If not I attack the last beetle.
During round 2, Astra's focus will be on trying to help get Elizabeth out of melee. "Elizabeth, keep backing off! I'll try to get its attention!" she calls out, and delays her round 2 action over to round 3, initiative count 23, so that she will go between Elizabeth and Chakos' actions on round 3. At that point, she will move into the 5' gap (hopefully) opened between Elizabeth and the beetle, and make a melee attack with her club. If she succeeds, that would mean that in order to keep attacking Elizabeth, the beetle would have to circle around Astra, thus likely getting an attack of opportunity.
If no 5' gap between Elizabeth and the beetle is opened in round 3, I will reassess my action.
Argug cleaves his fire beetle in half spraying bug guts on himself, Chakos and Elizabeth. Some of the liquid that splashes on to Chakos and Elizabeth provides a small glow.
Chakos slams his greataxe downward, shifting it slightly to the side and narrowly missing the beetle. The fire beetle waggles its mandibles at him.
After the bug splatter hits Elizabeth, she gets distracted by the yellowish liquid and fires, striking the place where Astra cast the light spell.
The two remaining beetles try to sink their mandibles into Chakos, and Elizabeth, the latter moves closer to Elizabeth provoking an attack of opportunity from Astra.
The bard swings her club and crushes the fire beetle. Her club is soaked with glowing bug juice.
This time it misses. Its mandibles glisten with half elf blood in its own yellowish glow.
The water from Weeping Pond makes Sneek the Silent's head swim. He has a hard time aiming and reloading the crossbow. He manages, aims at Chakos' fire beetle and pulls the trigger.
Sneek's crossbow shot strikes the beetle adjacent to Chakos, stabbing between the beetle's head and abdomen. It squirms for a moment before stopping dead still.
Liz wipes the gunk off. Ugh! Like this is totally gross! Gag me with a spoon.
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Astra breathes heavily a few moments, then relaxes. Bowing down to look closer at the beetle she slew -- I killed it? Wow! she thinks to herself -- she makes note of its anatomy and peculiarities. "A typical fire beetle -- Pyroidae vulgaris. The remains should be mostly harmless", she says, bending down to try and wash some of the bug juice off her club in the waters of the cavern. "Although the luminescent qualities may thwart any attempts at stealth, so I would advise trying to wash it off before we proceed."
If these things glow they might be useful for exploring. Liz points at the club. We can save our torches.
"True, although I can cast a spell of illumination at will, as well. We do not necessarily require these foul remains." To illustrate, she casts Light onto Argug's weapon, so that he is well illuminated, and the area of light moves with the orc if he moves. As she does so, however, the Light she cast onto the stationary spot on the ground extinguishes, as she can only illuminate one object at a time. In that sense, additional light sources could certainly be warranted.
Argug stares at Astra. "Y'know I can see in the dark, right? The rat ain't the only one that likes ta skulk. This..." holding up his now glowing axe, "...doesn't help with that."
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"Actually", Astra holds her finger up with a smile, delighted to share a bit of trivia, "not every orc can see in the dark. While most do indeed possess hypersensitive photoreceptors, there is a wide spectrum of variety in the level of sensitivity exhibited among individuals. In fact, there is a tribe in the wastes of Osirion highly acclimated to the glaring desert sun with underdeveloped photoreceptors and who have inferior ability to perceive things in the dark as compared to humans for instance. In general there does seem to be the tendency for more southerly tribes of orcs to have lower photoreceptor sensitivity and more northerly tribes have improved ability. No doubt this is related to the differing levels of sunshine obtainable at various latitudes. Therefore one cannot make the automatic assumption from race to ability --" and she will probably go on like that quite a while if you let her.
So where should we head next? Liz looks around.
Argug simply stares at Astra, then rolls his eyes, turns around, and heads down a corridor at random...
Let us try the ledge
Elizabeth manages to pull herself up the ledge with only a little effort.
Argug sloshes through the water. The cold liquid clings to his legs.
Argug starts to hustle up the ledge.
Astra would be more inclined not to try climbing if it's all the same. If there are any people heading towards A2, she will follow them. But if everyone else is climbing for A3, she will follow them instead of going to A2 alone. While waiting to see what everyone else will do, she will make a cursory check of A1, searching for anything possibly valuable.
After falling on his butt, Argug growls and tries again.
Liz drops back to the rest of the group instead of going on alone.
There are a bunch of stalgmites and 'tites up there along with a dead half-orc to the east. Shall we climb this ledge or try the wate rpassage?
"Wasn't one of the people we were looking for a half orc?"
Yes, I think we have found our first casualty.
"As discussed earlier, I may be blind beyond a point, but within my visual range, I can also see in the dark. I can also bless one of you with a bit of portable light should you wish it. I have no preference which way to go."
Let us deal with the body.
"Didn't someone have some extra rope beyond the 50' we used underwater? I don't feel like climbing up to that ledge without support. Anyone?"
It is only five feet high. I used my rope unerwater so we can lend 'aid to another' to get up.
Astra would be more inclined not to try climbing if it's all the same. If there are any people heading towards A2, she will follow them. But if everyone else is climbing for A3, she will follow them instead of going to A2 alone. While waiting to see what everyone else will do, she will make a cursory check of A1, searching for anything possibly valuable.
[dice=Perception]1d20+4
Astra finds a small intact luminescent beetle gland, as well as footprints that lead towards the water and some that head towards the cliff.
After testing the water, Argug turns back to join the group and climbs up the cliff.
Astra will Take 10 for the climb if possible (10+0=10), and will try to clamber her way up to the ledge.
Astra climbs to the top of the ledge.
Liz takes 10 going up and joins Astra. Best not get seperated.There is the corpse, poor soul.
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Astra turns the corpse over, and her eyes widen slightly in recognition as she realizes just who it is. "Parda..." she murmurs under her breath, her hand instinctively raising to her mouth. "Oh no... I was afraid something like this would happen when she started hanging with the Chains..." Her eyes tear up a little, and her voice cracks. "She was always rough around the edges...got into fights, ran off at the mouth...used foul language and never took anyone's advice... But I'll always remember, when I was thirteen and a guy tried to force himself on me, she beat him within an inch of his life and never asked for any thanks..." She sniffs, and wipes her nose briefly on her sleeve. Then, she swallows, and starts to examine Parda's body more closely, trying to find out what, or who, killed her.
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"Stabbed...multiple times over", Astra muses, half in thought to herself, and half to inform the others, though her volume is so low that it might be difficult to hear her words. "Incisions are shallow...not a sword. Most likely dagger as the murder weapon. That means there are more than just animals here. Something that can hold a weapon. Probably multiple somethings. Tool-users. Sentient humanoids, high probability of hostile nature." Pause. "That means they can suffer."
"So what's the plan now my friends?"
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"Let's keep moving forward... I want to find whoever did this", Astra says, face still a little wrenched with distraught emotion. I'll come back for you, Parda, she resolves quietly to herself, intent on getting the half-orc out of here when they go back, and not leaving her here to rot. Before standing up to continue the journey, she makes sure the half-orc's eyes are left wide open according to orcish custom, to present a ferocious warrior even to death itself. Then standing up finally, she says, "I'm ready", and starts moving through the stalactite hall in an easterly direction, towards A4. In her distraught state, Astra has neglected to search for any possessions on Parda or in the room A3 in general.
Before standing up to continue the journey, she makes sure the half-orc's eyes are left wide open according to orcish custom, to present a ferocious warrior even to death itself.
Liz is silent for a momment as Astra pays her respects and then follows.
Then I follow the others.
"Shall I check other room first, you wait here." Sneek says.
Happy skipping along Sneek disappears from view using Stealth.
Everyone moves deeper into the cave through the stalagmite corridor. Except for Sneek, they have to duck a little to avoid hitting the ceiling and the stalactites.
A small humanoid frog-like creature wearing a leather hood with a bit of writing on the front, turns as you approach and lets out a threatening croak.
Sneek sees a medium sized female humanoid, emaciated with gray skin, picking through the trash. Every so often, she glances in the direction of the corridor you are hiding in, but she doesn't seem to see you in the gloom. When a loud croak echoes in the cave, she pulls out a dagger and focuses her gaze at the corridor.
Phase 1
Sneek's Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Argug's Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Chakos' Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
Phase 2
Blindheim's Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Skulk's Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Phase 3
Astra's Initiative: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
Elizabeth's Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Liz isn't hostile right away, but holds her handds up. Wait! Stop! We are not looking for a fight with you! Liz uses common, hoping it understands.
Chakos let's out a guttural growl, and charges the creature keeping himself between it and the squishier members of the party.
Argug looks at the creature, at Elizabeth, then back at the creature again. He rolls his eyes and sighs at her comment, then simply charges at the creature.
"Don't worry Liz, this ain't gonna kill it. You can talk to it all ya want when it wakes up."
In deference to her request, he compromises, laying a meaty fist into the temple of the creature instead of slashing at it with the axe he still grips in his other hand.
Normal Damage: 1d6+5. Power Attack: +2.
Nonlethal at-will brawler ability with unarmed strikes.
Astra will be moving closer to the blindheim, though not to melee range yet. Thinking 10-15' from it for now. She'll also make sure her weapon is drawn, and will try to make a Knowledge roll to identify the creature.
The blindheim doesn't seem to react to Elizabeth's call.
Chakos' swings and misses the blindheim. Its white eyes flash as it sticks out a pustule covered tongue.
The frog-thing doesn't flinch when Argug swings his fist at it. Ducking under the blow at the last possible moment, the frog creature licks Argug's arm.
1) How intelligent is it? Is it sentient, or more animal-like?
2a) If sentient, what is its typical alignment?
2b) If animal-like, does it have any particularly dangerous attacks?
1) How intelligent is it? Is it sentient, or more animal-like?
2a) If sentient, what is its typical alignment?
2b) If animal-like, does it have any particularly dangerous attacks?