Heinrich cries out in shock as the gnome is skewered. "Fiend!" He moves instinctively toward the woman with his dagger out and stabs at her!
for damage!
Round 4, Initiative: 21
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Bolts = 20/20
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Bolts = 20/20
Conditions = None
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -1) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, (Power +2) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (su)(5/5) (DC 14) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (su, sw) (3/4) (DC 14, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (su, sw)(5/5r)(+1)
Pearl of Power (first) 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 5, Concentration +7)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
Kyffin swears as his friend is very nearly hit or not hit by this newcomer intent on doing them harm. ”What are you doing here?” he shouts as he closes in (if there’s room) and swings!
(2hp is fire)
Albert rushes in for an attack if he can find space in the crowd.
Tenebrynn: 15
Tristain: 13
Heinrich: 11
Albert: 6
Kyffin: 21
Antagonist: 18
The group reacts with shock to the woman's appearance, Tenebrynn blasting her. Kyffin moves in to end the threat, his blade slashing through the woman's neck in a death as quick as the one she meant for his gnome companion, but not before he takes a quick cut from her own blade in a last, desperate defense.
The woman has a fair amount of equipment on her, including a pair of wands, two vials of crystal-clear liquid that don't radiate magic, a striped toadstool, a tanglefoot bag, a mithral chain shirt, dagger with a strange clear glaze, hand crossbow with 10 crossbow bolts , mwk rapier, key, mwk thieves’ tools, 2 sunrods and 143 gp.
In the room, you discover n addition to the two beds, writing desk, and cabinets, the room holds a wooden vat of vinegar, the source of the smell. A woman's decapitated corpse is laid out on one of the beds.
This is likely another penanggalen, like the one you fought earlier, or possibly its manananggal spawn.
The body is clad in a delicate-looking blue silk robe is adorned with tiny embossed runes across its entire surface and a chain shirt.
The cabinet 3 scrolls, a composite shortbow (+3 Str), 20 arrows, a short sword, and 329 gp, as well as a cracked holy symbol of Pharasma.
One of the bedside tables holds four empty glass phials and a notebook with writing that matches that of Lowls. The notebook contains an array of information, with Lowls seeming to go back at times to earlier pages and writing in the margins, strange things such as "Aklo???," "Shadow's Ship," and "Three Prescriptions!". A lengthy series of notes include Lowl's suspicion that Ulver Zandalus was the key to discovering Neruzavin, the lost city in Casmaron that holds three Star Stelae "similar to those in Thrushmoor."
The last entries in the notebook detail Tenebrynn, Tristain, Heinrich, Kyffin, as well as Belzoni's, identifying each by name and accurate data about race, gender, height, and weight. Next to each appears to be measurements for a dosage of something, though it's not clear what.
It's a wand of invisibility with 8 charges remaining.
It's a wand of cure moderate wounds with 14 charges remaining.
You think the bottles contain two doses of padzahr, which accelerates the natural process of healing Constitution damage.
The striped toadstool is an ingested poison that can dull the victim's senses as it attacks the brain, potentially fatally.
They're scrolls of sepia snake sigil.
It's a scroll of see invisibility.
"I recogmize the toadstool as poison,. but the vials I know nothing about. Perhaps I could study them and render a verdict tomorrow? As for the rest, might I have the thieves' tools? I think I can put them to use."
"This book of vital notation on each of us, it worries me. What foul purpose were we put to?"
Know (Religion)
”Another penguinalynn, I think,” Tristain says, examing the corpse. He looks around and sniffs about, ready to head to a wall for some head bonking. ”Yeah, Heinrich, it’s weird that they have our notations, but then again, they did know us pretty well because we used to work for them, right?”
Tristain casts Read Magic then [/i]Detect Magic[/i] to identify the scrolls and then the wands.
Spellcraft
Spellcraft
”Oh, these wands are nifty!” Tris explains what the wands to, then passing the wand of CMW to Albert. He keeps the wand of invisibility for himself.
Kyffin stands guard at the door while the others search and identify. When he's informed of the contents of the notebook he shakes his head. "Lowls sure did screw us over. Seems obvious enough - whatever was done to us was in part poison or something. He dosed us up and took away our minds."
He spits in the corner, "Bastard."
He takes the proffered wand, "Nifty. This'll help if we need healing quickly." he tucks it away somewhere handy and considers getting a wand sheath for it for quicker access.
Tristain tries and tries to cast a spell that he cannons. Then he tries to cast disintigrate on the scrolls for all the good it will do.
He tries with spellcraft to unlock the secrets of the scrolls.
spellcraft
spellcraft
* * *
Tristain helps pack up the loot but doesn’t have much to say about the book and the details. He has other worries.
"I don't know what kind of dream harvesting weirdness you lot got yourselves into, but it ain't right!" Albert declares with authority. "Let's pack up this gear and find the hole for that key." Al tends to the party's wounds as they loot the room, then readies to lead the way forward.
vs DC 23
vs DC 22
He looks over the scrolls, but he can't make sense of them either. Shrugging he hands them back to Tristain, "Maybe we can figure 'em out tomorrow."
Tenebrynn frowns at Kyffin's first administration of the wand, "Did we break it?" but his second attempt mends much of the wound left by the sneaky woman. She nods at Heinrich as he asks for the intricate tools and taps the bracers on her wrists, "Sure, I have these already anyway."
Turning to the body on the bed, she hedges, "Before we go looking for a lock to spring, do we need to do anything to make sure this thing stays dead?"
HP: 46/53
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (13 T / 12 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +8 // Ref: +7 // Will: +2 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/7
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow: +1 to hit, +2 damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present
Once you're ready, you head through the final door you've yet to open, finding a room featuring a large fireplace and a round table with stuffed, high-backed chairs around it. The walls are decorated with patterned wallpaper and small paintings of the surrounding landscape. Against the walls are three large mahogany sideboards with brass candleholders. The shutters of the windows are closed, and the room is lit by candles and by a shifting, soft light emanating from the surface of the table.
An eerie, unnatural tittering comes from somewhere in the room, though you don't see any source.
Tristain concentrates and brings a Light spell to illuminate the area near him.
”Why is it so dark in here?” He steps outside and into the hallway, backing out of the room and the tittering.
Perception
You don't see anything.
Kyffin, scimitar out and at the ready, moves through the room, searching for the voice. He'll end near the next door, but he waits to see if the others can resolve the annoying tittering.
He, briefly, wonders if the sound is in his own head, but the others seem to respond as well so he hopes for the best.
It's hard for Kyffin to make out where the strange noise is coming from, but he stalks into the room, determined to find it. Unfortunately for him, he's successful, and he feels something slap at him, though it manages to only hit the right side of his armor, the impact likely to leave a bruise but nothing more. Worse, though, he still can't see whatever it is!
Before he can react, however, the thing -- or things -- is all over him. He feels his armor catch a couple more impacts, but then he feels his skin split as something sharp rakes his face, and then something grab onto him. He starts to feel weak as he realizes it's caught him and is sucking his blood!
Things only get worse as a moment later he sees the source of the tittering: first a fanged maw and then the rest of a floating mass of talon-tipped tentacles come into view, all as red as freshly spilled blood. His freshly spilled blood.
It's a star vampire, a horrid aberration that descends upon worlds to feed upon the blood of the living.
Albert rushes forward with blade in hand. "Danged bloodsucking monstrosity, may the gods take you!"
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Bolts = 20/20
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Bolts = 20/20
Conditions = -1 Con
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -1) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, (Power +2) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (su)(5/5) (DC 14) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (su, sw) (2/4) (DC 14, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (su, sw)(5/5r)(+1)
Pearl of Power (first) 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 5, Concentration +7)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
Kyffin recoils in horror, or tries to, at the creature grappling him so.
vs DC 16 or be nauseated 1 round
He shakes his head to clear the visions of madness writhing within. He swiftly heals himself with fervor (should stop the bleed too for now).
He then swings his scimitar at the beast holding him!
(grappled)
"Why do all these horrible things here not have bodies?!" Tenebrynn asks in exasperation as she sends a roaring torrent of wind and debris slamming into the creature wrapping itself around Kyffin. "Let him go!"
HP: 46/53
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (13 T / 12 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +8 // Ref: +7 // Will: +2 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/7
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow: +1 to hit, +2 damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present
Round 1
Tristain lacks the proper mental preparations to even identify the horror that was eating Kyffin's face. He can only move to a spot where he can use his wand.
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 18/50 left
force damage
HP: 31/31
AC: 12
Points: 4/4 left
Spells: Lvl 1: 7/7 left (MM*0,IllOm*0,MurdCom*0,Vanish*0) dc 16
Spells: Lvl 2: 4/5 left (Kno*0,SpirW*0,Sugg*0) dc 17
Cure Used: 0/2 used
Scroll SMIII
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 18/50 left
[ dice]3d4 + 3[/dice] force damage
Wand of Bless: 5/18 left
Bless (1/10): +1 to attacks and morale.
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d20+2-4[/dice] to hit; ()
[ dice]1d8-1[/dice] piercing damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
"What in the name of all that is unholy is that?!?" Heinrich cries and pulls one of his extracts of cure light wounds, moving close to Kyffin as he can!
Heinrich: 15
Albert: 13
Tristain: 11
Kyffin: 9
Tenebrynn: 7
Antagonist: 23
Heinrich moves in with potion in hand as Al and Tris take the offensive, the former rushing in and taking a talon across his neck. The blood from the wound stars flowing through the air toward the creature, seemingly giving it renewed vitality.
Kyffin, stuck, swings at it with little success as it continues to try to hold on to him, and it maintains its attack, lashing out at the half-orc and old man in close proximity. This time, though, they're prepared and are able to fend off its blows.
Monstrosity: 37
Round 2, Initiative: 9
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Bolts = 20/20
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Bolts = 20/20
Conditions = -1 Con, Divine Favor (1/10r)
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -1) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, (Power +2) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (su)(5/5) (DC 14) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (su, sw) (1/4) (DC 14, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (su, sw)(5/5r)(+1)
Pearl of Power (first) 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 5, Concentration +7)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
Kyffin uses his fervor again, this time to bless himself with Divine Favor (+2 attacks/damage (luck)) as he battles for his life, trapped in its clutches. ”It’s me or you beastie!”
vs grapple (DC 11 + CMB)
Then he attacks!
(grappled, fervor) (fervor)
(grappled, fervor) (fervor, fire)
Albert continues to authoritatively smite the evil thing.
Albert also swiftly wipes some dirt across his bleeding wounds.
Round 2
Tristain repeats his attack at the face sucker.
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 17/50 left
force damage
HP: 31/31
AC: 12
Points: 4/4 left
Spells: Lvl 1: 7/7 left (MM*0,IllOm*0,MurdCom*0,Vanish*0) dc 16
Spells: Lvl 2: 4/5 left (Kno*0,SpirW*0,Sugg*0) dc 17
Cure Used: 0/2 used
Scroll SMIII
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 17/50 left
[ dice]3d4 + 3[/dice] force damage
Wand of Bless: 5/18 left
Bless (1/10): +1 to attacks and morale.
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d20+2-4[/dice] to hit; ()
[ dice]1d8-1[/dice] piercing damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
I think Grick breaks it down very well here. In short, Grab lets one initiate a grapple as a free action, but it doesn't change maintaining the grapple from a standard action.
It feels like, to me at least, a creature with grab should be able to maintain in lieu of the grabbing appendage's attack, but the rules don't seem to call for that anywhere.
"I said- LET HIM GO!" Wind whips and slashes through the room as Tenebrynn shouts at the tentacled creature, with occasional arcs of blue lightning flashing briefly around her as explosive power begins to build around the slight gnome. Her hair thrashes violently in the churning wind before she releases all the gathered force in a spinning snap kick.
HP: 46/53
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (14 T / 13 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +8 // Ref: +7 // Will: +2 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/7
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow: +1 to hit, +2 damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present
Heinrich douses Kyffin with healing fluid!
He then draws his dagger and makes ready to cut a tentacle!
Heinrich: 15
Albert: 13
Tristain: 11
Kyffin: 9
Tenebrynn: 7
Antagonist: 23
Al rushes in and, with help from Tenebrynn and Tristain's magics, puts the creature down, freeing Kyffin before he has the chance to use his spell.
Weapon Equipped = Scimitar
Cold Iron/Silver Blanch Bolts = 20/20
Cold Iron/Ghost Salt Bolts = 20/20
Conditions = -1 Con
Scimitar: Attack: BAB +3, Str +4, Magic +1, Focus +1, (Power -1) Damage: Str +4, Magic +1, (Power +2) Crit: 18-20
Ranged: Attack: BAB +3, Dex +1 Damage: Str +4
Blessings (su)(5/5) (DC 14) (Holy Strike (std) or Powerful Healer) (sw)
Fervor (su, sw) (2/4) (DC 14, 2d6)
Sacred Weapon (su, sw)(5/5r)(+1)
Pearl of Power (first) 1/1
Spells (Caster Level 5, Concentration +7)
Zero (12): Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
First (13): Command,
Second (14):
Kyffin stabs at the beast a few more times to ensure it’s death as he breathes heavily from the short, but horrific, battle. ”What the hell was that?!”
When he’s sure nothing else dangerous lies in the room, he’ll take a guard position next to the unopened door while the others search. He keeps his scimitar out.
Heinrich realizes Kyffin is much less damaged than he thought and stows the potion.
"Horrible!" Tenebrynn shouts her answer to Kyffin's question as the roaring winds churning around her prove slow to settle.
When the excitement's all over, Tenebrynn pokes around, though she keeps a marked distance from the tentacular corpse the group just made.
Tristain is slow to move into the room, even after others assure him the room is safe. He avoids looking at the wounds on Kyffin's face, hoping magic will fix the wounds before he needs to look too much at them.
When the coast remains clear, he will move into the room, cast Detect Magic and look around.
Perception
There doesn't seem to be anything of particular value or interest in the room, other than the corpse itself. The only other door leads a descending stairway.
After a complete search, Albert prepares to lead the way down the stairs in this room.
Kyffin follows Albert closely down the stairs.
Tristain bonks his head until others are ready to move, then follows Albert down the stairs.
Cautiously descending, you find a room furnished with a big table, eight chairs, and a glass-paned cupboard. The room smells of smoke from the fireplace, and a few dirty dishes, an emptied wine bottle, and used cutlery at three place settings testify to a recent meal consumed at the table.
A quick search reveals little of value other than possibly the silverware.
Eschewing the double doors back out into the courtyard , you take the single door deeper into the building.
The long hall, clad with fine wood paneling, looks like an oversized curio cabinet, with hundreds of items and art objects on display on small tables, in vitrines, and on benches. Dozens of paintings and tapestries of various sizes hang from the walls and muffle the echoes that would normally be present in this marble-floored chamber. A double door leads outside, while two other doors go deeper into the manor .
Kyffin pokes his head here and there and, with more confidence then he feels, he'll stride to the far door. He waits for the party to line up, and swings open the door quickly, scimitar at the ready.
Albert follows Kyffin with blade in hand.
Tenebrynn slips between Kyffin's and Al's legs and holds her hands up, miming for the group to back up a bit. "Give me a minute to sneak ahead. I'm tired of body-less tentacle things dropping on your heads all of a sudden. It's gross and looks like it hurts."
Not waiting for an answer or any discussion, she flips the hood of her cloak up and slinks forward, soft and silent. It occurs to her a few feet into the room as she glances side to side that she feels a bit like a burglar. A few feet further and it strikes her as odd that the feeling seems familiar somehow, like something akin to déjà vu.
Tristain looks around, examining the new room after others think it is safe. He will cast Detect Magic and examine the curios, looking for things that might not be what they seem.
"This place ain't bad, except for all the undead horrors within. Might be that we bless this place and make it a good home again, maybe? I dunno. What do you think, Heinrich? We could almost be done, huh?"
Heinrich sighs deeply, rubbing his temples. "Nothing about this sordid affair lends itself to believing that everything will over quickly, dear man. But, let us continue in hope, shall we?" He idly tosses the dagger up and down as he examines the objets des arts.
As Tenebrynn pushes into the room to explore all seems good ... until suddenly a gaunt, long-limbed quadruped appears, biting at Tenebrynn with its toothy maw and clawing at her . The lean creature moves with a predatory grace, its huge, soulless eyes seeming to rip at your flesh.
It's a hound of Tindalos, an otherworldly predator from beyond the bounds of known reality. They usually appear only when summoned by reckless spellcasters.
HT: 1/10
Round 1
Fort
”Ow! My eyes! My eyes hurt!” Tristain does what he can, firing his wand at the creature. He then moves out of sight. ”What is that thing!?” Tristain suddenly doesn’t think this is a nice home at all.
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 16/50 left
force damage
HP: 31/31
AC: 12
Points: 4/4 left
Spells: Lvl 1: 7/7 left (MM*0,IllOm*0,MurdCom*0,Vanish*0) dc 16
Spells: Lvl 2: 4/5 left (Kno*0,SpirW*0,Sugg*0) dc 17
Cure Used: 0/2 used
Scroll SMIII
"gad-ZOOKS!”
Wand of Magic Missile (5): 16/50 left
[ dice]3d4 + 3[/dice] force damage
Wand of Bless: 5/18 left
Bless (1/10): +1 to attacks and morale.
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d20+2-4[/dice] to hit; ()
[ dice]1d8-1[/dice] piercing damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d20+7[/dice] CMB to trip vs. CMD
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
[ dice]1d6+1[/dice] force damage
Tenebrynn fends off the horrific beast, but only just barely. Scrambling backward with fear-widened eyes, she does her best to get beside Al, shrinking behind him as she holds one hand over her torn stomach.
HP: 19/53
Nonlethal: 1
AC: 16 (14 T / 13 FF) // 25% miss chance for ranged attacks
Fort: +8 // Ref: +7 // Will: +2 (+2 vs illusion)
Talisman of Warrior's Courage: [ ]
Burn Accrued: 1/7
SLAs: dancing lights [ ], ghost sound [ ], prestidigitation [ ], speak with animals [ ]
Ongoing Effects:
Warden of Nature: +1 to hit/+2 dodge bonus vs aberrations, oozes, vermin
Foe of the Strange: +1 to saves vs aberrations, -10 to confusion results
Point Blank Shot: +1/+1
Elemental overflow: +1 to hit, +2 damage, and visual effects on person as long as burn is present