Dangerous creatures - A Monster of an Adventure! - IC

[Delia2531]

DANGEROUS CREATURES: A MONSTER OF AN ADVENTURE - IN CHARACTER THREAD

Characters:

Name	Title & Color
Bob	The Cool Customer
Yhrashnal	The Hound of Silence
Ugg Ag'Garr	The Bad-boy Troll
Goopy	The Gelatin Paladin
Svriikiki	The Killer-Shark
Whitescales	The 'ickle, tiny dragon!

[Delia2531]

Whilst going about your daily business, each resting from your latest exploits, you receive a magic message from a strange, anonymous, being who instructs you to travel to a remote location deep in the mountains where you will be met by an agent. There, you are needed to undertake a vital task for which you will be well rewarded.

In answer to your initial questions you are informed that the being has been searching for powerful allies and that it has observed your recent actions and felt that you would be a strong addition to the team being pulled together. The rewards wil be both wealth and power, but you need to arrive in exactly ten days.

Allowing for the travel time, you arrive at the place indicated to you, on the alloted day, where you are met by a snivveling, pathetic human man with watery eyes and a stammer. He seems unaffected by the cold and snow, clad only in his occultly-decorated robes. You notice that you seem to be one of a number of individuals present, you can clearly make out that you are the only one of your kind in the group and that the others are as different from each other as they are from you.

"My master will be pleased you came, he has great things planned and needs your assistance to help bring them about. I have with me the components required to bring my master to this plane of existence so that he can set his plans in motion. However, the ritual must be performed inside a magic circle carved on the floor of a cavern within these mountains not far from here. The entrance to the cave network to which this cavern belongs has been completely blocked by a landslide and would take many weeks to clear and the ritual must be performed in the next few days. Access to the caverns is not an issue as I can teleport inside, but I have detected the presence of other beings in the cave network and I am concerned that they have been infested by vermin, or worse. I am not adept at combat and need to conserve my strength and power to complete the ritual. I need your help to clear the caves and ensure that I am not disturbed in the cavern whilst I perform the ritual.

If you agree, I will teleport us all inside the caves so that you can begin?"

Arrogantly assuming that you are all more than willing to assist, he begins the incantation of a spell. Indicating to a glowing red, arcane-looking, circle that has appeared on the snow at his feet he says,

"All I need you to do to complete the spell is announce your involvement and you step in to the circle."

OOC

Spoiler

Sorry for the initial railroading, but I needed to get the group together and with a PbP game there isn't really scope to have individual posts about recruiting and travelling and I don't like starting with "you are all in a tavern ..." (or whatever the monstrous version is).

This will lead to a short dungeon crawl to set up some plot hooks and allow you to work out your team mechanics and tactics.

[Togo]

Svirikiki glances at his 'companions'.

They appeared to consist of a Troll and his giant dog. Trolls were.. typically quite stupid, although he supposed he could manage. The huge humanoid figure of snow and ice near him suggested that the Troll was at least creative enough to make snowmen, although it seemed a curiously childish way to pass the time. The slightly blurry area where snow was settling on a flat-sided cube he dismisses as some form of magical shelter - the shivering man was clearly suffering from the elements, and too proud of magic or too ignorant to employ such mundane means as building a shelter or a fire.

He sighs. Clearly he was to be brains of the outfit, unless the Troll surprised him, as Trolls sometimes did.

He gives a final glare at the swirling snow, daring it to turn to vile fresh water and incur his wrath, and then bends to the task of lighting his lamp - a fiendishly complicated gadget of brass, glass, shutters and lenses. Meanwhile two more limbs extract a heavily customised crossbow from his bulging quiver, repleate with side pockets, sprockets, spring-loaded pouches and other supposedly labour-saving devices, unfolds the stock, and loads it in a smooth practiced motion. By the time he has coaxed the lamp to life the crossbow is loaded. He sights down the first crossbow wtih one hand while two hands afix the now lit lamp to a prepared place atop his backpack, where it shines over one shouder and causes his overtoothed mouth to cast fangy shadows on the white snow in front of him. The last hand is drawing another crossbow, which he deftly loads while making adjustments to the sights of the first, before pulling out a third. This he loads while replacing the bolts in the bandolier across his chest from a case at his waist, before pulling out a fourth crossbow and loading that as well.

He scowls out across the swirling snow, his large flat eyes scrunched uncomfortably against the wet flakes.

Readyff. He lisps around a mouth crowded with fangs. Leff's go.

[Thump]

Giving a chilling grin, purple eyes glinting in the pale light, Bob turns towards the fish-man, having been able to hear every thought.

"Bob is not a snowman. Bob is THE snowman."

Turning his massive bulk towards the puny human, Bob seems to pluck something from his shoulder, which to all those that are paying attention, looks like a small dragon. A very small dragon, and it almost seems to purr at his touch.

""Bob and Whitescales will go with puny human and other smallthings".

Satisfied with his booming announcement, Bob walks into the circle, taking up easily quite a lot of the room. He then reaches out and starts to build an actual snowman, with Whitescales sketching a small diagram of what appears to be treasure.

"You can have treasure, Whitescales. Bob no need."

Spoiler

Italics mean that he is speaking in telepathy.

[Lexin]

Ugg stretches as he looks around at the other... creatures that gathered here. A fishman, a snowman, a cube and a dog... ...looks just perfect... he thinks, with a disgusted expression on his face.

He spits, trying to guess the fighting potential of others. They are far from being trolls... so I shouldn't expect much from them. On the other hand the giant snowman, could be useful... and they could eat the fishman if they get too hungry in the cave...

He still doesn't look convinced as he gets closer to the magic circle. But then On the other hand... they pay me for killing, not for protecting these guys or being nice... Not the worst way to earn some gold...

He enters the circle
"Let's start. And I hope it is worth my time."

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal regards each of the gathered beings coolly, his powerful olfactory sense labeling each under the cautious title of ‘Not an enemy’ if only to make the upcoming battles easier. Otherwise they are of no interest to him; unless they break the tentative bonds between comrades he will probably not give them a second thought.

To those that can read thoughts, his mind is inordinately hateful but preternaturally tranquil; he hates all of the things around him in such perfectly equal amounts that he doesn’t bother paying anything more attention than the situation demands. Only the fact that he particularly dislikes other beings gives a hint that his otherworldly nature is not tainting the thoughts you detect; as his ‘allies’ he hates you only a little more than the sun or moon and only slightly less than those who reveal themselves as enemies, but the difference is there.

“I will go. If there is betrayal, I shall take my revenge or leave. Perhaps both.”

With that, he enters the circle.

Spoiler

He is currently in his default travelling form: he is taking the shape of a Dire Wolf and Morphic Weapons is enhancing his Unarmed Strikes

[Aneurin]

Goopy

What happens:

The translucent, greenish cube becomes distinct as it wobbles forward until it has settled inside the circle. Somewhere in the green gloop that it is composed of, a slowly dissolving hand twists to give a thumbs-up.

What Goopy sees:

Spoiler

After many days of weary - and slow - travel, Goopy reaches the cave mouth. Before him stands a heavenly-looking group, basking in divine radiance. They are others, such as he; champions of the so-called monstrous races, risen above their base natures and raised to greater things. A powerfully built man, clutching the amulet of the sun god stands before them all, and as Goopy approaches, he speaks;

"My master will be pleased you came, he has great things planned and needs your assistance to help bring them about. I have with me the components required to bring my master to this plane of existence so that he can set his plans in motion. However, the ritual must be performed inside a magic circle carved on the floor of a cavern within these mountains not far from here. The entrance to the cave network to which this cavern belongs has been completely blocked by a landslide and would take many weeks to clear and the ritual must be performed in the next few days. Access to the caverns is not an issue as I can teleport inside, but I have detected the presence of other beings in the cave network and I am concerned that they have been infested by vermin, or worse. I am not adept at combat and need to conserve my strength and power to complete the ritual. I need your help to clear the caves and ensure that I am not disturbed in the cavern whilst I perform the ritual.

If you agree, I will teleport us all inside the caves so that you can begin?"

Without hesitation, Goopy heads directly in to the circle. Any chance to aid the servants of rightenousness, is one Goopy cannot pass up. He signals his readiness.

[Delia2531]

Having made your way in to the occult circle, there is a flash of arcane brilliance and the outside world disappears to be replaced with the dark interior of a dimly lit cave. The very dim light is provided by faintly glowing moss sparsely spotted across the walls and ceiling.

Approximately 20 feet wide at it's widest, the cave leads off down a gentle slope which forks after about 30 feet.

The Mage, his eyes appearing to glow faintly red in the dak, looks around briefly as if to check his location, before pointing confidently down the slope to the left tunnel;

"The summoning chamber lies this way, onward to serve the Master!"

[Togo]

Svirikiki looks around. If the passageways extend beyond his 60' darkvision, he'll open the eye of his bull'seye lantern, illuminating everything in the direction he's looking at up 60', and dimly lighting another 60' beyond that. As his moves, his spikey-toothed profile is projected as a huge shadow across the rocky walls.

So... says Svirikiki as notchantly as a 4-armed terror of the deep can manage. This master. Whath's he liketh then? And are weth being paid by thim, or by youf?

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal moves slowly, taking in any scents about the area while scanning for tracks; moving at a leisurely pace he is probably still just as fast as the human. Whether he can or cannot detect anything, he does not make a fuss as that is simply the way it was meant to be.

“I would rather know what our payment will be. The machinations of a fiend or long-dead king or Other being from Beyond are none of my concern, so long as they do not include me beyond what I am paid for.” Yhrashnal stares through the mortal man for a moment after he says this; he is quite serious about wanting to know what the payment for this will be. After all, right now he could be hunting elven warriors for an orc kingdom or bringing in bounties for the highest bidder. Perfecting his techniques, trailing druids in their own forest would also be rather fun.

Spoiler

He uses scent to first try to detect a familiar kind of smell (the stench of troll, for example) in the immediate area, before focusing on sniffing out other beings nearby. The range is generally 30 ft.

With his Darkvision making the cave seem well lit, he also scans for tracks on the ground. Since his speed is currently 60 (being in wolf form increases it by 20) he will move at half speed while doing this.

Survival check: (1d20+13)[15]

[Delia2531]

It is fairly obvious to each of you that the Mage is not exactly sure where he is; the teleport spell having deposited you somewhere other than the intended location. However, the effort of pretending not to be lost appears to be preventing him from any other falsehoods as he says:

"each of you will be rewarded with a bag of rubies for this day's work, plus the eternal favour of the Master. Anything you find in here , outside of the ritual cavern you are welcome to keep for yourselves also. Now, onward to the ritual chamber! Eugh! Ouch!"

He is distracted by a number of centipedes crawling over his feet and up his robes; at least one of which appears to bite him. He slaps at them ineffectually, but manage to shake them to be floor. Each appears to be approximately 12" long and brightly coloured despite the darkness.

Looking around those of you with eyes can see evidence of small creatures that have been eaten littered about; mice, rats, and other small vermin. Goopy also notices this as he has engulfed the remains of these creatures when he appeared; in fact he has also engulfed a centipede which is now slowly dissolving.

Spoiler

Spot checks please

[Thump]

Watching the insects around him freeze like little droplets of water, Bob continues at an agonizingly slow pace (for him, that is) with the group. Seeing the insects biting at his employer, he moves slightly closer, as to have his aura freeze them off.

"So small! So fragile... how do you not kill yourselves just by walking around, little human? I see you being eaten by bugs, and they just freeze around me, like little droplets! Little, little bits of water..."

With that, he takes on an almost trancelike state, as he begins a mental discussion with his pet dragon on droplets of water.

[Lexin]

Ugg looks around with caution.
"Which way?"
He asks simply.

"Let's get it done..."
He says as he enters the corridor pointed by the mage.

[Aneurin]

Goopy

What happens:

The Ooze just slides forwards, overruning corpse and centipedes alike. If it even registers that their guide is lost, then it doesn't react.

What Goopy sees:

Spoiler

There is a flash of arcane brilliance and the outside world disappears to be replaced with the dark interior of a dimly lit cave. The very dim light is provided by faintly glowing moss sparsely spotted across the walls and ceiling.

Approximately 20 feet wide at it's widest, the cave leads off down a gentle slope which forks after about 30 feet.

The Mage, his eyes appearing to glow faintly golden in the dak, looks around briefly as if to check his location, before pointing confidently down the slope to the left tunnel;

"The summoning chamber lies this way, onward to serve the Master!"

A radiant champion of the Sahuagin gazes around the chamber, before opening a lantern to shine down the passageways ahead. Clearly blessed by the gods, the Sahuagin has more arms than Goopy has typically associated with the species. It seems to bask in a divine glow.

"So..." says Svirikiki in a nonchalant fashion - but Goopy can detect the fervour behind the casual act. "This master. Whath's he liketh then? And are weth being paid by thim, or by youf?"

A holy hound prowls before the group, taking in any scents about the area while scanning for tracks; although he shows every sign of moving at a leisurely pace, he is still easily the match of any human.

“I would rather know what our payment will be. The machinations of an angel or long-dead king or Other being from Beyond are none of my concern, so long as they do not include me beyond what I am paid for.” Yhrashnal stares through the mortal man for a moment after he says this; he is transparantly lying, and everything in his stance suggests utter dedication to the Greater Good.

It is fairly obvious that the Mage is not exactly sure where he is; the teleport spell having deposited you somewhere other than the intended location.

"Each of you will be rewarded with a bag of rubies for this day's work, plus the eternal blessings of the Master. Anything you find in here, outside of the ritual cavern you are welcome to keep for yourselves also. Now, onward to the ritual chamber! Eugh! Ouch!"

He is distracted by a number of centipedes crawling over his feet and up his robes; at least one of which appears to bite him. He slaps at them ineffectually, but manage to shake them to be floor. Each appears to be approximately 12" long and brightly coloured despite the darkness.

Looking around those of you with eyes can see evidence of small creatures that have been eaten littered about; mice, rats, and other small vermin. Goopy also notices this as he has engulfed the remains of these creatures when he appeared; in fact he has also engulfed a centipede which is now slowly dissolving.

Hmm. Slimy, yet satisfying. Ooh. They have the little green-filled kind! At the end of the day, where they are matters little; trust to the higher powers and all will be well. Rubies are of no consequence. Especially when you have no concept of money.

Goopy boldly, uh, slimes forward into the darkness. No-one can stand in the way of the truly righteous.

[Delia2531]

Each of you becomes aware of subtle signs that something bigger resides in ese caves. Some of the carcasses are bigger than insects and rats, some of the tracks could only have been made by something at least as large as the Mage, possibly something as large as Goopy or even Bob. The walls have also been brushed clean of lichen in places and the ceiling too.

[Thump]

Not being completely naive to his surroundings, Bob starts to speed up a bit in his walking, brushing the caverns with his mind-sight, searching for other beings, even checking his companions.

What Bob hears and feels for each companion is different, and his eyes widen and shrink for each that he touches. His companions feel a chilling loneliness, compounded with unearthly happiness, touched by something more... raw, malicious.

"People... strange. You different from little fleshy humans. I like. Now come, we must keep going!"
Whitescales digs his claws desperately into Bob's shoulder, trying to keep from falling off.

Spoiler

Bob is now searching with telepathy and Blindsight all around in the cavern, traveling in front of the group.

[Doxkid]

Yhrashnal stops his search and speeds up, staying halfway between the ice-being and the group. As one of the most mobile beings among the team it would probably fall to him to keep enemies off the Mage and, once battles really start, the injured.

Then again he cannot leave the Ice-creature to the front lines alone; an ambush or trap could prove fatal to even the enormous creature, and said creature would be more useful thinning out enemy lines than it would be as a meal.

As always, Balance and Order is the answer to all problems.

Spoiler

He stops hunting tracks, allowing him to maintain a more normal speed, then moves to be roughly between Bob and the slow cluster of the rest of their team.

[Aneurin]

Goopy

What happens;

As the slowest of the group, Goopy takes up his natural position at the back of the party, consuming everything lying on the floor, living or dead. It begins to bulge slightly from the added mass.

What Goopy sees;

Spoiler

The being composed of ice and rock and covered in divine runes increases its pace, and begins to study the caves around them.

A flutter of strange feelings brushes against Goopy for a moment, before vanishing again. In the strange mixture, is something akin to happiness; which pleases Goopy. Then the creature

"People... strange. You different from little fleshy humans. I like. Now come, we must keep going!" The words send a thrill of pleasure through Goopy, and he swells - literally - with joy. The team is bonding.

A tiny dragon covered in glittering silver scales surveys all from atop the craggy creature. A fitting companion to the group, and surely a sign of divine approval, if such a magnificent creature would condescend to travelling with them.

[Lexin]

Ugg stays near the mage, although keeps his club ready in case there is any occasion to use it.
Better keep him safe... I doubt he would pay otherwise...

[Togo]

Svirikiki stays near Bob, happy to let him go first, but keeping just after him, treating him quite unselfcoscioiusly as a large personal wall to hide behind. He is keeping an eye on the mage, but the first priority is clearly himself.

[Thump]

Giving what could only pass for the faintest of smiles, the massive ice-creature shifts slightly, to allow Yhrasnal room next to him.

"We all go together."

Then, twitching a frosty claw towards the four-armed fishman, Bob rumbles in a low voice;

"Stay behind me. You too small to be in front."

[Delia2531]

As you progress along the passageways you pass a number of side tunnels and junctions, at each the Mage appears to dither slightly as if uncertain of the correct route to take. From some of the side tunnels you can just make out the rustle noise of vermin scurrying about.

[Togo]

Svirikiki keeps his lantern steady on the path ahead, but peers nervously down the side passages as they pass them, just in case something might be lurking down there, and come from a direction where they wouldn't have to go through Bob to reach him.

Spoiler

Spot check using darkvision only (so 60' max range)
(1d20+11)[23]
just in case there is anything to see.

[Delia2531]

Bob is aware of only those around him accompanied by a general "noise" as if unintelligent creatures were around in great number, not surprising given the centipedes encountered already.

Svrikiki can't see anything distinct along any of the side passages but the light does seem to reflect of things in a glistening sort of fashion from time to time, sometimes when you look again to be sure it no longer happens.

[Delia2531]

As you pass yet another side passage, indistinguishable from all the others, a large form bursts forth to join you in the main passage.

It is a centipede, but much larger than the others; this is almost 20' long and a full 10' across.

It bursts out behind Bob, Yhrashnal and Svirikiki and in front of the rest of the group. It writhes around and over itself trying to make sense of what it perceives as prey/food throughout the corridor.

Spoiler

initiative(1d20+2)[6]

Map, pre-combat:

Spoiler

XXX
XXX
BBB
BBW
BBB
SYY
XYY
XXX
CCC
CCC
CCC
XXX
XXX
MXU
XXX
XXX
GGX
GGX

Key:

Spoiler

B - Bob
Y - Yhrashnal
S - Svrikiki
U - Ugg
G - Goopy
M - Mage
W - Whitescales
C - centipede
X - empty space (5')

[Doxkid]

Spoiler

Initiative: (1d20+4)[23]

---
The moment his eye catchessight of the unnaturally large arthropod Yhrashnal is in motion, bolting straight for it. A half step before reaching it he lunges; though it looks like he planned to bring his claws to bear he instead slams his body into it an does his best to latch on to its many legs an body segments.

Of course size does matter in the grand scheme of things, so Yhrashnal will merely headbutt the thing if he thinks it's too large to take on (larger than Bob).

Spoiler

Attack roll for OOC thread: 32
Grapple check: 32
Damage roll: 19

[Togo]

Spoiler

Initiative (1d20+5)[12]

Svirikiki swears loudly and inventively as Yhrashnal surges past him, spoiling his line of fire. He pauses for a moment, waiting for a chance to strike.

[Delia2531]

As Yhrashnal leaps towards the beast, it turns to snap at him in mid-air:

Spoiler

AoO bite attack - (1d20+5)[25]
Confirm crit (if app) - (1d20+5)[14]
Damage - (2d6+4)[10]
Additional Critical damage - nil
Poison - make a fortitude save DC 14
Grapple check - (1D20+11)[13]

Caught mid-pounce, exposing vulnerable parts, Yhrashal is snatched by the mouth of the beast its mandibles piercing his hide and injecting poisonous venom into his body? His continuing attempts to wrestle the creature result in it releasing him and he drops to the floor.

Spoiler

Also make a dex check DC 14 to land or else fall prone adjacent to the creature.

[Lexin]

Spoiler

Initiative (1d20+2)[12]

If there only is enough space, Ugg would charge at the enemy.

Spoiler

Leap Attack... must beat DC 10 (or 20 if there isn't space for 20ft running start) (1d20+20)[28]
-7 AC / + 21 damage (Power Attack with Shock Trooper)
-2 AC/ +2 attack (charge)

Attack (1d20+18)[27]
Damage (2d6+34)[41]

In theory it also Dazes the enemy if he fails DC 22 fort save... but it is kind of overpowered...

[Thump]

Bob turns around, with Whitescales blasting out a black ray, striking the creature directly in the chest, and it roars with a deafening screech as the worm has its strength sapped.

"STILL TINY! YOU CANNOT KILL ME, WORM!"

He digs into the beast, having it roar in pain, and the thing goes blue slowly, slowing down and withering before everyone's eyes. However, it still appears to struggle on his massive, icy claws. He retracts them off of it with a grin, and it crawls back to the floor with a hiss.

"Run while you still can, or you will be food for tiny dragon."