The kobold's apparent leader struggles to escape from benethe Corvin. He speaks a single word in rough Common, "Stand.". His voice is laden with authority and Corvin feels compelled to obey, to stand up as the creature asked.
Corvin's turn
Dohrlok gets a good grip on the tendril, and begins to climb up toward the main body.
One of the kobolds speaks a word in their harsh language and a small spike explodes from his hand, striking unerringly at the fleeing dwarf.
The other robed kobold watches as Dohrlok begins to scale one of the slimy, scaled tentacles. He unleashes a ray of utterly black energy that misses Dohrlok and is absorbed harmlessly into the wall of te chamber.
Anarath fires his bow at one of the kobolds (not the one he enfeebled last round):
The kobold who cast a spell on Arodwumm falls, gasping pitifully as it's life fades.
Arodwumm pushes open the doorway to see what is beyond.
"Masters, we can flee the tentacles in here." The dwarf has a quick look inside the next chamber for his things.
He continues to wave the dagger menacingly at the kobolds, ignoring his wound.
The room Arodwumm enters is small, maybe 10ft in diameter. Piles of things, junk, unidentifiable things, and some more valuable things litter the floor in haphazard piles. One pile consists of assorted scrolls and wands, which Arodwumm recognizes as his own.
Tsillmas follows Arodwumm into the room, firing a hastily aimed shot at one of the tentacles.
When it's Dohrlok's turn, he continues to climb the tendril. Rolled another 15+mods. My luck will turn soon. Disastrously, I'm sure.
Please let me know when (and if) Dohrlok reaches within kicking distance of the main body.
Dohrlok continues his risky ascent of the tentacle. The other three writhe and strike but miracoulsly miss the dwarf. He is now mere feet from the central mass. Now that he's closer he can see a spidery network of veins spread out across the outre membrane. The sac seems to be filled with somekind of liquid. A sallow, dead-looking figure peers balefully out at you.
The target of Corvin's agression raises itself up on an elbow, hissing "There'ss a goood hueman." as a cloud of crackling darkness shrouds it's left hand.
First off - Zogonia quote - nice.
Second, things are hectic for me over the next few weeks, so I'll post when I can.
So, when it's Dohrlok's turn:
Dohrlok retains his grip on the tendril, meeting the creepy creature's gaze with a grim smile. He shifts his weight, swings a bit, and kicks the overseer in the sac.
I've been playing this game a long time, and I've never had a character do that before. First time for everything.
Anyway - rolled a 14+3=17 to hit, 3+2=5 damage. Lets see what gets thrown at me now.
First off - Zogonia quote - nice.
Second, things are hectic for me over the next few weeks, so I'll post when I can.
Seeing its brother fall, the remaining kobold wizard spins and launches a black spike from its hand, which strikes a weak blow to Anarath.
Anarath growls, and returns the favour.
Anarath's arrow embeds itself into the kobold's chest with a dull thud and he falls to the floor.
Arodwumm disappears out the door.
He returns holding a quarterstaff.
DM
First off - Zogonia quote - nice.
Anarath's arrow embeds itself into the kobold's chest with a dull thud and he falls to the floor.
Anarath's arrow embeds itself into the kobold's chest with a dull thud and he falls to the floor.
Anarath's arrow embeds itself into the kobold's chest with a dull thud and he falls to the floor.
Out of the corner of his eye, Corvin sees the kobold hissing and spitting, as if casting a spell.
"Witch on me, will ya!?"
Corvin strides toward the small creature. Bending down, he grasps it by the scruff of its neck and its ratlike tail. With a mighty heave, he lifts the small reptile and pounds it into the wall of the tower with bone-crushing force.
As Corvin grabs the kobold, a wave of black energy spreads from its hand and dances across his armor, accompanied by a terrible, spreading chill. Despite the pain, Corvin's attack is still efective; there's a sickening crunch as the back of the kobold's skull contacts the tower wall and it collapses lifeless in his arms.
Dohrlok's foot encounters brief resistance from the Overseer's rubbery skin, and then it breaks through. He feels a powerful force trying to pull him from the tentacle (which tries to unsuccesfully shake him off) and into the Overseer's central mass.
As the necromantic wave rolls over Corvin, he makes no outward show of pain, only a slight shudder. Dropping the kobold's bloody remains, he turns, takes two steps toward Anarath, then pauses.
"What now?"
Before the elf can answer, Corvin topples to the ground like a suit of empty armor. A thin ribbon of blood trickles from the corner of his mouth.
Anarath's arrow pierces the leathery outre membrance of the Overseer and vanishes into the ameobic liquid within. A thin dribble of clear liquid spatters onto the floor.
The dwarf screams, "Master! I'm coming."
He runs over ignoring everything but the fallen Corvin.
Then he calls on the healing he possesses one more time.
Corvin jerks upright as the dwarf's healing energy repairs the damage caused by the kobold's necromantic spell. Kneeling, he uses Arodwumm for support as he stands. Without a backward glance, the fighter strides unsteadily towards the hanging Overseer.
"You know who ye're messin' with? Do ya?"
He pounds his chest with an armored fist.
"I'M CORVIN KILLGANNON! I'M HERE TO KILL YOU!"
Dohrlok makes the attempt to yank his foot free from the sac. (16+2 STR = 18). If he gets his foot free, and the hole he made seems to stay open and drain fluid (caused damage), he'll make another attack the same way, trying to widen the hole/make another one (10+3=13 to hit with the kick, 4+2 damage if it hits).
Alternatively, if he gets his foot free, and the hole just seals up, or if he can't get his foot free, he'll attempt to do grappling damage to the tentacle, yanking and tearing at it, trying to rip it free from its connection to the Overseer (10+7 grappling attack=17, 4+2=6 damage if it hits).
He stares at the creature floating in the sac fluid the entire time, a determined look on his face.
Dohrlok rips his foot free from the Overseer, barely holding onto the tentacle as it tries to shake him off. Some of the foul liquid sloshes out, and the edges of the rend in it's flesh begin to slowly knit back together. Again Dohrlok kicks, opening the hole further so that more fo the liquid falls to the floor.
"I'M CORVIN KILLGANNON! I'M HERE TO KILL YOU!"
As Corvin shouts, two of the tentacles whip around towards him. One of the tentacles slams into his chest with crushing force, driving him back.
The fourth tentacle struggles to try to reach out to Arodwumm, who is just barely out of reach.
"I'M CORVIN KILLGANNON! I'M HERE TO KILL YOU!"As Corvin shouts, two of the tentacles whip around towards him. One of the tentacles slams into his chest with crushing force, driving him back.
The fourth tentacle struggles to try to reach out to Arodwumm, who is just barely out of reach.
Corvin, all bile and vinegar, catches the tentacle with his spined gauntlets, and begins to heave with all his might.
"YOU F@%! WITH ME, YOU F#+! WITH ALL OF ME!"
Corvin resists the things incredible strength, holding his ground and barely getting a grip on the tentacle.
Corvin resists the things incredible strength, holding his ground and barely getting a grip on the tentacle.
[ooc: Checking in from Qatar. I'm almost home!]
Satisfied that he's making headway, albiet slowly, Dohrlok contiues to kick and thrash at the opening, trying to tear the entire thing asunder. He redoubles his focused stare at the thing in the sac and says, "I'm right here, sac-man, come and get me."
[12+3=15 for the unarmed strike, 1+2=3 for the damage]
[ooc: Checking in from Qatar. I'm almost home!]
Satisfied that he's making headway, albiet slowly, Dohrlok contiues to kick and thrash at the opening, trying to tear the entire thing asunder. He redoubles his focused stare at the thing in the sac and says, "I'm right here, sac-man, come and get me."[12+3=15 for the unarmed strike, 1+2=3 for the damage]
Again Dohrlok breaks the Overseer's skin and again it slowly heals itself, reknitting the ruptured skin. As he taunts the floating figure, a warm liquid, almost like tree sap, begins oozing out of the tentacle's pores and onto Dohrlok. A voice echos around the chamber "Why, Dohrlok Stonefist? You'll come to me."
Arodwumm realising he needs a few more bits, runs back to his stash and returns a few moments later to Anarath.
"Master, use this wand, it will make Corvin bigger and stronger, the command is Drakkiss Mondum."
The dwarf has some other scrolls and wands in his hands.
Anarath's orb of acid eats through the thing's skin easily and a stream of it's 'blood' pours out onto the floor.
Dohrlok's kick is the final blow, and the sac bursts. The figure in the sac falls with a wet thump and a splash in the pool of ichor. As it falls thousands upon thousands of tiny threads attached to the man and to the Overseer's body snap. As the silky strands break, the tentacles go limp, flopping lifelessly to the floor and occasionally twitching feebly.
The figure stands, and its features become more apparent. It is a tall, muscular man with dark hair and a long, thin face. He appears quite alive at first glance but on closer inspection his skin is a sickly yellow and his eye sockets are empty, as if scooped clean. The skin along his spin has been flayed away to reveal the bone and tissue beneathe, and thousands of the strands that once connected him to the Overseer trail from the wound.
Dohrlok exhibits the barest hint of a smile. "The undead abomination living in a sac of pus knows of the Stone Fist. Most gratifying." The stocky monk releases the tentacle, using its proximity to slow his fall and using the momentum to drop an elbow into the center of his opponent's skull.
Dohrlok enter his Stone Fist fighting stance, preparing for the counterattack and trying not to let the disappointment show on his face.
Dohrlok exhibits the barest hint of a smile. "The undead abomination living in a sac of pus knows of the Stone Fist. Most gratifying." The stocky monk releases the tentacle, using its proximity to slow his fall and using the momentum to drop an elbow into the center of his opponent's skull.
Dohrlok enter his Stone Fist fighting stance, preparing for the counterattack and trying not to let the disappointment show on his face.
"I know of all of you." the thing states calmly as Dohrlok lands near it. He meets Dohrlok's eyes with his own blasted, empty sockets. Dohrlok's world seems to fall away, leaving him in isolation. Nothing else exists for him but a hazy greyness. The only sensation he has is of a peculiar and painful burning sensation on his hands and arms.
"GO TO HELL, MOTHERF!*+ER!"
Corvin runs directly at the eyeless figure, leaping at him like some sort of armored predator.
Corvin slams into the man, pushing him to the ground and trying to hold him fast. Despite Corvin's best efforts, the man wriggles from his grasp, bending and contorting himself in seemingly impossible ways.
Anarath’s eye’s widen in surprise at the dwarf’s stash of scrolls and wands, but he nods in curt thanks and takes the proffered instrument, a moment before the figure in the sac falls to the ground.
“Wait, Corvin-” he begins, but the warrior has already charged. Shaking his head, Anarath waits for a moment, then, as the man struggles with the abomination, calls out “Corvin – would you like to be bigger?”
Now that he has finally got a clear look at the creature within the sac, Anarath tries to identify it.
Arodwumm fetches his crossbow in the next room and loads it.
Corvin laughs as Anarath's spell infuses his body with strength. the spectacle is quite grotesque.
The fighter's hands and arms grow first, becoming swollen with muscle. His shoulders expand, engulfing his spiked pauldrons, and his neck grows tree trunk-like, veins popping like purple vines. Corvin's spine splits his leather jerkin like a fruit rind, vertebrae distorting into bony plates. His torso elongates, ribs punching through skin and armor, wounds instantly healing. Corvin's legs grow equally quickly, sprouting bony nodules at the knees.
However, Corvin's head stays the same size, perched like a pumpkin on a stump and grinning madly as the fighter prepares to crush the abomination's head into the ground with one of his metal-and-bone-plated fists.
"SAY GOODBYE!"