So... What did you see, my friend? - says Goggh to Vamik. The Ogre is sitting down, resting and meditating to Irori when the ratfolk comes back.
He finally turns to Quercus.
Maybe now we should go explore the stairs you're curious about, treefriend. - he completes.
Quercus nods to Goggh. "I would be delighted to investigate. I too would like to catch some air and more importantly, sunlight up top for a bit after that. Too much time underground and I feel a little weak."
"There's a whole lot of nuthin' up there. It's a great vantage point, but I didn't see any approaching armies. It would make a good perch though. We might consider taking shifts up there while we wait for something. In the mean time, sure, lets find out where these stairs lead."
The remaining trio gathers up their gear and treasure and removing the barrier makes their way to the stairwell, deeper into the underground complex.
"I do hope we have a way to heal down there, I'll bet my whiskers there's more undead."
The trio proceeds down the stairs to the bottom and reaches another musty unused area. The area at the bottom opens into two chambers. One is clearly some sort of lab or magical research chamber. The other seems to be some sort of shrine with a menacing diagram on the floor. Magical green flame burns in several braziers in the corner and three small empty pools are on each of the three walls. The group is cautious to not step into any of the rooms, but can see clearly due to Quercus' light spell and the dim glow of the green flame in the braziers.
Hmmm... Lab before shrine? Goggh not comfortable with magical diagramy thingie on the ground! Hm!
The Ogre points to the lab and moves to search it. He moves slowly, as if checking if anything is trapped around him, and will give passage if any of his companions want to go in front.
"I can investigate the shrine. Lets get protected first."
Mage armor on both Quercus and Goggh. Shield on Quercus, Shield of Faith on all three of us. Luck blessing on all three of us, Community blessing on Mr Gibbons. Resistance on all three of us. Detect magic cast and concentrating. Then step into the shrine room.
"Ooo, look at all these goodies. A shrine protected by undead...there's bound to be all sorts of useful stuff in here. Where to begin?"
(-2 wis from mutagen)
Vamik doesn't notice anything particularly interesting or that stands out. He peers eagerly into what looks like the lab. Quercus casts a slew of protective magic over the group and steps into the shrine room.
A baleful moan erupts and some sword of undead abomination appears after a flash of malevolent green light.
Now feeling more protected by Quercus's magic, the Ogre grunts as he sees the creature appearing at the shrine.
Goggh helps! You're my trial! - he says, activating his Personal Trial ability.
He rages and enters in his Raging Brute state, then proceeds to move and try to grab the creature. Again, he doesn't activate his spirit totem, and he's power attacking and fighting defensively.
Raging Brute (3 minutes/day): 2 minutes used
Bloodrage (7 rounds/day): 5 rounds used
Lay on Hands (4 uses/day): 3 uses
Personal Trial (1 use/day): 1 use
Casting Chill touch
Then move 4 squares closer into range.
The creature is medium sized, and he is technically not taking up a correct location in a nice 5' square, since I centered him in the circle in the middle of the room. This makes for a not very nice way to calculate battle, so I will just sort of opt to place him in one of the squares as a formality. Nevermind, I see that was already done.[/ooc]
Round 1
Goggh steps into the room to attack the creature
- miss
The undead swings a huge sword at Goggh as he pushes past his companions raging. The sword misses however.
Goggh steps in and envelops the creature in his arms, grabbing it and squeezing.
Vamik casts his spell and scoots closer to the action.
Quercus steps 5' into the room and attacks with a flurry
Round 1 - continued
Quercus steps in a hammers at the undead creature. One of his blows strikes solidly as the creature and Goggh grapple.
The creature, while still being grappled by Goggh, brings its greatsword up and tries to kill Goggh.
Full attack
- miss
- miss
The creature's sword swings were off balance and poorly aimed, and in addition to Goggh's hold on it, they attacks fall short and do no harm.
Goggh feels the wind of the sword almost touching him, and thanks Irori for protecting his life. As a swift action, he heals himself, one last time for the day.
He proceeds to try to maintain the grapple to pin the opponent, still power attacking, raging and fighting defensively. If he manages to maintain the grapple, pinning the creature, he will make his enemy prone.
Raging Brute (3 minutes/day): 2 minutes used
Bloodrage (7 rounds/day): 6 rounds used
Lay on Hands (4 uses/day): 4 uses
Personal Trial (1 use/day): 1 use
Vamik steps up 5 feet and initiates a full attack. The dark energy of chill touch courses through him.
,
,
,
,
Vamik steps up 5 feet and initiates a full attack. The dark energy of chill touch courses through him.
[dice=attack claw]1d20+9, [dice=damage]1d4+8
[dice=attack claw]1d20+9, [dice=damage]1d4+8
[dice=attack claw]1d20+9, [dice=damage]1d3+8
[dice=attack bite]1d20+9, [dice=damage]1d6+8
Touch Spells and Holding the Charge
In most cases, if you don't discharge a touch spell on the round you cast it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the spell) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round until the spell is discharged. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates.
Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets as part of the spell. You can't hold the charge of such a spell; you must touch all targets of the spell in the same round that you finish casting the spell.
Holding the Charge: If you don't discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the charge indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren't considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack normally doesn't provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack. If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Cast-a-Spell
Vamik is able to tear into it with one claw and his bite. He shudders as he bites into the filthy rotten corpse, but his spell was released with his claw.
- success
Thanks for the quote Goggh!
Magus get to do all sorts of other fun stuff on top of that. The other weird thing about chill touch is that it says:
School necromancy; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Targets creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Fortitude partial or Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes
A touch from your hand, which glows with blue energy, disrupts the life force of living creatures. Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage. The touched creature also takes 1 point of Strength damage unless it makes a successful Fortitude saving throw. You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.An undead creature you touch takes no damage of either sort, but it must make a successful Will saving throw or flee as if panicked for 1d4 rounds + 1 round per caster level.
So it should have a number of uses equal to CL. So If I make a full attack and hit 4 times it should discharge once for each time I make contact with the creature if CL is high enough.
In my case I have an effective CL of 4, so the baddie should have to save 4 times, one for each hit.
Actually, Chill Touch has a duration of instantaneous. If it had multiple uses and a duration of some rounds, arguably you could do it (hold and deliver separately); the way it works, however, means you'd have to touch multiple creature (up to one/level) at the same time (impossible for held charge/delayed delivery, but possible if you were casting the spell and immediately delivering). An example of a non-instantaneous evocation spell would be Call Lightning.
Quercus attacks the undead and hopes to drop it while Goggh and Vamik keep it busy.
5' step, then Flurry
If for some reason it attacks Quercus, Mr Gibbons will aid my AC, for extra +4. I will also use dodge panache to avoid any attacks.
Quercus' first fist thumps harmlessly against the undead's armor, but it was merely a distraction, and his kick comes up hard, slamming against the creatures head, and the already heavily damaged undead, grappling with Goggh crumples from the damage.
As the undead creature falls the place's dark aura doesn't seem so overwhelming any more. You stand there in silence once again with just the breathing of each other from the exertion of combat.
The undead was wearing chainmail, and wielded a greatsword. He also had a golden sapphire circlet on its head.
Goggh drops from rage, immediately becoming fatigued. He looks at his companions, breathing hard.
Goggh does need to rest. Like ratfriend said, without someone curing our wounds, it might be too risky to proceed. - he lifts the undead equipment - Is any of it useful or enchanted?
Quercus concentrates for several moments, none of weapons, armor or headband are magic. The room seem to have magical energy however. The braziers are magical, perhaps continual flame.
"Well, one thing is certain, we are starting to accumulate a nice hoard of treasure." Vamik looks over the circlet, searching for any obvious markings, or writing. Then he starts rooting through the room looking for alchemical reagents.
You begin ransacking the place, surprised that it has lasted so long, although with its undead guardian, perhaps that was all that was needed to keep it safe.
You find a variety of gems in the lab area. (Coral (80gp), Coral (100gp), Malachite (8 gp), Malachite (10 gp), Moonstone (65 gp), Onyx (50 gp), Opal (550 gp), Opal (600 gp), Sard (45 gp), Sard (55 gp), Zircon (45 gp)). You also find a small iron strongbox. It was locked at one time, but the box itself is all but falling apart with rust. Inside are some coins: 4700 gp, 3290 sp, 1100 cp, 482pp
You also find a scroll case, and a small old worn box with a stash of 10 vials. Quercus confirms the scroll and vials are magical.
Vamik rummages through the lab. Many containers are labeled, but illegible or simply in a language he cannot read. He is able to identify some components himself, and estimates that there are perhaps 1500gp in alchemical reagents of all types. The equipment within also counts as a masterwork alchemical lab. Most of it is dust covered and dingy and needs a good cleaning and washing before use, but since much of it is glass, it has weathered time. Some pieces have rotted or rusted, but most is serviceable.
Quercus will assist with gathering the loot and beaming detect magic around.
"I deem this place my new secret lab!" Vamik zips around the room excitedly testing each vial he comes across, speculating about its purpose, and then moving on to the next. "Quickly, someone find some paper and ink, We must catalog this trove and inventory it. I do love a good magical inventory. It feels just like the morning of hoard exchange day when I was young! Ah good memories." Vamik has by this point quite forgotten about the danger of an approaching army, and the mission for that matter. He is totally focused on the new toys and will continue working to fix the place up unless someone intervenes.
While waiting for his friends definition of the magic properties of the scroll and vials, Goggh starts organizing the mundane items to carry. He doesn't have any issues to use his strength and pull it all on his back - assuming he can organize them in some matters of containers.
Vamik scoots around the labs with a feverish pitch, investigating the contents. As Quercus helps and Goggh offers to pack the stuff up and haul it away, the group tries to find the most salvageable containers. That proves to be the most challenging as anything cloth or wood has long rotted to uselessness. Even the metal strongboxes have corroded and rusted significantly. You may be forced to craft some baskets, or create boxes anew from the woods outside the tower.
Vamik sits down with some light from Quercus and looks at each of the magical vials. He sniffs a few and to some others adds a few harmless reagents to gauge their reaction. After some time he scribbles a few notes down and is able to determine the following:
---1st Potion: Minor---
Cure light wounds (potion) 50gp
---2nd Potion: Minor---
Cure moderate wounds (potion) 300gp
---3rd Potion: Minor---
Delay poison (potion) 300gp
---4th Potion: Minor---
Blur (potion) 300gp
---5th Potion: Minor---
Hide from undead (potion) 50gp
---6th Potion: Minor---
Blur (potion) 300gp
---7th Potion: Minor---
Barkskin +2 (potion) 300gp
---8th Potion: Minor---
Magic weapon (oil) 50gp
---9th Potion: Minor---
Magic fang (potion) 50gp
---10th Potion: Medium---
Remove paralysis (potion) 300gp
Day 10 - Afternoon
Taking the better part of a day, the trio manage to pack, more or less safely, most of the lab away in crude but sturdy wicker baskets, protecting the most fragile items with pine duff or grass tufts. Goggh bears the brunt of the cargo transport given his size and strength.
The small group has rested and camped somewhat and taken time to discuss their small adventure.
Taking a midday meal and completing their packing and assessment of the situaton, the group must now decide their next plan of action.
Time to continue our mission, my friends. Always ahead. - the Ogre was thinking on Goodwin, and how he'd have something smart to say now.
Maybe continue to northeast? Or a little more north, towards those mountains? We still need to scout the enemy, as agreed with little bearded men.
"Sticking to the mountains will give us a better view. An army might come down by the river, but this is a giant army, so I imagine they would stick to the mountains. I think Goggh has the right idea."
The intrepid trio makes their way north towards the mountains which gives them a great vantage point, able to see far down into the valley.
Day 10 - early evening
Climbing higher and following getting above the sparse treeline, but hugging it close, the three of you pause occasionally, and just before dusk rolls in and before the sun passes behind the western mountains, Vamik is able to see smoke in the distance down near the river, miles below in the valley.
"We should investigate that, perhaps carefully, it could be the enemy or someone unaware of the danger of being in this area."
Goggh agrees, tree-friend! - the Ogre says back to Quercus. He adjusts the crude bags they made on his back; he knows they're not light, and he's glad to be able to help somehow, while an ogre's strength is usually just for crushing the innocent. Invariably he remembers Goodwin and holds his tears.
"Come, let us head that way." Quercus will head on down towards the smoke. "Once we get close enough, Vamik can do some investigation."
Your group takes nearly all day hours to make it down from the heights of the mountains to the vicinity of the smoke. It was quite a distance, and you move rather slowly through the heavy underbrush of the trackless wilds (1.5 miles per hour).
Within closer range, Quercus casts his Mage Armor protections on the group, you estimate you must be perhaps half a mile away, and you approached, circling to the south so as not to be upwind of whoever or whatever it is.
Vamik drinks his extract of negate aroma. Stealthing his way over for a closer look, he spies into the camp from as close as he can safely be without attracting attention. He looks to see what sort of creatures reside within, and then will report back to the group. He also looks for number of sentries or patrols around the camp. If this is indeed an army, there may be more alert guards.
Goggh waits behind with Quercus. The ogre breathes deeply, closed eyes, meditating to keep his balance. Peace, for him, was a daily war against his instincts.
Vamik stealths up slowly, his extract negating his aroma but still downwind of the camp and creeps through the thick underbrush. He is able to smell and spot a pack of hell hounds, along with a fire giant, two heavily armored ogres and reptilian looking thing almost like a small dragon. The giant seems to be tending to a large barge that they have at the river's edge. The ogres are readying the camp while the other beasts lurk about.
Vamik is very wary of being spotted by the creatures.
He makes a quiet subtle shift in his position as he spies on the camp and the dragon thing whips its head about sharply looking in his direction. He freezes in the underbrush, and it narrows its eyes rumbling with a low subsonic crocodilian roar. The hounds immediately all turn and face that directon, sniffing and tilting their heads.....
Quercus waits with Goggh. We should establish our distance, perhaps no more than 100-150' in case of danger. Quercus will sit quietly making sure Mr Gibbons keeps quiet.
Mage armor and styles in effect.
Swift action vanish. then slowly creep away back the way I came (that should add an extra 20 to stealth, and it lasts 3 rounds. I'll refresh if needed). If I make it back to camp, report on the situation.
Vamik you skeedaddle out of there, vanishing within a blink of the eye. You move quickly away as you get the sense that the creatures start looking about for you. You are ever thankful for your aroma negation so that they cannot track you. You get back to the other two and report in, noting that they have a barge and look to be planning to travel downriver with it, based on the way it was facing. As your group moves away from the area to prevent detection, you consult your regional maps and determine that if they were going downstream, depending on their speed, they would reach a lake in about a day or two.