White Plume Mountain Re-Imagined IC

[FyreByrd]

This is the IC Thread for White Plume Mountain Re-Imagined /// OOC thread is here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196767)



The Ash Fall is a small and typically rustic tavern, in the small, and typically rustic village of Yellowreach. There is one drink, ale, there are three tables, all wobbly. Most drinkers here stare morosely over their ale, talking to no-one focused on the important task of getting as drunk as possible, and forgetting everything until tomorrow comes...

There are a few here however that don't seem quite as lost as most, not quite as weighed down by life as those that obviously live in this pitiful place. The bartender, smiles at these newcomers to the fire and promptly charges them double for the privilege of sitting at his tables.

Your plan had been just to eat a quick meal, take a rest in relative security and head on out in the morning, but after your disgusting mess of beans and herbs, the bartender, winking at some of his regulars starts to speak...

“We seem to have some visitors in tonight lads...I wonder if they've heard tell of the treasure in our mountain...”

Your ears prick up immediately...treasure? The bartender continues, as you notice the other visitors ears also waggle in response to his pronouncement.

“...White Plume Mountain...a beautiful peak in the midst of this Gods-forsaken land. The steam rising majestically from it's top as if a very feather was perched in it's tip.” Some of the regulars snigger at their friends over-the-top introduction. “A thousand years ago, the dread mage Keraptis, came here. On the run from those that followed the Way of Nine Swords, he had in his possession, four of the famed weapons of those mystic warriors. The Faithful Avenger, falchion of Spirit, Supernal Clarity, rapier of the mind, Unfettered, great-sword of the Dragon, and Tiger Fang, kukri of the claw. Deep within the mountain he went, with his followers, and vanished, never to be seen again.”

The bartender looked around, checking that his audience were enjoying the show, “Many brave, and bold adventurers have tried to pierce the mountain, to retrieve the weapons, either for their own use, of for the profit found when sold back to those whom the weapons belong to, but none have even managed to return. Only the bravest go...but all fail, and all DIE!” The locals burst out in laughter as the bartender shouts the last word, making the visitors all jump.

Despite his shenanigans, the tale interests you, and you see that it has caught others' interest also. Slowly the locals file out, the entertainment done for the night, and you newcomers are pointed towards a dirty stable where you can sleep that night. It is but a few moments before some says, “Do you think the weapons are still there......”

@ All

Lets start with a bit of RP'ing, introduce yourselves in character, and discuss your motivations as to why you're interested in these weapons...don't worry, we'll move to the mountain fairly quickly...If you want to try and get any more information about the mountain/tale/locals you can do gather infomation/knowledge(local) checks

[RaggedAngel]

Concerning the swords:
Bardic Knowledge Check: [roll0]
Knowledge (History): [roll1]
Martial Lore: [roll2]

Aenor is a fairly tall man in a distinctive mithral breastplate and with a greatsword sheathed across his back. His hair is a notably unnatural shade of silver, and it hands to his shoulders. Likewise his eyebrows are the same hue as his gleaming armor; his eyes, however, are a startling blue; his appearance catches attention with ease, and his natural demeanor keeps it on him. On hearing about the swords he grins fiercely, and the smile looks natural on him.

As the regular patrons begin to file out he approaches the barkeeper with a friendly wave. "That was quite the tale; I've meet few bartenders with a knack for storytelling like you have, and I felt the need to commend you on your excellent timing. I'd also like to ask if you happen to know any more specifics about the blades; I'm a soldier without a cause, currently, and a good challenge sounds like just the thing to keep my martial skills sharp."

He glances around at the remaining patrons before the bartender speaks, and addresses then politely as a group. "You all seem like you're traveling, like me, though I suppose I could be wrong. Does his tale peak any of your interests? I fight better with allies by my side." He turns back to the bartender, awaiting a reply.

Diplomacy: [roll3]
Gather Information: [roll4]

[Ella]

"If they ehn't there anymore, you could bet your last curselet on even better being left behind. Swingers of swords oft can't tell a potion from a protective." the ancient witch states loudly.

She is dressed in respectable black, a strapped over her shoulders in a style reminiscent of how some carry their swords when they are too large for practical use.

"Of course I will go into ye mountain, I bet there are terrible wicked elves, who need to be discouraged as well. Twill be you and me at least boy, just make sure when we go into the mountain you stay behind me, you ehn't got so much experience not dying as I do."

[mootoall]

Know Local, and let's be generous with my Inspiration points- using one up right off the bat. [roll0]

Gregory gives a big hearty laugh as the bartender startles them during the tale, but his theatrics make Gregory all the more interested. "Hmm. I've always thought it was a pity to let a good story go to waste. I'm a traveller by trade, if'n you understand. Traveling up a mountain's pretty fun. Traveling up a mountain for treasure's even better. Not doing it alone is just tops!" His rambling seems directionless, but it appears that he's only there to please, and very happy to explore the possibility of going.

[FyreByrd]

@Ragged:

You seem to recall that there were once 9 great weapons, a blade for each of the martial disciplines of the way, and that they were stored at the fabled, lost Temple of the Nine. Thousands of years ago, however, there was a major battle at the temple, and as a result of treachery the blades were stolen. Most have now passed out of historical knowledge, but you do remember hearing that a couple had resurfaced a couple of hundred years ago in an orc uprising.

You also remember a little something about each of the weapons mentioned.

Supernal Clarity, was the name of the rapier, weapon of the Diamond mind discipline. A powerful blade in the right-hands you recall that it has the power to stop time itself.
Faithful Avenger was the name of a giant Falchion, the weapon of the Devoted Spirit discipline, and you recall that the abilities of this great weapon changed dependent on the moral code of your actions
Tiger Fang is the viciously curved kukri of the Tiger's Claw discipline. This blade is so sharp you remember that it can cut through the toughest armour and skin straight to the heart.
and finally, Unfettered, greatsword of the stone dragon, this mighty blade while devestating in attack, protects it's wielder with powerful magics.

You also remember that these blades change and grow according to their wielder



@Mootall:

You seem to recall the following information about the local area:

Standing alone in a vast area of dismal moors and
tangled thickets is White Plume Mountain, an almost
perfectly conical volcanic hill formed millennia ago
from the slow leakage of lava. About 1,000 yards in
diameter at the base, the peak rises about 800 feet above
the surrounding land. The white plume that gives the
mountain its name and fame is a continuous geyser that
spouts from the very summit. The spray shoots 300 feet
into the air, then trails off to the east under the prevailing
winds like a great white feather. The water from the
geyser collects in numerous depressions downslope
that eventually merge, creating a sizeable stream.
The nearest village, Yellowreach, lies about 5 miles
from the mountain along the Yellow Flow River.

You have also heard stories about demons, and undead, and all manner of other nasties that inhabit the area around the mountain, but they seem to be the usual old-wives-tale type stories.

You've heard a number of times the name of Keraptis, who is connected to the area, but the tales differ about him. Some make him out to be an lich necromancer, others say he was a simple solitary wizard, in some tales he is evilness personified, in others he was merely arrogant. You've heard lots, but nothing is particularly trustworthy.



"Ach thank-ye Sir", the bartender grunts, "But it were only the story we trot out for all visitors. Nothing much in Yellowreach other than stories about the mountain. As for the swords theselves, I know little, save that they are priceless artifacts, and that none who have entered the mountain have returned." he pauses, and looks at you shrewdly, "You look like yer can take care of yourselves," he comments, and leans closer, "But take my advice, leave this place, and leave that mountain be Keraptis still lives, and he doesn't like intruders."

One of the patrons laughs, "Stop peddling that old wives' tale Henk, Keraptis lived thousands of years ago, he's dead, can hurt no one."
"Ye've heard the story, Tenlar," the bartender growls, "Keraptis is a lich, and a right powerful one, and he doesn't like intruders."
The patron, this Tenlar laughs again, "Why is a lich gonna sit in a moldly old mountain for thousands of years, and amuse himself by killing adventurers. he's dead Henk."
"Oh so why don't you recover the swords thend fool!" the bartender shouts.
"Because I've seen what happens to people that go in that place, it's deadly no doubt, but there's no call to be peddling wives tales to scare kids." Tenlar shouts back, rising to his feet.
"Aye you've seen what happens alright, Tenlar, that's where you got that shiny dagger from right?"
The enraged Tenlar, just jumps at the bartender, who in one fluid movement pulls and oaken trunchen out from the bar, and clocks his patron one over the head. Tenlar sinks to the ground. The rest of the bar seems to ignore this.
"Drunken fool." the bartender mutters, "Every night this happens..."

[Ella]

"And this Lich, what does he actually do?" Kirce asks eying the bartender, seeing if his body language was going to reveal anything further. "I mean what does he gain apart from cruel amusement from luring in the unwary?"

"As one ages, I have found that the only way to keep from feeling it is to keep busy, surely playing the spider leads to him being bored for years for no great reward, days of activity perhaps?" She reaches into one of her belts pockets carefully withdrawing a coin and offering it to the bartender. "A glass of ale good sir, and if you don't mind, tell me what I might find in this town of yours."

[mootoall]

"I've heard folk tales about him! Everything from the root of all evil to an ornery fellow. By all accounts a nasty guy."

[Ella]

At the mention of folktales Kirce turns quickly to face the stranger "What makes you think folk no much, I mean, 'cos they ehn't warned you 'bout me have they."

"If folk new anything 'bout anything important, they'd be witchesl." she mutters, peering into her glass of ale.

[Niezck]

A small armoured figure sits by a table in the corner, a slightly larger furry animal resting under by his legs. At the mention of the swords and the stories he chuckles to himself, though audibly so.

"The swords are no mere fiction, dear companions-to-be. I have been sent here by my Lord Bahamut to investigate and hopefully retrieve the swords in his name. The Lich, however, I have no idea about. Suffice to say however, my Lord will protect me from any foul magics the Lich could bring to bear as he would each of you, should you choose his path."

Throughout this little speech, the gnome walks forwards into view, revealing his heavily draconic features and stern face. Getting closer, he extends a hand to each of the group in turn.

"My name is Uran Erf and I am a Dragon Knight of Bahamut, though I have been known to go by Badger Knight, on account of my faithful friend here."

He beckons to the creature, now being easily identifiable as a badger. Despite his obvious friendliness and enthralling presence, there seems to be something very odd about this gnome, he seems far too formal, polite and devoted, even for a paladin.

@Fyre:

I'd like to mention that this is what Uran believes, not necessarily something that happened. He heard of the tales of WPM on his journeys, just a slight whisper of a quest, and took it as a sign from Bahamut to investigate. Naturally, the closer he got the more he learned from locals and such until he finally arrived here. So, he's most likely -not- on a quest from Bahamut, though I'd certainly be open for him actually being on one, he just thinks he is.

[mootoall]

"There're farming folk I've met who've more wisdom than most rulers. And a good handful of them hadn't a lick of sense." He chuckles at his own paradoxical statement, then turns to Uran as he introduces himself. "Uran! Pleasure to meet any servant of a good god. Name's Gregory Mattoxson, pleased to meet you. I'm a traveler by trade, just like me good old master."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor takes in the words of the interesting array of individuals around him before speaking. As he listens, he goes over to Tenlar the local and takes his knife casually, inspecting it. "Huh. If I caught your words correctly, sir, you claim that he got this blade from the dungeon in which the blades are held?" Aenor looks up inquisitively, and then realizes that he is yet to introduce himself.

He takes a half bow, with only the lightest flourish on the way down. His silver hair catches the light in the bar as he goes. "I am Aenor, and I have been named both Silverbrow and Dragonblooded, though I prefer the former to the latter. I am empowered by the blood of a silver dragon running through my veins, and by my own martial training." He nods to the paladin of Bahamut. "It is interesting to meet you here; in a way we are kin, and I feel that this cannot be a coincidence." He looks back up to the eclectic individuals around him. "We are meeting in the traditional manner, friends, and there are innumerable grand tales in which an unlikely and mismatched band of brave souls came together to seek a common goal." His smile widens, and he spreads his arms. "I cannot help but be dramatic, so allow me to formally ask; which of you would like to scale a deadly mountain and enter a dungeon that allows no survivors in search of the blades of the sublime path?"

[mootoall]

There is a beat of silence, and then the scruffy Gregory appears jolly and full of life. He dances behind the silverbrow, claps him heartily on the back, and says "I am ready when you are, friend! Oh, the tales this will make! I like your style, don't you doubt it! Hahahahahaha!"

[Niezck]

Nodding at the witch's words, Uran speaks softly and boldly, showing no real excitement or really anything at all.

"We shall accompany you, till death take us all or treasures abound."

[Ella]

"Yeh right about Kings and suchlike. I can't be having with them at all." Kirce responds to Gregory, a grin crossong her face. "It's the food you know, all that rich muck they eat rots their sense faster than their teeth."

"Them dragons must get around an awful lot." she mutters looking at the Badger Knight and the Dragonblooded man. "I ehn't one to judge, but it just ehn't proper."

"Would you lads like to see the map I been makin'" She asks, her voice booming, taking a sip of her ale while reaching into one of her belts many pockets retrieving a sheet of paper she had sketched out the surrounding area on. "Perhaps you good lads could get some of the locals to explain what is what in the area. I gotta know what to expect when we grab ourselves some swords after all."


http://i.imgur.com/IkPPT.jpg

[FyreByrd]

Tenlar is still slumped on the floor but the bartender happily responds for him, "There's a cave, bout half-way up the mountain on the south side. That's where the adventurers tend to enter...and that's where bodies get dumped. A ranger in the village usually makes a trip every couple of months and grabs anything left there, and sells it on in the village. It's never anything much...the best stuff never comes back out. It's probably about time he went again, I can ask him to guide you to the mountain tomorrow if yer DEAD set on it." he smirks slightly at his own joke.

He glances at the Map that Kirce has made, "Pretty good," he grudgingly observes, "I'll mark the cave on it for you." he scratches an X on the south slopes of the mountain. "As for the Lich, well, as you can tell, opinion's divided, but something's killing people up there!"

[mootoall]

"Hmm, looking at the bodies might help figger out what's done them in anyhow. I'm ready to go whenever you all are!"

[A'den]

Move Silently [roll0]

Wil slipped out of the shadow from the corner of the bar his interest finally peaked by the band of merry adventurers, he had of course been listening quite accurately the whole time with a large mug ale. Now the mug empty he was forced to sojourn out into the light and greet the group. He let go the opportunity to give the witch a good goose, old or not she looked like she still had a good toosh. A slanted smile hung on his face as he slipped up between the old crone and Gregory.

"Sounds to me mates, what you need last, and most certainly importantly, is a man trained in the tricks, guffaws, and deadly shenanigans of crawling into nasty rotten holes like this one and back out again. Wizards, liches, hell even your ol' screwball warlock have a mighty passion for traps and such.

He pulled back the hood of his cloak and revealed a rather normal human face with dull blue eyes and a crop of messy brown hair riding his ears, perhaps even good lucking after an ale or three. He placed a hand on Gregory's shoulder in a chummy fashion and drained the last dregs of his ale.


"Wil Mjollinear, the's name. Unemployed traveling locksmith by trade and famous sampler of beers and exotic goods. Pleasure to meet you and I would happily join your quest. It sounds delightfully suicidal. Barkeep another fine ale if you please!"

[FyreByrd]

The bartender shakes his head ruefully, "Well I'll ask our ranger to take you to the mountain in the morning...but I'll wager that I'll never see you fine folks again."


@All

OK this is the last chance you have to make any changes to your sheet/additional purchases etc, feel free to finish off getting to know each other, and any other rp you want to do and we'll move off to the mountain tomorrow morning (probably in about 12 hours from this post)

[mootoall]

"I promise I'll see you again, barkeep. Seems like we've a capable team, and no lich can stand up ta that."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor gestures with the unconcious man's dagger. "I'm going to keep this; I don't have any weapon but Viracchius here, and while I love my sword I believe that I should be prepared to be without her for a time." He straps the dagger to his belt before anyone can get a word in, and then he tosses a single gold piece onto Tenlar, and he bows. "For your troubles, sir."

Turning back to the others Aenor smiles, and his eyes are bright and filled with both excitement an humor. "I will freely admit that I was rather lost before just now; it is good to have a goal again, and a group of fine folk to fight beside. May our blades never break, our wits never dull, our magics never fade, and our luck never run dry. I pray to no gods, but I ask them all to watch over us, for as they say in the old tales, the gods favor children, fools, and adventurers."

He takes out another gold piece and flips it in the air, catches it, and hands it to the bartender. "It's the last one I have, good sir, and I'll ask the best drink you have for it. When I return I intend to be laden with riches, and I look forward to a grand celebration in this very inn. Now, then, if I may indulge myself, I'd like to sing us a song."

He takes the drink offered to him and takes a hearty swig, and in the pause an observant man might note that he looked very little like a singer; he was muscled, tanned, and clad in grand armor. He wielded a great blade across his back, and he spoke in the firm voice of a centurian.

Then he settled against the bar, flicked his hands in a slight motion, and began to sing. His voice had transformed in those brief moments between his pronoucement and his song; it had lost all traces of roughness and gained a clairty and beauty beyond what any of the adventurers around him had expected.

He sang of grand battles and glorious war. He sang of the sky, split asunder by the clash of dragons and angels warring over the land, wielding forces beyond moral understanding. He sang of the clash between the sea and the land, the tummult between hill and vale, and the blazing struggle in every man's heart between life and death. His song fills you with a courage and strength that cannot be anything but magical, and you feel as if you can fell a thousand foes.

And then his words change, flowing into a far harsher tongue. He sings in the language of dragons, and the air around you changes as he does. His song no longer holds meaning in your ears but in your heart it reaches a climax, and the blazing beacon of inspiration and strength overflows. Each and every one of you is surrounded by a great and roaring chill wind, and frost forms on the surfaces of the bar. The wind slowly dies as his song fades, and you see that his eyes were shut tight, his mind wandering in distant lands.

Aenor looks up at the group, his face calm and apologetic. "Forgive me. It has been a long time since I have felt the dragonfire in my heart, and I had missed the feeling. That was a song of courage and blessing, and it hails from a time beyond human rememberance. I hope that it will inspire you as it inspires me."

Perform (Sing): [roll0]

He uses his Inspire Courage after casting Inspirational Boost, which is a swift action.

He then switches to his Dragonfire Inspiration, and uses his Badge of Valor to keep the bonus at the same level.

So, that's two uses of his bardic music, a spell, and a charge from him Badge to reinforce his character development. The munchkin in me complained, but I tied her up and left her in a corner.

No matter what the Perform check result is, just remember that your characters feel the equivilent of a +3 boost to *everything* running through their bodies and minds.

[Niezck]

As Aenor takes the dagger from the patron, Uran steps toward him with a stern look.

"You will not steal from that poor man simply because you can. Give it back. Now."

While being impressed with the following song, he will not not budge in his stance and will glare at Aenor with a look that could kill until he returns the dagger.

[RaggedAngel]

The room slowly warms agains as the song fades from the air and from your minds. After the powerful moment had passed Aenor noticed that Uran was confronting him, and he raised his hands in a gesture of placation, as one would to an angry wolf. "Forgive me, I hadn't thought of it like that. I simply needed a dagger, and I gave him the full price of any decent knife in return. However, there's no need for abrupt dissention over so small a thing." He replaces the blade and takes his coin back. "I apologize again; I didn't mean to offend. There was and is no harm done, and I can just fine a someone to sell me a dagger in the morning. Is that agreeable to you?"

I know that Diplomacy doesn't influence PC's, but I find that it's a good way to judge how well the character is, well, being diplomatic.

Diplomacy:[roll0]

[A'den]

Wil

Wil leaned over the little gnomish knight and spoke softly, "Give it a rest obviously he paid more than it was worth."

The little gnome might of felt something tickle his ear if he was paying attention to Wil's hands. A dagger miraculously almost identical to the one Aenor had picked up appears in his belt though Kirce stood between Wil and Aenor.

Wil shot Aenor a sly wink over their size challenged compatriot. "Take one of mine aught to do well enough in a tight spot."


Ninja'd
Bluff [roll0]
Sleight of Hand [roll1]

[Niezck]

Obviously relaxing a little as Aenor's responce was as he hoped for.

"Indeed, that will be agreeable. The fact of the matter is that you had no idea whether he wanted to sell or not. If that dagger had sentimental value of sorts for him, a single gold piece could never be enough to pay for it, nor could any amount."

As Wil slides the dagger out close to his ear, Uran groans and walks off, muttering to himself. Bloody immoral tallies, this is gonna be hell.

[FyreByrd]

The Bartender hurrumphs behind the bar, about the shenanigans surrounding the blade. Then comments quietly, "Ain't much need for gold round here Sir," speaking to Aenor, "But a knife can be useful, I doubt that Tenlar would want to give it up."

He stretches theartrically, "Right everyone out, I'm closing up. You brave souls can have the stable tonight if you wish."

He clears the regulars out, and shows you the stable. The small amount of straw on the floor does nothing to make it more comfortable, but most of you are used to sleeping rough. The smell of the badger, however is much less pleasant.

The next morning dawns much like every morning in Yellowreach, damp and humid. You know that the sun is there, because of the warmth, but there's no visible sign. The bartender introduces you to Eae'El the Elven ranger, who motions for you silently to follow him.

The journey to the mountain takes just over two hours, and in that time you constantly see the mountain growing larger in front of you. It's signature geyser, throwing up water and steam in it's namesake white plume. The mountain isn't steep, and it's a fairly easy climb up. About half-way up the mountain the ranger stops on a small plateau. It's about fifty foot deep, and crescent shaped, so it curves around the mountain, getting smaller and smaller as it goes, being about 100 foot wide at it's longest point, pressed against the mountain side. The ranger points simply at the large cave in the face of the mountain that exits onto the plateau. Then without a word, turns and walks away, his face sad.

The cave mouth is a about forty foot wide, and another twenty high. The floor is damp, and a little muddy. You can see that the cave goes about twenty foot deep, before it turns, and you can see no more around the corner without entering.

[A'den]

The morning sun sliced through Wil's morning hangover quick enough and after a few swigs of water and a bite of the barkeep's breakfast buns hes quick enough to follow the ranger. He never could nor bothered to keep Elf names straight that all ran to together with 'el' sounds that didn't quite fit the human ear. He followed along tugging his cloak's hood up over his head and hiding his face despite the sun and heat, Wil's green cloak faded into the trees naturally so that he seemed to disappear from time to time as the party drifted through the woods.

At the valley's entrance he gazed around before pulling his hood down and cocking his head to the left listening to the sounds of the mountain, he stayed silent as the ranger left soaking in the feel of the place.


Spot: [roll0]
Listen: [roll1]

[mootoall]

Gregory's trip to the mountain was accompanied by much chatter and rambling, which was extremely grating in these early morning hours. As the group arrives, he says to the elf "Well, guess we'll see ya later then, ranger! Or you'll see us!" Gregory laughs at his own joke, then goes traipsing off, searching the cave. Searching for bodies! [roll0]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor had attempted to placate Gregory on the way; the bard in him enjoyed the conversation, but the soldier in him understood the value of contemplation before potential combat. In the end he said little, mostly listening to the sounds of the forest and of the words going around him. He did make a point to apologize once more to the draconic gnome, promising him that he would be a bit more upright in his behavior from that point on. Life on the road, he admitted, had made him a bit less chivalrous than he was during his time in the legions.

When the group finally reached the cave Aenor took some time thinking about the songs and tales of old, to see if he could recall anything about the cave or the mountain that he had not remembered up to this point. The walk through the woods and the sight of the cave made him feel as if there may be something he had missed.

Bardic Knowledge: [roll0]
Knowledge (History): [roll1]
Knowledge (Arcana): [roll2]

[FyreByrd]

@A'den

You glance around, and apart from a few scrub like bushes on the mountain side, you see nothing that appears out of place. Since you've been climbing, you've heard a steady hissing sound that you are certain is a result of the geyser, and steam hitting the colder air. It is louder on this plateau, making it difficult to hear anything else



@Mootoall:

There is nothing out of the ordinary in the first part of the cave, but as you turn the corner, you see that the cave continues another thirty feet back, in the back corner is a body of an Elf, obviously diseased (however you are not certain if that is what the Elf died of), it is clutching a wooden staff, that has a piece of parchment wrapped around it.

You also see a wooden trapdoor, the wood warped by the amount of water in the air, it looks like it could take a lot of strength to open it.


@Ragged:

You don't recall anything else about the mountain or the cave.

[Niezck]

As is appropriate for a mounted paladin, Uran will have spent the journey riding Vantikk, keeping pace with the ranger with his sword drawn throughout. Should any evil have taken an opportunity, he intended to ensure they would not live past the night.

As they approach the plateau and the ranger begins to leave, Uran halts the man and, mounted on Vantikk, pats him on the shoulder.

"I will ensure their survival, guided by my Lord Bahamut. Do not fear."

As the other enter the cave, the badger and knight will follow.


Detect Evil in the cave.

[mootoall]

Gregory removes his hat as he sees the elf's corpse, then calls back to the rest of the group "I think we've found the latest victim over here!" He kneels down, then gently removes the staff from the elf's hands and reads the parchment attached to it.

[Ella]

Kirce looks around silently, her mind busy with the possibilities of the cave. She worldlessly looks around the entrace, running her hands over stones and any plantlife she is able to reach.

She walks after the badger knight, her eyes keenly looking for signs of moss or other plants of either beneficial or malicious nature.


Knowledge (Nature): [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@Niezck

You evilometer picks up nothing


@Mootall:


The parchment is covered in writing in Elven - it seems to be the ramblings of a mad-man, that is occasionally lucid enough to make important points...however distinguishing what is important and what is crazy-talk is nigh on impossible:


Death, death, all around me is death, the four square with the twin spears has taken me to the life of the phoenix. There is nothing but words, and songs, and deeds, and death. Prevailing against the tide takes skills many, but come to the griffon, and seek your fate. Many are the questions, but few are the answers, death will come to all, and nothing is left. Step from one to the next and avoid the rain. Trees and flowers, and mushy shrooms, do not eat from the table of doom. Climb up the pyramid down, dive through and in, and up and out. Pull the lever, release the beast, tiger's eyes the calm of night. Don't pierce the bubble or bubble the pierce. The sphinx may riddle, and you may learn, but the dead shall rise, and you shall die...

because my master wishes it so.





@Ella:
There appears to be nothing interesting about the plantlife around the cave

[Ella]

Upon hearing Gregory's call Kirce increases her speed, moving towards him at what would most kindly be described as a stomp, her heavy old boots moving up and down oblivious to anything below their soles.

"Bless my heart" she exclaims upon seeing the body before him. Standing beside Gregory she eyes the elven corpse warily, using her knowledge of the natural world in the hopes of discovering his fate.While pondering his odd position she begins to work one of her smallest of curselets to detect any magic on his person.


Knowledge (nature): [roll0]
Casting Detect Magic.

[Niezck]

"The area appears free from evil taint. I advise we-"

Hearing Gregory call out, the gnome rushes toward him, sword drawn.

"What is the matter Master Gregory? Oh ..."

He looks down and sees the body, his face saddening for a moment.

"Are any of you sufficiently trained to discover his cause of death?"

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

You believe that the Elf was suffering from Blinding sickness, but that it did not kill him, you do not know what did kill him.

While there is nothing magical about the Elf/his posessions. You can tell that the staff that Gregory picked up from the corpse is magical.

[Ella]

"He seems to have contracted Blinding Sickness, the silly thing." Kirce announces, making the statement to no one in particular but loud enough that anyone nearby would be able to hear her clearly.

"O'course that ehn't what killed 'im" she mutters looking closely at the corpse, squinting her eyes and making a production of it. "Probably he died from being cheeky to his elders or meddling in things what no one is meant to touch, he is an elf after all." She stands back up looking at her companions hoping the message had sunk in.

"And that stick of his is magic, someone should give him a whack with it, just incase."

[Niezck]

Huffing at Kirce's silliness, Uran looks to the others with stern eyes.

"Right. And can any of you actually tell how he died?"

[mootoall]

Know: Local (deals with humanoids) to see if there's anything wrong with him that's visible: [roll0] and Heal to see what the cause of death was: [roll1] Using an IP. "Well, let's see what was the matter with him ... hold this?" he says, handing Kirce the staff as he pats the body down, looking for abrasions or anything abnormal about his physique.

[FyreByrd]

@mootoall:

Whilst there are plenty of wounds that have come from edged weapons on the Elf, none of them look serious enough to have killed him. He does look a little emancipated, even for an Elf, and although you are not certain, you suspect that, blinded, he managed to reach the cave, but could go no further, and so died of starvation/thirst

[mootoall]

Playing the part of a medical examiner very well, Gregory says "Well, he got cut up pretty nice, but that's not what did him in. Looks like he might've wandered around, blind, for a while, then died here of starvation or thirst. Poor chap."

[Ella]

Kirce holds the staff gingerly, uncertain of just what it might do. Magic that required implements after all had never been something she had bothered to delve into.

Holding it with just her fingertips she begins to examine it closely, wondering what secrets it might hide. "And what would be the respectful thing to do with a body in a place like this?" she asks, her mood a touch more somber "It ehn't like we can just return him to the nearest elven village and let them figure it out."

[mootoall]

"Thought the barkeep said the elf would take care of it ... Guess not. Well, I reckon we should leave him 'til we come back. Making the trek all the way back wouldn't be very efficient, and he don't care what happens to his body anymore, 'less it gets raised. I think we should just continue on." He goes and pulls on the trapdoor near the elf's body. "This'n's a bit heavy. Someone wanna help?"

[Niezck]

"What kind of sacrilege is this!? I refuse to continue on, leaving the corpse of a fallen warrior behind!"

That said, Uran nods at Vantikk who immediately runs out to find a suitable place to dig down and create a burial mound.

[FyreByrd]

Whilst the Elf is being buried in the rocky ground just outside the cave, Gregory attempts to open the trapdoor, however the dampness in the cave has warped the wood, and it would need more strength than he is putting into it to pull it up.


In other words I need a strength check to open the trapdoor...in fact...most doors around here, will need a strength check, so get into the habit of putting strength checks in when opening doors

[mootoall]

Gregory tugs and pulls, exerting all his strength, then, using a bit of mental ingenuity, tries prying it open with the blade of his guisarme. Str check with Inspiration! [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

OOC:

What a waste of a 20!


With the added effort, the trapdoor not only opens, but he tears it off it's hinges, breaking the trapdoor off totally. Gregory stumbles back, and trips falling on his backside with a surprised expression on his face.

You can see that there is a set of metal steps, going down in a spiral. You can see little way down, but soon the metal staircase fades into the darkness.

[A'den]

"No wait!"

Wil calls out as he approaches the trap door and briefly glimpses the corpse being carried out by the knight he deftly avoids touching it lest it carry some sort of disease.

"There's a geyser around here somewhere, the steam could power all sorts of nasty traps.

Unless Gregory already triggered something Wil searches for any traps in the immediate area then helps with the trapdoor.

Trapsense: [roll0]
Unless they found something, or something was already triggered.
Aid Another for Gregory's strength check, +2.

[FyreByrd]

OOC:

And the first PC/DM swordsage moment.

There were/are no traps, or other problems, and moot's strength check was more than good enough

[Niezck]

After his companion had dug a suitable hole, Uran buried the elf appropriately and said a short prayer before returning to the group.

"I am ready to go now."

[mootoall]

Gregory, sitting on his bum, says "Well there we go, now that that's been dealt with, I reckon it can't hurt to continue on!" With a quick hop, he stands and says "After you, sir knight!" to Uran.

[Niezck]

"Very well. Stick close behind me. Vantikk?"

As he speaks the badger scurries up to him as he climbs on top, taking his position as mounted knight. The creature then begins advancing slowly, prowling almost, down the stairs.

[FyreByrd]

As Uran and Vantik slowly descend the metal stairs, that creak ominously, as if they haven't been used in years, the darkness of the cave turns to the pure blinding black of an underground tunnel. The steps seem to go on forever, and with only the light of his blade to illuminate the way, it makes for a strange atmosphere.

Finally he arrives at the bottom, and steps off the steps into about a foot of stangant, smelly, scumy water, causing a brief splash. Even with his restricted vision, Uran sees that the is in a passageway that stretches off to the east. The passage is ten foot wide, by about ten foot high, and travels as far east as Uran can see, although that is not far. The walls are slimy, as if they have had condensation on them, and the air, while musty is breathable.

[mootoall]

Gregory smells the air and twitches his nose. "Always nice to smell a new place. Well ... almost always. Don't like this one." Knowledge (Dungeoneering) to recognize the smell? [roll0] I'd use an Inspiration point, but I know how much you love aberrations :smalltongue:

[FyreByrd]

@Mootoall:
The smell is stale water, together with the reek of rotting death...pleasant.

ooc:
I don't think there are ANY aberrations in this adventure as written....hmmm may have to do some quick re-writing!

[mootoall]

Gregory snaps his fingers and, as he does, his weapon disappears into the palm of his hand. "They make some excellent magical devices nowadays. I've dabbled in making some myself!" He takes a pair of goggles and snaps them over his eyes. "Now, if you don't mind shining that light over this way, I'll keep an eye out ahead of us. I've seen tricky things in caves like this one."

Donning my goggles of minute seeing, and storing my guisarme in my glove of the master strategist. Taking a place at the head of the group, and searching for traps (and invisible traps) ahead as we move forward. [roll0]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor follows the others down into the darkness, and he takes out his everburning torch as he does. He draws his greatsword, and rests it on his shoulder, holding it in only one hand. He remains quiet, just as he was throughout the cave above.

Aenor finally breaks his silence by casting a small spell. He chants a few brief words, and then closes his eyes for a moment. "There. I just thought it would be prudent to mark the direction to true North relative to the entrance. Now, should we get lost, we'll be able to go in roughly the right direction to find the entrance." He glances at the others, and then continues. "Forgive me for my reserved nature of the past few minutes. This is the first time I've ever gone dungeon-delving, and I must admit that I'm far more suited to open fields and clear skys." He looks at the others. "What should our marching order be?"

[mootoall]

Still waiting on the result on my Search check, and don't expect it today (Fyrebyrd doesn't post often on weekends, and never(?) on Sundays), but consider this post in response: if it's said after finding a trap, it's used as a demonstration of why I'm right.

"Well we've got a clever, evil wizard with a penchant for killing visitors, and I've got a bit of experience finding traps- how about I go first? I need the light, so if Uran would go behind me that would just be fantastic. Other than that, I've no idea!"

[Niezck]

"I would prefer to be near the front with Vantikk should we encounter any opposition."


How wide are the corridors? Maybe we can fit two people side-by-side in?

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor nods. "I agree, riders do deserve more space to work in. I've only worked with human paladins before, but if your tactics are like theirs then I'm sure we will be safer if you're given room to charge." The words reminding him, he shifts his feet slightly and closes his eyes for the briefest of moments. There is no physical change, but there is now a palpable feeling in the air. You feel the urge to run, to hurtle towards a foe, and to strike them down with abondon. The feeling passes just as quickly, but a faint tinge of it remains. "My bardic training aside, I've also mastered some techniques of the White Raven school. While I remain in this stance any charging attack you make will hit with more force and power. I do request that I remain near the front, both due to my light and because my techniques favor fast, charging assaults."

OOC- Unless there's some odd reason not to, he'll always remain in his Leading the Charge stance. This frees up swift actions when he's activating his Inspire Courage at the beginning of a fight, and lets every ally (including himself) deal +5 damage on a charge if they're within 60 feet of him.

[A'den]

Wil follows along silently a few feet behind those in the lead he takes advantage of the shadows thrown off from the light to hide in.


Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]

[FyreByrd]

You continue to move down the corridor, with Uran, and Gregory in front, Aenor and Wil behind, with Kirce bringing up the rear. With Aenor's torch, the corridor is better illuminated, and you can see thirty feet in front of you that the corridor bends to the north.

You realise as you walk through the scummy water, that it is thick with algae and other such things, and so will slow you down, if you need to move quickly.

ooc:

Basically while in the foot deep water you move at 1/2 speed


@Ragged
I'll assume that you're in that stance unless you tell me otherwise.

[Ella]

As Kirce wades into the stagnant water, her movement slowed by the thick viscousity of it all she begins to contemplate changing her form to something more appropriate, as the cold water moves up her legs it becomes all the more tempting as a way of getting out of her own skin and into something more appropriate.

Kirce reaches down and puts a hand in the water, drawing it close to her nose and sniffing, seeing if the water had any unusual qualities. As a former swamp witch there was of course little about stagnant water she didn't know. Calling to her companions before her she asks
"Any of you ever seen a bog imp?"


Knowledge (Nature): [roll0]

[A'den]

"Can't say I have recently."

Wil moves carefully in the water his cloak splays out on the surface he does his best not to make much unnecessary sound though with the two nights clanking away ahead he didn't have to do much to fade into the background as they moved along the passage. He makes sure to stand in the edge of the light to avoid being illuminated.


Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently: [roll1]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor glances back at the witch, grinning. "Me and a few of my buddies met up with a bog imp once. I was... seven? Something like that. Anyway, it was a rather exciting day, running through that swamp back to camp. I remember it clearly because of all the mosquito bites I got. I swear the things have started breeding with skirges. Bog imps are nasty little things, though. Why do you ask?" He resettles his sword on his shoulder, and looks down at the water with distaste. "Also, I can't say I'm happy about this water. Do you think the whole thing's flooded?"

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

You believe that the water is the source of the Elf's blinding sickness, it seems if you either ingest, or even are submerged in the disgusting water, you will contract the disease.

[mootoall]

Know(Whatever's appropriate) for whether or not I know of bog imps: [roll0] I'll assume a 15 or higher is a "just heard of them" thing.

"Aye, I've heard of bog imps. I'd agree they're nasty, but fast, too. Why, what're you thinking?"

He looks down at the slimy water, and cringes at the feel and smell of it. This can't be sanitary ... He gingerly continues stepping through, trying to keep as much of him out of it as possible.

[FyreByrd]

@Mootoall:


You recall that a Bog Imp is a small fey like creature, that can swim, and tunnel

[Ella]

"Avoid the water, the taint upon it is what did the elf in." Kirce calls to her companions. "And I ehn't carrying you, if you get it in your eyes or mouth. I couldn't be having with that sort of indignity."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor gives the water another mistrustful glare, and he looks to his gleaming mithral armor. "Damn it, this armor is worth more than I am, and it was a gift from a better man than I'll ever be. I hope it'll clean out; it seems like the elves would be concerned about that kind of thing." He turns to the elderly witch, and flashes her a grin. "I promise, mi'lady, that if anyone needs to be carried I would gladly do the honors. I also forgot to ask you earlier if there is anything that you would like me to carry for you; not any tools of your trade, of course, but things such as bedrolls or the like that encumber you in combat or simply pull you down on a long trek such as this one."

Even if you aren't at a "medium load," that stuff is heavy. It isn't mechanical, but he would like to carry anyone's things; when your strength is 18 you have responsibility in the carrying department.

[Niezck]

"Indeed, it would be best to avoid a fate similar to the elf's. Come my friends, around this corner."

As the badger goes forwards, Uran raises his sword high, ready to strike at anything untoward they might find around the impending corner.

[FyreByrd]

As you turn the corridor, and take a few steps further on, you notice that there is a dim light coming from around thirty feet in front of you. In that light you see that A bedraggled creature rests on a 2-foot-high pile of bones that fills an intersection in the tunnel, with four passageways leading off from it. One north, one east, one west, and the one you are standing in to the south. The creature’s body looks like that of a mangy lion, and great, tattered wings lie folded at its sides. A female humanoid face peers out from beneath the tangled mat of hair that covers its head.

As you stand, still a good thirty feet from the beast she lifts her head, and speaks:
"Visitors to White Plume Mountain I bid you welcome. I am the guardian of the passage. You may pass me by, and take any of these tunnels you wish, but great pain and suffering awaits you. All I ask is that you tell me which passage you wish to travel down, and I will ask you a riddle. Guess the answer correctly, and you can pass down the passage unharmed, guess incorrectly, and your pain shall be great. Although know that it is not I that causes this pain, but my captor."

OOC:

More details in my OOC post upcoming shortly....

[A'den]

Wil looked at the creature before him perplexed his thumb on his right hand twitched a bit as he gazed on the skulls it sat. He immediately began to scan the walls, ceiling, and the watery floor they stood looking for some indication of the threats the creature mentioned. It's voice frightened him a bit and its face, whatever it was just looked wrong. Woman's faces were for kissing and admiring not for dressing on some monster that looked like an eagle and lion mishmash.

"I don't know guys jokes are more my thing, than riddles."

Search The Area for Traps: [roll0]
Spot [roll1]
Listen [roll2]

[mootoall]

"Well I just love a good riddle! I'm willing to hear as soon as we've decided where to go. Assuming you don't have any recommendations, I see no reason not to head just right past you!" He doesn't seem perturbed at all by the creature's warnings.

[FyreByrd]

@A'den
You search doesn't reveal anything


"No direction is safe." the beast growls, staring at Gregory. "But if you wish to travel north, then answer me this...

The rungs of a 10 foot ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water is rising at the rate of one foot an hour, how long will it take until the water covers over the ladder?

...Answer and the way will be made safe."


ooc:

OK so all I need is for someone IC to make a guess at the riddle...I will only take the first answer so feel free to take time OOC to discuss your answer.

I know it's obvious but please do not resort to google...it's not that hard a riddle...this time.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor's mind whirls about, mulling over the many tales, songs, stories, and riddles at his disposal. Finally he recalls a fireside chat with a traveling minstrel, who had happened to ask a very similar question. Aenor slowly steps forward and bows to the creature. He nods to his new companions. He keeps his sword lightly rested on his shoulder, but makes no hostile motions and his tone is calm. "Remind me to ask you about your master before we pass, ma'am. However, I believe that I know the answer. This is an old riddle, and a good one. The water will never cover the ladder, as it is attached to a ship. As the water rises, so does the ship, and it will take the ladder with it." He smiles lightly and nods to the creature to indicate that he is finished.

Diplomacy: [roll0]

Bardic Knowledge (about the creature): [roll1]

[FyreByrd]

The beast re-focuses on the talkative one, "Pass to the North, and see for yourself if your answer is correct. Do not take any other passage until you have spoke to me again. Go now, meet your fate." she pauses, then speaks again, "And as for my master, prove to me your worth, return here with one of the fabled blades and I shall speak of him to you."

The beast sinks her head back to her chest.

@Ragged:

You realise that the Beast is a gynosphinx, and you recall a large amount about it...


Gynosphinx: Large Magical Beast; CR 8; AC 21; HD
8d10+8; hp 52; Init +5; Spd 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor); Atk 2 claws
+11 (1d6+4); Face/Reach 5x10 ft./5 ft.; SA Pounce, rake
1d6+2, spell-like abilities; AL N; SV Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +8; Str
19, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 19.
Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Intimidate +13, Listen
+17, Spot +17; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Casting, Flyby
Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will.

[Ella]

"Your name?" Kirce asks softly, calling out towards the creature. "Would you tell us it, if we are to speak to you again I would prefer not insult you."

In her left hand she still held firm on the magic staff taken from the elf, her uncertainty about the safety of elven magical implements lending a tone of nervousness to her voice.

[FyreByrd]

The beast stares at Kirce, but refuses to speak more.

ooc @ Ella:

Don't you think someone should find out what that staff actually does at some point? :smallamused:

[mootoall]

"Come come come, we have much to do besides talk to gynosphynxes or other planar creatures. We'll return with the sword, and see if she'll talk then!"

He excitedly scampers on, splashing through the fetid water, glad that they had, seemingly, succeeded in their first challenge. He still keeps a sharp eye out for any possible traps.

Search! [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

Gregory moves on ahead, around the beast, and into the northern corridor. After the slightly wider intersection, it once more narrows back down to 10ftx10ft.

The passage stretches to the north, around 25 feet north of the intersection there appears to be a small 10ft square room just to the east of the passage. Fifty feet north of the intersection, the passage appears to open out into a wider room. The water here, is even scummier, and more disgusting than before, and you cannot see through it.

[Niezck]

Unfazed by the presence of the Gynosphinx, Uran continues onward atop Vantikk, sword still poised to strike.

"Onward my friends."

[Ella]

Glaring at the Gynosphinx, Kirce continues after her companions, moving northwards. Upon catching up with Gregory she pauses, standing beside and behind him, to ensure that any terrible traps would not be triggered by her first.

"If you can get me safe and sound to that there water, I might be able to tell you anything you need to know about it, whether its safe, or wet or full of hippos." she says generally to her companions, informing them of her vast knowledge of stagnant water.

[mootoall]

"Well, I don't trust nothing I can't see ... and that includes this floor!" He snaps his fingers once again, and his guisarme seems to grow from his glove. "If you'd like, you c'n go ahead and poke around with this. Though if you want me to do it, I sure won't refuse!"

[Ella]

"You just go right ahead child." Kirce responds to Gregory. She lifts her head and begins to sniff the air, looking for the scent of still water, algae and all that she loved most in nature.

"If you are worried about the floor, I got a broom you can borrow."


Knowledge (Nature) [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

You find out nothing about the water that you didn't already know.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor nods the sphinx and moves past it without hesitation. "Thank you, noble sphinx. I look forward to the conversation that we will have when I return here with the blades in tow." He smiles as a thought occurs to him. "Perhaps we can exchange riddles. It isn't often a bard gets the chance to converse with a sphinx."

He comes up beside the others, conversing over the murky, mysterious water. He stares out at the water for a moment, and then snaps his fingers. "I'd rather you not get ambushed, my trapfinding friend, so I propose we utilized the help of a little spell I learned a while back. It's fairly limited, but it is very useful for signaling on the battlefield. It should serve to observe the water." He sings a few quiet notes, and the sound hands in the air for a moment as his fingers work through a short motion. Four bright, glowing orbs appear before him, gently drifting through the air. With a nod from Aenor they form a perfect square, two and half feet on each side. They begin to spin, and then drop down into the water. They begin to rapidly mix with eachother, brightly gleaming even underwater.

The lights begin to very quickly move through the water, searching back and forth. Aenor explains thier purpose to the others. "These little lights are as bright as a torch and move as fast as I do at a dead run, and I can move them about a hundred and forty feet away before they wink out. They can't pass through solid objects, so anything that they don't light up will still stop them, which we'll be able to see." He lets the lights totally search the first small room before motioning the factotum on. "It only lasts a minute, and my spellcastin is limited, so we should hurry past this water."

It's not what you have, it's how you use it.

[mootoall]

Gregory looks delighted at the dancing lights. "Ooooooh, how splendid! Yes, yes, let us continue! I do love magic oh so much!" He keeps his guisarme's blade underwater, tapping the ground before him, feeling for uneven ground while watching the stone floor before him.

Going to go as far ahead as I can in half a minute while searching, then come back in the other half, searching back, too. Far too many search checks, so I'll just have that count as taking ten, alright?

[FyreByrd]

Gregory moves north around twenty-five feet, searching all the time, then just as he reaches the alcove, he turns and walks back, finding absolutley nothing at all.

[mootoall]

"Aye, nothing to see by the light as of yet. We'd best continue with caution though."

Unless anyone objects, he continues, tapping with his guisarme the whole way. If it touches anything, he stops.

[Ella]

"I see..." Kirce mutters, almost disappointed by the waters promise of doom and destruction, and then its failure to fulfill its part of the bargain. Her long experience as a swamp witch had given her serious expectations.

With one hand clutching the magic staff, and the other her broom Kirce follows along behind the others.

[FyreByrd]

As Gregory continues on, he pokes his guisarme into the little alcove, but it goes a lot further than he thinks, the balls of light, flow into the area and reveal a pit of indeterminate depth. You cannot see to the bottom too well, even with the lights, however you do see a glint of something in the depths.

ooc:
You'll need a seperate search check to find out what it is, and it will also require you to submerg in the scummy water.

[Ella]

Kirce reaches over her shoulder to slip the magic staff into the strapping along her broom, securing it firmly, before stepping forwards to Gregory's side, her hands empty palms facing outwards, she begins to mutter loudly.

"In the murk and mud/ dark and still water seems serene/ vicious claws unseen" a phrase of nonsense, swamp witch babble that allowed her to change her form to one more suitable for wading through the thick and fragrant waters. Her skin now scaled and green, her mouth broad and full of sharp teeth for tearing, she is prepared.

"I wonder what you found child?" she growls to Gregory before submerging her head to try to see more clearly.


Search: [roll0] (+2 is from a racial bonus for bog imps)

[FyreByrd]

As Kirce submerges herself if takes her a little while to ascertain her surroundings , but eventually she sees what was glimmering. Swimming swiftly down she realises that there is a skeleton at the bottom of the pit, around the skeleton's neck is a necklace.

[Ella]

Kirce reaches for the skeleteon, grabbing for its shoulders to lift the whole thing to the surface, hoping the bones would stick together, so that she would be able to get the necklace to the surface, give the paladin another corpse to bury, and personally avoid touching what seemed to her what was likely to be a cursed necklace.

Upon grabbing onto the shoulders, she begins to heave the skeleton upto the surface.

[FyreByrd]

Kirce easily drags the skeleton up and out of the pit of water, laying it down in the foot deep water near the rest of the party. Even to the casual eye the skeleton is obviously that of a dwarf.

[Ella]

Kirce waves her claw to her companions, to call them to both herself and the skeleton. "Gregory found a dwarf!" she calls out "skeleton anyway, amazing that the little blighter wasn't sunk down in armour isn't it."

She turns her attention to the necklace around its neck, muttering the curselet for detection of magic upon it.


Detect magic cast on the necklace, and then probably wait for others to catch up unless its explosive or something.

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

There is nothing magical about the necklace

[A'den]

Wil strolls along with the party occasionally checking their rear as the others continue the search forward he spends more time watching that then whats going on. Some cave creatures were devious for taking a man from behind. At the mention of the dwarf carcass and the jewels he turns around and takes a gander.


While Looking to the Rear
Spot [roll0]
Listen [roll1]
Appraise on the Necklace: [roll2]

[mootoall]

"Hmm, I've a habit for finding bodies, I see. Maybe I should make it a job of mine! Wonder what killed this one. Doubt we'll find out, the body's too old. I'm surprised the necklace is in such good condition ..."

It's clear that Gregory's babbling because he's uncomfortable with all the dead folk. He reaches down and removes the necklace from the body, slipping it carefully over the dwarf's head so as not to dislodge it. If it's a locket, he searches for traps, then opens it.

[roll0]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor directs his little lights to illuminate as much of the room and the passageway beyond before their magic expires. When it does he takes his everburning torch and brings it closer to the locket, in an attempt to see if he can recall anything of significance about it.

Bardic Knowledge: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@A'den

You realise that it's a gold necklace with a Large black pearl in the middle of it. It is worth approxiamtely 500gp




@Everyone else

It is obviously just a simple necklace, with no opening mechanism, or nothing particularly noteworthy about it

[Niezck]

Remaining a silent guardian throughout, Uran dismounts at the mention of the dwarf body.

"Once more with your sacrilege ... Can you not leave a body in peace without first looting it of all possessions?"

Once the others have completed their sacrilegious acts of plundering the body, he takes it to one side and utters a quiet prayer before returning it to the water.

"After all that, the necklace is a worthless trinket too. Bah. I yearn for the times of crusade ... standing side-by-side with warriors of honour and integrity ... Bah."

He drifts off into a daydream, snapping back into reality a moment later as he re-mounts.

[FyreByrd]

The skeleton of the long dead dwarf slides back into the deep, scummy water of the pit, passing out of sight, as you stand and watch.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor glances at the gnome, comtemplative. He speaks quietly after a moment. "I understand how you feel. I apologize again for my behavior at the inn, paladin. I would also like to know..." He sighs as he watches the body sink, and he runs his fingers through his hair. The motion is too smooth to be anything but a habit or a nervous tic.

"I've always been dragonmarked, Ugan, but I've never had any connection to anything draconic. I have my songs and my magic, but they're a tenuous connection at best. I would just like to know if, when we next find a place to rest, you would speak to me about the great Platinum Dragon."

[Niezck]

Seemingly cheered up by this revelation, Uran's voice shifts to a new high as he quickly replies to Aenor, clearly excited.

"Of course! I'd be glad to teach you anything you wished to know about our lord Bahamut and his children! I realise I have been quite lucky to be blessed in the way I have, chosen by Bahamut as he has seen fit. As such, I am more than happy to share his love and respect with any who ask!"

[A'den]

"Worth a little more than just a trinket."

Wil mumbles to himself as he slides the trinket out the others' hand takes a look at for himself.

Sleight of Hand: To pocket the necklace without anyone else noticing: [roll0]


"Perhaps we should continue on?"

[mootoall]

"Hmmph, if this place is nearly as dangerous as it's been mucked up to be, we need all of the information we can get. Think of it this way: They couldn't retrieve the swords, but by bringing some of their treasured possessions, and using them to help us, it is as if all who tried are now succeeding." Passing on this bit of "wisdom," an excuse that a corrupt cleric of Moradin had once given him, he continues on the way, ready to conquer the dungeon. "I think that's a good indication we got the riddle, too. The dwarf probably didn't."

As he passes by Wil, he whispers "Now if you keep that for yourself, I'll be demanding some repayment."

Gonna try to Spot that sleight of hand. Will be editing if I succeed :smalltongue:[roll0]. Adding an Inspiration Point, because I wanna be able to spot it.

[A'den]

Wil grunted as the other man brushed up against. Dumping the necklace down his sleeve into the belt pouch at his waist had been a little sloppy he looked at the other man and blinked once before flashing him a smile and resuming his rear guard. He faded back into the shadows.

Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently: [roll1]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor nods to the other and lifts his torch, gesturing down the hallway. "Unless anyone else has reason to pause, I suggest that we continue down this hallway. I, personally, cannot wait to find an end to all of this water and muck, though I bet that our dear witch here is quite fond of it." He winks at her, and then begins walking forward. "Remember to mind the drop-off, now."

[mootoall]

Gregory continues on, poking the ground in front of him with his polearm. "I do hope we'll leave this muck behind! I'll catch cold from all this wet." He winks at the others, hoping they'll understand the irony of his joke. Search: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

The hallway opens into a large chamber, the water still sloshing around your feet. Probably approxiamtely 70 feet wide, and 60 feet long. On the opposite side, a flight of wide stairs leads up out of the water and out through an arched opening. On the east wall is a closed door.

As you approach the chamber, a hideous malformed woman climbs out of the water, and cackles at you.


Saves vs Horrific Appearance:

Uran: [roll0]
Aenor: [roll1]
Kirce: [roll2]
Gregory: [roll3]
Will: [roll4]


You luckly lot you all made your saves....just!



ooc:

See OOC thread for map + init etc etc



It is Will's Turn

[A'den]

Wil crouched behind the knight as he drew his shortbow and knocked an arrow from this range it wouldn't have the impact of some of his other attacks but he made sure to keep the knight up front for now. He aimed at the hideous creature, silently he drew the arrow back to his ear. His strength showed as his biceps and triceps flexed; his bow was obviously designed for a man with a strong arm with it's double re curve.

With a silent curse for the old bitch and he let the arrow fly before any of his companions had a chance to react. He chose an arrow that aught to add an extra sting if she any relationship of Kirce's kin. He didn't smile though lest the whites of his teeth give the Hag a chance to see him.


Stay Hidden Behind the Knight
Swift Action: Draw Shortbow
Standard Action: Attack Hag(K4): -2 1 Range Increment Higher Than 60':[roll0]
Hit: [roll1] (Cold Iron Arrow) (Piercing)

[FyreByrd]

The ugly beast squeals in pain as the arrow slams into her shoulder.

It is Uran's Turn

[Niezck]

Keeping his sword at the ready, Uran looks back at the group, his face expressionless and his voice emotionless.

"My friends, I fear I cannot in all good conscience fight this woman with lethal force until a sufficient reason is given. Her merely blocking our paths is no such reason."

[mootoall]

Gregory spits at his feet, and says "Sea hag. Quite evil. She'd not hesitate to eat us, I'll assure you. And keep your eyes averted as much as possible."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor nods with assent. "You can feel that chill just as well as I can, Uran. It's coming from her, and it's certainly not her aura of joy and good. Trust your instincts, friend." Aenor grins fiercely, and the light of his torch glints off of his eyes. "It's the draconic thing to do. Now let's hit her now and hit her hard, and remember that your strikes will land with greater power once I start singing." With that he closes his eyes and seems to prepare to act.

No actual actions, just chatting, and preparing for his upcoming turn.

[Niezck]

Nodding at his allies words, Uran gently presses his knees into Vantikk, signalling the charge. Raising his greatswird high in the air, the duo charge forwards with a fury unlike anything but a dragon itself.

As the arcane knight smashes into the hag, his sword glows even more than it usually does, signalling his use of a holy smite.

[FyreByrd]

ooc:

I feel like such a horrible person...especially after those amazing rolls of yours but....

Vantik charges forward, the ferocious badger ready for the kill, with his gnomish warrior riding in style upon him. The badger charges ten feet forward, but as he continues, he finds the floor disappear beneath his feet, tumbling forward into deeper water, both he and Uran struggle to keep their head above the water (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10959464&postcount=2).

Uran flails momentarily but cannot stop himself sinking to the bottom of the deeper section of water, around fifteen feet down. As he sinks he sees the A vile creature resembling a large insect or monstrous crustacean rising out a few feet away, its pincerlike claws snapping madly. A thick coat of slime glistens over its translucent carapace and drips from the dozen or more tentacles dangling from its mouth. It's claws lash out at Uran.


AOO:
Claw [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]



However for a moment a pair of translucent dragon wings shape themselves around the gnome, protecting him from the claws of the beast.

Uran casts wings of cover.


Vantik fared slightly better, as his powerful limbs enabled him to stay afloat.

OOC:

Updated Map, and Init table (taking into account the new beastie) in OOC shortly. Bear in mind that only Uran is aware of the new beastie - he gains total concealment from the water currently.



It is Aenor's Turn

[RaggedAngel]

A cold, clear wind whips up around Aenor, and the water around him is pushed away slightly. He drops his everburning torch and takes up his gleaming sword in both hands. "You're a coward, hag, placing a pit before you. I will admit, you have ruined any attempt to charge and attack you."

Aenor's eyes flash with a cold blue light, and he rises up out of the water, hovering above it's surface. "Ruined, that is, if it weren't for the blood of a dragon flowing through my veins. I did not want to use this power before I had to, but my friend is drowning. Caution can wait." There is a pause, and then Aenor rockets forward, the water beneath him spraying up around him. He crosses the room in seconds, entirely ignoring the lurking water below. He raises his blade as he charges forward, and he brings it down on the hag with tremendous power and focus.

He casts Swift Fly, and then uses Battle Leader's Charge.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

EDIT- For... for TEN MINUTES I chanted "Anything but a 1!" TEN bloody minutes! Gaaaaaahahrharhha.

[FyreByrd]

Aenor's blade whips through the air, but mysteriously instead of striking the sea hag, it misses completely, and plunges into the water.

Unbeknownst to most of you the monster under the waves, attacks Uran with his mighty claws, attempting to grab the gnome.


Full Attack
Claw 1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Claw 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

If Either of the attacks hits:

Grapple Time(using Improved Grab(Free action no AOO):

Beast Touch Attack: [roll4]

if hits:

Opposed Grapple Check:
Beast:[roll5]
Uran:[roll6]







Both the beasts strikes with it's claws hit, and it grabs hold of Uran in a cruel vice like grip.

ooc:

20 Damage and Uran is grappled.

Map update in ooc.





It is Gregory's Turn

[mootoall]

Hmm. Wonder where the badger warrior's gone ... Gregory gingerly paces through the water, and says to the swimming badger "Mayhaps you want to go check on your master?" He shrugs, as he doesn't know if the badger understands him, and absentmindedly sends a buzzing ray at the sea hag. "Really, he's taking an awful long time." Moving to the square right behind where Uran disappeared, then casting Sting Ray. Vs Touch [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

The ray buzzes past the Sea Hag's head, barely missing her.

The Hag obviously not comfortable with the closeness of the airbourne bard, moves away, walking about 20 feet west, before diving into deeper water, and swimming another ten feet away, next to the large door that is half submerged on the east side of the room.


Withdraw action no AOO



It is Kirce's Turn

[Ella]

Realising that the hag was looking to make an escape, and that it was a great threat to herself and her companions, Kirce swims forwards, digging into the thick water with her scaled big imp hands.

Unable to reach the Hag herself, she instead focuses her mind on the water, hoping that beneath her feet plants would respond to her call, as she sent a curse of entanglement flying towards the fleeing monster.


Movement Swim.
Move to M,13.
Use Entangle SLA on Sea Hag. (DC 16) (I think spell level + casting attribute right, for the SLA she gets instead of a familiar.)

[FyreByrd]

Kirce paddles through the shallow water quicker than her companions can wade through it. When she stops she realises that there is a ledge directly in front of her, and that north of her position, the water seems a lot deeper.


Ref Save:

[roll0]


As Kirce casts her spell, all the algae, and other various disgusting amounts of plant-life seem to grow around the hag, she struggles with them for a moment, before she is forced into submission by the plant-life.

@Ella

I can't remember what(if anything) we said save DC's were based on for your SLA's but I think caster Level +Caster primary stat is fine.



Seconds Out Round 2: It is Wil's Turn

[A'den]

Wil watched the little knight disappear under the water as he blatantly charged forward his mirth though cut off as the gnome failed to resurface. That wasn't good. He took a few careful steps forward and knocked another arrow in his bow. The ugly wretch bobbing in the water inspired his ire and Wil raised the bow drawing the bow string to his ear. A silent grimace formed on his face as he loosed another arrow at the hag.


Move to K14
Standard: Attack with Bow at Sea Hag:
Attack [roll0] (-2 for Range, Not sure if she has Cover) Hit: [roll1](Mundane Arrow)

[Niezck]

Vantikk, seeing his master fall below, desperately dives in an attempt to rescue the gnome.

Meanwhile, beneath the depths, Uran releases a torrent of electricity toward the beast, showing his draconic power.


Not sure how you want to handle the Vantikk thing. Perhaps he can grapple me and try to pull me out or something? I dunno. Plan so far is just for him to come down next to me and try to help me out with his awesome natural 20 on his swim check.

Using electricity breath weapon, 35ft cone DC 17 reflex for half, [roll0] damage, useable again in [roll1] rounds.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor notes the faint flash of light from underneath the scummy water, but other than that he can tell nothing of what has happened to his new ally. As the filthy vines grow and writhe around the hag, he readies himself for another charge. Before he lunges at the horrible beast, however, he closes his eyes, and the air around him pulses with a cold, pale light.

Aenor begins to sing. The sound of his voice is cold and clear and perfect, and draconic syllables flow from him with a smooth clarity that would seem impossible to achieve with the rough and sharp words. He sings a song of power and of ice, of piercing winds and mighty power. As he does, cold wind whips thorugh the chamber and through the hearts of every ally inside of it. Every arrow nocked and blade drawn hums with blazing power, and even beneath the waves the tinges of Aenor's dragonsong trickled down to the paladin's ears.

Aenor charges the foul hag once more, his blade blazing with cold, clear light, and the water beneath his feet seeming to still itself in his wake. He collides with the beast with a sickening crunch and a blaze of draconic power.

Dragonfire Inspiration as a swift action, then a charge attack. Because he's a Silverbrow human, and therefore has a default Silver Dragon lineage, it's ice damage. Right now it's just an additional 2d6 to every damage roll, but he can improve on that.

Charge Attack: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] Ice damage

[FyreByrd]

Uber update coming up....

ooc:

Firstly a clarification sponsored by our friends at d20SRD


Characters swimming, floating, or treading water on the surface, or wading in water at least chest deep, have improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves) from opponents on land.







Wil's arrow misses the hag completely even though the beast cannot move.

As Vantik swims down, and does incredibly underwater acrobatics, the beast lets go of Uran, to try and grab the performing badger. At that same moment Uran lets forth his breath of electricity, striking the creature heavily.


The nat 20, plus a failed reflex save on the breath weapon causes the beast to let go of Uran - you are no longer grappled (at least, not until the beasts next turn :) )



The combination of Aenor's song, and charge, seems to freeze the cold laughter of the Hag at it's source. As the blade strikes the ugly beast, she seems to almost disappear into a red mist, dying instantly.

ooc:

Will double post for beast's turn

[FyreByrd]

The monster transfers it's ire onto the badger that's swimming cartwheels around it, striking out at it with it's claws.




Full Attack
Claw 1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Claw 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

If Either of the attacks hits:



Grapple Time(using Improved Grab(Free action no AOO):

Beast Touch Attack: [roll4]

if hits:

Opposed Grapple Check:
Beast:[roll5]
Vantik:[roll6]


THe second claw attack hits doing 13 damage to Vantik....the touch attack (just) hits, and the beast (just) wins the opposed grapple check so Vantik is grappled.




ooc:

Map etc update in ooc shortly


It is Gregory's Turn

[mootoall]

"Uran? Uh ... do you want to come up?" Gregory calls down to the warrior, seeing as how the hag was dead. Seeing a shock of electricity and the badger dive down, Gregory decides to check out what exactly was going on down there. "Well ... Tallyho, then!" He dives into the deep water, to see what he can see. Move: Dive into the water! Swim check if necessary: [roll0](that's 2 Str, 5 Int and 7 IP). Standard action in next post!

[mootoall]

Cnt'd post because of phone character limit Gregory, seeing the beast under water, mouths the words "Uh oh," and then strikes out with his polearm, reaching around the creature's back leg and trying to pull it out from under it. Standard: Attack with trip attempt. [roll0] Vs. Touch AC (no Dex bonus 'cause of grapple mind you), Opposed trip check [roll1] Free attack for trip: [roll2][roll3] + [roll4] cold damage.

[FyreByrd]

Gregory's Guisarme rips into the beast, spraying some of it's thick viscous blood into the water.

It is Kirce's Turn


ooc @ Moot:

I've been nice to you, without a clue as to where you wanted to be placed, and with your comment about back legs I could have taken an AoO, but instead I've put you in a nice position, after disallowing underwater trips :)

[Ella]

Kirce pauses for a moment, unsure of herself, a feeling she felt rarely enough but would never be able to admit to.

So she swims forwards, in the same direction the hag had gone, its death making it clear to her that in combat if there was a place to be it was right near Aenor, slayer of sea hags. She ducks below the water, to look for any further threats or hopefully, more treasure.


Move to M,7
Spot [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@Kirce

You see the monster, under the surface, grappling the badger, and being attacked by your comrades.

You also notice, close to the monster(K,9) a hole in the floor.



It is Will's Turn

[A'den]

Wil takes a look around to see if he spot the underwater threat or see if any new threat was creeping in from the doors forward or way back, he knocks another arrow.


Spot & Listen
[roll0] [roll1]

Ready Action: Fire an Arrow at the first creature to surface that is not a member of the party or obviously harmless.

[FyreByrd]

While Wil doesn't see, or hear anything at the moment, he stands ready in case the situation changes

It is Uran's Turn

[Niezck]

Seeing his lightning breath have less than the intended effect, Uran lifts his greatsword as best he can underwater, swinging wildly at the beast as he smites it.

Faint noises can be heard by those underwater, but nothing distinguishable as speech.


[roll0] Hit
[roll1] Crit Confirm
[roll2] Damage

Smite is +5/+7, so remove as appropriate if not evil.

Vantikk, seeing his master fighting valiantly to free him, squirms and pulls away from the beast, managing to break free of its grasp given the distraction Uran is providing.


Opposed grapple was rolled in the OOC and Vantikk won I think. He's then going to try to swim back to the surface if possible, probably taking an AoO as he does so. [roll3]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor lets his song fade, as there are no more visable enemies, and it will not function underwater. He runs towards the water, and as he does he turns to will, letting out a shout before he hits the deeper pool. "I don't know how to swim, so I'm going to need help getting out!" His armor catches the light of his dropped torch, and then he plunges into the murky water.

Aenor hits the water hard, and sinks like a moderately-sized stone. As he does, he prepares his mind and his martial focus for a surge of energy, a powerful technique that he learned just a few weeks before his legion was disbanded. He had never before been able to use it in combat, but when he caught a glimpse of a draconic gnome beneath the water, he felt his instincts guide his body. A surge of focus swiftly leaves him, and flows into Uran with a sharp shock of focus and potential.

Run action into the water, with a jump at the end to get him within 10 feet of Uran.

Jump: [roll0]

White Raven Tactics on Uran. His initiative count is now Aenor's -1, meaning that he now takes a new turn.

[FyreByrd]

ooc:

As (in my head at least) Uran acts before the Vantik, that means that the beast is still grappled when Uran attacks (which means that Uran hits, where otherwise he would have missed), then vantik breaks free...This will be consistant, that on Uran's turn, Uran will ALWAYS act first, and then Vantik

Until I forget at least :)


Uran's blade rips into the creature, which makes a plaintive wailing noise, that sounds strange underwater. As the blade penetrates deep, Vantik manages to wriggle his way free, and powers to the surface, but as he does so the creature lashes out with a claw.

AoO:

attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]


But the beast misses the agile Badger.

Aenor's jump lands him in the water close enough to Uran, but also too close to the beast, and he also takes a claw to the face.

AoO:

attack:[roll2]
Damage:[roll3]


Which tears a cut into the handsome bard.



ooc:

Map etc update incoming....

Beast takes another 17 damage
AoO on Vantik misses
AoO on Aenor hits.


It is Uran's Turn (again!)

[Niezck]

Invigorated by the surge of power emanating from Aenor and encouraged by his previous success, Uran concentrates on his blade for a moment, summoning draconic fire from deep within him in the hope of enflaming his blade. He manages to set the blade alight but fails to maintain it in the watery atmosphere, it sizzling out almost immediately.

Regardless, he swings at his foe once more and this time shouting a bit more audibly, rather than the muffled bubbles of earlier.

Draconic:

"Die fiend!"


Swift: Blade of Fire which fails.
Standard: Attack - [roll0] for [roll1]

[FyreByrd]

Uran's blade digs in deep to the creature's carapace, and he senses that the beast is now heavily injured.

Those on the surface see a large amount of bubbles on the surface of the scummy water.

The beast, enraged by the damage done to it, lashes out wildly at it's tormentor Uran.


Full attack:

Claw 1:[roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Claw 2:[roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

No attempted grapple this round.



ooc:

I believe that's two hits to Uran damage dealt:24


It is Gregory's Turn

[Niezck]

Once more a pair of draconic wings appear between the beast and Uran, absorbing the first of the claw blows before dissipating.


Wings of Cover as an immediate action for the first attack.

[FyreByrd]

@Niezck:

Acknowledged! Just take the damage from the second

[mootoall]

Gregory waves at Aenor as he dives in the water, then stabs at the beast's hide, ready to finish this fight. [roll0] [roll1] cold damage [roll]2d4+11[roll] damage, spending my last inspiration point!

[FyreByrd]

Gregory's strike misses the beast by a mile, the strange environment of the water throwing off his aim.

It is Kirce's Turn

[mootoall]

Hmm, that sucks about the attack roll, but just in case it did hit, let's fix damage: [roll0]

[Ella]

Kirce takes a deep breath, and swims along the bottom of the chamber, feeling along it with her scaled hands, before reaching the hole in the floor. She gazes at it carefully, searching for any detail that might reveal what a hole in such a position might be used for.

They ehn't missing my combat skills, I don't think. she thinks to herself, as she investigates.


Spot: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

As you swim close to the hole you see that it descends approx 10 feet then opens out into a larger water filled room. You just make out a glint in the larger room, but you could be mistaken.

ooc:
If you choose to swim down into the hole you WILL provoke an AoO



IT is Wil's Turn

[A'den]

Wil looked around again but he was unwilling to dive under the water with the others, somebody had to keep their eye sight clean from what he remembered Kirce saying. He put his back to the wall just left of the entrance and kept an eye for any trouble.


Spot: [roll0]
Listen : [roll1]
Hide: [roll2]
Move Silently: [roll3]

[FyreByrd]

Wil hears, a few muffled noises from the water, but otherwise, isn't aware of anything.

It is Uran's Turn

[Niezck]

Sheating his blade in flames once more, Uran swings at the beast wildly, hoping to finally fell the creature.


Blade of Flame CL Check - [roll0]

[roll1] Attack
[roll2] Crit
[roll3] Damage
[roll4] Fire Damage if appropriate

[FyreByrd]

Uran's blade slides off the creatures tough slimy carapace, wounding it, not at all.

It is Aenor's Turn

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor focuses on holding his breath from the disgusting water, and he peers through the water to the monster that just struck him. It would seem that his new friend was having some trouble killing the beast, and it had indeed struck Aenor hard enough to worry him. Thankfully, if it tried to attack him again he had a still-readied technique prepared to blunt the blow. With that in mind, Aenor unleashed a flurry of powerful blows with his greatsword.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1] + [roll2] Cold

Attack 2: [roll3]
Damage 2: [roll4] + [roll5] Cold

If it attacks him, he'll use his Wall of Blades to block the blow.
Opposed attack roll:
[roll6]

[FyreByrd]

Aenor's greatsword slashes deep cuts into the beast, and even it's powerful anatomy can no longer stand the damage that is being inflicted, it shudders massively and seems to be very very weak.

It attempts to move away from you all to the east.

ooc:

Beastie is at EXACTLY 0 HP, so is Disabled, attempting a move action

Aenor, Uran, Gregory all get AoO....finish it off!



It is Gregory's Turn (after AoO's have been taken either IC/OOC)

[mootoall]

Gregory cuts at the retreating beast and swims hastily up to the surface. Taking a big gulp of air, he sloshes over to shallower water and sits himself down. "Oh, dear, I *do* hope that water isn't as awful as before ..." He removes some herbs he had stored away in a pouch, shook off the water on it, and swallowed it. See AoO in the OOC. Swim: [roll0] Heal check [roll1] Not sure about that mod, but it should be right if I add an IP.

[FyreByrd]

The beast shudders, and dies...floating belly up on the surface of the water.

ooc:

OK as said in OOC, you're out of combat so feel free to post as and when...congratulations you all survived your first combat!

Oh and moot, as usual your guesses at modifiers are comedic, by your sheet you have a +9 to swim, and a +2 to heal

but don't worry I'll just adjust them for you :smallbiggrin:



Repost of Initial Room Description for you:
The hallway opens into a large chamber, the water still sloshing around your feet. Probably approxiamtely 70 feet wide, and 60 feet long. On the opposite side, a flight of wide stairs leads up out of the water and out through an arched opening. On the east wall is a closed door.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor kicks up out of the water as quickly as he can, keeping one hand on his sword but otherwise swimming with all his strength. Just before he reaches the surface, he closes his eyes as tightly as he can. As he bursts past the scummy surface of the water, he throws his silver hair back, and shouts a few nonsensical words in a strange tongue. Immediately, the water and scum on his face fly off back into the pool, leaving his head totally dry. He lets out a sigh of relief. "Great Platinum Dragon, I was worried about any diseases lurking in that murky filth. I would hate to end up like our elven friend at the entrance. If anyone wants me to dry them off, my prestidigitations should last about an hour."

Aenor calmly swims over to the edge of the deeper pool and climbs out. Once he's out of the water he spends a few moments focusing his minor encantation, totally cleaning his gear and expunging it of all the filthy, brackish water. He pays close attention to his blade, ensuring that both it and it's sheath are totally dry before putting it away. He then takes up his everburning torch, which had sat waiting patiently in the murk at the beginning of the room. Aenor then heads to the edge of the room, attempting to find a way around the large pool.

Taking 10 on the swim check (calm water) and using a full-round action to move to the surface. Next turn, Aenor casts Prestidigitation, and begins clearing all the water off of him, face first, then down. After he totally clears his face of any water or scum he swims to the side of the deeper pool, again taking 10 for a 12. One he has reached the side he'll climb out and spend a few rounds totally drying himself.

[Niezck]

Rising to the surface, Uran has no need to breathe, though he does look pretty badly wounded. Petting Vantikk, he whispers in the badger's ear and the pair head toward the safety of solid ground.

Draconic:

"Hush, you did well my friend. Do not worry, it was underwater, I know how you feel. Come now."

Unworried by the seemingly diseased water, Uran and Vantikk make minimal effort to clean themselves. They ensure that Uran's sword and sheath are clean to prevent damage but otherwise simply wipe away anything that's causing them obvious annoyance.

"Do we have any kind of medic or anyone who's trained in the healing arts? I have minor amounts, but not enough for both Vantikk and myself."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor nods as he walks over to Uran; as he approaches within ten feet or so, the muck and mire begins to abruptly remove itself from Uran's armor. Aenor peers down into the murk, trying to spot the witch with little success. "Yes, I believe Kirce mentioned some healing talent, though I may be mistaken. If I am, then I do have the power to restore a bit of damage with magic, but I'm sorry to say that my healing power is not very impressive. As best as I can tell I can only work up a healing surge like that about three or maybe four times a day; one I started focusing on my martial prowess my magic fell by the wayside, I'm sorry to say."

[mootoall]

"Ooh! I once met a cleric who taught me something about it. You just close your eyes, focus really hard on something pure, and ..." A bright flash of light sparks from his hand and imbues itself in Uran, stitching his wounds. Since the encounter's over, gonna spend an IP on ... that Factotum class feature that lets you heal. Damn I need to get mobile books.

[FyreByrd]

ooc:

You mean Opportunistic Piety? :smallbiggrin:

Uran will heal 2*Factotum Level(7)+int bonus(5)

2*12=24

[Niezck]

Sighing in relief, Uran claps Gregory on the back, having to reach up a little to do so.

"Thank you friend, that will suffice for now. I'd advise we rest relatively soon however, we could just about stand another fight like that but nothing more."

As he says the last part he looks down at Vantikk who nods in agreement.


Uran's on 59/66 HP, Vantikk's on 45/58.

Uran's used 2/5 level 2 spells and 2/8 level 1 spells. Still got plenty left, but another fight like that and he'll be done for the day.

Also used one of my two smites for the day.

[mootoall]

"Ahaha, I could go all day! But if you're tired we'll rest, old sport. After all, I didn't expect to fight two such powerful creepers this early in the morning!"

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor grins and gestures, and the air around him brightens with the smell of fresh crushed pine needles. The muck and water on each of the men continues to remove itself carefully, and their clothes and armor are soon both clean and dry. "There we go. I have to say, Prestidigitation may be the most useful spell in the world. The wizards can keep their Wishes; I've yet to find a spell that keeps my gear as clean and ready for action as a good cantrip." He nods to Uran with a smile. "I may be a bit... free-spirited sometimes, but I know the value of fastidiously maintained gear and general carefulness when it comes to one's weapon and armor." His face then becomes a bit more serious. "I hope you're all right, and I'm sorry that it took me so long to follow you down there. I had to clean up the hag." He gestures to its shattered corpse, laying in the water. "I succeeded without injury. Now, then, where is our witch friend? I believe I recall her jumping in with us, but she is yet to surface."

[Ella]

Kirce surfaces from the murky water, just above the hole in the floor, calling out to her companions, only to realise that the threats were utterly neutralised, their blood spilling into the water.

"There is a hole in the floor here!" she called out to them, feeling the effect of her changed shape start to fade, the scales melting back into skin, her sharp claws returning to fingernails, and her mouth reshape to its usual shape.

"I'm sorry I missed the healing, but, imagine a hole in the floor, under the water. Its going to be treasure isn't it?" she called out even louder hoping that treasure would appeal. "Or a collection of improperly buried corpses" she adds for the paladin's sake.

[mootoall]

"Well, trinkets are certainly worth investigating! I'm game." He holds his breath, and dives right in, ready to look around. Hokay, let's say this is a new encounter. Swimming: [roll0] (3 str, 5 Int, 7 IP) Search: [roll1] And add an IP to my Fort save :smalltongue:

[RaggedAngel]

As the roguish little man jumps in, Aenor's eyes go wide. "Wait, the water has that blinding dise-" He watches Gregory enter the water and he sighs. "There's a reason I wanted that crud off of me as soon as possible. I think we're all lucky we can see right now. I'd like to get up to dryer ground as soon as possible, and then perhaps see if we can fight our way to a more fortified room for some rest, if any of you need it. I still have plenty of fight left in me, if you want to forge on ahead."

[FyreByrd]

@Mootoall:

As you swim into the depths, you see a number of items at the bottom of the hole, when it opens out into an underwater room. It is obviously the lair of the sea hag. You quickly gather up the items, and re-surface.

items:

1 (unidenified) wand
350gp
1 mithral chainmail shirt

[mootoall]

Gregory quickly gathers up the various and sundry things he finds down in the hole, then resurfaces. "The hag must've squirreled away some previous enterprising young folks' equipment." He presents the items he found to the other explorers, and then says "Now let's go find somewhere dry to camp out, yah? I'm all wet."

[RaggedAngel]

The moment that Gregory surfaces the scum is stripped from his face, and then the rest of him is slowly cleaned and warmed with the Prestidigitation. After everyone is mostly purged of filth, Aenor gestures to the wand. "That won't be of too much use to use unless someone has the ability to identify the spell it holds. Still, it may sell for a good sum back in civilization. As for the armor, I'm sure one of you more flexible folk could use that. I love mithral in armor." He pats his breastplate cheerfully. "Well, if we're all vaguely healthy then we should head up those stairs. I look forward to getting out of this filth." He begins picking his way carefully across the room."

[mootoall]

Gregory follows happily behind, and then pulls up next to Aenor, carefully prodding ahead for more, unexpected pitfalls that this opaque water might hold.. "I've got a splash of mithral in my armor too. Never hurts to be more flexible! Especially when sneaking around, doncha know."

Search: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

ooc:
I'm assuming you want to be moving on again...

You climb the short flight of stairs and finally get free of the mucky water. As you reach the top of the stairs, you see that the passage continues north for around 30ft until it is blocked by a large iron door that appears quite thick and strong, certainly more so than other doors you've seen in this place. Immediately to the east as you reach the top of the stairs is a large wooden door, that is swollen shut, it can be opened, but would need a fair amount of strength to do it.

ooc:

If you want to rest here, that's fine, just say so, it's certainly one of the safer places in the dungeon to sleep. If you are changing spells for tomorrow or anything similar, update it on your sheet, and just let me know in the OOC thread.

If either before/after a rest you want to open the wooden door to the east it will take a strength check (DC10)

[Niezck]

Eyeing up the passageway they're in and the doors tactically, Uran and Vantikk do a quick sweep of the floor, checking for anything untoward. Then, glancing back at the group, he simply says.

"This'd be a decent place to rest, provided we can be sure that these rooms aren't filled with danger. Alternatively we can carry on, Vantikk and I should be good for a short while longer, how about you guys"

[mootoall]

Gregory winks and says, once again, "Oh, I could go all day like this. And I don't wanna go rolling down those stairs by accident! No, let's continue on. I have a good feeling about this venture. As a good wandering friend of mine once said, 'Why stop travelling when you've still got your feet?'"

[Ella]

"I suggest we continue on." Kirce agrees with her companions so far, impressed than youngsters might still have some stamina after the watery battle.

"Would you like me to open that there door?" She asks them, with an amused smile on her face. Somewhere, a distant memory, or perhaps even a memory of a memory she could recall in the twisted elf's labyrinth of stench, she had performed a deed of great strength.

[mootoall]

"Now now, no need for you to strain yourself. There's always a trick to this kinda thing, and it takes a sharp mind to spot it." He winks at Kirce again, sure that she's seen it already, and tries to open the door after popping it upwards, trying to unstick the door from the frame. Woo hoo, more Str checks! [roll0] (3 str 5 int 7 IP)

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor laughed a bit as the small man nearly riped the door from its frame. He noticed, with a warblade's eye, that Gregory was using technique and intelligence far more than brute force when opening the door. Aenor grinned, and then glanced over to Kirce. He looked at the wand, and a little spark in the back of his mind, the bardic portion, realized that it was a wand of healing, though he was not able to cast the exact spell. It looked fairly simple to wield, as well. He was about to mention something when his eyes fell on the staff. Something clicked in Aenor's mind, and he realized that the symbols and whorls on the staff, combined with the material used, and the angle of the carvings...

"Ms. Kirce, I would be careful with that staff if I were you." Aenor spoke with a bit of reverence in his tone. "That's a staff of resurrection. That staff can raise the dead. The wand, I believe, is a minor healing wand, though I do not think I can operate it myself. I would ask to see if one of you could try, however; I took a moderately-sized blow from that underwater creature, and the wand seems to contain most of its potential magical power."

[FyreByrd]

Gregory's skill's at breaking doors continue to amaze his comrades, as the door to the east fairly flies off it's hinges, and lands in the corridor next to them. As you look into the room now revealed you see that the passageway extends about 40 feet, then narrows into a cylindrical tunnel that seems to be spinning slowly. The surfaces of the round tunnel ahead seem to be coated with some glistening, wet substance. An open space beyond the spinning tunnel section is visible, but the passage seems to end there.

[Niezck]

"Well that's not gonna be as easy as it looks. Probably gonna end up slipping all over the place, then there'll be spikes or poison or gas or something ..."

Uran sighs heavily and draws his sword, taking slow steps toward the spinning cylinder.

"I hate dungeons."

[Ella]

"Resurrection, you say." Kirce responds to Aenor. "And I spose the elf had it with him because he had a cunning plot to resurrect himself after dropping dead. What use is it to someone travelling alone exactly?"

"I ehn't believing it, and I ehn't trusting rotting elves neither." She puts holds the staff more carefully however. "I can't be having with magic items anyway, you can never trust it."

Kirce pauses to glare at the glistening substance, examining it closely without touching it.


Knowledge Nature: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

@Ella:

Kirce works out that the substance is very slipperly and sticky, and is ALMOST CERTAINLY flammable.


@All:

You need a DC15 balance check to move at Half speed through the rotating slippery corridor, or accept a -5 pen on the roll to move at normal speed.

If you fail by < 5 you cannot move forward, if you fail by >=5 you will fall over.

[mootoall]

Gregory bounds to the door, then does his best to gracefully dance across the spinning, slippery floor.

Balance [roll0] and, for funsies, untrained Perform (dance) [roll1]

[Ella]

"Gregory!" Kirce screams after him, amazed that he had decided to dance down the tunnel of slime, like anyone needed to make the situation more dangerous.

"The tunnel is a firetrap! You wanna get toasted, we need ta burn it all up first, I think." she continues yelling at him, mentally crossing her fingers, hoping that he doesn't take a tumble forcing more people onto the slime.

[FyreByrd]

Unfortunately Kirce's shouted warning is not quick enough, as out of an unnoticed arrow slit at the end of the hall, a flaming arrow spears into the sticky substance, igniting it instantly. Creating a maelstrom of fire.

Rolls:

Gregory takes [roll0] fire damage.



ooc:
And mootoall's back to his trap setting off best!

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor yells into the tunnel at Gregory; "Get out of there now! We don't know if the slime will refresh or not! We can heal you with the wand, you just need to get out of there." He turns to Uran and Kirce. "The spell on the wand isn't one that I know how to work, but it should work for a divine caster. I don't know how your magic works exactly, but between the two of you we should be able to get the wand to react. I could use a hit from it, too, after we tend to Gregory."

[mootoall]

Gregory yelps as the fire burns at his flesh, and barely thinking about it, puts his hand on his amulet, and feels bolstered as its magicks work themselves. "Good as new," he says, the fire still burning around him. "Now to make sure that doesn't happen again ..."

He quickly slides over to the place where the flaming arrow ejected, and jams one of his many collected knicknacks into the hole.

Activating the Amulet of Tears for 12 HP, Balance to move: [roll0] and Disable Device [roll1]

He then bounds out of the room, rolls on the ground to put out the flames, and stands back up. "Well, that was an adventure! Let's see if that happens again. After all, the amulet won't bolster me forever- might as well not waste it!" Gregory seems excited, not scared, by the flames. Perhaps he's just a little bit insane?

[FyreByrd]

ooc @ Moot:

OK This is what I'm assuming you're doing, however if I'm wrong let me know and I can change up this post.

Started your action in the middle of the flaming corridor...continue east through it, to the arrow slit, which you then block, then come all the way back through the flaming bit, back to your comrades?



As Gregory moves further into the flames, the heat grows more intense. He reaches the arrow slit, as he prepares to stuff something into the hole however, he realises that it wasn't a trap, instead there was someone watching the corridor, who fired the flaming arrow through the slit to ignite the flames. The person beyond the slit, as he sees Gregory approach, quickly puts a board up, blocking the slit. Gregory also notices a door that obviously leads into the room that the person is in, on the northern wall of the corridor, next to the slit. With this information in hand, he moves back through the flame, taking more damage from the raging fire, before arriving back next to his friends.

Damage from the Flames:

You spend 3 more rounds in the flame, that's 3d6 for 2 and 2d6 for the last one

Damage 1: [roll0]
Damage 2: [roll1]
Damage 3: [roll2]


As Gregory rolls on the ground, to put the flames out you all notices the flames are beginning to die down, as the combustable material is used up. You wait a little while longer, and the flames are completely gone.

[mootoall]

"My my that hurt! But as a nice dragon once told me, you shouldn't go in the fire if you can't stand the heat! Come to think of it, he wasn't that nice at all ..." as he says this, and continues babbling about his meeting and travels concerning that dragon, he innocuously heals himself, quelling his burns as best he can.

Opportunistic Piety time! Healing twice, with one use left for today.

[A'den]

Wil shakes his head mostly stalking the group's backtrail watching the burning pit of slime not the least bit enthused to cross down.

"See anything worth mentioning?"

[mootoall]

"A door leading to the one guy who thought it'd be fun to scorch me, but that's all that's interesting. If we hurry we might be able to catch him!"

Gregory checks very carefully to see if there is any more flammable liquid, and if there isn't, leads the way to the door.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor follows, greatsword in hand, and he glances about for more ooze or flames. "We'll check the wand after we incapacitate this guy, okay? I would like to try to take him without killing him, however; if he's smart enough to fire a bow, he's smart enough to answer questions, and a lot of people have died down here. I'd like to find out why he attempted to kill us, and if he's to blame for any more deaths. He may deserve death, and I'd happily give it to him, but we should find out if he has friends first."

As Aenor gets closer to the door, he pauses for a moment. "Give me a moment to start singing before we bust the door open. It should dramatically increase the amount of damage we deal, but it's loud, so I don't want to start until we're about to attack. Everyone let me know when you're ready."

[Niezck]

Uran and Vantikk follow Aenor to the door and Uran draws his greatsword, looking up at Aenor's sword and then back at his smaller version. He sighs.

"As Aenor has said, we are not slaying this person. We will question him and if it comes to light that he's commited crimes, he'll be tried and sentenced fairly once we return to town, Vantikk and I will carry him back ourselves if we have to. Are we understood?"

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor smiles at the draconic man, and he is once again amazed by the remarkable transformation that changed what was once a gnome into a formidable, scaled, dangerous reptilian being. Aenor had always respected his draconic heritage, and he had learned to draw on the power in his blood to fuel his magic and his bardic songs. Even his maneuvers, though they were nonmagical, seemed to be empowered in some small way by the blood of an ancient silver dragon that ran through his veins. But Uran was on an entirely different level of draconic power and attunement. He didn't have the blood of some dragon in his veins; he was a dragon, and it was his own blood that held the power.

Aenor snaps out of his brief revery to answer Uran. "I'm happy to see that we agree on something, Uran. Whatever this man or creature has done, we don't have much of a right to judge him. The hag and the abberation were one thing; they are innately evil creatures, and they have nothing in their souls but blight and malice. If there's a thinking, reasoning person in there, we need to give them a chance to contribute to the world. I'm a bard, friends. I believe that everyone has a story to tell, given the chance."

With that, Aenor closes his eyes, and the military badge at his throat begins to glimmer with a faint golden glow. His hair wafts back a bit, and the temperature in the hallway drops a few degrees. "Get ready to attack. A few blows should do it, and try not to kill him." With that, Aenor begins to sing his dragonsong, with words of power and might flowing from him. Though the song obscured the words a bit, any listener that spoke draconic can make out the gist of his song*. As he sings you all feel that same cold power rushing through your veins, and the blades of your weapons begins to sing in a faint reflection of the power of Aenor's song. Aenor raises his foot and slams it into the door, attempting to break it down with brute force, and his foot lands hard with a resounding boom.

*May the power of our breath never falter
May the edge of our claws never dull
May the might of our limbs never weaken
May the fire in our hearts never lull


Activate the Badge of Courage as a Swift action and then start Inspire Courage as a Standard action. Every attack deals +3d6 cold damage.

He then attempts a Strength check as a move action. Here goes nothing:
[roll0]

EDIT- This makes up for that natural 1 earlier. :smallbiggrin:

[FyreByrd]

ooc:

Stop breaking my beautiful doors!



As Aenor puts his weight to the door, it bursts open, these doors, however well stuck, seem to break surprisingly easily. Covered in splinters and glowering angrily a tall human stands just behind where the door had been, a large blade in his hands. You take a quick look around the room and notice that this room is furnished with a plain wooden table surrounded by benches. A large candle gutters on the table, casting dancing shadows on a large book
lying open beside it. Another door leads out of the room on the opposite side.

"Get them," a large, suspiciously hairy woman screams from behind the man!


Initiative, and combat map shall appear in ooc shortly, I will have made a slight change to your marching order (in that aenor has to be at the front to have broken the door!

[FyreByrd]

The hairy woman follows up her screamed order by pointing a piece of stick at the one who dared break her door, and after uttering a command word, a burst of flame flies towards the bard.

Rolls:

Spellcraft (DC 18) to ID wand spell:

Scorching Ray


Ranged Touch attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1] fire damage

That's a hit!



The flames engulf Aenor for a brief moment, making him cry out in pain.

It is Gregory's Turn

[mootoall]

Gregory mumbles "Gods, these people are pyromaniacs! Might as well fight fire with ... wood and metal?" He shrugs at his inability to utter a significantly witty catchphrase, and tries to make up for it by fishing his guisarme out between his allies' shoulders, and catching the hook behind the man's arm, trying to knock him off balance and trip him. Woo hoo! Melee touch attack to initiate a trip: [roll0] and Trip attempt: [roll1]

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor grits his teeth. Flames like that could really leave a mark, if he wasn't healed soon, and though he wasn't terribly vain the bard in him couldn't help but shirk away from the thought of large burn scars. In more practical terms, he was in serious risk of dying if he was hit by another of those blasts. The woman had to drop, quickly. Capturing her alive was a nice idea, but Aenor wasn't going to pull any punches. The only thing that made his new searing wounds less painful was the fact that he had taken the blow instead of Wil or Kirce, who would have had a harder time absorbing the damage.

Aenor turns to Uran, and he catches the paladin's eye for a brief moment as the battle begins to wage around them. He can see himself reflected in draconic eyes, and he can see concern in the paladin's gaze. Aenor, still singing, looks at Uran for a moment, and then gives the dragonborn a wolfish grin. Aenor shakes his head once, winks, and turns back towards the enemies before them.

I thought this was a bit more flavorful than simply deciding their actions out of character. Is this okay with you, Niezck?

Oh, and It's Kirce's turn.

[FyreByrd]

As Aenor winks at the dragonic gnome, Gregory's mis-timed blade strikes himself on the toe, wounding him, instead of the foe.

It is Kirce's Turn

[FyreByrd]

Kirce - DMPC'ed Turn

Kirce gazes steadily at the man with the large sword in his hand, "We ahen't scared of you, young man!" she states with an evil gleam in her eye, "But you're scared of us!"

Pointing a finger at him she releases a spell.


Spell: Cause Fear (DC15)

Will Save: [roll0]

If failed will save:

Frightened for [roll1] rounds





The man screams as he focuses on Kirce's terrifying visage. He turns and runs into the corner of the room, next to the hairy woman.



ooc:

The man is now FRIGHTENED for 2 rounds, map edited into OOC post.


It is Uran's Turn.

[Niezck]

"Trying to flee, eh? I think not. Vantikk!"

With that the duo charge at the fleeing man, Uran cutting him down with his greatsword while Vantikk savages him with his claws.


Charging at P9, hitting the man.

[roll0] Attack
[roll1] Crit Confirm if necessary
[roll2] Damage

[roll3] Vantikk Attack
[roll4] Vantikk Crit Confirm
[roll5] Vantikk Damage

[FyreByrd]

The man screams as first Uran's mighty blade tears into his flesh, then the badger's claws, rip at his ankles, the scream turns into a bubbling cry, as the pain becomes almost too much to bear.

It is Wil's Turn

[A'den]

Wil mercilessly loosed an arrow at the woman shooting fire at his companions he snarled aiming for a particularly sore spot he could exploit.

Attack woman at P8 w/n 30' Sneak Attack, Still using Old Hide and MS Rolls but in case new ones are required, using companions as partial cover.
Hide:[roll0]
Move Silently[roll1]
Attack[roll2]
Hit[roll3] Sneak Attack[roll4]

[FyreByrd]

Wil's arrow strikes deep into the thigh of the woman, causing her to cry with pain.

It is Aenor's Turn

[RaggedAngel]

The cold wind whipping around Aenor seems to still for a moment; then, with a sudden blast of arctic power he surges forward, his body and blade gleaming with an incandescent white light. His dragonsong continues to fill the air with ancient words of power, and he brings his blade down on the closest enemy, the man, ending his charge next to Uran.

(OOC- You guys haven't been adding the 3d6 cold damage. They should be dead by now. It applies to every single attack you make, ranged or otherwise.)

Aenor uses Battle Leader's Charge and keeps singing.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] Cold damage

[FyreByrd]

The man, screams once more collapsing in a bloody heap as the blade rips through flesh and bone. He convulses once on the ground before a deep shudder signals his death.

The woman stares down at the man that has died next to her and a deep visceral scream fills her lungs. As you watch her already thick hair, begins to grow even longer, claws seem to sprout from her fingers, and her face, or more correctly now, her muzzle thickens, and becomes more pointed, needle sharp teeth showing much more prominently.

It is Gregory's Turn.

[mootoall]

Gregory sighs. "Hmmph. Thought we were taking them alive ... Well, let's see if you still think we should keep her after you get some time to talk to them." He frowns into his beard, and charges quickly at the morphing creature, sweeping the blade of his guisarme under her legs. Charging touch attack trip attempt! [roll0] [roll1] If successful, nonlethal attack [roll2][roll3]

[Niezck]

Turning round as Aernor cuts the man down, Uran roars out to him, his draconic lungs making it sound all the more terrifying.

"NO! YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO KILL HIM!"

[FyreByrd]

The half woman-half beast, is tripped neatly by Gregory, and moans in agony, as his blade cuts into her.

ooc:

I've heard nothing from Ella still, so we'll just skip her turn (the wolf-woman is close to being incapacitated/dead) anyway, and go straight to Niezck's turn.

I'll do a quick map update for you all shortly.



It is Uran's Turn

[Niezck]

Trying his best not to slay her, Uran swings his sword and tries to bludgeon the wolf woman with it. Vantikk, similarly, strikes at her in such a way to avoid a lethal injury.


Attack & Full Attack, taking a -4 attack penalty for doing nonlethal damage.

Greatsword - [roll0] - [roll1]
Claw 1 - [roll2] - [roll3]
Claw 2 - [roll4] - [roll5]
Bite - [roll6] - [roll7]

[FyreByrd]

The extra care that Uran takes to to attack without killing the prone hairy woman, causes his stroke to miss. Vantik also struggles, although he manages to clamp his teeth on the woman, it seems to have no effect.

ooc:

The only attack that hit was Vantik's bite, but that came up against good Ol' DR.


It is WIl's turn

[A'den]

Will knocked another arrow and drew the fletching to his cheek he didn't have the Paladin's weakness and really had no care for whatever reason they were trying to save this wretched creature all he knew was that it was trying to kill his friends, he loosed again his bead for the creatures face.


Hide: [roll0]
Move Silently [roll1]
Attack: [roll2]
Hit: [roll3] Sneak Attack: [roll4]

[FyreByrd]

Wil's arrow goes wide, the difficulty of hitting a foe lying on the ground making him miss.

It is Aenor's Turn

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=292222)
Male Neutral Good Silverbrow Human Bard4/Warblade3, Level 7, Init +1, HP 16/46, Speed 30ft.
AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 16, Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +4, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 White Raven Greatsword +14/+9 (2d6+7, 19-20/x2)
+1 Mithral Breastplate (+6 Armor, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 9, Cha 14
Condition None
Stance: Leading the Charge
Readied Maneuvers:
Wall of Blades
White Raven Tactics

Aenor continues to sing, and the frigid power continues to swirl rapidly in the small room, enveloping him in draconic strength. Aenor's silver hair is blown back as he raises his blade, and the look in his eyes is clear; he has the eyes of a predator, the eyes of an executioner. Aenor's draconic song changes, the verses becoming righteous condemnations and tales of valiant massacres.

Aenor brings his mighty sword down on the woman, and he...

bites his lip and pulls the swing. Aenor's powerful words cease flowing from him, and his blade awkwardly strikes along the flat. He whirls the blade around once more, again striking with it nonlethally. A bit of blood falls from Aenor's lip; among his large burns and other injuries he has added a tear in his lip. He spits, and turns to Uran. "Forgive me. My blood is draconic, as yours, but my blood is different, dragonborn. I do not have the mark of Bahamut, Platinum Lord of the Dragons. I have the blood of a silver dragon; noble, true, but also passionate enough to breed with humans. A hunter, a predator, and a lover. I was born of passion, Uran, however noble my lineage."

He grips his blade more tightly. "What is more, Uran, despite my talk, I am not one to leave an enemy alive. I am a soldier, Uran, as much as a bard can be. In war, in the heat of battle, striking nonlethally at a lethal foe may not get me killed, but it would a sure as hell kill the men around me. I apologize for breaking your trust, but I refuse to let you- any of you- die."

Aenor ends his song.

Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]

[FyreByrd]

As the blade cuts deep the hairy woman staggers and falls to the ground, blood pouring from a deep wound to her leg. As she falls, she seems to almost revert back to being more woman than animal once again.

ooc:
The woman isn't dead, but she will bleed out VERY quickly, so if you want to stabilise/tie her up/whatever do it now. I'll keep you in combat init for the moment just in case the unlikely happens.

She's fallen unconcious due to non-lethal damage...feel free to take whatever restraining measures you want, but she's at no risk of dying anytime soon...apologies again.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sighs and wipes off his blade. He checks the man out, but he is clearly dead. He then nudges the woman with his foot. "Is anyone good with rope? We should tie her up before we heal her." He bends down and takes her wand. "This could also come in handy, but I'd hate to get hit with one again." He looks down at himself, noticing his wounds; in the heat of the fight he had clearly been ignoring them, but now the pain hard started to return. "Oh, right, I'm pretty badly injured. Anyone want to help with that?"

[mootoall]

Gregory sits on the woman and says "Well, I learned a bit of wrangling from a ranger I'd camped with a few times. Lessee if it's good enough for her ..." He flips her over and hogties her, making sure she can't make any use of her arms or legs. He then stands and says "These fellas *were* a bit fond of fire, weren't they?"He carefully examines Aenor and channels divine healing energy again, as he feels the spark of inspiration that allows him to do it fade.

[Niezck]

The gnome paladin dismounts from his badger companion, looking over his two former enemies with compassion. He turns away from Aenor and shuns him, saying a quick prayer for the deceased man.

In a low growl, a tone he'd normally save for his enemies, he addresses Aenor behind him.

"You shouldn't have killed him. We agreed we were not going to kill them."

[FyreByrd]

The hairy woman, now tied tightly, rolls around a bit, obviously not too far from conciousness.

[mootoall]

Gregory wacks her across the head with the butt of his guisarme as she stirs, keeping her under until the potential conflict is resolved. (Read: nonlethal coup de grace) "Now, you know that kinda thing can happen in the heat of battle. Don't be too harsh on him. After all, it may well have been his life. We did the best we could ..."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sighs and kneels down; the change in position places his eyes just below Uran's, whereas he normally towers over the dragonborn gnome. He lays his sword on the ground and looks into Uran's eyes with a calm, serious expression on his face. "Uran, I apologize. I did not intend to kill the man when the fight began, but he turned out to be far less hardy than I expected. I did, however, mean to hurt him, and I will not apologize for that. Had I not taken him down, and had I not brought the woman down, there is a strong chance that they could have killed you, or me, or Kirce, or Wil, or Gregory. When we fight, it is life or death, and I refuse to let that death be yours. Do you understand, dragonborn? We share blood, Uran. Do not let this blood come between us."

[Niezck]

Uran sighs heavily as he gives into reason, his initial rage at the loss of his opponent dissipating.

"You should have been more careful, but you are right, it could have been any of our lives at risk, not just my own."

He looks straight into Aenor's eyes and speaks softly.

"Forgive me, blood brother, for my rage."

[mootoall]

"Aw, now isn't that sweet? It's always nice to see strangers bonding." He stands and pokes the woman he's tied up with his guisarme. "What, though, should we do about the little miss?" He thinks back onto her transformation. It was ... familiar somehow. IP'd Knowledge: Local! [roll0] Edit: Damn it all, my hilarious misguessed modifiers strike again! Should be +17

[FyreByrd]

@Mootoall:

You seem to recall in one of the tales about the region that many people came to the mountain in search of the blades, yet none were seen again, it is possible that some stayed here, survivng and even thriving in the dangerous environment. That together with the changing nature of the woman that reminded you of the curse of lycanthropy, could provide insight into her life.

[mootoall]

Gregory appears saddened as he realizes the possibility of the woman's origins. "Y'know, she was probably one of the people to enter this dungeon before us. Just as unfortunate as that elf we found out there. Worse, I'd call it-She's probably a lycanthrope, and that's a fate worse than most." He removes his hat and says "The curse changes a person though. She might well be nothing like the person she came in as."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor glances at Uran, then speaks carefully. "We should allow her to awaken, then, and speak with her. There is a chance she was simply defending her home. However, if she has become feral in mind and body..."

He looks away. "There isn't much we can do with her. If we leave her tied up, she will either starve or break her ropes and kill us when we sleep. I don't think we can drag her with us, either. I just hope she is lucid."

[FyreByrd]

Again the woman appears to be coming round slowly, as she does so she snarls at you, and strains against her bonds, they are however done tight enough that she cannot move much, however her snarling increases as it becomes apparent that she's trapped.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sheaths his sword and looks down at the woman with pity in his eyes. He kneels down and speaks to her politely and calmly. "Hi there. It's okay; we are not going to hurt you or kill you. We just want to talk. We can help you, and we can heal you. We just need you to calm down and talk with us. Does that sound reasonable?"

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

The woman growls back, it is obvious that she is no the brightest button in the box, "Killed Burket, why not kill me?" she growls out.

She still struggles, though it doesn't seem to be an active attempt to escape.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sighs sadly and looks over at her slain friend. "I am very sorry that I killed Burket. That was wrong of me. I was hurt, and afraid for my friends, and I did not pull my attack. I did not expect it to be quite a powerful as it was; it appears that I do not know my own strength. I have no reason or need to kill you, however; the heat of combat is very different from the aftermath. We will not kill you if you promise not to attack us, understand? It would help your case if you answered a few questions, too. Does that sound alright? I just want to know a few things." His voice remains gentle and careful, and he takes care not to excite or disturb the woman.

[FyreByrd]

The woman snarls a bit more, but it seems more a reflex reaction than anything aggressive. "What questions? Why you here? You kill Sea beast?" She struggles a bit more then looks at all of you, bestial cunning in her eyes, "Release me and I answer everything." she mutters under her breath.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor makes no move to release her, instead continuing in a gentle voice. "I really wish that I could release you, but I need to hear you promise me that you won't hurt any of us. I don't think you're a bad person, but I do not trust that you won't hurt us." He shows his chest, and the large burn wounds visible there. "See these burns? You caused these when we opened that door. No one had attacked yet, but you shot me with fire, and it was very painful. If you had hit me again, I may have died. So I can't untie you until I'm certain you won't try to hurt us."

He straightens up a bit and gestures towards Uran. "See my friend here? He's a paladin, and a very noble one at that. He does not want to hurt or kill you, and I agree with him as long as you don't try to hurt us. If you try to kill us with our backs turned or anything like that, however, he will not hesitate to strike you down. Please be just and honorable, and we can all get along."

He glances to the others. "Watch and be ready." He bends down and gently unties the woman, prepared for her to lash out, but assuming that she will not. When he is done, he continues. "Now then, to answer your question, yes, I killed 'sea beast' if you mean the hag; and we all killed the underwater beast together. We are here for various reasons, but one of the big ones is to discover what is killing all the explorers that enter here. Is that you and your friends? Are you friends with the hag?"

[Niezck]

Smiling at both Aenor's actions and his kind words, Uran holds his greatsword at the ready as Vantikk snarls.

"Be warned woman, betray us and I will not hesitate to protect those I stand with."

He look at each of the group in turn, spending a little longer looking at Aenor as he smiles once more.

[FyreByrd]

The ugly woman stands, and rubs her hands together, obviously the rope has hurt her at least a little. She seems to glance around, trying to see if there's a way of escape, but seeing none, slumps into a chair. "I friend with no one 'cept Burket." she points at the dead human, "Hag and beast be animal, we feed, keep them healthy for master." she grins crookedly, "When HE find out you kill them you get squished."

[Niezck]

Looking utterly shocked at the notion, Uran steps closer to the woman.

"They were your pets!? What kind of horrific creature are you to keep such beasts!?"

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor pauses for a moment, his mind quickly working. After a moment, he looks at the woman with a smile. "I am quite interested in this 'master' of which you speak; he seems to have caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people over the years, and I really doubt that he's up to any good. Now, the sphinx back there seemed to think that we're going to die before we can defeat the master and his various traps and minions."

Aenor stands tall, and his smile broadens, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his greatsword. "Now, someone like me takes that as an irresistible challenge. I haven't felt this alive in years, and if I can take out an irreparable villain at the same time then I think the situation is just about perfect. However, I would also hate to get any of my friends here killed, and dying myself would be very counterproductive. In the interests of living, I need to know as much as I can about this 'master'. Furthermore, I have an offer for you."

Aenor extends a gauntleted hand to the woman. "Come with us. Fight beside us. Earn your life and your freedom, and you will forever be free from the master. Will you come?"

Diplomacy: [roll0]

[mootoall]

Gregory stands and places his hand on his guisarme, clearly not at all comfortable with this notion. He flashes back to an image from his past, remembering a scene dreadfully similar to this ...

"The magic has corrupted him! To think he could be tamed was irresponsible." "But James, he's only a little one!" "And you've seen what even the little ones can do ..." Then the twang of a crossbow and a brief, cut-off howl ...

Gregory puts a hand on Aenor's shoulder. "I don't think this a wise course of action." Then, quietly into his ear, he whispers "Lycanthropes have been made evil by powerful magicks. I did not know what she was before she changed, but now that I do ... please, we can not keep her around."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor turns away from the woman for a moment, to the others. He glances at Uran for a moment, then turns back to Gregory. He speaks very softly, but deliberately loudly enough that the woman might be able to hear him. Given her lycanthropic powers, it is very likely that she can hear him. "Either she comes with us, or she dies." His face grows hard for a moment, and something shows in his eyes that you have not seen before.

More than charisma, more than intelligence, Aenor has imperium. His eyes show both adamant determination and complete understanding. "I don't know if you've run through all the eventualities, but I have. If we release her, we have to stand a significant chance of her attacking us in our sleep. If she doesn't, we have to assume that she will warn her master about us. There were three tunnels back there by the sphinx, and any one of them could take her to him.

If we kill her, then we are killing a defenseless and helpless woman. She may be violent, and evil, but this is not the heat of combat. She is not an immediate threat to us right now. If we kill her it is a malicious, evil act, and Uran's god might have a small problem with that.

If we tie her up, she will starve and die. We could leave someone behind to watch and babysit her, but that person would be placed in extreme risk by being separated from the group. Additionally, it would place the rest of us at risk by removing an element of our party. Each of us is vital to the mutual survival of the others.

The only remaining solution is to take her with us. It is not perfect, she cannot be trusted, and she may die anyway, but it is the best solution available. Give me infinite power and time and I would give you a better option, but given my limited resources this is the best that I can do. I understand if you have misgivings, but you need to understand that we have no choice. The decision was made when I knocked her out instead of slaying her."

Aenor looks in Gregory's eyes for a moment with compassion; it was a look he had given may soldiers who had misgivings about their orders or about war in general. He places a strong hand on Gregory's shoulder, nods, and then turns back to the woman.

"I think you can understand that my friends have some misgivings about allowing you to come with us. That said, you have two options to choose from: come with us, or die swiftly and painlessly. If you come with us we will watch you. You will be bound before we sleep, and we will leave a watch. You will go in front of us, and inform us of any traps or misdirections that you know of. When combat starts, you will either aid us or get out of the way. If you hinder us, attack us, or lead us astray, you will die. I do not want to kill you. Your life has value, and you can contribute to a noble quest. But if you still choose evil, you will leave us no choice. Now. What option do you choose? Life, or death?"

[mootoall]

Gregory's eyes glass over as he seems to remember something, but as quick as it began he's back with the group. "Right then. A fair ultimatum." He frowns into his beard, though, as he turns around and walks back to the other side of the room. She seemed all to gleeful about us meeting her master ...

[FyreByrd]

Snarla, for that is her name, stares hard at Uran, "Not my pet, master's pet." she pouts at him, then listens to the conversations, obviously weighing up her options. Then with a snarl she nods, "I go with you." she sighs, "Hate master, keep me here. You go kill him?" it's phrased as a question, but she seems to treat it as a statement. "But master only come when he needed." she gives you all a sly grin, "You know about Swords?" she asks, "When you get swords, master knows. The more swords you get, the more master takes notice." she pauses, then draws herself up, "I know where one sword lie."


ooc:

Her name really is Snarla, it says so in the book. I guess the writers were having a bad day, and just couldn't come up with anything more imaginative (it even says she's called Snarla because she snarls a lot!)

[mootoall]

Gregory seems genuinely surprised at the earnestness of the lycanthrope. "Well, it might be hard to 'kill' him if some of the rumors about him are true ... Is he really undead?"

[FyreByrd]

"He?" Snarla questions, "You mean Master?" she shrugs, "He been here longer than Snarla, many many many years longer. Looks good though." she comments with a lascivious gleam in her eye. Then glancing up and down at Wil, "But not as good as him!" She shrugs, "I not know if he dead, alive or what, but he more powerful than any I have known."

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor grins and laughs. "That may be true; heck, he may be the most powerful caster in the entire world." Aenor grips the hilt of his sword tightly. "But I have yet to meet the caster that can use his power when surrounded by a group of concentrated swordsmen and archers. What's more, I've yet to fight a caster that could use his power once I seperated his head from his neck or his hands from his body. We just need to hit him hard and fast, and we should be fine." He looks to the others. "Now, then, shall we get going? We now know the location of one of the Swords, and that excites me."

How much did the Opportunistic Piety heal Aenor? (ie, what is your Int mod?

[mootoall]

Int mod is +5, so 19 points of damage.

"Heh, steel cuts all men equally Aenor. It's those undead I'm worried about. They creep the knowledge right out of my head!"

[FyreByrd]

Snarla gives Gregory a disparaging look, as he comments on the undead, "I know where sword is, but it not easy to get!" she says slyly, "You saw big doors, before you come here?" she asks meaning the large iron door that blocked the passage to the north, before you came into the oil soaked passage that Burket was guarding. "Three big doors, if one open, others closed. Must go through door, close it, open next, go through." She laughs, "Once through door you in bubble room, very dangerous. Sword be there."

You get the distinct feeling that she's not telling you everything.

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sighs and faces Snarla, looking quite disappointed in her. "Snarla, we need to you be straightforward with us. We saved your life, and we're going to kill this evil master. However, you need to help us, not hurt us. Now, you're saying that this is a difficult sword to get to, but you make it sound as if the only defense are three doors that can't be open at the same time. When we enter those doors, can they be reopened from the inside? Do the rooms fill with water? Is there a guardian? Please be honest, Snarla." He places his hand on his sword in a small, casual motion. The meaning, however, is clear.

Sense Motive: [roll0]

[FyreByrd]

Snarla spits on the floor, "I tell you, door open if other doors closed. Door not locked, or blocked." she looks at Aenor intently, "Room dangerous, I tell you that, it bubble room." she throws her hands up in what could be seen as exasperation, "Sword not in display cabinet, it held by Mal'nir."

@Aenor:

It appears that Snarla isn't lying with an intent to deceive you about any possible dangers, rather that she is merely repeating things she has heard, but has no personal experience of. In this case it seems that she's trying to appear more knowledgable than she is so that you let her live, but obviously her knowledge doesn't withstand serious questioning. It appears that she learnt second hand of this "bubble" room, and "Mal'nir" and was told that they were dangerous, but she doesn't know why.

Of course she could just be an excellent liar...

[RaggedAngel]

Aenor sighs and stretches a bit. He nods to Snarla, still speaking softly and politely. "Thank you, Snarla. This is very helpful, and I understand that you can't give us all the details. From what you've told us we now know that there is an odd mechanism with the doors, and that there is a hostile martial adept in that room with one of the Nine."

Aenor turns and looks to the others. "We need to attempt diplomacy with this man before we fight him. If he's wielding one of the Nine, then he'll be empowered by the blade. What's more, if he was chosen by this master to wield the sword then he is almost certainly an excellent swordsman. That said, we are very close to one of the Swords, and it would be foolish to ignore such a chance. The only question is, should we go now or wait until tomorrow?"

[mootoall]

"If Snarla can be trusted, then let us rest. She can take watch. I, for one, don't want to fight an expert swordsman in this condition." He knows that if Snarla can't get rest tonight she would be in no position to betray them tomorrow, either.

[FyreByrd]

After a few more conversations you settle down to sleep with Gregory, and Snarla taking the first watch. They sit far enough apart so that Gregory doesn't have to hear her muttering. One by one you replace Gregory, so that you all receive a restful nights sleep while keeping watch. As you awake, you notice that Snarla is in a foul mood, after being awake all night, but seems compliant still.

"We get sword now?" she growls.


ooc:

You all have had a wonderful night of rest, and recharged any spells/etc that you needed to. I don't think anyone is able to change anything on a daily basis, but if you are and you do, change it on your sheet, and just let me know that you've changed something.