Sure enough, Ben catches flames, at least in the minds of those who might believe it to be real. Unfortunately for the heroes, the monster is not so easily fooled and continues, undeterred, on its mission of consuming the dwarf and thief.

Sooner, rather than later. Especially for Ben, who is now only but 10 feet or so distant from the monster's snapping jaws. Eagle is about 10 feet beyond Ben.

Maybe the monster's hunger will be sated by Ben...then again, maybe not?

Bruno attempts to scale down the ropes and slips. The mute warrior loses his grip and plummets into the shaft, eventually hitting the ground, very hard. He lays there motionless for a few moments, before finally groaning in agony.

Monvo deftly scales the ropes and lands besides his lackey. "Ouch. That must have hurt," he states callously while scanning the cave for any signs of threat.

In terrified panic, Ben does his best to roll over (or side to side)  simeltaneouly trying to put out the flames wnd escape the creatures grasp!

"Ahhhh... it burns, it burns..."

Eagle wriggles free of the sticky tendril and staggers back a few paces, gasping for air. His hands were now free. Perhaps he might have an opportunity to cast a spell to turn the tide of battle in his favor...

22:13, Thu 16 Jan 2014: DM Storm, on behalf of Eagle, rolled 2 using 1d6 ((2)).

Eagle and Ben have broken free, but both are now severely weakened from the blows they suffered.

And, it's not over for Eagle. The monster does not skip a beat and proceeds to hurl another flailing tentacle at the druid. Eagle recoils in anguish as he finds himself, once again being drawn closer to the predator's chomping maw.

OOC: Eagle took 16 points of damage and is now at STR: 4! Poor Eagle is being drawn to the creature's mouth and is presently 20 feet away from being devoured, whole!

Rocky Cavern Prowler
AC: 0
HP: 34


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7    7/26   1   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, STR (7)
Eagle    6    2/30   4   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8   STR (4), grappled
Inas     3   41/52   1   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Norion   3   40/54   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     3   38/41   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Saliq    7   19/19   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11   Init +2

NPCs
Bruno    5    4/16   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2
Monvo    5   19/19   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2


ROUND 4

Stage 1: Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs
Stage 2: Cavern Prowler
Stage 3: Norion, Rath

Norion and Rath are UP!!!

"Pelor's shining bunghole!" Rath mutters, finding the mess he's found himself in at the bottom of the shaft. His eyes widen wildly at the sight of the 9'-tall monstrosity working diligently to eat his companions, and he lifts his enchanted trident.

"Monvo! Bruno! Javelins!" he shouts commandingly, and he throws himself into the fray. Alas, the Prowler's writhing tentacles prove a distraction, and Rath loses his focus as he strikes -- a glancing blow, harmless against the creature's tough hide.




MISS.Uh,oh. Should have followed my own advice about the javelins ... .
05:02, Today: Aldo Rathmus rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8. attack with trident  .

As Norion enters the cavern and watches the before him, his hands move of their own accord in long practiced motions, pulling out the great axe.  Though he longs to see what the magic in the new axe is, something this big requires a weapon equal to the task.  As he begin moving in to fight this monstrosity, an unfamiliar feeling washing through Norion, fear.  He thinks for a moment, a don't have to do this, I can get back up that rope, and sell this magic axe and live somewhere quiet and safe.  Every culture has a bogeyman, something they tell little children stories about to scare them, sometimes to keep them from doing silly things.  For dwarves, stories of walking ravenous stalagmites are the favorite, and for just a second, much to his shame, Norion is just a little kid staring at his worst fear. Then, he gets mad, this thing must be destroyed before it kills his companions, moving quickly he approaches and swings with his mighty axe.

"Quick, rally around men, let's bring this beast doon'"

09:45, Today: Norion Ironaxe rolled 13 using 2d8+2 with rolls of 3,8. damage.
09:41, Today: Norion Ironaxe rolled 17 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 16. attack w great axe.

Bruno comes to his feet and produces a javelin on command. He lets his fly and it strikes the creature, but fails to pierce through its thick hide.

Monvo misses by a mile...

OOC: Eagle is being drawn to the creature's mouth and is presently 20 feet away from being devoured, whole!

Rocky Cavern Prowler
AC: 0
HP: 17/34


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7    7/26   1   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, STR (7)
Eagle    6    2/30   4   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8   STR (4), grappled
Inas     3   41/52   1   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Norion   3   40/54   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     3   38/41   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Saliq    7   19/19   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11   Init +2

NPCs
Bruno    5    4/16   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2
Monvo    5   19/19   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2


ROUND 5

Stage 1: Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs
Stage 2: Cavern Prowler
Stage 3: Norion, Rath

Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs are UP!!!
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:05, Fri 17 Jan 2014.

"Gods!" exclaimed Inas as he finally saw the horror that was assaulting his companions. What foul manner of beast is this?

He quickly nocked an arrow to his bow and let fly. As it sailed towards its intended target he quickly loosed another. The first struck home, while the second fell short.

17:38, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 7 using 1d20 with rolls of 7. Bow attack 2.
17:38, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4. Damage.
17:37, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17. Bow attack 1.

The horrific monster rumbles loudly, a sound akin to a rockfall echoing through a mountain pass, all the while, pulling Eagle towards its mouth!

"The eye, aim for the eye!" Saliq calls out to the others.

Once again the illusionists gestures towards the grotesque creature and begins  words of magic.

From out of the darkness of the shaft comes the echo of beating wings and schreeching. Seconds later at least a dozen realistic, illusionary, brown furred, leathery winged bats each as big as kittens fly into the cavern, creating a cacophany of noise.  As one the flock circles then flies straight for the monster's great eyes, clawing and biting and buffeting it as they swarm around the yellow orb.

---

OOC: Saliq casts Spectral Force.

The monster seems completely unphased by the illusory bats flitting about its eye. It continues to draw Eagle inward...

Crawling in fear and panic, Ben crawls behind a stalagmite, frantically swatting for any remaining flame on his body.

"Ooohh.." he groans in pain.

Feeling his strength ebb, and his doom draw nearer Eagle's body goes still as panic starts to fill his body. Suddenly to the astonishment of all his companions he seems to start shrinking, before disappearing completely. Anyone stood near enough though would the area of the tendril where Eagle was grappled now contains a tiny insect which cautiously starts negotiating a route away down the thrashing tendril.

OOC: Eagle is using his shapeshift ability to transform into a very small insect (maybe a tick), which presumably would be too small for the monster to see, feel or worry about.

Eagle suddenly vanishes from sight, perhaps to the horror of his companions. Perhaps not, after all, they have already seen him change into a bat. What other magic powers might he possess?

One thing is clear. The stalagmite monster shows no signs of letting up. It wastes no time training its eye on Norion. A moment later, it hurls another appendage at the dwarf.

Norion swats the attack aside with his battle axe. At that moment, the dwarf recalls the name of this Underdark Predator from an old dwarf tale:

The Roper!


OOC: Eagle and Ben are currently hiding. Everyone else is gathered near the Roper

Rocky Cavern Prowler aka Roper
AC: 0
HP: 17/34


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7    7/26   1   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, STR (7)
Eagle    6    2/30   4   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8   STR (4)
Inas     3   41/52   1   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Norion   3   40/54   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     3   38/41   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Saliq    7   19/19   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11   Init +2

NPCs
Bruno    5    4/16   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2
Monvo    5   19/19   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2


ROUND 5

Stage 1: Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs
Stage 2: Cavern Prowler
Stage 3: Norion, Rath

Norion, Rath are UP!!!

Rath gets it all wrong. He figures the bats are Eagle's doing, and gives credit to Saliq for Eagle's vanishing act, but it hardly matters. Avandra blesses him with the fortune to evade, for the moment, the Prowler's strength-sapping tentacles, but his hasty thrust with the trident goes awry.

"Kill it! Kill it!" Rath suggests firmly.


Big Ol' Miss!
01:39, Today: Aldo Rathmus rolled 3 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 2. attack with trident .

Norion swings twice more, having hit the dang thing on his first swing, he is surprised his axe bounces off the roper's thick hide send a shock of pain down the handle of the axe nearly numbing his fingers.

ooc: Thanks for holding the place, my iphone let me roll (badly) but I couldn't get it to post a message, kept timing out on me.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Mon 20 Jan 2014.

Ben and Eagle have effectively fled from the engagement, though in their present shape, who could really blame them?

Certainly not Bruno, for he too is in rough shape, but not because of the roper. A nasty fall got the best of him.

A fearsome foe, this. Perhaps the most dangerous monster the party has encountered in their adventuring career. Hopefully not the last...

OOC: Eagle and Ben are currently hiding. Everyone else is gathered near the Roper

Rocky Cavern Prowler aka Roper
AC: 0
HP: 16/34


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7    7/26   1   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, STR (7)
Eagle    6    2/30   4   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8   STR (4)
Inas     3   41/52   1   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Norion   3   40/54   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     3   38/41   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Saliq    7   19/19   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11   Init +2

NPCs
Bruno    5    4/16   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2
Monvo    5   19/19   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2


ROUND 6

Stage 1: Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs
Stage 2: Cavern Prowler
Stage 3: Norion, Rath

Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs are UP!!!
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:37, Mon 20 Jan 2014.

Finding no sign of fire on his person, Ben draws out his sling, loads up a bullet, and lets fly at the eye!!!

Sadly the bullet collides with one of the stalagmite (or stalactites) between the two of them...


20:03, Today: Ben Scristos rolled 8 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 6. sling bullet at roper.

Inas drew another shaft and launched an arrow towards the beast, narrowly nicking it. Cursing himself he fired again, this time firing wide.

07:33, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 8 using 1d20 with rolls of 8. Bow attack 2.
07:33, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1. Damage.
07:32, Today: Inas Eoinsson rolled 16 using 1d20 with rolls of 16. Bow attack 1.

Bruno and Monvo throw the last of their javelins. Both bounce harmlessly off the roper's tough hide.

Monvo responds to Rath, "Easier said than done!" while edging to the rear of the group.

Without his magic there is very little Saliq can do other than watch in helpless horror. Getting in close enough to use the Moonblade would be a death sentence for the slim, unarmoured illusionist.

"We can't defeat this thing; we have to retreat." He calls out to the others. Immediately he begins looking for an exit from the cavern.

The only exits Saliq sees are a large stone door at one side of the cavern and the shaft which leads back up. The door is presently closed and one would have to climb back up the ropes to escape this chamber.

The roper wildly flails its tendrils around, this time lassoing Inas, who in turn feels what Ben and Eagle already know: this thing packs a serious punch.

The ranger becomes weakened by the monster's constrictive power. Worse, he is now being dragged toward the creature's mouth!

OOC: Inas got hit for 8 points of damage and is grappled. He will be at STR8 on his next turn. Break free on a successful Open Doors check. Eagle and Ben are currently hiding. Everyone else is gathered near the Roper

Rocky Cavern Prowler aka Roper
AC: 0
HP: 2/34


PC       AC    HP    AP  0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10   Notes
Ben      7    7/26   1   19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9   Init +2, STR (7)
Eagle    6    2/30   4   18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8   STR (4)
Inas     3   33/52   1   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6   STR (8)
Norion   3   40/54   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Rath     3   38/41   2   16 15 14 13 12 11 10  9  8  7  6
Saliq    7   19/19   3   20 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11   Init +2

NPCs
Bruno    5    4/16   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2
Monvo    5   19/19   6   20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10   (R) Hum Ftr2


ROUND 6

Stage 1: Ben, Eagle, Inas, Saliq, NPCs
Stage 2: Cavern Prowler
Stage 3: Norion, Rath

Norion, Rath are UP!!!
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:57, Wed 22 Jan 2014.

Rath would be among the first to admit that Saliq's words hold wisdom, but with Eoinsson being dragged to his doom and no real escape route in sight, he instead spits a heartfelt profanity and thrusts his glorified pitchfork deep into the creature's dense flesh. He grimaces and twists the weapon with all his strength.


Critical! 14 damage! 21:35, Today: Aldo Rathmus rolled 21 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 20.