As Justin and Aarakess approach the first pillar to examine it a group of three strange creature drop from the ceiling in an ambush. Rohara calls out to alert you of the creature's locations as they drop down.
The creatures have six purple tentacles that support a bulbous alien eye dripping with viscous slime. Rarely blinking, the star shaped pupil moves rapidly about, scanning the area. Two longer tentacles end in razor sharp claws and undulate hypnotically in the air around it.
- Rohara, Justin, Aarakess, Kilthan Skorhald, Creatures
AC 18 T 12 FF 16 CMD 22
Round 1 Justin
Justin delays as the world slows down for this condition to be fixed.
"Aara and Skornald, I think we need two spells to speed up to our normal combat speed."
Will:
Seeing her companions slow down, Aarakess calls upon her patron to negate the effect.
Cast: Haste
-->should negate the slow and haste anyone, such as Aarakess, who makes their save
Three will saves Aarakess
The spells seems to slide off of the cleric as if she had some sort of divine protection. She moves forward to give protections to those along the front lines and asks, "Lady Luck, I ask for your blessings."
Ah, I missed that it was 3 saves.
Will Save 2:
Will Save 3:
Skorhald begins chanting, granting you focus in battle and weaving his words into a spell that further speeds up the party.
Vile creatures slowing magic mire,
Dropping down in from hiddin high,
My magic speed and words inspire,
Now its time for you to die!
HP:73/73; AC: 16/12/15; F+5, R+8, W+6;
Current Effects:
Inspire Confidence, Haste, Feather Step
Performance Rounds: 13/21
Current Performance: Inspire Confidence; Lingering: None
Performances Available: (move action) bladethirst, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, rallying cry.
Bard Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +9):
3rd (3/day)—good hope, haste, invisibility sphere (2 Cast)
2nd (5/day)—bladed dash, gallant inspiration, rage, silence (DC 15)
1st (5/day)—ear-piercing scream (DC 14), feather step (DC 14), grease (DC 14), saving finale (DC 14), vanish (2 cast)
0 (at will)—daze (DC 13), detect magic, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation (DC 13)
Situational Modifiers:
Dwarven Hatred+1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids.
Defensive Training +4 Gain a dodge bonus to AC vs monsters of the Giant subtype.
Disruptive +4 DC to cast defensively for those you threaten.
Stonecunning +11 Perc on Stonework and automatic chance to detect stone traps and secret doors.
Stubborn +2 Gain bonus to save vs. Charm/Compulsion spells, resave next round if you fail.
Round1 Justin hammers the tentacled monster hard. His first attack hits vitals.
Justin takes one swing and fells the strange creature
Kilthan rushes forward, axe in hand as the world slows back down to normal speed... and then chuckles as things slow down even more.... "I think I like this.", he says with a smile, as he plants a foot and lashes out with his axe.
Feeling the blade sink in, he calls back, in Dwarven, "Jagdbach, kill."
Jadgbach shakes his head as waves of magic wash over him, then perks up when his two-foot orders him into battle. His eyes narrow and he snarls as he rushes forward, even though his internal reserves are spent.
Kilthan:
HP: 94/94
AC: 25/15/22
Move: Move to Q6 while drawing axe
Standard: Power Attack vs. 2
Jagdbach:
HP: 70/70
AC: 24/14/20
Move: Move to O5
Standard: Bite vs. 2
Yes its an aberration, but you didn't roll high enough to know
Knowledge(dungeoneering): <-- I might know what it is.
Aarakess calls out.
More freakin' aberrations. These are Octopins. They like to rip people apart with their claws. Illusions are practically useless against them. Their gaze can slow people, so aim for the eyes if you cannot kill them. The are rumored to be able to see through solid objects.
Oh, and they are not harmed by lightning.
Now, if they can see through solid objects, how can they see us? Shouldn't they just be looking through us like we are invisible? Lol.
Kilthan brings his axe down, leaving a gash on the octopin.
Octopin #2 attacks Justin after moving over to him and misses, while #3 attacks Jagdbach and lands one of its claws leaving a nasty wound
*Hit*
*Hit*
- Rohara, Justin, Aarakess, Kilthan Skorhald, Creatures
AC 18 T 12 FF 16 CMD 22
Skorhald maintains his chant as he moves ten feet to the west, directly behind Justin. With an effort of will he charges his dorn-dergar with arcane power and swings down at the creature in front of Kilthan.
(+6 BAB, +5 STR, +2 IC, -2 PA, +1Enh, +1 haste)
HP:73/73; AC: 16/12/15; F+5, R+8, W+6;
Current Effects:
Inspire Confidence, Haste, Feather Step
Performance Rounds: 12/21
Current Performance: Inspire Confidence; Lingering: None
Performances Available: (move action) bladethirst, distraction, fascinate, inspire competence +3, inspire courage +2, rallying cry.
Bard Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +9):
3rd (3/day)—good hope, haste, invisibility sphere (2 Cast)
2nd (5/day)—bladed dash, gallant inspiration, rage, silence (DC 15)
1st (5/day)—ear-piercing scream (DC 14), feather step (DC 14), grease (DC 14), saving finale (DC 14), vanish (2 cast)
0 (at will)—daze (DC 13), detect magic, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation (DC 13)
Situational Modifiers:
Dwarven Hatred+1 on attack rolls against goblinoid and orc humanoids.
Defensive Training +4 Gain a dodge bonus to AC vs monsters of the Giant subtype.
Disruptive +4 DC to cast defensively for those you threaten.
Stonecunning +11 Perc on Stonework and automatic chance to detect stone traps and secret doors.
Stubborn +2 Gain bonus to save vs. Charm/Compulsion spells, resave next round if you fail.
Skorhald wounds one of the Octopins!
Justin rd2
Justin swings the deadly axe.
Round 2
Aarakess focuses her dwelvish eyes on the less injured tentacle monster and makes even its alien mind realize that before the might of the Palizard, it is doomed.
Evil Eye Hex: -4 AC for 4 rounds, DC20 WIll reduces to 1 round
Move: Cackle
Rohara quickly sees that the group seems to be on the offensive and doing well this time. She concentrates a moment and without further word she disappears from where she was just standing only to reappear mere moments later on the other side of the Octopins.
Hoping that her presence opposite those they are attacking creates a distraction enough so that her companions can strike out at the aberrations.
Kilthan plants a foot and lashes out with his axe and shield.
for
for
for
for
for
Kilthan begins chopping away at the Octopin hitting it twice with his waraxe before slamming his shield into it killing the strange looking creature. Stepping closer to the one Justin hit seconds before, he slices a deep cut into it before slamming his shield killing the remaining one as well.
Combat Over
You cautiously approach the pillars with the symbols on them, wary after the last one exploded into a bath of acid, but these carved symbols are only that and do no more. You investigate the doors to the north and it seems to be locked, barred from the other side to be exact.
Justin helps the mop up after the battle. Confronted with the door, Justin continues to use his wands to renew his magical speed and protection when the doors are unlocked. First he waits to see if they can be unlocked magically or with tools before using his axe.
"That wasn't so bad, we need to find out what is behind these doors."
As his inspiration and magic dwindle, Skorhald approaches the doors examining the symbols and seeing if any of his tools might help to get the doors open. "Well faught, lads! Lets move on and finish this. Let me check out the door, and before we move on, some preparation as it is always hard to work around here"
Kilthan says, "Sadly this key won't undo a bar... If we could address the bar, we might be able to weaken.. Which might let us smash it down.... Still, I can't help but wonder if there's another way in.... Unless Rohara can do that teleport thing and open it for us? "
Rohara calls upon one of her blessings that grants the ability to detect magical auras and looks about the room. More specifically the doors, but she will look about the entire room.
"I do have a blessings from Desna that can grant someone increased strength or another to teleport short distances," Rohara comments as she continues to look about the room.
No magic in this room
Justin notes two scrolls of knock need to purchased for later. He speaks to Rohara: "Get to the other side and immediately unbar the door. Take as many as you can."
The dwarf laughs out loud as people seem perplexed by the barred door."Seems to me that Ole' Pappy's door knocker was made for things like this, If'n ye want me to take it down, T'will be down in short order..."
"Well, let's do it quick. We want to keep tactical surprise."
Justin readies his axe.
"Any enlarges left??"
First the dwarf makes sure that he and Justin still step lightly, then begins. Stepping up to the door, the grizzled dwarf spins the adamantite ball and swings away, with an aside to Kilthan "Ole Pappy would be proud of this, eh lad?" As he does he begins chanting an old war march in Dwarven for inspiration.
Skorhald sends his dorn-derger in a half dozen times before the sturdy barred door finally comes apart revealing the room beyond.
As look through the remains of the double doors, the natural cavern yields to worked stone with a tentacle pattern. This round room is 30 feet across, with an exit to your left and a ceiling 40 feet high.
In the center of this tall domed chamber is a large brain, carved from a single block of purple-veined white marble. Its veins seem to pulsate with every breath you take, as if aware of your presence. Four stone benches are arrayed around the room, each with a pair of iron manacles bolted to the top.
Aarakess looks into the room at the brain and attempts to determine what it is.
Knowledge(arcana): [ooc]<-- +8 dungeoneering, +14 religion, +12 planes
At the same time she decides that some buffs are probably appropriate.
Cast Enlarge Person on Justin w/rod of extend <-- lasts 16 minutes
Cast Enlarge Person on Skorhald w/rod of extend <-- lasts 16 minutes
Cast Freedom of Movement on Justin - 80 minutes duration
Ok Justin, we need to find the bad guys, I cannot do that much more. You should be much more difficult to catch or slow down now.
With detect magic there are a number of schools involved, but the strongest one is enchantment. Aarakess is unsure what it could be outside the room without studying it up close.
Justin looks for evil auras. The pillar is his immediate focus.
While definitely creepy, Justin doesn't detect any evil auras.