Aid Tokens
Once per encounter, any character at a table can use an Aid Token to assist the group in one of five ways described below. Once a table uses an Aid Token, the token grants no further benefit until the end of the encounter, at which point one of the players can pass the Aid Token to a neighboring table for them to use. It is very important that the players remember that there are a limited number of Aid Tokens, and hoarding one means that somebody else doesn’t get to use it. An Aid Token’s benefits can take one of the following five forms.
Aid Another: Ralph gives advice via a sending spell to help you solve a puzzle, disable a trap, or accomplish some other task as if performing the aid another action for a PC. The bonus for this aid is +3.
Allied Offensive: Ralph happens to be in a battle nearby and spares a moment to direct a long-range magical attack on a creature at the same time as the PC, increasing the damage dealt by one attack by 2d8 points. In addition, after the attack, the target is momentarily disoriented and anyone attacking the target is considered to be flanking it until the beginning of the attacker’s next turn.
Burst of Healing: Ralph asks a nearby cleric to send a burst of positive energy through the token. This heals all of the PCs of 3d6 points of damage. Alternatively, Ralph can send one of these spells thorugh the token to one of you: neutralize poison, remove curse, or remove disease with a caster level of 6.
Spellcasting Synergy: Ralph sends a surge of magical energy through the token as you cast a spell increasing the save DC and caster level of the PC’s spell by 1.
Timely Inspiration: Ralph broadcasts the effects of a bard’s inspire courage bardic performance for 3 rounds. The competence bonus is +2.
Table successes: 22
The beast rider
Research Encounter: The sacred pools
The Serpentfolk guards
The Scales of Ydersius
Research Encounter: Festival Preparations
Temple attendants
Research Encounter: Words of a Dead God
Beasts of a Civilised Age
Scions of the Serpent God
Research Encounter: An Azlanti Perspective (double success)
Guardian Idols
______________________________
Finding the Vault
Fate's Anchor: Gad Gemple
Fate's Anchor: Binui Skostravalus
Fate's Anchor: Romnus Vagarti
Fate's Anchor: Alrule Shahan
The Many Arodeths x 4
The Operations Center
Blanmieux quickly finishes off his attacker, and the pools are quiet once more.
No notable treasure except for 2 masterwork greatswords, 3 morningstars and 3 javelins.
With the plinths fully documented and the rituals completed, you have a moment to catch your breath and tend to any preparations you require before getting ready to resume your explorations. Before you are able to get too far, however, you hear an ominous hissing and clacking coming from the same direction that the serpentfolk came from.
Since no one is in need of healing (Blanmieux's damage was absorbed by his temporary hit points), I will move you straight to another 'bonus' encounter. Same map.
What slithers into view is a true monstrosity of the ancient world. A large serpentine creature with a vicious maw on its reptilian face and two long tentacles tipped with snapping jaws sprouting from its back. It is still some distance away, but it has certainly spotted you, and perceives you as its next meal!
Round 1
Hakime
Torrag
Van
Monster
Twitter
Blanmieux -7hp, +6 temporary hp
Torrag, you can have your flight spell for this battle as well, but after this it will end.
Knowledge planes to identify the monster. I will bot Hakime. Torrag and Van give me actions for round 1 please.
"That... I do not even want to know what that thing is..." Twitter chirps nervously. "I mean tentacles on a snake? A snake is already like a giant living tentacle on its own! Tentacles on a snake is like putting extra seats on the arms of a chair, or putting a nest on another nest on another nest, or three scoops of ice-cream on... hey that last one's actually not a bad thing. But THAT thing IS NOT ICE-CREAM!"
knowledge arcana:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Apparently Twitter knows all too well what that thing is...
Questions:
Saves order from high to low?
Other special defences?
Spell-like abilities?
Special senses?
GM, is the cavern at least 25ft high? Does that thing look like it can reach the top of the cavern if Twitter flies along the ceiling?
M Gnome Arcanist 6 - HP 38/38 - AC 16/T: 15/FF: 13 - Perception: +1; Darkvision 60 ft. - Fort: +6, Ref: +7, Will: +6 (+2 vs. Illusions) - CMB: +2, CMD 15 - Speed 20 ft. - Init. +3
Knowledge (planes):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
"Dang, that's not a pretty sight."
If I get any questions, I'll leave it up to the GM to tell me something(s) useful about it that the others didn't find out. I'll post my action once we know what we're facing, I don't feel that bad pausing briefly since this is an bonus encounter and I don't want to burn through all my spells.
Male Human Spell Sage 14 | HP:100/100| AC: 16/ FF 12/ T 14 |CMD: 17| Fort: +12 Ref: +12 Will: +13 | Perception: +18| Init: +3 [|] Uses Ring of Invisibility
Van, Twitter and Torag remember that just last week at the Grand Lodge, they had sat in on a lecture that Ralph was giving on proteans, and remember in particular the part about Naunet proteans.
The Lecture:
"Naunet proteans are versatile and adaptive creatures. Their natural weapons are naturally infused with magic and chaos, and they can even adapt the properties of adamantine, silver and or cold iron for short periods of time. " (Can bypass most forms of DR easily.)
"Their tails are incredibly dextrous and are capable of grabbing and constricting smaller prey in the time most warriors take to just swing a blade. But more interesting are their iconic fanged tentacles, which are so infused with chaos that merely being bitten by one subects the mind to chaotic influences, confusing all but the most stalwart of wills." (Grab and constrict with tail. Tentacles inflict a save-or-confused effect.)
"Like other proteans, naunets are creatures of pure chaos. Even their innards shift around constantly, making it hard to know where the vital points to strike are. Their amorphous bodies also makes all attempts to polymorph them futile, and they can quickly grow new visual and auditory organs if their existing ones are compromised. Curiously, their forms are amorphous not only in a physical but also in a magical sense, as they defy almost all manner of restraints whether they be physical or magical. They even have a limited ability to change their own forms, and heal their own wounds in the process." (Permanent freedom of movement, 50% fortification, immune to polymorph unless willing, can recover from blindness and deafness 1 round after being afflicted. Once per day can polymorph per the spell and gains the effect of a heal spell when they change back to their original form.)
"Also like other proteans, Naunets are capable of supernatural flight and can perceive their surroundings via extranormal senses. They are particularly sensitive to lawful auras and pick up on them automatically. They are immune to acid and resistant to electric- and sonic-based attacks. They are somewhat resistant to spells and physical attacks, though weapons of Order are effective against them. More generally, naunets are tough and agile, but their disordered minds are comparatively easier to manipulate." Flight, blindsense, constant detect law, immune to acid, resist sonic 10, resist electric 10, SR18. DR5/Lawful. Higher fort and reflex, lower will.
"Finally, if you do encounter a naunet in the field, know that they can conjure arrows of acid and clouds of fog at will, employ dimensional travel and even unravel the physical integrity of non-living, non-magical objects. They can also strike clustered opponents with a surge of chaos that should not be too worrisome for those of you with a chaotic bent. If however you fancy yourself a law-abiding citizen or worse still a paladin, that assault could prove quite... painful." (At will--acid arrow, fog cloud, dimension door (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), shatter; 1/day--chaos hammer)
"That concludes today's lecture. My more extensive notes on proteans are available in volume 203 of the Chronicles, pages 88 to 97."
Cliffsnotes:
(Can bypass most forms of DR easily.) (Grab and constrict with tail. Tentacles inflict a save-or-confused effect.) (Permanent freedom of movement, 50% fortification, immune to polymorph unless willing, can recover from blindness and deafness 1 round after being afflicted. Once per day can polymorph per the spell and gains the effect of a heal spell when they change back to their original form.) Flight, blindsense, constant detect law, immune to acid, resist sonic 10, resist electric 10, SR18. DR5/Lawful. Higher fort and reflex, lower will. (At will--acid arrow, fog cloud, dimension door (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), shatter; 1/day--chaos hammer)
Twitter starts rattling off from memory what she can of Ralph's lecture. When she gets to the part about the creature being able to fly, however, she begins speaking alot more softly.
I'll share what I know with the other party members, though it seems that all that info is from the sum of our knowledge checks?
(At will--acid arrow, fog cloud, dimension door (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), shatter; 1/day--chaos hammer)
One of those will make running quite difficult.
But it's only one CR higher than an ankylosaurus and it's alone, so this fight should not be beyond your abilities. You also practically have a guidebook on its abilities and defences.
Hakime begins combat with a flurry of arrows. One of the arrows strikes a shallow blow, and the other bounces off the naunet's scaly hide.
Torrag begins casting a summoning spell and Van starts exploring alternative strategic options from his spell book.
The naunet flies 15ft into the air (just out of reach of the lance that it sees Blanmieux has) and unleashes a multicolored explosion of leaping, ricocheting energy over all of you. The wall between Torrag and the rest of you protects him from the blast.
3d8 + 1d6 ⇒ (8, 3, 5) + (5) = 21 If you are lawful Hakime: You take 16 points of damage and are slowed for 5 rounds. DC 16 will save to halve the damage and negate the slow. If you are neutralVan, Twitter or Blanmieux: You take 8 points of damage. DC16 will save for half damage If you are chaotic: the pretty colours tickle.
Twitter, since you made a knowledge check, you were out of the pouch when this happened, so you are affected. If you had stayed in the pouch, you would have avoided the AoE.
Round 1
Hakime
Torrag
Van
Monster -3
Twitter
Blanmieux -7hp, +6 temporary hp
Make your will saves if you are not chaotic. The cavern is 30ft high. Twitter and Blanmieux can act for round 1. Hakime, Torrag and Van, actions for round 2 please.
GM's tactical advice: summoning a lantern archon could be good idea. Put is somewhere where Van can haste it and it will be able to fire 3 rays per round. It's only 1d6 each, but will bypass all the naunet's defences. The naunet does not look like it has a high touch AC. Also haste Hakime and Blanmieux, but you know that already.
I've moved the lantern archon a little since it needs to be summoned within Torrag's line of sight.
Blanmieux hurls a javelin at the protean creature, lightly scratching it and getting its attention, and Twitters' words fixes its attention of the barbarian. Torrag finishes his summoning spell, calling a lantern archon to aid the party against the monstrosity of chaos, but holds on attacking until Van finishes his spell. As soon as he finishes, the lantern archon and Hakime fire a salvo of light rays and arrows at the protean.
to hit, first shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 to hit, second shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 to hit, haste shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 dmg if hits:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 dmg if hits:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
The lantern archon and Hakime get two hits each, though Hakime's arrows don't penetrate as deeply as she would have liked. Torrag follows up with a fireball and envelops the naunet in flames, but when the fires subside, the naunet appears unsinged!
Deciding to accept Twitter's challenge, the naunet goes for Blanmieux first, seeing him as an easy first target due to his lack of armor and agility.
GM rolls:
1d20 ⇒ 3
As it closes in on the barbarian, however, it suddenly flinces as Twitter spits a stream of white goo at the naunet, wrapping it in a sticky adhesive. Fortunately for the naunet, and unfortunately for Twitter, the creature's flight is not wings-based and whilst the adhesive does slow it down a little, it does not prevent the creature from hovering just above sword-reach as it lashes out at Blanmieux with its tail.
attack roll:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 grab roll:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26 damage:1d6 + 5 + 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 + (3) + 5 = 19
It slaps the barbarian hard with its tail and coils it around the barbarian rapidly, squeezing Blanmieux in a vice-like grip!
Twitter will take advantage of the haste and the fact that the creature is busy grappling Blanmieux to fly out of the creature's threatened squares and into the pouch at Hakime's hip. She pokes her head out furtively as she chirps and flaps her wings. GM PM
Blanmieux thumps the naunet with his morningstar, leaving a bruise on its scaly skin. Van attempts to aid him with a spell to break free from the naunet's coils, but the barbarian proves not agile enough to slip out, even with the magical aid. Twitter, Van, Torrag, the lanterns archon and Hakime follow up with a barrage of arrows and magic with varying degrees of success, and the naunet looks like it is feeling under some pressure.
Since it has Blanmieux in its coils, the naunet savages the barbarian with a full attack, biting him with fangs and tentacles before dropping him and slamming him with its tail again.
bite:1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 14 - 2 = 16 tentacles:1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 - 2 = 16 tentacles:1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 - 2 = 15 tail:1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 11 - 2 = 13 grab:1d20 + 15 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 15 - 2 = 19 damage bite:1d8 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 damage tentacle:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 damage tentacle:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 damage tail:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
This time, the naunet is unable to grab Blanmieux due to the annoyingly sticky strands on its body, but the barbarian still takes a severe beating from the protean. Seeing that it has failed to constrict Blanmieux in its coils, the creature pulls up 5ft further into the air.
No falling damage, Blanmieux, you were not that high up. But 12 is not going to make the will save.
Blanmieux staggers under the flux of chaos in his mind that comes with being struck by the naunet's tentacles.
confusion table:1d100 ⇒ 77Regrettable.
Blanmieux's compromised senses cause him to see enemies everywhere, and he lashes out at the closest, shortest one... which happens to actually be Van!
Actually, the closest creature is Van. The naunet failed to grab you the second time and is now 10ft above ground level, whilst Van is beside you. He is also in range of a full attack. since the Using the modifiers in your spoilered roll, but rolling for damage with a morning star since that was what you used last round.
Ouch. Classic case of the raging barbarian being turned against his party.
The protean roars in what appears to be some kind of laughter as Blanmieux smashes Van in the face twice before the gnome is able to react.
Round 4
----------------------------------characters below this line have not acted this turn.
Van (haste) -34
Hakime (haste)
Torrag
Monster -57 (entangled 5rds, grappled initiater)
Twitter (haste)
Blanmieux -25hp (grappled, haste)
Now entering round 4. Van, Hakime and Torrag can act this round.
Van, you are now being threatened by Blanmieux since he is confused until the start of his next turn and mistakenly hostile to you. You can take a 5ft step away from him.
M Gnome Arcanist 6 - HP 38/38 - AC 16/T: 15/FF: 13 - Perception: +1; Darkvision 60 ft. - Fort: +6, Ref: +7, Will: +6 (+2 vs. Illusions) - CMB: +2, CMD 15 - Speed 20 ft. - Init. +3
I reread the rules, and basically if Blan got attacked at all after being confused he has to attack the last creature that attacked him, so he would still attack the monster even if subsequent attacks missed.
If Van is at 0 HP..
Van moves away from the crazed Blanmieux with Dimensional Slide.
If Blanmieux is attacking the monster instead of Van.
Van fires a Magic Missile at the Protean and moves away 20 feet.
Hmm. The protean is out of reach. But let it not be said that I am a harsh GM.
Fortunately for Van, the attack on the dimunitive serpentfolk in Blanmieux's mind was indeed all in his mind. In reality, he attacks the naunet the best way he is able to - by dropping his morningstar and firing with his bow.
attack roll:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20
The naunet simply swats the arrow out of the sky.
Van follows up with a magic missile from his wand, but the missile fizzles just as it is about to strike the naunet. Torrag, his lantern archon and Hakime continue their salvo of arrows, light beams and frost rays.
many attack rolls:
to hit, first shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 to hit, second shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 to hit, haste shot:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 dmg if hits:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 dmg if hits:1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
to hit, first shot:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 to hit, second shot:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10Entangle paying off. to hit, haste shot:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 dmg if hits:1d6 ⇒ 1 dmg if hits:1d6 ⇒ 5 dmg if hits:1d6 ⇒ 2
Hakime's arrows bounce off the naunet's scales, but 2 of the lantern's archons rays and Torrag's frost ray strike the naunet, causing it more pain.
Deciding to change its tactic a little, the protean withdraws a little further into the air. Its form wavers and shifts into that of a tiger.
Round 4
----------------------------------characters below this line have not acted this turn.
Van (haste)
Hakime (haste)
Torrag
Monster -67 (entangled 4rds)
Twitter (haste)
Blanmieux -25hp ( haste)
Blan is no longer confused. His morningstar is on the floor and he has his bow in hand. Naunet-tiger is 40ft in the air.
Twitter and Blanmieux can act for round 4.
The rest can act for round 5.
No problem. Thank you for telling us you were going to be away. Blan's player posted in another game but not this one. Don't know why, but I will bot him this turn so we keep moving. I have also sent him a message.
Blanmieux realises that he needs to punch through the naunet's DR, so instead of using his bow, he pulls out one of his light hammers and throws it at the naunet with all his strength.
attack roll:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
The hammer bounces off the wall.
Van watches the naunet carefully, in case it tries to pounce on him. Hakime, Torrag and the lantern archon continue to bombard the naunet, but continue to have only moderate success at injuring it.
1d2 ⇒ 1
And then just as Twitter predicted, the naunet goes for the pounce, charging down on Blan from above.
bite:1d20 + 17 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 17 - 2 - 1 = 31 grab:1d20 + 15 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 15 - 2 - 1 = 27 claw:1d20 + 16 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 16 - 2 - 1 = 22 claw:1d20 + 16 - 2 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 16 - 2 - 1 = 19 damage:2d6 + 5 ⇒ (5, 4) + 5 = 14 damage:1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 damage:1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
The naunet-tiger clamps down on Blanmieux with its jaws, holding on to him as it strikes him with its claws. Grabbed, grappled.
However, as it savages your barbarian, Twitter does her thing again causing it even more pain. Feeling a little pressured, it shifts its form once more, and as it does, its tiger-mouth turns into a serpentine tail wrapping around Blanmieux. Its wounds close over as its form shifts, and it now looks good as new!
You managed to pressure it into shifting out of tiger form one round earlier than it wanted to. Not bad.
Round 5
Van (haste)
Hakime (haste)
Torrag
Naunet (entangled 3rds, grappled)
----------------------------------characters below this line have not acted this turn.
Twitter (haste)
Blanmieux -50hp (haste, grappled)
Blanmieux is grappled without a melee weapon in hand, though he can still draw one of his light hammers.
Twitter and Blan can act for round 5. Van, Hakime and Torrag can act for round 6.
Twitter's ray fizzles into nothing before it even touches the naunet. Blan bashes the naunet in the side with his light hammer, dealing some damage. Hakime, Torrag and the lantern archon fire again, dealing even more damage. But the protean is still far from done.
Round 6
Van (haste)
Hakime (haste)
Torrag
Naunet -14hp (entangled 2rds)
----------------------------------characters below this line have not acted this turn.
Twitter (haste)
Blanmieux -73hp (haste, may be confused)
Blanmieux, make two will saves.
Blanmieux and Twitter can call actions for round 6.
Van, Hakime and Torrag for round 7.
Torrag, this is the last round of your lantern archon. It is also the last round of Van's haste. You will not defeat this enemy without using more resources.
Torrag will grab another bead from his haversack and throw it so it hits the wall in the far corner about 15' off the ground so the fireball only gets the creature.
Random Bead:1d3 ⇒ 2 SR Check:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 Fire Damage:2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 Reflex DC 14 for half
M Gnome Arcanist 6 - HP 38/38 - AC 16/T: 15/FF: 13 - Perception: +1; Darkvision 60 ft. - Fort: +6, Ref: +7, Will: +6 (+2 vs. Illusions) - CMB: +2, CMD 15 - Speed 20 ft. - Init. +3
Van casts Magic Missile at the Protean which is fizzled by its spell resistance. "Someone better heal the big guy or we're all going to bite the dust."
Hakime declares the creature to be the target of her smite evil ability and attacks again with a flurry of attacks. Her attacks now, in addition to bonuses, bypass all dr.
Before Hakime declares her smite, Twitter quickly chirps "no wait! It's not a creature of evil, it's a creature of chaos! Your paladin power will not help you here!"
She starts chirping and flapping her wings again from inside the pouch.
GM, same as 2 rounds ago. I'm running a little low on juice here. Is there a point to keeping it entangled since it almost auto-hits Blan anyway?
