Beyond the Pale Part 5
Log Info
- Title: Beyond the Pale Part 5
- GM: Thurid
- Place: the Catacomb under the graveyard
- Summary: When we last left our intrepid, but foolhardy, adventurers in the catacombs, they were negotiating a passageway with frost-flame trap and a black ooze beyond...
The party find themselves split by a corridor full of icy-hot with skyler still stinging from catching a tail end of the frigid blast on his way down. And as though to exemplify how splitting the party is not always the best plan, a giant glob of inky slime has just peeled itself from the ceiling and splattered across the room opposite him- on the far side of a nasty spike-filled pit and between him and the blasphemous mockery of Vardama and her lever at the far side.
The swashbuckler's response? A very understandable scream that echoes through the halls, shrill and, some might say, girlish. Which would be sexist and wrong. Instead, we'll call it tea-kettle-ish.
"There's a fucking GOO MONSTER!" Skyler shrieks from his side of the death corridor, head snapping back and forth between said goo monster and the death corridor as if he's trying to decide if he can make the return departure. But for some reason, he's not quite able to get his count right. "Someone?! ANYONE?!"
GAME: Burai rolls athletics+5: (14)+6+5: 25 GAME: Burai rolls perception: (16)+13: 29
A goo monster. Crik starts pulling out tiny vials, shaking them upside down. "Try not to scream! It may be attracted by sounds! Also try not to smell, they might be attracted by scent!" The corvid calls out helpfully, as he flips open yet another of his notebooks. "What kind of goo is it? Does it sizzle? Is it black or brown?" He keeps asking questions, thumbing over his notes endlessly. "Have you considered throwing it a snack as a distraction?"
GAME: Bryn rolls athletics: (19)+11: 30
Burai changes back into his normal form. He sways a bit as he readjust to being on two legs, but then reaches for the lever. "We are almost there!" he calls along the hallway, hoping that Sky doesn't do anything rash. Because that can be avoided. Surely. Possibly.
As the lever is pulled, the statue breathes one more gout of cold blue-fire and then its stone jaw clenches shut, obscuring the nozzle which had produced the blasts, and the corridor falls quiet.
"Another one?!" Bryn calls down to Sky Guy. "Don't getcha britched bunched. We're onnit!" She breaks into a dash after the big kitty, then thinks to add, for Skyler, "Dit tight! Don't get et!"
The poor, terrified swashbuckler recovers somewhat when he's not pinned between a death corridor and a goo monster, enough that he's capable of something approaching rational thought. "It... It's not moving." He tells the group, voice still a little high pitched, "W.. why don't I try and lure it down the hall? Crik, you wanna see if you can sneak by it? There's a lever it seems to be guarding."
Crik watches others rush into the cold fire, then looks back down at his notes, flipping a page when the blue flames shoot out once more. "... I am not certain you can sneak past a goo, but they also said murder would never fly!" He opens up his beak, looking around - and then promptly shuts it. "... I am coming." The corvid egalrin says, starting to hop down the alley now that the trap has been disarmed.
GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (13)+13: 26 GAME: Thurid rolls -5: (7)++-5: 2
The mass of ink-black slime remains in place. It undulates softly, and occasionally forms pseudopods of its form which probe along the flagstones or wave in the air before retracting again. But for the time being, it doesn't give chase towards the group.
Haggerty adds white frost marks and a note of brittleness to the brim of his pointy hat when that last blast roils down the hallway. He is not so athletically dashing. Why the wizard stays behind the corner. The Aesir advises, "Be very careful, please. Twice so with the thing which fell. I will look for enchantments on the door and the makeup of the frost fire."
GAME: Haggerty casts Detect Magic. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 GAME: Haggerty rolls knowledge/arcana: (16)+12: 28 GAME: Crik rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: (9)+7: 16
And a dark shadow slowly encroaches upon the skypirate, a the darkening loom of... Crik's black cloaks, as he moves by the human. "It is a black pudding." The corvid states quietly, with a deep voice, before turning to look at Skyler. "You do not like black pudding?"
Ulthan follows the rest of the party into the chamber, his flail twitching in his hands as he keeps adjusting his grip.
Haggerty jogs up the past when he has the information the braidsy wizard hoped to glean. "The frost mouth is based on ancient white dragon spell emulation magics. The door had no magic I could see." He smiles to the layers of hoods and asks cheerfully if not so loud, "What are the weaknesses of these 'black puddings', good Crik?"
"The only pudding I like is after my meat!" Skyler squeaks at Crik as he draws back down the corridor, sliding his sword into the sheath across his back and pulling a shortbow out of the quiver across his back. "So we going to lure it down the hall?" He asks, frowning, "And Crik, you see the lever behind the creepy dead goddess statue?"
Burai eyes the ceiling distrustfully. He scoots a bit quickly along but soon joins the rest of the party. "Fire..?" he asks with a hint of...hope? "Are they vulnerable to fire? A thought occurs to him and he glances back at the corridor. "That would explain why the fire was freezing rather than burning..."
The Black Pudding undulates under scrutiny, but it doesn't seem inclined to move from its position in front of the statue just yet. Maybe it hasn't noticed the party, or maybe it is conditioned to guard the room it's in, or maybe it's just not hungry at the minute.
There's a long silence from Crik when those questions are asked from him. Eventually he snaps his beak shut. "... and with some lingonberry jam." A pause, and he rapidly looks around, before hopping back a slightly. "It-it is..." He looks at his endless collection of notes. "... I have dropped those notes." He looks down at the floor, then cranes his neck towards the corridor. "... cannot see them."
The notebook is stashed away and he makes a slow, jerky nod with his head at Skyler. "Yes. Perhaps throw a flaming rock at it?" He points at Burai's suggestion.
GAME: Ulthan rolls kdun: aliased to knowledge/dungeoneering: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Haggerty rolls know/dungeoneering: (8)+know/dungeoneering: 8 GAME: Skyler rolls knowledge/dungeoneering: Trained Use Only: 0
Haggerty shrugs and sighs, voice distant and longing, "The best pudding is red pudding balls. Mother soaks the raisins in mead and serves them with seal gravy. Lingonberry jam is how they serve it at the capital and at the embassy. It is good, but not the same." He squints which seems to undo the faint blue glow to his eyes. "Vardama valiantly guards and judges the passed when they have not perished bravely. She is most honorable!" The narrowly formed Northman almost adds something. He unsquares his upper body and shares, "The magic is coldness based, good Ulthan." The blue eyed man takes that moment to think. The association chain is on the winded side. "Oh, the sliding acid cubes. If you chop or skewer them, the separate like worms unless you mincejelly them. The acid is extremely strong. It is best not to touch them. They cannot dissolve stone." Wizard and pug sneak a peek at the ceiling here. "They can be hurt by all types of elements and magics."
GAME: Ulthan rolls weapon1: (6)+9: 15 GAME: Ulthan rolls damage1: aliased to 1d10+5: (4)+5: 9 GAME: Ulthan rolls reflex: (17)+3: 20 GAME: Thurid rolls 2d6: (9): 9
Ulthan, after a hurried counsel with his teammates, goes up to the quivering pudding and gives it a solid swing, jumping back as he wathces in dismay how his weapon sizzles after the contact.
As Ulthan serves as the distraction, Crik quietly attempts to sneak further into the room, eyeing up the mysterious lever behind the the Black Pudding.
Burai watches the pudding. Tense. Restless. An occasional hazy distortion around his cleched fists as he almost using his druidic gifts to summon fire but then doesn't follow through with the attempt. But once the pudding shows signs of life, Burai seems to focus. Ulthan begins moving, and the rest of the party - Burai follows suit, rushing back to his position in the alcove next to the lever. He cranes his neck trying to see the hallway but realizes soon enough: "Someone will have to tell me when to use the lever!"
The black mass quivers at the strike, ripples running through its form and some of its acrid form splattering across the flagstones where it roils and bubbles as it dissolves the traces of organic matter it can find in the dust there. Ulthan's flail gains a fashionable acid-etched look in a moment, even the protective power of its enchantment not enough to negate the creature's powerful digestive acid. And it lurches after Ulthan as he flees, roiling and rolling towards him, pseudopods extending in front of it to drag it along before they retract back into the mass of its amorphous flesh.
Haggerty stands tight. There is not much to do. The least productive outcome would be a spell which drives the thing back. He would lose his weapons to the corrosive jello which is not helpful, either. Time to wait with crossbow in hands.
"Will do, Master Burai!" speaks the wizard tersely.
Ulthan glances behind him to measure how well the blob follows him up, and gets a bit of a jolt on how quickly it had closed after him. He pelts down the corridor to put a little more distance between him and the pudding.
Meanwhile - Crik has become one with the concrete floor. His cloak, a pattern of stone, his step, worn with age, a movement just as still as the erosion.
The massive undulating form continues to chase after Ulthan, when it reaches the archweay seperating the room from the corridor it first seems too narrow for the creature to fit- but its boneless body squeezes its way through, pressed tight against the walls as it continues rolling through the confines of the corridor, pressed tight into every available space like a living wall of acid.
Ulthan says, “Guys, it fills the whole corridor” Ulthan says, “Pull the lever now.”
Haggerty sends a sole bead of man tears to the flight stabilization segment of the bolt close to his cheek. While time moves at the anguishing wobble of the flesh liquefying beastie.
GAME: Thurid rolls 7d6: (26): 26 GAME: Thurid rolls -2: (13)++-2: 11
"Does that mean pull the lever?!" Skyler asks after Ulthan's shout, blinking with wide eyes at the others squeezed into the alcove with him. "I'm gunna assume it means pull the lever!"
And so... he pulls the lever.
Haggerty ohs, "Now is good. Pull like its oars on a whale chase, Master Burai!"
The gout of blue flame is invisible to the party- Crik will see a flash of light if he glances over his shoulder. With the ooze filling up every inch of space in the corridor, not so much of a wisp of the cold flame makes it past it and it takes the entire brunt of the deathtrap. It's gelatinous form begins to crystalize, ragged shards of its own flesh penetrating deep into the rest of it. It continues to press its way through the corridor, great chunks of its mass breaking off where it is flash frozen to the walls and floor.
It is now Burai's turn! Black Pudding 1 is next!
GAME: Burai casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 7 DC: 15 GAME: Crik rolls perception+2: (20)+11+2: 33
Burai blinks. The lever is pulled! He turns and spies Skyler next to him. Then he whirls and prepares to move, but nearly collides with Haggerty who is croweded into the alcove with them. Fighting in an underground tunnel brings with it challenges Burai has never even imagined before. But his confusion only lasts a moment. And then begins murmuring under his breath. His hands move as if shaping a round form in mid-air, and the motion takes so much of his concentration that he can barel make it towards the edge of the cooridor. But he sidles into an open space as he begins chanting. His hands move again, as if pushing the imaginary sphere forward at an imaginary catcher...only in the middle of the hall a flaming globe appears and then begins burning steadily, one more barrier should the pudding continue in its pursuit.
Crik continues to creep closer towards the lever, careful with his surroundings. Extremely careful. Careful enough that he sits down onto the ground in front of the lever and spends few moments sketching it out, murmuring by himself. Was a lever really a lever, if it were not a trap lever?
GAME: Thurid rolls -2: (17)++-2: 15 GAME: Burai rolls 3d6: (7): 7 GAME: Thurid rolls 8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
The roiling mass of goo is probably not capable of complex emotions like anger, but that doesn't stop it from seeming angry as it surges down the corridor. A thick mass projects itself out, like the pseudopods it uses for locomotion, but sturdier and stronger and lashes for Ulthan. It misses, slamming into the wall near the man instead and sending a shower of dust and stone fragments cascading down the corridor.
GAME: Haggerty rolls ranged: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Haggerty rolls 1d10: (10): 10
GAME: Ulthan rolls weapon1: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Ulthan rolls reflex: (14)+3: 17 GAME: Ulthan rolls damage1: aliased to 1d10+5: (2)+5: 7 GAME: Thurid rolls 2d6: (5): 5
Haggerty is not so cheerful, tense like the winched string. Another drop of salty joins the first. He clicks the torsion contraption into bolt propulsion to sink into the chonky mass of deathly sorbet. The barn door is hit by the shaky wizard.. "I did not mean to shoot the pudding! It happened. Oh no!" The monster is cleanly severed into two beings. And a bolt which fades in a cloud of acrid fumes. "I am so sorry! At least I think I hurt it a little!?" The pale guy is flabbergasted while the little dog covers his eyes with a paw and whince-yelps.
Ulthan moves forward like a surging wave, bringing his flail out in a sideways sweep to smash at the pudding again, this time pulling back quickly enough to avoid the residue sticking to his weapon.
GAME: Ulthan rolls reflex: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Ulthan rolls reflex: (10)+3: 13 (REROLL) GAME: Thurid rolls 7d6: (23): 23 GAME: Thurid rolls 0: (1)+0: 1 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Thurid rolls 0: (7)+0: 7
As chaos seems to break out, Skyler squeaks, eyes widening as the ooze suddenly breaks into double. "Fuck!" He squeaks, and begins to bounce on the lever, pulling it up and down as frantically and quick as he can. "I.. Want.. To.. Go.. HOME!"
The gout of cold fire at first seems like it may be blocked by the bodies of the pair of sludgy monstrosities- but as the gout blasts them, their forms are continually blasted apart and diminished by the ongoing barrage of cold flame and then it breaks through, washing over Ulthan as well. It chills him to his bone, the cold intense enough to blister skin and flash freeze every ounce of moisture on him.
GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (1)+1: 2 GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
Burai flinches back as the pudding is suddenly just around the corner. A hand reaches for the hilt of his sword slung across his back. But he remembers' Haggerty's warning earlier. Instead he pulls out a wand. He steps back to the far edge of the alcove. He peers at the wand and then points it at Skyler. A ray of healing energy washes over the swordsman. Burai squints. Then he looks down at the wand and frowns. Perhaps he's not using it correctly. He raises it for another try, casting frantic glances back at the corridor to make sure he has time...
GAME: Thurid rolls 6: (3)+6: 9 GAME: Thurid rolls 6: (4)+6: 10
The pontification over the lever is over and Crik finally gets up and stretches his fingers out. Slowly, and then rapidly, he pulls down the lever and looks around excitedly - but no, only a distant rumble. The egalrin lowers his hand. "It is always just a distant ominous rumble." He says with clear dejection in his voice, before he starts heading out towards the rest of the party dealing with the slime.
Much diminished, the remaining globs of acidic flesh lunge for Ulthan's near-frozen form, but their attacks are much less intimidating when their pseudopods are about as thick as a goblin's forearm and not a jotun's torso. They lash at him, but find no purchase and fail to do any lasting harm to him or his gear.
GAME: Haggerty casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Haggerty rolls 5d4: (15): 15 GAME: Thurid rolls 0: (19)+0: 19 GAME: Thurid rolls 0: (5)+0: 5
Haggerty shakes out his right hand, squints his blues, takes a breath and carefully angles his hand. He utters a scant few words in Eldritch and flames lick out at the two blobs, "Burn off the face of these defiled halls, slime!" And the frosty puddings dry up under the fire like forgotten breakfast items on a grill. They crumble to uglier ashen bits.
Ulthan sees the wizard bathe the puddings in flame of their spell, but doesn't take chances and dashes towards the end of the hallway away from the frost-nozzles, shedding ice flakes as he moves with determination of a Dran knowing he'll die if he doesn't move.
GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
As Ulthan dashes back to the corner of the corridor, he will see the source of that rumbling earlier- the heavy stone doors that barred the path north are open, revealing a large open chamber. There is a set of stairs near the back wall of the chamber, leading further down into the earth. But standing before it are a pair of heavily armed and armored skeletons, each equipped with plate mail, shield and shotel.
GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Burai rolls 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
The moment the puddings are down, Skyler pauses his frantic pumping of the lever, wincing slightly as the healing energy runs over him. He's quick to let go of the handle, shuddering. "Makes my gooch tingle." He mutters, and squeezes past everyone, "Crik... You ok?"
GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Burai used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
Crik appears peeking into the corridor. "... I think the lever opened a door." He points into the dark room. "... did you finish the black pudding?"
Burai leans to one side and cranes his neck as the blasts of ice 'fire' begin roaring down the corridor at full force once more. A though occurs to him and he reaches out his free hand and pulls the lever. Then he raises his wand again, this time with a look of determination on his face. He sends the healing energy at Skyler until he seems fully recovered. By this time Burai has been able to confirm no more waves of fire coming down the corridor. And next he marches towards Ulthan and repeats the process until he is also in prime condition.
Haggerty takes a deep breath, pets the canine by the neck who arfles with pleasure. "It is dead. Dead as a snail cube of acid can be. Again, I am profoundly sorry for splitting the enemy." He nods to the group in turn. "When you thought to reengage the lever, that was wonderful! Thank you!" He blinks when Burai tips many precious times with the healing stick, "Do tell us when you want me to chip in." He smiles to the Dranei, "Thank you for taking the brunt of the pain. I hate to be on bad terms with my otherwordly friends. They are dutiful when contracted, but I do not want to upset their superiors. I know that sounds horrible." Aesir does look apologetic here.