Lleidr will head down the stairs and check out the doors.
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
on the southern door
on the western door
on the northern door
If nothing looks trapped or suspicious, he'll open the southern door first. He'll keep in mind that this could be moving him towards the space beneath the living area where he was unable to determine the trapped/rigged area around the sofa.
It’s difficult to gauge the exact dimensions of this cluttered room, thickly packed with old crates, broken farm equipment, and furniture. Nevertheless, you can make out a pair of double doors which lead west, further into the Graul's basement.
Lleidr will scan the room from the doorway...
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
...and check for traps before entering the room.
If nothing stands out, he'll move through the room towards the double doors, keeping an eye out for anything that draws his attention in the jumbled mess.
Over at the double doors, he'll do his normal routine, and throw in a listen for noises.
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
"Find anything interesting?"
There's no sign of danger, but you do notice a reek, like that of rotting vegetables coming from beyond the doors.
The double doors open to a wide hall, which also ends in a pair of double doors in the western wall. The reek is even stronger from this new set of doors.
"The smell of something rotten? Inconceivable!"
"Find anything interesting?"
"It all looks like junk to me."
Unsure of what good it will do, Lleidr will use a Breeze cantrip to try and keep the stench from settling into his nose. Down at the pair of double doors in the western wall...
Detect Magic
Detect Poison
"Let's get this over with..."
Selia follows the others in.
There's no magic or poison on the doors. You find no traps either.
Let's get 'em open, then.
Need a boot or two to get them open?
This damp, steamy room reeks of rotting vegetable matter. Pools of mud and stagnant water dot the mossy floor, and the walls are caked with thick swaths of puffy fungus and mold.
A large pungent mass wheels about upon your entry. Its thick trunk is capped by a crown of wide leaves, whipping vines, mushrooms, and a ravenous purple maw.
Initiative
Nich
Selia
Ned
Shelalu
Kibb
plant monster
Parthen
Lleidr
"I was just flooded with memories from this thing... it was one of the son's, cursed into this form. It deserves no mercy, but be careful - it may have some mental powers."
"You were what?"
"I can't explain it, but as we came down here, I saw visions of this thing's life. Mama locked him up here to prevent him from 'mussin up the house' - can you imagine? Anyway, he is still one of them, and from what I saw, he deserved his fate."
Cant we leave this alone for now and burn down the house around it? My magical strength is not at full... otherwise maybe we could summon a few creatures to fight it for us?
"I could summon something..."
Selia starts casting a summoning spell (summon monster iv).
I need actions from Nich and Ned as well
Nich casts Summon Monster III (Lantern Archon)
"All right then..."
Designate as a favorite enemy, move and attack
(power attack,fav enemy)
Guys, I'm sorry. Please give me another day and I'll update. Been a rough couple of days.
Graul Basement, Round 1
Nich and Selia begin summoning rituals in the wide hallway. Shelalu bursts into the room, bow at the ready and loosens at arrow which pierces into the thing's trunk.
Ned runs through a mass of swinging tentacles (AoO) and delivers a heavy blow into the monster's side.
The tendriculos screams and slams an arm into Shelalu. Her bow slips from her fingers and she slumps to the ground not moving. It's lowered maw lunges at Ned and ...
NOTE - gotta make sure i'm doing this right. The monster has a bite and swallow attack. It failed a grapple check, which I think means it doesn't get to apply bite damage this round.
Up close, Ned can see where the wound of his sword blow is already being knitted back together. Tiny vines and spores start to fill the opening , which is oozing a purply sap.
Kibb hangs back with his ranger companion.
Next up: Parthen and Lleidr.
If possible, Lleidr wants to full move to flank with Ned. He'll hug the southern wall to try to avoid tentacles until he can move north against the west wall, and he'll use Acrobatics to tumble when he enters the tendriculos' threatened area.
If I'm counting right, that should be a full move for Lleidr, so he'll have to wait until next round to kill the monster.
Graul Basement, Round 1 remainder
Parthen adds +2 to Lleidr's AC (duration = 4 rounds) just before you leap towards the plant monstrosity. Lleidr manages to get under and behind the tendriculos with ease.
Vale rushes towards the monster, cutting into it with a sword. Jakardros and Vale also come into the room, but from so far back, they don't have time for an attack this round.
Next:
Nich
Selia
Ned
Shelalu
N Medium animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 28 (3d8+9+6)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee 2 claws +6 (1d6+4), bite +6 (1d4+4) (treat as Cold Iron)
Special Attacks rage
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
Skills Climb +10, Perception +15
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Rage (Ex) A wolverine that takes damage in combat flies into a rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to AC. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily.
Wolverines are territorial, especially when it comes to food, and have been known to defend their kills against much larger predators, such as black bears. They are fearsome opponents, launching into a frenzy when wounded. They tend to give off a very strong, unpleasant musk smell when angry.
Armed with powerful jaws, strong legs, and a thick hide, wolverines are remarkably strong for their size. They are reckless in battle and throw themselves at their foes, clawing and biting furiously.
Four wolverines appear in the spaces open around the monstrosity.
Each starts ripping into it.
While Selia's summoned friends do their part, she throws an acid splash at the creature.
"Um Selia, you do have a grip on all your little friends, right?
(pwr attk, fav enemy)
(pwr attk, fav enemy)
Anyone know how many Lantern Archons should appear? I can't find a rule to tell me the die roll.
He cast Summon Monster III and chose lantern archon. That's a 3rd level creature, so I suppose only one appears, unless he's got some sort of class advantage to affect the number?
Summon Monster
Lantern Archon
Graul Basement, Round 2
A bobbing lantern archon rests under the gloomy ceiling, firing rays at the monster, which don't seem to penetrate its mossy sides.
Newly summoned wolverines tear into the plant creature. A few of their strikes successfully tear away at the creature, but Ned lands the killing blow. His sword comes close to ripping the tendriculos in half, flooding the floor with a torrent of reeking, putrid, black goo.
As a reminder, there's a small door in the NE corner of the room. Other than this, and the double-doors from which you entered, there's no other visible exits.
Apologies for the delay - we had some PC / internet problems during the week.
BTW, Shelalu is still lying prone on the floor, paralyzed from the tendriculos' attack.
Lleidr will wipe the goo from his clothes. "Ned, we either got to get you a less messy weapon, or I'm going to stop trying to flank with you!"
For once truly regretting halfing tendencies towards not wearing shoes, Lleidr will pick his way around the sloppy floor and try to avoid the stuff growing on the walls. He can't help Shelalu's condition, so instead he'll busy himself with examining the small door in the NE corner.
Detect Magic, which he'll also use on the room itself
Detect Poison, same as above
Since things have been lagging, partly due to me, let's wrap up our time at the Graul house.
The small door reveals a low-ceilinged chamber, with a huge chest pushes up against a wall. There's no sign of magic or traps. In fact, the chest isn't even locked. Inside:
- an agate-studded gold ring
- necklace of emeralds and silver
- pair of small leather gloves studded with pearls (detects as magic)
- large sack of coins:
- 210 gp
- 452 sp
- 108 cp
- ruby-inlaid red dragon-scale cloak clasp
Plus a variety of equipment, which Jakardros, Vale and Kaven recognize as their own. I"m assuming you'll restore to them what's theirs, but if not, let me know and I'll detail their gear here.
Kaven runs into the room from the hallway. "I heard steps running away from us during the fight! It sounded like one of the ogre-kin ran upstairs."
Exploring the rest of the basement turns up no one else:
- the 20x20 square room next door: This dark, recessed corner of the basement smells of rot and old blood. Piles of gore-spattered skin lie heaped on the floor. A horrid rubbery face robbed of its supporting skull and muscle rests on top, its toothless mouth agape and empty eyes revealing only the layer of tan flayed skin resting beneath.
The furniture here is upholstered with human leather or garnished with copious amounts of human bones. Jakardros and his company are taken aback by one find: a face on a pile of skin, which they identify as a fellow Black Arrow.
- The baesment's largest room, which lies on the northern half: This low-ceilinged room features a floor of hardpacked earth stained in many places by blood and mold. A lumpy mattress lies heaped against
the west wall, and what appear to be several half-finished chairs made of flesh and bone lie against the eastern wall.
Neither room has any treasure.
"Back upstairs?"
"Yeah. I don't imagine we'll catch whoever's running. Let's get the kids out and burn this place to the ground. Finally."
Lleidr doesn't have any problem with returning their recovered gear to the NPC rangers. The stuff from the chest, though, will be split just between the PC's, right? Lleidr can carry it in his haversack.
"I suppose the furniture maker was sleeping on that mattress and was the one who took off."
Lleidr's had enough of this gory scene that he'll let go of figuring out what the trapped area in the living area was supposed to do and head upstairs with the rest of the party.
"So, what are we going to do with those monstrous kids?"
"Hmm. By his tracks the fleeing Graul had a limp. He went upstairs and out the front door, and fled, northwest through the surrounding Kreeg Wood, towards the looming mountains in the distance."
Shelalu is impressed. "His direction is straightforward enough, but you can tell he had a limp? Amazing!"
As you're pondering your next steps, the skies open and a deluge of rain pounds the Graul's roof.
Jakardros gets your attention. "Now that we've cleared this evil place, can we head back to Turtleback Ferry? As you can imagine, the three of us have had more than enough of the Grauls and their kin. And, I've no wish to tarry in these woods in the dark evening."
"Hmm. By his tracks the fleeing Graul had a limp. He went upstairs and out the front door, and fled, northwest through the surrounding Kreeg Wood, towards the looming mountains in the distance."
I was wondering if one of you rangers was going to try tracking :)
In the darkening gloom of the house, Vale objects to Jakardros' suggestion. "Back to the village? All we've heard the past few days were those ogre-kin bragging about the fall of Fort Rannick. Our rescuers are powerful folk, Jak. Let's storm the fort, tonight! Take those ogres by surprise!"
Kaven looks shocked. "We need food, and to rest. It's been a long week. If the fort truly fell, it can wait."
Vale shakes his head. "We'll only give the ogres more time to fortify themselves inside our home. They have no idea we've escaped the Grauls. Let's take the fight to them now. In a few hours, we can be at the gates."
Shelalu looks at you all, hoping you'll weigh in.
Jakardros shrugs. "My first instinct is to send a courier to Magnimar from the village, and wait on instructions. But, you folks came from the Lord Mayor himself. How do you think he would command us?"
"We've pushed our luck as it is. We should rest before moving on. The Fort will be there in the morning."
"It would be nice to catch that Graul first. But I agree, we need some rest before we get entrenched in battle again."
The hike back to the small village of Turtleback Ferry is uneventful. Gusts of biting wind, hinting at a fast approaching winter, feel especially cold amid the drenching rain. The angled downpour pelts you without ceasing, soaking you to the skin soon after leaving the Graul farm behind.
Your pace is slow on the narrow road, which is slick with wet fallen leaves and soft from mud. Though the town is a welcome site, even its streets are little more than ribbons of mud. You see no one else about in the dark of the evening.
After some hot baths and dry clothes, the Turtle's Parlor turns out to be almost as good as being back in the Rusty Dragon in Sandpoint. There's a small crowd in the smoky, low ceiling-ed hall, and they all want news from the Black Arrows you've rescued.
"Ah, feels good to feel human again! I guess we need to head out at first light, but I could sleep for a few days!"
Vale smiles at Selia. "As could I, but unfortunately, duty calls."
Enjoying a breakfast of salty ham and black bread smeared with butter, Jakardros begins with a simple query. "Any suggestions on how we approach Rannick? After all, the only proof we have that it's fallen came from the Grauls, not exactly a trust worthy source of news."
Shelalu says, "Well, that and the fact that there's been no word for awhile now according to the townsfolk. You saw how they pressed us for news last night."
Kaven says, "This sounds really bad, Jak. We should stay here until we get direction from Magnimar."
Vale shakes his head. "As I said last night, we've got Magnimar sitting at the table with us. The more we wait, the stronger the Kreeg ogres get in our fort."
"Well ... " Shelalu offers, "How about we sneak up to the fort and spy on it from a distance? We might as well try to get an idea of what is happening on the inside before taking the plunge."
"Sensible suggestion"
"Sneaking around sounds like a good idea to me, too."
"A scouting mission seems appropriate. I can call upon Bizrip to help there."