GM SpiderBeard's Carrion Crown (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

I'm going to assume that in Wren's meandering deviance she gave the general background on what was going on with the skum.

Horace smiles as he is complimented and follows with rapt attention was Wren's meandering gossip touches on the occasion bit of vital information, and a great deal of useless twaddle. As Whiskeyjack adds the whiskey to his not-tea, he also notices to his dismay it has turned a strange patterned red and blue colour that could only be described as plaid. Tastes like whiskey now though.

"Horrible! What a horrible tale," he says, dabbing at his eyes with a putrid napkin. "Good to hear about the turnip-baby though, I think. My own sister was fostered when I was young - I had no idea for such evil purposes though. This dovetails with my own beliefs, that there was a sentient amphibious race inhabiting the Tern Rocks."

He stands. "I will help you! My subaqueous exploration and research vessel is complete - the Isinglass. It is moored off of the Tern Rocks. Accompany me back there. I believe that within Tern Rocks you may find what you seek. It will take me a couple of hours to get my equipment together, but we can set out post-haste if that is agreeable to you. It appears that Tern Rock may contain tunnels which are not underwater you should be able to enter without issue. Ahh... that said, if any of you have magic or equipment that would help you in the water, it would be advisable to get it ready."

Arval visibly swallows, knowing he would sink like a brick, but nods.
"Let's get this over with."

For today, knowing that we will be heading underwater, I will rack 3 water breathing, and 3 aboleth's lungs spells.

I'm going to assume that in Wren's meandering deviance she gave the general background on what was going on with the skum.

Well, that is a certainly a generous interpretation of what Wren probably focused on, which was the most inane, mind-numbing drivel of gossipy minutiae that anyone had ever heard, filled with innuendo mixed with generous heapings of nosiness. But...your interpretation moves the story along. Good. ;)

Wren finally winds down, exhausting her near-limitless ability to conjure inane facts about others out of the air (including some party members) and then finally discussing what the party had come to ask after about the 3rd or 4th helping of tea. She's having a delightful time.

As it seems that W'Jack will be supplying the water breathing, Wren will prepare her own spells for underwater dealings.

She has not quite talked herself out yet, but declines to talk too much more now that a plan has been set.

While the word salad comes forth from wren, lrna mumuers to whiskyjack, did you ever get that silence spell?

You take some time to head back to that weird inn with the grumpy sheriffs and get some proper quiet time where you can rest and prepare for what is sure to be a strange trip under the Lake.

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Part Four: Beneath the Tern Rocks
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The following morning you team up with Horace Croon for the walk back north to the Quay where he shipwrecked when you first arrived here. Horace is a chatty, strange fellow, although he has a vast mind and can ably keep up with Wren's repressed sex-weirdness and Eldon's tall tales.

Horace's now-repaired trawler, The Isinglass is anchored to the quay, and atop the deck is his submersible, a fish-shaped apparatus of brass, around eight feet in diameter. It's going to be a tight squeeze, even with the two halflings.

You all get aboard the trawler and Horace potters around before he sets sail for the Tern Rocks, a series of rocks jutting out from the water a ways into the lake, barely visible from shore. A heavy rain begins to fall as you set out, obscuring sight and making the trip a rather damp, cold affair.

After getting Arval to drop anchor, Horace turns to all of you, speaking loudly over the din of the rain.

"Well this is VERY exciting I must say. Now. A few things. The submersible receives air through a hose, operated by an air pump. I will be continuously operating the air pump from here, which will maintain pressure and allow you to breathe. If the pump ceases working, your air should last..."

He looks over the six of you critically. "Thirty minutes at a stretch. There is a wire up along the air hose - yank that wire once when you are exiting, and ring it thrice to have the submersible brought back onto the boat. The submersible is controlled by this winch here. So I will remain here to operate everything, and you get to enter the tern rocks and see if my speculations are correct! Ah - any questions?"

Short version is you're going to be in a very cramped metal ball which will drop to the bottom of the lake. From there you exit into the presumed tern rocks entrance. Horace will run everything, the submersible cannot move of its own power.

Also, since you have a few means of water breathing and that helm of underwater action, if anyone wants they can drop down on the outside of the submersible.

Whiskeyjack whispered back to Lena, "Nay, bu' I ken be makin ye deaf. Course, I cannae be liftin' th' spell after." The warpriest shrugged.

****

After Horace explained his machine's workings, Whiskeyjack got a concerned look on his face. "Ye mean we'll be crammed int' tha' metal fish t' be dangled like bait fer wha'ever giant beastie be wantin' a crunchy snack, an' then t' be le' ou' a' some place where ye dinnae e'en know there be air? An' t' have less than a half hour o' air if'n somethin' goes wrong? Wha' d' ye think we be doin' if'n yer contraption breaks? Walkin' back along th' lakebed?"

Whiskeyjack grumbled some more, but in the end he really didn't see that they had much choice.

Giving you guys another day to post before I stick you in the brass thingy.

I would post more, but truly waiting for Eldon & Kawrock to do some pushing/posting. This game is better when everyone plays.

Wren frets outrageously about what the salty water might do to her beautiful feathered armor, so much so that she removes the colorful clothing and stows it in her 'sack. She wears a yellow stained simple cut blouse under 'armor', and feels naked as she enters the brass fish.

"Shall I stay up here to make sure everything goes well?"
Arval says, not fancying a dive into the depth. The thought of being completely dependant on a single person scares him.

Eldon reaches for Arval's shoulder, can't reach it, and instead places his hand on Arval's elbow. "Don't worry, my dear assistant. I will save you if the proceedings go awry."

He smiles encouragingly at Arval, and enters the submersible. "Off we go, to explore a new low in our careers!"

Horace looks keenly at Arval. "Sir I am affronted. This is not a leisurely dive, you're supposed to exit the submersible and enter hte tern rocks. All of you will be required for this surely. And I understand you have a few means of getting around underwater." He thinks for a moment. "I believe the bottom is quite deep though - the pressure may be an issue."

You guys can decide for thsoe who aren't posting. Is everyone using the submersible or is someone going to hang around on the outside using the helmet or whatever spell?

"If'n we be goin' down in this thing, then we all need t' go. Ain't no sense t' be spli' up here an' down there if trouble comes knockin'. An' i think we all be seein' tha' trouble is no stranger these days. An' none o' this larkin' about outside th' metal fish, either. Who knows wha' be down there, an' I dinnae fancy anyone's chances swimmin' about while th' rest o' us be trapped in here. All or notin' I be sayin'!"

With Kawrock gone and lacking any claim from the recently posting, Wren will lay claim to the helm of underwater action. She can cast and see without penalty, which will be nice.

Wren stuffs as much of her thin, stringy hair under the helm before taking the dive down with the submersible. While she does enjoy the illusion of flight in the underwater realm immensely, she frets about what the salt water is doing to her skin.

Tagging along inside the sub until it reaches depth, she will cast Prying Eyes, using the eyes to look and pry into the Tern Rocks and report back what they see.

Send them down in 5 pairs, with instructions to report back should one of them die or 20 minutes of prying/exploring is up. Circle the Tern rocks for openings, entrances, monsters, things of interest.

Arval looks a bit nervous but steps in the submersible, trying to set all the dangers out of his mind as he has done a thousand times before.
"Let's go..."

Everyone piles into the submersible, which has a huge door that pivots out and up. "Right! Good luck friends!" Horace's eyes and wild with excitement and once you pile in and Wren plops into the water, he starts working his elaborate pulley system.

SPLOOOSH

And down you go...

----

Wren kicks along happily, imagining that she is a penguin or perhaps a diving bird like a loon as she sinks down into the depths of the largest lake in the world. The helm's amazing sight allows her to see an extraordinarily long distance, despite the fact the light is starting to fade out overhead.

Inside the submersible it is miserably cramped and claustrophobic, although the fact you have two halflings rather than full-sized humans with you helps. Also the fact Wren is stinky, and she is outside.

You go down... and down... and down. The lake is a marvelous, strange world to Wren. Schools of small fish swim by, tickling Wren as she sinks down. The tern rocks just plunge down into the depths, and you don't spy an entrance yet.

Wren begins to feel a very uncomfortable sensation. Despite the fact she can breathe and see without issue, the water is not only extremely cold, but the pressure is beginning to cause her problems.

Wren must make a DC 15 fortitude save or take 1d6 ⇒ 4 damage from water pressure.

For the rest of you, please explore your character's reactions to be trapped in a -cramped- metal ball plummeting to the depths of the ocean while being intimately close to one another.

Everyone piles into the submersible, which has a huge door that pivots out and up. "Right! Good luck friends!" Horace's eyes and wild with excitement and once you pile in and Wren plops into the water, he starts working his elaborate pulley system.

SPLOOOSH

And down you go...

----

Wren kicks along happily, imagining that she is a penguin or perhaps a diving bird like a loon as she sinks down into the depths of the largest lake in the world. The helm's amazing sight allows her to see an extraordinarily long distance, despite the fact the light is starting to fade out overhead.

Inside the submersible it is miserably cramped and claustrophobic, although the fact you have two halflings rather than full-sized humans with you helps. Also the fact Wren is stinky, and she is outside.

You go down... and down... and down. The lake is a marvelous, strange world to Wren. Schools of small fish swim by, tickling Wren as she sinks down. The tern rocks just plunge down into the depths, and you don't spy an entrance yet.

Wren begins to feel a very uncomfortable sensation. Despite the fact she can breathe and see without issue, the water is not only extremely cold, but the pressure is beginning to cause her problems.

Wren must make a DC 15 fortitude save or take 1d6 ⇒ 2 damage from water pressure.

For the rest of you, please explore your character's reactions to be trapped in a -cramped- metal ball plummeting to the depths of the ocean while being intimately close to one another. This thing is built for two people and there are five of you in it.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 Fort vs. DC 15
1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 Perception

Though pained in her air bubble, Wren continues to float down with the sub.

Arval, squished in one of the corners, pulls a funny face about halfway down. Mere seconds later he releases a sneeze, followed by another two, spraying saliva and snot all over the cabin.
"Sorry! Sorry! Couldn't hold it in, and can't reach!"
As the submersible goes deeper and deeper the burly warrior begins to look more and more claustrophobic.

"Budge over, you lo'! I need t' be movin' away from this fountain o' sno' an' spi'. Seriously, boy, dinnae ye think wha' i' would do t' th' rest o' us? Bad enough t' be crammed in here like peas in a too-small pod, bu' t' be flingin' bodily fluids around? A' least th' crazy elf be outside, else we'd hae e'en more nastiness t' be dealin' wit'. Come t' think on i', me own armor's a bit piquant. Mebbe we should take th' time t' clean i' when we ain't running pell mell on some chase or another."

have i mentioned that I hate both boats and enclosed spaces lenas voices quakes.

So a note here is you can actually exit the submersible at will. There is a hole in the floor you can just dive out of - the constantly pumped air keeps the water out. You are also squeezing if you are inside, -4 to attacks and AC.

Wren happily bobs along, not really paying attention to much. Her attention is grabbed when she hears the blurbling sound of someone... casting a spell?

Looking into the gloom, her helmet allows her to see a good distance from the boat a strange, octopoid creature the size of a horse. Its spiked tentacles flap around wildly as it apperas to be casting something.

Wren has a standard action only as she can act in surprise arounds, even with her lousy perception check! The rest of you in the submersible have noticed this thing through your lousy tiny viewing window.

Round of Surprise, Pain, and ElfSushi

Wren looks up at the sounds of spellcasting, wondering because it isn’t her own. She squints, grateful to the helm for the ability to have clear sight underwater, giving her a chance to identify the fishyfoe.

”Oh dear, oh dear, that isn’t good.”

1d20 + 18 ⇒ (3) + 18 = 21 Spellcraft
1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26 Know (Arcana)

”Oh dear, oh dear, that isn’t good,” She says again, wondering how to warn the people inside.

She casts Magic Missile by hand to try to disrupt the spell. 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 1, 2) + 5 = 14 force damage

Eldon's being squashed inside the submersible, his face stuck to the tiny viewing window. He sees the creature outside and ceases his constant unconvincing and squeaky stream of the words "I'm absolutely fine" to say "$#@%."

Arval, squeezed in the corner, seems oblivious to the squid. He turns around abruptly when he Eldon suddenly stops talking.
"Wha... WHAAAAAT IS THAT?!"
Terror and regret in his eyes he grabs for his paw charm.

The magic missile slams home and the things tentacles shiver briefly, and the spell is interrupted! It looks extremely cross, and in response it fires off a lightning bolt at Wren! She tries to twist out of the way and is only partially scorched, but it hurts nonetheless.

Wren takes 18 damage. Everyone is up! Reminder you are around 200 feet underwater right now and the submersible is slowly sinking at about a rate of 40 feet a minute.

Wren, be-zapped, is jolted. She reflects upon her life’s choices that have lead her to this moment, and regrets most of them.

Oh dearie, oh dearie.

She waits to see what the occupants of the sub do before acting on her own.

Will post as others get moving.

"Whiskey, use you water breathing spells on some people!" Eldon yells in a squeaky voice that's absolutely caused by being squashed against the submersible's wall and absolutely not by him being afraid of anything.

"I can teleport you and Arval straight up to that thing, and everyone else can attack from a distance! Give Arval water breathing first, he looks like he really wants to go out there!"

Kawrock, who also memorized a couple water breathing spells because that would be smart, quickly chants a spell, touching Arval. "Go. You can swim now."

Arval has gained Ride the Waves.

Was waiting for that, and also not... ;P Double move

Arval stares at Kawrock and then at the giant squid. Seeing the whole party being at danger he does the only thing that is right, he makes sure his weapon and shield are strapped tight to his body and he jumps out of the hold and begins swimming.

"Go ou' ther? D' ye be daft? Lookit th' amount o' metal I be wearing, lad. I'd be walkin' back home on th' bottom, as I cannae swim in all this!"

Even as he was talking, Whiskeyjack cast a blessing on the party, helping everyone with their attacks.

Casting bless

Round 2

With Arval bravely going to engage the octofishcaster, Wren draws her wand of Magic Missile and fires more force missiles.

”cawCAW!” Wren says within her helmeted air bubble, activing the wand and selecting a target.

5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 2, 1) + 5 = 14 force damage
49/50 charges left.

Arval - note that you stiull have your ACP, but you get a +8 to swim checks from the spell.

Inside the submersible, Lena gulps and simply casts a mage armour spell on herself, realizing Kawrock wants her out next.

Wren zaps off a second missile as Arval plunges into the ocean, surprised to find himself inhaling water with ease and swimming through, despite his plate mail.

The devilfish jets along the water, lining itself up nicely with Arval and Wren before it blasts them both with lightning!

Lightning: 8d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 5) = 20
Saves: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 171d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Back in the submersible, Kawrock touches Lena, granting her ride the waves.

Two saves! Arval and Wren both take 10 damage. Everyone is up! Lena now has water breathing and improved swim speed.

Whiskeyjack cursed under his breath and leaned out to where he could see the devilfish. He chanted a bit and flung a pinch of silvery dust out. Suddenly, the water around the devilfish bloomed with a bright light.

Casting Burst of Radiance. Devilfish takes 5d4 ⇒ (4, 2, 2, 4, 4) = 16 damage, and must make a DC17 Reflex save or be blinded for 1d4 ⇒ 2 rounds

Round 3

Now blasted twice by the lightning bolts, Wren is hurting and most definitely *not* having fun.

”cawCAW!” Wren says, then swims behind the sub, hiding herself from line of effect/sight.

5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 4, 3, 3, 4) + 5 = 21 force damage
48/50 charges left.

Sorry for not getting a post in, will have one up today.

"Yeah... Sure... Go swim up to it," Eldon mutters as Arval leaves the submersible.

"I mean, it's not like you're wasting your time while I could've instantly teleported you up to it... Not at all..."

Eldon shrugs, folds his arms, and leans against the sub's hull as comfortably as possible. "Go swim then... Like I care... Hmpf..."

While sulking Eldon looks at Kawrock and Whiskey, wondering if they're going to do anything to make him breathe water and give him the ability to talk (senselessly) to fish.

Another magic missile slams into the devilfish, doing a significant amount of damage while Kawrock sighs and enchants Eldon with a water breathing spell.

REflex: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (16) + 13 = 29

Whiskeyjack's spell goes off, causing more damage to the creature, but it easily twists out of the way of the blinding effect.

Arval, Lena, and Eldon have actions. Eldon has been granted water breathing,

Swim: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Arval continues on towards the big fish, finally reaching him. As he gets close he pulls out his sword, not wanting to lose it.

Round 1
Lena quickly casts a shield spell
Then she exits the vehicle
Round 2
oh that's just all kinds of wrong
magic missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 4, 4) + 5 = 19

More magic missiles fly towards the devilfish as Arval struggles through the water towards the fish, who snaps a tentacle at him and misses. Eldon drops out of the submersible, and starts babbling about something that happened but probably didn't.

The devilfish jets back a little as Arval approaches, and then a nasty-looking ray shoots out of it. However, it completely misses and the ray flies off into the water! It strikes a nearby walleye which slows to a crawl and stops sinking.

Everyone is up!

Arval pulls his sword back and makes two quick stabs at the creature, aiming to cut off some of the tentacles.

2h power atk: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
Dmg: 1d10 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21

2h power atk: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23
Dmg: 1d10 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21

Well, if it worked once, lets try again

magic missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 1, 2, 4, 1) + 5 = 15

Round 4

”cawCAW!” Wren swims out of a line (but staying close to the sub, up 15') and fires her wand again.

Arval is way out there alone. Shouldn't someone go help him?

5d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 3, 3, 4, 4) + 5 = 20 force damage
47/50 charges left.

Whiskeyjack held his position in the submersible and cast the last spell he had in his repertoire that would leave him safely out of the dark wet water, yet still help out his companions. He chanted the words to remove sight from Angradd's enemies.

Casting blindness on the devilfish. DC18 fort save or be blind permanently!

Will: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

Arval awkwardly starts swinging his sword whilst swimming back and forth in plate mail. It's super awkward and although his attacks are strong, they don't manage to penetrate the devilfish's rubbery hide.

Whiskeyjack is far more effective and the water echoes loudly with an incredible shriek as its red eyes film over with white. It begins thrashing around violently and appears completely panicked.

Lena and Eldon are up!

Eldon makes some wild gestures while babbling and suddenly disappears, reappearing near Arval and the blind squid monster. He continuous his babbling there while pulling out his crossbow.

"I've always had the gift of underwater speech, I just wanted Whiskey to feel a bit better about himself! Anyway, yes, I know this kind of creature! It's very important to kill it if you want it dead!"

Inspire Courage +2 is up!

Eldon suddenly appears in the water as more magic missiles slam into the devilfish. With it completely unable to see it gathers up its tentacles and with a WHOOSH jets off into the ocean at unbelievably high speeds. Arval swings after it as it leaves, scoring it badly with his sword. The creature looks near-death as it flies off into the ocean.

AoO: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30 Damage: 1d10 + 20 ⇒ (7) + 20 = 27

End of Combat

The devilfish is 240' away. Wren can still see if she wants to try to finish it off, but it's obviously fleeing.

Arval sheaths his sword and swims back to the submersible, feeling terribly cold from the water. He quickly makes it back and climbs back in, shivering and dripping wet.

Swim: 1d20 + 4 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 8 = 28 My own swim skill is 4 and the bonus is +8, not bad in full plate!

Mine's like a -113, which is why Whiskeyjack wanted to stay in the sub!

"Well, dinnae I be tellin' ye no' t' be gettin' in th' water? Lad, ye nearly drowned yerself. An' fer wha'? T' scare off a wee fishie? Ye gotta be learnin' when t' charge an' when t' sit back an' le' others be doin' their part."

Whiskeyjack pulled one of the wands from his belt, examined it for a moment, then began prodding everyone's injuries.

Heal yourselves and let me know how many charges to take off