Sons of Krauss Age of Worms Adventure Path (IC)

Round 1

Hearing Gregor drop Owen is quick to react as he carries the lantern and draws his rapier and charges to where Gregor fell. "Anyone see where that came from?"

As the young man runs past the last row of statues his lantern light briefly illuminates the area around the eastern alcove. For a moment, a strange creature is revealed in the jerky light. It looks like a 3 foot-long (~1m) strand of striated red muscle connected to two floating eyeballs the size of a child’s head. This creature hangs in mid-air just behind the head of the statue, its oblong pupils retracting in the bright light before it. None of you has ever seen or heard of such a creature before (OOC: Since none of you have the Knowledge (dungeoneering) skill).

With a Herculean effort to resist the clinging tendrils of terror writhing around the periphery of his mind, Azten finally pushes aside concern for himself when he sees the prone figure of Gregor lying next to him.
Gregor!
The dwarf reaches down to his near-human companion to ascertain his condition (OOC: Heal check 18 + 9 = 27, success!) to find that he is either unconscious or asleep. Not wanting to waste any time Azten strikes Gregor about the face roughly a few times to try and rouse him. The giant grumbles some but quickly regains consciousness.
Seeing that Gregor is no worse for wear Azten straightens up, pointing to where the beam came from so that the other members of the party can investigate while he attempts to rouse the downed giant.
It came from there! Get it!

(OOC: Gregor is now awake, and prone and can act in the next round just after Azten)

"What the ... more traps?"
Majakilar advances to column indicated by Azten and peers around it, hoping to see the attacking creature or object, moving as close to Gregor as he can without giving up cover.
Deciding that he can surely take on such a pathetic bundle of sinew, muscle and viscera, even if it does shoot magical bolts of slight, Majakilar stabs at it with this guisarme. The creature quickly ducks behind the statue and the young man’s blade scrapes roughly against the stonework (OOC: Majakilar guisarme attack 2 + 2 = 4, miss).

“Ho-lee... GREGOR!”
Alexi spins around, knowing well enough, that she can do pathetically little to save Gregor right now, and tries to see what is attacking them, moving closer to the point from where the light beams originated (OOC: move, full defense).

Tearing his eyes away from the statues, Kenneth sees the alarmed expression on his companions’ faces. Although he can’t see the creature from where he is standing he reaches down and picks up his crossbow, slipping a bolt in to load it. He holds it in front of him, trying to see what he should shoot at (OOC: draw weapon, load crossbow).

Startled by the light shining in its unnatural twin eye stalks, the creature seems to retreat as far as it can into the alcove. The statue still provides it decent cover. The left eye twitches momentarily then and releases another bright purple ray, aimed square at Majakilar.
The young soldier momentarily feels a wave of sleepiness come over him, but manages to easily shake it off (OOC: Creature hits touch AC 19, hit; Majakilar Will save 16 + 1 = 17, success).

Round 2:
Owen 14
Azten 9
Gregor 9
Majakilar 8
Alexi 4
Kenneth 3
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Round 3:
Creature 15

Gregor will get up and charge the creature if he can, otherwise he will move to be in a position to threaten it.

Hoping that it will help them resist the effects of the beam, Azten yells out to his companions. The ray seems to be some sort of illusion magic - I saw that I was sick again but Moradin showed me the truth - I was not afflicted.

At least the ray that hit me was not real...

When Gregor vacates his spot, Azten moves in to be out of the way. And to keep an eye on the two passages that have not been explored in case any more of the floaty eye/muscle things show up.

Gregor will give out a roar as he charges, hopefully drawing the beast's attention away from his companions.

Alexi

Alexi tries to shoot the strange creature with her crossbow, if possible, otherwise she looks around for some makeshift weapon to use in close combat.

Kenneth

Kenneth, fascinated by the magical effects of the constant breeze originating from the palms of the stautues, does not notice Azten and Gregor entering the next chamber.

He wishes he can reach high enough to examine the palms themselves. Kenneth motions to Owen, about to request a lift so he can pass a hand over the breeze from the statue, when he hears a thump and sees Owen's eyes widen.

"Anyone see where that came from?" he says.

"See what?" Kenneth asks, perplexed, when he hears Azten's voice from the other chamber.

"Gregor!"

Kenneth turns as Owen, Majakilar, and Alexi rush past him. Peering down the corridor, he sees Azten kneeling next to the fallen form of Gregor.

Hope he's all right, he thinks as he pulls out his crossbow and slips in a bolt. As the others circle the next alcove, Kenneth inches his way to the other side of the wall, hoping to get a clear shot. (1 square east, 2 squares south)

The creature, entwined around the statue, surprises Kenneth as he feel the bile rising in the back of his throat. Slowly, he aims his crossbow.

"The ray seems to be some sort of illusion magic..." Kenneth hears Azten say from down the hall.

Illusion magic, you say... Kenneth thinks as a smirk finds its way to his mouth.

"Hey, you!" he yells, taking one hand from the crossbow and waving it in the air erratically. "Yeah, the one with two eyes and no brain! You think you can fool me?"

Kenneth waits for the creature to turn its head, hopefully focusing its attention on him, and looses a bolt at one of the thing's eyes.

"Sneaky little skinny thing, ha!" Majakilar swings again at the creature, then takes a 5' step to the side.

With a sigh of relief that Gregor is alright, Owen turns to where the party is focusing their attention. "So that is where it came from", Owen says as he steps toward the alcove with the statue waiting for the trapped creature to move forward.

OOC - 5ft step north, ready action to attack the creature if it tries to move out of the alcove

Round 2

With a sigh of relief that Gregor is alright, Owen turns to where the party is focusing their attention. "So that is where it came from", Owen says as he steps toward the alcove with the statue waiting for the trapped creature to move forward (OOC - 5ft step north, ready action to attack the creature if it tries to move out of the alcove).

Hoping that it will help them resist the effects of the beam, Azten yells out to his companions. “The ray seems to be some sort of illusion magic - I saw that I was sick again but Moradin showed me the truth - I was not afflicted. At least the ray that hit me was not real...”

Gregor will get up and charge the creature if he can, otherwise he will move to be in a position to threaten it. Gregor will give out a roar as he charges, hopefully drawing the beast's attention away from his companions (OOC: move action; heavy mace attack 3 + 5 – 4 (cover) = 8, miss).

When Gregor vacates his spot, Azten moves in to be out of the way. And to keep an eye on the two passages that have not been explored in case any more of the floaty eye/muscle things show up.

"Sneaky little skinny thing, ha!" Majakilar swings again at the creature, then takes a 5' step to the side (OOC: 6 + 2 – 4 (cover) = 4, miss).

Alexi tries to shoot the strange creature with her crossbow (OOC: crossbow attack 11 + 2 – 4 (cover) – 4 (shooting into melee) = 5, miss).

As the others circle the next alcove, Kenneth inches his way to the other side of the wall, hoping to get a clear shot. (OOC: 1 square east, 1 squares south)
The creature, entwined around the statue, surprises Kenneth as he feel the bile rising in the back of his throat. Slowly, he aims his crossbow.
"The ray seems to be some sort of illusion magic..." Kenneth hears Azten say from down the hall.
Illusion magic, you say... Kenneth thinks as a smirk finds its way to his mouth.
"Hey, you!" he yells, taking one hand from the crossbow and waving it in the air erratically. "Yeah, the one with two eyes and no brain! You think you can fool me?"
Kenneth waits for the creature to turn its head, hopefully focusing its attention on him, and looses a bolt at one of the thing's eyes (OOC: Kenneth thinks, working with magic and being a gnome, that he can easily shake off some silly illusion: he doesn't realize he has an abyssal Will save (-2 or +0 against illusions). Crossbow attack 6 + 3 – 4 (cover) – 4 (firing into melee) = 1, miss).

Surrounded on all sides by enemies, the strange creature’s eyes twitch as it looks as a way out of the alcove. It attempts to dart from behind the statue, but every time either Gregor or Owen block its exit. It withdraws behind the statue once again, momentarily raising one of its eye stalks to release a purple ray at the rogue (OOC: Creature hits touch AC 21, hit! Owen Will save 7 – 1 = 6, failure). Without a sound, the young human collapses onto the floor.

Round 3:
Owen 14
Gregor 9
Azten 9
Majakilar 8
Alexi 4
Kenneth 3
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Round 4:
Creature 15

Alexi

“I can't hit that thing with the statue and everything in between...” Alexi grumbles, while stepping behind Gregor, kneeling down next to Owen to see, if he is okay (and waking him up, if he's also sleeping like Gregor before).