Aghast, Pindara lets fly a third bolt of mystical energy. Once she has finished the required incantation, she takes a step (read: five-foot adjust) back toward the door.

"Bedu! I'm not sure we can handle this thing!"

Rob - I know you are good with these details and have run combat really well. But I wanted to mention that my rolls did not include a bonus for the bless spell in case another point to hit and damage made a difference. You probably took it into account, but given our dire straits, I have to be sure.

I'll post Indo's desperate last round : } as soon as I know the thing is still untouched.

"You shall be the Champion of the God-Kings!"

Liet confers a "Noble Blessing" on Indo.

+2 Morale Bonus on Atk, Skill, Ability and Saving throws.

Next round! Since the monster goes first, I'll go ahead and post his action(s) for round 3.

What? Man, I wish you did that last round. I haven't been getting any decent rolls in any games, I finally get one and it doesn't count? Geeesh, talk about buzzkill . . . or should I say, gnomekill.

See discussion thread for ooc responses.

Bedu drops his scimitar in reflex. "Get Skittle healed, Pindara keep strong." Free actions.

Then he slips a piece of pork rind from his belt and throws it to the centre of the four squares before him (getting Skittle and the beast).DC13 Reflex save.

"Ovin firkin slippup!"

The ten foot area becomes treacherous, then Bedu pulls the gnome back five feet.Move action which shouldn't draw an AoO unless the sucker has reach too....

I can't hurt this thing!? Lotus realizes. She pulls back towards Pindara and takes up a defensive position to protect the only person in their group that can hurt this monster. Get him Pindara!

Moving away from the creature as far as I can and going full defensive.

Pindara, roll damage for your magic missile. Just waiting for Indo and I'll update.

EDIT: Indo, Bedu goes before you, so his grease spell now covers the 10-ft. square in front of you, if that informs your action at all.

Indo takes a single step back (still in his same square) and readies his blade. Though clearly a defensive stance, Indo looks ready to collapse from the wounds he has already suffered.

If we are to retreat, I will guard your escape, but I prefer to vanquish evil where I find it. May your God-Kings favor us.

Indo delays for an attack should the thing move adjacent to him, though he is likely to collapse immediately after.

The only thing that hurts it. (1d4 1=3)

Channeling Positive Energy (1d6=3)

Seeing several of his companions wounded, Liet calls upon the power of the god-kings. "Close their wounds and strengthen their resolve."

He then resolves to move out of the way of the fight.

Channeling Positive Energy (1d6=3)

Seeing several of his companions wounded, Liet calls upon the power of the god-kings. "Close their wounds and strengthen their resolve."

He then resolves to move out of the way of the fight.

Hold that thought. You already did your Noble Blessing this round.

Round 3:
As the thing attacks again, Pindara cries out, "Bedu! I'm not sure we can handle this thing!"

"Get Skittle healed. Pindara keep strong." Bedu replies. He drops his weapon and chants some words, coating the floor in front of him (as well as Skittle) with slippery grease. The creature, caught unawares, falls to the floor, apparently unable to keep its grip on the slippery floor. Taking advantage of the distraction, Bedu grabs hold of Skittle and pulls him away from the creature's thrashing tentacles.

Indo staggers back, bringing his blade up in a guard position with obvious difficulty. "If we are to retreat, I will guard your escape, but I prefer to vanquish evil where I find it. May your God-Kings favor us," he says with gritted teeth.

Liet lays a hand on Indo's shoulder, saying, "You shall be the Champion of the God-Kings!" Indo feels noble and heroic, filled with the divine blessings of the rightful rulers of the land.

Lotus withdraws to defend Pindara, exhorting her to "Get him Pindara!" Pindara responds with another magic missile and steps back into the corridor leading to the room. The missile streaks towards the prone monster, who howls in pain and rage as the bolt impacts it. As it struggles to pull itself upright again, it's plain that Pindara's magic has succeeded where your blades have failed - it is clearly wounded.

End of Round 3.
As before, I'll start round 4 with the monster's actions.

Round 4:
The creature crawls across the slippery floor, reaching out to wrap its tentacles around Skittle's legs. (Skittle is now considered grappled.)
"Run, thin-sskinsss," the monster gurgles. "But leave your little friend with me, to munch and crunch. The Queen with Burning Eyesss will take care of you all sssoon enough!"

Post your actions for round 4. Liet, I'll take your healing burst as your action, unless you say differently.
If anyone wants to free Skittle, you'll need to make an opposed grapple check against the monster with your CMB.

Updated map here.

Maintain the burst.

Bedu reaches over and presses his hand onto the swaying Indo.

"Sunka Hearka Indo."

Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1=9)

Then he steps back another five foot to give everyone else room for helping Skittle.

"Your Queen's burning pain! Your Queen's burning pain is the itch the dog gave her last time it was on heat!"

Indo siezes the moment while the creature crawls toward his companions In the name of my people, die now!

Indo strikes out with his held attack, based on the trigger described earlier.

Could really use a crit, here... (1d20+9=29, 1d10+3=11)

Unfortunately, the crit doesn't confirm. Sorry guys.

Having given his last bit of strength to the blow, Indo succumbs to his wounds, falling face down. His sword clatters to the ground next to him, hopefully stained with the blood of the tentacled monster.

If the healing takes, Indo will be at 8 hp on his turn.

His head still white-hot from where it struck the floor, Indo lunges from the ground to strike the beast with his sword A move action and an attack). Let go of our friend and find judgement!

End this! (1d20+6=25, 1d10+3=8)

Confirm:Yes! (1d20+6=26, 1d10+3=10)

I need to avoid a 25% chance of critting Skittle:Most important roll of the day. (1d4=2)

If 18 damage doesn't get through its DR, I surrender to the Rani.

With everyone else occupied with trying to hurt the monster, Lotus moves forward to help Bedu extract Skittle from the creatures hold. I must be crazy for doing this.

Liet's heal bring Skittle back to the plus side, right?

As the creature crawls forward to grab Skittle, Indo brings his sword down on the creature's neck, crying, "In the name of my people, die now!" The action proves too much for his wounds, however, and the tribesman crashes to the floor unconscious.

A look of surprise crosses the hairy face of the serpentine goblinoid as Indo's blade slices through it's rubbery skin. Then the tentacles around Skittle's ankles loosen, and the beady yellow eyes roll back in its head, as the monster subsides on the floor, unconscious.

A moment later, Bedu sends healing energy through Indo's battered body, while with a whispered prayer to the god-kings, Liet fills the area with positive energy. (Everyone gets back 3 hp, including Skittle, who now has 1 hp.)

Lotus, no longer in danger of her guts falling out, rushes forward to help extract Skittle, who is just returning to consciousness, from the monster's tentacles.

Unfortunately, Liet's healing burst seems to have affected the creature as well. It surges up from the floor, hatred glowing in its feral yellow eyes, but Indo lunges up from the ground, burying his sword between the beast's eyes. Its tentacles beat helplessly against Indo's arms and shoulders, then gradually weaken and hang limp. Its sword drops from nerveless fingers, and the disgusting worm-like body goes limp. Indo pulls out his sword with a heave, followed by a gout of greenish-black blood, and the creature's body falls to the floor, finally lifeless.

Victory! By my reckoning, Bedu, Lotus, and SKittle are still wounded. Everyone else should be at full hp.

Bedu quickly checks over the luckless Skittle and heals him too.

Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1=6)

"I suggest that someone guards the approaches while we gather our wits." He looks around for a volunteer while preparing to go himself.

"Some ambush. I wonder if he was intending to kill the thugs once we were brought in? I doubt anyone below expects us to beat the beast but you never know, do you?"

I will guard the entrance while you look over the beast and tend to Skittle, Indo says with a grateful nod towards Bedu. He looks very serious for a moment and concludes This was a moment of truth for us, as companions or friends, even. We live only because we were valorous together. In my tribe, that makes us blood-brothers and sisters. He makes lingering eye contact with a few of his partners, and then backs toward the entrance to the strangely shaped room. A second later, you hear the sound of beetles being crushed against the stone walls, and bright green light exudes from around the corner.

But not before he casts mage armor!

Lotus is glad to see her intestines back where they belong but is still winded from the battle. With the fight over she drops down to sit on the floor to rest for a moment. While her gut is sealed up she looks far from fully healed.

What was that creature??? she exclaims.

Bedu quickly checks over the luckless Skittle and heals him too.

Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1=6)

Not to rain on your parade, but you only get two 1st-level spells per day - and you already cast one cure light wounds and [i]grease[i].

Hard luck for me and also for Skittle.

Bedu looks down at Skittle with his empty hand apologetically.

Pindara takes a half-step toward the wounded before realizing that there's little that she can do to help. She listens to Indo's solemn words in awkward silence, her ever-present scowl muted a bit by what has passed. It deepens into a proper frown at Lotus' question.

"I have no idea," she says, anger audible in her voice, "But it nearly killed us. What is our next move?"

Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 18 (trained only):

A chest sits on the floor in the northeast corner of the room, surrounded by the mold or slime that is growing there, but none seems to be growing on the chest on itself.

Does the chest have an obvious lock?

Can anyone tell us about the mold growing in the corner?

While the party works through that, I'd like to case the room and get an idea of its dimensions and exits. I remember it was described as x-shaped, but I don't think we've seen the whole thing.

Does the chest have an obvious lock?

Not without inspecting it more closely.

Can anyone tell us about the mold growing in the corner?

Bedu made a Knowledge (dungeoneering) check the first time you came into the room.

While the party works through that, I'd like to case the room and get an idea of its dimensions and exits. I remember it was described as x-shaped, but I don't think we've seen the whole thing.

The whole room is visible on the map. You can explore all the corners and nooks and crannies if you wish.

I will secure the southeast corner first, followed by the southwest.

As regards the mold...sorry..I was asking the party. I'll try again.

Indo moves toward the southeast part of the room with his blade and his sunrod. Does anyone know about that mold. I hear in your city sewers the molds can have a mind of their own.

"The slime to the North East may be dangerous and the cause of the area's coldness. My advice is to stay clear of it."

Bedu waits near the entrance and listens on guard.

Suppose we exposed it to magic, or acid? This creature perhaps had a host of supplies, and a few more of those potions like the goblin had might come in handy.

Anymore info DM? I am guessing not.

Bedu shrugs a little as he thinks about Indo's question.

Upon discovering the chest, Lotus is very interested in getting to it. Perhaps I can use my rope to pull the chest towards us away from the molds. she says to noone in particular. She takes out her rope and makes a loop in it to throw it around the chest. Once secure she pulls it away from the molds and slime.

Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 18 (trained only) (1d20+5=17)

What should I roll to see if I can use my rope to catch the chest and pull it towards "safety"? And can I take 20 on that roll? Once in possession of the chest a thoughrough inspection should reveal any traps/locks. Taking 20 on that roll.

Knowledge (dungeoneering) DC 18 (trained only):

** spoiler omitted **

A chest sits on the floor in the northeast corner of the room, surrounded by the mold or slime that is growing there, but none seems to be growing on the chest on itself.

"Be wary of things that do not gather mold or slime in the dungeons."

Anymore info DM? I am guessing not.

Bedu shrugs a little as he thinks about Indo's question.

No retries on Knowledge checks, I'm afraid. You can find the result of Bedu's original check at the top of p.13.

Lotus:

You can take 20 to snag the chest with your rope after a couple of tries. Inspecting the chest, it doesn't seem to be trapped, but it is locked.

Bedu the Barber wrote:

Anymore info DM? I am guessing not.

Bedu shrugs a little as he thinks about Indo's question.

No retries on Knowledge checks, I'm afraid. You can find the result of Bedu's original check at the top of p.13.

That's what I thought.

Bedu shakes his head at Indo after a while. "I cannot say for sure. But you are probably right about gathering potions and other equipment."

Lotus quickly pulls close the chest and marvels at its design, quality and material. Wow... this must be worth a fortune! All such thoughts are pushed aside once she discovers the lock.

Carefully she takes the tools of her trade out of her pack and sits down to study the lock. With deft hands she starts working on the intricate lock.

To open the lock on the chest: Disable Device +10 (+4 (1 rank), +2 (deft hands), +4 (dex)) (1d20+10=22)

If I don't open it right away, I'll keep working on it till I get it.

In just a few seconds, Lotus's nimble fingers (and lockpicks!) pop the lock on the chest. Inside is a golden goblet set with crimson rubies that glitter in the dim light of the room.

Lotus:

Anyone searching the body of the goblinoid-worm-snake thing:

I am not sure it is wise to take the thing's armor - it looks like we've damaged it anyway. But one us should keep this. Indo stoops down to snatch the key from the monster's wrist. Of course, it might have belonged to that, he says, gesturing toward the open chest.

Lotus closes the chest when she has looked at the contents. This goblet should fetch a nice price. Though it won't amount to an awful lot when divided amonst us. I wouldn't want to sell the chest though. With that key over there we should be able to put it to good use. Besides... it's pretty.

Anything else you want to do in this room? If not, you can pick a new tunnel to explore. Here again is the map of the central room. East (north or south tunnel) and south all are available.

I suggest we go where the least traffic is for now, my friends. The more we know about this place before we encounter its greater population, the better I think.

I search this intersection for tracks,attempting to determine the road less taveled...and with any luck, what kinds of things take the different tunnels.

tracking (1d20+5=12)

Indo kneels for several seconds and studies the floor. Sheepishly, he laments invisible castle and says The stone floor is hard to track from. If any of you have keen eyes, I could use just a bit of help. Look for things that don't belong, such as streaks of different colored dirt, or drops of blood.

We could really use an assist or two for useful information.

Liet picks up a couple of rocks. "They may come in handy later."

"Lead on then, Indo."

Bedu tries to help Indo but is a little lost.

"Let us continue straight on and not worry about the tracks. Perhaps your jungle skills are not for this catacomb?"

Bedu will take the route directly opposite where we fought before.

Skittle joins Indo in the main intersection, but the hard stone floor keeps its secrets from him as well. With no luck finding tracks, Bedu leads the party into the southernmost eastern tunnel, which goes only a short distance before turning south. The long, rubble-filled passage goes for some distance, the ceiling supported every 20 feet by stone pillars, before opening out into a large room.

Skittle gingerly steps into the room to survey it. Ahead and to the east, another statue of a tentacled worm with humanoid features stands in the corner. Almost directly opposite you, across more rubble-strewn floor, a passageway seems to lead into another room to the south. Around the corner to the right, another passage exits the room to the north.

In the western half of the room, two huge stone sarcophagi stand in state before a hideous stone statue depicting a large goblinoid figure, its chest covered in eyes and a huge maw of gnashing teeth in its belly. Through the teeth, a jumble of sculpted bones can be seen filling the mouth. The western half of the room is still shadowy, as the light from Indo's sunrod does not quite reach it. (Bedu and Skittle can see the western half fine.)

Knowledge (religion) DC 20:

Perception (sight) DC 18:

New map here.
Dark grey squares on the map are filled with rubble, and count as difficult terrain.

From her position at the back of the group, Lotus is oblivious to any danger that might be ahead. Her thoughts are more on her injuries and the chest and goblet they found in the realm of the abberation. Those are now safely tucked in her backpack. I'll go to Healy to sell the goblet. He'll pay the most for it. I'll only have to make up a nice history for it to sell it for more rani.

Perception (sight) DC 18 (1d20+3=5)

Know (religion; Perception (1d20+6=26, 1d20+3=15)

"The hideous statue behind the sarcophagi looks to be a representation of the Eater of the Dead, a goblin death god of some sort. Based on that, the room appears to be a shrine where ancient goblins laid their honored dead to rest."

grrr. starting this post over completely...

Indo continues into the room, stopping just short of shedding light behind the sarcophagi and turns to face his companions. Let us hope their dead stay where they are, he gestures behind him. We have no more need of company until Lotus' wounds are healed.

Boss: