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"Good hits, Dimak! We should just let you keep whacking at it until it's destroyed."
"Он оташи алхимикҳоро кӣ дошт? Ман метавонистам як ё ду партоям." he shouts.
Focused on the giant pudding, Shamus jumps, startled by Jakko's yelling.
"Good heavens, boy! What're you jabbering about?""Anyone know what in the nine hells he's saying?"
Shamus asks, slight annoyance in his tone from being startled.
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The group, with a lethal synchrony born of experience, strikes as one, their tactics honed to perfection. The formless ooze, bereft of strategy, lurches forward, aiming to engulf the sturdy dwarf. But Dimak, his movements premeditated, seizes the opportunity with precision, delivering a decisive blow that ruptures the amorphous creature. Thankfully no acid falls on you and the remaining puddles quickly lose potency and are neutralized in the dirt and rocks of the cave.
COMBAT OVER
Now that the immediate danger has passed, you are able to take a quick look beyond. At the base of the column you notice there is a +1 morningstar, and a +1 splint mail. Passing that, you see a stream of clear running water and a natural bridge that connects the norther and southern parts of this chamber.
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"Good work, gentlemen." Shamus congratulates the team for a job well done. He slides his wand back into his pack, then heads through the mucky remains of the ooze towards the weapon and suit of armor.
"That morningstar looks to be in much better condition than this beat up thing I've got." he states as he waves his morningstar.
He approaches cautiously, but doesn't get too close.
"I suggest the area be checked for traps. It's quite odd to find nice equipment like that just out in the open."
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"Sounds fair to me." says Radu as he uses detect magic to check if there is anything else of magical interest in the chamber.
Once he has finished , the Varisian sneaks over to the column to investigate what he can see beyond. As usual he will keep an eye out for traps or any other threats as he moves.
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This chamber is long, it continues beyond the stream to the south. This central chamber might connect to different areas.
Radu's keen eyes immediately notice a strange yellow spot over the stone bridge. Also, he can see a soft glow coming from the East upstream. The water is running fast and he can take a gander that it's at least 10ft deep.
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"Remember to be careful with those light sources, as we don't want to give ourselves away to potential threats down here." notes Radu "The glowing crystals in the wall provide us with some illumination, so I can scout ahead to check the path is clear before we enter an area with additional light."
Radu casts detect magic into the chamber to the south to see if anything detects as magical and then cautiously creeps in the direction of the bridge to see if he can get a better view of the yellow thing and work out what it is. As always he will be on the lookout for traps and other hazards as he goes.
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As Radu gets a bit closer to take a better look at the strange yellow spot. From here he can tell it is some kind of mold that has a number of bulbs. He doesn't detect magic at that distance, or on the other side of the river. Two passages can be seen in the back of the chamber.
K. Nature/Dungeoneering DC 21
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With new morningstar in hand, Shamus shuffles up next to Radu to get a good look at the yellow stuff. He peers over the river's edge, watching his footing.
With his low light vision in the colorful, diimly lit cavern, he gazes up at the yellow stuff.
"Ah! My journal. Let me take a look." he says as he withdraws his creature knowledge journal from his pack. He browses through the pages.
"Nope. Nothing in here describing that thing."
He tries to remember if he learned of these before.
"Anyone want to come closer to take a look?"
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When the alchemist fire hits it, you can see how the little bulbs explode into a cloud of spores that immediately goes up in flames with the rest of the mold growth. The fire consumes it in the blink of an eye, leaving behind nothing but a clean pathway to the other side of the cave.
From this vantage point, Patros also notices there's are some steps just around the corner leading up to a chamber above...
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Radu must move at least at the base of the steps to take a good inside the chamber...
Several patches of dull mushrooms grow in the dampness of this room, their caps illuminated by tiny sparkling gems that have grown or fallen on them.
Radu doesn't notice any traps in the immediate area... but he sees a few potions and a scroll lying against the west wall.
He also gets the hunch that there's something else here but he can't see it.
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The Varisian heads back to the rest of the party to report on his findings.
"There's another chamber around the corner, its quite damp and it looks like someone has left some interesting looking potions and scrolls in there at some point... Other than that, nothing obvious... However, I get the feeling there is something else there, but I just wasn't able to see it."
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"Good shot, lad!" Shamus says with a hearty pat on Patros' back.
The Varisian heads back to the rest of the party to report on his findings.
"There's another chamber around the corner, its quite damp and it looks like someone has left some interesting looking potions and scrolls in there at some point... Other than that, nothing obvious... However, I get the feeling there is something else there, but I just wasn't able to see it."
"Maybe something invisible. Time to go have a look, then."
Shamus moves halfway up the steps until he can see into the room. He then scans the cavern with detect magic.|
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"Ha! I told you it was a job for my hammer!"
Dimak seems very satisfied with his combat performance.
"Take the morningstar, Shamus. I have my sword and my hammer. And I don't want to wear that heavy armor, it makes me too slow. But if nobody wants to use it, I can carry it around."
"Nice throw, Patros! And good thinking, comrades. I probably would have just hit it with my hammer..."
Dimak shows his fellow pathfinders an awkward smile and shrugs.
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Jaako and Shamus get to the base of the stairs and as the samsaran begins to sense traces of magic... magical energies cackle and you see sudden burst of movement just a few steps away revealing itself to attack. An ambush!
A large glistering brain the size of a dog with claws sends a mental attack at PATROS.
Roll a 1d100 at the start of your round.
01-25 Acts normally
26-50 Does nothing but babble incoherently
51-75 Deals 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand
76-100 Attacks nearest creature
Round 1
Brain?? 17
Jaakko 17
Shamus 17
Patros 16 (WILL SAVE PENDING)
Radu 14
Las Lajas 9
Dimak 6
Whether the mental attack was successful or not, the creature approaches a flat footed Shamus and attempts to claw him open!
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[DIce=Recall Knowledge Dungeoneering wHA + Free Insp]1d20+8+4+1d6
Las Lajas recognizes the creature! This is an Intellect Devourer. Thought by some to be invaders from another dimension or planet, the sinister intellect devourers are certainly one of the world’s cruelest races. Incapable of experiencing emotions or wallowing in the sins of physical pleasure on their own, intellect devourers are forced to steal bodies in order to indulge their gluttony, lust, and cruelty.
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Round 1
Intellect Devourer 17 (-23
Jaakko 17
Shamus 17
Patros 16
As Shamus and Jaakko remove themselves from the reach of the creature, you all hear a voice in your minds, speaking in a strange language.
"Come! Come! Lend me your body! Lend me your head! I promise we'll have fun!"
In the midst of this psychic intrusion, the intellect devourer's is met with an unexpected challenge. Patros, wielding his trusty adamantine falcata, swings it with unerring precision. The blade strikes true, sinking deep into the vile creature. It recoils in agony, its spidery legs contorting as if wracked by torment.
"You dare!"
Everyone else is up!