Serpent's Skull [Racing to Ruin] (IC)

[GM_Dave]

Pim, utterly lost, will simply rejoin initiative to activate his defensive card property at the end of the round

[silphael]

For now, Xhanfaerd waits, getting ready to counterspell a potential spell, letting the diplomacy go further.

[lostsole31]

R3T25-22.9: Pim, utterly lost, mentally re-engages and activates his defensive card property.

For now, Xhanfaerd waits, getting ready to counterspell a potential spell, letting the diplomacy go further.

The aerial dog, still confused as to what to do and to whom, barks at Pim for guidance.Tor-ber also delays ...

R3T16: Gelik, since you are doing a lot of the diplomacy, do you go into the room to east? What do you do?

Charau-ka on deck, Fronaldo in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will cross into the room to the east and switches to Taldane...

"Friend, surely you can see that we are not without our strengths here. I can only see one solution that does not end with you ceasing to be. Stop your attacks and come forth and parley. I know you grow weary of this as do we. Soon it will be too late. My friends won't let me ramble on for too much longer. Surely we can come to some sort of agreement?"

[lostsole31]

R3T16: Gelik will cross into the room to the east and switches to Taldane. "Friend, surely you can see that we are not without our strengths here. I can only see one solution that does not end with you ceasing to be. Stop your attacks and come forth and parley. I know you grow weary of this as do we. Soon it will be too late. My friends won't let me ramble on for too much longer. Surely we can come to some sort of agreement?"

R3T13: "You misunderstand me," says the charau-ka with wildly unexpected dexterity of language, with none of the gruntiness of a voice of any of the shrieking charau-ka you have met thus far, "it is you who will 'cease to be.'"

With that, he takes out a wand and silvery-gray energy sprays forth as he activates it, and webs shoot about and fill the room. To everyone's credit, nobody is caught fast in the web, not even Air Bud, but that doesn't stop the fact that the webs take up almost the entire room with the heroes in it .... meaning movement through these very thick, sticky strands will still be difficult. He then says something in an unknown language, but consists of a lot of sibilant hissing.

R3T11: A colorful snake appears pretty much from nowhere to climb into Gelik's square (who was not expecting that at all). It bites the gnome in the shin for 1 NL. It is not a lot of damage, no real injury, but it does burn from a function of pain. His gnomish constitution protects him from the poison some, but not the pain.

R3T8: Aronnahar casts a quick blessing on Gelik.

Spoiler: Gelik

Show

She cast guidance on you.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T25: Pim, you saw the webs splatter out everywhere in the other room. What do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Air Bud in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Shuffling closer to get a look at the source of the web, Pim peeks in, and yells at the dog,
”Now, kill it!” He points towards the enemies general direction, since Pim’s view is somewhat blocked he prepares himself by holding onto a command spell. He will cast it on the first enemy he sees (idk if he will see the enemy after his movement, but if he does he will just cast it instead of holding to cast.)

His spell must be a verbal command, when he casts it, he will loudly order the enemy to “halt”.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Free: 5’ to the door way
Move: command the dog
Free: Spend 1 Arcane Point to raise command DC by 1
Standard: Command DC 17 total

[lostsole31]

R4T25: Shuffling closer to get a look at the source of the web, Pim peeks in, and yells at the dog, ”Now, kill it!” He points towards the enemies general direction, since Pim’s view is somewhat blocked he prepares himself by holding onto a command spell. He will cast it on the first enemy he sees.

R4T24: Xhanfaerd, you were delaying, but that was when there was a hope of diplomacy. That hope is gone. Please note that this entire room is difficult terrain because of the webs. What do you do?

Air Bud on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[silphael]

Struggling through the web, Xhanfaerd takes out his earthbreaker, and aims at the harmony of the charau-ka magic user.

"Well, we tried."

Spoiler: OOC

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Swift action, switch stance to Internal Dominion of the Sleeping Goddess (will reroll the first failed save, or the first attack roll from the charau-ka caster, whichever comes first).
Move action to get in melee range, pulling my weapon as a free action.
Standard action, Harmony Shattering Strike, spending my focus and 2 PP : if it hits, the target will take +2d6 damage from each attack of my allies. Since I spent my focus, it gets no save vs this maneuver.
Attack - (1d20+13)[21]
Damage - (2d6+7)[12]

As usual, if it hits, allies get +2 morale bonus to attack until the end of my next turn.
Will apply Martyrdom on the first attack that deals more than 1 NL damage an ally would take, redirecting all the damage to myself.

[lostsole31]

R4T24: Struggling through the web, Xhanfaerd takes out his earthbreaker, and aims at the harmony of the charau-ka magic user. "Well, we tried."

Xhanfard completely misses as this charau-ka is vastly more agile than any of his kin that you've met before.

R4T22.9: Air Bud can't get to the baddie from the stairs (now that Xhanfaerd is on them, so it pushes forward through the webs to look up and then bite up at the little monster, but completely missing.

R4T17: Tor-ber slogs through the webs to get to the base of the stairs behind Xhanfaerd. Seeing how difficult this opponent might be, Tor-ber concentrates for a second. Sparkling crystals swarm around him, changing color as they fly about before disappearing, and Tor-ber looks at the charau-ka with and increased bloodlust.

R4T16: Gelik, you have guidance on you right now, for when you choose to expend it in the next several rounds. The charau-ka is next to you, but above you on stairs. You are in webs, but not held fast by them, with the terrain being difficult (so, 2 squares of movement to move every 1 square). What do you do? Oh, yeah, there's also a small viper in your square with you as well.

Charau-ka on deck, Fronaldo (held) in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will take a 5' step back away from His Monkeeness and the viper and direct a shout at the monk.

Spoiler: A monk in priests clothing?

Show

Planar Detontation:

Attack: (1d20+10)[11]

Damage: (3d6)[17]
Sonic: (3d4)[10]

[lostsole31]

R4T16: Gelik tries to step 5' back away from His Monkeeness and the viper, but the webs are difficult to move through, enough for His Monkeeness to kick Gelik in the head for 15, way more powerful than expected. Gelik does get away, though. He directs a sonic shout at the monk, but the pain is enough that he misjudges the distance. But after doing so, and allowing his head to clear, something that didn't seem right suddenly makes sense.

Spoiler: Gelik

Show

I'll PM you in Discord.

R4T13: It should be noted for all that there is some visual strangeness going on with the monkey-man, several images weaving in and out and an overall blurriness to his outline become more noticeable with his kick to the gnome. But little time for that as he hisses something as if he were a snake down to the viper. He pulls out a greasy mix of something from a pouch and defensively casts a spell. Directly above Xhanfaerd's head and falling down is a 5-foot-wide ball of fire! Xhanfaerd is able to duck enough and deflect with his earthbreaker that the ball sort of softly lands and bounces near the bottom of the stairs, burning away the webs in the spot by Tor-ber, Air Bud, and Gelik (but not the webs in their actual squares. It didn't burn anyone, but given the nature of the battlefield, it might prove to be a daunting obstacle.

R4T12: Fronaldo gives his most valiant effort yet, but still cannot move.

R4T11: The little viper moves into the Air Bud's square. Gelik didn't have a weapon out with which to take advantage of its movement, and Aron didn't either, having recently given to diplomacy. The viper is too fast for Air Bud to respond to, even with the webbing and then bites the doggo for 1 NL. Not so bad, and it resists its venom.

R4T8: Aron takes out her short sword so as not to miss another opportunity, but she prays to the powers of the moon to equalize Gelik's internal tides, giving him 13 + 1 NL healing.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T25: Pim, you are sure now that without actually going into the webbed room that you aren't going to get a beeline to the enemy. You don't even see your pup right now or the battle he's having. What do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Air Bud in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim, noticing things are coming to a stand still, will drop out of his spellcasting stance, putting his cards together.
"Don't worry Fron, I brought a plan B."
Pim will retrieve a scroll from his bag of holding.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Standard: retrieve scroll summon monster 6
Free: step 5' west.
Move: use consume spells 1/ day loose an arcanist spell (protection from evil), and gain 1 spell pool point

[lostsole31]

R5T25: Pim, noticing things are coming to a stand still, will drop out of his spellcasting stance, putting his cards together. "Don't worry Fron, I brought a plan B."

Pim retrieves a scroll from his bag of holding.

R5T24: Xhanfaerd, what do you do? You are faced off against what appears to be a far stronger, faster, smarter, more capable charau-ka than you've met yet.

Air Bud on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd refocuses himself, before trying to go for a nasty gutstrike.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action, focus (gonna take the temporary hp).
Standard action, Gutstrike (Fort save DC 19 vs sickened : 10 +1 (level) +4 (cha mod) +2 (Discipline Focus) +2 (Using a weapon that's a discipline weapon due to paired weapon)).

Attack - (1d20+13)[27]
Damage - (2d6+7)[13]

[lostsole31]

R5T24: Xhanfaerd refocuses himself, before trying to go for a nasty gutstrike, and it is a really good attack, but his earthbreaker seems to thwock off of super-harde charau-ka fur. Which is .... confusing and disturbing.

Spoiler: Xhanfaerd

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See Discord PM I will send after I post this.

R5T22.9: Air Bud reacts to the creature attacking him, but puts itself off-balance instead.

R5T17: Tor-ber shakes his head.

Spoiler: Tor-ber >>> Collective (Xhanfaerd)

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"Shoulda let me go in front, X, so you could ablate whatever he hits me with. You go down, we lose that for the group."

He concentrates. Small leaves and roots sprout from the manifester’s hair or from his feet, burrowing into nearby soil, but soon rot and fall away, but the roots and leaves in his hands coalesce, grow together, and lengthen into a longspear to allow him to attack past Xhanfaerd since this is how the battlefield is laid out now.

R5T16: Gelik, what do you do? You still have guidance on you.

Spoiler: Guidance

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Please do not "hoard" the guidance effect like a precious, desperate resource. This is an orison for Aron, like a cantrip, meaning it doesn't cost her an expended resource.

Chara-ka on deck, Fronaldo in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

"Friends! This is no monkey... He is some sort of snake-like creature using illusory magics!"

Gelik will then attempt to attack again with his fiery tongue.

Spoiler: Lip lashing...

Show

Planar detonation.

Attack: (1d20+11)[23] using the guidance.

Damage: (3d6+2)[16]
Sonic: (3d4)[5]

[lostsole31]

R5T16: "Friends! This is no monkey... He is some sort of snake-like creature using illusory magics!" Gelik attempts to attack again with his sonic blast. The creature sinuously dodges just out of the way, but an image is destroyed in the process.

R5T13: Now down to only one decoy image, it defensively casts a spell, focused on Gelik. Gelik's mind now has to fight against his body locking down, even as Fronaldo now feels himself free to move.

Gelik, roll a Will save. You get your compulsion bonus (+1).

[lostsole31]

Gelik, this was probably the most herculean success you've ever had as you throw off the mental paralysis. Enough so that you now understand why Fronaldo was never able to free himself.

R5T12: Fronaldo, the mental paralysis has finally worn off. What do you do?

Viper on deck, Aron in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Spoiler: Fronaldo>>>Collective

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“I am going to circle around behind. Keep it occupied.”

Fronaldo pulls a small vial of orangish fluid from his kit, adds a bit of his magical essence into the vial before quaffing it. He then moves quickly out past the stone column and into the hallway making for the stairs to the top floor. He picks a opaque vial from his bandolier and applies it to his magic dagger on the move.

Spoiler: crunch

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SA:drink extract of”expeditious retreat”.
MA: move into the hall past the stone column to the North and then East down the corridor. If he can make the stairs up to the upper level that we came down. Draw magic dagger on the move.
SwA: apply Blue Whinnis poison to dagger.

[lostsole31]

R5T12:

Spoiler: Fronaldo >>> Collective

Show

“I am going to circle around behind. Keep it occupied.”

Fronaldo pulls a small vial of orangeish fluid from his kit, adds a bit of his magical essence into the vial before quaffing it. He then moves quickly out past the stone column and into the hallway making for the stairs to the top floor. He picks a opaque vial from his bandolier and applies it to his magic dagger on the move.

R5T11: The viper bites Air Bud for another 1 NL. This time, however, Air Bud whines about something, its paw where it was bitten seeming to be in more pain than the bite would indicate.

R5T8: Aron will cast another cure on Gelik to fully heal him, but she otherwise stays in place.

End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T25: Pim, what do you do? You have your Summon Monster VI [Lillend] scroll in hand.

Xhanfaerd on deck, Air Bud in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

"Well done," Pim happily sighs as he sees Fron shake off the paralysis. As his friend runs off to flank, Pim nods, and turns his head back to the action.
This time, he will hold an action to move into the webby room, as there are bodies still blocking the way.
To the collective, he will simply say,
"Swap places with me if you need to, we shouldn't let it get away at any cost."

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Hold action to move east 20' total (before webs) once the way becomes more open, or someone indicates that they need to take a break, and swap with me

[lostsole31]

R6T25: "Well done," Pim happily sighs as he sees Fron shake off the paralysis. As his friend runs off to flank, Pim nods, and turns his head back to the action. This time, he will hold an action to move into the webby room, as there are bodies still blocking the way. To the collective, he will simply say...

Spoiler: Pim >>> Collective

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"Swap places with me if you need to, we shouldn't let it get away at any cost."

R6T24: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Air Bud on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[silphael]

Spoiler: Collective

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"I can't really fight from far away !"

Focusing his mind toward multiple possible paths, he makes sure to find the best possible path to hit and chain the creature with doubt.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move action : Aid another on myself for attack (which is possible from Compartementalized Aid), triggering Zeal (+2 Morale bonus to attack to the party until the start of my next turn. (that also makes me recover up to 4 maneuvers, so 2)
Aid another - (1d20+13)[28]

Standard action, Chains of Doubt, spending 2 PP and one of my focuses to have it deal 2d6 extra damage (total +5d6) and increase the DC to 18 (Will vs nausea), my focus making the nausea also potentially affect another ally of the target within 60' with nausea (will negates). The damage includes the increase from Discipline Focus.
Total +4 to hit (unless other circumstances apply : +2 Morale, +2 Circumstance)
Attack - (1d20+13)[17]
Damage - (2d6+9)[15]
Extra damage - (5d6)[18]

[lostsole31]

R6T24:

Spoiler: Xhanfaerd >>> Collective

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"I can't really fight from far away!"

Focusing his mind toward multiple possible paths, Xhanfaerd makes sure to find the best possible path to hit and chain the creature with doubt. The creatures completely dodges, however, and Xhanfaerd doesn't even get a consolation prize of removing its remaining illusory image.

R6T22.9: Air Bud pushes through the webs to get away from the viper and then turns around to bite at it, but the little viper is too quick for it.

R6T17: Tor-ber nods.

Spoiler: Tor-ber >>> Collective (Xhanfaerd)

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"You're right. I'm sorry. We just don't normally find ourselves in this position. I just thought you'd have spells for this."

Tor-ber concentrates, getting a better sense of the heft of this weapon. Feeling confident, he reaches past Xhanfaerd to stab the "charau-ka" in the chest with a light crit for 19. He nods again. "Yeah, I see it now. Normal height of a man, folks. Don't let the small illusion fool you."

Spoiler: Tor-ber >>> Collective

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"I could be wrong, but I think this looks like one of the ancient serpentfolk, enemies of ancient Azlanti colonies! Our first order is to protect ourselves, so don't hold back, but if we can capture it alive, we could learn a lot."

R6T16: Gelik, what do you do?

Serpentfolk/charau-ka on deck, Fronaldo in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Gelik will try to move away so that someone with more combat prowess can step in and he will begin speaking and Inspire Courage.

[lostsole31]

R6T16: Feeling the searing heat rolling off of the ball of fire next to him, Gelik nervously moves away so that someone with more combat prowess can step up. He can't think of any stories related to whatever the Maelstroms it is that he's looking at, so he goes with an old standby speech to give pluck to his fellows.

R6T13: The "charau-ka" uses gestures to move the flaming sphere towards Air Bud, but the winged doggo doesn't know how to dodge the thing. The fire moves into that area with the doggo and incinerates Air Bud (who disappears with a heart-wrenching yelp) and the webs in that square. The enemy then hisses to the viper. Finally, it concentrates carefully to cast a spell, and then attacks Xhanfaerd at point-blank range with a scorching ray. Xhanfaerd responds with a counterattack, but only succeeds in getting rid of the creature's last false image. The first ray hits Xhanfaerd in his lower left arm for 17 fire, whereas the second ray rakes Xhanfaerd across the left side of his face and head for 14 fire.

R6T12: Fronaldo, zooms all the way up the stairs, to the western end of the top of the ziggurat, and starts towards the southern set of stairs.

R6T11: The little viper begins moving, and acrobatically enough to get past Tor-ber's warding longspear and into Aron's square where it bites at her.

R6T8: "I see it!" calls out Aron, not caring - even challenging - the enemy with the group's knowledge. "It looks like one of the Azlanti's ancient foes brought to our time - a serpentfolk. But I don't know much about them beyond recognizing them from Pathfinder depictions. And it seems that this one can heal really quickly, too! And let's see if I can't get rid of that dagger in its hands!"

She casts a spell, looking at the "charau-ka." "Now that'll give it something to do for the next five minutes!"

End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T25: Pim, Air Bud is gone. (I mean, what is it with you and your pets with flaming sphere! ) What do you do?

Xhanfaerd on deck, Tor-ber in the hole ...

[GM_Dave]

Pim will replace the dog with almost no emotion, this time summoning another winged snake of his own. The summoning card is tossed towards gelik, bringing the creature into existence just south of the gnome.

He will then direct the coatl-like summon to attack the other snake, a good ol fashion snake fight. Pim will exclaim, "Let's rub our snakes together, and see whos is bigger shall we?"

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: summon M 1 from arcane pool (Aerial viper)
Move: Command the snake

[lostsole31]

R7T25: Pim will replace the dog with almost no emotion, this time summoning another winged snake of his own. The summoning card is tossed towards Gelik, bringing the creature into existence just south of the gnome. He then directs the couatl-like summons to attack the other snake, a good ol' fashion snake fight. Pim will exclaim, "Let's rub our snakes together, and see who's is bigger shall we?"

Spoiler: Harrow Cards

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The Cyclone (chaotic evil, Strength) is a force that tears through whatever it meets. This disaster does not come in the course of natural order but is one that comes from the plots of intelligent beings. The Cyclone signifies war, arson, or other plans that destroy everything they touch. Misaligned, this card can indicate renewal after a blustery trial.

The Demon’s Lantern (chaotic evil, Dexterity) is the card of traps and tricks, sleight of hand and sleight of mind. These will-o’-wisps and the man who sought their light represent an impossible or intractable situation. Misaligned, it represents an opportunity or a guide arriving at a perfect moment to show the way.

R7T24.9: Couatl-on-the-Cheap enters Aron's square (who really has to keep from her repulsion urge to stab it). It bites at the wingless viper.

R7T24: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Tor-ber on deck, Gelik in the hole ...

[silphael]

Studying the possible paths again, Xhanfaerd strike, with a silvery hammer strike this time.

Spoiler: Collective

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"It is recovering from its wounds !"

Spoiler: OOC

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Move Action for Aid another (exactly like last round, so +2 morale to the whole party, +2 circumstance to myself.
Standard action, Silver Knight's Blade, healing myself with it (4d6 extra damage, heal for the same amount.)

Aid Another - (1d20+13)[19]

Attack - (1d20+15)[28] (+2 extra, except if the Aid Another was a nat 1)

Damage - (2d6+9)[17]
Extra damage and heal - (4d6)[15]

[lostsole31]

R7T24: Studying the possible paths again, Xhanfaerd strike, with a silvery hammer strike this time, striking the enemy square in the chest for 34 while Xhanfaerd heals 15.

Spoiler: Xhanfaerd >>> Collective

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"It is recovering from its wounds!"

R7T17: Tor-ber does a miserable job trying to attack with the longspear past Xhanfaerd.

R7T16: Gelik, continue to inspire courage? What do you do?

Enemy on deck, Fro in the hole ...