Despite your fears, filling the chalice with water proves to be no more difficult than filling any normal cup from a normal lake. Covering it, you begin your ascent.
As you near the top, however, another roar -- clearly closer -- splits the air. A moment later, a massive bipedal reptile -- runs over the top of the caldera, gaping shows showing long, razor sharp teeth. A vicious red scar cuts across its right eye, and dozens of other scars crisscross its hide.
Know (nature) DC 19:
It's a tyrannosaurus rex, but bigger and more savage an example of the species than you've ever heard of!
Seeing the gargantuan saurian come roaring over the edge of the caldera, Big Al leaps into action. She declares, ”While I have no truck with you, you can’t be allowed to impede our mission. Stand aside or fall!”
Patting Nightsong’s flank, they make a leaping charge over the lip of the volcano, crashing down upon the dinosaur.
Good thing I was going to activate Rally (Su): As a swift action, you can expend one use of mythic power to rally your allies. This gives you and each of your allies within 30 feet the option to reroll any one d20 roll after the roll is made. The granted reroll must be used before the beginning of your next turn, and the creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it is lower.
Also activating Derring-do (Su): A daredevil can use her performance to bring out grace in the clumsiest allies. The daredevil and any allies who see her receive a +1 morale bonus on Reflex saving throws and a +2 competence bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks. Allies who move at least 10 feet during their turn gain a +1 dodge bonus to their Armor Class until the start of their next turn. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, the saving throw and Armor Class bonuses increase by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level, and the skill check bonuses increase by +2, to a maximum of +8 at 17th level. This is a mind-affecting ability that uses visual components. This ability replaces inspire courage.
So +2 morale bonus to AC and Reflex Save, +4 competence bonus to Dex based skill checks.
"WHOOAH! Tick, I had this vision that I was going to trip over my bootlace just as I started to charge, but then I heard your rallying cry and here I am, soaring toward this dinosaur! YEEE-HAW!!"
Tickdown's lance slams into the dinosaur ... and bounces off, causing nothing more than the creature to grunt at the impact. Its wide maw slavers as it eyes the morsel that's presented itself for dinner...
Eeek!! Big Al will spend [1] for a surge. Does a 27 hit by any chance?
Lance+surge:1d6 + 25 ⇒ (2) + 25 = 27
stats:
AC23, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +3 shield, +2 Dex, +1 size, +1 deflection)
hp 82/82
Mythic Power 9/11
Cavalier’s Challenge 2/3
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +7; +2 vs. fear, +2 Morale bonus vs. fear when beneath banner
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
While his player is not, Nic is quick to respond to the threat. The crew is getting used to his strange spell-casting, just as they are getting used to the flood of adrenaline and endorphins that flood their bodies in response.
Cast Good Hope, it should catch us all. Duration 7 minutes (70 rounds)
Status:
HP 60/60
AC 22 T 13 FF 19
CMD 19 FF 15
Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8
---> +2 vs. death, negative energy, removing negative levels
.
Effects/Conditions Good Hope (rd 1 of 70), Cloak of Darkness (1 hr)
Dorian's spell goes off, black rubbery tentacles rising from the ground, but the massive dinosaur doesn't even seem to realize they're there, able to easily break the tentacles' grasp with every movement.
Dorian and Tickdown leap into action with spell and performance as Alemarra and Nightsong leap forward, the halfling's lance just barely piercing the creature's scarred hide. As with the gargoyles, though, she does less damage than she expects. DC 10/epic
The dinosaur roars and, leaning down, snaps at Big Al, massive jaws closing on the halfling 43 hp, plus 1 bleed. Before she can react, the creature rears back up, the halfling in its mouth and snaps its jaws again, and she mercifully loses consciousness as her body is ripped nearly in half. 44 hp, plus 1 more bleed; the creature gets a second attack due to its feral savagery ability, which I've copied into the mechanics for your reading pleasure. I was going to have it swallow Big Al whole, but my read on the feral savagery and swallow whole made me think I couldn't actually do that.
Feral Savagery (Su): Under the circumstances listed in the monster’s stat block—such as when it makes a full attack or a rend attack—it can immediately attempt an additional attack against an opponent. This attack is made using the creature’s full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. This additional attack doesn’t stack with similar means of gaining additional attacks, such as the haste spell or a speed weapon. This ability doesn’t grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.
Bloodeye: 82
T. rexes are NASTY, by the way. I recently ran one in another game and got my first kill as a PBP GM (despite my usual efforts to NOT actually kill characters.
As Big Al leapy toward her foe astride Nightsong, she felt the thrill of the flight as her lance, Desna's Kiss, pierced the tyrannosaur's monstrous hide. Her thrill turns to sudden fear though, as the dinosaur's jaws snatch her off of Nightsong's back. She feels the searing pain of teeth as large as she is tall rip through her mithril plate and into her belly and ribs. A moment later it bites down again, she screams, and all goes black, her body limp and bloody in the dinosaur's mouth.
Desna's Kiss clatters from her grip, landing wedged between rocks on the edge of the caldera.
Nightsong, terrified, bites into the left toe of the thunder lizard. It's a bite that against a lesser beast could have been severe, but this one seems utterly unphased.
Unconscious. Stabilized, but taking 1 bleed/round.
AC23, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +3 shield, +2 Dex, +1 size, +1 deflection)
hp -6/82 (including this round's bleed)
Mythic Power 9/11
Cavalier’s Challenge 2/3
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +7; +2 vs. fear, +2 Morale bonus vs. fear when beneath banner
Dorian could barely believe his eyes. One moment Miss Redthistle had been charging jubilantly at the beast; And the next, her broken body was being crushed between its jaws. Dorian felt himself running across uneven ground, towards the dinosaur. He needed to buy time for Nic to heal their fallen comrade.
Move Action: Move to N6.
Standard Action: Cast 'Overwhelming Grief' {DC 21 Will} on the dinosaur.
Swift action: 'Sudden Shift' to L4.
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Wait, i'm confused. Did she not ride-by attack? If so, how did it get a full attack on her? Does it have Rend (whereas a traditional one does not)? Or did it move to her, bite, then seem to bite again?
Tickdown's going to cast reviving finale (linked on the spell name). Swift action spell to immediately end his performance and heals:2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8 points hp back to Al. He has to move to be within a 20-ft burst centered on him.
Tickdown's mind reels as he sees his halfling friend ripped from her mount and chewed on. He acts almost without thinking, tumbling and shouting inspiring words towards her stilled body. His speaking stops when he gets within 20 feet of her and he bows, looks up at Al, and says "C'mon lass, now ain't the time for you to die."
With my knowledge check, can I tell if this may be a *ahem* Mythical creature?
Move action to get within 20-ft burst range of Al, swift to cast reviving finale, and I have no idea what to do for a standard! Hopefully 8 hp gets her back to conscious!
That's enough to bring her positive again, yes. Thanks!
Tick (or others) do you have a way to (a) get her out of its mouth (e.g. freedom of movement, or dimension door, or some massive bonus to escape artist or CMD), or (b) encourage it to drop her (e.g. charm monster, the illusion of another tyrannosaur coming toward it, or somesuch) Otherwise when it's initiative comes up I assume she ends up unconscious (or worse) inside it's stomach.
Mott, does Al still get an action this round? I forget whether awakening from
Honestly, I don't know what the official rules are. From what I can see, "Healing that raises the dying character's hit points to 0 makes him conscious and disabled. Healing that raises his hit points to 1 or more makes him fully functional again, just as if he'd never been reduced to 0 or lower. A spellcaster retains the spellcasting capability she had before dropping below 0 hit points."
It doesn't say you lose a round or anything. I think my feeling is since you'll be healed before your turn (where your action would be trying to stabilize), you can indeed go this round.
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Nic would use this as an immediate action in response to her getting Bite+Grappled.
As soon as the huge creature gets ahold of Big Al, Nic barks out a dark word. Big Al, already being revived by Tick's magic, feels some magical aid in her escape.
Immediate action to cast Liberating Command.. giving her a +14 to her attempt to escape (+16 total when combined with Good Hope).
.
I'll take the rest of my action based on the outcome of her attempted escape.
Hehehehehe. And with Nic's kind assistance Big Al would get a net +15 (since her base escape artist in armor is -1). I guess I could always hope for a natural 20?
Big Al awakens in great pain, pinned inside the monster's jaw. She briefly considers trying to pry her way out and then realizes the futility of trying. Instead she somehow manages to draw her dagger and to stab at it twice, inside it's mouth. She draws on all the mythic might she can but it's difficult to get at the fleshy bits from between the tyrannosaur's massive teeth.
In a breathless voice she calls out, "Go! What's important (grunt) is saving the island, not (grunt) me. Dorian, Nic, get the rest of you back in time to stop the volcano! Don't spill that (grunt) water!"
________________
Move: draw dagger
Stnd: attack [-1 MP for surge]
Free: [-1 MP for 2nd Stnd]
Stnd2: attack [-1 MP for surge]
AC23, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+6 armor, +3 shield, +2 Dex, +1 size, +1 deflection)
hp 2/82
Mythic Power 6/11
Cavalier’s Challenge 2/3
Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +7; +2 vs. fear, +2 Morale bonus vs. fear when beneath banner
Well, you wouldn't likely know that Big Al has a pathetic Escape Artist score either, being all big and tough like she is. Just not quite as tough as a mythic tyrannosaur.
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Sheesh. I’m 5’ away from being able to Sanctuary her. And using that immediate action means I don’t have a swift to get my wings out to cover more ground. Sheesh, indeed.
Nic shows a surprising level of alacrity as he curses and rushes towards the huge animal, dropping and sliding down the incline. As he comes to a rest, he shouts out a few dark words, and a dark nimbus springs into existence around the halfling as well as himself.
Move to 30ft to N.6, then use Amazing Initiative (1 MP) to drop down to P.7 to get within 30 feet of Big Al.
Use 2 MP to cast Mythic Sanctuary, giving Big Al the primary Mythic Sanctuary affect and Nic the secondary (standard) Sanctuary affect.
.
This basically means the t-rex needs to make a DC 18 will save to attack Big Al (until Big Al attacks it), and Big Al gets a +3 AC bonus if the t-rex succeeds on the will save and attacks her.
Lacsar unleashes a hail of arrows on the creature, one of them bouncing off harmlessly, but the rest sticking into its thick hide, bringing a roar muffled by Alemarra's form.
As the tentacles continue to flail uselessly at the creature, Dorian joins in the rush forward, his spell seeming to have no effect on the small-minded enemy.
Tickdown, his first attempt to free Alemarra failing, starts calling out instructions to his companions to encourage them to avoid the same fate. Activating derring do, +2 morale bonus on Reflex saving throws and a +2 competence bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks. Allies who move at least 10 feet during their turn gain a +2 dodge bonus to their Armor Class until the start of their next turn. Couldn't figure out what spells Tickdown has, so didn't cast again.
Nic rushes in, the black nimbus covering Al and himself with its protective magics. Al, do you still want to attack? You don't know yet whether Nic's magic succeeded. Will finish the round based on your decision.
Tickdown continues shouting encouragements to his fellows, but an idea pops into his head. "Al, girl, hope you're not too picky about bein' greasy!" He flings a hand out towards her as if throwing a ball.
Cast grease on Big Al. Rexy needs a Reflex DC 16 or drops her, plus she gets a +10 to escape artist and to CMB to escape the grapple (and CMD to NOT get grappled again!)
Ahh, that probably IS enough to persuade Big Al to try escaping instead of stabbing. Let's do the following instead.
STND: Escape attempt.
FREE: Amazing initiative [-1mp +1 stnd]
2nd STND: If not free yet, try again. If free, WITHDRAW!!
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Which means Sanctuary is intact, so if she can't escape (which looks to be the case), the Rex needs to make the will DC to make an attack roll on her. Right? (he says, holding out hope that his spells aren't wasted)
Seems like both spells are getting used after all...whether Al survives or not we'll have to wait and see. Live or die, I like the drama of the moment, and I'm fine with letting the dice play out at this point and seeing whether or not Big Al lives another day. She's serious though that she doesn't want the mission compromised since many lives are at stake.
Bottom of Round 2
Its mouth suddenly filled with grease, the dinosaur nearly drops Big Al, but manages to just catch her at the end. She tries furiously to free herself but again and again seems to batter futilely against the creature's teeth. Crappy rolls; you had a chance on that one.
I previously rolled, then deleted the Will check, since I figured not knowing whether it succeeded added to the drama.
The morsel in its mouth still wriggling, the dinosaur tosses back its head and swallows, the torn and bloodied halfling slipping down its gullet. 44 hp; still grappled
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Nic loses his sh!t. He screams wordlessly as his black wings blossom, and he explodes towards the sky, sending rocky debris scattering in his wake. Clearing the creature's reach, Nic continues screaming as he rains frozen blackness on the thing's head.
Swift for wings, then fly up so i'm twenty-five feet above the big guy and still within 30 ft.
Then cast Frigid Touch at him (defensively).
Ranged Touch Attack:1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 = 28 Damage:4d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 6, 1) = 14; T-Rex is Staggered for 1 rd.
Status:
HP 60/60
AC 22 T 13 FF 19
CMD 19 FF 15
Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8
---> +2 vs. death, negative energy, removing negative levels
.
Effects/Conditions Derring-do, Good Hope (rd 2 of 70), Cloak of Darkness (1 hr)
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
If Big Al dies inside the t-rex's belly, can Nic use Relentless Healing to hit her with a Mythic Cure Serious Wounds? Or does he need line of sight? I mean, how would he even know if she died if he can't see her?
The realization sinks in that, despite the aid of her compatriots, rather than escape the tyrannosaur's jaws she's being pull down it's cavernous throat.
With her last breath, time seems to slow as she calls out, "Comrades, leave while you can! Blackcrag Cove must be-aaahhhggh!"...and then her voice is muffled. A lump briefly descends through the dinosaur's neck and then disappears.
Nightsong lets out a chilling, mournful howl as she feels her master’s bond grow dark, confirming what everyone wants to deny. Big Al Rosethistle is dead.
HP 60/60 :: AC 16 T 13 FF 13 :: Fort +7 Ref +9 Will +8 :: Per -1 Init +13
Relentless Healing is only available for a round after Bug Al dies. So we'd have to come up with a way to tear through over 100 hit points through DR 10/epic in that time. Given that one of our two damage dealers just got swallowed, I'm not sure how we'd do that.
I could likely take it down by flying and sniping with magic, but that'll take a while... and that won't help Big Al or the rest of you. So, bail, I guess, unless someone has some burst damage they've been holding back on.
Now that Big Al's beyond saving, I vote to retreat. Between our respective methods of movement, we should be able to escape without much trouble. Nic can fly; Lacsar's very fast; And Dorian can teleport himself and Tickdown away.
If we knew that the cursed water would kill the dinosaur instead of giving it uber-mythic super-powers, I'd say throw the goblet at it. lol.
Lacsar's voice is full of bitterness, "Time to leave... but let me see if I can give this iguana a bloody nose to make it think twice about following us."
Lacsar begins to move in a strange sinuous pattern as his bow sings. Arrows clatter off the thick hide of the monster but at least one is driven deeply into the monster's eye. Then he spins and whirls lightly backwards across the battlefield.
FULL: FOB
SWIFT: Snake Style
FREE: Extra Stand Action (1MP)
STAND: Fleet Charge - Fire and move to D3 (1MP)
Sorry guys, best I could manage is 71 DAM guaranteed with maybe another 9 possible.
Dorian if you want to spare a round for Haste, I can make this sucker pay for every round it follows us. If you want to do the Tick Teleport instead, no problem. I can outdistance this guy and still keep peppering it.
Status:
HP: 57 / 57 | AC:22
Ki Pool (7): x
Perfect Strike (7): x
Mythic Power (9): xxxx
Spell Effects: Good Hope
Dorian knew this feeling well. In the mercenary trade, the loss of comrades was inevitable. But no matter how many times it happened, he never got used to that sickly sensation. Perhaps that was for the best. With a heavy heart, he obeyed the order to retreat. This was not the time to mourn.
Lacsar's final arrow finds the beast's eye. It roars as it staggers forward a few steps, and then seems to pause, wavering in its stance. It tries to bellow once more, but only a choked noise comes out as it topples, the ground shaking as the massive thunder lizard slams down, its chest rising and falling in labored breathing.
