Motteditor's PFS 5-11: Library of the Lion PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Aren't Aroden's prophesies supposed to be taken with a heaping grain of salt now? Gaeldrung asks when that fact is uncovered.

When the swarm appears he backpedals and draws his weapon, but he has very few real options for this kind of foe.

Hearing the commotion in the other room, Fenric leaves to investigate and, possibly, defend his allies. He draws his dueling sword as he hustles through the hall.

perc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Do I know this is happening?

Since Ashton and Katarina are linked, I think it's safe to assume he could and would have told you.

indeed. requested Edit access to move my token on the map. otherwise please place me 4 spaces north of Katarina.

Caught by surprise, Kat yelps as she finds herself engulfed in a swarm of books. Arms raised protectively over her head, she attempts to move away from the swarm. As she does, she jerks her head and another, non-moving book suddenly flies across the room and crashes into the swarm.

Telekinetic Projectile (Ranged): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Kn. Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
______

Kat moves next to Hakak and casts Telekinetic Projectile!

Meanwhile in the next room over, Ashton suddenly turns and bolts out the door. "We got trouble!" he calls out behind him as he moves.
______

Ashton will double-move, which should put him inside the other room (though he won't charge into the swarm, of course).

Sorry, Alessio, I wasn't clear: I'll move the token on the map when I adjudicate. (Sorry, I know I gave you permission; wasn't paying attention.)

Alessio, Ashton and Fenric rush toward the other room, just in time to see Katarina apparently fling a book of her own into the mass of books flapping around at her, slamming into them and sending a few pages fluttering to the floor. Kat, what would you like to know with that Knowledge check?

Gaeldrung draws his weapon and backpedals, while Hakak does the same, lashing out as the swarm approaches, only to see the books seem to part for his blade and swarm around him and Katarina. The hard covers buffet them, even as the pages seem to turn into daggers, slicing painfully at their skin both take 4 hp, plus 1 bleed; both also must make a DC 11 Fort save or be nauseated 1 round

Party is up.

Alessio moves in the room having witnessed a fluttering of pages attack Hakak and Katarina. He draws bomb components from his back and carefully tosses a bomb away from the group, hopefully just catching the edge of the swarm.

bomb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10 Ranged touch AC 10 targeting marked square. 4 splash damage. DC13 reflex for half.

Weaknesses please! And if she did well enough on the check, resistances or special defenses would be nice too.
______

Will (DC 11): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Kat shrieks with pain as the books slam into her head and shoulders, their pages leaving hundreds of tiny cuts all over her bare skin. Well aware that she can't take this continued battering she flees out of the mass of books once again, to the opposite side of the room.

She turns and once more sends an inanimate book whizzing through the air and into the swarm.

Telekinetic Projectile (Ranged): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4
______

Kat will run to the southeast corner of the room and cast her spell!

With the swarm being conveniently right next to him, Ashton whips around and swings his weapon...

Slam: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Slam: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

...but doesn't seem to do much good.

"What the hell!? Kat, what did you do!?"
______

Ashton is going to take a full-attack action since the swarm is right there next to him.

"The books? We don't want to destroy them," Fenric cautions as he sheathes his sword and removes an elaborate looking mace from his belt.

Swarm movement provokes. Did it move more than 5 ft? I can't quite remember where it was to start.

Katarina, you suspect it's vulnerable to fire, being made of books and all. It likely also has the typical construct traits, being a non-living thing.

Fenric, I took an AoO for Hakak, but you're right that Ashton should have gotten one as well (and Kat if she had a weapon in hand, but I don't think she did).

AoO vs. Swarm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
______

Nah, Kat wouldn't have a weapon drawn but I went ahead and rolled Ashton's AoO if that's okay!

Yup. That's great.

Books! Why books? Why not goblins or Brimorak demons! shouts Hakak as he feels the sharp pages slice at his arms

DC 11 Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

For a few seconds, Hakak starts to wobble as sickness takes over him but he manages to regain his composure and draws his Falchion, not really expecting it to be much use.

Gaeldrung, any ideas?

Gaeldrung curses as the books cut him. He falls back into the hall to get away from death by a thousand paper cuts.

Kill it with fire! He grumbles back at Hakak.

fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

"No! Not fire!" Fenric shouts. "These are ancient and irreplaceable!"

Offer a solution then! Gaeldrung barks back.

"Smack them down! At least if they tear, they can be put back together. If they burn, they're lost."

chop!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
damage: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Gadrung steps forward and starts a choppin'!

Alessio's bomb catches some of the books, a few pages catching immediately even though the books seems to instinctively move out of the way.

Hakak's shout seems to prod Gaeldrung into action, and he hacks at the books -- but they turn out to be harder to hit than he expected, his blade finding only air where he planned for leather and parchment. Ashton has more luck as he tries to pummel them into submission, thumping one of the tomes down to settle silently on the floor.

Katarina tries to send another book into their midst, but the other books merely swirl around it, and it falls harmlessly to the floor as they advance on Ashton and Gaeldrung, battering and cutting them 3 hp to both, plus 1 bleed; DC 11 Fort save to avoid being nauseated 1 round.

Fenric grips the empty aspergillum and tries to knock one of the books out of the air.

Battle Aspergillum: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24
B: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

slash!: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
damage: 1d12 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Swift action to activate Judgement with Judgement surge to get fast healing 2 until the end of combat.
Now at 13/15.
fort: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Gaeldrung shifts his feet, feels for a pattern, and strikes again!

perc: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

Alessio hesitates after the warning of burning the books and holds back another bomb. He attempts a strike with his longspear from where he stands.

spear: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 141d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Ashton can't make that Perception even on a 20, sadly.

Fort (DC 11): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

"Ow, dammit!" Ashton swears as the books turn their fury on him and Gaeldrung. He quickly takes a step back out of the mass and once more attempts to knock some of the offending literature out of the air!

Slam vs. Book Swarm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Slam vs. Book Swarm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
______

Ashton takes a diagonal 5 foot step to stand between Gaeldrung and Alessio.

Kat continues flinging books at books, even as her cuts continue to bleed. "Ooh...feeling dizzy..." she gasps, fighting against a feeling of weakness beginning to creep over her.

Telekinetic Projectile (Ranged; Into Melee): 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 4 = 15
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Hakak swings at one of the dastardly times with his Falchion

Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
damage: 2d4 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4

Alessio stabs at the books, impaling one on his spear as his companions lay waste to other tomes around him. In a sudden rush, it seems that the remaining few titles are no longer massed enough to do any harm, and you have a moment to catch your breath and survey the wreckage of pages and leather binding and dripping blood all over the floor.

Combat over, though Hakak and Katarina are still bleeding. Ashton too, I think (not seeing anything to indicate phantoms don't bleed, though maybe I'm missing it).

60 minutes elapsed; both rooms still have 15 minutes' worth of searching too, assuming you want to finish.

Fenric draws an carved elk antler from his belt and hands it to Katarina. "Quickly, Kat, use this to heal yourself and then the others."

Wand of CLW CL1, 3 charges.

He then kneels down around the books and tries to piece what he can together or, at least, gather what he can to stuff back in the bookshelves. "We've got to clean this up."

"Th-thanks Fenric," Kat huffs as she takes the antler and quickly gives both Ashton and herself a tap with it.

CLW Wand (Self): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
CLW Wand (Gaeldrung): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
CLW Wand (Ashton): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

That puts Ashton & Gaeldrung at full health again and Kat at 7/9 which is good enough for now.

"Oh...he's right, we've got to try and clean this up as best as we can," she adds, now realizing just how much blood covers the floor - as well as shredded book pages.

Once the mess is cleaned as best they are capable, Fenric returns to the other room to finish searching.

"There is a secret door Ashton found that we should deal with once we finish with these rooms," he informs the others before splitting away.

Alessio follows Fenric as he's become accustomed to doing.

After doing your best to clean up the debris -- without any magic to help, you're limited to trying to mask the damage to the books as best you can -- you return to your searches, which take another 15 minutes. 80 minutes elapsed

Katarina finds two more texts of interest -- the first references another promising text. If only you could find where that other text is… You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts. The other gives a detailed analysis of hundreds of proclaimed “ironclad” prophecies that have failed since the disappearance of Aroden. The author speculates that any prophecy made by Arodenites should be viewed with considerable skepticism.

While searching the texts, Alessio, meanwhile finds a tome that contains an example of an encoded message that uses a common substitution cipher (in which each letter represents a different letter). It claims that “DQFIZ KPIED WZYWS QIVKO ZKXFW ZIMVT DQFXW CFPAF PDFZ VFTJF” translates to “The orcs of Tar-Baphon circle around the lake’s western edge."

In addition to the previously noted, but I'm repeating it brass plaque on the frame of the portrait that reads, “A cunning lie is never told twice," a desk stands in the room and -- you know -- has a lever to open a previously discovered secret door here.

2d13 ⇒ (13, 1) = 14
1d3 ⇒ 3

"We don't have a lot of time left," Kat frets once they finish cleaning up as best as they can and finish their searches of the two rooms. "But we can't simply leave this hidden door without at least trying to see what lies inside, right?"

"Hey, sure...maybe we'll find the granddaddy of all maps down there," Ashton responds, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Too bad it'll probably try to strangle one of you or something."

"But sure, let's check it out," he continues with a sigh. "I'll even open it this time, if you want me to."

May we use the 'automatically find another clue in a room where one clue was found, not used if nothing to be found,' in Fenric and Alessio's room?

seconded

Thirded

Sure

You discover a tome with extensive notes scribbled in its margins. These hand-written insights could be key to your next big discovery. You may use this clue to gain a +3 bonus on a single skill check made to find texts.

1d12 ⇒ 2

sweet

Alessio follows someone bigger through the secret door.

Hakak will lead the way. What he lacks in book searching he makes up for in orcish intimidation. Stay close to me Alessio

As Hakak opens the door, a needle comes flying out, hitting him in the neck, just barely missing an artery. 3 hp You feel it burn a little and the wound appears to be discolored, but your touch orcish heritage must be stronger than whatever poison was on the needle.

After walking down a short hallway, you find cabinets with two tall drawers each line the east and west walls of the subsequent room. A relief carving of a lion’s head dominates the south wall, hanging imperiously over a low stone step.

Six freestanding statuettes of lions in various poses stand atop the furniture. One crouches as if preparing to ambush its prey. The second is roaring as it leaps at prey. The third wears a yoke that is chained to a large block that the lion strains to pull. The fourth wears a tiny pair of spectacles and reads from an ornate scroll. The fifth is draped in the flag of Taldor. The sixth sits erect and wears a crown.

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
1d3 ⇒ 3
Fort save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Curious. I hope they don't animate or anything. Alessio takes a cautious look around.

perc: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

You realize that while the large lion carving is stylistically similar to the earlier Guardian, this one conceals a secret door. You also notice the stone step below the door has four shallow, cylindrical recesses that are the same size as the base on each of the six statuettes scattered about the room.

Alessio looks around at the other statues. Seems we have to place 4 of the six here. Not sure which ones though.

"Hmm...let's have a quick look at them," Kat proposes. "If there aren't any other clues or hints to be found then I'm guessing the answer lies somewhere among some of the other things we've found on our way down here."

Perception (Examine Statuettes): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

"If you say so," Ashton responds, looking a bit dubious as he turns his attention to the various statuettes.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

A closer look at the statuettes doesn't reveal anything you hadn't seen earlier.