CoD: Mission - White Plume Mountain [ENDED]

[patransom]

Round 6

Croc-Aja swims toward the remaining fishie, getting as close as he can with his summoned sea cat in the way. The summoned sea cat tries to break free. At last, it succeeds, but the effort exhausts its remaining strength and it dies.

Finally able to act, Milton takes a deep breath and dives in. Her swims for the remaining fishie with his swordbow now in the form of two swords.

Aladar shakes his head violently as he snaps out of his daze. He then quickly assesses the current situation. He runs and dives in the water with his kama and moves like a fish straight towards the creature, going into a dizzying spin of maneuvers as he attempts to slip past the creature. Unfortunately, even his magically enhanced skill is not sufficient to execute this manuever. The fishie blocks his path and grabs him with one of its claws [6 hp damage and Aladar is grappled; pm sent regarding why your tumble check failed].

Penno happily bounds along down the waterway in slow motion.

Fisma, concerned by what's just happened to Aladar, retrieves a scroll and, reading it, switches Aladar's place with that of his summoned crocodile [assuming Aladar is willing to switch, of course]. The summon crocodile struggles to get free of its sudden plight. It fails and exhausts itself, dying.

Fishie #2, moving forward just a bit, finds two foes within reach. When it hits and grabs Aja [6 hp damage and Aja is grappled], however, it passes up the opportunity to attack Milton.

[ooc]The rules on holding your breath are found under the swim skill. You may also wish to have a look at the rules on underwater combat. However, having recently watched the Mythbusters episode about shooting things into water, I am NOT giving fully submerged creatures total cover against attacks from land. This means you can shoot arrows at the fishies, subject to the usual -2 attack per 5 feet of water rule. I am allowing charges while underwater, walking on the bottom.[/ooc]

[ae]Round 7
Ajatnarp - 6 hp damage wild shaped into a crocodile, holding breath 60 left, grappled
Mich - 4 DEX damage
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage, holding breath 26 left
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage, holding breath 20 left
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 6.8 min left, holding breath 18 left
Fisma - 3 STR damage, holding the lantern
Fishie #1 - DEAD
Fishie #2 - 5 hp damage
--> Next Validation[/ae]

[Duniagdra]

Unable to skirmish in the water, Milton instead take two swings at the fishie.
Primary Attack[dice=total]0[/dice]Primary Damage[dice=total]1[/dice]
Secondary Attack[dice=total]2[/dice]Secondary Damage[dice=total]3[/dice]

[Benji]

Penno will bound up to the fishie.

[ooc]If Aladar moves into combat, that should put Penno within reach thanks to his new height. If he can't reach the fishie, then he'll just wait. Either way, he has to double move.[/ooc]

[kabkal]

[ooc]just need to check, can I still tall slap if grappled?[/ooc]

[patransom]

[ooc]just need to check, can I still tall slap if grappled?[/ooc]

[ooc]Per "If you're grappling": "You can make an attack with an unarmed strike, natural weapon, or light weapon against another character you are grappling. You take a -4 penalty on such attacks." The tail slap is a natural weapon, so...[/ooc]

[kabkal]

Aja will try to grapple his way out.

[dice]0[/dice]

[The Hunter]

Reeling from the events from his last actions, Aladar recollects himself and makes another go at getting past the beast. This time though he vanishes (using his ghost step ability) and attempts a serious of maneuvers to weave through the creatures space.

Tumble check
[dice]0[/dice]

If successful Aladar will strike out at the creature from square 1569.

Kama Attack
[dice]1[/dice]

Kama Damage
[dice]2[/dice]

Acid
[dice]3[/dice]

Sudden Strike
[dice]4[/dice]

[patransom]

Round 7

Croc-Aja tries to escape the Fishie's giant claw and fails miserably.

Milton takes two swings at the Fishie, but cannot penetrate the creature's scaly shell [both attacks missed].

Reeling from the events from his last actions, Aladar recollects himself and makes another go at getting past the beast. This time though he vanishes (using his ghost step ability) and attempts a serious of maneuvers to weave through the creatures space. This time, he has no difficulty getting past, given that the Fishie cannot see him and is occupied holding a crocodile-shaped Aja. Aladar suddenly appears on the opposite side of the Fishie, lashing out with his kama. Like Milton, he cannot pierce the crustacean's shell [a miss].

Penno bounds up to the fishie.

Fisma waits to see if he needs to do something desperate to rescue Aja.

Fishie #2 squeezes Aja [13 hp damage].

[ooc]The rules on holding your breath are found under the swim skill. You may also wish to have a look at the rules on underwater combat. However, having recently watched the Mythbusters episode about shooting things into water, I am NOT giving fully submerged creatures total cover against attacks from land. This means you can shoot arrows at the fishies, subject to the usual -2 attack per 5 feet of water rule. I am allowing charges while underwater, walking on the bottom.[/ooc]

[ae]Round 8
Ajatnarp - 19 hp damage wild shaped into a crocodile, holding breath 58 left, grappled
Mich - 4 DEX damage
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage, holding breath 24 left
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage, holding breath 18 left
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 6.7 min left, holding breath 16 left
Fisma - 3 STR damage, holding the lantern
Fishie #1 - DEAD
Fishie #2 - 5 hp damage
--> Next Validation[/ae]

[Duniagdra]

Milton will once again take a full attack.
Primary Attack[dice=total]0[/dice]Primary Damage[dice=total]1[/dice]Secondary Attack[dice=total]2[/dice]Secondary Damage[dice=total]3[/dice]

[The Hunter]

Aladar will fly into a flurry of blows with his Kama.

Attack#1
[dice]0[/dice]
Damage#1
[dice]1[/dice]
[dice]2[/dice]

Attack#2
[dice]3[/dice]
Damage#2
[dice]4[/dice]
[dice]5[/dice]

[Benji]

[ooc]I believe Penno has reach now that he's large? If he doesn't then ignore the following post and he'll amuse himself by blowing bubbles.[/ooc]

Penno attacks the fishie!

Attack 1
[dice=totalonly]0[/dice]
Attack 2
[dice=totalonly]1[/dice]

Damage 1
[dice=totalonly]2[/dice]
Damage 2
[dice=totalonly]3[/dice]

[kabkal]

Aja will once again try to break free of the grapple.

[dice]0[/dice]

[patransom]

Round 8

Croc-Aja actually succeeds in escaping the huge claw of the Fishie!

Milton once again takes a full attack. Both attacks hit [total 8 hp damage].

Aladar flies into a flurry of blows with his Kama and also hits twice [total 11 hp damage]

Penno reaches over Milton's head to turn the fishie into sushi! [total 41 hp damage]

Combat ends and everyone crawls out of the water to catch their breath. It is readily apparent that a quick swim (or walk on the bottom) around this level (b) will reach the chute (2) down to the next tier (c).

[ooc]A description of the "Fishie level" and the next tier, to refresh your memory:

This second terrace (b) is filled to the brim with water, such that the water reaches almost to the floor of the first level (a). Two shadowy shapes can be seen swimming in the water of the terrace (b). They appear to be 10-foot long, lobsterlike creatures. It is unclear what prevents the water from spilling out onto the third level below, especially at the point of the ramp (2) that slopes down to reach it. On the third terrace (c), a thin layer of sand covers the floor of this arid level, and desiccated bones lie scattered about. Three large monstrous scorpions roam about this level, making no effort to hide. At the point marked (3) is a ramp that leads down to the next terrace (d) below.

Here's the description of the whole crazy room. After you finish this room, there are only 2 more encounters left to the completion of this mission![/ooc]

[ae]Ajatnarp - 19 hp damage, wild shaped into a crocodile
Mich - 4 DEX damage
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 6.5 min left
Fisma - 3 STR damage, holding the lantern[/ae]

[Benji]

[talk]Right![/talk] Penno burbles as he swishes his sword around to clean fish gunk off of it. [talk]Stingy bugs next?[/talk]

[Duniagdra]

[talk]I think we take this time to coordinate a strategy. I know I can tumble past one and attack from afar. With three of these,[/talk] Milton looks to Penno, [talk]stingy bugs, I think at least one of them will be blocked by another. If we kill one, we can then just move on to the next level, unless you feel clearing all levels completely is best, which might be if we're to return this way for an exit. We may need for a hasty one too.[/talk]

[The Hunter]

Aladar comes limping out of the water. [talk]I too can tumble past a foe to flank it. Though some healing before we proceed would be appreciated.[/talk]

[Benji]

[talk]We kill all the stingy bugs![/talk] Penno declares. [talk]Me giant now![/talk]

[Duniagdra]

[talk]Yes Penno, we will. But we must all be on the same page so we can make this the fastest win possible.[/talk] Looking to the group Milton adds, [talk]So Aladar and myself will tumble past one of the scorpions and attack from behind. Then once that one is finished, we all gang up on the remaining two. Unless there's any other thoughts, let's get this done.[/talk] If no one else speaks up, Milton will enter the water and begin making his way to the descending ramp.

[Benji]

Happy that there's a plan he doesn't really understand, Penno bounds along underwater.

[kabkal]

Aja will sweetish his tall in anticipation and follow the group starving in the alligator form.

[patransom]

After a bit of discussion, Milton leads the way into the water and around the level to the next ramp. Here, he finds that the ramp is blocked at the top entrance by what appears to be another iron wall. This, obviously, is why the water doesn't leak out into the desert level and drown the scorpions. But it also seems to block the way down to engage the creatures. However, Milton does notice a lever set into the floor right next to him...

[ae]To reach the opposite corner took 4 full-round actions for Penno, Mich, and Fisma walking on the bottom. It took approximately 4 half moves for Aja and Aladar (who have swim speeds) and Milton (who's just plain fast). This is how I arrived at the breath counts below (see the swim skill for details). Right now, everyone still has more than enough breath left to get back to air, if necessary.

Ajatnarp - 19 hp damage, wild shaped into a crocodile, holding breath 64 left
Mich - 4 DEX damage, holding breath 30 left
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage, holding breath 24 left
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage, holding breath 18 left
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 5.1 min left, holding breath 20 left
Fisma - 3 STR damage, holding breath 24 left
Farflight (Fisma's familiar) - holding breath 22 left[/ae]

[Duniagdra]

Milton point to where the lever is, but instead of working the lever, Milton signals everyone to go back, indicating with his arm in body language that triggering the lever will open the panel and cause all the water here to flood the floor beyond, bringing them wherever the water chooses instead of where they want to. Once out of the water and everyone is listening, [talk]The next level will flood, hopefully causing issues for the scorpions. The problem is, if we are all in the water when the panel opens, the water will take us with it to where it chooses to go. This may not be so good for us, and could actually injure some of us. Penno, being his size, might do better at resisting the water pressure as it drains. We can then follow as the water drains.[/talk]

If no one follows his warning to turn back, even after signaling the potential threat with body language, he then allows Penno access, moving behind him and showing him what to do.

[Benji]

Happy that he can contribute something, Penno eagerly agrees with Milton's suggestion.

[patransom]

No one objects to Milton leading the party back to air where they can talk. Once he explains his concerns about the water draining, there are again no objections. So, while the rest of the party waits out of the water on the top tier, Penno dives back in and walks along the bottom back to the lever.

When Penno throws the lever, the water does, indeed, begin draining. However, it does so slowly, through previously hidden drains in the floor, not in a big rush down to the next level like Milton predicted. The invisible doors blocking the chute (2) down to the desert terrace remain closed. However, the scorpions perk up at the sound of the water draining and begin slowly moving toward the chute.

[ae]The water has been draining for 1 round. There is now enough air space for Penno to tilt his head up and breath. It will still require swimming or walking on the bottom to return to Penno's location. Swimming on the surface won't require holding your breath, at least.

Ajatnarp - 19 hp damage, wild shaped into a crocodile
Mich - 4 DEX damage
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 3.8 min left
Fisma - 3 STR damage[/ae]

[Benji]

Penno blurbles something unintelligible underwater before reaching his head up to talk normally. [yell]Door not going![/yell]

[Duniagdra]

Seeing the water level drop much slower than Milton foresaw, he realizes how foolish it would be to go through such trouble to make all this only to undermine the effort by washing out some of the work you put into it. Milton enters the water and joins Penno. Once there, he begins searching the area for a way to open the ramp. [talk]Do any of you see a lever back there?[/talk]

[kabkal]

Aja will jump in and go to the door from the other side and see if there are any levers or any way to move the door. If he finds something he will splash his tail trying to get someone's attention.

[patransom]

[ooc]Waiting on Aladar[/ooc]

[The Hunter]

Aladar will aid in the search for whatever might help open the way.

Search Check
[dice]0[/dice]

[patransom]

By the time the party makes its way back to Penno (4 rounds), the water has drained completely. No one finds anything one the way. Once the last drop of water has drained, there is a click followed by a loud, grinding creak. It is obvious the invisible doors on the ramp have opened.

In the meantime, the scorpions have gathered at the bottom of the ramp. They jostle and snap at each other, jockying for position. However, when the doors open, they immediately divert their attention up the ramp.

[ae]Ignore the blue on your level. The water is gone. On deck are Penno and Aladar. I will do a fast validation for them, then we will go to a full combat cycle. The scorpions do not have reach, BTW

Round 1 Begins
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 3.4 min left
Scorpions
----> Quick Validation
Round 1 Continues
Fisma - 3 STR damage
Ajatnarp - 19 hp damage, wild shaped into a crocodile
Mich - 4 DEX damage
Milton Doyle - 11 hp, 1 STR damage
Round 2 Begins
Aladar Noshad – 17 hp, 2 STR damage
Penno - 20 hp damage, enlarge person 3.4 min left
Scorpions
----> Full Validation[/ae]