Round 1, AoO on Cole
Cole tries to move away from thing 1, but thing 1 doesn't want to let that tasty hat snack go!
Cole, however, has other plans and slips out of the entangling tentacles, hat and all. he launches an arrow, piercing thing 1 from safety.
Grasker will focus his attack on the monster that was hit:
He will sound the alarm, warning of "An attack from above!"
Round 1, Init 12, 11
Jurin attacks Thing 2, hurting it, but not stopping it. Cole tries to protect his hat, and barely misses getting wrapped up in Thing 1. He shoots at thing 1 in response, and hurts him as well. Grasker joins the fray, but misses. He gives another warning to echo Jurin's, this time with a direction. This gets the attention of Aravashnyel, Anevia, and even Errit. Horgus eyes the fight warily, but stays back.
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DC 16: Though small creatures, darkmantles are strong for their size, and make natural grapplers due to their tentacles and cloak-like skin. Typically attacking by dropping from above, a darkmantle that misses will usually fly back up to the roof of its chamber and try again.
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DC 21: As well as having a natural camouflage that allows them to hide easily in underground caverns, darkmantles can also cause darkness once per day. Darkmantles see easily through this magical darkness through the use of bat-like sonar, though this can be disrupted by the use of the silence spell.
Thing one flops after Cole and tries again but misses, his tentacles tangled from being so close to the floor.
Thing two, not to be left empty handed, tries scarfing up Serra. he misses as well and reconsiders his action, trying to fly back up to the ceiling.
Initiative
Jurin Kreedsön: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Cole Zeff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Grasker: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
Thing 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Thing 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Beagan Berelcar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Elyanius Myoch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8
Serra Iondri Phaer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Round 1, Init 7
"That was close! Kastor, get behind that statue!"
Serra drops into his defensive waddle, 5' steps to protect Jurin and Grasker, readying to attack it if it comes close.
to attack;
damage.
Same action as above, but will stand between Cole and Jurin.
"Knights protect," that's what dad would say.
But you're not your dad, are you, fatso?
What makes you think you can help here?
"Be careful, Sir! I bet that cape thing won't stay gone!"
AC: 18 (ff 16, tch 13)
HP: 15/15
Calistria's Trick: 1/1
Big R's Fire: 3/3
Tenderlev's Tears: 3/3
Seeing the strange, leathery "capes" drop on those in the front, Beagan takes a quick look back to make sure nothing is approaching Anevia or Horgus from the rear.
As one tries to snuggle with Cole's hat, the Gnome draws his hand-and-a-half blade as he strides forward.
"Anybody speak rock? I think we oughta tell it that the leather hat is already spoken for by Cole, and doesn't appreciate romantic advances from anyone else!"
With a lunge, the edge of his blade slashes a bit into the leathery skin, trying to slice it away from Cole's pride and joy.
Round 1, Init 8
AC = 13
HP = 10/10
Weapon Equipped = Cold Iron Lucerne Hammer
Condition(s) = None
Eli moves to Beagan's side, and readies a strike at the hat, er, the other leather, when it rises above Cole's head.
Round 2, Initiative 17
HP: 6/10
Weapon Equipped = Long Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 28/30
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
Ranger Focus = 1/1
Child of the Crusade = 1/1
Silver Dragon Scale = 3/3
Cole looks at Eli over his shoulder as the lucern hammer drifts perilously close to his head. He takes a 5’ step back next to Eli and shoots the creature in front of him.
(point blank) (point blank)
Beagan runs around to the other side of the black leathery thing, and Thing 1 attacks, trying to keep the little guy from stealing Cole's hat before he can get to it.
SUCCESS!
It wraps the little knight up tight in its black leathery cape and begins to squeeze!
Eli tries to smack it, but misses, and Serra has his own fight to fight, but Cole steps back, takes aim and sends an arrow right through its eye. The squeezing stops as the cape slides slickly from Beagan's head to pool on the floor.
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Grasker sees that Beagan is no longer being choked and will hurry to move and attack the second evil hat.
"Murderous Millinery!"
Round 1 AoO
Round 2
Knowing the beastie will be coming back, Jurin readies to swing as it drops back down.
Round 2
Thing 2 doesn't behave exactly as Jurin expects, Instead, an area of darkness surrounds it as it flies down.
Round 2
Thing 2 doesn't behave exactly as Jurin expects, Instead, an area of darkness surrounds it as it flies down.
Thing 2 flaps down through the darkness, and Jurin tries to hit it, but misses, just like he missed earlier on his attack of op.
Something else moves in the darkness, and a shot comes flying out at Cole, but whoever it is, either isn't very good, or was just kidding, as the bolt flies high.
Round 2, continues
Something else in the darkness.12-
Thing 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11, bleeds.
Beagan Berelcar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Elyanius Myoch: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8
Serra Iondri Phaer: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Round 3
Jurin Kreedsön: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Cole Zeff: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Grasker: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
Thing 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Round 2, Init 8
AC = 13
HP = 10/10
Weapon Equipped = Cold Iron Lucerne Hammer
Condition(s) = Able to see in the dark
"Serra, come join me. We have a new guest to greet. Help me welcome him." Eli moves forward to engage in discussion, stepping deliberately in front of Beagan.
"Hello, there. We mean you no harm. We've been attacked here, so only fight to stay uninjured. Would you be able to help us? We're trying to find our way to the surface."
"Speak up, Serra. My words are less than polished at present, I fear."
Round 2, Init 7
Who is Ely talking to? Is he seeing things again? How sad that he speaks to things that aren't there.
"Darkness, huh? Hmm..." Serra's bucklered arm rattles as the continual light from the flighty lighty light from Jurin keeps it at bay.
Still in his defensive waddle, Serra sees Jurin's strike take down the flying beast. He will administer last rites to the beast, knightstyle.
damage
Serra nods to Jurin and looks around to make sure there are no more around.
Perception
"Nice work, Jurin. We gotta watch out for more."
During the Othoe wars there was always more. More undead. And more...
Round 2, Init 8, Take 2
Eli watches with interest as the darkmantles are dismantled.
"The creatures were awfully grabby, but I didn't see anyone receive any injury. Am I right?" Eli moves closer to the wall of fighters, and feels oddly comforted. Go forth... let nothing by you, and you will not fall. And stay where I can see you.
He turns around to make sure back half hasn't also had to deal with droppings from the ceiling.
Round 2, Init 8
AC = 22 (18 + 4 total defense, touch - 17)
HP = 5/15
Calistria's Trick - 1/1
Big R's Fire - 3/3
Action - Total Defense
"The creatures were awfully grabby, but I didn't see anyone receive any injury. Am I right?"
Taking a deep breath in, he wobbles a bit from the lingering effects of the suffocating squeeze. "Err, maybe just a few bruises." Or multiple broken ribs. Same difference, right?
He gasps, sucking in air after the leathery-cloak-creature falls down around him, he spits out - "Damn over-sized hood is quicker than I thought."
Relieved that the millinery wasn't murderous enough to knock him off his feet, the swoosh of darkness ignites a different suffocating feeling in his just-had-the-stuffing-squeezed-out body. In an attempt to imitate Serra's 'defensive stance,' he bends at the knees, ready to interpose his shield against any heinous hat that tries to smother him.
Eli places a single hand on Beagan's clavicle, and concentrates on his mind's eye, where he sees deep purple fade to green, green fade to yellow...
"You still look injured. A moment longer here, let the others take the lead for now, alright?"
Round 2
Cole shoots and downs one of the darkmantles, enfuriating the other. Grasker swung, but missed the second creature. Jurin readies to attack should the remaining darkmantle close again. It does so, and sure enough he drops it to the ground, its darkness ability no match for the combination of his ioun stone and a sunrod. Beagan, released by Cole's killing of the first creature, wise takes a totally defensive stance. Eli heals Beagan. Serra finishes off the closest darkmantle, leaving the team recovering after a harrowing 12 seconds.
"You still look injured. A moment longer here, let the others take the lead for now, alright?"
Cole steps up at the offer and accepts the healing. "Thank you." He checks his injuries after the magics have paled and finds a few scratches, but nothing to fear. He gathers a few arrows out of his pack and plunges them in his quiver. He notices something and hesitates a moment...
"Can someone check these for magic please?" he holds up a little over a dozen normal looking arrows. "I found them in the tunnels and it just occurred to me they might be more valuable than I think."
He holds up the arrows for further scrutiny.
HP: 9/10
Weapon Equipped = Long Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 30/30
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = None
Ranger Focus = 1/1
Child of the Crusade = 1/1
Silver Dragon Scale = 3/3
Eli nods to Cole as he approaches. "Yes, good. It will help for me to remember to keep an eye on you all, first and foremost. The flying things were quite the distraction." Eli first touches Cole, then Beagan.
"Can someone check these for magic please?" he holds up a little over a dozen normal looking arrows. "I found them in the tunnels and it just occurred to me they might be more valuable than I think."
Eli takes a closer look for Cole, and informs him of what can be sorted out.
Jurin quickly snaps a tooth or claw from the fallen cloak before waving it in front of his face.
"Trophies are the best. You have to have something to hang over the bar, right Serra?"
He then puts the tooth/claw into a pocket with the grub tooth and a few pieces of summoned bacon.
"Where did these extra arrows come from?"
Grasker will call out, "We wish to pass by unfeathered, sniper. Call out your agreement or we and the army we scout for will do battle."
Serra bends down to look at the dead cape (after Jurin has extracted a tooth), calling over Kastor and leading Ara-vashnyel over as well, hoping he has some answers too.
"Look here, Kastor. It's important to be able to identify your foes if you're going to be a mighty knight," Serra says, squatting over the millinery and poking at the pieces with his starknife. "Some creatures, Kastor, have strengths and weaknesses to them, you see. This monster could fly, had grabby bits, and could use magic! Did you see the darkness that almost overcame us!?"
Serra looks to make sure that Kastor is listening and looking to Ara-vashnyel.
"Now, did you notice how it tried to attack? It floated down from above and tried to eat Cole's hat. Or maybe it was attracted to hair. Or maybe it wanted a neck...no matter. That's why many mighty knights wear helms...to protect their heads," Serra bangs his starknife on his own lighthelm. "You must remember, Kastor, that your mind is your strongest weapon and knowing is half the battle. This time we got lucky, in that Jurin's lighty light and the sunrod allowed us to see. However, what if we didn't get lucky? Might have been a fight in the dark."
Serra goes back to poking at the creature with this starknife, trying to describe the various bits.
"Those look like eyes, don't they? And these tentacles sure look like they could attach and strangle, don't they? Hmm...and the dark color assuredly helps it hide up on the celing. Take note, Kastor."
Serra finishes poking and addresses Ara-vashnyel (who seems to know a lot).
"Have you ever seen anything like this? I mean, when you could see, that is....uh, you know what I mean. Have you heard of it?"
* * *
Serra turns to Jurin.
"That was long ago, Jurin. Does it not seem that way? The town of Falcon's Hollow?"
And yet you live. How strange. And your lighty light saved the day. How...coincidental?When does coincidence end?
Serra seems troubled by the thought.
"Where did these extra arrows come from?"
"They were in the backpack with the food from the shelf near where we started." Cole says simply.
"Those look like eyes, don't they? And these tentacles sure look like they could attach and strangle, don't they?"
"Attach, strangle, squeeze, smoosh-the-livin-stuffin-out-of..."
A moment longer here, let the others take the lead for now, alright?"
"You’re probably correct as usual, Eli. Leif, the one who trained me in swordplay, told me a good warrior sizes up his opponent before exposing himself. Guess I gotta work more on sizing. Otherwise I'm going to wear out that talented healing touch you've got."
Feeling Eli’s helpful hand again, the ache of bruised and splintered ribs recedes and Beagan slips out of his defensive stance, stretching himself back up tall (at least as tall as he can). The Gnome takes a peek at the fine backpack that Cole had found earlier. He compares the material used for that masterwork rucksack, a large batwing-like membrane, to the creature that had almost squeezed the life out of him.
""Trophies are the best. You have to have something to hang over the bar, right Serra?"
"Or maybe a hat! Jurin is right, of course. I bet I could make a nice chapeau out of this hide. Hmmm..." No point in letting something dead go to waste.
Eli removes the leathery backpack for Beagan's assessment. "What can you tell, master Beagan?" Eli keeps letting his gaze pass upwards, uncertain that they are done with winged worries.
Eli waits for the investigations to finish, then looks at Cole and Grasker to set off once more.
Others, scanning the cavern ceiling, realize that the two "stalactites" that had previously hung in the dark recesses are gone.
Aravashnyel *harrumphs a bit, but then will feel his way about one of the dead creatures for a moment before responding to Serra's query. "Feels like a darkmantle. A denizen of caves such as these. They're very strong for their size and can often take down a lone wander larger than themselves. Was it hiding up near the ceiling? They do that, you know. Then swoop back down to attack."
Serra *oofs* and *ahhs* as he straightens himself out of his squat.
"'Darkmantle', huh? That's a good name for it, I suppose," Serra says to Ara-vashynel. "That's as good a name as any."
Serra turns his attention to Kastor.
"I agree with you, Kastor. It might not have been evil...but nonetheless, we have an obligation to protect what is valuable to us. We knights have duty. And sometimes we look like food to other things, much like other things look like food to us. The knightly thing to do is to protect. You must keep that in mind."
Serra gathers up his stuff and is ready to move on.
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"Well we made short work of those monsters."
"If they are called Darkmantle for being cloak sized to a human, perhaps they could bear a different name when worn by a gnome. Dark.. Helmet."
These two could make a lovely matching chapeau and cape set, if you had the time, inclination, and tools.
Excited by Grasker's comment, the Gnome definitely has the inclination and even the tools (which are helping to weigh down his backpack). Time, on the other hand, is probably not in such ample supply. With the skill of a leatherman's training, Beagan slices into the dark hide to quickly retrieve some material, trying to gather enough at least to make his own Dark Helmet.
"If we think there may be more of these darkcapes, we'd better keep an eye peeled upward as we proceed."
Eli takes in the skinning of the darkmantle, and his shoulder blades move slightly uneasily, allowing the backpack to nudge at him as if sluggishly objecting to the harvest.
"Well, then. Now that we're done with statues and stalagtites, I suggest we head on."
Eli moves to the beginning of the next tunnel, but stands to the side, to let Cole and Grasker take the lead.
Cole readies his bow and follows Grasker into the next chamber as he continues to try and find the light.
Beagan cleans and harvests a large portion of the biggest darkmantle seemingly making a decent job of it. Cole readies his bow and follows Grasker into the other room.
A small campfire and a well-used bedroll, along with a few utensils and tools, sits near another cave opening in the far wall of this cavern. The campfire still sends a lazy curl of smoke into the air, though there is no actual flame.
Serra leads Ara-Vashnyel, following Grasker and Cole.
Grasker will look around in case the owner of the bedroll is hiding nearby, and other useful information if no one is home.
How long does it appear they were here, what did they eat, and does the lingering smoke suggest an air current.
Unfortunately he is distracted by a rumble in his belly reminding him of the scarcity of breakfast...
Grasker can't seem to catch the air current to follow the smoke, but he can certainly tell that he is alone in the small cavern. Some small carcass lays pinned to a make shift rack for the fire, two tiny wings drying on the wall.
Jurin helpfully assists Beagan in his carving of the dark mantles.
"Seems weird they'd attack so many, huh Bagel? Maybe they're not too smart. Be odd to wear a smart thing for a hat. Then maybe it'd make you smarter though? When you wear the hat, let me know if you're smarter."
Cole too takes a look around the makeshift campsite.
All he can hear is Grasker's stomach, and he worries about his friend's needs briefly. Enough anyway to distract him from the task at hand.
He searches through the belongings for anything that might be useful to the group and then he's ready to move on.
He says to Grasker, "I wonder if he died down here somewhere. Might be the same bloke who's backpack we carry. We should watch for an archer if so."
He then offers him some dried meat from his own pack to gnaw on.
Cole easily follows the waft of the smoke up to the east, into a small tunnel. At the end, a steeply inclined tunnel leads upward and to the north, its walls lined with numerous nooks, handholds, and dozens of iron pitons that have been driven into the walls long ago. The tunnel continues up beyond what Cole's light allows him to see.
"Kastor, get your butt back here! NOW!" Serra lets out the low hiss rebuke of a mother trying to scold their child in public yet trying not to be heard or overt.
Serra gives Kastor quite the angry, embarrassed, evil-eyed, stinkface of a parent who has just been obeyed by a child who is supposed to know better.
When Kastor returns (and assuming his does), Serra will attend to the child with serious tone. "Kastor, I've told you before...do NOT go out front! You're not a knight yet! And you're never going to be one if you can't obey orders."
After he finishes admonishing the boy, Serra looks around slightly embarrassed.
"Youth," Serra says as if that explains everything. "So anxious to help."
Eli keeps his eyes on the backparty, waiting to herd them into the next open chamber. "It looks like there is another campfire up ahead. The others are making sure there is no danger. Come along."
Eli keeps an ear out, cautious to avoid banging his hammer more than once on the cavern wall.
Serra turns to Jurin.
"That was long ago, Jurin. Does it not seem that way? The town of Falcon's Hollow?"
"Oh yes, long ago. I remember when your dad brought you home, he was so proud."
Grasker carefully checks for traps and lurking opponents in the narrow space with all the old iron spikes.
"Someone may have heard us and retreated to a secured location... I am loathe to take from a potential ally."
"Hunger is getting to me though."
Grasker will accept the offered dried meat snack from Cole.
Beagan sticks to the rear of the group, making sure nothing surprises the Elf, Anevia, the politician, or the formerly crazed captive from behind.
He keeps one eye on the charges and another on the ceiling, looking for more dark-squeeze-you-silly-capes.
"I am loathe to take from a potential ally."
The Gnome muses, mostly to himself. "Could we really find a potential ally down here?" He eyes the 'captive' priest, suspicion and sympathy competing in his gaze.