Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

The winged helmet quivers, then rises into the air. It begins to float towards the knight.

"I come, Sir Balin! It is a small, sweet voice... the same voice that called out a warning earlier.

Morsum gets an AoO against the flying helmet as it moves to Sir Balin. Everybody else, please don't take any actions -- I have to run out for an hour or two, but the good guys aren't done yet.

great...another fight we can't win. Also, that's odd that attack roll is a crit. I could -swear- that last night when I looked at the post that it was a 6+6 for only a 12, damage was only a 6 and the sneak attack was a 3 or something..

Just wondering, how did Balim get a move action and a full attack?

Just wondering, how did Balim get a move action and a full attack?

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/cleave-combat

On the plus side, he'll be at -2 AC next round.

That's what I figured, if we can just get him to stop rolling 20's :]

Jax, the term you're looking for is "boss fight". Final room of your final exam: did you think the Cardinal was going to give you a walkover?

Zimu throwing a Charm might well have been the better way to go. If he'd failed his save, you guys would be in a very different situation, no question. Anyway, here you are. Oh, and it's first round, not surprise round; the surprise round converted when the helmet yelled a warning. (Yeah, he has a talking helmet.)

Judge, don't forget Morsum's AoO.

The helmet floats across the room and then drops down on Sir Balin's head. The silvery voice speaks. "Evildoers, beware! Fall before the holy light of Mitra! Fall!"

The helmet suddenly glows with blazing light, and fiery beams shoot forth from it!

1d6 ⇒ 6

Treat this as a breath weapon attack doing fire damage. Morsum, Sir Edmin, and Jax are in its path -- DC 14 Reflex save for half damage. Jax, your fire resistance does apply. Judge, please check whether this is enough to drop Morsum when taken together with his earlier damage.

Gotta go for an hour or two -- hold on to your Round Two actions just a bit longer...

Okay, so Jax, Edmin, Zimu and Ragnar already acted in Round Two. Let's see.

Jax strikes -- and finds a weak spot in the knight's armor! Can he press home the attack? Jax, you need to roll to confirm that crit. Otherwise, you've done 8 points of damage.

Sir Edmin roars with rage and smashes against Sir Balin's defense. The Alerion Knight is still off balance from pulling his sword out of Bref's brain, and the attack strikes home! Sir Balin gasps in pain. Edmin, you just managed to hit him because he was at -2 AC from his Cleave. So, that's another 9 points of damage.

Ragnar the dog snarls but still is unable to get through Sir Balin's armor.

And last but not least, Zimu's Daze.

1d20 ⇒ 11 ooh, so close! But he makes his save.

Sir Balin glares at Zimu. "Whoever you are, your magic has no effect on me! I've fought witches and fiends before, and brought them to justice or damnation!"

Okay, so: Jax needs to roll his crit confirmation; Morsum gets his AoO followed by his Round 2 attacks; and the Judge and Dren can act in Round 2. Carry on!

Sir Balin turns towards Sir Edmin and their gazes lock above crossed blades. "You fight like a knight, but some fiendish power strikes through you! Who are you?"

Damn. Bref!

Jax, the term you're looking for is "boss fight". Final room of your final exam: did you think the Cardinal was going to give you a walkover?

Zimu throwing a Charm might well have been the better way to go. If he'd failed his save, you guys would be in a very different situation, no question. Anyway, here you are. Oh, and it's first round, not surprise round; the surprise round converted when the helmet yelled a warning. (Yeah, he has a talking helmet.)

I kind of figured it was a 'big good boss fight'.

I just woke up 8 minutes ago and the first thing I see is Bref chewing a sword. Soooo sad!

Judge I have an idea, but you need to come with me, strike or heal Morsum then withdraw to the room we came from this round!

After casting Cуровую will take a move action to disappear to the previous room, out of sight of the knight.

Dren will pull out the wand of CLW as a move action, shift 5' closer then slam my mind into his with Gift of Madness (Su): You tap into the unthinkable void between the stars and cause a single living creature within 30 feet to become confused for 1 round. A successful Will save negates the effect. DC 17 Willpower save!
1 spell slot left as an emergency!

Dren slams his mind into Balim's, trying to cause the man to become disoriented!

Just checking, the 12 he rolled against Morsum on the attack hit AC21? If so, Morsum is at 0 hp.

Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 <-- save made

Knowing that with his weakened strength, he cannot do much damage, Morsum crouches down into a defensive position glaring at the knight.

Morsum is at 0hp right now, unless the previous strike missed an AC21.

Action Total Defense - AC25
-->Not sure whether this counts as an action that will reduce him into the negative next round.

_____________
The Judge then looks at the knight with his sword in hand and decides to make it harder to hold.

Cast: Grease <-- my last spell.
DC16, or drop sword.

He then follows Cy back into the previous passage unsure of what she has planned.

AoO against the helmet: <-- this was before the helmet blast, so I should still be above 0hp

AoO: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Morsum claws at the floating helmet, which makes an indignant metallic squeak.

Okay, two big saving throws for Sir Balin!

Will save 1d20 ⇒ 12
Reflex save 1d20 ⇒ 7

Sir Balin shakes his head as Dren's mental assault slams into him. "No! I will not succumb!" And... he doesn't.

But the effort distracts him. A moment later, the Judge's spell strikes home... and Sir Balin's longsword leaps from his hand and clatters to the ground.

"Do you think an Alerion Knight will fall to your witch's tricks?"

Sir Balin draws his dagger move action, but doesn't provoke an AoO and stabs at Morsum.

1d20 ⇒ 19

Wow, another potential crit. Okay, rolling to confirm.

1d20 ⇒ 17

Morsum takes 2d4 + 16 ⇒ (1, 2) + 16 = 19 points of damage.

The dagger slashes through the eidolon's throat. Blood sprays everywhere and Morsum falls.

Wow, two crits in a row. Go Sir Balin!

Moving with remarkable grace for such a big man, Sir Balin pivots and slashes at Jax.

1d20 ⇒ 6

BREF'S last act of evil is to have his bowels release in a spray of foulness, hopefully all over Balin's feet

sent you an email dmdm

Jax is AC 19, so Sir Balin's strike missed. (This time.) He's still suffering the -2 AC penalty for Cleaving. However...

The helmet begins to glow again. It's not the fiery rays of the previous attack, though. No, this is a bright glow that somehow flows downward from the helmet like liquid luminescence. In a few moments, Sir Balin is surrounded by a radiant, glowing nimbus of golden light.

"Fear not, good Sir Balin! The power of bright Mitra shall protect you against evil!"

I think you've never had your eidolon killed before, right? Out of game, you know you can just call him back tomorrow at half hp. In-game, there might be a certain level of freakout, since the Judge has no idea that this is the case. You can decide what (if anything) may be appropriate.

good thing jax is neutral!

Neutral... evil!

Over to you, evileers. A quarter of the team may be dead, but you still have five PCs and a dog. What are you doing?

Confirmation: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Random thought: He just killed the only nasty looking monster in here...

After Jax attacks and sees Morsum go down, his stance shifts. He lowers his weapon a bit and looks about looking confused, shocked and aghast. 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14 (bluff) By..by Mitra! That thing, it dominated us! I'm terribly sorry, Sir Knight! I swear by Mitra's powerful adoration that I would never lift my blade to you of my own will!

Heh, so much for that idea.

Over to you, evileers. A quarter of the team may be dead, but you still have five PCs and a dog. What are you doing?

Why composing my eulogy for team evil, reading the players guide to Jade Regent, and I just wet my designer jeans. I thought that was obvious DM.

Hey, it gives me a chance to use Sir Balin's skills! He has +6 Sense Motive. I'd call that lie "unlikely", so the DC is 9. So, he'll make it on anything but a 1 or a 2. (BTW, remind me again how you get +10 on Bluff when lying?)

1d20 ⇒ 1

Holy crap!

Sir Balin pauses. He is still poised and ready to attack, but it is clear that Jax's words have struck a chord.

"I have seen such things before... is it true? Were you under the control of that... thing? Speak, all of you, and speak true!"

Jax, you silver-tongued fiend, you.

But you better be able to explain that +10 Bluff, or we're going to Ctrl-X all this.

Meanwhile, I have to break for the night. Couple of thoughts, though. One, it's the beginning of Round 3 -- the rest of the party has not acted yet, and neither has Sir Balin. He is NOT giving up his attack or taking any other actions... so far, all this is just "talking as a free action". Same thing for the other PCs; they can attack, or try to back your play, or do something else entirely.

Two, let's keep in mind that not everyone in the party has +10 Bluff. Just sayin'. -- Okay, more tomorrow.

Random thought: He just killed the only nasty looking monster in here...

I really wanted Morsum to hold on for just one more round too! Damn!

Jax, being a deceiver and knowing Cуровую tactics from Old Bradascar may very well have picked up what she is planning to do and act accordingly.

Cуровую speaks in haste as she casts Disguise Self.

She will communicate to Edmin via the Message and to the Judge as soon as he joins her.

'Edmin, Judge, if you wish to stay and fight here, this is where we make our stand.'

'But I offer this solution, I will cast a Disguise to appear as Balin's squire, and we, the Judge is key here, barter 'his life' for the pendant. We also make a fighting withdrawal, now! While there is still enough of us standing to do so. With luck that fanatical fool will hurt himself in the garden of mushrooms we just went through as he follows us.'

'At the very least, when we make it to Grumblejack, he may help even out our odds. What say you?'

All DMs posts came while I was typing my post, so I had not read them. You type fast DM.

Time for those who don't have bluff to take withdraw actions, let's rely on the Judge and use 'aid another.'

Or someone grab Balin's sword! If it would not provoke, use it against him. It has to be at least masterwork, probably better.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Edmin holds his shield and sword ready as he quickly glances around the room for something to use.

Can you do mage hand? If so, grab that sword and I will drop mine and you can hand it to me. But when you do the jig is up.

Dren summons his spirits, casts Mage hand., they pick up the sword and hold it out to Edmin while Balim has his back to him addressing Jax....

Dren then moves within a 5' shift of Edmin and Jax, but 10' from Balim.

The high bonus is all due to that lovely rogue level (and a tiefling racial alternate :D never thought it'd come in handy..) +0 Charisma, +3 class skill [rogue] +3 skill points +4 to bluff only when lying from "Beguiling Liar: +4 racial bonus on bluf checks to convince an opponent that what they are saying is true when they tell a lie. This racial trait replaces skilled."

Party: Mage hand can't perform disarms, I believe. I figure now the ball is in Cimu and Judge's court. Emdin can pretend to be mute? :D. Edit: Grease, duh.

I unfortunately can't speak for the others. But I ask you, Sir Balin, do they look like creepy cultists of some monster god? I always figured such people would either look unnatural or exotic.
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Round 3 actions
Jax will step back hesitantly, looking worriedly around at everyone and stepping in a direction that is toward no one (if possible). Then he'll sheathe his sword and shakily reach into a belt pouch a potion and down it. I..I need a drink after that. It feels like my brain is crawling. {Five foot step away from Balim, move action to draw potion, standard to drink}

The sword is laying on the ground, it is an unattended object weighing under 5lbs so mage hand can easily grab it. It is a good use of a zero level spell :]

@ Jax...Fool, you think the halfling was the real master, he was but my puppet as well!
@ Balim I am count Dragos, I was summoned from the Abyss itself to take your soul Balim! Once you have spent yourself on my slaves I will summon something beyond your feeble imagination to bind you and take you back with me! Dren grins

bluff 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15 well thought I might try to get his attention off the others for a round...maybe not :]

Bite:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Correct -- the sword is lying on the ground and so is an unattended object, so you can definitely grab it. I'm just rubbing my chin over whether to give Sir Balin an AoO to grab it as it is pulled away from him.

I would think he would provoke. Similar to picking up the weapon, as he lurches to grab it...and it is still greased

I'm going to say no AoO.

The longsword suddenly slides away over the ground, and then -- once it is out of Sir Balin's reach -- floats up into the air!

If Edmin wants to drop his sword and grab this one, it would be a move action.

Meanwhile:

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

1d20 ⇒ 5

Sir Balin's eyes narrow with suspicion...

Dren, Zimu, Ragnar and Jax have acted. Waiting on Edmin and the Judge, and then it's Team Good's turn again.

Judge, can you drop the grease?

Hold this action please, I would wait to see what the smart people would do, but I have to go for a bit.

Edmin drops his sword behind him and grabs the offered weapon, bringing it around to strike at the previous owner. "Shut up and fight!"

Attack:1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 22
Damage:1d8 + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 10

EDIT: Please add any pluses from The icehole's sword.