Quest for Perfection Part I: The Edge of Heaven (Inactive)

Game Master Warped

The arrow strikes true into one of the crab-like critters shoulders. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), it is not enough to release its hold on Dagat.

Group 1
Noorzad [6/12 HP]
Dagat
Berosius
Zephri

Critters
Crab-Like Critter [15/22 HP]

Group 2
Gorn
Hyeon-ae

Dagat retries her attempt at dragging the creature down to her.

CMB: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

Once he gets his turn back.

Gorn looks for somewhere to tie the rope off safely so that others may climb up, or at least he can not worry about the rope fallling, he also looks down the tunnel (all directions including up and down, using darkvision as necessary) to determine where he goes next.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Dagat continues to pull, and it looks as if she might have finally got it to lose its perch, but starts to spin uncontrollably, losing what little leverage she had.

Group 1
Noorzad [6/12 HP]
Berosius
Zephri

Critters
Crab-Like Critter [15/22 HP]

Group 2
Gorn
Hyeon-ae
Dagat

Zephri loads his musket again and fires, but the bullet pings off the rocks around the opening to the gunslinger's evident frustration.

Bullet: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 4 = 5

Berosius lines up the shot as best he can and fires his light crossbow.

light crossbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Le Sigh.

6/12 HP

With a frustrated shout, Noorzad looses an arrow at the angling lobster-thing.

short bow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5

Puffs of dust and shrapnel pepper the area around the critter, but he stands unharmed through it all, a merry gleam in his crustacean-like eyes.

Pull: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

The spinning Dagat, however, proves too much for it to pull up.

At the top of the wall, Gorn sees several rock formations he can use to secure the rope. Looking further down the cramped 5' tall passageway, he also spies another chimney leading upwards 10' further in the passage. It's possible the two are connected somehow.

Party
Gorn
Hyeon-ae
Dagat
Noorzad [6/12 HP]
Berosius
Zephri

Critters
Crab-Like Critter [15/22 HP]

Critter will go again on Monday afternoon unless everyone acts before then.

CMB: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Dagat finally stops spinning and pulls her scimitar out from where it is sheathed. She pulls back on the vine again but her dizziness seems to prevent her from winning the deadly tug-of-war.

Pfft.

Zephri blasts the rock again gritting his teeth.

Bullet: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 = 4 Damage: 1d12 ⇒ 8

Longbow: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

Still reminding herself to stay calm despite the frustrating situation, Hyeon-ae fires another arrow up the chute.

Gorn quickly ties off the rope and moves to the chimney, preparing to free climb up there Standard action to tie the rope, move action to move to the chimney and begin to climb

climb: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Let's hope this connects for my fellow Pathfinders' sake.

Gorn, after finally free climbing the rough rock wall, quickly ties the rope off to a rock formation that he hopes will be sturdy enough to hold. Continuing down the passageway, he practically leaps up into the overhang and spots the crab-like critter from behind. The room he finds himself in is littered with bones of previous victims. Will this be his legacy? As he finishes his climb, Hyeon-ae's arrow flies up into the chimney, barely missing the crab-like vermin.

Chips of stone fly from where Zephri's bullet crashes into the ceiling, showering Dagat as she continues to pull against the unceasing yield of the filament.

There is now a rope against the wall, allowing folks to climb it at quarter-speed at a DC 5 Climb skill check (half-speed as a full round action). It is also possible to climb at half-speed (or full speed for a full round action) against a DC 10 Climb skill check.

Group 1
Noorzad [6/12 HP]
Berosius

Critters
Crab-Like Critter [15/22 HP]

Group 2
Gorn
Hyeon-ae
Dagat
Zephri

Zephri shoots wildly again growling as he continues his poor marksmanship.

Bullet: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 4 = 4

If the crab-like creature has not noticed Gorn, he'll draw his axe, but he'll attempt to bull rush the creature as part of his charge rather than attack, pushing the creature off the ledge, hoping it doesn't fall on his companions below.

CMB plus Charge: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Still waiting on Noorzad and Berosius before we get to you two.

6/12 HP

"Curse that beast! Release her!" Another arrow --

another arrow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Oh, for cryin' out loud...

Just to speed things along...

Noorzad's arrow flies wide, missing its mark.

Pull CMB: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16

The crab-like beast continues to try and pull the dangling Dagat up, again, only just able to pull her up another 10'. Dagat now dangles 30' above the ground.

Seeing his target still occupied, Gorn rushes forward and slams into the critter, pushing it towards the hole. As it is pushed towards the hole, it scrambles to not fall the great distance down.

Reflex Save vs DC 35: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Unsuccessful to find a grip, both Dagat and the creature plummet to the hard rock below.

Fall Damage Dagat: 3d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 3) = 8
Fall Damage Critter: 5d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 3, 6, 6) = 25

The creature twitches as it lies in a pool of green ichor, slowly dying. Dagat is able to stand and brush herself off, however does not walk away without a few bruises of her own.

In the meantime, Gorn takes a careful stock of his current position, and is able to make out a number of items in the cave. Likely the possessions of the creature's most recent victims, he's able to pick out a fine looking green felt cloak, a potion, and two scrolls. Everything else up here looks much too damage to be of much use.

Zephri kicks the mess, "Nice job Gorn! You alright Dagat, medic?"

Noorzad hustles over to Dagat, drawing his wand of cure light wounds.

"Such a ridiculous creature. Skeleton on the outside and everything. Terribly gauche." He offers a wan smile as he attempts to distract Dagat from what must be considerable pain.

first CLW on Dagat: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Wands default to lowest level possible for caster level on the spell, right? Not my caster level.

HP after fall: 4/12

Dagat grunts, standing still for Noorzad to heal her. When he's finished, she nods in thanks and goes to the small pool to recover her bow, taking some time to dry it and making sure the string isn't too damaged.

HP after 1st CLW: 8/12

After his search, Gorn looks over the edge of the hole, grinning at Zephri and frowning seeing Noorzad taking care of Dagat.

"Glad to be of service, lad. Ah'm not so much for the ranged game, but once I had that critter in me eyes, Ah had a good way of gettin' it done. My apologies Miss Dagat fer the pain & sufferin Ah caused, but Ah do hope it's consolation this critter didn't get ta eat you."

Given the crablike appearance, Gorn also wisecracks:
"Does anyone have a large cauldron and a lot of butter?"

Gorn turns to the bones of the various creatures, and, piling them in one section of the "lair" he piles some stones on them. Putting a broken sword down over the top he says a short prayer to Torag for their souls to be released to the afterlife properly. Then, he moves to climb down the hold and retrieve his gear and get properly armored.

Gorn will take 10 on his climb check down from the critter's lair to the main hallway he initially climbed into.

Noorzad: Yes, all wands/magic items default to the lowest possible caster level.

"Inheritor!" cries Berosius, calling on the power of his patron goddess. "I call upon your mercy for these our injured!"

Channel Positive Energy once everyone is assembled together.

Channel: 1d6 ⇒ 6

12/12 HP!

Noorzad stretches and cracks his knuckles. "Let us not take this as an omen for the remainder of our journey, eh? Bumps in the road."

Hyeon-ae deftly sidesteps the falling bodies with an empathic wince as Dagat hits the ground. Hard. Luckily, it seemed like the strange crab creature had it far worse than she did...

So, back to my horse problem now that's all dealt with. ;)

Here's my idea: tie a rope around Jin's midsection and get everyone to climb up to the top and heft him up to the hole. Once he's there he can squeeze his way through. With no time limit, I can take 20 on Handle Animal to calm him enough for him to not freak the hell out and make this even more difficult than it already is...

After what seems like a week of fighting, the group is finally able to gather itself and heal up. Using some form of harness, guide ropes, pitons spaced through the overhang, and more guide ropes, the group is able to get Jin up and into the tunnel. With much coaxing and taking her time (and not a little bit of grease, elbow and otherwise), Hyeon-ae is able to coax Jin through the tunnel.

Is anyone detect magicing / spellcraft / perception checking the cloak, scrolls, potions that Gorn found?

As the party travels on, an hour and a half from the overhang ambush site, you find your climb easier as a narrow mountain path becomes evident. The narrow path leads up the mountain, hugging a sheer cliff face to one side, while dropping off to the other into what appears to be the remains of a rock slide. Several alcoves have been carved into the cliff face, each containing a small stone shrine—some little more than simple standing stones, others ornately carved lanterns or small houses. The path is well defined, promising easier progress, and is a welcome break from the rough terrain leading up to this point.

Feel free to rearrange yourself into an approximate marching order. The path is only 3-5 feet wide, but does not need an acrobatics check to cross (the DC is low enough). The dropoff on the southern side of the path is 20', and will require a climb check to get down or up, however.

Hopefully our spellcasters who hopefully have taken Spellcraft. I don't think you can identify if an item has magical properties with perception (Appraise does this), but identifying a potion by taste testing can happen.

Perception (identify potion): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Dagat takes up the rear of the party, staying close to the cliff face. She glances at the shrines, not knowing what they are, but guessing they have some significance to the monks.

Perception (shrines): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Once they are through the narrow confines of the mountain tunnel, Hyeon-ae (now quite dirty and sweaty from all the hard work) spends some time gently petting her horse's neck and head, murmuring quiet apologies to him for the injustice of the last while. Jin seems rather jittery after the affair, lightly kicking out if anyone walks behind him and starting at loud noises or sudden movement. "I promise I will clean you up nice and thoroughly once we get a chance to rest," she says to her companion, who merely snorts in response. "... and I'll buy you some apples?"

Hyeon-ae follows the narrow path in front of her horse, taking it slow so that Jin may take his time on the precarious cliff-side. She takes a spot at the back of the group, incredibly conscious that her companion was making it difficult for all of them. She glances at the shrines only once or twice, so used to seeing similar small idols along the roads of her nation that she barely gives them a second thought.

Dagat, would you mind if I went at the back? Just so Jin doesn't get in the way as much if we run into trouble.

I don't mind! Let's swap places, then.

I put you ahead of me, and moved everyone else up one square.

Gorn will offer to Berosius and Noorzad the cloak, potions, and scrolls.

"Ah dinnae know what they do, but if'n they can help us, let's use 'em.

Gorn, being from the mountains, will run point. He's much happier while he is fully armored, despite the cliffside below.

Watching for Unusual stonework:
perception: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 2 = 23

Dagat is able to identify the potion as a Potion of Cure Light Wounds.

Appraise only tells you if the item has magical properties, it doesn't tell you what they may or may not be. Perception, though, like you said, can be used to taste test potions. A read magic spell would help with the scrolls, though, but that again goes back to Berosius and Noorzad, unless someone has UMD and a wand of read magic or something similar.

There doesn't seem to be anything unusual about the shrines, other than that they don't seem to have been maintained in quite some time. There doesn't seem anything to do but to move on.

This spellcaster doesn't have detect magic memorized.

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 Nope

"Let's keep going," says Berosius.

Afraid I don't have it memorized either, but I can hurl Spellcraft checks at things.

As the party moves onward, Noorzad makes time to take a look at the cloak and scrolls as best he can with his own haphazard education.

Spellcraft cloak: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Spellcraft first scroll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Spellcraft second scroll: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Knowledge local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

I'm fine being anywhere in the marching order; I know I have 'extra' hp being second level!

Unfortunately, without detect magic, you can't identify the properties of magic items, with or without spellcraft, and at this point, no one's really sure if they're magical or not. Looks like some scrolls with weird writing on them and, hey, that's a fancy looking cloak!

Moved Gorn to the edge of the current "sight" range.

Gorn leads the party moving slowly (even for a dwarf), keeping mind to the very uncomfortable horse behind him and being glad he had the rope handy for the horse. He moves and takes notice of each shrine, bowing his head in respect, as many dwarven halls contain similar shrines.

Zephri nods to each shrine respectful, but not really deferential, he is quiet and sullen sulking over his poor marsksmanship.

Berosius doesn't hold with foreign gods much, but is both cautious and polite enough to pay them respect. He follows Gorn's example as they pass.

Noorzad cocks his head to the side as he looks at the shrines, as though trying to memorize their lines so that he might paint them later. Much later, when he learns to paint.

"Shame we haven't the time or skill to rebuild them."

"You got the inclination?" Zephri asks sceptically, "If you want to create something fancy put it somewhere useful, not half way up Yeti Crab Spider Mountain."

"It's useful fer those who want to remember their ancestors, and these shrines tell a story as we walk past to our destination. They're plenty useful. You ain't been to no dwarven halls, have you?"

He grumbles as he keeps moving.

GM:

"We must have different definitions of useful, me I don't think stories on a mountain where nobody but a yeti lives are that handy - they're doing arse all for me. Seems to me stories are more useful the more folks can read them, so a dwarf hall might serve, but an abandoned one would not be the place to spend your efforts. If you are going to spend your efforts on something you want it used don't you?"

"This was once a place where people travelled," Hyeon-ae pipes up from the back of the line, her patient voice not belying the gratuitous eye-roll Dagat beside her might notice. "They served a purpose back then... and I'm sure they would serve a purpose once more if the way was restored and Shang Xu removed from the mountainside." She looks at one of the small shrines as she passes one, unable to recognise whatever spirit or saint it might represent in its weathered and crumbling form.

"And besides... art serves its own purpose, Zephri-ssi," she adds quietly. "The act of creation itself... might be enough to have been useful." An explanation her mother had given her many times in the past after Hyeon-ae would complain about the uselessness of their family's craft... the wandering cavalier can't help but smile ruefully to herself that such lessons would come back to mind now. I suppose I cannot remove the Ryu from my own heart, even now, she muses to herself.

"Sure, but a masterpiece in Absalom would give more pleasure and be more worthwhile than one on top of a mountain. S'all I am saying," Zephri grumbles.

"Bah! Mountains're perfectly good places to put shrines 'n statues. Provided you ain't got an angry land crab with some sort of natural fishin' pole, and a yeti, disturbin' the peace."

He turns back and smiles.

"Besides, if'n people used to live here, this stuff will tell us about them. They felt these were necessary, thus we should respect our ancestors, whether these are being used to their fullest or not."

"Pffft, I'll make a note of that," Zephri replies sarcastically.

As the conversation continues, Gorn starts to pass another shrine. This shrine is different, however, in that there is a narrow fissure at its back that leads to a downward tunnel, opening up a little further in.

What attracts his attention first, however, is the humanoid creature with long, sharp teeth and pallid flesh stretched tightly over its starved frame slamming into him.

Pallid Humanoid's Bull Rush: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Gorn's feet start to slide towards the ledge, but it soon becomes obvious that dwarves weren't built to be pushed around so.

Group 1
Zephri

Critters
Pallid Humanoid

Group 2
Dagat
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad
Berosius
Gorn

Zephri's up! The pallid humanoid will go again after Zephri acts or Thursday afternoon.

Is there a reason we are so far back? I had not checked the map because I was not really bothered about order, but we were all chatting that does not seem possible if Gorn was 40ft ahead. Going to assume we are closer if that is okay.

Zephri races forward leaping up onto the rocks and past their foe in an attempt to avoid offering it a chance at him, he then quickly chambers a paper cartridge and fires at the creature from point blank range.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13 Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Provided the creature is still alive by his turn...

"Dinnae yer mother ever tell you dwarves don't push?"

Gorn Draws his axe and swings at the pallid humanoid.

attack roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
damage, if hits: 1d10 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Yeah, seeing as that we were all talking as we walked there's no reason why we wouldn't all be filed up behind Gorn.