PFS PbP #55 - The Infernal Vault (Inactive)

Game Master GM Aarvid

As you line up on the stairs, Zantir initiates his conversation as he moves closer to the bottom. Zantir and Flinders can peek from the top of the stairway into the large room and about 60' to the east, spot out two figures dressed similar to Janks and the other two Dragon Claw mercenaries flanking a doorway.

"Go check it out yourself! You know we cannot leave our post until she is finished."

From a male voice...

"Yo, Janks, who 'ave you got with you? I 'eard more footsteps on da stairs."

So much for that.

Zantir motions for Varg to follow him into the room. Then on a quick three count, they charge the foes in tandem. Rage.

Attack: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 26, Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Since I will be out when we hit round 2, I want to Battle Dance and then attack again with the +2 attack/damage.

When it seems the bluff is called, Maps activates his wand and stows it away.

Shield spell

Round 1, AC: 16 (Charge), HP: 37/38, Power Attack, Charge

As Zantir charges one of the guards at the door, Varg charges the other.

Axe ATT: 1d20 + 8 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 2 - 1 = 19
Axe DAM: 1d20 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 7 + 3 = 19

Actually the bluff 'was' working. They apparently just heard some extra sounds they questioned. :-) But now the gig is up as they say.

Flinders is already in the room.
Varg moves down the stairs so he and Zantir can prepare to charge...

Everyone else is 10' or higher up in the stairwell at the start of the round and can do a single move or action as part of the surprise. The charge will come as part of round 1.

====Initiative====

Varg, Flinders and Zantir notice the flicker of flame and movement from some of the sarcophogi in the north and south alcoves.

20-Varg
16-Maps
14-Alan
13-Flinders
10-Zantir
9-Zynep
8-Female Guard
6-Male Guard

20-Varg is up (can delay until same time as Zantir or go now)

Charge now, in gametime it all happens at once anyways, and They will not be going between our turns in initiative.

If Maps got the shield up before this he will move down the stairs. If not, activate the wand.

Varg charges into the room, covering the 60' of smokey floor so quickly, the guards have no time to react. He makes a mighty blow, splitting the armor and drawing blood from the female guard north of the door.

As he passed, he notices several skeletons had stood up on either side and appear to be on fire...

Maps, moves down the stairs onto the floor and creates a field of force from his wand.

Flinders can see skeletons moving in the north alcove, Maps can see into the southern alcove. Alan and Zynep cannot see into the room yet.

14-Alan (still in stairwell)
13-Flinders

Alan moves swiftly down the stair well, stopping when he realizes he cannot go any farther. Rope dart in hand he takes up a defensive position +6 AC

Flinders draws back his bow and fires an arrow at the guard not engaged with Varg.

Bow Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Edit: Forgot knowledge check.

KN: Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Alan moves down and defends against any attacks....he can now see the combatants.

Flinders takes aim with his bow and hits the male guard with an arrow, drawing blood and a shout of pain.

10-Zantir
9-Zynep

Zantir charges the male guard just hit by Flinder's arrow. He slashes him with his scimitar, drawing more blood from the mercenary.

Zynep moves down the stairs while drawing her whip. She slows her pace just a bit as she takes in the misty room before her. As she nears Alan, she looks to the skeletons to the north and to the south.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

She twirls the holy symbol between her breasts as she readies to blast all the undead with her holy light once they are in range.

Standard Action: Ready to Channel Positive energy against undead once they are all within 30' radius. Will DC 12 for half damage.

Channel Positive Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4

Zynep moves down the stairs and positions herself where she can blast the undead with divine power.

Two of the northern skeletons rush two towards Alan and another towards Varg.

Alan manages to avoid both slashes of fiery scimitars...one only due to his defensive stance.

Varg is not as lucky... dmg : 1d6 ⇒ 2 slash dmg : 1d6 ⇒ 4 fire

Belatedly, Flinders calls out, Careful they will burn those in close proximity.

The southern group of skeletons go...with one heading for Zynep, one for Alan and the last towards Zantir.

The first one rounds the corner and slashes into Zynep for scimitar: 1d6 ⇒ 1 and fire: 1d6 ⇒ 4

The last goes the other way and hacks into Zantir for scimitar: 1d6 ⇒ 2 and fire: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Finally the female guard "Who the #(*(!@* are you buggers and what happened to Janks?"

She slashes at Varg with her longsword...

Slashing Varg across the leg for 10pts.

Meanwhile, the male guard stabs at the dancing Zantir in front of him...

Slashing Zantir at the collar for 8pts.

"Take that you twirlin' ba$tard! You do not mess with the claws!"

==== Round 2 =====
26-North Skeletons
21-South Skeletons
20+Female Guard (delayed until after skeletons)
20+Male Guard (delayed until after skeletons)

20-Varg
16-Maps
14-Alan
13-Flinders
10-Zantir
9-Zynep

=============

Varg is up and takes fire: 1d6 ⇒ 4 burning from the heat off the skeleton behind him. FYI-I have Varg at 15hp

"Would somebody be a dear and deal with this . . . bone man. I need to get into the center of the room."

Dropping his glaive and switching hands with his wand, Maps pulls a blue glass flask from his belt and calls to the monk currently surrounded by undead. "Alan, back away! I have a something special for those skeletons, but I need a clear shot!"

Deferring until after Alan, then throwing liquid ice. If Alan doesn't move, I'm still throwing, aiming for the skeleton in front of him in order to splash the other two next to him.

Point blank touch attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28
Cold damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Splash damage is 3, save for half DC 12

Round 2, AC: 18, HP: 23/38, Power Attack

@GM Aarvid: HP total is incorrect becaused I was recently healed by Zynep before coming down.

Varg attempts to finish off the female guard.

Die cunny!

Axe ATT: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 8 - 1 = 19
Axe DAM: 1d12 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 3 = 21

Alan throws a kick while still maintaining his defense +4 AC 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 - 2 = 2 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

He then withdraws as Maps requested.

@Varg - I had you taking 20pts (6+10+4) of damage since entering this room.

Varg takes a mighty swing...but maybe too mighty as the female guard just manages to deflect the axe heading for her head.

Maps delays until after Alan moves or deals with the skeletons.

Alan is up and takes burn: 3d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 4) = 11 fire damage from the blistering heat coming from the burning skeletons around him.

@Alan - withdraw is a full action...to avoid AoO. If you take the kick, then you can only 5' step or else will take a single move and 3 AoO from skeletons. Considering you only have 4hp...

Maps I am going to wait until Alan declares his action since it could be critical based on the amount of damage he has taken.

No problem.

Dance? Oh, but you have not seen my best moves! Battle Dance

Attack: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31, Damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Crit: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18, Damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Zantir smoothly transitions to the spot between the two mercs.

withdraw

I just read back, and I have not taken damage since the fight with Janks above. I have not taken any damage, other than the 14 since reaching the bottom of the stairs, unless you can show me something that I am missing. I was healed by Zynep up to 37/38, then lost 14 on this floor for a total remaining of 23.

Withdrawing for Alan will provoke an AoO from one of the skeletons, but it is still the best course of action. My advice would be to provoke from the one next to Zynep, allowing her to act freely.

Alan withdraws back to the spiral stairs, leaving an open shot for Maps, who hurls a ice grenade at a skeleton. The flask shatters on the skeleton, utterly destroying it and splashing into the adjacent skeletons. Next, as it falls, the remains of the central skeleton explode into a firey burst, but fortunately, Alan was not nearby. The other two skeletons seem to ignore the burst from their fallen ally.

The other two skeletons take some splash damage from the ice

One takes full and the other half - and they both seem to take more than would be expected but are still standing. One saved for 3pts+50%=4pts/2 = 2pts cold, the other 4pts

13-Flinders is up

Zantir, I moved you back temporarily on the map. Probably won't matter if Flinders does not interact with your side of combat. You will be taking fire damage before you move however.

Man, flaming skeletons are annoying.

I am going to resolve Zantir's action since I doubt Flinders will change the outcome.

Zantir begins his battle dance but the mindless burning skeleton burning behind him is not impressed. burning: 1d6 ⇒ 2 fire damage to Zantir.

However, the male Claw guard is mesmerized with the display...as he watches the dervish spin and move between him and his female ally. Only then does he notice that Zantir had slashed through his armor into his vital organs, leaving a long bloody wound.

With the sight of his own blood, the smug look on his face quickly disappears.

Flinders still up...

@GM Aarvid: Duly noted. I apologize...missed that one at 363...thanks for clarifying!

@Varg...no problem. My post at 366 was so long, I had to go back and re-read and edit it like 10 times. Most PFS combats have only a few enemies in a room. This one was a bit messy...

Flinders will delay, waiting for the right spot to make his move.

Sorry, internet was down at the house this morning, so I can't see the map. I will ne able to check again in a couple hours.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Zynep flips her hair behind her head, followed by a come-hither look at the boys cowering around the staircase.

She deftly maneuvers past two of the skeletons to get to the center of the room. There she raises her arms toward the heavens with a proclamation.

"THE QUEEN OF STINGS COMPELS YOU! COMPELS YOU BACK TO REST, BACK TO YOUR GRAVE!"

Channel Positive Energy: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

That should get all undead. DC 12 Will save for half.

Are we going to heal for that much too?

Nope.

Flinders draws back his bow and tries to stick an arrow in the guard near Zantir again.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 - 4 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Oh, did my crit confirm?

@Zantir, sorry no the crit did not actually confirm, but was close and still cut a deep wound. Still some smugness to desmugify

Flinders takes in the situation and decides to wait...

Zynep has a burning skeleton in front of her and she takes burning: 1d6 ⇒ 6 fire.

She then moves away from the skeleton, avoiding its burning claw, and darting past the other two to try to get into the center of the room. She calls upon the powers of the bee lady and blasts the entire room with undead busting power...

The two northern skeletons explode in firey bursts as does the one flanking Varg...who is burned for another burn: 1d6 ⇒ 2

The skeletons that were next to Zynep and Zantir appear damaged but do not fall to the sting of the bee queen's power.

Flinders shoots across the room at the male guard next to Zantir, but the arrow flies slightly over the man's head.

==== Round 3 =====
21-South Skeletons (x2)
20+Female Guard
20+Male Guard

20-Varg
14-Alan
13+Maps
13-Flinders
10-Zantir
9-Zynep

====================

The skeleton the Zynep left, charges back to embrace her for some more hot "loving".

Hitting her (vs AC17?? for 7pts dmg) leaving her staggered.

Likewise, the eastern skeleton wants Zantir to show it how to dance with its broken scimitar, as it steps up and swings and claws at him.

Missing badly with the scimitar but miraculously scoring a hit with its burning claw...for 5pts

Ok, I give up. Something weird was happening with the dice roller. First I had a hit on Zynep and crit threat on Zantir. Then I tried to fix a typo and received all new dice rolls as it went to a 2nd post. I managed to remove that 2nd post, and then the failed crit on Zantir came back with double-20's...which I know it did not have originally...so just a normal hit there Zantir for 5pt total. I am not touching it again...please check my math on AC's (especially Zynep) to make sure I did not miss anything.

20+Female guard

"Where is Janks? Did that rat bastard send you down her to kill us? I am going to have his head on a pike after we finish with the rest of you!"

She swings at Varg with her longsword

And she misses, slamming her sword into the wall next to the barbarian.

20-Male guard

burn: 1d6 ⇒ 3 fire damage as the skeleton burns the male guard. He spits...as he swings at the skeleton that is burning him.

"#%!#*!!! Not if I gets to 'im first Sarg!"

He swings at skeleton with his longsword

The skeleton explodes, causing...
burn: 1d6 ⇒ 4 fire damage to the guard
burn: 1d6 ⇒ 3 fire damage to Zantir

"I told freakin' Janks not to mess with those coffins!"

20-Varg is up and fortunately is no longer burning nor flanked.

Ow...

Well, we are willing to talk if you want to make a deal instead of perishing.

Zantir swings to make his point, then 5-foot steps out of flanking position.
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25, Damage: 1d6 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Moving forward, Maps draws his firearm and takes aim at the skeleton behind Zynep. "Sorry about this, lady."

Point blank touch attack with deadly aim: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7 Note: bullets are both blunt and piercing.

Round 3, AC: 18, HP: 18/38, Power Attack

Varg again attempts to finish off the female guard.

You'll get no talkin' from me sister!

Axe ATT: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 8 - 1 = 20
Axe DAM: 1d12 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 3 = 21

Varg winds up with a mighy swing and just barely beats through the woman's defenses. She collapses from the blow...bleeding out on the ground.

Alan is up...

Kind of confused about the status of all the enemies. If I can make it safely to aid another character without exposing danger to myself I will. If not I will move and go full defense.

Aid another defense: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

@Alan...all but one of the skeletons has exploded. The last one looks like it is trying to hug Zynep. She is not looking in any condition for that sort of romance right now. The female guard is down, bleeding and the male guard next to Zantir appears to be venting about Janks. I think you would need about 50' of movement to make it to Zynep's side without drawing an AoO or being close to the last skeleton. I will assume full defense.

Alan sizes up the situation and stays put wary of his burnt flesh and clothing.

Maps loads a bullet and fires at the last skeleton...hitting it in the side of the skull...destroying it, followed by a firey explosion.

burn: 1d6 ⇒ 5 fire damaage to Zynep - which will cause her to collapse to the floor.