Jade Morrow |
"They are pretty," Jade agrees, then sizes up her companions. "I'll take point. My lightning and water works just as well up close as it does far away, and I've got my shield to protect me." She gives it a gentle thump with her palm to emphasize her point. "Everyone ready?"
Old Kork |
Kork picks up one colourful geode to inspect it for a short moment. He squints his eyes at the stone and turns it around a few times before putting it in his backpack. "Feathers!" he shouts at Okoteck before coming closer to the tengu. "Must mark this place on map. Shiny metals here. Silver, maybe even mithril."
Jade Morrow |
"Mithral! This big geode definitely has mithral ore in it, and of high quality! Jade exclaims after examining the largest geode. "If we can dislodge it, we can drag it to wherever we're setting the rope and pulley and lower it down. There's no way we're climbing with it, unless Okoteck has a spell of some sort to make it lighter?"
Okoteck Tomu |
"Feathers!" he shouts at Okoteck before coming closer to the tengu. "Must mark this place on map. Shiny metals here. Silver, maybe even mithril."
"But of course," Okoteck replies to Kork's suggestion, though he doesn't immediately get out his notebook.
Once the group has examined the area and found no dangers, the tengu sheathes his sword. He seems as excited by the rusted pick as anything else. "We know ibn Rashad returned with mithral and diamonds... perhaps this pick dates from his expedition? Or perhaps it is a sign that other explorers unknown to history made their way here?"
He examines the pick on the off chance he can find any clues to its origin.
Society?: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 Same bonus if a Crafting check to identify the style of its construction would be more appropriate. Reduce to +3 if Nature to identify the source of wood would be more revealing. Or just tell me I should roll each check. XD
"There's no way we're climbing with it, unless Okoteck has a spell of some sort to make it lighter?"
The tengu shakes his head sadly. "I am but a dabbler in the arcane. I have no spell to reduce weight. But would not a chunk of mitral ore care little for being dropped from a height? Even were it to break, the pieces would be as valuable as the hole."
Or are we no longer up on the kraton?
Zoralon GM |
You are still on the kraton. Once freed, it would be about as heavy to carry as a suit of full plate. Tough, but doable. The blacksmith would be better placed to crack it open without damaging the contents.
The camp is about a 15 minute walk, and your climbing kits have just enough rope to lower it down.
Zoralon GM |
As you gather around the geode and begin to break it out of the surrounding rock using your hammers and pitons as picks, you hear two soft thunks from behind you.
Turning, you behold that the two large icicles you noted upon entering are somehow alive, and their serpentine forms slither across the floor to attack the source of the noise. How solid ice could move with such sinuous grace and not crack, you are uncertain, but the evidence is right before you, and about to attack.
Perception, Jaym'row: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Perception, Syper: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Perception, Kork: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Perception, Okoteck: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Initiative order:
Icicle snakes, 27
Jade, 23
Okoteck, 21
Kork, 12
Jaym'row, 8
Syper, 7
Snake attack 2, Syper: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Snake attack 1, Kork: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Damage, Syper: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8
Damage, Kork: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 2 = 10
The snake who landed closest to the party takes two quick bites of Syper, digging into his flesh and spraying him with a clear secretion that begins hardening into ice on his body, inflicting numbing cold. Syper takes 8 piercing damage, and 1d6 persistent cold damage will be dealt to him at the end of each of his turns unless he succeeds at a DC 15 flat check to end the damage. Exposure to fire or high heat of some sort, or taking two actions to scrape off the fluid grants an extra DC 10 flat check that turn to stop the damage.
The snake that was further from the party slinks forward and bites Kork with special ferocity, dousing him in the same chilling bile. Critical hit for 10 piercing damage, and 1d6 persistent cold as above.
Jade Morrow |
Jade leaps into action quickly, activating her kinetic aura ◆ and sending a shower of hailstones ◇ to try and shatter the icicle snake in front of Kork.
Elemental Blast ◆: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
B Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Then Jade yells, "Move!" Syper, Kork, Jaym'row, and Okotek feel a tailwind ◆◆ ready to propel them wherever they want to go. Four Winds allows 4 willing creatures to Stride up to half their speed immediately. You don't have to move if you don't want to.
Zoralon GM |
Jade's blast misses her foe, clattering off the wall behind it and landing with a puff in the snow. Her elemental powers grant her companions a burst of celerity, permitting them to reposition advantageously.
These monsters are slightly stronger than ones you've fought before; flanking and using the bard's song to maximum effect will be helpful here.
Jaym'row |
Jaym'row moves toward the east cave wall.
Okoteck Tomu |
Okoteck seems almost to float on the wind Jade summons, angling to circle around behind the attacking creatures. He keeps on his course once his steps grow heavier, getting behind the one attacking Kork. As he has before he summons lightning in his left hand before channeling it through the blade in his right as he strikes.
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 Plus flanking?
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 Lightning Damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1) = 7
◆ Stride ◆◆ Spellstrike with Horizon Thunder Sphere
Zoralon GM |
The monster, focused on Kork, is unable to dodge the tengu's electrified shortsword. As the lightning conducts through the creature's icy form, a burst of illumination refracts outward from its faceted flesh, briefly painting the walls with a kaleidoscopic flurry of light. It hisses in pain and turns its attention to Okoteck, its erstwhile goblin prey forgotten.
Flanking is handled as a -2 AC penalty to a monster against attacks from the flankers, not a bonus to their attack rolls.
Old Kork |
◆ Exploit Vulnerability: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Success
You recall an important fact about the creature, learning its highest weakness (or one of its highest weaknesses, if it has multiple with the same value) but not its other weaknesses, resistances, or immunities. You can exploit either the creature's mortal weakness or personal antithesis. Your unarmed and weapon Strikes against the creature also become magical if they weren't already.
◆ Draw Spikes the Starknife
◆ Strike: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 181d4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 = 8 plus highest vulnerability or 3, whichever is higher
Persistent cold: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Kork looks at the creatures, attempting to recall what they are. The creatures are faster, however, and he ends up receiving a nasty wound. Caught off guard, he quickly pulls out a vial, uncorks it and dips one of the blades into it. As he does, the blade starts emanating an orange glow. "Kork not like two things now. Bullies and walking icicle. Burn!" he slashes at the entity.
If they have a vulnerability, I would also share what it is with the party.
HP 4, AC 19
Zoralon GM |
flat check, Kork: 1d20 ⇒ 8 vs DC 15
The creatures are, unsurprisingly, vulnerable to fire.
Kork's weapon strikes the creature a heavy blow, and a spiderweb of cracks radiates outward through its icy substance as his blade strikes home. The snake-thing hisses in confusion and pain.
Jaym'row |
Jaym'row draws her rapier as she approaches the snakicles from the opposite side as Syper, trying to stab at something that resembles a vital organ. As she faces the dangerous creatures, her fur along her tail stands on end, making her tail appear three times as thick as it switches back and forth.
◆Interact (draw weapon) ◆Stride ◆Strike
Rapier: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Flanking should make it off-guard unless Syper doesn't have a weapon ready yet.
Damage, rapier: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Sneak Attack damage, precision: 1d6 ⇒ 3 if target is flat-footed off-guard.
Syper |
"Gaah!"
Syper disengages with the snake, thanks to Jade's tailwind. He furiously scrapes away the rime while calling out, "We got these buggers, cold as they might be!"
Half-stride from Jade ↺, scrape off the fluid ◆◆, courageous anthem ◆
scrape check: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Zoralon GM |
Technically, Syper moved on Jade's turn via the Four Winds and Jaymie no longer has flanking, but you couldn't have known that due to the asynchronous nature of the posts. Since this encounter isn't a boss fight I won't really be that big of a stickler this time.
The catfolk's blade works its way into a crack in the creature's icy form, breaking it open and leaving it in pieces on the floor of the cave. It writhes once, then goes still.
Syper's attempts to scrape off the bile are unsuccessful, and numbing cold continues to seep into his body as the fluid hardens into ice. His voice remains calm and clear despite his peril, belting out an anthem of supernatural vigor.
All players receive a +1 status bonus to attack and damage rolls for 1 turn.
End of turn flat check, Syper: 1d20 ⇒ 6
Cold damage, Syper: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Snake attack 1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
damage 1: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
attack 2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
damage 2: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
The remaining snake slides to the south and snaps repeatedly at Okoteck. One bite connects solidly, squirting cold fluid onto his leg. Okoteck takes 5 piercing damage now and 1d6 persistent cold damage at the end of each of his turns until he scrapes off the bile or makes a DC15 flat check.
Jade Morrow |
Looking at Syper's wounds, Jade reaches out and gives him a spritz of healing water ◆.
Ocean's Balm Healing: 1d8 ⇒ 4 You also gain resistance 1 to fire for 1 minute, not that that's super useful right now.
Then she sends another shower of hailstones◆◆ towards the remaining snake.
Elemental Blast: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 1 = 18
B Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 Adding my Con mod to the blast is a status bonus so it doesn't stack with Courageous Anthem.
Zoralon GM |
flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 16
Jade's healing waters flow over Syper's body, not only washing away some of his wounds but also clearing away the gelid bile.
With the notes of the bard's song granting her preternatural focus, Jade's blast of hailstones crash into the monster, causing significant fractures and spiderweb cracks in its otherworldly body.
Old Kork |
Spikes the Starknife: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 171d4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6 plus their highest weakness
Spikes the Starknife: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 4 = 201d4 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 = 8 plus their highest weakness
◆ Stride, ◆ Strike, ◆ Strike
With significant wounds and starknife in hand, Kork walks up to the creature and slashes at it twice.
Zoralon GM |
You forgot the courageous anthem bonuses again.
The snake's attention torn between two foes, the goblin's starknife, glowing with a mysterious power, strikes twice. The first blow sends massive cracks shooting through the creature's flesh, causing it to cry out, while the second catches itself in a particularly large crack and levers it until the creature literally snaps in half. It shrieks and grows still.
Persistent damage flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 11 vs. DC 15
Cold damage, Kork: 1d6 ⇒ 1
The bile, however, has yet to lose its potency. Icy fingers of frost continue their slow numbing spread across Kork's flesh.
Initiative will continue until the bile has been handled.
Old Kork |
The goblin looks at his wounds as the cold spreads through his body. He lifts up his hand, fingers blue with starting stages of frostbite. "Kork know he strong, but not scared to ask for help. So... Help?" he looks around the group.
Jaym'row |
Jaym'row snarls in relief as the snakicles crack and fall apart. Then she notices Old Kork's distress and rushes to his side to try to help scrape the cold stuff off him with the dull side of her rapier.
Consider this an aid, either to reduce the DC of the next flat check or to grant him an additional check.
Zoralon GM |
flat check: 1d20 ⇒ 13 vs. DC 10 (for active aid)
The hardened bile, its consistency like sticky ice, cracks under the pressure of Jaym'row's administrations and falls to the cavern floor.
Okoteck still has some bile on his leg.
Zoralon GM |
Never mind, it's not important to RP that, since he's not low on health and the monsters are dead.
After scraping the bile off of the magus, it takes roughly a half-hour for Jade to heal the wounds of her party mates. It is then another hour with the picks and hammers to fully remove the geode from the wall. The party takes turns rolling the rock toward the camp.
A few dozen yards past the cavern, you come to the edge of the cliff. Spying the nearly-complete camp below, you catch sight of the cox’n, who waves in your direction and lets out a yell that echoes off the cliff face.
Zoralon GM |
The lip provides an excellent spot to hammer in pitons and tie a knotted rope for a quick path back down to camp. You coil the rope around the geode and tie a square knot, forming a makeshift harness that allows you to slowly lower it down to the base of the cliff, then attach your carabiners and slowly clamber down the rope after it. Just as you prepare to descend, you notice a trail of black smoke from over the horizon to the northwest. You watch for several minutes but are unable to determine if it is natural or man-made.
Back at the camp, as you cluster around the cooking fire under the summer sun--still bright and yellow even well after five--Captain Ferrino looks up from his fish soup and asks you for a report.
Okoteck Tomu |
Okoteck is just as glad that the 'snakes' shatter without too much difficulty. Having felt their icy fangs himself, he has a healthy respect now for their danger.
"Well the first thing to be aware of is that some icicles around here want to kill us," the tengu jokes. More seriously he continues, "We were able to get a good view of our surroundings, which I've done my best to record. We did not see anything of particular interest or concern at first, but on our way back we happened upon a shallow cave. Within we found a number of stones with traces of various metals... including mitril. As well as aforementioned icicles that tried to kill us. Actually, they appeared to be a form of... ice elemental, perhaps? They took a form more like serpents to attack us, and spread a heat-sapping gel with their bites."
"As for the metals... well, there is at least some mithril. But perhaps more interestingly, someone else found the cave before us. Nearly a century before us, based on the remains. A Cornyrian mining pick, to be exact. I could see no signs of those who carried it."
He pauses, then adds, "Did you see the smoke from the northwest a few minutes ago? It was distant, but might mean trouble."
Alphonse Ferrino |
"Smoke?" The captain glances northward, but with the camp located in a depression, the horizon is blocked by trees. "We'll want to investigate that, most certainly, when we get the time. Perhaps even tomorrow."
He turns back to you. "But for now, we should take a look at this rock you found. If others have tried to mine the area in the past, that tells us there might be something there. And if there were extraplanar creatures in its vicinity, that something might be very valuable indeed."
Thorvaldur Hrolfsson |
The Captain motions to the blacksmith, who sidles over to you as you uncoil the rope harness. At the sight of it, he blinks in stupefaction for several moments before regaining his wits and eagerly inspecting it.
“This is mithril, and of incredible purity. There’s something odd about it, however…” He furrows his brow in concentration. “Let me take this to my workbench back in the tent. I’ve finished my soup anyway.”
Minutes later, you stand gathered around him as, with a little work from his pick, he pries open the geode and separates the mithril from the rock, revealing an ingot of prodigious size.
Old Kork |
Kork pulls out the smaller geode and gently tosses it to Ferrino's feet. "More rocks there. Also nasties. Come prepared."
Did we set up the pulley on the cliff? Do you need some rolls for that?
Okoteck Tomu |
“This is mithril, all right, but not just any mithril. It’s absorbed energy from Saramir, the Realm of Metal itself. It will be incredibly hard for a normal smith to work, and is far beyond my ability, but someone skilled in magic could make something truly fantastic from it.”
"I wonder how that happened..." Okoteck murmurs to himself, mind filled with visions of arcane catastrophes or other great works of magic causing such a thing. He seems entirely uninterested in the mithril's monetary value.
Thorvaldur Hrolfsson |
There is now a small pulley set into the cliff, yes.
The dwarf pores over the other stones you retrieved, squinting and nodding.
"This one," he says, holding up the reddish geode with silvery streaks, "is a very fine piece of silver ore. Silver and mithril tend to be found together, which is why we call it by the Elven word for dawnsilver."
He holds up the yellowish geode. "This contains brimstone and antimony, and will be useful to an alchemist."
Finally, he holds up the dull brown geode. "And this is just a rock."
Jaym'row |
"I could tell you many folktales about some hero who finds something that is tremendously valuable, but then they can't find anyone willing to deal honestly with the hero. They either claim it is not really all that valuable but offer to take it off their hands for a few shiny coins or they try to take it by force. So having this is nice, but I'm not going to plan any major real estate purchases with my share just yet."
Jaym'row nevertheless seems a bit more cheerful for a while. She is, however, eager to set out to do more exploring.
For an example of such a tale, check out "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck.