GM Dien's PFS #23: Tide of Morning (Inactive)

Game Master dien

(Open for dotting)

A large half-orc walks in and places and dots the thread.

Walking into the room is a 7ft tall humanoid in full plate. On his back is a larger than normal Falcata and his armor has the symbol of Abadar. Once inside he takes his helmet off which reviels that he is also half-orc.

" Greetings friend, I am Rogar. I am a Paladin of Abadar and I believe in punishing all who break the law."

A cloud of smoke walks into the room.

You might wonder to yourself if the Pathfinder Society has begun admitting some weird new kind of elementals, but if you look down, it becomes apparent that the source is a two-foot-tall, chain-smoking, fast-talking frog.

"Hello, hello! I'm Geera Erfle, future proprietor of Geera Erfle's Alchemical Oddities! Speaking of which, can I offer you all some free samples? Please, consider me for all your future alchemical purchases! Like I always say, if it burns in the Sodden Lands, it'll burn anywhere!"

The yellow-eyed grippli offers each of her fellow party members a sack, smelling strongly of tobacco. Inside are an acid flask, an alchemist's fire, an antitoxin, and two tindertwigs.

This is stuff that Geera has crafted to share with party members. Feel free to use any of it; just let me know at the end what all was expended.

The half-orc smiles revealing one missing tooth. Wearing a chain shirt and a short sword which his bearing tells you has not had much use he speaks in a deep resonant voice.

"Well meet. I am Barred, nice to meet you. Nothing fancy about me but I am pretty good with my fists when push comes to shove."

to Gerra "Thank you. I will stand you a beer or two at the next opportunity."

Very slowly, a large, dark skinned, broadchested figure approaches adorned in thick, white colored scale-mail. A plumed helmet adorned with dragon-like depictions cover his face. A whip hangs at his side, next to a sheathed longsword. He carries a heavy wooden shield on his back that has an engraving of a blue ouroboros shaped like an infinity sign. Those well versed in religion recognize it as the symbol of Ragadahn, the Water Lord. He speaks slowly with a deep, sonorous voice.

"I am called Calder, I am...very far from home. It is a...pleasure to meet you all. I...hope we can work well together"

The last part seems aimed more towards Rogar than anyone else.

Edging into the room, Kaya examined her possible party members cautiously. "I think I'm in the right place, but it's entirely possible I've gotten the meeting location confused. But, for the time being, so long as I'm here... I'm Kaya. It's nice to meet you all. I'm good at... being foolish? I'm learning new things every day."

When the short frog - a large and rather cheerful one, she thought - offered her a sack, she accepted it, making sure to set it note what was in it. "Thank you!" she said, not wanting to be rude. She didn't bother with any useless platitudes and smiled at Geera.
"I'll be sure to get it back to you at the end of this."

"I wouldn't say no to a beer, no sir, no sir! But if you wanted to do me a favor in the meantime, perhaps you wouldn't mind taking on a bit of my load?" The small grippli strains under the weight of her backpack, even with the various alchemical samples passed out to the party.

If someone with high strength doesn't mind carrying an extra 6 pounds (waterskin and silk rope), then Geera can stay at light encumbrance.

As the group gets to know each other and offers initial introductions around, the door of this meeting room within the Absalom lodge is unceremoniously thrust open, and a large, scowling man with a big pile of papers clutched to his chest stares in dourly.

"Let's see. A frog. A full orc if you count up the fractions. Couple of Dragon Empires folk.... and a pet rock," he mutters, staring between your group and some notes. "Seriously? --wait, we're missing one of the easterners.... Kita Kyuichi? Anyone in here Kita Kyuichi? Oh well, if they're late that's not on me."

Heaving a sigh, the big man strides into the room and tosses the papers down onto a table. "Venture Captain Hamshanks," he says gruffly. "I really don't know why I ever accepted a desk job but here I am and here you are. So. We've got some business up in Andoran that needs seeing to. Any of you been to Andoran? Better yet, any of you been to the forests of Andoran?"

Barely pausing to let anyone answer, the VC plunges on. "How's this: do you know what a droooo-id is? Kinda unkempt sorts. Into hemp. For clothes I suppose. Other uses I couldn't comment on. Also into animals. Natural balance. Bunch of granola-munching, unwashed... well, never mind that. The point is, there's an Andoran druid named Hemzel we've... uh... had run-ins with before."

Hamshanks clears his throat. "Those run-ins may not have gone entirely well.

"Anyway, about a week ago Hemzel turned up at the Civic Library of Augustana-- that's a city in Andoran-- demanding to look at every bit of research or old stories they had about a thing called a 'lorestone.' We've a friend in the library who passed that on to us. Let's say it's not like Hemzel to go into a city, any city, if he can help it, but he was fired up enough over this lorestone business to do just that.

"Here's what we know about lorestones: supposedly they hold allll the knowledge of a whole bunch of drooooo-ids. And our man at the library thinks Hemzel may have gotten hold of one."

Hamshanks puts his boots up on the table and laces his hands together over a burgeoning pot belly before continuing. "That's centuries of wisdom and, gods, I don't know, solar cycles and plant crop rotation and other b$*%++#s I don't care about. What I do care about-- what the Society cares about-- is what other sort of things that might mean... Andoran's got plenty of unexplored crannies deep in its old woods. Lost ruins, crypts-- who knows? That lorestone apparently does.

"So.... the mission's this. Go to Andoran. Go find Hemzel-- we know more or less where he lives, or where he did, anyway. And..." Hamshanks grimaces, "...convince him... nicely... to let us have or borrow that stone. If it was just me giving the orders I'd say conk him on the head, he's stubborn-- but the Ten want to do this with sugar and honey, it seems.

"So: find out what he needs, or wants. Plant some damn trees for him or sing lullabies to the forest creatures or sweep his hut out, I don't know. You're all on 'wrangle wacky old drooo-id' duty. I'd avoid any hemp consumables if I were you. Your ship leaves to Andoran in two hours; any questions?"

Barred gladly carries some of Geera's items for him. "I travel light so give me what you would like me to carry. Good to be a use right at the get go."

After listen to Hamshank's description of the events:
"So find this guy and make a deal to get him to do something he doesn't want to do. I've dealt with a lot of unwilling folks at the bar, sounds straight forward enough."

Rogar is indifferent towad the frog and accepts the bag. Kaya on the other hand, he scoffs at her as she walks in. "We will have no breaking of any laws today young miss"

"Sounds like a good mission with nothing major to go wrong"

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sorry for posting on my GM alias before.

The part of Kita Kyuichi will now be played by Reidog Blessedstone (Kita got accepted into a different PFS game)

"I wouldn't say no to a beer, no sir, no sir! But if you wanted to do me a favor in the meantime, perhaps you wouldn't mind taking on a bit of my load?"

"Did someone mention beer? Sounds like I'm in the right place, although late as usual. Shouldn't take me too long to catch up. Afterwards, I'd be glad to carry yer wee little rope fer ya."

A boisterous dwarf in a gleaming breastplate barges in, unfortunately interrupting Hamshanks. When he finally notices the glares, he grumbles quietly to himself and takes a seat.

"Forests? Druids? Yer not sending us out to deal with any durn pointy-ears are ye?"

Calder visibly bristles at the pet rock comment.

"If he is... anything like the shamans and spirit-speakers from my home then we shall have to prove both our strength and reverence of nature to earn his respect. The Serpent King shall help us with the former."

Calder pauses for a moment before continuing.

"It will be...nice to be on a ship once again, though I am sure it will be quite different from the longboats I remember....Geera, thank you for your gifts of war. May they burn the flesh of our enemies, and may their screams of mercy be pleasing to our ancestors as we strike them down.

To note, before I described Calder as "large" but I really meant "stout"....he is only 4.6 feet tall"

Ugh, I joined the Pathfinder Society to get out of the swamp, and now they send me right into the forest. Oh well, gotta prove my chops, I suppose.

"No problem, boss! I'm real good at talking people into things! So, what's the history with the Hemzel guy anyway?

Also, how many days do we expect to be gone? I may need to buy some more supplies real fast. I mean, I'm all right at scrounging for bugs in the wild, but it does tend to make a journey slower!"

Kaya's reaction to Rogar's attention was only to smile sweetly at him - as sweetly as she could without it becoming poisonously saccharine. "Who, me? I wouldn't dare break any laws, least of all with someone so obviously for them looking on." At the same time, she made sure to make a mental note of which of their group this guy was - I'll have to be sure any of my other bits of business are well away from him.

She'd considered following in Geera's footsteps and asking someone to hold a few things for her as well, but, well. She supposed she'd just do her best to keep up. If she lagged behind, then she'd ask - there was no sense in holding the group up, after all. Still, that particular welcome made her loathe to ask anyone else for help.

Hemzel... Hemzel was an interesting name. Certainly, it was foreign enough to be one that belonged to them as liked nature. Geera was asking some good questions - they'd gotten some of the man's history. Not much was known, he was not particularly fond of entering cities - his appearance had been startling for the society, at least. And he might have sone sort of useful tool - a lorestone.

"Perhaps we could charm it out of him?" she suggested. The Venture captain had made it clear he was more interested in taking the lorestone by force, but she was totally okay with just trying to sneak it away if necessary.

"Perhaps we could charm it out of him?"

"Are ye speaking magical or persuasion, lassie?

Either way sounds like to correct first approach. Then we can move on to theft before resorting ta the ol' smash and grab.

Sounds like we got a coupla talkers in this group, so there's little need to involve the tuskers or the dwarf in the charm attempts."

The Venture Captain retrieves one of the parchments from his stack and slides it over-- a map of Andoran.

"You'll be sailing into Augustana, that's here, and from there it's about a day's hike to Hemzel's cabin up in Arthfell Forest, I've another map shows you the way. The Society's paid for the ship trip to Augustana including your meals on board, but once you're on land, you'll be making your own way, so I'd make sure you have food for at least two days, there and back," the big man says gruffly.

"As for our history with Hemzel, well, let's just say he fancies himself a protector of the forest and that's clashed with the Society's desire to explore that said forest in the past. But like I said, the Ten wants us to do this like Nice Guys, so, yes, turn on the charm-- try not to harm him unless your lives are in danger, clear?"

At Reidog's question, Hamshanks shrugs. "Could be elves, but I don't know of any in particular. Hemzel's human enough. Hear he's got a lot of gnome friends, though. Which shows you right there he's crazy."

Rolling up the large map, Hamshanks hands over a smaller one that shows the location of Hemzel's cabin. "Any other questions? If not, get moving, your ship won't wait for you if you're late to the docks."

Those of you with knowledge skills may know a little more about the area! This is a spoilered check: feel free to roll the check and read the spoiler if you equal or beat the DC.

At this point, if anybody wants to do any shopping, feel free. Now's the time to get that CLW wand, Kaya! You're still in Absalom, so anything you can possibly afford is for sale in the City at the Center of the World. You have a shipboard journey of about two days before arriving in Augustana; I'll give people a chance to declare any purchases and then jump us forward to Augustana within 24 hours. If anyone is planning on doing anything in Augustana, let me know, otherwise I'll assume you're setting out towards the forest once reaching Andoran.

"Sounds like were about ready to get started. I will wait at the boat for the rest of you"

Know(Geo): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

"Durn forests in Andoran are full of the pointy-ears and fey type creatures, if the maps I've studied are accurate."

I believe a DC 10 Knowledge check can be made untrained

Know(Nat): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Anyone know anything about dealing with Fey?"

I have a wand of CLW that I am willing to share already, if Kaya wants to grab something else.

If anyone passes the Nature check, I imagine it is probably letting us know that Fey are harmed by cold iron. If someone passes that check, I will replace my Warhammer with a cold iron Warhammer.

"I am...quite new to the Society. I would also appreciate if anyone would be willing to share information about any potential enemies we may face. I agree, Reidog, that talking seems best left to the more ...talktative....of our group.

He gestures towards Rogar and Kaya after the last part.

"Heh, I apologize. everyone. I am not very good with words. But like our tusked friend, I can carry any equipment that would slow anyone else down, as I move...quite slowly myself already. I hope that will not...inconvenience any of youu."

If anyone makes the check before we leave, Calder will buy a cold iron glaive. Otherwise, he's happy to just get on the ship.

GM if you have encountered the type of enemy before, do you remember any info about them

-Posted with Wayfinder

Knowledge (nature) check 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Knowledge (nature) check 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

"Folks who use weapons, you should definitely invest in some cold iron before we go! Fey can be tricky little scoundrels if you don't have the right tools!"

Geera already has a cold iron dagger, but she will purchase 4 days of trail rations and a bedroll, and asks Barred at the docks to add the additional 2.5 pounds to what he is already carrying for her.

"I'd sure appreciate it if you could carry a bit more for me! I really gotta get me one of those Handy Haversacks. Or at least some lighter armor," while pulling uncomfortably at her studded leather.

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Wups, realized I don't have a Knowledge (Nature). ;A;

Reidog, thanks, but I actually have no idea what else I'd snag right this moment ;A; And, well... Two is better than one, right? :D

Kaya nodded thoughtfully at the general agreement that yes, social persuasion, magical charm, theft, and then the good ol' smash and grab were to be the order of operations.

She'd heard plenty of talk in the streets about the place they were going to, but... She didn't know much about the fey. Happily, it seemed Geera did.

"I've a bit of... shopping to do. I'll meet you at the docks."

She figured a few more trail rations and a cold iron weapon wouldn't do her any harm - especially if they were supposed to be effective against the fey they might run afoul of.

Three trail rations, that wand of cure light wounds, and a cold iron dagger. I think that runs a total of 5gp, 5sp?

Also, oh, this is gonna be interesting, because I'm so very stupid. /facepalm Guess I never put a rank into Use Magic Device. ;A; WELP. HOPEFULLY OTHERS CAN

Upon arriving at the docks, she adjusted her kit some. Carrying so much was difficult - it was certainly heavy, if manageable. "I hope you don't mind if I take you up on that offer," she said to the Oread man - Calder, she thought his name was. If he was amenable, she'd ask him to carry the rope and bedroll (15 lbs).

"I doubt I will be able to help much with the talking. I can make somone soil their britches but I am not much of a diplomat beyond that."

"I am more of a fists guy, not much I can do to make them cold iron is there? Cold iron knuckles?" pausing to consider it for a second. "I'm not exactly rolling in gold though. My fists will have to do."

Would that be a cold iron gauntlet? Because I can't use one, but I can definitely afford it if you'd like one? 304 gp for masterwork, right? Kaya wouldn't mind helping out at all in that respect. :)

At the half-orc's sad remark, she considers helping out some - it certainly wouldn't hurt. She rifles through her pouch for her money and... Well. Offers him some.

"I love to talk! My family always said the hard part was getting me to stop!"

Cold iron cestus, 10 gp, and you can even flurry with it when you hit second level.

"I don't see any problems with that," Kaya said, amused. "Some people find it in them to be talkative. Others, not so much. Everyone's got something, after all."

Excellent, that, too. Thanks, Geera :D

Barred, just let me know what you're snaggin' so I can deduct it from my gold appropriately. :)

Calder nods at Kaya.

"Aye, I don't mind't, Ka-ya. And thanks much for the tip, Geera-Giftgiver. I'm sure it will help the warriors in our group make quick work of any fey we encounter. Your family sounds both wise and caring."

Kaya's name comes out slightly wrong, and he sort of stumbles through it.

Calder will purchase the cold iron glaive and 4 days of trail rations.

This is...an interesting group so far. The pala-deen has yet to acknowledge me as I assumed he would, and the rest of the group seems amiable. I suppose Ragadahn is a lesser-known faith in these parts. The stone-brother's manner of speaking was quite different from the others of his kin I've encountered. The frog seems quite intelligent. She will be useful if I am to requisition any texts or magics for the Dark Archive. The orc is built like a fighter, and his eyes are that of a warrior. The woman...her use remains to be seen, but if she is as charming to the hermit as she is to us, this whole affair should resolve itself quite easily.

Hmm... Perhaps....I could...no. I am no proselytizer. If they have questions about my faith then they will ask. I will not spread the name of an Eldest any further than it must go, and his apparent anonymity has done me a service thus far. T'would be best not to stir the pot...for now.

And right before the buzzer here, I would also like to spend 2PP on a wand of identify.

If you really don't mind I will grab a cold iron gauntlet, I can chip in 35 of the cost. It may be helpful if there are a lot of fay.

"I appreciate the help with the supplies. I owe you a debt."

If you're just getting a regular cold iron gauntlet, I think it's only 4 gp? I could be totally wrong here, but I believe a cold iron weapon is only x2 the cost of the base weapon and since a gauntlet itself is just 2 gp, that'd be 4 gp. Of course, I'm also totally down with masterworking it for the additional 300 gp, because it gives you a +1 to your attack rolls. Just mentioning it because you can afford a cold iron gauntlet on your own! :D Like I said, though, I'm totally okay with helping out for the MW version. ^o^

The kitsune paused at the way the man said her name - it wasn't being pronounced KAY-uh, but Kah-ya, which... Well, it wasn't terrible. She only smiled instead of bothering to correct him - it wouldn't be the first time someone had pronounced her name differently and she'd learned from her time with the society - and in the streets, really - that the name itself was more commonly pronounced the way he was doin' it now.

"Thank you, Calder." she said simply, gracing him with a smile.

Yes, if your character has run into a specific enemy type before it's fine by me if they remember things about them; but in this case the DC was handily made, etc.

Barred, the cold iron gauntlet is also available for just 4 GP if you're not wanting it to be masterwork (it can be purchased as a non-masterwork item). Obviously Kaya can spend her gold however she wishes, it's just that in PFS there's no real mechanic to 'pay back' gold spent like that to another player, so if you're wanting to cover the cost entirely on your own, then you can afford to, Barred, for non-MW versions.

Though the shopping is somewhat rushed with the looming deadline of the boat's departure time, nobody has any real trouble in finding what they are looking for, be it food, wands, or cold iron implements of war. In short order the Pathfinders have contributed to the local economy and made their way to a swift cutter that waits at the docks.

The journey across the Inner Sea is swift and pleasant, with the sun dancing brightly on the waves and a stiff wind keeping the ship's sails full and billowing overhead. The two days pass quickly, and Augustana's harbor rises ahead of you in due time, filled with tall masts and beyond that the hilly rise of the nearly three-thousand year old city.

By mid-morning, you've gotten through all the rigmarole of disembarking and grabbing a quick breakfast of piping hot pastries and fried fish from Augustana's street vendors, and are on the road that leads out of the city to the Arthfell Forest. The road parallels the river and is broad and well-traveled for quite a few miles out of town; for much of the day you pass many Andorans such as farmers, loggers, and river fishermen, who offer tips of their signature tri-corn hats and friendly if curious hellos at seeing your group pass.

But by late afternoon, your map shows you is time to leave the road and start following smaller trails within the great forest. The pretense of civilization quickly falls away once you are off the main road. The old forest rises around you, the trees towering dozens and dozens of feet overhead and filtering the sunlight to a diffuse green-gold glow. The trail markers your map tells you to look for are increasingly overgrown with moss and lichen, or half-lost amid thickets of blackberry bushes or young saplings. Twice in your journey you come across the scat of a large animal-- most likely bear-- but nothing whuffles out of the thick undergrowth to attack you.

As dusk begins to fall, the trees ahead thin, and you finally see your destination: a steep hill rising out of the forest, with a cabin at the top hidden by a veritable wall of thorn bushes. Smoke is twisting lazily upward from the cabin's stone chimney. Hopeful that Hemzel will at least hear you out, and if you're really lucky offer you space under his roof for the night, you spur your steps forward from the trees...

....only to hear a cold, high-pitched voice ring out mockingly from the direction of the hut, with a sing-song cadence. "Too late! Too late! Hemzel meets his painful fate! And so do you, whoever you are-- Gire, kill the bigfolk!"

No sooner have the words processed then you hear a snapping, splintering sound from nearby. A rotten log that lies up amid the bramble wall bucks as if some invisible god had taken a hammer to it-- and a swarm of small, many-legged forms spills forth!

Initiative order: Kaya -> Baddies > Barred > Reidog > Calder -> Geera > Rogar. I prefer to keep things in rounds but you guys can go whatever order you like once it's collectively 'your turn'. Actions will be resolved in the order they are posted, however, so be sure to move yourselves on the map and so forth. Calder, do you want an image for your PC? Right now I just have you as a C.

MAP

PCs are starting at the south of the map in a semi-abstracted positioning: your first square of movement onto the map is on the trail and counts as square one of your movement, after that move as you wish.

Terrain features: Hemzel's hut is on the raised section, about twenty feet vertically above where you currently are, with a steep path rising up the hill. The brown 'cliff' surrounding his house is a very steep slope that is choked with thick bramble bushes and is effectively not passable short of flight or being a smaller-than-Tiny creature. However, you can see two spots (marked with orange on the map) where the wall of thorns is thinner and a creature might be able to squeeze through... with effort. (Difficult terrain, potentially other issues~)

Creatures: A swarm of spiders is spilling down the slope, moving through the thorns! You see nothing else.

Kaya, you're up!

Well there we go. I will buy the now MW version. For some reason I thought it had to be masterwork to get gold iron, I blame hero-lab.

Barred, did you mean non-masterwork? Just wanna be sure afore I go poking my sheet. :)

Kaya was alarmed to hear the sudden cry - she shuddered at the strange, sing-song quality of the rather dark speech. At the sound of something splintering, she'd reflexively stepped back - she really, really didn't like the idea of getting smashed - but found that it wasn't so dire.

Rather, there was a mass of tiny moving bodies over yonder and, well. She didn't quite know what they were, but she had to assume they were a threat of some sort. But... Would a dagger do anything to something at that size? Well, she wouldn't know if she didn't try.

"Any ideas?" she asked, nervous.

Kaya pulled one of her daggers - a regular one - from its sheath and ducked took a few steps forward and to the side, trying to get out of view.

She wasn't so great with direct combat, but... Well. Someone had been singing. Someone was in that building and it might be worth leaving off the combat to figure out what was going on.

Kaya's going to try and get cover to stealth before advancing further on her next turn unless we sort out something else? (I think I did this right, orz)

Yeah, you can use the token here~ http://imgur.com/gallery/yePFR . (I have no idea how to alter an avatar on the forums for specific characters.)

"I've dealt with these swarms before. They are nasty little buggers. Ye can't swat 'em with a weapon, and they get right up under yer armor.

Keep an eye out fer whoever mas making that noise. Might be more trouble coming."

yes non-MW - an unfortunate typo there.

Kaya sidles forward leaving the treeline behind as she attempts to circle around and find some hopeful cover for a sneaky approach! Unfortunately for the young thief, this means that she's the closest thing the aggravated swarm of spiders can register as they hunt for threats to their home. They spill down the slope, through the brambles, like a black, thousand-legged tide, and soon she finds they're all around her! Tiny legs and biting mandibles leave a stinging swath all over her body.

Swarm Damage to Kaya: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Kaya, I need two fortitude saves from you as the spiders start attacking!

Also, my bad, spider swarms are technically Kn Dungeoneering, though I'm going to allow my Nature to stand too since I think druids and rangers probably run into a lot of spiders, heh. Reidog is quite right on basics of swarms. Here's some more if anyone has the relevant Kn skills and gets high enough.

Barred, Reidog, Calder, Geera, and Rogar-- you're up! (Kaya, go ahead and make me your saves now.)

"Bugs?"

Barred takes a step towards the swarm, reconsiders and charges towards the door to the hut.

"I may be more use up here."

Double move to the door.

Take a 5-foot step toward the swarm, retrieve Vermin Repellent, and apply it.

"Run away from the swarm! I've got some Alchemist's fire I can use."

"Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!" Kaya shudders and stomps about, trying to keep the mass of spiders off her body. "This is absolutely disgusting!"

Fort 1: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Fort 2: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Her face, already typically pale, goes even paler as she's attacked by the swarm. She's never fought one, but g%&&&&n if she regrets it - she doesn't ever want to.

"Um, a little help here?"

After a second, her own voice takes on a sing-song quality. "Mistakes were made, mistakes were made!"

At Reidog's response, she definitely tries, but well. These things are vicious! And she did move on her turn, so I don't know if she's allowed to 5-ft step away? If she is, she definitely, definitely does because ew spiders!

Or she drops, because ow those fort saves! ;A;

Rogar will move toward swarm and try to get it's attention from it's ally

"Move friend I will get its attention from here"

I need moved next to swarm

-Posted with Wayfinder

Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

"There's tons of these things where I come from! You can't hit 'em with weapons, folks; time to blow them up! Don't try hiding from them either; they don't need their eyes to know where you are. Their bite is poisonous, so Kaya, don't forget about that antitoxin. And give me a clear shot; I don't want to blow up any Pathfinders this time!"

Rogar, is that where you want to be?

Geera darts forward up the path, pulling an alchemist's fire, turns, and throws it toward the swarm, aiming for the ground just north of the spiders.

Alchemist's fire, point-blank shot, throwing into melee: 1d20 + 6 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 - 4 = 4

Doesn't affect this roll since it's a natural 1, but do you rule that I take the -4 penalty for aiming into melee when aiming at the ground rather than a target?

"Crap, crap, crap, crap!"

Let's see where it goes. 1 is the square northwest of the swarm, then proceeding clockwise around the target square.

Bomb direction if miss: 1d8 ⇒ 4

The flask nestles in the grass 10 feet north of the swarm, dealing no damage to swarm, but not injuring any party members either.

Actually, square 1 should have been between the swarm and me, not the northwest, but it does not affect the result. Also, that should obviously be "alchemist's fire direction if missed"

I m pretty sure that throwing at a swarm is not affected by being in Melee, but I could be wrong.

Aiming at the swarm itself should take the penalty if my allies threaten it, though if no one is in the swarm itself, I may have a clear shot at part of it. The swarm does not threaten, so if my allies don't have weapons out, there would not be a penalty. Rules here. There is at least one GM in my area who also counts it as shooting into melee when you aim at the ground under a creature engaged in melee, but since the rules specify "a target engaged in melee," I actually don't think the penalty applies. Dien, would you agree with all that? This doesn't affect my last turn since I rolled a nat 1, but good to know for future rounds.

"This is quite unfortunate then, I suppose"

Insects? Really?!?!?! I thought this was a job for warriors. Still though, the things look nasty, I do hope they don't kill the girl. Does Geera eat bugs? I wonder if it would be rude to ask. Hopefully someone else can land a hit on them with one of those fire weapons. My aim isn't quite stellar, though Geera does seem to be having some trouble. I should likely just heed the stone-brother's advice and move away as quickly as I can. Dam this armour at times like these!

Calder will double move (only 30ft since he has 15ft of movement) along the path towards the house

Bypassing the swarm, Calder and Barred both hurry for the hut, while Reidog hurriedly retrieves a jar of an oily substance known to repel vermin and starts to slather it on. Rogar hurries forward to help draw the swarm's attention away from Kaya, while Geera hurls a fiery vial that explodes dramatically on the hill's grass... but misses the spiders!

Geera, I won't count the -4 for into melee when targeting a square, no. As you point out, if you target the swarm itself, penalties may come into play, but not for the square.

Kaya, unfortunately, starts to feel weaker as burning spider venom starts to course through her veins... Str damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Kaya, 2 points of STR damage. That means any skill using strength, like climb, swim, etc, will be penalized by 1, as well as your damage when using weapons. It might also encumber you depending on how much you're carrying, so be sure to check! (As for the moving, it's now your turn, so all the issues of having moved last turn no longer apply. You can take a 5-ft step if you like now.... but it might be in your best interests to just get as far away from the swarm as possible! You're currently nauseated from the swarm's attack, so you're limited to a move action this turn, no standard. Swarms don't threaten, so you can move as far as a single move action will get you with no attacks of opportunity, etc.

Kaya is up, and make me another Fortitude save, please!

Fort 1: 1d20 ⇒ 7

She shudders, feeling ill, feeling inherently weakened, and staggers away from the swarm. Though everything in her screams to go towards the treeline, leaving the party to fight the mess and to continue onwards the way she'd wanted to, she's aware that if she's followed, she might well get murdered by this mess of disgusting bugs. Another shudder.

She can feel her pale face going even paler as she forces herself to step through the begs, closer to Geera and Calder.

"Ugh..." she groans, her body very much unhappy with her. Everything sucks. Carrying herself feels impossible, much less her load. There's a distant, slightly hysterical part of her mind that, still faced with the idea of a spider swarm, demands she drop everything and run, but that woudn't be fair to her companions.

"That was... not good." Kaya doesn't quite whimper, but it's close.

Still reeling from the bugs, because ew ew ew. Encumbrance is up to heavy.