Sorry for the delay! The problem with working on corn research is that sometimes everything is ready all at once and you have a few crazy days trying to get everything done on time.
However, you also note that being on the Ethereal Plane has its advantages, such as the fact that those on the Material Plane can not normally sense your presence....
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
Rogar taps the monk with the wand of mage armor. He twirls his mustache.
"Maybe we should head to the Material plane when we find the bad guys. But they can see us with their true seeing"
Essentially you can scout the place out without being seen until you stumble onto the Pakalchi sahkil, since you know they have true seeing. I'll describe the first few rooms and you can give me a plan:
Immediately past the double doors, the old marble floor of this wide foyer is stained with longdried patches of blood. Two grand staircases lead up to a collapsing balcony that overlooks this room. To the south, a set of broad double doors marks the way outside (the way you just came through), and hallways to the northeast and northwest continue farther into the villa. Five stone daises situated throughout the chamber display all manner of treasures.
Among the many items on display here are a +1 cold iron rapier, a suit of +1 mithral chainmail, and a string of five black pearls (worth 250 gp each). The large metal statue of a crustacean is actually an apparatus of the crab in the shape of a giant mantis shrimp; rather than pincer attacks, it gains two slam attacks that deal the same damage. The item is barely functional and only capable of operating for two continuous minutes before shuddering to a halt. Following the adventure, you can spend 45,000 gp to repair the apparatus to full functionality.
---
Beyond this in the middle of the villa is a grand dining room. Two long mahogany dining tables occupy much of this room. A large door leads west, and a slightly smaller one leads north. Dozens of splintered chairs stand amid dented goblets, scraps of cloth, and unidentifiable lumps of meat on the floor. The wood of the furniture is gouged and stained. Two maenads celebrate in here with a jug of rancid wine.
---
Adjacent to the dining room is a small corridor which opens into a small staging area for banquets with a cloak rack along the east wall. There is also a staircase that ascends clockwise to a ruined second floor and descends to a mold-caked cellar.
Next to these two rooms is a hidden smoking room. Chairs in once-bold colors are arrayed around a fireplace in this low-ceilinged smoking room. Two sideboards stand against the west wall, and from the east wall hang the mounted heads of two elk and a feline creature.
A +1 cold iron rapier leans against one of the chairs. Much of the hard liquor in the sidebars is musty and stale but nonetheless drinkable.
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
"Let's leave the weapons for now until we deal with the bad guys"
So one for taking them and one against, haha! So you know the maenids are in the dining room and you could form an ambush against them by popping into the Material Plane suddenly. Or you could continue exploring, knowing that there is a chance of running into a Pakalchi sahkil, which will be able to see you. Let me know what your plans are.
Male Gnome Sorcerer [10] : HP 62/62 | AC16 [20], 18[22] vs evil | T15 (17) | FF14 (16) | Fort+9 (+10 vs evil) | Ref+11 (+12 vs evil) | Will+13 (+14 vs evil) | CMB +1 CMD 15 | Init+6 | Perc+16 | SM+9 | Spellcraft +17
Maybe we should get the drop on at least one potential enemy while we have the chance. I do have a way that I can go invisible during combat if we find other enemies without true seeing.
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
Roger hastes the party before we pop in too. (assuming we do)
I threw you along the wall in the room with maenads but if you wanted to be positioned elsewhere, feel free to rearrange.
Once everyone is prepared, you simultaneously drink your potions to return to the Material Plane. The process is much more painful than you expected, as your body and soul are torn from one Plane of existence to another.
nonlethal damage:3d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 4) = 14 DC 18 Fortitude for half
Nonetheless, you still get the drop on the maenads, who are lazily drinking wine at the tables.
Everyone can take a surprise round action, then Tortuga is up first so he can also take his first round action.
Initiative:
1. Tortuga
2. Maenads
3. Bizzle, Aldaris, Rogar
Surprise Round for everyone! Tortuga also gets a normal turn to start things off.
will save reroll 1/1 | Heroic Defiance 1/1 Human (Taldor) Fighter (Unbreakable) 10.2 | HP 137/137 | AC 28 | TCH 12 | FF 27 | Perc +0 | Initiative +2 | Stealth -4 | CMD 21 | F/R/W: 14/9/10 (+2 vs compulsion/charm, +2 vs mind affect)
You forgot me. I don't feel loved lol. Rolled myself for this battle
Chasik, takes stock of what he has on him.
Haste, nah. Blur, nah. Ah, Enlarge Person, that should do the trick
Chasik, before heading back to the material plane, drink the potion, and becomes twice the size, and hopefully twice as a threat. He is torn from one plane to the other. The journey doesn't feel that good, but the hours he put into conditioning and working on the Taldor docks seemed to pay off. He is no worse for wear, other that a couple bruises.
Back on the material plane, he gets the jump on the enemies before him. He commands his shield to dance, and as the enemy tries to react, Chasik, takes 3 mighty swings at the enemy before him.
Surprise Round - move action to animate shield for 4 rounds. Round 1 - Tee off with 3 swings (hasted), PA, Furious Focus on swing #1
I will straddle the table if possible since I am now size large, other wise just put me in the corner where my blue lined pic is :)
Before the maenads can react, Tortuga unleashes a flurry of kicks. (Spending a ki point to get an extra attack, gaining 2 extra attacks from Medusa's Wrath.)
He pivots on his heel, to kick at the legs of the other maenad.
Leg Sweep Kick vs Blue(hasted):1d20 + 15 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 15 + 1 = 29 Damage (kick):3d6 + 5 ⇒ (1, 6, 6) + 5 = 18 Damage (vicious energy):2d6 ⇒ (2, 5) = 7 Damage (self):1d6 ⇒ 4
On a hit, Tortuga gets a free follow-up trip attempt.
Trip vs Blue (hasted):1d20 + 22 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 22 + 1 = 26
The remaining attacks will first be made against blue, then red once blue goes down. I am not including prone in these attacks. If blue is dropped, the first attack against Red will include stunning fist.
I'm sorry, Bash. You have not posted since June 15 and that is unacceptable. I removed you from the game ages ago because I will no longer allow players who only post during combat. You have to interact with the whole scenario to get credit for it. Sorry.
" Combat? now? wahhhh I'm not ready for this!"
Aldaris is shakened by the sudden engagement, his slience while waiting for the veteran adventurers to finish their machinations had turned to inattention, leaving the summoner slightly off-guard when the party engaged.
recovering quickly, he sends his Eidolon out at whatever survives the monk's furry, while he himself takes aim at any survivors as well.
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
Tortuga expertly delivers a maneuver that puts the first maenad on the ground. He then turns your fury on the second one, only to drop it and return to the first. Aldaris and his planar ally then further wound the maenad, although Rogar's magic is not sufficient to blind her. Luckily Bizzle's magic is more reliable and takes the maenad down! Or close enough really.
Ki Pool 7/13 | Stunning Fist 11/17 | Punishing Kick 15/15 | Touch of Serenity 13/15 | Winged Boots 1/3 | Reroll 0/1
YEOWCH! THEM FISTS OF MINE GOT REALLY SMOKIN' THAT TIME! Any one able to heal 'em up? I got those wands just for this occasion, but if we ain't got time I can try something a little faster.
Rogar, ye think you can take some more of those scrolls and recharge me ring?
Male Gnome Sorcerer [10] : HP 62/62 | AC16 [20], 18[22] vs evil | T15 (17) | FF14 (16) | Fort+9 (+10 vs evil) | Ref+11 (+12 vs evil) | Will+13 (+14 vs evil) | CMB +1 CMD 15 | Init+6 | Perc+16 | SM+9 | Spellcraft +17
Well done! We should remain on our guard, fellows! We might become noticed now. Bizzle will give a quick search of the bodies along with a Detect Magic as the other heal up.
Male Aasimar Summoner 7.2 HP 58/77 Fort+5,Ref+5,Will+7 Init+2 Perception +1 AC 16 (18 if eidolon is within 15ft), touch 12, flat-footed 14
"An excellent plan. We should all remain wary of the Pakalchi sahkil though. We haven't seen them yet."
Aldaris mentions as he loads another bolt into his crossbow.
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
"Sure I'll recharge your rings for you. Let's look around this room first"
You exit the dining room and turn down the corridor. From the once-lavish furnishings, this room appears to have been a fancy sitting room long ago. A disused stone fireplace takes up the western wall, while a large bookshelf, empty save for the odd yellowed scrap of paper and hundreds of mouse droppings, stands against the north wall. A number of rotting upholstered chairs and divans take up the center of the room. A hallway exits to the south, and a door hanging mostly off its hinges leads east.
Male Gnome Sorcerer [10] : HP 62/62 | AC16 [20], 18[22] vs evil | T15 (17) | FF14 (16) | Fort+9 (+10 vs evil) | Ref+11 (+12 vs evil) | Will+13 (+14 vs evil) | CMB +1 CMD 15 | Init+6 | Perc+16 | SM+9 | Spellcraft +17
Again Bizzle will use Detect Magic since he is on the curious side of things. He'll investigate the room by looking in the fireplace, on the shelves and the like. He'll let someone else worry about the double doors for now.
Male Aasimar Summoner 7.2 HP 58/77 Fort+5,Ref+5,Will+7 Init+2 Perception +1 AC 16 (18 if eidolon is within 15ft), touch 12, flat-footed 14
"It appears that you are wounded Tortuga. Allow me to remedy that."
Aldaris takes out a wand of infernal healing and taps the dwarf with it.
"Does that feel any better?"
Ki Pool 7/13 | Stunning Fist 11/17 | Punishing Kick 15/15 | Touch of Serenity 13/15 | Winged Boots 1/3 | Reroll 0/1
You see some of the magically inflicted wounds start to slowly mend, but it's obvious that the dwarf is much more injured than a single first level spell will fix.
"It won't hurt, but I suspect I'll need a bit more magic than that."
Tortuga's amulet of mighty fists has the vicious enchantment on it. So every time he hits, he manages to deal 1d6 damage to himself. In that flurry, Tortuga connected with 8 attacks out of 9 made and managed to roll 38 out of a possible 48 on the 8d6. He looked to be down more than a third of his maximum hit points due to self-inflicted damage.
I won't apply all the healing yet since I don't know if we'll get into another encounter before then, but even if it all takes effect, that puts Tortuga at 76/104 hp, with all his non-lethal damage cured.
If we think time is going to be an issue, Tortuga can drink a healing potion and take off his amulet.
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
I think we have time. So you can drink your potion.
Rogar watches Aldaris heal Tortuga.
He's better but too bad it can't do anything for the smell.
Ki Pool 7/13 | Stunning Fist 11/17 | Punishing Kick 15/15 | Touch of Serenity 13/15 | Winged Boots 1/3 | Reroll 0/1
I think I wasn't very clear. I'd rather not drink my potion. I'd rather have someone spend a minute or so tapping me with my cure light wounds wand until the damage is fixed. I was questioning whether we wanted to take time to do that or if we think we need to rus to find the BBEG before he has too much time to prepare for us or get away. But if people are taking the time to investigate rooms thoroughly, I guess we have time :)
Yes, you have plenty of time to heal. Assuming after you heal you open the door:
With nowhere else to go, you throw the doors open into what you suspect is the last room of the villa. The fine wooden floor of this ballroom is now warped and cracked as the roots of a massive rose bush grow out from underneath. The thorny stems of the bush have pushed through the windows in the northern and eastern walls, as well, the glass long since broken. A waist-high marble pedestal stands near the center of the room.
Just as you have been warned, the pakalchi sahkil Muzthari is in this room, scrutinizing her stolen soulstone, as is the pair of murderous plants she has cultivated over the years to act as her bodyguards.
These are living topiaries. They are plant creatures who are vulnerable to fire and require slashing weapons to deal damage effectively. They are poisonous and can heal themselves by incorporating nearby plants.
as you enter the room:
Neutral and neutral good characters take 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 3) = 7 points of damage, whereas lawful good, chaotic good, lawful neutral, and chaotic neutral characters take 6d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 4, 5, 2, 4) = 19 points of damage (Will DC 19 for half).
Initiative:
1. Bizzle
2. Muzthari and rosebushes
3. Tortuga, Aldaris, and Rogar
Sorry, two long hot days in the field. Peak pollination right now so it's a very busy time of year for me.
Bizzle speeds everyone up and then backs out of sight quickly. The plant creatures are surprisingly fast and at Muzthari's command they move to block the entrance.
Muzthari casts a spell and her form begins to blink in and out of existence quickly.
Initiative:
1. Bizzle
2. Muzthari (blink) and rosebushes
3. Tortuga, Aldaris, and Rogar
male Wizard 9/Lore 7 | HP 115| AC 25; Touch 20; FF 21 | F +14; R +12; W +16 | CMB+7; CMD 27 | Speed 20 ft | Init +3 | Perc +2 | Stealth: +1 Wizard 9/Lore 7
Rogar casts a spell at the rose bush. blue magic missile
@Aldaris: Vital Strike is a standard-action attack so you can only use it if you make a single attack. Basically you can either use Vital Strike as a standard and only get one swing or take a full-attack without vital strike but get multiple swings. I'll assume you just took one swing with Vital Strike this round.
Ref:1d20 ⇒ 4 1d20 ⇒ 17 4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 5, 4) = 21
Tortuga steps in and, without missing, takes down one of the plants and then snaps a few branches on the other! Meanwhile Bizzle drops the vine-y extraplanar woman into a pit! Aldaris' crossbow bolt only flies through the rosebush without doing any damage but Aelurus and Rogar do their part to break apart the plant a bit.
The rosebush decides to fight back, flailing its thorny limbs at Tortuga!
thorny slams:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26 damage:1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Plus save against poison.
thorny slams:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 damage:1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 Plus save against poison.
thorny slams:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 damage:1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 Plus save against poison.
thorny slams:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 damage:1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Plus save against poison.
Poison: DC 16 Fort save if hit once, +2 to the DC for every additional hit. Deals 1d3 ⇒ 2 Dex damage every round for 6 rounds, cured with just one save.
Just as it seems Bizzle's pit is about to chomp down on the sahkil, she comes flying back out of the pit, hovering 5' above the level of the floor!
Initiative:
1. Bizzle
2. Muzthari (blink, 29 dmg) and rosebush (48 dmg)
3. Tortuga, Aldaris, and Rogar
Ki Pool 7/13 | Stunning Fist 11/17 | Punishing Kick 15/15 | Touch of Serenity 13/15 | Winged Boots 1/3 | Reroll 0/1
Tortuga lashes out again with a flurry of kicks.
Spending 1 ki for an extra attack. Once the rosebush is dropped, Tortuga will use the flying kick style strike to move 30 ft (his extra movement from monk levels) and continue his attacks against Muzthari. The first attack against Muzthari will be a stunning fist (DC 19 Fortitude).
Male Gnome Sorcerer [10] : HP 62/62 | AC16 [20], 18[22] vs evil | T15 (17) | FF14 (16) | Fort+9 (+10 vs evil) | Ref+11 (+12 vs evil) | Will+13 (+14 vs evil) | CMB +1 CMD 15 | Init+6 | Perc+16 | SM+9 | Spellcraft +17
Bizzle will make a Suggestion that the flying lady should call off her shrubbery (if its still alive) and surrender before any more blood is spilled! DC 24
