Shadows of the Past 2 (IC)

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You faze out 10ft. away and take a good look at the swimming mass of leeches. Blood swims around them. Yours, to be precise. Before you, the lake extends far deeper, the reeds larger still. You do notice the ground takes a deep slope down, but the place is so covered in kelp, it is impossible to ascertain where it leads.

[Archmage1]

Glad that worked. Not sure if I could have gotten rid of them otherwise. Still, there is a way down. Well, the daggers would have sunk, so looks like a good idea, although there will be something down there that is rather... nasty.

After pausing for a moment to consider his options, Tarith casts detect magic, and descends.
(detect magic will be concentrated on until I use another swift action)

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You descend down the slope, creating waves of dirt around you. The kelp is as tall as some of the trees above ground. You do notice these have strange golden bulbs stuck to them. In fact, it would seem the entire area has these bulbs growing from the kelp. The area 60ft. away your direction radiates faint conjuration, centered on the bulbs. Although the field of kelp extends hundreds of feet around you. You do notice two of those serpents from before swimming around the kelp. The moss on their backs has these bulbs as well.

Sadly, no sign of the daggers or the ring.

[Archmage1]

Well, it isn't my things, but it is still magical, and thus, interesting. I wonder if it is related to that magical water that was in the fountain.

Tarith carefully moves towards the source of magic, continuing to focus on the detect magic effect.

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move silently(1d20+22)[41]
hide(1d20+22)[35]
spot(1d20+16)[25]
listen(1d20+16)[31]
Tarith can easily get there for a closer look in a round

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: The large moss covered serpents swim around the kelp, looking for potential prey.

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1. Listen (1d20+18)[29] and Spot (1d20+18)[34]

2. Listen (1d20+18)[30] and Spot (1d20+18)[22]

You come close to one of the bulbs. They are no bigger than an orange, but they do glow in a bright yellow hue.

[Archmage1]

Odd. And interesting.

Tarith plucks the bulb, and puts it in his pack, before looking around for other sources of magic.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You pluck the bulb from the kelp and this one releases it's contents into the water around you, Filling a 20ft area around in glitter.

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Will save DC 22 or be affected as per Glitterdust

[Archmage1]

Not good. This glitter will highlight me for those snakes, which will result in bad things. Still, if the bulbs all do that, I might be able to blind them

Tarith draws his sword, and heads to another of the bulbs, cutting it from the vine, in hopes that it won't detonate.

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hide(1d20+22)[31](if the effect is glitterdust, reduce by 40
move silently(1d20+22)[26]
disable device: 30
search: 30

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith:

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The effect is indeed that of Glitterdust

You swim towards one of the stalks intent on cutting it. Then, you realize your body glows, much like the bulbs around. The serpents roar as they see you and move in.

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1. Initiative: (1d20+4)[18]

2. Initiative: (1d20+4)[18]

[Archmage1]

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init(1d20+5)[8]

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: The beasts move in for the kill, charging at you with jaws wide open.

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1. Powerful Charge (1d20+23)[30] damage (4d8+12)[31] plus (2d6)[4][2](6) + Improved grab (1d20+26)[36]

2. Powerful Charge (1d20+23)[33] damage (4d8+12)[20] plus (2d6)[1][6](7) + Improved grab (1d20+26)[35]

[Archmage1]

Tarith seems to blur, before teleporting out of their attacks, near one of the orange bulbs. He then cuts the bulb off, and throws it at the snakes, hoping it will burst, and blind them.

(immediate, standard to cut, move to throw...)

attack(1d20+12)[22]

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You toss the bulb and stalk at the serpents, but miss, the stalk floats around them. The creatures look at you, roar, and charge again.

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1. Powerful Charge: (1d20+23)[26] damage (4d8+12)[25] plus (2d6)[3][2](5) plus Improved Grab (1d20+26)[38]

2. Powerful Charge: (1d20+23)[40] damage (4d8+12)[29] plus (2d6)[5][5](10) plus Improved Grab (1d20+26)[29]

[Archmage1]

I hope this works, as otherwise, I am dead
His heart racing Tarith narrowly avoids the attacks, by teleporting away from the attack, before pulling out his crossbow, and shooting the bulb floating near the snakes.

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So, teleporting 10, and moving 15 away from the bulb, so a -10 to hit, courtesy of underwater fighting. This is not going to end well.
attack(1d20+2)[15]

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You see death come in pairs as the serpents bite lake water and you manage to evade their attacks once more. You ready your crossbow, steady your hand and aim at the glowing bulb just a few feet above them.

Success! The bolt flies through the water and punctures the soft, glowing bulb burts with a pop and twinkle and the area around the leviathans is filled in dazzling light.

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1. Will save DC 22 (1d20+10)[30]

2. Will save DC 22 (1d20+10)[27]

The serpents are now twinkling, just like you. They do look up at you and roar in furious anger.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: The serpents charge at you with jaws wide open.

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1. Powerful Charge: (1d20+23)[27] damage (4d8+12)[28] plus (2d6)[3][4](7)

2. Powerful Charge: (1d20+23)[36] damage (4d8+12)[30] plus (2d6)[6][5](11)

[Archmage1]

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Tarith takes 76 damage, and dies.
... So, that is a bad plan

Tarith casts lesser celerity, and tries to hide among the weeds, out of sight. As he moves, he switches his crossbow for his sword.

[dantiesilva]

Up on shore Dantie Is talking to Xander asking him what he knows of these kind of fey and if they can be trusted. So Xander saying I do not think Bishop will be calm or stop drinking until he sees Tarith again want to tell me what you know about this kind of fey? I tried talking to her, but as you saw...Things went bad. I am hoping for a better encounter next time, but need to know how to keep us safe as well if it is a trap. You saw what her last spell did to everyone but me. We can not let that happen again. Danite says trying to explain that though he does not wish to fight, he also does not want to lose anyone to her for a lack of being prepared for what could occur. Looking at Bishop Dantie asks him if he would mind making a tree house up in one of the taller trees overlooking the lake so that way they can see Tarith when he surfaces.

[NathanB1486]

They are a powerful type of fey, one that feeds on the life force of creatures, much like the vampire, only they need feed on blood but once a month, and this one clearly uses local animals to slake her thirst, and outside of standard feeding are usually rather amicable, well as amicable as a outcast can be. I suspect this one has spent some time studying the arcane, and is not accustomed to visitors. I have faith in the woman, if however you are worried of a trap, I will approach the woman alone, to retrieve the fang, putting only myself at risk, and allowing the rest of you the ability to avoid any traps. She now knows our intent, and knows showing aggression toward us carries a high risk of violence.

Xander begins working on inscribing Haste into his spellbook.

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After 1 day of study, spellcraft (1d20+21)[30] vs. DC 18

[AlanBruce]

@The Party: The sun has set and you hear the frogs and crickets sing invisible beyond the waters of the lake. Fireflies have begun glowing along the shore. Gigglemug has made a small fire in the camp.

"Anzaril is... complicated. I recall she was always at odds with the other fey in her coven, mainly because they would not tolerate their grove stained with blood whenever she would feed. The Fey Courts are very different from what mortals perceive. What you, Dantie, may look as barbaric and evil, to us, it is a natural way of life. In her case, it comes at odds with most people's mentality. I do worry for Tarith, though. Why would he jump into the water so brashly? He may not even find Anzaril, but there are other creatures living in the murky depths. Creatures that are known to eat a man whole. I do hope he comes to his senses and returns."

[dantiesilva]

As do I. It is getting late, and from what he said his time is almost up down there. Worst still I have nothing to help him, so he is truly alone down their. Dantie says to glimermug forgetting that the small fey was their. Looking up to him Dantie says not to happily, Why did you not warn me that she was not a vampire when I said she was to the rest of us? You nearly cost us all our lives Glimermug.

Dantie listens to Xander as he talks and weighs the odds. If you go alone, though it will make the group safer, it will also make you a prime target for her if she choose to lose her temper once more. I suggest that perhaps though you are the only one that goes on the inlet, we all stay high enough up to be able to see you and help you if you come into the same problem as me and Tarith did. Remember that she now knows that she can take any one of us on alone. It will take our combined strength to fight her if it comes to it. Dantie is constantly watching the water to see if he spots Tarith coming.

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(1d20+6)[19] spot (1d20+6)[26] listen

[NathanB1486]

Dantie, I have no intent on fighting Anzaril, and am hoping just my presence rather than the four of us at once will easy her nerves, I will just have to ensure I carefully choose my words in order to avoid another incident like we had tonight, and hope the rest of you do not need to get involved, in hopes we can quickly finish out business here and move on the the thorn gate, and our search for the lich, who still seems like the primary threat to these woods, and the more time we waste here the more time he has to complete his nefarious goals.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You move 50ft away, but the glowing aura around you still makes you a prime target for the hunting serpents. One charges at you, while the other goes into a flanking position.

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1. Powerful Charge (1d20+23)[26] damage (4d8+12)[36] plus (2d6)[2][3](5)

2. Attack: (1d20+21)[24] damage (4d8+12)[41]

@Dantie: "I never mentioned she was a vampire. Understand, the unliving do not walk these lands! Balion made his first when he turned Aluserk, and much later, when the shroud began turning fey and humans alike into those things - even the Shepherd. I was told by Uwellyn that were she out of Swan's Rest, this would not even be an issue."

[AlanBruce]

*******

Meanwhile, past the Thorn Gate...

Old Balion kneels before the Grand Seal. His scythe lies a few feet away from and he is drenched in sweat.

"Damn him! The Seal cannot be broken! Why!!!???"

"Get some rest, Old Guardian. We can attempt to do this tomorrow. Besides, you have waited a few hundred years, what is one more day? This will allow me to study the seal even more so.", Kazym bows to the Guardian and gestures for him to lie down.

As Old Balion sleeps soundly, Kazym walks up to the Great Seal and runs his withered finger across it, burning his dead digit in the process.

Of course, just as he had said. Impressive....

[Archmage1]

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Tarith takes 41 damage

Tarith manages to avoid the attack of the flanking serpent, but the charging one manages to hit him, dealing a massive amount of damage, and leaving puncture marks in Tarith's armor, as well as his flesh.

Arrgh, dammit that hurts. Need to get clear, and to avoid these snakes. I won't be able to survive another hit/

Tarith attempts to swim clear of the snakes, and cast a spell to remove the glitter from himself.

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so, tumble and swim checks, need dc 15, if I fail, Tarith dies, so, here is to a good roll.
(1d20+7)[13]
(1d20+6)[13]
cast silent image to conceal the glitter, and try to hide again

(1d20+22)[26] hide
(1d20+22)[27] move silently

... and... the fail roll, so Tarith is almost certainly dead, barring a DM save.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: the water around you is filled with blood as you are encircled by the two leviathans. It crosses your mind, in this very moment, that pursuing Anzaril into the depths alone may not have been a wise choice. Both monsters draw in to rip you apart and then, you hear in your mind...

You cannot die here, child

A tremendous golden radiance surrounds you and the serpents. You are blinded by such power. and when you open your eyes, you find yourself at the shores of the lake. Not where you began your trek into the grove, but a different area, entirely. Whatever or whoever did this, sent you away from danger and has left you safe- albeit wounded on the other side of the lake.

@The Party: You watch off in the distance a mighty golden glow in the water, beyond the mists. A sudden glow and then it's gone.

*******

Anzaril rests in her lair, recovering her wounds from hour earlier. She suddenly opens her eyes.

"Arrallae?"

[Archmage1]

Tarith blinks, looking around, realizing that he is safe...for now, and tries to breath, but can't. He immediately dismisses the Alter self, becoming himself again, and pulls out his wand of healing. After healing, he looks around, trying to see if there is anything interesting in the immediate area.

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so, thanks for the save alan, although Tarith is now useless in combat, due to a lack of weapons and sneak attacks.
CLW wand use, 4 charges
(1d8+1)[7]
(1d8+1)[3]
(1d8+1)[8]
(1d8+1)[9]
So, gain 27 life.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You look around. It is dark. The sound of crickets and frogs fill the lake, as well as the glow of fire flies. There is a stone pier here as well, and an old boat, much like the one you saw earlier. Behind you, the forest extends further in.

[Archmage1]

Interesting. There is a second pier here, so perhaps there is something useful in the forest near here, but it would be foolish of me to investigate without my daggers, or my best defense.

Tarith will start walking back to the party, after putting his wand away.

[AlanBruce]

@Tarith: You would assume that, since Dantie and co. where in the lake's shore, near a pier with a boat, if the boat were used to row across, you could eventually reach them. Unless of course, you had faster methods of movement.