The Whispering Cairn (Inactive)

Game Master Death-Lok

Valgrim whispers, "There's someone behind us. Start your countersong Bubba now!" After the bard complies Valgrim double moves back around into the chamber and looks around.
Perception: 1d20 + 39 ⇒ (13) + 39 = 52

Bublaka do so.

Valgrim comes whipping around the corner to come face to face with...a woman he recognizes from Midas' party. Merchantmaster Mahuudril, an exotic and mysterious human woman in her late fifties with a thin face that has aged well. She wears her shocking red hair in braids woven around an elaborate headdress. Her clothes are rich and royal, and she wears too much jewelry. Her expression is mischievous and sneaky, a young grandmother who’s plotting the best way to sneak some candy to a grandchild. She raises an eyebrow in surprise at Valgrim's sudden appearance in front of her. Valgrim's True Seeing, however, reveals the form of a worm-like avolakia hidden underneath her facade.

Roll initiative! Surprise round was Valgrim moving and Bublaka starting his song.

Mahuudril's initiative: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Initiative 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Go ahead and take your actions if you beat her initiative.

"Why you old bat, under our noses this whole time?! Friends, we have an enemy over here, another damn avolakia cleric!"
Initiative: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Valgrim full attacks with Dazing Assault and Brilliant Inspiration:
Attack: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (11) + 25 = 36
1d20 + 25 ⇒ (13) + 25 = 38
Damage: 2d4 + 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (4, 4) + (1, 6) + 12 = 27
Attack: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33
1d20 + 20 ⇒ (12) + 20 = 32
Damage: 2d4 + 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 2) + (6, 3) + 12 = 26
Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35...Brilliant inspiration ends
Damage: 2d4 + 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 2) + (1, 1) + 12 = 19
Confirmation: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (18) + 15 = 33
If confirmed: 2d4 + 12 ⇒ (2, 4) + 12 = 18 extra damage
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24
Damage: 2d4 + 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (3, 1) + (6, 3) + 12 = 25
DC 30 Fort save for each hit or be Dazed for 1 round.

Flatfooted AC is 33. So 3 hits and crit confirmed.

Fort save versus daze: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (13) + 24 = 37 Success.
Fort save versus daze: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (18) + 24 = 42 Success.
Fort save versus daze: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (11) + 24 = 35 Success.

Valgrim quickness catches the elderly woman off-guard and he manages to give her three bloody cuts including a deep one across her thigh.

60 damage total as she has DR 10/-

Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Friar casts an Empowered Flamestrike behind the square where he thinks Mahudril is in so as not to catch the dwarf and intensifies it with his rod.
SR check: 1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 21 + 2 = 38
Damage: 120 (half fire, half holy)
DC 24 Reflex save for half (FF Reflex save).

Alie pulls the piercing metamagic rod she possessed, and called upon one of her Disintegrate spells to try and deal with this threat in front of them. This spell had more power than most of her usual spells, and the others in the group could easily feel the power of her magic.

Cast Persistent Maximized Disintegrate. Two Fort DC 35 saves or take 240 damage.

RTA against Flat footed. 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16

Spell Resistance roll 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (18) + 29 = 47

Reflex save: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 20 = 23

She doesn't see the column of holy fire coming and it catches her with all of its fury!

110 damage! Resist fire 10

D'OH! Nice description though Alie.

I should have used Moment of Prescience!

Alie: Do I read the above post right that you rolled a natural 1 on the to hit roll? Yep, you cleared it up for me, nevermind :)

The powerful beam of Alie's spell misses badly and disintegrates one of the pillars in the room as she quickly jerks her aiming finger to the side to avoid hitting Valgrim's swinging falchion.

Pretty great time for a one, huh, DM? @#$%&#@$!!!

Yeah, could have made it the shortest fight ever. ::sigh:: sorry :/

Bubba initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Fear flickers across Mahuudril's face as the powerful disintegration beam misses her. She recovers and her sly look returns, "You've had your shot, the next one will be mine." She steps back from the dwarf and disappears through a dimension door.

She is gone, out of combat, What now?

Valgrim does notice that the damaged pillars in the room ooze Kyuss worms that somehow seem to be repairing the damage done to the structure.

"I'm sure she has not gotten far with that spell and if she was smart, she hasn't gone NE. Do we follow west?"
We can go to door to the west (will require another Knock spell and CL check) or we can go into the room with the cage. Thoughts?

"I am down with going west, assuming Alie can get us through that door. This Mahudril is too powerful an ally to leave alive before our encounter with Dragotha. She took significant damage (170 out of game) and from what you tell me, she is an avolakia, which means that her clerics can heal her with negative energy. If we don't chase her, she will be fully healed next time we see her and I will have lost one of my more powerful spells for nothing. Someone is going to have to dispel her invisibility, though so I can target her with spells."

I can cast Find the Path to her chamber/lair, which will lead us quickly there - this is Friar's Round 2 action, assuming Alie agrees. EDIT: The spell has a 3 round casting time. She will be healed by then, I think. Darn! What do Alie and Bublaka think?

Alie doesn't want to wait nearly 20 seconds before doing anything, so she agrees that west is the best guess. "We have a 50% chance to find her. West is fine. I'll cast Knock and open the door for us."

Anyone have a Curative spell they can slap on me? I'm still down roughly 60 HP.

Friar loses one of his 4th level slots of Remove Disease and casts Cure Critical Wounds on Alie, healing 52 hit points of damage. Alie, you have to make a Caster Level check: 1d20+20 on door.

CL check 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34

Bubba casts Haste on the party as his Round 1 action. Round 2, Valgrim rushes through the door, listening for spell casting or Mahudril's voice and looking all around.
Perception: 1d20 + 34 ⇒ (16) + 34 = 50

To the west it is.

Another door falls apart into a pile of worms in front of the sorceress. Behind it you see a hallway and some stairs leading up. Valgrim does not hear her anywhere close and just hears more of the rasping of the worms in the walls.

EDIT: Actually, Valgrim thinks he hears the slight rustling of cloth or robes beyond the wormdoor directly in front of him (further to the west).

Valgrim puts his finger to his lips, requesting party to stay silent. He then blends into the background and disappears for a few seconds until he comes back. He whispers to the party, "There's a robed enemy to the west behind the door, could be a cleric or could be Mahudril. Further north, there's a large cavern where the wormdrake lies on a pile of coins waiting to ambush us if we came from the NE entrance. Thoughts?"

Alie would have been made aware of the following prior to foray but to refresh our memory:

With regards to magic that targets a particular type of creature, I believe that the creature's going to be susceptible to that which is most effective against dragons rather than undead, which I initially considered."
"As a dragon, it has some characteristics it shares with the 'true' dragons - blindsight and darkvision, both of extended range, and the aura of fear that surrounds it, which we experienced. Less common is the outsider-like ability to see that which is truly there. My mirror images or invisibility will have no more effect on the wormdrake any more than they do on our celestial ally."
"Weaknesses that I can identify from available stores are few. It regenerates damage like a troll, perhaps more quickly. Silver weapons and fire seem to stop this ability for a short time and damage dealt during that window of opportunity must be healed by the beast normally."
"It shrugs off damage from weapons that aren't dealt by enchanted silver implements. Cold and acid have no effect on it and it has common draconic immunities to that which would cause paralysis, poison, and sleep. Electrical and fire damage are largely ignored, but it is not immune. Of course, magic that is not cast by a powerful wielder will wash over it like so much rain."
"We experienced," he shudders, "one of its devastating breath weapons, that of Kyuss worms. All reports are that it can only do that once a day. It has a second breath weapon that I am aware of, a cone of supernaturally cold acid. That, it can use much more often, as a standard dragon would use its breath weapon, if I'm not mistaken."
We also know it has powerful magics, as it cast Gate (9th level spell) and Quickened Hold Monster last time we fought.

To understand, our options are:
1. Cast Knock on western door and see who is in there; or
2. Head north and fight a dragon who we had to run from last time?
I choose western door. :)

Waiting to see what Alie and Bub have to say.

Oh yes, I'm with Friar here. If we have to face a dragon, wiping out his minions first is much preferred.

West makes sense to the robot bard. Thanks for covering for me - going into finals week, it's not going to get better just yet.

To move things along, here is Alie's CL check on western door, after Valgrim stands in front of it, weapon in hand: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33 :)

After the door dissolves you see a chamber that has a high ceiling that vaults to a height of nearly fifty feet overhead. An acolyte stands before a second worm-doorway on the other side of the room. He seems ready to defend the chamber and tells the first person he sees (Valgrim), "I do not wish conflict, there is nothing for you here, leave me in peace."

Valgrim make a will save versus his readied action and then you all get to take your turns.

Will save: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 76

That may be a miss by 1. The DC is 32 when they make eye contact, DC 30 without eye contact. If your still wearing the veil than I said it had a 50% chance of helping you avoid eye contact (go ahead and roll it if your wearing the veil still).

Valgrim turns to the party, "He says he's not hostile and I believe him. Hey, acolyte of evil God, since I am leaving you in peace, where is Mahudril's chamber?"

lol, well played Valgrim. Bub, Ferez, and Alie: what are your actions?

Spellcraft 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21 to determine what spell was cast.

Alie guesses that the dwarf has been dominated, assuming she fails the Spellcraft check. She casts Dispel Magic , hoping to snap him out of his haze.

Casting regular Dispel since by my reading Greater Dispel targets more than one spell. If I'm wrong, I'll cast Greater Dispel to try and get the +4 to the check.

Caster Level Check 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31

The dispel magic doesn't seem to have the desired effect in freeing Valgrim (it's a supernatural effect).

Bublaka walks into the chamber with the acolyte. "Praise the gods! Everyone else w have met is crazy down here, attacking without provocation, monstrous worms appearing out of thin air. We just want to find the old woman and leave."

Bluff: 1d20 + 37 ⇒ (12) + 37 = 49

I don't have map access from here. Can I reach his position with a single move?

Bublaka: Yes, you can get there in a single move.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 39 ⇒ (6) + 39 = 45

Next question: I don't remember if I ever said it out loud, I was going to ask if I could have one or both of the lich's gloves of storing since no one seemed concerned about them. Is that cool with the party?

Fine by me.

Friar waits for a response to Valgrim's question, using Sense Motive to determine if the acolyte is lying: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24

Ferez: The acolyte seems sincere.

Bublaka: You still have a standard action and we'll assume you have the gloves. You are standing right in front of the acolyte, what are you going to do?

Ferez: The acolyte seems sincere.

Sincere about what? Unless I missed it, I did not see a response to Valgrim's question about the whereabouts of Mahudril.

Ah, I just meant about his initial statement so far. Hasn't had a chance to say more yet.

Still waiting on Bublaka's action but no rush since I believe it's finals week for Bub. Hopefully they are all going well.

I didn't set the world on fire, by any means, but I think the work prior to the final might have been good enough that a poor test didn't complete de-rail the grade.

As Bublaka walks up to the acolyte and gets within reach, he snaps the fingers of his right hand. A greatsword of such blackness that it seems to suck in the light around it appears in his hand. Even as it carves an arc toward the (hopefully) surprised acolyte, the twinkling of stars seem to be visible within.

Greatsword attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (9) + 22 = 31
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (6, 2) + 9 = 17

I have totally lost track of what buffs might still be in place. I am not inspiring courage at this point.