DM Berwick's Serpent's Skull Adventure

Game Master Lost Gamer

Round 10
Her eyes widen, astonished at the successful, yet unorthodox use of the whip. And Aedalis remains out of reach of the ghoul's scrabbling claws. Taking heed of his foresight, fearful of the poisonous ichor, she lets loose the trident, pushes her open palm violently towards "Mother", firing off an electrical arc before the weapon evens clangs harshly upon the cave floor.

Spoilered for crunch

Determined to stand his ground, Isandril lets out a grunt of pain before retaliating, his swords striking in quick succession.

Round 10

Main hand melee attack (masterwork short sword) 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Damage (piercing) 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9

Off-hand melee attack (masterwork short sword) 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 = 21
Damage (piercing) 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 = 5

Not sure whos attacking who but any attacks on the Mother are at +4 as shes prone.

Isandril draws dark blood and Jonagher knows shooting into the combat is all but useless. He drops the bow and rushes forward pulling out is short blade and screaming.

"DIE! WITCH!"

The distraction of the two warriors allows for Aedalis to snap his whip around the creatures bare feet and pull her down with a loud splash.

The dirge snaps the whip back as an electric charge from Yuuwa shocks her while she is still on all fours.

"NO! NO! You will not destroy me!" she says rising to her knees her back to the group. "By Ydersius, vengeance will be mine. By the beheaded serpent god I will feast on your bones!"

She raises her arms to the ceiling as another wave of dark energy engulfs those near her. The negative energy seems to seek the life within each of you and snuff it out like wind trying to blow out a candle.

Meanwhile Brynmor and Origen try and finish the captain ghoul before it can join and help it's mother. The large blade punctures through the soft corpse of the undead creature coming out it's back covered in dark blood. The eyes of the creature light up in recognition of what has happened and the two men think they see a small smile on it's lips as it dies.

Round 11

Mother Thrunefang sits on her knees her head turned toward the ceiling her arms raised, as if looking for divine intervention to her plight.

COMBAT MAP: HERE

As soon as Brynmor sends the Captain to his rest, Origen spins about to rush toward the others. "Come on!"

Move action: Move 30' to F10.

He sends a bolt of acid toward the Mother.

Standard action: Ranged touch attack (acidic ray): 1d20 + 4 - 4 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 4 - 4 - 2 + 1 = 10 (-2 cover, -4 missile vs. prone, +1 IC)
Damage (if applicable): 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Sadly, the prone condition gives +4 AC vs. missiles, but it should help the rest of you.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 Will Save success

Will take my action after NPC Jonagher.

Round 11
crunch

Once again supernatural energy washes over him and once again Isandril proves too stubborn to fall. The elf smiles despite the pain and once again strikes at the Mother with his two matching short swords.

Round 11

Will 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Main hand melee attack (masterwork short sword) 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 = 25
Damage (piercing) 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 = 8

Off-hand melee attack (masterwork short sword) 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Damage (piercing) 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 + 1 = 8

Mother is still prone so +4 to both Isandril's attacks :).

Isandril sends his two swords point deep into the creature's back and Jonagher moves to finish her off.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22, 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

He reaches down and takes a hand full of scraggly hair before he swings his blade with all his might. The blade slices through bone and muscle and takes the creature's head from it's knobbly shoulders.

"And stay dead this time b****." he says tossing the head unto the sandy floor.

COMBAT OVER

EXPERIENCE: 4,400xp total (includes festrogs from before); 730xp each

Experience tracker

The silence after the din of combat is almost deafening.

The big warrior turns wearily and follows Origen towards the rest of the group. His sword is stained with ichor and his hair is matted and dirty, sweat glsitening on his face and neck. Taking a look at the severed head he turns to the others shakes his head and smiles.

"She sure got what she deserved. I seem to have missed all the fun though..."

Noticing some of the others are wounded he looks at Yuuwa expectantly.

"Admirable job with the hag, priestess. Do you have anything left to patch people up? We need to get moving soon. The freaks outside will be returning at some point and they won't be happy with what we have wrought here."

Origen looks around warily. "I'll keep a lookout in case that the noise attracted any more. We need to be quick, but we should check here and the other caves before we go."

"And say a few words over Captain Kovack. When Brynmor took him down, he seemed almost happy, so maybe he's at peace now."

And, of course, check the bodies.

Before he walks back back to the Captain's body, he pokes at the Mother's head with his foot. "Have any of you heard of 'the beheaded serpent god' or the Ydersius that she was threatening us with? The name is unfamiliar to me."

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

The steady beating of Aedalis' drum rises to a crescendo, ending suddenly as Jonagher finishes the Ghoul off. The last beat of his drum echoes and lingers through the cavern complex.

Perception-

1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Knowledge (Religion) check in response to Origen-

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"Gather around crew. I can provide a couple more of Gozreh's energy to wash away some pain and suffering. And let me have a closer look at some of those claw and tooth marks while I am at it. I'll do what I can to avoid any disease from taking hold."
Heal check1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Channel Positive Energy(5 of 6) 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 30'radius 2d6 heal (DC 13: Will save 1/2) 6/day, no AO)

"Good, now that is over. Lets confirm these caverns remain vermin-free and look for an alternate way out. Sure as the tides, our cannibal friends are awaiting. Speaking of which..."
Yuuwa bends down and scoops her hand into the water, tasting for saltwater, looking for tidal marks on cavern walls or sealife within...perception1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

*Edit*You know the dice gods could be a wee-bit more generous...I have one more healing burst, I'd like to save if we have another encounter.

Yuuwa realizes she can't see in the cavern pool as her brightly lit trident causes the surface be like a mirror. Dipping her trident within the pool, she tries to observe any sealife.
Perception: She takes 20. She ain't in a hurry, and I am tired of rolling low. :-)

She will recast light upon her trident. "Something about what "Mother" said tickles a memory. What was it? Let me think this out. In the meantime, do these ghouls burn?"
Religion 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Yuwwa notices that water coming into the caves is indeed saltwater that must mean their could be a way to swim out if needed. From here spot at the water line she does indeed see the tide marks that mean when the tide is up the water comes in another ten to fifteen feet.

See ooc please.

EDIT:

The battle over the caves become still and quiet. Catching their breathes and relieved that nothing else has jumped out of the darkness at them the group searches the area and Jonagher and Origen the bodies. Besides a few pieces of jewelry Orgien's arcane sight finds two items of magic on the decapitated body of the undead priestess.

A ring and the skull of a snake that was once on a leather thong around her neck. Looking about Orgien gets a pull as if he is detecting something close by but not in the groups current room. He walks to the edge of the water and the pull becomes stronger.

Concentrating and wading out hip deep into the water Jonagher and Origen find the source as the others cover them.

On a ledge not far from where the ghouls died is a treasure chest overflowing with coins. Around the open chest are potion vials and a small pouch. The vials are what must have caught Origen's detection. The two men bring the chest back to shore and lay out the items they have found.

The group then takes and explores the rest of the Caves of the Mother.

From the room were the main fight took place they follow a narrow cave that curves like a serpent. Along the walls are numerous carvings of snakes and skeletons. At the end of the tunnel is a hideous mound of bones and seaweed that forms a nest, in what must be the mother's lair.

Then the group follows the banks east of where they found the treasure chest noting that when the tide is up this stretch of beach will be under water. Faint sunlight shines on the western most walls giving the group an emergency way out should they need it.

Finding an empty room that is not defiled is also a boon. The gravel-like floor is flat and smoothed enough to give a good place to camp since they will be spending the night waiting for Torden and the others to return.

Another tunnel connects that room to a small cove with strange cave scrawlings in Aklo all over the walls. The script is easily read by those who know the dark language.

Here and there about the room their are blood stains (probably from the bodies used as the ink for the writing), bones and drift wood thrown in piles.

Confident that they have explored everywhere and found no signs of secret areas the group enters the area they only saw in passing. The room they saw that had worked stone in it.
_________________________________________________

Complete MAP

Temple

This long chamber 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.

Perception checks as you search the room please.

"Well," Isandril remarks as he moves about the room, senses alert and swords still in his hands, "this does not seem particularly hospitable, does it?"

"At least the imagery is of snakes and not apes and monkeys, eh Origen?" The elf's tone is teasing rather than mocking, an obvious attempt to lighten the mood in this otherwise foreboding place.

Perception 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

. . . . The two men bring the chest back to shore and lay out the items they have found.

Origen is unmoved by the gold, but his eyes light up when he sees the alchemical supplies. "Ah, these antitoxins will come in handy!"

"And these may too." He looks intently the vials, ring, and totem-like skull necklace. "Hmm, I think that I've seen something like these before."

Spellcraft (on ring, DC 17): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Spellcraft (on skull, DC 20): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Spellcraft (on six potions, DC 16): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Spellcraft (on two potions, DC 17): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
Perception (on six potions, if necessary, DC 16): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Perception (on two potions, if necessary, DC 17): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

EDIT: Knowledge (Arcana) (on skull): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Knowledge (Arcana) (on six potions): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

No need to spoiler what he finds, as he'll tell the party.

Another tunnel connects that room to a small cove with strange cave scrawlings in Aklo all over the walls. The script is easily read by those who know the dark language.

Origen translates the cave scrawlings. "This says, 'All glory to Great Ydersius,' though the syntax is a little . . . odd, even for Aklo."

"At least the imagery is of snakes and not apes and monkeys, eh Origen?" The elf's tone is teasing rather than mocking, an obvious attempt to lighten the mood in this otherwise foreboding place.

Origen smiles, though he looks around warily, not sure if the room is really safe. "Good point, Isandril. And here I was, about to complain that we never find evil cathedrals glorifying the demon lord of butterflies and fluffy kittens."

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

I still think if you need perception checks from everyone please roll them on our behalf, they are the most common check and often need to be rolled passively anyway.

More like the deity of the ancient serpentfolk, fondly referred to by myself as "Ydersius the Not-Quite-Dead..." Aedalis rasps.

Smiling at the imagery of a demon lord of butterflies and fluffy kittens, Yuuwa remains as close to center of room. Trying to keep an eye on the whole crew (sparing more than a few glances at the serpetine pile of bones) as they divide and explore. She does not waste her efforts on the distractions throughout the temple, until her crew have ascertained (ie sprung/activated traps) it safe. "Are those cells truly empty?"
Keeping an eye on the crew: Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

*Editted for "AHA moment!" See I just knew the dice gods have forsaken me!

OOC

Earlier: Cave Scrawlings

More like the deity of the ancient serpentfolk, fondly referred to by myself as "Ydersius the Not-Quite-Dead..." Aedalis rasps.

"Eh? Serpentfolk?" Origen thinks for a moment.

"Didn't Captain Kovack's diary mention something about Ieana being 'a serpentine demon'? A coincidence?"

Origen doesn't look as if he's convinced that it's a coincidence.

"What do you mean by 'Not-Quite-Dead,' Aedalis? Undead?"

Headless. But not truly dead, like Aroden. The ghoul's spells are one of many testaments to that he answers in his gravelly voice.

Earlier: Cave Scrawlings

Headless. But not truly dead, like Aroden. The ghoul's spells are one of many testaments to that he answers in his gravelly voice.

Origen says, "That explains the Mother's ranting about a 'beheaded serpent god.' I wonder what chopped his head off?"

Not for the first time, he ponders the nature of the gods with confusion. Alive without a head? The rules must be really different for the gods.

Origen says, "That explains the Mother's ranting about a 'beheaded serpent god.' I wonder what chopped his head off?"

An azlant champion named Savith.

The four cells are indeed empty and look to not have been used in many years. Perhaps whatever prisoners the ghouls captured where never kept alive long(the turning of Captain Korvosa being a true testament to that).

The bone altar in the southern half of the room is exactly what it appears to be. Bones taken from the dead and piled to help in the worshiping of the dead serpent god.

And to the north the stone door held in the jaws of the carved snake head is shut. Ash, scorch marks, and empty vials litter the floor before the door. Isandril finds what appears to be runes etched at the base and top of the door but them seem faded and burned away.

Jonagher steps up at the find and comments, "A trap. And it looks like it was set off by the ash and marks on the floor. No body so whoever set this off must have survived."

The rest of the room is empty of anything interesting and Jongaher starts to check the door for more traps.

Yuuwa confident that any traps would have been found by now, moves closer to Jonagher. "Perhaps a bit of light would help in your search as well as guidance?" Assuming he agrees, She casts Guidance upon Jonagher. And as the rest approach closer to this stone door, she'll do the same to all once within range. Glancing at the ashes and the bone altar, "Perhaps, or more likely eaten and added to that pile of bones on the farside. I think we might take the time while there is no pressure to ascertain the potions and should divvy up amongst ourselves. I'll take one of the Restoration."

Yuuwa makes sure to cast Guidance on all who want it, taking her time to perform a cursory heal check at same time, ever vigilant for infections not cured by healing.
Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Heal1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

She opens her pack, rearranges some of the gear to place one restoration potion near the top. She lets the others know where it is.

Skull snake head - Aura: faint abjuration

Origen says, "I'm not certain what the necklace is, but my best guess is a minor protective item."

OOC

And to the north the stone door held in the jaws of the carved snake head is shut. Ash, scorch marks, and empty vials litter the floor before the door. Isandril finds what appears to be runes etched at the base and top of the door but them seem faded and burned away.

Origen scrutinizes the door closely, looking for signs of residual magic. "Probably from a spell . . . a very old one, from the looks of this temple."

Take 20 on the door for Perception 27.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Since we are taking "20", I have a time to expand on the RP

As Origen and Jonagher are scrutinizing the door, Yuuwa gently taps his shoulder. Calmly yet in a lowered voice confirms they want some help from Gozreh as well as tending to any remaining wounds. Her eyes open, she pulls a whisp of mist from Gozreh's Leaf, "Leitfaden meine nächste Aufgabe" touching each in turn. Clucking her tongue over the state of disrepair the last couple of battles have wreaked and knowing each bit of torn clothing possibly hides a festering wound, she bats away any protestation as any stern mother would. Each scratch is examined through the torn clothing and armor, The 1st heal was for Jongher "23"; For Origen: Heal1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22 Yuuwa jumps a little, unable to suppress her reaction and trying to figure out the best course of action regarding his "condition". "Harumph! Might as well tend to the tears in the clothing. Keep me from re-examining the older scars and hiding..." Pinching the ripped fabric and leather, "Flicken, was auseinander". Removing her hands, reveals a still filthy but mended shirt.

Eyeing the Potions still undetermined and the others "too busy" searching to take a chance on identifying. She unstoppers the small clay flasks in turn, tipping each minutely with her finger preventing spillage. Looking closely in the light cast from her spelled trident, she smells, then tastes the residue on her skin. Concentrating.

Spells translations

Aedalis asks the others quietly-

So what is your next move? I assume I have proven my loyalty here, or at least taken steps towards you trusting my motives.

Origen nods. "I never thought that you were working with the cannibals, but if you had been, you wouldn't have helped us against the ghouls.

"My opinion, for what it's worth, is that we should first deal with those cannibals. They're a danger not only to us, but also to anyone else shipwrecked here. Also, we've already struck against them several times, and they didn't seem very forgiving to me.

"I'm puzzled why we found our old captain down here, though. From his diary, Captain Kovack was Ieana's pawn, and I don't see how he would have got down here without the cannibals letting them through. But I'm not sure why they dealt with her peacefully rather than attacking her.

"Maybe this door hides some of the answers."

Pinching the ripped fabric and leather, "Flicken, was auseinander". Removing her hands, reveals a still filthy but mended shirt.

"Ah, thanks." Origen notices the accumulated dirt of his recent explorations and fighting. With a few muttered words, he removes one of the bigger patches with a cantrip. I have to remember to keep up with that. Too much disease, especially down here, for it to be safe not to.

Later, after the party sets up camp for the night, Origen spends some time using prestidigitation to clean his and his friends' clothes.

"I'm puzzled why we found our old captain down here, though. From his diary, Captain Kovack was Ieana's pawn, and I don't see how he would have got down here without the cannibals letting them through. But I'm not sure why they dealt with her peacefully rather than attacking her.

"Maybe this door hides some of the answers."

"Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye," Isandril offers with a shrug. "In fact, I am willing to bet such is the case."

"As for our more immediate troubles, I too agree that the cannibals should be handled. After all, they most certainly must bear a grudge by now, even if we were not their favorite dish."

"A quick rest and then back to dealing with them, then?"

"A quick rest and then back to dealing with them, then?"

"Well, we'll have to stay around here for a while to let Torden, Bran, and the others catch up. If the cannibals come back, we said that we'd be in here to support them for an assault."

In RL, that was a while ago; the relevant posts start October 10.

"By the way, if the cannibals don't come back, what do you think that the the others should do when they get here? Retreat back to our old camp, or stay here?"