Your business finished, you pass out of the Cavern of the Elemental Forge and head back toward the Blue Ogre Inn to share the tale of your success. When you get there, everyone is impressed by what you've accomplished and they thank you for making the region safer. Then a bedraggled man short on breath bursts in and calls out between gasps "Dragon... this... way..." and collapses onto the ground, breath coming in heaves. The patrons of the inn begin looking at each other in alarm while the four of you simply grin at each other.
With his hand hovering over the Forge, Martel stimulates it to disgorge a crystal as if it were a drop falling up out of the Forge's smooth stone surface. He believes it will not function without the balancing energies of this crystal.
I do think in-combat healing is a poor choice for a lot of casters and a less fun way to play that caster. But a life oracle is a different beast all-together.
Martel finds the wizards notes but they are in code and will take time to decipher. Similarly, he is able to tell that there is much magic left coursing into the Forge through the four elements. Apparently, it is fed by a subterranean river, a hot magma inclusion underground, and conduits feeding deep into the earth and up into wind-catching tunnels high in the mountain.
Exploring the area, you find that the entrance has re-opened so that you may simply walk back out should you wish.
So with a reach weapon and being enlarged, Stauntram has a 20 ft reach. That on top of his 10 ft self lets him hit the halfling. I moved you on the map, Stauntram.
Stauntram swings his mighty weapon and brings it crashing into the halfling, who groans in pain and drops from the sky, dead. Seeing their former master brought down, the two elementals shrug and merge back into the Forge. You have ended the threat to the local area, and perhaps secured the power of the Forge for yourself?
That's all, folks! This short adventure is over. Feel free to RP looting the wizard, learning about the Forge, heading back, or what have you.
The summoned elementals slow down and pause in confusion, apparently unsure why they are attacking Kaalul. Martel determines that he can keep them from being controlled by the halfling if he keeps his hand on the forge and manipulates the correct Eldritch frequencies.
Stauntram tears the large water elemental apart! The halfling twitches as if he can sense what happened on the other side of the barrier. He sneers down at the lot of you. "I suppose you're making me spend more of the Forge's power than I would like. Good for you." He snaps his fingers and two elementals rush out of the forge, attacking Kaalul! At the same time, a small orange bead flies down to between the three heroes on the western edge of the cavern and explodes in a great inferno.
Kaalul: It's a 30 ft cone so, to be fair, it couldn't hit both of you. I was kind of hand-waving it but your point is taken. The halfling just targets the bat then since it was really annoying him.
Since the bat managed to harm him again, the annoyed halfling flies back and up slightly then shouts with incredible power at the flying mammal and the dwarf! The bat drops dead while the dwarf is brutally deafened. The lightning shifts again and this time prepares to sweep through the eastern portion of the chamber as it races northward.
15 damage on failed saves by K and bat. Deafened for 4 rounds. If Kaalul is holding anything crystalline, it might break. Party, GO!
The wall of lightning passes back over the halfling, Kaalul, and the bat (7 damage each). The halfling winces in pain and, seeing the fire elemental reduced to embers and hearing Martel splashing in the water, he snaps his fingers. A watery form rushes out of the forge, swims with great speed around the moat, and strikes at Martel! (9 damage to M) The tentacles keep a hold of Fizz and damage him slightly (5 damage). The halfling moves back somewhat and casts a spell to help defend himself.
DC 18 spcrft for those who saw it:
The halfling cast protection from energy (lightning).
DC 10 to leap the trench (which can't be waded) without a running start. Martel falls into the water. DC 10 swim check to stay afloat and climb out the other side. The square of water takes 20 ft of movement since you move at half speed. If you make the swim check, you can have 10 ft of movement after clambering out the other side.
Neither the fire elemental nor the halfling are intimidated. There is, however, a flash of fire from the halfling's jacket and a small winged creature, burned to death, falls out and falls to the ground. The halfling's eyes narrow in anger and he proclaims "You'll pay for that, Dwarf!"
The water is 10 ft deep. You'd need to jump across. The forge is 5 ft tall.
The bat lands a decent blow on the halfling, who is quite annoyed by this. The wall of lightning then moves south, catching the halfling, Kaalul, the bat, and whatever small creature the halfling has had inside his jacket (8 dam each). Stauntram swings again at the fire elemental but misses him while Martel moves and Fizz heals. The wall stays in the same position and looks likely to pass north again in a few seconds (end of the round). Kaalul throws his weapon at the halfling, becoming visible again, but though his throw is reasonably accurate it can't hit the small flying target. The halfling flies 5 ft to get away from the bat and casts another spell. Suddenly, there are five extra halflings visible all flying in the same space!
Ok but even if the elemental didn't finish the snake wouldn't the fireball? Even if it makes the save. It's definitely in the radius. Yeah that fire resist is fine I knew you had popped that up. I'm just telling folks the damage before resistance which they can then apply.
Apologies, Fizz. I keep forgetting to roll the BT damage. 8 this round.
As Martel moves away from the elemental, it uses its long reach to lash out at him and strike him hard (6 damage) but Martel quickly douses any flames before he can be set alight.
The elemental strikes at the snake again, though only once because it is slowed by Martel. It lands a blow, ending the snake (10 damage and 5 fire on top of what was dealt previously) and steps toward Stauntram. The halfling lets loose a spell right on top of its own elemental and a small red bead explodes in a huge cloud of flame that seems empowered by the halfling's connection to the forge! The elemental seems unaffected.
33 fire damage DC 17 reflex for half for Stauntram, Martel, and Fizz.
The sheet of lightning rushes north, ignoring earth and stone walls as it goes, shocking the elemental, Stauntram, Fizz, and Martel.
9 lightning damage each.
The wall of lightning shifts position as it resets and the halfling curses in his mother tongue as he sees it is likely to strike him as well this time.
Ah ah ah I see. That's what I was forgetting: That he was slowed. I was very confused by your question because I forgot that. In that case, he would have just moved away from the lightning instead of casting the spell. So no spell from him. And he wouldn't have moved quite so far for strategy reasons. I've adjusted his map position.
The fire elemental is only capable of striking the snake once then so only 6 damage to the snake.
Yes the halfling gained altitude as he flew. Let's say he's 20 ft up now. He's going to settle at ceiling height soon enough. I don't think I said how high the ceiling is but it's 30 ft. So the halfling's maximum distance between his feet and the floor is 25 ft.
Ah yes. Thanks, Fizz. I forgot to roll for the tentacles. Yes you guys are definitely still grappled as the bonus is indeed higher than that. And that damage is correct as well.
Ah no I see it now. Yes that AoO is fine. 17 to hit is what I see for the first one.
As the halfling moves away, Stauntram lashes out at him. But the earth-hardened skin of the halfling who moves on the feet of the wind prevents Stauntram from landing a blow.
Martel yes you did suceed. Sorry I forgot to mention. No he doesn't need a quickened spell to cast a move a spell with a standard action casting time.
The elemental strikes the snake twice, hard (12 dam)!
Snake needs to make two DC 18 reflex saves or catch on fire for 1d8 for 1d4 rounds.
Then the wall of lightning moves south and catches Kaalul in it (12 dam).
The halfling carefully casts a spell down at Stauntram and the snake but both shake off the spray of color that erupts from him. Then the halfling flies to the west, gaining altitude to avoid Stauntram.
AoO for Stauntram. Party GO! Note the where the lightning will be this round.
A grappled character who attempts to cast a spell or use a spell-like ability must make a concentration check (DC 10 + grappler’s CMB + spell level), or lose the spell. Grappled creatures cannot make attacks of opportunity.
...
Casting Spells while Grappled/Grappling: The only spells which can be cast while grappling or pinned are those without somatic components and whose material components (if any) you have in hand. Even so, you must make a concentration check (DC 10 + the grappler’s CMB + the level of the spell you’re casting) or lose the spell.
TLDR: SLA doesn't have somatic so you can attempt a concentration check to cast it while grappled. A spell with somatic components you can't even attempt.
Both the halfling, the elemental, and something else are slowed! The halfling moves upward 5 ft as a strange, small flying creature moves out of its pocket, flying with the halfling. The halfling then begins to cast a spell but Stauntram lashes out in the opening the halfling creates. The creature flies in front of Stauntram’s weapon and takes some of the damage but both it and the halfling are significantly wounded. The halfling, however, manages to get off the spell. Black tentacles erupt in the hallway, grappling both Fizz and Martel!
Martel knows that a large fire elemental like this usually would have about the same reach as Stauntram fighting with his weapon elongated (10 ft), immunity to fire, and vulnerability to cold.
Yes Kaalul the lightning has started to move. But to abstract things, it moves all the way across the cavern from north to south or back again at the end of every round. Right now, there is a gap in the wall of lightning on its west side so going over there is the only way to avoid the lightning damage.
Stauntram rushes forward and attacks the mage but without success. His skin flashes a dark brown briefly and you note that it seems he has been enhanced by the earthen power of the forge, making him much more durable.
Also, Stauntram, you are standing on a moat square, which won't work well for you since that's just water there. You can attempt a fairly easily long jump to leap the 5 ft distance though. Go ahead and re-position yourself after the jump since you missed your attack anyway.
The halfling sneers and reacts with blinding speed, flying forward toward where you stand nearly in a neat, diagonal line in the hallway. Flying 5 ft off the ground, he rears back and then jabs his hand in your direction. A massive crackling explosion of lightning sears through the three of you, harming you greatly.
You all failed your reflex saves. 29 lightning damage each.
The wall of lightning to the north begins moving south as well!
So that wall of lightning is going to move all the way across the battle map south or north at the end of every round. There will always be a gap to avoid the damage but it won't always be in the same place.
The halfling snaps his fingers and something emerges from the forge. It is a large fire elemental! It squeezes through the earthen walls and stands just inside the moat, ready to attack the three of you!
The halfling nods. "Certainly, certainly. I will ensure there are no more natural disasters, even if I should have to cease my research to do so. As for the last party, I have no idea what happened to them."
Stauntram and Kaalul:
It's quite obvious to you that both of these statements are outright lies.
Interesting to see you guys so careful about attacking this fellow... Maybe this will help you decide your route forward.
Kaalul:
Based on your sense motive, you think that the wizard knows much more about the dwarves' disappearances than he lets on. It's likely some of them made it through the Forge's defenses but were killed by him to prevent them from interfering with his work.
You recognize that mage armor, protection from arrows, and protection from fire have all been case on the mage. You also determine that some forms of earth, fire, and water magic have been cast on him but there is a fourth aura you have difficulty identifying.
As for the forge, you detect a fire aura and an earth aura but there are two other, very powerful auras you have difficulty deciphering.
