Hearing the Thunder and Crackle, Stam feels the energy build up and avoids most of the lightning blast.
"By the hairy balls of Asmodeus that was close." Stam scans the clouds for magical traces.
HP 26/45
Grergof says softly. Move! They can obviously see us
Then he takes off up the stairs
Broken columns line the perimeter of the flat roof of the low, trapezoidal building adjoining the observatory tower. Exposed to the elements, the floor has suffered from years of weathering, and wide cracks now run across the surface, but a faded mosaic of a giant butterfly can still be made out in the shadow of the observatory tower.
The spiral stairs begin 50 feet above the ground, and climb another 90 feet before ending at the Skychamber. The stairs are precarious and have no rails to prevent a fall. Any creature ascending the stairs must make a DC 15 Climb check to avoid falling to the ground below.
Spugnoir jumps up the the stairs like a chamois. Grergof is not that lucky after slipping he clings to the wall, happy not to be on the short way down.
I hope someone has some rope.
Darius gives Grergof a hand up. "Rope is a good idea Spugs." and pulls out his 50ft of hemp rope and hands points to everyone.
"we can all help each other. If one slips the rest brace and hold them. Hope everyone had their spinach this morning."
Stam invokes his power, he begins to float up towards the top of the spire.
"I will tie it off once I am up to make things easier."
HP 26/45
1st - 2/5
2nd 3/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
... Stashed inside are a wand of spider climb with 34 charges and ...
"A wand of spider climb, would have been useful at the counts home...
Just before Stam floats up he stops quickly, "I do have this."
Poking each of you with the wand, your hands grow more sticky and you can now climb at 20ft a round.
HP 26/45
1st - 2/5
2nd 4/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
Wand of Spider Climb 30/50
Scroll of Identify x 2
Scroll of Bulls Strength
Scroll of Telekinetic Volley
Silver Arrows 10/10
Arrows 10/10
Blunt Arrows 10/10
Silver Blunt Arrows 10/10
Smoke Pellet x 2
Smoke Stick x 2
wand of burning disarm 13/50
wand of charm person 19/50
wand of grease 6/50
Staff of the Swarm 10/10
The spiral stairs rise steeply, coiling around the tower’s exterior. A scant three feet wide, in many places the stairs have been left worn and dangerously crumbling from weathering. But with your magic skills that is now no issue.
What is an issue though is that there is still lightning.
Just beneath the observatory at the top of the tower, a series of 10-foot-high arches breaks the perimeter of the column, forming a crude monopteron. As in the temple below, the floor is inlaid with a butterfly mosaic, more protected from the ravages of time by the roof above it. To the north, a flight of stone stairs leads up to an opening in the ceiling.
Inside there are four medium sized werewolves in hybrid form.
On the top of the tower you see a red wolf looking over the battlements once or twice, every time shortly before lightning strikes.
"Silver hides, Good day, I am Stam Truthfinder and we have come to talk."
Mordrinacht or Silverhides: The Mordrinacht, colloquially known as the Silverhides for their gray-white fur, are more aggressive than the Broken Ones, yet possess more composure and subtlety than the other tribes. The Mordrinacht rarely form standard packs, instead living much of their lives as solitary individuals or lone wolves. Only in times of great importance do they unite and form organized packs. More so than all the others, the Mordrinacht have been successful at blending in with normal humans and living secretly within their communities, with a few bold individuals even settling in some of Ustalav’s major cities. Descended from those aff licted with lycanthropy by the ancient high priest of Desna, the Mordrinacht have long gathered at the Stairs of the Moon to pay homage to the spirit of their ancestor, the vilkacis. It is no secret that the Silverhides’ current leader, Mathus Mordrinacht, has had designs on the position of packlord over all the packs of the Shudderwood for some time.
"Bzzzt OW!!"
Darius shakes his head. "This lightning is starting to become a nuisance."
Darius makes his way up and comes up next to Stam just as Stam introduces himself. Then downs the Barkskin potion. Before wiping his mouth and whispering to Stam "What're the chances this doesn't turn into a fight."
Everyone coming up is greeted by a wolf.
Spugnoir manages to avoid most of the lightning and will engage the werewolves with the others.
Grergof heals himself after being zapped by lightning.
If I'm spider climbing Grergof joins the others facing the warewolves, but leaves the stairs and tries to climbs up in such a way that when he steps on the battlements he provides flanking on the werewolf attacking Darius. and once he has his feet on the ground he draws his silver flail.
As Grergof tries to enter the tower he gets bitten in the shoulder.
Stam reels back as the wolf bites him, "Do not say that we did not warn you." Can Stam 5' step back over the edge with spider climb?
1st - 2/5
2nd 4/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
Wand of Spider Climb 30/50
Scroll of Identify x 2
Scroll of Bulls Strength
Scroll of Telekinetic Volley
Silver Arrows 10/10
Arrows 10/10
Blunt Arrows 10/10
Silver Blunt Arrows 10/10
Smoke Pellet x 2
Smoke Stick x 2
wand of burning disarm 13/50
wand of charm person 19/50
wand of grease 6/50
Staff of the Swarm 10/10
Darius takes the bite from the werewolf and calls out in pain. He taks a step back, reaches back like he's drawing a spear from the sky and suddenly a bright whits spear of light appears which he then throws at the werewolf at point blank range.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect spear-shaped projectile of good energy
Duration instantaneous (1 round)
Saving Throw Will partial (see text); Spell Resistance yes
You hurl a pure white or golden spear of light from your holy symbol, affecting any one target within range as a ranged touch attack.
An evil creature struck by the spear takes 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8). An evil outsider instead takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) and is blinded for 1 round. A successful Will save reduces the damage to half and negates the blinded effect. This spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither evil nor good, and they are not blinded. The spear has no effect on good creatures.
Darius hits the wolf with the light spear, cut it is clear that it will need a few more of these to end it.
AC 16/12/14 (20/14/16 with mutagen)
Saves F7/R7/W4(6 fear) (+4 vs. Poison)
Weapon in hand:Mace+1
Special effects: Mutagen,Heroism+2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks. 70 minutes,Pain -4 attack,skill,ability
Bombs:6/11
Spugnoir throws a Grease Bomb at the werewolves, avoiding his allies
17 DC
Grergof lets his big silver flail do his biting back for him
Then he calls upon Sarenrae to refresh him in this fight.
Stam puts away his wand of Grease seeing as everyone has move in, taking out the Staff he got, Stam takes a step back up on the platform looking for the caster.
Stam holds the Staff high, "Invita Insectus"
3 swarms of wasps occupy the space of the warewolves up here.
Wasp Swarm
A low, ominous buzz announces the arrival of a mass of many thousands of angry, stinging wasps.
WASP SWARM CR 3
XP 800
N Diminutive vermin (swarm)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 14; (+1 Dex, +4 size)
hp 31 (7d8)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3
Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune weapon damage
OFFENSE
Speed 5 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee swarm (2d6 plus poison)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks distraction (DC 13), poison
STATISTICS
Str 1, Dex 13, Con 10, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 9
Base Atk +5; CMB —; CMD —
Skills Fly +11, Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception
SQ swarm traits, vermin traits
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate forests
Organization solitary, pair, fury (3–6 swarms), maelstrom (7–12 swarms)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save Fort DC 13; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1 Dexterity damage; cure 1 save. The save DC is Constitution-based.
A wasp swarm is a flying mass of thousands of carnivorous wasps. In such large numbers, they become voracious hunters, capable of taking down large creatures with their venom-filled stings. While a wasp swarm is capable of inflicting hundreds of stings, its true danger arises from its insatiable appetite for meat.
Wasp swarms surround and attack any living prey in their paths, and are swift to seek out new prey once their anger is aroused. An enraged wasp swarm often loses track of its hive or the original source of its anger, and presented with a constant series of new targets to swarm and sting, a swarm can continue its rampage nonstop until it is destroyed or dispersed.
Spugnoir hits a werewolf and catches another one on the splash.
The werewolf hit directly falls prone. The other avoids most of the splash and doesn't slip.
Stam invites three swarms of wasps on the floor above to get back at the caster who douses them in lightning. But as hard as the wasps try, they are a mere nuisance to the werewolves. But Stam earns himself another strike of lightning for doing that.
Grergof gives one werewolf a severe beating. But even that one can take more than Grergof can dish out.
Down the stairs comes a big, strong specimen of the silverhides, wielding a large sword in one and a dagger in the other.
The wolfs keep attacking.
The Wolf tries too claw at Stam, but as he 'stepped back' at the vertical wall it can't reach him.
The wolf gets up and carefully steps out of the grease to attack Spugnoir.
The wolf tries to step out of the grease but falls prone.
The wolf didn't respond well to the beating with the flail. He's all teeth and claws in Grergof's face.
"Gods be damn that Hurts" Stam shouts as the bolt strikes him
Stam pulls out a scroll, "Now I get to use these." Invoking the final incantation on the scroll the magic feeds down Stam's arm into the quiver at his side. 4 Silver tipped Arrows begin to hover around Stam's head and shoulders.
HP 13/45
1st - 2/5
2nd 4/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
Wand of Spider Climb 30/50
Scroll of Identify x 2
Scroll of Bulls Strength
Silver Arrows 10/10
Arrows 10/10
Blunt Arrows 10/10
Silver Blunt Arrows 10/10
Smoke Pellet x 2
Smoke Stick x 2
wand of burning disarm 13/50
wand of charm person 19/50
wand of grease 6/50
Staff of the Swarm 7/10
Looking rather well done there, best pull back
Darius goes full defensive, deciding not to leave Grergof without some kind of backup and retreats away from the wereolf for 5ft then then magically two floating longswords appear before Darius to block the werewolf's attacks.
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
EFFECT
Range personal
Target you
Duration 1 minute/level (D)
DESCRIPTION
A weapon made from divine force appears and floats near you.
This weapon takes the shape of your deity’s favored weapon (if you have no deity, the weapon appears as a simple weapon with special significance to you). You gain one additional weapon at 6th level and every 4 caster levels thereafter—two at 6th, three at 10th, four at 14th, and a maximum of five weapons at 18th level. The weapon averts and deflects attacks, granting you a +1 deflection bonus to AC for each weapon summoned (maximum +5 at 18th level). As a standard action, you can grasp a weapon and throw it as a ranged attack at any target you can see within 30 feet of you (even if it’s a type of weapon that can’t normally be thrown).
On a successful hit, the weapon deals 2d6 points of force damage to the target. This force weapon has the same threat range and critical multiplier as a standard weapon of its type, but no other special abilities. Because it deals force damage, DR doesn’t apply.
Each weapon thrown lowers the total deflection bonus to your AC by 1 as it disappears immediately after the attack action. The spell immediately ends once you throw all the weapons.
"We can't leave Grergof to fend them off alone. Hit them while they're down." Darius says still brandishing the silver dagger.
Stam looks at the casting were wolf, smiling "It is your time now pup!"
Stam, you look like you would go good with BBQ sauce right now, I'll give you a potion or should I bomb again?
Stam calls out a caster duel and the red wolf accepts. But Stam has a lot to catch up so far. He starts out great with a critical hit, but the wolf can take that. The retaliation comes immediately in form of another strike of lightning.
AC 16/12/14 (20/14/16 with mutagen)
Saves F7/R7/W4(6 fear) (+4 vs. Poison)
Weapon in hand:Mace+1
Special effects: Mutagen,Heroism+2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks. 70 minutes,Pain -4 attack,skill,ability
Bombs:5/11
Spugnoir grease bombs the wolves again
Spugnoir ends his wolf, but not before drawing an attack of opportunity.
Grergof again hits his wolf too, killing it in the process.
Of the remaining wolfs one leaves Stam and attacks Spugnoir. Balancing through the grease it bites him.
Darius with his defensive approach manages to not be hurt.
Grergof gets attacked by the packleader of the silverhides wiht a large blade.
Wolf Darius (0)
Red Wolf Stam (18)
Wolf Spugnoir (0)
Big Bad Wolf Grergof (0)
Staggered by the last bolt, his skin blackened from the heat and intensity of the bolt. Stam will move away from the edge and away from the lightning bolts hopefully.
HP 0/45
1st - 2/5
2nd 4/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
Wand of Spider Climb 30/50
Scroll of Identify x 2
Scroll of Bulls Strength
Silver Arrows 10/10
Arrows 10/10
Blunt Arrows 10/10
Silver Blunt Arrows 10/10
Smoke Pellet x 2
Smoke Stick x 2
wand of burning disarm 13/50
wand of charm person 19/50
wand of grease 5/50
Staff of the Swarm 7/10
Got your back, Stam
Grergof focuses then attacks the Big Bad Wolf attacking him.
+ 3 if evil
+ 7 if Evil
+ 3 If evil
+ 7 If Evil
Darius with moves in and feeling a little ridiculous with his measly silver dagger keeps his werewolf busy and off of Grergof till the Paladin finishes his own werewolf off and comes over to smash this one.
"C'mon ye ugly mutt, lets dance a jig."
Darius says as he stabs at the werewolf. The floating defensive swords parting briefly to let Darius attack.
Then floating sword swing in front of Darius ready to deflect any incoming attacks.
Big bad evil wolf is evil and gets to feel the wrath of Sarenrae in addition to the wrath of Grergof. But only the first swing hits. But it is immediately clear why he is the pack leader. This one will be a hard fight.
Darius too stabs his wolf. This will also be a hard fight. But for other reasons.
Stam crawls into the tower and gives up on the caster duel. Luckily for him all enemies are too busy to cause him more trouble.
SPugnoir feeds Stam a CMW extract
Leaving the wolf alone to move to stam is a good deed that doesn't go unpunished.
The lightning ceases for now as there are no targets visible for the red wolf. But the three on this level of the tower are enough for the party to have their hands full.
Grergof is confronted with a barrage of blades but only one slash comes through.
Darius has to fight with more bestial attacks. But most of them are blocked by his protective spell and his armor.
Spugnoir is followed by the wolf he just left behind and gets bitten.
Stam feels the horrid healing potion course through him, "You didn't put any of those troll bits into that one did you?"[b/] Stam smiles after making the bag joke.
[b]"Thanks again." Pushing himself off the pillar he was leaning against, Stam sets his feet ready to continue
"ugh!" Darius groans as a bit gets through and blood gathers on his tunic.
He stabs forward with his silver dagger wildly trying to press the werewolf back and glances over to look at Grergof.
"How're you doin Gregof? Stam? Spugs?"
"If we clear them from here we can gang up on the caster above!" Stam shouts above the battle.
Stam launches another arrow at the Werewolf that attacked Spugnoir.
HP 19/45
1st - 2/5
2nd 4/5
3rd 1/4
AR 8/10
Wand of Spider Climb 30/50
Scroll of Identify x 2
Scroll of Bulls Strength
Silver Arrows 10/10
Arrows 10/10
Blunt Arrows 10/10
Silver Blunt Arrows 10/10
Smoke Pellet x 2
Smoke Stick x 2
wand of burning disarm 13/50
wand of charm person 19/50
wand of grease 5/50
Staff of the Swarm 7/10
This one is well trained, I may be a bit... Grergof replies as he madly fends off the attacks coming from every direction.
Then as he gets a break in the attack pattern he refreshes himself and tries to stoke back with his flail.
Attacks: