Shackled City (Pathfinder) - GM_Chris

Game Master Chris Shannon 719

Round 3, Initiative 18-, Location J11

If he can, Atol will delay this round until he is healed and then go. If not, disregard all this as it may change after the demons go again…

Atol wipes the blood and goo from his eyes. Huh? Mist? A blood mist?

Atol shakes his head to clear the cobwebs and the pain makes him wish he didn't.

Atol casts (from the ground under Doctor Toffitt I think, Obscuring Mist. Not knowing where the Demons lie, and whether they have reach weapons, he will defensively cast.
Concentration 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 vs DC 17

He will then spend his last Hero Point so that he channels energy for 6d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 3, 4, 2, 3) = 22 worth of healing. He is careful to not heal the three wounded Demons (selective channel).

"May the *cough* *spew* holy healing of St. Cuthbert be upon us all! Why can't I see anything?"

Now offering 10 hero points for a +5 Vorpal Sword of Post Monster Slaying. Abbreviated version. Some creative retargeting to keep PbP moving.

Toffitt avoids one AoO (24), but the other demon (22) takes a swing at him but misses. Toffitt strikes D1 and finishes him off with a hero point.

Finneas decides Glimmil can take care of the one demon between them and hacks down D4 with two great whacks. The week of prayers seem to have been answered. Finnneas then turns back to D3 and uses a hero point to get a swing in that finishes him off.

Only D2 (I-9) remains for Glimmil.

Dyrant heals Finneas.

Aralynn heals Atol.

Atol casts obscurring mist. I think you're out of hero points. I think everyone started level 9 with 2 and it took 2 to cheat death.

AoO: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

New Init orderParty up for Round 2/3
Round 2
Glimmil = 5 TBD
Round 3
Finneas = 25
Dyrant = 18
Toffitt = 17+
Atol = 17
Demons = 17-
D1 (darkness center, dead)
D2 (0)
D3 (darkness center, dead)
D4 (dead)

Round 2

Not sure where D2 is at the moment, but assuming Glimmil can get to him with Cog sniffing the way...

Glimmil and Cog ride about in the darkness, searching for the final demon to fell.

"Where's all the demons go? Why's it so darned dark?! Atol, is that you? Are you OK, Atol? Did you drop any scones in the weird demon-skin-dirt?"

Assuming no easy flank, add +2 if there is one.

Cog attack (bite): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24 for 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 with trip CMB 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Glimmil attack (Claw Whomper, power): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24 for 1d6 + 1 + 4 + 4 + 2d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 4 + 4 + (1, 6) = 17

Cog Conceal: 1d100 ⇒ 58
Glimmil Conceal: 1d100 ⇒ 90

Toffitt snarls at the remaining demon. "Tell your putrescent kin we'll brook no interference. We are here to take the test, and you are but meat on the way."

Please...?

The last demon considers his foes, is tempted by the near death Finneas and Atol, but thinks better of it. He takes a 5' step back and teleports away.

The party is left to lick their wounds and figure out how they are going to cover the other 85 miles to the cathederal.

A more than slightly panicked Atol Channels Energy twice, quickly, before the Demon returns with reinforcements. He'll then relax... a little... and heal our wounds more normally. He does not dispel the obscuring mist until after the channeling is complete.

He channels energy for 6d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6) = 28 worth of healing.
He channels energy for 6d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 1, 3, 6, 1) = 22 worth of healing.

He then touches Finneas with the holy touch of healing. Then himself.
Finneas: Cure Light Wounds for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Atol: Cure Light Wounds for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Then he puts on his armor. "I know I'm a little slower with this on, but I think any protection I can get is important protection."

Atol will then take a moment to use a pearl of power to refresh the obscuring mist spell, just in case.

Finneas - if you need more healing, and I bet you do, go ahead and start using wand charges.

Finneas allows his rage to continue while the demon disappears but allows his mind to clear enough for some brief healing.

Moment of Clarity to cast CSW

CSW: 3d8 + 6 ⇒ (8, 1, 1) + 6 = 16

As it becomes clear the creature will not return the half-orc relaxes.

While the divine energy of Cuthbert washes over him his internal struggle is obvious to those that know him.

I don't understand.
Fifth: By using the power of Kord to cover Atol and Dyrant in the beginning you could've saved them both much pain.
But aren't we meant to endure pain in order to grow strong?
Fifth: The followers of the Cudgel understand pain but they do not understand strength. You cannot expect them to fight back from the edge as you have.
Female: He's slipped over at least once I might add.
Male: Hardly his fault.
Fifth: The point remains. You have been granted the blessing of Kord, use it wisely before mindlessly pummeling your enemy.
Male: There's nothing wrong with...
Fifth: The statue, remember your failure at the statue.
He's right, if I'd covered Dyrant better he wouldn't have almost died. It's my fault.

"I'm fine Atol, thank you. I'm sorry I failed you."

The prophet of Kord then uses his own divine gift to finish healing his wounds.

CLW: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

Toffitt rather sheepishly takes out his ioun torch and sets it spinning around his head. "Atol. have you any smokesticks on you? Perhaps I ought to carry them, so that we have a few options for laying down cover."

"I'm fine Atol, thank you. I'm sorry I failed you."

"Failed me? Hardly. We're a team, and we had a rough fight. It seems they know we're coming. I suspect there will be similar roadblocks laid out for us all along the way. We'll have to be vigilant - though I don't know how to be vigilant for a foe who can teleport in at will!"

Atol takes off his pack and roots around for a moment. "Aha! Here you go Doctor. I have but two, and they're a little old, but they should still do the trick I think. Good thinking - they don't do us much good at the bottom of my pack do they!"

"OK then. I think we're all ready, let's proceed and proceed with haste and caution - if such a combination can occur!" Atol smiles at the group trying to up their spirits as they trudge through the horrid landscape and even more horrid foes.

Dyrant smiles as the divine spark washes over him.

Atol lives.

Dyrant slumps to the ground as the mist and darkness dissipate. Looking around at the blood and carnage, Dyrant can only imagine what he missed.

Nodding with thanks to brave Aralyann, Dyrant speaks to the spinning divine orrery.

Dyrant will search the bodies of the dead babaus for trinkets, magic, or markers of whom they serve or why they attacked.

What happens to demons when they die on their home plane? Perma death or lemuring?

When the party is healed, Dyrant picks himself up and continues to walk to their destination, unsure yet how to do this more simply.

Do we want to dress like demons? Atol, are their spells that can help with that? Maybe we should dress ourselves in the illusion of competence. :)

Dyrant walks again.

Dyrant will be changing spells should he live the night.

The demon bodies remain, but offer no clues as to whether this was a planned attack or just random demons lurking in the Abyss. The only treasure they possess are their normal longspears.

The party entered Occipitus at noon. The ambush took place at the end of the 'day' of traveling. The sky hasn't darkened at all, but the party is ready to rest. It would be night in Cauldron at this point.

Sensing Dyrants questions and seeing his scowl, Atol replies, "I don't have anything that can shield us or obscure us for any long length of time. With fresh spells I could create a shelter made of webbing that's as strong as wood - but it has no real shielding properties other than to keep the rain off our backs."

Clerics aren't really designed for group travel/obscurement until level 12 when they get wind walk. Can I be level 12 now? Just for a few days? heheheh

Found a map without labels online. The Cathederal is on of the fields of celestial rubble. The mountains surround the bowl. The terrain types are labeled on the right side of the map.

Map Day 1

Glimmil straps his hammer back to his waist, and upon seeing Atol alive and well, cheers up considerably.

Fetching his lance, he begins to babble on further about the assorted rumored adventures of his deity.

"You know, I wonder if Garl's ever been to Occ-sitti-pip-itus... and what clever tricks he used to outsmart the demons and make off with any treasure and a gnomish princess..."

Glimmil taps his chin as he fetches his discarded lance.

"I remember reading some stories about how a group of adventurers had a wizard with them, and the wizard was able to summon some sort of spectral mounts for the heroes to ride. And another was able to summon some flying creatures - I think they were hippos... wait, that can't be right..."

Glimmil scratches his chin and gives Dyrant a good long look.

Too bad he can't summon something for the slower members of group to ride. I guess Cuthbertites aren't really like wizards?

Wow. That map really helps visualize things. Thank you, GM Gristle.

@Glim: ouch. Well played, sir. I was just saying the same thing to Atol.

Dyrant, finally getting more of a sense of the plane, begins to look for a place to pass the night. Dyrant will set watch (of course) and hope for the best to pass during the night.

* * *

In the morning (should we make it there), Dyrant will do his usual morning rituals and prepare slightly different spells for their trek across the abyssal plane of Octopus.

That night, before he beds down without his armor, Atol casts Magic Vestment on his nightclothes.

He will also, as is his custom, cast Create Food and Water in the evening for the large daily meal.

Might I suggest this spell for Glimmil: Keep Watch.

As the party is searching for a place to spend the night, Toffitt conjures up what knowledge he retains of roughing it in the wild — looking for a campsite that might be particularly hard for casual observers to see. He counsels against a campfire, no matter how many times Dyrant begs for gristle stew or Atol talks about frying up bacon.

He confers with Dyrant about the assassins. "What do we know about their defenses and senses?"

Survival 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 If only we had an arcane spellcaster who could cast Secure Shelter...

On the morrow, should the party survive so long, he also prepares a slightly different complement of extracts. He hands two infusions to Atol. "I suggest drinking these. One now and the other eight hours from now. They will give you a bit of armor, but also blunt the deadliness of our foes attacks. With this and perhaps some better celestial armor from Dyrant, would you consider continuing without your breast plate?" He confers with Finneas and Dyrant about whether he thinks his other two preparations would be better used on Finneas, Dyrant or himself.

Ablative barrier. Like mage armor in that it gives +2 armor bonus that affects incorporeal, and lasts 1 hour/level. Also converts first 5 HP of damage from each hit to nonlethal (up to 40 damage total, at which point it goes away).

I'm happy to prepare Keep Watch the next morning if we believe we'll be spending more than another full day here. Glimmil will swap the still unused Litany of Sloth for it.

Keep Watch. Nice spell. Hadn't seen that one before.

I'm fairly certain we'll have another night here, even if it's after we've started the 'test.' As far as I can tell, it would most benefit Dyrant and Toffitt, since the real divine casters get their prayers, whether or not they rest. I do have that right, don't I?

After some discussion, Toffitt gives two more infusions of ablative barrier to Finneas.

I think we're getting somewhere! Now if only we could wish up a scroll of Mount for Aralynn to eat!

"Thank you Doctor? What...what do they taste like?"

I wish he had a satay flavored potion.

As the morning begins Finneas will enchant his armor with the protection of Kord. He will then choke down the first of the Doctor's concoctions.

Magical Vestment on my plate.

"Ah. That's a bit of fenugreek, a smidge of candied and powdered nightshade, and bile from a glabrezu. Oh, and pineapple juice. Enjoy!"

Dyrant calls upon the spirits of the Saints of Cuthbertine past to buoy him while he travels in the Abyss.

2d10 + 9 ⇒ (5, 8) + 9 = 22 Temp HP

Dyrant is ready for the 2nd day of travel in this...this...Abyss. Land of the Lost. Land of funky forests and skin-ground ulcers.

This place is evil, but St. Cuthbert commands it. And for him, I will endure.

If the night passes uneventfully...

Atol offers Dyrant a pearl of power in exchange for a Mage Armor for the days journey. That way we stay at a 25' move for the day (Finneas' speed) and Atol is unarmored (AC 18 (mage armor, shield, ring of protection)). Atol will also take the Ablative Barrier during the day if it is offered. Further, Atol apologizes to Finneas, but no more Shield Other while in the Abyss. It's too hard to get a fighting front between the squishies and the enemy.

The night passes uneventfully, but only an hour into the next day of travel two large objects in the distance turn sharply toward the party. Even from several hundred feet away, people can tell there is cause for concern. Two large creatures, each one a twisted cross between a man and a gigantic vulture, swoop low over the ground and race towards the party from the north. They are still 600' ahead of the party and zooming at Glimmil. Some of the plasms in the sky move towards them, but can't catch them.

Map

Round 1
Assigned inits since no inits last time didn't work.
Finneas - 25
Atol - 18
Glimmil - 17
Toffitt - 12
Dyrant - 10
Demons - 8

Extra work for Toffitt. Look. You're init is the same, but you are ahead of Dyrant. Happy? 8-P

Initiative
Atol1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Dyrant 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Finneas 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Finneas Bonus roll 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Glimmil1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Toffitt 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Assigned inits? Huh?

Round 1, Init 12

Toffitt drinks his mutagen and gets out a smokestick.

Round 1, Init 18

Dyrant pays heed to the approaching creatures and sighs.

This is not the plane to go to if you want a vacation.

Dyrant will beg Aralynn for the gift of flight and ascend to 5' up.

"Aralynn, protect me, won't you? Then get ready to protect the others, please. We do battle for St. Cuthbert!"

Aralynn cast Prot from Evil on Dyrant.

1d20 + 18 ⇒ (1) + 18 = 19 Know (Planes)

Round 1, Initiative 18, Location M16->N12

Atol moves up, drawing his cudgel, into the clearing a little ways to get Glimmil in the area of effect and casts Bless from his Cassock. He then tries to look as small as possible.

Adding in movement since Toffitt goes after: he moves to stay next to Atol.

Round 1, Init 17

"Incoming! I'll get the right one, you guys get the left!"

Glimmil tilts his hat down to further cover his face and braces himself with his lance against the flying charge of his oncoming attackers.

Glimmil begins to glitter with a radiant, holy light as he focuses on the rightmost "bird-monster".

Swift action to begin smiting the right one. Glim and Cog both ready a standard action to attack the right one when it's within range.

Round 1 Init 25

Seeing the approaching vultures Finneas quaffs the extract of shielding the Doctor always has him carry, then draws his sword and moves to protect Atol.

"What are they?"

Round 2

Dyrant doesn't know what demons these are but they fly another 100' closer. (Now at 400' away.)

Party up.

Round 2, Init 12

Toffitt drinks his extract of heroism. "Atol, perhaps some mist to prevent them or their skeletal from teleporting next to us? Everything here seems to teleport."

Round 2

Ah, they aren't flying as fast as I thought they were...

Does Glimmil have a Shield extract? If so, he'll drink it this round. Otherwise he'll pull out the scroll of Divine Favor that Atol scribed ages ago and read it.

No, Toffitt's stopped distributing them very widely, since they never got used... it provides a shield bonus anyway, which probably doesn't help Glim THAT much.

R2

Dyrant heroisms w/Extend.

Round 2, Initiative 18, Location N12

Standing behind Finneas, Atol casts Protection from Evil on him.

Round 3

The creatures beat their wings faster and swoop upward as they rush forward. They end up 40' above Glimmil. In common they say in unison, "We shall dance to celebrate your arrival adventurers."

No map update. Sorry. They have 30' between them as they circle Glimmil 40' up.

Round 3, Init 12 {M14 +30'}

"Atol, if you have blessings for me, best cast now. I'm about to fly."

Toffitt drinks an extract (fly) and takes to the air, moving directly up 25 feet and 10 feet towards Glimmil and drawing his dueling sword. "Your words of welcome are most appreciated. Forgive us if we do not meet your words with trust."

Sense motive re: their intentions 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 2 = 28 heroism

Round 3, Init 17

"Dance? Erm? Is that a good thing?"

Glimmil looks towards Dyrant, Atol and Toffitt for an indication whether a welcoming dance is a good or bad thing.

"They look like do-badders? Should we get them to come down and stop circling around?"

Glimmil swings his shield onto his back and drops his lance (move action), while unstrapping the gnome-sized longbow at his size.

"I had a great-uncle who used to do this sometimes to keep pigeons from perching outside his shop."

Glimmil narrows his eye as he takes aim at one of the bird-monsters circling above. (an action that will unfortunately wait until next round)

During this time, Cog readies a standard action for a bite attack should a monster close within range.

Mis-posted final location: M13 +25'.

Fly check to ascend at steep angle 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31.

He'll add +2 to attack and AC from Blessing of Fervor.

Toffitt is quite sure if there are any celebrations the party's only roll might be as the meal.

New Map

I had to add 10 rows to the top to make room, so everyone moved down by 10. D1 is the one Glimmil has smite on.

Also, some plasms have begun to descend to join the party. They're 210' up still.

1d200 + 100 ⇒ (112) + 100 = 212

Round 3, Initiative 18, Location N12->M14

Atol casts Blessing of Fervor which should get everyone before the good Doctor takes to the air. Dyrant might be too far from Glimmil in which case Glimmil/Cog will get it and Dyrant will be left out.

After casting, Atol will back away from Finneas a bit to give him room to swing. This round Atol will take the +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.

Round 3, Init 18

Dyrant grunts as the demons come closer, putting away his metamagic rod.

Know check above reveal anything? I suppose not, but should ask.

"Dancing? Dancing in the abyss? That sounds like it's out of my depth. Come along, let's let them dance, we need bother them."

Dyrant will give Dr. Toffitt the Favor of St. Cuthbert (2 rounds).

Fortune (Su):The witch can grant a creature within 30 feet a bit of good luck for 2 rounds. The target can call upon this good luck once per round, allowing him to reroll any ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, taking the better result. He must decide to use this ability before the first roll is made.

Dyrant will fly to N28 at 5' up.

Know check above reveal anything? I suppose not, but should ask.

No.

Round 2 Init 25

Finneas begins the casting of Enlarge upon himself.

Round 3 Init 25

Waiting for Atol to give him the ok to move, Finneas drinks the potion of Fly made by the Doctor and launches himself into the air.

Delay for BoF, use it for +2 AC/Reflex/Attacks.

Fly: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

Using Fly bonus listed in OOC, that should be enough to get me towards the creatures (I hope).

"I don't think I like this!"

How close are you flying Finneas?

Trying for I17 and level with the beastie.

Round 3 recap
Party Buffs: Blessing of Fervor
Atol - 18 - Casts Blessing of Fervor[/ooc]
Finneas (Enlarged, Ward) - 17+ - delays and flies
Glimmil - 17 - puts away shield, takes out bow
Toffitt - 12 - Fly to M23, 25' up
Dyrant - 10 - Favor of St. Cuthbert on Finneas and fly up 5'
Demons - 8
Plasms (220' up) - 7

Again, note that I added 10 lines to map from Round 2 to 3. For example, Atol was bumped from M14 to M24.

More to follow.