Shackled City (Pathfinder) - GM_Chris

Game Master Chris Shannon 719

@Toffitt. The water is still 20' below the surface. You'll have to hop in the water or climb/fly down.

He does indeed fly down to the surface and listen. His ready is to fly back out.

Toffitt sees nothing. 40' radius right?

Yes. Presuming something comes within 40' radius towards him, he'll quickly back out.

Toffitt sees nothing, but suddenly a humanoid shape appears in the water next to the air elemental and begins to slam the air elemental.

slam: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (4) + 21 = 25
damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
acid damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 2) = 8
slam: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38
damage: 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
acid damage: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 5, 2) = 10
33 damage total after removing the DR 5/- x2

Round 1 - 2nd half
Finneas (Resist acid) = 17
Glimmil = 7
Cog (resist acid)
Round 2 - 1st half
Atol (Resist acid) = 21
Dyrant (fly) = 19
Air Elemental (-33)
Toffitt = 19
Other = 18
Party buffs
Bless (round 1)

Round 1/2

Round 2, Initiative 21, Location L11

"What is that?!"

Atol doesn't have any remaining spells that quite reach, so he readies a Sound Burst (DC 17) if the creature gets within 50' of Atol. He will obviously place the burst so that it does not effect Dyrant's elemental or other party members that might head down there (10'r) or he won't cast.

As part of the readied action, he'll take a 5' step back from the edge of the pit to K11 after casting.

Round 2, Init 19

Toffitt flies a bit closer to the splashing water and takes a gander at whatever is attacking the elemental. He then flies back out and describes what he sonared.

Fly: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 15 + 2 = 28
Knowledge planes?: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 8 + 2 = 27

Round 2, Init 19

Dyrant cringes as the link between he and the elemental takes a blow.

"It is under attack," Dyrant says flatly.

Never send an elemental to do an Angel's work.

The Elemental will full round withdraw with the chest and, upon bringing it out of the hole, will be instructed to carry it to Glim/Cog, leave it there and return.

I think it can get to Glim and drop it.

Dyrant will continue his ready to angeldust anything bad that comes out of the hole.

Aralynn will hang with Dyrant.

Round 1, Init 7

Glimmil stands firm at the edge of the mist with his lance readied.

"You guys are coming back, right? Bringing any monsters out here, right?"

Glimmil squints at the mist, as if squinting were the solution all along to seeing through it.

Cog and Glimmil both ready an action to attack anything hostile that comes within range.

Toffitt flies a bit closer to the splashing water and takes a gander at whatever is attacking the elemental. He then flies back out and describes what he sonared.

Toffitt sees an omox demon. This mound of animated ooze has about its shifting countenance the hideous shape of a half-melted man.

1 question

Question: what are its special defenses? most specifically, does he have a sense of how to do precision damage to it?

Round 2 Init 17

"Maybe I should buy a bow when we get back to Cauldron."

I should've bought a bow.

Ready to whack it if it comes to me.

Greatsword Power Attack Bless: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 302d6 + 16 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) + 16 + (2, 6) = 29

Finneas, Glimmil, Atol & Dryant hope whatever lurks in the water will pop his head up. Toffitt gets a brief look at the demon before getting away from the water. The air elemental drops the chest at the party's feet before returning below.

The demon comes to just below the surface and lobs a ball of slime at the air elemental. The slime covers the elemental and leaves it entangled.

1d20 + 21 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 21 - 2 = 31
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
acid damage: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 2) = 9
REF save for elemental: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18
Rounds entangled: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Round 2 - 2nd half
Finneas (Resist acid) = 17
Glimmil = 7
Cog (resist acid)
Round 3 - 1st half
Atol (Resist acid) = 21
Dyrant (fly) = 19
Air Elemental (-42)
Toffitt = 19
Other = 18
Party buffs
Bless (round 1)

Round 2/3 Map

Round 2, Init 7

"Hey! Is that the treasure?" Glimmil wonders, not quite certain he's able to make out the events within the mist or below ground.

"Is the air-man still alive? What can I do to help? Dyrant?"

Glimmil anxiously holds his lance hoping that someone who knows what is transpiring can provide him with an update, as he is unsure if anyone is in danger or his services are needed.

How big is the chest? Is it something Glimmil and/or Cog can drag away?

Defer to Dyrant, if no special instructions are related, then he'll simply ready another standard action to swing at anything hostile approaching.

"Alas, tis a mass of goo without clearly defined anatomy. Beyond my skills. And of course resistant to all but that which is holy. Again, not my bailiwick."

Round 2, Init 19

After nodding to Toffitt's words, Dyrant flies up (double move) and over to the chest (about 20' up).

"Do we have any way to cover the hole?" Dyrant asks as he flies away.

The entangled elemental opens the chest.

"Let's just leave? We have the chest, it's in the water and most of us can't get to it. My sword and Glimmil can hurt it, but what difference does it make?"

Male: What?
Fifth: Have you gone mad?
Female: Well he makes sense.
I'll show that stupid couatl I can make a good ruler. I'm making ruler like decisions all the time.
Female: It takes you 5 minutes to decide between chicken and pork satay.
So?
Male: You always just get both anyway.

Round 3, Initiative 21, Location L11->K11

"I agree with Finneas. As much as the pile of gold is tempting, fighting a Demon in these circumstances is likely to be the death of one or more of us if it's a tough one - and they all seem to be in this world."

"I say we take the chest and call it a good day. We can't fight everything here, we must pick our battles with care. Let us retire then and continue on the path the lantern chooses for us."

Atol backs away from the hole a few feet and continues to ready the Sound Burst (DC 17) if the creature gets within 50'.

"Very well."

Hey, wait! Come back here. I've cool things to do.../pout

The chest contains hundreds of coins, rubies, opals, and the like, but nothing magical. (5,000 gp total)

Going to be a few hours until I can post the next encounter.

It's only another half mile to the skull as the ground slopes upward toward the base of the skull. The light from the lantern of guidance shines directly upon a perfectly round ulcer pool. A shadow at the bottom of the pool could be a trick of the light--or it could be a passageway under the caustic fluid.

Next to the pool is a what looks like a raven-winged angel lies on the ground flat on its back. It struggles weakly against several iron spears that have pinned its wings to the ground, then lies still.

Atol rushes to the angels side and touches it with the healing touch of St. Cuthbert.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

He then tries to remove the iron spears from its body.

"It's OK, we're here now, you'll be OK..."

I knew it. We are not here to free the plane, but to rescue angels! Their deceits cannot fool me!

1d20 + 21 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 21 + 2 = 42 Know (Planes)

If Dyrant deems it a likely non-hostile, Dyrant will heal it for 2d8 + 10 ⇒ (1, 3) + 10 = 14.

Toffitt approaches with somewhat more suspicion.

Is it faking it?: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 2 = 24

Dyrant recognizes the angel as an astral deva, although he looks very different than Dyrant expected. He is nearly 8' tall. His long, feathery wings are jet black. Tattered robes cover very little of his body, but a mass of scars, welts, and rough black spiral tattoos cover almost every inch of skin. The wounds on his wings are bleeding profusely, streaming blood that seemingly has flecks of gold in it.

The angel stirs as Atol heals it and I assume someone unpins it. Almost simultaneously, the party's friend pops into existence nearby. The angel thanks Atol and greets Kaurophon by name before beginning to walk away.

Deva

"Wait, what now? You know this scone thief?"

He's not to be trusted. He will steal our scones too.
Fifth: Who let the cats out of his crazy bag?
Female: He gets this way without regular satay.

The deva pauses briefly to answer Finneas.

"Scone thief? Kaurophon, your ambitions are not once what they were."

"Yes. Kaurophon and I met, what was it, a year ago? At the Cathederal of Feathers. He was wondering why he couldn't enter the antechamber, much less get to one of the doors. So I told him that Adimarchus wanted to keep anyone born of the Lower Planes from becoming the next rule of Occipitus. Adimarchus was always hopeful that his sucessor would be another fallen angel or someone formerly of the light."

"Yes, good sir, please wait. We would know the name of those angels whom destiny lends us a hand in helping." Toffitt looks at the creature's body. What could mutilate an angel so?

Heal check to better understand its injuries: 1d20 + 17 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 17 + 2 = 29

@ Toffitt. Some of the scars are quite old. Some of the injuries are very fresh. He has obviously been tortured for years, but was also recently assaulted.

"I am Saureya."

"What brought you to this place? Wherefore came you by such horrible torture? To mar such celestial beauty offends even a godless man such as myself."

Toffitt looks to Kaurophon. "You had mentioned taking the test of the Smoking Eye in your youth, and now only seek to help others pass it. He says you took it a year ago. Quire a different account, don't you think?"

Dyrant stares down at the deva, unsure about it.

"So what are you then, Deva? Fallen or lost? And who did this to you? And why?"

Dyrant examines one of the spears. What is it made of?

Kaurophon answers Toffitt. "Last year was my 'youth.'"

The deva shakes its wings off, splattering gold-flaked blood about. "I was once an astral deva. But when this part of Celestia fell into the Abyss, I fell along with it. The former ruler of this layer, a fallen planetar named Adimarchus, found it amusing to keep me around as his prisoner. He found me a kindred spirit, I suppose--where else are you going to find an angel around here? Admimarchus also thought it would be amusing to torture me repeatedly and put these blasphemous sigils on my flesh."

"These more recent wounds were from a rakshasa and his bodyguard--a giant. They're on their way inside the skull. Presumably they're trying to pass the Test, too."

"As to what I am, I do not know. I was curious only as to who would take the test, but now that has been answered."

Saureya again turns to leave.

"Thanks you angel, for your time. Good luck to you and good health."

Everyone around here is not as they seem. I wonder... are we?

"Wait, angel!" Glimmil shouts after Saureya while moving a bit in the angel's direction.

"You should come help us! We're trying to fix this whole place, and we'll probably bump into that rock-slosher and his giant, too!"

Dyrant snaps some questions, seeking to halt the Deva's departure, dangit.

"Wait Saureya. What do you know of the Test? Is there anything you can do to aid us?" Dyrant looks at the gold flecked blood.

"And do you need help going home, Deva? There is no need to stay here, Deva, unless you wish it. And why would you wish it?"

Fifth: If he fell, he is home.

"I think he is home Dyrant."

Finneas continues to watch the scone thief with both eyes and one twitchy hand.

"I do not even know who or what I am anymore. I have no home. My destiny and yours lie along different paths, but I will tell you of the test; I helped Adimarchus create it."

"He confided in me throughout its construction; after all, I was exactly the kind of sucessor he wanted. I was able to introduce a flaw into the test, because Adimarchus wasn't always thinking clearly. Ruling a layer of the Abyss will do that to you."

"You don't need to complete all three parts of the test--just the last part. The first two parts simply point you in the direction of the final part, the part that really matters. The proctors--those mummies that Adimarchus created--can't tell who's passed previous parts of the test and who hasn't. I suspect that's what the rakshasa is doing. The flaw is a little subterfuge on my part, from back when I dreamed of resuce. I dreamed a powerful angel would come and rescue me, and together we'd come here and perform the third part of the test before Adimarchus knew what was going on. Then all of Occipitus would be borne anew, lifted right out of the Abyss and reconnected to its rightful place in Celestia. I am no longer so naive."

"And before you ask, I will not tell you about the third part of the test. The rakshasa failed to get any information from me either, so you are behind him on the path but not lacking any information."

"Knowing in advance what the test is won't help you prepare in any meaningful way. You could suceed. You could fail. You could turn your back on the whole idea. I'm not goign to meddle in your fate. My own fate is trouble enough."

Fifth: If he fell, he is home.

Other voice: Yes, he is home.

Sense motive on Kaurophon's claim that last year was his 'youth': 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 2 = 27

"Last year, you say? Are you a dog, then? A particularly long-lived mosquito? For you do not seem young to me."

Toffitt takes stock of his own remaining resources. "The dragon drained many of our resources. And yet, it seems we lack the luxury of time. What say you all?"

"Youth is judged by more than years."

He's a complete liar of course.

Toffitt faces Kaurophon. "You've appeared before us twice now since we came to this place. It is clear to me now that you are attempting to ride our coat tails, and mean to betray us in the end. Saureya's words have confirmed this. We shall not abide such treachery."

Toffitt lightly fingers the pommel of his dueling sword. "I warn you, sir. If you appear before us again, we shall cut you down as a liar and a traitor. Leave us and do not return."

Intimidate, such as it is: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20

If Kaurophon does anything other than immediately leave, Toffitt draws his sword in a flash and attempts to end the 'man's' life.

Dueling sword, heroism, power: 1d20 + 16 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (10) + 16 + 2 - 3 = 25
including sneak attack if he's flatfooted; he also takes 2 Str damage with sneak: 1d8 + 7 + 9 + 5d6 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 9 + (1, 3, 4, 5, 1) = 32

Glimmil tugs Dyrant's robes and looks up at the priest.

"Wait... we don't need Kaurophon to complete this test?"

Glimmil studies Kaurophon for a few moments to see if he feels the "tinglies" with him.

Detect Evil. Yes, the entire place is evil, but what of Kaurophon?

Dyrant draws Glim aside to answer his question in private.

"Oh Glim, under no circumstances is he to be trusted...as soon as we complete this, if not beforehand, we should expect treachery on his behalf. He is demon and he cannot overcome his nature. Just like you and I are tied to will of angels, he is bound to demons and their treacherous nature." Dyrant casts a glance at Kaurophon.

"I would sooner trust Atol to guard a plate of fresh honeyberry muffins than that one. If you chose to smite him right now, I would think that Garl would be cheering you on."

Detect Evil. Yes, the entire place is evil, but what of Kaurophon?

Glimmil is left stunned for a round as Kaurophon decides it is best for him to be going and leaves via dimension door.

Glimmil stands motionless observing Kaurophon, his mouth agape, hand paused in a motion reaching for Claw-Whomper.

Finally, shaking his head as if just woke from a bad dream, he rubs his eyes and looks around.

"Where's that super-do-badder? Oh, you're right Dyrant, he's a very powerful one, too."

Leaving Glimmil stunned means Kaurophon was 22HD+ unless something else was at work here. I assume that would be a TPK if we engaged him.

Aligned outsider is only 11+.

Once the party is done with Saureya, the path forward is through the pool of acidic ulcer fluid. Saureya will let you know it's a short trip to a tunnel beyond.

Assuming a take 10 swimming check in calm water works. One round of acid. 1d4 ⇒ 2

"Kaurophon is evil? Sigh. Can't trust anyone here I guess without checking their background. If he's evil though, why did he help us get here and why is he supporting our attempt?"

Atol stands confused.

He swims quickly through the acid to the other side.

"Just so we're all aware, I am quite low on healing. Not empty, but close. We should be careful we don't face another large dragon." Atol suggests as if the party has a choice in what they face.