Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Catila 12
Creatures 11
Round 2:
Lena steps away from the gricks and brandishes her holy symbol, calling upon Abadar's power to diminish the creature's might. The gricks hiss and pull back slightly, seeming more hesitant.
Songan begins chanting the tale of a brave hero who faced similar odds, and how he conquered those monsters. You all feel definitely more empowered.
Krupt, suffering the pain of his wounds, withdraws to escape the beak of the grick!
Orin and Grimfang pull back as well, trying to put some distance between the aberrant things and themselves. However, as he moves, Orin's foot catches on something and he nearly tumbles, but his momentum knocks whatever it is into the air. Reflexively he catches it, only to discover he is holding a moldy, disintegrating scabbard surrounding a slightly curved blade with a hilt seemingly made of living wood wrapped in vines...
Catila deftly avoids the grick's attacks and moves near Lena, attempting to gather the scattered heroes. She casts another spell, this one smashing into the same grick and causing it even more damage due to Songan's inspiring words!
Grick #1 pauses a moment to slurp down the flesh and blood it has ripped from Dr. Krupt before leisurely following after him.
Grick #2 hisses at Catila and once again slithers toward her with speed!
Attack: (charge, -1 bane)
Once more it is hindered by the roots and debris of the jungle floor and fails to get close enough to attack properly.
Grick #3 hisses and follows after Orin and Grimfang, spending its entire move to get close enough in the dense jungle.
Grick #4 slithers to follow Lena and snaps its beak and tentacles at her, hoping for a meal!
Attack (beak):
Attack: (tentacle)
Attack: (tentacle)
Attack: (tentacle)
Attack: (tentacle)
Only a single tentacle manages to connect, drawing blood for damage.
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Catila 12
Creatures 11
Round 3!
This is the story of the PCs and how they become heroes. Heroes are forged in adversity. It is the DM's (my) job to provide the adversity and see to it that the heroes experience both success and failure in order to grow. I do not take my position as adversarial, but as providing adversity, the difference being that I do not win if you lose. However, if I do not create adverse conditions for you, you are not likely to have any fun. In a nutshell, that is my philosophy of DMing.
Keeping pace with Lena, Catila fires another sonic blast at the same Grick, while at the same time desperately looking around at the surrounding foliage and landscape something, perhaps a pit, perhaps high ground, anything that might help their perilous situation.
Ranged touch:
Damage:
Perception:
K engineering:
Intelligence check:
Catila sees a tree that was obviously struck by lighting at some point in the past. At the base of a tree is a three foot deep hollow, and that side of the tree has died and rotted in the humidity, leaving it structurally unsound. A good hit, or perhaps a small sonic boom could destabilize it enough to bring it down. If you could lure someone into its path, then you might be able to hit one or more of the someones...
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Songan maneuvers to join the gathering group of his allies as they face off against the strange creatures, wondering at these jungle-adapted gricks. He'd never heard of such a thing! He would definitely remember them now, though.
After joining the others, he momentarily pauses in his re-telling of Geoff's tale, casting a Grease spell that hits as many of the gricks as he is able to with the relatively small area of the slick, black substance. Immediately afterward, he cries out to his companions, "Burn the grease!!" before continuing his inspirational tale.
Seeing the tree and potential trap, Catila calls out "Lena! With me!" and then runs towards the tree, hoping to lure the two Gricks into position. If they pursue, once they're in place she aims her sonic blast at the tree at just the right time...
Krupt continues to retreat from the predator. He angles his move, hoping to eventually circle back to the rest of the group for protection. He then pulls another vial from his apron and downs it, the liquid staunching his bleeding and knitting some of his torn flesh back together.
Staring down at the sword suddenly in his arms, Orin tucks it under an arm and casts entangle to try to slow the enemy down. He tries to catch as many gricks as posible in the area of effect while excluding his companions. Vines spring to life and tree boughs reach down, attempting to wrap around the gricks.
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Area plants in a 40-ft.-radius spread
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: Reflex partial; see text; Spell Resistance: no
This spell causes tall grass, weeds, and other plants to wrap around creatures in the area of effect or those that enter the area. Creatures that fail their save gain the entangled condition. Creatures that make their save can move as normal, but those that remain in the area must save again at the end of your turn. Creatures that move into the area must save immediately. Those that fail must end their movement and gain the entangled condition. Entangled creatures can attempt to break free as a move action, making a Strength or Escape Artist check. The DC for this check is equal to the DC of the spell. The entire area of effect is considered difficult terrain while the effect lasts.
If the plants in the area are covered in thorns, those in the area take 1 point of damage each time they fail a save against the entangle or fail a check made to break free. Other effects, depending on the local plants, might be possible at GM discretion.
Whipping her injured arm back from the monster's tentacles, Lena checks the damage. I've had worse she thinks. Following Catila's gaze, Lena spots the damaged tree and attempts to fall back, luring the Gricks into the trap.
"Come on you ugly things! Come and get us!" she shouts, trying to entice a few of them away from the others.
Acrobatics (if needed)
Intimidate (to draw the Gricks' attention)
Round three
Initiative: 25
HP: 15/18
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Catila 12
Creatures 11
Round 3:
Lena begins carefully moving toward the precarious tree, shouting insults and making rude gestures as she goes. The gricks seem to be buying it, as they turn their heads toward her and begin hissing angrily.
Songan, seeing Lena moving in the direction of the tree, moves toward the others and casts his grease spell near two of the gricks. Soon the jungle floor is covered with a thin sheet of slimy liquid.
Reflex Grick #3:
Reflex Grick #4:
Unfortunately, covered as the ground is by the slime, neither grick is immediately knocked down by it.
Dr. Krupt moves hastily away from the pursuing grick and begins to circle around, keeping a step ahead of the grick as he goes.
Orin calls upon the green and growing things of the jungle to entangle the gricks and he manages to include all the gricks in the area.
Reflex Grick #1
Reflex Grick #2
Reflex Grick #3
Reflex Grick #4
Only Grick #3 is immediately lashed down by the vines; the others seem to snap through their bonds with their sharp beaks. In Orin's hand the scabbard finally falls apart, revealing a remarkably clean and sharp scimitar blade, unharmed by its internment in the jungle floor. Etched in its blade are images of vines and thorns.
Catila delays, waiting to see if the Gricks follow her trap.
Gricks #1, 2 and 4 all make a beeline toward the PCs, converging beside the hollow beneath the tree after spending all their movement just to fight through the vines.
Grick #3 attempts to break free: Strength , but it fails and spends it round futilely snapping vines with its beak while others snake up to continue entangling!
Save vs Entangle:
Reflex Grick #1
Reflex Grick #2
Reflex Grick #4
Gricks 1 and 4 manage to avoid the entangling vines, but #2 is hopelessly entangled.
Catila, having delayed until just this moment, waits until the Gricks have slithered closer, still hissing hatred at Lena. She casts her spell at the tree's base, hitting it solidly. An explosion of splinters and dust erupts into the air, momentarily fogging her vision. Nothing seems to happen... Then a groan, and a snap and lastly a shudder and the tree falls!
Reflex Grick #1
Reflex Grick #4
Grick #4 slithers to the side in an attempt to escape a direct hit. Grick #1 and #2 get caught in the tangling vines and take a direct hit!
Damage:
Under the tree Grick #2 is definitely dead. Grick #1 is seriously injured and seems to be stuck, but its hissing and spitting means it still lives. Grick #4 is injured, but not seriously. It's mostly angry now... And poor Grick #3 is still stuck in the middle of the greasy entangled jungle floor, hissing angrily and snapping its beak at the vines entangling it.
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Round 4!
Round Four
"Good shot!" Lena calls out to Catila before leaping on to the fallen log and using the higher ground to attack the Gricks before it.
Acrobatics to leap on to log:
Attack with Falcata against Grick #1 : damage sneak attack (if possible)
Round four
Initiative: 25
HP: 15/18
Init 17, AC 17, hp 16/23
Noting he is no longer being pursued, Krupt circles back to the main group. As he does so he spies the grick pinned under the log. Hefting up his walking stick he steps in cautiously, muttering to himself as he goes. "Musculature and skeletal structure similar to the suborder serpentes, therefore a nerve cluster should be present in certain areas, most probably...here," and takes a swing with his walking stick.
Orin casts Magic Fang on Grimfang and the taking his new sword, moves closer to the fray.
School transmutation; Level druid 1, ranger 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range touch
Target living creature touched
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Magic fang gives one natural weapon or unarmed strike of the subject a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. The spell can affect a slam attack, fist, bite, or other natural weapon. The spell does not change an unarmed strike's damage from nonlethal damage to lethal damage.
Grimfang goes after after the pinned grick, if still alive:
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Songan gives a shout of celebration at the tree being felled onto most of the gricks, leaving just the one entangled and greased near to him more-or-less unharmed. Hoping to change that in the next few moments, Songan retrieves a tindertwig from his backpack, quickly scratches it roughly against the trunk of a nearby tree, then lobs it at the greased-up grick caught in the middle of the entangle spell.
Also shouting with joy as her wild tree trap attempt works, the small detective sticks with what has been working at fires another sonic blast at whichever grick seems closest to death.
Ranged touch:
Damage:
Round 4!
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Lena leaps upon the tree, but her momentum causes her swing to go wide of the pinned grick #1. She recovers as the thing lets out a piteous mewling sound.
Songan pulls a tindertwig from his backpack, striking it as he goes. It flares into life, a tiny red flame dancing on its head. Almost in slow motion he tosses it toward the greased entangled grick! It flies through the air and almost goes out as a brief wind causes it to splutter, but hits the edge of the grease spell. For a moment, nothing happens. Then.... WHOOSH! The grease goes up in a terrible burst of flame! Grick #3 is burnt and scorched by the terrible flash of fire, but in a bonus for it, the entangling vines are also burnt away.
Dr Krupt's vengeance on the beasts that have tasted his blood is swift. He cracks the creature (Grick #1) on a soft spot just behind its head, causing a subdermal hematoma. The creature looks faint and confused as it hisses and mewls piteously.
Orin calls upon nature's favor and Grimfang's teeth do indeed look grim as he circles the now freed grick. He lunges and snaps at the thing, but does not hit enough to seriously wound. However, Orin does see that the thing's damage reduction is ignored by the beast's teeth as several light scratches appear...
Grick #4, injured slightly, but able to see its comrades are worse off, takes the prudent path and begins slithering away into the jungle.
Grick #1 snaps at Krupt , but its feeble snaps are becoming weaker.
Grick #3, scorched and harried by the wolf, snaps back at Grimfang, then turns to slither away! Attack: , but its attention is clearly turned toward escape. However, in its flight, it leaves its flank exposed to Grimfang!
Catila's spell is launched at the fleeing Grick #4, but misses, hitting a thick cluster of vines instead. The vines explode apart, revealing some sort of ancient skeleton of a small humanoid that clatters to the ground, still wearing some clothes and equipment...
ROUND 5:
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
"Yes, that's the spot..." Krupt brings the stick down again, striking for the same vital area. Unfortunately, the thing twists away and the cane handle glances off the side of the fallen tree.
Lena stumbles on the log but quickly regains her balance. She steadies herself before striking down at the trapped Grick with her faclcata
damage
sneak attack
Round 5
Initiative: 25
HP: 15/18
Grimfang snaps at the fleeing Grick:
On his turn he tries to chase down Grick 3:
Orin will charge at any Gricks within range to try his new fancy sword:
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Songan hisses in annoyance at the ineffectiveness of the flash-explosion of grease, having hoped it would do much more. Knowing from the ineffectiveness of the others' strikes on the gricks that his own attacks would meet with a similar result, he again turns to his knowledge of the arcane.
Following the path of the grick as it retreats, Songan weaves his magic, murmuring in the tongue of the arcane as he casts a Silent Image spell in front of the creature, a wide U-shaped wall of stone wavering into view in front of it, making it appear as if it suddenly has nowhere to go. He silently hopes that the illusion convinces the worm-like monster without the need for it to test the wall's reality, otherwise the ruse may be discovered.
As soon as the spell is woven, he resumes his oration, continuing to provide moral bolstering to his companions.
Round 5:
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Lena slashes at the trapped Grick and the thing lets out a pained hiss, but doesn't seem to suffer any damage. However, it has stopped thrashing about and seems to be bleeding out.
Songan conjures an illusory wall to vex the fleeing grick. It fails to stop in time and plows into the wall. Will Save However it is either too smart or too stupid to fall for the trick and plows straight through the wall.
Krupt tries to whack the pinned grick again, but thing gives out a sudden gasp and goes still, its pinned form deflating slightly.
Grimfang launches after the fleeing Grick #3, but it suddenly turns and snaps at him, causing his attacks to go wild. However, Orin charges the Grick and scores a terrible slash across its body. The attack deals a terrible wound! As the sword strikes, it glows green and seems to sprout thorns that bite into the Grick's hide!
Grick #4 disappears into the jungle. Grick #3 snaps and flails its tentacles at Orin!
Attack (bite):
Attack (tentacle):
Attack (tentacle):
Attack (tentacle):
Attack (tentacle):
Its attacks are feeble as its black blood flows freely from its wounds!
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Fort
While the wilds crew fends off attack, things at the fort are much quieter. Leralt continues his research, but he is hitting dead end after dead end. AT least, until he pulls a book called 'A Chronicle of the Crop Yields, Absalom.' Suddenly he hears a loud click.
Mevakh continues his one-man public relations tour of the settlement, which is quite successful until he enters the bunkhouse. Two humans, a man and a woman, are arguing loudly and in raised tones.
"You dirty, filthy harlot! You know that that hammer is mine! Give it back!"
"You buffoon! It's mine and you know it!"
"I'll see you ruined, thief!"
"The law is on my side, layabout!"
Seeing Mevakh, they both turn and begin shouting loudly at him, demanding Abadar's justice.
Perception
Fort
Leralt searches, but he can find no sign of where the click came from. It eats at him, however, so after four hours, he pulls down a volume on another shelf to reveal a small door about 1 foot by 1 foot barely popped out of the wall. It appears to be a secret compartment in the wall behind the book shelf.
Leralt cast a spell to see magic aura's. He also makes sure to check the door for any traps as best he can before attempting to open it from a distance with any handy item.
Fort An overwhelming aura of magic strikes you. It's not enough to trigger the end of the spell, but it does cause you to blink several times to clear your eyes. You detect strong auras of abjuration and divination...
For most, the expectation of an orc thrust into an argument is that the orc will bellow and frighten the participants into submission. Mevakh, however, is an emissary of Abadar despite his heritage. He tries his best to calm the situation. "Please, speak your piece one at a time. You, sir: what is the issue?" The woman seems to take poorly at not being asked first and starts yelling loudly at him as well.
Fort
"OH SO YOU'RE ON HIS SIDE?!? SO TYPICAL YOU MEN ALWAYS THINKING WITH YOUR.."
The woman's shrieks of indignation are attracting attention. Colonists are peering inside, making the private discussion a very public one. You have quite an audience, Mevakh.
When you finally get the woman calmed enough to be silent, there are about thirty colonists inside, all having stopped their work to see how you handle this dispute. You think you hear some bets being taken...
The crowd is taking sides and tempers seem to be running hot in the heat and humidity.
Mevakh listens to the dueling stories and explanations with patience. He watches their eyes and body language as much as he listens to their words. "May I see the hammer?" He takes the hammer to examine it. "Would a blacksmith, not well-acquainted to either party, please come assist me?"
Fort
A man coughs and steps through the crowd. "I reckon I could help, sir." He wears a stained smith's apron and reeks of sweat and fire.
Both the man and woman clearly believe their own stories and don't believe their opposite's stories.
Spellcraft?
Fort
Once again Catila aims a sonic ray at the closest living grick
Ranged touch:
Damage:
Knowledge (Arcana)
He tries to figure out the magic involved. He did not want to release anything but he did not want to just leave it without knowing more. For all he knew it was a trap for some later time or it could be whatever is contained is an ally in the making. The enemy of my enemy could be my friend.
Wilds
Catila's burst of solid sound hits the last remaining Grick, #3, and staggers it back, causing its existing wounds to rupture and bleed further!
ROUND 6:
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Fort
The aura would certainly indicate something is trapped within. While he glances inside, Leralt can see a small statue, as well as a note. The statue is of a humanoid with a demonic face. Wracking his brain, he recognizes that the face is that of the Horseman, Pestilence.
ROUND 6
Lena turns to see a Grick slither off into the jungle but doesn't think chasing after it would be worthwhile. Instead she rushes over to the last remaining Grick and flanks the creature with Grimfang, hoping to end this fight quickly.
Attack with Falcata
Damage and sneak attack
ROUND 6
Initiative 25
HP 15/18
Knowledge (Planes) and Perception
He tries to read the note from a distance, while remembering what details he knew about the horseman of pestilence.
Not relishing further attacks on his person, Krupt awaits another person to move in and distract it before advancing.
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Songan, not wanting to use all of his magics for the day in this one conflict and knowing full well that he has no hope of harming these creatures, nocks an arrow and keeps an eye on the jungle around them, wanting to make sure they aren't ambushed by something else while the others are finishing off the gricks, ceasing his oratory so as not to waste the remaining use he has for it.
Wilds
Order:
Lena 25
Songan 17
Krupt 17
Orin 14
Creatures 11
Catila 11
Lena moves to flank the Grick, hacking at it, but failing to penetrate its rock hard skin.
Songan hangs back, nocking an arrow and keeping an eye on the jungle. However it seems very quiet, as if the Gricks' presence has scared away other forest creatures.
Krupt waits for his moment and circles to flank with Orin. His timely strikes the Grick's beak, cracking it and dealing some damage, but not enough to quite kill it. Still it is getting desperate!
Fort
Leralt's attempts to read the note fail as it seems to be rolled with age or intent. He recalls some tidbits about the Horseman of Pestilence, Apollyon. He's usually depicted with a ram's head and his worshippers are usually evil or deranged.
Leralt will roll out the scroll and use any handy objects to open it as well. Before he reads it he cast his magic detection spell again. More then aware of a number of spells triggered in such a manner.
Orin and Grimfang attack the remaining Grick
but both miss the battered Grick.
Wondering just what it will take to put the tough critter down, Catila aims another sonic blast at the grick
Ranged touch:
Damage:
Orin and Grimfang's attacks harry the wounded Grick, keeping it squirming, but do no serious damage.
The Grick attempts to bullrush a way out of the ring of blades, choosing to launch itself at Gellius Krupt. Bullrush: , but the maneuver fails as Krupt is able to ward off the attempt.
Catila, seeing the thing trying to escape, launches a sonic shock at the Grick, blasting into its head. The damage is enough to send the beast falling to the ground, twitching for a few seconds before deflating in death.