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

[BuckGodot]

It looks like a complicated setup... Book doesn't want to shoot into combat and risk hitting his fellow explorers nor does he want to waste the ammo if it's going to be ineffective... Thinking quickly, he puts his sidearm away and unfurls his whip, then holds his actions waiting for an opening.

[lostsole31]

R2T18: It looks like a complicated setup. Book doesn't want to shoot into combat and risk hitting his fellow explorers, nor does he want to waste the ammo if it's going to be ineffective. Thinking quickly, he puts his sidearm away and unfurls his whip.

R2T17: Fronaldo, what do you do? You are hasted right now (sheet not updated).

Xhanfaerd on deck, Aron in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Vibrating with barely contained energy, Fronaldo slides forward into the narrow room and slashes at the lead snake. Then for good measure, he slashes again.
“That’sss the Good ssstuff, Xhan!”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

Five foot step into the room. If unable to move for free, stay put.
FAA, Risky Strike with +1 to hit from Haste Green snake
to hit - (1d20+13)[26]
to dam - (1d3+13)[16]
if lead snake green goes down attack red snake if able, otherwise attack green or move forward one space.
to hit2 - (1d20+13)[32]
to dam2 - (1d3+13)[14]

[lostsole31]

R2T17: Vibrating with barely contained energy, Fronaldo slashes at the lead snake, striking it for 11 mod. Then for good measure, he slashes again, critting it and destroying Green, though its ruined carcass mean that one can't just "step" onto where it was (difficult terrain). “That’sss the Good ssstuff, Xhan!”

R2T16: Another mithral cobra (Blue) slithers over the destroyed form of its forebear and snaps at Fronaldo. This one got closer, biting the goblin but not piercing his mutagenically-toughened hide.

R2T14: Xhanfaerd, what do you do?

Aron on deck, Red in the hole ...

[silphael]

Focused on his target, Xhanfaerd aims at its harmony, making sure his allies would be able to wreck havoc on it.

"Focus on this one !"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move action, aid another on myself, giving myself +2, and all my allies (including me) +2.
Aid Another - (1d20+12)[26]
Standard action : Harmony-Shattering Strike, spending my focus : if it hits, my allies deal it 1d6 extra damage per hit for one round. Since I spent focus, no save.
Attack - (1d20+12)[26] +4 if aid another worked.
Damage - (2d6+7)[14]

[lostsole31]

R2T14: Focused on his target, Xhanfaerd aims at its harmony, making sure his allies would be able to wreck havoc on it. "Focus on this one!" he calls as his earthbreaker slams Red on its back for 9 mod, as a means of pointing out the target.

R2T5: Aron now gives Xhanfaerd some defense, calling out to the the spirits of the moon in the Gray Lady's care to protect the man. There is a gray luminescence around him now.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T19: Red bites at Xhanfaerd, but the well-timed spell Aron just put on him seems to be something akin to a watery gray spirit that slaps away the bite.

R3T18: Book, what do you do?

Fronaldo on deck, Blue in the hole ...

[BuckGodot]

Not seeing an opening to strike, nor a way to flank, Book continues to hold his action while allowing those in melee range to do their thing.

[lostsole31]

R3T18: Not seeing an opening to strike, nor a way to flank, Book continues to hold his action while allowing those in melee range to do their thing.

R3T17: Fronaldo, what do you do? Xhanfaerd called for you to Strike at Red, but that target isn't as easy to strike for you as Green.

Blue on deck, Xhanfaerd in the hole, Book delaying ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo will follow Xhan’s lead and attack the construct he indicated.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

FAA, Risky Strike, attack Red snake with haste
to hit1 - (1d20+12)[26]
to dam1 - (1d3+13)[15]
and again-switching to alt target if initial target is destroyed
to hit2 - (1d20+12)[22]
to dam2 - (1d3+13)[16]

[lostsole31]

R3T17: Fronaldo follows Xhan’s lead and attacks the construct he indicated. His high speed blade cuts it for 12 mod, more powerfully than expected, and then his second hit destroys Red!

R3T16: The remaining mithral cobra (Blue) snaps at the frustratinglyi fast Fronaldo.

R3T14: Xhanfaerd, what do you do, your help to the party getting rid of yet another mithril cobra.

Aron on deck, Fronaldo in the hole, Book delaying ...

[silphael]

Xhanfaerd takes his stance, then walks through the door, before trying to hammer the beast with a silvery earthbreaker strike.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift action, enter Internal Dominion of the Sleeping Goddess, forcing a reroll on the first attack against me (except if the AoO I'll provoke hits), or rerolling my first failed save.
Move action, get to the other side (which provokes)
Standard action, Silver Knight's Blade, healing me if needed (that is, if the AoO hit).
Attack - (1d20+11)[27]
Damage - (2d6+7)[17]
Extra damage and heal - (4d6)[12]
If someone still gets hit, I'll initiate body of delusion (spending focus if needed to affect an ally with it) to halve damage. I'll redirect the remaining damage to myself if that happens (without spending PP to reduce it).

[lostsole31]

R3T14: Xhanfaerd takes his stance, then walks through the door (missed by AOO), before trying to hammer the beast with a silvery earthbreaker strike for a whopping 24 mod.

R3T5: Aron steps up, pulling out her short sword, and reaches in to help ward away any blows on Xhanfaerd.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T17: Fronaldo, what do you do?

Blue on deck, Xhanfaerd in hole, Book delaying ...

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo dances nimbly into the room as space allows to slash at the metal serpent.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA:advance into the room
use acrobatics to avoid AOO
Risky strike
to hit - (1d20+12)[19]
to dam - (1d3+13)[14]

[lostsole31]

R4T17: Fronaldo dances nimbly into the room as space allows to slash at the metal serpent. Xhanfaerd's spell gives Fronaldo that little extra burst of speed to just barely overcome the metal shell to then cut off its head, destroying the thing.

Combat Ends ...

With the destruction of the mithral cobras, the ancient guardians flake away into metal dust that is worthless and non-salvageable.

After only a few steps, rubble fills the northern stairwell, blocking further exploration.

Everyone in the party easily recognizes that this room was dedicated to Desna, goddess of the stars, dreams, and travel. As the other room Aron called the Hall of the Sun, she calls this room the Hall of Stars. The party spends about 10 min. in here.

Now what?

[BuckGodot]

Book will keep his whip at the ready and wait to see where Aron wants to go next.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo begins to search for hidden doors. “Help me look for hidden doors.”

[BuckGodot]

Book gives a sideways glance at Aron and then goes to help the lil green guy.

[lostsole31]

Xhanfaerd is well aware of Fronaldo's lack of environmental awareness, so makes a better assist to Book, and the two men don't find any secret doors in here on a quick search.

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo shrugs and then makes his way back outside using stealth.
“Hole or big doors?”

[silphael]

After a short time to think, Xhanfaerd answers.

"The doors are probably less at a risk to be trapped behind."

[lostsole31]

Aron screws up her face trying to figure out the menspeak, and dares to invite the mansplaining. "I don't understand .... 'hole or big doors?' Do you mean the big doors outside that we need to knock loose from the lianas so as not to have stone tumble on us? And for hole, is that the small hole on the second tier that only you - Fronaldo - can really enter?"

[BuckGodot]

Aron screws up her face trying to figure out the menspeak, and dares to invite the mansplaining. "I don't understand .... 'hole or big doors?' Do you mean the big doors outside that we need to knock loose from the lianas so as not to have stone tumble on us? And for hole, is that the small hole on the second tier that only you - Fronaldo - can really enter?"

Book moves over to stand next to Aron and looks back at the other two...

"Yeah..."

[Blackhawk101]

Fronaldo blinks rapidly a few times and shakes his head as if to clear the lingering images of a nest of Charau-ka writhing with poison death throws.
“Aaah…yes. That’s right. Who is going to bash the doors?”
He shakes his tiny dagger for emphasis.
“Or we could search around the outside for another way in.”

[lostsole31]

Aron looks at Xhanfaerd. "I know it's an awful big Ask. Would you be willing to use your earthbreaker to pulverize the doors, and I will be there to help heal you?"

[silphael]

He nods.

"If we start with the doors, indeed, I probably can take those down."

[lostsole31]

Silphael takes his weapon - one of the few weapons that does not fear being used as a demolitions weapon - and starts beating at the rock-vine wall. He partially gets out of the way of one tumble, taking only a little bit of damage which was healed right away by Aron.

On the second tumble, it all comes down and he couldn't quite avoid that and he took 12 and got knocked down.

In the meantime, the area opened beyond includes half of a cavernous chamber surrounding a smaller, inner structure. The ceiling has collapsed in some places, and a tangle of vines, mosses, and other plants grow in the thick mud covering the floor.

Oh, and really big bugs staring down the stairs at the fallen guy and the party behind him! They are each horse-sized wasps covered in yellow and black vertical stripes—with stingers the size of a sword and dripping with venom.

Round One ...

R1T29: Fronaldo, your were playing around with point-balance tricks to entertain yourself while Xhanfaerd did boring muscle stuff, so your magic dagger is in hand. Your mutagen is still active. What do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

“Giant wasps! Ware the stingers.” shouts Fronaldo as he pulls a vial of vibrant orange substance from his pouch. He concentrates briefly and the vial glows with neon intensity before waning. A quick swipe applies the goo to his blade.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

SA create a archanotoxin-intelligence base
Increase frequency to 4 rounds
MA applying to magic dagger

[lostsole31]

R1T29: “Giant wasps! Ware the stingers.” shouts Fronaldo as he pulls a vial of vibrant orange substance from his pouch. He concentrates briefly and the vial glows with neon intensity before waning. A quick swipe applies the goo to his blade.

R1T22: Book, what do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Book will sling his whip and draw his sidearm and then move to the east one square to try to draw them out for a shot.

[lostsole31]

R1T22: Book slings his whip and draws his sidearm, moving to the east a few feet to try to draw them out for a shot.

R1T21: Aron calls out, "That's exactly what they are ... giant wasps. Mindless like most bugs, and their poison is a paralytic that screws up your equilibrium."

She steps forward and casts a quick spell that gives Xhanfaerd some of her oracular insight, before she draws her sword.

Spoiler: Xhanfaerd

Show

She cast guidance on you.

R1T20: Being an opportunistic predator, a giant wasp (Green) buzzes angrily down to the fallen trespasser, alighting on the pile of rocks on the stairs. Its stinger jams into Xhanfaer'd supper right bicep that severs the muscle for 14 + 1 DEX + 1 STR, and then poison goes into his arm and bloodstream. It is a herculean fight, but his goblin companion's warning rings true as he feels, not a burning, but a heaviness that spread throughout his system to make him sluggish.

Spoiler: Xhanfaerd

Show

Sluggish: A character rendered sluggish by Dexterity poison has dulled reactions. He takes a –2 penalty on Reflex saves and all Dexterity-based attack rolls, ability checks, and skill checks, as well as to AC.

R1T18: Another wasp (Red) flies in from sight previously unseen and threatens Fronaldo, buzzing above him.

R1T5: Xhanfaerd, it is your turn. At the beginning of your turn (before you may take any actions, incl. setting up a stance), you must make a save vs. poison. Remember that you have guidance right now. Xhanfaerd is prone, but earthbreaker is in hand. What do you do?