"Yes, its alright. The doors are...curious. They are made of stone.
"I've about had my fill of being sopping wet. As if this place wasn't trouble enough, it's like my clothes themselves are trying to strangle and smother me now." Vala huffs softly from the back of the group as she's helped from the water.
The heavy stone doors are unremarkable aside from their unusual material. Kazamir steps aside and gestures for Vermundr and Zed to come forward and push them open. They duly oblige with a synchronous shove of their shoulders.
Other than the two stone doors high on the walls, this room seems bare save for the dark waters covering the floor.
Once again the doors are high up and the remains of broken walkways can be seen against them, but unlike the other rooms, the remnants of the walkways are nowhere to be seen in this bare chamber.
Clinging to the ceiling of the room, in the darkness up above, a black, amorphous blob piles up on itself, a quivering mound of midnight sludge that glistens darkly before surging down toward you.
This massive amorphous blob is a dreaded Black Pudding!
It is completely mindless and are the scavengers of the underworld, constantly on the lookout for a meal. They can sense organic or metallic objects within 60 feet and mindlessly attack such items or beings until they are dissolved or the ooze is killed.
A black pudding secretes a digestive acid that dissolves organic material and metal quickly, but does not affect stone. Each time a creature suffers damage from a black pudding's acid, its clothing and armor take the same amount of damage from the acid. A DC 21 Reflex save prevents damage to clothing and armor.
Worse still, attacking a Black Pudding with piercing or slashing weapons deal no damage but instead splits the ooze into two independent creatures.
Though they are massive and deadly, they are relatively slow.
Vermundr glances up briefly. Spotting something shiny in the darkness, he stares in confusion for a second before raising his weapon defensively as dread realization sinks in. "Defend yourselves"
"Black Pudding!" Kaz shouts, "'ware your armor and weapons! ti will dissolve metal as well as flesh! And don't cut or pierce it - it will just divide into separate creatures!"
"Now the stone doors make sense, at least, "
"Do we fight or flee?"
At Kaz's declaration of not cutting or piercing it, Vala calls upon some of Petros' knowledge and conjures a bright orb of fire to her hand.
HP: 38/45
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 15
F/R/W: +5/+2/+9 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 2/7
Healing Hex targets: Hazel, Kaz, Vermundr
Heaven's Leap targets: self, Kazamir, Vermundr
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [X], know the enemy* [ ], magic missile [X] [ ] [ ], produce flame (CL9) [X]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 16: glitterdust [X], tongues* [ ], spiritual weapon [X] [X] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 17: fly [ ], lightning bolt [X], locate object* [ ], spiritual weapon (extended) [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 18: dismissal [ ], legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (7 hrs): Vermundr
produce flame (1/9 minutes)
"We cannot continue to flee when faced with opposition, we must advance. But it is slow, we could attempt to go past it and get out of its lifesense range."
The massive black blob drops suddenly from the ceiling with a loud SCHLUKK! as it dislodges itself and then hits the ground before you with a wet splat.
"No blades?" Vermundr says aloud as he considers Kazamir's warning. "I can slow it down but someone else will have to kill it."
The big northerner performs a sign with his offhand forming another spear of inky dark energy. He rears back and tosses it at the animate ooze.
Kaz concentrates for a moment, then slips behind Vermundr and steps to the side. He turns to face the blob , opening his mouth to let loose a horrid, rasping squeal that tears into the thing.
Vala hurries past the press of bodies and hugs the eastern wall before sending a tongue of fire lashing out at the giant ooze.
HP: 38/45
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 15
F/R/W: +5/+2/+9 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 2/7
Healing Hex targets: Hazel, Kaz, Vermundr
Heaven's Leap targets: self, Kazamir, Vermundr
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [X], know the enemy* [ ], magic missile [X] [ ] [ ], produce flame (CL9) [X]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 16: glitterdust [X], tongues* [ ], spiritual weapon [X] [X] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 17: fly [ ], lightning bolt [X], locate object* [ ], spiritual weapon (extended) [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 18: dismissal [ ], legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (7 hrs): Vermundr
produce flame (2/9 minutes)
Ripples beginning running along the surface of the thing as Kazamir screams at it, like wind whipping at a mill pond. Vala follows up with a burst of flame that erupts on it's surface and causes the whole thing to shake.
At first it appears that Vermundr's spell had no effect but then it seems that the thing moves even more sluggishly, if such a thing were possible.
Being told he has the best weapon, Zed steps forward and takes a swing.
Then Zed offers his weapon to Verm. "You're stronger than I am."
My most potent spells can't do a thing against this if it has no mind to speak of! Constantin shouts before raising two fingers to his temple and unleashing a blast of force instead that slams into the creature like rocks thrown into a mud puddle.
Zed
The thing lurches forward suddenly at the creature that just struck it so fiercely. Black tendrils reach out and seize at the inquisitor.
But he is ready for such an attack and dodges aside at the last moment.
Kazamir screams again, though the sound lacks the intensity of his first attack.
Constantin shakes off his trepidation and continues to focus, this time igniting spontaneous motes of unstable ectoplasm into licking flames.
Vala hurls another tongue of fire at the ooze, doing her best to remain up against the wall.
HP: 38/45
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 14 (10 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 15
F/R/W: +5/+2/+9 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 2/7
Healing Hex targets: Hazel, Kaz, Vermundr
Heaven's Leap targets: self, Kazamir, Vermundr
Current Wandering Spirit: Heavens
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (4+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [X], know the enemy* [ ], magic missile [X] [ ] [ ], produce flame (CL9) [X]
Level 2 spells (3+1+1*) | DC 16: glitterdust [X], tongues* [ ], spiritual weapon [X] [X] [ ]
Level 3 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 17: fly [ ], lightning bolt [X], locate object* [ ], spiritual weapon (extended) [ ]
Level 4 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 18: dismissal [ ], legend lore* [ ], greater magic weapon [X]
Ongoing Effects
greater magic weapon (7 hrs): Vermundr
produce flame (3/9 minutes)
Vermundr takes the inquisitor's offered weapon and, after sending a pulse of arcana through its length, smashes the club's studded head into the ebony monster.
"This is disgusting..." Hazel groans as she shifts her grip on her starknife and steps forward, attempting to smack the pudding with the side of the weapon.
As Hazel moves forward, the block oozy tendrils lash out at her.
Hit
and
It's grip is firm and it's very touch begins searing her flesh.
Fail
Success
and
Fail
Being told he has the best weapon, Zed steps forward and takes a swing.
Then Zed offers his weapon to Verm. "You're stronger than I am."
Fail
Vermundr takes the inquisitor's offered weapon and, after sending a pulse of arcana through its length, smashes the club's studded head into the ebony monster.
Fail
Fail
Fail
The group watches on in horror as Hazel is seized by the thing and as it starts drawing her into it's mass; her clothing, her armour and her flesh begins to sizzle and melt. With a scream she lashes out and then the group turn the ful force of their fury on the abomination, smashing it and scorching it with fire and psychic energy.
At the end of the barrage it's form begins to collapse as a great shudder runs through it and it bursts like a waterskin, spilling oozing black sludge all around the room.
With an apologetic shrug, Kaz looses one more scream - a shadow of the first one - into the motionless mass - the clears his throat.
"Sorry...It is hard to speak until the full power of the spell has been discharged..."
Damaged Objects: A damaged object remains functional with the broken condition until the item's hit points are reduced to 0, at which point it is destroyed.
Damaged (but not destroyed) objects can be repaired with the Craft skill and a number of spells.
Broken: Items that have taken damage in excess of half their total hit points gain the broken condition, meaning they are less effective at their designated task. The broken condition has the following effects, depending upon the item.
Energy AttacksEnergy attacks deal half damage to most objects. Divide the damage by 2 before applying the object’s hardness. Some energy types might be particularly effective against certain objects, subject to GM discretion. For example, fire might do full damage against parchment, cloth, and other objects that burn easily. Sonic might do full damage against glass and crystal objects.
Magic Armor, Shields, and Weapons Each +1 of enhancement bonus adds 2 to the hardness of armor, a weapon, or a shield, and +10 to the item’s hit points.
Damaged Objects A damaged object remains functional with the broken condition until the item’s hit points are reduced to 0, at which point it is destroyed. Damaged (but not destroyed) objects can be repaired with the Craft skill and a number of spells. (eg. make whole or mending)
As a tetsubo, the base weapon has 5 hardness and 10 hp. As a +1 weapon that makes it have 7 hardness and 20 hp.
So now it rests upon if the DM considers acid damage to be "particularly effective" against our weapons.
Kaz doffs his long coat and, looking away in a gentlemanly fashion, holds it out to Hazel.
"Unfortunately, I did not pack a full second outfit, but this should provide at least some modesty and comfort under your armor."
Glancing at his still bloody sleeves, Constantin says, "It seems the tailor will take the lion's share of our earnings when we finish our business here!"
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Regardless of the deadly circumstances, Vermundr can't help but sneak a glance at the bits of exposed skin seen through Hazel's acid-rotted clothing. He smirks and silently averts his gaze.