#6-21 Tapestry's Toil PFS PbP (Inactive)

Game Master James Martin

Kn.nature: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Kn.religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Aestrid watches with an dispassionate air as the slavers die, reaching to a well-worn dagger to finish the job on any that might recover.

This is a good thing

As for the strange mist, she calls on her fell goddess to help see arcane auras, inspecting at statue and dwarf alike. Through her concentration, she asks, "Is anyone hurt?"

Detect Magic as well and she has several knowledges that might apply but none she's great at...

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Knowledge Arcane or Planes or Religion on the statue: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Fredrik stops his praying but readies an attack against the mist if it turns corporeal or hostile.

Attk: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 2 - 2 + 2 = 21
Dmg: 2d6 + 4 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 + 2 + 6 = 21

Buffs
Endure Elements, 24 hours
Water Breathing, 5 hours
Arcane Pool +2, 7 rounds
Bless and prayer +4 to attack, +3 to dmg, +3 to saves, +1 to skills
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round 4
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craft alchemy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
knowledge dungeoneering: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
knowledge local: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
knowledge planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25 wow, that's some more crappy rolls
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Do, not just a basic construct. Interesting! Says Jorin as he readies his magic.
ready an action, if it does anything threatening (like striking or moving toward us), cast burning hands
burning hands reflex DC=14: 5d4 ⇒ (1, 1, 1, 1, 3) = 7

Sveinki and Jorin recognize the coalescing mist as a spirit oni, a tiny outsider that is usually evil in nature. The mist seems to form into a demonic mask, whose mouth opens to speak. "Peace, please outsiders. I am called Tanbaru and I thank you for defeating the duergar. I have no love for them and their ways. Long ago they destroyed a location I was sworn to guard and since then I have been forced to serve them. But if you defeat Chergin Ironwhip, I will be free of them. I can aid you and I swear my aid in the future if you destroy Ironwhip. I know this fortress and can guide you safely through it. Please, will you accept my aid?"

"Ironwhip. This is the second time we have heard that name. The last was from a fey who allied with him and you claim forced servitude. Tell us more of this Chergin Ironwhip while we weigh your offer."
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27 Unless he's a current or former Pathfinder in which case that's a 29.

"I agree with Ssssveinki. We will need more information if we are to trusssst you."

"These Duergar have slaves...you were a slave and you seek freedom. I am with you, but I hope I do not have to go alone, so please convince my friends."

Poor Darren hasn't had a slave in a scenario in AGES. The slave hate is strong with this one.

Sveinki, you believe he is sincere, but there is a lot of rage and anger in him.

The oni suddenly flares with a fierce light. "Once, before this place was torn into this tapestry, this was the Temple of Yamatsumi, which I protected with my partner Jiraku as dosojin. When the temple was brought into this place, Jiraku and I were separated. I was bereft without him. The duergar came here and desecrated the temple. I was weak and powerless to stop them and for my failure I was cast into the form you see now. Serving the duergar was the only way to avoid death and they forced me to animate these statues in a mockery of my former role. I will guide you, as best I can, but I can help you more if you allow me to meld with you. I will become one with you so that I can guide you through my thoughts."

Knowledge Planes!

"I do not know of these dosojin, but his words are honest. I believe we should take advantage of the aid he offers. What sort of aid will you be able to provide us if you meld with one of us. Simply guide us better or is there more?"
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Guide sounds like a Survival or maybe a Perception benefit. I've got a decent Perception, but I'm thinking maybe someone with a strong Survival might be best.

Aestrid considers the oni's words as assesses her allies' condition after the fight. She would not take the creature into her mind if she could help it.

She would not cede control - never again.

Seeing Sslarn's wounds, she activates the Fey's wand and offers to take away some of the nagaji's pain.
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
CMW from the wand - 23ch remain: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (1, 7) + 3 = 11

"I will guide you either way. But if you allow me to meld with you, I can guide you much better."

"What say you, allies? If Sveiniki feels he is trustworthy, and if you believe I would suffer no ill effects, I would allow the spirit to enter my mind."

knowledge planes: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
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You really think I would give you control of my body?!?
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Good grief, the dice roller in every PbP really hates me this week. I think I'm averaging about 6 on the d20 rolls.

Possession is a tricky and foul practice. It can go wrong in so many ways. I would not counsel you to do it S'Slarn. We can accept his aid without exposing our souls to such risks.

K. Planes: Oni: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"I tend to be both a good spotter and tracker, so if it will benefit me well to expand those abilities...and give our spirit friend a chance to gain some level or revenge versus his captors, then I will also gladly step forward and offer myself as a vessel," Darren says with a nod.

Sveinki eyes the oni, "There is an object we seek. It was brought from the village down below." He continues to describe what we know of the appearance of the Sky Key piece. "Is it something you can guide us too?"

We shall learn Darren whether you a brave or just foolhardy!?!

Aestrid looks up from her work with the wand and returns it to her pocket, "Well, Dosojin kami are supposed to be benevolent protectors and guides for pilgrims. Assuming there is no deceit here, this one could be helpful, at least to help us avoid fights we can't handle here."

The spirit mask flies over to Darren and hovers in front of him. It seems to meld into his face, then disappears. Darren you have a temporary +2 insight bonus to Perception while the spirit oni is bonded with you. Furthermore, you will have a +10 bonus on certain checks related to the Mountain

Darren finds an image of Chergin Ironwhip, a grey dwarf whose arms and beard are riddled with stone and a vague direction to him. He believes that wherever Ironwhip is, that's where the treasure will be.

Because Slave Mountain is huge, heavily populated and largely beyond the scope of a PFS scenario, we will condense the in-between parts into checks. I need everyone to make Survival or Knowledge Dungeoneering checks. Darren you receive a +10 to these.

Survival: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Darren follows the advice of his new co-spirit-or.

1d20 + 10 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 10 = 36

knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
survival: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6

Entering the maze of tunnels inside the mountain, you might all have been beset by duergar patrols, save for Darren. He lead you correctly at every turn, seeming to know these tunnels as well as his own home. Despite the sound of forges, the screams of distant slaves and the darkness, he leads you straight away. Finally he stops, outside a forge. The spirit oni telepathically sends to him: "Inside here, quickly. One of the shifts of guards is changing. We will be discovered."

The smell of musk and hot iron saturates the thick air. Heat is everywhere, with regular blasts of hot wind blowing past in time with the bellows. A single iron sculpture leans on the east wall. Though it bears a strong central frame and several barbed twists, it remains far from complete. The air tastes bitter and metallic.

A female duergar smith hammers away on the forge, and even though her back is turned, she calls out in a strong voice. "Tis Droskar the Dark Smith who sustains us and all who live within the tapestry. He forged us after his own image; hard and strong like iron. He gave us a home and iron from the earth, and laborers to toil in his name and for our sake. Welcome to your final endeavor, slaves. Trust that your new god will remake you in his mines.”

Aestrid speaks a word of command and her appearance changes to match one of the duergar - a balding male dwarf dressed in similar style armour and standing a little less than 5' tall. She proudly wears her slaver's whip on her hip and makes her morningstar look like one of the dwarves' hammers.

She addresses the Oni, her voice still her own, "Tanbaru, are there other humans that came here ahead of us? If so, tell us what you can about them and the same for Ironwhip - what they carry for weapons, what you've seen them do, everything."

Activating hat of disguise once more for flavour...

@S'Slarn, Aestrid healed most of your wounds (11 points) with the fey's CMW wand. If anyone else is hurt significantly, she'll do the same for them.
Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Cross-posted with the GM there a bit. Consider my post to have happened before we entered, please.

This is getting tiredsome. Your god is weak like your bodies. So far we have only left corpses behind us for the Lady to take care of their souls. Surrender and you will be spared. Fredrik answers the female smith.

Intimidate: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Oh well...

"Her soul is lost Fredrik. She serves the Dark Smith. There will be no negotiation with this one other than lies and trickery. Speak your name betrayer so that I may inscribe it on my weapon haft as yet another traitor of the dwarves felled by Torag's justice." Sveinki steps forward and swings his hammer into the smith.
Swift action to activate bane (duergar)
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 16 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) + 16 + (4) + (6, 1) = 32 28 points of magical, bludgeoning with bane; 4 points of acid

Fools.

Aestrid looks in alarm as the bumbling Fredrik threatens to expose the group to the very patrol they are now trying to avoid. As Sveinki engages, she begs Calistria to conceal the din arising from their lack of subtlety.
Cast Silence on the floor beneath the Anvil.

I'm going to assume you are going to need to switch us to initiative, so I'll hold off..."

Initiative!
Jorin: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Aestrid: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Fredrik: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Sveinki: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Darren: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
S'Slarn: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Other: 1d20 ⇒ 13
Smith: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Aestrid changes her appearance, but the smith doesn't seem to notice. Fredrik tries bold words, but once again, she doesn't seem intimidated. Sveinki attacks, cutting into the smith and wounding her!

Aestrid, you'll have to wait for combat to cast as you've already acted.

Round 1:
25 Jorin
18 S'Slarn
15 Fredrik
14 Darren
13 Other
10 Aestrid and Sveinki
5 Smith

Jorin, S'slarn, Fredrik and Darren are up!

"You will pay for your enslavement of others, duergar."

S'slarn moves around his allies and positions himself to try to grab the duergar.
Grapple: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

S'slarn moves up and grabs the duergar!

Fredrik uses his wand to bless the party.
Cast bless

Darren runs forward and lets an arrow fly.

1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 13 + 1 = 15
1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 = 11

"End this one fast, or we will have more soon!"

Looks to be "other"'s turn.

Sorry guys. It's been a day and it just started.

Fredrik blesses the party while Darren fires an arrow. Unfortunately it simply dings off the heavy armor of the smith!

Jorin delays.

Suddenly there is a rumbling sound and a strange creature bursts from the ground! This squat beast is as wide as it is tall. Strangely symmetrical, it has three arms, three legs, three eyes, and one huge mouth. It lets out a bloodcurdling scream in a voice that sounds like rocks grinding and attacks S'Slarn!

Bite vs S'Slarn!: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 for 4d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 2, 1, 2) + 3 = 13 damage!

Jorin, Aestrid and Sveinki are up!

Aestrid sticks with her plan, completing her divine ritual and creating a sphere of silence centred on the back part of the workshop to conceal the din of combat.

Cast silence, now centred on a point on the wall marked on the map with a Red Circle, use metamagic Extend Rod to double the duration to 12 rounds.

Sveinki backs up a step and takes another swing with his longhammer at the priestess.
Round 2 of bane. Will discontinue after this round unless things look desperate.
Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14
Damage: 2d6 + 16 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 1) + 16 + (4) + (1, 3) = 26 22 points of magical, bludgeoning with bane; 4 points of acid

Buffs
Endure Elements, 24 hours
Water Breathing, 5 hours
Arcane Pool +2, 10 rounds
Bless and prayer +1 to attack
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I wonder what the heck that thing is?!?
Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
questions: special defenses then special attacks
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Well it still has eyes. Teraz môžete vidieť nič? and a cloud of sparkles settles over the odd creature. Then the tip of the whio snakes out to annoy it.
whip attack: 1d20 + 12 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 12 - 2 + 1 = 24, if hits whip damage: 1d3 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
swift action arcane pool, the spell combat for whip attack and glitterdust, will save DC=15

Speaking of which, Aestrid might know something about something here...
Knowledge: Planes: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

Jorin, I don't think we still have prayer up, do we?
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

No, as that one is in rounds and we are well past that. Also, Glitterdust is a 10' spread so it affects everything within 10' of point of origin (effectively the same as a burst in many cases except it is more limited going around corners). That means that if the target is the intersection 5' south of my red circle, it hits both baddies and misses S'Slarn.

Buffs
Endure Elements, 24 hours
Water Breathing, 5 hours
Arcane Pool +2, 10 rounds
Bless +1 to attack
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You are correct, I only had the +1 but forgot to delete the word prayer.
I also misremembered the area of glitter dust. Yes, when you get the 10 radius it does get that wierd shape. I will fix it on the map.

Aestrid completes her prayer of silence as a sudden calm falls over the room. Sveinki swings at the priestess, but her armor turns his hammer aside. Jorin stares for a moment at the odd creature, recognizing it as a xorn, an outsider from the plane of Earth. He casts his spell of glittering, coating the room in shiny dust.

Duergar will: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 2 = 16
Xorn Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

The duergar seems unperturbed and while the Xorn looks blinded, it doesn't seem terribly inconvenienced by the fact.

All-around vision making it immune to flanking, no special attack. Aestrid you can have another piece of info.

Jorin's whip hits the beastly xorn, but his thick hide doesn't seem inclined to give to the whip's lash.

The duergar smith struggles to break S'Slarn's hold!CMB: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 With a mighty effort she does! She takes a five foot step to flank S'Slarn with the xorn!

Round 2:
25 Jorin
18 S'Slarn
15 Fredrik
14 Darren
13 Xorn
10 Aestrid and Sveinki
5 Smith

Jorin, S'slarn, Fredrik and Darren are up! As I noted, I will be off to Gen Con which means I will be incommunicado from Thursday - Sunday. Normal posting will resume Monday. Do not fear! I am merely away, the game will go on!

S'slarn five-foot steps away from the flanking and uses a flurry of maneuvers to try to grab the duergar again and then punch him as well.

grapple: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
unarmed: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 plus bleed: 1d4 ⇒ 1

Buffs
Endure Elements, 24 hours
Water Breathing, 5 hours
Arcane Pool +2, 9 rounds
Bless +1 to attack
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round 2
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Jorin activates his wand and flicks the end of his whip out, to grab the hammer from the grey dwarf.
5 ft step, spell combat, wand wielder, activate arcane pool for a +2 on the whip, wand of true strike for a +20, cover for a -4, -2 combat expertise (+2 to AC), +6 from dueling property
whip CMB to disarm: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 20 - 4 - 2 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 2 + 20 - 4 - 2 + 6 + 1 = 41

With a quick step to line up his shot, Darren unleashes a torrent of arrows on his dwarven target.

Rapid: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 1 + 1 = 19
1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 = 11

1d20 + 11 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 1 + 1 = 23
1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 2 + 1 = 11

1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 22
1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6

Fredrik moves to the Xorn and attacks it

Attk: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 - 2 = 8
Dmg: 2d6 + 4 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 + 2 + 6 = 24

Fredrik stops his praying but readies an attack against the mist if it turns corporeal or hostile.

Attk: 1d20 + 7 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 1 - 2 = 12
[dice=Dmg]2d6+4+2+6 [/dice1