GM Endless Forms' PFS 01-48 The Devil We Know Part IV: Rules of the Swift (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Hmmm, yeah - I didn't think of that before! My brain is starting to shut down now...

Too much St. Paddy's Day celebrations? ;-)

That was an awesome Channel! If that thing keeps hitting, we need more like it, lol.

Oswin channels to heal everyone!

---

The elemental swings at Baern and Max again!

power attack slam on Baern: 1d20 + 17 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 17 - 3 + 1 = 23
damage: 2d8 + 9 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 7) + 9 + 6 + 1 = 27

power attack slam on Max: 1d20 + 17 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 17 - 3 + 1 = 29
damage: 2d8 + 9 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 2) + 9 + 6 + 1 = 19

Initiative:

1. Oswin, Baern, and Alie
2. Earth Elemental
3. Kilian and Maximo

EE: 85 dmg

You guys are up!

Round 3:

Kilian redoubles his efforts, seeing how the elemental is battering his compatriots. Another pair of slashes sends gravel in all directions. If I survive this I'm going to have to spend some time with a whetstone....

PA guisarme, incl. haste and bless: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 23
PA guisarme, incl. haste and bless: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 23

PA damage: 2d4 + 10 ⇒ (4, 2) + 10 = 16
PA damage: 2d4 + 10 ⇒ (1, 4) + 10 = 15

*Gulp* does that hit do you in Baern? Or did you not update your HP for the channel? Right now it looks like you're going from 13 to -14. Everyone please update your HP, and I'll try to get healing to those who need it most.

My health was modified for the first hit, the channel, and now this last hit. I am currently at 13 HP. REALLY hoping Kilian just killed the damn thing so I can start Cure Moderating.

"Baern, get behind me and tend to yourself!" Maximo will step over to try and give Baern cover. "Kilian and I will hold off this brainless dirt clod!"

Though the elemental's attacks are bashing him around quite badly, Oswin's powerful faith in Iomedae combined with Maximo's own faith in Shelyn is keeping him on his feet and in the battle. Bringing his greatsword up, he continues slashing at the elemental.

I believe that Baern will have cover from the elemental's reach if standing behind Maximo, therefore allowing him to heal himself without worry of provoking an AoO.

Lay on Hands: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 6) = 13

Power Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 2 + 1 + 1 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 13 ⇒ (4, 4) + 13 = 21

Power Attack: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 10 - 2 + 1 + 1 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 13 ⇒ (2, 2) + 13 = 17

However, with these rolls it might not matter...

With a pained nod of thanks, Baern nods to Maximo and steps quickly behind the Taldan man. There he collects his thoughts and directs his divine power into healing his wounds.

Even with reach, Maximo should be able to provide soft cover. Should...

Cure Moderate Wounds on self: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (6, 5) + 6 = 17 x 1.5 for domain Healer's Blessing = 25 pts

That's what I'm thinking Baern. It doesn't come up that often, but I believe that's how reach and soft cover works.

Alie ticks off another charge from her wand.

Damage 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 = 8

39 charges left.

With two might swings Kilian brings the earth elemental tumbling into a pile of rocks and dirt!

Out of combat

The Andoren exhales in relief. "I don't think I'd want to take on one of those alone. Everyone all right?"

"My thanks, Killian. I'm fine, but it seems some of you are still wounded. Another prayer is in order, I should think."

"Gracious Iomedae, bind my friends' wounds, in thy mercy"

Channel: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 2) = 13

Let's see where everyone's at. I think that gets us all back to full HP. I have 1 channel left for today.

"After Oswin's healing energy, I feel quite well." Maximo says. Prodding the elemental's remains, he picks up a small stone, and examines it for a moment.

"Powerful guardian they left behind. We should press on and see what it was left to guard."

Maximo drops the stone into a pocket and moves to open the next doorway. As he does, he pats Kilian's shoulder and winks. "Excellent fighting, my friend. One would think you have experience dealing with rocky situations."

[ooc]40 charges still left, then![\ooc]

"Hopefully there are no more elementals here. That thing was tough! I'm glad you all made it out okay...nothing I had could do much damage to it!"

Kilian rolls his eyes, but grins back at the paladin, shaking his head.

Baern empathizes with Alie. "The same with me. Only with the blessed hand of the Goddess did I manage to do anything to it... and live to tell the tale."

Full health after that last channel.

"Nonsense, my lady." Maximo says to Alie. "Your magic doubled the speed at which we were able to defeat the creature. Or halved its ability to harm us. I am not quite certain which would be more accurate when the laws of nature bend to the will of sorcery."

"Everyone did their best, and stood courageously against the odds. That is all anyone can hope for."

The party heals up and heads onwards to find an empty hallway. In the center of the area you find broken furniture litters the room: parts of a stool, a modest writing table battered in twain, and several smashed chairs sprawl across the keep’s wooden floor.

Two sets of stairs in the room, one in the northeast corner and one in the northwest corner lead below. Stairs in the corners of the hallways lead up to higher levels.

"Start high? The real action is more likely to be underground, so we need to make sure we won't get trapped below by something still in the prison."

"Up then." Maximo agrees.

"As long as it is by stairs and not a dangling rope," Baern chimes in, remembering the suggestions to climb to the bell.

"Go for it!"

"Agreed! It's wise to make sure we won't have foes in front and behind."

The next floor contains four large solitary confinement pens reserved for political dissidents. Due to the wooden nature of these cells, the rust monster’s carnage did not affect this floor.

You also find a discarded note:

I write in haste. Whoever finds this be warned, the derro took us all! Look for discarded paper to follow my path. They are herding the prisoners into the lower cells in Stavian’s Fair. They have a *ink splotch*

Kilian reads over the piece of paper. "Hm. Too bad the writer wasn't a bit faster, unless she meant that the derros had an ink splotch." Does there appear to be anything above this in this part of the prison?

"At least discarded papers might be a clue for us to follow. Everyone needs to keep their eyes open and alert.". Out of habit, she scans the note for magic with Detect Magic.

"I hope what they have was that rust monster. Still, we shall deal with it when we get to it."

There is a higher level, yes.

Alie detects no magic on this floor. Wanting to check the entire prison before heading below, everyone heads up to the top floor.

This level is stripped of nearly everything metal, leaving what was once a tangle of dank, solitary confinement cages transformed into a tumbled mess of furniture and prisoner odds and ends. A collection of broken furniture a splattering of blood on the floor in front of the door in the southeast corner suggests a struggle, and you notice in the southeast corner of the room.

In the corner, you find your good friend, the Crazy Painter. The Crazed Painter stands before the south wall contentedly painting a large mural. The mural depicts two large snakes carrying a bell into Cassomir’s sewers and portrays in great detail what is clearly you all chasing after the snakes.

Hrmm... am I really that short??

"Ah, a familiar face. What new work have you created today?"
Baern sidles up to the man and tries not to startle him.

"They say the brush adds ten pounds," Maximo mutters as he studies the mural. "But does it add 30 years as well? Surely my hair is not so gone to gray yet."

His eyes turn to the bell carried by the snakes. "What is the meaning of this? Is there more than one bell in the keep? Painter, why have you made this?"

"How did you get here? Why would you paint us?"

Just a note....I'll be very sparse posting for the next two days. Work will be a bit crazy.

"I think he got my good side." The Andoren stands a little straighter and strikes a mock-heroic pose. "And we never did thank you for those other paintings--they helped us a lot."

"Ah! Groetus told me you would come, and he asks that you rid his shrine of the derros. But I warn you, do not interfere with his shrine or Groetus’s anger will be swift. Groetus has grander plans for me. In fact, he has grand plans for you as well. The bell was taken. They have such plans for it. They interfere with my lord’s plans and he wants them dead."

"I must confess, I am confused! I thought the derros were in league with Groetus. And we saw a bell on the way here. Do you mean to say that the one we saw is counterfeit?

At this point, the Crazed Painter points to the door in the southeast corner of the room and says, “Derros? Down, down, deeper, and down, follow my map to the underground.”

His face goes blank for a second and then he continues, "The bell? Those two snakes took it." He points to his mural with a toothless smile.

Kilian thinks about the layout of the level below and nods. "There might be a stairway through there. Let's go."

"So, you are saying the bell we saw is not the correct bell? It looked just the same as the other."

"But it radiated a magical aura. Correct? I did not check, myself."

"There is only way to know for certain." Maximo says as he moves towards the door to the southeast and opens it.

EF, Maximo's mutagen lasts 10 minutes. Let me know if more than that amount of time has passed.

Max doesn't find anything of note in the small room in the corner.

Satisfied that these floors are clear (except for the Crazed Painter, who doesn't seem competent enough to offer you much more than what he has). Alie is pretty certain that the Bell you saw is the real Bell. The party then heads down into the sewers.

Refuse rushes by in a stream of garbage carried swiftly through the sewer proper. A five-foot-wide dry ledge sits a foot above the refuse and provides a walkway on both the east and west sides of the sewer. On the west wall, a massive iron door blocks passage beyond. An image carved into the door is of a dispassionate figure holding a gibbous moon.

"How in the world are we supposed to get through that big ole door? We need to get somewhere because this tiny trash is killing me right now."

"I don't do locks well." Kilian pushes on the door and otherwise gives it a once-over, trying to figure out how difficult it would be to force open.

Knowledge (Engineering) check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

"Any magical auras upon this door, my lady?" Maximo asks Alie.

If there are none, he will step forward and try to open it with his youthful muscles.

Take 20 puts his check at 24. If Oswin still has Bull's Strength, then he could get higher. Just in case, perhaps other could Aid Another to help?

Alie follows Max's lead and looks for magic with her enhanced vision.

The door appears locked but Alie detects no magic in the area.

"It's not magical. But, it looks strong," she reiterates. "Don't hurt your self, Maximo."

Is there enough of a gap between the door and its frame that the bolt can be seen?

Not really.

The door has a hardness of 10, 60 hit points, and a break DC of 25 and the lock has a Disable Device DC of 20