GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:00 am
You're standing in a plush room with three other people. Comfortable chairs dot the room, and a roaring fire fills it with a pleasant heat. The walls are lined with bookshelves, all empty. The east wall – somehow, you know it is east – holds a large iron door. In a small niche in the western wall stands what is clearly an illusionary man dressed in robes.
How did you get here? Why are you here? Your thoughts are fuzzy. The last thing you can clearly remember is...well, nothing. Vague flashes of memory pass through your head, but no matter how you try to hold and inspect them, they slip away. All you can truly remember is your training, but even that seems incomplete. Like you once knew so much more than you do now.
The illusory man catches your eye. He nods and twirls a finger, and a few thoughts - one might almost call them rules - enter your mind.
Rules
1) Your goal is to reclaim the power you once had.
2) Through the door lies the means to do so.
3) This room is called Haven.
4) Once you leave Haven, the door will close and you may not return for 12 hours. Attempting to do so will result in failure with extreme prejudice.
5) Each time you return to Haven, you may rest for 12 hours before you must leave.
6) Through the door lies peril in many forms. Though there may be areas that seem safe, none are guaranteed. Haven is the only secure area.
7) You must cooperate fully with the other people currently in Haven.
8) The illusionary man will trade for any items you might acquire, and can provide you access to just about any item or spellcasting service you can possibly imagine. For a price.
9) Death is a setback, not a failure.
10) Attempting to leave the test means failure.
11) You have one year to complete the test.
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
The golden-haired man slowly rose from his knees, his head blurry and his thoughts disjointed. A thin, gaunt and lithe individual; he rose with a level of serene grace and finesse more akin to an Elf than to the Human. Approaching thirty, the man was something of a dashing-looking gentleman, with fine features and a well-toned physique. His mind was groggy but its usual sharpness began to slowly return; and with it, flashes of memory- brief memories of battle, of crowds of hundreds cheering as he danced, of hopeful women coming uninvited to his chambers... and perhaps most prominently of all, a rush of adrenalin and satisfaction as the die was cast; not only when gambling but when taking a risky gambit while adventuring... All of these memories came unbidden but were frustratingly vague.
I at least remember my name... Don't I? L...Lorenzo? Yes, that was it...
Lorenzo looked around at the others, who seemed to be in a similar state of confusion.
G... Greetings he said, with an instinctive winning smile.
Nareth I'grada |
A tall human with white hair glances around quickly from person to person, taking them all in. He has the interesting build of being tall and broad, but very gaunt. His hair is combed back and matches the rest of his meticulously clean person, the only hair out of place being a faint scar down his cheek.
Nareth coolly looks around the room, sizing up his enemi...allies apparently. He quickly checks his weapons, running a hand over the spiked chain reassuringly. He checks to make sure his sleeves are down, then folds his arms over. I hate memory magic. "Greetings. Nareth I'grada, warpriest. What are each of your abilities?" One can't help but notice him failing to specify his deity or him getting so directly to the point.
Robert de Sanduin |
The tall human with the slicked back jet black hair slowly came back to conscious thought. He couldn't tell how long he had been standing there. A few minutes or a few hours? The blood pounding in his ears was deafening. The man, Robert, he told himself, did a brief overview of his situation. Dressed in long dark robes, a spellbook under his arm, a backpack with various useful items within, and a rat. The rat popped it's head out from his inside breast pocket and it seemed almost familiar, only like it was from a place and time that was worlds away. Bones, the rat's name Robert presumed, floated up into mind. A smile cracked Robert's face for what may have been the first time in what seemed a long time. He pushed the rat back down into his pocket.
Stepping forward to address the rest of the individuals in the room, as confused as he was, he hoped. His manner was brusque and his speech clipped, "I am Robert de Sanduin, though to be honest I'm not quite sure what that means at the moment. It seems my head is not quite cleared yet. I am- or was, a necromancer of some skill, though I am not sure what has happened. I presume our only recourse will be to venture through the door. If you are all given to understand the same few facts as I have, then you know our time is limited and our course is unknown. We should waste as little time as possible with deliberation Introductions will do for now, but we should not tarry." He eyed the door warily as he finished, waiting for the others to introduce themselves and their abilities.
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
My, quite the ego's among us. That is expected of course. And doesn't exclude my own...
Lorenzo smiled softly. The man's gear spoke of a warrior, or at least a prepared combatant. A suit of studded leather that had clearly seen a great deal of polish and that shone only a little less than his own hair. A serrated, metal whip on his belt, with a small shield strapped to his arm; a dagger in a sheath and a longspear held casually.
I agree that a curt introduction and a fast recourse would serve us well in this endeavour. Pleasure to meet you, Robert and Nareth. What nationality or ethnicity are the two of you? Lorenzo "Fate's Favored" Florent; perhaps you heard of me? My memory, alas, is fuzzy... but I recall being quite the celebrity. The nickname seems important too, can't really surmise why right now...
He suddenly seemed to recall the questions about his abilities.
Well, my memory seems to be telling me I can dance, gamble and seduce women with great success; and my limited memory suggests I have a penchant of persevering when the chips are down and the house has rigged the deck... he said wryly, apparently not jesting. Other than that... a bit of this and a bit of that. I'm not trying to be evasive- its just this whole experience has got my head spun round like a cat with a ball of yarn...
Alec Jadder |
Along with the three human-looking humanoids there is also a strong dwarf, basically all muscle and weapons. He is wearing a simple scale mail, has a short dark-brown beard that is not braided, looking actually quite messed up. He has only melee weapons and is not tall, even for dwarf standards. Not what one would call impressive.
He waits respectfully for everyone to talk, sometimes a look of confusion in his face, but after them he speaks, with a rough voice:
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alec Jadder, a ..." He makes a scared face and shakes his head trying to clarify his thoughts. Then he looks for some seconds at each of you, but then he continues as if nothing was wrong. "a Paladin of Torag, from..." His eyes get unfocused while he recalls something, then he continues. "Well, I'm not sure about where I am from, but my name is pretty clear, so I guess I know something. I recall being lost, but how have I came here, to wake up standing in front of you, is a real mystery. Anyway, I have weapons, so I can take the lead on our little adventure here. I'll give you the gift of doubt, but I advise that if you're planning something it would be best to tell it now."
His demeanor is not threatening, but he's not friendly either.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:05 AM
Following your introductions, the iron door in the east wall swings open of its own accord, revealing a wall of silky black darkness. The warm, flickering light of the lamps situated around Haven disappears into the void beyond the door.
Nareth I'grada |
Nareth has the build of an Ulfen man, but the features of a Chelaxian, suggesting a parent from each ethnicity.
The clinking of metal sliding across metal is heard as Nareth unwinds the spiked chain around him. A necromancer, lousy if they're dumb but useful and dangerous if they're smart. A paladin...well in this particular situation I suppose he's a rather good ally. And this character, I hope he doesn't get us all killed. Nareth glances out the door. "Well met. We are apparently being thrown together as allies and being set against some enemy we have not met yet. Speaking for myself, I know that you need friends to survive and I intend on trusting you all, albeit we seem to have little choice in the matter."
Nareth's eyes flick to the necromancer, then the paladin. "I'm normally more quiet about this, but I don't want it coming up later and undermine any trust we make. I am a follower of the Prince in Chains. I do not intend to bring any of you harm, I appease Him by other means." He looks out once more. "Alec, if you are keen to take point then I have no objection. I shall guard the back while these two stay between us. That way any foe that approaches shall run into somebody who can hold their own with a weapon."
Alec Jadder |
"Yes. I believe we're allies, although it all seems we're being manipulated. Let's see where does this leads." Alec draws and straps his shield, then draws his War Axe as if familiarized with it, and moves closer to the door. "But next time do me a favor. Try not to open the door before everyone gets ready. We could have learned much about this place or the challenges ahead by reading a bit and speaking to that illusion." Then he waits until everyone is ready and moves along armed and armored, but his backpack seems to be pretty heavy, his darkvision granting him information about the next room.
Robert de Sanduin |
Robert is from Geb, ethnically descended from Osirians, he is paler and slimmer than most ethnic Osirians.
A devout of Zon Kuthon, a skirtchasing rambling man, and worst of all, a paladin. Robert sighed, things could surely be worse, but the rules said they were his allies, so he took it at face value. "A pleasure to meet you, Alec," he lied. As the door swung open of its own accord he rolled his eyes at the dwarf's comment. Nevertheless, he turned to follow the dwarf to the now open door, "It is a sharp idea you have, Nareth. I'll follow Good Ser Dwarf."
He stood just behind Alec, trying to gaze into the chamber beyond. Readying his quarterstaff and patting his pocket to be sure his rat familiar was still secure, he intoned a few short syllables and the end of his quarterstaff began to glow. Adjusting the straps of his backpack, he felt ready, or at least as ready as he was ever going to be.
Cast Light on quarterstaff
Alec Jadder |
Alec looks through the doorway as he approaches, to see what's ahead. He looked back ready to strike when the guy behind him pronounces some weird words, but then he sees it's only a light spell, and he returns to gazing at the doorway. If there is nothing weird (or he cannot see what's there) he will move through it.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:05 AM
The light cast from Robert's quarterstaff does not penetrate the gloom in the doorway.
When you step through, you stumble slightly, as if the floor wasn't there for a split second but returned immediately. Looking around, you are now in a worked stone room with a mural of arcane runes covering the ceiling and walls. An iron door sits in the east wall. Of the darkness, Haven, and the others, you see nothing.
Feel free to speak, but FYI, the other characters will not hear you.
Nareth I'grada |
Nareth narrows his eyes, then exhales slowly. "I don't imagine we would be killed off like this, it must simply take us elsewhere or be a barrier. Onwards, we shouldn't leave Alec alone." Nareth follows last, stepping in and doing a quick scan of the front before turning to watch the rear.
Alec Jadder |
Alec will look around for some instants, but as the runes are unknown to him he waits for the others.
Do I see the black doorway back to Haven or did it just vanished when I came through?
Nareth I'grada |
Forgive me if I'm being too presumptuous, but this next post is assuming we see the same as Alec when we walk through.
Nareth gets close to the runes and reads them, but he has trouble recalling those particular lessons. "Necromancer, do these make any sense to you?"
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Robert de Sanduin |
Continuing off the assumption we all end up in the same place.
Robert was troubled by the light's inability to penetrate the darkness of the doorway. His hunch was at least supported by the dwarf's sudden disappearance through the inky blackness. Steeling himself against the unknown that lay beyond, he stepped forward through the door.
Upon reaching the other side, he saw Alec and the small, strange, rune-covered room. Robert responded to Nareth's remark snidely, "Well, Priest, if you'd let me do a proper job of examining them, perhaps I could tell you." He smiled to show there was no ill will behind his words, simply being playful. He turned his full attention back to the runes covering the walls and racked his admittedly addled brain for an answer as to what they could mean.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Knowledge(Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Nareth I'grada |
Nareth rubs his temples. "Robert, Robert. Afraid I have been working too long with people I do not trust. I usually try to keep things businesslike, but we need to know each others strengths and weaknesses to survive in here."
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
Lorenzo took the second rank of the formation with a shrug, slowly extending his serrated metal whip. Having stepped into the room and witnessed the arcane runes, he instinctively muttered the words to a swift spell; surprising himself at least as much as the others as his magic sought to aid his mind in reading them.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Cast Read Magic cantrip.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:05 AM
One by one, you step through the doorway and into the darkness.
At first blush, the runes inscribed throughout the room appear to be the workings of a complex spell of staggering power, but upon inspection, turn out to be nothing but gibberish.
Alec Jadder |
I presume we should NOT peek spoilers, right?
"Is everyone alright?" He looks back to see if they are all in one piece, then proceed to the iron door. "Any last words?" He smiles, and if no one objects he opens it.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:05 AM
Alec opens the door and steps into a hallway which turns immediately to the south. Alec can just make out that the hallway turns west about 60 feet south. Halfway down the hall is a wooden door in the west wall.
The entire hallway is covered in scorch marks.
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
Anyone can spot traps in Pathfinder; and in fact Lorenzo is rather average at doing so. He is able to disarm them... including magical ones... starting next level. For now he can only handle mundane traps; and is in dire need of some thieves tools :). Robert has as much chance of spotting a trap as Lorenzo does and Nareth and Alec are not far behind.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Can't see anything out of place...
Alec Jadder |
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
"Weird indeed. Let's find whoever did this." Alec slowly moves down the hallway, Stealth: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (11) - 4 = 7, then stops at the wooden door and takes a close inspection over it. IF it is closed and there are no holes for him to see through, he will continue moving slowly to the end of the corridor, shield first, to secure the place before moving into the room.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:10 AM
Map
Monster Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Party Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
The scorch marks seem old, and you find no signs of their cause or any traps. The closed door Alec inspects is solid wood and seems wholly unremarkable.
As the corridor turns to the west, the scorch marks go away, and you follow the hall around another turn to the north, where it ends in an archway leading into another room of worked stone.
Standing in the center of the room are two figures. One is an armored hobgoblin armed with a light mace. At his feet lays a half-open book, and next to him is a skeleton holding the broken remains of a scimitar.
Begin Combat - Round 1
Hobgoblin ranged attack on Alec: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 (HIT) for 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 damage.
Upon seeing Alec in the hall, the hobgoblin moves to the south wall. He holds his mace out, and it seemingly propels itself through the air, slamming painfully into the sturdy dwarf. The mace rebounds off Alec and flies back into the hobgoblin's hand, who grins wickedly and gestures for the skeleton to attack.
Skeleton broken scimitar attack on Alec: 1d20 ⇒ 6 (MISS) for 1d6 ⇒ 2 damage.
The skeleton clatters forward and clumsily swings the broken scimitar, but the attack is hopelessly off target.
Party's turn. Remember, actions are taken in the order posted.
Alec Jadder |
Alec swiftly retaliates, swinging at the skeleton to kill it and reach the being behind him. "Necromancer!"
PA Waraxe: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 - 1 = 13! Damage: 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 2 = 10
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
Realising his serrated metal whip would likely be of little use against the skeleton, Lorenzo awkwardly brought his shield to bear in the tight confines.
Swift action activate Archaelogist's Luck, lasts until end of Round 3. 1 Round Used. Standard action to shield bash. If it happens to drop the skeleton, Lorenzo will use his move action to move into the room, ending turn two squares north of the Hobgoblin (and thus threatening with whip).
Pirouetting on his heel in the narrow corridor like a trained acrobat, Lorenzo agilely turned his spin into momentum as his shield arm whirled past Alec's head and smashed into the ribcage of the skeleton, bashing it with his defensive weapon.
Light Shield Bash (Luck): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25
Damage (Luck): 1d3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 2 = 5
Robert de Sanduin |
Robert heard the clattering of bones from the hallway and became quite excited, when he finally was afforded the room to peek around the corner, he was rather disappointed to find his comrades beating into dust! Before he could open his mouth to berate them verbally his eye caught sight of the hobgoblin. Hissing a chant, he locked eyes with the hobgoblin and hoped the spell would keep the creature busy for a while.
Casting Grease on hobgoblin
Alec Jadder |
If the skeleton drops and you allow it I'll move forward up to the Hobgoblin.
Nareth I'grada |
Assuming Lorezno's shield bash kills the skeleton.
Nareth follows the others quickly, moving up in front of Robert. He takes a step into the room with his spiked chain swinging, then lashes out with it.
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Blah.
GM alientude |
Lorenzo, how are you getting a +5 to hit with your shield bash? Your character sheet shows +1, which looks to my eye to be correct since you're not proficient with shield bashing (requires martial weapon proficiency).
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
Ah... I had forgotten about the proficiency :). I assumed the +1 was a Herolab error- that it was not taking Weapon Finesse into account as Lorenzo's strength is coincidentally +1! So while he can finesse it (I checked this) he is non-proficient. That is a 21 then, not a 25.
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:10 AM
MapCombat Round 2
Hobgoblin AC: 15
Okay, that looks right. Last thing - as I read scorpion whips, if you use it as a whip, it does not threaten unless you have the correct feats to do so. You can still make an attack from 15' away, however. I'm going to post assuming you want to keep 2 squares away, but can retcon that if need be.
Lorenzo's shield bash crumbles the skeleton to the ground, and Lorenzo moves into the room.
Hobgoblin reflex save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2 (FAIL)
The hobgoblin appears completely surprised as the grease appears underneath it, and crashes to the floor immediately. Nareth moves in, but his spiked chain scrapes along the hobgoblin's scale mail to no effect.
Hobgoblin cast defensively: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 (FAIL)
The hobgoblin attempts to cast a spell, but he's clearly distracted by Nareth looming over him with the spiked chain, and the magic fizzles as he stammers out the words.
Party's turn. If you cast a spell with a save, please include the save type as well as the DC. Thanks.
Greknaw: 23/23 hp
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
The whip specifically has the Reach property and Lorenzo is proficient in its use. I'm not interested in using it like a whip for fifteen foot reach; but I did want to use it as a reach weapon as stated.
If this is the way you want to rule it, i'd like to retcon it out of my equipment.
GM alientude |
Whips have reach, yes - 15'. But they specifically call out that they don't threaten within that reach. If you're using a scorpion whip "as a whip," I don't see how it wouldn't follow that it doesn't threaten within that reach.
Feel free to retcon it out of your equipment. Sorry for the confusion.
Robert de Sanduin |
I'll be sure to put the DC's in the post from now on.
Robert dashed forward when he heard the hobgoblin slip and fall. It was with a not inconsiderable sense of satisfaction that he got into position next to Lorenzo. Not wanting to burn another of his spells, he contented himself to a minor cantrip. A glob of acid appeared in his hand and he unleashed it at the hobgoblin after a moment.
Finally, he calls back to Alec, "Get up here and plug the gap!"
Move action to D3
Standard to cast Acid Splash: Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21, Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2
Forget what it is to use Spellcraft to identify a spell. If I can still do it without interfering with the attack and movement, I'll do that too. Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
The rules around the two weapons are a mess. The best summary of it I have seen is thus-
I am using it as Scorpion Whip, not using it as a whip (yes I realise that sounds ridiculous when read aloud. Essentially, in the post above- I am using Scorpion Whip (A); although since that post it was made into a light weapon. The weapon specifically has the "Reach" property; can't attack within 5 feet but can attack at ten feet. I have no interest in 15 feet attacks or subsidising it as a whip.
Edit: Sod it. Anything that requires this much research obviously needs further clarity from Paizo. I'll retcon it out.
Round 2 Action-
Keeping his distance from the Hobgoblin, Lorenzo brought his longspear to bear, jabbing it into a gap of the humanoid's armour. To be precise, the spearhead glanced off the sturdy metal but slid in just the right manner to be forced in at the armpit; a lucky blow to be sure...
Longspear (VS Prone, Luck): 1d20 + 1 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 1 + 4 + 2 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 2 = 7
Longspear (VS Prone, Luck): 1d20 + 1 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 4 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 1 + 2 = 5
GM alientude |
Day 1 - 8:10 AM
MapCombat Round 3
Hobgoblin AC 15 T 10 FF 15 CMD 12 Fort +6 Ref +0 Will +5
GM PC'ing Alec as he is away.
Alec power attack attack on hobgoblin: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 1 = 6 (miss) for 1d10 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 2 = 13 damage.
Alec joins the others and swings his axe down at the hobgoblin, who manages to dodge aside. Snarling at the lot of you, he grasps his silver unholy symbol - a downward facing star - and it pulses with dark energy.
Channel negative energy for 1d6 ⇒ 5 damage. Will DC 12 for half.
Attempting to take advantage of any distraction caused by the negative energy, the hobgoblin stands, but as he does so, he slips again on the grease and falls, his neck by chance falling on Lorenzo's outstretched longspear's razor sharp head. The hobgoblin falls to the ground, the blood pouring from his neck and onto the half-open book on the floor. Though bleeding horribly, it is clear the hobgoblin stills draws breath.
Combat over
Greknaw: -1/23 hp (-16 Con = death)
XP total: 535
Nareth I'grada |
Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 41d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Nareth grunts at the negative energy rips through him. He places a glowing hand on himself, then moves to Alec and heals him as well. Then steps up to the dying creature. He raises his spiked chain up, then pauses. Right, learn about the new guys. He looks at the others. "He's an evil cleric. Anybody got a problem with this?" Nareth looks more at Alec than anybody else.
Lorenzo "Fates Favored" Florent |
Will (Luck): 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 = 8
Heh, you see that? I got them both. Like I said before, i'm just a lucky kinda guy. Lorenzo said with a smirk and a happy sigh.
His religion is hardly relevant, warpriest. I'm more inclined to finish him off before attacking us without provocation. Do it, or I will he replied, a little more sombre. Lorenzo extricated the book from the mess, offering it to Robert.
Noting that his own wounds, caused by the negative energy, had not been seen to- Lorenzo took care of the matter himself, only mildly surprised by his own versatility as his wounds knitted in response to his magic.
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4