GM Debug's PbP PFS 6-4: The Beacon Below (Inactive)

Game Master DebugAMP

Yanndu, isn't your telepathic bond 1/day? Although regardless... Badru is not particularly willing anymore... and for that matter...

Ramesses, you notice that the piece of inevitable carried by Badru detects as Chaotic... furthermore several of the pieces detect as such as well. You also notice several of the disassembled mannequins throughout the room begin to twitch and move...

At the same time, Badru gives a sleight nod to the Sceaduinar, which begins to move forward...

Round 1:
Deyno
Ramesses
Sihir
Badru
Watts
Sceaduinar
Yanndu
Cirri and Friend

**So, what's happening? Why is everything moving?**

"I have no idea, but I am not liking this"

***Might it be possible they are attempting a larger presentation to more properly relay their viewpoint?***

Sorry guys, I’ve had a difficult time getting on, site kept crashing on me. I honestly am conflicted here though. I don’t want to react, cuz he hasn’t done anything to me yet, but I’d rather not sit and wait to be attacked either...I could charge and pump a good amount of damage into him but I feel like I’ll get dropped. Do we retreat? Do we fight? Considering combat has started I don’t want to ponder too long...

As you might or might not have noticed, I've been having a harder time engaging and keeping up myself; why their sudden shift to hostility? Do we even know?

There is no definitive reason given for the attack so far. It may be possible that our refusal to immediately agree to destroying the sphinx may have him considering us traitors to his master's will as well. Alternatively it could have been their plan to attack us all along and they needed to buy time until some other condition was met (allies in position and such). He also might be somewhat insane and unpredictable due to the long time spent within the tomb. This could be related to the haunt, but it seems like Badru is the one giving the commands here.

As the person in front, if you wish to delay until after he makes an explanation to effect or otherwise attacks, I would support that decision.

It may be better for you to delay or just fight defensively. We don't know who is hostile right now- it may just be the haunt activated in our presence or something.

Cirri's going to bash things with her staff soon, anyway :P

I'll take that as a delay action.

Badru continues to stare at Ramesses. "You ask for time... I shall give you time..."

Ramesses feels his body go rigid and as he flexes his hands they appear motionless. Instead, one of marionettes under construction moves.

Ramesses, Will Save DC 17 vs Magic Jar from the haunt.

"As for the rest of you... Saruna's treachery is your own, and her punishment you shall share."

With a sudden jerky movement, he raises one hand and floods the room with a noxious cloud, obscuring himself and beginning to choke your front line.

Watts and Ramesses, Fort Save DC 22 vs Cloudkill or take Con Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3

The cloud obscures vision, granting partial concealment within 5 ft, and total concealment beyond that.

The Sceaduinar smiles as it prepares to extinguish all life remaining in this temple...

Round 1:
Badru
Deyno
Ramesses
Sihir
Watts
Sceaduinar
Yanndu
Cirri and Friend

Fort save vs Poison: 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 + 2 + 6 = 33

"If only I had learned to practice in wands..." Watts covers his mouth as his pushes through the fog.

"What judgement is there to warrant execution? We have seen no crime meriting the accusation of treason! I do not wish to bring violence to the temple but I plead with you to reconsider your position!"

Watts makes a defensive sweep at Badru after taking a brief study of the most delicate portions of the construct.

Move (provoking from Badru), study Badru, attack defensively.
Using studied strike if it hits.

attack, sword cane study defensive: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 2 + 4 - 4 = 26
damage, piercing magic: 1d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 4 = 15
concealment, high hits: 1d100 ⇒ 65
bonus studied strike damage if hit: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 3) = 11

AC 29 t 17, ff 15

** spoiler omitted **

This looks like a job for Faerie Dragon Familiar!

"You know," Sihir calls out to Badru. "Clarity is not always preferable to ambiguity. For all that I had felt sympathy for Saruna, I was more than willing to consider your position - but you have now pushed me to one and only one side!"

After an eyeblink's fiddling with a few crumbs of flint and powdered silver, Badru, the sceaduinar, and (inconveniently) Watts are bombarded with a sudden maelstrom of otherworldly colors!

[dice=burst of radiance, Reflex DC 19, rounds of blindness/bedazzlement]1d4[/dice]
damage vs Evil: 5d4 ⇒ (1, 4, 4, 4, 2) = 15

**Good idea! I'll grab that wand as soon as I'm able!**

Don't forget you have a +3 ward, Watts!

"Ugh, that smells terrible!" Cirri coughs. "I guess you're forcing us to choose a side. I hate when people don't talk it out!"

Apologies! Thank you for reminding me.

AC 31 t 19, ff 17; -2 if hit

Reflex vs Radiance: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 2 = 35

Watts is well prepared for his teammate's magical surge.

Will Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
Fort Save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Knew I should’ve attacked...thanks dice!

For clarity, how obvious is it to others this was magic jar effect and which marionette moved with Ramesses was affected? Do we know if destroying the statue will help?

Badru stabs at Watts as he approaches with a small dagger.

Attack: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24 Miss

"Execution? Your hesitation shows you need encouragement. This is merely the first step in the process. You shall serve the Amethyst sage just as I do... as will all of Osirion. Defend the sage's humble servant with your body, and your soul will be granted immortality."

The latter part seems directed at Ramesses, who turns in a jerked motion towards Cirri.

Given there are several people in the party with very high Knowledge (Arcana) and Spellcraft, and you have a mental link with Ramesses, which as far as I can tell would follow him into the jar, I'll go with this.

Ramesses begins to panic as he realizes his current condition and twitches back and forth. You all hear panicked ravings in his voice for a moment, and it becomes quite apparent what has happened. The strange magics in this room have places your Inquisitor's soul into one of the many mannequins scattered throughout the room. His body is not under his control, but destruction of the mannequin would set him free.

The twitching mannequin is on the wall and marked with an M. It can be attacked normally as an object.

Ramesses Attack vs Cirri: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12 Very miss

Watts carves a good chunk of material away from Badru's constructed body, although much of it is resisted by the solid construction. DR/Adamantine and magic

The bright light washes over Badru and his deathly companion, but their forms seem particularly resistant to magic, and it takes an extra force of will to drive the spell home. Sihir, I'll need a Caster Check to overcome SR.

Also, I seem to have forgotten that you are playing with the 4-player adjustment... so...

When the light fades, the Sceaduinar is seen for only a moment more as it winks out of existence, falling back to it's home plane.

Round 1:
Badru
Ramesses
Sihir (Need SR check)
Watts
Yanndu
Deyno
Cirri and Friend

"immortality- oh no you don't! No soul sucking for me!" Cirri clutches her staff defensively. "Ramesses, let's... um... wait a minute!"

Remesses's greatsword comes crashing down next to the aloof Magus. She squawks in surprise. "Oh, Magic Jar! Sorry about this!"

Swift Action: Spending an Arcane Pool point to give my staff a +2 bonus. Thanks to my archetype, I gain +2 Shield AC from this.

Combat Expertise and my Threatening Defender trait let me exchange -1 to Attack for +2 AC/CMD.

I have Improved Trip. If I fail to beat Ramesses's CMD by 10 or more I fall prone.

Trip: 1d20 + 6 + 4 + 1 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 4 + 1 + 2 - 1 = 16

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

Nice rollin'! I can only crit fail on a 2 and I roll a 1.
Cirri tries to simply trip Ramesses. When she sees the first swing fails, she tries again, managing to get the staff caught between her own legs and knocking herself down.
"Uh, I'll keep him busy. You guys work on stopping Badru before he sucks out more of our souls!"

My AC is 29 right now. Ramesses gets a +4 bonus to attacks since I'm prone. And I will provoke an AoO to stand up next round.

"Cirri! Now's not the time to investigate dirt!" Riddywhipple flies over to Yanndu. "My apologies, friend, but I would love to borrow your wand."

He takes the wand of Gust of Wind and blows the deadly fog cloud away. "My body almost withered away under the effects of one of these clouds. Well, never again, I say!"

Deyno roars to life and charges into the killing cloud, he then attempts to bring a claw down on the outline of his enemy.

fort save: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26
miss chance, low miss: 1d100 ⇒ 56
claw,magic, cold iron and silver: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
damage, magic, cold iron and silver: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (8) + 15 = 23

Removing on charge from Gust of Wind wand - Thanks Riddywhipple!

Not sure if we got the intel on Badru, so here's my roll:

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26 Weaknesses and Resistances please

I'll delay Yanndu's actions until we have the above info - please let me know if others made discoveries that I may have missed (I had a terrible last two weeks at work, and I apologize for the spottiness...)

CL check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 >:(

Badru has DR 10 / Adamantine and magic, and SR 23. Unlike most constructs, Badru is NOT immune to mind-affecting effects.

The Cloudkill will be dispersed after Badru's turn, so he will benefit from the concealment once more but that is it.

Round 1:
Badru (-29)
Ramesses (-3 Con, Magic Jar'd. Container noted by M)
Sihir (Need SR check)
Watts
Yanndu
Deyno
Cirri and Friend

While I didn't get any additional information Cirri was able to recall was that the spellcasting ability of Badru was around the power and level of Yanndu's.

Yanndu readies an action to assault Badru's psyche as soon as the fog dissipates!

Standard Action; Mind Thrust V; Will DC 22 for half; using 3 pts. from Phrenic Pool to add Dispelling Pulse Greater Phrenic Amplification: 11d8 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 6, 5, 3, 7, 8, 8, 1, 6) = 58 damage and exhausted for 1 round (fatigued for 1 round if it makes the save).

Caster Level Check vs. SR 23, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, Elven Magic: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 29

If Badru fails saving throw, Targeted Dispel Magic vs. active spell effects of 5th level or lower only; Caster Level Check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Aack! Huh?! Help!? I don't know what just happened but I can still hear your thoughts apparently. This is the strangest thing thats happened to me, I know I'm not dead because I've experienced that more times than I'd like to say. I feel a pull, and a drive to go somewhere but can't act. Sorry everyone I'll try to figure something out.On the bright side I guess we know what side to take now...
Gm is there anything Ramesses can still do? Can I make any sort of checks to find out where the new host of my soul is in ref to my body? Or make knowledge checks or anything? Or am i just stuck until saved. I've not experienced this before, so it's all new to me lol

**Any chance you could ask your body to stop trying to kill me? I tried tripping it but that didn't work...**

*** That sounds like some form of possession! I will attempt to aid you as soon as I'm able. For the moment though I greatly need your assistance. How does it feel? Are you able to sense your own body? See it or feel it as it takes action? Can you converse with the force that has taken control? When it took over did you lose any time or was the transportation instant? Can you still sense the area around you? Does everything appear to be the same or are colors/smells/tactile responses the same as though if you were in your own form? I've run into such attempts in readings and travels, but have yet to get first hand experience so I'm very curious as to the exact details. ***

Ramesses, you have full control of your mental faculties now, and with a bit of experimentation it seems as though this body can speak but not move. It's like an unfinished version of what Badru is.
If you have any spells with only verbal components you can use those, also you can make knowledge checks, intimidate checks (with a circumstance penalty) and use any class abilities that aren't based on your physical or racial stats.

Bigger post coming soon...

**Uh, maybe we should work on casting Protection from Evil?**

*** That could help stop the assailant, but I think to return Ramesses to full control of his own body we would need to return his soul back to it's proper place by destroying the incomplete model. ***

"The Sages have little use for those who value might over mind... but for now you may be of use."

Badru, from cover of the dissipating clouds, casts a spell to seize control of Deyno's mind. Deyno, Will Save DC 21 vs Dominate Person

With that he adopts a more defensible position with his back to the wall and counts on Ramesses and Deyno to handle the party.

Finally, the whirlwind of acrid smoke causes the bulk of the haze to dissipate, leaving the construct visible to Yanndu.

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Badru seizes up and begins to move very sluggishly as the spell wreaks havoc in his mind. He merely says, "Puppets... kill that Elf."

Ramesses body turns to comply.

Ramesses Attacks vs Yanndu: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 211d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 Both miss

Round 1:
Badru (-87)
Yanndu
Ramesses' Body
Ramesses in a Construct (-3 Con, Magic Jar'd. Container noted by M)
Sihir (Need SR check)
Watts
Deyno (Save vs Dominate, if you fail go attack Yanndu)
Cirri and Friend

Did Yanndu manage to dispel something on Badru?

Yes, although the spell effect wasn't really revealed to you yet.

Ah! wasn't sure how that worked, whether the spell gave the caster an idea of what was achieved or not. Thanks!

Debating between too many options given the situation. One question I have is how is Badru casting spells. In particular does he need verbal components to cast most of his spells? Also, if I make a check, could i get a sense of how hard that construct trapping Ramesses will be for me to destroy?

Knowledge (engineering)?: 1d20 + 16 + 2 + 1d8 ⇒ (3) + 16 + 2 + (5) = 26

will save vs dominate: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
folio reroll + gm stars: 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 3 = 14
crap

Deyno turns from Badru and walks over to Yanndu. He then takes a swing with his claws

attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
damage: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
confirming crit: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (12) + 14 = 26
extra damage: 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22

So sorry Yanndu

Cirri stands up.

This provokes an AoO from Ramesses's Body.

Once she stands up and sees the chaos, she shudders. "We need more cover!" She concentrates and casts defensively...

Concentration check, DC 17: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

And a cloud of Obscuring Mist rises around Cirri!

**I do not have a Break Enchantment scroll handy. Note to self, buy one of those scrolls later. Yanndu, back up and quickly! I'll try to trip them!**

Yanndu sees Deyno come to him with that crazed look in his eyes. Yanndu's left eye blinks momentarily and a barrier of mental energy flares up around him.

Immediate Action; Mental Barrier III; shield bonus to AC increases to +8 to negate additional crit damage.

Alas, it is not enough to completely slow down Deyno's claw, which starts sinking into his shoulder. His false life spell winds up into action suddenly, shoring up against the intended damage from the unwanted foreign body.

***...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!...*** screams Yanndu telepathically. His physical self shows no emotion, as if that pain response had been erased from his body long ago.

The left corner of Yanndu's lip curls into a smile, and he peers at Badru with murderous intent.

With his physical voice he says, "Creature, I will savor the end of your supposedly eternal existence. Pharasma will be pleased to meet you, at last. Her bureaucrats will be happy to close the file on your missing soul."

As he sees the mists form around him, Yanndu winces telepathically, ***...I must be able to see it to hurt it!...***

Reluctantly Yanndu prepares to back away, as he does not want to be near Deyno in a few moments...

**Do you want me to clear the mist?** Riddywhipple clutches onto the wand. **You'll have a clear shot, but there are two meat puppets trying to kill you currently.**

***...no...let us be smart about this...revenge is best served cold...let the mists envelop us...***

In addition to the prior questions about Badru's spellcasting and how hard is it to break the construct holding Ramesses I wanted to ask about about the position of Badru. The description for Badru on this last turn said he was moving toward a wall, but he is still in the middle of the room on the map. Where did he end up?

Difficult to see from within the cloud, but it sounded as though he used conventional spellcasting methods. The marionette is rather fragile, although made of solid materials. It has Hardness 10, 5 HP, and a break DC of 13.

"Badru! This is madness! There need to be other dissenting voices for healthy society! You have gone mad!"

Looking to aid Ramesses, Watts runs to the marionette and recalls the rare study he did into the construction of constructs. After inspecting the materials closely he finds a crucial part to snap.

*** I apologize greatly if this hurts. ***

Strength check to Break with Inspiration: 1d20 + 1d8 ⇒ (10) + (3) = 13

Ramesses feels an awful sensation as his neck is snapped. Rather than physical pain, he feels a wave of nausea and disorientation as his point of view suddenly shifts, and he finds himself with his blade held to his own ally.

Ramesses, you are free!

Round 2:
Badru (-87)
Yanndu
Ramesses (-3 Con)
Sihir
Watts
Deyno
Cirri and Friend

Cirri keeps her quarterstaff trained on Ramesses and Deyno. "Uh... Ramesses? You there?"

Sihir (Need SR check)

Did you not see me already make it (more's the pity that I did, admittedly)?

Wait...why can't I manipulate the map? Can't even zoom in.

Seeing the danger posed by the various malign entities about, be they visible or otherwise, Sihir sets to work warding himself and his comrades against their wicked power.

I cast communal protection from Evil, giving us each 1 minute of protection (including the Faerie Dragon), and I'll give the surplus minute to myself, since it looks like I have the worst saving throws of us all.

Since Ramesses body has already acted, I think that actually wraps up his action for the turn, but he starts the next round clear of mind. Also, Deyno gets another 2 saves against the effect, one for being forced to act against his allies, and one for getting protection from evil. Both are made at +2. Good luck Deyno.

Badru steps to the side and lines up a shot to destroy the competing casters. He shows no regard for the life of his thrall and a bolt of lightning carves through the party.

Deyno, Yanndu, Sihir, and Riddlywhipple need to make Reflex Saves, DC 18 for half damave vs...

Lightning Bolt: 10d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3, 2, 4, 4, 6, 4, 3, 1) = 31

"Of course there will be dissenting voices... and they shall have all of eternity to state their positions. No longer will the natural span of life limit discourse."

Round 3:
Badru (-87)
Yanndu (Pending Ref Save)
Ramesses
Sihir (Pending Ref Save)
Watts
Deyno (Pending Will saves and Ref Save)
Cirri
Riddlywhipple (Pending Ref Save)

Ref. Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Ref. Save, GM 3-star reroll: 1d20 + 10 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 10 + 3 = 26

Concentration check; Cast defensively; Greater Invisibility: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35

Yanndu disappears from view and walks up the wall, at a 45 degree angle towards Badru (final position on map is at a 10-foot height).