DM Bigrin's Shattered Star (Group B) (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

"I'm all set to go. Fang is too."

Angelica straps her pack on, and makes for the boats. "We'll pair up like last time. Whiskers and I up front, the rest of you in the back boat. Then, we'll head downriver, just in case those damned water things returned like the boats."

"Agreed," Shabbezz nods, hefting her own pack onto her shoulders. "It's been peaceful so far, but its best not to make any assumptions about this place. Let's keep on moving."

The boats seemed stable enough as you boarded once again, this time turning downstream. The roar of rushing water grew louder, echoing off the cavern walls as the narrow tunnel opened into a huge chamber. The immense cavern was a breathtaking sight. Dozens of tiny motes of light flit and dance in the air, illuminating a vast cathedral-like cavern. A forest of delicate stalactites hangs down from the ceiling 30 feet above a dark pool of water. To the east, the water foams as it cascades down into a lower cavern, while to the south a low beach of white sand slopes up from the shore.

A seven-sided stone platform sits in the middle of the lake, mere inches above the surface of the water. A mooring post protrudes from each of the seven points of the star. A single glass statue of a beautiful woman stands atop the platform, one leg poised before the other as if she were preparing a running leap into the water.

Here's the map

Angelica eyes the statue warily, "Not the statue. The last two have been an issue. The ones above forced us down the hole, and the other one was trapped with the elementals. Go toward the beach." As they row past, she scrutinizes it as best she can from the boat.

Perception 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31 (+2 vs traps, and +4 vs stone like creatures)

Shabbezz grips the side of the boat and eyes the statue warily, but does as Angelica recommends.

"Yes, I agree that our track record recently with statues has not been good. Let's keep that one at a distance, shall we?"

Moving into the large cavern, you notice two things almost immediately. The first is that the current picks up rapidly, pulling your boats towards the cascade. The second is that the bottom drops off rapidly, soon becoming too deep for your poles to touch the bottom. With no oars, you are at the mercy of the current, and whatever skills you can contribute.

"Bad track record or not, we'd better moor there before we go over the edge!" Harbug starts trying to pole toward the island, and when the pole no longer reaches the bottom, he starts trying to use it as a level against the mooring posts to pull close enough to hold at one of them.
Strength check (if needed): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Shabbezz frantically looks for a means to halt the groups incoming descent over the falls.

I have an idea, but you all might not like it. Web spell, aimed between the statue platform and the cavern wall, right in the way of our boats. Even if it works, we're likely going to be grappled and will have to free ourselves.

I'm delaying Shabbezz's next action until I get a consensus. I don't want to incapacitate anyone if they're not willing or have a better idea. If I don't get a response in time, assume that she does nothing effective.

"Angelica, your grappling hook! We will have to risk the statue! Can you hook the mooring posts? then I can pull us in and then hopefully we can do the same for the others."

Don't worry about the web, I won't get entangled. Can't say the same for anyone else, though...

She is reluctant to comply, as their only option for safety does appear to be the posts by the statue, she does so anyways. Drawing the rope and hook pair quickly from her pack, she makes a weak attempt to catch one of the posts.

Move, draw hook and rope from haversack
Standard, try to hook a post, (grappling hook is a thrown weapon with a 10' increment) 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8 (-2 per 10' beyond first)

Unless someone objects, I'm going to cast the web spell tomorrow afternoon.

I won't object. I am back, though, and regular posting should resume

With Angelica's grappling hook missing its target, and the cascade coming increasingly into view, Shabbezz makes a desperate choice.

"Everyone, head to the stern of your boats! I'm going to stop us the only way I can!"

Casting web at the water elemental (CL5; Casting time: 1 standard action; Components: V,S,M [spider web]; Range: 150 ft.; Effect: webs in a 20-ft.-radius spread; Duration: 50 min.; Saving Throw: Reflex negates, see text; Spell Resistance: no). The area covered will be a 20-foot radius spread originating at the intersection of G-66, G-67, H-66, and H-67; see Magic section of the prd for image. This means that it will be anchored between the walls and effect the squares D-66, D-67, E-64, E-65, E-66, E-67, E-68, E-69, F-64, F-65, F-66, F-67, F-68, F-69, G-63, G-64, G-65, G-66, G-67, G-68, G-69, G-70, H-63, H-64, H-65, H-66, H-67, H-68, H-69, H-70, I-64, I-65, I-66, I-67, I-68, I-69, J-64, J-65, J-66, J-67, J-68, J-69, K-66, and K-67. Anyone moving into the effected area will treat it as difficult terrain and must make a combat maneuver check or an Escape Artist check as part of their move action with a DC 16 check. Creatures that fail lose their movement and become grappled in the first square of webbing that they enter. If you have at least 5 feet of web between you and an opponent, it provides cover. If you have at least 20 feet of web between you, it provides total cover. The strands of a web spell are flammable. A flaming weapon can slash them away as easily as a hand brushes away cobwebs. Any fire can set the webs alight and burn away one 5-foot square in 1 round. All creatures within flaming webs take 2d4 points of fire damage from the flames.

(tl;dr: The web will anchor at the column at I-64, J-64, and J-65, and the cavern wall at E-69, F-69, G-69, H-69, and I-69. Everyone who comes in contact with the affected squares without succeeding at a DC 16 combat maneuver check or a DC 16 Escape Artist or become grappled; anyone grappled can break free by making a combat maneuver check or Escape Artist check as a standard action against DC 16. Webs provide soft cover for every feet, total cover for every 20 feet. Fire destroys webs but hurts those trapped inside. See the descriptive text for the web spell at the prd for details.)

Also, "stern" means the rear of the boat. Maybe only the boats will be caught if you move to the back, who knows.

As the boat moved past the platform, Shabbezz cast her spell. Great strands of sticky webbing blossomed in thin air, making a net between the platform and the northern beach. Everyone moved to the rear of the boats, which mired themselves in the webbing. The gossamer strands stretched and many tore, but the boats were held fast. The rushing current and the sound of the cascade made it difficult to hear each other talk, but at least you were relatively safe for the moment.

From this vantage point, you can see beyond the platform and the glass statue to the southern beach. One wall there has a door set into it.

Here's the map

Shabbezz warily tested the boat with her weight, to make sure they weren't in danger of breaking free.

"Well...we've stopped." she says, looking up at the statue. "Is everyone alright? I don't know if we're safe, but I was gambling that this would at least be better than plunging into the darkness over the falls."

"I'm fine. I guess we should try that door on the far beach. I'll brave the glass statue; I have a few tricks that it might not like, in case it tries to attack. And if not, then I can make another stone bridge to get us all safely to that side of the cavern."

With that, he uses the gifts from Desna to avoid getting stuck in Shabbezz's webs as he pulls himself along the strands to make landfall.

Using Liberation Domain: May move normally in spite of magical effects that would impede your movement. It acts like [i]freedom of movement.

"All good here, at least there is no giant spider here too! I will come with you Zaph, in case the statue doesn't like you!"

With that, Jakscar climbs up onto the dais and draws a blade.

The moment Zaphomil and Jakscar stepped onto the island platform, the glass stature turned to face them. Closer in, it is evident that the statue - a golem of sort sort, apparently - has seen recent damage, as the glass was chipped and pitted in places. The golem shifted stiffly for a moment, then fluidly raised its razor-edged arms and prepared to attack.

Shaking his head in frustration, Zaph mutters, "Yep. We all called that one."

He then chants and gestures, sending a magic vibration at the glass creature, hoping to shatter it.

sonic: 5d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 6, 2, 4) = 18

Is movement on the boats still difficult terrain? I'm assuming yes.
"Every damn thing in here... She's damned sexy, but her place is a damned pain in the neck. Women!" Harbug growls, pulling his falchion from its sheath as he steps off the boats. He stops short of the glass golem and begins chanting in orcish.
Harbug waits until after Jackscar moves, then moves to I-61 and begins casting a spell (1 round cast, using this standard action and next round's standard action to finish). Kn. Arcana to identify most constructs; if successful priority questions are: DR, Immunities, Weaknesses, special attacks in that order.
Kn. Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Once her orcish 'mount' reaches land, Fang jumps down from his shoulders and grows again to her larger size.
Move to J-60 from Harbug's shoulders, change size to medium.

@harbug - Yes, movement in boats is difficult terrain

Stepping between Zaph and the Golem, Jakscar winds up a 2-handed attack and exclaims to the others. "Here we go again, can't we find one of those nice helpful statues again."

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Jakscar's Black Cat ability is back in play for the 1st hit against him.

Not my turn, just doing the check to see what she knows without Harbug telling her.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

"It's immune to most magic, unless you conjure something that just hits it or shatters it like glass, and it's definitely mindless. Our usual won't be great either--non-adamantine weapons will glance off it quite a bit but Angel look for its weak spots! Fang--cover me!"

Fang rolls her eyes at Harbug and 'huffs' out her nose.

"Aww, come ON! Give me a break with these things!" Waiting just long enough for Jakscar to get into a good position, Angelica nimbly hops out of the boat to dash past the thing to get on the other side. "At least I can find a weak spot on something like this." As she passes the glass statue, she pulls her rapier from its sheath and drives it toward an already chipped section, near the back of the knee.

Move, to M61 (can't flank yet, but it's still FF, so no AoO either), drawing Rapier while moving
Standard, attack with Rapier and SA 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 (yay! PF and new rules on crits and SA's), confirm 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23,
damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 (with crit 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7), and Sneak Attack 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Piling out of the boats, you endeavored to preemptively strike the creature before it could fully bear on any one person. Angelica got a good strike in, her claws sliding across the glassine surface of the golem before catching and tearing off a large flake. Zaphomil's sonic spell seemed effective, though the glass statue seemed to shrug it off before moving to the attack. A pair of scything attacks cut into Angelica, driving her to the ground in pain.

"Oh, of COURSE magic is useless against this thing!" Shabbezz yells while unsheathing her seldom-used crossbow.

She moves nearer to the platform and clumsily loads a bolt into the weapon.

Move action to draw the light crossbow.

Another Move action to move across the boats toward the island (H-62).

A final move action to load a bolt into the crossbow.

"Angelica!" Zaphomil shouts as he sees the beautiful burglar take a massive slam from the golem. He runs to her, knowingly crossing its reach and provoking an attack, but doing what's necessary to save his companion's life.

Move to M-60. Hopefully, this thing doesn't have Combat Reflexes. Then converting stone shape to Cure Serious Wounds.

Cure: 3d8 + 5 ⇒ (8, 3, 1) + 5 = 17

Zaphomil--I think those were its regular attacks, not AoOs...
Shabbezz--Acid Splash, as a conjuration, often works on constructs unless they have acid resistance or hardness (because it just makes a ball or real acid that you then propel at the target). I'm not saying I'm certain it will work here, but that it might.
Harbug finishes casting, and suddenly grows significantly larger--almost as big as the statue! With a roar he steps forward and swings at the construct, wedging his sword right into the crack Angelica made.
Finished casting Enlarge Person, move to take up H-60, H-61, I-60 and I-61, attack with Falchion.
+1 Falchion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25; Dmg if hit, enlarge person: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 3) + 7 = 14 Potential crit! Falchions are awesome!
+1 Falchion crit confirm: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22; Dmg if hit, enlarge person: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (2, 6) + 7 = 15

Fang steps in at the golem and harries its legs, with small, careful bites that seem more intended to annoy than to damage, but her heart is clearly not in this 'annoy not attack' strategy.
5-foot step to J-61 or K-61 after Jakscar (in case he moves), fighting defensively to assist Harbug's AC (so -4 to attack, +2 to AC; if Fang hits AC 10, grants Harbug +2 AC).
Bite, Fighting Defensively, vs AC 10 to assist: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 - 4 = 4

Acrobatics to move to L64: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Attack: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 2 = 26
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (2) = 9

With his flanking partner down, Jakscar clicks his heels to activate​ his boots and dives through the creature's legs. Coming up behind the creature he strikes at what appears to be a vulnerable spot.
"Get her out of here! Then we retreat to the boats, it may not follow us there."

Edit:- Not sure if Jakscar will count as flanking as Zaph isn't attacking and Harbug and Fang move after Jakscar. If so take 2 off the to hit and the damage (as no sneak attack)

Angelica lay on the ground, bleeding out, even as Zaphomil lunged forward to heal her. The little gnome grunted in pain as the golem's arm swept down and cut open his back, but he made it to Angelica's side and with a quick spell healed some of her wounds. The woman's eyes opened and she looked at him leaning over her, the monstrous glass statue in the background. Then, Harbug, now ten feet tall, slammed his falchion into the golem, drawing its attention. Great chunks of crystal scattered from his blow, raining down on those below. Jakscar and Fang tried to take advantage of the distractions, but the smaller cat couldn't land a solid blow. Jakscar's blow did land, though, chipping a small portion from the golem's leg.

The golem struck back at the newest threat, its blows hammering into Harbug. The keen edges of the glass arms bit deeply into the witch, showering his blood everywhere.

"Hang on, everyone!" Zaphomil shouts as he holds up Desna's symbol. A burst of healing energy washes over everyone on the island.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 2) = 9

Shabbezz raises the crossbow and aims at the golem as it attacks her companions, then suddenly thinks better of it. Direct magical attacks wouldn't work, but if the effect was conjured into existence before making contact...

Well, it was worth a shot. She lowers the weapon in her left hand and raises her right, accompanying the motion with a sharp word.

Casting acid splash (CL5, 35 ft.) at the golem.

Acid Splash: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Did the magical healing Zaph applied to Angelica last round not prevent the 1 bleed? Just wondering 'cause that usually ends bleed damage (and thus Zaph's channel might end it for Harbug as well this round).

Harbug screams in pain as the golem rakes a huge chunk of flesh from his side. "Fang! Distract it! Jackscar--can you get its back?["/b] he yells, and gets ready to swing once more at the golem.

The cat seems to smile, or at least bears its fangs much more plainly as it harries the golem.
Bite to Assist Harbug on attack vs AC 10: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Harbug's combat status doesn't seem to be working so I'm posting it here as well

Angelica bled before Zaphomil acted in the initiative order. Then Z healed her and the bleed is gone. After Z's channel, Harbug's bleed should be gone.

Angelica crumples under the fine edged blades of glass, deep rents in her flesh. She quickly, as far is she is aware from an unconscious state, wakes to see Zap leaning over her with concern. She stares up at him, winks, then takes a deep breath. She lays there long enough to feel his healing wash over her again, before steeling herself with a wink his direction. She hops up to her feet, risking another hit to try and do her part, taking up position across from Jakscar once again. She's still a lot weaker than expected, and wobbles as she tries to jump back into the fray, causing her swing to go too far off.

Delays, just until after Zaphomil goes
Move, to stand, provoking
Free, 5' to L61
Standard, attack with claw and flank 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 2 = 13

Sorry, I thought I had acted this turn.

Seeing that his attack has some effect, Jakscar carries on striking at the same spot, swinging his blade in wide arcs.
Attack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 = 20
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (1) = 10

@Angelica - given that you were unconscious for your R3 action, you can choose to use what you already posted as your R4 action, or do something different

Blades and claws skittered from the glassy skin of the golem even as Zaphomil struggled to heal the terrible wounds the creature was inflicting on the team. Even Shabbezz felt ineffectual as her cantrip barely marred the golem's surface. In return, the construct spun with a supernatural grace to land a pair of heavy blows into Jakscar, the serrated edges of its arms cutting deeply into the catfolk's arms and torso.

I thought I hit on R1, then it hit me the same round? R2 Zap healed me (after my turn) making me conscious, then on R3 I delayed and he channeled. If I'm incorrect, then I will stand by my action.

Did that include the reroll at -4 for my black cat ability? Sorry, it has been a while. If not then maybe against the next hit.

"Damn statues. Zaph can you make that bridge you talked of? It might not follow us off this rock."

Jakscar almost falls at the pain and shock of such an attack. Gathering himself, he strikes back in another two handed swing.

Attack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22
Dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (4) = 11

The acid splash attack was ineffective, and Shabbezz frantically racked her brain for some way to help take the golem down.

Suddenly she remembered the alchemical items she had previously bought.

Move action to retrieve a stored tanglefoot bag from her backpack.

Holding the bag of resin in her free hand, she steps from the boat around Harbug and onto the column, and then heaves the bag at the construct.

Move to J-62.

Standard action to throw the tanglefoot bag at the golem as a ranged touch attack.

Ranged touch attack (tanglefoot bag): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Angelica and Jakscar - you are right. RL has me scrambling just to post and I've been skimming over the updates. My bad.

Jakscar - 1st attack hit with the reroll. 2nd attack missed. I'll fix the hp totals with next update

I'd like to wait one more day(or less) and see what Zaphomil does this round before Harbug acts. If it's not up by tomorrow morning I'll post for Harbug regardless.

Sorry, I really thought I posted!

Jakscar's words make Zaphomil pale. "Whoops, I used that spell's energy to heal Angelica. I could give someone stronger than me flight, and he -- or she -- could ferry us over one at a time. But someone might die in the time it takes for me to cast it," he exclaims while holding up his holy symbol and channeling.

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 2) = 10