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Continuing to bump the thread :)
Recruitment still open. Three to seven spaces available :)
Cyrus is swinging his blade in one moment and swinging the dwarf in the next. With a gleeful cheer the dwarf tumbles over the edge, but close enough to stay close to the cliff. Instead of falling to the water below, the dwarf bounces along the cliff side, landing on a ledge only a little ways below.
Aye make the grapple check. Maybe we will not see splattered dwarf-dumplings.
Urdock tumbles off the edge of the cliff, twisting and scrabbling to keep the earth beneath his feet. reflex save DC 15: make it Spoiler: or miss it: The sea eighty feet below rushes up to the dwarf slapping him as hard as stone. nonlethal & lethal. a ledge twenty feet below catches the dwarf. He escapes with only minor bruises.
The gargoyle is confused by the dismounting of small creatures and recoils to the evil-smackdown of Abe. His partner, now flanked by the cat and Cyrus, takes a similar beating, though Fang's vehement flurry does the most harm to creature before him.
where U, Abe, Amar, H, F, C, NPC is 1-6 respectively. after the surprise round: The gargoyle on Fang swings again, this time without the aid of the charge behind the blows. The gargoyle facing Urdock attempts to push him off the cliff *, while the two on Abe attempt to flank and skewer the rider from his mount. .
As before the trail moves from sea level up hundreds of feet and back down. At one point, nearly 80 feet above the water a natural bridge spans a distance of of 30 to 40 feet. At ten feet wide it is not difficult to cross, but the party will have dismount and go cautiously to avoid falling. If someone does fall it will only be 20-30 feet before hitting the rocky ledge beneath. A piece of the stone peels away from the rock above, plummeting directly towards the party. if your spot beats this hide... Spoiler: then you are not flatfooted during this following attack.
Only when its wings unfurl does the creature's identity separate from the stone it appears to be. It is less gothic than most gargoyle's you have read about. Looking more feral and with geometric patterns carved into its stony hide, its relation to the Isle seem clear. G1 charges , to hit damage G2 charges , to hit damage G3 charges , to hit damage G4 charges , to hit damage where U, Abe, Amar, H, F, C, NPC is 1-6 respectively.
The survivors are spooked and happy to be out of the place no matter who pleasant it seems. Back on the road they continue marching south. The morning waves of the bay are gray. In the distance they blend with the granite making it difficult to tell where stone stops and shore starts. As the day get brighter the waves turn to an excellent cerulean color, brightening everyone's mood as well. The miles past quickly beneath their feet.
Urdok walks over and pulls up one of the stick impaled gulls, "Thankee fer tha brekkifast!" He yells with a grin. Walking over to the fire he starts to cook the bird slowly. "Was startin' ter think thar wasn't a nice group anywhar on this place. To bad they is some shy ones." Spoiler: lol (yet again :)
The night passes quickly, though Avner finds sleeping with barely a blanket in the great outdoors reason to cuss all night. Everyone complains of lack of sleep in the morning. They complain about that probably to avoid looking at the ring of bloody gulls impaled on broken sticks. The morbid display circles the camp just out of firelight, and so everyone is content to ignore it until Urol trips over one returning with fresh water. He swears he did not see them on his way out, certainly he would not have tripped over one if he had. those with a watch shift: Spot DC 15
Spoiler: The bloody ring was not there when your shift started, though you did see one dead gull while walking the perimeter. All three watches agree it was not there at the start of each watch.
Agreeing with Cyrus the rest of the survivors decide to move on. Fortunately the rest of the day goes by quickly. After hours of walking along the highway the party is ready to rest. As the sun nears the horizon, gulls and fish hunting dinosaurs with long heads start to search for food in the bay . Search check 10
Spoiler:
One of the numerous creeks that empties into the bay has a decent sized valley. Only a few hundred feet deep the freshwater has made for plenty of green growing areas instead of the rock much of the highway is carved into. Sheltered from wind and from the highway, it will make a pleasant place to stay the night. Seach check DC 0 Spoiler: if everyone misses the above camping place, the party finds a beach of pebbles large enough for everyone. Someone will need to watch for high tide though, it seems as if part of the highway itself passes under water here.
"Fang we just ate, and you really shouldn't eat rocks anyway." lol
As the party closes on the place of where the body should have impacted only empty space is found. The path is too wide here for it to have bounced into the surf. survivor DC 10 or search DC 15 Spoiler: Nothing along this part of the road has been disturbed since the last rain--three nights ago when the party woke up on the beach.
After a brief respite for lunch the party is anxious to continue south to the safety of Farshore. The once-majestic seaside byway suffers from hundreds of years of erosion. However, adventurous and industrious Olmans from the southern villages attempted to colonize this bay and signs of these attempts dot the landscape. Protected from the horrors of the mainland by the cliffs it makes sense this would be a natural place to live. However these settlements show up only as remnants. Empty outrigger canoes beached on the rocks, huts with no roof or doors, loud and angry gulls nesting in fire pits, and some repairs to the road are done with wood, much too recent to be from the ancient Olmans. search check (if you want to check any of these dwellings/areas out.)
Spoiler:
The newest site has been abandoned for at least a year. DC 15 Spoiler: DC 20Canoes are a generous word, more like logs rotted through enough to sit with wood on either side of you (but not below). Spoiler:
One of the sites shows signs of battle: broken weapons, blood stains, discarded shields, even some finger bones smashed with blunt weapons or rocks--even though the rest of the body is not to be found. spot check DC 15 Spoiler: Ahead a native is spied standing on the cliffs edge, but as you approach he stabs himself in the chest with a dagger and flings himself over the edge.
Though many in the party are happy to be out of the caves noone is more ecstatic about the ancient highway carved into the cliff face than Urol. "Anything to stand this long must be safe to travel. It is a good sign the dangers are past!" Amelia casts a glare at the chatter, but does seem much happier to at least be near the sea. The road continues south mostly in good condition. Some areas are in need of repair, but nothing a little caution and forethought cannot overcome. The path meanders up and down the cliff, sometimes under high tide mark and others 150 feet above the bay, through coves and beaches, past waterfalls and tidepools. If not for the announcements of everyone's belly's it would be hard to beleive that midday is now upon the party.
Halga and Cyrus take turns slicing into the creature. The burning fur from Urdock's spear splashes in a multitude of flame to sizzle on the water as the two strong men make little pieces of the shelled creature. Amar continues the lullaby keeping the third creature calmed while Abe tries calming an animal of his own. The big cat carries the paladin to the small path in the far wall. He must sense the death of the threat even before the fighters completeing the death do. Soon the whole party is climbing the path and standig on top of the cliff. Below the party lies the water gate to Tecumsah's repose, but most are not looking back at it, choosing instead to look forward to the trail carved in the cliff face.
A & A's turns still
2d4+5 HD affected The deep calm of ocean depths settles on the third creature. It's eyes swivel on the end of their stalks but do not pick any thing out to attack. Seemingly content it remains in the ocean and ignores the party. Urdock's spears steam the sea water boiling two of the crabs. Ready to eat, white flesh spills from the first's shell. Fang finishes the creature, smacking his lips at the freshly cooked meat.
Fang rises out of the water on a powerful tail and rains blows of claw and fang down on the shelled creature. A loud crack reverberates through the water with one of them. Cyrus joins suit carving into the cracked shell with his large sword. A wing slips off the creatures back and if it was flying, it would crash to the ground.* Instead an eyestalk flies into the air, splashing harmlessly some thirty feet away. Halga steps in swinging twice cracking into the shell of the second creature. He nearly loses his footing as the water gets above his waist. Amar's prayers coalesce into a deep blue aura around the vermin, and the calm of the ocean descends on the creatures. The creatures respond with grasping claws. With its single eye the first swings once at Fang, and once at Cyrus,. Two large claws of the second creature swing at Halga. , . The third beast closes between cyrus and Halga, swinging a claw at the scimitar wielder .
Spoiler: (for space) * ini is Fang, Cyrus, Halga, Abe, Amar, monstrous crabs, Urdock. So everyone's turn. F & C are flanking 1. 1 & 2 are flanking Cyrus. H & C are flanking 3 in a line roughly along the wall of the south cliff. (again calmed animals might change that a wee bit.
Indeed! :) nice roll
With the horse loaded, and the lizard/viking swimming ahead the party crosses the salty water. Fang starts to swim in the two feet of water, but the rest wait until deep water begins ten or fifteen feet in. The deep water suddenly expands as a sandy hillock raises from the ocean bottom. Two swiveling eyes suspended on stalks try to decide where to snap a pair of large claws. Two other giant crabs burst from the water a little deeper off.
Maybe 80 feet, 100 is more likely. It is not a straight line, so it is hard to tell. Fang's splashing and Abel's tentative steps into the water show that swimming is not quite necessary. It chest high on the small folk, though only the horse does not need to swim at some point.
The wounded cat takes a tentative paw at the water. The cliff above doesn't seem to continue below as the beach flows into the water for at least a while. Some dark patches show deeper water so swimming might be necessary for some.
Abe rides Mazie down the stairs, and when they get to the beach, proceed to ride donuts in the sand. Mazie kicks sand up revealing a gold coin the paladin quickly grabs up. Amar and Halga also find a peice of the shiny, a small reward among the bigger reward of fresh air. Sunshine is a little farther off, being this close to the cliffside. On the other side of the water though, a path is hewn into the rock. The top of this, is haloed with the golden fingers of dawn.
...tomorrow. O:)[/ooc]
Taking turns at watch is almost as resful as sleeping. The doors are locked, the sea is outside, and all but one of the catatonic survivors is able to share in the duty. In the morning, a little bit of puzzling and a little bit of muscle turn the two found rods into handles and the sea doors open with a screech of protest flooding te cdhamber with freash salt air from the world outside. There is a sense of good things to come compared to spending another night under the mountains. Beyond the doors is a broad set of seaweed choked stairs that leads to a small beach. Urdock and Fang Spoiler: please level up :)
Rules question: If I spontaneously burn a spell to cast a cure, will the pearl give me the cure spell or the spell I discarded?
The party snores happily under the watchful eyes of their guards. Everything seems peaceful except for the scratching sound on the door sometime in the middle of the night.
Spellcraft check DC 20 Spoiler:
The pearl is much bigger and has fewer flaws, and the masterwork craft is a thousand years earlier, but yes they are similar. This one confined magic glows stronger than the one in Urdock's possession however. The party limps back to the room with two pedastals, closing the door to the catacombs behind them. Indeed the rod will open the doors, but it is decided that a rest is necessary first. Avner and Amelia urge to continue to the open air, the noble's horse being jumpy in this underground environment. However the security of a camping place with three doors as safety eventually wins out. The party sets camp, spending what magic they have for healing, rationing out the food and settles in for the night. The TerrorBirds now miles behind them. Mummy's, skeletons, gargantuan vermin are similarly in the past the survivors find a restful night of sleep.
The medallion with a pearl gives a moderate glow. The color is hard to determine... something in the transmutation spectrum? Nothing else glows.
Abe: Spoiler:
Mazzie took damage before the poison kicked in for which you could have laid on hands. Assuming it gets a good nights rest, s/he should be able to get some hp back. When s/he has rested enoguth to reach maximum you can bring him/er back (or the 30 days whichever is shorter) though a restoration is needed for a full recovery.
If you would rather play it as the PH that is OK by me. The shell of mazzie is no longer attached to Leo (nor can be for 30 days) but Leo should still be around. (as part of the battle cat trick fluff). Avner sees the dwarf eyeing the pearl-inset medallion. "Nice jewelry tough guy."
Spoiler:
grab the medallion with the pearl. only good for spellcasters. rest of the treasure if you want it. OK enough with the logistics, back to the game...
Abe: also not sure how many you can make but doesn't a ride check let you negate attacks on the critter?
Fang Cyrus , , ,Abe , , , , , Leo , ,,, , Halga , , Urdock ,, If it misses it misses. Fortunately the corpse inside lies quietly through commotion. The dagger, necklace, and rod--at least in terms of interest--rise to the occasion.
Cyrus lends his considerable strength to the scaly one's and the lid slides off the sarcaphogus. With barely a whisper dozens of spears slide out of the floor, piercing foot, leg and body of all those inside the room. Fang spears.
Inside the sarc rests Teonahwanhi's skeletal corpse. The long dead shaman holds a blue stone rod in one hand and a masterwork dagger in the other. Around his neck is a golden medallion set with a shining pink pearl.
Fang's constant struggle against the stone eventually pays off. The sculpture moves, creating the thinnest line of an opened lid.
On closer examination both the door to this room and the lid of this carcophogus are both carved of stone. Neither one reacts to the partys presence.
On closer examination both the door to this room and the lid of this carcophogus are both carved of stone. Neither one reacts to the partys presence.
With a nod 'of its' OK to the big man Cyrus, Abe steps back from the door. Cyrus grabs the two stone ribs, and pulls them in line with the rest of the cage. There is a snap and then a hiss as air rushes into the area behind the door which has not felt fresh air in centuries. The skeleton-door lays down opening a passage into a five foot area that in turn opens into a 15x15 room. This chamber is a small crypt dominated by a large stone sarcophagus. Both the wall of the room and sarcophagus itself are covered in decorative patterns and carvings of animals. The top of the sarcophagus, depicts a man dressed in robes wearing a feathered headdress, and clutching a blue rod in hand and a ceremonial dagger in the other. knowledge local DC 25, knowledge history 30, knowledge religion 35 Spoiler:
The Olman shaman interred here was a man named Teonahwanhi. He blessed the creation of Dark Mountain pass and even volunteered to be buried alive to appease the fickle nature of the deities in hopes ensuring the complex's safety and longevity.
Urdock searchres. Urdock frantically searches. He searches twice in fact, just to double search lest he miss on the first search anything really shiny. O:)
The party has seen nearly all their is to see since leaving the natural tunnel and entering this complex Two obvious exits are the way everyone came in (to the north) and the sea doors to the south (locked). The chasm with the colossal centipedes was pretty deep and smelled of saltwater, but so does the little bit of air coming from the sea doors. Please tell me where you want to search and how well you do...
The party has seen nearly all their is to see since leaving the natural tunnel and entering this complex Two obvious exits are the way everyone came in (to the north) and the sea doors to the south (locked). The chasm with the colossal scorpions was pretty deep and smelled of saltwater, but so does the little bit of air coming from the sea doors.
The twitching paws and quite swaying of the cat's tail show a ferocity contained only by Abe's gentle hand on the reins. All is still until Abe sees the opening. He shifts his weight and the cat bursts into action. Faster than the eye, the pair move from the wall to the mummy spraying parts of the undead in all directions. A clap of righteous thunder fills the hall as the dusty parts rain down. A three-fingered hand moves more than twitches and Halga dispatches it with one quick stroke. Abe continues his search and discovers no more dark-glowing centers of evil. He does confirm the halls connect looping back around, to where the two smoldering bodies are. The party is standing on the T intersection and heading west comes to another T which connects up north. The two alcoves behind the party are filled with the same dead-filled niches as this whole part of the complex. |