As the party squeezes into the dark cracked hillside, Becky casts Light on her rapier, Talath casts Light on his own personal item, and Crispin casts Darkvision on himself.
Preparing for combat, Mauro casts Rags to Riches on his ranseur and breastplate. Then, he casts False Life on himself.
The occultist quietly moves ten feet from the cramped crack. He's the first and only to spot the source of the screeching and splashing.
The source of the screeching and splashing is a giant rat! It is writhing and thrashing in the water as if in great pain. Suddenly, the creature’s neck twists around itself, and a pair of legs grows from its stomach, only to melt away a moment later. For a moment, the rat looks normal again, but then the horrific convulsions start anew.
Knowledge Planes DC27 and line of sight to rat:
This poor rat appears to be amorphous. You think the origin of its sorry state was caused by a chaos beast.
Male CG Aquatic Elf Male Cleric 7 | HP 59 / 59 | AC 24 / 14 T / 22 FF | CMD 16 | Fort + 11 Ref + 6 Will + 11 Init +2 | Perception +15 (Low-Light Vision)| Speed 40 ft. |Conditions: None (Fish Person) | Effects: None | Channels: 4/5
@GM: Sorry I thought I'd written it before. Talath will almost always cast Light on his shield. He'd also have an extended Longstrider on him so that it lasts 14 hours. I switched Talath and Crispin on the map; Crispin is squishier so Talath will be rearguard.
Male Human. Arcanist 7. AC 16/20*, touch 16/20*, flat-footed 14/18*. hp 46/46. Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +6. Init +2; Senses Perception +9, (*Mage armor) (Speed 30), Arcane Reservoir 10/10
knowledge Planes:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Now he has had time to study the poor Rat more closely Crispin can tell what has happened to it. "It has become amorphous! There must be a chaos beast around. Be on your guard. They inflict this condition on those they wound."
N Female Human Bard (Archivist) 7 | hp --52-- 52/52 NL [0] | AC 21, t 13, ff 18 | Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 | BP 16/18 | Init +3 | Perc +11 | Speed 30 ft. | Bard Spells 1st 4/5; 2nd 3/4 ; 3rd 0/1| Lore Master 1/1 | Shirt 1/1 | Wand of CLW 30/50 | Conditions: none | To-Do List
Becky moved forward to investigate when the squealing first sounded; now she moves forward again until the tortured thing comes into sight. When Crispin mentions a chaos beast, the brainy bard starts sorting through her memory banks to recall what she knows of such creatures.
Not sure if I rolled high enough for Becky to initiate her Naturalist ability against the monster. She'll start Naturalist if she made the check; otherwise, I'll post another action later.
Oh Becky, you tom-fool teenager. I do believe you are about to get Chaos Beast-ed... Next time, rather than volunteer to be Polish Mine Detector, let me send the Skelebot in to do it's job.
Becky moves into the cavern, taking in her surroundings. She knows the creature screeching in pain is a rat, but she's unsure as to what afflicts it. It seems extraplanar in origin but the culprit remains a mystery.
Despite her proximity, the rat doesn't charge. Perhaps she isn't close enough for the rat to feel threatened. Floor-to-ceiling rocks block her vision of most of the space. Her light source flickers off the stone, creating eerie shadows.
Crispin, I moved your character to where you can see the rat to make that 30 roll. Crispin walks up next to Becky to assess the situation. The arcanist's wisdom fills in the youth's gaps of knowledge. He determines a chaos beast must be responsible for this rat's sorry state!
The rat continues to convulse unnaturally. Crispin and Becky seem to be maintaining a far enough distance that the rat isn't feeling threatened.
Asher and Talath bravely hang back in the cramped hallway as the others investigate. They can't see anything that's going on, but they can hear it.
Would the party like to kill the rat or investigate another area?
Taking pity on it's suffering (and also acting as bait for any enemy lurking to pounce), Mauro commands his skeletal servant to kill the rat.
Meanwhile, he creeps out around the outcrop he'd been hiding behind, to have a better viewpoint to survey the entire cavern...
The skeletal servant rushes forward, cutting down the rat! The rodent sinks into the water, dead.
In the Surprise Round, The hairs on Becky's arm stand up. The bard can't see anything, but she senses something is wrong.
Becky only:
Your intuition tells you something is very wrong. You are on high alert even after the red chaos beast appears.
Knowledge Planes DC17 (and have vision) or Becky:
The creature surfacing from the water is a chaos beast!
Knowledge Planes DC22 (and have vision) or Becky:
The creature surfacing from the water is a chaos beast! Chaos beasts have the special ability to put a curse "Corporeal Instability" on creatures with their claws! A creature cursed with an amorphous body becomes a spongy, shapeless mass. Unless the victim manages to control the effect, its shape constantly melts, flows, writhes, and boils. An affected creature is unable to hold or use any item. Clothing, armor, helmets, and rings become useless. Large items worn or carried—armor, backpacks, even shirts—hamper more than help, reducing the victim’s Dexterity score by 4. Speed is reduced to 10 feet or one-quarter normal, whichever is less. The victim gains the amorphous quality, but cannot cast spells or use magic items, and it attacks blindly, unable to distinguish friend from foe (–4 penalty on attack rolls and a 50% miss chance, regardless of the attack roll). A victim can temporarily regain its own shape by taking a standard action to attempt a DC 15 Will save (this check DC does not vary for a chaos beast with different Hit Dice or ability scores). A success reestablishes the creature’s normal form for 1 minute. The victim takes 1 point of Wisdom drain from mental shock every round that it ends its turn in an amorphous shape—upon being drained to 1 Wisdom, further Wisdom drain ceases and the amorphous body effect is permanent until removed via magic.
They are also "Resistant to Transformation!" Transmutation effects, such as polymorphing or petrification, force a chaos beast into a new shape, but at the start of its next turn, it immediately returns to its normal form as a free action
The dark waters ripple up from the rat. Then, a horrid mass of barbed tentacles, glaring eyes, and gnashing teeth surfaces from the water! It claws at the skeletal servant!
Attack (Claws):1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 Damage (Claws) + Corporeal Instability:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
The skeleton dodges the attack, stepping back at just the right time!
N Female Human Bard (Archivist) 7 | hp --52-- 52/52 NL [0] | AC 21, t 13, ff 18 | Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 | BP 16/18 | Init +3 | Perc +11 | Speed 30 ft. | Bard Spells 1st 4/5; 2nd 3/4 ; 3rd 0/1| Lore Master 1/1 | Shirt 1/1 | Wand of CLW 30/50 | Conditions: none | To-Do List
===================================================
SURPRISE ROUND
===================================================
Becky casts beacon of luck and steps forward a bit, while starting to spit out what she knows of chaos beasts.
===================================================
ROUND 1
===================================================
Becky's preaching about a chaos beast's abilities and weaknesses (see beneath spoiler above) takes on a magical effect as she uses her Naturalist ability to aid her friends in the coming battle. Then she shouts "BLAM!" while casting sound burst, centering it 5 feet behind the chaos beast so it won't also affect Mauro's skeleton.
Bardic Performance (Naturalist--Chaos Beast): Round #1 of 18. +2 insight bonus to AC and on attack rolls and saving throws against extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities.
The skeletal warrior responds with mindless ferocity, clawing at the beast, but Mauro's will has it step to the side giving him a clean line at the beast.
In the Surprise Round,Becky casts Beacon of Luck on herself and starts relaying what she knows.
In Round 1,Asher moves to where he has sight of the identified chaos beast and fires an arrow! His arrow misses, landing on the ground. (I believe Asher needed to move up for sight. I adjusted the map.)
Becky makes a cacophony with her voice, however, it doesn't seem to bother the red chaos beast!
Talath casts Bless, aiding his allies. Meanwhile, the skeletal servant rakes its claws against the red chaos beast, but the claws can't seem to get through the writhing mass. Mauro swings his ranseur, cutting into the red chaos beast!
The red chaos beast moves out of the water (difficult terrain), provoking an attack of opportunity from the skeletal servant and Mauro! The chaos beast turns to the occultist as if setting its sights on a new target! It lashes out with a claw!
Attack (Claws):1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 Damage (Claws) + Corporeal Instability:1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Talath only:
You spot movement in the water - another (blue) chaos beast! It's still in the water (1 square left, 5 squares down - edge of water)
Then, in an impressive display, Crispin confidently chants and casts. A cluster of Magic Missiles burst from his fingertips and explode onto the red chaos beast! It's tentacles wriggle angrily!
How much damage has the Red Chaos Beast taken? I hit it with a ranseur for 15 and Crispin landed 14 with Magic missiles, but it is only showing 14 on the init list...
Now, for the AoO's from Mauro and skeletal servant...
Talath, did you move your own icon and then tell us to look at a spoiler that's based off of your former position? One left and five down puts it inside a rock from your current position...
Male CG Aquatic Elf Male Cleric 7 | HP 59 / 59 | AC 24 / 14 T / 22 FF | CMD 16 | Fort + 11 Ref + 6 Will + 11 Init +2 | Perception +15 (Low-Light Vision)| Speed 40 ft. |Conditions: None (Fish Person) | Effects: None | Channels: 4/5
Mauro Ocela wrote:
Talath, did you move your own icon and then tell us to look at a spoiler that's based off of your former position? One left and five down puts it inside a rock from your current position...
It was from his old position; let me see if I can put an icon on it. It should have a Sun icon on the spot I think the GM indicated.
N Female Human Bard (Archivist) 7 | hp --52-- 52/52 NL [0] | AC 21, t 13, ff 18 | Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 | BP 16/18 | Init +3 | Perc +11 | Speed 30 ft. | Bard Spells 1st 4/5; 2nd 3/4 ; 3rd 0/1| Lore Master 1/1 | Shirt 1/1 | Wand of CLW 30/50 | Conditions: none | To-Do List
Becky reaches into her coin pouch and draws forth three gold pieces before casting a spell on them. She then aims at the first chaos beast and fires her first coin at it!
I don't believe the chaos beast's SR comes into play here, as the coins are no longer magical (i.e.--no magic damage) once they leave her hand. I'll roll a CL check just to be safe, however.
In Round 2,Asher peppers the red chaos beast with arrows! Becky chants a few words over a gold coin with flicks it at the red chaos beast! The metal disk bounces off the creature and plinks to the stone ground. Meanwhile, Talath casts a beneficial spell onto Asher! A gentle light transfers from the cleric's hand to the ranger. Mauro's skeletal servant swipes at the red chaos beast, but only the second claw seems to make contact. Mauro follows up with a swing of his ranseur, cutting down the red chaos for good!
The blue chaos beast drags itself around the corner with all its tentacles, provoking an attack from Mauro! Mauro, please make an AoO.
Then, Crispin chants, casting a spell but the blue chaos beast seems to resist the magic.
Mauro pivots to face the fresh chaos beast and then steps back to buy himself room to swing his ranseur. After Mauro has swung, his skeletal warrior rushes forward to claw at the beast...
Mauro 5' step and full attack chaos beast blues
Skeleton - move 25'
standard - attack chaos beast blues
In Round 3, the party absolutely annihilates the blue chaos beast, dealing 96 damage to it. The critical attack didn't seem to affect the beast, but it didn't matter due to the party's collective focus!
The second chaos beast whithers and stills. Nothing else appears out of the eerie shadows.
Amid the filth, grime, and junk that the faceless stalkers left behind, there is a ring of the troglodyte and a 1-foot-tall jade statue of a humanoid-serpent hybrid creature (worth 1,000 gp). Loot Sheet Updated (link)
Knowledge Religion DC25 (statue):
You identify the statue as a depiction of Ydersius, the patron deity of the serpent folk, who were one of Azlant’s chief enemies.
Appraise/Survival DC25 (statue):
You realize the statue must have been in the cavern for over 10,000 years.
N Female Human Bard (Archivist) 7 | hp --52-- 52/52 NL [0] | AC 21, t 13, ff 18 | Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +8 | BP 16/18 | Init +3 | Perc +11 | Speed 30 ft. | Bard Spells 1st 4/5; 2nd 3/4 ; 3rd 0/1| Lore Master 1/1 | Shirt 1/1 | Wand of CLW 30/50 | Conditions: none | To-Do List
Becky crinkles her nose as she identifies the magical ring. She also recognizes the valuable jade statue to depict Ydersius, ancient god of the serpentfolk race, bitter enemies of the Azlanti civilization.
When Mauro performs an object reading on the statue, he feels himself sitting on it as if it were an improvised furniture. The ring doesn't seem to give an impression. Perhaps it is ancient as well.
Becky identifies the statue as a depiction of Ydersius, the patron deity of the serpent folk. She recalls the serpent folk were one of Azlant’s chief enemies.
The cavern appears empty now, with the exception of the party.
Where would the party like to go next? There are two areas marked from the wall map in A1.Island Map (link)
"Well, clearly the prisoners are not here and the faceless stalkers have decamped. I think the next place we should visit is this 'Wheels of heaven' - the desk said the prisoners were at the temple, and that sounds a lot more like a temple to me than 'Shipwreck + Enemies'."
After determining that the cavern is empty, faceless stalkers gone, the party decides to investigate another area of the island marked by the ancient Azlanti wall map from the watchtower. This area was not defaced by the faceless stalkers, but was engraved in Azlanti, labeled "Wheels of Heaven."
The party heads south, skirting the rocky peaks of Zanas-Tahn on the east side. You have to use the machetes to chop through the dense jungle vegetation while watching your step on the wild, rocky terrain. Traveling along, you estimate the walk will take four hours, double the time it took from the watchtower (A1) to the cavern (A3). You suspect you'll arrive in time for an early dinner. Only choose one skill per person for the spoiler below.
Knowledge Dungeoneering 20 or Perception/Survival 30:
You notice telltale signs of the oozes’ presence: slimy excretions on the ground and on the leaves of trees and shrubs, and moist drag marks on the grass in wide patterns, as if the ground had been intentionally flattened. While these tracks are not enough to deduce the exact type of ooze in question, they are sufficient to allow the party to simply avoid the slow-moving creatures should they choose to do so. However, choosing a safe route doubles the time required to move through the ooze-infested area. Please decide on how you will travel: normally or through a safe route.
Male CG Aquatic Elf Male Cleric 7 | HP 59 / 59 | AC 24 / 14 T / 22 FF | CMD 16 | Fort + 11 Ref + 6 Will + 11 Init +2 | Perception +15 (Low-Light Vision)| Speed 40 ft. |Conditions: None (Fish Person) | Effects: None | Channels: 4/5
Perception:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31
Talath calls the parties attention to something: "It seems we have oozes nearby. Notice the slimy excretions on the ground and on the leaves of trees and shrubs, and moist drag marks on the grass in wide patterns, as if the ground had been intentionally flattened. We can either fight them or avoid them. If we avoid them it will double the amount of time we will spend in travel."
The party finally arrives at their destination after eight hours of travel. You see a 20-foot-tall building that has been built into the slope near the summit of the island’s tallest hill. After investigating the exterior for threats, you all cautiously enter the building. New "combat" map (link)
The interior of the building is a machine consisting of thousands upon thousands of gears. A giant tube similar to a spyglass rises from the center of the contraption.
Either Crispin or Becky seems to grasp the purpose of the device. The ancient Azlanti used a combination of magic and technology to build great machines capable of revealing the secrets of the universe. They also made great advances in mathematics and physics, which made it possible for them to calculate the positions of planets and other celestial objects with great accuracy. This observatory is an example of that technology: a massive analog clockwork mechanism designed to calculate and display astronomical information, such as the positions of the sun, the moon, other planets, and a number of constellations.
Knowledge History DC20 or Disable Device 20:
You realize the device also includes a large telescope whose optics were some of the most sophisticated in the Azlanti empire. The telescope’s lenses were destroyed during earthquakes accompanying Earthfall. However, the advanced telescope still retains certain functions. A user can feed data into the clockwork mechanism by pointing the telescope at any celestial object. With just two data entries, it is possible to calculate a linear trajectory and the object’s speed, and by adding more data, the machine can calculate curved and elliptical paths while refining its initial calculations to be more accurate. Once a trajectory has been calculated, the user can set a dial to indicate any point in time in the past or future, and the mechanism calculates the object’s location at that moment, automatically rotating the telescope to point in that direction if the user so desires. These calculations are stored in a gem called an ioun memory node. The mechanism also has an output panel comprising thousands of metal pins mounted in a frame that allows them to slide up and down. The mechanism can display data about the objects being observed by moving the pins so that they form letters, numbers, or three-dimensional graphs; by pressing symbols formed from extended pins, the user can feed additional data to the device.
You think you can operate this ancient technological device with a bit of time and knowledge. Others can make a Strength check to aid (Str DC10 to Aid) by removing junk and debris from between the gears.
An hour making temporary repairs PLUS Craft Clockwork/Knowledge Arcana/Engineering/Use Magic Device DC25:
You’re able to activate the mechanism! (Please let me know if you want to.)
Nothing else of interest seems to be in or around this building.
