Game: Blades of Git'riban : Primal State
The Rish-i-Chal is well-versed in how the spell conventionally works, and thus he immediately takes note of the unusual scenario playing out. His hand slides to rest on the haft of his heavy flail as Sight’s tentacles flail wildly about, assuming his usual demeanour of caution and vigilance. When the ulitharid begins to part with its dark secrets, a grimace of disgust and contempt slips unto Du’minh’s face, his eyes widening further at Grazz’ discovery.
“Blood and blades, that revolting rat!”
Du’minh springs to his feet with the bonded Arbiter at the ready, eyes screaming murder.
His actions will depend on his position in the initiative sequence, and how previous actions play out:
If there is a hole in the wall and it seems conceivably likely for Du’minh to be able to burst through with sheer force and bulk, he will do so. If this doesn’t seem feasible (if it’s a supporting wall or what not), the Rish rushes to the neighbouring room through doors as far as a move action will take him. In any case, he reserves a Ready action to react on any immediate danger he may face on the other side.
“Finish the questions, Vivec, we cannot afford losing out on a single one!”
OOC:
Initiative
Sense Motive to detect Rey’s ruse
Listen to also hear what was shouted from next door
Spellcraft to determine why the spell worked as it did
As the githyanki surge to their feet at Sight's revelations and Jhank'kor begins casting his spell, Gy-Nath stands and holds his hand out in the direction of the door. A telekinetic burst knocks the door open.
Jhank'kor's scorching rays on the wooden divider wall cut two long lines. Du'minh and Ar'dru charge forward simultaneously and crash into the wall. It does not give way initially, but a couple of swats with Du'minh's flail and some kicks by the dutka'gith make a hole big enough for the both of them. In the next room, Grazz unlocks and slides open the door just as the pair of warriors come crashing through the wall. He runs into the hallway less than a dozen feet ahead of the pursuit.
The head hisses and sputters in anger. "There are three main hubsss of the Houssse. The firssst is The Mansion. It lies on Portal Close, near the Nobles' District in the Lady's Ward. It contains ssseven sstable portalss, four to major Prime Septs, three to lairs in Undersigil. The second is the Celler. It lies deep in Undersssigil, beneath the Lower Ward, and iss the main nexusss of the portals we use to move about Ssigil and Undersssigil. The lassst iss the Parlor, it lies along Pride Street in the Clerk's Ward. The Parlor links the other two hubsss and alsso contains four more portalss out of Ssigil. Mosst ilithid in Sssigil will be in these three hubsss. Major damage to any one of them would be a ssserious blow to the House.
A small group of portalss underneath the Tunnellss of Git'ribaan lead to the Celler ass well as to two other minor lairs in Underssigil. The key to the Celler iss a Psi-crystal without any power left in it. The way will be guarded, but the portal between Git'riban and the Celler shifts slightly on both endssss. The Celler is sprawling, so not all possible portals will be heavily guarded, especially the manifestation pointsss further from the center of the Celler.
The House has three major weaknesses. The first lies in that the illithid have many enemies in Sigil, and dare not travel the sstreetss openly unless well protected. Thusss we rely on the portalss in the hubs to move about. The second isss that two of the ruling triad have recently died. Untill two replacementsss arrive, no illithid will obey the word of a lone leader, not even a ulitharid. The third weaknessss is that the House lacks the unifying power of an Elder Brain, to warn usss of danger and unite the mindsss of the community.
Du’minh pentrates the wooden barrier in a shower of flying splinters and veers after Grazz with determination that would put an inevitable to shame.
“Come here you putrid pile of filth, the extent of your treachery makes the rest of your kinsmen look like loyal githyanki by comparison!”
The mage slayer rushes into the corridor after the fleeing githzerai and throws a tanglefoot bag at him.
OOC:
Grrr! Du’minh crush puny buildings!
Ar'dru sprints after the fleeing Zerai as quickly as possible, tackling him and attempting a grapple if the tanglefoot bag takes him down (I'll wait for the result first)
ooc- "Raargh, Dutka'gith smash!"
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
Jhank'kor veers out of the blasted door, hoping to pincer the Accursed with his comrades, arcane energy seething for release ...
Will wait for the result of their actions (unless I have higher init.) to determine my attack
Azikaalleon! Ajak'chal blows stuff up!!!!
Oh, and that's what I call Ghetto Passwall.
Eager to finish the questioning, the assassin of assassins hastily asks the final one:
Tell me everything you know of the Tsochar pertinent to their dealings with your kind, the most efficient way to destroy or nullify them or exploitable weaknesses, as well as if they had any connection with the opening of the portals and the attack in which you were killed in.
This time the head seems almost eager to divulge the information, "The tsochar are new arrivalsss in the multivese. Their homeworld lies through the plane of ssshadow. They use humanoid ssslavesss as mounts and food, but can leave the brain untouched, using weak telepathy and the threat of pain to drive their hostsss forward. The brainsss of those who the tsochar have ridden but not consssumed have the gamey spiciness of the tortured. The tsochar are not numerousss, so their need for fresh humanoids is less than their potential sssupply of slaves. They are adept at hiding within humanoid sssocieties, and can serve as useful spiesss and agents.
The tsochar are also ssseekers of the arcane. They have a deep knowledge of magic, especially of old secretsss and ancient powers. Few illithid are adept at magic use, while the tsochars' mind powers are feeble, more akin to the magic-based telepathy of outsiders. Thus they are able to provide itemsss and sevicesss the illithid cannot create themselves. Meanwhile the tsochar acknowledge our vasst superiority, and hope to feed of our scrapsss when the Great Empire returns.
The main weakness of the tsochar is that the oldessst and most experienced are the largest, and cannot hide easssily in a medium-sssized humanoid. Telltale signsss of tsochar inhabitation are a dissstended belly and ropey movement below the sssskin. The youngest tsochar can inhabit even sssmall humanoids like goblinsss undetected, while the nobility are large tsochar that cannot fit in a being smaller than an ogre.
The tsochar had absolutely nothing to do with the attack."
The spell over, the ulitharid's headgoes limp again, but the glow does not fade from the 'eyes'. Rey'arteb finds that by gazing at them, he can percieve the entire scene within the inn. He can view at any angle and without obstruction, as if he were clairvoyant or gazing into a crystal ball. He also continues to feel the presence eminating from the three stones, and it almost feels like Sight's mental tendrils are burrowing into his mind ... [DC 21 will save time, Trias]
Jhank'kor mumbles the relevant arcane words as tendrils of energy slip up through his frame, writhing toward his twisting fingers. The threads leap invisibly through the air to worm into the wood fiber under Grazz's feet. Onyx tentacles seethe from the floor, lashing and engulfing a large span of the hallway--Grazz in the epicenter.
Initiative: 16 (parallel with Dun...oooh, the irony )
Black Tentacles (no save )
Grapple check: 27 (tentacles vs Grazz, round 1 lol)
Concentrate: 26
not sure, since it's still on my turn, but dmg (if applicable): 14 bludgeoning (if grappled by tentacles)
Rey tries to resist the intrusion.
OOC:
$@*&*#@*!!!!
Another natural 1 - first the undead queen, now this. The irony of it all is that I have one of the highest will saves in the party
If Grazz isn't visible throught the hole in the wall, Daraz will take cover behind the doorframe and be ready to fire at Grazz, disregarding the previous post if the round isn't over.
OOC: Rey is possesed, nayr nayr nenynar nar...twice.
OOC: AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! That's what he gets for being a Zerai!
That said, I'm glad it wasn't me facing the will save...maybe we'll find someone to tend to your skull, too, Rey
Edit: am assuming you will go to the door and get a clerer shot... see below.
BTW neither Du'minh nor Ar'dru were in the room to hear the third question and answer.]
OOC:
$@*&*#@*!!!!
Another natural 1 - first the undead queen, now this. The irony of it all is that I have one of the highest will saves in the party
[DM Not to worry, the stones can't actually harm you, they can only mess with your mind.]
Rey'arteb finds that he is held, paralized, he can see everything happening as if from all directions at once. Grazz sprinting down the hallway. Du'minh throwing a bag of alchemical goo at Grazz's feet. Writhing black tenticles of eldrich shadow spring from the floor. The tanglefoot bag hits Grazz's left foot, sticking it and the hem of his cloak to the floor. Grazz hits the floor but with a blindingly quick motion cuts away the laces of his boot and wriggles out of it and his cloak like a contortionist. He continues to tumble down the hallway, kicking at the growing tenticles as he scrambles toward the open doorway of the balcony. Just as he reaches the doorway, one of the mysical tendrils wraps around his waist, holding him fast. He cluches at the doorframe, trying to pull himself from its clutches, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Rey sees Daraz hang out the door, aiming his crossbow at the immobilized Grazz.
Then another scene appears before him, and Rey knows that he gazes into the future. Four githyanki gather around the bloody bodies of Grazz, Daraz, and Rey'arteb. Grazz is the only one still alive, bound and helpless, but as Rey watches the warmage Jhank'kor puts him cruely to death with a spell. A few moments later, the bartender bursts in, backed up by half a dozen gith pirates wearing red sashes, and demands recompense for the damaged wall and furnature. The exchange gets heated and steel is drawn. In the ensuing melee, Jhank'kor and Gy-Nath are slain, and Du'minh is dealt a grevious wound before the last of the gith falls. The noise of the melee brings more of Haven Port's clan of keepers, who cut off Ar'dru's escape. He sells his life dearly, as does the wounded Du'minh.
Then the spell breaks and Rey is thrust back into the present, just as Jhank'kor completes his spell and Daraz leans out the door. Rey does notice, however that when scrying the present, the right eye glowed slightly brighter than the others. When seeing the future, the eye in Sight's forehead glowed brightest.
Somebody knows my character really well...
Daraz will wait until the second round to to fire.
Attack roll: 13
In the unlikely event that I hit: 5
Sneak attack damage if aplicable: 10
(OOC: Beh, at least it wasn't a 1)
Rey thrusts the head into his backpack and runs out the room towards Grazz:
IT'S AN ILLUSION!!!! That's not Grazz!! That's Daraz!!
Rey Points to the real Daraz:
"That's Grazz!!! THE GHAIK LIES!!
OOC:
Casts "Hold Person" on Jhank'kor
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/holdPerson.htm
Oh dear god... what have I done...
Init: 17
Bluff: 21
Diplo: 11
Um...Obscuring Mist is centered on you, no matter what...but you can always dive into those tentacles if you want.
hehe, *I just read that, I'm editing as we speak
Daraz will still make every effort to fire at Grazz though it seems improbable he'll be able to hit.
OOC: Visions about the party killing each other...yeah, those. Murphy says Jhan'khor's going to make his save and then you'll have some majorly huge diplomacy chack to make.
Hearing arcane mumble behind and the sense of lead pouring into his system, Jhank'kor mentally wails his outrage. Spinning around, he glares at the gith sorcerer, finger snapping taut in a iry jab. "TRAITOR! Ye'll not be pulling tricks on me!!!"
Will save: 21
Sense Motive: 0...nat 1 (I should get a circumstance for this one, especially after hitting the 'illusion' with a spell and it didn't fade.)
Now...what shall J do?!
OOC: You know one of us finishes posting after annother has finished writing. We're tag teaming.
I'm going to have to make an elaborate story after all this is over (if I want to live past antipeak), most of it, undoubtedly, will be about being "Under the influence" of the ulitharid.
Despite his better judgement Ar'dru pauses, confused.
He falls into a trancelike state of calm an focuses his thoughts on dispelling the illusion - Empty mind
sense motive
Will Save
Once Ard'ru sees that everything appears to be as it should he leaps over the tentacles, using his wings if necessary and assists the tentacles in grappling Grazz, stripping him of weapons if possible, although he makes no other move to harm the trapped Gith.
(ooc- please let me know what checks you're going to require for this)
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
Flames leap into his mind as he shakes with rage. Balling the accusing finger, the mage shifts his stance, chest heaving his frustration and confusion. Clarity and cruelty mix in a diabolical notion and he grins. "Illusions, eh? Illithids, eh?? 'Slice the baby and find the mum'--or so some Prime once said--how about I SCORCH HIM?!?!?!"
He thrusts his fist into an outstretched palm, torrents of flame roaring down the hall--straight toward "Grazz" and "Daraz."
Hope Vivec can run quick after this one...
Scorching Rays
Daraz:
AC: 9
Dmg: 24
Grazz:
AC: 7
Dmg: 21
Sense Motive: (to detect any shift in Vivec's response)
Concentrate: 24
Sense Motive: 7 I'm not very discerning, eh??
OOC: Daraz is hiding in the doorframe, I dont know if you can get both him and Grazz.
Ref save: 28
Daraz recognizes the value of bluffing and will attempt ignore the attack unless Grazz is dead.
"WHAT MADNESS POSSESES YOU ALL? WATCH YOURSELVES!" says Daraz, retreating behind the wall and loading his crossbow. He will fire at Grazz if he isn't dead or incapacitated, otherwise, he will *atempt* to menace anyone trying to kill him.
OOC: It's lightning; he'd try to catch the edge of you on the way through, not quite certain you are who Vivec says you are...so, it barely scathing you makes sense (plus, lightning is jagged and coarse, not a beam).
Like I said, he's trying to prove a point, removing any masks so to speak.
Sense Motive on Daraz: 4 I can't sense mischief in a baby's face
Dmg from Tentacles: 15 bludg.
Grapple for this round (should he resist again...though he might not, his mind too fazzled with lightning. I hope so.. : 17 (nat 1...bloody fates! Someone nab that bugger!!)
ooc- Ok I jumped into the middle of the spell to assist in that grapple but I don't have my books with me at work so I can't remember the rolls and mods I need to use. Having said that, given Ar'drus strength I'd say Grazz is still in a fair amount of trouble. I also imagine that I'm taking 15 points of damage from the spell.
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
Actually, just make a grapple check against the roll (only have to beat a nat 1 ) and you'll be square (edit: taking no dmg on success). So, for this round, you just need to make two grapple checks: One for Grazz; another for tubers.
Basically, use your melee attak (base attk+str) for each grapple. If you can make more than one attack each round, you can attempt to grapple him multiple times (assuming he gets out of the first one)
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#grappleChecks
Grapple checks for earlier post-
Grapple (1d20+12=23, 1d20+12=32)
Naturally I'd prefer to use the first roll against the tentacles and the second against Grazz and I think this makes more sense- land, bat away a tenticle and jump on top of Grazz as he fights his way free.
Opposed Grapple vs Grazz Grapple (1d20+12=26).
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
The Rish briefly looks back with bafflement at the ensuing confusing claims, but decides to go with what seemed clear as day a moment ago. He moves up to the edge of the flailing arcane tentacles and manifests his concealing amorpha, while keeping a close eye on every one around - ally or enemy.
OOC:
It’s a tad too metagamey for my taste, to have Du’minh jump into the mess based on low grapple rolls by Jhank’kor this round. He just witnessed the tentacles grabbing Grazz and he knows how the spell works – he’s hanging back and boosting defences while getting his bearings.
OOC:
It’s a tad too metagamey for my taste, to have Du’minh jump into the mess based on low grapple rolls by Jhank’kor this round. He just witnessed the tentacles grabbing Grazz and he knows how the spell works – he’s hanging back and boosting defences while getting his bearings.
OOC: no metagame on my part, I declared what I was going to do in the round where I manifested 'empty mind', before Jank'kor failed his grapple
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
No probs, just wanted to clarify.
"We're making a better world. All of them, better worlds." - Anonomous Harmonium Officer
Edited
Daraz shoots down the hallway at Grazz, but the slippery githzerai manages to twist out of the way, and the bolt just tears at his tunic. He continues to squirm and manages to break the hold of the magic tenticle, just as Jhank'kor's hands begin to glow with arcane energy. The warmage releases his spell. Daraz, standing next to the chal, manages to dive out of the way of the spell back into the room. Grazz, too, manages to duck out of the hallway and through the open doorway of the balcony, avoiding the spell completely. Ar'dru leaps out of Grazz's room and past the tenticles in pursuit. Grazz skitters on all fours towards the open balcony, but just as he gets his feet back under himself and is about to leap, Ar'dru tackles him to the floor.
Cursing at the sight of how close Grazz was to get away, the Rish shouts back to the warmage.
“End the spell Jhank’kor, I need to assist in restraining the Accursed!”
If the mage agrees and dismisses the Black Tentacles spell, Du’minh charges ahead and attempts to join the grapple. If not, I’ll provide different actions for him (Jhank’kor’s turn is just before Du’minh, so I can wait until then, right?).
OOC:
‘Zerai, si?
The tubers slither back into the floor, disappearing from sight. Jhank'kor turns back toward the sly sorcerer ready for vengeance. "I doubt you'll be so lucky, 'friend.'"
Free action dispel
Intimidate: 14 eh...wait til I get to cast somethin. :twisted:
Rey falls to his knees, and screams very loudly whilst holding his head in both hands.
OOC:
Bluff: 26
"Oh no, it wasn't me- it was all the ghaik's fault!
Grapple check (on his turn in round 4)
Sense Motive:19 (nat 20!!! with -1 penalty)
No way I'm beating the bluff...but I did roll nat 20...I hope circumstance bonuses come into play (seeing how there is no illithids around)
If he does detect the falsehood, below is J's response...
As Vivec curls on the ground, he feels cold steel press to his temple. Jhank'kor has drawn a pistol from his belt, flash pan readied and hammer cocked. His voice is frigid and aserbic, like acid brewed from some frozen layer of the Abyss. "You might want to save your theatrics, 'friend.' Less I forget this thing is loaded--and then you'll get to speak with the dead all you want."
Intimidate: 28 "Just hold reaaaallll still...this won't hurt a bit" :shock: :twisted:
Ach! Ja, danke.
OK ... time to slow down and rehash things, because I got PCs duking it out now.
So...
Round 1 - J'k casts spell, the bug guys smash, and Gy opens the door. Grazz opens his door and moves into hall. Rey asks Question #2
Round 2 - Du throws tanglefoot, Daraz moves to door and shoots down the hall, J'k casts black tenticles which manage to grapple Grazz that round. Rey asks question #3 and fails his will save.
Round 3 - Grazz breaks the tenticles' hold. J'k casts rays which miss. Ar'dru leap/flies over the tenticles and the head of Du'minh, and manages to tackle Grazz on the balcony.
EDIT
I personally use this sort of organization to get an overview, perhaps it may be of some help:
Initiative Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 29 Daraz Position Shoot Shoot 16 Jhank'kor Scorch Tentacles Lightning Sonic 16 Du'minh Break Wall Tanglefoot Concealing Grapple 13 Ar'dru Break Wall Empty Mind Grapple 11 Rey Second Q Third Q Hold Person Command ? Gy-Nath Break door ? Grazz Get out Cut free Escape grapple
Initiative Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 29 Daraz Position Shoot Shoot 16 Jhank'kor Scorch Tentacles Lightning Sonic 16 Du'minh Break Wall Tanglefoot Concealing Grapple 13 Ar'dru Break Wall Empty Mind Grapple 11 Rey Second Q Third Q Hold Person Command ? Gy-Nath Break door ? Grazz Get out Cut free Escape grapple
nice set up! And I changed it to scorching rays...both miss, cept Grazz is a nat. 1 o.o
I do fear that odd scene shall become even more uncanny as the webs of fate are respun... :shock:
Edited post above
Edited as well; hope Vivec is ready to run...
[Heh, missed that one. Evil DM is banging on the closet door, but I've got him working on something else. A nat 1 and a nat 20 that still fails... crit strange time.]
Rey'arteb still feels Sight's evil presence. The left eye-stone glows slightly and he feels a growing chill up his spine. A cold whisper without words passes through his mind, and Rey understands that the power of the left eye-stone can input false sensory data into another's mind. Unfortunately, Rey still has no control over the stones.
[Jhank'kor needs to make a DC 21 will check now]
Great. Just the welcome I needed
Jhank'kor's talisman flares to life at the mental intrusion, layering his mind in protective theurgy.
Will save: 23 yay!!!
Oh, edit above (pointed gun at V's head). Please describe the effect and then I'll finish this response.
Spot and Listen through the hole as well (though not moving to peer through). Jhank'kor will position himself where the table gives some cover.
S: -1 (migrane...)
L: -3 (seisure.... )
Se: 3 (tylenol kickin in... )