shaman (4 (-3)) engaged with Virgil (1) (a full turn to reach) -- Molan (15, acts next round)
Sidd (14) -- pit -- Felix (9) and Arnie (9)
top of ramp -- two beastmen engaged (5) with Milton (1)
Bill (9)
Zar (14)
beastman
Dour (7)

immediately behind party -- five beastmen (19)
behind them -- perhaps a platoon of beastmen

In another time and in another place, the distance between Sidd and the shaman might be described as being "a bridge too far." Thus Sidd reaches only one of the acolytes who receives the full fury of his shovel. Upon connecting with the cultist, the skull explodes in a blast of fame (2 dmg to Sidd; a DC 12 Reflex check for no dmg).

Before Omm can throttle the other acolyte, Felix and Arnie fall upon him. There is a lot of bloodspray. It's sticky and warm and stains hard to reach places. Omm remains fettered to other hapless villagers, tottering before the fires of hell for that they must be.

After freeing himself from something entirely too hairy, Milton kicks away furiously as if he were swimming. Defying physics, he sends his captor into the pit (so as not to entirely waste that 20). Luckless man that he his, the two beastmen who just wetted their claws grapple with him. One hoists him above the pit (DC 15 str check to avoid DOOM).

Somewhere in the middle of that Dave dies. Nobody really notices.

Meanwhile, Tyche smiles on Dour. Four arms fail to ferry him to the flames (2 grabs miss).

As much as Virgil would love to spill the shaman into the pit (as the acolytes had been spilling baskets of moons not moments before), he settles for whipping his flail across his face (3 dmg to shaman). Unhesitatingly, the cult leader howls to the subterranean night and pitches the effigy into the pit, joining molten gold and melted flesh.

The effigy bursts into flame, magically drawing in the flesh and gold-steeped magma. Animated by the spirit of the chaos lord, the glowing effigy emerges from the magma, rapidly cooling into a hardened, blackened form. Then, the rock crust shatters, revealing the fully-armored body of the chaos lord: a hellish, horned humanoid, with a single, cyclopean eye that blazes with infernal light. Molan emerges from his unholy forge and strides into battle, hammering down foes with his triple-headed spiked flail. The skull-faced chaos lord eagerly fights to the death, madly reveling in the destruction of life.

A new chaos lord is born!

Well, not exactly.

Mohan, brother of Felan, is reborn!
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:41, Sun 22 Sept 2013.

Frustrated by his present state of immobility, Omm takes out his aggression on any beast-man or acolyte who is within reach. If he can drag the other captives with him, he will, otherwise he will fight in place. Better to go out like a lion, if one has their druthers.

With that thought in mind, Omm flails the loose section of his chain at the newly hatched, thing, and wallops it good over the head. But would it be enough to take it down?

OOC: Well, I rolled a crit, for whatever that's worth. Couldn't find unarmed damage anywhere in the book.


16:42, Today: Udly rolled 4 using 1d6+2. chain dmg.

16:26, Today: Udly rolled 2 using 1d3. bonus damage.

16:25, Today: Udly rolled 3 using 1d4+2. Crit.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Sun 22 Sept 2013.

Sidd stares in awe as the skull literally explodes in flames - and seems to be unable to move an inch to save himself. Alas, the skull does belong to a sacrficied victim of earlier times. As if to say sorry, its flames gush left and right of Sidd, but somehow manage to miss Sidd himself. Must be fate.

OOC: Sidd burns three Luck to make the save. Reducing him to Luck 10.

Feeling like having won a new chance at life, Sidd smashes his shovel into the face of another beastman. ''We will not be overcome!''

OOC: Wee! One damage!

Zar aims very carefully an arrow at the reborn Chaos Lord, or whatever that creature is, but then he's shoved by someone and the arrow just harmlessly falls onto the ground. ''The hell... Nef, pick it up quick!''

''Gaaaawk?''


12:33, Today: Levkojen rolled 1 using 1d4. dmg.
12:33, Today: Levkojen rolled 15 using 1d20. Sidd shovels a beatman.
12:29, Today: Levkojen rolled 2 using 1d20+1. Zar shoots bow at Molan.
12:29, Today: Levkojen rolled 9 using 1d20. Sidd Reflex save to avoid skull death.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:43, Sun 22 Sept 2013.

Having shaken loose from his captors for the moment, Dourdoff yells "By me hairy bum ye fools! If n' ye think for one durn minute ye going to be tossing me about like me daughters rag doll, think again! Bah!"
As he yells, Dourdoff swings again with his mace, at the leg of the nearest assailant . Hoping to immobilize the creature..
08:33, Today: Dourdoff rolled 15 using 1d20+1. Dourdoff Mace Attack Roll.
08:33, Today: Dourdoff rolled 2 using 1d6+1. Dourdoff Mace Damage Roll.

As Bill hears Dour's tirade, he tightens his grip on his longsword and thinks to himself that there has to be a better way to go about things than constantly missing. Still, with no apparent resolution is sight, he grits his teeth and launches another swing at the nearest Beastman.
08:34, Today: Dourdoff rolled 10 using 1d20. Bill Longsword Attack Roll.
08:34, Today: Dourdoff rolled 7 using 1d8. Bill Longsword Damage Roll.

Dave probably shouts some dramatic last words as the mob bowls him over.  No one hears though.  Tragic.

Oblivious to their friend's demise, Arnie and Felix see a new target for their so-far successful tactic.  They look at each other, then back at the chaos lordling.  Arnie says On three - one!  Um, two.  Um, ah...  After an awkwardly silent beat or two, Felix shouts Three! and pushes Arnie into a run.  Arnie is too hesitant in his charge and only attacks by way of giving Molan a nervous hello.  Felix, however, manages a good shot to the ankle.

Josh rolled 4,19 using d20,d20+1. attacks - A, F.
  Josh rolled 3 using 1d6+1. damage.

Milton was sure he had that infernal shaman, but one of the fanatic beastmen leaped in between them and tumbled into the pit in the shaman's place.  Other hands grasp them, and this time the inept jester is powerless to avoid them.  As he is dragged to the edge of the pit, the beatific vision comes over him one more time.  He shouts his final lines.

"Eternity, whose end no eye can reach!
Greatly instructed I shall hence depart.
Greatly in peace of thought, and have my fill
Of knowledge, what this Vessel can contain!"

His calls his last words to Virgil as he is pitched over the edge of the pit.  "Fill the vessel, Virgil!  Fill it!"

In Virgil's tearful distress, his wild swing is all power and no aim.

Virgil attack Shaman: 12, damage: 9
This message was last edited by the player at 01:38, Thu 26 Sept 2013.

Virgil (1) -- Molan (1, -9) engaged with Omm, Sidd, Felix, and Arnie
-- pit
top of ramp -- two beastmen (5)
Bill (9)
Zar (14)
2 beastmen (-2)
Dour (7) engaged with two beastmen

immediately behind party -- four beastmen (19)
behind them -- perhaps a platoon of beastmen

Omm wallops Molan with a section of chain still slick with the sweat of captives (6 dmg to the reborn chaos lord)

Sidd joins Omm in assaulting Molan, rattling one of his extended spikes (1 dmg to Molan).

Dourduff and Bill battle on, wounding one of their tusked assailants (2 dmg to beastman).

Virgil obliterates the shaman, but had he more wisdom, he might have struck the head rather than the hand.

Insanely, even with their lord risen, the beastmen surge forth to hurl humans into the pit. One grabs Dour (DC 15 Str check to avoid being born to the lip of the pit), and two snake-tongued cultists rudely hoist Zar as well (DC 17 Str check to avoid being born to the lip of the pit).

Stunned at his rude reception, Molan bangs his head repeatedly. Refreshed, he smacks Arnie with his bangin' triple-headed flail...

...and Arnie survives (2 dmg to Arnie). Maybe he's got a little halfling in him after all.

Spurred on by what little momentum they had gained, Omm whips his chain at Molan once more. Unfortunately, this attack is not as effective as the last.

20:28, Today: Udly rolled 10,7 using d20+2,d6+2 with rolls of 8,5. attack BBEG.

Edit: Burn 2 Luck to Hit AC12
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Thu 03 Oct 2013.

In reply to Autarch (msg # 272):

Dourdoff squeals like a pig headed to the spit. In fact he may be this time. The stocky dwarf tries in vain to break free again from the powerful grip, yet this time it seems they have latched on like a summer tick. Still the dwarf grunts, and strains to wiggle loose from his captors grip. The edge of the pit looms closer. This will more than likely hurt the dwarf thinks....

05:06, Today: Dourdoff rolled 9 using 1d20+1. Dourdoff Strength Check.


Bill grunts. The con artists' arms are heavy. First chance he gets, if he gets any at all, he thinks to himself to ditch this heavy longsword. No time for that now. He plugs away like a madman cutting cords of wood for the long winter with another downward swipe of the big blade....


05:36, Today: Dourdoff rolled 14 using 1d20+2. Bill Longsword Attack Roll.
05:07, Today: Dourdoff rolled 8 using 1d8. Bill Longsword Damage Roll.
(OOC: Burned 2 points of Luck for attack Roll Modifier)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:56, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

Sidd rams his burning head, or what remains of it after the explosion, into the chaos lord. Alas, Sidd is somewhat of a pushover, all considered, and when all's said and done a shovel is still only a shovel. Doesn't matter! At least he proves that his spirit is unconquerable!

Another 1 dmg for Molan!

Zar is helpless in the strong paws of the beastmen. However, in the last possible moment Nef flies on of his captors right in the face, screeching like the hen of hell! And that's enough of a distraction for Zar to save himself.

Zar is burning three Luck to survive. From Luck 13 down to 10.

16:56, Today: Levkojen rolled 1 using 1d4-1. dmg.
16:56, Today: Levkojen rolled 12 using 1d20-1. Sidd attacks Molan.
16:56, Today: Levkojen rolled 14 using 1d20-1. Zar Str check.

Four engaged with the chaos lord, three with the beastmen, still threatening to pitch more friends in as sacrifice.  Not thinking he can reach the beastmen in time, Virgil turns his attention to the reborn Molan.

Virgil attack roll = 9, dmg = 6

You bastard! Arnie shouts as he clutches his head.  That really hurt!  He stabs at Molan again with his trowel, hoping to return the favor, but he's still too dizzy from that hit to aim right.  Little Felix does better though, smashing his crowbar into the back of the chaos lord's legs.

Josh rolled 3,16 using d20,d20+1. attacks - A, F.
  Josh rolled 5 using 1d6+1. damage.

For the first time in his inordinately stout life, Dour feels weightless in the abyss above the pit. Below him he sees the yawning well of chaos churning with hissing and popping magma, the last screams of the villagers still resonating in the air around him.

And he falls but not directly into the fire; instead he tumbles through the air toward the lip of the well (DC 10 reflex save to fall on the right side of the well).

For Molan, so recently reborn, has fallen, his nascent form being able to withstand only so many blows: first, the whip of Omm's chain; then the ping of Sidd's shovel; and finally the crush of Felix's crowbar. With him falls his triple-headed flail and his demon armor. On the ground at the very height of the ziggurat, Molan deliquesces and streams hissingly into his fetal bath.

A low rumble rolls through the cavern, building to a deafening roar. Massive stone slabs peel away from the cavern’s ceiling and fall into the sea. Waves crash up the sides of the ziggurat, even as sizzling magma seeps through the seams in the stone blocks.

The remaining beastmen fling themselves after Molan, or, if they're closer to the stairs, off the temple entirely. They don't pause to scoop up the spillage of silver and gold.

Notes: Omm had to burn 3 pts of luck to hit Molan's AC of 13; Bill did not have to burn any luck to hit the beastman's AC of 12; and this is Round 1 after the Molan's melting.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:06, Sun 13 Oct 2013.

In reply to Autarch (msg # 278):

Dourdoff falls, flinging his short legs and arms wildly, as if he could fly like the pheasants of the grassy meadows, hoping to alter his course, to catch the lip of the well and not take a liquid hot magma bath..

14:34, Today: Dourdoff rolled 4 using 1d20-1. Dourdoff Reflex Save.


Bill struggles with his breathing as he is worn out tired from swinging a longsword that has to weigh more than any plow he has ever harnessed to the farm mule..
This message was last edited by the player at 19:39, Sun 13 Oct 2013.

"Someone," Omm cries out aloud, "strike these bonds so that I might fight unfettered!"

The captive is of course referring to the chains and shackles. If nobody steps forward to assist, Omm will stand ready to flail at a beast-man, acolyte, or any other foe within reach.

Arnie and Felix, having had their fill of the worse part of valor, now go for the better part.  Arnie pulls out the two segments of the collapsible 10-foot pole,* quickly puts them together, and then starts swinging at all of the beastmen, not with the intention of wounding them but just to encourage them to get out of the way (and if some fall into the lava, then so much the better).  As he does so, Felix shouts Come on to the rest of the villagers and adventurers, then starts running down the slope, squeezing between the legs of the larger creatures when this seems like the thing to do.

---------------------
*how else would he have been carrying it through the dungeon this whole time without it getting in the way?

Zar spends precious seconds on securing the precious Hen of the Nile. ''Nef! You have saved me from certain death in searing lava!''
''Oops,'' he adds, as Dour sails past, but there's nothing much he can do.

Sidd meanwhile sits down at the crater's edge. They have won. Unbelievingly so. Now he can die in peace and welcome life in his new reincarnation...

''Get up, you fool! The others are leaving! Though whether our ship will still sail I heavily doubt.''

Sidd sighs, gets up, and stumbles after Zar and the rest of the villagers down the slope of the mountain, to see whether they can make their way out of this hellborn Chaos-bound nightmare of a landscape.

Arnie and Felix, Sidd and Zar, they careen down the path. The water of the starless sea splashes them with its cool darkness as they jump over splits in the steps from which magma seeps. From above, more slabs falls and then crash, sending fragments of stone whizzing past the runners.

It is the end of the world as you know it.

Heedless, Bill swings his sword at phantom enemies; for him the battle still rages and his engines still burn. The cultists, one and all, have leaped to their dooms, fiery or watery.

Virgil stands there beside Bill. He won't die a screaming madman.

And there is Omm, a giant among men, bound in chains, screaming to the night. The night screams back, spewing more stones, regurgitating itself.

Round 2 after the felling of Molan

In reply to Autarch (msg # 283):

Exhausted from his swinging, it dawns on Bill that the enemies are gone for now. As the magma spews and rock overhead tumbles down, he realizes that his remaining friends are heading back down and he should too. With little breath to spare, and a heavy heart , he makes his way down the steps with the remainder of his companions..

Arnie and Felix continue running back down and toward the strange ship.  One or the other of them periodically looks back to make sure the others are following.  They might should an encouraging word, but at this point their heroics are exhausted and they are unlikely to actually turn back without a very good reason.

Omm struggles to run while chained, perhaps dragging those he is connected to, along for the ride. "Run, man. Run!" he exhorts to a nearby villager who has tripped in a coil of chain.

He will attempt to follow on the heels of those headed toward the ship. He has no intention of allowing himself to slip into the void. Not without a fight!

Zar doesn't look back to the devastation - they are in some realm of the dead anyway, and not in the real world. Where they might not be able to get back to. Doubtfully he gauges the ensorcelled sea. For all he knows a sip might make them forget all they know, like in some mythic tale. No, swimming is out of question.

The ship it is. Or has to be.

''Let us board the ship! And hope for the best.''

Zar and Sidd try to climb back unto the magic ship again, if it lets them, and help the wounded and the chained.

In reply to Levkojen (msg # 287):

The ship is as good a idea as any Bill thinks as well. He is in tow with the others and heads to board the ship...

Once again you become sailors on the starless sea. With consecrated passengers aboard, the dragon boat churns the churning waters, making for the far beach, with its passage to the stairs. Already you can imagine your feet flying up the stone steps, taking you to the courtyard of the ruins above -- away from the hissing explosions. For as the ziggurat collapses, the lava erupts and the sky falls.

Too much sky falls to the ship's port side. It gives birth to a wave of tidal proportions which lifts the vessel on watery wings. You feel light in the embrace of the subterranean air. You decide, in your own separate ways, that this cannot end well, this sailing through the cavern with improbable celerity.

You make your peace with the void, except for the newborn halfling, who screams as all do during birth, the extension of his toes being more than he can bear.

And there is more void, more than any of you can bear, until you each succumb to your own night.

<<End Sailors of the Starless Sea>>

<<Sailors of the Starless Sea Timeline>>

The party bypasses the front entrance and instead gains access to the courtyard by traversing the collapsed western wall. -- 1 exp

The party loots the shrine to Tsathoggua without disturbing its guardian. -- 2 exp

The party, with some prodding, lifts the flagstone with the block and pulley and finds more loot. -- 1 exp

The Impaling of Del and Callum. -- RIP Del and Callum

The party defeats the beastman champion and his beastman cohorts. -- 3 exp

The splitting of Dante. -- RIP Dante

The pricking of Jobb. -- RIP Jobb

The party loots the looted vault of the beastmen. -- 1 exp

The party demurs from disturbing the tomb of Molan's brother. -- 1 exp

The party gets all Gidget on the beach. -- 0 exp

The party placates the tentacular monstrosity. -- 2 exp

The party gains the top of the ziggurat. -- 1 exp

The welling of Milton. RIP Milton

The sizzling of Dour. RIP Dour

The party trashes Molan's re-birthday. -- 4 exp

All good or neutral pc's receive a permanent +1 bonus to their luck scores.

Dead longing, sundered evermore from pain:
How dim and sweet the shadow-hearted love,
The happiness that perished lovers prove
In Naat, far beyond the sable main.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:19, Mon 28 Oct 2013.