Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

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Spearmint
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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#461 Post by Spearmint »

The Barrow Grove: Kech Ambush.

Yardie claims BRAGging Rights over the kill of the stag but as the group move in to pick up the carcass of their successful hunt, they find they have become the hunted and snared fast among the violent twisting roots animated from the Entangle spell.

Few succeed in escaping the grasping stalks and as the little gnome cuts himself free, he is preyed upon by a trio of supremely camouflaged hunters.

These humanoids are lithe man sized creatures with long prehensile arms, almost primate in fashion, their skin leathery and green, taking on a chameleon like trait that blends them into leafy foliage. Their jaws are wide and protruding bearing prominent fangs for tearing flesh. They communicate not in words but sounds like birdsong and animalistic growling.

Silent though they stalk, creeping along above the gnome until in a flash two Kech viciously reach out and grab Gnimish. He is jerked upwards and bludgeoned into branches, knocking him unconscious. -4 & -5hp.

A third, hardly perceived slowly creeps along the branches above the Entangled crew. He pauses, studying those caught as if deciding upon a victim of choice.

A large centipede wriggles from the vines and scurries away to helter skelter up a tree out of the fiend's grasp. A chitinous creepy-crawly is not on the menu. Perhaps tender elf to go with the chewy gristle found in gnome meat. Plenty of steak in the big hunk of half-pork that spits venomous Orcish curses or maybe the youngling human, pale skinned as veal with a carrot topping.

Kech: [1d20+4]=9+4=13 [1d4+1]=3+1=4 [1d20+4]=18+4=22 [1d4+1]=4+1=5

Suddenly his world and everyone elses goes black, magical Darkness plummets everyone into a void of confusion.

Gerdal, camouflaged too, manages to free herself from the roots but suddenly stops, rooted to the spot as the gnome is snatched up just yards away from her. She sees the other surveying those trapped and acts to shield them from his view.

Entangle covers a 40'ft diameter and Darkness just shorter than that but I am fine with you covering the group completely.

With their attacks on the gnome and her spellcasting making them all seen to each other, the next actions are critical.

actions Gerdal please.

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sastaz
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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#462 Post by sastaz »

Two can play this game, Gerdal mumbles to herself and lets her energies flow through her feet, transmitted via the undergrowth, causing long stalks to reach out to catch the two hunters.

Casting Entangle

"Hah! What do you say now you lumps of grass!"

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#463 Post by redwarrior »

sastaz wrote: Sun Jun 04, 2023 9:45 pm Two can play this game, Gerdal mumbles to herself and lets her energies flow through her feet, transmitted via the undergrowth, causing long stalks to reach out to catch the two hunters.

Casting Entangle

"Hah! What do you say now you lumps of grass!"
:D

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#464 Post by Spearmint »

Barrow Grove: Kech Ambush

Predator Kech vs Gerdal:

Kech: [1d20]=1 [1d20]=4

After invoking a cloud of Darkness upon the Entangled group, the stalking predator swipes out at Gerdal, determined to snatch her up and do away with her. Strong arms with raking claws reach out to grab her but the creature is unable to wound her and in that fraction of a second, gives her time to invoke more druidic utterances. She mimics the reciprocal attack upon those who have caught Gnimish.

Predators Kechs vs Entangle, save vs Spells 14+

Kech: [1d20]=13 [1d20]=10

Two restrained predators tangle with the wrong sorceress and become entwined in vines and branches which bind them and Gnimish in steadfast grips. It stops them tearing the gnome apart.

While everyone can only hear and imagine what is going on, the two unentangled face off. The predator Kech cricks his neck like a boxer pre bout, leaping prodigiously from the branches to land on the ground before her. He croodles in a strange tongue, sizing his opponent up, revealing his stature and visage.

Gerdal draws khopesh and inner strength, hoping her quickly diminishing spell list will be sufficient to stave off the threat.

actions please

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#465 Post by sastaz »

Ok, so pulling a Locke Lamora on him here, I hope.

"You think I cant beat you?" she tells the creature defiantly, while backing slowly. "Well, I don't have to defeat you, I just have to make you wait until my friends can."

And by that she spins around and in a puff of black smoke disappears. Casts Polymorph into Bat Form and flies out of reach.

Retain lv 3 spell vs 15 [4d6+3]=9+3=12
*From the book The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#466 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth silently prays to Cromm for Gerdal to save them.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#467 Post by Spearmint »

Barrow Grove

Kech Ambush

The witch plays a devilish trick, learning from the evils of Knievel and assuming a vampiric form. It is unexpected but not without risk, the creature lunges into the changing form, as Gerdal shapeshifts into a lesser caped crusader.

Kech: vs Gerdal [1d20]=11 [1d4+1]=3+1=4 [1d20]=1 [1d4+1]=4+1=5Gerdal Anniversary Trinket: Electric Eel shock [3d6]=10 Kech saves vs RSW 13+ [1d20]=15

grabbing a wing of the morphed bat as she tries to flee and knocks her flight to crash heavily into the nearest tree, -4hp. A staggering blow that might bring her down to earth but covenanted to her reptile aide, the Chameleon's health keeps her conscious. 0/8hp (Harkazz 4/4hp).

Invoked too the mystic traits of an anniversary trinket. A pin, set as a clasp to tie the collar of her cloak together, found in exploratory alcove raiding, the silvered eel arcs an electric pulse -10hp to shock the Kech as it grapples her. Resilient, it withstands the numbing side effect and turns to seek out the subject of his ire.
An eel shaped metal clasp. When grappled, blast a 5'ft radius to zap for 3d6 dam, stunning those who fall a save vs RSW's for an equal amount of rounds
minus trinket from inventory.

Batwoman and Forest Fiend begin a dangerous game of tag, Gerdal's flight to safety taking her higher and in-between ever thinning branches. Pursuing her, the Kech reaches to grab a hold but she escapes its clutches and away.

Kech: vs Gerdal [1d20]=5 [1d4+1]=2+1=3 [1d20]=10 [1d4+1]=1+1=2

After a few minutes the Entangling vines shrivel and those snared can run out of the area, tripping upon each other in the process. Sven through the eyes of Smokie might perhaps have given a literal running commentary so you can be filled in on, 'leafy predators snatching Gnim and Gerdal disappearing in bat form'.

actions everyone please.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#468 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth aims and fires at the closest kech he can see.

Heavy Crossbow [1d20]=6 to hit [2d6]=8 damage

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#469 Post by Spearmint »


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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#470 Post by OGRE MAGE »

This post is assuming Gerdal and the Kech chasing her are well out of our current range.

Sven shouts out as they leave the darkened area. "They're up in the trees! Hard to see! Like......leafy orcs or something!"

If he can target the fiends trying to kill Gnimish, he uses his magic to attempt to stop the gnomes murder.

Casting Sleep up into the branches, if possible.

1st Level Spell Retention (INT 15) [4d6+1]=17+1=18 :x


EDIT: (to add this attack)
Smokie tries to gnash his teeth around Gnimish's collar if the leaf monsters attempt to take off with the little guy.

Random D20 [1d20]=9 :? (+4 = 13?)

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#471 Post by redwarrior »

Isvand decides to charge at the nearest, swinging his mace with all his might. However, he managed to get caught on one of the fading vines, causing his aim to go wide.

Magic Mace THAC0 19 [1d20+1]=4+1=5 damage [1d6+2]=2+2=4
I accidentally hit the short sword macro first, but Ironically get the exact same roll

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#472 Post by Spearmint »

Barrow Grove.

Kech Ambush.


Released from restraints, the untangled group charge towards the next writhing mass of branches and vines that restrain two of the humanoid fiends and their unconscious gnome comrade.

A number of missiles are thrown but none find a target and a Sleep spell is discharged. The comatose gnome caught in the zone nods passively but the Kech fend off the enforced drowsiness,

Sleep affected Kech vs 1 [1d2]=2

they are just too strong in constitution and build to be so easily tamed. From out of nowhere, a wolf leaps, trying to grab the collar of the gnome lest he is carried away as the bindings diminish ince Gerdal's spell ceases affect. He misses but below the tree, the soft landing cushions of Amos and Isvand who both rush into melee are able to break Gnimish's fall.

The two Kech, alpha ambush predators in the verdant green environment, might ordinarily make a strong opposition but they are wise enough to withdraw from conflict rather than attsck the well prepared force. The third Kech, outsmarted and outdistanced by Gerdal does not return.

Once the conflict is over, batwoman returns, hanging upside down in a nearby bough. The immediate reaction from Amos might be to try and turn 'an abominable vampire!' having never seen you in such form. Certainly it is a startling effect and unnerving.
Polymorph into Bat Form

I am happy with keeping this as a third level spell as Polymorph Self is a 4th level as this spell only allows a single choice, that of a human sized bat.

Casting this will allow Harkazz or any of your Familiars to change too, so that you get a fruit bat sized wingman.

See that spell description for dynamics.
Dragging the stag carcass out of the Darkness and mounting it on a cut branch, you can carry it back to the Mausoleum. It does not seem to matter who wears antlered helm and who carries the bow, as long as one person holds both. Passing with your trophy between the Caryatid Column, the stone figure bears witness and complimenting you on a successful hunt, gestures towards the ancient doors that suddenly creak open inwardly to allow access to the mausoleum interior.

The interior is spartan inside, a single hall about sixty feet square. To the left side is an ornate coffer, decorated with hunting scenes and set about it are several memorial tokens or trinkets. Wreaths of laurel and roses, a large drinking horn made from Mammoth tusk, a bearskin cloak, a leather quiver filled with finely fletched silver tipped arrows and some stained glass vials.

To the right are several statues which alarmingly bear all the hallmarks of deceased people, victims of some unknown ire. Many of these are chipped and broken, as if petrification was not enough torment, showing to have been vandalised afterwards.

Front and centre against the back wall and the focus for the filtered sunlight coming through the stained glazed panes; a large bronze shrine which details a seated Herne figure before a large rock crystal basin upon which offerings have been made.

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The area is cool, silent, a little bit eerie for you feel it is both a sacred place and one warded against those who might defile its sanctuary.

Actions & thoughts, questions please
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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#473 Post by Rex »

Orgoth

Orgoth will place the stags heart in the offering bowl.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#474 Post by Spearmint »

great. For size comparison, you could put the stag as a whole inside the basin. So the figure looks about six feet tall to shoulder height.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#475 Post by sastaz »

LOL I forgot about the man sized bat thing. Well, it only serves to further increase her vampiric impression.

Gerdal chews some kind of resin and takes several gulps from her waterskin.

Cure light wounds on herself.

Cure light wounds [1d8]=7

She eagerly glares at the potential artifacts just lying there by the statue for the taking, but restrains herself as she considers the fate of the ones that tried to violate the sanctity of this place before her.

"Those monsters certainly did not play. Deadly and potent. We were lucky to survive. We entered their habitat so we just have to accept that currently we're the prey."

She waits for Orgoth to perform the offering.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#476 Post by Spearmint »

are you still in bat form?

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#477 Post by sastaz »

No, I assumed Gerdal terminated the spell as Amos got worried, before we entered the temple. Sorry for not writing that out.

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#478 Post by OGRE MAGE »

So, Gnimish is currently unconscious?

Sven

Amos isn't the only person in the group showing concern for one of their members sudden change. "Man Gerdal, I didn't know you could do stuff like THAT. You are certainly full of surprises, aren't you?"

Inside the shrine, Sven treats the place with the respect it deserves, touching nothing until he sees the results of the offering.

"I don't like how these statues are all chipped and damaged. Hopefully nobody thinks we did it."

Sven looks over the glass vails, wondering if they are potions of some kind.

"Does anyone here worship Herne? This place feels different than the maze. Maybe we better leave this stuff right where it is?"

As he speaks, he tries to determine how many items on the coffer his Unseen Servant could carry away. :lol:

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#479 Post by OGRE MAGE »

Since we cant really use them to their full potential anyway, what if we place the magic bow and helm into the basin? :shock: :D

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Re: Barrowmaze: BRAGging Rites

#480 Post by Rex »

OGRE MAGE wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 5:21 pm Since we cant really use them to their full potential anyway, what if we place the magic bow and helm into the basin? :shock: :D
Not a bad idea, but I am concerned we may not be able to get back without them.

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