DM Carbide's PFS Emerald Spire

Game Master John Woodford

Asvald retrieves a long thin bundle and unwraps it. Revealing a wand, he offers it to Melody.

"Mind hitting Eva, Kragnor, and myself with this before we go down? It'll offer us a little more protection."

It's the wand of shield of faith.

Kragnor stays toward the front, keeping his eyes peeled for traps and other such dangers.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Considering this underground, so will be using the +2 to Perception. Kragnor also gets a +2 to Init while underground as well as the freecheck within ten feet of traps, cave-ins, flora, ect..

Seeing Asvald pass the protective wand around, Senja asks Eva for the wand of mage armor. ”Might I use that? I didn’t memorize the spell today, thinking I might want to have some more ability to hurt our opponents. I’m happy to use it on anyone who needs it.”

Assuming Eva and Senja each use a charge, wand is at 48/50 charges. Anyone else?

DM, Eva picked up low-light vision this level, just so you know. :)

Eva nods and hands the wand to the small shadow-creature, glad she thought to ask him about it earlier when the mysterious bundle arrived by courier.

Just so you didn't pick up Blind-Fight for your feat...oops, forget I said anything :-).

Hehe.

This particular encounter was nominally part of the first level, so strictly speaking I shouldn't have let you level up until you dealt with it. I'm a soft touch, though.

The party descends the spiral stairs, and after a complete circuit of the central spire comes to a landing identical to the one directly above it. The stairs continue down from there; on it, however, are a pair of goblins who look much the worse for wear...as in, they are rotting away.

I'm not going to bother with a map at this point. Just kill them quickly, OK?

Round 1:

Initiative order
Kragnor
Senja
Kali
Melody
Asvald
Goblins
Eva

I would, but you had to go and put me last in the initiative order...

Looking a bit perplexed, Kali moves forward to attack, "Zombie goblins?"

Wakizashi: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Senja considers what he's heard about zombie goblins, then launches a small, wobbly ball of shadow at one of them.

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Evil eye for -2 to AC

Asvald closes on the undead vermin and hacks at the nearest.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Melody gets into a position where she can see them and shoots an arc of electricity at one of them!

ranged touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
electricity: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Kragnor chops into one with his waraxe

Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 4 - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 3 = 10

Round 1 (final):

With that Knowledge check result, Senja, you're aware that as undead the goblin zombies will not be affected by your evil eye.

Kragnor's blow fails to penetrate the little undead's tough flesh. Melody's electric arc goes wide. Kali is likewise unable to get a good shot off at the creature facing her. Asvald, though, takes a chunk out of his. Senja, is there anything else you want to try instead of the hex?

The goblin zombies attack! The one on Asvald doesn't even come close, but the one on Kragnor actually manages to land a surprisingly hard-hitting (but putrescent) fist on the dwarf. Take 3 HP, Kragnor.

Putting Eva at the start of Round 2. Take your action after Senja, Eva, then everyone else can go.

Round 2:

Initiative order
Eva
Kragnor
Senja
Kali
Melody
Asvald
Goblins

Make it misfortune instead, since it's not mind-affecting. Thanks. (And this way I'll get to try out my brand-new cackle!)

Senja, the hex does not bite on the goblin zombie. (Gob Zombie? Naah, they don't have the hair for it.)

Eva moves quickly forward and attempts to slice the nearest zombie to bits.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Kali tumbles past the goblin(s) to set up a flank with one of her party members, then attacks!

Acrobatics to avoid AoO's: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
Wakizashi + flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Sneak Attack damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Since there isn't a map up, she'll flank with whoever is available. If flanking is not possible, then please adjust the roll accordingly.

Eva wounds the zombie on Kragnor, while Kali leaves the one on Asvald almost in pieces (but still active for the moment).

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Eva-acted
Kragnor
Senja
Kali-acted
Melody
Asvald
Goblins

Kragnor, Senja, Melody, Asvald--have at!

Senja throws a long ribbon of shadow at the other goblin, which swirls around its feet and legs.

Misfortune on the other one.

This one fails to resist the hex, Senja.

Melody tries to shoot her electric arc at the gob zombie again!

ranged touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
electricity: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Asvald knocks the little undead's attack aside and continues his grisly work.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Round 2 (ongoing):

Initiative order
Eva-acted
Kragnor
Senja-acted
Kali-acted
Melody-acted
Asvald-acted
Goblin

Melody misses again, but Asvald does not; that's one down. Kragnor, it's up to you.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 3 = 8

Kargnor swings hard at the goblin dead.

AC 13, so there you go.

Kragnor's axe brings an end to the creature's unnatural animation.

Out of combat!

"Good work as always, everyone!" Kali says with enthusiasm as she quickly goes through the undead goblins' clothing in the undoubtedly rare case they're carrying anything valuable, "Lead the way, Kragnor."

Kali finds nothing of any worth on the gob zombies. Moving on, the stairs wind down around the spire one more time before you finally come to the edge of the light suppression effect. From there, the way down leads away from the spire a short distance, turning into a steep, straight staircase. After another fifty feet down, it terminates in a moderately-sized room.

MAP UPDATED! (And on this one, north is to the top of the page!

The room is actually dimly lit by irregular patches of greenish-white, furry, luminescent mold growing here and there on the floor. There's an extinguished torch on the floor in the alcove to the east. A few shreds of cobweb hang from the ceiling and dance in the breeze of your passage.

Kragnor moves cautiously into the room, keeping an eye out for traps. Glancing at the party and pointing at the southern door, he shrugs. "This one?" he pantomimes.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Eva nods wordlessly, holding her sword at the ready.

Senja shrugs, then nods. Why not?

The south door is locked.

Kragnor glances at Kali and shrugs. "I've been working on my lock skills....

Kragnor takes another hard look at the door, then tries to unlock it.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Disable: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Asvald waits with his sword at the ready while the dwarf works.

You probably want to try that again.

I was waiting for the explosion or Kali.

Disable: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

"Looks like I'm up!" Kali makes her way to the door, double checks it for traps, and attempts to unlock it.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Disable Device: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

"Hmm, this door is a toughie." Kali says to herself when her first attempt fails, but she tries again.

Disable Device part 2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

If that didn't work, she'll just take 10, or 20 if necessary.

Oops, ninja'ed by non-ninjas. If Kragnor's second attempt didn't do it, then she'll probably have to Take 20.

As you moved into the room, you could tell that the door to the southeast is slightly ajar.

It takes Kali and Kragnor a bit of work, but the door's lock eventually yields to their attention. Beyond is a short hallway.

Kali moves past the door and examines the hallway for dangers.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

The hallway doesn't look much different from the room, except that the ceiling is lower (10' vs. 20'). There are no apparent traps or other hazards.

Kragnor pads onto the hallway, wary if traps and checks both doors.

Perception Hall: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Perception East Door: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Perception South Door: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Should we check out the door that's slightly ajar first?

I am of the opinion that we should, Eva.

Me too, but no one had said anything, so I was forging onward.

Kragnor cocks his head. "Maybe we should check that ajar door... He says as he backtracks and pokes his head in.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Eva nods and follows, keeping her eyes open.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18

The door opens to reveal another short hallway, with doors ahead and on the left.

What's the 't' on the map?

Eva shrugs and continues into the hallway, staying alert for anything threatening or unusual.

That's the torch I mentioned above.

What's the 't' on the map?

A torch