DM Khel's Tapestry's Toil (Inactive)

Game Master Khelreddin

Assuming the statue hasn't gone down yet:

Sard delays for a moment, watching Lis and Dewberry attack. He then taps into his subconscious, channel magic inherited from his efreeti ancestors into Lis. Full round casting to enlarge Lis using Efreeti Magic

If Lis and Dewberry took the statue down on that turn, then Sard will return fire at the dwarf that shot at him using magic missile:

Looking ahead to next turn, (a)how high up is the balcony above the floor? (b) Do the other statues provide cover?

Oops, copy/paste goof on the last initiative tracker, forgot it was grappled. I’m not sure what the rule is on Power Attack on the bite, but I’ll say it applies for now.

Lis hits the sculpture incredibly hard, its metal structure ringing like a gong! Dewberry continues to clutch the animate object tightly in her coils, weakening it further, then tearing its head off with her mighty bite! It falls to the ground in pieces with a loud clatter of iron on stone!

Sard sends a volley of force bolts at his long-distance foe, injuring him badly!

Sard - I’ll say the balcony is 20’ tall and the statues would provide partial cover.

Round 2 Initiative:
Ostendiel
Sard
Tarn
Lis, Dewberry
Duergar (yellow: blinded; blue: -13 hp)

Bold are up!

Lisianthus tries to high-five Dewberry, but Dewberry does not have hands. She gives her an encouraging pat on the head instead.

Tarn moves forward and pulls out his battle axe, moving up to the blinded duergar. "We should keep one alive for questioning," he muses, looking at his sharpened axe wistfully.

Tarn – how did you get from near Sard to up on the balcony in a single turn? I don’t think you had moved before this, right? A double move at 20’ speed should have you somewhere near the bottom of the stairs, I think. I’m going to proceed as if you’re not in that location – if you somehow are there, the attacks will be directed at you rather than Ostendiel.

Yellow Will vs glitterdust, DC 19: 1d20 ⇒ 5

The enlarged duergar continues to struggle to wipe the magic dust from his eyes, blind to the irony that his vision is blocked by something golden and glittering, which any sort of dwarf should love. The other duergar loads a bolt into his heavy crossbow and begins to crank the handle to cock it.

Round 3 Initiative:
Ostendiel
Sard
Tarn
Lis, Dewberry
Duergar (yellow: blinded; blue: -13 hp)

Ostendiel, your turn.

Ha ha, no, that was me thinking the raised area was not very high, and ignoring the giant steps clearly visible on the map. My bad.

Ostendiel charges the blinded duerargar, using his momentum to deliver a powerful blow.

Unarmed Attack, including +2 for charge: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

AC is down by 2 for one round.

Ostendiel gives the blinded, glittering, giant duergar a powerful thump!

No worries, Tarn, I thought that might be what happened. With the statue down, the rest of the party is up now!

Round 3 Initiative:
Ostendiel
Sard
Tarn
Lis, Dewberry
Duergar (yellow: -14 hp, blinded; blue: -13 hp)

Sard moves up and tries to fry the blue enemy before he can get another shot off. Elemental ray (fire). The Pythagorean theorem I just did in my head says he's within 30' of me for PBS.

touch attack, PBS: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 1 = 24
damage, PBS: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 = 10

"Bwahahaha! Burn!"

Lisianthus races to the stairs and starts climbing as fast as she can. "Dewberry, heel!" The stairs are quite narrow for Dewberry, and she is squeezing, but not in the way she usually does.

Tarn grimaces as he looks at up the stairs. "Stupid dark dwarves, can't just stand on the ground..." He starts toward the stairs, then stops. "Och, forget it," he mutters, sheathing his axe and letting his eyes roll back. Calling upon the void, he takes control of the blue deurgar's skeleton, and tries to yanks it off the ledge!

5-foot step, move action to sheath weapon, standard to cast boneshaker at Blue - Damage: 3d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 3) + (6, 6) = 19, Fort save DC 15 for half damage. If he fails, he moves 5' to the right, and falls to the ground.

Sard’s mad cackling and fiery crackling sear the duergar badly, leaving him barely standing. The grey dwarf somehow manages to resist the worst effects of Tarn’s spell, but the harsh rattling of his skeleton is too much, and the dwarf drops his crossbow, which skitters off the ledge! The duergar himself crashes to the stone of the balcony, unmoving!

Fort, DC 15: 1d20 ⇒ 14

The last duergar swings his axe wildly in the direction of Ostendiel’s last attack and manages to connect! He then wipes the last of the golden dust out of his eyes, finally able to see his opponent!

Axe vs Ostendiel: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22 I think with the -2 to AC due to charge, he hits you, but please confirm.
Damage: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (2, 8) + 4 = 14
Miss chance, 1-50 hits: 1d100 ⇒ 18

Will vs glitterdust, DC 19: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Round 4 Initiative:
Ostendiel
Sard
Tarn
Lis, Dewberry
Duergar (yellow: -14 hp, glittery)

Pathfinders are go!

A few steps over and Sard unleashes another elemental ray at the formerly blind duergar. "Your turn!"

attack, point-blank shot: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 1 = 24
damage, point-blank shot: 1d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

Ostendiel winces as the Duergar's axe cuts into him.

Maintaining the grim expression on his face, he spins and punches the duergar, followed by two swift kicks.

Flurry of blows. The first one is a Style Strike, which gives Ostendiel a +4 Dodge bonus (AC up to 26) against the duergar until the beginning of Ostendiel's next turn if it hits.

Defensive Spin Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
Damage if hits: 1d8 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

Attack #2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Damage if hits: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Attack #3: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Damage if hits: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Lisianthus and Dewberry finish racing up the stairs.

As Lis and her serpent rush up the stairs, and Sard prepares to send a ray of searing fire at the last duergar standing, Ostendiel spins and hits the grey dwarf once, sending him bonelessly to the floor! All is quiet for a moment, save the sound of Dewberry’s scales rasping against the stone as the great serpent ascends the stairs. Suddenly, a fierce-faced mask appears, its eyes popping and its leering smile full of fangs, as it hovers in the air in the center of the room.

”Thank the spirits!” the flying mask exclaims, ”You defeated them! I thank you for that, for I so despise those creatures. Their leader has destroyed much of my modest domain and forced me to serve them. I am sorry, but it was I controlling the sculpture you fought – I am glad I did not do any lasting harm. Your serpent is a formidable foe.” The mask seems to shake a moment, as a person might do when clearing their head of distraction, then returns to its original point, ”Again, I thank you for defeating these servants of Ironwhip. If you can defeat Ironwhip himself, then I will gladly provide each of you with assistance in the future. In the meantime, I can offer some assistance in navigating his fortress.”

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Tarn looks at the floating mask askance. "So, ye're a prisoner here, are ye? I don' think ye're a prisoner anymore... c'mere!" Tarn will go up and gently pick up the mask, examining it carefully. If the creature permits, he will don the mask.

Tarn, the mask is flying - it's high in the air in the center of the room.

"Judging by the reception we got from these creatures, I suspect it may come down to kill or be killed with this Ironwhip and his servants."

Dewberry starts waving around in an odd manner, as though she remembered the mask's voice from long ago, when she was still in a shell.

Pathfinder Society time loop. Carry on.

"Who are you?" Ostendiel asks simply. "Myself, I am Ostendiel."

He decides not to reveal that they are Pathfinders just yet. Sometimes that works well, sometimes that causes problems; you never know.

The mask dips in the air, as if nodding or perhaps bowing slightly, then replies, ”I am Tanbaru. I have dwelt here a long time, since long before Ironwhip and his kind came. They destroyed a place that belonged to me, that would have let me resist them, and forced me into servitude. I do not know the entirety of their fortress, which is vast indeed and peopled by many, many duergar, but I know it a little and can sense where some of the more powerful of its residents may be, so I can help you find them – though even with my help. you will need to be sharp-witted and strong to make it through the fortress alive.”

He floats closer to the party and says, ”In order to help you, I will need one of you to wear me.” When Tarn steps forward, Tanbaru settles onto the dwarf’s face, giving him a truly fearsome appearance. ”Unless you have more questions, let us be on our way.”

Figured since he volunteered before being asked, he gets to wear the magic spirit mask being.

Navigating within Slave Mountain requires Survival or Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks in order to avoid the many duergar guards and patrols. You’re free to suggest other approaches for how you might make your way undetected through the mountain.

Survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (7) - 1 = 6

I'm no good at this sneaking around nonsense. Makes me twitchy. Besides, those other duergar lit up easy enough.

Lisianthus carefully examines the patterns of fungal growth and follows the veins of minerals in rock of the mountain. She avoids using her Wayfinder due to the earlier mention of Aspis.

Survival: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Ostendiel looks at Sard, looks at Lisianthus, looks at Sard, and then goes to follow Lisianthus.

As the party sets out, Tanbaru whispers to Tarn to go generally in the direction Lis has selected, but suggests going a different direction at one or two intersections of tunnels.

Tarn gets a +10 to this roll, and anyone who hasn't rolled yet can aid another.

Power failed in the middle of a post... back now!

Tarn shivers slightly as he lets the mask settle onto his face. "Ah've heard about beings like you, but Ah never thought I'd meet one meself!" He keeps up a constant if whispered conversation with Pendaru the entire way through the tunnels. Nothing critical, more about his kind, if he has relatives, what daily life as a mask is like, etc.

Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (5) + 11 = 16

"Eh, 'e sez it's this way," Tarn 'corrects' Lis a couple of times, until it's clear the mask doesn't really know where to go.

Well, if Ostendiel rolls a natural 20 or aids Lis, the best result will be a 25, which still fails to meet the DC. If you’d like to swap the mask around or otherwise take a different approach on the next set of checks, let me know.

Aided by the mask oni, Tarn proves not quite so adept at the task at hand as Lis. Even with the druid's tracking talents, however, the party runs into three patrols. Though they manage to fight their way clear of each encounter, all of the Pathfinders are pretty beat up afterwards. The party finds themselves with a moment to catch their breath, standing outside a door from which heat radiates, and beyond which the rhythmic clanging of metal on metal can be heard.

Everyone takes 3d8 + 6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5) + 6 = 20 points of damage.

Ostendiel - not sure if your header isn't current or you need to heal. But now you really need to heal.

(Assuming we have enough time) Sard taps himself with his wand of infernal healing, waits a minute, then taps himself again. "Anyone else? It's not the happiest of healing, but it gets the job done."

Ostendiel really needs to heal.

Ostendiel, looking quite beat up from the various combats, gets out his wand of Cure Light Wounds. To Sard, he says, "I find that the feeling of corruption I get using a wand like that makes me wish to avoid it. Tarn, or Lis, would one of you be willing to use the magic of this wand to strengthen me before we go through this door?"

Ouch!

Lisianthus uses her own wand on herself and Dewberry, and uses Ostendiel's wand for him.

Average rolls out of combat okay, or do you want us to roll for it?

Average rolls is fine by me.

Tarn uses his wand to heal his own wounds, as well as anyone else's who needs it, feeling somewhat guilty for not being able to find the path around all the duergar. Let me know if you want charges from my wand instead of your own!

Once ensuring the group is fully healed, Tarn turns his attention to the door. "Ah, the music o' the forge," he mutters. "Wonder what these evil buggers're making? Any idea, Pendaru? "

Though the mask oni has no visible throat, it manages to make a throat-clearing sound nonetheless, ”Ahem…you mean Tanbaru? I do not know for certain what they’re making now, but I can sense the presence of Mueritt, the Dark Smith. She makes the statues you saw when we first met, that I brought into the fight against you.”

With average rolls (5.5), it'll take 7 charges to bring Ostendiel back to full HP.

Okay, seems that everyone is healed up. Anything else you want to do before going in, since Tanbaru told you that someone is beyond the door?

How long did we spend in the mountain? I assume I need to refresh longstrider and mage armor, but is greater magic fang still active (it was a 6 hour duration)? Also, 8 charges total to heal up Lisianthus and Dewberry.

I'll refresh Mage Armor if it's been more than 5 hours.

Ostendiel would like a refresh of Mage Armor from his wand, assuming Sard is willing.

It’s been about an hour since you first entered the mountain, so Ostendiel’s mage armor from the wand would need to be refreshed, but other hour/level spells cast by the party members would not.

The heavy iron door leads into what is unmistakably a forge. The smell of musk and hot iron saturates the thick air. Heat is everywhere, with regular blasts of hot wind blowing past in time with the bellows. A single iron sculpture leans on the east wall. Though it bears a strong central frame and several barbed twists, it remains far from complete. The air tastes bitter and metallic.

A broad-shouldered duergar woman stands at the anvil, a hammer in her hand. Next to her is a bizarre beast, its squat form as wide as it is tall. Strangely symmetrical, the thing has three arms, three legs, three eyes, and one huge mouth.

The grey dwarf smith begins to speak, “’Tis Droskar the Dark Smith who sustains us and all who live within the tapestry. He forged us after his own image; hard and strong like iron. He gave us a home and iron from the earth, and laborers to toil in his name and for our sake. I am Muerrit, and I welcome you to your final endeavor, slaves. Trust that your new god will remake you in his mines.”

Knowledge (planes) to identify the tripod beast. We are not yet in combat, but I’m rolling initiative in case anyone decides to change that.

Round 1 Initiative:
Ostendiel
Tarn
Lis, Dewberry
Mueritt
Sard
Three-legged Stool

New map posted – I’m going to ignore the boxes right by the entrance (currently covered by Dewberry), since this map is so tight as it is.

4 average charges from my wand used.

"Yer pardon, Tanbaru... I was thinking of another flying face guy I know with a similar-sounding name." Being perfectly serious... Mummy's Mask spoiler, so I won't get into it.

Before opening the door, Tarn will bring the blessings of Groetus upon us, so that we may all face the the world's ending with misplaced confidence. bless

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Tarn knows that the three-legged creature is a xorn, a bizarre extraplanar creature that eats gems and precious metals. Two questions.

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

One more question, Sard.

Sard takes a particular interest in the effectiveness of elemental energies on exotic creatures, so how about resistances/immunities?

Tarn wonders what special abilities xorn have, and whether they really like to work with evil dark dwarves, or are being forced into it.

Sard, with his interest in how elemental energies affect creatures he might encounter, knows that xorns have an impressive set of immunities - they cannot be harmed by cold or fire, and are strongly resistant to electricity. Their tri-directional anatomy, and thus eyes facing all directions, means they can't be flanked either.

Tarn knows that these creatures are native to the Plane of Earth, and can glide through any sort of natural earth or stone as easily as a fish swims through water. He also knows that they are generally rather neutral in their views, so might not normally be inclined to work with evil creatures such as the duergar.

"Slaves? Mines? I think I'll pass, thanks." Sard says, and with a wink adds "I mean, look at me. I certainly don't need any remaking."