No Pirate: Boarding Axe's 50 Challenges (Inactive)

Game Master Storm Dragon

You kill the two Gargoyles (for expediency's sake) but they sound the alarm. You have one round to prepare countermeasures for an unknown number of enemies.

"Commodore, are you going to do another Sirocco, or should I mount up?"

If there were only 2 gargoyles, I wouldn't have used Sirocco. I somehow read it as there being a bunch of gargoyles. Prolly due to confusion over trying to assemble a long combat post in the GitP editor.

Gurram places herself 30 feet in front of the group. Krom waits his turn to be useful.

"Any plans of action, captain?"

"Cast what spells you will."

Ixrul casts Summon Monster 2 for a tiger.

Dot so I don't have to keep hunting down this game.

Gremory casts Invisibility on herself.

Since summoning was the order of the day, Daliya called up a creature of her own. Admittedly, hers was a little bit larger...and a Parasaurolophus. She also increased her own size.

Three more gargoyles march up from within the cave. Unless they've replenished their number, these are the last ones.

5d20 ⇒ (19, 4, 15, 5, 6) = 49

3d20 ⇒ (4, 4, 10) = 18

Gremory, Ace, and Ixrul are up!

Gremory begins firing at the first gargoyle she sees.

Musket: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

Damage: 1d12 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17

Haste Musket: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

Damage: 1d12 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

Musket 2, the Quickening: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30

Damage: 1d12 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17

Musket 3: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12

Damage: 1d12 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20

"Ah. Hate my old friend. I was beginning to worry we were drifting apart."

Legends say that if Gremory goes three months without rolling a one to hit, she turns LG.

Ixrul casts Summon Monster 5 to summon a Bearded Devil.

Current summons:
- Tiger
- Bearded Devil
- Huge Air Elemental

The tiger pounces on a Gargoyle, and the air elemental attacks the same one.

Air Elemental
1d20 + 23 ⇒ (10) + 23 = 33
2d6 + 8 ⇒ (5, 1) + 8 = 14

Tiger

Gremory knocks a fist sized chunk of gargoyle out of her target with repeated targeted blows, but her gun simply isn't designed for such sustained awesomeness and has to rest.

Ixrul's tiger finishes the job, and then latches its jaws to the throat of another.

Ace!

Ace still has 4 mirror images up

Ace charges right into the action with a bladed dash, going at the remaining gargoyle

atk: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (15) + 25 = 40

dmg: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

and if its not too late

Ace also tries out his new stoneskin spell during the breather round.

+10 DR

Ace lands a more than solid hit on the gargoyle.

Too bad it's not Keen...that would have confirmed with anything but a 1.

Can everyone list their current buffs somewhere, either here, on your sheet profile, or in Discussion? I need to know before my next move, particularly for very visible buffs like Mirror Image or Blur.

Krom: Bull's Strength, Fly, Barkskin, Heroism, Haste (from Ixrul)
Gurram: Shield, Mage Armor, Barkskin, Heroism, Haste (from Ixrul), Greater Evolution Surge [Fire immunity and +2 Strength]

Shield of Faith, Haste, Fly, and Divine Favor.

Just a Dino, unless we got some Group Buffs

Mirror Images: 8/8
False Life: 13/13
Mage Armor
Shield
Haste: 20/22 rounds

Afraid of that. Sorry to keep picking on you Gremory, but at the moment you look like the least defended. Well...hmm. You and Daliya.

1 is D, 2 is G: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Out of the ether (literally) pops a giant woman-faced spider, right next to Gremory! It latches its poisoned jaws onto her shoulder, then disappears again!

CHOMP: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19

Or, at least, one of those two things happens.

The Gargoyle, meanwhile, Withdraws into the sky!

Krom and Daliya!

Daliya assumed her giant form, and prepared to smash a trans-dimensional hoping insect with a sickening squish.

The tiatanic creature with her prepared to crush it as well, if it popped back up.

Held Action - Tail Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (4, 3) + 9 = 16

Gurram charges at the Gargoyle!

Bite: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
1d8 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26

Claw: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
1d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20

Claw: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (5) + 22 = 27
1d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20

Claw: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (3) + 22 = 25
1d8 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20

Rend: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (6) + 15 = 21

----------------------------------

Meanwhile, Krom draws his seldom-used crossbow and prepares to shoot the spider.

Pew: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19
1d8 ⇒ 2

"I'm helping!" he declares firmly.

Ace still has:

17 FL

fly

4 mirror images

shield, +4 AC

hasted by ixrul

Ace flies up and continues attacking the gargoyles

1d20 + 20 ⇒ (2) + 20 = 22

1d6 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

haste: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31

1d6 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Gurram moiderizes the gargoyle, finishing their threat once and for all.

Everybody else is up too.

Never thought needing less buffs would turn into a downside. It is a souped-up Phase Spider? If not:

Know: Nature to figure it out: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Move action and one Grit to clear the barrel with a cool spinning motion. The red and white glow from Bane returns. Going with the assumption that it is a Phase Spider and a Magical Beast.

Readied Attack for the next time it shows up: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (11) + 18 = 29

In other words, Bang: 1d12 + 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (5) + (6, 1) + 18 = 30

Yeah, it's a souped up Phase Spider. The previous ones did mention they had a leader.

...I really wanna retcon that shot to a stock-butt whap. But then I'd have used up the only opportunity to actually use Empty Quiver Style, and no more free trade out. Fun fact: I have dex-to-damage,
but not to hit.

With there range meaning they could hit a fairly wide area, Daliya and the dino prepared to smash the Phase Spider on it's return.

Daliya Punch: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30
Damage: 2d6 + 12 ⇒ (4, 4) + 12 = 20

DinoTo Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (5, 6) + 9 = 20

You already readied an action for your dino, I'm taking that roll. Still waiting on Ixrul.

Ixrul gets ready to Suffocate the spider.

Paeta goes after the one divided from the pack: Krom, smart enough to stay away from Daliya and her dinosaur, at least.

Fort: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28

Pretty sure that passes. Your DC is 24, right?

Bite: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (2) + 18 = 20

Bite AoO: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (4) + 18 = 22

Look, it's double as good with every attack!

Concealment, Gremory: 1d100 ⇒ 73

Concealment, Krom: 1d100 ⇒ 93

It tried to take a bite out of Krom, and again when he panickedly fires his crossbow, but only succeeds in throwing his aim wide. She screams a shrill cry, which is cut off by Ixrul's spell stealing her breath away. She disappears again with a strangled choking sound.

From further within the lair you hear old women chanting.

"Okay Gurram, I think you've had your fun."

He snaps his fingers, and Gurram appears at his side. (Maker's Call.) He leaps on her back (fast mount, auto-succeed), and draws his lance while holding the crossbow in his off-hand.

"Let's regroup with the others!"

Gurram nods, and flies toward Daliya and the dinosaur.

Have you not been mounted this whole time? I've been assuming you're mounted unless otherwise stated.

Gurram places herself 30 feet in front of the group. Krom waits his turn to be useful.

Pretty sure this is where he mentioned it.

Ye. I thought Ixrul was going to do a fire thing, so I made Gurram immune to fire and let her go ahead.

I mentioned it on the GitP thread.

So, this fights over?

Gremory waves the others down the way to the chanting, waiting for someone to take point.

It's not over, you're still moving in Initiative order. But the immediate threat is dealt with for now.

Daliya looked at the others, and started heading for the chanting, on the theory that it was likely bad for them but easily crushed by a dinosaur.

Moving forward into the cave, you enter a large chamber. Standing in the center, chanting spells, are two incredibly ugly old women with sharp fangs, and a young, beautiful with goat-like horns. She stares at you with eerie glowing green eyes, and gives you a smirk.

"Thank you for saving me the trouble of tracking you down myself. You're a very forthright bunch, for a pack of thieves."

Anybody with Kn. Planes can identify the three creatures, give me two separate checks for each. Give me a priority list for what you want to know about each when you do. Ixrul, do you currently have Arcane Sight going?

Always. It and see invis are permanent.

Hags
Planes for power, resistances/weaknesses: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

Succubus
Planes for power, resistances/weaknesses: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30

The two real ugly hags are Night Hags. They are known for their Heartstones, gemstones that give them the ability to bind souls and transport into the Ethereal Plane at will. If they "merge" with a sleeping creature while Ethereal, they can give it horrible nightmares and drain its vitality. Their bites are frequently diseased.

They can cast Soul Bind and Etherealness at-will and haunt nightmares to deal Con drain.

Their senses are supernaturally enhanced, and they constantly detect alignments and magical auras.

Detect Chaos/Law/Good/Evil and Detect magic Constant.

Night Hags have a plethora of immunities, including complete immunity to cold and fire, as well as to most Enchantment effects (fear, charm, and sleep). They resist physical attacks not made by magical cold iron weapons, and are resistant to spells.

You know there is more, but you don't know the specifics. They have several spell-like abilities they can cast at-will.

The woman in front is not, as Ixrul immediately assumes, a Succubus, but another Hag. An extremely vain one, at that. Ignoring the magical age changes and cosmetic illusions, she is revealed to be a Dreamthief Hag, a more powerful variant of a Night Hag. They are commonly powerful spellcasters in their own right (and some of the few natural creatures to use the seldom seen Psychic Magic).

Much like Night Hags are known for their heartstones, Dreamthief Hags are known for their Dreamstones, which can be used to capture sleeping minds. The Dreamstone grants a Dreamthief Hag many of the same abilities as a Night Hag, but others besides, and the minds absorbed can be used as a power source to fuel their natural Psychic abilities. Creating a new one is possible, but requires the petrified tears of a dream dragon...a tall order, given the rarity of that type and the difficulty of petrifying a liquid. Therefore, a Dreamthief Hag robbed of her Dreamstone will stop at nothing to get it back.

In addition to the Night Hag abilities above, Dreamthief Hags are immune to ALL mind affecting abilities, and instead of imparting a deadly disease with their bite, their bite carries an insidious venom that addles the brain: Any non-Mythic creature struck by this bite temporarily loses the ability to cast spells or use their Intelligence for other skills and abilities.

It goes without saying that Hags are, collectively, most dangerous in a Coven of three or more, and this is no exception. While to most eyes the Dreamthief hag seems lightly buffed (her Mirror Images are visible), Ixrul's eyes note an almost blinding vortex of magical protection surrounding her and to a much lesser extent the Night Hags.

5d20 ⇒ (9, 5, 18, 20, 18) = 70

The effects he can recognize easily are Shield, Mage Armor, False Life, and Mirror Image , most of his standard buffs. With a bit more difficulty, he notices True Seeing and Freedom of Movement. In addition, however, the hags have surrounded themselves with a combination of two spells: Repulsion and Resilient Sphere, likely in the hopes of neutralizing your melee range fighters and baiting your ranged fighters into wasting shots destroying a wall they can't see.

Ixrul calls out the defenses as he sees them.

Then, since they took the liberty of putting themselves inside a (rather small) immutable sphere, he drops them into an Acid Pit.

For good measure, he will fly/shift behind cover, if it is available.

Resilient Sphere, conveniently, blocks Line of Effect. Ixrul would know this.

You, Ace, and Gremory ARE up though.

so let me get this straight, does the sphere means they cant attack us? since it "blocks everything"

This is correct, but Ixrul does inform you that Resilient Sphere is Dismissable. They can drop it at any time.

It's a round Wall of Force. You can bust it (though that's hard) and it is susceptible to Dispel Magic.

Ace casts versatile weapon on harry (cold iron)(standard action),uses his arcane pool to further enchant him with the keen property(Swift action), and gets ready for the assault.

"Its go time!"

I guess technically I am up first. Gremory readies an attack to interrupt the Dreamtheif Hag if she casts a spell after the Sphere drops. Luckily I don't need intelligence. Only gun. Gun and gun stats.

Readied attack: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28 Also activating Bane vs. Monstrous Humanoids. I think that's what a hag is. Also, I've been shorting myself on hit bonuses. I forgot Divine Favor is +3 now.

damage: 1d12 + 2d6 + 18 ⇒ (10) + (4, 3) + 18 = 35

"Thieves? Dear, we haven't even taken your life yet. "

Ixrul? Real action, or you committed to acid pit?

Drop dat thot like da bass.

Ixrul will ready an action to Acid Pit, so long as more than one of them are non-ethereal when the shield drops.