GM Aarvid PFS #3-09: The Quest for Perfection - CORE (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

Huck steps over and tries to stun the bird with a finger to the eye!

unarmed strike: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
DC 14 Fort or stunned for the round.

Saldoc will try to move into a flank, with caution!

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Saldoc barely slides under the reach of the large bird's razor-sharp beak, but is able to move into position.

Meredith and Goldur work likewise, aiding each other and both landing blows on the stunned leader, but he remains seated.

The bird tries to keep its balance on the now grease spot beneath after Ruth's handy work.

1d20 ⇒ 18 and the birds talons help it grab into the village packed soil.

=== Round 23 ===
Tengu Leader (-25,stunned/blind) bird(0)

The leader shakes his head and regains his senses, only to find he is missing his blade. He commands the bird to fetch his katana

Jikon, fetch! as he points to the ground.

AoO for each except Ruth, on the bird if desired/armed as the bird bends down to retrieve the weapon and beak it to the rider.

(I just love how they never give a dagger to foes in mods.)
Party up

AoO: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25 for Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 2 + (2) = 10

Saldoc then assaults the leader!

AoO: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 for Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 2 + (6) = 13
AoO: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 for Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 1 + (1) = 3

Meredith frowns, as she's forced to hack away at an animal.

AoO: 1d20 + 2 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 5 + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 2 = 5

She swings again at the leader.

Cold Iron Scimitar, Flanking, Bull's Strength: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 26
Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 2 = 7

Saldoc slashes a large chunk from the bird's legs and Meredith leaves a deep wound across its ribs, causing it to nearly drop the blade, but it continues.

Saldoc's assault on the leader goes wide but druid connects again on the rider.

"Look around you, my friend. Your allies are dead or dying. You're surrounded in a place that is not your home. If you keep this up, you'll soon be lying dead yourself. Go back, and leave these people."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Not giving a dagger to NPCs has caused the early termination of far too many fights. My sunderer-fighter ended quite a few encounters that way, by just destroying their weapons before they could do anything.

AoO on bird:
unarmed strike: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

After taking a wild kick at the bird, Huck then puts his fists to work on the rider's legs:

flurry: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

flurry: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (13) + 0 = 13
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Ruth tries to move in on the leader and his mount carefully helping the group surround him.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Then she grips her blade in both hands and chops down at the birdman.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 2 = 9
Damage: 2d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2, 6) + 3 + 1 = 12

The attacks on the bird fail to stop it from retreiving the katana. The leader takes a couple punishing blows but seems

=== Round 24 ===
Tengu Leader (-32) bird(-15)

He looks down at Goldur and spits blood on the ground (can tengu spit?).

Bah! I will not go to the halls of the dead without taking some of you with me! BONZAI!

He swings violently at Ruth, remembering her initial attack on him.
It appears being stunned does not drop his challenge as he was not unconscious.
Leader katana: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 1 = 28 for dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 3 = 11
Leader confirm: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 1 = 18 for dmg: 1d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 3 = 11

The bird bites at Saldoc for the slash to the legs.
Big Beak: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 for dmg: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Party goes...please finish him!

Recognizing the bird leader's prowess with the weapon, Huck tries his hardest to beat some bruises into the leader's legs, which is as high as he can reach from his short vantage point.

flurry: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

flurry: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (17) + 0 = 17
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

I'll be leaving on another trip tomorrow morning and hopefully back on Wednesday. If needed feel free to bot me; if I'm able to post at all it will be slow and I don't want to hold things up.

Party goes...please finish him!

Trying!

Meredith continues to swing at the leader.
Cold Iron Scimitar, Flanking, Bull's Strength: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 5 + 2 + 2 = 20
Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6

Saldoc is almost taken out by the bird but he fights on, going for the leader!

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 for Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 2 + (1) = 8
Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 for Damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (5) = 8

Goldur furls his brow. "So be it."

Warhammer + flanking: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Ruth screams as she is run thru with the leaders blade, then slumps to he ground.

at -2 HP

Stablize: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 2 = 10

Ya!!! Not dying!

Huck's flurry cannot pentrate the rider's armor, but Meredith's swing is enough to finish him. With him falling the bird goes CRAZY and looks to start a major rage.

SQUAAAAAAAAAKAKKKKK!

However Saldoc and Galdor double team on the bird and chop it down!

Ruth lays on the ground, missing the climactic finish.

Out of combat....technically some of the tengu will be waking up outside from the color spray by now, but seeing their fallen leader they head for the hills

The battle ends once Kwankhonu is dead and his minions are deceased or have fled. Any remaining tengus retreat or throw themselves on the villager’s mercy.

A cheer goes out from the surviving villagers.

Hoorray for the Samurai...I mean Pathfinders!

Howver, victory does not come free, of course; if the players inquire, sum up villager casualties as follows: of the 50 men and women that aided in the fight, 23 perish.

These honored fallen are buried in the hills overlooking the home they gave their lives for; in spite of this, Nesting Swallow celebrates its victory. For the first time in years, the village looks forward to living free of banditry.

Je Tsun honors her bargain with you, isolating herself in her home with the Braid of a Hundred Masters for a day and a night. When she emerges with a smile, "The braid is restored to its ancient potency."

She hands you the artifact, although even now, activated, the use of the relic is difficult to discern, but Pathfinders in the Lantern Lodge in Goka are undoubtedly eager to begin their work examining the powerful item.

You can finish up, healing Ruth and recovering or dialog with the villagers

Meredith swings and cuts into the leader. "You will hurt this village no longer!." As the man drops, she looks at the bird, who flies into a frenzy. "No! Stop! I command you!" She begins to weave a magical spell to at least befriend the bird and inform it of its freedom, but her allies silence it before it can run amok.

Meredith drops her scimitar, mumbling. "Maybe...it would have fled..." But she knows in her heart that it was it or her. Besides, she had to help Ruth.

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Ruth? You with us, now? Good. It's over."

----

Meredith works day and night to help the burial ground for the villagers who fought and died defending the village. She requests to build a mound for the bird itself, but respects the village's wishes. She asks for a moment to speak during the funeral.

"I wish I had the strength and courage these brave men and women had. Long ago, I was rash. Angry. Impulsive. I did not consider the effects of my actions on the others in my village, and we were overrun by bandits. We were sold into slavery or killed for insubordination."

"But in this village, Nesting Swallow, we combined our forces and fought together. We fought bravely. We fought with honor. And although they lost their lives, I know they will go peacefully into the afterlife knowing their sacrifice saved their neighbors. I know where ever they are, they are smiling at us all. Tales of your valor will inspire other villages to make a stand against invaders. So be at peace. For you are victorious."

Meredith quickly excuses herself to pace outside the village. She says she is patrolling to make sure no bandits come back for revenge, but she knows they won't. She doesn't feel like celebrating. All of the attention on her, they way people wanted her to lead. I don't know if I'm ready to lead. Not again...

Ruth wakes slowly after being healed. "Thank you Meredith." She reaches up to take the druid's hand and stands up. "That was quite a battle." She looks around seeing all the dead villagers she just shakes her head. "What a waste."

---------------------------------------------

Ruth helps the village bury the dead and repair the damaged buildings during the next few days.

When Je Tsun gives the group the Braid back unlocked Ruth nods. "Your are an honorable woman and strong. This villages is lucky to have you."

"Well said, Meredith. You've got more eloquence with words than I have." The rotund friar then pats his stomach and widens his eyes as he adds, "but what I could really use right now is a right good meal, eh? All this defending the innocent has given me quite the hunger."

Thanks GM! I had a great time getting to use and level up Huck, even if he hasn't quite come into his potential yet. I knew a core halfling monk would be hard to pull off, I guess I just didn't realize how hard... Maybe after a couple more levels and a couple more maneuver feats he'll be a little more effective in combat.