Round 1, Init 18
"Woah, Brother!!" Ami yells, alertly pointing out the huge water beast near them. Ami casts Barkskin as Yeen circles behind the beast, staying about 30' away (good for a charge) while letting Aldebert and Otah get ready for a flank.
ACs: Ami: 26 Yeen: 23+4+4=31 (barkskin, mage armor)
HP: Ami: 67/67; Yeen: 80/80
Ami:
[ dice]1d20+9+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee,bless)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+4+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee,bless)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
Yeen:
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (bite,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d6+8+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+1[/dice] CMB to grab
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d4+8+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d4+8+2[/dice] damage.
Lvl 1: 0/8 used (DF*0)
Lvl 2: 1/7 used (barkskin*1)
Lvl 3: 2/7 used (mag vest*2)
Lvl 4: 0/5 used ( )
Extend Rod: 2/3 used (magic vestment)
Yeen.: Mage Armor,DF,Barkskin,SoF,MCPfE10
Ami:
Round 1, Init 7
AC = 13
HP = 59/59
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
Pent looks up, towards the trees, expecting to see a shoe. Or another one about to drop. He waits next to Rayhan, content to move away from the shore, and wait for the creature to return to the sea.
"Time to go, right? We lose it in the forest? Seems kinda silly to fight a snake-whale, when we don't know much of our surrounds, right?"
Pent waits for the others to gain their senses, hoping to follow quickly behind.
Pent double moves away from the beach.
Pent calls upon Sarah, even here in Kakishon, wherever that might be. He asks for the Sarahtar, somewhere near the sea creature, to punish it away. He hopes its intelligence is lower than the half already charging it. Because that's already pretty low.
The serpent headed creature charges toward Ami and Yeen, it's heads attacking one after another. One of the heads finds it's mark, biting savagely.
, (miss)
, ,
, (miss)
, (miss)
, (miss)
, (miss)
Round One: All PCs now acting.
Round 2, Init 18
"Time to face the--*OOF*!!" Ami's battletaunt is cut short by the creature's bite into Ami, the ferocity of the pouncing lizard was unexpected. Startled, Ami and Yeen fight back with staff and claw.
Ami:
to hit; (slingstaff)
damage.
to hit; (slingstaff)
damage.
Yeen:
to hit; (bite)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
to hit; (claw)
damage.
ACs: Ami: 26 Yeen: 23+4+4=31 (barkskin, mage armor)
HP: Ami: 50/67; Yeen: 80/80
Ami:
[ dice]1d20+9+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee,bless)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+4+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee,bless)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
Yeen:
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (bite,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d6+8+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+14+1[/dice] CMB to grab
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d4+8+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+13+2+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,DF,bless)
[ dice]1d4+8+2[/dice] damage.
Lvl 1: 0/8 used (DF*0)
Lvl 2: 0/7 used (barkskin*0)
Lvl 3: 2/7 used (mag vest*2)
Lvl 4: 0/5 used ( )
Extend Rod: 2/3 used (mag vest*2)
Yeen.: Mage Armor,DF,Barkskin,SoF,MCPfE10
Ami:
Mahdi glares at the multi-headed creature, trying to think what he knows about it.
Making a face, Mahdi conjures a slick of oily grease that scums the sand and the frothing surf near the creature.
"I'm not so sure it would be wise to plunge blindly into the jungle to 'lose' the creature," he observes drily. "But pulling back enough to lure it onto the sand, since it seems aquatic, would be the better part of valor."
Round: 1, Initiative: 11
Conditions: None
Weapon Equipped: Greatsword
GreatSword Attack BAB +9/+4, Str +2, Focus +1, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -3) Damage Str +3 (1.5x), Magic +1, (Power Attack +9 (1.5x))
Summon Mount: 2/2 (full round)
Smite Evil: 3/3 (Swift, +4 attack, +9 damage, +4 AC)
Lay on Hands: 8/8 (Swift, 4d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued, diseased, or poisoned)
Pearl of Power (first) 2/2
Spells (caster level 6, concentration +10, DC 14+)
1) Bed of Iron, Hero’s Defiance, Timely Inspiration
2) Mirror Image, Paladin’s Sacrifice
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 62/62 AC: 25 (F22/T13) Included: +4 mage armor
Fort: 8 Reflex: 8 Will: 4 BAB: +5 CMB: 10 CMD: 23 Move: 40’
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/9h)
Tricks: Aid, Air Walk, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heal, Hunt, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +6, Str +4, Amulet +1 Damage Str +6 (1.5x), Amulet +1
Aldebert hears Pent’s suggestion, and finds merit in it, until it occurs to him, at Mahdi’s prompting, that the jungle could contain worse horrors and they could be in a two front battle. ”I agree Mahdi, let’s take it here!”
He commands Gretiem, and together they shuffle through the sand until it’s hard-packed, then pick up speed, close, and attack!
"Don't worry about me! *OOF*!!" Ami dodges another gaping mouth and tries to remain seated on Yeen as he battles the many-mouthed waterbeast alone. "*GRUNT* Me and Yeen got this! You guys just keep discussing it!! *FLAIL*"
"HISS! WOARWRL!!"
The creature's limbs slip upon the grease. Both Alderbert's attack and Gretim's hit easily as the duo easily avoid the darting head of the creature biting at them as they approach. It is clear that the wounds are lessening somehow.
Round One: Otah and Pent now acting (prepped actions seen).
Mahdi calls out: "A damned hydra! As long as its heads are intact it's going to heal-- the heads must be severed, and the stumps blasted with..." Mahdi grins and cracks his knuckles, "....fire."
Otah's attack cuts the creature down, it falls below the surf motionless. The floating weapon hacks away at the motionless creature.
Round Two: All PCs now acting.
Ami and Yeen continue to attack the motionless creature.
Mahdi's words echo through everyone's minds as the motionless creature lays in the water.
"A damned hydra! As long as its heads are intact it's going to heal-- the heads must be , and the stumps blasted with..." Mahdi grins and cracks his knuckles, "....fire."
Round Two: Mahdi, Otah, Aldebert, and Pent now acting.
Round: 2, Initiative: 11
Conditions: None
Weapon Equipped: Greatsword
GreatSword Attack BAB +9/+4, Str +2, Focus +1, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -3) Damage Str +3 (1.5x), Magic +1, (Power Attack +9 (1.5x))
Summon Mount: 2/2 (full round)
Smite Evil: 3/3 (Swift, +4 attack, +9 damage, +4 AC)
Lay on Hands: 8/8 (Swift, 4d6 healing +1d6 if not fatigued, diseased, or poisoned)
Pearl of Power (first) 2/2
Spells (caster level 6, concentration +10, DC 14+)
1) Bed of Iron, Hero’s Defiance, Timely Inspiration
2) Mirror Image, Paladin’s Sacrifice
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 62/62 AC: 25 (F22/T13) Included: +4 mage armor
Fort: 8 Reflex: 8 Will: 4 BAB: +5 CMB: 10 CMD: 23 Move: 40’
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/9h)
Tricks: Aid, Air Walk, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heal, Hunt, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +6, Str +4, Amulet +1 Damage Str +6 (1.5x), Amulet +1
As the creature falls, Aldebert nudges Gretiem to attack one more time, to help keep it down, and he tries to sever heads.
Round 2, Init 7
AC = 13
HP = 59/59
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
Pent directs the Sarahtar to continue hacking at the snake-whale, hoping to have a head off before Mahdi comes 'round with his firecharscorch.
"Alright, beautiful blade, keep angling for the necks below the heads. We need them popped, otherwise we'll see the creature stir once more."
The gnome is quite content to remain where he is, and watch from afar.
With four swift attacks, two by halfling, and two by floating weapon three heads fall into the water. Gretiem's teeth meanwhile gnaw into the emotionless creature.
Round Two: Mahdi and Otah now acting.
Init Track
Ami w/Yeen Init 18, -17 hp
NPC Init 16, AC 16. -115 hp, -12 hp, +2 hp
Mahdi Init 15
Otah Init 12
Aldebert Init 11
Pent Init 7
Otah nods at Mahdi's words and attempts to sunder a head with his horsechopper.
Mahdi hurries up until he stands almost in the surf, and quickly directs a blast of fire roiling over multiple severed stumps, to cauterize the wounds.
Otah hacks another head from the creature, the open stumps are then bathed in fire. The charred flesh no longer pulses with life.
Round Three: All PCs now acting.
Pent flicks the Sarahtar into action for the last head.
The gnome frumps, expecting that the halfs will do a better job of snickersnacking. Eventually, the Sarahtar excuses itself, and Pent removes his hat to see it off.
"Alright, where to? We following the beach? Rayhan, you have any suggestions?" Pent looks ready to move, one way or another.
Rayhan looks up from his desperate fumbling with the scroll. "No ideas. This thing may give us a clue, but I can't get much from it as far as our return goes. Detecting the smell of burnt flesh the old man suddenly realizes what has been going on. Perhaps we should start by distancing ourselves from the water. Rayhan rises, rolling up the scroll and gesturing in Ami's direction with it while pointing. My guess is that creature would be easy enough to outrun."
Not far from where the hydra is being slain, a large turtle is slowly lumbering toward the group. It looks intently at each of those gathered, but does not approach further while blade, claw, and flame are at work.
Ami and Yeen continue to claw at the beast after it stops moving, renewing their ferocity as others join in. Eventually, even the cat gets winded and settles for dragging a neck slice to shore. Yeen looks to see if he can gather any good meat from the neck, while Ami stands guard and watches, giving the cat some reward after his ferocious fighting.
Perception - Ami - danger
After either not finding enough meat on the neck, or general restlessness, Ami and Yeen are ready to move again. Thinking that they are headed down the path towards the hut, Ami begins to mosey that way.
"Nice chop Pent!" Aldebert cries as Pent lops off the remaining head. He watches, upwind if he can, as Mahdi burns the stumps. "So that thing would've kept regenerating if we'd not done that? Good to know."
He smiles at Rayhan's comments about the turtle, though he still worries about how they're going to get out of this place. Smarter folk than me are here and thinking about it. Just keep them safe, and we'll find a way out sure enough.
"Wait up Ami!" he calls as his brother bounds down the trail. He swings Gretiem into the path, and joins his brother, watching out for more hazards between them and the small hut.
Otah severs the last head and Mahdi sears the stump with another fire jet, looking ridiculously pleased with himself. He blows smoke off his fingertips in a dramatic fashion.
When the turtle is pointed out, Mahdi snorts. "Yes, let's just outwalk that thing. Come on, let's get there before Ami manages to reach it first and angers whoever may dwell there."
Otah rinses his horsechopper off quickly in the surf then hurries after the others.
Pent trots along, keeping up with the long legs in the party easily. Every so often, he builds a little courage to skirt the water, splashing while he runs. He even leans down to take a cup of water in hand, and taste the water for its saltiness, should it prove salty. Who knows? In Kakishon, this water might prove to be potable. He keeps his eyes on the waterline, eventually distancing himself a piece, in case another hydra slips from the deep.
As everyone moves on the large turtle waddles back toward the sea.
"Ho there!" Aldebert stops and wheels Gretiem back from whence they came. He moves to the end of the turtles path inland and dismounts.
Scooping up a tiny scroll tube, he remounts and returns to the group. He rides alongside Mahdi, and hands him the scroll tube, "The turtle coughed this up. This place may be a wonder of portents and signs, but I thought you should examine the contents."
"Long ago, visitors to these islands received a greeting from the Imprisoner. You shall receive the same.
'Greetings and welcome, brave hunters, to the Serpent Isles. Here you will find a hunt to satisfy your thirst for challenge, danger, and adventure, a tale to be told as you relax at the Pleasure Palace. Your task is simple: you must hunt down the Golden Ram and take its horn. There are many challenges to be faced on these islands, but only by sounding the ram’s horn can you call back the ship that will bear thee hence. Do not think to cheat the hunt, as the Golden Ram is under my protection; this is a test of skill and skill alone, of courage and cunning, not raw power. One ram’s horn you must sound and present to the boatman to gain passage. The other horn is yours to keep, as a trophy and reward for your daring. May Fate smile upon you and guide your aim.'
The Imprisoner is gone now. But his world remains. A world we created. You have only just arrived but we must know if you are ally or enemy, capable or inept. Complete the Imprisoner’s task and we shall have a greater one for you, one to help fulfill your heart’s desire. Give this egg to the boatman, and he will bring you directly to us. We have much to discuss."
Ami holds up, happy to wait for his brother. He waits as the whatever is examined and keeps an eye out for more servants of the Rough Beast...wherever they may be.
Mahdi snatches up the scroll tube after a quick magical scan to check it for magical traps, and a brief recognition of the actual spell.
He reads the missive in silence, his brows working, and then he snorts expressively and reads it again, and finally, a third time, but this time aloud.
"Well, well," Mahdi says. "Someone's paying attention to our presence here. And someone chooses to offer us quests in exchange for-- it sounds like-- passage back home. That's all rather tidy, isn't it."
He squints at the egg, as if it contained something potentially dire or foul.
”We have much to discuss, huh? So why not chat now?” Aldebert sighs, surely there must be some reason for jumping through this hoop, but other than the entertainment of whoever’s watching, he can’t think of what it is.
”OK then. So we need to find this ‘Golden Ram’, and islands is plural so we may need to find a way to cross the water as well. Might need to craft a boat of some kind.” he shrugs having not the slightest idea how to go about such a thing. ”Well, let’s check out this hut at least. Maybe it’ll have some clues.”
He waits for the party to concur, then begins moving toward the structure on the beach again.
Finally, the rest of the party is ready to move on...and Ami follows Alde to the hut.
"Turtle regurgitation. They sent us a turtle to yurk up a work up? I'm still unclear about what it means, but we just arrived in this world, and the gods of it are interested in us? Who's the Imprisoner? Mahdi, that ring any bells?"
Pent takes a look at the egg, imagining the bird that laid it. His imagination is just good enough to color the bird in the same shades as the egg's shell. The bird's shape keeps coming back around to that of an oil lamp, so by rubbing the bird, a plume of smoke erupts from its rectum, before the egg falls out. As it falls out, it floats on the genie smoke, until it rests gently on the ground.
"Wait, don't turtles lay eggs, too? Is that a turtle egg?"
Pent imagines the bird turning turtle. His imagination is just good enough to color the turtle's shell in the same shades as the egg's shell. The turtle's shape stays turtle, because he just saw a turtle, and can't overlay a genie motif on it so readily. There's still rectal smoke in the laying process, however.
"You think the same turtle tucked the egg into the scroll tube after it laid its own egg? That's a pretty nimble turtle. Can't picture it. Someone shoved that tube into the turtle, then sent the turtle to the shore, before yorking it up, on command. That's a pretty rare turtle to maintain that many steps in a trick. You think there are more turtles like that? Or do the hydras keep the turtle population in check?"
Pent keeps up with the others, trying to picture which way an egg comes out, small side or big side first.
Know (Religion) - 'The Imprisoner'
Ami wonders if Sarenrae might be 'The Imprisoner' for her work in sealing away Rovagug.
The rest of the journey to the pier is uneventful. However, what you find seems to hint at some kind of destruction. The crumbling, blackened, and ruined pier greets you silently. The last several feet of the pier look as if it has been burned away by an impossibly hot fire. Rayhan thinks aloud at what he postulates, "It is as if the damage to the scroll is reflected here."
Though the pier is damaged, the stone hut seems structurally sound. It is furnished with basins, an illusory image of food, water, and plush bedding flashes in and around the basin as you look inside the hut.
"I'm still unclear about what it means, but we just arrived in this world, and the gods of it are interested in us? Who's the Imprisoner? Mahdi, that ring any bells?"
Ami's eyes narrow at the gnome.
"There is only one Imprisoner God that matters, gnome. The one that imprisoned the Rough Beast in the jail of many burns, who harnessed the sun to boil it's flesh within the prison of Golarion. You should know this. This 'Imprisoner' is no god, but something else."
Ami and Yeen sniff and shuffle through the hut, ending up disappointed and returning outside to keep watch while basking in the sun.
"I'll be outside, Brother," Ami says through his face scarf.
Once outside, Ami and Yeen will do some short scouting and sniffing for tracks and things of interest around the hut.
Perception
Survival - tracks
Pent keeps his gaze comfortably set on Mahdi. "So, the Imprisoner. That ring any bells?"
...
Pent ambles over to the basins, taking in the scripts. "'Food, water, bed'. 'Food, water, bed'. aaaand, again 'Food, water, bed'. That's interesting. The basins are magical, at least."
"So, this some kind of waystation? Mahdi, you gonna be able to activate these basins? The water out there is genuinely salty, so we could use fresh water, either by Sarah, or by basin."
Mahdi shrugs and waves a hand at the question from Pent, being more interested in the little stone hut.
He peers around the furnished waystation with some interest and a quick cantrip.
"Hmm. A nice little inn-in-a-box, yes... Let's see here."
Mahdi mutters a few common command words at the basins, testing if they're still functional.
The basins produce food and drink as Pent mentions the words. Likewise, comfortable bedding covers a portion of the floor of the stone hut. Enough for four people is present.
Aldebert observes the accommodations after Mahdi has 'cleared' them. "Well we're to be comfortable at least while we're here. Let's try and make it a short trip though if we can."
Aldebert sips some of the water untrusting but thirsty.
"Rayhan, why don't you wait here while we investigate a little. I'm worried about you getting hurt if we're swarmed by large numbers. You should be safe here now - I suspect that anything that might have come close would have been driven off by that hydra. Should buy us a few days of peace at least."
Aldebert thinks, "My brother might be able to find something, but barring that, we should try searching methodically. I suggest we see just how big this island is. We can either climb to the highest ground, or just walk around it. I think the former will be quicker."
"Anyone else have suggestions? I feel mine isn't terribly good, but it's all that's occurring to me in this strange place."
"Turtle regurgitation. They sent us a turtle to yurk up a work up? I'm still unclear about what it means, but we just arrived in this world, and the gods of it are interested in us? Who's the Imprisoner? Mahdi, that ring any bells?"
Otah turns with an evil-eye towards the gnome's wordplay, but gives a silent nod at his question regarding the Imprisoner. He too, is curious as to what it all means.
"It is as if the damage to the scroll is reflected here."
"Perhaps the pier is an illusion then? The normal way in and out of this scroll-place-world-thing, and we just burned it?"
"My brother might be able to find something, but barring that, we should try searching methodically. I suggest we see just how big this island is. We can either climb to the highest ground, or just walk around it. I think the former will be quicker."
"Find the highest point, look around. Sounds like a good idea." The dwarf hefts his hydrahorse-chopper, "The faster we can find this magic sheep, the sooner we can get out of here."
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When the yahoos finally emerge from the hut, Ami calls to his brother.
"Brother, I found poop!" Ami shouts, pointing to the ground. "It is small, rounded, and smells funny...which means it has similar characteristics to gnome poop. I think it's from a goat of some sort."
Ami keeps Yeen from eating or destroying the poop in case others want to see. He is then ready to range about more, anxious to explore this strange island.
Mahdi brushes some lingering soot off his fingers from his hydra-blasting of earlier and can't help but be rather supercilious in his tone as he says:
"Most likely the Imprisoner in question would be Nex-- the supposed architect of this entire realm. As for whether I have a suggestion for how we should best search the island... I do, in fact, though it will have to wait until tomorrow.
"You see, you've all been having so much fun riding around cats and lizards that I thought I should give it a try. Tomorrow morning I'll conjure steeds of flame and a chariot of smoke. We should all manage to fit aboard, give or take; the chariot moves quite swiftly and will last most of the day. This should, I think, speed up the process of searching through this isle."
Mahdi pauses, presses his fingertips to his lips. "Let me think if I know anything more of our quarry."
Though the stone hut protects everyone from the midday sun, it is clear that this world has some resemblance of day and night. There is time yet it seems for light to make some of the mysteries of this place visible.
Rayhan readily aggress to Aldebert's suggestion, "I will happily stay here. Perhaps some extended study will give me some sense of what happened to the scroll. I have the notes I brought with me for the activation. And if there be things that might disturb me I can at least make enough of a fuss alert you all that I am in need of assistance." With that the old man spreads out on a section of the floor, collection small rocks from the beach to hold his papers in place.
"Most likely the Imprisoner in question would be Nex-- the supposed architect of this entire realm. As for whether I have a suggestion for how we should best search the island... I do, in fact, though it will have to wait until tomorrow. You see, you've all been having so much fun riding around cats and lizards that I thought I should give it a try. Tomorrow morning I'll conjure steeds of flame and a chariot of smoke. We should all manage to fit aboard, give or take; the chariot moves quite swiftly and will last most of the day. This should, I think, speed up the process of searching through this isle."
Pent nods his head in affirmation. "Nex! Of course! But who's he imprisoning?" The gnome drinks deeply of the basin's water, and eats whatever food is made available.
"So, we have a boatman to meet, as well as the Creators. We meet them before or after we hunt a ram? With a chariot of fire, do we need the boatman's boat? Is it the same boatman, or are there more than one? This gets more and more intriguing, with each facet of this jewel held up to the light."
Pent plops down on the bedding, and waits for the others to plot a course, towards boat or ram. He doesn't care which.
"The chariot is a grand idea. Can we all fit, steeds included? I should be able to summon Gretiem on the other side if needs be."
"Yet I don't want to waste this day. Let's see what my brother has found at least and plan to rest here this night. So we'll check the immediate area at least. Make a wide circle and make sure there's not something waiting to jump on our scholar." he gestures to the papers strewn everywhere.
He sips some more water carefully, and readies to go.
Pent nods his head in affirmation. "Nex! Of course! But who's he imprisoning?"
"I think we are the imprisoned, gnome. It's us. And that boatman might be our way out. The question is why Sarenrae wants us here, wants us among the imprisoned. That is what we should be asking," Ami suggests.
The lush tropical forest near the sandy beach blows in the breeze. The green of the palm fronds moves in waves not unlike the water of the nearby ocean. Clear skies make it easy to see distant terrain and islands. Beyond the beaches and tropical forest wait other types of obstacles. Who is to say what has taken resistance in the varied areas.