[PFS/DMK/YotS] 7-02 Six Seconds to Midnight (Inactive)

Game Master Kludde

With the twig creatures destroyed, and both dragons down, the mage moves towards the remaining threat and casts another set of magic missiles at them - one bolt of energy hitting each one!

MM1 damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 2 = 6
MM2 damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 1 + 2 = 4
MM3 damage: 1d4 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 2 = 6

Rounds for scarlet: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Marra swing her small scimitar, slashing one of the insectoid creatures, while rhanloi slams a barrage of missiles into them.

The two next to Marra switch their bows for warhammer, and start swinging at the halfling

Warhammer: 1d100 ⇒ 761d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Warhammer: 1d100 ⇒ 1001d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

The last one just gropes around in blindness.

---
Marra
Rhanloi
Scarlet
Skarn
Boram
---
Insectlike creature - red (19, blind)
Insectlike creature - blue (4,blind)
Insect like creature- white (6, blind)
---

Boram moves forward to help Marra. He takes a moment and fiddles with some vials, when WHOOMP! an explosive wave radiates out in front of him.

Move action: As indicated on map
Standard action: Throw bomb (Explosive Bomb discovery + Directed Blast grenadier ability => 30' cone, directed at white; if it hits, white catches fire)
Attack (Explosive Bomb (ranged touch attack), Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim, Inspire Courage): 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 1 - 2 + 2 = 16
Damage (Explosive Bomb, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim, Inspire Courage): 3d6 + 4 + 1 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5, 4, 1) + 4 + 1 + 4 + 2 = 21
Splash Damage (3d6 Base + Int): 3 + 4 = 7, DC 17 Ref. for half

DMK, they are allowed a re-save at the end of each of their turns.

"Fianna, attack!" calls out the Jadwiga as he points at the blinded (and yet highly fashionable if they had lived in the 1970s on Earth!) creatures.

The oracle then moves closer to the action, hampered by his bad leg. Double move.

Fianna obey immediately, leaving the bloody remains of the dragon to focus her attention to the targets designated by her master.

Double move.

Rhanloi moves up to a flanking position, but keeps his distance from the creatures. He speaks an arcane phrase and a lightning bolt bursts from his outstretched hand! It shoots through the two creatures in the back of the formation...(red & white)
Electric damage: 5d6 + 2 ⇒ (2, 5, 3, 3, 5) + 2 = 20 (DC19 Reflex for half damage)

HP 46/51; Expeditious retreat 6min move speed 50'; Bard inspire courage to all allies +2 tohit, damage & vs fear

Maintaining the bard inspired courage, Marra attacks with her arcane empowered scimitar again.

Scimitar w/+2IC, +1Skarn luck: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 11 + 2 + 1 = 18
damage if hits w/arcane Strike: 1d4 + 6 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 14

"Oh this is so depresssing" sighs Scarlet uncharacteristically "I mean, why do we subject ourselves to all this hassle?" she muses, looking a touch ill. She draws her crossbow.

Staggered, one move OR standard action

Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Will: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

RFX: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13

Boram throws a bomb, dousing one of the creatures in fire, and burning his companion as well. Rhanloi's lightning bolt takes out the two creatures in a shocking burst of electricity, while Marra hacks down the last survivor

Combat over

Mayor Ogden rushes onto the square in a state of panic. Gremlins! In the tower! I saw them climb up on the east side. You've got to help us, or the experiment will be ruined!

The wooden front door of the tower is barred shut (DC 23 Str to break). The windows are shut as well, though a window on the second floor (that is one floor up from here, for the europeans among us) on the east side, 20 foot up, is open. (DC 20 climb)

"Anyone wounded?" asks the Jadwiga as he closes his own wounds with a wand.
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

He then proceeds to grant Fianna a mage armor and bull's strength, as well as bull's strength and longstrider to himself.
UMD DC 20 (longstrider): 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23

Empowered by his magic, Skarn tries to break open the door, but to no avail.
Str, guidance: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 1 = 8

"Any nimble fingers among you?"

Scarlet stops being so gloomy after a while, and decides on the window.

She pulls out her rope and grapple and goes for the window...

Climb 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"I'll come trough and open the door"

The mage stands ready near the door...

Boram moves quickly, pulling a couple of vials from his belt pouch. The first, he drinks; the second, he puts in his mouth, then spits back out into its container. Immediately, his legs seem to almost break, bending backwards and becoming more muscular, and large claws and climbing pads erupt from his feet and hands. He immediately begins climbing the outside of the tower and reaches the window easily.

Drink alchemical allocation extract, then a greater animal aspect potion, to gain tree frog/raptor aspects (move speed increases to 50', 25' climb speed).

Marra lets her bard song laps as she takes out a wand and uses it to cast cure light on herself as Scarlet and Boram climb through the window.

wand CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 31d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 Fully healed.

Assuming that Scarlet gets in the window, her plan is to skulk down the stairs unnoticed (stealth) or if spotted she will abandon all attempts to stay low key and sprint to get the door open as fast as possible, avoiding getting herself engaged

Boram and Scarlet climb up into the window on the second floor. The walls of this wooden balcony are filled with shelves of papers. Three-foot-tall fences are all that stands between the balcony and the intricate spire of gears that extends from the floor below, growing thicker and wider as it ascends to an impenetrable tangle twenty feet above.

Below, arcs of purple energy ripple from between the Clock Tower’s gears and the white stones that make up the fey circle. The pungent scent of ozone and fresh rain fills the room, and from above, the screeching sounds of metal twisting and wood breaking echoes down, revealing the twisted activities of the gremlins above.

Descending quietly, a ruckus on the lower floor can be heard, as a sack of supplies has animated and is running amok!

The inside of the door is barred by a wooden bar, and should be easily removable from this side (with a move action)

---
Skarn
Boram
Scarlet
---
Sack
---
Marra
Rhanloi
---

Scarlet goes the hurried dash for the door!

As soon as the bar is removed and the door opened, Skarn will rush inside.

Delay until the door opens. From what I understand from Scarlet's message, it isn't open yet - right?

"Fianna, follow me."

She needed a Move and a Standard to reach the door, even with a 40' base move :( So next round action is to open

Scarlet rushes for the door, narrowly avoiding the clockwork that is spinning rapidly.

Skarn waits patiently...

---
Skarn
Boram
Scarlet
---
Sack
---
Marra
Rhanloi
---

Boram, seeing the animated sack, pulls an arrow from his quiver and applies his special blend of alchemical ingredients, then drinks his mutagen; immediately his skin hardens and his movements take on an extra-graceful quality!

Move action: Alchemical weapon (fire/acid) application
Standard action: Drink dex mutagen (+4 Dex, +2 Natural Armor, -2 Wis - AC is now 24)

Boram gets his mutating extracts out, while the supplies sack moves over to the entrance to slam Scarlet, then grabs a hold of her.

Slam, Scarlet: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 251d8 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Free grab: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27

She's next to the door, so she should still be able to open the door with a move actions. One hand only!

---
Marra
Rhanloi
Skarn
Boram
Scarlet
---
Sack
---

HP 28/38

Scarlet grunts at the pain of the grapple, and pushes the bar aside - "Business first!"

Damn that thing hits hard and grapples like a boss!

Escape Artist 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

She then moves away to lick her wounds and make space for others!

Move action - open door
Break grapple
5' step

As soon as the door opens and RHanloi sees the animated sacks attacking Scarlet, and her skillful escape from it, he pulls back on his bow and releases a force missile at it.
Damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

As soon as the door opens, the order comes out.

"Fianna, attack!"

As for Skarn, he starts mumbling in a strange tongue, a dark prayer to the ominous moon, then enters the room, longspear in hand.

Prayer: You and each of your allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while each of your foes takes a –1 penalty on such rolls.

The she-wolf lunges forward, obeying the somewhat strange order to attack a sack.
Bite, PA, BS, Prayer: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 281d6 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 14 if successful: Trip: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 12

Confirmation: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 171d6 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 14

Boram uses his raptor legs to rush around to the rest of the party and launches a bomb at the huge sack.

Move action: As indicated on map
Standard action: Throw bomb
Attack (Bomb (ranged touch attack), Mutagen, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim, Prayer): 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 8 + 2 + 1 - 2 + 1 = 28
Damage (Bomb, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim, Prayer): 3d6 + 4 + 1 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5, 3, 3) + 4 + 1 + 4 + 1 = 21
Splash Damage (3d6 Base + Int): 3 + 4 = 7, DC 17 Ref. for half

Marra shifts next to the bag and starts a battle dance before attacking the large bag with her scimitar using risky striker and arcane strike.

scimitar w/+4 dance, +1 prayer: 1d20 + 11 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 11 + 4 + 1 = 24
damage if hits w/+4 dance, +2AS, +4RA, +1 Prayer: 1d4 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 18

AC is temporarily at -2 (21AC) due to risky striker.

Scarlet wiggles free from the grapple, and manages to open the door for the rest of the party.

Rhanloi immediately fires a missile of force, while Skarn strengthens the defences of the group. Fianna growls and takes a good bite out of the sack, ripping open a good part of the side. She tries to pull the animated object down, but doesn't manage quite yet,

Bram then hits the sack spot-on with a bomb (Do you have precise bombs?), while Marra dances around and cuts the side of the sack with her scimitar

The sack slams again, at Fianna this time, knocking the air out of the creature and grabbing it in a stranglehold.

Slam, Fianna: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 291d8 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Confirm, Fianna: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 201d8 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Grab: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (19) + 21 = 40
---
Marra
Rhanloi
Skarn
Boram
Scarlet
---
Sack (71)
---

Continuing her battle dance and arcane strike, Marra strikes again with her scimitar using risky striker.

scimitar w/+4 dance, +1 prayer: 1d20 + 11 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 4 + 1 = 29
damage if hits w/+4 dance, +2AS, +4RA, +1 Prayer: 1d4 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 6 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 19

AC is temporarily at -2 (21AC) due to risky striker.

Marra stabs, and the sack tears open, spilling out the supplies that are inside.

Combat over

The spilled contents contain four each of longswords, clubs, and enhanced versions of alchemist’s fire, acid flasks, tanglefoot bags, holy water, and antitoxins.

Cerotious suddenly appears, turning visible after hiding in a corner. Listen to those gears grinding - I think the entire tower is falling apart!

There was a piece of paper, it just appeared out of thin air. Here, you should have a look at it.

See handout

The back of the paper has two sylvan phrases written on it: “Alternate” and “Progress in an orderly fashion”

(spell in effect expeditious retreat 50'move)

Marra examines the red and blue circles, wondering a loud "Are they dangerous, or helpful? We need to check out the upper levels." The halfling takes one of each of the alchemist’s fire, acid flasks, tanglefoot bags, holy water, and antitoxins.

k(arcan or Planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

If the circles don't appear dangerous Marra will test a blue one by stepping into it.

"Wait!" Rhanloi calls out to Marra before she steps into a blue portal. "We should try the red portals first. See here on the drawing? It looks like red goes up to the next floor. But I am not sure if we should then try the blue portals on the second floor, which looks like they might send us back here to the first floor. If that is so, then we should take the steps up to the second floor and step on the red portals, which will send us to the third floor, then into the blue portals taking us back to the second floor, then stairs, and so on. What do you think?"

Rhanloi will also take a vial of each alchemical substance.

Marra look at Rhanloi "Could be."

"That's odd though, because the middle blue arrow is double ended - it goes up AND down?...I say we do your suggestion and try the blue portal; on the second floor and see what happens"

That's a stain on the paper. The middle blue arrow points from top to bottom

Rhanloi steps into a blue portal, and then emerges from a different portal on the same floor, a red one. Trying some more, eventually one of the red portals leads to the second floor.The window is still open and the deafening sound of creatures above - sounds like they're tearing something up - can be heard. Rhanloi also sees tiny arms higher up reaching over into the gears of the clockwork mechanism to tear the it apart.

HAHAH ok I'm tired, it looked like some funky arrowhead...

"So red blue red blue? Next is blue?"

Yes - Rhanloi said RED pill first =)

Rhanloi tries his plan -
Fl 1 Red portal to Fl 2
Fl 2 blue portal to Fl 1, then take the stairs back up to Fl 2

Fl 2 Red portal to Fl 3
Fl 3 blue portal to Fl 2, then take the stairs back up to Fl 3

Fl 3 Red portal to Fl 4
Fl 4 blue portal to Fl 3, then take the stairs back up to Fl 4

Fl 4 Red portal to Fl 5
Fl 5 blue portal to Fl 4, then take the stairs back up to Fl 5

Marra follows Rhanloi up and down the rabbit holes.

Skarn nods, accepting the wizard's reasoning, and follows him.

Rhanloi's plan sound sensible, and after some trial and error, the pathfinders find the correct portals between floor 1 and 2. There is still the issue, however, that there seems to be a presence on the third floor - potentially unfriendly.

Marra tries to see if she can take a red portal from the second to third floor.

Rhanloi is prepared to attack any unfriendly creatures whenever he steps through a portal. But time is the essence here...

The third floor is full of gremlins, and as Marra and Rhanloi, and then the rest of the party step through the portal, they see the creatures casually ripping apart the clockwork.

---
Scarlet
Boram
Marra
Skarn
---
Gremlin
Gremlin
Gremlin
Gremlin
Gremlin Hunter
Gremlin Hunter
---
Rhanloi
---

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

As he did in the courtyard, an explosive wave bursts forth from Boram, enveloping the majority of the gremlins.

Standard action: Throw bomb (Explosive Bomb discovery + Directed Blast grenadier ability => 30' cone, directed at orange; if it hits, orange catches fire)
Attack (Explosive Bomb (ranged touch attack), Mutagen, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim): 1d20 + 8 + 2 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 2 + 1 - 2 = 24
Damage (Explosive Bomb, Point Blank Shot, Deadly Aim: 3d6 + 4 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (2, 1, 5) + 4 + 1 + 4 = 17
Splash Damage (3d6 Base + Int): 3 + 4 = 7, DC 17 Ref. for half

Skarn raises his hands, and once again prays for the odds to be turned in their favor.

Prayer: You and each of your allies gain a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks, while each of your foes takes a –1 penalty on such rolls.

"Fianna, attack!"

The she-wolf lunges forward, attacking one of the gremlins.
Bite, PA, BS, Prayer @Red: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 211d6 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 17 if successful: Trip: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 21

Scarlet moves in quickly, before the Gremlins can respond!

Prayer/SA vs Flat footed
Attack 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24
Damage 1d4 + 4 + 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (2, 1) + 1 = 12

Boram recognises the creatures as Vexgit gremlins, small fey creatures with a tendency towards evil. As with most fey, they are resistant to weapons, with a vulnerability for cold iron.

Boram gets three more questions

Bram finds that gremlins are not very resistant to fire, though. One of the gremlins perishes, while two more look rather bad after the fire washes over them.

RFX: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
RFX: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
RFX: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Fianna bites straight through one of the creatures, while Scarlet deals a devastating slashing cut to one of the firmer ones.

Two of the gremlins flee through a portal, only to end up next to Fianna and Marra. The gremlin near Fianna steps back, then fires at the animal, while the other tries to gain some distance on Scarlet before firing at her.

Longbow, Fianna: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Longbow, Fianna: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 251d4 ⇒ 2

Longbow, Scarlet : 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Longbow, Scarlet : 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

---
Rhanloi
Scarlet
Boram
Marra
Skarn
---
Gremlin Blue (7)
Gremlin Yellow (7)
Gremlin Hunter - Cyan (12)
Gremlin Hunter - Purple (3)
---
---

Fianna gnaws fiercely at the closest gremlin, letting out the full extent of her rage.

Bite, PA, BS, Prayer @Pink: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 151d6 + 9 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 9 + 2 + 1 = 14 if successful: Trip: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 + 1 = 23