DM Khel's Tapestry's Toil (Inactive)

Game Master Khelreddin

And there is a very big snake (whose statblock is now updated) following him.

No cause for apologies, Ostendiel. I hope I didn't sound grumpy about it, mostly just posting a reminder.

Looking down from the surface, Ostendiel can see a pile of gold and silver coins, the flash of glittering jewels, and one or two larger items of gold, perhaps a chalice or bowl. It's hard to make out any more details from the surface.

Still holding his breath, and trying to remain stoic despite the gigantic snake behind him, Ostendiel is suspicious that such a large pile of gold and valuables would sit so visibly at the bottom of the pool. He takes a few rounds to look it over carefully. Before swimming to the surface and telling the others what he saw.

Not taking 20, because Ostendiel is holding his breath, but roll Perception a few times to represent a few rounds of looking around at the thing.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

Getting a bit closer, Ostendiel spots an engraved silver cup and an ornate golden scepter, thickly encrusted with gems, amongst the heaped coins.

Ostendiel swims back to shore and tells the others what he saw. "I have not touched them yet. It would be instructive to know if any of the items, or if the pile as a whole, has a magic aura."

"Comin' right up!" Sard moves close to the items and casts detect magic from the shore. Assuming he's able to get a reading through the water, he holds his gaze for a few rounds to gain as much information as he can.

Sard concentrates on the glitter of gold, and does indeed sense magic coming from it, of moderate strength.

Sard - can you give me a d20 roll?

Tarn follows along, trying to remember what he can about Duergar. Did my Knowledge checks net me anything? Tarn hasn't seen them before, so he'll fall back to his training.

As we approach the water, Tarn will also cast detect magic, and scan the surroundings. Once Ostandiel makes his request, Tarn will also study the items. "Who would be so careless as to drop this in the water, an' no come back fer it?" he wonders aloud.

Sorry, Tarn, I guess I thought your Knowledge checks were to sort out who Grodel might be. I'll apply the Knowledge (local) result of 26 to identifying duergar. You get three questions, we can do them now or when you first encounter them.

And would you also give me a d20 roll?

1d20 ⇒ 7

Not sure if it was clear I was also asking Tarn for a d20 roll. I'll roll for him and we'll roll along.

Tarn's skill check: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Sard is not able to make out the school of magic through the water, but Tarn's intense concentration reveals to him that it is illusion magic.

"Bah, the water's blockin' me from gettin' a clear reading. Sorry Osty, no help from me in that department."

Ostendiel nods. "Illusion magic. Well, I will find out the hard way it is hiding."

Ostendiel will take a deep breath and swim back down to the pile of treasure and touch it, trying to see through the illusion.

Take 10 on Swim for a result of 18.

Will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
I dunno if the +4 for being told it's an illusion would count here or not, so I haven't included it.

"Hmm, seems to be an illusion... I'm thinkin' a trap o' some sort. Let's stay oot a the water, in case some beastie comes lookin' fer a meal."

Tarn starts pulling out some rope, preparing to cross the river (assuming that's where we're heading). "We're lookin' for these dwarves, not on the hunt for baubles. Best keep to our task."

Unable to hear Tarn's words of caution over the waterfall, Ostendiel swims against the river’s current back to the glittering pile, diving down to get a closer look. He studies it as well as he can given the circumstances, sure that it is an illusion, but is unable to see it as anything other than a pile of gold and other valuables. As his outstretched finger makes contact, the treasure vanishes! In its place stands a striking, blue-eyed man with luminous skin and flowing white hair! He holds an ethereal harp and a wicked smile spreads across his face.

Ostendiel is startled enough by this sudden change, but is beyond startled by the fact that his lungs are filling with water!

Ostendiel - Fort Save please.

Round 1 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Definitely Not Treasure
Ostendiel
Tarn
Sard
?

Lis and Dewberry are up! Knowledge (nature) to identify the water man.

Uh oh. Lungs filling with water is very bad.

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

That scares me enough to go and put my four PaizoCon volunteer shirts on my folio and reroll with a +5 thanks to all the shiny GM stars.

Fort reroll: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

That was a very good decision. Lis and her scaly friend are up!

What in the world is that?

Knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Now that it is in its true form, Lis recognizes the creature as a fossegrim, an evil fey known for luring its prey to a watery death.

Two questions, Lis.

DR, and immunities and resistances, please.

They are resistant to all weapons but those made of cold iron. They do not have any particular immunities or resistances, nor do they have spell resistance.

"Use cold iron if you can, folks! Dewberry and I will just have to do this the hard way. Dewberry, attack!"

Lisianthus turns into a slightly smaller version of Dewberry, and makes her way down the rocks and into the water. Wildshape into constrictor snake

Dewberry moves around for a chance to attack without cover, and bites with her mighty jaws. That seems reasonable to me that an animal would move to where no one is between her and the creature she's attacking, but if you don't buy that, she can stay put.

Dewberry attack!: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Dewberry damage: 1d4 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

if that hits...
Dewberry grab: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21
Dewberry constrict: 1d4 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15
Razor scales bleed damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Tarn shakes his head and is about to shout his warning again, when the "treasure" transforms into Definitely Not Treasure. Wha' under tha final moon is tha'?

Tarn moves to the edge of the pond, invoking the favor of Groetus to bring this foul beast to a quicker end than that which we all face.

bless, +1 morale bonus to hit and on saves versus fear

Tarn – you’re not up quite yet, but I’ll assume you take that action when your turn comes around – if you’re able to at that point. :)

Dewberry’s mighty jaws don’t quite connect with the river-fey’s slippery form! Still wearing an evil smile and little else, the fossegrim takes a step backwards, fading into transparency as he moves! On the riverbank, a great sphere of water suddenly appears around Tarn!

Tarn – DC 18 Reflex save or take 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11 nonlethal damage. If you fail this save, make a second save to avoid being engulfed by the aqueous orb.

Target, 1 is Sard, 2 is Tarn: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Round 1 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Fossegrim (transparent [effectively invisible])
Ostendiel
Tarn (need 1 or 2 Reflex saves)
Sard
?

Bold are up!

Ostendiel withdraws to get to the surface and fill his lungs with air.

(Given that his lungs started to fill with water, I'm assuming he no longer counts as holding his breath, and needs to get to the surface to be able to start breating again.)

Where's the creature on the map? I don't see it. I moved Ostendiel a bit in what I presume is a direction away from the creature.

Yes, you'd need to catch your breath, thanks for thinking of it. And you can't see the creature on the map because Ostendiel can't see the creature in the game - it's gone all transparent on you. I've placed a yellow dot on the map where it was last seen.

Crap, gotta light him up before we lose track of him!

Sard mutters an incantation as he quickly waves his hand and blows a pinch of mica from his fingers toward the water. The section of water where the foe was until recently visible is suddenly full of sparkly glitter. glitterdust centered where I saw him step back to as he faded out of view. DC 19 Will save if he's still in the area.

Will: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Sard’s spell causes a glittering cloud of golden silt to appear in the water where the fossegrim was last spotted, outlining the fey’s slender form! His eyes appear to be covered in an especially heavy deposit of the golden dust and he flails around blindly!

Ostendiel and Tarn are up!

Ostendiel, having taken a deep breath, holds his breath again and swims down to grapple the fey.

Hoping that 10ft of swimming is enough to get to him; it's 5ft on the map, but he's also probably down about 10 or 15ft; I think it should be fine with one square and one diagonal movement.

Grapple CMB, including +2 for Improved Grapple: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

Ostendiel - In case I wasn't clear, this is still the same round when you swam up to the surface. The water is 15' deep, so you would have used one move action to get to the surface (50' move speed / 4 = 12.5' swim speed, good enough to get up to the surface). I'd say taking a breath of air is a free action, since you're pretty practiced at the whole breathing thing. So you've got a move action left, which would get you back down to him, but not leave you enough actions to attack.

OIC! I was thinking it was a new round. I will swim back down with the second action then, so I threaten in case he tries something fancy.

Can I save the Grapple roll for next round? :)

Reflex save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10+2 to roll if this is a spell or SLA
Reflex save #2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10

Assuming that fails, so I'm engulfed... and need a third save on my turn to escape?

Reflex save #3: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6+2 to roll if this is a spell or SLA

Urf... Tarn isn't very flexible today!

Holding his breath, Tarn will use his interstellar void supernatural ability on the beastie. (4d6 cold damage, Fort DC 15 for half)

4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 3) = 12

Fossegrim Fort: 1d20 ⇒ 11 Success

The glittering water-fey manages to resist some of the icy cold of the void inflicted on him by Tarn! An instant later, a walking, mud-covered corpse steps from the thick reeds that line the edge of the riverbank, taking Dewberry by surprise and swinging an axe at the great serpent!

Greataxe vs Dewberry: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 If this hits, make a DC 12 Fort save or be nauseated for 1 round
Greataxe vs Dewberry: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Round 2 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Fossegrim (-7 hp, blind, glittery])
Ostendiel
Tarn (entangled in watery orb)
Sard
Dead-looking guy

Lis and Dewberry are up. Knowledge (religion) to identify muddy zombie-looking thing.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

I need to retcon slightly. The constrictor snake I can wildshape into is Medium, and large snakes don't seem to have swim speeds. Is it okay if I turned into a shark instead?

And in case it was confusing, Dewberry is a large snake with a swim speed because she is an animal companion advanced to large size, not a standard bestiary snake.

Sure, a shark sounds fun. And I knew that Dewberry was supposed to have a swim speed as an AC, because I've considered the constrictor snake as an AC for various characters of mine - but thanks for making an effort to keep things clear.

Dewberry cringes as the greataxe comes down twice, once on either side of her, though clanging off the combination of magical protection and thick scales. Flat-footed AC is currently 21.

This thing is pretty mean, but Mom said to attack that one over there...

Dewberry will continue her last command, and move in to attack the fey creature again.

Dewberry attack!, blessed: 1d20 + 10 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 10 + 1 = 27
Dewberry damage: 1d4 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20

if that hits
Dewberry grab, blessed: 1d20 + 14 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 14 + 1 = 21
Dewberry constrict: 1d4 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Razor scales bleed damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2

SharkLis swims into a flanking position with Ostendiel, and bites at the (hopefully grappled) fey.

Jaws attack, blessed, flanking: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 10 + 1 + 2 = 15
Bite damage: 1d8 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Hmm, not sure how I ended up with two undead things on the map, but I’ve deleted one.

Fossegrim Will, DC 19: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Dewberry bites the fey foe, then encircles him in her powerful coils! Lisianthus the shark then bites the fossegrim as well! Though he tries, the golden-tinged creature still can’t manage to clear the glittering silt from his eyes. He manages to exert some direction on the massive sphere of water, sending it flowing onto Sard and taking Tarn along for the ride! The surging waters of the orb smash Tarn about a bit as he travels.

Orb nonlethal damage vs Tarn: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

Sard – DC 18 Reflex save or take above nonlethal damage. If you fail this save, make a second save to avoid being engulfed by the aqueous orb.

The fey, seemingly helpless in Dewberry’s grasp, twists and wriggles a bit, the wicked smile crossing its face again before it does something truly strange – it kisses the mighty snake on the mouth! The serpent’s strangely asymmetrical lungs begin to fill with water!

Fort Save from Dewberry, please.

Kiss vs touch AC: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Miss chance, 1-50 hits: 1d100 ⇒ 35 Not sure a miss chance makes sense since he’s being hugged by Dewberry, but it does seem to be RAW.

Round 2 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry (Fort save needed from Dewberry)
Fossegrim (-32 hp, blind, glittery, grappled])
Ostendiel
Tarn (entangled in watery orb)
Sard (1 or 2 Reflex saves needed)
Dead-looking guy

Bold can act!

Forgive the reptilian anatomy moment, but it’s always fascinated me that snakes, which tend to swallow their prey whole, have their lungs positioned one after the other in their bodies, because if they were both at the same position along their bodies, their big mouthful would suffocate them.

Fortitude save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Phew.

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Well that's a relief. Sard steps away from the watery orb and points his hand at the fey, unleashing three beads of force that streak into the water.

magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

You guys and your nat 20's! How is an evil fey supposed to drown you with rolls like that? Give a little thought to the evil creature straight ouf of Scandinavian myth, would ya?

Sard's force beads pierce the fossegrim's glittery skin, causing him to writhe in pain in Dewberry's grasp!

Round 2 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Fossegrim (-41 hp, blind, glittery, grappled])
Ostendiel
Tarn (entangled in watery orb)
Sard
Dead-looking guy

Ostendiel and Tarn are up.

Ostendiel begins lashing out with hand and foot.

Swim: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Swift: Assume Dragon Style stance.
Full Attack: Flurry. -2 for underwater bludgeoning is included.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Damage 1: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Attack 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Damage 2: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Attack 3: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Damage 3: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Hmm... not good roles. Damage is halved, so if the second one hits, that's only 5hp, which probably won't penetrate DR. If by some miracle the first one hits, that's 7hp.

Tarn continues to hold his breath, and uses his interstellat void ability as posted above. (Sorry, posted out of order again.) He'll then work on escaping the watery prison that is making his braided beard float around like a face full of tentacles.

Please go ahead and roll whateve I need to escape being entangled... I'll do it this round if it is a move action, or next if it is a standard or full round action.

Tarn - you didn't post out of turn last time, it was your turn when you used interstellar void. As to getting out of the aqueous orb, it's just a Reflex save, doesn't seem to take any kind of action. But I'll roll it, as requested:

Tarn Reflex vs spell: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 1 + 2 = 17

Tarn almost forces his way out of the roiling bubble of water, but the current manages to yank him back in! None of Ostendiel's blows manage to connect with the glittery water-fey!

Tarn - you still have an action this turn, what would you like to do?

Tarn concentrates again, using his brain drain ability on the fey creature. cold damage: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 1, 4) = 10 Will save DC 15 negates, and I get the effects of detect thoughts on him as well if he fails the save.

Will: 1d20 ⇒ 8 Success

The fossegrim resists the effects of Tarn’s brain drain! The dead-looking thing with the axe takes a surprising nimble step off the river bottom, swimming to the surface at it closes on Dewberry and attacks!

Greataxe vs Dewberry: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17 If this hits, make a DC 12 Fort save or be nauseated for 1 round.
Damage: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Round 3 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Fossegrim (-41 hp, blind, glittery, grappled)
Ostendiel
Tarn (entangled in watery orb)
Sard
Dead-looking guy (now at surface of river)

Lis and Dewberry are up!

The greataxe does not hit Dewberry, even grappled.

SharkLis moves in aggressively on seeing Dewberry's distress, chomping down with extra force while it's still grappled.

Jaws attack, blessed, flanking, power attack: 1d20 + 10 + 1 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 1 + 2 - 2 = 16
Jaws bite, power attack: 1d8 + 10 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 4 = 20

Dewberry stays conscious, but needs a breath of fresh air. She withdraws from the battle and swims to the surface. Your call on route and AoOs. Her Int is 2.

Minor point of clarification: I didn’t take the fossegrim’s blindness into account on Ostendiel’s attacks. So he did hit – but he didn’t get through DR...

Fossegrim Will, DC 19: 1d20 ⇒ 2

Lisianthus’ toothy bite misses the fossegrim! The fey continues to contend futilely with the blinding silt as Tarn struggles to escape the sphere of water! Irritated beyond belief, the fossegrim lashes out blindly with his fists at Ostendiel!

Slam vs Ostendiel: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27
Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6
Miss chance, 1-50 hits: 1d100 ⇒ 51

Slam vs Ostendiel: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4
Miss chance, 1-50 hits: 1d100 ⇒ 29

Tarn – DC 18 Reflex save or nonlethal damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6 from aqueous orb and stay engulfed in it. If you make the save, take your turn as usual.

Round 3 Initiative:
Lis, Dewberry
Fossegrim (-41 hp, blind, glittery)
Ostendiel
Tarn (entangled in watery orb, Reflex save to escape)
Sard
Dead-looking guy (now at surface of river)

Bold can act!

Lis – I’m going with no AoO’s on Dewberry’s movement. The fossegrim can’t take them when blind, and she moved into the undead’s threatened square, rather than out of it.