GL's Shattered Star. (Inactive)

Game Master Grandlounge

Everybody but Von is able to detect humanoid creatures gathered in the water about halfway across. They seem to be poised for an ambush.

Zeltyieli whispers into the message spell, "There's a bunch of humanoids in the water...just waiting to overturn the boats and try to drown us, no doubt."

"We should definitely rest, then - I have an idea for a spell I can use to fly over them and deal with that, but I need to rest first."

"We surely better keep people on guard if there are hostiles here while we're trying to rest. "

The team deciding that this might be a job best handled without a day of exhaustion dogging them moves back to the previous floor. Are you camping in the dungeon or leaving? The last floor has several rooms that were easily secured.

I imagine we'll say in since we can barricade a door

Barricade a door.

No fire, cold rations and barricaded door. ;)

Sounds like a plan

Spend any healing you have before you go to bed, recover your HP from rest, prepare your spells, and then you can be off and ready for a boat ride the next morning.

Von-Dai chooses not to ride in the boat, but will fly overhead so he can stay out of reach of the underwater ambushers.

I'm gonna cast fly on myself. If the light level is particularly low, I'm also going to cast darkvision on myself, as well. Extended Mage Armor is up as well.

Marcus will get in the first boat by himself so he can take the initial ambush instead of his less armored allies. He will then tie a rope to the boat.

"Von-Dai, think you can pull me along?"

Figure it would be good if I could stay ready, just drop the rope when something pops.

Sevrus will also ready to attack anything that leaps out of the water.

"I can do that. Are you sure you want to get in a boat wearing all that armor? The creatures in the water will probably try to capsize you."

"I can still swim in the armor. I'll take my chances. "

Zeltyieli still has 3 channels and many spells, so unless I'm really wrong, we can all be full before bed.

The next morning, Zeltyieli takes a moment to perform his obedience, regaining his spells and his blessing, before once again doing the Caravan ritual with his companions.

"Can't help but wonder if we could lure them out to fight on our turf rather than theirs?"

"Maybe - there isn't a lot of land to fight on here, though, and they have no reason to pursue us out of the water - they likely know we need to cross the water to go onwards."

Let's get a final plan description and slap some water jerks.

I'm in favor of my fighter as bait in a boat plan. I probably need a dagger if someone has a spare for when I get in the drink as is inevitable.

Let's do it.

Von hands Marcus his dagger, just in case, then casts a spell to bolster his strength.

Bull's Strength on Marcus.

He then ties a rope to the boat, floats up into the air, and gets ready to pull Marcus out onto the water.

First the rope is attached to the boat. Then Marcus gets into the boat, stows his weapons, and gets ready with the dagger.

Zeltyieli casts his spell, using the bond to share it with his companions, giving each of them the ability to stay above the surface of the water. "Just in case those things attack the already-weakened boats," he explains.

Place yourselves on the boat and take your actions.

The Bold May Act:

Von
Sevrus
Zeltiyeli
? Knowledge Religion
Marcus

Sevrus slashes out at the nearest creature.

dagger: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

damage: 1d4 + 4 + 4d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (2, 4, 3, 6) = 22

dagger: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

damage: 1d4 + 4 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + (5, 2, 1, 6) = 19

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Would be useful to know what they are to figure out what to do.

Moved Sevrus to the second boat - the plan called for Marcus to be solo, with me flying overhead, pulling the boat by rope.

Flying above the boats, Von-Dai decides to test out the strength of these creatures. Quickly intoning a spell, he hurls bolts of magical force at one of the lead ones.

Magic Missile at the one on the top left.

Magic Missile: 3d4 + 3 ⇒ (4, 2, 4) + 3 = 13

Zeltyieli These are Lacedon (Aquatic Ghouls) the have three attacks that can paralysis.

Zetyieli calls out, "Lacedon. Look out, they can paralyze.", and then releases a burst of holy energy to try to burn the undead.

Channel Energy: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 2) = 10 (DC 15 for half)

The creatures use the water to duck Severus attacks, but auras and bolts of magic begin to fly. The one hit by magic missile has its face blasted off. The rest are severely hurt.

The Bold May Act:

Von
Sevrus
Zeltiyeli
Lacedon
Marcus

Marcus will lash at the one to his north.

to hit: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27 damage: 1d3 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16
to hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 damage: 1d3 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Sevrus manages to dodge the attacks and attacks the creature again

dagger: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

dagger: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Not wanting to lose his companions to the ghouls, Zeltyieli releases a second burst of power, while spinning his scarf in his hands, ready to strike should one lunge at him.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 3) = 14 (Will DC 15 for half)

Von-Dai picks three of the heavily wounded lacedons around Marcus and fires off more magic missiles.

Targeting the three most wounded lacedon around Marcus.

Magic Missile 1: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Magic Missile 2: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Magic Missile 3: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

1d20 ⇒ 91d20 ⇒ 151d20 ⇒ 11d20 ⇒ 61d20 ⇒ 141d20 ⇒ 191d20 ⇒ 6

Zeltyieli causes two-thirds of the remaining creatures to die where they stand. Marcus cuts one down and Von is able to clear the remaining with wall placed magic missiles.

Out of combat.

"I didn't even get wet. "

Zeltyieli chuckles, "Well, you can literally walk on water, now."

"I'll admit, I expected them to try and dump Marcus in the water. Let's head for that landing over there, shall we?"

Marcus calmly walks across the water to the other side.

The team paddles onward over the calm waters.

A stone platform extends from the cave wall here, its floor a foot from the water surface. An immense red metal panel sits in the far wall, its face engraved with numerous scenes depicting a beautiful woman on a throne as numerous strange monsters bow before her

Examine the panel.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17

Zeltyieli asks, "Sorshen again? Or something new this time?"

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

Sorshen again?

The wall depicts Sorshen using her magic to dominate all manner of powerful monsters, including giants, dragons, neothelids, sea monsters, mobogos.

Marcus, you can tell there is something off about the wall but you can't tell what.

With some time and careful examination as a team, you figure out that this wall is a door and the mechanism requires touching the depiction of Sorshen.

Zeltyieli chuckles, "Sorshen sure seems to like to be touched," he says, then adds, "..which aligns with who she was, I guess."

"They definitely had a thing about being fawned over. "

"As the Runelord of Lust, Sorshen's probably a bit more into being touched than the others," Von-Dai says drily. "Well, shall we see what Sorshen's touch reveals this time?"

Marcus will touch the image of Sorshen.

Pressing the central button, which depicts Sorshen dominating a giant, causes the panel to glow softly as Thassilonian writing appears along the panel’s upper edge, spelling the phrase “And so do the mighty Architects serve eternal” as the door swings open.

This long, grand marble hall features a single row of pillars down its center. The vaulted ceiling thirty feet above is painted with lewd frescoes depicting giants and humans engaged in carnal acts set among pastoral scenes. To the south, the hall widens before rising up in a series of steps to a white marble throne. Six large treasure chests sit next to the throne.

On the thorn sits a gaunt giant with massive curved tusks.

"When did giants get tusks? I don't think they're supposed to have tusks. "

"Some giants do. They also might be part of a helmet."

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30