"Yes, Forgive me for not chiming in more frequently. This is something of a new experience for me. The two men with Rand are, more likely than not, Lieutenant Colonels Frink and Biggins. It is unlikely that there is additional security present, but I assure you that any one of these men is incredibly dangerous. Should we engage, I recommend exercising extreme caution, and if at all possible, the element of surprise would be a most helpful ally."
-----
"So... Quintus, is it? You simply must tell me of your travels in the land of Sigil. I'm always game for an interesting story. Of course, I'd be more interested in hearing your ideas on how we might breach the dimension barrier in a different direction - interested enough to make it worth your while..."
----
Corwin clears his throat as the party on the first floor stalls for time. "Excuse me, gentlemen, but are you ready to join the others? General Rand has certainly been made aware of your arrival by now."
"Well, my expertise is Transmutations really, though I have been known to dabble in the Conjuration school... and this is something I've been thinking about. One of the biggest problems is keeping such a portal open for extended periods of time, but I think I may be onto a solution. Such a gate could be powered by certain magical artifacts. I actually have access to one such item, only problem is I don't know how to transfer the items power in such a way and that is actually the reason I came to town. I'm looking for an Incantrix, I know the school use to provide classes for it, but I can't seem to find any in town. You're the headmaster, don't suppose you know where they've been hiding?"
While walking with the others, Muun continues telepathically, We don't have a good use for surprise yet. We'll have to come up with something at the dinner table. he tries to think, and then remembers Tarkus, who might make for the best surprise depending on your status, Tarkus, where are you at now? We're about to join a dinner table.
"Well, Rand is one of the most proficient sorcerors on the entire continent, as I'm sure you're at least partially aware of, since you already know that he is an Incantatrix. Frink and Biggins are veteran melee combatants. Frink, my superior officer, purports to be a Paladin of Vecna, and is quite ruthless on the battlefield; I am not well-versed in Biggins's capabilities, as he is the head of a separate division with which I have had very limited interaction."
----
Rand raises an eyebrow at Quintus's question. "You've done your homework, my boy!" He titters unevenly again. "I am the only fully-trained incantatrix in the Republic, it's true. I also happen to oversee the graduate training program. Of course, I have absolute control over who makes it into the program, and these past years, so far none have been deemed worthy. However.... if you were to agree to help me, perhaps I could make arrangements to evaluate your eligibility for the program..."
----
Tarkus psychically grunts. "Not too close in servants' dining room. Still down on first floor. Might be able to sneak out, but can't guarantee I won't be seen."
((Jackben notified me that he'll be on vacation for at least the next few days, and will have limited access to the forum. He didn't mention exactly when he'd be back, but he did promise to check in when he can))
Val surrepitiously reaches into the handy haversack and pockets something. "Well, on the off chance that Quintus can't butter him up, I think I have the vague notions of a plan coming together in my mind..."
((Thanks Lunarian. Stopped at a coffee spot with wifi. North Carolina is a beautiful place!))
Tarkus frowns and the creases in his forehead deepen. He sits rigidly uptight in the servant's dining room with a distant look upon his face. Taking a moment to realize he has been spoken to, he excuses himself apologetically waving away the offered food. "Ate bad mutton for lunch."
The warrior clenches his fists under the table, finding it difficult to concentrate on the tame small talk around him given the chaotic crossfire of telepathic conversation occurring within his mind.
"So Rand is here...and Val and others now as well? Unsure if can leave without stirring...but should battle arrive can at least prevent others from coming up stairs before climbing my self."
((Tactics here could be dicey. Not sure what to do for Tark here. Let me know via pm or spoiler chat if you can think of anything.))
((I'm curious to find out how a Paladin of Vecna remains functional with powers.))
Muun suggests telepathically, probably climbing the stairs at this point, Stay there for now, I guess.. If things arrive at a double-digit hell, just tell them you need to protect Quintis, because they probably think you're his personal guard.. at least I hope they do.
((KittenMaster, the book Unearthed Arcana has options for paladins of different alignments that have appropriately-altered abilities. The Lawful Evil version is called a Paladin of Tyranny, just FYI))
Rand drops his fork sloppily onto his plate and claps his hands together like a child. "Marvelous, marvelous! I take it you'll be in town for a while. You seem somewhat unprepared to talk about it in depth right now; why don't you take a few days to perform the necessary research and write up a formal report, and Rupert, you can see to it that it arrives on my desk? Oh, I'm giddy just thinking about it!"
At this point, Corwin ushers Valance, Valgar, Muun, and Jack into the dining area, and to empty seats, where servants have already placed plates with small appetizer courses. Valance salutes stiffly.
"Please, please, no need for such formalities," Rand says as he picks up his fork again and digs into his pasta. "I hope you'll forgive me for pulling the Lieutenant Colonel from his office, Aloysius. This was quite the impromptu visit, and the Mallories have been quite gracious for accommodating us! So tell us, how did the operation go?"
"The rebels were waiting for us," Valance says immediately and with a manufactured hint of anger in his voice. "I don't know how they did it; perhaps they have an inside man. In fact, I can't think of any other possibility.
"Regardless, we didn't stand a chance. If not for the fortuitous appearance of Commander Joubert and his company, I would not have made it out of there alive. I apologize, General; it seems that the rebels have once again eluded our grasp."
The room grows quiet, with Frink and Biggins occasionally glancing uncertainly at the General. Rand is breathing heavily, but otherwise he does not move a muscle for some time.
Finally, without any sort of warning, he picks up his plate and flings it angrily at a nearby wall; it shatters to pieces, splattering pasta and vegetables onto the wall and ceiling. "You let them escape?!" he screams harshly at Valance, and then he turns to Frink. "THIS IS YOUR FAULT! FIND THE TRAITOR, OR YOU'LL BOTH BE COURT MARTIALED!"
He grows quiet again, and then looks expectantly at a servant, who immediately scurries to get a fresh plate of food for the general. Rand clears his throat and is all smiles again, turning to Valgar. "So! Tell me more about your fortuitous appearance, Commander. I gather that you weren't originally a part of the Major's task force?"
Once again, it's very difficult to determine whether Rand recognizes Val or not. He's got the crazy-eyes.
Valgar knows from years of experience to play along with the charade until he is given reason to believe his cover has been well and truly blown. As such, he jumps into the agreed upon cover story with both feet without hesitation. "No sir," he says with the utmost respect. "I'm officially still stationed out of Ruby Keep. My men and I have been tasked with tracking down a pair of Pelor heretics. We've followed them to Emerald Bay, the trail we were following leading us to the same doorstep as Major Aloysius. I think it's reasonable to speculate at this juncture that they have thrown their lot in with the resistance, the only question that remains is how long they have been in league with one another."
Muun, entering the dining room is soon reminded of the Luminary's occasional summoning. Rand, however, shatters that illusion, having a very uncontrolled and bipolar personality. It, to him, is not unlike someone suffering from letting Ravenloft drive them to insanity, except this time the inane person is in a position of control.
He sits next to Val, and while a plate is delivered to him, he prefers to not to focus on eating at the moment, with possible danger and serious business that is being discussed.
((KittenMaster, the book Unearthed Arcana has options for paladins of different alignments that have appropriately-altered abilities. The Lawful Evil version is called a Paladin of Tyranny, just FYI))
"Well, the Major is certainly fortunate that you came to the rescue, Commander. I would hate to distract you too far from your mission, but I would like each of you to submit a report of this incident to the Lieutenant Colonel as soon as possible," Rand says, gesturing at Frink to his right. "Be sure to include your best analysis of where you believe the rebels have relocated. I think I'm ready for dessert."
The servant standing at the door leading to the kitchen nods and relays the request to the unseen chefs.
((It's just going to be miscellaneous small talk for the rest of the meal unless one of you does or says something to change that))
Val attempts to manage some risk analysis in his head.
"We can take him now, but he's got his flunkies with him. He seems to be amenable to Quintus popping in for a visit, but trying to come up with a reason for the rest of us to attend would be a challenge...
"I'm well and truly indecisive about how to proceed..."
Muun mostly remains silent during the dinner. Although he does eat the dinner served to him, he fails to present himself as an outgoing and authoritative personality, preferring to leave the social workings to Val and reserving himself as an underling much like Rand's two men are.
When Val telepathically mentions the idea of getting the jump now, Muun glances over towards the remaining guard in the room (or both Biggs & Wedge Biggins & Frink if Frink has not already left) to see if a reaction has been pulled from him/them to see if they really can monitor their thoughts. He himself has no actual idea on how to solve Val's challenge, so he'll listen for others' telepathy.
There's no indication at all that the silent communications between the party are being monitored. If one of them is doing it, that person has a very good poker face.
As the evening continues, the conversation drifts around from topic to topic. General Rand is exceptionally chatty, and although he continues to be hard to read and uneven in tone, it doesn't seem to get any worse as he continues. The lieutenant-colonels stay quiet, but are generally responsive when directly addressed, and at more than one juncture, Rupert and Rand engage in intense discussion about the financial situation at the academy; it's a little hard to follow, but judging by their intonations, the situation seems to be fairly positive.
Finally, Rand puts down his silverware. "Well," he says, clapping his hands together, "This has been quite an illuminating dinner party! A shame we have to wrap it up so soon."
Suddenly and violently, Valance leans over his chair and vomits all over the floor, simultaneously letting out a scream. Quintus then feels an uneasy feeling, as though a spell is being cast upon him.
((Quintus, make a Will Save, DC 25. You (along with the rest of the party) have a -2 to all saves, for being within Frink's Aura of Despair. If you fail the save, a 20-foot radius of Silence is centered on you, making you unable to cast spells that have verbal components and rendering all sound within the area nullified. This does NOT affect your Telepathic Bond, however; you can still communicate by thinking))
Frink stands from his chair and draws a black longsword; Biggins is a great deal more agile, springing from his seat directly at Muun and attempting to grapple him.
((29 vs Muun's Touch AC will hit. Grapple Check of 32. If your Grapple Check is less than 32, you are grappled))
The servants immediately withdraw to a separate room; Rupert and Dahlia move back, but they don't quite leave the room, keeping their worried eyes locked onto Quintus.
((Tarkus can make it to the room by performing a double-move action; I'm going to assume that's what he'll do, so he's going to be right inside the door after everyone else has taken their turn))
((I put 20 points in Escape Artist and I still need to crit to win the roll, which I didn't.))
Having to put up an image that can't be blown prevents Muun from being able to properly be ready for a fight, and even worse sat in a chair where he can't easily escape the large man that leaps at him.
Val wastes no time as Rand springs his trap, leaping to his feet as he reaches into his pocket and withdraws the item he placed there should just this scenario arise...
Vlad's heightened anti-magic field vial.
"Prioritize Rand," he broadcasts to everyone, as he taps Jack on the shoulder and points at the nefarious wizard. "I have no idea how long this is going to last." Vaulting onto the table, he hurls the vial at the ground at Rand's feet. ((Would that require a roll?))
Jack complies as instructed, joining Val on the table and rushing at Rand, greatsword already in hand as he attempts to remove the malefactor from the equation before he becomes a threat.
As the vial shatters on the ground, no liquid is spilled on the wooden floor. Instead, its contents are immediately vaporized, and a number of things happen in rapid succession.
Most noticeably, Val's Handy Haversack erupts as the entirety of its contents are ejected as though they'd been spring-loaded and suddenly released. Any potions contained within shatter upon contact with the ground and/or floor.
Simultaneously, the Hand of Vecna once again eats into Quintus's flesh and leaves a skeletal hand at the end of his arm, as the Protection from Evil enchantment is no longer in effect, allowing the artifact to work its terrible magic.
The Telepathic Bond is immediately severed, Valance abruptly stops vomiting, and the Silence spell is rendered useless.
All worn items lose any magical bonuses and are treated as mundane, with the exception of the Holy Relics currently in the party's possession.
For the first time, Rand's face contorts in an expression of helpless, confused panic; Frink is also not entirely sure what's going on. Biggins is focused enough on his current objective that he isn't particularly fazed by any of it.
The chandelier full of glowsticks up above suddenly goes dark, leaving the room significantly darker than it was before (this won't affect visibility in a meaningful way though). The air becomes a few degrees warmer and substantially muggier.
((Ha! I love it! I forgot you guys still had that thing. And the anti-magic field extends through at least the entire room.))
Val wastes no time as Rand springs his trap, leaping to his feet as he reaches into his pocket and withdraws the item he placed there should just this scenario arise...
As all of this happens, Muun is slammed against the wall while wrestling with the hold put on him. He lifts a leg to kick the both of them away from the wall and into the table.
((The E3 plague has temporarily subsided! Let's see if anyone else sees this and can reply before Stage 2 hits...
Frink 5-steps and performs a Full Attack on Jack. Three attacks come out to 35, then 21, then 15 vs AC (remember that magical bonuses on armor don't apply, if he's wearing any. I don't have his character sheet handy). The damages on the first two (not sure if the 2nd hits or not) are 12 and 7.
Biggins got a 33 on the opposed grapple check (he rolled pretty high) and is able to maintain the grapple. On his turn, he uses his knee as a weapon, attempting to damage Muun. He got a 21 vs AC. If that hits, it will deal 6 damage.
Rand withdraws away from Jack; see below for a description of what he does))
When Quintus successfully resists the attempt to silence him (and the rest of the room), Rand seems unfazed. "Did you really think I didn't recognize the men who left me to die all those years ago!?" he shrieks. "Oh, Quintus, I'll admit that at first I didn't realize it was you, but when Fierno got here, I put it -- "
Val interrupts Rand's monologue when he shatters the vial directly in front of Rand, causing panic as the unexpected results of the gambit rear their heads. Everyone reflexively shields themselves from the bevy of potion bottles masquerading as missiles that careen around the room, and then it's back to business.
Despite Muun's attempt to use the dining table as leverage to push the muscular lieutenant-colonel off of him, the close-quarters fighter effortlessly keeps a tight grip on the ranger, attempting a knee-strike in the process.
Quintus, unable to cast spells and still smarting from the burning sensation in his hand, manages to usher his parents out of the room while ignoring his mother's pleas for him to join them, and all three narrowly avoid getting barreled over by Tarkus, who arrives just in time to witness an unfortunate sight.
Rand, taking advantage of the cover provided to him by Frink, flees from the android who just cut a gash into him and makes a beeline for one of the items that was ejected from Val's Handy Haversack.
He picks up a mouthpiece with two sharp fangs protruding from the top and inserts it into his mouth without hesitation. His eyes widen, and a devilish smile covers his face.
"Yes! I can feel the power coursing through me! I undersstand now!" Rand exclaims, even as the Fangs of Set begin to work their unimpeded magic on him. His human skin stretches grotesquely outward, and from his mouth the enormous head of a snake begins to protrude.
The process continues throughout his body, as he sheds his human form in favor of a decidedly more reptilian visage. The hood of a cobra; the tail of a rattlesnake; the psychadelic, hypnotic eyes; the nasty set of fangs; the forked tongue.
"Yesssssss! We are one! The Great and Powerful Ssssset hasss finally found a ssssssuitable hossst body!" Set/Rand shouts, in an unsettling dualized voice; the minds of the two creatures seem to be combining into a single consciousness. "Together... we will bring ourssssselves to our former glory, and assssssscend to become the ruler of thissss world! There will be no praetor... only a GOD!"
Biggins glances worriedly over at Set/Rand. "...General?"
The snake glares at him. "Yessss! It issss I! Worry not about what hassss happened to me, servant! I ORDER you to carry out my will and defeat thessssse lesssssser creatures!"
Valance, who, although he is out of breath and looks rather weak, has managed to get back on his feet, is wearing a sour expression. "Dear brother, I do believe that, perhaps for the first time in my life, I am at a loss for words."
((unsure of what to do... will necro spells using the arm's power be usable in the field? or am i limited to turning people undead and maybe channeling with it?))
((unsure of what to do... will necro spells using the arm's power be usable in the field? or am i limited to turning people undead and maybe channeling with it?))
((EDIT: I later decided that this post was kind of dumb for Muun to do, and I'm not doing any kind of charisma check anyway, so I nerfed it.))
Muun oofs at the blunt force driving into his side as he continues his struggle to find a way to slip out of the complex grip put on him. He stops, letting the grip tighten for a moment because he becomes distracted with widened eyes by the gigantic growing snake in the room, and he quickly taps on Biggins' forearm with the back of his hand and then points at it for him to see.
Muun then returns to trying to get free, trying to get out faster than before so he can take care of the menace.. then suddenly the thing speaks... It results in him being more unimpressed with the giant snake than feared at this point, but decides he probably shouldn't taunt a wild animal.
((Is Tarkus suitably close enough to perform a full attack after a 5 foot step into the room or would he need to do a move and single attack action to reach? Also I'm curious as to whether his intimidating shout would cause people otherwise engaged in an action to temporarily cease that action to attack him. Namely cease the grapple on Muun to attack Tarkus if the shout was not resisted. Glad to be back amidst returning from vacation into the E3 chaos!))
((BTW, I'm pretty sure Biggins is a Monk, the only acceptable class for embarrassing Muun with (more than 1d3 damage on grappled damage is the giveaway).))
((The intimidating shout can't compel someone to willingly endanger themselves in order to get to you. The paladin would have to do that because he'd be leaving himself open to an AoO from Jack, so he'd be immune to the effect right now.
Biggins (who is, indeed, a monk) is a different story. His objective is to neutralize the biggest threat in the party, so if he sees Tarkus as a bigger threat than Muun, he could conceivably let go and try to change targets.
All that is to say that yes, you might be able to accomplish that with a good Intimidate check, IF you get right next to him so that there are no other obstacles in between you.
No one is within 5 feet of Tarkus; you'll have to actually move in order to reach anyone.
And welcome back, just in time for the craziest battle of the campaign that I didn't even see coming!))
As the simultaneous alarm of each mind connected to the telepathic link reaches his own mind, Tarkus heaves himself from the table and barrels toward the stairs. The crash and clatter of plates and goblets as well as the gasps of the servants are all but drowned out as he charges up the stairs. Hearing murmured shouts and voices as he ascends, his mind is suddenly overcast by a terrible silence that abruptly blankets the group's telepathic connection like a dark cloud. '
Val? Quin? Muun? WHAT HAPPEN?!'
As he reaches the top of the stairs he is greeted by a scared Mrs. Mallory and stone-faced Mr.Mallory quickly leaving. Pushing past he steps into the chaotic storm of the room and takes a quick glance around. As the broken glass of potion bottles and various implements crunch under his boots, he is bewildered by the explosive presence of items strewn about the room. Even stranger is how he feels after entering.
Immediately after stepping in he feels a strange pulsing sensation that he can only describe as a feeling of becoming...lesser . He feels very hungry for the first time in a long time, his greataxe feels more heavy and unwieldy than ever before and his armor visibly appears to loses some of its sheen and luster.
Glancing around at the scene before him, the warrior looks with dismay at the unwelcome return of the serpent god Set and the chilling boney aura of the Hand of Vecna attached to Quintus' arm. Tarkus yells amidst the rush of battle a challenge. "SET! You should remember taste of my blade! Flavor of pain, blood and sinew that Rand and all enemy soon shall taste!" Taking a deep breath, he steps forward toward the hulking serpent and splinters a chair before him into pieces with the swing of his greataxe before roaring a guttural battle cry in a booming voice.
"ROK'NAROSH!"
((Taking a movement action into the room toward Rand/Set while using 'Come & Get It'. Will save of save DC: 17 to not attack Tarkus. Also Tarkus now has an AC of 20 since his enchantments were depowered. He's also not getting nourished anymore by his ring but that shouldn't make any difference except for as flavor text.))
((Sorry, E3maggeddon and I couldn't find a time where I was available to contribute and GAF was up and running. Alright, so I just cost us the loss of ALL our bonuses, right? AC, Dex, Str, the whole nine yards, right? Swell. What about weapon enhancements?))
While recounting this part of his exploits and adventures in later years, Val would always take this opportunity to remind his listeners that he is not a "magic guy." Even as a child taking trips to the theater (Well, really more sneaking his way in undetected), he always had a greater appreciation for the shows that made extensive use of practical effects over arcane illusionary tricks. Oh sure, the end result might not be quite as polished, but there was a certain satisfaction in the knowledge that you had to work hard and utilize your own ingenuity to accomplish that much. No, he was very much a practical guy. Aware of magic and some of its basics, yes, but far from encyclopedic knowledge of it.
This was precisely what he'd be telling everyone via the telepathic link if he hadn't just severed it with the vial of potent anti-magic he had just shattered on the ground. In retrospect, it probably would have been a wise idea to run the idea past some other members of the party, but he couldn't risk that they were being eavesdropped upon. He clearly did not take certain factors into account, as evidenced by his wordless shout of surprise as the contents of the Handy Haversack erupt like someone detonated a keg of black powder in the middle of a warehouse, as the soft glow of his Ring of Protection dies out and renders it an ordinary mundane silver ring, as the flesh falls off of Quintus' forearm, as Rand dives for the Fangs of Set and metamorphoses into the dread god of serpentine melodrama.
Yes, he didn't think things through, but in his defense a truly meticulous and well thought out plan takes a considerable amount of time to put together, and he simply didn't have the time or the resources to full flesh this one out, and for that he's sorry. Sorry doesn't put the flesh back on Quintus' denuded forearm, but it's all he can offer. Meeting his brother's gaze, he stands and says "I do believe, 'oh shit' would suffice in this particular situation."
Whipping his rapier from its sheath at his side, he snaps the fingers of his free hand to get Frink's attention. "Tell me, Frink," he shouts over Set's hissing threats and pointing in Quintus' direction, "What kind of paladin of Vecna would throw his lot in the service of another god with the stated intention of usurping your lord's authority and power and take up arms against the chosen avatar of Vecna himself?"
Code:
Diplomacy check: 1d20+17=31 (Or 34 if I'm completely misunderstanding what's affected by the anti-magic field)
---
Meanwhile, Jack seems completely nonplussed by the explosion of the party's collective inventory across the whole room and Rand's subsequent transformation, but being an impassive mechanical construct, this is his baseline emotional state. Or lack thereof, as the case may be. Heaving his great sword, he connects with the detestable wizard, but is momentarily distracted as Frink unleashes a brutal assault on him. The first two hits find purchase, but the third glances harmlessly off his metal hide. Jack turns to face him in combat, only for the luminosity of his blue eyes to increase notably as Rand partakes of the Fangs of Set behind him.
"Warning!" he bellows in a greatly amplified volume and what would seem to be actual alarm, "My sensory systems have detected a dramatic increase in extra dimensional divine energy in the vicinity! Target designate Rand's threat level has increased multiple orders of magnitude! I calculate that everyone in target's range is at maximum existential risk, advise coordinated efforts to neutralize threat.
((Attack rolls pending clarification on weapon enhancement, and if Jack has to take more than a five foot step to close the gap on Set so I know if he can do a full attack or not))
((And Set suffers no penalties, I really screwed the pooch on this one. Can Jack and/or Val get past Frink to go after Set without provoking an AoO? Gonna go out on a limb and guess that we're not going to be so lucky as to successfully convince him to turn against his own boss.))
((And Set suffers no penalties, I really screwed the pooch on this one. Can Jack and/or Val get past Frink to go after Set without provoking an AoO? Gonna go out on a limb and guess that we're not going to be so lucky as to successfully convince him to turn against his own boss.))
((It'll be an interesting fight for sure, but I'm not certain Set Rand is more powerful than magic Rand would have been...I guess we'll see! In terms of moving I think Val might be OK to not get attacked, but I dunno the movement options for him in terms of the table being there. I doubt Jack could move without an AoO though seeing as both him and Frink attacked each other and thus are in a radius where they each would get an AoO if either moves outside of that range.))
((In an anti magic field, SetRand is gonna be far worse then normal Rand, if the transformation works anything like polymorph, as he will have Set's physical stats. Sure he might only have 1/2 bab(Being an artifact, this might not be the case) but he probably gets all sorts of bonus to grapple and such being a snake god.))
((I would not try to base Set's traits on what a normal giant snake (hah) would have. This guy is pure homebrew from me.
I'm sort-of progressing to the next round, but I don't have time to do all the dice rolls and math right now, so I'm just going to give you the flavor text and give Val a chance to make the actual attack and damage rolls for Jack from last round. Frink will no longer be an obstacle, as you're about to see.
No one else take your next turn until I am able to get back and do the actual dice rolls and stuff, please. Thanks))
As Val says the words "Avatar of Vecna", Frink observes Quintus fire off a black laser blast at the snake from his skeletal hand, and he turns pale. His concerned reaction to Rand's transformation paled in comparison to the pure dread and panic on his face now.
"Lord Vecna," he says desperately, "I wish to atone for my transgressions. I am yours to command!"
Biggins does not have the same reaction. "Traitor," he shouts at his team mate, even as he begins to let go of Muun in order to carry out Set's orders. "The gods are meaningless. The chain of command is all that matters. If the General's orders are to overthrow the government, then we must obey!"
"Yesssss, kill those who would attempt to ussssssurp me! Do not attempt to ressssstrain the half-orc; his bootsssss will protect him! Focusssss on killing him outright!"
Perception DC 22
You notice Set/Rand eyeing something on the floor, and when you follow his line of sight, you see that the Rod of Pelor is on the floor at the bottom-left corner of the room
Val and Jack take full advantage of Frink's momentary hesitation, pushing past him in a dash across the table top to make a tandem attack on the newly restored serpent god.
"Julius," Jack says almost idly, still referring to Val by his alias in the presence of strangers as per his last instruction.
"A little busy here, Jack!" Val shouts as he tries to pin the writhing giant snake to the floor with his rapier.
"Julius," Jack continues undeterred, "my behavioral analysis algorithms determine that there is an 86% probability that Set intends to consume the Rod of Pelor."
Now that gets Val's attention. "Damn it," he grumbles. "I'd forgotten we'd even had that. I thought whatever Sarm did had drained it of its power, what does snake eyes want with it?"
"From what I have learned so far, I conjecture that even if the Rod has been rendered inert, it is still a physical manifestation of Pelor's very being. I further hypothesize that if Set succeeds in consuming it, he will be capable of metabolizing its latent power and adding it to his own. He will likely make attempts to assimilate all if the relics present here."
"And that's bad, right?"
"Yes, Julius, such a scenario would be easily classified as disadvantageous to our efforts."
"Jack, I was being-- I'm going for the Rod, you keep Set occupied."
Val abruptly disengages from combat and sprints toward the Rod to pick it up and deny Set his low-hanging fruit. Simultaneously, Jack interposes himself in Set's face and let's loose a pair of mighty swings to ensure that the great serpentine monster's attention does not wander.
((It looks like you forgot to take away Jack's bonus damage from his sword's enhancement. You appear to have remembered to adjust Val's damage though, so I'm wondering if I'm missing something for Jack. I will go ahead and adjust each hit's damage down by 4, but if I am missing something, let me know. I didn't include those attacks in the flavor text writeup, but I made note of them on Set's HP.
Also, since it's going to eventually become obvious once a bunch of attack rolls against him have been attempted, Set's AC is 26.
Quintus's Ray of Enervation hits, giving Set three negative levels.
Biggins releases Muun from the grapple and charges at Tarkus, using Stunning Fist to attack him. 27 to hit. Tarkus must make a Fortitude saving throw, DC 21. If he fails, he is Stunned for 1 round. Freedom of Movement does NOT protect against this.
Set performs a Gaze attack on Muun as a free action. Muun must make a Will Save, DC 18. If he fails, he is unable to take actions and is denied his Dexterity bonus for 1 round.
Set then attempts to grapple Jack. 23 on the Touch Attack, which will connect. The Grapple Check is a 30 even.
Finally, Set attempts to strike at Val with a bite attack. 24 versus AC. Val takes 13 damage and must make a Fortitude saving throw, DC 18. If he fails, he takes 3 Dexterity damage.
Valance attempts, and fails, to hide out of Set's sight. He then fires a crossbow bolt at it, and misses.
Frink takes no action.))
Set recoils slightly at the blast of necromantic magic that Quintus threw at him. "Sssssso, we meet again, Lord of Ssssssecrets!" he bellows disdainfully. "Now I shall take my vengeanccccce for what you did to me all those yearsssss ago!"
Despite his threat, he seems to largely ignore Quintus as he begins his efforts to take control of the battlefield. A hypnotic glance assaults Muun's strength of will; a rapid coiling motion seeks to restrain Jack physically; a fang-assisted injection of venom looks to paralyze Val into a non-threat.
Frink merely looks on, terrified of Quintus. "Please, Lord Vecna! Command me!"
Quintus only
For the first time since arriving in the future, Vecna speaks to Quintus through the Hand: "Tell him to jump into the snake's mouth. There's no way that thing will be able to swallow him whole; it should at least buy you some time. If nothing else, it will be amusing."
Biggins follows Set's advice on how to deal with Tarkus, charging full-speed at the warrior and launching into a flying kick that hits far harder than it looks like it should, targeting his kidneys and attempting to knock the wind out of him.
Valance, adopting a tactic that Valgar might associate more with his still-missing brother Valdemar, hides under the table and attempts to catch Set unaware with a surprise crossbow bolt; unfortunately, the snake is very cognizant of his surroundings and is able to position himself in a way that renders the attack harmless.
((Looking back, I think some people may have taken an extra action or two without realizing it. Don't worry about that; from here on, we'll put everyone on the same page. Everyone go ahead and take an action for next round.))
((Jack's using a Greatsword +4, which I have down as giving him +15 attack bonus, so if it's reduced to +1 it'd be 12. Maybe I screwed something up here...))
((Jack's using a Greatsword +4, which I have down as giving him +15 attack bonus, so if it's reduced to +1 it'd be 12. Maybe I screwed something up here...))
((Right, the attack bonus is fine; I was looking at the damage specifically. By my calculations, it's 2d6 plus strength-and-a-half, which would be 6. The additional +4 as listed on the character sheet would make it 10, but that shouldn't apply here))
"Uhh... Vecna wants you to jump Set's down his throat. Certainly effective, but you could probably just stick your sword down there. Might take longer, but same results eventually. I'll let you decide on that one." says Quintus, who then turns around a points a boney finger at the monk, who's eyes glow with a black flame as they begin to deteriorate. ...Quintus cast blindness with a DC of 19 vs fort... because monks are known for their low saves...
