Mother of Monsters IC

[Feralgeist]

The courtyard.

Various mud huts have coalesced for shelter, a gift from the Swamp. A brazier burns brightly in the centre of his palm. A featureless mud buddy seeps up from the ground next to the brazier and tends the fire, before collapsing back into the ground. All around, mud creatures wallow and frolic through the swamp in a caricature of nature. 50 ft away the real forest begins. Soft morning light filters through the trees.


OOC thread here

[redfeline]

Ieli lays in her hut uncomfortably. These arms are both wonderful and also annoying, they just don't tuck under my torso right, and having the torso of a halfling is no picnic either, these mammary glands are always swollen, it looks like I just had a litter of kittens! A small liter at that, only able to feed two offspring at a time how are these halflings so common out there. It just doesn't make sense. Oh well at least I have the intelligence to realize it doesn't make sense.

She eyed the spoils of that gnome adventurer sitting in the corner. Intelligent enough to recognize these items for what they were, useful. Ieli raised her front hand and began to lick up and down it. She never seemed to be clean living in this hut.

[Feralgeist]

the floor cracks, and mud oozes up. a small toadlike mud buddy coalesces. "Ieli. You're awake. You have a problem, little kitten. That gnome had friends, and they are looking for him. They look stronger than he was." It gurgles with a wet chuckle and hops over to the pile, inspecting the armour, which bears a spiked collar motif encircling a sunburst on the tabard. "Just as i thought. They come from the east, the protectorate of Kamus i believe, a mundane nation of slavers and xenophobes. They thought your friend here foolish for exploring the swamp alone...they are the fools, thinking they can waltz where they please with impunity, just because there are more of them. Cleanse me of these interlopers, and i will show you a marvel. They are somewhere near my shoulder, less than 5 minutes away, if you fly fast. " The toad dissolves into a wet puddle which dries and hardens, sealing the crack in the floor.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grax

Grax hovered/flew slowly out of his hut. "I'm telling you it happened." His Eidolon shook his head 'negative'. Grax flicked his wrist and a fiendish eagle appeared on the ground beside them with shiny black feathers.

"At least you agree with me right ?" he motions towards the bird. The bird stretched its wings out as it looked for some opponent to attack and looked quizzically at Grax. "...Caw-kliik ki kia?" as if to ask what the hell was going on.

"See!" Grax said. The Eidolon looked unconvinced. The giant bird dissolves into a puff of smoke.


Grax sighed deeply. "Whatever."

Spoiler

Show

Eagle sounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIdZTSKLdBs

[Emperor Ing]

It took some practice but Scalia was now reasonably confident he had a procedure down. Simply hold it in his second pair of forelegs and bring his head down underneath. Release, then look up. And it fumbled to the ground. More practice is required. This time switching to his third pair, Scalia finds he has more room to maneuver his body and finally put his rugged leather wide-brimmed hat on.

There's gotta be an easier way to do this, thought the centipede as his antennae twitched, hearing voices just outside his own partially frozen hut. Curious, he scuttled outside, his many legs creating small patches of frozen mud on contact.

[Eldest]

Azula looks up from where she'd been dosing in the sunlight atop one of the huts. Quite a stir you're making. Do we have more of those madmen incoming? She stretches slowly, tail twitching, and stands, scraping a claw on the mud.

[The Bandicoot]

Little Brother moves through the clay catacombs beneath the swamp, inspecting them as he goes. He does this because he's half curious half worried. If the swamp cannot see what is in the tunnels then it would be easy for someone or something to take up residence in them and mount an attack on his brothers and sisters.

As he travels Big Brother, his badger, trots alongside him sniffing around for any food.

[Feralgeist]

Spoiler: The bandicoot

Show

after spending the evening wandering down the long corridor, twisting and winding along the path, you eventually come to an archway. A heaving mass of gravel and silt lies in the archway. Touching your hand to it you sense you lie near the surface, your tremorsense faintly detecting a group of voices just beyond the threshold

.



The ground beside the brazier gurgles and swells upwards, forming a knee high mound of muck. The mound splits at the middle in the shape of a mouth and speaks
"Slavers! Looking for little shardlings to collar I suspect.They are looking for their friend. When they don't find him, which they won't, they'll go back home and bring back more, until this place is thick with them. I sense little brother, He's run off and wandered into them northwest of here. If you hurry there might be a piece of them left by the time you get there. I tire of these intrusions and have bigger things on my mind. Aid little brother, find their city and cut them off at the source. i will reward you greatly."


A distant roar echoes to the south. "Like i said. Attend to this my siblings! I will contact you again once i have dealt with other matters."

The lump collapses back into the boggy surface

[The Bandicoot]

Little Brother gathers up Big Brother, depositing him into an internal burrow somewhere in his upper chest and glides through the earth, staying just under the surface of the earth. He attempts to move under the group of people, specifically in the middle of the biggest cluster. He sits there and waits, listening. ((he will listen until, by the power of plot, the others arrive))

[redfeline]

Ieli frowns, she never had time for baths any more. She went and pulled the armor over her torso and put on the armored skirt. She looked a bit comical in the outfit, but the little disgrace was better than dieing. She went outside.

Shall we get going and remove the parasites from our brother?

[Eldest]

Azula takes wing, flying off towards the intrusion, staying high in the air and circling the camp. We have been staying here. May as well do favors for rent. She wheels about once more, before setting off in the direction of the intrusion, doubling back every once in a while to check to make sure people are following.

[GnomesofZurich]

Cogitor stirs from meditation in its hut, hearing the disturbances outside. "Although the cerebral augmentations granted by 'Mother' are a boon, the primitive living conditions are a minor inconvenience." Drifting outside in time to see Azula streak off, Cogitor follows in her wake.

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grax seeing Cogitor fly off, follows along as well. " Something must be up." Grax things to himself.

[Emperor Ing]

Cccchhht, slavers. Scalia growled as he scuttled along the ground with the rest of the group.

[zabbarot]

Xochi stood in the mud of the swamp with it's roots sunk deep into the wet soil. It was good. The sun was bright and elemental mud might just be the most fertile soil Xochi had ever tasted. It was a bit lacking in iron though. Maybe a few other things. Still it was good. Xochi only uprooted reluctantly at the swamps command. Protecting the swamp was more important than sunbathing though.

"Come child, we need to catch up." Xochi held out one hand as the horse trotted up. Mounting was more like slithering as hundreds of vines crawled over the top of the infested horse and wrapped around it's spine and ribs. Xochi rocked gently forward and they were running after the rest.

[Feralgeist]

Spoiler: Azula, Ieli, Cogitor, Grax

Show

As you take to the sky the forest stretches out below you, miles and miles of lush greenery in every direction. To the south where the swamp meets the forest you see great plumes of green smoke and flashes of light, puncuated by rumbling and roaring wirh a sound not unlike two storms having a debate, accompanied by lesser yowls and screams and a deep rhythmic thudding. The dark spire of blackfang peak rising to the clouds can just be made out on the horizon, just beyond the smoke. To the north lies forest further than you can see. As you approach the site you can just make out 4 figures standing in a clearing on the edge of the swamp, Surrounded by boulders on the southern side. A pile of pacjs and gear sits against the boulders. 3 of them appear to be discussing something animatedly while the other attempts to light a campfir. A familiar black and white fuzzy little creature emerges from the soil behind them, waddles through tge muck and begins rooting around in the bags. One of the figures sprouts a blade of ash and smoke from his hand, another stands at points in your direction.

Spoiler: Scalia, Xochi

Show

As you skitter and Clatter along the clay path, Grax's panther-like eidolon loping alongside, you recognize along your way broken ruins and pieces of various towns half sunk into the bog. Humanoid mud buddies inhabit these shells now, their purposes inscrutable. Some seem to just be wandering around exploring, some are mimicking domestic life, sweeping non-existent yards and throwing pebbles like feed to chickens and pigs made of mud. As you get closer and closer to the meeting place the mud buddies around become fewer and fewer. Just behind a collection of boulders you hear arguing voices, too indistinct to make out. 40ft behind the boulders you see the trees of the forest. Over the commotion you hear "Get your paws off my pack you damned dirty badger!!"

Spoiler: Little Brother.

Show

Lurking in the soft peat and boggy soil you stretch out your senses. 3 Medium humanoids stand in a triangle shaped pattern 20ft apart from each other, 1 crouches alone. You hear the end of a conversation

A thin reedy voice says
"Is it here? Lothario said he was looking for the beasts eye."


A soft feminine tone replies
"We need to find the head, where is that?"

A grizzledolder man voice chimes in
"Who even knows, I thought this was the head."

A young male with a high voice pipes up
"This place is alive? yeah right guys, a haaaaunted swaaamp! I know I'm a rookie but I'm not THAT gullible. Check the maps, figure it out, i just want this done with, i bought a big honeycomb before we left town and after that hike I'm dying to eat some" The feet belonging to the young voice walk towards the older voice near the makings of the campfire
"Here, let me help. Flambè!" A fire crackles.

At the mention of its favourite treat, you feel a small nose push its way past you, and the badger digs its way up through the soil. It wanders to the boulders and begins snuffling around. You hear the young voice again. "Get your paws off my pack you damned dirty badger!!! If you've eaten my honey we're gonna have badger stew! "Blade of Cinders!"

The older voice says "I think we have some mixed company, lads."


Through the earth on the edge of your hearing you feel a clatter of hooves accompanied by a familiar crunching skittering

Roll Initiative.

(1st group, you're roughly 80 ft away in the air. 2nd group, you're 60ft away on the ground.)

[Emperor Ing]

Scalia opted a more cautious approach. If he can avoid attracting too much attention initially, he can strike to do the most damage.

Initiative
(1d20+2)[21]

Stealth
(1d20+10)[29]

[redfeline]

(1d20+8)[9]

Ieli kept to the far right of her pack.

[Feralgeist]

Scalia scuttles fowards, nestling between two of the boulders 5 feet away from the badger as the youth with the ash blade stalks foward, blondly concentrating on the furry thief. It goes unnoticed by all around the campsite but Little brother, who senses the vibrations from his position. Scalia sees an older man with an eyepatch and an axe for a hand standing by the fire, on the edge of the clearing next to where the forest begins two gnomes, a man and a woman, with yellow and black streaked hair stand guard with scimitars and hand crossbows at the ready.


Ieli soars slightly northeast, coming at the campsite from over the trees.

she can make out the details of the people in the camp now, and notices that the male of the two gnomes has a very familiar face....

[The Bandicoot]

Little Brother emerges from the ground behind the man by the fire with a small squelch and wordlessly swings his massive fist down at the man

Attack (1d20+11)[29]
Damage (1d8+15)[19]
((If I hit he has to make a 17 Fortitude save or become entangled by the mud))

[Eldest]

Azula screeches her hunting call, diving at the man with the ash blade out. She lashes him with her tail, ending up inches from his face.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Initiate Prince's Attitude: +4 AC against AoO for the round, +2 will/fort (AC 25 against AoO now)
Charge the one threatening the cute badger, ending up in his space.
Acrobatics check to avoid an AoO: (1d20+9)[28]
Attack: (1d20+7)[11]
Damage: (1d6+1)[5]
If it hits, injury poison DC 15 fort, save 1/m for 10 minutes, failed save is sleeping for a minute, one save cures. (First save is immediate)

I forgot about the charge bonus so on top of that +2 to the attack, -2 to the AC, so AC 23 against AoO, 19 otherwise.

[Emperor Ing]

Scalia lashes out with his fangs, grabbing at the humanoid that wandered too close to his hiding spot. Not wanting to kill the badger that has likewise wandered too close, he keeps his frigid aura suppressed.

Spoiler: Attack

Show

Attack (10 ft reach)
(1d20+4)[7]
Damage
(1d8+5)[12]
(1d6)[2] Cold damage (bite attack)

On hit, Poison DC 19 or take
(1d3)[3] dex damage, save every 6 rounds.

plus, DC 17 or Paralyzed for
(1d4)[4] rounds.

Free Action: Grab attack
CMB
(1d20+6)[12]

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grax

Grax takes aim with his pint sized crossbow. "Intruders!" he calls out. He moves closer to the action.



Down below his eidolon charges out of the brush at the nearest interloper.

Spoiler

Show

Grax fires at the one with the crossbow I guess - tough to tell who has been engaged in melee from the descriptions above.

Attack: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: (1d6)[4]


Move action : move about 60 feet closer.


Eidolon

AC: 16 (18-2 charge)
HP: 12

Attack: (1d20+4)[6] (+2 charge -2 power attack)
Damage: (1d6+4)[10]

[GnomesofZurich]

Witnessing the fray below, Cogitor concentrates and surrounds itself with a field of protective psychic force.

Spoiler

Show

Spend 1 PP to active Inertial Armour; AC becomes 20 for the next hour.

[redfeline]

Recognizing the man as familiar Ieli switches to the female as her target Try and keep them alive! They may have information.

Ieli dives into a charging pounce. She does her best not to kill the target.

Spoiler: rolls lots of rolls

Show

Non lethal damage.
Format is attack, above crit confirmation, damage, and bleed on the claw attacks.

Bite
(1d20+5)[12] (1d6+4)[7]
(1d20+5)[11]

Claws x4
(1d20)[13] (1d4+4)[8] (1d6)[4]
(1d20)[12]
(1d20)[6] (1d4+4)[8] (1d6)[6]
(1d20)[17]
(1d20)[18] (1d4+4)[6] (1d6)[6]
(1d20)[19]
(1d20)[20] (1d4+4)[6] (1d6)[1]
(1d20)[19]

Rake x2
(1d20)[19] (1d3+4)[7]
(1d20)[7]
(1d20)[20] (1d3+4)[7]
(1d20)[19]

[zabbarot]

Xochi

Xochi rode just far enough forward to launch a cloud of pollen from one outstretched arm at the nearest gnome. "We will take this one alive."

Spoiler: actions

Show

Ranged touch attack with Pollen Spray: (1d20+3)[11]
DC 16 Fortitude save or be Entranced* for (1d6)[3] rounds

*"An entranced creature can take no action other than to move at its normal speed into a space within the yellow musk creeper's reach, at which point an entranced creature remains motionless and allows the creeper to insert tendrils into its brain." - PRD

[Feralgeist]

Little Brothers' fist crashes down into the grizzled soldier with a sickening crunch on his left shoulder. The man grins wildly and chops with his axe, missing with the first blow but hacking off little brothers' fist with the second. As the elemental forms another fist, The original hand grabs the mans face and spreads out, trying to envelop him. He wrenches his damaged arm up and claws the mud from his face.

Scalia lashes out and snaps at the man wielding the ash blade, but he hops back, getting ready to swing his dark blade. The ash surrounding the blade swirls and the black core starts to glow red hot. He rushes forward, too focused on the centipede to see the small dragons tail darting towards his neck. He slumps to the ground unconscious in front of the badger. It gives him what could be called an almost smug look and turns to watch Little brother, contentedly chewing on a pilfered honeycomb.

Ieli crashes into the male gnomes' head with 6 limbs outstretched, pile-driving his head into the soft peat.
He gurgles softly, unconscious.

The female gnome take a bolt to the shoulder from the tiny construct, and strains her eyes to see him, caught unawares by a dark shape leaping from amongst some half-sunken trees to bite her on the shoulder. She yells in pain and reels back, shooting the panther-like creature and slashing upwards to strike it in the left shoulder. It yowls in pain and dissipates in a puff of magic.

As Xochis' horse rushes forward and his pollen streams forth, the female slaver notices his approach and dodges back, covering her mouth with the back of one sleeve.

Xochi's tendrils twitch, and it gets the strange feeling it is being watched.

Spoiler: OOC:

Show

Little brother, you take 9 slashing damage.

Grax, your eidolon takes 8 slashing damage and 5 fire damage.

[The Bandicoot]

Little Brother goes completely still and with a loud roar brings his fist down again. Afterwards he moves backwards, keeping the man in range but moving out if the man's range.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Engage rage
Attack (1d20+13)[21]
If hit, target must make a 19 Fortitude save or become entangled
Damage (1d8+18)[25]
Taking a 5ft step back

[Ragnarok'n'Roll]

Grax

Grax concentrates for a moment. His eidolon reforms and he sighs deeply as he is visibly weakened. An eagle appears on the opposite side of the woman and begins attacking. Grax smiles evilly. "ow"

Spoiler

Show

Grax will use the "life-link" class ability and absorb most of the damage the eidolon incurred. Grax will take 10 hps worth of the damage on himself to leave the eidolon at 8/12 hps.


Grax:

AC: 22
HP: 8/17 (was reduced to 7 hps, gained one hp due to "fast healing 1" )


Full round action: Use summon monster I (racial ability not the class ability) to create a Fiendish eagle in a flanking position. The duration is 2 rounds.



Eidolon

AC: 16
HP: 8/12


Attack (bite): (1d20+4)[22] (-2 power attack, +2 flanking)
Damage: [roll]1d6+4[roll]

Attack (claw 1): (1d20+4)[6] (-2 power attack, +2 flanking)
Damage: [roll]1d6+4[roll]

Attack (claw 2): (1d20+4)[9] (-2 power attack, +2 flanking)
Damage: [roll]1d6+4[roll]



Fiendish Eagle:

AC 14
Hp: 5 (with 5 points of fire/cold resistance)

Attack (talon 1): (1d20+5)[22] (+2 flanking)
Damage: (1d4)[4]

Attack (talon 2): (1d20+5)[9] (+2 flanking)
Damage: (1d4)[1]

Attack (bite): (1d20+5)[19] (+2 flanking)
Damage: (1d4)[2]

[Emperor Ing]

Scalia silently thanks Azula for the assist, as he didn't believe he would do well to receive a hit from that sword.

He then sees one of the slavers still conscious. One that looked female, though the anatomy of these so-called humanoids was noticeably bizarre. He rushed towards the female, antanne twitching and mandibles open wide and dripping with icy venom. As he lashes out, Scalia scuttles back slightly, keeping a fair distance between himself and any retaliation.

Spoiler: Charge

Show

Attack
(1d20+6)[22]

Damage
(1d8+5)[11]
(1d6)[1] cold damage

On hit, Poison DC 19 or take
(1d3)[3] dex damage, save every 6 rounds.

plus, DC 17 or Paralyzed for
(1d4)[4] rounds.

Free Action: Grab attack (grapple)
CMB
(1d20+8)[17]

Free Action: 5 ft step backwards