Three Goddesses (IC) Thread #3

[MikelaC1]

"My name is Melinda. I'm here on behalf of His Holiness Clylious Foulisar, High Priest of Ailena in Aklantia. Clylious is concerned that a mountain which has been dormant for as long as he can remember has recently become an active volcano, and his investigations on the matter led him here. He wishes to inquire as to your leaders' intent."

His intent to turn this volcano totally active on its own, and have it burst forth lava forever.

"You said King Thorg is here? For how long has he lived here? Is King Thorg responsible for what has been happening in this mountain? Or is he dealing with others at this time who are?"

Thorg only moved here as part of his plan. We have worked here for about 6 months. He discovered the gem that would activate the volcano. We need no others.

I have one other question for you. A group of Ailenite scouts went missing recently near here. Did they ever show up here?"

Yes, they showed up. We fed their bodies to the volcano.

[lostsole31]

Lildorrinene takes a ring. Lok takes a belt and a ring.

[Kalirren]

Melinda grimaces at the news of the Ailenites' fate. "A pity you did." She thought the whole affair was shaping up to be rather depressingly straightforward.

"And why does he want to do this?" she presses on. "You know, I admire your loyalty, but I have to ask you - if your King succeeds, where do you think you're going to be when the cap of Mt. Otuna caves in -" she jabs a pointer finger straight down, "- to form the caldera? Or the rest of the worthiest and brightest of your nation?" She shakes her head emphatically. "Your King is mad," she insists, "mad enough to waste the dedication of his most faithful, and you should ask yourself exactly what your loyalty to him demands of you in such an instance."

[Convert The Unfaithful - Will DC 35.]

"Now, my aim is to persuade him away from this senseless course of action." She points towards the east door. "What would be the best way for us to see King Thorg? What lies between us and him?"

[MikelaC1]

We giants do not fear lava. When the lava comes, we bathe in it
The giant seems rather proud of this accomplishment.
The east door would be the best bet to meet Thorg. Of course, you're going to have to get through Ghan'rrr'stak'roth first.

[Kalirren]

"The lava's the easy part. I was referring more to the sheer volume of rock that would lose support during the cave-in."

Melinda's eyebrows furrow. "Who or what is Ghan'rrr'stak'roth?"

[K: Bardic: (1d20+11)[29]. Does that sound like a name in Giant, or in some other language?]

[MikelaC1]

K: Bardic: The word sounds like its Draconic

Ghan'rrr'stak'roth is the pet green dragon of the king.

[Toliudar]

Dot

"A dragon? Charming. Tell me, roughly how many other giants are living in the area east of here, and about how far is it to the place where this stone is laid?"

[MikelaC1]

7 other giants live here, including Thorg.
The giant furrows his brow at Dots second question.
I have no idea

[Telasi]

Taleira Ulharvyth

"Seven more giants and a green dragon? That doesn't sound so bad, especially if that count includes the rest of the ones here." Tali sounds rather more casual than is customary when discussing fighting dragons or really anything that can describe one as a "pet," but then, she has justifications for being rather more nonchalant about such things than most.

[MikelaC1]

7 more giants corrects the giant that count doesnt include us, but it does include the king.

[Toliudar]

Dot

Dot nods, and turns to speak with her colleagues.

"We need to figure out what to do with the other survivors. May I suggest that a few of us go and take a look down these side passages. So long as their quarters don't have other tunnels further along, we can always seal them in with a wall. Even if we don't end up able to come back for them, they'd be able to get out in a few minutes, with their strength. Once they start trying. Ideally, a few minutes is all we need."

She shrugged. Trying to find a balance between expedience and mercy was not particularly easy, and didn't always come naturally to her.

[The Great Skenardo]

Coquika
Coquika lifts a hand.
"We've seen they aren't very good at getting through walls of force. I could manage another of those today, when it comes to that."

[MikelaC1]

For expediency, there are no further tunnels off the sleeping quarters. They are just rooms. The only tunnel leading on is the east tunnel.

[PSinger]

Atareth looks at Mr. Talky-Giant. "You may swim in lava like we might swim in a pool. But just like we might swim in a pool, we might drown ... you'll have no air as the entire tunnels are choked with lava, as will you."

[Kalirren]

"May I suggest that a few of us go and take a look down these side passages? So long as their quarters don't have other tunnels further along, we can always seal them in with a wall. Even if we don't end up able to come back for them, they'd be able to get out in a few minutes, with their strength. Once they start trying. Ideally, a few minutes is all we need."

Melinda shrugs, then nods. "Okay, do it." The priestess herself didn't have a very committed notion of what to do, and wasn't going to countermand the recommendation of the group's most reliable operations manager.

She give the giant a nod. "Tend to your wounded. May our paths never cross again." Then the group would be off through the east door. With luck they wouldn't have to pass by this way again.

[The Great Skenardo]

Coquika
Coquika shrugs and walks alongside. To Melinda, she comments
"Is mercy to be the order of the day? Even if we are to welcome our dark sisters into the fold, I wonder if it's right to simply let these ugly brutes live to feed more people to volcanoes."

[Morcleon]

Furude Setsuna

Shrugging, Setsuna nods and follows Coquika. She pipes up, glancing at the emerald lady. "But if we can take out the source of this volcano, they won't have anything to feed people to. After all, this was artificially made."

[MikelaC1]

The party heads through the eastern door after dealing with the giants. The door opens to a hallway that goes a short distance before coming to another door. However, before the party can reach the door, it suddenly bursts open, and there is a huge
WHOOSH
of greenish gas filling the corridor. The party might have been expecting a chlorine gas attack, given that it was a green dragon, but instead, the gas seems to burn like acid.
(144 acid damage, DC:37 REF for half)

Continuing into the room, the party sees another huge octagonal room (like the one that the dracolich was in for the last dungeon), however unlike the dracolich, this dragon is quite alive, with its greenish scales. Behind the dragon, on the far east wall is a strange looking contraption, with 9 levers sticking out of it, however the dragon is more of a problem right now.

roll initiative, OOC.
also make will save, DC40 vs. dragon fear

[lostsole31]

Both Lildorrinene and Lok are able to resist the dragon's fear, but Lok throws his wing out to block the acid from his mistress and gets bathed for 134 acid damage, but protecting her in the process.

[PSinger]

Spoiler

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Atareth doesn't get to go before several of her sisters, but she goes before the dracolich so I should be able to vocalize.

Atareth's vestments, wings, armor, shield, and weapon sizzle and pop as fire giant gore is burnt away and drops off, the acid having made her mithral shine again.

"And here, recreant," Atareth says boastfully to the dragon, "I was led to believe how ignoble a creature you might be. But how can I hate so bony a coward who is relegated to little more than a laundrymaid in battle?"

Spoiler

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Her action is contingent on others once it is her turn ...

[Kalirren]

"I'm not sure if it's right, Coquika. I detest those who would waste others' lives. But I represent love, not vengeance or justice, and I will not tempt them with false lust just to kill them." That turned out badly once. "If you think this my failing, and a mistake, then correct my mistake. I do not always speak with the voice of the Godde - look out!"

WHOOSH

[Toliudar]

Dot

Dot twisted and writhed as her flesh was dissolved by the dragon's breath. Immediately, though, her nimble mind began plotting alternatives to respond to the terrifying threat before them. Her hands flash, and she vanishes briefly, reappearing in the air directly above the dragon. A sphere of blackness appears under the dragon's belly, seeming to tear at its scales.

Spoiler

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Dot flies 60' back down the tunnel, pulling out her Rod of Quicken Spell as she does so.

She casts Project Image to have her projection appear directly above the dragon's current position. Anyone with blindsense/blindsight/true seeing will know that the projection is not real, but she doesn't really care.

She then uses a swift action (using Major Esoterica) to cast Sphere of Ultimate Destruction on the dragon's current position. Fortitude Save DC 33 or take (40d6)[138] untyped damage, or take (5d6)[17] on a successful save.

[MikelaC1]

The sphere of destruction connects with the green dragon, and not only does his innate resistance fail to stop it, the damage it causes is severe. Its not enough to stop the massive beast, but it certainly got his attention. Not that that is always a good thing.

Lok up, Selena on deck, Setsuna to follow.

[lostsole31]

Lok supercharges a force screen and tops off his mirror images.

Spoiler

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(1d4+5)[8] images

Force screen up, bonus at +6.

[MikelaC1]

Many more images of the vrock appear, as he prepares his defenses against the offense of the green dragon

Selena up, Setsuna on deck, Atarath in hole, Lil to follow

[MikelaC1]

Selena attempts to deal with the dragon with one overpowering move, trying to use dominate monster on it, but whether the dragon resists through his magic resistance or overpowering mental resistance is immaterial, the spell fails.

Setsuna up, Atarath on deck, Lil in the hole, dragon to follow.

[MikelaC1]

Setsuna gestures and a thin green ray lances out from her hand to strike the dragon. Her aim is true and the ray even manages to penetrate the dragons magical resistance, but the innate toughness of the beast prevents it from doing full damage. Still, its another mark on the beast, as this dragon will likely take the combined might of the party to overcome.

Atarath up, Lil on deck, dragon in the hole, Coquika to follow.

[PSinger]

Atareth starts jackhammering the giant.

Spoiler

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Attack #1 (1d20+41)[43], Damage (1d8+23)[27]
Attack #2 (1d20+36)[40], Damage (1d8+23)[25]
Attack #3 (1d20+31)[47], Damage (1d8+23)[29]

[lostsole31]

Lildorrinene touches Lok-too-loo-baz with the wand of maximized cure critical wounds 39 healing.

Spoiler

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I can't help but think that the caster level on the wand was higher, but I don't have that written down.

"Who else?" calls Lildorrinene, looking around the battlefield.

[MikelaC1]

Atarath's first and third blows connect with the behemoth dragon, but the damage is no where near enough to slow the creature down. The middle blow merely bounces off his scaly hide. And now the beast can strike...