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

Game Master Iff

Terra steps over the elementals she just taken out, and growls to establish dominance. She moves in to help Kitajo with the rest of the elementals.

Move and attack Pink. Again will rolls some AoOs just in case.

Magic Bite, PA, Pink: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 6 - 1 = 131d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 3 = 8
Magic Bite, PA, AoO1: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 6 - 1 = 171d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 4 + 3 = 10
Magic Bite, PA, AoO2: 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 6 - 1 = 111d6 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 3 = 11

AoO

Unarmed Strike: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 15

Then a flurry at red enemy.

Flurry Unarmed Strike 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 3
Flurry Unarmed Strike 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Jabbing Style Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1Miss chance: 1d100 ⇒ 53

Then 5 foot step up to blue. I can't mobe kitajo right now on my tablet so please someone move him up to blue. Thanks

Yanda pulls out a bomb and moves to position herself for a shot at the mist if it makes a move towards them.

Readied action. If the mist engages one of us or leaves the concealment of the trees, launch a bomb at it. Added +1 for guidance

To Hit ranged touch: 1d20 + 6 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 6 + 1 = 16, +1 if point blank
Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 3) + 4 = 8, 6 splash, +1 if point blank

"Hey you out there, what's going on here? Why the heck were you beating that poor fellow?"

Dovian dispatches one water elemental, also due to the damage it had already sustained. Yarricki readies, as does Yanda. As Kitt aids his companions, Terra moves up but misses the red-tinged water elemental. Readjusting to different target, since pink is dead.

Kitajo unleashes a flurry of blows, but the darkness interferes with his accuracy.

Giving Shera until tomorrow morning (CEST), then I'll bot her and move to the next combat round.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 1,2 - Characters in bold may act.

1st - none
2nd - Dovian, Yanda, Kitajo, Kitt
3rd - Bad guy (gray) (delay), Water elementals: red (-6), yellow [ooc](dead), green (dead), pink (dead)
4th - Shera, Yarricki

--

ONGOING EFFECTS
Low gravity, Dim lighting (20% miss chance), Slippery roads (-2 to Acrobatics)
Kitajo - Mage armor (39 minutes left)
Terra - Mage armor (39 minutes left), Shield (4 minutes left)

PENDING
-

The remaining hostile water elemental answers Yanda, also in broken Common. "Follow Kelizandri, we. Traitor punish!"

Yanda responds in Aquan,

"Kelizandri? What is Kelizandri?"

In common she adds, "It is willing to talk. Perhaps we should hold off on attacking and get some answers."

Terra nods to agree to hold off attacks if both the hostilities stop. Although she keeps her guard up, growling demonstrating her sharp teeth.
If the creatures return hostile, she will resume attacking.

"Yes who or what is a Kelizandri?" she keeps an eye out for the vampiric creature that can be heard laughing.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Putting Shera in delay. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression: the final hostile water elemental is still fighting, but I wanted to spice up the fight by having it talk. It's still hostile.

The water elemental scoffs and replies to Yanda in Aquan. "He is the Brackish Emperor, consuming and drowning all. Especially traitors like that one!" The water elemental on the ground nods vaguely at this description of Kelizandri, but shakes his head fiercely at being labeled a traitor. "No. Halp!"

--

The mist-like creature with the wicked claw then appears from the treeline, eager to attack Dovian. However, a flurry of attacks is immediately directed its way. Thunder snaps at the mist, ripping a piece off it, and Yarricki's lance also hits. They leave the creature several wounded, but it still stands. Next comes Yanda's bomb, which flies off course due to Thunder standing in the line of effect. Miss, scatter 1d8 ⇒ 7. Luckily, the bomb flies too far, without chance of injuring her companions.

The result is unexpected. Although the mist is rather agile and dodges most of the fire, it still flares up and burns off a large part of its body. (Takes double fire damage). It still stands, though barely, and hisses angrily at Yarricki, the one who dealt the most damage. Eager for revenge, it rips into Yarricki with its claw.

The attack connects and the gnome feels blood being drawn from his body, which also seems to heal the mist somewhat (+4). The mist also seems reinvigorated by the blood, restoring some of its form. It hisses in what sounds like a cackle and taunts the druid with a gesture.

Yarricki takes 2 Constitution damage, and 1d6 points of Bleed. Please roll for that at the beginning of your turn.

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 2,3 - Characters in bold may act.

1st - none
2nd - Dovian, Yanda, Kitajo, Kitt
3rd - Bad guy (gray) (-25), Water elementals: red (-6), yellow (dead), green (dead), pink (dead)
4th - Shera, Yarricki (-2 Con damage, 1d6 bleed per turn)

--

ONGOING EFFECTS
Low gravity, Dim lighting (20% miss chance), Slippery roads (-2 to Acrobatics)
Kitajo - Mage armor (39 minutes left)
Terra - Mage armor (39 minutes left), Shield (4 minutes left)

PENDING
Yarricki - 1d6 points of bleed damage per round.

Shera fires an arrow at the grey creature then moves to get behind Dovian.

Bow, PBS: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Bow, PBS, Rapid: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

Yarricki is a she ;-)

"ouch!"

Bleed: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Yarricki moves Thunder back, the loyal axe-beak attack the mists and the gnome also tries to hit it. The blood she is coughing up must have distracted them both...

Attack: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Damage: 1d8 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15

Yarricki’s lance: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 1 + 1 = 9
Damage: 1d6 + 5 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 3 + 1 = 13

Shera's attacks kill the mist. It perishes in an angry wail, and the dissolves, leaving a puddle of blood that's quickly freezes. Only the last water elemental remains to fight.

Shera, note that rapid shot requires a full round action, which means you can't also move this round. It shouldn't matter much, this time.

Kitajo will launch another flurry at the red enemy.

Flurry Unarmed Strike 1: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 miss: 1d100 ⇒ 81
Flurry Unarmed Strike 2: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 Jabbing Style Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1 miss: 1d100 ⇒ 98

Kitajo deals with the last enemy, dispatching it with one well-aimed strike.

COMBAT OVER

One water elemental remains, lying on the floor bruised and battered. Thankyou," he mutters again in his broken Common. "I afraid, they kill me."

Yanda is unwilling to waste a bomb on a doomed opponent and instead elects to heal Yarricki with her spring loaded wand of CLW.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"That should stop the bleeding."

"Thank you Yanda"

Yarricki dismounts removes a scroll of restoration that she uses on herself. She then moves to the elemental

"What was all that about? Why did they want to kill you?"

Lesser restoration heals con damage: 1d4 ⇒ 1

The water elemental rights itself. It sways lightly and is still wounded, but he can stand on his own. As he gives a small and friendly bow of gratitude, he speaks, partly in broken Common and occasionally interjecting some Aquan, trusting that Yanda will translate. "Thankyou, again. We fled, rebellion failed. Now, others hunt us, to imprison us in ice." It shudders at the thought. "We came here to build something, a vault. Many fear Kelizandri, and do as he says. So was Zheleh Setat, a shahzada - noble marid - water genie. She was leader here, but something changed. She was not afraid of Kelizandri anymore, wanted different. And she rebelled, along with many others." His posture drops. "We lost, many were trapped. Or killed... To spite us, the asteroid stopped spinning. So cold it became here, and dark."

Something stirs within his liquid body, and the elemental continues talking. "Zhelah is somewhere down there, trapped. Many dangers there, for who goes that way - ice creatures and winter wolves, tunnels in a frozen lake underground. Will you go there?"

--

The encounter is almost done. I'll give some time for additional questions and interactions with the water elemental. Regardless of the outcome of that, you've already secured one success. Good job! Also, because you have some idea of what to expect when moving on, all of you get a +2 bonus to initiative for all encounters on this side of the asteroid. Good job!

Yarricki looks at her fellow pathfinders, waiting for them to take the lead.

"The asteroid used to spin? Have you tried going to the warm side> It's much warmer there." Shera says. "May I heal your wounds? she asks the elemental.

The water elemental eagerly accepts the offer of healing, and hobbles over to Shera. "Yes, it was spinning. All sides, light and dark in time, moderate temperature. We brought much water, to make life pleasant here on our side." It shudders at the mention of the warm side. "So much sun there. Scorching, evaporate. Worse than freezing! Is domain of Ymeri now."

A knowledge religion check DC 17 reveals that Ymeri, Queen of the Inferno, is the elemental lord of fire, deserts and volcanoes. The water elemental will also provide this explanation, if asked.

Shera (and others interacting with the water elemental), please make a Diplomacy check.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
CLW Wand: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"That should fix you up some.

"So we have Kelizandri, Brackish Emperor and Ymeri, who is she?"

Yarricki listens to the explanation and scratches Thunder on a hard to reach spot "Are the lords of Air and Earth also involved somehow?"

The water elemental brightens visibly at the attention it's receiving from Shera, healing both body and mind. "Thankyou-Thankyou-Thankyou," it exclaims as it raises two arm-like appendages in the air and makes a whirling vortex of itself. "Thank you. If you go to city, I will stay close. No hero, but you call and I help. OK?"

Shera has befriended the water elemental. In any one future encounter, you can call it to aid you, in combat or otherwise. It has the regular stats of a small water elemental. They're added as sheet 5 to the Presentation.

After nearly hugging Shera, the water elemental turns to Yarricki to answer her questions. It makes a sort of shrugging motion. "Hshurha, Ayrzul? I have seen earth creatures. No elementals of air, I think. Maybe Zheleh would know more..."

Kitajo elects to simply observe and not interact with the elemental.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

"Let's press on, if we find the marid we will help her. Enslaving others is never an option."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (8) + 0 = 8

Yanda seems content to translate and observe, not even attempting diplomacy (considering that roll).

"Ymeri is another one of the elemental lords. I am also curious. Do the elemental lords hold sway out here in person?"

Because if they are, we are as good as dead.

Kitt, being a man of science and of few words, he just observes and takes a few notes. "Anyone need a refreshment of magic before we go on?"

sense motive: 1d20 ⇒ 7

Terra elects herself to stay in front of the pack making it easier for her to react to any dangers. She keeps her eyes wide open and her nose close to the ground to sniff for any dangers.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 + Terra has the Scent ability like any dog would.

Dovian, out of habit has been quietly studying the interactions of everyone trying to get a feel of the situation the way he would in a gambling den.

sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Sensing no obvious dishonesty from the elemental, Dovian breaks into a grin "An imprisoned leader! A failed rebellion! Ah, from such deeds do we build stirring legends of our deeds! Onward then!"

The water elemental isn't too impressed with any of the other Pathfinders (although it recognizes that they were instrumental in his rescue), so he clings to Shera for a while. He eventually says his goodbyes and waves the Pathfinders good luck. "Remember, call and I halp you!"

--

Time since arrival: 28 minutes

Moving closer to the spire in the distance, the woods eventually give way to ruins. The gentle wind brings a semblance of life and movement to a vast frozen city. Failing enchantments causes stone to crumble and rebuild from moment to moment. A thick sheen of ice andsnow covers every surface. A few structures around a temple plaza bear signs of recent repairs and habitation, and the icy, shattered remains of fifteen-foot-tall, willowy humanoids lie scattered across the cobbles.

As they travel through the broken city, the Pathfinders spot a shrine with broken doors, beyond which shimmers some kind of ancient magic. Opening the doors presents no difficulty, and the shrine contains a pool - now frozen solid - in a cracked basin. As the Pathfinders approach the pool in the basin, an ethereal humanoid figure manifests from the waters, bearing a benign expression. When it opens its mouth to speak, its face distorts wildly, and the runes around the pool glow white hot as the magic begins to fail catastrophically. As the spirit howls in pain, it lashes out at anyone in sight.

Getting closer to the pool and examining it might reveal what's wrong, but would put the Pathfinders at risk from the bewildered ethereal figure lashing out. Knowledge of the arcane would certainly be useful, but the pool also seems to have a divine connection that could be studied. There's foreign script chiseled in the basin, ready to be deciphered, and perhaps magic to be analysed. Finally, a handy person might tinker with the device and maybe the being could be reasoned with, despite its state of mind.

--

We're not in initiative per se, but we will play this out on a round-by-round basis. Each of you get to act once before we come around again. I tried to describe it above in in-game terms, but this is mostly a skill-based encounter. Of course, I'm allowed to consider creative solutions as well, so don't let the description above hold you back. There's a new map up on slide 6, to give you an impression of the environment.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 1 - Bold may act.

Dovian
Yanda
Kitajo (mage armor 32 minutes left)
Kitt, Terra (mage armor 32 minutes left)
Shera
Yarricki (-1 Con damage), Thunder

--

Kitt's curiousity peaks at the sight of the unknown puzzle in front of him. Naturally, he decides it is of the utmost important to study this closer. "This looks like a great intrinsic puzzle, I must investigate this! Terra, protect me, we're going in!" He carefully approaches the pool with Terra standing between him and the ethereal figure. He waves around his hand as if he's trying to figure out something.

Terra moves and takes total defense for AC24
Kitt moves and detect magic.
spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25
Kn. Eng?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Yarricki takes out a bit of holly and touches Dovian with it "You probably know what to do"

Guidance

Kitajo studied several religikns and divine philosophies during his formative years. He studies the area looking for things of divine nature to providesome sort of insight.

Kn Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

Figuring her potion of shield would be of no help vs this thing, and her mutagen of only a little help, she decided to join in with the examiners, having a fair bit of knowledge about the arcane.

Kn Arcane: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26, just in case it helps

Kitt moves up and reads the magical auras around the pool. He finds several magical effects in the shrine, most of them dealing with binding and controlling extraplanar creatures. However, several of the effects are unstable and trigger at times they're not supposed to.

Kitajo studies the inscriptions and drawings around the pool. Many of them have weathered and are incomprehensible, but he can makes out that the pool once housed an oracle, a spiritual conduit for a divine deity.

Yanda takes a look at the magical runes and markings around the pool, but she can't decipher them. She notes some of the same auras as Kitt had, but the meaning of the runes elude her. At least, for now.

The ethereal spirit looks at the Pathfinder's actions with apprehension.

I've moved Kitajo and Yanda up to be within 10 foot of the pool, in order to interact with it. Kitt, you can only make one check per turn, so I've taken the first. Unfortunately Yanda, that means I've had to take the Knowledge Arcana in your case, since that was the first roll.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 1 - Bold may act.

Dovian (guidance, 1 round)
Yanda
Kitajo (mage armor, 32 minutes left)
Kitt, Terra (mage armor 32 minutes left)
Shera
Yarricki (-1 Con damage), Thunder

Shera moves to the pool and studies it with an eye for the Divine. "Let's see what we have here."

Know Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Thanks for the info. I'll use that second roll as my second interaction with the pool then for Kitt.

It's been 24 hours, botting Dovian.

Shera finds it a bit harder to find useful information, seeing how Kitajo picked up the comparably 'easy' clues. However, she manages to build on his knowledge and realizes that a fragment of the oracular knowledge must have survived all this time - as an ethereal spirit. (The DC increases when someone tries a skill that's already been tried. However, Shera made the increased DC.

Dovian thanks Yaricki for the guidance, cracks his knuckles and gets to work on the pool with the knowledge that his companions provided. Hi fiddles with the runes, but doesn't seem to make any headway.
Disable device: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 9 + 1 = 11
"Oops."

It might have been caused by Dovian - or maybe it was just coincidence - but another of the magical effects triggers wildly. The runes glow white again and the spirit howls in pain. Mistaking the Pathfinders for the cause of its agony, it lashes out at Kitt. The jolt of energy misses, but not due to anything Terra did. Although positioned nearby, the spirit seems to disregard the eidolon. It focuses instead on the people actually working at the pool. Maybe Terra has to take a more active role if he is to distract the spirit...

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 2 - Bold may act.

Dovian
Yanda
Kitajo (mage armor, 32 minutes left)
Kitt, Terra (mage armor, 32 minutes left)
Shera
Yarricki (-1 Con damage), Thunder

Kitajo is kinda out of useful skills. I can grapple it and try to subdue it by force, but that may not be a very peaceful way to deal with this particular entity. Other options would be stunning fist to make it sit still, but again, unfriendly. I am happy to assist with something.

Yarricki casts guidance on Dovian "Try again!"

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

This time Yanda tries her hand at spellcraft.

"Do you think the runes are chaotic in nature? I have a spell that protects from that. It might help the creature from being hurt." She looks a the creature, and tries to speak to it. "We aren't trying to hurt you. We want o help you. The magic needs calmed."

Linguistics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Kitt yelps as the entity attempts to reach him. "Terra! I said protect me! Do something!"

Kitt tries to engineer an answer to the puzzle in front of him.

Using earlier roll of Kn. Eng 15

Terra confused as to how useful she could be, starts walking around the pool in attempt to search for usefulness.
perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7

★ - OVERSEER ANNOUNCEMENT - ★

Sorrina Westyr urgently projects her image to speak to every Pathfinder, and appears to be holding tightly to a steel ring near an alien device. “Everyone, brace yourselves. We have finished repairs of a strange craft on the bright side of the asteroid, and the engines will fire shortly, hopefully causing this rock to spin and even out the extreme temperatures. This may get a bit bumpy though in three…two…one... Hold on!”

A sudden jolt shakes the entire asteroid, sending anything unsecured reeling as the stars begin to spin overhead.

Table GMs, the Engines benefit is now in play. Vroooooom!

Dovian, his fingers still smarting from his previous failure, grumbles at Yarricki "Patience my lady, this is a delicate thing...not to mention I've never seen such a device in my life before" Hope she doesn't realise I have no idea what the hell I'm doing

disable device: 1d20 + 9 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 9 + 1 = 18

Kitt takes a good look at the structure around the pool. He notes the workmanship that must have gone into the building, to still stand after so many centuries. However, this knowledge doesn't seem to help in the Pathfinder's current task. Yanda looks at magical auras. She's very close to a breakthrough, but the solution eludes her for the moment: she doesn't gain more insight than Kitt already had. Shera tries her hand to decipher the written inscriptions around the base of the pool, but the script is just too foreign for her. Terra has trouble making out anything useful. Kitt realizes that Terra has to make himself look like a threat, if he is to draw attention away from the Pathfinders: either by posing an actual threat, or looking like one.

Just as Dovian is about to take a second crack at his delicate job, the image of Sorrina Westyr appears. The ground rumbles like an earthquake, until there is the sudden jolt that signals that the asteroid is moving. It's rotating again!

Acting cool, Dovian gets to work despite the shuddering ground. With the aid of the information the others provided, he manages to correct some of the failings in the network of arcane runes. The problems isn't fixed yet, but the Pathfinders are getting close. Success comes at a price, though. The spirit lashes out at Dovian. Her attack hits, sending a jolt through his body and causing his fingers to twitch. He's going to be distracted for a while.

Dovian takes 8 damage and takes a -5 penalty on checks to work on the pool next round. You're all doing great, though. The encounter just needs a little push.

--

COMBAT TRACKER - Round 3 - Bold may act.

Dovian (-8, distracted for 1 round)
Yanda
Kitajo (mage armor, 32 minutes left)
Kitt, Terra (mage armor, 32 minutes left)
Shera
Yarricki (-1 Con damage), Thunder

Yanda continues here examination, knowing she is close to figuring it out.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

"I think the hey is here! This rune is broken and see how its points radiate out to all the others?"

Yanda nails it, and finishes the encounter. Will update when I get home, in about three hours.