GMG's PbP: Shackles adventures (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

Nice rolls!

"Black water isn't natural..." notes Vag.

"Perhaps there is an octopus down there? Given everything else we have seen, it is likely an undead one too!"

On closer inspection Xasay notices that the water is actually not black, but a very dark red. He is also quite sure that it will dissipate in a matter of minutes.

Suddenly a tentacle shoots out of the water, slashes over Vagantem's throat and returns into the water! The sylph immediately goes down...

Attack: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 2 = 24
Damage: 3d6 + 4 + 4 ⇒ (5, 5, 6) + 4 + 4 = 24 ouch!
Grab: 1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 13 - 2 = 16 I am glad this did not hit, would be death otherwise (unconscious in water is nasty)

Initiative
Xasay
Tori
Vagantem: -4/20 hp
Emmet
Scratcher
- - -
Enemy

Vag screams once in pain and terror and lapses into unconsciousness.

Stabilize check?

stabilise: 1d20 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) - 4 + 1 = 7

"Uhh...the good news is that the ink in the water will dissipate in a few minutes. Until then, I suggest we gather our friend and all back well away from it...."

Is that even possible, where we are now? Can we just stand and wait for the ink to clear up?

You drag Vagantem back in a very quick tactical retreat, making sure her head is kept above water.

After less than a minute the water clears. From where you are standing you see an purple, seven-armed octopoid monstrosity lying in the shallow water. It is the size of a horse and its top is just below the surface of the water. It seems to be waiting for you....

time to heal?

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

"Ah, a devilfish! Watch out for the arms, they can reach up to fifteen feet! They're actually immigrants from the Abyss, naturalized to the Material Plane's oceans over thousands of years - they've kept their ancestral Evil, unfortunately. Not nice, and not merely hungry."

Xasay, you remember one other thing about the devilfish. What do you want to know

Special defenses?

"I have a wand to heal our friend here, but don't know how to use it. Anyone have a clue?"

"Well, once we're all in fighting shape, let's take of it." Tori says as she cautiously watches the devilfish.

Special defenses?

Resist cold 10

You basically have 2 options: fight it or let it be and try another tunnel

"Allow me," Says Xasay as he takes Emmet's wand.

cure light wounds wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
cure light wounds wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
cure light wounds wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
cure light wounds wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Let's kill this thing now so it doesn't attack later when we aren't prepared." Tori gives her opinion, "If it's called a devilfish, I doubt it can be reasoned with."

I'd choose to fight it here, but I'll go with the majority.

"Oy, let's just bum rush the fella and kill it quickly!"

"I don't know.." says Vagantem, wary of the creature.
"That took me out in a single hit. And it has how many tentacles did you say? It might be a bit much for us to finish off. Unless we can do it from a good distance."

"Maybe we can lure it out?"

It is still eying you from the water. It has not attempted to get onto land yet.

If you want to attack it then please position yourself where you want to be (outside of it's reach) and I will roll for initiative.

If Vag is completely against it, we'll move on. We'd need to burn it down quick with ranged weapons otherwise before it knocks everyone out with that damage.

"If you all want to step to the sides and give me a clear shot, I can try to shoot it from back here."

we can do it, I think. We've all got ranged weapons, right?

Only throwing weapons, so nothing that'll work from underwater

"Just noting that it is one nasty creature. Maybe we can just avoid it. We are here to find our missing crewmates, not kill all the creatures on the island." notes Vag, moving back to give others a clear shot if they wanted it.

"Okay, let Emmett and I get into position here."

Am I correct in assuming that we can fire at a portion of the devilfish that is out of water? Will Emmett be able to use his pistols at full capacity in these conditions?

If the answer to both of those questions is no, we should move on. Otherwise, Tori and Emmett should switch places with Vag and Scratcher on the map and begin firing. When one of us gets grappled, the frontliners should use that opportunity to swim up into melee to attack.

Yeah, a tactical retreat sounds better to me now that I think about it, if only because we don't have a great escape option otherwise it it chose to hunt us down while wounded. Guess I'm up for heading to an alternate route.

Vagantem nods to scratcher. "We may yet find another way past, or a safe area to use missile weapons against it from."

She starts to back up, carefully.

"Sure, we can come back later, I guess." Tori replies as she too makes a cautious retreat.

If it doesn't attack, let's keep going clockwise (or counterclockwise, if that was the direction we were going), skipping this area.

"OK, lead the way."

"Oy, den let's bugga off and leave this tossa for latah.", Scratcher once again submerging himself as he follows the others.

You decide to head back a bit and then take the first right. The tunnel leading into this natural tidal cavern is decorated with the jawbones of numerous frightful-looking fish, resembling the throat of some hideous aquatic creature. You immediately notice eight grindylow looking at you... Only Tori is quick enough to react! The water here is so deep you can't stand

Initiative
DC 10 swim check on your turn, see PRD for details
Tori
- - -
Green
Red
- - -
Xasay
Scratcher
Emmet
Vagantem

Swim: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Successfully keeping her balance in the water, Tori fires two arrows at the grindylow to the southeast, moving to the next adjacent target if the first one goes down.

First arrow: Longbow +1 - Soft Cover - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Second arrow: Longbow +1 - Soft Cover - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 7

Tori kills a grindylow and misses the next one!

Spear: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Target: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Spear: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Spear: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Three of the grindylow move forward and attack Vagantem and the Scratcher. They miss with their spears. The others come closer...

Initiative
DC 10 swim check on your turn, see PRD for details
- - -
Green
Red
- - -
Xasay
Scratcher
Emmet
Vagantem
Tori

Emmett pulls out an alchemist's fire and throws it at the one furthest from him. Using Martial Flexibility to get Throw Anything.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 1 = 15
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Splash damage of 1.

pssst, Emmet:

DC 10 swim check on your turn, see PRD for details

Xasay whips out a stencil he's never used before, holds it against the light glinting on the water, and suddenly an eerie-looking (celestial) black dolphin crests just underneath him!

This way I can avoid needing to make Swim checks!

Swim check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Staying balanced in the water, Tori fires off two more arrows at the grindylow 10 feet north of Scratcher, switching targets to the enemy directly west of the first if it dies.

First arrow: Longbow +1 - Soft Cover - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Second arrow: Longbow +1 - Soft Cover - Rapid Shot: 1d20 + 10 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 10 - 4 - 2 = 20
Damage: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

I'm pretty sure soft cover is only -2.

I just reviewed the Core book, it's definitely +4 AC unless they errata'ed that recently.

I've always had cover at -4
Vag tries to keep her head above water while fighting. It's not easy!

swim: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
But she manages it, just.

attack, TWF: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 2 = 6
off hand attack, TWF: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 2 = 15

She (hopefully) catches one of the creatures with the backswing.
damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

gurgle...gurgle... oh yah!
Swim: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Emmet hits a grindylow with fire! Tori finishes that creature and the one next to it while Xasay summons a dolphin. Vagantem hits another with her offhand, killing it!

Initiative
DC 10 swim check on your turn, see PRD for details
Scratcher
- - -
Grindylow
- - -
Xasay
Emmet
Vagantem
Tori

Scratcher to finish the round!

Sorry for the lack of response; personal stuff and work busy stuff has been taking up my times. I'll try to at least check/post every other day.

Swim: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 3 - 4 = 19

Scratcher keeps his bearings, stabbing twice at the grindylow in front of him!

CE Flurry Stab @ right-most Grindylow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
CE Flurry Stab @ right-most Grindylow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15
Damage on hit: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

AC is currently 21

The scratcher takes out one more grindylow. The grindylows try to retaliate and miss with their attacks. After that it is a matter of moping up, which the pathfinders do expertly.

You enter another cave which been carved to resemble the interior of some
great sea creature, its ribs towering over and around the chamber. Several grindylow flee ahead of you, swimming faster than you are able. Finally you come upon the cave where you saw the devilfish.

You see it still lurking under the water, in front of a tunnel that goes deeper into the cave system...

This better be a strange carved out cave, and not some enormous creature we just fed ourselves too...

"I think we are going to have to deal with this thing. Anyone have an idea to scare it away?"

"I'm not sure, but those water goblins must have a way past it somehow... or maybe they are friends. Perhaps if we searched the rest of the island and come back here?"

Vag backs away from the horrible creature.

"It seems to be guarding something. I think we're going to have to kill it. Like I suggested last time, Emmett and myself should set ourselves up front to get good first shots in, then the rest of you dogpile it once it grapples one of us. With luck, we'll take it out without more than one of us being knocked out." Tori suggests with confidence.

GM hint: you have to get past it. Vagantem's idea is not going to work

Struck by a revelation, Vag reluctantly readies her weapon.

"It took me out with a single swipe last time, perhaps someone else should be the first up. Are there any other preparations we can make?"