Zuni was glad to be back in the company of her friends, and she spent the night chatting up everyone to see what she had missed.  Of course it had been weeks for her, weeks that she had spent impersonating a guard, so it didn't seem like there was that much.  Unfortunately her stash of wine had run out so there was nothing to really toast with but it was probably better that they didn't drink themselves silly.

The next morning she was one of the last to wake up.  It wasn't as though she had spells to memorize or summonings to perform.  She checked the sharpness of her sword, tied a bandana around her long hair and was pretty much ready to go.

She followed along behind Selvin and Lucky as they descended below the first altar to encounter the second.  "Oh look...more blood." Zuni said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in her tone.  "Because of course there's more blood in this cursed place."

Casually, Zuni readied her bow in hand with a couple of arrows in the other.

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 466):

Except for the blood, the altar is clear Selvin.  You do notice some of the spots seem fresher than they should.  Like they'd only been there a day or so.

From your vantage point in the air, you can see more about the pool.  The pool is deep than it appears.  Maybe eight feet or so.  There seems to be a body in the pool.  A hulking, masculine figure.  And the body seems to be holding a sword.

There's also what looks like a crab scuttling around under the water.  But just a regular crab.  Who cares about that, right?

Selvin hesitated, wings flapping as quietly as possible. He looked down and then to the side, though not seeing, but rather thinking, looking at nothing. He thought about flying back down to the group but wanted to keep an eye out....especially on the body.

Instead he glanced down at his allies and made a couple gestures and spoke a phrase. Then he moved his mouth as if speaking....and a whisper sounded near each of them, "hey, zuni. there's a huge muscled body holdin' a sword in the water." Small hesitation. "...also a crab. not sure that's important....you can reply t'this message."

OOC: Cast the Message cantrip. Realized after I posted that I could target all my allies.

https://aonprd.com/SpellDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Message
This message was last edited by the player at 04:24, Fri 16 Apr 2021.

Lucky heard the soft message and wondered if the body in the water was alive or dead.  The only way would be to probe the water.

"Why don't we prove the water.  We need to know if it is alive or dead before we try things with the altar."

"Well, I guess that means we need to get close." Zuni said. "Guess I'm up then.  Anyone got a stick?"

Zuni slowly made her way down to the floor of the room, putting her bow away.  If something did happen, she would probably be too close for the bow anyways.

OOC:
Perception-> 21

Selvin flew in down and closer to the pool himself as Zuni began to move closer. He was keeping his senses sharp for any movement or sounds, getting ready to pounce on something if needed. He kept quiet for the moment as he watched, unsure if it was a trap....or just a corpse. But there had been many moving corpses in the place so far, so he was expecting something to happen.

In reply to Zuni Runesong (msg # 472):

The water is too murky to see much clearly, no matter how close you get.

The body isn't moving.  It stays in the same position, arms crossed over the sword.

The crab scuttles about.  It's almost cute in a way.  Little crab.  Scuttle scuttle.  It must be trying to catch a shrimp or something because it seems to be extending a claw and snatching at something...

There's a sudden rush of air which you feel Zuni right before it hits....

Zuni and Selvin, Reflex save 14- please

OOC: I was going to make a full post but not sure if what the effect is (and if it's save for half or not).

20:57, Today: Selvin Larst rolled 18 using 1d20+12.  Reflex save.

Zuni had been thinking about ways to cook the crab in the pool, regardless of how cute it was.  It was an old habit, thinking with her stomach at times, something that she would blame on Gaedren Lamm is asked, however the rush of air interrupted her meal planning.

OOC:
Reflex Save --> 21

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 475):

There's a solid sort of chomping sound in the air you were both just occupying Zuni and Selvin

Whatever it was, it isn't there any longer.  But something just definitely tried to cut the two...er...three of you in half.

Let's roll init please people.  And you may state your actions.  Thanks

Lucky heard the swoosh in the air and he ducked just out of habit.  He seemed to always be on his toes so it was natural.  Lucky looked for the source of the sound and readied to attack whatever it was.

19:11, Today: Lucky Six-Fingers rolled 14 using 1d20+13.  initiative.

All thoughts of eating seafood were abruptly tossed aside as the sound of something slicing at her could be heard.  If she hadn't twisted aside at that moment, she would be a lot shorter than she already was, shorter by a head. "What in the Nine Hells was that?!" she shouted, glancing around to see if anyone else had been attacked.  "On your toes everyone."

OOC:
Initiative->23

In reply to Zuni Runesong (msg # 479):

You can hear another whoosh incoming...

But what it is?  That you can't see.  But it seems to be coming from your collective lefts.

You have time to take action before it hits.

Selvin frowned and then cast a spell on himself, since he couldn't seem to find the source of...whatever was happening. His eyes flared with a blue glow and then subsided.

OOC: Cast See Invisibility (though it rarely works out that way lol).
11:21, Sat 24 Apr: Selvin Larst rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 481):

Your mystical Selvin Senses begin to tingle Selvin

You can't see anything solid.  But you can tell by the outline that the air in the room seems to be gathering up into the shape of a large claw.

A large crab claw.  And it's lunging towards you all.

But you still have time to do something before it lunges.  You guys won init.

Selvin thought that this might actually be weirder, if it was somehow what he thought it was. Or if it was even close to what he thought it was. So he didn't hesitate or think it over. He just divebombed the crab, trying to get to it, and hit it, before whatever the thing was attacking them.

OOC: Should I roll for attacks and damage? Does the giant crab claw swat me away?

"Selvin!" Zuni shouted, looking to the left.  She couldn't see anything.  She hated not seeing anything.  She hated having to fight something that she couldn't see.  "Do you see anything?  Anyone?  I can't stab what I can't see."

OOC:
Going full Defense

Lucky is taking the defensive as well but also using his senses to see if he can figure out what is happening.

20:48, Today: Lucky Six-Fingers rolled 20 using 1d20+15.  perception check.

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 483):

Selvin, as you dive for the crab, you suddenly realize the water isn't water.  It looks like...some kinda ooze?

The wind claw hits...


Selvin and Lucky, make a reflex save 14-.  If you save 8 pts damage.  If not, 16 pts damage.

Izzy, I am assuming you are still hanging around the doorway.  So you are okay.

Here's the situation folks:

The water the body is in is actually a very nasty ooze which is about to burst out of the pool and start smacking on you.

The crab inside the ooze can create claw-shaped wind scythes that have an area effect.

So you're about to fight an ooze and a crab.  You're welcome.

It's your move.

Selvin and Zac pulled up suddenly and half-dodged out of the way of more...wind? He frowned. That crab seemed to be at fault. But then he had other concerns as the water...wasn't water. And it was moving. "crap."

He hesitated and then fly up a bit and away from his party members to spread out. He then cast a different spell, one that coursed over his symbiote, changing it as it flowed over the cat-taur creature. He grimaced, hoping he was making the right call.

"That water is an ooze!"

OOC: Wow! Barely made that save with a +12 bonus, LOL!
Casting Greater Evolution Surge on Zac, granting him Energy Immunity (Acid) and Damage Reduction 5/good.

22:50, Today: Selvin Larst rolled 15 using 1d20+12.  Reflex Save.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Wed 28 Apr 2021.

Lucky was ready for the attack and easily braced himself from the worse of the attack.  "If that thing in the water is causing these attacks we need to kill it and fast!  How do we defeat it?"  Lucky didn't want to attack it till he knew if he could.

"How is that crab not getting dissolved by the ooze?!" Zuni shouted, taking several steps back.  Her sword was not going to be very useful fighting the ooze, something that was going to annoy her.  "Do we have to burn off the Ooze first in order to get to the crab?"

In reply to Zuni Runesong (msg # 489):

The ooze globulates out of the pool as Selvin does his super-Zac mojo.

The body and the crab come out with it, both floating inside the huge, HUUUUUUUUGGGGGE ooze.  That pool was deep.

The crab is moving around inside the ooze like it's swimming through salt water.

Oozy-Crabby will attack tomorrow.  Thanks.

"Well...hells."  Zuni said flatly, as she watched the ooze rise up out of the pool.  "...you are one well fed ooze..."

She quickly moved to take up a place behind the altar, hoping that the stone structure would provide concealment or cover.  Was her sword going to be of any use?  How did you fight an ooze?

OOC:
Knowledge Dungeoneering --> 17 (To try and identify the ooze and how to fight it)

In reply to Zuni Runesong (msg # 491):

Zuni, you can't be sure what exact type of ooze it is.  If it's been sealed down here for who knows how long, it should be dead from hunger.  The crab shouldn't be able to swim through it-though that's obviously not a normal kind of crab.  And that body shouldn't be in as good a state as it's in.  So this isn't the normal kind of ooze.

But most oozes secret acid that attacks metal.  Most also secrete a poison that causes paralysis.  Fire maybe?  Lightning?  Something to counteract that acid and wash off that poison?

That's the most you can come up with at the moment.