The team manages to make favorable impressions on all the the Orc Leaders. In addition to tokens, every player gets the following benefits!
Blenta Benefit:
PCs gain a +1 on attack and damage rolls against animals and magical beasts for the rest of the adventure.
Borbus Benefit:
Before attempting a Bluff, Escape Artist, Perform, or Sleight of Hand check during this adventure, a PC can decide to roll twice and take the higher result. Each PC can use this benefit once before the end of the adventure.
Bukog Benefit:
Each PC gains a +5 bonus on any Day Job checks performed at the end of this adventure.
Gekgaro Benefit:
Each PC gains the Nimble Moves feat until the end of the adventure.
Graffa Benefit:
Each PC chooses either the Acrobatic or Athletic feat and gains it for the rest of the adventure.
Kardook Benefit:
Each PC can use martial flexibility as a 1st-level brawler (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 23) once before the end of the adventure; if a PC already has the martial flexibility class feature, she gains 1 additional use per day for the rest of the adventure.
Mirtgog Benefit:
At the start of an encounter, each PC can choose to gain the Precise Strike feat (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 167) for the duration of the encounter. Each PC can use this benefit once before the end of the adventure.
HP: 52/52 l AC: 17, T 11, FF 16 l CMD 18 l F +5, R +4, W +8, +10 vs. madness/confusion l Aging Touch (2/2), Knowledge of the Ages (3/4), Speed/Slow Time (1/1), Time Flicker (7/7 min), Time Hop (70/70 ft.) l L1: 5/7, L2: 5/7, L3: 2/5 l Init +5 l Senses: Perception +2
Corona comes huffing around one of the tents in the camp, drawing her longspear again as she goes. At the sight of the floating armors and gooey ghosts, she groans.
"Not these guys again! I thought New Friend Brek was joking!" But as the air fills with the cries of their Kellid allies, she grins. "All right! The cavalry's here!"
______
Corona moves, drawing her weapon. And that's all there is, there isn't any more - for now.
Fung nods in thanks to Zavubak for stepping in to take away some heat from him. He takes a step away from the animated armor and fires a lightning blast at it.
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
Ezren jogs forward, momentarily forgetting he needed his cane, before sending another bolt from his wand into the armor suit blasted by Fung.
Move to position on map.
Standard: Activate Wand of Magic Missile, targeting Black Armor.
Force damage:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Charges: 38/50.
A Pathfinder agent strikes a creature at the same time as the PC, increasing the damage dealt by one attack by 2d8 points. In addition, after the attack, anyone attacking the target is considered to be flanking it until the beginning of the attacker's next turn.
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Zavubak and 575 eagerly double-move forward.
Corona contemplates the weaknesses of Phantom Armor, but the only thing she can come up with is that they don't have a lot of hit points. She thinks that they can be taken out with one good hit.
Speaking of which, Fung blasts the Phantom Suit of Armor, and Ezren hits it as well! The Black set of armor falls to the ground in pieces!
Do you guys want to use the Boosted Allied Offensive bonus on your next attacks?
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Then it's the ooky undead's turn! Phasing in and out of existence, the slimy ectoplasmic humans phase right through the supply tents in their way. Green waits, readying an attack for whomever comes near.
Orange slams into 575!
SLAM+Flank:1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 24 Damage:1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
He hits, covering 575 in glowing orange ooze that totally does not match his scales!
575, provide me a will save or be shaken by the ooky ooze!
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Round 2
Active conditions: Barkskin & False Life on Skye, Bless
Skye
================================
Guardian Phantom Armor
================================
Ezren
575 (-6) (Need will save)
Fung
Zavubak
Corona
CG Human Male Shaman-6 (Spirit: Heaven; Wandering Spirit: Lore) | HP 47+11 | AC 20 / 10 T / 20 FF | CMD 14 | Fort +6, Reflex +4, Will +11 | Init +6 | Perception +16; Familiar Bonus: +3 sight-based Perception checks in shadows/darkness | Hexes: Slumber (Will DC18), Heaven's Leap, Evil Eye (Will DC18); Wandering Hex: Arcane Enlightenment | Stardust 6/6 | Monstrous Insight 6/6 | Speed 30 ft. | Conditions: Barkskin, BlessFalse Life, Heightened Awareness
Skye takes a step toward Zavubak and grants him Desna's guidance. He threatens the green-skinned ectoplasmic human with his longspear.
Zabubak gains +1 competence bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check within the next minute.
Zav moans as Skye offers divine guidance in the form of a buff. "Feels pretty good, man. Let's just stick to the shoulders for your casting targets, shall we?" Stepping ahead, he goes for a double swipe of the ectoplasm.
HP: 52/52 l AC: 17, T 11, FF 16 l CMD 18 l F +5, R +4, W +8, +10 vs. madness/confusion l Aging Touch (2/2), Knowledge of the Ages (3/4), Speed/Slow Time (1/1), Time Flicker (7/7 min), Time Hop (70/70 ft.) l L1: 5/7, L2: 5/7, L3: 2/5 l Init +5 l Senses: Perception +2
Female Human Oracle (Dual-Cursed) 7 | Active Conditions:
Corona hustles forward a few more steps, giving Fung another friendly slap on the back as she passes. "Keep blasting them, New Friend! Those armor things only need one good smack to blow them up real good," she advises.
______
Corona moves to her current position and hits Fung with Guidance!
Fearful secretions
Assaulting mind and body
But my boot still works
575 sends that very boot into the breastplate of the phantom armor on one side of him, then spins and launches an elbow at the ectoplasmic creature on the other side.
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
Ezren eyes the field briefly before he raises his cane, whipping it out to fly at the armored suit!
Attack: use Hand of the Apprentice targeting Red Armor. If it drops, then target the closest ectoplasmic human.
MW Cane, Bless:1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18, Bludgeoning damage:1d6 ⇒ 1
Use: 6/7.
That was our last battle before the grand finale! Feel free to heal all the way up, my dear ones! I would hold off on casting any buffs that last less than ten minutes / level before the next section starts.
Anyone who has not used the Boosted Allied Offensive may hang on to it for the next battle.
CG Human Male Shaman-6 (Spirit: Heaven; Wandering Spirit: Lore) | HP 47+11 | AC 20 / 10 T / 20 FF | CMD 14 | Fort +6, Reflex +4, Will +11 | Init +6 | Perception +16; Familiar Bonus: +3 sight-based Perception checks in shadows/darkness | Hexes: Slumber (Will DC18), Heaven's Leap, Evil Eye (Will DC18); Wandering Hex: Arcane Enlightenment | Stardust 6/6 | Monstrous Insight 6/6 | Speed 30 ft. | Conditions: Barkskin, BlessFalse Life, Heightened Awareness
"Well done, my friends. Anybody need a medic? There's still some healing left in this wand." 9 charges remaining.
Skye takes a knee and fires up a fatty.
Sova takes flight, looking for an undead mouse.
HP: 52/52 l AC: 17, T 11, FF 16 l CMD 18 l F +5, R +4, W +8, +10 vs. madness/confusion l Aging Touch (2/2), Knowledge of the Ages (3/4), Speed/Slow Time (1/1), Time Flicker (7/7 min), Time Hop (70/70 ft.) l L1: 5/7, L2: 5/7, L3: 2/5 l Init +5 l Senses: Perception +2
Female Human Oracle (Dual-Cursed) 7 | Active Conditions:
"Me, but let's take care of New Friend 575 first - he actually got smacked around a little bit just now," Corona responds, clearly amazed that anything managed to hit the haiku-spouting nagaji.
Medda rides by, calling above the din of the raging battle, “The path is clear—we can reach the valley that holds the stone circle. Let us band together and stop the undead tide. I am concerned that some of the foul creatures had the name ‘Eshimka’ on their rotting lips. We must stand together and use all of our power to close this black portal before it’s too late!”
Fighting side-by-side, the Twinhorn following and Pathfinders have carved a path to the stone circle. This affords only a brief opening to stop the undead army, and the fighting will be difficult.
@Table GMs: You have until October 5 to run encounter J on page 38. The Uncertain Opportunity condition on page 38 is in effect.
You run to the valley... then pause a moment as you take in what is before you!
The clearing on the riverbank features a circle of standing stones with a large stone altar at its center. A shadowy tear floats above the altar, so dark that what little light shines from the stars seems to become trapped inside. Eight large tendrils of inky darkness coil around the menhirs as if keeping the stones in a stranglehold. Other tendrils lick out from the shadowy rift as if tasting the air.
In addition to the black tentacles, there appear to be bunch of skeletons and a giant crawling hand guarding the portal.
Knowledge (religion) DC 15:
GIANT CRAWLING HAND
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
Knowledge (religion) DC 10:
HUMAN SKELETONS
For every 5 that you beat the DC, you may ask for one piece of information from this list.
HP: 52/52 l AC: 17, T 11, FF 16 l CMD 18 l F +5, R +4, W +8, +10 vs. madness/confusion l Aging Touch (2/2), Knowledge of the Ages (3/4), Speed/Slow Time (1/1), Time Flicker (7/7 min), Time Hop (70/70 ft.) l L1: 5/7, L2: 5/7, L3: 2/5 l Init +5 l Senses: Perception +2
I'm assuming Fung can see the undeads from where he is standing.
Fung takes one step closer to towards the riverbank, looking down towards the stone circle. He starts gathering energy from the atmosphere again, knowing he needs it to power the long range attack that he is going to make. Then, as soon as 575 moves out of the way, Fung releases a long-range electric bolt, flying towards the nearest (pink)skeleton.
move action gather power to reduce burn cost by 1; standard action electric blast with extended range fusion to reach 120ft electric blast vs pink touch AC:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18electric dmg:2d6 + 4 ⇒ (4, 1) + 4 = 9
What a horrible starting position... Fung will have everything dead before we can reach that....
Is it up stairs, or down? Any corners we can cut? And what way is the river flowing and how fast? (looks like its flowing towards the stones from the picture... how would that effect a swim speed?)
575 views the scene ahead with some concern.
The portal must close
But so far to travel
It's only water
He finally concludes and does a leaping dive right off the bank into the stream. His head pops up a ways down near a rock.
Jump as far as I can to reduce the distance, then start swimming for the central island
Jump:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14bah, only saved me one square =)
Corona and Skye know of no particular weaknesses or resistances on the giant hand. But they do know that it is undead, so positive energy will likely hurt it. They know that the skeletons are skeletons with broken scimitars. Blunt weapons are best against them, but they're pushovers. Zavubak and 575 travel towards it by land and sea and Fung (even with cover penalties from the overgrowth) manages to blow apart one skeleton!
Meanwhile, the hand also creepily crawls towards you, in search of prey.
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Round 1
Active conditions: None
Fung
575
Zavubak
================================
Giant Crawling Hand
================================
Skye
Ezren
================================
Skeletons
================================
Corona
____
The stairs go down, and you are traveling downstream. I'll give you all an extra 5 feet to your movement!
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
"Looks like we have our work cut out for us." Ezren notes as the undead surge forward to engage the Pathfinders. "Let me see what I can do from above." He adds as he draws a potion, quaffing it quickly and preparing to take flight!
Move: Retrieve Potion.
Standard: Drink Potion of Fly. Gain Fly 60' (Good) for 5 minutes.
CG Human Male Shaman-6 (Spirit: Heaven; Wandering Spirit: Lore) | HP 47+11 | AC 20 / 10 T / 20 FF | CMD 14 | Fort +6, Reflex +4, Will +11 | Init +6 | Perception +16; Familiar Bonus: +3 sight-based Perception checks in shadows/darkness | Hexes: Slumber (Will DC18), Heaven's Leap, Evil Eye (Will DC18); Wandering Hex: Arcane Enlightenment | Stardust 6/6 | Monstrous Insight 6/6 | Speed 30 ft. | Conditions: Barkskin, BlessFalse Life, Heightened Awareness
Skye utters a call for his spiritual weapon, and a starknife, favored weapon of Desna, made of pure force appears next to the giant crawling hand and attacks it. Then, Skye follows Zavubak down the stone steps.
Attack:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 121d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 Add +1 to attack roll, if bless is still in effect. Range 140ft. Duration 4 rounds.
575, unless the skeletons move further to the front of the stone circle, I think Fung can only one or two more skeletons. And I don't think he would have line of sight to the hand through the trees? So plenty for you frontliners. :)
Fung looks in envy as Ezren lifts off from the ground, wondering when he would master the power of the winds to take flight like that. Stop woolgathering! he scolds himself, turning back to the matter at hand. Again, he takes another step forward until he reaches the river edge. Again he gathers whatever energy he can, then sends a bolt of lightning towards another skeleton across the great distance.
Move: Gather power to reduce burn cost by 1 from activating extended range infusion to reach up to 120ft electric blast vs orange touch AC:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12electric dmg:2d6 + 4 ⇒ (2, 5) + 4 = 11
HP: 52/52 l AC: 17, T 11, FF 16 l CMD 18 l F +5, R +4, W +8, +10 vs. madness/confusion l Aging Touch (2/2), Knowledge of the Ages (3/4), Speed/Slow Time (1/1), Time Flicker (7/7 min), Time Hop (70/70 ft.) l L1: 5/7, L2: 5/7, L3: 2/5 l Init +5 l Senses: Perception +2
Female Human Oracle (Dual-Cursed) 7 | Active Conditions:
"Oh drat...that's a lot of distance to cover," Corona laments, realizing her bum legs and heavier armor aren't going to do her any favors here. "Hey...hey! Don't run off just yet, New Friends!" she calls out as she produces her wand and attempts to bless the party...or at least those still within range.
______
Corona will produce her wand and hit whoever she can still reach with Bless!
575's reptilian ancestry is on full display as he darts through the water with apparent ease, crossing the stream with a strange undulating motion, then letting the current carry him the last few feet. He climbs out on the shore of the small island, dagger between his teeth like some sort of lizard pirate!
Swimming is a slow process =) that's all I get. Thanks for the extra 5'!
What sort of check to cross the log, should it come to it?
"Hmm, what a quiet, lovely path through these trees. It's too bad there's a giant hand and some skeletons awaiting us on the other side. This would've made a great chill spot."
CG Human Male Shaman-6 (Spirit: Heaven; Wandering Spirit: Lore) | HP 47+11 | AC 20 / 10 T / 20 FF | CMD 14 | Fort +6, Reflex +4, Will +11 | Init +6 | Perception +16; Familiar Bonus: +3 sight-based Perception checks in shadows/darkness | Hexes: Slumber (Will DC18), Heaven's Leap, Evil Eye (Will DC18); Wandering Hex: Arcane Enlightenment | Stardust 6/6 | Monstrous Insight 6/6 | Speed 30 ft. | Conditions: Barkskin, BlessFalse Life, Heightened Awareness
The spiritual starknife sizzles with force energy, slicing into the giant crawling hand. As its target scrambles toward Zavubak, the weapon follows and strikes again.
AoO, Bless:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 221d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 Attack, Bless:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 161d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9Remaining duration 3 rounds
Skye calls upon the aid of the Tender of Dreams♫♫♮♪♬, his eyes turn pitch black and the colors around him drain away. With his fingers, he shreds tiny tears in the fabric of space and temporarily stitches them together to reach a spot on the cliff above and on the path ahead of him through a limited, one-way wormhole. Stretching out his left arm, he points to the path ahead of him. His outstretched right arm points up at Corona, and the oracle slips the surly bonds of time and space.
Heaven's leap. I placed Corona's icon where Skye dumped her.
Skye takes a step further along the path.
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
Ezren gently floats into the air, hovering about 10 feet from the ground, as he moves towards the island where 575 is currently making his way on.
OK, now that hand is going to be a problem...but I suspect those tentacles will be even more of one...
He takes out his trusty wand and sends a bolt flying at the crawling hand, then turns his attention to the dark tentacles surrounding the stone...
Move: Fly to position on map.
Standard: Activate wand of Magic Missile targeting the Crawling hand.
Force Damage:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Charges: 37/50.
Knowledge Arcana (Identify a spell effect that is in place):1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
The starknife attempts to hit the hand twice. The first is a sold hit,, but the second time the hand merrily evades, the fingers doing their sinister and menacing tap dance.
Tap. Tap. Tappity-Tap-Tap.
Meanwhile, Skye leaps Corona forward! Then Ezren shoots an idle magic missile at the hand. The hand briefly reacts to the damage, fingers flexing in pain, but trudges onward. It still looks quite healthy.
Then Ezren analyzes the area, and realizes several things. Negative energy is pouring through that Rift. Anyone ending in that circle is going to take negative energy damage, and any undead that are not utterly destroyed will heal at the same time. Furthermore, the those dark tendrils are acting like black tentacles, and will grapple anything that isn't undead that steps within the circle. The hazard can be suppressed with large amounts of positive energy, or you can attempt to close the portal (and the tentacles inside it) once you've destroyed all the undead that are protecting it.
The skeletons stay where they are, guarding the rift.
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
"That's negative energy pouring through that Rift! It will suck your life energy if you go in that circle! Plus any undead that are not utterly destroyed will heal at the same time. Furthermore, those dark tendrils will grapple anything that isn't undead that steps within the circle. We need to flood it with large amounts of positive energy, or attempt to close the portal once all the undead that are protecting it are destroyed!" Ezren yells to the others.
I misread your attacks, Skye, because attack and damage were on the same line. I thought your damage was your to-hit! Your star solidly hit on the attack of opportunity, and I edited my post to indicate that.
575, if you don't want to enter the circle, you could either go beat up the hand, which looks pretty darn beefy, or you can throw things at the skeletons from just outside the circle! Your choice.
Hrrmm... Unsure on if we're under a time constraint on closing that thing... but I suppose we can wait for those with better options then just running in =)
Hesitating for a moment, 575 finally seems to come to a decision, as he quickly moves forward, and turns towards the giant dismembered hand, coming at it from the far side.
Zavubak continues his peaceful walk down the forested path, until he sees the gigantic hand face to face. "Oh. And I was just starting to enjoy the chirping of birds." He grows his claws and prepares to slice at the hand should it come within range.
Fung curses himself under his breath for the bad aim, but first making sure no one can hear him. He listens with concern over what Ezren said, and realises that it is up to the ranged attackers to take out the skeletons from inside the circle. Again, he draws whatever energy he can and releases yet another bolt at the (orange) skeleton over the long distance.
Ezren identifies important properties about the rift. 575 shows how acrobatic he is. Zavubak prepares a special claw handshake, but misses as the fingers dance out of his way.
Tap. Tap. Tappity-tap-tap!
Meanwhile Fung calls on lightning.
Z-Z-ZOT!
The orange skeleton crumbles to dust.
Meanwhile, the hand decides that one good claw deserves another.
VARANOG|LE Male kobold sorcerer 4 | HP 26/26 | AC 16 (touch 15, flat-footed 12) | F +2 R +4 W +5 | Perc +3 | Init +3 | 30 ft | |1st 7/7 2nd 4/4| Active Conditions:
Ezren hovers in place and sends a magical bolt into the skeleton closest to the path. "Fung! Target the ones I hit before they regenerate!"
Gotta start whittling down these guardians...
Hover in place.
Activate Wand of Magic Missile, targeting Red Skeleton.
Force damage:1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Charges: 36/50.
