|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 45/45|F +2, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|23/23 Perform, 3/3 Speaker, 3/3 Phantasm, 1/1 comic relief
Xasay goes on ahead and tries to help the others through one by one...
Take 20 does not work as failure has it's consequences. I take it you spend some time to widen the gap.
The team works together and finally there is enough space for everyone to move through.
This large chamber has a sixty-foot-high ceiling supported by several thick stone columns. The worked stone of the southwest wall remains uncovered by coral, and is decorated with engravings of crude giant figures and roughly formed runes. The columns have markings chiseled into them as well, in what could be many different styles of handwriting.
Smashed stone tables and oversized benches are piled in the southeastern section of the room. Beyond the rubble, a tunnel slopes down to the east, and another descends from the southwest corner. From the eastern corridor four zombies move towards you with surprising speed. On top of each of their heads you see some kind of squid sitting...
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 45/45|F +2, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|23/23 Perform, 3/3 Speaker, 3/3 Phantasm, 1/1 comic relief
Knowledge (Religion) re zombies, Secrets of the Grave:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15 Knowledge (Dungeoneering):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
The zombies zeem to be just your standard, run-of-the-mill zombies, although they seem to be controlled by the creatures riding them. Those are incutilises. A strange sort of sea creature that appears to be an oversized cephalopod, however an incutilis hides a significant intelligence behind its unassuming appearance. They use the zombies for their zombies and it would be best if you're not caught helpless...
Emmett and Tori have no problem with hitting the incutilises, but the gecko is not so fortunate. Two of the zombies attempt to hit the gecko and the other two move towards Emmett...
Xasay, anything in particular you would like to know about it?
Initiative
Grisaia
ScratcherTori
Emmett
Xasay
- - -
Blue -8 hp
Green -13 hp
- - -
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 45/45|F +2, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|23/23 Perform, 3/3 Speaker, 3/3 Phantasm, 1/1 comic relief
GMG wrote:
Xasay, anything in particular you would like to know about it?
Offensive abilities?
...Xasay darts at one of the nearer zombies, unnaturally-long finger outstretched and glowing an eerie blue...
chill touch vs the yellow peril:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 rounds of 'panic' on hit and failed DC 16 Will save:1d4 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
...while The strange geogecko continues trying to snap up some escargot de mer!
As a full-round action, an incutilis can drive
its lesser tendrils into any helpless Small or Medium creature
occupying the same square and pump the victim full of
poison and chemicals. The victim is killed instantly, and
becomes a zombie-like creature under the incutilis’s control.This zombie isn’t treated as being undead, and is immune to
spells and effects that affect only undead (including damage
from positive energy). redirecting the chill touch to the inculitis
Grisaia slashes the zombie, Tori shoots one of the aberations and Xasay touches the nearest inculitus. Emmett also hits it and it isn't looking good... The zombies fail to hit Emmett, but the shadow gecko is destroyed and Xasay is also hurt.
Initiative
Grisaia
Scratcher
Tori
Emmett
Xasay -5 hp
- - -
Blue Inculitis -13 hp
Green Inculitis -13 hp
Red Inculitis -8 hp
Yellow Zombie -6 hp
Yellow Inculitis -17 hp
- - -
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 45/45|F +2, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|23/23 Perform, 3/3 Speaker, 3/3 Phantasm, 1/1 comic relief
DM:
GHHHEEEOOOOODDD that's unsettling...anyway, a saving throw is still called for: DC 16 Fortitude or also take 1 Strength damage.
Also: Are these "zombies" staggered?
chill touch vs yellow brain-jockey:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 negative energy damage:1d6 ⇒ 1plus DC 16 Fortitude save or take another 1 Strength damage
"These zombies...there is no darkness in them! The incutilis...they make them this way through...natural means!" There is a rare horror in Xasay's voice, but oddly enunciated, given what he just said.
The yellow creature's shell crumples under Grisaia's attack, and the yellow corpse falls peacefully to the ground, returned to its natural repose.
Xasay, your attack would not have made any difference on the end of this turn, so I'm not going to worry about the saves and things.
Tori's first shot similarly fells the red inculitis, giving peace to another corpse.
considering how this has stalled, I'm going to be a little aggressive in reassigining targets to attacks
Tori's second shot badly injures the inculitis on green, and Emmett is able to destroy the two remaining inculitises, leaving the chamber quiet.
OK, end of combat. I've marked the two ways out of the room with arrows, one yellow, one green, so you can pick which way you want to go. I'll be moving you to a new map soon so we can move on.
M Human Snakebite Striker 2/Warpriest 4 HP 54/54 AC: 24 T: 13 FF: 21 F/R/W: +10/+8/+7 Init: +3 Perception: +11 Blessings 5/5
"Oy, dat felt like munths.", Scratcher commenting on their latest battle. Looking at the two options, the thumbs over to the right green path. "Right iz right, aight?"
M Human Snakebite Striker 2/Warpriest 4 HP 54/54 AC: 24 T: 13 FF: 21 F/R/W: +10/+8/+7 Init: +3 Perception: +11 Blessings 5/5
Scratcher takes the lead, his silvery blade out front, almost as if he wants to make sure he doesn't poke an invisible thing in front of him, as the group treks down the path.
You move on to a small chamber, clearly the lair of the inculituses you just dealt with. The mess and smell both make that conclusion inescapable. There are two exits from the room.
|AC 20, T 13, FF 18|HP: 45/45|F +2, R +8, W +4 (+1 vs water/cold, +2 vs shadow, +3 vs poison, +4 vs fear/drain/death/Necr)|Init +2, Perc +4|CMB +6 CMD 18|23/23 Perform, 3/3 Speaker, 3/3 Phantasm, 1/1 comic relief
Stealth:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27
Xasay silently grins a wide, amused, but compassionate grin...wherever he is.
Skulking through the tunnels leads the Pathfinders upon otyughs, nasty beasts covered in black coral. The pitched battle leads to a fruitless victory, nothing but sludge and trash in their lair. Following other avenues leads to a dark cavern covered in the same slimy coral. The waters of the cove are filled with corpses, fouling the sea water and raising a horrible stench.
Rising out of the water is the derelict hull of the Fearsome Tide. Black coral stairs lead along the edge to a rotting rope bridge across. Careful progress forward allows the party to reach the far side, where a coral covered wooden gangplank is fixed to the ship, perhaps only held together by the disgusting growth.
Captain Lanteri stands on the deck, blade bare and pistol drawn. Attempts at parley fail, ignored by the captain, leading to a pitched battle. The true extent of the threat becomes clear as a massive incultilis drags itself up behind the party on the deck. The incultilis lord commands Lanteri through its calcified poison, but it true threat comes when it summons the calcified corpse of Captain Jemma Reefclaw to aid in overwhelming the heroes.
The puppets support the abberant puppet master in a terrifying battle, the stingers of the beast attempting to sap the nerves with poison. Fighting back with every spell and blade available, the team gives their all to avoid becoming puppets themselves. When the monstrous lord falls, the body of Captain Reefclaw slumps to the deck, motionless without the will behind the strings. The coral fixing the cavern in place begins to crumble slowly away almost immediately, while Captain Lanteri falls to her knees and begs forgiveness. She yields all of the treasure in exchange for her life and as apology for marooning you on the island as a preemptive measure against mutiny.
Returning to the Magpie Princess, the crew sides against the captain, deferring to the Pathfinders in how to handle her treachery. They offer to travel with you or drop you off at the nearest port with gratitude. The wreck of the Fearsome Tide could still be repaired, or simply sold for scrap. The treasures within are well worth the effort expended and Ambrus and the Society congratulates you all for a job well done!
