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Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc
Dina

"I have a better idea," says Dina as she begins casting Daylight on all the party members who wish it.

Daylight is dismissible but I have to do it as a standard action, so if you want to try for stealth in the near future I can skip casting it on you, but otherwise everyone's gonna get it.

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El Fappo
Dec 26, 2012
Ishmael

"Thank you, Dina. Truly we are now bright, shining stars."

Quornes
Jun 23, 2011
Ivan

"And stick out like ones."

Underneath the protective glamour of his magical hat, Ivan has turned beastial, sporting large teeth, claws, and protruding tentacles. Since the others seem to just be standing around, he heads for the statue.

Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Marcon, fully armored once more, has never claimed to be the sneaky type, so he welcomes Dina's spell. As the others advance, he trails the leaders so that he can provide support with his bow as needed.

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Even as Dina finishes casting Daylight on her fourth person, Marcon, and Ivan pushes his way to out into the room, one of the southern doors slams open and a familiar face steps out. Even as you recognize him, the bright light being given off by multiple party members flickers and dies.

Starweaver Fembrys stands there, clad in full plate and carrying a shield and mace, and he does not look happy. Glaring at the first person in line, he chants a spell. All of you besides the paladins feel a wave of fear shake you, and Xerxes identifies the spell as Bane.




Starting off with some Will saves from everyone except Dina and Ishmael. Passed SR check for Anciano. I don't think anyone else currently has it, but feel free to give me a d20 roll if you do.
:siren:Anciano, Marcon, Ishmael, Barkley, & Xerxes are up.:siren:

Currently suppressed, but Daylight effects on Anciano, Ishmael, Dina, and Marcon(assumed Barkley would rather avoid it).

Initiative(Will be revealed after this round):
??????

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.

Lord Koth fucked around with this message at 06:23 on Jul 17, 2014

Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Marcon ignores the effect of the Starweaver's spell, which he identifies as a minor curse, not usually something worth the time to cast. He puffs his way to the bottom of the stairs and hastily lets an arrow fly at the cleric. Unfortunately, in his haste he fumbles the release and his arrow flies wide.

22 on Will save, 24 on Spellcraft, move to G27, 12 to hit with arrow.

Bouquet fucked around with this message at 07:16 on Jul 17, 2014

El Fappo
Dec 26, 2012
Ishmael

The automaton's cold, uncaring voice booms out "Sir, you are acting in an aggressive manner. You require pacification."

Move to G-26 and retrieve a thunderstone from my handy haversack.

El Fappo fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Jul 17, 2014

Waador
Sep 11, 2001

Smashin' down the light.
Pillbug
Barkley
Beneath his mask, Barkley cocked an eyebrow as the spell was cast at the cluster of adventurers. He had been expecting something debilitating, such as a sleeping spell, or perhaps a dominating effect, and had mentally braced himself for the impact of such an assault. This left him woefully unprepared for the far subtler impact of the bane spell, which washed over him like a cloud and immediately filled him with doubt and regret.
pre:
Will save - 4
Although he was hardly an expert on matters arcane (or divine), he could feel that the spell was a trivial thing, barely worth notice. However, in his experience, true masters of the art of spellmancy could leverage a minor advantage to gain a significant foothold in combat, and it was entirely possible that the priest was laying the groundwork for a more powerful assault for which this curse may act as a force multiplier. It was not fundamentally different to engaging in battle with a blade, where positioning was critical and timing and the order of strikes was everything, he knew.

Out of concern for the potential follow-up assault as much as a keen interest in being defiant for the sake of it, he decided to sunder the spell. Adopting a Dwarven dialect and accompanying accent that he had learned during his youth in Vaasa, with a roar he shouted, "I say thee -- nay!", while mentally imploring his body to scour itself of the taint that the application of the Weave had visited upon him. Beneath the skin, the particularly vicious antibodies of the shadow dragon to which he could trace his lineage temporarily sprung to life from their otherwise dormant slumber, and within moments they had consumed the magical residue, rendering it inert within Barkley's body. Those particularly close to him and knowledgeable about such things, likely including Xerxes and Anciano, may well have seen his eyes take on the serpentine appearance of a true dragon's for the brief moment that the shadow genes asserted themselves, if they happened to be paying attention to him rather than the dangers about the area.

As the effects of the spell wore off and his mind began to clear, he retreated back around the staircase, nodding to the others while making a 'scissor' motion with his hands. Which he hoped they would interpret as an intention to execute a pincer attack, rather than something involving scissoring. Breaking line of sight with the cleric by ducking into the larger staircase leading back to the upper temple, he promptly vanished from sight by embracing shadow once more, continuing his trek towards their assailant.
pre:
Power attack:  -5 / +10
Standard:      Iron heart surge
                  - Purge the Bane effect.
                  - Gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls until the end of the next turn.
Move:          Move from H29 to L33.
                  - Hide 39 / Move Silently 37

Maneuvers:     Iron Heart Surge / Sudden Leap / Emerald Razor / Steel Wind
Active stance: Leaping dragon

Combat reference:
HP:            45 / 68
AC (base):     19                     Fortitude:     + 8
AC (touch):    14                     Reflex:        +10
AC (flat):     15                     Will:          - 1                        
Speed:         40' (base)             Initiative:    + 4 (base) / + 9 (with Dina)

Constant effects:
(Ex) • Uncanny dodge (Always retain dexterity bonus.)
(Su) • Innate nondetection (Any divination must defeat a DC 20 caster level check.)
(Ex) • Peerless camouflage (Move at full speed or run while hiding with no penalty.)
(Ex) • Trackless path (+10 DC vs. any attempt to be tracked.)
(Ex) • Hide in plain sight (except in daylight)
(Ex) • Resistance to cold 10
(Ex) • Darkvision 60'
(Ex) • Superior low-light vision
(Ex) • +4 vs. sleep effects and paralysis
(Ex) • +3 to confirm critical hits

Temporary effects:
(Sp) • Endure exposure (24 hours)
       - Gain endure elements (as the spell).
       - Gain immunity to the breath weapons of Xerxes.

Waador fucked around with this message at 01:46 on Jul 20, 2014

Ryuujin
Sep 26, 2007
Dragon God
Xerxes of the Breath

Xerxes quickly passes along a mental message to the others. <<The spell he cast was Bane.>> Then flies around the corner and unleashes a cloud of slowing gas toward the angry man.


Will Save 1d20+6 15

Fly to J-27 then Slow Breath the 15 ft cone in front of me, catching Fembrys. Slow for 2 rounds, Fort Save DC 17 for 1 round.

pre:
Xerxes
HP 65/65 
AC 19; Touch 15; FF 17
Saves 11/7/6
Speed: Fly 60' (Good)
Telepathy 60'
Immunity to sleep and paralysis
Blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.
Low-light vision
Spell resistance 19, 
Breath Weapon DC:  17
Effect:  Endure Elements (this has also been placed on all other PCs)

Ryuujin fucked around with this message at 04:45 on Jul 19, 2014

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

As the party begins to spread out to flank Fembrys, Xerxes flits forward before releasing his breath on him. Even as they notice he seems to be moving notably slower, they also notice something else - something much closer to them.

You stare on as shadows start swarming around a portion of the rubble lying around. It begins to come together and then rises, revealing itself as an animate stony mass - clublike arms composed of jagged broken statuary. A detached part of Xerxes' mind recognizes it as some form of Earth Elemental, but as it seems to turn towards him, there's no more time for thinking.

Wasting no more time, it swings its pottery infused arm at the irritating fly hovering in an element anathema to it. The light emitted from the statue that shrouds Xerxes seems to throw its aim off a bit, but not enough to deflect the blow.




Yes, that's an Earth Elemental with the Dark template up in your face. No, as far as I'm aware that template adds literally nothing to its difficulty, but "flavor" and all that. Senses had no chance of picking it up as it was underground; description was just flavor.

Ryuujin, Xerxes takes 18 damage.


:siren:Ivan & Dina are up.:siren:


Initiative(Will be revealed after this round):
??????

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Lord Koth fucked around with this message at 02:23 on Jul 22, 2014

Quornes
Jun 23, 2011
Ivan

Snarling at the sudden appearance of the elemental and its attack, Ivan casts away his concealing magic and launches an asault. Claw and fangs, with rending appendages. He doesn't even mind the taste of the stone.

Natural Attacks: 2#1d20+5 25 19 4#1d20 7 12 3 16
Damage: 2#1d6+7 8 11

Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc
Dina

With the other adventurers blocking her path to the earth elemental, Dina circles around towards the false cleric.

Double moving to L32
pre:
Dina
HP 45/45 
AC 23; Touch 14; FF 22
Saves 12/7/10
+3 to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts 
Darkvision 60'
Spell resistance 15
Damage reduction 5/Magic
Acid, cold, electricity resistance 10
+4 on saves vs. poison
Immune to disease, fear
Allies w/in 10' get +4 to saves vs fear
Motivate Dexterity Aura (+5 to Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, and initiative checks to allies)
Effect:  Endure Elements, Daylight (suppressed)

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Ivan's various natural weaponry slowly eats away at the elemental in front of him, but it does seem heavily resistant to his blows. And even as those closest start to react to the giant rock, and Dina, finding no place to attack it from begins to circle around in the same direction Barkley's gone, yet another threat materializes itself - though a familiar one this time.

Another of those shadowy guards appears from the corner behind Ishmael, doing his best to drive a sword through his armored back. Sliding it through the various plates on his back, it strikes true and he staggers a bit. Even as he recovers, on the other side of the room Fembrys slowly steps to the left before chanting another spell. Those magically inclined recognize it as Sound Burst even as it makes itself blatantly obvious why it's called that.

A burst of sound erupts from immediately to Ivan's right and directly in front of the earth elemental, though the closeness of that much detritus seems to absorb much of it. The sound is still quite loud and those nearby find themselves trying not to wince and cover their ears.







El Fappo, Ishmael takes 12(1 point of it is SA) damage.

Then, Ishmael, Marcon, Ivan, & Xerxes take 1 damage. And make a Fort save or be stunned for one round. DC 17. Not sure if any of you in that area have SR, so feel free to roll it if you have it.


:siren:New round!:siren:


Initiative:
Anciano 24 <--------
Marcon 20
Ishmael 19
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11
Dina 8
Ivan 8
Shadow Guards 7
Fembrys 1

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.

Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Startled by the sudden appearance of the elemental, Marcon bats at it with his bow and backs away.

-Make Fort save.
-Flail ineffectually with bonebow used as melee weapon thanks to elvencraft
-5' step to H28

pre:
HP: 28/29  AC:19 (T:13, FF:16) F: +2  R: +4  W: +4
Initiative: +3  BAB: +3  AoO: +6 to hit, 1d6+2 dmg, 20/x2 crit
Misc:
+2 AC vs. ranged

Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 0/1    Healing Belt: 3/3
Bonebow: +8 to hit, 1d10+4 dmg, 20/x3 crit, 140' range, +1 to hit/dmg within 30'

Waador
Sep 11, 2001

Smashin' down the light.
Pillbug
Barkley
He was somewhat surprised to see Dina follow him around the corner, oblivious to the mighty earth elemental that lurked outside his field of vision. Knocked slightly off-balance as a result of the nearby sound burst (which he couldn't be sure was due to the priest, or Ishmael's own stockpile of thunderstones), he sighed a little on the inside and steadied himself against the wall for a few seconds before kicking off the top of the stairs in a powerful leap.

Spiraling through the air like a pinwheel, he launched into an aerial vault that would have been able to clear the distance between himself and Fembrys in the blink of an eye. To his surprise, he found himself very nearly slamming into a well-concealed guardian at the base of the stairs, who was more than happy to attempt to stab at him once his presence had been made known. Reacting swiftly and still in mid-air, Barkley kicked his legs out to the nearby wall, pushing himself to the other side of the stairway, and then proceeded to run a few steps along the side of the wall as he transitioned back to the ground in a flurry of acrobatic movements that left the nearby guardsman (and likely a few other observers) blinking and confused as to what had just happened.

Although he had perhaps emerged from the shadows a few moments too soon, it didn't shift the intended results of his efforts, as the tip of his halberd slipped deftly through the seams of the priest's armor, and straight into his kidney for a nearly-critical blow. He removed the blade with a quick jerk, giving the man's lifeblood all the time it needed to begin spurting out violently, while simultaneously leveling his gaze with the priest.

Earlier, while the group was still upstairs, Anciano and Dina had speculated that this temple might be run by worshipers of Shar, which was an idea that confused him given what he knew of the goddess. Still, he was curious to see if that supposition was true, and so he applied the best litmus test he knew for such a thing, announcing loudly for all to hear, "In the name of the moon, I will punish you.", while keeping his gaze locked with the priest. Around this time, he also noticed the ten foot wide, fifteen foot tall earth elemental within murderous-rampage distance, and decided to keep himself to a slightly healthier engagement range. Extending his blade behind his back in one arm for balance, he kicked himself back into the air in a powerful somersault worthy of a praying mantis, leaping dozens of feet backwards and upwards, including straight over Dina's head, ultimately landing atop the stairs from where he originally commenced his assault.
pre:
Power attack:  -5 / +10
Move:          L33 > L29 (20' actual)
               (3:12:43 AM) Krysmbot: Dawnfiend, 4+14+5 = 23 Tumble
               L29 > M28 > M27 (10' actual / 20' effective)
Standard:      Emerald razor vs. Fembrys
               Hit:     22 (vs. Touch) [24 if hidden]
               Damage:  21
Swift:         Sudden leap
               Range:   46' maximum
                        (3:19:45 AM) Krysmbot: Dawnfiend, 3+14+5 = 22 Tumble
                        M27 > M30 (15' actual / 30' effective)
                        M30 > L33 (15' actual)

Maneuvers:     Iron Heart Surge / Sudden Leap / Emerald Razor / Steel Wind
Active stance: Leaping dragon

Waador fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Jul 25, 2014

El Fappo
Dec 26, 2012
Ishmael

pre:
Warforged Paladin 5 / Monk(Sleeping Tiger) 5
Lawful Good
Region: Lantan

Strength:      13 (+1)
Dexterity:     16 (+3)
Constitution:  10 (+0)
Intelligence:  10 (+0)
Wisdom:        13 (+1)
Charisma:      13 (+1)

Hit Points: 40

Speed: 40 feet (+10 from monk)

Armor Class: 17 = 10 +3 [dexterity] +1 [wisdom] +1 [monk level] +2 [armor plating]
Touch AC: 15
Flat-footed: 14

Initiative modifier:	+7	 = +3 [dexterity] +4 [Improved Initiative]
Fortitude save:	        +5	 = 4 [base] +0 [constitution] +1 [paladin charisma]
Reflex save:	        +7	 = 4 [base] +3 [dexterity] +1 [paladin charisma]
Will save:	        +6	 = 4 [base] +1 [wisdom] +1 [paladin charisma]
Attack (handheld):	+8	 = 5 [base] +3 [dexterity]
Attack (unarmed):	+8	 = 5 [base] +3 [dexterity]
Flurry of Blows:	+7/+7	    [includes dex modifier]
Attack (missile):	+8	 = 5 [base] +3 [dexterity]
Grapple check:	        +6	 = 5 [base] +1 [strength]

Languages: Common

Feats:
1: Power Attack
2: Dodge
4: Mobility
Monk1: Weapon Finesse
Monk2: Improved Initiative

Skills:
Diplomacy      3   = +1(cha) +2(ranks)
Hide:          13  = +3(dex) +8(ranks) +2(sleeping tiger)
Jump:          9   = +1(str) +4(ranks) +4(from speed)
Move Silently: 8   = +3(dex) +5(ranks)
Ride:          10  = +3(dex) +7(ranks)
total 32 ranks


First-level Paladin spells: 1 (0+1) per day

Warforged:
+2 con, -2 wis, -2 cha
Composite plating makes armor unusable, 5% arcane failure chance
Cannot heal damage naturally
Does not eat, sleep, breathe
25% chance to avoid criticals and sneak attacks
-1 to -9 HP = inert, but not progressing to death
Immune to poison, sleep, energy drain, disease, nausea, paralysis, fatigue, exhaustion
Natural attack: Slam - 1d4

Monk (Sleeping Tiger variant):
+wis to AC
+1 AC for level 5
Flurry of blows
Fast Movement +10
+2 to Hide
1st level feat: Weapon Finesse
2nd level feat: Improved Initiative
Evasion
Still Mind (+2 to saving throws against enchantment)
Ki strike
Purity of Body (immune to disease)

Paladin:
Aura of Good
Detect Evil
Smite Evil 2/day
Divine Grace
Lay on Hands +5hp per day
Aura of Courage
Divine Health
Turn Undead 5/day
Mount: Heavy Warhorse


Equipment:
Masterwork Cold Iron Kama -           604 gp
Masterwork Alchemical Silver Kama -   392 gp
2 Blur Potions                        600 gp
2 Cat's Grace potions                 600 gp
Handy Haversack                       2000 gp
Hand of the Mage                      900 gp
Barding, Chain Shirt                  400 gp
5 Thunderstones                       150 gp
4 Holy Water flasks                   100 gp
5 Alchemist's Fire flasks             100 gp
Everburning Torch                     110 gp
2 Holy Symbols, silver                50 gp
5 Tanglefoot Bags                     250 gp
2 Feather Token, Swan Boat            900 gp
2 Feather Token, Tree                 800 gp
Masterwork Heavy Crossbow             Regional bonus equipment
50 bolts                              5 gp
Total:                                7911 gp
Remaining:                            1089 gp
Light Fortification to negate that sneak attack: 1d4 4
I've got no idea how Light Fortification works, so I just rolled a d4 for the 25% chance. Does this negate it?

Fort save: 1d20+5 19

"I WILL NEVER BE STOPPED!" yells Ishmael, shrugging off the sonic attack and focusing his gaze on the shadowman. He begins punching it.

Flurry to hit: 2#1d20+7 13 12

Flurry damage if it hits: 2#1d8+1 7 8

5 foot step into F25

El Fappo fucked around with this message at 07:09 on Jul 26, 2014

Ryuujin
Sep 26, 2007
Dragon God
Xerxes of the Breath

Xerxes didn't care for the sonic wall that slammed into him, and he took out his rage on Fembrys with a burning breath.


Fort Save 1d20+116 19

Fire Breath Weapon 4d6 11 Fire damage, DC 17 for half.

pre:
Xerxes
HP 46/65 
AC 19; Touch 15; FF 17
Saves 11/7/6
Speed: Fly 60' (Good)
Telepathy 60'
Immunity to sleep and paralysis
Blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.
Low-light vision
Spell resistance 19, 
Breath Weapon DC:  17
Effect:  Endure Elements (this has also been placed on all other PCs)

EclecticTastes
Sep 17, 2012

"Most plans are critically flawed by their own logic. A failure at any step will ruin everything after it. That's just basic cause and effect. It's easy for a good plan to fall apart. Therefore, a plan that has no attachment to logic cannot be stopped."
Anciano

(Sorry for not posting for so long, it's just been shockingly hard to come up with a combat post, but then I remembered I have Knowledge Devotion and that might help provide me a solid option for fighting. Making a Cunning Knowledge-boosted Knowledge(The Planes) roll for all the Plane of Shadow Outsiders. 26 grants me a +3 insight bonus to attack and damage rolls on the Dark critters. Using a similarly boosted roll on Knowledge(Religion) for Fembrys, since he's a Cleric. A natural 20 gives me a total of 37, for the maximum bonus of +5 to attack and damage against him. Also FYI Cunning Insight is a Competence Bonus and thus would stack. Also my Inspiration Pool is presently at 2 of 4 points remaining. Also if it's kosher for me to have my action from last round, I'd have just activated my Mithralmist Shirt, filling my square with 25% miss chance.)

Anciano studies the ongoing battle carefully, observing the enemies as they engage his comrades. To anyone else, he might appear as though he's standing still, but his mind is moving far faster than they'd realize. He remembers studying extraplanar beings, and recalls that creatures from the Plane of Shadow dislike bright lights. His gloves' Ray of Frost could be fired at an angle to catch the light, the ice crystals made to sparkle and gleam. It wouldn't add a lot, but it would be useful. Fembrys, however, Anciano knew well how to handle him. The priests of this temple had greatly profaned Mystra, and it was likely that if Anciano channeled the magic in his gloves just right, the Mother of All Magic's indignation would make itself known. Anciano points at Fembrys and speaks a word in a language nobody else understands, releasing a brilliant blue beam of rime.

(This is a ranged touch attack, so it may still work, despite being only 13. If it hits, it will deal 7 damage. Also the command word is in Roushoum. I'll toss a condensed combat block into the next post, but IIRC my full sheet is needed here because the recruit thread was archived.)

quote:

Name: Anciano Manaallin

Race: Spellwarped Deep Imaskari (Human/Aberration)

Class: Factotum 5/Adept 2

Alignment: Neutral Good

Ability Scores:

STR: 12 (+1) (+4 template)
DEX: 12 (+1) (-2 racial, +2 template)
CON: 12 (+1) (+4 template)
INT 25 (+7) (+2 racial, +4 template, got 24 from the buy, +1 at L4)
WIS: 14 (+2)
CHA: 14 (+2)

HP: 37
AC: 19 (11 touch, 18 flat-footed) (+2 nat. armor, template)
Spell Resistance: 16 (11 + level)
F/R/W: +2/+12/+5
Init: +12
BAB: +3 (+4 total)

Region: Deep Imaskar

Skills (14 SP/level):
Appraise: 1 (8)
Autohypnosis: 5 (7)
Balance: 5 (15, 17 for spelunking-type purposes, like walking on ledges)
Bluff: 5 (7, +3 while familiar is within a mile)
Climb 1 (9+1, +2 for craggy-type walls like in big underground areas)
Concentration 1 (2)
Decipher Script 1 (8)
Diplomacy 5 (13)
Disable Device 1 (8+2)
Disguise 1 (5)
Escape Artist 1 (10, 12 when cave-crawling or similarly using it to squeeze between rocks)
Forgery 1 (8)
Gather Information 1 (3)
Handle Animal 1 (3)
Heal 1 (3)
Hide 1 (9, 13 underground)
Intimidate 5 (9, 15 when using Strength)
Jump 1 (11)
Knowledge (arcana) 5 (12)
Knowledge (architecture and engineering) 5 (12)
Knowledge (dungeoneering) 1 (8)
Knowledge (geography) 1 (8)
Knowledge (history) 1 (8)
Knowledge (local, Cormyr) 1 (8)
Knowledge (local, Amn) 1 (8)
Knowledge (local, Waterdeep) 1 (8)
Knowledge (local, The Western Heartlands) 1 (8)
Knowledge (local, Underdark: Earthroot) 1 (8)
Knowledge (nature) 1 (8)
Knowledge (nobility and royalty) 5 (12)
Knowledge (psionics) 5 (14)
Knowledge (religion) 5 (12)
Knowledge (the planes) 1 (8)
Listen 4 (6, +2 when familiar is nearby)
Martial Lore: 1 (8)
Move Silently 1 (9)
Open Lock 1 (9+2)
Psicraft 1 (10)
Search 1 (8, 10 for secret doors/compartments)
Sense Motive 5 (7)
Sleight of Hand 1 (11)
Spellcraft 5 (14, 16 on scrolls)
Spot 4 (6, +2 when familiar is nearby)
Survival 1 (3, 5 when delving underground)
Swim 1 (9)
Tumble 5 (13)
Use Magic Device 5 (7, 9 w/scrolls)
Use Psionic Device 1 (3, 5 for power stones)
Use Rope 1 (9)

Languages: Common (heavily accented), Roushoum (Imaskari native tongue)
Bonus Languages: Undercommon, Abyssal, Dwarven, Elven (Drow dialect), Draconic

Feats:

Insightful Reflexes
Knowledge Devotion
Human Ingenuity (Approved Homebrew, Nymph's Kiss minus the non-skill points stuff, with Human subrace prereq.)
Improved Initiative (Time Domain)

Racial Traits:

Low-Light Vision
Spell Clutch
+4 Hide while underground

Template Features:

Spell Absorption

Class Features

Inspiration per encounter: 4

Cunning Insight
Cunning Knowledge
Trapfinding
Arcane Dilettante
Brains over Brawn
Cunning Defense
Cunning Strike
Opportunistic Piety
Spellcasting (Adept spell table/list)
Adept Domain: Time
Familiar (Tiny Viper)

Inventory:

Weapon: Gloves of the Uldra Savant
Armor: Mithralmist Armor, Masterwork Light Steel Shield
Tools: Masterwork Thieves' Tools, Spelunker's Kit, pair of Nekodes
Special Stuff: Everlasting Rations, Signet Ring with Continual Flame, Hand of the Mage, Grasping Hook w/ Silk Rope

EclecticTastes fucked around with this message at 17:25 on Jul 26, 2014

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Barkley's move towards the priest is almost halted when he slams into a hidden guard, but manages to dodge around him despite the guard's hasty attack. Slicing into him soundly, he then jumps back just in time for Fembrys to both be bathed in flames and hit by an icy line. Now seemingly struggling to stand, he still manages to stay up, and looking angrier than ever at that.

On the other side of the room Ismael, still thrown off by just being sworded from behind, flails feebly at said stabber before, in a flash of insight, deciding to step back so she could repeat the process. Likewise, Marcon also takes an ineffective swipe with his bow before likewise sliding back. The Earth elemental, on the other hand, continues to express its displeasure with the flying creature, while also turning some of its attention on the one gnawing on it. Once again being backhanded, Xerxes still comes out of it much better looking than Ivan. The giant mass of pottery seems to stove the entire side of his body in, and only the fact that he seems sort of, well, rubbery prevents a horrific result.





Yes, that was a crit from the Elemental on Ivan. Thank your lucky stars you're immune to those. In other news, the Shadow Guard missed on its prepared action by a huge margin.

Anyways, Xerxes takes 20 damage, Ivan takes 24.


:siren:Dina & Ivan are up!:siren:


Initiative:
Anciano 24
Marcon 20
Ishmael 19
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11

Dina 8 <--------
Ivan 8
Shadow Guards 7
Fembrys 1

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.

Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can'’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Quornes
Jun 23, 2011
Ivan

Gaaaaaaah pain! "Fuckkkk yooooouuu!!!!" Ivan screams. He redoubles his efforts to rend the elemental into pieces.

Attacks: 2#1d20+5 23 24 4#1d20 12 1 10 11
Damage: 2#1d6+7 8 10
pre:
Ivan Oglaf     Chaotic Good
HP 23/48
AC: 16 Touch: 11 FF: 15
Fort: +9 Will: +4 Reflex: +4
BAB: +4 MAB: +7 RAB: +5

+8/+8 claw (1d6+4) +3 bite (1d8+2), +3/+3/+3 tentacle (1d4+2)

+2 vs. charm, sleep
Immune to stunning, criticals

Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc
Dina

Dina charges the newly-appeared shadow guard.

Charge to M29 and attacking the guard. Forgot I don't actually have power attack so that's 20 to hit for 14 damage.
Power attacking for -3 to hit/+6 damage.
Charge: 1d20+11 17
Damage: 2d4+16 20

pre:
Dina
HP 45/45 
AC 23; Touch 14; FF 22
Saves 12/7/10
+3 to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts 
Darkvision 60'
Spell resistance 15
Damage reduction 5/Magic
Acid, cold, electricity resistance 10
+4 on saves vs. poison
Immune to disease, fear
Allies w/in 10' get +4 to saves vs fear
Motivate Dexterity Aura (+5 to Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, and initiative checks to allies)
Effect:  Endure Elements, Daylight (suppressed)

Piell fucked around with this message at 16:16 on Jul 28, 2014

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Dina's blow brutally slashes into the revealed guard, though not enough to prevent his return blow - though he finds to his incredulous dismay that it mostly bounces off. His companion, on the other hand, finds herself slamming her sword into the wall next to Ishmael. Perhaps she's more used to backstabbing people?

Still, it is Fembrys who retaliates harshest. Unsteady on his feet as he is, he still steps forward, out of clear view of those on the steps, and with a snarl launches another spell at his chief tormentor. Even as those magically knowledgeable recognize it as a Hold Person spell, Barkley finds every muscle in his body locking in place. Even as he smiles, you notice he doesn't seem to be slowed any more.





The Shadow Guard Dina struck hits her back for, after DR, 2 damage. Meanwhile, the other one misses.

Meanwhile, Fembrys steps forward and tosses a Hold Person at Barkley, which he fails to save. Fembrys is also not slowed any more.


:siren:New Round!:siren:


Initiative:
Anciano 24 <--------
Marcon 20
Ishmael 19
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11
Dina 8
Ivan 8
Shadow Guards 7
Fembrys 1

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Waador
Sep 11, 2001

Smashin' down the light.
Pillbug
Barkley
Although he had recovered from the surprise more smoothly than could be reasonably expected, the interruption of the shadow guard at the bottom of the stairwell had cost him a steep price. He had originally intended to be out of the line of effect of any relevant spell-slinging after his assault, safely around the corner of the stone wall that was only a few inches away from his current location. Knowing that the acolyte was suffering from the debilitating effects of Xerxes' slowing breath, having seen it cover him from head to toe only a few moments prior, it would have been impossible for the man he had just gutted to both reestablish line of effect for his divine abilities and deploy them, as a result. Unfortunately, in order to sidestep and carefully tread around the reach of the shadow guardsman, he found himself a few critical steps short of that intended position.

He idly watched as Dina stepped into the fray, thoroughly savaging the shadow guard, while debating internally what he could have done differently. In retrospect, he supposed he could have dropped to the floor at the top of the stairs after he had executed his flipping leap, which might have denied the clearance necessary to effectively target him with a spell that constituted a direct assault (which in his experience were the only spells worth worrying about). It was hard to gauge though, and that would have been a gamble of a maneuver to execute without some reasonable certainty that the occlusion would have been sufficient.
pre:
Will save - 12 (+4 vs. paralyzing effects for 16 total)
As the holding enchantment began to lock up his muscles, he found that he was somewhat surprised that the cleric had succeeded at an application of a paralyzing agent. His draconic heritage offered him a reasonable amount of protection from such assaults, which suggested that the acolyte specialized in that specific kind of tactic to an impressive degree, or was perhaps exceptionally adept at spellcasting in general, well beyond the ken of most normal humans. It was a mystery that he suspected would not be solved before the death of the man, though, so he didn't give it too much thought.

Finding that even the simplest of movements was impossible, he began to focus his attention on what he could control. Withdrawing from the battle mentally now as well as physically, he admitted to himself that the cleric had put him in a somewhat precarious position, but also took a moment to find it amusing, as it didn't significantly vary the tactics that he had otherwise intended to deploy over the next few moments. He had planned to retreat around the stone wall in order to rejuvenate his reservoir of physical and mental readiness, but was able to do that equally well while frozen in place as he was - and with Dina running interference between him and those down the stairwell, the danger of the situation was mitigated rather effectively.

He began to envision the likely events of the next few moments, in order to debate what tactics made the most sense. Recalling the scene at the bottom of the stairwell, it seemed clear that his companions were on the defensive against what appeared to be a rather massive earth elemental. The shadow guardsman at the bottom of this stairwell was unlikely to survive the next assault from Dina's rather impressive swordsmanship, assuming he had about the same level of physical training and fitness as the guardsmen in the upper area. Similarly, from what he could tell of the man's wounds, the cleric was about to keel over at this very moment, and very likely would be unable to withstand a single solid blow, which both Anciano and Marcon seemed to have a reasonable chance of applying.

The other side of the room was a bit harder to predict, though not terribly so. From what he could tell, Ivan was providing a defensive buffer against the earth elemental, while Ishmael distracted what appeared to be a second shadow guardsman. Given his positioning, Xerxes would almost certainly apply another breath of debilitating gas in order to slow the movements of both the guardsman and the elemental to give the group a significant tactical advantage, although he didn't discount the possibility of a murderous breath of fire being deployed instead in order to ensure the demise of the cleric.

All of that added up to a reliably predictable outcome: by the time he was able to reassert himself, the main threat that would be remaining was likely to be the earth elemental, assuming that no other dangers emerged from the other doors in the lower area. Which was a possibility, he supposed. Still, absent an ability to predict the future, he had to operate on the information available rather than imagined threats. With his course established, he brought his mind to an utter stillness, visualizing and making real the actions he would need to take to first free himself from this enchantment, and then put an end to the rampage of the elemental wreaking havoc on the other side of the stairwell.
pre:
Power attack:  -5 / +10
Full-round:    Adaptive style
               Refresh and adjust maneuvers through a short period of meditation.
               (This reads as purely mental to me - let me know if you disagree.)
Maneuvers:     Iron Heart Surge / Moment of Perfect Mind / Emerald Razor / Mountain Hammer
Active stance: Leaping dragon

Combat reference:
HP:            45 / 68
AC (base):     10 [Dex 0]             Fortitude:     + 8
AC (touch):     5 [Dex 0]             Reflex:        + 1 [Dex 0]
AC (flat):      6 [Dex 0]             Will:          - 1 
Speed:         40' (base)

Constant effects:
(Ex) • Uncanny dodge (Always retain dexterity bonus.)
(Su) • Innate nondetection (Any divination must defeat a DC 20 caster level check.)
(Ex) • Peerless camouflage (Move at full speed or run while hiding with no penalty.)
(Ex) • Trackless path (+10 DC vs. any attempt to be tracked.)
(Ex) • Hide in plain sight (except in daylight)
(Ex) • Resistance to cold 10
(Ex) • Darkvision 60'
(Ex) • Superior low-light vision
(Ex) • +4 vs. sleep effects and paralysis
(Ex) • +3 to confirm critical hits

Temporary effects:
(Sp) • Endure exposure (24 hours)
       - Gain endure elements (as the spell).
       - Gain immunity to the breath weapons of Xerxes.
(Sp) • Hold person (? rounds)
       - Paralyzed, able to take only mental actions.
       - Helpless, with effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0.

Waador fucked around with this message at 15:48 on Jul 29, 2014

EclecticTastes
Sep 17, 2012

"Most plans are critically flawed by their own logic. A failure at any step will ruin everything after it. That's just basic cause and effect. It's easy for a good plan to fall apart. Therefore, a plan that has no attachment to logic cannot be stopped."
Anciano

Unimpressed by the heretic's tactics, Anciano looses a second Ray of Frost at Fembrys. The second beam is more accurate than the first, and strikes with more than double its usual force, thanks to Anciano's ingenuity. Barkley's paralysis would be a problem, but hardly insurmountable.

(Knowledge Devotion is pretty rad. Got a 15 for the ranged touch attack, for another 7 damage.)

pre:
HP: 37/37
AC: 19 (11 touch, 18 flat-footed)
Spell Resistance: 16
Saves: +2 Fort, +12 Reflex, +5 Will
Initiative bonus: +12
Attack Bonus: +4

Attack: Ray of Frost, ranged touch, 1d3 damage

Specials:
Knowledge Devotion (bonus to attack/damage based on Knowledge roll)
Spell Absorption (various bonuses available whenever spell fails to penetrate SR).

Ongoing effects:
+3 attack/damage vs. Extraplanar creatures (Plane of Shadow), including all creatures with Dark template
+5 attack/damage vs. Fembrys

Note:
Full creature type for Anciano is Aberration (Augmented Humanoid),
which makes him vulnerable to effects that target Aberrations,
but immune to those which target only humanoids.

Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Marcon inches another few steps up the stairs out of reach of the elemental, then takes careful aim at the guard who just failed to attack Ishmael. He manages to find a brief clear shot in the ebb and flow of the fight and sends an arrow flying towards her.

-5' step to H29
-Standard: Shoot at G26 guard. 19 to hit, 7 dmg

pre:
HP: 28/29  AC:19 (T:13, FF:16) F: +2  R: +4  W: +4
Initiative: +3  BAB: +3  AoO: +6 to hit, 1d6+2 dmg, 20/x2 crit
Misc:
+2 AC vs. ranged

Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 0/1    Healing Belt: 3/3
Bonebow: +8 to hit, 1d10+4 dmg, 20/x3 crit, 140' range, +1 to hit/dmg within 30'

Ryuujin
Sep 26, 2007
Dragon God
Xerxes of the Breath

Xerxes flips around to aim at the annoying elemental that keeps trying to swat him out of the sky, and unleashes a slowing cone of gas.


Slow Breath on elemental Slows 2 rounds, or 1 if it succeeds on a DC 17 Fort save.

pre:
Xerxes
HP 26/65 
AC 19; Touch 15; FF 17
Saves 11/7/6
Speed: Fly 60' (Good)
Telepathy 60'
Immunity to sleep and paralysis
Blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.
Low-light vision
Spell resistance 19, 
Breath Weapon DC:  17
Effect:  Endure Elements (this has also been placed on all other PCs)

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Even as he prepares to enter melee combat, another blast of cold strikes Fembrys in the side. As Anciano admires his skillful shot, Fembrys collapses to the ground. On the other hand, Barkley finds his body not responding to his commands, and so enters a state of meditation instead. Meanwhile, Ishmael seems depressed by his poor showing so far and stops to reflect on it for a few seconds, missing as an arrow flies past his head and embeds itself in the Shadow Guard in front of him.

Xerxes, meanwhile, watches the elemental closely as it seems to grow temporarily bored with him, turning its attention towards the eccentric construct next to it. Timing his breath to slow it down just as it brings its arm around in an arc, the elemental finds its timing thrown off and instead takes a chunk out of the wall, instead of the woolgathering Ishmael.





Anciano drops Fembrys, and Marcon's arrow strikes true, though the guard is still very much up.

Xerxes applies a dose of slow breath to the elemental, and it slows down. It then proceeds to critically miss its target.


:siren:Dina, Ivan, and, hopefully, Ishmael are up!:siren:


Initiative:
Anciano 24
Marcon 20
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11

Dina 8 <--------
Ivan 8
Ishmael 8
Shadow Guards 7
Fembrys 1

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc
Dina

Dina slashes at the guard on the stairs above her.

Attacking guard, almost certainly a miss.
Attacking guard/damage: 1d20+11 13 2d4+10 14

pre:
Dina
HP 43/45 
AC 23; Touch 14; FF 22
Saves 12/7/10
+3 to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts 
Darkvision 60'
Spell resistance 15
Damage reduction 5/Magic
Acid, cold, electricity resistance 10
+4 on saves vs. poison
Immune to disease, fear
Allies w/in 10' get +4 to saves vs fear
Motivate Dexterity Aura (+5 to Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, and initiative checks to allies)
Effect:  Endure Elements, Daylight (suppressed)

Quornes
Jun 23, 2011
Ivan

Man this thing is tough. He moves slightly to try and get a better handle on it as he continues to tear in.

Attacks: 2#1d20+5 22 23 4#1d20 9 13 6 7
Damage: 2#1d6+7 12 9
5 foot step to one square south

pre:
Ivan Oglaf     Chaotic Good
HP 23/48
AC: 16 Touch: 11 FF: 15
Fort: +9 Will: +4 Reflex: +4
BAB: +4 MAB: +7 RAB: +5

+8/+8 claw (1d6+4) +3 bite (1d8+2), +3/+3/+3 tentacle (1d4+2)

+2 vs. charm, sleep
Immune to stunning, criticals

El Fappo
Dec 26, 2012
Ishmael

"This is getting exciting."

Flurry of Blows on the shadow guy.

Flurry to hit: 2#1d20+7 18 19
Flurry damage: 2#1d8+1 2 6

Sorry about my delay; had some pretty big personal stuff to deal with.

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Coming out of his contemplation, Ishmael proceeds to punch the guard in the face twice, connecting solidly this time. The guard, annoyed by said punches, returns the favor moments later. Right next to him(it?), Ivan continues scattering pieces of masonry that make up the elemental in front of him, but it is slow going.

On the other side of the room, Dina seems to be thrown off this time by the differing heights between her and her foe, with her sword going high. Luckily for her, the guard she faces seems to be just as inexperienced at fighting on slopes and fruitlessly jams his sword into the stairs between her feet.





Ivan continues to whittle away at the elemental, while Ishmael and the guard both hit the other. Ishmael takes 7 damage


:siren:New Round!:siren:


Initiative:
Anciano 24 <--------
Marcon 20
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11[28/??, Slowed]
Dina 8
Ivan 8
Ishmael 8
Shadow Guards 7[15/??, 14/??]
Fembrys 1[46/??]

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.


Everyone, please post a combat block in your posts for convenience.

Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Not wanting to try his luck shooting past Ishmael and Anciano again, Marcon takes aim at the slightly less obscured elemental and sends another shaft winging down the stairs.

-Standard: Shoot at elemental. 19 to hit, 10 dmg
pre:
HP: 28/29  AC:19 (T:13, FF:16) F: +2  R: +4  W: +4
Initiative: +3  BAB: +3  AoO: +6 to hit, 1d6+2 dmg, 20/x2 crit
Misc:
+2 AC vs. ranged

Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 0/1    Healing Belt: 3/3
Bonebow: +8 to hit, 1d10+4 dmg, 20/x3 crit, 140' range, +1 to hit/dmg within 30'

EclecticTastes
Sep 17, 2012

"Most plans are critically flawed by their own logic. A failure at any step will ruin everything after it. That's just basic cause and effect. It's easy for a good plan to fall apart. Therefore, a plan that has no attachment to logic cannot be stopped."
Anciano

Feeling that more power would be needed to fell the massive elemental than his gloves could produce, Anciano taps into his wealth of arcane knowledge. He improvises a few motions, and produces a flaming stone that hurtles towards the stony monster. He'd had a feeling a fight might break out, and so focused on this particular spell last night, replacing Silent Image.

(This is Kelgore's Fire Bolt, which deals 5d6 fire damage, 18 in this case. Damage is halved if the elemental makes a Reflex save, DC 18. This is using Arcane Dilettante, meaning I have 1 Inspiration left. This is also my second and last use of this particular ability for the day.)

Waador
Sep 11, 2001

Smashin' down the light.
Pillbug
Barkley
He remained frozen in place on the material plane, his physical form still overcome by the paralyzing enchantment that had been laced through every muscle fiber in his body. His eyes and ears continued to function, however, allowing him to passively observe the progress of the battle that raged all about him. With the benefit of some time to do so, he took in one last tactical assessment of the situation. Dina clearly continued to hold her own, not suffering any disastrous blows from the shadow guardsman at the bottom of the stairwell. Rather critically, Fembrys had fallen, overcome by a burst of blue light no doubt evoked by one of his companions. And although he could not see around the corner where the others were engaged in siege warfare against the house-sized elemental, he had not heard any screams of death and mayhem, suggesting that the last few moments had not gone terribly poorly for those engaged in the melee. Although that was not a good indicator of the next few moments, he reminded himself.

Meanwhile, in the mindscape that was his inner will, an entirely separate battle raged. Having withdrawn much of his consciousness after his body had been disabled, Barkley found himself a mere spec of free will amongst a sea of paralyzing agents. As with the bane spell that tainted his purity only moments prior, he knew how to deal with the situation: he would merely have to deploy the same defense in rapid succession. Activating the dormant genes of his draconic ancestor was one of the first things he had learned to do in his training as a shadow warrior, and after a great deal of practice he had learned to wield them like a scalpel, leveraging the antibodies of the ancient and far more powerful creature to cut wide swaths in nearly any magical or biological effect that endeavored to debase him.

It wasn't exactly as simple as that, though, he admitted to himself. An effect like this one, which wove itself in and around much of his tissue, would require a surgeon's precision to remove without any debilitating after-effects. Much like the difference between salting a leech off and ripping it away, he ran the very real risk of rupturing something important in the process of healing his current ailment. Still, few people were as practiced as he at this particular kind of surgery, so he got down to business: taking a few moments to still his mind, he began to listen to the rhythm of the spell, knowing that attacking it to its own beat would be critical to overcoming it in a timely fashion. Hardly a wizard or a scholar, Barkley knew essentially nothing about the mechanical workings of magic, but he had been steeped in enough of it over his lifetime to develop a certain familiarity with the Weave and its handiwork. Every spellcaster, and indeed, every spell, had its own resonance - its own unique beat, in a sense - like a fingerprint unique to the particular invoker-invoked combination. If one was able to still their mind and hear the song of the spell (a difficult feat, although made significantly easier by spells that paralyzed or otherwise incapacitated the body, reducing background noise), it was entirely possible to dance within the beat of the spell itself, cutting it away when it was not pulsing, and giving it time to die when the beat raged on.

He found himself a bit taken aback at the tempo of the spell. Although he knew that it varied with the caster, essentially every Weave effect of this particular paralyzing type that he had dissected from himself in the past had been andante - essentially, with somewhere between seventy-eight and one hundred beats per minute. In this particular case, however, it was being played at a slightly higher key, almost as if it was winding between where the notes would usually be played, but always an octave higher and twenty beats ahead of what he would expect. He thought back to the bane spell which he had recently purged, but in that case he had not been paying anywhere near as much attention to the specifics of the exorcism, and so couldn't be sure if it too had been applied to a similar beat. It was a new experience, and for the life of him he couldn't imagine what would cause such a disharmonious shift, but he supposed it was something to investigate later. As his antibodies flared to life once more, he mentally directed them to the beat of the strange and twisted spell-song, cutting away at the tumorous magic and letting it fade back into the aether from which it had manifested.

As the psychic surgery began to take effect, he pulled his consciousness back to the material plane, moving his fingers slowly at first, and then his head, glaring at the fallen Fembrys as well as the remaining shadow guard taking up arms against his comrade, Dina. Beneath his mask, his eyes again bore the distinct resemblance to that of a true dragon, even glowing a pale purple as the remnants of the spell were burned away by his industrial-grade immune system. He remarked casually this time, and just barely above his breath (as his lungs were still recovering from the effect) -- "...nay."

Nearly as soon as the words escaped his lungs, the full effects of the debilitating enchantment dissipated, and he took to the air in an acrobatic leap, kicking off the nearby wall and down the stairwell while simultaneously embracing the shadows that permeated the area, effectively vanishing from sight. Even if the guardsman could see him, his aerial maneuvers protected him from any sensible reactive strike, allowing him to leap nearly directly over the head of the guard, landing in a battle stance several feet behind him. He knew that the guard saw him leap through the air before he had vanished, and he hoped that the man's fear of being flanked would cause enough of a distraction to give Dina an edge in combat against the man in the coming moments.

He assessed the situation as he landed, knowing that he was within striking distance of the guardsman, and only a footstep away from savaging the elemental as well. He decided to wait out the next few moments in order to decide whether it made more sense to skewer the guardsman in order to free Dina up to intervene in the battle with the elemental, or to perhaps assail it directly in order to draw its attention away from his companions who in truth were looking a little worse for wear.
pre:
Power attack:  -5 / +10
Standard:      Iron heart surge
                  - Purge the Hold Person effect.
                  - Gain a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls until the end of the next turn.
Move:          L33>M33>M27>L26 (40').
               Tumble (25) [accelerated]
               Hide (48)
               Move silently (39)

Maneuvers:     Iron Heart Surge / Moment of Perfect Mind / Emerald Razor / Mountain Hammer
Active stance: Leaping dragon

Combat reference:
HP:            45 / 68
AC (base):     19                     Fortitude:     + 8
AC (touch):    14                     Reflex:        +10
AC (flat):     15                     Will:          - 1                        
Speed:         40' (base)             Initiative:    + 4 (base) / + 9 (with Dina)

Constant effects:
(Ex) • Uncanny dodge (Always retain dexterity bonus.)
(Su) • Innate nondetection (Any divination must defeat a DC 20 caster level check.)
(Ex) • Peerless camouflage (Move at full speed or run while hiding with no penalty.)
(Ex) • Trackless path (+10 DC vs. any attempt to be tracked.)
(Ex) • Hide in plain sight (except in daylight)
(Ex) • Resistance to cold 10
(Ex) • Darkvision 60'
(Ex) • Superior low-light vision
(Ex) • +4 vs. sleep effects and paralysis
(Ex) • +3 to confirm critical hits

Temporary effects:
(Sp) • Endure exposure (24 hours)
       - Gain endure elements (as the spell).
       - Gain immunity to the breath weapons of Xerxes.

Ryuujin
Sep 26, 2007
Dragon God
Xerxes of the Breath

Xerxes once more opens his mouth, but this time what issues forth and covers the earth elemental is not a slowing gas but rather a clinging fire. The fire washes over the elemental and begins to entangle it.

This time when the flames wash over any of Xerxes' allies the flames simply wash over them with no effect.

Fire Breath on elemental 4d6 18 Fire Damage, halved to 9 Fire Damage, for Entangling Exhalation, to entangle the elemental for 1 round, where it will continue to take 1d6 Fire Damage or that 1 additional round. DC 17 Reflex save to halve damage further.

pre:
Xerxes
HP 26/65 
AC 19; Touch 15; FF 17
Saves 11/7/6
Speed: Fly 60' (Good)
Telepathy 60'
Immunity to sleep and paralysis
Blindsense 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.
Low-light vision
Spell resistance 19, 
Breath Weapon DC:  17
Effect:  Endure Elements (this has also been placed on all other PCs)

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Given the large, slowed target, Marcon decides to trust his luck at shooting the elemental this time, moments before Anciano mumbles some arcane sounding phrases and wiggles his fingers some. Luckily for Anciano, the elemental seems distracted when he lobs a large bolt of fire into its core. Even as you hear a rumbling sound as if in extreme annoyance, Xerxes turns his breath upon it once more, this time in the form of yet more fire. It seems to have grown wise to that element though, dodging a portion of it. However, this fire wraps around its limbs, a fact the tiny dragon is grateful for a moment later.

Once more moving at normal speed, enraged pottery comes swinging in at both the spellcaster and the one enshrouding it in clinging fire. The ropelike fire staggers its blow against the dragon, but even hiding behind Ishmael doesn't help Anciano, as he takes an extremely heavy blow to the shoulder.




The elemental takes a lot of fire damage, and an arrow. It proceeds to make its Reflex save, even while slowed, and hits back. Anciano takes 24 damage.


Initiative:
Anciano 24
Marcon 20
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Earth Elemental 11
[55/??, Entangled]
Dina 8 <--------
Ivan 8
Ishmael 8
Shadow Guards 7[15/??, 14/??]
Fembrys 1[46/??]

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.


EclecticTastes, as a reminder. Arcane Dilettante is a Spell-like Ability. Those still provoke Attacks of Opportunity, and you are standing within the elemental's threatened area. Didn't take it, for a variety of reasons, but don't forget to watch for that and/or boost your Concentration in the future.

On a side note, Xerxes gains 6 HP, Ivan gains 3 HP.

Piell
Sep 3, 2006

Grey Worm's Ken doll-like groin throbbed with the anticipatory pleasure that only a slightly warm and moist piece of lemoncake could offer


Young Orc
Dina

Dina slashes once more at the guard, intent on finishing him off in order to move towards the elemental.

Attacking guard: 1d20+12 24 2d4+10 15
24 to hit, 15 damage. If the guard is dead, move to J27

pre:
Dina
HP 43/45 
AC 23; Touch 14; FF 22
Saves 12/7/10
+3 to resist bull rush, disarm, grapple, overrun, or trip attempts 
Darkvision 60'
Spell resistance 15
Damage reduction 5/Magic
Acid, cold, electricity resistance 10
+4 on saves vs. poison
Immune to disease, fear
Allies w/in 10' get +4 to saves vs fear
Motivate Dexterity Aura (+5 to Dex checks, Dex-based skill checks, and initiative checks to allies)
Effect:  Endure Elements, Daylight (suppressed)

Quornes
Jun 23, 2011
Ivan

"Some help here would be nice!"

Attacks: 2#1d20+5 14 23 4#1d20 2 17 9 11
Damage: 1d6+7 9

pre:
Ivan Oglaf     Chaotic Good
HP 26/48
AC: 16 Touch: 11 FF: 15
Fort: +9 Will: +4 Reflex: +4
BAB: +4 MAB: +7 RAB: +5

+8/+8 claw (1d6+4) +3 bite (1d8+2), +3/+3/+3 tentacle (1d4+2)

+2 vs. charm, sleep
Immune to stunning, criticals

Lord Koth
Jan 8, 2012

Temple of Mystra, Lower Temple - Day

Possibly having been distracted by some greater mystery once more, Ishmael stops to ponder something again. Maybe some blow or another rattled his interior components? Not deterred by this, and not one to let an opportunity pass, the guard in front of him takes advantage of it - though her blow is quite feeble. Across the room, Dina deals a heavy blow to the guard in front of her. Looking on his last legs, he strikes back and connects, but he looks on in exhausted anger as the blow does nothing.

The room also suddenly lights up, as all the daylight spells cast by Dina come back on at full intensity - with the side effect of fully revealing the sneaking Barkley, who'd been stealthily bypassing the combat on the stairs.




The guard Dina hits looks like he's on his last legs, but the blow dealt to the elemental doesn't do too much. On the other side, both guards hit, dealing 4 damage to Ishmael and, uh, no damage to Dina.


Initiative:
Anciano 24 <--------
Marcon 20
Barkley 17
Xerxes 17
Ishmael 16
Earth Elemental 11[55/??, Entangled]
Dina 8
Ivan 8
Shadow Guards 7[15/??, 14/??]
Fembrys 1[46/??]

Squares with rubble in them count as Light Debris. For reference: Light Debris adds 2 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks. Any creature attempting to run or charge over Light Debris must pass a DC 10 Balance check or be unable to do so, but otherwise may act normally.

The statue seems to be emitting light of about the same brightness of a lantern, and especially lighting up the spaces next to it.

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Bouquet
Jul 14, 2001

Marcon bel Tern

Marcon settles into a steady rhythm, drawing and loosing another arrow at the lumbering elemental. Unfortunately, this arrow merely bounces off the thick hide.

-Standard: Shoot at elemental. 8 to hit
pre:
HP: 28/29  AC:19 (T:13, FF:16) F: +2  R: +4  W: +4
Initiative: +3  BAB: +3  AoO: +6 to hit, 1d6+2 dmg, 20/x2 crit
Misc:
+2 AC vs. ranged

Spells: 1st 5/5, 2nd 4/4, 3rd 0/1    Healing Belt: 3/3
Bonebow: +8 to hit, 1d10+4 dmg, 20/x3 crit, 140' range, +1 to hit/dmg within 30'

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