Black Tom's Serpent Skull
Game Master Black Tom

Hrakar uncerimoniously lunges for Torch's scimitar, a scowl passing on his face:"Ahww! Come here! If you want light just ask for it and you'll get it. It will make an even bigger target of yourself... but who am I to argue with you about that! Just try not to trigger traps where we might be involved this time!"

Hrakar casts Light on Torch's scimitar

Since everyone else seems to be going down the hole, Ralf joins them.

The passage slopes downwards as it winds its way ahead. After about 50 feet it opens into a strange chamber.

The smell of decay is thick in the air of this wide but lowceilinged cavern. To your right, the ceiling drops down to little more than three feet in height over a region strewn with bones and bits of old flesh, while to the left, the ceiling bulges upward in a dome shape — six circular, pod-like alcoves line the walls of the cave at this side.

The passage continues across the cavern, but before you can do anything else, two feral undead creatures that look as if they were once humanoid but now run on all fours, set upon you.

Roll for initiatives. Map coming up.

Knowledge (religion) 12:

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Init: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (4) - 6 = -2
Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

"I can't say I like the look of those fellers," Ralf comments.

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"Ugly creatures whatever they are" says Aerys

Initiative check:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Knowledge religion check:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

"These are festrogs, they are undead creatures fond of sentient beings flesh and I guess they will try to spray us with their pestilential humors. Take care and take them down quickly! By Torag!

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

"What a surprise. We've found something new that wants to eat us. And since they're undead I'm useless against them. But on the bright side at least their humors are pestilential. Whatever that means."

I guess that means that they can't take a joke. :o) Map is up.

Torch goes first, and then the monsters.

I just remembered that I took Improved Initiative so I could start getting more sneak attacks off... I should try not to forget that in the future.

"I've got the one on the right," Torch says to Aerys, rushing forward to O20. He slashes at the undead thing with his glowing scimitar, trying to steer clear of the pus that is likely to splatter.

Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14, damage 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 plus 1d6 ⇒ 4 sneak attack. Fort save, if I hit: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16.

Torch deftly cuts down the monster, avoiding the miasma that results as it collapses. The other monster springs at him and bites him for 5 points of damage. He manages to keep his footing, though.

You are all up.

Ralf puts a charm of Alignment Shield on Torch.

Hrakar moves to N20 and attacks the creature with his warhammer.

Attack roll:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Damage roll (if it hits):1d8 ⇒ 6

Going to delay until Aerys goes, in hopes we can provide each other a flank. Aerys, if you go to N19, we'll be able to double-team this thing.

Aerys takes a cautious approach to make the ugly creature have to fight on 2 fronts and swings her longsword with all her power.

Moves to O,18 which should flank F (which I take is the monster) with Torch at O,20
Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 1 + 2 = 18 includes flanking
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

Actually Aerys manages to put the monster down. Sorry about the anti-climax, but at least you get 160 xp each. A Fort 12 save will help Aerys avoid the splatter.

A quick search of the area turns up something strange: a slip of leather with some writing that looks like it's been scribed in blood.

The writing:

As he reads the note Hrakar's face darkens and his mood becomes more and more sober:"Seems like I misjudged things. The captain was corrupted and entranched by that varisian strumpet. But at least he accepted the responsability for his actions. He paid the price for his weakness, with death. And now we shall search for what he has become and put whatever monstruosity it is to death. Otherwise the captain soul will never find peace. As for the strumpet... I don't care anymore about leaving this island if we don't make her pay for her crimes first!" finishes the dwarf with rage now shining in his eyes.

Having leaned so far forward to make the killing blow, Aerys is unable to avoid the splatter of the diseased pus. She spits the foul tasting pus from her mouth and wipes away the putrid yellow slime from her brow. "Ugh, in their undeath they foul the living."

Fortitude 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Ralf uses his Alignment Shield charm on Aerys to allow her a second chance.

You can expend the Alignment Shield to get a second save against the effect.

"So what have we learned? Firstly, ensorcelled by Iena, the Captain purposefully crashed the ship here. Secondly, the Captain and Iena were both here fairly recently, and might still be in this delightful subterranean cavern. Incidently the Captain is probably an undead monstrosity. Thirdly, and I can't stress this third new development enough: serpentine demon. Did anyone else catch that bit?"

Aerys is just sickened by the slime, and it will pass in a minute. There is just one exit if you want to proceed.

"Shapeshifter? Illusion magic?" Torch muses, sounding more curious than upset. "Could be some kind of fiend, or demihumanoid... I think naga can shapeshift, sometimes." He smiles. It doesn't look pleasant. "Guess we'll know when we're standing over her corpse, eh?"

Torch is ready to proceed once Aerys is recovered.

"Same for Hrakar. And if Aerys need some help...

Heal check:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Ralf reads over the document. "So that dang-blasted thing was the captain? Rest in peace, sir." Ralf looks sad, but he looks around for anything else of interest in the room.

Fort Save(Alignment Shield ) 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Do either of the bodies bear any resemblance to Kovack?

While we wait a moment for Aerys' sickness to pass, Gelik casts Mage Armor on himself. When that's done, he casts Light on the pearl of his necklace.

He grips his spear and says, as light-heartedly as he can muster, Lead on, Torch!

"Let's move on, that betraying whore may still be lurking here and she's in dire need to face justice!" says an infervorated Hrakar as soon as Aerys seems fine again.

None of the bestial undead shows any similarity to the captain. Ralf finds nothing of interest except a old cracked wooden bowl containing some remnants of what might have been food.

As Aerys recovers you proceed down the narrow passage that continues downwards. After a short while it opens up into a round cave.

A dark pool of water lies in the center of this silo-shaped cavern. A five-foot-wide ledge of stone winds down to the pool below, passing several cave entrances along the way.

To be precise, the cave is about 30 feet across, with a pool in the middle and ringed with a sloping passage. There are two entrances that can be entered from the ledge as well as two that are located 10 feet up on two small ledges. Roughly, if you enter at two o'clock and the ledge proceeds clockwise downwards, there are openings at three o'clock and five o'clock, and then the ledges are at eight o'clock and ten o'clock.

Which one would you like to explore first?

Does the slope look treacherous? Are we looking at Acrobatics checks if we try to descend? If we have to fight? How far a drop is it to the water, and can we tell how deep the pool is?

Torch examines the area carefully, but his gaze lingers on the two elevated ledges. "If there's anything to be found that someone else might have missed..." he murmurs.

The slope is not so steep as to require Acrobatics checks. The ledges are 5 foot, so you can fight without penalties. The cave is 50 feet high, so at the entrance it's some 30 feet down to the pool. It's too dark to tell the depth of the pool from there.

How about Climb DCs to get up to the ledges? Any idea how rough that might be to accomplish?

Hrakar taps on Sam's shoulders and points at the first entrance they'll meet proceeding downward:"Let's check them one at the time, we need to be through with our search, the betrayer-whore may escape us otherwise" he whispers.

The Climb DC is 15 and it's a 10 feet climb.

"Agreed Hrakar, let's take this carefully."

Torch nods at Hrakar's and Aerys' words. "Carefully," he agrees. Still on point, I'm assuming; we're gonna take 'em in order.

The passage opens up into a long chamber, that evokes the feel of an ancient, hideous cathedral. The walls are carved with images of serpents walking upright like humans, snakes coiling around and eating hapless women and children, and stranger scenes. Four stone pillars carved like coiling snakes support the vaulted ceiling 30 feet above. Four small cells blocked by rusted bars sit in the walls to the east and west. To the north, an immense carving of a snake’s head looms, an ash-caked door clenched in its jaws, while to the south rises a horrific mound of bones and partially decayed bodies in an eight-foot-tall heap arranged almost as if to evoke the imagery of a coiled snake made of corpses.

As you enter, two of the corpses rise hissing from the pile, intent on bloody murder. One of them is easily recognizable as your former captain.

Roll for initiative.

Init: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (8) - 6 = 2
"Oh...captain. Sorry to see what happened to ye."

Aerys whispers "revenge" as she sees the undead captain rise.

Init 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Knowledge religion check:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Initiative check:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

The only thing showing on Hrakar's face is grim determination:"Find peace, captain"

They are ghouls (lacedons, to be precise), and they go on 4, so except for Ralf, you'll act before them.

Aerys, Hrakar, Torch and very probably Gelik to go, then the monsters.

"This might not surprise anyone... but these are Lacedons, the same ugly undead bastards we met in that pit not long ago. Be careful not to be hit by those talons of theirs, they cause paralysis and of course, if they bite and you die you you'll turn in one of them after a while. So don't get hit, and kill them first I guess"

Gelik looks nervously up at the ledges, expecting an ambush any second. It almost comes as a relief when he sees their opponents before he feels sneaky claws in his back.

When he notes that one of the ghouls was formerly the captain, he actually feels some sympathy for the poor bastard. Poor bastard, he comments, casting a spell that lances a ray of frost at the nearest undead creature.

initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
ranged touch attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
damage 1d3 ⇒ 2

Torch circles around the undead horrors to N30 - counting on them being flat-footed to avoid the AoO before cutting at one in M30 with his blade. Scimitar attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22, damage 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6 plus 1d6 ⇒ 5 sneak attack.

Hrakar enters the room (positioning himself at M27) and casts Shield Other on Torch

Aerys follows Torch, moving swiftly to the other side of the undead creature, and unleashing a powerful swing with her longsword at the closest living lacedon.

If N,30 still alive after Torch and Gelik attacks, Aerys goes for N,30. Otherwsie goes for N,31
Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 6 - 1 = 18 if flanking N,30 please add +2 to the attack.
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

Supported by Gelik and Hrakar, Aerys and Torch end the menace that was the captain, while the other ghoul bites Torch for 7 points of damage (of which 3 go to Hrakar).

Your turn.

Five foot step to O30, then a full attack with scimitar and cestus.

Torch lets go of his scimitar, feinting with the cestus on his left hand before attacking with the blade in his right. Scimitar attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7, damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7; cestus attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5, damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3. The complicated maneuver is, perhaps, too complicated for the mindless undead, which ignores both blows and manages to avoid them easily.

Was wondering if I should have waited for the flank, but clearly it wouldn't have mattered anyway...

Aerys seeing an opportunity to more easily strike the stinking undead, moves to her left and thrusts once more with all her might. "Go back to Pharesma's care." She turns to the others, "Come on help take this one down."

5ft step to flank with Torch
Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 1 + 2 = 17
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

Hrakar joins the fray charging towards the surviving undead (should end movement in M30 I think).

"For Torag! Die abomination! DIE!!!"

Attack roll:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Damage roll (if it hits):1d8 ⇒ 2