[PFS, CORE] #2-23: Shadow's Last Stand (GM Andrew) (Inactive)

Game Master Yiroep

I will manipulate my travelers any-tool into a crowbar and try to force the trap door open.

Str check: 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 = 11

You don't get it the first try, but after a couple minutes you can take 20 to break it open.

The party heads up while Rogar fiddles with the lock. It eventually opens.

[3rd floor]

The uppermost level contains an office, with an enormous oak desk littered with papers and logbooks. Upon examining these notes, they belong to Greudemoffit, one of Telfyr’s senior apprentices, who has developed an fascination with meteorology and weather prediction. A nearby table contains a stack of books detailing magical theories of weather.

[2nd floor]

The middle levelcontains Greudemoffit’s laboratory, filled with large glass chambers, tubes, benches, and a number of weather experiments.

[1st floor]

The lowest level has a thick wooden door (also locked). It is a storage area, containing crates of supplies and equipment for the lodge.

The locked door on this floor is the only exit from this chamber.

This tower is pretty uneventful so just posting it all now.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22

*tap* *tap*

"This wall is new."

knowledge(nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 Nope

Garn looks around at the apparatus. Again, he speaks up. "Remember the boy's comments about winds within the cathedral?" Gesturing to all the meteorology books and equipment, he says, "These can't be a coincidence."

Garn walks over beside Rogar to observe the wall. Does it look like we can break through? Hopefully without too much noise? "To surprise a prey, it is best to come from where they least suspect."

Before the party proceeds though, Garn places a hand on his chest and mutters some words of divinity, which causes his skin to harden to that of oak bark. Casts barkskin on himself.

It is possible to break through the wall. Without noise is a different matter, as it would be pounding on the unsteady wall to get through.

Nature: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

"Rogar, care to open this door as well?"

[2nd floor]

""Remember the boy's comments about winds within the cathedral? These can't be a coincidence."

"And it isn't. It seems that Greudemoffit was attempting to create clouds with these apparatus", Malakiah commented when take a better look over the laboratory.

craft (alchemy) DC 15: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
knowledge (nature) DC 15: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12

@GM Andrew: please, assume that Malakiah is casting Detect Magic in every single room they visit, ok?

[1st floor]

Perception DC 20: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

"This wall is new."

"So, this lock is purposeful. There is a way to open this lock, without make noise?"

"I am curious what might be hidden behind the wall. It might just be coincidence that it came up just before these hostage situation happened. But maybe not."

My vote is for the wall, rather than the door. Since we don't have anyone with disable device, either way would make noise. :)

@Malakiah: There is no magic in these rooms, but I will keep this in mind.

Seems to be a consensus to go through the wall.

After some pounding, the wall starts to give way and you have an opening big enough to walk through. You find yourselves in an empty stone hallway. It ends in a door.

Behind that door in the hallway...

You find that there are many doors in the next hallway you come across. None of the rooms are locked, and you find that all of the rooms are various guest quarters for the lodge, with bedding and mundane household items. (No magic found)

The second hallway ends with another door. This door is not locked.

Please roll a Stealth roll.

Stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Stealth: 1d20 - 5 ⇒ (16) - 5 = 11.

Although honestly, I kind of feel stealth is out the window, considering we busted through a wall...

Garn stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3
Snowball stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

It all depends on the way you went. Not everything has ears. :p

Some shouting it heard from behind the door. Do you open it?

"Well, I have a suggestion. If I can have line of sight of beyond the door, I can create an illusory fighter to enter in the room before us, creating some kind of distraction to an eventual executioner inside there."

In game terms, Rogar would open the door and Malakiah cast Silent Image, to simulate a fighter entering in the room. If the party agree with the suggestion, we just need to replace the tokens on the map, placing Malakiah behind Rogar.

"I can put the 'door opener' invisible too, if needed", Malakiah adds.

Unfamiliar with the magic of the arcane, Garn simply nods at that plan. He gets ready to call on the magic of the divine to strengthen his club.

Will cast shillelagh on his club just before Rogar opens the door. Also, I forgot to buff myself with my wand of longstrider and will assume he did that somewhere along the line. :)

"Sounds good."

I'll open the door when everyone is ready.

Looks like 1 round of shuffling and prep, so I will do the same. ;P

Rogar opens the door.

A soft blue glow fills this room, emanating from the stainedglass windows lining three of its walls, each depicting a godlike figure in a different city. Frescoes of angels lifting Aroden to the sky cover the ceiling.

Despite its obvious design as a chapel, the room itself has no religious trappings. Instead of pews, the remnants of a large wooden table and a dozen chairs fill the chamber. Much of their wood has been cannibalized to create a makeshift wooden gallows across the chamber’s eastern end.

Behind the gallows, three low stairs ascend to a raised area with two overstuffed chairs.

Inside, you see four hostages in the room. One if tightly bound in the corner (Yellow), one is unconscious (Orange), and two are hanging on the gallows (Pink).

There is also a hobgoblin (Red) in the room with a spiked chain out and his foot on the table that the two (Pink) hostages in the gallows are standing on. As you open the door, he kicks over the table, leaving the two hostages hanging. He then prepares to battle. "You will not be ruining my plans today!" he shouts. The hobgoblin has a spiked chain out and wears breastplate.

The tied up figure (Yellow) shouts, "Help me Pathfinders from this Hobgoblin! He has called for help!"

The only real enemy you see right now is the Red Hobgoblin.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0)
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Is that one of those 3.5 spiked chains with reach? I provoke even if it isn't.

"Hostages being hung. Someone go cut them down."
Move up to the hobgoblin and attempt to grapple him.

Improved Grapple: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Not a 3.5 spiked chain. Season 1 was PF. :p

Rogar passes by the enemy and finds that he attacks back quickly.
Spiked Chain Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
"Gah, you're lucky!"
Rogar then grabs the hobgoblin.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Delaying or Botting Malakiah tomorrow morning.

Malakiah makes his illusion cross the room till the hostages in the gallows, as if it is trying to help them.

Then, the illusionist turns invisible and enters in the room.

Malakiah has the illusion feign breaking the ropes of the gallows while turning invisible himself. If I'm understanding correctly, you broke concentration so the illusion should disappear next round?

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Blue's Turn
The door to the West opens, but nothing is seen.

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Green's Turn

An arrow appears out of nowhere as it tries to strike the illusory warrior summoned by Malakiah. Quickly thereafter, another Hobgoblin wearing leather armor and wielding a shortbow becomes visible.

Will Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

From round the corner of the passageway, Garn is not able to see much of what is happening. He does hear a door opening, and when he rushes into the room, he sees an open door at the other end. Ignoring the two hobgoblins in the room, he races out that door, thinking to stop whomever just left from alerting the others. Double move to and through the western door, or until he bumps into or detects someone. Would provoke AOO from red hobgoblin.

Along the way, he shouts to Snowball to attack the nearest enemy.

Well Garn did hear Rogar mention hostages being hung. You don't provoke from red because red is grappled.

If I'm understanding correctly, you broke concentration so the illusion should disappear next round?

I think yes. You are considering the Extended Illusions ability, right?

Garn heads away, but does not bump into anyone. He sees a hallway similar to the one before. Might be letting you pass! :p

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Red's Turn
"Confound it!"
He tries to escape the grapple.
Escape Grapple: 1d20 ⇒ 14
He continues to be grappled.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Snowball sprints into the room, sees the hobgoblin his master's friend is grappling, and joins the attack.

bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 for dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 and if hits trip: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Finn rushes in to rescue the hanging hostages. Drawing his glaive as he moves, he takes a swing at the rope holding up the first one.

Going into rage for this.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 2 = 17
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 3 = 18

Both Snowball and Finn miss (even grappled).

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Malakiah starts to summon a monster, then he makes a short move. (5-foot step)

Jarlaxle strides forward as fast as he can.

Double move.

"Ignore the gobbo with the small bow."

Take a 5ft step NW.

To the red Hobgoblin
"Let's see how you like being strangled to death."

Standard action to pin. Including +5 for controlling the grapple and +1 for dwarven hatred.
Pin: 1d20 + 12 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 12 + 5 + 1 = 36

And pull out some rope as a move action.

I wasn't attacking the bad guy. I was slashing at the rope that the hostage was hanging from.

@Finn: Ah, sorry. You cut one hostage down. She is now on the ground, struggling to catch her breath.

There is still one hostage hanging.

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Malakiah starts to summon as his illusion disappears, while Rogar begins to tie up the hobgoblin. Jarlaxle moves as far as he can.

The hobgoblin pinned yet again yells. "Help me you fools!

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Blue's Turn
An arrow fires towards Rogar as another Hobgoblin comes out of Invisibility.
Shortbow Attack (vs. Flat Footed, Invisible, Point Blank): 1d20 + 6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 2 + 1 = 21
Shortbow Damage (Point Blank, Sneak): 1d6 + 2 + 1 + 2d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 + (3, 2) = 12
He hits, and in a child-like manner proclaims, "I did it!"

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Green's Turn
"That guy wasn't real???"
He takes a shot at Rogar.
Shortbow Attack (Point Blank): 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 + 1 = 19
Shortbow Damage (Point Blank): 1d6 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 2 + 1 = 6
...and misses.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-12) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-0) - Mystery Spells?
Green (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Aww, Garn ran past him and he didn't AoO me? I'm so hurt... :) Oh wait, he was holding a bow. I see...

Hearing the commotion from the room, especially at two different hobgoblin voices, turns around to look back. Seeing the hobgoblin who wasn't there before. Garn put two and two together. Racing back to the room, he smacks the blue hobgoblin on his head with his shillelagh'ed club.

shillelagh, PA: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 1 = 26 dmg, PA: 2d6 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5, 3) + 5 + 2 = 15

He whistles to Snowball, gesturing for him to transfer his attack to the hobgoblin at the other corner of the room.

Garn heads back and smacks the Hobgoblin with blue leather armor on square on the head. It hurts the Hobgoblin hard.

He didn't have a melee weapon out. :p

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Red's Turn
"Ugh..." He tries to escape the grapple.
CMB: 1d20 ⇒ 16
He does not.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-12) - Mage Armor, Grappled (Controller)
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Blue (-15)
Green (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Grappled
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Ever obedient, Snowball sprints past the group and runs towards the corner. He attempts to latch his sharp canines into the thigh of the hobgoblin and pull him to the floor.

bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 for dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 and if hit trip: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Standard to tie up red. DC 30 to escape. Or more likely a DC 23 Str check to break it.

"I will deal with you later."

Then move up to green and blue.

Jarlaxle calmly slashes at the cord holding up the remaining victim.

MW Cold Iron Longsword: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12, for 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 damage.

Finn steps forward and tries to cut down the second hanging hostage.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 6 + 2 = 23
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 = 13

Suddenly, a celestial eagle apears between the two hobgoblins, flanking the blue one with Garn.

Swift action: smite evil.

talon #1: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 241d4 ⇒ 4 +1 on damage if it is evil.
talon #2: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 91d4 ⇒ 2 +1 on damage if it is evil.
talon bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 241d4 ⇒ 1 +1 on damage if it is evil.

Eagle rounds: 1/3

Malakiah goes to help the other hostage that is hanging from gallows.

@GM Andrew: if Malakiah casts Grease on the rope, there is a chance to the hostage free himself from it, falling on the ground?

Snowball gnaws on the Hobgoblin in the corner while the eagle flurries on the Hobgoblin in Blue Leather. Finn and Jarlaxle takes care of the last of the hostages, so now none of them are choking on the gallows, and Rogar moves up to a better position.

@Malakiah: The hostages are actually free from the gallows to Jarlaxle and Finn. You can take another action if you wish with your turn.

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Blue's Turn
The Hobgoblin takes out a heavy mace and readies to wack at the bird when his fellow has a weapon out.
Going ahead and rolling the attack now.
Heavy Mace Attack (Flank): 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 5 + 2 = 25
Heavy Mace Damage: 1d8 + 2 + 2d6 ⇒ (6) + 2 + (1, 1) = 10
It takes out the bird in one blow.

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Green's Turn
Grounded, the Hobgoblin takes out a Heavy Mace, then tries to take a wild swing at the cat.
Heavy Mace Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 4 = 16
Heavy Mace Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-12) - Mage Armor
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Green (-7) - Prone
Blue (-22)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Tied Up
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

Haha, Rogar! That's a fantastic build, going around typing people up. :)

Garn continues his relentless strike at the blue hobgoblin, swinging at it with his magical club.

shillelagh, PA: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 8 - 1 = 12 dmg, PA: 2d6 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 5 + 2 = 12

@Malakiah: The hostages are actually free from the gallows to Jarlaxle and Finn. You can take another action if you wish with your turn.

Sure, thank you! Here is my action:

Malakiah pull off some butter from a pouch, says some arcane words and the area under the blue hobgoblin becomes covered with a layer of slippery grease.

He casts Grease on the orange marked area. Blue has to make a Reflex DC 16, or fall prone.This don't count as an hostile action to put an end on the inivisibility spell, right?

PS.: poor bird. :(

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

The Hobgoblin with Blue Leather falls over to Malakiah's spell. As a result, Garn is able to hit him and take him out.

@Malakiah: That definitely breaks Invisibility.

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Red's Turn
The hobgoblin tries to break his bindings.
Strength: 1d20 ⇒ 15
He does not do so.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Rogar (-12) - Mage Armor
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Green (-7) - Prone
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Red (-0) - Tied Up
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

With no other targets within reach, Jarlaxle attempts to KO the bound hobgoblin.

MW Cold Iron Longsword: 1d20 + 7 - 4 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 4 + 4 = 14, for 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 *non-lethal* damage.

Rogar flurries against the green Hobgoblin.

+1 to hit from dwarven hatred
Unarmed: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 1 = 16 for nonlethal dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Unarmed: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 9 + 1 = 30 for nonlethal dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

confirm crit: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 1 = 21 for extra nonlethal dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Snowball joins Rogar in ravaging into the hobgoblin, although he does not quite understand the concept of nonlethal attacks.

bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 for dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 for dmg: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17 for dmg: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Rogar causes the Hobgoblin in Green armor to become unconscious. Meanwhile, the one with Red Breastplate continues to try to escape his bonds.

Gonna roll just to see....
Strength check: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Just gonna call it there. He can escape the bonds, but his weapon is on the ground and it would be a flurry of activity before he has a chance to react.

Out of Initiative!

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Status Wrap-Up

Rogar (-12) - Mage Armor
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)

The figure in the corner of the room begins to speak. "Thank you, Pathfinders. I am Venture-Captain Brackett, and these are my colleagues. Telfyr is the unconscious one." He points to the conscious man and then the woman. "Greudemoffit is an apprentice here along with Ramenophesa. I assume someone sent you to rescue us? Have you cleared out the rest of this place?"

All of them seem very beat up.

Loot

• smokestick (x2)
• masterwork studded leather armor (x2)
• masterwork heavy mace (x2)
• masterwork composite shortbow (+2 strength) (x2)
• 38 arrows
• jeweled knuckle rings (x2) (worth 125 gp each)
• masterwork composite longbow (+3 strength)
• nose ring (worth 125 gp)
• 96 gp

• 4 potions
• magical breastplate
• magical spiked chain