Grayface casts Freedom of Movement on the party!!...
Couple of questions Mr GM -- Is the water in the hallway fully spilled out into the room where Ea is now? In other words, can I move at normal speed in his hallway now? RE: Lighting - I assume that at least one magical light spell is still active, hopefully on myself from when I requested a light spell in a recent previous post to facilitate exploring the last room. Are there any other light sources in this room?
If I can take advantage of any more flowing water to increase my movement this round, I will do so. Otherwise I will take a full action move toward Ea. I'm trying not to metagame here, but I think we can assume that Gray would at the very least run forward to check on her well-being. If there is little-to-no water left in the corridor, I will take a move action to retrieve my rope and a move action to move 30' west.
Yasmin – things did suddenly go bad then!!! It’s not given a huge write up in the adventure but, with enough failed saves, it can lead to a very split party!!!
GMPC Swim Check to see if Ea is off-balance when splashing down in the room with the shark-tailed automaton
The metallic shape dives beneath the water and, as Ea struggles to surface or to regain her balance within the deep water, she is confronted with a swimming automaton very similar to the machine she fought in the goblin’s lair… she has precious little time to consider her strategy before it stabs at her with a ranseur… blood from the resultant gash in her thigh turning the clear water crimson…
All - the tunnel is fully submerged with water flowing at 20 feet per round until the last fifteen feet (after which it drops to chest high flooding / still at 20 feet per round). You can let the water flow carry you or, if you wish to move faster, make a swim check (DC10) to move an additional half speed per round
The room with the automaton will require swim checks from anyone moving / fighting in it
male Teifling Rogue 9/slayer 1, AC 26 T 22 FF 18, F +11, R +16, W +8, HP 83, Perception +19(+23 traps), Init +11
Rallos lets his grip go. Ea needed his help and he would be damned if he would not go help.
swim:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9
not sure if i needed to make a swim check, but did anyways just in case. also, not sure where to put myself when dropping into the room with Ea...Mr GM if you would do that....
Rallos - no swim check to let the current carry you into the room - failed swim check does however mean you are unbalanced this round (Opponent gets +2 to attack and you have no DEX bonus to AC). I have placed you adjacent to Ea on the map
I moved Grayface forward on the map an additional 20' from last round.
Yasmin lets the water carry her further forward. Swim:1d20 - 1 ⇒ (17) - 1 = 16
As she does so, she attempts to use even more freezing magic against the new threat facing Ea, bubbling words of power into the flowing water!
Concentration Check:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Once again, the water freezes in icy tendrils, this time around the shark-like automaton. Freezing Arc:7d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 3, 3, 5, 4) = 19Reflex DC17 for half damage.
Are my spells still running? (Air Bubble and Magic Weapon, 4 min each)
Ea is hit badly by the creature, whatever it might be. She tries to discern its origin, but the pain is too intense for her to concentrate
Know (Arcana or Dungeonering):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
With a steely resolve, she counterattacks as her blood is flowing into the water
Haven't added the Magic Weapon bonus, add +1 to both hit and dmg if the spell is still active Morningstar:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 Dmg:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 Crit?:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18 Add dmg?:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
If this is my time, Pharasma, I accept it. But please don't let my sacrifice be pointless. Let my friends live.
Yasmin's frost and snow freezes around the strange automaton until, with a mighty flick of it's tail, it breaks off the ice that briefly restricted it... Chunks of airborne ice splash down around the room...
Shark-Tailed Automaton, Reflex Save vs Freezing Arc: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19, Saved for Half Damage
Ea - Magic Weapon / Air Bubble are still active
Moving in against her opponent, Ea's morningstar crashes against the flanks of the sleek metal construct... The weapon, swung viciously, makes a significant dent upon the armoured foe...
Critical Confirmed (just!!!) after Underwater Combat penalty / Magic Weapon bonus for 13 damage after DR
GM Only:
Shark-Tailed Automaton = 25/47HP
Swimming away from her, the machine once more stabs at Ea...
My Round 1 action was dependent upon the GM's answers, so I would like to attempt a swim check to further my movement for round 1 Swim:1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 - 1 = 18, that is enough to get me 15' of movement, which would place me in Yasmin's square for Round 1.
Round 2 actions: "free" action to get pushed into the room by the flowing water, full move action to attempt a swim up into melee range with the sharktomaton. (failed) GM, I do not have my shield equipped right now, AC is 18. (seemed a bit silly to attempt swim checks with my shield on at this juncture.)
Swim:1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 1 = 9
Grayface was tossed into the melee unceremoniously by the flowing water that had carried them all along. He tried to regain his bearings and swim toward the monster, but the cascade pouring onto his head from the corridor was disorienting him. The fighter made no progress in the waters despite his efforts.
Can someone please place my token 1 square west of Yasmin? IE-the first square of the new room.
Reminder for later! We need to go back and get Yasmin's longspear from a couple corridors back. I had to drop it when the mudlord attacked me in close melee.
Grayface - don't worry, happy to say you remembered to pick up the longspear whilst you investigated the mudlord's lair...
Going to move Pertreeko a nominal amount oer round to bring him into combat in 2 rounds (unless someone wants to give me some specific direction about actions he will take to support you)
Swimming forwards, Rallos has little option than to let his guard down as he tries to get close enough to the automaton... With a deft flick of the wrist, the clockwork's ranseur is redirected and stabbed at Rallos.
GMPC, Pertreeko moves halfway along the tunnel (within 20ft of room)
As Ea has a moment to heal herself, she takes in more of the rooms features... to the north and the south, there are dry alcoves one foot above the water level - ladders lead up to these areas of comparitive safety. Whilst, to the east, there is a small corridor that seems to be no more than waist deep in water...
Grayface was finally able to power out of the current that had vexed his swimming. With a longspear in one hand, he cupped his hand and pulled against the water with the other, swimming within stabbing distance.
Full move action -- moving 10' west, ending adjacent to Ea. Now me and sharky can exchange blows.
Sorry for the lack of GM posts yesterday – was a busy day at work and was too wrecked (after kiddies put to bed, etc) to do anything more than bingewatch a couple of episodes of Breaking Bad!!!
As Rallos flees the combat, Yasmin and Grayface move to engage… Yasmin, once more, freezes the water in front of her – the automaton is slow to respond and takes the full brunt of the attack…
Shark-Tailed Automaton, Reflex Save vs Freezing Hands: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15, Save Failed
GM Only:
Shark-Tailed Automaton = 15/47
As several of the armoured plates across the clockwork are damaged, sparks of electricity fizz from the internal workings – arcing and grounding within the water, the pool becomes charged with electricity…
Anyone ending their turn within 10 feet of the Shark-Tailed Automaton will take electricity damage
As Grayface swims forwards towards the automaton, it twists and, facing the approaching warrior, stabs at him…
Growing somewhat tired of everything being so hostile to him and his friends, Gray thrust his longspear forward, aiming for the automaton's chest cavity.
Staying just clear of its electric discharge, Yasmin tries to blast the automaton once more!
Concentration:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15Hm... so this seems to fail (DC is 16), but if the +1 to caster level for me having Varisian Tattoo counts for concentration checks, then this succeeds. I'll leave it to GM Zed to decide whether I succeeded in casting underwater. Freezing Hands:5d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 4, 4) = 13Reflex DC16 for half damage.
As Grayface stabs fruitlessly at the automaton, the electrical arcs within the water start to ground into his armour… he is briefly shrouded in a blue corona as the current builds…
Grayface ends in Electrical Damage Aura: 1d6 ⇒ 6 damage
Yasmin - I will take a look at your Varisian Tattoo question later this evening
Varisian tattoo just adds one to my caster level (for evocation spells in my case). Concentration checks are 1d20+caster level+ability score, but it's unclear whether that can be improved with bonuses to caster level. Anyway, if Pertreeko has a damaging spell, I think it is worth using now.
Can't seee any good reason why Varisian Tattoo wouldn't help on concentration checks...so Yasmin gets her Freezing Hands spell off
Once more Yasmin fills the chamber with frost and ice...this time though, the automaton dives beneath the water to avoid the worst of her attack...
Shark-Tailed Automaton, Reflex Save vs Freezing Hands: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17, saved for half damage (6)
...meanwhile, up in the tunnel with the water gushing around him, Pertreeko starts a summoning spell...
Not sure Pertreeko has anything terribly effective - he has already expended Aggressive Thunderstorm and Tar Ball is useless against anything in water - so he will sacrifice a Level 2 spell to summon Nature's ally (going for a squid or octopus) - a full round action
GM Only:
Shark-Tailed Automaton = 9/47 HP
Starting to slow due to frost and physical damage, the shark-tailed machine stabs at Grayface once more...
Moving past the deadly weapon, she responds to the attack by smashing her own weapon against the severely dented torso of the automaton… the machine, badly damaged now, starts to sink before – on a last reserve of energy – it surges back into the fight…
GM Only:
Shark-Tailed Automaton = 5/47HP
Ea and Grayface both take damage from ending their turn in the Automaton’s electrical damage aura
Grayface: 1d6 ⇒ 4 damage Ea: 1d10 ⇒ 8 damage
Note that a Reflex DC12 Save negates the damage (missed that last time so Grayface can roll 2 saves, 1 for this round (4 damage), 1 for the previous round (6 damage))
Yasmin, Rallos and Pertreeko may take their turn now
Finishing his summons, Pertreeko shouts exultantly as his squid immediately lashes out at the shark automaton. "Die, you mockery of nature!" he cries out, as the tentacles and beak viciously attack the metal creature.
Hey guys, I'm back! They restructured the schedule of the project I was working on at my job so it's much more bearable now. Still can't post at home due to the little one taking up my time, but now I can post at work again!
Assuming Rallos will delay / continue to guard the corridor
The squid that forms from the natural energy within the water grabs and bites at the automaton...but it's beak, powerful as it is, can't quite penetrate the metal armour. The squid attempts to grip onto the machine but, as a second tentacle wraps around the articulated tail, the automaton slams it against the wall of the pool...it's life energy dissipated, the squid sinks rapidly from sight...
Longspear vs Shark-o-tron:1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 - 2 = 9, this is getting comical.
Treading water - in more ways that one - the fighter sent thrust after thrust of his spear at the mechanical monster, yet he simply couldn't manage to swim and fight simultaneously.
Apologies, I missed the Squid’s Reflex Save on the aura!!!
Sinking from sight, the squid remains still for a moment before, with an almost miraculous recovery, it surges back into the fight.
Squid, Reflex Save vs Electrical Aura: 1d20+7, saved Waiting on actions from Pertreeko / Squid
Haha, I've definitely done that before myself!
Pertreeko screams in fury as the squid is nearly killed, but his cry turns to exultation when it surges back for one last attack! "Kill it, Lotho-lan!" he cries in common-Druidic, urging it forward.
Lightning crackles from Pertreeko’s position where the corridor spills into the room… three separate arcs blast down onto the automaton – the first causes it to jolt involuntarily and to drop the weapon that had caused so much hurt… there is a sudden white flash from beneath the wrecked armour of the machine followed by a brief smell of burning… the second and third arcs crash into a completely inert mass of metal… Pertreeko’s squid chasing after it as it sinks below the surface of the water.
Combat Over
With the threat of the automaton dealt with and the flow of water into the room from the corridor having partially subsided (interestingly, even though there is still a significant flow of water, the water level in the room does not appear to be rising), the group have time to explore the room. The dry alcove to the north of the pool has a table…liberally dotted and splashed with ink, there is nothing of value or interest here other than a parchment with a half-finished letter to ‘Uzur-Kaus of the Circle of Viskk-Thar’ talking about ‘the growing influence of Klarksosh’ and the fact that ‘the Numerian’s army of automata is a threat to those above and also, to those below’.
Beyond this room, a door leads from the tunnel that Rallos was ‘guarding’…examining this door, Rallos finds no evidence of traps and cautiously opening it, discovers a staircase leading downwards…
Ea gives her group time to come closer, before praying to Pharasma
We need your help, Mistress of Fate. Whether you leave us dangling above our graves or save us from immediate doom, we'll accept your decision.
Channeling:2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
Channeling 4/6
The grayish wave of slow energy invigorates the companions, closing some of their wounds.
She will then use the healing wand on those who are still wounded, notably Rallos and Grayface
