[PbP Multi-Table special] #8-00The Cosmic Captive - GM Iff (Tier 3-4) (Inactive)

Game Master Iff

Kitajo, the blue one that you were next to is dead. Only the other one is left. You go could for move and all single attack. Please move your token if you can; it could get crowded, so positioning will likely matter.

Thanks, ugh. It is early on a Sunday morning. I woke up and checked the game before I even got out of bed. Should have woken up more. Have moved up behind the other one. I moved out of 2 threatened squares, so will tumble as I move through.

Kitajo moves up around the yellow enemy. Knowing that others cannot move as fast as he can he moves to the back. Ducking and weaving to avoid the statues swinging blade, if it comes.

tumble against AoO 1: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
tumble against AoO 2: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

He then sets his weight and throws an elbow at the enemy.

Unarmed strike: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 7 + 2 = 25 damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Yanda does not have much to offer at this time and just moves closer, pulling out her wand of CLW.

Terra moves in on the target and rips one! The chamber echoes with noises of her gashing it.

Magic bite, BS, PA: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 8 - 1 = 111d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 3 = 14

Kitt offers anyone who needs a bit of helping hand!

Will guidance any one who needs it.

I lined it up. Without the rings still up, I think I can hit the other construct without moving. If I'm missing something, I'll move or shift to where I can hit and just use the first attack. Edit: I don't think it matters. I doubt either one hit.

Shera turns and fires two arrows at the remaining construct. "We are doing well. We'll figure this out yet."

Longbow Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Longbow Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Dovian's knees threaten to buckle as pain overwhelms his conscience Looks like I'm really betting my life here...time to go all in He stands his ground as his allies arrive, twirling his staff and distracting the creature so that Kitajo and Terra can take advantage of any openings.

total defense

Kitajo moves up, moving right past the statue. Once in position he throws an elbow punch that takes a small chunk of rock from the living statue.

Terra move in and bites, but her aim is slightly off. She snaps at air. Shera fires off two arrows, but there's an unexpected blast of winds from the Vault, which throws off her aim. Even if the living statue is off-balance from charging, neither arrow hits.

Guidance from Kitt still unclaimed, for whoever wants it. Shera, that line of sight is good; the rings are actually only inlaid on the ground, so you can see over them. I included the -2 from environmental factors to your rolls, which means the first just barely missed.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 1,2 - Bold may act

Dovian (-9. Full defense)
Shera (-1. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Caryatid columns: Blue (dead), Yellow (-3)
Kitt (-1), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

[spoiler=GM rolls]
AoO, Kitajo: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
[/spoiler=

Yarricki takes a closer look at the other statue and sees where she can best hit it study. On her way to the statue she accepts Kitt's touch and her vision improves.

Thunder bites: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Yarricki’s lance: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 1 + 1 + 1 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 3 + 1 = 15

While Shera could not take advantage of the living statue's momentarily weakened defenses, Thunder can. The axe beak bites and takes a good chunk of stone out of it. Yarricki's lance is accurate as ever, and also chips off a good part.

Dovian braces for more pain, but it doesn't come. Rather, the statue turns around to face Kitajo. It swings the longsword at the monk, but it already so damaged that it can barely lift the weapon. The monk doesn't even have to dodge to avoid the feeble attack.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 2,3 - Bold may act

Dovian (-9.
Shera (-1. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Caryatid columns: Blue (dead), Yellow (-22)
Kitt (-1), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

Flurry of punches for Kitajo again. He is very predictable.

Flurry Unarmed Strike 1: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 2 = 15 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Flurry Unarmed Strike 2: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 2 = 22 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Jabbing Style Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Terra continues to unleash her fury on the stone beings. Ripping a good chunk out of the creature this time.

Magic Bite,BS,PA: 1d20 + 8 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 8 - 1 = 231d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 3 = 14

Making an assumption it'll be dead after this round.

Once the threat has been neutralized, she returns back staring at some Terran words on the puzzle.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Kitt cast some guidance on himself this time, and then offers the next two folk who need a helping touch on their work with the puzzle.

Combat round: Guidance on self. Healing round: Guidance on the next two people who post..

He then does his best to decipher the puzzle using his engineering magical solving skills.

UMD,guidance: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 9 + 1 = 29

Yanda moves in to give Dovian a dose of her CLW wand.
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Yarricki casts her own guidance and studies one of the many facets on the globe. This one has a tree on it, but something seems weird about it. If only she knew what it exactly is...
Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 8 + 1 = 11

Kitajo and Terra team up once more to neutralize the last threat.

Indeed, two new rounds for recovery, followed by another attempt at the puzzle for everyone. (Kitt, does Terra even understand Terran? Profile shows Common and Elven)

Edit: Also, feel free to position yourself on the map for the inevitable next wave of Ayrzul's defenders.

After the defenders have been dealth with, Terra tries to participate in the puzzle. However, she doesn't see anything to catch her interest. Kitt has more luck. Within a short while, he has solved two facets by faking some slivers of elemental magic. Yarricki tries to find a puzzle with some connection to nature, but most of them are just too foreign for her knowledge.

Successes so far this phase: 2

--

PHASE TRACKER - Bold may act to solve the puzzle.
(Anyone may still take up to two recovery/healing actions, if they havent done so already.)

Dovian (-5)
Shera (-1. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Kitt (-1), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Appraise: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27, to solve a facet.

She hones in on a puzzle that features precious metals and their uses on the elemental planes. Copper conducts electricity, a metal that does not melt even under intense heat, stainless steel (or the equivalent) that resists rust, and a sky metal that neutralizes acid. It actually seems to be a two facet puzzle (I'm assuming here that the 29 is good for two successes) requiring the manipulation of both facets at the same time.

Drawing a blank on how I can help solve a facet. I assume that once a skill has been used it can't be used again. I have used Perception and Knowledge Religion so far.

I was not under that assumption. I just figured that the attempts would get harder for a given skill after the first success, but that is not even given. I think I got the impression that the attempts get harder as time goes by rather than focusing on any particular skill and the number of attempts using that skill. But the math is hidden from us. It is getting harder, but all we are told is that we solved the easy ones and had to move on to harder ones.

Kitt has only been rolling UMD since the start!

GM: Unchained wrote: " An eidolon must be within one alignment step of the summoner who calls it (so a neutral good summoner can call a neutral, lawful good, or chaotic good eidolon) and can speak all of his languages." So Terra should be speaking Auran and Terran as well. I have overlooked that when updating Terra's profile!

Ok, here goes

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

★ - OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT - ★

Sorrina Westyr’s image appears, her hair windblown and a look of wonder on her face. “The Society's discoveries have weakened the prison of the powerful being sealed within Aucturn's Tear,” she pauses, studying a flotilla of crystal balls that hover around her. “Our divinations indicate that it’s now offering a fraction of its power to our forces!”

Behind Sorrina, a small army of Pathfinder mages are studying the floating globes. Then one of them whispers in Drandle Dreng’s ear. Abruptly, Drandle hurries to the forefront, his shaggy head appearing in the center of the Divination window. "ACG Warriors, make a run for it!" Hands gesticulating wildly, he shouts, “NOW!”

Table GMs, the Thunderous Aid condition is now in effect. ACG Tables, you may make a run for it.

We have 78/150 clues!

When the combat is over, Dovian breathes a sigh of relief and walks over to either Shera or Yaricki "That was close...would you mind helping me with these?" He gestures where he was wounded by the constructs.

Assuming that either Shera/Yaricki assists with the healing with the given wand of CLW. If not I'll deduct the charges from my own wand

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

After being healed, Dovian bows and kisses their hand ""Many thanks milady. Now, to finish this stubborn vault"

disable device: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

Yarricki uses the wand of cure moderate wands they received on Dovian.

"Here you are Dovion"

When he kisses her hand she just stands there, unsure how to react.

I'm going to make a couple of posts in succession. Bear with me. First, a bit of a peak at the mechanics of solving encounters: Several of them became harder after they were first used (regardless of who used them), but there is a cap to this effect. All listed skills can still be used, and are still viable. Also, as Yanda figured, getting a very high skill check results in two successes.

With about half of the prison facets solved so far, ever more wind and power is leaking from the prison. The being within must have sensed that its saviors are near and attempts to grant them power and wisdom, if they can channel this power to good effect.

During combat, a PC adjacent to the puzzle orb can attempt an Average Diplomacy check, Average Spellcraft check, or Easy Use Magic Device check to direct the being’s wrath. If successful, a PC can cast one of the following spells as a spell-like ability, using her character level as her caster level and either her own Charisma or 20 to determine the spell’s save DC. She can use any of the spells listed in her own subtier or in a lower subtier. This ability can only be used once per combat, and any summoned elemental disappears at the end of the combat.

• Subtier 1–2: cure light wounds, shocking grasp, summon nature’s ally II (air elemental only)
  
• Subtier 3–4: cat’s grace, cure moderate wounds
  

This information is repeated on slide 8 of the Maps presentation.

Correction to earlier result: Terra's knowledge of Auran and Terran would have allowed her to spot and solve a puzzle.

Yanda finds a double puzzle very suitable to her skill set, and solves both of them. Kitajo finds a grid of dots of varying thickness. He assumes there's a trick of the eyes to get a three-dimensional picture to appear, but he doesn't find it yet. He just gets cross-eyed from looking too hard. Dovian sets to work on another facet, and deftly picks it apart.

Shera, Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Shera spots a symbol that catches her eyes: a thundercloud surrounded by a ring of lightning bolts. She fiddles with it and unlocks the facet. She nearly has time for a second, before she's interrupted by the arrival of new defenders. (Good success; Unfortunately, just missed the double success.)

--

Yarricki uses one charge of the wand of CMW to heal up Dovian. Yanda's healing isn't needed, in that case.
Successes this phase: 6

Apparently, the Pathfinders had gotten a bit too engrossed in solved the puzzles and hadn't seen a new pair of stone defenders appearing from the south wall. Had Ayrzul gotten wiser and deposited them without the associated rumble? Regardless of the reason, the defender are upon the Pathfinders before they can react.

One of them, orange-flecked, stabs Shera through the leg. The other, with a white sheen, grazes Kitt's back. (7 damage to Shera, 5 to Kitt)

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Bold may act to solve the puzzle.

Caryatid columns: Orange (), White ()
Kitt (-6), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)
Shera (-8. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Dovian ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

Yarricki charges again!
Thunder bites: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 = 24
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12
Trip: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 + 2 = 22

Yarricki’s lance: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 2 - 1 = 11
Damage: 2d6 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (2, 3) + 10 + 6 = 21

Terra has enough speed to move all the way around without provoking AoO. Move action and ready to attack when flank it's achieved!

Terra reacts with rage as she finds her master hurt in the fight. She races around the creature to attack it! On the way she calls out towards Kitajo, "Little help! Grr"

bite,BS,PA,flank: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 8 - 1 + 2 = 101d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 3 = 12

Kitt runs at the first sign of blood! "Eeeee!"

Withdraw.

Yanda uses the sphere to cast Cat's Grace on herself.

Yanda, please make a Diplomacy, Spellcraft, or Use Magic Device check in order to do so. I hadn't posted the DC's earlier, but you know that the UMD one is easier than the two others.

Kitajo moves intomposition with his buddy Terra oposit him.

unarmed strike: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 2 = 21 damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

UMD: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12

At +5 I think that is a gimme.

Thunder charges and trips orange, which makes it an easy target for Yarricki's lance.

Terra gets a bit too enthusiastic to be paired up with her buddy again, and fails to make a proper attack. Kitajo's attack does connect, but fails to cause any damage.

Yanda tries to shape the energy leaking out of the prison into a useful form, but doesn't succeed. All that she gets is the image of an ethereal kitten that meows and then vanishes. (What's a gimme? Not familiar with the term)

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 1 - Bold may act

Caryatid columns: Orange (-23, prone), White ()
Kitt (-6), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)
Shera (-8. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Dovian ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

(What's a gimme? Not familiar with the term)

A slang term from golf and various other sports. Is when the ball is so close to the hole that it is virtually impossible to miss so you call a gimme and just pick it up and not make the shot. Of course in professional play there are no 'gimmes'. But it is also extended to anything where the outcome is so pre-determined that it is not worth the effort to actually perform the action. Looks like it was not a gimme since she failed. Normally an 'easy' skill check only requires a 5 result which would be impossible to miss with a +5 to her roll.

Ah, thanks for the explanation. In that case, I'm sorry that my hasty post (and a copy-paste from the scenario) gave you the wrong impression on the DC. Due to the nature of the scenario (lots of tiers), all DC's are stated as being Easy, Average or Hard. There's a table for what that means for each subtier. In this case, "Easy" isn't quite "DC 5 easy". You just missed it. :(

Dovian takes a step back and flicks a energised card at the white caryatid

5 foot step, swift action to use Deadly Dealer, std action attack

attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 sweet
attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14 less sweet?
damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 2 + 1 = 7

Botting Shera. Also, rolling damage for Dovian's confirmed crit and rolling Thunder's AoO.

Dovian flicks his card straight at the neck of the white-striped statue, doing near as much damage as he can expect with one of his energized cards. Shera steps back and easily hits the other target, the one that Thunder knocked prone. Both of her arrows chip some stone off it.

The orange statue seems to have learned something from the previous encounters, and looks at Shera as if he had wanted to attack her from his prone position. However, the cleric had stepped out of reach, which leaves the statue with no other option than to stand up. Thunder easily takes advantage of this, and takes the statue apart.

The white-striped defender is faced with two opponents that could not hurt it, and it also seems to have learned something. If shifts to the side, away from Kitajo. It then raises its sword to strike at Terra, but the attack only glances off her thick skin.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 2 - Bold may act

Caryatid columns: Orange (dead), White (-8)
Kitt (-6), Terra (mage armor, 39 minutes left. Bull's Strength, 3 minutes left)
Shera (-8. Morningstar -2, broken)
Yanda ()
Yarricki (-1 Con damage. barkskin, 39 minutes left), Thunder
Dovian ()
Kitajo (mage armor, 39 minutes left)

ENVIRONMENT
Dim light (negated by copious amounts of wayfinders). Intermittent burst of wind: -2 penalty on all ranged attacks.

PENDING
none

Yarricki pets Thunder and whispers shift. The giant bird seems to blink and then appears again five feet to the west. Yarricki straightens and smiles "And here we go again!"

Thunder bites: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15
Trip: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 2 = 27

Yarricki’s lance: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 + 2 - 1 = 28
Damage: 2d6 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (5, 4) + 10 + 6 = 25

Yarricki’s lance confirm: 1d20 + 7 + 2 - 1 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 2 - 1 = 18
Additional Damage: 2d6 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (4, 4) + 10 + 6 = 24

After Thunder bites the statue finds itself on the ground. Yarricki's lance connects and the thing explodes in miniscule shards.

Used surprise shift to get a charge lane

Yarricki then turns again to the giant polyhedron

Knowledge (Nature), guidance: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 1 = 19

"Tell you what, I will concentrate on combat, you do this darn thing" she tells the others.

Terra adjust herself and again waits for a tag team with Kitajo.

ready bite,BS,PA, flank: 1d20 + 8 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 8 - 1 + 2 = 271d6 + 7 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 7 + 3 = 16

Later she gives another cold hard look at the puzzle.
perception, guidance by Kitt: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Dovian's card must have weakened the living statue's neck already, because when Yarricki's lance hits it, the head comes clean off. The body then topples over, shattering into a thousand pieces. Yarricki's lance rings clear, and it doesn't even sustain damage from such a violent thrust.

COMBAT OVER

--

Two rounds for healing/recovery, and next phase to work on the puzzle. Please see the note I made in discussion thread.

Kitajo wont take the bonus, feeling someone else could make better use of it.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Kitt has a relatively high chance of success with +9 modifier to UMD, I prefer giving the bonus to Shera to bump up her +5.

Kitt moves into the puzzle once more and attempts to decipher. But prior to that, he provides guidance on Terra, Shera, and himself.

Last combat round Guidance on self, 2 prep rounds guidance on Terra and Shera. Assuming I can guidance on myself during the last combat round, else I will only guidance Shera and Terra.

UMD,guidance: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 9 + 1 = 21

Yanda, during the combat, makes another attempt at activating Cat's Grace

UMD: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

She then sets to with a passion, using her new found dexterity to destroy a facet using disable device.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

Yanda picks Dovian to get the +3 bonus.

★ - OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT - ★

Even as the many-faceted prison spins and reconfigures itself, it cannot keep pace with the combined efforts of the Pathfinder Society. A refreshing breeze pours from the immense orb, restoring the agents' will to fight.

Table GMs, the Winds of Restoration condition is now in effect.

disable device: 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 9 + 3 = 24

I was going to say I don't really need it, but my roll this round wasn't that impressive so guess I'll take it?

Threat eliminated, Dovian goes back to working on the device, humming another Varisian drinking song while he's at it.

Dovian, the intent is that the PC's decide who gets the boon before they roll. Therefore I'll assume Shera gets it this turn. We haven't heard from Shera in a few days and we have to push a bit, so I'm botting her again. Hope she's OK...
Shera solve, Perception: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 3 = 12 Sorry... :(

Yarricki is close to figuring out a puzzle, but the solution just eludes her. Kitajo feels somewhat the same. Terra, by contrast, doesn't understand the facets of the prison at all.

Kitt does what he can to give himself and his companions an edge. It works for him, and he cracks another facet. Yanda makes excellent use of her new-found abilities: She finds a couple of sliding puzzles written in Aquan and Ignan, and manages to crack them. Shera takes a stab at the three-dimensional grid that Kitajo identified earlier, but she also goes cross-eyed looking at it.

Success count this phase: 4