Kroft did say she would give us cover from the Queen and the maidens. She seemed furious that someone would be doing this to her city. So I think she will keep the investigation in the hands of the guard, even if it cost lives.
In any case, I think Whisper and Nargun need to be healed no matter what we do.
She looks pointedly at Twilight who is holding both healing wands as she starts searching the downed cultists.
Harrow points 3/4. Choosing card: The teamster. Con damage 1, Cha damage 1.
While the group pondered their next move, Twilight began providing healing to the wounded.
With the gm's permission, taking the average of 5 per charge for the clw, 9 used to give Nargun 45 hp. 3 to give Twilight 15 hp. 6 to give Whisper 30 hp. Used 18 charges leaving 3 left. The protection from evil can be refreshed, it only lasts a minute but its from a wand so I can cast as often as I need.
Each cultist carries 4x potion of cure light wounds (I think 2 of them used 1? regardless, lots of CLW potions), a +1 breastplate, scythe, and a silver holy symbol of Urgathoa.
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
As per the GM's post in Discussion, let's assume the doors open towards us. If using Perception to identify potions, Artegall can auto-succeed at up to spell level 3 (DC is 15+spell level, and his minimum roll is an 18). In general, would rather have a Detect Poison first before he starts sipping potions to ID them, but since we don't have that prepared let's just say he goes ahead for the sake of expediency.
Artegall does what he can to block the doors.
"When we do open these doors, let's have only one of us in line of sight. I can be that one. No sense in all of us getting targeted by whatever spells they have left. Let them take their best shots at me, and then Nargun and Whisper can move in."
In here there's nothing but bodies and broken glass. The leukodaemon was pretty tough- maybe if you cut off its arm and jammed it through the door handles it could hold the door closed?
Going back to the vat room there are a couple of long handled paddles they used to stir the vats- they'd probably block the door but don't look like they'd last very long (DC... 12 to break, maybe?). Or you could try to start dismantling the catwalk railings.
There are the boxes back in the lobby area, but I don't think I even made you roll to break through them.
Also, there are 3 doors leading north and south off the vat room, if you don't want to go back to the room with the (now dead) zombies in beds.
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
I was imagining using the scythe shafts through the door handles. The cultists all had scythes, right? Also:
karlprosek wrote:
The reek of burning wax wafts through this morbid chamber, with several tall, misshapen candles being the apparent source. Workspaces strewn with tall beakers of foul-colored liquids, parchments covered in insidious symbols, and cages of whimpering rodents fill large alcoves in both the northern and southern walls. A closed pair of huge stone doors dominate the eastern wall.
I imagined the beakers were on tables or workbenches; that's how I normally envision such a workspace like a chemistry lab. If the beakers were all on the floor and there are no tables, then maybe a broken scythe shaft. You only need a pretty small wedge to jam under a door that opens towards you in order to block it shut. Even daggers might work. And removing a wedge from its own side is easy, while removing it from the other side of the door is not.
Artegall will not leave the room to gather supplies. If he hears attempts by the enemy to break it open, he will move to hold the doors shut (and ask Nargun for help, of course).
Oh damn, totally forgot about those. Weird, they usually put furniture on the maps. OK sure, scythe handles or table legs are available to break and wedge under the door. Let's set that at DC... 23 to open.
Are there any cultists that Mirela was able to stabilize or are the all dead?
Mirela once she is done casting spells she gathers items for the others to jam the door with.
Once the doors are jammed and Whisper/Nargun are healed she asks:
Should we look at some of these smaller doors in the vat room?
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
"Let's give it some time to see if they try to break out. Then we can go look."
My main concern is depleting any round/level or min/level buffs they might have cast. My guess is that they started prepping when they heard combat outside - so let's make them pay for that if we can.
OK. I moved your icons on the map, move yourselves around or let me know if you want me to move your PC somewhere else.
Artegall secures the doors and the group waits. A minute passes, two, three... four minutes pass in silence as the heroes wait for something to happen. Eventually the door rattles as someone tries to open it from the other side. Finding it shut from this side, the rattling subsides after a second or two (one round).
Cleric 3/Wizard 3/MyTh Hp (54/54) | AC 14 T10/F14| FRW 7/3/10 (+2 vs enchantments)| Init: 0| Percep: 8
TWilight was getting edgy just sitting around doing nothing. She felt anxious about the imminent possibility that there could be a bunch of the Queen's women storming in at any time and they would be trapped with nowhere to go.
Waiting to be trapped didn't feel right.
She was considering whether or not to revisit the idea of just burning everything down when the door rattled causing her to nearly jump out of her skin.
"OK, so what now?" she asked, pulling out her wand warding against evil and tapping Nargun with it just to be on the safe side.
depending on how many actions we have, draw wand and use protection from evil: 1 min.
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
Artegall looks calm.
"Kroft is sending reinforcements here to secure the Hospice.
I don't think the Queen is sending anyone just yet, unless our enemies have magic powerful enough to send word to her instantly." Sending does change just as many story plots as cell phones would. But, in the absence of Sending or spells like that, we have cut their lines of communication.
He thinks a moment.
"I suppose it is possible that the Queen has loyalists among the Guard, who would run to inform her once Kroft started assembling reinforcements. But the Queen would also require time to assemble forces, and Kroft would have a head start. I'd keep waiting."
Only 4 minutes? If they cast buff spells like Shield upon hearing the fight, it would still be active. Of course, if you really want to go in, we can go in. I know that waiting out enemy buffs is not a normal course of action. As in, I don't recall ever doing it in PF, although it seems to make sense to me. I'd like to wait at least 10 minutes, although I can see everyone getting antsy IC (especially a Calistrian and a barbarian).
He leans against the door and listens.
Perception:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
Mirela looks for magical signatures and sees several beyond the door. Unfortunately she doesn't have time to pick out their number or power levels as the door rattling continues. (Round 1: there are magical auras within 60 in the direction you're looking.)
DM rolls:
1d20 ⇒ 4
The door rattles harder as someone on the other side bangs against it, pushing against the wedges Artgeall has placed to keep it closed.
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
Going round-by-round for the 10 minutes I'd want to wait would be unreasonably tedious for a PbP game.
Maybe to avoid that tedium we just flank these doors like we tried to flank the doors into this room? The difference being that we know these guys now want to come out after us. I know it's not as safe as waiting them out, but the game has to be fun.
The advantage of flanking the doors is that we are not in the line of fire from any casters inside the room and we can focus-fire on anybody who comes out.
I rearranged everyone on the map to flank the doors. What do we think? Artegall will definitely take a Prot Evil from Twilight's wand if possible; it's probably going to take these guys a couple of rounds to open the doors.
Mirela continues to focus to see what is beyond the door as she knocks an arrow and gets ready to fire at the first thing she sees move through the open door.
Assuming that studying an area does not take a standard action, then Ready action to shoot, I'll roll as soon as something comes out. but her first priority is gathering information about the creature(s) behind the door.
The banging on the other side of the door continues.
Artegall, give me a Strength check.
Mirela sees a crush of magical auras on the other side of the door, the strongest of them stronger than any spell she can cast. Detect Magic round 2: 23 magical auras, strongest one Moderate.
Male Dwarf Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 8 Init +1 HP 109/109 DR 4/ AC 17 T12 FF 16 Fort+11 Ref+3 Will +4 Per +9 Spd 30 RAGE! Used 0/29
Nargun motions to Artegall to move from the door as suddenly as possible so their opponents barges in, and readies his axe to strike the first one coming in
Harrow points 3/4. Choosing card: The teamster. Con damage 1, Cha damage 1.
Twilight quickly calls up a prayer to Callistria to ward and assist Artegall. temp hp:1d8 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14.
She readies the wand to apply a protection from evil the next opportunity she got as she glanced at the exit making sure that there were no obstructions should she decide to hastily retreat.
We still have the doors behind us that lead out of the complex still clear in case we want to run, right? Aid on Artegall (6 minutes), Prot evil on Nargun 8/10 rounds
PCs also roll initiative, please, but it looks like all PCs will delay to 17. PCs win ties, though, so if you get or beat a 17 you'll go before whatever monster got 17 in subsequent rounds.
Initiative:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 Note I Readied an attack and studied for auras. Is that round 1 action or round 2? Because if there is time, I would put aid on Nargun.
I missed that you readied an attack. You're set for actions, then.
The pounding continues from the other side until finally the door gives way, with even Artegall being pushed aside as he tries to hold it closed. Four heavily armed and fully armored Grey Maidens push their way through the door while three other figures move along behind them in the dark hallway.
Mirela looses an arrow while Nargun smashes past one of the Maidens tall shield and through her heavy shoulder armor to leave a wicked but strangely bloodless gash in her shoulder. Her arms hangs at an odd angle but she still manages to heft her sword without complaint.
The four warrior women turn on the door guards, hacking with their finely made swords.
The Maidens don't come close to hurting the prepare heroes, except for the first one through the door. From within the hallway, a pair of magic missiles streak unerringly at Mirela.
Nargun, what's your AC with the buffs?
Mirela takes 5 force damage.
Nargun and Artegall can have taken AoOs as Red and Blue moved out of threatened squares.
Hearing her mistresses' call, Whisper runs to her mistress and then forward to attack the the zombies threating her mistress. No AoO thanks to the 50' move speed 1 Blue, 2 Red:1d2 ⇒ 2Red Note I think Bulls Strength and Shield of Faith are still active on Whisper since it's only been 5 minutes Bite + BS:1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 = 19 Damage + BS:1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7 Trip + BS:1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 6 + 2 = 21
Then Mirela knocks another arrow and aims at the spellcasters in the hall ready to launch at the first sign of spellcasting.
Ready action to disrupt spellcasting Longbow + PB:1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 1 = 27 Damage + PB:1d8 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 1 = 10
The arrow lodges in her shoulder and the dark haired woman pauses to look down at it, sneering. "I had thought to give you a reward for culling out the weak among my followers and giving the deserving an opportunity to find eternal life. But now I see you are not fit to receive the Pallid Princess's blessing. Unfortunate. You should spend the rest of your lives praying to your gods that your souls find their way to their rightful place in the heavens. Hurry, it won't be long."
Artegall is up!
Init:
GMRed- acted, major damage (34)
GMBlue- acted
GMYellow- acted
GMPurple- acted
L- acted
Nargun- acted
Mirela- acted, 5hp dmg
A- acted, minor dmg (10)
Artegall-
D
Twilight
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
@Nargun, you also have an iterative attack!
@Mirela, it looks like Whisper should have a Flanking bonus on attacking Red, due to Nargun and the house rules for flanking. Maybe a 21 is enough to hit Red?
Artegall swings at one of the Maidens as they pass.
AOO on Blue, Aid:1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 1 = 25 Damage:1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
He follows up with another swing on the same target.
Study on Blue as move action, then attack. Using Combat Expertise for AC 27. Attack, Aid, Flanking, Studied, CE:1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 10 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 2 = 30 Damage:1d8 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 2 = 10
Artegall will also try to identify if the Maidens are undead and, if so, what kind.
Knowledge (Religion), Free Inspiration:1d20 + 7 + 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 7 + (5) + 1 = 29
Artegall sinks his blade into the other lead Maiden as she passes, his well studied strikes finding vulnerable spots in even that heavy armor. He has fought things like this before, as his blade strikes home he can almost immediately tell that the bodies inside all that steel are zombies, but from the way they move- with confidence and skill- they are not mindless, shambling zombies but instead juju zombies.
The first man behind the squad of Maidens pops out from around the corner and stabs at Nargun with his rapier. He has the same voice the group heard on the stairs as he shouts positions and suggestions to the assaulting villains. "There's 2 over here, archer by the door! Watch your sightlines!"
Harrow points 3/4. Choosing card: The teamster. Con damage 1, Cha damage 1.
Twilight wasn't entirely concerned with the zombies that pushed through the door, although the revelation that they were juju zombies was concerning; perhaps they were some kind of 'honour guard'? Instead it was the people coming up from behind that had her worried.
She knew that at least two of them were spellcasters and it was a safe bet that the woman with a scythe was devoted to Urgathoa. The worst thing that could happen at the moment is if Nargun were incapacitated.
"Calistria, give this dwarf your blessing. Grant him your favour to see his his axe strike true and his spirit steeled."
With a gentle touch she bestowed Calistria's luck on Nargun.
Bit of luck on Nargun, roll all d20's twice and take the best for 1 round. We just got finished dealing with juju zombies in another game I am in.
"Push them back!" The woman's order rings through the hall and against the glass containers like a bell and the Maidens move as one, three of them smashing their shields into their opponents while the fourth continues to attack Whisper.
L Scorching Ray 1:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 Fire dmg:4d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 1) = 5
L Scorching Ray 2:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 Fire dmg:4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 2, 6) = 16
Nargun and Whisper both find themselves being flung back into a wall as the Grey Maiden facing them smashes her heavy steel shield bodily into them. The other Maiden bracketing Whisper moves forward and stabs the wolf in the ribs as its companion pins Mirela's companion against the stone.
Canny Artegall manages to twist and dodge and keeps from being pushed back.
Moving up behind the Maidens, the blotchy man in leather robes and what looks like a butcher's apron- though no butcher even carried those wicked looking tools- stepped into the room.
He casts a hand out at Nargun- the most obvious threat in the room- and flames shoot out of his open palm. One ray splashes against the stone wall behind the dwarf but the other hits solidly.
Nargun, Artegall, and Whisper all get an AoO. Nargun can hit Yellow, Artegall can either hit Purple or Blue, and Whisper can hit Red.
ok given I think I hit with the AoO does that change what happens with the bull rush? Does the trip happen or does the Bull rush fail given the minuses, or heck does the zombie drop? Also just FYI, CMD for Whisper is 22 right now due to Bulls Strength. I’ll hold the rest of my turn until I see if the situation changes as it matters a lot on how Mirela reacts if there is someone in her face or not.
M Half-Elf Cavalier (Constable) 2 / Investigator (Spiritualist) 6 | AC 25 (T12, FF24, CMD22) | HP 62/62 | F +9 R +8 W +10 | Mv 20' | Init +1 | Per +20/+23 | Insp 6/6 | Spirits 9/9 | Active: None
I had neglected to update Artegall's CMD when some buffs expired, so he is actually CMD 20 and that Bull Rush hits. However, if the AOOs hit, then the damage done by the AOO is applied as a penalty to the CMB check.
OK, Whisper interrupted Red's BR and Nargun destroyed Yellow. Red tried to BR Whisper but failed; Blue 5' stepped and attacked Whisper from the side.
I don't think Lamm would place himself directly in line for a charge from a raging dwarf so I'm going to leave him in the hallway, meaning he only has LoS on Mirela so she'll take the Scorching Rays. Nargun doesn't take 14 dmg; Mirela takes 16 fire dmg instead.
Map is updated.
Nargun practically tears the undead Maiden in front of him in half with the ferocity of his slashing axe, while Whisper ducks under her Maiden's shield and trips the heavily armed soldier to the floor.
Male Dwarf Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 8 Init +1 HP 109/109 DR 4/ AC 17 T12 FF 16 Fort+11 Ref+3 Will +4 Per +9 Spd 30 RAGE! Used 0/29
Trouble with internet these days.. can't post from my comp, only from my phone, sorry. Can't see the map either. Sorry for the mistakes, still unpacking boxes following moving home
If there is any other foe around him, Nargun's axe slashes again, with more power than precision
