Difference between revisions of "Kobolds: Kill the Witch Queen"

From Tenebrae
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (Removed skulls, pages)
Line 735: Line 735:
 
<br><OOC> Williwaw says, "Good showing everyone. Have to head out now, but might be back later for RPs."
 
<br><OOC> Williwaw says, "Good showing everyone. Have to head out now, but might be back later for RPs."
 
<br><OOC> Braelnoir hugs, thanks again, gonna drop shortly for dinner, probably back in a bit maybe rp some more
 
<br><OOC> Braelnoir hugs, thanks again, gonna drop shortly for dinner, probably back in a bit maybe rp some more
 
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Spells currently up: Geas & Wards, WQ: 30 hours, 3000 sq. ft. 2 Stinking clouds North and South Ablative Barrier, WQ: +2 AC. First 5 points are N-L. If N-, DR5/-. Ext 32 hours Quo Cast, WQ +2 AC, Absorb remaining 50 Quo +2 AC, Absorb remaining 50 Teleport Trap, Extd, 32 days dur. 640 sq' abdured, centred on the altar, destination basement SoW, Will DC 23, Symbol of Weakness Every creature within 60 feet of symbol of weakness suffers crippling weakness, -3d6 STR, Will DC 23'
 
 
You paged Williwaw with 'updated their spell pages somewhat, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13J1vaxKzxJKscd8AtJM-hKfeIpadiUlmESJCp7WLAn4/edit#gid=856478953'
 
 
Williwaw pages: I understand your inclination to not want to give too many hints, etc. May want to consider asking for a military theory roll of some sort, however, to at least give the PC's a chance to understand that time isn't in their favour at the moment.
 
Williwaw pages: With the bells, and lack of activity coming from the temple, etc.
 
 
 
You paged (Williwaw, Jinks) with 'I'm inclined to let Jinks arrive once they open the door. Does that seem too early?'
 
To (Cryosanthia, Jinks), Williwaw pages: I think it is entirely up to the two of you on what is 'too early'. Jinks could have had every reason to make with much haste to the location.
 
To (Cryosanthia, Jinks), Williwaw pages: From an OOC perspective, the sooner you include waiting players the better :D
 
To (Cryosanthia, Williwaw), Jinks pages: I'm down with whatever is organic. I've got stuff to occupy me in the interim.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'now.. would a Cape of Wasps spell be affected by the Cloak of Dreams, as the CoD is an AOE?'
 
Williwaw pages: I... think... the wasps would be affected.
 
 
''Trip with Touch Back-Damage''
 
<OOC> Aryia will move to 20,11 and attempt to trip it
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Trip counts as a Melee attack?'
 
Williwaw pages: Hrm. Looking it up.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Barbed Defense (Su) A creature that strikes a hamatula with a melee weapon, an unarmed strike, or a natural weapon takes 1d8+6 points of piercing damage from the devil's barbs. Melee weapons with reach do not endanger a user in this way'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'pretty sure it counts'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Trip is an unarmed strike?'
 
Williwaw pages: She would certainly take the damage on the vicious stomp.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'unarmed strike or natural weapon, I'm pretty sure trip with no weapons in hand counts as she's got no reach ability'
 
Williwaw pages: It's a question if it counts as a strike.
 
Williwaw pages: I would say go ahead
 
 
''Spells and Web''
 
You paged Williwaw with 'so can an Aqueous Orb or a wasp swarm go through a friendly web?'
 
Williwaw pages: I would say so.
 
 
''Barbed Devil's Damage Back - Ends with death?''
 
Williwaw pages: RAW, it's a supernatural ability, and supernatural abilities end when the creature dies I think.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'you can make armour of them that damages people, so it kinda does last after death'
 
Williwaw pages: that's a good point
 
Williwaw pages: counter point, though, it is enchanted armour, so the enchantment is likely fuelling the supernatural effect of the hide.
 
Long distance to Williwaw: Cryosanthia nods, "this is why no one runs Tier 3, it's 4D chess all day long."
 
Williwaw pages: I agree
 
Williwaw pages: and as much as I prefer 1e to 2e, it's a pretty good argument for switching to 2e.
 
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Leech swarms should also be inside the temple and surrounding the kobolds so no one can get into their threatened spaces. I didn't want to deal with them in the outer corridor'
 
Williwaw pages: Gotcha
 
 
 
''Is Bard's Escape enough to set off Teleport Trap?''
 
You paged Williwaw with 'So. Jinks is going to 'Bard's Escape the group into position. There is a Teleport Trap covering that area. Bard's Escape says 'As Dimension Door' and Dimension Door says, it's a Teleport Spell. SO: I assume it will, but will it activate the Teleport Trap?'
 
Williwaw pages: Hoo boy. Lemme look.
 
Williwaw pages: I think it would.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Question 2, if he's teleporting the group, and the save is for his spell, does that mean none of the group need to save?'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'my interpretation is, he doesn't succumb to the trap, so the spell fails for everyone'
 
Williwaw pages: I can't find a clear answer. If I were running it, I would rule on the side of the caster saving.
 
Williwaw pages: Since it's the caster bringing everyone else with them.
 
Williwaw pages: You can probably give Jinks a knowledge/arcana roll to identify what the teleport trap.
 
 
 
 
From afar, Williwaw is very much enjoying the tactical problem you've laid out of them. ANd don't feel discouraged about some of the rules we've looked up and clarified along the way. It's always a good thing when we get better at figuring these things out.
 
<OOC> Seyardu is good pretty much any time
 
Long distance to Williwaw: Cryosanthia nods, "Thanks, that is true. Well I'm glad it's giving them difficulty at least. I thought they might not feel it's tough."
 
Williwaw pages: Oh, I figure they're feeling the crunch.
 
Williwaw pages: and there's still more to face.
 
Long distance to Williwaw: Cryosanthia nods, "The immortal ichor will be very tough. Basically I'm going to have the undead kobolds around the pit bleed into it. it said it was an ooze made from the blood of a dead god, and I thought, 'Hey Animus tie in' but... best not. I'll go with the Witch Queen used a Thulite ritual to corrupt a drop of Althea's blood that was collected from the beginning of time and in the temple originally.
 
Williwaw pages: Niice.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'so the undead troops that were supposed to be here are instead just props that ended up powering the ooze.'
 
Williwaw pages: That works nicely.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Cool.'
 
Williwaw pages: alright, till next time. Have a great time with your company if I don't talk to you before then!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
R1
 
You paged Williwaw with 'Inside, the alarm bells from the town have alerted the Witch Queen. The kobold wizard Quo is with her, they start casting in preparation to go reinforce the town. WQ Full Round action, Summon Monster VIII - Hamatula Devil, http://legacy.aonprd.com/bestiary/devil.html#devil-barbed. Quo casts Stoneskin on self and Qckn Stoneskin on WQ, from his spell list, DR 10/adamantine. Ignores first 10 damage, adamantine bypasses, maximum 150 points'
 
 
 
R2
 
You paged Williwaw with 'R2 casts, WQ Cloak of Dreams, a soporific, creatures within 5 feet of you to fall asleep for 1 minute. Will DC 20, 15 rounds Quo Globe of Invuln on WQ'
 
Williwaw pages: keep in mind globe of invuln will block friendly spells too.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'hm. is it big enough they can both be in it?'
 
Williwaw pages: looks like it, yes. 10ft radius. But it also looks like it can only be put on the caster. So Quo would have to cast it on themselves, then stay near the WQ.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'actually he can only put it on himself, and it's 10' sphere on him, so they both can be in it'
 
Williwaw pages: The globe doesn't move. So when cast it creates a globe centered on where QUo would have been standing. But it won't move with him.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'devil will go in the centre, as no targets have appeared. They have a couple more rounds of 'gear up' spelling to do.'
 
 
 
R3
 
You paged Williwaw with 'oh she'll cast See Invisible instead' on R3
 
You paged Williwaw with 'WQ casts See Invis now, Quo casts Mirror Image 1d4+5, tells WQ about the door. WQ tells D to relocate to 20,10 and be ready, D teleports to avoid the webs'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'okay, per Aryia touching the door and the Alarm spell, Quo knows they're at the east door, it was 'mental alarm', he'll tell Witchy and she'll direct the Devil to teleport to the inside, http://legacy.aonprd.com/bestiary/devil.html#devil-barbed devil's stats.'
 
 
 
R4
 
You paged Williwaw with 'not sure what WQ and Quo do, I may say they spent a round casting spells they already cast'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'ie: just there was some more earlier delay or something.'
 
You paged Williwaw with 'BBQ-D's action was 'open the door' obviously.'
 
 
 
R5
 
REMOVE - REPLACE A field of dark, rubbery tentacles burst from the water. Each is run through with faintly glowing purple veins. They grab everything in sight.
 
You paged Williwaw with 'well WQ and Quo waste another round since I can't think of spells that shoot around corners and people won't come in.'
 
Williwaw pages: If that's how it must be. Perhaps you can target the black tentacles in such a way that they will spread around the walls.
 

Revision as of 20:41, 2 September 2022

Log Info

  • Title: Kobolds: Kill the Witch-Queen, part 1
  • Emitter: Cryosanthia
  • Characters: Aryia, Seyardu, Braelnoir, Selia, Jinks
  • Place: Sunken Hope, Lake Uskvutha
  • Time: Sunday, August 21, 2022, 2:00 PM
  • Summary: Aryia, Seyardu, Braelnoir, Selia are making the assault on the Temple of Sunken Hope, while the other adventuring teams lay siege to the Town, or occupy the occupants of the Sandcastle in the lake. Only one issue, there seem to be no doors or windows, what ones that were have been sealed over with Stone Shape, seemingly ages ago. Rowing around and searching, Aryia finally spots an illusion covering an entrance. At the same time, a kobold swims up and reveals himself to be Jinks. He explains the Vouivre Yaretzi-Yolotl has been driven off, and he uses some bard magic to allow everyone to see the illusion. Once they can test the door, they find it locked. Selia picks it, saying it was magically held, and the way beyond is a curved passage that follows the outer walls. There's an inner set of doors, and something behind it. Aryia moves their boat out of the way, as the doors open and a Barbed Devil attacks everyone. It is swiftly defeated. Jinks creeps into the main part of the temple, sees the Witch-Queen and attempts to move the party into position. This teleport fails, badly, further revealing their position.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Aryia        4'8"     110 Lb     Shadow Elf        Female    A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her.
Braelnoir    5'11"    146 Lb     Human             Female    A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver.
Jinks        3'4"     39 Lb      Gnome             Male      A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry.
Selia        2'10"    35 Lb      Halfling          Female    A sleek halfling lass, quick and nimble.
Seyardu      5'6"     150 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The Witch-Queen                  Kobold            Female    A dark scaled Thullite Witch
Quo                              Kobol             Male      A dark scaled amoral wizard
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GMs  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Williwaw                                                     Assisting
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

The bell tolls.

The day is early. Sunken Hope drowns in Rain. The sounds of battle are muted through the mists. Distant orders are heard, the thunk of siege engines, the ring of metal on metal. Dying and crying, the ever present splash of droplets on the lake, inconsequential lives lost and none responsible for the flood.

The bell tolls.

The battle in the town is a distraction. The battle at the sandcastle is a distraction. The distractions are to keep the Kobold Witch Queen in her lair, to prevent her summoning their assistance. The temple at the centre of Sunken Hope is her fortress, formerly dedicated to the All-Mother, it featured circular designs and many yonic embellishments. These have been corrupted with its re-dedication. The stone walls have bubbles and craters, as if stone pustules erupted. Much of the building seems melted, the stone running like wax, in rivers that cover and reinforce the walls.

The bell tolls.

Water laps against those walls, mold growing upwards in sickly green streaks. Much of the temple extends below the water line, deep enough the cathedral ceiling barely crests the surface with enough clearance as a regular room. Not that much, or anything can be seen of the interior. The outer walls have the remnants of doors and windows, long since absorbed. The dome stretches way above.

The bell tolls. Reinforcements aren't coming. There is calm at the centre of the war storm, the circular temple waiting. Lurking. A temple, defiled.

One with no visible entrances. Whatever windows and doors might once have been, they appear closed over by melted stone.

It's a hard urge to ignore.

Such a cacophonous melody, and not allowed to dance.

Not yet.

The Stormgardian Korite must leave the festival dance to others, in expectation of a more exclusive soiree'.

That it's notes will be soured by likely some deathless mouser's hoodoo is something she'd been told to expect, but Kor surely won't mind.

The fight is all.

Having gone over her bandoliers one last time for certainty's sake, Braelnoir has a certain tiny smile tugging at the corner's of her lips as she makes the rounds, checking on her compatriots and getting brought up to date on their target and what is known of the defenses. Her smile fades momentarily after she tosses back the bubbly, clear contents of a potion vial, then, "Not long now."

Selia fails to sit still, moving from seat to seat with nervous, almost manic energy, hard to keep track of, her minor mass barely shifting the boat. The little lutch has no particular feeling for kobold, but anyone who holds others in slavery gets her ire. Oily black armor shifts and shimmers with a rainbow sheen that blends oddly with the background, making the eye slip to something else, even when looking right at the tiny dancer.

Shoving her face under the water, Selia peers for several long moments before pulling herself back up, frowning to the others in the boat, dry despite the submersion. "We gots a plan? I dan't see nuthin obvious, but aint sure wot supposed ta look fer."

Their little boat drifts on the southeast side.

<OOC> Aryia uses Ki power: Barkskin

Aryia is stone faced as she's busy sailing the boat up towards the melted dome of a ruined cathedral, the rocking eddies eliciting a minor meditative reprieve for the building anxiety of what is to come. She rolls her shoulders, adjusts her jacket. And, finally, cracks her neck with a wincing >POP<.

"If we can't find a way in," she signs with a few brisk motions, the gestures understood despite one not knowing what language she's miming. "I can break us in, but it might give them a warning." <Handspeech/Tongues>

GAME: Seyardu casts Mass Bear's Endurance. Caster Level: 14 DC: 22

Seyardu was quiet in the boat, watching the tower that loomed ever closer to them. The cleric only broke said silence to offer a prayer to the gods, and she returned to that silence until they got closer.

"We have a plan, to a degree. Find an entrance, kill the witch-queen, begin an end to this pointless war." She states. "If we need break through the walls to reach them, then so be it."

Inside...

A dark scaled kobold woman is prostrate in front of a ruined altar. She has the heavy scale plates of elderly reptilians, unusual and numerous, suggesting a life prolonged more than a reasonable span. She leaps to her feet, unbelievably spry, splashing in the shallow water, disturbing creatures that dart away with flashes of light.

"Mistressss," A second dark scaled kobold, a male, asks carefully. He remains prone, twisting to look up at her."Are eventss planned today?" <draconic>

"No." She hisses firmly, "It iss the traitorss, or Adventurerss. It iss time. I sssummon; you cast the defenssse sspellss. We go to reinforce."

Water laps at the walls of the temple, the drizzle comes down. There were no entrances visible on the southern half. There appear to be none at all.

GAME: Seyardu casts Water Breathing. Caster Level: 14 DC: 19
GAME: Braelnoir used a Potion of Water Breathing.
GAME: Seyardu rolls knowledge/religion: (20)+9: 29
GAME: Aryia rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Aryia rolls knowledge/military theory: (18)+2: 20
GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/military theory+2+2: (5)+13+2+2: 22
GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/engineering: (1)+10: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

There were entrances, at one point. The kobolds talked about them. As time progressed, and the Witch Queen grew stronger, especially once she took Qiolveylraed prisoner, they were sealed over. Windows closed, doors removed. Where once Kobolds could swim in, they had to brave tight, underwater passages that were increasingly well guarded and trapped.

Ace's escape prompted some changes.

Once the undead appeared, they were brought in when the Witch Queen summoned them, and weren't sure how.

Athean temples have LOTS of doors. There should be big double doors at the North, South, East and West points. Also, time is of the essence. The bells, the lack of activity. Something is being set up inside.

The pustular veneer of the building seems to be giving Brae a bit of the puppyhead as detail becomes more refined.

It breaks off as if dispelled as Aryia starts to sign her options, "Tha's.... good t'know, luv. Best we hol' onta that just in case. I got enough magic ta shrink down two people ta kobold size fer mebbe six, seven minutes, tops."

She massages the bridge of her nose for a moment with her bare fingers, then, "Whatever we do, gonna wanna do it fast, them bells shoulda set stuff in motion, but we ain't seein' it, so best we assume they's setting us up a welcome we ain't gonna like."

Seyardu looks up the tower, and sighs. "They've made it more secure, for certain. I don't know if swimming in will be an option again. Perverted Althea's welcoming temple into a tomb."

"I don't know how they removed the doorways, if they are completely gone, or if they simply filled in the space with stonework. But on any of the sides, I don't believe they have the ability to block off the foyers completely, however. But I am not certain."

Selia is already kobold sized, or close to it. "Reckon bes check da odder side, meybe nice big door jus waitin fer us. Doubt it, but meybe."

Aryia, the mute mul'neissa woman guiding the boat, pulls back on one of the oars to turn the craft to the side, the desecrated temple abeam to port. "There might be doors somewhere on a cardinal," she motions, pointing to the east then south side of the building. But then she looks to Braelnoir, her brows raising. "Fuck me sideways, you're right. We don't have time, and we're out of options. Hopefully Seyardu is right, let's check a side and see if we can bust the fuck in." <Handspeech/Tongues>

She sails them to the eastern side of the temple to attempt to find some sort of purchase.

You paged Williwaw with 'Will is DC23 for Geas and Wards to see through the 'Lost Doors' effect'
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (11)+30: 41
GAME: Aryia rolls will: (12)+17: 29 (+4 versus enchantment)
GAME: Selia rolls perception: (6)+9: 15
GAME: Selia rolls will: (15)+7: 22
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (4)+8: 12
GAME: Seyardu rolls will+2: (8)+15+2: 25
GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (3)+13: 16
GAME: Braelnoir rolls will: (9)+7: 16 (+5 vs enchantment)

Inside...

A devil appears, in the shape of a man formed from thorns. No part of him is smooth, every surface sprouting sharp, wicked points of bloody bone. "Command me." He demands. He towers over the small kobolds, even at a distance and standing in deeper water. <Infernal>

"Wait." The Witch-Queen replies. There is no need to converse with devils, there is only orders. "Usse Telepathy with uss." <draconic>

Beside her, the dark male casts in a crouch. His scales, the Witch-Queens, have grown even thicker, bulky like the bark of an ancient oak. As his next spell finishes, a shimmering globe appears, surrounding them both.

"You wasste a sspell." The female criticizes. The male crouches lower, "Precautionss. In casse thiss is an adventurer trap." <draconic>

There is no need to converse with underlings either. The Witch-Queen does not reply. She moves to the limits of the interior of the globe and casts. The air shimmers around her, becoming heavy.

Outside...

The oars of the boat slam into the water, Aryia's head whipping to the side as she stares at a seemingly regular spot of morphed stone along the desecrated temple. She quickly paddles one side, then rows straight for it. "Fake wall, illusion bullshit or something," she gestures to the others. "I see a doors. Buckle up butter cups, we're fucking going right up to it."

She intends to row their craft right up to the indicated spot. <Handspeech/Tongues>

GAME: Braelnoir rolls will: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Selia rolls will: (13)+7: 20
GAME: Seyardu rolls will +3: (3)+15+3: 21

"Then we have our entrance, I believe." Seyardu nods. "They did not block them however, but made them appear not to be there. Which means whoever cast them is likely around to keep maintaining them. It is a possibility at least, one which we must be prepared for."

Seyardu offers another brief prayer before large leathery wings pop out of their back in a flash of light, and the others are filled with a bit more strength than before. "If that was a warning, they are right, we must give them less time to prepare."

Selia peers at the indicated spot, seeing nothing special, but trusting will be clear when get there.

Braelnoir nods to the others, then tries to examine the structure further, but, whatever hoodoo is in play about the structure confounds her senses.

Then, Aryia is signing again, and she squints at the indicated spot as the boat changes course.

She adjusts the grip of her scythe and lays it flat, hunkering down a bit, just in case the 'entrance' she can't see isn't all that large, briefly considering using her own size magic, but doesn't risk it for fear of trying to squeeze into tiny quarters.

GAME: Seyardu casts Bless. Caster Level: 14 DC: 17
GAME: Seyardu casts Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21

A kobold swims up.

A glorious kobold whose great and grand presence is surely painfully and only-just-barely contained within its tiny reptilian body. Its scales shine with a freshly-shed luster and its solid black-eyes are like the deepest skies of a moonlit night. It's also uncommonly bejeweled for one of the smaller lizardfolk, wearing a veritable dragon's hoard.

"Three scoops of shithouse got away." It announces, in a very Jinkslike voice, lowering its tail beneath the water and treading so its shoulders bob up into view. "But the bands of kobolds at the sandcastle should be out of the picture. Tallfolk're licking their wounds

"... hit a wall?" He wonders idly, swimming a half-circuit to inspect the stone wall.

GAME: Aryia rolls strength: (6)+3: 9
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "It's a really solid, locked door."
GAME: Jinks rolls Will Jinks, DC23: (4)+11: 15 (+2 illusions, vs DC23, fail)

Aryia rolls her shoulders as the others give her a look of 'I don't see what you're saying' before huffing once and leaning out of the boat to give it a once over briskly. Down. Up.

Oh, look, a kobold swimming up to them. She blinks. Then sighs. "Glad you could join us. But that fucking sucks. Yeah. There's a door here and I can't-" she reaches through to yank with her teeth gritting.

A vein bulges on her forehead. "-locked. If you guys can't pick this shit open, I'm breaking it in, we're running out of time." <Handspeech/tongues>

<OOC> Jinks says, "Gonna Distraction to counter the illusion, Cryo."
GAME: Jinks rolls Perform/Dance: (2)+25: 27
<OOC> Jinks says, "27 will save for anyone withint 30'"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Works! Do your little dance, everyone can see the door"

"Hello Jinks, good to have you here. We have hit a door that looks like an illusion of a wall to everyone save Aryia here." Seyardu offers quickly as she pulls off her billhook from her back. "If something else is on the way, we don't have time to waste. They know we're here, so just break the door and we'll be on our way."

"Aaah..." Jinkobold realizes, half-turning his head to stare dead-on at the solid wall with one eye. Both sets of lid blink and then he swims in a tight circle, dives beneath the water, and surges up and over the boat in a majestic arc, clawed fingers folded behind his head as he squirts a stream of water from his stubby little snout. When he lands, the water splashes across the wall and a door is revealed.

Selia squints a moment at kobo-Jinks, but nods, eyeing the wall that's said to be a door. "Meybe push?" Then Jinks does his thing, and the door appears magically! Well, the illusion dis-appears, but, magic.

Braelnoir is so distracted by the alleged door and trying to pierce the veil, that she's actually startled by the new arrival of their gnome on the inside. She's half twisted to ready a backhand with her spiked gauntlet by the time his voice registers and she relaxes.

Sigh.

"A'ight, let's see what we can do about.."

Then Jinks goes into a rather amphibious round of Dance Dance Dissolution, and suddenly things are so much clearer....

The Korite blinks and she scoots over a bit to help force the door, should more delicate hands no prevail.

Aryia blinks at the display from the jinks-bold, the clarity coming to the rest of the crew. As Selia gets work, the mute puts both hands on the door, fingerless gloves pressed flush against the stone. Her glowing eyes shift to a dark hue, and she twists her head around to and fro. A blink. A heavy frown. She pulls her hands away.

"Thanks Jinks. Asshole flooded the place with mist, going to be hard to see in there," she warns. <Handspeech/Tongues>

You paged Williwaw with 'this is DC10 lock, +20 for Arcane Lock from the Guards and Wards spell'
GAME: Selia rolls disable device: (17)+16: 33 (vs DC20 - Success)!

Selia waits a beat to make sure the punching is done, then scuttles foreward, thin metal tools appearing as if by magic from slim pockets, guided by nimble fingers. The works starts swift enough, but rapidly slows, the little lutch frowning in concentration. "Simple design, but... is magic backin it up. Think I- ...yeah, der we goes." A soft click announces success, and the door is opened. Not that it helps the view.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4+5: (1)+5: 6 (Number of Mirror Images for Quo)

Inside...

The male kobold looks towards the eastern doors. "Misstressss. Sssomeone activatess the alarm." <draconic>

>Investigate.< The Witch-Queen orders mentally, flicking her fingers towards the disguised entrance. The devil teleports, re-appearing in the alcove inside the double doors. The female chants in her gutteral, sibilant language and her eyes take on a glow in the dim light. She scans for invisible foes.

The male casts another spell and multiplies. Six more perfect copies stand with him, all moving and making gestures, obscuring the real ones.

On the other side of the doors is a corridor, formed by a curved, inner wall that curves to match the outer one's contours. The wide passage is filled with mists that quickly obscure distant features. There is shallow water, a depth a little over a foot. Murky, there are pale flashes of purple lights moving within it.

There might be a floor, the water and the fog make it impossible to tell.

GAME: Seyardu casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 14 DC: 16
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (11)+20: 31

The misting is not persisting beneath the waterline. The water isn't deep, barely deep enough for a kobold to swim in. The lights are... lights, not magical. They are living, bio-luminescent things. There are signs of magic everywhere else, the mists, on the walls, the entire temple is magical.

It might be the presence of the divine, or a bunch of protective spells.

As the door is opened due to Selia's deft fingers, Brae grins her a, "Good work, luvvie!" and makes to take a peek inside, well, within the limits of the mist.

A frown, then, "Kobolds're fond o'traps. We move, mind where ya step fer tripwires an' the like, or pits. Foggin'things up'd make avoiding that lots harder, less someone's got a way t'magicly suss out that sorta thing."

The brown-and-green Jinkobold braces one hand against the side of the boat and considers the hallway bursting with magics. "... well, if we were worried the bells wouldn't tip them off we can put that aside." He drawls. "Someone has quite the talent as an abjurist; either queeny or our wayward wizard. 'Guards and Wards.' Quite the hodgepodge of effects to defend a large area.

"... did you prepare any dispelling magics today, Seyardu?" The smaller, stripped reptile quirks a spiny brow at the makari cleric.

Selia stays in the boat, for now. The water doesn't bother her, the mist is annoying but accepted, but those brief purple flashes? Not swimming with possibly magic jelly-fish-pirana hybrids.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+21: (20)+21: 41 (Devil's percp, vs DC15, success)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+13+5: (1)+13+5: 19 (EPIC FAIL) (Devil's stealth)
GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (16)+30: 46 (vs DC19, Success)
GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (1)+24: 25 (EPIC FAIL) (vs DC19, Success) (vs DC19, Success)
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (6)+8: 14 (vs DC19, Fail)
GAME: Braelnoir rolls perception: (6)+13: 19 (vs DC19, Success)
GAME: Selia rolls perception: (20)+9: 29 (vs DC19, Success)
<OOC> All except Seyardu can act in the surprise R1

The bow of the boat causes small waves to ripple down the corridor, quietly splashing and reflecting off the walls. It's almost soothing.

Until one realizes there is a similar sound on the other side of the inner doors.

The boat rocks, bumping in the doorway. It's displacement pushes water through the open doors.

GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL.

Aryia gives a thankful nod to Selia as she pops the door open, her having a personal appreciation for the craft. Though, her brows frown at the explanation from Jinks-bold. "I fucking swear, I hate the bullshit that magic can do someti-" <Handspeech/Tongues>

She stops bitching suddenly, hands frozen in the air. An ear twitches. Flick-flick.

"F-ck," she hisses out, yanking an oar out of the holder and jamming it against the side of the temple. Legs splay out and she twiiiiiiiiiists her body, turning the whole boat /out/ of the doorway. And more importantly, out of the way of anything that flies down it.

With the gate open as it were, Brae's appraisal of the inside is furtive, then cut short as Aryia clearly hears something.

With the shift of the boat, Brae slips to a knee and brings her scythe up in a high angle past her shoulder, well over anyone's head to await the welcoming committee.

GAME: Selia rolls athletics: (9)+8: 17 (vs DC15 - Success)
GAME: Selia rolls stealth: (19)+32: 51

Selia yeeps, diving over the side in a panicked flurry, disappearing in the splash. Or so it would appear.

GAME: Jinks casts Purging Finale. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+14: (15)+14: 29

Yellow ribbons across the garter-patterned kobold alight to describe the rough outline of a vest in sparkling gold. Eyelids flutter and black orbs turn milky behind lower lids as Jinks hisses out a guttural draconic phrase. There's a little cough to punctuate the spell and the fog rolls back, leaving the purple ghost lights to dance naked in the air.

As the obscuring mists fade away and reveal more of the corridor, a wave of water washes out.

The inner doors have opened. Nothing emerges. Standing within them is a figure, ready, waiting.

>Summoner, they hide.< The vile voice interrupts the Witch-Queen's thoughts. <Thought-speak>

>Fight them, report< She returns orders, then turns to stare at the cowering male behind her. "It iss time, to trade unlife for life." <draconic>

The darkscale male dips his body in obeisance, joining the female in an unholy chant. Down in the pews the congregation of kobolds raise their heads. Each one is surrounded by a miasma of mist, with rotted scales and sunken eyes. A dark glow surrounds each skull, concentrating at the back and trailing into the deeper pit at the middle of the church.

At the eastern arch...

GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (7)+30: 37

Aryia all but has her back pressed against the melted stone of the structure, her looking to Jinks-bold as he manages to snuff the spark of mana. A little thumbs up is shot his way before she leans over, eyes closing. Her ears twitch again, making the silver rings on them flick.

She taps Brae's side. "Contact. Approximately fifteen feet. Ten o'clock," she gestures in a different set of signs, still understood, but far easier at getting the point across. <Merctalk/Tongues>

GAME: Braelnoir used a Holy Water.
GAME: Braelnoir rolls ranged: (11)+14: 25
GAME: Braelnoir rolls 2d4: (3): 3

"Single bogey!" Brae barks, scowling as one hand leaves her scythe to play along her bandolier, "Spikey-!"

She hmmph's a sidearm throw of a glass ampoule that shatters against the creature and sizzles.

With a grin, she picks up her sentence with, "Demony bastard!" as she returns to her weapon's working grip.

Let's see how set he is n staying behind that cordon.

<OOC> Selia says, "Okay, send my shadow companion thru the walls to 20-9, I move to flank at 20-11, both attack"
<OOC> Williwaw says, "As a note, and feel free to point me to a source if I am correct, for the first round, only Selia or her AC can benefit from flank. One has to complete its turn before the other."
GAME: Selia rolls 1d20+6+2: (2)+6: 8 (Shadow Companion Attack - miss)
GAME: Selia rolls weapon7+2: (14)+14+2: 30
GAME: Selia rolls damage7+3d6+1d6: aliased to 1d4+1+3d6+1d6: (2)+1+(10)+(5): 18 (d6 cold)

Selia hesitates, the moves, flowing like quicksilver to the side of the demon. An instant later, her shadow follows, ghosting through the walls to the demons back, stretching out dark fingers towards the warm lifeforce. Simple to dodge, but merely a distraction as Selia jams her sword into the demon's side, the small wound rimmed with tiny crystals of ice.

<OOC> Jinks says, "Using my Ring of Spell Knowledge to cast regular Invis on myself."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Drawing my rod as part of a move. Then casting a Quickened Haste on everybody."
GAME: Jinks casts Alter Self. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20
GAME: Jinks casts Haste. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Religion: (15)+19: 34 (vs DC21)

It would take no small amount of time to catalogue the individual pieces of jewelry adorning the fancy little kobold, but one ring with a swirling, murky-grey setting glows subtly as the disguised-gnome swims into line with temple doors. The water ripples around him and then the water smooths, seeming to swallow him whole.

"Hamatula. A devil of barbs. Mind yourself in melee." There's further chanting in a glip, clipped gnomish as glowing threads seem to sprout from nowhere and reach out between the quintet. Tap-tap-taptaptap, they bob, and the world seems to slow.

You paged Williwaw with 'BBQ-D will unholy blight 22,10. WQ will Vomit Swarm (wasp) to some near square, and Quo will put an aqueous orb down somewhere'
You paged Williwaw with 'or he'll just attack, since there's something in front of him now.'
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, it FA PAs on Selia, 2 claw attacks, possible grab"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+18-4: (16)+18+-4: 30
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+18-4: (8)+18+-4: 22
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 2d8+6+8: (13)+6+8: 27
GAME: You damaged Selia for 27 points. 27 HP remaining.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+22-4: (1)+22+-4: 19 (Grab attempt) (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: You damaged Selia for 13 points. 34 HP remaining. (Back-attack Damage)
<OOC> Selia says, "Is a Shadow straight from MM, save it's CN, doesn't create Spawn, and can talk, sort of"
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |     Name      |  CHP (T) |  HP  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 | Aryia.........|  165     | 165  |
 | Braelnoir.....|  133 +26 | 133  |
 | Jinks.........|   88     |  88  |
 | Selia.........|   34     |  54  |
 | Seyardu.......|  130 +14 | 130  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GAME: Selia rolls will: (3)+7: 10 (vs DC20 - Fail)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d4: (2): 2
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "2 rounds frightened Selia"

An important warning, as the shadow-dancer finds herself bleeding after her attack. The devil grins widely and slashes at her, powerful attacks with claws, one barely missing.

The other does not, rending deep cuts into the halfling.

<OOC> Seyardu says, "bestow grace on Aryia, then I'll move to 22,10, where I can threaten"
<OOC> Aryia says, "im not a valid target for bestow grace"
<OOC> Aryia says, "target: one good creature"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "+1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks,"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "while each of your foes takes a -1 penalty on such rolls."
<OOC> Seyardu says, "In addition to the +1 to hit from bless"

With combat erupting around, it takes Seyardu a moment to steady herself on the boat. The moment she does however, the cleric is hopping off the boat and moving to assist how she can. She offers a prayer with the holy symbol tied around her neck, filling the party with further divine strength, while she readies her weapon to attack the creature in front of her.

<OOC> Aryia will move to 20,11 and attempt to trip it
GAME: Aryia rolls trip+1+1+1: aliased to : (14)+21+2+1+1+1: 40
<OOC> Aryia will visiocus stomp
GAME: Aryia uses an AoO! 6 remaining.
<OOC> Jinks says, "net +3 to hit with Bless (morale), Haste (untyped), and Prayer (luck)"
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+1+1+1: aliased to weapon0+2+1+1+1: (19)+21+2+1+1+1: 45 (THREAT)
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+1+1+1: aliased to weapon0+2+1+1+1: (12)+21+2+1+1+1: 38 (Confirmed)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (vs DC14 - Success, Dazzled, not blinded)
<OOC> Aryia says, "lawful/cold iron/silver/bludgeoning/magic"
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+crunch+1+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+2d10+strength+2+1+1: (16)+3+2+(6)+3+2+1+1: 34
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: You damaged Aryia for 24 points. 141 HP remaining.

Aryia blinks as Jinks-bold is all but gone, but her brows furrow further as he mentions its a demon. She bobs her head, gritting her teeth for pain ahead before zipping into the temple from the bursts of alacrity and clarity gifted from her friends.

She skids across the waters, sloshing things everywhere as suddenly she jumps up, knees tuck in and moonlight swirls on her boots.

BAM! They're smashed against the wall and down on the ground, though she bounces on the spot in minor pain from the barbs that bit back.

<OOC> Braelnoir says, "going to move to 21,11, power attack, vital strike"
GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1+1+1+1: (14)+19+1+1+1: 36
GAME: Braelnoir rolls 2d4+2d4+20: (5)+(5)+20: 30 (+3 slashing)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: You damaged Braelnoir for 11 points. 133 AND 15 TEMP HP remaining.

Alright, so drawing him out's a bust.

As the Ham on Lucca gets swarmed, Brae just about gets her hands back into position for the rocking of the boat, and she manages to dismount without embarrassing herself too badly. She doesn't make her usual, exultant invitation to Kor, as that may bring more attention than the unit is ready for at present, and so she trusts he's found their row by the nature of things.

With the hand curls shut about the Outsider, she moves in to close the middle finger, putting everything she's got into a firm strike with her scythe, though she comes back from the stroke bleeding to her annoyance and she spits, "Great'nother fucking Orcupine!"

<OOC> Selia says, "run away! ...or withdraw and flee if that's an option. North along the corridor seems most open route"
<OOC> Selia says, "Full move, so works out to 20 with haste, I think. Not sure have a choice with Frightened"
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "Right, "okay. You stir up a lot of silt in the water, also theres some flashing things. make the pose."

"NOPE!" Selia is bleeding blood, and quite a lot of it. The earlier spell helps keep her upright, but the little lutch is OUT. The furious splashing stirs up the waters, bringing more purple flashes and a string of halfling phrases best left untranslated.

<OOC> Aryia says, "enemy is: Dazzled, 1 round"
You paged Williwaw with 'I think it's going to teleport rather than lie there and get FA'd by 3 people'
Williwaw pages: Fialing the defensive concentration check fails the cast, I believe.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, it does something that provokes", roll AOOs"
<OOC> Aryia applies stunning fist set to stun
GAME: Aryia spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Aryia uses an AoO! 5 remaining.
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+1+1+1: aliased to weapon0+2+1+1+1: (2)+21+2+1+1+1: 28
<OOC> Aryia says, "dc 22 fort or stun 1 round"
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+1: (17)+3+2+1: 23
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13 (vs DC22 - stunned)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: You damaged Aryia for 13 points. 128 HP remaining.
GAME: Seyardu uses an AoO! 0 remaining.
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+10+6+2+1+1+1+1-3: (2)+10+6+2+1+1+1+1+-3: 21
GAME: Braelnoir uses an AoO! 0 remaining.
GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1+1+1+1: (11)+19+1+1+1: 33
GAME: Braelnoir rolls 2d4+20: (4)+20: 24
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (8)+6: 14
GAME: You damaged Braelnoir for 14 points. 133 AND 1 TEMP HP remaining.

The downed devil flashes a sneer that's even more distorted by being slightly underwater. A distant look comes over him, the faraway gaze of an outsider pulling a trick.

His thoughts are shared. >Uhh! Summoner! There are four. A halfling with a solid shadow, a human with a scythe, both fighters. A night elf that uses fists. A lizardman with healing spells< <Thought-Speech>

His escape is interrupted by Aryia and Braelnoir's swift strikes, one stunning it, the other opening another wound.

>Kill what you can before they kill you.< The firm order is given. The female interrupts her motions, "Four adventurers. Be ready, advise." <Draconic>

They continue their chant, the beads of energy feeding the watery pit in front of them.

GAME: Seyardu rolls guidedPA: aliased to BAB+wisdom+2+1-3: (13)+10+6+2+1+-3: 29
GAME: Seyardu rolls guidedPA +3: aliased to BAB+wisdom+2+1-3 +3: (10)+10+6+2+1+-3+3: 29
GAME: Seyardu rolls guidedPA -5 +3: aliased to BAB+wisdom+2+1-3 -5 +3: (14)+10+6+2+1+-3+-5+3: 28
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+4+9+2+1: (4)+4+9+2+1: 20
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+4+9+2+1: (7)+4+9+2+1: 23
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d8+4+9+2+1: (8)+4+9+2+1: 24
<OOC> Seyardu says, "good aligned,magic and adamantine"

Seyardu swung at the demon, but navigating the spikes and her allies around the beast proved too difficult for the moment. It was only after she readjust that she was able to find an opening. She brings the billhook up once, and impales the demon once, twice, and three times, puncturing the beast's hide every time until she rakes it back and free.

GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3: aliased to weapon0+2+3: (1)+21+2+3: 27 (EPIC FAIL) (Shaterring Punch - Fail)
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3: aliased to weapon0+2+3: (8)+21+2+3: 34
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3: aliased to weapon0+2+3: (4)+21+2+3: 30
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3: aliased to weapon0+2+3: (12)+21+2+3: 38
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3-5: aliased to weapon0+2+3-5: (2)+21+2+3+-5: 23
GAME: Aryia rolls punch+3-10: aliased to weapon0+2+3-10: (5)+21+2+3+-10: 21
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+1: (14)+3+2+1: 20
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+1: (19)+3+2+1: 25
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+1: (20)+3+2+1: 26
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+1: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+1: (14)+3+2+1: 20
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I kinda feel monks and their flurries have only the downside of taking damage for using them."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "however, it dies after the first one"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So you won't get another 3d8+18 of damage"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d8+6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: You damaged Aryia for 11 points. 117 HP remaining.

Aryia bounces on a foot after kicking the daylights out of the demon. Brae's down cleave and Seyardu's billhook, especially the latter, scores an opening. Her fists rears back and she punches down.

Right into stone at a bad angle into stone. "-w f-ck, f-ck, f-ck..!" she hisses, shaking her hand off. A boot comes up, and stomps down HARD with a painful crunch.

The devil crumples and fades with a laugh.

Selia continues along the corridor, not quite the panicked pace, but still moving fast, mutter dark promises about demons and learning to be a paladin just to Spite Smite. Eventually her heart stops thumping a mile a minute and the dancer slows to a stop, looking around.

<OOC> Braelnoir says, "look around, knowledge mil/engineering to see where a likely place to set up a secure lay would be"
GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/military theory+2+2: (18)+13+2+2: 35

There are two sets of doors, outer and inner. Both are thrown wide, beyond the inner set is an alcove, a wall that blocks off view of the rest of the interior, with stairs heading down from the dais into deeper water.

Stairs that appear clogged with webs.

Once the girls have the demon stomped and chopped to the point of >poof!<ing back to wherever the hell it belongs, Brae lowers the butt of her scythe to the floor, a contemplative look upon her features.

She looks between her companions and says, "We should get eyes back on Selly for she gets jumped b'somethin' else, le's not lose people needless, yeah?"

"There's not a lot o'secure spots here, but there's likely more we ain't seein'."

GAME: Seyardu rolls 7d6: (16): 16
GAME: You damaged Selia for -16 points. 50 HP remaining.

"Yes, you are right, Braelnoir." The makari nods. She strides out through the outer hall, until she can see Selia, and hold out her holy symbol, mending the worst of their wounds. "Are you well? We still have need of your assistance."

<OOC> Jinks says, "Cast Grease on myself and move to 20,12 (still invis)"
GAME: Jinks casts Grease. Caster Level: 14 DC: 19
GAME: Jinks rolls Reflex+2: (14)+15+2: 31
GAME: Jinks rolls Stealth+20-2: (4)+16+20+-2: 38 (-2 water)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (2)+10: 12 (See invisible vs DC18 Perception - Fail)

Aside from the occasional distant plip-plopping of reed-thin kobold legs traipsing through the water, there's no sign at all of the disguised gnome.

He can see a flooded temple, draped in darkness. Rows of ruined pews jut upwards from the dark water like broken teeth. A line of kobolds sit at the end of each one, unmoving, heads barely above the water and surrounded by flashes of purple light that drain into the nave where there is a greater depth.

More immediately, an Aqueous Orb is about to roll right over his position. A swarm of wasps converges as well, adding an eerie thrum to the watery acoustics.

At the southern end of the temple, a glowing globe surrounds a raised benna, encircling it and the aura as well as two kobolds. An elderly female surrounded by strange wisps, and a cowering male overlaid by multiple mirror images.

They are finishing a strange chant, at which point both draw kris daggers. The female is staring in the direction of the eastern doors. She squints, intently focused.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (10)+10: 20 (WQ percep vs DC23, +5 for range - Fail)
<OOC> Cryo says, 'Quo is casting Haste on himself, WQ and DI. Move action to roll the Aques orb up into that area.'
<OOC> Cryo says, ' WQ percep check.'
GAME: Jinks rolls Reflex+2: (20)+15+2: 37 (CRITICAL SUCCESS) (vs DC19 - Success)
GAME: Aryia rolls reflex+1+1: (6)+20+1+1: 28 (vs DC19 - Success)

The dark-skinned male gestures with his knife, drawing a rapid shape in the air composed of angles, which he slashes through. Fragments of the sigil spin off to land on him, his mistress, and the cursed congregation. All of whom now move with greater alacrity.

A ball of water rolls through the webs then up the steps, passing Jinks and Aryia and then churning in the entrance alcove where the devil was just dispatched.

<OOC> Aryia says, "I'm going to move out of the way of the water to 21,10, pull out a potion in the process, then drink it"
GAME: Aryia rolls 1d8+1: (3)+1: 4
GAME: You damaged Aryia for -4 points. 121 HP remaining.

Aryia gasps as some sort of water ball blobs its way down the stairs. Given a heads up from an unseen /sick flip/ that's heard rather than seen. She dives back to her friends, her yanking a potion off her belt and downing it. Her free hand gestures, "Fuck, it's all gummed up those ways, someone's casting shit down the stairs" <Handspeech/Tongues>

The potion didn't do much, but every little, tiny bit helps.

<OOC> Braelnoir says, "i'll delay for now"

With Seyardu moving off to catch up with Selia on her word, Brae nods with a little smile...

And suddenly Aryia's forced to evade a big ass ball of water that's suddenly presenting itself as an obstacle, "Shit, luv, y'alright?"

It's a moment, then, she considers the ball with... a somewhat puzzled look, "Least it weren't fire."

One still could drown in it. It rolls ominously.

GAME: Selia rolls acrobatics: (11)+21: 32

Selia eyes the corridor furter down. Two prong attack? No, that only works when you're strong enough to split your forces. Turning back, the little lutch moves swiftly thru the waist deep waters, nodding. "I been better, but still standin. Take it barbed bastard's gone?" Well, swiftly for a halfling.

Each of the kobolds surrounding the 'h' shaped depression on the nave stiffens and points its nose to the arched ceiling. A line of darklight trickles from the back of each skull, like a soul remananent or liquified brain, and drains into the water that laps the neck, disappearing into the depths.

<OOC> Seyardu says, "I think I'll freedom of movement myself so I can maneuver through the web next turn,"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "and quick channel a heal"
GAME: Seyardu rolls 7d6: (19): 19
GAME: You damaged Seyardu for -19 points. 144 AND 14 TEMP HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Aryia for -19 points. 140 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Jinks for -19 points. 88 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Braelnoir for -19 points. 133 AND 1 TEMP HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Selia for -19 points. 54 HP remaining.

Seyardu, with Selia doubling back, follows suit, until she reaches the main room, with the sphere floating ominuously. "A spellcaster is near?" She asks the others, pulling her holy symbol up and offering another prayer. "Celestial mother, shield this one from harm, so we may remove this evil from our world." the cleric prays, followed up by another emanation of healing energy from the symbol, mending the wounds of the group. "I am ready to meet them." She states firmly.

<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright. Will give a warning to folks and then casting Bard's Escape. You have the coordinates. Quickened Rod to cast slow on the human caster, WQ, and up to 12 other swimming kobolds within range (up to 30' away from the human). Then a move action to Inspire Courage +3."
GAME: Jinks casts Bard's Escape. Caster Level: 14 DC: 23
GAME: Jinks casts Slow. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
GAME: Jinks spends TWO uses of BARDIC PERFORMANCE.
<OOC> Jinks says, "(used two rounds because I never did the round to beat the illusion door)"
GAME: Jinks rolls Will: (17)+11: 28 (vs DC23 - Success!)
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "couple questions. Are you shaped changed to be a kobold or disguised with an illusion to be one?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alter Shape. So I'm physically a kobold right meow."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "and your casting is loud and noticeable?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Yeah. I don't have silent spells. I would be invisible up until I cast Slow, however, Then I pop into view."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'll go with this. Make your pose for casting the Bard's Escape, the magic sort of happening, and you starting to pull out your rod, at which point you can decide not to cast slow, as you don't go anywhere, and I'll do the closing pose."
You paged (Jinks, Williwaw) with 'A teleporting creature ... can resist the effect with a Will save if the save is successful, the creature simply doesnt teleport at all (but the use of the teleport effect is still consumed). You successfully saved against the spell, so you don't move.'
<OOC> Jinks says, "I can't cast slow from where I am due to range issues. So that decision is very easy."
GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (1)+20: 21 (EPIC FAIL) (vs DC27 - Fail Epically to identify what happened)
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "This has never happeend before! You swear"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'm going to say that since 'notice visible' and 'hear conversation' is DC0, that with the distance benefit of +6 for roughly 60', +2 for environment, it's DC8 to notice Jinks doing his casting. even though he's not visible right now, WQ has a spell for that."
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+10: (13)+10: 23 (vs DC8 - Jinks is spotted)

"Wizardthrallandqueen. Onadais. Koboldsinapool. Somethingbig. Gettingusthere." The little gnome's words slam together but for a few forceful and intended pauses to make them somewhat understandable. There's the ethereal tinkling of bells and the rapid crescendo of ghostly woodwinds.

The world pulls to one side, nudged by a dimensional tugging and then an electric shock, static and disorienting tears back from your center to pull you in the opposite direction.

The invisible gnome-- kobold-- tosses his hands through the air in a short curve and touches his middle-finger and thumb together. The music stops and the pull towards the ground takes hold. There's a weight to your body once again.

"Teleporting. Is. Out. Southpastme. Northisbugs." And then he pulls the Hymn from behind reality's curtains and swaddles the group in its bolstering warmth.

That... felt... wrong.

Like teleporting within Alexandria, there was some sort of barrier in effect. Not exactly the same, but similar. The world turned sideways and then was roughly slammed back. Within the well of the room the glowing streaks pulse, lingering on brightness before fading to a nigh invisible black again. Beckoning. Inviting.

"There's something there!" The dark queen hisses, stabbing out with a clawed finger towards the webbed stairs. "I hear it. Drink your damn potion." <draconic>

Outside...

The bell tolls.

Ghoulish cp line.png

OOC & Combatty

 ===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     23   Aryia            7  Flat-footed (0 rnds active)                  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     23   Braelnoir        1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     22   Selia            7  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     21   Jinks            1  Flat-footed (0 rnds active)                  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     14   BBQ-D               
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4    Seyardu          1  Flat-footed (0 rnds active)                  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ==============================================================================
 ===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 5 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     29   WQ               1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     26   Quo              1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     23   Aryia            7  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     23   Braelnoir        1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     22   Selia            7  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4    Seyardu          1  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  >> 3    Jinks            1   <<
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ==============================================================================
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|   Name   |   Race   |   Class   | CHP | HP  | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Aryia     |SHADOW_ELF|Mnk        | 107 | 165 |30/24/29 | 47 | 18 | 20 | 17 |
|Braelnoir |HUMAN     |Brg/DDs/Ftr| 133 | 133 |28/25/19 | 30 | 16 | 8  | 7  |
|Jinks     |GNOME     |Bard       | 41  | 88  |25/21/15 | 25 | 8  | 15 | 11 |
|Selia     |HALFLING  |Rog/Shadowd| 54  | 54  |23/17/18 | 22 | 8  | 17 | 7  |
|Seyardu   |SITH-MAKAR|Clr        | 99  | 130 |23/23/14 | 22 | 13 | 4  | 15 |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preamble
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Hi, thanks for coming. I am hoping this goes well, it's been a while since I've run something. Williwaw is here to help and observe and keep things honest. As usual, when combat starts there will be the five minutes, move on if there is no response. There will be no free re-rolls this time, as balance and an appropriate CR were the main concern about my scenes and this is not an official rule per the wiki. So, the dice and I will be trying to kill you."

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Sometimes I will put: "Inside...". This usually reflects a page to Williwaw regarding what the NPCs are doing. In the log upload I'll have it expanded. I think it would be too much to ask everyone to 'see and forget' what they're doing out of sight. In TB2 this might be a 'hidden text' feature; I did ask for such."

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Jinks, your arrival might be delayed a little bit, depending how everyone else kicks off. Selia and Braelnoir, you may wish to consider how you ended up here, and the old expedient of 'hired' might work. I think Brae did talk with Aryia about it, months ago IC."

Mid Game
<OOC> Aryia plans in rp4
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "As you are Tier 3, I'm less inclined to offer hints, instead expecting that you will ask 'will this or that skill assist'. However in this instance an k/religion or k/engineering would give you some idea of how the temple was originally laid out, DC15. and DC20 INT if you want to remember something."

Purchases
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "You'll be starting outside the temple. Did anyone want to purchase anything?"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Intelligence was: Intelligent Undead, Co-opted Caster, Defensive magics. Some info may be unreliable."
<OOC> Williwaw says, "300g a piece, Brae. I can do that for you now."
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "3 pots plz"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "I'll grab an extra potion of cure serious wounds just in case"
<OOC> Selia says, "Two mod for me please"
<OOC> Aryia says, "I'll get two potions of ant haul (CL 1): 50 gp each, 100gp total"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Scroll of Virtuoso Performance for 1,000gp."
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "potion of water breathing?"
<OOC> Aryia says, "I'll buy one of those potions too then immediately use it. it's 750gp"

Weapon +s
<OOC> Jinks says, "If your weapon is +3 (or higher) it counts as Silver and Cold Iron."
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "or.. +3 weps are cold iron/silver, right?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "+4 bypasses Adamantine. +5 alignment-based DR."

Map!
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=mrf7i87amh0

Powas Used
Aryia
<OOC> Aryia uses Ki power: Barkskin
GAME: Aryia spends ONE point of KI POOL.
<OOC> Aryia will move to 20,11 and attempt to trip it
Aryia will visiocus stomp
<OOC> Aryia says, "first one would bet shattering punch but its super failed"

Seyardu
GAME: Seyardu casts Mass Bear's Endurance. Caster Level: 14 DC: 22
GAME: Seyardu casts Water Breathing. Caster Level: 14 DC: 19
<OOC> Aryia says, "btw sey you can divide the duration up to multiple people"
<OOC> Williwaw says, "Nods. So at your level, you could grant it to two people for 14 hours."
GAME: Seyardu casts Bless. Caster Level: 14 DC: 17
GAME: Seyardu casts Angelic Aspect. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
<OOC> Seyardu says, "bestow grace on Aryia, then I'll move to 22,10, where I can threaten
Channels Used: 2 or 3 (Quick Channel counts as 2?)

Jinks
Sandcastle
GAME: Jinks casts Shadow Conjuration. Caster Level: 14 DC: 23
GAME: Jinks casts Shadow Evocation. Caster Level: 14 DC: 24
GAME: Jinks casts Haste. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
GAME: Jinks casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20
GAME: Jinks casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20
GAME: Jinks casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20
GAME: Jinks casts Alter Self. Caster Level: 14 DC: 20
This Scene
GAME: Jinks casts Grease. Caster Level: 14 DC: 19
GAME: Jinks casts Bard's Escape. Caster Level: 14 DC: 23
GAME: Jinks casts Slow. Caster Level: 14 DC: 21
GAME: Jinks spends TWO uses of BARDIC PERFORMANCE.
<OOC> Jinks says, "So I have a third level spell casting beyond what my spellcount says. But my special ability use and the jaunt spell are still used ."

Post Game
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So, will pause here."
<OOC> Aryia says, "thats a really good endpose :)"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Thanks."
<OOC> Seyardu says, "okay!"
<OOC> Williwaw says, "Nice."
<OOC> Cryosanthia grins, "It would have been EVEN BETTER if Jinks failed that save."
<OOC> Selia applauds and noms
<OOC> Aryia snickers
<OOC> Williwaw says, "Thank you Cryo for running this today, and thank you everyone for participating."
<OOC> Aryia says, "thank you very much cryo <3"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "thanks for coming and helping Williwaw. I appreciate all the rules clarifications on the fly."
<OOC> Jinks says, "I'm imaging the brain phase of Yogg from ICC."
<OOC> Jinks says, "*imagining"
<OOC> Braelnoir says, "very nice! thank you for running Cryo, great rp y'all!"
<OOC> Braelnoir hug <3
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "thanks for playing everyone. As I've emailed a few, I'm having visitors this tuesday to next tuesday. So that part 2 will have to be after Aug 28th. Like, it could be done that evening, maybe"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "but if we want a sunday it's sliding into September."
<OOC> Williwaw says, "It's my pleasure. Running t3/t4 is... alot. Like was mentioned, there's a reason people shy away from it. And with a grand epic captstone to your arc like this, the alot multiplies. It will be an excellent ending, however."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I'll try to make a list at the end of the log of everything cast so you can remember"
<OOC> Aryia is out of town until the 31st :c
<OOC> Aryia says, "starting this thurs"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, Sept is is then, no worries."
<OOC> Braelnoir hugs
<OOC> Aryia very big hug.
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods to Williwaw, "I hope so."
<OOC> Aryia and very big hug williwaw
<OOC> Aryia says, "i know it will be"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Thank you for running! I've enjoyed it so far"
<OOC> Aryia says, "and thank you everyone for the fun rp :)"
<OOC> Selia gives much thanks, runs off before stores close. Shall return
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "I think I will put in for the PrP for this since you did defeat a mob fully and endured some side spells and traps, and that's easier than waiting 3 weeks to do so"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "note it as a part 1 with maybe reduced XP"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Sept.11 is the first week of the regular season for American Football. I also have a VTT Starfinder game that occasionally happens on Sundays that's looking to resume the evening of the 11th. So if we're looking to do a Sunday, sometime before Sept.11 would be preferable. (I'm also out of town for a week for a bachelor party starting the... 15th, I think)"
<OOC> Williwaw says, "We will work something out!"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Sept 4 is a Sunday, after Aug 31s, and I'd prefer that over Sept 18 or 25"
<OOC> Jinks says, "And I'd say submit it as a CR12 (CR11 monster with +1 for unfavorable conditions). And it'll probably get awarded as a full plot."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Rock on."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Thanks all."
<OOC> Cryosanthia nods, "that's true."
<OOC> Williwaw says, "Good showing everyone. Have to head out now, but might be back later for RPs."
<OOC> Braelnoir hugs, thanks again, gonna drop shortly for dinner, probably back in a bit maybe rp some more