GM Bold Strider's PFS 01-53 Echoes of the Everwar, Part IV - The Faithless Dead (Subtier 10-11) (Inactive)

Game Master rpblue

Desmond, seeing that Faraz has a firm grip on his evil monolith brother, swiftly casts instant enemy on the red monolith before pelting it with cold iron arrows. (reminder - pick up adamantine blanch!)

Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Fav. Enemy: 1d20 + 16 + 6 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (16) + 16 + 6 - 2 - 3 = 33
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 22

Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Fav. Enemy: 1d20 + 16 + 6 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (12) + 16 + 6 - 2 - 3 = 29
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 26

Iterative Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Fav. Enemy: 1d20 + 11 + 6 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 11 + 6 - 2 - 3 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 23

Iterative Rapid Shot, Deadly Aim, Fav. Enemy: 1d20 + 6 + 6 - 2 - 3 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 6 - 2 - 3 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 20

Moving on without Dragorin it seems.

The cleric hesitates, foiling Flinders' plan, as Deadmond fires off arrows into the fray. Surprisingly, only two of the arrows connect, but they do massive damage to the beast, killing him outright. As this happens, the mouth of one of the ettins seems forced open as a white substance leaves the body and fires off through the solid stone doors to the south.

The pinned Living Monolith tries to break Faraz's grasp, but the creature is no match for the Tetori of Irori.

Grapple: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

The remaining Monoliths try to deal with their brethren. "Stand down, brother! The Master has promised great power to defend Osirion!"

4d20 ⇒ (12, 13, 15, 1) = 41

Their blows are ineffective against the raging Oread.

Initiative:
1st: Deadmond (Infected-3 Con/2 Cha Damage) @ 13/89 HP; Halbarad; Terrill @ 51/77 HP
2nd: Living Monoliths (Red; Orange-Pinned; Yellow; Green; Purple)
3rd: Faraz @ 63/82 HP; Flinders; Basalte; Dragorin (Infected) @ 41/87 HP

"Osirion needs no power from the likes of him! He is loyal only to himself! Stand with your brother Basalte against the tyranny of an undead oligarch."

Hal rains arrows upon the foe. Yellow first til he falls, then Red after. I'm assuming haste is/will be up by the time my turn comes around; subtract 1 from the attack rolls if not. Improved Precise Shot to ignore anything short of total cover.

Manyshot @ Yellow, Rapid, Deadly, Haste, Aspect, PBS, Favored: 1d20 + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 = 28
Damage (Cold Iron), Part 1: 2d6 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 = 26
Damage (Cold Iron), Part 2: 2d6 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (5, 6) + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 = 28

Rapid Shot @ ???, Rapid, Deadly, Haste, Aspect, PBS, Favored: 1d20 + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 = 28
Damage (Cold Iron): 2d6 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (2, 1) + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 = 20

Haste @ ???, Rapid, Deadly, Haste, Aspect, PBS, Favored: 1d20 + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 17 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 = 35
Damage (Cold Iron): 2d6 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (5, 5) + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 = 27

Iterative @ ???, Rapid, Deadly, Haste, Aspect, PBS, Favored: 1d20 + 12 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 12 - 2 - 3 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 = 21
Damage (Cold Iron): 2d6 + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 ⇒ (5, 3) + 4 + 6 + 1 + 6 = 25

Hal then steps in front of the injured Deadmond.

Flinders would have cast Haste, anyways.

maintain: 1d20 + 19 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 19 + 5 = 39

Faraz keeps the Monolith on the ground as he wraps some rope around the Monolith's arms and legs in a hog-tie. Tying up with my maintain.

Second move action:

Faraz then leaps over the orange Monolith to get near the green one.

Why are the archers taking out all the targets in Terrill's reach? The ettin and red should have been the last ones to get hit. Sigh...no full attack for me.

Terrill makes his way through the piles of treasure to one of the monoliths, then strikes out with his blade.

Move action to get next to purple (using Acrobatics to try to avoid provoking AoO), attack purple with bane (5/15 rds).

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 Nope.

+1 Keen Curve Blade, Power Attack, Bane: 1d20 + 14 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 14 - 2 + 2 = 31
Curve blade damage, Power Attack, Bane: 1d10 + 9 + 6 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 6 + 2 + (5, 5) = 33

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 14 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 14 - 2 + 2 = 32
Crit damage: 1d10 + 9 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 9 + 6 + 2 = 24

"You're no servant of Osirion - you forsook your sacred vow for an undead deceiver. Open your eyes before it's too late!"

Basalte focuses his swings on the purple monolith, switching to the most wounded one still standing if purple is down. All the enemies are within range, so it doesn't change anything.

+1 (+3) Keen Furious Adamantine Falchion, Power Attack, Rage, Ka Stone, Good Hope, Haste: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 17 + 2 + 1 = 312d6 + 27 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 27 + 2 = 34

Iterative: 1d20 + 12 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 2 + 1 = 182d4 + 27 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 27 + 2 = 34

Haste extra attack: 1d20 + 17 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 17 + 2 + 1 = 222d6 + 27 + 2 ⇒ (4, 4) + 27 + 2 = 37

I missed that good hope was cast, and failed to add +1 to attack rolls from haste, so total attack rolls above would have been 34 and 35 to confirm, and damage would have been 61 points.

With the orange monolith tied up, Desmond takes aim at the ones still standing. He continues firing at the red monolith, then moving targeting the yellow one after bringing down red.

Rapid Shot, DA, Haste, FE: 1d20 + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 = 38
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 26

Rapid Shot, DA, Haste, FE: 1d20 + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 = 36
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 19

Hasted Rapid Shot, DA, Haste, FE: 1d20 + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 21

Iterative Rapid Shot, DA, Haste, FE: 1d20 + 11 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 11 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 22

Iterative Rapid Shot, DA, Haste, FE: 1d20 + 6 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 6 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 + 6 = 25

After red is killed, subtract 6 from the attack and damage rolls for shots against all other enemies.

Crit Confirm, Crit Focus: 1d20 + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 16 - 2 - 3 + 6 + 1 + 4 = 23 (Well, poo)

@ Terrill: sorry, my bad. I forgot you were down there.

AoO @ Halbarad: 1d20 ⇒ 3
AoO @ Terrill: 1d20 ⇒ 20
AoO @ Terrill: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (4, 5) + 9 = 18

In an instance of pure luck, Terrill catches a brutal blow from the business end of a falchion to his chest, injuring the Inquisitor of Desna.

In a flurry of activity, the rest of Zuberi's guards are quickly dealt with, mostly ending in death.

As the last Living Monolith is dispatched the door to the south slowly opens as the magical force keeping it closed dissipates. Beyond the shimmering doorway, you can see a large chamber carved from black basalt and white marble. On the far side of the chamber, behind a wall of iron bars, sits a wizened old man in front of three long, human-shaped bundles, holding a glowing green gem aloft with his eyes closed. In front of him is a mage, chanting and casting handfuls of dust into the air while performing an intricate ritual.

The spirit from the ettin circles the heights of the room before shooting straight down into the body of the old man. His form gasps for breath as his head weakly lolls to the side.

The mage turns towards the door and quickly incants a spell before disappearing before their very eyes.

Status:
Deadmond (Infected-3 Con/2 Cha Damage) @ 13/89 HP; Halbarad; Terrill @ 33/77 HP; Faraz @ 63/82 HP; Flinders; Basalte; Dragorin (Infected) @ 41/87 HP

Faraz is about to chase the man down until he disappears. "Can anyone see him?"

Trying to react quickly, Flinders utters a few words, filling the room with glitter, where the wizard was last seen.

Nothing is revealed.

Terrill pulls a potion from his belt pouch and quickly drinks it down, wishing he'd had a moment to patch himself up after the last fight.

CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 6) + 3 = 13 Stoneskin would have made the AoO only do 8 damage, HP should be at 56 after healing

He then takes a couple of steps backwards, to stand by Dragorin, and asks, "I hesitate to ask, but any chance of a quick heal? We may need to set aside our differences to survive whatever's to come."

If we need to bot Dragorin since EW seems busy these days, I'd vote for him healing up the nice Desnan.

Deadmond hacks up a bunch of phlegm. "Damn curse... I guess I probably oughtta hang back. I... I ain't feelin' too good. But hey, he couldn't have gotten far, right?"

Basalte focuses his thoughts inwards, addressing the concubine of Zuberi inside him.

"Can you find him? He mustn't escape!"

Actually, I think we need Dragorin to cast invisibility purge... definitely intended to buy some potions of see invisibility after that nonsense with the vampire. Ah well.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

Does Hal understand anything of what just happened?

Dragorin casts Invisibility Purge but it seems the mage had left. Detect Magic reveals conjuration magic lingering, likely a teleport spell.

The elderly man moans and scowls at the Pathfinders before coughing deeply. "Here to finish the cult's job? " He spits out viciously at them.

-Posted with Wayfinder

@Halbarad: Unfortunately see invisibility is a personal spell and you can't make potions out of personal spells.

"Actually, I don't think we are. Who might you be?"

Perception:
Basalte: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Desmond: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33 (+4 Urban, +2 Underground)
Halbarad: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20
Faraz: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (8) + 29 = 37
Terrill: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
Dragorin: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Flinders: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24 (Trapspotter)

The familiar chorus of voices screams from inside of Basalte, echoing across the minds of the holders of the concubine's artifacts. He's the one, Khalfani Zuberi! Draw on our power to smite him down and free us!

The man chuckles as his features seem to be growing older and older. "Not long until the cult gets its wish either way, huh?"

"You deserve your fate, Zuberi. Concubines, he's all yours. I shall remain true to my word."

"True, you deserve your fate. But first: how do you know Amenopheus and why was he attending you just now?"

Faraz is quick to question the sight that he saw and the sitting man chuckles, but Basalte is quick to seek vengeance for the man's wrongs.

At Basalte's statement, the spirits erupt from the sword, ring and wand, circling the man as he rapidly decays. The howl of the spirits rings across the room as Zuberi's form ages and disfigures. His skin tightens and steam erupts from his form as his body mummifies, his face permanently formed as he yells in pain.

A portal to the lower planes erupts from the floor of the room as tentacles of some unknown creature or thing erupts with a blast of heat and humidity. His soul, caught in a whirl by his concubines, provides an easy target as he is dragged away to whatever grizzly fate the underworld has for him.

As quick as it started, the portal closes the the spirits of the women stand over their bound bodies. Zuberi's mummified corpse sits on the throne above them, but their spiritual faces seem content. "You have our eternal gratitude, oh great fighters. Perhaps we will meet you in the afterlife, but take this as a gift of gratitude." choruses the women as their forms fade. A powerful burst of holy light erupts from their spirits as they disappear.

After you deal with Zuberi, you report back to Venture-Captain Balentiir. The discovery of Zuberi’s treasure vaults leads the Osirians to quickly move in and reclaim any of his wealth left behind. Balentiir heralds you as the heroes of Sothis and plans a grand party at the Sothis Pathfinder Lodge in their honor. Many influential and powerful Sothis citizens attend, and you are encouraged to regale the crowd with their tale of finding the concubines and then rescuing them once more.

Meanwhile, the Followers of Almaut (despite Isthemes claims) is not completely destroyed by this debacle. However, they recede into hiding once more, at least content that Zuberi is dead and not once more the power-hungry maniac he was in years past.

---Back in Absalom---

"Back again, Desmond?" the local Pathfinder physician asks the frequent customer. "Should start selling to you in bulk!" he quips.

As the man examines Desmond, he finds nothing wrong. "Now you are having phantom pains?" The bewildered ranger knows that he came down with mummy rot, but the doctor assures him that his is disease-free (for the first time in while!).

No more Mummy Rot for the Ds, courtesy of the ladies.

Faraz pulls Basalte and Halbarad aside. "I have always had the utmost respect for Amenopheus. His pursuits of knowledge and history are very Iroran and I appreciate that. I am concerned for what he could have been doing with Zuberi down there. He may have had the best intentions, I could not know what he was doing. But I thought you ought to know and perhaps you can broach the subject next time you see him."

Faraz bows deeply to his companions. "It has been a pleasure to adventure with all of you. Stay fit in both mind and body. Have peace."

"And same to you, Faraz," Terrill replies, "and all of you. Be free."

Halbarad's expression betrays surprise when Faraz mentions Amenopheus. "The Sapphire Sage, here? This is strange news indeed. I am grateful that you would be the messenger. If you speak with him before I, please send another missive."

----

After the festivities in Sothis conclude, Halbarad bids an unusually long and verbose farewell to his companions, and invites the group to a hunt at his Lodge in the forests south of Katheer a year hence.

"Disease free? Well, a quick trip to the cathouse can solve that..." he gives the others a sheepish grin. "What? I have... needs."

He flips a gold piece to the closest priest. "For your troubles!"

"Katheer, eh? Yeah, Sahrek and I would love to take you up on the offer."