[IC] Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

An old friend...A new enemy...

That didn't sound good. At all.

So it wasn't a monster that Pylia ran into. It was someone. But who was that person? Maybe it was an old friend of hers? Even so...the fact that the doll proclaimed this person to be an enemy had Sylvia nervous. What in the world did the future hold? Would Pylia even tell her if she pried further...?

Sylvia made a mental note to talk about this with Buddy later tonight. Maybe she can ask the doll about this new enemy tomorrow?

After getting her answer, Sylvia put the doll away in the closet for safe keeping. After making sure that everything was locked and secure, she headed out to meet up with her friends, with her adventuring items in tow. She was ready to face the bad part of Gransys and find the Sewer Dragons.

She just hoped they didn't actually hide in the sewers.

[Lucius Cypher]

“Sewer Dragon live in sewers, yeah.” Shortfang explained as the group walked through the market. He tucked himself into Buddy’s backpack, partially to hide himself from the sun and others, but mostly because he wanted to. “Kobolds not wanted in humie city. But humie city safe, and even if humies don’t like kobold, no one wanna try and kill kobolds... Unless they find one, maybe two kobold. So kobolds live in sewer. Sewer Dragon tribe green kobold, not black like Shortfang. Shortfang ma is Sewer Dragon.”

Through the market district they went to a much more rundown looking waterfront district. There were a few docks here with boats, personal vessels mostly, but also scant few people around. A few stray dogs here and there, someone shouting in the distance, but nothing that seemed particularly out of place in the hustle of the city. If anything the fact it’s so much quieter here was more odd.

Walking along the docks you could see and smell a wretched stench from the ocean. Seemed that water waste that went through the sewers emptied out to here. There were even a few fishermen trying to fish up anything that might’ve been flushed down on accident, with a few fishermen with a small pile of junk and trash next to them. Eventually they would reach a small wooden door that had a foul odor emanating from it. Shortfang pointed at some scratches on a brick nearby.

“Sewer Dragon sign. Ma teach me. This sign says find Sewer Dragons here. Ready?”

Pylia didn’t seem to like this place, and wrapped a bitter smelling cloth in front of her nose and mouth. Better this than the scent of raw sewage. She handed one to you as well. It smelled like some sort of Chinese remedy and was almost as bad as the sewage smell, but with a hint of lavender. Something to off-set the stench. “I’m sure they have poison air down there, so this will help. But only for a little while.”

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia silently swore at the fact that they did indeed live in the sewers, but that sentiment went away at the mention that Shortfang's mom is a Sewer Dragon. So they were going to visit Shortfang's mom. She answered his comment smiling, "Really? Oh wow! So we'll be visiting your mom. I bet she'll be happy to see you again,"

Sylvia couldn't imagine any mother not being happy to see her child again.

She followed the others to the waterfront area. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the sewage and how it was dumped into the ocean. That probably wasn't good for the ocean. Soon enough, Shortfang pointed out the sign for the Sewer Dragons. She accepted the cloth and she answered Pylia, "Thank you. We should probably hurry if it won't last long,"

She then headed down into the sewers. Once reaching there, she'll have the lantern lit and lighting the way.

[Lucius Cypher]

The deeper into the depths you went, the more stale and vile the stretch of the sewers got. It seemed like every hallways you pass, a new, disgusting combination of scents would assault your nose. It was only thanks to Pylia’s medicated cloth that you could fight the urge against puking, and even so this place will make you lightheaded.

It was some time before the barrow stairs and hallways lead to a wider sewage system. Even then it still felt cramp; the ceiling was at most six feet at the highest, and that was at the center above where filthy muck water flowed. On the side wall ways, it was barely five feet. Fine for Shortfang, but you and the others had to suck a little. Shortfang continued to lead the way looking for more signs before eventually you two would come across as ghastly sight; a dead kobold, torn apart.

“Shit!” Pylia cursed at the sight. Shortfang was quiet however, and carefully examined the body. “Boss, missy, help Shortfang find who do this. This one Sewer Dragon. No one Shortfang know but... Maybe someone know him.”

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia didn't like being down here. She felt light headed and she was fighting the urge to throw up. She ducked a little as they made their way through the main sewage system. When they came across the dead kobold, Sylvia couldn't help but gasp at the sight. To see a body torn up like this along with the stench made Sylvia feel even more sick. When Shortfang asked for their help to find who did this, Sylvia nodded and answered "Yeah, we'll help," She then looked to the corpse and looked at the body for any clues.

Rolling them bones!

Gonna roll Survival on this one.

24

**Due to an error in recalling proficiencies, the actual roll is a 22, not a 24. Sorry for the mistake.

[Lucius Cypher]

With all three of your looking over the body, and Buddy watching out for any dangers, you all are able to discern quite a bit of information. With Shortfang and Pylia checking the body you look around for any clues and notice foot prints in the ground, stained with blood and water. Some were small, similar to Shortfang, and thus likely the kobolds. But others were bigger, though roughly the same three-claws shape. Bigger kobolds perhaps? Looking around some more you could guess there were at least three other things chasing after this kobold, but they didn’t all come at once. The kobold must’ve tried to put up a fight but got overwhelmed, which would explain why there was some blood splatter away from the corpse itself. As you looked for more evidence you find something else, rather disgusting but possibly important; some sort of severed claw. It was still warm and the blood was still red.

Meanwhile Shortfang managed to learn a few things too. “This one hunter. Know from hands; he use sling and dagger, like many kobold hunters. Young too, maybe five, six. Should not be alone unless... Unless fight too many. Ran away because scared, or split enemy.” Shortfang also managed to find a bone ring on what was left of his hands, though it was cracked and broken. “He have wife. She want this.” Finally Shortfang walked a bit away and looked around for something. Eventually he found a small stone with something scratched onto it. “Smart kobold. He know he dead, but make warning rock. This mean trouble ahead. They no eat body, so tribe must be fight back. Too dangerous for enemy to finish eat kobold.” Shortfang took out his crossbow and summoned Syfr.

As Pylia prayed over the body she also reported what she found. “Torn apart by claws and fangs. Like he was chased down by a bunch of rabid animals. Parts f him have been eaten, but the fact they didn’t finish the job likely means Shortfang is right, whoever did this couldn’t stay and finish him off. It seemed like who or whatever killed this kobold, they weren’t alone. There’s at least two, maybe even three creatures involved. Finally, they don’t use poison, but they are filthy. Diseases ridden rodents perhaps... Ah, if only we had more antitoxins.” Pylia sighed. Shortfang returned to throw the body into the sewer, in order to deprive any other creature the luxury of eating his corpse.

“Monsters ahead. We fight.”

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia took in the information she saw and what Shortfang and Pylia found. After they gave their information, Sylvia pointed out the severed claw, and she told the others, "I think our kobold over there managed to get a good hit in. I don't think this is his claw. Do you guys recognize what this claw belonged to?"

After the warning about monsters ahead, Sylvia answered her friends quietly, "Let's see if we can get the advantage of a sneak attack," She looked to Buddy and she told him, "Looks like you'll have to hang back again Bud," She then asked Shortfang, "Think Syfr can get a good look ahead Shortfang?"

[Lucius Cypher]

Buddy seemed to sigh hearing that he’d have to hang back, but takes up the position of rear guard nonetheless. Pylia and Shortfang looked at the claw and tried to figure it out. But it was Shortfang who realized what it was. “Dammit! Trogs. Ugly lizard monster. Stinky, with big teeth, big claws like this. They live in sewer too. Kobold fight them sometime but not war, but... Warning rock says war. Kobold war fight trogs... Why?” Shortfang pondered as Pulia armed herself. She looked over at you with a face of concern. “Do you think we should get involved? This might be more than we can handle.” Shortfang looked angry hearing this, stomping his foot down. “Shortfang no run! Ma is here! Shortfang fight for family!”

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia noticed the sigh, and she apologized to him, "Sorry Buddy," She then turned her attention back to Pylia and Shortfang as the both of them studied the claw. In the end, it was Shortfang who figured out what kind of monster they were dealing with. She looked to Pylia with a raised eyebrow while Shortfang protested. She reasonably answered both, "I understand where your concern is coming from, Pylia, but we can't just leave things as they are right now,"

She looked at Shortfang and continued her answer, "We are going to help the kobolds any way we can,"

She then suggested, "Let's figure out what's happening first, and then we can figure out what to do. If we can't do anything else or if the odds are against us, we can at the very least try and get the Sewer Dragons to a safer place,"

[Lucius Cypher]

Shortfang smiled. “Thanks boss! You strong smart. Shortfang take lead, show you way.” Pulia simply sighed as she adjusted her mask. “I don’t like the idea of leaving the kobolds to fight the trogs either, I just wish we knew more about what we’re up against. Not to mention, not entirely a fan of fighting in a sewer.” Without further protest the group sally onwards, going slow and stealthy in order to be ready in anticipation any ambush. Buddy stayed a good thirty feet back, far away enough that his own heavy footsteps wouldn’t alert the enemy to the party, but it did put him further away from a fight too.

Rolls and Info

Shortfang Stealth = 19

Pylia Stealth = 11

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia nodded at Shortfang's thanks with her own smile. She looked to Pylia as she made her comments, and she answered, "I'm not a fan of the sewers either, but the sooner we help them, the better. Don't worry, we'll figure this out," She then tried to stealth ahead as well. However the sewer and the light headed sensation seemed to work against Sylvia. She had some trouble breathing and had to adjust her own mask as well, but nevertheless, she had her quarterstaff ready.

Stealth!

12

[Lucius Cypher]

The party continued to walk, following signs Shortfang found, until they finally reached a somewhat wider area. Seemed to be a flood room of some sort, and likely recently flooded as the ground here was fairly clean though still stunk horribly. Shortfang kept his eyes peeled as he looked around the room, continuing onwards. Pulia also kept her eyes sharp though she could only see as far as what the lantern would reveal. Soon however they’d run across another body, this time a large lizard like being. Shortfang snarled as he raised his crossbow up. “Dead trog.”

Shortfang would go to investigate, seeing if the trog had anything on him when Shortfang helped in pain. “Ow ow ow! What?!” Suddenly the air started moving, no it wasn’t the air! There was something here! “Ooze Cube!” Pylia shouted as Shortfang was sucked into an almost transparent gelatinous cube, the acid burning his body and flesh.

Rolls and Info

Pylia (24/24) = 8
Ooze Cube (84/84) = 8
Shortfang (18/26) | Syfr (1/1) = 5
Buddy (31/31) = 0
Sylvia (21/21) = Roll initiative!

Shortfang Dex Save = 8
Acid Damage = 8

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia gasped as she saw what happened. Shortfang had investigated the trog body, only to be sucked into some kind of cube of slime! They had to get him out of there!

She shouted to Pylia, "We gotta get Shortfang outta there!" She then hurried over to the cube and decides to try and stick her arm in it and get Shortfang out. She winced as she stuck her arm into the cube and tried to grab Shortfang's and pull him out.

Sylvia's action

Taking the 3d6 acid damage to pull Shortfang out of there!

[Lucius Cypher]

Try as you might, the ooze surrounded your arms like a heavy cement, burning through your sleeves and into your skin. The combination of the sheer pain and the weight of the ooze prevented you from saving Shortfang, who was struggling to escape himself. "Dammit! Dammit!" She grasped her holy symbol and summoned forth her Silver Sword once more to try and cut Shortfang out from the ooze. Though the blade made a clear cut, the ooze simply reformed and continued to exist. Pylia cursed and summoned holy fire this time to try and incinerate the cube, doing as much as she can to damage the slime before Shortfang expires. But it wouldn't be enough.

The acid continued to eat away at Shortfang, burning his scales and skin. Try as he might the pain is too much even for him, and soon he passes out inside of the cube. Syfr was going crazy trying to find some way to get the ooze to release him, but all he could do was helplessly fly around, dropping rocks to do an insignificant amount of damage but hopefully distract the creature. However it made a move towards you, aiming to consume you as well. Hearing the fight Buddy runs as fast as he can, and seeing the cube as it was moving towards you he tries to run into the melee as well, seconds too late as the monster is upon you.

Rolls and Info

Sylvia (10/21) = 13
Pylia (24/24) = 8
Ooze Cube (72/84) = 8
Shortfang (0/26) | Syfr (1/1) = 5
Buddy (31/31) = 0

Acid Damage = 11

Sylvia is unable to pull Shortfang out from the Ooze Cube!

Ooze Cube dex save vs Sacred Flame DC 13 = 7
Sacred Flame Damage = 4

Sword of Defiance vs Ooze Cube = 7
Sword of Defiance Damage = 8

Acid Damage vs Shortfang = 23

Shortfang Death Save = 10, one pass.

Sylvia needs to roll a Dexterity Save to avoid getting consumed by the Ooze!

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia grunted as she tried to pull Shortfang out and she swore "No! Come on!" She kept trying to pull herself out, but it was like trying to pull her arm out of cement. Her eyes widened when she saw Shortfang fall limp in the ooze. She muttered "Nonononono! Shortfang, hang in there!"

She gasped when she saw that the ooze was moving towards her now! She tries to move so that it doesn't absorb her, but she isn't sure how well her evasive techniques would work with her arm in the slime...

If she was able to dodge the slime, then she would try to pull Shortfang and her arm out once last time, this time with a battle cry!

Sylvia's Turn

Dexterity Save: 8
Lucky Reroll!: 14

Strength Check: 14

[Lucius Cypher]

You were able to avoid the slime's attack easily, and at the same time you managed to pull Shortfang's unconscious body out and away from the slime. Seeing this Pylia says a quick word of prayer to heal him. "Good job!" Pylia summoned a ball of fire and hits the slime with it, causing it to sizzle. "Get away from that thing quickly! They're slow, but tough to take down!" As the fire struck the cube, it sizzled and continued to move onto you, trying to consume you since you were the closest at the moment. Fortunately you were able to avoid getting sucked in, though now you were separated from Shortfang. Shortfang had recovered enough of his senses to try and get a second wind, though the acid burns made it hard for him to even breath. Still he wasn't going to let that damn thing hurt you, so he pulled out his short sword and tried to stab the thing, uncertain if his blow did any damage. These cubes don't exactly bleed or scream.

Shortfang was still struggling to recover when Buddy charged the beast. His axe glowed with an awesome power as he hacked his blade through a large bulk of the ooze, causing audible sizzles. But his follow up stab with the other end of his blade seemed to caused even more damage than that, so much that the ooze started to violently shake from the damage. Perhaps it was in pain, or maybe Buddy's attack was just particularlly effective, but regardless he made sure to body block the ooze from trying to get to Shortfang as best as he could. He looked at you through the ooze, just straight through the ooze and arguably even through you. He had a very intense glow to his eyes.

Rolls and Info

Sylvia (2/21) = 13
Pylia (24/24) = 8
Ooze Cube (10/84) = 8
Shortfang (14/26) | Syfr (1/1) = 5
Buddy (31/31) = 0

Acid Damage = 8

Healing Word = 10

Pylia's Fire orb = 24
Fire Orb Damage = 8

Shortfang Second-Wind = 4
Shortfang's Shortsword vs Ooze Cube = 6/18
Shortsword Damage = 4

Buddy's Urgrosh vs Ooze Cube = 14
Urgrosh Damage = 17
Buddy's Ugrosh Stab vs Ooze Cube = Nat 20
Crit Stab = 33

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia hissed as she pulled out her arm. She was surprised that she could still feel pain in her arm after having it stuck in the slime's acid for so long. She leapt back as it tried to engulf her once more while her friends attacked it. She didn't answer Pylia's advice, because she was worried that if she did indeed get away from the slime, then it would go after her friends again, and she wasn't sure if they could afford any of them being engulfed again. At least Sylvia had been able to dodge the slime thus far, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to handle pulling her friends out again...

Then Buddy came up and used his awesome power once more to deal a significant amount of damage to the slime. When she saw his piercing gaze, she nodded to him, knowing what she had to do.

She took her chance and channeled the radiant energy to her hands. Once more, she tapped into her ki and summoned three orbs of light that all fired into the slime, each stronger than the last one.

Sylvia's turn

Sylvia will attack the slime with her Sun Bolts and will spend a ki point to fire two additional bolts

Bolt 1: 22
Damage: 4

Bolt 2: 23
Damage: 6

Bolt 3: 22
Damage: 7

[Lucius Cypher]

You fire your radiant bolts right into the gelatinous cube, the first one causing significant searing, and the second one burning a hole right through it. The thing was done for by the time your last shot scattered the remains, causing the cube to burst. Though you could feel a sizzle from the acid that splashed onto you, the burn quickly subsides, doing no meaningful harm. That being said, your arms were severely damaged, and Shortfang himself was covered in welts and burns. Pylia approached carefully, using her Silver Sword to poke at the trog, stabbing it for good measure in case it was alive somehow. Holding her hands together, Pylia created a handful of good berries, Half which she gave to you and half which she gave to Shortfang. "Here, heal up until the burns are gone. Do it now before they begin to scar!" Shortfang painfully ate his berries, the wounds on his body healing thanks to the magic powers in the fruits.

Rolls and info

Sylvia (2/21)
Pylia (24/24)
Shortfang (14/26) | Syfr (1/1)
Buddy (31/31)

The Ooze Cube is down!

Pylia creates ten goodberries. She gives you and Shortfang five. Each berry can heal up to 4 HP a pop.

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

Sylvia watched as the cube of ooze fell apart from the searing bolts. She hissed once more at the remnants that splashed onto her, but thankfully the pain subsided. Her arm was severely damaged and she was scared for a moment that she might not be able to use it again. Once more, Pylia came over with goodberries in hand. Sylvia accepted the five goodberries with her one good hand, while letting her severely acid-burned arm rest. She nodded in response to Pylia's advice and popped all five berries into her mouth at once. After eating the berries, she felt rejuvenated and she could feel her arm heal once more.

She thanked Pylia, "Thank you, Pylia," She then turned to Buddy once more and thanked him, "Nice job, Buddy! Saved our butts again," She then looked to Shortfang and she asked him, "How are you doing, Shortfang?"

She was concerned. After that, were there going to be more of those...oozes lurking about? Would they be able to handle another attack like that again?

Sylvia's info

Sylvia is going to eat all five berries, which will heal her 20 HP, and thus put her back to full health.

[Lucius Cypher]

Shortfang wiped himself down of the acid, hacking up gelatinous spit. "Ugh... Shortfang okay... Feel hurt, but alive. Can keep fighting. But we be careful now." At that moment, Buddy took out the notebook from his backpack and wrote a message loud and clear for everyone. Im staying up front. He seemed pretty adamant about this. Shortfang just chuckled softly. "Okay. Shortfang tough, but Shortfang don't wanna do that again." Meanwhile Pylia was looking on the trog body, not finding much except a belt pouch with three silver arrowheads and some sort of strange rock. It looked red and veiny, but otherwise it didn't seem to do anything. "Oozes... Next time we run across a dead body, let's be more careful with it. Maybe throw a rock at it or something. Everyone ready to move on?"

Rolls and info

Sylvia (21/21)
Pylia (24/24)
Shortfang (26/26) | Syfr (1/1)
Buddy (31/31)

You eat all five of your Goodberies, healing 20 HP.

Shortfang eats three goodberries, healing 12 HP.