Gadrielle steps back into the entryway, curious as to what has caused the sound. Noting that the only metallic object here is the gate, she steps up to inspect it.
"A big emerald spire if you ask me." She looks to the door on the other side, and then to what seem to be murder holes surrounding it. "Looks like it's not very safe."Is this a way of traveling through the complex? Maybe. Maybe I should requisition that piece of green stone we found on the previous floor.
She shifts her weapon in her hands. "I wouldn't stay here. Lets move."
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +9; +2 vs. death effects, negative energy effects, negative level Samsaran shaman (speaker for the past) 4 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 | AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex) hp 27/27
"I want to study the green stone for a second." She casts Detect Magic on the stone."
Chinchi and Black Sun: I figured yall would tag along, so I moved your tokens to join the rest of the group.
The team moves over to inspect the green column, finding it to be the same as the column found on the other levels you have explored. This one has another weird mark on it, similar to the other two, yet slightly different. Another Arcane Mark
The Emerald Spire protrudes from the western wall of this room. Stairs lead up from the central portion of the room to an iron gate to the south and a reinforced wooden door to the north. Four arrow slits to the north look out over the room. Next to the east wall, narrow stone steps descend deeper into the dungeon.
Zifan takes a moment to cast a spell, trying to reveal the true nature of the glowing emerald. To her eyes, the core lights up with brilliant energies of a strong Conjuration enchantment!
From behind the stout wooden door and through the arrow slits, you can see two more individuals peering out at you. "Who goes there??" a gruff voice calls out. "What are you doing down here?"
RE: the Emerald Spire:
Yall have found several small "tokens" thus far, as well as several scrolls with sigils that stylistically match the sigils on the spire. In Campaign mode, this indeed does formulate into a teleportation/transportation of sorts through the different levels of the spire, but in Society mode, this is not generally used. So far, although you have found various pieces of the puzzle, the characters have not found enough information to utilize this even if it were allowed within the Society format. Not only that, but if you tried to use it with the information that you have found, I believe you would end up on level 6.. a sure death sentence!!! If we were playing Campaign mode and going back and forth to Fort Inevitable, you would have had more resources with which to figure this out. Just thought I would toss this out, but I didn't know how to give this info to the characters with the parameters that have been set for Society play!
Zifan:
Please remember to move your token to reflect your posts or ask for it to be moved for you. I have moved your token to reflect your post!
"We are wanderers in search of answers!" Galonor boldly steps up and addresses the voices. "Who might you be? Explain to us the purpose of this place."
"Well, go find your answers somewhere else! This is Our place.. and the Splinter gang don't 'splain nothin to nobody! We make our own rules and live how we want ta live! You'd better be "wanderin' on 'fore we teach ya to mind yer own business!"
Looking forward, the voice is peering out from an arrow slit in the stout wall, and a very solid looking oaken door bars the way beyond.
|AC 20, T 15, FF 16|HP: 57/57 (12 nl)|F +9, R +9, W 0 (+2 vs shadow/MA/emotion, +1 vs reptilian EX abilities)|Init +4, Perc +8|CMB +1 CMD 15|Burn 2/7, Buffer 1, Light and Dark 1/1, Voices Say 1/1, Shadow Speaker 4/4
Some of the others may have noticed they STILL haven't seen Black Sun lately...
Perception, DC 35:
Oh. There she is. How does she...do that?!?
...but that doesn't mean she's not there.
readied action, gravity blast, Point-Blank against the door in the event s@#* hits fan:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 damage:2d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 2) + 6 = 14
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +9; +2 vs. death effects, negative energy effects, negative level Samsaran shaman (speaker for the past) 4 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 | AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex) hp 27/27
Zifan steps out of the way of the line of adventurers. "I don't think so. We have just as much of a right to be here as you do. Please let us go on ahead."
"An why would we do that?? Do you just let wanderin people walk through your home just because??" the voice asks. "We claimed this as Our Place, and unless yer wantin ta join up and be part o tha Splinters, ye ain't gettin no farther this way. Ye got tha stairs behind ya that go up, and tha stairs goin' down. Don't know how ye made it past them damn spiders and skeletons, but those'r yer choices."
With a voice that betrays a rapidly dwindling amount of patience, Gadrielle replies: "Well, my home happens not to be in an ancient unexplored and uncatalogued ruin. So, the polite archeologist in me is going to ask you, politely one last time." She shifts her weapon in her hands, twisting them around the haft of her weapon. "Could we come on through to check the remains, please."
Uhvat shifts uncomfortably on his feet. Whoever's the owner of the voice does have a point. He can't help feeling like intruders here. His only consolation is that they are likely intruders as well. The conversation does not look good and he does not like that they are behind the thick doors and arrow slits.
He looks uncertainly at the rest of the team.
A bit of OOC discussion. I'm not sure about assaulting the door. Might need to retreat and go a different way? Back where the two tied up guards are. Seems there's a way around.
Male Gnome Animal Speaker Bard 4 | 28/28 HP | AC: 16 T:11 FF:15 | F+3 R+5 W+6 | CMB +3 CMD 14 | SP 20 FT | INIT +1 | Perc +7 | Disable Device +8 | Darkvision 60'
"The Splinters! Of course, we want to join! We hear there are great treasures below, and if you give us passage and support, surely we will all profit. Is there an initiation or something?"
Chinchi flashes his best smile, pulls out his small flute, and starts playing a lively little tune. "And we can provide entertainment, too!"
Assuming we don't get a good outcome out of them, Galonor will head back to explore the rest of the level, heading across C4 (I assume it is a trap that we didn't notice?
I quite agree with yall.. and think that you would have a rather difficult time of it assaulting the door. They have almost complete cover even without taking cover between shots, and that door would be murder to try and get through while they are fighting back. Your characters would see this and recognize it as a "BAD idea". As for talking, the DC to get them to not fight you outright was DC 20. Talking your way in is listed as "Much harder", which I am going to take (due to notes provided in the scenario) as being unfriendly and giving aid that could result in punishment.. a total DC of 35+Charisma without a bribe or better argument. Going off of the expressed opinions and the fact I don't think any of your characters are suicidal, back the way you came it is!! However, should anyone decide to fight, let me know and we can go that way too!
The guards confer for a moment, and you hear slight whispers back and forth before the voice calls out again. "Nah, I don't think yall would be a good fit. Ya look too high an mighty fer our tastes. Go back up or down.. but yerr not gettin through here!" With this, you hear the distinctive click of a crossbow being wound and set and see the other guard for the first time.. over the top of a loaded crossbow pointing right at you.
As you pass back through the front entry and take a right past the statue, you hear a slight click and a barely audible hissing sound.
Moving on, you turn the corner and see a hall stretching out before you. 4 doors open to your right, two openings on the left, and the hall turns to the right at the end.
Zifan, Uhvat:
You start to feel a little.. weird. Spacey. Slightly inebriated maybe. No effects yet though. Mechanically, no effect for 10 min. I will give yall another save then.
"Um, did you feel that? Felt something strange there when we passed the corner. Anyone else?" Uhvat looks somewhat confused, and somewhat "floaty".
He turns around and muttering some occult words, grants himself sight of the arcane, and studies the area at the corner for a while. He follows that again with a different incantation, this time to detect psychic remnants.
cast detect magic, then cast detect psychic significance.
"Feel what oread?" Galonor looks more confused than Uhvat at the question, but soon turns his attention to the array of doors that fill the wide walkway. "Should we explore them one by one?" The half-orc ask as he approaches the closest room.
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +9; +2 vs. death effects, negative energy effects, negative level Samsaran shaman (speaker for the past) 4 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 | AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex) hp 27/27
"I feel a little odd. Did you hear the hiss? I wonder if it was some kind of trap." Zifan feels light headed, but otherwise looks fine.
Uhvat looks about, questioning the new and sudden sensation, but neither of his spells show him anything new. Zidan too feels affected by something, but keeps up with the group. Meanwhile,Galonor the Mighty approaches a door. A heavy, solid, and wooden door. Yup. He thinks it's a door... lol, couldn't help it with that roll, man!
Galonor pushes open the nearest door on the right, and the team troops in. This chamber is a small barracks with a pair of double bunks and a door in the north wall. The eastern portion of the room is partitioned into a pair of cells with doors made from iron bars. Inside each is a shoddy bunk and a rusty bucket.
"We should" states Gadrielle as she steps into the room, weapon at the ready, looking around very wearily. "Slow and steady walk-through, room by room. Its not a race. And if the local squatters want a fight, they are going to get one. On my... Our terms."
Gadrielle moves into the bunkroom and peers around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary while cautioning slow and steady progress to the group. There remains a door to the north, an the rest of the hallway.
Gadrielle opens the door.. and stares in horror at the nightmare that occupies what must be the barracks loo. This horrid mass of eyes, mouths, and formless flesh stares in all directions, its countless maws yammering ceaselessly! The maddening gibbering washes over the group, seeping into your brains and threatening madness!
Before she can dodge out of the way, several of the toothy maws attach themselves to Gadrielle, tearing away chunks of flesh and latching on tight! To add insult to injury, the creature spits a stream of acid from one of the unoccupied mouths.. but it misses Gadrielles face!
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +9; +2 vs. death effects, negative energy effects, negative level Samsaran shaman (speaker for the past) 4 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 | AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex) hp 27/27
Zifan rushes into the room. "You are not going to die."
Zifan steps into the doorway, stabbing her spear at the gods awful creature! It connects, but the sharp blade bounces off of the rubbery hide without a scratch.
Black Sun confusion:1d100 ⇒ 67 Dmg:1d8 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4
Black Sun, in her confusion, slaps herself upside the head..
Meanwhile, the creature flows out of the bath room, engulfing the trapped Gadrielle! The amorphous creature flows around the brave fighter, mouths still tearing and pulling.
Engulf:6d4 ⇒ (3, 4, 4, 2, 1, 4) = 18+2 Con Dmg You may still attempt to cut your way out of the creature.
As Gadrielle disappears into the creatures blob, it turns one of its many mouths towards Zifan and spits another stream of acid at her!
Ranged touch:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Once again, the stream goes wide!
Bold May Post
Black Sun- 4 dmg, Confused x1 rnd
Zifan
Thing
Uhvat- Confused x1 rnd
Chinchi
Galonor
Gadrielle- 30 dmg, 2 Con Dmg, Grappled/Engulfed
"Lady Gadrielle!" Galonor cries out as he sees the cavalier struggle under the 'thing'. Coming to her aid, he advances into the room and swings his trusty weapon at the creature.
|AC 20, T 15, FF 16|HP: 57/57 (12 nl)|F +9, R +9, W 0 (+2 vs shadow/MA/emotion, +1 vs reptilian EX abilities)|Init +4, Perc +8|CMB +1 CMD 15|Burn 2/7, Buffer 1, Light and Dark 1/1, Voices Say 1/1, Shadow Speaker 4/4
GM DevilDoc wrote:
Black Sun and Uhvat are momentarily overcome by the madness, confusion clouding their actions!
HOLD IT, a retcon may be in order on account of DM oversight: You clearly forgot to factor in my +2 bonus to saves vs mind-affecting, and (if pertinent), my further +2 to Will saves vs emotion.
Hence, my saving throw should have resulted in '14', or possibly '16'.
Black Sun: I did miss the Mind Affecting part in your stat block, so you do make the save. Go ahead and take an action now for this round, I will recap, and then begin next round once everyone has posted. If you would like, go ahead and post actions for both round 1 and the coming round 2 and I will sort out the two in order.
Galonor rushes into the battle, distraught over his teammates disappearance. He swings his sword as hard as he can, but it clangs off of the cobblestone floor.
Uhvat succumbs to his confusion and bops himself on the head!
Bold May Post
Black Sun-
Zifan
Thing
Uhvat- 8 dmg
Chinchi
Galonor
Gadrielle- 30 dmg, 2 Con Dmg, Grappled/Engulfed
Gadrielle, knowing her next strenuous action will be her last, decides to stay put. So this is how it ends... Failing everyone, one last time...
I neglected to get a dagger to cut myself, and even so I am currently staggered. I suspect the next round of digestion will kill me outright. I can't even reverse the grapple to escape it, as that'll knock me unconscious. Unless that is everyone's recommendation.
Male Gnome Animal Speaker Bard 4 | 28/28 HP | AC: 16 T:11 FF:15 | F+3 R+5 W+6 | CMB +3 CMD 14 | SP 20 FT | INIT +1 | Perc +7 | Disable Device +8 | Darkvision 60'
Chinchi, the cheerleader, strikes up a tune, inspiring his friends to greatness! As he does so, he hoists the new group flag high overhead for all to see.
Flagbearer: +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects.
Inspire courage: An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Gadrielle hhanngs in there, hoping her friends have something in mind for her, while Chinchi does her best to put aside his worry and distress over his friend and strike up a tune to liven up the fight!
First Round Bold May Post
Black Sun-
Zifan
Thing
Uhvat- 8 dmg
Chinchi
Galonor
Gadrielle- 30 dmg, 2 Con Dmg, Grappled/Engulfed
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +9; +2 vs. death effects, negative energy effects, negative level Samsaran shaman (speaker for the past) 4 Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8 | AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +1 Dex) hp 27/27
|AC 20, T 15, FF 16|HP: 57/57 (12 nl)|F +9, R +9, W 0 (+2 vs shadow/MA/emotion, +1 vs reptilian EX abilities)|Init +4, Perc +8|CMB +1 CMD 15|Burn 2/7, Buffer 1, Light and Dark 1/1, Voices Say 1/1, Shadow Speaker 4/4
Round I: ACTION!
Some of the others may have noticed they STILL haven't seen Black Sun lately...
...a fact that occupies their distressed minds only momentarily as she suddenly pops out of the gloom of the dungeon!
She doesn't seem at all disturbed by the terrible, gibbering, insane thing. In fact....
"Why, it's - oh, wait, you're not my old roommate. Perhaps you know it? Its name was *[long, bizarre string of syllables in Aklo - her enunciation is perfect]*"
"...What've you got there? Food? A toy? A friend? Gadrielle? AAH! Gadrielle! I'll help you...!"
The stretch of room in front of Black Sun abruptly and violently stretches like cosmic taffy!...as does Black Sun herself, a bit....
There's something a bit different about Black Sun now; it seems as if she's simultaneously not there at all, and [o]overwhelmingly[/o] 'there', moreso than anyone or anything else. Just getting too close to her runs the risk of time appearing to speed up or slow down, or one's smaller possessions either weighing more heavily on oneself than they should, or simply deciding to get up and float about a short distance away.
The geometry of the dungeon twists, spins, bulges, and sinks around her as she concentrates once more, culminating in another terrible jolt of invisible power ripping across the way toward the (other) insane and unnatural alien creature of darkness!
Gathering Power this time.... Pushing gravity blast, Point-Blank, courage, melee penalty, Void Overflow:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26+4 if I did manage to push it back with the last one...not that it matters! YEE-HAAA! Critical threat!:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8Not bloody likely. magical bludgeoning damage:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 3) + 9 = 17 bull rush on hit (maximum 5 feet):1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Zifan: Yes, go ahead.. I see no reason why a channel shouldn't reach Gadrielle.
Black Sun: No courage bonus for your first round actions, unless you want to drop to the bottom of initiative..
DC 25 Recognizes this creature as a Gibbering Mouther, a particularly nasty aberration. You get 3 questions!
Black Sun slides up into the room, popping out from the shadows and releases a blast at the creature eating Gadrielle. The blast strikes hard, and the many mouths cry out in cacophonous rage!
The second blast winds up and smacks the creature once more, blowing off a few more of the reaching mouths!
Gadrielle suddenly finds herself expelled from the creature at the many eyes and mouths turn towards Black Sun! Another hideous scream bellows from the creature, washing over the team.
This time, both Gadrielle and Black Sun succumb to the gibbering madness! Following up on the scream, the creature rushes forward towards the only creature to harm it so far!
As the various mouths strike out, three of them manage to hit the little wayang, latching on and tearing out great chunks of flesh. One of the mouths turn towards Zifan and spits out a stream of acid once more. Unluckily for her, this time it actually hits!
?:1d3 ⇒ 2 Spittle:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 DC 18 Fort or Blind for:1d4 ⇒ 4
Bold May Post
Black Sun- Confused x1 rnd, Grappled, 10 dmg
Zifan- Fort save or blind
Gibbering Mouther- 33
Uhvat- 8 dmg
Chinchi
Galonor- +AOO
Gadrielle- 30 dmg, 2 Con Dmg, prone, Confused x1 rnd
Finally, Uhvat's mind starts to clear as his attention swings solely on the horrifying creature. Seeing no space to approach the creature safely, he holds briefly. "Zifan, move back! Go help Gadrielle!
Delay action until Zifan who, hopefully, will clear the space for him. Since Zifan's actions are before the beast, Uhvat's actions below will take place before it. Please move Uhvat's token once that happens.
Once Zifan has cleared the area for him, Uhvat first concentrates within, summoning his link to the psychic realm to infuse his lash with necrotic energy. He then steps forward and brings down his lash onto the creature!
standard: cast chill touch, move beside monster, free action to attack with lash and chill touch (from spiritual combatant)
+1 ectoplasmic lash, power attack:1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 8 - 1 = 13 dmg:2d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (5, 1) + 7 + 3 = 16chill touch dmg:1d6 ⇒ 6 Fort save DC15 or -1 Str.
Male Gnome Animal Speaker Bard 4 | 28/28 HP | AC: 16 T:11 FF:15 | F+3 R+5 W+6 | CMB +3 CMD 14 | SP 20 FT | INIT +1 | Perc +7 | Disable Device +8 | Darkvision 60'
Knowledge, dungeoneering:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Chinchi let's the effects of his bardic performance continue, while he continues to hold the team flag high.
Flag bearer buff also in effect. +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects. Partially overlaps with Courage, but attack/damage are different types!
Is the madness effect from the screams? If so...
Chichi starts a new song, trying to counter the madness effects.
Perform Check:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17You can use this instead of your own save vs sound effects, and those already affected get this as an extra save.
With everything going on, the proper initiative order benefits you more than the amorphous PbP colloquialism so I will be rearranging things a bit here.
Uhvat calls for a line change, holding his strike until the path clears.
Chinchi steps forward, waving the team flag high.. and changing her tune. The echoing strains of courage and high deeds still reverberate through the room, but now his voice competes with the many screaming mouths of your opponent, shielding your minds from the encroaching madness!
Insert Galonor: Insert new turn for Gadrielle!
Bold May Post
Black Sun- Grappled, 10 dmg
Zifan- Fort save or blind
Gibbering Mouther- 33
Uhvat- 8 dmg <-Delay until after Zifan
Chinchi
Galonor- +AOO
Gadrielle- 30 dmg, 2 Con Dmg, prone,
Buffs: Inspire courage, Flag Bearer
Total buffs: +2/+2, +1 vs Fear, Charm
Galonor holds his ground, hacking away at the monstrosity with his sword. *swing* *swing* His mind solely focused on the task in hopes it would safe Gadrielle from eminent danger.
For a moment it seems as if Gadrielle is about to brain herself upon the ground to rid herself of the noise that the strange creature emits. But instead, with the last of her strength, brings the hammer down with a guttural cry of frustration.
