43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
Fort:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Vrald looks on in disgust as the fetid pool drains.
"I do hope this is some kind of a joke and they have not got a vase hidden down... there."
Aasimar Bard (Celebrity) 8 | HP 42/43 | MI 5/5 | AC 23 TO 15 FF 18 | F +2 R +10 W +5 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +10 DV | BP 21/25 | Acid 5 Cold 5 Elect 5
Ranger 2/Rogue 10 | HP 85/99| AC 29/ 22(23) touch/23(24)flatfooted | Sneak Attack +5d6 | Resiliency 1/day F+16,R+22,W+13 ((1/day can reroll Will save)| Init. +10(+12)| Perc +19/24*(+21/26)| Evasion | Trap Sense +4 | Improved Uncanny Dodge
Perception 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28
As the group moves toward the sound, Shel casts a quick glance. "Oh look. There are the instructions for the pump. Fat lot of good it's going to do us now."
Fort 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
She pulls a piece of fabric as she waits for the pool to drain and wraps it across her nose and mouth. "Somehow I didn't imaging we'd be traipsing through this muck when I woke up this morning."
The sewage drains, exposing another shaft at the bottom, which you are easily able to climb down using the sturdy stone handholds built-in. Holes in the floor connect to 6-inch-diameter, grate-covered runoff pipes that drop into darkness. Eventually, you reach a flight of stairs that leads to small, elevated chamber that serves as a dry room — a safe haven for sewer workers in times of flash-flooding.
You see two ways to go from here: Down another narrow flight of stairs, or into a small passageway leading to a much larger room filled with a maze of sewage troughs.
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
You see two ways to go from here: Down another narrow flight of stairs, or into a small passageway leading to a much larger room filled with a maze of sewage troughs.
Aasimar Bard (Celebrity) 8 | HP 42/43 | MI 5/5 | AC 23 TO 15 FF 18 | F +2 R +10 W +5 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +10 DV | BP 21/25 | Acid 5 Cold 5 Elect 5
Agreed, Sarnoc. - says the bard, quickly continuing - Back to our marching order we go, my friends? I can sing on our way if you care for better noises, but I'd guess the silence sometimes is our best friend.
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
Vrald takes the stairs, looking ahead to see what may be concealed there.
perception:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
"I'm in no rush to go back down into that slime. Let us see where this leads."
Happy to have Shel take the lead again if he wants
The construction is like what you've been through before. One pipe leads a short ways forward, and the other leads a longer ways to the left. The odor of sewage is detectable from the latter, but not so much the former.
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
"Lets try to avoid pipes if we can." suggests the knight, trying the other exit from the room.
...Shel notices several pairs of footprints marching past you and through the left pipe - and EVERYONE notices the sound of clanking plate armor coming from down that tunnel!
Actually, let's clarify, since I only noticed after posting the above that Vrald is on his way into the other room: Which direction do you go? The pipe at the end, or through the little passage Vrald is going through?
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
Vrald will stick with the main group if they are down at the next pit. He was hoping to avoid making his armour even worse than it already is.
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
The pipe leads to the room you saw past the earlier passage. This large room with arched stone ceilings plays host to three channels that allow sewage to flow into a mazelike series of channels that flow beneath stone walkways. Just south of the center of the room (near you), a small iron cage hangs from the ceiling, suspended 8 feet above the level of the floor. Within the cage is the vase you seek. Beneath it are a massively-built Half-Orc male in greatsword and full plate, a buff Human female in greataxe and chainmail, a shady-looking male Human with studded leather, a shortsword, and shortbow, and a buxom female Half-Elf with sickle and crossbow. They all wear shiny Aspis Consortium badges.
Fortunately, you were ready for them - less fortunately, they were ready for you!
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
Ranger 2/Rogue 10 | HP 85/99| AC 29/ 22(23) touch/23(24)flatfooted | Sneak Attack +5d6 | Resiliency 1/day F+16,R+22,W+13 ((1/day can reroll Will save)| Init. +10(+12)| Perc +19/24*(+21/26)| Evasion | Trap Sense +4 | Improved Uncanny Dodge
Shel uses the quickness granted by the Haste spell to take a 5' step forward and pounce on the flat footed grey cloaked wearing opponent.
Not sure if the cleric is a human or not. If so, I get +2 for favored enemy and I get +2 to hit and plus 2d6 damage to each attack with the human bane dagger. If it is human, I'll let the DM make the appropriate adjustments.
Wow i missed a lot of posts with going to bed early and having an early shift at work! I'll do a post now for when it's Isonda's turn as i have guests coming round quite soon and i don't want to hold things up.
On Isonda's turn:
Isonda calls on her divine powers to influence her luck (Divine Favor). With her spll cast she then guides Scratchings with his arcane enhanced speed to circle around the clump of enemies to block off their retreat. She wants to get behind the brown border guy.
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
The Cleric counts as Human, yes - it works the same for Half-Orcs as for Half-Elves.
Human Bane #1:2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7 Human Bane #2:2d6 ⇒ (6, 2) = 8
Ajax perforates the hapless Sorceress to near-death before she can lift a finger!
Ara, imbued with supernatural speed, manages to get the drop on the Cleric before he knows what's happening, inflicting a nasty bite and dragging him to the ground!
Shel has more difficulty with her assault, but with Ara's help, she nonetheless manages to slit his throat!
Isonda prays for strength, and zips the long way around for the kill....
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
Aasimar Bard (Celebrity) 8 | HP 42/43 | MI 5/5 | AC 23 TO 15 FF 18 | F +2 R +10 W +5 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +10 DV | BP 21/25 | Acid 5 Cold 5 Elect 5
Kallyan is hurt, but not more than his pride. Well, actually, almost as much as his pride, since he felt his vitality being violently drained.
He moves his hand, cinematographically moaning on pain, as his shakes his fingers dipping of his own blood. Life's unfair with the beautiful!, he yells, and his legs move weakly on the performance. Oh, Sun Goddess, might I carry the burden?
As expected... As a move action, Fascinate on the enemies still up. The Will Save DC is 22 due to Harmonic Sage, and if they fail, they can try to break it on their turn with a DC 26.
He finishes his action muttering some magical words.
1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4Mirror Image as a standard action
I will never feel hungry again! - he continues his act.
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
To be fair, you put us close to them, so 5' steps and full attacks work. Any further and those five TWF attacks would have been reduced to one. And Vralds three attacks just a single one. Going up against a rangers FE is always tough, especially when a bane weapon is thrown in!
Aasimar Bard (Celebrity) 8 | HP 42/43 | MI 5/5 | AC 23 TO 15 FF 18 | F +2 R +10 W +5 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +10 DV | BP 21/25 | Acid 5 Cold 5 Elect 5
GM:
Yes, the Celebrity Bard Fascinate is absurdly good. Well, Fascinate doesn't work on several instances (undead, constructs, vermin, plants, etc.) but when it does work, it's devastating. This is called "Shining Star" and the Celebrities just get it by level 8, though:
Shining Star (Su) At 8th level, the celebrity has learned how to focus attention on himself so thoroughly that even the presence of danger does not distract his adoring crowd. When using fascinate, a target making a save to break the effect because of a potential threat takes a –4 penalty on that save, and even obvious threats require a save rather than automatically breaking the effect. Creatures affected by the bard’s fascinate ability ignore the shaken condition.
This ability replaces dirge of doom.
Celebrity Bards, however, lose the signature "Inspire Courage" performance, so I basically sucked for 7 levels. Actually, for 6 levels, since I purchased the poet's cloak at level 6 and became a little more useful. Before that, I was reduced to being a bad spellcaster with buffs and a lot of drama.
On my regular/table game, I had a celebrity as well, but with much better gear and stats. The GM never hated more a character, to the point we almost started blocking the archetype as we usually block the synthesist summoner and the beastbonded witch.
I have to admit, I thought the "danger" bit is a little less specific that "under attack".
If you are actually in combat, as opposed to having someone nearby in combat, I don't think it should count myself. That still makes it awesome, in that you can (with care and good initiative) peel off one combatant at a time, but slightly less all-powerful.
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
Lordy. Shel just did 130 hps of damage (with crits). Does that mean everyone is covered in blood?
Ajax shields his eyes from the blood as Shel makes a general mess of things, "I think Shel is cheating, what do you think Ara?" The cat growls a nods in agreement.
Ajax orders Ara to attack the fighter and return to Ajax's side, while the Ranger readies an arrow if someone does not finish the lone survivor.
43870-1 | Human M (Garundi) Ranger 11 | Init +7 (+11 Urban)| AC 29* T 17* FF 21* | | HP 103/103| F +11 R +13 W +8 | Percp Survival +19; Sense Motive +17; HA (comp) +20; K Nature +16; Spellcraft, K (Geo, Dungeon) +15, Stealth 13; All other K. +4
Active on Ajax:
Life Bubble, Longstrider, Shield Companion, Mage Armor, HA, Barkskin (+4 AC)
Ajax searches the fallen agents for any magic items of use. He also takes the Aspis badges,
"Who knows, perhaps we can use these badges if we have to infiltrate the Consortium. I wouldn't put it past that codger Drandle Dreng to show up and ask us to do the impossible."
NG Male Human HP 94/94; Reroll @+3 1/1; Fighter 9; AC 36 (normally 35) (+2 vs a crit confirm); FF 32; touch 15; Fort +9; Ref +6; Will +8; Perc +1; Init +2;
Vrald waits for the all clear, and then extracts the vase.
Ranger 2/Rogue 10 | HP 85/99| AC 29/ 22(23) touch/23(24)flatfooted | Sneak Attack +5d6 | Resiliency 1/day F+16,R+22,W+13 ((1/day can reroll Will save)| Init. +10(+12)| Perc +19/24*(+21/26)| Evasion | Trap Sense +4 | Improved Uncanny Dodge
Shel was fired up from the success the group had, as much as her own. "Catch them not looking and I can chip away at them pretty good," she grinned. "But I have a feeling all these missions won't be so easy!"
Aasimar Bard (Celebrity) 8 | HP 42/43 | MI 5/5 | AC 23 TO 15 FF 18 | F +2 R +10 W +5 | CMD 19 | Init +4 | Perc +10 DV | BP 21/25 | Acid 5 Cold 5 Elect 5
Kallyan looks at the bodies on the floor, and takes quick care of himself. His wounds magically close, as he cast spells while touching himself in different places.
Fully recovered - but with lots of his resources drained - Kallyan (the five of them) signs for the others that he's ready to proceed.
Oh, a little hurt, I suppose! - he says, throwing the arrow away on a wall - ... But I guess they're much worse. I shall compose a ballad about our incredible performance!
