The SUA: A Dark And Stormy Knight, IC

[Dimers]

Another day, another ducat. The Society of Unconventional Adventurers has just posted a fine job opportunity, and Mayor Micknick approached each of you to make sure you're aware. Not a huge amount of pay for this one -- 60 gold apiece, nothing in advance, not negotiable -- but it's a good cause and is pretty likely to have magic loot lying around. And for those motivated by hunger for the flesh of sentients, well, that's available too.

The situation: Way up in the mountains near the heart of the now-defunct hobgoblin empire, there's a sort of tomb-shrine for a few of the empire's heroes. It's remote, it's rumored to be cursed, and if the Society's mimic rogue is to be believed, it's also very solidly secured. So it's never been looted. And unlike the dozens of forts that once peppered the countryside, it's not a military target for the half-elves' war engine.

But there's been suspicious activity around the tomb recently. Banditry, for one. A farmer coming into town to buy tools says she heard the ring of metal on stone while camped on the road nearby. Her forest shaman says the spirits are disturbed. The bounty is for the bandits, but maybe you can wrangle a bonus out of Micknick if you bring back proof of ghosts put to rest or what-have-you. He's a sensible guy.

So you threw together a party of tough, skilled Unconventional Adventurers who could use a spot of cash and/or a former bandit's kidney, and you set off right away. Two and a half days of heavy hiking on smaller and smaller trails brought you to the peak the tomb is built into. And you're arriving just in time, because the sky just opened up and started throwing pea-sized hail and wet sleet at you. Not a thoqqua's favorite environment. Not anyone's favorite, really.

You're at a bare circle of slate that might be a site for training in blade magic, and it's getting very loud with the clak sounds of hail striking. The tomb is a bit over a hundred feet away, its rough stone construction barely visible in the evening light. But ... isn't there supposed to be a massive boulder there, blocking the entrance?

Before the weather whipped up, you smelled days-old traces of hobgoblin on this trail. There's also a subtle scent of cooking vegetables and meat that's gotten stronger as you approached. Strangely, it's not accompanied by smoke. And the odor of rats also hangs in the air here.

[Greenflame133]

"I smell, litery some hobgoblins, cooked vegetablesa and meat as well as rats, oddly enouth no smoke, perthaps they used magic." Ashie says looking over the companions

[3WhiteFox3]

At the sound of the word goblin, Rain will activate Aid on themselves (will last 3 minutes) and will recast Aid in the beginning of the third minute.

If anyone wishes to be fortified against harm, please notify me.

[roll0]

[Falontani]

"I could go for some hobgoblin right now, rats are generally too small, but I can make do."



"I could use some bolstering, if you are offering it Mr. Ball of Light."

[remetagross]

@Ashie Your keen scent allows you to detect a various assortment of aromas, and you astutely deduce that the lack of smoke smell means something odd is going on. You do not miss on sharing that intel with your companions.

@Rain Ever the careful Archon, you react to the mention of goblins by activating at once one of your useful abilites, the power to bring Aid to those in need relentlessly. However, the miscellaneous nature of the Society of Unconventional Adventurers means that the unlikely recipient of your magic is a ravenous undead.

@Raven One has to take what one is offered. If that means small, barely filling rats, so be it. And since one can never be too prudent, a touch of magic from the Lantern Archon would not be amiss, since it so generously provides it.

Moving all forward, you face the deep entrance of the tomb. To your surprise, you can see that the huge rock that usually seals such cairns off lays splintered by the side of the hill. Hence you didn't see it on your way on. After a few minutes of inspection, it appears it must have been struck by lightning during one of the recent storms. Well, that is all and good, but in the meantime, a gaping hole in the side of the hill awaits the adventurers that came to explore.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/d0/ce/b1/d0ceb103424a37b36ef58e0501cea6b3.jpg

[Falontani]

Hmm... It looks like from here on we may encounter foo-. Erm. Hostiles. I shall scout ahead. If I encounter danger that I can't handle I light a uhh... torch. Yes a torch.


[roll0] Hide
[roll1] Move Silently
[roll2] Survival to look for traces of creatures

[Greenflame133]

Ashie walks over to the entrance aprouching it from a side to get cover. “anyone got light? I can't see in the dark"

[remetagross]

@Ashie you cautiously move next to the entrance. Due to a prominent section of rock above the entrance, that makes a sort of roof, no sun ray enters the tomb, and try as you might to squint and peek at what is inside, it remains utterly invisible to your feline eyes. The scent is ever so slightly more powerful than before, though.

@Raven Your undead eyes allow you to pierce the darkness easily, and you stealthily move inside the cairn. It takes you a few meters to reach a point from which you can make out the opposite wall. Once you more or less reach the center of the room, you can distinguish it all. The stone chamber measures at least ten paces square. Peeling paint and broken scrollwork suggest that it was once decorated with some care, but now only dust remains.Three massive stone doors—one each to the left and right, and one directly across from the entrance—lead deeper into the tomb. On the other hand, your inspection of the floor has not revealed the tracks of a single moving being here. The place is empty.

Raven is at the threshold (J13). Rain and Ashie right behind.

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2018/17/4/1524700831-capture2.png


Link to the changeable map (http://pyromancers.com/media/view/main.swf?round_id=229058)

[Falontani]

Raven will keep to the perimeter and continue looking for tracks, if nothing is there then I will attempt to search the western door, I'm no rogue, but traps aren't pleasant

[roll0]

[remetagross]

@Raven you try to sleuth something out and, moving little by little, you find yourself in front of the western door. More of a simple slab of rock than a door, you can figure now that you're up close.Simple marks on its surface seem to suggest a primitive head of some humanoid creature, but the art is too vague and too blurred out by the passage of time to be able to identify more than that. No opening device that can be seen. Try as you might to find any sort of hidden mechanism, you can find none. What you do find, however, is a series of cracks that run frop the base of the slab hafway to the top. These look strongly similar to the ones that could be observed on the splintered boulder outside the cairn. It seems like the door has been weakened by the thunder shocks just like the exterior door had been utterly smashed.

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/2e/6f/8f/2e6f8f12e539a0036fc1f2d71fa23921--stone-sculpture-modern-history.jpg

[Greenflame133]

She says with the entrance as she is good without sight

[3WhiteFox3]

Rain will let Raven sneak in. After they get out of sight, activate Continuous Light and move to J7.

[Greenflame133]

Ones the light fills the room Ashie follows closely behind (J9)

[remetagross]

@Rain After having let the Ghoul disappear into the shadows, you follow through and activate your holy radiance. Not that you needed it: as a denizen of the Outer Planes, you could clearly see the layout of the whole place anyway. But that is not the case of your fellow feline adventurer. Few places can escape the illumination you bring forth, and this one is no exception. You place yourself to what you guess is the center of the room. The light you now emit dissipates the shadows but in the farthest corners of the room. Raven is now within your line of sight, dimly lit by your illumination. You can see it is standing before a colossal slab of rock passing for a door.

No one, or nothing, has made the slightest movement to prevent or to react to your use of one of your abilities.

@Ashie Now that the place is brightly lit, you engage yourself in and move behind the Lantern Archon. Your keen panther eyes allow you to make the most out of the halo of light produced by Rain. Hence, you can perfectly envision the totality of the room, takinig advantage of the low light emitted by the outsider starting from a certain range. Nothing.

Nothing visual, at the very least. But the smell of rats has gotten a little stronger.

Google sheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BOWahGkg5ITDJPNhdRO-QCZ2jYivIJg6dRfxh51-ycI/edit#gid=0)

[Dimers]

Raven's close examination brings Rain's attention to the weathered stone.

It looks like an ancient religious artifact you've seen examples of before, being an antiquarian. The bad cracking at the base shows that whoever moved it here took poor care of it. On the down side, strong blows might smash the thing, ruining it forever as a relgious relic. On the plus side, strong blows might smash the thing and let your party to the other side ...

[Greenflame133]

Ashie walks up to the roc (d5) "looks like supposed to contain something, or rather someone. I think it's best to keep this one locked".

OOC: I would rather avoid it. Knowledge (local) for humanoids that may be simular to one on the stone [roll0]

[remetagross]

@Ashie you move towards the stone Raven is currently inspecting. The musk of rats is getting even stronger around here...you carefully declare it should be best not to displace that one stone door. That being said, the stones don't seem to be ready to move by themselves, so they might need a little bit of help from your part if you and your companions intend to move further in the tomb...

[3WhiteFox3]

We may need to break this relic here to go further in.

[remetagross]

@Rain You suggest to your companions that, for once and contrary to what you Archons usually believe, direct violence might seem the best option to move forward.

@The party So far, this tomb has proven rather disappointing. No fresh food to prey on. No interesting feature to play with. No monstrous creature to blast. It seems that until you decide to take the reins in and start acting more proactively, nothing is going to happen in return.

[Falontani]

I got some days off work which is where I usually reply. Raven will cast detect magic.

I will inspect it for a full minute
[roll0]
raven will attempt to smash
[roll1]

[Greenflame133]

"no need to rush. On the other side I smell rats. We can see where other doors lead. Maybe one will smell like goblins" Ashie says getting ready to move to next entrance (J1) but waiting for raven to finish his smashing attempt. Should it be sukces she stays.

[3WhiteFox3]

Rain will wait to see what happens with the relic.

[Dimers]

Raven quickly confirms that there's nothing magical on this side of the stone, then begins to tear into it. With her undead hands feeling no pain she can afford to smash at it with supernatural might. The stone is tough, but its weathering has weakened it enough that Raven can chip away at it.

The work isn't exactly quiet, but with the noise of ferocious rain and hail coming through the tomb's entrance, it doesn't seem likely to attract attention.

The ghoul reduces the relic stone to pieces soon enough, its fall accompanied by a distressed sound of chittering from somewhere nearby. Heavy chunks and shards litter the floor. Beyond is a very dusty hallway; Raven's keen eye immediately notes clawed tracks from some kind of beast about the size of a hound.

Good perception rolls, not so great with the Knowledge. :smallamused:

The room might be about to get busy, though it looks like the left exit is not an immediate problem. Anything you'd like to do or prepare?

[Greenflame133]

Ashie sniffs around that other exit.

[Anachronity]

Vog had seen no signs of this other group he'd been told of, but the weather turned foul just as he neared his destination. He decides that, given a lack of any door, it would be fine to wait inside and escape the weather.

To his surprise, what he assumes to be the other society members are already here, and already at work.

He speaks with a low, gravelly growl, though it seems more to be his normal speaking voice than any attempt at intimidation: "Hello fellows, I am from the society. I had looked for companions to explore this place and lay to rest its spirits, but learned that another group had already departed."

He drew up to his full height from his normal, hunched posture and spread his wings grandly in hopes of appearing impressive. He was not well-versed with these things, but it seemed the right thing to do. "I will join you in this, if you will have me."

[remetagross]

@Vog, Ah, they must be those other adventurers you heard of. Let us see...a leopard, a ghoul and a lantern archon. A fine, if motley, crew. They lacked a gargoyle to complete the iconic 4-characters adventuring band. The ghoul seems to have been at work with some sort of stone...maybe the same as you can picture on two sides of the otherwise mostly empty room? She has patiently reduced the stone door to gravels. Squeaking sounds can be heard...

@The party You turn to see the newcomer. A gargoyle, he seems to have been sent by the Society as well. Well, the more, the merrier, as they say.

@Raven Ah, there we are. The formerly blocked off corridor is now free of obstacles, provided one steps over the rubble, and -

@Ashie Alright, so no more hiding in here. Your keen smell tells you the rats you have been sniffing out since the beginning are going to appear. Not particularly worried at that idea, you ready yourself near the rubbles, and maybe warn your comrads of what is incoming.

@The party Pouring from a hole in the ceiling, that was previoulsy blocked off by the stone, a pack of enormous rats crawl down the wall and gather themselves around Raven.

http://orig12.deviantart.net/ece6/f/2014/031/8/0/monstrum_mortis_joelhustak_by_joelhustak-d74irt8.jpg


Another Knowledge (Nature) to identify them.

The creatures seem more confused and panicked than angry, but seeing a number of menacing creatures in their vicinity, they will lash out at the closest targets.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BOWahGkg5ITDJPNhdRO-QCZ2jYivIJg6dRfxh51-ycI/edit#gid=0 (MAP)

Ashie
Rats
Rain
Raven
Vog

[Greenflame133]

Ashie forgot any fancy maneuvers to strike as much as possible.


Knowlage [roll0]

Full round atack
bite(J4): [roll1] DMG: [roll]1d6+7[roll] Trip: [roll2]
claw(J5): [roll3] DMG: [roll]1d2+3[roll] Trip: [roll4]
claw(J6): [roll5] DMG: [roll]1d2+3[roll] Trip: [roll6]

5ft step to k4

[Falontani]

"Food tries to eat me!"
I will do a claw/claw/bite!


[roll0] Claw at rat 3, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll1] rounds.
[roll2] Claw at rat 3, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll3] rounds.
[roll4] Bite at rat 6, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll5] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

[roll6] Claw 1
[roll7] Claw 2
[roll8] Bite
[roll9] Improved Grab

If I win against Rat 6 in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
[roll10] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll11] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[remetagross]

@Ashie Your ferocious instincts make you temporarily forget your training in the Sublime Way. Kill or be killed, is the primordial rule you know! And a leopard vs a rat is a fight that does not let much in incertitudes as to which kills and which is killed. Your ferocious attacks leave two of the rats surrounding you severly wounded, and one of them knocked off its legs as well. Your paw barely misses a third rat. You then make a swift movement to the side, to avoid being surrounded.

@Raven You immediately set about to consuming the creatures that now surround you. Your two claws largely swipe off their target. These damn rats are nimble! On the other hand, your ferocious bite seizes a third creature by the neck. The rat tries to struggle away from your grasp, but to no avail. You take advantage of that situation to squeeze even harder. You feel the animal going slack under your teeth. You killed it fair and square.

The rat that was tripped tries to get up again and pursue its angered attack.


Raven gets an AoO vs Rat 2.

Each of these enraged creature then set about to attack the closest threat it can perceive. Ashie manages to gracefully dodge the pitiful bites of these lowly creatures. Raven barely moves out of the way for one, but is stung by two others. By luck, her undead organism is not afraid of the infectious agents these bites usually carry.


Raven takes 6 damage, unless her AoO manages to kill off rat 2. In which case, she only takes 4 damage.


The rats
Everyone else in no particular order:
Ashie
Raven
Rain
Vog

Each time someone plays, they will be debolded to display that.

[Greenflame133]

Seeing how rats don't focus entirely on the they surrounded. She bits one more, this time gathering energy that hardens around her.

[Anachronity]

Not wanting to repeat his past fiasco concerning sapient swarms in the Society, Vog is slow to act against the new arrivals. He begins to opt for a friendly greeting when the combat erupts in full.

Once he notices that the other Society members are attacking these newcomers, he decides it is safe to do likewise. At the very least, there will be three others to shift the blame onto this time...

With a snap of his wings and a flying leap, he strikes at the nearest offender not already out of commission.

Charge rat 2 with a claw attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Swift: move an essentia point into my Wormtail Belt for -2 Listen, +1 Nat. Armor (for total AC of 20 due to having charged)

[Falontani]

Raven kills a rat, causing Need to Feed trigger. Need to Feed: Will Save DC 15 or stop to completely consume creature that you have slain
[roll0]

If I succeed then I get my attack of opportunity
[roll1] Bite attack if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for (1d4+1)[3] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

(1d8+6)[14] bite damage
(1d20+6)[24] Improved Grab

[remetagross]

@Ashie defiant against more of these nasty bites, you adopt a Sublime Way maneuver that fills you with the resilience of the earth.The swipe that follows is enough to slay the rat that stood before you.

@Raven Managing to refrain your desire to consume the fallen rat on the spot, you spit it out...thus freeing your mouth to take an opportunist crunch at the rat that tried to stand up before you. That one, already weakened by Ashie, slumps on the ground, dead.

@Vog While investing the power of your soul into a more defensive meld, you rush at one of the rats you face, afte having confirmed those are not Unconventional Adventurers too. Unfortunately, your claw swipe goes wide out of target.


The rats
Ashie
Vog
Raven
Rain

[3WhiteFox3]

If rain can fly upward out of the rat's reach they will. Regardless, they will move to M7 and shoot a ray at rat 4 (depending on how high rain can fly, they should be able to get a shot off without the rat getting cover. If not, rain will move to any angle where they can get clear LOS of rat 4 without being within 10' of any rats). Any rats in 20' of Rain must make a DC 12 will save or be subject to Aura of Menace.


[roll0]
1d6 base + 1d6 Skirmish[roll1]

[Falontani]

Raven attempts another save against Need to Feed (Will save DC 15) [roll0]

[roll1] Claw at rat 3, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll2] rounds.
[roll3] Claw at rat 3, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll4] rounds.
[roll5] Bite at rat 3, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll6] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

[roll7] Claw 1
[roll8] Claw 2
[roll9] Bite
[roll10] Improved Grab

If I win against Rat 3 in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
[roll11] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll12] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[remetagross]

@Rain you move high in the room, almost brushing the ceiling, so as to get a good vantage point to fire off your light rays onto the vermin. Your mere presence seems to weaken the bestial resolve in the rat near the back wall of the room, but the two others which can only follow you by eye seem to remain as frenzied as ever. The light ray you produce is then dexterously sidestepped by the rat you were aiming at!

@Raven You manage to keep your hunger in check and start largely swiping at yet another of these insignificant creatures. The claws miss their mark, but the teeth strike true. You can feel the rat squeek and then stiffen under the effect of your paralyzing grasp...and less that a second before, it goes slump and dies just like the previous one did. Ha!

The rat whose resolution seems to have been weakened by the aura emitted by Rain cautiously decides to get away from that threatening ball of light, and rushes towards you instead. But the pathetic creature almost trips itself as it tries to attack you, and simply manage to meekly stand before you.

@Ashie the enraged creature rabidly bite at you. However, you manage to elegantly avoid the attack of the first one, and while the second one manages to lock its jaws on your foreleg, all that happens it that the creature almost breaks a fang on your skin hardened by the power of the earth itself, while you remain unharmed.


The rats
Ashie, Vog, Rain, Raven

Map (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BOWahGkg5ITDJPNhdRO-QCZ2jYivIJg6dRfxh51-ycI/edit#gid=0) (please use it to modify your positioning yourself, it avoids confusions and makes things faster :smallsmile:)

[Falontani]

Raven attempts another save against Need to Feed (Will save DC 15) [roll0]

[roll1] Claw at rat 1, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll2] rounds.
[roll3] Claw at rat 1, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll4] rounds.
[roll5] Bite at rat 1, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll6] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

[roll7] Claw 1
[roll8] Claw 2
[roll9] Bite
[roll10] Improved Grab

If I win against Rat 1 in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
[roll11] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll12] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[remetagross]

@Raven This time, there is no resisting the temptation: instead of dealing out with the closest threats, you avidly rip the flesh apart from the rat you slew and feast on its flesh.


Hey Falontani, post some in-character information when you play, even a one-liner: we want to know how Raven behaves on the battlefield, what she thinks, etc, not just the rolls :smalltongue:


The rats
Raven
Ashie, Vog, Rain

[Dimers]

A wet, cold and slightly battered imp comes into view in the main entryway, not trying to stay out of sight because haste is more important than stealth right now. At a glance, the tiny creature looks wind-tossed and yet completely adorable. :smallbiggrin:

Ashie recognizes the imp, having worked with him once already. His name is Yix, and he has a talent for fancy talk and energy blasts.

niw18, please pick a speech color and dive right into play.

If your name is bolded here, take your turn in any order before the rats go again.

The rats
Raven
Ashie, Vog, Rain, Yix

[niw18]

Yix the little imp would arrive at the entrance of where his teammates are that he had to work with and looked about "sorry the dam wind slowed me down ashy". The imp would move towards the others and take on the scene of what was happening as he does.


Yix use a double move action to get closer to the group

so is each square count as 5

[Dimers]

so is each square count as 5

Yes, if you move orthogonally. You use up an extra 5 every second time you move diagonally (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm), though.

[Anachronity]

Vog notes with confusion that one of his new friends is eating a fallen foe. Presumably she is trying to inflict pain on it, but it seems an inopportune time to do so.

Defending his distracted ally, Vog steps in and begins trading blows with the small creatures.

5' step to J6, start making attacks on Rat 1. If I drop it, move onto Rat 5 with the remaining attacks.
Claw: [roll0]; [roll1] damage
Claw: [roll2]; [roll3] damage
Bite: [roll4]; [roll5] damage
Gore: [roll6]; [roll7] damage

crit confirm if needed: [roll8] (add'l +2 if claw); [roll9] dmg if bite/gore, [roll10] if claw

[Dimers]

Vog closes with the next attacker quickly. The gargoyle's stony claws and jaws make short work of this Rodent Of Unusual Size.

If your name is bolded here, take your turn in any order before the rats go again.

The rats
Raven
Yix
Vog
Ashie, Rain

[Greenflame133]

Ashie let's out a furious attack on the rat to renew her maneuvers.


Full around attack:
Bite:
To hit: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1]
Trip: [roll2]
Claw1:
To hit: [roll3]
DMG: [roll4]
Trip: [roll5]
Ckaw2:
To hit: [roll6]
DMG: [roll7]
Trip: [roll8]

[Dimers]

The sounds of furious combat stop as Ashie finishes off the last visible rat. The hole they swarmed out of shows no more activity. Raven can enjoy her crisp-boned snack in peace (or at least as much peace as the hungry dead ever get).

Map updated (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BOWahGkg5ITDJPNhdRO-QCZ2jYivIJg6dRfxh51-ycI/edit#):

The passage away has a carefully milled floor. The walls and low ceiling are cut very rough but seem to be quite well engineered. The party's darkvision allows them to see that the passage opens into a room about forty feet away. The carefully-wrought flooring shows some chipping and cracking as if struck with a heavy hammer, and a very faint light coming from the left reveals a wall.

Dust has collected in this hallway more heavily than in the entry space. You don't smell living creatures on the moister air wafting out.

[Greenflame133]

Ashie looks around. "rain mind moving toward that glowy thingy, I would like to investigate"

[Falontani]

(Not in between bites, but as I bite and chew in a horrendous manner) "Give me a sec. I'm really hungry, and I need to finish eating. I'll keep scouting for us. Oooh hello Mr. Stone, and little fly creature. Are you two from the league?"

[Anachronity]

"Indeed! I am Vog, a warrior of sorts."

Eating animals was fairly normal human behavior by his estimation. Still, there was something off about this one in particular that Vog could not quite place. Not wanting to appear peculiar, he also grabs a rat and begins eating, but in a more relaxed and conversational manner. His stone-like tongue gives him a mercifully poor sense of taste.

"We have come to investigate the strange happenings in this place.", he says, pausing to take a bite
"I was told by a forest shaman that it is plagued by restless spirits. No doubt that you are here because you have heard similar."

[Falontani]

"Hello Vog. I came here because I was told there was job with food. I have found some food. Are you sure it's safe to eat that one?"
Raven will finish her first rat and begin eating a second.

[Dimers]

The extra-large rats are tough and stringy; they don't seem to make a very good living here. Typical for wild animals at high elevation.

The hole the rats came out of is too small for most of the Society warriors, though Yix could fit into it more easily than the rats themselves did. Rain might also struggle through.

The air is stuffy and smelly, the floor peppered with droppings, the darkness oppressive even with darkvision -- not so different from Yix's home plane, really. There's a maze of tight, winding tunnels visible immediately. A Tiny creature doesn't need to squeeze but would find it hard to use wings. If you got into a nasty situation up here, you definitely wouldn't be able to count on help from the other adventurers. Even the two smallest wouldn't be able to fire past each other here.

[3WhiteFox3]

Rain will move to shine light on the wall so Ashie can see.

[Dimers]

The archon and cheetah move a bit further up the passage. The violet glow is coming from a trail of something in the southwest corner of the room -- maybe a magic crystal, but you'd guess a phosphorescent fungus based on the way it pools on the floor. Along the wall to the right is some sort of large decorated cabinet. It's hard to tell more from here; the decorations aren't shiny or richly colored. The center of the floor seems to have sustained the worst damage.

[niw18]

Yix would look to the ghoul and nod to it and reply in common to it "I am you can say but I have been on and off again with the league since it's creation" he replied to it. He heard two speak about eating and shrugged and would fly to entrance and land and crawl into it as it was no different than some of the planes of hell that he lived on and stall air really did not affect him at all but he would use his internal magic ability to make his self-invisible. He would go through the tunnel until he gets out and goes where he is on the map.



I used my at-will invisibility spell

[Greenflame133]

Ashie walks up to the source of faint light trying to determine what it is.

[Dimers]

Yix winds through the rat tunnels, hearing growling from offshoots a couple times but not encountering anything before he feels a breath of fresher air and hears the crack of hail against rock. He estimates that he went about 20 feet up through rocky soil and might be somewhere above the west passage now. A tough, thorny plant arches over the rats' exit, sheltering it from sight and from the weather. A central tower should cap the tomb a short distance up the hill to the north, but it's not close enough for the imp's darkvision to reveal.

Ashie confirms that the violet light comes from some kind of fungus that has gradually grown down from a crack in the corner of the ceiling.

With her closer perspective, Ashie can see that the 'cabinet' is a box-like sarcophagus with two large doors. Its front, facing east into the room, has a sharply-carved marble relief of a hobgoblin with martial equipment and pose. A couple lines of text march across the top of the sarcophagus. It's flanked by two floor-standing banner holders, though the cloth fell off each of them long ago.

Besides the fallen banners and the marble facing, the room has little decoration. There are several empty wall sconces, and a little sawdust can be seen on the floor in patches.

The sarcophagus closes like a two-door refrigerator ... like this (https://5.imimg.com/data5/FA/LR/MY-22701300/panasonic-double-door-fridge-250x250.jpg), but no ice-maker. :smalltongue: It doesn't have handles. How inconvenient for people trying to loot it!

[Falontani]

After finishing the rats Raven will walk into the room with the purple light and begin inspecting the mushrooms. Do they look edible? (I believe I still have Detect Magic running?)

[Anachronity]

Vog follows the others, and immediately notices the strange sarcophagus. He moves closer to inspect the writing on it.

[Dimers]

After finishing the rats Raven will walk into the room with the purple light and begin inspecting the mushrooms. Do they look edible? (I believe I still have Detect Magic running?)

(Detect Magic requires constant concentration, so no to that part.) The fungus is thin and would make a hard-earned snack. A living creature might be nauseated trying to eat it, but for you, it would just give your skin 'that special glow'. :smallamused: However--


Vog follows the others, and immediately notices the strange sarcophagus. He moves closer to inspect the writing on it.

... for biting that dangling hook. :smallsmile: I do appreciate it.

I remember this time when my DM was just so desperate to get someone to put on a "reward" pair of gauntlets, but his nonverbal signals shouted "TRAP!" more blatantly than Admiral Ackbar. After about six minutes of the whole party avoiding the topic, my character put the gauntlets on, making himself useless IC but triggering the encounter start so that we could get on with the game. I feel good about that.

As soon as Vog gets within a few feet of the sarcophagus, it springs to life, awkwardly hopping toward him and opening its doors to 'bite' at him! It's now plain what caused the damage to the floor in this room: several hundred pounds of hopping stone.

As the doors open, Vog gets a glimpse of a large pile of smashed bones and mold. A wave of old stink hits Ashie a moment later.

To judge your reaction time, I rolled a contest between your initiative and the box's. Since you won the roll handily, you face no special penalties. You'll still go "after" it since it took the first action.

This 'hop' is sorta like an overrun attack. You can choose to either:
(1) evade it by taking a 5' step out of its line of travel as an immediate action. That'd move you northwest to E2 and prevent you from taking a swift/immediate action until your turn is over.
--OR--
(2) make an attack of opportunity against the sarcophagus but face the consequences of getting body-slammed, including a roll to knock you prone. If you choose option 2, make your attack and damage roll, then a roll to resist the 'trip', with +4 for having wings.
The sarcophagus rolled well -- you'll need a 27 or higher!

Obviously the box has taken its turn for this round. Take your turns in any order. I'll de-bold your name when you're done.
Raven
Yix
Vog
Rain
Ashie

The ceiling is too low in here for Vog to escape the reach of the sarcophagus's doors. Rain and Yix could fit above it, but you don't yet know how HIGH it might jump.

The sarcophagus doesn't look as sturdy as stone should be. You'd guess it has hardness of about 5 or so.

[Anachronity]

Though Vog is quite surprised when the box-thing lurches forward, a lifetime around seemingly-immobile objects that suddenly attack you has prepared him for this moment.

He jumps out of the way, and shouts a warning: "Beware, friends! It moves."

[Falontani]

"Obviously."

[roll0] Knowledge Arcana is it a construct?

[Greenflame133]

Ashie runs up to the sarcophagus biting and and assuming defensive stance ready to take on its attacks if it may attempt any on her.


move acion toward it and stne bones with a bite
to hit: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1]

[Dimers]

The sarcophagus misses Vog entirely, slamming its doors closed on empty air. Good thing, too -- getting caught between the doors would hurt a lot more than a pinch.

Ashie dashes into action, biting the animated box so viciously she breaks off some crumbling facing. Her usual tactic of slamming her foes to the ground doesn't seem likely to work, but there's no harm in trying.

I'll just roll the trip attempt for Ashie to save a little back-and-forth time: [roll0]
Sarcophagus roll to resist trip: [roll1]

Go any time if your name is bolded:
Raven
Yix
Vog
Rain
Ashie

At just the right moment Ashie wrenches at a wood corner and shifts her body weight, causing the sarcophagus to wobble, then topple with a resounding SLAM. It'll be easy pickings for a moment!

[Falontani]

"Guys! It's a dragon! Watch out for it's breath weapon!



[roll0] Bite at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed (immunity?) for [roll1] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

[roll2] Bite
[roll3] Improved Grab

If I win against the Dragon in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
[roll4] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll5] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[niw18]

Yix tries to make it to his friends through this path would be hard to do so. When he is there he would look to the bo thing and try to talk to it saying same words in Infernal, Celestial, and Draconic. " what do you want and stop attacking these people I need them in one piece to get their souls afterwards for my lords in hell" his tone rather authoritative and intimidating like. Yix had seen about the tail end of the exchange of the encounter dam the wind.



initiative= [roll0]

the intimidate [roll1]

if they're in the tower and need break vines use my blast and maximize feat 12 damage

[Anachronity]

The strange human is claiming that this box is a dragon. This leaves Vog confused, until his small flying friend begins speaking in strange tongues and it all snaps together for Vog.

"It has some sort of bewildering presence! Keep your wits about you."

But as Vog has clearly not been affected yet, his job remained simple: Attack.

claw: [roll0] ([roll1] damage)
critical?: [roll2] ([roll3] damage)

claw: [roll4] ([roll5] damage)
critical?: [roll6] ([roll7] damage)

bite: [roll8] ([roll9] damage)
critical?: [roll10] ([roll11] damage)

claw: [roll12] ([roll13] damage)
critical?: [roll14] ([roll15] damage)

[Dimers]

Yix wends his way back down through the rat tunnels, emerging in time to hear the commotion start in the west chamber. His authoritarian demand gets no visible reaction from the sarcophagus-creature.

Raven scrabbles against the hard shell but doesn't seem to deal any damage. Vog, on the other claw, executes a couple beautiful swipes. The structure doesn't seem to have the weak points that a fleshy creature would have, but its surface is marred by the gargoyle's attacks.

Rain moves up to the entrance of the room, making no attack just yet.

The sarophagus gives a heave, lurching back onto its base without any attention for the combat opening it gives. It then hops toward Ashie, smashing at her paws and swing its doors to try catching her in a crushing grip.

Time's up for combat round 1, so we'll have to skip Rain. I adjusted Rain's and Yix's positions on the map.

Your opponent provokes attacks of opportunity for standing up and for moving. It doesn't look like Ashie, Raven or Vog have Combat Reflexes, so you'll only get one attack each. That one will be at +4 for Ashie and Vog, +2 for Raven, thanks to it being flanked and prone.

Ashie, the sarcophagus is hopping at you now, and you get the same choice Vog did. Since you can make your one AoO already, I'll just assume you spend an immediate action to evade instead. So I'm moving you on the map.

The box does successfully "bite" Ashie, however. Stone Bones reduces the damage from 13 to 8. You'll need to make a grapple check of 32 or higher (EDIT: which is impossible!), so you are grappled and take constriction damage, reduced from 15 to 10.

Yix, your automatic Knowledge check tells you that this creature is obviously a construct. It's similar to an animated object, but its build gives it some odd combat properties. If you try to use eldritch blast on it, remember the -4 attack penalty for firing into a melee. Rain, likewise for your light beam.

Take your turns in any order! Raven, Rain, Ashie, Vog, Yix.

EDIT: Whoops, one more note. Remember that difficult terrain prevents a 5-foot step, so Raven isn't guaranteed a full attack this round.

[Falontani]

"That Dragon looks painful."


(1d20+9)[16] Attack of Opportunity Bite, if I hit the creature must make a fortitude save DC 21 or be paralyzed for (1d4+1)[5] rounds, it must make an additional Fortitude save DC 15 or contract Ghoul Fever. Finally if Raven does hit then it must attempt an opposed grapple check against Raven's Improved Grab
(1d20+6)[10] Improved Grab
(1d8+6)[13] Bite Damage

If the creature fails it's grapple check then Raven can Feed dealing an additional (1d8+6)[7] and must make an additional ortitude save DC 21 or be paralyzed for (1d4+1)[5] rounds, it must make an additional Fortitude save DC 15 or contract Ghoul Fever.


Raven will dive behind the sawdust and attempt to hide
[roll0] Hide
[roll1] Move Silently


(1d20+1)[20] Claw at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for (1d4+1)[5] rounds.
(1d20+1)[4] Claw at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for (1d4+1)[3] rounds.
(1d20+7)[27] Bite at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for (1d4+1)[2] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

(1d3+2)[3] Claw 1
(1d3+2)[5] Claw 2
(1d8+6)[7] Bite
(1d20+6)[13] Improved Grab

If I win against the Dragon in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
(1d8+6)[10] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for (1d4+1)[5] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[Anachronity]

Vog makes a vicious pursuit of the construct, now turning its attention elsewhere.

AoO...
Claw +4: [roll0] ([roll1] damage)
Crit?: [roll2] ([roll3] damage)

then charge on my turn...
Claw +2: [roll4] ([roll5] damage)
Crit?: [roll6] ([roll7] damage)

[remetagross]

@Raven you manage to deal a vicious bite to the bizarre opponent you're facing. It does not taste very good, is hard to chew on and almost breaks one of your teeth when your jaws shut close, but you do manage to leave a quite large chunk in the sarcophagus' side. You do not, however, manage to immobilize it and engage in a grapple. Upon seeing this, you promptly jump out of sight, hiding behind the stack of dust. The construct does not distract its attention from Ashie.

@Vog the opportunistic stab you deal to the stony opponent deals the slightest crack to its structure. Your later charge similarly inflicts a minute amount of damage to the creature.


Sarcophagus
Vog
Raven
Rain, Ashie, Yix

[Greenflame133]

Ashie ani afraid of some sarcophagus. She goes all out with ferrous attacks against it.


Full roi attack to re-new maneuvers
Bite: [roll0] Dmg: [roll1]
Claw1: [roll2] Dmg: [roll]1d2+3/roll]
Claw2: [roll3] Dmg: [roll4]

[remetagross]

@Ashie what's to fear, it's only a sarcophagus. And to prove your point, you ferociously attack the construct holding you fast in its biting lid, kicking and biting all-out. You manage to make several chunks of polished rock fall apart.


Sarcophagus
Raven
Vog
Ashie
Rain, Yix

[niw18]

Yix would watch as it had no effect and swear in infernal before flying up till he is up to the ceiling of the cave safely and flies above the scene to get a better view of this fight to try to help out if he can. He would wait for the chance to strike it with an eldritch blast but he would need teammates to move as he still had a need for them at the moment. He would try to spot anything else that might be an annoyance to them plus any signs of any more this creature or any other creature that might be hiding or waiting for ambush he might spot hopefully.




spot [roll0]

[remetagross]

@Yix As far as you can tell, there is nothing more than meets the eye in that room. Simply an animated hopping sarcophagus in the process of biting an intelligent cheetah, while a ghoul proceeds to carefully hide herself behind a pile of dust and a gargoyle eagerly rams into said sarcophagus with all his might. Yep. Nothing more than that around here.


Everyone but Rain
Rain

[remetagross]

First, sorry to all for the late posts. Things will get back to normal rythm from now on.
Second, it seems we'll have to carry on without Rain. It's alright, the four of you are managing this

http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/255/a/3/desukaan_by_xous54-d2yl4dp.png

quite well already :smallsmile:

The sarcophagus, with the single-mindedness only mindlessness can give (:smallconfused:), does not let go of Ashie and dutifully keeps on chewing on the cheetah. The brave Warblade cannot help but grimace as her paws get crushed by the stone creature. Time to react!


Ashie takes 18 constrict damage.


Sarcophagus
Ashie, Raven, Vog, Yix

MAP (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BOWahGkg5ITDJPNhdRO-QCZ2jYivIJg6dRfxh51-ycI/edit#gid=0)

[Falontani]

Raven will see the poor cat being crushed and go to heal it... slightly.
"I hope your not hurt by this energy like I am, show that Dragon who's boss!

I cast Cure Minor Wounds on Ashie. Ashie is healed for... 1 point of damage.

[Dimers]

The "dragon" has its "jaws" around Ashie but hasn't yet used a breath weapon ... how odd and unexpected! It also hasn't shown any interest in taking advantage of openings. What a strange creature.

Two rounds into the fight, it's pretty clear that this thing isn't making any Attacks of Opportunity.

[Anachronity]

Vog steels his mind against bewilderment and presses on in his assault. It seems the swiftest way to assist Ashie, in his estimation.

claw: [roll0] ([roll1] damage)
critical?: [roll2] ([roll3] damage)

claw: [roll4] ([roll5] damage)
critical?: [roll6] ([roll7] damage)

bite: [roll8] ([roll9] damage)
critical?: [roll10] ([roll11] damage)

claw: [roll12] ([roll13] damage)
critical?: [roll14] ([roll15] damage)

[remetagross]

@Raven Noticing the sarcophagus threatening Dragon doesn't really pay attention to you, whether you are hidden or not, you decide to come out of your hiding place and to help out your comrade Ashie. Extending your undead finger, you slightly brush the leopard's muzzle...which instantly paralyzes her :smalltongue: which erases a small bruise. A small gain is a small gain, after all!

@Vog No time to get distracted. You keep concentrated, and carefully works at demolishing the construct in front of you. It starts to have accumulated a certain number of scratches and crumblings of its components...don't let the pressure abate!


The Dragon
Vog
Raven
Yix, Ashie

[Greenflame133]

Ashies deals with pain by bitting hard into enemy. She generates defensive energy just like before


Stone bones, including penalty for grabbing:
To hit: [roll0]
DMG: [roll1]

[remetagross]

@Ashie you clench your jaws, summon your energy to withstand the next assault of the construct biting you, and then viciously bite out at the open lid crushing you. A wide crack visibly appears where you have bitten. Good. It won't last much longer.


Everyone but Yix
Yix

[niw18]

he would fly around to get above the dragon and shoot his blast at full power at the dragon in hope one it hurts it and two gets it's attention on him so the others can attack it and hopefully kill it.


to hit with the eldritch blast [roll0] -4 for shooting in battle so 10 vs it's touch ac

[Dimers]

Little Yix flies above the stony thing and hurls eldritch energy down at it. The attack leaves a black mark but it's not clear whether any damage was dealt. The sarcophagus certainly doesn't seem to mind it, wordlessly keeping its focus on Ashie. Her tough defense and furious counterattacks prevented the worst of the damage from the squeezing jaws of the lid, though she'll have some awful aches and bruises for a while.

I rolled 2d6 damage for Yix and got just 4. The DM's dice love chaos.

Adjusting for Stone Bones, Ashie has taken another 7 damage.

Back to you folks! Take your turns in any order.

[Falontani]

Raven will destroy this, Dragon or not. Also Raven is almost out of healing for the day ^_-


Raven takes a 5 ft step and full attacks the dragon
[roll0] Claw at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll1] rounds.
[roll2] Claw at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll3] rounds.
[roll4] Bite at the Dragon, if I hit it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll5] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever. It must also make an opposed grapple check vs my Improved Grab

[roll6] Claw 1
(1d3+2)[5] Claw 2
[roll7] Bite
[roll8] Improved Grab

If I win against the Dragon in my grapple then I get to Feed (automatic bite damage)
[roll9] and it must make a fortitude save DC 21 or become paralyzed for [roll10] rounds. It must make an additional fortitude save DC 15 or succumb to Ghoul Fever.

[Dimers]

Raven's claws make a gouge near the hinge of the creature's door, but try as she may, she can't get her teeth through its stony carapace.

You know, this thing really doesn't taste like a dragon should. It's more like ... hmmm ... dusty rock with a hint of decay.

[Falontani]

"It is a Stone Dragon guys! I tasted it."

[niw18]

Yix seeing as his blast was not as powerful as he wanted he would fly above the dragon thing and fire his blast again and speak Infernal, Celestial, and Draconic in a intimidating fashion " back down before you get hurt" he hoped his intimidating authority tone plus the blast damage might have it back down hell if served him that would be a major bonus.


intimadte roll: [roll0]

eldritch blast maxed due to using maximize spell-like ability feat which is 12 + [roll1] for mortal bane if its outsider construct undead roll is halved.

can use maximize spell-like ability two more times until the new day

use mortal bane 4 more times until a new day

[remetagross]

@Yix Despite your imposing demeanor and your menaces in different langages, the animated sarcophagus does not seem to react and keeps on happily chomping away at Ashie. Maybe it doesn't understand any of those languages? The strangest part is that it didn't even register your speaking in Draconic, which it should have if any credence is to be led to Raven's lucubrations...

These setbacks set aside, you unleash a particularly potent version of your usual Eldritch Blast ability, one specialized on dealing with the mere mortals that dwell on this plane. Alas, the sarcophagus, being a mechanical creature rather than a biological denizen of the Prime, is less damaged that it could have been. Still, it all adds up. The sarcophagus-not that it shows any sign of self-preservation-is now heavily damaged and falling apart at a high speed.

[remetagross]

"Alright, I am sure I heard something. Didn't you?"

"For the thousandth time, no we didn't!"

"Come on, just keep paying attention and listen with me for the next ten seconds, okay?"

[remetagross]

@All In a crackling sound that seems a blast of thunder, a set of cracks near the basis of the sarcophagus, that have been slowly building up ever since you started pounding on him, suddenly widen up to the top of the creature, and the strange construct falls apart, leaving only many fragments of chiseled rock behind.

That wasn't easy, but you got it!

Now, there seems to be a glimmer that appears beneath the rubble of the newly-destroyed monster...



https://media-waterdeep.cursecdn.com/avatars/thumbnails/7/202/1000/1000/636284730402003573.jpeg

A transparent bottle hosting a fire-red liquid. A small indentation in the shape of a dragon is very visible near the top.

http://tumo.me/src/p/7/140007/700035193.jpg

A nondescript anklet. What can happen if someone dons it?

Knowledge (Arcana) DC 10 to recognize either of these items.

[niw18]

Yix would swoop down and look at items as he pounder what they called again " I think I know these items" he pounder his eons of knowledge to see if he can recall knowledge.


knowledge Arcane rolls

item one roll
[roll0]

item two
[roll1]

[remetagross]

@Yix your expert eye has no trouble recollecting these items, among the myriads of souvenir millenia has granted upon you. The potion is, of course, an Elixir of Fire Breath. Whoever drinks the draught gain the ability to spew out a gout of flame at a moment's notice. The anklet is none other than an Anklet of Translocation. When its wearer concentrates, he can distort space around him and make a small teleporting movement.

With that being done...what will you all do now?

[Dimers]

Yix recognizes the flask with no trouble -- such things are used to contain elixir of fire breath (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#elixirofFireBreath), a potent and valuable liquid.

The band is harder to identify, but the Mobius-strip (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B6bius_strip) design is a cue to its space-bending purpose. This is an anklet of translocation, able to warp a creature from one spot to another close by. It's sized to fit a Medium creature easily; Raven, Ashie or Vog could use it, though Ashie might need some help sliding it on.

The voices you think you heard have faded; it's still and quiet now.

(Heh, whoops, didn't realize a fourth page was started :smallredface: )

[Dimers]

Yix begins peering around the room, looking for the source of those faintly-heard voices. Maybe it was goblinoids talking, maybe it wasn't, but the language used was definitely Goblin -- that's how Raven was able to understand the words. The imp and the rest of the Society party find nothing out of place in their review -- no secret doors, no treasure nooks, no traps.