Aid Tokens
Once per encounter, any character at a table can use an Aid Token to assist the group in one of five ways described below. Once a table uses an Aid Token, the token grants no further benefit until the end of the encounter, at which point one of the players can pass the Aid Token to a neighboring table for them to use. It is very important that the players remember that there are a limited number of Aid Tokens, and hoarding one means that somebody else doesn’t get to use it. An Aid Token’s benefits can take one of the following five forms.
Aid Another: Ralph gives advice via a sending spell to help you solve a puzzle, disable a trap, or accomplish some other task as if performing the aid another action for a PC. The bonus for this aid is +3.
Allied Offensive: Ralph happens to be in a battle nearby and spares a moment to direct a long-range magical attack on a creature at the same time as the PC, increasing the damage dealt by one attack by 2d8 points. In addition, after the attack, the target is momentarily disoriented and anyone attacking the target is considered to be flanking it until the beginning of the attacker’s next turn.
Burst of Healing: Ralph asks a nearby cleric to send a burst of positive energy through the token. This heals all of the PCs of 3d6 points of damage. Alternatively, Ralph can send one of these spells thorugh the token to one of you: neutralize poison, remove curse, or remove disease with a caster level of 6.
Spellcasting Synergy: Ralph sends a surge of magical energy through the token as you cast a spell increasing the save DC and caster level of the PC’s spell by 1.
Timely Inspiration: Ralph broadcasts the effects of a bard’s inspire courage bardic performance for 3 rounds. The competence bonus is +2.
Table successes: 22
The beast rider
Research Encounter: The sacred pools
The Serpentfolk guards
The Scales of Ydersius
Research Encounter: Festival Preparations
Temple attendants
Research Encounter: Words of a Dead God
Beasts of a Civilised Age
Scions of the Serpent God
Research Encounter: An Azlanti Perspective (double success)
Guardian Idols
______________________________
Finding the Vault
Fate's Anchor: Gad Gemple
Fate's Anchor: Binui Skostravalus
Fate's Anchor: Romnus Vagarti
Fate's Anchor: Alrule Shahan
The Many Arodeths x 4
The Operations Center
More chirping from within the pouch, and another green ray fires out from Hakime's hip as she angles her torso to take more shots at the overgrown snake.
Before I forget:
knowledge nature:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 Questions:
1. Saves ordered from high to low.
2. Armor class
3. Special Defences
4. Special attacks
Van and Twitter assault the snake with magic and Hakime shoots the serpentfolk, though she only hits once. Blan endures the poison once more, but the pain and strain makes him lose focus, and he only manages to leave a deep scratch on the floor.
Round 2
Hakime ()
Twitter ()
Serpentfolk (blur) -17hp
Large Snake -41 (dusted)
Van () -
Torrag
Blanmieux () -26hp
The snake takes another magic missile to the face.
The serpentfolk moves up to Hakime, pissed off at the woman pelting her with arrows. He tries to bite her.
bite:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13 damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
He stumbles on the rubble along his path and misses.
The big snake however continues to see Blan as a tasty meal.
bite:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 damage:2d6 + 9 - 3 ⇒ (2, 5) + 9 - 3 = 13
It hits easily.
Answers to Twitter's questions:
It is an emperor cobra.
1. Fort>Reflex>Will
2. AC 18, touch 11, flat-footed 16
3. No special defences
Round 3
Hakime ()
Twitter ()
Serpentfolk (blur) -17hp
Large Snake -43 (dusted)
Van () -
Torrag
Blanmieux () -39hp
Van, Torrag and Blan can act for round 3; Hakime and Twitter for round 4.
0 init:0 perp:+9 hp: 83/83 dr 3; 17\18 rounds of rage ac16 cmd 20 saves fort: +10 reflex +3 will +3 reroll 1\1.
poison:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (10) + 15 = 25
Really, This is the epitome of meaningless. We are fighting something that don't exist with non existent loot for just knowledge that few will understand or like!
Van directs his magic missile into the large snake, followed closely by a fireball from Torrag. The snake falls to the ground, threshing wildly for a while before going still. With the snake taken down, Blan chops at the serpentfolk instead, dealing a significant blow. Hakime decides to provide Blan with some extra healing while Twitter chips away a little more at the serpentfolk's hit points with another little green ray.
The serpentfolk hisses furiously and makes one final attempt to bite Hakime before collapsing.
You search the foyer, but find nothing of value apart from the serpentfolk's masterwork dagger. Eager to explore the rest of the temple, you head further inside.
Chaotically twisting tunnels and chambers shoot throughout the temple’s interior, some ending abruptly and others opening into smoke-choked studies, scriptoria, and meditation chambers. Countless alcoves are cut into the walls—almost entirely hidden within the elaborate mosaics. A single clay tablet inscribed with pictograms lies on a nearby table. It
appears to be only part of a much larger set. Torrag has little trouble identifying the tablet as part of a Ydersian holy text, though it is only a small portion of a much larger work.
Pathfinders and other people from their time know little about Ydersius and his faith prior to the serpent god’s decapitation, and you have no doubt that if you are able to find more tablets hidden amongst the mosaics, their inscriptions would be incredibly valuable to the Pathfinder Society.
You can attempt to find the alcoves manually using Perception, or use some other form of divination if you have access to an applicable spell such as such as detect secret doors or locate object.
Perception DC20, detect secret doors or locate object (other spells may apply, check with me first):
The Pathfinders have allied with a group of Azlanti Rebels! They're joining up with Pathfinders as they make their way into the Serpentfolk Temple!
Each table now counts as one subtier higher for the purpose of calculating what benefits they get from Aid Tokens. Subtier 10-11 tables increase the Aid Another bonus to +5, the Allied Offensive option deals 4d8 points of damage, and Burst of Healing heals 6d6 points of damage.
Blan: I stated that only one dose of the water will work during this scenario. It also only heals 2d8+3.
Hakime, Twitter and Blan each find another set of tablets, and begin extracting them from their hidden slots in the mosaics. What none of them manages to notice, however, is that the mosaics are also trapped, and as they pull out their respective sets of tablets, they set off the corresponding traps!
flame strike vs Hakime, Twitter and Blan:8d6 ⇒ (1, 6, 1, 4, 6, 3, 1, 3) = 25DC17 reflex save for half, evasion applies
Unfortunately for Hakime, the spell also shatters the stone tablets she was pulling out. Ironically, due to Twitter's limited strength and Blan's lack of dexterity (or their luckier % chance roll), they are slower in pulling out their tablets, which are still safely within the mosaics when the flame strikes hits them.
Fortunately, the tablets contain largely similar information, and you are able to make a complete transcription from the two sets of tablets that survive.
Hakime, Twitter and Blan, roll your reflex saves. Van and Torrag do not need to since they did not tablets and so did not trigger traps.
You bring the tablets to the nearest room you can find to make your notes, since you are well aware that attempting to bring the notes out of the time bubble will probably cause them to age and disintegrate.
As you complete your recordings, however, you detect a stench coming from the hallway, and as you look up, you see that a pair of strange wandering monsters are headed your way.
Round 1
Twitter ()
O
Van
Hakime ()-4hp
Van () -
Torrag
Blanmieux () -27hp
Hakime, Twitter and Blan, roll your reflex saves. You can roll healing after that.
Twitter, I notice that if you fail you will be unconscious. You can assume one of your allies pours your ritual water down your throat.
After reflex saves and healing, Twitter can act before the new monsters. Knowledge dungeoneering to identify. Everyone make a perception check at the start of your turn.
Twitter chirps in excitement when she finds one of the tablets, which turns into a squawk when she suddenly finds a pillar of fire being dropped on her!
reflex:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Fortunately, she manages to kick away from the wall and tuck herself under a large torch sconce just a split second before the flames reach her. Thank you evasion!
Later at the room, Twitter hops around excitedly as the other make their rubbings and notes about the tablets.
"Ooo, don't forget to note that little marking on the side. Never know, it might be significant... *sniff sniff* Hey Blan, when was the last time you ... actually nevermind. Heads-up, people!"
Seeing that combat is about to start, she fires a green ray at the beastie before she hops off Hakime's shoulder and ducks into the safety of the pouch.
attack roll:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 damage roll:1d3 ⇒ 1
Knowledge dungeoneering:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23 Questions:
Saves from high to low
Resistances and immunities
Special defences
Special attacks Knowledge perception:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Knowledge perception is not a thing. Also, a seemingly mundane patch of moisture on the stone floor at Northern tunnel seems to be slowly moving towards your group! You can roll another dungeoneering check to identify it.
Twitter's ray barely scores the hide of the tentacled beast, which she identifies as an Otyugh. Both of them.
Answers:
1. Will>Fort>Ref
2. Immune to disease, no elemental resistances or immunities
One of the otyughs moves up to bite its nearest target - Blan.
bite:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20 pain:1d8 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (6) + 4 - 3 = 7Needs a fort save vs disease
The creature easily bites down on Blan who is by now wondering how he got so far in his career as a warrior without wearing armor. Fortunately, the otyugh has also blocked its mate's path. It has to shuffle and slide amongst the pillars and stone cauldron of burning embers in the room. This second otyugh appears have the party's bite-sized gnome in its sights.
Round 1
Twitter ()
Otyugh ()-1 ;
Van
Hakime ()-20hp
Van () -
Torrag
Blanmieux -27hp (Needs save vs 25 damage flame strike, can roll healing before round 1 starts; after healing, takes 7 damage and needs fort save vs disease)
Blan:
You need to:
1. Roll a reflex save vs a DC17 flame strike. If you fail, you take 25 damage, if you pass you take 12. This is added to the 27 points of damage you have taken before that.
2. You can roll healing before combat starts. Remember you can't drink more of the healing water.
3. In round 1 of combat, you have taken another 7 damage and need to make a fort save vs disease.
Whole party can take actions. Twitter is acting in round 2.
since blan rolled multiple rounds of healing, I assume we had some time, more than for 1 heal, so Hakime will take advantage of that time to use her wand
Twitter fires another green ray, at the otyugh moving around the room if it does not fall into the pit, or at the one biting Blan if the other fell into the pit.
With that many questions available, I'll just link the otyugh entry here. There is not alot more to know about it.
Twitter identifies the puddle on the floor as a gray ooze. 3 questions. The others can roll knowledge dungeoneering when Twitter or Blen point it out, or when they roll their own perception.
Van fires two scorching rays of fire at the farther otyugh, but one of his shots goes wide despite the otyugh being a big target. Hakime goes for the one in front of Blan, and also only gets one shot in. Thinking tactically, Torrage conjures a pit beneath the otyugh to trap it.
ref:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 3d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 6) = 18The devil himself on your side.
It falls right into the pit, striking its head on the bottom with a loud moan.
Blan draws his scythe and slashes the otyugh, drawing alot of blood and Twitter burns its skin with another ray. But Blan hurt it more, so the otyugh returns the favor.
bite:1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 bite:1d8 + 4 - 3 ⇒ (1) + 4 - 3 = 2 tentacle:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 tentacle:1d6 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (1) + 2 - 3 = 0 grab:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14 tentacle:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19 tentacle:1d6 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 3 = 2 grab:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14
It strikes Blan easily, but the hits are weak, and it surprises itself when it completely fails to grab Blan despite being a prodigious grappler on a normal day.
Meanwhile, the ooze on the floor inches closer to you, but very very slowly.
Blan needs a fort save vs disease again. Twitter can ask 3 questions about the ooze Others can roll Knowledge dungeoneering to ask more about the ooze. Pathfinders can take actions.
Answers:
10ft
Immune to Fire and ice, mindless, Blind with blindsight, Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning. Not subject to critical hits or flanking. Immune to precision damage.
Longest range attack is ... 5ft slam.
Hakime shoots the otyugh to near death, and Blan disembowels it with the first slash from his scythe. The second slash splits it in two.
With the information given to you by Twitter, you have no problem killing the remaining otyugh in the pit with ranged attacks while avoiding the ooze by walking around the pit.
Once that is done, you continue on your way while casually shooting the ooze to death with arrows and acid splashes as it tries in vain to chase you.
I can already see how this will end. Ooze can't catch you, three of you have acid splash. Your slowest walking speed is the same as its double-move speed. Playing this out will be boring torture for all of us.
You can roll your healing now.
You continue exploring the temple until you come across a familiar figure standing before a set of sealed stone doors.
Male Human Spell Sage 14 | HP:100/100| AC: 16/ FF 12/ T 14 |CMD: 17| Fort: +12 Ref: +12 Will: +13 | Perception: +18| Init: +3 [|] Uses Ring of Invisibility
"What, have you found your way here already? I must say, your group has been very efficient thus far. Quite commendable!"
"I have no doubt that whatever lies beyond these doors is very important, but it will take me a little more time to remove the wards and open them for the rest of the Pathfinder Society. In the mean time, I hear that the serpentfolk defenders are rallying in the Temple Plaza and the Slave Pens. If your battles have not worn you out yet, I suggest you go to those areas to help out your fellow Pathfinders."
I am out of optional encounters, but there is still a combat encounter in the Temple Plaza/Courtyard and you skipped the slave pens entirely, so you can either go back to one of those areas or wait till the next area is opened. It should be in the next day or so.
And here I was worried that the naunet slowed you down too much.
Take a moment to roll your healing and then decide where you want to go next.
Options:
1. Fight in the courtyard
2. Go to the slave pens
3. Wait for Ralph to get these doors open and take the time to get to talk and get to know each other better
Hakime will opt for #3 as with all these ranged attacks, she's gotta be low on regular arrows and have mostly her special arrows remaining - reserving those for what's beyond the doors sounds like a good idea... unless Ralph can somehow provide ammunition, lol
"Perhaps a bit of rest and relaxation would be a good thing as I am running low on ammunition."
Hakime will opt for #3 as with all these ranged attacks, she's gotta be low on regular arrows and have mostly her special arrows remaining - reserving those for what's beyond the doors sounds like a good idea... unless Ralph can somehow provide ammunition, lol
"Perhaps a bit of rest and relaxation would be a good thing as I am running low on ammunition."
That is partly my fault. The scenario is on a timer, so I am running it as efficiently as I can, and you have not been given chances to roll to recover ammunition.
I will assume that you have been attempting to recover your arrows and that you also retrieved some of the arrows that were shot at you when your researchers were studying the festival preparations in the Courtyard. You can get back half of the arrows you have spent since the start of the game.
Options:
1. Fight in the courtyard
2. Go to the slave pens
3. Wait for Ralph to get these doors open and take the time to get to talk and get to know each other better
Twitter ()
Van () -
Hakime ()-1hp [Votes for rest and waiting for the doors to open?]
Torrag
Blanmieux -16hp ()
Edit:I checked the timetable. The doors will open at some point on the 14th.
You can change your vote before a majority decision is reached. Since we're slowing down for awhile, go ahead and add some RP too.
Twitter happily rides along in the pouch firing acid ray after acid ray at the slow-moving ooze.
"And one there, and one there, and one more, pew pew p-- oh it's stopped moving. Bah, wasn't much of a target for practice anyhooz."
"Oh hey lookie! It's Ralphie! Sup?"
Hmm... I don't mind either way, except that we're sitting on an aid token. Since we have it, I think we might as well go out and use it to bust some heads in the courtyard? Way I understand it, after we use it, it is passed to another table, so the more we circulate those things, the more the game benefits as a whole, right?
If we're just gonna fight more serpentfolk in the courtyard, I'd vote for the courtyard. Those guys have not really given us much trouble so far. If they're accompanied by some strange baddie, we can just use the aid token to deal extra damage to it and take it down quick. If not, we can use it to patch up afterwards and then pass it on.
"Ugh, snakes, snakes and more snakes. You know, I think I hate snakes even more than foxes and cats. I mean, they all try to eat you, but at least foxes and cats make nice beds when they're friendly (which is really rare, mind you). Snakes, well, I hear some people make shoes out of them, but who needs shoes when ya got wings, amirite? Am I..."
Twitter trails off when she sees that everyone else in the party appears to be wearing footwear of some sort.
M Gnome Arcanist 6 - HP 38/38 - AC 16/T: 15/FF: 13 - Perception: +1; Darkvision 60 ft. - Fort: +6, Ref: +7, Will: +6 (+2 vs. Illusions) - CMB: +2, CMD 15 - Speed 20 ft. - Init. +3
Van only has 4 spell slots left and there is a month more of this scenario, so I vote to rest until the 14th. If you guys do opt to go on, I'm just going to have him cast Acid Splash.
Looks like Blan and Hakime are neutral, Twitter wants to go forth to use the aid token and Van wants to stay put to conserve his resources (or go forth and cast acid splash only).
It's quite neutral overall, so I will leave the deciding vote to Torrag.
Mage Armor (22 hours); Deathwatch (constant); Overland Flight (7/9 hours); See Invisibility (75/220 minutes), Ring of Blinking
I agree, we shouldn't hold onto the token very long, but the 14th is tomorrow. I think we'll be ok waiting. Us casters have gone through some resources.
I'd be ok either way, but if there's some that would rather wait, it's probably better to force people to wait than force people into battle.
The Pathfinders have worked their way through the Temple Interior, and have discovered that the serpentfolk are performing some kind of ritual in a basement level called the Ophidian Rectory. Perhaps if you rush there you can learn all about the serpentfolk's ancient sacrificial techniques.
…
Oh, also potential save some people. That could be important too.
The Temple Interior is now claimed and the Ophidian Rectory is now discovered! Can we stop the ritual in time? The map is now updated with both the district unlock and the recent aid token transfers. Remember, you still count as one subtier higher for the purpose of your aid token benefits!
Male Human Spell Sage 14 | HP:100/100| AC: 16/ FF 12/ T 14 |CMD: 17| Fort: +12 Ref: +12 Will: +13 | Perception: +18| Init: +3 [|] Uses Ring of Invisibility
"Done and done," Ralph exclaims triumphantly as the stone doors begin to open. His look of triumph turns to a frown however when he is suddenly wrapped in a sphere of force.
"How utterly pointless," Ralph growls in frustration.
"It would appear I need to spend some time encased in this as an additional penalty for cracking the wards. You five head in and see what they were up to in there. Go. GO!"
Not one to argue with an archmage, you head through the gates to a winding staircase that descends to a chamber below. A dim glow and sibillant chanting from the other end of the passage fills you with trepidation as you descend the stairs that lead to the center of a massive domed chamber.
Some heavy presence within this massive, domed chamber claws at the chest and weighs the air itself down. Strange glows emanate from the cardinal points of this massive, circular chamber. In the center of the room, an elevated, spiraling staircase entwines a column of stone, atop which sits an altar. Tied to the altar is an Azlanti man of noble bearing that spits curses in at a serpentfolk as she chants over his prone form. When she sees you, she makes an arcane gesture that conjures a wall of force that seals off a portion of the chamber. She then signals two bat-winged serpentfolk acolytes in the main part of the chamber to dispose of you .
If you speak any of the following languages, you recognise some of the swear words used by the man: Azlanti, Cyclops, Elven, Aklo, Draconic and an archaic form of Hallit.
