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Krowe watches the duergar hack through the elemental, then glances at Bor.
”Uhh.. I think we need a bigger crossbow.”
"Sezzash ammun'ka!"
Krowe summons salamanders to keep the duergar at bay.
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Faolan flies after the matron, all he can do to keep up with her. He realizes he is getting dangerously far from the rest of the group and deeper into the caverns. She moves just out of shield range and squints just as Faolan finds himself incased in a sphere or dark matter. The souls of all the hobgoblins Faolan has skilled stare at him from all sides, their ghostly mouths open in a silent scream.
Bazsil slashes one of the guards. The first salamander proves ineffective while the second lands one hit with the spear, dropping a guard. Seeing their foes have an endless supply of reinforcements, they turn to Bazsil with their magic axes.
The matrons mount trundles forward and bites a salamander.
Round: 4
Fort +12, Reflex +12, Will +11
Front Row
Opponent: Rovalda
- - -
Conditions: Fly, Song (+4 Str/Con, +3 Will, +1 AC (dodge), +1 AC (insight vs outsiders & aberrations), skill limits), Battle Cry, Shaken
Equipped: Shield
Shield Melee: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Str +6, Focus +2, Magic +3, (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield Ranged: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Dex +2, Focus +2, Magic +3 (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Arrows: 12/12; Ghost Salt, Cold Iron Arrows 8/8
Martial Flexibility (1x immediate, 3x swift): 6/7
Knockout (DC 22, 1d6r): 1/2
Shield Bearer (free, adjacent ally +2 AC (trait)): 0/1
Ironfang Survivor (free, roll twice vs goblinoid (intimidate, sense motive, stealth): 1/1
Jingasa (negate crit or sneak): 1/1
Shield (daylight): 1/1
vs DC 18 or shaken
Faolan, much against type, is horrified by what he sees in the darkness. Certain they are coming for him, and equally certain he doesn’t want to go, he lashes out at the sphere, and then at the ghosts, trying to get free.
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
|
Bor chases after the group so he doesn't get lost in the underdark alone. "We have to get rid of that orb." Seeing Baszil go down Bor skids to a halt and quickly rushes to his aid.
HP 59/120
AC 26 (29 w/ SoF; +4 vs Goblinoids; DR/2- Goblinoid)
Spells Used:
(1st) Shield of Faith x1
(2nd)
(3rd)
(4th) Debilitating Portent (CCW)
(5th)
(6th)
Vision of Madness 9/10
Aura of Madness 11/11
Sudden Shift 10/10
Master's Illusion 10/11
Griffon Wondrous Figurine 0/2 week
CPE 2/2 (4d6)
Round 3
Attack much more....but no.
His song stops and he bleeds.
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus, you can let out a battle cry as a swift action. When you do, allies within 30 feet who can hear you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
If an ally is under the effect of this feat and fails a saving throw, she can choose to end the battle cry’s effect on her to reroll the failed save against a fear effect. The ally must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s lower. Each ally can use this effect only once per use of this feat.
1) +4 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution
2) +4 morale bonus on Will saving throws
3) +1 to dodge AC (+2 for guarded stance,-1 for song)
4) You cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or use any ability that requires concentration.
5) +1 insight AC vs Outsiders and Aberrations
6) +1d6 damage vs. evil outsiders and considered good-aligned
7) Weapons gain good/evil/chaotic/lawful for overcoming DR
8) +2 resistance bonus vs. spells or effects with an alignment descriptor or that come from an outsider or aberration while raging
[ dice]1d20+17[/dice] to hit; ()
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit; ( )
slashing damage.
[ dice]1d20+14[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] piercing damage.
[ dice]1d20+9[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d8+7[/dice] piercing damage.
HP: 110/110 - 40 - 71 -1
DR 1/—
AC: 24 (8 armor, 3 dex, 1 nat, 2 def) = 24/26 vs. gobs. +1 haste
L1: 0/6 used (CLW*0, Ident*0, FF*0, Grease*0, Vanish*1, LibCom*0)
L2: 2/6 used (Invis*0, Gallant*0, Heroism*2, Blister*0, BDash*0)
L3: 0/5 used (GHope*1,InvisSpher*0,JJ*0,SeeInv*0)
L4: 1/3 used (DDoor*0,Echo*0,FoM*0,GrInv*1)
Kenning: 0/2 used
Words: 0/28 used
Battlecries: 0/3 used (+1 morale to hit;+4 morale to fear saves 1 minute)
Ironfangedness: 0/1 used
Extend Lesser: 0/3 used
Dbane Arrows: 0/3 used
HuBane Arrows: 0/3 used
Defiant Luck: 0/1 used
Smite: not used
Grit: not used
Panache: are you kidding me?
Ki: not used
Rage: maybe later
[spoiler=Bazsil's Deep Song of Wrath] Bazsil has activated his bard like song. You can opt in or opt out. Your choice...but you get all or none of the below. Bazsil will be opting in because that's what he does. You get:
1) +4 morale bonus to Strength and Constitution
2) +4 morale bonus on Will saving throws
3) +1 to dodge AC (+2 for guarded stance,-1 for song)
4) You cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or use any ability that requires concentration.
5) +1 insight AC vs Outsiders and Aberrations
6) +1d6 damage vs. evil outsiders and considered good-aligned
7) Weapons gain good/evil/chaotic/lawful for overcoming DR
8) +2 resistance bonus vs. spells or effects with an alignment descriptor or that come from an outsider or aberration while raging[ /spoiler]
[spoiler=Battle Cry (+1 morale to hit, +4 vs. fear)]
Benefit: A number of times per day equal to your Charisma bonus, you can let out a battle cry as a swift action. When you do, allies within 30 feet who can hear you gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear. This effect lasts for 1 minute.
If an ally is under the effect of this feat and fails a saving throw, she can choose to end the battle cry’s effect on her to reroll the failed save against a fear effect. The ally must take the result of the reroll, even if it’s lower. Each ally can use this effect only once per use of this feat.
[/ spoiler]
”That will have to wait Bor! We have our own situation right here!”
Gathering his magic for a moment, Krowe hurls empowered rays of fire at the duergar threatening Baszil and Bor.
Meanwhile, the salamanders continue their attack!
Faolan, laughing shrilly with his fear, gains some comfort that damage is being done. If it can be damaged, maybe it can be punctured.
He keeps slamming away.
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Krowe and the Salamanders unleash a stunning display of fire and tentacles on the guards, dropping one, constricting another, and nearly killing the third and final guard. He swings at the salamanders around him before he is stabbed to death and dies. The constricted guard is squeezed and burned before the cavern goes nearly silent. Over the crackle of flames and dripping of blood you hear a madman laughing and screaming in the darkness.
Bazsil is slow to get back up, only a little dead thanks to Bor’s magics.
”Now that was a good fight,” Bazsil says, looking around for Faolan.
Know (Arcana). -
”I wish we had some warning you were going to start things, Bor.”
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
CLW
Fort +12, Reflex +12, Will +11
Front Row
Opponent: Rovalda
- - -
Conditions: Fly, Song (+4 Str/Con, +3 Will, +1 AC (dodge), +1 AC (insight vs outsiders & aberrations), skill limits), Battle Cry, Shaken
Equipped: Shield
Shield Melee: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Str +6, Focus +2, Magic +3, (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield Ranged: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Dex +2, Focus +2, Magic +3 (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Arrows: 12/12; Ghost Salt, Cold Iron Arrows 8/8
Martial Flexibility (1x immediate, 3x swift): 6/7
Knockout (DC 22, 1d6r): 1/2
Shield Bearer (free, adjacent ally +2 AC (trait)): 0/1
Ironfang Survivor (free, roll twice vs goblinoid (intimidate, sense motive, stealth): 1/1
Jingasa (negate crit or sneak): 1/1
Shield (daylight): 1/1
Faolan doesn’t turn around, so he doesn’t see the sphere shrinking around him. He just concentrates on the faces of the hobgoblins before him, trying to smash through the wall of horror.
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
(song, cry, shaken) (song)
Faolan, his breath somewhat ragged manages to fight his way out of a wet paper sack.
Eventually (I hope) the fear abates and he returns to the party. "She got away after putting me in some sort of sphere of my enemies. I've killed a lot of hobgoblins..." He says little more.
"Did they leave behind anything of value?" he asks idly of those who remained behind.
|
|
Bor takes a few taps of the wand as he heals wounds that had been bothering hi from earlier. "Haven't seen anything but we should put some distance between here in case she comes back with reinforcements."
HP 59/120
AC 26 (29 w/ SoF; +4 vs Goblinoids; DR/2- Goblinoid)
Spells Used:
(1st) Shield of Faith x1
(2nd)
(3rd)
(4th) Debilitating Portent (CCW)
(5th)
(6th)
Vision of Madness 9/10
Aura of Madness 11/11
Sudden Shift 10/10
Master's Illusion 10/11
Griffon Wondrous Figurine 0/2 week
CPE 2/2 (4d6)
"Bah, I hate to lose her, Faolan. That's too bad. I bet she had the good loot on her, too," Bazsil responds to Faolan, and begins to dig around on the guards for things of interest.
"Where is she going to get reinforcements around here? Is there some sort of shoppe or district we're missing? I just don't think it's likely...unless we're missing something," he opines in his deep rumbling voice.
|
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On the four dead duergar you find the following:
potions of cure serious wounds (3)
thunderstones (5)
+1 full plate (4)
+2 dwarven waraxe (4)
mwk heavy crossbow (4) with 38 bolts
amulet of natural armor +1 (4)
cloak of resistance +1 (4)
ring of protection +1 (4)
You find a lockbox bolted to the flank of the dead beetle.
10 pp, 1,138 gp, and 17 rings of lead and malachite worth 75 gp each. Also in the lockbox are ownership papers for Rovalda’s trox slaves and a copy of her church charter.
You see a gaping and painful wound on the opposite flank of the beetle, indicating an identical lockbox was ripped off recently.
The waters of the lack are deep and cold, they also appear clear and you see no immediate danger.
Faolan removes the lockbox from the dead beetle and brings it to someone with more dextrous fingers than he to open it, while he piles the other valuable gear into various extradimensional storage devices and the like.
"So where to next? Shall we continue on our way? I don't see any need to hunt her down really." He looks uneasily over his shoulder back to the darkness which once contained his sphere of fear.
Bazsil waits to see if anyone can open the box, or if they will need to end up breaking it open.
"I suppose we should get moving, yeah."
Faolan shrugs as no one seems to be able to disable the lock, or at least don't want to try.
He takes out his chime of opening, "This never works on anything anyway." He tries two charges before picking up his backup shield and simply smashing it open.
vs lock DC
vs lock DC
Then, smash!
Faolan laughs as the chime doesn't do its job. It has but one job, and does it poorly - or rather not at all!
He smashes the chest open, passing the documents to those who can read them. When he hears of the contents he suggests, "If we can spare the time, it might be worth it to deliver these to the trox slaves. Could be having these will free them in some sort of legal way down here. I dunno."
Rubbing his chin he considers, "But that could be a day or even two out of our way. Can we spare the time?" He hopes the others agree to the side jaunt, but he'll go with the majority in any event.
"Nice work, Faolan," Bazsil says, approving of the smashy-smashy, and equally disappointed by the party's new dinner bell. "Yeah, Bor, we'll see if we run into them. Let's get going."
Krowe chuckles at Faolan’s attempt at arcane trickery with the chime. ”I hear there was a legendary version of a knock spell that could open pretty much anything automatically, but such great magic is lost to 2nd edition time.”
Looking at the papers, Krowe considers destroying the ownership documents, but the wisdom of keeping them for the moment seems a better idea.
”Hmm.. what is this?” Taking the church charter he settles in for some light reading and hands the reigns of the phantom chariot to one of the mercs. ”Seems she was religious. I imagine she’s giving thanks right now that her spells kept your shield from denting her head and allowed her to flee.”
As the group rides off Krowe adds, ”Or maybe she was simply terrified of Bor’s old crossbow.”
|
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The statue is the “five-eyed matron” referenced in Zanathura’s notes, and here you diverge from the Long Walk into less civilized secondary and tertiary caverns. Crossing the lake presents little challenge—though deep and icy cold, the lake’s waters were cleared of dangerous predators by the duergar centuries ago.
Along this route you journey requires more spelunking than walking. Narrow ledges, sheer climbs, sudden drop-offs, switchbacks, and tight passageways mark most of this journey.
After an unknown amount of time you find yourself in a cavern of unusual beauty. Highly reflective crystals protrude from the cavernous walls of this spacious chamber. The interiors of some of the crystal formations glow with a white light that illuminates the entire area. Connecting tunnels in the stone continue to the north and to the south, while a smaller passage slopes down to the northeast.
Krowe checks his notes and the tries to get his bearings in this underground maze.
”Well, which way? I think we should go after the trox, see if we can give them a gift before we move on,” Bazsil looks at Faolan, who would need to do the tracking.
”You think you can follow them, Faol?”
Called upon to do some tracking, Faolan flinches a bit. ”Oh, I’m not very good at that. Just learned enough to pick nuts and berries and stuff without eating the wrong mushroom, you know? I mean that first time. Wow. What a trip.”
Still, he gives it a try, checking to see if either path is better travelled.
If he doesn’t glean anything, as seems likely, he suggests the most northern path.
”The elementals may not remain here long enough to learn much, and their ability to communicate is limited. I may, however, have an alternative.”
Krowe takes a seat on a rock and concentrates on communing with the planes…
”Will the left passage take us toward the lava tunnels?”
Krowe holds back the mercs and points out the danger.
”Carnivorous crystal, a type of ooze.” He explains.
"Hmm...magic, huh? And oozes, huh? Let me think might be helpful against them..." Bazsil ponders.
Know (dungeoneering, carnv oozes)
"Can I smash them?" Faolan replies, looking for a nail with which to apply his hammer...
"I dunno. They might smash back. I have no idea," Bazsil thinks that the ooze might go well on toast, but isn't sure that is a fact of it he's just hungry.
Krowe shrugs. "Smashing might be a little tough, but I'm sure you could handle it. Otherwise, Bazsil could try singing to it."
Faolan shrugs, "Then it's to be smashing then." he says with few other options. He will fly above it and try to snatch the magic thing without angering the... uh... stuff.
But if there's a reaction, he'll start smashing!
Round: 1
Fort +12, Reflex +12, Will +11
Front Row
Opponent: None
- - -
Conditions: Fly
Equipped: Shield
Shield Melee: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Str +6, Focus +2, Magic +3, (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield Ranged: Attack: BAB 12/7/2, Dex +2, Focus +2, Magic +3 (flurry -2) Damage: Str +6, Bash +1, Magic +3, Specialization +2 (crit: 20)
Shield DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Silver Blanch, Cold Iron Arrows: 12/12; Ghost Salt, Cold Iron Arrows 8/8
Martial Flexibility (1x immediate, 3x swift): 6/7
Knockout (DC 22, 1d6r): 1/2
Shield Bearer (free, adjacent ally +2 AC (trait)): 0/1
Ironfang Survivor (free, roll twice vs goblinoid (intimidate, sense motive, stealth): 1/1
Jingasa (negate crit or sneak): 1/1
Shield (daylight): 1/1
Faolan tries to resist the screaming in his head over the hummmm.
vs DC 22
vs DC 22
He shakes his head to try and clear it, as he continues to smash down on the crystals.
|
|
Bor seps forward to block the path with his shield as raised. "Break them quickly, I'll hold them off you."
HP 120/120
AC 26 (29 w/ SoF; +4 vs Goblinoids; DR/2- Goblinoid)
Spells Used:
(1st) Shield of Faith x2
(2nd)
(3rd)
(4th) Debilitating Portent (CCW)
(5th)
(6th)
Vision of Madness 9/10
Aura of Madness 11/11
Sudden Shift 10/10
Master's Illusion 10/11
Griffon Wondrous Figurine 0/2 week
CPE 2/2 (4d6)
I think I’ve heard this song before…but just can’t place it.
Fort
Fort
Bazsil chooses to embrace the melody rather than act in the first round.
Krowe rocks back on his heels, reeling from the sudden assault.