Megadungeon B (IC) III

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Ṵ̶̫̫͙̖̥͊̓͋̎̆̿̽̀̈̐̌̚̕͝g̷̛̛̣͖̦͖̎̄̓̉̆̄͋͗̑̓͌́͗̐͆̍͑̍̆͘ ḩ̶̛̪̳̮̫̳̜͍̳̖̺̭͇̰̥̝̣̻̄̎̍͐̈́̈̍͌̓͌̆͐́͂͗͗̍̿̆͘̕̕͜,̶̀͆̅̀ ̨̢̛̖̤̬̩̬̩͈̠̥̙͍̌̊̒͜ ̵͙͕̤̳̩͈̹̞̗͇̀̋͑́̊͋̅̏̈̐̽̈́̀̈́̅̓̂̓͗̀̓͠w̸̛̓͆͂́̀̍̃̾̎͆̾͗̚̚ ̫͓̆̄̂̏̾̕͝h̵̥̱̭̠̲͖͖̯͔̥̳̣͇̾̑͐́̔̋̀̏̆̀̓͋̍͒́̏̆̆́̋̈́̍͘͝͝a ̴̲̞̜̣̪͖̭́͆̋̑̇̔̽̕͜͝͠t̷̙̬͕͂̓͋͂̅̅̈́̄̍̈́͌͑̏̇͋̄̐́͋́̏̒̉͘͘͠ ̨͉̺̘̱̯̩͍̠ͅ ̶̧̡͙̣̩̮͓͇͓̗̬͍̐̆͝ͅh̸̡̨̡̦̘̮̹͙̲̤̫̱̤̺̐̐̓̏̔͑̅̆̉͘ͅa̸͐͒̓̄ ̧̨̺̞̯̞͎̥̦͖̞̄͑͆̃̿́̏̾̔̈́͐́̾̎̆̚̕̕p̶̟̠̰̜̓͊̊̅̓̓̌p̸̏̈͊̇̓͝ ̮͓̘͔̬̰̣͚͕̌̈̈͌̔̑̌̒̄̂̑̊͒̀̍̒̕̚͜͝ͅȇ̴̘̐͛̋ͅn̷̔̌͑̏̈͛̓̿̕͘ ̧̢̞̼̪͉̯̬̹̺̪̪͕͔̘͍̟̞͈̰͇̤̯͈̉̊̍͋͐̂̾̌̐̌̀͘͜͝è̶̈́͊͌̐̊̀́̋̈́ ̢̛̟̦̖͖̟͓͇̺̺͖͉̙̜̼͈͇̫͚̯͎͈͇̐̿͝d̶̪̼̹̻̝̊̅͂́͊̍͊̑̇̾̍̈́́͋͊̚ ̗̙̯̤͔͚̤̻̫̞̟̹̲ͅ ̶̨̢̢̧̤̗̼̗̬̜̙̦͓͕̮̫̈́͌͜ͅt̵̛͉̖̼̲̙̳̻͉̪̽̀͋̍̾̎̾̂̋̑̃̎̉͘̕͜͝ ̩o̵͓̥͗̒̄̎̔ ̸̢̥̜͂͌̽͆m̸̡̡͓̰͖̹̙̞̞̣͍̖̞͎̼̩͔̒̀̐̓̄͛̅ͅė̴̂̈̋͐͂͊͌̔͗̎͝͝ ̨̟͈͇̥̲̒̌̌̄́̈́͛?̸̨̧̩̻͎͕̹̖̲̱̜̺͕̣̜̥̳̤̝̜̾̄̈́̄̋̊͗̄̌͌ͅ ̢̯ Scarecrow tries to say, dazed from the attack.

Spoiler

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(1d6)[6] acid entangle, over
(1d6)[1] fire entangle, 2 rounds remaining

Edit:

If it's not too late, Scarecrow will activate third eye clarity to negate the daze, then transform into a selkie (FF 148) while moving away from the railings.

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

Arrows! Arrows in the squid! Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I move into a better position to get a shot and let loose.

Spoiler

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Attack: (1d20+5)[23]
Damage: (1d6)[3]

[Rizban]

Shian

Shian flies northeast a bit to catch up with the ship and attacks the vile beast that tried to muck about with his mind.

Spoiler

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Shian - Dissolving Spittle - (1d20+18)[22] – (5d6)[16]
Psicrystal - Dissolving Spittle - (1d20+7)[9] – (5d6)[20]

Spoiler: Soulmelds and Stats

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Chakra	Soulmeld	Essentia	Effect
Crown	Shedu Crown (bound)	1	Immune to Bull Rush effects +1 Saves vs [mind-affecting] effects.; telepathy 100 ft
Throat	Dissolving Spittle	4	30-foot ranged touch attack for 5d6 acid damage
Shoulders	Pauldrons of Health	0	Immune to disease and sickened and nauseated conditions +0 enhancement bonus to Fort saves.
Heart	Lifebond Vestments	0	1/hour/living creature, heal up to 6 hp, take half as damage. 30 ft range
Arms	Sailor's Bracers (bound)	0	+4 insight bonus on Swim, Profession (sailor), and Use Rope checks and can use untrained. Swim at land speed, and attack underwater as if under freedom of movement.
Item	Lesser Soulbound Shield	0	Increase shield's enhancement bonus by +0

Shian
HP 52/52, Speed 1 ft. / fly 50 (good)
AC 27 / T 23 / FF 21, Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +10
Power Points 5/5, Inspiration Points 2/3

Shicrystal
HP 26/26, Speed 15 ft. (riding on Shian's animated shield)
AC 16 / T 16 / FF 14, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +7
Hardness 8, Power Points 2/2

[Malimar]

Aboard the Leroy

Shian flies over to the creature to the north and splats it with acid!

Shian's psicrystal also shoots at the creature, and... actually, 9 exactly hits its touch AC, so also hits it!


Scarecrow uses his Third Eye Clarity to negate the daze! Then he turns into a selkie and moves away from the railing!


The creature beneath the boat surfaces near Shian, and targets him with a power! Shian makes his save against the ego whip, and is therefore not stunned, and takes half of 3: Shian takes 1 charisma damage!


Eleanor moves to the other railing and shoots the creature to the north, pegging it accurately in the dorsal region!


The creature to the north ponders between Shian and Eleanor, and decides Shian is the bigger problem! It... also ego whips him! This time, Shian fails the save; Shian takes 5 charisma damage and is dazed for 1 round! (Luckily, Shian does not need to maintain minimum forward flight speed, else he would fall into the water and be a tasty snack.) Then the creature dives beneath the ship!


Doldor hurries to the port railing, and seeks the creature -- but it has dived beneath the waves, and cannot easily be seen! Doldor looks, but cannot see it under the water, so he readies creeping cold for if it reëmerges!


Namia ties herself to the ship with the rope!


The dominated and grappled captain and sailor fail to break free of the kelp! The other dominated sailor tries to push an un-dominated sailor into the water, but fails! The ship leaves the fish-monsters and Shian a bit behind!

Spoiler: Map

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≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈≈≈≈≈H≈≈≈≈≈≈≈---=.Ec..D.....=--≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈----.......p.....----≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈--p☼.Co......po..------≈≈
≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈----..d..........----≈≈≈≈
≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈---=p.q.N......=--≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

≈ = water
. = ship
o = mast
☼ = steering wheel
- = poop deck/foredeck
= = stairs to poop deck/foredeck

D = Doldor
E = Eleanor standing over unconscious sailor
N = Namia in the water holding rope (tied to railing) and unconscious sailor
C = Scarecrow
H = Shian and his psicrystal (like 20' above the water)
c = captain (dominated, grappled by 1 kelpstrand)
p = sailor
d = sailor (dominated)
q = sailor (dominated, grappled by 1 kelpstrand)
fff = strange hulking betentacled fishlike creature in the water

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Not wanting more people in the water, while also not feeling confident enough to engage the sea monster, Scarecrow tries to dispel the domination from the ungrappled sailor, deciding to use a targeted dispel instead of an area one so that the kelp isn't dispelled.

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

In case Scarecrow's dispel attempt fails, Eleanor moves to grapple the dominated sailor.

[Artorias]

Namia, seeing Eleanor and Scarecrow face and attempt to deal with the sailor, concludes that there is a problem there so she moves along with Eleanor and attempts to grapple the captain.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Melee Touch Attack: [roll/]1d20+13[roll]
Grapple Check: [roll/]1d20+17[roll]

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Horrible sea monsters that cause some kind of disease with a touch sounds exactly like a job to a summoned monster, so Doldor begins summoning something big and nasty, losing one of his Control Waters in the process.

[Rizban]

Shian

Shian... does nothing. His psicrystal, however, attacks the most recent attacker.

Spoiler

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Psicrystal - Dissolving Spittle - (1d20+7)[14] – (5d6)[20]

Spoiler: Soulmelds and Stats

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Chakra	Soulmeld	Essentia	Effect
Crown	Shedu Crown (bound)	1	Immune to Bull Rush effects +1 Saves vs [mind-affecting] effects.; telepathy 100 ft
Throat	Dissolving Spittle	4	30-foot ranged touch attack for 5d6 acid damage
Shoulders	Pauldrons of Health	0	Immune to disease and sickened and nauseated conditions +0 enhancement bonus to Fort saves.
Heart	Lifebond Vestments	0	1/hour/living creature, heal up to 6 hp, take half as damage. 30 ft range
Arms	Sailor's Bracers (bound)	0	+4 insight bonus on Swim, Profession (sailor), and Use Rope checks and can use untrained. Swim at land speed, and attack underwater as if under freedom of movement.
Item	Lesser Soulbound Shield	0	Increase shield's enhancement bonus by +0

Shian
HP 52/52, Speed 1 ft. / fly 50 (good)
AC 27 / T 23 / FF 21, Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +10
Power Points 5/5, Inspiration Points 2/3

Shicrystal
HP 26/26, Speed 15 ft. (riding on Shian's animated shield)
AC 16 / T 16 / FF 14, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +7
Hardness 8, Power Points 2/2

[Malimar]

Aboard the Leroy

Shian is stunned!

But his psicrystal spits acid upon the visible creature! It hits, and melts a hole in the monster! It makes angry noises!


Scarecrow tries to dispel the domination, but he does not overpower the power!


The creature to the southwest, still gurgling angrily, targets... hm, yes, it knows what a psicrystal is, and that it pretty much can't affect the psicrystal except by going after its master, so it targets Shian with another ego whip! Shian resists, and so only takes half of 4 = Shian takes 2 Charisma damage and is not dazed next round! Then the creature, frustrated, dives deep beneath the waves!


Eleanor goes to grapple the one sailor! She successfully grapples him!


The other creature emerges from beneath the ship to the starboard, and targets Namia with a domination! She comes so close to resisting, but in the end does not! Namia is dominated! She recieves a mental command to shove Doldor off the ship; this is against her nature (and thus gives another save with a bonus), but she is unable to shake free of the command!


Doldor begins casting a summoning spell!


Namia, under the influence of the domination, charges Doldor and bull rushes him! Despite his dwarven stability, she effortlessly flips him over the railing into the water! But Doldor keeps his concentration and does not lose the spell he's trying to cast.


The captain, kelp-grappled guy, and Eleanor-grappled guy all fail to escape their respective grapples. One sailor has the presence of mind to go to the railing and toss Doldor a rope! The ship leaves Shian and the creature a bit behind, but does not leave Doldor behind because he hangs on to the rope!

Spoiler: Map

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≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈H≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈---=..c..Np....=--≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈----.............----≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈--p☼.CoE.....po..------≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈----..d..........----≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈---=p*q.*......=--≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈≈≈≈≈≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈fff≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈
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≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

≈ = water
. = ship
o = mast
☼ = steering wheel
- = poop deck/foredeck
= = stairs to poop deck/foredeck
* = unconscious sailor

D = Doldor (in water, holding onto rope)
E = Eleanor (grappling sailor d)
N = Namia (dominated, tied to rope tied to railing)
H = Shian and his psicrystal (like 20' above the water)
c = captain (dominated, grappled by 1 kelpstrand)
p = sailor
d = sailor (dominated, grappling Eleanor)
q = sailor (dominated, grappled by 1 kelpstrand)
fff = strange hulking betentacled fishlike creature in the water

[Rizban]

Shian

As he flies due east towards the ship, Shian comes within 30 feet of the surfaced thing and horks acid at it as he passes.

Spoiler

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Shian - Dissolving Spittle - (1d20+18)[29] – (5d6)[12]
Psicrystal - Dissolving Spittle - (1d20+7)[27] – (5d6)[19]

Spoiler: Soulmelds and Stats

Show

Chakra	Soulmeld	Essentia	Effect
Crown	Shedu Crown (bound)	1	Immune to Bull Rush effects +1 Saves vs [mind-affecting] effects.; telepathy 100 ft
Throat	Dissolving Spittle	4	30-foot ranged touch attack for 5d6 acid damage
Shoulders	Pauldrons of Health	0	Immune to disease and sickened and nauseated conditions +0 enhancement bonus to Fort saves.
Heart	Lifebond Vestments	0	1/hour/living creature, heal up to 6 hp, take half as damage. 30 ft range
Arms	Sailor's Bracers (bound)	0	+4 insight bonus on Swim, Profession (sailor), and Use Rope checks and can use untrained. Swim at land speed, and attack underwater as if under freedom of movement.
Item	Lesser Soulbound Shield	0	Increase shield's enhancement bonus by +0

Shian
HP 52/52, Speed 1 ft. / fly 50 (good)
AC 27 / T 23 / FF 21, Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +10
Power Points 5/5, Inspiration Points 2/3

Shicrystal
HP 26/26, Speed 15 ft. (riding on Shian's animated shield)
AC 16 / T 16 / FF 14, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +7
Hardness 8, Power Points 2/2

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor finds himself falling into the murky depths of the ocean, and somehow keeps his presence of mind and continues summoning. He summons a huge shark! Then he realizes that he's in the water with an unknown number of horrible monsters and a huge shark that the horrible monsters may or may not be able to Dominate. He activates his new Anklet of Translocation! It takes him ten feet, which is coincidentally the height of the ship's deck above water.

Back on the deck, Doldor turns tail and moves towards the wheel of the ship, opening himself up to a hit by Namia if she so chooses. But she hasn't been specifically told to hit him, so...

Once he's as far as he can get behind the wheel of the ship, he holds out his hands and shouts "Favorable Wind!" A massive cone of blustery wind blasts out from his outstretched hands, slamming into the sails and making them snap tight. He points the cone directly away from the nearest giant slimy tentacle monster.

Spoiler

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The Huge shark will last 11 rounds and has 75 hp. It is otherwise the same as per the SRD.

The huge shark charges the nearest horrible monster: (1d20+12)[30]
Damage: (2d6+7)[10]

Swift action teleport, move 30' toward the bow of the ship, cast Favorable Wind as a Standard.

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Scarecrow turns to Namia, frustrated that his previous attempt failed, and tries to dispel her dominate.

[Artorias]

Namia

If Namia's domination is dispelled she tries to move away from her friends and rush the captain and pin him down once she can.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Melee Touch Attack: (1d20+13)[31]
Grapple Check: (1d20+17)[20]

[Malimar]

Aboard the Leroy

Shian flies over past the remaining creature and acids it!

Shian's psicrystal spits, critically hitting it! Corrosive: Double damage. If acid spell, target takes 2d6 acid damage for 1d4 rounds. (In this case, 2 rounds, for 9 and 4 extra damage.) The creature is rendered unconscious by the critical hit, and rendered dead by the continuing acid damage. It sinks beneath the waves.

The captain and one of the dominated crewmembers are released from their domination by the death of the manifester!


The remaining aboleth, reduced to exactly 0 hp by Scarecrow's entanglement (which now wears off) flees deep into the ocean, to find a hole and recover!

The goldfish will eventually fail his Will save and forget it was ever not a goldfish.


Scarecrow dispels the domination on Namia; Namia is free but takes 4 damage from the voracious dispelling!


Doldor translocates up to the ship! All the foes are defeated, so he can save his make-the-ship-go powers.


The remaining dominated sailor is still grappled by the kelp. Except he breaks free! And then stands there dumbly, not having recieved any other instructions, until Scarecrow dispels it.


Eleanor gains 1260xp, Namia and Shian gain 960xp each, Doldor and Scarecrow gain 810xp each! By my calculations, Shian levels up to 9!


The two unconscious crewmembers are slowly rendered slimy, and then their slimy skin begins to crack and dry out. Some experimentation reveals that keeping them moist with seawater helps their condition from deteriorating but does not reverse the affliction. The ship doesn't happen to have a cleric on board, so cure disease isn't in the cards, so the unfortunate sailors are just right screwed.

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Scarecrow finishes dispelling the domination and examines the slimed sailors, but sees that they aren't afflicted by anything magical and so he cannot aid. He moves on to reapply Endure Exposure on everybody that had it dispelled, then he stutters an apology and goes to rest.

Spoiler

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I'm pretty sure it was brought up before, but I do want to make sure again, since I forgot...
For Warforged, only normal HP damage isn't healed by rest, right?

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

"Wow, I think you guys just defeated three kraken!" Eleanor exclaims, clearly feeling her own contribution to the fight was to minor to count.

[Malimar]

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm pretty sure it was brought up before, but I do want to make sure again, since I forgot...
For Warforged, only normal HP damage isn't healed by rest, right?

We'll say yeah, a warforged can heal ability damage (and nonlethal damage) with rest.

I know I made a ruling on this before, but I don't remember what it was. If anybody finds it, and it's different from what I'm saying now, then stare decisis, so whatever I said before is how we're actually doing it in this game.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Having gone to the effort to summon a huge shark, Doldor will have it chase after the entangle sea monster. He doesn't want to let these things escape, not considering their significant powers of Domination.

He examines the two slimy-skin sailors, and eventually concedes that he is not able to help them. He recommends that they talk to clerics when they get back to shore, but otherwise can offer nothing but healing for the injured sailors.

Doldor also takes the time to go down belowdecks and reassure Brutus that everything is alright.

[Rizban]

Shian

After catching up with the ship, Shian reclaims his roost and contemplates all that he has learned to date.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

If anything good comes of the fight, it's the fact that Doldor is now feeling inspired enough to craft some more magic items. He decides to start working on improving his Periapt of Wisdom. On the one hand, he's interested in crafting something a little more creative or interesting; but on the other, he is a novice at magic item creation, and a druid can never have too much wisdom.

Spoiler

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Doldor expends 6000 gp and 480 xp to start improving his Periapt of Wisdom +2 to a +4 (16000-4000=12000; 12000/2=6000 and 12000/25=480). He will have to work for 12 days before the item is upgraded, but they need not be consecutive and the gold and xp are expended at the start of the process.

[Malimar]

Aboard the Leroy

Doldor has no way of knowing if his shark caught the monster before its time ran out. He probably knows that his shark lasted the whole almost a minute it was supposed to last.


And then the Leroy continues on its way!


Doldor secludes himself with Brutus in the hold to craft his Periapt of Wisdom into a better one!


Seven days of journeying later, Scarecrow's charisma damage is all healed! 3 days after that, Shian's charisma damage is all healed!

On that, the 24th day of the journey, the ship's vicinity is graced by a pride of 6 sea cats!



The sea cats do not bother the vessel.


On the 12th day after the tentacle-fish-monster incident, Doldor's periapt is complete, and he returns topside!


Midway through the 29th day of the journey, a gargantuan sea drake pokes its head above water by the side of the ship and clears its throat until the captain (and anyone else who wants to) approaches the rail and engages it in conversation!



Scarecrow (who *rolls* happens to be on deck at the time) recognizes this as a sea drake, a dangerous dragon that can encircle and crush a ship this size if provoked. Luckily, these (generally Neutral) creatures are not usually hostile to travelling ships -- although they require a steep toll to pass through their territory. Still, the toll can sometimes be almost worth paying just because sea drakes do take pride in keeping their waters clear of pirates and other sea monsters.

The sea drake politely begins, "Shall we negotiate the terms of your payment for crossing my territory? 1100 gold sounds like a reasonable starting point, yes?"

The captain objects, "That'd cut drastically into our profits for this voyage. I'll barely break even!"

The drake appears utterly unimpressed with this line of reasoning.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor sends to the party via Shian-messenger, "I feel like we should probably help the captain with the toll; maybe split it half and half with him or something. I've still got some gold to spare, and I've crafted all the big things I wanted to make at the moment. This thing seems like a cut above our pay grade. At most, whichever of us is feeling the most charismatic could tell it that we're on a noble mission to realign the cosmology of the world... Or perhaps not, since it's an aquatic creature and we want to reverse the Inundation."

He realizes the last bit as he thinks the message, and pats his newly improved Periapt with gratitude.

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

Scarecrow listens to Doldor and nods. "Then perhaps you should demonstrate your trader skills and negotiate for a lower price?" He asks the captain. "The sea drake clearly indicated that it is open to negotiations, which would imply that the initial price is too high on purpose. Perhaps haggling is even expected from you." Scarecrow said, wondering about how adventuring skews one's view towards gold. His initial response to taking a three month trip for such a small profit margin was amusing himself, considering that it wasn't really that small of an amount.

"The sea drake provides a valuable service, keeping these waters safe." Scarecrow notes, though aware that he can't really compare the hostility of these waters to a status without the sea drake. "And consider that if we offend him, even if we end up driving him back, your ship will sustain damages that will end up cutting into your profit far more than paying the sea drake will." Scarecrow adds. He will agree to pay some of the toll, but doesn't want to say how much to keep the captain motivated to bargain.

[RCgothic]

Eleanor

Both the sea drake's service and the captain's point about protection seem to make sense to the crusader.

"Perhaps a percentage of the anticipated profits? Safe seas are of value, but no-one benefits if the fee is unaffordable. Let those who profit more pay more."

[Rizban]

Shian

After pausing a moment to focus his energies, Shian uses Rapid Meldshaping to unshape Pauldrons of Health and shape Silvertongue Mask. After shifting his essentia around, Shian takes a perch near the dragon's head and chirps to gain its attention before addressing it.

'Noble dragon, if I may be so bold as to ask, what use have you for gold? I mean no disrespect, but I simply do not understand why you would need or even want a simple metal such as this. Would you be willing to explain it to me so that I might better understand?'

Spoiler

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Diplomacy - (1d20+12)[14]

Spoiler: Soulmelds and Stats

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Chakra	Soulmeld	Essentia	Effect
Crown	Shedu Crown (bound)	2	Immune to Bull Rush effects +2 Saves vs [mind-affecting] effects.; telepathy 100 ft
Brow	Silvertongue Mask	3	+8 insight bonus to Bluff and Diplomacy
Throat	Dissolving Spittle (+1)	0	30-foot ranged touch attack for 1d6 acid damage
Heart	Lifebond Vestments	0	1/hour/living creature, heal up to 7 hp, take half as damage. 30 ft range
Arms	Sailor's Bracers (bound)	0	+4 insight bonus on Swim, Profession (sailor), and Use Rope checks and can use untrained. Swim at land speed, and attack underwater as if under freedom of movement.
Item	Lesser Soulbound Shield	0	Increase shield's enhancement bonus by +0

Shian
HP 58/58, Speed 1 ft. / fly 50 (good)
AC 27 / T 23 / FF 21, Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +11
Power Points 5/5, Inspiration Points 3/3

Shicrystal
HP 29/29, Speed 15 ft. (riding on Shian's animated shield)
AC 16 / T 16 / FF 14, Fort +6, Ref +11, Will +8
Hardness 8, Power Points 2/2

[Malimar]

Aboard the Leroy

The sea drake explains to Shian, as he would to a slow child, "Gold, platinum, gems -- the point is the shiny. Sometimes I trade with the kuo-toa, but mostly I keep the shiny to sleep upon." This creature is, after all, a dragon.

The drake proceeds to ignore all further negotiation efforts of the captain (who rolled a natural 1 on his initial Diplomacy check, and doesn't have many ranks in it).

But Eleanor negotiates the drake down to a percentage of the voyage's projected profits! Like a third -- which is a substantial amount, given that the trip through the drake's territory will only be a few days (though going around would add a week or two to the trip), but better than the 100% he initially suggested and also better than having the ship crushed to splinters. So eventually the drake agrees to 400gp. He growls deep in his throat when anyone attempts to negotiate any lower -- that appears to be as low as he's willing to go.

[Sliver]

Scarecrow

With the new price, Scarecrow offers to pay 200gp, and suggests the captain pays the rest.

[RaggedAngel]

Doldor

Doldor feels that the party has indeed done its "job" by negotiating the price down by 700gp, and agrees that they can offer 200gp toward paying the sea drake.

[RCgothic]

Eleanor smiles to herself at the reduced price as she goes back to leaning on the railing of the quarterdeck.