GM Endless Forms' PFS 04-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Huh. Hedra, does Ray of Enfeeblement do what it sounds like it does? If the dais is making the strong weak and the weak strong then the wand will let you make the strong weak so that the dais can make them strong again.

Gnome, we are respectfully requesting that you use what strength you have to push the door open. Do you feel any stronger when you step on the dais because we all feel weaker?

"The Great Swarmholio is ALWAYS strong!"

Honestly, I have no idea if there are handles to pull on or if he should just be pushing . . ..

Strength Check: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (20) - 3 = 17 Obviously, the judge will have to adjust . . ..

Yes Elen, it's what I think too

But before Hedra could try her theories, Swarmholio was already trying to open the doors

With an impressive heave, Swarmholio pushes aside the two large stone doors as if they were made of air. Kalkamedes leads the party down a further hallway.

Suspended by thick chains, a massive metal cage shaped like a demon’s head hangs over a dark shaft with no bottom in sight. The cage’s door—by all appearances a menacing maw, filled with incisor-like fangs—hangs open to the west. There, a narrow bridge spans the short distance between the ledge and the cage. A small console on the north edge of the bridge bears a single lever.

When Kalkamedes reaches this area, he walks straight into the cage (through the open mouth) and silently waits for someone to activate the cage so he can descend.

Before we all go into the cage, can anyone tell if it will hold all of our weight?

I could look but I'm not a specialist in ingeneering

Hedra looked around to see if the cage could hold everybody

Perception: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 1 = 24

It looks like it is sized for four medium or small sized creatures at a time.

Overloading this contraption may not be wise. Perhaps Jake, Hedra, and Ran should go down with Kalkamedes, and the rest of us will follow afterward?

You're right Elen, we must be careful. May be only three on us for the first travel ? Jake, Kalkamedes and me ?
Swarm going last with the three others ?

Said Hedra

"Just in case there's something down there, why not send three people who are conscious? Hedra, Jake and Ran, maybe? I'll hold the leash until it's clear."

Why not. But be careful with our Gnome

Hedra after a last look to Swarmholio went on the cage waiting for the other to go with her.

Jake unties the tether and tosses it to Tevaga.

Careful with the charge, Tevaga.

He steps into the cage with Hedra.

The party descends the lift in two groups and finds themselves all safe and sound for the moment at the bottom of the shaft. Kalkamedes walks forward toward a larger chamber.

Palm-sized shards of jagged steel jut from halfway up the walls of this large cavern, bathing the cavern with a dark green light. A set of natural rock columns support the chamber’s ceiling, which rises to a height of twenty feet. A small tunnel leads to the northeast, and several rounded alcoves branch off from the main cavern. To the south an elaborate set of concentric circles inscribed in dull metal of different colors occupies much of the space within the room.

"Hello?" a voice calls out from the south. You notice a gnome dressed in threadbare clothes with an unkempt mane of fuchsia hair sitting in the circle to the south. "Hello? Who's there? Can you help me?"

Perception: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 1 = 16

Another Gnome ! How awful

Hedra looked at the circles trying to find their meaning divine or profane before answering the gnome.

Know. Arcane: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18
Know. Planes: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 1 = 16
Know. Religion: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 1 = 31

Hi, I'm Hedra who are you and what did you do here ?

"My name is Koth’Vaul. I was imprisoned here centuries ago by an organization known as the Thrallkeepers, who bound me here in this keep known as the Black Edifice to use my fey essence to power their magic. My captors have all long since died, but the wards that bind me have kept me young. All I want now is to be free so that I can taste fresh air once again, die at last, and perhaps travel back in spirit to the First World from whence I came."

"That man," Koth'Vaul says, motioning at Kalkamedes. "I recognize his affliction! Yes, he looks very familiar, too. That man is the direct descendant and very likeness of Johanis, a human adventurer with whom myself and my sister traveled centuries ago. When the Thrallkeepers accosted us, Johanis was the only one to escape, though he swore that he would mount a rescue to save us. I am certain that this man you lead has answered his ancestor’s call ten generations later. He has come to save me!"

Swarmholio gets a +5 on this one:

Koth'Vaul

kn(local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

"If you were here for that long, shouldn't you be bleached? Ran says while thinking we should do something about this poor, poor gnome."

Detect Evil please, focusing on the trapped gnome first and then around the room.

Know. Planes: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 12 + 1 = 26
Know. History: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 1 = 18
Know. Arcana: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16

Gamin, do you know this Koth'Vaul ? His name seems strange to my ears for a gnome and what he claimed nearly impossible for a human

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

I agree with Ran. How is it that you have supposedly avoided the bleaching all this time? And why is the floor in your circle all clawed up?

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Kn local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

I think it's everything outside all the circles that's clawed up.

Tevaga stands back listening to the exchanges with interest.

The Great Swarmholio seems to have been occupying himself with his own nose and a section of wall. When the big'uns prod him to move along, he frowns, but leaves the "work of art"? unfinished with little trouble.

In case anyone doubted it, Swarmholio is clueless about the Knowledge rolls, as none are makeable untrained, and his only trained Knowledge is Arcana.

"Bleached? NOBODY should be bleached! Koth'Vaul is awful skinny. Not a healthy gnome. Somebody give Koth'Vaul a cookie!"

"No, no, I don't bleach in here, I don't age. I told you, I've been trapped! Trapped for centuries! Please, why aren't you helping me?"

As a servant of humanity and not gnomanity, Hedra looked around if another exit or entry could be found letting her comrade decide of the strange gnome's fate.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 1 = 21

She also begin to cast some defensive spell, in case of something going wrong in this strange temple.

Then use one of her wand on her

Tevaga runs her fingers along some scratches on the wall. "What caused these scratches? And when?"

"Foxy Lady! Give Koth'Vaul a cookie! Now!"

Intimidate w/ Size adjustment: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 10 - 4 = 20

Despite the roll, _I_ don't expect compliance. Among other reasons, I don't think you were holding out on Swarmholio earlier when you said you didn't have any cookies. This seemed like one of the least disruptive and stupid things I could have him do, though, and he NEEDED to do something . . ..

"Swarmholio," Ran says to the gnome. "Ran knows you mean well, and that you are quite powerful. But Ran don't think now is a good time to give cookies to anyone right now. Ran also has no cookies to give, Ran says not knowing the power level of the gnome trapped in the circle of magic."

"Why aren't you freeing me? Why aren't you helping a poor aged gnome? Please, I told you that your afflicted friend is a descendant of the man who failed to free me!"

Its a pitty. I SO want to bluff the hell out of this outsider, but I can't figure out a way to be in two places at once, and I doubt he'll let some of us by while we "closely examine" the circle trying to figure out how to "disable" it. Oh well.

"Ran doesn't believe it would be a good idea at this time to free you now. Do not worry however, should Ran live through your inevitable wrath for not freeing you from your magic circle, Ran will give you and Swarmholio cookies right before we allow you to escape to your home plane via banishment, wherever it may be, Ran says without remorse."

"BANISHMENT! Banishment? BAD foxy-lady! You may NOT banish gnomes!"

I dunno, I'm starting to see the appeal.

What's this about his home plane Ran? Aren't gnomes from the same place the rest of us are?

Does he know why Kalkamedes is drawn here?

I dunno, I'm starting to see the appeal.

What's this about his home plane Ran? Aren't gnomes from the same place the rest of us are?

"Ran believes our trapped gnome friend here is an evil outsider, probably a demon, based on seeing he wants to trick us, but might be a devil. He has a very strong evil aura around him, so Ran suggests we let him sit in the circle a while longer, as he doesn't appear to be able to harm us directly, Ran replies nervously."

Are there any other evil auras in the room other than the obvious one?

"Well, we definitely don't need to release him. We can look around some more."

Is Kalkamedes heading straight for the gnome, or elsewhere?

@Ran: not that you can detect from where you are.

Kalkamedes is pulling to the southwest.

The gnome's smile vanishes instantly when Ran mentions outsiders and banishment. In a deep growl he says, "Ran, is it? That is a name not easily forgotten." His voice grows continuously deeper and darker.

The gnome's body begins to enlarge, filling up the entire circle. The eyes shine with a mixture of intelligence and cruelty as a second pair of arms sprout out from his midriff. "No, no, that will be a name I will remember. . . for centuries."

"Swarmholio, eh? Dirty gnomish name." The skin begins to grow darker and horns sprout from the purple hair, which is slowly turning black. "Koth'Vaul is much stronger, as you shall learn. No, none of you will be forgotten when I've had my vengeance."

The full power of this demon now stands before you, fully 18 feet tall. He laughs horribly, the echo of his powerful voice reverberating against the cavern. "Die. I command it. And may the name Koth'Vaul haunt your dreams and afterlife."

"ILLVASTER!" Koth'Vaul calls out into the darkness beyond. "Kill them."

There is a great splash as a decayed corpse with great wings and long neck rises out of the water. Two tiny creatures climb out at the same time, clearly disembodied hands that crawl about the floor of their own accord.

Initiative:

1. Tevaga
2. Illvaster and hands
3. Swarmholio, Hedra, Elen, Ran, and Jake

Tevaga is up!

Dragon:

Hands:

Initially oblivious (naturally) to the changes beginning inside the circle, Swarmholio is obviously fuming, "Stop insulting gnomes! Bad Foxy . . .." He turns towards the circle and the evil revealing itself within. In a small squeak of a voice "Good Foxy Lady. Very good Foxy Lady."

Knowledge (Religion) untrained vs DC10: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13 Hey! A check that Swarmholio can actually roll to make!

Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 11 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 11 + 1 = 17
Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 12 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 1 = 30
Knowledge Religion (Hands): 10 + 12 + 1 = 23

kn(religion) zombie: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
kn(religion) hands: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Someone "on fire" wished to fight a dragon? Here is the perfect fight for you. A dragon that if you crit it, it auto dies.

Yeah, but I've already played this one. I actually used one of my GM-stars to replay it so I could get the boon for another character. That was before I had Fizzbeard or else I would have played him through it.

If you make the knowledge roll, feel free to share the info.

Tevaga moves deeper into the cavern, taking cover behind a column.

Double-move, drawing heavy mace.

If you make the knowledge roll, feel free to share the info.

Tevaga moves deeper into the cavern, taking cover behind a column.

I would, but it hasn't been my turn yet, so I can't communicate the info.

Why is it that we always have to fight zombies in an enclosed area where we have to defend a mission objective? *sigh*

The same here, when it will be Hedra's turn she will share her knowledge with everybody !

Yep, technically you can't make a KN check until your turn. I have no problem with people rolling it early but waiting for your turn to share is the correct way to do it.

Tevaga moves up and takes cover behind a pillar of stone. She can see clearly now that there is a beautiful elven warrior woman in the other circle, unconscious and injured.

Koth'Vaul laughs menacingly as he ferociously claws at the circle holding him in. The dragon moves up to block Tevaga's path to the elven woman. The hands move in on the party. double move-note that they are diminutive size so they can only take an AoO if you pass through their square (their reach is 0')

Initiative:

1. Tevaga
2. Illvaster and hands
3. Swarmholio, Hedra, Elen, Ran, and Jake

You guys are up!

Elven warrior woman

"Eeeeah! HANDSeseses!" The gnome points at the hand closer to the not gnome and releases a stream of arcane fire, trying to make himself feel better. Fire always makes The Great Swarmholio feel better.

Ranged Touch Attack w/ PBS into melee: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 1 - 4 = 16 I hope that's good enough!
Elemental Ray Damage w/ PBS: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 = 7

If that handles the hand, then The Great Swarmholio will also move around the pillar a little bit. If it doesn't, he won't. The "tgs" marks his potential destination.

Round 1

Jake double moves forward to assist Tevaga with the beast.

Ran double moves up to help fight the dragon.

"Ran believes the dragon is a zombie, Ran says with great concern. Ran believes you should fight it with weapons that cut its flesh, Ran says as she prepares to smite the Dragon with holy power."

Smite evil on the dragon

Since they're diminutive, I don't think they count as "in melee" for Swarmholio's purposes until they enter someone's square.

Elen will five step to the north to get a clear shot at the second hand, then draw and fire at it; spending a grit point on focused aim. Perhaps he'll get lucky and kill it before it gets Kalkamedes.

untrained Know(religion) for the hands: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 Don't let the hands get Kalkamedes! They can strangle people!

point blank gunshot: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 1 = 7 vs. touch AC
damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

Well crap. That's a misfire.