GM FurtiveZoog's PFS First Steps, Part I: In Service to Lore (Gamma) (Inactive)

Game Master FurtiveZoog

No worries, if she's down we're good. Last chicky is probably heading for the hills.

Zander is silently impressed that the wind from his glaive strike was sufficient to fell the woman. He strongly suspects she was wobbly on her feet and finally succumbed to her wounds at the precise moment he struck.

Kawrock will push further into the fog to see if the fiery haired woman has escaped them.

"Well, she didn't get by me," Adelaide remarks, closing some of the distance between the party and herself (Move to D7). "Good work, everyone."

"Can you see her, Tuich?"

I'm gonna let GMFZ field that one. :o)

Lady Adelaide moves forward to congratulate her comrades.

Round 6.
Kawrock moves forward in the mists and gets close enough just in time to see the red-haired woman tossing a potion vial to the ground, cursing him and all feathered-kind in colorful language.
Conveniently, she only went as far as the edge of the map... *ahem* But I've extended the mist to its full shape and you can consider the alley to just continue as it is (two spaces wide) for awhile.

Melee touch attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 191d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Kawrock strikes with his still flaming fist and finally connects, scorching his foe!

The obscuring mist is 20' high, too, so it is difficult to get above or to see down into.

Everyone but Kawrock is up!

With all the retconning and rewriting, did we establish if Euredes was dead or not?

"ఆశా ఫ గైడెన్స్" intones Tuich again upon seeing the slippery, moss-covered slate. Then she begins moving slowly and cautiously along the roof in a crouch, right hand on the roof tiles to help steady herself. (To just inside the edge of the cloud, E9 -- half speed)

1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

Daaaaang, that was close! (Believe it or not, I really did decide to play it safe with half speed before looking at the roll! Had she flubbed it would she have fallen off the roof, or just not moved?)

After several slippery spots where she nearly loses her footing, Tuich steps into the cloud.

"Not from here," she quietly answers Lady Adelaide.

Vyk heard Kawrock connect with a ferocious fiery fist of fury. Have I mentioned that I love alliteration? He darted around him and spotted the murky form of the red-headed woman.

He snarled and drove forward. It was foolish, reckless, dangerous -- and fun.

He positioned himself behind the woman, flanking her and lunged with his blade.

Moving to D15, provoking AOO. But we need to finish this.

Rapier with Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 = 16

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 92

Zander - Yeah, Eurydes is dead (sort of). He was close to death without her attack (only the halfling's) but then miraculously stabilized, getting exactly the 19 he needed to stabilize! But then Kawrock lit the area up with burning hands, doing Eurydes a point of damage from which he didn't recover. (He just won't be reported as dead since the player didn't stay in long enough to count in the scenario, and I probably should have removed the character after the absence became extended.)

Tuich - a fall, in this case, would probably have meant just falling prone, although perhaps a big enough failure (or an additional Reflex save failure?) would have caused you to roll off.

Vyk Tyr - ferocious fiery feathered fist of fury.

RH's short sword AoO against Vyk Tyr: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 111d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d100 ⇒ 10
The red-haired woman swings powerfully at Vyk Tyr as he goes by, but catches only mist.

Vyr Tyr comes much closer, but an invisible effect deflects his rapier.

Lady Adelaide and Zander are up!

(I probably would have had her run away but it specifically says she is a fight to the death type, being too proud to give up.)

(I probably would have had her run away but it specifically says she is a fight to the death type...)

You can have my gun when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.

Your proposal is acceptable.

Is this a new turn since I moved to D7? I assume not. In that case, I've been waiting for Zander to move and staying where I am with a readied action. Hate to step on his toes :p

Yes, it is a new turn. I would just go as far as you can go, which would be about E15 if you are doing a double move at 20 each. (She has already used her AoO on Vyk Tyr, as well.) You could also activate your smite - might as well use it before the end of the day/scenario.

Feeling that the remaining woman has most likely fled, Zander stops to begin examining the bodies in hopes that one or two of them may be saved.

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Bah, who needs this liver thing...

Zander finds that the halfling is dead, but the brown-cloaked man and the maniacal woman both are unconscious but stable.

Lady Adelaide can still go (twice, really), but I'll skip her for the moment and have the red-haired woman go to try to speed the end up and have everyone go again.

Perhaps sensing that the cause is lost, she shouts "A curse on all of you failures! It will take all of you to bring me down!", takes a defensive posture, and moves westward again in the mists.
Vyk Tyr and Kawrock can both take AoOs

nodachi: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14 damage: 1d10 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

If Vyk doesn't get her then Kawrock will follow with a 5 foot step and cast produce flame again.

"You can not out run the flames of the Phoenix clan!"

Melee touch: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 1 + 2 = 11 damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Having missed with the flame, he strikes out with failed frenzied frantic feathered frustration.

Beak: 1d20 - 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) - 4 + 2 = 17 damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

I added the flank bonus from Zander's reach weapon.

Adelaide glares at their wretched red-haired attacker; she examines the woman carefully before stepping up, falcata at the ready. "I will show you why darkness withers in the light!"

[ooc]Swift to smite, move to D10, attack![/dice]

Miss chance, high is good: 1d100 ⇒ 94

Attack!: 1d20 + 5 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 3 = 17

Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 = 6

Vyk stabbed at the fleeing woman. AOO

"Ohhhhh, no you don't."

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 95

Don't know if I get flank bonus or not. Add +2 to the Attack roll if yes.

With the mist only having a 20' radius, we can just move to the other side of the mist and wait the remaining length of time for it to disolve and we can see her. no?

Where's the fun in that, Zander? :p

It's great fun if you're a control freak efficiency nut. Did I mention I'm not a gambler? :D

The red-haired woman dodges this way, around one blow, and that way, around two more. Some get close, but they just miss, are deflected, or are stopped by her chain shirt.
With total defense, she's is pretty tankish.

Round 7 - the mists will be gone when round 10 reaches the enemies since they it started on round 0, assuming that the blond woman was a 1st level caster or using such an item.
Everyone but Kawrock is up!

Zander takes a few moments to bind the feet of the unconscious foes and ensure any weapons or spell components are far from reach.

"ఆశా ఫ గైడెన్స్!" (MA, Guidance again.) Tuich moves cautiously to the edge of the roof. (5-foot step to E10.)

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 2 + 1 = 15

Peering down into the mist, she can just make out the redhead, her eyes attracted by the woman's shouted taunt as she moves towards Tuich. "It will take all of you to bring me down!"

"Then you shall have all of us!" she shouts back. (SwA for another Steel Scarf Revelation, SA to attack.) A steely flash is barely visible through the fog as her weapon lashes out towards the enemy...

Steel Scarf Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Concealment Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 53
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Oh, come ON!

... and misses abysmally.

"Is she over there?" Vyk asked with a scowl on his face trying to peer into the mist.

"Join the Pathfinders, they said. See the world, they said. How hard could it be, they said," he muttered angrily.

He snarled.

"To the Abyss with it. I'm going in."

He marched back into the mist, and nearly bumped into Kawrock, he sidestepped and saw the hazy form of the red-haired woman.

Move to E12.

"Miss me?"

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 36

The woman dodges Tuich's steel scarf and Vyk Tyr's rapier, answering him, "I've tried not to - stand still and I won't!"

Sorry I've dragged this on (stupid script and Total Defense!), though she has a trick or two up her sleeve...

Channel Negative Energy: 1d6 ⇒ 3
It affects everyone; DC 11 for half damage.
The red-haired, Norgorber-masked woman spits curses and a wave of negative energy expands from her, chilling everyone to the bone - and causing pained twitches from her own downed comrades. She then does her strange move and there appear to be two of her once more.

Everyone is up!

Suddenly, Tuich's hair and clothes start fluttering madly as she simultaneously senses the edge of the oncoming energy wave. "Got it, Tooley." She closes her eyes briefly and meditates on the mercy of Ashava.

Will Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

W00t, natural 20! Please tell me she takes backlash damage from that, haha!

"Your puny efforts cannot affect us, Skinsaw scum! Submit now or face death!"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

(Hmm, since it will in fact affect us -- just less if we save -- do I need a Bluff check here as well?)

Will save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Adelaide shudders as the cold crawls over her skin, and barely manages to avoid the worst of it.

"You know, Tuich, I don't think there's anything redeemable in this waste of a woman. She doesn't have a choice anymore- " Growling, Adelaide slashes furiously at one of the three figures. "You will die!"

Mist Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 31
Real or Fake? 67 and up is real: 1d100 ⇒ 64
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Kawrock feels the cold sweep over him but brushes most of it off. After the axe from the halfling this is a minor inconvenience.

"The odds are against you, if you wish to live surrender."

Melee touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Beak: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (6) - 4 = 2

GMFZ can you just make my attack rolls, you are clearly better at it :D. Kawrock will 5 foot to C11 to end his turn.

I didn't bother rolling damage since I hit an illusory copy, but I can if I need to

Despite her bravado, the Norgorber cleric looks to be shaken by the commanding voice from the mists above!
It is just a basic Will save, although it would make sense to add in pluses and minuses like in bluff. I suppose you could in the current rules as circumstance bonuses.

Kawrock - Sorry, but you can't 5' step 'through' a corner since you can't move through a corner (Measuring Distance - Diagonals: "You can't move diagonally past a corner (even by taking a 5-foot step). You can move diagonally past a creature, even an opponent. ... You can also move diagonally past other impassable obstacles, such as pits."

You should have Zander roll for you. Or maybe his mojo only works as a GM.

Lady Adelaide - Actually, you hit the real one since there is only one real and one copy (I probably should have specified better that there is only one copy at a time and that they only last one round), so 51 - 100 would be real. :) So, roll damage! (Don't forget smite evil.)

The paladin grins widely, her face nearly glowing with the satisfaction of feeling her blade connect.

Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

Will Save (DC 11): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Ouch. I take 3 damage. Currently 10/14.

Vyk roared in pain and then attacked again.

Rapier: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 3

But his rapier went wild and struck nothing but empty air.

Ok. I think we can all agree that was a pretty bad round for me. At this point I'm just hoping Addy put the hurting so much that I can retcon that I hit nothing because she dropped to the earth like a stone.

I think it's her turn again? Unless Zander wants to stop binding prisoners.

Nope, carry on you blood thirsty savages.

Heal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

As the dark energies pulse outward, Zander does his best to shield the wounded from the effect and then sets about trying to make sure none of them pass on from their "friends" death effects.

Not sure I can shield the bodies, but since cover would prevent them from getting hit by the effect, I can hope right?
HP at 10/13

I don't think there is a way to shield from the negative energy if they're in range, and cover only seems to help with reflex saves. :-\ Since it seemed spiteful and was the only way to 'punish' everyone, it seems like the right maneuver.
Channel Energy: 1d6 ⇒ 1
The woman unleashes another show of bravado, but still appears shaken, perhaps explaining the weak burst of negative energy. Another replacement copy of her appears just as the last fades into the mists.
DC 11 Will save for no damage.

Zander does seem to stabilize the brown-cloaked man, who also seems to resist the negative energy.

Everyone is up! Almost there!

Will Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Tuich whips her scarf off and around again; as before, a glint of steel catches the eye as she lashes out.

Steel Scarf Attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Feh.

"Would you please stop that! I'm trying to save your comrades you idiotic Hamburger worshiper!" shouts Zander into the fog

Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Waiting on my action to see what everyone else does

Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

"You have tasty hamburgers? You will give them up now!"

melee touch: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Beak: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (17) - 2 = 15 damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

Forgot miss chances and image.

miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 2

high hits her: 1d100 ⇒ 55

miss chance beak: 1d100 ⇒ 38

image: 1d100 ⇒ 100

-Posted with Wayfinder

I'm glad you hit her after all, because I had all of this finished and was just proofreading it.

Much to everyone's relief, Kawrock, fluttering furiously, flings his flaming feathered fist of fury at the flustered, fiery-haired female's fair form, finally finishing the fiend! Forsooth! (He misses with his beak.)
Sadly, she was not flat-footed.
OK, I won't quit my day job. :-P

Out of combat!

Mere moments later, the mist rises on the alley, re-revealing the site of the fierce battle in all of its banality.

Zander's heal on the maniacal blond: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Zander's heal on the red-haired woman: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Zander works quickly and expertly to stabilize the lives of the red-haired woman and the maniacal blond. With the brown-cloaked man already stabilized, only the Eurydes and the halfling have died.

After securing the captives, you search the captives and the halfling's body. Curious onlookers and random pedestrians start to filter into the alleyway and the watch is called.

On the masked woman, whom you find out to be a Deandre Dulay, the apparent leader of the group of thugs, you find a used potion of cure light wounds, a potion of shield of faith; a masterwork chain shirt, a short sword, a dagger, the gray mask, an unholy symbol of Norgorber, and 28 gp.

On the maniacal woman, you find two potions of cure light wounds, a scroll of burning hands, three used scrolls (mage armor, obscuring mist, and shield), a scroll of unseen servant, a wand of disguise self (5 charges), a dagger, a light crossbow with 20 bolts, a fan of pigeon feathers, a small pouch of trimmed fingernails, and 53 gp.

The brown-man had an elixir of hiding, a chain shirt, a rapier, a dagger, notebook of bitter, anti-establishment jokes, ink, a quill, a small hand puppet representing Lord Gyr, and 8 gp.

The mustachioed halfling had a potion of cure light wounds, a masterwork chain shirt, a greataxe, a block of wax in a metal tin, a fine comb with a long handle, a bottle of whiskey and four silver cups, and 25 gp.

The guard comes, eventually, breaking up the performance art group, which likely was in league with the band of thugs who ambushed you. You explain what happened and, knowing a couple of the thugs' histories and that you are Pathfinders - "many find new Pathfinders easy hits" - they let you go. They also seem impressed that you left so many of the thugs alive.

"Easy hits," mutters Tuich. "They know better now!"

"In that fog, no one was an easy hit," Adelaide observes dryly.

Vyk watched the guardsmen place a sheet over Eurydes' still form and sighed.

"We need to report in to the Venture Captain. And then I suggest we all go get exceptionally drunk," he said in a subdued voice.

As the group is collected over Eurydes fallen form, Zander offers a small prayer to the Whisperer of Souls that he might find his proper place in Pharasma's realm. He then lets some divine energy flow through the group.

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Having climbed down from the roof and joined the group, Tuich bows her head in respect for their fallen comrade, brief though the association might have been.

"May Ashava guide your spirit safely home, Eurydes."

She turns to Vyk. "I think your suggestion has merit. Have you been introduced to the ambrosia that is pulque?"

Kawrock manages to gather some ash from the burns he inflicted on Deandre.
He then proceeds to sprinkle them over his head while chanting.

"Now where are those hamburgers you talked about Zander?"

Vyk brightens at the thought of a beverage he hadn't tasted yet.

"No, but if it burns on the way down, I'm in."

He then looked thoughtful as he walked away.

"I'm thinking of making a drink called the Chocolate Covered Imp. What do you guys think?"

"Hmm... no, sorry, it's not that strong. But it's thick and frothy and sour, and it has enough of a kick to get one's attention. Glorious stuff."

Tuich decides not to comment on Vyk's drink concept.

"I'm sure we can find something like that at wherever Vyk is buying us the drink to get us exceptionally drunk, but originally it was a quip over the woman's choice of deity, Norgorber, which sounds remarkably like hamburger in my head." responds Zander.

At the end of the day, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin thanks you for carrying out his tasks, and promises that Eurydes will be buried with the appropriate ceremonies and respects and that his kin will be notified of his noble sacrifice in the service of lore. His name will be added to the Grand Lodge's wall of remembrance.

Ambrus assures you that not every mission for the Pathfinder Society involves running errands around Absalom. Congratulating you on proving your skill and responsibility, he suggests that he has another mission for you - your Confirmation mission - and that it will take you beyond the unassailable walls of the City at the Center of the World.

Fin