Based on what we know of the projections do we think the runelord has to cast the spells we are being targeted with?
Your illusionist of the party can tell you with firm certainty that given the similarities of this to project image, it is very likely the Runelord is personally casting the spells so far.
The group advances down the south hallway for a jaunt, with a pair of golden doors set in the decorated walls to the left side. As Jebediah comes into the view of the doors, the wavering image of Karzoug manifests once again in front of the doors.
"Your idiotic door tactic cannot save you now, maggots! Flee before my power!" the Runelord shouts loudly at the group, his visage a melange of rage and other contorted emotions.
Sense Motive (DC 36):
Underneath the well-crafted persona the Runelord is displaying, you can detect an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice; as if Karzoug is actually becoming afraid of the progress the group is making within his sanctum.
Karzoug Initiative:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21
Approximately 2.5 minutes passed from the pagoda room to present. I will let you all roll your own initiative this time in the event anyone has any effects they want to trigger (e.g. heightened awareness); if you roll higher than a 21 (or a 21 with a +8 bonus) feel free to go ahead and act. Rolling otherwise will put you in after Karzoug's action that I will post after actions or by Monday afternoon. Also, **Western Hallway and Current Maps updated**.
Current Party Buffs:
Time Elapsed since arrival: 51 minutes + 5 rounds
Jebediah: Barkskin (129 min), Delay Poison (18 hr), Electricity Resist 30 (3 min), Endure Elements, Extended Greater Longstrider (36 hr), Extended Ward of the Seasons x 2 (36 hr), Greater Magic Fang x 5 (36 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 Hr), Life Link, Magic Vestment (22 hr), Status (18 Hr), Wild Shaped
Ezren: Contingency (Improved Invisibility, 17 days), Electricty Resist 30 (3 min), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 Hr), Life Link, Life Bubble (5 hr) Mage Armor (34 hr), Mind Blank (24 hr), Overland Flight (17 hr), Protection from Fire (60 pt, 25 min), See Invisibility (145 min), Status (18 Hr), Stone Skin (3 min, 150 pt)
-Baal: Cold Resist 30 (22 min), Deathwatch (114 min), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's Blessing (16 hr), Life Link, Status (18 hr), Stone Skin (3 min, 150 pt)
Grognar: Electricity Resist 30 (3 min), GMW (16 hr), Heightened Awareness (109 min), Heroes Feast (12 hr), Hunter's blessing (16 hr), Life Link, Life Bubble (6 hr), Magic Vestment (22 hr), Status (18 hr), Stone Skin (3 min, 150 pt)
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Sense Motive:1d20 + 27 ⇒ (6) + 27 = 33
Init:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13Not my best rolls. :)
Karzoug's image wavers as Grognar attempts to dispel it, but it remains visible. Rage contorts the Runelord's face as he fires a green ray at Jebediah, possibly melting the dinosaur!
Need DC 31 Fortitude save or take 137 points of damage. If save, only take 11 points. Everyone else is now up initiative-wise!
Initiative
Grognar and Sharton
Karzoug
Ezren, Jeb, Shump, Griff
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Just back around the corner. I do not think that image can move. And it does not seem to be able to last too long. Ezren recommends, but will ready his own dispel in case the image manages to show itself.
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
Sharton peaks around the corner to make sure this looks like the same kind of projected image we've seen before.
Knowledge arcana:1d20 + 22 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 22 + (5) = 36
If it is, he casts dispel magic to get rid of it.
Dispel Magic:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36
It is the same effect you have been seeing throughout the Spire.
When Jebediah takes Karzoug's spell like a boss, the Runelord visibly falters. "What...what are you?" he stutters as fear enters his visage for the first time. "MINIONS!" he shouts, his words falling on the blood-soaked, silent, and empty hallways like a water drop in a vast cavern. "...Anyone?" he almost trails off in a whisper as the image is shattered shortly after by Sharton's dispel magic spell.
Out of Initiative! Three options available for further exploration in this area: 1) The double doors behind the now-dispelled Karzoug image, 2) A set of doors set on the right side of the hallway a short jaunt further (near to Jeb's current location), or 3) A set of doors at the end of this hallway further down after a couple turns. The Western Chamber map has been updated as well.
Sharton finds no traps on the door as far as he can tell. The only aura that Grognar finds unusual is a fading transmutation aura in the spot where the Karzoug image occupied.
The door opens at the lightest boop-snoot, revealing an exquisitely decorated chamber containing thick carpeting on the floor. A fireplace that contains a flickering flame sits on the northern wall, while several large nests of fine furs and cushions are spread about the room. Three doors provide three additional exits from the room; the doors lying on the north, northwest, and southeastern sides of the chamber.
**Western Chamber Map Updated**
Appraise (DC 20):
The pelts on the floor are of high quality, ranging in type from snow leopard to yeti. There are 20 pelts, each worth 250 gold pieces.
Perception (DC 30):
There is a short hair pin, fitted with a shiny black gem, tucked into the folds of one of the furs on the floor.
Human Oracle (Life) 18 | HP 174/174 | AC 34*^ | T 16^ | FF 30* | CMD 24^ | F +30# | R +26^# | W +29# | +4 vs. disease/poison and roll twice | Init +0 | Perc -5 | Sense Motive +0 | Channel 12/14 | Combat Healer 4/4 | Mnemonic Vestment 1/1 | Spells: Spells: Level 1: 8/9, Level 2: 8/9, Level 3: 3/9, Level 4: 4/8, Level 5: 7/8, Level 6: 5/8, Level 7: 6/7, Level 8: 3/6, Level 9: 1/4 | Reroll 1/1 | Active Spells:Air Walk, Ant Haul, Bestow Grace(#), Blessing of Fervor, Contingency (Breath of Life), Freedom of Movement, Haste(^), Heroes' Feast, Magic Vestment (x2)*, Invisibility + Mind Blank
Griff uses a charge of Infernal Healing on both himself and Jebidiah to be fully healed.
Griff creeps up carefully behind, continually activating his ring. (I imagine at this point he's somewhat like Bilbo about the ring, not quite like Golum lol)
He peers around with his smoked goggles but as always has trouble seeing anything not living.
Jebediah delicately picks up the hair pin with his teeth, and drops it into Sharton's hands.
I actually had an amusing mental image of the pin getting stuck in your large, sharp teeth; with the wizard awkwardly sticking his hand into your gaping maw to pick it out while saliva drips everywhere.
Griff wrote:
He peers around with his smoked goggles but as always has trouble seeing anything not living.
I imagine the major way the group knows you are in the vicinity is your character accidentally stumbling into walls/furniture from time to time. To the random observer, they would most likely assume the group is being haunted by a poltergeist or something.
Jebediah boops the door to the northwest, revealing a foul-smelling abbatoir of a room that is empty of furniture. Instead, the room is covered in a "bedding" of countless half-gnawed bodies and skeletons from a variety of humanoid creatures. Searching this room, visually and magically, does not reveal any hidden items, traps, or anything else unusual. The room has no other exit beyond the entrance Jeb is looking through.
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Appraise:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (7) + 18 = 25
These furs are all relatively valuable. Ezren shares. We should carry those we can.
Booping the northern door reveals a 60-foot long hallway, ending shortly to your right as the door opens and continuing past to left for about 50 feet or so before coming to a dead-end. There is a door immediately to the right, as well as a set of double doors at the other end of the hallway on the right.
Two options for the hallway is a close door on the right and a far door also on the right. The hallway is only 10 feet wide, if Jeb wants to continue down it in dino form he will have to squeeze.
You detect a magical aura on the gem set into the pin, and identify this item as a periapt of proof against poison. The periapt normally occupies a neck slot, but the AP specifically calls it out as being a hair pin. For now, I will say it occupies the Head slot (not headband) for now.
In order to reach the closest door in the hallway, Jeb will have to nudge 5 feet into the hall to do so (which doesn't necessarily squeeze him quite yet, since the rest of his body is sticking out into the main room. Amusing mental image, though.
Dice Rolling:
Secret Die Roll 1:1d20 + 23 ⇒ (3) + 23 = 26 Secret Die Roll 2:1d20 + 36 ⇒ (6) + 36 = 42 Secret Die Roll 3:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Jebediah boops the door, the door opening to reveal a chamber that perhaps is the least decorated room in the entire Spire. The walls are bare stone, stark and undecorated, with the floor being merely functional in appearance as well. Two iron doors face each other across the room on the far side. Jebediah, with his keen astute senses, spots a large semi-translucent humanoid creature lurking in this room; with a face like a distorted fish, gaunt body, lanky limbs, and tentacles that writhe about it sinuously. Its eyes glow with a menacing red light as it orients dangerously in Jebediah's direction.
Knowledge Planes (DC 26 + Line of Sight into Room):
This creature is an astradaemon, neutral evil outsiders that are personifications of death caused by level drain or negative energy. Daemons are typically immune to acid, death effects, disease, and poison. They are also generally moderately resistant to the other energy types except sonic, and tend to have the ability to summon less versions of their kind. May ask 1 additional question for every 5 above the DC.
Feel free to go ahead and roll initiative! If you roll higher than a 23, feel free to act at the same time. Because of the squeezing situation with the hallway, I will say that Jeb will be unable to pounce from his current position in terms of turn planning.
To save time, and help with planning, Jebediah (when he has a chance to act) intends to retreat back to the main hallway, so that his allies have room to maneuver, and deal with this thing.
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Init:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Ezren flies up to have a look at the creature. Noting that it is hard to see he casts Glitterdust on it before dimensionally shifting back to where he began.
SR:1d20 + 23 ⇒ (5) + 23 = 28
Will Save DC 25 or be blind. Oh, and I am not sure the spell allows SR.
The creature is now covered in the glitter from Ezren's spell, creating an amusing optical illusion that the creature is a demonic snow globe due to its translucent nature; but it seems to have resisted the more blinding effects of the magic. Its glowing red eyes narrow in malice as it orients on Jebediah, firing an ominous purple ray of energy at him from one of its tentacles. The beam arcs almost unerringly to hit the dinosaur, draining a large portion of Jebediah's life force! The creature then adjusts forward ten feet, but does not leave the room.
Spellcraft (Everyone but Shump):
It appears that Jeb was hit with an energy drain spell.
Jebediah gains 7 temporary negative levels that can become permanent in 24 hours depending on making a DC 24 Fort save for each one or Griff removing them. Creature moves to B*17, will update maps when my computer is caught up with updates/programs.
Initiative Order:
Grognar
Sharton
Shump
Jeb (7 temp neg levels)
Griff
Four questions: Looking to find out Senses (especially if it has true seeing), Special Attacks, Special Defenses/DR/SR, and other fun SLAs he might have.
Sharton decides on disintegrate combined with his persistent metamagic rod.
Ranged Touch:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30
Damage:32d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 3, 4, 1, 6, 5, 3, 3, 5, 4, 3, 1, 6, 3, 2, 2, 3, 2, 1, 4, 1, 5, 6, 5, 5, 6, 5, 1, 4, 3, 4) = 109 Fort DC 24, roll twice take the lower
In the likely event this is necessary, Spell Penetration:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (17) + 20 = 37
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
Ezren will wait to see how the creature deals with the disintegrate. He is +40 to identify a cast spell. Jebediah was hit with an energy drain. I doubt it can swing around that much power too many times.
Sorry for the delay in posting, the first week of the new year is actually a level of Hell dedicated for those that work in retail pharmacy.
Knowledge Planes (Sharton):
1) Astradaemons have an innate sense for life energy, and have continual deathwatch active as well as true seeing and darkvision.
2) Astradaemons insatiable hunger for souls plays into their special attacks. When they grapple living creatures they can automatically attempt to rip the soul out of that creature and kill it unless the victim succeeds on a Fortitude save. The Astradaemon grows more powerful from such soul, scaling upon the Hit Dice of the victim. They also siphon away soul energy from living creatures that die nearby (approximately 10 feet away) to heal and empower itself; as well as continually damaging incorporeal undead and living souls (e.g. those astral projecting or using magic jar).
3) Due to the semi-corporeal nature of Astradaemons, they enjoy a blurring effect similar to displacement. Additionally, their defenses are best pierced by good-aligned and silver weapons. They are completely immune to acid, poison, disease, and death effects; while being moderately resistant to cold, electricity, and fire. These daemons have pretty good spell resistance.
4) Astradaemon's spell-like abilities are tied into its manipulation and draining of life energies (e.g. mostly necromantic enervation-like spells and death effects), along with the typical demonic abilities (e.g. teleporting).
Miss Chance (50%, high Good):1d100 ⇒ 37
Sharton adjusts forwards and expertly fires an emerald green ray of energy at the daemon. However, the snow-globe-like effect from the glitterdust only seems to accentuate the daemon's blurry outline, causing Sharton's ray to barely miss the creature. The ray shoots past it to strike at what appears to be a cell door beyond it; but instead of converting the door to sand the ray seems to become instantly negated several inches from striking the door, possibly by a protective effect of some kind.
**Western Map Updated**
Initiative Order:
Round 2
Ezren
Fish Tentacle Demon
Grognar
Sharton
Shump
Jeb (7 temp neg levels)
Griff
HP 112/108 | AC 22 | T 16 | FF 18 | CMD 23 | F +17 | R +18 | W +19 | +5 vs. enchantments, +2 from demons | Init +12 | Perc +26 Male Elf diabolist 6/conjurer (teleportation) 10
running low on spells and unsure how to hurt this demon Ezren delays for a moment.
The daemon's eyes flare with a dangerous red light as it moves to get a better view of the wizard firing green lasers at it. The creature points one of its clawed fingers at Sharton's chest, causing its claw to become enveloped in purple energy. It then makes a squeezing motion with said claw, as if mimicking crushing his heart, causing a similar purple glow of energy to envelop the wizard!
Spellcraft (Everyone but Shump):
It appears Sharton has been targeted by a finger of death spell.
The daemon moves to C*16. Need a DC 24 Fortitude save from Sharton or take 170 points of damage from a death effect. Succeeding results in 3d6 + 17 ⇒ (3, 4, 2) + 17 = 26 points of damage instead.
Initiative Order:
Round 2
Ezren (Delayed)
Grognar
Sharton (Need DC 24 Fort Save)
Shump
Jeb (7 temp neg levels, temporarily suppressed)
Griff
Male Human Illusionist/15 Investigator/1 | HP 115/115 | AC 19| T 15 | FF 16 | CMD 21 | F +14 | R +16 | W +19 | Init +7 | Perc +27 (+1 traps) | Sen Mot +11 | Greater Invis 6/15 rds | Inspiration 8/8 | Bonded Item 0/1 | Reroll 0/1 (+5) | Active Spells: Haste, Heightened Awareness, Mind Blank, Heroism, Stoneskin, Life Bubble, Resist Fire/Cold/Electric/Acid/Sonic 30, Mage Armor, Overland Flight, Darkvision, See Invisibility, Endure Elements (ring), True Seeing, Arcane Sight
Fort save:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24
Whew, that was close! I almost needed to add some inspiration.
Spellcraft:1d20 + 24 + 1d6 ⇒ (7) + 24 + (1) = 32
"Finger of death!"I could have sworn that needed a ranged touch, but nope.
Sharton flies back to the now enlarged Grognar and rubs some true seeing ointment in his eyes. "This should help you ignore his displacement effect, which caused my disintegrate to miss."
