ProfPotts' Serpent's Skull PBP

Game Master Alexander Scott

"By all means, let's press on then!"

Following the north-easterly passage, away from the underground beach, leads the group to an intersection with another passage, running roughly south-east to north-west. The passage slopes up in the south-easterly direction, and a quick perusal confirms that it is, in fact, the bottom-most passage leading off from the 'silo' cavern. That leaves down and north-west, or back to the beach... and Marik's sense of where Yipper is would suggest that heading down is the way to go...

... After fifteen or so feet, the passage opens into a long cavern (maybe sixty feet as its length stretches north-west, and twenty feet across) scattered with bones, body parts, and bits of seaweed. A hole in the floor on the west side of the far end of the cavern echoes with the sloshing of waves and, on the east side of the far end of the cavern, a single narrow passage appears to continue on towards the north-east... and Yipper...

... Of course... when were things ever that simple? Three more ghouls, each dripping with seaweed and brackish water, are crouched in the middle of the cavern... between the tunnel to Yipper and the heroic lizard-rescue-squad... chewing on some of the more substantial fetid remains scattered about the cavern floor...

That puts them about thirty feet from your entrance to the cavern, although a little spread out (with maybe ten or fifteen feet between them). They don't notice Shisa as she takes the lead, but entering with full-on Blinky power (or average paladin Stealth check results...) is pretty likely to alert them to your presence...

Stopping in her tracks at the sight of the three ghouls, Shisa holds up her hand to warn the others to stop as well then lifts three fingers to indicate the number of foes she has spotted. As the ghouls give no appearance of having been noticed, she draws the bowstring back until her thumb touches her cheek. T

aking careful aim, she lets out her breath slowly and releases her arrow with a softly spoken "Ghouls"

attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
sneaky arrow: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Delaying his movement at the Songstress's signal, Aerodus waits until she has loosed the first arrow to fill the gap between elven archer and ghoulish gang!

Initiative: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1 Fastest... Paladin... Ever!

Obviously waiting too long, Aerodus is slow to charge towards the front lines.

Move: 30ft (should put him... 5 ft in front of Shisa) (or charge.. since they are probably already there..)
Standard: Ready attack against ghoulish incursion! Attack 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 +2 if charge Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Immediate: +2 Shield Bonus to Adjacent Ally if attacked.

HP: 15/19 AC: 16 (-2 if charge!) FF: 16 Touch: 10
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 1

Edit: Welcome back Prof! Also... that attack roll should be a '1', guessing it got modified when I posted Initiative.

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Thrown dagger: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13 (though it may be less depending on which range band the target is in.) for a possible 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6 piercing damage.

"I really should pick up a crossbow one of these days." Mutters Tony to himself as he threw.

(Surprise round): Shisa's arrow sinks into the boney shoulder-blade of the middle ghoul, causing it to let out a high-pitched inhuman scream (but not to fall over...), even as Tony's dagger sails past it, and both Aerodus and Sasha, weapons drawn, move past their friends and up to the ghouls...

(Round one): Tony and Shisa get to act before the ghouls, then the ghouls, then Sasha... then Aerodus. Marik could act any time, as I'll say he delayed for the surprise round.

At this point, Aerodus and Sasha are within melee range of the closest ghoul (and next to each other... Sasha quite likes the idea of having that shield between her and the bad guys!), with the other two both around ten feet away (in different directions). The other good guys are still by the cavern entrance, about thirty feet back).

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Surprise round:
Marik pulls his crossbow and spans and loads a bolt. Taking aim he squeezes off a round and the unsuspecting ghoul.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
and misses horribly.

Round 1:
Marik loads another bolt and fire at the ghoul Shisha has struck.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Grinning maniacally, Tony charges one of the creatures, drawing his sword as he goes.

Charge attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14 for a possible 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 piercing damage. (Plus 1d6 ⇒ 2 sneak attack damage if they are still flat-footed.)

Whoops! Forgot about the whole surprise round...

Round 1:

Now in position, Aerodus unleashes righteous fury upon the ghouls!
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

HP: 15/19 AC: 16 FF: 16 Touch: 10
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 1

And of course forgot the immediate action of saving shield!!

Quickly pulling another arrow, Shisa draws the string smoothly to her cheek and sights down the length of the shaft at the ghoul to Aerodus' right. Letting out a breath, she catches movement out of the corner of her eye just as she looses the arrow..

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

only to watch as the arrow flies past to hit the wall of the cavern well behind it.

Drat! Guess Shisa's only good at sneaky arrow attacks ;)I'll blame it on the rushers.. I'm a rogue, I'm allowed to pass blame *halo*

Marik's crossbow bolt joined the hail of fire which opened the combat...

Moments later, Tony gallops (heroically!) across the cavern, plunging his trusty sword deep into the guts of the right-most ghoul... but doesn't quite drop it, despite the horrid wound...

Quickly reloading, Marik fires again, his bolt this time joining Shisa's arrow in the back of the middle ghoul... it staggers from the shot, but doesn't yet fall...

Shisa lets fly... but her second shot goes wild...

The (unhurt) ghoul facing off against Aerodus and Sasha flies into a frenzy as it tries to bite and claw both paladin and... redhead... but Aerodus's masterful shield work manages to keep the foul thing off both himself and Sasha...

Though near (re-)death, the ghoul skewered by Tony squeals and attacks the swashbuckler, its teeth sinking into the flesh of his swordarm even as it's ragged claws rake across his chest... Tony takes 11 Hit Points of damage, and needs to make two DC 13 Fortitude saves Vs paralysis as well as one DC 12 Fortitude save Vs his old friend ghoul fever...

Turning, the ghoul pincusioned by Shisa and Marik leaps up and charges maniacally towards the two bowpersons... screaming at it flies towards Marik, eyes wild, fanged teeth bared, and dirty nails stretched out from claw-like hands... but misses completely as it trips and lands in a heap at their feet...

Sasha's rapier finds the flesh of the ghoul she and the paladin are facing, but her kukri misses as the thing ducks, as does Aerodus's own sword blow...

Next round please!

Confident in his shield skills, Aerodus tries once more to press the assault with his magic scimitar!

Move: Flank (if Sasha has already moved to provide it)

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 +2 if flank
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Immediate: Saving Shield!

HP: 15/19 AC: 16 FF: 16 Touch: 10
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 1

Dropping her bow, Shisa draws her rapier as she tries to get behind the creature attacking Marik attempting to drive her rapier into the thing's vitals.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
If successful - extra damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

******************
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 12/ 14

Fort save (Par DC13): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18
Fort save (Par DC13): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Fort save (Dis DC12): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Tony collapses, single paralysed. (But doesn't have the fever!)

Marik will fire his crossbow at the ghoul engaging Tony.
Attack roll: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 2 - 4 = 10
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Shisa leaps acrobatically across the prone creature... then fails completely to stab it as it rolls a little to one side to avoid her clumsy rapier thrust... but it only delays the inevitable, as Shisa seizes the opportunity to transfix the thing with her blade as it tries to stand up... Successful AoO rolled for Shisa by your friendly neighborhood spider-DM! :)

Reloading, Marik fires once more... just moments after Tony goes stiff as a board and falls flat on his face... Luckily, with the swashbuckler no longer blocking his line of sight, Marik's bolt finds its mark, the impact as it strikes the ghoul in the shoulder enough to finish the job Tony started and send the ghoul (re-)dead to the cavern floor...

The frenzied ghoul continues its (attempted) assault upon Aerodus and Sasha, but once more the paladin's expert shield work keeps both of them safe, just barely deflecting the claw swipe the thing takes at the redheaded swordswoman...

Stepping to flank the thing (with Sasha looking worried as that nice shield ... and the paladin attached to it... moves away from her side) Aerodus makes quick work of finishing the thing off as his newly acquired chieftain's scimitar takes the ghoul's head from its shoulders!

Quiet falling once more across the cavern, Sasha takes a quick moment to look around for any additonal danger then, seeing none, rushes to Tony's side... and Tony recovers in a few seconds time.

After wiping the blood from the magic blade, and giving his shield an affectionate pat. "How many of these ghouls are down here?!" Aerodus mutters as he strides to check on the fallen swashbuckler.

Heal check: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Looking and poking the wound Sans fiery hot poker sword, Aerodus gives his medical analysis. "I don't think its infected, but let us have the Inheritor give her aid."

LoH: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Sorry Tony!!!

I think the direction we need to head now is EAST?

Just a small note on the # of ghouls slain down here, two from saving Shisa, one that Shisa shot, and three more we just slew. As well as the two we skipped (I think they were on the body pit at the snake temple?? Bringing us to a total of 6 slain (8 we have seen), and we have yet to make it to the ghoul queen!!! And... Aerodus is out of LoH, oh wand of CLW , how I miss you so....

Welcome back Prof! Hope everything is going well for you and your own!

Wiping her hand across her face, Shisa bends down to clean her rapier using the corpse as a rag. She stands and pushes her hair back then looks at the others. "Well.. that was fun," she says with a grin.

Pausing to look around the small cavern, she runs her eyes over the room looking for anything of use.

When she's done, she turns to Marik "OK, which way?" she asks as she reaches up to rub her temple briefly as she turns to retrieve her bow.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Standing up again, still a little wobbly, Tony nods his thanks at Aerodus.
"That was... unpleasant." He understates, looking at the wound the creature left him with.
He lurches forward again to his position.
"Which way now?"

Seeing Tony's okay (or, you know, as okay as anyone gets to be on this island...) Sasha stands, wiping off and sheathing her weapons. Glancing towards Marik she grins,

'Nice shooting there, Master Whiterose - let me guess, your student digs back home had a big rat problem, right?' she adds a friendly wink, before heading off with the others towards the eastern-most passage at the far end of the cavern...

The passage proves to be a narrow one, requiring some ducking, and even a little crawling, to negotiate as it continues on in a long curved path for maybe thirty or forty feet. Finally the passage emerges into a small cave, barely seven or eight feet across. The walls of the cave are covered with carvings of snakes and skeletons. A hideous mound of bones and dripping seaweed forms what can only be a nest in the middle of the room. Hanging from a stalactite next to the 'nest', suspended on a rotting leather thong, is a crude cage fashioned of small bones and twine... within which is stuffed an uncomfortable and frightened Yipper! Lounging atop the 'nest' is a hideous creature - a gaunt, green-skinned woman with long ears, a pointed tongue, and rotten flesh. She wears tattered rags, and a snake's skull on a thong of hair around her neck like an amulet. A ring which appears to have been carved from coral encircles one of her fingers.

As you enter the gaunt, ghoulish, woman is running her claw-like nails across the small cage holding Yipper, her pointed tongue - which must be almost two-feet in length - slipping between the bars to teasingly taste the poor reptile... She turns her the sunken eyes of her skull-like face in the direction of your party as you enter, apparantly unsurprised by your 'visit'. Her voice is rasping as she speaks to you in common Taldane...

'Impressive... to get past my children in one piece...' she glances at Tony, the rotten flesh of her face revealing far too much of her pointed and chipped teeth as she attempts something that, in the living, could possibly be considered a smile, '... or, should I say, mostly in one piece? You even brought my youngest daughter with you,' she turns her 'smile' towards Shisa, 'although she's yet to be reborn, it's only a matter of time. Normally you'd all be nothing more than food... perhaps a first meal for my youngest here when she reawakens... but as I said... you've impressed me. So, I make you this offer: you can choose - immortality as my children, or sustenance for them...'

Shisa looks up at the hideous thing atop Yipper's cage. "Oh crap," she says as she keeps her eyes on the thing. "Aero, you have my permission to kill me if I start looking like that."

Turning to Marik, she whispers, "Tell Yipper to stay down," then turns to the creature. "You obviously have me confused. You're NOT my mother!" Her voice echoes through the chamber as she lifts her bow and lets fly an arrow..

attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
damage 1d6 ⇒ 5

initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Mother thrune fang I presume?? and I hope that wasn't a star wars reference earlier.

Pointing his blade at the ghoul woman: "We've slain what you call your 'family', ghoul. And will give you the same honor of falling to righteousness! But first answer me this, you had a visitor what was she after?!"

Initiative: 1d20 ⇒ 19

Round 1:

Swift: SMITE EVIL!

Full Round: (Charge!)

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 3 = 29 +2 if charge!
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12

Confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 3 = 10
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 4 = 12

Immediate: Saving shield!

Sigh... so close. I think combat has already started, although would have been interesting to see if we could get info from her.

HP: 15/19 AC: 19 FF: 19 Touch: 13 (-2 defenses if charge!)+3 from smite
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 19

Oops, blame Shisa.. she's a bit hot headed when it comes to being turned into one of those ghoul things..Then again, your initiative was higher than hers so, who knows how this will pan out :)

"Keep away from him, you She-b&@#!" Marik says from between clenched teeth as he raises his crossbow and fires a bolt at the ghoul queen.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 4 = 15
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Oops , forgot initiative roll
Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22

How high off the ground is the cage?

Tony doesn't say anything as he steps forward, whips out a dagger and throws at the creature.
Dagger throw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17 (minus any range band penalty) for a possible 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 piercing damage.

As Tony (it turns out) leads off with the 'shoot first, questions... what are these "questions" you speak of?' strategy, Mother Thrunefang (for it is indeed she) moves her hand to the snake-skull amulet around her neck, chanting words in a strange tongue as she does so, and a wave of darkness rushes out from her, engulfing the cave and snuffing poor Blinky's light like it was a candle in a storm...

Despite his sudden loss of vision, Tony's dagger throw elicits a sound which could well be the blade thunking into (un)dead flesh, along with a pained hiss of a scream...

Charging in blind and swinging, Aerodus' blade fails to connect with anything very solid... although there's the sound of something shattering on the floor nearby a moment later...

With the sound of Aerodus charging in to confront evil (hey, it's what he does... ;) ) both Shisa and Marik's shots sound like they clatter off the far wall of the cave (rather than sinking into the paladin...).

Mother Thrunefang's rasping voice echoes around the cave,

'You think the few children you met here are all I have? My offspring are scattered around the island, hunting... more than you could possibly imagine. They will return... and I shall serve up your entrails for their dinner!'

Mother Thrunefang chants a few more words in a strange language... and suddenly a wave of destructive force washes over you all! That'll be 7 Hit Points of negative energy damage to you all (Yipper too), although that can be halved to a mere 3 points with a successful DC 14 Will save (Marik will want to make a save for Yipper as well as himself).

So, you all get to act now. None of you can see a thing, although Mother Thrunefang's not being very quiet. Still, with the echoes in the small cave it's a DC 10 Perception check to locate her square (Marik won't have to even roll that, as long as Yipper's still conscious)... then a 50% miss chance for any otherwise successful attacks...

The cage was only a couple of feet off the ground (it's a small cave), but Aerodus cut through the leather thong and it smashed last round (had to give him something for a roll that good, even if he missed his target in the end...); there's no chance of range penalties (it's a small cave), but every chance of firing into melee (assuming Aerodus, at least, keeps up his efforts to smite Mother Thrunefang).

Will save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Feeling a wash of energy flow over her, Shisa suddenly feels more lethargic as if much of her energy has been suddenly sapped from her and her bow slips from her hand. She shakes her head, trying to remain focused when the cave is plunged into darkness.

Thankful for all of the excersises her mother once put her through, she keeps her eyes on Mother Perception bonus +11 and moves to get behind her, drawing her short sword as she tries to gain a flank. "Why mother, you'd actually feed your daugther to your other offspring? Not very motherly."
Her question is meant to keep the creature talking so that the others may follow her movements. "So what was your other visitors after? Us?"

With a quick step, she thrusts her short sword at where she perceives the haggard ghoul to be..

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
If flanked: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Darkenss miss? 1d100 ⇒ 21

******************
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 9/ 14

Marik's Will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Yipper's Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

As Yipper squeals in pain, Marik urges him to be calm "It'll be alright, Yipper. Just stay put, don't move."
Concentrating on using Yipper's senses Marik fires his crossbow at the ghoul queen.

Attack roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Miss chance (51% or Higher = Miss): 1d100 ⇒ 79

Marik: 11/14 Hit points
Yipper: 0/7 Hit points (Staggered)

Will Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Giving a pained grunt as the negative energy washes over him in the darkness, Aerodus growls: "You and your children have no place on this island, ghoul!!"

Aerodus slowly spins around with his sword, trying to focus on the sound of the ghoul.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Finding her, he lashes out with his sword. "I have you now!"

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 = 13 +2 if flank
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 = 9

Miss Percentile 1-51=miss: 1d100 ⇒ 27

HP: 8/19 AC: 19 FF: 19 Touch: 13 +3 from smite
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 19

Will save DC14: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2

Current HP: 0 (0%)
CONDITION: Staggered

Tony groans and leans against the nearest wall/stalagmite, his sword sagging.

With Tony slumping against the wall of the cave's entrance, Aerodus moves steadily across to the back of the cave to take a swing... and to miss in the darkness. Shisa's bowshot clatters off the cave wall, and Marik's bolt imbeds itself in Aerodus's shield...

Mother Thrunefang's rasping voice laughs in glee as she moves around the cave, chanting as she does so... suddenly something which feels like a blade of some kind glances off Aerodus's shield...

Next round please!

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Thinking he has located her once again, Aerodus lunges forward in the darkness towards his (hopeful) quarry!

Round 3:
Move: (get into melee! Flank if able... but I doubt Aerodus is THAT perceptive!!)

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 3 = 27
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 4 = 14
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 3 = 27
damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 = 13
Miss% (1-51=Miss): 1d100 ⇒ 76

OH YEA!!

HP: 8/19 AC: 19 FF: 19 Touch: 13 +3 from smite
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 19

Shisa continues to move to the ghoul's side, sword in hand. She tries to keep her eyes on her target but the darkness partially obscures the figure, making her exact location difficult even to her darkvision.

She hears what sounds like something hitting flesh, but she's not sure who or what. Thinking she has an opening, she lunges in, thrusting her sword toward the vague, shadowy figure..

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
50% miss?: 1d100 ⇒ 18

Dancing back, she lets out a string of Elvish when her sword failed to connect.

******************
AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 9/ 14

Just a gentle reminder: Shisa doesn't have darkvision, she has low-light vision. Right now she's as completely blind as the rest of them. What you need is a good dwarf... pity Aerodus's followers ate yours... ;p

Oops, wrong terminology. Sorry. Only reason she can 'see' is simply due to the +11 perception (since it's DC 10) and as you mentioned..that's square only. Come to think of it, I probably should roll anyways in case of failure..

perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

And there goes your crit... or give it to me!!!

And in the follower's defense... I think Mundin was CN... and possibly delicious.

And there goes your crit... or give it to me!!!

Even if I rolled that to hit.. I'd miss the percentile.. my dice rolling sux both on and off-line. At least I'm consistent :) But does that mean I see her clearly enough not to roll percentile?? *flutters eyelashes at the DM*

::bangs head against keyboard:: You can't see at all - the Perception roll is trying to locate the right square to attack with all your other senses... well, maybe not taste (if you find Mother Thrunefang inside your own mouth you're probably in trouble...), but non-visual senses...

Marik closes his eye, concentrating on Yipper's senses as he unleashes an Acid Dart at Mother Thrunefang.

Ranged (touch) attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 2 - 4 = 12
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Miss chance (51% or higher = miss): 1d100 ⇒ 96

As Tony (I assume) decides to stick to the better part of valour, arrows and acid both shoot out into the darkness, whatever they hit it's apparantly not Mother Thrunefang. Aerodus's latest blow, however, definitly connects as he feels his enchanted blade slice through corpse-like flesh, and is rewarded with a blood-curdling scream! Yet, despite the wound feeling like a solid and deep one, it doesn't prove enough to stop the ghoulish priestess, as she keeps moving and chanting...

The blade which glanced off Aerodus's shield appears to be independent of Mother Thrunefang herself, as she moves away, yet the blade - something small, possibly a dagger - manages to slip past the paladin's defenses to cut a nasty slash across his face... Aerodus takes 5 Hit Points of damage.

Hmmm... at least pitch darkness makes my descriptions easier - stuff happens, you're not sure what...! Next round please!

Hanging on by a thread, Tony tries to pinpoint where the creature is...
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Tying to stay on what she hopes is a flank, Shisa attacks yet again with her short sword..

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

and is still unrewarded with the feel of steel striking flesh.

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Unable to locate her and bleeding profusely, Aerodus opts to go on the full defensive!

Full Defense: +4 AC

HP: 3/19 AC: 23 FF: 23 Touch: 17 +3 from smite +4 full Defense
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 19

"Hang in there, little buddy. Helps right here" Marik thinks to himself as he lifts his head and sniff the air around him. Settling on the general area where the ghould queen is he launches another Acid Dart.
Attack (ranged touch) roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 24
Finally a hit. Oh well, every little bit helps."

There's another hissing squeal as Marik's acid sears into its target. Pausing in his own assault, Aerodus manages to deflect the blade that's been harassing him with his shield. Mother Thrunefang keeps on the move and chanting... and there's some general flailing about in the dark by everyone else...

Next!

Attack (ranged touch) roll: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 19

As Marik's acid finds it's mark again he shouts into the darkness "I can keep this up all day, b*$$@."

Shisa continues to press her thus far unsuccessful attack, trying to keep on what she believes is the creature's flank..

attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
miss chance 1d100 ⇒ 13

and once again failing to connect.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17

As he thinks he can locate the ghoul, Aerodus takes stock of the blood running down his face, and opts for a more defensive approach, relying on his righteous fury to guide his blow!

Move (try and get into melee):

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 3 - 4 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 = 9

Miss%(1-51=Miss): 1d100 ⇒ 23 Whiff!

HP: 3/19 AC: 21 FF: 21 Touch: 15 +3 from smite +2 Fighting Defensively
FORT: +7 Ref: +3 Will: +7
Initiative: 19