The Red Arm of Absalom - Ongoing Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master GM Red

Mr Peppers casts his own light spell on his blaster wand and looks down into the cellar with an unhappy look on his face "Ya... not what I was hoping was down here. You're a good man for wading around down in there Gallix." Mr Peppers will detect magic and eyeball the area as best he can from topside, take 10 for a 22 perception

Uesugi climbs down the rope and acclimates himself to the cool water that reaches him just below his sternum.

"Let us move everyone to ledge and figure out why this cellar is flooded and how we can reach the other staircase. Noble dragon use your keen eyes and watch for anything moves towards us."

I'd need a DC 5 climb check, but even if you fell, the water would break your fall.

Mr. Peppers doesn't sense any magic in the cellar below. Uesugi climbs down the rope while Longjing flutters next to him, keeping his dragon eyes peeled for any danger. As Uesugi begins to tread through the deep, murky goodness, he feels something odd brush up against his leg. Try as they might, he and Longjing can't quite see what it is.

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
As Gallix begins his descent, Uesugi feels something sharp bite against his ankle followed by some erratic movement and splashing. Luckily, he pulls his leg away just in time. He quickly realizes he's not alone!

Combat here follows the rules for aquatic terrain, so there will be attack, damage, and movement penalties

___

Flooded Cellar, Round 1
Uesugi, Gallix, Mr. Peppers, Cup are up!
Underwater creature
D, Sirettis, and Longjing

Of course I inspire courage. Need to run off to work. I will backfill a song in later, around lunch time.

Seeing the thrashing Mr Peppers gets a look of both relief and concern at the same time across his face Sure glad I'm not down in THAT stuff, but Gallix and Uesugi ARE!

He points his now glowing wand around the room to try to get eyes on the target so he can blast it with his wand. "If I can get a look at whatever that is I can blast it with this wand!"

Can we see it from up above? If not I'll make a perception check, otherwise I'll fire off the wand.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 10 = 14
Wand of Magic Missile: Caster Check/Damage: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 101d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Gallix splashes down into the water as Uesugi jumps at the sudden nip of the underwater creature. "'Sugi! What is it? Never mind that. I'm coming." The young man steps up beside his friend and strikes down into the water, trying to recall his old master's training in which he had to punch down into an open barrel full of water in order to strengthen his blows. The water here is nearly up to his chest, however, and Gallix is unsure of the angle of his attack, so he is basically attacking blindly.

Not sure if the creature is hidden at all, but I'm assuming it probably is a bit. Might as well punch it if I can get lucky though, right? 5ft step and Brawler's Flurry, Combat Expertise

Flurry MCestus, CE, Inspire: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 - 1 = 10 Damage, IC: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9
Flurry CICestus, CE, IC: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 1 = 9 Damage: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9

Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Mr. Peppers can't quite see the enemy from where he stands. Let me know if you'd rather not fire your wand in this case

The water is murky, so you can't see the enemy unless you're next to it or pass perception vs its stealth. The water will provide cover to you if you crouch as a move action (will provoke). Unfortunately, it being difficult terrain means you can't 5 foot step in it, and each move through a square counts as 4 squares (similar to swimming as a move action).

♫ Something submerged, something absurd
Something for everyone, a monster down below
Something diverting, something still lurking
Something for everyone, a monster down below! ♫

Cup leans forward anxiously.

♫ Nothing with kings, nothing with crowns
Roll out the barrels and hope we don't drown!

No Sarini curses, just Tour de Force
Then a happy ending, of course!
Goodness and badness,
Panic is madness--
This time it all turns out all right!
A monster below,
Let's fight the good fight! ♫

I don't believe I can fire off the wand/spell if I can't see the target. If the target has less than total concealment then I can hit it, otherwise its a no go.

Perception for Fishie: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

climb: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 - 2 = 7

Uesugi slides down the rope with not too much difficulty. His feet reach into the cold water finally coming to rest on the unseen stone floor. The water is deep reaching up to his sternum He is about to say something when feels something slide by his leg and a slight pressure on his leg.

"There is something in the water. Stay up there the rest of you." Uesugi calls up to the others and instinctively stabs down where he judges the underwater denizen to be.

I take it since it attacked me it is right beside me I can judge where it is roughly

katana+p.a+song-aquatic combat: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 = 8
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 8

After thinking this out a bit more, I think now that combat has started, the murkiness of the water functions as total concealment rather than requiring a perception vs stealth check. You have a general idea of where the creature is based on its attacks on Uesugi after all.
@Mr. Peppers, you can still take a different action other than the wand.

Both Gallix and Uesugi can't quite see the creature in its swampy safe haven, and splash some water around the cellar with a fist and katana.

Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Uesugi gets another brush of sharp teeth tickling his foot, but takes no damage!

Round 1 - Mr. Peppers (if he wants to change his action), D, Sirettis, and Longjing are up
__
Round 2 - Uesugi, Gallix, Mr. Peppers, and Cup

He doesn't have many options and it makes lots of sense he spent the whole round just trying to locate to blast the little bugger cuz he sure wasn't jumping down in there!

"Damn water is just too dark, I can't see it to shoot it! Maybe if it came closer to the surface I could see it enough to blast." Mr Peppers readies casting magic missile if this happens.

"Do you require assistance down there?"

If only I were an illusionist...

Sirettis runs down the stairs, kicking water to and fro. She wades through the water. "I have a way to force it out, but...I must get closer."

Double Move. We came from the Northeast stairwell, right?

Nope, Uesugi and Gallix climbed down the trapdoor opening using a rope. You can probably just safely jump in - a 15 foot drop broken by 4 feet of water seems like it wouldn't hurt that much... But I'm no diver!

Sirettis leaps through the trapdoor. As she falls, a wind current seemingly from the cellar picks her up and slows her descent, until she lands on the stairwell.

Using my racial ability to cast feather fall.

I can't say I'd dive into 4' of water from that height! Can't say I'd jump into it either! Do either of those stairways come from the direction of the cellar in the kitchen?

Yup, the northeast one comes from the kitchen. I think a character should be able to figure that out with a bit of spatial awareness.

Just waiting on D's action for this round, but Mr. P, Gallix, Uesugi, and Cup can act for next round too

Cup sings a note in the air next to Sirettis. "Unseen servant, tie the rope to the note!" She prepares to zipline down the rope next turn.

D. makes a skilled check to drop down into the water.

Acro vs any falling?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Somehow, SHOMEHOW, i expected that.

Maybe the water softens his fall?

"I bet those stairs there come from the kitchen, I'm going around!" Mr Peppers scoots out into the kitchen while other braver souls hop down into the murky water of death.

"Where is it?! Uesugi, is it still by you? Where is the damned thing? Gallix shouts frantically as his eyes scan the murky darkness of the water. He notices the samurai jump away again as the creature attempts another bite at his leg and takes that as a hint of its general location. "Right! Here we go again!" He plunges his fists down into the water again, trying to somehow fight against he resistance of the water and finally land a blow on the creature.

Flurry MCestus, IC, CE: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 - 1 = 14 Damage, IC: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7
Flurry CICestus, IC, CE: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 1 - 1 = 11 Damage, IC: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8

To be a scrying sensor on the wall for this!

Uesugi stills his mind feeling the creature once again try to bite him.
Holding the katana high in two hands the edge of the blade just piercing the surface of the water.

He waits letting the serpent or whatever it is move in again.

He waits hearing the barbarian asking where it is.

He waits hearing the others falling into the water.

He strikes thrusting the blade downwards deep into the water. "HERE."

katana+p.a+song-aquatic combat: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 = 19
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 7

Falling damage, vs D: 1d6 ⇒ 1
D tumbles into the cellar from above but manages to right his body so that he only endures a minor scratch on his foot... However, the resulting splash soaks Uesugi and ruins Gallix's perfect hair.

Mr. Peppers runs to the kitchen and passes by the giant barrel of salt again. Gallix feels the creature's slimy skin underwater as he just misses its body.

Uesugi vs concealment, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 78
Bite: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
The brightness from Cup's dancing lights reflects off the water at just the perfect moment, and Uesugi spots the creature - a giant leech - before thrusting his blade deep into its body. The water turns even murkier as a cloud of black ichor explodes from the fresh wound. The leech nearly gets a piece of Uesugi's thigh as it retaliates, but can't grip his flesh in its slimy mouth.

Leech (-7)

Everyone is up again!

HA! I can't help but think that was a hint...

Uesugi stabs his blade into the water knowing that he has wounded the leech. His blade cuts through the water with such grace it barely even causes a splash.

katana+p.a+song-aquatic combat: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 = 23
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 9

katana confirm: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 - 1 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 17
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 3 + 1 - 2 = 11

Cup grabs her whip, loops it around the rope, and zip lines down to her solid note.

Acrobatics to zip line: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

"Wheeeeee!"

Assuming she did not fall in on that roll...

Then she flips herself up on top of her solid note, where she can perch over the water.

Acrobatics to zip line: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

"Stupid! Water!" Gallix shouts in fury as D's splash ruins his hair, his fists plunging again into the water to strike at whatever Uesugi had just hit.

No more mister nice brawler! Brawler's Fury, no combat expertise.

Flurry MCestus, IC, aquatic: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 - 2 = 6 Damage, IC: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9
Flurry CICestus, IC, aquatic: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 5 + 1 - 2 = 16 Damage, IC: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 1 = 9

Maybe...MAYBE that last one finally hit. If so, not sure how you wanna rule the damage, Red. Cestus is technically B or P damage, and piercing damage is supposed to go through full in aquatic combat, but it's also attached to my balled up fist so...
Anyway. Your call. I'm good either way.

Sirettis prepares to call upon the cold to assist, but Uesugi's perfect swing gives her pause. Is the leech still active?

1d100 ⇒ 84

Uesugi focuses his thoughts and thinks back to just a month ago, when he was saving the world one katana swipe at a time, turning each and every green clone into a pile of goop with the help of his barbarian companion. His eyes shut, he lets the passion of his victorious memories flow into his blade, and then, without a word and with the calmness everyone had come to know of the samurai, he plunges the blade deep into the giant leech, cutting it cleanly in half with a single stroke.

... Gallix leans over and gives its corpse a solid punch in the head, just to see what it feels like. Cup sees the whole thing from mid-air!

Yep, that's one dead leech! Combat's over.

"Wow, you guys are awesome! I have never seen such an epic water battle!". Then she looks at the murky water. "Chances are good that there's something important under there. Unseen servant, seach under the water. Bring me back anything you can find that you can carry."

Cup is also using Detect Magic!

And it comes back with something awful the 1st time....rule of comedy screams for that. :)

"You should've seen the battle at Xiu-Fang. It was a settlement in the empire, near a river crossing. Samurai from two different warlords clashed there."

Sirettis and her hair calm down as the leech's guts surface. Mister Gallix punches it once for good measure. As the Unseen Servant crawls through the water, Sirettis makes her way to the platform on the West.

Mr Peppers head down the cellar stairs from the kitchen and stands across the watery room from the others "What did I miss? Is it dead? Oh.. ya I see it now." He then notices the gnome begin to cast a spell and gain those tell tale blue eyes deep in concentration Oh no you don't Missy! Thems my magic auras! Hell No!

Gallix wades through the murky waters of the cellar, pushing past barrels and muttering curses the entire way. He finally finds his way over to the staircase leading to the platform on the western end of the room and clambers up. "Cup, you wouldn't happen to have that spell that helps clean stuff up would you? I'm a mess and I don't even want to think about the stains leech guts might leave on my clothes."

"Of course I have that spell!" She looks embarrassed. "Um, can we exchange favors? I really don't want to get submerged in this. Can you... um... carry me out?"

"You've got yourself a deal!" Gallix replies, nodding enthusiastically. "When we head back out, you just climb up on my shoulders and we'll keep that pretty little outfit of yours nice and dry!" He smiles at the gnome, then stands with arms and legs akimbo, ready for the cleaning to commence.

Once Cup has finished drying him off, Gallix signs delightedly, then reaches into a pocket and pulls out a small, flat, wooden canister, sealed around the inside of the lid with cork. He swipes a couple fingers across the top of the canister's contents, and the fingers come out with a small blob of a viscous, bluish substance on them. Carefully resealing the canister and redepositing it in his pocket, he then spreads the bluish goo across the fingers on both hands and runs his fingers through his hair. Several minutes of picking, styling, and finessing later, Gallix's perfectly-crafted hair is back to its rightful state.

Uesugi sheaths his blade turning to look in the directon of the others. Watching the carcass of the leech float on top of the water he moves to the ledge still maintaining the look of stoicism.

"We must be misding something. The cellar is smaller then the wood that was originally commissioned for."

There's little to find in the murky water, but one of the barrels is full of expensive-looking wine. Cup begins to Detect Magic but something stops her and her eyes flicker blue for only a moment before going back to normal. Mr. Peppers then detects magic properly, but doesn't find any auras, nor does Sirettis see anything on the western landing other than the rocky cellar walls. Hmm...

After Mr Pepper's eyes go back to normal he shakes his head in disappointment. "Nothing magical, I really had my hopes up this time too!" He asks someone in the water to float the leach over so he can take a quick look at it Knowledge: Nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

After he's finished he'll start looking around the room from where he stands on the stairs, avoiding getting into the water. Perception: 1d20 + 2 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 2 + 10 = 28

"Thank you for the ride, Gallix. It was my pleasu--" Suddenly, Cup breaks off as she feels her spell disrupt. "Wait a minute. There's something dark going on here. Something just disrupted my detect magic spell and made it fizzle." Ears pricked high, Cup turns around with a big frown on her face, as if trying to hear someone invisible.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

"We're dealing with creatures of the Abyss -- remember that Quasit? Many of them have at will invisibility. Why else would my detect magic get disrupted, unless one of them was attempting to hide in here?" Whip out, she puts her hands on her hips and roars, "SHOW YOURSELF!"

Uh oh! Trouble in paradise, eh? Heheh

"Not sure Miss Cup. Mine cast just fine, and nothing of note was to be found. Perhaps you merely made an error in your voice inflection? Or strained a metacarpal in your casting hand when you slid down that rope? Or maybe there was some sort of glyph that activated in the room at the first spell being cast. I guess we'll never quite know."

Nothing responds to Cup's demands, however, both she and Mr. Peppers make out the faint outline of a crude secret door in the southwest corner of the cellar.

As marked by the S on the map.

I'll assume Cup found it since she's on that side of the room and I'd get some serious distance penalties.

Mr Peppers swears as Cup finds the doorway on the wrong side of the 'lake'. "GAH, I knew I'd get stuck in the water one way or another. Again, these Sarini's could have installed some magic drains down here, or hell, some physical ones!" He holds his backpack over his head and slowly makes his way down into and through the water stopping to peek at the barrels if they've got labels.

Once he reaches the other side he dries off.

Sirettis waits patiently for the Imp to show itself. "We won't find it that way. I would use that power to hide from anything fearful. You may have frightened it, Miss Poshkettle."

"Sir Hideyoshi has a good point. There must be another entrance here. Why would it be blocked by a magical trapdoor?"

"Sorry, Peppers," Gallix calls back as Peppers steps down into the water, "I suppose I could've carried you too if you had wanted." He laughs at the image of him carrying the elf above his head as Peppers struggles to keep his robes from touching the surface of the water.

Once he's dropped Cup off on the ledge and had her clean him up again, Gallix makes his way over to the hidden door she and Peppers had spotted. Pressing his hands against the wall, he checks for seams or cracks that might provide some clue as to how to open the hidden passage.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

Something about Mr. Pepper's statements seem off to Cup...

Bluff check, Peppers?

Perception to check Secret Door for traps: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

"That's a really interesting secret door. Peppers, you should have seen if there was one on the other side too while you were still there. Maybe we could have matched set!" Cup marches up next to Gallix and inspects the secret door she spotted. "Should we try to just push it open, do you think?"