Nik'o, surprised by its own strike, watches with wide eyes as the Yuan-ti collapses. His blood boiling, he pivots, dropping low to the ground, and moves swiftly behind the human fighting with Revlon.
Tyranny of Secrets... I wonder what he meant.
Stepping behind the man, Nik'o lets his sword swing loosely in his hand, inverting his grip, and strikes downward, using his sword like a long poignard.
Nik'o stabs the human, and his sword goes deep into the man's back. He begins panting as he attempts to recover his breath. But he is still standing...
The yuan-ti steps back before unleashing some of its innate magic on Revion...
spellcraft, 17:
It is using Scorching Ray as a spell-like ability.
fire damage:8d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 3, 4, 2, 3, 3, 4) = 26
The yuan-ti grins as his spell strikes right under Revion's neck, searing his skin nerves. Revion collapses to the ground, mortally wounded and unconscious, but still alive!
roll to stabilize:1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 4 = 7 Revion is at -5 hp, and not stabilized!
The human, surrounded, steps out from between Helac and Nik'o, whilst remaining adjacent to Nik'o, and speaks a strange, almost gibberish-like incantation... 5-foot step, so no AoOs.
Spellcraft, 17:
He is attempting to cast an ancient spell known in the Khorvairian tongue as Touch of Madness (a domain spell from Eberron Campaign Setting, pg 116.).
casting defensively:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
...Yet he is not sufficiently nimble in his in movement, allowing Nik'o a chance to strike him!
Nik'o gets an AoO against the human. Whether he is able to actually cast his spell depends on whether Nik'o hits, so I'll wait for Nik'o to post. It is still the human's turn. Map.
Nik'o strikes the human just as he is casting, putting a serious gash in the man's chest. He is really wounded now, barely able to stand. He has just enough in him to finish casting his spell...
Concentration:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Overwhelmed by the pain Nik'o has caused him, his hand misses its target completely, while his spell fizzles on his finger and fails completely!
"Death... Will find you...infiltrator!"
he grunts.
The toad reaches out its mouth and attempts to bite Helac...
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 1d8 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
As it bites down, it attempts to hold its victim still in its mouth...
grapple:1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 32 Ouch!
With Helac held in place, the reptile's throat bulges as it prepares to swallow its prey...
Helac is now has the Grappled condition, as does the toad. Helac is also pulled five feet north. Map
Not that it matters, but he'd need to make a concentration check to get the spell off, because he got hit, with the DC increased by the damage taken.
Editing error on my part. I rolled both a concentration and attack roll. When I saw the first one failed after hitting preview, I meant to delete the attack roll (since it never happened), but accidentally deleted the concentration roll instead.
Kiana's arrows both manage to hit the human's armor, causing him to gasp for breath but otherwise causing no harm.
"Madness...and...death!"
he gasps.
Helac's turn. He is currently being held in the toad's giant mouth.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac's small sense of victory quickly evaporates as the giant amphibian tongue lashes him partially into it's mouth.
Ogre's Eyes!... This thing's breath is terrible! Helac unconsciously projects to his companion crystal, his tone laced with worry.
Get loose, Boss!
A thread of anger creeps into his tone, though underlying the general concentration and worry. Bauble, there's a reason they made me a medic and not a soldier!
Figuring he is too close to miss and it takes no real concentration, Helac charges his touch again with a life draining aura. Standard Action. Touch Attack/Transfer Wounds:1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 2 = 17 Transfer Wounds Damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
If it hits and drains, Helac will use a free action to redirect one, and only one, point of the healing to stabilize Revion. Helac is concerned about Revion living but more concerned about not dying himself.
Helac successfully saps part of the life from the giant toad, though it is still ready to swallow him. Revion is stabilized.
Charivia, recovered from the backlash she suffered previously, let's out a blast of psychic energy targeting the human, in a hope to finish him off:
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6
Unfortunately her power goes astray.
"Ha! I will..."
The human tries to gasp something but is unable.
Nik'o strikes a direct blow to the human. With a blood curteling scream and a final gasp, he falls unconscious!
Seeing the tide of battle turn against him, the remaining yuan-ti steps forwards, then hesitates for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to flee or to run. Then his confidence gets the best of him.
"Let terror flow in thy veins, infiltrator!"
With a flick of his hands towards Nik'o, he tries to magically instill fear in the changeling.
Nik'o, make a DC 14 Will save or be frightened. If you succeed, you are shaken for one round.
The giant toad, with its prey caught in its mouth, pulls Helac into its throat...
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35
and swallowing him completely! On the way down Helac is bombarded by the inner workings of the creature's stomach:
damage:2d4 ⇒ (3, 2) = 5 Map updated..
Kiana's turn.
Kiana hops down through the hole, ignoring the ladder, and lands lightly on the ground, letting her wings open slightly once they clear the trap door's entrance to turn it into a controlled descent.
Once on the ground, she pulls back and lets fly an arrow at the frog.
Which square on the map is Kiana landing on? I'd rather let you decide than end up in a situation where you feel you aren't controlling where your character moves.
Kiana shoots an arrow at the toad, hitting it in the chest. Due to its huge size, its skin is thick enough to deflect her arrow, which bounces off harmlessly.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Touch Attack:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Helac finds himself comically unable to touch the insides of the creature that surround him as he slides down it's gullet.
Actually, Helac is (just barely) able to get a solid touch off on the reptile's stomach lining. You hit, what was it you were trying to do with that hit:)?
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Hmm... I'm shocked. I thought, when in doubt, you have to at least hit an AC of 10. Well, then. More draining.
Swift Action. Health Sense. Heal Check:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Transfer Wounds Damage:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Knowing that Revion is unconscious but close to ambulatory, Helac channels the bulk life theft into his wounded compatriot. Free Action. Collective Healing. All 5 points.
A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, while the creature that did the swallowing does not.
It just has an abysmal touch AC. Looking at it again, though, you forgot to take the -2 penalty to attack rolls from being grappled, so you actually only got a 7. You still hit, though.
As Helac saps energy from the toad's stomach lining, Revion coughs, suddenly regaining consciousness. From the outside, the toad grimaces as its stomach contorts at the pain.
Revion is at one hit-point!
"What-- How--?"
"Where's Helac? How--"
As Revion reorients himself, Charivia calls out
"It is thy beast and thee that should be fearful!"
She channels her Unearthly psionic energy into mentally terrifying the toad:
will save:1d20 ⇒ 18
But to no avail, the giant reptile can resist her terror.
"Revlon! Batlle! Snip! Snip! Like so!" blurts Nik'o at Revlon while stepping over the unconscious man's body to strike at the toad, raising his sword high, but with its tip down, then propels it down using his weight.
"It is thy beast and thee that should be fearful!"
She channels her Unearthly psionic energy into mentally terrifying the toad:
Whoops, I just realized she is within reach of the giant toad, and so needs to make a concentration check:
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Charivia is able to manifest safely, but it still had no effect.
...
Nik'o: I assume from your description you mean to move to R24, on top of the human? Please correct me if that is not what you meant.
Nik'o strikes at the giant reptile, managing to draw some blood. It's pretty heavily wounded, but still hopping about.
Seeing the toad wounded, the human unconscious, and Revion revived, the yuan-ti recognizes how the battle is progressing.
"INTRUDERS! SHAPESHIFTING ATTACKERS!"
He runs north, whilst screaming at the top of his lungs.
"HELP! PROTECT THE KEYS! THE VAULT!"
Within moments he has disappeared up the corridor to the north.
Helac continues to be affected by the beast's stomach acids, though not as harshly as before:
acid damage:1d4 ⇒ 3
The toad, clearly weakened from the wounds Nik'o and Helac have inflicted, turns towards what seems like the easiest target:
What seems like the easiest target:1d100 ⇒ 78
With a quick jolt, it reaches its jaws out towards Revion--it's head movement appears somewhat clumsier than before, due to its pain and distraction:
bite:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Despite its wounds, the toad's teeth sink through Revion's chest. Revion cries out in momentary pain, his heart desperately beating trying to keep him live. Yet with a final sigh he falls limp and lifeless. Revion is no more for this world.
With the path clear, the toad hops madly north, obviously slowed by its injuries, and in doing so making it vulnerable to being attacked by Nik'o.
Nik'o gets an AoO.
After that, it is Kiana's turn.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
PFSRD wrote:
. . . If a member of the collective dies, the member is removed from the collective and the vitalist must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or lose 1 power point for every Hit Die of the fallen member and be sickened for an equal number of rounds. . . .
Fortitude Save:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
For a moment Helac's mind is wracked with pain and loss as a sentient mind he to which he is connected flares out of existence. He pushes the pain away, much as one can momentarily ignore a wound, to be faced and acknowledged later.
Nik'o's shot bounces harmlessly off the fleeing toad, but Kiana's shots land directly on its hip. With a great cry of pain, it expels the contents of its stomach out into the room, including Helac, and some undigested objects likely held by the animal's previous victim. And mostly digested gunk, of course. With another cry of pain, it seems to be gasping for breath, having been mortally wounded by Kiana, before ultimately collapsing unconscious. It is still alive, but obviously in the process of dying.
Combat over, you are all level 4!
The human and the yuan-ti which didn't escape are still alive, though unconcious. Searching their bodies reveals:
Perception, 15:
The human possesses a talismen resembling a holy symbol, though not from any faith that is easily recognizable.
Looks like no one is trained in Knowledge (Religion).
Also, in his pockets is a bottle with a green, bubbling potion.
Spellcraft, 16
He is also carrying some old Syrk coins, equivalent to 600 Galifer gold pieces.
Perception, 15:
The shirt under the yuan-ti's armor bears the same insignia as the guard's from earlier. Nik'o previously (Back on page 15 of the gameplay thread) recognized as representing loyalty to the Syrk house Prugshon. Her shortsword is of masterwork quality.
She is also wearing a pair of goggles which appear to fade between soot black and snow white.
Spellcraft, 20:
Spoiler:
These goggles are enchanted to allow the wearer to fire at partially covered enemies more accurately. They focus the user's eyes on the uncovered portion of the target, allowing the wearer to strike as if their enemy were uncovered. It is a goggles of foefinding from 3.5, MiC. If you make this check, I will post the entire text of the item, but not in this post since I can't nest spoilers any further.
She is also carrying some old Syrk coins, equivalent to 750 Galifer gold pieces.
perception, 20:
Amid the toad's slimy emissions, there are actually some whole objects carried by its previous victims. Among them is a small, glowing, obviously supernatural stone.
Spellcraft, 16
Spoiler:
It is a psionic power stone of Suppress Compulsion (UPsi, pg 248).
Detect Magic:
The shortsword carried by the yuan-ti has a weak universal aura.
Spellcraft, 18:
Spoiler:
It is a +1 shortsword.
The yuan-ti's goggles are also magical, emitting a weak divination aura.
Spellcraft, 20:
Spoiler:
These goggles are enchanted to allow the wearer to fire at partially covered enemies more accurately. They focus the user's eyes on the uncovered portion of the target, allowing the wearer to strike as if their enemy were uncovered. It is a goggles of foefinding from 3.5, MiC. If you make this check, I will post the entire text of the item, but not in this post since I can't nest spoilers any further.
Also, using detect magic on the human reveals a potion in his pocket, with a weak transmutation aura.
Spellcraft, 16
To the southeast of the room is a narrow, doorless passageway which twists out, leading somewhere else in the tomb. Another, wider passageway lies to the north (the one where the escaping yuan-ti went). You cannot see the end of either passageway from here. The beginning of each passageway is represented by the grey on the map.
"Helac! Can you save Revlon? Also, that toad was talking when I first saw them. We need to make them talk, even though I'm afraid the greeny who escaped will bring reinforcements in a few seconds. Do we stand our ground?"
"Same Prugshon insiginas by the way. Some gold, a potion, a nice shortsword-thank-you-very-much, and some weird goggles... And more gold!" shouts Nik'o to the others as he quickly checks the possessions of their victims and grabs the sword for himself, waving it in the air with appreciation.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac scrambles up and then kneels beside Revion's body. He first tries to re-attune Revion to him psychically. Once that fails, he examines the body, hoping that there might yet be some sort of first aid that would stave off actual death.
Heal:1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 = 13 If what, Eroh? No. He's gone. My talents are too meager to help. Helac closes Revion's eyes and bows his own head for a moment.
I'm not good with gods. If any can determine which he followed, his soul might like a prayer. If not... then a moment of silence. Then, take what can be used. Helac stands, his gaze somber. He shakes his head, and his expression shifts from one of sadness to hardness.
I hope... this tooth Q seeks is worth the cost. he growls to himself. A memory of music tickles at the back of Helac's mind as a distance recollection surfaces. It's the impression of warmth and safety, of many candles shedding golden light, the press of a listening throng, and a feeling of community. The thought is so at odds with the immediate situation, that Helac blinks, suddenly confused.
Uhhmmm... focus on the task at hand, Helac. There will be time enough for contemplation if you live. he mutters to himself.
Aid Another:1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 - 2 = 3 Spellcraft:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24 The green potion should be a potion of feather step. It aids in moving though difficult areas. Members of elite units sometimes carried their like... also adventurers as well.
Aid Another:1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 1 - 2 = 12 Spellcraft:1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 = 20 Those goggles as well... they're enchanted to allow the wearer to fire at covered enemies. They focus the eyes on the uncovered portion of the target, allowing one to strike as if their enemy were uncovered... I also knew... a fellow who had something similar.
Aid Another:1d20 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 - 2 = 1 Spellcraft:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 And this glowing stone... Helac picks up the object gingerly, ...may be an... hmm. I will have to examine it a bit further to be sure, but I believe it holds a psychic power, much like a magic scroll holds a spell.
I apologize for being lazy and omitting the usual back and forth between Eroh and Helac. I suppose I just don't have the focus this evening. :)
Per Revion's sheet, he had : Combat Gear candlerod (2), oil (2); Other Gear mithral chain shirt, composite longbow, dagger, dagger, masterwork elven curve blade, spear, backpack, masterwork, bedroll, belt pouch, belt pouch, blanket, canteen, climber's kit, compass, fishing kit, silver holy symbol (Dol Arrah), hooded lantern, waterproof, manacles, masterwork with superior lock (worth 200 gp, 3 lb), silk rope (50 ft.), sunrod (2), tindertwig (2), trail rations (7), waterskin, heavy horse, bit and bridle, candlerod, hot weather outfit, military saddle, oil, saddlebags, silk rope (50 ft.), sunrod, tindertwig, torch, trail rations, waterskin, waterskin, 426 gp, 4 sp, 5 cp. The mithral chain shirt might be useful to someone. The elven curve blade is exotic. The composite longbow seems to be a +5 STR, so not sure how he was using it, I guess taking penalties for lack of str bonus. It's way too hard for Kiana to use.
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Maybe he was waiting for a +4 Strength item? I don't see bull strength or rage on the inquisitor spell list but I could be missing it. None of the judgements add to strength, but at least one of them would help to offset the penalty. I also think hit points are half (round down) + 1 for this game. So you take 5 (4 + 1).
Helac, unperturbed with Kiana as he had just suggested the same thing with a little more dignity, approaches Charivia. He quickly whispers to her I apologize for being abrupt, but would you mind if I networked you with Kiana and Nik'o and me? It allows me to use beneficial powers on you at an expanded distance and lets us speak silently. I only ask now because I have a hard limit on the number of minds I can join in this way.
"Can we stabilize the toad? As weird as it sounds, it was quite talkative earlier..." asks Nik'o, picking up the sword.
He then adds: "Those goggles were meant for you Kiana..." then his gaze turns to Revlon and stops talking for a moment.
Too bad...
"We'll bury him when we get a chance. For now, trouble our way is coming, friends, and we'd best be ready for it!" he says as he moves near the entrance to listen for incoming opponents.
Kiana puts on the goggles, blinking and adjusting the strap, once she finishes retrieving Revlon's items. She hands those off in a neat pack to someone who can haul them better than she can.
Then she sets up so she can fire down the tunnel the last enemy vanished into, waiting for Nik'O or Helac to take point. Close quarters tunnel fighting are not her thing.
Possibly, no idea, just seemed like a massive waste of money. Anyway, nothing we can use. I'll update my HP then.
HP is half-max of your hit-die in this campaign. So, for a d8, that is 4+constitution modifier. No rolling.
---
As the reality of Revion's loss hangs over everyone's heads, the yuan-ti's footsteps in the northern corridor gradually fade into silence. If he actually went to get reinforcements, they are not staging an immediate assault on you here. Or maybe they are, but are lying in ambush...
secret:
1d20 ⇒ 19 1d20 ⇒ 20
The unconscious yuan-ti and human seem to have stabilized, though they may take awhile to wake up on their own.
Nik'o:
There are no sounds you can hear coming from the north corridor. The north corridor is, however, trapped, and the yuan-ti who fled recently narrowly avoided stepping on some traps.
From the corridor heading east, you can hear many footsteps. They don't sound like they are coming towards you--rather they are of some creatures moving around a room at the other end of the east corridor. Possibly human footsteps, and at least one creature that is significantly heavier than a human. The east corridor is curved, making it impossible to see what is on the other end from this room.
Just waiting to see if Helac can stabilize the toad.
After:
Nik'o, after looking down the corridor, turns to the others, his forked tongue darting as he says with a slithering voice: "No one is coming, but the corridor is trapped, which works both ways. I'd like to have a word with the survivors before we push further. Does that sound reasonable?"
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Out of curiosity, what do you think will keep it from attacking us once it becomes conscious?
Nik'o... I am against saving this creature, but I shall attempt... to do so at your request. Helac steps over to where the amphibian collapsed, its breath becoming more shallow as the moments pass.
Aid Another:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Helac... what can we really do for the thing?
Heal:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Mentally, Helac answers his crystal companion with obvious frustration.
Damnation, Bauble. I'm a medic... not a veterinarian.
Helac is unable to stabilize the enormous reptile...
1d20 ⇒ 2
and he can tell it is in no condition to recover on its own.
"In my homeland,"
Charivia, silent up to this point, muses out loud,
"We had tamed dinosaur steeds. I knoweth not to what purpose this toad was brought here, but it seemed completely wild to mine eyes. Methinks it was untrained by its captors. But then why was it brought here at all?"
The remaining yuan-ti's breathing has regularized.
Heal, 11:
The yuan-ti is still unconscious, but is sufficiently healthy that he could wake up on his own shortly.
The human won't wake up on his own for at least a day without external healing, though.
perception, 20:
You can hear footsteps coming from the corridor to the east, though they are not moving towards you. Gradually they fade to silence as people on the other end of the east corridor move further away.
However, you can, just barely, overhear a conversation echoing through the corridor from the room to the east:
"This key is well protected against the intruders."
"What are--"
"Adaran scouts, or Riedran soldiers."
"Did thee not say Riedrans were--"
"But where else couldeth they have gotten ogres like they did? Our lady said there are almost no Adarian ogres, so these invaders must be foreign."
"But--"
"Hush, stay in thy position. The intruders are too strong to assault directly, stay to thy captain's plan."
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Heal Skill:
PFSRD wrote:
You usually use first aid to save a dying character. If a character has negative hit points and is losing hit points (at the rate of 1 per round, 1 per hour, or 1 per day), you can make him stable. A stable character regains no hit points but stops losing them. First aid also stops a character from losing hit points due to effects that cause bleed.
Action/Time: 1 standard action.
Retry? You can always retry a check to provide first aid, assuming the target of the previous attempt is still alive.
One moment, Nik'o... this animal is proving to be a rather difficult... patient. Helac says aloud in a relatively hushed tone.
Hmm... that is interesting, Charivia. In a little while... I would like to know more about your experience with said raptors.
Aid Another:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 Well, you basically stressed his system with your draining effect, and the bird woman finished it with an arrow to your squishy bits. If you staunch the wound and then get him in enough water to buoy him, maybe it would be enough to halt the process?... I'm always a little fuzzy with biology.
Heal:1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14 That's... not a horrible idea... if this wound didn't resist my attempts to do so. It's general size and skin texture make bandaging exceedingly difficult... Lessons of Frustration. I'm not sure if I'm angry because I want to see the thing dead or angry because he resists my attempts to ameliorate his damage.
Helac glances over and notices one of the Yuan-ti's breathing has become deeper and more regular and the bleeding around his wounds have ceased. Even that fellow has over there, my bauble, is naturally getting better. He thinks to his crystal with some disgust.
I give up...
Helac spends another moment attuning himself to the thing. Standard Action. Unconscious count as willing Then he (provided it can be attuned. Living. Wisdom of 1+) uses natural healing on himself (1pp for 3hp) and redirects the minimum amount of essence necessary to halt the process (1hp).
Aid Another:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 Do you hear that?
Perception:1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 13 + 2 = 25
Helac takes a breath, and closes his eyes to shut out distractions, concentrating on the sounds and is able to make out the faint echoing footsteps and snatches of conversation much further up the hall.
Nik'o first warns them of sounds down the corridor and of the trap. See spoilered post above.
When he realizes the frog is not coming back to life, he says: "Well, I heard them say they needed it. Perhaps they're trying to do some weird magic down that hall..?"
Kiana listens intently, and as she does, she moves sideways to the human, and snaps her taloned foot out to snap it's neck. She continues on to each of the downed opponents in turn, although she looks a bit askance at the toad, unsure how to snap it's neck. Assuming nobody tries to stop her
As she does so, she begins to whisper aloud.
"This key is well protected against the intruders."
"What are--"
"Adaran scouts, or Riedran soldiers."
"Did thee not say Riedrans were--"
"But where else couldeth they have gotten ogres like they did? Our lady said there are almost no Adarian ogres, so these invaders must be foreign."
"But--"
"Hush, stay in thy position. The intruders are too strong to assault directly, stay to thy captain's plan."
I'd like to have a word with the survivors before we push further. Does that sound reasonable?"
Kiana Sunbane wrote:
she moves sideways to the human, and snaps her taloned foot out to snap it's neck. She continues on to each of the downed opponents in turn, although she looks a bit askance at the toad, unsure how to snap it's neck. Assuming nobody tries to stop her
I'll wait to let Nik'o and Helac react to Kiana's actions...
"Kiana STOP!" Nik'o shouts after she snaps the man's neck. "What in The Traveler's name are you doing!? We are to retrieve an object, not fight a war!"
Yep.
Kiana easily slays the human and Revion's killer.
The yuan-ti shakes a bit as Kiana draws near. A few minutes later, she begins to awaken. Blinking, trying to grasp her surroundings, she whispers
"Isss thisss Dolurrrrh? No...you..."
"What art thou? "
She is now concious, but obviously too wounded to run or fight (disabled, at 0 hp.)
"You suggest leaving enemies alive behind us to recover, use magic to heal up, and attack us from behind as we track down their allies? I can fly away, you cannot." The strix says with a complete lack of emotion. "If you are too squeamish, you should perhaps become a baker. I have no intention of getting a shiv in my kidney by leaving one of these around to find a curative potion and sneak up on me while I'm distracted fighting their allies."
She looks at the Yuan-ti. "Someone who does not wish to die from being merciful. The world is not merciful, nor is it cruel. It simply is." She glances at Nik'O. "Are you willing to take responsibility for this one if we don't kill her? Be responsible for any deaths she causes? Be responsible for injuries she does to your allies?"
Action Points 6/6 | Power Points 13/42 | Transfer Wounds 7/7
Helac wearily sighs. He then projects his thoughts so as to keep the discussion out of the range of anyone eavesdropping.
Nik'o, philosophically... I think that if enough discussion takes place, one can find an acceptable Compromise. However in reality... there is hardly ever enough for that outcome to be reached. From a... Tactical viewpoint, I agree with Kiana.
Looking back down at the frog, Helac grimaces. From the snatches of conversation from before though... I think they thought... the frog to be a living key... an answer to a puzzle further in the temple... that is just a guess on my part... meaning if I'm correct, that killing the frog may make things more difficult to progress if the cultists were correct... which is unsubstantiated supposition on my part.
However... I would still prefer to kill the thing.
The frog is already dead... answers Nik'o flatly, now reminded of the mental link. As for leaving enemies behind, I agree this is unsound. But blundering ahead without knowledge is as well! They're dealing with other enemies it seems, and are not coming for us just now. I say we at least question that one to find out what is going on, no?
I've no objections to questioning it. We only needed one for that. I've no objection to letting it go after questioning, as long as it runs as far and as fast as it can.
Unable to hear the group's mental conversation, the yuan-ti trembles, trying to gather the stamina to flee. In a mix between a whisper and a hiss, she addresses Kiana
"If thou wilt slay me I beg of thee to do so quickly. I have not the other keys, mine comrades do elsewhere. The three that are found, that is. I cannot open the secret room under mine own power. My lord and lady shall be angered by thy interference in their plans..."
her voice trails off, as she eyes her dead companion, and the door to the east.
Sense Motives, 20:
She is scarred of being subject to some form of mental torture, and so is speaking about multiple, unrelated things in the hopes one of them will give what you need to leave her unharmed.
"Speak about the keys, and your former allies. If you give us enough information, we will heal you enough to run. However, if I ever see you again after that, you will wish that your former master and mistress had caught you."
Intimidate:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15Plus any bonuses for situation and earlier violence
