Hmm’s Race for the Runecarved Key (Tiers 10-11) (Inactive)

Game Master Hmm

***...Rock Gunn...I prefer omelettes to hard boiled eggs...shock and awe is much...cleaner...but if you think you can make them withdraw their bid...I say turn on the drunken charms...***

Eh, you've proven to be right about a lot of things so far. If that's how you're reading it, let's go for the shock and awe. I'm on board.

Let's go with Shock and Awe. I bet it will make for a quicker encounter.

Yanndu takes position by the door, and will cast greater invisibility on himself right before someone (else than his weak self) puts the boot to it.

***...now who will take fire from these rats and who will be the invisible blade in the nest?...*** asks Yanndu mentally before catering to the elected stealth warrior with one minute of greater invisibility...

"Anybody know anything about these critters before we go in?"

Knowledge (local?): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Gunner draws a wand of bless and looks at the party to see if they're ready. Once they are, he will cast the spell immediately before kicking in the door (using Might of the Gods to get a +9 to his strength score for a +5 modifier).

Eadie sculls an antiplague, drops her backpack and draws her Lucerne hammer.

“Ready.”

***...very well...unleash the kraken...*** ends Yanndu mentally as he casts greater invisibility on Vashara, before casting it on himself.

Myrdon nods and gets ready to to send Aegis up into the skies to keep a lookout for scurrying rats. As soon as the party is ready, he casts spell over the whole party, speeding them up.

Cast haste just before we shock and awe

Seeing Eadie drink an anti-plague, Gunner says "Ooh, good idea!" and drinks one of his own.

Vashara gets her bow ready as the others prepare their spells.

She wracks her brain to think of an appropriate speech she could use to inspire the group.

Eadie kicks in the door!

Perception, Dire Rats: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Perception, Rogue Were Rats: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Perceoption, Vaor Sisters: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

It is the Surprise Round! The rogue wererats, ever alert, had a premonition of that door being broken down, and they are not surprised. The party has the advantage of surprise on everyone else.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round SURPRISE
Active conditions:
Haste
Greater Invisibility on Vashara and Gunner

Eadie
Bruxo
Myrdon

================================

Rogue Wererats

================================

Yanndu
Aegis
Vashara
Gunner

================================

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round ONE

Eadie
Bruxo
Myrdon

================================

Wererats

================================

Yanndu
Aegis

================================

Vaor Sisters

================================

Vashara
Gunner

================================

Dire Rats

Bold is up!

Phylum rodentia, don't you know. Well, you may not, actually...

Bruxo casts a spell and a mass of rubbery black tentacles erupt from the floor of the warehouse!

CMB to grapple: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35
dmg if grappled: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

if grappled, DC 26 to escape

That grapples everyone within the spell’s reach! There are mournful screams from rats and wererats alike! The dire rats in the spell radius go unconscious as the tentacles hit them!

I removed them from the board completely.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round SURPRISE
Active conditions:
Haste
Greater Invisibility on Vashara and Gunner

Eadie
Bruxo
Myrdon

================================

Rogue Wererats
(Grappled and -5: Green, Lt. Green, Lilac, Yellow, Lt. Blue, Black)

================================

Yanndu
Aegis
Vashara
Gunner

================================

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round ONE

Eadie
Bruxo
Myrdon

================================

Wererats

================================

Yanndu
Aegis

================================

Vaor Sisters
(Red grappled, -5)

================================

Vashara
Gunner

================================

Dire Rats

Bold is up!

Yanndu telepathically warn his friends not to step closer to the center of the black tentacles.

On his turn:
Flying high above the tentacles, he positions himself at the center of the rats and unleashes a stunning psychic scream.

Synaptic Pulse, 30-foot radius centered on red triangle - Will DC 19 or stunned for 1 round

I will roll those will saves on your turn. If others want to prepost under spoilers, that is fine. I will take your actions in turn order, and that may speed this up.

Click. Whirr...

BOTTING MYRDON and EADIE

Eadie delays to let the casters cast!

Myrdon casts Mad Monkeys on Myori Vaor (Orange Star)! Wild shrieking monkeys descend upon her!

Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Were Rat Escape Artist Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17

Wow. One escapes. He does a victory dance, then smashes through the window to run AWAY.

Distraction Fort Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

Meanwhile, Myori is nauseated and deafened! “Get these shrieking fiends OFF me!”

A few of the were rats run around the tentacles.

Then the synaptic pulse hits!

Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Were Rat Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Orange Vaor Sister Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Red Vaor Sister Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

The synaptic pulse stuns everyone except three rogues and a grappled Vaor Sister!

“ENOUGH!” she calls out. “What do you want? We surrender!”

COMBAT OVER

You search the place, and Myrdon finds something interesting in the office. “Hey, look at this note!”

The note reads:

Place the deposit with the proctor at the temple in your name. When the bidding is over, collect it and keep it. Just make sure you sow the seeds carefully or you won't have the chance to collect your payment.

It is also on SLIDE ONE.

Yanndu inspects the note and casts detect psychic significance, followed by a...
Psychometry Check: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
...2 min seance of psychometry.

Yanndu gains 2 pieces of information about the historical significance or the last previous owner—such as a glimpse of the last owner's appearance or its emotional state when it last used the item—determined by the GM.

Vashara pulls back her bow string and prepares to tell a tale a lone bard hero removing a den of evil cursed rats from a small town...

...then all the hells break lose. Tentacles, screaming, smashing windows...

.. and then it's over as fast as it started.

"You weren't kidding about the "shock and awe" tactics, were you! This lot needs escorting to watch and curing of their horrible affliction."

***...you can still try to tag the one fleeing down the streets...5gp that he won't go down with the first arrow...*** mentally bets Yanndu.

“ENOUGH!” she calls out. “What do you want? We surrender!”

...

The note reads:

Place the deposit with the proctor at the temple in your name. When the bidding is over, collect it and keep it. Just make sure you sow the seeds carefully or you won't have the chance to collect your payment.

"Who wrote this? And what seeds?"

“Some woman paid us to scatter seeds around the Cathedral. Maybe she thought that rich people would not like dandelions on their lawn or something.” Kresch says.

Meanwhile, Yanndu gets the picture of a cool, well-educated mind. He sees a calm woman with a cap over her auburn hair. She’s dressed in the sort of simple high quality clothes aristocrats adorn themselves with while slumming, and she’s wearing a sidehedron necklace. She’s got a map of the cathedral, and is pointing parts of the map out to other people wearing sidehedron necklaces. Then she stamps the note with a star in lieu of a signature, and blows on it to dry the ink as she makes a sly smile. The cap slips as she leans over, revealing a pair of tiny horns on her head. She hastily replaces the cap, then folds the note, placing it in a box with enough gold coins to cover a deposit on the key.

About six seconds after claiming she was ready, Eadie looks somewhat shocked and awed.

She recovers quickly though.

“The seal suggests an agent of the ancient Runelords of Thassilon, Gunner.”

“As for the rest …”

Eadie frowns at Kresch's explanation. “I don't think it was dandelion seeds you sowed. I'm thinking they're eldritch seeds containing:

timed to go off at the end of the auction, so the Vaor clan member who claims/steals the Runecarved Key can escape with it.”

“We need to be ready for trouble after the auction.”

Take 10 Perception for lewtz: 10 + 18 = 28

Gunner shudders at the mention of Runelords and Sihedrons. Ugh, not this again.

Talk about shock and awe!

Myrdon shows the note to the rest of the party and nods at Eadie's speculation. "This is worrying. We need to be on guard during the auction. Things are likely not so straightforward, but when has any Pathfinder missions been?"

Yanndu passes the images and visions to the others by way of telepathy.

"We need to show this vision to Lady Heidmarch as soon as possible," says Yanndu, his tone indicating that he is very worried.

Yanndu casts hypercognition to rapidly catalog and collate all available data on the persons showed in his vision, the medallions, and the map of the cathedral, calling to mind scraps of memory and assembling clues in a logical and systematic order.

Knowledge (Any): 1d20 + 16 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 16 + 10 = 28 add +2 if visions related to Knowledge (Local)

***OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT***

The last of the attendees are shuffled into the Cathedral of Abadar and the crowd eagerly await the beginning of the auction. A portly man takes to the stage, and with a voice like a foghorn declares ”The auction is open!” which sets off a hum through the crowd as people start jostling for position and readying their auction bidding paddles, as though they were cutlasses with which to defeat the auction itself!

Kresch Vaor looks around at the readied auction-slayers with a broken resolve “Bah, too much for an old key. Proctor, I’m out. Have one of your clergymen transfer my deposit to my personal account.” then sits back down.

The bidding then begins with fury, paddles being thrust into the air representing thousands of gold at a time

The Duchesses seem a bit distant, and very quickly exit the bidding.

As the numbers rise, Maiveer Sloan calls out, he pleads with the auctioneer, “I don’t have the funds on hand, but let my organization put down credit on the key. I can have the extra funds in a few months and you know we’re good for it.” The Auctioneer purses his heavy lips in sympathetic understanding. The Proctor interjects ”The rules state this auction would be a fast sell only with coin in hand” Maiveer pleads further ”Sir! I protest! I have been victimised and robbed - and though I make no issue of it now I protest that I would have had the coin had it not been so! The rogues, robbers, and conspirators sit right under this very roof and gain from this injustice!” The proctor, having none of it, simply turns to Sloan ”Contain yourself or the church will have you removed.”

As order is almost restored, a group of toughs barges in and heads straight for Dymal Rinks - ”Minvandu wants a word”. He begins to protest, but two burly half-orcs simply grab an arm each and pick him up and start walking out. Sheila Heidmarch makes a gesture that is very clear - do NOT get involved. Minvandu’s chief legbreaker pauses at the Proctor ”Sorry about that interruption, bit of confusion needing to be dealt with. Whatever deposit Rinks tried to put down on the auction belongs to our employer, Mr. Minvandu. I’ll send someone around later to collect it, after the boss has a few private words with Rinks”. Rinks is then dragged out of the auction house, kicking and screaming.

The auction begins again in earnest, with some Pathfinders baulking at the sums being thrown around and consider wandering to a nearby tavern instead. The number of bidders begins to rapidly thin…

Doctor Landis starts making an offer,then thinks better of it - some concern playing at the back of his mind no doubt. He lowers his hand, and simply gestures that he’s cut himself off by waving his hand across his throat.

Falrig Sneve seems spooked by Doctors Landis withdrawing and it triggers him too “Too rich for my blood. Fold!”

With only Pathfinders and Lady Kaddren in the bidding war, the atmosphere gets tense - it is clear that Lady Kaddren is determined to win… yet as she is about to bid a breathtaking sum, a runner presents her with a note which she quickly reads. After, she grimaces at the assembled Pathfinders and their Venture Captain and in a threatening tone says, “This time, you got lucky. From here out, you might want to watch your backs.” Then she turns to the proctor and tells him, “You can close my bids out.” After, she tucks the note into her cloak and storms out.

The Auctioneer continues “Going, going, gone! And sold to table seven with the red coloured paddle for a final price of sixty thousand gold pieces! Table seven please send one representative to the front of the room to claim your prize!”

A seasoned Pathfinder, Eadie Navhelan from the winning table strides out to collect.

Without warning, a tremendous flash of light and smoke appears behind the auctioneer, and the very fabric of reality is sliced open. Seconds later, a black-robed figure steps through the rift and pulls a jagged black-bladed dagger across the auctioneer’s throat sending a shower of blood into the screaming crowd of bidders. The remorseless assassin snatches the Runecarved Key and in a fit of mad laughter bursts into dozens of shadowy black forms, each fleeing from the cathedral in a different direction.

Begin Act 4!

A seasoned Pathfinder, Eadie Navhelan from the winning table strides out to collect the Key.

“Of course, nobody gets to stand up here without a lot of help along the way …”

Eadie pulls out some hand-written notes.

“I’d firstly like to thank my late Aunt Alixandrah for providing a solid foundation to my life and instilling in me my love of Abadar, whose House we all come together in today.”

“Master of Swords Marcos Farabellus, whose endless stream of abuse as an Initiate made me the cold-blooded killer you see before you.”

“And Lady Sheila Heidmarch, who took a chance on a penniless, green-as-grass girl from Korvosa whose only assets were a nasty temper and matching greatsword.”

“And finally to the crazy crew on Table Seven. They’re the real stars. Honestly, all I do is slice open the throats of the poor fools they’ve isolated, shot, paralysed and psychic blasted.”

“So (in alphabetical order):

Stand up and take a bow! THIS ONE’S FOR YOU, GUYS! Thank-you!!”

Without warning, a tremendous flash of light and smoke appears behind the auctioneer, and the very fabric of reality is sliced open.

Seconds later, a black-robed figure steps through the rift and regretfully announces: "Guys, guys, I’m sorry, no, there’s a mistake."

"I, the black-robed ninja have won the Runecarved Key."

“This is not a joke. I’m taking the Key and going now.”

“I’m afraid the auctioneer read the wrong thing.”

The flying glass shards deal 5d6 points of piercing and slashing damage to all targets in the cathedral.

DC 21 Reflex save for half.

Amid the rain of glass shards, a horde of Lissalan cultists comes crashing through the now empty cathedral windows. With weapons drawn, they attempt to surround all the patrons inside, blocking their escape and delaying pursuit of the assassin, who carries the true Runecarved Key.

Four Lissalan Cultist Masters grin menacingly at you, threatening the innocent civilians that scream helplessly in the Cathedral!

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1
Active conditions:
None

Bruxo
Vashara
Myrdon
Gunner Ock
Eadie

================================

Cultist Masters

================================

Yanndu
Aegis II

BOLD is up!

Round #1: AC 27; antiplague, life bubble ☤ down about 10? hp ☤

Reflex: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22 (successful save for half)

Eadie waits for Bruxo, Vashara, Myrdon and Gunner to act before drawing her Lucerne hammer, stepping up 5’ and readying an action to strike the most injured foe to enter a position she threatens. [10’ with hammer, though she also wields a spiked gauntlet]

The black knight will also take an opportunistic strike against any foe that leaves a position she threatens.

“Come here and take what's coming to you! I'll bite your legs off!”

GM, approximately how long has it been since we fought the ghost? Checking for Myrdon's buffs.

reflex, heroism: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 2 = 22
Myrdon ducks behind Aegis, and avoids the worst of the falling shards.

With a few intricate hand gestures, Myrdon calls out the arcane words, "වේගවත් වේ" and the entire party feels magic enhancing their speed! He then circles around Aegis, keeping close to his companion.

Cast haste

DC 21 Refl save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Wow, I did not expect to make that at all.

Bruxo picks the assassin out of the crowd and focuses on her! HELLSCEATH! he mumbles, bringing doubt and darkness to her mind!
Evil eye hex targeting saving throws, 9 rounds (DC 23 Will reduces to one round).

It’s been almost two hours.

Reflex save, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 12 + 1 = 17 Oof. Are we rolling our own glass damage, or are you going to roll it, GM?

Gunner, bleeding from cuts all over his body, dumps the glass shards from his tankard then raises it high, emitting a burst of positive energy that washes over his allies (selecting out the cultists, obvs).

Channel to heal: 5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 4, 4, 4) = 21 The glass hurts 5d6, I heal 5d6. Nice and symmetrical.

Eadie delays.

Myrdon casts haste!

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

Yes, very symmetrical.

Gunner heals every bit of glass damage that you take!

Bruxo realizes that the assassin is not in this room, so he targets one of the Lissalan cult masters with that Evil Eye.

Will Save, Pink: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Pink has the Evil Eye condition for the rest of his life!

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1
Active conditions: Haste!

Bruxo
Vashara
Myrdon
Gunner Ock
Eadie

================================

Cultist Masters
Pink (Evil Eye, 9 rounds)

================================

Yanndu
Aegis II

BOLD is up!

Eadie delays.

Round #1 (redo after delay): AC 27; haste, life bubble ☤ Full Health ☤

With the casters having ✨cast, Eadie draws her adamantine falchion instead of her hammer and rushes 25’ at the orange robed Lissalan.

falchion + Power Attack (PA) + Furious Focus (FF) + haste on Orange: 1d20 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 20 + 1 = 30 vs flat-footed
magic, adamantine, slashing damage: 2d4 + 22 ⇒ (1, 4) + 22 = 27

reflex save (DC21, half): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

Vashara dodges the worst of the glass, but Gunner heals the damage to her skin almost as quick as the damage happened.

She steps away from Bruxo and fires of volley of arrows with increased celerity provided by Bruxo's spell. Targetting Blue.

Full Attack with Haste (with Rapid Shot and Manyshot)
+2 Adaptive Composite Longbow attack 1, haste, point blank: 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 15 + 1 + 1 = 33
arrows damage, point blank: 1d8 + 4 + 1 + 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 + (1) + 4 + 1 = 16

+2 Adaptive Composite Longbow attack 2, haste, point blank: 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 1 + 1 = 27
arrow damage, point blank: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7

+2 Adaptive Composite Longbow attack 3, haste, point blank: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 10 + 1 + 1 = 16
arrow damage, point blank: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7

+2 Adaptive Composite Longbow hasted attack, haste, point blank: 1d20 + 15 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 15 + 1 + 1 = 21
arrows damage, point blank: 1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

Eadie slashes at Orange for 27 points of damage!

Vashara shoots her arrows again and again at Blue, and three out of the four hit for 34 damage!

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Then it is the turn of the Cultist Masters!

Orange, deciding that he does not like having an Eadie to the face, dimensional steps away to a safer part of the Cathedral! This does not provoke!

Blue casts black tentacles on most of the party! The black spell template!

Black Tentacles Grapple Attempt: 1d20 + 9 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 1 + 4 = 15

But instead of black tentacles, you have black limp noodles, just lying there ineffectively. Occasionally they rise to whap half-heartedly in your general direction...

The Blue-robed cultist yells, “Are you kidding me? That is the last time I purchase my calamari from Joe’s magic shop! What a rip-off!”

On top of that, Pink casts a Stinking Cloud on everyone but Eadie!

DC 20 Fortitude save, or be nauseated!

Meanwhile, Green starts summoning.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1 / 2
Active conditions:
Haste, Stinking Cloud, and limpest Black Tentacles you have ever seen!

Bruxo
Vashara
Myrdon
Gunner Ock
Eadie

================================

Cultist Masters
Pink (Evil Eye)
Orange (-27)
Blue (-34)
Green

================================

Yanndu
Aegis II

BOLD is up! Go, kill them!

Reflex DC 21 against glass shards: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29 8dmg, healed by Gunner's channel
Fort DC 20 or nauseated: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28

Yanndu casts greater invisibility. Thanks to his haste spell, he stealths 30 feet south between the two cultists.

Stealth, Invisibility: 1d20 + 3 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 20 = 27

Yanndu goes invisible, and stealths between the Pink and Green-robed Cultists.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 1 / 2
Active conditions:
Haste, Stinking Cloud, and limpest Black Tentacles you have ever seen!

Bruxo
Vashara
Myrdon
Gunner Ock
Eadie

================================

Cultist Masters
Pink (Evil Eye)
Orange (-27)
Blue (-34)
Green

================================

Yanndu
Aegis II

BOLD is up!

Fort: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Gunner rushes out of the cloud, drawing his rapier as he approaches the green summoner. Let's see if we can't interrupt things a bit.

+1 keen rapier, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 1 = 31 crit threat on 15+
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 4 = 11

confirm? (+1 keen rapier, haste): 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 = 25
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 4 = 12

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

DC 20 Fortitude: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Bruxo grins at the black tentacles and cracks wise about buying spellbooks at discount sellers, the end of which is cut off by an explosion of vomit all over Aegis' plumage. Hurk...I'll prestidigitate that lateOOOLLLMPH!

For once, Bruxo is grateful for a haste effect, as he vacates the area of both spell effects, leaving a trail of vacated stomach behind him as he goes.

Round #2: AC 25 (lunge); haste, life bubble ☤ Full Health ☤

Eadie hastily darts 35’ around pillars, pews and putrid profusions, before lunging at blue-robes with her falchion.

lunging falchion + Power Attack (PA) + Furious Focus (FF) + haste on Blue: 1d20 + 20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 20 + 1 = 24
magic, adamantine, slashing damage: 2d4 + 22 ⇒ (3, 2) + 22 = 27

Wow, that was literally the only roll that could have kept Myrdon from being grappled.

fort, heroism: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 = 20
The cloud surrounded Myrdon but he manages to take a deep breath before the spell hits. He flies out of the grasping tentacles and nauseating cloud over the podium towards the ceiling of the cathedral.

GM, I'm assuming Pink was using material components when casting the spell...
Turning his attention at the spellcaster who threw the cloud on the party, he yells back. "We have no time for you!" Waving his hands in the air as if scattering sand, he calls out, "දිලිසෙන දූවිලි!" A cloud of glittering dust settles on the pink-garbed occultist.

cast glitterdust DC22 on pink

reflex, heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 = 23 and evasion
fort, heroism: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 = 24

The big bird is rather slow to react to everything, despite repeated yells from his master. It finds glass showering around, although it somehow manages to dodge around most of it. Then suddenly, black floppy tentacles suddenly appear around it, reminiscent of the giant squid it has eaten once before. But before it got the chance to snap one up for taste, a cloud of foul-smelling smoke appears around him but his avian lungs does not seem much affected.

Finally, the ceaseless screaming from his master gets through to him, he flies to the orange-dressed man in the corner, squeezing between the pillar, and grabs at him with his mighty claws. Clearly though, his bird brain is still thinking about the juicy-looking tentacles and his attack was a half-hearted one.
talon vs pink, PA, heroism: 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 13 - 2 + 2 = 14
dmg, PA: 1d6 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 4 = 17
grab, heroism: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 18 + 2 = 24

Aegis has a belt of the weasel so no penalty when squeezing.

fortitude: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

Vashara holds her breath and moves moves back out of the fog. She aims up a shot at the cultist who conjured the smelly fog pink for if she sees or hears him start to cast a spell.

Everyone runs away from the limp tentacles and the stinking gas, including the entire crowd, who is shrieking and running!

Gunner crits against Green. Bruxo spends the round running and voiding his stomach contents, and is nauseated this round as well. Eadie continues to go cultist hunting, and deals another 27 points of damage. Aegis misses a cultist. Myrdon glitters Pink...

Pink’s Will Save, Evil Eye: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 10 - 2 = 15

...and blinds him!

Vashara readies a shot for Pink’s action...

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

And it is Team Cultist’s turn!

The tentacles suddenly wake up and attempt their grapple check...

Grapple: 1d20 + 1 + 4 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 1 + 4 + 9 = 33

...and would have done an excellent job, if there were anyone left to grapple!

“Now you lame tentacles decide to grapple? LATE, LATE, LATE!” Blue yells at them. He dimensional steps away behind a pillar.

The wounded Green attempts to make a concentration check.

Concentration: 1d20 + 14 - 23 ⇒ (9) + 14 - 23 = 0

...and loses the spell.

The blinded pink starts summoning defensively!

Concentration: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

He loses the spell, but still gets hit with Vashara’s arrow!

Orange does not like the bird there, so he dimensional steps again.

★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★

Round 2 / 3
Active conditions:
Haste, Stinking Cloud, and Black Tentacles in the center of the room!

Bruxo (nauseated)
Vashara
Myrdon
Gunner Ock
Eadie

================================

Cultist Masters
Pink (Evil Eye, Blind, -7)
Orange (-27, no more dimension hop left)
Blue (-61)
Green (-23)

================================

Yanndu
Aegis II

BOLD is up!

Thanks to the haste spell, Yanndu walks 60 feet towards the carpeted area at the center of the room. Looking at the blue cultist yelling and dimension stepping behind the pillar, Yanndu begins to rhythmically pump additional blood into his brain while applying pressure on the veins to prevent the blood to return back down to the body.

Yanndu casts Explode Head on blue cultist - head explodes causing death if 20 hit points or lower, or 10d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 6, 5, 6, 5, 1, 5, 4, 6) = 45 damage if higher than 20 hp, Fort DC 21 for half --> if dmg takes him below 0 hp, head still explodes (damage to anyone within 10 feet but it doesn't seem to apply here - see linkified spell for details if it does)

Myrdon, wielding a rod in his hand, channels his next spell through it, calling five magical bolts into being. They fly unerringly and smash against the 4 (or 3 if blue's head has exploded) cultist.

The damage is little but what Myrdon is going for is to knock them to their feet!

cast magic missile, activing toppling rod

pink dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
orange dmg: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 3) + 2 = 9
blue dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 If head is gone, transfer this dmg to orange.
green dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

toppling spell vs pink CMD: 1d20 + 11 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 9 = 33
toppling spell vs orange CMD: 1d20 + 11 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 9 = 29
toppling spell vs blue CMD: 1d20 + 11 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 9 = 25
toppling spell vs green CMD: 1d20 + 11 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 11 + 9 = 37

Aegis cocks its head to one side. Its prey was there one second, and the next, was gone! But it spots him on the other side of the cathedral, so it leaps into the air and takes flight, reaching the other side with practically one major hastened leap. Again, it reaches out its right claw, attempting to slash and grab it.

talon vs pink, PA, heroism: 1d20 + 13 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 13 - 2 + 2 = 31
dmg, PA: 1d6 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 4 = 14
grab, heroism: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 18 + 2 = 36

Gunner keeps ferociously poking away at the cultist in front of him (Green).

+1 keen rapier, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 1 = 15 crit threat on 15+
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 4 = 10

---

iterative, haste: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 + 1 = 27 crit threat on 15+
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 4 = 13
confirm?, haste: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 4 = 13

---

haste attack: +1 keen rapier, haste: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 1 = 33 crit threat on 15+
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 4 = 14
confirm?: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 1 = 33 <--Wow, this RNG likes my Rapier today!
damage, ferocious strike: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 4 = 14

I hadn't reset my Ferocious Strike counter in my tagline, so I went back through my posts and counted. These were my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Ferocious Strikes today.