The Floating World [IC]

[The Hellbug]

There's something indescribably wrong about the way the flesh starts melting back together into the floor, and what it doesn't do is support the three explorers' ability to just hold out against the thing's assault. "You sure that tentacle didn't get to your head?" Ennius shoots back at Carlisle, "because if you think you can make it all the way to the center of this thing alone, then be my guest." Unable to do much more than follow his own initial plan, Ennius jabs his spear at the nearby wildly flailing tentacle.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attacking tentacle W13.

attack: (1d20+13)[30]
damage: (1d6+5)[11]
crit: (1d20+13)[17]
crit damage: (1d20+5)[10]

[Recherché]

I did mention before that I'm bad at light magic? In fact the only person we had who was competent at it got herself killed by a the abomination we're now fighting. Ryoko joins the bickering sounding annoyed at her colleagues. And once I start trying to maintain multiple curses at once movement will be . . . difficult for me without teleportation.

At least the men are taking care of the nearby creatures well enough. Ryoko debates again taking to the sky to avoid the creatures near her but no she can do more good with a different spell right no. She can only pray to whatever spirits might have an interest in her that this decision won't get her too badly wounded.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Just casting Haste this round

[ylvathrall]

Carlisle smoothly cuts down the warped creature which charged at him, which explodes into a cloud of foul-smelling spores. At the same time, he feels his mind-clouding magic seize onto one of the tumors. Instants later, it bursts, disgorging another of the humanoid creatures. Another of the things bursts open in the back of the room, leaving one of the quadrupedal things standing beside the core of the thing. Ennius's blow strikes down another of the tentacles, but one of the humanoid creatures gets through, swinging clumsily at Ryoko.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

One slam attack on Ryoko from the humanoid at W15. No other attacks coming your way this turn.

Slam: (1d20+4)[19]
Damage: (1d6+4)[9]

[TheOneHawk]

With the immediate threats to his own safety dispatched, Carlisle takes a quick glance around the room to appraise the situation. With Ryoko's comment, it's immediately apparent that the most efficient action right now would be to eliminate the thing currently after her, so he takes a step towards it and grins a little too widely as his blades carve into its flesh.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Maintaining confusion aura

5 foot step to X15

Full attack on humanoid, nothing fancy other than that.

(1d20+9)[25] attack
(1d6+4)[9]damage
(1d20+9)[22]attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage

(1d20+4)[17]attack
(1d6+4)[6]damage
(1d20+4)[7]attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage

(1d20+9)[26] attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage
(1d20+9)[13]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage

(1d20+4)[8]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage
(1d20+4)[15]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage

(1d20+9)[24] attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage
(1d20+9)[24]attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage

[Recherché]

Ryoko stumbles nearly dodging the creature only to line her head up for its blow. Before her ears finish ringing and the necromantic energy can stem the flow of blood from her nose Carlisle is already stepping in to revenge himself on her attacker. Drawing a deep breath she reaches up towards the ceiling and traces out a complex gesture with a reddened hand. Time to even the numbers a little.

Seconds later two beams of light strike down

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Casting Summon Monster 3 to get a Lantern Archon 10 ft up at W16. The tentacle at U17 should be in range of the archon's aura for a DC 13 will save on archon's aura. Having the archon attack the tentacle at U17 and if it goes down moving on X13.

Ray 1
To hit: (1d20+3)[12] vs Touch
Damage: (1d6)[1]

Crit: (1d20+3)[20] vs Touch
Crit Damage: (1d6)[3]

Ray 2
To hit: (1d20+3)[17] vs Touch
Damage: (1d6)[2]

Crit: (1d20+3)[23] vs Touch
Crit Damage: (1d6)[3]

Tentacles
CMB: (1d20+13)[25]
Damage: (1d6+4)[8]

[The Hellbug]

"That's more like it," Ennius says as Ryoko's spells come into play, "we make it through this and I owe you a dance, good lady." Of course, it still looks like the group is battling for a standstill rather than a victory, but Ennius tries not to let that dampen his spirit. His spiky defense retracts with the dispatching of the last of the nearby tentacles, and his spear shoots out from behind the druid's shield, this time aided by supernatural speed.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Full attack on the two in-reach humanoids, favoring the one adjacent to Ryoko until it's dead, free action to end the bramble armor; 3 rounds remaining today.

attack: (1d20+9)[17]
damage: (1d6+3)[6]
crit: (1d20+9)[20]
damage: (1d6+3)[8]

attack: (1d20+9)[24]
damage: (1d6+3)[4]
crit: (1d20+9)[29]
damage: (1d6+3)[6]

[Recherché]

A dance? You owe me a new dress and a night in the Parlor of Virtue Ryoko banters back naming one of Aseoto's more expensive brothel's Mind I think I owe you and Carlisle a night as well.

[ylvathrall]

Carlisle makes short work of the nearest humanoid, cutting it down. As it falls, it explodes into a faint cloud of pale grey dust. It itches and makes it hard to breathe for a moment before dissipating. Ennius, meanwhile, lands two solid blows on the humanoid nearest himself, but it remains standing despite the grievous wounds. It retaliates with a simple swing of an arm, which has more strength behind it than its strange, twisted body might suggest.

Meanwhile, one of the tentacles lashes over and wraps around an eyestalk before ripping it from the meat-moss. The last remaining tumors burst, both disgorging the same sort of warped hyenoid quadruped as those before.

Spoiler: Perception DC 15

Show

There's a bulge in the moss at Z15, almost like something is pushing at it from below.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

I need a Fortitude save from all of you, please.

Slam on Ennius: (1d20+4)[22]
Damage: (1d6+4)[7]

Map is updated.

[The Hellbug]

"I'd still choose the dance; then we pay both debts at once," Ennius shoots back. He grunts as he deftly catches his assailant's blow on his shield before launching another offensive. "Never been fond of houses of pleasure," he continues, "somewhere in the transaction you lose something of the the-hunh-intimacy."

The druid gets breather as the creature falls and disintegrates, but it's a short one. "Careful, those tentacles might not be staying dead," he warns suddenly as soon as he notices the bulge behind them.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Continue the attack on Y13.

attack: (1d20+9)[29]
damage: (1d6+3)[8]
crit: (1d20+9)[20]
damage: (1d6+3)[6]

attack: (1d20+9)[28]
damage: (1d6+3)[7]
crit: (1d20+9)[22]
damage: (1d6+3)[6]

[TheOneHawk]

In an attempt to bring his aura to bear on more of the creatures, Carlisle runs out into the middle of the room, calling back as he goes, "I, on the other hand, will hold you to that Ryoko. I find such houses have certain advantages, myself." He chuckles quietly to himself even as he reaches his target and slashes his blade into it.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Maintaining confusion aura, move to V10

(1d20+11)[18] attack
(1d6+4)[6]damage
(1d20+11)[17]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage

[Recherché]

Don't tell me you're a bloody romantic Ennius? Ryoko draws the spear off her back and stabs at the bulge in the floor. She's not likely to be as effective as the people who use weapons regularly but maybe she can stop this before it starts. I think we need to kill the central mass to stop it. My spell doesn't seem to be doing much to it. Our little glowing friend here can pierce through quite a few defenses but they need to be within 30 feet and they don't hit that hard on each ray. Anything we can do to help get them close enough and hit harder would help. Otherwise we can see if the acid will damage it or if any of the more specialized weapons you have would work.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Drawing spear and attacking the bulge at Z15

To hit: (1d20+5)[13]
Damage: (1d8+1)[4]

Crit hit: (1d20+5)[14]
Crit Damage: (1d8+1)[6]

Having the archon attack the tentacle at T16 take 2

Ray 1
To hit: (1d20+3)[20] vs touch
Damage: (1d6)[6]

Crit hit: (1d20+3)[6] vs touch
Crit Damage: (1d6)[3]

Ray 2
To hit: (1d20+3)[13] vs touch
Damage: (1d6)[6]

Crit hit: (1d20+3)[15] vs touch
Crit Damage: (1d6)[4]

[ylvathrall]

Ennius cuts another of the goblins down with a pair of heavy strokes. Like the last, it explodes into foul grey dust. Ryoko, meanwhile, thrusts her spear into the bulge within the moss, which promptly deflates again. She can just see what might be a half-formed tentacle within.

Carlisle, helped along by Ryoko's magic, easily runs across the surface of the moss to reach another of the tentacles farther in. This one proves more resilient than the previous ones, and while his blades chop deeply into its surface, they don't quite manage to kill it. The same cannot be said of Ryoko's lantern archon; the twin beams of light pierce deeply into the tentacle, aided by the tentacle's own violent writhing, and leave it to collapse upon the floor.

One of the humanoid creatures closes in to swing at Carlisle, just seconds before the wounded tentacle thrashes towards him as well. One of the quadrupeds, deeper in the room, sprints at Ennius and lunges towards him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Tentacle attack attack on Carlisle: (1d20+5)[13]
Damage: (1d8+5)[12]
Grapple attempt on hit: (1d20+7)[14]

Humanoid slam attack on Carlisle: (1d20+4)[8]
Damage: [roll]1d6+4[/roll

Quadruped charging bite on Ennius: (1d20+6)[17]
Damage: (1d6+4)[10]

[The Hellbug]

"Did I ever do anything to disabuse you of that notion?" Ennius retorts with a grin as he sidesteps the creature's charge, countering with a pair of jabs of his own. "Are either of you wounded?" he goes on, more seriously this time, "because if we can keep this pace, we can avoid being surrounded when we attack its center."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Full attack on the quadruped.

attack: (1d20+9)[16]
damage: (1d6+3)[7]
crit: (1d20+9)[20]
damage: (1d6+3)[8]

attack: (1d20+9)[15]
damage: (1d6+3)[5]
crit: (1d20+9)[24]
damage: (1d6+3)[9]

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle laughs as he sidesteps the pair of attacks with ease, casually slicing first into the tentacle, then the humanoid with a wide smile on his face, watching the thick blue liquid ooze from the wounds. "I've a scratch,
but with the way these parasites fight I doubt they'll be so lucky as to land another."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Maintaining confusion aura

(1d20+9)[29] attack
(1d6+4)[9]damage
(1d20+9)[12]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage

(1d20+4)[17]attack
(1d6+4)[8]damage
(1d20+4)[21]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage

(1d20+9)[25] attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage
(1d20+9)[18]attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage

(1d20+4)[8]attack
(1d6+4)[10]damage
(1d20+4)[16]attack
(1d6+4)[8]damage

(1d20+9)[22] attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage
(1d20+9)[17]attack
(1d6+4)[8]damage

[Recherché]

I was just hoping you had more sense than that, Ennius. Ryoko starts taking a tentative step forward across the disturbingly meaty ground before deciding better and takes to the sky instead. Really no point in staying contact with the flesh of the creature they're trying to kill and putting herself in perfect range for attacks by spore filled monsters at the same time. One of them did hit me already and took out one of my defensive spells. I'm okay but I'm a little more vulnerable than I'd like right now. Flying Ryoko calls out orders to her archon in Celestial and it follows her shortly.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Activating Flight hex and heading to the ceiling of W7

Archon is moving to X10 and performing laser tentacle removal on AA 10

Ray 1
To hit: (1d20+3)[20]
Damage: (1d6)[4]

If crit: (1d20+3)[7]
Crit damage: (1d6)[5]

Ray 2
To hit: (1d20+3)[4]
Damage: (1d6)[6]

If crit: (1d20+3)[14]
Crit damage: (1d6)[2]

[ylvathrall]

Ennius strikes down one of the quadrupedal creatures, and Carlisle cuts down another of the tentacles and slashes the humanoid thing standing beside him. It doesn't fall, though, and quickly retaliates with a quick strike of its own.

Meanwhile, to your left, one of the quadrupeds sprints at Carlisle, leaping over the pool of acid in the way. Its foot catches on the ground as it goes to leap, however, and it instead falls into the acid with a heavy splash. It thrashes around, splashing more of the acid out, but its flesh is quickly melting and running.

Spoiler: Perception DC 14

Show

There's a bulge forming in the meat at Y11.

Spoiler: Perception DC 14

Show

There's a bulge forming in the meat at U9.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

One attack on Carlisle:
Attack: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage: (1d6+4)[8]

Carlisle has to make a DC 10 Reflex save or be splashed by the acid from the pit, taking [roll]1d6[/roll] acid damage.

[TheOneHawk]

"Two more of those bulges! Did you see what that last one was, Ryoko?" Carlisle calls as he slashes his blades into the humanoid in front of him, barely even paying attention to the strikes as he scans the room for the next threat.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Maintaining Confusion. One remaining round after this one, then it's out of juice.

(1d20+4)[18]attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage
(1d20+4)[18]attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage

(1d20+9)[11] attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage
(1d20+9)[19]attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage

(1d20+4)[20]attack
(1d6+4)[5]damage
(1d20+4)[9]attack
(1d6+4)[6]damage

(1d20+9)[10] attack
(1d6+4)[6]damage
(1d20+9)[25]attack
(1d6+4)[8]damage

(1d20+4)[19]attack
(1d6+4)[7]damage
(1d20+4)[16]attack
(1d6+4)[6]damage

[Recherché]

Half formed tentacle of some kind in there!

Ryoko looks around the room and groans. Her boys may be taking care of the immediate threats but there's no easy path to deliver any of the acid or the archon to the core of this creature, well not without getting hurt herself. And without flying neither of the other two can even cross the acid moat around the core. Maybe the eye thing can't hit her from that close? Its not a good bet but it might be the best one she has.

The mage zigzags around the tentacle but veers dangerously close to the eyestalk to fly herself to the far side of the room over the acid moat around the main mass and into the only corridor to the main mass left open by her tentacles.

Time to get the real fight started she mutters as her archon catches up to her and the two ready their assault

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Ryoko is flying to U2 and using extra move to give the tentalce at V5 a wide berth and just eating any AOs from the eyestalk at X3. Evil Eye-ing the main mass to reduce AC. DC 21 Will to have it last 1 round otherwise it lasts 8

Archon will follow a similar route to T3 and then attacking the main mass

Ray 1

To hit (1d20+3)[8]
Damage (1d6)[1]

If crit (1d20+3)[5]
Crit damage (1d6)[4]

Ray 2

To hit (1d20+3)[23]
Damage (1d6)[3]

If crit (1d20+3)[21]
Crit damage (1d6)[6]

[The Hellbug]

Ennius, his speed enhanced by Ryoko's spell, hustles to catch up with the others, stopping only to raise his spear at one of the newly-forming lumps. "Oh no you don't!" he grunts as he drives his spear into the mass.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move to U10, attack new lump in U9.

attack: (1d20+13)[32]
damage: (1d6+5)[11]
crit: (1d20+13)[33]
damage: (1d6+5)[8]

[ylvathrall]

The tentacle emits a burst of some sickly looking green vapor as the twin rays from the lantern archon lance into its flesh. Along with the vapor comes a noise, a strange one which seems to emit from the entire room, vibrating you from all directions at a frequency that's so low it's more felt in the chest than heard with the ears. Carlisle, meanwhile, slashes into the humanoid thing near him, leaving it to fall to the floor.

Ennius thrusts his spear into another half-formed tentacle, which collapses back to the floor. The other swelling, though, bursts to expose a fully formed eyestalk, which immediately throws a lump of the same foul smelling pus as before at Carlisle. Another eyestalk flings a thicker, stickier load of goop at Ryoko.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Okay, ranged touch attacks on Carlisle and Ryoko.
Carlisle: (1d20+6)[13]
On hit, DC 15 Fortitude save or sickened one round.

Ryoko: (1d20+6)[10]
On hit, Ryoko is entangled.

[The Hellbug]

Ennius twists his spear in the dyingtentacle, but when he looks up, there is no immediate threat from anything other than the eyestalks. Not trusting himself to make the leap over the acid while hindered by the spongy ground and his armor, he leaves his spear impaled into the mat of flesh and looses the shield from his arm, replacing them with his hunting bow and quiver as it thuds into the ground. "Time to poke the real hornets' nest," he mutters as he takes aim, loudly enough for Carlisle to hear, "what do you say?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Just a gear change this round.

[Recherché]

Can one of you get that goo throwing thing behind me?

Ryoko dislikes admitting it but that last glob missed her more by luck than skill. Still it missed her and that's enough. The coast is clear for her to dig one of the tiny vials out of her bag and throw it at the main mass as the summoned celestial continues its assault.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Move action retrieving acid vial from bag and throwing it at P2. Already factoring range penalties and hopefully the evil eye will compensate somewhat. Having the archon continue with the rays. Everything is vs touch AC. Then Ryoko is 5ft stepping back to V2 after attacking.

Acid
To hit: (1d20+2)[11]
Damage: (1d6)[5]

If crit: (1d20+2)[11]
Crit damage: (1d6)[3]

Archon Ray 1
To hit: (1d20+3)[9]
Damage: (1d6)[2]

If crit: (1d20+3)[7]
Crit damage: (1d6)[5]

Archon Ray 2
To hit: (1d20+3)[8]
Damage: (1d6)[3]

If crit: (1d20+3)[11]
Crit damage: (1d6)[2]

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle nods and smiles darkly at the eyestalk Ryoko points out. "It would be my pleasure, Ryoko, he says before setting off towards the offending appendage at a sprint. He manages to keep his footing over the uneven ground and slashes wildly at the stalk when he arrives, hoping to simply chop the thing in half in a single strike.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Last madness round

(1d20+11)[30]
(1d6+4)[5]
(1d20+11)[29]
(1d6+4)[5]

The movement with haste and not difficult terrain should let me sidestep the tentacle's 10 foot reach and still make it to Y4 for the attack

[ylvathrall]

Ryoko's vial of acid manages to splash the central mass of the thing, which produces a rumbling roar in response. The archon's rays of light pierce into its flesh as well, but seem to be barely noticed next to the acid. Retaliation is swift, though, as a gap opens within the creature's flesh. From this rough-edged maw sprays a massive flood of boiling-hot bile which drenches and burns Ryoko and her minion, falling just short of where Carlisle has sliced clean through the eyestalk protruding from the ground. The other nearby eyestalk, though, has already launched another glob of thick, foul-smelling gunk at Ennius.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Ranged touch on Ennius, entangles on hit:
(1d20+6)[21]

Forty foot cone of bile from the central mass, originating at Q3. Ryoko and the lantern archon are in the area of the spray. Each takes (6d8)[18] fire damage, DC 23 Reflex for half. On a failed save, they must make a DC 23 Fortitude save or take (1d2)[1] Dex damage. This second effect is a poison effect.

[The Hellbug]

"Ugh..." Ennius grumbles as the foul gunk splatters on his armor (he somehow doubts the smell's going to go away over night), "so that's how it's going to be, then..."

Relaxing his bow, it only takes a moment to clear the sludge off his bow and arms, but the damage is done: the central mass will have to wait. "Normally this would be going between the eyes, but I think I can make an exception for you," he mutters as he draws his bow again, this time aiming at the offending eyestalk.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move action to clear gunk, action to attack with bow.

attack (longbow): (1d20+13)[31]
damage: (1d8+4)[11]
crit: (1d20+13)[22]
damage: (2d8+8)[14]

[Recherché]

Ryoko lets out a muffled scream as a wave of burning liquid washes over her. When she's finally able to open her eyes her archon is gone and she can see the beginnings of blisters on her hands.

I might be able to take another one more of those but not much more. Ryoko tries not to whimper.

Still she grabs another vial from her bag and throws again. She might as well go down swinging.

Spoiler: Action

Show

Throwing another acid vial at P2 then 5ft stepping back to W2.

To hit: (1d20+2)[8]
Damage: (1d6)[5]
Crit hit: (1d20+2)[9]
Crit damage: (1d6)[2]

[TheOneHawk]

Carlisle's smile as the stalk falls to the ground split in two is cut short by the blast of bile from the main mass of the creature. He almost continues his rampage, stepping up to the nearby eyestalk to cut it to pieces, but restrains himself and begins weaving the air beneath him to support his weight. If I'm gonna get out of this mess, that mass has to die, slaughtering growths won't work, he thinks to himself before calling out, "I'll try and cut a piece off of that thing, just give me a moment. Try not to die." His spell cast, he begins walking upwards and towards the corner that houses the creature's centre, finding enough room between it's highest point and the ceiling to stand and ready his blades, fiercely hoping that it couldn't attack above it.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Wind walk cast, move action to O 3

[ylvathrall]

Ennius's arrow slams directly into the eye of the eyestalk, which collapses back to the ground instantly. Ryoko's acid, meanwhile, splashes over the mass of flesh, drawing forth another echoing bellow that seems to emanate from the whole of the room at once.

The central mass of the flesh, though, reacts with brutality rather than just pain. A swelling of flesh in the top of the mass bursts open, revealing a pseudopod of thick, muscular meat. The pseudopod flails at Carlisle in a quick, brutally powerful strike before falling back to the mass and being reabsorbed.

Spoiler: Perception DC 15

Show

Another swelling is forming at W13.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

One attack on Carlisle.
Attack: (1d20+8)[14]
Damage: (1d10+11)[19]

[Recherché]

Better you than me. Ryoko thinks as the mass lunges for Carlisle. Still no use antagonizing the man even if the monsters choices were more tactically advantageous for her. Time to throw another tiny vial at least and pray to any spirits that might be listening that the things are doing more than annoying the creature.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Same as last turn except no 5ft step back

To hit: (1d20+2)[20]
Damage: (1d6)[2]

Crit hit: (1d20+2)[7]
Crit damage: (1d6)[1]

[The Hellbug]

That's better.

Ennius turns back to the main mass, fulling intending on loosing two arrows into its tumorous folds, but his eye catches another appendage trying to spawn, and he takes aim at that instead. His original plan seems to be working--as long as the three aren't overwhelmed, they should be able to make it through this.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Full attack, first at the W13 spawning thing and the second at the main mass.

attack: (1d20+13)[16]
damage: (1d8+4)[5]
crit: (1d20+13)[31]
damage: (2d8+8)[13]

attack: (1d20+13)[24]
damage: (1d8+4)[11]
crit: (1d20+13)[21]
damage: (2d8+8)[21]