GM Lari's Wounded Wisp (Gameday IV) (Inactive)

Game Master Dhenn

Map is linked above. Presumably you'll be examining the alcoves, so here's what you generally see in each at first glance.

Each of these chambers contains a small stone altar to one of the failed aspirants. Each altar stands upon a raised dais and bears a small brass nameplate identifying the aspirant and the would-be-god’s areas of interest. The nameplates say:

Varg walks up to the first altar (Oggo), looks around briefly, and says to the nameplate, "Wiffle", then waits to see if something happens.

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Wailan walks around the complex, reading each nameplate.

"The inscription on the wall of names mentioned the Screaming Fear. Let's take a closer look at this Zimpar."

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 = 18

"Indeed."

Calcifer rushes around the altar looking for anything shiny.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Shallya will join the others and carefully examine the alcove.

Take 20 on perception for a 23 (24 vs traps). He'll pay special attention to the nameplate.

After examining the alcove and only if he doesn't discover anything of interest he will say wiffle.

Tavagra stopped to put the betting money of the half-orc in his name. She decided against this time putting up her own money however and followed the rest of the group. Inside the temple, she leans back on a pillar, keeping an eye out on any danger, hand at her mace.

S'theno taps his chin for a moment, and walks over to the green altar with Wailan, Calcifer and Shallya.
"Wiffle?"

Shallya discovers that the nameplate on the altar moves. Sliding it to the left reveals a miniature chalkboard and a small stick of chalk.

Varg joins the others.

"Found... some-thin'?"

"Ah ha. I found something here. Everybody get ready"

Once everybody is ready, I write "Wiffle" on the chalkboard.

As Shallya writes the password, the western wall of the room seems to melt away, leading to a roughly hewn stone tunnel.

The cave is dark, but as you round the corner, you see dim light coming from a room at the end of the tunnel. As you get closer, worked stone returns, leading to some sort of office.

Several desks are arranged along the northern and eastern edges of this small stone alcove. Whereas the stonework leading to this chamber is rough, the walls in the alcove are polished. A single gem rests among the neatly filed papers on the desk, emitting a soft luminescence that brightens the small room.

It doesn't appear that anyone speaks the language these papers are written in. Linguistics might help you narrow down what it is, though.

"Hmm, even if we can't read these, someone at lodge can." Grimn ponders.

"An-y-one... got... scroll... of... comp-re-hend... lang-uage?"

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

"This area has been created through the repeated use of Stone Shape."

Linguistics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

"I have made some study of languages. Perhaps, I can tell what it is written in."

Wailan moves over and examines the papers by the light of the stone.

Wailan recognizes the Azlanti alphabet, though it doesn't seem to actually be that language. Perhaps some sort of code. There is enough here that it will likely take weeks or months of study to properly decode everything.

Tavagra moves to a pillar closer to the cave entrance. She still retains an air of alertness, watching for trouble that may come, if any.

"Shallya, keep an eye out for trouble, things have been too easy so far, and I've got a bad feeling about all this."

Tavagra, you're staying in the main room?

Yes?

Ok, just clarifying if you meant one of the pillars in the main room or the pillars in the rough part.

Are Grimn and Shallya joining the others as they first go in?

That's okay.Not sure if them two are going to do yet.

Shallya would have accompanied the others into the rough area but seeing that it was apparently safe.

"You check this out. I'm going to go back to the entrance and make sure that we aren't surprised"

He then returns to the mouth of the tunnel and tries to hide himself, keeping a look out for any trouble.

Take 10 on stealth for an 18

After looking through the documents, collecting and stowing them to bring back to the Society for study, Wailan heads back through the caves toward the shrine with Calcifer in tow.

As the party begins to return, Tavagra sees and hears feet beginning to descend the steps to the chamber. A woman's voice calls out. "Leave what you've found and we'll let you live."

Red and Yellow are human men wearing chain shirts. They carry longswords and light wooden shields. Blue is an elf wielding a bow, in a matching chain shirt, while Green is an unarmored woman. All wear matching military-style uniforms. Local might identify their allegiance on your turn.

"It's an enemy stand, we've got company guys!

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24

"Who are you and what gives you the authority to question us? We didn't find anything here, nor were we looking for anything. We were just paying our respects to Zimpar. He was born in the same village that I was"

bluff: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

Obviously they know where am I since I am talking to them but I remain behind the block of stone where they shouldn't be able to see me

One man advances down the stairs, shield raised, as he cautiously approaches. As he gets closer, Shallya catches enough of a glimpse to recognize the uniform of the Devil's Claw mercenary group.

The Devil's Claw are based in Cheliax, and are usually employed by the diabolical noble families of that country. Most of its members are men and women rejected from the various orders of Hellknights. This isn't the first time they've crossed paths with the Society.

Varg is up.

Varg double moves out into the open.

"We... no... w-want... tru-bul. ... Who... are... you?"

Remember that Varg has a reach weapon, which is too big to sheathe, so he already had it out. So anyone moving out of a square 10 feet away from me will provoke. He'll be going for trip attacks if that happens.

The woman's response is garbled nonsense to all of you, as she descends the stairs and casts a spell.
"horiek guztiak hiltzea, azkar hil itzazu!"

S'theno and Grimn are up.

S'theno double moves to behind Tavagra, Guisarme at the ready.

Grimn double moves so he can see what is going on

As the other swordsman advances, the archer moves to the base of the stairs, loosing an arrow at Tavagra. The arrow connects, drawing the first blood of their assault.

"She warned you. Drop your weapons and leave this place.

Tav (FF, Cover): 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 11
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Tavagra and Wailan are up, followed by Shallya.

Pained from her wound, Tavagra chants out in orcish tongue before launching a blast of magical power ay the woman.

Magic Missle on Green: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Wailan casts mage armor on Calcifer before moving into the chamber.

Calcifer moves next to Varg and readies his action to attack if one of the enemies moves adjacent to him.

I guess I'd better get out and help, before this turns into a death trap

Shallya takes a double move action (the last half at half speed) and then tries to stealth behind the pillar

stealth: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Tavagra's missile hits the woman squarely. Faced with a wall of polearms, the lead man opts for the less intimidating half-orc.

1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 + 1 = 25
Confirm: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11
Dam: 2d8 + 4 ⇒ (6, 6) + 4 = 16 Ouch!

"NO!!!" Varg yells, as he sees Tavagra fall unconscious.

His first instinct is to ask Shelyn to heal his fallen ally, but he remembers the lessons from Master of Swords Marcus Farabellus: First, eliminate the threat. Then, heal your allies. Knowing the half-orc is tough enough not to bleed to death immediately, he moves to attack the thug who hurt her, while positioning himself between the enemy spellcasters and the rest of the party.

Trip vs yellow's CMD: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

This provokes from him, but since he's using a longsword, he can't take an AoO from 10 feet away.

Yellow ends up flat on his back.

The woman pulls out a scroll and chants an incantation in the same harsh language as before, shifting slightly towards the safety of the southern columns.

S'theno and Grimn are up.

S'theno fixes Red with his Hypnotic Stare, and charges.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 172d4 + 3 ⇒ (1, 1) + 3 = 5

Yea, it's gonna hurt.

Oops. I forgot Tavagra won't fall down immediately, because of that half orc ferocity.

Yep. I'm gonna try to put a point in him before I go down. I think.

S'theno cuts deeply into the man's flesh.

The Stare is just a -2 to Will, or is there a trick involved?

It's just -2 to Will and +1 to damage (already calculated in).

And I forgot about the ferocity too. I tend to swap it out for half-orcs.

It's just -2 to Will and +1 to damage (already calculated in).

I think you forgot it? You added +3 to damage. You should be adding 2*(1.5) + 1 = +4.

"When an attack that deals damage hits the target of a mesmerist's hypnotic stare, the mesmerist can cause the target to take an amount of additional damage equal to 1/2 the mesmerist's class level (minimum 1).
The mesmerist can use this ability as a free action, and can use it even if it isn't his turn. If the mesmerist uses this ability to increase his own damage, the additional damage increases by 1d6 points for every 3 class levels the mesmerist possesses. This damage is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit. A mesmerist can trigger this ability only once per round, but a single creature can take damage from multiple mesmerists' painful stares in a round."
So, if I'm reading that right, it's 1/2 level, minimum 1, until level 3, when it becomes 1d6 for my attacks only.
So, 15 STR gives +2, +1 for Painful Stare

Have you played with a two-handed weapon before? The guisarme is a two-handed weapon, so you get 1.5*STR on damage rolls. That makes it 3 for strength and 1 for stare or 4 total.

"Wielding a Weapon Two-Handed

When you deal damage with a weapon that you are wielding two-handed, you add 1-1/2 times your Strength bonus (Strength penalties are not multiplied). You don't get this higher Strength bonus, however, when using a light weapons with two hands."

Delaying Grimn.

The human steps towards S'theno, swinging his sword, while the elf looses an arrow at Varg. Neither are successful.

Red vs S'theno: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Blue vs. Varg: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 2 + 1 - 4 = 9

With the blade exiting her body, Tavagra felt the strange power all too familiar take over her. Her hands grew scaly and her nails long and ferocious. With the last of her strength, she swiped at the downed opponent whom stabbed her, and then falls down slumped, heavily breathing

Attack 1 on yellow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Attack 2 on yellow: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
He gets a -4 to AC

Damage 1: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Damage 2: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5