[PFS/DMK] 5-08 The confirmation (Inactive)

Game Master Kludde

Man, I need a feat that blocks allies that run past me, not just one that lets me swap out position with them. Oh well - that's what I get for not winning initiative. :) At least he blowed them up good.

Sorry for the wait. Can someone post an action for Anthea?

how about same action as Anara? move down 5', ready acid splash to shoot the same zombie when it becomes visible

acid splash: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 2 - 4 = 141d3 ⇒ 2

Like Anara, Anthea stands at the ready, and as the first zombie comes into view, releases a glob of acid alongside Anara's arrow. Both attack hit, but the zombie shambles on. In fact, it's only the acid that seemed to have any effect, the arrow just seemed to rip a tatter of flesh.

The zombies start ripping at quarr, but despite their number, the slow creatures don't slam hard enough to hurt Quarr in any sense.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 61d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Brains: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 111d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Braaains: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 51d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

---
Lunaea
Cisero
Brodey
---
Quarr
Anthea
Anara
---
Zombie (4)
Zombie (3)
Zombie (2)
---

Quarr begins to retreat to traw another vial of liquids.

step back 5 feet and draw a bomb. I still have 19 AC so I should be alright for another bomb as I retreat. After this Next bomb I fall further back for the AoO

quarr, you could have thrown the bomb as well...move action to draw, 5' step (which can be combined with a move action that does not involve actual movement), standard to throw, no AOOs from the enemy for any of this as 5' step does not provoke and you are out of reach when you throw). Brodey would wait for you to throw before moving to avoid being splashed but if you hesitate he'll just move on in before the zombies take another shot at you.

Brodey notices the utter lack of effect of the arrow, drops his (piercing) guisarme and moves forward, drawing his greatsword as he moves, hoping it works better. He doesn't have any acid.

Brodey moves forward, shoving Quarr behind him, but leaving a gap between himself and the zombies. Brodey glares at the three zombies and ready to hit the first one who steps into reach.

And they say "standing in front of people" is easy amd doesn't take special training. Hah

Use "Friendly Switch" feat to stand right where Quarr should have been after jos action moving Quarr 10' to the left of where he was standing at the start of his turn, 5' to the left of where he was standing at the end of his turn. The map should show 5' of empty space between us and the 3 zombies, helpful for missile weapons, Brodey next in the corridor and Quarr behind Brodey. This should mean only one zombie can get at Brodey, whether or not his readied action takes one out.

greatsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 182d6 + 6 ⇒ (6, 5) + 6 = 17

Anara reaches back into her quiver and pulls out one of her blunt arrows, hoping it will be more effective against the zombies. She starts to sway slowly as she lets loose the arrow, missing wildly.

Move Action - Start Battle Dance (2 round remaining/day). Standard Action- Fire blunt arrow
Attack: 1d20 + 5 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 5 - 4 + 1 = 3
damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

oh ok. Thanks I am still learning the Alchemist.

throw bomb at center zombie before being swapped by Brodey

Bomb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

I have little useful at this point since I doubt I can Daze a zombie :D But I'll give Anthea Fortune so her acid will hit

Casts a silvery hex toward Anthea to aid her aim...

Quarr steps back and throws a bomb at the row of zombies, squarely hitting the middle ones and raining fire on the other two. Lunaea casts a spell, Brodey moves up and pulls Quarr down the backwards, readying his sword in the process. Anara fires an arrow and misses.

Anthea casts another acid splash, but misses by a wide margin.
attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 4 = 7

As the first zombie moves up, Brodey sees his opportunity, raises the sword and lobs the shambling creature in twain. Unfazed, the next creature moves forward and starts trying to batter the bodyguard, delivering a crushing blow to the body.

Slam!: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 211d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 6 Damage to Brodey

---
Lunaea
Cisero
Brodey
---
Quarr
Anthea
Anara
---
Zombie (7)
Zombie - Dead
Zombie (6)
---

Okay you got this. Anara pulls another blunt arrow from her quiver and fires at the zombies, trying to feed the arrow though the slight breaks in combat.

Attack (Blunt Arrow): 1d20 + 5 - 4 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 5 - 4 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Anthea casts another acid splash, but misses by a wide margin.
attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 2 - 4 = 8

Anthea should have had two tries since I hexed her with Fortune:

attack: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (17) + 2 - 4 = 15
damage: 1d3 ⇒ 3

For Lunaea's action, she will cast Cure Light on Brodey using a Scroll:

Cure Light: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Brodey grunts, recovers and swings

greatsword: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 192d6 + 6 ⇒ (5, 6) + 6 = 17

the damage dice have gotten very hot

Quarr grasps another vial and gives it a shake. recalling his vials he realizes he only has a single vial remaining.

After the momentary pause he hurls it at the furthest zombie.

Bomb Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Confirm Crit: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
crit damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Lunaea cheers as both Brodey and Quarr get solid hits on the nasty zombies! This is one adversary she has no qualms about destroying (unlike the noble hippogryphs).

I think that last bomb landed in the zombie's mouth. Or maybe it caught it and looked at it curiously....

Ah, yea, I forgot about the hex. Chaotic day, yesterday. One of the minions set an aircraft engine on fire, so I had terrible trouble plane shifting. I've adjusted the damage (to the zombie, not to the aircraft)

Anara's arrow bounces off the zombie without to much effect, but then SLASH a great cleave and the sick scraping sound of metal splitting bone and BOOOM!, the precision bombardment of Quarr, blowing the remaining zombie to unrecognisable smithereens.

Combat over, Brodey takes 3 splash damage

The corner of the cave contains the proceeds of the Dhampir: a journal note, outlining the plans to 'create an army of undead fish people', a pearl and a set of bracers.

ewww, undead fish people - glad we interfered with that plan!

"Have you seen Janira? Brodey's wounds could use some attention."

"Let's go back to the main chamber and rest there. This place stinks!"

Making sure someone brings along the Dhampir's things for further examination

In the main cave, the gillman still is busy with his ritual. Seeing the adventurers pass by for the third time, he looks up. Monsters - gone?, he asks.

Brodey moves carefully, hoping to find Janira's cure light wand.

Cracked my rib right through the armor. Lucky I won't have to heal that the slow way.

Once they get back to the main chamber, Lunaea walks over to the gillman where he can clearly see her face, and nods her head, "Yes, the monsters are gone."

If Janira is not around, and the gillman makes no move to help, Lunaea will dig out her last scroll of Cure Light and use it on Brodey.

Cure Light: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 + the 3 already cured during the battle

The gillman smiles and says thank you. He then moves up to his equipment, and takes out a small wand, and gives it to Lunaea many thanks. For protection.

Pointing at the corridor with the reliefs he says Decriptions. Magical. Read description, as he changes his pointing to the model of Absalom then ritual at altar.

Magic fades, not many rituals left. Magic almost gone. Magic gone, not more rituals, no more carvings.

The inscriptions are excerpts from History and Future of Humanity, the principle holy text of Aroden. The carvings focus on parables that feature Aroden's 12 guises, meant to illustrate his hopes for humanity. Only the carvings for farmer, fisherman, shepherd and thief are still in a somewhat legible form. Cisero manages to decipher the text and meaning for two of the tales:

The fisherman is depicted hauling in an enormous catch of small fish to take back to Absalom, illustrating Aroden's declaration that a great host of creatures could accomplish a great task, whether that be taming the wilds or feeding a nation.

The thief is depicted stealing a gem from a shop while whispering a prayer, an allusion to a passage saying that larceny - though illegal - is a form of praise for anything worth stealing is also worthy of praise for its craftsmanship.

Known version of the History and Future are slightly different from the text written here - this may indeed be an earlier version of the work.

On the Wand: Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13

"Hmm... guys, I am not sure exactly what this is. Can anyone else identify it?"

Trying to read the two remaining carvings:

Linguistics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Linguistics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

"I think... I can make out one of these..."

While Lunaea subjects the carvings to another round of inspection, the gillman joins her, and points out several parts that are written in Aquan Shepherd he says herd animals. The carving make a little more sense:

The Shepherd is depicted herding animals out of a crowded city to the pastures beyond, just as Aroden blessed leaders with the foresight to direct people to the tasks and places that best suit them.

The Fisherman is depicted hauling in an enormous catch of small fish to take back to Absalom, illustrating Aroden’s declaration that a great host of creatures could accomplish a great task, whether that be taming the wilds or feeding a nation.

The gillman seemed to suggest that each of the carvings has a - quite simple - ritual associated with it, that symbolises each particular archetype. He doesn't know what they are, but suggests they involve some improvised symbolism.

Below, I've repeated the earlier description of the altar

The soft light of the surrounding fungus mixes with the flickering glow of the nearby torches to reveal a grand chamber. A large pool of water along the chamber’s southern edge reflects the blue and green radiance to illuminate the massive stalactites that cling to the ceiling overhead. Two other tunnels branch off from this area, leading to the east and west.

Rising up from the pool is a column of rock with steeply sloped sides and a flat top, as if someone had sawn off the top of a massive stalagmite. A miniature city carved from this same stone occupies nearly the entire surface. Tiny trinkets such as ancient coins, polished semiprecious stones, and ornately braided loops of string are scattered throughout the diorama, and pale cave frogs clamber atop it. The smooth cavern floor is covered in gravel and pebbles along the edge of the pool, and several foot-long centipedes prowl among the gravel in their search for prey.

i do not have linguistics to help here

You've deciphered all inscriptions that were readable. Each inscription gives a hint for a ritual to perform at the altar - most of them are very simple gestures that symbolises the archetype of the inscription. It's all up to you really, whether you want to try something and see if it works.

I thought we had 3 out of 4 that were readable (Shepherd/Fisherman/Thief)? I'll definitely try something - Lunaea usually does a full moon ritual anyway. It will not be until late tonight as I'm out with my family until then.

hmmm does anyone have any suggestions where to start? quart states while scratching his chin

Oh, I messed that one up, the clue I added should've been the one for farmer:

The Farmer is depicted plowing four lines in a field, retelling Aroden’s prophecy that humankind would prepare the rocky earth for planting and over generations wear the pebbles down into fertile soil.

Quarr, after thinking it over goes over to the pebble area and uses his heavy mace to drag four lines into the pebbles.

Brodey looks at Lunaea and after seeing her nod of encouragement attempts to herd the frogs out of the city in to the "pasture" beyond.

He'll first try to do it by encouraging them to leave.

wild empathy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9

If that doesn't work out too well, he'll switch over to "encouraging" them to leave the same way sheep dogs do...by scaring them out.

given the size bonuses to intimidate, he's likely got a +8 or +12 to this roll

intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

When Lunaea sees Brodey trying to herd the frogs, she giggles a little and whispers something in Sylvan. Her nightingale hops out of the hood of her cloak where she's been hiding all this time and perches on her shoulder, as Lunaea uses both Sylvan and familiar empathy to instruct her.

The Nightingale hops down in front of Brodey and acts like his "sheepdog", helping him herd the frogs by flapping her wings, hopping back and forth, and cheeping loudly and pecking at the frogs. :D

Meanwhile, Lunaea heads to the side of the altar opposite to Quarr, and whispers a small prayer to Hecate, the goddess of moonlight and magic:

"Oh Hecate, bless this altar, that it may bring peace and knowledge to the Gillmen and all others that worship here. And let Aroden share with me this beautiful stone, as a token of our Confirmation here."

She takes a small but lovely glowing stone from the pool and slips it quietly into her pouch, acting out the role of the Thief.

"by the light of the full moon, so mote it be."

Lunaea looks expectantly at the fourth side of the altar, to see who may complete the ritual.

Fishermen, fishermen, fishermen... Anara looks at the pond built around the model city, trying to see if there is something within the water to give her a better idea of how to complete the task. She also looks ominously at the centipedes, each about a third of her height.

I really hope I don't have to go after those...

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 To see if there are small fish or something in the pool of water.

Quarr draws the four lines in the sand, moving the pebbles, and he feels something of a blessing coming over him. Brodey feels something similar as he drives the frogs out. His attempts to scare the creatures look funny, and yet they work. Lunaea stashes a pebble and feels a noxious fortune shine over her.

Anara looks into the pond, and sees numerous blind fish swimming around Catching one takes an unarmed attack roll

Quarr, Brodey and Lunaea have all received a blessing from the last bits of magic lingering in the cave. Quarr gets a +1 luck bonus on his next fortitude save vs poison, Brodey will get a +2 on his next aid another, while Lunaea will get a +1 AC circumstance bonus for the next attack she sustains from behind cover.

For what it's worth...

Fish! thank the gods for that not dealing with those centipedes. Anara sways patiently in the water, waiting for one of the fish to move near her.

Unarmed: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

If she misses she will wait patiently for the fish to settle before trying again.

Unarmed: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Unarmed: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Assuming I eventually catch a fish
Catching a fish she will slowly lift it and place it among the miniature buildings in the town.

And also Anara gets that sensation of being blessed by something beyond, as she catches a fish at her second attempt. Which is worth a +2 on your next CMB check

The gillman looks on solemnly, and goes back to his own business. The adventurers feel they have learned all there is to learn here.

Quarr shares his notes with Janira and explains how he felt a sort of waning magic as he drew the lines in the sand

Lunaea doesn't take notes in the field (yes I know), she does it quietly in her room in between her travels. She feels that taking notes in the moment detracts from the experience and prevents her from being fully present.

However, she has a very good memory, and recites to Janira all that she has learned, along with her irrepressable excitement at having gotten to partake of a full moon ritual of an ancient culture!

She will never forget this confirmation, and it just sets her even more firmly on her path of becoming a Moon Witch.

Brodey gives a verbal report. He has a good eye for detail and a decent memory but often doesn't have the words to properly express himself. A full account will take a bit of work from Janira to draw it out.

Janira leads the expedition back to Absalom, and without further incident the group returns to the master of Scrolss, Kreighton Shaine. The latter inquires excitedly about the findings of the adventurers. He compliments Quarr on his notes, and to Lunaea he says Be careful with trying to remember everything. I have a hard enough time remembering what I say for breakfast!

Since you are now the foremost authorities on the cave system you explorer, the honour is your to name it.

Kreighton then proceeds to give his compliments, something he will snake sure is noted, much to the halfling's delight.

Three days later, the adventurers are officially confirmed as society field agents. Each of you is awarded a personalised wayfinder. Remember: this is not only the symbol of the society, but also a reminder of the three principal duties: Explore, Report, Cooperate!

And my congratulations as well! Good job on this run, I thought you did well, particularly against the minotaur. I'll send out chronicles shortly. Stay tuned for the kick-off of "The Stolen Heir". I'll keep this thread for convenience - everyone is already here. Please let me know if you want to make purchases, make changes to your character, or when you level up.

I am just interested in that wand of CLW for prestige

Wouldn't want to leave home without it, and a good use of 2 PP. Consider it noted.

I will need a new chronicle sheet then?

2pp for a Silvered Lucern Hammer with Darkwood Haft
(15gp weapon+300 masterwork+120darkwood+180 silvered = 615gp item)

(this is a pole-arm that, aside from its spike at the end, also has a crescent shaped hammer designed to pierce armor that I thought, being silver and vaguely moon shaped, would please Lunaea. I've been wanting to whack things rather than trip them, and it is a bit better at that. Darkwood looks cool but provides no other real benefit.)

assuming about 500gp to spend

sell

scale mail (50/2 = +25gp)
Chakramx2 (2/2 = +1gp) (They were defective! Really!)
Guisarme (9/2 = 4.5gp)

Buy

poor lifestyle 3gp
Replace sunrod 2gp
2xCold Iron Chakram 4gp

bandolier (UE) 0.5gp
loaded with:
2xAlchemist Fire 40gp
2xAcid Flask 20gp

mw breastplate 350gp
Oil of Bless Weapon 50gp
Oil of Magic Weapon 50gp

and a few gp left over.

Everyone's chronicles should be in their PM inboxes. Tell me when you didn't receive it.

I'm out of town and will be back to do all the paperwork/buying etc. tomorrow evening (in time for the new game).

Got the Chronicle sheet. Brodey leaves off purchasing the splash weapons, and has 1gp remaining. (loading bandolier with prepared flasks of oil when about to enter a dangerous area). He'll buy a tindertwig with that 1gp.

Purchases:

MW Chain shirt - 250 GP
Replacement Arrows - 1 GP
Scroll of Charm Person - 25 GP
Scroll of Timely Inspiration - 25 GP
Wand of CLW - 2PP

Sell:

Studded Leather - 12.5 GP

Total Cost: 288 GP 5 SP