PbP Game Day IV PFS 5-14 Day of the Demon (Inactive)

Game Master TheBobJones

Thanks everyone for the help here. I consider myself a street expert on the alchemist class as I have played Mogmurch from the We be goblins 3x. So we have Targath climbing, enlarged Chumley primary roll, with Pooka and Xull aiding round 1. awesome sauce. Here we go!

Targath walks down the hallway to find a smooth egress up to the balcony. Do you have a light source? If not you can retcon to someone casting light somewhere on your person.. His disdain for all things cultural implores him to ignore the full scale mural of the Nine Hells covering the entirety of the 50 by 20 wall.

Pooka and Xull move to the portcullis. Turning their backs to it the squat down and cup their hands beneath the bars. Grunting and groaning the push up. Soon their legs starts to quiver and shake.

Chumley takes a small glass vial out of his pack. Breaking open the stopper he quickly gulps it down. Growing in size he flexes his arms as he moves towards the gate. Placing each of his huge hands on the bars he heaves with all he has.

The portcullis remains shut.

From above the pathfinder can hear sounds. Suddenly Pooka, Xull, Chumley, and Targath are plunged into magical darkness.

Up next: Round 2 everyone

Cyrus'd by the GM! probably a good thing. Not going to aid on the second try, because I am going to try to protect us a bit here with what I can do. Remind me to buy an oil of daylight for a situation like this in the future...

"Hey! Who hit the lights?" Pooka grumbles, knowing it likely wasn't anyone who would want to be nice to them.

"Steel your minds friends, the darkness holds no power that can overcome true light!"

Standard action to activate Danger ward for Will saves - If anyone fails a will save in the next minute, re-roll with a +4 bonus as an immediate action.

Ride check to Mount up as a free action, DC 20: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

Pooka clicks his tounge, and Luna steps up behind him. She ducks her head, pushing it through the halfling's legs. Planting his hands on her sturdy cranium, he pushes himself up in the air. Luna is in perfect harmony with her rider, and steps forward with practiced precision. Pooka comes down in the saddle, and in a flash dog and rider are ready to fight.

As soon as they can see that is.

Standard to activate danger ward, free action to mount, move action to draw lance. Now I just need to figure out how to see in the dark.

All creatures gain total concealment (50% miss chance) in darkness. Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty. Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area if they are of a higher spell level than <>.

You are all currently in darkness. If there is a combat roll your miss chance > 50% is a hit with you attack roll except for Chumley and Diri so far. If you make it to dim light it decreases to > 20% for a hit

"Targath! The illumination down here has disappeared which suggests the presence of hostiles...," Diri cuts off.

"Things to hurt, get down here," she shouts tersely, casting produce flame and moving 5-foot step back towards the group, holding the ball of fire in her hand in an attempt to provide a little illumination.

"Well, if they want to be getting to us, they can be opening portcullis themselves!" notes Xûll, "We need to be backing off until it is being light." With that, Xûll enters his rage, prepared for anything.

Xûll heads down the corridor to try to ascertain the extent of the darkness. Move action 40ft down corridor, token moved.

"Diri! You can see, protect Tilly!"

With a surge of strength and the added adrenaline of battle, Chumley rips the portcullis upwards!
Strength Check: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Raaagh! Chumley smash! Really hope that does the trick. If so, you can tell he really means business because he took his top hat off.

"This better not be those f+@#ing derros!" Targath curses and drops down to the ground with ease (I'm guessing he hadn't traversed much upwards), despite not seeing a damn thing. The next instance he pulls his magic greatsword from its sheath, and is baffled that its light (which I've always forgotten to specify, it's his only magical light source) is nowhere to be seen.

"Blasted merchant! I'm going to rip his soul out!" Targath swears and starts walking towards Diri's voice, "keep blathering, tiny títs, so I know where you are!"

Move action towards Diri, halved movement due to darkness. Weapon drawn.

Targath as you stated you were climbing up, I assumed that it was a double move so you were 15' up. You can climb back down as a double move.

Map updated to show darkness. Looks like I was a square off, Pooka is not in darkness.

Chumley, getting to business, rips open the portcullis. The rusty gate locks in place upove the Pathfinders heads.

The darkness spreads, now encompassing Pooka. Out of the darkness, though he cannot see it, he can feel the swish of a weapon coming at him.

Attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13
Sneak attack damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 6) = 8 Spent more time than I have looking for a ruling on this one. Please post sources if I am wrong in the discussion thread.

It penetrates his armor, and the soft flesh beneath.

Up next: Round 3 everyone

Knowledge Planes: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 6 + (1) = 12
Not knowing exactly what that thing is, but knowing it's probably not a good thing, Chumley attacks with his Enlarged reach and Longspear.
Long Spear Attack, Power Attacking: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Long Spear Damage (if hits): 2d6 + 13 ⇒ (1, 6) + 13 = 20
"I don't know what ya are, but get off my Chum!"
Not sure if that has cover from me? I've always been horrible about reach and cover. If so I'd wait for Pooka's action and call out for him to move if possible.

Well, Targath would have jumped down then instead of climbing. Regardless, he hasn't moved towards Diri then, and has just drawn his greatsword. Also, you've marked darkness as a global condition, but is the darkness spell only around that creature?

Targath waves his greatsword around a bit, smiling as it sheds light like a torch. "Now where's this little bugger?!" Targath yells, seeing a lot of fighting going on near the portcullis. "Damn stupid magic darkness s!*!. Xûll, give me light, brother!"

Targath then resheathes his sword and again tries to climb on. This time doing it hastily.

Climb (accelerated +5 DC): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

"Babau Demon, babau deabru as we call them in the scientific community when they're not mercilessly butchering researchers with longspears and sneak attacks so press our advantage and we can turn the tables giving prudent consideration to any cold iron or good eweaponry like those," Diri states, casting weapons against evil on Tilly's dagger, Chumley's spear, Pooka's lance, and one of her hammers.

Duration: 5 rounds

Then she takes a step to block the babau from reaching Tilly.

Targath Sorry, it is not a global condition, but an area specific one as marked on the map. As per your round 1, you said climb, which to me was a double move or 15 feet. If you want to drop and save an action - you can retcon it but you seemed to have started to climb back up in Round 3.

Diri - Produce Flame will not a(e)ffect the darkness

Chumley strikes out with his longspear. Pooka and Luna seem to be in his way and what he thought was a damaging strike, instead goes just wide. +4 from cover.

Targath resumes his climb back up.

Diri casts a spell to help fight this demon.

Tilly continues to cower in the corner.

Up Next: Pooka/Luna & Xull

I'm confused about what did happen and was happened and what. Let's just go with how the things are right now. Targath is climbing. All is good.

Updated Xûll's starting position to just out of the darkness, he wouldn't have gone any further when he noticed the extent of the darkness.

Xûll rushes up to strike out with his massive ape-arms at the spot Diri says contains the Babau demon.

Cold Iron Hammer vs Demon, power attack: 1d20 + 11 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 11 - 2 = 14
Damage, power attack: 1d12 + 9 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 9 + 6 = 24
Miss chance, >50% hits: 1d100 ⇒ 86

Rerolling that attack please.

Cold Iron Hammer vs Demon, power attack, GM star reroll: 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 11 - 2 + 1 = 29

24 damage as above.

Botting Pooka - sorry man

Pooka. still reeling from his previous hit, stabs out with his lance hoping to connect with whatever it hitting him.

+1 cold iron lance: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19
damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Miss chance, above 50% to hit: 1d100 ⇒ 72

Xull and Pooka, both floundering in the dark, manage to score hits on the demon. They cold iron weapons causing a hissing sound to erupt from it as they strike.

Suddenly, the darkness lifts. The Pathfinders look around but do not see their foe.

We are going to stay in rounds - Round 4 the party is up.

Sorry for the long delay this weekend, and sorry I couldn't warn everybody. Just one of those weekends...

@ TheBobJones_GM - Confirmation for the sneak attack damage, that is correct. It is possible to do sneak attack damage as long as the target doesn't have some form of concealment. If he has to roll a percentage miss chance, then no sneak attack. (so if it has darkvision, you are all good, which is my assumption here)

One other thing. I can't come up with a good reason why Pooka would know what square to attack, other than simply lashing out in the dark in the direction of the attack. If that is to much of a stretch, please ignore the attack below.

Pooka lets out a yip in surprise as the blade sinks into his protected flesh.

"Curse this darkness!" Pooka growls, surprised by the pain, and frustrated at his inability to see. He grits his teeth, and summons an internal courage to suppress the fear and panic he is beginning to feel for losing a sense he depends on so much. It doesn't matter with the magical darkness all around, but he closes his eyes anyways, and pushes his lance forward, hoping to hit something besides the wall, or thin air.

Power Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 for PA, cold iron Damage: 1d6 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15
blind miss chance, >50 is good: 1d100 ⇒ 100

Holey Moley!!

Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 for Extra Crit Damage (PA, Cold Iron): 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 2) + 20 = 23

...

Four minutes.

Xûll lets the rage pass and pulls out a potion that will counteract his fatigue should it be required.

"Pooka, be saving of your energy," Xûll pats him on the shoulder, "If it was to be still here, then darkness would still be here. Did it run or vanish, Diri?"

When the gnome answers, Xûll nods and says, "Best to be moving into this room while portcullis is still being open. Please be bringing Tilly for protectings."

Move forward 40ft, retrieve potion. Spoiler removed. I reserve the right to not move as far as I did if (for example) I am attacked or something weird (like an area of darkness) is in the room.

Was able to steal a minute, so minor retcon we will use Pooka's attack - same events happen. Round 4 - party is up

Pooka breaths a sigh of relief as the darkness dissapates. He nods to Xull, acknowledging his wise words, and then spurs Luna forward to follow him into the room.

"Show yourselves, demons!" he shouts, his adrenaline pumping and his hands twitching, eager for another fight. Once in the room, he reaches back into the saddlebags on Luna's hip and pulls out one of his torches in case the lights go out again.

Move and draw a torch. Will light it next round if I have time. Sorry again for the long delay this weekend!

Pooka, just pick up Xûll's everburning torch. I don't have an action left to pick it up but he certainly wouldn't mind if you did.

Didn't want to take your torch from you, but will happily retcon to that if thats ok. Gotta look at my gear again before the module - need light sources, and a wayfinder. Or two in one.

"Now is not the time to be standing around little one lest that thing" Diri comes full stop. "Was that one of the thin men you mentioned beforehand?" she asks Tilly, waving a hand for her to follow as she heads after Pooka.

Doublemove (30ft, woo!)

Targath figures there's no imminent threat and forgoes climbing the wall and instead takes a tour around to follow the others. "Huh, that demon s#~# didn't last a blink of an eye. Guess you pussies do own real weapons!"

Doublemove.

Will post later this evening. Was wondering, did it look like a spell-like ability or something I could Spellcraft? Or just "disappear"?

Schrodinger's Tiefling!

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 6 + (2) = 14
If Chumley can discern what happened to the Babau and thinks it might have run away Chumley double moves down the hall, and peeks his head around the corner.

If Chumley doesn't know where the Babau went or what happened to it (invisibility?) he'll double move into the room.

Will delete a Chumley depending on which "choose your own adventure" happens.

Thanks for your patience everyone.

As the Bababu disappears, the Pathfinder are left perplexed as to what happened.

Diri asks Tilly if those were the 'thin men' to which she responds, "What men? You was all talking then it go dark, and I heard a lot of yelling, and banging. Then the scary man said some bad words." she points towards Targath.

They moves swiftly forward in the room.

On the chamber’s eastern edge, a tricky lifting mechanism protrudes from the stone wall. The Pathfinders believe that it is probably the mechanism for raising or lowering the portcullis. DC 15 Disable Device check if you want to lower it.

Two portals have been carved into the stone floor; their recessed lines are stained reddish-brown. The pathfinders identify the substance as dried human blood.

Still in rounds, no SOP this time. Remember a Perception Check is equal to a Move Action. Thank you for such detailed posts.

Up next: Round 5 everyone

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

"Before we go stepping into those circles it may be prudent to get you back into ideal condition prior to the appearance of additional babau Pooka," Diri says, blasting a wave of positive energy over the group.

Channeling to heal!: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 3) = 11

She then creeps into the room, watching her footing so as to stay outside of the circle.

Knowledge Arcana: 1d20 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 6 + (3) = 19
Chumley doesn't know what to do with the portals, but does a proper once over (abbreviated) as he looks around the room

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26 (And / or locates invisible creatures...)

Not sure if a seperate knowledge was allowed for the Araca / Planes, but my modifier is the same for both.

"You lot wonder your crop circles, I'll go wonder this here cave-in. What's with this? Someone got mad?" Targath says while casually walking up to the southern edge of the room, and starts looking at the rubble.

Moved 30 ft, another move action to perceive things from the rubble from afar.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 8 - 2 = 17 Distance 20 ft = -2. Targath has low-light vision.

As Pooka comes in with the torch, Xûll moves closer to the rubble and casts his eyes about the room, looking for signs of a demon lurking - or anything else out of the ordinary.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

"It is seeming blood is needed to be activating portals," notes Xûll, seeing the blood, "But me is not able to be sure... me is not being sure why elses they would be spilling blood on floor instead of altar."

By the way, John, I'm pretty sure the continual flame and the darkness spells cancel each other out. I'm not sure where you got the text you linked before, but this is from the PRD.

So, the spells should cancel and the magical weapons should then be able to light the way.

Ooh! I have knowledge (arcana)! I can check my assumption above.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Woo! Ha! I swear, I hadn't opened the spoiler. Turns out Xûll was right.

"Yes, yes!" Xûll adds after searching his brain as well as the room, "I am remembering now. This types of portal can be returned by tainting with blood."

Not sure what "returning a portal" does exactly. Will it make the babau come back? Or will it summon more?

This spell causes an object to radiate darkness out to a 20-foot radius. This darkness causes the illumination level in the area to drop one step, from bright light to normal light, from normal light to dim light, or from dim light to darkness. This spell has no effect in an area that is already dark. Creatures with light vulnerability or sensitivity take no penalties in normal light. All creatures gain concealment (20% miss chance) in dim light. All creatures gain total concealment (50% miss chance) in darkness. Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty. Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area if they are of a higher spell level than darkness.

Weird - two sources of contradictory information. How odd for a behemoth RPG

As the Pathfinders come in and rummage around, they notice a secret compartment in the desk.

Xull Not sure what that means either - probably return to working order.

Round 5 up next: Pooka

Does the perception give me an idea if it's trapped and / or locked? Also, what does "returning a portal" mean? Does that deactivate it?

The key words there that we missed are "only increase".... so it counters the darkness, but it doesn't increase the light level. Other sources will (because the darkness is countered). Obviously no need to retcon, but going forward that should cancel, yes?

"Brother, you are weird. Fiddle with those circles and maybe you'll grow another pair of arms," Targath remarks, and looks at the circles. "You know, two circles. What takes two persons? Dried human blood? Any guesses?" the shoanti takes a quick look at Tilly, and then gets closer to the rubble and examines it some more.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Clarifications

So the portals were once inert, but whatever blood magics were used has reactivated them - or 'returned' them as the author put it (and I missed it in my quick posts this weekend). You do not need to worry about them mechanically.

Included in the perception I would include if it is locked or if it is trapped. In this case it is not locked, nor trapped. I will always tell you everything you find out from perception in order to move the game along. i appreciate the cautiousness.

As for Continual flame/darkness, yes I see my error there. And thank you for pointing it out. Luckily we don't have to retcon anything except for this:

"Them was the thin men that took Pa. You gonna kill them?" Tilly makes herself small in a corner, a look of abject terror on her face, rocking back and forth.

Chumley will open the desk and take out the contents if they're interesting. Looking quite comical as his large frame daintily rummages through the desk.

Is she refering to the Babau, or is there another thing that she's looking at?

"Yes Tilly. We are going to kill them all." Pooka says with a grunt. He wheels Luna around, torch in one hand and magical lance in the other, and the two bound down the stairs out of the summoning room.

Luna wheels around the corner, and Pooka leans into the turn. If they did not have to go down the stairs at the same time, Pooka is quite sure they would have been able to maintain their momentum, and even use the corner to increase thier speed.

Once at the bottom of the stairs, Pooka urges Luna forward and they race down the lowered area of the hall. They were close to the rest of these evil demons, and he didn't want to let them get away. In his heart, he hopes that Xull's magical torch keeps the darkness at bay.

Waiting on me again! I am failing!! Double move...

Failing on all cylinders it seems. To clarify Tilly is saying that in the past when the babau was there since Diris spell would have canceled the darkness and she would have seen it. So that is in the past. presently Pooka may want to change his action. Or I am a goof and that is what he wants to do.

Nah... I assumed that is what you meant. Pooka just wants to look around the corner. Now you have me all paranoid that I am either going to miss the fun up in the upper room, or get slaughtered because I am down here by myself... This is tense... I love it :)

If allowed, and nothing happens beforehand, next round...

Xûll takes the everburning torch from Pooka and shoves it in his belt. No need to hold it aloft if it doesn't burn me.

Also, "them"? Didn't we see only one? Gulp.

Hearing the halfing ride down the hall, the Babau appears from around the corner and strikes out at Pooka with his longspear. Seeing Pooka alone, he grins a malevolent grin.

Longspear attack: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25 I am going to rule that Pooka was not surprised as based upon his description it seemed like he was looking for something.
Damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

The longspear pierces the halflings armor once again drawing a deep wound.

Round 6 up next: Everyone

Pooka you are all good w light with the ever burning torch.

Xûll rushes full pelt around the corridor to help his friend. He keeps his potion of invigorate in hand but considers whether or not he'd be better off just attacking when he finally gets within range.

"Pooka! I'll be there as soon as I can!" he cries, "Mind the charge lanes!"

Double move. Token updated.

"Grnnfff" Pooka grunts, taking the shot with the spear once again in a crease in his armor. "I'm gonna have a chat with that armorsmith when I get back to Absalom dammit! First you gotta die demon!" He yells.

Swift action to declare the demon the target of my challenge ability

Power attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 for Magic, Cold Iron damage, challenge: 1d6 + 10 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 5 = 20

"C'mon Luna, lets make some room for Xull!" He shouts. Pulling back on the reins, Pooka wheels Luna in a circle that takes them a few feet to the side. Both enemies are still within reach of each other, weilding the long weapons.

Attack, then 5' step sideways. Hopefully the threat of an AoO will keep him in place for Xull to get down the hall in all of his fury...