Maria Greyson |
Pre-fight buffs: Blur (20% miss chance), Barkskin, Greater False Life, Shield. Using Blur instead of Displacement because it lasts longer and Maria wouldn't know when they were gonna be teleported in.
Temp HP from Greater False Life: 2d10 + 10 ⇒ (5, 3) + 10 = 18
As she felt the teleportation effect begin, Maria readied herself, sword in hand...
... so of course the first thing they face is another bloody construct and she still forgot to get an adamantine weapon.
Leaping up onto the table, Maria ran to flank the construct with Zhi.
Studied Flanked Attack: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (2) + 24 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16
Commencing chip damage. :P
Sara Burke |
I will also wait and see before presuming anything
Sara Burke |
Sara hops onto the table and pulls out one of her adamantine corset stays, thrusting once.
To Hit, Bull's STR, PA: 1d20 + 20 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 20 - 4 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 8 = 15
DM Brainiac |
About to go to sleep so posting now. If Zileska's action changes things, will retcon in the morning.
Dignity's Barb Magic Number: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Attacks: 1d20 ⇒ 71d20 ⇒ 61d20 ⇒ 3
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Don't have Safina's stats in front of me but will add bonuses later.
Safina scores one hit, but her follow up volley of bolts all miss her target. The clockwork parries Maria's strike, but both Sara and Zhi catch it off-guard, damaging it. The clockwork retaliates, stabbing Sara twice with its rapier!
Rapier: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (9) + 25 = 341d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 341d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 191d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 111d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
22 damage to Sara. Everybody is up. Zileska has her action from this round and the upcoming round,
Zileska Vestalina |
"Stupid constructs," mutters Zileska, as she lashes out with her whip.
Whip attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
Whip iterative attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Whip damage + shock: 1d3 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (2) = 6
Whip damage + shock: 1d3 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (6) = 9
The last d6 of damage on both of those is electrical.
~~~~~~~~~~
Eschewing spells (which probably won't work on a construct that the team will just tear apart anyway), Zileska continues lashing the gear machine.
Whip attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20
Whip iterative attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Whip damage + shock: 1d3 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (5) = 9
Whip damage + shock: 1d3 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 2 + (3) = 7
The last d6 of damage on both of those is electrical.
Sara Burke |
Sara continues to stick it in its gears, gumming up the thing's inner workings.
To Hit, BS, PA, BF: 1d20 + 20 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 20 - 4 - 2 = 151d20 + 20 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 20 - 4 - 2 = 311d20 + 15 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 15 - 4 - 2 = 271d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 8 = 181d4 + 6 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 8 = 161d4 + 6 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 8 = 17
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
"Screw subtlety," Zhi mutters to herself as she taps her boots and tumbles out of reach of the clockwork.
Acrobatics to avoid AoO: 1d20 + 17 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 17 + 5 + 2 = 28
She then calls out a guttural arcane phrase, crude and straightforward, and gestures towards the mechanical opponent.
A huge bolt of pure electricity arcs towards the nimble clockwork.
Lightning Bolt: 9d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 6, 2, 2, 6, 5, 5, 4) = 39 DC 16 Reflex for half
DM Brainiac |
Zileska hits once with her whip, delivering a little shock. Sara stabs the clockwork twice more, puncturing metal plates and gears.
AoO: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (20) + 25 = 45
Mirror Image: 1d8 ⇒ 5
Reflex: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
As Zhi tries to tumble away, the clockwork thrusts its blade through one of her mirror images. The Tien woman conjures a bolt of lightning, but she has woefully underestimated her foe's agility. The clockwork executes an impeccable leaping pirouette, completely evading the crackling bolt!
Maria and Melodie are up!
Maria Greyson |
While Zhi wasn't there to help distract it, Maria nevertheless continued her assault.
Studied Attack 1: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (5) + 22 = 27
Studied Attack 2: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
Damage 1: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Damage 2: 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Inspiration on Attack 1: 1d8 + 27 ⇒ (1) + 27 = 28
DM Brainiac |
Safina Attacks: 1d20 ⇒ 21d20 ⇒ 51d20 ⇒ 4
Safina's shots all go wide, but Maria scores two solid hits, chipping away at the construct. Its metallic body is rapidly repairing itself, though, and it stabs at Sara again, puncturing her repeatedly!
Rapier: 1d20 + 25 ⇒ (11) + 25 = 361d20 + 20 ⇒ (14) + 20 = 341d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 291d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30
Crit?: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
Damage x4: 4d6 + 28 ⇒ (6, 2, 4, 5) + 28 = 45
45 total damage to Sara. Everybody is up!
Melodie d'Valois |
Melodie steps forward and jabs out with her dagger.
Attack: 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 16 + 1 + 2 = 24 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 4d6 + 6 + 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 2 + (4, 6, 3, 1) + 6 + (6) + 12 = 43
Attack: 1d20 + 16 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 16 + 1 + 2 = 31 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 4d6 + 6 + 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (1, 4, 4, 6) + 6 + (3) + 12 = 42
Attack: 1d20 + 11 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 1 + 2 = 23 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 4d6 + 6 + 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 2 + (2, 2, 1, 2) + 6 + (5) + 12 = 35
Sara Burke |
Sara stands there on the table, awed. "What the f!~+ was that Mel? Where you been hiding that parlor trick?"
Zileska Vestalina |
Channel energy: Healing: 6d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 1, 5, 3, 4) = 19
Channel energy: Healing: 6d6 ⇒ (5, 5, 1, 1, 2, 6) = 20
"C'mere Sara, gonna give you the stick."
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Melodie d'Valois |
Sara stands there on the table, awed. "What the f@&% was that Mel? Where you been hiding that parlor trick?"
Melodie looks just as surprised as the rest of them. "That worked a lot better on the dagger than it did on the chakram..." She says, sounding a little shocked. "We should check the rest of the room - if that thing was in here there must have been something important to guard right?"
So... Mel can do damage now...
DM Brainiac |
A statue of a knight astride a great stallion and a dozen marble busts of ancient generals stare across this extravagantly decorated room. A large four‐poster bed at the north end of the chamber looks untouched, and books and other items sitting on shelves are arranged meticulously.
A mahogany display stand holds the Primogen Rod, the symbol of the Grand Prince’s office and rulership immediately recognizable to every citizen of Taldor. The last time you saw the rod, it was in Grand Prince Stavian III's hands as he murdered Kalbio of Breezy Creek and ordered the Exaltation Massacre!
It is a rod of lordly might.
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
"Wasn't Pythareus telling everyone that Stavian adopted him in a last minute ceremony? I'm sure that's why Pythareus has the rod. He wants the trappings of being king already." She eyes the rod. "Or he's compensating for something."
After a quick look around the room, Zhi says, "But in any case, Pythareus isn't here. We need to keep moving. Other door."
The rogue moves quickly to the door on the other side of the room they descended into. She listens at the door and then if she doesn't hear anything opens it.
DM Brainiac |
Hanging from the ceiling, a black iron lantern shaped like the head of a roaring lion sheds magical light on a large oaken table in the center of the room. The table’s surface is uneven, resembling a miniature landscape of plains, forests, rivers, and mountains, where Taldor is in the middle and northern Qadira, the Inner Sea, and Taldor’s lost provinces are closer to the table’s edges. Exaggerated towers, castles, and domed palaces carved from stone mark the locations of Zimar, Oppara, Katheer, and other cities. Small figurines shaped like lions and horses have been placed on various locations on the map.
The figurines made of silver and gold are worth a total of 800 gp. On the table, there is also a silver raven figurine of wondrous power.
A massive steel door is located in this room. It is securely locked.
Disable Device DC 40.
Maria Greyson |
"It's the what to what?" Maria asked, ignoring the faint ripple of the fourth wall taking a nasty hit. "Anyway, best we hang onto this; one less way for them to get messages out." As she spoke, she retrieved the raven figurine and handed it to whoever was carrying the party's bag of holding.
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
Zhi gives her wife a grunt of acknowledgement as she appraises the barrier in front of them. She frowns. "This is going to take a bit," she finally says.
She pulls out her tools and sets to work.
Take 20 on Disable Device which will give her a 42. And all her medium duration buffs have expired. :(
"Maybe by now all the excitement has died down," she says without much hope.
DM Brainiac |
Taking 20 on a lock takes 2 minutes, so they might have a minute or two left still.
Zhi is eventually able to crack the lock. The room beyond seems to be a vault--dozens of coffers sit on shelves lining the walls. A large brass statue stands against the far wall. It resembles a massive, androgynous human with four arms, four legs, and faces on the front and back of its head.
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
"Futu-i!" Zhi exclaims in frustration. "I thought for sure, he'd be on the top floor. He must have heard the alarm and went downstairs." She takes a deep breath. As much as she'd like to explore and loot, the sand on their operation is running down. "I guess we move downstairs."
Unless someone has a better plan ...
Zhi moves quietly and slowly down the stairs so she can see what's in the chamber below hopefully before being seen herself. She hopes that if someone's there, they're focused on what's happening below them versus what's happening above.
DM Brainiac |
The stairs lead down to the keep's third floor. A statue in the southern wall depicts an armored knight with a large sword, and a painting on the wall shows a battle scene from the Grand Campaign—a unit of the Taldan Phalanx breaking through Qadiran formations.
Four alert guards in half-plate stand watch here. These are definitely Pythareus's men, not yours. They don't notice the stealthy rogue. Doors exit to the west and east, and the stairs continue down.
Zileska Vestalina |
"We'd have to hide in here until his guards search the entire premises and then bring down the alarm," says Zileska quietly. "And given the magical defenses of this place there's a chance that his staff includes a powerful magician or cleric of Abadar who could defeat our spells. He's probably holed up in some private chamber in the cellars or dungeons. I feel like we should not cede the initiative to him."
Melodie d'Valois |
"Let's keep moving." Melodie agrees. "I might be able to get us past some of the guards though." She produces the cameo she was studying earlier. "I can turn in Pythareus, although I can't copy his armour or anything of the sort. What do we think? A worthwhile gambit of shall we just go for stealth?"
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
"I don't think they're going to buy you as Pythareus. They're probably aware that he's not up here and if you come walking down the staircase, at the very least, they'll be very suspicious. I wish we knew where he was at."
She looks around in thought.
"I wonder if one of our agents on the roof might know where he might have gone? It might be a known strategy where he'd retreat to in case of a general alarm. At the very least, I can observe the courtyard and see where the most buzz is."
Unless someone objects ...
Zhi casts her weaker spell of invisibility upon herself and climbs the stairs back to the roof. If the elemental is no longer visible, she'll approach one of the 'guards' and pose her question. If they don't know, she observed the inside courtyard for a few moments to discern what she can before returning.
invisibility
DM Brainiac |
Looking down into the courtyard, Zhi can see Maxillar Pythareus astride a war horse decked out in gleaming mithral barding. The High Strategos is mustering his troops. Six soldiers and two templars of the Vault and Chain have rallied around him. The air elemental still patrols the skies above the fortress, while the soldiers on the lower battlements keep a wary eye out for intruders.
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
Zhi returns to the group and passes along what she saw.
"So how do we get him away from the rest of the troops?" she asks, once she's finished. "We can't just charge down there into the middle of the courtyard. That would be suicide. Is there a chance you could charm him somehow from the roof, Mel? Get him to come up here?"
Melodie d'Valois |
"I could try." Melodie says, "But he'll be well out of range of my voice so it would be much easier for him to resist. We could try and lure him up another way - or I could try to charm his horse, that might be easier."
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
"If you charmed his horse, he'd know what was going on and just jump off and we'd be back to square one. Futu-i! I suck at strategy. I steal things."
She looks around the room for a moment.
"Maybe that's what we should do. Just take his fancy rod and his money. Leave and then taunt him about it with magical messages that we can do it any time we want. Maybe point out that his spymaster has betrayed him."
She shakes her head.
"Time is working against us."
Sara Burke |
Sara bites her lip, looking at the glove on her hand, hiding her scar.
"If we call him out, I want to be the one to do it," she volunteers, pulling off the lace. "We have history, even if it is small. But I don't think he'll attack if I come to him. I'm good at talking."
That androgynous statue is 10000% a bronze colossus and I am intimidated.
Melodie d'Valois |
"That makes sense." Melodie agrees. "I think we have to call him from up here, unless Zil you can get us all to fall down the side of the keep slowly? There is a spell for that isn't there?"
I propose we all go back to the top and let Sara yell at him - see what happens. We can probably take the elemental before his people get here and it should be a good defensive position if we have to.
d'Valois Mai Zhi |
Yeah, after that clockwork nasty we fought already, Zhi's a little learing of a big bronze statue just standing in the valuables vault. That's not suspicious at all.
"Ok, let's call him out from the roof. Maybe's he's arrogant enough to come up and face us."
The young woman doesn't seem confident he'll do that, though.