Adventure Path Reign of Winter

Game Master Almonihah

I'm a little confused. I'm guessing now that 'the ghostly creature' is the little ghost child thing, and it's now dead? Meaning that Quasit has lost sight of the old woman? Also, I see 3 windows in the L15 room, which one is the broken one?

Oh no, not another doll thingie...if I recall correctly. the last doll nearly kicked my @$#..

@Quasit, the little fox-skull girl 'G' should be dead. No idea where the witch is. Either invisible, outside the room flying, or outside the room having recently taken fall damage are the most likely options.

I think Bulvi hasn't taken his R1 turn unless we're skipping his turn.

Tezuzu looks back at Fin and gives a thumbs up once both his arrows have put down the ghost child. "We need to find that witch before she does causes more havoc!" He shouts a command in Tengu at Yang Shih and the fox moves into the room sniffing looking for opportunity to bite an invisible old hag. Tezuzu will follow him and follow up his companion's strike should the nose of his familiar sniff out their quarry.

"Follow the fox?" Bulvi will trust Yahg Shih's nose and follow alongside it.

Yang continues south into the room with Quasit, it stops near the broken glass under the window. It looks to Tezuzu, as if wondering if it should try to climb out the window. From accross the hall (L9) the sound of something large moving can be heard.

@Quasit, neglected to notice the window above the bed. The broken window is one south of the bed. I've marked it on the map and added a token for the doll.

Quasit sticks her head out the broken window and looks around.

Tezuzu will look at Yang after he sniffs around the room and call out "She's not in the room." He curses in Tengu under his breath and looks back at the animated doll to the northern doorway as he sizes it up. "My magic is useless on these damn constructs and I hear something coming back from the hallway I'll leave the rest to you all and cover our flank."

Yang will follow Tezuzu as he leaves to head off whatever might be coming at them from behind.

Maka sent a blast of fire at the animated doll. "Be careful and don't split up too much!"

Fire Blast vs Touch AC; Elemental Overflow, Debuff: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 1 - 1 = 18
Fire damage; Elemental Overflow, Debuff: 2d6 + 2 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 + 2 - 1 = 10

Maka's fire nearly destroys the doll.

Round 2: Selena and Bulvi have remaining actions I think.

"Guys! I think she went outside and went to that room across the hall!"

The sounds of movement continue across the hall. Meanwhile the doll charges toward Sakitu, (Slam: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11) but misses as it stumbles over the yarn (prone in child's space). The child continues to scream, now even louder.

Round 3: All PCs now acting. If you have actions remaining from round two feel free to take them.

"She's just keeping us busy. This is bad." Quasit murmurs to herself as she listens to the screaming and chaos back in the parlor. For a moment, she curses all doilies everywhere. And all dollies for that matter. "What is she doing over there?"

Then something occurs to Quasit. She pulls out the potion recovered from the troll's chest downstairs, considers her options briefly, then unstoppers it and chugs it down. Then she rubs her thumb against her fingers, waiting for them to become sticky feeling.

"I guess if this doesn't work, at least I won't have far to fall." she says in a low voice to the part of herself that was doubtful.

Pulling out and drinking the Potion of Spider Climb

Maka took a moment to aim before sending a small blast of fire at the doll with a jab. "Bulvi, Fin I've got this! Go help the others."

Standard action fire blast against the doll.

Fire Blast vs Touch AC; Elemental Overflow, Prone Target: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 1 - 4 = 19
Fire Damage; Elemental Overflow: 2d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5) + 2 + 2 = 13

Maka's blast easily finishes off the doll.

Round 3: Everyone other than Maka and Quasit have full rounds left. Quasit and Maka still have movement available. If you have actions remaining from round two feel free to take them.

Maka will stay where she is to help protect Saki and the kid, if she can do anything with her move action to help with the yarn she will.

Quasit will being spider walking toward the other window.

"Whoa. Oh my gosh. This is freaky deaky. I don't think I like this..." she says to herself as she crawls sideways across the building. A couple times she has to flip her head to keep the wind from blowing her already scraggly hair into her face.

Selena looks toward the closed door across the hall and cocks her head curiously. She taps Bulvi and Findurel to get their attention wordlessly, gestures west with her head then steps out into the hallway and opens the door across the way.

Silver sits motionless and watches Sakitu battle the yarn entangling the wailing child and swishes its tail back and forth.

Will decide Round 3 action once she sees what's in the western room.

Tezuzu will look back through the open doorway to the rest of his comrades "I would offer to help untangle the child, but I'm afraid a slip of my claw might kill it." as he waves his hands glowing with the pale ghostly energy from his spell.

"Somebody cut her free and get us back to the business of killing a witch." he says his voice filled with eagerness.

Yang growls at the door nose whiffing up the air underneath the crack. His tail wags back and forth and he gives an appreciative glance towards Selena as she opens it his legs arch back ready to leap forward forward towards his prey.

"......Wait where in the nine hells did Quasit go?" Tezuzu asks curiously as the door begins to open.

I'll post up R3 actions once I can see what's beyond door.

As the door opens what appears to be a large oven bites: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 at Selena with it gapping maw of a lid. Although its lid doesn't seem to harm her too much, it manages to grab ahold of her. (Confirm crit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12, dmg, +grab: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9, Grab vs CMD: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35. Selena takes 9 hp of damage and is grappled.

Round 3: Remaining players up.

Assuming her that Selena opened up just the door she is near. The doors open both ways, but with the creature behind them they will currently open out only. I'll let Tezuzu decide if he wants the other door open toward him, thus causing some LoS issues.

Seeing the giant oven grab hold of Selena, every fiber of Maka's being wanted to dash forward and fight. However, her father's lesson's about the cost of fighting echoed in her mind. Fighting off her instincts with a snarl, the fire monk turned to Sakitu. "My fire probably isn't good against an oven but your ice probably is. Help the others, I'll free the kid!"

Sakitu flinches as the doll charges her and she is able to sidestep its charge. She raises her dagger to stab at it but a blast of fire from Maka finishes it off first. Then she turns to cut the yarn free from the small girl but Maka's advice causes her to look up and across the room. "Ah. Yes, you're right. That might help."

She sprints through the door to where she can get an angle through the opposite door then points her finger at the oven. A ray of frost shoots out.

ray of frost@oven: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 ranged touch
damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

waiting to see if that does damage before using bigger spells

Tezuzu will stare at the oven for a brief moment as it realizes what he might be dealing with. Keeping his head cool even while his ally is on her way to being eaten by a giant oven.

Knowledge Arcana (Death Oven): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

After assessing things he shouts "Well, I cannot help much with this infernal kitchen appliance......" he will sqwack in Tengu towards Yang Shih. "Twackk Bvrroot, Havkyit. Kevelyep Wwawk Wwak."

He will dash from behind the door with his partner Yang. His oversized familiar suddenly turns stops and gives Tez a powerful kick as he jumps in the air trying to bounce off the oven and into the room with a tumble.

He will turn towards Granny Nann and spit out in a shrill voice. "Pretty cowardly of you to run and hide behind your pet." as the momentum from his tumble builds behind his clawed fist slamming into her jaw.

Geez, Selena is gonna kill me...

It's okay, she doesn't fear death.

Assuming I have LOS on Granny Nan...if not will fire at the stove thingy...

Fin moves back 5’ and fires at Granny Nan...

Longbow: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 28
Magic/Cold Iron Damage: 1d8 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 = 10

As Tezuzu vaults over the oven Granny Nan blinks between planes causing Tezuzu to miss. She moves away from her would be attacker. Findurel's arrow hits the large oven. Likewise, Sakitu's spell hits. It seems to do a bit more damage than expected. The oven's lid moves Selena toward it's hot interior (Swallow whole, vs CMD: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25), she is swallowed into the oven's interior, the lid closing tightly (dmg: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10, Fire dmg: 1d6 ⇒ 2). Granny Nan attempts to scare Tezuzu and Sakitu, managing to only fully affect Sakitu. (Selena takes 10 dmg from bite and another 2 fire from being inside the oven. Tezuzu is shaken for 1 round, Sakitu is frightened for 1d4 ⇒ 2 rounds.)

Round 4: All PCs up.

Selena had a 3rd round action. I wanted to get home and check some books to evaluate options, but I'm not seeing a lot of great ones. Still, one must try...

Round 3

Suddenly concentrating on auras is not foremost in Selena's mind. Finding herself grabbed and chomped by the monstrous living oven, Selena grits her teeth hard, not letting out even the merest peep of pain. One hand tries to hold open the oven's maw, and the other hand reaches for a dagger.

"Sakitu... the icicle wand... use the icicle wand..." she manages to say as she strains not be swallowed.

Dagger +1 vs inside of oven: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Round 4

Selena stabs again.

Dagger +1 vs inside of oven: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Quasit crawls to the other open window just in time to see Selena disappear inside the oven. She also sees Tezuzu chasing the semi-transparent witch around. She continues into the room and crawls along the ceiling, upside down on elbows and knees, trying her best to not be seen above the fray.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Double move, spider climbing at 20 feet per move along the ceiling. The goal is to stealth up to the witch from above and then pounce on her and hopefully get lucky on the concealment roll and get some sweet sneak damage

Spider-Quas, Spider-Quas, Does whatever a Spider-Quas does...

Not wanting to burn the child, Maka pulled out her dagger and attempted to curt the string.

Move action pull out dagger, standard action attack yarn.

Dagger: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Slashing Dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Bulvi didn't actually take a R3 turn so I'll just bot him if that's okay. Move action to move to the stove, standard action to power attack.

R3 Bulvi Power Atttack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Slashing Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (6) + 11 = 17

I am fine with the door open. Whatever is easiest.

I believe Selena has Dimensional Slide as an arcanist exploit. If she has any actions after opening the door, getting bit, and then getting grappled than it might have been a better idea it to become un-grappled by activating it as part of move action.

But I haven't been keeping track of her actions so far. If she's inside perhaps she can see outside when it opens it's mouth and teleport out. It's a supernatural ability so it shouldn't have any penalty for being grappled and is part of a move action.

As the witch moves away from Tezuzu he will lash out with another blow.

I believe I get an AoO if she uses a move action to leave my threatened area.

I'll wait the results of my AOO. As if it connects and if it stuns her I don't believe she will get a chance to cast that fear spell.

[ooc]I believe Selena has Dimensional Slide as an arcanist exploit. If she has any actions after opening the door, getting bit, and then getting grappled than it might have been a better idea it to become un-grappled by activating it as part of move action.

Dimensional Slide was my first thought as well, and its the one I most wanted to read about. My reading is that she probably wouldn't be able to escape a grapple with it. It opens a little tear next to you in space that basically turns your 5 foot step into a x-foot step, but if you can't take a step because you're, i don't know, getting eaten by a Franklin Stove, then no dice. Obviously if I'm wrong and Selena can just bamph outta there with an arcanist point, she'll do that and then point and laugh as a swift action

Yeah it’s the only play I could think of all of her spells are going to be crazy high concentration check to pass. It doesn’t seem to fit with flavor but it only says as part of a “move action”. Drawing a weapon is technically a move action and isn’t restricted by grappling, perhaps drawing the sword or dagger and cutting a hole in space to wiggle her body through? But that’s stretching it a lot and probably isn’t the correct interpretation of how it works.

Still if her HP on her character sheet is correct than she has just taken 21/27 hp. So she’s about 18 points away from death...with her con score.....would be a shame to get killed while getting botted. No pressure Q. :(

Maka botted Bulvi in Turn 3

Bulvi continues slamming his blade against the stove. "Let her out or I'll smash and I'll thrash til I cave your structure in."
Power Attack +1 Longsword: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Tezuzu's swing at the Granny as she moves away just barely misses. The oven slams: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 at Bulvi upon his approach, but is unable to impact him. Meanwhile both Bulvi and Tezuzu can hear the cracking of the oven door window as Selena stabs at it with her dagger. The little girl relaxes visibly with the doll dispatched and is quickly able to untangle herself, leaving the yarn sitting motionless on the floor.

Round 4: Any remaining player actions? Tezuzu now that AoO is resolved. Sakitu I think (who flees due to being frightened).

Tezuzu will mutter under his breath ”Damn witches, your tricks will not scare me.”

He looks over only to see Selena get swallowed. ”It’s weak to ice, be careful of it’s maw.”

”Sakitu hit it with you ice ma....” his words fall short as he sees the terror in her eyes.

He moves forward recklessly hoping that Bulvi has kept the oven distracted for the moment. Attempting to end this fight quickly so he can turn his attention towards freeing Selena he darts forward in another attempt to take out the elderly woman.

Yang supports Bulvi with a clumsy bite of his own. He growls angrily at the oven.

Whelp I’m officially out of punches that daze and stun. Also this venerable witch has got to have a few juicy items on her to be rocking a 18+ AC with age penalties and no armor either that or was a gymnast when young. On top of a 50% miss chance, and whatever hardness the object has.....this is gonna be dicey.

At work atm if someone would be kind enough to move Tez to being adjacent to Nann giving Bulvi a flank and put Yang into melee. Updating the map on mobile is pretty hard. Thanks!

Tezuzu catches Nanny as she blinks between planes, further effecting her with Misfortune and Smash. She stands where she was, dazed.

Suddenly Selena bursts through the front of the oven, dagger in had to stand beside Bulvi. The oven bites: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16 and slams: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 angrily at its would be culinary creation. (Confirm crit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19) Although its damaged door misses, its slam savages her severely dmg: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10, crit dmg: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10. She flops to the ground at the assault.

(Even with mage armor keeping the bite from hitting Selena is at 0/27 hp with another 14 damage. With 5d6 HD and +1 CON max HP would be 36. We'll wait until Selena's player is back to confirm HP total.)

EDIT, adjusting Nan saves and also no effect for Tezuzu. Was looking at the wrong Save DC.

Round 5: Players up.

As the little girl pulled herself free, Maka gave her a wide, toothy grin. "I'm going to go help my friends, you hide and stay safe." Bracing herself, Maka took a running leap at the oven. Fire launched from her feet just before she struck her foe, blasting it with flames and sending her back.

Standard action fire blast, move action to move to Selena's square to help protect her.

Fire Blast vs Touch AC; Elemental Overflow, Defensive, Melee: 1d20 + 9 + 1 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 9 + 1 - 2 - 4 = 22
Fire Damage; Elemental Overflow: 2d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5, 4) + 2 + 2 = 13

Although Maka's attack hits, her suspicion that the fire wouldn't be as affective against the oven holds true. Though the flame clearly damages the creation the metal withstands the assault better than flesh.

Round 5: Bulvi, Find, Quasit, and Tezuzu are up. This is the last round of frightened for Sakitu.

The ray of frost shoots from Sakitu's finger and slams into the oven but then the ray seems to hit a wall. The cold energy pulsing from her finger keeps flowing but instead of harming the oven, it swirls in a ball of cold magic, coalescing into some formless creature. Sakitu tries to stop the magic but it keeps drawing from her finger and the ice monster keeps growing. She begins to panic. The ball of swirling cold magic takes the form of a dragon. Ice blue eyes focus on Sakitu and it opens its mouth to suck in air. Sakitu shakes her finger wildly and desparately trying to stop the magic from siphoning out of her body. Somehow it stops. She glances at the looming ice dragon and shrieks. It is only moments away from unleashing a devastating blast of icy breathe. Sakitu turns and runs as fast as she can.

Fleeing for two rounds

"Fin, Selena's badly hurt! You've still got that wand right?" Bulvi brings his weapon down hard once more on the fiendish oven.

Power Attack +1 Longsword: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Bulvi hits the oven solidly, bits of metal fall from it.

Round 5: Find, Quasit, and Tezuzu are up. This is the last round of frightened for Sakitu.

The only thing I can think of that would affect Selena’s AC is if her familiar used aid another to raise her AC by two, but that would only be for 1 attack. I am also unsure of what if anything she spent any money on. An item that boosts AC might have helped.....but as it stands looks like she just got off’d. I would’ve channeled to heal, but it’s a burst and thus line of effect wouldn’t work while she was swallowed....

Tezuzu will continue his barrage of attacks turning his attention to the oven for a brief moment with a quick slash of his right claw before following through with a peck of his beak and left claw against the dazed old lady.

”I’ll make you regret what you’ve done to those children, you hag. Your tricks cannot save you.”

Tezuzu's claws hit the oven and Nann solidly, his bite missing. Yang however has a much better bite. The oven collapses under the continued assault, but not before smoke from it's internals begin filling the room. (Added failed save for Nann, -STR. Smoke currently doesn't impact Tez or Quasit. Does impact everyone else in terms of LoS for Nann.)

Round 5: Find and Quasit are up. This is the last round of frightened for Sakitu.

Quasit crawls forward a bit more, drops to the table next to the witch and in the same motion, slashes at the old woman's wrinkled neck.

Melee Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Concealment (high good for me): 1d100 ⇒ 60
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Sneak Damage, if applicable: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 5, 4) = 11

”Oh hey there you are! You are a sneaky little monkey...” Tezuzu says affectionately happy to have someone backing him up against the witch.

Fin yells, "Selena!" He rushes to her side, trying to draw the wand of CLW as he moves, and attempts to stabilize her...

I can draw a weapon while moving, not sure about a wand...if I can, then:

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

...if not, then:

Heal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

”Oh hey there you are! You are a sneaky little monkey...”

"You sure know how to sweet-talk a girl." banters Quasit.

Quasit drops from the ceiling and stabs Nann deeply, she barely manages to stay standing. As Findurel approaches Selena it is clear to him that there is nothing more he can do to help her at this point. The smoke from the oven continues to spread, providing a bit more cover for Nann as she retreats into the room behind her (5 foot step).

We can always back track things, but at this point I am going to hold on Selena's player. Don't want you all using wand charges at this point.

@Tezuzu I've updated HP as best as I can track. I had missed the two rounds of neg dmg, included them.

Round 6: Players up. Frightened over for Sakitu.

"You are very good at cutting old ladies throats. You should do it professionally." Tezuzu banters back as the sound beyond the smoke of Fin calling out for Selena catches his ear and his mood shifts back to serious.

Tezuzu whistles for his companion to join him. He turns to Quasit and says flatly "Let us finish this, quickly." and he presses forward trough the smoke to attack.

As Fin finds no pulse on Selena, he fights back tears, screaming ”NOOOOOOOOO!”

His grief turns to anger and he thinks only of killing the witch in return...he advances 30’ straight through the smoke, only emerging before he hits the wall...looking to the sounds of Tezuzu’s attack, he catches a glimpse of the witch on the outskirts of the smoke and attempts to put an arrow through her ears...

Longbow: 1d12 + 10 + 1 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 1 + 1 - 2 = 20
Miss<=50: 1d100 ⇒ 66
Magic/Cold Iron Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 + 1 + 4 = 11