(OOC - Sorry, I thought it was clear; Whisper's stuck. She can't get out, even on a natural 20. She has no spells that don't require somatic components. Taking pretty much any action at all in a grapple requires a grapple check, which she autofails. So...the wiggling helplessly thing I posted before is all she can do until it lets her go or she dies, as far as I can tell. If anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears. )
OOC
Oops, okay, I misread the last part where you said you knew what your next spell was. I assumed that meant your spell for next round, not next level =) So now we just need Midian to chime in, if he doesn't I've got an action queued up for him.
Round 1
As the massive serpent closes its jaws around Whisper there is a moment of frantic activity as everyone spins about to look at the snake. Dorel quickly calls out the words of one of his spells, targeting the creatures mind with his attack. To his distress the snake's predatory will seems to be as strong as his own and it brushes aside his spell. Kraken and Glaive rush to Whispers aid and attack the snakes body with slashing blows. Both of their weapons easily pierce the creatures hide and draw blood, but do little to slow it down. Whisper wiggles her shoulders, her morphic body allowing her to flex her muscles in odd ways. She manages to move one arm far enough to draw her dagger and plunge it into the snakes soft palate. The snake hisses and unhinges its jaw as it swallows the changeling. You see a lump pass down it's throat as Whisper is transferred into its belly. Midian shouts in horror at seeing his long time companion devoured. He casts a spell and leaps forward to touch the serpent. Sickly greenish light envelops his hand as he presses it against the creatures cheek. A violent shudder passes through its body as the magical poison wracks its system.
OOC
Spoiler:
Whisper is currently at 0 hit points and swallowed. You're still considered grappled but you can cut yourself free by attacking an AC of 12 and doing 15 points of damage.
As Whisper is swallowed, a disgusted Doral realizes that the best chance for her survival is to help slay the serpent as quickly as possible and hope that she can be sliced out in time. He pulls his wand and fires, taking care to avoid striking the bulge that is his fellow adventurer.
Spoiler:
Either I made a mistake, invisible castle is buggy, or I just rolled the best magic missile roll ever... If if was the first two, please feel free to reroll for me.
Midian finds himself filled with despair, and even the ape at his side seems to feel it, as both the druid's spear and the ape's claw swing woefully wide of the mark.
Crushed by the monster's gizard, burning in its stomach, Whisper wonders how it ever came to this. What did it all mean in the end? What good did any of it do?
Weakly, halfheartedly, she jabs with her dagger again...knowing it won't do any good, but refusing to just give up before it's done.
And then it is. She goes limp and slack in the snake's gullet...
(No invis castle here, feel free to roll dagger attack. Since she was at 0HP this moves her to -1 and unconsciousness. Unless the stomach damage is really really low this round...I figure this is it for her. Sigh.)
Kraken grunts out a few choice expletives as he sees the struggling bulge in the snake's gullet that is Whisper get drawn further in. His eyes seem to cloud over and his dreadlocks and beard are blown in a wind no-one else can feel.
With startling quickness he brings his falchion down twice in quick succession on the snake's neck, just behind the head.
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Dorel magical bolts slam into the snakes head, knocking it towards Kraken who swings his giant falchion as swiftly as if it were a mere dagger. Two powerful overhand chops break through vertebrae and sever the nerves in its neck. The snake thrashes uncontrollably as it dies. Glaive steps up and slashes a long slit down the snakes belly. Amidst the sliding organs you catch a glimpse of one of Whispers legs. The snake continues shuddering even after its death as muscles continue to twich.
Spoiler:
Whisper is currently at -2 hp, -1 for taking and action and -1 for acid damage.
I figured Kraken's healing magic is not gentle - he's a follower of a storm god, after all. It's more like rapid battle magic, and stings like ice water and salt in a wound as it does its work, probably leaving scars.
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Whisper's eyes open wide abruptly, and she sucks in a long, hoarse gasp of air. Her back arches. She grabs at the mask over her face and pulls it up to clear it away from her mouth and nose, if not actually taking it completely off. Her lips are thin and her nose curiously flat...little more than a bulge with nostrils. The skin of her face is a smooth grey tone.
She lies there for a moment, breathing hard. Then healthy flesh tone color seeps into her face. Her lips puff out into full red rosebuds, and her nose pulls up into an elegant, pert little button; suitable for the pretty elven face she reveals as she pulls the mask off entirely.
Shakily Whisper looks at Kraken, then the others. Her expression is unusually emotional, though of course she's a very good actress. She looks close to tears though; big green eyes watering, lips trembling.
As Whisper's dying form falls out of the serpent, Midian finds himself paralyzed, throat tight as he is overwhelmed with the thought that he might lose yet another of his schoolmates to the life they've chosen. He has only just registered her movement and flashed on the thought of his healing wand when Kraken uses his own magics to bring Whisper back from the brink.
The druid stumbles closer.
"Next time you want to study wildlife, I can probably come up with something safer," he says, but while his words are full of jest, his shaky delivery, and the fact that he cannot bring himself to look Whisper in the eyes speak to the deep impact her near-death has made upon him.
"Well that was a near-run thing, indeed. I think we may need to find a better way to look for danger. Despite our best efforts, that thing got the drop on us. I'll continue to keep a sharp lookout, but I must admit my attempt failed in this case." Doral waits for Whisper to be back on her feet before surveying the path once more with alternating naked eye and spyglass.
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AC 19 (T13, FF16), HP 39/39, F +4,R+4,W+4
Eldritch blast: +5/+6, 3d6 damage
Glaive feels a kinship to Whisper. Both hide their true appeareance behind 'masks'. He gently asks her: "While I'm no real healer myself, I would suggest that I use my wand to heal your remaining blemishes."
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Kraken's not seen Whisper with her mask off, nor seen a changeling do what they do. His eyes open wide and he quirks an eyebrow.
"Bloody oath...," he says quietly, staring at the sorceress for slightly longer than is polite. Then, with a groan of effort he levers himself to his feet, using his falchion for support.
"Right, mates," he says in his normal breezy fashion. "Reckon we keep moving if the lady's okay. Midian mate," he turns to the druid and pulls a handful of pod-like vegetation from a pouch. "This here's what we call Long Corn. Reckon you could keep an eye out for it? You seem to know the Green best out of all your lot. Keeps well in the jungle, good bush tucker. Doesn't suffer from Ration Rot Moss like other stuff. Glaive mate, if the lady needs more healing maybe you can give her a little tap her with yer magic stick." He gives the warlock a sly wink, well aware of the (weak) innuendo.
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"Reckon we keep moving if the lady's okay. Midian mate," he turns to the druid and pulls a handful of pod-like vegetation from a pouch. "This here's what we call Long Corn. Reckon you could keep an eye out for it? You seem to know the Green best out of all your lot. Keeps well in the jungle, good bush tucker. Doesn't suffer from Ration Rot Moss like other stuff.
Midian snaps out of his reverie, glancing at the plant Kraken shows him. He smiles weakly and nods. "I suspect I can manage that much, at least," he agrees.
Once Whisper is back on her feet and restored to health through use of Glaives wand, you re-orient yourself and set off through the jungle at a cautious pace. Midian notes the lack of any large fauna in the area due to the predations of the large serpent. After a few hours wildlife becomes more prevalent as you move out of its old hunting range. While traveling Midian and Kraken keep an eye out for more food to supplement their supplies. They manage to collect enough long corn for the party for a meal. Towards late afternoon another rain storm begins, though it is not nearly as strong as last nights storm. The trees overhead blunt most of the rainfall and wind, turning it into a constant trickle. After two hours, as the sun begins to disappear over the rim of the island, the wind and rain die down. Your party locates a space between the trees large enough for a camp. You estimate that you have traveled two thirds of the way to the place where Dorel saw smoke through his spyglass. If your pace continues you should reach that location by noon tomorrow. You start a small fire to cook the long corn and ward off the night and settle down for the evening.
"I can take first watch," Doral offers. He casts see invisibility, then goes to the stockpile of dried wood to feed the campfire before hanging his mithril shirt up so he can rest his shoulders.
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Spoiler:
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