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

Game Master Yiroep

"Garn, use this on the hostages", Malakiah gives a wand of cure light wounds to the druid. He looks at Rogar... "and on him, too."

"Let's see what they have to tell us."

Use the charges freely. :)

Spellcraft DC 16: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Spellcraft DC 18 #1: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26
Spellcraft DC 18 #2: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

"I am Malakiah Uzamar. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brackett. You're right, we were sent here to rescue you and to discover what is really happening here. You and your friends will be care taken, don't worry about this. Can you tell us more about the interest of the Shadow Lodge in this attack? Why they made an alliance with hobgoblins?"

Then, the illusionist turns to the others: "These are potions of cure. The breastplate and the spiked chain are also minor magic items." 4 potions of cure light wounds; +1 breastplate & +1 spiked chain.

"Dennel Hamshanks sent us after the boy Fillian escaped the party and reported your capture. We have seen little more then locked rooms so far but there are many places left unchecked. You should drink those cure potions."

Rogar looks at the tied up hobgoblin.

"I want my rope back. Should I kill the hobgoblins or do you have a deep pit to toss them in?"

Dibs on the longbow!

"I want my rope back. Should I kill the hobgoblins or do you have a deep pit to toss them in?"

"Don't kill the hobgoblin. We should interrogate him, what do you think abou it?"

The tied up Hobgoblin speaks up. "You cannot win. The Spider will soon have her revenge."

The Venture Captain speaks. "At the very least you should knock them out. We can interrogate them once we have our lodge back. I would suggest clearing out the rest of the building... if you haven't already. I can make sure no one leaves with these guys."

Rogar makes sure they are not waking up for a long time.

"Can you draw us a map? And so you have any keys we can borrow?"

I think Rogar has his own wand? Gan can activate it for him if he wishes. And for the NPCs, let's use the potions first.

"Let them have the potion first. We can save the wands for later," Gan says rather gruffly.

Turning to Bracket, he adds on, "Do you know what other enemies there are? The boy Fillian said something about strong winds inside the cathedral."

Yes I have my own wand. I'll mark off the charges.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Unfortunately, I was tied up before I saw what else they did to the place. There's a secret passage in the hallway that you didn't come out of, but I'm pretty sure those two other Hobgoblins were hiding there if they were smart. Then there's the main cathedral in the middle and the two towers to the South."

The venture captain thinks for a minute. "You must have busted through my wall. That's fine... I really should make a more permanent one."

"Let's check out the cathedral."

Heading through the other hallway, you find much the same thing in this one. Beds and guest chambers lie throughout with mundane housewares and daily necessities. You eventually come across a door to the other tower.

The NPCs will take your potions if you give them but don't worry too much about wand charges. A couple of these NPCs outlevel your prisoners. Mostly they had trouble from being overtaken during an opportune time. :p

Ok, let's assume that we gave one potion of clw for each of the NPCs.

Malakiah waits for Rogar open the door, while he looks for any hidden trap on it.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

"I think it is safe, just open it", he points to the door.

I open the door.

[West Tower First Floor]

At the center of this twenty-foot-square room stand eight stout glass receptacles filled with fluids ranging from clear liquid to green jelly. Warty, fleshy blobs, resembling tiny humanoids, float inside each one. In one tube, a large black eye blinks up and down repeatedly, while in others a creature’s arms wave frantically and a strangely pretty doll-faced creature floats calmly.

Heavy wooden benches ring the room, overflowing with alembics, beakers, ovens, tubes, and alchemical equipment of all sorts. Stout doors stand along the room’s western and northern walls, and a narrow staircase leads upward along the north wall.

Around the room here, you see tiny-size floating entities hiding behind objects in the room, seemingly scared. If you wish to interact with them, I need a Diplomacy check.

knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

"These are homunculi, which are usually loyal to the master that they serve, although tend to go berserk if the master is dead. Judging by their comportament now, it seems that their master is alive somewhere. Maybe... upstairs?", Malakiah says as point to the tiny-size floating entities hiding behind objects in the room.

I vote for continue going up the tower.

"If they aren't hostile I say ignore em and move on."

[2nd Floor]

The middle floor contains the library’s most valuable tomes. It is especially rich in books about devil-binding and the history of magical constructs, including homunculi.

[3rd Floor]

The uppermost floor contains librarian's home, including both his office and, hidden behind several tapestries depicting Aroden and Iomedae, his richly appointed bedchamber. The neatly made bed lies beside a nightstand stacked with several well-thumbed volumes of the Pathfinder Chronicles, with bookmarks flagging some of the more titillating passages.

[Roof]

Nothing up here.

You don't find anyone else in the tower.

Not loot... All that's left is the main parts of the cathedral.

If finds nothing with Detect Magic, Malakiah suggests to the others: "so, to the main hall, here we go?"

Jarlaxle nods.

"That sounds like a plan, to me!"

[Choir Loft]

At the southern end of the congregation hall, an ornate choir loft sits twenty feet above the ground, joined to the narrow balcony encircling the nave and dome. The richly decorated wall panels depict scenes of strangely dressed men, while the low marble balustrade shows human figures celebrating. Many of these scenes have suffered recent damage, with stone shards and a broken bannister littering the floor. Several smashed glass cases line the room, numerous swords of widely varying styles and construction poking out of them.

Along the Cathedral’s south wall, a ten-foot-wide rose window glitters with the sun, bathing the loft in light. A number of red figures surround a strange white shape against the window’s blue background.

A spiral staircase leads down and a pair of doors lead east and west.

The following check is not necessary unless you fail to make the knowledge check above or can't make the knowledge check above.

[Main Cathedral]

The Cathedral of Aroden’s former congregation hall fills an enormous, high-ceilinged open space, with the rectangular nave opening into a large circular chamber beneath the building’s grand dome.

Along the dome’s ceiling, a fresco depicts Aroden’s apotheosis and his famed battle with the wizard-king Tar Baphon on the Isle of Terror. Although intricate, the fresco’s crumbling perimeter and fading colors betray the lack of recent maintenance. A narrow wooden balcony, lined by a finely carved balustrade, encircles the dome’s base and the cathedral’s nave. The balusters depict men following several different professions, while fine calligraphy graces the top railing.

Forty feet below, an enormous altar—itself the size of a small building—stands stoutly below the dome’s apex. The cathedral’s nave stretches out to the south. Soft blue light streams into the enormous space through dozens of meticulously decorated stained-glass windows lining the nave. They illuminate trophies of all sorts—from weapons to wands—hung from the hall’s many columns.

Signs of last night’s gala and the massacre that interrupted it are obvious: freshly painted sunburst decorations, tables swathed in fine cloth covered with spoiled food, a portable stage standing empty but bloodstained, and corpses littering the floor below.

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As Rogar moves out onto the choir loft, a Large entity made of air becomes apparent as it starts to close in on the party.

Monster Knowledge

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Monster Knowledge (Can only make this if the Knowledge (religion or history) or the Perception check in the Choir Loft was made)

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Yellow's Turn
The elemental turns into a twisting column of air and advances to the party.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

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

[Choir Loft]

"Look at there! Some cracks in the rose window are moving...", Malakiah alerts the others, curious with that.

knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 or knowledge (history): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Perception +4, impossible to reach DC 25.

[Main Cathedral]

knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 You know nothing
knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 Jon Snow.

Malakiah use a scroll of enlarge person on Garn. "Wait while I finish the spell", he told to the druid.

Planes: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Finn rushes in, casts a defensive spell on himself, and draws his glaive to shield his allies as they come into the cathedral.

Cast Shield, move and draw glaive (so I have reach).

Finn you wanna let us in on what we are facing?

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

To be clear, the brown area that we have entered/will enter is the choir loft, and that is 20 ft above the actual cathedral floor? And the spiral staircase leads from the choir loft down to the ground floor?

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Too intent on the air elemental, Garn does not notice the moving windows at first until Malakiah warns the party. He nods at Finn's instructions, and simple lays his hand on Snowball and casts a spell, hardening his skin to that of bark.

cast barkskin on Snowball.

He whistles for Snowball to attack the air elemental.

Snowball dashes out into the choir loft, down the stairs and races to the base of the swirling column of air.

Snowball double moves. His speed is 50ft, i.e. 100ft this round. Base on my count, that is enough to reach the air elemental.

My idea is to use Snowball to hold off one creature first while we focus on the other. Not sure if it would work though. Hope he doesn't kill my pet... :P

Jarlaxle hustles forward.

Double move.

Malakiah starts casting a spell while Finn and Jarlaxle head downstairs with Finn casting a spell on the way. Garn casts a spell on Snowball before Snowball heads down.

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@Finn and @Jarlaxle: I moved both of you to the staircase, unless the plan was to jump off the 20 ft. choir loft. The loft is 20 ft. off the ground. Lemme know if you wanted to end up somewhere else.

@Garn: That is all correct. The map is really confusing with the towers! I'm also not a 100% sure that's right but we are rolling with it now.

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Red's Turn
Parts of the rose window in the choir loft peel off the wall and head towards Rogar, attacking him with some shards.
Slam Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Slam Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
It misses but seems hellbent on attacking.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

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

Punching glass probably hurts less then grappling it and the rope wouldn't be an option.

"Why is glass attacking us? We didn't break any glass here."

Spend a ki point for an extra attack. Attacks are blunt/magic/ghost touch/lethal.

Stunning fist attempt Unarmed #1: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Unarmed #2: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Unarmed #3: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Rogar flurries at the glass, hitting once but finding it partially resist the blow.

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Yellow's Turn
The twisting whirlwind begins to pick up debris and tries to pick up as many of those in the main chambers as possible. It seems to know to ignore the window.
Need a DC 18 Reflex save from Finn, Jarlaxle, Snowball, and Rogar as it swirls through you. Finn & Jarlaxle, you both get +2 to your Reflex saves due to cover from the stairs. On a failure, you take the following damage, and no damage on a made save:
Damage from Debris: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
If the first save is failed, I need another DC 18 Reflex save to avoid being picked up. On failure, it lifts you up, takes you to the center of the cathedral (so you would be underneath the elemental), and then drops you, and you take the following damage and are prone:
Falling Damage: 6d6 ⇒ (1, 4, 1, 6, 2, 3) = 17

As a note, the elemental currently spans floor to ceiling, so you would be able to attack it from the ground. It also provokes no AoOs from movement currently, although also can't take any AoOs.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-0)
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described above
Jarlaxle (-0) - Need Reflex Saves described above
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described above
Red (-5)
Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described above

Ref save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Snowball easily dodges out of the way of the swirling whirlwind.

Garn will wait until the enlarge person spell takes effect.

From behind Rogar, Garn reaches over his head and swings at the glass creature with his enlarged shillelagh.

Shillelah, Power Attack, Enlarged
shillagh: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 8 - 1 = 9 dmg: 3d6 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6, 2, 1) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 17

Garn has reach while enlarged so should be able to reach the glass creature? It would have cover though, I think.

Seeing that Snowball would largely be wasting time chasing the whirlwind, he calls him back to aid in taking down the glass creature first.

"Retreat back to this room. The whirlwind can't affect us in here. Draw the glass creature in."

Despite the roar of the whirlwind, Snowball is ever sensitive to the calls of his master. He dashes back up the stairs and bites at the glass creature.

Not sure if he has enough move to attack, or if need double move. Rolling the attack just in case.
bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25 for dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 and trip: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10 if hits

After finish the enlarge person spell, Malakiah takes a short step back (5-foot step), then starts to summon a monster... Casting summon monster II

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23.

Jarlaxle remains firmly rooted to the ground.

"Bugger this for a joke!"

He then heads back upstairs.

Most of the party stays firmly rooted. Snowball and Garn both try to attack the rose window and Snowball ends up hitting, but finds that glass is hard to chew. Malakiah starts summoning and Jarlaxle heads back up.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-0)
Finn (-0) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described above
Jarlaxle (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Red (-6)
Rogar (-0) - Mage Armor

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

If I'm reading the map right, the elemental is currently on the other end of the cathedral from us?

Finn weathers the whirlwind, and chooses to rely on magic rather than chase the elemental around the room.

Magic Missile wand: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

-Posted with Wayfinder

Gonna roll the second reflex save for Finn.
Reflex Save (Finn): 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23
Finn gets pummeled by debris but keeps his ground.
6 damage to Finn.

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Red's Turn
The glass creature tries to slam Rogar three times.
Slam Attack 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Slam Damage 1: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Slam Attack 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (1) + 7 = 8
Slam Damage 2: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Slam Attack 3: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Slam Damage 3: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Some glass slams into Rogar, but the rest misses the mark.
5 damage to Rogar.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-4)
Finn (-6) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0)
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor
Red (-6)
Rogar (-5) - Mage Armor

"Not as sharp as I thought. Tough though."

Flurry of Blows + Ki point for extra attack on glass thing.

Unarmed lethal magic: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Unarmed lethal magic: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
Unarmed lethal magic: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26 for dmg: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Rogar slams into the glass creature 3 times, and the damage starts adding up.

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Yellow's Turn
The whirlwind again tries to pick up people, this time trying to drop onto the choir loft.

Please click here for Reflex Saves.

For first reflex saves, save negates or take this damage:
Debris Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
For second reflex save, save negates or travel along with air elemental and take this damage:
Falling Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

It then stops whirlwinding and turns back to an entity of air.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-4)
Finn (-6) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described in linked post (Get +2 to the save)
Jarlaxle (-0) - Need Reflex Saves described in linked post
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-0) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described in linked post
Red (-14)
Rogar (-5) - Mage Armor - Need Reflex Saves described in linked post

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Using folio reroll on second save.

Ref: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

"Ouch"

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12.
Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10.

@GM Andrew: I previously indicated that I was leaving the area; was the elemental still able to reach me?

Beaten and battered, Jarlaxle stands up, and moves to leave.

Once again, trying to get away from the elemental.

Whirlwinding? GM, I think you've created a new word! :)

reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
reflex: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

Snowball is slammed a few times by debris tossed about by the whirlwind which he does not dodge in time. However, he manages to dig his claws into the ground just before it arrives to not get picked up.

Once the whirlwind is past, Snowball doggedly (get it?!?) bites and claws into the glass creature.

bite: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15 for dmg: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 and if hit trip: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for dmg: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16 for dmg: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Looks like the dice roller doesn't like my pun...

Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 = 11
Reflex: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 + 2 = 18

Finn takes another pummeling from the whirlwind, and the anger takes over. He flies into a rage and lunges at the elemental with his glaive.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 = 13

"Rogar! Garn tries to grab hold of Rogar before he gets picked up by the whirlwind but he is too slow.

GM, Garn has three alternate actions depending on the terrain.

Rogar, Finn, and Snowball each get pummeled by the debris. Rogar gets picked up by the whirlwind and dropped below the elemental.

Snowball hits the glass creature once but finds that it takes no damage from the attack.

Finn attack the elemental, damaging it but also finding it doesn't take full damage from the blow.

Garn smacks the glass creature hard. It seems like it is barely holding together.

I am assuming Jarlaxle went back up to the tower for now.

@Garn: Yes, you would have flank. Taking the first option as that's what happened.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-11)
Finn (-12) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0) - Can change action
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-6) - Mage Armor
Red (-30)
Rogar (-18) - Mage Armor - Prone

I'm on the phone. Malakiah will finish the spell to summon a giant spider, that will try to entangle the elemental with web. If it doesn't have range, the spider will entangle the red enemy. By his side, Malakiah will spend a charge of his wand of magic missile to damage the red creature.

magic missile: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Malakiah summons a giant spider to entangle the elemental.
Web Touch Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
The elemental remains untouched by the spider.

Malakiah shoots the glass creature with a magic missile. Unfortunately, it has no effect on the creature. Too much hardness.

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Red's Turn
The glass creature tries to slam Snowball a few times.
Slam Attack 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Slam Damage 1: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Slam Attack 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Slam Damage 2: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Slam Attack 3: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Slam Damage 3: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
It hits Snowball once, causing pain to the cat.
7 damage to Snowball.

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Initiative Order - Bolded Characters May Post Their Turn

Yellow (-11)
Finn (-12) - Mage Armor
Jarlaxle (-0) - Can change action
Garn (-0) - Barkskin, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Shillelagh
Malakiah (-0) - Mage Armor
Snowball (-13) - Mage Armor
Red (-30)
Rogar (-18) - Mage Armor - Prone