The Three Boars Inn (IC)

[Zaydos]

The decor of the inn is different today than it was when you went to your rooms yesterday. The walls stark stone as opposed to the warm wood you last remember. A fireplace sits in a corner of the room, its fire giving scarce light, though plenty of warmth. The windows, another change, open into a mist-filled night, and the door is not merely shut but to your surprise barred.

No one else seems to be in this common room today other than yourselves and the innkeeper for at least this part of the inn (you're still not certain if they're all the same or each time a new one, they all seem to recognize you), his one-eyed form carefully sweeping the room, even as his pet raven watches you from the outer door frame.

"I wouldn't go out today, if I were y'all," the innkeeper says, "We seem to be in Ravenloft at the moment, nasty bit of a place. Ought to be gone soon as our guest arrives. He had powerful friends this one, mighty powerful. Not many can get the inn to appear where they need, I've known powers who could do much less. Now as for you four, I think I may have a favor I need to ask you."

The innkeeper holds up his left hand, letting his long sleeve fall back revealing a bloody bandage that is wrapped around his wrist. "Seems like I have a bit of a rat problem in the cellar. Now normally the wards of the inn would prevent a problem like this, but well there's a reason I don't usually make detours like this one. So what do you say? I know you four have a fair bit of skill with spells or what not, and I can make it worth your while. Best feast you've ever had and maybe some gold to make it worth your while. Now of course it'd be unfair if I didn't warn you, these are probably not your everyday rats, if they got in here they've got to be something special."

His one good eye, a grey-blue, flicks from one of you to the next. His wrinkled face seems to be holding a slight smile as he watches your faces. "So what'll it be?"

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee takes stock of the Inn's form quietly, though she raises her brow faintly when the innkeeper tells them where they are this morning. Ravenloft, plane of darkness and undead. A plane where people like her hold power; but where not-people hold power greater still. She was not yet so great a necromancer to feel entirely comfortable on the Demiplane of Dread, but neither did she feel the need to cower in fear. Still, this new guest may be someone she could learn some interesting things from.

Turning her attention to the matter at hand, she turned to face the innkeeper fully, drawing her grey hood away from her brilliantly red hair. Kaylee's face was pale and her eyes shadowed, but her hair gave her a feeling of life and vitality despite her other attributes.

"Just a rat problem?" The necromancer gestures vaguely in the direction of her room, and a trio of reptilian skeletons dart towards her, making odd little chirping sounds as they do.

The three raptors were odd little creatures; they had retained a lot of personality, if that's what you could call it, and Kaylee had inked a "1", "2", and "3" onto the tops of their skulls. "No matter how dire or horrid they might be, unless there's a million of them I doubt we'll have too much trouble. I'd be happy to help clean them up."

[TheAmazingOP]

Looking around the tavern's new appearance along with its exterior, Titus allows a small smile to appear bening his helmet. This is a domain he could become comfortable in, where there was nothing but creatures to take down and repercussions to be completely avoided. Yet it was lawless, a fact he would try to fix if the damned tavern didn't change all the time.

Listening to the innkeeper, Titus's left fist clenches over and over, as if it has a mind of its own. It would be great to finally be able to use the hand again, even if it is just pest control. The thought of a feast and gold doesn't sound bad, either.

Keeping his helmet down, Titus speaks in a deep and booming voice, bolstered by the helmet's reverberating quality, "Mere rats? The gods themselves would have to go against us if we were to lose to pests. They will fall easily beneath my hand!"

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

A tiny man sits in line at the bar with the others, his face barely visible above its thick mahogany. He is sitting on a wooden block just to prop himself up to this level, and he continues rolling a pair of dice against the bar and shaking his head. Roll, shake. Roll, shake. Roll, shake. He loathed rats, but couldn't help feel like he was intimately familiar with their kind. Not only that, but he couldn't argue with the fact that his stomach and his coinpurse were both relatively empty. The young halfling was still kicking himself for tipping the pot so high against that damned Caedmon. Roll, shake. Roll, shake. Roll, shake.

Jack's unkempt auburn hair falls around his face with every shake, hiding his pale skin from view. It was just as well to him, as in this Inn he was always bound to run into someone or something that had lost a bet to him. Roll, shake. Finally, a pair of ones comes up. Jack pockets the dice and clambers to his feet atop his wooden block, causing it and the stool beneath to sway as if they weren't sure whether they'd like to remain under the small man's hairy feet. Behind his monocle, one of his blue eyes is exaggerated in both size and vibrancy. His tuxedo has seen better days, as there are a few holes and cigarette burns littered about it. The cigarette bouncing in a holder perched precariously at the corner of his mouth is down to its last bits, but he is unrelenting in his quest to inhale every last drop of nicotine.

"Feasts are fetching," he spits quicker than other folks blink, causing his cigarette to flick up, down, to and fro like an orchestra conductor's baton. "but about that gold...change your 'maybe' to a 'most definitely' and I'm on board. See, making it worth my while makes it worth yours too, savvy? More gold in Ol' Jack's pocket means more gold to spend in this fine place. You picking up what I'm putting down, mate?"

[roll0] if this fails, Jack will use the Social Recovery skill trick and I'll add a little blurb IC.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 81/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15


Not our everyday rats, huh? I'm not your everyday cat either, so that shouldn't be a problem.

A deep guttural voice seemed to echo in everyone's head. Lying lazily at the floorboard is a large obstruction in the form of a lion. The beast has his sight at the quartet before him, his massive paws gesturing a weird waving motion as if to indicate he's the one speaking.

Aside from its massive stature, there seems to be nothing unusual about the beast's expected physical appearance--light earthy coat, dark brown mane, paws, tail, and a feline head. Its strange-looking barding and its large horizontal scar running across the neck just before the tresses meets the mouth are its only distinct feature. For all intents and purposes, they are looking at a large lion.

Pardon the unauthorized mental intrusion, but your humble Pardo's current form didn't afford him the luxury of speaking outside the usual purrs and roars. Almost as if to prove his point, the lion made a soft growling sound. The lion then leaned on its back, playfully clawing at the air almost as if toying with an invisible ball of yarn.


Now don't get the wrong idea Sir Innkeeper, but I agree with one of my "colleagues". As much as I like a free hearty meal, and by meal I don't refer to stinky pests and vermins, I am a mercenary first and foremost. There's got to be some clear and formal agreement of sorts, be it written, spoken, or in my case... well, you know what I mean.

[Zaydos]

"Well I'm not sure how much gold I can give you, most of what I've got is tied up in silver and copper, but what about," the innkeeper seems to stop and consider for a moment, "What about a ton of silver betwixt you four? I should be able to round that up by the time y'all are done."

[RaggedAngel]

The lovely necromancer muses about their potential guest as her companions speak. As she does, she allows her attention to wander from her skeletal raptors, and the trio does what they always do when she stops directly commanding them; they go to bother the druid. In this case they are fairly well behaved; the three simply lay down on the floor near the massive lion, mimicing its movements. The sight of the three rolling on their backs, clawing up at the air would be adorable if they weren't unholy abominations to life.

Kaylee herself regains her attention when the innkeeper speaks of their monetary payment. Black obsidian isn't cheap, and stabling for a ten-headed zombie pyrohydra certainly isn't free. She takes a moment to run numbers in her head before speaking. "A ton going four ways is five hundred pounds each. The exchange rate in most civilized places is a pound for five gold pieces, or something along those lines. Two and a half thousand each. I certainly can't complain; that's enough for a nice defensive bauble or a rod or two. Just show me the way to the cellar in question."

(2000)/(4)=(500)*(5)=(2500)

So that's 2500 gp each, though in a less than ideal form. Still, a pretty excellent payout for killing super ninja mutant rats.

[Zaydos]

"Well if y'all be in agreement," the innkeeper says not waiting for more answers, "I'll have get behind the bar for a moment. Now one thing, don't take the wine, don't take the shinies you find down there you'll come to no good if you do, and do make sure you get all the rats please."

He moves behind the bar, and pulls what looks like a tap into a barrel labelled 'Fermented Abyss', even as he mutters, "Used to be quite popular, but they don't make fools as hardy as they used to," and you see the wall opposite of the fireplace begin to rearrange forming the opening of a large staircase.

"One more thing, try to be done before my guest arrives or you might end up spending a few hours waiting in the dark, I don't like having that door open where the visitors might see."

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee waits for the innkeeper to finish before turning to her skeletal minions, calling out sharply to them. "Unus, Duo, Tres, stop bothering the poor druid and get over here." The trio whirl onto their feet the moment she begins speaking, and they cross the room with disturbing speed to wait by her side.

"So, who wants to go first? I'd be happy to send the trio in front, but I'd also like to have someone there to back them up. It's awfully hard to find an intact deinonychus skeleton in most civilized places these days, so I'd like to keep these three animated as long as possible."

[ben-zayb]

Must've cost you a fortune as well, I'd say

Slowly, Pardo rose from his cozy position and stood up on all fours. His posture is more prim, and his visage more dignified and serious--at least that's what someone could infer based on his limited facial expression.

I'd happily scout in advance if nobody else would volunteer. Don't worry about my massive form, I'd even wager that I could hide better than those small rodents themselves.

[TheAmazingOP]

Without a word, Titus steps forward boldly and starts going down the staircase while drawing his sword, which shone with a peculiar glimmer. Every step was a pronounced and quite loud with the clinking of armor; Titus was fine with this. Let those pests know who was the master, and more importantly show the group he could hold his ground.
The rats were just a stepping stone in his journey of order.

"I do not need to hide from pests, especially with a deadline ahead. The targets shall be slain swiftly and justly to make ends meet."

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

Jack's eyes are wide at the bartender's offer...a literal ton of silver? As in two thousand pounds of the shiny stuff? Perhaps he could convince the tallies into letting him play with it a bit before they split it up, swimming around in it like a brook--except this brook is made of TWO THOUSAND POUNDS of money. The halfling can't help but smile dumbly from ear to ear as he thinks of their possible payday. He also hears the bartender talking, mentioning something or other about wine and shinies...sounded like there'd be plenty to keep Ol' Jack occupied.


As for our mission, I'd happily scout in advance if nobody else would volunteer. Don't worry about my massive form, I'd even wager that I could hide better than those small rodents themselves.

Jack was relieved that someone else had offered to go first. It saved him all the posturing and half-promising of offering to go first even though he didn't really want to. "Good on ya, Pardo," he says. "If you didn't offer, I was planning on taking lead."

Sense Motive DC [roll0] to open:
No he wasn't.
"Now, you mentioned something about a wager? What kind of action are we talking about? Over/under? Spread? Fifty/Fifty? Whattayagot?" It seems lost on Jack that a mention of gambling could be an idiom. He scratches feverishly at his arm as he awaits a response from Pardo; the halfling looks desperate for a bet.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee laughs quietly at the halfling's demeanor. There's something faintly inspiring about constantly seeking small favors and fortunes, no matter the danger that may be flying about.

"Jack?" She speaks softly, a stark contrast to the halfling's own tone. "I'd love to make a wager with you. I'll put five gold on the fact that my animated trio can kill more rats than you." She smiles, faintly smug. Nothing like paying five gold to ensure that Jack puts plenty of personal effort into the fight. She had far too much reading to do to be trapped in a dark room with those three for a few hours.

[OMG PONIES]

"You take me for a rube, Kayl?" Jack asks with his eyebrow arched. "There's three of your little skelesaurs and only one of Ol' Jack. What kind of action is that? Now if the gamble's you alone vs. me alone or the three dinos vs. the three of us, that evens things out. And that, my lady, is a card worth flipping. Whattayasay?"

[ben-zayb]

Good Ol' Jack always has something up his sleeve. Cheating against him might work, but I can't be so sure.

I suggest getting on the move, though, while settling your bets.

Pardo then turns around and motions towards the descending staircase. A small cloudlike figure that appeared out of nowhere started following him as he fade into the darkness.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee grins wickedly as Jack points out the imbalance in the wager, laughing a little even as she draws her hood up and steps into the doorway. "Fine, fine, I won't pick on your serious limitations as a living being. How about this, Jack; just you versus Unus. That's just one little skeletal raptor pitted against the most daring, dashing rogue in the entire Inn. Sound like a deal?"

[OMG PONIES]

"Now you're just buttering me up, K," the halfling chuckles. Immediately, he raises his palms and waves them at the necromancer. "Not saying I won't take that action--it's fair enough, now. Come on friends, there's money to be made!" With that, Jack hops down from his box, climbs down the barstool, and heads in whatever direction this particular barman points him. He never could quite get his bearings around the Inn, but that didn't stop him from enjoying every second of getting lost.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee allows her amusement to roll about for a moment; there's nothing like openly getting someone to do what you want by giving them what they want. In fact, it was how she controlled her undead. She simply infused them with her own emotions, and they would do anything to continue feeling anything at all. Without her, there was nothing, and so they would do anything for her.

With that thought, her mood darkens. They were going into a fight, and despite the fact that they would just be fighting rats, there were a great many dark and dire things that could still be technically called rats. It would be foolish of her to treat this engagement as anything but lethal. And so she brings forth power from the deep well inside of herself, a dark and cold place where living things are turned to dust, and nothing but death remain.

Kaylee casts False Life, gaining [roll0] temporary hit points, and Spectral Hand, losing [roll1] of those hit points to do so.

[ben-zayb]

The distant sound of metal plates scraping against each other slowly becomes more audible as Pardo catches up with Titus. The hum of gentle breeze caused by the cloud-like being's movements added yet another dimension to the party's orchestra.

Hullo there, comrade! You slain any rodents yet?, he asked matter-of-factly

After some time, he mentally commands his servant in front of him to keep vigilant against any possible creatures, as he, too, made his own observations.
Pardo
Hide(once it matters): [roll0] | Move Silently(once it matters): [roll1]
Listen: [roll2] | Spot: [roll3]
+ Low-light Vision and Scent, if applicable

Air Elemental
Listen: [roll4]
Spot: [roll5]
+ Darkvision, if applicable
He'll relay info to Pardo via the latter's Speak Without Sound (Su) response option.

[TheAmazingOP]

"Like others who I have faced," replies Titus, "They are just hiding. Soon they will be flushed out."
Titus goes through his plans he had in mind for defeating the rats in mind again. What would be most entertaining? Grabbing and throwing them? Grabbing and crushing? Though he wasn't a fancy spellcaster like the others, he had some of his own moves to turn the tide in a way the other couldn't.
P.S., darkvision.

[Zaydos]

As you move into the tunnel the light quickly fades behind you as the stairs move down from the already badly lit inn. Even Pardo's vision cannot pierce the darkness at the bottom of the stairs.

[Zaydos]

Those whose eyes can penetrate even the deepest darkness can see a pair of rats, almost 3 feet tall and even longer, at the bottom of the steps. Their eyes are staring up at the approaching group.

Initiatives:
[roll0] Rats
[roll1] Kaylee
[roll2] hydra
[roll3] deinonychus
[roll4] Titus
[roll5] Air Elemental

Welp deinonychus's turn.

[RaggedAngel]

The moment the blackness reveals prey, standing still before the vision of Kaylee's three skeletal dinosaurs, they explode into movement. The deinonychii move with completely inhuman speed, the bones of their bodies smoothly pounding in ways that would tear apart the muscles of a living creature.

Each of them weaves between, under, and beside her allies in front of them, reaching the rats before anyone else can react. Unus is the only one that can reach the rats cleanly in the time he has to react, and he leaps in the air, slashing at the rat with his claws extended. His brothers follow up behind him in single file, unable to attack before the rats can react.

Not sure about the space in the hallway. If only two can reach the rat, then use Unus and Duo's attacks and ignore Tres.

Unus' attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Duo's attack: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Tres' attack: [roll4]
Damage: [roll5]

[RaggedAngel]

Sweet, the first attack is a natural 20.

Crit confirm by Unus: [roll0]
Critical damage: +[roll1]

[Zaydos]

Unus's claws sink into the rat's flesh causing a fountain of blood to spew forth, vapor rising from the floor and skeleton where the blood strikes them. The two rats turn on the creature that just charged one of their own. One bites down on the deinonychus's shin and the other bites into its spine. Something seeps out of their mouth, melting away at the skeleton's bone.

OoC: It takes 5 acid damage from the rat's blood and another 15 from the two bites as well as 22 damage from the bites themselves (bludgeoning).

[ben-zayb]

Following his summoner's orders, the elemental carefully navigates itself by flying over the rats. It keeps its distance from their reach until it finally lands on its desired flanking position.

To determine turns it has left (i.e. how many turns ago did Pardo resummon it):
[roll0]
EDIT: Oh goody!

[Zaydos]

The air elemental as it moves into a flanking position lets out a small shout in auran.

In Auran:
There are more!

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee snarls as one of her skeletal guards takes significant damage, clenching her fist in anger. They may be insensate, unintelligent beings, but they were her insensate unintelligent beings. The air around her suddenly becomes heavy, oppressive, and around her blooms a shuddering, skittering aura. Fear and malevolence wrap around her like a cloak, and her allies around her feel the edges of that power like a great weight on their spirits.

She then reaches up, holding her hand over her face for a moment. Then she allows her hand to fall, and when she does there is a surge of power. Instead of her face, there now resides a porcelain mask, an item of such perfect inhumanity and wrongness that its very existence sends fear rolling through your veins.

At last, she calls forth her power, and when she outstretches her arm a ghostly image of her hand leaps out across the distance between her and the first rat, the one her skeleton injured. Her spectral hand brushes it, filled to the brim with extremely potent dark energy.

She activates her Fear Aura as a free action. It has a 5ft radius and only affects enemies.

Her Ghostly Visage acts on her turn, and manifests its Visage over her face as a free action. Enemies within 30feet that look at her much make a Will save, DC 14 or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds.

Once she's "suited up", she casts and delivers Inflict Moderate Wounds through her Spectral Hand.

Touch Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[RaggedAngel]

I swear I haven't hacked the random number generator. Kaylee is just good luck.

As per Complete Warrior and Complete Arcane, damage-dealing touch spells can crit.

Crit confirm: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Zaydos]

The rat hisses in pain as part of its skin begins to wither and darken, fur falling from around the wound. Even so the rat seems to weather the worst of the effect. It is beginning to look wounded.

[TheAmazingOP]

Although he is not able to react as fast as his other dark-sighted teammates, Titus takes his opportunity to move ahead to protect his allies from harm and advance upon the enemy. What a shame it is that he cannot reach the enemy with the short time period; that reptile looks like it could use some help...

[Zaydos]

Pardo and Jack, having seen their allies react realize that danger must be at hand. The air elemental's call sounds through the tunnel, and it is...

Pardo and Jack Initiative (the other rats who were surprised act with the initial 2 rats for ease of having only one enemy initiative count) Which brings us to the deinonychuses, Pardo, and Jack if he rolls decent.
Pardo: [roll0] automatically beats the enemies.
Jack: [roll1]

[ben-zayb]

Upon his master's request, the elemental took the role of being his master's eyes by relaying the former's approximate distance and direction just in case his master didn't hear his warning well enough.

Pardo, realizing that ripping his enemies to shreds would prove difficult with his visual impairment, opted for a more tactical approach. His head sways to and fro, and snarls in the direction where his servant's voice came from. Guided by the latter, motes of light starts to illuminate the target area, outlining the figures of the rodents, the raptors, and the elemental.

You may only see two of them right now, but my servant told me there's more lurking further behind.

He then sneaked forward and to the sides, making way for his other allies.

Standard: Cast Faerie Fire near his elemental
Move: Move 20 ft. diagonally, as much as possible towards the outlined enemies.

Move Silently: [roll0]
Hide: [roll1]

[RaggedAngel]

The most injured deinonychuses rapidly retreats back down the tunnel, withdrawing from the conflict in a blindingly fast, fluid manner; he winds up behind Kaylee, his bones barely held together after the onslaught.

His 'brothers' launch themselves forward, though only Duo is able to enter the space that Unus just held. If the injured rat falls, Tres will move forward to take it's place, and will lash out at the uninjured rat from there.

Unus uses a Withdraw action.

Duo shifts forward and Full Attacks.
Talons: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Foreclaw 1: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]
Foreclaw 2: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]
Bite: [roll6] Damage: [roll7]

If the rat falls, Tres moves to take the fallen rat's place, and then he attacks the uninjured rat with his talons.
Talons: [roll8] Damage: [roll9]

[Zaydos]

The rat is beginning to show signs of wear, acidic blood oozing from its injured flesh after the skeletal deinonychus withdraws its fangs. The skeleton's talons and claws being either avoided or scraping off of its unnaturally tough skin.

1 hit; Duos takes 5 damage from acidic blood.

[Zaydos]

The injured rat takes a bite at this new assailant before scurrying slowly back to allow its kin entrance. The uninjured rat joins in the assault fighting like a pack, its teeth going for the deinonychus skeleton, acid dripping into the ground.

Even as it bites another rat moves up behind the air elemental sinking their acidic fangs into the creature. Finally a fourth rat moves into take the place vacated by the injured rodent, lashing out with its teeth. This final assault is too much for Duos who collapses into a pile of bones.

The sound of something scratching on a wall can be heard coming from somewhere in the dark room at the bottom of the stairs, something big.

The Wizards dice rollers does not like you :smallfrown: Lowest roll an 8, and 2 19s.

22 total damage to the air elemental. I accidentally rolled a die twice on this one.
55 damage to Duos all together

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee's usually lovely face, now hidden behind a pale deaths-head mask, twists in anger. The skeleton raptors were automata, unthinking and unfeeling necromantic constructs; but all the same, she felt responsible for them, and she did not want them to come to harm. The destruction of one of them called for an escalation of power; and things were about to become very unpleasant for the rats.

She called forth her power, though this particular spell had much less of a necromantic bent than her usual fare. Despite that, it was a vicious power to use on anything living, and she had refrained from doing so since she had gained the strength to cast it in the first place. These rats, however, qualified as good candidates for a trial run.

She finishes casting her spell, and dozens of ropey, thick tentacles roil up out of the ground and from the walls, reaching for the throats of the acidic rats. "Do not enter that area," she calls to the others. "They do not discriminate. We should use the hallway to our advantage anyway, and force them to come to us as their only means of egress."

Kaylee casts Black Tentacles (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/blackTentacles.htm), centered 20ft behind the closest rats.

The Tentacles have a grapple modifier of +17, and as soon as they appear they attempt to grapple every creature inside their area. After that, they make a grapple check (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grappleChecks) to deal 1d6+4 points of damage to everything that they have grappled.

That's right. The cost for killing my undead is me using grappling rules against every monster in a 20ft radius circle.

[Zaydos]

The tentacles lash out wrapping around three of the four rats, though only managing to proceed to begin crushing the life out of two of the rats.

One of the two caught rats, the previously injured one, looks to be barely alive by this point.

[TheAmazingOP]

Seeing the unholy ally fall, Titus moves into the position it previously held by the raptor. What a rush it is to be on the front lines again, with opponents who have shown their worth.
Seeing as two of the rats have been taken by the tentacles, Titus indiscriminately reaches for the closest rat with his sullen and dark left hand. Trying to grasp one of the beasts, he focuses his power and hatred into the death grip his hand is creating.

Grasp of Penance against closest rat (touch)
[roll0]
[roll1] Divine Damage, DC 20 will half
If will is failed, nauseated
If will success, half damage

[Zaydos]

The rat squeals and squirms as energy surges through it. In places its body swells before divine energy bursts forth. Wounded the rat hisses with subdued fury.

Should be Jack's turn if he wants it and then Pardo's.

[RaggedAngel]

Jack

The little halfling gambler narrows his eyes at the closest rat, the one that was just slammed by Titus's "love tap". He feels the luck of the ugly creature, such that it is, pulled into him like a siphon.

Jack then raises his right hand, muttering a few words and grinding a bit of mica together in his palm. Kaylee had provided him with such a nice little field of death; he might as well make it fabulous. The moment he finishes speaking there is an explosion of thick, biting golden glitter that coats both the rats and the tentacles in a ten foot radius.

Jack uses Curse of the Fatespurned on the rat that was just struck; Will DC 13 or it gets -2 to everything for a minute, and he gains two luck points.

Then he casts Glitterdust (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/glitterdust.htm), Will DC 16, centered 10 feet behind the closest rat, assuming that won't hit an ally.

[Zaydos]

The rat, already having a bad time of it, doesn't even notice as its luck is siphoned away. It, and the others, do notice, though as a burst of golden powder coats them all blinding all but the grappled, though relatively uninjured, rat.

Pardo's sharp ears can make out the sound of something falling to the ground, and his eyes can see in the dim shadows pieces of the wall at the edge of the tentacles falling into the room.

It is Pardo's turn I believe.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 81/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15
______________________________________

Allies: Watch out, something else's tearing the wall down. This shan't be pretty.

After the initial warning, Pardo wastes no time and dashes straight at the lone uncaught rodent. He furiously swipes his claw, while his fangs goes straight for the jugular in attempt to pin the creature down.

Full-Round: Pounce (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#pounce) Charge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#charge) (+2 Attack, -2 AC) vs Blinded (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#blinded) Rat (+2d6 Sneak Attack)
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]+[roll2](sneak atk)
Right Claw Attack: [roll3]; Damage [roll4]+[roll5](sneak atk)
Bite Attack: [roll6]; Damage [roll7]+[roll8](sneak atk)

If Bite hits, free Grapple check via Improved Grab (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#improvedGrab)
[roll9]
If successful, Rake attacks since Pounce grants the ability to make Rakes on the same turn as the grapple succeeded. Rake attack and damage bonus are a bit messy when taking into account Str increases etc., but the default is:
Right Rake Attack: [roll10]; Damage [roll11]+[roll12](if sneak atk applies)
Left Rake Attack: [roll13]; Damage [roll14]+[roll15](sneak atk applies)

Immediate Action: initiate Zephyr Dance if/when a creature tries attacking Pardo.

[ben-zayb]

Critical Threat:
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]

[Zaydos]

Pardo's whirlwind of claws shreds the rat covering him with acidic blood. The rat breaths its last ragged breath, as the lion tears into it. Even so the acidic blood pours across Pardo melting at his skin.

OoC: 5 instances of 5 acid damage. And that brings us to the raptor. In theory the only enemy within melee reach without entering the tentacles is... the rat Titus has.

[RaggedAngel]

The raptor shifts closer to the hideous rat, and it unleashes a flurry of slashes and swipes, its cold blue eyes glowing brightly with a fell light. Under Kaylee's direction, it attempts to avenge the death of its broodmate.

Talons: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Foreclaw 1: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]
Foreclaw 2: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]
Bite: [roll6] Damage: [roll7]

[Zaydos]

The raptor's talons and teeth sink into the rat, spilling acidic blood all across the raptor's bones causing them to steam and melt.

OoC: Talons and bite hit, raptor takes 2 instances of 5 acid. Sorry it took me so long to reply, I thought I had :smallredface: (if I ever don't reply for a bit, poke me, or post in the OoC thread :smallwink:).

[RaggedAngel]

OoC: Sorry it took me so long to reply, I thought I had :smallredface: (if I ever don't reply for a bit, poke me, or post in the OoC thread :smallwink:).

*nudges with hip*

How're you doin'? :smallwink:

[Zaydos]

The rats squirm, trying to escape the tentacles. The injured rat, managing to escape the tentacle runs to one of the corners of the room. Out of sight due to the wall at the end of the staircase and out of the tentacles' reach. Another fails horribly to escape the tentacles. The last rat, still looking debilitated from Titus's touch tries to retreat blindly into a corner as well giving Titus and the raptor the perfect opportunities to attack it.

A wall to the right side of the room crashes inwards as a massive rat enters the room. Towering over the lesser rats, and the party, it is almost 8' at the shoulders larger even than Pardu. Moving fearlessly into the tentacles its teeth crush down onto the largest prey it can find. It's acidic fangs come down on Pardu. Acidic saliva pours into his newly opened wound melting away flesh and fur. who narrowly evades.

OoC: Nauseated prevents standard actions else the rat would have crit despite being blind :smallbiggrin: And now the boss rat has arrived... or well the big rat for the testing encounter.

Pardu takes 37 damage, 10 of it acid.

I need sleep before math at this point.

[RaggedAngel]

I believe that it's my turn. If not, save this for later.

Kaylee focuses on the new, largest threat, recognizing the need to weaken the massive creature before it can tear her more melee-oriented allies to shreds. She calls forth a sphere of unlife, and with a focused flick of her hand she sends it into the giant rat, attempting to sap its strength and chew away at its endurance.

Ranged Touch on the Giant Rat: [roll0]

Ray of Exhaustion, Fort DC 19 or Exhausted (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#exhausted); if it succeeds, it's Fatigued (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/conditionSummary.htm#fatigued) instead.

[Zaydos]

The creature easily shrugs off the grasping tentacles, which squeeze the one rat still in their reach, even as the ray strikes it. The effect of the ray seems to be minimal at best.

OoC: Gonna have the raptor take its AoO or just leave it since acid blood?

[RaggedAngel]

Raptor AoO:
Attack: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]

[TheAmazingOP]

Seeing his opportunity to try and finish what he started, Titus strikes out with his sword right after his grasp on the rat in quick succession on a cowardly animal.

[roll0]
Damage
[roll1]

With the giant king rat approaching, Titus sees the immediate threat to his injured front-line combatant and flimsy spellcasters, tries to subdue the beast even though it seems it has the upper hand. Using a similar motion to his grasp against the smaller rat, Titus tries to crush whatever of the rat he can while grappling it.

[roll2]
First Grapple check
If success, attack with sword on second attack
[roll3]
If failed Grapple check, try again
[roll4]
Fearsome Hold damage
[roll5]
DC 20 Fort to halve
Edit: double fumble, how great...

[Zaydos]

The rat's thrashing ferocity, even tired as it is, and sheer size and strength are enough to throw Titus off of it with relative ease. It would take extreme luck, if it is even possible, to hold down the beast.

OoC: It's a huge magical beast, it's harder to grapple than an elephant. I believe that brings us to Jack.

[RaggedAngel]

Jack

Jack decided to spin up a big pile of unluck for the giant rat and his little friends. He takes a crack at the big one first, pulling away some of it's fortune. He takes in the power, rolls it around, and then unleashes a big nasty wave of discord and misery for the rats to deal with. The power fouls their legs, tangles their hair, weakens their grip, and generally makes them easier to deal with.

Jack uses Curse of the Fatespurned on the giant rat; Will DC 13 or it gets -2 to everything for a minute, and he gains two luck points.

He then casts Slow (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slow.htm) on all the remaining rats, Will DC 17.

[Zaydos]

The massive rat seems to resist the magic, it's eyes gleaming purple in the faerie fire.

OoC: That brings us to Pardu I believe.

[ben-zayb]

After seeing up close and experiencing the pain caused by the rodents' caustic bodily fluids, Pardo counters by warding himself with magic. He then tries to regain some distance between him and his prey, setting it up for another charge. All the while Pardo finds the scenario of a cat getting away from a rat particularly funny.

Standard: cast Protection from Energy (acid) defensively
Concentration: [roll0]

Move: Tumble backwards (likely to fail and provoke AoO)
Tumble: [roll1]

[Zaydos]

Pardu slips up the stairs, slowly.

OoC: Going up stairs is difficult terrain (so half speed) and halved again for tumble.

Should be the raptor's turn and then the scary rodent's.

[RaggedAngel]

The raptor continues its relentless assault on the rats, its eyes blazing and its claws and teeth flashing. If it gets close to being destroyed by the rat's acidic blood, it ceases its attack.

Talons: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Foreclaw 1: [roll2] Damage: [roll3]
Foreclaw 2: [roll4] Damage: [roll5]
Bite: [roll6] Damage: [roll7]

[Zaydos]

The raptor's talons and claw rip into the rat tearing at its flesh and spilling acidic blood onto the raptor.

The rat responds with a powerful bite towards the raptor crushing bones as acidic spittle etches into bone.

OoC: 2 hits, and 2 instances of 5 acid damage. And then the bite deals 9 acid, 36 regular damage.

[TheAmazingOP]

Grunting in frustration as he couldn't keep his grip on the beast, Titus opts to continue the wave of pain on the rat as he did the other.

Grasp of Penance
[roll0]
[roll1]
DC 20 Will

[Zaydos]

The rat hisses in pain as it turns it attention towards Titus. Its flesh warps around his touch, but the immense size of the beast means that little damage is actually done, and now it looks angry.

The black tentacles continue to lash impotently at the massive rat.

OoC: I am considering no longer using the WotC dice roller... I think it dislikes you (fourth natural twenty the rats have got).

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee decides that, while layering painful area effects on the rats is extremely useful, the largest of the breed is just too individually strong to be ignored. She reaches out with her spectral hand, inflicting an intensely powerful spiritual curse on the acidic giant.

Touch Attack: [roll0]

Bestow Curse (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/bestowCurse.htm). It's a Will save, DC 21.

She's inflicting the "-4 to everything" version on the Giant Rat.

[Zaydos]

The rat hisses as the magic washes over it, its red eyes looking for the source.

OoC: Jack's turn I believe.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay


Jack's last attempt at cursing the rat didn't fail--it couldn't fail, not when he needed the luck like he needed it now. Narrowing his eyes to slits, he stares at the creature again, muttering a few profanities in Halfling under his breath to give it that extra oomph.

Move Action: Curse of the Fatespurned (Will Save DC 13, you know the routine)


"I think it's high time someone gave this chap something to chew on," Jack smirks while tracing another arcane pattern in the air. He pulls a fish tooth from his component pouch and taps it against the rod he carries with him. A whispered word later, the shadows around the rats begin to coalesce, taking the dark shape of gnashing teeth. In a 40-foot wide cylinder, the sound of chomping and biting begins.

Swift action: activate Rod of Shadowblending
Standard action: cast Major Image (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/majorImage.htm), which the rod turns into Shadow Evocation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shadowEvocation.htm) to replicate Vortex of Teeth (SC). This creates a 40-foot radius cylinder behind the big rat whose radius includes it and the small rats, but none of Jack's allies. Each rat in the area takes [roll0] points of damage at the beginning of each of Jack's turns for the next 8 rounds, with a Will save DC 17 for 20% damage (1 point of damage per round if rounding down).


As the teeth go to work, Jack's smirk widens to a smile. In his book, victory never came down to luck; instead, it was simply a matter of leaving your opponent with no good options. The huge rat could try to leave the cloud of fangs and suffer attacks from his allies in the process, but it still had the option of standing in place and attacking them--an option that Jack considered too good to leave the rat with. With another arcane gesture, Jack casts another spell.

Immediate action: Jack casts Hesitate on the huge rat at the start of its turn (Will DC 17 or take no actions but a single move action each round for the next 8 rounds with a new Will save each round). This uses up Jack's swift action for the next round.

[Zaydos]

The teeth cut against the largest rat as its luck goes from bad to worse, and the small one slowly but surely being crushed by the tentacles.

OoC: Failed one save, made the other, two of the rats are in corners of the room blocking line of sight to know for certain if they're caught in the AoE and almost certainly where they can't be hit without hitting party members.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 81/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15
2

After biding his time, Pardo again pounces his way to a flurry of slashes and bite against his prey. He viciously tears at the rat's flesh, uncaring of the now-ineffective corrosive secretions. Despite the savagery of the assault, Pardo remains subtle and appears to blur out of sight.

Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 96 acid damage to Pardo

Swift: initiate Cloak of Deception, to turn invisible (+20/+40 Hide if moving/immobile, +2 attack, and ignores Dex to AC)
Full-Round:Pounce (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#pounce) Charge (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#charge) (+2 Attack, -2 AC) vs Rat (+2d6 Sneak Attack)
Hide and Move Silently while charging(-20): [roll0] and [roll1]
Left Claw Attack: [roll2]; Damage [roll3]+[roll4](sneak atk)
Right Claw Attack: [roll5]; Damage [roll6]+[roll7](sneak atk)
Bite Attack: [roll8]; Damage [roll9]+[roll10](sneak atk)

If Bite hits, free Grapple check via Improved Grab (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#improvedGrab) [roll11]

If successful, Rake attacks since Pounce grants the ability to make Rakes on the same turn as the grapple succeeded. Rake attack and damage bonus are a bit messy when taking into account Str increases etc., but the default is:
Left Rake Attack: [roll12]; Damage [roll13]+[roll14](sneak atk, if applicable)
Right Rake Attack: [roll15]; Damage [roll16]+[roll17](sneak atk, if applicable)

Also, pending questions? I was using the default Rake atk and damage.

@Zaydos Also, how would you rule Rake attacks? Would it be affected by: BAB increase, Str mod increase, Magic Fang spell, Sneak Attack, flanking/charging bonus to attacks, and damage bonus from Boosts? Or is it a constant +12 Rake (1d6+3)?
Immediate Action: initiate Zephyr Dance if/when a creature tries attacking Pardo.

[Zaydos]

Pardo pounces onto the rat, finding it too big to grapple effectively, but his teeth and claws dig into it spilling acidic blood across him.

OoC: Huge size makes it ineligible for improved grab, it took 3 hits, Pardo takes 15 acid damage which is prevented by Protection from Acid. Any living raptors go!

[RaggedAngel]

Tres throws himself into reverse, withdrawing rapidly from the conflict to join his brother behind Kaylee. The two raptors did well, but they're out of the fight for now, since both of them are extremely injured.

[Zaydos]

Heavily injured the rat snaps at Pardo, undeterred by the magic of the beguiler, its massive jaws going horribly awry. It's body is beginning to look battered and beaten, not much longer for this world.

OoC: Made the save, nat 1 on the attack roll.

[TheAmazingOP]

Hmph, Titus thinks to himself whilst in the middle of combat, If this rat doesn't know what's bad for him, so be it.
Almost offended that the rat would go after the lion, Titus tries to finish off the beast with one last grasp of agony from his gauntlet. With one swift yet powerful movement toward the beast, Titus lunges and tries to snatch the close victory.

Grasp of Penance (again, shame I can't grapple :smallsigh:)
[roll0] Melee touch attack
[roll1]
DC 20 Will Save

But with every man's life comes an utter failure. Titus, even with the huge target merely a few feet in front of him, completely misses his grab and almost tumbles over himself. A look of shock and surprise on his face is thankfully hidden from the rest of his group by his plate helmet.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

"And now, mates," Jack winks as the cloud of teeth continues to gnash at the rats, "we just sit back, relax, and collect our coin. Of course, if you'd rather be an overachiever..." With that, he takes a handful of rose petals out of his component pouch and sprinkles them gaily over the ground. A faint, pink cloud settles in the dark behind the giant rat. Though it doesn't include the huge creature in its area, Jack is hoping to snag one or both of the smaller rats. As always, he liked his chances.

Move Action: Curse of the Fatespurned on any enemy he can see (Will DC 13)
Standard Action: cast Sleep (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Sleep), hopefully snagging at least one of the smaller rats (Will DC 15 negates).

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee feels like she owes the rats a little vengeance for her destroyed skeleton; while entirely unintelligent, the raptors were among the more amiable creatures she had raised, and she hated to see them harmed more than necessary. On top of that, she would need a good way to heal them once the fight was over.

Why not, she mused as she cast her next spell, kill four rats with one stone? She whips her hand forward, and a shadowy, inky darkness flits out into the already black room. It slams into the floor of the cellar twenty feet from the back wall, and it fills the entire back portion of the room with a Stygian darkness and a thin coating of midnight-dark sand.

She casts Black Sand, centering it twenty feet from the back of the room, leaving nowhere to hide behind it. If a rat wants to escape 1d4 negative energy damage every round, no save, they have to approach us through the field of tentacles.

All rats in contact with the sand take [roll0] damage as soon as it's cast, and then again at the beginning (or possibly end) of each of their turns.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 56/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15
2

Pardo roars loudly as he swiftly grinds his foreclaws to the ground, the intense friction sparks igniting them. He then continues savagely mangling his prey, a flurry of tooth and nail tearing deeper into the rat's flesh.

Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 81 acid damage to Pardo

@zaydos Is it possible to make a 5-ft step to flank the rat without going inside the tentacle? If yes then Pardo will do so.

Swift: initiate Burning Blade, adding an extra 1d6+5 fire damage to Pardo's melee attacks
Full-Round: full-attack on the rat
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]+[roll2](fire damage)+[roll3](possible sneak atk)
Right Claw Attack: [roll4]; Damage [roll5]+[roll6](fire damage)+[roll7](possible sneak atk)
Bite [roll8]; Damage [roll9]+[roll10](fire damage)+[roll11](possible sneak atk)

[Zaydos]

The giant rat hisses in pain as fire cauterizes its acidic wounds. It looks all but dead as it makes a futile attack on the lion striking at it. It looks all but dead, its body trembling and ready to be struck down.

OoC: I'm assuming the velociraptors which fell back are staying back. And it missed so that brings us to Titus and Kaylee I believe.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee's spectral hand leaps out, brimming with dark energy. The tentacles and black sand continue to drain the life from the lesser rats as the larger one falls victim to her touch.

Inflict Moderate Wounds. Will DC 19 for half.
Touch Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Zaydos]

The massive rat collapses from the negative energy. It is still breathing, for the moment, but the black tentacles and sand will quickly put an end to it. The battle is over, for now, but there may be more rats down in this cellar somewhere.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee looks to the others, hesitant. "We can leave the other rats to die in the black sand. When the tentacles expire they may rush out at us, though. For now, that rat is mine."

If it is still alive when she next moves, she casts Death Knell over the large rat.

[Zaydos]

Before Kaylee can cast her spell the black sands, and the tentacles, have crushed what little life was left in it out.

[RaggedAngel]

Mildly annoyed at the loss of the 'meal' and the rat's corpse, Kaylee instead begins healing her two remaining raptors while she waits for the tentacles to expire. When the tentacles recede into the woodwork she sends her raptors into the black sand to heal more quickly.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack shrugs and pulls out a small pad of paper from his pack. "We'll call that one for Old Jack and none for Unus, may he rest in peace--er, you still say that when they...die again?" Jack still couldn't quite get a handle on what sentiment to express at the destruction of something that had already been dead for some time, but Kaylee seemed to treat the critters like pets so Jack used that as a default.

"Should we call it in my favor now?" the halfling says, unable to fight the urge to rub his greedy little palms together. Suddenly, a thought hits him: "or do you have any tricks to make him an un-dead undead?" Tact and compassion were never Jack's strong suits; he preferred spades and diamonds.

[RaggedAngel]

"To the winner the spoils. Unus is gone, and Jack remains." Kaylee's deaths-head mask fades away, and she smiles a rather wicked smile, and she leans down right next to the halfling, placing five gold coins in his hand. She gives Jack a chaste kiss on the cheek, and murmurs something in his ear for a moment before laughing. It's a rather frightening laugh.

Jack:
Be careful not to die, Jack. You'd make a lovely mummy, and I promise I'd get to you before the druid.

[ben-zayb]

All: Fornicate away my friends, but better do it as we move along. I'm hungry... and already bored.

Pardo shook his head and cast a disappointing glance at the remains of his most recent plaything. Oh, such a pity--that it died without even giving him the thrill of the chase.

[TheAmazingOP]

Ignorant to the affairs between the members, Titus butts in agreement with Pardo.

"Might I remind you that we have a deadline to meet? Unless you wish to be stuck in here with the corpses of the pests..."

As soon as the tentacles dissipate, Titus steps through, acting as the vanguard.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee calls out to Titus before he walks onto the sand. "I can't dispel that. It will constantly cause low-level negative energy damage for about eight more minutes. It'll heal me and my raptors, though. We can plunge in and see if anything is alive, if you want."

[OMG PONIES]

Kaylee's deaths-head mask fades away, and she smiles a rather wicked smile, and she leans down right next to the halfling, placing five gold coins in his hand. She gives Jack a chaste kiss on the cheek, and murmurs something in his ear for a moment before laughing. It's a rather frightening laugh.

Jack's grin widens at the familiar feeling of metal in his palm. His pursestrings are loosened in an instant and as the money disappears within he already finds himself gambling it away. "Double or nothing on one of the other ones? Just gotta pick your lucky horse--er, raptor, sweetness. Win that right back, plus--" Jack's sales pitch is interrupted by a kiss and a whisper.

Kaylee was like a foreign coin to Jack; he could never make heads or tails of her. Shrouded in mystery, she had all the allure and intrigue of an unflipped river card when all the chips are in the pot. However, she reveled in the shroud to the point that sometimes she just made the halfling want to curl into a ball and nurse ale after ale like a baby's bottle. Today, it's about an even mix. The little gambler knows Kaylee doesn't mean anything by the kiss--okay, she might fully intend to play games with his head. For some reason she never seemed to tire of that. Even still, for a brief glimmering moment something flashed in his head, something Jack didn't much care for: it felt very warm, and it was full of pictures that he knew weren't real. One settles in his mind for a moment. He and Kaylee are sharing a loaf of bread on a checkered picnic blanket beneath a huge willow tree, with two skeletal raptors nestled at their feet like loyal sheepdogs. Jack shakes the image out of his head before it can build much of a nest. A sobering thought creeps over him; he had seen her touch bring death and rot flesh. How much more could her lips do?

"Hell's bells, K!" he shouts at her as he feverishly wipes at his cheek. Realizing he might be overreacting, he stops wiping but keeps the look of grave concern on his face. "There'll be no hexing Old Jack, sweetness. I intend to keep all my squishy bits intact, savvy?" He regains his composure only after pulling a small mirror from his pack and checking his face to be sure it was all still there and not in the process of turning any putrid colors.


Kaylee calls out to Titus before he walks onto the sand. "I can't dispel that. It will constantly cause low-level negative energy damage for about eight more minutes. It'll heal me and my raptors, though. We can plunge in and see if anything is alive, if you want."

Satisfied, he tucks the mirror back into his pack and tries to shrug off his terror with a playful wink to the necromancer. As the group stands before the swirling dark sands, Jack chuckles. "Skipped over the basics on our way to the graveyard, eh?" he chides her. "I'm not wild about the idea of you and your pets going on alone. S'pose I could get rid of that magic in a pinch if we're up against it...unless we've got time to wait it out. Barkeep didn't say when that VIP guest was showing up, did he?"

[RaggedAngel]

In the time between the death of the large rat and when the black tentacles recede, Kaylee accomplishes much. She sends her ghostly visage, the undead symbiont bound to her, into the room. It's incorporeal form is nothing but a small faint light, darting between and through the tentacles as if they were not there, scouting for any signs of life.

She herself sets about healing her raptors, preparing them to go back into the fray. She takes a moment or two to draw out her gold and pass it to Jack along with her less-than-comforting message, but she discharges the build up of negative energy into her raptors with each chance she gets.

Carnal Touch x5: [roll0] [roll1] [roll2] [roll3] [roll4]

She uses her move actions to give Jack the gold. The two remaining raptors are at 8 and 4 HP before she heals them, from what I have written on my sheet.

[Zaydos]

As the visage enters the room and turns towards the rat hole Kaylee is bombarded by empathic messages of fear and confusion. Whatever it sees in the hole seems to distress the visage as a mere rat, regardless of the size, should not.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee looks up from healing her two raptors with a start, her attention inhumanly focused on a presence inside the hole that the giant rat came through. "There's something there," she murmurs, "And it isn't a rat. My spirit does not recognize it, and it is intimidated by its presence in the way a mere beast could never do. We need to prepare for it before the tentacles fall."

[ben-zayb]

All:Well, I suppose one of my elementals could spy in within safe confines of the walls, too, but its range is severely limited.

A small, anthropomorphic figure built of stone manifests and quickly glides through the wall, heading into the direction of the room.
Peek through the room, but do it near the walls to keep yourself from being too exposed. And then tell me what you see, he told the elemental.
summon a small Earth Elemental :smallbiggrin:
EDIT: I suppose the elemental only has 6 seconds to spy after going beyond a modest 30 ft. range away from Pardo. Or three seconds of going back and forth in range to remain summoned.

[Zaydos]

The earth elemental attempts to move through the stone wall and simply vanishes.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee watches the wall as the elemental attempts to enter it. When it vanishes she looks to Pardo, concerned."Was that on purpose, or is it dead?"

[ben-zayb]

Pardo ponders for a moment. If it simply passed through the stone, it was strange that his elemental didn't even bother replying back. He then decided to let the matter remain unquestioned for now, unless everybody else wants to get curious.

I've no idea. It didn't even manage to communicate back, actually. Perhaps its disappearance may have something to do with what scared your ghost too, don't you think so?

After pausing with a dull growl he concluded, All I know is that I came here to exterminate rats, anything other than that is beyond my contract. What do you say, comrades?

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

The halfling shrugs at Pardo's telepathic suggestion. "I guess we could always pop back and renegotiate? More work, but only for more pay?"

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee thinks for a moment, watching the tentacles writhing while she touches Tres, healing him with a little jolt. "Those tentacles are coming down soon. Jack, you dart back up there and do what you do best, and we'll hold this thing off while you work, if it decides to come for us. Quickly now!"

Nearly unseen, the small spark of her visage floats back into her chest, taking up residence in her once more.

[OMG PONIES]

"Those tentacles are coming down soon. Jack, you dart back up there and do what you do best, and we'll hold this thing off while you work, if it decides to come for us. Quickly now!"

Jack was torn for the requisite moment you're supposed to be torn before you leave a sucker in a sucky situation. If the others wanted to die facing an unknown terror that makes elementals and ghost faces wet themselves, he'd be sad--but he'd only be sad for the requisite amount of time you're supposed to be sad when someone faces insurmountable odds and fails to surmount them.

He was glad not only to be away from whatever was bad enough to make Ghost Face quake in its banshee boots, but also much closer to the one who could give him enough coins that he could literally swim in them. With an odd skip in his step, he travels through the corridors back to the inn and finds the Barkeep.

[Zaydos]

The barkeep looks up at Jack from cleaning the skull of some creature vaguely resembling a crocodile with bull horns, and says, "Surely you can't have cleared out all the rats yet, can ye? Can't have done much more than clean a room."

[OMG PONIES]

Jack climbs up a barstool to maintain eye level with the keep. "Afraid terms have changed," Jack says as he drums on the rich mahogany. "We've cleaned out one room, and we fully intend to clean out the rest as per the terms of our agreement. However, in another room there's a mysterious presence that is distinctly Not a Rat. Now, lesser problem solvers could say we'll only take care of the rats, but not Old Jack and company. We're more than willing to take care of all your problems..." he pauses to flash a toothy grin, "but by incurring additional risks it'd only be fair to compensate for that with additional reward, don't you think?"

[roll0]

[Zaydos]

"What kind of problem?" The barkeep asks, still cleaning his mug, "You didn't break something did you?"

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

Jack feigns his best affronted look at the barkeep. "Heavens no, friend," Jack says to reassure the man wiping the mugs. "White glove touch and all. Only problem is, if we wipe out the rats, you've still got this Mystery Creature to worry about. Whatever it is, Old Jack's danger sense is tingling something fierce. So I'm here to tell you we'd be happy to include eradicating this additional pest, but due to the sensitivity of the situation, it'll require a 25% increase in our pay. Usually it would be closer to a third, but I've already shaved some off on account of knowing this is a good joint. Call it the Friends & Family discount, if you will."

Hopefully this is just a continuation of my previous Diplomacy check. If a new one is called for, let me know.

[Zaydos]

"Just kill the rats. If I find there are any other critters down there afterwards, then we can talk."

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee looks back up the stairs, her attention split between the faint fear seeping from her ghostly visage, her injured raptors, and the lucky thief upstairs. "We need you back down here, Jack!" As soon as the tentacles drop, she mentally orders her raptors into the black sand so that they can begin to heal faster than she can manage alone.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

With a shrug, Jack scurries back toward his fellow mercenaries. "Suit yourself, guv," he tries to say nonchalantly to disguise his palpable disappointment. "Don't say I didn't warn ya." With that, he heads back to the others. Once reunited with his crew, he shakes his head. "No dice--boss said just to kill the rats. This one's above our pay grade.

[ben-zayb]

Well nothing's free these days... I could've used the exercise, though. Pardo whispered disappointedly, slumping his head down his shoulders with a defeated growl. He realizes he had been lying down and wasting his precious time for nil, apparently.

Time to reap some filthy lucre, then?

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee sends a quick mental order to her two living raptors to look for any remaining rats that they would be unable to see from their vantage point in the hallway/stair area. She then holds up her hand, and the pale porcelain mask that had previously covered her face forms on it. "Okay, talk. What did you see?"

Feel free to voice my Visage, but it can totally speak Common while it's "possessing" her, so the gig is up.

[Zaydos]

"I'm not sure. Nothing? A hole? There was another room on the other side, but between the two I can't be sure what it was." The visage answers.

[OMG PONIES]

"So it's a flip of the coin, then?" Jack asks, pulling a coin from his pocket. "Heads it's safe, tails it's dangerous? I don't like these odds, but I've seen worse."

[TheAmazingOP]

"Keep your coin for later,"Titus replies to the smaller man, "I don't think the difficulty of the battle will be based upon what your coin decides. All we need to be is prepared for the looming fight ahead, hard or not.
Our job is to kill the rats, and obstacles to the goal must be overcome. And for the dear, dear pay, We can always..." Now raising a clenched fist and emphasizing the next word, "*negotiate* a fair deal."

[OMG PONIES]

"Aye," Jack agrees, "the flip of the coin doesn't so much decide anything as it peeks at what already is. That being said, it's time to dispense with the theory and get to the action, savvy?"

The little halfling tucks his coin in his pocket and steps into the dark.

[ben-zayb]

Ahead of Pardo, a small elemental gust appears to lend vision. The two followed Jack into the darkness.

[Zaydos]

Walking past the whole in the wall, you can see another room beyond it, but the space between the two rooms is off. It is about 3 or 4-ft of infinite nothingness stretching out to the end and beginning of time, an area where space is meaningless. Something about this distortion feels you with an inner dread, and you have the feeling that it's probably not safe to touch the nothingness.

Opening the door you see a hallway stretching to the left and right until disappearing beyond the range of light and darkvision. 3 doors, 2 on the opposite side of the hallway and 1 on the near, can be seen to both the right and the left of you.

[RaggedAngel]

Once Kaylee has a better idea of what the her visage was afraid of, she calms down a little. The void was certainly terrifying in an existential way, and she could see why it would alarm an otherwise nearly-unkillable undead, but it was a static risk, not an active threat. She made a mental note to avoid it at all costs.

After her two remaining raptors are fully healed by the black sand she dismisses the spell, granting everyone else access to the area without risk of being drained into nothingness. "Should we continue pressing forward to these doors? I can summon a simple human skeleton or zombie to open them; I still have plenty of magic remaining."

[TheAmazingOP]

"I don't see why not," Titus replies, still transfixed on the nothingness before them. A strange thing to see on a rat elimination trip. But then again, the group is in a dimension-jumping tavern.

[OMG PONIES]

"Agreed," Jack says. He starts to waddle toward the closest door and proceeds to search it. He didn't think any of the doors in the tavern would be trapped, but old habits died hard. "Just in case..." he whistles.

[roll0]

[Zaydos]

You don't find anything on the door, but while searching it you can hear what sounds like very large rodents behind it, and oddly enough your nose detects the scent of the air after a thunderstorm.

[OMG PONIES]

"Jackpot!" the little halfling grins and licks his lips. "Sounds like rats and smells like...ozone?"

[ben-zayb]

If our nose can detect it maybe magic can find something out as well...

Pardo made strange gestures with his paws and then concentrates in front of the door.

Detect Magic, of course. :smallbiggrin:

[Zaydos]

You can detect that there are seven auras, the strongest of which is a strong aura, but you cannot be sure what type.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo snorted, quite disappointed at the incomplete result of his magic.
Seems like my magic is faltering a bit. I can sense seven aura with, at least one of which is strong, but I'm having difficulties identifying what kind of magic it is.

[RaggedAngel]

Lora raises her brow in interest. "Really, that many auras? On the door itself, or behind it?" She raises her hand, holding off any answer. "Nevermind, actually. My response will be the same either way; I'll test the door for traps with a summon. Be prepared everyone, this may get dangerous once the door is open."

She begins chanting softly, calling forth dark power. The whites of her eyes turn to black, and after a few long seconds she holds out her hand. In the space in front of the door a faint seal forms on the floor, and with a surge of dark energy a human zombie appears. It looks relatively hale, and it merely smells antiseptic instead of vile. She nods to the zombie, and it attempts to open the door.

Summon Undead I.

[Zaydos]

The door opens easily, and then a bolt of lightning strikes the zombie from within the room coalescing into the form of a giant rat that stands atop the zombie for a split moment before it fades back into the aether from which it was summoned.

The door is opened into a 30-ft, by 30-ft store room. There is a hole in the floor, and 4 other rats stand within. There are several barrels, casks, and crates containing alcoholic beverages, and the rats have obviously been drinking from one. Their bodies are not wholly fleshy, as different parts seem to flicker between being constructed from fur and sinew and being made from pure electricity at random intervals at frequencies so great your eyes have difficulty following it.

The casks they are drinking from is labeled in Auran
(read below if you read Auran)
Thunderhead Mead; Hall of Vaxphos the Thunder Thief

[ben-zayb]

Thunderhead Mead; Hall of Vaxphos the Thunder Thief. recited Pardo.

Well, that's a shocking development. First, we had acidic rats; so I guess these ones are either electric or sonic powered, huh?

I can cast only one more Protection from Energy today, and I think it would be better to let Titus have it, since I can make switch to making range attacks. Not as potent as my claws, but not that bad, the beast assuredly snickered.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

"Heh, shocking development?" Jack chuckles. "I like your style, it was quite enlightning. Now let's kill these bastards before they can bolt."

[roll0]
[roll1] via Lucky Start (if first is less than 15).

[TheAmazingOP]

Nodding in approval of Pardo's plan, Titus mentally questions the small man's chuckle-statement. What was there to be laughing about when there were lightning rats to fight? Nevertheless, Titus prepares him for battle, hoping the drink hadn't given the rodents super speed as well.

Initiative [roll0]

[ben-zayb]

Heh, not really my current style... more like a spark of inspiration. Pardo retorts as he applies his magical ward to Titus.
Initiative: [roll0]
Protection from Energy (Electricity) to Titus for 94 damage

[Zaydos]

The rats move like a flash of lightning. The one that had been standing upon Pardo's summoned elemental is, in a flash of light and roar of thunder, behind the party striking at their back. Even as it does so there are four more thunderstrokes and a rat is attacking each of the intrepid heroes.

Stunned by the sudden speed only Titus avoids the attack entirely, and the other three dig their electric fangs into their would be slayers, acidic slaver burning the flesh around the wounds.

OoC: Who/what ever is in far back takes a hit to AC 20 (flat-footed) and 4 damage + 3 acid damage + 4 electric damage if it hits.

Pardo (unless he has something that prevents being caught flat-footed) takes 3 + 4 acid + 2 electric.

Jack (again unless he has Uncanny Dodge or similar) takes 5 + 4 acid + 2 electric.

Kaylee takes 8 (before DR) + 5 acid + 1 electric, because RNG dislikes her.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 51/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15

Short Buffs Protection from Acid (77 damage)
2

Pardo's retaliation came swiftly, dashing in a shadowy blur against the one who attacked his ally farthest at the back.

Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 77 acid damage to Pardo

Swift: initiate Cloak of Deception for Sneak Attack goodness.
Full-Round: charging pounce on the rat at the farthest back, clearing the area for our casters
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]+[roll2](possible sneak atk)
Right Claw Attack: [roll3]; Damage [roll4]+[roll5](possible sneak atk)
Bite Attack: [roll6]; Damage [roll7]+[roll8](possible sneak atk)

If bite attack hits, free Grapple check (Improved Grab) [roll9] w/ 2 Rakes on success:
Left Claw Rake Attack: [roll10]; Damage [roll11]+[roll12](possible sneak atk)
Right Claw Rake Attack: [roll13]; Damage [roll14]+[roll15](possible sneak atk)

The elemental, at Pardo's behest, moves adjacent the rat nearest Titus, in a flanking position if allowed.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee weathers the attacks from the two rats effortlessly; as their claws find very little purchase on her iron-hard skin, and the energy behind their attacks is turned away and negated by the currents of negative energy she had previously bolstered herself with. Even after both rats had attacked her, she was still more hale and vital than when she had woken up that morning.

Kaylee's eyes darken, and she raises her hand to her face. "My turn," she murmurs, and when she lowers her hand a smooth, porcelain mask covers her face. There is a half-beat of pause, and then the air around her is filled with an overwhelming aura of power and presence of dread.

Fear lashes out at the two rats beside her like knives, and the dread necromancer raises her hands, calling forth more power. "Cower." Her voice rings through the air with unnatural force and resonance, and the two rats beside her and the next one up the line are all struck again with gripping, nauseating fear.

Kaylee first activates her Fear Aura as a free action. All enemies within five feet of her need to make a DC 20 Will save or become Shaken. This is a continuous effect, but it can only affect each creature once.

She then manifests her Ghostly Visage as a free action. It immediately makes eye contact with both rats beside her, unless they're immune to gaze attacks for some reason. They need to make a DC 14 Will save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds each.

She then defensively casts Scare as a Standard action, targeting the rats beside her and the next one down the line. Concentration vs DC 17: [roll0]
They need to make a DC 19 Will save or be Frightened. If they are already Shaken, they will become Panicked instead.

She then draws her Morningstar as a move action.

[Zaydos]

Even as Kaylee begins to fill the air with fear, Pardo's pouncing form rips through one of the two rats leaving it only a tattered pile of broken flesh, lightning flowing out of its body into his as it breathes its last.

The other rat does not move, the electricity flowing through and replacing parts of its body for a few instances though the creature remains absolutely still.

OoC: Pardo's energy resistance takes 5 hits of 5 acid damage, and he takes one hit of 7 electricity damage.

The other rat is... well paralysis trumps frightened.

[RaggedAngel]

OOC:
Just to clarify, what is the status of the two rats just next to Kaylee? Are they cowering, fleeing, paralyzed, etc? And her two remaining raptors are behind her, so they're going to attack as soon as I know what's what.

[Zaydos]

OOC:
Just to clarify, what is the status of the two rats just next to Kaylee? Are they cowering, fleeing, paralyzed, etc? And her two remaining raptors are behind her, so they're going to attack as soon as I know what's what.

OoC: One is dead. The other is paralyzed (which makes whether it is cowering or not moot in that you can't tell if it failed the 2 fear saves).

[RaggedAngel]

Both of Kaylee's raptors pounce onto the paralyzed rat before her, ripping into it in an absolutely brutal and heartless display of efficiency and undead might. Nothing is visible of Kaylee's face, but the stylized markings on her smooth white mask give an impression of great satisfaction.

Both skeleton raptors will Pounce the paralyzed rat. Sucks for the rat.

Duos:
Talons [roll0] Damage: [roll1]
Foreclaw 1 [roll2] Damage: [roll3]
Foreclaw 2 [roll4] Damage: [roll5]
Bite [roll6] Damage: [roll7]

Tres:
Talons [roll8] Damage: [roll9]
Foreclaw 1 [roll10] Damage: [roll11]
Foreclaw 2 [roll12] Damage: [roll13]
Bite [roll14] Damage: [roll15]

[RaggedAngel]

Rerolling that Bite damage: [roll0] and [roll1]

[TheAmazingOP]

Stifling a laugh at the attempt of the rat, Titus reaches for the rat closest to him. He plans to extinguish the small spark the rats had inside them quickly and efficiently, whether it be by his hand, or by his sword.

Forgot to mention that the Shatterspike is Axiomatic, so +2d6 vs chaotic creatures.
Grapple [roll0]
Fearsome Hold [roll1]
Attack with Shatterspike [roll2] against same rat
Damage [roll3] + [roll4] if chaotic

(Edit: Edited homebrew link onto character sheet, in Other Notes Section)

[Zaydos]

The rat, grabbed by Titus, looks badly hurt, but not dead, and the rat's acidic blood spills across you as the shatterspike pierces its flesh.

OoC: 5 acid damage, the rat is still alive. Also should probably either edit a link to the homebrew in the first OoC post that has your sheet, or add it somewhere to the sheet.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

The halfling takes a hit from the nearest rat in stride, hoping his luck would be steady enough to keep him from harm. However, the dice of the gods don't see fit to fall in his favor, and he still takes a damaging blow from one of the rats. Unfazed, he focuses on the area between the three rats. Carefully positioning himself, he unleashes a 30-foot cone of numbing pain on the rats.

[roll0]
[roll1] (Will DC 15 to negate)

[Zaydos]

Jack's concentration isn't what it could be hoped, and the rats renew their attack.

The rat that had been attacking Pardo moves to Jack and the two rats, now flanking the halfling, begin their attack. One of them biting his leg.

The rat in Titus's grasp breaks free from his hold, and the last of the four is immobilized by utter terror.

OoC: Found my actual stats for the rats since their first attack (I switched computers twice since the first battle and lost some things), I had their damage wrong.

Jack takes 15 weapon damage, 2 acid damage, and 1 electric damage from the bite.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 36/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15

Short Buffs Protection from Acid (27 damage)
2

The lion furiously roars in protest at the assault of the team's lucky dice. With murderous intent, he then blazed his way towards one of the aggressors.

Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 27 acid damage to Pardo

Swift: initiate Burning Blade for 1d6+5 fire damage.
Full-Round: charging pounce on one of the rats flanking our Jack (flanking it in turn for Sneak Attack goodness)
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]+[roll2](possible sneak atk)+[roll3](fire damage)
Right Claw Attack: [roll4]; Damage [roll5]+[roll6](possible sneak atk)+[roll7](fire damage)
Bite Attack: [roll6](sorry, no idea how this got here); [roll8]*; Damage [roll9]+[roll10](possible sneak atk)+[roll11](fire damage)
If bite attack hits, free Grapple check (Improved Grab) [roll12] w/ 2 Rakes on success:
Left Claw Rake Attack: [roll13]; Damage [roll14]+[roll15](possible sneak atk)+[roll16](fire damage)
Right Claw Rake Attack: [roll17]; Damage [roll18]+[roll19](possible sneak atk)+[roll20](fire damage)

*bite attack bonus should be +11, to a total of 28
Forgot to check status of Elemental. I'll just assume his time is up.

[Zaydos]

Miraculously Jack managed to actually avoid the rat's attack due to a small puddle on the floor which shorted the electric rat for a few moments. Before it can recover the flaming lion has utterly annihilates it; the rat disappearing in a burst of lightning.

OoC: Jack's re-roll cancelled the damage (barely).

Pardo then explodes the rat taking another 5 instances of 5 acid damage (25 total, should have lost 20 more from Protection from Acid the time before) and 8 electric damage as it gives up the ghost.

[TheAmazingOP]

Intending to finish what he started, Titus lunges for the throat of the one he had in his grasp before. Hopefully the other rats wouldn't be as stubborn to cling onto life as this one has.

Grapple with the rat. If failed the first time, try again with second attack.
[roll0] First grapple attempt
[roll1] Second grapple attempt
[roll2] Fearsome hold damage

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee takes out a tiny vial of alcohol, breaking the seal on the top with her forefinger. Dark power gathers in her hands as she does, and her eyes become little more than gleaming obsidian in the darkness. She traces gleaming lines over her arms, face, and upper chest with the liquid in the vial, and after glowing brightly for a moment the lines fade. She then looks up, and her gaze carries a terrible weight, falling on the rats like a ton of ice.

She strides into combat, fixing her cold and unfeeling eyes on the elemental rats. Kaylee's raptors leap into the fight as well, pouncing on the closest rats with vicious gleaming claws, screeching in unison with unholy fury.

Kaylee:
She continues using her Paralyzing gaze as a free action. Every rat in sight needs to make a Will DC 14 or be paralyzed. Every rat within 5 feet needs to make a DC 20 Will save or be Shaken. Her raptors will selectively target foes that have been affected by her fear effects.

She casts False Life on herself as a standard action. She gains [roll0] temporary hit points, which overlap the 1 temporary hit point she had remaining. She then moves toward the rats as a move action, trying to get as many as possible inside her fear aura without provoking any attacks.

Raptors:
If they can't charge and pounce or just normally full attack, they will use their talon attack rolls. If they do have room to charge, add +2 to every attack.

Unus:
Talons [roll1] Damage: [roll2]
Foreclaw 1 [roll3] Damage: [roll4]
Foreclaw 2 [roll5] Damage: [roll6]
Bite [roll7] Damage: [roll8]

Duo:
Talons [roll9] Damage: [roll10]
Foreclaw 1 [roll11] Damage: [roll12]
Foreclaw 2 [roll13] Damage: [roll14]
Bite [roll15] Damage: [roll16]

[RaggedAngel]

Daaaaaaaym. Both talon attacks threaten, so no matter what both raptors hit. That's awesome.

Critical confirmations:

Crit confim 1: [roll0] Bonus Damage: [roll1]

Crit confim 1: [roll2] Bonus Damage: [roll3]

[Zaydos]

Titus crushes the life from the rat in his hand, a burst of lightning wracking across his body.

As he does so the two raptors move up to the closest rat. The raptors tear into it, spraying themselves with acidic blood, and the necromancer positions herself between the rats.

OoC: No charge with the dire lion between, but still a crit and a hit. 2 rats still standing flanking Jack.

Titus takes 9 electric damage, both raptors take 5.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 36/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15

Short Buffs Protection from Acid (27 damage)
2

Sensing his own health dwindling past the point of safety, Pardo retreated to a safe distance. From there, he channels his innate affinity to flames and focuses it on the lone opponent, immersing the area in an intense burst of heat. Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 27 acid damage to Pardo

Standard: activating Fiery Burst for [roll0] fire damage (Reflex Save DC20 for half)

[RaggedAngel]

With only one foe remaining, Kaylee declines the use of any more spells. Instead, she lashes out with her Spectral Hand, the ghostly appendage crackling with negative energy.

Touch attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

His luck had helped him out a little, but he wasn't keen on using it up to dispatch one little rat--especially since Kaylee hadn't extended another gamble to him. Instead, Jack takes a step back and lets a crossbow bolt fly.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Zaydos]

The rat, avoiding the crossbow bolt, moves closer to Jack snapping at him and biting into the halfling's arm. Suddenly fire bursts across it, the rat failing to dodge the burning flames, and negative energy sizzles across it.

OoC: 15 damage and 11 electricity damage to Jack.
The rat is getting hurt and don't forget the raptors and elemental.

Surround surround surround and slaughter the little rodent :elan:

[TheAmazingOP]

The last rat, battered and bleeding, was fighting tooth and nail, even though it was of no use. When animals, or people, are cornered with no way out, they will do almost anything to get out. Titus knew that from experience. Alas, there was no escape for the rat in this situation.
As the rat is attacking the unfortunate dice roller, Titus diverts the attack from the small man to himself in order to take the blow he knows would not affect Titus much. The gambler is lucky to have this hunter on his side.
The hand extends out, ready to crush the soul soon to be within.


First, burn a luck point to activate Good Karma and redirect the rat's attack to Titus. If it hits, add 50% damage to the hit.
Grapple with the rat. If failed the first time, try again with second attack.
[roll0] First grapple attempt
[roll1] Second grapple attempt
[roll2] Fearsome hold damage

If the first grapple works and the rat is not dead from the damage, attack with Shatterspike as well.

[roll3]
[roll4]
+ [roll5] if rat is chaotic.

[Zaydos]

Titus lifts up the rat, all but crushing the life out of it. His shatterspike pierces its flesh, causing acid to spill across him. A few moments later the creature is dead, its neck broken, and lightning surges across Titus.

OoC: 5 acid damage to Titus, and 6 electric. This group of rats is dead.

[RaggedAngel]

Without pause, Kaylee lays her hands on her two raptors, channeling negative energy into them to restore their injuries. "Well, that was bracing. Those were a little tougher, though not significantly so. Should we go see if there are any flaming or icy rats about, to complete the set?"

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

Jack raises a hand to his forehead, but tries to tough it out in order to impress Kaylee. "Yeah, sure thing, K. Of course, before we go saving the day...any chance you can take care of the living near as well as the dead? Those little critters bit me up something fierce."

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee touches a hand to her deathshead mask, and with a slight flick of her wrist the pale oval flows away in a puff of mist. She gives Jack a faintly wicked grin, and she lays a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I suppose I could heal you. If I really wanted to..."

As she speaks, he feels a surge of positive energy rush through him, and her belt twinkles in the shadows. "Now then, I need to decide which of these rats I'm going to reanimate. Do you think their elemental properties will carry over, or will that magical effect dissipate now that they're desceased? It's all so interesting, really, if you start looking at the interaction between elemental magic and flesh."

Pop a charge from my Healing Belt. [roll0]

How big is the biggest rat? Are they still sizzling and crackling now that they're dead?

[Zaydos]

Medium size, and their supernatural electricity seems to have subsided leaving holes in their bodies; one is complete enough it would probably work as a zombie. You cannot be sure whether it was a part of their nature or a reaction to something they had ingested.

[TheAmazingOP]

Spellcasters, picky as always, Titus thinks to himself. Though, he knows not to mess with them; they always had tricks up their sleeves.
Looking at the holed rats and the liquid which they had consumed, Titus suggests, "Perhaps we should not touch the liquid and continue the hunt for the rats. We can warn the barkeeper later. Once Kaylee has picked her appropriate host and the two of you are finished licking your wounds, let's move. I will take lead."

[ben-zayb]

As his allies assess the situation, Pardo begins morphing back to his natural form. Now stands a pale halfling whose body is covered with all manners of wounds: punctures, electric burns, lacerations, and corroded skin. Even now, blood starts staining his clean white shirt all over.

"Huh. It's really a pain in the noggin when one doesn't prepare for the worst. Now I have to get all my toys just to cure myself...", spoke Pardo in his normal pitchy, almost squealing, voice.

He then rummages through his haversack for his charged wand. He passes it around everyone wounded to let them recuperate to peak health. "This one's on me, fellow hunters. Good game!".
Actions may happen as the group moves. No need to wait for the spell to finish unless they are already heading for combat

Wand of Vigor, Lesser (40 charges) 50-10
(4) on Pardo, for 44HP over 44 rounds (our maximum time delay so far, since each vigor effect per person is more or less concurrent)
(3) on Titus, for 33HP over 33 rounds
(3) on Jack, for 33HP over 33 rounds

OOC: I got the real Idiot-Ball, which is why I didn't prepare heal spells.:smalltongue:

EDIT: Seems to be all settled now

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee takes out several gleaming black gems, and she places them over the eyes and in the mouth of the most intact rats, chanting all the while. Dark power flows down her arms, and the air in the room becomes colder.

"Rise." You feel her words more that you hear them, your heart jumping as she speaks.

"Rise and serve." Her words ring in your head, and it feels like she's talking to you, not the rat's corpse. You're having a hard time remembering why you shouldn't serve her.

"RISE!" There's a surge of power and your head clears, though a lingering doubt remains. Most of the obsidian vanishes, and the dark energy binds itself to the rat, leaving it stronger and faster than it was in life. It rises to its feat, ready to serve.

Animate Dead is only a standard action, but she makes it a Full Round for dramatic effect. It also doesn't have any mental effects of observers, obviously; but what's the point in playing a sexy necromancer if I'm not going to live it up?

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

He was supposed to be the enchanter of the lot, but Kaylee's spell had Jack mesmerized. Leave it to Kaylee to bring out the allure in playing with rat carcasses. Her words tug at emotions inside Jack that he kept trying to squash, his intellect winning over his instinct for at least another round in their ongoing boxing match. He shakes off his spellbound state. "Sheesh, K, I'm up," he says with a wink, springing to attention. "Looks like we got our answer about that electricity," he says with a nod to the clearly-not-crackling-with-lightning zombie.

"Do they still drink?" he asks Kaylee. "I mean, I know zombies eat brains and whatnot, but where do they go when that leaves them parched? I'm thinking we let 'em lap up more of that booze, then see what happens. Truth be told, I've got half a mind to put back a few shots myself, but then Old Jack's mates have always said he only had half a mind in the first place. Whattayasay, think I should give it a swig?"

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee shrugs, and then motions towards the rat. It trundles into the room filled with the electric liquor, and it attempts to lap it up off the floor as best it can. The zombie rat seems to move more swiftly than it did in life, and despite what you know about zombies it also seems a little more graceful.

[Zaydos]

Lightning surges across the rat's body as it drinks the brew, filling the holes left in it but also filling the air with the smell of burning flesh.

[RaggedAngel]

This never occurred to me to ask before, but is Kaylee aware of damage being done to her undead?

[Zaydos]

In combat definitely for ease of play, out of it... if it is definitely obvious that they are (a fireball trap) yes, when there is reason to expect that it might not you're going to need to inspect it...

that said here it's obvious enough and I should have stated exact amount before (been having internet problems so been rushing posts all day) and it has taken 4 electric damage.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee waits a moment to see if the lightning remains for longer than a few seconds. If it does, she'll use her Spectral Hand to heal the rat, not quite trusting the sparks enough to touch it. If the lightning fades, she'll heal it with her hand, and give up the electric endeavor.

[ben-zayb]

"Oops. I'd say even in death, they still don't want you stealing their thunder. Ready to move forward?", the annoying voice echoed.

Afterwards, the pale halfling slowly morphs once more, his body structure stretching and contracting into a majestic feline form.

[Zaydos]

After two minutes the lightning fades.

After three the rat-zombie is fully healed once more and the sound of rats can be heard coming from further down this hall, a series of excited squeaks.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee shrugs, and gestures forward. "Shall we continue forward? The rat probably won't be overly useful, but he can probably take a decent amount of damage before he dies, and she should be stronger than his kin even if he lacks elemental powers."

Just as a note for Zaydos, since you probably don't want to give me the rat's full stats, it gets +4 Str, +2 Dex (+4 and then -2 because it's a zombie), +4 HP per HD, +10ft speed, and +4 initiative.

My undead are awesome.

[TheAmazingOP]

"Put the rat in lead," replied Titus, "and let him take the traps and first blows before I do for the rest of you."
With that, Titus lets the rat move in front and walks down the hallway towards the next task.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay


"Put the rat in lead,"

"Oi," Jack protests, "I'll try to pretend that you didn't just imply that I could be replaced by a dead rat. Still, the plan makes sense. Old Jack would rather that thing lose a figner than me. Onward!"

[Zaydos]

(:smalleek: knew I was forgetting something and I transferred the rat stats to my laptop just for it too)

Walking down the hall you find the source of the squeaks behind a wooden door. The smell radiating from the door is unlike anything you've smelled before and, if you had to describe it, is almost like the inverse of rotting meat.

[RaggedAngel]

I'm going to need some clarification, since Kaylee is an expert on rotting meat. Is it a good smell?

[Zaydos]

I'm going to need some clarification, since Kaylee is an expert on rotting meat. Is it a good smell?

Not necessarily, though primarily. It strikes you on some level as being its opposite. It is not quite the smell of freshness, though that would be the closest imagery it directly brings to mind.

[OMG PONIES]

I'm getting a sense that the smell would be sweet, but sickly sweet...almost like mushy, overripe fruit. Is that a good guess at it?

[ben-zayb]

Pardo frowned disappointedly. The moment he loses his special olfactory ability is when an unexplained odour starts appearing. Nonetheless, he figures he might as well send someone to scout ahead.

An elemental made out of earth, clay, and dirt, suddenly materializes, and acts as though it was burrowing itself through the wall.

Standard Action: get a Small Earth Elemental
Free Action: order it to pass through the walls to see what's on the other side.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee folds her arms, frowning at the smell. It bothered her more than it should have. Her undead did not smell of decay, usually; she prided herself in the precision and power of her reanimation, and with recently-dead specimens she could often restore the form to a better condition than it had been in while alive. Even so, one does not start out with finesse, and her first attempts had reeked of death and rot.

This smell was almost precisely the opposite, and it was foreign enough to bother her. Positive energy undead, perhaps? Something stranger? She was beginning to regret plumbing the depths of this inn.

[Zaydos]

There is a strange popping sound from the other side of the door, and the noise of rock hitting against the wall. The smell grows stronger, the air reeking of it.

[OMG PONIES]

Once more, Jack searches the door for any possible traps before opening it.

[roll0]

[RaggedAngel]

Wait, do we know if the elemental was killed or not? Is it able to 'report back' in any way?

[Zaydos]

Wait, do we know if the elemental was killed or not? Is it able to 'report back' in any way?

You heard an explosion from within and the sound of rocks hitting things. It is most likely unable to report back.

The elemental does not return by the time Jack is done searching for traps.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee has her freshly-undead rat move closes to the door, and she calls her Ghostly Visage forth once more, the porcelain deaths-head mask covering her face once more, obscuring her beauty with a pale featureless oval. "Open it, and the rat will move in first. Then we attack."

[TheAmazingOP]

Titus pushes open the door and quickly steps to the side of the door in order to both let the rat in and anything harmful out. Hopefully the necromancer's new undead beast wouldn't shamble as fast as her others. The team taking more hits than necessary and wasting time to heal would be unfavorable.

[Zaydos]

The door swings open and for a moment Titus is silhouetted against a bright light. Eight smaller rats, each glowing like a miniature sun, sit in the room. You do not feel heat, but a pleasant warmth that soaks through your skin and bodies. The rats turn their pale pink eyes to you as you step aside and the undead rodent moves forward.

The middle of the floor seems to have been torn apart, and blinding light pours out of the rift.

[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee's eyes go wide, and she holds out her hand in a flash. "Stop, now. Come back." The undead rodent halts in place, and backs out of the room. "That looks like positive energy; harmless to us, perhaps even beneficial, but just as lethal to undead as negative energy is to living beings. I can't be certain, though."

If the glowing rats are not immediately hostile, she begins a summoning spell, gathering power. "I'll send in an expendable summon instead of wasting the rat."

Casting Summon Undead I. It's a full-round spell.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo shook his head as he thought of his summons. Eh, well... their vulnerability IS a problem.

Just as they were about to engage the new set of rodents, another gust elemental materialized high above Pardo.

[Zaydos]

The rats begin to rush towards the door moving quickly. Pardo summons his elemental even as the first energy-rat bites into the zombie at the door. Two energy-rats seem to merge into the wall but not quite make it out yet, either they are waiting within or just did not quick enough moving to make it through. Three rats stop, frozen from the visage of Kaylee's ghostly familiar. The other two rats remain immobile waiting, and watching.

OoC: Pardo won initiative but was using a standard action anyway, the rats can only reach one target so they will bite it.

There is a rate (small sized) in the door way blocking it open.

The attack dealt 14 damage to zombie-rat.

It is now party turn. Up to 3 of you can reach melee range with the energy-rat at a time, zombie rat is currently still within it (but will probably be moving back unless Kaylee offers a new order).

So yes, Ragged the rats were immediately hostile so time to decide whether you still want to bother summoning an undead.

[ben-zayb]

Pardo Bleakmoor (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=568567) - Level 9 - Ghostwise Halfling Dire Lion Druid/Swordsage
Male True Neutral
Init +16, HP 36/81, Speed 40 ft.
AC 21, Touch 13, Flat-footed 17, Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +14, Base Attack Bonus +6/+1
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) 2 Claw +15/+15 (1d6+9, x2)
+1 (Greater Magic Fang) Bite +9 (1d8+5, x2)
Fiery Burst DC 20 Reflex half (4d6 Fire Damage )
Agility, Stamina +1 Sharkskin Barding (+4 Armor, +4 Dex, -1 Size, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 27, Dex 19, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 8
Condition None
Move Silently +22, Hide +18, Listen +18, Spot +18, Jump +17, Concentration +16, Survival +15

Maneuvers Readied: Cloak of Deception, Burning Blade, Zephyr Dance, Shadow Jaunt

Short Buffs Protection from Acid (27 damage)1

Pardo makes a fiery beeline for the closest energy-rat, fangs and nails ready to sink into their next victim.

After his assault, Pardo orders his elemental. Whirlwind on the ground and drag as much of the other glowing rats as possible, but end on the space exactly thirty feet in front of me.

Protection from Energy (Acid) prevents the next 27 acid damage to Pardo
Swift: initiate Burning Blade for 1d6+5 fire damage.
Full-Round: charging pounce (+2 attack, -2 AC) on one of the energy-rats, on a flanking position with Kaylee's rat if possible
Left Claw Attack: [roll0]; Damage [roll1]+[roll2](possible sneak atk)+[roll3](fire damage)
Right Claw Attack: [roll4]; Damage [roll5]+[roll6](possible sneak atk)+[roll7](fire damage)
Bite Attack: [roll8]; Damage [roll9]+[roll10](possible sneak atk)+[roll11](fire damage)
If bite attack hits, free Grapple check (Improved Grab) [roll12] w/ 2 Rakes on success:
Left Claw Rake Attack: [roll13]; Damage [roll14]+[roll15](possible sneak atk)+[roll16](fire damage)
Right Claw Rake Attack: [roll17]; Damage [roll18]+[roll19](possible sneak atk)+[roll20](fire damage)

Free: Order the elemental to go Whirlwind form and move through the other rats' space on the ground, as long as its final position is exactly 30ft in front of Pardo (in an attempt to drag them into one position as well as obscure their vision for one round).

DC11 Reflex save to avoid being dragged. Height of the Whirlwind is 10ft. with a width of 5ft at the base and 30ft at the top, which should make catching rats easy even with lesser movement.

*I'm not sure if the elemental is smart enough to move back and forth in case some rats manages to avoid the first instance of getting dragged, but the order specifically calls to drag as much energy-rat as possible.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

The tiny gambler focuses his energy on the rat closest to them. Even though "luck" was more of a humanoid concept, Jack knew that everything was determined by the roll of a die. His chance of success, the vitality of these damnable creatures, even the amount they would get paid was probably determined in advance by one of the Holy Rollers throwing dem bones. When one knew that life was but a game of chance, they also knew subtle ways that the game could be altered and the tables tipped.

Jack focuses his thoughts on the rat in front of them. He peered beyond the threat and saw numbers floating and swirling in his head--a set of heavenly statistics determining what the monster would do next and how well. In his mind's eye, he saw himself grasp an eraser and do away with one of the lines. All that remained were darkened, rolled up bits of rubber. With a grin, he remarks: "Come on chums, we can handle this threat. Old Jack is positive."

Standard Action: cast Daze Monster on closest rat (Will DC 16 to resist. If the rat has 7+ HD, no effect).

[RaggedAngel]

Nah, I won't bother summoning anything. Murdertimes instead. I'm just going to describe my rat's actions, since I don't have his exact stats.

Kaylee throws out her hand as the shining rat charges forward, reversing her command. "Kill it! We'll study them when they're dead." The undead rat lashes out at its living counterpart with impossible strength, splintering the floor beneath it slightly as it lunges. Whatever Kaylee's magic did to it, it is much more powerful than it was while alive.

Kaylee herself weaves quick signs in the air, her robes fluttering slightly as more dark lines trace down her arms. She flicks her hand forward, and her conjured ghostly hand matches her motion, reaching out to touch the closest living rat lightly. Corruption spreads from the touch like a dark wave.

She casts Chill Touch. 1d6 negative energy damage, Will save DC 18 negates, and a Fort save or it takes 1 Str damage. She can use 9 Chill Touches total. Perhaps not any better than her usual Carnal Touch, but I've never tried this spell, so why not?

Touch attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] Negative energy + 1 Fort

[TheAmazingOP]

Like second nature, Titus moves forward as soon as he sees the rats are hostile. With a sweep of an arm, Titus scoops the small rat into a choke hold and pierces the rat with his blade. Hopefully this time nothing but positive energy would spill out on him. He is thankful, though, that with the diminishing of the rats' sizes, came the diminishing of the difficulty of the mission for himself.

New post coming up.


Grapple [roll0]
Second Grapple (if first misses) [roll1]
Fearsome Hold [roll2] (DC 20 Fort half)
Armor Spikes Damage [roll3]
Attack with Shatterspike (if first grapple succeeds) [roll4]
Shatterspike Damage [roll5] (+ [roll6] if chaotic)

[Zaydos]

((OoC: Previous was the first round; and should have posted earlier :smallredface:))

Jack's spell seems to have no effect on the rat, as Kaylee's own rat's teeth slip straight through it. These things seem to be incorporeal! Her chill touch, though, has an effect and the rat hisses in pain when she touches it.

OoC: Since Titus would know you can't grapple incorporeal things (maybe if you had ghost touch gauntlets and/or armor) I'm going to let him rechoose his attack. If he hasn't within 24 hours of this post, poke me on the OoC thread hopefully I will remember to check my subscriptions :smallsigh:

Sorry about that guys :smallredface:

[TheAmazingOP]

Like second nature, Titus moves forward as soon as he sees the rats are hostile. Fortunately, seeing the allied rat completely miss tips off Titus before he moves in for the attack. Deciding to save his grasp for when it was actually likely to hit the enemy, Titus swiftly swings his sword into both hands and then the creature, hoping it would have some effect.


Full Attack.
First Attack [roll0]
Shatterspike Damage [roll1] (+ [roll2] if chaotic) + 2 (two handed)
Second Attack [roll3]
Shatterspike Damage [roll4] (+ [roll5] if chaotic) + 2 (two handed)
Chance to hit (2 is hit)
Attack one [roll6]
Attack two [roll7]

[Zaydos]

The first swing passes through the rat, but the second misses it by mere centimeters.

@ben-zayb: do you still want to charge it assuming Titus 5-fts out of the way?

[ben-zayb]

The first swing passes through the rat, but the second misses it by mere centimeters.

@ben-zayb: do you still want to charge it assuming Titus 5-fts out of the way?
I am not sure if Pardo knows which types of attacks would work on "incorporeal" types anyway, so that'd be a yes. He'll likely go Fire bursting at later rounds in case.

[Zaydos]

Pardo bounds onto the rat in the doorway but his claws and fangs pass through it with only a vague tingling of resistance. The elemental moves beside him trying to lift the creature but it proves too large.

One of the rats that had been sitting in the room moves forward biting at the elemental winds, as do two of its brethren. While one misses the other two strike the elemental causing it to explode in a burst of light and energy.

The two rats currently in the walls step out, one biting at Pardo and one at Titus. The rat biting at Pardo strikes and he feels a... surprisingly pleasant sensation as life energy pours into him. His wounds close themselves and bloody holes close shut.

OoC: Pardo heals 8 hp.

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|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|
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-RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFT-
{table]|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|R|o|o|o|o|
|o|o|o|o|R|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|
|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|o|
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[RaggedAngel]

Kaylee watches Pardo get bit, and she whispers a silent prayer that she has not yet cast a Veil of Undead on herself. She orders her undead rat to immediately withdraw from combat, and the zombie responds instantly, rushing backwards. "Why did they destroy the elemental, but heal you? That's positive energy. We may want to capture these things instead of killing them, they could be put to use." Her spectral hand lashes out again, however, still infused with weakening negative power.


Touch attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] Negative + 1 Strength damage, Fort save DC 18

[Zaydos]

The rat beside the zombie takes a small bite, the positive energy eradicating part of its form. When the spectral hand touches the rat it hisses and spits, dark grey energy steaming away before vanishing.

[TheAmazingOP]

Curious to see if the much needed effects would be duplicated on him, Titus stops his attack and holds out his hand instead, open for a hopefully beneficial bite.

[OMG PONIES]

Jack Fairplay

The tiny gambler steps up behind Kaylee's zombie and begins to cast a spell. He takes a moment to ask her: "Oi, K--your creatures don't get tripped up by illusions, right?" Rather than waiting for an answer, he shrugs his shoulders and says "Guess it's time to roll the dice." He extends his fingers out, a cone of scintillating colors washing over the undead rat and blasting through the doorway to catch the three nearest incorporeal rats in its radius.

Free action: 5-foot step behind zombie.
Standard action: cast Color Spray (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/colorSpray.htm) as per the rightmost 15-foot cone template pictured in the spoiler.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MK8sWA8JC8A/T35ia8ZWvmI/AAAAAAAAA2Y/ddpZlZE_DLc/s490/15%2Bfoot%2Bcone.jpg

I think this will hit the rat behind the wall, but I'm not sure if the corner blocks the cone.
Will save DC 15 to negate, mind-affecting.

[RaggedAngel]

Maybe I was misunderstood, but it was my intent to have the zombie rat withdraw last round. I think it didn't withdraw, for some reason. I don't want it anywhere near those things.

[Zaydos]

OoC: I think it's Ben-Zayb's turn before you know the results of the color spray or anything bites Titus.

Withdraw is a full round action (hence the AoO) and the map hasn't been updated.

[RaggedAngel]

OoC: I think it's Ben-Zayb's turn before you know the results of the color spray or anything bites Titus.

Withdraw is a full round action (hence the AoO) and the map hasn't been updated.

The point of the Withdraw action is that it doesn't provoke AoO's, right?

[Zaydos]

The point of the Withdraw action is that it doesn't provoke AoO's, right?

Zombies can't actually take the withdraw action, though as it's a full round action and they are limited to 1 standard or 1 move action and unlike chargeit doesn't allow you to do a partial version.

[RaggedAngel]

Zombies can't actually take the withdraw action, though as it's a full round action and they are limited to 1 standard or 1 move action and unlike chargeit doesn't allow you to do a partial version.

:smallsigh:

[ben-zayb]

I like that idea. Saves me some wand charges, if only there's a means to touch them.

With his physical attacks failing, Pardo instead retreats to get a better vantage point and conjures a fiery burst where most of the rats are gathered.

OOC: Meta-wise, do you think it's a good idea to skip this part and move on, hoping for a healing fountain once we retreat? Or is it too risky, in that they may follow and heal any other rats that we'll encounter?

Move: to the right of Jack to get a better view of the rats.
Standard: Fiery Burst centered at the top left of the ghost rat near Kaylee's zombie, to affect 3 ghost rats.
Damage: [roll0] DC20 Reflex Half
Incorporeal Miss Chance: [roll1] (1-49 misses)

[Zaydos]

Two of the three burnt rats turn towards Pardo and surround him. Two striking him, another rat striking Titus. The remaining three do nothing.

OoC: Pardo heals 17 hp, any above his max become temp hp. Titus heals 9.