really, really cold--and the current is swift, but you were more or less expecting that. Your footing is solid enough, and the water never goes over your head, although it comes close in a couple of places.
You emerge on the far bank, dripping and shivering, but triumphant. You made it across the river.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Monday February 27th, 2012 7:17:43 PM
Quickly drying off and putting her armor back on, Vanime reoils her rope and packs it back in her pack, ready to take the lead again.
Emrys ac14, hp14 Monday February 27th, 2012 8:39:33 PM
Shivering from the cold water, Emrys begins to hum a whimsical tune. As he passes his hand over his body, the water begins to roll off of him and his clothes immediately begin to dry.
(Casting Prestidigitation. Lasts for an hour.)
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Monday February 27th, 2012 11:01:29 PM
Using his blanket, the buff warrior dries himself off and puts his armor back on. Ugh...why does it have to chaff so...Professor Goodnight wasn't kidding! He looks over at Emrys. "Show off." he mutters as his damp hair drips into his eyes. He looks over at Van and Wilma "Well, what do you think...should we head down that way?"
DM Kathy Tuesday February 28th, 2012 12:22:29 AM
You dry yourselves off as best you can, and continue down the passage. Gradually, the sounds of the river fade, and you begin to hear something else. It sounds like....voices.
The Monster Mash
Moving Along (ADM Nellie) Tuesday February 28th, 2012 12:26:46 AM
Bodies are dried, equipment storied, and armor donned once more, the party takes a look about and finds no immediate danger. The cavern is moist and the slight chill that was observed before is magnified by your cold bodies from the dunk in the river. It's as if the proverbial wet blanket has settled over the group. Darkness presses in on the edges of lantern light, adding to the gloomy feeling. There is a tunnel up ahead that narrows down to were three people could walk abreast. And there is a faint, distant noise coming from it. Perception DC 10 reveals Highlight to display spoiler: {the faint sound of voices}.
Wilma AC14/12/14; HP20/20 d20+8=17 ; d20+8=28 ; Tuesday February 28th, 2012 6:50:05 AM
No longer feeling vulnerable now that her armor is donned once more, Wilma tilted her head to one side.
"I think..." she said in a low whisper, "...that someone is up ahead...I hear voices."
The young acolyte concentrated on trying to hear the voices more clearly.
(OOC: made a second Perception check, total 28 ('cuz it's a Natural 20, yo!!!). Hopefully it's high enough to get something besides "faint voices".)
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Tuesday February 28th, 2012 7:56:09 AM
Whispering, Van looks around at her friends. " I say we should have any ranged weapons we have at the ready, and if they are baddies we can get off one good distance attack to soften them up a bit fopr what comes next."
F'aast Tuesday February 28th, 2012 2:07:44 PM
Faast whisper yells, "Hey! You guys up there? It's me, Faast. What's goin on?"
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+1=18 ; Tuesday February 28th, 2012 10:09:08 PM
Noticing the voices even over F'aast's loud whisper, Grell promptly shushes him. "Shhhhh F'aast! There's somebody in there, can't you hear? Better listen to Van and get out the ranged weapons." he whispers as he pulls out his bow. Grell tries to take a peak into the surrounding darkness, but it's just too dark. He waits to see if the others are ready to proceed.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=17 ; d20+1=14 ; Wednesday February 29th, 2012 12:58:42 AM
(perception 17)
Emrys closes the aperture on his bullseye lantern so that only minimal light shows. Just enough to keep it shadowy, yet still able to see and maximize his stealth. He then makes sure a bolt is loaded in his crossbow ... quietly.
(Stealth 14)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Wednesday February 29th, 2012 5:19:42 AM OOC: second "illegal" post; RP only
Wilma made sure that her crossbow bolts were where she could reach them, then she took her crossbow into her hands, checking that it was ready to fire.
"Everyone ready..?" she asked, about as prepared for what was going to happen next as a newbie dungeoneer could be.
F'aast Wednesday February 29th, 2012 4:02:13 PM
Looking confused, but realizing that their is danger nearby, he whispers to himself, "Welcome back Faast," and sets his new snake companion, Medusa, down on the ground beside him and readies himself for action.
Emrys wonders what broke F'aast's meditation. He has been following quietly in the back for some time now! The bard is unsure if it's customary to welcome back those who emerge from inner contemplation.
Emrys turns around and mouthed the words, 'welcome back.'
Curiouser and Curiouser (ADM Nellie) Thursday March 1st, 2012 12:32:45 AM
Van advises that the group switch to ranged weapons, and Grell follows suit. Meanwhile, F'aast asks for a status update as Wilma is taking a long hard listen.
It's kinda hard to hear with so many other people talking, but the cleric of Gargul takes her time and listens carefully. She hears several voices, but the longer she listens, the weirder it gets. The voices do not seem to form any sort of language that Wilma is familiar with. As a matter of fact, the sound kind of reminds her of her siblings when they were small babies...the incessant babbling of infants.
Lanterns are dimmed, and ranged weapons readied. The group heads down the path, traveling for a few feet before the passage opens up once again to a large cavern. The chill and moisture in the air are unmistakable here, and so is the sound of the babbling...still that incoherent sound of many voices that do not appear to be saying anything in particular. The entrance to the cavern is just up ahead...practically begging you to enter and uncover the source of the strange voices.
OOC: Same marching order as before? Any last requests?
ADM Nellie Thursday March 1st, 2012 12:34:36 AM
Oooookay...so that last entry was supposed to be titled Curiouser and Curiouser...silly computer reverted back to my Grell tag. :(
Fixed by DM Kathy
F'aast Thursday March 1st, 2012 1:30:09 PM
Faast remains at the rear of the party tense with expectation. How in the Wold did they talk the professors into letting them have a real adventure? This tale he had to hear!
He nods to Emyrs and signals that he would watch the back and flank forward when needed.
He sniffs the air out of habit, as he begins to concentrate on the hunt.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Thursday March 1st, 2012 5:37:58 PM
Wilma remained silent and held her crossbow at the ready, waiting for her turn to advance into the room.
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=27 ; d20+8=9 ; d20+8=21 ; Thursday March 1st, 2012 10:13:31 PM
Emrys waits and moves with the party. His eyes and pointed ears stay keen with anticipation.
(Perception checks: 27, 9, and 21.)
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Thursday March 1st, 2012 10:36:51 PM
His bow out and at the ready, Grell positions himself behind Vaniime. "Ready when you are..." He hears F'aast's sniff and adds one of his own. He doesn't care for the dampness and the noise. There's something about that noise that really bothers him, but he can't put a finger on it. Arrow notched, Grell shift his weight slightly back and forth...back and forth in anticipation.
Bow at the ready Van signals the others to hold back a bit as she tries to move forward a bit and check things out a bit closer without beng seen and to try and identify what is there and what can be seen.
stealth dc 23 (nat 20) knowledge dungeoneering DC 20, knowledge nature DC 16 Perception dc 20
Pump Up the Volume (ADM Nellie) d20=3 ; d20=2 ; d20=14 ; Friday March 2nd, 2012 11:23:03 PM
Vaniime makes good use of her keen Elven eyesight and slinks into the darkness. She quickly disappears from human eyes, though Emrys can still barely make out her form as she slinks into the shadows.
Vaniime travels easily through the dim light of the cavern, though the dim lighting does slow down travel a little bit. She creeps along, as silent as the shadows themselves, but stops short about 20 feet out from the others. She can see something out there in the darkness.and wings off a shot (20% chance of miss due to concealment). Just as she does, a horrid cacophony emanates from the creature, threatening to drive you to the brink of insanity. Vaniime, Grell and Wilma make a Will save DC 13 or be confused for 1 round. Vaniime watches as the shape slinks slowly closer toward her.
A note about the map. The cavern is in complete darkness. Human characters cannot make out Vaniime's current location or that of her adversary. Emrys' keen elven eyes can barely make out Vaniime's current location, but he cannot see the enemy either. The yellow triangle indicates the light given by Grell's lantern (Emrys is not on the map currently). The gray triangle is the half light from the lantern.
Will DC 5 Vanime sees a vague shap and then is quite literally driven to her knees with the loud noise. Confused and unaware of the beast's approach Van drops her bow and tries to cover her ears as her head rings and reverberates with the sound.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d20+1=8 ; Saturday March 3rd, 2012 11:25:09 AM
Grell whispers into the darkness "Hey Van, what's goin....." and then the wave of noise rushes over him like a ton of bricks. His bow falls to the ground and he swings his lantern back and forth, hopelessly confused and more than a little frightened. (Will save=8).
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d20+7=15 ; Saturday March 3rd, 2012 2:43:31 PM
The light of Grell's lantern showed that Van was down. Wilma instinctively moved forward.
"Van...what--" she gasped, her query cut off by Grell's sudden reaction to the roiling babble of nonsense that, for a moment, almost overwhelmed the redhead's ability to think clearly.
Almost.
Something was up ahead--in front of Van, who was now unable to act. Wilma snatched the lantern from her brother's hand and moved towards the spirit ranger, holding back on her crossbow shot until she could see whatever it was that had managed to confuse two of her party with its gods-awful noise...
OOC: Wilma made her Will save with a result of 15. Her official action is to take up the lantern and then to move up to where Van is in order to help her. Not sure exactly how far Wilma would be allowed to travel for this--I'm aiming to put her at F15 (or as close to it as possible.)
ADM Nellie Saturday March 3rd, 2012 4:54:12 PM
This is just a reminder that Grell and Emrys lanterns had been dimmed so that Van could scout ahead. Bullseye lanterns are fully capable of producing a cone of light up to 60 feet, should the aperture be opened all the way. :)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Sunday March 4th, 2012 7:30:59 AM
OOC: I assume that Wilma would have the time and wherewithal to open up that sucker and get some light going, then... ;D
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+9=14 ; d20+15=25 ; Sunday March 4th, 2012 3:35:11 PM
Emrys can't help but notice the strange effects that horrible sound has on the others. He quickly reaches around for his lute and begins to play a tune that should counter those effects. He moves as far as he can forward to make sure everyone is within range to benefit.
(Bardic Performance [Countersong]: 25. Anyone who failed their save against the Confusion now get to use my performance score to replace their save. Since Emrys is not on the map, I have no idea how far I need to go to get as many people in my area of effect. Emrys has 30-ft of movement and the area effect of the Countersong is 30-ft radius.)
Round 1 Wrap Up (ADM Nellie) Sunday March 4th, 2012 11:01:05 PM
So I need a post from Van and Grell and F'aast. The light is now turned up, so everyone can see the critter that is 15 feet from Van.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Sunday March 4th, 2012 11:07:06 PM
Grell shakes his head as the spell looses its grip. Growling, he looks at Emrys, then Wilma, then Van...and finally settles on that *thing* in front of Van. Leaving his bow, he unsheathes his sword and moves to position himself beside Van. (E15).
F'aast Monday March 5th, 2012 10:38:29 AM
"Emrysss, open up that lantern and ssshine it on thissss thing. It may not likesssz light. I'm moving forwardzzz and to your rightsss Grell."
And with that, Faast moves forward to 17J hands out in front of him. He keeps Medusa, his snake, one square to his left in 17i.
Faast keeps his eyes squinted so that when the light hits the cavern he can adjust faster. He is excited. He tries to control his heart so that he doesn't have an adrenaline dump later.
"Sssshow yoursselfzzz beasssstiee."
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 15/15 Monday March 5th, 2012 10:14:20 PM
As Emrys' song counters the sound from the beast, Van senses Grell coming up alongside and wanting to give those behind with bows a clear shot draws hwer sword and moves to G14 to allow for her and Grell to eventually flank their opponent.
Emrys ac14, hp14 Monday March 5th, 2012 10:22:50 PM
(OOC: 2nd illegal post ... for role playing purposes.)
Emrys is befuddled by F'aast's request and latter statement. The cavern is fully bathed in light and the creature stands fully exposed in front of the group. He thinks that his friend is still confused by the howling the wretched monster is making. So Emrys turns to his lute and begins to emphasize every note with a little extra pluck.
:)
Thud Goes the Squidy (ADM Nellie) d20+10=14 ; d20+6=17 ; d4=1 ; d20+3=4 ; Monday March 5th, 2012 11:52:45 PM
Thanks to Emrys song, the team moves back into action. Wilma, Grell, Vaniime and F'aast move to better positions to confront the creature that is now fully disclosed. To say that it is ugly is a *extreme* understatement. An amorphous blob, covered in mouths and eyes, lurching and babbling...always babbling. View picture here
As the group is formulating their plan, one of the creatures mouths puckers, and spits right into Wilma's eyes and then lurches forward!! The glop begins to burn Wilma's eyes, threatening to blind her (Fort. check DC18 or be blinded for 1 round). As she frantically begins to wipe away at the burning goop, there is a blur of movement, and then an ugly squid looking creature slams to the cave floor directly at her feet! The light from Wilma's lantern immediately become dim (Remember that any attack now has a 20% chance of miss due to concealment). Emrys finds that though the light immediately in front on him is as bright as always, the the area just outside the direct beam of lantern light goes from dim to as dark as night. The rest of the group winks into darkness for Emrys and F'aast.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 Monday March 5th, 2012 11:54:05 PM
One day I will figure this out... Should be titled "Thud Goes the Squidy (ADM Nellie)"
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d20+5=16 ; Tuesday March 6th, 2012 6:30:49 AM
"aAAAaaaaaagh!" Wilma's scream was a mixture of pain and frustration--the goo was stinging her eyes and she couldn't clear it away effectively because she held the lantern in one hand and her crossbow in the other. Besides, she was horribly embarrassed because this situation was the sort of thing that she was sure her parents would never have been caught in..!
"Gahhh! Kill this thing, will you...?" she demanded of nobody in particular, furiously blinking tears away.
Blind or not, Wilma could tell from the sound (and smell! ewww!) of the babbling monstrosity that her crossbow was too close to be effective, anyway, so she blindly stepped backwards, hoping that the warrior-types of the party could deal with this thing long enough for her to switch out her weapons...
OOC: Wilma is now Blinded as she didn't make her Fort save, dang it! In her Blind panic, she's retreated from F15 to F16.
Grell AC21/13/18, HP24/24 d100=38 ; d20+8=13 ; 2d6+7=18 ; Tuesday March 6th, 2012 8:16:36 AM
"Wilma!!!" Grell growls in anger at not being able to prevent the attack and then the other creature drops at her feet and the lights literally go out. "Which creature?! There's something that appeared right in front of you!!"
Deciding that for right now, the newest squid looking thingy is his best shot, considering that he can barely see anything, Grell takes a swing at the critter. (AC13 for 18).
F'aast d20+2=12 ; d6+2=5 ; d20+9=11 ; d20+5=15 ; Tuesday March 6th, 2012 11:23:53 AM
"Oh, there it issss and its ugleeee! Wait, no where did it go? Emyrs, I can't see it again. Direct me!"
Faast, having seen the monster for a moment, turns to the left and "tries" to move to F12. He instructs Medusa to say close him and she will try to get to D13 and aid another as he attacks the beastie with his Kama.
-----------
--OOC, Emyrs never said he had opened his lantern, though I could be mistaken. I was also going by the light "field" on the map which showed a very small area lit. So I assumed I couldn't see the monster and positioned myself accordingly. :)
--[d20+2=12 +2 more for aid another from snake = hitting AC14 for 5hpd if it hits--and if I got there.]
--Perception check of 11, in the glimpse he had of the creature, to try and determine if the creature can be grappled. --Knowledge: Nature check of 15, in the glimpse he had of the creature, to try and determine if the creature can be grappled.
Seeing the new beast drop in front of her and then the lights go out, Van knows where the beast is and recognizes it a a magical beast, (one of her favored enemies) and slashes downward AC 27 but somehow, to her extreme disbelief doesn't feel the sword bite at all as somehow the darkness confounded her strike (20% chance miss 14.
A Mysterious Voice Tuesday March 6th, 2012 9:20:13 PM
Barely audible above the sounds of the squamous terror, coming from the right-hand side of the cavern...
"Hrrrrrrrr! Hrr, hrr, hrrrrrr! Mph, hrrrrr!"
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=27 ; d20+9=19 ; Tuesday March 6th, 2012 10:42:15 PM
Emrys continues playing his countersong as best he can (free action). "Zounds," the bard shrieks when the second monster enters the fray. And then the darknesss!! He mutters a few words of power and looks for the source of that darkness.
(Cast Detect Magic. Perception 27, Spellcraft 19)
That Just Sucks--Rd. 2(ADM Nellie) d20+6=17 ; d4=3 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=24 ; d3=1 ; d20+7=16 ; d20+7=13 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=20 ; d20+7=15 ; d20+7=26 ; d4=3 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=26 ; d20+7=18 ; d20+7=26 ; d4=3 ; d4=2 ; d20+3=13 ; d20+3=5 ; d20+3=9 ; d100=54 ; d4=3 ; d4=2 ; Tuesday March 6th, 2012 11:36:32 PM
The party swings into action as the attack ensues.
Wilma backs away, futilely trying to wipe the stinging goo out of her eyes by trying to get her tears to wash away the caustic stuff. Her tactic seems to work because she feels her vision clearing.
Grell, angry about the attack on his sister takes a swipe at the squid thing and just barely misses. Doubtless, he is an unhappy young man.
Van has nooo problem recognizing the squid creature as one of her favored enemies...I mean, why else would the lights suddenly dim. She lashes out with a precise slash, only to find that the critter's not exactly where she thought it was. It's an embarrassing moment for the ranger, but thankfully, nobody sees it.
F'aast racks his brain to try and figure out what that uuuuuuuugly critter in front of them is. Surely you have read about it in one of the many Creatures homework assignment. I mean, really, how many critters could look this nasty?! Eyes...all those eyes and the babbling mouths *EVERYWHERE*...F'aast thinks and thinks, and then he's got it! A Gibbering Mouther...why, Professor Goodnight just gave a lesson on it last month. Slow moving, noisy, and watch out for those mouths...they can latch on and suck your blood! And he realizes that grappling the thing would be a very bad idea indeed! F'aast moves through the darkness, but finds navigating extremely difficult! He heads toward the dim light ahead, but bumps into Vaniime, threatening to push her over. Thankfully the ranger rolls out of the way. (Okay, I'm being *really* nice here, but in the future, trying to make such precise movements in combat is going to get sticky.) Medusa bobs and weaves, attempting to help out F'aast with his attack, but it doesn't seem to help at all. F'aast kama goes wide, misses the blob.
Emrys continues his countersong, though it seems like the effect from the creature is gone now. He begins concentrating on his detect magic spell and he spots several magical auras...most of them around his adventuring partners, but he also spots an aura on the newly arrived creature.
The shambling mound of teeth and eyes spits once more, this time at Vaniime. Vaniime feels the gooey liquid begin to burn at her eyes and has more than a measure of pity for Wilma (Fort. Check DC18 or be blinded for 1 round).
Once again, the creature lurches forward, and six gelatinous tentacles form out of the body and launch themselves toward F'aast. Four sets latch onto the monks neck and arms (10 pts. damage)...the mouths at the end of them begin to try and attach themselves to his body. Two sets of mouths latch on, and F'aast immediately begins to feel woozy as the creature begins to drain him of his very life blood (5 pt. damage plus 2 points Con. loss).
As the fight continues, two more squid looking creatures drop from the sky and land at the feet of Grell and Vaniime. As they flop on the cavern floor, the lighting dims in more and more areas of the cave. The original squid creature spreads its tentacles and begins to fly upward toward the ceiling...quickly disappearing out of sight. (AoO from Grell and Vaniime as it flees upward, though still with the 20% miss chance).
Just a note on movement and darkness...the whole cavern (with the exception of Wilma and Emrys lanterns is covered in darkness. I just looked it up, and darkness causes you to move at ½ movement rate. Now I haven't used this in the past, but starting next round movement will be cut in half for any area other than dim or lantern light. Also, creatures in darkness take a -2 to AC.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Wednesday March 7th, 2012 12:39:00 AM
Her tears washing the last of the stinging goo away from her eyes, Wilma squints into the unnatural gloom that now surrounds most of her party, utilizing a technique favored by the priests of Gargul in order to make out the outlines of Grell, Van and now Fa'ast, who seemed to be grappling with the thing that blinded her. Drawing in a deep breath, the redheaded acolyte mentally ran through the various options available to her, quickly deciding on casting Sanctuary on herself first. That should give her enough protection to channel healing energy and cast any other spell she may be needing in the near future.
OOC: Wilma is utilizing her Domain bonus feat of Blindfighting to get a handle on the battle scene as well as belatedly protecting herself with her Sanctuary spell.
That Just Sucks--Rd. 2(ADM Nellie) d20+8=25 ; 2d6+7=15 ; d100=57 ; d20+8=23 ; 2d6+7=11 ; d100=37 ; Wednesday March 7th, 2012 11:53:32 AM
As the first squid thingy takes off, Gunther cuts into it, letting his frustration out on the beast. He grins savagely as he feels his sword slice through the creature's flesh. (AC25 for 15, no miss). It was nice that the creature had landed in the dim light...made things easier.
Unaware of F'aast's plight, Grell turns his attention to the squid creature that just fell at his feet. It's dark, soooooo dark that he's not exactly where the thing is. He slices where he thinks it might be, but he doesn't feel the satisfying tug of his sword in flesh. (AC23 for 11, miss). Grumbling, he calls out to Emrys "Hey, adjust your lantern, while ya?! I can't see a thing in here!!"
ADM Nellie Wednesday March 7th, 2012 11:56:18 AM
Sigh...okay, the last post was for Grell...anywho...
It's been a long time since I DM, but I looked up some more information on darkness. According to the Paizo website, darkness essentially renders a creature blind. Along with that goes the following penalties....
Blinded: The creature cannot see. It takes a --2 penalty to Armor Class, loses its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any), and takes a --4 penalty on most Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks and on opposed Perception skill checks. All checks and activities that rely on vision (such as reading and Perception checks based on sight) automatically fail. All opponents are considered to have total concealment (50% miss chance) against the blinded character. Blind creatures must make a DC 10 Acrobatics skill check to move faster than half speed. Creatures that fail this check fall prone. Characters who remain blinded for a long time grow accustomed to these drawbacks and can overcome some of them.
F'aast d20+6=11 ; d20+6=26 ; Wednesday March 7th, 2012 1:08:59 PM
"I need help. Nearly dead again," he deadpans.
His eyes not adjusting, he finds himself frustrated.
Deciding that help can't come and he doesn't want to die right then, he break away aided by his snake and what his low-light vision can give him, he moves away, trying to circle back to the party, keeping Medusa in his square.
"Gonna take more than 1 to take that thing down. It hits hard."
---------
--CMB of 11 to break away and withdraw aided by snake, which I hero pointed and got a 26, which is a natural 20.
--He goes defensive to up his AC to 20. His CMD for grapple is currently a 21.
Van manages to avoid the full measure of eye splat Fort save DC 20 and as she hears the squid thingy start moving upward misses her stroke as she as no idea where it is 2%,
She hears another something drop down in front of her and this time manages to locate it accurately 55%, and is rewarded with the satisfactory feel of her sword cleaving into it AC 20 for 9 points of damage
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+8=24 ; d20+8=28 ; Wednesday March 7th, 2012 10:10:10 PM
"Peas and carrots! There is something else coming ... to the right," cautions Emrys!
Emrys steps forward for better resonance and beings to weave an alliterated prose and metered verse about the toothy gelatinity and the quivering mucilaginocity of the mouther gibberly.
(Moves to F18. Perception 28, natural 20)
(Performance [Naturalist+1]. Knowledge [Dungeoneering vs. Aberrations]: 24. I'm able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Gibbering Mouther up to 9HD. Everyone within 30ft of Emrys gets a +1 to AC, Hit and Saves against the Gibbering Mouther)
Crank Up the Lights---Rd. 3 (ADM Nellie) d4=1 ; d20+6=25 ; d4=4 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=24 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=16 ; d20+7=8 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=22 ; d4=3 ; d4=2 ; d4=4 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=15 ; d20+7=17 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=14 ; d4=3 ; d20+7=21 ; d20+8=20 ; d100=54 ; 2d6+7=16 ; d20+7=13 ; Wednesday March 7th, 2012 11:50:28 PM
Wrap up from previous round... In one mighty blow, Grell manages to cleave the strange squid creature in half before it's ever airborne. The lifeless body slumps to the ground.
And now onto the current round... Even over the din of combat, odd grunting noises are occasionally heard. It's a muffled sound...could it be a cry for help???
Due to her blindfighting ability, K'nara is able to listen in to the combat around her, and she has a pretty good feel for what's going on. It's no where near like being able to see, but it'll do in a pinch. She casts Sanctuary on herself,
Grell takes a swing at the nearby critter, but with almost no light to see by, it's no surprise that he doesn't connect with it.
F'aast, having born the brunt of the Gibbering Mouther's attack manages to call out for help before he passes out (Jerry, please let me know if I'm wrong, but your sheet shows F'aast's HP as 14 and he took 16 damage (including the Con. drain), so he should be at -2 hp). Please, please email me if I have missed something. BTW, I checked and you're right, half-orcs have darkvision 60ft. Swwwwweeet!!
Avoiding the spittle, Vaniime cuts into the critter that lands in front of her. She hears the satisfactory squeal as the creature is hit.
Emrys moves forward and proves some more light to the group, while he informs the group, through song, about the strengths of the naaaasty critter up ahead. How it can see in all directions, can't be flanked, and is resistant to blunt blows. As far as weaknesses go, Emrys really can't think of any. His song greatly boosts the moral of all in ear shot.
Meanwhile, the icky sticky monster rears back and hocks another loogie. This time it's Grell that gets the stinging spittle splattered across his face. (Fort. Check DC18 or be blinded for 4 rounds). Jiggling in a most unnatural manner, the Mouther oozes forward and attacks Grell. Once more six mouths lash out, and 3 manage to connect with the warrior, 2 of them inflicting critical wounds (sheeeeeeesh...1/2 of the attacks are crits threats?!! Damage=13). None of them are able to make it past the warriors toughened skin though.
As for the squid creatures, they seem to not care for being on the ground. Just as the previous creature, they attempt to take flight and flee upward (again, Grell and Van get AoOs). As soon as the creatures leave the area, the lantern lights regain their normal intensity. (I'm going to roll the AoO's just to keep things rolling. Grell hits with his AoO, but does not kill the creature (16 dam). Van just barely misses her squidy. Both squidies fly upward and disappear.)
Grell AC17/9/17, HP9/24, Blinded for 4 rounds d20+5=10 ; d20+8=17 ; d100=51 ; d20+1=10 ; Thursday March 8th, 2012 8:16:30 AM
"What the...." Grell staggers a bit when the spit splashes on his face...and then it gets even worse. "What in the name of Marteus' boils is this crap?!" Grell attempts to rub the goop away with his forearms, but only manages to work it further into his eyes. (Fort-11 with Emrys bonus) "Ahhhhhhh!!!! I can't see!!!! The look on his face is an interesting mixture between rage and flat out terror as the swarthy warriror begins to wave his sword around blindly. A stream of orcish profanity that would make a sailor blush streams from Grell's lips as he tries to calm himself down from the panic that is bubbling up inside him.
He knows that in order for his friends to survive, they need him in the fight, but how can he possibly help when he doesn't even know WHERE that thing is?! Plus, it hit him pretty hard last time, and he's feeling more than a little shaky. Focusing on slowing his breathing, Grell tries to remember back to what his mother had taught him about fighting an opponent you can't see. To be honest, he had tuned out most of she had said to him. He'd been so caught up in the idea of orcish superiority that he had considered his mother weaker than their father. Not that he'd put it into words or anything...noooo Dad would have thrashed him good for that...Mom too for that matter. WHY had he been so stubborn?!
Grell wracks his tiny little brain and finally remembers back to when his K'nara was working with him on bright summer day. "You never know when an invisible opponent's going to sneak up on you..." Suddenly his mother disappeared from sight. "But it's not impossible to fight what you can't see...just more difficult. First you need to realize that you may not be able to see, but you CAN still hear. It's amazing what information your other senses can give you. Use your sword to sweep out in front of you, so you can find out where your opponent is. Only *then* do you stand any chance of hitting them..." The lesson went on for several more minutes, with Grell being swept off his feet more than once or twice. It had been a particularly humbling day for young Grell, and it is not an easy memory to recall.
Focusing back on the battle, Grell settles himself into a more stable stance, listens in for the gibbering of the critter and carefully reaches out with his sword. His face breaks out in a grin when he bumps into something. "Now I've got you..." he mutters as he readies himself to be able to attack next round.
F'aast Thursday March 8th, 2012 11:37:10 AM
As he sleeps, he mutters to himself, "Wimp."
----------
--Don't have the info I need to do the stabilize here at school. Someone can email me the details or Nellie can roll for me.
Vanime sees Grell's predicament and empathizes as she slices across the gibbering beast AC 27 Crit Threat AC 20 (confirmed?) for 5 points Plus 12 more points, if crit confirmed.
As she connects she calls out combat information to Grell to help him with his attacks.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d6=1 ; d6=1 ; Thursday March 8th, 2012 10:16:39 PM
Concentrating on blocking out the sounds of battle around her, Wilma focused on the holy symbol she was now clutching in her hands.
"Heal!" she barked commandingly, a burst of energy radiating out from her.
OOC: hmmm...please ignore the second roll...I hit the d6 button again because I forgot I already rolled. Sigh. At least poor Fa'ast should be stabilized now...
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Thursday March 8th, 2012 10:19:18 PM
(illegal second post; for clarification purposes)
Everyone within a 30' radius of Wilma is healed by 1 whole Hit Point. Go, Wilma! ;D
Emrys ac14, hp14 Thursday March 8th, 2012 10:44:24 PM
Emrys maintains his performance to better facilitate his party's understanding and foresight of aberrations. This time however he tries to trick the trickster with his own brand of befuddlement.
(Bardic Performance: Naturalist, Rd2, Free action. Everyone within 30-ft gets +1AC, Hit and Saves.) (Casting "Unwitting Ally" on the Mouther. Will Save 15. If the Mouther fails, its mind is befuddled and it can't tell friend from foe. He takes no action against friends or foes, but he can be used to determine a flank against another a foe. Lasts for 1 round.)
As One Goes Up, Another Goes Down---Rd. 4 (ADM Nellie) d4=3 ; d20+6=15 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=16 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=18 ; d4=4 ; d4=4 ; d20+7=20 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=18 ; d4=2 ; d20+7=10 ; d20+7=17 ; d20+7=20 ; d4=3 ; d20+7=10 ; d20+7=24 ; d4=3 ; d20=3 ; d6=4 ; d20+5=16 ; Thursday March 8th, 2012 11:23:43 PM
Grell finds himself a victim of the Mouther's filthy oral habits. He remembers back to his Mother's training. Using sound and touch, he is able to pinpoint the creature's location and relishes the idea of payback.
F'aast moans in his unconscious state as he continues to bleed on the ground (Jerry, roll Con check DC10. I rolled for you an got a 3, so no stabilization this round. :( ).
Vaniime slices into the critter, it's a beautifully precise blow that would fell many a foe. The strange thing is that Mouther seems to absorb most of the impact of the blow and the attack doesn't wound the creature as much as she would have expected. (Mouther is immune to critical hits.). OOC: I'm going to go with the 12 points damage this round, because I'm nice that way. :)
Wilma sends out a wave of healing energy (I'm rerolling that 1 to get a 4. Shouldn't get struck with that crappy of a roll in such an intense battle). F'aast returns to the land of the living and is able to rise to his feet (I know show F'aast at 2 hp).
Emrys continues to encourage his allies, even as he casts a spell to try and confuse the creature. Several of the Mouther's eyes look up at Emrys for a couple of seconds, but they quickly shift back to the fighters (Will save-16...dag nab it!!)
The shambling mound of goo recoils from Vaniime's attack, but seems intent on continuing to feed. It rears back once more and spits at Vaniime. (Fort. Check DC18 or be blinded for 1 round). It lashes out once more at the now blinded Grell and this time several mouths hit their target (3 hits...one crit for 11 pts. damage). Two of the mouths latch on firmly and begin rapidly draining the warrior of his blood (6 damage, 2 Con. pt. lost). Grell's skin color quickly matching his snow white hair and he collapses unconscious on the cavern floor.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d6=4 ; Friday March 9th, 2012 12:18:46 PM
Wilma grit her teeth as her capacity for picking out shapes in the dark was telling her that this class trip was not as fun as she thought it would be...she very sorely missed William's healing abilities at the moment.
"I said...heal!" she practically snarled, sending another wave of positive energy to her surrounding allies.
OOC: 4hps of healing to everyone in Wilma's range!
F'aast Friday March 9th, 2012 2:02:50 PM
Faast's eyes open to slits for a second and then close again, thanks to Wilma's administrations.
He thinks, ::I'm alive, but no one near me 'cept the horror. Stay put.::
Startled that her attack did not have the effect she thought it should, Van is unprepared for the gob of spit that smacks her square in the face fort dc 14 (ignore second roll) Blinded and eyes stinging, she reverses her sword back along the same path as her previous strike, but again somehow misses 9% what would have been a another outstanding strike AC 29.
A Mysterious Voice Friday March 9th, 2012 5:33:44 PM
"Hrrrrr? Mph, hrrrrr! Hrrrrrrrr!"
Jerry Note: Who posted this? We delete posts that are not identified folks. Will delete this tomorrow if I'm not emailed or the post identified.
As One Goes Up, Another Goes Down---Rd. 4 (ADM Nellie) d3=2 ; Monday March 12th, 2012 12:28:22 AM
The bleeding suddenly stops flowing, and Grell finds himself conscious once more, but only just barely! His eyes flutter, only to find that he still can't see. He listens carefully around him and hears the unmistakeable babbling of the creature in front of him, so he crawls backward a bit, trying to distance himself from the creature. Even that minimal effort leaves him feeling winded and exhausted. He lies on his hands and knees in E16, ready to feel the creature strike out at him once more.
Yep...I'll never get this title thing down.---Nellie
ADM Nellie Monday March 12th, 2012 12:30:15 AM
Folks, it's been a long, emotional weekend for me. I'm going to post tomorrow morning. Until then, sweet dreams. :)
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+4=10 ; d20+4=23 ; d20+4=23 ; d8=8 ; d8=1 ; Monday March 12th, 2012 12:31:17 AM
Emrys continues his lecture and moves a step closer (G17) for a clearer shot. He draws his crossbow and fires ... he sighs and thinks, 'it's anyone's guess to where ittt' .... "uhh?!! It hit!! Hard!!"
(Performance [Naturalist] continued, free action.) (Shooting Mouther with crossbow. Hit 10, miss. Hero point reroll: Hit 23, threat, 23 crit confirmed. Damage: 8+1=9)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d8+2=7 ; Monday March 12th, 2012 4:54:24 AM
Sorely tempted to slap her brother, Wilma's cleric training made her realize that her urge to smack Grell stemmed from her frustration at being unable to help everyone as much as she hoped she would have been able to do. The redhead drew in a deep, calming breath and reached down towards the fighter at her feet.
"For Gargul's sake...heal..!" she whispered fiercely, channeling a focused burst of positive energy into the injured warrior when her hand encountered the top of his head. "Who needs Protection from Evil, anyhow? I've got the world's mightiest orc warrior looking after me..."
OOC: Wilma is swapping out her Protection from Evil spell for a Cure Light Wounds on Grell, who now is healed up another 7hp. Go, Grell!
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Monday March 12th, 2012 5:05:19 AM OOC--regarding possible amendment to Wilma's actions above: Since all Wilma did was reach down and heal Grell, she can choose to move a little ways for this round, right? There's this muffled voice that just might belong to someone that could prove to be a much-needed ally for the group...Wilma would like to begin sidling over towards Q17 as quick and far as she can...
Dude...Can You Keep It Down?! We're Fighting For Our Lives Here!--Rd. 5 (ADM Nellie) d3=2 ; d20+5=20 ; d20+6=10 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=15 ; d4=4 ; d20+7=15 ; d4=3 ; d20+7=24 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=27 ; d20+7=18 ; d4=2 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=14 ; d4=4 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=19 ; d4=2 ; d20+7=17 ; d4=3 ; d20+7=24 ; d4=2 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=11 ; Monday March 12th, 2012 9:44:36 AM
The battle seems to have taken a turn for the worst as not one, but now two of the fighters are down, and another is blinded.
Wilma once more sends healing energy through the party, and she is rewarded to see not only F'aast, but Grell stir.
Vaniime, blinded by the critter, strikes out, but can't manage to connect.
Emrys, on the other hand, pings off a shot and is pleased to see the bolt slam home. Like Van, he notices that his shot does not do as much damage as he would have expected.
On the other side of the cavern, the mysterious mumbling keeps getting louder...it's almost like someone's trying to get your attention...
There is no further sign of the squid like creatures. Wherever they have gone to, they don't seem in a hurry to come back.
Meanwhile, the Gibbering Mouther, though clearly wounded, still looks anxious to feed. There is a moment of something that almost looks like consternation on in it's multiple sets of eyes (Will save 20 vs. Sanctuary) and then it one of the mouths produces yet another stream of the spittle at the cleric, but this one missed the mark by a mile. The incessant yammering rises a level or two as the Mouther sets its eyes on Vaniime. Six mouths latch onto the now blind ranger, causing her to fall to her knees (15 dam), her eyes rolling back into her head as she falls unconscious. What's worse to watch, though is the mouths latching on and draining the warrior of her precious life blood before she slumps to the ground ashen (7hp dam, plus 3 Con. pts. lost). There is very little blood coming from her multiple wounds as her limp body hits the ground. Wilma recognizes this as very, VERY bad sign.
OOC: The previous post was not the combat wrap up, so Donna, you can use Wilma's roll above to heal Vaniime if you want to. I would recommend it, because I show Vaniime at -8 hp.
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0vQ5R7NZRxCLWREZS1LSWRSRHE2eDBKYUF6ZnhNUQ Google was being temperamental this morning, and the map kept wanting not to open for me. Let me know if you guys have any problems opening it.
ADM Nellie Monday March 12th, 2012 9:47:45 AM
Sigh...Kent, I'll bet you're getting tire of fixing these for me. :/
F'aast Monday March 12th, 2012 4:26:53 PM
Faast continues to play dead hoping that more healing is on the way soon.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Monday March 12th, 2012 9:05:01 PM
The beleaguered acolyte of Gargul swallowed hard, keeping the rising tide of panic at bay by focusing on her fallen friend. Stepping forward, Wilma immediately cast her curative spell upon Vaniime, seeing in the twilight gloom that some of the color returned to the elf's skin, but the spirit ranger remained almost-deathly still.
"Emrys--find out who or what is mumbling over there..." Wilma waved her staff hand in the general direction of the sound that was persisting off in the southeastern part of the cavern, "...I'll keep trying to get healing energy to everyone..."
...as pitiful as the effort is... The redheaded cleric finished the thought privately. She was at the point where her instincts were to cast the True Strike spell on herself and thwack the crap out of the amorphous, mouthy beast in front of her, but her temple training kept her from giving in to that tactic. Right now the only thing keeping the bloodsucking, mutant leech from bringing her to the point of death was the protection of her Sanctuary spell...and that protection would disappear the instant she attacked. So...healing would be her reaction to the current dilemma...
...for now.
OOC: as per the DM recommendation, Wilma's Cure Light Wounds spell is applied to Vaniime rather than Grell. Van is now healed up by 7hp (and considered stabilized for the moment, I believe..?) Next round Wilma will be attempting to "spread the love" once more by Channeling Positive Energy again.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Monday March 12th, 2012 9:06:03 PM
OOC again (clarification): oh...and Wilma is now at map coordinate F15.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP: 0/15 Monday March 12th, 2012 9:48:27 PM
Lying at death's door, Vanime reaches toward the light..........
Emrys ac14, hp14 d20+9=13 ; d20+9=15 ; d20+9=11 ; d20+9=27 ; Tuesday March 13th, 2012 2:15:25 AM
(sorry for being late, I fell asleep early)
Something clicks inside the young bard's brain. He wouldn't ever in a normal situation to be so rude or roguish .... openly.
(Diplomacy 13. Then Knowledge [local] 15 to recall where Wilma keeps her wand.)
"Excuse me, Wilma," is all the Emrys can say as he whips open the flap on Wilma's backpack and pilfers a wooden wand with cold and unapologetic haste.
(The book says retrieving an item from a backpack is a move-equivalent action. Adjust my action if this applies to other people's packs.)
(If he still has a standard action left) Emrys again tries to befuddle the Mouther with another another attempt of the same spell.
(Performance [Naturalist]: free action. Casting Unwitting Ally: Will Save DC 15. Same effect as before. Ignore the last two rolls. I have no more actions and no one is with range to attempt to heal by using "Use Magic Device.")
(Question: I have "Cure Light Wounds" on my spell list, but I'm an arcane caster. Am I required to use the "Use Magic Device" skill to activate the divine version of the same spell?)
DM Kathy Tuesday March 13th, 2012 3:56:58 PM
[I will reply to Stephen's OOC question, since I don't think ADM Nellie can read the "DM only" posts. My understanding is that for a wand, the spell only has to be on your spell list, and there is no difference between an arcane and divine wand of CLW. Scrolls are another matter, but I think wands are "one size fits all." I think you can just use it. Of course, the final call is ADM Nellie's.]
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 d6=3 ; Tuesday March 13th, 2012 7:59:06 PM OOC: if I interpret DM Nellie's post correctly, then Wilma healing Van was the previous round and now she's acting in this round. I hope. Note to Emrys: Grell had Wilma's backpack, so it's not like the bard is actually fumbling around with something on Wilma's person.)
Wilma didn't acknowledge the bard rifling through her backpack--she was concentrating on doing her best to channel positive energy for the benefit of her loved ones. Her head tilted back slightly, turning her face up in appeal to Gargul as the healing energy washed over her allies.
OOC Again: everyone in a 30' radius is healed up by 3hp.
ADM Nellie Tuesday March 13th, 2012 9:15:57 PM
Actually, Donna, the healing for Vaniime will take place this round. That mass heal will have to wait until next round. Sorry for the confusion.
Stephen, as far as I have read, Emrys can use the wand with no problem.
Now to get to work on the DM post.....
Grell AC17/9/17, HP0/24, Blinded for 2 rounds Tuesday March 13th, 2012 11:31:10 PM
Grell hears footsteps approaching and then hears that family golden voice behind him...Emrys!! He's singing another song. Grell grins as he grips his sword and rises to his feet. "Emrys, just point me at it. I've got a score to settle..." Though his voice is confident, Grell is secretly worried that his sword feels like it weighs five times what it should and his arms are already beginning to tremble with the effort of holding it.
Makes You Wonder What Its Dental Copay Runs--Rd 6 (ADM Nellie) d20+5=13 ; Tuesday March 13th, 2012 11:45:30 PM
F'aast plays dead hoping for more healing. Vaniime is considering heading toward the proverbial light, and Grell is crawling on the floor feeling a few quarts low.
Unfortunately, that leaves Wilma and Emrys with the difficult choice of heal or fight. Wilma reaches down and stabilizes Vaniime. Meanwhile, Emrys moves behind Grell and sings his song, hoping to ensnare the Mouther in his spell. Unbelievably, the creature begins to sway slightly at the sound of Emrys song and all of the mouths form into smiles that murmur appreciatively at the bard! (HA!!! And the bard does it AGAIN! Mouther FAILS the Will Save!! WTG Emrys!!!)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d8+3=9 ; Wednesday March 14th, 2012 12:23:50 AM
Delighted that his spell had bought a little time, Emrys kneels down next to Grell and reaches into Wilma's backpack that he was carrying. Having retrieved the wand, he presses it again the warrior and says, "Cura-galah wunde."
(Cast Cure Light Wounds on Grell. Heal 9 points.)
"Take your sword, and a step or two, your strike will be true, straight ahead of you." Emrys carries on with his magical oration. (Performance [Naturalist]: free action. Everyone within 30' gets a +1 to AC, Hit and Saves.)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday March 14th, 2012 12:28:24 AM
(2nd illegal post: forgot to add this to my post.)
Emrys makes sure to help Grell and point him in the right direction, just in case he didn't hear his poetic instructions.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Wednesday March 14th, 2012 11:56:08 AM
The energy channeled by Wilma helps to heal all who are wounded. Now that the beastie in front of them seems charmed, it will be easier to move about and apply direct healing magic to each of the injured in her party.
"Hetthi Brotlir! Giehteh oopeh amj kehh tli iminae!" Wilma barks harshly in the direction of Grell.
For those who understand Orcish, Highlight to display spoiler: {Wilma has spoken in a "motivational" tone and told Grell: "Little Brother! Get up off your {expletive deleted} and kill the enemy!" Ahhh...Orc love! 8D}
OOC: okay, NOW everyone with the boo-boos can get those 3hp Wilma generated.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:3/15 Wednesday March 14th, 2012 9:45:56 PM
Begining to stir, Van realises she is laid out flat on the floor and unbelievably weak and sore, but there is something she is supposed to be doing. What is it? she thinks to herself. What is going on? She moves her hands and realixes that they are loosely wrapped around her sword, and again she wonders. Slowly the memories begin to solidify as she gets rid of a few of the cobwebs. And then she hears a familiar soft voice speak in that incomprehensible gutteral orcish.... She only recognizes one word "Grell" and then suddenly every thing is back and she remembers where she is and what is going on. Realizing she can do nothing yet as week as she is she makes sure her hands are solidly gripped on her sword and waits...
Grell AC17/9/17, HP12/24, Blinded for 1 round d20+1=11 ; d4=3 ; d20+9=13 ; d20+1=10 ; Wednesday March 14th, 2012 10:14:34 PM
Strength returning to his muscles, Grell quiets that panicking part of his mind that he still cannot see. He listens for the unmistakable babbling of the creature and tries to figure out where it's coming from. Stepping forward, he thinks he's got it narrowed down, and he slashes his sword down in a devastating blow, only to find that the creature must have moved. The ensuing swearing is so loud that it literally reverberates around the cavern. "Low an E zuppozij to kehh et ef E qam't ZII et!!" A small thought begins to form in his mind. "Back!! We need to pull back! Ranged weapons. This thing is slow. It can't match our speed."
Orcish translation...Highlight to display spoiler: {"How am I supposed to kill it if I can't SEE it!!" }
Somebody Up There Must Like Them--Rd. 7 (ADM Nellie) d20+6=13 ; d3=3 ; d4=4 ; d4=3 ; d20+6=13 ; d20+6=20 ; d4=4 ; d20+6=7 ; d20+6=13 ; d20+6=9 ; d20+6=10 ; d20+6=9 ; d20+6=17 ; Wednesday March 14th, 2012 11:26:38 PM
Emrys well timed spell provides a small, much needed break in combat. Both Wilma and Emrys offer desperately needed healing. Van comes to and hearing Wilma's shouting, remembers where she is. Not able to engage in battle, Van and F'aast wait for more healing. Grell tries his best to cut into the Mouther, but finds it difficult locating it without the gift of sight.
Meanwhile, the Mouther abruptly stops swaying and the smiles quickly morph into snarls. It spits once more on Wilma, that nasty saliva burning and searing once more (I believe the Sanctuary spell has ended, didn't it?) Fort. save DC18 or be blinded for 4 rounds. The creature then shambles toward Wilma, where it begins to bite and chomp, anxious to feed. Maybe it's her sparkling personality, or maybe Gargul really is watching over her, but only one mouth manages to bite Wilma (4 dam.) and it can't maintain a grip to start draining her blood.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP16/20 d20+6=15 ; d20+5=21 ; d6+5=6 ; Thursday March 15th, 2012 1:27:11 AM
Wilma was still relying on her magic to shield her, so the sudden spray of acid-based spittle in her face effectively deprives her of eyesight for a moment.
"I have had ENOUGH!!!" the redhead roars angrily, pulling back and swinging her quarterstaff in a downward arc in a series of blows sharp and speedy enough to whistle briefly until the weapon finally connects with a resounding smack right in the middle of where a humanoid's crown-of-the-head would have been.
OOC: Unfortunately, yes, Wilma's spell has run out by now. She is also the possessor of the Blindfight feat and is thus able to give rein to her anger and frustration by attempting to--as she had briefly wanted to earlier--"thwack the crap out of the amorphous, mouthy beast in front of her." She has managed to hit AC21 for 6hp blunt damage.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP12/24 d20+9=25 ; 2d6+7=18 ; Thursday March 15th, 2012 7:43:29 AM
Wiping his eyes once more, Grell finds that his vision has finally returned to him. His face flushes as he watches Wilma smack the creature...the creature that he should have KILLED by now! The adrenaline pumps and surges through his veins. NOTHING makes a fool of Grell Ilutu!! Forgetting what he said about falling back, the warrior slams down his sword into the freak creature, slashing a huge gash in its hideous "body". Bellowing a victory scream, Grell deposits more than a little of his own spittle on the Mouther as his pent up frustration is released through his sword.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP16/20 Thursday March 15th, 2012 10:02:57 AM
("illegal" second post--OOC:) See? All Grell needed was a little motivation! ;D
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:3/15 d20+8=13 ; d100=6 ; Thursday March 15th, 2012 3:36:15 PM
Still as blind and as weak as a new born kitten Vanime lays on the floor trying to figure out how and where her plan for ranged attacks fell apart.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d8+3=11 ; Thursday March 15th, 2012 7:25:34 PM
Armed with his newly acquired wand, Emrys makes his way around to Vaniime and gives her a tap.
(Cast Cure Light Wounds on Vaniime. 11 points of healing.)
"Strike at the beast with all your might, make silent the gibbering blatherskite," says the young bard as he attempts to rally his troops. (Bard Perform [Naturalist]: free action. +1 to AC, Hit, and Saves to everyone within 30-ft)
Turning the Tables---Rd. 8 (ADM Nellie) Friday March 16th, 2012 11:41:39 PM
Having had enough, Wilma strikes out at the creature in rage. She finds that though her strike is aimed well, the blow is mostly absorbed by the creature's gelatinous body.
In turn, Wilma's action triggers a rage in Grell that is horrible to watch. He slices into the Mouther, almost severing a section of it off. The Mouther's babbling become much more rapid...and sounds almost desperate as it jiggles backward and away from the fighters that cut and maim.
Meanwhile, F'aast continues to play dead, and Vaniime awaits much needed healing, which arrives in the form of Emrys. She feels refreshed at the touch of the wand as the healing rebuilds torn tissue.
A Mysterious Voice Friday March 16th, 2012 11:50:06 PM
"Mumphumamum?"
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:14/15 d20+8=9 ; Saturday March 17th, 2012 12:19:46 AM
Feeling hale and able to see again Van lunges up to strike at the beast as it leaves and forgets to pick up the sword on the ground swinging her arm at the beast and feeling foolish. Natural 1
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d8+3=8 ; Saturday March 17th, 2012 10:53:37 AM
(Map shows Emrys in his original spot, he was actually next to Vaniime to heal her.)
Emrys finally makes his way over to F'aast. To his surprise and delight, he finds the half-orc alive and awake. Then his next thought is of concern. He is injured, yes, but not to the point where he could not move or defend himself. He thinks, 'has f'aast become paralyzed by fear and completely stripped of his senses? maybe having clung to that amorphous blob of gaping maws would deprive the most stout of hearts their tenuous grasp on nerve and grit.'
The bard taps the young, tormented druidic monk with the wand and mutters a few words of power. (Cast CLWs on F'aast and healed for 8 points.)
The young bard is unable to continue his oration. The strain on maintaining the enchantment had surpassed his endurance.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP12/24 d20+8=11 ; Saturday March 17th, 2012 11:02:29 PM
"Huhuh...noooooo...don't think so!" Grell pounces forward to confront the retreating creature, intent on ending its miserable existence. He brings his sword down, but misses the blob badly.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d6=2 ; Sunday March 18th, 2012 9:39:31 PM
Breathing heavily, Wilma channels positive energy once more, generating another wave of healing that helps everyone injured, including Wilma herself.
OOC: I'm beginning to wonder just how helpful THIS particular ability truly is...everyone who needs it and is within 30' of Wilma's location may add a whopping 2hps of healing to their total.
Parting Shot---Rd. 9 (ADM Nellie) d20+6=9 ; Monday March 19th, 2012 12:21:16 AM
With the creature in retreat, the party tries to wrap up lose ends.
Vaniime swings at the retreating creature, but embarrassingly forgets that her sword is on the ground.
Emrys decides that F'aast needs a little extra TLC and gives him a tap with the wand. Only time will tell whether the healing will bring about a transformation in the shell shocked half-orc.
Grell gives chase after the retreating creature and finds that it's not as easy as it looked. His swing goes wide, and the Mouther looks irritated that it is pursued.
Wilma sends out some much needed healing love to all round,
The Mouther spits at Grell, missing him entirely, and suddenly it's body hunches down. Then it lurches backward once more and out of the fighter's reach. (Perception DC 15 to notice that the ground where the Mouther was has now turned to mud.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+8=16 ; d20+8=27 ; Monday March 19th, 2012 10:17:19 AM
(Perception: 16)
"Eww!" is Emrys first response to the mud that suddenly appeared where the Mouther once slithered. He forces off a slight gag as he ponders what liquid produced the mud. The bard then tries to impede the Mouther's escape. Emboldened by the Mouther's fear, Emrys bellows a few words of power, "Viscositas Veisa!"
(Casting 'Grease' on the squares: A11, A12, B11, B12. Reflex Save DC 16.)
Knowing that his friends are no longer knocking on death's door, he turns in the direction of the 'Mysterious Voice'. The bard cautiously moves in that direction to investigate the source; shining his lantern in the same direction. (Moves 30' to M14. Perception check 27)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=9 ; d8+3=5 ; Monday March 19th, 2012 1:03:24 PM
Wilma squinted after the quivering pile of gooey mouths.
"Hey...did that thing just piddle--" Her question was cut off when Emrys began to move off.
"Whoa...just give me that before you go..." the young cleric of Gargul took back her wand, then moved closer to where Fa'ast was still lying. "Okay, Fa'ast--this should help you..." So saying, Wilma murmured the magic phrase and tapped the prone monk with it. Another much-needed wave of healing washed over the half-orc.
OOC: Wilma's perception missed the mark this time with a mere 9 (a natural 1--ugh!) Then she managed to invoke 5hp of healing on Fa'ast after moving to G13. Perhaps she should just give the wand back to Emrys...his healing rolls are much better. 8P
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday March 19th, 2012 2:53:50 PM
(ooc: Might as well take that charge to the wand back, F'aast was more than full hit points by this point.)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday March 19th, 2012 4:26:38 PM
(ooc: third illegal post ... i should have said this in character)
"Wilma, there is something else wrong with F'aast, but it's not from wounds! I think he's lost his wits!" How else can the young bard explain why a perfectly healthy, uninjured half-orc is lying on the floor in the fetal position. :)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Monday March 19th, 2012 5:45:23 PM OOC: sigh...I wish people would update their PC combat information that's supposed to be in the title bar of the post...if Fa'ast isn't injured anymore, then Wilma would apply the CLW to whomever may need it. It's a sucky enough roll. Otherwise, Wilma won't use the wand on anyone if everyone has their HPs up.)
Abashed at her rookie mistake, Vanime steps back and picks up her sword, slamming it angrily back into her sheathe.
" Some kind of adventurers we've turned out to be. Face our first real monster and fall completely apart, drop our weapons and nearly get killed." My dad and mom would be soo disappointed in me."
It is then that she remembers the muffled voice and turns to join Emrys in finding out what it is. As she comes up to him she puts out her hand and touches Emrys' shoulder.
"Thanks for that back there I owe you a life."
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP 20/20 d20+1=19 ; d20+8=12 ; Tuesday March 20th, 2012 12:23:48 AM
Sensing that the battle is drawing to an end, Grell waits for Wilma to heal him before he gives chase to the creature once more. He watches his footing, seeing both the mud in front of him, and the tell tale signs of Emrys spell. (Percept-19) He takes another huge swing, and falls short yet again.
ADM Nellie Tuesday March 20th, 2012 12:25:55 AM
Waiting for Jerry to post.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Tuesday March 20th, 2012 7:53:11 AM
(ooc: Nellie, you'll be waiting a very long time.)
A Mysterious Voice Tuesday March 20th, 2012 8:18:27 AM
"Mmmmmmph?"
Wrap It Up---Rd. 10 (ADM Nellie) d20+4=11 ; d20+6=25 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=25 ; d4=1 ; d20+7=12 ; d20+7=9 ; d20+7=18 ; d20+7=14 ; d20+7=17 ; d20+7=24 ; d4=3 ; d20+7=20 ; d20+7=14 ; Tuesday March 20th, 2012 9:07:22 AM
The group reassesses their situation as combat draws to a close. Wilma finds that F'aast is completely healed, and turns her attention to her brother who rushes off to try and finish off the Mouther.
Emrys casts a spell to cut off the creature's retreat. An oily sheen forms on the ground behind the Mouther. Then he heads over to check out that mysterious voice. Vaniime, feeling none too pleased with the groups performance, follows along to thank Emrys for his heroics in battle.
F'aast, though completely healed of his wounds, is still lying on the cavern floor. In her clerical studies, Wilma remembers reading about some warriors that though their bodies are whole somehow are unable to go on. It is as if the horrors of combat cut through the soul, leaving the adventurer unable to battle and in some extreme cases, rendering the individual incapable of performing even the most basic care functions, like feeding oneself.
On the other end of the field, Grell continues to pursue the wounded monster. Though the Mouther is beginning to look poor, it looks as if it intends to put up a fight to the end. It rears back and spits in Grells face (yeah...we all know the drill now...DC18, blah, blah, blah...blind for 1 round). Then it begins biting wit those nasty blobby mouthy things. It snaps at the warrior twice for 4 damage, but can't get a grip on the well armored warrior.
ADM Nellie Tuesday March 20th, 2012 9:09:29 AM
LMBO!!! Okay, so just ignore the lantern lights on the map. Yeah, I've been trying to get combat finished up and have forgotten to move them. Niiiiiiiice Nellie. ;)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=24 ; d20+2=20 ; d8=4 ; Tuesday March 20th, 2012 3:22:04 PM
Wilma frowned as she moved to Fa'ast's side and checked him over, shaking the half-orc in an attempt to rouse him from his stupor. OOC: Heal check result 24. The monk wasn't appearing to respond to any stimuli--always a bad sign.
Seeing that the monster wasn't quite dead yet made the already-annoyed acolyte even more frustrated. She put down her staff and reached for her crossbow, mumbling a few unseemly phrases as she did so. Wilma wasn't sure if her measly little crossbow bolt was actually going to do any damage, but this particular encounter was making her feel practically useless, and she was going to get at least ONE shot in at this particularly nasty beastie if it was the last thing she did!
OOC: don't know if Wilma can swap out weapons AND fire in this round, too, but I'm rolling anyhow--if not for this round then the next. Her crossbow bolt hits AC20 for 4hp damage.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Tuesday March 20th, 2012 6:57:17 PM
(ooc: From last round: the area of the Grease spell is a 10-ft square, occupying squares: A11, A12, B11, B12; not C11. The Mouther is in B12 and needs to make a Reflex DC 16 each round or become/stay prone. If prone, it gets a -4 to Hit and AC. However it does gets a +4 AC vs. ranged attacks.) ----------------------------------
"Thanks, Van," replies Emrys. However, he turns back around and notices that Grell is still struggling against the Mouther. Feeling like an idiot, Emrys blurts out, "Zounds! I thought that fiend was all but finished. Lets go put an end to this once and for all!"
The bard hurries back over from where he came (G14) and chants the same cantrip that worked once before. (Casting Unwitting Ally on the Mouther. Will Save DC 15 and loses actions for 1 round)
ADM Nellie Tuesday March 20th, 2012 8:42:30 PM
I was wondering about that 10 ft. thing (but in a hurry to get the post done this morning). Thanks for clearing it up. :) As for falling prone, I'm not sure if an amorphous creature is subject to that. I mean, it can just move its mouths from one side to the other. I will have to think about how much that would affect a Mouther. :/
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+8=19 ; 2d8+7=21 ; d20+5=7 ; Thursday March 22nd, 2012 12:02:18 AM
Roaring in anger, Grell is blinded once more. Luckily for him, the creature just attacked him, so he knows where the Mouther is. He slams his sword down and rips into the creature in frustration. AC19 for 21.
So Long...Farewell---End of Combat (ADM Nellie) d20+5=11 ; Thursday March 22nd, 2012 12:16:56 AM
Wilma's bolt hammers into the creature, which is then overcome by Emrys song. Finally, the blinded Grell tears into it, and it's eyes grow dim and it slumps to the ground obviously dead.
Vaniime and Emrys make it to the Mysterious Figure and find a fellow classmate bound and gagged. The dim lighting makes it difficult to tell for sure, but Vaniime thinks it might be Carver... that wizarding bookworm.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 1:05:09 AM
"That soooo totally sucked...!" Wilma announced, breathing heavily as her adrenaline rush ebbed. She held the still-lit lantern aloft, turning in place so that its light fell upon the newest discovery in the cave--the bound bookworm.
"I thought I'd heard something from that side of the cave!" the acolyte of Gargul said. "Is he hurt or injured in any way...?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 11:01:40 AM
You see a bound and gagged figure. He wears the robes of a student of arcane lore at the Academy. Pulling the rough-cloth sack from over his head, you see your classmate, Benedict Carver. Nearly everyone calls him by his last name, Carver, and you remember seeing him from time to time on campus.
ooc: Please see my character sheet for more background information.
He blinks agains the light of your torches and becomes frantic in his muffled appeals. "MMMMPH! Mm-hhmmm. Hmmm, mmmmphummmumm!" He shoves his hands forward, obviously seeking release.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday March 22nd, 2012 1:34:56 PM
Emrys is more than a little shocked to see a fellow student gagged and tied down in the Maw. He draws a dagger from his belt and proceeds to cut the ropes that bind him, not to mention removing the gag.
"Mother of all Creatures, Great and Small!! .... Carver, how and why are you here?!" asks the young bard. He pauses his rope cutting and a sly smile forms across his face, "You know, this would be an excellent time to ask for my copy of, 'Anatomy of the Humanoid for the Artist,' that you borrowed."
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 2:13:17 PM
Carver gasps for air now that the gag has been removed. He looks in disbelief at Emrys, "You want your book back? Now!? You ching-wah TSAO duh liou mahng! I nearly suffocated in this gorram gag!"
Draconic Highlight to display spoiler: {"frog-humping son of a b***h"}
The young wizard stumbles to his feet, alternating between coughing and spitting. He looks around, not recognizing anything around him. "Where am I? Were you all taken by that man, too?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+9=26 ; Thursday March 22nd, 2012 7:29:33 PM
(2nd illegal post - role play)
Emry's expression changes sharply, and he replies to the exasperated magic user in a menacing tone he's not known to use in friendly conversation. "Carver, he-near-ahkh care-een ahn lay ... ah-ahl tole-ehd nah ... gar neen mahn loo veen ah-khehn-ee-thahm, gahr-eekh ee thole goal oh orkh, lasto lalaith NINN lah-boe vee moote ahn-oh thole!!"DraconicHighlight to display spoiler: {"Carver, I was merely jesting ... however, understand this ... I may be empathetic to your predicament, and I'm sorry to find you here, but don't EVER speak of my mother in that way again!!"} (Intimidate check: 26)
Emrys snaps his dagger back into its scabbard and walks back over to F'aast who is still motionless on the floor.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 7:42:53 PM
ooc: What is an 'illegal post'?
Carver sneers, "Zhe shi yi zhong weiwan de shuofa, tiancai."
Draconic Highlight to display spoiler: {"It's a euphemism, genius."}
"Emrys' pouting aside, can someone tell me why we were kidnapped and brought down here?"
"Umm Carver, we were not kidnapped. We are down here on an adventure. Why you were kidnapped and by whom I can not say, but it is good to see you well and in one piece. For a moment there it looked like we wouldn't see you at all, and what you might have seen of us might not have been very pretty.
Hey Wilma, can you wash out your brother's eyes so he can stop stumbling around?
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday March 22nd, 2012 9:14:19 PM
(ooc: We jokingly refer to a 2nd or 3rd post in a day as "illegal" because we're only supposed to post once.)
Emrys stops and looks back and begins to laugh. "Ha! You call that an euphemism? Maybe the next book you read should be a dictionary." The bard chuckles a little more before making his way back to F'aast and Grell to help Wilma give them aid.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 10:11:13 PM
Carver shakes his head. "Bards." He turns to Vaniime, "You are down here on purpose? Earlier today I was walking outside the library. I saw a cloaked figure in the bushes and called out a greeting, thinking it was a lost villager. The person whirled around, obviously startled, and the next thing I knew, I was looking at a little dart sticking out of my arm. When you woke up, I was bound, gagged, and in total darkness."
The young wizard spits again, small pieces of cloth from the gag still stuck his his face. "I think I was lying on stone, and could hear a river close by. I'm not sure how long I was there; it seemed like an eternity. At last, I saw a light moving toward me. It was kind of odd; there was light, but I couldn't see a source for it. Then invisible hands grabbed hold of me and I was lifted into the air. The invisible person was silent as the two of us flew into the chamber where we now are. He propped me against the wall, extinguished whatever light he was using, and was gone."
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 Thursday March 22nd, 2012 10:52:18 PM
Sheathing his sword, Grell rubs at his eyes, trying to clear his vision. One things this adventure has taught him...he needs to invest in a helmet...one that offers protection to his eyes!! As his eyes begin to focus again, Grell begins to hear another voice...not one of the party, but still VERY familiar. Could it be? Naw...couldn't possibly be that Carver guy that he shoved into the latrine in 4th year. I mean seriously, what would be the odds on that happening?!
DM Kathy Friday March 23rd, 2012 1:04:52 AM
You at last find and free the source of the mysterious voice. It is Carver, whom you all know at least slightly.
He is irritable after being tied up for so long, and takes Emrys's jesting amiss. Emrys takes his taking him amiss, amiss.
Carver has a strange tale to tell, about being kidnapped and brought here. Who could have done such a thing? And why?
Meanwhile, combat is over, and there are the wounded to see to. F'aast, strangely quiet, stands to one side of the party.
For those of you counting your resources, Professor Goodnight did say you would only encounter one combat. Of course, he also said you would only fight one monster in that combat, and that was not the case. Is this a test? Should you expect more monsters? And what of the mysterious kidnapper?
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Friday March 23rd, 2012 1:51:44 PM
"Hold still, Grell," Wilma muttered to her brother as she soaked some wadding from her healer's kit in a bit of water from her waterskin and then used the cloth to help clean the stinging spittle from his eyes. "There, I think I got it all...blink for me. Vision all clear...?" After making sure that he could at least see again, the young priestess contemplated all that had happened so far.
"There's something wrong here," she said out loud, "Remember what the professor told us when we came down here? According to him, this outing of ours was pre-arranged with a specific set of events that were to happen: a combat with a monster and a puzzle for us to figure out. Yet so far we seem to have come across an invisible foe who has gone ahead and kidnapped someone who wasn't even part of this particular class exercise and even Grell here would have to agree that there was more than just that...that Mouthy Thing...that got the drop on us here." She shook her head.
"It could be that the professors are trying to see how we deal with the unexpected," Wilma reasoned, "But they already knew that thanks to the attack on the young children back at the school. I'm thinking that there's something else going on here...something that the teachers don't know about."
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Friday March 23rd, 2012 6:35:30 PM
"I say we get out of here. Obviously this is not part of whatever test they intended."
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Friday March 23rd, 2012 6:46:49 PM
Having helped the catatonic half-orc off the ground, Emrys was at least thankful that F'aast's body still responded well enough to physical manipulation and was miraculously able to stand on its own. The mind is such a fragile thing, he thought.
After leaving the his friend, propped up against the wall, Emrys strolls over to the remains of the Mouther. While continuing to listen to the conversation, he kneels down and examines the carcass. With a pair of forceps from his medicine kit, Emrys begins to extract a few teeth from the Mouther when he hears Wilma's response. "It is very probable that this situation with Carver's kidnapping is the aforementioned puzzle that we're expected to solve. We should examine him for clues, inspect his bindings. Attempt to detect any lingering auras of magik and so on."
(Using Lore Master ability to Take20 on any Knowledge check as a standard action, 1/day. Knowledge [Local]: 29 to recall anyone who is known to have the abilities and resources to perform such a feat as to kidnap a student from school grounds and transport him here without detection.)
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Friday March 23rd, 2012 11:31:06 PM
Carver furrows his eyebrows. "No one is examining me."
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=5 ; Friday March 23rd, 2012 11:42:00 PM
Grell nods his thanks at Wilma. "Much better." Grell sighs as he sees that it is indeed Carver that has joined their ranks. What was it with him being paired up with people that he had picked on when they were younger. It's like Domi himself was sending a message or something... While he's busy thinking about what message the divine powers might be trying to communicate, Grell thinks about their current situation. Why would somebody kidnap a student, and then bring them down here? I mean, if you're going to kidnap somebody, you usually either hold them for money or you kill them. Why play around like this??
Grell shakes his snow white mane in consternation. None of this makes any sense to him. The extra monsters, the kidnapping and planting Carver in the cave. From what Carver had said, it sounded like his kidnapper had been surprised, so they hadn't even planned on nabbing him. Grell feels a dull ache beginning to form behind his left temple. No doubt one of the headaches that his father often got when he tried to reason things out. Grell sets about searching the cavern for anything useful, but finds the going a lot more tough without the aid of his lantern (which Wilma is now carrying). Percept.=5.
DM Kathy Sunday March 25th, 2012 10:54:31 PM Wilma gives a brief run-down of the situation while tending to her brother's eyes. Carver expresses a wish to leave the cave.
Grell, reflecting that karma has once again bitten him in the backside, looks around the chamber. It's difficult to be sure in the dim light, but it looks as if that lumpy thing behind that stalagmite is in the school colors....
Emrys turns his thoughts to how Carver's kidnapping could have been accomplished. The second part, being invisible and flying Carver around here in the dungeon, could be accomplished readily enough with a potion of Invisibility and another of Fly. A bit pricey, but anyone with the funds could have done it. No, the puzzling part is how he could have been nabbed on school grounds. The wards are back in place; such a thing should not have been possible. If anyone other than students or staff had come onto the grounds, an alarm would have sounded, but Carver apparently heard no alarm.
[Also, I need to be smacked with the Bad DM stick. Bad DM! Everyone (except Carver) should have gotten 100 XP for Scene 1 and 400 XP for Scene 2. Go ahead and add that now. I'll award XP for this scene once we've wrapped it up.]
Thinking for a moment, Van stops and looks carefully at Carver and then around where he was found, to see if he appears to have any / all of his equipment and gear with him.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Monday March 26th, 2012 6:30:41 PM OOC: is the lantern back to working normally, or is everything still unnaturally dim?
"Hey...what's that...?" Wilma asked, noticing that Grell had noticed something.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Monday March 26th, 2012 7:18:04 PM
Carver is obviously impatient to leave. "I don't believe that we need to investigate these happenings. Our mentors are more than capable. Considering we all were almost killed two minutes ago, I think we should investigate from a safer place. Say, anywhere but here?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday March 26th, 2012 8:18:50 PM
After hearing everyone's ideas, Emrys can't help but chime in.
"The more I think about it, I can logically assume that you (Carver) being brought here is either a part of our trial, or you were selected to be tested as well. Everything magical that was used to facilitate your displacement can be explained with a simple potions and scrolls. Your binds, nothing more than mundane rope and sack cloth. The one thing pokes at the extraordinary is the fact that you were abducted from the school grounds. The only ones capable of such a feat, with the school's wards in place, are members of the staff or faculty."
Emrys pauses and chuckles a little with a thought. "Blech-ugh, the lunch lady, could have pulled this off. She is certainly sturdy enough, but I digress." The bard puts his forceps away and closes up his backpack. "I say we continue ... we're being graded."
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=18 ; Monday March 26th, 2012 10:28:16 PM
The warrior snorts loudly when Carver suggests that their mentors can handle the investigation. "Yeah right...like they handled the bandits! Hmmmph!" He frowns when Wilma shows up beside him. "Hey, you should let me check it out first...might be a trap!" Grell takes a look at the area behind the stalagmite, being careful to use his sword to gentle nudge the bundle. (Perception=18 to make sure there's no obvious danger).
DM Kathy Monday March 26th, 2012 10:56:33 PM Vaniime takes a quick mental inventory of Carver, but all of his possessions seem to be accounted for.
Working together, Wilma and Grell investigate the lump behind the stalagmite. It proves to be a leather satchel, adorned with a large patch with the school crest on it. Inside are 5 potions and a gold cup. It would seem that Professor Goodnight put a little treasure down here, along with the monster.
Emrys and Carver are all for moving on, and indeed, your exit is obvious. A tunnel branches off of the rough-hewn chamber, more or less opposite from the way you came in.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+2=5 ; Tuesday March 27th, 2012 2:04:16 AM
"Oh, boy!" Wilma said excitedly. "It's potions! Completely unknown potions! Who knows what will do?" The redheaded cleric of Gargul took up the cup and a bottle, giving her brother a sly look. "I think I'll take a test sip--I'm pretty sure that I must have inherited Mother's legendary stamina for resisting such things, what with her being an accomplished warrior--and we should try to make sure what the potions can do before we move on, don't you think..?" She smiled expectantly at her brother, mentally doing a countdown to see how long it would take him to insist that it was he--as the blooded warrior of the family--who had the fortitude to withstand possible poison...
OOC: made a voluntary Charisma check to see if Grell gets "persuaded" by Wilma's blatant attempt to manipulate him (again). A 5 result--the chances are VERY good that Grell will be able to side-step this one. If he doesn't test the potions, Wilma will put her money where her mouth is and do so.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+9=19 ; Tuesday March 27th, 2012 8:08:17 AM
"No, no, don't taste them! That's the last thing you should do! Do you want to end up like F'aast? Besides, you possess betters tools at your disposal." Emrys walks over to the cache of potions and the cup. "You don't even know if their magik."
Emrys begins by muttering a few words of power, and his eyes flash and sparkle. "You see, one must use a divination to confirm the presence of auras of magic." (Casting Detect Magic and concentrating for 3 rounds). "Then, once you've confirmed the presence of magik, read the auras and use what you learned in Spellcraft class."
(Spellcraft 19. The Spellcraft DC to identify the properties of a magic item with Detect Magic is DC=15+Caster Level. My roll can identify an item up to 4th caster level. Of course, if the items aren't magical, all of this is in vain.)
Carver, I think Emrys is correct. I believe you were brought here to join us by someone at school. I mean what kidnapper is going to let you keep all of your gear and possesions. I'll bet they didn't even take your money pouch did they?
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 Tuesday March 27th, 2012 10:57:08 PM
Grell frowns at Wilma's charade...his mind slowly working through the complexities of what she has said. He reaches for the potions, only to have Emrys practically take it out of his hand. He sighs and taps his foot impatiently. "Well...is it gonna kill us or not?"
DM Kathy Tuesday March 27th, 2012 10:57:23 PM Wilma is once again ready to volunteer her brother for unpleasant duty...in this case, tasting the potions.
Emrys, however, has a better way. He casts his spell and concentrates, and is soon able to discern that the potions are all Cure Light Wounds potions. Not terribly exciting or exotic, perhaps, but quite useful.
At Vaniime's prompting, Carver checks his possessions and finds that they are all there. Curiouser and curiouser.
Meanwhile, the exit passage beckons.....
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Tuesday March 27th, 2012 11:49:39 PM
"Thank you, Emrys," Wilma said out loud, sorry that her brother wasn't going to have a chance to show how brave he was. "Well...just in case we get separated, I think everyone should probably get one of the potion bottles each. I can carry the cup unless someone else really wants to..." She looked over at the exit passage.
"Are we going to try the same approach to going forward from here?" Wilma asked. "You know...Van scouting a little ahead...Grell right behind her...the rest of us behind Grell...?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Tuesday March 27th, 2012 11:55:30 PM
Carver starts toward the exit. "Well? What are we waiting for?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday March 28th, 2012 9:33:02 PM
(Was the golden cup magical?)
Emrys takes a bit of rope and fashions a primitive leash for F'aast. "This should make it easier to lead you around, my poor, poor, oblivious friend." The bard looks hard into F'aast's vacuous eyes for the slightest spark of recognition. Answered by nothing but a vacant stare and a swelling globule of drool around the corners of the half-orc's mouth, Emrys takes his handkerchief and dabs the saliva away. "Don't worry my friend, you will keep your dignity if it's the last thing I do."
The bard gives F'aast a slight tug on his leash to get him to start moving. "Well, we're ready. Let's begin our next test."
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:15/15 Wednesday March 28th, 2012 9:58:21 PM
Van checks her gear, and takes point as the group gets ready to move out.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Wednesday March 28th, 2012 10:07:26 PM
ooc: Checking in. Still plan on leaving.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=10 ; Wednesday March 28th, 2012 10:43:33 PM
Still feeling a little grumpy and insecure about how the last battle shook out (and his weakness at being blinded for so long), Grell snaps at Carver. "We will leave when you get at the *back* of the line." Readying his sword and stowing one of the potions in his backpack, Grell turns to his sister who is holding the lantern and grumbles "Open that thing up all the way and make sure I can see!" Taking up his position slightly behind Vaniime, Grell heads out down the tunnel behind her, trying to keep an eye out for trouble. (Percept=10).
OOC: I'll be out of town until Tuesday, but Donna has graciously agreed to *try* to keep Grell alive until then. ;)
DM Kathy Thursday March 29th, 2012 12:06:27 AM
The group gets ready to move out. Emrys notes that the cup is not magical, although it is gold, and is probably worth some coin.
You put yourselves into your regular marching order, and head down the corridor.
This ends Scene 3; everybody take 1,000 XP. Yes, even Carver.
I'm awarding one hero point to Vaniime for her leadership and quick thinking as you climbed down the cliff. Emrys gets one, too, for distracting the monster and allowing you to regroup. At our current level, each Hero Point comes with 60 bonus XP.
Now, onward!
The Puzzle
DM Kathy Thursday March 29th, 2012 12:08:57 AM
The corridor ends in a doorway. You take the appropriate precautions, then open the door and move into the room beyond.
The door slides shut behind you, leaving no seam or other indication that it is there. In contrast to the rough, natural tunnels and chambers you have been traveling, this room is clearly man-made. The room is round, and about 50 feet in diameter. The floor is white marble. A delicate, wrought-brass rail circles the room about 5 feet from the wall. Breaks in the rail accommodate four sets of shallow steps, leading to a sunken area in the middle of the chamber. Directly in the center of the floor is some kind of circular seal or glyph.
The walls are covered with murals, beautifully painted. On the wall behind you is a woodland scene, with elves, dryads, sprites, pixies, fauns, nymphs, and several forest creatures. The scene looks both peaceful and magical.
To your left, the woodland scene blends into a twilight scene set in a clearing. In this scene, several wemics take their ease next to a pool, while a minotaur and a centaur appear to be consulting one another about the stars, which are just beginning to shine in the purple light.
To your right, the scene shifts to a bustling port town, where tall-masted ships are being unloaded. Humans, dwarves, halflings, and gnomes all go about their business, smiling and occasionally waving to one another.
On the wall opposite you, a blue dragon is depicted on a desert mountaintop. Unlike the other scenes, which showed people and creatures in sociable, cooperative groups, the dragon stands alone.
Above the murals, the walls meet an ornate, domed ceiling.
[A closer examination of some of the room's features may yield more information.]
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=22 ; d20+1=10 ; Thursday March 29th, 2012 8:47:00 PM
"How do you leave a room with no exit...?" Wilma mused out loud, looking around her and marveling at the craftsmanship of the paintings and the handrail. OOC: Perception check totals 22. Her brother squinted for a moment, pursing his lips as he attempted to think. Suddenly Grell's mask of contemplation turned into an expression of enthusiasm.
"You make one by pounding a hole in the wall..!" he announced brightly, turning back towards the mural with the woodland scene, eyeballing the surface as his hand tightened on the pommel of his sword.
"Uhhhh..." Wilma was temporarily at a loss for words before she managed to respond: "...well, look for an outline of a door, then--you wouldn't want to dull your sword if you really don't have to..." She waited until Grell turned his attention towards looking for a tell-tale outline before returning to her own inspection of the room.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 d20+4=19 ; d20+11=13 ; Thursday March 29th, 2012 9:00:59 PM
Carver furrows his brow as the door closes behind them. He shrugs. "Don't worry. I can easily get past that door if need be, but obviously we are meant to travel in this direction." He takes a look around the room, examining the murals in close detail.
Perception check 19 Knowledge (local) check 13, to identify the figures in the mural Cast detect magic as much as needed
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+8=18 ; d20+8=26 ; d20+8=26 ; d20+8=17 ; d20+8=22 ; d20+8=15 ; Thursday March 29th, 2012 9:56:46 PM
"I wouldn't trust that if we were to reopen the door that we would find the same corridor on the other side."
Emrys releases F'aast and urges him to sit down at his feet . The bard then turns his attention to the murals and then the glyph in the center of the room. He first examines the mural of the forest and fey, it reminds him of his home in Culverheart (Perception 18). He then looks at the taurs scrutinizing the evening's stars (Perception 26). Emrys does the same with the port town (Perception 26), and finally his gaze turns to the blue dragon (Perception 17) and he tries to remember what he had learned about them (Knowledge [Arcane]: 22 vs. blue dragons, which is good enough to recall details about blue dragons up to 7 Hit Die.)
While the bard ponders these wonders, he begins to theorize as details become apparent to him. "It is quite possible these are scenes are the history of the Wold." Pointing at the forest scene, he adds, "This very well could be the cradle of the Wold, where the elves and other fey first came into existence. The next scene involving the taurs could be their discovery of Astrology and their mapping of the stars." Emrys turns to the port town and explains, "And look here, the introduction of humans, dwarves and so on. Life begins to wander the world. We progress our understanding and culture through adventure and discovery, along with the expansion of commerce." Finally, the bard comments on the blue dragon. "This scene perplexes me! It's out of place. Maybe a revelation of a time yet to come!"
(Knowledge [History]: 15, Emrys tests this theory against his knowledge of history)
Lastly, Emrys observes the glyph in the center of the room and attempts to discern if it's magical or not. (Cast Detect Magic and looks at the glyph.)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday March 29th, 2012 10:03:18 PM
(ooc: Line correction. This is what I meant to say. I so miss having editing privileges.)
"I wouldn't trust, if the door were reopened, that we'd find the same corridor on the other side."
DM Kathy Friday March 30th, 2012 12:13:00 AM Grell attempts to use his own unique problem-solving skills on the puzzle, but Wilma is able to dissuade him.
Carver and Emrys both detect for magic. There is magic present, and it seems to encompass the entire room. It is quite sophisticated, and it is difficult to tell the exact type.
Carver looks at the murals. He can tell right away that whoever painted the port-city scene had no good opinion of humans, dwarves, halflings, or gnomes. A close examination reveals that they all have rather vacuous expressions, sporting dopey grins or expressions of slack-jawed bewilderment.
Emrys notes that the wemic and fey panels, though more flattering than the port-city one, also take subtle digs at their subjects. They fey look sillier, and the taurs more brutish, than most do in real life. By contrast, the dragon in the last mural looks noble and brave.
Then Emrys examines the seal in the center of the room. It is actually a series of glyphs, set in a circle. The start and end place is fairly obvious, so it is easy to copy the glyphs into a straight line.
Of course, there's no telling what they mean....
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:15/15 d20+10=19 ; d20+10=26 ; d20+10=11 ; d20+10=11 ; d20+10=11 ; d20+10=23 ; Friday March 30th, 2012 6:44:46 AM
Vanime see that everyone seems to be focussing on the murals so decides to first check out the railing and then the step setions (without stepping onto any of them).
Railing DCs 19 and 26
Steps 11 (Natural 1), 11 (Natural 1), 11 (Natural 1) and 23 (if I am still alive)
(OOC: Geesh how many natural 1s can I roll?)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Friday March 30th, 2012 10:14:54 AM
Wilma tilted her head, ignoring the sounds of Grell knocking on this part of the wall or that in his effort to discover a hidden outline to a door. She concentrated on the circular message, noticing that some of the glyphs were repeated...
"Definitely a coded message!" the cleric said, pointing to some of the pictographs. "I'll bet that each symbol corresponds to a letter in the alphabet..." She frowned as she pondered. "I could swear I've seen something like this before, though...how did it go...?" The redhead's fair brow furrowed as she tried to remember. "I think...let's see...the most often used letters are supposed to be R, S, T and...uh...N..? If I'm recalling this right, then the most frequent vowels are E and A..." She dug around in her backpack and pulled out a piece of parchment that was supposed to be for her future ability to scribe scrolls, as well as breaking out her quill and some ink, and soon the sound of the sharpened quill tip scratching along the parchment's surface filled the chamber as a counterpoint to Grell's continued probing.
"Let's see..." she reasoned out loud as she looked at the symbols, "...that first symbol is set off by itself at the start of the sequence...and it appears by itself over here, just about in the middle of the line...there are two vowels that can make up single letter words: A and I...so let's see what happens when I substitute A for the symbol..." After much harrumphing and writing and crossing out what had been written and rewriting and more rewriting, Wilma cried out in triumph:
"Ahhh HAH! I think I've got it..!" she announced, holding out the mostly-full paper that now held scribblings of all kinds on it. Wilma pointed to a relatively legible section. "I believe that this glyph--with its symbols--is the coded riddle we need to solve. I think the riddle is:
"I have a bed but do not sleep I follow the sun but have no feet..."
The cleric of Gargul looked from the paper to the faces of the people around her and back again.
"...and I have NO idea what in the Wold that means..!"
That riddle sound like it is describing a garden of some sort. You know beds of plants, and they follow the sun and plants don't have feet.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+8=18 ; Friday March 30th, 2012 10:58:44 PM
"Yes, I agree, very good Wilma! You uncovered a riddle."
Emrys ponders a possible answer. After hearing Vaniime's solution, the bard can't help but say, "That's also a really good answer! I was thinking that a river has a bed and never sleeps. Of course, what does a river have to do with following the sun? Unless the river flowed in that direction. Then I had the idea about the Moon following the sun, but what does a bed have to... errr, that's a really good answer, Vaniime." Looking a little aggravated, Emrys just decides to shut up. He always over-thinks things like this.
Emrys takes out a journal and records the glyphs and tries to discern the root language of their origin. Maybe, possibly old draconic! (Linguistics: 18)
DM Kathy Sunday April 1st, 2012 11:46:40 PM Vaniime examines the railings and stairs, but finds no traps.
Wilma pulls out quill and parchment and gets down to work deciphering. At last, she emerges from her work, victorious, with I have a bed but do not sleep I follow the sun but have no feet. And she has no idea what that means.
Vaniime and Emrys offer suggestions. A river? The moon? Plants in a garden? Have they solved the riddle? And if so....what should they do next?
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Monday April 2nd, 2012 12:42:03 AM
"I think it means that the dragon picture is a magic door..." Grell announced suddenly. Wilma looked up from the paper she had been scribbling upon.
"How do you figure that, Little Brother?" she asked curiously.
"Because dragons can sleep anywhere they want," he explained proudly, "Not only in a bed. And they can fly across the sky...you know...? Follow the sun..? AND they can bite the feet off of anything!" He smiled expectantly.
"Ummmm..." Wilma blinked. "Well...that's a good guess...I suppose..." She glanced at the others. "Any...other guesses..? Please...?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 d20+4=24 ; Monday April 2nd, 2012 10:00:49 AM
Carver scratches his cheek. "The answer could be, 'a flower.' After all, flowers are planted in beds, and a flower turns to face the sun as it arcs across the sky."
The wizard takes a closer look at the pastoral mural, touching and inspecting each flower.
Perception (nat 20) 24
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Monday April 2nd, 2012 7:49:11 PM (second post; this one is actually for Wilma, as it was Grell who did the guessing in the previous post)
"Hmmmm...flowerrrrr..." Wilma repeated Carver's guess, more to herself than to anyone. However, she did address herself to the young wizard as she nodded slowly.
"That makes sense, too," she agreed, "If there doesn't seem to be a flower or something in any of the portraits, perhaps the key to getting out of this room is actually to go down the steps and say the answer to the riddle while you're standing there..?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+8=21 ; d20+8=25 ; Monday April 2nd, 2012 8:59:26 PM
"Does each of the murals share a specific detail ... like having the same kind of flower?" Emrys scrutinizes each of the murals (Perception 21). "Or then again, maybe it's not a flower we're looking for ... maybe this is the name of Flower, the Goddess of Love (Knowledge [Religion]:25).
The bard begins his tale with a strum of his lute. "Flower, the goddess of love, was born on the day of the First Massacre of Windhorn Hamlet. Every year, the people of the Windhorn hold a grande festival to attract people from all over the realm to travel to the Hamlet and empower the Dragon Sentinels ... the wards that keep the dragons of the bay from invading the peninsula. However, the during that fateful year, a group of BLUE DRAGONS burrowed under the Sentinels while at their weakest state. The brought with them great storms and lightning. The blue dragons wrath resulted in the deaths of every man, woman and child. So driven to rage by the killing, the god of healing, Alemi, intervened and resurrected all who were slain. Caeroldra had always been somewhat obsessed with earthly beauty along with love. The sight of a handsome man struck down in his prime was simply too much for her to bear. She had to console him -- to love him. Soon, Flower was born. Being the consort of Alemi, this act of betrayal led to Caeroldra's fall. A furious Alemi refused Caeroldra to raise the child, and sent Flower back to Windhorn Hamlet to be brought by a spinster."
Emrys continues, "The connection is uncanny! This room possibly commemorates the blue dragon's victory over the sentinels and the Windhorn Hamlet ... even if it was short-lived."
Shaking her head at Grell's contribution to the discussion, Vanime moves her way dwon the stairs to the bottom center area and does as thorough an inspection as she can, Perception DC 16
DM Kathy Monday April 2nd, 2012 11:50:51 PM Grell contributes his own brand of logic, but luckily Wilma is able to dissuade him before he dismantles the dragon mural.
Carver suggests that the answer might be a flower.
As soon as he speaks the word "flower" aloud, you hear a faint whirring sound from the ceiling. From the ornate decoration at the very pinnacle of the dome overhead--shaped, you now realize, as a giant flower--a basket is descending. Its bottom was the center of the flower decoration; it's sides are the same kind of wrought-brass as the railing in the room. It is descending on two slender chains, that rattle slightly as they unwind. It is very like the lift you rode down into the Maw, only smaller and more decorative.
As Emrys tells his tale and Vaniime examines the area, the basket descends slowly to the floor, where it exactly fits over the seal in the center. One piece of the wrought-brass side unhooks with a little click, pivoting down to form a slight ramp for boarding.
The basket is about 10 feet in diameter; there is room for all of you on it. Looking up, you can see that the chains extend into darkness above the ceiling. What awaits you up there is unknown.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Tuesday April 3rd, 2012 3:20:04 AM
"Well...how about that?" Wilma said, looking the elegant contraption up and down. "Too bad a certain gnome isn't here...he'd be drooling all over this!" The redheaded cleric made sure that the ramp was properly stable before stepping onto it and walking into the basket.
"Anyone else joining me for the ride..?" asked Wilma. Her brother had an expression that was half-scowl, half-pout.
"I thought for sure it had to do with a dragon..." he muttered, clearly disappointed that his particular theory hadn't proven correct.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Tuesday April 3rd, 2012 10:13:59 PM
"Wow ... so pleasantly rudimentary ... I guess everything else was just a distraction and any particulars gathered to glean a narrative from the imagery was merely happenstance." With a sigh, Emrys takes F'aast's leash and gently urges the poor slob onto the flower-inspired lift.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=11 ; Tuesday April 3rd, 2012 11:00:56 PM
The warrior steps onto the lift grumbling about dragons as he checks for any dangers up above them. He casts a quick look over at Vaniime, but quickly turns away in embarrassment.
DM Kathy Tuesday April 3rd, 2012 11:49:53 PM Wilma, Emrys, Grell, and F'aast step onto the lift. It seems sturdy enough to support them. The sides are about waist height.
You peer upwards, but it's too dark to see anything up there.
You realize that you're not sure how to make the lift rise again.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Wednesday April 4th, 2012 12:35:18 AM
Carver steps up onto the platform. "Might as well see if it works both ways." He clears his throat and pronounces sharply. "Flower."
Vanime quickly scrambles to join the others on the platform, scowling and sending a growl aimed at Carver as he starts trying to make the cage thing rise before she is even on it.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Wednesday April 4th, 2012 8:23:04 PM
Wilma reached out and wrapped a companionable arm around her favorite elf's shoulders.
"Don't worry, Van!" the cleric assured the spirit ranger. "I'd never let anyone leave you behind..!" The sentiment was accompanied by a smile and a squeeze of Vaniime's shoulders.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday April 4th, 2012 9:22:18 PM
If "flower" doesn't work, the bard will mockingly say, "rewolf!" If his response works, he will rub his aching head along with a slight moan.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 Wednesday April 4th, 2012 10:02:22 PM
As the others voice their commands to the lift, Grell barks out a simple command of his own..."UP!" He's tired of being down in the dank cave, tired of stupid puzzles, more than a little puzzled about that funny feeling he always gets when he's in close quarters with Vaniime, and tired of his sister hogging the limelight..yet again. Flexing his biceps and forcing them to relax, Grell tries to keep his cool after an encounter that has sorely tried his patience...but it's wearing as thin as silk loincloth in a brothel at the moment.
DM Kathy Wednesday April 4th, 2012 11:45:37 PM Carver tries the answer again, which might have been a bit of an issue as Vaniime was not yet aboard. However, "flower" does not seem to do the trick.
Emrys with bardic insight, tries "rewolf." But backwards flowers are apparently no good either. The basket stays where it is.
Grell demands that the basket ascend, but has no more luck than anyone else.
The basket is still at ground level, the ramp is still extended, and the chains do not move.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+6=26 ; Thursday April 5th, 2012 1:29:44 AM
"What's the opposite of 'flower'..?" Wilma asked, dismayed that none of their tactics were working yet. She tilted her head and thought about all the history of the Woldian gods and how the various religions viewed them, trying to recall if there was a particular God of Testing that was considered her "opposite."
"Maybe if we speak the name of Flower's opposite," she said out loud, "Then the basket might return us to the levels above...?"
OOC: Wilma is making a voluntary Knowledge: religion check; the result is a natural roll of 20--total 26.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Thursday April 5th, 2012 5:58:43 AM
Carver shrugs. "Perhaps we should simply climb the chains?"
Van looks around at the contraption Dc 23 tosee if the door is closed and to see if there apears to be a way to manually use the chains ti raise the lift. Then after a moment longer she simply says "Sun" to see if the flower will follow it.
(OOC: Hey Guys and Gals, I start spring break tomorrow and may have spotty access until thursday. I will post as often as I can)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday April 5th, 2012 6:27:53 PM
"Oh, that is an interesting idea, Vaniime. Maybe there is a sun above us in the darkness. Maybe one must simply illuminate it!" Emrys turns his bullseye lantern upward, being careful not to spill any of its oil." If there is an image of the sun above them, he will cast the Light spell upon it.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 Thursday April 5th, 2012 10:44:48 PM
It doesn't take a whole lot to get the orc raised warrior frustrated, and all this standing around in a flower basket shouting random words at the ceiling stuff sure is doing the trick. Growling, Grell looks up at the whatever binds the basket to the roof. "Just say the word and I'll climb it."
Then he has a sudden, unexpected thought. "Hey, didn't the Prof. say something about giving him a shout to get out of here?"
DM Kathy Thursday April 5th, 2012 11:39:26 PM Wilma casts about for an opposite to the deity known as Flower, but comes up blank. Emrys examines the ceiling for a clue, but doesn't see anything that inspires him.
Carver suggests simply climbing up the chains, which Grell, the man of action, is happy to volunteer for.
Vaniime, meanwhile, is examining the basket. She picks up the ramp and pivots it back into place. It locks with a little "snick."
As soon as it does, there is a small jolt, and a whirring sound. The basket begins to rise.
Up, up you go, past the beautiful murals, into the vault of the domed ceiling with all its ornate decoration. You pass up into the dark area above the ceiling. You get a vague impression of chains, gears, and pulleys before there is a sudden lurch and a disorienting tumble. And then you are sliding down a chute of some kind, faster and faster, until you land, all of you in a heap, on the floor of a massive cage.
[Everybody take 400 XP for this scene. Good job! And thanks for not solving the cipher the same hour I posted it. Makes me feel like I'm doing something. :) We'll start the next scene next week.]
Is This Part of the Test?
DM Kathy Sunday April 8th, 2012 10:35:15 PM
You land, all of you in a heap, on the floor of a massive cage.
Scrambling to your feet, and looking around, you can see that your ten-by-twenty-foot cage occupies one corner of a room. The walls, floor, and ceiling of the room are made of stone. The bars of the cage are made of iron.
Also in the cage with you is human lad about your age. It takes you a moment to recognize him, as he is not wearing his school uniform, but you soon place him as Tuck Gryphon, a student in the Monk program. (Everybody say hello to Shegger's character!)
Outside the cage is another human man, this one in his late twenties. He has brown hair and brown eyes, and he is regarding you with some measure of satisfaction. "All here, I see," he says. "Good. Please don't be alarmed. I mean you no harm, and I will release you in time. You'll be back at Maplehurst by nightfall; I promise."
Tuck HP 17 AC 16 Monday April 9th, 2012 6:40:04 PM
Tuck stands when his schoolmates appear. He smiles at them. "Well, it seems I'm not the only one in this pickle, then. I'd say it was good to see you all, but I'm sure you'd prefer to be on the other side of these bars."
Tuck is tall with a lean, muscled frame. His wavy dirty-blond hair is cut to a medium length. He sports a few days growth on his face contrasting with his boyish features. His eyes, green as a new leaf, study you from an oval face. As he stretches, you can see that he wears simple, loose-fitting clothing; brown trousers held up with a grey sash and a dark green vest.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=12 ; Monday April 9th, 2012 10:30:47 PM
Wilma nodded at the newcomer--his face was familiar, and she was more or less sure she'd seen him attending at least one or two of the same Religious Studies lectures she had attended at the Academy. For now, however, there was the matter of whomever it was that had them caged.
"If you aren't part of our test..." Wilma addressed the smug stranger, "Then who are you...and we are we in this cage..?" As she spoke, her sapphire eyes swept the stranger--as well as the room around them--to see if there was anything at all that she could notice and possibly use to the students' advantage.
OOC: made a voluntary Perception check; the total is 12.
DM Kathy Monday April 9th, 2012 10:40:30 PM Tuck introduces himself while Wilma scans the room. You see a few more details. There is a door, wood bound with iron, on the wall opposite your cage. It is shut. In a corner near the door is a desk and chair. Several books are stacked on the desk, along with some odd lumpy things you can't quite make out. The room is well-lit with torches.
"I am Udoril Fledd," the man says with an ironic little bow, "and you are here to delay your return to Professor Goodnight." The way he says the professor's name, you deduce that Udoril is not a fan.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+5=6 ; Monday April 9th, 2012 11:32:58 PM
The warrior growls at the cages..the man...the newcomer.... He's had ENOUGH of this test, ENOUGH of close quarters, and ENOUGH of surprises. He physically slams himself into the bars in front of Udoril (sheesh Str. roll is nat. 1) as he yells in Orc "Hook you hetthi prat, you bittir hit ni OUT of tlez qagi or E'hh briak tli barz jowm amj naki you pay!!"
Highlight to display spoiler: {"Look you little prat, you better let me OUT of this cage or I'll break the bars down and make you pay!!"}
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+8=21 ; Tuesday April 10th, 2012 12:08:56 AM
(sorry for not posting in time. i was working)
"What?! Another classmate? Glad to see you well, Tuck. However I hope our task isn't to locate every member of the student body in these caverns!" Emrys turns his attention to Udoril and asks, "Mr. Fledd, why do you wish to delay our return?"
(Knowledge [Local]: 21 to see if he recalls any info about Udoril Fledd.)
Tuck HP 17 AC 16/16/12 d20+7=20 ; Tuesday April 10th, 2012 9:34:39 AM
Tuck smiles at the new arrivals and then turns his attention on Udoril. Before he speaks, Tuck attempts to assess the jailer's intentions.
(Sense Motive for Hunch = 20)
He grips a bar on their cage and gives it a rough shake to determine the strength and quality of their prison.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:15/15 Tuesday April 10th, 2012 8:50:25 PM
Quickly taking out her bow, Vanime looks at the stranger down the length of the arrow.
So Mr Fledd, Can you give me a reason I shouldn't put this arrow in you?
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 Tuesday April 10th, 2012 9:32:58 PM
Carver nods to the monk, "Hello, Tuck" then approaches the bars. "This won't do at all." He peers intently at the bars for a few moments, then takes a deep breath and blinks his eyes tightly.
ooc1: Carver will use detect magic on the bars. If there is no magic...
ooc2: Carver will use his shift power to teleport to the other side of the bars.
DM Kathy d6=2 ; Tuesday April 10th, 2012 10:56:29 PM Grell, who hasn't had a good fight in at least twenty minutes, decides he's had enough and hurls himself at the bars. They do not budge. He also shouts orcish threats at your captor, who doesn't appear to understand them.
Emrys tries to recall any information about Udoril Fledd. The name seams oddly familiar. A former student at Maplehurst? You think so. There's something else, but you don't quite remember.
Tuck shakes the bars and finds them quite sturdy. You study your captor, and you get the feeling that his main quarrel is with Professor Goodnight. He's not going to be your best pal, or anything, but you think he's probably sincere when he says he doesn't intend to hurt you.
Vaniime draws her bow. So Mr Fledd, Can you give me a reason I shouldn't put this arrow in you?
"Such a polite child." He smirks. "How about, because I have they key to that cage? Do any of you know how to pick a lock?"
Meanwhile, Carver has been checking to see if they bars are magic. They are not, although something on the desk is. Also, you realize that Udoril Fledd is the man who kidnapped you earlier today.
Carver winks out of sight, and re-appears outside the bars. Fledd looks genuinely startled. "We can't have that," he says. He steps back, and casts a spell.
Carver and Grell, make a DC 13 Will save or fall asleep.
[He cast the spell at Carver; I rolled randomly to see who else might be affected. I'd like to try to do this without a map; Fledd is not within melee range, but there's no reason he can't be shot at. Except, you know, he has the key. :)]
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+6=7 ; Tuesday April 10th, 2012 11:49:13 PM
Wilma's eyes widened as a very bad feeling about all of this formed an icy ball in the pit of her stomach. Not taking her eyes off their captor, she tilted her head toward Emrys and spoke in a fierce whisper:
"Tell me that you do know how to pick a lock..."
Meanwhile, Wilma searched her own knowledge of (recent) history to see if she could recall anything at all about this Udoril Fledd.
OOC: Wilma makes a Knowledge (history) check: the result is 7 (--groan!--it's a natural 1.)
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 27/27 d20+5=20 ; Wednesday April 11th, 2012 4:15:55 AM
The sleep spell washes over Carver, but does not appear to have any effect. The young wizard narrows his eyes and flexes his fingers. "We will be leaving now." With a few quick gestures and some mumbled arcane words, Carver spreads his hands forward in a flinging motion and a vivid cone of clashing colors springs forth.
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:15/15 d20+5=13 ; d20+6=14 ; Wednesday April 11th, 2012 7:43:20 AM
Seeing Carver pop out and start his spell, Vanime decides to try and distract Mr. Fled DC 15. Yesthat might be true, but a dead body is so much easier to hook with a grappling hook and can be dragged so much more readily. That said she lets fly with the arrow. AC 14
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+4=12 ; Wednesday April 11th, 2012 5:39:17 PM
Tuck can do little inside the cage. He feels that attacking Udoril is premature, but that ship has sailed, as they say. He deftly plucks a javelin from his back and moves a good distance from Vaniime to hopefully stay clear of any spells that Udoril might launch at his attacker.
Tuck holds the javelin unless he or one of his new friends are attacked with a spell or weapon with the intention of hurting them.
(Ready attack against a damaging attack or spell from Udoril. Hits AC 12)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday April 11th, 2012 9:38:25 PM
Emrys stays still and quiet. He doesn't believe any harm will come to the others ... yet, anyway. After all, if Fledd wanted us dead, we'd probably be dead. The bard will pick his time ... if Fledd is a villain, and if this breed of villain desires to give a monologue, the best time to do anything is near his speech's conclusion. Yes ... hubris leads to the fall of every nemesis.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=21 ; d20+5=15 ; d20+1=3 ; Wednesday April 11th, 2012 10:26:18 PM
Grell is suddenly overcome with the almost overwhelming compulsion to sleep. His muscle bound arms grow tired, his eyes begin to droop, and his legs beg for rest. it has been a LONG, frustrating day and it would be so easy to give in to curl up in the corner and rest for a few minutes. Just a short little nap. It's not like they need him right now anyway. Then something snaps in his brain, and he realizes that this is not a normal tiredness...that little %$@! just cast a SPELL on him!!! Grell miraculously manages to shake off the spell (natural 20!!) and heads toward what looks like a weak spot in the bars (Wisdom=3...sheesh) and tries to bend them out of his way. (Str=15). His pupils mere slits, the warrior is now beyond reason and clearly bent on killing the spellcaster.
DM Kathy d20+5=23 ; d20+9=29 ; d20+9=13 ; d6=3 ; Wednesday April 11th, 2012 10:42:56 PM Wilma gets a bad feeling about this, and tries to remember more about Udoril Fledd. She comes up empty, however.
Emrys, genre-savvy bard that he is, reasons that if the villain wants to monologue, the best thing to do is let him get on with it. Unfortunately, Emrys's companions have other ideas.
Grell manages to shake the effects of the Sleep spell, and now he's really angry. He hurls himself at the bars, and winds up with a bruised shoulder for his trouble.
Carver, too, shakes the effects of the spell, then casts one of his own. Udoril Fledd doesn't even flinch [Will save 23].
Vaniime fires an arrow, which seems to skip off some kind of protective forcefield.
Fledd draws a shortbow and arrow. "You don't want to take me on, kid," he tells Carver, then fires a shot. It strikes solidly, but not critically [whew!]. Carver feels a burning sting, but worse than that is the sudden, leaden heaviness that washes through his system. [Carver, take 3 points of damage and make a Fort save, DC 13, or fall unconscious.]
When Fledd fires his shot, Tuck hurls a javelin at him, but it, too, seems to skip off an invisible forcefield.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 Wednesday April 11th, 2012 11:34:43 PM
Wilma really hated being right...
"I don't get it!" the cleric complained, stamping one foot and trying to sound as childish as possible. "This isn't fair! We followed the Professor's rules, and now there's all this cheating going on! Why can't we just go-o-o-o-o-o...?" Wilma made sure to put extra "whine" in her tone, mentally crossing her fingers that her "tantrum" would prompt their captor to reveal more about himself and his motives. She had no spell that could help open the cage, so she now had to rely on a tactic that had once served her well--when she was a toddler and was trying to get her way with her parents.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Thursday April 12th, 2012 3:24:57 PM
"Magic," Tuck breathes as he watches first Vaniime's arrow and then his javelin deflected. He starts to think quickly of another way out of their situation.
"Save your arrows," he says to Vaniime. "He has some kind of protection spell up."
He then moves to the door to the cage and squats down to examine the locking mechanism for the cage. "I don't suppose any of you can pick a lock." Looking around, he sees Grell trying desperately to get through the bars.
"Hey, big guy! You got anything you can hit this with?" He points to the lock.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+8=15 ; 2d6+7=11 ; Thursday April 12th, 2012 11:11:54 PM
Grell spins on Tuck, still largely unable to process words and reason. Thankfully, he sees Tuck pointing at the lock. Practicing his breathing techniques, Grell tries to calm his mind enough to be able to listen to Vaniime. "Where do I hit it Van?" Once he has been instructed on the best place to hit the lock, the warrior holds his massive sword upside down and bashes the pommel into the lock at the weak spot. (AC 15 for 11damage).
OOC: Kathy, I didn't have the time to research home to calculate the damage that a blunt strike with the pommel of a sword might do, so I rolled a regular combat roll. Adjust as needed please.
DM Kathy Friday April 13th, 2012 12:36:13 AM Carver, who had so readily shaken off the Sleep spell, is no match for the poison [OOC: yes, it is Drow poison]. He slumps to the floor, unconscious.
Emrys stays where he is, while Tuck and Vaniime turn their attention to the lock. It's pretty solid, made of iron. None of you have been trained to pick locks, so you aren't sure how good the locking mechanism is.
They request Grell's assistance, and he obligingly smashes his pommel into the lock. CLAAAANG!!! Grell feels the vibrations all the way up to the elbows. Examining the lock, you think you may have scratched it a bit.
Wilma, engaging in a bit of psychological warfare, stamps her foot and whines that it isn't fair. Fledd regards her with a kind of baffled contempt.
"Oh, sure they expel me," he grumbles. "But she'll probably graduate with honors. Idiots."
He turns to the three of you at the lock. "And you children, behave yourselves, or I'll put you down for a nap as well."
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+8=16 ; Friday April 13th, 2012 1:39:27 PM
Grell snarls at the man, very much the embodiment of a wild animal as he slams the sword home once more on the lock (AC16...how DO I calculate damage?). Grell curses the close quarters which prevent him from maneuvering his big bulky sword to the right angel to pop off the lock. If (pant) I could just (grunt) get my arm over here... he mentally complains as he tries to push himself through the bars into the right position.
His arm still wedged in between the bars, arms numb from the impact of the blows and sweat breaking out on his forehead, Grell looks over at his whining sister in contempt. She had always portrayed herself as the wise one, the natural leader...the Chosen One...even the mental recitation of those words cause the acid in his stomach to churn. But look at her now. When push comes to shove, who was the one busting their butt trying to save their friends, and who was busy throwing temper tantrums? So *this* is how the speeeecial daughter...the one chosen by Gargul himself before she was conceived...destined for greatness...the child taken away from her Mother and Father to be raised up in Gargul's own temple...this is how the GREAT and MIGHTY Wilma Grell behaves when the going gets rough?!
The look that Grell shoots over at his older sister is one of pure contempt at her weakness. Hmmmph...we'll see what Dad thinks of *this* the next time I see him! Grell contemplates about his tribal orc clan and their reaction to the story. ]I'll bet if they found out, Grell would ban her form the clan!![/i] Grell has a twinge of guilt at the thought process. Wilma might not be his favorite person in the world, but she *is* family. No, he wouldn't ever tell anyone of her apparent weakness in battle...but that didn't mean he wouldn't remind her of it every once in a while...just to make sure she stayed humble.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Friday April 13th, 2012 3:41:02 PM
Tuck moves to another corner of the cell so that Grell can hammer at the lock.
"Tell us what you intend to do with us, Udoril. If it's Professor Midnight that you dislike, why sabotage us?"
Frustrated by the goings ons, Vanime shrugs off her back for a moment. Scrounging through the inside of her pack, Van removes a hammer and an iron spike. placing the end of the spike in the key hole Van takes the hammer and pounds the spike with the hammer several times.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Friday April 13th, 2012 7:42:59 PM
"Zzzzz.... zzzzz.... zzzzz...."
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Saturday April 14th, 2012 11:51:47 AM
(ooc: An iron or steel lock has a Hardness of 10 and 30 hitpoints per inch of thickness. Hardness is basically Damage reduction. You have to do more than 10 points of damage per hit to do any damage to the lock at all. For example, if you hit the lock and deal 12 points of damage, the lock will only take 2 points of damage.)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20=20 ; Sunday April 15th, 2012 2:39:18 AM
Wilma's heart rose when Carver's ploy appeared to work--and then plunged when it failed. Dang.
Well, at least Udoril Fledd seemed to be willing to talk about himself--hopefully he would talk enough so that someone could actually do some damage to the man. Wilma was pretty sure that Fledd was too smart to be tricked out of the key he claimed to hold. Her eyebrows twitched when he let slip the fact that he had been expelled from the academy.
"I don't believe you!" the redhead said heatedly, putting as much petulance into her tone as possible. "Anybody who's been clever enough to keep an eye on us invisibly, plus arrange for the appearance of extra monsters...plus have this really strong and inescapable cage waiting for us in case we actually activated that elevator...well, you have to be working for the Professor! You have to be trying to cheat us! The Professor wouldn't dare do anything as monumentally stupid as to expel you for anything..."
Even as she said this out loud, the young cleric was silently praying that her subtle stroking of Fledd's ego would get him to reveal more about himself--maybe they would get extremely lucky and be able to lure Fledd close enough to the cage so that Grell could finally stab something not liable to break his blade...
OOC: I am thinking that this is probably a Charisma check versus Fledd's Wisdom, but since I'm not sure which stats the DM would be comparing to what...I'm just rolling the d20...for a natural 20. Hooray! Wilma is finally effective with...something.
DM Kathy Sunday April 15th, 2012 10:37:12 PM Grell is completely fooled by his sister's petulant act, and takes a moment to reflect how much more awesome he is. He continues trying to hammer the lock with his sword [go ahead and use normal sword damage, and I'll deduct hardness].
Tuck asks Fledd about his intentions. "I'm not going to do anything with you, like I said," he replies. "Just hold you here for a little while. Long enough for them to get worried. Long enough for the great and wonderful Professor Goodnight to have to run calling for help."
Wilma continues working her psychological angle. Fledd does seem to respond to the flattery. "Well, he did get me expelled," he says. "Clearly, he's not as smart as you think he is. You're pretty clever yourself, but I promise you I'm not working with the professor and I'm not trying to cheat you. When he has to go running for help, everyone will see he's not as infallible as he thinks he is. He's careless with people's lives. They need to see that."
Vaniime pulls tools out of her pack and begins working on the lock. [Make a Strength check to break the lock, with a +4 bonus for the tools you're using.]
Fledd looks annoyed. "I told you to stop that!" he says to Grell and Vaniime, who are persisting with the lock. He points his wand directly at the two of you. "Stop that now!"
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=10 ; Monday April 16th, 2012 2:31:57 AM
Wilma tossed her head and tilted it to one side, her eyes narrowing as she eyed Fledd with obvious suspicion.
"I never heard of you getting expelled..." she said, sounding half-accusing and half-curious, "...if the Professor supposedly expelled you, then what was it for..? And why didn't we ever hear of it? I mean--I'm stuck with temple duty when I'm not studying, so maybe I, personally, wouldn't have heard the gossip, but for sure Teelie Dwen and Amya Rellis would have found out and been happy to blab it all over the school..."
Inwardly, Wilma was wondering if Gargul wouldn't mind if she took a course or two in the Arcane Arts, because she would happily have killed for a humble Mage Hand cantrip...especially in regards to the lumpy bits on the desk that she continued to sneak surreptitious glances at in order to identify what they were...
OOC: Oh, brother! Wilma's attempt at Perception is a mere 10. Sheesh!
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 2d6+7=17 ; Monday April 16th, 2012 8:43:55 AM
As Grell watches Van work with her tools, a thought forms in his dim little mind. Sheathing his sword, he slaps his hand to his face and slowly lets his palm slide down his face. WHY didn't he remember the crow bar he bought before he came down here?!! Stupid Wilma! She distracted him! It's impossible to think with all her whining going on!!
Reaching around, he fishes around in his backpack, using his fingers to try and identify items by touch. Ahh...there's the small signal whistle... OWWW!! His finger is pricked on two diminutive blades. That would be the action figures of his Mom and Dad.. Shifting his hand, his index finger bumps into something cold and thick. Slowly sliding his fingers up it's length, a grin breaks out on his face. He slowly removes the crow bar, not taking his eyes off Fledd. Once he's removed the crow bar, he keeps it hidden behind his back. The guy was getting edgy, and it was only a matter of time before he used that wand. So Grell figures he's got one shot at this.
Grell whispers over to Vaniime in Orcish, hoping she'll get some of what he's saying. "E got a qrow bar, wlim E zay tli worj, E'n gomma try amj pop tli hoqk."
Highlight to display spoiler: {"I got a crow bar, when I say the word, I'm gonna try and pop the lock."}
OOC: 17 damage from last round. Also, I'm not sure I can pull of all those actions, but he isn't moving, so I'm hoping for a little DM leniency. ;)
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Monday April 16th, 2012 4:17:00 PM
"He was careless with your life," Tuck says, attempting to keep Udoril's attention. "Please tell me. If there's something I should know about the the good professor that will keep me safe, I would like to know." The young monk uses a heavy dose of sarcasm when speaking of Goodnight in attempt to get Udoril on his side.
"I don't want my life in his hands," he continues speaking to Udoril. "I'd prefer to make it through on my talents."
Just as she was about to strike the iron spike Grell leans over and whispers in her ear and Vanime completely misses the spike with the hammer nearly throwing her arm out as she manages to avoid hitting her knee with the hammer.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday April 16th, 2012 9:48:36 PM
"That is enough! I will not allow you to harm them any further." Emrys chants a few words of power and the wand in Fledd's hand begins to become coated in a greasy, ectoplasmic gunk.
(Cast Grease spell on the wand. Reflex save DC 16. If Fledd fails, he drops the wand to the floor. If he saves, he must make Reflex saves each round to keep hold of it.)
DM Kathy d20+8=23 ; Monday April 16th, 2012 11:20:21 PM Grell, using his head, pulls out a crowbar and prepares to use it. Vaniime, next to him, fumbles her strike at the lock.
Wilma and Tuck continue trying to draw Fledd out. "I don't expect you will have heard about it," Fledd tells Wilma. "It was a bit before your time." Indeed, from the look of him, Fledd is about 10 years older than you guys, so he would have been expelled a while ago. "He said I cheated, which was a lie. I just succeeded in a way he didn't like, so he decided to take it out on me. It wasn't fair."
Emrys casts his spell, but Fledd retains control of his wand [save 23].
"I warned you!" Fledd says, and points the wand at Grell and Vaniime. You each need to make a Will save, DC 13, or fall asleep.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Monday April 16th, 2012 11:32:06 PM Zzzzz....zzzzz....zzzzz....
Vanime feigns dozing off and then looks back at Fledd. "Oops, You're not very smart are you?" (elven immunity to sleep)
Picking up her tools she once again tries smacking the lock with the hammer and spike this time making a perfect strike. DC 27 Natural 20) (ooc. Geesh feast of famine with me)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+2=21 ; Tuesday April 17th, 2012 8:01:37 AM
This whole thing wasn't going at all well. Wilma chewed her lip, wishing that Carver was awake. He was a little too far away for her to try to poke with her quarterstaff. Even if she stretched her arms to their longest and held her staff by the very tip, it wouldn't reach. If only she had a sling instead of her crossbow bolts, then she could try tossing a stone at him to wake him up. Too bad she didn't have anything she could throw...
...then, she, too, mentally smacked her forehead--of course she had something to throw..! Wilma shrugged off her backpack and rummaged through it, looking for the golden cup that had been found along with the potion bottles. It didn't take long to find.
"Ahhhh!" she said triumphantly, then took one of her waterskins and poured herself a cup of water...which she promptly aimed and tossed in Carver's direction...
OOC: the water hits AC 21...and (I hope) wakes up Carver.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Tuesday April 17th, 2012 5:15:40 PM
"What was the test?" Tuck asks Udoril, genuinely curious now.
This man had held a grudge against Goodnight for a while. It didn't seem that Udoril's current act of holding the professor's students captive for a few hours would alleviate ten years of angst. Tuck hoped that Udoril didn't have anything more sinister up his sleeve.
"Why take us captive, Udoril?" Tuck tries to coax their captor into expressing his intentions. "Why not move directly on Goodnight?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+9=20 ; Tuesday April 17th, 2012 7:37:11 PM
(Save reminder: Another Reflex 16 or Fledd drops the wand.)
Responding to Tuck's question about why Fledd's reluctance to face Goodnight directly, "Tuck, isn't it obvious?" He gives Tuck a slight nod and a look. "Fledd is obviously hesitant to meet with Professor Goodnight. Not all students have the nerve to confront their Master, especially when they fail to make the grade." (Intimidate 20, to make his words sound more menacing)
Emrys hopes his comments are inflammatory enough to draw Fledd's attention away from the lockpickers.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+1=16 ; d20+9=10 ; d20+9=10 ; Tuesday April 17th, 2012 10:28:36 PM
There's that feeling again...that tiring of his limbs, the heaviness in his eyelids. But Grell is not fooled this time (Will=16). Not for a minute. That was a SPELL! Grell feels the anger rise up inside him once more. This guy was really getting on his nerves!! Whipping the crow bar from behind his back, he places it on the top part of the lock and wrenches with all his might...and ends up pulling a muscle in his back!! (Str. check natural one...use of Hero point I emailed DM about results in....oh wait...a natural one. It wasn't meant to be!) Grell winces at the burning sensation that is spreading through his lower back. He tries to keep a fierce look on his face, though with the pain he's in, it undoubtedly ends up looking more than a little awkward.
DM Kathy d20+9=17 ; Tuesday April 17th, 2012 11:32:35 PM Tuck and Emrys continue talking to Fledd. "Confront him? That's not the point. The point is to discredit him, and--ah, you're just kids. You wouldn't understand."
Wilma has a bright idea, and sends a stream of water arcing at Carver. It's unclear from the description how to awaken somebody who's been hit by Drow poison, so here is my ruling: Carver, make another Fort save [DC 13] with a +2 circumstance bonus. If you succeed, you wake up.
Grell manages to save again, and wields the crowbar to no effect. Vaniime, immune to the spell, wields her spike and hammer to much better effect. With a clunk-thunk!, the lock pops and the cage door swings open.
"No!" Fledd shouts. He drops the wand (apparently on purpose, though it's hard to say) and takes up his bow again. He fires a shot at Vaniime, but it skitters off her armor. [Hit AC 17]
[We are in combat rounds. Again, I want to try to run this without a map. Let me know if you have questions.]
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+5=20 ; d6+5=11 ; Tuesday April 17th, 2012 11:56:47 PM
Wilma's instinct was to leap forward--toward where Carver was lying, swinging her quarterstaff in an arc as she went to the fallen wizard's side. Her waterskin and the cup fell to the floor of her former prison as she did so.
"Get away from him, you..!" the redheaded cleric roared, her weapon whistling through the air towards Fledd.
OOC: Wilma is (as described) moving and attacking Fledd in order to keep Carver from further harm. Her instinctive attack hits AC20 for 11hp Blunt damage. (Hooray! Wilma finally got an apparently effective roll!!!
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+7=20 ; d6+7=10 ; Wednesday April 18th, 2012 12:24:09 AM
Crow bar still in hand, Grell pounces forward and lashes out at Fledd, He tries to be careful not to crush the man's skull, but all his pent up rage gets the better of him as the crow bar swings toward his enemy. (AC 20 for 10...used the stats for a Warhammer...figured it would be pretty close).
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday April 18th, 2012 1:45:25 AM
Emrys exits the cage and holds out his stretched hand toward the wand and says, "Abra barada pocus." He concentrates to push and roll Fledd's discarded wand across the floor toward his feet, doing his best to maneuvering it around the combatants.
(Casting Prestidigitation. As stated above, Emrys isn't attempting to lift the wand, he is merely push and rolling the wand across the floor, which is within the spells abilities.)
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 d20+3=5 ; Wednesday April 18th, 2012 12:38:22 PM
ooc: Fortitude save 5. Dang it! Thanks for the effort, Wilma.
The water splashes on Carver to no effect.
However... from out of Carver's robes emerges a small black squirrel. It pokes its head around for a moment, assessing the situation, then runs for the dropped wand. It grasps it in its teeth and runs away, trying to get underneath the desk and out of reach.
ooc: My familiar has a Strength score of 3 and a Light load carrying capacity of 10 lbs. Its movement is 20ft. I don't really know if this would count as "picking up an item," since the squirrel is only a few inches tall when all four legs. It isn't really bending over or anything to grab the wand.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+6=17 ; Wednesday April 18th, 2012 3:52:54 PM
As soon as the cage door opens, Tuck is out like a dart, weaving through his allies to get to Udoril. His right hand flashes out to snatch a hold on the mage's clothes, his left follows up to the poor man's neck in an attempted collar tie.
(Attempted grapple check = 17; has Improved Grapple so no attack of opportunity)
Vaniime AC 18/14/14, HP:15/15 Wednesday April 18th, 2012 7:04:05 PM
Vanime seeing that Udoril is more than engaged, the elf darts over to Carver, momentarily startled by the squirrell's appearance and then lifting Carver's head, gives it a solid but not daming slap on each cheek, in an attempt to wake him.a
DM Kathy d20+8=11 ; Thursday April 19th, 2012 12:17:44 AM Wilma charges out of the cage and clonks Fledd a solid blow with a quarterstaff. Her brother Grell, barely a step behind, follows up with a blow from the crowbar. Fledd staggers.
Emrys uses a minor spell to skip the wand around the room. Carver's familiar runs over and picks it up.
Tuck tries to get hold of Fledd, but the man is just a little too nimble.
Vaniime spends the round waking Carver. Carver, you can act next round.
Fledd draws a short sword. "All right, I've had enough of this nonsense!" He stabs at Tuck, but his wild slash goes wide.
Fledd: AC 17, CMD 19, injured
DM Kathy (update) Thursday April 19th, 2012 1:57:14 AM
I misunderstood what Emrys posted. The wand is over by Emrys. Carver, if you still want your familiar to pick up the wand, it will need to make a DC 16 Reflex save (although I thought Grease was 1 round/level?).
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+3=6 ; d3=2 ; d20+3=22 ; d6+3=5 ; Thursday April 19th, 2012 4:16:35 PM
When Udoril slashes at Tuck, the monk loses all pretense of attempting to subdue the mage without harm. "You want to get hurt," he growls.
Tuck throws a crisp jab, which Udoril easily avoids, but follows up with a powerful cross, catching him in the mouth.
(Flurry of blows; Hits AC 6 (miss), Hits AC 22 for 5 damage. The d3 roll was a slip, please disregard.)
Seeing Carver waking Van quickly rises, drawing her sword and charges Udoril ending right beside him with a overhead diagonal slash and misses dropping her weapon.
(OOC Really, Another natural 1, Arghhh!!!!.)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday April 19th, 2012 7:48:49 PM
(Thanks Kathy :) btw, Grease is 1 min/level)
After gently shoo'ing the squirrel away, "Sorry, little fella ... I got it," Emrys places the open palm of his hand down over the wand and concentrates to drop the Grease spell (standard action). After doing so, he then picks it up and points it at Fledd. (move-equivalent action).
The bard bellows out a threat to Fledd. "DROP YOUR SWORD!! Or you'll find your eternal rest from the end of this wand ... and a coup de grace from Grell's blade!
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Thursday April 19th, 2012 10:11:49 PM
The squirrel gives you a petulant look, then runs back to the safety of Carver's robes.
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+7=15 ; 2d6+7=13 ; Thursday April 19th, 2012 10:14:51 PM
The crow bar clatters noisely to the ground and Grell draws his massive sword. He hold his hand to see if Fledd gives up. If not, then he brings down the flat of his sword, trying to be careful not to kill the man. (AC 16 (left of the weapon bonus) for 13).
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=13 ; Thursday April 19th, 2012 10:52:53 PM
Wilma quickly checked Carver over, drawing a few pungent buds from her healer's kit and crushing them between her fingertips, which she then waved under the young wizard's nose to revive him completely from the effects of the sleep poison.
"You okay...?" she asked as she tended to him, frowning as her sapphire eyes swept Carver from head to toe.
OOC: Wilma's Heal check is a total of 13.
DM Kathy d4=4 ; Friday April 20th, 2012 12:49:50 AM Tuck takes off the gloves (metaphorically speaking; he wasn't actually wearing any) and swings at Fledd. He strikes a solid blow.
Vaniime takes a swing, but misses badly.
Wilma does a quick check on Carver, but he should be fine now. Carver, you can now act freely.
Grell trades his improvised weapon for a sword, and also takes a swing at Fledd, but just misses.
Emrys retrieves the wand and points it menacingly at Fledd, demanding his surrender.
Fledd sneers. "Educational standards at Maplehurst have really fallen, I see," he says. "That wand is of no further use to me, fool, which is why I dropped it. Meanwhile--" he steps back and casts another spell, pointing this time at Grell.
Grell is hit with a Cause Fear spell. If he makes a Will save, DC 13, he is Shaken for 1 round; otherwise he is Frightened for 4 rounds.
Recovering, Vanime quickly scoops up her sword and from the floor, angles an upward strike at Udoril, catching him solidly at just below the hip. AC 22 for 11 points damage.
"Haven't you ever heard of a feint before?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Friday April 20th, 2012 8:35:00 AM
Carver stands up, obvious annoyance on his face. Once more he twitches his hands in arcane gestures and mumbles words under his breath. He flings his hands forward and a rainbow burst shoots toward Fledd.
ooc: Color Spray, DC 15 Will save.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+3=8 ; d20+3=14 ; Friday April 20th, 2012 3:04:23 PM
Tuck moves with Udoril and flurries again, whiffing badly on two more punches.
"Control your anger, Tuck," he growls at himself with narrowed eyes and gritted teeth, a flush creeping up his next to his face.
OOC - Flurry of blows AC 8 & 14, both misses
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Friday April 20th, 2012 6:59:55 PM
Not the least bit annoyed that the wand is spent. He quickly tucks it away for safe keeping and snaps back at Fledd, "Who's the bumbling fool now! "Abra barada pocus!!" The full length and hilt of Fledd's sword becomes slathered in a greasy ooze.
Emrys seriously considered greasing the floor, but he didn't want to chance tripping up his friends.
(Casting Grease on Fledd's sword. Duration: 2 minutes. Reflex save DC 16 or he drops the sword. He must make a Reflex Save 16 each round he attempts to hold or use the sword. IF he had dropped the sword, he must make a Reflex save to pick it up, while taking AoO from all combatants within range. )
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+5=12 ; d6+5=9 ; Saturday April 21st, 2012 2:26:45 PM
"HEY!!!" Wilma shouted angrily. "Nobody casts a spell at my brother..!" In her outrage, the young cleric instinctively lifted her staff and attempted to clout Fledd upon his head.
OOC: Wilma hits AC12 for 9hp Blunt damage...assuming she connects.
DM Kathy d20+8=27 ; d20+5=16 ; d20+8=25 ; d6=6 ; d20+8=23 ; Sunday April 22nd, 2012 10:01:22 PM Vaniime recovers her balance, because she totally meant to do that! Her next blow draws blood, and now Fledd looks badly hurt.
Tuck flurries again, to no avail. Wilma also swings and misses.
Emrys casts another Grease spell, but Fledd holds onto his weapon (Reflex 27).
Carver stands and casts a Color Spray. Fledd blinks and shakes his head, but in the end, he does not succumb (Will 16).
He snarls at you all. "Stupid kids! You're ruining everything!" This time, he stabs at Vaniime with his short sword and connects (AC 25) for 7 damage. He keeps hold of his sword (Reflex 23).
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20 d20+2=9 ; Sunday April 22nd, 2012 10:15:00 PM
In horror, Grell watches as Fledd's face suddenly shifts and warps, revealing his true form. Sharp fangs grow where his incisors were, and his facial skin is quickly covered in dark fur. In just a matter of seconds, the villain is completely transformed into a strange human/worg hybrid! Grell hold his sword in front of him with shaking hands as he begins to rapidly back peddle away from Fledd. "Www...www...wwww.....worg..." is about the best he can stammer as the fear completely takes over (Will=9). He looks over at Wilma in complete terror. "GET AWAY from that thing!!"
A bit stunned by being hit, Van hears Grells cry and tries really hard to see what he is seeing perception 10 but sees no difference in her opponent so strikes out again at Fledd. AC 18 for 10 more points of damage
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+3=18 ; d6+3=7 ; d20+3=19 ; d6+3=5 ; Monday April 23rd, 2012 4:11:53 PM
Seeing that Udoril is getting desperate, Tuck decides that now is the time to press the attack. He throws a powerful left hook that crashes into Udoril's right cheek and follows with a jumping knee, catching the mage clean on the chin.
(Flurry of blows hits AC 18 for 7 damage and AC 19 for 5 damage)
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d6=5 ; Monday April 23rd, 2012 6:39:23 PM
Wilma's face pinched into a scowl.
"HEAL!!!" she commanded in a booming voice, both hands gripping her staff as a bright burst of healing energy extirpated from her. "And, SOMEbody just kill this jerk already..!"
OOC: Wilma's last Channel Energy of the day heals her allies for 5hp.
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Monday April 23rd, 2012 7:11:31 PM
Carver backs up until his back is against the wall, then casts Color Spray again.
DM Kathy Monday April 23rd, 2012 10:20:41 PM Grell's remarkable string of successful Will saves is broken at last, and he begins babbling something about Worgs and cringing in terror.
Vaniime, wondering what the fuss is about, takes another large chunk out of Fledd. Tuck finishes him off with a nice one-two combination that puts Udoril Fledd down for the count.
Carver prepares to cast a spell, but it is unnecessary.
Wilma heals her companions.
Grell continues to be fearful for a few rounds, but eventually comes back to himself. Meanwhile, there is a room to explore. Not to mention the unconscious Fledd.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) d20+2=20 ; d8=2 ; d20+2=13 ; d8=8 ; Monday April 23rd, 2012 10:29:27 PM "STUPID!? You're the one who's proven to be the imbecile!" Emrys growls as he draws out his bow, loads a bolt and fires! No one calls him stupid!
(Hit AC: 20. Damage: 2. Hero point to re-roll damage: 8!!! Please disregard the 2nd d20 roll, that was an accident.)
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday April 23rd, 2012 10:31:59 PM
Sorry, my post was a minute after yours. Am I allowed to take back my hero point? I rarely ever hit, I so wanted to do more than just 2 damage. Alas, I was late and our foe is already slain. :(
DM Kathy Monday April 23rd, 2012 11:24:00 PM
[Sure, consider that Hero Point unspent. :) ]
Vanime slides to the ground a moment after Udoril does, reaching for her wound as she feels the familiar rush of her best friend's healing energy course through her body, erasing much of the damage done by the sword strike. Feeling much better, Van leans over Udoril and cleans off her blade using his clothes as her rag. Standing she shakes her head and addresses her companions.
"You know, I still don't remember him or even remember hearing about him. Seems such a shame. Now do you think we should take him with us when we go?"
She pauses a moment, looking back at the cage lift.
"Umm gys, how do you suppose we get out of here now?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Tuesday April 24th, 2012 11:07:44 AM
ooc: "There is a door, wood bound with iron, on the wall opposite your cage. It is shut. In a corner near the door is a desk and chair. Several books are stacked on the desk, along with some odd lumpy things you can't quite make out. The room is well-lit with torches."
Carver will search the desk, including the books and odd lumpy things. "Someone should tie him up. If we don't have any rope, you could cut a few strips from his clothing to make a gag and some bindings. Searching him for a key would also be good."
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 d20+7=13 ; Tuesday April 24th, 2012 6:10:03 PM
Tuck stands over the fallen Udoril, his fists clenched and sweat covering his arms and face, ready to strike again should the mage rise. The blaze in his green eyes dims as Tuck senses that Udoril will not be getting back up soon.
Benedict has sage advice and Tuck produces rope from his backpack and binds Udoril's hands behind his back. (Escape Artist check = 24 to escape bonds or Strength Check = 24 to burst silk rope)
"He's bleeding," Tuck informs the others. "Could someone with more skill than me check him to make sure he won't die?"
After Udoril's been stabilized, Tuck pats him down, turning pockets inside-out, relieving the mage of even the tiniest object. (Perception 13) He sets every item he finds out upon the floor.
The dusty-haired teen looks over what he's found and then up at his new friends. "Is everyone else alright? I don't think I took any damage."
DM Kathy Tuesday April 24th, 2012 10:33:20 PM Vaniime takes a moment to recover, then asks about a way out.
Carver takes a break from searching the desk to gently point out the very obvious door that leads out of the room. Perhaps Vaniime is still a little woozy.
Tuck ties up the prisoner. [OOC: Monks can choose to do non-lethal damage, and I assumed that's what you were doing. If that's the case, there's no need to stabilize him; he'll be fine.]
On the prisoner, you find masterwork studded leather armor, a short sword, a masterwork short bow, and a quiver. Inside the quiver are 10 plain arrows and three arrows with green tips. In his belt pouch are masterwork thieves' tools, a vial of antitoxin, and a potion of Invisibility. The potion bears a label from the Catacombs.
The books on the desk are: a book about the Maw, a book about poisons, and Dungeons: A Beginner's Guide by Professor Jervis Goodnight. The latter has sarcastic comments written in the margins.
One of the odd lumpy things is a leather bag containing 5 gems. The other appears to be Fledd's scarf and hat.
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP18/20 d20+8=26 ; d20+8=15 ; Wednesday April 25th, 2012 2:35:37 AM
Wilma checked over her brother first to determine that the magical Fear enchantment had worn off (or, at least, that it soon would.) Then she double-checked their former captor to make sure that he was still alive.
He was, it seemed, and was in no immediate danger of departing the Wold...unless he tried to do something to Grell again. Then the cleric would be more than happy to dispatch the twit off to Gargul's realm and let the god of life and death decide where he belonged.
"That was great teamwork!" Wilma said approvingly. "I'm only sorry that I had to resort to throwing a pretend hissy fit! I really do need to work on anticipating which spells may be the most useful in a dungeon." She looked at the now-mostly-healed Vaniime and grimaced. "You know that I prayed for the spell to enchant sling missiles--Magic Stone--and I don't even carry a sling..???" She shook her red head in dismay. "Talk about useless! Ah, well...at least I can change it out for a healing spell if we need it." She looked at the hat and the scarf.
"Are those magic?" she asked. "If not, we can use the scarf to tie this jerk up..."
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Wednesday April 25th, 2012 2:37:51 AM
OOC: Forgot to adjust Wilma's hit points; also need to clarify the above rolls--the first one (26) was a Heal check to diagnose Grell; the second one (15) was another Heal check to make sure Fledd was relatively healthy.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Wednesday April 25th, 2012 4:06:26 PM
Tuck pulls once more on the ropes binding Uodril before he is satisfied that they are tight enough. "Well, he won't die. We should take him with us and give him to the authorities."
"These are what I've pulled off him," Tuck gestures at the items he has laid out. "There's no sense not making use of them. The armor and bow look well-made."
The green-eyed youth stays close to Udoril to ensure he doesn't attempt an escape or something even more dastardly.
I am a bit sore still but I should be fine unless he has a couple of friends waiting for us behind that door.
Vanime takes a moment to really look over the room to see if there is anything they might have missed. Perception dc 27
I agree we should take him with us and perhaps give him to the professors and that his belongings are now forfeit to us for our use or disposal, as we see fit.
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Wednesday April 25th, 2012 7:04:19 PM
"Good question, Wilma. I will discern if they're mundane ... or interesting." Emrys mutters a few words of a divination and studies the items strewn before him.
(Casting Detect Magic. He will concentrate on all the items, including the hat, scarf, and the so-called "uncharged" wand, for any magical auras.)
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 d20+11=21 ; d20+11=24 ; d20+11=27 ; d20+11=18 ; d20+11=28 ; d20+11=15 ; d20+11=24 ; d20+11=20 ; Wednesday April 25th, 2012 8:53:32 PM
"Tuck, I suggest you give our new friend a kindly thump on the head periodically to ensure that he continues to stay asleep. Also, stripping him to his underwear will make sure that he isn't hiding anything and keep him as harmless as possible. Take everything. I will get to identifying his belongings. "
ooc: I suggest Tuck deal non-lethal damage to Fledd once per minute or so to keep him in negative hit points.
Take everything from the desk. Cast detect magic on everything. Spellcraft checks: 21, 24, 27, 18, 28, 15, 24, 20
Grell AC 22/14/19, HP16/20, Wednesday April 25th, 2012 10:21:45 PM
Grell grumbles the entire time of Wilma's inspection. "I'm FINE...quit poking me! It's just I'm still a little weak from when that mouther thingy munched on me..." Grell is more than happy to watch guard over Fledd, willing to do what it takes to even the score if the jerk tries to pull anything else.
DM Kathy Wednesday April 25th, 2012 10:47:50 PM Wilma makes sure her brother will take no ill effects from the spell, and sure enough, Grell is soon back to his cheery, sunshine-y self.
Vaniime takes another look around the room, but you have already discovered everything of interest.
Tuck takes charge of the prisoner.
Emrys and Carver detect for magic, and find that only the Invisibility potion and the wand detect as magic. Further study of the wand indicates that it only detects as magic because of Fledd's arcane bond with it. In anyone else's hands, it's a stick.
Your prisoner is secure, your loot has been assessed to the extent it can be here in the dungeon, and the door awaits....
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Thursday April 26th, 2012 7:49:13 AM
Wilma rolled her eyes but otherwise didn't make any other fuss about Grell's usual reaction to receiving healing attentions. She glanced to see if anyone else had stowed away any of Fledd's inventory, taking out the sack she'd bought before the group had descended into the Maw.
"We can put his armor and stuff in here..." she offered, "...and Grell will be happy to carry it in his backpack. Someone should hold onto the Invisibility potion, though--just in case we may actually need to use it." Her sapphire eyes cast about.
"Emrys would be the best person for that, I think." the young cleric opined, nodding in the bard's direction. "Anyone object...?"
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Thursday April 26th, 2012 10:39:39 AM "I don't object." Carver raies an eyebrow as he eyes the prisoner's arcane bond. "No sense in leaving this around." He takes Fledd's wand and cracks it in half over his knee. He tosses the wand, now a broken stick, onto the desk. "There. That will handicap him for at least a week. Shall we go? I don't think there is anything else to accomplish here."
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Thursday April 26th, 2012 3:50:48 PM
"We'll need him to be able to walk," Tuck replies to Benedict. "I don't want to have to carry him everywhere."
Tuck kneels beside Udoril and gives him a few light slaps to wake him. "Udoril, you are bound and stripped of your possessions. We are going to take you out of here and I hope that you won't give us any trouble. If you try to run, cast a spell, attack one of us, or any other action that might hinder our party, I will hit you."
Gripping Udoril by his clothing, he helps the mage to his feet. "I promise that we'll do our best to keep you safe and get you out of here intact. How did you get to this point? Helping us, helps you."
When the party is ready to move, Tuck prods Udoril to walk in front of him. He will keep an action readied to strike Udoril should the mage make any sudden movements, including mouthing the words to a spell.
Satisfied that they haven't missed anything, Vanime walks over to behind Udoril befoer he is woken up rememberning something her faher once said about binding captives and takes an extra step of binding his thumbs together so that he can't use them at all for grasping anything.
"Tuck you sure we don't want to gag him, I am pretty sure there are some verbal only spells..."
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Thursday April 26th, 2012 7:44:38 PM
After the wand is taken and broken over a knee, Emrys remarks with a simple query, "Question ... could Fledd create a bond with a new trinket when an older bond still exists? By keeping his wand whole and unmolested, could we have crippled him indefinitely?" After being on the receiving end of Fledd's insults, the bard would have enjoyed to keep Fledd wanting for his precious little bauble.
Emrys accepts the potion and places it in his masterwork backpack. "I swear to keep it safe. I doubt it would weigh me down too much."
After surveying the books, Emrys asks, "Does anyone mind if I take this book about the Maw. I've already read Professor Goodnight's book?"
Startled by a sudden thought, Emrys takes Fledd's hat and checks the inner lining for hidden items discretely stowed away. After his curiosity is satisfied, he takes hold of F'aast's leash and leads the mentally damaged half-orc from the cage. They're both ready to go.
DM Kathy Friday April 27th, 2012 12:36:42 AM Carver breaks Fledd's wand while Wilma scoops up the last of his belongings.
Tuck and Vaniime handle your prisoner, while Emrys leads the still-bewildered F'aast.
You exit the room and, after a short walk down a corridor, find yourselves back at the lift--the big lift you used to enter the Maw, not the fancy lift you took out of the mural room. Above you, you can see the lights of the Red Wyrm Inn, and faintly hear the sounds of voices.
You call out, and Professor Goodnight lowers the lift. Moments later, you are standing next to him, with your prisoner and F'aast in tow.
Professor Goodnight looks shocked. "What--what happened down there?" he asks. "Tuck, Benedict, I'm pretty sure you didn't go down with the others. And--is that Udoril Fledd? What happened?"
Wilma AC16/12/14 (chain shirt); HP20/20 Friday April 27th, 2012 12:58:42 AM
"Your ex-student here seems to hold you solely responsible for whatever it was that got him expelled from the Academy, Professor Goodnight." Wilma explained with a tired sigh. "He got his hands on some Invisibility potions and seriously mucked around with the layout down below...unless it was your idea to have that multi-mouthed jelly-thing and that set of winged squiddy-stuffs all attack us at once. We managed to survive that, but he trapped us in a cage that we might not have escaped if it weren't for Carver, Vaniime and my baby brother Grell, here. And you should have seen Emrys! He really has a head on his shoulders! Tuck was a welcome--if unplanned--addition to our group." The red-headed cleric sobered as she waved a hand at the unresponsive Fa'ast.
"I am so very sorry that Fa'ast seems to be injured in a way that my humble entreaties to Gargul cannot overcome," Wilma confessed, looking and sounding very unhappy. "I hope you and the other teachers at the Academy can help him..."
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Friday April 27th, 2012 3:14:02 PM
"Hey, Professor! Boy, it's good to be back."
Tuck claps Udoril on the shoulder. "He's not that fond of you, Professor. We can turn him over to the authorities. We also have his things."
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 Friday April 27th, 2012 11:33:04 PM "I was assailed in the arboretum. Magical sleep overtook me and I awoke deep underground with the others. Some cloaked form was the culprit, most likely this rascal we have caught." Carver gives Udoril a sneer.
DM Kathy Sunday April 29th, 2012 9:53:31 PM
Professor Goodnight listens as you explain what happened.
"You were meant to fight the Mouther, alone," he tells Wilma. "I didn't place the other creatures there, though I'd be interested to know how Fledd did it."
He nods at Tuck's suggestion. "A sound idea," he says. "We can turn them over to the Plateau City guard."
He leads the way to the guardpost, and, after you spend some time answering questions and swearing out complaints, Fledd is led away in irons.
The Invisibility potion, the masterwork armor and bow, and the antitoxin are all handed over to you, as is the bag of gems. "The gems were meant to be your prize for solving the puzzle room," the professor explains. "And now, I think we'd best be getting back to Maplehurst."
[OOC: Everyone take 900 XP for this scene. Good job!]
Benedict Carver - AC 18/14/14 - HP 24/27 d20+9=11 ; Monday April 30th, 2012 10:39:44 AM
Carver takes a look at the gems to assess their value.
ooc: And rolls a whopping 2. Appraise check 11.
Tuck HP 17/17 AC 16/16/12 Monday April 30th, 2012 3:44:23 PM
Tuck is glad to be rid of Udoril. As he recoils his rope, he reflects on how someone could dwell so thoroughly on one particular experience in their life. He watches quietly as Fledd is taken away by the guards. Had Tuck not decided to follow in his father's footsteps, serving in law enforcement would have been his second choice.
"...so many who need it..." he says to himself.
On the way back to Maplehurst, Tuck asks Goodnight about Fledd. "What happened with Udoril Fledd, Professor? He must have taken it quite badly to hold a grudge for ten years."
Vanime shakes her head as Udoril is taken away, and she can't help but wonder where things went wrong for him.
"Yes, I would like to get back to Maplethorpe, but I was wondering is there anything to eat?"
Emrys (ac14, hp14) Monday April 30th, 2012 9:35:19 PM
"Poor, poor F'aast. The glibbering mouther was just too much for him. He should be taken to the best physicians." He removes his leash and hands him over to the professors. "He fell to the beast instantly and never got up. Though his body is healthy and strong, I'm afraid his mind is just too weak. I fear he has a long road to recovery."
LOG ON