Eyes of the Lich Queen IC

[TheFallenOne]

Grimmgang gave the creatures an appraising look; while he had no idea what they were dealing with, seeing that these things can be starved was rather reassuring to him. "Well, better than a trap that dumps us in the magma", he said flatly with a shrug while stepping onto the platform, gripping the chain with his free hand. "All aboard."

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wonder if climbing the ceiling and smashing the crystal would have bypassed the encounter... Depends really on whether it only has the trigger on the platform or a proximity trigger too

Anyway, ready action to pull chain once everyone who wants a ride is on it. E18

Trunk and Drasil go to E and F 19, Trunk Wildshapes(I'll take a look if he has any interesting new MMI options). Waiting to see if Daiya comes with us or prefers ranged combat from where she is

[Sallera]

The creatures seem to sense you despite their lack of eyes; while they make no attempt to leap the chasm, they move as close as they can, their oversized tongues in constant motion as they await an opening.

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Party's turn, aside from Grimmgang due to his readied action.

[TekHed]

"Why should we go over there?" asked Shard. "Would it not be safest to pick them off at range, then cross?"

As an afterthought it added. "And if that gem is indeed a prison, it is doing a poor job of keeping things inside..."

[MoleMage]

"That's because it's not a prison. It is what brings these creatures against us and forces them to attack us. Not that they smell like they'd be friendly without its influence..."

Daiya draws her bow and pulls it, suffering the smell of sulfur in relatively ladylike manner; then fires an arrow at the nearest offender.

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Attack (1d20+10)[26]
Damage [roll]1f6+3[/roll]

[TekHed]

"Then perhaps we should allow Grimmgang to scale the walls and dislodge it into the magma...certainly that would conserve your ammunition."

[TheFallenOne]

"Why?" Grimmgang asked in an exasperated voice. "Because the designers of this place would have to be complete morons to place guards without ranged capability on the other side of a chasm only crossable by the intruders. There must be some kind of catch here."

[MoleMage]

"Maybe we were supposed to be on the other side, with the path gone, before they showed up? Or worse, maybe they have a trick up their sleeve. If not, then count our blessings that the designers of this place made it poorly. One less thing for us to deal with."

[TekHed]

"Well this Shard is certainly not going to go engage them if it be not necessary. It would seem prudent however to destroy the gem that is creating them, lest more take the place of these ones after they are destroyed."

[TheFallenOne]

"Climbing up there when I have all the time in the world is one thing, doing it with hostiles right below quite another. I suggested it before, you declined, now the offer's off the table." Grimmgang pointedly looked away from his comrades in what seemed to be a mixture of exasperation and childish pouting.

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no action, let's see what happens

[Sallera]

Daiya's shot strikes the nearest fiend in the neck, but the arrow fails to do anything but draw its attention, its flight arrested before it even breaks the skin. The group's stillness seems to encourage them; as though sensing the frozen timidity of prey caught unprepared, the two turn almost in unison, retreating to the third platform before wheeling around and dashing toward you, clearing the chasm in a fluid leap that sends your platform rocking alarmingly as they land together, their eagerness readily apparent despite their lack of eyes.

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[TheFallenOne]

"Told. You. So." Finding himself confronting two enemies without holding a weapon, Grimmgang instead gripped his shield with both arms, pushing forward with brute strength to throw the creature in front of him down into the magma before it found its balance again after the leap. Trunk, in the form of a wooden dinosaur, followed suit, with Drasil piling on behind him to increase the leverage. Perhaps their weight loss from starvation would make it easier to physically overpower these foes.

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Grimmgang Bull Rush C2 - (1d20+3)[21], takes AoOs. Afterward draw axe

Truk moves to F18 and bulrushes C1 (1d20+4)[19] decided on Deinonychus
Drasil move to F19, Aid Another on Trunk (1d20+4)[6] DC 10

hey, that looks pretty good

[TekHed]

"Trunk! Grant me strength! Thank you! Now please kindly move aside!"

Trunk steps backward diagonally and touches Shard, lending him the power of a bull. It's pathway cleared, Shard rushes headlong towards the beast, intent upon pushing it into the magma.

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Since Fury isn't here, I'm having Trunk cast Bull's Strength on Shard for his action.
Iron Guard's glare is up. Dice grant me strength...I'm going for a bullrush...

Defender gets an AoO on Shard and then it's an opposed Strength test: (1d20+6)[22] Show me love!

[Sallera]

The first creature's barbed tongue extends to a truly ridiculous length as Grimmgang rushes forward, darting straight past him and then wrapping around the dwarf and yanking him off-balance. The touch of the creature's tongue seems to carry some sort of magic, but it fails to register as more than an unpleasant tingling sensation, and its jaws close only on the shield he holds as it drags him inward. The other fiend, however, also reacts to the same movement, and this time as the two play a brief tug of war with Grimmgang, he feels the pervasive touch of their tongues invading his muscles, briefly rendering him helpless and unable to defend himself from the second canine's teeth as it yanks him away from the first.

Distracted by the exchange, the other creature finds itself caught sideways and off balance as Trunk and Drasil ram into it, shoving it off the edge of the platform, but it still manages to wrap its tongue firmly around one of the platform's chains, leaving it dangling several feet below the platform. Daiya manages to prick its tongue with an arrow, and it drops another foot, but remains attached.

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Sorry for rolling all of this offline, but as you can see, the sequence of events here was a bit too complex to go back and forth on. And I still ended up being unable to resolve Shard's action, so we'll just need that revised before I can wrap up the round.

Grimmgang is paralyzed for one round and grappled, and is hit for 5, 7, and 9 damage, for a total of 12 after DR.

[TekHed]

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Well not much else Shard can do in this situation...

Shard stepped forward and grabbed at the beast holding Grimmgang, attempting to free it's comrade.

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Joining the Grapple with Grimmgang. Defender gets no AoO and the touch attack automatically succeeds.:

Grapple Check:(1d20+4)[5] Typical. "Curse my Crystal Body! I wasn't fast enough!"

[Sallera]

Yanking itself up by its tongue, the dangling creature digs its claws into the stone and presses forward, shoving Trunk backward and regaining its footing. The other continues gnawing on Grimmgang, ignoring Shard's fumbling in its frenzied attempt to finally acquire a meal.

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Trunk is bull-rushed back (we'll say to E19, since Drasil's in the way); the creature reclaims its spot in E17. The other one crits Grimmgang for 23 damage (pre-DR).

Grimmgang is no longer paralyzed; party's turn.

(No map update, sorry; out of town this week.)

[TheFallenOne]

"Get off of me!" Grimmgang stemmed his feet against the creature's chest, trying to create enough leverage to break the hold it had on him.

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damn that was a bad turn, crit on me and the other back from what I hoped was certain death

grapple - (1d20+7)[18] Action Point - (1d6)[4]
on success tumble 15 ft south, drawing axe

[MoleMage]

Daiya quickly draws her bastard sword in one hand, passing the grip on her bow to her left as she advances on Grimmgang's assailant. She gives a thrust for the creature's ribs as she reaches it.

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(1d20+10)[23]
(1d10+4)[13]
Spell is stored on the sword: Spirit Worm.

[TekHed]

With little to do save continue to pry Grimmgang from the beast's grasp, Shard heaves to the task...

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I'm unclear how it is supposed to work with two people joined in grapple against a third. It says I make a separate grapple check but does Shard need to beat it as well, or does it just count as aid another?

In any case: (1d20+4)[8]

[Sallera]

Grimmgang and Shard manage to bash the creature's jaw open wide enough for the dwarf to slide expertly out of the barbed tongue's grasp and roll free of the fiend's reach. Realizing the potential for a drawn-out battle, Trunk lets out a low growl, and a burst of barely-visible motes of green light suffuses the frontline combantats, stimulating your bodies' natural healing processes. Drasil withdraws warily from the much larger canine as Daiya advances, positioning herself in front of the injured Grimmgang and making it very clear that the other dog would have to go through her to take any further bites out of him.

Daiya's indigo blade penetrates the creature's side below its armoured carapace, and although the flesh seems difficult to harm, the creature snarls in pain nonetheless. The sword's indigo light flares brightly as it unleashes its stored energy, encountering and swiftly shattering an invisible, containing barrier that seeks to hold it in and spawning a burst of spectral maggots, but they wither and die almost immediately before they can taste the fiend's flesh. Deprived of their original prey, both dogs attack desperately, tongues lashing out at the nearest new food they can sense.

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I assume from your post Daiya intended to use that spell; sorry if I'm mistaken.

Trunk casts a Mass Lesser Vigor, granting Grimmgang, Daiya, and Shard Fast Healing 1 for the next 16 rounds.

Creature 2 attacks Daiya.
Tongue: (1d20+11)[27]
Damage: (1d4+4)[8]
If it hits, Fort DC17 or paralyzed for 1 round, and make a grapple check (unless paralyzed) against (1d20+10)[27]
Bite: (1d20+8)[15] (-4 if in grapple)
Damage: (2d6+2)[7]

Creature 1 attacks Shard.
Tongue: (1d20+11)[27]
Damage: (1d4+4)[5]
If it hits, Fort DC17 or paralyzed for 1 round, and make a grapple check (unless paralyzed) against (1d20+10)[19]
Bite: (1d20+8)[21] (-4 if in grapple)
Damage: (2d6+2)[9]

Apologies for the map quality; still not at home.

[TheFallenOne]

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this fight isn't going well...

When Shard got pulled in by the creature's tongue, Grimmgang immediately took over his position, performing a sweeping swing of his axe cutting at both of their enemies at once.

Trunk, seeing that the narrow playing field gave the advantage to their less numerous opposition, let his wooden companion pull the chain with his teeth while he himself enchanted his body with a blindingly bright armor, and when the platforms crashed together he bent his knees and made a mighty leap to land behind their foes.

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Grimmgang moves to F18, Steel Wind
Attack on C1 - (1d20+8)[17] FF due to grappling
Damage - (1d10+4)[7] Skirmish - (2d6)[7]

Attack on C2 - (1d20+8)[20]
Damage - (1d10+4)[11] Skirmish - (2d6)[6]

Trunk casts Luminous Armor then jumps to D12. DC 20 without running start, autosuccess with 4 strength, 12 speed, 8 racial. Continue move to E12

[Sallera]

Grimmgang's axe glances off the plates of the one holding Shard, but bites deep into the other's side, eliciting a muffled shriek. The platform begins to swing as Drasil jumps and yanks the chain downward, but it is not yet close enough to risk a jump across the chasm. Ignoring the dwarf, both creatures continue gnawing on their prey, although the one holding Shard is likely finding itself somewhat disappointed.

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The platform moves at 10ft a round, so Trunk will be able to make that jump this round if you wish. Daiya and Shard are no longer paralyzed.

Bite on Daiya: (1d20+4)[12]
Damage: (2d6+2)[8]

Bite on Shard: (1d20+4)[13]
Damage: (2d6+2)[5]

[TheFallenOne]

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actually, Daiya ending up grappled too changes a lot for Trunk's action. A spot got freed up, so no need to jump. Also, Luminous Armor makes no sense anymore since he's unlikely to be attacked the next two turns or so.

Ammend to spontaneously cast SNA II in place of one Bull's Strength. Also, 5 ft step south to Pounce next turn

btw, OOC OP still shows Trunk's old sheet. This is the current one. Still lacks level 6 feat though

Grimmgang waited for the platforms to get close enough and then attempted to break through between the occupied creatures. Knowing Shard's extraordinary resilience, he lined up a powerful strike at the thing trying to disembowel Daiya. A primal energy, older than magic and harnessed by his kind for ages, flowed from the stone into his body, and with a strength that could shatter steel he brought his axe down.

Answering Trunk's call, a crocodile appeared on the central platform, whipping it's mighty tail on it's summoner's enemy. Trunk made a mighty leap, landing on Daiya's foe, tearing the cracked chitin plates open with his claws to bite at the softer flesh beneath.

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Grimmgang delays to act after Trunk
Tumble DC 25 to end in E12 - (1d20+14)[32]
Mountain Hammer
Dwarven Waraxe - (1d20+10)[18] +2 flank
Slashing damage - (1d10+4)[5] + Maneuver damage - (2d6)[5] + Skirmish damage - (2d6)[7]

Trunk pounces. All attacks on Daiya's grappler until it goes down
Talons - (1d20+12)[19] (1d8+4)[5] +2 charge, +2 flank
Claw - (1d20+7)[22] (1d3+2)[4]
Claw - (1d20+7)[27] (1d3+2)[5]
Bite - (1d20+7)[15] (2d4+2)[8]

Crocodile - (1d20+6)[10] (1d20+6)[16] in F12

if tumble of Grimm succeeds Drasil takes his spot and bites
(1d20+10)[28] (1d6+4)[8]

[MoleMage]

As feeling returns to her limbs, Daiya begins to squirm, trying to free herself from her opponent's grasp by means of her limberness rather than brute strength, and tumble away to make room for her friends to approach while she gets her bearings.

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(1d20+8)[25] Escape Artist to leave grapple.
(1d20+11)[16] Tumble along ground to leave adjacent area to creature.[/roll]
If I still have enough time/tumble successfully enough I'll also stand up.

[TekHed]

Realizing that the creature was rather occupied and ineffective while grappling him, Shard allows the beast to maintain it's hold while Shard hacks away at it with the deep crystal greatsword, taking advantage of it's compromised defense while holding the Shard.

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So while he is grappled I believe the Stance effects don;t count, though I may be mistaken...

Spending 2 PP to charge the weapon and using Crusader's strike to heal...whomever is more injured of Daiya or Grimmgang...

(1d20+7)[27]
(4d6+7)[17]

[Sallera]

Easily slipping past the distracted canines, Grimmgang shears through the nearer one's armour and the hide beneath, inflicting a deep wound to its haunches. Trunk's own attacks fail to break the skin, although Drasil manages to draw blood, but the distracting barrage still allows Daiya to slip out of the fiend's grasp, and it turns to lash out at Grimmgang again. Shard draws strength from the stone platform, driving a fist into the soft flesh of the creature's mouth, and it growls irritatedly as it futilely attempts to crush the warrior's crystal flesh in return.

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Trunk hits thrice but deals no damage; Daiya is healed by 9 from Shard's strike.

Attack on Grimmgang:
Tongue: (1d20+11)[25]
Damage: (1d4+4)[7] and Fort DC17 or paralyzed for 1 round
If it hits, opposed grapple against (1d20+10)[29].
Bite: (1d20+8)[23] (-4 if grappling)
Damage: (2d6+2)[5]

Attack on Shard:
Bite: (1d20+4)[21]
Damage: (2d6+2)[10]

[TheFallenOne]

With a shrill "Sonofa-!" Grimmgang was pulled in again by the barbed tongue, but this time he shook off the paralyzing magic with angry determination. Instead of trying to escape again, he went into a clinch with the creature, pressing the spikes on his armor into it and holding it down while all around him Trunk and his wooden allies kept wailing at it.

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with -4 grapple and Uncanny Dodge the bite misses *trollface*
recover maneuvers, full Stone Bones
(1d20)[4] (1d6+3)[4] 8 temp HP

Croco - (1d20+8)[22] (1d12+6)[8] after moving to E12
Drasil Power Attacks for 3 (1d20+8)[9] (1d6+7)[9]

Trunk
(1d20+10)[26] (1d8+4)[7]
(1d20+5)[15] (1d3+2)[3]
(1d20+5)[6] (1d3+2)[5]
(1d20+5)[16] (2d4+2)[9]

[TekHed]

Shard continued to punch the whatever-it-was in it's ugly eyeless face.

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(1d20+6)[8]

Damage: [roll]1d3+4[[/roll] ...or, yanno, not.

[Sallera]

A flurry of attacks from Daiya and the squad of wooden creatures manages to inflict only a couple minor cuts on the creature holding Grimmgang, its armour and toughened hide shrugging off most of the damage, but it still seems to be weakening, and both fiends are now occupied with targets as resilient as themselves.

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Bite on Grimmgang: (1d20+4)[23]
Damage: (2d6+2)[11]

Bite on Shard: (1d20+4)[5]
Damage: (2d6+2)[13]

[TheFallenOne]

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no damage gets through my temp HP, but they gradually chew through my limited DR

The canine's jaws closed on Grimmgang's right arm, but against the Dwarf's stubborn resolve it failed to do any lasting damage. Grimmgang subsequently pried the creature's jaws apart with brute force, trying to break it in the process. Meanwhile, the wooden creatures surrounding this battle of attrition kept attacking desperately, the little effect they had until now doing nothing to weaken their spirit.

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Mountain Hammer, Stone Bones (1d20)[7] (3d6+3)[12]

croco - (1d20+8)[12] (1d12+6)[11]
Drasil - (1d20+8)[21] (1d6+7)[10]

[roll]1d20+10[roll] (1d8+4)[10]
(1d20+5)[21] (1d3+2)[3]
(1d20+5)[19] (1d3+2)[4]
(1d20+5)[23] (2d4+2)[6]

[Sallera]

Trunk and Drasil tear into the fiend's legs, dropping it the ground, and Daiya's blade slices into its neck, stopping half an inch from its jugular, but it continues holding onto the dwarf with a desperate determination, still seeking a last meal before its inevitable demise. Shard's attack digs deeper this time, but has only minor effect on its own enemy.

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Bite on Grimmgang: (1d20+4)[20]
Damage: (2d6+2)[11]

Bite on Shard: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage: (2d6+2)[12]