stonegod's Expedition to Castle Ravenloft: Ch. I [IC]

[stonegod]

Under the Tower: Round 5

The corpse of the demonthorn slowing her down, Janis just makes it to the corner of the rock formation where she can flank the still living horror. With a cold grin and a blue glow of her eyes, she channels her electric power. But while the wide bolt slams into the plant, its energy is largely disapated along the apparently conductive tendrils, barely singing it. [12 hp before resistance]

The thorns digging from his flesh slowly wither as the Stalker grits through the pain; he shudders as he notices the tendrils similarity to those growing from the 'tree' in front of him. [Fort 18 saves vs Thorns] With a dervish frenzy, he jabs at the plant. One blow is easily knocked aside, but with a duck and twist, the other connects with sap-spewing success. [AC 12 misses; AC 19 hits; 7 hp]

Still wounded, Perriwimple stays back.

In dire straights, the fiendish plant focuses its rage on Ashlyn. The first slams into her shield arm hard enough to temporarily numb it, giving it the access it needs to slam a soft spot through her armor. The room spins a moment from the pain! [First attack misses; Second hits AC 29; 14hp; Ashlyn severely wounded]

Her arm and ribs stinging, the implacable paladin presses the attack. But her efforts are thwarted by the creatures thick bark and tendrils which slap away the blade. [AC 13, 16 miss]

[Tessa's up]

Under the Tower: Round 6

J: 21 42/42 [Fast healing 1, 12 rounds]
J: 20 21/31
P: 15 24/55 [Fast healing 1, 12 rounds]
d: 14 [-61 (severely wounded); -76 (killed)]
A: 13 19/49 [Fast healing 1, 12 rounds]
T: 11 34/35 [Fast healing 1, 12 rounds, nimbus 48 rounds]

Map Key: A: Ashlyn, c: crocs, d: Hungry Tree, J: Jarrith, J: Janis, P: Perriwimple, T: Tessa.
Conditions: YellowGreen: Thorny, SeaGreen: Entangled. Moving through steep region (lines) cost 2 movement and may require Balance checks. Moving through roots subjects mover to entanglement.

[Round 5 actions for all please]

 

[James Heard]

Janis sighs.

I hate plants.

Despite her lack of results from her last efforts, the implacable druid throws another ionizing bolt of electricity at the creature.

 

[pathfinderq1]

Tessa gave the still-hurt Perriwimple a reassuring pat on the shoulder and began to make her way forward through the subterranean maze and the tangles of the dead tree. With any luck, she might be able to help out a bit more.

OOC: Moving forward, towards Ashlyn (I 12)- if she can make it there in a single move, then use Remove Paralysis for a Cure Moderate (2d8+5), otherwise complete the movement and heal next round

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn staggers under the power blow, but retains her feet and begins to weave her blade in a defensive pattern again. Although she fights a cautious battle, the tired paladin's blade lashes out twice against the fendish creature.

[Combat expertise (+5AC, -5 attack); Attack +4/-1, Damage 1d8+3/1d8+3; AC27]

 

[stonegod]

Under the Tower: Round 5

Tessa struggles forward, but the dead fiendish plant trip up her feet, slowing her down. [Double move through dead plant]

Under the Tower: Round 6

Disdainful of the flora's resistance, the one called Stormhand lived up to her name, shooting another sheet of electricity into the beast. Again, the demon plant barely sizzled. [13hp before resistance]

Jarrith, pressed with little else to do, continues his attack. But the twisting tendril spoil his blows, turning them aside at the last moment! [AC 17, 17 miss]

The still wounded Perriwimple bravely or foolishly trudged forward into the fray. But his blow is finds nothing by hardened trunk. [AC 15 misses]

Assaulted from all sides, the tree horror strikes out. The first slams through Ashlyn's defenses, thrusting her to her knees momentarily with the force of the blow. But fortunate for her, the second tendril is spoiled by the first, useless bouncing off the rock above the paladin's head. [AC 30 hits, 13hp; AC 12 misses]

More cautious now, nearing death like her foe, Ashlyn thrusts her blade in a last ditch effort. It mewls in pain as more of its vines are cut away, but it is not enough to end its threat. [AC 21 his, 16 hp; AC 15 misses; Near death]

Behind her, Tessa calls upon the Sovereigns to once again heal their champion. The more recent blows are tended, but the lady paladin is still grimacing in pain. [16hp]

Under the Tower: Round 7

Seeing its time near an end, Janis fires forth another electrical volley. She almost screams at it seems absorbed by the plant flesh. [9hp before resistance negates it]

In a desparate bid to kill the thing, Jarrith bellows a cry to the Flame as it throws his weight behind his rapier. His efforts finally meet with success, and with an explosion of gore-like sap, pierces the insides of the creature. It wails once more, then slumps against the wall, beaten. [AC 18 hits; 7hp; dead]

Under the Tower: End Combat

The party stands, catching their breath, as Janis' work slowly closes their wounds. After a minute, when the power wears off, they neither see nor hear any other sound in the caves, the other strange plants clutching the rock oblivious to the disturbance.

J: 21 42/42
J: 20 21/31
P: 15 35/55
A: 13 34/49
T: 11 35/35 [nimbus 36 rounds]

 

[DEFCON 1]

Jarrith pulls his rapier free from the insides of the demonic foliage, breathing heavily. He pulls a rag out from his belt and proceeds to wipe down both of his weapons, trying his best to remove as much of the sticky sap as possible.

"How are we all doing? We all right? I am sorry... for I should have seen these things up ahead. My vigilance wained, and we paid a price for it. Thankfully, not a heavy price."

Jarrith glances around the caverns, many of the walls now dripping with sap. He reaches out and raps his knuckles against the rock to test it's hardness. "I do not know how far in these caverns continue... but I hope that whomever hid Urik's symbol in here did not feel the need to go very far in. Nor summons more creatures such as these to protect it."

He sheaths both rapiers and pulls out both of his wands. He is determined not to be taken unawares and unprepared as last time. "Are we ready to continue on? Or do we need a few minutes to rest?"

 

[James Heard]

Janis takes a moment to study the dead creatures and search their remains for any clues as to explain their presence.

Creatures such as these here, might require tending.

 

[stonegod]

Janis takes a moment to study the dead creatures and search their remains for any clues as to explain their presence.

Creatures such as these here, might require tending.

The bodies of the demonthorns are entirely unnatural, with structures that occasionally seem more organ-based than plant. In one, she finds calcified structures that may have once been bone. From what she can put together from what was happening to her crocodile, she highly suspects at least one of these was 'grown' from an unfortunate subject; the source of the other is left for debate.

 

[James Heard]

Janis waves at the creature that seems to have been produced spontaneously from prey.

" There might be treasure somewhere around that one, it's the child-creature. This one," she waves at the other," Would seem to have either been planted or found its own way here."

 

[Stormwind]

Ashlyn leans on her sword a moment, breathing heavily, then she concentrates for a moment and healing energies enfold those around her.
Now that the combat is over, Ashlyn stands and rests a litle, her internal energies visibly depleted, while the others investigate further.


Use Turn Undead -> Sacred Healing (Fast healing 3 for 5 rounds = +15hp healing each)]