Realm of the Dead

[Revlis]

Ethan

Ethan instinctively covers his mouth and nose with one of his hands, seemingly still caught in the habits of life. Finally snapping into action, he pulls on his long sessions of training, and begins to assess the magical energies in the area, focusing on the smoke.

Spoiler

Show

Detect Magic, Spellcraft (1d20+10)[13]

[Belial_the_Leveler]

The smoke coalesces into a huge undead monstrosity, hideous to behold. The head, hands and torso of what used to be either a very large human or a very small giant end in ten thin, whip-like black tentacles that extend twenty feet beyond the creature's main body, the upper part only of a mummified man's remains-though without the wrappings-radiating a palpable aura of evil. Black ooze seems to drip from the creature but quickly disperses into black smoke and red malignant magic smolders in its eyes...

[Lochar]

Virmas

(From about 35' away) "Ah, another one. Can you help us get out of here? We're trapped, and we'd like to leave."

Spoiler

Show

Edit-- I choose you, my good buddy, for dodge ball!

non corporeal AC: 24, all touch.

Coporeal AC: 31, Touch 19, FF 22

Currently non corporal.

[Taffimai]

Suzette

Suzette slides down the wall with surprisingly more grace than she had climbing up, ending up next to jacob. She looks up at the creature attently and awaits its answer to their questions.

Spoiler

Show

Slow fall 20ft to slide down without taking damage.
Initiative - (1d20+9)[12](21) and I declare my dodge on you! the creature (AC 32, 20 touch)

[Paladin Latham]

Oathbreaker/'Jacob'

The Oathbreaker will do what he does best: lie (free action conversation, not feint) "Thank goodness you're here! These other creatures were trying to escape but we killed them all" waves a 'club' toward the heaped bodies we will return to our cells if you'd only let us" {Bluff (1d20+16)[28]} (he doesn't even try to hide the smirk on his face, so thats a penalty if it's even listening I guess)
Oh, and it's my dodge buddy.

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
watching the mist-creature coalesce into its normal form, the patchwork man can't help but shudder.
Is that what I'll end up being? A monster of mist and tentacles?
Noj murmurs a prayer of protection he'd learned long ago, the syllables strangely bell-like in the gloom. As he does, spiraling out of the ground by the new monstrosity comes a black shadowy scarecrow. Noj's scarecrow. It leers and cackles and dances, twirling about on its post in a grim fandango. Noj shudders and jerks along with the scarecrow, clearly growing more and more upset.
"No...NO!" he shouts, his voice scratching like torn velvet, "I'll not become like you! Damn you....DAMN YOU!" He thrusts an accusing finger forward and for a moment shadows lick at the tentacled monstrosity...

Spoiler

Show

Cast Protection from Evil on self.
Dark Companion moves to opposite side of newcomer. (-2 to saves and AC)
Then Free Action to use Hexblade's Curse Will DC 18 or The target of a hexblade’s curse takes a –2 penalty on attacks, saves, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls for 1 hour thereafter.
Declare Dodge on the Creature. Assuming it's Evil, new AC is 33.

[Revlis]

Ethan

Ethan knew he should be afraid, he should be frightened, but he simply wasnt. He blamed the shock of the recent event for that one. Ethan knew that he was not much use without a weapon, but he decided to prepare himself for the inevitable attack anyway.

Spoiler

Show

Searching for something to be used as a weapon (an iron bar from the doors perhaps) (1d20+12)[16], designating "Big Ugly" as the dodged opponent.

[Ramos]

Myrel

Seeing the newcomer is a hideous undead monstrosity-OK, an undead monstrosity more hideous than those in the group anyway-Myrel does not resort to pleasantries. She immediately launches a bolt of sonic energy at the creature.

Spoiler

Show

attack - (1d20+11)[9](20)
damage - (2d6)[2][5](7)

[warbacon]

Hellstar

Seeing that his magics had released a monstrosity, Hellstar felt responsible but unafraid -- he had, after all, faced undead before. Nothing quite so hideous, but monster nonetheless. He had to remind himself that undead were immune to certain mortal concerns like fear, and that he was probably benefiting from that fact more than he'd like to admit.

"Prudence may be the better part of valor, but I doubt it's here to talk." he says as he backs up, giving himself nearly 60 feet of space between him and the mass of tentacles. His newfound speed should give him room to maneuver around the thing, but he has no idea how fast it can move. He gathers eldritch energies in his hands, and scans the room for some sort of advantage he could use against it. Maybe collapsing the roof onto it, or ... Everything I think of requires spells I don't have memorized!

Spoiler

Show

Current AC: 23. touch 13

Initiative - (1d20+8)[9]
See if I can recognize what that thing is, or at least figure out what might be a good course of action:
Knowledge Arcana - (1d20+13)[28]
Knowledge Religion - (1d20+11)[16]

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Not waiting for anyone else to attempt a parley with the creature, Myriel blasts it with magic of her own that, surprisingly, has no effect. Like some denizens of the lower planes, this being seems to have a resistance against elemental attacks.
Vilmas turns fully incorporeal and, standing away from the creature, waits to see what the creature will do.
Suzette glides down slowly as if by a feather fall magic-though no magic aura emanates from her-and lands on her feet without a sound.
Ethan searches for a weapon around the room then realises his own hands are probably as good as a steel blade when it comes to fighting now.
As Hellstar moves well away from the creature and Jacob tries to bluff his way past the fight, Noj bestows a portion of his curse upon it, his shadow double laughing crazily, and invoces a charm of protection. Surprisingly-to him anyway-magic responds to his wispered charm and forms a barrier against evil around him.
Its tentacles writhing and extending, the undead monstrosity reaches out to anyone too close to it. Alaeth, Noj, Jacob, Suzette, Myriel and Hellstar are slapped by a slimy tentacle each, the corruption in the creature almost making them vomit. But that is not nearly as dangerous as the necromantic energy coursing from the creature's tentacles into them. Flowing through their bodies, this spell of necromancy seeks to halt the flow of negative energy animating them and thus paralysing them outright. The energy seems to flow around Noj without touching him-perhaps a benefit of his protection from evil-but the others find their muscles responding less than before, on the verge of collapsing outright.

Spoiler

Show

Anyone touched 'benefits' from halt undead will save DC 19. To keep acting you must make the save otherwise you're paralysed. Arcane Resistance and similar abilities apply. Noj's protection from evil shields him from that.

[Paladin Latham]

Oathbreaker/'Jacob'

Ghrrk!

Spoiler

Show

Will Save (1d20+3)[12]

Oathbreaker spends the rest of the round paralyzed (and possibly the rest of the fight...)

Edit: actually, if someone damages me I'll be free

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
Noj stares for a moment as the tentacle rebounds off of some unseen force. he could feel the corruption streaming off of the giant; a symbol of everything he feared becoming.
Maybe I'm not damned yet...Maybe there's still hope.
Grimly, The mummified man stalks forward and pivots on both feet, swinging his mighty fists around in a sledgehammer blow at the horrible creature in front of him.

Spoiler

Show

Power Attack 4
Attack - (1d20+8)[26]
Damage - (1d6+16)[20]
EDIT EDIT: Subtract 4 from damage; the Slam is not a two-handed weapon.
EDIT: AC Vs. Thingy: 37

To his shock, the blow has far far more follow-through than he had expected. With a hideous crack, Noj faces the other way, his torso completely reversed on his waist, until whatever tension that still exists in his leathery muscles forces him back to facing forwards.

[The_Snark]

Alaeth

Alaeth resists the urge to cry out in shock as the tentacle slaps her—physical combat was not what she was best at! Or had not been, at least, before her... transformation... but she could feel magical energy stored within her in any case, ready to use.

Spoiler

Show

Will save (1d20+5)[7], will edit with actions once I know whether I can move.

[Ramos]

Myriel


Easily ignoring the paralysing power of the undead thing, Myriel moves away in a blur to avoid any forthcoming melee attacks.
The power of my patron defends me, fiend. I cannot be held.
Turning around, she raises one hand and thin, jagged bolts of lightning-or what looks like lightning-strike out from each finger at the monster.

Spoiler

Show

Force Lightning Eldritch Blast.
attack - (1d20+11)[18](29)
damage - (2d6)[5][5](10)

[The_Snark]

Alaeth

Alaeth is not so lucky as her sister; the necromantic energies powering her body drain away and leave her frozen in place, unable to utter the words that could perhaps take control of the foul entity set to guard them. Still, she may not be utterly helpless—her studies with her sister have taught her things most mages do not learn.

She draws on magical energies through sheer force of will. Heat drains out of the air around the creature, and black and blue flames flicker over its frame for a few moments before winking out.

Spoiler

Show

Using Fiery Burst; it's a supernatural ability, so she can do it even while paralyzed as long as she can take mental actions. If she can't even do that, I'll edit this out. (2d6)[5] fire damage, Reflex DC 24 half.

And Knowledge (religion) (1d20+17)[36], to see if she knows anything about what the creature is.

[Taffimai]

Suzette

Oh, yes, attack the newcomer, then call him a fiend when he defends himself. And now it is too late to halt a fight.

Spoiler

Show

will save - (1d20+8)[2](10) I'll wait to see if she can actually do anything.

[Taffimai]

Suzette

Spoiler

Show

Since I don't want to edit a post with a roll in it: Suzette was thinking that, not saying it. I just forgot the colour and italic.

As the creature lashes out at her with its tentacle, Suzette's attention is involuntarily drawn to the revolting, dark slime trail it leaves on her. "Will I become just like this?" flashes through her mind before a freezing cold bursts from the spot where she was hit and spreads through her body like an internal explosion of ice.

She wants to run over to Myriel and hold her down before she can do any more stupid things, she wants to yell out at the tentacled one and assure him that at least she doesn't mean it any harm, but whatever she might want, she isn't moving, as if the link between mind and body has been forcibly cut. Helpless and frustrated, Suzette has to watch how the fight unfolds.

[Revlis]

Ethan

Ethan realizes that he has to help stop this monstrousity. The others may be undead, but atleast they seemed partway reasonable. Then again, we did fire first. The thought continues in the back of his head as he runs towards the creature, his fist in full swing.

Spoiler

Show

Charge, To hit: (1d20+9)[24]
Damage: (1d6+4)[10]
AC: 18 (19 vs the big guy with dodge) HP: 33

[Lochar]

Virmas

"It would have been nice to at least see if it was like us, you know? Instead of attacking it outright.

Virmas moves closer, becoming corporeal again, and is surprised at how quickly he moves.

He raises his arms above his head, bringing them down against the creature with a hard blow.

Spoiler

Show

AC: 23, including dodge declared on creature. Incorporeal.

Double move to the creature, and then power attacking for 3.

(1d20+8)[9]
Damage:(1d6+6)[9]

I fumbled a natural attack. Do I drop my fist?

[warbacon]

Hellstar

As Hellstar was putting some distance between himself and the creature, he gets as far as "I'm pretty sure it's design-- Urk!" before a tentacle catches him on the cheek. Necrotic energy flows out of him, a feeling he rather likes. He is powerless, but that strange coldness that kept him moving is subdued, for now.

Spoiler

Show

Question: Hellstar had an eldritch blast readied ... could I try to fire one off, even though I might be off-target?

Status:

Spoiler

Show

AC vs. 'it': full 28, flat-footed 25, touch 14
HP: 27
Effects: Mage Armor, All-Seeing Eyes, Entropic Warding

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Jacob, Alaeth, Suzette and Hellstar are immobilised by the vile undead being's paralysing touch but not without Alaeth answering with a bolt of fire. Alaeth's evoked flames seem to be capable of harming the creature unlike her sister's conjured orb of sound.

In answer to the creature's attack-or rather, continuing her own attack-Myriel blasts it with magic bolts that look like lightning she shoots out of her outstretched hand. Hitting the creature squarely, the bolt burns a head-sized hole in its torso, the stench of burned, rotting flesh spreading in the chamber.

Immune to the creature's paralysing attack, Noj strikes out with his bare fist with a strength several times that of a common man. His blow, powerful enough to punch through iron, crushes one of the ribs protruding from the beast's torso, more damage than most weapons would have done but still less than Noj expected of his newfound strength-just like many undead, the creature's supernatural flesh is hard as iron.

Charging at the tentacled horror, Ethan strikes with less strength than Noj but still enough to dent the creature's body. Much more than that would be needed though if they were to defeat it.

Closing in his incorporeal form, Virmas strikes at the undead guardian while turning corporeal at the same time but misjudges the distance and his fist flies wide.

In retribution to the attacks by the group, the creature strikes out with its tentacles at everyone nearby, all except Myriel. Instead of using his paralysing attack-or maybe he can't-the undead guardian tries to crush you in its grip. Noj and Ethan are strong enough to throw the grasping tentacles off them and Virmas is, surprisingly, swift enough to avoid a not very well aimed blow. The four members of the group still held in the grip of the paralysing enchantment can do nothing to avoid the snare though. Even though their paralysis breaks at the creature's direct attack, they are momentarily disoriented and fumble for as long as it takes for the greature to get a good grip. The foul slime on its tentacles seeps into their undead flesh and a sudden weakness overcomes everyone held.

Spoiler

Show

Jacob, Alaeth, Suzette and Hellstar take 12, 11, 8, 11 damage respectively (before DR-apply it yourselves) and 1 strength penalty. They are grappled and may try to escape (either with a grapple check or with an escape artist check) on their turn.

[Lochar]

Virmas

Seeing the holes created by magic, Virmas scowls. "Here's where I wish I had a real weapon!"

He slams he fists against the creature again.

Spoiler

Show

Power attacking again for 3.
Attack: (1d20+8)[20]
Damage:(1d6+6)[9]

Stats:

Spoiler

Show

Corporeal:
AC: 31
Touch: 19
Flat: 23
HP: 32/32

[The Great Skenardo]

Noj
The abyssal light that forms Noj's exposed eye flares again in the darkness as his blow strikes home. The crunch of that rib had been...satisfying. Exciting. For a moment, he had almost felt alive again.
In the heat of battle, Noj cackles, his voice forming an eerie duet of manical bloodlust with his shadow that still capers about the monster.
Noj clenches his fists once more and turns on the worn heels of his boots. With a sound like a bone ratchet, he crouches and spins at the waist, the motion contorting his spine as no living man could manage. His long arms swing outstretched like vile cables as he sweeps them towards the creature's legs, trying to trip it up.

Spoiler

Show

Trying for a Trip attack.
Melee Touch - (1d20+12)[19]
Strength Check - (1d20+8)[23]
(If the curse affected the monster, it'll take a -2 penalty on its opposed strength)

[Revlis]

Ethan

At seeing the creature's (appearent) vulnerabilty to lightening, Ethan focuses on his arcane training, as he attempts to dodge the creature's tentacles. Ethan bringning a pale nimbus of lightening around his hand. As the energy crackles around his hand, Ethan pull back, and then swings at the creature with full force. At contact, Ethan discharges the electric energy stored in his hand.

Spoiler

Show

Casting Shocking Grasp definsively (DC 16)
Concentration (1d20+7)[9]
Attack [roll]1d20+7]
Damage: (1d6+4)[8] physical + (3d6)[5] electric
AC: 21 vs big ugly with dodge HP: 33

(I'm assuming that with the +1 move action I can make 2 standard actions, if not, then just the shocking grasp)

[warbacon]

Hellstar

As soon as the oozing tentacle touches him, Hellstar springs back to unlife. He has no time to react, however, and is instantly grappled. Reflexively he holds his breath, but two things flash across his mind: first, he doesn't need to breathe. Second, he wanted to finish his previous statement. But it was already clear the thing was specifically designed to keep undead where they belonged -- underground. But thinking of breath gave him another idea. Vampires are known to be able to take on a misty form, and so he concentrates, and imagines it in his mind.

Spoiler

Show

If Hellstar is near the pile of bodies, he uses that as a route and double-moves (40 ft.) to a safe distance. Otherwise, he'll just move straight away from it.

Is dismissing gaseous form a standard action?

Status:

Spoiler

Show

AC vs. Keeper: 18 (10 + 4 dex + 4 force armor + 1 dodge - 1 flaw)
HP: 26 / 27 EDIT: 27/27 because of Fast Healing
Effects: Mage Armor, All-Seeing Eyes, Entropic Warding, Gaseous Form

[Taffimai]

Suzette

As the slimy tentacle painfully wraps itself around her body like an abominal cross between a black slug and a constrictor snake, the warm feeling she had after waking up flows through her limbs again and with it, her self-control. Immediately, she twists to shrug off the filthy appendice.

Spoiler

Show

Grapple Check - (1d20+14)[11](25) that's 3 base attack + 7 strength + 4 from Improved Grapple. Fast healing 3, current hitpoints = 30

[The_Snark]

Alaeth

Alaeth gasps in relief as the tentacle breaks the hold on her even as she struggles to get away from it, to no avail. She is stronger than she was in life, but only a little... and then as she struggles, her form shifts. In place of the elf woman, there is now a wolf with fur black as night being gripped by the creature's tentacle, easily the size of a small horse.

Making no sound, the wolf tries to rip itself out of the creature's grip and bound out of its reach.

Spoiler

Show

With Quick Change, it's a move action to change to dire wolf form. Grapple check to escape: (1d20+13)[21]. If she succeeds, Alaeth moves 50 feet away from the creature.

HP: 31/31 (DR and fast healing). AC as dire wolf is 17, setting the thing as my dodge target for 18.

[Paladin Latham]

Oathbreaker/'Jacob'

"By the GODS you stink!"

Spoiler

Show

He attempts to break the grapple:

Grapple (1d20+11)[22]

If I break the grapple I'll use the extra move action of mine to exit it's threat range (even though it provokes AoO, remember my mobility though...)

Fast Healing 3 kicks in, so current HP 30.

[Ramos]

Myriel

Those of you who can attack from afar do so-and spread in different directions so it can't grab us all at once!
While directing her allies to better effect-she appears to be arrogant enough to believe they should listen to her-Myriel blasts the abomination once more with Force Lightning an Eldritch Blast.

Spoiler

Show

attack - (1d20+11)[15](26)
damage - (2d6)[2][6](8)

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Another bolt of eldritch energy blasts the undead guardian from Myriel's direction, punching yet another hole to its torso.
Myriel's sister Alaeth is having problems though-even in her wolf form she can't escape the undead being's hold and her strength slowly leeches away.
Jacob, in trouble as well, tries to push off the tentacle holding him but his attempt proves futile as well. His strength too continues to diminish.
Suzette, far stronger in undeath than the petite woman she appears to be manages to break the creature's hold and, using her supernatural speed, move away from it. No sense remaining within reach when her higher mobility would enable her to charge back and attack easily.
Hellstar, while not as strong as Suzette, has the presence of mind to turn into mist and use the hundreds of corpses littering the ground as cover until he's beyond the creature's reach as well.
Ethan casts a minor lightning spell at the undead monstrosity while simultaneously dodging its attacks. Succeeding, he discharges the built-up energy with a touch that burns away a portion of the creature's flesh.
Noj, remembering from his time in the militia that a tripped and prone opponent is easy to dispatch attempts to use that tactic against the tentacled monster. Its many tentacles and greater size however give it substantial stability and it retains its balance.
Attacking again, this time Virmas manages to connect-though his blow seems not to be doing more than negligible damage.

Despite being undead, the Guardian is not stupid. It realises Myriel has so far harmed it almost as much as the rest of the group combined-to say nothing of her being the first to strike a blow in the fight. Slithering forward and dragging its two victims along with it until its long tentacles can reach her, it lashes out and manages to get a hold of her. The sorceress, not being used to physical combat, is a relatively easy target. The corosive slime of the tentacled undead covering her and seeping into her pores begins to diminish Myriel's strength though despite its strength, the monster cannot harm her physically.

Spoiler

Show

12 damage to Alaeth, 15 damage to Jacob, 10 damage to Myriel. Strength penalty increases to 2 for Alaeth and Jacob, strength penalty 1 to Myriel.