GM Giuseppe's Council of Thieves

Game Master Giuseppe Capriati

Faustinia continues her muttering at the bottom of the slide, standing off in a corner, her brow creased in apparent consternation. She looks hesitant about something. Perhaps she’s shaken from the precarious slide, or her anticipation of worse things to come grows as they progress through the Asmodean Knot, renewed by exposure to the creepy singing from down the hall that they know isn’t friendly.

She snaps into more focus when Varius comes crashing down at the bottom of the slide. ”My word! Varius, are you all alright? That was a nasty spill!” Faustinia exclaims, wincing at the sound of the young man’s head hitting the stone. She immediately fishes into her bag and pulls out one of Arael’s potions. ”I’m so sorry, Varius - if I hadn’t needed to rest, you wouldn’t have had to take this slide again. Please, take this…” Faustinia proffers a vial to Varius with a mixed look of guilt and concern.

---

If we want to save our healing spells, I’m happy to offer my potion of cure serious wounds or cure moderate wounds. I’m glad we all mostly made those checks, I wasn’t expecting that slide falling damage to be such a doozy!

Varius uncurls as Catina blesses him with healing magic. He gingerly touches his head, wincing and looks up at his companions staring down at him with concern. "Too fast? Probably. Ooohhh... My head feels like there's a Varisian living in it."

He staggers to his feet, gratefully accepting the potion from Faustinia. He dabs a little on his skull before downing it. His eyes seem to clear up a little bit.

CMW: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (8, 1) + 3 = 12

"Thank you. The headache is incredible but we should press on. I've had enough hangovers that I can tough this out."

VARIUS! Petals yeps as he disappears without any slowing down at all. Once she gets down he's been healed up a bit and no longer looks nearly as bad as he probably did before. Still she worries too much and presses a little more healing magic into him.

cure light wounds from spell: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Alessandro has no ability to heal and stands around nervously while the others tend to Varius.

"Um...is there anything I can do?"

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

He does what he does best and keeps watch just in case...

Once Varius has been administered some magical healing, the group moves forward and arrives in the central room, the one in which the imp Livia made contact with them.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ THE KNOT’S HEART ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Alessandro opens the "exit" door. The chamber beyond lacks a visible floor and ceiling—instead, what appears to be an endless shaft stretches to infinity both above and below. A ring of stone stairs winds upward counterclockwise around the room’s perimeter, winding back on itself in a mind-bending twist that, impossibly, brings one back to the starting point’s elevation despite the fact that the stairs themselves seem never to change their ascent or descent. Stone archways, some opening into other similar rooms and some sealed with stone, extend off from landings here and there on the ring of stairs. In particular, the archway to the west is open, leading into another similar room. The archway to the southwest, to the contrary, is sealed with stone.

You don’t even have the time to get your minds used to the distorted reality of this room that a bolt darts in the darkness and pierces Alessandro’s chest!

Alessandro takes 16 points of damage and must succeed at a DC 14 Fort save or he’s diseased and takes 1d2 points of Strenght damage each round for 4 round (he may attempt a new save each round).

The responsible for the unexpected attack is in front of you, on the other side of the ring of stairs. She is a particularly evil-looking tiefling, with bloodred hair and gray skin that shines almost like polished steel. Her horns sweep back over her head, and her eyes and mouth glow red from within. Her leather armor is black and gray, and she holds a hand crossbow in one hand.

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
⁞⁞⁞⁞ INITIATIVE ⁞⁞⁞⁞
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Active effects: none

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe
⑥ Petals
_____________________________

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Round 1
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”Alessandro!” is all Faustinia can shout when she hears the quarrel thud into her ally and whips her head around to see it sticking out of his chest. Faustinia turns to face the assailant in shock, confused about whether she's above or below them and how she appeared so suddenly.

She shakes her head to clear her initial shock, though, and immediately starts to cast a spell. Her hand traces circular motions in the air as she begins to bark commanding words in an arcane tongue.

---

I will begin casting summon monster II.

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Round 1
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Varius jumps as the bolt thumps into Alessandro, but all he can manage is an "I say..."[/b]

Spying the tiefling through the darkness, Varius makes a beeline straight for her, determined to close the distance on the archer. Quietly, he is relieved to be facing a humanoid opponent. "En garde! Mind telling us what you're doing here?"

Varius races for her, and with a flick of his wrist, tries to knock the crossbow out of her hands.

Disarm: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

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Round 1
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Catina shrieks when she spots the crossbow bolt, too late to do anything about it. Her first instinct is to go and help Alessandro, but she knows that he's tough and that their group could use all the help to confront this tiefling. She weaves some magic and calls upon the blessing of Shelyn to aid them in this.

--

Cast Bless, move up while drawing glaive.

"Ouch! That is no way to say hello! Who are you? This needn't come to violence. But if you insist, I will cut you down."

Fort DC 14: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 So close.
Str Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2 More ability damage. Ugh!

Kukri: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 = 29
Crit. Confirmation: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 + 1 = 29
Damage: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

Alessandro climbs the stairs to the tiefling as well and cuts deeply into something vital.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 1 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

The Irises react immediately to the unexpected attack. Alessandro climbs the stairs to the tiefling and cuts deeply into her chest. The tiefling lets out a cry of pain. Her voice is distorted, almost otherworldly. Catina calls upon the blessing of Shelyn to aid her and her friends in the battle, while Varius races for the tiefling, and with a flick of his wrist, knocks the crossbow out of her hands. The enemy grins and looks Varius deeply in his eyes.

While on the other side of the ring of stairs Lady Faustinia starts casting a spell, her hand tracing circular motions in the air as she begins to bark commanding words in an arcane tongue, the tiefling smirks mischievously, steps back and…throws herself inside the hole at the center of the second room!

Not differently from what the party has already had the chance to observe in another room, the laws of physics work differently inside the knot. The tiefling falls into the pit at a much slower rate than one could expect, but in a matter of seconds she’s out of sight. If this works like the previous room, the party can guess that the tiefling will reappear in a few second from the same hole she’s disappeared into, but from above, and then will continue falling.

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⁞⁞⁞⁞ INITIATIVE ⁞⁞⁞⁞
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Active effects: none

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-7 hp)
⑥ Petals

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Round 2
========

Catina's usual soft smile turns into a grimace when she realizes that the tiefling is going to play a game of hit and run with them. "Great move, Varius. That should really slow her down. Alessandro, are you sure you're OK?" She hustles through the doorway into the next circular room, and for a second thinks about jumping after the tiefling. No. If we fall at the same rate, I'd never reach her. Instead, she takes up a guard with her glaive and looks up, ready to strike when their attacker should come within range.

--

Move and readied attack, when she comes within range.
Attack +Bless: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 = 12
Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

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Round 2
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Varius stares back at the tiefling, feeling fairly brave as he faces her down. It's still a surprise when she leaps into the hole. Glancing over to Alessandro to ensure he's alright, Varius kicks the crossbow into the hole beside him. If it's a nice one we can grab it out of the air later.

"It was rather good, wasn't it? Don't like the way she looks at me. I look at a nice ham the same way. Be careful, it may not work as we expect and she looks the type to go for the back."

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Move action to kick the crossbow into the nearby pit, standard to ready an attack.

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Round 2
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The spell finishes and with a sudden whipping of wind, Faustinia summons a small cloud-like creature with dark hollows where eyes and a mouth would be. Faustinia blinks as it is drawn into being next to her, then nods at it. Unable to speak its particular elemental language, she points vigorously into the other room at the hole in its “ceiling.” The creature quickly flies over to the next room, moving to the center and looking up for whatever the wizard is trying to indicate.

Faustinia herself then moves quickly into the next room after Catina. Crossbow in hand, she keeps her eye out for their attacker and hopes her necromantic scroll will keep her safe. ”Do you see her yet?”

---

Double move.

Petals will see to Alessandro's wound. clw: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10. on phone sorry it is short

"Thank you for your concern, Catina, Petals. I could be better, but I'll survive."

To the enemy, "I guess talking is out of the question then. You do realize it is four against one, don't you?"

Fort save DC 14: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Str Damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2

With the poison draining his strength, his kukris are no longer viable, so he drops them and draws his bow. He fires one shot at the floating assassin once he can see her.

Drop - free, Draw - move, Attack - standard

Longbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 5

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 1 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Petals walks to Alessandro and heals him with a spell. The terrible wound inflicted by the bolt partially closes.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 2 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Lady Faustinia summons a small cloud-like creature with dark hollows where eyes and a mouth would be and directs it toward the hole in which the tiefling disappeared. Then she moves quickly into the next room, crossbow in hand. Catina hustles through the doorway into the next circular room as well, taking up a guard with her glaive and looking up, ready to strike when the tiefling will reappear. Varius kicks the crossbow into the hole beside him and readies an attack just like Catina. Alessandro, with the poison draining his strength, does the same as the other and keeps his bow ready.

The tiefling does indeed appear again from above the hole, but as soon as she does so, something strange and unnerving happens. All the stoned archways suddenly open! And the readied attacks all trigger!

As soon as it spots the tiefling, the air elemental summoned by Faustinia attacks, but the tiefling is too quick to react and graciously glides through the air, as though dancing, and avoids the attacks. Catina fails to hit her target as well. As she realizes, her opponent is not just falling at a slower-than-normal gravity; she appears to be have a certain degree of control on the speed and direction of the fall, as though she was levitating. That allows the tiefling to move herself much more nimbly than someone who’s falling, and therefore avoid Catina’s attack.

Varius can’t attack the tiefling because of the distance between them, while Alessandro shoots precisely and hits. As he now notices, though, the tiefling seems to be partially resistant to ordinary weapons: that arrow should have pierced her flesh, instead only scratched it. It’s not something comparable to the natural resistance certain monsters have to ordinary weapons, however; it’s more like Catina’s resistance.

Still suspended in midair, the tiefling grins cruelly, her fiery red eyes glowing with sadistic delight. She tosses a small rock she’s holding in her hand behind her, on the opposite side of the ring of stairs of the room the Irises are in. Then, suddenly, the whole room is cast in supernatural darkness, and no one, apart from Catina, can see the tiefling anymore.

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-8 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 2
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Petals groaned in frustration as darkness descended. All too familiar. Is there a reason you feel we need to die? she asks loudly to their foe. The cruel joy in her eyes makes Petals think reasons are not necessary but it never hurts to ask.

Not expecting an answer, she starts to sing about the most beautiful thing in all the worlds... hope.

bardic performance inspire courage, +1 attack and damage, +1 save vs fear and charm

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Round 2
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Unfazed by the darkness, the air elemental chases after the mysterious tiefling. It quickly flies towards her, and when it catches up it tries to slam into her with its body of battering wind.

Faustinia, before the darkness envelopes her, darts her eyes toward the air with an interested expression, as if she's just had (or just heard) an idea. Then the darkness comes and Faustinia first thinks to take the scroll from her bag to let her see - an idea which she quickly dismisses since she can't read it in the dark. Well, that shows an unusual lack of foresight on my part, doesn't? she scolds herself. She decides to give her other idea a shot.

”Catina!” the older woman cries, clutching the tiefling girl's arm with perhaps more desperation than is currently warranted for the situation. ”Give me your bag, quickly! We can't let her have what's inside. It's too important, and I can run faster than you. Quickly!” she begs, searching fruitlessly in the darkness to meet Catina’s eyes. Faustinia is light on her feet, prepared to run.

---

Obviously it's strange here to figure how far the tiefling has fallen, but the air elemental has a 100 ft. fly speed so I'm assuming it's fast enough to catch her.
Air elemental attack:
Slam, inspire courage: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 6 + 1 = 24
Damage, inspire courage: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

I'm not sure what the actions are this turn to grab Catina’s bag (if she yields it). If I can grab it this turn and move further “west” that's what I'd like to do. And here's a bluff check for Faustinia’s ploy:
Bluff: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Summon monster II: round 2/6

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Round 2
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Varius watches in frustration as the tiefling appears at the next hole, and then watches nothing as the darkness spell takes place. Oh goody. Wait, bag? What bag? We don't... ohhhhhh

"Catina can you see in the dark? Point her out." Realizing Faustinia is close, Varius remains protectively near, and he simply waits.

Delaying for now, we'll see if anyone can spot the tiefling.

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Round 3
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Catina should be fearful of meeting another devil-spawn such as herself - a flying one, no less - and from seeing all the doors open all of a sudden. However, the sudden darkness makes her think back to their fight in the Temple of Erastil, against the Bastards of Erebus. She quickly falls back to the same pattern, of calling out what goes on, and warning her friends when they step too close to the edge. "Watch out for those doors. I don't see anything behind them, but we have no idea what's beyond. Alessandro, Varius is just ahead of you. Varius, you can slowly step to the right."

Her concentration is suddenly broken when she feels Faustinia's touch and sees he woman move her head in a vein attempt to make eye contact. "Huh, what?" She doesn't understande what the noblewoman is talking about, but doesn't have time to argue. She wants to go back to relaying information about their surroundings, and hands her backpack to Faustinia. She then resumes her vigil of the space above her. "I'll shout when I see her again. She went down, so will come back from above us. She might... Her skin seems tough, but she's... she probably susceptible to cold iron."

Move action to hand Faustinia my backpack. 5 foot step readjustment, and standard action to ready another attack. When I see here, I'll shout her location as well, relative to the others.
Attack +Bless +Inspire: 1d20 + 6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 1 + 1 = 23
Damage +Inspire: 1d10 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 1 = 9

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Round 3
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"A retreat? Wise since I can't see in the dark. Only a temporary reprieve for the enemy."

Alessandro scoops up his dropped kukris and into his pack so he can keep his bow ready.

travelling again today but will be home finally. Not sure if I'll be able to check again until late, so posting even though she doesn't go until after the enemy.

Petals thinks she understands what Faustinia is trying to do. If correct, she is very happily impressed with the deviousness. She continues her song, readying her rapier to strike at any foe in the darkness.

readied attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 2 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Petals keeps singing in the darkness.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 3 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Lady Faustinia’s air elemental manages to reach and hit the levitating tiefling. Its master, in the meanwhile, grabs Catina’s backpack and blindly moves further west, using the wall as a guide for her movement. Catina prepares another attack, while Varius for his chance to come. Finally, Alessandro scoops up his dropped kukris and into his pack so he can keep his bow ready.

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-12 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 3
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The air elemental continues to chase after its target, the sound of whipping winds filling the dark room. It fumbles its attack, though, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Faustinia, having made her way along the wall with Catina’s bag in hand, continues with her plan. Following the imp’s direction, but trying not to be obvious about it, she continues to follow the stairs with her hand along the wall. ”Keep her busy!” Faustinia shouts. She emerges from the northeast doorway into lesser darkness. Her lights left behind, she looks down into the only illumination here: the strange gray infinity in the middle of the circular chamber and gulps. Her hands feel hot and heavy gripping onto Catina’s pack, as if the runecursed parchment inside weren’t made of paper but of burning brimstone.

---

Air elemental attack:
Slam, inspire courage: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 1 = 8
Damage, inspire courage: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8

Faustinia double moves.

Summon monster II: round 3/6

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Round 3
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Catina tries as best she can to give the others directions, but things are growing really hectic, and Faustinia just confuses here. "There she is," Catina shouts as she spots the tiefling hovering above. "She's - Wait, the door to our left just closed. And- And she's fleeing through the other door. The one to our right. Varius, you're really close to the doorway. Wait, Faustinia- Where are you going?!" The wizard normally makes sure to stay in the back, but it seems like she's possessed now, to dive into danger. What's going on?

With so much confusion, Catina sticks to her previous plan. It's also the one that she hopes will gives the others more clarity. She moves clockwise around the ledge until she's at the point where she saw the tiefling and until she sees the small rock. Her first instinct is to kick it into the depths, but she barely manages to restrain herself. Silly goat. That will just cause it to pass through here again and again. With better judgement and using the knowledge that Faustinia imparted on them earlier, she picks up the pebble and slides it into her belt pouch.

--

I'm hoping that will clear vision for the others by the time that they make their actions.

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Round 3
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Completely confused and unsure of what to do, Varius charges to the north doorway, chasing after Faustinia's voice and trying to ensure she's protected from any kind of attacks.

Readied Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

If Varius can spot the tiefling, he will move to the tiefling and use the above attack.

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Round 4
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"Uh oh. I don't like that we are getting separated. I can't even see where most of you are. Which way should I go?"

Readied Action Longbow: 1d20 + 7 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 1 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Fort Save DC 14: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Alessandro finally fights off the poison but the damage has been done. Unsure of where to go he holds his ground to shoot the tiefling if she becomes visible.

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Round 3
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Besides maintaining her singing, she's all ready to plunge into the darkness to find her friends, when Alessandro burst out next her. she wants to ask Where are the others? but happily gets somewhat of an answer without asking. She draws her dagger ready to toss it at anyone near them.

readied dagger throw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 3 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Petals keeps singing and readies her dagger, but there’s no enemy to hit at the moment.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 4 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Lady Faustinia’s elemental follows the tiefling in the next room, but its attack is much more inaccurate than the previous ones and the tiefling easily dances away from it. Faustinia comes out in the same room as the elemental, Catina’s backpack in hand, trying to look as unassuming and surprising as she can.

In the meantime, Catina does the right thing and the darkness suddenly disappears, allowing her friends to see again. Varius immediately spots Faustinia and moves close to her. The tiefling, however, is nowhere to be seen. Alessandro waits for the tiefling to appear again, bow in hand.

The tiefling appears a few moments later, and she does so from above. Coming out of the hole in the room to the northeast door, the tiefling grins cruelly as she lands close to Lady Faustinia and takes Catina’s backpack from her. From the look in her burning eyes, it is clear that the tiefling is convinced to have just acquired a great treasure. So much that after stealing the backpack, the tiefling runs away in another room to the north, a delighted smile on her grinning face.

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-12 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 5
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Faustinia lets out a long sigh of relief. She watches their assailant flee with the bag holding the runecurse almost with pity. She calls out to the retreating tiefling, ”You know, why don’t you keep that? Consider it a gift.” She then moves back, passing behind Varius for fear of retribution. She stands ready in case the tiefling comes back to fight.

Faustinia then mutters something under her breath.

The air elemental seems briefly confused when its target is nowhere to be seen. The noise of the tiefling landing and snatching the bag before running off draws its attention, though, and it flies after her again to renew its attempts at pummeling her.

---

Air elemental attack:
Slam, inspire courage: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 6 + 1 = 25
Damage, inspire courage: 1d4 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6

Faustinia moves behind Varius, the readies a standard action to attack the tiefling if she comes back and tries to attack.
Acid dart: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21
Acid damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Summon monster II: round 4/6

With the darkness gone, Petals runs up to join the others. Stopping next to Faustinia, she drops her singing and congratulates her That worked! If we ever see our esteemed director again we can tell him all the acting practice paid off.

"After her!...I think...But let's stick together, I don't understand these doorways well but I don't want to get separated behind a vanishing door."

Alessandro chases after 30 ft. and keeps his bow ready just in case.

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Round 5
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"Oh no! Our valuables! They're... certainly valuable!" shouts the worst liar on Avistan. Varius takes off northwards, chasing the tiefling with the elemental, but not getting too far ahead of the group.

Moving 30', if Varius spots the tiefling he will close into melee range.

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Round 5
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Catina understands that something is going on, but she doesn't catch exactly what. Maybe it's because she hadn't expected such subterfuge from Faustinia, and maybe because she just saw her backpack - with many of her valuables and personal items - casually handed over. She's so shocked by this turn of events that she doesn't even feel the burden that's been lifted off her shoulders.

She hustles over to Alessandro and grabs the man by both shoulders. "Alessandro, you have to stop her. I know you can!"

--

Use 'Bit of Luck' on Alessandro.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 4 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Petals runs up and join the others, stopping next to Lady Faustinia.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 5 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Lady Faustinia’s elemental flies after the tiefling but is unable to spot her and must hold on its attack for the moment. Lady Faustinia, by contrast, moves back, passing behind Varius and stands ready. As soon as she stops, though, Varius takes off northwards, chasing the tiefling right behind Lady Faustinia’s elemental. The chelaxian man is unable to spot the tiefling as well, anyway. Alessandro chases the tiefling too, bow still in hand. He can’t see her either. Before this, Catina had hustled over to him and whispered inspiring words of confidence in his ears.

The tiefling suddenly appears. She’s above the hole in the room where the elemental, Varius and Alessandro have followed her. The group is a little bit divided into pieces. As soon as the tiefling reappears, the party can notice that all the stoned archways to the northeast in every room they can see suddenly open, while some other open passages abruptly become stoned! To make things even worse, Alessandro is right in the middle of a stoning archway! Fortunately, he’s very quick to react and jumps away before become stoned inside the wall.

Alessandro can choose on which side of the newly formed stone wall to appear. I’m going to assume that he chooses to appear on the side of the wall where his companions are, but if he would have done otherwise, please let me know.

The elemental can attack now, while the other members of the party can’t do the same because they can’t see the tiefling.

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
⁞⁞⁞⁞ INITIATIVE ⁞⁞⁞⁞
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Active effects: none

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-16 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 6
==========

Sealed off from the rest of the party, the air elemental still continues in its bound duty to attack. It keeps hounding the tiefling, trying to slam into her with its body of howling winds.

Faustinia continues her muttering.

She watches the stone wall materialize and furrows her brow. Even if she gets away, we still ought to try to get the rest of Catina’s things back. Addressing Petals and Catina, Faustinia calls to them, ”Quick, into the next room so we’re all together. Maybe there’s a way to keep her from running!” Once everyone is on the same loop of stairs and clear of the archways, Faustinia takes a deep breath for courage and jumps into the center hole.

---

Air elemental attack:
Slam: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Faustinia delays until everyone is in the same room, then moves to jump in the hole in the center of the room.

Summon monster II: round 5/6

Petals will run after the others, stopping near Catina. There must be some kind of pattern to the doors and walls.

readied attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

Alessandro leaps backwards towards the party as the doorway his sis standing in vanishes.

"What just happened? Is it the tiefling's doing?"

"Alessandro, you have to stop her. I know you can!"

"Your faith in me is equal t my bravado. Let's just hope it's enough."

Alessandro double moves and runs around in a circle up the stairs to see if the enemy reappears or the doors change.

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Round 6
========

The strange reactions by the rest of their party - of the lack of reaction, perhaps - finally sets Catina on the right track to figuring out what's going on. She takes a moment to feel whether anything has 'changed' for her, then moves up the stairs next to the closed-off door. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Faustinia. That was really clever!" The tiefling sounds very relieved and energetic. "We still have to get back the rest of my stuff, though. There's lots of things there with memories attached to it. It was worth it, though. Really, really clever!"

She holds next to the door, ready to sprint through when it opens.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 6 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

The group gathers in a single room, then Lady Faustinia jumps into the center hole. The others wait for a few second, and when she appears again from above, they see the stone archway to the north flickering for a moment. Unfortunately, nothing changes though. Faustinia won’t be able to get out of the hole without aid. And her fall is accelerating now. The tiefling had some way to control her fall, probably a levitation spell. Without magical means, though, it’s almost impossible to control the vertical fall so that one can land on the ring of stairs. The party will need to find a solution if they want to get their wizard back.

▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
⁞⁞⁞⁞ INITIATIVE ⁞⁞⁞⁞
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Active effects: none

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-16 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 6
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"OHHHHH!" says Varius, a little late to the party but nonetheless getting what's going on. He moves over beside Alessandro, and waits to head through the door the moment it opens.

My actions are really contingent on what happens, so Varius will hold his action until Faustinia (ideally) changes what doors are blocked off. I'll try to post twice today.

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Round 7
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Unseen, the elemental presumably keeps up the chase.

Catina’s compliment doesn’t seem to make Faustinia particularly enthused. She gives a sheepish smile, but looks away before she jumps. Well, it wasn’t quite my own cleverness, was it? By Asmodeus, what am I going to tell the others? I can’t keep Livia a secret for long, especially once we are bound!

These thoughts would be more distracting if the wizard did not suddenly find herself falling far more quickly than she thought she would be. Clearly, the imp is the clever one, she thinks in a panic as her plan seems to have put her in an unplanned, uncontrolled, and unceasing plummet. As the air rushes past her, she shuts her eyes tight as the rushing wind makes them water and the rapid movement through the infinite spiral makes her stomach sick. She shuts her eyes tight, but it just makes her rapidly growing nausea worse. ”Don’tworryjustfindher!” she manages to blurt out.

---

Air elemental attack:
Slam: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

I'll just delay. I'll reinsert into initiative if I need to based on what other people do, but I'm also fine with just taking no actions and waiting to see if the door opens again on my next loop.

Summon monster II: round 6/6

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Round 7
========

Catina tries to take stock of the situation, but it's not really helping to see Faustinia plummet faster and faster. "So, the doors are opened and closed by falling through the ceiling - but only if you go slowly? Is that it?" She looks in dismay at the closed door. "If that tiefling thinks she's lost out, she won't really have a need to open that door again. So, we have to do it from this side." She feels at her side for her backpack that's not there, then sighs. "Alessandro, Varius. Can you each grab the end of a rope and then move to opposite ends of the room? That way there will be something for Faustinia to grab. It might at least slow her fall, or allow her to climb to the ledge is she can..."

Alessandro's eyes go wide as Faustinia jumps into the abyss. He follows Catina's direction and holds one end of a rope. "Varius, take the other end."

Oh goodness! Petals cries out at the falling mage. She's falling fast, I'm not sure she'll be able to grab and if she does, can she hold? Petals thinks. Tie the rope around Varius and he can jump out and grab her. The rest of us can hold the rope to halt them both.

Feel free to ignore petals if you all disagree, I just worry that falling any considerable length and then being told grab hold a rope and hold on might take more strength than our wizard can muster. Varius has the decision probably, either grab the other end and make a place she can grab, or grab the other end, quickly tie it around and tackle her midfall.

⁞⁞⁞⁞ ROUND 7 ⁞⁞⁞⁞

Lady Faustinia continues to fall while the group prepares with the rope. Varius hold one end of it and Alessandro the other one. In the meantime, Faustinia makes another whole transition and reappears above the hole.

Faustinia takes 6 points of damage. Her body is somehow suffering from the continued fall, and she’s got the sensation that the longer she will fall, the worse she will feel.

Something happens! The door behind Alessandro opens, while the one to the northeast becomes stoned. Other doors open in other rooms as well!
▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁
⁞⁞⁞⁞ INITIATIVE ⁞⁞⁞⁞
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Active effects: none

① Lady Faustinia
② Catina
③ Varius
④ Alessandro
⑤ Foe (-16 hp)
⑥ Petals
_________________________________

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Round 8
==========

It's bond fulfilled to the extent of Faustinia’s spell, the elemental disappears (wherever it was) and returns to its home plane.

The rush of the fall starts to stress Faustinia’s body. She feels strained, a headache forming as if blood were rushing to fill her skull to bursting. As she falls through another loop, she sees Alessandro and Varius prepare a rope. She reaches out with both hands, hoping to catch on to stop her fall (and hoping the sudden shock of her force doesn't pull the other two into the endless fall as well).

---

I'll try to grab the rope. Let me know if I need to roll a check of some kind to successfully do so.

If there is a check to make and I fail it, or if grabbing the rope pulls Alessandro and Varius into the pit as well, I'll cast feather fall. At my level I can affect all three of us.

Alessandro continues to hold the rope until Faustinia catches it or gets out safely.