Narrator[Maps, handouts, pictures: Links in top of page spoiler]
DM rolls:
?:1d20 ⇒ 31d4 ⇒ 4
Following Misha suggestion, the group with Rikar and Misha leading the way moves into the right hand corridor, as Josef sends his dancing lights to illuminate the way.
Moving slowly, you find that this passage is a dead end, and even after a thorough search, there are no exits so you head back to the main corridor, and following the 'right hand rule' continue now up the center corridor and once again come to another split. With three passages in front of you, you head down the right hand one, and come again to a three way split. However this time, with the help of Josef lights, you can see most of the small cavern(N6) on the other side of the cross roads.
The moisture has created a coat of fungus, moss or some other kind of primal organic matter, discreetly and completely covering the insides of this cave(N6).
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Any Knowledge checks we can make about the fungus? Is it harmful? Delicious?
M M Human Weapon Master (F)8 / Boreal Sorcerer 1 / Arcane Archer 8 | Init +6 | Perc +20 | AC 24 / T 17 / FF 18 | HP 180/180 | Saves F +12/R +13/W +7; +2 vs Illusions, Evasion
"Any easy way to clear some of that goop? There could be anything underneath all that....."
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Narrator[Maps, handouts, pictures: Links in top of page spoiler]
DM rolls:
?:1d20 ⇒ 91d4 ⇒ 1
Misha tries to figure out if there is anything particular or peculiar about the vegetation in the area ahead(N6) but nothing comes to mind, and it looks just like plant life that you might find this far underground.
Transmuter 9 / Ftr 1 / EK 7 [ HP: 190/190 | 11 temp HP | AC:18 T:11 FF:17 | F: +14 R: +9 W:+13| initiative +1, perception +17] Human Male +2 Greatsword +21/16/11 (2d6+11) Power Attack +21/12/7 (2d6+26) ; Longbow +17/12/7 (1d8+12 20/x3)
I suggest we examine the cavern, personally.
"If the moss stuff is safe, perhaps we look a bit closer and determine if anything of value is inside? I'd hate to miss another tear or something similarly powerful for lack of effort in clearing away moss."
Misha moves up, flanked by Rikar and Latys, as the others let the scout / explorers check out the cavern for enemies. Just as she pokes the plant life, two huge plant creatures rise out of the muck and mire. They don't look happy as they begin to reach out.
Next?
Level Map Updated
Rikar and Latys go, then the foes go, then I will rearrange the initiative putting the foes at the end and then everyone gets a turn.
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Rikar strides forward, ready to mow down some plants with his scythe.
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Latys bounds forward, unable to squeeze between the two vegetative monsters, and bites at the closest one!
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Rikar draws back his scythe, hoping to cut down at least one of the monstrous walking plants by timing his blow just right.
Waiting a bit in case other useful buffs get cast.
The round needs to finish (thru Josef) before you go again anyway, Rikar
Also, I'm not complaining, but this is the first time in couple days and I'm surprised Misha was placed so far back given she was poking the moss (albeit with a 10 foot pole).
Loremaster check on the angry piles of lettuce: Knowledge (nature) result 23
Misha casts displacement while she stands safely out of the reach of the creatures, then steps up (5' step) to Rikar and pokes him, making him all distorted looking again.
M M Human Weapon Master (F)8 / Boreal Sorcerer 1 / Arcane Archer 8 | Init +6 | Perc +20 | AC 24 / T 17 / FF 18 | HP 180/180 | Saves F +12/R +13/W +7; +2 vs Illusions, Evasion
Weird, paizo says I had 2 new posts but there are quite a few I missed!
As Therena's magic boosts his speed, Telman takes aim at the wounded creature.
Narrator[Maps, handouts, pictures: Links in top of page spoiler]
Hope everyone had a good Independence Day. Carol and I went to a James Taylor concert at Tanglewood. Campground WiFi back to semi abnormal today.
.
Rikar, Latys, Josef ?
Transmuter 9 / Ftr 1 / EK 7 [ HP: 190/190 | 11 temp HP | AC:18 T:11 FF:17 | F: +14 R: +9 W:+13| initiative +1, perception +17] Human Male +2 Greatsword +21/16/11 (2d6+11) Power Attack +21/12/7 (2d6+26) ; Longbow +17/12/7 (1d8+12 20/x3)
"You know, I've always wanted to be able to do this, after so many stories of witches and wizards turning people or things into newts."
Josef casts baleful polymorph on the un-injured plant monster, selecting "tiny harmless newt" as the destination creature.
1d20 + 23 ⇒ (17) + 23 = 40 fort vs. DC 20 - Josef doesn't know enough not to use Fort save spells on giant plant monsters, but hey, you gotta try sometime, right?
Seeing his spell take no effect, he grimaces and raises his bow.
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
Frustrated that he and Latys can't get on either side of their foe, Rikar continues to try to cut it down the old-fashioned way.
Therena casts haste on the group to up their combat power. Misha casts a spell on herself and she shimmers. She tries to figure out what these creatures are and she thinks that they are shambling mounds, but bigger, faster and more dangerous than so called normal ones. Telman uses his ability to add frost damage to his arrows, and fires arrow after arrow into one of the shambling mounds, significantly hurting it. Josef tires a new spell on the undamaged creature, hoping to take it out at once, but the creature resists his spell, so Josef takes out his bow. Rikar and Latys, frustrated that they are not able to flank the creature as their wont, rely on good old fashioned beating it to death, as Rikar hits the creature hard, and Latys mops up and one of the creatures goes down.
The remaining, unwounded mound, unleashes two slams that really hurt the cat.
Sorry if my post was vague -- I actually cast displacement on Rikar. She cast it, held the charge, then moved up and touched him.
"By the way, fire doesn't hurt these guys so much, and electricity doesn't hurt them at all!"
Misha draws Fiendfinder (Quick Draw) and runs with exaggerated movement up toward the remaining shambler, hoping to distract it from the injured Latys. "We'ved killed dragons, hags, and efreets, you think we're threatened by a giant heap of rotten kale?"
The bad news for Misha is this should provoke an AOO. The good news for Latys and Rikar is that if she does provoke an AOO, that should HOPEFULLY remove the creature's ability to make AOOs for the round, which lets them move freely around the creature--hopefully to let Latys withdraw if needed and Rikar get in to flank.
Swift action to activate Archeologist's Luck
Activating Combat Expertise for +4 Dodge bonus to AC. Her current AC is thus 24 because she does not have both swords drawn.
Even better, since I hit (if barely), I'm going to use my once-daily activation of Positioning Attack. That gives Misha a free 30 foot move so long as she ends adjacent to the monster she hit, so she'll move to the other side of it. This'll make it even easier for Rikar and Latys to position themselves as desired.
With her successful strike, Misha leaps through the vegetation to land on the other side of the monster.
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
With a quick glance to be sure that Latys is still on her feet after those powerful strikes, Rikar steps up and sweeps his scythe low and hard, trying to cut the mound-monster's trunk-like legs from under it!
M M Human Weapon Master (F)8 / Boreal Sorcerer 1 / Arcane Archer 8 | Init +6 | Perc +20 | AC 24 / T 17 / FF 18 | HP 180/180 | Saves F +12/R +13/W +7; +2 vs Illusions, Evasion
Telman takes a heartbeat to marvel at the always impressive bravery and combat prowess of his companions before again working his bow to do his part. His momentary distraction almost costs him: as two arrows leave the string he can feel that they are off target, only finding their mark thanks to the magical luck granted by Therena's touch.
Therena taps Telman on the shoulder, granting him some luck. Misha moves in to attack, and the creature takes an attack on her, but misses, as hits the remaining mound. She uses her ability to get to move to surround the creature. Telman and Josef hit it with arrows, and Latys moves to his flanking position, without incurring an attack thanks to Misha, and he and Rikar kill the last one.
Now that the battle is over, you search the area thoroughly and find in the remains of one of them, a ten inch wide stone slab, about an inch think with some kind of Arcane Seal on it.
Transmuter 9 / Ftr 1 / EK 7 [ HP: 190/190 | 11 temp HP | AC:18 T:11 FF:17 | F: +14 R: +9 W:+13| initiative +1, perception +17] Human Male +2 Greatsword +21/16/11 (2d6+11) Power Attack +21/12/7 (2d6+26) ; Longbow +17/12/7 (1d8+12 20/x3)
1d20 + 22 ⇒ (1) + 22 = 23 spellcraft (if Misha helps me, that's a success. If the 1 is important, perhaps Josef makes a completely incorrect assumption about the object?)
"Well fought, once again. I wish my transformation spell landed properly, it would have been amusing to see a tiny newt with the 'memories' of a giant swamp-plant monster."
Transmuter 9 / Ftr 1 / EK 7 [ HP: 190/190 | 11 temp HP | AC:18 T:11 FF:17 | F: +14 R: +9 W:+13| initiative +1, perception +17] Human Male +2 Greatsword +21/16/11 (2d6+11) Power Attack +21/12/7 (2d6+26) ; Longbow +17/12/7 (1d8+12 20/x3)
"A charm of opening, of some variety. I would hazard a guess this is the key to unlocking the great portal we've been seeing and learning about from these gemstones. Why and how it works, that's beyond me for now."
"I had somehow thought the tears themselves were related to the portal... I don't remember seeing a vision of something like this. Still, it probably opens something... and if you are right, maybe we can just NOT open the portal by not using this."
Misha looks around. "Everyone ok? Therena, you have enough juice to heal up the kitty? Then we should probably keep going."
M Human (Shoanti) Spell-Less Ranger 17 | Init +4 (+12 Underground) |Perc +22 (+30 underground) | AC 30 / T 19 / FF 27 | HP 209 | Saves F +15 / R +15 / W +13 Loot tracker
"A little patching up of Latys would be appreciated," Rikar concurs, laying a tender hand on the great cat's injured shoulder. Once she's seen to, and Rikar has inspected the wound to be sure it won't trouble his companion further, he says, "Right, let's keep going, like Mishinika says."
Narrator[Maps, handouts, pictures: Links in top of page spoiler]
Assuming you continue to follow the right hand route you have been taking.
DM rolls:
?:1d20 ⇒ 201d4 ⇒ 2
Therena heals the ranger and his cat, closing all by the most trivial wounds. The group with Misha and Rikar in the lead continue to follow the tunnels with the adventures creed of "right hand rule". You come to three way split in the tunnel, and explore the area immediately to your right. Moving slowly, into the open(N3) you realize that it is like the other area back at the beginning. The darkness in this cave is so thick it is actually suffocating, In fact, you begin to fi nd it diffi cult to breathe, and move quickly back to the main opening and continue to move south and west. You come to another area(N6) with moisture so thick that it has created a coat of fungus, moss or some other kind of primal organic matter, discreetly and completely covering the insides of this cave, just like the one you left.
Can Misha have been healed by Therena's channel earlier?
"I'd say let's try burning it out this time, but it might destroy anything hidden within." Misha nods at Therena when she proposes her simpler solution, and stands at the edge of the room.
@Misha - Yes, my bad, I missed that you were down.
Josef and Therena scan the room for magic, but find none. Misha hears Therena plan to throw a simple rock into the area, and moves to edge of the plant matter along with Rikar, as the rock is thrown in.
Apparently the plant creatures do not like to be disturbed as two more of the shambling mounds rise from the vegetation, and prepare to attack.
