The Savage Tide, Part 2 (IC)

[lostsole31]

The fountain is 8', but only half-full of stagnant water, which threw off depth perception. Still, that's deep enough for you to submerge (holding your breath, I'm sure) to reach down to pull pull up a red rod that weighs a hefty 8 pounds. Your foot seems to kick something else. Picking that up as well, it is a simple necklace made of triangular gold plates. Upon closer inspection, the historical value combined with what seems to be an exceptionally pure gold makes Lazer's and Avner's estimates to be a whopping 2500 gp in value! Assuming Lazer or Tom casts detect magic on these items, they do not register as magical.

The necklace is going into the treasure sack on the food litter, but is anyone going to hold the 8-pound rod? or, will that be on the food litter as well?

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom looks at the rod...

"It's not magic. It doesn't seem very useful as a weapon... but it does sort of look like part of a machine. Maybe we'll need it later to open or unlock something..."

He thinks it should be safe in the baggage for now.

[PSinger]

Lazer nods thoughtfully and puts the thing in storage.

[lostsole31]

A set of 10' wide stairs head up 20'. The party makes its way up with Thunderstriker being led carefully by Avner as the former makes careful clop-clopping noises on the old stairs. The stairs end at a broad platform overlooking a wide chasm. Two primitive stone statues flank the balcony, their impassive countenances caked with mildew. The chasm itself drops away into a black gulf of swirling water. Two bridges span the chasm (W-E, SE-SW), exiting the room through separate double doors on the far side.

What do you do?

[PSinger]

Lazer asks the statue be checked for traps (and while we're at it, the bridge ... that is begging to be a drop-trap into a pool full of ill-tempered sea bass), and then he studies it for historical/ religious significance. After that, have Shouting Tree on point for trap-checks and move straight across to the eastern set of doors. Listen at doors, check for locks.

Spoiler: Plot Plunge, Please

Show

Sorry, going out, so I just wanted to knock out a lot of likely actions so we're not wasting time.

[lostsole31]

The statues are free of traps. Though what remains of the statues' exterior is relatively the same type as the rest of this long-forgotten dungeon, the faces were de-faced. Nothing to be gained beyond what Shouting Tree says.

"The ancient masters of my lands have the same architecture, as Rabbi Cohen knows," offers Shouting Tree. "Stories say that when the decadent evils of the ancient empire were too much the land swallowed them, though we know that really means there was uprising by all slave races. Surely, these statues were hacked at by victorious tribesmen. These look like long, slightly curved hacks like big axes. This was probably the fate of this people as well."

Shouting Tree begins the slow move across the 20' wide bridge, checking as he goes, Ix-Caban just behind. The jungle native begins searching. Ix-Caban sniffs and looks up and everyone else follows suit, easily seeing the lengthy, segmented horrors that writhe and twist as they climb down the walls, one on each side of the bridge ...

R1T26: Tom, perhaps it is because of the cooler air in the passageway, but this is the coolest you've been in a long time. Your draconic senses, in addition to helping everyone's senses, have preternaturally boosted your own reflexes to the point where things go by much more slowly than for a normal person in these opening seconds. It doesn't take a genius to recognize this as a gargantuan centipede of some sort; this seems like some unknown underground variant of the great forest centipede. A mindless horror immune to charms and illusions, focused on its meal, with an incredibly powerful bite and a paralytic poison that climb with great speed. This thing managed to pop out of a niche 50' and is now 15' above the party. This gargantuan creature can easily bite at this range.

What do you do?

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom startles at the motion overhead. He slides his arm into the straps of his shield and raises it to protect his head...

"Look out! Right above us!"

Figuring that this is not a social call, he mumbles a few syllables and points at the giant centipede. The wall around its perch is suddenly covered in shards of razor sharp ice...

Spoiler

Show

Cast Frost Fall at centipede, trying to target area (5' radius) near its head... so it has to reach through that spot to strike... or move around it.
Damage (2d6)[10]
Fort save or staggered 1 round, 1d6 to anything in that area next 3 rounds (Fort save for half)
Switch aura to Toughness

[lostsole31]

R1T26: Tom startles at the motion overhead. He slides his arm into the straps of his shield and raises it to protect his head...

"Look out! Right above us!"

Figuring that this is not a social call, he mumbles a few syllables and points at the giant centipede. The wall around its perch is suddenly covered in a slick, spiny crest of ice and frost, while the air around it condenses some of the liquid out of the air into tiny bits of snow that falls harmlessly below while much of it stirs around in a 5-foot-wide area, doing 10 cold.

The two animals are skittish, waiting or guidance from their masters.

R1T17: Lazer, what do you do?

[PSinger]

Lazer starts barking orders.
"Shouting Tree, you and Ix-Caban hurry across to hold that other one off!"
"Amella, get in a quick shot on this one but then get to the other set of double doors that split off. Get that thing open for everyone else!
"Avner, get your people over there to safety!
"Skald, center of bridge and use best guess for attack. Fly up out of reach of these things as best as you think you can!
"Tom, fall back, when you get a chance. You and I will engage this one on a fighting withdrawal to the other side of the bridge!
"All of us, don't linger for a 'good fight,' but get your asses out of here!"

Lazer flies out to the center of the bridge, and looking towards the one on the far side, he casts a spell and slams his warhammer into the ground. A line traces from his weapon across the bridge and up the wall to his target, like some type of small animal burrowing through the dirt.

Spoiler

Show

Cast earth storm. Does (7d8)[36] damage. Half electricity, half bludgeoning. Ref DC 19 for half.

[lostsole31]

R1T17: Lazer starts barking orders.
"Shouting Tree, you and Ix-Caban hurry across to hold that other one off!"
"Amella, get in a quick shot on this one but then get to the other set of double doors that split off. Get that thing open for everyone else!
"Avner, get your people over there to safety!
"Skald, center of bridge and use best guess for attack. Fly up out of reach of these things as best as you think you can!
"Tom, fall back, when you get a chance. You and I will engage this one on a fighting withdrawal to the other side of the bridge!
"All of us, don't linger for a 'good fight,' but get your asses out of here!"

Lazer flies out to the center of the bridge, and looking towards the one on the far side, he casts a spell and slams his warhammer into the ground. A line traces from his weapon across the bridge and up the wall to his target, like some type of small animal burrowing through the dirt, but in this case it is ancient worked stone. An eruption bursts forth to rip into the monstrous centipede for a combination of 36 electricity and bludgeoning damage.

R1T15: "Everyone to that side!" yells Avner (with not too little a bit of panic in his voice). He leads the valiant retreat by deftly getting on Thunderstriker and getting to those double-doors first.

R1T14: "Take this, you overgrown woodlice!" Amella shouts as she shoots her crossbow and nails it in a sweet spot for 21. She then moves halfway across the southern bridge.

R1T12: Skald, what do you do?

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Skald flies towards the center of the bridge, but he has to pass underneath the centipede above to do so, but the massive jaws of the creature come down and bite on Skald for 26 mod damage! A powerful paralytic begins to go through his system, but the high metabolism of the fey just barely aids him in throwing off the stiffening toxin. He continues to get to the middle and shoots a single arrow not at that enemy, but the one closer to the colonists on the other side. He shoots high towards its tail, and instead of an arrow a streaking bolt of silvery light arcs up and blasts the whole back area of the centipede, though its sinuous form is able to help it some, and the creature takes 8 radiance damage. From the initial damage, the lingering radiance pours over the monster to limn it in a faint light.

R1T11: Skald took the hit that was meant for Shouting Tree, and the beastmaster moves towards the opposite side, but throws his spear about mid-bridge for 27, a fine first strike.

R1T10: Ix-Caban speeds across and jumps at the same monster on the far end. As she jumps, the centipede juts downwards and the high ground gives it the advantage as it bites her for 30, without the advantage of Tom's protection on the far side. The centipede's attack is what she needed to reach the thing due to its height. She bites for 9, and makes a claw for 11 before landing on the bridge below the thing.

R1T9: Despite Avner's total cowardice, Amella curses at the colonists to go. The heroes, having sacrificed attacks on themselves, opened the way for the screaming, terrified colonists to make it all the way across to the area with the SE double doors.

R1T8: Tom is all alone as the rear guard, and the centipede juts its massive head forward to bite at the div-spawn and crunches into him for 27 mod. A paralyzing poison tries to work into Tom, but his pure willpower of mind over body and desire to never again be prisoner throws off any further effect.

R1T7: The centipede at the far end bites down at Ix-Caban, who seems slightly off kilter, but the jaguar furiously bats away the bite with her own jaws and claws.

End Round 1, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T26: Tom, you have found yourself very much alone, but that was the plan. Shouting Tree is at the middle of the bridge, Skald is just above, and Lazer is just a little past them towards the other side. Everyone else managed to get to the branch-off bridge to the SE doors. These things have incredibly powerful bites, and your draconic aura is laughably weak against it. It's bulk is so massive, it's body is able to deal with the cold enough from your spell to bring it down to 2 cold.

What do you do?

Lazer on deck, Avner in the hole ...

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom glances around for a moment to firmly get his bearings... then he gestures and a cloud of dense fog suddenly appears around him. He retreats through the mist in the direction of the group, hoping that it's sufficient cover from the beast...

Spoiler

Show

Cast Breath of Night (Fog Cloud) on his position
Cast Defensively, DC 17 Concentration (needs a 1 to fail): (1d20+13)[18]
Move toward SE doors/rest of group

[lostsole31]

R2T26: Tom glances around for a moment to firmly get his bearings. He carefully concentrates, and then breathes forth from mouth and nostrils a chilly mist that spreads out and tightens into a dense fog about him, visually blocking off the entire western landing and bridge, and almost plunging the mid-bridge folks in fog. Tom heads out of the fog and up to the others.

R2T17: Lazer, you are in flight just above the middle of the bridge with Skald and Shouting Tree, when Tom comes out of the fog he just made. What do you do?

Avner on deck, Amella in the hole, followed by Skald ...

[PSinger]

"Soulforger, I call on you to further empower this blessed weapon to smite this beast with the forge's flame!"

Lazer casts a spell and points his hammer at the centipede on the eastern side near the door, the one limned with a silvery aura. The fire of Gili-Nachum erupts forth and a beam of flame from the warhammer to the centipede is made.

After this, he flies high enough that if the monsters should get on the bridge they can't attack him. "I'm bringing up the rear. Let's go, people!"

Spoiler: Actions & Rolls

Show

SA: Flame of the forge does (7d6)[28] fire damage, Ref DC 17 halves
MA: Pretty much flying straight up, so Fly (1d20+12)[21]

[lostsole31]

R2T17: "Soulforger, I call on you to further empower this blessed weapon to smite this beast with the forge's flame!"

Lazer casts a spell and points his hammer at the centipede on the eastern side near the door, the one limned with a silvery aura. The fire of Gili-Nachum erupts forth and a beam of flame from the warhammer to the centipede hits it squarely for 28 fire.

After this, he flies high enough that if the monsters should get on the bridge they can't attack him. "I'm bringing up the rear. Let's go, people!"

R2T15: Avner delays ...

R2T14: "The door's unlocked," groans Amella from the effort, "but the blasted wildcat of a door is stuck!"

R2T12: Skald, what do you do?

Shouting Tree on deck, Ix-Caban in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R2T12: "Well, that's it, then," says Skald. "We have to finish this. Shouting Tree, get Ix-Caban out of there or she'll get crushed if it falls. I'll hold my shots until she's clear."

R2T11: Shouting Tree likewise delays, telling her to stop attack and he tells her to go and he points to the colonists.

R2T10: Ix-Caban goes to move to the lower bridge, but not before the centipede gets a bite in for mod 25, though she doesn't appear to be slowed beyond the fact it is a terrible wound.

R2T9.9: With the jaguar clear, Skald fires a single arrow at the monster for 11. Sure enough, the monster's head falls while its body curves outwards so the back end rolls past to just slam on part of the bridge (Shouting Tree is just barely clear) and the thing flops into the water below. Skald turns and then fires an arrow at the western monster, but the arrow shatters against the wall and falls down the chasm.

R2T9.8: "No time for the strongest of us to work the door and fight the last. One down, let's get the other," says Shouting Tree. He takes out his jaguar head mace carefully and steps just inside the mist as if to try to hide in it.

R2T9: The colonists start to give cheers and shouts of encouragement for the heroes.

R2T8: The centipede probably climbed down off the wall, and if so Tom realizes that it took some cold regardless but likely exited the AoE. Sure enough, the thing comes moving out, using its feelers to make its way across the bridge. As it passes, Shouting Tree gives a great war cry and a resounding thud is heard in the mist. The behemoth lifts part of its head and its mandibles chatter and there is a great hissing noise. It goes to bite the tribesman somewhere in the mist, the latter whose sounds of angry pain grunt forth. "I'm poisoned!"

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R2T26: Tom, the thing only made it to the edge of the fog cloud, so it hasn't fully exited, meaning that the top and front of it have concealment. You do not see Shouting Tree since he is deep enough in to be totally concealed from your sight. What do you do?

Lazer on deck, Avner in the hole ...

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom aims at the rear segments of the centipede that are still visible and exhales a blast of frost... maybe that would distract the beast from whatever it was doing to Shouting Tree...

Spoiler

Show

Breath weapon (3d6)[11]
Recharge (1d4)[1]

[lostsole31]

R2T26: Tom aims at the upper segments of the centipede that are still partially visible and exhales a blast of frost that might distract the beast from whatever it was doing to Shouting Tree. His line of icy wind hits it for a solid 11 cold.

R2T17: Lazer, what do you do?

[PSinger]

Being sure to maintain distance in flight, the Moradinite priest casts a spell. A hammer of pure force appears with the symbol of Moradin and other seemingly important runes, and Eliezer speeds it towards the face of the monster.

Spoiler

Show

Spiritual weapon attack (1d20+10)[17], damage (1d8+2)[4], concealment (1d100)[58]

[lostsole31]

R2T17: Being sure to maintain distance in flight, the Moradinite priest casts a spell. A hammer of pure force appears with the symbol of Moradin and other seemingly important runes, and Eliezer speeds it towards the face of the monster to hit it for 4 force.

Several delays ...

R2T9.9: Skald, what do you do?

Shouting Tree on deck, gargantual centipede on deck ...

[TickleMeTemplar]

Skald fires three glittering arrows in rapid succession at the remaining centipede. "Finish it! We need to attend to the wounded.""

Spoiler

Show

Attack 1: (1d20+13)[19]
Damage 1: (1d8+4)[11]

Attack 2: (1d20+13)[14]
Damage 2: (1d8+4)[8]

Attack 3: (1d20+8)[27]
Damage 3: (1d8+4)[8]

[TickleMeTemplar]

Crit Fail followed by Crit Hit in one combo

Spoiler: confirm crit hit

Show

(1d20+13)[14]

**Edit** with a crit fail confirmation roll....Y U NO LIEK ME, DICE GODZ?!

[lostsole31]

R2T9.9: Skald fires three glittering arrows in rapid succession at the remaining centipede. "Finish it! We need to attend to the wounded."

Even as he speaks, the first arrow sinks into the monster. He loses the shot on the second one, but as he speaks his words, the third finds the mark and the undulating movement stops, and the centipede's position within the fog seems to lose a little in height. There is no movement from within.

Combat Ends ...

[PSinger]

"Well done. Very well done, everybody," congratulates the rabbi. "Alright, let's collect ourselves and things, and then we have to see about getting that door, or the one north of it, open. Shouting Tree, Tom, and I will try to pry it. I don't know that we have any more space than that. Before that, though, we definitely have to look at wounds. Poisoned?"

Spoiler: Party Healing

Show

Just gratis this. I don't want to waste time back and forth on posting. Use Lazer's Heal checks and channeling for best judgement. If Tom wants to help with any of this, great.

Lazer will try to work with the two of them to open the door. Since Shouting Tree is "tougher," Lazer will Aid him with a STR check, unless you want something else.

Spoiler: Grrrr

Show

I have a 16 STR, I think Shouting Tree has the same, and I'm not sure about Tom but I know he's pretty strong as well. I just said "tougher" because Tree - with all of his endurance-y, hardiness stuff - makes a good RP sense. I don't think Skald is as strong as us.

My STR check to Aid Tree (1d20+3)[6]

EDIT: Obviously, the bulky and ornate gauntlets of his plate armor get in the way of a good grip.

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom waits for a few moments for the mist to clear and then checks on Shouting Tree. Once he is up, Tom moves to help the others at the door...

Spoiler

Show

Switch aura to healing, in case anyone is <50%.
Use healing pool on self to regain full HP.

[lostsole31]

Tom's healing aura actually only helps Ix-Caban.

Lazer uses some positive channeling bursts. Most people are shy of full, and Lazer holds Tom back from casting on himself since there are still multiple healings (albeit small amounts). At that point, all are healed except a light wound on the cat. A simple CLW from a prayer bead by Lazer heals that up and now the party is entirely healed.

Spoiler: Channeling Note

Show

For those that notice, with the positive energy bursts healed from 9 thru 23 points of damage a pop. Effects of the burst were conducted individually.

Tom does an exceptionally good job at his Aid, and Shouting Tree uses a nearly herculean burst ('20' + 3 for STR + 3 for Tom's Aid = STR 26 check) and still the door won't open. This door just won't seem to budge, it is so incredibly stuck. What do you do? Try a new tactic at this door or try the door to the north side of this wall/ bridge?

Tom, what aura?

[Swami Monsoon]

Tom frowns at the door...

"Hmmm... is this what that big lever thing is supposed to be for?"

Spoiler

Show

Change back to Senses aura

[lostsole31]

"If you're talking about that heavy rod the Captain found, Tom," says Amella, "there's nowhere here to place it if it is some type of lever or key. Either that's not it's purpose, or it's not it's purpose here. Shall we check the other doors?"

[PSinger]

"Well, let's see if the other door is any different. Come Amella, Shouting Tree ..." Lazer flies over there, and waits for the two trap spotters.

[lostsole31]

Same type of stuck doors on this side ...