(PFS) GM Alice's First Steps Part II: To Delve the Dungeon Deep [Group 1] (Inactive)

Game Master Alice Margatroid

"Let's move on" agrees Elysia. She then moves to the door, but does not go through.

The door on the left side of the corridor appears to be stuck. You notice some mildly pungent black mould growing around its outer edges; it's likely that's what's caused the blockage.

DC 15 Strength check needed to open.

Li wrinkles his nose at the black growth. "Does anyone know what that is? he asks.

Khale braces himself and pushes against the door.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Exhaling sharply, he tries again.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Looking back at the group, he says, "I felt it give that time. One more try should do it."

He sets up again, puts his shoulder against the door, and pushes as hard as he can!

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Khale pushes on the door a couple of times, loosening the debris around it before he finally manages to push it free of its constraints. Rubbish and black mould choke the far end of the chamber beyond. The slightest movement kicks up dust and spores, choking the stagnant and already foul-smelling air.

The paladin gingerly moves into the room, cautiously looking about. Apart from the rubbish in the corner, it seems to be otherwise nondescript and uninteresting. Just as you plan to leave, Arithas catches sight of something strange beneath the piles of black mould... a faint luminescence and the chitter of insectoid mandibles. He's not going to be surprised again!

Initiative: Arithas | (Li) | Beetles | (Bendaxalon) | (Triccio) | (Khale) | (Elysia)

OOC
Arithas, you spotted the beetles and rolled a higher initiative than them, so you can move in the surprise round before them.

Caught near the back of the pack, Trig tries to see what's going on in the room.

Go get them Khale!

Elysia peers around everyone else. She keeps Poe close, on her shoulder, but looking behind.

Li lights a torch.

Unfortunately, I can't see the map at work. In an effort to keep the game going, can our wonderful DM just move Khale within melee range, and I'll roll an attack below?

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Whoosh, goes Khale's glaive as he swings at one of the vermin!

"I hate bugs!" Arithas mumbles as he walks into the room, preparing another bomb on the way. Once in position, he lobs it at the the blue beetle, praying to Nethys that is makes its mark this time.
Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Damage: 1d6 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 hits Touch AC 24! Splash Damage 6, DC15 Ref for half
Arithas smiles as he watches the bomb connect and go off.

You can't move and attack (surprise round), but with that 24 you'll hit even with cover from the door in play.

Initiative: Arithas | Li | Beetles | Bendaxalon | Triccio | (Khale) | (Elysia)

Status
Beetle (Blue): Dead
Beetle (Red): 3 damage
Beetle (Green): 3 damage

Khale: 2 damage

Arithas wastes no time lobbing a bomb at the bugs he spotted in the corner. There's a strange and almost delicious scent of foreign cuisine as one of the bugs is completely wiped off the planet, sizzled away into a charred husk. The others seem to be on their last legs, their exoskeletons severely burned.

In a rage of pain and hunger, the beetles rush mindlessly at Khale and Bendy. The gnome deftly sidesteps one's clacking mandibles, but Khale feels a jolt of pain as the other's pincers close around his lower leg. (2 damage)

Arithas and Li may go - sorry about the awkwardness of the initiative in this battle, guys. A light hit on the bugs will kill them, though.

oops! totally forgot I was in the surprise round there!
Arithas thought he moved into the room, apparently his mind still a little weak from the poison. Shaking it off, he notices the beetles have moved, and a bomb could hit Khale. He decides to take the less risky action, and draws his rapier, weighing it in his hand. Satisfied, he hurls it at the red beetle!
Attack(ThrowAnything): 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 - 4 = 11
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (5) - 1 = 4

Li simply stomps on one of the little bugs.

Li's stomp: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 131d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Much to everyone's... surprise? Confusion? Arithas attempts to use his rapier like a javelin and throws it at one of the beetles. Unfortunately, swords are not designed as thrown weapons, and the blade simply sticks into the ground beside his target.

Li deftly moves into the room and squashes one of the two beetles under his foot - eww, gross! Bug guts splatters everywhere.

The remaining bug tries in vain to chomp down on Bendy again, but its severe injuries are making it difficult for it.

Alright, so long as one of you hits AC 12 and does at least 2 damage, this combat will be over, as an fyi. :P

"Would have been interesting," says Li to Arithas as he tries and fails to stomp down on the last insect.

Li's stomp: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 41d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"Ahh! Bugs!" Bendaxalon stumbles backward away from the beetle, instinctively creating a little blob of caustic material out of nowhere and throwing it at the over-sized vermin, while clutching his flask of alchemist's acid like a talisman.

NA: 5' step down
MA: Draw acid flask
SA: Cast acid splash
Ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Acid damage: 1d3 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Bendy disintegrates what's left of the last bug. The room falls quiet again.

Arithas wanders over to pick up his sword and to take a look around. "Yeah, it would have been interesting had it hit, Li. I'm just so used to throwing bombs...
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Perception 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Elysia does not spot anything unless someone hands it to her or points it out.

Perception 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Trig spots "a small bundle of four half-buried trade agreements; all are written in Kelish, and so are handed off to Elysia to translate. One of the agreements is between one Taliq Asad, the self-styled Satrap of Kortos, and a band of pirates that roamed the Inner Sea centuries ago. The other three are between Asad and a trio of Katapeshi merchants, surely all long dead."

Casting detect magic he also notices "a small sack containing 200 silver pieces and a set of well-made bronze bracers decorated with weaving vine patterns buried beneath the rubble. (They detect as magic; Spellcraft DC 22 to identify.)"

That takes care of the spoilers. Someone else is going to have to ID them. I have got to get Trig some spellcraft points.

Oh, and nice job on the combat.

They are items and they are magical, that means +11

Spellcraft 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14

Wow, that extra +2 made one heck of a difference, lol.

"These are magical, but I have no idea what they do." Elysia hands the bracers over to whomever wants them.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

"They're... umm... agh, it's right on the tip of my tongue. Oh, this is going to bug me all day!" The colorful little gnome walks out of the room to the next door, still muttering.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22
"Oh! I know what they are! They're...!"

"...bracers of armor!" (Of the +1 variety in particular.)

Bendy leading the charge across the hall, then?

"Somebody better catch Bendy before he gets himself in trouble,"

Trig follows the gnome.

Li scrapes bug goo off his boots before following the pack.

Arithas slides on the bracers and follows the party.

Elysia follows the crowd.

Khale shakes his head and smiles while moving along with the group.

FYI Arithas, that's an armour bonus so it won't stack with your leather armour. But they're certainly stylish, so I don't blame you. ;)

Bendaxalon impatiently leads the way through the next door (which is, thankfully, not stuck this time). The subsequent room looks like it was once a scribing chamber. The remains of many desks are scattered about, and amid the rubble is a number of long-dried inkwells, other writing utensils, and scraps of paper. These things are covered with black mould and patches of light green mushrooms.

Amid a particularly thick patch of fungus in the south-east sits a pale and crusty frog-like humanoid. It trembles and twitches as it stands and lurches forward. His skin is patchy and dry, like a squid left out in the sun and sand. His bulbous eyes open, and blinding light stabs out from them. Those closest to the bright light feel a stabbing pain like looking at the sun for too long. It certainly doesn't look friendly!

Initiative: Frog | Bendaxalon | Khale | Elysia | Li | Arithas | Triccio

Status
Bendaxalon: 6/8 HP
Khale: 11/13 HP
Triccio: 7/9 HP

Everyone with line of sight to the frog creature (currently Arithas, Khale, and Bendy) must make a DC 13 Fortitude save every round you remain within 30 feet. If you move within 30 feet and have line of sight, also make the save. A failure means you are blinded.

Excepting the initial saves from the above three, you can choose to keep your eyes open normally (and make your save normally each round), keep your eyes closed (gaining the penalties of being blind - but at least you can still see if you need to), or squint (giving you a 50% chance of avoiding the blindness save, but also giving you a 50% miss chance on attacks. Roll the d100 with your post - 51+ means you avoid the blindness save.)

The frog-like beast lumbers forward, giant eyes gleaming with blinding light! It uses the momentary dazzling to bite a chunk out of Bendy! (2 damage)

Know(arcana) 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Li can't see what's happening, but he knows a brilliant light has flared up in the room ahead. Drawing his bow, he dashes into the room, squinting hard and firing at anything that isn't a Pathfinder.

Using Perfect Strike.

First roll: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Second roll: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Avoid save roll: 1d100 ⇒ 66
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 18

That would have been a hit for 6 damage, but it misses due to the squinting. But Li avoids having to make a save

Lol i know it doesn't stack , but they do make me look fabulous, don't they? I only put 'em cause no one else spoke up. If anyone wants 'em they are free game!
Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Arithas is blinded! He moves to his left, where he knows no one or anything is to get out of the way! My dice rolling has been terrible lately... In RL and online!

Fort vs. DC 13: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 Success
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Still muttering to himself, unaware that Arithas figured it out behind him, Bendaxalon thoughtlessly opens the door. "Bracers of amour? No... Aiee, a blindheim!" He recognizes the creature instantly. "Bright but not smart!" Nimbly dancing away from the aggressive amphibian, the pyromaniac gnome squints really hard and blasts the room with fire.

Chance to avoid save: 1d100 ⇒ 50 Failure
5' step up and left (moved self already)
Cast burning hands down and right
Fire damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 2 = 4

Knowledge: Arcana 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19

Elysia five foot steps forward one square, spots the creature and recognizing it, tries to squint.

"It's a blindheim!"

1d100 ⇒ 12

1d20 ⇒ 19

Squinting like mad, she then begins summoning a viper
(Will be available next round and may last for two rounds).

Fort Save DC 13: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Khale grabs his eyes, "AH! The creature's blinding light has taken my sight!"

What's the duration?

Bendy and Elysia got some good Knowledge rolls, so they'd probably be able to tell you it's about an hour. (Yes, you're reading that right.)

This fight is (imo) the most challenging in the module. That constant blind save is a killer! When I last played, 5/6 of the party was blind by the end of it... haha.

I'll allow you to make Perception checks to locate where the creature is, not sure what the DC would be offhand though... let me look at that for a tic.

OK: an invisible creature (+20 to Perception) in combat (-20 to Perception) sums out to a DC of 0 plus distance mods (+1 per 10 ft). Blinded gives you -4 on Perception checks though, not to mention the total concealment. And pinpointing is a move action. I think that seems fair enough. What do you think?

sounds like DC = 4 + 1/10 feet and move action to pinpoint, 50% miss chance yes? This should be easy ;)

I appreciate the effort in trying to keep the blinded people engaged. What about attacking to aid another? Same thing?

If you're in position to make a melee attack on an opponent that is engaging a friend in melee combat, you can attempt to aid your friend as a standard action. You make an attack roll against AC 10.

So, yeah, you need to be able to pinpoint the blindheim "to be in position to make a melee attack", and I do think that the total concealment would apply as well - after all it's a lot harder to defend an ally or distract an enemy when you can't see them. Of course that AC 10 is a lot easier to hit :)

Madam DM, I'd like to rebuild my first level character RIGHT NOW!

Yeah, like that's happening.

Slipping past Li Shuo, Trig wades into the fight. Squinting against the brightness, he swings his quarterstaff low at the blindheim's legs.

squint 1d100 ⇒ 95
miss 1d100 ⇒ 5

Q-staff 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10 ... damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Initiative: Blindheim | Bendaxalon | Khale | Elysia | Li | Arithas | Triccio

Status
Arithas: blinded
Bendaxalon: 6/8 HP
Khale: 11/13 HP; blinded
Triccio: 3/9 HP

Blindheim: 2 damage

Bendy's Fort Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Maybe it's the distraction from the bright light on his darkness-seeing eyes, but Bendy's spell seems a lot weaker than usual. The fire flickers over the top of the blindheim, but the white toad seems to avoid the worst of it.

Khale, you didn't give me an action yet; feel free to take it with your round 2 actions if you intend to do anything.

Elysia begins chanting, a glowing summoning circle appearing in the air nearby. Li moves past her into the room, but in his attempts to squint against the blinding light, his perfectly-aimed arrow whizzes harmlessly overhead. Arithas stumbles out of the way, reeling from the pain in his eyes. Triccio moves in with his staff, but his blow is weak and slightly off target.

Elysia, I put a snake token on the map. I presumed you'd probably summon it into the square the blindheim is in, but you should be able to make it move elsewhere if you prefer. Remember that it also needs to make blindness saves... and is probably not smart enough to know to squint.

The blindheim croaks loudly and turns its gaze towards the person who had just tried to whack it with a rather large stick. It lunges at Trig, though the bard is able to nimbly avoid the worst of it, only scoring a painful swipe across his upper thigh. (4 damage)

Still squinting, Bendaxalon realizes that if he doesn't get closer, he'll have to either fry Arithas or use a more targeted attack. Sighing at the inconvenience, the little gnome decides to figuratively pick himself up with some wordplay. Stepping forward, he orders, "Croak less literally, froggie!" The gout of flame that he spurts in its ugly face is again less impressive than the one that fried the kobolds.

Chance to avoid save: 1d100 ⇒ 99 -- I've got 99 problems, but "go blind" ain't one.
5' step to the right
Cast burning hands down and right, on the defensive
Concentration vs. DC 17 (Abendego Spellpiercer): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18 -- Success!
Fire damage (Reflex DC 14 for half): 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 2 = 4 -- Noooo! Not again...

arithas has nothing to do in this combat...

There are things you can try and do. You might not have a high chance of succeeding, but you can try - and that's better than passing each round. At the very least you can be a flanking buddy. Think creatively!

Arithas moves into the room and tries again to throw his rapier at the blindheim!
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d6 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 that blows.
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 54

[b]"Urgh!" Trig looks down at his bleeding thigh and staggers back. Closing his eyes he begins a healing song.

5' step back. and cure light wounds.

CLW 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 Brings current HP back to 8, almost good as new.

Li continues to fire at the blindheim.

Flurry of blows, with precise shot

First attack: 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 3 - 1 = 5
Second attack: 1d20 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 1 = 18

Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Avoid save roll: 1d100 ⇒ 16
Miss Chance: 1d100 ⇒ 19

Didn't avoid save. Did miss because of squint.

Fortitude Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Yep. Blinded.

Sorry, got sick; same action both rounds

Round One
Perception: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (18) - 4 = 14
Attack, glaive, 2h, power attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 5 - 1 = 21
Damage, glaive, 2h, power attack: 1d10 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 2 = 12
50% miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 98

Round Two
Perception: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (14) - 4 = 10
Attack, glaive, 2h, power attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 - 1 = 8
Damage, glaive, 2h, power attack: 1d10 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 6 + 2 = 13
50% miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 20