Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
Mara used a couple of charges on her old wand to heal Dervak, and the rest on Theophilus. She tossed the now non-magical stick into a corner. "So much for that one."
M Human Destined Urban Bloodrager 16 | HP 102/148 (118/164) | AC 54 (T31, FF54, CMD60) | F+26/R+28/W+30 (+2 vs fear, +5 vs mind-affecting) | Mv 40' | Init +9 | Per +24| Rage 30/36 | Spells 4/2/1/0 (6/4/3/2) | Active: Heroism, Barkskin, See Invis, Shield, FoM, Long Arm, Dance, Vigor, Tactical, BoF, Legendary
"Thank you, Mara."
Dervak will head down the stairs next to Kat after using another charge of Shield (wand at 39).
"Uh, hey, Mara, Theophilus, either of you want to use this wand? It helps protect you. Those Hounds messed you two up pretty bad. The wand doesn't last so long but you can hold onto it if you like. I can cast the spell myself if needed."
Neither one of you has a Shield bonus. I know OOC that Mara doesn't have UMD, but Dervak would make the offer. Theophilus does have UMD +15, and could get a Guidance from Mara for another +1.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
"Until I know exactly how those things get around, I'm playing it safe, bruv. They might have some special power over mirrors in general, or this whole place might have made it easier for them to cross over cause of how bloody f!&*ed it is. Mara almost died, and Theo actually just died so I ain't taking any chances of that happening again, right? I'm gonna be ready in case I need to go smashy smashy. You feel me?"
Male +4 circumstance (Blindness/Deafness/Curse) Human(Varisian) Witch 16 Hp 160/98 AC 27 Initiative +13 Fort +15 Ref +13, Will +15 Perception +26
Theophilus takes a long hard look down the shaft. He scratches his nose. He frowns.
I suspect that these will evolve themselves into a trap of sorts. I suggest...
The White Rabbit tugs at his trouser leg.
He points down.
Theo watches his companions descend the stairs.
I see! Been dead 6 seconds; already getting ghosted!
The shaft from above descends to a crossroads of arched corridors. Beyond the doorways, the walls are laden with shelf upon shelf of books, curious objects, and things of an arcane nature. The stone walls are covered in bas-relief carvings depicting thousands of faces in various expressions. They peer from behind bookshelves and seem to watch you as you move. As with the level above you the halls are line with books and curios but they’re less cluttered. The air is cooler and carries the scent of old books and centuries of burned candles mingled with the wretched stench of death and decay. A sooty film coats the stone throughout. Littering the hallway are a number of corpses, twisted into unnatural shapes and burned with acid or fire.
Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
Mara looked around for signs of monsters lying in wait. She spoke nervously, "OK Dervak, lead the way and I'll follow; I'm not going first! Maybe to one of the angel statues?"
You recover some of the gear from the bodies and find the following items: a masterwork short spear, a slimy and dented masterwork breastplate, a masterwork quarterstaff, a suit of leather armor torn from within in a dozen different directions, a potion of cure serious wounds in a battered leathery gourd, 24 scattered holy thundering crossbow bolts, a single boot with a foot still in it, a silver hip flask worth 50gp with an engraving, ”To MM, from your friends at the Esoteric Knights of Evolvement” which contains an oil of shrink item. Added the valuable items to the party loot sheet.
Some of the bodies are clearly Nethysian guards, others are scholars, a few look like they were mercenaries. You don’t find the body of Elder Lythiin among them.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Kat knows an opportunity for her detective skills when she sees one. She closely examines the bodies and the damage to the armor and equipment to see if she can determine what manner of weapon(s) was used and the state of the victims at their death (such as were they surprised, surrounded, etc...). Lastly, she'll check to see if the damage and wounds are consistent with our old doggie friends from mirror land.
Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
Mara wanted to know what dangers might lurk in the shadows; she examined the bodies to try to determine how they died. She also recited a short prayer and scanned for magic auras.
Kat and Mara both make some disturbing determinations. The deaths were not caused by the Hounds of Tindalos but the other causes are myriad. Blunt trauma like you would expect from a club or quarterstaff, is the most mundane. It looks like one person was exploded from the inside. Others appear to have been squeezed to death. Another died of asphyxiation. And finally some have patches of mold and even mushroom caps poking through their skin.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
"West is as good as any for me." Kat leads the way, keeping an eye out for traps.
Her shield extract lasts 10 minutes, so she probably won't need to re-up it yet, but she does have another prepared
The shelves of this section of the library holds hundreds of books bound in red leather. You have little time to investigate the tomes as two roiling masses of flesh squirm in the room. Half-formed eyes, toothless mouths, gaping throats, and countless other malformed organs constantly form and dissolve over the monster’s surface.
Kat further knows that the creatures are proto-shoggoth, they were manufactured life that grew out of their creator’s control. It’s not known what alien beings first created them but they possess the ability to reproduce by infecting other living creatures with their tainted flesh. One of the only ways to cure the infection is by nearly killing the host with negative energy. Those killed by the infection form into a new proto-shoggoth. Ooze traits Grab plus constrict. Constricted opponents must make a DC 23 Fort save or become infected. Infected creatures must make a DC 23 Fort save every day or take 1d4 con drain. If a creature is brought to negative hit points from negative energy they may a new DC 23 Fort save to be cured. If the host dies from the infection they will spaw
Round 1 Theo <-------------- Mara <-------------- Kat <-------------- Dervak <-------------- Proto-shoggoth
Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
Mara going before the enemies? I'm shocked! :)
Mara didn't know what to make of these disgusting creatures; no doubt they were going to do something horrible! She decide to concentrate and bestow good luck on Kat, then started chanting.
Fortune Hex on Kat (reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result); Chant to extend. 5 ft step forward if there's room.
Male +4 circumstance (Blindness/Deafness/Curse) Human(Varisian) Witch 16 Hp 160/98 AC 27 Initiative +13 Fort +15 Ref +13, Will +15 Perception +26
Theophilus high fives the White Rabbit. The Mad Hatter skips around the corner; whistling a little ditty. The Witch then licks his finger, holds it up in the air, and nods as he casts his spell.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Kat pats Mara in thanks for the good luck then marches off to probe the proto-shoggoth defenses. ”They can infect you if they grab you! Avoid that. Proto-shoggoths is what they are.”
Kat enters her snake style as she ventures forth, studying the closest proto-shoggoth as she does.
Move to move, swift to enter snake style, move to studied combat
Reminder that she has freedom of movement up which means she cannot be grappled
M Human Destined Urban Bloodrager 16 | HP 102/148 (118/164) | AC 54 (T31, FF54, CMD60) | F+26/R+28/W+30 (+2 vs fear, +5 vs mind-affecting) | Mv 40' | Init +9 | Per +24| Rage 30/36 | Spells 4/2/1/0 (6/4/3/2) | Active: Heroism, Barkskin, See Invis, Shield, FoM, Long Arm, Dance, Vigor, Tactical, BoF, Legendary
Dervak steps in front of Theophilus, Str-rages, and prepares to strike the first blob that comes within 10'. He counts on his Long Arm reach to also hopefully help against these things.
AC goes to 32 with Str-rage, CMD to 34.
The flesh and organ piles slither closer to the nearest opponent, Kat. Their protoplasmic form continuously dissolves and reforms. As they close Dervak reaches out with his uncanny arms. DR 5
Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25 Snake style:1d20 ⇒ 6Kat can you include your current sense motive in your tagline? I'm never sure what it is and it takes a while to try and derive it. This would have missed in any case. Thank you.
Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18 Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36 Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20 Purple slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33
Both the oozes body blow Kat and go to engulf her but thankfully her magical protections hold, softening the blows and letting her slip easily from the creatures grasp. Freedom of movement was a very good choice.
Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
Mara thought it prudent to keep her distance from these horrors, heeding Kat's warning against grabbing and infecting. She granted Dervak the heaven's spirits' good luck, keeping up her chant.
Using her Fortune Hex on Dervak, and chanting to extend.
@Theo: It seems like most enemies in this AP are immune to either mind-affecting, blindness, or both! :(
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
I added her current sense motive to her combat line after her perception bonus
Kat hops back, tapping her boots together in the same motion, then begins attacking the blob she studied.
Five foot step, free action to activate boots of speed, full attack on Green
Primary Attack with +1 Adamantine Spear (studied combat, haste, heroism, power attack):1d20 + 13 + 5 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 13 + 5 + 1 + 2 - 2 = 38 Primary Damage (power attack):1d8 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 6 = 19 I believe that oozes are immune to precision damage as a general rule, so they are immune to the extra damage of studied combat. I still get the hit bonus at least
M Human Destined Urban Bloodrager 16 | HP 102/148 (118/164) | AC 54 (T31, FF54, CMD60) | F+26/R+28/W+30 (+2 vs fear, +5 vs mind-affecting) | Mv 40' | Init +9 | Per +24| Rage 30/36 | Spells 4/2/1/0 (6/4/3/2) | Active: Heroism, Barkskin, See Invis, Shield, FoM, Long Arm, Dance, Vigor, Tactical, BoF, Legendary
Dervak will attack Green (switching to Purple if he drops Green) and then 5' step NW to be next to Theo (so the ooze would have to move through his threatened area to attack either one of them).
No offense Kat, but with your Freedom of Movement it is better that they attack you. I can step up and tank next round and Fight Defensively if you get low on HP.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26 Snake style:1d20 + 29 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 29 + (2) = 43
Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35 Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33 Green slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25
Purple slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24 Purple slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18 Purple slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27 Purple slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21
Kat and Dervak fall into their rhythm, they tear away useless malformed organs and slice metamorphic meat from one of the oozes. It slowly reforms itself even still. Two hits from Kat and Dervak each. DR 5 from both, fast healing or regen 5
From behind the double doors to the south everyone sees an ethereal eye drift forward to observe the fight. Arcane eye
Thick bruises blossom on Kat as the proto-shoggoths continue to mindlessly bash and try to hold her.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Kat takes the hits like a champ, her clayed skin offering enough protection to make this far more manageable. She steps back and continues furiously stabbing at the same blob.
Full attacking green again. If Dervak has already dropped it but it still appears to be alive, she'll keep stabbing it until it isn't
Dervak and Kat beat one of the flesh slimes into submission. It twitches and undulates still but appears to have stopped reforming and reshaping itself.
Mara tries to dispel the arcane eye but the magic holds.
The arcane eye disperses as Theo's will dissolves another.
Theo is odd:1d2 ⇒ 1
Slam vs Theo:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22 Plus grab:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36
Slam plus constrict:1d6 + 8 + 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 + (1) + 8 = 22
Theo Fort vs Infect Flesh:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22 Kat snakes:1d20 + 29 + 1d6 ⇒ (15) + 29 + (6) = 50lol, Kat you get a cookie for hitting epic DCs first.
Slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25 Slam vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
The proto-shoggoth grabs the mad hatter with relative ease and squashes him. Theo can feel bits of the creature absorb into his flesh, the alien enzymes spread throughout his body. He feels pain subtly shoot throughout his body and has trouble breathing. Theo is sickened until further notice. It abruptly lets Theo go and turns its attention towards Kat. She dodges the clumsy attacks effortlessly.
Theo:
You now have an infestation, a worse form of disease. Immunity to disease does not make you immune to an infestation. You are sickened until the infestation is cured. Every 24 hours you need to make a Fort save or take 1d4 con drain. Unlike a disease you never recover by making your daily fort save. An infestation has a specific set of circumstances which will cure the disease. Kat knows how as a part of her knowledge check.
Kat:
Kat momentarily sees a flash of numbers, 17, 5, 17, 22, 1, 20, 29, 1, 6, 15, when she comes to, she knows she's dodged but she can't quite remember how. Her mind momentarily became slippery and with it the memories slip away. She has the nagging feeling this is for the best.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Hah! Gotta say, I'm pretty happy with how the snake style part of this build is working out. I really wanted to do something different than the usual "investigator with inspired blade swashbuckler dip" and I'm quite happy with how it's turning out
Kat shakes off the sudden rush of whatever hit her mind. She curses under her breath, half at that and half the blob getting a chance to infect Theo. She steps to the side and begins wailing on this one.
M Human Destined Urban Bloodrager 16 | HP 102/148 (118/164) | AC 54 (T31, FF54, CMD60) | F+26/R+28/W+30 (+2 vs fear, +5 vs mind-affecting) | Mv 40' | Init +9 | Per +24| Rage 30/36 | Spells 4/2/1/0 (6/4/3/2) | Active: Heroism, Barkskin, See Invis, Shield, FoM, Long Arm, Dance, Vigor, Tactical, BoF, Legendary
I had asked Theophilus to come up next to Dervak so that Kat would be closer to the mindless ooze, and so that Dervak would get an AOO on the blob if it did come for us. Oh well.
Mara does have Liberating Command which she could cast as an Immediate action as soon as Theophilus is Grappled to possibly free him. Maybe before the Constrict takes effect? At +20+Dex it is not a great check, but it's a chance.
Half-Orc Heavens Shaman 16 (Speaker for the Past) | HP: 150/ 159 4 con damage Init 8 (roll three times) Per: 29 (See Invisibility)| CMB: +13 CMD: 30 | AC:30 T:17 F:26|Saves F:15 R:15 W: 26 (27 aberrations)
Hexes Used:
Fortune:
Healing:
Heaven's Leap: Dervak
Time Flicker:
Speed or Slow Time: 0/2
@Dervak: Yes, she pretty much always memorizes Liberating Command. The intent is to cast it the first time someone is grabbed (unless the grabbing creature is so big that its CMD would be impossibly high).
Theo watches in fascination as the blob dude smacked him upside the head, then sucked him closer into the blob dude's embrace, and finally kissed him like it was prom all over again!
I believe that introductions proceed this type of intimacy!
The Mad Hatter swoons...
Go figure...lol!
Theo glances with slight panic at the corner that he has painted himself into...
I don't suppose that you want to call timeout?
He takes a tentative 5' step.
He nods in acceptance.
misfortune Will DC 21 2 rounds
Slam 1 vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30 Snaaaaake!:1d20 + 29 + 1d6 ⇒ (20) + 29 + (1) = 50No mythos cookie this time, maybe if you do better.
Slam 2 vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36 Slam 3 vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29 Slam 4 vs Kat:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31
Slam 2:1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14 Slam 3:1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Slam 4:1d6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Kat steps away from Theo drawing the monstrous ooze’s attention while she and Dervak continue to carve away at the fleshy pile. It tries to grab Kat multiple times by slamming into her but each time it rolls off like water on waxed paper.
Heroism, Perceive Cues, Heightened Awareness, See Invisibility, Barkskin, Freedom of Movement, Echolocation
AC 23 T 13 FF 22| Current HP 39/83| F +10 R +14(trap sense +3) W +11(see profile for conditional modifier)| Init +1| Perc +27 (+32 vs traps, trap spotter, smog sight) Sense Motive:+29+1d6 |Inspiration 10/10
Kat is starting to look tired and her clayed skin doesn't look like it will hold up for much longer. Gonna hit the damage absorption cap for the extract after another turn like that
She takes a step back and targets the ooze with great skill and precision.
