Unsure of what to do, and unable to recognize the threat, other than it being a clear danger, Wapiti takes a defensive posture, watching carefully.
Baknarla:
4 damage gets through DR
AC 25
Crystal:
DC 22
Baknarla:
As an old friend flies into the area, the crystal begins to move, taking on a vaguely quadrupedal form with a head full of sharp crystals that resemble fangs.
It moves slowly but reaches Baknarla and starts to attack her. She is ready and stabs it with her spear, but the hard shell of the creature resists much of the damage.
The creature then bites the adlet shaman, doing a lot of damage with the bite.
The crystal starts to spread as if to engulf her, but she fights off the attempt to trap her.
Round 2
Crasius*
Talsune*
Ingrit*
Wapiti
Thorizmond*
Barknarla (38 lethal)
Seke
Crystal (4 lethal)
Shaking off the stunning effect of the hum, Thorizmond trots forward, lining up a charge on the strange rock creature. Prepare! We must strike sure, and strike hard!" he calls to his alies.
Invigorated by Thorizmond's battlecry, Wapiti advances, driving his antlers into the enemy creature in the absence of instruction from Ingrit.
Hit
3 damage
Hit
2 damage
Hit
no damage
Hit
+ No damage
Crasius, Talsune, and Ingrit remain stunned by the subsonic hum of the crystal.
Wapiti awaits instructions that don't come.
Thorizmond shakes off the effect and tries to rally his comrades. Wapiti takes this as inspiration to charge the rock. His antlers strike but the hard surfaces turns away most of the damage.
Baknarla shifts to one side and attacks the crystal with her spear and even tries to bite it. She does a little damage, but even with her mighty spear, she fails to get it into places that cause much harm to the strange creature.
Seke
Rurik*
Crystal (11 lethal)
Round 3
Crasius*
Talsune*
Ingrit*
Wapiti
Thorizmond
Barknarla (38 lethal)
*: Make a DC 22 Fortitude Save to escape the stunned condition.
Seke 5 ft steps to be able to see the creature. She then immediately invokes her patron to empower her hexes with curiosity!
She afterwards focuses on the crystalline creature and tries to amplify the misfortune effect on its existence! She then cackles like a lunatic to continue the effect.
AMPLIFIED HEX: You can augment the power of a hex by expending a spell slot or prepared spell of at least 1st level. Each additional time you use this ability in the same day, it requires a prepared spell or spell slot 1 level higher (a 2nd-level spell the second time, a 3rd-level spell the third time, and so on). When you amplify a hex, you can choose one: increase its saving throw DC by 1, increase its range by 30 feet (if it already has at least a 30-foot range), or increase its duration by 1 round (if it already has a duration of at least 1 round).
The crystal is unable to resist Seke's misfortune hex.
Rurik break out of his stunned state.
Rurik isn't really sure of what to do, so he tries the usual sonic-attack-versus-crystal-entity.
AC 25
DC 22
Barknarla:
Rurik's magical burst of sound is not a strong as it can be, but the creature recoils and takes a bit more damage than might otherwise be dealt to a normal creature.
The crystalline creature attacks Barknarla, causing another serious wound . This time, her flesh is covered in crystals, restricting her movement .
Round 3
Crasius*
Talsune*
Ingrit*
Wapiti
Thorizmond
Barknarla (69 lethal, entangled)
Seke
Rurik
Crystal (14 lethal)
*: Make a DC 22 Fortitude Save to escape the stunned condition.
Thorizmond moves up and, using the distraction of Baknarla's presence, attempts to stab the strange crystal creature.
Ingrit snaps out of the trance, taking a dazed moment to process her surroundings.
Crasius and Talsune struggle to break free!
Retcon: misfortune rerolls from attacks on Barknarla
No change.
Thorizmond hits the rock square on with his lance, but has trouble doing his usual damage due to the hardness of the rock.
Ingrit and Talsune break free from the stunned state brought on by the subsonic hum of the creature. Only Crasius is still out.
Barknarla struggles mightily against the crystallization spreading over her and shatters the forming encasement.
Round 3
Crasius*
Talsune
Ingrit
Wapiti
Thorizmond
Barknarla (69 lethal)
Seke
Rurik
Crystal (29 lethal, misfortune)
Rurik advances, his boots keeping him moving at speed over the ice, and he throws a ranged healing spell to assist Barknarla.
Seke sees the wounds closing on Barknarla, but wants to aid her some more in case she’s affected again by some form of attack.
She hexes her to become more fortunate in her actions.
Talsune moves up and swings at the Crystal.
Rurik heals Barknarla, although she is still wounded. Seka gives her the benefit of a fortune hex. Then Talsune wallops the rock with his glaive, but the hard surface blunts some of the effect.
Round 3
Crasius*
Talsune
Ingrit
Wapiti
Thorizmond
Barknarla (47 lethal, fortune)
Seke
Rurik
Crystal (37 lethal, misfortune)
At Ingrit's direction, Wapiti focuses on attacking with his hooves, lashing out at the strange rock creature.
Bow in hand, Ingrit draws her adamantine Warhammer from where it hangs in the saddle, striking the bizarre creature with a powerful blow.
AC 29
Misfortune reroll
DC 22
Wapiti's hooves fail to harm the creature. Ingrit's warhammer hits and does some damage.
The rock attacks Wapiti and takes a big chunk out of him. And the noble creature's body becomes partly encased in interlocking crystals.
Round 4
Crasius (stunned)*
Talsune
Ingrit
Wapiti (48 lethal, entangled)
Thorizmond
Barknarla (47 lethal, fortune)
Seke
Rurik
Crystal (45 lethal, misfortune)
* DC 22 fortitude save needed to remove stunned.
Seke hexes Ingrit now to become more fortunate in her actions.
The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 1 round. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made. At 8th level and 16th level, the duration of this hex is extended by 1 round. Once a creature has benefited from the fortune hex, it cannot benefit from it again for 24 hours.
Rurik squeezes through his allies' space to come near Wapiti and cast freedom of movement upon the noble elk. Stag? Moose? Whatever, big creature with enormous horns.
Seeing the rock creature shift to attack Wapiti's flank, Ingrit calls out a warning, guiding him with her knees to evade the attack.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Retcon: Ingrit's warning causes the rock to miss its attempt to wound Wapiti.
Thorizmond jabs repeatedly at the rock creature with his magical lance.
Crit?
Talsune takes two swings at the crystal and bites at Barknarla as Crasius sits slumped in the saddle.
Rurik is about to cross over to aid Wapiti, but seeing that Ingrit keeps the elk out of danger, he instead continues his advance and releases another healing spell on Barknarla.
Talsune's glaive chips away at the creature's hard exterior and he managed a bite as well.
Rurik heals Barknarla. She looks stronger and healthier although still with some wounds.
Hit
Does not get throught DR
Hit
5 gets through DR
Hit
1 gets through DR
miss
Thorizmond's lance blows do serious damage, chipping off bits of the creatures rocky exterior.
Barknarla fiercely stabs the rock with her spear and even tries to bit it, but only manages at chip a few bits
Swinging low in the saddle, Ingrit attempts to strike the rock creature with multiple swings, clearly an unfamiliar mode of attack for her.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Wapiti launches himself into fullt attacking the rock creature.
Wapiti's antlers make a solid hit and the rock-like creature shatters into many lifeless shards.
Although most of the crystals in this cavern are not of any particular value, large aquamarines worth 7,000 gp in total can be gathered from this chamber.
Seke stands still after the crystal monster finally collapses. Her hands tremble from the realization that she is no longer alone.
”I … I found you. We … We survived… together! I … was hiding. I thought I would face this alone. I thought the Mantle had dragged me back only to test me… or punish me. But you were here. We fought beside each other … without hesitation!“
Her gaze drifts to the familiar figures, and she wonders if she’s still fresh in their memories.
”Ehh … do you recognize me. From Artrosa. From that time when I stayed behind with Jadrenka … and I watched you leave. You know … I told myself it was the right choice… “
"It is good that you were able to find us. More assistance is always appreciated. That crystal was terrible. I hope we do not find more of those in this complex." Crasius says as he still holds his head and tries to recover from the terrible effect.
Seke is introduced to Baknarla, of the adlet ancestry, humanoids with heads like wolves, but unrelated to the lycantrope variety. She is a shaman of her people who have been persecuted by the dragons and drakes of the Drakelands.
Once all are healed and rested, she leads on through the Rimekeening Crevasse. In the next ice cave, a pair of frost worms accost the group, but they are defeated after a fierce battle.
The next section of the passageway has a fork and Baknarla is unsure which direction to explore. She chooses the left fork which leads south for 250 feet before making a sharp right turn that goes northwest for 80 feet before opening into an ice cavern. Another battle ensues when a roper clinging to the roof of the cave attacks. During the battle, the roper brags that she will defeat all and display them in ice like her other victims. Indeed, a glance a the western wall of the cave shows some humanoid figures frozen in a wall of ice.
Once defeated, Baknarla advances eagerly, ignoring her wounds, to look closely at the figures frozen in ice. Two are Triaxian humanoids called ryphorians, but one has a head of a wolf.
She excitedly summons an ice elemental and orders it to retrieve the corpses from the ice. The elemental can move through ice like it was liquid and pulls three corpses out of the wall of ice. One Baknarla identifies as Sarnok. Sarnok was a mighty warrior-shaman who lived long ago and slew more than one dragon with his magic spear. He was also renowned for his wisdom, bringing about peace treaties between the adlet tribes and several Drakelands realms. The old tales say that one day Sarnok set out to explore the depths of the Rimekeening Crevasse and was never seen again, but that he will return some day to guide his people to glory once more.
Sadly, Baknarla now knows he will not return, but she does claim a holy relic he wore, called the Prophet's Pectoral. As reward for helping her find it, she gifts the group his other gear, which includes a longspear and a belt of fallen heroes.
Inspecting the other bodies reveals one is wearing the hide of the dragonrider and additional bits of coin and jewelry worth 425 gp.
PRICE 18,480 GP
SLOT armor CL 8th WEIGHT 25 lbs.
AURA moderate abjuration and enchantment
Crafted from the scaled hide of a black dragon and lined with wolliped fur for warmth, this suit of +1 bolstering (Ultimate Equipment) black dragonhide armor was designed to protect and aid dragonriders of the Dragon Legion in their battles against the evil dragons of the Drakelands.
Hide of the dragonrider grants its wearer a +5 competence bonus on Ride checks, and the wearer does not take an armor penalty from the armor on Ride checks. In addition, when mounted, the wearer can transfer some or all of the armor’s armor bonus (including its enhancement bonus) to his mount as a bonus that stacks with all others. As a free action at the start of his turn, the wearer chooses how to allocate the armor’s armor bonus, and that allocation lasts until the wearer’s next turn. Once per day, the wearer can imbue hide of the dragonrider with resistance against one type of energy, as the energy resistance armor special ability. This resistance lasts for 10 minutes.
Hide of the dragonrider functions as a cold weather outfit, granting its wearer a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saves against the effects of cold weather.
After laying Sarnok to rest properly and resting and healing fully, Baknarla leads the group back to take the other passagway which leads out of the crevasse and into the realm of white dragon warlord Yrax. His fortress, called Ivoryglass, rests on a magical base that floats just above the Vahara Glacier. According to the clues given in Baba Yaga's hut, the other key to take the hut to the next location where the witch queen may be found, a bearskin rug, is somewhere in the fortress. Of course, the fortress also contains a white dragon and his minions.
Seke looks first to Crasius, then to Baknarla.
“I am… grateful you found me as well. ” she says, giving all again a small bow in Tian fashion.
“That creature would have killed me if I had faced it alone. I felt it watching me from the ice, waiting. I was afraid to move deeper into the cavern.”
Her fingers brush her sleeve.
“I am here because I could not stay away any longer. I tried… I remained with Jadrenka in Artrosa when you left. I thought my failures made me unworthy to continue your path. But the Mantle of the Riders… it does not forgive unfinished duties.”
For Seke these words are clearly difficult.
“The dreams began to tear at me again. Jadrenka saw it. She scryed for you and sent me here … close enough that fate could finish what it began.”
She turns to Baknarla next.
“You are different … I have potentially heard of your people in Jadrenka’s records… dragons and the hunts? Oh and the losses? Well, I am honored to stand with you all.”