A Candlekeep Mystery (IC)

[FitzTheRuke]

Argenti covered Ethian and Hawthorne as they moved through the moss-covered floor of the chamber. Ethian went to have a look at the tree's gnarled roots. A dark, amorphous shape moved in the shadows in the depths of the root-mass.

Meanwhile, Hawthorne took a look at the stains on the stone slabs. To his dismay, they did appear to be blood. Or perhaps worse than blood? A scrap left on a slab appeared to be human skin, shed like a snake.

Cairn moved down the slope into the room and picked up what he thought might be a chain. It was more like a rope. As he pulled at it, it lifted out of the moss, where it had been hidden. At his end, it held a box with a T-shaped plunger, and the other end appeared to be attached to a large candle that was burrowed into the support pillar.

OOC: @Kobold Stew & @VLAD the Destroyer: Crock Jon and Kaliban's position?

 

[Kobold Stew]

Crock Jon has been holding back, chastened by his defeat. He's carrying anything people want carried.

 

[Steve Gorak]

Ethian points his sword at the figure moving in the roots "Come out whomever or what ever you are!"

 

[Leatherhead]

Argenti's eyes and amulet glow with the same emerald pulses of her rock that is held at the ready.

OOC: Unless that shadow looks like a creature, Argenti is still holding that action to cast Eldritch Blast.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Sure enough, the shadow shifting under the tree roots proved to be a dark ooze, which began to slither out toward Ethian.

GM: Encounter: Black Dragon Agents vs Black Pudding in "Conversion" Chamber

Spoiler: Map of Chamber

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain: Everywhere (thick moss; uneven ground)
Visibility: Dark (Underground);

Spoiler: Allies

Name * AC * HP * Hit Dice * PasPrc * Spells * (Notes)
(PCs)
Argenti AC14 HP 31/31 THP 0/7 HD 4/4 PP13 SS 2/2
Cairn AC18 HP 35/43 THP 0/7 HD 4/4 PP13** 2W 1/1 AS 1/1
Crock Jon AC14 HP 31/36 THP 0/7 HD 2/4 PP12* SD 4/4 2W 1/1 AS 1/1
Ethian AC19* HP 26/27 THP 0/7 HD 2/4 PP16* PIns16 SS 4/4 3/3 CD 0/1
Hawthorne AC14 HP 25/31 THP 0/7 HD 4/4 PP17 PInv17 PIns15
Kaliban AC18* HP 35/35 THP 0/7 HD 4/4 PP10* PED 4/4 (d6's)

Spoiler: Enemies

Black Pudding AC7 HP 85/85 PP8*BS

GM: Begin Round One.

OOC: Argenti can take her readied shot as well as act.

 

[Kobold Stew]

Crock Jon is cautious, but he owes it to his employers to protect them. "Keep your distance, suh." He makes eye contact with another in the party, adding "Suh."

He reaches for his net, and approaches with the only weapon he carries other than his fist. He throws it -- really just throwing it on the ground, so large is this thing, hoping that it could not easily make its way through the webbing of the net. What good could a net do, he wondered.

OOC: Move to 15', throw net, retreat. Attack; 1d20+6=7 (natural 1) vs AC7. So ridiculous.

 

[Leatherhead]

Argetni lets one rock fly as the pudding comes into view "HYAH!" And quickly follows up with another "HWAH!"

Both rocks land solidly within the ooze, sending waves throughout the creature, and causing parts of it to splash on the walls and celling of the cave.

OOC: Eldritch Blast double tap! Damage 2 is bludgeoning the rest is force: 1D20+6 = [3]+6 = 9 1D10+4+2 = [9]+4+2 = 15 1D20+6 = [12]+6 = 18 1D10+4+2 = [10]+4+2 = 16 Two hits, for big damage each!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Crock Jon stepped down the steep slope into the chamber. Though the moss was not as thick here as it had been in the hallways (at least it did not hang down in front of his face), he still needed to slog his way through it. He was too far to throw his net, and it had become tangled during his earlier struggles.

Argenti spotted the ooze for what it was, and began to fling glowing rocks at it that splattered through its shifting mass.

OOC: Ground is difficult terrain. Crock Jon will have to dash to get closer. Argenti did 31! Pudding has cover from the roots, current AC is 9.

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Kaliban wades through the thick moss. He curses as he is unable to close with the enemy and support Ethian.

OOC: Kaliban will use the dash action to try and close on the pudding. Not sure how close I can get but I am moving in a straight line towards it. Also I can't remember if we had a short rest before this encounter. Just want to see if I have my action surge back.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Also I can't remember if we had a short rest before this encounter. Just want to see if I have my action surge back.

OOC: You did, and you do. Seeing as you hadn't placed yourself before I made the map, I can move you up a little. I'll put you at AL29 after dashing. Crock Jon, should he dash, will be at AL30.