Chumtooth moves to the starboard rail and starts to point out the shoals, only to realize Carmelia has matters well in hand.
"Your skill at the wheel is more than enough to see us through, it seems," Chumtooth remarks, nodding to her. "Let us drop anchor, and then see what remains of this fort."
He turns to the rest of the officers. "Ready the longboat to go ashore."
"The fun begins." Faengrim double checks the supplies on the longboat and has it lowered into the water.
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White, sandy beaches encircle this deep, sheltered bay, stretching nearly two miles in every direction. To the north, a massive waterfall plummets from a high escarpment rising just above the treeline. The white stone walls of a seaside fort gleam on the western shore. A single tower reaches skyward from the fort, crowned with a torchlike fixture of dazzling crystal.
As the longboat is being readied, the water around the Kiss begins to roll and froth. Suddenly, tentacles burst forth from the surface of the water, grabbing for those on deck! Two sailors, as well as Dantes, Faengrim, and Carmelia are grabbed! Chumtooth is narrowly missed by a tentacle!
Faengrim takes 5 points of damage, Carmelia takes 5 points of damage, and Dantes takes 5 points of damage. Two sailors are dragged beneath the waves.
ROUND ONE
The octopus constricts its victims and attempts to grab two more sailors and Chumtooth. This time, it manages to snag Chumtooth and another sailor (Chumtooth takes 6 points of damage). It constricts the others (Faengrim takes 7 points of damage, Carmelia takes 6 points of damage, and Dantes takes 6 points of damage).
INITATIVE
Octopus
Faengrim (-12 hp & grappled)
Chumtooth (-6 hp & grappled)
Dantes (-11 hp & grappled)
Carmelia (-11 hp & grappled)
ROUND ONE
Chumtooth tears at the tentacle encircling him with his teeth.
Grappled: A grappled creature is restrained by a creature, trap, or effect. Grappled creatures cannot move and take a –4 penalty to Dexterity. A grappled creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls and combat maneuver checks, except those made to grapple or escape a grapple. In addition, grappled creatures can take no action that requires two hands to perform. A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler’s CMB + spell level, see Concentration), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity.
A grappled creature cannot use Stealth to hide from the creature grappling it, even if a special ability, such as hide in plain sight, would normally allow it to do so. If a grappled creature becomes invisible, through a spell or other ability, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on its CMD to avoid being grappled, but receives no other benefit.
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Carmelia gasps as a tentacle reaches around her and begins squeezing. "Drag me under and I'll kill you, briny beast!" she shouts above the din. She focuses on the octopus and wills it to fall asleep.
A witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the witch's level. This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.
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Chumtooth chomps down on the tentacle surrounding him, inflicting some damage, but his second bite is unable to penetrate the rubbery hide. Carmelia concentrates on the many-limbed foe and suddenly, the tentacles go slack, releasing those they have grabbed. The octopus begins to sink back beneath the waves.
When the water explodes with tentacles, Dantes tries to flee.
He casts fly on himself, and rises 30' in the air.
Faengrim bites the tentacle holding him
Bite: magic, silver
If a full round, Faengrim will do a full attack
Claw: magic, silver
Claw: magic, silver
Bite: magic, silver
The second action (after the Hex?) will be to cast Speak with Animals.
Carmelia wriggles free of the tentacle that had attempted to crush her as it goes slack and she starts moving into action. "We won't be able to outrun it to shore in time. It won't be asleep for more than a minute. Let's rescue our two overboard and get ready for its waking. Kill it, try to drive it off, I don't care."
Carmelia runs around the deck, casting water breathing on herself and five others
She steps to the edge of the boat, looking ready to dive in. "Captain, your orders?"
"Over the side! Two of you grab our crew mates and bring them up, the rest follow me. Stab the beast until it can never move again!"
Faengrim points at a pair of sailors "Get them!" Then, being particularly adept at operating in aquatic environs, goes after the sleeping tentacle beast.
When away from the sailors, Faengrim will suggest to Chumtooth. "We might be able to get a guardian. It would probably only cost us a sailor or two now and some tribute in the form of prisoners later."
Chumtooth pauses a moment to consider Faengrim's proposal. He motions for Carmelia and Dantes to join them.
"Is it possible to control the beast with magic and tribute?" he asks the two casters. "Can we assure its loyalty?"
"There are spells," Carmelia says, backpedaling from the edge of the ship, but eager to form a fast plan. "Though I did not prepare them today."
Faengrim just cast Speak with Animals. He could make the offer.
"I do not like offering our own crew," Chumtooth mutters under his breath to the group. "If the rest of the crew saw or heard of this, it could encourage disloyalty and incite mutiny. Offer it tribute in the form of intruders, prisoners, and those who are truly disloyal and mutinous. Make certain it knows we can put it to back to sleep and kill it, if it does not agree."
"Hmmm," Carmelia says, looking over at the much smaller octopus slung around her shoulders . "A guardian could be useful. I'm sure it would rather live than die. Let's try it."
She sees the two sailors that she imbued with the ability to breathe underwater dawdling and snaps at them. "Grab your fellow crewmates, ye scallywags or I'll feed ye to the beast myself!"
"They're dead already." Suggests Faengrim. "We're just making use of them/"
Faengrim plans on using Intimidate with carrot and stick offer.
Carmelia scowls at Faengrim. "They might not be. We're wasting time. And their air." Still, she casts barkskin on herself and leaps into the water to prepare for whatever shenanigans Faengrim has planned.
Before they dive in and wake up the giant octopus, Carmelia calls for divine guidance on Chumtooth. Once she dives in, she waits for the octopus to awaken and then mostly stands by trying to look intimidating as she breathes underwater. If Chumtooth makes any reference to putting the octopus to sleep, she grabs a passing fish and hexes it to fall asleep as well, crossing her arms and showcasing her rows of sharp, crooked teeth. Hap, her much smaller and less fearsome octopus serves as a sort of aquatic hype man for his mistress, floating around and making small ink squirts to accentuate her movements.
Chumtooth focuses an intense stare at the octopus and says in the most menacing tone that can be generated while under the effects of a water-breathing spell, "We have defeated you, and could have killed you. Instead, we make the offer for you to live and serve as the guardian of our harbor and shores. You are free to attack and eat any unwelcome visitors, so long as you do not attack us or those under our protection. We will also offer prisoners and traitors to you whenever they are available. You may refuse, but know it will result in you falling into another sleep from which you will not awake. Once your eyes close, we will gut you. Agree to serve us, and you will live, thrive, and be well-fed."
Faengrim pokes the creature awake with his trident. "Listen and, perhaps, live to feed again." He says using Speak with Animals. He translates what Chumtooth says keeping his trident at the ready.
Auto aid for Chumbooth roll.
"Gooood," Chumtooth replies, with a toothy smile, and nod of approval. "You are wise to understand the mutual benefit of this arrangement."
Carmelia sighs in relief as their gambit seems to have been pulled off.
With any luck, they might be able to start by feeding their new "friend" any other hostile occupants of the island. Carmelia enjoys a moment swimming around before ascending back to the ship. When the Captain indicates that they are ready to move in, she takes her place again at the wheel and finishes guiding the Kiss to shore.
So were those two sailors dead or just unconscious? Octoguardian could still eat.
Dantes shakes his head in disbelief. "Truth is stranger than fiction. They won't believe this one in the taverns across the seas! Of course, if they don't, they can come here and try to trespass!"
Dantes floats up a little, and turns to his captain. "With your permission, captain, I'll relay this to the crew so they know what's happened."
With that, Dantes flies over to the ship and quickly tells them of the events and that the octopus is not to be harmed until it attacks the ship.
Then he'll rejoin the exploration team.
As Carmelia guides the ship into port, she leaves Hap by himself at the wheel for a moment, speaking with him in their secret language. <"I know the two of you won't necessarily be able to talk, and I'm not saying you have to be friends just because you're both octopoidal, but it looks like the eight-leggers are gaining more influence in our crew. Guide us in, friend.">
Before departing, she checks on the sailors that had been rescued from the big octopus' clutches. She checks the white leather gloves on her hands and places a hand on each sailor in turn, channeling positive energy to revivify them.
When treating deadly wounds, you can restore hit points to a damaged creature. Treating deadly wounds restores 1 hit point per level of the creature. If you exceed the DC by 5 or more, add your Wisdom modifier (if positive) to this amount.
You can use the Heal skill to treat deadly wounds as a full-round action. You do not take a penalty for not using a healer’s kit when treating deadly wounds this way, and you can do so on a given creature more than once per day. When treating deadly wounds this way, if your result exceeds the DC by 10 or more, add your ranks in Knowledge (planes) to the damage healed.
When you use the Heal skill to treat deadly wounds, the target heals a number of hit points equal to either the result of your Heal check or the normal amount, whichever is higher.
Satisfied, she cracks her neck and sits down beside the sailors now waking up from their near-death experience. "Good news: you're not dead. Also good news, depending on your perspective: the octopus that nearly killed you is on our side now. I hope you don't hold grudges. Take good care of the Kiss while we're exploring, mmm?"
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As you approach the shore and the old fortress, you can easily see that it is in disrepair. The 15-foot high outer stone walls have been battered as though from catapults. As you come ashore and stand before the great gate towers, you can see that several beams have pulled free from the foundations of these stone towers where the main gates shattered, causing the towers to lean precariously. Their only access appears to be the
battlements along the connecting walls. There is also a large hole in the outer wall to the right of the gatehouse that opens into darkness.
"Behold! Our prize in all it's glory." Faengrim changes to his land form. "Let's hope there's something to kill in there."
"Let us start with the fort and see if it can be rebuilt," Chumtooth says to the group.
Carmelia gazes upon the fortress, gently clicking her claws together. "There's likely something living inside other than cockroaches and rats. If they're willing to be friends like our new eight-legged companion, then good. And if not, then Faengrim can taste more blood today."
Not able to see effectively into the fort, Carmelia pitches to her knees and digs around in the dirt for a moment before she returns with a pair of muddy beetles squirming in her hands. "Aha!" she exclaims, "Just what I was looking for." Holding the beetles in a cage of sharpened talons, she wipes her muddy left hand on her tunic and reaches back for a bottle of slow-moving amber liquid, which she squeezes onto her hand. She waves her hand to form a jagged looking symbol in mid-air, which glows as she unsprawls her claws. Within her hand, the beetles creep toward the honey and then turn towards her, seeming to be rapt with attention.
"Now be good and go tell me what you find in there," she says in an almost coddling, motherly tone. The beetles rise into the air and fly off ahead. She turns to her fellow crewmates and brushes her hair off her shoulder. "Give it a couple of hours and we'll have a good batch of information about what to expect."
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Your creeping scouts enter the fort through the collapsed wall near the front gate. After hours, they return with their findings. They report no creatures, of course, but they do tell you that many of the structures are unsteady and in danger of collapse. Specifically, in the central building, they sensed a strong electrical field over the floor and stairs. Further, on one of the upper levels of the same building, there is a trap that fires a fusillade of arrows at intruders. Most of the buildings are single-floored, save for the tower, a two-story building along the west wall, a two-story building against the east wall, and the building in the center, which has two levels (the tower has two levels as well). They can also confirm that there is a basement to the complex, accessible via the tower and the central building.
[b]"The middle one is probably the most important, but we might want to inspect some of the surrounding buildings first.
Dantes paces impatiently while waiting for the insects to return. After their report, he seems ready to dash into the keep. But when Faengrim gives his input, Dantes frowns.
"You are probably right, Faengrim. You've the sharpest eyes among us, I believe. Perhaps you should lead the way?"
Might as well go building by building clockwise from the front gate.
"We should clear the fort of anything dwelling within, then make camp and begin repairs," Chumtooth says. "It is ours, let us claim it."
Carmelia happily relays her scouts' findings to the rest of the officers and then finds some near-spoiled rations of just the sort that the beetles would probably enjoy, letting them scuttle off with it back to their nests.
"Hap and I can handle the traps when we find them," Carmelia says confidently. "And if you're confident in finding them, just signal me to come up. It sounds like we have clever predecessors or current residents. Oh!"
Carmelia reaches to her back where she has stored a cloudy bottle. In the other hand she draws out a shriveled grape and bursts it between two talons, letting it drip into the bottle while she mutters a few unintelligible words. The others will recognize it as one of her favorite spells: tears to wine. She sniffs the concoction before taking a swig of it and closing her eyes with a shiver. "Drink up, boys. The better to avoid being caught unawares."
Chumtooth downs the Tears to Wine concoction in a quaff. "Let go in, then," he says with a nod.
Gates
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Several beams have pulled free from the foundations of these stone towers where the main gates shattered, causing the towers to lean precariously. Their only access appears to be the battlements along the connecting walls. As you are merely passing beneath them, this does not concern you.
Beyond the fort’s shattered gates stretches a square courtyard, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by multiple buildings, their broken windows looming dark and silent. Moving clockwise to the first building, it is early afternoon.
You approach a large building and make your way inside. Dozens of broken cots and torn blankets litter this room. The ceiling rises fifteen feet overhead and a set of stairs climbs the eastern wall. Two exits lead north and west. You came in from the north and the west exit leads back into the courtyard.
"Let us climb the stairs, and see if this place is empty," Chumtooth says, moving towards the stairs leading up.
Carmelia nods and takes her place in the middle of the party, trusting Faengrim's sharp eyes to glean whatever traps they may come across.
Faengrim keeps aware as he leads the party up.
+2 in urban terrain; +4 v aquatic humanoids; +4 in water terrain; +4 v humans; +4 v giants
Though she hangs back, Carmelia lends her eyes to the scouting as well.