[PFS/DMK/EMS] The Emerald Spire Superdungeon

Game Master Kludde

I can answer this call...

Thistle steps behind Bruce and murmurs a prayer his own ears cannot hear. He reaches out a scaled hand, trying to find purchase on any part of Bruce not covered by the coiling tentacles. After nearly missing twice, he finally wraps his fingers around Bruce's foot, and the being of Chaos can no longer find it's own purchase around his body.

Cast Freedom of movement on Bruce - specifically that means that when he tries to break free he automatically succeeds, though he still has to spend the action to do it.

Cursing softly in elven as the polymorph effect expires, Caranthir's eyes narrow on the creature of chaos battling his companions.

He draws back a series of arrows, and with expert precision, places them all in a small circle. FYI, I now have clustered shots, so total all dmg before applying DR.

+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, manyshot, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 252d8 + 24 + 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3) + 24 + (3, 2, 6, 1) = 43
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 341d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 13 + (1, 3) = 24
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 331d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 13 + (2, 2) = 25

extra thistle atk: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 351d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (5) + 13 + (2, 1) = 21

CRIT?: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 292d8 + 26 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 6) + 26 + (4, 2) = 39

Thistle ensure Bruce's manages to get out before a volley of arrows makes a satisfying 'slosh slosh slosh' sound as one after the other hits the chaotic creature. Just before it releases another wave of chaos, it slumps and falls to the ground.

Combat over!

"Remind me...not to... rush one of...those again." Bruce manages through labored breaths.

Jelani deflates back to his normal size. He chuckles at Bruce's comment. "Surely there must be more than just one of them to warrant all these robot things?"

Thistle chuckles, patting his gasping friend on the shoulder after he helps lift him up. As he does he inspects him, then the others in turn, looking for cuts and bruises. He purses his lips, seeing a few non-life threatening ones, then calls upon the grace of his gods.

channel heal: 6d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 1, 4, 2, 6) = 17

Should bring everyone back up to full, if not, just roll wand charges to top off.

Caranthir thanks Thistle, then checks all of his gear to ensure it survived the encounter.

"That was...most unpleasant. It was an experience I do not wish to repeat," he adds.

Looking at their options to continue exploring, he says "Shall we try this door to the north?"

"Yeah, that fish thing was weird. You okay, Car?" Jelani looks to the northern door and shrugs. "Sounds good to me."

The room beyond the northern door is shaped like two towering cylinders fused together, with the southeastern wall partially caved in. Etched into the floor in the center of each cylinder is a glowing rune. The northern rune glows green and the southern rune glows red.

Mutated AC25; Ablative Barrier;
With the combat over, Fellgrim quietly pads over to the norhtern door to peer inside ...

Then drinks another buffing elixir to add Ablative Barrier to his defenses.

Caranthir also peers into the room. Not wanting to walk into a trap, the elf says "Give me just a a minute to investigate."

He casts clairaudience/clairvoyance and scans the room thoroughly. take 20 perception for a 43

He also tries to determine what the circles are for.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (18) + 18 = 36

Hesitant, Fellgrim peers inside, with Caranthir looking over his short shoulders. It's quite clear to the elf that these runes are powerful, representing incomprehensibly strong, chaotic transmutation magic. Whatever they do, they change something.

"Perhaps we should not venture into this room," he suggests.

"There were other doors to the south and west. Those might be wiser to try."

"What are those rune thingies?"

Thistle stares into the room, wondering what powerful treasures might await them to be guarded by such a strong ward. It's too bad the gods have not seen fit to allow me to summon a creature... he laments internally.

We don't have to do it now, but I think it would be worth it to eventually explore this room too. Just need to find a way around the trap that turns you into a newt. Or something like that...

Southwest?

"The runes are nothing good I'd wager; we have other option to explore before we need go there here I think. Let's try the Southwest passage then?"

Fellgrim walks back toward the south, pausing to see if his friends come with ...

Thistle nods at the good logic. His tounge flicks the air absentmindedly for a few moments, then the rattling of his armor accompanies the shrugging of his shoulders as he agrees. He steps towards the south to follow the gnome bomber.

The group walks to the southwest door, and open it to reveal a large, irregular cavern.

The high walls of this meandering cavern look natural, yet the floor and ceiling disappear entirely. Above and below, this room gives way to a vast sky of swirling pink and orange clouds stretching to infinity. Scattered islands of at stone float unsupported among the clouds, level with the room’s doorways.

For the doorway, about half the cave is visible, and there's a deeper section.

Not liking the look of this room any better than the previous one, Caranthir once again stops the group from entering and casts He casts clairaudience/clairvoyance for a thorough look at the room.

"We should take great care. The enemies are growing in power, and we must be wary."

Take 20 perception for a 43. I'll observe from the far west side of the room so I can see around the corner.

Caranthir scans the cave, and finds out two more serpent-like creatures are hiding in the north end.

Area O9:
To the west is a side cavern. This cavern has lost most of its floor and ceiling to endless pink sky, and a multicolored whirlpool oats in the air at the chamber’s center, pulsing with light. To the west, a bleached, serpentine skull several feet in diameter sits in an alcove above a narrow ledge; two red tulips are growing up through its vacant eyeholes. Tiny glass bottles full of liquid and stacks of small stones ring the skull.

Caranthir describes as best he can the things he sees, including the two serpent-like creatures hiding in the north end.

can I ID them?, knowledge arcana/dungeoneering/local/planes/religion: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 Looking for 1) vulnerabilities 2) immunities 3) special abilities

Fellgrim will Aid Another: 1d20 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (6) = 10 ... with inspiration for Caranthir's identification
+16 - Local
+9 - Arcana/Nature
+7 - Dungeoneering
+4 - History/Planes

They are creatures of the same kind as the one you've fought before.

Imentesh, Protean. Vulnerable: None, Immune: Acid, Special: Inflict Warpwave (Can generate a wave of pure chaotic energy that can have - as you've already noticed - strange effects.

Not particularly liking either option, Caranthir asks his companions their preference.

"Would you rather fight two of those chaos beasts we just fought, or venture past those runes? I do not know what they do, aside from creating some kind of change."

"Is there any way to better prepare for either? Otherwise, the chaos beasts are more of a known factor here I think."

"Yeah, after the whole fish thing, I'm not cool with unknown changes, unless we have no other option."

"Very well," Caranthir says, though his experience with these creatures was the most harrowing.

"I will engage them first and draw them toward us," he suggests.

The elf casts named bullet on an arrow. Once the others have prepared themselves, he steps five feet into the room and commences fire on the one he can see from the doorway. I'll wait until anyone else casts buffs they want. Once ready, I'll 5' step into the room and fire. It appears I can target red if I take a 5' step and full-attack.

stealth: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (19) + 23 = 42

If they don't see me, all shots vs. flat-footed

+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, manyshot, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 242d8 + 24 + 4d6 ⇒ (6, 4) + 24 + (1, 3, 6, 5) = 49 Since my first shot of any round fires multiple arrows and Named Bullet is a single arrow, I'll use it on my second shot.
Named Bullet, AUTO CRIT THREAT IF HITS, +2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 271d8 + 13 + 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 13 + (4, 1) + 10 = 32
Named Bullet, CRIT?, +2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 242d8 + 26 + 2d10 ⇒ (1, 3) + 26 + (1, 6) = 37 If crit, 69 dmg total
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 251d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (2) + 13 + (1, 2) = 18

Named Bullet, CL check vs. spell resistance, if applicable: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Caranthir fires a volley of arrow before the chaotic being can react, and shoots one of the arrow straight between the eyes of the worm-like creature, killing it outright.

No full attack in a surprise round, but Caranthir won initiative, so just make the 1 surprise round attack in addition. That's not going to kill the creature, so I'll have it act.

The protean rushes forward to release a wave of chaos.

I need a DC 20 Fort save from all of you

The creature then eyes the floor under Caranthir and speaks Buuuuh! The ensuing resonance causes the floor under the elf to turn to mud.

I need a DC 20 Reflex sve to grab hold of a ledge

---
Thistle
Jelani
Bruce
Fellgrim
Caranthir (+surprise round action)
---
Protean
---

Note that the red areas are some kind of chaotic maelstrom, not solid ground

Sorry...not sure what I was thinking on full attacking during surprise round...

Caranthir just manages to jump out of the mud and grab hold of a ledge. Once more on solid ground, he fires as many arrows as he can.

fort: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
reflex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21

surprise round
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 341d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (8) + 13 + (1, 4) = 26

current round
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, manyshot, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 242d8 + 24 + 4d6 ⇒ (5, 7) + 24 + (5, 2, 5, 4) = 52
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (12) + 18 = 301d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (3) + 13 + (4, 2) = 22
+2 Icy Burst Longbow (rapid shot, deadly aim, weapon specialization)(frost + shock dmg): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 301d8 + 13 + 2d6 ⇒ (7) + 13 + (1, 1) = 22

Fort save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Fort Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

I'll wait to post based on these results... oof

Fort: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Reflex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

Caranthir does his utmost best to take out the Protean before it can do too much damage, landing three more arrows straight into the body of the creature.

Effect, thistle: 1d20 ⇒ 19

The wave of chaos washes over the room, and as it hits Thistle, the Nagaji turns into a bat!

Don't forget to post your actions, guys!

---
Thistle
Jelani
Bruce
Fellgrim
Caranthir (+surprise round action)
---
Protean (70)
---

Round 1 Precise Shot; Precise Bombs; Fast Bombs; Mutated AC25; Fort DC20: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (8) + 13 = 21
Fellgrim takes a 5ft step to get into position to throw a couple of bombs at the remaining creature ...
Bomb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24 forfire: 4d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 6, 1, 4) + 3 = 20
Bomb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 forfire: 4d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 4, 4, 6) + 3 = 19
Confirmed?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 forfire: 4d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 5) + 3 = 18

Jelani looks with consternation at the pink sky where the floor and ceiling should be. "Uhh...I'll let you ranged guys handle this. Don't trust my balance on those rocks in a fight." He backs up a bit to hopefully avoid any more chaos waves.

The two explosions caused by Fellgrim rattle the creature, and prove just enough to send it plummeting into the pink void below. Its corpse falls down, until it appears to slow down at some unseen threshold.

Combat over

Caranthir lowers his bow with the arrow he had been about to fire.

"Well done," he says. "Now, to reach the other side. Can everyone fly over somehow?" he asks as he prepares his own fly spell.

Fellgrim relaxes his guard a bit after watching the Chaos beast go down ...

"I have a flying elixir that could help with two of us, but I am open to other suggestions ... and ... er ... can Thistle make is across before he is no longer flying?"

"I did buy a potion of fly a while back. I guess that was a good idea. Shall we?" Jelani asks, drawing his potion and drinking it.

SCREEEEEE Screeeee Scr Scr SCREE

The bat flaps its wings madly, unable to stay in one place and flitting about. Seeing the creature shoved into the pink abyss, Thistle has enough presence of mind to flit across the chasm. He lands on the ceiling of the cavern, with the floor below him, and dangles from his feet like a proper flying rodent.

Perhaps I should beseech the gods to give me a spell that allows something like this more often. Useful...

The more I see that, the more I think it should have been Thistle that was turned into a Grodair

Thistle can explore the room freely, and finds a double door at the far end. The side cavern contains a multicolored whirlpool.

"Bruce ... do you have a means to flying over? Otherwise I can provide that."

If Bruce doesn't have his own flying potion; Fellgrim will use his Alchemical Allocation to enable his infused flying elixir work for both of them ...

Caranthir lands over by the swirling whirlpool and, having cast detect magic, tries to determine what it might do.

spellcraft: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19 I'll take 10 on spellcraft for a 28 if that doesn't cut it...

he maelstrom looks like a portal of some sort, and given the disrupted, chaotic nature of the surroundngs, it might have something to do with the Protean presence on this level. The portal look inactive, blocked in some way.

Bruce thanks Fellgrim for the offer, but produces his own Alchemical Allocation and flying potion.

Once on the other side Bruce kneels down next to the portal. "Think this is the sealed bit that guardian was warning us about at the entrance?"

"That sounds sensible to me, but what do I know?"

Do you want to try and get there? If not, where do you want to go?

"Screw that. I see zero reason to mess with the chaos portal. Can you come check this door, Bruce?" Jelani says, pointing at the double doors on the other side of the floaty rock room.

"Yeah ... best not mess with the portal until we know more about what might happen. We could make things a lot worse instead of better."