SR's - Silent Gods (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

That works for me

Yep, ready to roll

Fine by me. Ready to rumble.

Let's DO this!

Our heroes stalk down the dark, dripping gallery, their boots sloshing quietly in the frigid and slowly deepening water. Marcus pushes ahead of the group. His eyes search the darkness while he ducks to avoid hanging rootlets and watches for loose stonework or treacherous footing on the algae-touched paving stones. Lyrica and Ezekiel follow suit, eyes trained on the darkness, alert to threats. Only Jak (Aerik made the roll but is out of LOS) spies the strange purplish mushroom tucked in an alcove in the ceiling. Marcus is nearly below it before they can shout a warning... unfortunately too late.

Holes open on the strange fungus and air whistles through it in a rising symphony of ear-drum shattering shrieks:
Wwwwowwowwwoooo eeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYEEYEEEEEEEEEEEE

The din is terrible and echoes down the hall to devastating effect. You can't imagine your ears aren't bleeding from the racket. Worse, it feels like flaming ice-picks are slammed into your skulls as the sound reaches deep into your minds. Only Jak and Aerik are able to clap their hands over their ears in time to prevent the worst of it.

Marcus, Lyrica, and Ez - Please make a FORT Save (sonic) and a WILL Save (sonic, mind-affecting, charm).
All - Initiative rolls, Please.
Also, the fungus continues to shriek. Jak and Aerik are not in the AoE, yet.

Fort Save 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Will Save 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Initiative 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

Lyrica immediately covers her ears and tries to put an end to the piercing sound!

Fort Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

Initiative 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

Fort: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Inish: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Um, what?

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Dunno if I can do this now or if i have to wait for my turn, but...

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

[dice=Fort]1d20+4

[dice=Will]1d20+2
[dice=Inish]1d20+3

Um, what?

Lol. Such a lucky set of rolls.

Aerik, since you weren't attacked, you are only aware of the sonic strike which would lead you to form a conclusion based on that information alone. To get a proper ID, you'll need to see the fungus - in which case you'll need to be in the V row, either where Jak is or by taking a 5' step in front of him. You can certainly make that move on your turn and then I'll drop some knowledge on you. OR you can hold ground, in which case, you'll get information based on your partial ID. Either way, it'll happen on your turn.

The blast of noise is wince-inducing but the three heroes at the front weather it well. (You all made your saves) Lyrica even manages to push aside the intense mental dagger that goes along with it. But for Marcus and Ezekiel, the psychic icepick to their skulls is instantly crippling. Their minds blank out as suddenly nerveless fingers drop Beula into the deep pool and Ezekiel's crossbow splashes into a puddle - unheard beneath the fungus' screech. Both men stand unmoving.

Marcus and Ez are Stunned.

Round: 1

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Ezekiel (stun), Marcus (stun), BAD, Aerik, WORSE

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 10|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 9|14

Accidental x-bow discharge <11% 1d100 ⇒ 48

Round 1

"Sarenrae help us stop that wretched noise!"

Lyrica takes her scimitar, moves to U45 and strikes at the shrieking fungus with her blade.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Confirm Critical: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Jak uncoils his whip, stepping forward as he calls out, "MARCUS! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

:: Round 1 ::
MOVE: draw whip
MOVE: to V.42

Reminder on crit damage - your first die is maxed automatically, so you can write it is as [ dice]6+3[ /dice].

Jak leaps forward and instantly the ear-bleeding scream hits him with full force. Jak, Fort save, please.

Lyrica's charging slash nearly cuts the plant in half. Its nearly split body hangs by the roots as it continues to wail.

Round: 1

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Ezekiel (stun), Marcus (stun), BAD, Aerik, WORSE

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 10|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 9|14

Fort Save 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6.

The weird scream oscillates through Jak's frame. He feels like his bones are splitting.

1d4 ⇒ 3 DAM

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 9|14

"What? What is it?!?"

Aerik sees Marcus and Zeke drop their weapons and grab their ears, and forgets his own well-being for the moment, moving in to support Marcus.

I'll move to V-45 if I can get there, and take a total defense. Why do I get the feeling this scream is going to attract the real danger? Lol. Just lemme know what combo of Fort / Will save I need to make, plz. Also, If I'm not paralyzed I will free action shout out whatever warning about this type of creature that I can based on what I know.

Due to the deepening water, slippery rocks, and dodging between allies, etc. I'm thinking the furthest forward you can get is U44. And all you need is a Fort save.

Aerik dashes forward - blasted by the screech and mired by the deep pools of water and algae-greased stones. He weaves and ducks trying to get a view of the strange fungus, finally doing so.

A mind stunned beyond comprehension is a blessing for Marcus, so he can't know...
... the feeling of something gooey cozying up to his legs.
... the sensation of something gelatinous oozing through his armor to get at his skin.
... the feeling of a thousand-thousand small bites tearing pinpricks of flesh from his calves.
... Or, most especially, the scream of his nerves as the mounting burning sensation from the acid, injected through the bites, liquifies his flesh. Yes, the sensation of being eaten alive is not a pleasant one.

Seeing below the water's surface is a difficult task given the reflected light, not to mention all the chop caused by the headlong runs of Lyrica and Aerik. But you realise something is very, very wrong when the clear pond takes on a gout of crimson from around the ranger's knees. Then the predator, an almost transparent blob of thicker looking water is revealed - its skin is not able to pass the blood into its system quickly enough to maintain its perfect camouflage. It is wrapped around Marcus's calves.

Round: 2

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Ezekiel (stun), Marcus (stun), Fungus, Aerik, Ooze

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 2|14

Hey SR, if I'm still stunned on my turn, can I use a hero point to attempt another save against the stun?

Fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Holy crap! I KNEW it! Um, since the ooze is likely going to continue to eat Marcus rather than attack me, can I try to pull him away from it as a standard action instead of taking a total defense?

Aerik sees the fungus and curses loudly.

"A mindstab fungus! It's probably there to immobilize prey for..."

Then he sees the ooze.

"Dammit! Help me get Marcus away from this ooze! Lyrica, finish that thing off before it gets a chance to shriek again!"

Aerik somehow manages to weather the punishing sound without harm.

Marcus, you will be stunned on your turn this round but it will be the last round in which you are stunned. If you want to spend a Hero Point to re-roll your save, I'll say 'yes'. Just be aware the effect will be gone after this turn.

Aerik, it's an interesting idea but I have to say 'no' for a couple of reasons.

Round 2

"Dammit! Help me get Marcus away from this ooze! Lyrica, finish that thing off before it gets a chance to shriek again!"

"I will try!" Lyrica shouts in reply.

The paladin continues to slash at the Shrieking Fungus and put an end to its existence!

Scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Ok, thanks SR. I'll hold onto the hero point and hope that my stout friends can save me. I'm an awesome tank--I hold aggro even when I'm weaponless and stunned ;-)

Would a Reposition combat maneuver have worked for him?

It's an interesting question, Jak. My take on reposition is you are moving someone who is supporting their own weight and wouldn't want to fall down since prone is 'verra bad'. With an unconscious body or stunned and unresisting person, I think it is a little iffy because the person is really more of dead weight. :) No offense, Marcus.
Now if Marcus were conscious and trying to get out of the way but was blinded or hallucinating or something and Aerik wanted to do a little 'dosey-do' and spin him out of the way - yeah, I'd be totally good with reposition. But when someone is dead weight, I think the weight issue should be factored in.

So you don't waste an action, Jak...

With a single slash, Lyrica's scimitar ends the screaming... but not the noise. You hear the sound of rhythmic splashing and the rattle of metal.

"S#~*!" Jak whispers loudly, "We got incoming." Knowing that Marcus wasn't going to last much longer, Jak steps up and whispers a few strange syllables as he touches the big man on the back.

:: round 2 ::
FREE: 5' step towards Marcus
STANDARD: Cast Cure Light Wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Nice, Jak! SR, can I perceive when stunned? I guess it doesn't matter because I can't talk until the stun is gone, but I want to ID this ooze with Dungeoneering.

I think, when stunned, you are basically insensible. However, IDing baddies is a free action so you can do it at the beginning of your turn and act accordingly. If you'd like to throw up a preliminary roll, I can drop the knowledge on you before your turn begins and you can use it to your benefit. But technically you aren't assessing the risk before your turn. knowwhatimean?

As if in response to Jak's statement, a phalanx of four skeletons in the tattered remains of chain armor, splash into view, scimitars at the ready.

Round: 2

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Ezekiel (stun), Marcus (stun), Skeletons, Aerik, Ooze

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 9|14

I think, when stunned, you are basically insensible. However, IDing baddies is a free action so you can do it at the beginning of your turn and act accordingly. If you'd like to throw up a preliminary roll, I can drop the knowledge on you before your turn begins and you can use it to your benefit. But technically you aren't assessing the risk before your turn. knowwhatimean?

Hehe, sounds good. Know (Dungeoneering) 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Now roll a 1 with the ooze, mmkay?

"Lyrica! Fall back! We can't let them surround us!"

I'll delay until after Lyrica. That way, she can clear my line of fire, and I can shoot a skellie and then fall back as well and help Jak create the bottleneck he wants to make. It also gives him a chance to "inspire" me before I attack, if he is so inclined. :)

Aerik delays to see what the ooze does and give the Paladin time to act as well.

Next Up... OOZE.

With all the splashing in the water, the ooze is briefly confused then it defaults to what it knows... and tries to bring down the quiescent game. Teeth and acid work their way into the Ranger's legs again. More blood darkens the water.

Round: 3

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Aerik (delay), Ezekiel, Marcus, Skeletons, Ooze

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 4|14

Round 3

Lyrica takes her scimitar and slashes the ooze with it in a quick whirling motion.

Scimitar : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

She then retreats 10 feet back to U43, where she sheaths the scimitar, and pulls out her club to await the approach of the skeletons.

Lyrica cleaves a sizable chunk of flesh from the quivering mound then retreats. The ooze tries to catch the Paladin in her haste but its pseudopod is too slow.

You've gone a little over your actions allowance. You can Attack then fall back and either sheathe your sword or draw your club, but not both:
STAND: Attack
MOVE: Drop back 10' + Sheathe or Draw Weapon
MOVE: Sheathe or Draw Other Weapon

Next Up... JAK.

Jak's mind races, but all the usually-glib trader can come up with is, "Sh!t! Sh!t! Sh!t!"

While far from inspiring, the words at least fill Jak's limbs with enough strength to drag the big woodsman back away from the ooze-thing (hopefully).

:: Round 3 ::
FREE: Triple cuss! (spend action point to gain a +8 to the roll below)
STANDARD: Drag Marcus back down the cave, hoping to drag him away from teh danger (and hopefully open up a "blast zone" for Zeke... ya know, if he ever comes around. I'd like to drag Marcus the full extent that the roll will allow, in a straight line left on the map.
.
Drag 1d20 + 3 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 8 = 20

Jak drops his torch, which goes out with a snake's hiss in the pool. Then the Scoundrel scruffs the Ranger and hauls him backwards by his armor. Fortunately, for our heroes, Marcus' bracelet, not the lost axe, bears the light spell. As Jak pulls Marcus back, the dark behind them - that was so close before - recedes. Stalking them through the dark is a true horror. It looks like a large skeletal hyena with an over-long muzzle. Its skull, fangs to forehead, is caked with blood. Clinging to its form are the remains of some ceremonial and richly embroidered leather armor, touched up with bits of metal at the neck guard.

Marcus - because Jak was hauling you, you are semi-upright, not prone, so no need to waste an action standing up.

Round: 3

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Aerik, Ezekiel, Marcus, Skeletons, Hyena, Ooze

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 4|14

Waiting on Aerik to post before making my action, since right now he's still in blast radius. And he goes before me anyway.

Aerik... you are on the firing line.

Sorry guys. Between my "day job" and tutoring, I've been swamped. Quick turn before I leave work.

Aerik will fire his magic stone at the skelly in U-48, hoping the ooze doesn't have combat reflexes. :P Then he will move back U-42 so Zeke can go to V-43 if he needs a clear bomb shot.

Also, SR, I believe Beula was infact lit up by Aerik's spell and Aerik was wearing the bracelet, but I could be wrong about that. It shouldn't end up mattering much when Aerik moves back near the group anyhow.

atk: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

dmg: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1) + 4 = 8

dang. i was so excited about my magic stone. :(

Damn. Did I get the lighting wrong? Ah, well. I'll fix that on the Map after this battle. Despite Jak's fervent claims that all of my monsters have Combat Reflexes, the Crypt Amoeba - being a mere tiddler of an example of the species - does not. :p

Aerik hurls his stone but it deflects off a thick hanging rootlet and splashes down in front of its target. The Druid quickly slides back towards the center of their ragged group while the dead close in...

Round: 3

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Aerik, Ezekiel, Marcus, Skeletons, Hyena, Ooze

MAP: Eat or be Eaten <-- No update

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 13|15
M's HPs: 4|14

Round 3

Ezekiel's mind starts to clear, as though shaking off the effects of one of his mixtures gone wrong, he focuses on the situation at hand. The sight of the ooze makes his first decision, sending a bomb flying overhead at the creature even as he bends to pick up his dropped crossbow. "What's going one?"

Standard to Bomb Ooze, free to pick up crossbow.

Bomb+Throw Anything+PBS-Cover: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 20
BOOM!!+PBS: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

The corridor is splashed with livid green light as Ezekiel's bomb detonates on the ooze, cooking off a solid chunk of its gelatinous flesh. It is badly injured.

Next UP... Marcus

Marcus steadies himself and, in one fluid motion, draws and throws an axe end-over-end at the ooze.

Move: Draw throwing axe

Standard: Throw axe at ooze, one range increment 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 3 - 2 = 13

Damage, whetstoned 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

Thanks, Howell, Marcus says, unable to force a smile in these dire circumstances. Just promise me if I don't make it out of here, that you light the pyre yourself. I've no intentions of a second life after.

Marcus' axe whirls through the dark and slams into the ooze, finishing it off, even as the skeletons close in. From the opposite side of the tunnel, the armor-clad hyena, red eyes glowing, trots from the shadows towards the alchemist. With a crash of blades and fangs the two sides meet in the dark depths of the barrow, standing in the frigid pools beneath the dripping roots.

Lyrica, trying to parry the blades of two foes, takes a deep cut along the ribs even as Ezekiel bashes the hyena's slavering jaws aside with his crossbow. Their crocodilian snap catches only air.

Lyrica, an AoO, please in addition to your regular actions.

Round: 4

ORDER: Jak, Lyrica, Aerik, Ezekiel, Marcus, Skeletons, Hyena

MAP: Eat or be Eaten

A's HPs: 14|14
E's HPs: 10|10
J's HPs: 7|10
L's HPs: 7|15
M's HPs: 4|14

AoO

Club: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Round 4

"Sarenrae, let me crush this fiend of undeath!"

Lyrica draws her club and swings at the skeleton (at V44) with all of her might.

Club: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

A skeleton stumbles in a sinkhole as it leaps for the wounded Ranger, taking it a hand's breadth beneath Lyrica's blow. But the Paladin's backswing catches its brethren across the denuded skull - smashing it to powder. The headless body stumbles forward a moment longer before collapsing in a pile.

Suh-WING Batter!
Good Guys: 1
Skellies: 0

Next UP... Jak, Aerik, Ez, Marcus

"No deal, Marcus," he grunts, dropping his whip to draw his morningstar. "We all know I'm one lazy bastard, and you're a heavy guy... I guess we'll just have to make sure you walk out on your own two legs."

The last phrase is grunted out with a magic-empowered swing at the dog-thing as he tries to make his way into a flanking position.

:: Round 4 ::
FREE: Drop whip
FREE: 5' step to V.40 (if possible; I don't think the water is difficult terrain)
MOVE: Draw morningstar
SWIFT: Arcane Strike
STANDARD: bash the ugly puppy!