PrP: The Trouble With Archaeology
Log Info
- Title: The Trouble with Archaeology
- Emitter: Solace
- Characters: Bildor Level 2, Schneider Level 4, Thorarna Level 2, Raethon Level 3
- NPCs: - Gilgamesh of the Sagacious Heart, a gnomish explorer!
- Place: Alexandros - An ancient ruin
- Time: July 12, 2013
- Summary: Four adventurers are hired to babysit a gnome, and instead find themselves facing the deadly SCORPATAURS.
- APL: 3
- Encounter 1: 4 Troglodytes, CR 1, 2 Giant Scorpions, CR 3
Some of the requests that the Explorer's Guild gets don't have anything to do with going out and solving problems. Sometimes, someone just wants a few decent hands to guard them while they work in dangerous territory. Sometimes, that 'someone' is Gilgamesh of the Sagacious Heart, a gnomish explorer, researcher, and general poker into Ruins of Doom. The red-headed gnome has organized a journey to a set of ruins that he claims are "A startlingly unique discovery, like none which have ever been seen before!" He also claims, both to the Guild associates, and again to the adventurers who accompany him on the trip, that, "It's an entirely safe trip, of course! But my wife, well, you understand. Ever since my Desolation dig, she's been INSISTING that I keep guards around. I tell her that it was only ONE bandit horde, and that sort of thing hardly ever happens, but nooooooo. So I'm sorry if you'll all be terribly bored, but at least you can help with the digging!"
So far, the gnome has appeared to be accurate. It's a hot, clear day on the site...which, if one does not have an interest in History, really just look like some sad little lumps of crumbling rock on a hillside. There are apprentices and diggers working to do the heavy lifting while Gilgamesh is on the top of the hill, inspecting inscriptions in the largest stone, and it all seems to be going quite well.
The law of Adventuring says this cannot last.
Name Race Class E Lev CHP HP AC For Ref Wil
Bildor MOUNTAIN Cav 2 23 23 20 7 1 2
Thorarna GIANTBOR Ftr/Sor 2 19 19 14 4 1 2
Raethon DAWN_ELF Wiz 3 22 22 13 3 4 5
Schneider GIANTBOR Bbn/Sor 4 32 32 13 5 4 3
Schneider wanders along with the group, amiably ambling. "Oh, I think safe is unlikely," he assures Gilgamesh. "But if you like, we'll make up stories of boredom to delight and entertain your wife, and put the kiddies to sleep." A sursuration of breeze running counter to the prevailing atmospherics blows back his long hair dramatically.
Thorarna glances around, looking quite bored, quite honestly. Though she has been happy enough to help out with the heavy lifting when needed, being the tallest of the group. She looks at Schneider, "Well, this is just... surprisingly boring, to be frank. I expected to be attacked by something by now."
Even Raethon knows better than to think that it'll stay calm. He trudges along with everyone else, not complaining one bit, but actually listening to the gnome. "So tell me, what can you tell me about these ruins, hm?" He says quite bluntly as he seems to pass a hand over his spellbook.
A nice quiet job of guard duty on a dig when nothing ever happens? Bildor couldn't pass up the chance for some easy gold. He rides his digger, CInnabar near the middle of the group during the trip to easily react to dangers on any side. "I aslo wonder what the ruins are."
Gilgamesh is currently distracted by his work, but when the elf approaches him at the top of the hill, the little gnome says, without looking up, "Oh, oh, yes. They're very important ruins, they are! I believe that they might speak to a whole new species on the face of Ea, although it must have gone extinct eons ago. While a proper, scientific name has not yet been determined, of course, I have a private term for them." He takes a deep breath, waiting for an invisible drumroll. "...SCORPATAURS. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Schneider nods to Thorarna. "It is so far, yes. But that just lets the anticipation build longer. We can speculate and theorize all day, but in the end, we won't find out until we find out." He's standing close to the top of the hill, to have a good view of things.
Thorarna stands not too far from Schneider, slightly down the slope a bit as she grimaces at the mention of "Scorpataurs? That sounds positively ridiculous. Or the product of some mad mage, or madder god."
Raethon chuckles softly at Thorarna and Schneider as he walks up beside them. "Scorpataurs, huh? Half man, half scorpion?" he assumes right off the bat as he looks to Schneider, as if to say 'yeah.....this'll end well'. "Well.....at least you have us here for the time being...."
Up on the top of the hill, there's a bit of a commotion, of the academic sort. One of the assistants hurries over to the gnome, taking his attention as she waves a rock around and talks excitedly about "mana age signatures" and "ancient symbols of cannibalistic rituals" in the same breath. Gilgamesh groans as he rises to his feet. "Come now, let me see that. That can't be right. The Scorpataurs - and it is NOT a ridiculous name - would never do something like that. They were a proud, noble people!" Riiiiight.
He takes the stone and turns to look at it. His hands fumble it, and the stone falls, clicking against the one he was working on. There's a flash of purplish, eldritch light, and then...well, the crown of the hill collapses with a rumble. It's a long way down...
<OOC> Solace says, "Sounds like Raethon, Thorana, and Schneider need to make Reflex Saves, and Bildor sounds like he's farther down the hill." GAME: Schneider rolls reflex: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Thorarna rolls Reflex: (3)+1: 4 <OOC> Raethon says, "hmm...." <OOC> Thorarna snickers. Well, that was quick. <OOC> Raethon says, "how far down SOlace?" <OOC> Solace says, "Schneider is able to leap to the ground that remains, Thorarna shall fall. And it's about 20 feet, so 2d6 damage." <OOC> Raethon says, "Able to get a feather fall out before then?" <OOC> Thorarna says, "Well, the duration is instant, so if someone has one, I'd appreciate it. :)" <OOC> Raethon is using bonded item ability. <OOC> Solace says, "It's an immediate action, so yes." <OOC> Raethon casts it then. <OOC> Solace says, "On who? And need your Reflex Save. :)" <OOC> Raethon says, "That uses up my bonded item ability for the day." GAME: Raethon rolls reflex: (17)+4: 21 <OOC> Solace says, "You're a graceful elf! So Thorarna is the only falling person."
You paged Thorarna with 'You fall! Along with a screaming gnome and a screaming assistant. There's a lot of screaming as you barrel into the dark. You don't fall far before you feel a spell take hold and slow your fall. Gilgamesh and his assistant, though...they plummet into the depths that you float gently down to, the screaming stopping with a worrying abruptness, replaced by splashing. You find yourself among the debris from the falling hillside, pelted with bits of dirt and rock. You land on a bed of moss that starts to glow when you contact it. Not really enough to see by - just a faint, green phosphorescence. There's the sound of an underground waterway very close by, and the air is damp. From the sound of it, gnome and assistant fell into the river and are being carried off to the left and possibly down.'
Schneider hrms about the scorpataurs. "Sounds like something worth setting on fire. Hopefully there will be some left for us to fight!" He chuckles at Raethon and Thorarna, mostly watching goings on. He doesn't help so much unless directly told to, though he's strong enough when he puts his back into it. Suddenly, the ground! He leaps quickly to a safe piece of ground. His hair remains perfect. "Now here's a thing!" he calls with amusement, looking down to see what can be seen.
It's dark in the well of stone and dirt that the hill has now become! The sunlight penetrates weakly to illuminate a small circle of a stone floor, covered with debris from the hilltop, but that's about all that can be easily seen.
Raethon leaps out of the way of the collapse, and claps his hands at the same time, muttering a few words, causing a burst to pop from his hands, letting Throarna not be harmed, thankfully, by the fall....
Bildor hefts a rock onto his shoulder and starts carrying out of the way when the hille implodes. "Damn it! See Cinnabar, I told you they were exciting! Let's go." He drops the rock and runs up the hill, followed closely by the digger and looks down over the edge cupping his hands around his mouth to focus his voice. "Anyone alive down there?!"
Thorarna glances around from where she fell, and shouts upwards, "I am here! It seems that the other two fell into... it looks like some sort of underground river." She unslings her greataxe, holding it carefully in one hand as she looks back and forth, "Doesn't seem to be much else here. Probably following the river would be the best way out."
Schneider looks down, considers jumping, decides to pull some rope from his pack, first. Looking for something to tie his rope off to, he searches for something that looks solid enough to hold his own weight. Well, Thorarna's weight. That's a lot of woman!
Raethon looks to Schneider. "I'll go first and make sure Bildor's Digger makes it safely." He says before literally jumping down the hole.....and floating safely down to where Thorarna is, then looking up. He then snaps his fingers and brings out several motes of light. "You okay, Thorarna?"
Thorarna chuckles, "Came down alright, but the two that fell with me were washed downriver, I figure." She glances at Raethon, "Thanks for the save, by the by."
Bildor positions the digger with her head away from the hole and enough distance to prevent her from falling in also if the edge crumbles. "We can use Cinnabar as an anchor. Tie the rope to her saddle." He pulsl and apple from the digger's saddlebags and holds it out to get quickly eaten by the digger. "That's a good girl. Stay here, Cinnabar."
Raethon snerks at Thorarna. "To be honest, I panicked and that was the first thing that came to mind."
You paged Raethon with 'Now that you're here, ou find yourself among the debris from the falling hillside. You land on a bed of moss next to Thorarna that starts to glow when you contact it. Not really enough to see by - just a faint, green phosphorescence. There's the sound of an underground waterway very close by, and the air is damp.'
Raethon pages: can I use knowledge nature to find out what it is? You paged Raethon with 'What what is? The moss?' You paged Raethon with 'Sure!' Raethon pages: yeah, and why it's glowing. GAME: Raethon rolls knowledge/nature: (12)+10: 22
Schneider nods to Bildor, ties off his rope, good spidersilk, to the saddle's pommel. He gives Bildor a grin and backs over the edge, letting himself hop over the edge. The rope swings a bit as he lowers himself partway, and jumps the rest, landing with a thump of boots.
You paged Raethon with 'It's a fairly common sort of subterranean moss for this area. Unpleasant to eat, but otherwise harmless: it reacts to contact by exuding faint biophosphorecents that taste TERRIBLE.'
GAME: Schneider takes ten on acrobatics: (10)+7: 17
Now that most of the party is down, they can see where they are: a cavern pelted by the debris from the falling hillside. There's a fairly large bed of slightly phosphorecent moss that Raethon and Thorarna are standing on; when Schneider lands, he causes a FLOOMPH of flying moss spores that light up like fireflies.
There's a subterranean river here, off to the left. The splashing that Thorarna heard earlier has died away, replaced by the constant, quiet rush of the dark water. It is cool here, damp, and dark.
Bildor pulls a pouch from the digger's saddlebags and attaches it to his belt before grabbing the rope and climbing down. "Let's see how this goes."
<OOC> Solace says, "Easy climb check, Bildor. :)" GAME: Bildor rolls climb: (9)+3: 12 <OOC> Solace says, "You slip a bit towards the end, but not enough to injure yourself."
Thorarna points out the river, "Well, looks like we need to be going that way to seek out the missing people." She chuckles a bit, "Might not want to make it too mad, Raethon." Her eyes focus on where the noise had been, "Hopefully they made it to land."
Raethon says, "I won't. It's a soft place to land, and the more we move on it, the more spores are sent out." he then walks off of it. "Hey Thorarna? You have a light? it'll probably help us a bit better if we cast it on other people's stuff. Those who can't see in the dark."
Bildor has his feet on a rock instead of the ground when he releases the rope and slips off, landing on his rump. "Right, lets go see where this leads." He stands and dusts off, unslinging his shield and looking downstream.
Schneider laughs about light, and raises a hand, muttering quietly, something about spirits of fire and illimination, and a spark appears in his hand, soon growing to the strength of a torch's light.
The light illuminates! It shows a river off to their left - the water is swift and at least five feet deep, with pale, eyeless fish swimming in it. It flows down a tunnel; the tunnel has a 'shore' to the left of the river that looks stable enough, and wide enough for two people to walk abreast at a time. The whole thing seems to slope downward at a steady, but not steep, pace. On the walls, there are the ruined remnants of murals. Scorpions DO seem to feature heavily, and some of them DO seem to have humanish torsos. Maybe. It's hard to tell; these things are ancient and ruined by water and rot.
GAME: Thorarna rolls Listen: (19)+Listen: 19 <OOC> Thorarna says, "Er, perception." <OOC> Thorarna says, "Not listen. :p" <OOC> Solace says, "Perception! Sorry." <OOC> Thorarna says, "So give me a 25." GAME: Bildor rolls perception: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Schneider rolls perception: (1)+6: 7 GAME: Raethon rolls perception: (7)+7: 14
You paged Thorarna with 'An errant breeze brings an echoing cry to your ears, "I knew it, I knew it! By all the gods, you smell TERRIBLE! I never knew..." it dies away again. On the bright side, the gnome sounds /delighted/, so he's probably not dead. Yet.'
With the flame flickering by his hand, he grips his greatsword in the other hand, and heads down into the watery passage. Schneider's tall enough that the water doesn't come up too far, at least, and it's not like he's got a lot of clothes to get wet. "Let's see what we've got down here," he says jovially. "So much for nothing to worry about, just doing it so his wife won't worry!"
Thorarna tilts her head, as if listening, then she says softly, "I hear one of them. I think we might be about to meet our fabled scorpanaurs or whatever they were." She hrms, "Maybe they won't be unfriendly, for a change."
Raethon smiles a bit at Schneider and tugs a small stick out of his belt pouch. "well. let's go and find them."
Bildor pulls the axe from his belt and walkd along the bank near the water, giving the river the stink eye. "I hope not. I would rather we just find two wet archealogists."
Schneider peers sidelong at Thorarna as she mentions the scorpataurs, then shrugs. "Could be that," he says with a smile. "Let's go see what's up?" Heading up the passage after getting out of the water, he'll drip-dry as we walk further.
Raethon says, "I wouldn't bet on just finding the archaeologists." he says as he walks side by side with Bildor. "Just keep an eye out for them."
The river burbles innocently in its carved stone bank, and the fish that swim there have no eyes to give Bildor the stinkeye back. The four adventurers follow the bank down; this is a curiously even tunnel. A keen eye for archetecture realizes that it has been worked...but that work must have been centuries, even thousands of years in the past. As you round one of the curves, you hear a scream.
You also see where the river spills out into a much larger cavern, forming a deep, possibly bottomless pool to your right. To your right, the cavern is mostly circular, and covered in murals of sacrifice and ancient rituals. Oh, look, there's Gilgamesh and the assistant (the source of the scream). They've just been grabbed by two...lizardly looking humanoids, their skins as grey as the rock. Their crests have been painted garish shades though. Clubs are in their hands. Closer to you than those, though, there are two...giant scorpions. Each one /easily the size of a draft horse in the body, and much larger once you add the oversized claws and curving tail. They're also being ridden by two more of the lizard-things, who are themselves armed with black javelins. As you appear, Gilgamesh waves in your direction, "Oh, hello, there! Look, I found them!" The assistant screams again.
Current Initiative Order ====
18 Scorp1
17 TrogRider2
17 Trog1
12 Schneider
12 TrogRider1
10 Raethon
10 Thorarna
7 Bildor
1 Scorp2
0 Trog2
============================
<OOC> Solace says, "Okay! We are ready to rummmmble." [RPFive] Bildor is small+. Dwarfs need their own size between small and medium. GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (1)+6: 7 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+0: (8)+0: 8
As they see the adventurers, the creatures cry out in some strange, grating language. One of the scorpions rushes forward, eager to try and turn Thorarna into lunch. It underestimates its bounds, though, and the giant claw whiffs right in front of her. The rider of the other scorp rises up and tosses one of the slim, deadly javelins at the perfect-haired Schneider - it whizzes over his head, close enough that he can hear the hum of its passage.
<OOC> Solace says, "Schneider, what's your action? :D" <OOC> Solace says, "Trog 1 is still holding onto the gnome, sorry." <OOC> Schneider says, "Ah. Um. Cast True Strike." GAME: Schneider casts True Strike. <OOC> Solace says, "And pose it!" GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+0: (9)+0: 9
From the back of the scorpion looming directly in front of Thorarna, the rider tries to throw a javelin at her face. However, its mount is clicking and jumping so much that the weapon just clatters off the side of the wall next to her. <OOC> Solace says, "Raethon! Declare action?" <OOC> Raethon says, "casting Scorching ray on a scorp that isn't in Melee"
Schneider laughs with amusement as things start going down, and he shouts, "Ah, we have a fight now! Let's see how this goes!" The javelin whiffs by just over his head, missing him by inches. "Spirits of fire! I seek the inner flame! Show me the secrets of the flame within!" He's got an introspective look about him, now, though he's holding his greatsword ready.
<OOC> Solace says, "They've got reach, so I'll let you cast at either one. Scorp 1 is snapping at Thorarna, while Scorp 2 is hanging back because its slooooow." <OOC> Raethon says, "all right. I'm hitting the one at Thorarna...." <OOC> Solace says, "Ranged touch attack!" GAME: Raethon rolls ranged: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Raethon casts Scorching Ray. <OOC> Solace says, "That'll do it! Roll damage, and pose it. ;D" <OOC> Solace says, "And Thorarna, you're up!" GAME: Raethon rolls 4d6: (11): 11
"Well. Hope for the best...." Raethon says as he stows his wand and holds his hands above his head. The Magic aura builds around his hands and he brings his hands down to his waist cupping them together, before aiming one hand at the closest scorpion. 'Scorching ray." and the ray zaps out to burn the large scorpion.....
Thorarna takes a step back, out of the scorpion's reach, and smiles a bit, wielding her greataxe as she looks at the scorpions and trogs, "Alright... now this should be more interesting." Whispering softly in draconic, a shimmering azure field surrounds her for a moment, before fading from view.
<OOC> Bildor says, "Enough room for me to charge the near scorpion?" <OOC> Solace says, "Not with Schneider and Thorarna in front of you. 2x2." <OOC> Schneider says, "I thought it opened out?" <OOC> Bildor says, "I can move through allies sqquars on a normal move, yes?" <OOC> Solace says, "The scorp came up before you guys' move turns, and only Thorarna moved, and that to take a step back. And yes, you can!" <OOC> Schneider says, "Ah, okay." <OOC> Bildor says, "Okay, moving up to the scorpion to axe it a question. ;)" GAME: Bildor rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 <OOC> Solace says, "It has reach, so you're moving into threatened space. You cool with that?" <OOC> Bildor says, "Yep." <OOC> Solace says, "That's a miss on its AC, and..." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+3: (16)+3: 19 <OOC> Solace says, "A miss on you!" <OOC> Solace says, "Pose it up. :D" GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
Surrounded by casters Bildor only has one option, get in close to keep them clear. He pushes past his alliaes and raises the heavy axe above his head, biringing it down hard on the scorpion, only to bounce off it;s chitin. As the axe comes down his shield comes up, deflecting an imcomming pincer."
GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+0: (15)+0: 15 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6: (2): 2
As Bildor joins the beast in bloody combat, the second scorpion shakes off its slowness and rushes up to join its companion. It rushes Schneider, skidding to a halt just within range to flail out with its giant claws. The first whiffs, but /this/ one didn't trip over its own segmented feet, and it follows up with a much better strike. Meanwhile one of the footbound lizardlings manuevers to toss a javelin, and that one also hits the beleagered (but still perfect-haired) Giantborn.
GAME: Solace damaged Schneider for 7 points. 25 remaining. <OOC> Solace says, "Top of the round!" <OOC> Solace says, "Scorp 1 is going to pull back so that it can strike Bildor, and that means that you get an AoO on it."
GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7 From afar, Sandy rolls to attack! GAME: Bildor rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 Sandy pages: My big bad proceeds to get a 1. <OOC> Solace says, "Fourteen doesn't quite do it."
GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+0: (7)+0: 7
The first scorpion, now on fire and with a dwarf trying to hack at its grill, lets out a horrible noise and skitters backwards, knocking Bildor's axe aside as he tries to get a shot in. But that does make the thing MAD. It attacks madly at the dwarf, scoring two good hits despite the man's heavy armor. Meanwhile, the rider of the scorpion that just attacked Schneider tries, yet again, to skewer him with a well-thrown javelin. Turns out, not so much.
Down in the cavern, the other trog is fighting with a gnome who insists on jumping up and down and cheering, "Get them, get them!"
<OOC> Solace says, "Schneider!" GAME: Solace damaged Bildor for 12 points. 11 remaining. <OOC> Schneider says, "I'm 10 ft from a scorp?"
<OOC> Solace says, "Yup." <OOC> Schneider says, "5' step, and swing at the scorp with the greatsword." <OOC> Solace says, "Go for it!" GAME: Schneider rolls 1d20+27: (7)+27: 34 <OOC> Solace says, "Yes. YES that will hit. :D" <OOC> Schneider says, "Er. And I meant to say, Arcane Strike on the sword. I'd written it into my pose, but I always forget to say." <OOC> Solace says, "Thank you for letting me know! Roll damage, and pose it. :D" GAME: Schneider rolls 2d6+8: (6)+8: 14 <OOC> Solace says, "Both scorpions are now significantly injured."
Schneider is bloodied, but still perfect. He grins winningly and says, "You'll regret that!" He takes a single step up and swings with his greatsword, flames leaping from the edge as he swings it in a great circle over his head, bringing it down with a fearsome precision. Those looking closely may see that his concentration is so intense that his eyes are closed, and he seems to be following some inner choreography as he delivers a flaming slash to the scorpion, wounding it badly.
GAME: Solace rolls 1d20: (2): 2
The trog on the back of the first, still smouldering, scorpion tries to follow up on its mount's attacks to Bildor with a good skewering, but the scream of agony from the scorpion beside him seems to throw off its aim; the javelin is easily knocked aside.
<OOC> Solace says, "Raethon! You are live and on fire! ...wait, no, that's the bad guys."
<OOC> Raethon says, "Hmmmm...." <OOC> Raethon says, "how close is the scorpion to bildor, and is it in Melee?" <OOC> Solace says, "It stepped back to have reach, so it is a valid target again!" <OOC> Raethon says, "Done. Scorching ray." GAME: Raethon rolls ranged: (11)+4: 15 <OOC> Solace says, "Ranged touch attack....and roll damage!" GAME: Raethon casts Scorching Ray. GAME: Raethon rolls 4d6: (7): 7 <OOC> Raethon says, "figures." <OOC> Thorarna sympathizes.. <OOC> Thorarna remembers rolling 7d6 for a lightning bolt. Getting a 9. :) <OOC> Solace says, "You still have taken a good cunk of it!" <OOC> Solace says, "Pose it, and Thorarna's up!" <OOC> Thorarna steps up and smackaroos the scorpion. :) <OOC> Thorarna says, "Arcane strike. Rar." <OOC> Solace says, "It'll get an AoO on you. Cool?" <OOC> Thorarna says, "Sure." <OOC> Solace says, "Roll it!" <OOC> Thorarna says, "AC 18 with shield." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 <OOC> Solace says, "It fails miserably." GAME: Thorarna rolls 1d20+5: (13)+5: 18 <OOC> Solace says, "That, however, does not." <OOC> Solace says, "Roll damage!" GAME: Thorarna rolls 1d12+5: (7)+5: 12 <OOC> Solace says, "Annnd Scorp 1 is down for the count! Pose it, and Bildor's up!"
Raethon stays where he is, and notices BIldor getting hurt by the scorpion. His hands open again and he holds his hands out above his head. Going through the same motion, he casts another scorching ray at the scorpion, doing a little less damage than before. "That was my last scorching ray spell, guys."
<OOC> Solace notes that the Rider of Scorp 1 is now accessible.
<OOC> Bildor says, "So that's my scorp down?" <OOC> Solace says, "Yup!" <OOC> Raethon says, "looks it." <OOC> Bildor says, "Stepping in to swing at the rider." <OOC> Solace says, "Go for it!" GAME: Bildor rolls 1d20+5: (3)+5: 8 <OOC> Bildor says, "Yep, swing, nothing more." <OOC> Solace winces, pats. "Pose it. Maybe the axe just needs a chance to warm up."
Thorarna grins, "Time to turn you back to being extinct, insect." She laughs, ducking the snapping claw of the scorpion, before pivoting and lopping the claw off at the joint. The shock causes the scorpion to stagger and fall, jostling the rider who suddenly looks far far more vulnerable now.
GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5 <OOC> Solace says, "Schneider, give me a Fort Save?" GAME: Schneider rolls fortitude: (16)+5: 21 <OOC> Solace says, "No worries on that front!"
Bildor gets batters by a pair of pincers and nearly knocked off his feet. "Not getting away the easy snips!" He start pushing fowards as fire shoots past and changes course for the rider, swinging his axe at it's shoulder. It gets caught up by a wiggling scorpion leg and doesn't even come close.
<OOC> Schneider says, "Whew!" GAME: Solace rolls 1d20: (14): 14
Schneider just stuck most of the length of a FLAMING greatsword into the giant scorpion's face. It howls, an ear-splitting noise, as it gushes black ichor. It desperately stabs downward with its poisonous stinger, and sinks it into his shoulder, an instinctive reaction to lots and lots of pain. From behind the melee, a javelin flies uselessly through the air, clanging off rock. Troglodytes apparently aren't very good at those.
<OOC> Solace says, "Top of the round...Scorp 1 is dead. TrogRider2..." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20: (6): 6 <OOC> Solace says, "Is useless!"
The first scorpion, rushing bravely into battle, has been reduced to a broken, flaming exoskeleton. His rider dodges out of the way of Bildor's attack, but looks bewildered by this turn of events. Meanwhile, another javelin wooshes uselessly through the air from the back of the second scorpion. Clearly, these guys haven't had to kill anything but fish with these things in a long time.
<OOC> Solace says, "Schneider!"
<OOC> Schneider says, "Am I still in melee? And how many can I get into a 15' cone?" <OOC> Schneider says, "Without catching friends, obviously. I can 5' back if that will get more?" <OOC> Solace says, "Ponders. You can get Scorp2, ScorpRider2, and ScorpRider1 into a cone, I think. And yeah, a 5 foot step'll do it." <OOC> Solace says, "Those guys are all bunched in there." <OOC> Schneider says, "Done." <OOC> Solace says, "Cast 'em if you got 'em." GAME: Schneider rolls 3d4: (7): 7 GAME: Schneider casts Burning Hands. <OOC> Solace says, "MORE FIRE." <OOC> Raethon says, "reflex saves from you Solace." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+1: (9)+1: 10 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20-1: (5)+-1: 4 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20-1: (1)+-1: 0 <OOC> Solace says, "Ha ha NO." <OOC> Solace says, "Both riders are significantly wounded and on fire!" GAME: Solace rolls 1d20-4: (8)+-4: 4
Schneider grimaces as he's stung by the scorpion, blood running across his bare chest, and he takes stock of the situation quickly. Taking a step back, he bellows, "You have sung your own doom! Be consumed! I am the fire!" He laughs madly, just for a moment, holding out one hand as fire sprays forth over his enemies.
The now dismounted scorpion rider does an incredibly funny dance as he is set aflame, saying things that probably are highly impolite in his native language, he picks up one of his javelins, and hurls it in Bildor's direction. The javelin plinks off the dwarf's armor with no visible effect.
<OOC> Solace says, "Raethon!"
<OOC> Solace says, "Raethon!" <OOC> Raethon says, "All righty. is the last scorpion still up?" <OOC> Solace says, "Just barely, but yes. It is bleeding and burning." <OOC> Raethon says, "magic missile on it then." Whirlpool pages: SO, my big bad is missing horribly. <OOC> Raethon says, "from my wand, so one bolt." GAME: Raethon rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Raethon used a Wand of Magic Missile. <OOC> Solace says, "Max damage!" <OOC> Solace says, "Not quite enough to kill it, but it's just hanging on by a thread, now. Pose it!" <OOC> Solace says, "Thorarna!" <OOC> Thorarna will run up onto the scorpion corpse and chop at the rider <OOC> Thorarna says, "CHARGE!" <OOC> Solace says, "You can do that!" GAME: Thorarna rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 <OOC> Solace says, "Yep, that'll hit." <OOC> Thorarna says, "Arcane strike, etc." GAME: Thorarna rolls 1d12+5: (4)+5: 9 <OOC> Solace says, "And you now have a skewered troglodyte! Wash before eating." <OOC> Thorarna says, "Slightly ded, then?" <OOC> Solace says, "Oh so ded."
Seeing the Rider on fire, Raethon pulls out his wand and points it at him. "Magic missile." And a green bolt flies out and hits the trog in the back. "Blast. I thought that'd finish him."
<OOC> Solace says, "Bildor! You have a nearly dead scorpion on fire, ooooor, you could charge one of the guys on foot. One has been throwing hilariously ineffective javelins at you." Thorarna moves rapidly up the scorpion she killed, grinning at the trog as she says, "Hello!" She spins quickly, the azure-glowing axe neatly lopping off the trog's head as she then ahems, "Goodbye." Then her eyes flicker over towards the other scorpion and its rider.
<OOC> Bildor says, "Walk over and swing at the scorpion." GAME: Bildor rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11
GAME: Bildor rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 <OOC> Bildor says, "THis is getting to be a habbit. :)" <OOC> Solace :( Sorry! <OOC> Raethon says, "It happens to me too, Bildor." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (10)+6: 16 GAME: Solace rolls 1d20+6: (7)+6: 13 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9
"Just give up already!" Bildorn turns as the rider is cut down and marches towards the remaining scorpion. Taking a deep breath he bring the axe up high then down on the cirrter, bouncing off it's hide.
The last scorpion is battered by magic force, on fire, and bleeding heavily. However, that doesn't stop it from mustering itself for a last hurrah. Squealing, it slams its claws into Schneider, trying to rend the Giantborn apart with what strength it has left. This is clearly all HIS fault, after all.
GAME: Solace damaged Schneider for 16 points. 9 remaining.
The little trog on foot takes one look at the damage the adventurers have wrought, and screams. He drops the javelin in his hand, turns, and flees for the deep pool, leaping into it at all speed.
<OOC> Solace says, "Let's see, top of the round. Scorp1 is dead, Trogrider 2...is stuck in combat with his maddened beast." GAME: Solace rolls 1d20: (15): 15 GAME: Solace rolls 1d6: (6): 6
The trog on the last scorpion would LIKE to run away, but his mount is beyond listening to him, now. Instead, he picks up a black javelin, and throws it in sheer terror. It bounces off of Thorarna's magical shielding.
<OOC> Solace says, "So he shall die useless. :D Speaking of which, Schneider, you're up!" <OOC> Schneider says, "Can I get the lot in another Burning Hands?"