The Grabby Hands Grab all they Can
Log Info
- Title: The Grabby Hands Grab all they Can
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Wu, Katsuro, Tenoc, Gadget
- Place: A15: Alexandrian Catacombs
- Time: Friday, October 09, 2020, 1:26 PM
- Summary: Adventurers are hired to investigate some strange sounds deep in the catacombs. They are provided with directions and a map, and head in. After a long journey through halls of bones they find a carved room with a wall and a cracked seal on a door. While pondering what to do, the door bursts open and the small ante-chamber they are fills with dead, dried hands. Some of them are crawling. Battle ensuse, the hands jump like spiders, clawing and grabbing. Everyone is injured, Gadget, Mr. Jinglewidget, Wu, Katsuro and Tenoc. Gadget is strangled, the hands get into Wu's clothes, and Katsuro is scratched again and again. Wu falls, then Katsuro. Gadget and her familiar are nearly unconscious when Tenoc finishes off the last one. The party manages some quick first aid, then manages to limp out. The reasons behind the unquiet hands are never determined, but they seem to have a tie with the corruption of the Vardama Temple a decade and a half earlier.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A15: Alexandrian Catacombs *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
Three somber halls for a somber deity. Each entrance is guarded by silent Chord in pale gray robes and hoods, each of whom bear the symbolic khopesh at their belts. The first of the halls, with its great ironbound doors, is the hall of the Harpist, Her sad and sorrowful face looking down upon all entrants, arms open wide as a mother who greets a grieving child. There the beloved dead reside.
The second hall is overseen by the judge in all Her stern glory. Neither fierce nor gentle, she holds a scale in one hand and a ledger in the other, so that she might judge those whose names are unknown, the faithless, and the repentant. Here the uncertain dead reside.
The last aspect, the warrior, wields a khopesh in each of Her hands, eyes ablaze with fury as one hand rises as if to strike down a foe. It is there that the criminals, the vile, the evil, are interred. The door to this hall is bound in adamant and heavily locked with all manner of prayer, sigil, and invocation engraved in its scrollwork. Lancers guard its entrance, with Absolutions beside.
The antechamber leading to each hall is, itself, little more than a cave gilded with gold statuary of Vardama and carvings, telling of Vardama's kindness, wisdom, and fury all. Braziers at every corner provide light and fill the air with a heavy somber incense. From somewhere unseen, an unending funeral dirge is "piped in," accompanied by hooded Chords (monks) who constantly polish and clean whilst chanting their dutiful hymns to Vardama and Her tender mercies. The center of the room is dominated by a statue of Basalt with Vardama in each of Her three aspects back to back to back gazing over the room.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Wu 5'6" 155 Lb Human Male Elderly Xian male with a drifting eye and cataracts Katsuro 5'4" 160 Lb Human Male A small but sturdy Xian man, young and keen-looking. Tenoc 7'0" 280 Lb Sith-Makar Male Tall, green-scaled Sith'Makar hunter Gadget 3'6" 38 Lb Gnome Female Beautiful and unnatural. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- As the GM =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
In Sepia
The orc steps out of the catacombs into the light, squinting into the glare. Two decades of life have put him in his prime. The axe lies heavy in his grip, arm muscles bulging as he grips it. He steps forward, stride strong. There is a line of people, waiting, prisoners. They stare with unrepentant eyes, he is the betrayer. He has sided with principles over his people. It falls to him to deliver the judgement. The chopping block is at the front of the line. He is an executioner without a mask. He returns their stares with empty, forceful eyes as they are restrained in position. His axe rises.
It falls.
In today's light.
The orc steps out of the catacombs into the light, squinting into the glare. Two more decades of life have put him into decline. The axe is held weakly in his grip, arm muscles straining as he supports himself with it. He steps forward, hobbling. There is a line of people, waiting, adventurers. They stare with eager eyes, he is the contact. He has engagded the Explorer's guild to resolve a problem. It falls to him to deliver the instructions. There is a small table with a chair at the front of the group. He is a senior mourner, past his prime. He returns the adventurer's stares with empty, reumy eyes as they gather closer. His axe is leaned against a table leg.
It falls.
It clatters on the floor and he leaves it there, coughing to cover this slip. The oruch has the dried, siney muscles of old age, shrunken but still strong. There are one or two more good fights in him, but they will not be today. He unrolls a map of a section of the catacombs on the table. His voice is rough, deep. He draws his fingers along a path to a chamber.
"Strange noises are coming from here. We want you to go check it out."
Wu shuffles forward with the rest of the group gathered, eyes squinting as the orc points his finger at the table. "Right here? Well that's good, we won't have to go too far then."He gives the rest of those gathered a smile and a nod.
Katsuro peers at the map from his side of the table, hrms. He tries to work out how far it is to get there, and he counts the turnings to plan the route. Best to know before going in how to get to your destination, right?
Tenoc bends, eyes narrowing as he studies the strange squiggles and marks that make up the map. A glance, and then-- more important things. He bends, to retrieve the fallen axe. Care, as he leans it against the table leg. No words spoken-- honor ancestors. Honor elders. He flicks his tongue as he surveys the map anew, eyes narrowing in concentration.
Gadget looks over the map. The monkey standing with her climbs up her to sit on one of her arms and back, tail curled around her corset to help hold itself up. The two sets of eyes look over the map. The monkey makes some noises. The gnome shrugs. She's simply the one who can cast spells...and hopefully the right ones, because she's not a walking encyclopedia of them like a wizard.
The elderly orc gives each person a quick glance.
"It is straightforward. Furthest right passage, along the winding bones corridor, then third left. Past the bugbear skull-shrine, right again at the legbones arch. The chamber after is the one. Seal on a big rock. It isn't heavy." The Mourner Oruch says. It wasn't too heavy the last time he moved it, but that was decades ago. He quietly watches the sith'makar replace his axe, beyond that he doesn't acknowledge the kind gesture. To do so, might show weakness, and he has his pride.
Instead, he examines a couple of the party members in more detail. Wu first, in particular his eyes. Next his gaze fixes on Gadget, her shiny limbs. He makes no comment. Her monkey is overlooked. The human and the sith meet his expectations and draw no further observation.
"Take some lights, take the map. Mark the walls with chalk. Don't wander off the map or you will add to the catacombs. Any questions?"
"None," the siith intones, tilting his head slightly before giving up on reading the map with a chuff. Civlized things-- beyond a quick study for him, for now. He steps back from the table, raching up to tighten cloth bands on his arms. Bright eyes gleam with anticipation, a glance towards beyond quiet-- the lash of his tail quick, sure, a marker of energy and relish.
Wu shakes his head. "Investigate the noises. Furthest right passage along the winding bone corridor. Then third left. Pass the bugbear skull shrine and right at the legbones arch. One with the seal on the rock. Got it. Not too hard I guess." He grins, "Now if you'll dig out your map for us we'll be on our way.." Yeah.. the map is right there..not a good sign.
Katsuro will take some torches, and he withdraws flint and steel from his pack, striking them to light one torch, which slowly catches as he puts the flint and steel back. He holds the torch up in his left hand, and looks around at the others. "Strange noises in a catacomb," he says with a sigh. "Hope it's just gophers..." He'll take the map since it's offered, and some chalk for marking, and then, "I suppose I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
Gadget raises a metallic hand. "Is there something resembling a small quarterstaff or dagger I might hold onto for this? I don't think grabbing a stick is sufficient."
The oruch pulls a dagger out of his robes, seemingly from no-where. He is an orc, he likely has several more. He hands it to Gadget, the blade has Vardama's holy symbol on the pommel, the scales. "Take this."
The orc looks at Wu, "Your friend has the map. You have the directions."
A satisfied nod towards Katsuro, a small salute is given to Tenoc. The orc points behind him, "Through there. I'll wait here."
He doesn't say good luck. He prefers to rely on strength.
It is a straightforward if unsetting journey to the specified chambre. The catacombs are the halls of the dead, and have been for Alexandria for hundreds, if not over a thousand years. Some areas are neatly organized, with coffins and plaques, the remains respected and known. Others, far older, are macabre exhibits. Passageways through what used to be large rooms, stacked with so many ones there is only the winding path through walls of them that stretch to the ceiling. An altar, made of skulls. Human skulls.
The Bugbear shrine is further on, constructed of heftier bones with the bumpy, goblinoid skulls. Two candelabras sit, encased in melted wax and stuck to tabletop made of femurs and tibias in a radial pattern. One might light six candles against the darkness, if one had them. In this older section, the ceiling is low and the walls are close. It's necessary to travel in single file, and the sith's shoulders rub the sides often.
Finally the chambre in question is reached. The narrow passage opens into an Ante-chamber that is rough carved from the rock, approximately square and ten feet along on an edge. It looks like it once was rectangular, with a wall built across it. Flagstones disappear under the bricks of that opposite wall, and the caverns edges are melted up to it. The signs of amaturish shape-stone spells obvious. In the middle of that wall is a door, with a large Vardama seal on it.
And unsettlingly, there are scratching noises beyond.
Gadget holds her borrowed dagger with the holy symbol. The clothed, albino capuchin does some karate poses, but it isn't like he's scaring anybody. Through the halls, Gadget looks for a torch she could grab and light.
Tenoc leads from the fronnt, just within the flames of torchlight. Stalk, care, caution-- he moves with a hunter's eager grace, breath quickening as it moves from cold to merely cool, to trusted damp. Through catacombs-- apart of his mind wonders, in curiosity, shrugging as he dismisses the concept. Another softskin thing.
Through the corridors and chambers, around the curves-- occasional pause to let the others consider the map --and beyond. To the alcove. The wall. The Door.
The scratching.
No words-- Tenoc sketches in the air, a rumble as he hisses quietly. Evil.
Katsuro looks around the current chamber carefully, holding his torch close to the wall. He carefully observes the construction, and the more recent nature of the possibly new wall. As Gadget looks around for a torch, he'll hand her one of the extras he picked up earlier, and light it from his.
Wu is quiet as they journy through the bones. His eyes scan about and the gods themselves only know what it is he thinks he's seeing. For him it appears to be just another stroll through the ground. Light or no light.
The wall is new in a relative sense, having been built approximately fifteen years ago and undisturbed since. It has collected a fine layer of dust, and the corspes of tiny insects that have ended up here. The walls of the chamber are far older, carved from the Redridge mountains by some unknown hand.
The ceiling is low, the walls are close, the exit is narrow. It's not the best place to fight, but it is well lit. Without the torches, the darkness is absolute.
The seal is also of the correct, younger age. A large set of scales pressed into the sealing wax, which has cracked. Perhaps that explains the activity beyond. Something has failed. Something has gotten in, and is now trying to get out.
Tenoc ponders the doorway thoughtfully. MOre softskin things, but-- He gazes more closely at the was symbol, quizzical, curious. "Could not one replace wax-seal-symbol thing?" he remarks, glancing back. "This one knows only hunting, stalking. Evil things... hssk. Other things needed."
Katsuro peers at the wall, and at the broken seal. He says, "I think the old orc was saying that before they can re-seal it, we'd have to find out, and deal with whatever's on the other side." He approaches the door, listening carefully to see if he can determine anything about what's on the other side.
GAME: Tenoc rolls Perception: (14)+9: 23 GAME: Gadget rolls Perception: (12)+3: 15 GAME: Katsuro rolls perception: (14)+6: 20 GAME: Katsuro rolls reflex: (10)+7: 17
Reparing the seal might, dealing with what is sealed in first might be necessary. Both of these are possible. Everyone can hear what Katsuro does, a loud scratching. As if prisoners, several of them, were trying to escape.
He can hear it a lot better, how the noises are concentrated around the frame, how there is a creaking noise, then a cracking of stone. The door falls outwards, narrowly missing him.
And Holy Gods of Arachnids! Spiders! Everywhere!
A cascade of hand-sized spiders spill out, flowing like water into the room. They must have been packed to the ceiling. The wave of grey bodies washes across the ante-chambre, surrounding legs shin deep. Thigh deep, if you're a gnome or a monkey. Hundreds and hundreds of...
No. Not spiders.
Hands. Mummified hands. The original species lost to the grey withering of flesh, but certainly all kinds. Each one with the fingers tightened into a curl from the shrinking of tendons. It's ... almost worse than spiders.
Some of them are moving. Worse! Definitely worse!
There's sounds..movement.. kinda. The older human man shifts about with his crossbow poninted at the ground and then the ceiling and then finally aimed near Tenoc's direction as he gets a confused look on his face. "What..where is it? I can hear it!"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So, 8 Hands. So, G, G-M, 2W, 2K, 2T." GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (14)+5: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d1+1: (1)+1: 2 GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 2 points. 19 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d1+1: (1)+1: 2 <OOC> Wu says, "One notes that you're going to get 2 every time" <OOC> Cryosanthia grins, "I KNOW! But... I'm rolling a 1d1! How epic is that?" GAME: Hands damaged Wu for 2 points. 17 HP remaining. <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, so the ones that hit try to grab, so, Gadget Mr.JW, Wu" <OOC> Katsuro says, "You find the weirdest monsters." <OOC> Wu says, "Cryo has a gift at that. :)" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (19)+0: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (11)+0: 11 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (13)+0: 13
Hands! Crawling hands! Coming out of the pile of hands. They're everywhere!
It seems. In reality, just a handful. Okay. Eight. So the spider theme is maintained.
Eight creepy crawly clutching hands spring out of the pile of hands and grab and pinch. One smacks into Gadget's belly, digging fingers in, ready to crawl up to her face. Mr. Jinglewidget and Wu likewise feel the cold grip of boney fingers and a small injury along with them.
Katsuro and Tenoc, are fine.
GAME: Tenoc rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Tenoc rolls 1d20+8: (3)+8: 11 GAME: Tenoc rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10
Tenoc's eyes widen as the TIDE of hands explodes from the door, bursting through the frame! Crawling hands! Crawling hands EVERYWHERE!
And with calm sense, firm reason....
Tenoc roars, a shriek of fury, lunging to attack! The butt end of the spear slams down, disappearing among the miriad dead (and undead) fingers. The flash of foot is more sure-- striking out, smashing down, blasting dessicated bones to dust.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18 GAME: Katsuro rolls 2d6+6+1d6: (9)+6+(4): 19
Katsuro hrms at the scratching, and he says, "That definitely seems like something scratching, trying to get through the door. Undead maybe? We'll probably have to put them down before they can re-seal the door. We could just throw open the door and sttack? Can you surprise the undead?" And then he's leaping clear as the door falls inward, solving the mystery for him. His blade comes out, then, a slender shortsword, and he'll back into a flanking position and hack at one of the ... is that a hand? He'll measure it for fingerless gloves, then, his blade cutting one down the middle as it menaces the party.
GAME: Gadget rolls 1d20+3+4: (14)+3+4: 21 (concentration) vs 10+0 (cantrip) GAME: Gadget rolls ranged: (9)+2: 11
Gadget can get the magic into her fingers, but that creepy, crawling hand rushes. Light shines from within her arm, pouring out from her joints as a ray of positivity rushes through her. She feels nice...not healthier, but it's not an unpleasant experience.
GAME: Wu rolls ranged+1: (1)+5+1: 7 (EPIC FAIL)
Wu is struck by a hand and jumps out of his skin. "AHH!" He stumbles backwards a step and out of the room into the coridor beyond. The crossbow comes up and he sights down the bow... sort of. He's looking off to one side about thirty degrees when he pulls the trigger and the bolt goes between Katsuro's stomping feat and cracks against the floor, splintering the bolt into a hundred shards. "Well... shoot!"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Ok, Hand on Glasha does Strangle <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "5 rolls, 1mr jw. 2wu, 1 k, 1 T" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25 GAME: Hands damaged Wu for 3 points. 14 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Katsuro for 3 points. 11 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Tenoc for 3 points. 38 HP remaining. <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "a grapple roll for JW, Wu, K, T" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (11): 11 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (13): 13 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (18): 18 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20: (19): 19
That hands move with unearthly speed, using their long cracked fingernails like claws. When they touch stone, they click, across the bodies of their brethern, nothing but soft scratching. Other unsettling sounds on clothes and armour.
The hand on Gadget climbs around the gnome, going up her back then circling to throttle her. No injury, but her words are cut off.
Mr. Jinglewidget has one on him too, clawing and scratching, digging in. The poor monkey is struggling.
Two hands chase Wu into the corridor. One, flops onto it's back in front of him. The other springs and it's going to go under his clothes. Up or down from his waist, neither will be a good direction.
Katsuro and Tenoc are also scratched up by their remaining foes.
GAME: Tenoc rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12 GAME: Tenoc rolls 1d20+8: (7)+8: 15
Tenoc stomps more of the hands into dust.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12
Katsuro acks, "Hey, watch where you point that thing," he complains to Wu. Sadly, that won't happen. But he had to register the complaint. In doing so, he loses situational awareness long enough to let the little pest clamber up his body and grab on. He tries to slice it off, grimacing at the awkwardness, and failing to dislodge the handsy thing.
GAME: Gadget rolls cmb: (13)+-1: 12
Gadget puts her new limbs to the test, jerking the hand off and gasping for air as she flings it at a wall. She coughs and rubs her neck with her rough, metal hand.
Wu has one under his armour, there's anothre hand at his feet, one on the pile of hands, another on Mr. JingleWidget. Katsuro and Tenoc have hands on them also. The one on Tenoc is eye-poking him.
<OOC> Wu says, "Hmmm.. Will try to help mr Jingle." GAME: Wu rolls ranged+1: (11)+5+1: 17 GAME: Wu rolls 1d10: (5): 5
Wu makes another little yell as the hand attacks him and wanders under his clothing. "Fresh little critter! Buy me supper first!" Stepping back into the room he raises the crossbow and looks towards Gadget while aiming towards Mr. J. The bolt flies true, going right through the hand without stopping. "Just ain't my day." He says while dancing and reloading his bow.
The hand thrown against the wall bounces and lies on the mass of severed, mummified hands. It makes a rude gesture at Gadget, holding up three fingers and wiggling the middle one at her. Perhaps its a spell. That done, it skitters back towards her, leaping for her chest.
GAME: Gadget uses an AoO! 0 remaining. GAME: Gadget rolls melee: (8)+1: 9
She swats at it, but is unable to interrupt its leap.
The one on Mr. Jinglewidget is sticking its fingers in his ears, very distracting. Shot by Wu, it crawls around to the other side of the capucin monkey and yanks his tail.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Gadget, Mr JW, 2 on Wu, 1 Kats" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (15)+6: 21 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (1)+6: 7 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17 GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 3 points. 16 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Wu for 3 points. 11 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Katsuro for 3 points. 8 HP remaining. <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "and grapple rolls for everyone hit" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (10)+0: 10 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (18)+0: 18 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (3)+0: 3
The hand smacks Gadget in the chest and claws at her, digging painfully deep. Fortunately, its grip was poor and it falls off right after the attack. The hand on Mr. Jinglewidget, likewise falls to the mass on the floor.
Wu, is not so lucky. The first hand is inside his clothing, he can feel it falling about like a cold lump. It's caught in something, and unable to attack him. However the one that fell on the floor scrambles up his leg, clawing into his thigh.
Katsuro, also, feels the unpleasant injury of undead claws, but manages to shake his handsy assailant off.
Tenoc meanwhile, is struggling to smack a hand that has scurried beneath his tail. The struggle, is mostly to avoid grievous self injury. He knows exactly where it is.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (14)+8: 22 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7
Carefully, Tenoc smacks at himself. He connects. The struggle continues.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+3: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)
Katsuro is trying to fight and growing more desperate as the hand crawls up his body and does things to him he doesn't want to talk about. He could hurl it free, or just slice it, and he goes with plan B. Sadly, the hand crawls across his chest at this time, and as it sneaks under his arm, he lets out a strangled guffaw, and almost cuts off his own leg. Luckily, he manages not to.
<OOC> Gadget says, "Nobody hurts Mr. Jinglewidget." GAME: Gadget rolls Ranged: (3)+2: 5
Gadget speaks the words, gesturing with her hand, light shining from within the gear-filled chassis, leaking from the joints like there's a poltergeist within. She thrusts her hand out, sending a beam of holy light from her fingertips. It's a fantastic shot. Pierces a bunch of hands right through. Not the one threatening Mr. Jinglewidget, but some of those non-animate hands really had it coming, she's sure.
GAME: Wu rolls melee: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Wu rolls 1d4+2: (1)+2: 3
The second hand on his leg and the other gripping his thigh Wu panics a tad bit. He drops his precious crossbow and jumps up into the air and lands hard on the floor amid the squirmy things, partly crushing the one in hsi clothing and starts to roll around with a war cry...scream..not high pitched thank goodness.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "hand on gadget attacks Gadget, hand on JW, attacks Gadget because she got its attention,
2 on Wu, 1 on Kats, 1 on Tenoc. Rolling 6 in that order"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26 (THREAT)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (19)+6: 25 (confirmed)
<OOC> Katsuro says, "Critical grope."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "That's... a Critical Bad Touch."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "2 hits on Gadget, 1 crit grope on Wu, 1 hit Kats, 1 hit Tenoc"
GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 5 points. 11 HP remaining.
GAME: Hands damaged Wu for 6 points. 5 HP remaining.
<OOC> Wu says, "sheesh.. going back to the head priest and pressing charges against the undead for sexual harrassment."
GAME: Hands damaged Katsuro for 3 points. 5 HP remaining.
GAME: Hands damaged Tenoc for 3 points. 35 HP remaining.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "rolling grapples, 2"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (2)+0: 2
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (19)+0: 19
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (11)+0: 11
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "they fall off gadget, Wu is grabbed, Tenoc isn't, making the pose."
The crawling hands keep springing into the air. The one that was hurting the monkey is successfully taunted by Gadget, and joins the one attacking her. Both spring, and swipe, but they fail to latch on and fall away to end up crawling around her legs.
Wu meanwhile, attempted to crush his by flopping on it. It did not like that. It retaliates with a bad touch in a sensitive space, long nails digging in and hanging on.
Ouch!
Katsuro and Tenoc are injured again, the one on the human dodging back and forth on his back before rushing up to rip at an ear. Tenoc's meanwhile, keeps attempting to evade his sight and dig in someplace soft.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16 (for Tenoc) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (1)+4: 5
It ends up between a weapon and a hard place. The sith dispatches the one on him.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+3: (13)+3: 16 GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6
Katsuro manages to catch his breath and plan his self-defense a bit better. He waits for a better opportunity and slashes at the hand as it scampers around his body. Not enough to kill it, but hopefully it's a bit injured. "Stupid undead hands. Who's got a crypt of just hands?" he grumbles.
The Vardaman Temple does, evidently.
GAME: Gadget rolls Ranged: (15)+2: 17 GAME: Gadget rolls 1d6: (6): 6
Gadget repeats the gesture, getting a bead on the hand that hurt Mr. Jinglewidget. She lets loose a careful blast and says, "Nobody hurts Mr. Jinglewidget."
And that kills it.
GAME: Wu rolls cmb: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL)
Wu does scream high pitches this time as claws dig in where they have no buisness being. He reaches down his pants and tries to pull the offender off, yelling each time. Still it does not come free.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1 on gadget, 2 on Wu, 1 on Kats, none on Tenoc" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (10)+6: 16 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26 (THREAT) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19 (Confirmed) GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 3 points. 8 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Wu for 9 points. -4 HP remaining. (DYING) GAME: Hands damaged Katsuro for 3 points. 2 HP remaining.
The hands swarm.
The one that worried Mr. Jinglewidget is dispatched, the one determined to scratch up the gnome flings itself at her, fingernails dragging along her cheek.
Wu, is worse. The claws dig in again, deep and hard. At the same time the other one caught in his clothes finds something to latch onto. Pulling at them is not a good idea. The pain becomes so intense the blind archer slips unconscious.
Katsuro is close to following him.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (2)+4: 6
The sith'makar sees the other party members are in trouble. Katsuro is closest, and he moves to assist, swinging his weapon and smashing the crawling hand off of him. It's dead.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
Katsuro breathes a sigh of relief as the Sith takes out the hand he'd been fighting, and he nods thanks. Figuring to do a good turn, himself, he will go to Gadget's aid. He thrusts his blade and absolutely kills one of the ... non-moving hands that litters the floor. Of the fighting hands, he does nothing. Maybe he's dizzy from blood loss. He shouldn't be, he's got plenty of blood. It's all over his clothes.
GAME: Gadget rolls Ranged: (6)+2: 8
Gadget speaks the words and thrusts out her hand, the flash of positive energy pulsing into Wu's clothing, but missing the hands feeling him up.
The burst of positive energy washes over Wu's body. The hands, visible as lumps moving beneath his clothing, freeze for a second. Then they turn, re-orient, skitter out of his body and jump towards Gadget.
Three! Three of these things fling themselves at her.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "So 2 G, 1 K" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 2 points. 6 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (14)+0: 14 <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "it does grab on"
One flings itself so hard at her that it keeps on going and grabs at Katsuro instead. Except it misses him as well and falls the pile of regular dead hands on the floor.
The other two grabby hands emerge from Wu's clothing, covered in his blood. With unearthly bounces they arc at the gnome. One lands in her hair, scratches at her head. The other flies past her shoulder.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (3)+4: 7
Tenoc drops his blade on the hand that flies past Katsuro. Nearly Handsy, nearly. It's injured but still crawling.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (4)+7: 11
Katsuro squawks as one of the hands comes after him, and looks relieved as Tenoc comes to help him out. Cheerfully, now, because this is a thing he's got confidence in, he will hack at the hand between him and the Sith. But it is small, and he's not very good, and he is unable to do much good.
GAME: Gadget rolls CMB: (5)+-1: 4
Gadget slaps at the hand, squeaking as she tries to get it out of her hair. "Never touch a lady's hair without permission!" she insistently says while completely failing to remove the squirmy, crawling hand from her person.
Wu drools and bleeds profusely in his unconcious state.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "hand on Gadget's head moves to Strangle her, so order is 1 G, 1 K" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (20)+5: 25 (THREAT) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12 (Not confirmed) GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 2 points. 4 HP remaining. GAME: Hands damaged Katsuro for 2 points. 0 HP remaining. (DISABLED) GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (3)+0: 3
The hand in her hair was not invited to touch her hair. It's a rude hand, and when chastized it skitter crawls down her face. A fingernail in an ear, another up her nose, then it has fastened around the gnome's throat. It's squeezing, tight.
The other hand, the one that laid Wu so low goes for a similar strike on the woman. Bloody fingers slash, clutching at her, but it misses.
Katsuro meanwhile, feels an icy grip and sweet unconsciousness rushing towards him. The crawling hand squeezes unbelievably tight, he's slipping away.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (11)+8: 19
Tenoc steps on the pile of hands underfoot, reaches over and snatches at the one around Gadget's throat. This strikes him as better than striking at her with his weapon. Heads are harder to replace than arms and legs.
GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 (THREAT) GAME: Katsuro rolls 1d20+7: (16)+7: 23 (Confirmed) GAME: Katsuro rolls 2d6+6+1d6: (5)+6+(1): 12 GAME: Katsuro damaged Katsuro for 1 points. -1 HP remaining. (DYING)
Katsuro is struggling to peel the hand from him as his vision grows foggy, and he takes a final hack at it with the last of his strength. In the way of irony, he manages to cut the hand clean in half before falling forward onto his face, unconscious.
GAME: Gadget rolls CMB: (16)+-1: 15
Gadget pulls away from the hand grasping at her neck now that the stump is gripped by someone else. She coughs and gasps for air once more.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "CMB roll against Tenoc" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (14)+0: 14" <OOC> Cryosanthia says, "attack on G" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10
The hands twist, they turn. The one in Tenoc's grip attempts to scramble up the Sith'makar's arm, but his grip remains solid.
In front of Gadget, the remaining one springs and clenches at her, but also misses.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "He's going to roll to maintain grapple at a +5, and then if successful inflict lethal damage with his weapon" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+13: (13)+13: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (5)+4: 9
Tenoc is methodical. He has the undead hand. He has a deadly weapon. He puts the two together. He now has a dead undead hand. Success!
Katsuro just lays there, unconscious.
GAME: Gadget rolls Ranged: (9)+2: 11
Gadget thrusts a hand out as she speaks, filling the dead hands around with positivity.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5: (12)+5: 17 GAME: Hands damaged Gadget for 2 points. 2 HP remaining. GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+0: (7)+0: 7
One hand, just one hand left. Like an unrelenting leche it continues to grope and swipe at the gnome. It leaps up at her again, fingers dragging furrows in the flesh as it scrapes her front. It attempts to grab hold, slips off once more.
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Tenoc will strike at it" GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+8: (18)+8: 26 GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6+4: (6)+4: 10
Tenoc fixes a stare on the hand, slams his weapon into it. The vile thing is destroyed. The battle is finished.
Katsuro bleeds a bit more. If it were possible to make the floor more gross, this would be happening, but it is not likely.
Gadget tosses up her hands as Tenoc obliterates the last hand. She lets out a strained sound of joy before doubling over and coughing, spitting blood onto the floor. "Oh gods," she says. "Mr. Jinglewidget, help me." She clambers through the just-dead hands toward her fallen fight-mates. Neither Gadget nor Mr. Jinglewidget are strong enough to lift them as the tug them in futile straining in the direction of the door, but to no avail. Gadget does not give up, but as she strains and tugs, Mr. Jinglewidget takes her and pulls her away. He makes monkey noises at her. "Right," she says before spitting more blood. "We need to get help as soon as possible. Tenoc, are you faster than my little gnome legs?"
The sith'makar nods. The sith is faster. The lizard knows the way back. He will leave the gnome alone with the pile of severed hands and the unconscious party-mates. There are torches. Hopefully they will last the time it takes him to exit and return with help.
It will get very dark when they burn out.
Tenoc gives the pair some attention, enough to stabilize them but nothing more, then leaves.
Beyond the door, a search of the chamber reveals only more of the original rough carved space. It's necessary to dig through the dried, severed hands to be sure, but there are no chests, no rings, nothing of note.
Some hands have tattoos, other markings, but they're difficult to read against the withered fesh, and likely not worth knowing.
<OOC> Gadget says, "Let's say on Katsuro." GAME: Gadget rolls Heal: (17)+1: 18 <OOC> Gadget says, "With a monkey assist, holy cow, that is a 20!" GAME: Gadget rolls Heal: (9)+1: 10 GAME: Katsuro rolls heal: (3)+1: 4
Gadget and Mr. Jinglewidget do what they can on Katsuro, stopping the blood loss and getting him stabilized. The three move to Wu, but None of the badly wounded have it in them to do what needs to be done on the gross old man body. So Gadget just wades out of the hands and waits for Katsuro, ready with Mr. Jinglewidget to follow him back. "Prestidigitation and Mending," she says to her monkey with a nod. "Prestidigitation and Mending."
Katsuro coughs once and winces, but his eyes blink open and he asks, "Wha?" Then he realizes where he is and how he feels. "Ugh." He will turn to try and help Wu, but his skill at this is 'not very', and he can't do much. He /can/ with effort, pick up Wu in a fireman's carry, wincing at the load as he stumbles and staggers along back to the old orc.
Gadget and Mr. Jinglewidget put their arms around each other, groaning as they stagger together after Katsuro.
It is a long trek out, painful, gloomy. Surrounded by bones, hearing noises. Noises that are most likely the sith'makar, up ahead and moving quickly. Calling out did not bring him back.
Hopefully, he's making the noises. It's hard to ignore that something made those severed hands animate, and that the exit is full of bones. Bone walls, bone piles, bone statues, and in places fully complete skeletons. It's Vardama's domain, so it should be safe. But there is a large gulf between 'should be' and 'is'.
Finally, the small group is met by a rescue party. Healing is delivered, everyone is able to exit on their feet. The group steps out of the catacombs into the light, bright enough to make one squint. A few hours have nearly killed them. Their steps are unsure. There is a line of people waiting, Mourners, Tenoc. They watch with worried eyes.
A decade and a half ago the Temple of Vardama was inflitrated and became corrupt. Barnatos, and his second, Felix Cranston engineered a takeover, robbing the treasury and stealing the dead from the catacombs. Barnatos was successful in transforming himself into a blood drinking abomination, and nearly successful in sacrificing the remaining Mourners to his cause.
He was thwarted by the Guards and the mercenary adventurers who were made aware of his plotting. Barnatos fled, but his second and everyone else involved were captured, executed, and dismembered. Rumour has it, he was betrayed by one of his own. The parts were spread far and wide in the catacombs, so they might never unite in undeath.
The old oruch stares at the group. His eyes note the bruises and scratches, on everyone. The evidence of many wounds, healed but still tender, the bloody dirt of battle. His voice is deep, "I am glad you made it out." He pauses, then unexpectedly adds, "I'm sorry. I should have remembered and warned you."
Combatty Stuff
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "There are a lot of hands underfoot (ha). They have spilled into the room, around your legs to shin height, up to the passage out. It counts as hindering terrain, which really isn't going to affect you because there's only 10x10 of it. However, it also counts as concealment for the hands. If one you're fighting lies still you'll need to make a DC15 perception to spot it. 'Going still' would be a Full Round action for the hand. It's also what you'll need to spot ones that haven't had a chance to move/attack in this first round. ie: if your init is better than theirs."
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
23 Wu 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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21 Handsy Hands
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19 Tenoc 3 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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11 Katsuro 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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4 Gadget 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds active)
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| Name | Race | Class | CHP | HP | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
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|Gadget |GNOME |Sor | 21 | 21 |11/11/11 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
|Katsuro |HUMAN |Rog | 14 | 14 |16/12/14 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
|Tenoc |SITH-MAKAR|Mnk/Rgr | 41 | 45 |21/19/18 | 24 | 9 | 8 | 2 |
|Wu |HUMAN |Ftr | 19 | 19 |18/15/13 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
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| Name | CHP (T) | HP |
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| Gadget........| 2 | 21 |
| Katsuro.......| -1 | 14 |
| Tenoc.........| 35 | 45 |
| Wu............| -4 | 19 |
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