[PFS] GM Doug's Down the Verdant Path (Closed) (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

Everything seems fine. The mound is five feet up (difficult terrain to get onto). The bags hanging in the trees have auras of strong transmutation.

"Hm. Well, if that's it, let's go get it and leave this place."

Kahru moves up onto the mound to examine the nearest bag, Nokka following him ready to defend her friend.

No one rolled perception so I considered everyone to be taking 10. When Kahru walks up to the tree, it lashes out against him, and then begins choking him. Further, all of the plants on top of the mound start growing wildly.

slam +7: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Grab(Grapple): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

Constict: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Kahru is surprised by a vine and getting constricted. The party may act.

Everything on top of the hill is under the effects of an entangle spell Kahru has taken 25 HP of damage..

Kokoyuki
Kahru (grappled)
Oiur
Eugressia
Plant thing

Seeing the plants rise up and attack his friend, Kokoyuki steps forward and his charred hands erupt into a cone of flames.

Concentration Check: 1d20 + 1 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 1 + 4 = 22

Burning Hands: 3d4 ⇒ (2, 4, 3) = 9 DC 15 Reflex save for half

Kokoyuki climbs the bank, enters the area of weird foliage unperturbed, and fries the vine choking Kahru!

Inside the vines appear ropes of flame, as if fire itself is infecting them.

Since it failed its save, it will catch on fire and continue to burn for 1d4 rounds, thanks to Kokoyuki's Burning Magic revelation, taking 1 point of burn at the start of its round. It can spend a move action to gain another save.

Rounds of Burn: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Grappled and unable to use his earthbreaker, Kahru savagely bites at the encroaching vines.

Bite (primary), power attack: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 1 = 19
Damage, power attack: 1d6 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 6 + 3 = 10

Nokka leaps to Kahru's defense. 5ft step to the nearest threatening square and full attack. Actually opened up Hero Lab instead of running of the profile and realized I've been using numbers for Nokka that didn't include power attack. I feel like an animal that has power attack always power attacks (whether it's a good idea or not), so I'll be using those numbers from now on.

bite, power attack vs. grappling?: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 - 1 = 11
damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

claw 1, power attack vs. grappling?: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 1 = 19
damage: 1d3 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

claw 2, power attack vs. grappling?: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 1 = 16
damage: 1d3 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Startled and badly hurt, Kahru growls as he chews vine; Nokka howls in either fear or exultation as her master masticates the enemy who so closely won.

the vine is dead — you are out of combat!

What will you do for the next 3 rounds? Kahru is badly hurt, and there are bindle bags in trees (DC
15 climb).

I need a post from everyone before we proceed, as we are still in rounds (just give me the next 3 rounds of action your character would do).

Oiur coughs and waves away acrid smoke. They approach Kahru and pull a wand of ruddy red stone from their belt pouch. "You all took care of things quick, but you still look hurt!" They look around nervously while stoking the wand's magic. "If this place is guarded by the Wild Hunt like Azure said, we may've just attracted some attention..."
However many charges you need—if I still have time, and an indication that bad stuff's coming, I'll cast moment of greatness.

You can have 3 rounds Oiur, please move accordingly towards Kahru and roll up to 3 uses of CLW if you have the action economy.

Since she can't help with healing Kahru, Eugressia casts monkey fish again (once you've succeeded at spell recollection, you know it for that whole day), and climbs up to get the bindle dripping colors.

Kahru scritches Nokka as she drops the lifeless plant. "Good girl." He steps painfully down off of the hill, his wounds making him stiff, then draws a vial of bitter red liquid and quickly chugs it. Some of his wounds begin to close as he leans wearily on his earthbreaker and scans for other threats.

potion of cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Turn 1: move down, draw potion.
Turn 2: drink potion, look for threats.
Turn 3: scan the treeline for threats.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Mrrrrrrn

Nokka nuzzles Kahru's hand and looks up with big round eyes, clearly worried about her friend.

Round 1: Move and retrieve wand.
Round 2: Use wand, 5 ft. step. 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Round 3: Use wand, 5 ft. step. 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Move to Kahru
Cast Cure Light Wounds on Kahru
Cure Light: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Draw tetsubo

1/5

A deep hunter's horn thunders from the woods. Stalking in from four of the paths are four humanoids. The path you entered by remains empty.

2/5

Outlanders and thieves! declares a muscular man with goats’ legs and glowing green eyes. Casting back his cloak to reveal curling horns atop his head, he continues, We of the Whirlwood wild hunt do hereby doom you unto death!

3/5
From another quadrant of the grove, a furry scout pipes up. Clortho, please. For all we know, they have been sent here by Ng, or another one of the Eldest.

4/5
Ssstuff it, Ronronne, hisses a third hunter. Why can’t we just agree to have a good old fashioned hunt, yesssss?

5/5
Because, Xox, says the wolflike fourth as it looks about, we cannot hunt without our full complement. Where is Daisag?

At the horn's call Oiur scrambles to readiness, but can do little more than stare agog at the strange figures' entry and banter.

Thin flames crawl high above wide emerald eyes. "Um. Hello?"

1/5

He waves off Oiur's words. Hmmm? Yes yes yes… we shall slay you post-haste. He begins to draw a bow…

2/5
The bunny-rabbit dreamily pipes in: Clortho. What if these can help us? What if this is another test?

3/5

Xox twitches. BAH! Tests! Remember the hunts of the bygone days? Remember the jabberwock we slayed? No tests. Just the pure joy of running down our quarry…

4/5
Garrow muses in a gruff voice. And now look at us. When we hunted, we were together. Where is Daisag? We should wait for her, then run these down at our leisure.

5/5
If you want to continue talking to them, I will need diplomacy, bluff, or intimidate rolls. You can be aided.

Someone feel anxious to take point? Eugressia is still up in a tree, but she can probably aid.

As these are fey creatures, there may be slightly different rules here for the consequences of engagement. Further, they may eventually get bored with too much hesitation, and outright attack. I'm still keeping you in loose rounds here, but don;t want to bog down any good RP.

I just want to encourage someone to step up and go for it!

I will later today!

Oiur tentatively raises a hand. "A test? One we might help with?" They smile as convincingly as they can manage. "We could make a trade—we help you with this test, you help us find our way out of here?"
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

”Please, we’re no threat to your lands! We’re just trying to help.”

Diplomacy to aid: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22

”Yes, we’re very helpful and would be glad to aid you in some way, as my friends here say.”

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

"Hm. Yes, no reason to fight."

Diplomacy, vs. non-shapechanger humanoid while changed: 1d20 - 2 - 4 ⇒ (8) - 2 - 4 = 2

Perhaps a large talking bear-man wielding a massive spiked hammer is not the best one to convince them of peaceful intentions.

1/6
Xox marches directly to Oiur, and puts his arm around them.

I can see how helpful you are — oh, yes I can! His breath smells like carrion.

He turns to the others and shouts, The finest kind of prey! They wish to trade with us! What say you? What will we trade? Shall we trade them in time? A head start in exchange for some fun?

2/6
The bunny thumps the earth and chiutters as he runs in circles. YES! CHEHEHEHEHEHE! A test, yes, a test it must be! A Test of the Best! CHEHEHEHEHEHE!! He bares his claws. The BESTEST TESTEST for the fastest! How fast will their lives run out? CHEHEHEHEHEHE!

3/6
Garrow lurches forward, teeth bared, growling: Like the glory of old! I thirst for it so…! All for Garrow — Daisag or no, a head start will do them no good!

4/6
Clortho deeply sighs and rubs his brows. These do not look best, or fine, or fast… at the least, they are the least we've faced.

He twirls a broken lute as he considers. While I posit we swiftly kill these of the least, these may at least provide some little entertainment. We should at least give them a little running start — it's only fair, and I am quite bored!

5/6
Xox shoves away from Oiur and grins. Run! He draws his bow. The claws on his hands gleam.

6/6
We're going back into rounds. Your diplomacy check earned you a head start. If you want to get your head start, you can take shortcuts, establish obstacles, or otherwise increase their distance from the hunters. Please tell me what you are doing and the associated skill (e.g. short cut is survival, establishing obstacles might be a strength check to knock a tree across the path, etc. Feel free to be creative or try to sell it!)

Clortho: 23
Kokoyuki: 20
Hunters: 16
Kahru: 9
Oiur: 8
Eugressia: 8

Clortho playes a saturnine tune on a broken set of pipes; it lingers in the forest gloom. He moves forward, watching watches the party as if ready to do something lest they take their head start.

As he steps forward the fickle season shifts — wild growth explodes everywhere! all terrain is difficult, and everyone will have a -2 penalty on melee attack rolls.

I am moving enemies on the map. We can do the chase in "theater of the mind" if you want. However if the group chooses to attack now, then we should stay on the map. You do not have to take them up on their offer, after all.

Kokoyuki is up.

Are we limited to those kind of options? For instance, say, could someone spend their 'head start' turn to finish healing Kahru?

Mechanically, the more you can delay them the more rounds you will have to prepare when they inevitably catch up. So, it's up to you: spend a round now to guarantee healing and guarantee they catch up faster, or try to delay them now. Everyone has 1 turn or skill check.

I see. Makes sense to try to slow them now, then.

Kahru tries to tear down a small tree, blocking the path behind the party.

Strength: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

And tries to get Nokka to help him:
Handle Animal (push), companion, harness, owlbear: 1d20 + 4 + 4 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 4 + 4 + 2 - 2 = 27

Nokka strength to aid: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

She's very helpful.

Oiur helps Eugressia down from the tree, makes sure the rainbow-dripping bindle is secure, and bolts. They dodge around Kahru, eyes wide and on the look out for some way to get space between the group and their pursuers.

"Ok. Ok, ok. Um." Dust motes dance in light streaming through the Grand Lodge's windows. Their neck twinges, recalling long hours bent over heavy tomes. "Right. Sure. First World. Mutable, shifting." Their breath comes hard and vast. "The, the, boundaries. Fabric. Fabric! Changes and can be changed. Maybe... there? Is that what that looks like?"

They hustle down the path, heading for what they hope is a ripple in reality through which they could pass.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

After running past a particularly dry patch in the path, Kokoyuki turns back and reaches out. The cracks in his charred black hands begin to glow a molten red as he touches the undergrowth and sets it on fire.

Kokoyuki uses a casting of his Touch of Flame ability to do Fire: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7 damage to some undergrowth and hopefully start a fire behind us!

Eugressia scurries down the tree and examines the surrounding flora for particularly flammable brush for Kokoyuki to target.

Knowledge (nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23

Dotting here because of an awkward page break.