GM Rat Sass's Legacy of Fire (Inactive)

Game Master GM Rat Sass

Under Otah's rationale, the party heads through the southern archway, marked '1', thinking on the Dragon, and through the southern archway of the Dragon room, they arrive.

Continuing on with the dwarf's reasoning, seeking out the archways as yet unexplored, while avoiding archways marked '3' under Mahdi's recommendations, the party moves to archway '4'... and finds another stone wall to the east.

Thoughts turn to the Snake room, and the process is repeated. The party moves through the archway marked '4', and enters the Snake room, where once again a stone wall is encountered behind the fire curtain through archway '2'.

It is tedious work, but the less frustrated in the party continue to egg on the laggards, and the rest of the fire curtains are revealed as ways forward, or not.

From Snake room, to Scorpion. From Scorpion, back to Salamander. From Salamander, back to Vulture. From Vulture, back to Jackal. '4'...'2'...'1'...'4'...'2'...

In the Jackal room, archway '1' awaits. Clearing your minds, you pass through in the proper order, and you find a new room- the ceiling is marked with the virile depiction of the wise Rat.

Leading from this room to the west is a large corridor, with a faint fire curtain that allows you to see the way ahead.

Two ways forward- continue down this new hallway, return to the lava canal, or work your way through the numbers pattern to investigate fire curtain '2' in this new room.

What do you do?

"Well done Otah!" he shouts triumphantly as he passes through the first arch.

By the end though Aldebert isn't sure what to do. His head is spinning with keeping all the rooms and numbers. Had he known it would be this many, he'd have started a spreadsheet! As it is, it's too much to keep all of a thought.

He hopes Mahdi and Pent are sharper than he. "I'm keen to investigate this new hallway, but I worry it'll reset the maze and we'll have to start over again. If you all think that's not the case, let's check it out."

"But if it might be... well, then let's press on thought this confusion and make our way out."

Aldebert heads off in whatever direction the group thinks is best.

Pent looks over Aldebert's shoulders, which isn't too hard to do, for their respective heights. "Well, there's always that saying 'Just because you can doesn't mean you should', accompanied by 'When you swim deep, you still need to come up for air', alongside 'The dungheap'll still be there in the morning'..."

The gnome looks around to the others. "We all ready to push on, or do we need to rest up? We have a moment to rest here, if we want to take it, I think."

Ami looks around at the proposed resting area knowing that he can improve it with a grove and water.

"I could rest or continue on," Ami offers. "Brother, what do you think? If we are to be trapped here forever, then one night won't make a difference."

Ami looks at Mahdi. "MAAH-dee, do you wish to press on?"

"Quite true Pent. I suspect perhaps we should stay on the straight and narrow and just follow along the path that is laid out before us."

"As to resting, we have been going on a while. I have the resources to continue on, but if you and Mahdi need a break to replenish, I could enjoy some grove time. Otah, how are you holding up?" he smiles and looks to his brother, the provider of pleasantries.

"The rules of this maze-system would say that we leave through this hallway, doesn't it?" the dwarf asks to confirm as he listens down the western corridor.

In response to Aldebert, he untucks his beard and gives it a ruffle with his fingers. "I am fine. The gnome has healed my wounds, and I am unburdened by the same restrictions that the rest of you gain power from."

"But that scroll place has burdened my thoughts and the idea of sleeping it off sounds great."

"...I admit a rest might not go amiss," Mahdi says grudgingly. "It seems ages ago that I last refreshed my spells... but I do have several powerful ones remaining, so we can continue if we need to."

Sorry for the relatively short check-in, I'm still in a state of limited Internet, but it's supposed to get fixed by Wednesday. In a lolz moment, our last in-game rest was like... July, in real world time. Mahdi's daily spells are definitely running lowish, but he still has a wall of force and a few other things for the day if we want to press forward

The more cerebral of the party put their powerful minds together, and conclude that rushing forward into the unknown without full preparations feels oogy.

With the knowledge of the chambers maze/treasury, the group returns to a previous room, Salamander for those keeping track, where Ami brings about a pleasant retreat in which all present enjoy a well-deserved rest.

When you awaken, Pent slips into meditation, while Mahdi prepares his magics, for what appears to be the Infiltration of Bayt al-Bazan, Jhavhul's personal estate in the City of Brass.

Also, please Level to 11. And, no, I'm not going to simply make 10 louder.

Also, please Level to 11. And, no, I'm not going to simply make 10 louder.

Good one. I guffaw'd like a yokel.

Ami conjures his grove of respite, allowing others (even the gnome) within to share in the goodberries and water.

In the morning, Ami and Yeen will commune together, renewing their energies and magics for the day. Soon he will be ready to press on.

Will do some morning castings after Ami lvls up tonight.

"Mahdi, have you thought about where to go next? Or maybe we can just go home...poof!...with magic?" Ami is sure that Mahdi can just take them home.

Aldebert sleeps in his armor, thanks to the magics of Bed of Iron. He tires of sleeping in his armor though, and looks forward to a time when he can take it off, and relax a bit. If only a day. Oh for a hot bath! He makes sure there are watch rotations and dutifully serves his time on guard.

He rises early and casts Endure Elements on himself. It may not be particularly hot here, but anything to reduce the stink of his sweaty gear is helpful - and he hopes to be back in the desert soon enough.

He hopes…

Once he’s up and ready, he wonders about instantly leaving, ”Leaving is a good goal, but I’d see what evil might lie here. Perhaps we can even find Jhavhul himself before we depart. Let’s search this maze a little further before teleporting away - if such a thing is even an option.”

That night when Mahdi rests and studies, he spends a long time staring at the strange walls of this palace-cum-prison. There's a riddle that's been bothering him since their first brush with Jhahvul:

How is a wizard who summons flame supposed to fight something born of the stuff?

His own nature doesn't lend itself well to spells of frost and chill. Mahdi's heart is as quick and brash as his favored element.

But it's no longer a rhetorical question. They may be closing in swiftly on Jhahvul's trail, now, and his survival-- as well as that of the others, but, Mahdi muses, his own survival is a little more important-- may hinge on his ability to adapt.

Digging out the somewhat battered spellbook that's been with him from his apprenticeship on, Mahdi settles in to a grueling hour of scrawled runes, giving himself a migraine as he tries to challenge his understanding of the nature of fire, and shift his mind toward fire's cold, implacable opposite... something as foreign to their current plane as he himself is.

It doesn't go perfectly, but Mahdi awakes the next morning with a slight chill in his bones, shivering despite the warmth of the palace.

He stamps his feet and walks around the room trying to get warm, and looks up blearily at Ami's question. "I'm not capable of casting interplanar magics like that," he sighs. "Believe me, I would if I could. If someone else can manage a planar shift, they're welcome to. I've been trying to figure out how to cast cold spells, since my fireballs aren't likely to do much to Jhahvul. For now, we should check out the rest of this complex, who knows what we might learn. Perhaps there's some lovely sword that will decapitate Jhahvul in one hit or... something. Ugh, I'm cold."

Mahdi begins his daily spell preparations... including the casting of mage armor on both Yeen and Gretiem.

False life: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Also throwing Mage Armor on himself, and Overland Flight. Mahdi now has a constant fire resistance 10; if you'd be okay with assuming an average damage from the permanent flaming orb (2d6 =7), then we could say he's carrying it without problems; failing that, he could try something like seeing if the Pathfinder Pouch could hold it safely as an extradimensional space, or using some chain or another metal container to carry it since the metal getting hot to the touch shouldn't bother him.

Thank you for the mage armor, Mahdi!

Ami does his usual morning castings: Ami casts ext. Magic Vestment (Aldebert/Ami's buckler), Endure Elements (as needed), & Ext Barkskin (Yeen), MCPfE10' (Yeen).

Ami will magic up and mount Yeen and be ready to go.

Pent awakens with a new zeal for exploration. Instead of boats and islands within a pocket plane, they have a new, elemental plane, and a singular edifice to examine.

To begin his day, as the others begin theirs, which is still his, as it's shared, the gnome waves everyone around. "Alright, now. I envisioned a grand palace, while I prayed to Sarah, and She brought forth the vision of a grand feast, suitable for such a grand place. I wasted no time in humbly requesting this of Her, and She smiled on me, She did. Witness Her glory, and Feast more than your eyes."

Pent begins to gesticulate fervently. Within the Chamber of the Salamander, a magnificent crescent table begins to form around the gnome. Within moments, phantom, multicolored gnomes in the image of Pent begin to race about the table, bringing forth a tablecloth, perfectly tailored to the crescent, then pushing chairs from the aether, one for each of the Bayt siegers. Next, the rainbow gnomes bring platters of savory foods and rich drinks, which find their way to each of the newly-arisen dining plates at each chair. The dishes are repetitive, so none need request a plate be passed for one's desire to be met. The crystalline goblets before you allow the richness and clarity of the nectar poured to shine through, much like fire of the curtains shimmer through the prismatic gnomes. Once everyone is seated, the gnomes disappear, while the Feast does not. For its deliberateness, a good ten minutes pass while you spectate the goings on.

Welcome to a Heroes' Feast. If our gracious GM allows, an hour can pass uninterrupted, and we will all benefit- Nausea and Sickness, be gone! Poison and Disease, you are dismissed. Everyone can count on 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 additional hit points for the better part of this new day. +1 morale bonus to Attack Rolls, and +4 morale bonus to Saves v Fear and Poison effects for a goodly 12 hours.

Flattery will get you far, gnome.

The morning comes with no conflict, no disturbance, and the treasury chamber quietly bids you sally forth to the further reaches of the Bayt. The gnome gets his time to provide you all your Feast, before you set down the unexplored hallway extending from the Chamber of the Rat.

Rayhan finds himself so robustly sated, he holds you all back for a moment. "I prepared something to ease our way forward." The old mage casts a spell, and motions forward and down the hallway.

Time passes painfully slowly, as all gathered must wait for Rayhan to finish his magics. Eventually, he nods, and reports. "Well, good news, and bad. The way forward is unbarred, but before us lie several beings, one of them a monstrosity."

Rayhan goes on to explain. "In the first chamber I encountered, there are four Azer Mamluks, creatures of the Plane of Fire, no surprise, but themselves not inherently evil beings. They didn't seem to notice me, as they reclined and conversed among themselves. Beyond that chamber stood an odd humanoid, emaciated, with tendrils of smoke rising from its eye sockets. Can't place exactly what that is."

Rayhan then breathes deeply, and slowly, before going on. "At the last, there is a large stairwell rising to the next floor above us. Within the stairwell is a... well, I... I've never seen anything of its kind." The old man pauses, and shudders, as he remembers it, as if he were there himself.

"Unspeakable pallid flesh twitches and quivers across the grotesque bulk of this vaguely insectile monstrosity. Behind a ravening maw of needle-sharp teeth twists a bulbous, eyeless head covered in a veined membrane. Beyond this amorphous mass coils a long, segmented body bearing dozens of scuttling legs covered in chitinous armor and ending in a pincer-like double stinger. The foremost legs are oversized and folded back like those of a mantis, but with jagged, metallic growths along its clawed edges."

Rayhan finishes his rather ornate description, before looking to you all, and gathering his confidence. He seems to take comfort in you all being here.

Roll20 map has been updated to show you your way forward, on the words of a frightened old man. The door on the map is opened, and the dark squares 'round the bend isn't really a pit or anything...

"This is a mighty feast indeed Pent. Very nearly miraculous!” Aldebert says as he digs in. When he’s sated, he says, ”Are you sure of your information Rayhan? That’s most useful. Good thing we rested.” he draws his great sword ”I’m ready.”

He urges Gretiem down the hallway when the party is ready.

Ami feeds Yeen the feast first, then sits down himself to gorge himself upon blood sausages, eggs & bakey, & sardines and oatmeal (hold the oatmeal).

"Brother! Have you ever seen so much food! If the gnome can do this again, we should open up a restaurant. You will rich!" Ami says between face stuffings as he lifts his face scarf to eat, but keep the rest of his face hidden.

"Pent?" Ami waggles a sausage in the gnome's direction. "I don't care how much you fart from now on. If you can do this again, you can fart airly in our direction and I would still taste this feast upon the wind."

Contrary to how some others have categorized the effects, both Ami and Yeen leave the feast feeling quite nauseated...but that's more from gorging too mighty of greasy foods than any ill effects.

* * *

Ami waits for Rayhan's offerings, listening as he pets Yeen.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 Know (Religion)

Ami offers to cast Resist Energy on those that need it should they feel it is necessary going forward.

"Thanks Pent." Otah grumbles between bites of deliciousness. "I think Ami may be onto something with the restaurant..."

He listens as Rayhan offers his insights and grins, "That's a neat trick, I wouldn't tell any bathhouses that you can do that though."

"Okay, so Zenzirad if needed, and then probably my horsechopper if we need to fight this grotesqueness you described."

As the party ends its meal, the dwarf straightens his gear and puts his horsechopper in the found-quiver. He keeps Zenzirad as a walking aid and is ready to keep moving.

Mahdi looks a little startled at the appearance of the deluxe feast, and eats only once everyone else has started to, shooing the occasional suspicious glance at Pent.

"...if this food gives us all gas..." he mutters dourly, but the innate deliciousness of the food soon shuts him up, and at the end he even says thank you to the gnome. "Better food than I've had in a while, I admit."

Rayhan's proactive spying makes Mahdi arch his brows and steeple his fingers and otherwise do his best to imitate a sage sage in his own right. "Ah, the arcane eye, very useful..."

Know the religion: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Know the dungeons: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

The fire-mage frowns to himself, tapping his fingers together. "I might be able to talk to the azer in their tongue. As for the first horror Rayhan describes, it sounds like a bodak. They have some defenses, I think..." DR if any? Or other special defenses

The wizard's frown deepens. "I'm not familiar with the other creature. But it sounds hideous. Let's go forth. Rayhan, I suggest standing in the back near me."

Pent takes in the gratitude, satisfied himself with the bounty. "It's all thanks to Sarah, like I said. But I'm glad to see us healthy and hale before we set sail."

The party makes its way down the large hallway, which dog-legs southwest, then south, then southeast. Easily avoiding a pit trap meant to hassle the reckless, the group approaches a largish single door, which, as Rayhan has offered, is partially open at present. As the noisy among you fail to do anything substantive to lessen the echoes through the expanse, you are eventually called out.

Through the doorway, you can make out a lone Azer Mamluk, a dwarf-like individual, with skin of brass, and hair afire.

"જાઓ, તમે જે પણ છો."

Roll20 Map is updated.

Ami casts Resist Fire (30) on himself and Yeen, worried for the fiery appearance of the fire-dwarf.

"OOO-tah, they look like dwarves. Do you know them?" Ami asks.

He lets others, especially his brother or dwarf, reply.

Otah gives Ami a disapproving sideways glance, ”Do you know every halfling you meet?”

He waits for a second and then responds ”No, I do not.”

Not knowing the language, he lowers his blade and waits for Mahdi. I should've asked my brother for protection from fire. Their hair is on fire! Fighting them is going to hurt.

He grins though, hoping Mahdi can talk to these fire creatures. They both serve the same master, that ever dancing flame.

He waits patiently in the saddle, smiling at the Azer.

"They're Azer, as I said," Mahdi answers absently at Ami. "Not dwarves. Creatures from the plane of fire."

Clearing his throat, he answers the 'dwarf' in the same language.

"ના, અહીંથી પસાર થવું જરૂરી છે. શું તમે ઝાવેવુલના ગુલામો છો? જો એમ હોય તો તે તમને રસ છે કે અમે તેને મારી નાખવાનો ઇરાદો ધરાવીએ છીએ. તમે મુશ્કેલી વિના અમને દો કરી શકો છો, અથવા તમે અમારી રીતે મેળવી શકો છો ... અને હું બાદમાં સલાહ આપી નથી."

Intimidate: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16 Thanks dice

"અમે કોઈ ગુલામો નથી. તમે આવો અને તમે ઇચ્છો તેટલું આગળ વધો છો? અમે તમારી સાથે દખલ કરી શકતા નથી. તમે બહાર કેવી રીતે જાણો છો? જો તમે કરો, તો અમે જાણીશું."

From your vantage, a couple more Azers join their spokesman in the archway, to see you better.

Ami waits and listens and watches for signs of hostility from Mahdi or the fire dwarves. He does not seek to provoke them.

"They're cooperating," Mahdi says over his shoulder to the others, with a small pleased smile. It makes sense to him that they recognize his power!!!11!1! He carries on in Ignan.

Pent looks impressed, as Mahdi makes headway with the azer, using his words first. "Keep it up, Mahdi. The more words, the better, I find. They seem just as eager to keep using theirs, which gives me a bit of hope."

The gnome listens attentively, allowing the fire mage to practice his art of diplomacy, which totally works towards tempering a man's fire.

Two of the azer approach your door, leaving at least three others to wait in the adjacent room. The spokesazer continues to answer Mahdi.

"વેલ, તમને વધુ સારી નસીબ, તો પછી. તે બોડક, તે અમારા નેતા છે. નામનું ગ્રોથ તેમનો નેતા અમારો માલિક છે- સમમાર. Sammadar પોતે સીડી અપ લીધો, અને તે પાછા આવ્યા નથી, પરંતુ Grovth કાળજી નથી અમે તેને માંસ છો અમે પહેલેથી જ અમારી સાત ગુમાવી છે."

The azer spokesman points to the floor. It is now that you take in the room before you. The walls and domed ceiling of this room have been coated with plaster and inlaid with frescos, now badly damaged with time. The subject matter of the frescoes is still apparent as scenes from ordinary mortal life in some arid land. They depict shepherding, husbandry, agriculture along the banks of a muddy river, and other mundane tasks, all beneath a cloudless cerulean sky. Broken chunks of a vaguely man-shaped ceramic litter the floor; both the shards and the floor bear the brownish stains of dried blood. Two cord-wrapped bundles of coarse cloth lie near the north wall.

"તમને લાગે છે કે વિકાસમાં વધારો થયો છે, અમે તમને અટકાવીશું નહીં, પરંતુ જો તે જીવતો રહેશે, તો તમારી પાસે કોઈ વિકલ્પ રહેશે નહીં, જો તમે પીછેહઠ કરો છો."

"Well done, fire-man."

Otah, pleased to see sensible denizens of this place, smiles. "Do they know how to get out of this place?"

He admires the next room, though he wonders aloud "what happened here?"

"By the sounds of it, the fire dwarves have been battling pottery." The gnome points at the brownish bits, and shrugs his shoulders.

Mahdi rapidly translates everything back into Common for his colleagues. "No, they're stuck here as well, but they're being preyed upon by the bodak, who technically they have to obey but it sounds like it eats them as it pleases. They have no problems with us fighting him, but if we tried to retreat from it they'd try and strike us down for fear of its wrath..."

Mahdi takes in the room with a curious, quick glance, then returns to Azer-chatting.

"સમાધ્ધ એક માસ્ટર છે, બાકીના ઇફ્રેટીની જેમ અમે એક અઠવાડિયા પહેલા ઘણાં માટીના ગોળીઓને હરાવ્યું, કોઈ સમદર નહીં. તેમણે બોલ લીધો આ ચેમ્બરને કંઈક 'પિશિશન'"

The lead azer points over Mahdi's shoulder at Otah.

"તમે તે માલિક છો? ગુણવત્તાવાળા એરોઝર પરવડી શકાય નહીં, તેથી તમે કાદવ ખરીદી, એહ?"

Pent snorts at the azer's last comment, looking over at Otah, while tapping his nose with a bent finger.

Sensing an agreement towards peace, Ami tests the friendliness by moving up.

Moved on map.

Ami doesn't seem to garner much attention from the azer, as he moves in. They are more interested in the mage and dwarf who have yet to enter the chamber.

Mahdi snorts as well.

"સમાધ્ધ એક માસ્ટર છે, બાકીના ઇફ્રેટીની જેમ અમે એક અઠવાડિયા પહેલા..."

Turning to his colleagues, Mahdi says, "The pottery fragments were clay golems... nasty creatures, I'm just as glad we weren't the ones to fight them. We should be ready for the bodak in the rooms beyond-- his name is Grovth, but I don't intend to really chit-chat with him. Oh-- cold iron would be most effective against him, if you have any. If not... just hit him hard, I suppose."

He hikes up his robes and strides imperiously into the chamber, well, as imperiously as he can, anyway.

"Cold Iron huh?" Aldeber scours his gear, and comes up empty. Not even his sword is powerful enough to overcome such simple resistance. He thinks a moment and chuckles, "I don't suppose it's evil is it?"

Grinning, he raises his sword back up, and prepares to meet this foe in battle. When the party is ready.

As the party pushes into the chamber, the azer can be more fully evaluated for their injuries.

Beyond the second chamber, those perceptive enough can see the lone bodak, standing guard, facing away from you. Either it doesn't detect you, doesn't care, or is fixated on something beyond your line-of-sight.

If you remain in present conversation with the azer, you're likely able to continue for a short while, still. If your conversation becomes more animated, who's to tell whose attention you attract...

How do you proceed?

Heal: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11

Aldebert glances at the Azer, but as they're neither ally nor enemy at this point, he doesn't pay them much attention. That and he doesn't know the language, so he feels sort of adrift anyway.

When the party is ready, he'll prepare a charge, but he waits for the others to cast any preparatory spells first.

Heal: 1d20 ⇒ 15 Haha, I'll take it.

Mahdi moves in... and eyes the azer with a small frown. "Pent," he mutters, "they're rather wounded, aren't they? I suppose with azer the injuries just cauterize. Still.... do you suppose 'Sarah' has a bit of healing warmth for them? We might be able to make actual allies of them if we sweeten things a touch."

(If Pent doesn't object:)

Mahdi notes the bodak-- warily, unsure why the creature is paying them no mind-- but keeps his voice low when he returns to speaking to the azer.

If a Diplomacy is needed given his earlier intimidate: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

"Pent, holiest of those who worship Sarah the Beauteous Light, of whom we are not worthy to bathe second or third from the same bathwater, they're rather wounded, aren't they?..."

Pent looks up at Mahdi, his mind somewhere slightly skewed from the current moment, returns to moment, more true than he wants it to be, to listen to the genuine words of the fire mage, and its petition for healing.

"Oh, well, sure sure... Sarah can certainly help with that, we just need to gather them around, so I don't miss a single one of them..."

The gnome waits for the azer to close their respective distances, before bursting. Assuming they do...

Selective Channel, No no, no one really: 6d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 2, 3, 6, 2) = 19

The azer do take advantage of the gnome's healing, clustering a little, while looking over their respective shoulders towards the next chamber, where a bodak they call leader lurks.

"તે એસિડ અને અગ્નિ હુમલા સામે ખડતલ છે, આપણે જાણીએ છીએ કે તમે અવાજ કરો છો કે તમે તેમને તેના કરતાં વધુ સારી રીતે જાણો છો."

Perhaps due to circumstance, or Pent's burst, or the sighs of the azer as they recuperate health, Grovth turns from his sentinel positioning, and begins wandering in your general direction. From his gait, he's about as slow as the halflings. For its eyes, you're unaware exactly if the creature has spotted you, but his movement appears deliberate.

Round 1
Mahdi- 20
Aldebert- 20-
Amiamble- 17
Otah- 16
Grovth- 15
Pent- 2

Everyone except the gnome is up!

Roll20 Map is updated for Grovth's minor movement.

Otah acknowledges Pent's nose tap and then looks to see if the Azer have noticed something that somehow got tangled in the heights of his beard. When he comes up empty he gives Pent a shrug.

"Cold Iron huh? Good thing I brought this with me." Otah says as he spins his horsechopper about his wrist.

"I wonder what... nope, nevermind." Otah grunts.

Round 1
Otah takes a position behind the mounted Aldebert and readies his horsechopper to reach out should the bodak be unfriendly.

Activate Lunge. If the bodak comes within reach of 15' with harmful intent, he'll try to trip it at range.

Round: 1, Initiative: 20-

Spying the Bodak, Aldebert immediately Smites Evil (swift) on the undead abomination.

He wants to urge Gretiem forward, but he doesn’t want to outstrip Otah, so he waits. Instead he readies attacks should the Bodak close. He hopes the Azer don’t backstab them as soon as they ride to battle.

Greatsword (magic): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 damage: 1d10 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20
Gretiem Bite (magic): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15 damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2) + 7 = 13

Round 1, Init 20-

Ami casts Divine Power through himself and into Yeen, preparing for battle. They step and ready for charge.

Mahdi grimfacedly gestures a familiar pattern, and everyone feels speedier. He doesn't call out to the bodak-- the thing is an undead horror as far as he's concerned (and it resists fire, that's nice), and he has little interest in negotiating with them.

Haste!

Grovth slowly works his way towards you all, coming to inspect what has become a fair amount of activity. In preparation, two of the azer in the rear raise their weapons, and wave at Rayhan and Mahdi to get a move on, while the front-most azer steps against the wall, opening up a charging lane for the front halfling. None of the azer look upon the bodak.

Only you all.

Both Pent and Aldebert, oh, and the lizard between Aldebert's legs, too, are the first to meet the creature's fell gaze.

Fortitude Save DC 18, or suffer 1d4 ⇒ 4 negative levels.

Round 1
Pent- 2
...
Round 2
Mahdi- 20
Aldebert- 20-
Amiamble- 17
Otah- 16
Grovth- 15

The party is up!

Party Buffs
Haste

Round 1, Init 2

Fortitude Save v DC 18: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Pent stiffens as he sets eyes upon the bodak with a name. He heartens as his resolve doesn't waiver, but he immediately raises his hands, and closes his eyes against subsequent viewings.

"I surrender!! Your azer are fine, fine fighter fellows, and I am submitting to their terms. We will not retreat from you." The gnome chooses his words carefully, to support the appearance of submission, hoping that if worse comes to worst, the azer won't have to deal with the wrath of Grovth, as he'll be laying in a heap of emaciated tissue and bone.

Yammer and Delay

Round: 1, Initiative: 20-

Aldebert Fort: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (14) + 14 = 28 vs DC 18
Gretiem Fort: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 vs DC 18

He guides Gretiem forward even as he closes his eyes. When they close, Gretiem bites
Gretiem Bite (magic): 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 14 - 4 = 29 damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2) + 7 = 13

When he reaches his destination, he fast dismounts.
Ride: 1d20 + 19 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 19 - 2 = 24 vs DC 20 (free or move action)

He then sends Gretiem away from the fight (free), as the lizard is too dim to keep its eyes shut during the fight. (Gretiem has no more actions, but will depart the battle next round).

Finally he brings his sword to bear on the creature, as best he can.
Greatsword (magic): 1d20 + 13 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 13 + 5 = 30 (smite, haste) damage: 1d10 + 13 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 20 = 37 (smite) High is good: 1d100 ⇒ 35

Sadly, Aldebert's mighty swing misses as he connects with nothing, his eyes being closed.