Eshshah |
Eshshah makes haste to the back side of the betrayer as she draws her dual kukris and gives a slash.
Keen Kukri: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 2 = 22
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
Kiyomi runs up and tries to trip the Chuul, to distract it form her friend Clandelve!
Trip: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (1) + 15 = 16 BAH!
GM Baerlie |
While Kiyomi tries to trip the beast Eshshah moves around it and slashes at its back with her Kukri. She hits but Kiyomi's attempt to topple the lobstery creature fails and the fox almost ends up in the second claw.
Round 1
Chuul -5HP grappled
-----
Etrigan
Kiyomi
Li
Eshshah
Clandelve grappled
Mollok
Iason
Iason Blaise |
Pretty sure you actually need to make a CMB roll vs Clandelve. A chuul has a natural attack that includes a grab attempt, not an automatically successful grapple if it lands the natural attack.
"Grab (Ex) If a creature with this special attack hits with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. "
Etrigan darts forward, grinning.
"I must admit that this vacation
"Has been pleasant for my dégustation
"Crab, and squid, and skum, and ray--
"Why, 'tis a fine seafood buffet!"
Iason rolls his eyes from the back lines as Etrigan charges forward and takes a chunk out of the creature with his blazing maw.
Etrigan bite vs Chuul, PA, flank: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 2 + 2 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 10 + (6) = 22
Iason circles to one side and looses a minor bolt of acid, not considering this creature worth a greater investment of his energies.
Acid splash, into combat, vs touch: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 5 - 4 = 10
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 1
GM Baerlie |
yes, you are absolutely right, I have no idea why I thought this creature is grappling automatically
CMB: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (10) + 19 = 29
Etrigan, rhyming about the seafood on this island, takes a big chunk out of the best part of the lobster's body. Iason's acid splash hits too.
Round 1
Chuul -28HP grappled
-----
Etrigan
Kiyomi
Li
Eshshah
Clandelve grappled
Mollok
Iason
Clandelve Hammerhand |
Clandelve, taken by surprise, gasps as it lifts him into the air.
"Git yer slimy claws aff me, beest!" he exclaims, as all he can do is draw his dagger and slice at it a few times.
dagger atk: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 201d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
dagger atk: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 111d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
Mollock will cast grease on Clandelve's armor, making it harder for the creature to continue grappling him.
GM Baerlie |
Thanks!
Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21
Mollok casts a spell at the dwarf and a layer of grease suddenly covers his armor. The lobster thing almost drops Clandelve, but the beast somehow manages to grab Clandelve firmly.
The beast now begins to squeeze the dwarf with the claw.
Hold grapple: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35
Constrict damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 1) + 7 = 12
Round 2
Chuul -33HP grappled
-----
Etrigan
Kiyomi
Li
Eshshah
Clandelve grappled
Mollok
Iason
Iason Blaise |
Etrigan tears into the lobster-like creature with savage glee, enjoying all of this immensely and giving the grappled Clandelve a wink.
Etrigan bite vs Chuul, PA, flank: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 11 - 2 + 2 = 26
Etrigan claw vs Chuul, PA, flank: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 2 + 2 = 23
Etrigan claw vs Chuul, PA, flank: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 11 - 2 + 2 = 16
Damage bite: 1d6 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 10 + (3) = 16
Damage claw: 1d4 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 10 + (3) = 17
Iason idly wanders closer to the fray, coming up behind the grappled Clandelve and standing behind him casually as if there wasn't pincers around his person. He idly holds up the devil-tailed wand in one hand.
"Are you in need of any staunching of your wounds, Master Clandelve? It would be the foul magic you detest..."
(ready action to cast infernal healing on Clandelve if he says he would accept it)
Eshshah |
Remember infernal healing is a 1 round cast.
Eshshah, seeing Clandelve grappled and greased will quickly cast liberating command on her companions.
Immediate action escape artist attempt with +12 (and an extra +10 from grease I think
Eshshah will follow up with a pair of slashes on the beast.
Keen Kukri: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 2 = 30
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Kukri: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Kukri Confirm: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 2 = 18
If an 18 hits, the next melee attack on the chuul is automatically a confirmed crit.
---
Mollok will being casting summon nature's ally II (converting flaming sphere)
Iason Blaise |
So it is! Then I ready a standard action to grin smugly if Clandelve says yes
Clandelve Hammerhand |
CMB to escape grapple, grease: 1d20 + 11 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 10 = 31
Clandelve looks beside himself having Iason sneer at him while he's being grappled. He places a fist in the creature's eye and attempts to free himself.
"Thes is nae time fur gloatin', demon-lovin' peepin' wizard!"
Li Shuo |
"What evil lurks here that so many fish-monsters should attack us?" asks Li. "It seems we must fight half the ocean. I will run out of arrows before we are done."
Ranged Flurry, 1st shot, with Point-Blank Shot: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 8 + 1 = 231d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 1 = 5
Ranged Flurry, 2nd shot, with Point-Blank Shot: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 1 = 121d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10
GM Baerlie |
Li shoots an arrow into the lobster's eye before Kiyomi finally manages to trip the ocean beast.
The Chuul tries to grab Eshshah.
Claw: 1d20 + 14 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 14 - 4 = 20
Damage: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (3, 2) + 7 = 12
Free Grab: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30
Round 3
Chuul -75HP prone/grappled
-----
Etrigan
Kiyomi
Li
Eshshah grappled
Clandelve
Mollok
Iason
Eshshah |
Eshshah ignores herown defense and slashes again at the creature.
Keen slash including grapple penalties: 1d20 + 13 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 4 = 18
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Iason Blaise |
Etrigan grins down at the prone lobster-thing-gone-wrong that now has Eshshah in its grip.
"Hello! You grabbed our dwarf! 'Tis no mean feat
"To fit your claws around his girth... he's not, per se, petite
"But now he's out, and you are down, arrayed here at my feet...
"There's nothing left to say, my dear, except-- bon apetit."
Etrigan proceeds to crack a lobster, and devour it sans lemon juice.
Bite, PA, prone, vs grappled: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 11 - 2 + 4 = 22
Claw, PA, prone, vs grappled: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 11 - 2 + 4 = 28
Claw, PA, prone, vs grappled: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 11 - 2 + 4 = 16
Bite damage: 1d6 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 10 + (2) = 17
Claw damage: 1d4 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 10 + (4) = 17
Claw damage: 1d4 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 10 + (1) = 12
Iason just takes some judicious steps back to avoid the spatter of seafood that's happening here. He shrugs at Clandelve's fierce refusals.
"Have it your way, then. --Etrigan watch where you're throwing that!"
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
If the crab-thing is not yet dead, Kiyomi will also drop-kick it a few times.
unarmed flurry: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 damage: 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
unarmed flurry: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 damage: 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Ninja'd!
Iason Blaise |
Iason brushes off bits of gunk. Once again, Etrigan tears into another carcass, having no end to his appetite, it seems.
"The offer of the wand is still available for those who are hurt, if needed," he says drily. "After that, I suggest we go back to the pools-- I never saw this 'silvery man' that was mentioned. It might merit further investigation."
GM Baerlie |
No complaints? :)
You head to the Quicksilver Graveyard again to have a closer look and reveal clues you might have missed before. You see four cleaned inscriptions in Ancient Azlanti.
The cleaned inscriptions say:
Aulus, Observant Councilor Most High, his speech on
solar calculation, Lesson 3 of 6.
Ossoryol, Master of Lenses & Optics, the Master’s final
lecture on celestial alignment, Part the All.
Erinthander, Grand Provost of Spheres & Glyphs, his
platform on the implications of solar sigils & wards,
Lesson 2 of 3.
A nearby stone-mounted plaque includes instructions for a summoning ritual.
you may also take 20 on this check if you have it trained
and since you spent some time on the island already...
Fort Eshshah: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 change
Fort Clandelve: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Fort Iason: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 change
Fort Kiyomi: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 change
Fort Li: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Fort Mollok: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Fort Etrigan: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 not sure if a summoned creature can change like a normal creature
The more time you spend on this island the more your bodies change. You get more and more like fish-men. While Iason's skin develops a coating of slimy mucus Eshshah's and Kiyomi's eyes turn a shiny black color.
Iason: +2 on Escape Artist checks and CMD to resist grapples), Eshshah & Kiyomi: 10 ft. darkvision
Eshshah |
Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Eshshah hurridly heads back to the Quicksilver Graveyard.
"I think the island is affecting me... My eyes seem strange, but I can also read the inscription...
"Aulus, Observant Councilor Most High, his speech on solar calculation, Lesson 3 of 6.
Ossoryol, Master of Lenses & Optics, the Master’s final lecture on celestial alignment, Part the All.
Erinthander, Grand Provost of Spheres & Glyphs, his platform on the implications of solar sigils & wards, Lesson 2 of 3."
Eshshah continues "Do we know any of the other lessons?"
Eshshah is clearly bothered by the transformation but is trying her best not to show it.
Clandelve Hammerhand |
Unsure what the passages mean, Clandelve settles for complaining.
"Aye, we need tae git aff thes islain fest. It's changin' ye. Thes vile magic will be th' end of us."
GM Baerlie |
When a living person reaches into the waters with bare flesh and calls forth a specific person by name and title, the pool forms a mercurial likeness of the individual for the length of the requested lecture.
The residual power in the pools allows for the calling of only one more simulacrum.
Iason Blaise |
Iason stops trying to get scrub his hands free of the disgusting mucus long enough to look up at Eshshah's words.
"What was the second you said? Lenses and optics? That could have something to do with the lenses back in the observatory."
Iason grimaces, gazing at Etrigan as he decides whether or not his servant would work for this or not. Apparently he comes to the conclusion that he wouldn't, for with a scowl, Iason crouches by the pool and plunges his own hand in. "Ossoryol, Master of Lenses & Optics!"
Eshshah |
Eshshah responds to Iason [b]"Master’s final lecture on celestial alignment, Part the All."
Eshshah watches as Iason plunges his hand in, ready for anything...
Li Shuo |
Li stares in wonder at the violence and poetry of Etrigan, the altered nature of his companions, Eshshah's scholarship and Iason's bravery. I just shoot things he thinks, pondering some of the choices he's made in life.
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
Kiyomi looks extremely confused with her little fox eyes as Iason plunges his hand in, and then braces for anything to pop out.
GM Baerlie |
Iason puts his hand into the quicksilver pool and you see a silver simulacrum rising from the pool. A few seconds later it starts to talk.
"Welcome students, please listen carefully as this information might safe your lifes. I'll now tell you how to operate the observatory's orrery. Tampering with the device is extremely dangerous! Once activated it's power is able to change wind, weather and even the sea. Make sure you have enough lenses and make sure you wear your armillary amulet before activating the device."
For a few minutes he explains the device and how the lenses interact with it and finally, how it's turned off.
"To shut down and reset the device you have to wait until the Sun, Golarion, Liavara and Aucturn are aligned with lenses number 2 and 3. Once they are aligned you pull out lense number 3 and the device should stop to move and all changes to weather and sea are reverted back to normal. Good luck with your studies and remember my words! There will be a test!"
And with these last words the simulacrum slumps back into the silvery pool.
if you want to listen to more lessons you have to find a source of energy ;)
Iason Blaise |
Iason listens intently, touching at the pouch where he placed the armillary amulet to be certain it's still there.
"Interesting-- the amulet will help in protecting someone who is using the observatory...."
He closes his eyes, committing the instructions to memory. Lenses 2 and 3...
Drawing his hand out, he wipes it carefully clean of the silver gunk.
"The lecture is over, it would seem. When we examined the pools earlier, I recognized these pools are powered by the souls of the living. If we wish to hear another lecture, I suppose we must sacrifice some one or some thing, like these poor dead villagers."
Iason doesn't sound terribly bothered by the moral implications of that. "Still, I doubt anyone else is volunteering..."
The Chelish man cranes his head back and looks around the island. He wipes distastefully at the slimy ooze that coats most of his skin now.
"We could return to the observatory now that we know a bit more... or there's the sunken pyramid... we really didn't get a chance to look around before we saw the 'man in trouble'."
Li Shuo |
"What of these other recordings?" asks Li. "We might find what we need to activate them in the pyramid."
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
At the mention of sacrificing villagers, Kiyomi growls and barks at Iason, clearly not happy at that idea.
GM Baerlie |
I think that's a clear vote for the pyramid.
You head back to the reversed pyramid and look for more clues.
You discover a suit of +1 banded mail left behind in one of the pools, forged in the likeness of a prehistoric armor-plated fish.
You find a cache of six potions hidden in the rubble along the southern wall near the pools.
You find a hidden switch at a wall to the east, covered with moss and plants.
The flat bottom of the pyramid is an illusion. It conceals a complicated, iris-like aperture.
Clandelve Hammerhand |
Clandelve completes a thorough search of the area.
"It looks loch someain has left some valuable equipment behin'," he observes, finding banded mail and some potions.
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20
Iason Blaise |
Iason arches a lazy brow at Kiyomi's barked protest. "My dear fox, all I said was that none of us were likely to be volunteering. Master Li, here, said that we might find 'what we need to activate' the other lectures in the pyramid. That would be living souls. If you want someone to bark at for the sake of your moral outrage, you might start with him."
Returning to the pyramid he looks around and gestures Etrigan to do the same, urging the beast down to the bottommost tier. As is his standard exploration technique, he casts detect magic.
Iason Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Etrigan Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Etrigan will?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16 Snort, off by one
"Hmm yes, well spotted on the armor."
Kiyomi Foxsoul |
Percep: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Kiyomi walks around the bottom of the pyramid, then starts alternately pointing at the floor with her nose and barking excitedly.
GM Baerlie |
While Clandelve and Iason collect the valuable items near the pools Kiyomi noisily barks at the deepest point of the pyramid, pointing at the floor with her nose.
and since Kiymoi points out that there is something on the floor the rest of you sooner or later also realizes that there is an aperture ;)
Clandelve Hammerhand |
Clandelve's eyes adjust to the magical floor and he sees the opening.
"Whit dae we have haur? Anyain know whit tae dae wi' thes?" he asks.
Do any of the items we found look like the would fit?