GM Rednal's Legendary Planet AP (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

"I suppose that is him. Do you think he became some sort of Phantom? Must be lonely if nobody ever gets to visit...", Phai ponders while searching for the scriptures they intended to present.

When she found them, she took a moment to cast 'Detect Undead', before approaching the bier.(how fast/close/cautious depends on wether or not she gets a ping from the body or elsewhere-)
Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

Isen scanned the area for traps, as he wasn't sure that the the monks would recall if there were any, or tell them if there was. He was likely simply being paranoid, but it was better to be paranoid and alive.

With the others being extra cautious, Vincent decided to follow their example and took a moment to activate is detect evil. He didn't expect there to be anything like that here, but hidden grave sites did have a tendency to attract evil spirits if the chambers weren't properly consecrated first.

Ping ping ping.

The moment Phai started to move towards the body, it lunged off the platform and straight towards her throat - though her spell did mean she wasn't surprised by the sudden attack. As it moves, you see this spindly, skeletal humanoid has moldy green flesh, long talons for hands, and a head that seems to be mostly mouth.

Init (Undead): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27
Init (Isen): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Init (Phai): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
Init (Phai): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17
Init (Vincent): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

...And it was, alas, still faster off the mark than anyone else as it continued its lunge.

Bite vs FF (Phai): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20 for Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 plus Charisma Drain: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Will DC 21 Negates Cha Drain: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 Yay.

Regular AoO, Reach Weapon, on approach: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Knowledge(Religion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
No Active Defense when Flat-Footed, so there's that.
As the...creature came rushing at her, the thought 'so thats why the bricked up entrance...' passed through Phai's mind, but the humanoids assault quickly helped her focus on the here and now again.
"Not the reception I had hoped for...but keep trying!", she voiced her displeasure to the creature.
Swift for Challenge, it takes -3 on attacks against others, +2 against me, I get +2 to hit/damage against it.
Stepping back away, she quickly shot 2 arrows at the creature.
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13 Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19 Damage: 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
No longer flat-footed, so against up to 3 attacks, I get +3 AC and a retaliatory shield bash if they miss.

"I really hope this is not the saint we're looking for," Isen murmured as he readied his sword to attack. Hopefully it was some kind of defender.

To Hit: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Sneak Attack: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 3) = 9
Destruction: 4d6 ⇒ (5, 6, 4, 1) = 16

Today's loss has been brought to you by the number 9, and the bonus number 16.

"They did say it hadn't reacted for years, but I figured they had meant something a little less hostile?" Vincent hurried to join the fight and circled around Phai to flank with Isen. "Are you all right Phai?"

Smite! AC 29 against this thing now.

+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 10 - 2 + 5 + 2 = 20, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 19

Phai is, alas, unable to identify the creature. Isen's blade missed, while Vincent was able to land a solid blow on it (though it could take a few more). None of Phai's blows managed to strike it. Screeching, the creature stepped forward and began trying to rip into her.

Bite (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 2 = 35 for Damage: 2d8 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (7, 1) + 8 - 2 = 14 plus Charisma Drain: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 2) = 6
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 13 + 2 = 35 for Damage: 2d6 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (5, 1) + 8 - 2 = 12
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 13 + 2 = 32 for Damage: 2d6 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (2, 5) + 8 - 2 = 13
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 13 + 2 = 31
Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 13 + 2 = 26
Constitution Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 plus Rounds of Sickened: 1d4 ⇒ 3
*Winces* DR accounted for in the damage rolls.
Will DC 21 Negates Cha Drain: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18 Uuuuunless someone's got something to help?
Fort DC 19 Negates Con Damage and reduces Sickened to 1 round: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

...With a rather frightening amount of success.

Isen winced as the torrent of attacks struck Phai, and tried to attack again. Perhaps being a little more successful would help.

To Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Sneak Attack: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 4) = 15
Destruction: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 2) = 7

I think the second claw should not have the critical damage increase?
That Drain is brutal, targetting my lowest ability scores :) - the HP are neglectable -
Lets see, -3 Con Mod * 6 Level is -18, so current MaxHP is 72-18+4=58; Damage is 14+12+4=30 total - so lets use delayed damage pool to turn 6 more into nonlethal, for 24 lethal and 14 nonlethal total.
Swift to gain 17 Temporary HP
It didn't step up inmediately, so...casting Barkskin on myself, then Stone Shield as inmediate if it steps up and continues the assault. Plus Active Defense times 3. - AC should be 30 against the next 3 attacks, miss by 4 or less strikes the stone slab instead.

Staggering back from the heavy assault of the creature, Phai realized it was significantly more dangerous than expected...the wounds it caused seems superficial, but it had a way of sapping the soul and life force out of it's victims.
Trusting her companions to be able to deal with the creature, Phai decides to focus on not dying, making her skin harden with magics, getting ready to raise a stone slab to interject, and use her shield to defend against any attacks still getting through.

Vincent considered using magic to compel the creature to turn away from Phai to focus on him, but dismissed the idea since might not survive another onslaught if the spell failed to take hold. No, for now, a vicious and unrelenting offensive would be the best route.

Step into flank and full attack.
+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 27, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 17
+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 11, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 15

...You're right, the second claw was not a crit. I copied and pasted a bit too much there. XD; Also, I haven't seen a collection of rolls that bad for a player since the start of this game...

The undead creature spun aside to dodge Isen's attack, though Vincent managed to strike it with his first blow. Meanwhile, Phai focused on protecting herself, and the undead hissed at the rest of the group as it continued its assault on her.

Bite (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 13 + 2 = 17
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 + 2 = 22
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 13 + 2 = 19

Rather fortunately, it wasn't able to follow through on its previous vicious series of strikes, and Phai managed to keep it at bay.

Regarding the collection of rolls bad for a player, I disagree.. This series of bad rolls was longer, and more intense, but the effect, even if spread over multiple GM posts, was more pronounced back then.

Not only did the creature not manage to connect, it left itself open against defensive shield bashing from Phai, using her Shield Spikes to try and wound the attacker.
On each miss with active defense, per deflect talent as free action.
Shield Bash: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 2 = 5
Shield Bash: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 2 = 22 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 + 2 = 6
Shield Bash: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 26 Damage: 1d6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 2 = 10
Stepping back into a flank herself, Phai grips her Spear with two hands and drives it forward, attempting to impale her assailant.
IMPALE! Elven Branched Spear, flank, challenge: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 8 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 23 Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6
Lets see if we can get some mileage out of this even if not during Attacks of Opportunity

Hoping to finish it off, Vincent pressed the attack.

+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 31, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 21
+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 22, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 21

Isen tried again.

To Hit: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Sneak Attack: 3d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 5) = 11
Destruction: 3d6 ⇒ (5, 1, 3) = 9

Phai's second and third shield-bashes managed to hit it (despite her being sickened), as did both of Vincent's blows. Isen's attempt was, alas, just a little shy of striking the creature. It looked badly pummeled now, but it was still up and moving, and continued its attempts to claw out Phai's throat as it maneuvered to remain close to her.

Bite (Phai): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24 for Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (9) + 13 = 22 for Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Claw (Phai): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31 for Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Will DC 21 vs Cha Drain: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15; Cha Drain: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Fort DC 19 vs Con Damage and Sickened: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8; Con Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4 Rounds of Sickened Duration, Extended: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Vincent followed suit, trying to quickly end the fight so he could tend to Phai's rapidly worsening condition.

+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 10 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 30, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 21
+1 Falcata: 1d20 + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 2 + 2 + 5 = 23, Damage: 1d8 + 4 + 4 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 4 + 6 = 22

Stepping back, once more, Phai attempts to fixate her enemy in place, sufficiently far away from her to halt it's violent assault.
* IMPALEMENT ATTACK *: 1d20 + 8 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 20 Thanks dice, for making fun of me.
Damage: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10 Spending one more Reserve to get temp hp again.

Status: Barkskin active +3 AC; Active Defense +3 AC vs 3 attacks - total 26 AC

Given how ineffective he'd been so far, Isen moved to Phai and tapped her, giving her back some of the health she had lost in this fight.

Cure: 4d8 + 5 ⇒ (1, 1, 3, 7) + 5 = 17

Switching to Restore Soul/

Restore (Con): 1d4 ⇒ 3

Weapons stabbed in, including Phai's stabby impale and Vincent's slashing blade. It was finally too much for the undead creature, which crumpled under the blow - and that left the room clear of threats.

Isen sighed as the creature fell. "What do you need, Phai? It seemed to do a lot of harm to you."

Phai took a moment to catch her breath.
Reflexively, she touched herself, healing the worst of her wounds. CMW: 2d8 + 6 ⇒ (4, 2) + 6 = 12
Then she answered Isen, spending another couple seconds trying to understand what happened to her to get the answer right:"It seemed as if the creature gained sustenance from the living, in a way. It attempted to drain my soul from the body with it's bites, as if eating away at it. At the same time, it's claws sapped my very vitality, damaging my life force itself. Whatever you just did made it slightly better."
Phai attempted to duplicate the effect using her magics. Lesser Restoration(Con): 1d4 ⇒ 2
Con Damage, Cha Drain. I have no means of dealing with Drain(yet).

Nodding, Isen repaired some of the damage that the creature did. "I'm using what my people refered to as 'Life Magic'. It's somewhat less potent than the style of spells you seem to use, which are more focused and powerful. These are more weaker but broader in design."

Restore (Cha): 1d4 ⇒ 1
Restore (Cha): 1d4 ⇒ 4

The universe was a big place - and the powers in it were more than a little diverse. Fortunately, that diversity could be a great strength for your group. There was nothing stopping you from taking whatever time you wanted to recover - though eventually, you would need to decide what to do next.

"That doesn't seem weak to me. That sort of ailment is beyond anything that I"m capable of handling. Unless you think burning you to ash or replacing your limbs with augmentations would help, Phai? More seriously though, how are you feeling. Is there anything else you need, or are you ready to press on? If there's anything else like that down here, we can't really just leave it be now that we've unsealed the place."

Isen smiled, a little proud. "It comes at a cost, and requires a certain focus. I can cast limited destructive magics, these healing spells, and some illusions...and that is all for now." He glanced back to Phai. "How does that feel now?"

"Much better." Phai looks around, then continues: "But unless either of you can speak with the dead, I'm not certain how to proceed. We certainly got our reaction from him, but not a very satisfactory one. I can prepare a Spell that allows me to commune with him...but in the evening...I had not expected need for such an ability. That means waiting until tomorrow, though...that said, I can only maintain the link for a certain while, I expect a few questions, no more. If we go for that, everybody should think of one question that he would have known the answer to, in life."
Phai looks around, they had come here to this room through a corridor, but had not had time to check if there were other exits.

Perception (Phai): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (3) + 14 = 17

As you look around, you eventually spot a small tunnel in the southern wall, apparently leading to a somewhat-hidden (and very small) route. The southern passage ends at an unworked cavern, from which a narrow passageway leads southeast. After a 100-foot crawl, it mercifully opens into a small cavern.

The breach in the wall reveals a much larger cavern beyond. A 7-foot-long mound of dirt rests at the far end, forming a rough, humanoid shape on the ground. A metal tube protrudes from its presumed head, coated in heavy layers of dust.

As you come within ten feet, a crystalline object (similar to what's already in your possession) held near the apparent hands flickers to life, and your own part of the Opus Aeterna shines as well. It doesn't take long to recognize that the light shows part of a star chart and some schematics, but it's obviously incomplete and not enough to work from.

"Now what...", Phai states, watching and being wary of the humanoid shape. Eventually, she points towards the crystalline object:"I think it wants to come with us, and he wants us to have it."
Slowly, Phai approached the mound, to take a closer look, not yet touching anything.
What's the deal with the metal tube...does the star chart alter or become more clearly aligned when our own one comes closer? One of the curses of pbp, but I am not certain where and when we picked up this part of the Opus Aeterna? If either Vincent or Isen could jog my memory and point me towards that event...?

Isen moved around the room cautiously, trying to determine what was happening.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14

Phai, I think it might have been this post from when we looted the manticore's lair? I couldn't find where we actually identified it, but the plan was to use identify the following day.

"The plans here... they're so complex. And it's not just the plans, but the map as well? If we could find the whole thing, I'd love to try to build it." Vincent walked with Phai, eager for a closer look. "Here, see the two pieces together. How much do you suppose is still missing?"

Yup. o wo It's easy to forget stuff in PbP, though... but by this point, it's pretty dang obvious what it is. XD

The metal tube looks similar to those you saw in the cylinders in the previous room, though its purpose isn't clear. It's quite mundane, though - the only magical aura you sense here comes from the Opus Aterna's page. The pages continue to shine and create the star chart, but don't seem to be doing anything else, and waiting a little bit doesn't result in any change.

You're not sure quite how much is missing, but it's probably a lot. That doesn't necessarily mean it's in a bunch of pieces all over the planet (for all you know, all the rest of the pieces are together) - just that the part you have seems like a small part of a greater whole.

"I suppose dismantling it is one way to protect its secrets," Isen mused, and hoped it wasn't somehow encoded as well. He always struggled with such puzzles as a child.

"Well, we need all the parts - I am pretty certain about that.", Phai looks back the way they came :"But I'm also pretty certain this is a kind of reliquiary to the Monks here. Fending off their undead prophet is one thing, but I'd rather not fight against our hosts if it can somehow be avoided. Any ideas?", she turns to Isen and Vincent, hoping either of them would present a solution.

"We planned to leave a copy of what we have," Isen considered, "Would a copy of this one be enough for what we need? Or do we need the original?"

Glancing at the projections, and the interaction between the two fragments, Phai answers firmly:"Pretty certain we want the original."

Isen nodded placidly. "Then do we try and explain to our hosts that we have taken a major religious artifact in the hope that we will repair there world, or do we hope that none of them will notice since they don't come down here often?"

For what it was worth, they seemed to think you were divine messengers - and while the previous tomb had been fancier, this one looked more, well, real. The undead may not have been their prophet at all.

"For what it's worth, if that monster in the previous hall was a test, I think we passed. And if they subject us to a possibly lethal test of faith to check if we are worthy, then I do feel entitled to do what I know is right. Our motives are manyfold, but in the end, we wish to help this world and it's inhabitants. For that, we'll need the complete Opus. This is just."
Phai picks up the second fragment, then kneels down next to the mound.
Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Offering some basic prayers for the departed seemed the right thing to do, even if she was unfamiliar with the local customs.

Isen shrugged. It was less about whether they had won the right and more about there host's reaction. "We need it, and they do not. It is simply a matter of whether or not they need to know it's gone."

"I'm pretty sure that the monks will be willing to part with their piece when we show them what they do close together, and assure them that it is our intention to reunite all of the fragments to heal their world. That last bit seems to be a major component of their faith and teachings. Let's get going."

Do the shards create an obvious effect while in a bag? Do we need to separate them and carry them on two different people to avoid notice? I'm guessing as we collect more of these we're going to become a bigger target for others that would want them.

If so, I'd assume we'd want some extradimensional storage and hope they don't have fancy interaction with such...

The shards still glow, but sealing them in a bag stops the light. The light is clearly magical, but not opaque-object-piercing magical.

You seemed ready to go, and crawled back towards the exit. The head of the monks was not, in fact, waiting for you - but you had been gone quite some time. One of the acolytes hurried up, however, and she came down the lift in short order. "How did it go?" she asked, flapping a hand to send the acolytes somewhere they couldn't listen in.

"There was a bit of an unexpected altercation. We crossed over to the sealed up area, and we were attacked by a vicious undead. We managed to fight it off without too much lasting harm, and continued on into the inner tomb. You were right, there was some interaction. It would be easier to just show you though," Vincent recounted before he motioned for Phai to retrieve the two pieces. "You can see the projections they emit when in close proximity. If we could manage to find the other shards and repair them, it could give us the key to reconnecting the gates to the network. Maybe even let us build new ones. At least, that's my hope."

Isen watched to see how the monk felt about this idea, and how likely they were going to be swarmed by angry devotees.

Phai kind of knew how Vincent would approach the situation. She would have preferred smuggling them out, but that was not how the Auttaine did things.
As such, she remained cautious, sharing Isens worries.

The monk woman hissed slightly at the mention of the undead, clearly displeased... but paused when you showed the pieces. She stared intently at them for a moment. "Clearly, it was meant to be with you..." she said. "But I want the monks to copy this before you go, to memorize the truth so that we may understand it better."

"That seems completely reasonable," Isen agreed. They weren't racing against the clock, so time was a small price to pay.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16
Phai tried to understand why the woman would be displeased at the mention of the undead...but ultimately, it did not matter.
"They are certainly welcome to do so. If our quest is successful, someone should keep the truth safe. We'll remember you when that time comes."