Telos fails to connect with his blast, while Roven's sudden pivot leaves his charge off-balance. Mr. Tiggles, however, glad to finally be off guard duty, tears into the red cultist.
"What's the matter, short stuff? Afraid of the dark?" The assassin taunts Telos as she attacks, then moves away.
I've placed a dot on the map to show her last known location for those of you without darkvision. For those of you with darkvision, I'll post spoilers with her location relative to the dot.
Darkvision:
She is in the square of darkness in the narrow ally between the two buildings at the north edge of the darkness, three squares north and one square east of the dot.
"Oh no, Telos went down! About 2-3 steps in front of you Zekuli"
"And the assassin is trying to hide between the buildings, just at the edge of the darkness"
Thran moves into the darkness standing next to the puddle of grease while using his wand on Telos and swinging his morning star in his other hand to try to keep the assassin at bay
Male Human Cleric 2 of Nethys | HP 18/18 | AC 16 Tch 10 FF 16 | CMD 12 | F+5 R+1 W+8 (+2 vs charm) | Init +0 Perc +5 | Speed 20ft | Channel energy 4/4; Hand of the acolyte 7/7 | Active conditions: none
Zekuli jerks in reaction to the jeering voice from the darkness, which he presumes belongs to the mysterious assassin. "What, what happened to Telos? The assassin is between the buildings? Which buildings? Can't you just drag her out here so we can see her properly?" Zekuli vents a little more frustration.
He hears some commotion from behind them, and takes a step back in that direction to find that some additional enemies are trying to cut in on their flank. Seeing that his allies are neatly blocking him off from the new danger, Zekuli instead waves his buckler arm and calls down a blessing from Nethys.
Casting bless, gives all allies +1 morale bonus to attack, does stack with inspire courage
male halfling sorcerer (elemental air) 10 | ♥️42 | ⛨23 t17 ff20 | Resist electricity 20 | CMB +3, CMD 19 | F +4, R +7, W +9; +2 vs fear | Init +9 | Perception +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐1st ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐2nd ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐3rd ☐☐☐☐☐☐4th ☐☐☐☐5th | Extend (rod; up to 6th) ☐☐☐ | elemental ray ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐ | elemental blast ☐ | Active conditions: none
Having missed with his elemental ray, Telos suddenly wakes up in darkness not understanding what happened. He hears Zekuli shouting in the distance as he tries to orient himself. He definitely doesn't know which way is which now.
"To your left is the rest of the party, the assassin that stabbed you is somewhere to your top right a few feet away..I'll shout out a warning if he moves"
I didn't even consider draging Telos out, but now that I think of it..I don't think I could have managed more last round then getting next to him and possibly picking him up and not having the movement left to get him out..and I'd have to have dropped something to be able to pick him up..still, seeing things I'd never considered myself is why I like playing with different people
NG Male Dwarf Fighter 1 | HP 7/13 | AC 19 T 12 FF 17 | CMB +4, CMD 16 (20) | F: +4, R: +2, W: +1 (+2 v Poison) | Init: +2 | Perc: +6/+8(Stone), SM: +1 | Speed 20ft | Ranged: Throwing Axe/Javelin +3 1d6+3, Melee: Dwarven Waraxe +5 1d10+3, Heavy Pick +4 1d6+3, Shield Bash +4 1d4+3 | Active Conditions: None
Thrown off-balance, Roven blusters a bit and dashes in between the two enemies, trying to provide the requested flank and throw the enemies off balance.
Mr. Tiggles ignores his instructions to flank and instead attacks, connecting once. Philoneus also connects, severely injuring the red cultist. Roven's mighty swing goes wide, while Telos tries to crawl to the light.
Darkvision:
The assassin, meanwhile, draws a vial and applies it to her blade.
Male Human Cleric 2 of Nethys | HP 18/18 | AC 16 Tch 10 FF 16 | CMD 12 | F+5 R+1 W+8 (+2 vs charm) | Init +0 Perc +5 | Speed 20ft | Channel energy 4/4; Hand of the acolyte 7/7 | Active conditions: none
Zekuli turns his back on the darkness and moves instead toward his other allies. He sees the dinosaur between himself and their enemies, and finds that oddly comforting. I think I'm getting used to this creature, he realizes.
As he's approaching, he sends his morningstar flying magically ahead of him to strike a blow against the nearer of the interlopers.
No one expects the Nethys inquisition! Least of all red, who makes no move to shield himself as Zekuli's morningstar strikes him square in the face, dropping him.
The blue cultist draws a dagger and tries to stab Roven.
male halfling sorcerer (elemental air) 10 | ♥️42 | ⛨23 t17 ff20 | Resist electricity 20 | CMB +3, CMD 19 | F +4, R +7, W +9; +2 vs fear | Init +9 | Perception +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐1st ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐2nd ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐3rd ☐☐☐☐☐☐4th ☐☐☐☐5th | Extend (rod; up to 6th) ☐☐☐ | elemental ray ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐ | elemental blast ☐ | Active conditions: none
Having felt the healing tap of Thran's wand, Telos is starting to collect himself and feel his legs under him better. He follows Thran's direction after he called out to him, but he continues moving until he clears the darkness.
20', move action
Still feeling a bit vulnerable from what happened in the darkness, he turns to defensive magic. As he mutters arcane words and pulls forces towards himself with manual gesticulations, layers of arcane mesh converge and layer over a translucent light blue sphere that surrounds his body.
Mr. Tiggles steps forward towards the blue cultist, leaving the red one to remain collapsed on the ground. He tore into the blue cultist with the backing of his master, the other small one's words giving him strength.
The assassin dodges Roven's javelin, then moves forward to attack Thran (in the square just to the east of Thran, immediately northwest of the green dot).
Attack:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 damage:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4 If this hits, please make a Fort save.
Those of you without darkvision can only hear the sounds of combat from within the darkness.
Male Human Cleric 2 of Nethys | HP 18/18 | AC 16 Tch 10 FF 16 | CMD 12 | F+5 R+1 W+8 (+2 vs charm) | Init +0 Perc +5 | Speed 20ft | Channel energy 4/4; Hand of the acolyte 7/7 | Active conditions: none
Still unable to see into the inky darkness, Zekuli nevertheless walks up to its edge and sends his weapon blindly forward with an annoyed grunt. “Now who’s the one who’s afraid?” He listens hopefully for the sound of morningstar hitting someone in the head.
Attacking the square 20 feet directly in front of Zekuli
Attack:1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14 Concealment check, keeping high for a hit:1d100 ⇒ 35
Deenha heals Thran while Zekuli attacks the darkness. Roven prepares himself for the assassin's approach. When he senses her presence he swings his axe in a careful arc, but is unable to connect. The assassin deftly dodges the dwarf's blow, then jabs her short sword forward with expert timing.
attack:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27 damage:1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Please make a Fort save.
male halfling sorcerer (elemental air) 10 | ♥️42 | ⛨23 t17 ff20 | Resist electricity 20 | CMB +3, CMD 19 | F +4, R +7, W +9; +2 vs fear | Init +9 | Perception +3 | Speed 20ft | Spells ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐1st ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐2nd ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐3rd ☐☐☐☐☐☐4th ☐☐☐☐5th | Extend (rod; up to 6th) ☐☐☐ | elemental ray ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐☐ | elemental blast ☐ | Active conditions: none
After peering into the darkness and becoming frustrated, Telos gets out his sling and takes a nearly blind shot where he last knew the assassin to be before he crawled out to safety.
draw weapon, move action
sling, point blank (30'):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 Concealment check, high hits:1d100 ⇒ 41
He doesn't hear the bullet make any physical connection in the darkness...
Male Human Cleric 2 of Nethys | HP 18/18 | AC 16 Tch 10 FF 16 | CMD 12 | F+5 R+1 W+8 (+2 vs charm) | Init +0 Perc +5 | Speed 20ft | Channel energy 4/4; Hand of the acolyte 7/7 | Active conditions: none
"Oh, right, I forgot about Roven." Zekuli hesitates when the morningstar returns to his hand, realizing that if he had hit somebody it would have been just as likely to be his ally as their enemy. He hears the dwarf grunting just in front of him and turns vaguely in that direction, and then calls out to the one who was at least giving him a little direction earlier. "Thran? A little help? Which way...?"
Thran rushes in and lands a staggering blow on the assassin! She nearly falls, but manages to regain her footing, though her stance changes from one of attack to one of defense and escape.
Mr. Tiggles follows, his nose in the air. He could smell the thick one. And the tall one. But there was another. Bloody and scared. His master had not told him to attack this one, but rather defend him, so he would listen, so he remained vigilant.
Move, and Mr. Tiggles has the scent ability so within 30 feet he knows there's someone, if they're five feet away he can pinpoint them.
Deenha stands ready to heal again should a wounded ally come into view. Philoneus and Mr. Tiggles venture into the darkness, but hear only footsteps.
Darkvision:
The assassin, reeling from Thran's blow, carefully backs away from her assailants, eyeing the allyways. Withdraw, 30ft straight back. She now stands 15ft east of the green dot.
Mr. Tiggles:
She was to the north of you when you moved in, but not within 5ft. Now her scent has receded.
Furious at the thought of being out-fightered by a bard, Roven flings down his shield and charges after the fleeing assassin, felling her with a mighty stroke! As she falls, the stolen key falls from her pocket, clattering to the ground by your feet. With her dying breath, the assassin curses you. "“For ten thousand years we have slept, awaiting this day. Think not that you shall take it from us. You and I are merely pawns in a far greater game with a far greater purpose. In the name of the mouthless mistress to whom all fates are known, I damn you and all your descendants! Lissala, take my spirit to pay for my vengeance!”
As the darkness fades and you look around you, you can see portals beginning to open, spewing forth horrors from other planes. Brave bands of Pathfinders fight them off, only to be confronted by something even more monstrous from the next one.
If we had more time, there are increasingly-difficult waves of monsters that come at you from here until the end. This is the essentially the end of the story, though, and the overseer will be calling time later today, so I think we'll leave it at that narration.
A fanfare of trumpets blasts loudly, breaking through the roar of the combat and ringing of clashing blades. Leading a mounted battalion of armored warriors, Sheila Heidmarch and her husband charge through the streets, driving through the waves of summoned fiends and forcing them to retreat back through their gates to the netherworlds from which they were called. In a matter of minutes, their assault is complete and the streets fall quiet.
Sheila Heidmarch strides over to Prisim – ”You have the REAL Runecarved Key” then holds it aloft signifying a Pathfinder victory!
“Today, every one of you has contributed to a triumphant victory for our Society, and you have cemented our place in Magnimar. “I’m deeply honored that you have granted me your services. While my lodge is small, you have made it feel like a kingdom. Yet our victory today is somewhat bittersweet. It seems dark forces have surfaced in Varisia—forces which, before today, I was unaware of. I’m sorry to have thrown you headlong into the middle of such chaos. I have already sent word to the Decemvirate of today’s events and await their response. When I know more, I shall contact you, for I fear this key has somehow placed all of us in danger. Still, we should go forth, for now is the time to celebrate!”
***---***---***
Highest Point scoring tables by GM:
Redelia 121
Hmm 113
Aerondor 111
Silbeg 105
***---***---***
Thank you all so much for participating!
I would also like to express my gratitude to the fantastic set of GM’s and support crew I had working with me to make this a success, it really was a pleasure running this and that is certainly due to their fantastic efforts. Thanks also to the Online Venture Crew who always show enthusiasm and help pave the way for our events, and to Tonya for the Boons and Gift Certs.
And lastly – thanks to all the players out there (you!) who came in to this with a great attitude and really played in the spirit of it all, even when the Heidmarch family showed some total moral greyness!
