Chapter 3: Magically Delicious

Listen:+7

Random number (1,20) :

20

Alterith scowls at the dracen and the silverware until his companion replaces it. What he doesn't notice as he passes Rasa is the quick agile hands scooping the silverware back into a hidden pocket. But what the barbarian doesn't see, won't hurt their friendship as the dracen well knows.

Alterith eyes the flame elemental out of the corner of his eye, but that seems to be a contained entity, nothing like what lies below them...well, at least, it seems tamer. He looks at the boxes stacked on the trap door.

"Well...do we eat? I'll carve it." He hefts his axe meaningfully to his shoulder, the fire from the stove reflecting strangely on the gleaming metal.

Krytox follows Alterith's lead and pulls the morningstar from his belt. With all the weapons he lugs around, he has not yet found a good place to keep his new weapon. Taking it out requires a little more finesse than usual due to the chaos of the spiky end. He had scraped himself a number of times so far while practicing with it, but nothing too serious.

With his weapon now in hand he looks around the room making eye contact with each of his companions, the newcomer and Gendrew. A grin spreads across his face as he has a chance to recite one of his favorite Blackscale sayings. "Success is eating what you want and letting the food fight it out inside."

He was aware before he said it that no one would know what he said, but that didn't stop him from sharing part of his culture with them.

Listen: 5 + 1 = 6

Having properly tucked away all his new shinies, Rasa grins at the fact that his halfling friend was regularly oblivious to his surroundings.

"So I take it we're going after whatever this monster is?" Says the Dracen. "Based on what I know from my training, I have a slight feeling that it won't like the feeling of my gauntlet.... however, it also might make it very angry if i hit it. Shall we?"

Rasa flashes a grin at the firey eyes inside. they looked like something he's heard of on adventures of some of the higher ups in his former life. It'd be a nice thing to add under his resume if he ever went back.....

listen: 7 + 10 = 17

Philo catches the lizard man's eye and grins at his comment. "Unfortunately in this case the food is outside, and we're the ones fighting it," she says. All of the others seem very eager for a fight, or else just very hungry...perhaps some combination of the two. Her hand drops to the sickle at her waist as she thinks back to the spells she'd prepared for the day. Philo is aware her greatest potential usefulness most likely would involve healing the others' hypothetical burns, but she possesses a great curiosity to see the golem herself. "How can I help?" she asks.

Listen 12 + 8 = 20

Following the group in, Squin's head is on a constant swivel looking at all the things in the house. I wonder how many and what things have been animated to attack intruders. He chuckles to himself quietly recalling the cushioned chair trying to attack. Some are better suited than others. The centaur hears Krytox boldly say something in his native tongue, then is a bit surprised upon Philo responding to it as if she understood what the blackscale said. Interesting, I wonder if it will be exciting for Krytox to have someone understand his native tongue.

Following his companions' lead, the centaur pulls out his falchion. Previously blocked from view by the rest of the group, Squin is startled by his unexpected sighting of the fire elemental sitting peacefully in the stove. Obviously the rogue one isn't this one. His eyes trail to the stack of things on the trapdoor to the basement.

"So what's the plan?"

Listen: 16 + 6 = 22

Gendrew peers around the adventurers. "Don't worry about it," he says, regarding the fire elemental in the oven. "The poor thing is probably scared to death of my creation. It's downstairs," he adds, gesturing at the boxes and crates heaped on top of the trapdoor.

"When it started going out of control, I escaped up here and shut the trapdoor and put those boxes on top - I was hoping it wouldn't come out. It looks like it hasn't. Oh, if Andolyn were here, she'd know what to do..."

Seeing the group's intent, he cautions them. "Watch out, friends. It's big. Very big. I had made it so that two could feed an entire royal banquet. It's also hot! I'm not sure what lands you're from, but I doubt any of you like being doused in boiling sauces. So be careful! And... thanks." With that, Gendrew meekly rushes back around the home into the bedroom. Probably to cower there.

Alterith looks around at the group. "Well, any ideas? I say we have Rasa touch each of our weapons with his icy glove and see if that doesn't give us an edge. I'll go first and draw its attention so that you can come behind it."

He waits to see if anyone has a better idea, and if not he allows rasa to try and pass some cold to the edge of his axe, before shoving aside the crates and dropping down to meet his dinner.

Initiative:+4

Random number (1,20) :

1

Attack:+6

Random number (1,20) :

18

Damage:+3

Random number (1,10) :

7

"Huh? Rasa can enchant other weapons?" Squin stares down at his falchion for a few moments. "Would it affect the weapon if it already has some special ability already? Would the creature be waiting at the entrance? Whatever you do, just make sure in the end you're eating it and its not eating you."

The centaur just stands around as well waiting for something to happen. He stands ready to help move the pile of things off the trapdoor once everyone is ready.

A look of shock spreads across the lizardman's face when someone actually responds to his statement. It was obvious that Philo understood what he said. He isn't quite sure what to make of the fact that she understood, and maybe spoke, his native draconic. He is excited that someone else could understand him when he is unable to find the right words in common, but how did she come to learn draconic? It isn't something that many people on this shell spoke, much less heard. It was a mystery for another time though as Alterith suggested that they use the frost gauntlet to enhance all the weapons.

While Krytox had accepted the Dracen as a key part of their group, despite his disappearance for so long at the lighthouse, he still did not trust Rasa to hold a weapon against him. Old prejudices die hard, and it would take more time and action for the lizardman to fully come to trust Rasa. Instead of waiting for some sort of attempt to imbue his weapons with frostiness, he makes haste to remove the sacks and crates from the door to the basement. He takes a quick estimate in his head and decides that he must weigh in the same range as the barricade, so as he removes each bit he steps more and more onto the door. This way, if the golem tried to get out, there would still be adequate resistance. Additionally, it would be much easier for him to jump off the trap door for quick entry into the basement by the group. He looks up every now and again to see how the progress is coming with the magic, but mostly keeps to his task.

Peering at the fire elemental in the stove, Philo wonders if it could be put to use against the golem. That would really be fighting fire with fire, she thinks, glancing doubtfully down at her wooden shield, skeptical of its utility as defense versus burning sauces. She hangs back a bit as the lizard man begins to clear off the trapdoor and the others ready their weapons. Her experience fighting as part of a group, Philo realizes abruptly, is rather limited. She had of course trained with several other druid apprentices, but they had not been nearly such a...well, diverse band as this. Besides, even amongst the other druid trainees she had been set apart, as the only half-elf among them. She decides at present to let the others take the lead when confronting the golem, and to follow their cues.

"I would love to give us all the edge with frost, but unfortunately the only thing frosting your weapons would do would be making them more brittle. We need every edge we can, so I feel that would be the worst idea. Just do your best to surround the beast, and don't get burned. Plus, I have a feeling that the giant monster may not have similarity to the fire elemental, so might not be weak against frost anyway. Just be on your edge."

Rasa gets ready to join the group in the charge down. He waits for Alterith to go down first, as that is what the Halfling was best at, rushing in first... while contrary to Rasa's normal battle strategies, he learned to adapt. Regardless of how quick he is to move, he makes sure he is the last one down.

Initiative: 8+4=12
Attack: 17+0=17
Damage: 4 + 3(frost)

Alterith shrugs, magic has never been his strong point, but he does agree with Rasa's assessment that extreme cold can make a blade more brittle. Ah well, his axe can serve as a large cleaver to cut the calzone into bite size bits. He does think the animating elemental will convey some of its heat propensity to the new body, but Rasa tends to be the better strategist. His axe is what he knows.

His mind settled, Alterith clutches the axe tighter and immediately feels a familiar presence begin to surge forth. Odd...there is nothing here to bring him anger, but Bloodlust seems to be dissatisfied with hanging in the background. Perhaps the axe itself calls him forward. However, the mental battle is short lived and Alterith retains a firm control of his body. As soon as Krytox has cleared the area of obstruction, Alterith prepares to leap into the hole, axe swinging. He crouches at the edge of the trap door and nods his readiness to Krytox. However, right before Krytox moves he spies a number of bags of flour and holds up his hand to halt the blackscale. He turns to the chef.

"I know that flour tends to cause liquids to gum up and become solidified. Perhaps dropping a few open bags down there will dry up the calzone and slow down its movements. If nothing else, it should at least offer us some cover going through the hole. We should be able to see it alright as its a giant calzone, but perhaps it will miss us entering." He looks to the chef and Rasa and the new member of their group for confirmation or denial.

If they agree he will slash the bags, and dump them through when Krytox moves, if they don't think it is a worthwhile idea then he shrugs and drops through the opening to meet his dinner.

Initiative:+4

Random number (1,20) :

18

Attack:+6

Random number (1,20) :

15

Damage:+3

Random number (1,10) :

10

Gendrew is no longer in the room to hear Alteith's thoughts, but they seem logical to the group.

Everyone suppresses their nervousness as the trapdoor is lifted open. Disappearing into the gloom below are sturdy-looking wooden stairs. From their perspective, the group can see that the very dimly-lit room below stretches out from the stairway past a point they can't see. The parts of the downstairs wall they can see are lined with shelves with all kinds of shapes of containers - probably more culinary supplies.

From an unviewable part of the pantry downstairs comes loud crashing, banging, and thumping. It's definitely down there, and whatever it's true form... it must be big. Fwompf! The group flings sacks of flour down the staircase, with a lot of it spilling over the sides. The ruckus downstairs continues.

After a few more minutes, Alterith steps down the stairs into the gloom, followed by the party. What they see astounds them - a massive humanoid-shaped blob of baked dough, seeping with red pasta sauces and oozing with melted cheese on various parts of its body. The head is molded directly into its shoulders (no neck), and it has no discernable facial features besides a messy swirl of pasta sauces and bubbling cheese. Its limbs are not well defined, but thick and powerful. It saunters around, break apart shelves, scattering ingredients all over the floor and walls - the dry ingredients leave dusty clouds in the air as they are flung about.

The creature does not seem to notice the adventurers. So far, it moves with the slowness of a zombie, but with the power of a dire bear.

ooc: Give me an exact marching order, please, along with how many squares are between each character. Anyone who wants to engage the calzone golem, roll Initiative and state your actions! If you've listed them already, just give me a confirmation that you're still doing those actions. Thanks!

Seeing the flour have little effect, Alterith shrugs and leads the way down. Running between the things massive legs, he takes advantage of the opportunity to slice deeply into one of the giant supports, though the initial cut is little more than a scratch to the beast.

Alterith is leading the party, marching order is laid out behind him -Krytox, Squin, Philo, Rasa...if I'm missing someone just add them in between Squin and Philo. I think we wouldn't have more than a square between us at most. Alterith is attempting to circle around the creature to flank it, similar to his tactic with the imp (if space allows). Walking through it's legs is purely flavor text. However, I am waiting till it turns away from us and then attacking it from behind since it isn't reacting to us yet. I am trying to move myself in front of it to draw its attention.

Krytox breaks into a run shortly after the halfling. They reach the golem at about the same time, though the small barbarian got his attack in first. Upon getting within striking distance, the smaller and more nimble Alterith - or is it Bloodlust, one can never tell in battle - skirts through the monster's legs. Krytox veers to the right of the creature, leaving a clear path for the others following to throw or shoot other weapons without any obstruction. A familiar grin shows up as the lizardman knows he is able to truly test the new weapon he had acquired.

Initiative: 1 + 3 = 4
Attack: 14 + 7 + 1 (wpn) = 22 (add flank bonus if applicable)
Damage: 5 + 6 = 11

ooc: once I have a map, I'll post the exact location to which I plan on moving

Pulling out his falchion, Squin moves in after the lizardman. Seeing the halfling darting for the other side of the creature, and the lizardman veering to the right, the centaur moves off towards the left of the creature. The centaur is nervous, fighting a large creature in a fairly confined area ... especially considering that not being fully developed, the centaur cannot take a massive hit and survive. Unsure of the creature's reaction, the centaur attacks tentatively, focusing on avoiding or parrying any attacks from the creature.

Init: 14 + 4 = 18
Attack (if needed): 9 + 3 - 4 (fighting defensively) + 1 = 9
Damage (if needed): 6 + 2 + 1 = 9

OOC: Edited to adjust for using +1 (melee) weapon. Though more than likely, I missed ... not even close, but not horrible.

Trailing the party from the rear, though making sure to keep up, Rasa heads straight towards the beast. He throws his spiked guantlet straight at the creature, with no mercy intended. The faster the party destroys it, the less harm it can cause.

Use the numbers from above:

Initiative: 8+4=12
Attack: 17+0=17
Damage: 4 + 3(frost)

Alterith wastes no time in running up to the calzone golem, undaunted by its size, to deliver a blow against it. His axe strikes true, cutting a deep gash in the calzone golem's doughy, meaty torso. Boiling hot pasta sauces gush out of the... wound?... splattering all over the halfling. The sauces smell delicious but burn and sizzle on the halfling's skin. 1 fire dmg @ Alterith

Seeing his companion in danger, Squin rushes in past Krytox to one of the creature's sides and attacks, but misses. Rasa does the same, nimbly maneuvering past his slightly slower companions to deliver a punch against the golem. The cold energy from the gauntlet creeps onto the doughy surface of the golem, covering it in frost. The group notices that its actions seem slightly more sluggish.

The calzone raises its thick, stumpy arms and brings them down on Alterith. One of them makes contact, delivering a thudding blow to the halfling. 4 blunt dmg + 2 fire dmg @ Alterith

Krytox follows up with a blow from his morningstar, with the blunt head of hte weapon smashing and sinking into the creature's doughy flesh before the underlost rips it out again. More sizzling sauces splatter the group. 1 fire dmg @ Krytox, Alterith, Squin, Rasa


Alterith B-2, Rasa B-4, Squin A-3, Krytox A-2, Philo B-1

With a howl of rage Bloodlust surges forward and seizes control. Fire is his element as is blood, and here we have both...sort of. Rather, the blood is fire. The burns cause welts to rise over the exposed surfaces of his skin, but the paint quickly subsides as the rage becomes all inclusive. With a frenzy unmatched by any but a true rager, Bloodlust brings the axe to bear in quick rapid strikes. There is no more dodging, no more agile maneuvering or skill. His blood pumps pure adrenaline to his muscles which suddenly draw his skin taught across them and his pain is suddenly dulled allowing him to operate beyond what he would normally be capable of. It is now his fury against the might of the calzone. His axe becomes a blur as pieces of the monster fly about the small area. He abandons all grace, catching chunks with his mouth as they pass within reach and tearing them away like a wild animal. The juices burn his mouth and tongue further, but this only fuels his rage and drives him on. Nothing will stop the demon within him now except the fall of one titan or the other.

Those that have traveled with him recognize the strange gleam that comes to Alterith's eye, as well as the rage in the scream that he utters, but to the newest member of the group it comes as a complete surprise. Can this terror before them really be any better than the golem they came to fight?

Bloodlust -Rage
+2 attack, +4 life, +4 str, +4 con, -2 ac (I think?)
Attack:+8

Random number (1,20) :

19

Damage:+5

Random number (1,10) :

1

The feral nature of Alterith lets the group know that Bloodlust had now taken over. Krytox also knows better than to get between the crazed halfling and whatever he is attacking. Given that information Krytox tries to stay on the opposite side of the golem from the barbarian. He ducks underneath a swipe of the large doughy arm of the creature in front of him. Small bits of crispy crust crumble onto his back as he makes his way through the cellar. The lizardman dodges past attacks from Squin, reaching his destination as far from Bloodlust as possible to give him as much space as possible.

He finally finds an opening as the golem is distracted by everyone else's attacks and swings for the creature's midsection.

Attack: 10 + 7 + 1(wpn) + 2(flank) = 20
Damage: 4 + 5 + 1 = 10

ooc: moving to A4. please add any other bonuses that apply

Unversed as yet in their fighting styles, Philo holds herself back, giving her a chance to observe her companions so she doesn't accidentally hinder their efforts. Her position on the stairs allows her largely to avoid the the spray of burning sauces which shower the rest of the group. At first glance, the damage from the spattered sauce looks minimal, but then the halfling appears to go completely berserk. She gasps in surprise and no little dismay. "What happened to him?" she calls to the others imploringly, descending the last step into the cellar (move to A1).

Her concern about the halfling's state of mind affects her own as she quickly grabs one of her darts and launches it at the golem. Distracted, her aim is poor, and the dart sails harmlessly past the calzone creature and pierces one of the few uncrushed barrels.

Initiative 16 + 1 = 17
Attack 2 + 2 = 4
Damage (ha) 1 + 0 = 1

As the hot sauces / blood splatter upon him, the centaur lets out a brief and quick yell of surprise and pain. Hurriedly Squin wipes off the burning sauce and changes his tactic. Realizing that repeated splattering by the hot sauces could take him out even he didn't get hit at all, Squin frantically searches for a way to stop or at the very least reduce the splatter. As cool as it may seem, the centaur knows that he is not trained nor capable of effectively blocking splattering sauces with his falchion. Seeing no real opportunity to attack from his preferred method (range), he hopes that taking the creature down quick would do the trick. The centaur's decision to drop the defensive stance and go all out is reinforced when he sees that Rasa's successful attack seems to have slowed the creature down and that the creature isn't focused on the centaur.

Seeing the creature's side exposed, or rather, what passes off as the creature's side, Squin rears up slightly and throws his weight behind his attack as he slashes hard at a downward diagonally motion at the creature. Awkwardly, the centaur immediately twists and tries to avoid any resultant splatter. He realizes that given his size, this is probably very fruitless, but none-the-less, Squin instinctively has to try.

Attack: 16 + 3 + 1(wpn) = 20
Damage: 6 + 2 + 1(wpn) = 9

Feeling the pain from the boiling calzone, Rasa questions why he's fighting something so ridiculous in the first place. But knowing full well that his allies would have rushed in anyway, what must be done, must be done. He attempts to plow his claw into the beast once more

attack: 3 MISS :'(

Alterith's eyes cloud over - Bloodlust has won. The mad barbarian hacks away at the calzone, chunks of doughy meat flying every which way, ignoring the burning tomato juices sizzling over his skin. 1 fire dmg @ Alterith, Rasa, Squin, Krytox

Squin also slashes the creature, gutting it all the more. However, more sauces spray free, burning the companions even more. 1 fire dmg @ Alterith, Rasa, Squin, Krytox Suddenly, the golem shudders visibly, hunching over slightly, as though violently ill. It then straightens up, and as though nothing happened, continues to amble toward Alterith - who engaged it first - seemingly slowed by the frost of Rasa's gauntlet. Plop, plop... plop, plop...

Philo and Rasa both miss their attacks, the dark elf dodging out of the way lest more delectable sauces sear his smooth skin. The former moves farther down the steps, her footfalls light on the flour-covered wooden boards.

The calzone sluggishly punches outward at Alterith, and the slow-moving but powerful appendage connects, thumping the halfling in the chest. Though still undaunted, the halfling now appears to be heavily wounded. 6 blunt dmg + 3 fire dmg @ Alterith

Krytox maneuvers into position. As he shoves past Squin, the calzone takes a swing at him but misses. The reptilian's morningstar falls upon the golem again. This time, even though no sauces shoot out of the creature, parts of its massive, doughy hide crack and burst open. The companions suddenly find themselves caught in a massive cloud of stinking doughy yeast. A wave of nausea threatens to overtake them! Philo leans away from the noxious cloud, but it doesn't reach her.

Krytox, Alterith, Squin, Rasa - please make Fort saves.

Bloodlust curses as he hits the wall, but it comes out more as a grunt as the air is knocked out of him. As he attempts to rise a grunt of pain escapes his lips. The dull throbbing from his chest means a few broken ribs at worst, heavily bruised at best. He spares hardly a though for the damage being done to his body in this altercation as he rises to his feet and again brings his axe to bear. There will be time to weep when the monstrosity is dead. As he charges back into the fray he is met by a noxious cloud emanating from the calzone. Perhaps its blood has all been spilled and it is now giving up its last "breath". He spares it hardly a thought and continues forward, coughing and gagging. His axe parts the cloud as it slices the air, but Bloodlust hardly notices whether it makes contact or not as he falls to the side retching. He manages to regain himself enough to watch the action before rejoining it himself.

Fort:+8

Random number (1,20) :

7

Attack:+8

Random number (1,20) :

10

Damage:+5

Random number (1,10) :

5