Black Tom's Serpent Skull
Game Master Black Tom

Aerys takes her short bow and shoots at the beast once more, "Careful, we have this visitor again." But in her excitement she releases the arrow too early, missing and the arrow flies across the rough ground and skidding along the stony mountain.

Shortbow attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Shortbow damage 1d6 ⇒ 6

Torch pulls out his blade and advances on the Devil in a defensive posture. Drawing scimitar while taking a move action to get 30 feet closer, then using total defense for +6 AC.

Seeing Torch separate himself from the group, the monster pounces on him and hits him with tooth and claw for 8 points of damage.

You are up.

Gelik swallows his fear and moves tentatively toward the melee, casting Mage Armor on himself. He remains about ten feet away, looking for an opening for his upcoming assault on the creature.

AC now 17

It hit AC 22? Man! :(

Torch grunts as the claw makes contact, but replies with a series of counterstrikes from his blade and cestus. As he fights, he tries to start circling the beast, hoping to provide an opening for Gelik, Hrakar or Aerys as they approach.

5 ft step in preparation for a possible flank next round. Full attack with scimitar and cestus.
Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10, damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7.
Cestus attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14, damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3.

Dropping her bow, Aerys runs towards the beast attacking Torch and attempts to inflict as much damage on it as she can. She yells, "Time for you to stop drinking others blood."

She will try and charge to a place where she can end up flanking with Torch, without provoking an AoO.
Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 1 + 2 = 18 includes +2 for charge.
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 2 = 12

Ralf hits the monster with a wave of wracking pain.

wrack: DC 15 Fort save or be sickened for 3 rounds

It did hit AC 22 twice, actually.

The monster shrugs off Ralf's magic and turns its fury on Aerys, whose sword bites into its flesh, clawing and biting visiously for 17 points of damage. Gelik takes protective measures and Hrakar delays.

Now it is forced to land, so you can flank it if you like.

You are up.

Seeing Torch opposite her, Aerys takes a position to more easily hurt the now grounded beast. "Help Hrakar, some healing would be useful, whilst I deal with this creature." with her flesh raw from the wound and blood spilled on the ground, she raises her longsword and striking the scaly beast once more, smiling as her blade hits true.

Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 6 - 1 + 2 = 24 with flanking
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

Hrakar moves near Aerys and heals her

Converted bane to Cure light wounds...

Cure light wounds:1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

With Aerys attacking it from one side, Torch batters it from the other.

Scimitar attack with flank: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19, damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 plus 1d6 ⇒ 2 sneak attack.
Cestus attack with flank: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8, damage 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 plus 1d6 ⇒ 5 sneak.

Ralf also sends some (boosted) healing towards Aerys.

1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Gelik steps up to the creature, hoping it's sufficiently distracted by being hacked to bits by his allies. Presuming the beast is not already dead, he clutches his new wand with his left hand as black energy gathers in his right. He reaches out to touch the beast.

touch attack w/vampiric touch 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
draining damage 2d6 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5
Hurrah! I think I just got +5 temp HP

The monster roars in pain and frustration and tries to take off, granting Torch an AoO as rushes past him.

Torch tries to end the Devil for good as it flees.

Scimitar attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11, damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 plus 1d6 ⇒ 6.

As the healing power washes over Aerys, the wounds close up and the blood ceases to spill. "Thanks you Hrakar and you too Ralf. This time we follow it ... we must remove its threat to our band before it does any more damage to us. " says a determined Aerys. She follows after the creature as it flies off, after picking up her bow.

"Only if it doesn't bring us too far away from our quarry. I couldn't care less about that overgrown lizard, and I bet it won't bother us a third time..."

"You hold out great faith Hrakar, I hold the opposite view. We will be harried and pursued by the beast, until its taken one or more of us as food." say Aerys coldly. "Let us make haste whilst we still can." as she starts to follow the injured flying creature.

Luckily the monster's lair isn't very far off, but you'll still need new initiatives.

Init: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (2) - 6 = -4

Ralf quickly springs into action!

The dwarf shakes his head:"You are mistaken, this has nothing to do with faith... I know we'll kill it if our paths happen to cross again, and I'm betting it knows it too... but let's not waste anymore words. We'll see what happens and deal with it"

Initiative check:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

"Right" affirms Aerys.

Iniative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Torch just shrugs as Aerys rushes off, well aware he has little to criticize others for such behavior.

Initiative 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Gelik looks at Ralf, an odd expression on his face. As he follows along with the group he comments, I could have sworn the old coot was moving backward!

He decides this might be one of the few appropriate times when he might let out a war whoop, which he does with gusto, shaking his spear in the air menacingly. You can run but you can't hide, you overgrown gecko!

initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

You decide to turn the tables on the vicious hunter and go after it. The terrain is somehat daunting. A rocky cleft cuts into the bluff, presenting a hundred-foot drop onto seaweed-covered rocks and tide pools. Several ledges, each connected by rickety-looking rope bridges, lead down into the cleft to the rocky beach below. What appears to be a large nest of driftwood, grass, bits of cloth, and perhaps bones seems to be wedged against the easternmost extent of the cleft.

As you approach the nest and before you have time to react, the chupacabra launches itself at Aerys and hits her for 12 points of damage.

You are up, but you are in single file since the ledge is narrow.

Gelik's turn, right?

Actually, you are all up. The monster's initiative was 23.

Oh... ok, I meant Gelik had the highest Ini and should have acted first of us, I gathered the monster rolled more than him, as he went first... :D

Hrakar sends an acid dart towards the flying monstuosity

Attack roll:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Damage roll (if it hits):1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Does the chupacabra have Flyby Attack, or is it still hovering in front of Aerys? And what is our order of march?

I assume, that if the creature managed to hit Aerys, she is able to have a slash at it.

Aerys, unbalanced on the path by the attack and hurting, is unable to bring any power into her swing and her longsword clatters on the armored body of the beast.

Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 1 = 8
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Ralf will heal Aerys again. (boosted)

1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

It does have Flyby Attack, but right now it pounced, so it's hovering next to Aerys. I assumed your marching order to be Aerys, Torch, Hrakar, Gelik and Ralf.

Gelik, feeling warlike, casts an offensive spell at the flying lizard.

If he can hit the creature with a color spray without hitting any friendlies, he'll do so (DC 15, 16 if a jungle creature). If he can't avoid collateral damage with the color spray, he'll fire a ray of frost.

frost ray! 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 4 = 10
frosty damage 1d3 ⇒ 1

Gelik's magic knocks the creature out of the sky, stunning it for 1 round. Torch is still to go, but then you can take one more round of actions. I guess Torch can step over the stunned monster to set up a flank.

So we need Torch to act now, right?

Torch does that very thing, moving past the beast to face it from opposite Aerys. If he can also attack, he does so: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 for 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 plus 1d6 ⇒ 2 sneak attack damage.

Torch gives the beast a hearty stab in the noggin. Since it's still reeling, you can all go again.

Aerys takes the opportunity to strike once more.

Longsword power attack 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 - 1 + 2 = 16 includes flanking
Longsword power damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Hrakar attacks the stunned chupachabra too.

Attack roll:1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 1 = 14
Damage roll:1d8 ⇒ 2

That finishes off the monster, and while you are so near the top, you might as well loot its nest, where you find several shiny things: 246 sp, 234 gp, 13 pp, a mithral hook designed to be worn on an arm stump,
a fine brass sextant, a magic buckler decorated with a skull and crossbones, and an magic quiver containing 20 normal arrows, nine cold iron arrows, 10 magic arrows, a magic javelin and a masterwork composite longbow (+3 Strength).

Also you get 320 xp each.

Ralf will go into a trance and identify the buckler and the javelin (he won't bother with the arrows for now).

take 10 + trance = 37

That's a Buckler +1 and a Javelin of Lightning.

Oooh, I'd happily take that longbow... Would Hrakar make use of the buckler? I would imagine the quiver can be sold when we get to the mainland, since none of us is primarily an archer.

Ralf explains the function of the javelin. "You see, it turns into a lightnin' bolt, but you can only use it once, so be careful."

I think the sextant could be nice for Ralf as he was a sailor, the buckler won't really make that much of a difference for Hrakar, considering the ac bonus is the same as the large wooden shield he employs. He could possibly be interessed in the Hook, for pure monetary reasons.

Well, Aerys already uses a buckler, but she also just picked up the amulet of natural armor, so I was thinking to spread the love around. Maybe she could take the buckler and pass the amulet on to someone else?

Aerys response to item sharing in discussion thread.

Satisfied that the creature has been killed, Aerys turns to Hrakar, "There now its dead, we won't be surpised by it again." she smiles at him. "And we found its veritable treasure trove, not a bad bit of work. Now we can get back to finding that evil serpent woman eh!"

"Absolutely," Torch agrees. As he turns to head back down the path from the nest, though, he glances over at Aerys. "You're right - we might have to do that blood ritual to figure out what's going on up on that mountain. This could get unpleasant."

Climbing back down, your goal is easy enough to discern. Four stone monoliths appearing as jagged stalagmites of rock protrude from the grass at the edge of this bluff. A weathered, snakelike rune is carved into the inner face of each of these stones, all facing a three-foot-high pyramid-shaped block of stone at the center of the four surrounding spires. The vegetation and soil surrounding this pyramid has been trimmed back and excavated to expose the strange block fully to view. The peak of the central pyramid has a cup-shaped indentation —channels run down the four sides into empty basins at the base of the pyramid.

"Well... I guess we won't need to do any blood ritual things after all... seems like someone did it already and I don't think I need to point you at the perpetrator, right? Let's go down there and settle our business with that lady, people!" so saying Hrakar moves down the slope eager to find Yeana