Round 3

[[ OOC: Taking Spira's Turn ]]

The Sergeant of Arvandor is relieved to see that Rash is reacting to the difficult situation and aims her Crossbow, shooting at the monster.

Darvin, meanwhile, would like to intervene, but finds no space.

Spira's Crossbow Attack: 10 Damage: 4 (piercing)

Round 3

The Crustacean Horror was about to try to tear Rash to pieces, when Spira's bolt slips between two plates and stings its wrist. The monster is more surprised than hurt, but it's clear that the party's barrage of blows is definitely irritating it!

The abomination once again devotes itself to the task of trying to tear its prey to pieces, which it already has tightly held with a pincer. It tries to use the other pincer to tear off pieces of flesh, while the tentacles near its mouth continue to tear at the skin...

Right Pincer Attack: 11 Damage: 10 (bludgeoning)

Plus, the tentacles force Rash to roll another DC 13 Constitution saving throw.

Round 3

But his anger hinders him more than it helps him and the right picker can't do much more than tear a few edges of the Wrestling Wizard's robe.

[[ OOC: But Rash will still need to roll his Con save for the tentacles - once one is grappled they don't require an attack roll ]]

Now all the party is up again for round 4!

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Rash Con save: 20

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Rash Con save: 20

Rash continues chuckle and to do his thing unimpeded. He swings his staff at the monster's head, with a bit of [spell]booming blade;magic[/spells]

Quarterstaff vs. CM
Attack: 19 Damage: 10 (magical bludgeoning, via magic weapon

If the monster tries to move away, it takes an extra 4 thunder damage

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Rash Con save: 20

Rash continues chuckle and to do his thing unimpeded. He swings his staff at the monster's head, with a bit of [spell]booming blade;magic[/spells]

Quarterstaff vs. CM
Attack: 12 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. (magical bludgeoning, via magic weapon

If the monster tries to move away, it takes an extra 6 thunder damage

I just remembered Rash should have a familiar... can we just have his owl swoop in and take the help action to distract the beast? If yes, attack roll #2

Attack: 10 Damage: 9

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Rash Con save: 20

Rash continues chuckle and to do his thing unimpeded. He swings his staff at the monster's head, with a bit of [spell]booming blade;magic[/spells]

Quarterstaff vs. CM
Attack: 12 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. (magical bludgeoning, via magic weapon

If the monster tries to move away, it takes an extra 6 thunder damage

I just remembered Rash should have a familiar... can we just have his owl swoop in and take the help action to distract the beast? If yes, attack roll #2

Attack: 8 Damage: 8

Well... he might be tough to kill, but it looks like Rash is flailing uselessly at the monster's shell. Oh well... at least he's keeping it busy.

Round 4

[[ OOC: Yes, Rash's familiar can Help. ]]

Indeed, the direct confrontation between Rash and the crustacean-like colossus seems to be a stalemate... neither seems to be able to get the better of the other.

Anita, frustrated, continues to find no way to contribute... and neither do Mival and Aidwyn. Dawnborn instead stands ready to support Rash in case of emergency... and Khelbluen to unleash crackling electrical energy on the monster - as soon as it is possible to do so without also hitting the half-orc ally.

Now Spira, Roxana, Darvin and Gaer are up!

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Round 4

Roxana, Gaer and Spira try to make good use of bolts and arrows, while Darvin stands ready to intervene if necessary.

Roxana's Shortbow Attack: 24 Damage: 6 (piercing) + 2 (sneak attack) = 8
Spira's Light Crossbow Attack: 7 Damage: 3 (piercing)
Gaer's Longbow Attack: 13 Damage: 4 (piercing)

Round 4

Of all, it is still the Shadow Archer who manages to penetrate the monster's defenses: a new wound near a shoulder causes a new small hemorrhage...

Furious by the combativeness of those he considered easy prey, the Crustacean Horror tries again to tear to pieces the half-orc prey he has squeezed in a pincer using the other pincer (and continuing to whip it with his tentacles).

Right Pincer Attack: 19 Damage: 11 (bludgeoning)

Plus, the tentacles force Rash to roll another DC 13 Constitution saving throw.

Round 4

The right pincer closes on Rash's right arm to detach him cleanly, but the monster is forced to desist from the intense and painful sensation of coldness caused by the defensive magic of the Wrestling Wizard!

[[ OOC: 10 damage end the Armor, 1 damage erodes the Arcane Ward, I'd say... So the monster takes 10 cold damage while Rash is uninjured, sheltered by his own magic. ]]

The monster, now not staggering from the pain, seems ready to fall at any moment...

[[ OOC: But Rash will still need to roll his Con save for the tentacles - once one is grappled they don't require an attack roll ]]

Now all the party is up again for round 5!

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Roxana shakes her head. "We hardly seem to be making any progress." But she again fires at the creature. 

(Attack: 25, Damage: 10 piercing + 5 sneak attack)

(OOC - Using Steady Aim) 

Round 5

As if to deny the Shadow Archer's words, her last arrow finds a gap between two plates near its neck and the Crustacean Horror collapses to its knees, letting go of Rash and spitting blood. The water around the monster has now become very muddy. After a final gasp, the abomination collapses to the ground, dead.

Gratz! Combat won! You may act outside of rounds now.

"Yeah, really..." Gaer jokes, winking at Roxana "I wonder why it took you so long to finish it!"

Meanwhile, Anita runs to check on Rash: "How are you? Are you okay? You even managed to wrestle that horror there..." she shivers, now that she can see the monster well "do you hope your hands become more legendary than Bigby's?"

Spira follows in Anita's wake with concern in her eyes, already reaching down into her pouches for bandages and stimulants.  When she sees that the Wrestling Wizard has managed to somehow survive being crushed in a five-foot-long pincer with no apparent injuries, she whistles.  "Or maybe you're trying to become more resilient than Otiluke!  You're sure there are no bones broken?  That was a mighty bout, my friend."  Her face becomes more serious again a moment later.  "But I'm ... concerned ... to find this creature here.  It looks almost exactly like the horror that waylaid us on the way to Aidwyn's investiture as a Dawnknight.  And it doesn't resemble any other being I've ever heard of before or since (Arcana in log: 5).  Nothing from the surface, anyway ... "   She says no more at the moment, but her face is thoughtful as she steps past Rash into the triangular room and begins a quick but thorough search pattern, first checking the back of the room for hidden exits or unusual features before returning to the pile of debris the Crustacean Horror was resting upon.  This she casts her eyes over carefully also, trying to gauge the likelihood that anything in it would be worth the time and effort of a further physical search.  If she sees anything at this first glance that is obviously valuable or unnaturally intact in a way that might indicate magic, she will put those items aside in a corner next the door before continuing.

===***===

Perception 3

Investigation 16

Darvin stays close to Spira for safety - just in case the chitinous horror decides to start moving again - but fortunately it doesn't.

"Have you and Aidwyn encountered a beast like this before!?" he marvels "If I didn't already know you were a tough one, dear, I'd have proof of it now!"

"Yes, I remember it too..." Aidwyn confirms, thoughtfully "Although I can't say if it's the same one we met or just another specimen of the same breed".

He then helps the Sergeant of Arvandor search and investigate and between the two of them they determine that the pile itself is just a chaotic pile of trinkets and knick-knacks of all kinds. Many must have been rotted and ruined by water, judging by the widespread dirt, but the metal and ceramic ones are still recognizable (shards of weapons, pieces of chains, broken mugs, fragments of colored plates). But beneath the pile of junk the monster must have hidden the loot it has accumulated so far! They are various coins, some of which are of great value: 10 pp, 10 gp, 12 sp, 17 cp.

Roxana looks at Gaer as immediately following her words the beast is defeated. "Well, it still took a little bit of work," she says. "And we'd have all been in much worse shape had Rash not done so spectacularly in holding him off."