PFS #55: The Infernal Vault Gameplay (Inactive)

Game Master Jamesui

Adriana's Pull: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Agh!

The designers did not have PbP in mind when they put this in, I swear.

Seriously, its a strength check to pull something as simple as a lever? What's next, rolling dexterity to open a door?

Don't shoot the messenger until after you've received your chronicles, please.

Hangust cracks his knuckles and gives the lever he stands by one more good pull.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 I'm assuming that does it?

Hangust climbs back up to the pathway hoping to see the way unbarred, seeing Adriana struggling with a lever he had not seen before he sighs, climbs down to that trench, and attempts to give this one a good wrench as well.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Ug! He massages his sore shoulders.

Can we assume you guys eventually budge the last one and continue through the portcullis?

Yes please!

Righto. Then you all proceed. Please move to discussion thread momentarily to state your single file marching order going through the staircase to the next level down.

Can we take 10 on "advance plot"? :)

Did the levers look like they had been used recently?

Rathor climbs back up to the central walkway and offers to help anyone else get back up the ladders as well. "Hangust, we're right behind you." he says, nodding to the brave little halfling.

Hangust, with the party at his back, brandishes his weapons and heads into the newly revealed stairway.

If we're lucky, everything in here will be as dumb as those things were.

Sorry for delay. I'm having the sort of internet trouble at my apartment that will require a stern chat with building management about fixing the wiring.

Hangust, with the party at his back, brandishes his weapons and heads into the newly revealed stairway.

If we're lucky, everything in here will be as dumb as those things were.

Not quite.

This long hallway stretches sixty feet east to west between two

spiral staircases. The walls of this hall contain deep notches
and cuts at five-foot intervals, and a lever lies in the down
position beside the western staircase. Skeletal remains litter
the floor, and among them rests the recently slain corpse of
an elf, his arms torn off and several feet from the body.

Note: Elf's corpse is wearing Devil's Claw livery.

Fifty feet down this hallway, you see a lone mercenary, his insignia marking him as a commander and his crossbow trained on your stairwell. He opens fire.

Surprise Attack!: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Surprise Damage!: 1d10 ⇒ 8

I think that hits, but I'd like you to verify flat AC.

First full round: Puk, Flyn, E'li, Baddy, Rathor, Hangust, Adriana.

Thanks to the Animal (Feather) domain, Rathor gets +2 to his initiative during a surprise round. Does that make a difference here?

Thanks to the Animal (Feather) domain, Rathor gets +2 to his initiative during a surprise round. Does that make a difference here?

Eyes of the Hawk (Ex): You gain a racial bonus on Perception checks equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum +1). In addition, if you can act during a surprise round, you receive a +2 racial bonus on your Initiative check.

Not unless you're acting in the surprise round.

My bad, didn't see any perception checks. Thanks for being the littlest meat shield, Hangust!

Ouch, that hits, Hangust is down to 4 health.

Ahh, the #1 law of forum gaming: The least frequent posters always somehow win initiative. :)

They do have a few more hours. That said, if I were to skip all of them, I'd just swap top 3 init for bottom 3 init. There's a big difference between skipping a player because he's late to post and subjecting a completely separate player to a double surprise round because the guy who won init didn't show up. Perhaps not RAW, but I think it's a necessary adjustment for the medium, at least in this case.

Not complaining or saying you should skip anyone, just saying that if this game was the "Rathor and Hangust Buddy Cop Show," we'd have finished it by now. :)

I'd watch that show.

Puk, Flyn, E'li, even if you guys just want to hold action please let us know!

We're swapping top three and bottom three player initiatives to keep this moving along but with a round structure about as favorable to the PCs as what was rolled. First round is now...

First full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, Flyn, E'li.

I am swamped tomorrow. I don't expect to respond further until Wednesday.

Seeing as its single file, does Hangust want to charge seeing as no-one else can charge so long as he is in the front. If he doesn't want to charge, than ideally, in future perhaps someone else should take point due to these tiny corridors.

Adriana casts Forbid Action (Attack), on the bad guy, DC 15 Will Save to avoid.

Rathor decides that keeping Hangust alive is more important than bolstering his own attacks. He reaches out and touches the wounded halfling on the shoulder, his hand glowing with healing energy.

Spontaneously converting divine favor into cure light wounds.

Cure Light Wounds on Hangust: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Go ahead and charge, buddy. I'll channel energy next round if you still need healing.

I technically don't want to charge considering the AC drop, but Hangust is a barbarian who just took a decent amount of damage, I doubt there'd be any stopping to reason with him. Can't adjust map since I'm on my phone, of someone could position me that would be awesome.

As the bolt pierced his skin Hangust's eyes rolle back in his head and he snarls at the bowman. With no where else to go he charges full speed with his Kukri out.
Kukri, MH, Raged: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 181d3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

5/Rounds of Rage left, current hp:10, current ac:12

Why is your AC so low? Sorry i havent posted in the last couple days. Its been kinda crazy.

Puk moves into the hallway and casts Daze on the foe.

DC 14 will save

AC gets -4 from charge and rage.

I lied about being swamped, or rather I cme in early to avoid traffic and no one else showed up yet.

Adriana calls out in a booing voice, demanding that the mercenary captain not fire his weapon...

Captain's Will Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (10) + 0 = 10

... and the man's finger straightens rigidly, unable to curl around his crossbow's trigger.

The halfling charges the man, unaware that his foe was baiting him into a trap! As he steps in front of his intended target, the ground depresses, and an axe springs forth from the wall...

Swinging Axe Trap Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Swinging Axe Trap Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

... and bites into Hangust's shoulder. Luckily, the halfling charges through the pain and returns the favor, striking his own solid hit.

As I swapped party initiatives because those at the top hadn't responded within a day and a half, the bad guy goes before Puk. This is actually to the party's benefit, as fate would have it.

The captain steps back from Hangust, reloads his crossbow, and trains it on the halfling, waiting until he no longer feels the compulsion not to fire.

You would treat this as a readied action to attack as soon as able, but...

The little (or regular-sized) gnome prances forth, and tries to one-up his comrade by doubling down on enchantment to prevent this enemy from taking any action...

Captain's Will Save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4

... and succeeds!

El'li mentioned in discussion that he's loading his sling and guidance-ing himself, so I guess he does that. I will ask him to take under advisement that he can keep his sling loaded between fights.

First full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.
Second full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana,, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.

Bold can act. The mercenary captain is dazed for one round.

I'm out of town on an iPad; can someone move Rathor forward 4 spaces, please?"

Rushing in to provide backup, Rathor calls upon Erastil to heal his companions. "Hang in there, Hangust!"

Channel positive energy: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Despite the grave injury Hangust barely registers the pain, or even that he's been hit by a trap. The target of his anger is right in front of him and that's all that matters right now.

Kukri,MH (Raged): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 91d3 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Kukri,OH (Raged): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 121d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

health 8, ac 14, 4 rounds of Rage left today

Adriana attempts to go down the stairs on her right (if I can), tapping herself with a quick Guidance as she goes.

Flyn, reacts and moves closer, as he whispers in a hushed voice, while he channels the dreadful energy contained in him, as a small green orb flies out of his hand.
Acid Splash: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d3 ⇒ 3

The captain, even dazed and wobbling, avoids Hangust's and Flyn's attacks. He blinks a bit and regains his full composure.

Captain is no longer dazed.

First full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.
Second full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.
Third full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.

Bold, i.e. all PCs, can post.

Hangust continues advancing on his foe in blind fury, swinging his blades with all the might his tiny arms can muster.

Kukri,MH (Raged): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 221d3 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Kukri,OH (Raged): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 101d3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Confirm Crit+Potential Damage: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 191d3 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

3 rounds of Rage left, 8hp

The half-orc decides to alter another of his prepared spells, converting it into raw healing energy as he steps forward and lays a reassuring hand on Hangust's shoulder.

Trading in bless for cure light wounds. Can someone 5' step Rathor one space west, please?

Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

don't think there is any space west.
Flyn will attempt to channel another glowing orb of acid, as it flies out of his hand.
Acid Splash: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 161d3 ⇒ 1

Delay/Pass.

Nothing much I can do if there is indeed no room to pass by anyone.

I promise this is the last bad chokepoint.

Hangust strikes a nasty blow, but the captain remains on his feet, his features now distorted by fury and fright.

Flynn tries again to tag the man with acid, but misses wildly. He's having trouble securing a good shot through his comrades.

Flynn, you're eating an effective -8 to hit now between cover for firing through creatures (Enemy gets +4 cover bonus to AC) and firing into melee (you take -4 to hit without precise shot). Thought you should be aware.

E'li and Puk round out the turn.

I know but I don't really see another way I can contribute

Round 2 he will move up to get into range of a shot on the bad guy.

Round 3 will activate his protection

Increased Defense (minor): At 1st level, you can gain a +1 sacred bonus on saving throws and a +1 sacred bonus to AC for 1 minute. The bonus increases to +2 at 10th level and +3 at 20th level.

It's been a day. Puk's going into delay.

The captain withdraws and flees up the staircase. You hear his voice echoing from beyond its threshold. "We're dug in and know this vault!" he shouts. "How can you afford to pursue this further?"

First full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.
Second full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana [Delay], Baddy, Puk [Delay] E'li, Flyn.
Third full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn
Fourth full round: Rathor, Hangust, Adriana, Baddy, Puk, E'li, Flyn.

Bold can post.

"How are we doing, everyone? Should we come up with a better way of progressing instead of just running into their traps?" Rathor says, flexing his longbow's string. "I'm open to ideas, here."

"Anyone super hurt?" Puk asks. "Otherwise lets go get them. I have a couple spells to try."

Drop performance for now.

With the enemy out of sight are we still in combat? I don't want to drop rage and be fatigued for a minute if we we are but I also don't want to waste my last 3 rounds of Rage for the day just chasing after a guy.

Technically init is still in play, should you guys decide to immediately pursue, but the option is yours to wait and plan your next step. In that case, we drop init and reroll once you find anyone else again.

Growing impatient, Rathor motions that the group should push forward. "If we delay now, all we're doing is giving them more time to prepare."

He readies his weapons and grins at Hangust. "Let's finish this!"

Hangust nods at Rathor and heads into the next stairwell, keeping mindful of axes or anything else that may spring on him.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Rathor follows close behind, his eyes squinting as they shift into the darkvision spectrum.

Perception aid another for Hangust: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Perception Aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (14) - 1 = 13

The warpriest is ready to bring the power of the sling to his enemies.

perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6