GM Endless Forms' Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Golems? Argust removes his Amulet of Natural Armor and replaces it with the Golembane Scarab he still has. This oughta help for somethin' I suppose.

"Probably a good idea Argust. My magic is going to be largely useless, and I believe as stone creatures they have considerable resistance to normal damage."

The walls of the next T-shaped junction tower nearly forty feet overhead. To the north, a pair of double doors, each fitted with a skull-faced lock, stands tall and imperious, while to the west, a collapsed flight of stairs once led down to deeper levels.

As you were warned, two stone golems guard the way!

Initiative:

1. Brelar, Karn, and Argust
2. Stone Golems
3. Bert

Brelar, Karn, and Argust are up!

Brelar stands around feeling pretty useless.

Argust taps his heels (Haste) and then quickly moves to fight the golems!

Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (17) + 23 = 40 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (5, 4) + 30 = 39
Cleave!: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (12) + 23 = 35 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (5, 1) + 30 = 36

Can they be Crit?: 1d20 + 23 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 23 + 4 = 44 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (4, 5) + 30 = 39
Bleeding Crit: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 6) = 10

Brelar saves his energy for the evil elf while Argust moves in and cleaves through both of them! They seem quite hard but he still chips quite a bit off of them.

Initiative:

1. Brelar, Karn, and Argust
2. Stone Golems
3. Bert

#1: 68 dmg
#2: 26 dmg

Karn is up!

Karn moves up to Argust's left flank and swings his lucerne hammer at the western golem, roaring in rage.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Vital Strike: 2d12 + 6 ⇒ (3, 6) + 6 = 15

Cleave: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Doesn't Argust's golembane scarab bypass DR?

Oh yeah! I forgot Argust put the golembane scarab back on. Thanks!

Karn moves in and chips a piece off of the first golem. Both golems silently raise their massive fists to fend off the attackers!

slam on Argust: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (4) + 22 = 26
damage: 2d10 + 9 ⇒ (9, 7) + 9 = 25

slam on Argust: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (8) + 22 = 30
damage: 2d10 + 9 ⇒ (5, 3) + 9 = 17

slam on Karn: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (7) + 22 = 29
damage: 2d10 + 9 ⇒ (7, 1) + 9 = 17

slam on Karn: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (13) + 22 = 35
damage: 2d10 + 9 ⇒ (4, 1) + 9 = 14

Initiative:

1. Brelar, Karn, and Argust
2. Stone Golems
3. Bert

#1: 83 dmg
#2: 36 dmg

You guys are up!

Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Damage: 2d12 + 6 ⇒ (12, 6) + 6 = 24

Cleave: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
Damage: 1d12 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Karn keeps swinging.

Bert shoots at the most damaged golem, but only chips it a little (if that).

DA Bullet to #1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
DA bullet damage, incl. arcane strike: 1d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 3 = 11

ETA: One other thing that Bert would do before going into the temple--he'll touch his shard and concentrate on the location of the next one.

August takes 68, Karn 5.

Argust gets battered around by the golems, that strikes back! AC back to 28, still under Haste.

Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (8) + 23 = 31 for Damage: 2d6 + 30 ⇒ (6, 2) + 30 = 38
Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (1) + 23 = 24 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (3, 2) + 33 = 38
Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (2, 6) + 33 = 41
Attack: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (3, 4) + 33 = 40

Confirm?: 1d20 + 13 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 4 = 37 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (6, 6) + 33 = 45

@Argust: Only two of those attacks were aimed at you. You take 42-5=37 damage.

36 damage for Karn

@Bert: straight ahead (towards the temple).

Karn hits the golem once as Bert chips it with a bullet! Argust then finishes the two guardians off!

Out of combat!

Brelar casts magical uselessness. :D

"Good job Argust, great thinking with that scarab An excellent investment!" Brelar says.

Hey, you can always applaud politely. Bert probably should have saved his bullet and joined in the applause, for all the good his shot did.

Brelar gives a slow clap...

Are you makin' fun o' me, Brelar? Argust wonders aloud as he is given the golf clap. Though I am smarter with this funny thing I'm wearin'.

Oh, "Karn" looks a lot like "Argust" when you are trying to speed thru posts in the morning or at lunch.

"Not at all my friend, not at all. You did some amazing work there taking those stone golems apart!"

Karn channels to heal himself and Argust, then uses the wand.

Channel: 7d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 1, 6, 3, 5, 2) = 23

CLW Karn: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 3, 2) + 3 = 12
CLW Argust: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (5, 5, 1) + 3 = 14

"OK, guys, I think this we're going to jump right into a big fight. I've got some good spells to put on you--the usual good hope, I can also make Brelar invisible again, and I can make Argust or Karn look like they're not where they really are--make you harder to hit. Which one of you wants that? Also, Argust, use the shard power to haste us, OK?"

ETA: "Hey, Karn, can you see if there are any more undead up in the temple? Those shadows and mummies were pretty tough, and it'd be good to know if there were more of those!"

Brelar nods at Bert's advice, "Excellent suggestions. I can also offer resist energy and protection from evil."

I'll pause in case you want any more buffs up. This is obviously the final fight of the book so I don't want to rush you.

No undead are detected. Then again, the looming Doomsday Door might not be allowing for proper penetration.

Argust nods and will use the shard to cast Haste when told.

I assume that's a standard action so I'll have to do that just before we go in?

I think so. IIRC, the shards cast at 20th level, so the spell will last for twenty rounds. Bert's good hope will last for 11 minutes, which is well beyond the duration of the fight (I hope). Brelar, are you talking about magic circle against evil? If so, that one's 10 min/level. No idea what kind of energy to protect against, unfortunately. Bert's other spells will last for 11 rounds each. He's got one other option as well--he has two 4th level spells left for the day, the greater invisibility is one, and he can also cast freedom of movement--think that's a good one for Argust? It's another 10 min/level spell.

I can throw up a communal protection from evil which will cover everyone for 3 minutes. +2 AC and +2 resistance bonus to save, though most everyone already has a +2 clock of resistance probably? I'll put a fox's cunning on myself, and communal resist energy (fire) on everyone. Also Brelar will give Argust a tap from his wand of fly.

Karn can cast blessing of fervor once in, and will cast bull's strength on Argust and himself, as well as magic weapon on his hammer.

Bert begins casting various spells, starting with freedom of movement on Argust, then moving on to good hope on the party, displacement on Karn, and greater invisibility on Brelar. "I'm holding onto enough magical power to cast daylight, just in case."

My mistake: the door leading into the temple isn't a Doomsday Door, it's just a regular door. The Doomsday Door that Ardathanatus is trying to use to open a portal lies within and that door will require two keys to fix. See below.

You make your way into the temple!

The interior of this great, forty-foot-high cathedral shimmers with a nauseating pale green light. The room seems even larger for the lack of furnishings, save for a few crumbling pews and four immense pillars. To the north, a pair of towering wood-and-metal doors lie closed—it is from the edges of these looming doors that the foul green light emanates, as it seems to leak out along the walls in writhing streams. Twisted bodies of strange not-quite-humanoid forms lie strewn about the north end of the room, and a strangely disturbing wind seems to pulse in the very air.

The bodies to the north are composed of two dozen sacrificed sinspawn, their bodies and souls used in Ardathanatus’s ritual not only to coax the door ever closer to opening, but to reroute the door’s destination from whatever unknown reality it normally connects to the Abyssal realm of Sekatar-Seraktis. If Ardathanatus’s ritual succeeds, he forges a permanent and direct connection between this chamber and the realm of his qlippoth master, Yamasoth.

In addition to the denizens of this chamber, you must contend with a disturbing sensation in the temple, as if the Doomsday Door itself were breathing.

The Doomsday Door is currently only slightly ajar. While the ritual to force it open has taken Ardathanatus days to perform, closing the door is relatively simple. To close the door again, a doomsday key must be inserted into the doomsday locks in each of the door’s two portals. Both keys must then be simultaneously turned seven times in a clockwise manner to seal the door shut—each full rotation takes a full-round action.

The elven cultist has very little desire to speak to you when you arrive, and attacks on sight! His sinspawn and gongorinan minions move to attack at his shouted commands. "You would disturb my greatest achievement?"

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

Brelar is up!

Brelar casts baleful polymorph on Ardathanatus!

DC 22 Fort save or become a fluffy bunny.

He then moves into the room under the cover of Bert's greater invisibility.

SR: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

The spell bounces off of the evil elf, who only laughs. "Yamasoth's favored shall conquer you and your puny tricks!"

The four sinspawn raise their bows and fire at Karn!

Don't have time to do the math right now but if Karn drops at any point they will switch to Argust (remove +4 attack/damage from favored enemy: human).

The gongorinans move in (two DC 20 Will saves against their horrific appearance or be confused for 1d4 rounds) and cast a spell at Argust!

Both casting baleful polymorph. DC 20 Fort save or turn into a turtle. Then DC 20 Will save to keep your mind.

Ardathanatus laughs and casts a spell with the flick of his hand (quickened shield of faith) and then follows it up with another spell (blade barrier) that leaves a wall of whirling blades cutting you off from him!

15d6 damage (DC 21 Ref for half) if you try to move through it. Black box on the map is the blade barrier.

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

You guys are up!

With all that out of the way, my understanding is that we're all under protection from evil, which prevents "...any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects....". Checking, I see that confusion is an enchantment [compulsion] spell; are we protected against the qlippoth's horrific appearance?

DC 20 Will save, incl. good hope: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 11 + 2 = 33
DC 20 Will save, incl. good hope: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 11 + 2 = 15
Confused for: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Round 1 effect: 1d100 ⇒ 46

Only two of those hit Karn. 34 damage

Will: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 = 26
Will: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 2 = 23

SR: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 2 = 23

Karn quickly casts a smiting spell.

Holy Smite EO: 10d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 1, 1, 5, 3, 6, 3, 6) = 33 DC 19
Holy Smite Not EO: 5d8 ⇒ (7, 7, 2, 4, 4) = 24 DC 19

Positioned to catch both gongorians and the front two sinspawn.

Will Save: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 = 26
Will Save: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 + 2 = 23

Holding to see what happens with Argust...

Hmm, so I need two Will saves and two Fort saves? Eep.

Will: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 2 = 34
Will: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 = 25
Fort: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 16 + 2 = 29
Fort: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 2 = 26 Yay!

Now, can I fly over the Blade Barrier? Just curious for later.

Argust shakes off all of the spell effects and attacks! Start with #1 I guess!

Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (6) + 28 = 34 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (3, 4) + 33 = 40
Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (4) + 28 = 32 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (6, 1) + 37 = 44
Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (5) + 23 = 28 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (4, 6) + 37 = 47
Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (6) + 18 = 24 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (1, 6) + 37 = 44

@Bert: but they don't know that! Also, I was rushing during a 10-minute incubation in a procedure today and kind of forgot about protection from evil.

Also, their horrific appearance (Su) is not listed as mind-affecting and bestows the confused condition, which is also not listed as mind-affecting. So no, you are not protected by the spell.

@Argust: no, it extends to the ceiling.

---

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Will: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Karn smites the gongorinans and the sinspawn while Bert babbles to himself. Argust severely wounds one of the gongorinans, despite his blade not being lawfully-aligned.

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

G1: 117 dmg
G2: 16 dmg
S1: 24 dmg
S4: 25 dmg

Brelar is up!

Don't forget that Karn has displacement running, so unless the sinspawn have a way around that every shot has a 50% miss chance.

Brelar moves up a little and cast greater dispel magic on Ardathanatus hoping to clear the way for Argust! 20' radius burst as indicated on the map.

Dispel Check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

I'll let you guys roll miss chances for displacement and whatnot just to make my life easier.

A previously-unseen barrier protecting Ardathanatus shimmers and wavers as Brelar's spell takes hold. The wall of blades cutting the elf off from the rest of the action dissipates!

Ardathanatus curses you, "By Yamasoth's damnation, you think you have hindered me but it was only a trifle annoyance. You shall be crushed like so many before you. This Abbey is mine!"

He brings down a column of unholy fire on Argust!

damage (half fire, half divine): 15d6 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 6, 5, 5, 6, 4, 4, 3, 1, 5, 2, 1, 3) = 56
DC 20 Ref for half

The gongorinans press their attack against Argust as well!

The sinspawn then continue to focus their efforts on Karn!

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

G1: 117 dmg
G2: 16 dmg
S1: 24 dmg
S4: 25 dmg

You guys are up!

Gotta argue the point, EF, but will take it to the Discussion thread.

On the first round, Bert babbles helplessly. Then he pulls himself together, calls on his luck, and shoots one of the sinspawn.

Round 2 confusion effect: 1d100 ⇒ 18

DA bullet to sinspawn, incl. good hope, luck, and PBS: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 2 + 3 = 34
DA bullet damage, incl. good hope, luck, PBS, and grit: 1d6 + 7 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 4 = 19

Sinspawns 1 & 4 should be blind for a round, from the smite.

"Bert, step east." Karn says, preparing to cast a spell.

If Bert moves, Karn will cast Blessing of Fervor.

Bert will do so.

Argust don't for resist energy (fire) 10 :)

Oh thanks Karn! Forgot about the blindness that went along with that spell. Yeah, they fire wildly then.

Bert puts a bullet in one of the sinspawn! Bert steps aside and Karn gives the party a blessing!

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

G1: 117 dmg
G2: 16 dmg
S1: 43 dmg
S4: 25 dmg

Argust and Brelar are up!

After accepting the blessing Brelar moves up and casts contagious flame on Ardathanatus and Sinspawn #2 and #3!

Ranged Touch (Ardathanatus): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 26
Ranged Touch (Sinspawn 2): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 18
Ranged Touch (Sinspawn 3): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 22

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 5) = 13
Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 6) = 11
Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 2, 4, 4) = 15

Hmm, a lot going on. I'm at lunch so I hope I don't miss something.

Reflex: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33 So I take 14 divine and 4 fire, right?
Bleed from Claw: 1d6 ⇒ 1
Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (8) + 16 = 24

I was not grappled either. I stand at 76/134 after Life Link.

Argust then continues to attack!

Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (20) + 28 = 48 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (6, 1) + 33 = 40
Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (2) + 28 = 30 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (2, 6) + 37 = 45
Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (15) + 23 = 38 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (6, 6) + 37 = 49
Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (4, 5) + 37 = 46

Confirm?: 1d20 + 28 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 28 + 4 = 49 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (6, 3) + 33 = 42
Bleeding Crit: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 4) = 10

If I somehow kill both the critters in front of me, Argust will fly/move to the next set of sinspawn, assuming that the others are going to take care of the BBEG.

You have Blessing of Fervor, Argust, so you can add a +2 to attack/damage. I think you have Haste up already?

Huh, never seen contagious flame used before. That is a cool (and funny) spell!

Brelar SR check: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

Brelar scorches two of the sinspawn but Ardathanatus appears to resist the spell. With a heavy hit Argust takes down the first gongorinan and then turns his wrath upon the next, nearly bringing it down but leaving with just enough strength left to retaliate!

The sinspawn continue to focus their fire on Karn, even if it hasn't been totally effective so far.

Ardathanatus moves out into the middle of the room and calls out, "Repel them, Yamasoth!" A wave of foul energy washes over Brelar, Argust, and Karn!

negative energy: 8d6 ⇒ (1, 1, 4, 4, 6, 6, 4, 3) = 29
DC 18 Will for half

Initiative:

1. Brelar
2. Ardathanatus and minions
3. Argust, Bert, and Karn

Ard:
G2: 126 dmg
S1: 43 dmg
S2: 11 dmg
S3: 15 dmg
S4: 25 dmg

You guys are up!

Bert calls on all his reserves and puts a bullet into the last qlippoth, hoping to finish it and allow Argust to move on to other foes.

DA bullet to the last qlippoth, incl. lingering luck, good hope, and PBS: 1d20 + 12 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 35
DA bullet damage, incl. lingering luck, good hope, PBS, grit, and arcane strike: 1d6 + 7 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 4 + 3 = 26

Will Save: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 2 = 18

The flames bounce to sinspawn 1 and 4!

Ranged Touch (sinspawn 1): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 31
Ranged Touch (sinspawn 4): 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 + 2 = 27

Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 4, 5, 3) = 17
Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 5, 6) = 14

Brelar casts hungry pit under Ardathanatus! DC 22 Ref to avoid. All the sinspawn that end their turn adjacent to it need a DC 20 Ref save to avoid falling in after their boss.

Fall 100'!: 10d10 ⇒ (1, 2, 9, 3, 4, 6, 6, 3, 7, 4) = 45
Chomp, chomp: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 1, 4) = 13

Yep, Haste is up from the shard. The +2 is in there, I should have mentioned that but forgot.

Fort: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Will: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

61/134 HP now. Hopefully that last bullet got that fella so I can move up.

Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (10) + 28 = 38 for Damage: 2d6 + 33 ⇒ (6, 5) + 33 = 44
Attack: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (4) + 28 = 32 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (4, 6) + 37 = 47
Attack: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (2) + 23 = 25 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (4, 4) + 37 = 45
Attack: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (1, 3) + 37 = 41
Confirm?: 1d20 + 18 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 18 + 4 = 30 for Damage: 2d6 + 37 ⇒ (6, 5) + 37 = 48
Bleeding Crit: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5