GM Kate's Ruins of Azlant (closed) (Inactive)

Game Master Kate Baker

Aquan: Why can't you leave? Can we help you be free?

diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Silt looks to Cedar, the charismatic summoner who knows Aquan, for help.

Cedar calls through the glass:

"If it's summoned, it would take a more powerful caster than me. There are spells to bind creatures too, but I don't know those. I just do it the, you know, easy way." He gives a shrug. "Maybe ask what it's been commanded to do, so we don't trigger it?"

He takes off his bandanna and runs his fingers through his wavy hair, thinking: Am I going to have to get in that water? How am I going to dry off?

Aquan: What is your task? If we cannot help you to be left alone elsewhere in freedom, then we can help you be left alone here in your work. But then, we should know the best way to do this. Tell us your command, so we do not, by chance, trespass like a red rass-berry bush on a tuber-garden.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Silt preens at his newfound diplomacy skills, tilting his ragged farmer's hat at its most jaunty angle. A piece of dirty straw floats off in the water.

"Maybe it doesn't know that the ocean is nearby. So much more water to enjoy! Maybe we can help set it free!" Joli bows, head still turned up in a friendly grin.

Aquan: "Just go away! I don't want to hurt you!"

"What's it sayin? Whatever it is, it doesn't seem very friendly. Why don't we just take take the stairs and leave it be?"

“That might be a good idea, Toby. We can probably lear more if we go up to the next level and look around. Anyone else care to join us?”

Joli gives a friendly nod and backs up to the door, sticking his head out. "You know, I think it would be a great time for a wash... With that nice soap we found. If you get my meaning...?"

Silt's bemused head pokes out above Joli's and looks at him. In common:

Our friend is angry, not stinky. You must practice diplomassssy. Watch Silt to learn.

Saving a water elemental? I'm into it!

Purpose Creche eases open a coat pocket to reveal a corner of soot-flecked soap; he angles the opening towards Joli, as well as his friends outside the tank.

When Silt pops his head out of the wall of water, Purpose Creche scoots beneath Joli to do the same.
"Silt, Joli is saying that this friend's mind is not their own. Washing them may free them. Do you think you can restrain them?"

Cedar's mismatched eyes flash when Joli suggests he needs to wash, but then he realizes what Joli means and a big smile crosses his face.

"Sounds like a great idea! Give me one minute and I'll call for Hakkuho." Cedar drizzles a handful of water from the tank over his head and begins his summoning ceremony.

Silt will get large size and assist on the grapple when ready. Whose got the soap?

Toby looks on nervously. "This seems like inviting trouble we don't need. Why don't we go upstairs? We can always come back and do this later..."

Joli whispers, "It can turn into a whirlpool. I don't think you can just grapple it. But maybe we just get the water really sudsy? Or knock it unconscious?

He turns to Toby. "If it's been controlled, maybe that means it could be turned against us. Better to set it free, no?"

"They're held against their will. They lacks the freedom we ourselves hope to gain on this island."

"Maybe, but isn't it going to turn against us anyway when you grab onto it? I'm all for trying to set the thing free, I'm just not sure we should be adding trouble before we even know what's upstairs."

Accompanied by the scent of the sea, Hakkuho appears where Ceder once stood.

"How fun," he says, looking at the tank. "Something different."

In Hakkuho's translucent belly Cedar is visible, seemingly sleeping.

"Am I to understand we have a foolhardy plan? I do hope I'm not too late."

Hakkuho snakes though the door and into the water before turning back to Toby.

"Are you coming in? We do need your help."

"I still don't like it." Toby grumbles as he reluctantly steps into the water.

Silt, will you explain what you’re doing?

If they turn into a big mouth greedily drinking all the water, then they must also drink things in the water. This means they must eat all the soap, and will be clean like a scrubbed tuber — inside and out.

Silt grasps the soap in one hand.

As Purpose told us, I think we can "re-train them."

When Hakkuho is ready Silt will cast Enlarge person and then True Strike… unless this thing attacks outright. If Silt can get both spells off he should be the primary grappler; if not, he will assist Hakkuho in the grapple

Silt holds up the Soul Soap. Aquan:This lump of fat and lye may help you slip free of binding vats. Before we go, Cedar and I feel our duty is to re-train you as we re-trained the lovely Karl. But we are well-practiced: do not fear.

Silt casts his spells and approaches.

Joli ducks his head back in the water and swims to the far side of the tank, away from the elemental. He gets ready to give it a tongue lashing should things get violent, smiling in a friendly fashion as he swims.

Bluff: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Silt swims up, above his friends. I put Silt's icon under others, so people can see their placement.

Hakkuho swims closer, ready to attempt to aid Silt in a grapple. In Hakkuho's belly Cedar gives a wily smile as though he's having a pleasant dream.

Silt and Hakkuho can take a surprise round together to try to grapple.

Purpose Creche stands nearby, one hand on the pommel of his dagger, ready to assist violently if need be.
Not sure there's much I can do!

Grapple+True Strike+CMB: 1d20 + 20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 20 + 7 = 44

With an assist that will be 46

Clean… as a washed tuber! Come help, Hakkuho!

Silt firmly grabs hold of the water elemental. The creature's demeanor suddenly changes, and it looks ready to try to break free.

Hakkuho
Sloshy
Joli
Purpose
Toby
Silt

Hakkuho lashes out with his tail and attempts to aid Silt in holding the elemental!

”Such fun!”

Grapple: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 Well, I think I only need to hit a 10 to assist, right?

Am I right to think that you can use Aid Defense to boost someone's CMD, making it harder to break their grapple?

I believe so!

So aiding Silt's grapple check or his CMD? I'm okay with Silt chiming in, since Cedar will probably do whichever he prefers.

I would prefer to CMD but we planned on the grapple check and did not communicate in character about it. I think it is fair to aid the original check even though that's most likely suboptimal.

Hakkuho aided the original grapple because that’s what we planned. I didn’t realize though that we could aid on Silt’s CMD. Ultimately what Hakkuho wants is to help the elemental not break free. So maybe next round, if possible, he’ll try to help Silt hold on by aiding his CMD.

Oh, I skipped the original check since you so easily made it without the aid. This is the first round of combat, and Hakkuho beat the critter in initiative. I'll go with CMD.

The water elemental struggles to break free.

CMB, water mastery: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19

And good thing too!

The creature almost slips away, but Hakkuho blocks the escape with his tail and Silt keeps a firm grip.

Hakkuho
Sloshy
Joli
Purpose
Toby
Silt

Joli's tongue snakes out and a torrent of effluence comes with it. His eyes get big as he realizes the force behind it.

Wave strike: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
LETHAL underwater + 5' push: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

His shock is so great that his lick lags left, missing the poor ensorcelled elemental.

Silt tries to pin it.

Help re-train the dirty water, Hakkuho!

Pin a Grappled Creature, with +5 circumstance bonus: 1d20 + 8 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 5 = 23

I had Power attack on when I calculated his CMB before. Silt would not be power attacking here. (2 BAB + 5 strength + 1 size = 8).

The creature is pinned.

I think, rather than going through ten round of rolls while it gets scrubbed, I'd rather just state that Silt can keep it pinned.

Is there anything else that anyone wants to do while it's getting a bath?

Silt will cheer. Yay!

Hakkuho retrieves the soap from Silt and loops around the pinned elemental, lathering it up!

"Cleanse yourself of this dominating influence!"

Joli gives a little burbling shout of victory and hovers over the elemental. "I wonder why it did not take its whirlpool form. Perhaps it resisted its bondage and wants to be free!" He looks up in the water-filled chamber, attempting to gauge its depth.

"Now we're giving monsters baths. Great."

”Come now, Toby. Someday you may find yourself alone, trapped in a tank of water in some ancient tower, dominated by an unknown entity, and you’ll be begging the universe to send some adventurers your way with a bar of soap.”

"That seems very unlikely, Hakkuho." Purpose Creche still stands alert should the elemental break free.

The tank is about 15 feet high, Joli.

The tank fills with dirty suds. There is a moment after washing that the creature seems to have an internal battle in its mind. PCs can leave the tank. You can feel its struggle, and then, a fresh defeat. It crouches in the corner again.

Cedar and Purpose, with detect magic, you realize that this is a very strong spell effect, and the low-level elemental can probably only succeed on a natural 20.

Sorry, guys! I was hoping it would work, too. The soap doesn't add a bonus, just a new save.

Is the group still in the tank post-bath?

Purpose Creche senses the battle of wills swirling within the tank, as well as its seemingly inevitable outcome.. "We've failed. Exit before violence is necessary."
He steps out, dripping with water, and looks to Toby. "You were right."

Silt lets the elemental go and punches the side of the tank in a rage. We will purge this evi — from crimson berry, to clutching nettle, to twisted root!

The side of the tank seems surprisingly strong for glass and does not crack.

Hakkuho slithers out of the tank. In his belly Cedar's brow is furrowed. Hakkuho begins to dissipate, flecks and particles rising like sea spray into the air.

"Until next time!" He says, waving goodbye.