[PFS] GM Lithrac's Cosmic Captive (#8-00), subtier 10-11 (Inactive)

Game Master Cyril Corbaz

Avelina already finished casting and fired. Casting a metamagic spell as a spontaneous caster is one full-round action (like a full-round attack), not the same as a spell with a 1 round cast time. I can point you to the PRD if you want

Sorcerers and Bards: Sorcerers and bards choose spells as they cast them. They can choose when they cast their spells whether to apply their metamagic feats to improve them. As with other spellcasters, the improved spell uses up a higher-level spell slot. Because the sorcerer or bard has not prepared the spell in a metamagic form in advance, he must apply the metamagic feat on the spot. Therefore, such a character must also take more time to cast a metamagic spell (one enhanced by a metamagic feat) than he does to cast a regular spell. If the spell's normal casting time is a standard action, casting a metamagic version is a full-round action for a sorcerer or bard. (This isn't the same as a 1-round casting time.) The only exception is for spells modified by the Quicken Spell metamagic feat, which can be cast as normal using the feat.

Bolding is mine. And here is the link.

Again, Sorry

Adil freezes and dies.

The Shaitan still alive panic for a moment and then return to normal.

Diplomacy check. Please.

Saul pauses for a moment, then shakes the dust out of his eyes.

He cocks his head, scratches his chin, then taps himself with a wand of comprehend languages.

He mutters a quick prayer under his breath. "Luck of Cayden, might of Gorum, protect this man of two worlds such that he may be the emissary between each."

He carefully drops his weapon and stands with his hands visible, palms outward. "She who enslaved you is dead. You are free. I am Silver Crusader Solomon Goodman... we have no quarrel with you now."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (14) + 21 = 35

Solomon, you see that the Shaitan does his best to understand you. With your smooth words and gentle ways, you present yourself to him as someone who is not an enemy.

The power of the wand helps you to know what sort of thing his kin had suffer under Adil's rule. They were just tool for her.

After a while, he explains that he knows there is some sort of being or entity imprison here. Something powerful enough that the elemental gods’ minions are obliged to cooperate to stop any invader to free the prisoner.

Lately, he heard this entity have created air on the asteroid. Also, the Shaitan have help in the maintenance of his prison. He gives you some clues to open it. On the other hand, he is not sure of their values.

Saul sighs. "Alright everyone, gather round and let's prepare ourselves for what's to come."

He motions for the shaitan to join, and lines up the party next to the shaitan that Fandral knocked out nonlethally. "So... sounds like an entity of air is trapped here... on an airless star-rock."

He produces his tinwhistle and begins a melody that seems to keep time with the beating of everyone's heart. The ground lights up at his feet, and at the feet of the party, beginning with Sielan and working its way outward to Avelina and the surviving Shaitan. As it starts he begins to sing a song brought to his mind by the children of earth coupled with his desire for a good ale.

"There's men, underground
Who have never seen the sun
But they really know how to party"

He raises his flute, quickens the pace, and begins a chorus.

"They raise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning...
They raise their wooden pints and they yoik and sing
And they fight and dance 'till the morning!"

Between 3 rounds of performance, lingering performance, and another path of glory, that should heal the full party.

Me, Sielan, Avelina, and Imbroglio Fast heal 12 and heal for 101
Svetlana and Fandral Fast heal 12 and heal for 90
The good shaitan Fast heal 12 and heal for 79

"Thank you, all of you. Wasn't sure if I could take much more of a beating from her. Hope everyone else is doing fine cause I feel like I lucked out to end up with all of you."

"Indeed, thank you, Solomon. You sing a very good song."

"Many thanks friend Vinnie! You can come see my show at my theater whenever I'm not on one of these... outrageous expeditions."

He adopts a more somber tone, grimaces, and looks forward. "That assumes I come out of here alive. Look sharp friends, the vault is ahead, but my powers are beginning to wane."

★ - OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT - ★

The asteroid groans as if an invisible weight had been lifted from it, leaving the air cleaner and breathing easier. The reassuring breeze emanating from tunnels suddenly drops in intensity, leaving a feeble stream that whistles weakly as it drifts off into space. A moment later, portals wreathed in tumbling stone open all across the asteroid, and Sorrina Westyr urgently beckons everyone to come through.

“We've truly grabbed the scorpion by the tail. Whatever entity was holding us at bay has loosened its grip, but it has redirected its efforts to cutting off the source of air that allows us to survive in this place. The path forward is no longer filled with lethal energy. We have at most…an hour or two before we must return home or face asphyxiation. But if we press forward and find the source of the air, I believe it is tied to whatever captive is imprisoned here. Our portal minders will stand ready in case we need to evacuate quickly.”

Sorrina leads the assembled Pathfinders toward the edge of an immense, steeply sloped tunnel that descends into a miles-wide, spherical cavern. A crude stone fortress floats near the cave's center as if it were a rocky sun, and enormous slabs of earth orbit it like a miniature asteroid belt. These slabs gravitate inward toward the fortress, but periodic blasts of air slow their approach and cast the jagged masses back toward the edge of the cavern. Each gust is slightly weaker than the last.

Robed figures cling to the rocky slabs and chant loudly, as if empowering the stone. Unimpressed, Sorrina Westyr casts a spell at one of the distant cultists and flings him off his crude platform.

“Aiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee!” The cultist screams, arms and legs askew as he hurtles toward the fortress and collides with its surface with a faint splat.

“Woo hoo, Bullseye!” Drandle Dreng claps, then goes back to organizing a party of Pathfinders who are busily unpacking knotted ropes. “Hurry, there’s not a moment to lose!”

“We must get to that fortress,” Sorrina announces before signaling others to lower knotted ropes down to the cavern. “Clear off the opposition, then we'll make our way inside. I find it reassuring that whatever lies within the fortress has an aura of good, and no doubt seeks our aid.”

Part III Begins!
We have 25 of the 150 Clues We Need -- Now, go find the rest!

A rune-scribed floating island begins drifting beneath the tunnel and brushing against the lowered ropes. "These rocky fragments gravitate toward the fortress,” Sorrina shouts as she hangs from a rope. “If we can cling on before it travels out of reach, it should carry it toward our destination." The iceberg-sized rock spins slightly, revealing a host of undead cultists that cease their chanting, point toward the Pathfinders, and let loose unholy wails.

"Now!" cries the Master of Spells, and agents begin rappelling down to the crude platform.

Unless all of you can fly several miles—attempting a controlled fall with feather fall is too dangerous due to the orbiting rocks that move in hard-to-predict orbits and are likely to crash into plummeting adventurers—you must help claim one of these islands to reach the fortress.

At the beginning of the encounter, you all begin suspended 15 feet above the surface of the rock, and must climb down the knotted rope or drop in order to reach the ground. Remember that you need both hands free to climb.

I just need to know if you plan to:

a. Bypass the encounter by flying or falling (requires well over 2000 squares of flying to reach the bottom).

b. Engage in the encounter and either climb the rope, jump, or find some other way down. (If you plan to wait and not try to descend right away, I should know that too.)

MAP 20 - The x shows where the rope touches the rock. The rock appears to be moving rapidly north to south from your current position. (Next round the x will be farther towards the top of the map.)

I have a pair of Boots of Levitation. I am hoping I can fall and activate them near the bottom in order to allow me to slow my fall to a survivable speed. Can I?

Saul looks down the steep descent, and looks back at Sielan. "Well... how many of us can you carry? Or for that matter how far down would we need to get ourselves before you can teleport us the rest of the way?"

Svetlana can make an uncontrolled fall down - Boots of the Cat means she will only take 20 damage, but that's ok - so if the decision is made to bypass, she can go for a leap and freefall it.

Saul looks at Svetlana as she stares down at her boots. "I guess that's certainly one way to handle this. Although only so long as you don't hit any debris on the way down... Avelina or Sielan, do either of you have any spells for flight that are more persistant than my own? I figure if 3 of us can make the journey the rest can hang on for the ride and give fire support. If things go too poorly than the hangers-on can use their snapleaf and hope the last stretch doesn't hurt too bad..."

If we have a couple more flight spells, Saul, Sielan, and Svetlana sure seem strong enough to handle a piggybacker.

I'm willing to burn a scroll of teleport to bypass an encounter. My consumable expenditures for the adventure have been graciously low, thanks to my class ability. I can get myself and three other people with a scroll, so two will need alternate methods

I'll continue to turn ooc comments into in-character dialogue =P

Saul watches as Avelina thumbs through her scrolls and raises his eyebrows when she pauses on 'teleport.'

"Well... that would certainly work. I'm sure Sielan would have no trouble making the flight, then either Svetlana or I can take the trip alongside him."

He smirks. "Sielan can carry either of us I'm sure, and both of us have our respective... emergency contingency plans in case we're dropped... but somehow I suspect Sielan would far prefer to escort a lady." He laughs out loud before continuing. "But I certainly wouldn't mind being carried by a dashing hero myself!"

Watching the oncoming chaos he cuts his joking quickly. "All right... either way I'd rather not deal with that incoming mess... Pathfinders... Explore, Report, Cooperate, and look amazingly badass while doing it!"

With that he readies himself for whichever solution is preferred.

Sielan looks cover at the party before evaluating the fall again. "Could try the teleport from here, but there is always risk that I'll miss the mark. That could go bad or real bad if Desna is smiling or laughing. We would need to be a lot closer before I can be accurate. Either way I think I can only bring half the party with me."

I have teleport prepared, but take the same number as Avenlina.

"Unless people can drop a few pounds I don't think I could carry more than one person at a time, if that even."

Sielan ponders a bit more.

"There may be a way. It may not last a trip both ways and I've never tried it before, much less carrying anyone with me. I just would need to use a little magic to become giant for a while. Hard to tell if the magic would last the whole way though."

This would mean either using extended enlarge person to increase carrying capacity/area (to 1040 lb) for the duration of the flight. At the optimistic view, this will allow transport for 2160 squares of movement. Otherwise my carrying capacity is 400 pounds not including my own gear (which probably is around 100).

"Hmm, so you're suggesting freefall, crack our snapleaves to level out, and use a short range teleport to stick the landing?"

"I'll be good to carry anyone. I just know though I'm never going to live down the tales if I do drop anyone.

"I would be up for a free fall, that sounds fun, but can't say it sounds fair since you are the ones that will be falling and once you crack them, I might be the only that'll be able to see everyone. Lot of things would need to not go wrong there."

I'm good with attempting to teleport, or any other plan that people are comfortable with.

"Alternatively, I could use a couple of shorter range transportation spells, similar to how I did in the last battle. We would need to Have Faith in the Inheritor and fall for a bit before we would be in range."

She holds a dainty finger to her chin as calculations flash behind her eyes.

"I could get almost 1700 feet. Over two casts of Transposition of Holy Entourage." Judging by her previous statements, she's likely referring to dimension door, or a similar spell effect.

Saul goes wide eyed at Sielan's reticence. "Friend Sielan... we are in SPACE... on an ASTEROID... with an imprisoned entity of IMMENSE power. Being defended by LEGIONS of DEADLY foes. Lots of things have needed to not go wrong for us to be alive right now... I'm more than willing to bet on a few more going right. Either way it seems like my talents will be a bit less helpful in this descent so as for me..."

He pulls out his warhorn.

"I'll announce our path to the rest of the society... those who can keep up may find it helpful."

Perform (Wind): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27
Perform (Song): 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (3) + 21 = 24

Levitation is not feather fall. Suddenly arresting your momentum with the spell will hurt.

While it's hard to make out from here, something appears to cause the surface below to shift every so often meaning your intended destination may not exist when you teleport.

It's about 2 miles to the bottom, 10560 feet or 2112 squares. In light or no armor it would take 88 rounds to reach the bottom with a fly spell. In medium or heavy armor, it would take 132 rounds. You can cut that time by running while flying, but then you have the penalties for running.

The rocks are moving about rapidly. Unless you are trained to avoid such hazards (evasion) you will take some damage (reflex half).

Timing a snapleaf is possible, but tricky as you are falling at 500 feet per round and the duration of a snapleaf only covers 300 feet of falling.

Good ideas, but there is likely some risk with any of the paths you take.

Ugh...with all that in mind, we might just need to do this the hard way. I'm happy using normal teleport, but I'm not willing to burn my CL 18 greater teleport scroll on this, if that's what it sounds like it would take. That girl is the "get the hell out of dodge" button for the most dire of emergencies.

I would agree, as tempted as I am to try to leverage my flight or teleportation, I think that we can take on the problems with less chance of catastrophic failure for the group as a whole.

"If we take one of the islands, it might make it easier for others to follow us."

"True... and not only that if things look dire than we can use her teleportation as a fall back plan..."

Saul prepares his polearm. "Let's do this!"

10 rounds (60 seconds) in freefall :p

Svetlana looks at the jump, the stoic Hellknight face showing no concern for the fall if it comes to that.

"Ready to follow"

"In that case I'll cover you all as you climb. I'll be happy to take the hits for you all."

Sielan calls an arcane word of change to activate his bracers again to switch back to his lighter armor so he can freely exercise his magic. With an incantation he grows gaining the proportions of a giant.

"Need to be a much bigger target to make sure to cover everyone."

Casting enlarge person on self with rod of lesser extend spell and false life.

False Life Temp HP: 1d10 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Sielan shakes off the chill the spell gives when he casts it and takes position flying ahead of the party.

Everyone else waiting for Sielan to cast spells?

Pretty much. Svetlanas default is rope, but if it all gets funky she'll just 'drop ship' down

Good plan Sielan, like how you think. With that Fandral gets ready to climb.

As Sielan finishes his spells, you notice the landing point of your rope has migrated about 40 feet from its original position. You know there isn't much time left before it completely misses the rock.

To make matters worse, creatures begin to emerge from rock, two creatures with a bite that looks like rows of sharks teeth and clawed hands with very long fingers.

The other, is a more familiar creature, the incorporeal undead known as a pharaonic guardian.

Knowledge (religion)

If you climb down the rope, you can land in any of the squares touching the X on the map (green zone). If you jump down you can land in any square in the two rows the X is touching (red zone). If you are flying, you can easily reach any square, just start counting your movement from the red zone.

If you want to do any prep in the two rounds Sielan is taking, then post it.

T1 (delay)
Fandral
T2
Svetlana
Sielan (+14 hp)
Solomon
Avelina
PG
Imbroglio

Religion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

I've got nothing before seeing them. Once we start I'll be using my last 3rd level spell to give people ghost rager again though. If anyone else has a good way to rip through another guardian workout reading negative levels let me know.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Fandral pulls out the snapleaf that was given, and activates it. He then lets go of the rope and begins to descend.

He lands on the grounds safely and invisible, nice touch, did not realize the snapleaf did that. Once on the ground he draws his cutlass and moves to the rock for cover. half speed so no penalty

stealth to hide behind rock formation while invisible: 1d20 + 40 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 40 + 6 = 57

Fandral
T1 (delay)
T2 (delay)
Svetlana
Sielan (+14 hp)
Solomon
Avelina
PG
Imbroglio

Considering our current positioning, I think I'll hold off on casting flexible fury until we have better positioning and we see what all we're up against.

Saul signals the start of another life and (un)death struggle with a sharp blast of his warhorn.

Starting Raging Song again.
For those who accept the rage: +4 Str, +4 Con, Fast Healing 4, + Level to jump, 1 flight per rage, May take standard action in the middle of movement.
For everyone: +1d6 sonic damage per hit

With that, he leaps down to the ground below, polearm at the ready.

Acrobatics + Raging Leaper + Furious Weapon: 1d20 - 2 + 11 + 4 ⇒ (19) - 2 + 11 + 4 = 32

Leaping as a move action, considered to have a running start. Not sure how far from the marked locations that can get me, but I'd like to end up behind some cover from the flaming death wing ghost murder machine.

"Well Avelina... let's hope the Inheritor can bring down some divine wrath on that guardian. Otherwise we'll do this Gorum's way."

Anywhere up to 6 squares south of the red box is where you can get with that jump.

Sielan flies toward the guardian intent on stopping it before it starts.

"I don't have any divine blessings, but that isn't going to stop me from trying my luck!"

Accept rage. Charge forward to the guardian and strike it with holy glaive. Power Attack. Arcane Strike.

Attack: 1d20 + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 - 3 + 2 = 27
Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 1 + 2 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 9 + 1 + 2 + 9 + 2 = 26
Holy Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6
Sonic Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Prep - Protection from Evil

Svetlana uses the song to fly in and around the creature - then lashes once in cold fury!

PA/FF, Overhand Chop, Raging, Ghost touch
Attack 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 18 + 2 = 25
Damage 1d10 + 11 + 9 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 11 + 9 + 3 + 3 = 36

No ghost rager yet, unless you have another way of getting ghost touch. Needed to get off of that rock too.

Also...
Sonic damage if Svetlana hits: 1d6 ⇒ 1

"Cayden's luck and Gorum's might has always worked for me."

Avelina casts Mirror Image in the two rounds of prep for: Images: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 images, for seven total targets when someone tries to attack her

Also, since her lesser intensify rod is expended now, she will take it out of her gloves of storing and place it in her haversack

Knowledge (religion) w/heroism on mouthy things: 1d20 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 11 + 3 = 28
Spell resistance and damage reduction, please

"Those undead with the mouths are totenmaskes! They are shapechangers, so watch out for any trickery!"

Avelina momentarily considers staying above and raining down spells, but the movement of the rock makes such an idea foolhardy.

She snaps her snapleaf and jumps down, landing safely behind the front line of battle.

I think the snapleaf is an immediate action so you should still have a standard.

It is, but I dont want to give up my invisibility yet until there's another *visible* target between me and the nearby totenmaske, and I don't have any other non-offensive spells to cast with only a single standard action

Silly question... are any of these guys wielding weapons?

Never mind, this is not my character with pilfering hand... That's my occultist...

-Posted with Wayfinder

Avelina recalls that Totenmaskes have no SR or DR.

The guardian is carrying a longsword.

The two totenmaskes move towards Svetlana, trying to roll under the swings of her polearm.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (6) + 16 = 22
Bite: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25
Bite: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

I need a will save from Svetlana.

Svetlana can take AoOs against both totenmaskes.

Will: 1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 3 = 26

Svetlana feels the guardian trying to probe her mind, but is able to shut it out for now.

The guardian attacks with his sword. Only the first attack connects. Despite this creature being incorporeal, the sword feels very real.
Attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (10) + 19 = 29
Damage: 2d6 + 10 ⇒ (2, 6) + 10 = 18

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Imbroglio
Fandral (invisible)
Svetlana (83/109 hp) - Can take AoOs vs T1, T2 - Will save required.
Sielan (+14 hp)
Solomon
Avelina (invisible, mirror image: 6)
T1
T2
PG (-34 hp)

If Svetlana fails that save I'll give her a saving finale.

"All right Pathfinders... Destroy that ghastly abomination!"

Saul casts flexible fury for his last time today to give everyone ghost rager. Make that thing super not alive please. He'll also cycle his rage for good measure, allowing Svetlana to fly again.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Sielan tries to hold his position in the air to strike down the guardian.

Fly: 1d20 + 7 + 2 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 7 + 2 + 4 = 27

Solomon's Rage, arcane strike

Attack 1: 1d20 + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 25
Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6, 8) + 9 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 28
Holy vs Evil: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10
Sonic: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Attack 2: 1d20 + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 5 ⇒ (11) + 17 - 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 - 5 = 27
Damage: 2d8 + 9 + 1 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (1, 2) + 9 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 17
Holy vs Evil: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 1) = 3
Sonic: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Have Prot Evil up :)
Will 1d20 + 9 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 3 + 2 = 26

Svetlana has her mental fortitude in full force, and she lashes out at the creatures - clearly her mind is focussed on carnage and destruction. The battlerage making the incorporeal creature seem that much more firm.

AOO
TM 1
PA/Raging
Trip 1d20 + 18 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 18 - 3 + 2 = 30

AOO
TM 2
PA/Raging
Trip 1d20 + 18 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 18 - 3 + 2 = 37

Hoping that is two trips!

She then gets back to slaying the primary foe after a minor re-position

PA+FF,Raging, Ghost touch
Attack 1d20 + 18 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 18 - 3 + 2 = 28
Damage 1d10 + 11 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 9 + 3 = 24

Attack 1d20 + 13 - 3 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 13 - 3 + 2 = 24
Damage 1d10 + 11 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 9 + 3 = 30

Saul really wants that ghost dead. If any ally misses an attack on it he'll use timely inspiration to add 2 to the attack after the fact.

-Posted with Wayfinder

Avelina trods up the small hill, grumbling about having to climb.

At the top, she holds out a hand in front of her with another by her cheek, as she mimes nocking arrows. As she is invisible, she doesn't expect anyone to see her doing this, but does so anyways as she believes it to be part of the process of casting this particular spell, Volley of Holy Arrows Magic Missile. She looses the missiles at the Pharaonic Guardian and pops back into sight. She claps and grins, clearly pleased with herself.

"Surprise! Shooting Holy Arrows from stealth, just like some kind of Holy Archer. How delightful!"

Volley of Holy Arrows Magic Missile: 5d4 + 5 ⇒ (4, 1, 2, 2, 1) + 5 = 15