PFS CORE PbP - #2 Hydra's Fang Incident (GM Deussu) (Inactive)

Game Master Deussu

Meanwhile Jarlaxle advances to topside. Thick coils of rope, block and tackle, cleats, and other assorted objects, along with hatches and slightly raised cabins, effectively make the deck into an obstacle course. Then the thug drops his longbow, draws a longsword and attempts to decapitate the half-elf!
Longsword attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 HIT!
Damage (slashing): 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
And with an awesome slice the thug is able to wound Jarlaxle so badly the half-elf drops on the wooden deck.

Pau meanwhile fails just to scale the anchor line.
Another move action climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13
With slighty adjustments he tries again and manages to get on top of the deck, just in time to see Jarlaxle fall.

The captain, Darsielle Du Moire, enraged by the assault, faces Pau. "Do you know who I am? I'm a nobleman from Cheliax! You can't touch me! What is it you want? Gold? I've got gold! Peasant, defend me from this infidel!" he shouts, backing away to the cabin with a shaking longsword in his hands. As he does this, though, Tog fires an arrow that pierces his flesh. With a girlish scream, Darsielle retreats under the deck with haste. "Bloody murderers! They're after me!"

Lantorth's grappling hook covers the distance from boat to ship, also helping Evindal row the boat next to the galliot.

Althera, curiously, has disappeared. It is then the pathfinders notice a large contingent of young sharks in the water in addition to floating puddles of chum. Coincidence?

ROUND 6

Jarlaxle (8 damage, prone, dying)
----
Thug 2
----
Pau (2 damage)
----
Darsielle Du Moire (9 damage, out of sight)
----
Tog, Lantorth, Evindal

"Well that pirate up top sure is making this difficult," Lantorth says as he draws another arrow and fires up at the remaining thug.

Ranged: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 2

Tog shouts from the boat, save Jarlaxle!

Tog will fire an arrow at the reamining thug.

Arrow-Firing into melee: 1d20 + 5 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 4 = 2
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Pau punches the young thug right in the kisser.

Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

I am actually staggered, not down - Jarlaxle was on 8/10 hp prior to that hit, but for some reason, he was listed as 6/8 on his stat line; I wondered why he had so few hp!

Jarlaxle staggers back from the thug (5' step), and casts a healing spell.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7.

Oh, okay Jarlaxle. The hp amount did seems very small, very 3.5-ish.

As if making an audition to a play, Jarlaxle feigns his fall and instead tumbles further away from the battle. Lantorth then fires an arrow that pierces the air and just scrapes off some flesh from the thug. Distracted, the thug doesn't notice Pau advancing fast towards him, nd gets a pow straight to the jaw, sending the thug flying.

Tog's arrow harmlessly flies away, maybe hitting a bird. Evindal and Tog both then climbs onto the deck.

You all hear rummaging under the deck. The skeleton crew setting up the rigs and ropes seems unwilling to fight, but also prefer to stay on board due to the sharks swimming near the ship. (They are noncombatants, essentially. No, killing them does not constitute as an alignment infraction. Yes, it is morally dubious.)

ROUND 7

Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Thug 2 (10 damage, unconscious, prone, dying)
----
Pau (2 damage)
----
Darsielle Du Moire (9 damage, out of sight)
----
Tog, Lantorth, Evindal

Let's stay in combat, since we'll continue almost right away anyway. The captain has, cleverly, cornered himself under the deck with no means of escaping.

Pau double moves toward the Captain's direction.

Lantorth will climb up the rope he secured, now that the threat off getting immediately stabbed has been removed.

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Tog will take a moment to stow his bow properly before climbing the rope.

Climb: 1d20 + 4 - 5 ⇒ (12) + 4 - 5 = 11

Below decks, the dimly-lit hold has taken on a foot of brackish bilge water (does not constitute as difficult terrain), and clammy air laps against Pau's skin. The sole light emanates from a small whale-oil lamp mounted on the lower mast. The cavernous hollow contains dozens of water-damaged crates roped in neat stacks secured tightly to the sidewalls. The remaining portion of the hold is set up like a common room with hammocks, an open larder, and a small kitchen where food is prepared. The accommodations appear radically stripped down, presumably to make room for contraband or increased speed. Toward the bow, loud banging echoes from a wooden door, sodden and swelled shut and held fast with thick black chains.

Pau confronts Darsielle red-handed as he is grabbing valuables as much as he can. He immediately drops everything he is holding, drawing his longsword with a shaking hand. "I'll tell my father about you! You'll have your head cut!" he spouts empty threats, and meekly slashes with his sword, doing his darnest to deflect any blows Pau is going to make.

Darsielle fighting defensively: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 6 - 4 = 18
Damage (slashing): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

And of course the spoiled brat manages to wound Pau, being posh as ever. "Haha! See? I'm unstoppable! You have no chance against me, so surrender already!"

Meanwhile everyone else gets onboard, while Evindal remains on the boats to secure none of them are stolen by the skeleton crew nor wander off to the open sea.

ROUND 7

Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Pau (7 damage)
----
Darsielle Du Moire (9 damage, fighting defensively)
----
Tog, Lantorth, Evindal (on the boat)

With a wink and a grin, Jarlaxle quips:

"You've been a very naughty boy! Time to face the consequences of your actions..."

Double move into the room.

Evindal grabs his longsword, ready to attack everything which tries to get on one of the boats.

Pau's normally dispassionate visage began devolving into a look of anger. He swings twice at the punk.

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Lantorth draws his rapier, keeping his eye on the crew. "Any one makes a move and they will taste my blade!" He leans over and whispers to Tog, "That's a pirate thing to say right?"

Tog heads down and put a hand on Pau's shoulder.

"Don't let this bastard get the better of you."

Lay on Hands: 1d6 ⇒ 4

The incredibly obnoxious captain evades Pau's every blow. "I'm invincible! You cannot defeat me!" he ilks the monk, and again tries to show his swordsmanship skills.
Longsword FD: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (5) + 6 - 4 = 7
But fails miserably, somehow putting a baffled expression on his face, as if not believing the outcome. "How could I not hit you?! You're practically stationary! Stay still and let me kill you!"

The skeleton crew keep their hands raised in a manner of saying "we've got no part in this". That is, of course, a lie, but they are all unarmed and seem malnourished and meek. Lantorth could thumbwrestle them to submission.

ROUND 8

Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Pau (3 damage)
----
Darsielle Du Moire (9 damage, fighting defensively)
----
Tog, Lantorth, Evindal (on the boat)

Pau again swings twice at the punk. "Put the sword down, or you'll get thrashed!"

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Attack 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Or not...

Jarlaxle smirks at the man's petulance.

"How about we see if you can do that instead?"

He then calmly steps into a flank with Tog, and attempts to bring the brat low.

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 2 = 25, for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 damage.

Crit Confirmation: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 4 + 2 = 15, for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 damage.

Jarlaxle delivers a blow nearly killing Darsielle, but the blade stops to a nook in his armor. He falls to his knees, dropping his longsword in the process and begins to beg.

"NONONONONO STOP!" he yelps, "I can't die like this! Not by violence, no no, that's not the Du Moire way! Please, dear attackers, I'll do whatever you wish! I'll give you anything you want! Just pleeeease name it and it'll be yours! Spare me, save me, let me live!"

Accept surrender? Pau is basically up in the initiative next, so it's his call if he so wishes.

ROUND 8

Jarlaxle (4 damage), Pau (3 damage)
----
Darsielle Du Moire (22 damage, fighting defensively)
----
Tog, Lantorth, Evindal (on the boat)

Pau hated to even look at the am for one second longer. But, there would be no honor in striking down someone like that. He relented and stayed his fists, much as he wanted to lash out. "Your lucky day, you sniveling whelp. Next time, I might not hold back the finishing blow."

"Don't forget about the tablets." Lantorth shouts helpfully from above deck.

Tog pulls out his masterwork manacles and hands them to Pau.

"Tog think you might want these."

Incidentally, the tablets are nowhere to be seen in the room below the deck, even among the piles of mishmash valuables. Given how fortunate pathfinders are on these treacherous voyages, the tablets must be in the last place they'll look; towards the bow, beyond the swollen door in black chains, where the loud banging echoes.

We're not done yet! Ha!

Deckside, the skeleton crew appears to be so crippled in fear they dare not even step towards Evindal, Lantorth, or the boats. In fact, their captain's loud cries for salvation sounded like he was being tortured, shredded to pieces, and mutilated in every other way beyond imagination, so it's safe to assume the crew considers the pathfinders a group of blood-thirsty savages feasting on gory human flesh.

So Evindal and Lantorth needn't stay guard their boats.

Tog shouts up. "Tie down the crew, we might need a hand down here. There's a door down here, and... well it's making noises."

Tog then scratches his head in confusion.

Lantorth pokes his head below deck. "Well then make noise back Tog."

-Posted with Wayfinder

Pau carefully examined the door, looking for traps before rushing to open it.

Take 20 for a 27

Jarlaxle retrieves the oil lamp from its nook, and moves over to assist Pau in his search.

I figure that shedding better light on the search is good for an assist ;-)

Tog scratches his head while Lantorth searches "What if whatever trapped in there need help."

Tog will knock on the door and cup his right hand over his mouth and shout into the door "ARE YOU OKAY IN THERE?!?"

Beyond the door the banging echoes even louder, apparently aware of the pathfinders' presence. Pau doesn't detect anything unusual about the door, other than it has been swollen shut due to the extreme moisture, but hears slight moans and splashes on the other side. Still, no intelligible answers are heard from the other room, only mindless groaning.

Tog scratches his head "I don't think they are okay..."

Evindal climbs up to meet the rest of the group.

Pau takes a step back, and delivers a strong kick to the swollen door.

Strength check 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

The door opens, revealing a large space filled with decayed corpses, floating in fetid waters, and several crates in poor condition, and one small pad-locked chest that looks rather tempting. Three corpses walk about, turning their dead gazes towards the open door, moaning and making otherworldly noises. Their black eyes tell of their miserable ends. As they turn and start to shout out their anger towards the living, they flail about, and manage to drop a lit whale-oil lantern to the water. The decayed corpses, somehow, catch fire and spread like wildfire immediately, starting to eat away the ship's hull, which was already in a pretty bad shape to begin with. It's as good a guess as any how long it'll take before the ship sinks.

ROUND 1

FUN TIMER! 1/?

Lantorth, Pau (3 damage)
----
Fuchsia lacedon
----
Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Cyan lacedon
----
Evindal, Tog
----
Violet lacedon

"They are mindless. Let them come to us and we can face them one at a time!"

Pau readies n attack to swing at the first one to close to melee.

Attack 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Damage 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Lantorth draws his wand from his belt with his free hand and fires a magic missle at the lead zombie. "Looks like we need to get that chest out of here before the boat sinks."

MM: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The elf looks over a the whimpering mass that was the captain. "Soooo, any plans to go down with your ship?"

By the way the door's stupiddumb, so I'll just consider it a door with a width of 10 feet for simplicity's sake.

Lantorth's magic missile seems to aggravate the lacedon, which in turn charges towards the open door. When it get there, Pau's fist makes a familiar sound against the decayed flesh. Further agitated, the ghoul tries to bite the monk's arm off.
Lacedon bite charge: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 3 + 2 = 24
Bite damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Pau's fortitude save vs paralysis: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Pau's fortitude save vs disease: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Although Pau's arm stays attached to the rest of the body, his entire body stiffens as the toxins from the ghoul's saliva enter his bloodstream, paralyzing him.

The captain merely cowers, though keep an eye on the entrance, undoubtedly breaking an escape if given the chance.

ROUND 1

FUN TIMER! 1/?

Lantorth, Pau (7 damage, paralyzed)
----
Fuchsia lacedon (9 damage)
----
Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Cyan lacedon
----
Evindal, Tog
----
Violet lacedon

"Tog wait until Jarlaxle move."

Tog will wait until Jarlaxle moves out of the way and will then smite and charge the lacedon in the doorway.

Charging Smite: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 2 + 2 = 15
Damage: 1d8 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 2 + 2 = 11

AC 18

Jarlaxle defensively takes a swing at fuchsia...

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 4 = 20, for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 damage.

Crit Confirmation: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 4 = 20, for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 *ADDITIONAL* damage.

...completely eviscerating the undead beast!

He then steps into the room over its corpse (shielding Pau), obligingly making room for Tog to charge forward.

Tog thanks Jarlaxle "Thank you Jarlaxle."

With the lacedon gone to a better place, another lacedon takes its place. It's wary, though, since it saw what immense luck Jarlaxle had with his blade. Regardless, it gets next to Jarlaxle and bites!
Lacedon bite attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
And misses just!

Then Tog runs past his allies and smashes a great wound on the violet lacedon!

ROUND 1

FUN TIMER! 1/?

Lantorth, Pau (7 damage, paralyzed)
----
Fuchsia lacedon (32 damage, destroyed)
----
Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Cyan lacedon
----
Evindal, Tog (charged)
----
Violet lacedon (11 damage)

Evindal still shows to be in the boat, although he did get out of it previously. Place your token where you see fit.

Evindal delays.

The violet lacedon lashes out towards Tog with all its claws and teeth.

In case you have a reroll you wish to use, please do so and adjust your text to reverse the effects of mine, like a heroic comeback or something.

ROUND 2

FUN TIMER! 2/?

Lantorth, Pau (7 damage, paralyzed), Jarlaxle (4 damage)
----
Cyan lacedon
----
Evindal (delayed), Tog (9 damage, paralyzed, diseased)
----
Violet lacedon (11 damage)

Tog no like reroll.

Tog ceases moving and starts drooling as infected blood drips from his shoulder.

Pau delays, hoping Jarlaxle could give him some room to enter through the door and get a good swing at the undead.

@Pau: You are paralysed...

Working on the assumption that Lantorth uses a Magic Missile on the injured ghoul, which will take it out...

Casting worried glances at his two paralysed companions, Jarlaxle takes a swing at the remaining ghoul.

Longsword: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16, for 1d8 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 damage.

Aw hell, I thought that was wearing off this round! Guess not, lol.

Tog casts a drooling glance back at Jarlaxle.

Automating Lantorth. Also forgot to roll durations for paralysises.
Pau's paralysis: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Tog's paralysis: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Lantorth does what he has done so far in every battle; use his wand to fire magic missiles!

MM @ Violet: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

And successfully destroys a lacedon! One left, which turns its murderous gaze towards Jarlaxle, who makes a nasty wound on its head. Unfortunately undeads are not stopped like that, and claws and teeth begins to gnaw the half-elf.

Waiting for you, Evindal.

ROUND 2

FUN TIMER! 2/?

Lantorth, Pau (7 damage, paralyzed 4), Jarlaxle (20 damage, diseased, dying, prone)
----
Cyan lacedon (9 damage)
----
Evindal (delayed), Tog (9 damage, paralyzed 2, diseased)
----
Violet lacedon (16 damage, destroyed)

Tog drool.

Automating Evindal for the sake of gameplay speed.

Evindal sees that the way to the remaining lacedon is blocked, and thus has little options to get close without being in danger himself. He pulls his shortbow and tries his best to get a proper shot at the lacedon.

Round 1 attack: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 - 4 = 17 Miss due to cover.

Now that both Tog and Jarlaxle succumb to the lacedon's violence, he drop his bow and advances, drawing his longsword on his way. Stepping atop the unconscious Jarlaxle, he slashes the lacedon.

Round 2 attack longsword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 Hit!
Longsword damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

And the wound is enough to destroy the lacedon completely!

COMBAT OVER!

Although the imminent threat has been removed, the ship is still catching fire, and if the pathfinders are not quick, the ship might start to sink.

Jarlaxle, stabilization check(s), if you please. Pau will be able to act on round 6, and Tog is unparalyzed on round 4. If Lantorth moves away from the doorway, Darsielle Du Moire will run away.

ROUND 3

FUN TIMER! 3/?

Lantorth
Pau (7 damage, paralyzed 3)
Jarlaxle (20 damage, diseased, dying, prone)
Evindal
Tog (9 damage, paralyzed 1, diseased, drooling)

Stabilisation: 1d20 + 1 - 10 ⇒ (17) + 1 - 10 = 8.
Stabilisation: 1d20 + 1 - 11 ⇒ (1) + 1 - 11 = -9.
GM Star re-roll - Stabilisation: 1d20 + 1 - 11 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 1 - 11 + 5 = 15.

Phew.

Someone take out Darsielle, grab the tablets, and we can be on our way :-)