GM Endless Forms' PFS 06-23 The Darkest Abduction (Inactive)

Game Master Mike Tuholski

Fort: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13

Quiven falls!

Using Resiliency to bring my total to -4 HP.

Con Save: 1d20 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 1 - 4 = -1

Now its -5.

Seeing Quiven go down Wadreskus casts breath of life, touching his hawk who then swoops down and grabs ahold of Quiven delivering the spell.
Breath of Life: 5d8 + 11 ⇒ (2, 4, 8, 7, 5) + 11 = 37

Not knowing much about these dark folk, Pai readies an action to cast Snap Dragon Fireworks if it starts casting a spell.

Sir Terramor begins gathering his hidden power to save the dying, but seeing Quiven breathe again, he nods and instead smiles a predator's grin as he advances on the Dark Stalker. Shield up, he circles the foe.

Move through threatened squares draws an AoO from the Dark Stalker.

+1 adamantine longsword plus Power Attack plus Gang Up, Plus haste: 1d20 + 13 - 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 13 - 3 + 2 + 1 = 171d8 + 5 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 6 = 17

With Aid Allies,Bodyguard and Intercept, I can burn an Attack of Opportunity whenever an adjacent ally is attacked to give that ally a +5 to AC.

Seems like I'm back to 32! Without Resiliency Quiven was dead.

You would have been dead only a moment ;)

AoO on Terramor: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (4) + 20 = 24
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 3 = 7

The dark stalker dodges Sir Terramor's blow as Desmond moves up and discovers that she is quite hard to hit; only one of his attacks lands and it does not do full damage against her hardened skin.

She laughs and jumps back, directing her ire against Terramor. "A bane upon you!"

short sword: 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 20 + 2 = 32
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 2 + (2, 1) + 3 = 15

short sword: 1d20 + 15 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 15 + 2 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 2 + (5, 3) + 3 = 19

short sword: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 10 + 2 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 + 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 + (3, 6) + 3 = 18

And if any of those hit, a DC 14 Fort save against poison or take 1d3 ⇒ 1 Con damage (1/round for 6 rounds)

Initiative:

1. Baddies
2. Quiven, Desmond, Wadreskus, Pai, and Sir Terramor

zod: 111 dmg, 10 pnts

You guys are up!

Quiven spends this round picking up his weapons and standing back up, not sure exactly how he isn't dead yet.

We're so close to the end! Desmond is leaving PbP so I will bot him as necessary but everyone else still needs to post their actions before I can move on. Let's finish this up!

Pai doesn't have much left to actually do anything, but I'll paper cut it to death!

Pai casts her simple SnapDragon Fireworks spell, creating tiny little dragons around her head. With a point, she sends one of them flying toward the dark folk.

Damage 1d4 ⇒ 3

DC 17 Reflex for half and to avoid being dazzled.

One of eight fireworks.

Wadreskus eyes grow pitch black absorbing the light near them. He brings misfortune down upon the Dark Stalker. DC23

Fort Check for AoO: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Fort Check for 1st Hit: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Terramor steps up, furiously trading blows with the Dark Stalker. "Your kind never learns," he says. "Don't mess with Pathfinders!"

Dragon's Challenge on the Dark Stalker!

First Attack - +1 adamantine longsword plus Power Attack, Plus haste plus Dragon's Challenge: 1d20 + 13 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 13 - 3 + 1 = 171d8 + 5 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 14 = 25

Second, Hasted, Attack - +1 adamantine longsword plus Power Attack, Plus haste plus Dragon's Challenge: 1d20 + 13 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 13 - 3 + 1 = 121d8 + 5 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 14 = 23

Third Attack - +1 adamantine longsword plus Power Attack, Plus haste plus Dragon's Challenge: 1d20 + 8 - 3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 8 - 3 + 1 = 91d8 + 5 + 14 ⇒ (1) + 5 + 14 = 20

#$%* you, Paizo Dice Roller! :-)

Challenge gives -2 AC to me vs. everyone other than the target of my challenge and also gives +3 to hit my target to all my allies.

With Aid Allies,Bodyguard and Intercept, I can burn an Attack of Opportunity whenever an adjacent ally is attacked to give that ally a +5 to AC.

Ref: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

Pai's spell stings a bit but leaves the stalker vulnerable to Wadreskus' ill fortune. Unfortunately, that seems to have rubbed off on Sir Terramor, who can't manage to hit her.

Desmond has similar bad luck at first but in desperation his final swing hits her right in the neck and sends the dark stalker falling to the ground, unconscious! So no exploding!

---

The unconscious "dark stalker" actually proves to be Basia Kalistoff, the local Venture-Captain. She is thoroughly embarrassed by being captured soon after her meeting with the countess, though she suspects no misdeeds on the part of Lady Livgrace. She helps you check on the others before heading upstairs to signal for Karcau's guards to come arrest the culprit.

Liand Erumont of the Palatine Eye thanks you and explains that he was abducted while visiting family in Karcau only a day or two ago. Most of the cruelties inflicted on him since were at the hand of Basia Kalistoff, though he knows that possession was the true cause of this and holds no grudge. He offers to provide testimony to the countess.

The most difficult captive, however, is Olivina Sharnau, the very person you were supposed to rescue in the course of solving the abductions. Unfortunately, the charm and mental torture she endured has caused quite a fantasy to form in her mind: she resists you help and tries to fight back, claiming the Pathfinders abducted her while at the Theater, beat her savagely, and kept her in the sewers until adoring fans could search no longer, then dragged her through dark tunnels to this profane cellar.

She claims that her natural charms won over one of the Society's slaves (pointing to the dark stalker) who told her many secrets but then was punished by torture demons. Social skills would be helpful to set her straight. Magic could also be useful.

The rooms beyond contain nothing more than a library, laboratory, and storage room.

Before sitting down with Olivina, Wadreskus will first commune with his spirit hawk for half an hour. The first 15 minutes will be spent searching out a spirit of lore. Wadreskus will look in the lodge library. After making a bond with a lore spirit Wadreskus will petition it for the Arcane Enlightment hex and pick up the blood money spell. He will then commune with his hawk once more to memorize blood money and Restoration.

My dear, you have been through a traumatic time. Your very mind has been ensorcelled. Work with me here to try to regain your hold on the truth. I know that it still lies beyond the veil of enchantment. We will work to heal your mind
Wadreskus pricks his hand and the blood forms a small pile of sparkling dust only to disappear when he starts casting restoration. He touches his hand to her forehead and says, Bring the truth out of the darkness, let it fill your mind.
diplomacy: 1d20 + 28 ⇒ (13) + 28 = 41

Pai tries to assist with the priest's work. "Just think back. It will all become clear. Shake off the magic. You can do it," she encouraged.

Diplomatic aid another 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (19) + 18 = 37

Quiven will ask that someone heal him back up to full strength.

CLW Wand: 3d8 + 3 ⇒ (6, 8, 6) + 3 = 23

He will then use the time to conduct a through search of the area while the others do their own thing.

With the help of Wadreskus and Pai, Olivina thinks back over the events that have happened to her, now seeing them in a new light. "Indeed, it was all a ruse! A foil! I've been tricked!" Recognizing that the Society did not abduct her but rather saved her, she thanks you for your selfless service.

In the wake of your showdown with the dark stalker Zodarna, Countess Livgrace visits you and congratulates you on solving the case. She says that all of Karcau is talking about your exploits. She indicates that most of the chatter focuses on how the Pathfinders helped to protect Karcau, and how they rescued Olivina. The positive publicity will no doubt improve the Pathfinder Society’s standing with the city’s shot-callers.

You avoided a debacle on several occasions (not causing any problems with Zeffiro Lesiege who was innocent and convincing Olivina not to slander the Society were key) and you kept Liand Erumont and Basia Kalistoff alive so that will earn you a boon. However, by electing not to pay the swampers' price, the swamp will still exact its price eventually....

That completes the adventure! I will get chronicle sheets tonight! Thanks for playing, everyone!

Was there anything to prevent a scry and teleport? It seemed like the obvious but not as fun option.

Whew! A couple times things got kind of sticky there!

Was there anything to prevent a scry and teleport? It seemed like the obvious but not as fun option.

No, and, eh-hem, now that we are finished I will admit that this scenario was really poorly written. If you are interested, just peruse the GM thread for this game. The bad guy's plan made no sense, the railroading and different locations you were supposed to go to was random and again didn't make much sense and even the BBEG's use of their own abilities was suspect. The illusion stuff they supposedly used to make Olivina look like a dark folk and speak with the BBEG's voice was not quite right or practical and even the BBEG's tactics to use deeper darkness when her kyton ally can't see in those conditions makes no sense! I hope I was able to keep it moderately entertaining and logical despite the plot-hole-ridden writing. Sometimes behind the GM screen things are just a mess and it was even hard for me to understand it some times. I kept thinking, "why are you even going to see Lesiege? This makes no sense!" and "if the BBEG's plan is to make it look like the Society is abducting people, where are all the obvious clues she should have left behind that the Society is doing it?! She really sucks at pulling off evil schemes."

Under those circumstances you did a wonderful job, I must say on the part of a player it took some restraint to not just zoom to the end when it seemed like the obvious choice. I'll pop over to the DM thread and perhaps add my two cents. Thank you for running a very good game.