[PbP Gameday VI] GM Dennis - #8-99 Solstice Scar (Session 2; Tier 1-2) (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

"Babine, that is probably not a good idea. They are frightened and aggressive. One may be a mount for a halfling and is larger and stronger."

"And that why you need someone who is good with animals,"replies Babine."Like me! Children, we had all sort of animals at home. One Time, there was this dinosaur that my aunt gives us when she visited us. Do you believe it? A real dinosaur!"

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Stonelance pulls out a small tool set and makes several small adjustments to his crossbow and as he finishes up softly mutters "There you go Victoria, that should do it."

"I prefer not to bring harm to the dogs if at possible, they are simple doing their job."

The dogs flatten their ears and crouch down, beginning to slowly advance on you. They aren't outright attacking, but you think they might soon if you don't calm them somehow.

Oiur nods at Alphonze and Haska's compliments. "It's a focusing tecnique. It's... well, it comes from within, but not just from me. I—" Their explanation is cut short by dogs' growls and Haska's conversation with Babine.

"They're understandably on edge. Just stay calm, and they shouldn't be more aggressive." They step slowly back from the doorway. "We should probably move on before things escalate."

I'll roll Handle Animal untrained to try to calm them, but if anyone else has a better bonus then they should probably handle it!
Handle Animal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

"Let's move on to the double doors unless someone can calm those dogs or unless we want to have to kill them."

"Keep an eye on them please. I will check the doors."

Haska will approach the doors slowly and will examine the doors. perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Are they locked?

Justice stares intently at the hounds, unsure of how to handle such wild beasts. "I'm unsure of how to tame a rabid animal, but if we come to blows I shall attack in such a way to leave it alive."

Justice lowers his stance, taking on a posture of non-aggression, and holds his arms out.

Aid Another, Handle Animal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Babine goes on front, his left palm opens. No sign of fear can be feel.

"You have nothing to fear from us. We are here to help you."

handle animal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

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Haska moves towards the closed doors, causing these trained guard dogs to bark and growl even more. Oiur tries to calm them, but can't seem to cut through their fear. Justice tries to make himself less threatening, but it doesn't seem to help. As the dogs advance, growling and aggressive, Babine calmly and confidently steps forward, hand outstretched. The dogs' ears go up as he speaks and the growling ceases. The lead dog takes a few wary steps forward and sniffs at the paladin's hand, then sits and waits, no longer on the verge of attack. It looks like you may be able to lead them outside with another (easier) handle animal check).

Babine guides the dogs to the outside.

"Does someone have some meat to treat them with?"
Takes 10 for this. 16. Others can aid me right?

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"Of course, I have some rations! A stupendous idea Babine!" Justice offers a small bite to the dogs, then gives the remainder to Babine to help lead them.

Aid Babine, Handle Animal: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12

Babine and Justice lead the dogs outside, where some museum staff they are familiar with lead them away. While they do so, Haska opens the closed doors to find an exhibit being prepared, with relic displays in various states of completion. There do not appear to be any other creatures in this room.

Where to? You hear noises coming from upstairs. You know there is also the challenging situation out in the garden.

Oiur removes a vial of crimson fluid from their pack and rolls it between their palms, humming to themself.

"Upstairs, before these things wreck even more?"

The uneasy tension building in Alphonze at seeing the dogs, dissipates as Babine deftly guides them away. Some remnant of the effect of Oiurs song seems to linger however, and he feels himself itching for a fight.

"I agree Oiur, let's deal with the intruders before they can do any more damage."

"Indeed! Let us not dwell in areas we've already cleansed, upstairs!"

"Than we agree. Lead the way."

Haska shuts the door and follows the others.

"Well, 'cleansed' is not what I would call it."

The stairs are beautifully crafted of marble and brass, rising first to a landing, then on either side to the second level. Gears, glass, and chunks of wax litter the polished wood floor under a sign that proclaims “Scars of the Lich.” The corpse of a Kellid warrior lies in a pool of blood, her furs soaked through. A constant ticking and whirring sound echoes in this area. As you come up to the top of the stairs, heavy footsteps approach, preceding an odd figure dressed in crusader’s garb. As it comes around the corner, it raises an arm at you and advances!
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Initiative, round 1:

Knwl. Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

In the heat of battle, Alphonze finds himself utterly incapable of remembering his old tutors lectures. All he can do is mutter an incantation over his blade, before raising it in challenge to the figure and charging towards it.

swift: Use arcane pool, move: run over to the thingy, std: attack

Scimitar: 1d20 + 4 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 4 - 1 + 1 = 16
Dmg: 1d6 + 3 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 + 1 = 7

@Alphonze: Just so I'm clear, the -1/+2 is from Power Attack, and the +1/+1 are an enchantment from your arcane pool, right?

Alphonze rushes forward, charging his scimitar with arcane energy as he strikes, leaving a ragged gash in the creature.

The creature responds by slamming a large fist into Alphonze, leaving a bruise and an odd, waxy coating.

slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

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Initiative, round 1:

"Alphonze!!" Justice rushes forward, charging with Greatsword held high over his shoulder, its blade burning with a red hot heat. "Keep your villainous hands to yourself, vile creature!"

He slams his Greatsword down with all his might, using the momentum from his charge to fortify the blow.
Charging Greatsword Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 2 = 16
Charging Greatsword Damage: 2d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (1, 5) + 3 + 1 = 10

Slowed by his armor, Babine decides to take a chance and throws a javelin.

attack shoot into melee: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 2 - 4 = 41d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

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Oiur steps up beside Babine, their steady sonic presence already filling the rom and wrapping around their companions.

Move: Move up.
Stadard: Begin inspired rage.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Haska will think about his experiences with things like the new enemy.
know arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12
He advances to just behind Oiur and Babine. movement help please straight forward.
Haska pulls out his rapier.

@Dennis Yup, spot on.

With the returning feeling of invincibility from Oiurs song, Alphonze unleashes another vicious strike against the strange assailant.

I accept the ragesong and attack the enemy, reducing me to 14 AC

Scimitar: 1d20 + 4 - 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 1 + 1 + 1 = 15
Dmg: 1d6 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 13

Babine's javelin sails wide as both Alphonze and JUSTICE FLAME! attack. In trying to defend against all three threats at once, the creature gets caught in between, leaving them open to mighty blows from both assailants. The flashing scimitar and the mighty greatsword both leave large gashes across the chest of the creature, revealing no blood or flesh, only a waxy substance.

Stonelance may act.

Stonelance takes a quick step forward raises his crossbow and instinctively fires.

crossbow: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

After unleashing the bolt, the crossbowman quickly reloads.

Stonelance fires at the creature then quickly reloads. Unfortunately, his aim is slightly off as he tries to thread the bolt through all of his allies, and the bolt passes millimeters above the creature's left shoulder. Miss after cover bonus to their AC.

A look of fervor enters the creature's eyes. With no fear for its own safety, it continues to attack Alphonze, as if it were a crusader attacking a demon.

slam: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25 Oof, the dice roller doesn't like you this battle.
damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

-----

Initiative, round 2/3:

Justice takes a 5-foot diagonal step, creating an opening for fellow allies should his attack miss. With the ragesong burning in his chest and flames licking off the blade of his greatsword, he bellows out.

"Fall, foul creature!!"

With all his might, he slams the greatsword crashing down.

Ragesong Greatsword Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17
Ragesong Greatsword Damage: 2d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1, 4) + 4 + 1 = 10

Seeing the waxen figure slam an armored fist into Alphonze's chest, Oiur reaches into their belt pouch and removes a length of dull red stone, steps next to the injured man, and touches the wand to his wound. The barking cough of the device's command word matches the continued crash of the hammer.

5 foot step up to Alphonze.
Move action: retrieve wand.
Standard action: heal Alphonze for 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8.

Their bracing song continues!

"Wax and Wax. Why is it There?"says Babine while he swings his weapon.

scimitar: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
dice: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

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Haska moves forward pulling out is dagger. 10' straight at enemy. Movement help please.

Haska then flings his dagger at the wax creation.

dagger throw with melee and cover penalty: 1d20 + 5 - 8 ⇒ (11) + 5 - 8 = 8
dmg: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4pbs

"Perhaps with luck..."

@Dennis If only it was limited to the dice roller and this battle. Any die, be it physical or electronic seem to have some innate hatred for me xD

Alphonze gives Oiur a quick nod of thanks before turning back to the battle.
"How much more can this damned thing take?!" He shouts and hacks at his enemy once more.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 4 - 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 1 + 1 + 1 = 15
Dmg: 1d6 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 9

Oiur touches a wand to Alphonze's back, causing the bruises forming on his face to recede significantly.

Alphonze and JUSTICE FLAME! are prove to be a very potent front-line combination as, once again, their blades flash in unison, providing a challenge too great for the creature's defensive capabilities. The wax figure raises its arm to retaliate, holding in that position for just a moment before its upper torso topples backwards to the ground, its legs collapsing forward. It lies on the ground in several waxy, unmoving pieces.

Out of combat!

------

Looking around, you can see other groups of pathfinders fighting elsewhere in the museum, and hear sounds of commotion from all around.

Y’all are too fast for the other tables. You can decide if you want to help disable more dangers on the first or second floor, or if you want to go out to the garden and help with the swarm, while we wait for Nigel and Ambrus to finish disabling the wards.

After a few moments, Babine stops looking at the wax corpse or for some possible others dangers.

"What a strange museum." he says while storing his scimitar in his sheath. It seem that we are the first on this level. Shall we aid our follow pathfinders with those runes?"

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As an alchemist I would love to fight a swarm that takes half again damage from splash weapons. Haska will make his pitch.

"Look, we are still hearing strange sounds from the garden. Perhaps I have an answer to the problem of the arcane swarm." "I have two alchemist fires and 2 vials for acid that I will distribute to those of you with me in this task." "As long as we keep moving and surround it. I believe we can handle it." "If it proves to be immune to fire, then we just retreat back into the build." "What do you say?"

Haksa looks a little embarrassed as he says the next bit. "I hate to admit it, but my bombs really are more of a hazard inside here. With all of the relics around, I am shy to use them." "I feel almost like a spectator seeing you all work to defeat these things." "I am afraid I am not much help and not pulling my weight." "But, in the garden..." Haska starts to smile and is eyes twinkle.

Oiur smiles as the song fades and their pulse slows. "I'm sure I speak for both myself and Justice Flame in saying your enthusiasm is not misplaced. Let's do what we can for our fellow Pathfinders in the gardens."

They stow the hammer on their back and retrieve the stopped vial they were considering before. They hold it between index and middle finger and shake it gently back and forth. "Not as impressive as yours, I suspect, but it will do."

They turn to the group. "How do the rest of you feel about unorthodox horticulture?"

"What foolishness!" Justice springs over to Haska, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just as the rest of us, you are a valued Pathfinder, with skills invaluable to staving off the throes of darkness! Do not sell yourself short, friend Haska!" With a flourish he points his Greatsword to the sounds of the Garden. "We shall go and battle the fiends that terrorize our garden!"

Oiur winks at Haska from their position behind the exuberant swordsman.

You head back downstairs and out the door, where you once again meet with Sergeant Svaralk, who escorts you over near the gardens. "Right in there. The problem will become apparent fairly quickly, I assure you." before hurrying back to deal with another matter.

Thousands of glowing glyphs form a protective shell around the outside of the museum, casting a sparkling aura of light that bounces off the fountain’s waters. As soon as you enter the garden, these glyphs fly off in a swarm, darting this way and that. Soon, they swoop around and fly straight toward you!

A PC that is adjacent to the runes can attempt to shut them down with Disable Device, Knowledge (arcana), Linguistics, Spellcraft, or Use Magic Device. Spells like dispel magic or erase can also help.

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Initiative, round 1:

knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

"What in the world..."

immunities

Could I tame it? wonders Babine.I don't thinks so. They're too many runes. I can only train two runes at a time.

"At home, I remember that we used something called "vermin repellant" against insects like this. Does someone have this?"

An flask of acid on hand, Babine comes close to the runes and throws the flask at it.

Throw: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
acid: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Does the skill check is a free action?

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"Surroundings to the contrary, those aren't your garden variety runes!"

Oiur puts a bench between themself and the approaching mass. They unstopper the vial of alchemist's fire, contact with air stoking the contents to a ruddy glow, and fling the flask into the mass of animate symbols.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Throw Flask: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 against touch AC, 1d6 ⇒ 6 fire damage.
If that's a miss, (scatter: 1d8 ⇒ 5 ) the flask would land in the square diagonally back and to the left of the swarm's back left corner, so would still deal 1 fire damage to the swarm.

Move: step behind bench.
Standard: throw flask of alchemist's fire.

Stonelance looks at the swarm than too his crossbow with a frown. "Well this should be interesting." he mutters before dashing off to his left. Sliding to a stop he quickly pulls the trigger of his crossbow.

crossbow (pbs): 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 1 = 10
damage (pbs): 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

@Babine: The knowledge check to identify it is a free action. The Disable Device, Knowledge (arcana), Linguistics, Spellcraft, or Use Magic Device checks to disable it are a standard action, and you must be adjacent to it.

Stonelance's bolt flies through the swarm harmlessly. Babine and Oiur both throw splash weapons at it, Babine's striking directly. Oiur's fire misses but still splashes onto the swarm, doing a little damage.

The swarm immediately starts to heal itself, and you get the sense that it will continue to do so until it is permanently disabled.

The swarm seems to shudder, then squeeze together for just a moment, before returning to their normal state.

touch attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Arcane glue springs up from the ground in great sticky globules, coating the legs of JUSTICE FLAME!, Alphonze, and Babine. You all have the entangled condition: –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity, and you must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the floor (as with a tanglefoot bag). If you fail the reflex save, you must make a DC 17 Strength check or scrape it off with a slashing weapon before you can move.

Initiative, round 1:

Oiur, baffled by this thing's physical makeup and behavior, voices the barest inkling of a hunch. "Maybe if I get close..." It's consumed by the shattering of glass and the crackling of flames.
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

What is that roll you just made?

Knwl. Arcana: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18I'd like to know some weaknesses
Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Reflex: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

"See this is why you think before setting up wards gentlemen! Someone's mashed together spells until they turned in on themselves" Alphonze yells. Feeling himself getting sticking ever more to the ground, he attempts to force his way out of the glue.[

Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Like I said, dice don't seem to like me.

@Haska: It has swarm traits, so it's immune to anything that targets a specific number of creatures. It also has construct traits, so immune to death effects, disease, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), necromancy effects, paralysis, Poison, sleep, stun, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).

@Alphonze: it has the usual swarm weakness to area of effect attacks (50% damage increase).

Reflex Save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Justice lets out an uproarious laugh, slicing the glue away with his sizzling Greatsword. "Slowing us down will only slow your demise, cowardly glyphs!"

What size are the swarming runes, or does that require a check? Are they Tiny, or are they Fine or Smaller?

Haska advances to get a clear line to the glyph glob.

He pulls out a clay like ball and jams something into it. He hurls it at the glob.

bomb#1 with PBS: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 = 13
dmg: 1d6 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 1 = 11

if miss:miss: 1d8 ⇒ 8 short and right, splash damage is 5 or 2 DC13 reflex