Gaius recognizes that the statue depicts an erinyes devil. Evelyn mentions that the base doesn’t match the statue, so it probably wasn’t the original statue.
Meanwhile Azalmak and John find a secret passage under the rug near the piano but can’t figure out a way to open it. It should lead below the mansion. Requires Disable Device check
With Azalmak’s help, Evelyn is just barely able to open the secret door. Best she can tell, it is normally triggered by some sort of sound. No way to tell exactly what sort of sound, but at least at one time there was an easier way to open this.
There is a set of steep stone stairs depending beneath the manor. You can not see what is at the end of them because of a curve in the stairway.
It is open, do you want to go down or continue exploring the mansion? Light sources for those who need them, it is totally dark down there.
In response to Gaius’s question, Evelyn inspects the secret door. Although it is tricky to open it from this side, she has already proven she can. It is neither hidden nor difficult to open from the other side.
Steep stone stairs descend into a vaulted cellar flooded with turbid water, in which dozens of wooden barrels idly float.
Slide 9, you are coming in from the secret entrance drawn at the bottom rather than the stairs shown. Still same result,
The heavy barrels in the room block movement, but you could use a move action to climb on one, requires an Acrobatics check to balance on the barrel. Otherwise it is a fairly easy swim check to dive beneath them in the murky water.
John finds the water is about 4 feet deep. Treat it as a deep bog for movement.
John finds the water deep enough that it is debatable if it makes more sense to wade through it or swim. He decides to swim for now. Swimming is certainly advantageous for getting past the barrels.
Evelyn jumps out on to one of the barrels and manages to balance on it.
I have put all of your avatars on the map on slide 9 now. The stairs are rather crowded. The third person on the stairs can not see into the room. Currently that would be Gaius based on marching order.
Evelyn thinks she saw something in the water near the barrels to the north of her.
The creature has cover and total concealment from you. You basically saw a movement towards the barrels which it then hid behind. Without line of sight I do not think you can identify it. Likewise Evil Eye requires line of sight. You do not know the exact location but AoE spells might still get it.
To be clear, it isn’t at your barrel. It went to the barrels to the north of you.
Male CG Male Human Inquisitor 6 | HP 45 / 45 | AC 18 / 14T / 14 FF | CMD 16 | Fort + 8, Reflex + 8, Will + 9 | Init + 10 | Perception + 12 | Speed 40 ft. | Conditions: None | Effects: Divine Favor (+3/+3), Justice (+2 to hit), Bane vs. Chalfon| Judgement: 1/2 | Spells: 1st Level (4/5) , 2nd Level (3/4) | Bane: 4/9 | HP = 34
@GM: Is it a Swim check to get to the barrels and then a Climb check to get on them or can a PC jump from the stairs? In any event it looks like the closest barrels are occupied.
You can make swim checks to move around as well, at the normal movement rate for swimming. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
If you don’t want to be in the water, then it requires you either jump from barrel to barrel where only the first jump can be a running jump, or go up the the barrel and climb on. Staying on top of a barrel requires the Acrobatics check to balance.
Gaius uses a spell and moves up to the edge of the stairs.
Cara jumps towards the barrels that Evelyn and Azalmak are balancing on, but lands in the water.
There were no unoccupied barrels for you to land on, even if the Acrobatics check had been successful.
With people taking combat actions, I guess we go into initiative.
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
"I saw nothing," John mutters in response. "If you think you are in danger, then I suggest you head for dry ground. I'll head for the other set of steps and see if I can't lure it toward me--or at least get another look."
John makes a swim for the steps.
Swim, untrained, ACP:1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 1 = 9
Trying to push off from one of the mucky surfaces, John slips and makes no progress. He tries again.
Swim, untrained, ACP:1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 - 1 = 17
Cracking John has a little bit of a problem at first, but is able to swim through the shallow waters.
Gaius takes up position, waiting for a creature to come above water so he can shoot it.
Cara tries to swim but finds the armor gets in the way. Fortunately the water is shallow enough that she can just stand up to avoid drowning.
Round 1:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
The creature comes swimming out from under the barrels and attacks John while below the water. It fails to find purchase with its bite.
Bite:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 Damage:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
It is obviously an aquatic creature and has an elongated body similar to a snake or ell. Its circular maw is filled with a spiral of teeth.
Round 2:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
Gaius thinks this is a very big giant leech. Like a normal leech, they like to attach to a creature and drain their blood. People drained like this become weaker and less able to fight off diseases, poisons and other such afflictions. Like the multiple creatures you’ve encountered before, the Demon Bile has made it resistant to fire and cold.
Game Mechanics:
Advanced Giant Leech
N Medium vermin (aquatic)
Attach (Ex) When a giant leech hits with a bite attack, it latches onto its target and automatically grapples. The giant leech loses its Dexterity bonus to AC, but holds on with great tenacity and automatically inflicts bite damage each round. An attached giant leech can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself—if its prey manages to win a grapple check or Escape Artist check against it, the giant leech is removed.
Blood Drain (Ex) A giant leech drains blood at the end of each turn it is attached, inflicting 1 point of Strength and Constitution damage.
The leech manages to resist Evelyn’s evil-eye. Probably has too poor of sight to notice.
Although they don’t have the best of eyesight, they do have other ways to detect nearby prey including a well developed sense of smell. They don’t have enough of a mind to affect it. She also recalls that putting salt on them hurts them just like it would a normal leech. They are fresh water vermin.
Game Mechanics:
Senses blindsight 30 ft., scent
Immune mind-affecting effects
Weaknesses susceptible to salt
Susceptible to Salt (Ex) A handful of salt burns a giant leech as if it were a flask of acid, causing 1d6 points of damage per use.
Figure you have at least one use of salt in your food supplies for each week of rations.
Round 2:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
I don’t know of any reason other than Staggered or Surprise that Double Move wouldn’t be allowed.
Cara wades through the murky water to get closer to John and the big leech.
Round 2:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
Spying the slimy creature, John flies into a rage while allowing his feet to sink to the bottom. He grabs ahold of his mace and fiercely swings at the creature.
Melee (mwk cold iron heavy mace), w/rage & underwater penalty:1d20 + 8 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 2 - 2 = 9 Damage (B):1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 2 = 7
In his fury, John bashes the water rather than the creature beneath the water. It does cause a lot of water to splash everywhere though!
Round 2:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
Gauls switches from his bow to his dagger and easily swims out towards John.
In combat, so Take 10 generally isn’t allowed. Swim:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Round 2:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
The giant leech bites again at John. It badly misses.
Bite:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Damage:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Round 3:
Treat the water as deep bog for movement. It is a move action to climb on a barrel, followed by an Acrobatics check to stay balanced there You can swim instead of wading. Swimming allows you to go under the barrels.
Kn Nature to identify the creature. It has obviously been mutated by Demon Bile.
