GM Endless Forms' Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Forgot to check the map last night, and can't see it now. IIRC, there's some unexplored space on the east end; let's go there.

Southeast, yep! Also a room to the north. Don't worry about the space in the middle. It's a two-story sort of thing so you'll find it later....

A large, mahogany desk with a high, leather-covered chair dominates this room. A chest sits near the desk, while a wooden shelving unit contains several sets of manacles and a few cudgels. Two steel gates in the east wall lead to two parallel rows of prison cells.

The prison is currently guarded by a lumbering behemoth of a monster—a crimson-furred, horned gorilla-like creature with a gaping maw in its chest.

When you enter the room, the creature lunges forward and goes for 1d2 ⇒ 2 Karn!

grapple: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (6) + 29 = 35
automatic devouring grapple damage (from the mouth on its chest): 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 = 13

At the same time, it quickly casts a spell on Argust!

DC 15 Will save or be held

Initiative:

1. Gorilla creature!
2. Brelar, Argust, Bert, and Karn

You guys are up!

Will: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

Hey! He ain't for eatin'!

Argust will try to convince the creature to let go of his friend by slicing him with his greatsword!

Attack: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 40 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (6, 1) + 30 = 37
Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (15) + 17 = 32 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (1, 2) + 33 = 36
Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (5, 5) + 33 = 43

Confirm?: 1d20 + 22 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 22 + 4 = 29 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (2, 5) + 30 = 37
Bleeding Critical: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

What in the... "Oof! Hey! That's a little forward, we've just met!" Struggling, Karn considers his options.

KN: planes: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

"Bert! What is this thing?!"

"Baregara! Some kind of protodemon, takes good weapons to damage well, and lightning and poison won't work on it."

The halfling calls forth a familiar magic, buoying the spirits of the party. Casting good hope.

Karn nods and begins trying break free. "Kill it Arugust!"

CMB: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 2 = 28

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 34

"A baregara, " Brelar mumbles. "It's like a kind of demon, or a precursor to demons. We really should align Argust's weapon at some point."

Brelar casts magic missile at the beast!

SR: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (2, 2, 1, 2, 4) + 5 = 16

Argust indeed slices into the protodemon but Karn is unable to break out of its grip. Bert and Brelar cast spells, Brelar's missiles hitting the monster in the shoulder and damaging it!

maintain: 1d20 + 29 + 5 - 20 ⇒ (3) + 29 + 5 - 20 = 17
(+5 to maintain, -20 to make other attacks while maintaining, no penalty for doing it one-handed)

The gorilla demon uses one arm to try to restrain Karn but drops him in the process! It tries its quick spell again:

@Karn: DC 15 Will save or be held.

And then attacks Argust:

bite: 1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 23 - 5 = 21
damage: 1d8 + 4 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 10 = 19

claw: 1d20 + 23 - 5 ⇒ (19) + 23 - 5 = 37
damage: 1d10 + 8 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 10 = 21
grab: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (15) + 29 = 44
devouring grapple damage if grabbed: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 1) + 4 = 12

gore: 1d20 + 18 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 18 - 5 = 24
damage: 1d8 + 8 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 8 + 10 = 24

Initiative:

1. Gorilla creature! (110 dmg)
2. Brelar, Argust, Bert, and Karn

You guys are up!

Argust is grappled by the creature taking 33-5=28 damage in the process! He drops his greatsword, draws his dagger and stabs the creature!

If I have this right, I can drop as a free, draw as part of a move, then still full attack since I'm not actually moving anywhere, right?

Dagger: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18 for Damage: 1d4 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18
Dagger: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 for Damage: 1d4 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 14 = 15
Dagger: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 for Damage: 1d4 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

Confirm?: 1d20 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 4 = 31 for Damage: 1d4 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17
Bleeding Critical: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 6) = 9

@Argust: no, you have to use a move action to draw the dagger so you only get a standard action attack. If you had Quick Draw you could draw a weapon as a free action (instead of a move) and that way still get a full attack after drawing a weapon.

Argust, grappled by the massive gorilla demon, pulls out his dagger but finds the beast's skin tough to pierce!

Initiative:

1. Gorilla creature! (110 dmg)
2. Brelar, Argust, Bert, and Karn

Brelar, Bert, and Karn are up!

"Could you back up a bit?" Karn says over his shoulder, to Bert and Brelar.

If they backup

Karn swings his hammer at the creature.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 14 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 14 - 3 + 2 = 33
Damage: 1d12 + 6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 9 + 2 = 21

Iterative, Power Attack: 1d20 + 9 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 - 3 + 2 = 12
Damage: 1d12 + 6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 9 + 2 = 26

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 14 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 14 - 3 + 2 = 24
Crit Damage: 1d12 + 6 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 9 + 2 = 18

As Karn's hammer hits the creature, he casts a spell, putting some force behind the swing!

Forceful Strike: 10d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1, 3, 2, 3) = 24
Bullrush: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 2 = 16

SR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 2 = 25

Bert takes a short step back and (if it's still up after Karn's attack) calls on his luck and fires at the creature.

DA bullet to baregara, incl. luck, good hope, and PBS: 1d20 + 12 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 25
DA bullet damage, incl. luck, good hope, and PBS: 1d6 + 7 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 19

Brelar backs up and launches more magic missiles!

Damage: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (1, 2, 3, 2, 2) + 5 = 15

Ah ok, no problem. I reserve the right to keep those rolls though... if you let me, LOL.

SR: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Karn hits the creature once although it doesn't confirm, putting a great amount of force behind his swing although not enough to push the protodemon back. Bert puts a bullet in it and Argust finds a weak spot, digging his dagger into the creature's neck and taking it down!

Out of combat!

The chest by the desk in the first room contains a bunch of adventuring equipment though keep reading.

Only one of the prison cells contains a prisoner. The door is more than just locked-Bert and Brelar recognize that someone has used stone shape to lock the bars and door of the cell in place. As a result, the door will need to be broken to get it open.

Within the cell languishes a starving man covered with angry welts and scars resulting from what appear to have been suckers of some sort. The elderly man raises his head slightly at your entrance but doesn't seem to react much. He just sighs and puts his head back down.

Argust waits for instruction from Brelar on whether or not he should attempt to sunder the door.

Bert gives the prisoner a warm smile. "Hi! You don't look so good--let's get you out of there. Karn, here, is a really good healer. I'm Bert, by the way...what's your name?"

Karn smiles at the man. "Yes, I can help heal you. How did you come to be here?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Don't know how Karn plans on healing the man but Argust can use healing also.

"Argust, be ready to smash the door open. But let us hear his answers first...something is odd here." Brelar says.

The man whispers out in a hollow voice, "My name is Nildus Thilano. I am. . . was the cleric of Erastil at the abbey. I've had too much pain though. . . too many tragedies. The invasion, it was so quick! And Zolerim's treachery, by the gods! My poor family. It has been a horrific year. And Ardathanatus, he wanted. . . he wanted to make me the first sacrifice to the Polymorph Plague once the Doomsday Door has been refocused to Sekatar-Seraktis. At least that's what he told me, over and over again."

This sounds important, so Bert is going to burn both of his daily uses of Lore Master to take 20 on both checks.

Bert blanches. "You mean...he's going to open a portal to the Abyss, and sacrifice you to that qlippoth lord? Where is he? We have to stop him!"

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (13) + 20 = 33

Brelar relays what he knows about the Polymorph Plague and Sekatar-Saraktis.

"Nildus do you know what Ardathanatus was so interested in you personally?" Brelar asks.

"Stand back, while my friend breaks open the door." Brelar gestures to Argust.

Argust takes a deep breath and swings! Not sure how this works but I do get +3 to sunder.

Sunder!: 1d20 + 22 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 22 + 3 = 43 for Vital Strike?: 4d6 + 33 + 3 ⇒ (1, 6, 3, 6) + 33 + 3 = 52
Can you crit a door?: 1d20 + 22 + 3 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 22 + 3 + 4 = 42 for Vital Strike?: 2d6 + 33 + 3 ⇒ (6, 5) + 33 + 3 = 47

Karn nods and channels healing.

Channel: 7d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 1, 6, 4, 2, 3) = 24

123/134 now, probably good enough for now.

Against an inanimate object (and outside of combat) I think you can just T10 and not miss attacking it. And Argust can easily do enough damage within a couple rounds to burst the door open.

Nildus shields his head as Argust bursts him out of the cell. He doesn't make a move to leave, though. Lying there, he just sighs, "Yes, that was the plan. Ardathanatus has some plan to open a portal. And if that portal goes to the Abyss, he may be opening up more than he bargained for."

"I don't think it was anything special about me. There were others but. . . he took them. I imagine they were sacrifices too, or at least trial runs for the ritual or something foul like that. I don't know where Ardathanatus is but if you haven't found him yet he must be down below. I don't know what's down there, none of us really knew, but I imagine the Groetians built their temple or shrine or whatever down on the bottom level. It sounded like this was where the elf was doing the ritual."

Nildus finally pulls himself up into a sitting position. "Just leave me here, I can't go on. My family is gone, my god has abandoned me, and I have no reason left to live except that living only delays my inevitable damnation."

"Wait, Erastil abandoned you? What did--how did that happen? We found some followers of Erastil above, and freed them from the qlippoth, and I think those brothers and Casamir could really use your help."

"My faith was broken," Nildus explains, "and Erastil no longer answers my prayers. I will return to the surface if you lead me there but I am not much help now."

"I think we should take him back to the surface. Perhaps he can try to commune with his god. At the very least, we can let him rest in the sanctified room, then return to the surface when we are finished here."

Bert nods. "Yeah, let's! I know Casamir would be glad to see that you're still alive--he was really worried about you."

Casamir is indeed glad to see that you have recovered another member of the Abbey, even if the ordeal has caused Nildus to lose his faith and his clerical powers.

You can rest while you're going back up if you want.

"I'm good to go, if everyone else is. That elf really needs to be stopped!"

I'm ready if you are, little friend!

Argust is down 11 HP but other than that he's in good shape.

"Sounds good." Brelar agrees.

"There's a couple of doors left to look at, up in the north. Let's start with the eastern one, OK?"

"Unless we are in a hurry, we might as well rest while were up here. That way we can be fresh."

Unless we feel rushed, why not be fully replensihed.

Given what we heard, that Ardathanatus is planning to open a door to the Abyss and make a major sacrifice to a qlippoth lord, I'm thinking a certain amount of haste is called for.

The multiple clerics you have at your disposal can heal you up fully when you go to the surface.

Entering the last door on the third level of the dungeon, you find a room lined with fine wooden planks, even on the ceiling. There is a large rectangular table and several smaller round tables with tall, well-stocked bookcases occupying the walls.

As you enter the room you hear a voice speak out. "Hello? Hello! Oh, welcome. It has been too long since I have had a visitor. I was once the librarian here but now I am but a disembodied spirit, remaining to spend my eternity looking after the books I once held so dear."

"Hello. My name is Karhousk, and these are my trusted friends." Karn responds. "What manner of books are under your watchful eye?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (7) + 25 = 32

Argust looks around the room. A what? Where is he, Brelar?

Bert brightens at the spirit's words. "Books, is it? I'm a scholar, too! What sorts of things do you have here?"

With a +11 in Diplomacy, Bert automatically Aids Another. In case a 34 is better than a 32....

"Trapped somewhere between this world and the Boneyard Argust. Hopefully the guardian finds no quarrel with us." Brelar tells Argust.

To the disembodied spirt he calls, "We are men of knowledge ourselves and always enjoy an opportunity to learn more! Perhaps you know things about Ardathanatus you could share with us?"

"Oh, ancient Thassilonian books mostly," the book responds. "Do you read the language? Feel free to have a look around."

"I'm afraid I don't know much about this Ardathanatus thing you ask of."

Argust recognizes the word "Thassilonian" as something that his liege seems to be both knowledgeable and fond of. Didya hear that, Brelar? The ghost fella says there be Tassleloner books in here!

Karn nods. "I believe a few us read Thassilonian. Thank you for your gracious offer." Karn says politely, then begins peering at the titles.

Perception: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26

"Oh yes, I do read ancient Thassilonian!" Brelar excitedly looks around for interesting books.

The books on the shelves are all written in Thassilonian and preserved via magic. They cover the topic of the worship of Groetus, real and imaginary apocalypses of the past and future, and catalogs of rins. They are outdated, but are still quite interesting and valuable to scholars of ancient lore. Using these books as an aid for any questions relating to Thassilon, Azlant, or the worship of Groetus grants a +5 circumstance bonus on the associated Knowledge check

The library consists of 82 books in a ll with a total weight of 250 lbs and a worth of 2500 gp.

While Brelar digs into the books, Bert looks around the room. He pauses in front of the north wall and gives a low whistle. "Hey, guys--there's a secret door here. Ready for a fight? Just in case, I mean." He trips the concealed catch and opens the door, revealing nothing actively hostile--a room with a single table on which lie several scrolls and a large leather-bound book. "Ooh, that looks like Abyssal--I hope the binding isn't from something sentient! And it looks newer than the books out there."

Bert speaks Abyssal, so he does a quick detect magic to make sure that none of it is like this:

Then he starts reading.

Perception check, incl. lens: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (18) + 28 = 46

Karn looks up from examining the titles on the spine. "Really? Librarian, did you know that was there?" Karn asks the air.