Rannik's Carrion Crown

Game Master Patrick Levasseur

As pointed out, you can go back around the way you came, or there's the secret door to the east which was noticed during your initial sweep of the room before you were attacked.

Danica approaches the sitting Anna and offer her a hand to help her back up."We are almost done here. Let's go dispatch one more baddie."

The monk then walks over to the secret door.

I need to read the magic words "opens the door" just so we're not waiting on me. :)

Anna turns her head away from Danica and doesn't accept her hand. She shrinks from the eyes on her.

After further coaxing, she stands slowly and looks longingly at the exit. After a moment, she squeezes her eyes tight, shakes her head, and turns back into the room. She then picks up the heavy crossbow, methodically cranks it and sets a fresh bolt in its cradle. Her face is drawn, shoulders hunched, and she has a glassy look to her eyes. She gives the iron maiden a wide berth, not looking at it.

She drags her feet as she moves to stand near the secret door. She makes no move to open it.

Tolvan, seeing that Anna is as ready as she will likely be until we leave this place, opens the door.

Danica apporaches Anna and says,"Just check for any traps. I will open the door. Tolvan, get your bow ready."

U9 - Secret Passage
As you open the door, no traps are sprung and nothing jumps out at you. You do however, hear loud grating and a heavy boom back outside the torture chamber, as if something heavy falling solidly into place. Inside the passage - the rough stone walls of this natural cavern drip with moisture, leaving stagnant pools of water on the uneven floor. It's narrow at first, forcing you to enter and move single file.

Marching Order? and everyone roll me a perception check please.

We will use our standard order if no one objects.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Paly now is the real tank. She goes first. ;-) Danica is 2nd.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Andjela pockets the potion and adjusting her shield,, takes point.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Forgive my forgetfulness, I recall the door-opening formation... when Anna's not a puddle on the floor. But what's the standard marching order? Andjela, Danica, Anna, Tolvan Kimberly? or are Tolvan and Kimberly reversed?

Andjela leads the way, followed closely by the others. After moving about 20' inside the twisting, dark tunnel, Danica grabs Andjela's shoulder just as Kimberly and Tolvan shout a warning. Andjela nearly walked right into a gray quivering ooze creature, which rises up from it's hiding place to form a nearly transparent blob right before Andjela.

Init Round 1
• Anna
  
• Andjela
  
• Danica
  
• Kimberly
  
• Ooze
  
• Tolvan

Move back! Wall of phlegm!

Oh, and make a reflex save if you try a melee strike the ooze please. :)

Flex Time, after the clanging sound:

Anna knew what that sound was. She spun back toward the door, the crossbow falling from limp fingers. She takes a few steps toward the door but her legs give out again and she tumbles to the ground. Despair claims her for a few moments as she buries her face in her hands and sobs.

Later:

Tolvan sees the creature and must be fascinated by it to the point that he almost forgets to act. I am +9 init and somehow still last lol

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

A 4 on a will save, a poor init, and now a 1 on a knowledge check? Can I just sit this one out?

Know nature: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Assuming that if we are single file then its going to be really tight.

Check out the map... There's "some" space. Also, Andjela's is the free out of turn kind... Not spoilered.

Nowhere to go now but up Tolvan. :) For the mapless - you proceeded about 40' in through the passage, then the cavern opened up into a roughly 20x20' room, that's where the ooze attacked. So there is some room to maneuver or you can flee, whatever.

Round 1
Despite her morose state, Anna's reflexes are still lightning fast, and she brings the ready crossbow to bear and sends a bolt into the goo. It tears through the transparent mass and slows to a stop inside it, the oozes body already starting to corrode and breakdown the projectile.

Andjela chops at the thing, before trying to step back, but the passage behind her is too crowded and so she goes to the side of Danica. Her borrowed axe slicing a shallow cut down the slimy enemy. The axe head starts to sizzle as some of the acid from the ooze remains on it, slowly eating at the cursed metal.

Danica says, "What the hell is that thing? Head back. Let's draw it out of the passage." and waits for those behind her to clear a path.

Kimberly tries to follow Anna's lead and step up next to her to get a clear shot but the passage is just too crowded. Rather than waste a shot, Kimberly bides her time.

The ooze lurches toward the waiting Andjela, trying to slam it's slimy mass into the Paladin, acid flying everywhere. The well-armored Paladin expertly sidesteps the nearly devastating attack, and also avoids the oozes follow up attempt to grab her. The oozes twists hungrily and in agitation as it's meal avoids it's clutches.

Edited portion: Tolvan, seeing the creature through his party chants some arcane syllables and casts a spell. A sphere of fire appears atop the ooze threatening to burn it. Tolvan then retreats backwards. As he does so the sphere falls directly into the oozy mass, burning a large hole before it's naturally excreted liquids douse the flames.

**Map - Dungeon**

Initiative Round 2

• Anna
  
• Andjela
  
• Danica
  
• Kimberly
  
• Ooze
  
• Tolvan
  

EDIT: Fixed Tolvan's post to his actual posted Round 1 actions.

Was waiting the creature to go, since I as after it. Tolvan has an action. It it goes after me, I would prefer to observe its actions before posting.

Oh I understand, that's why I posted the 'on the oozes turn' spoiler, just for that reason. Does that work for you rather than posting up to that point?

Oh I understand, that's why I posted the 'on the oozes turn' spoiler, just for that reason. Does that work for you rather than posting up to that point?

OK - I am with you. I had not read the spoiler before but will this time and post my round two based on it. BUT, the ooze put out my spell?!? I had counted on that spell lasting its full three round duration. As a magic fire I am not sure it can be put out short of some dispel effect or being stabbed with a cold weapon or the like, but your call. I would guess the spell would not function under water and maybe but not even sure a water elemental could put it out with its Drench attack. Does this thing have such a power?

Can't see the map at work. Firewall not letting the map through. Are we out of the passage in Round 2?

Might be immune to fire.

@Tolvan - Not to get meta with it... The ooze putting out the flame after taking round 1 damage was sort of my GM compromise to it's immunity to fire. I could have left the it burning but I wanted to put a reason it wasn't getting hurt anymore, so I went with a GM induced alteration so you could still have some damage to it, but lose the full rounds the flaming sphere normally lasts.

@Danica - At the start of Round 2 Andjela, you and Anna are at the mouth of the cavern in the passage. Kimberly is right behind Anna and out of sight of the ooze, Tolvan has moved back out of the tunnel into the torture chamber.

@Danica - You can't 5' back since Anna and Kimberly are both stacked up behind you in the tunnel. You could step 5' SE into the cavernous area if you're trying to put some distance between you and the ooze.

Ok - no problem. Tolvan failed his knowledge check so badly that he did not even know it was an ooze. lol. I like the effect.

Then no take 5 foot step. Danica will take her licks.

Acid! Fight defensively!

@Kimberly - Full Round to reload heavy crossbow, which I believe is what Anna's wielding, sorry no guidance. If you're not normally wielding a heavy crossbow Anna, then correct me before Round 3 please. :)

EDIT: of course there is no round 3 now is there?

Round 2
Anna glances over and sees that Kimberly held her shot. She quickly passes her crossbow to the girl, and takes the loaded one out of her hands. "Be a dear and load that for me?" Then she takes aim at the blob, the bolt still hitting the practically defenseless and mindless blob despite Anna adjusting her aim to miss her friends. Once more the bolt immediately begins to breakdown inside the oozy creature.

Andjela sets her mind on surviving, stepping away from Danica and taking a defensive dance, she chops once more as she grins wickedly. The axe barely manages to hit the ooze, despite Andjela's defensive stance, taking another slice out of it. Reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 And avoiding taking more acid damage to the axe.

Danica is reluctant to attack the creature after seeing what it can do to Andjela's axe. The servant of Sarenrae takes a swing at it anyway hoping that it does not destroy her weapon. She finds an opening and takes a slice, cutting into the slithering mass of ooze, and then quickly jerking her weapon away to avoid acid coating her weapon. Her sword remains unscathed.

Kimberly at first looks shocked that she took it right out of hands. but soon realized what was happening. She steps back so there is more room and works to reload the crossbow for Anna.

The ooze relentlessly pursues the Paladin, eager for its meal, as the rest of you try to support her. It lunges at Andjela, this time definitely hitting her with serious force, the acid residue further seeping onto your skin to hurt you. It tries to immediately latch onto Andjela's body with a slimy apendage, but the tall woman manages to pull herself free before it does so. -14hp and make a DC20 reflex save or your armor takes 6 acid damage.

Seeing that fire is not the best solution Tolvan pulls and fires an arrow, moving to get a clear shot as best he can. Thankfully Andjela's step northward pulled the monster to within sight of the wizard, and his arrow slams into it. The barrage of cuts, bolts and burns prove to be too much for the mindless monster, and it is no longer able to hold its shape. It disintegrates and a small collection of half melted bolts on a smoking rock floor are all that remain.

Combat is over. 240XP each.

Everyone's alright?

Anna looks at the raven-haired warrior flatly, without an ounce of mirth. Do you really want me to answer that?

Andjela nearly doubles over, coughing up blood. She leans on her shield arm, against the rough wall... bracing herself as she spits to clear her mouth.

Honestly... You can do what you like. But let's get this over with.

The paladin starts to straighten up.

Andjela nearly doubles over, coughing up blood. She leans on her shield arm, against the rough wall... bracing herself as she spits to clear her mouth.

Honestly... You can do what you like. But let's get this over with.

The paladin starts to straighten up.

Kimberly goes to Anjela. look of concern in her eyes. i wish I could help you. It hurst me to see you like this. all Kimberly can do is offer her comfort and prayers but nothing else.

Andjela don't forget your reflex (DC20) to avoid taking 6 damage to your armor.

Reflex: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

Tolvan looks concerned for the paladin as well. We need to heal up that burn. How can we help Andjela?

Danica goes into her bag and pulls forth a potion. "Drink this! It will offer some help."

while comforting Andejela feeling a bit helpless at her inability to heal her pain she notices the acid has eaten some holes into her armor.

Kimberly looks at that and starts a pryer to Pahrasma she grabs a handful of dirt and rubs it over her armor where the acid damage is.

doing this twice

cast mending twice to repair 2d4 ⇒ (1, 2) = 3 damage to her armor

Anna still looks dejected and casts frequent, pained glances back the way they came, knowing that it has been cut off.

I need a stiff drink. I snuck a small flask with me. Though, Andjela, I think you might have earned first swig. Interested?

She trades crossbows with Kimberly again after loading the girl's with one of the magic bolts.

Kimberly, thank you... But, gods hold the longest grudges. I'm not sure I'm ready to try. Was hoping that thing didn't die so quickly, it was destroying this damned axe. Andjela chuckles.

Tolvan, if you really want to help me... Let's "dig through the ditches and burn through the witches", shall we... help me get rid of that last buggered spirit so another person doesn't die.

Andjela straightens up some more, wiping the blood from her near perfect lips on her chainmail sleeve. It's not a perfect job.

Danica, you hold onto that... you might need to administer it to one of us, if we go down. Anna's holding one of mine, in case she needed to use it. Andjela approaches Anna.

I don't drink much, and it isn't the time for inebriation... is it? Maybe it is... I suggest anyone who needs a swig, take one. Might be your last chance.

Now close to Anna, Andjela reaches her hand out to the girl.

Anna passes her a flask. None for me right now. 'Cause I won't be able to stop.

She waits on the rest of the group, nervously twisting a ring on her finger.

Flask or potion?