DM Carbide's Kingmaker IC
Game Master John Woodford

Adam looks carefully at the map again, then looks sourly at the fae with a twinkle in his eye.

"I think we've wasted enough of your time here. Let's move on, at least until we have more candies or shinnies for the grigs."

After seeing Adam's unhappy look to Jacyn's comment, the half-elf decides perhaps it would be better if he didn't try to help in these kinds of situations.
I wonder what I said wrong?

No seriously, what shouldnt I have said? :P

Thank you.

It's considered rude to thank the fey. As well, I think (but not entirely certain) to directly compliment them.

Huh. So...anything else I should know to avoid putting my foot in my mouth? :P
Also, is this in all things Pathfinder, or just for griggs or what? Cause if its all fey, then my Pathfinder Soctiery GMing style has just changed, lol.
Also also, does that mean I shouldnt thank Simn for healing me when he does? :P

I think fey that have been accustomed to more general living conditions might not consider it so uncomfortable. Including gnomes.

Katya waits for a time as the more forgiving of the party talk with the fey. Her hands dug into her robes as she listens to the way Adam talks to the little creatures. Once Adam mentions leaving she steps forward for a moment, "One last thing if I may, would any of you happen to know where I might forage for supplies? Reagents and rare herbs and plant life would be best. Perhaps in trade for something?"

I'll talk about that a bit more in the OOC thread.

Katya, the dragon flits over to you and perches on your shoulder. "Hm. I don't use such things for my magic, so I don't pay much attention to them. You should talk to Bokken--he lives by himself out east of the trading post, but he sometimes comes into the forest looking for herbs and things."

With that, the party departs for the temple location, the high-pitched grig chattering echoing in their ears for some time (along with the occasional chord and what sounds like a few air races).

Havrin, you estimate that you'll get to the location marked on the map around two hours before dusk--with the time you spent getting to Perlivash and Tyg, and the time you spent talking with them, you didn't really get started until after lunch.

As the party rides along, Jacyn asks his companions, "Does anyone have any kind of climbing equipment? I've got about 50ft worth of rope, but thats it."

"I also have a length of rope, about the same length. Why do you ask?"

"Well the dragon said the place we were looking for was near a cliff, right? I was just wondering what the chances were that we would need to turn around and go back to Oleg's for climbing equipment if we get where the mark on the map is, and we can't get to it cause it's down a cliff or further up than we can get to on foot."

"I have 50 feet of silk rope. Plus a grappling hook."

"The temple was supposed to be near a cliff, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're in for a climb," Simn pointed out, "I doubt the builders would have wanted it to be too difficult for the faithful to reach. Then again, if defense was the prime consideration, it could go the other way. We'll have to see."

Sorry about posting so late on this. For some reason I was waiting for someone else to post, and work was also kind of frantic today.

The party wends its way through the forest, not pausing to explore but making for the marked location at speed. No hostile fauna takes issue with your presence. Havrin is able to bring down a couple of geese and find some fruit and a few mushrooms to supplement your rations.

At length you come to a craggy hill with an east-facing cliff, its base surrounded by dense brambles. Even without the dragon's directions all of you can see the broken ends of finished stone pillars protruding slightly from the foliage, their regular spacing a clear indication of something built by hands.

Hopefully no hostile flora either.

Ba-dum, Chhhhh!

"Do you think we should do some scouting before rushing in?"

Why are we here again? To clear it out and try to use it as a 'forward' base?

That was my original intention. I thought it might make a good site for a base if it was easily defended. Bea, of course, probably has religious ideas of her own. And since I am about to become a religious servant myself, I might as well support her on that.

Bea nods at Jacyn and speaks in a low voice. "Havrin, you think you could sneak quietly around the perimeter to scout it out, or would you rather we all go together?"

"Yeah, Bea. Let me go take a look," Havrin whispers his reply as he drops down from Stepper's back, handing the horse's reins to Jacyn.

Drawing an arrow and nocking it to his bowstring, the stoic ranger slowly creeps forward toward the broken pillars, eyes and ears straining for any sign of the bear mentioned by the fey creatures.

Stealth check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

As Havrin moved off, Simn had a look around to see if there were any nearby animals he might quiz about the vicinity. He didn't think he'd find out anything more than they already knew, but it certainly wouldn't hurt.

Havrin ghosts into the thicket.

Simn, the undergrowth is oddly quiet around here. No animals are visible.

Havrin makes his way back through the brambles as quietly as he can to report his findings to his companions.

Stealth check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

"The brambles are thorny and dense but fairly shallow - they end after about twenty or thirty feet," Havrin informs his companions in a lowered voice. "On the other side is a fairly large open area, perhaps 100 feet north/south by 150 feet east/west. The west edge of the space is a cliff face, carved into a somewhat eroded and moss-covered likeness of an elk, its head bowed. A flight of cracked and broken stone steps leads up to a cave mouth framed by the elk's antlers. About thirty feet in front of the base of the steps is a stagnant and filthy pool of water. I didn't see a bear, but I could hear occasional muffled growls from inside the cave, and some of the pillars have been scratched as if by claws."

"It's weird, but everything in the clearing seemed to shimmer slightly in my peripheral vision, but not when I was looking at it directly. The only solid thing was the image of the elk."

"Do you think we should try to clear a path through the brambles for the horses, or is that wasted effort at this point?"

Havrin, there were enough patches of rough terrain in the open area that it'd be hard to sustain a charge for any distance.

"The open area is still pretty rough terrain. I think we'll have to leave the horses here and go in on foot. I'll lead the way."

Havrin commands Stepper to guard the other horses before the companions enter the thicket.

"Bah!" Adam grumbles as he swats away a biting fly that had landed on his ear for a mid-afternoon snack. "That stagnant water probably isn't helping the environment much at the moment."

The six of you move into the brush, Havrin in the lead. When you reach the clearing you fan out slightly so that the three main combatants are now at the front of the party. It is as Havrin described above, and in case it wasn't blindingly obvious already this is a shrine to Erastil.

As you look around there is a sudden roar from the cave mouth. Stumbling into view from the darkness is a great gaunt grizzly bear, its fur patchy and greying. The air around it seems to ripple, as if the bear was hot as a furnace. It rears up on its hind legs and bellows a challenge.

Map at the start of Round 1 is HERE. The party is in the lower RH corner; hopefully all of the icons are obvious.

Initiative Order:
Simn
Jacyn
Adam
Bear
Havrin/Katya
Bea

Before the group moves into the thicket, Jacyn tries his best to convey to Smoke that should something come upon him and the other horses, they should flee.

Round 1, 20/20hp, 24 AC, no effects

Seeing the strange bear, Jacyn moves forward, putting himself between his friends and the large animal. He stands defensively, preparing for it to attack.

Move me forward-ish about 20ft please. Just enough to put about 10-15ft between me and the rest of the party. Total Defense. Shield is out, sword is not.

Well, lets see if I'm mostly useless in this encounter too.

Adam approaches the bear cautiously, but stays behind Jacyn. He bows to the bear with a courtly flourish.

"Hail, and well met, Master Bear. Are you the defender of this sacred temple?"

Diplomacy
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Daily Reroll
1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

"I'm fairly sure that's not going to work, Adam," Simn remarked as he cast a spell. While technically not offensive, he certainly wasn't going to hold off in hopes of reasoning with a creature they'd already been warned was unusual and dangerous.

Casting Bless. +1 to attack rolls and saves vs fear for 2 minutes.

Round 1 Init:6 AC:18 HP:21/21 Status:Bless

Bea moves up next to Jacyn, drawing her sword and standing at the ready. She stares intently at the bear, trying to determine its intentions.

Detect evil on Bear

Bea--the bear is well outside your 60' range.

Round 1 (cont'd):

At Adam's speech, the bear roars again in apparent pain, waving its paws around its head as though trying to ward off insects. It lumbers in the direction of the party, still growling.

Round One:

Havrin silently raises his bow and aims toward the approaching bear, but holds his shot to see if the creature proves to be hostile.

Ready action to fire upon the bear if it moves to attack.

Havrin's AC: 17
Havrin's HP: 20/20

Sense Motive for intentions or if he seems to be angry/annoyed with something other than us? 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"That's what you said about the wolf, too. And it actually answered. Although I could have been a little more suave just now."

Adam notices that the bear does seem to be trying to communicate, though it is obviously angry about something. He wonders if there's more afoot here than first meets the eye (as sometimes is the case when it comes to the gods and magic).

Sense Motive
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Adam goes on the defensive. Full Defense

AC 17+4=21
hp 14/14
status bless

Round 1 Init:4 AC:10 HP:10/10 Status:Bless

Katya hangs in the back of the group as they enter the temple grounds. Her hair stands on end as the bear comes into view and her eyes immediately flare up with arcane power as she holds out her hand with splayed fingers and intones, "Ickrak'ey arcaniss."

Katya's hand glows a soft blue at a steady rate as she reaches out with her mind to study the bear. She also takes a moment to say, "Beware of this bear, it is not... normal."

Ready action to Detect Magic on the bear if it moves close enough.

Jacyn and Adam, both of you are pretty sure that the bear's ire is directed at the party.

"That was me with the wolf, but I don't think that is gonna help in our current situation. It looks awfully mad. Katya, what do you mean about it not being a normal bear?"

Are we back to the top of the round?

Round 1: Final

The bear is advancing towards the party in a hostile manner. Havrin, you can take your shot if you wish.

Round One (final):

Havrin fires an arrow at the approaching bear.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Havrin's AC: 17
Havrin's HP: 20/20

Round 2:

Initiative Order:
Simn
Jacyn
Adam
Bear
Havrin/Katya
Bea

The situation at the end of Round 1 is HERE. Havrin, you missed. The bear moves with shocking speed for such a large creature, smashing obstacles aside in its single-minded focus on the party, and closes with Jacyn and Bea. It appears to be targeting Bea. I didn't get a good read on just how fast the bear could move with the Run feat, so I didn't realize until I went to update the map that it was on top of the party by the end of the round.

Adam looks around quickly, wondering if there is anything driving the poor bear mad, but he moves into combat anyway, striking swiftly with his rapier.

Perception
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 for 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1
Crit
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 for 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

AC 17
hp 14
Conditions bless

It looks like I can go up over Jacyn. One diagonal to the northwest, one to the west, one diagonal to the southwest, and flank the bear with Bea. If you can confirm this, add +2 to the above attack rolls.

Round 2:

Adam, I concur. You're flanking the bear with Bea, who will (assuming she survives the bear's attack :-P) get +2 on her riposte. You observe nothing that might be responsible for angering the bear.

Despite the bear's haggard and gaunt appearance, it is still surprisingly deft; nevertheless, you manage to strike it with your slender blade. The scratch you inflict, however, closes up behind your sword as soon as you withdraw it. That's a special effect for it having DR, incidentally.

Round 2, 20/20 hp, 20AC, Bless, Challenge vs the bear

Seeing the bear charge up to attack them, Jacyn draws his longsword. "Mighty guardian of the temple, we do not wish to fight you, but we shall defend ourselves from your attack."

With those words, Jacyn swings out at the bear.
Challenging the bear...
Attack 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 1 = 25
Damage 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7
Crit Confirm? 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 = 16
Crit Damage? 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6
If there is some way I can flank also by taking a 5f step, I'll do that, too.
Also, since Im now Challenging the bear, anyone else who engages it in melee gets a +1 to hit against the bear, as long as I am threatening it.

Round 2 Init:6 AC:18 HP:21/21 Status:Bless, flank, challenge

"It's cursed - he must have wronged Erastil somehow. We must end it."

1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 17 - attack
2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 = 13 - damage

Round 2 (cont'd):

Jacyn, you hit, and the slash you leave on its flank doesn't completely close up. The only way you could flank it with a 5' step is to move where Adam is or where Bea is; if either of them take a 5' step out of your way, you can do it next round. Hint, hint. The bear, however, ignores the threat you pose and goes after Bea.

Rearing up on its hind legs, the bear lashes out with both claws and bites at the paladin. One claw glances off her armor, but the other claw and the bite strike home. Take 13 HP, Bea.

Bea's return swing, unfortunately, fails to connect.

Havrin, Simn, and Katya, your actions?

Not to mention that their actions might somehow effect ours already, especially Bea's.

"Bea, this bear seems to have some magical resistance to our attacks. I am not sure what can be done against it, but we will fight to the last."