High Seas: Here There Be Monsters (IC)

[RaggedAngel]

Saekoehela

Ela finally gave into her desire to sleep, and put her foot down with the others. They may be outsiders, but she's a humanoid, and humanoids need their beauty sleep.

The next morning she awakens with a loud yawn, which she quickly stifles; it's been a while since she's been in the company of others, and she's become used to not having to conceal her improprieties. After taking a few minutes to wake up and stretch, she looks around the group with a smile. "Well, it looks like we've officially survived a night together. And I survived my first night in the company of an incubus! Mom would be so proud." She smiles at Mem playfully.

"Now then, we should probably explore the rest of the caves around here. If one of them has a fancy magic circle like this, the others might have something else of value or interest. What do you say?"

[Xgya]

Urdu

Urdu wakes up playfully, and has a sip of water while he quietly asks his mommy to protect his friends and grant him magic for the day that might help him do that for her if she's busy somewhere else.

"I like these caves already. I mean, the circle might just be a boring old shopping thing, but it's also über-powerful megamagic. I'd rather that be used for stuff that's boring than stuff that's dangerous or harmful to people. Who knows, we might get to see even more doggies today!"

He then utters a shorter prayer as he lets his magic permeate the place, alleviating stress and making everyone around a tiny bit healthier.

Spoiler: OOC

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Casting Elation on the party once more

"There. Now my spell is ready to work again."

He then looks panicked, and then gives many glances around.

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no no nonononono! I did it again! I totally did! I'M SO SORRY!!! I promise I won't do it again! I'm sorry I used magic on you yesterday - and today - without asking! Please forgive me! I promise it isn't anything bad or not, it's just a small spell that lets us all walk a bit faster and longer, I swear!"

[Bayar]

Captain Jarred

After having an unusually good night's rest (with Mick perched on his shoulder, as always, occasionally seeming to snore unlike a bird), the captain felt invigorated. "I say, this island doesn't seem all that inhospitable, does it ? Scout anther couple of places as useful as this here cave and we'll be swimming in silver. Though, it kinda bugs me. Why was this place abandoned in the first place ? "

Spoiler

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Will prepare detect poison as my sole arcane spell for the day

[LoyalPaladin]

Memories of Infinite Moonlight

"Oh, you did more than just survive the night with an incubus." The succubi says suggestively. "What? You don't remember? I'm better than I thought." He feigns shock.

Spoiler: OoC

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I wish Mem was better at lying.

Rolling to fool our poor guide, because I'm a terrible naughty demon from the Abyss...

Bluff
(1d20+10)[22]

[RaggedAngel]

Saekoehela

The raptoran gives Mem a shrewd smile. "Really, now? From my perspective, it must have been a truly unremarkable performance if I can't recall a thing. You'll just have to try harder in the future, I suppose."

She then leads the way out of the cave, not giving Mem a proper chance to respond. Ela keeps an eye out for the wolves, hornets, and other beasts that live in the area.

[LoyalPaladin]

Memories of Infinite Moonlight

Mem chuckles to himself, completely amused. Mortals, so funny. He gathers up his things, gestures for Urdu to follow, and then leaves the cave.

[Malimar]

Dr. Boots

Boots contently has a nap! Unlike most cats, he does not wake up at 3am to go caroming around the vicinity at top speed.

Then, in the morning, it is time to stalk some bugs and/or mice in the cave for breakfast!

And then, time to venture outside with the others, for the hunting of Secrets and Interesting Things!

[repairmanjack]

The morning has come, talking has begun, and then there is the sound...

It must be from far, far away, because some of the birds and other creatures do not react to it. But even the most hard of hearing would have taken notice of it, and know it to be something dangerous.

It sounds like grinding, breaking, some kind of wheeze, something like falling rocks, splintering wood, but also like a person blowing bubbles in water. It's faint, but definitive... and after ten seconds or so, it is gone.

It came from the mountains to the west and slightly north.

Saekoehela has heard this before. It does not have a pattern to it, but wherever she has heard it, it always seems far away. Yet, never off the continent, always upon it.

If they head towards the mountains, they could get to the foothills at a day's walk. Assuming nothing stopped them.

[RaggedAngel]

Saekoehela

Saekoehela raises her head as she hears the strange sound, her eyes narrowing and her hand unconsciously drifting to the shaft of her polearm. "We should be wary of that. I've heard the sound before; I personally suspect it to be some kind of beast or monster. I think we should stick to investigating and clearing out these caves for now."

Spoiler

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You offer bait, and I choose to avoid the bait. Forgive me!

[Xgya]

Urdu

Urdu yawns a long while and he stretches a bit. It's only been a few minutes since he woke up and yet his body feels like it's been months!

"I already said I liked these caves! Full of nice surprises and adventure!

For all we know, the gurgling earth sound might be something cool too! Like hot springs, with geysers and all that!

Still, it MIGHT also be a nasty old monster."

[Malimar]

Dr. Boots

Boots cleans his face as he ponders the Noise. If it is a beast or monster, they would probably do well to take care of it before it comes for them in the night. But he lets the rest of the party hash out their reactions before suggesting anything to Mem.

Spoiler: Roll

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Knowledge in case Boots has heard, or heard of, anything like this before. +4 is the bonus for every Knowledge except (psionics), pick whichever is most relevant. Add an additional 5 if it's Knowledge(psionics): (1d20+4)[18]

[repairmanjack]

Dr. Boots thinks on this, as his furry little mind goes through things he has heard, read, or licked. Something tingles just at the edge of thought.. but passes by. Whatever it was, it was organic, but the other parts... he just can't be sure. Perhaps, if he heard it again, or more loudly...

Caves abound for them to go through.. they just need to decide if they are going up, around.. or away... for the moment, nothing bothers them...

[repairmanjack]

Settled, mostly, on exploring the caves, the morning and early afternoon was spent poking about at the various openings. Most were shallow, and had little to offer other than shelter. Some had tunnels, but they ended abruptly. Not all caves are dark and deep and burrow within the earth.

After breaking for lunch, and with a mostly fruitless endeavor, they stumbled upon an archway.. too hewn to be naturally made.

Something sticky and brown drips from the archway, and.. the air seems to flow towards the opening.

[Xgya]

Urdu

Urdu claps his hands as he sees the archway.

"Oooh! Lookit this thing! This isn't one of those crummy normal caves here! I wonder if there's anything interesting in there!

All the other caves had nothing interesting in them and no doggies AT ALL!

Still, why is it dripping like that?"

Spoiler: Skill Checks

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Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+6)[20]
Bardic Knowledge: (1d20+1)[18]

[RaggedAngel]

Saekoehela

Ela is excited to find something out of the ordinary, but she's not a fan of the dripping goo. "That looks like a nightmare to wash out of feathers. Does anyone recognize it?"

Spoiler

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Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+3)[18]

[Bayar]

Captain Jarred d'Armani

"Whale, Whale ! Thar she blows !" "Settle down there, Micky. We have more important things to worry about than whaling. If that was a whale." Jarred is not convinced himself that that. Maybe a landwhale ? In any case, he follows the group, hand crossbow in hand.

"We should be careful not to suck us in. Whatever it is."

Spoiler

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Knowledge Nature: (1d20+4)[21] +5 if it's a creature

[repairmanjack]

The slime, they are able to reason out, is alive... It's actually a mold smile creature. They can't be confident it is not aware of them, or waiting for them.

It's covered in fungi, mildew, toadstools, and a few carcasses of birds, and small rodents.

Deeper within, there appears to be more webbing, but also something wrapped up within it. Some kind of object.

Urdu is able to reason out this must be some kind of temple perhaps built before The Subsidence.

Spoiler: Map

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x...www........x
x..............x
.x.ss.......ssx.
...xss....ssx...
................
................
................
................
................

x is walls
w is webbing

[LoyalPaladin]

Memories of Infinite Moonlight

Mem's face twists in disgust at the brown goo. "This is..." he makes an inarticulate gesture. "Gross?"

"I suggest we toss a torch at the webs and let the goo bake off." He suggests, not having a whole lot of constructive advice for this situation. "Yes?"

[Xgya]

Urdu

"I'd throw a torch, but I my light sources don't burn anything... Though if there's something hiding out there, this might help!"

Urdu grabs a neighboring rock, and it starts glowing with cold blue flames. He gives a wink. "I can make these in all the colors of the rainbow! I like blue the bestest though." He then proceeds to throw the rock further down the path, through the webs (or sticking to webs as he tries to throw it through).

Spoiler

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This is Continual Flame.

Just making sure this isn't actually brown mold? I know Urdu got enough Knowledge to identify it as such earlier... Burning those is a big no-no.

[repairmanjack]

It's a slime mold, brown in texture and color. Not smile, but a big cave smile would be scary! Especially with goo and mushrooms.

The glowing rock lands within the cave.. and there exposes a Spider. A Giant Spider.. it makes a sound and scurries across the ceiling heading towards them, leaving the chest tangled in the webs alone. As well as several humanoid corpses.

Combat.. giant spider is rushing towards them.

Spoiler: Map

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x.............w.....x
x....w..S.w.......x
x..w...............x
x...www........x
x..............x
.x.ss.......ssx.
...xss....ssx...
................
................
................
.....MUCK.....
........D.......

x is walls
w is webbing
S spider

M - Mem
D - Doctor Boots
U - Urdu
C - Cappy
K - Saek

[Xgya]

Urdu

Urdu makes a disgusted face as he sees the spider.

"Ugh. Spiders. I hate those, you can't pet them, you can't even HAVE one as a pet, they're disgusting and they bite people! For real! Not like a doggie,that bites when it wants to play!"

Saying this, he readies his sword against the approaching enemy.

Spoiler: Combat

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Ready action, when the spider comes within range, hit it with his scimitar.

Attack: (1d20+6)[17]

Spoiler: Fumbled Damage

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Damage: (1d20+4)[17]

Actual Damage: 9

Spoiler: Not a crit

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Crit(18-20)
Attack: (1d20+6)[16]
Damage: (1d20+4)[16]

[LoyalPaladin]

Memories of Infinite Moonlight

"That is disgusting." He grimaces and looks around. "I'm not the only one who thinks that right?"

Spoiler: Battle Actions

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Actions
Holding attack until enemy is close enough.

Standard Attack (Melee)
Attack One (Claw)
Attack
(1d20+5)[17]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

Critical Confirm (-/x2)
Attack
(1d20+5)[8]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

Attack Two (Claw)
Attack
(1d20+5)[20]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

Critical Confirm (-/x2)
Attack
(1d20+5)[6]
Damage
(1d3+4)[7] (Slashing)

[RaggedAngel]

Saekoehela

Ela isn't content to just let the spider come to them; she'd usually close the distance with a creature like that, but she's not eager to be the first one in the cave. She moves her ranseur to her off hand, draws her shortspear from its sheath on her back, and hurls it at the spider.

Spoiler

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Ranged attack: (1d20+4)[12]
Damage: (1d6+3)[9]

[Malimar]

Dr. Boots

Boots ponders Urdu's words. He "mrrrt"s in vague disagreement. Spiders are sometimes fuzzy, and all fuzzy things are adorable. So thinks Boots, the reigning expert on both all things fuzzy and all things adorable.

Oh, but this one appears hostile. And big. And angry and/or hungry. So he waits a moment, and if the spider is not dead to everybody else's weapons, then there is a bass-pitched hum and a blue lazor of coldness shoots from Boots's eyes towards the spider.

Spoiler: Actions

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Delay until after the spider and the rest of the party, in case they kill it and he needn't waste power points.

If everyone has acted and the spider is not dead, then Standard: manifest energy ray: cold, augmented by 1 point (to 2 total pp used).

Ranged Attack vs Touch AC: (1d20+6)[18]
Cold damage (2d6+2)[9]

[repairmanjack]

The Spider

It dodges spear, lands, and then is sliced.. once.. twice... three times... it didn't even get a chance to spread some of its lovely poison around.

There is not a need for a laser kitty this time, as the duo of slashing slashers has taken it down.

All is silent for a moment... and in the quiet, they see dozens of eyes looking back at them, descending from webbing from the ceiling.

It seems that was just one.. of so many more.... that start dropping and scuttling upon hairy legs.

Spoiler: Map

Show

x.............w.....x
x....w..S.w.......x
x..w...............x
x...www..S.....x
x....S....S.....x
.x.ffS......ffx.
...xff....ffx...
................
................
........i.......
.....MUCK.....
........D.......

x is walls
w is webbing
f is fungi
S is spider
i is corpse of spider

M - Mem
D - Doctor Boots
U - Urdu
C - Cappy
K - Saek

[Malimar]

Dr. Boots

Boots slowly blinks his eyes at MOAR SPIDARS. He ponders greasing up the ground to make some of them fall down, but they're not yet clustered enough for that. Instead, cold lazor eyeballs! For real this time.

Spoiler: Actions

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If necessary, ready action for the first spider to get within 30', otherwise just target one, preferring the nearest one within range that isn't in melee with anybody and hasn't already been hit by anybody:

Standard: manifest energy ray: cold, augmented by 2 points (to 3 total pp used).

Ranged Attack vs Touch AC: (1d20+6)[21]
Cold damage (3d6+3)[13]

[Bayar]

Captain Jarred d'Armani

"Dunno about you lot, but I'm bugged out by this turn of events." Drawing both his scimitar and his short sword, he adopts a ready stance. "I was prepared to look for poisons today, but this is more than I've bargained for.

Spoiler

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Draw scimitar as a move action, the short sword as a free action from +1 bab as part of that move action.

Standard action to Scimitar a spider that comes into melee and 5ft step back.

[Xgya]

Urdu Sapphire

Urdu watches in horror as more spider monsters climb down to see what happened.

"That doesn't sound like one of the good caves with shopping magic and doggies..."

Still, he readies his blade again, waiting patiently to do some well-needed housekeeping on those caves.

Spoiler: Combat

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Ready action, waiting for a spider to get within melee range

Attack:
(1d20+6)[13]
Damage: (1d6+4)[6]
Crit (18-20): (1d20+6)[15]
Damage: (1d6+4)[7]

[LoyalPaladin]

Memories of Infinite Moonlight

"I agree with 'Cap. This is more than we've bargained for. Hold fast, friends." He braces himself, claws at the ready!

Spoiler: Battle Actions

Show

Actions
Hold action till spider is near, then attack it.

Standard Attack (Melee)
Attack One (Claw)
Attack
(1d20+5)[10]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

Critical Confirm (-/x2)
Attack
(1d20+5)[17]
Damage
(1d3+4)[6] (Slashing)

Attack Two (Claw)
Attack
(1d20+5)[7]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

Critical Confirm (-/x2)
Attack
(1d20+5)[12]
Damage
(1d3+4)[5] (Slashing)

[repairmanjack]

Dr. Boots fires upon a spider and it begins to freeze, attempts a scurry, and shatters in to several large pieces, quite dead.

Captain Jarred holds until a spider moves upon the group and is able to destroy a spider with his blades. Goo flies and a carcass settles before him.

Urdu and the spider that advances upon him parry each other. Blades and fangs tempt each other, but neither succeed.

Memories goes for two swipes and both catch air, the spider bonks him, but can't get past his defenses.

Saek goes defensive, protecting the dear Dr. Boots for the moment.

The spiders

Spoiler: Map

Show

x.............w.....x
x....w..i.w.......x
x..w...............x
x...www........x
x...............x
.x.ff.......ffx.
...xff....ffx...
................
................
.....SSiiS....
.....MUCK.....
........D.......

x is walls
w is webbing
f is fungi
S is spider
i is corpse of spider

M - Mem
D - Doctor Boots
U - Urdu
C - Cappy
K - Saek