[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

[Mewness]

The group returns to the high tide crossing, exploring the other side of the little island on the way, and returns to camp, to find Ishirou standing in silent vigil on the guard platform. Pezock is delighted to return to his work on the lighthouse.

The following day the adventurers prepare to return to the grey, silent island. Knowing that they will be camping close by overnight, they have plenty of time for exploration, and Aerys, who has been growing increasingly restless since the camp got settled, decides to come along. Kane’s almost constant mortification in her presence seems to be a matter of indifference to her, and she is so merry even in the most arduous parts of the trek that more than one or two of her companions begin to suspect that she may have started drinking again. But there is no wine about, unless she has surreptitiously filled her waterskin with it.

The group explores along the pathway that heads upstream long the river nearest the camp. This trail leads through a thickly forested ravine and ends rather abruptly at a 50-foot high cliff overlooking the sea. There are securely-attached knotted vines and ropes hanging off the edge, though no sign of what someone might have climbed down for.

The adventurers spend the rest of the day exploring the jungle to the northeast, which is a great deal of hot, sweaty work for little result, though there might be those who would say of the Shiv that finding nothing is better than finding something.

The night passes uneventfully enough on the smaller island. At dawn, the water is so low that a path forms to the north, and the crossing is made easily. The grey island is utterly silent, and the ground is slightly spongy underfoot, seemingly covered over entirely with slick, tangled undergrowth. The entire area smells of decay. Here and there, thick, fibrous stalks stretch over the adventurers’ heads.

After half an hour or so, the group notices movement at the edge of their vision. Vaguely humanoid creatures seem to be walking about slowly, strange figures that make no response when hailed, and that retreat silently when approached, keeping their distance. The quiet is becoming oppressive.

OOC: Edit: Map's updated on the first page.

 

[jbear]

Kane's blade flashes out. He's not expecting anyone is here on this island worth chatting to.
Kane walks towards the creatures, his fey beast beside him, deadly intent burning in his eyes. "G-ghouls?"

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki responds, his voice cutting the thick silence. "I think not. Ghouls would have attacked us, right? Like the others did? I don't like this place. Let's get it mapped and figure out if Ieana is here."

 

[jbear]

Kane slows down as he considers Noriaki's words. If they weren't ghouls, what were they? Decidedly more circumspect faced with the possibility that the creatures were some other type of unknown threat, Kane continues to advance.

 

[GROMkill]

Takahaan slowly treads toward the figures in the distance beside Kane. In a booming but neutral voice, the huge dragonborn calls out to them. "Strangers! We bring no harm! We are survivors of a shipwreck and are exploring this region for food or supplies!"

He turns to Kane and Noriaki after he calls out to the strangers. "Should they prove hostile, be on your guard. Sheath your weapons, but keep them ready to be drawn. But remember, strange friends are better than cruel enemies. Remember the giant crab?"

 

[jbear]

Kane looks at Takahaan with deep scepticism, but not one to argue he sheaths his blade.

 

[Pentius]

Noriaki notices Kane's attitude and softly repeats an adage his old master taught him, "'It takes but a moment to draw a blade, but the consequence of approaching with drawn blade can last a lifetime.'"

 

[jbear]

Kane grins. "Y-your m-master sounds like a w-wiseman. M-mine may have sh-shared such w-wisdom, I don't know I w-wasn't such an at-te-tentive student."

 

[GROMkill]

Takahaan chuckles, but is straight-faced almost immediately. "Eyes ahead, everyone. Should somebody become possessed like our last run-in with a witch, I will tie you up until you're yourself again. Do the same for me."

 

[Mewness]

The creatures do not respond, continuing to retreat silently. Oddly, they do not walk in straight lines, but seem to follow slightly twisted paths, sometimes even looping back over the same ground, for reasons that are not clear.

The adventurers continue to follow, making slow progress through the thick, tangled fungus that seems to coat the entire island. The smell of decay becomes gradually worse.

Then, the group comes within sight of a wrecked ship, a broken shell that appears to be entirely coated in the same grey mold that covers everything.

The carpet of mold near the vessel rises up in a mound. Tangles of fungus fall off and rejoin. The retreating humanoids stop, turn, and begin advancing instead. As they get closer, their nature becomes unmistakable--they are like the plant-zombies that the group fought in the jungle, covered in grey fungal growth.

GM: Initiative for Black Fox; Castile; Kane; Noriaki; Takahaan; bad guys 5(1d20) +5 = 10; 18(1d20) +5 = 23; 11(1d20) +4 = 15; 13(1d20) +7 = 20; 11(1d20) +4 = 15; 7(1d20) +7 = 14 Everyone beats the bad guys except Hú Lí. I’ve put a map up here, but you will get a better view within Roll20. Using Roll20 • You should have control of your own character (and his or her conjurations, companions, etc.) as well as any friendly NPC that is accompanying you. Combat status and special rules can be found in the Handouts section. • Feel free to draw stuff on the map (areas of effect, paths of movement, etc.). Use a color that is as close as possible to your character's speech color. If you use forced movement on a combatant you can't control, indicate that by drawing a line from the origin to the destination and I'll fix it when I can. • You can use the Roll20 die-roller if you like. Make sure your roll includes text saying what the roll is for! You can append messages to die rolls by typing something like "/r 1d20+11 howling strike on blue blobby thing." • Please post everything that you did in the ENWorld thread as normal (but don't link directly to this campaign, as there's currently no security except for keeping the link hidden). If you made die rolls in Roll20, just say so in the thread. No need to post links. Post exactly what you did, with coordinates, just as you normally would. We may need to retcon moves, so keep track of what you do. • Don’t clutter up the chat log with unnecessary stuff, as I may need to go back through it if I have to check die rolls or retcon something.

[sblock=Perception 21 (active or passive)]You notice a slight movement in the thick clumps of fungus on either side. There is a fungus-creature in C7 and one in N4.[/sblock]

[sblock=Terrain] The icky bumpy pale-green pattern represents thick fungal growth and is difficult terrain. The masts of the ship are blocking terrain. Everything else is normal.[/sblock]

[sblock=If you hit a fungus zombie]Roots of the Colony: If another zombie is within 5 squares when you hit, then each one takes half damage from the attack. If there’s more than one within range, pick the least damaged one to share the damage.[/sblock]

[sblock=Controlling Aerys]Companion NPCs in Combat

Any PC can take a standard, move, or minor action to have an NPC perform an action of the same (or a lesser) type. E.g., if you want Pezock to use Icy Skewer, you spend a standard action. If you want him to move, you spend a move action. An NPC is limited to the usual number of actions each round (but those actions need not all be granted by the same PC). An NPC who has an immediate action can likewise only use it if a PC has an immediate action available to use on his/her behalf.

NPCs can take free actions and opportunity actions normally, without the direction of PCs. They are always considered to have their weapons in hand and don’t need to spend actions unsheathing them.

If all of the PCs act in a given round without giving any actions to a particular NPC, I will have that NPC take one non-offensive action. This will most likely be Second Wind if it is needed and available, and movement or Total Defense if it is not. (It won’t be necessary for PCs to spend their own standard actions to have NPCs use second wind.)[/sblock]

[sblock=Aerys]Aerys
HP 51/51, Bloodied 25, Surge value 12; Surges 13/13
Str 12, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16
AC 21, Fort 19, Reflex 17, Will 15
Group Diplomacy: allies within 10 squares gain a +1 racial bonus to Diplomacy checks.
Skills: Athletics +8, Bluff +10
cutlass +11 vs. AC, 1d8+3 damage and the target is marked until the end of Aerys’s next turn (only on a hit)
Concussive Spike (standard; force, psionic, weapon; close blast 3, one creature Aerys can see in blast)
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8+6 force damage. Aerys pushes each enemy in the blast other than the target 4 squares.
[o] Wrenching Claw (standard; force, psionic, weapon; melee 4, one creature)
Attack: +10 vs. AC
Hit: 2d8+6 force damage, and Aerys slides the target 3 squares to a square adjacent to her.
[o] Cutting Words (standard; arcane, implement, psychic; ranged 10, one creature)
Attack: +7 vs. Will
Hit: 1d8+5 psychic damage and Aerys pulls the target 2 squares.
[o] Psionic Vigor (minor; psionic; personal)
Effect: Aerys gains 8 temporary hit points.
[o] Second Wind

Conditions: none

Fluff Notes: Aerys isn’t “psionic”; she’s a dual-wielding martial character who taunts people.[/sblock]


[sblock=PCs’ Off-Turn Actions]Interrupts, Reactions, and so forth are listed here to help me remember them. It would also help me if you specify triggers for these actions. If you don’t, I’ll try to use them in sensible places.

Black Fox
Virtue of Cunning (free action; ally is missed)

Castile
Combat Challenge (interrupt; adjacent marked target shifts or makes an attack that doesn’t include Castile)
Guardian’s Counter (interrupt; ally within 2 is hit by an attack that doesn’t include Castile)
Shield Edge Block (interrupt; adjacent enemy hits or misses Castile with a close or melee attack): used if it will turn a hit into a miss.
Bold Victory Armor (free; Castile or an ally within 5 bloodies an enemy)

Kane
Aegis of Shielding (interrupt; marked enemy hits a target within 10 and the attack doesn’t include Kane)
Channeling Shield (interrupt; an attack hits Kane or an ally within 10): used to prevent a big or bloodying hit.
Dimensional Vortex (interrupt; an enemy within 10 hits an ally with a melee attack): used if Kane can thump a non-minion with it.
White Lotus Riposte (no action; when an enemy Kane hits with an arcane at-will attack him before EoNT, that enemy takes 4 damage of the same type as the at-will dealt)

Noriaki
Shrug it Off (reaction; Noriaki is subjected to a save ends effect)

Takahaan
Guardian’s Counter (interrupt; ally within 2 is hit by an attack that doesn’t include Takahaan)
Vengeance is Mine (reaction; an enemy hits Takahaan)[/sblock]

[sblock=Enemy Stats] Please read the appropriate block(s) only when necessary to resolve attacks or OAs.

[sblock=Fungus Zombie (look like mushrooms with red caps)]Fungus Zombie
AC 19, Fort 18, Ref 17, Will 15; HP 64, bloodied 32
Vulnerable 5 radiant
Spiny Strike +10 vs. AC, 2d6+6 damage.
Roots of the colony: If the zombie is hit by an attack while another zombie is within 5 squares of it, each of the two takes half damage from the attack. If there is more than one zombie within range, pick the least damaged one.[/sblock]
[sblock=Fungus “God” (big green thing)]Fungus “God”
AC 21, Fort 20, Ref 17, Will 19; HP 134, bloodied 67
Swarm: half damage from melee and ranged attacks, cannot be pushed, pulled, or slid by melee or ranged attacks.
Vulnerable 5 radiant, vulnerable 5 area attacks.
No basic attack.[/sblock]
[sblock=Blood Shroom]Blood Shroom
AC 19, Fort 18, Ref 16, Will 17; HP 66, bloodied 33
Vulnerable 5 radiant
(threatening reach 2) Fungal Tendril +10 vs. AC, 2d4+6 damage and target is grabbed.[/sblock]
[/sblock]