PFS PbP Gameday 3: The Confirmation (#5-08) (Inactive)

Game Master The Rising Phoenix

Newis yawned, enjoying the scenic route that Janira was taking them along, but missing the lust of battle a bit too much. They make camp and he tosses out his bedroll, laying on it as Janira tells her story, chiming in at the end, "Truly a glorious way to be remembered, however I prefer the route where I'm alive to bathe in cheers upon my return...." he gave out a yawn and began to hum as he closed his eyes and cuddled up with a shortspear.

If we're deciding sleep orders I'll watch the camp last :D

"I am exhausted. Goodnight everyone."

Nym setups up his hammock and climbs in. Bill well rest from riding around in a belt pouch all day climbs up the tree to about 10 ft and keeps watch.

Isobel smiles as the Pathfinders set up camp. She seems to feel more comfortable now, especially since Jeffrey enjoyed her display of abilities.

Rejecting any blankets or other bedding, she nestles in among some ferns and sleeps soundly. She seems unconcerned about issues such as who is providing a watch.

Deliyah watches the others as they go to sleep, before finally closing her own eyes.

The night is a peaceful one. Janira takes the first watch and Sparrow take the second, watching twilight over the Kortos mountains as his companions slowly fade into a dreamless sleep. Isobel takes the third uneventful watch, the 'nymph' finds a comfortable position to watch, gazing at the stars and enjoying a cloudless night. Finally, Deliyah rises shortly before the sun, and takes the last watch. As the party rises Janira begins a grand breakfast made of sausages, bacon and eggs, vudrani tea and pears from the Ivy district's orchards of Absalom. You find yourself particularly well rested, an ideal start for a day of wandering in the wild.

An hour later, you leave the Cairnlands for a deep forest. The trees towering overhead begin to shield most of what remains of the day’s sun and the vegetation beneath grows denser. Janira pauses a moment and pulls out an intricate silver compass emblazoned with the Pathfinder Society logo: the Glyph of the Open Road. "I received this wayfinder when I successfully completed my Confirmation. Should we be successful on our journey, you will get your own as well." She flips open the device and holds it in front of her; the initials J. L. are engraved into the inside of the device’s lid. After studying the compass inside for a moment, she remarks, "We’re on the right path. We need to keep heading northwest past those large rocks up ahead."

As you were discussing the origins of the gillmen, Janira suddenly stops and stands motionless for a second. She has obviously heard something coming. "Do you hear this sound? It's faint but... a swarm!" she shouts as two awful, scuttling masses of spidery legs and mandibles scramble forward out of the ground from your north and west and crawl straight at you! Knowledge Nature is appropriate to identify the creatures.

The swarm moves up and out of the holes in the ground, advancing on the party quickly. The western swarm moves right up to Nym and Jeffrey, almost reaching them.

Janira immediately starts giving advice and encouraging you to react appropriately. "Spread out! Fire will hurt them, use some! Remember the deeds of Arak-Aram the Scorcher, who single-handedly defeated the swarming masses of Gebbite undead killer bees with his famed flametongue!" She grants you inspire courage, +1 on attack and damage rolls, as well as saves against fear and charm.

Init for this one is easy, the swarms go first and then the party is up. The swarms take up a 10x10 square that is colored red and green on the map. I tried putting their picture on the map that you see on the left but it was unwieldy and difficult to see.

Party is up!

Map is HERE. I've added it to the campaign tab, so it should always appear at the top of the thread.

Newis is going to start his Enhance Weapons song on his turn as his Standard Action, and for his Move Action he's going to get one of the Alchemist Fires out of his Masterwork Backpack.

Enhance Weapons - +1 enhancement bonus to the weapons (including ammunition) of allies within 60 feet.

I'll add that to all of my posts as a reminder to people, and I'll make a proper RP post after a couple of the people have taken their turns, as to not confuse anyone.

Jeffrey takes a big step away from the swarm, and retrieves one of his acid flasks. He waits for everyone else to take their distance as well, then hurls the flask at the far end of the closest (green) spider swarm.

Acid Flask, Inspire Courage, Enhance Weapons: 1d20 + 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 1 + 1 = 7 Acid damage: 1d6 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 + 1 = 6

"Whoops!" Jeffrey announces as he misses.

Where does the flask land?: 1d8 ⇒ 7

Nym will be hit by the splash damage :S Unless he moves away first, because Jeffrey will wait for the others to move before throwing the flask.

Splash dmage = minimum damage. So that's 3, because of Janira and Newis.

"I am going to set them on fire!!!"

Nym moves south 20ft and then west 5 ft.

Assuming Deliyah doesn't kill it on her turn

Casts Burning Hands 15 ft cone trying to hit as much of the swarm as possible without hitting anyone else.

Burning hands: 3d4 + 1 ⇒ (1, 1, 4) + 1 = 7
+50% because aoe vs swarm, and a DC save of 16 for it? First time casting a spell. Also not sure if Janira's +1 is added also.

Our party is ambushed by an army of spiders;
Fire erupts and 'Whoops' goes the fighter!

Newis begins to tell the tale of their battle, inspiring his allies' weapons. (+1 Enhancement Bonus to all weapons and ammunition of allies within 60 ft.) He flips his backpack off of his shoulder and begins rummaging through it for one of the Alchemist Fires that he purchased earlier, finding the corked top of one small bottle and giving out an "AH HA!" as he raised it up in the air like a video game character finding a new item.

Deliyah draws a flask of acid from her belt and throws it at the approaching spiders (green).
Attack (far square): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 = 12 Dmg: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Aaahh!!" Isobel screams as the swarms near. Nevertheless, she draws a vial of acid from her belt and throws it at one of the swarms. Aim at whichever isn't dead, or if they are both dead, hold action.

ranged touch: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
acid: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Nym quickly moves south and ignites the western swarm (green) in a massacre. Over a thousands spiders suddenly blacken and burn to crisp. When the fire clears a ten foot patch of the ground is charred black and nothing appears to be moving in their any longer.

Both Isobel and Deliyah (Redirected towards red since green is down. launch their acid vials as well but their attacks fall short of their targets. Luckily the swarm is large enough that some of the creatures appear to be damage from the acid splashing nearby.

I believe the acid vials should have the bonuses from inspire courage and enhance weapons which puts their minimum damage at 3 a piece. Where were they targeting, I need to calculate splash for the miss.

Just need Sparrow to close out the round.

I've put a little star on the map where I'll aim my flask at

sorry had a busy day yesterday

well, bought it for a reason.
I'll take a step back, take out the alchemist fire i bought, and lob it over the front line at the red swarm.

throw: 1d20 + 2 + 1 - 4 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 + 1 - 4 - 2 = 151d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
*-4 cover, -2 range increment. if they don't apply, feel free to ignore them.

The Warpriest tosses the the fire out into the the remaining northern swarm. The flames engulf the spiders and char them simiiliarly to how Nym roasted the western ones.

Once it is apparent that the swarm is no longer moving toward you and the threat has passed Janira turns to check on all of you to make sure you are ok. She beams with a big smile and clasp several of you on the back. "Well done, WELL DONE! A Pathfinder always comes prepared and as you so demonstrated, you were prepared. The only comment I would make is that if we are approached by another swarm, spread out a little more. One of them could have been all over us and made throwing those items much more difficult."

She waves a dismissive hand and says, "But that is beside the point, you have taken care of this problem quite well! I would hate to imagine if we hadn't taken care of them right when we did"

Janira shivers at the though of being covered by thousands of spiders. After checking over everyone she decides to move on quickly before you encounter more trouble here on the path. Janira then urges you to move further: "Let's depart at once, we need to reach the caves by dusk to try and see if gillmen enter the cave."

As the group continues to travel through the wilderness, you find trails blocked by fallen objects, shortcuts overgrown, and other minor delays that may cost you some time.

Survival checks please to avoid being slowed in your progression towards the caves.

"It went rather good, indeed," Jeffrey remarks.

"I've never fought a swarm before, but I've been told they often pose some problems for unprepared groups."

Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Jeffrey points out a direction. "I'm fairly sure we need to take this path."

If you say so Jeffery, I am already lost and out of my element."

Nym curses as he tugs his robes out of the brambles to the side of the path for the hundredth time.

Isobel appears extremely relieved that they were able to defeat the swarms, but perhaps also more apprehensive about what else they might encounter.

"Good job, everyone," she murmurs.

Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 10

Feeling unsure about his survival skills and their current location, Newis just hums to himself as he puts his flask away into his backpack and begins following Nym. "Indeed, I've heard of many groups that have fallen to the unstrikable foe, the swarm."

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"I wonder, were those spiders looking to us as a meal, or were we merely in their path - perhaps they were fleeing something?"

Janira nods to Jeffrey, "I think you're right. Well done Jeffrey! Now then, let's all quickly follow him and be on our way."

Janira ponders Deliyah's words and agrees. "Good thinking. Everyone be on the lookout, there could be something larger headed our way."

Led by Jeffrey, the group finds its way in the forest without trouble as the fighter's cunning prevents the various overgrown paths and obstacles. He leads the way for about three hours before the dense forest opens to a wide clearing at the base of a sheer cliff. Thick vines cover the surface of the cliff stretching 30 feet overhead.

"Here! The cave entrance is behind those vines," Janira says with a broad smile as she walks to the cliff’s face. She pulls back several layers of vegetation to reveal a narrow crack in the cliff’s surface. "This is where I saw the gillmen enter." As she motions toward the aperture, the surrounding woods come alive with the sound of small animals fleeing some unseen danger and a large creature crashing through the undergrowth.

The halfling worriedly remarks, "Quick, take cover before whatever it is spots us!" As if she’d summoned the creature with her words, a massive horned monstrosity emerges from the trees. Standing eight feet tall on a pair of cloven hooves and wielding a tremendous axe, the bull-headed creature roars with unbridled anger when it spots the group. Wisely assessing that a minotaur is beyond her charges’ capabilities, Janira screams "A minotaur! There’s little chance we can stand against it. Take this bag," she continues, pulling off her backpack, "and head deeper into the caves. Finish your mission. I’ll lead it away from the caves, lose it in the forest, and join you as soon as I can. Now go! GO!" She heaves her backpack into the cave, casts a spell, and darts off toward the minotaur before turning to lure it away.

A look of horror crosses Jeffrey's face, but he quickly shakes his head and shows his big smile again.

Have faith in her abilities!

"Don't die on us, shorty!" Jeffrey says, and quickly runs into the cave.

"I hope she doesn't make an ultimate cooperation" Nym frowns.

He goes into the cave.

Assuming there is no light he casts 0 level light on his staff.

paff, we could have taken it.
even he looks like he doesn't believe his own words. Sparrow draws his rapier and casts light on the blade, taking a middle rank in the marching order as everyone files in quickly.

Newis was eating a ration when the minotaur burst through the tree line. He grinned wide as he grabbed his spear, ready to take on such a worthy foe, but his party was following Janira's command and his mouth was too full to object, so he ran with the group.

Newis would have normally taken off to fight something so mighty but I've done Confirmation before so I'm holding back from any party pushing actions :P

Deliyah ducks into the cave at Janira's command and watches the others for a moment, before taking a look inside the bag.

what have ye got there lass?

Isobel looks concerned as Janira heads into the trees, the minotaur huffing behind her.

"I do hope she will be okay," she says. "Do you think she can escape okay?" she asks, her voice full of emotion.

The hulking minotaur runs after your haflling mentor, enraged by some particularly well-chosen piques about the beast's ascendency being holy in far Vudra. Both Janira and her pursuer quickly disappear in the bushes, leaving you an opportunity to enter the cave.

Your guide left you a backpack filled to the brink with useful items, which are carefully labeled are cleverly-organized within the container.

Deliyah begins to go through the bag an examines the contents.

This cave system stretches deep below the foothills of the Kortos Water dripping from stalactites and the distant rushing of underground streams creates an eerie backdrop as you enter the cave. The caves’ walls are patterned with blue-green luminescent fungi that provide dim light. A narrow keyhole tunnel leads off into the distance.

The caves are damp, which increases the DC of all Acrobatics checks by 2.

"I think we should divide up the equipment based on our strengths. I can cast burning hands one more time today, so Isobel, you should probably take that wand. I can also cast ghost armor, but the duration won't be as long as the scrolls. We can decide to cast it now or wait, the scroll will last hours. I lack tactical spells so having the scroll of mist and gust makes sense to me. But Isobel if you prefer I can use the wand. The scroll of entangle is of a divine nature, so I can do nothing with it. I can also use the alchemist's fire as a spell component to enhance burning hands effectiveness. I can also throw things fairly well if you need me too."

Nym takes Bill out of his pouch and puts him on top of his staff and takes a closer look around.

Nym Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Bill Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

"I have a cure potion already, anyone not got one? I did use up my only splash weapon on the spiders earlier, so I would appreciate a flask of fire or acid."

A minotaur fight, just look at that axe!
A minotaur dead, can't stand our attacks!
A free bag of gear is a pretty nice score
but it woulda been nice to kill that minotaur.

Newis hums as the gear is counted off. "I have cure spells but if nobody else needs one of those cure light wound potions, having one is always nice." he shouts off as he walks into the cave, having a good long look around as he slowly walked towards the tunnel to check it out. He kept his shield ready for any danger with his masterwork shortspear firmly gripped in his left hand, another strapped to his back poking up above his shoulder.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

"You can take whatever you want," Jeffrey replies.

"I'll let you know I have a wand of cure light wounds, but am unable to use it. If someone wants to carry it and provide me with healing when needed, I don't mind sharing some charges."

Jeffrey takes his shield out as a precaution to whatever the party may face inside the caves.

I don't have much. I can hold onto the cure light wounds wand. I wouldn't mind holding on to another flask of alchemist fire, or acid , so I can still help out against a swarm, if we encounter more.

I'd like the potion of vanish. i realize its only good for about six seconds, but it could come in handy, ya never know. And I have my own spells and the wand, so carrying a potion or holy water wouldn't do much good.

... though, I guess, if no one else is going to hold on to them... i can carry them for a bit.

"Okay...I'll take the wand," Isobel says apprehensively. "I've used wands in the past, but I haven't really hurt anything before."

She holds with like it might bite her.

"Hmm... I'll take the potion of barkskin, after all."

"Uhm, it's probably better if Sparrow takes the wand," Jeffrey replies to Isobel, and hands the wand over to the warpriest.

@Isobel: Sorcerers can't use CLW wands without Use Magic Device checks. Or are you somehow able to to, and am I missing this? My apologies if I am wrong.

It's the wand of burning hands...

"I can use the Wand of Cure Light Wounds!" Newis shouts, continuing into the cave.

Skalds can use CLW so I'll take it and use it on whoever needs it. Whoever can't use a wand or cast CLW, take the potions, I can cast CLW and I'll hold on to any wands we have.

You are dividing up the possessions, is someone taking the other ones or are you leaving the remainder of it here?

The group splits up Janira's possessions among themselves and then presses on. Moving in the tunnel begins to narrow twist and turns for several hundred feet before slowly opening to a wider passage. A large hole spans the cave’s width and stretches ten feet down the path. At the bottom of the pit lies a small bundle of cloth. The tunnel here is 10 feet wide and 10 feet tall with a ceiling mostly devoid of stalactites.

Knowledge Dungeoneering or Survival checks please.

"Janria seems to have either prepared very well for the unknown or perhaps the known to her. It would be foolish not to maximize the supplies to make the group more effective. I also believe that its strange the items are labelled the way they are. Did anyone else here label the items in there backpacks? The Confirmation is a Test after all.. Each item could possibly play an important roll. Or perhaps not. There is no harm in being over prepared.

I'm not sure how to word Nym's words efficiently in a single post without group input. Since he can cast ghost armor on himself he thinks Isobel should take it. If she isn't that interested (he doesn't know if she can cast it or not/has better, etc) he would wanted it, because it lasts 6 hours vs his 1. Capt Sparrow should be able to use the entangle spell, Nym would like him to have it on hand.

Nym will take the scroll of gust and mist, and offer the scroll of identify to Isobel, if no interest he will take it. He will also take an alch fire to augment his burning hands. If no one fancy's the thunderstone or holy water he will take those too. There are 6 items that can be thrown in combat, 6 party members, they should be spread out. Because he believes they are all important if no one takes something he will take it with him.

Nym casts level 0 Detect magic and looks around the 10ft wide tunnel.

sparrow will hold onto the pack, of whatever doesn't get taken.

Knowledge - Dungeoneering: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Newis is first to come across the pit, humming along and almost not paying attention, catching himself at the last second as he put up his spear and halted the group. "Whoa! There's a pit here, team. It looks to be man-made, some sort of artificial pit that's been here for at least a year. Part of the test I would think." He uses his spear to measure down a couple feet, extrapolating the rest of the distance from it. "Anyone got a way across?"

survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

well, its only a 10 ft pit. and i'm curious what that bundle of cloth down there is. it might be a clue. Jeffrey, why don't you climb down and check it out.
Sparrow takes out some of the rope from his pack, knots it with a few sailor knots and lowers it over the edge, and prepares to brace for whoever is going to use it to climb down.

once he's checked out the pit, its probably safest if we climb down one side and climb up the other, unless you want to anchor both ends and shimmy across the rope.

"This all looks incredibly difficult...should we turn around and find another way in?" Isobel asks.

knowledge dungeoneering: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
survival: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5

I think I misrepresented the pit. The pit is 10x10x20, so it's 20' deep.

This thread seems to keep eating my posts?
"I don't mind climbing down and taking a look."

A skald seems better to hold onto my wand of CLW, considering Sparrow looks like he'll often be in melee. So Jeffrey will hand his wand over to Newis instead.

"Why do I have to climb down?" Jeffrey asks. "Take a look at what I'm wearing!"

Jeffrey removes his armor and ties it to his backpack with his own rope. "Alright then..."

Climb, down: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Once near the bottom of the pit Jeffrey takes the cloak.

Climb, up: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

And once back up he shows it to the others. "Perhaps the magic users could check if it has special properties?"

Jeffrey undresses and climbs with no load;
just to watch the cloak EXPLODE!

Newis helps Jeffrey at the edge of the pit, lending a hand down to grab Jeffrey's and help him up to solid ground, right next to his armor. He looks over at the cloak in Jeffrey's grasp and casts Detect Magic on it.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

The fabric is soft and slippery to the touch, like woven strands of unusual violet-colored kept. A mother-of-pearl seashell clasp give off a metallic sheen and pins with a narrow spiral conch fashioned made from seaglass. Around the neckline of the cloak is a bright blue embroidery with an opalescent iridescence that looks to be some sort of writing.

"Ah, correction, it seems to be a Cloak of ANTI-Explode! A Cloak of Resistance. Anyone particularly vulnerable and need the boost?" he pinches the fabric at the end of the cloak and lifts it to his nose so he can sniff it.