GM Shathira's Skull and Shackles

Game Master Kelarith

**********Surprise Round***********

Ri'el and Davina split and start to cast their spells, and the sound of the arcane words causes all 6 of the Grindylow to turn...just in time to catch the full colorful blasts in the face. All of them slump down into the surf.

End combat, unless you have some odd need to wake any of them up.

"I don't believe such vile creatures can be trusted at our backs..."

The witch moves to slice throats unless stopped.

"Agreed." Garavaen joins Astein, driving his rapier through the throats of the fallen.

Realizing what they are going to do, Davina moves away so she doesn't have to witness the murder of the creatures. While she doesn't like what is happening she does understand the necessity of it.

The goblin watches the creatures being dispatched without comment. Given Davina's reaction, he decides its probably best not to mention that the smaller, non-leglike tentacles are actually pretty good eating and could be harvested for dinner.

Instead, he turns his attention to the rising tide and tide-line on the rocks, trying to estimate how much higher it will get and how long they have to get into the caves. "If we're gonna look for our crewmates, we best be quick about it."

Based on what we saw of the height in the tunnel and the tide marks, can we tell if the whole cavern will be submerged or will there be room to breathe? How long til high tide?

Arenya assists Garavaen in putting down the creatures, quickly looking over them for anything that might be of value. "The world it seems is just as tough as back home. To often its kill or be killed."

Ri'el looks dispassionately at the slaughter, then turns his gaze further into the caves.

"These vile creatures deserve their fate, and are unlikely to surrender anyway. Leaving them alive would only compromise our own safety. I just hope Sandara's ok..."

"Work quickly lads, and lets get lookin about. good work layen em low so quickly" Morgrym says as he moves past the slaughter of the creatures and into the caves proper.

With Arenya's help, since she'd already looked at the water lines in the tunnels before, most of what you've seen looks like there would be some area at the top to breath, but the depth would be between 8 and 15 feet. The tide is in the process of coming in, so you think it will be about 30-45 minutes before high tide.

Once the killing and searching is done, Eli swims back into the tunnel, heading along the northern-most path.

Just trying to keep things moving along.

Garavaen asks, "How long do we have? I'd rather not try to fight underwater."

Pushing along, Morgrym and Eli are now having to swim to avoid being underwater. The northern passage leads onwards towards a cavern that's been carved to resemble the interior of some great creature, its ribs towering over and around the chamber. The water here is about 20-30ft deep, and there is a small riptide due to the movement of the tides. Seaweed on the bottom of the floor here is about 5' deep.

Moving towards the chamber, the group finds the area before the floor drops off is covered by floating hooks in the seaweed. Barbed hooks attached to cork with long, strong sinews. These start to snag at clothing, armor and hair. DC 10 reflex save or become entangled. Entangled characters can make a DC 10 str check to break free, or an Escape Artist DC 10 check. Eli and Morgrym are not affected as they are actually swimming above the hooks.

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

If I still have touch of the sea active I would be swimming as well (lasted for 4 minutes), if not then I will add my reflex save just in case.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Garavaen avoids the hooks then shakes his head, "Nasty little creatures. ". He starts to scan the area for danger, Traps are either for catching food or keeping out intruders.. With these, I'm thinking it might be both.

If my monkey fish spell is still operating, I would also be swimming. It lasts 3 minutes. If not...

reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Ri'el plods along, then suddenly gives a start as he notices something below in the water.

"More of them lurking at the bottom of the pool! Weapons at the ready," he hisses as his hair begins to twitch in anticipation of combat.

Arenya does her best not to get entangles. Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

As the group responds to Ri'el's revelation, you all can see the Grindylow that he points out. They all seem to be quite content staying beneath the water, amidst the seaweed that grows from the bottom of the floor. Each seems to be waiting for you to dare to enter the chamber.

On closer look, one of them (#3) seems to be wearing a rather familiar tricorne hat, and has several clay pipes hanging from a necklace. All of these belonged to Sandara.

Sorry, I thought we were already in the cavern. Since we aren't...

Eli notes the lack of hostages as well as the odds, and looks for a way to avoid the problem or - at worst - to divide the attention of the Grindylows. He pulls his bow off his should and swims through the narrow opening that skirts to the left of the large cavern.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29 To squeeze through the gap

Ri'el fairly snarls as he notices the items on that grindylow.

"We're going to need to cross that cavern anyway. Dawdling here ain't gonna do us any favours. If we can lure several of them into a group, a well-placed colour-spray spell should make it an easy fight."

He readies his crossbow as Eli prepares to enter the cavern, ready to cover him, his hair practically bristling in reflection of his agitation.

I'm beginning to think that we won't be able to push through this cavern without resting, since we're getting low on daily resources. We have not rested since coming to the island, and we may need our 3rd level abilities. Ri'el naturally does not want to rest before finding Sandara, but I'll handle the RP that gets him to agree to rest.

It looks like there is some dry land behind in the cavern behind us. Is there enough room for us to rest up if we need to?

Davina readies herself for yet another fight, waiting for the chance to hit a large grouping with a burst of colors and hopefully disable them.

That's the biggest problem with this portion of the game, it puts a time limit you can't possibly meet on an island that should kill any party of our level range who try to clear it that quickly. Especially with some of the things Shathira didn't do to us. And to think, it's supposedly balanced around a party f 4 at 15 pt buy. Welcome to deathtrap island.

Do we actually have a time limit? I mean, my character is obssesedly eager to find Sandara asap, but I the player want my character to survive... If there was an actual hint about a time limit, I might have missed it.

Plugg curses when he hears the news and tugs at his beard, when his eyes fall on Ri'el and the rest of the group, "All right ya jacks. Ya want ta find yer friends? More'n like they swam for shore if they fell overboard. Ship needs water, so yer gonna take the cutter, and some barrels'n fill'em with water." Plugg looks thoughtful for a moment and looks at the party, "Repairs'll take a day and a half, an' then we be havin' ta wait for high tide a fore we can leave. Figure that gives ya two days. Yer late, an' we're ta leavin' ya here. Now move yer scurvy arses!"

That, much more generous than is actually written in the game iirc.

48 hours is what the game has written into it. You actually skirted a few encounters, and made most of your saves vs botfly attacks/diseases, which helps. The only dry land is back outside the cavern system. The whole cave system is underwater between 5 and 30 feet

Ah, been a while since I read that part, I thought as written it was like 24 hours or so. Then there were the hourly fort saves for disease as I recall as well. Yeah, I realized we skipped a few, a good thing too. As I said, this place is death trap island.

The disease checks are ridiculous, so I axed them unless you interacted with things that the botflies were infesting, the ghouls, or stirges. There's realism, and there's overboard. ;)

I think we're currently waiting to see whether the grindylows react to Eli.

The Grindylow begin to swim about in the seaweed fronds underwater, always with an eye on the group and the open tunnels leading into and out of the room. They don't seem to be in any kind of hurry to engage you.

Just to be clear, I'm moving along the narrow tunnel around the cavern (on the map).

Eli swims through the narrow passage until he approaches the second opening into the cave. He readies his bow in case any of the grindylow move in his direction.

MOVE: Swim 15' (on map)
STAND: Ready Attack - use bow on any grindylow that approaches and fire at point blank range (or 5' range if they have a reach weapon - -2 to my attack) to avoid that underwater mod. With Point Blank Master I can do so without drawing an AoO.

Swim vs DC10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Success - no effect on Arrow Attack

Ri'el looks doubtfully at the narrow space that Eli just squeezed through, mindful of his own limitations.

"We're not gaining anything waiting here. I reckon we should just swim across and take those critters out as they come. I'll go first if no one else wants to. Unless someone else has a better idea, we're just going to have to bite the bullet and get moving before the tide rises."

We've been stuck here for almost a week of out-of-game time now. Let's just move in, or we might as well stop the adventure here.

Garavaen says, "I need an underwater crossbow..", then nods at Ri'el, "Probably not the smartest idea I've heard, but I'm not sure there's much smart to be had 'round here. I can't even suggest some of us swim for it and I'll cover you."

"Well, we may be able to draw them out... Come with me to the water's edge and be ready for battle." With that, Astein begins calling unluck upon the creatures and his familiar battlefield cackle echos in the cavern.

With the support of the party at the water's edge, Astein will begin using misfortune on the creatures and cackling - hoping to draw them out.

Remember the squares are 10'. Astein, there really isn't a "water's edge" once you're in the complex. You are either swimming or touching the ground in chest deep water. The cavern itself is about 25' deep.

As Eli rounds the bend and readies his bow, one of the Grindylow darts forward, crossing the gap in a rush. Eli, while surprised by the speed that the Grindylow moved with, fires his shot, embedding it deep in the thing's eye. It floats for a moment on the water and then sinks, trailing a stream of blood behind it when it does.

Ri'el nods to Astein.

"It's a straight forward situation and we're at a disadvantage, but we need to move forward. Clever ideas are good and all, but where there are none to be had, we just need to bite the proverbial crossbow bolt and push through. Unless you do have a clever idea. If not, then like it or not pushing forward is the best idea we've got under the circumstances."

Exiel stands between Astein and the grindylows as the witch lays his hex on each of them. His hair is at the ready to grapple the first grindylow that comes towards the group. (I have reach.)

If they continue to cower at the bottom by the time Astein has hexed all of them, he begins to swim forward into the cavern his bristling hair reflecting his frustration at the (necessary) delay.

grapple if they come close: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Sorry about the confusion. Astein is either standing or swimming if he is still under the effects of the touch of the sea. He instructs the group to get within 30' and executes his plan from within the water, hoping to draw out the grindglows.

Astein moves forward, swimming over another set of hooks, till he's swimming in the cavern in order to get close enough to the Grindylow that are swimming at the bottom of the pool. He cackles, but whether it's due to the water, or just the Grindylow itself, the cackle seems to have no effect. As the group moves forward, the Grindylow who's partner was shot and killed by Eli takes off through the eastern tunnel.

Please move your tokens to where you want to be located. I've moved Astein to where he'd have to be in order to hit one of the Grindylow at the bottom of the cavern. Ri'el would have to be underwater to be between the Grindylow and Astein.

Garavaen raises his crossbow, looking for a bit of foul beast that breaks the surface that he can put a bolt in, then sighs. "I'm thinking this might be more of an in-your-face, up-close-and-personal, on-their-turf bad-for-us sorta fight..with rapiers."

Ri'el follows close behind Astein, ready to grab any Grindylow that approaches.

If I get an AoO, I'll try to grapple them at reach iwth my hair.

***************Combat Round 1***************

Init: GL2, GL7, Garavaen, GL 10, Astein, Elias, GL 3, GL 9, Ri'el, Arenya, GL 8, Morgrym, Davina, GL 6, 4, 5

The Grindylow (2) waiting beneath the water rushes up at Astein and Ri'el grapples it with his hair. One of the other Grindylows(7) jets forward, attacking the grappling Shaman, piercing the Shaman's side.

The Grindylow at the bottom having shaken off the glare from Astein, Astein turns his attention to the one that just rushed and stabbed Ri'el. The apparent bloodlust of the thing allows him to shake off the effects of Astein's 'evil eye'. The Grindylow (3) at the bottom rushes up putting Astein between it and it's friend (7). It thrusts its spear at Astein, but the Witch manages to spin and deflect most of the blow.

I need actions from Garavaen, Elias, and Arenya to continue

********Status so far**********
GLow 5 dead
Glow 2 Grappled

Arenya 22/22
Astein 17/20
Davina 17/17
Elias 12/18
Garavaen 25/25
Ri'el 7/15 Grappled
Morgrym 24/28

Eli swims into the cavern and closes on the grindylows battling his comrades. Treading water, he fires an arrow at the back of the nearest one hoping it cleaves through the water over this long distance.

MOVE: Swim 15' (on map)
STAND: Bow Attack

I'm assuming the grindy is about 15' away, so -6 to hit

Swim vs DC10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 Success - no effect on Arrow Attack

Round 1

Garavaen steps forward, sighing as he shifts the crossbow to his off hand and draws his rapier. "Couldn't just come out of the water like nice little targets, could you?", he mutters as he lunges with the blade.

Rapier (v #7): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 for 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 I didn't take off -2 to hit for underwater combat as I'm not quite sure how close to the surface we are -- but having rolled a 3, it's not really relevant

Swim: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 Forgot.

Grindylow charge eli: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

***************Combat Round 1********************
Init: GL2, GL7, Garavaen, GL 10, Astein, Elias, GL 3, GL 9, Ri'el, Arenya, GL 8, Morgrym, Davina, GL 6, 1

Elias fires a shot at the Grindylow menacing Astein (3), and the arrow from his bow sinks deep into its back. The Grindylow flops backwards and then sinks slowly, trailing blood from its wound.

Garavaen swims through the water, and thrusts at the Grindylow, but having to maintain swimming and trying to attack in the new environment proves to be too distracting.

Arenya holds back waiting for an opening.

One of the Grindylows at the bottom of the pool darts forward, charging Eli spear thrust out before him. The weapon strikes Eli square in the stomach driving deep into the Goblin's innards.

Morgrym and Davina, I need round 1 actions. Everyone can give me their round 2 actions, noting that positions may change a bit. I'll adjust actions where logical.

**********status**************

GLow 5 dead
GLow 3 dead
Glow 2 Grappled

Arenya 22/22
Astein 17/20
Davina 17/17
Elias 5/18
Garavaen 25/25
Ri'el 7/15 Grappled
Morgrym 24/28

Davina moves in a bit closer and then send a ray of coldat one of the grindylow.

radio of frost and grindyliw no. 7: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 181d3 ⇒ 2

Can't move myself from my phone and that's what I have just now.

Ri'el glares at the grindylow grappled in his hair...and squeezes.

No penalties for doing damage in a grapple underwater.

CMB check to do damage: 1d20 + 7 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 5 = 26
damage: 1d3 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8

If that kills the creature, Ri'el releases the lifeless body and waits for the next one that dares provoke an attack of opportunity from him.

CMB check to grapple if anyone provokes: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

******************Round 1******************

Davina moves forward and a blue ray arcs from her hand striking the Grindylow along the shoulder, leaving bits of ice on it and in the water.

Morgrym and Arenya both wait for a better opening.

***********Status end round 1**************
GLow 5 dead
GLow 3 dead
Glow 2 Grappled
GLow 7 2 damage

Arenya 22/22
Astein 17/20
Davina 17/17
Elias 5/18
Garavaen 25/25
Ri'el 7/15 Grappled
Morgrym 24/28

************Round 2********************

Init: GL2, GL7, Garavaen, GL 10, Astein, Elias, GL 3, GL 9, Ri'el, Arenya, GL 8, Morgrym, Davina, GL 6, 1

The Grindylow that Ri'el is grappling manages to slip free of the shaman's hair.

One of the Grindylow surrounding Astein, takes another poke at the Witch with its spear. Astein manages to spin out of the way of the stab.

Ri'el, I'll wait on Gar, Astein, Elias to act, but if #2 is still alive I'll have you regrapple.

Blood clouds the water around the goblin. Owl-eyed, Eli looks down at the improbable sight of the spear hilted all the way into his abdomen - feeling curiously detached - until the pain strikes home. He thrashes in agony on the gaff for a moment before deciding that the Grindylow has to pay for gutting him. He draws two arrows, takes careful aim, and does his best to put one arrow in each of the grindylow's soulless, black eyes.

If the grindy dies on the first arrow, retarget the second to the nearest grindy and include a -2 for each 5' of distance.

~ Round 2 ~
FULL: FOB w/Perfect Strike

Swim vs DC10: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 Success - no effect on Arrow Attack

Astein uses his aquatic agility provided by touch of the see to shift position then casts a spell defensively, hair crackling with electricity lashing out to touch the squid-thing he now flanks.

Cast Defensively: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Shocking Grasp: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 5, 2) = 11

Round 2

Garavaen smiles slightly as his allies swarm the creature, "Well, that's a mite more reassuring.", he chuckles and swings with his rapier again.

Rapier (v #7): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Threat Confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Clearly Non-Critical Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Swim: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

************Round 2*******************

Init: GL2, GL7, Garavaen, GL 10, Astein, Elias, GL 3, GL 9, Ri'el, Arenya, GL 8, Morgrym, Davina, GL 6, 1

Garavaen, getting a feel for fighting in the water, thrusts his rapier through the water and into the Grindylow puncturing deeply into the creature, who sinks beneath the water, sliding off Garavaen's rapier.

Astein moves to flank the now departed creature and turns his ire onto another instead. His hair lashes out striking the air near the creature but missing.

Eli grits his teeth against the pain and fires at the first Grindylow, the arrow driving deep into its chest. The grindylow spirals down into the depths trailing blood. His goblin nature rising to a fervor with the pain he fires another shot at one of the Grindylow attacking Astein. The arrow strikes the aquatic goblin with such force that Astein is presented with the arrowhead sticking out of the thing's chest. It too follows its companion into the depths.

Ri'el's hair begins to wrap around the grindylow again, but he soon realizes that Eli's arrow has finished the creature off.

Davina, go ahead with your action. Not going to wait on Arenya or Morgrym.

***********status*************
GLow 5 dead
GLow 3 dead
Glow 2 dead
GLow 7 dead
GLow 8 dead

Arenya 22/22
Astein 17/20
Davina 17/17
Elias 5/18
Garavaen 25/25
Ri'el 7/15
Morgrym 24/28

Davina moves closer to the remaining grindylow and sends another beam of cold at them.

Ray of Frost: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 101d3 ⇒ 2
Moved myself already, sending it at number 6