DM Crispy's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master Bill Dunn

Nodding at Tolenn's request, Amira looks over her shoulder for a moment at Terri. "If you think there is no beauty to be found on the battlefield, no music and artistry to the judicious use of violence, watch closely." Without another word she kicks the door open, starknife ready to take flight towards the first available enemy.

Victor looked towards Tolenn "The voice of reason finally" His voice was low in volume but still loud enough for all the group to hear "Remind me to pay for all your meals for the rest of the week" He continued and then turned his vision towards their destination. The flow of arcane power around him growing thicker as he prepared for whatever lay in wait for them, his shadow reacting to this by growing thicker and moving independently of his owner every now and then.

Arching a brow at Victor Wednesday follows along after the brash Druid into the now open doorway.

Tolenn watches Amira rashly kicks the door open, shaking her head but smiling nonetheless, "That not what I meant at all"

She then hustles through the door...

-Posted with Wayfinder

Cassandra barely listens to the argument. Instead, she looks around the room as she always does. Looking for exits. Things to climb. Ways to get "up".

When the door's kicked open, she moves to follow behind her partner.

Terri looks a little sheepish at Tolenn's rebuke, and blanches a little at Amira's command.

Some forms and fighting styles can be beautifully, she thinks to herself, heeding Tolenn's admonishment, but I can't forget that they were meant to hurt other people, no matter how deserving of their punishment they are. I can't forget that even if I wanted to.

She follows Tolenn, her eyes searching for any danger.

The group takes a moment to prepare, arguing quietly over the merits of justice versus vengeance. Dissent is cast aside as Amira puts a boot to the door, knocking it open. Inside are numerous black-sheeted cots, their satin coverings and overstuffed pillows seeming more akin to funerary trappings than the resting places of the living.

Numerous skulls are set evenly within the room's stone walls. Candles inside them cause them to glow like morbid jack-o-lanterns and cast dim light across the room.

Four of the Queen's Physicians are in this room, standing at the ready near the center of the room. Two other men, both without masks, stand in the back of the room, close to the southern alcoves. Near the western door (where you are entering from), four skeletons stand silently, obviously waiting for a signal of some sort or a circumstance to happen.

Terri Init: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6
Cassandra Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Tolenn Init: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
Victor Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Wednesday Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Amira Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

Enemy Init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Initiative:

Round 1: Tolenn, Victor, Amira, Wednesday, Enemies, Cassandra, Terri

Tolenn, Victor, Amira, and Wednesday up! Dim lighting conditions.

Round 1

Tolenn immediately takes in the necromantic trapping of this seeming barracks, including the presence of the silent boney sentinels by the groups entryway.

Calling upon Saranae's Judgement, Tolenn's holy symbol flares, casting a comforting warm glow across the surrounding area. Where the glow meets the 'body' of a skeleton, the bone begins to smoke and smoulder...

Channel, Harm Undead DC 16 : 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 6) = 11

Wednesday moves up to slash at one of the skeletons.

Longsword: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 28
Confirm: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 2 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 17
Critical (Slashing): 2d8 + 6 + 12 + 4 ⇒ (2, 2) + 6 + 12 + 4 = 26

Victor silhouette elongated past the skeletons, stretching into a larger more fluid form. The sorcerer placed his hands in front of him, his palms faced one another as he directed his arcane power through his shadow. From the lake of darkness that stretched from his feet rose a hideous creature that was not too different from the description Cassandra gave him. It writhed and let out guttural screeches as it moved in its place erratically between the masked men and their mask-less fellows. The strange entity rose and slumped down giving their foes a sight of it's 10 foot long body and it's massive girth.

Victor casts Major Image.

Will Save DC 19

Alright so Victor would have the creature appear right between the doctors and the two other men, it's size is large and as per the spell's description when the caster is concentrating on the spell(Which Victor is doing now) he will let the illusion react appropriately when struck by an attack instead of disapearing(recoil from a physical attack, shudder and shout in pain from fire, etc).

With astonishing accuracy, Amira's starknife spins glittering in the wan light, flying unerringly at one of the masked plague doctors.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Sneak attack (haven't acted yet): 1d6 ⇒ 6

Confirm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

16 damage total

Tolenn calls upon the blessing of the goddess of the sun, and Sarenrae reacts with power, a burst of light and warmth radiating from the paladin's holy symbol. The four skeletons can not begin to withstand the divine assault, and collapse to the ground in a pile of bones.

Victor conjures up a creature that surely was dredged up from one of the more insidious layers of the abyss, a terrifying monstrosity set in the room, separating the masked men from those without. Both groups of men cry out in alarm at the sight of the creature.

Not one to let an enemy caught by surprise live to rue the day, Amira sets her back foot and whips her arm forward. The four glittering points of the starknife cause a brilliant reflection before the blade buries itself into the neck of the closest plague doctor to the door, a gout of blood veritably exploding from his throat. The effect is hastened when the weapon tears itself from the man's flesh to return to Amira's grip, the false doctor falling lifelessly to the floor.

Seeing the skeletons are down and emboldened by Amira's quick work on one of the doctors, Wednesday rushes forward, makeshift weapon bared. His facial features set with a cold rage, he swingshis weapon heavily, catching another plague doctor with a side swipe to the chest, his weapon cracking bone and cutting through a fair portion of the man before its momentum stopped. Much as his fellow did, this plague doctor fell to the floor, the mask hiding his surprised expression.

Recovering from their terror, the plague doctors focus on the terrifying man in front of them, setting themselves on opposite sides of him as they brandish their terrifying clubs. One of the doctors misses, his hand shaking at this sign of real resistance, but the other connects painfully on Wednesday's right arm, only the Ustalav native's iron will allowing him to retain his grip.

Club: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 = 25
Crit?: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 3 + 2 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 3) + 4 + (3) = 11
Club: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Removed from direct confrontation, the unmasked man turn their attention to the terror in their midst. One of them manages to keep calm and cast a spell of some sort on the other's scythe, the weapon glowing with magical might. The second man steps forward with trepidation, bravely swinging the curved blade at the monstrosity. The look of terror on the second man's face grows as his scythe hits the scaly skin of Victor's horror with no effect, the creature rearing up as if ready to pounce.

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16

Scythe: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Summary:

All 4 skeletons - Destroyed
Queen's Physician 1 - Dead
Queen's Physician 2 - Dead
Wednesday - 11 damage

Initiative:

Round 1: Tolenn, Victor, Amira, Wednesday, Enemies, Cassandra, Terri
Round 2: Tolenn, Victor, Amira, Wednesday, Enemies, Cassandra, Terri

Party up!

Wednesday slashes back at the physician that whacked him in the arm.

Longsword 1: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 = 13
Longsword 2: 1d20 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 1 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 = 24
Damage(Slashing): 1d8 + 3 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 3 + 6 + 4 = 20

Terri steps up behind the front line and stabs forward with her glaive.

"This is for spreading that awful disease! This is for treating pain like it's some kind of entertainment! AND THIS IS FOR HAVING REALLY, REALLY LOUSY TASTE IN ART!"

Glaive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Target the one that hit Sunday as well.

I concur, they need more nudes of Terri in here.

"And that's for bringing that up again!" Terri says as she smacks Wednesday with the side of the blade.

That'll just make him bring it up more!

Cassandra draws a tindertwig from her belt pouch and snaps it while chanting.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyynnninnnnnooooniiii!"

Sparkling dust floats down from the broken tindertwig and swirls around. From the center of the dust steps what appears to be a short, ugly, hair humanoid of (very) vaguely gnomish features. He holds a lantern which shines, providing light throughout the room.

Park chitters a greeting to the torchbearer.

Casting torchbearer. He'll stick around for 5 hours, following us around and giving us light, unless I dismiss him. Dim light shouldn't be a problem anymore.

Victor moves his hands in unintelligible gestures and the "summoned" thing reacts by slamming it's head against the floor, then it quickly turned its vision between the two mysterious men, it didn't seem like it would let them move.

Victor is still concentrating on the Major Image spell, so that takes his standard action away. As before the illusion will react accordingly if struck, stabbed, sliced, burned, blasted, etc.

Round 2

Tolenn strides through the cloud of dust, all that remains of the unholy denizens destroyed by Saranae's bright light. She steps over one of the fallen 'physician' and approaches the terrified priest, her face stern, her stride implacable...

"Fear not, despoiler, you'll meet your foul mistress soon enough!" she cries as her scimitar glitters in the air...

Attack #1, Power Attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 11 - 2 = 22
Damage : 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 4 = 11

Attack #2, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 - 2 = 19
Damage : 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 4 = 10

Mere moments after catching her returning starknife, Amira sends it spinning forward again, sailing towards the other standing plague doctor. As she releases the weapon, she launches herself into a spectacular tumbling pass, flipping end over end before vaulting herself into the air, twisting in a dance of aerial beauty as she sails over both Tolenn and her opponent, landing alongside Victor's shadowy monster. A wicked grin crossing her exotic features as she raises a hand to pluck the returning weapon out of the air without looking.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31

Cassandra conjures up a mystical torchbearer, hoping to allay any further concerns about lighting levels. What the hell were these guys doing down here in the dark, anyway?

Terri steps forward to assist Wednesday, lunging at the Physician who had managed to strike Wednesday. The man heard her at the last moment, twisting so that a terrible strike was turned into a glancing blow.

Unfortunately for him, he happened to twist right into Wednesday's blade's path, and both Wednesday and Terri were bathed in the explosion of blood and viscera that erupted from the man's stomach before he doubled over and fell down, quite dead.

Tolenn left the Physicians for Terri and Wednesday, striding towards the priest who had moved to engage 'the beast'. Uttering her promise to the man, she then moved to strike, her weapon sliding through the man's defenses and managing a deep gash across his chest. The priest, perhaps surprisingly, considering the Physician's rather frail nature, manages to keep his feet.

Victor continues to control his savage beast, attempting to intimidate the priests and keep them occupied. Every blade that struck against the imaginary creature was one that was not lashing out at his companions.

Amira sends her weapon spinning through the air at the other bird-faced plague doctor, leaping past the dead bodies and through the melee to land next to the priest engaged with the 'beast'. Her starknife shimmered through the air, grazing the Physician's blocking arm before whipping through the room, returning to her hand as she smirked confidently at the enemy before her.

The remaining Physician, seeing his doom before him, managed another feeble strike at Wednesday. Wednesday, too enraged to worry about defense and knowing he can dish out worst than he is receiving, takes the blow stoically upon his chest.

Club: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The priest Tolenn just sliced turns his attention to the paladin as the other moves to engage the terrible beast, both knowing their time upon Golarion has likely drawn nigh. The paladin uses her shield to knock aside the awkward swing of the one priest. The other yells out in glee as imaginary scales go flying off of Victor's creation, his blade drawing a gash across the creature.

Scythe vs Tolenn: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Summary:

All 4 skeletons - Destroyed
Queen's Physician 1 - Dead
Queen's Physician 2 - Dead
Queen's Physician 3 - Dead
Queen's Physician 4 - 2 damage
Priest 1 - 11 damage
Wednesday - 15 damage

Initiative:

Round 2: Tolenn, Victor, Amira, Wednesday, Enemies, Cassandra, Terri
Round 3: Tolenn, Victor, Amira, Wednesday, Enemies, Cassandra, Terri

Party up!

Terri stabs out again, hoping to prevent Wednesday from having to take another hit like he just did.

Glaive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Well, as least she likely hit the man.

Wednesday simply returns the favor on the physician.

Longsword 1: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 = 14
Longsword 2: 1d20 + 1 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 1 + 2 + 4 + 1 - 2 = 23
Damage (Slashing): 1d8 + 3 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 6 + 4 = 19

Round 3

Tolenn nods as the priest fights back, she expected nothing less, but favours him with a sympathic looks as his riposte was ineffectual.

Seizing upon an improper defense, Tolenn seeks to take advantage...

Attack 1, Power Attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 - 2 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 4 = 7

Attack 2, Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 - 2 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 4 = 12

Round 2

"Wow. It really sucks to be you guys." Cassandra says as she hangs at the back of the room with her new torchbearing minion.

Cassandra reaches into her spell component pouch and unwraps a greasy glob of something. She pops it into her mouth and chews, muttering a spell.

"Gweathygwimeygotherguths."

Then she spits. A thick, slick substance flows from between her lips, swirling around her comrades until it can settle onto the priest fighting Victor's imaginary creature.

I'm trying to cast Grease on the weapon of the priest fighting the "monster". So he'll be disarmed when Toleen and Wednesday get to him.

Round 3

an unnatural screech escapes the creature as it rears back and forth, as if it was writhing from the blow it received. Victor's face remained impassive as he watched the two idiots wail at glorified thin air "Hey! Isn't it about time ya got serious?!" Shouted the shadowy mage at his phantom ally and moved his fingers in an unintelligible pattern.

Massive spiked legs sprouted from the sides of the creature. It raised it's girth on them and renewed it's glaring of the two foes that assaulted it.

Bluff: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33

Same as the previous round.

Cassandra expresses some sympathy for the group's rapidly dwindling enemies, spouting out some magical words and calling upon arcane forces. A slick, greasy mixture flits through the air, coating the scythe of the priest who attacked the 'monster'. Almost comically, the weapon goes flying from his hands as he waves it about to fend off the imminent attack of the creature in front of him, his look of terror rather unbecoming for one who might get to meet his Goddess shortly.

Reflex: 1d20 ⇒ 1

With the last remaining physician focused on Wednesday, it is an easy task for Terri to slip her glaive through the man's defenses. Focused on proper aim, the blow has little behind it, and the physician sports a new wound but otherwise remains upright.

Tolenn has enough decency to feel sympathy for her overmatched opponent, but nevertheless does what must be done. She skillfully works the priest's scythe from left to right, leaving ever-widening gaps in his defenses, then suddenly thrusts forward as the priests arms are out wide. Her blade plunges through his chest, and the man slips to the floor, his life's blood pouring out.

Victor continues concentrating on his horrifying image, shouting instructions that seem to nearly incapacitate the remaining, unarmed priest as he sees the creature getting ready to make a killing blow.

Staying true to his tactics, Wednesday shrugs off the relatively minor wounds the Physicians have been inflicting on his and swings heavily at the remaining plague doctor. His weapon slices in a diagonal, hacking through the neck and down past the collarbone. Wednesday plants his boot on the Physician and kicks forward, knocking the dead man off his bloodied blade.

We'll give Amira until tomorrow to post.

The now unarmed scythe wielder is thill staring after his weapon in dismay when Amira's starknife comes spinning in to slash across his chest, ricocheting off the floor then wall on the way back.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

As the priest cowers in front of the terror in the room, Amira's starknife whips across the room, a deep gash now in the man's side as the woman's four-bladed weapon spins back to her.

With a crazy gleam in his eye, the man screams in fear and anger, rushing away from the creature and barreling towards Tolenn. As he raises a fist, apparently seeking to try to pummel the paladin, she just calmly levels her sword in the priest's way, her expression calm. The priest's eyes widen as the weapon pierces his belly, yet he still attempts to bull towards Tolenn. With a last sympathetic look, the woman twists the blade, the man screaming in pain before falling off the edge of the blood, curled up and bleeding out on the floor.

Tolenn AOO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Tolenn AOO: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 5) + 4 = 11

Combat over!

"So a temple of Urgathoa huh?" Amira says flicking blood off of her starknife as she looks around the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

"Lovely woman, goddess of marriage and the gluttonous unliving." Wednesday flatly adds on.

lol, that's exactly how I thought the combat should end as well !

Tolenn leans down and cleans her blade on the dead priests robes, murmuring, "Saranae guide and protect."

She then straightens and listens for any signs the recent combat had been noticed...

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

She then notices the gashes on Wednesday's torso, and walks over, "Here, Wednesday, let me tend to that....

Lay on Hands: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3) = 9
Lay on Hands: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 3) = 10

Hearing Tolenn approach and speak to him Wednesday straightens up as he faces her, almost holding his breath as she sets about mending his wounds with her divine touch.

"Thank you." he manages to eke out once her hand leaves his chest, a soft smile playing on his lips.

As the group tends to its wounds and takes a look about, they do not hear any sounds of nearby residents taking up arms or gathering reinforcements. Either there is no one else about, or the remainder of those in attendance are ready and waiting...

Is anyone else still down?

Terri begins to take care of the dead. Not because she believed the deserved any respect, but because respecting the dead was the right thing to do.

Wednesday is down 22, don't know about the others.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25

As Terri begins preparing the defeated Wednesday scavenges what he can from them.

CCW: 4d8 + 7 ⇒ (4, 3, 5, 6) + 7 = 25
Burning Summon Monster IV for a Cure spell

Seeing Wednesday hurt, badly hurt, she stops ministering to the dead and sees to the man's injuries.

"When we falter, let us know that there is power in song, and strength in dance. Let us know that beauty, true beauty that comes form within ourselves, can heal and soothe."

A soft golden and silver light flows from Terri's hands and closes Wednesday's wounds as if they had never happened.

Feeling the rest of his wounds knit themselves shut Wednesday pauses before saying "You shouldn't have wasted that on me."

"Easing the pain of another is never a waste," Terri replies before going back to tending to the dead, and observing her friends to see if any of them were still hurt.

"It is when more important people might need it."

"You are just as important as everyone else here Wednesday. If you being able to take another hit means I don't get stabbed in the back because you're down, I'm all for it. Every blow you land, every enemy you stand against increases the chances of the rest of us making it out of this cluster@##$% alive. You want to undermine your own importance, fine, whatever, but she keeps you on your feet, all the better for you to help keep us all alive. Don't insult her by telling her she wasted her time, thank her by fighting like hell to keep anything from touching her. It's a hell of a lot more useful than that self deprecating $#!+." Amira mutters as she walks over to stand beside Cassandra.

"Keep telling yourself that, but if I was a halfway decent meat shield it'd be different. But I'm not, and eventually one of you is going to get hit, and then what'll we do? I can't heal anyone, and I can't protect anyone either. You say I help your chances of staying alive but the fact of their matter is I. Will. Let. You. Down."

"Shrug it off and keep fighting because it's more useful than whining?" the city's protector replies with a shrug.

"And if its not something you can shrug off? Then the city loses one of its most valued agents while a bastard like me still lives."

"Ugh." Cassandra rolls her eyes. Which are magnified because she's wearing her awesome goggles.

"Stop being a baby. If the cute priestess wants to lay hands on you and do the healing, let her. It is her choice."

"... do you want me to lay hands on you?" Cassandra asks Amira, crossing her eyes as she does.

Wednesday's shoulders give out as he starts to shake his lowered head. "Fine. I tried. Keep bringing me back at the cost of yourselves."

Raising his arms up in a shrug he adds "Tuesday. Lorraine. Who's next? No matter what I do I'll just keep outliving the women around me."

Amira snickers, grinning at Cassandra's choice of redirecting the subject. "Have I ever said no to that?" Amira says laughing despite the tense moment prior.

Cassandra thinks about that for a moment.

"Well, there was the time I offered to beat you until you came to your senses..."

She grins and Park chitters.

At first Victor was planning to reply to Wednesday but before he could even open his mouth three of their companions verbally tore into him If I say anymore it will look like we are bullying him and not trying to prove a point With the mood now transitioning to a lighter variation...or as light as it could be in a place like this, Victor moved to the bodies of the fallen and began carefully searching their remains for anything of use.

"Thanks for the mention of that monster Cassandra...the bastards could barely take their eyes of it" Said the umbral mage, his eyes and hands still on the task he assigned himself.