GMG's PbP: Shackles adventures (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

Grisaia shakes her head after long moments of thought, her face falling slightly. "I feel there needs to be more done than casting the gift of his affection to the bottom of the sea with him. For now, I will care for the amulet, and when another mission can be mounted, his spirit shall be laid to rest."

"OK, works for me. Can we go home now?"

"Works fa me."

"Yeah, I agree. Let's worry about this later."

"Fair enough" Lanterni responds "I will give the orders to move out."

The next few days you notice that Varossa and her steward, Hinsin begin spending more time together in the captain’s quarters. Hinsin is humming a new tune, and occasionally plays it on his flute. Vorassa seems to have found new energy. You see her mingle with the crew more, making jokes about what the crew will do with their share of the treasure.

After a few days the ship lowers the anchor near a small island. Jungle trees rise high above the island and you notice a channel going into the island near some large rocks nearby. The captain calls you into her cabin once more.

"Through that channel lies a lagoon, surrounded by cliffs. High atop the cliffs lies an ancient monastery, where the final piece of the key to the treasure should be hidden. I need you to take a launch and get that final piece. After that it should be an easy trip to retrieve the treasure, and we shall all be rich! That final piece should be a concave hollow silver tube, about the length of your forearm. It tapers out, from the a few inches at one side to the size of a child's head at it's other side."

Tori seems skeptical of the captain's promises of an easy mission, "What sort of wildlife or humanoids can be found on this island? Who ran the monastery, what did practices did they follow there, and why did it get abandoned?"

"Do you have some climbing gear?"

"It is a jungle out there, so likely monkeys, snakes and that kind of stuff. I heard that the monastery was an Abadaran church. They probably wanted to bring civilization to the area." she smiles "they failed. "

To Emmett she just says "This is a pirate ship. We have plenty of ropes and grappling hooks. Take what you need"

Emmett grabs some ropes and hooks, and says, "OK, folks, daylight's burning. Let's get a shake on."

He starts loading the little boat.

Varosa provides directions to the monastery and you decide to leave the ship. Taking the little boat you row out. On your way to the channel you pass a sandy beach where large turtles are laying their eggs. You know that these archelons are vicious when disturbed so you keep a fair distance to the beach. Point A on the map

You enter the channel and after a short while the channel widens again to a lagoon. On the west side of the lagoon the cliffs rise to a fair height, but on the east side you see a sandy beach. This is where Varosa's directions start of.

You can hear what sounds like the frantic whinnying of a horse. This noise echoes across the still water and off the cliff walls. Looking towards the beach you see that a pair of sea cats have driven a hippocampus up onto the beach and are slowly cornering it. The sea cats’ inclination to toy with their prey has probably led them to draw out the hunt, but now they seem to be closing in for the kill.

A woman with blue skin and webbed hands, riding another hippocampus, surfaces in the lagoon and calls out in Common, "Please help me drive off those sea cats!"

What do you do? I have prepared a combat map and if you want to help you can start combat, but you do not have to. If you start combat you get a surprise round.

"Now that's a strange site, but if I were back home and a lady needed help saving her horse from cougars, folks I know would jump right in to help. I suspect this here is much the same thing."

Unfortunately, not being a quick draw, Emmett uses his surprise round to draw a pistol.

"Ain't eva bodyguarded fa sumtin like dat, but willin' ta give it a go!", Scratcher happy to be on land for dis."[/b]

Scratcher is moving in with his surprise round 30' closer. Also going to use Fervor for a swift action Shield of Faith; AC is currently 25

Grisaia, Tori and Xasay can act

"Thank you! I am worthless on land, but I'll try to support you from a distance." She shows an underwater crossbow and loads it

Tori looks slightly skeptical at the situation, but nevertheless moves closer to the beasts while drawing her bow.

"Shelyn, bless our strikes that this ugliness be short." Grisaia prays, gripping her glaive tightly.

Bless for the opener.

It's been more than a day since we left the shipwreck, right?

From behind the sea cats emerges a strange, great black fish!

Conjuring a shadow celestial manta ray, DC 18 Will save when interacted with to reduce it to 20% reality.

tail slap, Power Attack vs blue: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Yes, you have rested

The pathfinders prepare themselves for the fight, Xasay's Manta ray misses and is then shredded to oblivion by the sharp claws of one of the sea cats. The two sea cats then turn toward Scratcher, but both miss...

Initiative
Bless
Grisaia
Scratcher
Xasay
Emmett
Tori
- - -
Enemy

Unless the cat makes a DC 18 Will save, 6 damage isn't enough to destroy my manta ray.

Grisaia advances to support Scratcher, concentration etched on her face. The rose motifs of her armor glow, and petals begin to scatter, swirling around both Grisaia and her allies.

Deflection Aura is up for the next 6 rounds, +2 AC/CMD for everyone within 20ft.

"Blimey, I feel invince'able!", Scratcher shouts as he decides to maul the nearby sea lion.

Tekko-kagi PA @ Green lion: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 8 - 2 = 18
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 4 = 13
Tekko-kagi PA @ Green lion: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 - 2 = 9
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 4 = 13

Tori moves five paces north and unleashes some arrows upon the green sea cat. Afterwards, she sighs, "This is better than the monk zombies I was expecting, at least."

Using the line feature of the Google slide, I can draw a straight line between Tori and the enemy without crossing through friendly squares.

+1 Longbow 1 + PBS - DA - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 = 21
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 1 + 4 = 16

+1 Longbow 2 + PBS - DA - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 + 4 = 17

Emmett takes a shot at the closer seacat.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 1 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Scratcher hits the sea cat and Grisaia calls for Shelyn's protection. Tori just manages to hit the sea cat with one arrow while Emmett misses.

Initiative
Bless, Deflection Aura +2 AC
Xasay
- - -
Green -29 hp
Blue
- - -
Grisaia
Scratcher
Emmett
Tori

Tori and Xasay, see discussion thread

Xasay hops ashore and projects another manta puppet.

tail slap, Power Attack, flank vs green: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

*FLAPFLAPFLAPFLAPFLAP*

vs Scratcher
bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 151d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 191d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

vs Manta Ray
bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 181d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Xasay's Manta fails to hit and the sea cat easily deals with it. The sea cat moves closer to Scratcher.

Initiative
Bless, Deflection Aura +2 AC
Grisaia
Scratcher
Emmett
Tori
Xasay
- - -
Green -29 hp
Blue
- - -

Assuming her fellow Pathfinders were well on their well to finishing off the green sea cat, Tori steps forward 5 feet and fires two arrows at the blue sea cat.

+1 Longbow 1 + PBS - DA - Rapid Shot + Bless: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 1 + 4 = 18

+1 Longbow 2 + PBS - DA - Rapid Shot + Bless: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 = 30
Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 1 - 2 - 2 + 1 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 + 4 = 17

The RNG giveth and the RNG taketh away.

Xasay tries something a little different this time: He draws his non-Euclidian-carved, unwholesomely-painted, ebony wand and directs its magic at the sea cat more threatening the hippocampus.

Blue sea cat must make a DC 11 Will save versus cause fear.

Glaive on Green: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Grisaia attempts to end the suffering of Scratcher's foe and prevent it from causing further harm.

Tori shoots one arrow in the blue seacat, Grisaia slashes at the other. Xasay gets a wand out but the seacat is not freightened by it. The green sea cat seems almost done for.

Initiative
Bless, Deflection Aura +2 AC
Scratcher
Emmett
- - -
Green -43 hp
Blue -17 hp
- - -
Grisaia
Tori
Xasay

DM-APPROVED RETCON:

Xasay pulls out a stencil he's never tried before, and onto the beach sand suddenly drops a magnificent black spider the size of a Human!

Shadow Celestial giant spider, DC 18 Will save when interacted with to reduce to 20% reality.

It sprays gooey black silk at one of the sea cats.

[dice=web attack, melee penalty vs blue]1d20+1[/dice] +4 if you don't actually consider blue to be in melee

Emmett reloads and takes another shot at the seacat.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 Doh!

Emmett misses again and Xasay conjures a scary spider. Unfortunately the web it casts is also made of shadow and does not stick to the very real sea cat...

Initiative
Bless, Deflection Aura +2 AC
Scratcher
- - -
Green -43 hp
Blue -17 hp
- - -
Emmett
Grisaia
Tori
Xasay

Scratcher leans down, slightly twisting his body, then unwinds in a spinning strike like a top covered with sharp, pointy things. "Reap da whirlwind!", he shouts with glee!

Redirect the second hit to blue if the first one drops Green

Tekko PA Flurry @ Green: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 - 1 = 25
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 4 = 13
Tekko PA Flurry @ Green: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 1 = 23
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 4 = 12

bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
claw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 211d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
claw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 281d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Scratcher kills one of the sea cats and directs his second claw at the other, wounding that one. It bites and claws at Scratcher, but only one claw manages to draw blood.

Initiative
Bless, Deflection Aura +2 AC
Scratcher: -7 hp
Emmett
Grisaia
Tori
Xasay
- - -
Blue -29 hp
- - -

Xasay and his puppet close in on the sea cat....

shadow spider bite, flank: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Strength damage on failed DC 14 Fortitude save: 1d2 ⇒ 1

Xasay's +1 Longsword, flank, Dirty Fighter: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

"Oh, you dun messed up now, ya watery furball!"

Tekko PA Flurry: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 1 + 1 = 9
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 4 = 16
Tekko PA Flurry: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 1 + 1 = 27
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 4 = 12

Tori moves past her comrades and some palm trees to find another clear shot at the remaining sea cat.

+1 Longbow 1 + PBS - DA + Bless: 1d20 + 12 + 1 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 - 2 + 1 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 6 + 1 + 4 = 17

Tori and Scratcher take care of the last sea cat. The blue woman swims closer to the beach "Thank you for saving him from those beasts! For your help I would like to give you this pouch, please accept it with my thanks."

She hands you a kelp pouch. It is heavy with disks of mother-of-pearl.

"I am Jennesara" Jenesara coaxes the frightened hippocampus back into the water while she explains that she watches over a hippocampus herd that grazes the undersea kelp fields near the island. She has recently had to defend her flock against a powerful water fey who wishes to steal them, and she was hoping to corral them in the lagoon to keep them safe.

Into the jungle?

"Nice to meet you, ma'am. Hope you and your seahorse don't see any more troubles for a bit. Afraid we have to get hiking, though. Daylight's burnin' and we got a monastery to find."

Emmett makes a short bow, then starts headed into the jungle, reloading his pistol as he goes.

You enter the jungle and slowly rise above sea level. After about an hour's walk you become aware that you are being watched. In the trees you see four lizardlike humanoids. They are dressed in leather armor, have a morningstar on their belts and some javelins in a quiver on their back. At the moment they are just observing you.

At the red arrow on the map

Emmett whispers to the others, "They aren't attacking. Maybe they'll be friendly?"

Grisaia nods slowly as she replies. "And perhaps even helpful, if we are courteous." Laying her glaive on the jungle floor, she takes one step over it, raising her hand with palm forward. "Hail, and well met! We seek no conflict. Do you speak the human tongue, and might we parley?"

The creatures observe you calmly while speaking to one another in a flowing tongue.

I wish these glasses translated speech as well... Grisaia turns her head slightly, speaking over her shoulder to the party. "I hope that was friendly."

Xasay speaks Draconic

Xasay is aware of that.

Xasay chuckles almost inaudibly. "They're as confused as you are," He says softly to Grisaia. Then he moves up next to her and calls up to them.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

"Oy, them guys gonna botha us?", Scratcher asks Xasay.

"Perhaps they are wondering the same," Xasay replies sotto voce (a tone one has never truly heard until one has heard it spoken by a Wayang).

Scratcher raises a finger of patience to the lizard people and digs into his backpack, grabbing some rations, handing it out to the staring scaled ones.

Sorry, busy GM!