You guys are such good sports about this - I mean, I know this has AMBUSH written all over it - but what can you do?

Celene insists on using some charges from her wand on both herself and Alohan and doing her trick with divine vessel. Also, Kassius puts Gut-tugger's magical collar on Kibeti - the cat only whines for a few seconds, perhaps feeling how much it helps.

The collar gives Kibeti a +2 armour bonus

The party set across the water, swimming carefully out into the underground lake in single file and with great care. Alohan makes it across to the other side without incident.

Beyond the little beachhead, the walls and floor of the cavern her enters glisten with a thick, transparent ooze. Mushrooms protrude from the slop on the floor here and there, and a viscous puddle of florescent greenish-blue goo shimmers in the southern end of the room. The warrior has little time to admire the 'beauty' of this sight though, as soon some dark shapes start peeling themselves off the wall and advancing towards him with a chilling chitterous beat that the native recognises oh too well.


It's your old nemesis Ron. And this time there are three of them!

Meanwhile, things are happening out in the lake too. The party is neatly divided between the two shores and those still in the first cavern see the thick seaweed party as some swims through the water at high speed. This is happening both in the north and the south.


Here are your current positions

It can hardly be said that the party wasn't expecting an ambush, so there isn't complete surprise. Roll for initiative - we'll do it like 'Here be Dragons' and see if there are some sides who get a free round of actions. The three sides are the party, the Rhadogessa and the water things.

20:30, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  Water things intiaitive.
20:29, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 14 using 1d20+1.  Rhagodessa initiative.
20:31, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 8 using 1d20.  Celene Initiative.


Celene's Status Notes
Notes:
Everyone in the party gets +2 bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or ability check (your choice) made before the end of your next turn (he's the only one in range)
2 charges taken off wand
Standard Action: N/A
Move Action: N/A
Free/Swift Action: Divine Vessel
Misc.:
(De)Buffs : Mage Armour (+4 AC, 1 hour)

---

HP: 18/18  AC 1014, CMD: 12, Saves+2/+0/+7
Spells Slots (sorc.): 1st: 5/5
Spells Prepared: 0: Guidance, Resistance, [empty slot]
1: Murderous Command, Liberating Command, disguise self
Scrolls: Monkey fish, shield, burning hands, summon monster I (caster level 3)
Abilities: Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (4/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-), Wand of Mage Armour (5 left)

This message was last edited by the GM at 08:58, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

Alohan gingerly slid across the water, lifting himself onto the sandbar with his reflexes at the ready. Everything had a nasty goo about it -not a good sign to the native- and before he could voice his reluctance, the creatures emerged from their cove. His thoughts instantly returned to that of the ship, remember what it felt like to feel the beast's jaws enter his body. He remember losing consciousness, a first for him, however brief. He was stronger now -more in control- but he still felt a bit of a reluctance.

"Great," he thought, bringing his pele to the fore-front, 'we served the beasts a meal'. He shook his aprehensions aside and charged forth, allowing his anger to fuel his movements. The red curtain, the blowing volcano, the shroud of fire descend over his senses and only one thing remained -pure rage.

The native took a few steps away from the pond, using the opposite wall give himself leverage. With a foot on the wall, Alohan somersaulted into the air bringing his heel down onto the rhagodessa. Even with the magics guiding his foot, the creature was able to shy away but not from Alohan's follow-through. However glancing, he felt the carapace crack. With his feet under him, he waited for the impending pincers.

---

20:03, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 24 using 1d20+4 ((20)) Init to Win it.
20:08, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 13,7,21,4 using 1d20+8,1d6+3,1d20+6,1d6+3 ((5,4,15,1)) Flurry of blows.

---

Move Action: 5ft to F1
Standard Action: Flurry of Blows #1
Free/Swift Action:

---

HP: 34/34  AC: 16(-2 rage) CMD: 20 | 22 vs grapple Saves: +7/+5/(+2)
Rage: 8  |  8  Stunning Fist: 1  |  1  Note: I'm scared. I also figured rolling a 20 merits a full post, seeing as how Ill probably be acting first. Not sure if this merits another attack or anything.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:13, Sat 09 Jan 2016.

<START OF ROUND ONE>


HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28   <MF NOT USED>
Alohan  HP: 28/28   <MF NOT USED>
Celene  HP: 18/18   <MF NOT USED>
Kassius HP: 21/21   <MF NOT USED>
Kibeti  HP: 19/19   <MF NOT USED>
Logan   HP: 20/21   <MF NOT USED>

Rhagodessa 1: <MF NOT USED> -11
Rhagodessa 2: <MF NOT USED>
Rhagodessa 3: <MF NOT USED>

Ixitxachitl A: <MF NOT USED>
Ixitxachitl B: <MF NOT USED>

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
Divine vessel (+2 to one roll before start of next turn)
Mage armour on Alohan and Celene (1 hr)



You get to move first and use their flat-footed AC. You hit with both attacks and give rhagodessa 1 a good bashing.

Logan moves forward, joining Alohan in attacking the giant spider-things.

"We need to move to flank them.  You'll be surrounded, but we can take 'em down quicker!"

Blades flashing, Logan jabs at the beast with all his weapons, catching it unprepared.

---

Move to F2
TWF vs R1.  Rapier hits vs AC 25 for 12 damage.  Short Sword vs AC 12 for 10 damage.

12:38, Today: Logan rolled 10 using 2d6.  Short Sword Damage.
12:38, Today: Logan rolled 12 using 2d6+5.  Rapier Damage.
12:37, Today: Logan rolled 12 using 1d20+6.  Short Sword Attack.
12:37, Today: Logan rolled 25 using 1d20+8.  Rapier Attack.

---

HP: 20/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

Kassius swears, and draws out his bow again, trying to assess the situation. The Rhagodessa he had encountered before, and they are mindless hunters. He would love to capture one, but survival is of paramount importance of course.

The other things, however, emerging from the water. What were those? Could they possibly be tamed, or subdued more easily?

In the meantime, Kassius and Kibeti take a defensive posture, waiting to see what the foes do. He doesn't have a direct line to see much of the Rhagodessa, let alone hope to fit an arrow through the winding tunnel.

11:03, Today: Kassius rolled 14 using 1d20+3.  knowledge (nature) on Ixitxachitl.
Do I know anything useful?

---

Kassius<Orange>
Free Action: Five foot step to B11
Move Action: Draw Shortbow
Standard Action: Ready action to fire at Ixitxachitl if they make hostile action.

---

HP: 21/21  AC 18, Saves+4/+8/+4
Spells Slots: 1st: 3/4;  Animal Focus Minutes Left: 1/3, Door Sight 2/6
Current Buffs: none

---

Kibeti
Standard Action: Ready action to attack Ixitxachitl if they come within range and attack.
Free Action: Five-foot step to B10

---

HP: 19/19 AC 19, Saves+4/+7/+3
Current Animal Focus: Bull(+2 Str)

The hunter sees a barbed tail break the surface of the water, followed by a rubbery 'wing'... and this is enough for him to figure out what they are up against.

Ixitxachitl, pronounced 'ish-it-SHACH-itl' or 'iks-it-ZATCH-i-til', although 'ik-zit-zah-chih-tull' or 'iks-it-ZAK-itl' are also considered acceptable, and Kassius has also heard it pronounced 'iks-it-SHAK-it-ul' or 'ih-SHIK-sha-chi-tul' and occasionally even 'iks-iks-a-CHIH-tul' and one time 'ick-ZIT-sah-chittle'... are often just called 'demon rays'. These are intelligent manta-rays with a strong tendency towards evil.

Kassius isn't any great sailor, but from the stories he's heard they have a nasty sting in their barbed tail - a sting that is poisonous.

Celene does the only sensible thing in her position. She screams in terror and starts swimming like a madwoman towards the shore, spiny sea urchins or not. She bumps into one almost immediately, somehow manages to overcome the nausea coursing through her body, but starts splashing round in the water without making any headway (failed swim check, only makes it to C9).

A devil ray approaches her from both the north and the south. Looks like Kassius needs to take a shot (at -8 since these guys are in the water).

OOC: Celene is now 'off-balance' due to the failed swim check.


I rolled for Angati's initiative:

18:13, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 10 using 1d20+1.  Angati's Initiative.

Angati will be going after the devil rays, so Kassius gets his shot now - the rays are still in the locations shown on the map.

Kassius fires a fair shot, but shooting swimming creatures requires more than simply a fair shot, and the arrow skims off the surface of the water.


14:34, Today: Kassius rolled 9,2 using 1d20+0,1d6+1.  Readied Attack, damage.

Question: Would having a swim speed (from spell or other effect) negate the need to make acrobatics checks to avoid the urchins while in combat? Or at least give a bonus to said check?

The shot does indeed get deflected by the water's surface.



In the interest of fun, let's say yes :D

The two shapes speed towards the hapless Celene as the sorceress struggles to get out of the water. The first devil-ray is deflected by the magical armour surrounding Celene, but the second creature launches itself out of the water and savages her across the shoulder with a big bite (7hp). Kassius and Angati get a good view of the creature - it would be beautiful if it weren't for its savage mouth and the razor sharp barbs on the end of its fins and tail. It seems to smile as it carries out the attack.

Meanwhile...

Logan jumps to Alohan's side and chops down the rhagodessa facing them with two blows. The two remaining beasts leap forward - one of them wading into the greenish much without any apparent problems.

The rhagodessa in the sludge first tries to grab Alohan with its front legs - the ones that have razor sharp hooks attached - but the native has learnt the hard way that these must be avoided and dodges them. Unfortunately, this means he leaves himself open to the creature's bite and it savages his arm (13hp damage!).

Logan hasn't learn this lesson and is captured by a pedipalp immediately. The wailing thief is lifted up off the ground (grappled) and brought towards the big bug's slimy jaws. Somehow the thief manages to avoid getting bitten.

Logan and rhagodessa 3 now have the grappled condition.

FYI, no MF since Angati does not have line of sight.

OOC: Now all party members move together. This is round two.

Angati cast Divine Favour on herself preparing for the Ray's to close on her.

---

Free : | Swft : | Move :   | Stnd : Cast Divine Favour

Question, can I choose to Fight defensively even if not attacking ?.

---

HP: 26 |  AC: 19 | CMD : 14 | Saves: 3/2/3

Special Notes:

  (De)Buffs :
 Conditions :
  L0 Spells : 4/4
  L1 Spells : 2/6 Cure Light Wounds, Protect from evil, Cause Fear, Ill Omen (dual cursed),Divine Favour
  Abilities : Misfortune, Starlight Agility (dodge), Time Flicker (2/3 minutes blur).

"Ah!  Let go of me you oversized bug!"  Logan begins wriggling, trying to break free from the grapple.

---

Escape Artist: 21 vs R3 CMD
11:39, Today: Logan rolled 21 using 1d20+10.  Escape Artist.

---

HP: 20/21
AC 18/ F1 R7 W3
Invisibility

Logan breaks free from the creature's jagged claw, leaving some of his flesh in its hooks (2hp damage).



You can fight defensively as a standard action, which means -4 to hit for you but a +2 AC bonus.

Or you can go total defence as a standard action and get a +4 AC bonus.

But if you cast a spell, no, you can't be defensive.

Angati casts a spell and prepares for battle.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:41, Mon 11 Jan 2016.

Celene screams and struggles to get to shore. She makes better progress this time but draws two attacks from the adjacent evil manta-rays. The first creature gets her into its mouth and shakes its head vigorously backwards and forwards like a shark before letting go (4 hp damage). At least she gets to shore though (B9).

<MIDDLE OF ROUND TWO PLAYERS' TURN>


HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28   <MF NOT USED>
Alohan  HP: 15+6/28   <MF NOT USED>
Celene  HP:  7/18   <MF NOT USED>
Kassius HP: 21/21   <MF NOT USED>
Kibeti  HP: 19/19   <MF NOT USED>
Logan   HP: 18/21   <MF NOT USED>

Rhagodessa 1: DEAD
Rhagodessa 2: <MF NOT USED>
Rhagodessa 3: <MF NOT USED>

Ixitxachitl A: <MF NOT USED>
Ixitxachitl B: <MF NOT USED>

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
Divine vessel on Angati
Mage armour on Alohan and Celene (1 hr)

Kassius, Kibeti and Alohan still to play.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:53, Mon 11 Jan 2016.

Updated map


A devil-ray at work

Kassius summons his magic and channels it into Kibeti, causing the cat's paws to stretch and elongate, gaining both flippers and opposable fingers, while still retaining the cat's vicious claws. "Kupu Kibeti, go get em!"
He says, and the cat gleefully enters the water, moving smoothly through the water until he is in front of Celene before chowing down on the evil manta.

---

Kassius
Move Action: none
Standard Action: Cast Monkey Fish on Kibeti (using share spells ability to cast personal spell on animal companion)

---

HP: 21/21  AC 18, Saves+4/+8/+4
Spells Slots: 1st: 2/4;  Animal Focus Minutes Left: 1/3, Door Sight 2/6
Current Buffs: none

---

Kibeti
19:02, Today: Kibeti rolled 20,4 using 1d20+5,1d6+3.  Bite attack, damage.
Move Action: Move to C9
Standard Action: Attack Ixitxachitl B

---

HP: 19/19 AC 19, Saves+4/+7/+3
Current Animal Focus: Bull(+2 Str)
Current Buffs: Monkey Fish (10 ft swim and climb speed)

The rhagodessa was still clamped on his arm when Logan finished skewering him. He had to shake the deceased bug creature off his arm, gritting his teeth as he felt the creature's mandibles saw through his flesh. Blood flowed, cascading down his arm and pooling on the sand bar below. He felt his head begin to swim.

His fury regained control. He lashed out with his foot, looking to catch the second rhagodessa in the mouth. Regardless, he quickly brought his fist down on the creatures back, feeling the disgusting exoskeleton under his skin. Not exactly protecting his own person, Alohan continued  to press the issue.

---

19:39, Today: Alohan Nuari rolled 15,8,24,7 using 1d20+6,1D6+3,1d20+6,1d6+3 ((9,5,18,4)) Flurry of Blows #2

---

Move Action: I wanted to be at F2 for this round (Not F1). -5ft to F2
Standard Action: Flurry of Blows
Free/Swift Action:

---

HP: 15+6/34  AC: 16(-2 rage) CMD: 20 | 22 vs grapple Saves: +7/+5/(+2)
Rage: 7  |  8  Stunning Fist: 1  |  1  Note: I'm still  scared

Alohan strikes well, getting numerous blows in against the rhagodessa opposing him (hits with both attacks).



This better?
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:46, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

Bah. You are a totally different guy compared to who you were at first level.


HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28   <MF NOT USED>
Alohan  HP: 15+6/28   <MF NOT USED>
Celene  HP:  7/18   <MF NOT USED>
Kassius HP: 21/21   <MF NOT USED>
Kibeti  HP: 19/19   <MF NOT USED>
Logan   HP: 18/21   <MF NOT USED>

Rhagodessa 1: DEAD
Rhagodessa 2: <MF NOT USED>
Rhagodessa 3: <MF NOT USED> -15

Ixitxachitl A: <MF NOT USED>
Ixitxachitl B: <MF NOT USED> -4

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS><RED>
Divine vessel on Angati
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:50, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 413):

Oh, except Kibeti is in C9! This is the problem with doing this stuff while taking care of a sick kid. :D

PS: Kassius, you need to reset your spell slots and door sight since this is a new day. And does Kibeti have +2AC from the collar?
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:59, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

In the small cavern the rogue and the barbarian battle it out toe to toe with the two monstrous spider-like bugs. The creatures lash out with their pedipals - Alohan is fixed with one and poor old Logan gets TWO of the padded appendages lanced into his flesh.

As you'd expect from a pro like the Pearl Island wrestler, he throws off the rhagodessa's attempt to bundle him up into its mouth within a second - leaving yet another ring shaped scar on his body (1hp damage). Logan, by some miracle, also manages to escape (5hp damage), leaving some flesh and armour stuck to the critter's paws. The beast chitters in furry.

Out in the water, the first devil ray decides to make one last attempt on Celene's life despite her being in the shallow water and almost onshore. With a gigantic leap that sees it actually landing on the shallows of the pebbly beach, it slams its tail into the back of Celene's neck, injecting its venom deep (confirmed critical hit).

Angati grits her teeth and closes her eyes. Suddenly she is no longer swimming in water, she is swimming in time. The alternate timelines flash past her. Celene is being hit on the side. Celene is being pulled back into the water. Celene is just caught with a glancing blow and resists the poison. The oracle keeps searching again and again for a future where the sorceress isn't hit at all, and better yet, the devil-ray ends up beaching itself.

Angati sees herself lying face down on a bed of green sea-kelp so dense that it almost forms a mattress beneath her, but her weight is to form a shallow pool of water. Her mouth is submerged in that. She is not moving. The imagine pans out and Angati sees that the green kelp is so vast that it stretches from horizon to horizon beneath the cloudless blue sky...

The oracle gasps as a lung-full of salt water goes down her throat. She had been so preoccupied with swimming through time that she had forgotten to swim in the more mundane fluid all around her and she was now beneath the surface of the water looking up. Angati scrambles up to the air and just accepts the last timeline she looked at - Celene still gets hit by the barbed tail (5 hp) but manages to resist the poison.

Meanwhile, the other devil-ray is trying to attack Kibeti but really isn't sure what to make of the bizarre cat with the webbed paws. It misses entirely.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:24, Tue 12 Jan 2016.

END OF MONSTERS' ROUND TWO

HIT POINTS & MISFORTUNE
Angati  HP: 28/28   <MF NOT USED>
Alohan  HP: 14+6/28   <MF NOT USED>
Celene  HP:  2/18   <MF NOT USED>
Kassius HP: 21/21   <MF NOT USED>
Kibeti  HP: 19/19   <MF NOT USED>
Logan   HP: 13/21   <MF NOT USED>

Rhagodessa 1: DEAD
Rhagodessa 2: <MF NOT USED>
Rhagodessa 3: <MF NOT USED> -15

Ixitxachitl A: <MF USED>
Ixitxachitl B: <MF NOT USED> -4

<SPELLS AND EFFECTS>
<Red>Divine vessel on Angati

START OF PLAYERS' ROUND THREE

Celene runs back from the shoreline and to safety. She cats CLW on herself (7 hp) and also triggers her special power to share a divine boon with her companions (15' radius, Kassius and Kibeti get a +2 on the next attack roll, skill check or ability check they make before the end of their next turn)

Celene's Status Notes
Notes:
Everyone in the party gets +2 bonus on the next attack roll, skill check, or ability check (your choice) made before the end of your next turn (he's the only one in range)
2 charges taken off wand
Standard Action: N/A
Move Action: N/A
Free/Swift Action: Divine Vessel
Misc.:
(De)Buffs : Mage Armour (+4 AC, 1 hour)

---

HP:  9/18  AC 1014, CMD: 12, Saves+2/+0/+7
Spells Slots (sorc.): 1st: 5/5
Spells Prepared: 0: Guidance, Resistance, [empty slot]
1: Murderous Command, Liberating Command, disguise self
Scrolls: Monkey fish, shield, burning hands, summon monster I (caster level 3)
Abilities: Flame lance (7/7), Divine Vessel (3/5), Copycat (5/5), Channeling (7/7, DC14), Blessing Faithful (-), Wand of Mage Armour (5 left)