PbP GameDay IV: PFS #4–23: Rivalry's End (3-7) - Tier 3-4 (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

With weapon drawn and behind, way behind Telos and Scratcher, Alektara feels brave enough to continue...

Val explains about both the locations and the spell.

"It seems this spider is keeping an eye on a lot of events around the lands."

I'm good with where Val is

Seeing that we are now in classic fireball formation, Jolly moves off to the side, knowing that his first action needs to be getting everyone else performing their best.

Ready!

"Should we knock or jus' barge in?"

Telos nods his readiness to proceed.

"No knocking, please," he whispers.

Scratcher opens the door when the others signal their readiness!

Alektara signals from the back she is ready with a tap on the shoulder...

Auric checked the doors and found them to be locked but not trapped. We'll need to have him open them.

Auric nods, meaning that he's ready too, his trusted bow in hand.

I am back! Thanks for waiting.

Auric manages to unlock the door and then moves back a bit, allowing Telos to open the door. At first glance you see a sumptuously decorated office. It is dominated by a large desk bearing neatly organized piles of papers. To one side of the desk stands a ledger-stuffed bookshelf; on the other is a cabinet displaying many small busts. Potted plants
adorn the room’s corners, and hanging lanterns provide ample light.

After a second you hear some words being spoken and a woman appears behind the desk, she points her fingers at you and you suddenly feel your mind being invaded.

She then takes stock of the situation and seems to wait for a bit.

Jolly is out of area of effect

Initiative
Alektara
- - -
Woman- has readied
- - -
Telos
Scratcher
Jolly
Auric
Valandil

Taking this one by one, since she has readied an action and I want to give you the chance to roll your own saves (and use rerolls if you want).

WIL: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD HARLOT!!!" Alektara yells at her and then advances to strike her.
ECB: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17...DMG: 1d10 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11

The woman steps to the side and casts a spell at Alektara before the elf can swing her weapon.

Can you give me another will save?

WIL: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12+2 for elven immunities if it applies so 14
and awwww shucks....

Alektara stops in her tracks

Hold person

Telos!

Telos speaks as the door opens. "You're going down, Spid...uhhhmmm..."

Telos takes the full brunt of the spell, succumbing easily to the full effect.

Though thoroughly confused, the skilled warrior knows he should do...something.

Recognizing an enemy in the haze of his mind, he rushes toward the woman casting spells and swings his pole arm at her.

Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
d100: 1d100 ⇒ 23
MW Bardiche (power attack, overhand chop, charge): 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 6 + 2 = 181d10 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

While the woman is occupied by Alektara Telos rushes forward and deals massive damage.

Initiative
Scratcher
- - -
Jolly
- - -
Auric
- - -
Valandil
- - -
Spider - 22 damage
- - -
Alektara
- - -
Telos

Scratcher!

Will Save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

"Oy, where she at?", Scratcher asks before the spell goes off. His mind is clear though. "Der you are! I'ma here to take you in, lady!"

Scratcher double moves up, his claws ready to act.

Jolly! and after that Auric can also take his actions

Will: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

Auric resists the compulsion with an arrogant grin, and starts casting a spell to fight back while he takes a step forward.

Casting silence on one of my durable adamantine arrows, which will take effect next round at my initiative count (1 round casting time).

Valandil, you can post your actions, will resolve in initiative order

Valandil tries to resist the sudden number of options that assault his mind.

will: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Phew!

"Enough of that!" he cries out, sending a pair of magical missiles at her (if she is still up)

Force damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 1) + 2 = 7

"Remember, try to take her alive! Surrender woman, if it your only chance."

Status update: we are waiting for Jolly's actions and then I will do a wrap-up of the round

Can someone give me an action for Jolly?

Inspire courage seems like a good one. Also, he has flagbearer, which would then give us all +2/+2 to attack/dmg! I also forgot to add flagbearer to my roll.

Thanks. Jolly was out of sight and out of 30 ft when you attacked, so no flagbearer on the previous rolls.

Jolly moves forward and starts a rousing oratory about how the Mwangi people deal with oppressors while the Scratcher moves closer and Valandil casts a magic missile, hitting the woman. She then takes a step back to the frozen Alektara and casts another spell.

"My only chance...." she laughs

Please wait with posting until your teammates before you have acted. We are taking this in (rather) strict initiative order. Alektara and Telos can go.

Initiative
Inspire Courage + Flagbearer active as long as you are Jolly's ally ;-)
+1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects if you are within 30 feet and can see the flag. +1 competence bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. Note that for most characters you should wind up with a total of +2 on attacks and +2 on weapon damage.
Alektara - held, test for will first, then you might be able to try to get loose from hold person (DC 16)
Telos - confused
- - -
Scratcher
Jolly
Auric
Valandil
- - -
Spider - 29 damage

WIL: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
and useless...

Alektara: 1d100 ⇒ 48

And babbling incoherently while being paralyzed is impossible. Sorry Alektara!

Though his mind is still a complete haze, the intense training Telos has endured keeps him focused, against all odds, on his enemy. He babbles of a moment, but then seems to snap out of it for a moment.

"Who...what...YOU!" he stammers, then brings his bardiche in an overhand arc at the Spider.

will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
d100: 1d100 ⇒ 11 Act normally...again!!!

MW Bardiche (power attack, overhand chop, inspire courage, flagbearer): 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 2 = 281d10 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 14 + 2 = 20
CRIT?: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 6 + 2 = 191d10 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 14 + 2 = 18 If crit, 38 dmg total

Crit!

Telos goes to town on the spider, who immediately yells out "Ok, I surrender!"

Unfortunately we still have to settle the confusion for some rounds.

Initiative
Inspire Courage + Flagbearer active as long as you are Jolly's ally ;-)
+1 morale bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws against fear and charm effects if you are within 30 feet and can see the flag. +1 competence bonus on attack rolls and weapon damage rolls. Note that for most characters you should wind up with a total of +2 on attacks and +2 on weapon damage.
Scratcher: confused? DC19
Jolly: confused? DC19
Auric: confused? DC19
Valandil: confused? DC19
- - -
Spider - 67 damage
- - -
Alektara - held (DC 18): 2 rounds and confused: 1 round
Telos - confused 1 round
- - -

WIL: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
1d100 ⇒ 100
good thing still held...or the BBEG would have gotten pummeled...

Retcon, I was looking at high tier for hit points (and no: not for spells and DC's)

The woman is almost cut in twain by Telos.

Scratcher!

Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

"Blimey, you dang near cut 'er in twine!", Scratcher moving up and sacrificing a spell to stabilize and save the Spider from dying.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Seeing his allies confused, he then moves on top of the Spider's body to shield her from potential attacks.

Unfortunately for the scratcher his spell does not have any effect

Telos put her exactly at negative con

Telos: Do you happen to have a reroll to cause your crit to fail? :P

Ouch...sorry guys! I'm afraid I don't have a reroll, unless someone else has one they would like to use (welcome to do so!). I didn't even think we were close, though that was a huge crit.

Will save Jolly: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9
Confusion: 1d100 ⇒ 43

Jolly starts babbling incoherently "The fish are coming out of the air, the air!" and stops his performance.

Initiative
Auric: confused? DC19
Valandil: confused? DC19
- - -
Spider - 67 damage
- - -
Alektara - held (DC 18): 2 rounds and confused: 1 round
Telos - confused 1 round
Scratcher
Jolly - confused 1 round

Scratcher, smart thinking and a grey area considering PbP. In a table game I would not allow it at this stage. I need to do some hard thinking about it (and will discuss the process in discussion thread).

Edit: ninja-ed by Telos. Current opinion: it sucks, but that is life for a Pathfinder sometimes. And you can only use rerolls on your own rolls.

Telos: How are you calculating your damage? The flat +14 is a bit high now that I look at it. I see +6 for Strength (ala Overhead Chop), +3 for Power Attack, then the +2 from the IC/Flagbearer.

And indeed: take your time calculating everything, that is why I put the numbers in there. Scratcher knows why it is important.

Clarification on Overhand Chop

seems strength * 3.5 was added instead of *2... still checking

Yeah, I read it as 2x damage from Strength instead of 1.5x. Siimilar Dragon Style.

Moving on, retcon: she is still alive! Rejoice!

After the Scratcher has cast his spell the woman opens her eyes, but she wisely stays on the ground.

Initiative
Auric: confused? DC19
Valandil: confused? DC19
- - -
Spider - 67 damage
- - -
Alektara - held (DC 18): 2 rounds and confused: 1 round
Telos - confused 1 round
Scratcher
Jolly - confused 1 round

"Oy luv, you jus' stay right der until me friends get their heads on straight, then we gonna have a lil talk.", smothering her body in a defensive, yet polite manner.

Will: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Confusion: 1d100 ⇒ 31

Wow...sorry guys. I am not sure at all how I had the +14. Adding it up, it looks like it should be +10. I had it saved in a macro, and I'm not sure if I had a typo, a math error, or complete off-the-wall cheating I had forgotten about. Regardless, she should have 8 more hit points between the two hits. Sorry!

+3 str
+1 two-handed weapon
+2 power attack
+1 power attack w/ 2-hander
+3 str bonus overhand chop

No problem Telos, it got sorted out

Auric babbles like a small child and I am hand-waving the remainder of the confusion; no fun to be in sitting out the 8 rounds..

The woman tries to push the Scratcher away "Get off me! I said I would surrender, at least let me keep my dignity!"

Thanks. Val's will save is abysmal

"The spider caught in her own lair." he says with a look of satisfaction.

"Best tie her hands and gag her.. getting her out of here will be hard though. Maybe roll her in a carpet. I hear that is popular in some cultures." suggests the elf

Val quickly checks the woman for magical auras, removing any items that he finds on her that are magical, and then proceeds to look around the office for other items or documents that are of interest.

Ouidda’s desk contains copious notes regarding her many plots. Prominent on her desk is a list titled “The Ten” containing several dozen names.

Valandil removes a masterwork rapier, wand of irriseni mirror sight with 10 remaining charges, spell component pouch, several keys, winding key for the clockwork guardians and a potion of cure moderate wounds from the woman.

Following your success in the Weaver’s Parlor, you return to Grandmaster Torch’s elegant suite in the Cypher Lodge. The suite appears just as it did earlier today, except that the Sczarni entrepreneur Guaril Karela is absent. Grandmaster Torch lounges in a chair, reading, while his half-orc bodyguards stand casually behind him.

See spoiler in this post for details on irriseni mirror sight

"Mission accomplished, 'guv.", Scratcher tossing the bound Ouidda towards Torch.

Val quietly takes the list of names, scanning it for any that are of particular interest and committing it to memory for possible later use. He also pockets the wand for later study.

Once back with the grand master, he finds a convenient chair to sit on while he waits for the Torch's thanks.

Good game crew. Those confusion spells could have been nasty!

When I ran this, she got surrounded quickly and decided to chance confusion bombing herself... she ended up knocking herself unconscious :P