Arabesu's Eyes of the Lich Queen - IC

"So it's safe to say that Fire Protection would have been a good choice. Well, luckily, we have a little information on their tactics. Would you happen to have a number of foes we should expect to encounter? Have you witnessed the High Priest do anything such as spell or acts? Any knowledge would be beneficial. As for raising arms against them, I can agree with you. You will not have to raise arms, as keeping your pledge is fine by me. Just don't raise arms against us either, and you will be fine."

Trent them makes sure that the tracks are covered, hoping to not reveal their solitude in their newfound camp. He will use what skills he can to aid in covering the tracks. Usually, that means using trees as his main method of traveling, with spider climb, of course. He will do as he can to help out. If there is another that is more prone to be more tactful in their removing of the tracks, then Trent will let them do their work, while he tries to figure out how to deal with the new threat of the Temple being alerted now.

"So, the Temple's guarded, there's a High Priest, and some more blackscales. Sounds like a party. What's our plan?"
 

log in or register to remove this ad

"Well, let's see, first things first, they're ready for us so it will be a difficult battle. Also, they have a dragon-man, who can breath fire. If he's as lumbering as these blackscales, I might be able to trip them up with some Grease, or I can weaken him with a Ray of Enfeeblement. As for the regular blackscales, Hightower can probably deal with them quite easily at least based on our last encounter. I also have some scrolls that might help, a web & glitterdust might help if there is a large group of them. Once we get inside I can make Rosa invisible for a few minutes to scout out the area. When we're dealing with the high-priest & magic users, I can blast them with my scorching rays." Fenwick finishes, out of breath from his long winded response.
 

"I still have my own breath weapon to use as well, and I am pretty sure that they aren't that resistant to Acid. Grease would be good to use, let's hope they fall for it. I think a potion for Hightower would be best used, so I will get him the protection from evil as needed. Hopefully that means they won't be able to turn our big guy against us."
 

OOC: Knowledge (nature) checks, please.
Verdin successfully assists whomever gets the highest roll (so @ +2 bonus).
Verdin states that "all blackscales look alike to me," so he has no specifics about the priest. He does speculate that this "priest" is probably the best outfitted, with armor and weapons, of any blackscale in any give room.

Your PCs have no problem covering the tracks since Trent can follow behind and smear out the tracks, and then climb the nearby tree. With Hightower's assistance, who also is a natural climber, he can leap from its branches over to the cave. Verdin says that you killed their scent tracker, the snake, and he was their next best tracker, so you are PROBABLY safe from detection.

Presumably, you elect to subdue the blackscale so as to be free of further outbursts and to get some rest.

What is your watch order?

How many watches, etc?

How will the blackscale be guarded?

How exposed will you be during watches: the more exposed you are the better to observe the temple and path approaching your cave, but the more likely that the individual on watch will be spotted.

I will assume "take tens" on any checks unless you specify otherwise.
 

Rosa bids her comrades farewell, though not without an attempt to change their minds, as she does not particularly relish losing members in the middle of the mission. "Let us meet again," she says as they part.

Rosa needs to rest for eight hours, but is happy to take a watch after that if people are still resting. She considers using the last of her magical energy on the blackscale when another thought occurs to her.

"Are the blackscales immune to this poison?" she asks discreetly in Common.
 

Verdin: "No. In fact I am not immune to it either. Those of my kind are trained in poison use from a very young age, to the point that I NEVER accidently poison myself. They," indicating the blackscale, "are likewise just as susceptible as you are."
 

"So, if you were able to fashion the arrows that we would use with the poison, to prevent us from poisoning ourselves, then we should be able to use it against them? Or would we still find the chance that we would be poisoned by its use?"

A plan begins to form, hopefully one that would be a good one to test out. Otherwise, it was going to be hard for the big guy to use that chain in the confines spaces of the temple.

"Hightower? How are you with that chain in confined spaces? It's never been an obstacle, but I think the Temple would prevent you from using it as well as you could."
 

Hightower adjusts his position while he rests for a bit. "My chain will strike the beasts from their feet as soon as they leave the cover of the columns. And if they seek to use the arcane arts against us, they will find themselves far less safe than they might imagine." He picks bits of gore from between the links of his friend, then breaks out his oil to restore the smooth spikes and muffle the clanking weapon. Looking over as the wayward partyfolk come back breifly. "Would you be able to relieve the effects of this poison before you go?"

Hightower will take first watch, obscuring his position with some very light brush that will just break up his outline, as he squats low and becomesjust another dark boulder along the chasm wall.

Spot: (1d20+5=12)Listen: (1d20+5=13) if neccessary
 

The night.

Fangor the Fierce said:
"So, if you were able to fashion the arrows that we would use with the poison, to prevent us from poisoning ourselves, then we should be able to use it against them? Or would we still find the chance that we would be poisoned by its use?"

Verdin: "Well. I can prepare arrows for you to use, but there is still a negligible chance that you will be poisoned when you draw and fire them. So you can use them at your own risk."

OOC: he can prevent the 5% chance that will poison yourself during application, but can't eliminate the need for a reflex save to be poisoned should you fumble the attack.

Fangor the Fierce said:
"Hightower? How are you with that chain in confined spaces? It's never been an obstacle, but I think the Temple would prevent you from using it as well as you could."

OOC: Hightower, only has difficulty with cover eliminating AOO. He can still take regular attacks against opponents with cover, but can't take attacks of opportunity versus arcanists or do his I-trip-you-and-kill-you-before-you-can-attack-as-you-close-to-me trick. Cover only applies to the one closer to the covering obstruction, so once he is adjacent to an oppenent they no longer get cover, so if he goes all the way up to them then he is fine. If they then back off, depending upon the angle, then he might actually be able to take advantage of the cover.

Looking over as the wayward partyfolk come back breifly. "Would you be able to relieve the effects of this poison before you go?"

Faris: "Unfortunately, I only have cure spells prepared for today, and did not prepare a lesser restoration. Here, I will bind your wounds, at the least, before we go." She casts cure moderate on Hightower and a cure light on Rosa, bringing them both up to full hit points. "We really must be going if we are to make any headway before nightfall." And with that, they go.

OOC: so Hightower gets first watch (4 hours), Rosa and Fenwick takes morning watch after they recover their spells (4 hours), and Trent and Verdin take a middle watch (4 hours)? That will cover about twelve hours, long enough to get you to early morning.
__________________________________________________________________________

Near the end of Hightower's watch, just before sunset, he spies a trio of Blackscales leave the temple. They hurry to the southwest, more or less away from your present location but toward the spot where the initial alarm was raised. He hears some wood-chopping sounds and great deal of commotion but the forest and great distance obscure their actions. Then he barely makes out a pair of blackscales carrying a 15ft-long slender bundle with one of them at each end. In the now deepening gloom he can't quite make out what it is that they are carrying, but is barely able to spy the third blackscale approach the large wooden cage near the western camp. The creature gingerly lifts the bar on the cage, and hastily sneaks back toward portico, surprisingly well hidden for a creature of its considerable bulk. With the last light of day gone, he can't see the cage open, but after a few minutes hears a series of grunts and then a terrible crashing sound as what he guesses is the cage being torn asunder. As the moons rise, he makes out the faintest outline of a large silver-backed shape move from hut to hut, searching. More grunts and noises ensue. After a time, the creature disappears from his sight.

Trent's watch is uneventful, and surprisingly relaxing. A cool night breeze seems to have drawn the mosquitos elsewhere and the noises of the jungle are surprisingly soothing. Verdin joins him during this watch, his keen eyes scan the moonlit jungle for threats as they converse. Trent gathers that Verdin is a true opportunist, but with time, he might be swayed to see the importance of the path of righteousness that Trent follows.

Rosa and Fenwick take their turns at their watches, with each taking a few minutes to gather their belongings and collect the proper state of mind for their spell powers to coalesce to something that they can manipulate later on that day. They witness the sunrise, and now from their vantage see visible activity under the portico. Several shapes seem to be working hurriedly at some task, but they can not make out for what. They note that the wooden cage seems utterly destroyed, as if a rock or a meteor had crushed it. Two of the blackscale huts seem damaged as well. The one to the south has a number of stones pulled from its walls and the roof seems to lean precariously. Indeed, they guess that several of the stones now lay amongst the remains of the cage. The hut to the west has had its roof dismantled, with thatch thrown about nearby. However, a few bits of straw trail off toward the south.

OOC: FYI you are to the east-southeast of the temple, due east from the spot where the alarm was raised.
 

Fenwick will stretch as sitting watch always made him sore, he'll infrom them of the events that occured during his & Rosa's watch.

"So what do you think they were doing there? Why would they be destroying their own homes? Whatever the reason we'll need to be careful going into that place"
 

Remove ads

Top