IC II Toes In The Water

[CoffeeIncluded]

"MITHRIL!!!" Natalia screams as she throws caution aside, draws her blades, and runs in. "Guys! Light! Help! NOW!!!"

EDIT:

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I'll probably have to wait until tomorrow to post this, but assuming that someone else runs in ahead of Natalia on the initiative order with some light, Natalia will attack. Violently. Thank goodness grappling someone makes you lose your dex bonus.

[Athedia]

Mithril summoned her will together and tried to shout, casting one of her spells at the same time. Her hands grabbed at her neck trying to free herself. The priestess had told her that magic users could occasionally use great magic to cast spells without moving or speaking but she hadn't realized she could. A flare flew up before her, hoping to light the area for enough time to shock whatever was attacking her. For the first time in her life Mithril felt completely powerless, even her friends did not know what was happening. I am going to die, I don't want to die

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Cast flare, can I try to grapple to escape? Flare is an instant action but I really don't understand grapple rules.

[CoffeeIncluded]

The moment there's a light source Natalia charges the monster with an almost reckless abandon that one would expect from Kurt or Valen, but not cautious Natalia (though it's not quite the thoughtless rage of the barbarians; she still waited for a light source and attacks the most vulnerable part of the creature strangling Mithril.)

As she tears into the cavern and plunges her blade into the creature, Natalia howls, "AAAAAAHHHHH! NOW DIE!!!"

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Readied action for some source of light, I don't care what, into the cavern so she can see.

Charge against the monster grappling Mithril (+2 attack, -2 AC until next turn)
Attack: (d20+8)[26]
Crit confirm: (d20+8)[10]
Damage: (d6+1)[5] plus Sneak Attack (d6)[6]
Just missed a critical hit, but I think I hit. And for a nice chunk of damage too!

[achinca]

Miriam is not sure what is going on but she assumes that Mithril is in danger. She takes a few steos (to J20) and seeing only darkness, she decides to illuminate the room.

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Cast Light on I15

[Zman]

Valen quickly enters the dark cave as Miriam brings illumination to the room. He quickly notices the creature that has its tentacles wrapped around Mithril as he moves up and attempts to slice them off.

What in the nine hells is that?!

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Move to G18 and attack
Attack(d20+6)[14]
Damage(2d6+4)[14]

Knowldege Dungeoneering(Max 10)(d20+1)[3]

DC10 Knowledge Dungeoneering

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It is likely a Choker, they are known for choking the air out of a victim with wicked tentecles.

DC15

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This appears to be a large Choker, they are aberrations that live underground.

DC20

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Most of what is in the MM

As Miriam's light leaps forth Natalia and Valen leap to the aid of Mithril. They are confronted with a lanky, long armed horror with tentecles as long as its body. Its the size of a tall dwarf and one of its wicked spiked tentacles is wrapped around Mithril's throat. The tentacled horror hisses as Natalia drives a her rapier deep into its belly, and Valen brings his mighty sword down into the beast's side.

Though wounded, the beast is not out of the fight.

Mithril does her best to throw up a spell but is rendered unconscious before she is able... as she falls limp, the life crushed out of her the beast lets her go and turns to its newest foes...

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Forgot constrict Damage, Mithril is at -8.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Choker chokes its last!" Natalia growls in response to Valen as she twists the shortsword before leaping back. "Mithril, here for you!"

She can't get the image of the choker strangling Mithril, who's desperately scrabbling at the spiked tentacles and ground, out of her mind. Natalia snarls. It is going to regret this.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"MITHRIL!!!" Natalia screams again as she falls limply to the ground, her eyes speckled with red from burst capillaries and her face a horrible blue. "Miriam! Now! Please!"

Natalia's horror is slightly tinged with relief when she sees the wizard's chest rising and falling--but only just. She draws both blades and screams, "DIE!!!!" as she rushes the choker again.

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Natalia's attacking next round, preferably full attack, but I'll wait for everyone else to go first. The combat may be over by then for all we know!

[Athedia]

Darkness surrounded Mithril's mind, I am sorry, I failed. She crumpled to the ground, unaware of her surrounding. Whiskers sat on her chest nuzzling her face, trying to bring her back to consciousnesses. His eyes flashed with anger and he leaped at the choker, biting with all his might. A flash of pure light glowed around his bite for a second, as he attached himself to the create.

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Attack roll (1d20+4)[22]
Attached, +3 because of celestial smite evil attack (if it applies)
Damage (1d3-1)[0] (at least 1 damage)

[CoffeeIncluded]

As Whiskers launches himself at the choker, Mithril's breathing gets noticeably weaker. Natalia's torn--finish off the monster now or help Mithril any way she can (and what kind of question is that)? Can Miriam even get to her in time?

"Please! Miriam, healing magic!" she pleads, her voice hoarse as tears well up in her eyes.

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Shiny, Kurt, Valen, and the choker all go before Natalia--waiting to see how the rolls turn out before posting. Though I think I'm now leaning towards the potion. Saving Mithril now is more important and it's much more in character for Natalia anyway. Natalia's healing Mithril with a potion regardless; the question is the order of actions.

[CoffeeIncluded]

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Actually, I've made my decision in combat. Override whatever's necessary if the monster attacks, but this is what Natalia's doing next round.

Save Mithril now, or slay the beast now and potentially not have a Mithril to save later? There isn't even a question to answer. Grabbing Mithril and dragging her a couple feet out of the way, Natalia grabs the first potion she can find and pours its contents down her throat. Mithril's mouth is already open and it doesn't take much for gravity to do the work that she should have been able to do herself.

Not enough, not fast enough. Mithril's heart still beats, but she can barely hear her breathe anymore, and her throat is already deepening violet with bruises. Her eyes are still wide open, and seeing that ethereal silver marred with specks of blood makes it even more disturbing. Leaning over her, Natalia takes a deep breath, then places her mouth over Mithril's and gives her her air. Were it any other time, in any other place, Natalia would be ecstatic; she'd been playing this over in her mind for a while now. But there's nothing sexy about this, nothing arousing about the crunching of a crushed trachea reinflating under pressure, nothing erotic about still blue lips that won't kiss back.

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Natalia uses a 5 foot step to drag Mithril 5 feet away from the action, if that's allowed. Regardless, she uses a healing potion on Mithril no matter what Miriam does.

CLW Potion: (d8+1)[6]

[Zman]

A solid "Arpph!" escapes Kurt's mouth as he springs into action, drawing his greataxe as he moves into position to take down the beast...


Aged Choker

After letting go of Mithril, the beast concentrates its focus on its new attackers... One tentacle wrapping firmly around Valen's neck, squeezing the life out of him...

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Full Attack
Vs Valen
Attack (d20+10)[20]
Damage (d4+5)[7]
If Hit Grapple (d20+11)[28] vs (d20+6)[9]
If Grappled, Constrict
Damage (d4+5)[8]
15 Damage to Valen

Vs Natalia
Attack (d20+10)[11]
Damage (d4+5)[8]
If Hit Grapple (d20+11)[15] vs (d20+2)[8]
If Grappled, Constrict
Damage (d4+5)[8]

[Zman]

Aged Choker

After missing with one Tentacle, the large Choker whips another Tentacle at Natalia... Again missing the Dextrous girl...

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Using Quickness for additional Standard Action

Attack (d20+10)[16]
Damage (d4+5)[7]
If Hit Grapple (d20+11)[15] vs (d20+6)[20]
If Grappled, Constrict
Damage (d4+5)[9]

[Zman]

Sniny

The gnome gets out his crossbow and quickly loads the deadly device, moving up and shooting around the corner at the abberation... Shiny trips sending the bold skipping off a rockface and into the beasts leg, the rock arresting most of the bolt's momentum...

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Attack(d20+4)[23]
Damage(d6)[1]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia barely pays the choker any attention, easily ducking under its flailing tentacles. She does however give it an upturned middle finger before returning to resuscitating Mithril. When she hears Valen, she cries, "One life at...a time! Sorry!"

[Zman]

As the creature squeezes the life out of Valen he reaches for his boot dagger in an attempt to strike at the foe before he loses all strength... but Valen is unable to draw his weapon, his strength failing....

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Move Opposed Grapple Rolls to Draw Light Weapon
(d20+11)[19] vs (d20+6)[10]

If successful,
Attack (d20+1)[19]
Damage(d4+3)[5]

[Admiral]

Shiny takes a step forward to glare straight at the hideous, darkdwelling beast, splays his hand out towards it, and with a few familiar words lets loose a dazzling rainbow of colors.

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Casting color spray, DC 14 Will save, and directing it towards the wall so it hits only the choker. I don't know if or how it affects Mithril since she is already unconscious. If it hits Valen since they're in a grapple, so be it (what's the worst it can do to him?)

[Cavelcade]

The sight of his friends being felled one by one more than enough for Kurt to feel his rage take over. "DIE, BEAST!" Immediately heaves up his axe, seeking to bury it in the creature's maw.

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Power attack: -1+2

(1d20+9)[23] Attack
(1d20+9)[18] Crit
(1d12+11)[22] Damage

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia panics as she sees even the powerful Valen choked nearly to to submission, but her heart lifts as Kurt slams his axe into the creature, tearing it nearly in half and splattering its insides over the cavern wall. Good riddance, she hopes it hurt.

She turns back to Mithril. Is the potion working? Is her air saving her?

[Zman]

As Shiny splays his hand and engulfs both Valen and the Grappled Monster in is spray. Kurt takes the opportunity to bring his axe down with devastating effect as he fells the creature. It's gurgle breathing can be heard as its chest heaves up and down...

Rubbing his eyes, Valen looks to the small gnome, "Useful trick...you have my thanks.". Valen stands tall, rubbing his neck his picks up his great blade from where it fell.

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MonstervWill Save(d20+6)[10]
Valen Will Save(d20+4)[14]

It's in the negatives, though not dead yet.

[Zman]

Natalia rushes to Mithril's side and forces a healing draught down her throat, even as Miriam approaches with her silver symbol of the Cdgel in hand...

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia watches with hope as the burst capillaries in Mithril's eyes knit together and the red spatter begins to fade. Propping her up and still breathing for her, the rogue turns to the other and says in an unusually harsh tone, "...Make it calamari."

[Cavelcade]

Kurt slice the beast up not stopping until every tentacle has been severed, only then does he let the rage suffusing his body subside.

"Are you okay?!" Rushing back over to the downed Mithril, after seeing Valen standing up again.

[CoffeeIncluded]

"Don't know!" Natalia cries as she double checks the potion, making sure that every last drop makes its way down her throat, through the ugly swelling bruise all around her neck. She should have grabbed her instead of just warning her, she should have run instead of waiting for light...

[Zman]

As the last few drops of the potion drain down Mithril's throat her eyes flutter.... She lets out a weak cough as she opens her eyes, still too weak to do more than get up...

[Athedia]

Whiskers let go of the creature and scurried back to Mithril. He nuzzled her face, relief plain even on his feature. Mithril coughed, sputtering back into life. Trying to thank everyone she started coughing again how am I alive? they saved me

[Cavelcade]

Kurt pats her shoulder and stands again, nodding in satisfaction. "Atta girl. Now don't go putting your head in strange holes anymore. Leave the one who doesn't need light to see by do that." He starts looking around then, curious about this cave.

[Zman]

As Miriam came up she is holding a slender piece of aged wood in her hands, she gently uses it to heal the wounds if easy, whispering a quiet spell to Saint Cuthbert as she works...

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CLW(d8+3)[11]
CLW(d8+3)[11]
CLW(d8+3)[7]
CLW(d8+3)[9]
In order, as needed. 40 charges left.

Both Mithril and Valen are fully healed, though each has faint bruises left around their necks.

Kurt, need a Search check.

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia feels Mithril stir beneath her, feels her cough into her mouth. "Mithril!" Natalia cries as she wakes, pulling her up and into an embrace, supporting the older larger wizard with her weight. She starts to cry, almost uncontrollably, "Don't...Don't..."

Even if she could get the words out, she wouldn't be able to here.

"Thank you," she almost sobs to Miriam as the cleric heals Mithril and Valen.

[CoffeeIncluded]

At some point Natalia does look around the cave before the light fades, though she doesn't let go of Mithril.

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Spot: (d20+7)[13]
Search: [roll[d20+10[/roll] 19

[Zman]

Kurt, Natalia, and Shiny look around as Miriam tends to Valen and Mithril. For their efforts the find a scattering of coins, the remnants of a coin purse, among the remnants of what was once a leather pack, 5 vials of a yellowish green substance, 4 vials of an orangish substance, and a remarkably preserved cloak. As you pull the cloak from the debris, a handful of bones are scattered with it. A few feet away, half burried is a stout longbow, it's string discintegrated over time.

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38gp
5 Acid Flasks
4 Alchmists Fire
Mighty(+1) Masterwork Composite Longbow
Cloak