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Ah, sorry. I think I've forgotten how tough those lemures were, since my group usually slaughters the lemures without them doing much, if any, damage.
I have learned from this AP to never underestimate lemures...
Ah, sorry. I think I've forgotten how tough those lemures were, since my group usually slaughters the lemures without them doing much, if any, damage.I have learned from this AP to never underestimate lemures...
As someone posted regarding lemures: Death by tapioca. A classic.
That may have been a bit much, having three separate encounters all at once.
Well ... when you sound an alarm, bad things can happen. PCs should run away to fight another day once in a while.
That may have been a bit much, having three separate encounters all at once.Well ... when you sound an alarm, bad things can happen. PCs should run away to fight another day once in a while.
Or learn why they should have.
Name: Octep
Race: Gnome
Classes/levels: Elemental bloodline sorcerer 2
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Dark alley
Catalyst: Ambushed by Shadowgarms
The Gory Details: The sorcerer, thinking that he would be safe in the back of the party, was ambushed in the surprise round, and then quickly dropped into the negatives by a full attack in the next round. Prone and unconscious, he soon became a fine meal for the beast of darkness.
Name: Lawthar
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Inquisitor 2
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Grimly dark alley
Catalyst: Shadowgarms, shadow mastiff
The Gory Details: With the entirety of the party panicked and fleeing from a shadow mastiff, poor initiative and lack of a shield made Lawthar easy prey for two flanking, full attacking shadow garms. His end was swift.
Name: Sybil Dolor
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Oracle (Life, Lame) 2
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Grimly dark alley of DEATH
Catalyst: Stalked, panicked by a Shadow Mastiff.
The Gory Details: Running franticly away from the location of the Mastiffs howl, Sybil was unaware that the beast had run across the roof tops to were she was headed. Upon seeing the hound in front her, she quickly ran back to the location of the shadowgarms, which took the last of her energies with an attack of opportunity. The last thing she saw was the jaws of the Mastiff ripping out her throat.
Name: Safyia
Race: Gnome
Classes/levels: Bard 2
Adventure: Batards of Erebus
Location: The grimly dark labrynth that are the deadly alleys of Westcrown
Catalyst: Got 3 down on a fudge roll while being pursued by the Mastiff.
The Gory Details: Having separated from the one eventual survivor of this tragedy, Safyia had the refuge of the rare illuminated street within site; yet this was only to add insult to her inevitable demise, as the Mastiff tackled her from behind and deftly fitted its powerful jaws around her head. Her screams and wet crunch her skull made would haunt the nightmares of those who lived near the tragedy for many weeks to come.
Wow, you threw two shadowgarms (which are supposed to be solos, according to their description - p 81, incredibly territorial, immediately confront one another upon meeting) *and* a shadow mastiff, which is what - CR 8? - at a party of second level characters? Ouch. It seems a damned tough encounter for that level party.
There were a number of things that caused that encounter to go south:
1. I was really busy this week,so I was running things a bit off the cuff. I'm fairly new to DMing, so that didn't help at all, and is probably what hurt things the most.
2. Two of the players, the Cavalier tank and a summoner, didn't show up and didn't tell me before hand, so the prep work that I did have done was built around having those two at the table.
3. The players didn't go about things at all intelligently. I told them in advance that they were after a Shadow Mastiff, and that this would be a hard fight. They had plenty of time to research and prepair for the encounter, which they did not use; they didn't even so much as bring a light source for the encounter, let alone buff themselves. If they had, the shadowgarms would have run for it, and I would have weakened the Mastiff by decreasing its concealment, attack and damage, and maybe AC and HP. I firmly believe that given those conditions, they would have been victorious.
4. They were rolling very poorly. Their initiatives were all below that of the enemies with only one exception, and only one player made the perception check to see the shadowgarms and act in the surprise round. The average die roll for the will save against the Mastiffs Bay was around a five, which greatly contributed to all things going to hell.
All in all, poor planning on both sides of the table and bad luck was what did them in.
Was it a TPK (excepting the no-shows)?
It was not. One player, a halfing rogue, legitimately managed to get away. This was in part because he and the bard split up to improve their chances of someone not dying, but beyond that he survived by his own wits.
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We had 3 out of 5 characters get killed in the final, climactic end battle
My 13th level Vanguard was riding his hippogrif figurine of wondrous power and shooting spells down when he got killed.
Our draconic sorcerer got killed soon after I did and then the rogue / shadowdancer bit the dust. Only the paladin and monk managed to escape alive, although we did at least defeat ... well, you know :)
Pretty darn cool fight, all things considered and a cool way to end the AP!
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Names: Tanner McTavish, Ghim, Seras
Races: dwarf male, dwarf male, human female
Classes/levels: barbarian 8, cleric of Torag 8, Paladin 4/Monk4
Adventure: Infernal Syndrome
Location: Nessian Spiral
Catalyst: Avahzi Serafian and Novankia and fellow-party member Faerith
The Gory Details: You read above that the group triggered three encounters as they allowed the Thieves in the Guardroom to open both the doors their fellow thieves and the cerberi to bring reinforcements into the battle.** Sleeping Bear, the human male barbarian had already been killed. Avahzi hellfire-channeled and dropped Seras and Ghim. Tanner charged, and slipped in the grease that the imp Novankia had cast in front of his master, and to add insult to injury he missed his attack from prone. Recovering the Morrowfall artifact from his downed body, the mage/cleric Faerith triggered its powers driving Avahzi back with a sunbeam. His black tentacle caught and damaged her once (he had dispelled her FoM earlier in the encounter) and he successfully greased her holy symbol to make it harder for her to channel. In the subsequent rounds, Avahzi cast her soften stone spell to trap Tanner in concrete while stabbing him with her spiritual weaponand kill Seras by drowning her unconscious body in "quick-drying concrete"; she also retaliated against Faerith with a flame strike. The mage survived and used his last gambit. Moving as far as he could he cast the Sunburst from the Morrowfall, killing Tanner, and hurting Avazhi bad, blinding her and her imp.
Avazhi cast wall of stone and fled (successfully rolling her amazing spellcraft!). Novankia tried to, but was hit with glitterdust and then destroyed by Faerith.
The mage/priest took some time to mourn, loot, and dispose of his former companion's bodies. Then went back to the city and the Children of Westcrown to find replacements...
Anticipating their demise, the other players had made new characters...the Sixfold Trial Survivors are now Faerith (1/2 elf cleric 1/wizard 7), Ixa (female elven fighter6/wizard1/arcane archer 1), Korax (1/2 elf alchemist 8), Olie (1/2 orc cleric of Cayden Caliean 8) and Khalide (female tiefling shadow bloodline sorcerer6/shadowdancer 2)
**The players blame themselves for triggering the encounter cascade..or allowing it to happen and finding themselves separated
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wow. perhaps you're just better at combat tactics then me.
Quick-drying concrete?!
In my battle, she didn't use soften earth & stone, stone shape, dispel, bestow curse, or sound burst.
I forgot Novankia had grease!
She got away, and they found her later, slain by Vheed. The imp is nowhere to be found, and the paladin does a sweep of detect evil every once in a while.
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The soften earth&stone makes the 10x10 area like quicksand where on a failed reflex save anyone moving through there or caught in it is stuck for 1d2 rds. The FX sounded like 'quick-drying cement/concrete' to me so I ran with it. The PCs liked it too. She wanted to not let the remaining beat'em up (dwarven barbarian) get close. It worked. He botched his reflex saves...twice. Her bestow curse failed on the barbarian earlier, but he couldn't make a save vs the imp's poison a few times and it cost him. And she hasn't used her dispel or sound burst. Was going to use one of those to 'inflict' but never got the chance.
Now she's blind and in room 12, holing up to rest and try and cure her wounds (7hpts) and blindness. Faerith drove her away though so I did give him full xp.
My philosophy is to play named NPCs like a PC. My PCs bring their A-games and 'tiltaweights' so why shouldn't the NPCs? Fortunately, my PCs like winning by the skin of their teeth. The mage player survived with some quick-thinking and pre-planning...he was resistant to fire from resist energy and had cast pro' evil on himself since he was tired of charm attempts by bad guys. The player lamented not casting pro'evil on others since it also helped against the hellfire. And he made key rolls when they were needed.
Faerith is now trying to find her with the new heroes before she can get a rest&recover. They just knocked the vulpinal agathion unconscious and secured her for her own good (after much convincing to the cleric of Cayden C.), after recognizing what she was, and connecting her brokeness to Vheed's tortures. I really hope they can rescue her.
Last week:
Name: Brewmaster Reagar
Race: Elf
Classes/levels: Rogue 1 / Alchemist 4
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: The Nautalica
Catalyst: The Shadowy Triceratops Skeleton
The Gory Details: (optional) The skeleton had already dropped Korgoth the Asterion Fighter / Barbarian. Reagar opted to step away and throw a bomb at the creature instead of withdrawing, the next round it skewered him. The remaining party members drew back and were able to take it down from a distance, and Korgoth was able to be saved. Unfortunately Reagar was done for.
This week:
Name: Strackin
Race: Elf
Classes/levels: Wizard
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: The Nautalica
Catalyst: A Shadow Mastiff
The Gory Details: (optional) When the heroes opened the door to the Hall of Armour, the shadow mastiff came over and bayed at them. Everyone failed at least one save and fled in a panic. One of the hounds went after the wizard and kept hitting him and tripping him, he made it down the corridor past the privy and back into the Nautalica. He was down to 1hp when it got a crit and killed him outright.
So the elves have had a rough time of it lately...
Vendor - Fantasiapelit Tampere
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Name: Theon Tyrell
Race:Human
Classes/levels: Cavalier 13
Adventure:Twice-damned prince
Location:Vacant Throne
Catalyst:
Name: Quiler Ghan
Race:Human
Classes/levels:Inquisitor 12/ Stalwart Defender 1
Adventure:Twice-damned prince
Location:Vacant Throne
Catalyst:
Names Fingers (Sorc/Rogue/Arcane Trickster), Maris (Monk), Fiosa (Cohort Cleric), Valeria (Cleric of Asmodeous), Janiven (GMPC, Fighter)
Level 10/11
Adventure almost started "The Twice-Damned Prince"
Location a random encounter on the way back to base after finishing "The Mother of Flies"
Catalyst The party refusing to ignore the "flavour text" of innocents being attacked on the streets
The Gory Details
Returning to base to recover after defeating the main threat in "The Mother of Flies" the party encountered a couple of events in the streets.
The horde of Lemures melted in 2 rounds as the priestess of Asmodeous used her negative channel.
The 4 Erinyes herding slaves onto a barge however devastated the party with their Unholy Blight at will power, plus their ability to fly. While the fight lasted a number of rounds and 2 of the Erinyes were felled, every single member of the party (except the Monk who was neutral and had good saves) was slaughtered. Unable to shoot the monk (high AC + deflect arrows) or really hurt him with the Unholy Blights, the remaining Erinyes retreated.
End of campiagn. 2 of the most expensive encounters ever purchased and a real anti-climax.
The 4 Erinyes herding slaves onto a barge however devastated the party with their Unholy Blight at will power, plus their ability to fly.
I hate, hate, hate outsiders with Unholy Blight and/or Blasphemy at will.
Name: Aula Ghival
Race: Human female
Classes/levels: Ranger 7/Chevalier 2
Adventure: The Infernal Syndrome
Location: Infernal Engine Chamber
Catalyst: Famous Last Words...
The Gory Details: After the group had destroyed Liebdaga's cage they gathered in the Infernal Engine Chamber - buffed up with spells and armed to the teeth with silver/good enhanced weapons. Lucifero (the sorcerer/wizard) presented Liebdaga's Talisman to avoid giving him a chance to focus. So he went down (but not dead) the first after a vital strike from the enraged pit fiend. To give Caleb the halfling bard/rogue a chance to recover the dropped talisman, Aula taunted Liebdaga yelling at him "You shouldn't toy around with helpless mages - come on an get me!".
You guess, what happened.... ;)
On his next turn, Liebdaga scored a critical vital-stroke power-attacked bite squishing the poor ranger from +68 hp to -23 hp at once!
Aw, my gosh, all that blood!
Name: Korgoth
Race: Minotaur (Asterion)
Classes/levels: Fighter 4 / Barbarian 2
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: The Amber Arca
Catalyst: Jair
The Gory Details: Upon encountering the vampire spawn the heroes (some of whom were still in gaseous form) had used the scroll of sunburst to destroy them. It also blinded everyone except Atraya, the ranger / sorceror who had cast the spell. Korgoth had managed to retrieve the Morrowfall when the Mazeflesh Man attacked. Atraya took the Morrowfall from the blinded minotaur and used the sunbeam power to destroy the vampire. Shortly after that she was dominated by Jair who had been invisible (though that ended when he used dominated). Jair then attacked Korgoth and started draining him. The other 2 PCs were still in gaseous form and blind, and didn't do anything as they feared for their lives if they solidified. Korgoth, blind but with scent when raging fought back for a bit but then moved back and wrestled the Morrowfall off his controlled ally. If only he'd had one more round he could have used sunburst, but then Jair struck him down, killing him with energy drain.
The other PCs didn't know much about vampires (the cleric has Knowledge Religion +2 at 6th level) so Korgoth ended up coming back as a blind vampire and the following session we had a fun PvP where he took over the Guardian's of Cheliax's headquarters and sent wolves to attack them before they blew him up with the Morrowfall.
Name: Atreya
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Ranger 1/Sorceror 6
Name: Balrog
Race: Dwarf
Classes/levels: Cleric 6
Name: Cal
Race: Half-Elf
Classes/levels: Fighter 6/Wizard 1
Name: Ferrick
Race: Ironborn
Classes/levels: Fighter 6
Adventure: The Infernal Syndrome
Location: The Pillars of Fire
Catalyst: Isavenga
The Gory Details:
Apparently the heroes didn't realize that when being attacked by an enemy who can use unholy blight at will, staying bunched together is not a good idea.
After the 2nd TPK of the campaign, we have decided to stop playing Council of Thieves and make a start on The Serpent's Skull in the New Year.
The Gory Details:
Apparently the heroes didn't realize that when being attacked by an enemy who can use unholy blight at will, staying bunched together is not a good idea.
After the 2nd TPK of the campaign, we have decided to stop playing Council of Thieves and make a start on The Serpent's Skull in the New Year.
Did I ever mention that I hate creatures with unholy blight (or blasphemy) at will? Yup, I did. Just checking. :-)
Names: Elias Lucca- Old Human Male Diviner 9
Calseinica Nymmis- Human Female Bard 7
Module: Mother of Flies
Location of Deaths: Streets around the Dusk Market
Cause of Deaths: 36d6 fire damage with no evasion
The details:
Two characters dead from the ambush attempt at the
begining of the module. The group approached the shop invisibly, and when Kruthe the Hammer immediately charged in, he got blinded by Glitterdust, the would-be actor turned adventurer. Negating the Invisibility Spherer, the PCs appeared visible in the alleyway outside the shop... and got pelted with 6 6d6 fireball globes. You know, unless your PCs are somehow mystically aware that the bad guys are all about to employ this tactic or everyone has evasion, you can pretty much guarantee someone is gonna get toasted here, even if they make every save.
Names: Elias Lucca- Old Human Male Diviner 9
Calseinica Nymmis- Human Female Bard 7
Module: Mother of Flies
Location of Deaths: Streets around the Dusk Market
Cause of Deaths: 36d6 fire damage with no evasionThe details:** spoiler omitted **
Sounds more like the general principle is : don't go into a building without the common defenses up and running, such as resist energy (fire) ...
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Name: Gravlax
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Monk 2
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Bad Dogs G4
Catalyst: Hell dogs
The Gory Details:
The party entered a small room where goblins fired at them. being stuck at the back, Gravlax bravely opened the side door to G3 just to have something to do. The party was now split up on two fronts; goblins in G2 and skeletal wolves in G3, with them sandwiched in between.
While the skeletal wolves brought Gravlax down to -3hp in a single round, the party worked really hard to bring down the goblins in G2. Fortunately the party rogue managed to drag Gravlax out of harm's way and stuff a potion down his throat.
Gravlax (now at 2hp) merrily strolled into area G4 * where I didn't even have to fudge his perception check to make him notice the intimidating growling sound and the four fiery eyes in the darkness, but then for some reason he preferred looting the dead sorcerer over running away.
Greed was to be his downfall as the hell dogs bit both his legs hard and killed him instantly.
* What I find slightly sour is that I made him count the number of cure light wounds potions he had (3) before allowing him to go into G4. that would've been a perfect opportunity to chuck one, but alas. much face-slapping from the party followed, but after having saved his butt several times already they couldn't quite feel sorry for the poor monk.
Name: Tim, the Enchanter
Race: Tiefling
Classes/levels: Sorcerer/9
Adventure: Mother of Flies
Location: The Dusk Market, outside One-Eye's shop
Catalyst: Maglin, converted to Playtest Ninja/10
The Gory Details:
The players arrived, led by the reluctantly recruited Alberten. Perception scores had been collected by yours truly in the prior session, and were rolled secretly. The rogue requested a perception, and rolled a natural 2. The ambush would go ahead as planned.
Maglin (having started from the rooftops) goes invisible, descends to the street, and death attacks the sorcerer after half the party had entered the shop, as the rogues unleash their crossbows in a rain on the party. Death attacks mean never having to say goodbye.
For bonus entertainment, the fighter runs into the shop and locks the door to avoid the death-from-above....leaving Maglin with a fistful of quieting needles and time to spare with a body.
That's right, folks. Quieting Needles.
Name: Calseinica Nymmis, Bard 8 (Cohort)
Module: Mother of Flies
Location of Death: The wrong house
Cause of death: Spectral drunks
The group was utilizing Teleport spells to hop around town without having to worry about the Dottari and Hellknights. Upon attempting to go to the Dusk Market, a teleport mishap was rolled, resulting in the party appearing in an abandoned building somewhere in the Dead Sector. I wanted to show how the undead within that part of town were begining to build, and decided between the Marrowfall and the Channel abilities of the Cleric of Calistra, the group should be able to wipe the floor with 3 Spectres, the shades of angry patrons (insert backstory of dead drunks)
At any rate, the Spectres focuesed their wrath on the Cleric until she got a Death Ward off, which caused them to divert their attention to the current wielder of the Marrowfall, Calseinica. One critical hit and two hits from the other two resulted in 8 negative levels and another death for the actor-turned adventurer.
I know, "As if killing the Bard impresses us..."
Name: Zak Ghival
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Classes/levels: Fighter/10 (Bastard Sword-and-Board)
Adventure: Mother of Flies
Location: Sandor's Room, Walcourt
Catalyst: Sandor the Strange, a suddenly revealed, grounded Diviner
The Gory Details:
The party reeled from the lighting blasts of the cross-shaped entryway as they entered the abode of Sandor the strange. Once the whole party had cycled in (as per his prior divinations) the greater-invisible, flying Sandor dropped disintegrate on the (*roll...*) fighter....who saved.
Massive divination +Init meant Sandor was first after the surprise round as well. Slow was dropped on the crowd...all of whom saved--except Zak. Zak took a potion of haste to dispel the slow. The scorcerer glitterdusted, revealing Sandor, and the magus Hydraulic-pushed him to force a (failed) fly check. Sandor was grounded, in a corner, with Zak, fabled Sixfold Survivor, in his face.
So Sandor popped phantasmal killer. Description: The face of Zak's beloved (currently kindapped) Amaya, twisted by the ravages of undeath, swoops towards him. Will save failed, and a natural 2 on the fort save meant poor Zak's heart just gave out.
Zak almost refused resurrection after that description. 0:-)
After a few close calls I had the first death in my campaign.
Name: Zerun Ferast
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Classes/levels: Cleric of Pharasma 3
Adventure: The Sixfold Trial
Location: On stage at the Nightmare Theater
Catalyst: Troll Skeletons
The Gory Details: Zerun, who has the child of infamy trait, was cast as Larazod. When the trolls appear, they charged and both hit Zerun. He chose not to heal himself despite being seriously injured. Instead he moved forward and tried to hit one of the skeletons with a cure spell as he has had always been reckless in his smiting of undead due to his service of Pharasma. Despite having the highest AC of the group, the skeletons hit again several times and tore him to pieces. Fortunately the mayor agreed to raise him, though he couldn't be talked into restorations, so all the proceeds from the play went to a restoration.
Warning. Long and extreme violence.
Council of thieves has been a deadly campaign. I have not been posting deaths, however last night was particularly gruesome. Backstory is the party had a diabloist sorcerer Razoul who turned into a vampire and his imps stole the morowfall. The group did not really like him when he was aliive, but now that he is undead he has been a skirmisher/annoyer since that point. Last night they met him, his imps, and his vampire spawn in walcourt. He successfully ghoul touched 3/4 party members who were present. All of whom are coup de grace'd for 1d4+3 from the spawn and fail their saves spending hero points to not truly die. The gnome alchemist who lives spens his hero points to true strike dispelling bomb and reverse the morrowfall to set off the sunburst ability. All other vamps die but Razoul makes his save and the imps have evasion. I let the gnome with throw anything use cure potions as splash weapons. and he gets Razoul 10 hps from dead. Razoul is about to ddoor out and the gnome spends his last hero point to act out of turn, hitting and killing him. Congratulations you saved the day and win your artifact back.
They flee heal up and come back and meet the Calikang. The gnome climbs down first. He has crazy ac from dex mutagen barkskin and shield but is still scared by the 8 attacks and backs into a small room and unleashes a vomit swarm effectively negating the calikan's fast healing. the group starts climbing down the rope and it unleashes it's energy blast up the hole dealing 60 something damage to everyone on the rope. It then full attacks knocking the fighter unconscious once she gets down. The paladin is running like a little girl back up the rope, very funny. And the life oracle is staying on the rope casting reach cure spells on the fighter. Fighter wakes up and x3 crits the calikang for 80 something damage. calikang knocks chain lightnings itself the swarm and fighter and the gnome knocking the fighter out again and rolls a 3 on it's caster level check which i decided would recharge it's energy beam don't know if that's raw but it kinda made sense. He plasts next round and drops the life oracle
and finally the paladin becomes brave and jumps down the hole. He lightning bolts what's rest of the swarm fighter oracle and paladin killing them. and the gnome comes into the room truestrikes, rolls a 1 and jams his shotgun. full attack from the calikang. 8 misses. gnome crits and kills him. cuts off party member's ears runs back to town and reincarnates them. The human paladin comes back as a dwarf. The half-elf oracle comes back as a half elf and wants to get a +2 dex bonus (i asked him to place his character sheet in the fire place), and the elven fighter comes back as an elf.
Name: Orem, Thrune Pathfinder (Long story)
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Classes/levels: Magus/11
Adventure: The Twice-damned Prince
Location: Beneath Vuiper's Manor
Catalyst: The lovely and deadly Chammady Drovenge
The Gory Details:
The party encountered Vuiper; as Zak was a member of his house, dialog ensued. Unfortunately, the cleric of Abadar was hardly stable, at this point; a few harsh words from the party swiftly push him over the edge. He attacks, and is appalled to see his god desert him.
He retreats, calling for help from Chammady; with no response forthcoming he uses the cape to make his fast exit downstairs. When the party encounters him again downstairs, he fights back with unsettling confidence...enough so that the fighter looks behind him to see if he has hidden allies. The perception check wasn't even close; a few rounds later a dagger is buried in the Orem's back. That's right--yet another death-by-death-attack.
The party fights back, trying to tell her they have something they want to show her. She smiles, and says she'll take it from their corpses. The sorcerer then...baleful polymorphs her.
He turns Chammady Drovenge into a rat.
Through his ability to understand vermin, he is the only one who understands her following statement: "Very well. you have my undivided attention." After showing her the contract, the party (surprisingly) breaks the enchantment and gives her the contract, then heads home to revive the fallen magus.
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Name: Aeoneus
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Inquisitor 4
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: The Rostrum of Vanishment
Catalyst: Trixie the Triceratops
The Gory Details: The PCs (Paladin 4, Rogue 4, Bard 4, Wiz2/Witch1/Alch1, Inquis 4) saw Trixie in its usual spot in the Nautalica. It dropped the bard with one attack, but they managed to channel back to consciousness and flee. They bypassed the room by going upstairs and climbing down to the courtyard, where they made short work of the toys.
Then the arcanist decided to go back and open the door to the Nautalica while the rest of the party was scattered and searching.
Trixie came after them, forcing open the door and squeezing out into the courtyard.
The Inquisitor stepped to the forward edge of the invisibility platform and cast obscuring mist, hoping to cover the rest of the party's activities.
Trixie closed, due to Blindsight, goring the Inquisitor and finishing him off when he tried to withdraw.
They later managed to destroy it, and his body was recovered for raising.
Wiz2/Witch1/Alch1
off-topic: What's next for this character? Or is a dartboard involved in the development process? ;-)
Name: Lanthorr
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Paladin 2/Rogue 7 (I think)
Adventure: Mother of Flies
Location: The Bloody Tarn
Catalyst: Madjaw
The Gory Details: Lanthorr stood up and challenged the satyr to one-on-one combat. He thought he'd be able to simply use his smite ability and chop through the satyr. Unfortunately, the satyr is CN and his smite did not work. Lanthorr finally changed tactics and began to Feint the satyr to take him down. This was working well, and would've probably killed him in the next round, but I rolled out a Vital Striking Power Attack in front of the group and landed a 20. I then confirmed the critical hit and struck Lanthorr with 4d12+22. I rolled at least two twelves.
Thankfully his ally, a halfling cavalier riding atop her dog with a lance, charged in and critically hit with her charge, finishing off the satyr and intimidating the redcaps into following her.
The party chose to reincarnate him, and he has come back as a half-orc.
Name: Servius Quintus Basilius
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Cleric of Abadar 12th
Adventure: The Twice-Damned Prince
Location: The Safe House
Catalyst: Sandor the Strange
The Gory Details: The PCs took Sandor captive and his possessions including his Staff of the Blue Dragon. As he later was freed (that's another story) he contemplated on his eventual revenge. He volunteered to escort the mission to take the PC down at the Safe House. He buffed himself up with disintegrate spells. Chammady told Sandor to take out the party's cleric the first - and he did. He needed two attempts to turn Servius Basilius to dust. At that fight Servius' cohort and the cohort of the party's sorcerr died as well, as some other NPC. By the way, Sandor got his revenge but later bit the dust himself. :)
Oh, just to mention: Today, I nearly took another PC down with the hellknight's mercilessness class feature against a chaotic ranger. But her Diehard feat spoiled my attempt *skulk*.... ;)
Had two more PC deaths tonite.
Name: Jocque & Kayn
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Rogue-6 (Swashbuckler), Summoner-6
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: Bisby's Final Resting Place
Catalyst: Bisby's Skull
The Gory Details: The group cleared out most of the rest of the level before heading into Bisby's room. Despite the pile of bones and very obvious warning of death to thieves on the wall, Kayn decided to see if they could find the source of the haunting and picked up some treasure off the floor. The skull floated to life and Kayn fell to the ghostly hand of death, ie Phantasmal Killer, from Bisby's haunt, taking his eidolon with him. The next round, Jocque also fell to the skulls effect leaving just two other characters alone in the room with 2 shadows and the skull. Fortunately the Cleric of Pharasma saw through the phantasm and managed to neutralize the skull before any more deaths occured.
Name: Flink
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Rogue-10
Adventure: Mother of Flies
Location: Walcourt (lower levels)
Catalyst: Kalikang
The Gory Details: Maybe this death is my fault, but it was late on that day and after playing for 8 or 9 hours I just haven't seen the true seeing entry of the Kalikang.
So I let my group enter the treasure chamber, unseen due to invisibility. They entered the room with Ilnerik and defeated him. Then they realised, that they have to go back through the treasure chamber if they want to go after Ilnerik. They tried to soften the Kalikang up with arrows, but the guardian answered their puny tries first with a Lightning and a round later (as he could see only one through the door) with a Chain Lightning. Good Flink made both his saving throws. The sorcerer buffed the party with haste and shouted "Into the room"!. Flink did as he was asked and ended his movement right beside the Kalikang. Desmodena, the fighter in our group, also went in, (vital-)striked the Kalikang and then moved on with Spring attack, because she also made her saving throws but nevertheless was 44 hp short. So the turn was on the Kalikang and he spotted poor Flink right beside him. One full attack with three possible critical hits (of which only one was confirmed) the Rogue was down to -13 HP... with a constitution score of 12!
The group got him back to the safe house and let Arael try to ressurrect Flink with the scroll of ressurrection they got from the Mother of Flies ... only to fumble on the try (rolled a natural 1). Thank the gods that he didn't die during the procedure (made his will check). The party then carried poor Flink to a temple and paid some nice money for a Raise Dead.
As I said: Maybe its my fault and this battle would have been quiet different if the Kalikang would have seen the invisible party coming down the rope...
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So i have GM'ed books 1-3 and am about to finish book 4. I have never been one to kill my players, but this time. DAMN
First kill, while performing the theatre someone was unable to make his heal check and ended up killing himself on stage.
In the Asmodian knot two players were killed by the king.
The day after the mayors party one of the players where publicly executed for crimes of a demonic nature.
During Delhaven a player was killed by the shadow triceratops, two by Bisby and finally one by the vampire cleric.
During the infernal syndrome we have a one killed by the lich shade, one by cerebri and that is it for now.
That is 10 by my count compared to my normal 1'ish I feel dirty and I know I will have more casualties before this book is over. I see the Ranger dyeing from a full attack form L-man and possibly the dragon disciple as well. Are all adventure paths this bloody ?
Name: Silth Maelström
Race: Elf
Classes/levels: Rogue 5
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: Some back alley in Rego Cader
Catalyst: Shadow Mastiff
The Gory Details: It whas a near TPK, so all goy details afeter the rest of the presentations.
Name: Itharaina Arothar
Race: Elf
Classes/levels: Diviner 4
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: Some back alley in Rego Cader
Catalyst: Shadow Mastiff
The Gory Details: see above
Name: Rizzardo
Race: Human (Shoanti)
Classes/levels: Barbarian 4
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: Some back alley in Rego Cader
Catalyst: Shadow Mastiff
The Gory Details: idem
Name: Gaius Baltar (YES)
Race: Human (Chelaxian)
Classes/levels: Cleric (Calistria, false cleric of Asmodeus)
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: Some back alley in Rego Cader
Catalyst: Shadow Mastiff
The Gory Details: see below
[b] The Gory Details [b]: The rest of the party included an elven alchemist and a transmuter. The party was deciding how to deal with the Devildrome encounter and Gaius Baltar came with the following plan:
a) Retrieving the Tiefling's corpses from the first adventure from rego cader
b) Burying them in the devildrome
c) Casting of [i] Desecrate [i] at the proper timing.
d) Gaius Baltar would be the "Summoner". He would bring forth X HD worth of Undead and would command them to move as puppets, some of them with clothing resembling Wiscrani VIPs. They would cast [i] protection from evil [i] to the undead and wait for Thrax to extinguish all his summonings.
a) and b) would take place during the night. The Transmuter, being LG decided not to take part in retrieving corpses and desecrating them. The alchemist decided to stay at home preparing fireworks for the show.
I had a prerolled encounter "Schedule" and for that night the menu was 4 Shadow Mastiffs. Knowing that my players are quite the optimisers I added one mastiff to the mix. I decided to officially inaugurate my "Ambus Sites" Map Pack and placed an rather narrow alley and set the encounter when the "heroes were carrying back the corpses of the tieflings. What followed was quite gruesome. Due to the map layout one of the Mastiffs was unable to reach melee, so in the surpirse round (only the rogue and the diviner were not surprised) this one used his Bail sending the brave Silth into a panick. One of the mastiffs charged against Gaius Baltar (who was with both hands busy holding the corpses) and the other charged Itharaina. The other two, due to map layout could not move into a charge but attacked nevertheless.
The result for the first round:
1) The diviner prone in the ground
2) The cleric losing 25% of his HP. Negative channeler with no healing spells prepared for that night.
3) The valiant elf crying pathetically against a corner
4) The barbarian botching his firs attack and being critically hit in return.
This tendency continued for the rest of the encounter but I have to say that the heroes fought valiantly, slaying 3 of the beasts and leaving one at 1 HP (the other untouched). Still, the barbarian, for intance, botched twice, failed once and stroke true once before falling. They didgn have sneak attack damage for 3-4 rounds...
I know the enconter was overpowered but they really are very good tactitians. I guess this time sheer luck showed how much and encounter needs to be tailored for it not to be spoiled by two rounds of extreme value-die rolling.
Still, we all had great fun with the encounter, and The Children of Westcrown decided to cast [i] gentle repose [i] on the two heroes that were from the start (Gaius and Silth, both of the excelled in the Sixfold Trial, which we "played", by the way), resurrected Itharaina and gave Rizzardo a nice burial.
My party just ended up TPKing earlier tonight.
Names: Fayde, Alexite, Bedock, Cicero
Races: Human, Human, Human, Tiefling
Classes/Levels: Rogue 3, Monk 3, Cleric 3, Ranger 3
Adventure: The Sixfold Trial
Location: Trial by Pleasure for Fayde, Trial by Combat and Love for the rest.
Catalyst: The flukes for Fayde, Troll Skeletons for the rest.
The Gory Details: After suffering severe pain from the Birthing Trial, it came Fayde's turn to take the fluke (she was playing Tybain). After several failed Fort saves and incredibly unlucky rolls to remove the grubs, Bedock (who was playing Drovalid) jumped in to assist in the removal of the grub. It was removed, but the damage was already done and the damage she took from removing the grub caused her to die. They then made their way through the rest of the trials without too much trouble, and finally made their way to the Trial by Combat and Love. Alexite (who was playing Larazod) got taken out on the first turn of the troll skeletons since they both attacked him and rolled really well for damage. Bedock tried to take them on, but a solid hit and an unfortunate crit took him out as well. Cicero (the one playing Dentris) then tried to retreat from the trolls while firing his bow (using blunt arrows) at the pair, but they chased him down and killed him in a whirlwind of claws and teeth.
Name: Skuld
Race: Human
Class/Levels: Oracle of Lore/3
Adventure: The Sixfold Trial
Location: Nightshade Theater
Catalyst: Overestimated her durability when faced with troll skeletons
Gory Details:
Due to some bad initiative rolls, the party found themselves all acting after the troll skeletons. Skuld (playing Larazod) was the only one quick enough to act before the skeletons. Fearing for the survival of the party due to them being flat-footed during the initial skeleton attacks, Skuld rushed forward . . . only to be pummeled into the ground by a full-attack action by one and a mighty chomp by the other before the rest of the party had time to react.
The most entertaining part of all this was the player decided he would charge in without discussing it with the rest of the party. In fact, one of them had just gone to the bathroom before the battle. That player emerged from the bathroom just in time to be informed "[player] just died". In hindsight, I should have prevented the action from taking place until the missing player had returned, but the player controlling Skuld has a habit of acting without thinking/on their own and a misconception that he is a tank/melee fighter, so it was a good learning opportunity. Since then they have learned to discuss battle plans together before doing anything rash.
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Name: Darius
Race: Tiefling
Classes/levels: Level 6 Ranger
Adventure: The Six Fold Trial
Location: Asmdean Knot
Catalyst: Sometimes democracy is a bad idea.
The Gory Details: (optional) Our poor ranger took a vote after finding the Chelish Crux as to whether or not the group should go back and check the one hallway they didn't explore earlier. The group voted 2 to 1 to go back and give it a look. When they started looking through the junk room our friendly neighborhood mummy decided he didn't like that. The group scuffled and the zombie hit and then crit the ranger. Burning 2 hero points I allowed him to stave off death and be sitting at 0 hit points. Infected with mummy rot and barly clinging to life the rest of the party jumped into action. Unfortunately for Darius the Burning Sphere our Witch used to combat the mummy got a wee bit close to the pile of trash, and down came the room. It was enough to kill the mummy, AND our poor ranger. If only the group had another infernal speaking member that could explain to his companion what happened...poor kitty.
My first ever PC kill as a Pathfinder GM. It kind of sucked that it was at the beginning of the session.
Name: Tokash
Race: Half-orc
Classes/levels: Paladin 4
Adventure: The Six Fold Trial
Location: The Lake of Filth
Catalyst: Water elemental
The Gory Details: Nobody wanted to go near the lake for fear of catching a disease, but the paladin, as she reminded everyone, was immune to disease and braved the lake alone. She had not healed up fully from the last battle however, and was dropped by a couple slams from the elemental (she would have been OK if she hadn't used her diehard ability to stay standing below 0 HP).
Name: Varian
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Oracle 6
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: The Summoning Room in Delvhaven
Catalyst: Trying to solve the Summoning Door
The Gory Details: Varian, being the curious Knowledge (planes) specialist that he is, decides to try his hand at opening the door. Moments later a Skeletal Hellcat appears and proceeds to attack him. Varian's AC is 9, so getting hit was a given, and his CMD was 10, thus being grappled was also a given. After one round in the hellcat's grasp, his last words were to the group's multirole inquistor, Hsaar. They were as follows, "Move next to me and flank it!" During the hellcat's next turn, Varian was killed outright, and the group proceeded to kill it.
Luckily, Sevrin (the group's rogue and Varian's ward) knew of a druid who had previously brought back an NPC as a favor. After a week of travel to the west, Varian was returned to life as a half-orc.
Name: Sevrin
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Rogue 5, Assassin 1
Adventure: What Lies in Dust
Location: **Under the summoning room**
Catalyst: Trying to grab the artifact
The Gory Details: Both Varian and Daven (the group's Barbarian) had just been blinded upon approaching the artifact and Limey (NPC Gnome packmule) had just activated the artifact's much more powerful defense. Sevrin decided that he would be able to approach it safely (Reflex save of +12 and evasion). He successfully dodged the first beam, but the ensuing burst hit him full on (he rolled a nat 2, 14 total). In his blinded state he was unable to locate the artifact by the end of his turn, and he was killed on his next turn when the amulet bursted him again.
His final fate is yet to be decided.
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Name: Wu Zin
Race: Vanara
Classes/levels: Fifth level druid
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Big cave under the Temple
Catalyst: Taking on more than he could handle instead of relying on his spells
The Gory Details: He was fighting a powerful sorcerer, much stronger than he and he was subjected to two facefulls of fire breath. He didn't flee after the first attack and took a second one to his face.
Name: Urlic Shieldbasher
Race: Dwarf
Classes/levels: Fifth level fighter
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Temple of the Bastards
Catalyst: Combat against a sorcerer, and doing his job as a noble fighter
The Gory Details: Fighting against the sorcerer, it only took one well placed spell to bring this dwarf to his knees and end his life.
Name: Erkos
Race: Tiefling
Adventure: Bastards of Erebus
Location: Temple of the Bastards
Catalyst: Wrong place, wrong time
The Gory Details: Took acid to the face
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A few more.
Name: Rasteel
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Bard 8
Adventure: The Infernal Syndrome
Location: Nessian Spiral Containment
Catalyst: Achaierai
The Gory Details: Rasteel was blasted and confused several times by the hellbirds' black smoke and eventually fell unconscious. He did not survive the ensuing blast of black smoke directed at the rest of the party.
Name: Ilian and Talon
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Wizard 8 and Oracle 8
Adventure: The Infernal Syndrome
Location: Nessian Spiral Containment
Catalyst: Zovarue
The Gory Details: Half the party were particularly ensnared by Zovarue's gaze. An attempt was made to recover Ilian with stonesalve, but she failed the Fortitude save and died of System Shock (for us 1st ed folks).
Name: Petronicus Crispin
Race: Human
Classes/levels: Wizard 3
Adventure:
Location: Act 3 of the play
Catalyst: Merciless dice.
The Gory Details: Alas poor petronicus had much difficulty cutting the rotgrub out of him. And after a number of heal checks that were below even the ability of aid another checks to help he finally managed it at 1 con taking 26 damage. He was begging for help the whole time.