PFS PbP Gameday V - #9-00- Assault on Absolom: Tier 1-2 *CORE* (Inactive)

Game Master Uktar

Where to, my fine adventurers? Either to the north to fight off the Demon-Hoards in the Cairnlands, or to the harbor to fight the Undead Armada? Rule of 2 applies, we have one vote for undead.

"I am no sailor and avoid the water whenever possible. I say we take the fight to the demons and their minions." Duath adds in his preference.

1 Undead, 2 Demons: 1d2 ⇒ 1

"Hmm... as my affinity is toward water, I would probably be more useful against the undead. So I vote we head toward the undead."

"Hrrmmmm.. undead yes. Demons too powerful for us acolytes..."

You discuss your options then decide to head for the harbor. As you approach, a few panicked fishermen run past you, shrieking like madmen. Then a terrified member of the harbor guard runs past, shouting, "“They’re coming! The armada of the dead is coming!”
After exchanging a few nervous glances and even more nervous chuckles amongst yourselves, you continue to the harbor.

Down in the Flotsam Graveyard, dozens of ships with tattered black sails are winding among and crashing through the hazardous wrecks that dot the bay, rapidly approaching the harbor. As the skeletal ships advance, more sunken ships start rising of their own accord through the foaming waves, joining the undead invasion.

A soldier clad in mithral armor, wearing a blue cloak, and carrying a barbed spear nods a greeting, carrying a worried look on her face. “I’m captain Sevana Kinhan of the Wave Riders, and I’m glad to see you have come to help us—we’ve taken heavy casualties, our allies from Escadar haven’t arrived, and the undead armada doesn’t seem deterred by the Flotsam Graveyard’s wreckage.

“In order to stop their advance, we must destroy their five command ships. Your superior at the Pathfinder Society has informed me that your skills would be well suited for attacking the Lioness commanded by Commander Paulus Saltbain. We have more hippocampi than there are able-bodied Wave Riders left to command them, so you can borrow our steeds if that helps you reach and board their tattered ships. You also might find these to be of use...” Captain Kinhan then hands three labelled potion bottles: two potions of touch of the sea and a potion of water breathing.

"Whatever foul magic that summoned these cursed ships also has the local sea creatures stirred up. You could either take them head on, or try and evade them to get to your target. Either way, best of luck to you." With a nod, he returns to mustering his forces for the Absolom's defense.

You have a choice, either attack the creatures head on, or try and evade them to get to the ship you've been told to board and defeat the crew. It'll take about 5 minutes to evade them, if you're successful (in case you have spells or abilities you think might apply, e.g. the touch of the sea potions won't help, since they only last 1 minute).

To evade, you'll each need to try and make EITHER a Ride check, OR a Swim check. (You have a feeling the ride check might be easier of the two, since it means you're using the hippocampi's swimming ability in your favor.) The more individual successes, the better. Can't aid another. If you can cast guidance, you could spam on yourself, but no time to do it on everyone. Flying would autosucceed, as long as you can fly for 5 minutes.

Touch of the Sea
Water Breathing
Touch of Sea potion would be Caster Level 1. Water Breathing would be CL 5

Shukara vaults over an hippocampi, and says "Those can swim while carrying our heads above water yes? the touch of the sea potions makes someone swim of their own accord yes? if so they should both go to one of you with slow reflexes as you need fast reactions to guide these mounts. The water breathin' one should, well, go to the one of us with the heaviest armor... for reasons that are obvious! unless we can share the bottle??"

Water breathing can usually affect multiple targets by splitting duration -- can we do this with the potion of water breathing?

After the water breathing question is resolved, Shukara says, "Let's try to avoid the sea creatures! this might take a while- keep the touch of the sea potions handy for afterwards when we get to the real sea battle!"

Spurring her mount forward, Shukara attempts to distract the first sea creature encountered!

Ride: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

Indeed, very astute suggestion. Each of you would have 1 and 2/3 hours of water breathing if you shared the potion. And that, of course, would mean you could go below the surface on your hippocampi, if you so choose. Doesn't make a difference on the evasion (Ride/Swim) checks, but may have other uses...

"Lets split the potion of water breathing. We'll benefit doing that more than anything else."

Hudor takes a sip of the water breathing potion before passing it on to the others to get their dose. He then gets on the hippocami, casting Mage Armor on himself, then directs it to forward and to avoid any enemies until we can get to the ship.

Ride: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Water Breating 1 & 2/3 hours duration
Mage Armor 2 hours duration

Ride: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

A little wary of the creatues Duath takes his dose of the potion and carefully mounts.

"What an interesting thing you are...it is unfortunate that we have to bring you into this dangerous situation."

"What a great Idea, I am more a land person than water. I don't think I have ever ridden well before with out falling off. But as my mentor once said 'Become one with the animal'."
1 2/3 Hours water Breathing
Guidance on Duath if I can only do one
I do have water walk potion if need be

Ride: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19

hehe... figures. The one with the best Ride Bonus gets the worse roll.

Yeah, this is gonna be rough on me, lol.

I can see us all merge towards the destroyer riding atop a bunch of jetskis... :)

“That’s alright Zeebo’! Jsur stick with us and you’ll have no worries! See, it’s easy you jsur put your foot up here in the saddle and ...woooooah!” Morka takes a sip of the potions and follows the group, trying to race ahead.

Ride: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Ride: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

As you are cruising along, debating whether to submerge and approach the ship from underwater, Shukara spies a couple of globular creatures floating just beneath the surface just about 60' away from the party. Clearly they intend to impede your attempts to reach The Lioness

If you exceed the DC 11 KN-Nature check by 5, pick one of the spoilers below. By 10, both spoilers.

see map
You may pick a different starting point on the map right now, within the box marked by purple dashes

These critters are underwater. It's sort of like you're flying on your hippocampus. Rules you should be aware of:
Ride Skill
Underwater Combat
Hippocampus stats

Duath, Flaith Top of the order. You're up.
. . . Current Initiative order:
Duath
Flaith
. Zeebo
. Hudor
. Morka
. Shukara
. . BOLD may act.

Free action; out-of-turn

"Ahoy! we got some kind of jelly fish floaters dead ahead, 'bout 75 feet forward. We should take a wide-berth around them!"

Question: are our mounts combat trained or just trained for riding?

Indeed, these fine animals are combat trained, raised to defend Absalom.

This looks intimidating and that -2 per 5 feet is going to kill my ranged attacks. I am going to delay till our beefier members get into position.

Are you sure they weren't summoned by a bunch of high level rangers/druids? Mine has done this several times in underwater scenarios for our party...

Friends: I'll be on the road starting in two hours and won't be able to check things until later tonight. I know it hasn't been 24 hours yet but can we bot those who haven't posted yet so that I can squeeze a post out before I leave? thanks!

At Shukara's suggestion, the party uses the much faster and more nimble movement of hippocampi mounts to circumnavigate the creatures, soon leaving them far behind. It takes you a few extra minutes to reach The Lioness, but spare yourselves precious combat resources, as well as the dangers of facing the poisonous tentacles of the dangerous Death's Head Jellyfish.

Hippocampus swims 3x faster than the jellyfish, and you made the perception. You quickly outdistance them and they lose sight of you...

Morka: Absalom's Wave Riders is a light calvary military unit who ride Hippocampi mounts. They are charged with protecting the City at the Center of the World from watery threats. You reported to Captain Sevana Kinhan, the leader of the Wave Riders. She gave you the mounts and the potions.

You spy The Lioness in the distance: It's time to take action.

You face a choice. Each hippocampus has a grappling hook with attached knotted rope in the saddlebag, which you can use for a boarding action. You can use the grappling hook and rope to get up to either the Gun Deck or the Main Deck. (At this level, in CORE, I doubt there are many other options for boarding, but let me know if I'm missing something.) The Gun Deck is about fifteen feet (15') above the water line, the main deck is about 25 feet (25') above the waterline
See Map
Climb Skill

What's the plan? How are you going to approach the ship, and where are you headed? Current placement of PCs on the map is for convenience--it's not your actual location. I've grouped you with your mount for the moment. You can dismount and start climbing from any square your mount occupies, so don't worry about where you are located on the combined token.

Hudor yells out over the sound of the water to his companions, "The Gun Deck will be easier to get into. Lets go that route."

Throwing the grappling hook up to begin his climb.

Climb: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Can we use a human ladder? Flaith for sure has no grappeling hook and rope!

Each Hippocampus has on one it

Duath will follow Hudor up and provide assistance to any others.

Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

“Let go guys! Climb up and let’s get this ship! Gun deck first and we make our way up!”

Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Please place yourselves on the map (Hudor is already by one of the gunports).
You need to make a ranged attack roll to toss up the grappling hook: You need to hit AC 5, with a -2 range penalty. You each have your own hook and rope, and could each go to a separate gunport, or all of you scrambling up just one rope, or some combination thereof. Also, remember you can take ten when climbing, as long as you're not in combat/threatened/distracted

"Before we climb let take a look under the water line since we can breath water right now."

Taking a look for other ways in under the water line

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

If nothing and we need to climb
Climb: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (12) - 1 = 11

Morka throws the rope up and climbs it. “Hey guys, we should all just do this and go up together! I’ll take this hole!”

Throw Hook: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 5 - 2 = 8 — and take 10 to climb into the gun hole.

Peeking over the edge, Morka a big nose sticks out. “Hey guys, hurry up!”

Following Hudor Shukara climbs into the Gun Deck.

grappling hook ranged attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

taking 10 on climb: 10 + 6 = 16

stealth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Hudor yells out over the sound of the water to his companions, "The Gun Deck will be easier to get into. Lets go that route."

Throwing the grappling hook up to begin his climb.

Throw Hook (-2 Range Penalty) vs AC 5: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 - 2 = 3

Throwing the grappling hook up the first time, he misjudges the distance greatly and misses. Recalculating the distance he throws the hook again and this time gets it to set.

He then climbs the rope.

Climb check above was 13.

Throw Grappling Hook: 1d20 + 1 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 1 + 4 - 2 = 12

Taking a 10 to use the rope.

Zeebo takes a quick sweep under the ship to get to his designated gunport, but he spies nothing out of the ordinary...other than the fact the ship seems old and decayed from decades underwater.

Flaith-bot moves to her designated spot and tosses up her line and starts to climb.
grappling hook toss: 1d20 ⇒ 7
take ten to climb

As you scramble up the side of the ship, Duath is about to climb into the ship when he's startled by the cries of Morka and Flaith, who spy undead sailors waiting for them just inside the gunport. Duath sneaks a peek and sees one at his port as well. Duath is at the top of his rope, while most of the the rest of the party still have 5' to climb. Hudor still has 15' ahead of him.

Everyone still climbing, it's DC: 0 Climb check that you have to roll. Hudor, you can take a -5 penalty on that check to double your speed. (that means half speed instead of 1/4 speed). Duath (and everyone else) it's difficult terrain to get into the ship (i.e. first 5' cost 10' movement, and would provoke...though these things haven't acted yet).

` Top of the order. You're up.
. . . Current Initiative order:
Duath
Zeebo [5’ to go]
Shukara [5’ to go]
Hudor [just starting to climb]
. Morka [5’ to go]
. Flaith [5’ to go]
. . BOLD may act.

KnowRel: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0
Flaith has noooo clue at all.
Just saw she has to climb too.
Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Climb (Double Speed): 1d20 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (9) + 1 - 5 = 5

Hearing the shouts of his companions, Hudor attempts to climb faster to help them.

Knowledge Religion: untrained: 1d20 ⇒ 10

"Watch out they are Zombies use slashing weapons."

Zeebo climbs the last 5'

climb: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Zeebo climbs through the gunport and draws his scimitar to get ready to fight the zombies.

double move: move to get in and move to draw weapon due to BAB is 0

I take it the AoO would come while climbing rather than once I am at the gun port? So no DEX to AC or acrobatics? Do I see what weapons the undead sailors are wielding?

They haven't acted yet. You have the initiative. I wouldn't be too worried about them having Combat Reflexes, since they're zombies. Morka and Flaith may have some issues, but you're acting first, Duath.

Take 10 on climb to finish crawling into the ship.

Duath grits his teeth as their opposition comes into view.

"We are easy targets out here. We must force ourselves on board. I will do what I can to help." he calls out while climbing in next to the undead sailor and drawing his blade.

This is no time for the bow...time to shake the rust off this blade.

Since climbing is part of a move action do I get to draw my weapon as a free action due to +1 BAB? Sorry for the questions, if so I will take an attack as well.

Yes, Duath, you can climb in using 10' of move, drawing your blade. as you get to your feet. Have at it.

Hudor quickly scrambles up to gundeck and crawls inside. You have up to 20 more feet of movement left from where I placed you on map, but that's about it for actions, Hudor. Either move a bit more, or stay where you are

Zeebo joins his mates inside the ship, preparing for battle.

Shukara, you're up (he may not be able to post, but I'll give him until morning before botting.

After getting inside he finds himself face to face with a decrepit zombified marine just like Zeebo warned.

"The dead are not meant to walk about like this."

Longsword: 1d20 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 2 = 8
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Upon reaching the top and pulling himself into the ship, he stays put so as not to get in the way of anyone else and to analyze the situation.

Shukara-bot fastclimbs the last 5' and crawls through the gunport, and then draws her temple sword. she can't fail the DC5 check. +0 BAB so move action to draw weapon.

The zombie in the red pirate's jacket awkwardly crawls over the cannon to get at Zeebo, while the blue jacketed one does the same with Shukara. The way they shamble, they barely move up to their enemies, not even getting to attack. But the green one raises both his hands and attempts a two-fisted batter of Duath. His fists come crashing down on Duath's head, dealing a staggering blow.

slam attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
slashing dmg: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

. . . Current Initiative order:
. Duath [-10hp, Disable/staggered]
. Zeebo
. Shukara
. Hudor
zombies
Morka [5’ to go]
Flaith [5’ to go]
. . BOLD may act.
Flaith, Morka You will provoke moving up onto the deck, and you will have a penalty to your AC.

“Unmmm! Hey Shukara! Can you beat that thing up for me, or make it move 5ft after you into the centre of the boat? You can do it guys! I believe in you! Go go team!”

Morka will start his performance giving everyone +1/+1 to hit and damage, and ready his move action after the undead moves away from the gun hole, or next turn.

Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Flaith again tries to manage the last few yards.
Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 8

MOrka and Flaith reach the top of the ropes, but hesitate to enter, seeing the zombies lurking just inside the port, threatening to attack them while they squirm their way inside. Morka shouts some encouraging words that inspire his fellows to action

Inspire Courage +1 to hit and +1 to weapon damage
Morka, you can only ready a standard action, and you used that to start performance. You )+(and Flaith) did use your move to finish the 5' climb to the top of the rope. You're outside the port. The zombies probably could move and attack you, but you would have cover, and there are much more inviting targets within reach.

. . . Current Initiative order:
Duath [-10hp, Disable/staggered]
Zeebo
Shukara
Hudor
. zombies
. Morka
. Flaith [/b]
. . BOLD may act.

Hudor takes a step around the canon to get a direct sight on the undead attacking Duath and then sends a ray of positive energy toward it.

Disrupt Undead +IC (Range Touch): 1d20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 3 + 1 = 18
Damage +IC: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Free: 5' step
Standard: Spell