The tension getting to him Somer slips up onto the dias thinking the higher position will give him a better angle if things go wrong. As he moves he scans the walls and floor for anything of note.
Balmir watches Mouser and Somer as they carefully search the ruins. Every moment that goes buy with no danger detected allows him to relax a little bit. "Hey guys, maybe this is just what it looks like. Just some abandoned building. It might make a good place to camp out."
As everyone is exploring, an no sooner than the words are out of Balmir's mouth, the vegetation that is all around the alter bursts into motion!
It initially grabs Somer and attempts to eat him. Somer is now grappled by the jaws of one of the many pods.
Derrik reacts quickest, although he is still outside, probably at the door.
The cleric hears trouble and double times it into the cathedral.
Another giant flytrap "head" looks over at Mouser, but doesn't seem to know where he is (due to the nice stealth roll earlier). So it makes due with continuing to chomp on Somer, and manages to swallow him!
Seeing the plant swallow Somer, Balmir jumps into action he immediately starts towards the far end of the ruins where Somer and Mouser are.
Somer does his best to break free but......
"Plants. Why did it have to be plants..." complains Tam, since most plants are immune to illusions.
He blasts the one holding Somer with his gloomblind bolts.
Tam sends a bolt of shadowy energy at the plant and easily hits it, causing some obvious damage. It is unclear if the blinding effect does much, though.
Mouser springs into action, apparently surprising the plant to the impending attack, and it reacts by turning on the small stabber.
Derrik double moves around the west end of the chapel.
The plant attacks Mouser, missing, and continues to digest Somer.
Tam, lacking any other direct damage magic, pulls up his little crossbow and plunks a bolt into the plant. Amazingly, he hits!
As he is engulfed Some keeps one hand on his bow, a family heirloom, and grabs Brinya's Love from his belt to hack at the plant. He manages one weak cut before falling unconscious.
In his unconsciousness his body manages to cling to life for one moment more.
Balmir shuffles along as fast as his feet will carry him.
Derrik blast heals Somer (and anyone else nearby, though no one needs it).
The plant continues to digest Somer, and again attacks Mouser. This time, it seems to get him, and holds him tight in its jaws.
Tam fires another small bolt again, lacking any other really significant options.
Somer comes conscious and screams in pain as his flesh once again starts melting in the most terrible torture ever. The scream was a bad idea as the acid even get into his mouth!
Conscious he flails about for his dagger finally grabbing it.
With a clear space in front of him, Balmir runs as fast as his legs can carry him. His grip on agrimmosh grows tighter as he anticipates striking at the giant plant.
Mouser's dirty trick fails.
Balmir pauses several paces away from the giant plant. He grabs agrimmosh with both hands, closes his eyes, and squeezes tight. Immediately his body begins to grow. Within seconds he is nearly twice and large as before.
Derrik sees Balmir transform, but is still unsure of Somer and now Mouser's status, so he channels again.
In a surprise turn of events, the plant moves! It is not fast, but it does close a bit of the gap with Balmir and Derrik, and tries to grab each of them while also trying to swallow Mouser.
Closing its jaws around Mouser, the plant does indeed engulf him and chomps on his tiny body as acid rushes in to aid in the digestion.
Derrik has some extra features I don't think he has used yet. Calling on his divine powers, he activates his freedom of movement to escape the plant's jaws. He also invokes his aura of deflection to give Balmir a boost of +2 to AC and CMD. Then he backs up 5'.
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The creature can engulf creatures in its path as part of a standard action. It cannot make other attacks during a round in which it engulfs. The creature merely has to move over its opponents, affecting as many as it can cover. Targeted creatures can make attacks of opportunity against the creature, but if they do so, they are not entitled to a saving throw against the engulf attack. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity can attempt a Reflex save to avoid being engulfed—on a success, they are pushed back or aside (target’s choice) as the creature moves forward. Engulfed opponents gain the pinned condition, are in danger of suffocating, are trapped within the creature’s body until they are no longer pinned, and may be subject to other special attacks from the creature. The save DC is Strength-based.
Format: engulf (DC 12, 1d6 acid and paralysis); Location: Special Attacks.
Somer fights back a scream as he feels his skin melt, reform, and melt again. This is the worst kind of agony and he blissfully remembers being unconcious. Still he has the dagger and slashes as best he can.
"Ok guys! I'm here now. I'll make quick work of this creature. I'm sure of it." Even grappled, Balmir is able to swing the hammer down on the plant.
If a giant flytrap begins its turn with an opponent at least two size categories smaller than itself grappled in one of its mouths, it can close its jaws completely around the foe by making a new combat maneuver check (as though attempting to pin the foe). If it succeeds, it engulfs the prey and inflicts 1d8+7 points of damage and 2d6 acid damage as the cavity floods with digestive enzymes. The seal formed is airtight, so an engulfed creature risks suffocation. Engulf is a special form of pinning, and an engulfed creature can escape in the same way as he can from being pinned, but since an engulfed creature is contained wholly inside the plant‘s jaws, the flytrap’s victim cannot be targeted by effects or attacks that require line of sight or line of effect. A giant flytrap that is grappling or pinning a foe cannot attack other targets with that bite, but is not otherwise hindered.
We are getting into some weird, nit-picky areas here. So I did a bit (well, quite a bit...) research to see what I can come up with.
From the grappled rules
A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity. A grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple. In addition, grappled creatures can take no action that requires two hands to perform. A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity.
A grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling it, even if a special ability, such as hide in plain sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being grappled, but receives no other benefit.
Pinned rules
A pinned creature is tightly bound and can take few actions. A pinned creature cannot move and is denied its Dexterity bonus. A pinned character also takes an additional –4 penalty to his Armor Class. A pinned creature is limited in the actions that it can take. A pinned creature can always attempt to free itself, usually through a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check. A pinned creature can take verbal and mental actions, but cannot cast any spells that require a somatic or material component. A pinned character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler's CMB + spell level) or lose the spell. Pinned is a more severe version of grappled, and their effects do not stack.
Being pinned does not make you flat-footed, but you are denied your Dex bonus.
From the monster description:
The seal formed is airtight, so an engulfed creature risks suffocation. Engulf is a special form of pinning, and an engulfed creature can escape in the same way as he can from being pinned, but since an engulfed creature is contained wholly inside the plant's jaws, the flytrap's victim cannot be targeted by effects or attacks that require line of sight or line of effect. A giant flytrap that is grappling or pinning a foe cannot attack other targets with that bite, but is not otherwise hindered.
In conclusion:
It seems based on discussion threads that a pinned creature cannot attack at all, but can only use mental or verbal only options, or try to escape (grapple check or escape artist, but here the number to beat is quite high, especially if you are denied Dex.)[/i]
Derrik channels again in hopes of keeping his friends alive, and the plant continues to digest and then tries again to bite Derrik, who also calls on his god to help prevent a similar fate.
Derrik's frredom of movement allows him to slip free!
*Twang* and a miss.
Balmir grunts as the creature continues to squeeze him but he attacks back.