Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

"Matheus, strike and fall back!"
Durgan uses the Deflection Aura ability of the Defense subdomain. This is a 20' radius aura that gives allies a +2 deflection bonus to AC.

Durgan's AC is now 29 (10 base, +10 armor, +4 Shield, +2 natural, +2 deflection, +1 Dex) which is as good as it gets for him.

If Matheus makes an attack and then moves back, the Cover will prevent the Efreet from getting an AOO.

Fort save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Serena carries the dwarf with her as she moves to cover, unwilling to abandon an ally. She keeps her shield between them and the porcupine man as she moves.

Alia is growing increasingly frustrated with the labyrinth.
The Shepherd had gone silent, but now she heared other voices - was it all just in her mind? And if not, what good did it do if she was trapped in a maze.

Choosing one of the pillars, or more solid parts of plants, she takes a running start and attempt to jump and run up the obstacle to get a momentary glance at the layout of the nearby area - then, while processing, begins to run again, following the left wall as previously, unwilling to lose more time.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 13 + 12 = 38

Previously, I was holding back fearing more traps, but the last few rounds I was trying to move at 60 feet speed and only managed to make good half of that in ground. So trying a different approach, maybe walljump between those pillars, try to get some footing in the branches, or if they are too dense, straight up use them like a rubbery wall to get SOME vision on the nearby area. Technically Alia would keep moving until her allowed movement was exhausted, but due to pbp limitations that means round resolved. Last round was actually good, but I placed her in the "dark" on purpose(by chance, as you said, you didn't even have to move her) because before I was just moving close to the edge and got "stuck" there.
I mean, heck, that would be a high jump DC of 9 feet - and alia is more than 2 feet high, so if the imp was on top at +10, she should see something...

A Hedge Maze (Alia Edition!)

Hop and Move Map updated. I assume you peek-a-booed in the vicinity of the voices Alia's been hearing. Note she will not be able to see the ground in all areas because of the height of the shrubs and the angle but she can make out the tops of the hedge walls.

The Stable

Vorst rushes to the stricken Alisa.

Matheus jumps in once more with his curious tripartite blade but can do little against their elemental opponent, before diving out of the way for Durgan.
Matheus swordbreaker dagger v Efreeta (improved disarm, cover): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

The fire explodes outwards in all directions occupying all of the visible interior of the building.

"MY SPEAR!" wales the fighter.

Conditions inside
Note on cover: that the efreeti has cover because of the top of the door frame from people standing outside the door. They get cover from her as well. She's technically up a little higher than 5', but everything related to fighting spaces in Pathfinder boils down to 5' squares and cubes.
Prayer for the party.

Round 15! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Illthir -6 hp
__ Efreeti
__ Durgan -6 hp
__ Mother Vorst sickened
__ Matheus -10 hp
__ The fire

Map Updated

Very Definitely in the Pit Now (Serena)

Serena slowly staggers backwards with the dwarf. Her faith and will coping with the poison.

Kozen mutters the words of magic from cover.

The evil little imp fires another salvo of quills. One of which strikes Serena. It suddenly goes dark and she can feel the ground reaching up to catch her. Distantly she can hear the little troll squeak in triumph.

black quills v Serena: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27 damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Round 4! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Kozen -10 hp
__ Serena -46 hp, 3 Con damage (-1 penalty to Con-related checks, need another Fort save vs poison DC 18).
__ Longtooth
__ Small porcupine man -21 hp

Map Updated

"It has the advantage in there! Let's not go in. What sort of trickery can it do, Illthir?"

Assuming Illthir (or Mother Vorst) clues Durgan in about the Efreet's SLAs, he will cast Invisibility Purge.

Sorry, I missed your post about the perception check

perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Ah, excellent, I thought I heard Zokon and Zool from a different direction before, and figured I'll need to decide where to head. This is more welcome.

Alia, having managed to see the rough outline of the maze, figures that there was one path that would lead her towards all the voices she heared. Seeing the floor return to stone, she is slightly cuatious again, but time was of the essence. She tries to jump over what might seem most obvious spots for pressure plates, but hurries along all the same.
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 13 + 12 = 31

And yeah, of course, only the tops. Basically just trying to get a momentary look to avoid deadends or get towards somewhere. Exactly what I hoped for, ty.

Sorry, I missed your post about the perception check

Fergus notices the sounds of the stables burning to the ground to the north of the manor house and notice the "lich" grinning down at him from the third-story banister.

Fort save: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24

[dice=Fort save]1d20+12

To speed things up, Serena, if you could give me 2 more Fort saves v the poison, and 3 Con checks to stabilize (all modified by -1 because of her current level of poisonedness) and maybe inter-space them like: Con stabilization check, Fort save v poison, Con stabilization check, Fort save v poison, Con stabilization check, as they may influence one another.

Ah, excellent, I thought I heard Zokon and Zool from a different direction before, and figured I'll need to decide where to head. This is more welcome.

Alia, having managed to see the rough outline of the maze, figures that there was one path that would lead her towards all the voices she heared. Seeing the floor return to stone, she is slightly cuatious again, but time was of the essence. She tries to jump over what might seem most obvious spots for pressure plates, but hurries along all the same.
[dice=Perception]1d20+12
[dice=Acrobatics]1d20+13+12

And yeah, of course, only the tops. Basically just trying to get a momentary look to avoid deadends or get towards somewhere. Exactly what I hoped for, ty.

Alia, notes the sound of something following her. There are footfalls like soft hooves on cobbles, and in the grass, and the sound of something breathing.

"It has the advantage in there! Let's not go in. What sort of trickery can it do, Illthir?"

Assuming Illthir (or Mother Vorst) clues Durgan in about the Efreet's SLAs, he will cast Invisibility Purge.

Mother Vorst knows efreeti to be quite magical, but not to the point that she knows about (or thinks about) their powers of invisibility. Illithir came up less knowledgeable on her earlier knowledge check. So there's no real help from either of them on the topic just now.

Durgan Far-Walker wrote:

"It has the advantage in there! Let's not go in. What sort of trickery can it do, Illthir?"

Assuming Illthir (or Mother Vorst) clues Durgan in about the Efreet's SLAs, he will cast Invisibility Purge.

** spoiler omitted **

Mother Vorst knows efreeti to be quite magical, but not to the point that she knows about (or thinks about) their powers of invisibility. Illithir came up less knowledgeable on her earlier knowledge check. So there's no real help from either of them on the topic just now.

EDIT Actually, Vorst has seen the efreeti vanish, so sure Durgan could know.

Fergus Bouldershoulder Ironmug wrote:

Sorry, I missed your post about the perception check

Fergus notices the sounds of the stables burning to the ground to the north of the manor house and notice the "lich" grinning down at him from the third-story banister.

Fergus can if he like appear on the burning barn map anywhere that is 30' away from the efreeti. Otherwise let me know where you would like to go.

"Fire, flames, flaming horses of two kinds, cutting..."

Pardon, I glanced over the question and went to sleep, content that I wasn't up :p

No, it was my bad for not moving your thread along.

The Stable

Durgan casts invisibility purge. Now it's Illthir's turn. ;)

Conditions inside
Note on cover: that the efreeti has cover because of the top of the door frame from people standing outside the door. They get cover from her as well. She's technically up a little higher than 5', but everything related to fighting spaces in Pathfinder boils down to 5' squares and cubes.
Prayer for the party.

Round 16! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Illthir -6 hp
__ Efreeti
__ Durgan -6 hp
__ Mother Vorst sickened
__ Matheus -10 hp
__ The fire

Map Updated

** spoiler omitted **

Fergus appears not from the stables shouting.

Whats going on now!?

No, it was my bad for not moving your thread along.

The Stable

Conditions inside
Note on cover: that the efreeti has cover because of the top of the door frame from people standing outside the door. They get cover from her as well. She's technically up a little higher than 5', but everything related to fighting spaces in Pathfinder boils down to 5' squares and cubes.
Prayer for the party.

Round 16! (Theme ♬)
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Illthir -6 hp
__ Fergus
__ Efreeti
__ Durgan -6 hp
__ Mother Vorst sickened
__ Matheus -10 hp
__ The fire

Map Updated

Fergus appears not from the stables shouting.

Whats going on now!?

"We've got a murderous Efreeti in there. Very dangerous, and it has an advantage inside a burning barn."

"She's a god forsaken arsonist with a sword!" Illthir adds not so helpfully. More informative: "Doesn't seem to want to come out though ..."

To Hit(Sling!): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19

Damage?: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

The Stable

Illithirs shot is wide of the mark.

Skipping Fergie for now.

The malicious, upside-down genie smiles, and with a flourish turns into a puff of smoke that recedes back into the inferno.

END COMBAT

RESULTS!
_________________
__ Illthir -6 hp
__ Fergus
__ Durgan -6 hp
__ Mother Vorst sickened
__ Matheus -10 hp
__ Alisa deceased

Map Updated

Alia, notes the sound of something following her. There are footfalls like soft hooves on cobbles, and in the grass, and the sound of something breathing.

Something following, fine - but I'm still moving to the spot in the map where I put Alia, near where I heared Zokon and Dool. I've been hearing things follow or around and was unable to see or pinpoint anything. So not going to stop for that. Either it's just something like the imp, or if it is something more dangerous, I was still unable to see it when I stopped to take a look or addressed it.

If you can buy me a minute, I may have a way of solving that burning problem. Are anyone inside the stables?

I can prep aqueous orb in a minute with fast study if we have the time needed.

A Hedge Maze (Alia and Zokon Edition!)

Alia enters a cobblestone courtyard with a shrub cut to resemble a tiger, and the wizard Alak Dool standing on the opposite side of deep stone pit.

So we haven't heard from Tharasiph in literal months now, leading me to assume that Zokon won't showing up anytime soon. Dool can eliminate all the spider swarms in the pit with a little help from Zokon (though it might require him being bitten a little longer), but I'm thinking I need to put the character of Zokon off to the side for at least a bit. This might be because he is poisoned into a coma, or wounded in some way that prevents him from accompanying the party, or something else. I'll post this again in discussion, so that we can decide on how to proceed.

"Oh. It's your elf. No doubt she has a rope." says Dool with some disappointment upon seeing Alia.

"Well... there's probably the efreeti and her horse. But we got everyone alive out..." Maybe some of the dead as well. Illthir glanced at the lifeless body of Allisa through the corner of her eye. She wasn't a healer, but that didn't look too great.

"I hope whomever sent her just asked 'burn the stables' and not something more general. And I *hope* whomever sent her sold their soul and is about to be dragged to heck because I don't think we're ready for round 2 anytime soon." the skald sighs and looks around at the pandemonium.

At least there were three of them now. That though was a lot less then there had been at the start of this darn day. "Have either of you seen anyone else from our company? Don't think we'll want to deal with anything like this split up. Or any other guests for that matter."

"At least there were three of them now. That though was a lot less then there had been at the start of this darn day. [b]"Have either of you seen anyone else from our company? Don't think we'll want to deal with anything like this split up. Or any other guests for that matter."

"What? No. Have you seen Sandralane? We were in the gazebo when one of the servants walked in and snapped what I took to be a human rib bone. There was a purple flash. Then I found myself here with that efreeti, Matheus, and poor Alisa here."

"And I was with you all in Ser Iannuchi's home when there was that eldritch flash."

A Hedge Maze (Alia and Zokon Edition!)

RPGGGM wrote:

Alia, notes the sound of something following her. There are footfalls like soft hooves on cobbles, and in the grass, and the sound of something breathing.

Something following, fine - but I'm still moving to the spot in the map where I put Alia, near where I heared Zokon and Dool. I've been hearing things follow or around and was unable to see or pinpoint anything. So not going to stop for that. Either it's just something like the imp, or if it is something more dangerous, I was still unable to see it when I stopped to take a look or addressed it.

If that very last bit is a question then you are correct. Alia has not seen her pursuer.

Alia comes into the courtyard and hears the sound of hooves on the stone steps coming up from the grass she left a few moments before.

She also hears moans, curse, and scrabbling from the courtyard pit.

"So, do you have a rope?" asks the skeptical-looking wizard, and for the life of her Alia could not imagine anyone more skeptical-looking.

Illthir Winlowe wrote:

"At least there were three of them now. That though was a lot less then there had been at the start of this darn day. [b]"Have either of you seen anyone else from our company? Don't think we'll want to deal with anything like this split up. Or any other guests for that matter."

"What? No. Have you seen Sandralane? We were in the gazebo when one of the servants walked in and snapped what I took to be a human rib bone. There was a purple flash. Then I found myself here with that efreeti, Matheus, and poor Alisa here."

"My protections will not last long. If the Efreeti were to come back in a few minutes, it would kill me fairly quickly."

"We should regroup with the others. Illthir, Fergus, and I were in the Grand Hall. There was an illusion of a lich, many real undead, and a teleportation effect that scattered our allies."
Fergus made the Spellcraft check to know that last part, I believe.

"If they still live, I imagine they would be trying to get back to the Grand Hall."

"Drag ourselves to the Hall then?" Illthir takes a deep breath to gather courage. She'd really rather just dig a tiny hole and hide in it. Wait for a better day. That's not what heroes do though... Heroes are brave. She glanced at Allisa again. Very brave, sometimes dead. Still. "Yeah. And keep our eyes open; there's no telling what other horrors that have been unleashed."

A few rounds later, after setting the body of Allisa away from the fire....

Out front of Ser Richard Iannuchi's Manor

Other things to consider: Matheus doesn't have his primary weapon (though he does have a mw rapier, and swordbreaker dagger). Your selective channeling cleric, Mother Vorst doesn't have many channels left. Her domains are Knowledge and Repose.

"Quickly! Up the stairs we must find my Lord Varn!" Shouts Matheus leading the way.

Durgan follows Matheus up the stairs.

Matheus kicks in the front doors and stomps into the front hall, a scene of carnage, with the bodies of his fellow guardsmen and their mummified attackers laying about a room dotted with the scars of magic.

Illthir peers into the hall and mumbles. "Well. This place looks like it does..." No friendlies had made it back though. With a small frown she ponders what proactive ways they had of finding them. "Can we... track the teleportation somehow? Sniff out where they went?"

Apologies. With the death and trying to empty his apartment and storage shed, I got wrapped up. Making the requested saving throws for Serena and I should be back in regular posting now (for as long as she remains alive).

Stabilization check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
Con save: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 - 1 = 29
Stabilization check: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (4) - 2 = 2
Con save: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 12 - 1 = 30
Stabilization check: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (9) - 3 = 6

I think that is right!

Very Definitely in the Pit Now (Serena)

Wherever she is Serena is only aware of the impenetrable dark, and the cold, and the slow passage of time--time she remembers not having, but she can't remember why.... Then she remembers and sits up.

She was on hard-packed earth in a cave--an ossuary that had recently seen a fire. A group of four Kozens, and one Longtooth are looking down at her. Serena is now at 14 hp above 0, and has weathered the poison.

"Wakey wakey." says the older man with a wink and smile. And puts an empty glass vial back into his belt pouch. "What would the Dawnflower say if she were to see you laying down on job, aye?"

Laying nearby is the body Balthur Mistbreather, and the little porcupine man--a tiny spiky island in spreading pool of blood.

END COMBAT!
RESULTS!
_________________
__ Kozen -10 hp
__ Serena -31 hp, 3 Con damage
__ Longtooth -18 hp

Map Updated

Out front of Ser Richard Iannuchi's Manor

Illthir peers into the hall and mumbles. "Well. This place looks like it does..." No friendlies had made it back though. With a small frown she ponders what proactive ways they had of finding them. "Can we... track the teleportation somehow? Sniff out where they went?"

"And who were you hoping to find, dear?" asks Mother Vorst clearly contemplating something. "I may be able to help one of you."

Mother Vorst has access to locate object today.

"We should try to find Lord Varn first." interjects the fighter.

Hoping to find. Well. Maybe not that, if they only got one. They'd have to make some hard choices. "Alak Dool. He sniffed out a teleportation spell earlier." Her face turned even sourer. "Or Imeckus Stroon; he preformed the practical feat..."

She turns to the party wizard for advice, maybe he knew. Better yet; maybe he could say if teleportation-sleuthing was feasible or not. If not, then yeah, maybe not poke either of those clown. Ahem esteemed investors.

Serena sits up with a start, looking over at the body of Balthur. "Is he...?" The thought of losing her companion, even a relative stranger, left her with a bad feeling in her mouth.

Very Definitely in the Pit Now (Serena)

"Afraid so." says the trade consortium wizard without much emotion. "But we can't stay here, so if you are up to it we should leave."

Serena rises and makes the holy sign of Serenrae over Balthur's corpse. For a moment, she considers bringing the body with them, for proper services later, but logic wins out over compassion and she begrudgingly nods her readiness.

Very Definitely in the Pit Now (Serena)

So the plan is to climb out of the catacombs. It's a DC 5 climb check with the rope and a hand at the bottom and the walls of the pit to brace against.

Hoping to find. Well. Maybe not that, if they only got one. They'd have to make some hard choices. "Alak Dool. He sniffed out a teleportation spell earlier." Her face turned even sourer. "Or Imeckus Stroon; he preformed the practical feat..."

She turns to the party wizard for advice, maybe he knew. Better yet; maybe he could say if teleportation-sleuthing was feasible or not. If not, then yeah, maybe not poke either of those clown. Ahem esteemed investors.

"So you want to find Dool?" pronouncing the wizard's name in a tone reminiscent of a what one might use to describe a filthy drain clog.

Illthir Winlowe wrote:

Hoping to find. Well. Maybe not that, if they only got one. They'd have to make some hard choices. "Alak Dool. He sniffed out a teleportation spell earlier." Her face turned even sourer. "Or Imeckus Stroon; he preformed the practical feat..."

She turns to the party wizard for advice, maybe he knew. Better yet; maybe he could say if teleportation-sleuthing was feasible or not. If not, then yeah, maybe not poke either of those clown. Ahem esteemed investors.

"So you want to find Dool?" pronouncing the wizard's name in a tone reminiscent of a what one might use to describe a filthy drain clog.

Durgan turns to Fergus. "What do you think?"

"Want is a strong way to put it ..." Illthir mutters to herself but gives Fergus a chance to weight in.

Alia approaches the pit, Estoc in hand, then sees Zokon on the ground far below.

"I am HIS elf. I don't need rope.", she almost spits the words at the wizard, then focuses on her blade.
Using Bonded Object 1/day ability to cast Spider Climb on myself.

With the magic in effect, she sheats her blade, then starts crawling down the pit in a swift pace, jumping the remaining distance once she is at 20 feet or so above ground.
Grabbing Zokon, she feels the spiders that cover the ground swarm over her as well. Ignoring the distraction even as she feels poison seep into her veins, she starts to make her way back up towards the top, using one hand to secure Zokon over her should and the other so brace against the wall - despite her magic allowing her to climb easily, it felt...safer that way:"Stay with me, Zokon. I can hear you breathe. Thats good. Keep breathing. Stay with me. Everything will be fine, just keep near my voice."

Round 1: Cast spell and start moving | Round 2: Move further/jump | Round 2 or 3: Grab Zokon | Round 3: start moving up again.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 13 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 13 + 12 = 39 Nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 3
Fortitude Distraction: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Poison: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Climb: 1d20 + 7 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 8 = 29
With spider climb I have 20 feet climb speed and a racial +8 for climb, with the base skills +7 I should have no chance of failure there and be able to make it back up safely with only one round of exposure to the spiders at the bottom. But of course, I have no idea what that poison does and of course failed my save on it.

I'm not entirely sure, all this chaos has left me a bit flustered. I know I cannot properly track teleportation effects yet. Dool or stroon perhaps could.. though they likely don't have the required magic prepared today. It would be unlikely in either case.

Fergus offers what little he can for advice.

It is possible. Though unlikely I would say.