Naadhira finds a nearby cleft in the face of the mountain - it's not much, but it gives a measure of cover. She also recalls that this creature is a manticore: a lion-like monstrosity having (in addition to the normal lion's teeth and claws) wings and a spiked tail that can attack its enemies from the safety of the air. It has no particular weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
It is, in short, a vicious and dangerous predator; and she and her companions are in mortal peril.
The wizard plunges the nail of his pinkie into a tiny tin containing a foul-smelling ointment and then raises it up so it can draw intricate arcane lines in the air. His ability to work magic causes those lines to glow with power. The halfling starts to cough and then, a split second later as the spell is completed, an enormous cough rolls out of the small man's body like a veritable gust of wind.
Traits Air, Evocation
Actions Somatic Casting, Verbal Casting
Area 60-foot line
Duration: until the start of your next turn
A violent wind issues forth from your outstretched palm, blowing from the point where you are when you cast the spell to the line’s opposite end. The wind extinguishes small nonmagical fires, disperses fog and mist, blows around objects of light Bulk or less, and pushes larger objects. Large or smaller creatures in the area must attempt a Fortitude save. Large or smaller creatures that move into the gust later must attempt the save on entering.
-Success The creature can’t move against the wind.
-Critical Success: Unaffected.
-Failure: Knocked prone. If it was flying, it suffers the effects of Critical Failure instead.
-Critical Failure: Pushed 30 feet in the wind direction, knocked prone, and takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
Caraid glares at the manticore, which doesn't even seem to notice! With that not working he pulls out his shortbow and takes aim with that instead.
Action 1: fly
Action 2: spikes
Action 3: spikes
Badia's arrow hits, but Caraid's just misses. Alistilae's spell does nothing more than mess with its mane, giving it an epically bad hair day.
In response, the Manticore roars and lashes its tail, sending another volley of spikes at the party!
Even protected by cover, Alistilae and Naadhira are not safe, as the quills pierce their flesh. Both of them however do much better than Badia or Caraid, both of whom are caught in the open and suffer vicious wounds as a result.
Alistilae 19 hp
Badia 37 hp
Caraid 24 hp
Naadhira 38 hp
Manticore 6 damage, 6 spikes used
Badia roars in pain as another spike impales her. "Ali! Use that scroll! Make me fly!"
Embracing her rage, Badia's mouth transforms into the wide maw of a vicious frog! She soars through the air and takes a big bite out of the manticore!
Naadhira uses her power over the elements to take control of Ali's gust and launch it at the Manticore once again. She makes sure to angle it such that Badia doesn't get swept up. Then, Naadhira takes cover once again.
Knowing that their only way out is if Badia can close the distance, Ali calls upon the power inscribed upon the scroll and unleashes its transmutative powers upon Badia. "Go get 'im!"
Trying not to yell too loudly Caraid takes a quick shot before trying to duck into cover and hide.
Naadhira's spell is even less effective than Alistilae's was previously. Caraid's lack of accuracy suggests he's more interested in self preservation than combat. Badia's bite scores a hit, but the manticore seems more puzzled than hurt; it bites her in return, before casually eviscerating her with one claw.
Alistilae 19 hp
Badia 7 hp
Caraid 24 hp
Naadhira 38 hp
Manticore 19 damage, 6 spikes used
Badia screams as the manticore tears open her belly. Pressing her hand to her gut to keep her entrails from spilling out, she defiantly bites the monster twice more.
Caraid shoots again, trying to distract the creature from Badia!
Naadhira prays to Sarenrae as she draws her wand and tries to heal Caraid. Fortunately the magic worked!
DC 14
Alistilae curses at his wand until it starts to glow. He then manipulates the remnants of already cast spells until it takes the shape of another magnificent gust of wind.
The blast of wind from Alistilae holds the manticore in place, but does little else of note. Its bite tears into Badia, rendering her unconscious and rapidly bleeding out.
With its main foe defeated, its tail twitches once more, sending a volley of spikes which pierce Caraid and Naadhira.
Alistilae 19 hp
Badia Dying 1
Caraid 35 hp
Naadhira 28 hp
Manticore 48 damage, 8 spikes used
Badia groans as her consciousness fades away. But drawing upon the wellspring of her rage, she immediately howls and gets back to her feet. "I will not... fall... so easily!" She leaps back into the air and charges the manticore!
Not one to bar the thought of running away when there's yet another day, Alistilae fires off a frigid ray of frost before voicing his ]sure-to-boost-morale thoughts. "Ought we to consider .. retreat?"
Naadhira frantically points the wand in Badia's direction now that she's falling within range. Right when it's most needed, the wand splutters and sparks. Naadhira is out of energy. She conjures up her shield and yells out. "I can't heal anymore! We should get out!"
DC 15
Caraid loads and fires desperately, hoping that by sheer volume of arrows he can hurt the creature. This proves to be as unlikely as he had feared.
Badia's bite connects, as does Alistilae's spell and one of Caraid's arrows. In return, the manticore's bite almost tears the half-orc in two , before it flaps its bat-like wings and soars down to attack Alistilae, leaving the halfling a bloody mess on the mountainside .
Alistilae Dying 1
Badia Dying 2, used one Hero Point
Caraid 35 hp
Naadhira 28 hp
Manticore 68 damage, 8 spikes used
Badia hits the ground again, blood pouring from her ravaged body. Against all odds, she stirs, drawing another ragged gasp as she gets to her feet. "Nnngh..." she groans, fatigued and barely clinging to life. Still, she picks up her bow from where she dropped it, nocks and arrow, and lets it fly at the manticore.
The halfling's form garbles incoherently as his form trembles and shakes. Where he suffers, the dry ground greedily drinks from his suffering as blood flows from vicious wounds.
When you’re dying, at the start of each of your turns you
attempt a special Fortitude saving throw to see if you get better
or worse; this is called a recovery saving throw. The effects of
this save are as follows.
Success: Your dying value is reduced by 1.
Critical Success: Your dying value is reduced by 2.
Failure: Your dying value increases by 1.
Critical Failure: Your dying value increases by 2.
The GM sets the DC of your recovery saving throw when
you’re knocked out. This DC is equal to the DC of the spell or
ability that dropped you plus your current dying value.
If damage that reduced you to 0 Hit Points came from
something that doesn’t have a DC, such as an attack roll, use
the attacker’s class DC. Though a class DC usually includes
the key ability modifier for a character’s class, the GM might
sometimes decide a different ability score is appropriate; for
example, a wizard’s class DC usually uses Intelligence, but
if he knocks someone out with his staff, the DC might use
Strength or Dexterity. For monsters, the GM will use a high-
difficulty skill DC of the monster’s level (see page 336).
Always use the recovery DC determined at the time you were
knocked out—if the attacker’s DC changes later, your recovery
save DC doesn’t retroactively change to match.
Showing remarkable bravery (or stupidity depending on who you ask) Caraid drops his bow to recover his magical shortsword, before rushing down the path and into combat with the creature.
Naadhira strides closer now that the beast has landed. She channels a mighty lightning storm!
Move
Naadhira's spell singes the manticore, which howls in rage and pain. It pounces on Caraid, pushing him off the side of the mountain! It's a long way down...
Following up, it hurtles towards Badia once again, seeing the half-orc as its biggest threat. Its bite once again proves fatal .
Alistilae Unconscious, 0 hit points
Badia Dying 1, 2 Hero Points used
Caraid Fallen
Naadhira 28 hit points
manticore 91 damage
Badia falls once more. This time, there will be no heroic recovery, although she's not immediately bleeding to death...
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Caraid swears loudly on the way down. It makes him feel slightly better, but does nothing to change the inevitable outcome...
Naadhira reacts by sending out a cushion of clouds to help save Caraid as he falls. Then she conjures her last lightning storm and follows it up by conjuring a floating shield around her.
Crit success - no damage. I'm sorry.
Caraid lands safely at the bottom, although he still has a loooong way to get back to the top.
The manticore effortlessly dodges Naadhira's spell, but she in turn effortlessly dodges its claws, and her shield protects her from some of its bite.
Alistae 0 hit points, unconscious
Badia Dying 1
Caraid 35 hit points, a long way away from the fight
Naadhira 12 hit points assuming she used shield block
Naadhira's shield bursts as she blocks the manticore's attack. She won't be able to use it for quite some time, possibly ever.
"Survival of the fittest, I guess." She mumbles. With little hope of survival, Naadhira draws her dagger and stabs away in an attempt to bring the beast down with her.
The manticore easily avoids Naadhira's desperate swipes.
Naadhira falls, dying, alongside her companions as the beast begins to feed.
At the base of the mountain, Caraid hears the triumphant roar of the manticore above, and can only conclude the worst: that his companions have, finally, fallen. They fought bravely to the end; but it was not enough.
He, alone, can slink away in safety.
He lives... :D At least someone survives, by virtue of falling off a mountain!
Ustalav, AR 4711
They say it only rains in Ustalav when the month has a vowel in it; which is to say, all the time. Right now, it's falling like mist: gently, but still very wet. About the only thing on you that's dry is the letter that you received yesterday, and is now tucked inside your cloak:
Faithful Friend,
Your sisters and brothers of the esteemed Palatine Eye are at a loss. We need the assistance of a specific expert, but to get it, we need help from you.
To explain. Two years ago, from an ancient tomb in Katapesh, our agents retrieved (after several failed attempts) a most sinister gem called a “countdown clock.” Within its facets dance shifting runes that chronicle the elapsing of time. Our scholars have recently determined that these shifting runes are counting down to the year 4718. This is most alarming, for we have also learned that this year is of significance to the Dominion of the Black. Beyond these facts we are stymied.
The Palatine Eye needs to know what we face. Specifically, we need the research skills of one Dr. Verid Oscilar, Ustalav’s foremost expert on the Dominion of the Black and a vaunted professor at the Sincomakti School. The good doctor, however, is not currently in residence at his post. We understand that he has gone on sabbatical at Sombrefell Hall, a manor his family owns on the southwestern shores of Lantern Lake. Some say that his research into the Dominion has left his mind in a delicate state. If there were any other way to thwart the evils we face, we would not bother the good professor.
We ask you to travel to the professor’s retreat and humbly ask for his aid. Dr. Oscilar knows the horrors the Dominion would visit on us better than anyone, and he respects those dedicated to thwarting them. He is, by all accounts, a religious man, and we hope he will listen to you, consider our case, and help us, despite the rest he is undertaking.
Please, without delay, gather the supplies you need and travel together to Sombrefell Hall to beseech the doctor. Should he agree, we can arrange for a stipend to pay him for his services. We humbly request your utmost alacrity — we know not what we face, nor is there time to waste.
Yours in the Unexplained,
The Eye
==========
Setting out early in the morning, your journey to Sombrefell Hall is unenventful and takes the better part of the day: by late afternoon, it is clearly in view at the end of the road.
Like the smoky exhalation of a mighty beast, a billowing haze blankets the lake. A massive mansion rises from the mist, with sweeping roofs topping two-and-a-half vaulted stories. The manor’s grand entrance consists of mahogany double doors, a white-marble knocker fashioned in the likeness of an angel-shaped ankh, and a tarnished bronze placard that reads “Sombrefell Hall.”
"There's no need to shout, Ashlion," Rozalia chides. The beautiful Varisian woman steps forward, the multi-colored scarves adorning her plate armor trailing behind her. An elegant but deadly glaive is strapped to her back.
She points to the knocker. "Look, Brynn. Perhaps you won't be the only Sarenite here tonight." She then raps the knocker against the door.
"The Eternal Rose teaches her followers to speak softly, but carry a big glaive." Roazalia gestures to her own weapon.
"I sure hope I'm not, but this place shows nothing of the Sun." Says the tall half-elf with gleaming red hair. She's dressed in a suit of chain mail and holds her open helm at her side. As she puts it on, she says "hope for the best, prepare for the worst."
Ashlion is a living announcement, cling-clanging about in a manner any Gorumite would approve of, leaving Jaksics to wonder just how this meet-and-greet with doctor Oscilar would go. Loudly, I suspect. Behind the sorcerer's grotesque mask, a pair of rot-tainted eyes rolled up as the Gorumite continues to boldly proclaim their impending arrival.
When Jaksics speaks, there's a hissing to his voice that reminds you of water dripping down onto a glowing hot plate. One of the many 'gifts' of his blood. "Alright, with the ruckus we're making we're going to wake up the dead. Yes, we're in Ustalav, and no, I am not joking." Perhaps his Ustalavi superstitions are based on nothing, perhaps his words contained a hidden wisdom.
The grating sound of metal-on-metal then scrapes through the air as the man tightens clenches his fists. "I got a bad feeling about this."
But when did he not?
Rozalia lays a comforting hand on Jaksics's arm. "Do not fret, Jak. There's a reason the Eye chose our group for this task. The gods are on our side. They will guide us through whatever trials lie ahead."
The tall Ustalavi halts when Rozalia touches him, soaking up the view of the estate: so this is it. He sighs, creating a sound not unlike that of sizzling meat. "The gods are not beyond failure. Guide us, they might, but failure is but a fool's step away. Now, let us proceed with caution, please."
Cheery one, that sorcerer.