Serpent's Skull I, Smuggler's Shiv

[Blackhawk101]

Look out! Doors closing!
Ankarum shouts as he dives into the room, trying to avoid the on rushing slab of metal.

(1d20+7)[15] Reflex save to avoid the door

[lostsole31]

In true cinematic style, Ankarum barely makes it under the falling sheet of metal, rolling to the inside of the chamber. He feels stuck, and forcing himself up, and shirt rips off as a major piece was not as lucky as its wearer. Ankarum's income increases in international sales among the women who enjoy his tightly-muscled contract shot and exotic looks.

And there you are, in that room (previously described), just the three of you - Pezock, Stephan, and yourself. What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Blood 'n Bloody Ashes! That was Ankarums only vest! .....AAh OK, now what? Ankarum has a feeling he should have thrown Jask in here instead...

[lostsole31]

Stephan looks towards the central "blood-bath" carefully. Pezock walks around carefully.

A pendulum suddenly swings down from the criss-cross grooves. Ankarum's animal senses easily notice and he ducks out of the way as the pendulum swings back up into the ceiling on the opposite of the room from where it came.

What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

Pezock! Disarm it! Ankarum will watch Pezock's back.
The savage warrior puts away his tomahawk so he has a free hand to snatch Pezock out of the way of any falling pendulums.

[lostsole31]

Pezock is furiously trying to do something with the tiles on the floor, but breaks a pick doing so.

Stephan seems to notice something and bolts towards the closest of the floor pillars. Looking at the other four he finishes his gaze on the column near him and slams his palm on the column. The bronze sheets lift back up into the ceiling, and the southern doors you came through are open (though, of course, the northern doors had not yet been opened. After several seconds of tension, it seems like whatever Stephan managed to stop the trap entirely. The rest of the group is brought up and into the group (warily).

All characters, with their own gifts, searching around the room. The majority of the holes in the wall are only 3' deep. Lalarlia grins, "I know what these are for. When we hold naked prayer meetings, there are usually small alcoves like this wherein we store robes and other belongings before moving on to attend worship."

Several castings are made here and there. "The pool contains real blood, kept circulating and at humanoid body temperature by some ancient magic that still functions. The blood pool radiates necromantic magic. I believe the cultists - once naked," Lalarlia continues, "would disrobe and then bathe themselves in this blood before heading north to those double doors there. The blood probably refills itself; I'm sure it will do us no good to mess with it. Beyond those northern doors I believe we will find the temple's worship area."

"The buttons on these columns, all facing inward, have weak transmutation auras," notes Aron.

"Don't. press. them," says Pezock emphatically. "They will probably reset the pendulum trap and the falling bronze sheets."

Aron stops, seeming only too happy to oblige.

The party readies itself to continue. Pezock and Stephan find no traps, and just before they are about to open the door, Aron calls, "STOP!"

She holds her hand out (the one not holding her buckler and bow). "I have had a vision of terrible death if we go now. The moon is slightly out of sync for us, but will be better after some more rest. I know we have done very little, but this isn't just fear. I truly believe that as much as want to hurry, we need to give this a day."

Though Pezock and Lalarlia just wants to get on with things, even if Ankarum disagrees and thinks moving forward now is better, enough people in the party begin to see that it is important to pay heed to Aron's mystical advice. The party, even if Aron's vision is cryptic and "can't be explained or described," will stop here. A particularly focused watch shall be kept on the pool. The a sounding was taken (only 2' deep), it is necromantic magic and maybe there is more to it than just ritual preparation.

[Blackhawk101]

Ankarum says that we listen to the Seer. If the spirits speak and the living fail to listen, Doom is not far, ehh?

[lostsole31]

The double doors are checked again. Just in case. They are opened with that same incredible noise. There is a mere 10' x 10' hallway to the next set of double doors. Those are checked (as well as the ground to them). No traps on the door. The door is then opened with that same shuddering, grinding noise.

Judging from just the little bit you see of this cathedral-like chamber's decor, this area must have once been a significant temple dedicated to some vile god. There are stone pillars that support the roof 25' above. There is a large alcove to the north, visible in dim light, and it contains complex carvings. The strange thick, metallic tang of blood is in the air here, and there is a 10'-wide river flowing E-W in the middle of the chamber. This entire chamber feels unnaturally cold, and now and then strange disembodied whispers slither through the air.

Spoiler: Temple of Blood image

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The party is coming in from the double-doors to the south, and enough of you actually go off the map into the room you were in before.

[lostsole31]

From well across the hall to the west, resounds a sibilant, female voice. "I do not fear the light like you, insectsss. But, pleeeasse, come in and introduuucccce yourselvessss. I am ssso clossse to making a great disscovery concerning Saventh-Yhi, I would love to face my competition."

Any thoughts for Ankarum? Pezock and Stephan are the trap checkers, but this room is massive and would take a long time to cover.

[Blackhawk101]

Ankarum whispers to the party, Keep together, until close enough for charge. Hold ranged attacks until snake bitch attempts her spells. Any prayers to say, say them now.

to the voice ahead, Ankarum snarls Ankarum and friends not come to compete with evil snake witch! Ankarum come to kill! For friends lost and to wipe the evil snake presence from this place!

Ankarum stows his tomahawk and shield and readies his war bow with his +2 arrow. When ready, they begin forward.

[lostsole31]

Spoiler: The Preparations

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Spells and overall intentions:

• Aron has entropic shield. She will come in slowly from party rear, and use sanctuary before coming to the aid of a wounded party member.
• Erin wants to bolt over the river of blood to get to the other side. She'll use columns as cover, and then use 'vanish' to get into position to sneak attack Yarzoth. Magic dagger out already. If there is any chance to get her alone, she'll use breath weapon.
• Per party pre-planning, Gelik will use comedy to bolster the troops. If he has to use arcane bolt, he starts with cold (snakes are cold-blooded, right?).
• Jask has shield. Quarterstaff in one hand for lighting, and choose spells as necessary, but spiritual weapon likely start. Wand of VT if things go poorly.
• Lalarlia. Bear's strength. As soon as she sees Yarzoth, invoke a smite. True strike, then shoot an arrow. Bane next, if there are multiple opponents. Finally close for combat, stowing bow and taking out shield.
• Pezock: expeditious retreat, extended shield. If things start clustering poorly, he's willing to drop obscure mist. Javelins until closure, sword out in other hand.
• Stephan, like Lalarlia ... smite, but focus with using bow. PBS/Precise Shot chosen to replace 2 feats. Form changed to halfling.

Current light spells:
Ankarum's shield (via Erin)
Pezock's Tricorn Hat (via Gelik)
Jask's staff (via Jask)
Lalarlia's Belta (via Lalarlia)

So, Aron gets multi-colored lights bouncing around her. Jask sets up a shield spell. Lalarlia casts a spell to make her stronger, but for now she will go with a bow. Pezock uses bizarre pieces of things. There are springy strips of treated bark that are like stirrups that he gets into, and using some other natural equipment - which is strange enough - a field of energy briefly glows around him. Stephan gets his warbow ready. As big and muscular as he is, he (and his equipment changes to a halfling. It is still a powerful warbow, but sized for him (and he is now not quite 3' tall). This is the first time Ankarum sees him using something less powerful, at least physically; however, Ankarum realizes that Stephan must be thinking he'll be in this form for the long haul so a smaller, more agile form is probably better.

[lostsole31]

"Ankarum?" hisses the female snake-voice curiously. "Aren't you the self-exiled, mentally challenged Shoanti the Jenivere picked up on the island of Mediogalti, so very far from your home? You survived, hmmm? A testament to your people. There is no way you made it here this far on your own. Humans have the intellect of a fly, but yours is only that of a gnat. Who else survived my 'little detour' to the Shiv, hmm? I am here on a holy mission to find an ancient temple for my people: the fabled Saventh-Yhi. The answer lies in these carvings somewhere, Ankarum. With your obvious ability to survive hardship, and the surprising ability to have found your way inside the Temple, I do not doubt that I could make use of slaves such as yourselves. I almost think I could do it. Almost. But I do sleep, and I shall brook no poorly placed vengeance while I find the long lost temple for my people.

"So, either submit to me, or commit against me. Your souls are merely fodder for Ydersius, anyway."

R1T25: Not having a missile weapon and willing to let the others handle such things, Pezock and zooms at incredible speed to jump across the 5-foot-wide river of blood, past the first avenue and columns, and to the other side of the wall. His tricorne hat now lights up the other side well.

R1T24: Stephan moves in a little, but not terribly far since the light from Pezock's hat for Ankarum's shield doesn't reach all the way down, but he is still ready to fire.

R1T22: Ieana casts a spell and calls out from the darkness. "You, come to my side and protect me from harm! You four, attack that one."

R1T21-18: Several skeletons go zooming past Ankarum, and he hasn't gotten his bearings yet for the actual combat.

R1T17: Erin, now with a skeleton in front of her, quick draws her short sword and gets the blade through its ribs ... through, not cracking in.

R1T16: Gelik begins giving everyone pluck by putting the bitch down and making you feel good about it.

R1T12: Aron begins casting a spell taking her full turn doing so.

R1T11: "Nethys," says Jask to the skeletons. "God of Magic, but a god of destruction as well!"

He brandishes his holy symbol of the mask-face of Nethys with one-half made of silver, and the other half of cast iron. Holy energy bursts forth to shatter the bones of one skeleton and do 4 PE to the other two.

R1T10: Lalarlia does the same, which is enough to blast one of the skeletons and leave the other one barely intact.

R1T5: Ankarum, you have a bow out, and there is a skeleton to your FWD-RT. You also saw and heard another skeleton zip past along the red river and is now partially seen behind a pillar and next to Stephan-archer-halfling. Pezock is on the far north of the room. What do you do?

Spoiler: Round One View, Be Honest ... You don't see that far down to the West

Show

Pezock on deck, Stephan in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Keep together! The skeletons will come to us. Which direction did the voice come from? Can anyone sense her?
Moving slowly (for him) with the remaining group, Ankarum heads towards the direction he thinks he heard her voice, holding his action to shoot the snake witch should he get a shot. He ignores the skeletons for now.

[lostsole31]

R1T5: "Keep together! The skeletons will come to us. Which direction did the voice come from? Can anyone sense her?"

Moving slowly (for him) with the remaining group, Ankarum heads towards the direction he thinks he heard her voice, holding his action to shoot the snake witch should he get a shot. He ignores the skeletons for now. The one he put his back doesn't have a chance as the Shoanti is too fast for it.

He only needs to move 30' (skirting a fountain) and he'll shoot right past the blood river, up the dais and at her he shoots one of his +2 arrows, which she dodges with incredible agility. Speaking of which, while you knew verbally that Ieana was supposed to be a snake-woman, you still had only seen her as the Varisian scholar. Now with your shield you finally get a good look ...

Spoiler: Ieana

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End Round 1, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T25: Pezock goes speeding westward. A javelin sails in and grazes halfling-Stephan in his upper right arm for 5. Ankarum recognizes it as one of Pezock's javelins.

R2T24: Stephan doesn't even allow the skeletons a chance. He lays his bucklered hand on his large Iomedean symbol on chest and the party's most powerful burst of holy energy rushes forth to blast the two remaining skeletons. He scurries to the west, and takes cover behind a large pillar.

R2T22: Ieana stands there looking at Ankarum, and her form begins to shift and waver constantly.

R2T17: Erin curses and says "I am just buying time with Pezock for the rest of you to hit her!"

She moves westward in line with Pezock and breathes a cloud of multi-colored gas at the tengu. The smoke doesn't conceal anything and dissipates quickly, but the tengu looks like he is under the effects of some psychedelic drugs.

R2T16: The very mention of a need to "buy time with Pezock" is enough for Gelik to drop his comedy. He moves north right next to the icky river of blood, and then begins his comedy again, this time to include mocking Pezock.

R2T12: Aron thinks the better of it and releases the arcane she was casting. Though she still has her bow in hand, she moves well up to just south of the river, just next to the curving front of it. She casts a spell using song.

"Ha!" derides Ieana. "You think your enchantments can work on me, rodent? I am immune to such things!"

R2T11: Jask, as he moves into the room and behind Aron, says "Huh. Thanks for that. Don't worry, murdereress! Here's something to tickle you that bypasses your illusion and to which I doubt you're immune."

He casts his spell and two arcane bolts zip out at her to hit her squarely for 7 force. "Well," he says to his friends. "Looks like I finally drew first blood. Now, assuming we get off of this rock, who would like to buy an old man a triple-shot of single malt .... neat?"

R2T10: Lalarlia, like Jask, does not recognize the spell effect on Ieana as she comes out and sees her. The paladin casts a spell on herself.

R2T5: Ieana's got a blurry form. Your first +2 arrow missed. What do you do?

Pezock on deck, Stephan in the hole ...

Spoiler: Tactical Map

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[Blackhawk101]

Ankarum holds at the edge of the blood river and nocks another arrow +2.
Bloody Ashes! Hold still so I can shot you.
(1d20+10)[11] to hit
(1d8+6)[11] to damage

[Blackhawk101]

Fail
(1d20)[20]

[lostsole31]

R2T5: Ankarum holds at the edge of the blood river and nocks another +2 arrow. "Bloody Ashes! Hold still so I can shot you."

He pulls his back momentarily and the arrow misses, but it is only a minor twinge and the savage is fine .... albeit without his two most powerful magical weapons.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T25: In a type of dreamy look, Pezock stumbles from where he was to a position that might help to provide cover for Ieana.

R3T24: Stephan takes out a 4-lb bag of something, which in a halfling's hands is sizeable. He throws it and it hits Pezock, with the bag bursting open and all of this goo splashing over him and hardening. Pezock is entangled by it, but not glued to the floor.

R3T22: More magic from Ieana, but even more of a headache. In addition to her blurry nature, there now seem to be several images of her. The visual is too difficult to fully parse out, but her entire space seems "crowded."

R3T17: Erin casts a spell on herself and then jumps across the blood and stairs to land on the dais above. She is now adjacent to Ieana, and has magic dagger in hand.

R3T16: Gelik continues his comedy. He blows into his hand and there is the slight bluing of his fingers, and he tosses that. A bolt of cold looks like it would have gone straight through her skull, but merely takes out an image.

R3T12: Aron sings, but in doing so she uses a lot of sliding notes. The area underneath Ieana's and Pezock's feet betray a slight sheen. Pezock slips on the ground and falls, though the serpentwoman is fine. "I wouldn't go traipsing in that area, anyone."

R3T11: Jask casts a spell, raising his quarterstaff high. From that weapon shoots forth a semi-tangible quarterstaff that spins until it is in front of the serpentwoman. One end of the staff is dark, the other light. It spins in front of her in a threatening manner with a few thrusts here or there, but no real effective attack.

R3T10: Lalarlia points the bow's end at Ieana as she invokes her smite. "Now, know vengeance."

Against ALL odds, the arrow gets through the various defenses the snakewoman has to hit her squarely in the chest for 8.

R3T5: With Aron's slippery spell, Pezock tripped and Ieana is no longer covered by an ally. Ankarum, what do you do?

Pezock on deck (literally), Stephan in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Bloody Ashes!

Ankarum continues to target the snake witch with his war bow, thinking perhaps he should have practiced more for just such an emergency.
(1d20+13)[32]
to hit with arrow +1, MW bow +1, point blank shot +1, inspire +1
(1d8+6)[7]
to damage: +3 MW bow strength, +1 PBS, +1 arrow, +1 inspire

[lostsole31]

R3T5: "Bloody Ashes!" Ankarum continues to target the snake witch with his war bow, thinking perhaps he should have practiced more for just such an emergency. A beautiful shot, but it does nothing more than destroy one of the shifting images.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T25: Pezock, sliding around on the ground, gooped, staggered, and sickened, tries to scrape the resin off his body with his sabre, and getting 6 damage against it.

R4T24: Stephan cuts around the outside by Ankarum and leaps onto the stairs in front of Pezock (S side of altar). He silently prays and the halfling-sized longsword symbol on his halfling-sized chest glows, and he then fires two shots with his bow at the woman that both take away images. He seems resolute, as if taking away images didn't bother him.

R4T22: Ieana begins casting a spell.

R4T17: From her short range, Erin casts acid splash at the enemy but misses.

R4T16: Gelik continues comedy and sends a ray of cold that misses.

R4T12: Aron begins casting a spell.

R4T11: Jasks force staff gets rid of another image. He mentally sends forth an arcane bolt that hits for 4 force.

R4T10: Lalarlia fires and the arrow seems to go through the mix of shifting, blurring images.

R4T5: Ankarum, I'm not changing the map, but Stephan moved right in front of Pezock. What do you do?

Pezock on deck, Stephan in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Keep it up!
(1d20+12)[28] standard arrow
(1d8+5)[13] damage

[lostsole31]

R4T5: "Keep it up!" calls Ankarum as he fires another arrow. As luck has it, his aim is true as it hits her for 13.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T25: Pezock scrapes at the goo again, and there's only a bare amount there, but enough to be annoying. He carefully gets up in the greased area.

R5T24: Stephan drops to a horizontal position, holding his bow upwards on his right, and swivels on his left hand to spin and hand jump away from Pezock. He scuttles over to the north comes up and then shoots. Once again, the gods are with the group as his arrow strikes her in the lower sternum for 16, and her spell fizzles.

R5T22: No sooner does her spell fall out from the pain of Stephan's strike than Ieana starts casting another spell. She steps just south she is now out of LOS of Ankarum's bow.

R5T17: Erin casts a spell and her kaleidoscopic blast rolls forth to hit Pezock and Ieana. Pezock blinks his eyes but is otherwise fine. Ieana continues to cast.

R5T16: Gelik continues his performance and throws a bolt of ice at Ieana which doesn't hit but does the party the favor of removing yet another image.

R5T12: Aron's spell finishes and a golden eagle with actual gold-tinged feathers appears above Ieana to attack as the feather's glow a little. It looks like both of its talons should at least have torn an image but the attack seems grab nothing in the wavering image.

"Ankarum, step into my spot here once I back up so you can get a shot." Though not a warrior by any stretch, Aron enjoys the luck everyone has as her arrow hits Ieana's left upper arm for 6. Not a lot, but a solid hit for her (though not enough to spoil the serpentfolk's spell). She moves back 15' to right in front of Gelik.

R5T11: Jask's spinning quarterstaff blasts another image so with the exception of the blurriness, you only see double. He then sends forth a small bolt of force as before and unfailingly hits her for 5 (max) force.

R5T10: Lalarlia, you are 45' from Ieana. The enemy has an eagle attacking her from above. Pezock has only a little bit of sticky resin on him. That whole 10' x 10' square in the corner with Ieana and Pezock is greased. Calistria has truly been with you and your bow, and you are dealing with smite-y goodness. What do you do?

Spoiler: Map

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Sorry for the super-crappiness of the hand-writing and scratch-outs. I'm in an RV right now and it is as if I were on a ship in high sea-state.

Ankarum on deck, Pezock in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

She will continue on as before dealing damage with her bow.

Taste the righteous vengeance of Calistria once more, again!

(1d20+5)[6]

[lostsole31]

Calistria's grace keeps Lalarlia from falling on her bum.

Ankarum? What do you do?

Pezock on deck, Stephan in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Deprived of his target, Ankarum moves to his right, passes in front of Jask (gives him a ferocious grin of pure joy) and screaming his war cry as he leaps the river of blood to land on the other side.

Spoiler: athletics check

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(1d20+3)[18]

If sucessful, he draws and fires at the snake witch.
"Die snake!" he snarls.

Spoiler: combat rolls

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To hit. (1d20+11)[13]. (+1 :PBS, INSPIRE, MW BOW, standard arrow) to damage (1d8+5)[13] (+1 : PBS, inspire;+3 MW Bow)

[lostsole31]

R5T10: Lalarlia continues on as before, hoping to deal damage with her bow. "Taste the righteous vengeance of Calistria once more, again!"

She nearly slips but manages to keep her footing as her arrow goes practically northwards to skip off a far column.

R5T5: Deprived of his target, Ankarum moves to his right, passes in front of Jask (gives him a ferocious grin of pure joy) and screaming his war cry as he leaps the river of blood to land on the other side. He draws the bow and shouts "Die, Witch!" as he shoots ... and misses.

End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ....

R6T25: The goop had cracked and fallen shortly after Pezock's movements last. He gets his second hand on his sabre and blasts the summoned bird back to its home plane.

R6T24: Stephan's first arrow finally drops the multi-image form of the enemy, but her blurriness continues enough to throw afoul his second arrow.

R6T22: Ieana finishes a spell, and a viper appears next to Erin. It glows with a sickening green as it darts at the half-elf to nip her in her right shin for 2.

"You are persistent, cretins!" she announces as she casts a spell upon herself. "To have survived the shipwreck and months on this island with dangerous animals and cannibals. Tell me, how have your people fared against the latter?"

R6T17: Erin starts as she's bitten in the leg, with an understandable fear of poisoning. A single stab from her sword nearly guts it, but not quite.

R6T16: Gelik calls out (as his comedy), "It was a rocky start, but we have since become quite good at killing snakes, so we kindly appreciate your help in bringing us up to speed to make a better challenge. Ain't that right, gang? We wouldn't want to make it too easy for you, would you? How else could you test your superiority?"

He fires a cold bolt that misses, no thanks to Pezock providing good cover.

R6T12: Aron begins casting a spell again ...

R6T11: Jask's floating staff fails to strike, and for the first time as he sends out another bolt that simply curves around to hit her, the spell seems to have fizzled when it should've contacted.

R6T10: Lalarlia, Pezock happens to be providing cover for Ieana, which will make hitting her a little more difficult ... and she is already ridiculously agile. Though your smite may help offset some of that. And other than a possible chance of missing because of that strange effect on her, she has no more misleading images of herself. What do you do?

Ankarum on deck, Pezock in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Pezock, move your blasted feathers!! She takes careful aim and releases another arrow...

Spoiler: Torpedo Away

Show

(1d20+5)[12]

[lostsole31]

That's going to be a miss.

Ankarum?

[Blackhawk101]

Frustrated by the idol screening his target, Ankarum moves around the column to his right and fires a +1 arrow at Ieana.

to hit: (1d20+11)[29]
PBS, MW BOW, +1 arrow

to damage: (1d8+5)[6]
PBS, +3 bow, +1 arrow

[lostsole31]

R6T10: "Pezock, move your blasted feathers!!" Lalarlia yells as she takes careful aim and releases another arrow to a miss.

R6T5: Frustrated by the idol screening his target, Ankarum moves around the colum to his right and ahead (to get PBS benefit) and fires a magic arrow to hit her in the head for 7.

End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T25: "Kill the halfling!" commands Ieana. Even with the greased floor Pezock hops up onto the altar and swings his sword to do a back cut for 13 to Stephan.

R7T24: Stephan throws down his bow and takes out his sword, which begins to glow with the light of a torch.

R7T22.1: The viper goes to strike Erin and she attempts a counterstrike and fails so spectacularly that she pierces herself in a vein for 2 CON. This strange maneuver so throws the snake that it, too fumbles and slides 5' next to Ieana.

R7T22: Ieana casts a spell and a loud burst of sound rips into the area of Aron, Gelik, and Jask. Sonic damage is 4 (Aron), 1 (Gelik), and 2 (Jask). Jask drops his quarterstaff and holds his ears with a cry of pain.

R7T17: Pissed off, Erin is focused on the snake and misses with her sword.

R7T16: Gelik continues with his jokes, but backs way up to the grates to the far east.

R7T12.1: Another golden eagle appears above Ieana. Aron points to Ieana and says "Smite attack!"

With an amazing flurry of talons and beak, a talon and a beak hit blurriness while a talon crits for 12.

R7T12: Aron shoots an arrow at the now fully-exposed serpentwoman (courtesy of her own short-sighted command to her thrall), but the woman's agility is not to be underestimated.

R7T11: It appears that Jask was stunned by the cacophonic blast, even as his spinning force-staff disappears.

R7T10: Lalarlia ... well, Pezock did as you asked of him and you have a clear line of fire to Ieana. Now what?

Ankarum on deck, Pezock in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R7T10: Lalarlia fires again and the arrow hits hard with a bounce but fails to penetrate the scales.

R7T5: Ankarum, what do you do?

Pezock on deck, Stephan in the hole ...