KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

Does anybody else want to move in once Farrukh's given the "all clear" on wacky boulder traps and suchwhat?

"Oh, nice. Thee are Elixirs of Hiding. They make you really good at hiding. If Zyrxog can see through invisibility spells, this might still give us an edge."

Does anybody else want to move in once Farrukh's given the "all clear" on wacky boulder traps and suchwhat?

I was going to say yes until I read that thing you posted in discussion.

:P

I'm currently wrapping up conversions on this installment now. What I wrote wasn't in response to what's going on now, but what will be going on shortly. Though I will say it was partially motivated by everyone being so sluggish and paranoid right now. Same thing happens whenever an enemy readies an action.

I didn't think we were too sluggish the last couple days.

Tanith waits for Farrukh to open the definitely-not-trapped door. "Get on with it!"

No, but if I give you guys a hallway, you walk through it. If I give you guys a hallway and say, "It doesn't look trapped, who goes in first?" nobody posts for two weeks. ;P

Well you could always just skip that part and just jump ahead to the next important scene. =P

Anyway I gave Farrukh his second. Make with the door opening!

I'm going to post in the morning, because it's 2:20 and, besides which, someone might at least want to translate those notes before we proceed.

Or someone might want to go up the stairs, of course. It's hard to say, because there have been very few posts thus far.

Sorry I would have posted earlier but I had a somewhat busy night on top of visiting the gym. I'm not usually this slacky.

On the plus side I got caught up on Agents of Shield, Flash, and watched Birdman finally.

This week's Flash, man. Good stuff.

I'm just waiting on other people to help me translate papers.

Eben heads over to the desk to help out with the reading of the notes. On the way, though, he stops and pokes his nose over the lip of the tank of green liquid, because he has terrible self preservation instincts.

Carina reads the notes that are written in Draconic.

And she almost immediately regrets it. "Uh... well, the octo-beasts we've been fighting can see through both invisibility spells and walls. That's... kinda informative now."

Her face turns a pale blue. "The other notes seem to indicate that Zyrxog is working on creating some sort of parasite that makes its victim more susceptible to suggestion. He also appears to be planning to..." She takes a closer look, as if to convince herself that's what she really just read. "...spawn?"

She promptly stands up and backs away from the notes. "Eww. Eww. Eww. REALLY didn't want to know that."

"Tentacled monstosities need lovin' too, I guess." Eben says, peering into the tank.

"No, I mean he's trying to reproduce asexually." Carina winces and rubs her eyes. "And trust me--you don't want me to translate the gory details."

Tanith stares at the indecipherable text in disbelief. ”I feel like that’s taking all the fun out of it.”

"Well, the way mind flayers do it is even worse. Trust me on that." Carina shivers.

"Tentacled monstosities need lovin' too, I guess." Eben says, peering into the tank.

As Eben peers over the tank's edge, he thinks he sees a slight ripple in the waters.

1d20 ⇒ 91d20 ⇒ 2

He suddenly realizes there is something enormous in there—something that is beginning to stir. He can't even tell what it is, but it seems to be moving towards the edge of the tank. Fast.

Inits: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 201d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 211d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 51d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 191d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Eben, Carina, and Rodrigo win initiative, but only Eben and the monster may act in the surprise round.

Surprise Round: Eben is up.

"So, what, does he just...split in half and make a new one? Or does he plan on giving himself all the necessary...bits?"

By the way guys, if my bull's strength runs down before the final fight I'd like to take 15 minutes to prepare the rest of my spell slots.

"Well, aren't you the expert on tentacle beasts? How do octopuses do it?"

"Hey, I know all about underground monsters from space. Not so much about octopi. They're boring."

"I honestly can't fathom the idea of a mind flayer not having sex being more disturbing than the idea of one getting laaaaiiiiii!" He yelps as the contents of the tank begin to stir. "Monster in the water! Monster in the water!" His warning is perhaps a tad redundant. He stumbles back a few feet, pulling out his sword along the way.

For once, if I'm attacked, I'm threatening a space!

Move action: move 10 feet north long the blue line, draw sword as I go. (drop quicken rod as a free action). Free action: activate Dance of 23 Steps. Any AoO I make are at -2 while Dance of 23 Steps is active.

Heroism lasts 624 and 625 rounds, dancing lights lasts 1d10 ⇒ 4 rounds, cat's grace lasts 63 rounds, good hope lasts 64 rounds, abundant ammunition lasts 18 rounds, mirror image lasts 20 rounds. Mirror image has 4 images remaining. AC is 23/18/17 w/ PFE, 25/20/17 w/ Dance of 23 Steps.

1d20 ⇒ 6
The glass tank shatters.

Glowing green fluid and shards of glass surge outward, flooding the area, sending papers flying and upending bookshelves. It starts out roughly waist high, though it quickly recedes.

Sprawled where the tank once was is an enormous octopin, easily twice the size of any of those encountered prior. Its rubbery hide is raw and red in some places, as if this creature is not fully formed, but its two clacking claws are sharper than ever. Its golden eye burns with fierce intensity as it readies to attack.

Being closest to the spilled fluid, Carina must make a Reflex and Fortitude save, each DC 15. If she fails the Reflex save, she takes a -2 penalty to AC from being knocked off-balance. If she fails the Fortitude save, she is sickened for 4 rounds.

The shards of glass are all marked as being adjacent to where the tank used to. They're effectively caltrops with a -2 to-hit.

Round 1: Carina, Eben and Rodrigo are up.

On your turn, roll a Will save vs. gaze attack. You can make the standard decisions to avert or close your eyes.

Farrukh is startled from his vivid imagination filling in the blanks around Mindflayer sexual activity by Eben's exclamation.

"Thank god you interr-HOLY S%+#!" he exclaims as the enormous octopin crashes through the glass.

Reflex Save (Good Hope, Shield Other): 1d20 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 27
Fortitude Save (Good Hope, Shield Other): 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 11 +2 if it's a poison effect = 13

"Astraden, here's a better question--" Carina starts before the octopin bursts through the glass tank! "--AAAAACK! What the hell is that?!"

Although she's able to keep her balance as the green fluid tries to knock her off-kilter, some of it gets into her mouth and eyes. She coughs and retches. *ACK-HACK* "Oh, gods above, that's--" *HURK* "--that's disgusting!"

Round 1: Actions
Move Action: Move behind Astraden
Standard Action: Shoot the octopin with crossbow

Carina staggers behind Astraden, bringing her crossbow to bear and firing despite her nausea!

Ranged Attack (PBS, Precise, Cover, Good Hope, Sickened): 1d20 + 8 + 1 + 1 - 4 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 + 1 - 4 + 2 - 2 = 26
Crit Confirm?: 1d20 + 8 + 1 + 1 - 4 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 + 1 - 4 + 2 - 2 = 7
Damage (PBS, Sickened): 1d8 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 - 2 = 5
Nonlethal Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

"Yeah, of course." Eben mutters as the giant monster sludges forth. He steps back another few feet, dropping his sword this time, instead focusing on his fall-back ranged attack. "Because a giant tank of glowing green goo has to have a nasty monstrosity in it, why did I even bother to check?"

shortbow+good hope+PBS-Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 24
damage+good hope+Arcane Strike+PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 11
shortbow+good hope+PBS-Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 12 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 29
damage+good hope+Arcane Strike+PBS: 1d8 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 12

5-foot step north, drop longsword as free action. Arcane Strike as swift action. Full attack on king octopin.

Heroism lasts 623 and 624 rounds, dancing lights lasts 3 rounds, gravity bow lasts 4 rounds, cat's grace lasts 62 rounds, good hope lasts 63 rounds, abundant ammunition lasts 17 rounds, mirror image lasts 19 rounds. Mirror image has 4 images remaining. AC is 23/18/17 w/ PFE.

The bolt is a perfect shot and hits the octopin's main body dead-on, but it barely seems to sink so much as a centimeter into the creature's flesh. The octopin doesn't even notice it.

Eben and Rodrigo.

"Yeah, of course." Eben mutters as the giant monster sludges forth. He steps back another few feet, dropping his sword this time, instead focusing on his fall-back ranged attack. "Because a giant tank of glowing green goo has to have a nasty monstosity in it, why did I even bother to check?"

[dice=shortbow+good hope+PBS-Rapid Shot]1d20+12+2+1-2
[dice=damage+good hope+Arcane Strike+PBS]1d8+2+2+2+1
[dice=shortbow+good hope+PBS-Rapid Shot]1d20+12+2+1-2
[dice=damage+good hope+Arcane Strike+PBS]1d8+2+2+2+1

5-foot step north, drop longsword as free action. Arcane Strike as swift action. Full attack on king octopin.

Heroism lasts 623 and 624 rounds, dancing lights lasts 3 rounds, gravity bow lasts 4 rounds, cat's grace lasts 62 rounds, good hope lasts 63 rounds, abundant ammunition lasts 17 rounds, mirror image lasts 19 rounds. Mirror image has 4 images remaining. AC is 23/18/17 w/ PFE.

Two more arrows sink into the octopin's side. It seems annoyed now.

Knew I was forgetting something. Everyone roll Will saves on your turns. Typical gaze attack deal. After rolling:

Oops. In retrospect, should have wondered about that myself.

Will+good hope: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 2 = 8

Slow: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Eben's actions become very, very sluggish.

Since I should only have been able to make a standard action, deduct the second of those two arrow attacks.

Will Save (Good Hope, Shield Other, Sickened): 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 6

Slow For: 1d6 ⇒ 6 rounds

Carina ends up slowing down as well.

Alright--never mind the bolt attack, then.

Alright, then.

1d2 ⇒ 2
AoO @Carina: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32 Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 4) + 20 = 28

The octopin seems to hesitate only a moment before lunging at Carina with one enormous claw.

Rodrigo is up.

Pre-rolling because I assume I won't have time to shut my eyes?

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

Here's hoping the DC isn't higher.

...Yep.

Slow: 1d6 ⇒ 5

"Eben....fix...please...maybe?"

Eben this is precisely why we can’t have nice things.

Will (hope, magic circle): 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 + 1 = 23

Tanith grunts in surprise at Eben’s exclamation and then groans as he spins in time to fall under the sway of the enormous monster’s ocular powers.

Edit: Magic Circle!

A second later he shakes free from the sluggishness caused by the mega-octopin’s gaze. ”This thing is a lot stronger than those other ones we killed.”

Unfortunately not, because there was a surprise round. Only Eben got the option. On the bright side, you can effectively count one round of the slowness as having already gone by.

To reiterate, Rodrigo is up.

Rodrigo, I've been considering it, and I've decided the cerberi, having four more eyes than he should, is unable to avert his gaze. He can choose to outright close his eyes as normal, but this is how we'll represent his unique drawbacks against gaze attacks.

He does not have to save immediately, as the stairs block his line of sight. He will have to save when he comes within range unless Rodrigo tells him to close his eyes.

Actually, given that we're all clustered around the door anyhow, can the (evil, summoned monster) cerberus even get past the various magic circles against evil and get in the room?

On a related note, was the Rodrina circle focused on Carina, or Rodrigo? They're now more than ten feet apart.

But no, it shouldn't be able to come through.

I think it was focused on me.

In the future, summons go in front, I go in back please.

"S$@!!" Rodrigo squeals like a 12 year old girl. He stumbles back from the creature, looking it full in the eye. He body twitches and he stumbles even more as he moves, only making it a few feet. "Celeritate viperae!" he cries, casting his haste spell on everyone again. Treble forces his way past Carina and Astraden. It slips in the goop and begins to wretch with two of its heads. The third tries to bite Enormo-pin, but the effort is feeble.

Will save (Pro evil, good hope?): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 + 2 = 15
1d6 ⇒ 5
5' step and cast haste. Curse the rules and the gods.

Damned ninja rules lawyers ionvalidating my whole post.

I don't think you can save to enter the aura—the only way to enter the aura is Spell resistance.

The good news is, if Treble does find a way to get there (perhaps by delaying until the circle sources have moved a fair distance), he doesn't have to worry about the goop. That's just an initial effect.

Round 1: Giant Octopin
Target: 1d4 ⇒ 2

The giant eye blinks coldly as the octopin crawls forward, tentacles lunging at Farrukh.

Claw;Claw: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (9) + 20 = 291d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34 Damage (Rend): 2d6 + 8 + 2d6 + 8 + 4d6 + 12 ⇒ (6, 6) + 8 + (3, 4) + 8 + (6, 6, 1, 6) + 12 = 66

Its attacks look light, graceful; almost gentle. It doesn't seem to be terribly aggressive. The strikes almost seem curious, like it's just trying to understand more about these new visitors.

But as Farrukh's arm is nearly ripped clean from his torso, it's clear that this monstrosity is not playing around.

Tanith, Farrukh and Astraden are up.

Oh, almost forgot. The octopin is ignoring the glass with its movement, so:
Broken Glass: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0
No effect.

I'm still wondering how that liquid could POSSIBLY be opaque enough that I couldn't see a hint of the thing in there, even when I was at the desk like 5 feet away from it. A 30 Perception can literally hear the fine details of a whispered conversation from 150 feet, or sniff out a wisp of smoke from across a football field, and I saw NO sign? Harrumph.

Farrukh collapses in a puddle of his own blood, his SUPER SENSES not being good enough to see a creature the size of a house 5 feet from him.

Nice knowing you all. Are we up?

I'm still wondering how that liquid could POSSIBLY be opaque enough that I couldn't see a hint of the thing in there, even when I was at the desk like 5 feet away from it. A 30 Perception can literally hear the fine details of a whispered conversation from 150 feet, or sniff out a wisp of smoke from across a football field, and I saw NO sign? Harrumph.

Farrukh collapses in a puddle of his own blood, his SUPER SENSES not being good enough to see a creature the size of a house 5 feet from him.

Aside from these things being pretty stealthy, the water was a solid color and the glass was semi-opaque. There was no way to see inside without looking over the edge. Which I actually stated at the very beginning when you first scanned the room.

The only reason it could see you guys was because it can literally see through walls. :P

Rodrigo, Astraden and Tanith are up. Farrukh is free to roll stabilization whenever he gets tired of lamenting cruel destiny.

Stabilize: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

GG dice. Bleh.

Farrukh Al'Khatel wrote:

I'm still wondering how that liquid could POSSIBLY be opaque enough that I couldn't see a hint of the thing in there, even when I was at the desk like 5 feet away from it. A 30 Perception can literally hear the fine details of a whispered conversation from 150 feet, or sniff out a wisp of smoke from across a football field, and I saw NO sign? Harrumph.

Farrukh collapses in a puddle of his own blood, his SUPER SENSES not being good enough to see a creature the size of a house 5 feet from him.

Aside from these things being pretty stealthy, the water was a solid color and the glass was semi-opaque. There was no way to see inside without looking over the edge. Which I actually stated at the very beginning when you first scanned the room.

The only reason it could see you guys was because it can literally see through walls. :P

I couldn't hear it breathing, or splashing as it moved? It should have at least required an opposed Stealth check to be THAT quiet.

It wasn't moving, and being effectively invisible (and the fact that it was immersed in noise-blocking sludge) gives a pretty hefty bonus. Your check did not beat its check.

Also, again, something being in the water was hinted at prior. If you wanted to protest the whole "I should be able to hear what's in there", you should have done it then.