KC's Age of Worms

Game Master Kobold Catgirl

"Kind of the same thing here; I was dreaming about the worm nagas from Kuluth-Mar, but then I woke up, and when I went back to sleep I had the same dream again but this time they were wearing big floppy granny panties, so, y'know, not quite the same effect."

"...I woke up with Clunk looming over me. I didn't go back to sleep." says the tired-looking Farrukh.

"Aw, he was worried about you."

Astraden pats Clunk on the head.

*clink clink*[/b]

[i]Lesser restoration on Eben, Farrukh and Tanith.

"These last few nights, since drinking that strange bottle from Ilthane's hoard, I've been waking up with this intense sense of loss. It was different last night - I dreamed of being chased through tunnels by my old friends from Diamond Lake." She glances at Tanith. "Rindi, Eleagart, and Grytjom. And Svenser and Brummis too. I don't remember if I ever told y'all about what happened to them."

Eben doesn't need a restoration, he made the saving throw, Save the slot or give it to Krekie.

Ah, my mistake. It goes to Krekie then.

After clearing up Krekie's condition, Astraden also empowers Clunk's clothing and prays to Olidammara for guidance. At the end of the prayer, she flips a gold coin into the air, and while it is still falling, asks "How do we defeat the Thornvale Nightmare?"

Magic vestment +3 on Clunk lasts 15 hours. Divination uses up 25 gp of incense and an appropriate offering. Is a gold piece appropriate? Only Olidammara can say.

"Apologies." Clunk dips his head. "I assumed you would prefer to spend the night awake instead of--" He is cut off as Astraden pats his head.

The coin Astraden throws flashes and twirls through the air before landing--but suddenly it is a copper coin depicting the engraving of a winged shoe. Astraden intuitively recognizes it as a copper "pass", the lowest currency used in the region of the Hellfurnaces, and in particular the city of Cauldron. Cauldron is the city that, as part of one of the Age of Worms prophecies that has already come to pass, was recently destroyed in a volcanic eruption.

The message that washes over Astraden as she retrieves the coin is simple and brief: Be light on your feet. Stay cool.

"He says that we should be light-footed. And cool. Not sure if hes talking about temperature or not getting upset. Either way, probably a good idea."

Astraden tucks the coin back into her pocket.

-25 gp incense, -1 gp, +1 cp.

"Are y'all okay with waiting another quarter-hour, for a chillout spell?"

Astraden will prepare calm emotions in one of her 4th-level slots if we have time.

"Yeah, Waiting is fine. Maybe something that's fireproof, too? Kinda sounds like we might be walking on lava..."

"Good point. Though I can't imagine the nightmare itself is fire-based. It'd already have set this whole forest on fire."

Astraden also prepares communal resist energy in her remaining 4th-level slot.

When everyone is ready, Astraden goes around to each member of the group, lifting up their feet and removing bits of tar and stones stuck to their shoes. She recites a simple prayer and waves her mask at the group. "There we go, now you should be able to -" she lifts a foot up into the air, stabilizes it on something invisible, and then lifts the other into the air as well "- do this."

"It only lasts 10 minutes, so we'd better get a move on."

Communal air walk on the group, spending an action point [11/12] to save the slot. 10 minutes for whoever has the most readily available flight method (Carina?), 20 minutes for everyone else.

Carina jabs herself with a syringe of fly before following the others.

The party embarks on a short journey through the air, circumventing the briar thicket entirely. Krekie mutters something about a kenku being in the air being 'unnatural'.

A cave opening nearly seventy feet wide looms thirty feet above the top of the thorns on the northern cliffs. Clouds of steam constantly vent up from the cave opening, making it easy to locate from a distance.

Air Walk should have about two minutes remaining.

While Astraden is preparing her spells, EBen sits down with a scroll and studies it intently, nodding his head in time to a rhythm only he can hear.

Using Arrowsong's Lament to add shield to my spells known for the day, costing 9 rounds of performance.

After that, he cats arcane concordance, suffusing himself with a blue glow.

Using a.c. to get the benefits of Extend Spell.

While glowing, he then fires off his now-standard set of preparatory magics, then floating along with Astraden as she casts air walk on him and the others.

After travel time to the cave, it's: extended greater magic weapon (using my mnemonic vestment) for 28 hours minus eight minutes,, good hope for 197 rounds, cat's grace for 198 rounds, moment of greatness for 199 rounds, and mirror image for 200 rounds. images: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Doing my daily buffs

Doing my daily buffs

Since you're casting those at the same time I have arcane concordance running, you can also treat any arcane buffs you cast as Extended.

"Oh Eben, could you slap me with that wand from the hullathoin hoard real quick? I want thick skin before we go in the cave. Clunk, you might also want that - never know what kind of paradigm-challenging arguments a monster might mount."

If Eben assents, net +1 to Astraden's AC and flat-footed AC from wand of barkskin [41/50]. +2 to Clunk's natural armor as well, if he assents [40/50]. Anyone else who wants +2 natural armor (Carina, Krekie?) is also free to request wanding. The spell lasts 30 minutes from casting.

As the party is walking over the bramble thicket, Astraden draws a circle around herself, praying to Olidammara to ward off evil, bad vibes and so forth. Before entering the cave, she also summons an invisible shield of force around Cuetzpalli.

Magic vestment +3 on Clunk lasts about 8190 rounds, air walk on Carina lasts 20 rounds, air walk on rest of group lasts 120 rounds, magic circle against evil on Astraden lasts 1450 rounds, shield of faith +4 deflection bonus (so net +2 to Cuetzpalli's AC) lasts 149 rounds. Barkskin on Astraden and Clunk lasts about 219 rounds if cast.

Pausing as she surveys the cave and the gouts of steam rising off it, Astraden turns to the rest of the group. "I can see what he meant about staying cool." She proceeds to coat the group in heat-stealing prayers.

Communal resist energy (fire) 30 lasts 100 rounds on Astraden, 200 rounds on everyone else.

With that done, she begins to climb the invisible stairs to the cave mouth, doing her best to keep her armor from jingling.

Tanith, Farrukh and Carina can feel free to do buffs as they please--if you aren't buffing further, just post confirming you are ready to go. :)

Clunk does accept the barkskin. "This unit calculates it is unlikely to matter," he rumbles. "It is very difficult to destroy an inevitable. If the spell is cheap, I will take it."

Krekie is considerably less reluctant.

Tanith prepares with his usual spells.

Shield other on Carina; endure elements, resist energy, greater magic weapon, and iron skin on Tanith; Hunter's blessing on the party.

"Oh, yeah, sure, it's your wand, I'm just handling it for you..." Eben says, fishing out the stick and poking people with it. He experimentlaly gives himself a poke as well. "Oh. Bleaugh. I don't like that..." he says, itching at himself. "It feels like I've got a callus all over."

Astraden: UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (2) + 24 = 26
Clunk: UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31
Krekie: UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (17) + 24 = 41
Eben: UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27
Hypothetical Other Recipient:UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (3) + 24 = 27
Hypothetical Other Recipient:UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (15) + 24 = 39
Hypothetical Other Recipient:UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (19) + 24 = 43
Hypothetical Other Recipient:UMD: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (5) + 24 = 29

I don't have the wand on my character sheet, I think Gark is managing the charges, so deduct 4 + however many other people want to be barky.

"Good. Callouses keep you safe. You are much too soft even with them." Krekie ruffles her feathers, an apparent gesture of distaste.

"Yeah, Eben, why do you think people try to stab knights in the armpits? It's the part of the body with the least natural callus. But not for us, any more."

I don't have the wand on my character sheet, I think Gark is managing the charges, so deduct 4 + however many other people want to be barky.

Yep, [38/50] now.

Cuetzpalli wrote:

Doing my daily buffs

Since you're casting those at the same time I have arcane concordance running, you can also treat any arcane buffs you cast as Extended.

Awesome, thanks!

Carina chugs down her mutagen before gulping down several extracts.

DEX/CON Mutagen, Shield, False Life, Ant Haul.

False Life HP: 1d10 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Farrukh doesn't have any buffs to cast, he just mooches everyone else's. =p

Assuming we're all buffed? Oh, Astraden's spell had better last a while, that just looks like a nasty place to fall if it wears off too soon... Eben sweats a little the entire time he's walking over the thorn field. I really, really need to come up with some way of flying on my own, pretty sure I'd be good at it... Not that the cave Krekie's bird scouted out looks like an improvement over hovering above a valley of flesh-ripping thorns. "Steam can't be good. Might still be a lava cave with a stream running into the lava..." he says, glumly, cheering up a little once Astraden gives him a fire resistant coating. "Okay, let's do this, I guess? Here's someone we haven't played with in a while..." He conjures up Mr. Shiny and sends the humanoid-shaped bundle of lights down into the cave entrance.

Casting dancing lights.

Astraden peers ahead into the steam and darkness, ready to point at anything she notices to her more perceptive comrade with the shield of lightning.

Perception aid to Farrukh: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (19) + 17 = 36

Cuetzpalli advances with the others, sword out and ready to rock.

Gosh, I'm sorry, depression hit hard and sort of knocked me out for a few days. I hope to get back to my routine soon. I probably should have taken a normal break sooner so I wouldn't have to crash now.

There is a short silence as Eben's minor cantrip ventures up into the cave. Then, a booming, shrieking laugh like nails on a chalkboard, and an equally fell voice rises in the language of demons.

"...uh... Eben?" Carina winces.

"I don't think your dancing lights were appreciated."

"What, I heard a laugh in there." Eben defends his artistic choices. "Maybe if I made them pink and green?"

Astraden listens to the inhuman voice with a hand exaggeratedly cupped to her flared ear, appearing to take gusto in her role as message bearer (and forgetting Carina also knows the language). "Ah. There's someone who likes to speak in the third person in there."

She then splits off her double image and cups her hand again, this time around her mouth, to shout into the cave.

Casting copycat, which lasts 15 rounds.

Eben, who of course speaks not a word of Abyssal, nevertheless realizes that if Astraden's the one taking over communications, even if she's being 'diplomatic' in her mind, then the situation is f&$%ed. He clangs his bracers together, assuming the worst.

Aspect of the falcon for 10 rounds on Eben.

Today's GFL THP: 3d10 + 15 ⇒ (10, 7, 9) + 15 = 41

Cuetzpalli hears the demon voice and sees the others casting spells, and casts mirror image on himself.

Images: 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Current AC: 27

Having been dumbstruck at the sound of Abyssal being said in a very loud and (predictably) demonic voice, Carina can only watch as Astraden calls out 'Harrowdroth' and challenges them to come out.

"Astraden--maybe we shouldn't provoke this 'Harrowdroth'--" She starts.

"It's not like he sounds like the friendliest guy anyway. When you default to yelling in a language that sounds like snakes burrowing into your ears, you're probably not the best person."

"I mean, the druids told us to kill this Harrowdroth, I'm just thinking about how to achieve that most quickly," Astraden says with an innocent grin. "Fighting a monster in its own lair seems like a bad move when we have a nice big thorn thicket airspace to fight over."

Just checking as I set up the combat map--is the party satisfied with being placed upon the ledge outside the cave, or would you rather be in midair or on the ground? If either of the latter, how far are you from the entrance?

I'm not flying yet, so I'll be on the ground about 30' from the entrance.

Astraden will air-stand as close to Cuetzpalli as possible while still being able to see in a good 60 feet into the cave.

Farrukh can ascend using his shield if Air Walk is running out. I feel like flying is the better choice.

Carina will be in flight next to wherever Tanith is.

I imagine I'm air standing somewhere off of the ledge. You said the cave entrance & ledge are 30' above the top of the thorn forest; is that the ground, or is that further down?

Tanith's good with being put on the ledge.

I'd say the ground is 40 feet down overall.

I'll try to get the post up tomorrow--both my PbPs hit big Moments at the same time, and it's sort of slowed down progress on both.

There is a short silence from within.

By 'short' do you mean, 'at least six seconds'?

"Oh no, it's trying to run out our spell durations!"

Six seconds, yes, now that you mention it.

Okay, then... pre-fight round 2:

Eben lets Mr. Shiny rest wherever he is inside the cave and pulls out his extend rod, waving it around as he casts haste on everyone. Meanwhile, Forzamele starts glittering of his own accord.

Extended haste on everyone, weapon of awe cast from Forzamele.

Cuetzpalli takes the lull to cast another spell on himself, to make sure he's as ready as he can be for whatever is coming.

Casting Shield

Current AC:32, T 16, FF 31