Perfect! Everybody's dancing to my favorite song! Fek steps out of hiding, drops the tiny crossbow, and rips into the last skum while he's looking at Farg.
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
@Fek: out of personal curiosity, why list precision separate? does one have to go through enemy DR first before applying precision damage? I've always been under the impression that you total everything (except energy damage dice) before applying to DR...
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
Sorry Lady Drusilla: I think I glazed over your recommendation to tie her up and went crazy with the cold iron kukri... anyway, I don't think it finished her off as she was probably on the 'fresh' side due to her DR, as mentioned by DM Feral upthread...
Heeding Drusilla's instructions, Farg retrieves a length of rope and offers it to the aasimar.
Wounded and finding herself outnumbered, the fiendish woman sneers at Drusilla. "You'll pay for this humiliation! Sif'kesh will devour your souls! The Drowning Stones will drink of your blood!"
Female Aasimar Monk 4 / Inquisitor 1 / Evangelist 3 | AC: 22 T: 22, FF: 19 | CMD 25(27/29) | HP 55/55 | Fort +10, Reflex +10, Will +17 | Perception +19, Sense Motive +29 | Init: +9 | Darkvision 60' | Speed 30ft | Ki 13/13, ToS 6/6, Advice 14/14 | Active conditions: |
The demonic woman did indeed have some tricks up her sleeve. Drusilla is disappointed of the opponents escape, but there's no crying over spilled milk. She gets up and straightens her dress of all the wrinkles from the fight. Then she passes the rope back to Farg. "Thank you for this, even if we didn't get a chance to use it this time."
"I just hope that woman will not be coming back anytime soon."
Drusilla takes the wand from Fek, but instead studies the Tengu. "I am afraid you are still suffering from heatstroke, my young friend. Best you go cool yourself down in that waterfall. Then, I believe, the healing magic will work better"
Will you roll for the healing yourselves? I'm not sure how much damage is on Farg and Chaine. Drusilla will act as the wand operator :)
While the party is busy taking a dip in the waterfall to cool off, Lang calms slowly until he emerges from his hiding place to return to the your side. He quickly resumes his frantic fidgeting. "The Stones! We're so close to the Stones!"
Eventually the party moves on.
A low-rolling fog creeps from a clearance in the jungle ahead. A small, mist-filled gorge splits the landscape. Shallow waterfalls spill over the steep palisades, fed by runoff from brooks and other trickling waters that snake through the humid jungles. From out of the ravine below climb twin stone megaliths carved into vaguely humanoid shapes. Their eroded faces turn upward so their gaping mouths fill with water. Badly weathered, the craftsmanship and culture is beyond recognition. About fifty feet below, amid dried, broken branches and other detritus, hundreds of cracked bones litter the misty ravine floor.
You need to climb ~40 feet to get up to the megaliths. The climb is manageable but the rocks are slippery (DC 15). Assuming you get can get to a +5 I suggest you take 10. If not, start rolling!
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
Chaine recalls his horse from his late miniature toy format, and securely straps himself in the military saddle with ropes. Chaine then feeds it a potion of monkey fish, and the thoroughbred's hooves become webbed feet with sticky pads. [climb speed 10; Climb +16]
Silvermane should have the carrying capacity to carry the rest of the party, right? I'm going to move.
With Chaine's mighty war beast to tow them, the party makes their way up the steep slope to the base of the megaliths. At their feet are several strange symbols.
Religion 20:
These symbols indicate that this site is a place to pay tributes and make sacrifices to Sif'kesh.
At the base of one of the giant stones is a wide smooth passage that leads deep into the earth. Between the trickling water and algae growth it's slick to the touch. Lang grins ear to ear and points down into the passage. "The stones! They call to us!"
I posted a visual aid to the map if the description isn't clear enough. The earth here is smooth and very slimy and as a result the climb check is much higher.
Silvermane begins inching down the slimy passage but neighs in distress as even his sticky webbed feet has trouble maintaining their footing.
Taking 10 with a +16 is not enough to make it but not too low to fail by 5 and plummet. You'll need to either roll or come up with another plan. If you're rolling give me 8 checks.
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
I can't do better than this, alas. However, if Fek shares one of his scrolls of spider climb, Farg can cast this on the horse (lasts 30min, Climb speed 20, and furthermore, it need not make Climb checks to traverse a vertical or horizontal surface (even upside down).)
That would do it. We'll assume Fek doesn't object.
Bolstered further by a scroll from Fek, Silvermane is able to slowly make his way down the sloped shaft. It ends at a short shelf and then a sharp drop down a very deep (deeper than darkvision can see) vertical shaft. Fortunately, even a completely vertical drop is no problem for the uncanny spider-horse and his bundle of humanoid riders. The group descends without incident several hundred feet until the shaft opens up into a large murky water-filled cavern. Silvermane and his cargo drops from the shaft into a large pool below.
Towering and ancient, the cave's formations are entirely scarred and chiseled with a variety of fishlike carvings. In the center of the cavern stands a huge stalagmite, over 5 feet in circumference, with its crown shorn off. Carved into its exterior, dozens of eels coil up the stalagmite, their fanged mouths agape. Water trickles endlessly through the cavern, transported by slender channels carved into the surrounding formations. These empty into large stone basins near the back of the cavern that rest at the base of a statue of a thin human woman with bird wings and stringy hair. Her eyes and mouth are sewn shut with wire and her wrists, ankles, hips, wings, shoulders, and neck all bear horrible gashes. Piles of smooth black stones lie around the statue.
Anyone without darkvision sees the following (assuming someone in the party has access to a light source):
Several skum lurk within the nearby water. Light from softly glowing mold around the central statue reveals the form of another skum, bigger and clad in some kind of ceremonial vestments.
Anyone with darkvision can see everything clearly enough. There's a total of nine skum including the specially equipped one.
The fishlike men hiss at the disruption and move to attack. The one near the statue croaks in anger. “Be gone from my lady’s realm!”
It points at Fek and cocks its inhuman head. "Except you. You will make a good sacrifice for the stones! Take him alive — the rest die!”
Initiative:6d20 ⇒ (4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 9) = 56
Fek and Lady Drusilla are up. The water here is ~10 feet deep. Your first roll should be a swim check (DC 10). If you beat the DC you can move (at quarter speed). If you get a 5 or less you sink.
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
1. Are there a few rounds left of monkey fish for Silvermane? 2. Based on your description it appears that there is some kind of light in the cavern and we might have been able to spot the pond before we arrived at the bottom; if so, Chaine shares potions of monkey fish with all 3 fellow agents (and Silvermane, if necessary)
The original monkeyfish definitely lapsed. Drusilla has darkvision which would have allowed you guys to see the pool of water at the bottom. Is everyone getting a monkeyfish potion?
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
It appears there are rocks in the way that will prevent chargins' n' runswims' :P
Free Action: Chaine clears his throat [he's about to yell something inspirational, like Tactician (Precise Strike), so those with lots of attacks might want to delay...]
Could Drusilla have drunk potion of Mage Armor before diving into the pool?
---
"Thank you for the potions, dear. I am not much of a swimmer, you see." It would be better to fight the fish-men on dry ground, but what can you do. Drusilla takes her battle stance, and prepares to fight her way to the big skum.
Activate snake style(swift), studied target on the green skum (move), start advice (standard)
Inspire courage, +2 compentence bonus on atk/dmg, +2 morale bonus on saves vs fear/charm
The mage armor is fine but keep in mind that it's likely the skum knew the party was coming. The more time you spend buffing the more time they will spend buffing.
Victim:1d2 ⇒ 1
The well-dressed Skum brandishes its trident and shouts in an otherworldly voice. "Halt infidels! You are unworthy of this place."
As it speaks its form begins to blur and Chaine feels an otherworldly force seize his limbs.
Chaine needs to make a DC 14 will save vs enchantment or be held immobile. If you fail you can attempt a new save on your turn as a full round action.
The rest of the skum swarm towards toward the party with their weapons raised high. Chaine, if you failed your save above you're helpless vs these attacks.
So look like I took 6 damage last round. Also if I was 24 down after the last encounter I'll get some healing in before moving on. 6d8 + 6 ⇒ (1, 7, 1, 4, 3, 2) + 6 = 24. Once combat starts activate Rage and Archaeologists Luck. Should my last attack fail I will use spirit surge to add 1d6 ⇒ 2. Farg will attack one foe till it drops in this order: Yellow, Black, Brown and if need be 5ft. step and attack blue.
Farg doesn't like being poúnced on by fish men and thus retaliates in kind.
Male CG Human (Shoanti/Varisian) Cavalier (Strategist) 13 - Init +2, Senses: Normal Vision, Perception +1, Lookout Perception +13, AC 31/ touch 12/ ff 29; hp 108/108, F+12, R+8 W+7, Speed 20 ft.; Challenge 5/5; Tactician (60') 4/4. Banner: 60 feet: +6 morale bonus on saves vs. fear and +5 morale bonus on charge attacks. BUFFS:
1. AoO on Purple Skum with the lance, +1 Cold Iron Valiant Lance, Advice:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20 for dmg:1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 (Edit: disregard this if I was flat-footed..)
2. Standard, Tactician: Precise Strike (7 rounds)
3. Swift, Challenge Green Skum
4. Silvermane, Full Attack, Advice (starts on Purple Skum, if he falls, continues on Blue Skum)
Horse Full Attack
Hoof:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 for dmg:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Hoof:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21 for dmg:1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 Bite:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 for dmg:1d4 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
