SR's - Great Southern Isles (PbP) (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Jayse, you used a ki point to bump your AC to 24 - HERE - no magic from Straehan required. :)

As Jayse mentions their poison, she grimaces as she remembers not praying for the appropriate spell. I must be really distracted for some reason.

Ushari stares at the creatures, fascinated by them in some way. They must be aquatic by nature, and they came from the water, that must be how they were able to sneak up on the locals.

She turns to Straehan, ”I hope you have…some idea what these things are, Strae!”

She tries to recall if she has ever heard of such creatures before…

Knowledge, ? 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

"Those are no natural creatures! Extraplanar, perhaps, but nothing born of this world!"

SR: Can you nake the roll Ushari made earlier a Knowledge Planes roll?

Unfortunately a 21 isn't high enough to tell you much aside from the plane of origin - the Shadow Plane.

Given Jofram's information and how horrifically quick these creatures kill, Straehan puts his full intellect into unraveling their mystery. The information rolls across his mind with cold clarity.

There are no coincidences.

"Jofram is right! These are Tenebrous Worms, come from the Plane of Shadows! They are strongest in full shadow.. but formidable enough in this half-light. They aren't evil - just ravenous. Only to acid are they immune. Beware the spines! Their poison is both deadly and paralytic. If we could kill them from a distance we'd be in luck... but I don't think that's going to happen."

The gnome considers his choices in the light of his rather ineffectual last attack. He switches tactics, opting to keep the fighters in the battle longer. He moves into a position between Jayse and Winsom F0 and taps the monk with a spell.
Jayse has Resist Acid: 10

Knowledge: Planes 20 + 10 = 30 Loremaster - Take 20 1/day

Resist Energy
RANGE: Touch
DURATION: 10 minutes/level
EFFECT: Gain Resist:10 to selected element for duration.

Jayse, where is your stone? It seems like either your hand attacks or your mindblade ATT numbers should change. Or am I wrong?

It's currently on his head - he hasn't moved it since he put it there when coming off the Mako. When that's the case, the attack bonus on the two is equal, only the damage bonus is different.
Unarmed +11 = 5 bab + 4 str + 2 stone
Mindblade +11 = 5 bab + 4 str + 1 mindblade enhancment + 1 weap. focus

Also, THAT FACT SHEET ISN'T FUN! No tripping my butt! :(

: kicks dirt :

Drawing on the foul creature near the monk, Jofram sends a pair of arrows flying toward it in quick succession. "Tough little bastards! How did they get here?"

Target=D,-2; Rapid Shot, Penalties for shooting into melee -
Attack (Arcane Strike, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 4 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 1 - 4 - 2 - 2 = 5
Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 12
Attack (Arcane Strike, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 11 + 1 - 4 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 11 + 1 - 4 - 2 - 2 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 + 2 = 15

"Tough little bastards! How did they get here?"

"We may have neglected to tell you about one of Ushari's previous boyfriends... the Dweller in Darkness."

Dweller Vision

Related History

Least Herald

Message from the Dweller

There is a brief look of terror in Ushari’s eyes at the mention of the Dweller, before she shoots a quick glare at Straehan, ”Sorry, it was not appropriate dinner conversation! Do you tell everyone about your conquests?! Seriously, if these were sent by the Dweller, then they may be after just us! “

She again calls on her deity to bolster their attacks and hinder those of the Dweller’s servants. After she completes her spell, she pulls Skitter out, and whispers ”Help Jayse out!”

STANDARD: Cast Prayer
MOVE: Activate Skitter.

Jayse drives a fist into the eye of the creature but his other blows merely chip bits of shell. The worm coats its mandibles in a thick layer of acid, prepping itself for a meal.

Jofram - you'll need to take a 5' step out of the doorway to F-2 - to shoot at the Worm Jayse is fighting. Do you want to do that or opt for another Worm such as D4, H0, or J0?

Ushari - Prayer is a blast and your view through the doorway is limited. Would you like to advance 5' to catch more people (both in terms of range and visibility) or possibly forgo deploying Skitter to step outside and catch the maximum number of good guys and bad guys with your spell?

"Seriously, if these were sent by the Dweller, then they may be after just us!"

Straehan glances with sympathy across the black stains and partially corroded corpses littering the promenade. "Maybe so... cold comfort that will be to any of these poor folks."

Despite the assault on its eye, the Worm is not stunned by the agile monk who - in turn - dodges the seeking shadow slivers that lance towards his body.

FORT v DC16 Stunning Fist: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

She will hold off on deploying Skitter, and move to E0, or an equally advantageous square then.

Ushari tumbles into the middle of the group, calling upon her deity. Her spell washes over the righteous and the wicked alike... benefiting most and smiting a few.

Jofram - Are you taking the 5' move or holding position and selecting a different target. Enquiring minds want to know... :)

Perception Checks, gents.

Perception 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 13 + 1 = 30; Prayer.

Fix'd

Perception 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 1 = 18 Prayer

FYI - Only Prayer affects skill rolls.

Perception check 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 = 30 prayer

Sorry bout that - Let's go for D4, instead.

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25 +2 vs. human or undead

No worries. Life gets in the way.

Jofram's arrows fly true but clatter off the carapace of the Worm battling the well-dressed Skeleton.

Round: 3
ORDER: Worms, Straehan, Jofram, Jayse, Ushari, Locals

With skeletal hands aimed like the hard beaks of wrathful birds, Mr. Bones precisely smashes the carapace of the Worm.

Which way is the ship?

Past Mr. Bones. I've put in an overview map. If you go along the promenade, you are nearly 400' from the Mako.

MAP: Shiv

With an oath in some rough language, Vessa claps his hands together... with the Worm's head in between his meaty fists. The shell cracks like a lobster's. Yet somehow the beast survives the dual blows.

Nerves get the better of the barkeep Winsom after watching his old friend melted down to slag. His axe blow goes wide, lodging in the deck.

Looking across the little harbor, you see the ballista crews busily reloading their weapons.

With cries of "CHARGE!" and "DEATH!" on their lips, three of the locals, inspired by the stand taken by the heroes, the blessings of Ushari deity, and their own defenders... charge the hideous creatures and against all odds, land substantive blows with their short blades.

The Worm's bristles bury themselves in the giant. He snaps them off insolently. And Winsom blocks the stabbing black slivers with his axe.

But there is a price to be paid for bravery. The three local men's headlong charge impales them on the black spikes and they succumb to the poison therein, collapsing.

Round: 4
ORDER: Worms, Straehan, Jofram, Jayse, Ushari, Locals

The Worms swarm.

Slavering jaws snap at Jayse's hip. The blow only misses by the grace of Ushari's deity. Bones narrowly avoids the spray of acid. Vessa isn't so lucky. He grunts at the formidable bite put into his calf as he shakes the Worm loose.

The Southern-most Worm puts a finishing bite on the paralyzed man. He is brought to the verge of death as the Worm absorbs his essence leaving horrible scars in his remaining flesh. It turns its attention on the heroes and snaps its jaws.

Darkness and stealth serve the 6th Worm well. It slides down the wall past the doorway and rushes across the distance separating it from the sorcerer and cleric. It has only a moment to decide which to attack as its brother strikes at the barkeep.

Straehan and Winsom scream as the acid and mandibles rend their flesh leaving gaping wounds as the flesh-fog is sucked up by the creatures. Both men are unsteady on their feet, seriously injured.

Round: 4
ORDER: Worms, Straehan, Jofram, Jayse, Ushari, Locals

MAP: Shiv

Green Halo = Prayer
Red Dot = Bless
Red Circle = Paralyzed/Poisoned

Straehan steps back F1 and pulls something from his pouch with surprising quickness...

I planned on saving this one for a rainy day... but it seems my boots are already squishing.

The little gnome unfurls the ancient parchment and reads the words of power. A flexible bubble forms around the Worm F-1. Try as it might, it cannot slither free of the expanding spell in time. Trapped in the eldritch sphere, it spits acid which pours down the inside of the bubble, pooling at the bottom, doing no harm.

FREE - 5' Step
SWIFT - Pull Scroll ('In the Bag' Scholar Ability)
STANDARD - Read Scroll of Resilient Sphere

Round: 4
ORDER: Worms, Straehan, Jofram, Jayse, Ushari, Locals

This isn't working, Jayse thinks as he grabs the stone from floating in front of his forehead to set it in floating around his blade-hand. His blade answers with a HHSSSSSSSSSSSssssss… the sound of water hitting a hot-plate. The runes running up his blade alight brilliantly for a heartbeat as a cold mist rises from them. Then the blade flashes out at the creature once more.

"We need to tag-team them… Ushari, can you set Skitter to help me out?" As he yells, he side-steps to create a flanking opportunity for the little guy.

In case it becomes necessary, do the windows look thin enough to dive through? Are they close enough to use in that fashion? Or is the plane of the bottom of the boat that makes up the Slattern low enough that Jayse could potentially jump up there?

Jayse - be aware that you do max damage on your first damage roll on a critical threat.

EDIT - yep, it is on everything. Thanks for updating. I already added in the difference on my map - just wanted to make sure you knew.

That includes frosty and stuff? Cause I maxed the damage on the weapon, but not on the 1d6 of cold damage.

EDIT: fix'd it up in the original damage post... 29 damage on the crit threat roll.

Jayse drives his blade deeply into the skull of the creature but fails to hit whatever passes for a brain-stem in the acid-spewing cockroach.

Jofram & Ushari - you guys are up.

Ushari nods quickly and reaches into her pouch retrieving Skitter. As she activates him and tosses him down in square E/-1, she bathes the area in her healing light.

MOVE action: Activate Skitter.
STANDARD action: Channel Energy, use 1/5
Heal 3d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 3) = 12
Exclude Mr. Bones and the worm in square D/-2 from the effect.

EDIT: added worm to exclude from channel effect.

Shari - points for considering Mr. Bones... However, the Worms are not undead so you might want to selectively eliminate a couple of those guys instead.

This is weird - I posted a few hours ago, but it didn’t show up...

Stepping to a better vantage point, Jofram takes aim on a worm that has just felled one of Shiv’s defenders. Arrows streak toward the overgrown grub, seeking a weakness in the chitinous armor.

Jofram - yeah, it seems like Paizo ate it. I don't even see it in your post history. FWIW, you get both the Bless and Prayer bonuses... so a cumulative +2 to Hit and +1 to Damage. Do you recall what your To HIT rolls were?

Ushari - you can declare Skitter's actions and roll for him unless you'd prefer me to do that.

I posted from another computer, and apparently never submitted it... 8| I'm pretty sure the rolls were the same, or similar.

That makes my updated rolls as follows:
Attack: 15
Damage: 18
Attack: 21
Damage: 14

Maybe next time...

Ushari - you can declare Skitter's actions and roll for him unless you'd prefer me to do that.

Yeah, sorry about that. Work has been slamming my bootie here…

Skitter steps forward right next to the Worm, flanking it with Jayse. His claws flash out, seeking the squishy innards protected by the carapace…

Ushari heals the group, rallying the strength of her allies and bringing two of the unconscious locals to moaning wakefulness.

Skitter single attack only scampers up the chitinous body of the worm and buries a claw in one of its glittering compound eyes.

Jofram curses his ill luck as one arrow buries itself in the monster's shell but fails to penetrate and the other deflects off Winsom's swinging axe.

Locals next...

Mr. Bones slides around the Worm, putting his back to the Slattern. He launches an all-out assault of bony fists, elbows, knees, and feet. Three of four strikes land. The skeletal man exploits a fissure in the carapace driving in blow after blow - widening the seam into a crack and finally a hole.

The Worm writhes but doesn't die under the assault.

Ki - extra attack

Larger battles often hide small acts of defiance and hopeless bravery. The regular folks of Shiv have no chance against these horrid outland creatures and they know it. Nevertheless, they try.

To distract the Worm on the South end of the promenade from charging at Winsom or Jofram, one of the lowly wharfside whores picks up the shortsword fallen from the hand of the paralyzed sail-maker and attacks with the barely recovered seamstress. Heedless of the black bristles, they lay into the beast, shrieking their defiance.

"DIE, you maggot! DIE!"

The washer woman sneaks around past Jayse. Mastering her fears, she attacks the northern Worm, providing a flank for Vessa. The poisoned fence who has managed to escape the paralytic effects of the poison, doesn't bother rising. He drives his blade at the creature as well.

Seizing on the advantage given by his small allies. Vessa throws a rapid series of punches at the Worm, smiting it once.

Tipped as it is by Jofram's arrow, Winsom's axe bounces off the hardened plate that is the creature's head.

"FIRE!" Yell the leaders of the Ballista squads... and six of the 10 pound bolts thunder across the water. Two bolts skewer the Worm on the South end of the promenade and a third barely misses.

Jofram curses his ill luck as one arrow... deflects off Winsom's swinging axe.

Is that just flavor? It looked like I had a clear shot. /shrug

Purely flavor on the miss. If it had been an actual modifier, I would have told you.

Strengthened by Ushari's magic, and having quite enough of these roaches killing his friends... Bill stalks in to pin Jayse's Worm to the wall. His longsword cleaves into a damaged segment as the shortblade of his comrade, on the ground, stabs into its underbelly.

The worm screeches under the four handed assault of Jayse, Skitter, Billu, and the barrel-smith.

Oh, how the worm turns... Winsom and several of the valiant regular folks are struck down by the umbral spines and virulent poison of the strange creatures. The rest of you avoid the barbs or manage to fight off the outworld toxin.

One I forgot...