[PFS] PbP GameDay IV: Wind Serpent's 6-08 The Segang Expedition

Game Master Harald Schlang

"Nicely done, Guy." Stepping over she lowers her pack next to him. "I have some room, but the weight is making my shoulders complain already. Unless we can use something, perhaps we should hide it somewhere?"

Guy wordlessly hands the bag over, hands visibly shaking.

With some leave to look around now that the looters are gone, you can see that beyond the archway they came through seems to lie what once must have been the main temple hall. Its floor is tiled, seeming to form some kind of mosaic, and the northern part of the room appears to be completely blocked by a huge pile of rubble.

Inspecting the room more closely, you can see that the only way around the pile of rubble seems to be going across the balcony to the east. There are a few cracks in the rubble barrier, but none of you are small enough to pass through there, without the help of magic at least.

I've taken the liberty to move you ahead a bit. I'm sorry if it seems I'm getting pushy, but we'll need to pick up the pace a little in order to make sure we can finish the game by December 20, when the game day ends. If you want to make any final preparations like casting buff spells before entering the main sanctum of the temple, please post them tomorrow, and move yourself to the sanctum entrance (the squares marked in white).

I'm good to move on.

Lissanya places a hand on Guy's, for a moment of silent reassurance, then leads the way to the path, peering around the corner for any sign of the reason for the looter's panic. Her gaze drops to the floor, checking for any tracks that might give warning to the Pathfinders.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

I can start being bossy if that will help. :) Sadly, no buff spells until next level. If nothing is found, she'll lead the way into the next room.

Guy tentatively follows Lissy, keeping behind her and maintaining a Detect Magic. He looks nervous, as usual, and is tugging at his armor as if it is choking him, also as usual.

Clump, clump, clump goes his armored feet.

I moved my icon. Anyone else care to move up?

Unlike its western counterpart, the balcony onto which the east exit leads and the jungle floor north of it remains relatively clear of plant life, almost as if something was keeping it free of the choking vines that grow over every exposed surface of the temple elsewhere. From there, a narrow path extends north between the exterior wall of the temple and the thick web of vines and tree branches that cover the temple walls. At either end of the path, small open-air balconies lead back into the temple.

Yes, please move yourselves into the squares of the northern balcony, which are outlined in white on the map. I'll assume that Varis will want to take point with Lissanya, unless you tell me otherwise.

In position now.

I've moved Guy to the back of the party, if you'd rather be in the middle of the group, please adjust this.

Once you reach the northern balcony and turn left to look into the temple sanctum, the view is striking. A 20-foot-tall, high-relief sculpture of a mountain dominates the north end of the large chamber before you. A statue of a figure now missing its head sits in the lotus position at the mountain’s peak, while smaller statues of monkey-faced pilgrims, several of them made of precious metals, rest on ledges farther down the mountain. Shattered pieces of yet more monkey statues litter the floor, and there are smears of blood and excrement spread everywhere throughout the room.

What's left of the statuary is still beautiful, but the majesty and serenity that must once have graced this sanctum are gone. Instead, the entire room now appears like a carefully-crafted ode to the inevitability of destruction and entropy, a hateful mockery of heavenly aspiration brought low. There is something about the whole scene that makes the hairs in the back of your necks stand on end, but no obvious danger presents itself.

"Disgusting." The whisper escapes clenched teeth. "Varis, stay close and watch for trouble." As the two step into the room Lissanya peers down the hall past the broken statue on her left.

"You have to love the irony of it all, don't you?"

"Watching out..." Varis says, covering Lissanya's flank.

As far as Lissanya can make out, the southern half of the room is filled with rubble, obstructing an arched passageway to the south. In the center of the room, a small enclosed shrine made of dark brown stone faces south toward the rubble.

Lissanya makes a quick step across the 'fatal funnel' of the hallways entryway, moving to post at the far corner of the wall.

Cleo follows in, bow drawn, taking the position opposite of Lissanya.

can't access the map right now, hopefully this makes sense. If someone would be so kind as to move me I'd appreciate it.

I imagine Cleo would end up on the corner two squares above Lissanya.

Curiosity gets the better of him and Guy hugs the wall as he makes his way over to the idol and observes it from up close, while flipping thought the pages of his book looking for anything that matches up.

Seems quiet in here. I wonder what they were so afraid of? Perhaps there are inscriptions on the idol.

There are indeed inscriptions, though they have long lost their gold leaf inlay, and many of them have been damaged almost beyond recognition by what seems like tiny - monkey-sized - claw marks. According to the description of Ragdya in the book, the icon would probably depict the holy mountain Bahmenu, where the god is supposed to reside, and the pilgrim's path leading up its flanks.

All of a sudden, though, Guy feels a tiny, golden needle pierce his skin right beneath the eye, while another one zips narrowly past his cheek. Looking up reflexively in the direction from where the needles came, he now notices that on closer inspection, two of the golden idols sitting on the upper reaches of the mountain don't look much like monkeys at all - in fact, they appear more like well-muscled men with crowns of frilled horns, and their eyes are now glowing like rubies under the light. What really gives them away, though, are the tiny golden bows they are suddenly holding and reloading with more tiny, golden needles. Looks like you've found the Golden Devils, whatever they are...

Guy gets lucky, since the needle that hit him did not penetrate very far and only does 1 point of nonlethal damage.

Please refer to the handout in Roll 20 for how the enemy creatures look. Since you didn't detect them coming in, the Golden Devils got a surprise round on you, but now we'll start with regular initiative.

The creatures are sitting high up on the mountain shrine at a height of about 20 feet. The statuary they are hiding in gives them partial cover. Unfortunately, since none of you have Knowledge (Planes), you have no idea what exactly they are, though Guy would suspect that they are some kind of Asuras from the descriptions in his book. Guy could theoretically page through the book for 1 minute to get an identification roll at +2 (which could be enough to gain some information on them, if their CR is 2 or less), but IMO it's questionable whether that would be worth the actions lost in combat.

Initiative check:
Cleo: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Gedulan: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Guy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Lissanya: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Varis: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Golden Devil 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Golden Devil 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Initiative Order

22.4 Cleo
22.2 Golden Devil 1
16.2 Golden Devil 2
14.6 Varis
10.1 Guy
5.4 Lissanya
5.1 Gedulan

Round 1

Round 1. Initiative Count 22.4, it's Cleo's Turn. Please remember that you can post your actions even if it's not your turn, if you have already decided what to do.

"Who are you? Are you Asuras?", he yells at them in common.

Guy will be casting Murderous Command in Common at DC 14 (School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]) on a goldie when his turn comes and then moving back into the passage the PCs came from. Oddly, the spell description does not say language dependent.

Round 1

Cleo quickly draws her bow and returns fire with a much larger arrow.

Attacking the...upper golden devil? Should we have someway to differentiate them?

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Upper, lower / right, left (depending on whether you want to go by the map or the view of your characters) all works for me. I've now added names to them. Murderous command, from the spell description, seems to merely create a mental urge, not an acutal command, so it not being language dependent seems correct.

The creatures retort something in a harsh, raspy language that Guy does not understand, but apparently Gedulan does, as he translates shortly after. "It said 'We are the true creation, creation as it should have been. Not like you monkeys, the spawn of weak, failed gods!'. In Infernal..."

As Cleo unleashes her shot, the Golden Devil she was targeting darts from the statue it was hiding behind to another, leaving her arrow flying wide and damaging the statue and the shrine instead of the foul creature it was meant to hit.

From its new cover, the Devil tries a shot at Cleo, and misses, while the other one lines up another shot at Guy, and another tiny needle bores into his flesh. In response, Guy unleashes the holy power of Sarenrae at the vile creature that shot him before he retreats to the back of the party - but their unholy magic allows them to resist it.

Guy takes another 2 points of damage from Goldie's shot. Varis has no ranged weapon, as far as I'm aware, so he delays. Guy, I've moved you back into the passage, please adjust if you wanted to be somewhere else.

Round 1. Initiative Count 5.4, it's Lissanya's Turn.

Caught unaware, Lissanya curses as she whirls toward the voice from above. "I have this one, keep at the other!"

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Freebooter's Bane on the upper devil so the rest of the party has +1 to hit and damage against it. Targeting the lower devil to hopefully take it out quickly before helping everyone else with the other. Not using cold iron arrows yet, imagine she'll notice any DR and then adjust fire.

Lissanya's arrow strikes home, but it only gives the Golden Devil a few minor scratches that start to disappear almost as quickly as it has received them.

Yep - definitely DR. And Fast Healing, too.

"Say, would it be bad if that mountain thing got scorched a little?" Gedulan asks, eyeing the two devils sitting there and holding one of his firebombs.

Round 2. Initiative Count 22.4, it's Cleo's Turn. Varis and Gedulan are delaying.

Round 2

"I don't know, we made a big stink about preserving the temple earlier to just start blowing it up."

As she speaks she moves closer to Lissanya, knowing her to be the better archer of the two, and channels energy into her bow.

Casting Gravity Bow on Lissanya

"Say, would it be bad if that mountain thing got scorched a little?" Gedulan asks, eyeing the two devils sitting there and holding one of his firebombs.

"I con't think anyone could tell the difference at this point. And if we don't remove the varmits, it will just get worse anyway. I say torch 'em."

You can't say for sure, but almost being stuck in the eye just might have colored his opinion about what is more important right now.

Casting Gravity Bow on Lissanya

Gravity Bow is a Personal spell, so you'll want to cast it on Cleo or do something else.

Cleo Lahti wrote:

Casting Gravity Bow on Lissanya

Gravity Bow is a Personal spell, so you'll want to cast it on Cleo or do something else.

Guess that's what I get for trying to help; I'll cast it on myself. Still gonna take cover behind you.

Cleo enchants her bow with occult energy, while Gedulan looks at Lissanya since the others seem to be divided on whether to throw the firebomb or not. Varis is still trying to figure out a way to effectively hurt the creatures.

In the meantime, the two devils focus their aim on Lissanya, loosing two more golden needles from their bows, which both find their mark.

Lissanya takes 4 points of damage from the tiny arrows.

Round 2. Initiative Count 10.1, it's Guy's Turn. Varis and Gedulan are delaying.

I don't know how high up they are, but I'd like to get within 30' and unleash a fire bolt at the injured one. I moved to where I think I'm within 30'.

ranged touch: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Light them up, Gedulan!" The pricking of the fiend's arrows made her words a snarl.

Composite Longbow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Cold Iron Arrow Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Yes, that position should work for Guy. They are 20 feet up on the sculpture, but that should still put him (barely) within 30 feet of them.

The nimble devil dodges Guy's firebolt, but Lissanya's cold iron arrowtip not only hits, but actually seems to hurt it, eliciting an outraged shriek.

Gedulan's lips twist into a smile as he tosses a bomb right into the middle between the two. "Burn, suckers!" He exclaims as the liquid fire from his bomb washes over the fiends and parts of their golden skin start to melt, as well as the icons near them. He really seems to be enjoying this...

Round 3. Initiative Count 22.4, it's Cleo's Turn. Varis is delaying.

Round 3

With her newly enhanced bow Cleo fires another arrow at the golden demons.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (1, 3) + 2 = 6

Hitting the nimble fiends while they are dodging between the statuary proves hard for Cleo, as again her target manages to evade her shot.

Again, their wounds start closing, but that you actually have weapons that are able to significantly hurt them seems to make them rethink their former tactics.

Instead of a sniping contest, they have now apparently decided to make the fight a brawl, and leap at Lissanya, gliding through the air in slow-motion, and landing at her feet. Once they are within reach of her, their mouths open to reveal forked and pointed tongues, which they slither over her legs, trying to find an unprotected spot. One of them actually manages to find one and gives Lissanya a superficial scratch. Shortly afterwards, Lissanya starts feeling a little woozy in the head...

Lissanya, you take 1 nonlethal damage from the worst crit damage roll ever, and please give me a Fortitude save to resist the Golden Devil's posion...

Seeing his chance to contribute to the fight, Varis charges the fiends with his weapon drawn. His attack is successful, but penetrating their considerable defenses proves to be a challenge for him.

Round 3. Initiative Count 10.2, it's Guy's Turn.

Don't feel bad, we had a gunslinger crit an undead last weekend and roll 86 points of nonlethal damage, because he hadn't taken the action to turn off merciful. :)

Fort Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Guy tries another firebolt on the one that looks most wounded. I can make a heal check if you want me to use it to figure out which one is more wounded.

to hit touch: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Having seen the roll I won't bother with either the heal roll or damage.

"This is not a sting I'll savor..." Lissanya tries to step away from the tiny barbs to retaliate in kind.

Not sure if she can 5ft step away to fire. They seem to have no reach to speak of. If she can, then she'll take a point blank shot, drawing a dagger to flank with Varis. If not, she'll improvise with a cold iron arrow in melee.

Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 4
Longbow Bonus +9
Arrow Bonus +0
Longbow Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Dagger Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

And miss either way, most likely.

There's nothing preventing Lissanya from taking a 5' step and firing, although if she draws her dagger, she won't be able to shoot again without dropping it first. Is the dagger made of cold iron?

The golden skin of the devil nearer to Guy has melted in several places and one of Lissanya's arrows is buried deep within its chest, although the gold seems to be rapidly flowing back into its original shape. The other one also seems molten in some places but it, too, is getting better rapidly.

Guy is taken by surprise by the creatures' sudden charge, causing his firebolt to hit empty air. Lissanya evades the tiny fiends and shoots another arrow with a cold iron tip at the one that stung her, but the arrow misses the creature's tiny silhouette.

Gedulan moves into position for another throw, but withholds his attack, since he would have to toss his bomb right into the middle of his allies.

Round 4. Initiative Count 22.4, it's Cleo's Turn.

There's nothing preventing Lissanya from taking a 5' step and firing, although if she draws her dagger, she won't be able to shoot again without dropping it first. Is the dagger made of cold iron?

No, but it will give her a chance to pray for a crit on AoO if one tries to get in her face again, and it will give Varis a +2 to hit if they don't maneuver away. She'll probably drop the dagger to fire and then draw an arrow to threaten again (which is probably what she should have done this turn now that I think of it).

Seeing Gedulan hesitate, Lissanya barks "Keep the heat on them!" while readying for the impact.

Sorry guys, another day I can't check the map but I don't want to hold things up. If I'm being threatened I'll take a 5' Step, otherwise I'm firing at the same demon.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (6, 3) + 2 = 11

Okay, maybe Gedulan doesn't need to firebomb Lissanya. :)

Cleo, the devils are after Lissanya because of her cold iron arrows, and they don't have reach, so at the moment, there is no one threatening you.

Cleo's next arrow strikes the Golden Devil in the neck, and with the increased power her magic has given her bow, manages to get through its unnatural toughness and penetrate deeply. The devil twitches briefly, and then lies still, as if some nerve was severed.

However, its skin is still running like molten gold, closing the edges of its wounds, and only moments later, its ruby-glowing eyes open up again. It remains on the ground for the moment, but apparently, it is far from dead yet.

Meanwhile, the other fiend keeps its pressure on Lissanya and moves close to her to attack. Her legs are too well-protected for its pointed golden tongue to find an opening, however.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Damage: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Varis attempts to pierce the fallen fiend with his rapier, in order to end it once and for all. Only the tip of his blade penetrates the unnatural golden skin, but that is enough to keep it from returning to the fight for now.

Attack Varis: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage Varis: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Lissanya, you get an AoO on the one entering your square with your dagger. Due to their fast healing, some firebombing might be helpful after all... also, I don't think that "Keep the heat on them!" is something that you need to tell Gedulan twice. ;)

Round 4. Initiative Count 10.1, it's Guy's Turn.

Edit: Adjusted Varis' attack and damage for flanking and Freeboter's Bane.

Dagger AoO: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Since this is not the Baned target, I don't think she can deal damage without a crit, so I'll just roll the attack. Note to self, grab club next time.

Edit: No dice, time to shoot him in the face.

Double Edit: I'll set up my next action while waiting for Guy. Only question is if the fallen one is currently unconscious right now.

Yep, it is, at least until it regenerates again on its turn.

Another quick step gets Lissanya clear of the menacing barb threatening her. Seeing the other foul creature lay still again, the dagger clatters to the stone as Lissanya takes a moment to line up a final shot, not bothering to draw cold iron at this point.

Coup de Grace damage: 3d8 + 12 ⇒ (4, 7, 6) + 12 = 29

"My sting will end you the same as he, wretch." she hisses to the remaining asura.

"It's time for us to do our own 'regenerating'"

Channel to heal: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Please remember that non-lethal damage is healed in addition to lethal so you get back 2 non-lethal and 2 lethal damage. Guy has selective channeling so the enemy gets nothing.

The fiend that Lissanya has targeted spasms one last time, and then lies still, the molten gold of his skin solidifying and becoming frozen in a grotesque shape.

Following Lissanya's cue, Gedulan tosses a firebomb at the ground near the surviving devil, splattering it with burning liquid and causing it to hiss and snarl angrily. "It calls us monkeys again, and has some graphic descriptions of what it is going to do to your corpse," he translates, "but I don't think it sounds very convinced anymore."

Bomb attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Splash damage: 6

Round 5. Initiative Count 22.4, it's Cleo's Turn.

Round 5

Finally starting to get back into the temp of the battle, Cleo turns her bow on the remaining demon.

Deadeye Bowman to ignore soft cover from one person.

Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Damage: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 1) + 2 = 8

Cleo's arrow narrowly misses the golden fiend as it launches itself, unsuccessfully, once more at Lissanya.

Sting Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Varis moves up behind the creature and takes another stab at it with his rapier, but misses the nimble devil.

Attack Varis: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Round 5. Initiative Count 10.1, it's Guy's Turn.