Chapter 9: A Primitive Sea

[Dave W.]

"You are right, I am not a good soldier," Adamant appears to be talking to himself, but that may be taken as a good sign by his friends, "I may have been once, but not anymore. It's no longer good enough to me to justify my actions; I also wish them to be just. Maybe that is the price of being a free person."

He suddenly notices the torn wood and scared metal of his wounds. "Oh look! A fight!" A metal arm flies up to block one of dead flesh.

------------------------


No one is challenged and no one will be at the end of round.

Adamant's action is Total Defense. That gives him a +2 to all defenses.

At end of round: Saving Throw vs Immobilization (1d20=20) Success!

Okay, the dice roller is play with us again...


----------

[Jeff]

Round 3

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish and the newcomer

_______________

Shorak lets fly another bolt, taking one of the shaken lacedon's in the chest. It makes a sickening slurping sound when it hits. A split second later, one of the lacedons attacking Adamant shudders under the impact of another radiant prayer from Streko.

Though he cannot speak while holding his breath, Streko kicks through the water and closes the distance to Adamant. He knows if he takes another hit, he'll panic again... He hears Adamant speaking, to whom he's not sure. Unlike the rest of you, Adamant's voice travels easily through the water when he speaks.

Freed from the effects of Streko's prayer, the two lacedons thrash through the water to get to the living. One of them throws itself at the sahuagin shaman, while the other reaches for Hras'Ka's other guard. The shaman's scales tear and spew blood, but he's clearly got a lot of fight left in him. The other sahuagin is not so fortunate—still wounded from the fight with Sarquaa. One lacedon rips into his shoulder, while the other grabs his head from behind, wrenches it halfway around, and takes a massive bite right into his face. With a gurgling cry, the sahuagin goes quiet forever.

You immediately hear chewing sounds—the undersea ghouls don't seem content to wait for the battle to end before eating. Though you've already witnessed sahuagin eating sahuagin, somehow this is worse. This is still the dead devouring the living, which you've never grown "accustomed" to. It sends a chill through your bodies.

Adamant's armor and full attention staves off one of the lacedon's attacking him, but the other manages to draw its claws across his more exposed stomach muscles.

• Shorak's sly flourish hits lacedon #1 / 8 damage to lacedon #1
• Streko's lance of faith hits lacedon #2 / 15 radiant damage to lacedon #2
• Streko's Athletics check (1d20+6=12) (success) / Streko shifts 1 square closer to Adamant
• Adamant goes on total defense, gaining a +2 bonus to all defenses until the start of his next turn.
• Adamant saves, and is no longer immobilized.
• Lacedon #1's attack vs. sahuagin's AC: 30 (hit) / 19 damage to shaman
• Lacedon #4's attack vs. sahuagin's AC: 23 (hit) / 10 damage to sahuagin #4
• Lacedon #5's attack vs. sahuagin's AC: 22 (hit) / 12 damage to sahuagin #4
• Hras'Ka's sahuagin guard (#4) is slain.
• Lacedon #2's attack vs. Adamant's AC: 27 (hit) / 14 damage to Adamant
• Lacedon #3's attack vs. Adamant's AC: 21 (miss)

The pain seems to ground Adamant. He knows where he is, and he knows he can fight. He can see his friends fighting hard to protect him and strike down the enemies. But suddenly he feels a strange new presence wash over him! Something powerful, something...big.

And a second later, two very large tentacles burst out from the darkness just beyond the rift's edge. One of them almost strikes Adamant in the head, but he reaches up and slaps it away, even as he dodges down. The second tentacles wraps itself around one of the lacedons, squeezes, and the creature lets out a hiss.

None of you can see what the tentacles are attached to yet...but you know it must be big. In the deep blue of the water, they look purple, almost black.

• Tentacles' attack vs. Adamant's AC: 18 (miss)
• Tentacles' attack vs. lacedon #3's AC: 29 (hit) / 12 damage to lacedon #3 and lacedon is grabbed

Refresh the page.

______________________

Next up:

16 = Hras'Ka and his shaman
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal

[Ken]

"Bonescrape's bloody jest, what is that?" breathes Belarin as he catches sight of the black tentacles emerging from beyond the chest.

He returns his attention to the two lacedon near Streko and Adamant. Even if the new threat seems to make no distinction between the ghouls and the warforged, Belarin knows that he can't allow the undead sahuagin to continue attacking his friend. He points his dagger at the farthest ghoul and says, "Risen from muck, risen from mire / Your body's wet, your brain's afire!"

Disgusted with the result of the attack, the warlock once again sends a communication through Larest's gem. Professor, it's Belarin. Three things to tell you: 1. The warforged answered the prophecy. Fascinating, no? 2. Once Adamant unlocked the chest, dead sahuagin animated and are now trying to eat the faces of ourselves and our hosts. It isn't pretty. 3. To make matters more interesting, something LARGE with black tentacles is emerging from the nearby abyss and is attempting to grab everything around it, living and undead alike. Perhaps if I bleed on it, I can make out the outline.... Talk to you momentarily. I hope.
________________________________________
Move: None. Concealment from Shadow Walk fades at the end of Belarin's turn.
Minor: None. Lacedon #5 is still cursed. Should it be destroyed, Belarin will make use of the teleport effect only if he has a ghoul in his face. Or on his face. Yuck!
Standard: Attack lacedon #2 (the same one that Kal is attacking) with eyebite vs. Will: Eyebite attack (1d20+7=8). Okay, I'm getting the "Shorak Rolls" this encounter.

[Brian]

Condign takes a great breath then steps into the water. He comes to a stop as the weight of the sea bears down on him. With an extra effort he manages to swim next to Hras'Ka. He prepares to defend himself against the lacedon.

_________________________

Athletics Check: (1d20+6=7)

Standard Action: Another Athletic Check for swimming

Athletic Check: (1d20+6=10)

[Darren]

Kal sees H'raska's companion get ripped apart and his eyes widen. "Not good," he mutters. Then large black tentacles come over the ridge and he groans. "Not good, at all."

"Adamant!" he calls out, seeing that the warforged has recovered. "Rally to me, soldier! Rally! That's an order!" Trying to free Adamant to move, Kal unleashes another orb of lightning at the lacedon nearest to the warforged.

_____________
No movement.
Lightning Orb vs. Lacedon #2

Lightning Orb vs. Reflex (1d20+8=19)

Not sure if that's a hit. Hopefully lacedons don't have very good reflexes....

Lightning damage (1d10+5=14)


Side note, Jeff....I'm not sure what happened, but all of the formatting on my character sheet is gone.....

[Dave B.]

"That's not good." Shorak says as the tentacles rise up from the depths. "First things first, though." He sends a bolt towards the undead fishman that moved in to attack the Shaman.

Sly Flourish (1d20+9=19)

In case that hits: damage (1d6+7=12)

[Jeff]

Round 3, continued

16 = Hras'Ka's crew
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal
_______________

Hras'Ka and the shaman keep two of the lacedons busy, drawing their attacks, but seem equally challenged as defeating them. Condign surges into the water, joining Hras'Ka, while Belarin holds his position and flings invisible magic toward the creatures but this time without effect. Kal hurls his sorcery at one of Adamant's foes, but the lacedons appear to move more quickly than their living counterparts.

• Hras'Ka's attack vs. lacedon #5's AC: 19 (miss)
• Sahuagin shaman's attack vs. lacedon #1's AC: 18 (miss)
• Condign's second Athletics check succeeds / Condign shifts 1 square.
• Belarin's eyebite misses lacedon #2.
• Kal's lightning orb misses lacedon #2.

Refresh the page.

________________________

An action packed round, eh?

At least Condign can finally realize his lifelong dream with these new developments.

Next up for round 4:

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish and Mr. Tentacles

[Joe]

Streko swings at the undead fish next to Adamant with Therendor, but is painfully aware that his breath is running low, is taken aback by the tentacles reaching up from the darkness and the irresistable feeling that his luck has run out. All of which throw his aim off badly.

Hopefully, however, it get's Adamant's attention. Streko wonders, momentarily, if fleeing back toward the air bubble would force the fish to follow...or would it simply leave his friend alone to face whatever belongs to the tentacles.
____________________________________________________

Streko casts Impulsive Strike and misses spectacularly.

HIT: 1d20+6=12

[Jeff]

My apologies for forgetting this, but each round Adamant and Streko were taking necrotic damage, 1 per pop.

So, to catch things up...

Adamant takes 3 points of necrotic damage.
Streko takes 2 points of necrotic damage.

Adamant is bloodied again.

[Dave W.]

"Absolutely Kal." Adamant replies to the human's order. "Streko, Kal would like us to fall back now."

Adamant pauses, "Just one more thing to do," the warforged ducks the tentacle and flips open the lid of the chest. Paying only just enough attention, Adamant reaches in and grabs the contents.

"Okay, back we go."
------------
I have this vision of the tentacles snatching the chest... So....
Beginning of Round: no one challenged

Minor Action: open chest
Standard Action: grab whatever is in there
Move Action: shift 1 N (or 1 NW if Streko doesn't move)

End of Round: no one challenged

I recognize there's a lot that could go wrong here... Sorry for any complications...

[Jeff]

Round 4 begins

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish and Mr. Tentacles

_______________

Shorak's bolt goes off the mark as Streko goes hand-to-hand with one of Adamant's foes. Streko's swing is wild, but it draws the attention of the lacedon, who whirls on him, hungrily, uncaring about the predicament of its fellow.

Adamant reaches out and lifts the latch of the chest. There is no rush of water as the seal is broken, because it seems likely water got inside long ago. The moment the lid stars to lift, he discerns an inky darkness radiating from within like a nebulous light. Without time for a good look at just how much is inside, he reaches one arm beyond the lid...

Adamant's metal fingers tap against something else hard inside—something like a handle—so he grasps at it and lifts. It feels like a smaller, more manageable chest, but for the moment it also seems to be pinned by something else inside and that this might take more than a quick pull. He hears the muffled rattle of armor—which is surely long since rusted by now.

The sahuagin ghouls tear into their living counterparts. Hras'Ka's blood clouds the water; he's looking bad. One of the others swims over to Condign and slashes its claws across his chest, scraping armor and finding some soft spots around it. When the claws puncture his flesh, the creature grapples him, eager for a bite! The lacedon looming over Streko reaches for him but slashes against the halfling's magical chainmail ineffectually.

The lacedon already seized by one mighty tentacle is suddenly flung away, right over the shelf. The creature spins thirty feet through the air before slowing, seeming disoriented and more than a little crushed.

The other tentacle narrowly misses Adamant's head as it reacts to the warforged's opening of the chest. It wraps around the chest once, then twice, and on the second time pulls. Adamant can feel the weight of the unseen creature's body exerted on the chest. The whole thing is torn from its nest of seaweed and drags loudly across the sea floor....toward the edge.

Adamant, with his arm still inside, is dragged along with it. He knows he can release it at any time, but at the moment the chest is only ten feet away from an ominous abyss. Now that the chest has been torn lose, it's easier for the mysterious creature to manipulate.

• Shorak's sly flourish misses lacedon #1.
• Streko's impulsive strike misses lacedon #2.
• Adamant opens the chest.
• Adamant grabs something but it doesn't immediately move.
• Lacedon #1's attack vs. shaman's AC: 28 (hit) / 10 damage to shaman and shaman is grabbed
• Shaman is bloodied.
• Lacedon #2's attack vs. Streko's AC: 13 (miss)
• Lacedon #5's attack vs. Hras'Ka's AC: 25 (hit) / 10 damage to Hras'Ka and Hras'Ka is grabbed20
• Lacedon #4's attack vs. Condign's AC: 23 (hit) / 16 damage to Condign and Condign is grabbed
• Hras'Ka is bloodied.
• Tentacles' fling the grabbed lacedon (#3) away.
• Lacedon #3 takes 5 damage.
• Tentacle's attack vs. Adamant's AC: 20 (misses)
• Tentacles drag chest 2 squares.

Refresh the page.

______________________

Adamant can make a Strength check now if he uses another standard action to try and free the smaller chest inside the larger chest.

Since Condign has taken damage this round and is holding his breath, he must make an Endurance check at the end of his turn.

Next up:

16 = Hras'Ka's crew
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal

[Jeff]

Oh yes, and...

Barely a few seconds of silence pass after Belarin's mental works, when Belarin hears a telepathic reply. But it isn't Larest. It's Histra. Her mental voice comes through clearly, but stiffly, as if she's unused to projecting her thoughts.

Belarin? she asks. Describe for me the necromantic effects you are seeing. I will attempt something to aid you.

[Ken]

Belarin is taken aback for a half-second, not only by the surprise of "hearing" Histra in his mind but at his own pleasure in it. Hello, Histra, he thinks. The chest is from Cyre, believe it or not. There's some sort of field extending from it, about 30 or 40 feet, I'd say. Necrotic energy, definitely, much like the bone dragon's breath. As soon as Adamant unlocked it, the corpses of earlier sahuagin "visitors" animated and began to attack. The Cyran chest isn't going to surrender its secrets easily. Excuse me...

He moves closer to Condign, gathering shadows once more. He glares maliciously at the ghoul that's grappling the tiefling, then invokes, "Seek you not the flesh that's red! Choke on this, you idiot dead!" Where was I? Yes, anything you can do would be most appreciated!

_____________________________________
Free: Chat with my honey.
Move: 3 squares to the square NW of Condign. Belarin again gains concealment from Shadow Walk.
Minor: Inflict Warlock's Curse on Lacedon #4. Lacedon #5 is already cursed, and they're equidistant.
Standard: Attack Lacedon #4 with eyebite vs. Will: 1d20+7=15. Ugh, another poor roll, but that might still hit Will.
Damage: 1d6+5=6, plus 1d6=6 for Warlock's Curse = total 12 psychic damage, and Belarin is invisible to Lacedon #4 until the start of his next turn.

I hate to turn away from attacking #2, but Condign is in worse shape than Streko. Hopefully, Kal, Shorak, or Streko can finish it off.
P.S. Joe, just a reminder that Streko still has an Action Point if he cares to use it. (And if we survive this, we should all get a new Action Point when the fight is done.)

[Brian]

Condign grunts as the lacedon's attack cuts deeply into his flesh and grabs him. Helplessly, he watches Adamant being pulled toward the cliff’s edge; he knows he can do nothing to help his friend. He has to first free himself from the lacedon.

He brings his elbows in close. Then, leading with his left arm, he twists and lifts at the same time, hoping to use leverage to break free of the undead thing. But the fiend's grip is too strong and Condign can not break free.

In a smooth, swift motion, the tiefling transitions his escape into an attack, chopping his sword low into the creature's leg.

_____________________________

Endurance Check: (1d20+10=16)

Athletics Check vs Fortitude: (1d20+6=10) Still grabbed, I'm sure.

Movement Action: Nada
Minor Action: Infernal Wrath on Lacedon #4
Standard Action: Viper's Strike against Lacedon #4. If this fish-face shifts, then Shorak get's the opportunity attack.

Attack Roll vs AC: (1d20+12=24)

Damage Roll: (1d10+8=13)

Since Condign is grabbed, I don't know if Lacedon #4 is shifted one square from the Ferocious Rebuke power of the Infernal Wrath? And would that count as a shift for the Viper's Strike?

Either way, Lacedon #4 now has granted combat advantage to all allies until the start of my next turn. Hit it!!

[Joe]

Streko feels both the burning in his chest of lungs begging for air, and the slow deathly chill of whatever surrounds this Six-be-Damned chest. He closes his eyes and swings again with Therendor and, as before, seems unable to hit anything but water.
____________________________________________________

Yeah...so much for THIS round being any better...

Streko casts IMPUSLIVE STRIKE.

HIT: 1d20+6=14

[Darren]

Kal watches the scene before him unfold with horror. His troops, his friends, are spread out across the battlefield, each engaged in a pitched battle of their own. The attacks are uncoordinated. They are being picked off one by one. And though anger burns in his veins, the power needed to change the outcome is not within him. He growls with frustration, looking from Condign to H'raska to Adamant, trying to decide who to help. As he sees Streko slice through nothing but water, he makes a quick decision and sends another ball of electricity hurtling out. "Help him," he says, glancing over his shoulder at Shorak and pointing his free hand at the Shaman. "I don't know what happens to our air if he dies, but I don't want to find out, either."

____________
We are so screwed right now. We need to regroup badly, and this thing dragging the chest over the edge isn't helping. It probably would have been better if Streko had tried to help Adamant pull the smaller chest out, and then make a hasty retreat towards the air bubble. We're going to get slaughtered fighting the way we are right now.

Standard action: Lightning Orb vs. lacedon #2
Lightning Orb vs. Reflex (1d20+8=27)
Lightning damage (1d10+5=9)

[Dave B.]

"I'm trying!" Shorak calls to Kal. "Oh wait. It's already destroyed." Taking aim at the Lacedon Condign just attacked, he lets fly with yet another bolt. Again he lets out a Drow curse as his shot goes wide.

Even with the bonus from Condign, I think it's still a miss.
Round 5, Attack lacedon #5: Sly Flourish (1d20+9=17)

Hey! Didn't we get an action point from our previous encounter?

Modified to reflect the events that hadn't happened yet when I first posted it. For some reason I got it in my head that Hras'ka and friend had already went. I'll try to be more patient next time.

[Dave W.]

"Ummmm... I may be a moment longer Kal." Adamant apologizes. The tentacle pulls the chest and therefore the warforged along the sea bed. He works to dig his feet into the silt to get the leverage to tug the contents free.

--------------------

At Beginning of Round: No one Challenged 

Standard Action:pull the small chest out...
Strength check (1d20+6=14)
... or not.

Move Action: if that does pull free, swim check:
Swimming (1d20+4=23)
2 sq N
If he doesn't get the contents free then no move.

Minor Action: n/a

At End of Round: No one Challenged

[Jeff]

Note that both Shorak's and Adamant's posts above will apply to round 5. This round-splitting is getting us all a little out of order.

Round 4 continues

16 = Hras'Ka's crew
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal

Adamant and Streko take 1 point of necrotic damage.

_______________

Hras'Ka spins his body, wriggling free of the lacedon's embrace, and though he fails to impale the creature on his trident, he places himself opposite Condign, flanking it. The shaman, too, escapes from his foe, kicks back into the water, then summons a pair of spectral shark jaws—just as Sarquaa's shaman had, which Kal can testify to. The translucent white jaws surge forward and clamp down, perfectly times, and bites the lacedon is half! It continues to writhe and twitch, but it seems to be a threat no longer.

Condign feels an inner panic, pain demanding that he intake a breath, but he quells it. Though he cannot yet shake free from the lacedon's hooklike talons, the tiefling turns his fury upon it with brute strength. His sword cuts deep, filling the water with dark blood and putrid slime, and the force of it throws the lacedon back altogether. It spins and flails, temporarily vulnerable.

Belarin splashes over to the edge of the bubble, just behind Condign, and flings another invisible spell. His curse takes hold of the nearest lacedon, but his psychic attack misfires. Belarin "hears" a thoughtful hmmm from Histra.

Kal throws another spell, and the lightning slams into the lacedon upon Streko.

• Hras'Ka escapes the grab and shifts, providing a flanking bonus to Condign.
• Hras'Ka's attack's vs. lacedon #5: 15 +2 (flanking) = 17 (miss)
• Shaman escapes the grab and shifts.
• Shaman's attack vs. lacedon #1's AC: 34 (critical) / 41 damage to lacedon #1
• Lacedon #1 is slain.
• Condign's viper's strike (with a +2 from flanking thrown in) hits lacedon #5 / 13 damage to lacedon #5 and the lacedon is pushed 1 square and grants combat advantage to Condign's allies until the start of Condign's next turn
• Condign is no longer grabbed.
• Belarin places Warlock's Curse on lacedon #4.
• Belarin's eyebite misses lacedon #4.
• Kal's lightning orb hits lacedon #2 / 9 electricity damage to lacedon #2

Belarin, Histra says through their link. I can enact no spell from where I am to help you. But...do you trust me? Belarin hears a tremulous quality to even her mental voice. Listen, quickly. The necromantic field is not likely coming from the chest, but something it contains. Get to it. Seize it. Beyond the deathly cold, it will not harm you. Reach it, and I will tell you what to do. You can control the undead.

Refresh the page.

______________________

Hey! Didn't we get an action point from our previous encounter?

You get an action point every two encounters. When this one's over, you get another.

As has been pointed out, the lacedon that Condign just hit (#5) is an easier target until Condign goes again.

Next up is round 5:

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish and Mr. Tentacles

[Jeff]

Round 5 begins

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish and Mr. Tentacles

_______________

Shorak and Streko persist, but find their dispirited predicament weighing them down. Adamant tries to wrench free the smaller chest, but the motion of the larger chest and the strength of the tentacles is making it difficult for him to dig his feet into the ground for proper leverage.

The lacedons continue their deadly attack. Condign smacks away his foe's talons, and Hras'Ka evades his, but Streko is not so fortunate. The ghoulish sahuagin manages to get both clawed hands around the halfling's body, hooks digging in and rending flesh. Its mouth begins to open and snap shut, anticipating an easy bite to come.

Adamant clings to the chest, trying to free its contents, but the tentacled creature continues to drag the chest closer to the edge. Both warforged and chest are suddenly upon the edge! Adamant's aquamarine eyes are left staring down into a vast abyss.

And then the creature's body floats into view.

A kraken, a creature of legend and of great evil. You're not sure how big this one is compared to most, but it's many times larger than Adamant and resembles, superficially, a massive black-purple squid. Eyes of dimly glowing magenta stare back at Adamant. Its "face" is unreadable. It hasn't even truly attacked yet.

• Shorak's sly flourish misses lacedon #5.
• Streko takes 1 point of necrotic damage.
• Streko's impulsive strike misses...lacedon #2 (presumably?)
• Adamant takes 1 point of necrotic damage.
• Adamant's Strength check fails.
• Lacedon #2's attack vs. Streko's AC: 31 (hit) / 17 damage to Streko and Streko is grabbed
• Streko is bloodied.
• Lacedon #4's attack vs. Condign's AC: 14 (miss)
• Lacedon #5's attack vs. Hras'Ka's AC: 13 (miss)
• The chest, and Adamant, are dragged 2 squares.

Refresh the page.

You. Toy man.

Adamant realizes with a shock that the kraken is speaking to him telepathically. Its words come through like a whisper, but even in his mind they're painfully loud and deep. The telepathy is translating the words into Common for his artificial brain, but Adamant can sense that the creature's actual projection is far more alien.

I require a sacrifice. Two of the fleshlings for this trifle.

______________________

On Streko's next turn, he'll have to make an Endurance check DC 25 or lose another healing surge.

Next up:

16 = Hras'Ka's crew
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal

Please, for less confusion, only Condign, Belarin, and Kal should post actions next, before I go again.

[Brian]

Condign quickly shifts his target to the lacedon before him. His sword slices keenly through the water, aiming for the creature's exposed gut.

__________________________

Movement Action: None
Minor Action: None
Standard Action: Viper's Strike on lacedon #4. If it shifts, Shorak gets the opportunity attack.

Attack Roll vs AC: (1d20+11=14)

[Jeff]

I made an addition to my post above (at the end, just beneath the map). I meant to include it earlier, but I was rushing to post at the time.

[Ken]

Oct 19, 2011 23:13:46 GMT -4 Jeff said:

I can enact no spell from where I am to help you. But...do you trust me? Belarin hears a tremulous quality to even her mental voice. Listen, quickly. The necromantic field is not likely coming from the chest, but something it contains. Get to it. Seize it. Beyond the deathly cold, it will not harm you. Reach it, and I will tell you what to do. You can control the undead.

Many emotions race through Belarin's mind: excitement, fear, uncertainty, and even a wicked mirth. Just like the day that he met the fey. The warlock wonders if a similar door is opening today. But he sends only this reply through the mental connection:

My dear Histra, I trust you with my life. Even if I die because of it.

"Adamant! I'm coming!" he yells. He quickly grabs a near-forgotten potion from a pocket of his tunic and quaffs the liquid inside. Feeling slightly rejuvenated, he then takes a deep breath and plunges into the water.

ARRRGH!! Belarin stops and barely manages to repress a cry of pain as salt water hits the wound on his ravaged shoulder. He's not sure whether any of the stinging pain was unintentionally conveyed to Histra. Regathering his composure, he tries again to swim toward Adamant and Streko and this time succeeds.
_____________________
Minor: Belarin drinks his potion of healing. He heals 10 hit points at the cost of 1 healing surge.
Move: Athletics check (1d20+3=5). Wow, worst string of rolls in any fight I recall.
Standard-to-Move action: 2nd Athletics check (1d20+3=22). Success. Belarin moves 1 square southwest and 2 squares south. He maintains concealment from Shadow Walk.
Special: If lacedon #4 or #5 is destroyed before his next turn, Belarin teleports 5 squares toward Adamant and the chest. If a cursed lacedon attempts to attack Belarin in melee, it will immediately take 1 point of damage from the dagger.

[Joe]

Streko swings again...and misses yet again. He is beginning to wonder if he will die deep in the Devourer's womb....far from his beloved Goddess.

He feels the numbing cold of the sea...and of Death itself, tugging at him, pulling him closer to its embrace.
____________________________________________________

IMPULSIVE STRIKE: 1d20+6=12

ENDURANCE CHECK: 1d20+5=17

Can't win to save my life. Or Streko's for that matter.

[Darren]

Kal sees the situation quickly deteriorating. Adamant is soon to be pulled into a deep abyss. Streko clearly cannot hold out much longer. In his mind, Kal sees visions of men, of soldiers, being carried back from the field of battle. They are broken, bleeding. Some of them are hardly recognizable as men any longer. Kal sees Streko struggle and he remembers scores of Halflings, their bodies littering the ground like discarded children's toys.

Kal closes his eyes for the briefest moment, then opens them with a new sense of determination. Handing off the pearl to Belarin, he grasps Skyfang tightly in his right hand. He steps towards Condign and a crackle of energy fills the space around him.

Suddenly Kal is gone, and there is a flash as he appears next to the lacedons attacking H'raska and his friends. Despite being submerged in water, Kal grins as he is suddenly propelled upwards and away from them, shooting above the ocean floor towards Streko. A stream of bubbles flow in his wake and a low rumble like thunder as he slams into the ground beside the lacedon attacking his Halfling friend.

______________
Okay...going for broke.

Minor action: Give the pearl to Belarin.
Move action: Lightning Shift to the square just south of lacedon #4
Standard action: Thunder Leap. The first attack will be against lacedon #4 and #5

Thunder Leap vs. Fortitude - lacedon #4 (1d20+8=11)
Thunder Leap vs. Fortitude - lacedon #5 (1d20+8=10)

Oh, for god's sake....

Kal jumps to the square just south of lacedon #2....
Thunder Leap vs. Fortitude - lacedon #2 (1d20+8=17)


I give up. We're screwed. Adamant might as well make the deal to sacrifice us or we should just run because clearly the dice roller is not going to let us win this fight.

Kal hasn't used Dragonflame Mantle, yet. If lacedon #2 hits him, he will.

[Jeff]

Round 5 continues

16 = Hras'Ka's crew
13 = Condign
12 = Belarin
7 = Kal

_______________

Hras'Ka stares up at the kraken, holding still for a moment and almost forgetting to mind the lacedons. But the ghoulish sahuagin are also surprised by the monster's presence. For a moment, they even seem to cower, enthralled by its power.

Hras'Ka shouts something in his own language, which again only Streko understands. "Monster of the deep, you have no place here. The Devourer rejects you. Go, or my people will tether you."

The shaman repeats the last part: "The Devourer rejects you. Go, or my people will tether you."

Still holding his breath, Condign slices as the lacedon, but its distraction isn't enough to make it an easy hit. Meanwhile, Belarin quickly drinks down a potion, feeling his wounds numb as he does, then crashes out into the seawater, struggling with it as he does.

Kal hands off the shaman's pearl, then rides the currents of sorcery. Thunder ripples across his passage, but the lacedons weather it easily.

• Condign's viper's strike misses lacedon #4.
• Belarin drinks a potion of healing and heals 10 hit points.
• Belarin's second Athletics check succeeds.
• Kal uses lightning shift.
• Kal's thunder leap misses lacedons #4, #5, and #2

Refresh the page.

______________________

Round 6 will begin with...

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish
17 = kraken

If during the this next segment Kal gets hit or sahuagins #4 or #5 drop, dragonflame mantle and improved misty step will kick in.

Joe, I noticed on Streko's character sheet that we were never counting a proficiency bonus when Streko uses Therendor. If you're proficient with a sickle, you get a +2 in its use. So Streko actually gets a +8 on his attacks with powers like Impulsive Strike or even just basic melee. Just so's you know.

[Dave B.]

With the Shaman out of danger, Shorak turns his attention towards the lacedon trying to eat Streko. After another bolt goes wide of the mark, he quickly adjusts the tension on the bowstring. Hopefully that will fix the problem and he will be able to strike his next target.

Attack lacedon #2: Sly Flourish (1d20+9=19)

[Dave W.]

"is this another test?" Adamant appears to be talking to himself again. you wish to barter for what is in my possession? And you offer as payment lives that do not belong to either of us? If you wish to make trade please make a proper deal. In the meantime, kindly, ummm, un-tentacle my chest."

Adamant's heavy foot finds something solid to brace against and the warforged seizes the opportunity to try one last yank on the case handle.
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sorry guys... turned out to be a busy weekend.

At Beginning of Round: No one Challenged 

Standard Action:pull the small chest out...
Strength check (1d20+6=25)
... Couldn't do much better but is it enough?

Move Action: if that worked then Adamant will be swimming away with the inner container otherwise he will let go and swim back anyway
Swim check (1d20+4=24) ... Wow, what up with the roller now?
1 sq N; 1st NW

Minor Action: I think a paladin can lay on hands to himself; if so, I'd like to do that as my minor. Otherwise no minor.

At End of Round: No one Challenged

[Jeff]

Round 6 begins

29 = Shorak
21 = Streko
19 = Adamant
17 = Bad fish
17 = kraken
16 = Hras'Ka and shaman

_______________

Shorak's bolt lodges into one of the lacedon's shoulder, but obviously doesn't fully puncture its hardened scales; the creature barely notices. Streko, too, is flustered by his attack, and worse his panic for air is setting in again.

With a mighty pull, Adamant wrenches free the small chest from the large one. The The large chest actually tilts back at the same time, pulled as it is by the kraken, and several pieces of other items spill out and begin to drift away—mostly pieces of gleaming plate armor but also a few other treasures. With the smaller chest in hand, Adamant pushes works his legs and arms, fighting the water and the burden he's carrying to move back and away from the kraken.

• Shorak's sly flourish misses lacedon #2.
• Streko takes 1 point of necrotic damage.
• Streko's impulsive strike misses lacedon #2.
• Streko's Endurance check fails; he loses another healing surge.
• Adamant takes 1 point of necrotic damage.
• Adamant's Strength check succeeds.
• Adamant's Athletics check succeeds. He moves 2 squares.
• Adamant uses lay on hands and heals 18 hit points.

The lacedon attacking Streko whirls on Kal when he appears beside, seeking the larger target, but Kal blocks one claw with his blade and allows his magic chainmail to fend off the other. Likewise, Condign easily sees his foe's attacks coming and parries claw with blade. Hras'Ka is less fortunate, taking another savage hit. The sahuagin leader is looking bad.

Your actions are flawed, the kraken's whisering voice booms in Adamant's mind. The rest of you hear this, too, now. You dismiss my warnings, you will not survive.

The kraken sends two tentacles lashing out. One wrenches the chest just over the edge, where it wobbles, ready to fall, as more of its contents begin to spill out. Amidst the falling items, Belarin spots something that draws his eye like nothing else. A small cylindrical object—hand-sized, like a rod—that's drifting free. At one end there is a tiny flicker, almost like light, but it's much too dark to be a flame. Yet shadows seems to radiate outward from it, creating an inky patch of darkness. Without question, his heart and rational mind tells him that this is the source of necrotic power. And now it's floating free, forty feet away, so very close to the kraken's body.

The second tentacles slaps Adamant across the back and wraps around him! The force of the blow sends painful vibrations through his body, and he realizes, too, that the kraken has arrested his escape!

The shaman and Hras'Ka team up against the remaining lacedon. The shaman swims across the battlefield, summoning and hurling another watery bolt—which impales the creature in the back. Hras'Ka emits an ear-splitting shriek that must be some kind of battle cry and throws himself into a frenzy of stabbing tines and swiping claws. At last, all three points of his trident spear clear through a lacedon's neck. Hras'Ka grunts and turns his weapon, almost wrenching the ghoul's head from its torso....

And with the lacedon's second death, Belarin feels his body whisked along through fey pathways—and he reappears beside Adamant. And now he sees the strange shard of darkness is only fifteen feet away...

• Lacedon #2's attack vs. Kal's AC: 17 (miss)
• Lacedon #4's attack vs. Condign's AC: 18 (miss)

Look, Darren and Dave B., the dice roller suddenly "hates" two out of three lacedons!

• Lacedon #5's attack vs. Hras'Ka's AC: 29 (hit) / 10 damage to Hras'Ka
• Hras'Ka is bloodied.
• Kraken's attack vs. Adamant's AC: 31 (hit) / 12 damage to Adamant and Adamant is grabbed.
• Shaman's water bolt hits lacedon #5 / 13 damage to lacedon #5
• Hras'Ka's attack hits lacedon #5 / 10 damage to lacedon #5
• Hras'Ka spends an action point.
• Hra's second attack hits lacedon #5 / 16 damage to lacedon #5
• Lacedon #5 is slain.
• Belarin teleports 5 squares.

Refresh the page.

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As I experiment with the bloodied visual, for now, it's a red blood drop. While I could do a red circle around the figure, there are times when I need to encircle with them with something else to help them stand out (as I did with the shaman sahuagin); plus, when the icon is already red (like Condign) that won't stand out much.

That little square of shadow by the kraken marks the object in question, Ken.

[Darren]

Kal can't suppress disappointment at the lack of effectiveness of his movement. Worse, he has placed himself into a poor fighting position. "Sometimes the gambit one takes on the battlefield turns against you. Streko would say it's Olladra's will," Kal thinks.

Fending off the hungry lacedon, Kal swipes out with Skyfang, electricity following the blade, even as he pushes himself away from the kraken.

_______________________
Kal will use Lightning Orb on lacedon #2

Lightning Orb vs. Reflex (1d20+8=21)

I think that's a hit?

Lightning Damage (1d10+5=9)

Kal will shift one square northeast. I'm assuming this requires an Athletics check....
Athletics Check (1d20+8=23)