Devil-spawn and Demon-taint: A Fiendish Take on Skull & Shackles (Inactive)

Game Master Mark Sweetman

The terrible thing surfaced again, it's eyes just above the water, bobbing along next to his master like a puppet on the end of lazy strings. The unrestrained savagery it had just displayed was firmly in check again, locked away by it's master's commands.

Cedrick smiles, calls Tindalos to his side, and begins the advance.

Fish stays behind, ready to spear anything coming from behind and keeping her mind open to Spot.

Spot ranges ahead of the group proceeding down the left corridor as the rest of the crew takes the right arm.

Left Arm:

The corridor circles to the East and then turns again back to the North after only twenty feet. However the end of the cavernous passage is another patch of the hooked ferns that Spot is able to warn Fish of before you become entangled in it.

Right Arm:

The cavern passage is longer, but free of barbed obstructions. It travels on a longer arc to the South before doubling back and rejoining the other corridor after the patch of barbed seaweed.

Assuming Deader's Pet does same trick?

Joining back together you see that the passage continues on to the East, but there is also a small side-cavern on the left - the walls of which bear strangely ribbed markings. The floor of the cavern is covered with a carpet of seaweed.

As you edge slowly forward you do not see any further direct sign of grindylows... but there remain the echoing unnatural sounds through the caverns.

On roughly Round 8

Wait, weren't we going to circle behind those two grindylows?

Knowledge:Nature 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

Commenting on the markings, I think it's just the waves.

Know 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Percep 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

Cedrick notes the markings and seems busy trying to decipher what he can from them, taking on board the teachings of Fish.

Fish - my read was that you were essentially advancing down both of the passages with the big red arrows on them.

Opps. I meant for the group to split and attack the two grindylows in the side passage from both sides, meanwhile Spot is exploring the left corridor with the arrow.

I'm cool with advancing down the passageways though. Hopefully someone will find the grate.

Definitely. More hooks and netting just add to my stylish appearance.

I thought we were going to get the Grindylows as well.

Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Obi suddenly stops:
I think that there is another room below us. Can't you feel the bars beneath our feet?

All hail the perceptive one!

I'd have a higher Perception with Alertness, but walking around with an albatross on your shoulder is not the easiest feat to accomplish.

Crouching down, Joneth tries to feel his way around the carpet of seaweed in an attempt to locate the bars Obisyth speaks of. "Intriguing... Should we not take a better look before moving ahead? Who knows what lies directly under us."

As Joneth and Obisyth feel the bars beneath the water...
Initiative: 2d20 ⇒ (2, 11) = 13
...they become aware of a presence also and are able to jerk back and away before being struck. With thrashing and lunged hands two former sailors... now animated corpses come into view and strive desperately to attack through the bars but are held back.

Obi jumps back:
Hmmm, sneaky, using undead as weapons.

She turns and looks to deader.
You want to show them how undead fight?

Fish waits for deader's creature to begin attacking, then moves to a safe location to start stabbing the corpses, making sure to stay beyond their reach.

"Ha, now there's some irony"

"Just a moment." Deader said and ducked beneath the surface trying to get a look at them. He extended his hand and the chain of bones on his palms twisted and rolled. His mouth moved and bubbles escaped as he spoke something unintelligible underwater.

Command Undead ability. DC 14 Will save. I can control up to 3 Hit Dice of undead this way (Greedy is commanded by a spell effect and doesn't count toward this total)

I can do this 6 times, I'll keep doing it until I run out, or until I've commanded as many of them as I can.

Will save: 5d20 ⇒ (16, 9, 18, 18, 7) = 68

The will of the submerged ghould proves immensely hard to wrest aside, and it takes almost all of the necromantic will of Deader to eventually wear it down and seize control of but one of the imprisoned bodies. As though sensing its companion's loss of fidelity, the second ghoul turns to it with savage intent borne of supernatural hunger.

Unless told otherwise - I'll have the soggy dead sailors tear each other to pieces? - or do you want to attempt to dominate the second ghoul as well?
Also - this little interplay takes half a minute... are the rest of you silently observing or doing anything else?

So it took 5 tries before it failed? Jeeze. These things have impressive will saves. Might as well use the last one to try to get them both.

Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

The second lacedon resists Deader's attempt to force in under his sway and the two undead beasts turn upon one another...

"Well shoot. Looks like only one of them wants to join our crew. Give me a little room here."

Deader sinks down closer to keep an eye on the fight, holding a hand out, bolstering his new crewmate.

Making sure the others are clear then readying an action to Channel to heal the one I'm controlling as it takes damage. I'm excluding the other one with Selective Channel. I'll let the energy hit Greedy too since he's a little damaged.

My Channel heals 2d6 if you want to do a few rounds at a time.

Pending indication of concurrent actions by rest of crew?

I'm gonna watch for any errant octogoblins. Let the Deader gladiators fight it out.

Fish keeps her spear ready, but is mostly focused on Spot, awaiting the familiar's return when it finds something of note. Since I can speak to Spot and it has an intelligence of 7, should give useful info.

Staying out of harms way, axe at the ready in case things go sour.

Also staying out of harms way and ready to whack any errant octo gobbies.

Patience is appreciated once more, should have a something for you on the morrow.

Pretty much following Cedrick's and Nachni's wise example.

*Unintelligible underwater burbling*

Ok, shuffling myself along as well. Some liberty taken to avoid spending too long doing not much. Dungeons can get quite long on PbP - and since I'm on vacation in a couple of weeks want to give us a shot to push through the last of this'n.

Deader's newest pet tears at the other lacedon that shares it's lair and in a few tens of seconds his champion emerges victorious with his negative channeling bolstering it's lifeforce. Let's say three channels spent and the lacedon's at full HP at the end of it.

Those who range slightly ahead and those behind fight a small skirmish with some errant grindylows, dispatching a couple for no loss... but left with the distinct impression that the worst is yet to come.

Once the fray is complete, the companions force the bars that hold Deader's pet within and quickly search the cavity. You find 120gp in loose change and an anchor feather token.

You then proceed further into the grindylow's cavern complex towards it's heart. Spot warns of a huge devilfish in the penultimate chamber that is ended... but not without the loss of Deader's grindylow zombie pet. Loins girded Spot scouts down what appears to be the path towards the heart of the grindylow's lair. The octopi returns with troubling news - the waters within the chamber ahead churn and roil, throwing up sediment and rendering underwater sight almost useless. But she did see corpses and body parts floating...

10ft wide corridor leading into the next chamber.
How do you prepare / proceed?

Alrighty folks, let's do this!

As Spot returns to its usual place around her throat, Fish takes her accustomed position in the back. I think we should send the ghoul first. Obi, time to swim.

Fish casts Touch of the Sea on herself. If there is time, she will use the water-lung hex on Obisyth.

Deader seems saddened by the death of Greedy. He hangs the grindylow's mangled body on a wall from it's many hooks.

"I'll be back and have ya patched up good as new in no time, buddy."

"Not mush more to do than hold our blades and prepare to kill"

Cedrick readies his axe, and prepares to follow his friends who have better breathing ability...

Obi moves forward as stealthily as she can, watching carefully for what may come next.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

Hope that I did not miss something, time has been real limited recently. RL interfering with pbp time.

Nachni readies her blade and falls in behind Fish and Obi. Her gentle swaying motion gradually brings everyone to their toes, prepared for the trouble undoubtedly awaiting in the chamber.
Activate derring do - +1 morale bonus to Reflex saves, +2 comp bonus to Dex skills & +1 dodge to AC if move 10+ ft.

Nachni - how many rounds have you used Derring-Do so far?

Hundreds of remains float in this large bowl of water, which churns with bones, scraps of flesh, and the carcasses of strange, almost alien fish. Just visible through the roiling stew are humanoid bodies floating in the water, wan corpses drifting near the bottom of this cauldron like sleeping guardians.

One figure hangs from the ceiling above the churning water, bound hand and foot with thick strands of seaweed and sinew and weighted with heavy ingots of silver the kidnapped sailor from the Man’s Promise, Sandara Quinn. She looks to be living, but her clothes are streaked with blood and her head hangs insensate.

Before you swim two horrific freaks of nature. One grindylow swelled to proportions too immense to allow it passage through the tunnel you arrive from, it's mouth opens to a yawning crevasse of needle sharp teeth. The second is a female festooned with skull fetishes and with blackened skin. She hisses as your approach becomes evident "Manthings children... slay them for the Mother" and the grindylow in the room chitter and hoot with glee.

Note: the water is filthy, so only has 5ft visibility into it.
The chamber is deep, so swim checks are required to move / tread water unless you have a swim speed.
I'm going to do this as an us vs them initiative - so you guys get first go - have at!

Mapski

Obi, is she important? Assuming Obisyth, or someone else, says yes, Fish takes one of the following actions.

Which square is Sandara hanging over?

"No, no children! Slay the Mother!" Deader said with a grin.

Cast Murderous Command on the grindylow closest to the big fat one. Order my new crewman to attack.

Aaaaand I'm almost out of spells...

Deader's new friend dipped below the surface and reappeared attempting to it's teeth into Grindylow flesh.

Is the Lacedon able to Charge since it has a swim speed?

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6 DC 13 save vs Paralysis

Cedrick moves forward into the chamber and breaks to his right (Swim 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 to 6H) to engage the creature there...

Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Confirm? 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8(no)

Tindalos follows (Swim 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 to G6) and attempts to savage the same creature 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9, but can't get good purchase.

What to do. I was planning on casting a few buffing spells - Eagle Splendor on Deader, Bull Strength on Cedrick, Shillelagh on myself. I figured with the Stealth/Perception I rolled, I would have seen something before we were all at the entrance to the room.

Obi whispers a prayer to the powers of the sea calling upon their aid in this battle:

Cast Shillelagh

Move to G7 to help protect Cedrick's flank.

I have been busy with RL, so apologize for not posting more.

FYI VoV, I'm trying to get a sense as to whether Sandara is within 30 feet.

Obisyth - it's a no on the pre-buffs. You had an opportunity before entering the corridor.
Nachni - Sandara is hanging roughly 15-20ft above the water's surface level at square F5.
Deader - yep, those with swim speeds can move normally, so charging is possible. However charging isn't possible with allies in the charge path - so in this case it's a no.
Post incoming later today, last night got blown out by fencing and an unsleepy chidlet.

"She's important, let's get her Fish!" Nachni swims into the room and then pauses to tread water. She reaches an arm above water to flick something at Sandara, breathing the words of a spell. Swim to G8 and cast grease on Sandara's bonds.
Swim 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Joneth moves ahead, swimming through the murky waters, and takes his place close to Nachni, ready to support or defend her if or when any of the creatures decides to close in with them.

Moving to H7. Will probably be advancing further by squeezing through his companions next round.

Swim: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Nachni - just burn two rounds of Derring-Do for the skipped fights.

Cedrick swims into the chamber and lays out a grindylow with a single heavy armed swipe of his axe. It's corpse joins the churning maelstrom of bodies in the water.

Obisyth places herself in harms way and ensorcells her cudgel.

Nachni moves forward and conjures grease upon Sandara's bonds, and though the priestess remains unconscious... her wrists and arms begin to slowly slip through the ropes... and she threatens to fall into the water...

Deader's lacedon paddles easily through the water holding near to the front line of combat while Joneth does the same - both positioned well to bring the hurt imminently. The lacedon makes a clumsy swipe at his foe, but does not harm it.

Meanwhile Deader attempts to swim forward...
Swim: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 and 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
...floundering at first, but then managing to make a little headway. Not close enough to cast from where you were, have moved 15ft closer based on swim check #2

Fish moves forward and hooks Sandara's clothing with her pike... and braces herself for when it retracts...
Give me a Strength check please

Spears fly from the flanks and Deader's pet has one thrust at it's belly...
Spear at Cedrick: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Spear at Cedrick: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Spear at Tindalos: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Spear at Tindalos: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Spear at Lacedon: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
...two spears biting into flesh, but most showing the same degree of accuracy already shown.

The blackened she-octogoblin hisses as she draws a slender bone wand and gestures towards the center of your group. As she does an octopus forms from mist within your midst and immediately lashes out at Deader as the witch cries "Eat them, feed my pretties..."...
Bite at Deader: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Tentacles at Deader: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
...though the unhinged man is able to beat back the assault.

Reacting also to the blackened creatures call, the bloated behemoth moves easily in the water as it sloughs forward, leaning close with it's massive distended jaws...
Bite at Obisyth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
...as the Oni-tainted tiefling twists in the water and avoids the bite.

Back to you guys...

Mapski

Did she cast summon monster? If so, isn't that a one round action?

Still holding her shield to defend herself from the bloated behemoth, Obi nimbly swims forward and swings her once again green glowing club at the monstrosity.

5-foot move to F6 (Obi has a 15' swim speed).

Attack: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 1 = 17
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 = 9

AC17