Chapter 6: Crown of Fangs! (Inactive)

Game Master James Martin

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27perception to survey the room
"This doesn't smell right, nothing we have seen yet has been as it seems."

Slumper, the room looks recently occupied, and the accoutrements look to be sized for a medium creature.

"Are you okay, sweetie? How did you get here? How long have you been down here? Do you know anything about this place?"

Ruperta goes forward to untie the halfling woman.
"Who are you? Are you hurt?"

"Oh bless you, child, bless you both!" The old woman says as you untie her and help her down. "My name's Mallie. I was traveling through the area when a storm blew up. I took shelter in a cave, but something come on me and knocked me out! I woke up here, where a horrible horned woman with purple skin and white hair told me she was going to sell me soul to the castle-keeper! She took me things near by, taunted me by telling me where they was! Can you help me get them back?"

"What things? Where are they? What is your name?"
Knowledge (Planes) to identify the creature by the description: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Knowledge (Religion) to identify the creature by the description: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Perception (about the woman): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Sense Motive (about what the woman says): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Finally, she uses her Elysium's Call domain power on the halfling.
Elysium's Call (Su) [PFAPG 87]: With a touch, you can imbue creatures with the spirit of Elysium, lifting their spirits and freeing them from bonds. The creatures touched can immediately reroll any failed saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) subschools. In addition, targets receive a +2 sacred bonus on such saving throws and a +2 sacred bonus on CMB checks to escape a grapple. Finally, targets can ignore up to 5 feet of difficult terrain each round, as if they had the Nimble Moves feat. These bonuses last for a number of rounds equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum 1), although the saving throw reroll only applies when the creature is touched. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.

Paxs casts detect magic and scans the room.

"Something bigger than this wee lass has been here recently... be ready for anything."

Plain old knowledge roll with no modifiers applied yet, to see if Pai knows anything about the story.

Knowledge 1d20 ⇒ 18

"Mallie, Mallie Trout." The halfling woman answers, glancing around fearfully. "There's my goods, my livelihood. Threads and silks, dear. And a few treasures hidden in them! That purple woman said she hid them up them stairs. Can't be far, she came back so quick! But there's worse. I think that thing is a witch! It has a crystal ball it uses to make its power work. I think it's kept where my things are, dearie. If you smash it, it will stop her power!"

Ruperta, you can't quite determine what sort of creature she's talking about. The woman has a few small needles stuck in odd places on her outfit; she looks like a seamstress. And she seems sincerely scared.

Pai, the description sounds like a night hag, cruel creatures that deal in the souls of the dead as currency.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mallie. Sounds like a night hag by your description. Awful old things, they are. You are very lucky we came a long when we did. We can go looking for your gear. You can go with us if you'd like."

"What do you know about Night-hags, Pai? Mallie, please stay behind me, close, and we will protect you?"

"I believe this young lady may be the witch herself. She has a faint aura of transmutation about her, and those things in the jars with human faces have strong auras of necromancy. You better start telling us what really is going on here."

"Malloe, is he right? I'll be so disappointed in you if you were trying to take advantage of us."

Sense motive checks!

Mallie's eyes go wide. "Bless me! A witch? No, I'm nothing of the sort! I do use a bit of magic to make me look a bit younger, lass, but it's none of the harmful sort! And I don't know nothing bout them jars! That purple woman seemed to enjoy them. Sang little songs to them, she did!"

Sense Motive 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19

"Human faces? Jars?"
Lesith face goes white, while she feels sick to her stomach.
She goes to examine the jars...
"We have to release them!"
Sense Motive Malloe: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Perception Jars: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Knowledge (Arcana) Jars: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Knowledge Religion Jars: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
She is clearly upset about the jars...:P

1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 - 1 = 11Sense Motive

Slumper glances around confused...

Mallie seems to be trustworthy, up until Ruperta moves toward the jars and begins talking about releasing the contents. Suddenly Mallie's voice becomes deeper as her form shimmers and grows to a hulking seven feet talk purple skinned hag with curving ram's horns on her forehead. "Oh dearie, I can't allow you to ruin my fortunes, though. Pity, I was looking forward to giving you to Mithrodar. You would've been worth a great deal many souls for the bargain. Alas, now I just get to kill you."

Initiative!
Pai: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Slumper: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Paxs: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Corbyn: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Ruperta: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
Sial: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Asyra: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Laori: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Night Hag: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Round 1:
27 Corbyn
26 Ruperta and Paxs
20 Slumper
19 Asyra
18 Laori
12 Night Hag
10 Pai
7 Sial

Corbyn, Ruperta, Paxs, Thrak and Slumper are up!

Ruperta grabs one on the jars, kiss it and makes a quick prayer.
"May Desna guide your travel to freedom!"
She uses her Elysium's Call domain power on the jar's trapped creature, and throws it to the ground, hard, hoping to break it.

Thrak leaps forward to attack.

I do not think any prayer or anything is going yet, so regular power attack it is
Bite 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28, 2d6 + 1d6 + 21 ⇒ (6, 2) + (3) + 21 = 32
claw 11d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (1) + (6) + 16 = 23
claw 2 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (1) + (1) + 16 = 18
claw 3 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (5) + (1) + 16 = 22
claw 4 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (7) + (5) + 16 = 28
Rend (Ex): 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

I'm right next to her on the map so wailing away!

Slumper quickly reacts to the halfing shifting into the monstrosity

1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19rapier
1d6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26rapier
1d6 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30shield
1d4 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19shield
1d4 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Corbyn will move to the other side of the hag from Slumper and attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Sneak Attack: 5d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 2, 1, 4) = 16

Also, since I am flanking with Slumper, I get one aoo per round whenever he hits.

Thrak leaps to attack, landing about half his attacks, though he doesn't seem able to pierce the thick skin as well as he'd like. Only one of Slumper's attacks hit and Corbyn is repelled by the thick skin.

In the tight quarters Asyra and Laori are unable to move up, and seem slightly reluctant to attack the night hag.

Ruperta knocks one of the jars from the shelf, shattering it and releasing the thing within, which screams and flies out, disappearing into the air! The night hag shrieks "NO! LEAVE MY JARS ALONE!" And tries to cast a spell defensively. Concentration: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37 She disappears!

Pai for round 1, then Slumper, Ruperta, Thrak, Paxs and Corbyn for round 2!

Round 2:
27 Corbyn
26 Ruperta and Paxs
20 Slumper
19 Asyra
18 Laori
12 Night Hag
10 Pai
7 Sial

Pai readies an action to cast a spell if the hag reappears.

Ruperta joins her hands and make a quick prayer to Desna.
"Mother of the night, help us purge your domain of evil!"
She casts Holy Smite covering as much area as possible.
Damage if evil: 5d8 ⇒ (3, 3, 7, 3, 6) = 22 or Damage if outsider: 10d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 5, 1, 1, 6, 6, 3, 2, 3) = 32 + blindness (Will DC 19 half damage and negates blindness).
The spell makes half damage to neutral creatures (no blindness)
Corbyn: What if you become Good? You have been around Ruperta for enough time to do it... ;)
On her move action Ruperta will break as many jars as she can!
"May Desna bless you all! Be free!"

"I may not see you but I can hurt you..."
Slumper attempts to smash another jar.

Thrak scans to the room to see if he can find the disappeared Hag, while Paxs moves to break a jar or two himself.

Percep 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Ruperta's spell goes off, but there seems to be no corresponding cry of pain in the room. However, when she moves to break the jars, there is a scream of rage right next to her! Bite: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15 However the hag's jagged teeth close on air!

Slumper, Paxs and Corbyn, you are up! Pai, your readied action goes off!

Slumper continues to try and break the jars.
"If you don't come out I don't stop"

My apologies! The hag appeared next to Ruperta. Her invisibility went off as she attacked.

Pai uses her wand and blasts the hag with a barrage of magic missiles.

Damage 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2) + 2 = 5

15 charges left.

AOO from Opportunist due to Slumper's hit in Round 1:
Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Sneak Attack: 5d6 ⇒ (3, 4, 6, 2, 6) = 21

Round 2: Corbyn will ready an attack in case the hag pops up next to him.

Thrak attacks the hag.

Bite 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28, 2d6 + 1d6 + 21 ⇒ (5, 5) + (6) + 21 = 37
claw 11d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (4) + (5) + 16 = 25
claw 2 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (4) + (5) + 16 = 25
claw 3 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 35, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (1) + (4) + 16 = 21
claw 4 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26, 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (4) + (5) + 16 = 25
crit confirm 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27. 1d8 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (1) + (6) + 16 = 23
Rend (Ex): 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Slumper attacks the hag

1d20 + 15 ⇒ (16) + 15 = 31rapier
1d6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17rapier
1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19shield
1d4 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11shield
1d4 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

With a screech of rage and pain, the Hag falls under your combined assault!

"I wish she had been telling the truth. It would have been nice to be able to save someone from this awful place." Pai resumes her Detect Magic, looking at the hag's possessions.

Other than the jars, which reek of necromancy, you find no treasure on the Hag's corpse.

The only remaining ways to go is up the stairs or into the courtyard; which would you like to choose?

"Well, guess it's time to head further up in this place. At least nothing should be coming from behind us, in case we need to run out of here in a haste."

"Let's free these poor souls first, I assume we cannot save them..." Slumper looks to Ruperta quizically before resuming smashing jars. If she stops him he won't smash them

"Is that actually freeing them? It's killing them all right, but maybe there is a cure located somewhere upstairs. If not, we could always come back and do what needs to be done."

"I agree upstairs we may find help for them."

"I am sure we are freeing them, if only by setting their souls free. Don't worry Pai, we are saving a lot of souls, and destroying evil! Let's finish up here, and go upstairs..."

Corbyn begins his scanning for traps.
Perception: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (5) + 20 = 25

Moving cautiously up to the second floor, you emerge onto a corridor with several doors. Corbyn checks them carefully, and you discover several are servants' quarters that are filled with rubble and dusty skeletons. Another is an ancient bath with ruined tubs and festering privvies. Another large room houses more barracks for the guards, but nothing of value remains. Lastly storage rooms filled with rubble line one wall.

You also find a stairway going up, and two large ornate double doors that evidently open into a large room.

Ruperta uses her Domain power on the Double Doors, to check what is behind them.

Thick wooden columns, their sides caked with dust, support the ceiling above this large hall. Between them, in the center of the room, sits a large fire pit, its ashes long cold. Many old stains mar the floor, some surely of spilled food and ale, though several darker ones appear more grisly in origin. At the western end of the hall, a wide dais rises where the lord’s table could be set to oversee affairs in the hall. In the center of the dais is a great chair carved of oak and studded with iron rivets. Down one step and to the left of it is a smaller chair of oak, less elaborate.

When Ruperta tells the others what she has seen, Pai whispers, "That sounds ominous. This is the scariest place I think we've ever been together. Even the empty rooms are spooky."

"So far even the empty rooms haven't been empty. I say we check out the hall."

"I hope it is really empty..."
She grabs her Crossbow, and ask Corbyn to check and open the door.