I also do have a baby doggy, who from the discussion thread was just carrying somebody's stuff, that would offer another +2, (and +7 with scent, if that matters at all).
I'm going to rule that Yanos himself needs to have the scent ability to get that bonus. If the dog was going to lead, then it would need the "track" trick and use its own perception. Also, not sure what +2 bonus the dog might grant - are you thinking about the familiar alertness ability?
Regardless, since it seems like this is the plan I'll roll a bunch of aid checks and we'll see what happens.
The Dog was aiding another, but for some reason I was assuming it just happened. My bad. Don't worry about it, like I said, I haven't even stated him up, it was mostly going to be a joke and to help someone carry something.
Time passes as you follow the signs of Nuar's passage through the Tangle. The passageway seems to continue ahead as far as you can see. The imprint of a single hoof stands in the dust gathered along the left wall...
The tunnel makes four hard lefts before coming to an intersection. The remains of a bronze mechanism, recently destroyed, lies on the floor...
The walls angle inward more at this crossroads, but the ceiling soars to impossible heights above. A spatter of fresh blood marks the left wall...
The constant, curving sides of this passage close in with every step. What was once a concealed door is broken and left ajar with a tuft of white hair caught in the latch...
Six passageways flow together like a river in this chamber and seem to sublty shift and move. A large, bloody handprint is the only landmark that remains constant...
The passage abruptly ends at a smooth, white wall. You backtrack...
A skeleton lies against the wall ahead, a message crudely sketched in charcoal next to it: “Left is back but back is clockwise and right is too hot. I’m sorry, Garanel.”
At this point you have been wandering the Tangle for 7 hours. You've probably been awake for 11 hours. Rest or continue?
So, I can see this riddle meaning a few things. A few thoughts:
"Left is back but back is clockwise and right is too hot. I’m sorry, Garanel."
1.) Left goes back, but going back is circular, and Right is too far (getting warm, warmed, nope, too far, get cold, freezing, . . )
2.) Left goes back, but back is right, and Right.
3.) the "bronze mechanism", (recently destroyed, lies on the floor) might be a clock
4.) the "white wall" might be "too hot" (white hot)
5.) A large, bloody handprint is the only landmark that remains constant... (might be a center point where the other rooms are rotating around)
Sorry, didn't mean to give the impression that a riddle needed to be solved. You know the way to go, but I wanted to inform everyone of how much time has passed. If you continue too much longer you might become fatigued.
You rest for a few hours in the strange maze. Every so often a sound is heard - a creak of stone, the skitter of insect feet, a distant howling - but nothing crosses your path. Eventually you move on...
A hour passes...
A low, rhythmic hum buzzes through the stones of the floor, causing a jaw-rattling vibration...
And another...
The vibration continues, gathering force. The leftward-curving passage deadends, but turning around to backtrack reveals a brand new passage that slopes gently upward...
Then one more...
The jaw-rattling vibrations cease as a giant, bronze door appears in the passageway ahead. But just as you think you've found the end, the comforting embrace of the bronze door ahead slips further away. The world spins as colors and sounds blend together into a sickening maelstrom. The chaos passes just as
quickly, but the passage is suddenly gone and instead there is now only a scrap of rock, surrounded by inky blackness dotted with distant points of light.
Fractured sounds, like whispered curses, float across the darkness. Then a horrid mass of eyes, mouths, and formless flesh squeezes out through a crack, its countless maws yammering ceaselessly. It begins to lurch towards you menacingly.
Apparently no one has Knowledge Dungeoneering, so none of you know can identify this creature.
I'll stand and grab my spear. "Bloody hells, what is that thing? Does it even derive a new notch on my spear?" looking around at the party. Taking a small move action, towards it, nonthreateningly (mostly), "Hey, guy, you okay?"
Alie fires a bolt from her Magic Missle wand, not knowing if it would have any effect on the strange mass heading toward them. She then moves 5' backwards, away from the threat.
Male Human Fighter/7 (mobile fighter archetype) HP 64/64 AC21/T 14/FF 19 CMD 22/24 vs. trip & sunder Fort +8/Ref +5/ Will +6 Init +2 Perc +1|Sense Motive +1
Well, so much for 'we come in peace....' I really have to learn more about these sorts of creatures.
Kilian moves up and holds action pending hostile activity on the part of the weird blobby thing.
ETA: If it attacks:
Guisarme to grim ghastly glob:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Damage, if applicable:2d4 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 = 9
Peri's spell dazes the creature, causing a dozen mouths to go slack at once. Alie then unleashes a magic bolt into it, leaving scorch mark, and Kilian advances and hacks a bloody gash in it.
Rowanna tries to hex the creature, but it seems resistant.
GM ROLLS:
Will save vs Daze Monster:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 Will save vs Hex:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
INITIATIVE - Round 2 (everyone can go and I'll sort it out)
Leonel 21 <=Up (moved you to the top for ease of posting)
Peri 20 <=Up
Alie 19 <=Up
Kilian 17 <=Up
Haris 13 <=Up
Rowanna 10 <=Up
Yanos 7 <=Up
Creature 6 Dazed
Male Human Fighter/7 (mobile fighter archetype) HP 64/64 AC21/T 14/FF 19 CMD 22/24 vs. trip & sunder Fort +8/Ref +5/ Will +6 Init +2 Perc +1|Sense Motive +1
Round 2:
Kilian follows up his attack with another solid chop to the creature.
Leonel slashes with his weapon, but misses completely. Kilian's blade lands true, but doesn't penetrate as deep as he hoped. Haris' rapier slides in and out, but doesn't leave a mark behind. Alie and Peri's magic, however, blasts into it normally. The creature seems to take less damage from slashing and piercing weapons, though magic has been working fine.
The creature begins howling, chattering, and babbling from a couple dozen mouths. Haris, Leonel, Peri, and Rowanna feel the noise penetrating their minds, threatening to drive them mad. These four are confused for one round. Read the spoiler please.
Confused - Roll your own fate and act accordingly on your next turn:
A confused creature is mentally befuddled and cannot act normally. A confused creature cannot tell the difference between ally and foe, treating all creatures as enemies. Allies wishing to cast a beneficial spell that requires a touch on a confused creature must succeed on a melee touch attack. If a confused creature is attacked, it attacks the creature that last attacked it until that creature is dead or out of sight.
Roll on the following table at the beginning of each confused subject's turn each round to see what the subject does in that round.
d% Behavior
01–25 Act normally.
26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently.
51–75 Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand.
76–100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject's self).
A confused creature who can't carry out the indicated action does nothing but babble incoherently. Attackers are not at any special advantage when attacking a confused creature. Any confused creature who is attacked automatically attacks its attackers on its next turn, as long as it is still confused when its turn comes. Note that a confused creature will not make attacks of opportunity against anything that it is not already devoted to attacking (either because of its most recent action or because it has just been attacked).
The creature then lunges at Leonel with a half dozen biting mouths. Four find soft flesh. 12 damage It attempts to hold on, but Leonel breaks free.
GM ROLLS:
Yanos Will Save:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 Haris Will Save:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 Leonel Will Save:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12 Kilian Will Save:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17 Alie Will Save:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 Peri Will Save:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Rowanna Will Save:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Male Human Fighter/7 (mobile fighter archetype) HP 64/64 AC21/T 14/FF 19 CMD 22/24 vs. trip & sunder Fort +8/Ref +5/ Will +6 Init +2 Perc +1|Sense Motive +1
Is that second Leonel in your post supposed to be Kilian, DM R?
The Andoren blanches at the results of the attack on Leonel as he circles for a better angle on the creature. That would have taken me down outright...no time to worry about that, just have to trust the others. But his fear (and need to keep his balance, this close to the edge) robs his arm of accuracy, and he misses badly.
Leonel has +2 to Will vs compulsion effects, which I believe confusion falls under. Also, Rage gives him +2 on Will saves and Luck gives him +1. I just realized I can't start both in the same round (both swift actions), but whichever one I use should have put me at a 15 save at least. So if I'm right about the compulsion, then I saved, right?
In the confusion and chaos, and not knowing what else to do, Haris throws himself at the creature and perhaps hoping to shove it off the edge. "Leonel, push!"
