Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

Scarlet tries to play nice with Rain, although she keeps treating him as a big dog, rather than a wolf.

Cha Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

Eventually she checks her weapons and stands up. "So then...time to check the prison?"

A vague sense of consensus overcomes the GM and he shoves all the little pieces depicting characters up toward the top of the map in the hope that some good will come of it.

There are two small mounds of dust slowly settling to plains in dungeon's drafty intersection. The secret passage to the north is still ajar.

What would you like to do? Are we going with acid splashes until the lock fails?

What would you like to do? Are we going with acid splashes until the lock fails?

AFAIK yes, unless someone has a different plan (and tells us about it soon).

"I can't think of a better idea than Acid splash other than bashing it with the mace" advises Zokon

"One second."

Str Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

"That's more like it."

Strenght Aid: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
"Oh. My. God. Scarlet, it was open all along, we simply had to pull, rather than push! You're a genius."

Zokon looks at Scarlet and shakes his hear, still gripping his mace.

"You weren't even doing your berzerk thing, you just really hated that door?"

"One second."

Str Check = 23

"That's more like it."

The door swings open clanging hard against the cell's bars.

The door is now open.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Scarlet's excitement is obvious as she advances to the next door.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Scarlet runs up, not even paying attention to her surroundings.

The door creeks open upon a dusty hall.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Scarlet's excitement is obvious as she advances to the next door.

Scarlet runs up, not even paying attention to her surroundings.

"Easy now. Take your time. We're not on the clock, and there are traps around here. Remember the pit?"

Numalar eyes the hallway warily.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Numalar doesn't notice any traps.

Zokon approaches behind Scarlet

"Scarlet! wait, lets check the door first, hmm.. check these points and maybe looks for wires or any odd stonework in the floor and walls."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

"I can't find anything"

"Nah, no traps here. Those we encountered were always near an alternate path, except the one at the very entrance. This small cloaked figure from before run around here, so...did you meet that guy again?", Alia asks, casually stepping forward, but still keeping her eyes open despite her confidence.

Taking 10 for 17 Perception.

"This small cloaked figure from before run around here, so...did you meet that guy again?"

"Turns out there were two of them. They were some kind of demon, with little bat wings. Normal weapons didn't seem to hurt them. But they are ashes now..." Numalar chuckles.

"Well, it looks like it is safe to press ahead. Shall we?"

Scarlet taps her feet impatiently as people delay her from opening the next door.
"Yeah. Let's go already."

Scarlet prepares to open the door...

Scarlet prepares to open the door...

Moved folks up.

Numalar continues to scan the hallway for anything unusual as they proceed.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

I would assume we will keep going provided everyone makes their perception rolls and nobody sees anything that would make us want to stop. I made a roll but have no problem with the GM making perception checks for me.

Unless you have some dramatic description of the new door...

No. Just sensed some hesitation. I'll push us ahead tonight. I find pushing or not to be the hardest thing to guage in pbp.

"Go" urges Zokon

However before the group can focus on these details, several things occur in rapid succession.

Surprise Round!

Firstly, there are three small dirty and somehow hazy 20% miss chance figures with wings in the room. Like the others of their ilk you have found in the dungeon they hover in the air like pollen.

One in a rusty stained smock drags a skeletal clawed hand across Scarlet's nose, while another in what have once may have been moss-colored robes expels an impossibly-sized gust of wind it had been saving in its lungs right into her face.

claw v Scarlet (cover): 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 5 - 4 = 17 damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Scarlet, Zokon, Numalar, Didymus - Reflex save DC 13 for half, slashing damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1 Half damage in this case is 1 nonlethal. If you fail the save you become sickened as well.

At the south side of the chamber, in an alcove a third in drab grey merely stares in hateful concentration at the doorway and somehow summons up a continuous, violently gusting wind (wind wall) there.

Round 1
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Numalar
__ Celyne
__ Diabolical little imps of some sort (Rust, Moss, and Grey)
__ Alia
__ (Luna)
__ Zokon
__ Scarlet
__ Posh
__ (Sir Didymus)

Scarlet's Uncanny Sense tingles, telling her she's been raked across the face.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Luckily it also warns her of the cloud of ash coming her way and she's merely battered by it.

"You things, again?" She stands dumbfounded.

reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

"These things again! We already killed two of your brothers. Ha!"

Numalar presents his symbol and sends a glob of acid towards the creature to the south.

Casting acid splash with the acid flask as a focus. Not sure if it is affected by wind wall as I see no reference to touch spells in the text of wind wall.

Acid Splash Touch -4 cover vs. Grey: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 - 4 = 131d3 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Not sure if the 30% miss chance applies to acid splash but in case it does: (otherwise apply this to the normal 20% miss chance)

1-30 or 1-20=miss: 1d100 ⇒ 88

Also, you spelled out in the text that it was a wind wall, but in case I have to roll to know what that does:

Spellcraft identify spell as it is cast DC 18: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 Nope.

"Beware! Normal weapons weren't very effective against these things. But fire works wonders!"

@ GGGM: Can we see the secret door at the south end of the chamber where the grey guy is?

Also, what happened to Posh? I don't see his icon.

Celyne starts casting a spell...

Reflex: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Celyne starts casting a spell...

How many spells do you have left? We haven't rested since before the fight with the bear.

You guys always have the best questions

Acid Splash v Wind Wall Acid splash creates 'a small orb of acid' that you fire against a target. The orb qualifies as a 'loose material' for wind wall (it has a small temporary mundane physical form--a glob of acid, unlike a ray or magic missile force bolt) so yes, it would be affected by the wind wall. The word 'fire' in acid splash indicates it's flying at a pretty good clip so rather than just have it fly up to the ceiling I think the 30% miss chance sound appropriate.

BTW that would be a separate miss chance from the blur effect. I would like them in the order you encounter them please.

So 20% miss chance (blur): 1d100 ⇒ 3 So actually a miss this time.

IDing a monster's abilities that mimic spells Both blur and wind wall are 'spell-like' effects and while the little buggers have to concentrate on them to pull them off, there's not really a tell (any observable stimuli-hand gestures, sound, foci, etc...) for you to ID them as they are being 'cast'. With that in mind you can however ID them when they are in effect (knowledge (arcana) DC 20+spell level--see Jacobs quote below). This time I told everyone it was wind wall because it is obvious what it is but not, game mechanically speaking, exactly what it does. Blur is much easier to explain.

Knowledge (arcana) is used in Pathfinder to identify spell effects and auras and spells. This skill is the applied knowledge of magic, and covers things like identifying existing spells and knowing what spells are and do.

Spellcraft is more "hands on" in that it is used by spellcasters to actually do magic stuff, be it learn a new spell, build magic items, identify magic items, decipher scrolls, and the like.

There's a little bit of crossover here between the two skills, but for the most part Spellcraft's the skill you'd use to actually "Craft Spell Stuff," while Knowledge (arcana) is the skill you'd use to "Know Stuff about magic."

....

Since Spellcraft is used to create magic items, it made sense to make it the roll you make to identify magic items as well.

Frankly... there was a point where we were actually considering removing either Knowledge (arcana) or Spellcraft from the game entirely since all of that stuff could live under one skill, but we decided that would be too big a hit for compatibility. I think that the solution of "Spellcraft for craft type questions" and "Knowledge (arcana) for theory" works out pretty good.

....

Joana wrote wrote:

Must Knowledge (arcana) be used in conjunction with detect magic, i.e., the 3-round situation I posited above, or can a PC use it "on the fly" if he has reason to believe someone might be ensorcelled without taking the time to cast the spell?

As long as the spell effects are visible, no. That's why identifying a spell that's being cast requires Spellcraft (since that assumes a knowledge of actual spellcasting, not just theory), while Knowledge (arcana) is used to know about spell effects already in place.

Many spell effects are not observable without detect magic, but for any effect that IS visible or observable, you wouldn't need detect magic to make an identification check.

Added this to the Campaign page house rules as reminder more than anything else. I like the theoretical v practical argument.

PS don't even ask me about produce flame v wind wall. :)

Celyne's Summoned eagles (done to the tune of the movie Clue's bullet counting scene) One for the bear, two for the cubes, one for the mysterious dungeon bushwhackers. Correction: the first one was a stirge. I think that's right. I want to say all the healing has been done by wand. Note: she does have a lot of orison's that might come in handy.

Oh and Posh is back baby! I had moved him under the 'fog of war' while rearranging the map and forgot to put him back.

Secret door? Not without a perception check, but on their turn it becomes apparent.

The one near the door slides it open. The other two withdraw through, followed by their friend. All of them fly like macabre pollen, weightless on a breeze. You hear their mocking, nasally laughter as they float out of sight.

Round 1
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Numalar 1 nonlethal
__ Celyne (not sure there are any full-round orisons)
__ Diabolical little imps of some sort (Rust, Moss, and Grey)
__ Alia
__ (Luna)
__ Zokon -1 hp, sick rd 1
__ Scarlet 1 nonlethal
__ Posh
__ (Sir Didymus) 1 nonlethal

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Zokon doesn't see the attack behind Scarlet and is struck by it and he is struck by a coughing fit...

Sickened

He then takes out his bow

"Come back here you little!" Scarlet keeps her swords handy and dashes after them.

I've moved 25 feet so far. Please tell me if I see anything around the corner (or I fell into another trap.)

So basically you ducked and Zokon took the breath weapon full in the face, huh?

Scarlet has not fallen into another trap yet. Map updated.

thought we had rested... in which case, Celyne does nothing, just watches while others deal with the threats.

Actually, Celyne does have 2 spells left. She simply never updated. 4 is the base allotment for Oracles at Level 2, she included her Cha Bonus spells further down in the profile, but not in the tracked resources up top.

"Are they trying to play catch, again? I'll try and cut them off! Posh, Luna, with me!",
Alia turns around and returns where the party came from.

Scarlet continues her double move and gets into melee with the first critter in range.

Well that's not like Scarlet, she is quite short as I understand, more likely Zokon was crouching and moving sneakily and then stuck his head up and over Scarlets to take a look."

No problem with your rulings.

Celyne's Summoned eagles Celyne's Summoned eagles (done to the tune of the movie Clue's bullet counting scene) One for the bear, two for the cubes, one for the mysterious dungeon bushwhackers. Correction: the first one was a stirge. I think that's right. I want to say all the healing has been done by wand. Note: she does have a lot of orison's that might come in handy.

I looked over the thread... it seems like more spells cast because three times she started to summon something but never finished.

But she did use her own magic to heal once, HERE. Unless we can retcon that to a wand charge (for 1 less HP).

Zokon swaps weapons.

Celyne follows Alia--One, plus two, plus one, plus one?--to see what's going on.

Luna and Posh do likewise.

Round 2
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Numalar 1 nonlethal
__ Sir Didymus 1 nonlethal
__ Diabolical little imps of some sort (Rust, Moss, and Grey)
__ Alia
__ Celyne/Luna
__ Zokon -1 hp, sick rd 2
__ Scarlet 1 nonlethal
__ Posh

QUEUE THE FIGHT MUSIC!!

Map updated

Actually, Celyne does have 2 spells left. She simply never updated. 4 is the base allotment for Oracles at Level 2, she included her Cha Bonus spells further down in the profile, but not in the tracked resources up top.

"Are they trying to play catch, again? I'll try and cut them off! Posh, Luna, with me!",
Alia turns around and returns where the party came from.

Posh smiles up to Alia

"Let's go, sir Didymus!"

Numalar and Dir Didymus ride down to the secret door, and step through. But the hallway here is dark. But up ahead he can see a bit of light in the larger chamber. They press on.

Double move for Sir Didymus. Only Posh's light spell is marked on the map, but IIRC Zokon has a sunrod sticking out of his backpack and Alia also has cast light on something (her sword?). So there should be dim light in the room with the pit - and Sir Didymus also has low-light vision. So I think he's good to go.

Numalar tries to focus his mind on a spell,
concentration (violent motion) DC 15: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
...but Sir Didymus is bouncing around too much as he runs.

"Damn it, Sir Didymus! Stop bounding in such great leaps!"

Numalar sees Scarlet struggling with the imp.

"Scarlet! Grab that thing and drag it in here!"

I think now would be a good time for a reposition combat maneuver. It would keep the thing from getting away and give Alia and the others a chance to get at it.

I double moved to get here. Will try next round if it stays though.

Only Posh's light spell is marked on the map, but IIRC Zokon has a sunrod sticking out of his backpack and Alia also has cast light on something (her sword?).

Yep.

"HAHA! HAMMA NARSA CHANG BO'LADI!"

Alighting inverted upon the ceiling as if that was the way gravity worked, the grey, gnome-sized imp hisses, and blows air duct raspberries Scarlet's way.

Scarlet - Reflex save DC 13 for half, slashing damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4
If you fail the save you become sickened as well.

Round 2
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Numalar 1 nonlethal
__ Sir Didymus 1 nonlethal
__ Diabolical little imps of some sort (Rust, Moss, and Grey)
__ Alia
__ Celyne/Luna
__ Zokon -1 hp, sick rd 2
__ Scarlet -3 hp, 1 nonlethal
__ Posh

Map updated

Seeing Scarlet already running towards the entrance, and none of the creatures, Alia moves further ahead, hoping to either drive them to an exit, or at least prevent them from looping around.

Her facial expression turns to one of grim satisfaction when she realizes she and Scarlet managed to corner one of the creatures, even if it seemed upside down...her light already giving her away, Alia felt compelled to answer his hissing, even if she was unable to understand:"Get down! In the name of gravity, you are not supposed to be able to do that!"

Double move
Numalar+Zokon, be careful about any that may have gone south. They may circle around to where I am, but they may also approach you from the back, coming back north.

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 Argh, damage rolls
Scarlet's reflexes fail her and she coughs up soot and smoke. "Yeah, yeah, your mom, too."

Scarlet steps up, drops her short sword and swings her longsword in two hands.
Cold Iron Masterwork Longsword, Sickened: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 2 = 8
Damage, Sickened: 1d8 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 4 - 2 = 5

"Bleck. Get over here quick so we can smash this guy."

Don't forget 20% miss chance.

The little demon deftly dodges out of the way.

"Heheheh. Semiz bir, siz ayanchli kurash barcha behuda ketdi. Hamma narsa chang bo'ladi!"

Alia does not see either of the others.

Her facial expression turns to one of grim satisfaction when she realizes she and Scarlet managed to corner one of the creatures, even if it seemed upside down...her light already giving her away, Alia felt compelled to answer his hissing, even if she was unable to understand:"Get down! In the name of gravity, you are not supposed to be able to do that!"

"Er?"

Round 2
The Bold May Act!
_________________
__ Numalar 1 nonlethal
__ Sir Didymus 1 nonlethal
__ Diabolical little imps of some sort (Rust, Moss, and Grey)
__ Alia
__ Celyne/Luna
__ Zokon -1 hp, sick rd 2
__ Scarlet -7 hp, 1 nonlethal, sick rd 1
__ Posh

Celyne loads her crossbow, but doesn't fire unless one of the creatures actually threatens her or Luna, since without cold iron, she's pretty sure she can't hurt them much...

Zokon moves constantly until he has caught up to the group, now he has a bead on the creature

For the record, if anyone who has now seen them can make a relevant knowledge check, that would be good. Posh, Scarlet, and I all failed. So we don't actually know what weapon types will hurt them.

For the record, if anyone who has now seen them can make a relevant knowledge check, that would be good. Posh, Scarlet, and I all failed. So we don't actually know what weapon types will hurt them.

What knowledge was it? - I can certainly try, but I'm kind of limited to "magic weapon" so I'm not sure thats Alia's expertise...