Clement tried to batter away the tentacles that got a little too friendly.
"Yechh! Really??"
Shuddering, Clement takes a swing at any moon monster nearby before gliding up to a safe distance to restore his mental being.
for
Round 2
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron, Silver Salted Arrows = 54/54
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantine Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 11/16
Undead Bane Arrows = 7/7
Human Bane Arrows = 20/20
+3 arrow of ooze slaying = 1/1
Bardic Performance = 33/34 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 10/10 (+1 attack, +1 on attack rolls, +1 dodge to AC & Reflex, +30’ move)
First Aid Gloves = 10/10
Rod of Extend, lesser = 0/3 (Barkskin Koriah, Heroism Koriah, Heroism Clement)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check, standard action)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +11/1/1, Dex +5, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +3, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -3)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +3, (Deadly Aim +6)
Bow DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Bard Spells: (CL 15, Con: +20, SR +17, DC: 15+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (7/7) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Liberating Command, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/6) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (5/5) Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Dispel Magic, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
4) (3/4) Bountiful Banquet, Break Enchantment, Echolocation, Secure Shelter
5) (1/1) Cure Light Wounds Mass, Shadow Walk, Suggestion Mass
Bibic too gets into the battle finally, after his opening round preparations. He launches his volley at the one other than the one Rhesus’ devastatingly attacked.
Spasi stays invisible, thinking that the between Rhesus' angry thumpings and Bibic's calm precision, he doesn't need to use any more magics this fight.
Clems' strikes don't do much against a creature without any real defined physiology, but it does enough to soften it up, allowing Bibic's arrow barrage to put it down.
Just like that, the party stands victorious once more. The giant mass of black tentacles in the stone bowl continues to thrash and writhe, but they seem to lack the same vigor as before. As you watch, the begin to shrink and diminish.
With the defeat of the moon beasts, nothing remains between you and your quarry. The dragon that you've been chasing for what seems like an eternity awaits at the end of the tunnel which stands unguarded before you.
Clement lands and shudders as he observes the tentacles still flailing about in the stone bowl.
"Kind of makes me want to skip ordering the octopus next time we pass through Riddleport..."
Clement looks to the others.
"Dragons can be real smart, right? Think it'll talk, or is it going to meet the same fate as these guys and the lich?"
Bibic is as ready as he’ll be to face the dragon. ”Shall we approach invisibly?” He suggests casting Invisibility Sphere for their approach.
Spasi casts his own Resist Energy on himself to overlay that of the Communal Resistance offered by Clem, just as a backup.
"Yeah, invisible sounds good, Bibs. Let's do this."
As he is already still invisible from the spells in battle, he'll stay back and away from the sphere, hoping to avoid any area effects.
He's ready to go.
Sure, then we'll skip the invisibility and I'll hold onto the slot. Thanks!
Clement smirks when Spasi reminds the group that the dragon likely won't be tricked by their invisibility.
He shrugs and nods at Rhesus.
"Best, he... she? I don't know if we know which this dragon is? But if, err.. it.. sees us coming? We could give it a choice to turn stuff over or... kchhhhhhh."
Clement starts with a cutting motion around his neck area but quickly transitions to a simulation of an Earthbreaker.
".. crunch!"
Flapping his wings, he gains enough momentum for his feet to leave the ground and begins to glide in the general direction of the dragon's lair.
"Of all the places to lair. Leng?"
You move down the pathway. A twenty-foot-wide cavern opens onto a high mountain ledge. The air is unnaturally still and cool, and a mound of rubble into which an immense nest of sorts has been built sits against the cliff side to the south. But the view to the north is far more overwhelming, for here, a ragged black mountain range extends to the horizon. In the distance, brooding upon the range’s highest peak, is an unsettling and impossibly tall castle, its towers rising up as if a hand were reaching skyward toward the gibbous moon.
In her makeshift lair resides the blue wyrm Cadrilkasta. She seems to have been expecting you and raises her head, turning a lazy eye towards you. In a tired voice she says, "And you would be those I have dreamed about. I can smell the stink of the other shards upon you. I thank you for bringing them to me, apes. You have save me the effort of hunting you down. Leave them here with me, and I will not contest your immediate and silent departure."
Bibic pauses, impressed by the great beast before him. He nods with respect, but allows one of the more eloquent folk to reply to the creature as he slowly moves into position for a clear shot, also moving away from the group to avoid breath weapon patterns if possible.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
As if sensing that Bibic was waiting for a more eloquent response, Spasi sees fit to respond eloquently and with the graceful thoughtfulness for which he is known.
"Ah nah, ya simple daft corby," Spasi replies in kind. "Oh Rhesus here is going to make armor of your skin and use your skull as a chamberpot."
Spasi thinks that's a very good response as he casts Haste and moves back 60', out of line of sight/effect.
Clement glides into a position above the ledge with a fair vantagepoint of Caddy's Lair. He mind spins briefly wondering if, in its makeshift state it's more of a Caddyshack.
"Lo, Dragon! I announce the arrival of the Pathfinder Society and its champion, Rhesus the Destroyer. The shards are.."
Clement sniffs, wondering if that's just the sweat of recent battles, or the shards.
".. our property and it is the one you hold we need next. If you part with it freely, you need not let your ego be your demise today."
Clement considers how well he just did again as the group's herald, which seems fair while working to conjure his holy chains of binding, knowing they can full well negotiate for the shard's transition while the beast is held.
The dragon yawns lazily, "So be it..."
Combat
28 Spasi
14 Bibic
11 Clem
10 Dragon
3 Rhesus
Round 1
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron, Silver Salted Arrows = 53/54
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantine Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 11/16
Undead Bane Arrows = 7/7
Human Bane Arrows = 20/20
+3 arrow of ooze slaying = 1/1
Bardic Performance = 30/34 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 10/10 (+1 attack, +1 on attack rolls, +1 dodge to AC & Reflex, +30’ move)
First Aid Gloves = 10/10
Rod of Extend, lesser = 0/3 (Barkskin Koriah, Heroism Koriah, Heroism Clement)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check, standard action)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +11/1/1, Dex +5, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +3, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -3)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +3, (Deadly Aim +6)
Bow DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Bard Spells: (CL 15, Con: +20, SR +17, DC: 15+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (7/7) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Liberating Command, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/6) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (4/5) Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Dispel Magic, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
4) (3/4) Bountiful Banquet, Break Enchantment, Echolocation, Secure Shelter
5) (1/1) Cure Light Wounds Mass, Shadow Walk, Suggestion Mass
Bibic steps away from the group a little (5’ step) before summoning up his bardic performance and taking a single shot to open things up a little.
Round 1
Cast Scorching Ray
Stay back about 100' if possible.
Delaying for Bibic’s song, Spasi casts Scorching Ray and hope for the best.
touch to hit:
fire damage
touch to hit:
fire damage
touch to hit:
fire damage
SR
7th 0/5 (Banish*0(DC30),SMVII*0,GTele*))
6th 0/7 (ChainLight*0(DC25),Disintigrate*0,TruSee*0,GrDispMag*0)
5th: 1/8 (Lightning Arc*0 (DC24),LifBub*0, Overland*1,Echolocation*0,TePort*0,WallForce*0) DC 23
4th: 1/8 (Gr Invis*0, Stone Shape,DDoor*0,SMIV*0, Ext Heroism*1,WallFire*0)
3rd: 3/8 (See Invis (ext)*1,fireball*0,Haste*1,Heroism*1,DisMag*0) DC 21
2nd: 2/8 (FalseLife*1, Glitterdust*0,Resist Energy*0,Invisibility*0, ScRay*1) DC 21
1st: 2/15 (MageArmor*1,Snowball*0,MMissile*0,Vanish*1,Grease*0)
Wand of Magic Missile 21/50 CL 9 left
Wand of Fly 6 4 left
Arcane Bolt: (0/10) used
The mighty wyrm shrugs off Clement's spell, as Bibic's arrow and Spasi's spells slam into her, causing her to growl in pain.
She lets out a terrifying roar, unleashing a swirling storm of electricity. A bolt of lighting streaks out to strike at Clement
261/351
Will
Spasi keeps his cool for the moment, waiting to see how Rhesus does before attacking again.
Round 1
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron, Silver Salted Arrows = 53/54
Silver Blunt Arrows = 16/16
Adamantine Salted Arrows = 16/16
Ghost Salted Arrows = 11/16
Undead Bane Arrows = 7/7
Human Bane Arrows = 20/20
+3 arrow of ooze slaying = 1/1
Bardic Performance = 30/34 (+2 round lingering, move action)
Boots of Speed = 10/10 (+1 attack, +1 on attack rolls, +1 dodge to AC & Reflex, +30’ move)
First Aid Gloves = 10/10
Rod of Extend, lesser = 0/3 (Barkskin Koriah, Heroism Koriah, Heroism Clement)
Shard Major Image = 1/1
LoreMaster = 1/1 (take-20 on any knowledge check, standard action)
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +11/1/1, Dex +5, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +3, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -3)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +3, Bow +3, (Deadly Aim +6)
Bow DR: magic, cold iron, silver
Bard Spells: (CL 15, Con: +20, SR +17, DC: 15+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) (7/7) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Liberating Command, Timely Inspiration, Unseen Servant
2) (3/6) Calm Emotions, Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
3) (4/5) Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Dispel Magic, Haste, Invisibility Sphere
4) (3/4) Bountiful Banquet, Break Enchantment, Echolocation, Secure Shelter
5) (1/1) Cure Light Wounds Mass, Shadow Walk, Suggestion Mass
Remember, Inspire Courage gives you a +3 to fear checks (morale) and Heroes Feast gives you +4 (untyped).
Bibic, barely, evades the fear, though his bow shakes a moment. He gets control and sends off a volley!
Feeling a mild, but not completely uncomfortable, quaking in his cockles, Rhesus nonetheless attacks.
Ooops! I thought Heroes Feast was different. Bibic fails, by 1, so please take a -2 penalty to all his shots and I'll update for future rounds.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Round 2
Cast Scorching Ray
Stay back about 100' if possible.
Spasi again casts Scorching Ray and hope for the best.
touch to hit:
fire damage
touch to hit:
fire damage
touch to hit:
fire damage
SR
7th 0/5 (Banish*0(DC30),SMVII*0,GTele*))
6th 0/7 (ChainLight*0(DC25),Disintigrate*0,TruSee*0,GrDispMag*0)
5th: 1/8 (Lightning Arc*0 (DC24),LifBub*0, Overland*1,Echolocation*0,TePort*0,WallForce*0) DC 23
4th: 1/8 (Gr Invis*0, Stone Shape,DDoor*0,SMIV*0, Ext Heroism*1,WallFire*0)
3rd: 3/8 (See Invis (ext)*1,fireball*0,Haste*1,Heroism*1,DisMag*0) DC 21
2nd: 3/8 (FalseLife*1, Glitterdust*0,Resist Energy*0,Invisibility*0, ScRay*2) DC 21
1st: 2/15 (MageArmor*1,Snowball*0,MMissile*0,Vanish*1,Grease*0)
Wand of Magic Missile 21/50 CL 9 left
Wand of Fly 6 4 left
Arcane Bolt: (0/10) used
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
In the throes of the shard of sloths curse and full of draconic overconfidence, the great wyrm had let her defenses slip. Her usual meticulous prepared defenses fallen by the wayside due to lethargy that plagues her, Cadrilkasta succumbs to a fate all too common among dragons: death by adventuring party. Scales shatter beneath the unrelenting blows of Rhesus' hammer and her innate magical protections cannot hold up to the potency of Spasi' spells. The mighty beast, the terror of the Hold of Belkzen, thrashes briefly and then lies still.
amulet of mighty fists +3, portable hole, ring of evasion, ring of freedom of movement, Shard of Sloth, 120,300cp, 65,750sp, 22,075gp, and 1,937pp a masterwork longsword with a filigreed platinum handle worth 557gp, four large darkwood and mother-of-pearl keys shaped like demons that are each worth 500gp, a magnificent mithral tray depicting a murder of crows around a dead tree featuring tiny little flakes of jet for the crows’ eyes worth 2,500gp, a Small +2 flaming spear, a huge jug containing sand and 50 pearls worth 100gp each, a lens of detection in a silk pouch embroidered with an image of a snake eating a hound, a huge gilt-edged tureen depicting a dragon turtle and set with a trio of diamonds (worth 5,300gp in total), an eversmoking bottle carved to resemble a fat man with an open upturned mouth, a leather case containing a manual of gainful exercise +3, a poorly taxidermied gnome with a frozen elixir of firebreath in his mouth, a glass jar containing a two-headed owlbear fetus that clutches a stone of good luck in one beak and a stone of weight in the other, and a complicated adamantine puzzlebox scroll tube worth 4,000gp
Aura overwhelming conjuration; CL 25th; Slot none; Price —; Weight 1 lb.
The Shard of Sloth is made of blue-green glowing abysium. As long as the Shard of Sloth is carried, its owner can use summon monster III as a spell-like ability once per day, gains a +2 insight bonus on saves versus conjuration spells, and gains a +4 insight bonus on all concentration and caster level checks.
Curse: The owner becomes lazy and sedentary, and becomes sickened for 1 hour whenever he makes more than a single move action in any round. All of the owner’s movement speeds are halved.
Curse inactivated by attaching an incandescent blue sphere ioun stone which you happen to have found earlier.
Bibic smiles as the great beast falls, and his grin grows ever wider as the loot is found and catalogued.
He'll take the puzzle box to the side, well away from the others in case it blows up. He'll check it for traps, then try to open it.
(heroism)
(heroism)
With some fiddling, Bibic manages to work the puzzle box open. Inside there is a scroll.
Bibic whistles low when he finds the scroll. Handing it to Clement, "Save this one for something special."
He eyes the ring of evasion, and eventually claims it. He also eyes the stone of good luck if no one is opposed. "I can use the Lens of Detection to help with finding traps, unless one of you would prefer to have it."
Smoking from the electrical discharge, Clement lets out a yelp and begins to glide away from the battle, hopeful Rhesus and Bibic will stop the Big Nasty Lizard.
Spasi takes his time to admire the horde, pleased by how much is there.
"This is a LOT of loot, ain't it? Sort of makes us risking Rhesus' life almost every fight," Spasi says taking his time to identify the magics.
"Nah, Bibs, you take it. It's a good fit for you," he says of the Lens. "That ring is pretty nice, but I don't need it if one of youse do," he mentions of the Ring of Evasion.
"Who has that blue ioun stone? You should probably take that shard."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Clement observes as Bibic hungrily descends on the treasure, nearly prying the lid from the jar with the two-headed baby owlbear just to liberate the "lucky stone."
"Bibs, you're not concerned that owlbear has... two heads?"
Shuddering, either from the sight of the ettin-bear or from the dragon's semi-impressive visage, he tucks the scroll away certain that he's miraculous enough at saving lives that the scroll would jus tbe overkill and turns his attention to the toothpick of spear that seems to possess the ability to "flame on" at command and attempts to twirl it in his hands.
"This is kind of neat. A bit small, but neat."
Clement unfurls the magically portable hole and begins sticking the pointy end into it and nearly giggles with delight.
"Now, this is neat! We can probably keep ALL sorts of stuff in here! Rhesus, get over here! Try throwing something in it!"
Bibic, unsure what's happened to Rhesus, wonders where they're off to next.
"Time to head back? Or are there passages we've missed?"
While the party gathers all the loot, Spasi checks out the area to see if anything else is needed.
Rhesus looks around at the corpse of the dragon and the loot, confused.
"Well...guess she wasn't expecting us after all."
He briefly considers the tales he has heard of dragon hide armor, then shudders at the thought.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"I've also learned a bit more about the ritual for rebuilding the Sihedron from the seven shards. It requires a special stone as a sort of "mold" to hold the fragments in alignment. Fortunately, the you have already discovered one of these stones in your investigations, the Sihedron Shrine in the lowest chamber of the Crow right here in the city. I've put several members on the task of hauling this shrine up to the surface. When the time comes, I hope to host a grand ceremony atop the Irespan during which we will reforge the ancient artifact. Pathfinders and other luminaries from throughout the Inner Sea have taken note of your quest now, and many famous faces will no doubt be in attendance at the ceremony. But perhaps we should get to far ahead of ourselves."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
As the group completes their cursory scan of the otherworldly lair in Leng, Clement's stomach rumbles.
"I don't know about you all, but I think we can load this stuff up the best we can, perhaps in a..."
Clement grins and singsongs, "portaaaable hooole".
Clearing his throat, he continues.
"And get out of here, get back to our pavilion and crew for a feast and some R & R."
There's a brief moment when Clement wonders if they should offer Morcruft a role in their retinue given the likely ability to clean up the carnage they all seem to leave in their wake but reconsiders given that it might be easier for them to find a rather large gelatinous cube for such duties.
Fluttering his angelwings, he takes flight and continues to practice a deep baritone voice once out of earshot.
"Lo and behold. Lo. And behold. Lo. And. Behold."
Bibic smiles and is in good cheer as they poke their heads around a few chambers and decide they're done. "Is that really all of them?" he inquires, surprised that they've completed their task.
He starts to wonder about their mission, and their other mission. It's been very pleasant working for the Pathfinders. He glances at his gear, ...and profitable.
He looks to Koriah, "Looks like we made it!" he flashes her a grin. He just can't help himself. He's never been this successful before, and looking back, it's a little amazing. Meteoric in fact. Why it hasn't been year, and he's got property in Magnimar and a crew working Kare Maga. And it's all mostly legal!
He's just not sure where he's going to go from here. But first, to the pavilion!
"Hey, uh, Rhesus, you think you can help me bag and tag that dragon's head? I think it will do some good for our reputation, and might even get us free drinks for life," Spasi asks help in completion of weird, but surely satisfying, sidequest.
"I think that we're done here, and we've done good. I'm pretty sure the Doctor will be please, let alone the Packdrivers." Spasi seems content with the results, and the loots so far.
"It might be possible that we're the best 'Pathfinders," Spasi airquotes the 'pathfinders', and laughs to himself.
Spasi is ready to return.
Rhesus looks at the head and his kukri. "Well, that's gonna take a while but sure Spasi, no problem."
Observing Rhesus's glance at his small knife, Clement doesn't consider the final outcome but offers up the first thought to cross his mind.
"Maybe Morcruft's crew can assist in the... separation? It'd be a messy job.. for Spasi."
Spasi nods at Bibic’s suggestion.
”Need help with that head, Rhese? I think this is really going to be good for me, uh, I mean, us. For us. Really highlight our awesomeness. Our reputation. It’ll be good for getting...you know...getting...uh, acclaim from non Pathfinders.”
Trophy in hand, the party backtracks out of the temple. Passing through the ghoul nest, Morcruft gives a hiss of approval at the dragon head. "Glad we're all friends here. Hope you left something for us to gnaw on."
Back on the landing, you step back up into the pagoda and after a brief moment of disorientation, you find yourselves standing in front of the of the fountain, once more deep beneath Guiltspur. Back on the material plane, you are free to teleport as you wish.
Bibic suggest, "We should report in first, she may have more gifts to give us for our good deeds. Then we should sell stuff I think. We seem to have a lot of loot, from what I can tell of the bow in Rhesus' back anyway!" he chuckles.
"We should report in first, ..."
Spasi reluctantly agrees. He's not a Pathfinder, so it doesn't matter to him. He has better things to do with his time.
Rhesus smiles at Spasi, covered in dragon blood.
"Don't worry buddy, I'm sure once you show her the head of this sentient creature we butchered she'll let you right back in. Then the Doctor won't take so many fingers from you, right?"