"Boss, me got better idea! " he takes out the pipes he recovered from the dawn piper, and blows them to create a gust of wind, "that be some pretty fine tooting, boss."
if he doesn't know this, he just hands over the potion.
Erm... the knowledge roll was already succeeded... but, it was in reference to the living dawn piper about 30ft behind you, not the perfectly mundane pipes belonging to the dead one.
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight does his best impression of a dawn piper, but cannot seem to manage more than a whisper of a breeze from the pipes in his hand. From behind in the distance, Auraenos chuckles.
@Jorvik: Attacking the owl is fine!
Heafoc pecks the owl mercilessly, tearing a small wound in its wing. Jorvik does a much better job, however, and his arrow scores a deep wound across the bird's breast before flying into the thorny branches of the nearby trees.
@Ishbaad: You cannot see Nazhena from where you currently are.
If IMQiS tries to play the pipes, he can't hand me the potion, which negates my earlier action.
"It's done its job, Get this $*%& cloud out of the way!"
Ishbaad charges forward without the benefit of the fly potion, muttering to himself about the useless delay. He holds his hand up, ready to draw out the hammer that will let him reach the flying witch, not yet ready to drop his blade.
Double move, on foot this time. Puts me 10' farther back than I would have made it with the fly spell.
Turning around to face the piper, Jorvik screams, "First Worlder. If you want to see your home I suggest you use your pipes to blow this fog or Nazhena will kill us all!"
He'll act after Nazhena, before you. Takes 1 round to blow it away, so you'll still have at least 1 more round where she's got cover... assuming Auraenos is convinced by your words.
Diplomacy checks aren't my thing. I prefer roleplay. ;-) That is not to say it's a useless stat. I have your diplomacy modifiers and take them into account when adjudicating the situation... and occasionally, you need to roll.
Male N Human (Jadwiga) Witch 5 / Winter Witch 4 | HP: 87/70 | AC: 18 (12 Tch,14 Fl) | CMB: +2, CMD: 15 | F: +7, R: +8, W: +8 | Init: +4 | Perc: +11, SM: +5 | Speed 30ft | Hero: 1/3 | Active conditions: Mage Armor - 1h; False Life - 8h; See invisibility 80 min
"Unfortunately, once conjured, that cloud is beyond my control. It doesn't last very long, but our enemy might get better before it dissipates."
Analyzing the situation, Kuragin must admit Nazhena has chosen a very good position to wait. He has no means of targeting the witch with his powers until she comes out from her hiding place. But in order not to waste any time, he uses his hexes to control the fates of companions.
Nazhena continues to hover where she is behind the fog cloud, moving slightly father away from where she hears the gigantic Ishbaad approaching. All can hear her dry reaching as she attempts to shake the nausea that has plagued her these past moments.
Heafoc's foe strikes out at her with a talon, but is unable to repeat its stellar past performance.
"You speak true, half-elf," Auraenos notes, smiling at Jorvik's rationale, "But perhaps this Baroness will also help me to renew a reality siphon to return me home. Heh... but she does not look like the kind to keep a bargain. Very well, I will aid you."
Auraenos, the last remaining dawn piper, strides boldly forwards - the rapidly enlarging Wortleby at his side - putting his pipes to his lips as he does so. A lilting melody issues from the instrument, enchanting at first but rapidly growing in pace. The five heroes become aware of a strong wind behind them, growing in speed as it whips their hair and cloaks forwards. The wind begins to gnaw at the unnaturally cloud of putrid fog, and soon it shall be gone.
But first...
Next up: Ishbaad, Jorvik (Round 4), Kuragin, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight (Round 5).
Ishbaad starts as if he means to charge into the cloud, but thinks better of risking that and runs up to the edge, hearing that it will soon be blown away by the music of the strange ally they have acquired.
Can I reach the owl with my lucern hammer from my current position?
If I can reach the owl:
"Watch your right flank Heafoc!" Ishbaad shouts, hoping the fluttering bird of prey doesn't duck suddenly to the right. He drops his sword as he runs and pulls his hammer from his back. He then hopes he won't regret dropping that magnificent blade.
Ishbaad instinctively breaths a sigh of relief as Heafoc ducks suddenly to the left before his hammer comes down, and the inquisitor knows there is no chance he will accidentally hit the magnificent bird. As the hammer head arcs through the air, Ishbaad gets the sensation that his strike is true, and his heart stops for a moment in anticipation.
If I can't reach the owl:
"Listen to me friends, the witch is vulnerable to a flank!" he shouts to his companions. "She cannot keep herself from being distracted by so many foes surrounding her!"
Use my tactician ability to give all of my allies the outflank teamwork feat. (+4 to flank instead of +2) Might only really come into play if I can flank the witch with Heafoc, but it's either do this, or go into the stink cloud...
Seeing the two birds claw and rake in the skies, Jorvik fits another arrow to Heartseeker. He quickly shuffles through the packed snow in the opposite direction to get hot at both the owl and the baroness.
Owl lives:
Jorvik moves to the counter clockwise to the hut. He knows that the fog will dissipate soon and leave one angry, powerful witch in its wake.
But first, Heafoc. There he pulls back and loosens an arrow right at the owl's heart.
Bow:1d2 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 Damage:1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Owl is dead:
Jorvik moves as fast as he can forward. He pulls another arrow from his quiver and draws back seventy-five percent. he stops and scans the dissipating fog cloud for signs of the baroness.
Declared action: Once I can see her I will fire. Bow, Favored enemy, PBS:1d2 + 11 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 2 + 1 = 15 Damage:1d8 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 17
Ishbaad lashes out at the owl with his massive hammer. The bird is almost dropped from the sky, but amazingly it flies back up to face its feathered foe. The life-force it stole from Heafoc sustains it through what would otherwise have been a massive, if not fatal, injury.
Both Heafoc and Jorvik lash out (full attack from Heafoc), but neither the falcon nor its master are able to land a blow.
Next up: Kuragin, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight (Round 5).
Ishbaad's grin is a bit broader than he intended, quite pleased with himself for the hit on the elusive bird.
"Baronness!" he calls out, "You are a wretched and pathetic excuse for a leader. Tyrants like you always meet the same end, bloody and at the end of a stake. You are a weed in the garden of life, and I will pluck you and cast you aside like the refuse you are."
Male N Human (Jadwiga) Witch 5 / Winter Witch 4 | HP: 87/70 | AC: 18 (12 Tch,14 Fl) | CMB: +2, CMD: 15 | F: +7, R: +8, W: +8 | Init: +4 | Perc: +11, SM: +5 | Speed 30ft | Hero: 1/3 | Active conditions: Mage Armor - 1h; False Life - 8h; See invisibility 80 min
"Go on, piper. Conjure some winds."
Right now, there is not much to do, except to wait. Nazhena is somewhere there behind the poisonous vapors, and getting better all the time. While he waits, he bends more of his companions fates to his will. Holding the thread of Jorvik's fate on his right hand, his left hand reaches out for Ishbaad's fates - granting the inquisitor a more favourable outcome of things to come.
Fortune hex on Ishbaad, chant to extend both fortune hexes
Dude. Sorry. I don't know what's going on with my rolls lately!
Kuragin ensure that the winds of fortune blow Ishbaad's way, while Jorvik's arrow, in hindsight, somehow manages to get closer to the mark... but still misses.
Wow... I know I posted... did I forget to submit it?
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight moves around trying to find a line of sight on the ice [s]b[/i]witch.
"Flee!" you hear Nazhena command her owl. It appears all trace of illness is gone from her voice. Immediately afterwards, though, there is only silence. Her owl makes not a sound as it banks around the fog, away from Heafoc, Ishbaad and the companions. It flies like a ghost over their heads, past the fey, into the wooded market square beyond and out of sight.
During this maneuver (withdraw), it had cover from Ishbaad, so doesn't provoke an AoO. I checked way, way, way too many times... so please just trust me.
If you really still can't trust me:
Acrobatic owl, avoid AoO:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Heh. My rolls are back. DC 22, would have passed anyway.
Without further sight nor sound from Nazhena, Auraenos's wind continues to blow, and the cloud of fog dissipates. From the place where they know she was, the heroes see no sign of Baroness Nazhena Vasilliovna. The whole area smells like small skunk has recently been squeezed over it, but the companions manage to hold onto their stomachs.
"There you have it," Auraenos seems inordinately proud of himself, "Do not say I have not aided your efforts. Beyond my remit, but perhaps you will remember my generosity by returning me home all the sooner." With that, he saunters out of where he imagines harm's way to be. Wortleby follows, still gigantic, and keeping guard.
Okay, going to continue this in combat rounds because there are several ways things could go with the Hut, with <redacted> or <redacted>. Also, for <redacted>, Jorvik needs to act first and then something else will happen.
I trust you! Plus, you are the GM. You wield the gavel...
I'll look at the spoiler in a few months when it doesn't matter and I am reminiscing...
Ishbaad curses silently when the witch is not to be seen as the cloud dissipates. His mind immediately bends to his goddess blessed ability to detect evil.
Not my turn yet, though I am tipping my hand to the GM... (if it even matters depending on what happens...)
Jorvik rises from his crouch, easing the pull on Heartseeker.
High above him Heafoc moves to follow the owl giving a battle cry, "Aaaiiieeee." yet it circles looking to Jorvik for commands.
Knowing that the battle is not over, and that the Baroness needs to die, for Thora, for all that have suffered at her merciless hands, Jorvik scans the area, hoping to see some trace of the witch,
Favored Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a ranger selects a creature type from the ranger favored enemies table. He gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks against creatures of his selected type. Likewise, he gets a +2 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against them. A ranger may make Knowledge skill checks untrained when attempting to identify these creatures.
If I see her:
Drawing Heartseeker back, he fires quickly before shouting to everyone her location.
Heafoc flies almost as fast as the arrow released from the bow, hoking to frighten the woman that knows no fear.
Beak:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 Bite Damage:1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
My guess:
Somewhere by the chain. There is something there that we are missing, someway to unlock the fetters of the hut. Heading to work out, I will ponder it but I think Steve pouring over the Gameplay has a better chance.
While everyone's attention is fixed upon the fog, expecting to see Nazhena there, Jorvik looks all around. He notes that the tell-tale glow of the sparkling glitterdust spell is coming from above the entrance to the glade. While the dust particles themselves are no longer visible, the magical light they emit is.
Jorvik's arrow (no PBS, just) flies true and strikes somewhere in the middle of the hovering light before dropping to the ground along with a few drops of blood. A grunt is all that can be heard as the baroness does her best to remain quiet.
So, you see here. No PBS. I'm not giving her any concealment vs Jorvik because she is outlined by sparkling motes of light, even if the glitter itself is now invisible.
Kuragin turns around and confirms with his see invisibility that it is indeed Nazhena, moments before the glitterdust stops glowing.
Okay, so glitterdust expires at the end of Kuragin's turn - and he's at the start of the initiative order. Since he can see her anyway, this is now in effect: Nazhena has full concealment (invisibility) to everyone except Kuragin. However, Kuragin knows exactly where Nazhena is, and so you can target her square.
If you are curious as to what happened, she drank the invisibility potion and then used the cover of the fog cloud to begin a stealth check to move over the fog and take up behind the party. Since she had full concealment from you in the direction you were looking, you needed to spend a move action to find her (easy enough to do, since she rolled pretty poorly on her stealth and took heavy penalties despite being freshly invisible). I ruled on the dust particles of the the glitterdust spell becoming invisible but still producing light as best I could.
Next up: Kuragin, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, Ishbaad (Round 6).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, Invisible
Owl -23hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Male N Human (Jadwiga) Witch 5 / Winter Witch 4 | HP: 87/70 | AC: 18 (12 Tch,14 Fl) | CMB: +2, CMD: 15 | F: +7, R: +8, W: +8 | Init: +4 | Perc: +11, SM: +5 | Speed 30ft | Hero: 1/3 | Active conditions: Mage Armor - 1h; False Life - 8h; See invisibility 80 min
"Oh... How did she..?" If not for Jorvik crying out, Nazhena would've managed to sneak up behind them, even without Kuragin noticing. But now, Kuragin turns on his heels to confront the baroness.
"Nazhena Vasilliovna... Your existence is poison to the nation of Irrisen - so your rule and life must come to an end. And what better to fight poison, than another poison." Kuragin spits out the words, his voice full of spite. The witch gathers his spiteful thoughts and poisonous words on his tongue, inhales deep, and spits it all out in a stream of venom towards the baroness.
Cast Spit Venom. If it hits, Nazhean is blinded for one round. DC 20 Fort save or be poisoned by black adder venom Spit venom, ranged touch:1d20 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 + 2 + 2 = 20
After the spell has been cast, Kuragin retreats into a location a bit farther from the angered baroness.
Fort save:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Con damage:1d2 ⇒ 2
Nazhena curses as she is blinded by the venomous spray and begins to wipe the venom from her eyes. "Your quest is pointless!" she cries, "You will never break the shackles... a thousand frost giants could not free the hut. What do you think your pathetic band of misfits will be able to accomplish?"
She appears quite poorly as the black adder venom takes hold in her system.
Next up: Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, Ishbaad (Round 6).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, -2 Con, Invisible
Owl -23hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Ishbaad turns heel as quickly as he can and runs back the other direction, to the space that Kuragin is pointing too.
Too far away, too far...
He cringes expectantly at what horrors this woman is about to unleash from her invisible location, but cannot help shouting in spite of the witch anyways.
"Just like our quest to shut down the winter portal and destroy your tower was pointless? Or infiltrate Whitethrone? Or destroy Logrivich? Nay witch, when the Black Rider poured out his blood for us, he gave us power an usurper like you could only dream of!"
Sooo.... having serious contemplation thoughts right now. Risk vs Reward, but don't want to do it unless I have full group approval. I've got no idea how long, or even how these keys we have unlock the hut. Its obviously sentient, or at least autonomous in some way, as evidenced by its attempt to swipe at Nazhena.
Rather than chase the witch around, I would like to use my action to draw the key I have, and try to unlock the hut. The unknowns I am concerned about are:
Will the hut just disappear on its own?
Will it know we are 'allies' and avoid attacking us?
Will Nazhena just run away if the hut gets unshackled?
So what do you say? Should we unlock this chicken coop and see what happens?
Not yet knowing if she has any protections, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight runs back towards where Nazhena has gone. "Stand still, you witch!" he says, as he throws a bomb.
(since she is 15' up, he shouldn't have to worry about splash on Ishbaad) bomb vs invisible vs touch:1d20 + 13 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 4 - 2 = 14 miss chance = +51% is a hit:1d100 ⇒ 68 fire damage:3d6 + 6 ⇒ (1, 5, 3) + 6 = 15 + catch on fire if hit, 9 (REF19 for half) if just splash
While Ishbaad moves into a better position, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight hurls his bomb, which seems to just hit some unseen target. The explosion rocks the clearing and very nearly lights the nearby trees on fire. Nazhena cries out in surprise, but Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight cannot tell if the flames affect her or not. Luckily, Kuragin can see that she remains completely unburnt and not bothered at all by the flames that continue to dance upon her clothing. One look at Kuragin's stern, disappointed face is enough for Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight to know that his bomb had no effect.
Kuragin sees the blinded Nazhena retreat and slowly descend to the ground. When she touches down, she chants the words to a spell.
GM scanning back I see that when I was able to attack the Baroness and she was invisible, that I included Heafoc too. Was Heafoc allowed to attack? Do you need a perception check from her? Sorry :)
"No hiding witch!" Ishbaad roars as he crashes around the trees and sees the frozen hut. Still unable to see her, but trusting that Kuragin has properly relayed what has happened he raises his hammer, bringing it down hard and hoping to crash through it.
Spellcraft:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Looks like I don't need to roll an attack per the spell...
"Ishbaad!! Me no can hurt her with fire, but me can make ice go away! But maybe me no want to have big cloud of fog!"
Confused at what to do, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight decides that getting bigger might be a good idea. He drinks a potion of enlarge person, using his enhance potion ability to make it last for six minutes. "Me help this way, Ishy-bad! Hee hee!"
Seeing the witch encase herself in ice, Jorvik let's fly a stream of expletives"Caution men, she is as smart as she is cruel. Never, for one second let your guard down. We need to be strategic, we need to outsmart her before we can rip her innards out and hang her with them."
Jorvik lets his inspiring words fade as cooler heads need to prevail. Holstering Heartseeker, he walks over and retrieves Frostreaver. Hefting the weight in his hands, he spies the prison of ice.
"She is not meditating in there, she must be doing something. Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight and Kurigan take up positions flanking her, while Ishbaad and I break her out.
"Kuragin, try to ascertain what she is doing in there. Is there any preparatory magics we can use before she emerges and flings her arcane death upon us?"
This is getting worse by the second, we need to end it and quickly before one of us is lost.
Mechanically I holstered my bow and walked to retrieve my hammer while allowing Raging Song to end.
"Boss Jorvik, if someone can dispel her fire resistance after the wall is shattered, then I can bomb the s$$@ out of her. Well, maybe, I only have a couple left, but I can't think it would take too many."
Kuragin tries to peer into the ice igloo, but a combination of the distance, the thickness of the ice, the cracks created by Ishbaad and the dome already frosting over... and he might as well be staring at a completely opaque container. He cannot remotely make out what Nazhena might be doing.
Next up: Kuragin (Round 7).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, -2 Con, Invisible
Igloo -19hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Round 6:
Kuragin <= Cobra-like
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight <= BOMBS!
Ishbaad <= Advance
Nazhena <= Trapped under ice
Owl <= Fled
Jorvik & Heafoc <= Not angry, but it's hammer time
Round 7:
Kuragin <= !
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight <= Gobbo Miracle-Gro
Nope. Sorry. You would need to know what level she is. Based on the fact that she can cast cone of cold (5th level spell for a winter witch), you'd guess at least 9 inches thick. She hasn't cast anything more powerful, so probably not as thick as 12 inches...
Bot clock for Kuragin has expired, so he's now in delay until he posts again. Not a whole lot he can do right now anyway...
Little happens within the dome that the companions can perceive, save that they can occasionally hear some faint, muted mutterings from within. Spellcasting no doubt, but the wall of ice prevents identification of the spell in question.
Next up: Jorvik (Round 7), Kuragin <<delaying>>, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, Ishbaad (Round 8).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, -2 Con, Invisible
Igloo -19hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Round 7:
Kuragin <= DELAY
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight <= Gobbo Miracle-Gro
Urgency filling his mind and muscles as the inspiration of the song on the bloodspeaker's lips leaves them, Ishbaad spins the hammer head behind him, flexing his whole body like a bow, pulling an arrow back. All at once his core muscles, shoulders, arms and legs snap, bringing the lucern hammer head in a wicked and fast arc back down onto the ice, hopefully in the same spot he hit last time.
"Ishbaad, we shall crack this like the unholy northern egg it is. Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight and Kuragin, once we split this thing open, prepare to fight like you are at the gates of hell for it is unlikely we all shall survive.
"Let us alternate. Me on one, you on two." he calls to Ishbaad with a wicked grim on his face.
Walking up to the icy shell, Jorvik smiles as he torques his body in a corkscrew motion before bringing Frostweaver down upon the crack that Ishbaad has started.
""TWO!" he bellows and the hammer crashes into the ice sending ice chunks and spray everywhere.
Ishbaad and Jorvik in tandem lay into the igloo with their hammers. It doesn't take long before the ice structure shatters and then crumbles to the ground. A few pieces bounce oddly off some unseen object - probably the baroness - as it comes tumbling down. Her muttering becomes clear, and she is definitely in the middle of some kind of spellcasting.
Spellcraft DC 19:
She is casting summon monster IV.
Next up: Kuragin <<delaying>>, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight (Round 8).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, -2 Con, Invisible
Igloo -19hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Round 7:
Kuragin <= DELAY
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight <= Gobbo Miracle-Gro
'What me do? Me no can burn her... but me can not swing with morning star, but me not that good with it.'
The goblin runs up, drawing his masterwork morningstar, which is now far larger than it was before. He grips it with both hands, though his scrawny limbs do not really help to give it any more power than it had before. He swings, mightily, hoping to land a hit.
Morningstar:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 miss chance (51+ has a chance):1d100 ⇒ 19(damn) B+P damage:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
I am assuming no rage song, otherwise add +1 to hit, +2 on damage
Unfortunately, while the Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight lands a blow right where he thought the witch was, it wasn't quite right.
Suddenly, from the shards of rubble, a creature of hell and brimstone appears. It seems to be a wiry wolf with flame-colored fur, but burning lava drips from its fangs in place of saliva as it licks its lips and charges for the nearest foe, which is (1=Ishbaad, 2=Jorvik:1d2 ⇒ 2) Jorvik and tears into him.
The thing's fangs sink deep into Jorvik's thigh, and the flames springing forth from its gullet burn at the skald's flesh (10 regular damage, 1 fire damage).
"Since you seem to have inured yourselves to the cold," Nazhena begins, "Perhaps this creature will be more to your liking. My mentors would loathe that I have summoned it, but I prefer to win."
Nazhena flies back as far as she can, targeting Ishbaad with a spell and instantly becoming visible.
Ishbaad begins to feel as though everyone, everyone is against him. Luckily, the feeling soon wears off and he realizes that it is just the baroness who wants him dead.
Knowledge (planes) rolls if you like, to identify the fiery canine.
Next up: Jorvik (Round 8), Kuragin <<delaying>>, Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight, Ishbaad (Round 9).
Combat table:
Goodies:
[19] Kuragin
[17] Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight
[16.5] Ishbaad
[10] Jorvik -11hp
Heafoc -21hp
Baddies:
Nazhena -22hp, -2 Con, Invisible
Igloo -19hp
Active Global Conditions:Dim light, stinking cloud (to rd8).
Round 8:
Kuragin <= DELAY
Ice Melts Quietly in Sunlight <= Swingin' in the wind
