Ruins of Azlant IC

[DarkOne-Rob]

Spoiler: Round 3, Henri's Status

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Henri (no last name)
Male True Neutral Half-Orc Ranger (Wild Stalker), Level 2, Init 1, HP 18/22, Speed 20 ft
AC 17, Touch 11, Flat-footed 16, CMD 17, Fort 7, Ref 6, Will 4, CMB +6, Base Attack Bonus 2
Greataxe +2 (1d12+9, 20/x3)
Breastplate (+6 Armor, +1 Dex)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 7
Condition Bless
Power Attack
Prone (–4 on melee attacks (already counted above),+4 AC vs ranged, –4 AC vs melee)

"Whoa! " cries Henri in surprise as he falls. From the ground he swings his axe clumsily before rolling away from the grindylow...

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Power attack, attacking while prone, and flanking: Greataxe (1d20+4)[16] to hit, (1d20+4)[9] (20/x3), (1d12+9)[18] slashing damage, (2d12+18)[32] critical strike damage.

Then crawl away to BI11, if allowed, incurring an AoO from the enemy...Henri's AC vs a melee attack from the grindylow is 13.

[farothel]

Laurelata tries to distract the grindylow so Henri can get back up.

Spoiler: OOC Laurelata round 3

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attack: (1d20+5)[9] for damage: (1d6)[6] (and as we're still flanking, sneak attack: (1d6)[3])
no moves, I'm good where I am.

[Farmerbink]

"Oh, Henri! Watch out! Jessica calls, uselessly. She raises her glaive in one hand and her silver symbol in the other. "Eternal Maiden, preserve us!"

Spoiler: Jessica, round 3

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Jessica Cooper
F NG Aasimar (Angel-blooded) Cleric, Level 2, Init 2, HP 14/14, DR Acid, Cold, Elec resist 5, Speed
AC 11, Touch 11, Flat-footed 10, CMD 14, Fort 4, Ref 1, Will 5, CMB +2, Base Attack Bonus 1
Glaive +3 (1d10+3, x3)
Dagger +3/+2 (1d4+1, 19-20,x2)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 16
Condition +2 CL for divination spells
Augery 2/2 (weekly)
Inner beauty: 1/1
Alter self: 1/1
Channel energy: 4/8, 1d6
Touch of good: 5/5
Bit of Luck: 5/5
Talisman of good fortune: reroll natural 1 (once, then it crumbles)
Bless: 0/1
Protection from Evil: 0/1
Unprepared slots: 1

(1d6)[6] channel HP to everyone but the grindylow

[SanguinePenguin]

"Lightburn, attack!" Taz cries out while swinging her pick menacingly in a feint, knowing the grindylow didn't understand her. She then leaps back and fires a powerful blast of water at the giant squiblin.

Spoiler: Taz, Round 3

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Delay until Lightburn attacks for him to get the flanking bonus
5 ft step to BG8
Standard Attack: (1d20+6)[19] (+1 vs abberations, +1 bless, +1 PBS)
Damage: (1d6+6)[11]

Spoiler: Taz stats

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Tazmara Stonesong
F NG Dwarf Kineticist (Aquakineticist), Level 2, Init 2, HP 23/23, DR Cold/pressure - 1, Speed 20 / 20 (swim)
AC 15, Touch 12, Flat-footed 13, CMD 14, Fort 7, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +2 (5), Base Attack Bonus 1
PBS Water Blast +4 (1d6+6, x2)
Dagger +2 (+3 thrown) (1d4+2, 19-20/x2)
Heavy Pick +2 (1d6+1, x4)
Studded Leather (+3 Armor, +2 Dex)
Abilities Str 12, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Condition Having a swim speed grants a +8 bonus on some swim checks (most others are not needed)

[DaOldeWolf]

Lightburn nods in agreement and soon begins another biting attack against the creature. Hewitt moves forward wanting to remain relatively close to the group.

Spoiler: OOC

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Bite attack with flanking bonus: (1d20+6)[18]
Damage (1d6+2)[7]

[u-b]

Henri attacks the grindylow and it is a good try, but the thing seems to have a tough enough skin and is able to dampen the blow. Laurelata fares much worse, not even able to touch the opponent. Jessica calls forth more divine healing energy. Henri feels like he can start breathing now without the risk to do it through a grindylow-produced hole. The question remains how long until he gets another one... but then Lightburn gets a very solid chunk of yet another grindylow's tentacle and Tazmara splatters the distracted thing with powerful water blast. The grindylow falls to the floor, twitches a bit, some blood still pulsing out, but seems certainly dying. You seem to have won.

Spoiler

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Then crawl away to BI11, if allowed...

BI11 is mostly solid rock. You might fit there standing up and squeezing, but not prone, that's for sure.

Henri is prone with 8 hit points. And I'll repeat you guys, if you include the stats, do your best to have them reflect the reality.

[SanguinePenguin]

Taz keeps up her guard for a moment after the monstrosity falls. She then sighs in relief, proud of her personal success in the battle, "well done, everyone!" Unsure how to interact with her flanking eidonlon, she pats Lightburn on the shoulder congenially. She then steps forward and offers Henri her hand to help him up, "those spear blows looked terrifying... thank you for drawing the brunt of them."

[farothel]

Laurelata ran her rapier through the creature to make sure it was really dead and if it wasn't, to make it suffer less. It wasn't because these were evil creatures, that you had to make them suffer. A quick kill and be done with it.
"There was one still out there," she said, "and probably some others on patrol and food gathering. So let's check this place out as quickly as possible and move on."

She did just that, looking around in the cave, including checking out the 'throne' the grindylow had been sitting on.

Spoiler: OOC rolls

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Perception: (1d20+8)[28]

[u-b]

Looking around in the cave, Laurelata finds, well, not quite a lot, but maybe a lot more then she would have expected. Namely:
- a spear still red with blood, with a finely-made decorated head and crudely-made not decorated shaft
- a simple-looking whalebone amulet in the shape of a sea turtle
- a coral ring in the form of two fishes chasing each other
- a huge female hand protruding from the floor of volcanic sand
- a small heap of stuff lying behind that huge female hand

Spoiler: Small heap of stuff

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- a human-sized human-shaped suit of leather armor
- a human-sized human-shaped reinforced tunic
- a boarding axe
- a longspear
- a large kitchen knife
- two pairs of human-male-sized boots
- a pair of human-female-sized shoes
- two backpacks
- what seems to be three somewhat damaged complete Andoran-style outfits, two male and one female
- what seems to be a wand
- a fish skin bag full of unworked gemstones

[DarkOne-Rob]

Henri groans in response to Taz's gratitude. "Don't mention it...please..." he says quietly as he gets up off the sea-cave floor. He looks around and says, "No more in here then? Gather what you want to bring back. Then, let's get out of here before the tide turns..."

With a pained expression he looks down on the grindylow leader, his expression unreadable. Then with a shrug he picks up the spear it carried and looks to Jessica. "Can you help with any more magic? Before I wade back out there?"

Spoiler: OoC

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IMO we can divide loot later - Henri wouldn't leave the spear that stabbed him behind though. If someone else wants it he won't be selfish.

He's at 14 HPs out of 22 possible, so he would appreciate another round of healing, either by CLW or channel energy. Then he will take the lead heading back through the watery tunnels, his eyes open for any returning enemy grindylows. Perception: (1d20+8)[9]

[Farmerbink]

Jessica smiles warmly. "Of course. That's what I'm here for. Gods know I'm not really much good with the glaive." She seems a bit sheepish, but genuine, and calls upon Shelyn's blessing once (or twice) more.

Spoiler: Channel energy

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At least, one- and a second if the first is 4 or less: (1d6)[5] HP
(1d6)[4]

Cool: 3/8 channels remaining.

Also, she'll cast detect magic to help in the search. If any of the things are magical, she'll attempt to identify. Both arcana and spell craft are at +5, so feel free to apply from the top down (if this many auras exist):

(5d20)[4][7][15][17][2](45)

She then turns her energy to Laurelata and the search. "Some of those things look... really well made," she comments. "It's always odd to see such beautiful workmanship in the hands of those who don't appreciate it, or worse would casually discard it!" She shakes her head, wondering yet again if there's more to their enemies than just being monsters.

"Anyway, let me see if any of it's magical."

[DaOldeWolf]

Hewitt decides that it is his time to help. "I can help with the analysis. I might be able to find out with good accuracy anything we just found. But first, lets go to a more comfortable place. I would rather do this where its safe if possible especially as far away as I can be from those... those creatures." He says while pointing at the grindylow.

[SanguinePenguin]

Taz looks at the clothing with interest, "I think these were colonists! From the first wave, I mean. It seems obvious what befell them, but maybe there are some clues?" The dwarf searches the backpacks, clothing and armor for any clues about who these people were.

Spoiler

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Appraise for the gems: (1d20+2)[12]
Perception: (1d20+6)[22]
Looking for documents, clues on who specifically they might have been, or any information on how they might have died.

[u-b]

Jessica sees some magic. The spearhead, the amulet, the ring and the wand are magical. Jessica cannot say anything about the spearhead other that it being faint aura. She has more success with the amulet. Definitely one of natural armor +1. The ring has a faint transmutation aura, but that is all that Jessica can say. Finally, the wand is a faint conjuration. Having this little success, Jessica defers to Hewitt for more insights on the matter. Hewitt can decipher the spear's aura. Nothing fancy, a +1 spear, though his merchant's eye clearly classifies the spearhead as a product of an advanced culture, not of the grindylows, even if they could have a forge somewhere, but also not of any culture Hewitt is familiar with. Hewitt also deciphers the ring's aura: a ring of swimming +5. The wand Hewitt is unable to identify, but it has a conjuration aura of faint strength and seems to be a human-made thing from Andoran, so likely something simple and useful.

The gems were, well, gems. A good deal of them were pearls and pieces of coral and the like. Tazmara was not familiar with the lot. She also has to defer to Hewitt. Having taken a glance at the gems and without detailed analysis, Hewitt expects the bagful to worth maybe upwards of 500 gp in retail in a city, though they would probably be sold there worked into something by a competent jeweler, which would double the value. A jeweler would likely pay over 250 gp for the lot.

The backpacks reveal nothing much. A few spare articles of clothing, two waterskins, flint and steel, and that's it.

Spoiler

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For ease of bookkeeping I note here that the gems are worth 720 gp, even if you don't know it at the moment.

[farothel]

"Interesting," Laurelata commented, looking at the stash, "well, I would suggest we take everything and get the hell out of here. This can really help the colony along. And help us as well if we do more of these scouting expeditions. And we can have a look at those gems when we're back in the light.
I've appraised gems before, I can help."

[DarkOne-Rob]

"Thank you," says Henri as the healing energy flows over him and his wounds close up more thoroughly. When the party identifies the grindylow's spear as magical he looks at it curiously. "Magic, huh? I will use it I guess, if none of you need it more. The amulet hardens the skin, you say? Would that help me get hurt less in the front? I'd like that..."

Spoiler: Dividing Loot

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Overall a +1 Spear is as much damage on a non-crit as Henri's bec de corbin. On a critical hit the bec de corbin is much more damage, though. I will take it if no one else wants it, but won't argue at all if someone else would like it.

On the other hand, if Henri is to be the frontline, the Amulet of Natural AC +1 would be very welcome. Does anyone else want it?

The quiet half-orc nods at Laurelata's idea and begins leading the way back through the sea caves to the surface.

[Farmerbink]

Jessica nods soberly. "Good call. Can we carry the clothing too? It seems a long shot, but if Ramona or one of the others can tell us anything useful about who might have been in the first wave.... Well, it could be a clue, at least." She agrees to give Henri the amulet, "If you keep standing between me and angry things with tentacles and spears, you can have most all of it!" she comments, lightheartedly.

With one last glance to make sure they're leaving nothing behind, the young Shelynite nods resolutely. "Let's get out of here. Fishing should be a lot safer now, at least."

Spoiler: OOC

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Jessica needs a cut of the sell value, but has no use for the weapon and less claim for the amulet. Generally I'm content with the spread.

[DaOldeWolf]

"I have to wonder how this piece of the puzzle fits into the whole situation of the previous settlers. The implication here being that we found remains here. Does that mean the grindylow played a part in the disappearance? Or did they find the body in the sea and take it back or were they part of an attack made by someone else? What do you all think?" Hewitt decides to bring up the conversation as they make their way back.

[Farmerbink]

Jessica shrugs. "They attacked us too," she comments. "Could easily just be scavenging. I don't see a whole colony falling prey to this few of the little buggers..."

[DarkOne-Rob]

Henri slips the amulet around his neck, pinching himself to see if he can tell any difference or not. "I have no idea. Give me anything else to carry - I can manage." he says as he turns back from the water to make sure everyone is following.

[farothel]

"Let's just take everything," Laurelata said, "we can still use it, even if it's only as rags. And these are probably from that camp we noticed when we first came this way. A scouting party of some kind I guess, just like we're doing, but who got worse off than we did."

[u-b]

You pack everything and leave the cave. You notice the tide is already reversing, but it is not, at the moment, in any way problematic. On your way out, you don't see any grindylows in the cave, not even that one with the octopuses. When you do see grindylows, is when you are finally out of the cave. There are four heads just above the water, appearing and disappearing behind the gently rolling waves, some 200 feet to the north.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Henri notes the grindylows with a frown. "Survivors make things messy, but I can't catch them in open water," he says as he remains between them and the party. "Let's get to the beach and dried off."

Once there the half-orc takes several long minutes considering the spear and amulet. He looks out at the sea with an unreadable expression as he sits and doodles in the sand with the wooden end of the spear and watches to see if any of the grindylows return to their cave lair. "They were here first. Couldn't stop us. Don't know if it's right or wrong, but I wanted to leave all this behind...seems you can't even if you go to the ends of the earth..." With a sigh he stands and waits patiently for the others to be ready to go back to the colony.

[Farmerbink]

Jessica frowns uneasily at the sight of the survivors. "Nothing to be done for it," she murmurs. "Hopefully they'll leave us alone, at least."

She eyes Henri with uncertainty at his quiet mutterings. "I'm here if you ever want to talk, Henri," she offers warmly. "If we can, we had best head back. Could be a horrible mistake to be caught outside the walls at night."

[DaOldeWolf]

"Good riddance, I say." Hewitt declares. "Though I wonder where would those things be going to? I must admit that I dont really know much of their kind. Should we be worried about them knowing our faces?"

[DarkOne-Rob]

Henri only says, "Thanks," to the lovely assimar woman, his eyes downcast for a moment in emotion. To Hewitt he says, "Would you know on of them by their face? I've found people take some time to recognize other races well - you wouldn't believe the number of times I've been mistaken for just another dumb, big orc-blood..." It's clear the memories are unpleasant, but Henri doesn't seem to dwell on them too much...or perhaps he does, but hides it well...it's hard to say.

[farothel]

Laurelata followed the others back to the shore, keeping an eye on the grindylows that were in the ocean.

[SanguinePenguin]

Taz listens to the exchange with confusion on her face. After a few moments of contemplation, she decides to hold her tongue. In her mind, goblins and surely these squiblins are a monstrous threat to civilization. Unless you are opposed to the entire mission of the Bountiful Venture Company here, they have to be removed. Like stones in a field - if you want crops to grow, you have to clear them out. Goblins are the same way - if you want towns to grow, you have to clear out the goblins. However, her allies, with taking the monkey goblins prisoner and expressing remorse over killing the squiblins, were clearly not of a like mind on this.

[u-b]

Henri climbs up the rock, lowers the rope and helps you climb up, one by one. The grindylows are watching you from the water. The seagull is watching them from the rock. When everyone is up, the seagull babbles something lenghty and incoherent. You thank it and say goodbye as it remains to watch the grindylows from its position. You get the other, much less steep, side of the rock and to the beach, then walk the beach south. The jorney is largely uneventful. You hear, and occasionally see, the birds in the trees to your left. You see the dolphins to your right. You cross a stream. And overall you get quite close to the village by the time the sun is at the horizon. You press on. The sun is well below the horizon when you reach the village, but thanks to the open nature of the beach you are walking and to the cloudless moonlit night, that is no huge problem for most of you, and no problem at all for Laurelata. The village greets you well lit with the torches, which is, according to your recently established protocol, exactly as it should be. You say the guards it's you, have them a bit reluctantly open the gates, go to your house and hit the bunks.

DAY 27 AFTER LANDING

You wake up late. The village is busy with activity, but that did not prevent you from sleeping soundly until the sun is well into the sky. Well, most of you, as is seems the breakfast is ready. Good morning.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Henri finds his simple cot and is asleep in moments after the long and physically exhausting day. The next morning he wakes up grumpily, though as quiet as he is it's not the most noticeable difference to most. He eats his breakfast silently and tries to find some coffee to wake up better. Then he goes about finding someone in the colony with the skills to attach the enchanted spear head to a long spear shaft instead of its current shorter one.

He makes it a point to peek in and see how the captive goblins are doing, though he doesn't say anything - just seeing that they are still there, imprisoned, and unable to endanger anyone in the colony. Then he looks for the rest of the party to see if they have any clear plans on what to do next...