Chpt. 1: To the Palace

[FreebirdFootbagging]

Spotting the torch on the floor she rushes to pick it up, then proceeds to toss the flask of oil at a patch of moss, hoping it shatters, allowing her to light it with her torch.

[Eulalios]

2d round:

Idwillen would scratch his beard in bewilderment, if he wasn't holding a shield and a spear. "Get away from the water snake!" he shouts, realizing that he probably won't be heard. He would like to put the spear into something, but he knows from experience that an insect swarm is not a good target, and nothing else in here looks better. He tries to remember whether he ever took the oil and lamp from the saddlebags... and wonders whether it would be wise to simply pull his companions out of danger.

3d round:

Assuming no other threats appear, Idwillen hastens toward the water pool, and attempts to sever the water snake below the region where it's drowning Andover.

Otherwise, he deals with the nearest danger.

Either way: Idwillen's Attack with Spear (THACO: 20) [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14, S/M Damage [1d6+3] = 3+3 = 6, L Damage [1d8+3] = 2+3 = 5 hits AC 6

[tkrexx]

Honnilee, Thief

Andy!! The Halfling, once backing away, now bolts at the beast harming her friend. She draws her small blade, yet knows it's too much to hope for a backstab.

Thief to hit short sword (THACO: 20) [1d20] = 20 S/M Damage [1d6] = 2 L Damage [1d8] = 1

This worked out far better than I hoped!

[jdluna]

Third round action call! Raquinel, Andover, Shen are all set. Idwellin, Poltux, Flint please state your second round actions again, per my post yesterday, in addition to third round actions. Thanks!

Is Bjorn capable any action or is he out of it?

[tkrexx]

Whispering Flint, Illusionist

Round 2: Just as Flint comes alongside Poltux a cloud of BUZZ blurs past into the room, seeming to surround the Dwarf Priest. Flint stands aghast for a moment, still trying to come to grips with the sudden change of scenery.

Round 3: Flint silently curses his loss of spells, as he feels certain a Color Spray would dazzle the swarm of stinging insects harrassing Bjorn. Seeing the unfamiliar Woman splashing oil, he also pulls a flask from his poke. If the Dwarf stays in proximity to flaming moss, as seems to be the Woman's plan, the swarm may disperse... Or find another target. He will be certain HE is not the target!

[Grognardsw]

Third round action call! Raquinel, Andover, Shen are all set. Idwellin, Poltux, Flint please state your second round actions again, per my post yesterday, in addition to third round actions. Thanks!

Is Bjorn capable any action or is he out of it?

From a weapon attack perspective, yes, but you are in a roomful of pools, and swarms usually don't like immersion. Or perhaps there are other creative moves/actions...

[NJWilliam]

Poltux, half-orc fighter

2nd Round:
"Bah, a swarm!" Poltux spits and turns to face the nearest moss creature, "Let's see how this works!"
He then hurls his axe at the nearest moss creature, and waits to catch it if it indeed returns to him.

Poltux Axe THAC018: to hit [1d20] = 6, damage [1d8] = 2 not including non-proficient penalty or magic bonus, if any, probably doesn't matter this time

3rd Round:
Poltux will either hurl the axe again, or one of his javelins if the axe did not return as he had hoped.

Poltux Axe Melee THAC020 (non-proficient): to hit [1d20] = 1+2, damage [1d6] = 1+3 | [1d8] = 6+3

[Grognardsw]

The Battles Continue

Drowning, Andover struggles to free himself from the water weird. He is whipped about to and fro as the creature tries to evade its attackers.

With a burst of bravado and concern for her drowning friend, Honnilee the hobbit rushes the water weird and slashes. Her blow is true, slicing through deep, but its literally like slicing water and the blade does little damage (2 HP) compared to the blunt hand attack of Shen's the hobbit observed.

Idwellin's eyes follow the swarm as it flies above him over to the moss. He hears yelling come from the water weird and shouts for his comrades to avoid it. Then the druid realizes that Andover is in dire circumstance, clutched within the weird’s watery form. Idwellin hastens to the water monster’s pool, sees a rear attack opportunity, and slashes the weird below the area it is drowning Andover. His spear indeed slices in, but like Honnilee’s short sword, the blade does little damage (1 HP).

Shen kicks the torch on the floor over to Raquinel. The monk continues his assault on the water weird with a powerful kick. The water creature darts and slithers about, dodging the kick.

***

At the same time, over at the Obliviax fight, Ianin lays unconscious and Bjorn is smothered in a swarm of insects. The cleric takes 2 HP of damage from their bites, but he does notice they are beginning to lighten up.

The mini-moss Raquinel weaves its little hands about in some pattern that the real Raquinel recognizes. Flint watches, his own oil in hand, as Raquinel throws her oil at the Obliviax. Her oil seems on target until it strikes what seems to be an invisible shield in front of the moss, and runs down this barrier.

Poltux hurls his enchanted axe at the moss figures. His aim is off and the axe passes above the Obliviax, then incredibly continues in a 15’ arc around and back toward the half-orc fighter. Poltux readies himself to catch the axe, realizing as it gets closer he better not miss! His hand reaches out to the shaft of the axe, and he catches it with relief. Those Dwarvish runes spoke true.

With a snarl the half-orc hurls the axe again. The axe clangs against the same invisible barrier that blocked Raquinel’s oil. The axe falls to the ground in front of the Obliviax.

Those new voices from the south corridor are coming closer: "This way, kill the intruders!"

Actions for round four!

- Water weird fight initiative: monster [1d6] = 3, party [1d6] = 3 Simultaneous
- Initiative: Obliviax [1d6] = 2, PCs [1d6] = 1 Obliviax wins
- Those attacking the water weird now realize that blunt weapons are much more effective than bladed weapons.
- Lots of low rolls. The weird has an AC 4. Keep in mind charges and rear attacks, which can give +2 on your To Hits.
- Idwellin, yes you do have your oil and lamp.
- Idwellin, I added a +2 on your To Hit given it’s a rear attack on the water weird. So you hit. For 1 HP.
- FYI, the water weird has taken 10 HP damage thus far.
- Andover can hold his breath for three rounds, after which he is unconscious and makes Con checks until dead. He has two rounds left (round 4 and 5) before he’s out and starts making Con checks (round 6). Drowning rules from the Dungeoneers Survival Guide (1e): "If a character has a chance to take a large breath of air, and does not perform strenuous exercise while holding his breath, he can hold his breath for a number of rounds equal to 1/3 his Constitution Score, rounded up.... (So Andover could hold for 5 rounds.)...If the character is performing strenuous exercise [or fully encumbered], the number of rounds he can remain underwater is cut in half… (Being inside a water weird is strenuous, so I’ll round up to 3 rounds) Once those rounds are up, the character is unconscious. Each round after his breath runs out, the character makes a Constitution Check to stay alive. The first check has no modifiers, but there is a -2 cumulative modifier for each round thereafter. This continues until the character leaves the water....or fails a check dies.
- Raquinel, please average your Int. and Wis. and make a d20 check on that number.
- Raquinel oil throw [1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10 Missed the moss due to what looks like some invisible shield in front of the moss. The oil hit this shield.
- Poltux Dex. check to catch axe [1d20] = 10 Caught it!
- From Poltux’s handling of the axe, his battle-trained instincts tell him this is a +2 axe. It returns when it misses, but not if it hits something. Requires a Dex. check to catch.

[greyarea]

Shen, monk

Frustrated with his inability to land a blow, Shen uses his Huán diàn gōng yáng (two charges, please) to try to batter the water creature to nonexistence before his comrade at arms is drowned.

[FreebirdFootbagging]

Int=18
Wis=15
Avg=16.5(your choice on rounding)
D20 roll=9

[FreebirdFootbagging]

Cursing herself for her forgetfulness (although she has no control over it) she presses onwards with her torch, waving it menacingly, trying to ignite the creature once again.
Attack roll: 8
Dmg 1d4:1 (if I did hit)

[NJWilliam]

Poltux, fighter

Seeing his companion engulfed in the water weird, Poltux grabs his footman's flail and charges to attack the weird.

Poltux Footman's Flail (THAC0 18): to hit, [1d20+2] = 3+2 = 5, damage [1d6+4] = 2+4 = 6 / [2d4+3] = 5+3 = 8

[Eulalios]

Idwillen (full health?) is wearing a shield. Presuming no other threat appears immediately, and that it is possible to do so, he will shield-bash the water weird, holding the full width of his shield across its "neck" to separate from the pool the portion drowning Andover.

Idwillen's Shield Bash (THACO: 20) [1d20-3] = 2-3 = -1, S/M Damage [1d4+3] = 3+3 = 6, L Damage [1d3+3] = 3+3 = 6

On the other hand, if the water snake's neck is not reachable with shield, then Idwillen instead will slam it with the butt of his spear

Idwillen's Attack with Spear (THACO: 20) [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5, S/M Damage [1d6+3] = 3+3 = 6, L Damage [1d8+3] = 2+3 = 5

And, meantimes, utter appeals to Natural Forces such as viscosity and evaporation.

[tkrexx]

Flint, Illusionist

We have more trouble, from the south! Flint barks as he rushes away from the doorway toward the mass of people surrounding the fluid creature. He has deduced that Bjorn, while in pain and practically helpless, is in little danger of death. Andover, however, needs free of the watery beast quickly, and the party needs his combat skills to meet the new oncoming threat. The 'Weird has proved itself virtually immune to sharp weapons, while strangely vulnerable to the Monk's blows... The Illusionist decides to try a good, old-fashioned whack with a hickory stick.

Illusionist's To Hit with staff (THACO: 20) [1d20] = 6 S/M Damage [1d6] = 6 L Damage [1d6] = 6

Sadly, the outcome was in little doubt.

[jdluna]

Bjorn jumps in the nearest pool to rid himself of the insect swarm

[Grognardsw]

Poolside Frolics - Round Four

The ranger is choking, his vision blurry. The water is so cold. He makes out the forms of his fellow adventurers attacking the weird.

Poltux the half-orc warrior swings his flail at the water beast, but it retracts out of the way. Flint the illusionist, still resplendent in his illusionary plate mail, swings his staff but hits only air. The giant druid Idwellin rushes the weird with his shield, but the creature is supernaturally fast and dodges the blow. Honnilee, seeing blades do little, switches to her sling. The hobbit pulls back too quickly and too far. Her sling snaps, the stone veering off wildly to the right.

“Huán diàn gōng yang!” yells Shen the monk, reaching out his right hand. Leaping out from a large ring is a ram-headed trunk of magical energy that strikes the water weird with pounding force (12 HP).

The blow from Shen’s mystical ring splatters the water weird, dropping Andover into the surprisingly deep pool of the weird. The creature weakly lashes out at Shen but still hits, pulling the monk’s shoulders and head into itself. Shen gulps air before being submerged. He feels the weird pressing into his face and mouth and realizes he may soon drown.

Meanwhile, the Obliviax continues to defend itself.

As Raquinel brings her torch to bear unsuccessfully on the moss due to its invisible barrier, the mistress of magic realizes two things. The moss is using her own Shield spell on her, and the magic wand she has could be very effective against moss and water weird alike.

Bjorn the cleric, still swarmed by flying insects, runs to the nearest pool (E) and jumps in to disperse the bugs. The tactic works, driving the bugs away. The pool is only six feet deep but that is too deep for the short dwarf. He peeks to see the bugs are gone and scrambles out quickly. Out of the pool, Bjorn is shocked to see he has breasts! He is now a she!

The mini-moss men continue to dance about in place. Suddenly Raquinel and Ianin are outlined in pale glowing light, making them much easier to see, but are otherwise unharmed. The swarm of insects is flying toward Raquinel. Ianin begins to stir.

The voices coming from the south corridor continue: “This way! We have them outnumbered! No prisoners!

Actions for round five, including Ianin!

- Initiative - Weird [1d6] = 3, PCs [1d6] = 5 Party wins!
- Initiative - Obliviax [1d6] = 3, PCs [1d6] = 5 Party wins!
- Raquinel's d20 roll is successful for Int. check. Thus her “…realizes two things….”
- I realized writing this that Honnilee didn’t state action, so I’ll have her sling a stone at the weird cause she realized bladed weapons don’t do much. Honnilee sling attack [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3 damage [1d6+1] = 3+1 = 4 Oh, fumble. Honnilee sling fumble 1-50% hit someone else, 51-100% it breaks [1d100] = 74 Sling breaks.
- The Huán diàn gōng yáng damage [2d6] = 12 Look at that, a good roll.
- Weird attacks: 1-Shen, 2-Poltux, 3-Honnilee, 4-Idwellin [1d4] = 1 Attacks Shen
- Water Weird Attack [1d20] = 8 Hits vs. Shen’s AC 6. The weird hits as a 6 HD monster, though its HD are lower. The weird is close to down (22 HP damage thus far), but it has a little kick left.

[Zhym]

Andover tries to climb out of the water weird's pool. If he can do so this round, he'll attack the weird with the flat of his blade.

Spellslasher (THAC0: 18): [1d20+4] = 12+4 = 16; S/M Damage: [1d8+7] = 2+7 = 9; L Damage: [1d12+7] = 9+7 = 16

[greyarea]

Shen, monk

Shen will hold his breath and try to conserve air while still trying to pull himself from the grip of the beast. If he can strike from this position, he will.

[jdluna]

Bjorn changes his name to Bjork and retires to Montreal

[Eulalios]

Idwillen, druid

The massive druid looks around for anything dangerous. The nasty moss seems promising. Perhaps he can scrape it from the floor with his spear.

Idwillen's Attack with Spear (THACO: 20) [1d20+1] = 8+1 = 9, S/M Damage [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5, L Damage [1d8+3] = 5+3 = 8