21: We Can't Stop Here, This Is Worm Country

[Sierra]

<El-Cideon> The metallic monster falls to pieces, rattling about the sewer floor. The tunnel is silent once the echoes fade, save for the quiet sloshing of the stream of muck down in the channel.
<El-Cideon> "Are you alright, Corben?" Kisantha strides forward and gives the barbarian a critical appraisal. "Oh, patch him up, won't you, Eliaphas? If Morin back there was telling the truth, we'll be done after raiding the nest, and all bets are off once the amulets are collected--I suggest all of us be in top condition and be prepared for anything. Unfortunately, I've little left in the way of protective spells. I *could* make someone invisible--two someones, actually--but I'm skeptical whether this would be of any use when dealing with creatures that dwell forever in lightless conditions."
<Corben> "Takes more than that to bring me down," Corben declares, kicking the nearest rusted metal plate away from him.
<El-Cideon> The late golem's chestplate falls into the stream with a *ploop*.
* Eliaphas (Ebiris@95.151.7.133) Quit (Ping timeout)
* Ebiris (~eb@95.151.4.190) has joined #mistvalken
<Ebiris> Taking out his wand of healing, Eliaphas spends half a minute waving it over Corben...
<Ebiris> roll 6d8+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 6d8+6 and gets 32."12 [6d8=2, 8, 1, 3, 4, 8]
* Ebiris is now known as Eliaphas
<Madeline> "Save the invisibility for when we return up," replies Madeline. "We should avoid Maxwell if at all possible and attempt to penetrate the Duke's sanctum immediately. If we can take control of the castle, we can do as we wish afterwards."
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 105/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  '
<Eliaphas> The wand is thrown into the filth after healing is finished. "Lets keep going, less time down here is better."
<Corben> Once more, Corben takes the lead. They must be going the right way, after all.
<El-Cideon> "Yeeees, I've been meaning to speak to you about that," Kisantha says as you continue walking. "As it stands, you'll be moving on to the tower once we're done here...without me, since you've only got three of the keys...I'll be all alone down here, surrounded by enemies."
<Corben> "You can teleport," Corben states the obvious as he goes.
<Madeline> "You can teleport at will, correct?" asks Madeline, glancing at Kisantha. "And you know the castle well. Can you evade your rivals?"
<Eliaphas> "You can go in Madeline's bag like when we left that painting earlier," Eliaphas adds, not looking back as he follows Corben with crossbow at the ready.
<El-Cideon> "For a time. Not forever, given the numbers at his disposal. So please don't take too long up there, if you care about me at all!" Shortly you reach a bend in the tunnel, and at the northern side of this arcing passageway is a break in the wall, a crumbling side tunnel that looks melted through the brickwork and native stone both, as if eaten away by acid. There is a thick miasma in the air here.
<El-Cideon> OOC: roll fort, you three.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+13 and gets 29."12 [1d20=16]
<Corben> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 and gets 12."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 will for K, though
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 will for K, though and gets 25."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> A wave of *wrongness* passes through the heroes--they momentarily feel out of place in their own bodies, but most overcome the sensation. Something in Corben's body reacts, though, all nerves flaring up in an instant of universal, shooting pain!
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 nonlethal and gets 37."12 [12d6=1, 2, 4, 3, 2, 2, 3, 6, 4, 1, 3, 6]
* Corben stumbles, sinking his sword into the ground and holding onto its hilt with both hands to stay upright.
<El-Cideon> "This looks like the place..." Kisantha says, apparently unbothered by any strange sensations the foul air might provoke. "I--are you alright, Corben?"
* Eliaphas wordlessly covers his mouth and moves faster to get through this miasma, but at Corben's ailment he stops. "Hurry," he whispers, pressing a hand to the barbarian in a healing benediction to get him back on his feet.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d8+5
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d8+5 and gets 6."12 [1d8=1]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 74/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  '
<Madeline> Madeline opts to move ahead at swift speed, keeping pace at a light jog.
<Corben> Bolstered by such concern, Corben makes a renewed attempt to move ahead!
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 111/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  '
<El-Cideon> The makeshift tunnel quickly opens up into a broad cavern, sixty feet in diameter. Your feet squelch into a layer of indefinable muck--a glance down shows an indeterminate organic paste, and the smell in the cavern is ripe with carrion. A slimy, slithering noise assaults your ears, and before you in the cavern are a multitude of oversized invertebrates: thick worms rearing up tall as a man, two deep red ones standing near the cavern entrance, two black ones flanking a mammoth, bloated form that rises fifteen feet tall! All turn towards you the moment you step into the cavern, the only visible sensory apparatus on each being a wide circular maw ringed with jagged teeth.
<El-Cideon> OOC: init it up, guys.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-3 mother
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-3 mother and gets 12."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 red worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 red worms and gets 13."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20 black worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20 black worms and gets 13."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+2 swarms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+2 swarms and gets 12."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 K
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 K and gets 25."12 [1d20=18]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 24."12 [1d20=15]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 111/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 > larval swarm x2 = bloodworm mother'
<El-Cideon> "Don't let the little ones touch you!" Kisantha shouts. "They'll burrow in and take up residence!"
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
<Corben> About to charge in at the bloated monstrosity, Corben reconsiders at Kisantha's shout. Taking a determined position a few feet before the others so that any worms heading for them would have to come through him, he gestures at the abominations. "Burn!"
<Corben> roll 10d6 fire! DC20 ref half
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 10d6 fire! DC20 ref half and gets 44."12 [10d6=5, 4, 4, 1, 3, 6, 5, 5, 5, 6]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+4 red worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+4 red worms and gets 37."12 [2#1d20+4 = 21, 16]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+4 black worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+4 black worms and gets 24."12 [2#1d20+4 = 17, 7]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+4 swarms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+4 swarms and gets 35."12 [2#1d20+4 = 21, 14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-3 mother
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-3 mother and gets 9."12 [1d20=12]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 111/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 > larval swarm = bloodworm mother'
<El-Cideon> Fire lights up the cavern, crisping one cloud of squirming vermin and badly scattering the other! Kisantha steps up next to Corben, flings out one outstretched hand and sends a cloud of brilliant icy shards at the central mass of worms!
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+4 black worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+4 black worms and gets 47."12 [2#1d20+4 = 24, 23]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-3 mother
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-3 mother and gets 5."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 remaining swarm
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 remaining swarm and gets 19."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 cold
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 cold and gets 40."12 [12d6=2, 4, 3, 3, 5, 3, 6, 4, 2, 2, 3, 3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 111/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 >  bloodworm mother'
<El-Cideon> The remaining swarm of tiny worms shrivels up to nothing in the cold, others suffering badly from frostbite!
<El-Cideon> OOC: M and E
<Madeline> With the most dangerous threats out the way, Madeline turns her deadly aim upon the the largest, and thus surely the deadliest of all worms!
* Eliaphas raises his crossbow and unleashes a fusillade of bolts at the two red worms closest to the group!
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+17 rapid shot, vermin bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+17 rapid shot, vermin bane and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+17 rapid shot, vermin bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+17 rapid shot, vermin bane and gets 30."12 [1d20=13]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+12 rapid shot, vermin bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+12 rapid shot, vermin bane and gets 24."12 [1d20=12]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 and gets 37."12 [1d10=9][1d6=4][1d6=2][4d6=2, 4, 6, 4]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch targets if first is killed
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch targets if first is killed and gets 22."12 [1d10=4][1d6=2][1d6=1][4d6=1, 4, 2, 2]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch targets if first is killed
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch targets if first is killed and gets 20."12 [1d10=2][1d6=1][1d6=2][4d6=3, 1, 4, 1]
<El-Cideon> Foul ichor oozes from the worm's many critical wounds, but it remains upright!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rs ds ms
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rs ds ms
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rs ds ms and gets 39."12 [1d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rs ds ms and gets 26."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+16 and gets 28."12 [1d20=12]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+11 and gets 13."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but the last hit
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 28."12 [1d8=4][2d6=1, 2][1d6=5][1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 26."12 [1d8=1][2d6=5, 3][1d6=1][1d6=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 37."12 [1d8=4][2d6=6, 6][1d6=4][1d6=3]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+14+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 35."12 [1d8=5][2d6=4, 4][1d6=5][1d6=3]
<El-Cideon> Arrows pierce the great horror all over, and vile blood that exudes a terrible stench noticeable even at this distance suffuses the ground around it...but it lives still, somehow! The nearest worms close in on Corben and Kisantha, each lunging forward to bite at the intruders!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 vs C
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 vs C and gets 36."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+18 vs K
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+18 vs K and gets 33."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10 vs C
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+10 vs K
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10 vs C and gets 11."12 [1d8=1]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+10 vs K and gets 17."12 [1d8=7]
<El-Cideon> OOC: also roll fort
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11 K's bad save
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11 K's bad save and gets 28."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 acid for K, saved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 acid for K, saved and gets 11."12 [2d6=5, 6]
<Corben> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 and gets 31."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 acid for C, also saved
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 acid for C, also saved and gets 10."12 [2d6=6, 4]
<El-Cideon> The worm's jagged maw spits a gout of burning acid under Corben's skin as the teeth dig in--a sense of woozines tries to wash over him, but he resists!
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 92/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 >  bloodworm mother'
<El-Cideon> One of the black worms oozes forward to bite at Kisantha, while the other rears back and spits a gob of acid at the doughty barbarian!
<El-Cideon> OOC: ref, C
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 vs K
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 vs K and gets 35."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d8+7 vs K
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d8+7 vs K and gets 10."12 [1d8=3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+1 fort for K again
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+1 fort for K again and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<Corben> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+7 and gets 22."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> roll 8d6 acid halve this
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 8d6 acid halve this and gets 33."12 [8d6=2, 6, 2, 6, 5, 4, 5, 3]
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 76/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 76/102, Madeline: 82/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 >  bloodworm mother'
<El-Cideon> The great, looming form of the mother glides through the filth of the cavern towards the party--as it does so, a terrible stench of overpowering vileness washes over the heroes! As they fight to maintain possession over the contents of their stomachs, the monstrosity rears back and spews a torrent of acid over all standing near the cavern entrance!
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort and ref, all
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+13 fort
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+13 fort and gets 29."12 [1d20=16]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9 ref
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 ref and gets 17."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+11+2 K fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+11+2 K fort and gets 24."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+13+2 K ref
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+13+2 K ref and gets 31."12 [1d20=16]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+12 fort
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+12 fort and gets 17."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+13 ref
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+13 ref and gets 17."12 [1d20=4]
<Corben> roll 1d20+11 fort
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 fort and gets 12."12 [1d20=1]
<Corben> roll 1d20+7 ref
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+7 ref and gets 13."12 [1d20=6]
<Corben> roll 1d20+11 REROLL
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 REROLL and gets 20."12 [1d20=9]
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6 M and C sickened this many rounds (on closer examination, K is immune to this)
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6 M and C sickened this many rounds (on closer examination, K is immune to this) and gets 6."12 [2d6=4, 2]
<El-Cideon> roll 12d6 acid only K halves this
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 12d6 acid only K halves this and gets 38."12 [12d6=4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2, 3, 1, 6, 2, 2, 4]
<El-Cideon> Save for Eliaphas, the heroes feel themselves moments away from losing their collective lunch! And the acid bath surely isn't helping any either.
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 38/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 38/102, Madeline: 44/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm x2 = black worm x2 >  bloodworm mother'
<Corben> "Curse you!" Corben rails against the constant witchery, hateful beams of every color lashing out at every single vile worm in the area!
<Corben> roll 2#1d8 red
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2#1d8 red and gets 8."12 [2#1d8 = 4, 4]
<Corben> roll 2#1d8 black
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2#1d8 black and gets 11."12 [2#1d8 = 7, 4]
<Corben> roll 1d8 queeny
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d8 queeny and gets 4."12 [1d8=4]
<Corben> OOC: 4 is poison, FortDC20, 7 is plane shifted, WillDC20 negates
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+13 red worms
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+13 red worms and gets 56."12 [2#1d20+13 = 25, 31]
<El-Cideon> roll 2#1d20+12 black worm fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2#1d20+12 black worm fort and gets 63."12 [2#1d20+12 = 31, 32]
<El-Cideon> OOC: er, just one of those
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+5 black worm will
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+5 black worm will and gets 22."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 mother fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 mother fort and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
* Corben is utterly enraged by this useless spell!
<El-Cideon> Colors lance through the crowd of foes...to no discernible effect! Surrounded by enemies, Kisantha struggles to focus on a spell--
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 concentration
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 concentration and gets 32."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> "I guess acid wouldn't work, would it," the demon mutters, sending a barrage of force bolts at the heaving horror before you.
<El-Cideon> roll 5d4+5 MM, the boss killer?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 5d4+5 MM, the boss killer? and gets 14."12 [5d4=3, 3, 1, 1, 1]
<El-Cideon> The mother worm shudders from the impacts but barely clings to life!
<El-Cideon> OOC: M and E. M is sickened, remember.
* Eliaphas keeps up his fire, the last two bolts in his quarrel being launched at the red worms to try and put at least one of them down!
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+19 vermin bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+19 vermin bane and gets 32."12 [1d20=13]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+14 vermin bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+14 vermin bane and gets 25."12 [1d20=11]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch target if killed
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 switch target if killed and gets 30."12 [1d10=7][1d6=2][1d6=1][4d6=5, 3, 2, 4]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+6+1d6+1d6+4d6 and gets 33."12 [1d10=5][1d6=5][1d6=3][4d6=3, 2, 5, 4]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 38/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 38/102, Madeline: 44/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > red worm = black worm x2 >  bloodworm mother'
<Madeline> Madeline backs up a step and unleashes more arrows into the heaving primary worm, switching to the smaller ones only upon it being vanquished!
<El-Cideon> Transfixed with sizzling bolts, one of the guard worms collapses in a heap of noxious fluids, while the other writhes in pain!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rs ms
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rs ms
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rs ms and gets 36."12 [1d20=15]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rs ms and gets 40."12 [1d20=19]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+16
<Madeline> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+16 and gets 18."12 [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+11 and gets 22."12 [1d20=11]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 crit
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 crit and gets 23."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but the 18 hit anything here
<Madeline> roll 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 27."12 [1d8=7][2d6=3, 4][1d6=3][1d6=4]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 26."12 [1d8=6][2d6=6, 2][1d6=4][1d6=2]
<Madeline> roll 2d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6 crit
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 2d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6 crit and gets 41."12 [2d8=6, 8][2d6=5, 3][1d6=4][1d6=3]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 24."12 [1d8=2][2d6=6, 6][1d6=1][1d6=3]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 33."12 [1d8=7][2d6=6, 6][1d6=6][1d6=2]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 38/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 38/102, Madeline: 44/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Kisantha > Madeline = Eliaphas > black worm '
<El-Cideon> Madeline's storm of arrows fells foes left and right! The guardian worms fall, as does one of the black, and the verminous matriach thumps to the ground with boneshaking force! The last remaining worm continues to bite away at Kisantha with no thought to self-preservation!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 and gets 22."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> ...To no avail!
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12 fort first
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12 fort first and gets 24."12 [1d20=12]
<Corben> Beyond the ability to reason in his current state, Corben hacks the worm to pieces.
<Corben> roll 1d20+22
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+22 and gets 42."12 [1d20=20]
<Corben> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 and gets 19."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
<Corben> roll 1d20+22 just die
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+22 just die and gets 35."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hit and a crit
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 threaten on 15
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 threaten on 15 and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: two crits!
<Corben> roll 4d4+32+4d4+32+2d6 fire
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 4d4+32+4d4+32+2d6 fire and gets 98."12 [4d4=1, 2, 2, 4][4d4=4, 4, 3, 4][2d6=5, 5]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 38/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 38/102, Madeline: 44/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24| '
<El-Cideon> Bits of worm fly everywhere as Corben hacks his opponent into unrecognizable chunks of meat!
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Madeline> Madeline fumbles for a potion, intending to drink it swiftly. The healing is nice, but the delicious taste might clear away some of her illness, as well.
<Madeline> roll 3d8+5 CSW
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 3d8+5 CSW and gets 17."12 [3d8=6, 1, 5]
* Madeline changes topic to '6Corben: (31) 38/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 38/102, Madeline: 61/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24| '
<El-Cideon> Kisantha looks down at her soiled, torn and singed uniform in disgust. "We simply *must* go for a bath after this, I insist."
<Eliaphas> "The amulet should be here?" Eliaphas grunts, stepping over the filth and ichor, casting detect magic to see if anything stands out so he doesn't have to go rooting through it all.
<Corben> "After this," Corben mutters, searching for his working wand and offering it to Eliaphas. "Yours broke, didn't it?"
<El-Cideon> Eliaphas finds a large number of magical signatures in the cavern--ten of them, in fact, spread throughout the filth. Also, in the aftermath of the battle, a voice speaks up from the far end of the cavern. It's a young girl's voice, afraid and alone: "W-who is that? Is someone there?"
<Eliaphas> Distractedly taking the wand, thoughts of healing or casting magic are turned aside by the voice of a possible innocent. "We're here," his scratchy voice calls towards the end of the cavern, advancing forward with his glowing bayonet for illumination.
<Madeline> "A child?" Madeline glances down the cavern, and steps gingerly towards it.
<El-Cideon> The speaker is not immediately discernible, but there's a great deal of garbage strewn about throughout the muck--tattered clothing, broken weapons, other trash. From beneath one particular heap: "Pick me up, please! I can't move."
<El-Cideon> Watching with a frown, Kisantha toes through the cavern and starts to gather a variety of objects radiating magic.
<Eliaphas> Wondering if it's a sentient artifact, Eliaphas girds himself and reaches through the deritrus, shifting it around to try and find the source of the voice.
<El-Cideon> A moment's digging unearths a simple doll. It wears a checked blue dress and is in overall poor condition, soiled all over from the foulness of the cavern. Despite this, there is a friendly and welcoming aspect to its expression: its mouth is a gentle smile in a line of red thread, eyes concentric spirals in black, hair a disordered mop of brown felt strips. The doll's arms and legs are missing and stuffing spills from where the limbs were torn away. It would stand about a foot in height were it intact.
<El-Cideon> The doll speaks, with what sounds like rushed and grateful breaths, though obviously it can't breath: "Oh, thank you! It was dark for so long and the skeletons came by sometimes and they just ignored me and there were worms and--" The tiny construct sobs tearlessly.
<Madeline> "It's, um, okay. We can take you out of here," replies Madeline. "What's your name? Um, if you have one."
<El-Cideon> "Marcy," the doll gratefully replies.
<El-Cideon> OOC: you can roll K:A here, M
* Corben rubs at his eyes in disbelief, before he shakes his head heavily.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+11 sure
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+11 sure and gets 15."12 [1d20=4]

PM to Madeline:

<El-Cideon> You think it's a soulbound doll. These minor constructs serve varied purposes, but all have one thing in common: they demonstrate more personality than most constructs by virtue of requiring the sacrifice of a living creature during their creation. The doll's persona can generally be regarded as a fragment of the being it originated from.

<Eliaphas> Strange as it may be, the voice tugs at Eliaphas's gnarled old heartstrings, and the thought of spending years stuck down here, while not as bad as some other fates in Mistvalken, is still unpleasant. "We will leave, yes," he confirms, setting his crossbow on his hip now so he can pick up the doll and look for any trace of its limbs.
<El-Cideon> Kisantha strolls over to peek at your discovery. "What's--oh, cursed light!" The demon immediately loses all composure and turns away in a flurry of infernal profanity that makes your ears sting.
<El-Cideon> The doll shudders in your hands and wriggles desperately, but its capacity for movement is nil in its present condition. "Noooo!" it sobs. "It's her! Keep her away! Don't let the library lady hurt me again!"
<Madeline> Madeline purses her lips. "Can I have an explanation?" she asks, turning to Kisantha.
<El-Cideon> Eliaphas finds no immediate trace of the doll's missing limbs.
<Eliaphas> Then he'll settle for hearing whatever thrilling lie Kisantha concocts to make herself sound better.
<El-Cideon> Kisantha sighs, more with open irritation than anything else. "It was a very long time ago. Before you leap to any unfortunate conclusions, *I* didn't create this unfortunate creature." She rubs her forehead for a moment and attempts to regain her composure as she continues. (more)
<El-Cideon> "Immediately upon finding myself trapped in Mistvalken, I set to finding someone I could turn to my will to aid in some future attempt at upheaval and escape. The Duke's daughter possesses what I can only call an exceptional appreciation for the female form, so I thought her ideal for this purpose."
<El-Cideon> "The young Lady Stanja was subject to, shall we say, poor impulse control? Most of her mortal playmates met sudden and brutal ends, so the Duke created for her a companion that wouldn't arouse her bloodlust. It worked, and it was obvious to me that this confidant would need to be removed before I could mold Stanja into a proper tool of liberation. Regrettably, Cain and Mary properly counciled Stanja not to trust me forevermore, and it was all for naught in the end."
<El-Cideon> With a glare towards the doll: "So you can cease your piteous wailing! It would hardly avail me to throw you down the refuse chute again."
<Eliaphas> Now Eliaphas just sighs. "Perhaps if repaired and cleaned, she might occupy Lady Stanja to allow us to bypass her?"
<El-Cideon> "Perhaps," Kisantha says clinically. "I couldn't say where the arms and legs wound up. I'm surprised we found this much of her intact. Most of what goes down the refuse chute gets routed to the central disposal pit."
<El-Cideon> "I don't credit Stanja with a great deal of intelligence, however, so it could prove a worthy distraction," she adds.
<El-Cideon> "I don't have arms and legs because you tore them off!" Marcy shouts back, adding with a wail, "She said I was in her way. I never did anything to her!"
<Corben> "I'm not a dollmaker," Corben finally speaks. "Are any of you?"
<Madeline> "Don't be ridiculous," scoffs Madeline. "I never played with dolls, let alone make them." She glances at Kisantha, tapping the side of her head.

PM exchange between Madeline and Kisantha:

<El-Cideon> "Yeeees?"
<Madeline> "We need to split up anyway. I don't think she'll be terribly inclined to help us if she thinks we're comrades. We might as well make a show of breaking up now so that she thinks we've taken her side."
<El-Cideon> "It doesn't need to be *much* of a show. She is mentally a young girl, after all." A sigh. "I can't come with you anyway, without an amulet. The doll might pass the barriers unnoticed, I suppose. Very well. I'll retreat to the baths if you find you have need me. They're in the east wing, just north of the guest quarters. I'll do what I can to dodge Maxwell's attention, but I cannot hide forever. Don't take too long upstairs. And I entreat you to hold to our arrangement if I fall before you return."
<El-Cideon> "As a final warning: Maxwell will not be at all happy about being excluded from your raid on the tower. If you ignore him, you *will* have to deal with him afterwards. Which I highly encourage anyway as he's a pretentious little twit, but do take account of this in your plans. If he's kept tabs on us at all, someone may be waiting for you at the tower's foot."

<Eliaphas> "Just apologise to her, Kisantha," Eliaphas requests simply to cease the arguments. "Everyone can sew, and there's enough fabric around Mistvalken to imrpovise new limbs, then she'll be presentable for her Lady once more."
<El-Cideon> "I cannot claim this among my skills," Kisantha says. "Perhaps my servants. They can make clothes, at the least, so why not? For now, perhaps this will help her assuage her wounded dignity?" Kisantha steps forward and waves a hand over the doll. Marcy is still torn and ragged afterwards, but at least she's clean.
<El-Cideon> "And frankly I don't see what I have to apologize for," Kisantha says. "I have only ever done what was necessary for me to survive until an opportunity for escape arose. Any one of you trapped here would have done the same in my place. If it means anything, I regret that the entire effort was a waste."
<Eliaphas> "Fine," Eliaphas grimaces, just wanting to move on, "Has anyone found the amulet here?"
<El-Cideon> "Among other things," Kisantha says, nudging a pile of magical debris on the ground next to her.
<Madeline> "Why didn't you destroy her?" asks Madeline. "To be thrown down here for how many years is torture- can't you see that?" She sighs. "I don't think we can continue working together."
<El-Cideon> "Oh, really now," Kisantha says in open annoyance. "We're going to quibble over minor details in degrees of cruelty after coming such a long way as comrades? And you mortals call demons fickle and capricious! Of all the nerve!"
<Eliaphas> "All we've expected from Kisantha is her assistance. Expecting her to understand compassion is futile," Eliaphas observes, glancing between the two. "I hold no illusions about her character, but her help has been valuable. Are you sure, Madeline?"
<Madeline> "To be honest, she's an eyesore," replies Madeline. "I would never consider allying with such a creature under normal circumstances. Since I had no evidence of wrongdoing before..." She shakes her head. "Since we fought together I will not do as I would normally do with criminals. But I had better not see you again."
<Corben> "We're going to kill the Duke. That's all that matters," Corben states his own opinion. "We have three keys. What more work together is left? This is pointless."
<Madeline> A vein pulses in Madeline's forehead. "Anyway, we're done here. Goodbye, Kisantha," she states, moving to return to the upper level.
<El-Cideon> "Oh, fine!" Kisantha snarls at Madeline. "But next time you find yourself panting in dissatisfaction under another clumsy mortal lover, you just remember what you could've had!" With that, the succubus vanishes.
* Corben looks between Madeline's retreating form and where Kisantha had just been, before blinking.
<Madeline> "I have never been underneath anyone!" snaps Madeline. "Don't worry, Marcy. She's gone, now," she adds. "I won't let her hurt you again."
<Eliaphas> There's nothing for it now anyway... soon he'll either be dead, or have completed the only task to have brought meaning to his life. "Do you want to keep her yourself?" he asks, offering the doll out to Madeline. Considering giving it to Stanja wouldn't be very nice either...
<El-Cideon> "Good riddance!" Marcy cries. "She should go back where she came from and stay there forever. So..." She continues with an uncertain tone. "What happens now? Are we going to see Lady Stanja?"
<Madeline> "I intend to return her to her owner, like you suggested," responds Madeline, holding Marcy below eye-level and winking at Eliaphas. "She is on the way to the Duke, no?"
<El-Cideon> The little creature nods, about as much movement as she's capable of. "Her room's on a floor a little underneath His Grace's chambers...I didn't see His Grace much, after he made me, though."
<Eliaphas> Nodding at that. "Lets hope the undead allow us to leave peacefully, then. We shouldn't linger here," he remarks, starting back through the sewers.
<El-Cideon> The sewer tunnel immediately outside the cavern is empty when you return to it. It curves along back the way you came and continues in the other direction, out of sight.
* Eliaphas simply retraces their steps going back the way the came. And reloads.
<Madeline> Madeline can save identifying their equipment for a kinder location, one that doesn't eat at her very bones.
<Eliaphas> Then he stops to do some healing before they go through the miasma bit again!
<Eliaphas> roll 10d8+10 Corben
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 10d8+10 Corben and gets 41."12 [10d8=2, 3, 2, 4, 5, 4, 2, 4, 3, 2]
<Eliaphas> roll 10d8+10 Eliaphas
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 10d8+10 Eliaphas and gets 57."12 [10d8=8, 5, 3, 8, 4, 3, 4, 3, 1, 8]
<Eliaphas> roll 5d8+5 Madeline
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 5d8+5 Madeline and gets 23."12 [5d8=2, 3, 1, 6, 6]
<Eliaphas> roll 10d8+10 Corben
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 10d8+10 Corben and gets 75."12 [10d8=8, 5, 5, 4, 8, 7, 7, 7, 8, 6]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 137/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 95/102, Madeline: 84/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24| '
<El-Cideon> The group reaches the four-way juncture they'd passed earlier. Turning left here would take them back to the crypt. But first, the befouled air washes over them once again...
<El-Cideon> OOC: fort, all
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+13 and gets 15."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+12 and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> Madeline and Corben walk along as though nothing were wrong, but Eliaphas...something feels immediately amiss with his vision. The glare from Corben's helmet stings at his eyes and he feels it necessary to squint to avoid feeling pain from the light, at least for a moment.
* Eliaphas grunts and shifts his gaze to the sides, avoiding looking directly at any light sources lest they sting his weary eyes.
* Corben proceeds onwards! Those ex-wives better not try to stop him on his way out!
<El-Cideon> The undead are waiting for you when you return, though they've reversed formation: the blindfolded mummy (referred by Kisantha as Morin) stands opposite the bone pit and the two skeletons occupy the raised platform.
<Eliaphas> Seeing the undead waiting, Eliaphas merely announces, "We're done here. We go now to slay Duke Varas." If they want to get in the way even with that, they're idiots.
<El-Cideon> "You return," the ex-duchess rasps. "We are impressed. We expected to pick your bones from the cavern. So be it. Your arms. Your legs. Your ribs. We need them. Our child needs them. We take them now, them and the keys you have collected. Duke's throne is ours to seize, not yours!"
<El-Cideon> From the pit, something rises with a great clattering--a massive humanoid formed from hundreds upon hundreds of cast-off, fleshless limbs, arms and fingers great columns of bones. A monstrous, misshapen head built from a patchwork of skull fragments roars silently, each tooth a fractured femur. It seems unfinished, lacking legs, but this doesn't stop it from scrambling out of the pit towards the heroes!
<El-Cideon> OOC: let's roll init and call it for the day
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 29."12 [1d20=20]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 Morin
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 Morin and gets 11."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+4 other mummies
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+4 other mummies and gets 24."12 [1d20=20]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 skeletons
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 skeletons and gets 17."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 bone monster
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 bone monster and gets 4."12 [1d20=3]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 137/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 95/102, Madeline: 84/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Madeline > Eliaphas > ex-wife x2 > skeleton x2 > Morin Varas > Hecaton'
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 32."12 [1d20=20]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 137/137 (-4/+2wis), Eliaphas: 95/102, Madeline: 84/96(-1wis)| Flame Arrows: 24|  Corben > Madeline > Eliaphas > ex-wife x2 > skeleton x2 > Morin Varas > Hecaton'