Bel's Age of Worms [IC]

[J-H]

Casper

Casper shrinks to normal size, then withdraws a crystal stick from a belt pouch. After closing his eyes and concentrating for a moment, he reopens his eyes, which now glow, projecting bright but harmless light in front of him. He puts the dorje away, and then climbs down, using the rope provided by one of the others.

Spoiler

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Using dorje of My Light
Climb (1d20+1)[5] plus modifier for rope and aid anothers? I hope?

[rax]

Narl

Arriving at the bottom of the pit as Seramal is picking herself up off the floor, Narl is treated to a faceful of her enthusiastic shouting. "Well, no permanent damage to your vocal chords, I hear," he mutters to himself.

They are soon joined by Rose and Tobul. Examining the melted appearance of the statues, a chill runs down Narl's spine. "If we're really lucky, then we just burned and steamed the things that melted those statues. But if not..." he muses quietly. Rummaging through his pack, he pulls out another bottle of alchemist's fire. Then, gripping his flail in the other hand, he waits for Rose to lead the way.

[DrK]

Cyrius looks at the walls with some concern. "Nasty looking stuff here. Everyone keep their weapons close." He slides into a combat stance, sword in hand as he joins Rose. "Anything out of the ordinary? "

[PeacefulOak]

Fardus the Dwarf

Leaning on his splendid new staff, Fardus surveys his new surroundings with interest. "Magnificent! I would never have suspected that this would be here! Are we pushing on, then? I must say I shan't be going first."

[redzimmer]

Seramal

"Be careful, Mister Fardus. All my buddies seems to goosed Beshaba today."

She summons a new invisible servant to hold her lit coin aloft.

"Stay near them what don't got darkvision," she tells the construct, pointing at the humans in her party. She then follows Fardus, still using her own darkvision.

[Deophaun]

Rose

"Easy, Seramal. Your eyes may fare the dark better than mine, but they pale in the light. I would have thought you would have learned the virtue of caution of now. Please. If something were to happen to you again, I'd..." Rose stops as she realizes that she would probably end that statement with "laugh" or something equally inappropriate. "Just, stay four paces back."

Spoiler

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Rose moves to check the intersection, paying close attention for the sound of skittering insects.

Spot: (1d20+4)[10]
Listen: (1d20+7)[19]
Take 10 on Search: 23

[Debatra]

Tobul silently moves alongside Rose, keeping her sword drawn and shield raised just below her eyeline.

Spoiler

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Spot: (1d20-3)[6]
Listen: (1d20-3)[15]

[rax]

Narl

Narl moves forward gingerly, staying slightly behind the lead pair, ready to support them if they're attacked.

Spoiler

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Just moving forward a bit. Updated map with new position.

[BelGareth]

To the left:

The north and south walls of this large chamber taper in somewhat, and in the nook of the far eastern wall rests a wide stone basin backed by a five-foot-tall shelf. A hardened orange paste spills out over the tow-foot basin lip, and covers much of the shelf. Thousands of tiny beetles with bright blue carapaces skitter and the tunnel through the chalky substance. A keening insect chorus fills the room. A huge organic mass completely fills the rooms southwest corner. Judging by the beetles spilling from within, it appears to be an enormous nest.

To the right:

Eight-man sized stone slabs, about four feet of the ground, are arranged in two rows in this large room. A long-dead corpse, possibly a human, lays sprawled out upon one of these slabs, his red leather armor the only hint of color in the otherwise drab room. The north and south walls taper in somewhat, and the short west wall abuts a small stone stage. The red clay statue of a powerfully built warrior wielding a cylinder-headed greatclub stands tall upon the stage, its eyes surveying the room.

Spoiler

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The smaller beetles are the same as the ones you just encountered.

Going any further will require move silently and hide checks, depending on your actions.

Map

[PeacefulOak]

Fardus the Dwarf

The somewhat round dwarf steps forward, staff thumping on the ground with every other step, and peers to the left and right. "Well, what have we here? I wonder what new danger we're stepping into!"

Spoiler: OoC

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Rolling two Knowledge checks, one for each side (let me know if I need more).

(1d20)[11] - Left
(1d20)[19] - Right

Knowledge - Arcana +6
Knowledge - Dungeoneering +6
Knowledge - History +5
Knowledge - Nature +4
Knowledge - Religion +8
Knowledge - the Planes +6
Lore +5

[rax]

Narl

Moving forward as quietly as he can, Narl glances quickly into both chambers. The colour drains momentarily from his face when he sees the beetles, the memory of hundreds of the crawling little horrors swarming over him still fresh in his mind. Looking into the other chamber, he notes the corpse and the statue. No sign of any immediate danger there, he thinks to himself, but it seems unlikely that poor fellow just keeled over dead all by himself. A trap of some sort perhaps? Or maybe the statue isn't just a statue...

"Ahem. Mistress Rose, Captain Tobul," he whispers as loudly as he dares. "I don't know about you, but I don't much fancy exploring further with those beetles still about. I think we should try and deal with them in a coordinated fashion before trying our luck in the other chamber. I mean, for all that there's no clear and present danger, something killed that fellow in there."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Knowledge (arcana) check (1d20+7)[11] to try and identify if the statue could be some sort of construct.

[Deophaun]

Rose

"Agreed, Sir Narl. However, I do not like this position. If there are more than we can handle, that climb up is going to ensure that not all of us make it out."

Rose takes the two oil flasks. "This is all I have to deal with them. There's Seramal's magic, whatever flasks you have left, and then if that fails, we must rely on these," she says, swinging her torch. "I suggest you distribute what fire you have and everyone grab a torch. Helm protect us, we'll take them all in one go."

[DrK]

Cyrius looks at the others a worried look on his face as hears the skittering of the insects. "Can we ready the flame and oil! I have one more flask of naptha, would someone like it?"

[redzimmer]

Seramal

Waving her wand, Seramal sends another Invisible Servant to its inevitable doom.

Spoiler: Move Sliently getting wand out

Show

(1d20+2)[6]

"Remove the club from that statue," she hisses at the construct.

[rax]

Narl

"What if we pour lamp oil across the corridor and then light it with our torches when the beetles chase after us?" Narl says, still whispering.

[BelGareth]

Spoiler

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opposed check
Listen - (1d20+4)[21]

[BelGareth]

Combat
Round 1

Spoiler: Combat

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Initiative

1. Tobul [21]
2. Seramal [18]
3. Narl [15]
4. Monsters [14]
5. Fardus [14]
6. Cyrius [11]
7. Casper [10]
8. Rose [9]

Map

Tobul, Seramal, and Narl can act.

[redzimmer]

Seramal

"Get back so I can blast 'em! If they eat me, I'm haunting you!"

Seramal strides towards the chittering mass.

[rax]

Narl

"Binder preserve us! They're coming! Captain Tobul - Mistress Rose will need time to spread the oil. I'll try and draw their attention - will you help?" With that, Narl steps boldly into the corridor and hefts his flask of alchemist's fire, ready to throw it at any beetle or other foe that come close. "Hey, bed bugs! Over here!" he calls out, just about managing to keep the fear out of his voice.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Free action: Speak to Tobul.
Move action: Move past Rose to Q10.
Standard action: Ready an action to throw alchemist's fire at the first enemy to come within 10 feet.

[Debatra]

Tobul will take a 5' step to P-9, declare Dodge against BB, and hold her action.

[BelGareth]

Combat
Round 1

Narl, Seramal and Tobul move into position as the bugs hiss and are alerted to your proximity.

The seething horde of beetles surges forward, towards those at the intersection, and like before they swarm up and around those closest, biting, and scrathcing, and clawing at your skin between armor joints and clothes.

A huge Giant beetle comes out of the shadows, it's slick black pauldrons that covered its wings rustle in agitation as it moves closer, points it's hindquarters in your direction, and releases a spray of caustic liquid at you all!

Spoiler: Combat

Show

Initiative

1. Seramal [18]
2. Narl [15]
3. Tobul [14]
4. Monsters [14]
5. Fardus [14]
6. Cyrius [11]
7. Casper [10]
8. Rose [9]

Narls readied action triggers.

Tobul, and Narl may make Aoo's against the swarm (which I may have forgotten in the last fight, woops) Rose is still flat footed.

Swarm deals the following damage:
Tobul
Swarm damage - (1d6)[4] (non magical, normal damage)
Acid damage - (1d4)[4] DC 11 fort for half (2)
DC 11 fort or be nauseated for 1 round (beginning your turn)

Narl
Swarm damage - (1d6)[3] (non magical, normal damage)
Acid damage - (1d4)[3] DC 11 fort for half (1)
DC 11 fort or be nauseated for 1 round (beginning your turn)

Rose
Swarm damage - (1d6)[1] (non magical, normal damage)
Acid damage - (1d4)[2] DC 11 fort for half (1)
DC 11 fort or be nauseated for 1 round (beginning your turn)

The giant beetle hits Tobul, Rose, and Seramal with the spray
Fort DC 13 or take Acid damage - (1d4+2)[3], a successful save negates the damage


Map

Everyone else can act, as well as Tobul, Seramal, and Narl (albeit, their actions will resolve last)

[Debatra]

Ignoring the potential AoO for now, Tobul will Dimension Hop (Immediate action) to N-10 before the swarm enters her space.

This might change the big one's action somewhat, though she will attempt to stab it if it still comes into melee range. (If it stays back, she will move to it when able in order to perform said stabbing.)

Spoiler

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(1d20+5)[25]
(1d8+2)[10]

(Hopefully-irrelevant) Save vs Swarm: (1d20+8)[26]

(Possibly-irrelevant?) Save vs Spray: (1d20+8)[26]

Just in case it still moves to O-10, AoO against BB:
(1d20+5)[14]
(1d8+2)[3]

[Debatra]

Spoiler

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Crit Confirmation
(1d20+5)[14]
(1d8+2)[5]

[BelGareth]

Tobul disappears and reapers just behind the giant beetle before it sprays the group, slicing into the vermin with a perfect strike.

Spoiler

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Initiative has been lowered, and you avoid all damage and affects.

[redzimmer]

Seramal

Seramal takes a half step and turns her Jet of Steam spell towards the swarm, but hopefully around Rosa.

Spoiler: Fort and Concentration for the AoO I'm about to draw

Show

5 ft step to Q9
Fort vs acid(1d20+2)[20]
Concentration (1d20+4)[24]

Jet of Steam from P9 to K9

"I'm going to eat every last one of these buggers!"

[redzimmer]

Seramal

Marvelling at her companion's ability to "pop" in and out, Seramal uses her jet of steam on the wee bugs.

Spoiler: Damage, heat, not combustible

Show

(2d4)[5]

[DrK]

Cyrius curses as the swarm envelops some of his comrades, reaching into his belt pouch he pulls out a strange metal flask, the hairs on the back of his wrist standing up as small sparks played along the armoured gauntlets. Pulling the stopper from the bottle he rolls it into the swarm letting loose the crackling electrical storm.

Spoiler: Cyrius

Show

Draw Alchemist spark, 5ft step throw into P9
(1d20+1)[18] DC 10 (1d8)[2] elec dam x 1.5 for Area attack

[rax]

Narl

"Aaah! It's an even bigger bug!" Narl screams, throwing his flask at the giant beetle that emerges from the shadows. Then, the beetle swarm engulfs him, but this time he manages to keep his mouth shut, even as he sweeps his flail ineffectually at the crawling horrors.

Spoiler: Actions

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Readied action: Throw alchemist's fire at the giant beetle: (1d20+3)[9] vs. touch AC
Damage roll if attack is successful: (1d6)[2] fire damage, plus 1 point fire damage each to the beetle swarm and Tobul. If the attack is successful, the beetle will take another 1d6 fire damage next round, unless it takes a full-round action to try and extinguish the flames before then (requires a DC 15 Ref save).
AoO vs. beetle swarm: Auto-fail
Both Fort saves passed, see OOC thread.

[Deophaun]

Covered in bugs and feeling the now familiar sting of acid on her skin, Rose stumbles forward. Her heaving stomach makes it difficult to do much but keep hold of her weapons, but she does her best, juking left and circling around, to aid Tobul against the large beetle.

Spoiler: Status

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HP:8/14
AC:17 Touch:13 Flat-footed:14
Fort:2 Ref:6 Will:4

Conditions:
Filter mask: +2 to saves against gas-based effects.
Island of blades: Flanking if Rose and ally are adjacent to the same creature.

[J-H]

Casper

Casper hesitates at the sight of more bugs, but then steels himself and moves forwards, bravely stabbing at the large beetle. His longspear passes above the swarm, but doesn't even touch the beetle.

Spoiler

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Move to Q8
Attack (1d20+4)[8]
Damage (1d8+3)[6]

Crits
Attack (1d20+4)[19]
Damage (1d8+3)[7]