Emerald Spire (PFS) (Inactive)

Game Master Michael Hallet

Bree looks grimly at Aldy's body. He makes a single nod at Arkolo and reaches to grab Aldy's body by the collar of his chain shirt. "Ready."

"I'll cover the rest of you as you go." Brand volunteers.

Flint nods to Brand gravely. "I'll keep bringing up walls to slow them down. They're weak, but they'll help a little."

"Every thing helps at this point." Brand acknowledges Flint's help.

He looks to see if their foes would be rushing them as he looks at where he could stymie their approach.

A day or so later you return to the waterlogged halls.

?: 1d3 ⇒ 1

Decide which way you want to proceed.

His gold pouch maybe lighter but as he looks upon his companions, the old dwarf is Proud.

"Which way shall we go?" as he looks upon their trusty scout.

"I don't see any reason why we don't just go straight back to that room where we left off. I think we had seen everything else."

There are two paths you can take to reach the corridor leading up to that room. Which path you take is actually important. See the map. I need to know if you are taking the red path or the green path.

Let's go green - I'm sure our dwarves wont be too keen on swimming down a small drainage tube.

Flint scoffs. "You mean we didn't need to swim down that durn watery death?" He looks at Aldy awkwardly... "No offense." After a moment of silence the dwarf continues. "My beard just dried off. Let's stick to the ground, shall we?" He nervously kneads a ball of mud between his fingers as he thinks. Yupp, green sounds great.

Arkolo shrugs - whichever path is preferred by the rest of the team is fine with him.

You trudge through the flooded chambers once again, heading through the room filled with muddy water. Thankfully the mudlord has been dealt with and it can sneak up on you no longer.

However, it seems like some new occupants of this layer were waiting to ambush you the second you popped your head into the room.

Three arrows of acid are launched at Brand.

Acid Arrow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 82d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7
Acid Arrow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 122d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
Acid Arrow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 202d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Brand is struck by two of the bolts from small winged creatures made of mud.

One of the mud creatures ducks just below the surface of the water. It stop nearby and belches forth a cone of acid covering Bree and Brand. (DC 13 Reflex for half. If you fail the save you are sickened for 3 rounds.)

Acid: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Another one dips farther below the water and out of sight.

?: 1d20 ⇒ 5
Brand: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

Brand is unable to locate it. But anyone can take a move action to try to find it.

Mud 2 (concealment)
Mud 1 (hidden)
Aldy
Bree (Reflex save DC 13 or sickened)
Mud 3
Arkolo
Brand (10 damage, 2d4 ongoing acid) (Reflex save DC 13 or sickened)
Flint

Water provides concealment to anyone fully immersed in it or total concealment if more than 5 feet water between you and the viewer.

Aldy will drink an extract of touch of the sea, and move into the muck, drawing his rapier as he goes.

Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Bree throws up an arm to block the spray of acid. He is partly successful but it angers him nonetheless. Striding forth into the main room, he lets his emotions boil over. "I'm so sick of these creatures!"

He moves in and swings vicious claws at the closest mud creature.

claws@#2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Bloodrage round 1/18

Swim (Bree): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Bree fails to make progress through the water.

(You have to make DC 10 Swim checks and unless you have a swim speed you cannot take 10 in combat.) You still have
a second action to attempt to move if you want, but remember you swim at 1/4 your land speed. There is no dry land to stand on in this room.
I am assuming you would have only activated your blood rage if you got into melee range, which is why I didn't count it.

Remember if your target is underwater you have a -2 to hit and deal half damage if your weapon is bludgeoning or slashing (such as claws).

Thanks for the clarification. Is #2 underwater?

swim: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Bree splashes around in the water for a few more seconds and makes slow progress towards the creature.

Bloodrage round: 0/18

Ongoing Acid: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

The last mud creature sinks below the water. A sickly yellow fog begins to form on the surface.

I'm assuming the people in the room were keeping their head above the water so they could breathe. The hallway is flooded, so people still in the corridor are underwater. Stinking cloud does not function underwater so it is safe there as long as you can breathe or hold your breath.

Mud 2 (5' deep)
Mud 1 (hidden)
Aldy (Fortitude save vs poison DC 15 or nauseated)
Bree (Fortitude save vs poison DC 15 or nauseated)
Mud 3 (10' deep)
Arkolo
Brand (16 damage, 2d4 Ongoing acid 1/2) (Reflex save DC 13 or sickened, Fortitude save DC 15 vs poison or nauseated)
Flint

Water provides concealment to anyone fully immersed in it or total concealment if more than 5 feet water between you and the viewer.

Stinking cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).

Fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Bree takes a deep breath in preparation to dive below the surface and sucks in a potent dose of the yellow fog. He immediately gags and vomits on the surface of the water.

Wow, this level is bonkers hard.

Fortitude, DC 15: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Flint grabs onto the wall on his left and clambers along it like a monkey up a tree. He moves into the room, squishing his nose at the smell. "Come on Bree, it's no worse than my pop's farts after dinner!" He chuckles and holds on to the wall to wait for a sight of an elemental. Alright, I'll ready an action to throw a ball at the first enemy I see. Which would only be if they pop up between Aldy and Brand.

Readied Elemental Blast : 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage: 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (5, 5) + 11 = 21

Im assuming Arkolo can see and is unobstructed from his current map position...if not, then Arkolo will move up behind his allies instead

Arkolo moves for a better position and calls upon Erastil for better combat prowess...

Move + Cast Divine Favor

Swim 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

Brand attempts to follow as well as he dives down.
Spotting what he thinks are his foe, he attempts to slash it.

Attack 2? 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 7 - 2 = 191d10 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Half damage 5.

Arkolo, where you are is above the room below. However, in order to have a line to where you you can fire down below you'd need to step forward into the stinking cloud. Even then, you'd still be dealing with total concealment. The water itself is muddy, so it has the same properties (concealment adjacent, total concealment further away). There is absolutely nowhere you can stand and see who you are shooting unless you are in the water adjacent to the enemy, potentially drawing AoOs for shooting. This encounter pretty much completely hoses ranged PCs and even melee PCs unless they have a piercing weapon.

Arkolo tries to move to higher ground only to realize he has not line of sight to the battle below.

Duration: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Aldy Fort: 1d20 + 4 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 1 = 23

Aldy manages to hold his breath.

Brand Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Brand Fort: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 8 + 2 = 19
Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 81

Brand dodges the worst of breath and then manages to avoid breathing in the gas. He dives underwater, washing the rest of the acid off and swings his axe, opening a small wound which begins to slowly heal...

Flint readies for a clear shot. Flint needs to be in the corner, the cloud goes up to the ceiling.

The creature closest to Brand tries to claw him.

Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 72
Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 171d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Concealment: 1d100 ⇒ 9

The hidden one move up and noticing both his friends breaths a cone of acid towards the entrance.

Acid: 1d4 ⇒ 3 Reflex DC 13 for half. Sickened for 3 rounds on a failed save.

Mud 2 (3 damage, 5' deep)
Mud 1 (5' deep)
Aldy (1 negative level) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Bree (nauseated 1) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Mud 3 (10' deep)
Arkolo
Brand (17 damage) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Flint (readied)

Water provides concealment to anyone fully immersed in it or total concealment if more than 5 feet water between you and the viewer.

Stinking cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).

Remember there is always the option to pull back and go the other way.

fort: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Bree tries to force his insides to behave. Somehow he is able to calm them at least a little bit.

Does my status change?

I assumed you used your move action last round to get underwater where the cloud doesn't reach. When you fail a save you are nauseated for as long as you stay in the cloud plus 1d4 rounds after you leave it. You are still nauseated this round, but will recover next round. I'll use the die roll you made for your reflex save.

Right! It was supposed to be reflex. We then, 16+3 = 19 so I guess I pass.

Bree slowly swims underwater in the direction of the mud creature.

swim: 1d120 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Man they have very debilitating spells here.
Reflex, add +2 if spells or poison. 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 = 20
Hmm Taking half damage to total hit points again.

Aldy will 5-foot step, move action to studied target 2, then stab with his rapier.

Reflex: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 8 - 1 = 27

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 2 - 1 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 - 2 = 2

Bree continues to try to keep his breakfast down.

Aldy stabs one of the creatures.

The remaining mud creature unleashes its gout of acid hitting Aldy, Bree and Brand once more.

Acid: 1d4 ⇒ 1 Reflex DC 13 for half. Sickened for 3 rounds on a failed save.

Mud 2 (5 damage, 5' deep, Recharge 3)
Mud 1 (5' deep, Recharge 4)
Aldy (1 damage, 1 negative level) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Bree (2 damage, nauseated 1) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Mud 3 (5' deep, Recharge 4)
Arkolo
Brand (18 damage) (DC 13 Reflex or sickened)
Flint (readied)

Water provides concealment to anyone fully immersed in it or total concealment if more than 5 feet water between you and the viewer.

Stinking cloud obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).

Remember there is always the option to pull back and go the other way.

Man Didn't I roll reflex save already before my turn?
Reflex 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Swim 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Attack towards No. 2 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 2 = 241d10 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 - 2 = 10
Concealment 1d100 ⇒ 95
At this rate, we should just go another way. This encounter is seriously way over what we can handle.

Brand once more attempts to slash more wounds onto his foe as he examines the rest of his companions.
His view was that in a disadvantaged position as they are now, pulling back might be better.

Yeah, after spending ten minutes on the previous level, this level sure is a huge step up in difficulty.

Flint clambers around the walls of the room through the cloud.

Fortitude Save vs Cloud: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18 I think it's DC 15 so I should be fine?

Ignoring the foul odors, he continues on moving until he ends up within five feet of a monster. He tosses a spike of earth at the elemental. Piercing damage, triggers AoO.

Elemental Blast @ 3: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
Damage: 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (2, 3) + 11 = 16

The group decides this is taking too long and retreats back to the previous room.

Aldy (2 damage, 1 negative level)
Bree (3 damage)
Arkolo
Brand (19 damage)
Flint

You heal up and then make your way around to the other path. As Brand is about to come into view of the corridor, he notices one of the crab eidolons in the far room out of the corner of his eye!

"Out of the fire and into the frying pan." Brand mutters as he signals for his companions to halt before explaining to them what he saw.

"One of those crab monster pets." he points.

Flint grumbles. "Let's kill this thing, I'm tired of running."

With no place to hide from the eidolon, it quickly spots you as you approach the tunnel to its room.

Arkolo
Aldy (2 damage, 1 negative level)
Crab
Bree (3 damage)
Flint
Brand (19 damage)

The entire area is difficult terrain unless you have a swim speed.

Ach. We're swimming again.

Aldy will down an extract of Touch of the Sea, and use studied target on the eidolon.

Arkolo moves slightly to see down the passage before sighting past his companions.

Twang!: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 9 + 2 = 14
Thud: 1d8 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Arkolo's arrow flies wide of his intended target.

The crab creature disappears around the corner.

Bree (3 damage)
Flint
Brand (19 damage)
Arkolo
Aldy (2 damage, 1 negative level)
Crab

The entire area is difficult terrain unless you have a swim speed.

Bree moves down the hallway, axe in hand. "This is our only option. We should keep going. That crab thing will just have to stay out of our way."

We're heading to the room with the green circles, right? I double moved.

Flint nods and follows the group into the room. Assuming Brand moves, I move to his spot. If he doesn't move, I'll be at the closest spot that I can reach.

Brand nods as well as he pushes up against the water and strides forward, stopping behind the burly warrior.

Moved but stuck due to DT.

Aldy swims forward and takes the total defense action. AC is 25 currently.

By the time you reach the hatches, the eidolon has already retreated deeper into the complex.

You continue to follow the trail back to the final room where things went badly last time. You ready yourself for the fight ahead.

Last chance to heal and buff. Please post any such actions with your first combat post.

Gold Crab delays. Breelajah is up!

Breelajah (3 damage?)
Automaton
Dayana
Gold Crab
Brand (19 damage?)
Flint
Arkolo
Senethar
Aldy (2 damage?, 1 negative level)
Crab

Water here is 20 feet deep.

Bree steps past Brand and dives into the water. Just before his body slips beneath the surface, claws break through his skin and his body becomes more muscular. In the water, Bree swims towards one of the creatures then strikes with his claws.

swim: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
claw@creature,raging,underwater: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 - 2 = 9

The automaton tries to slap Bree with its tail and then swims aside to interpose himself.

Slam: 1d20 + 10 - 2 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 10 - 2 - 2 = 181d6 + 7 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 6 = 16

The powerful slam is somewhat dispersed by the water.

The golden crab charges through the water and pounces on Bree.

Claw: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 141d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Claw: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 2 = 121d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Bite: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 2 = 221d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Only the bite hits, but it hits hard!

The undine in the water casts a spell. Everyone except the undine in alcove begins moving faster!

Unfortunately for you all these are chained summoners.

Breelajah (22 damage)
Automaton (hasted)
Gold Crab (hasted, charged)
Dayana (hasted)
Brand (19 damage?)
Flint
Arkolo
Senethar
Aldy (2 damage?, 1 negative level)
Crab (hasted)

Water here is 20 feet deep.

Do I get an AoO against the automaton for moving away?

He only took a 5-foot step, which he can do since he has a swim speed.

How high are the ceilings? Ten feet?

As the door opens into the area that had caused the group so much pain before, Flint body merges into the wall to his left. He shuffles five feet up the wall then climbs down the hallway traveling fifteen feet over his companions heads. The dwarf looks down at Brand with a wink. "Don't mind me." He then scoops a ball of earth from the wall, forms it into a spike in his hand. He flexes his arm, tossing it at the crab attacking Bree.

Elemental Blast @ Yellow Crab: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Damage: 2d6 + 11 ⇒ (1, 2) + 11 = 14

Ya know, this water combat is really against us. The CR is definitely high on this one. Haste on an automaton. Really?
clw 2d8 + 2 ⇒ (7, 6) + 2 = 15
Identify Crab, nature 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23
Identify Automaton, arcana 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Swim 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Brand winces as he uses his wand to heal himself before joining the rest for battle. He then attempts to wade in as well and wallows............... At least he tries not to block his fellow dwarf from making his shot....