Motteditor's Reign of Winter PBP (Inactive)

Game Master motteditor

Slow playing, waiting for a Mal insight here.

"How many of there are you? And did you see the plants outside? Quite a collection."

"Does your master drink liquor?" Quinn gets right to the point of the true way to judge a soul.

I'm guessing Mal's being affected by his new work policy, unfortunately, and the Paizo board difficulties...

"I am a servant, yes? Do you not have a master, someone you serve? It is not slavery?" the figure responds to Tsin.

"I am only one, yes? Do you know of beings that are more than one? And yes, we saw the plants? They swallowed one of my master's other servants and we ducked in here?"

"I do not know all that my master drinks, but he can imbibe whatever he wishes, yes?"

"I am a servant, yes? Do you not have a master, someone you serve? It is not slavery?"

Tsin subconsciously bristles at the thought of slavery, but can not find the justification to avoid joining the robed figure in admitting that she is not her own woman.

"We seek, we do not serve. When we find, we will discuss reparations, you may rest assured. Why are you here, of all places? Where did you come from, and have you found a way that leads from this garden? We have only begun to search, and we are already nonplussed."

Tsin walks around the robed figure, expecting company, and wondering what strange manner of being she engages. Certainly not a witch. What witch has ever admitted to servitude? They usually rave about enslaving from the get-go.

"I'm beginning to hate plants." Pems pipes up, still staring at the strange servant. "Listen, where is this master of yours? I can't imagine you'd leave him very long or far, would you?"

Malavarius shakes his head, as if struggling to return to the present despite a universe conspiring against him. His face brightens at the sight of all the books and the robbed figure that seems to only ask questions.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"Good heavens! A conversationalist! Zeno, we're saved!" He looks at the robed figure intently, then trundles forward to find a stool of some sort. "I don't suppose you have any tea, have you? Questions are always better with tea, don't you know." The old wizard seems positively elated to have a chance to sit down and have a proper, wildly meandering conversation.

"I do not know why we came here? We have come from very far, though, another plane? We haven't yet tried to leave the garden, because it is very interesting?"

"My master is close? You want to come see him now?"

The figure turns toward the door.

Malavarius, having just found a seat, frowns as the robed figure just as soon turns for a door. "Confound it all, I just sat down!" His curiosity further piqued at mention of planar travel though, the old mage regards the figure more closely as he strokes his beard.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (18) + 20 = 38

Smoldtir takes the jar of 'shine from Quinn and takes a long swig, catching the remnants of the 'shine on fire and handing it back to Quinn.

Smoldtir wants to drink more. Relax. Maybe burn a few logs.

"Yes, yes we do." Quinn strides in the door intrigued by the temptation of other-planar ale. "And what supplies have you brought on your journey, anything to trade perhaps?"

Tsin grows mistrustful, with talk of masters and the like. She allows her sight to shift, slipping over the robed figure, looking for the oily shimmer that would mark it as an evil thing. Cast Detect Evil

She considers her options, should she detect anything evil about it. The sword, likely. A good strong strike at the creature should get things going.

Tsin, detecting evil, pulls her blade, and the figure reacts with surprise.

"You wish to kill me? But why?"

But it's actually Quinn up for Round 1/2; then it'll go.

Smoldtir seems ready to spit out his drink.

"What is it, Tsin?" Smoldtir smolders. "Can't we talk first before you kill it?"

Would love to know what this is.

"Tsin! So help me, girl! So help me!" Malavarius shakes a grumpy old man fist as the sword-happy butcher-lady for once again catapulting everyone into sudden violence.

Unfortunately, Mal didn't see through its disguise, so while his roll was high enough to ID it, it'll have to wait until he gets a good look at it.

See! I told you, Hektir!

See! I told you, Hektir!

Smoldtir spits, unrepentant.

"You wish to kill me? But why?"

Quinn trusts the butcher's intuition and responds to the servant accordingly. "Perhaps it is because you are...EVIL!" Quinn's slapping hand punctuates his claim.

Slap of Chaos: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 vs touch AC

"Can't we talk first before you kill it?"

"You make my point, Hektir. It's evil, and it speaks as if it's trying to pass itself off as human. An invitation from a slave to meet its master is only inviting more trouble. It starts off as talk, but it never stays that way..."

"I'm evil? You're the ones trying to kill me!" it cries, as it flees out the door, opening the door on the far side of the room after Quinn touches it.

Quinn gets an AoO if he has anything available without his weapon in hand.

Pems slowly nods. "Man has a point, really. We do seem to be more right than wrong on the killing, though. That should probably bother me more than it does."

Round 1, Init 16

Tsin bolts out of the door, hoping to stop the figure from summoning its master.

Catching up to him, she throws another strike at his side. She slips, and slams into the wall instead.

+1 Flaming Falchion, Power Attack: 1d20 + 17 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 17 - 2 = 16 for 2d4 + 13 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (1, 1) + 13 + 6 + (5) = 26 damage, including fire

Still furious at his young and hasty hangers on for chasing off the robed stranger before he could even ask the planar traveler but a single question, Malavarius watches Tsin put up chase with a frown. The wrinkled old wizard considers teleporting himself and Zeno back to Taldor in that moment and being done with the lot of it, but the tickle of Black Midnight's boon in the back of his mind coupled with not knowing where they presently are keeps him from doing so.

Shaking his head and grumbling into his beard, he waves a grumpy, dismissive hand at the over eager butcher and stays put instead.

With both the servant and Tsin out of the doorway, Quinn strolls on in and looks around the place.

Perception: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24

Round 1, Init 8

Smoldtir takes another fiery drink, not really ready to get into another fight just yet.

"Sure you want to do that, Tsin? It's clearly not a witch. I dunno what it is, but it ain't a witch. Like you, it ain't pretty enough to be a witch."

Well, this fight could be interesting.

Tsin races into the hall, where her blade slams into the wall instead of her intended foe.

The rest of you remain in the first room, looking around. There appears to be a large amount of old furniture, mounds of moldering herbs, bales of cloth, barrels of fertilizer, clay pots, and trays of dried seeds, but nothing of immediate obvious interest. I know Quinn rolled a Perception check but since we're in combat mode, I'm just giving him a six-second search, not taking the time to look through everything.

Round 2, Init 16

"Sure you want to do that, Tsin? It's clearly not a witch. I dunno what it is, but it ain't a witch. Like you, it ain't pretty enough to be a witch."

Tsin calls back to the others. "Oh, we're only slaying witches now? The moonflowers were clearly a threat, and you didn't feel the need to compare my complexion to that of a flower. Somehow you all are unwilling to address the impending threat of the 'master'? Never heard of preemptive striking, eh? The creature's already tried to cast a spell at me, by the way..."

Pems shakes his head and sighs deeply. "Tsin, this might help!" Pems casts his Ward on Tsin! Adding +3 deflection bonus to AC and +3 resistance bonus to saves until you get hit or fail a save!

"I cast spells at you all the time!" Malavarius argues with the distant Tsin as he throws up his hands in frustration. He then sits back down in a huff and grumbles loudly to Zeno about being stuck with a troupe of bloodthirsty savages.

Quinn continues down the hallway after Tsin. "Hey, don't slice up anyone, they might have some exotic liquor to share with us."

Round 2, Init 8

Smoldtir burns a trail, following Tsin. Moving 4 squares south. He takes another gulp of his 'shine, the glass jar almost empty.

"Tsin, maybe we should learn a bit more about it? It doesn't seem hostile nor does it want anything from us," Smoldtir sizzles. "Unlike the rest of the witchies, they offer deception or need. This one doesn't seem to be offering either."

"I cast spells at you all the time!"

"Not interested in this mysterious robed individual's propensity for magic, Mal? Fine. I'm sure his master is unlikely his equal. No problem here, Mal. None at all."

"Hey, don't slice up anyone, they might have some exotic liquor to share with us."

"Keep up, Hektir. The creature's already petitioned us to survey the garden, the dangerous garden, and pay us for our trouble. Slaves are usually the complicit evil, and this one is leading us back to its master."

As Tsin continues to follow the servant, Pems, Quinn and Hektir decide to follow her, while Mal remains in the first room.

She peeks into the door to find another room cluttered with stuff, this one also occupied by a pale, froglike creature with clawed hands, no eyes, a wide mouth, and a snout ending in pink tentacles that is hovering near the 20-foot-high ceiling.

The humanoid creature takes up a guard stance beneath it as it watches the swordswoman.

[spoiler=Tsin]
You feel a voice in your mind, urging you to protect the creature from the vicious attackers. DC 22 Will save, or you're dominated and ordered to attack your companions. If you think shutting up Hektir and Quinn is "against your nature" you can get a +2 bonus to your save. :)

Round 3, Init 16

Tsin shrieks, both from the enormity and alien quality of the floating creature. She moves into the room, taking a position opposite the floating thing, to strike at the slave. "Mind control?! All about domination, aren't you two?! Hektir!! Quinn!! There is a grotesque, bloated, tentacled thing in here that requires our attention!! Ready yourselves!! It tries to command!! It wanted me to cut you down!!"

+1 Flaming Falchion, Power Attack: 1d20 + 17 - 2 ⇒ (16) + 17 - 2 = 31 for 2d4 + 13 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 13 + 6 + (2) = 26 damage, including fire

I'm not gonna buff you if you don't keep track of it. YOU HAVE A +3 RESISTANCE BONUS ON SAVES DUE TO PEM'S WARD, TSIN. IT MIGHT COME IN HANDY.

Ah, yes, Pems. The crit blurred my calculations. Won't happen again.

Just remember I tried to help when the bad guys take you over. Kill Hektir first..

Round 3, Init 8

Smoldtir seems surprised at Tsin's words. He looks at the foes.

"You trying to control...her?!!" Smoldtir points at Tsin, irritated. "If you figure out a way to control her mouth, that'd be appreciated. I ain't figured it out yet."

Smoldtir carefully sets down what's left of his jar of 'shine. (Move action.)

"Lemme see..."

Smoldtir casts Flame Strike on the pair of foes: 10d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 3, 3, 4, 5, 4, 4, 2, 2) = 34 fire/divine & DC 17 reflex for half

blah, blah, blah, It wanted me to cut you down!!

At that statement Quinn snaps to attention and joins Tsin in the room, "That's our butcher, unhand her mind!" Thrusting his shield forward, the newly carved mug of ale decoration gracing the front animates and sends a lancing stream of amber liquid washing over the strange creature.

Splash of Purity: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16 vs touch AC
Damage: 10d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 6, 2, 5, 3, 1, 3, 2, 6) = 40 and Blinded for one round, DC15 Will save for half damage and to negate the blindness

An evil creature struck by the spear takes 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8). An evil outsider instead takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) and is blinded for 1 round. A successful Will save reduces the damage to half and negates the blinded effect. This spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither evil nor good, and they are not blinded. The spear has no effect on good creatures.

Pems, are you doing anything or staying in the other room? (Also waiting on Mal.)

Pems will move up behind the others, still hanging slightly back. Once he sees the ugly floating creature, he will use his Evil Eye Will Save DC 18 for a -4 to Saves!

Malavarius opines to Zeno about the ridiculousness of Tsin's imagination, knowing full well Hektir's mother couldn't possibly be in the other room with a mind powerful enough to dominate others'. Shaking his head, he begins to slowly trundle toward the direction of the butcher's panicked shouts.

If that's not a double move, Mal will ready a dispel magic if either figure tries to cast a spell.

Dispel: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Tsin's blade cuts into the servant, who cries out in pain, but returns her attack, clawing and biting painfully at her. 8, 3 and 5 hp for 16 total; also suffer 4 points of Dex DRAIN, DC 19 Fort save to reduce to 1 point of Dex drain.

Mal and Pems move to the doorway, preparing their own magics, as Hektir blasts the creatures with fire, though both avoid the worst of the flame. Quinn's spell hits the floating creature and the light seems to splash harmlessly off it, flicking for a moment before disappearing, like beer poured onto parched ground.

The floating creature gestures and -- despite Mal's furious attempts to counterspell it -- a small ball of fire flies out the door and explodes in a burst of flame. 41 points of fire damage to Mal, Pems and Hektir; DC 22 Reflex save for 1/2; also can make a DC 22 Will save to reduce the damage to 8 pts., 4 with the Reflex save.

Reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 Pems rolls to avoid the flames, but comes up singed, his face contorted into a hateful sneer. His eyes seem to have frosted over, and he stares at the white beast. Will: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

HP 57/61

Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (12) + 15 = 27

"Beast, you have trifled with the wrong conjurer. I name you beast. I know the pits your servant crawled from. Long have We stared into Leng and never have We blinked for we are of older stuff than that slime that crawls the Plateau to serves its betters. I will see you laid low, beast and your servant gutted like a sacrifice in front of Me, and in its entrails I will read the destination of your soul. Behold." Pems murmurs a string of liquid syllables and casts Summon Swarm, summoning a swarm of bats to devour the pale beast!

Round 4, Init 8

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 Will save - No damage as Resist Fire 20 in Smoldtir form.

Smoldtir blinks at the blast from the thing. Seeing others get burnt, he is happy he put his 'shine down last round.

He moves in to support Tsin with the monsters, sizzling forward and provoking from the medium sized foe. Move to the right of it.

He will punch it once.

1d20 + 14 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 14 - 2 = 25 to hit;
1d2 + 7 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 4 = 12 magic damage.

Round 4, Init 16

Fortitude Save v DC 19, Warded: 1d20 + 15 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 15 + 3 = 19

Tsin staggers, as she loses... something... to the evil creature. Even Pems's good graces aren't enough to stave off the damage. She turns her full wrath on the thing. "You are unwelcome here. You are blight, you will be burned from my sight." Judgment-Sacred Justice- +2 to attack rolls

+1 Flaming Falchion, Power Attack, Bane: 1d20 + 17 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 17 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 38 for 2d4 + 13 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) + 13 + 6 + (5) + (1, 5) = 36 damage

+1 Flaming Falchion, Power Attack, Bane: 1d20 + 12 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 12 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 18 for 2d4 + 13 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 4) + 13 + 6 + (1) + (6, 6) = 40 damage

Confirm Critical?: 1d20 + 17 - 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 17 - 2 + 2 + 2 = 22 for 2d4 + 13 + 6 + 1d6 + 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) + 13 + 6 + (5) + (3, 2) = 34 damage

Pems, you're going to scare Hektir.

Unfortunately, Tsin, I think your ward ended when the creature hit you, so you don't get the plus 3. (Though you rolled a 1, so it didn't really matter anyway).

Insult to injury, eh?

Reflex (DC 22): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Will (DC 22): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Malavarius balks at the fiery spell as the shadowy tongues of flames are absorbed and drawn like flailing ribbons into the head of his staff. Unscathed, he brushes off his sleeve then frowns deeply at the moonbeast. "What devilry is this? You'll need more than woven shadow if you mean to best us, you wretched thing!" With that, the old mage produces his wand and sends a trio of blazing, coruscating beams scorching through the air at the creature.

CL Check vs SR: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (20) + 14 = 34
Scorching Ray 1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14for: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 2, 6) = 13
Scorching Ray 2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21for: 4d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 3, 1) = 14
Scorching Ray 3: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7for: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 4, 6) = 22

Quinn mutters a prayer then places his palm against Tsin's backside and lightly pushes her towards the creature. "Cayden will protect you!"

cast Protection from Evil on Tsin