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

Game Master Warped

The only reason you're so far back is because Gorn was the only one who moved his token. Its okay if you're closer, yes. So the spot right behind Gorn was occupied by Zephri, leaving the next person two spaces behind Gorn.

Zephri moves like a blur past the pallid humanoid creature, not giving it a chance to attack him, then fires a shot right into its side.

The creature, now infuriated, rushes at Zephri and tries to push him over the side.

Bull Rush Maneuver: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Pushing Zephri over the side, he then turns his attention back to Gorn, grinning madly as Zephri slides down the rock wall.

Fall Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9

Zephri may attempt to catch himself from falling with a climb check. Doing so will force him to drop Bethany, however.

As Zephri falls to the canyon floor below, Gorn draws his axe and swings at the creature, but misses and instead slams his axe into the rock wall.

Group 1
Dagat
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad
Berosius
Zephri [3/12 HP]

Critters
Pallid Humanoid [10/13 HP]

Group 2
Gorn

The creature will act again on Friday afternoon unless everyone posts their actions before then.

"Son of argghhhh...." Zephri cries as he vanishes hugging his precious musket to his chest as he clatters down the steep slope.

"Hello up there, I seem to have fallen down a cliff, I'm still alive, but I'm very badly injured..."

I moved everyone up as appropriate.

Hyeon-ae gasps in shock as Zephri tumbles over the side of the cliff, fearing the worst, but manages to breathe a sigh of relief when the gunslinger weakly calls out from below.

"Can you still move?" she replies, hesitant to raise her voice too high in case of avalanches. "I'll get a rope down there for you!" The cavalier struggles with Jin's saddlebags on the precarious cliffside, trying to hold on to the rock wall with one hand and lean over to the far side with the other to retrieve her coil of hemp rope. She then begins to affix the rope to a nearby boulder and chucks the other end over the edge.

Not enough room to maneuver here, so I'll let you guys in the front do the fighting for now...

I'll do Aid Another on Hyeon-ae for whatever she's doing. Can't maneuver much either.

Dagat helps Hyeon-ae with the rope.

Frustrated by the choke-point, Noorzad attempts to buy the group a little time to advance.

"I call on the desert eagle, golden of feather and swift of talon!" -- and with a (probably unnecessary) flourish, Noorzad casts Summon Monster.

Since the eagle won't need a chunk of path, let's put him in that square that's diagonally southeast of the pallid humanoid. Two whole rounds of feathery death!

I'll let you choose where to put the eagle next round when you finish casting the spell. A lot can happen between now and then!

Between Hyeon-ae and Dagat assisting her, the two are able to secure a rope around one of the sturdy shrines and lower it down the rock wall. Meanwhile, Noorzad starts calling upon the aid of feathers and talons, scanning the skies and chanting arcane words as he performs his rites of summoning.

Zephri, meanwhile, looks like something the cat dragged in as he lays prone at the bottom of the wall. From his position, he can see another cave down here below and off to the side of the one up top that he ran by.

Group 1
Berosius
Zephri [3/12 HP]

Critters
Pallid Humanoid [10/13 HP]

Group 2
Dagat
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad [casting Summon Monster I]
Gorn

Zephri staggers to his feat and tries to get a bead on his attacker again as he loads another paper cartridge and fires, his bullet hitting home, but again failing to deal substantial damage.

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 4 = 22 Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Did my attack not hit? I want to make sure I am running on the same line of rounds. Given Berosius and Zeprhi needing to go, I am expecting that the creature will go before Gorn, but I'll go ahead and post another round

Technically you haven't attacked yet. You will attack after the creature, who is patiently waiting for Berosius. You're about a round ahead again.

Berosius snarls in surprise and moves up, thrusting with his lonspear past Gorn's shoulder.

longspear, w/ cover: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 - 4 = 81d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 Yeah...no.

Zephri stands to his feet and fires another shot off at the creature above, hitting it squarely. Berosius moves just behind Gorn and thrusts his longspear at the creature, but misses, driving the tip just past the creatures shoulder and into the rock wall.

Hoping to find more cover within the cave, the creature moves back into the safety of the tunnel entrance and attacks Gorn, biting and clawing at the sturdy dwarf.

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Claw: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

And got the sun in it's eyes as it tries in futility to land a single blow. Meanwhile, down below, another creature just like the one above emerges from the lower tunnel and runs at Zephri, biting at him as it closes in!

Bite: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

And once again the sun saves the party this round as it shines, yet again, fully into the creatures eyes. And then an eagle pops into existence. Go ahead and move the eagle to where you want it, Noorzad.

Party
Berosius
Zephri [3/12 HP]
Dagat
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad [casting Summon Monster I]
Gorn

Critters
Pallid Humanoid 1 [8/13 HP]
Pallid Humanoid 2

The party is up! The creatures will go again on Sunday evening / Monday morning, or after everyone acts.

"Hang on, Zephri!" cries the golden-eyed priest. "We're coming!"

longspear, w/ cover: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 - 4 = 101d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Ratfarts!

...So. Much. Cover.

Hearing that Zephri in danger below, Dagat quickly climbs down the rope, using it to brace against the cliff face.

Climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Climb: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

Ah, climbing. Move speed is 30ft., climbing would be 1/4 of that, but I'll take a -5 penalty for accelerated climbing to move at half-speed instead.

Since falling damage for Zephri was 2d6, I'm assuming the cliff face is approximately 20 ft.? Two move actions for accelerated climbing at half-speed gives me 30ft. of climbing for this round, so I'll probably be at the bottom at the end of this turn if I pass both climb checks. (Which would most likely be at DC10 (5 for wall and rope, 5 for accelerated climbing). Of course, up to the GM for the final ruling.)

It would be DC 10 for accelerated, yes. You're able to make it to the bottom (25').

Berosius once again stabs at the rock wall, causing chips of stone to fall over the creature and Gorn. Gorn swings yet again at the wall, maybe determined to bring it down on their foe. During their assault on the wall, Dagat quickly climbs down the rope that was fortunately put into place just previously, coming to Zephri's aid.

Group 1
Zephri [3/12 HP]
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad [& eagle]

Critters
Pallid Humanoid 1 [8/13 HP]
Pallid Humanoid 2

Group 2
Gorn
Berosius
Dagat

Hyeon-ae gapes at how swiftly Dagat manages to swing her way down the cliffside, quite impressed. She decides to follow after the often-silent Tian woman, but is obviously much less experienced in the task, often nearly losing her foothold on the rough gravel and having to stabilise the swinging rope.

With a -3 AC penalty and no ranks in Climb, I won't risk climbing at double speed. I'll just spend a full-round action to climb half my speed (so... 10 feet.)

Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 6 Progressed 5 feet!
Climb: 1d20 ⇒ 1 Augh! A failure by 4 or less means I make no progress.

"Eeek..." Hyeon-ae whimpers when a gust of wind blows through the mountain peaks, clutching desperately to the swaying rope. She manages to not lose her grip, barely, but feels that was a little too close for comfort...

The eagle manifests and strikes with a mighty skree-aw!

talons 1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
talons 1 dmg: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
talons 2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
talons 2 dmg: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
beak of great justice: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
the purgative sting of justice-beak: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Meanwhile, Noorzad preps an arrow and takes a step forward, quickly looking back and forth between the path and the scree-strewn area below, deciding where to shoot.

Ooh, let's confirm that crit --
talons 2 potential crit: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Zephri steps back loads Bethany with bullet and powder and blows the creature's brain out of the back of its head, grinning viciously as it slumps to the ground.

"Ha! That's more like it! I take it back this is more fun than any art gallery I've been to!"

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

In a flurry of claws and beak, the eagle tears the ghoul apart, making it that much easier for Noorzad to pick a target. Hyeon-ae manages to climb 5' down the secured rope before she stops and starts clutching at the rope. Zephri backs away from the remaining creature and fires a bullet into its head, causing much damage. It remains on its feet, for a second, not realizing it is dead before falling over with a thud, making it even easier for Noorzad to pick a target. After a few more seconds, the eagle flies back into the sky, sated on ghoul flesh.

Party
Berosius
Dagat
Gorn
Hyeon-ae
Noorzad
Zephri [3/12 HP]

The two tunnels intersect at the same cave. Most anyone searching the cave is able to find a hidden stash of valuable goods, notably a set of comfortable looking boots and a finely crafted jade brooch.

After a short break, the group continues along the path. After an hour's travel, the narrow mountain path ends at the lip of a fifty-foot-wide crevasse that stretches out of sight in both directions. A pair of carved stone pillars stands at the edge of the chasm and a matching pair of pillars can be seen on the far side. Iron chains, set within the stone pillars, stretch across the crevasse, supporting a rope bridge allowing easy access across. A relatively gentle slope leads to the bottom of the crevasse. The slope on the far side is much steeper, and is covered with jagged, precarious looking rocks.

With little trouble, the party crosses the bridge and forges on down the path. A mere half-hour beyond the crevasse, two rock formations, shaped like a pair of thick pillars, stand prominently near a cliff’s edge. One pillar stands fifteen feet tall and the smaller stands ten feet tall. A shallow cave, just to the side of the pillars, looks as if it might provide some shelter from inclement mountain weather.

Zephri shakes his head seeing double and swaying, "If anyone can spare some healing I would be mighty grateful, my head is ringing like a bell."

Wiping himself off he lips into the cave spying the hidden stash and displaying the items for the group, "Any of these magic?"

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

So far we have: A cloak, two scrolls, a potion of CLW, some boots, and a brooch. None of which we know what for. Anyone want to take a chance and wear things for the heck of them? I'm willing to. Potion of CLW should probably go to Gorn.

Dagat goes to check on Zephri. Satisfied he's living and not dying any time soon, she kicks the dead body of the ghoul for good measure and searches the tunnel it came from, eventually reuniting with the rest of the group.

What time of day is it? We might need to rest and avoid traveling at night before continuing on.

"I'm going to try the boots if nobody minds, I heard if they are magic they'll fit anyone," Zephri says before suiting action to words.

Berosius clasps Zephri's shoulders and prays over him. "May the strong shield arm of Iomedae protect you and her mighty sword arm raise you up!"

Convert detect evil into cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Convert shield of faith into cure light wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

"Ah, good as new, thanks to you and the Inheritor Berosius. I'll try not to fall off anymore cliffs."

Once they reach the two pillars near the shallow cave Zephri peers at the sky to try and discern the approximate time and see if any bad wether is heading there way.

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19

Zephri scans the sky and determines that it is late afternoon, and thankfully the weather plans to stay clear for the next day. He also realizes that a night spent here will be very cold, and any travel past this point could result in altitude fatigue.

Also, these boots seem to be a good fit and quite snuggly!

The shallow cave appears just big enough to fit up to four medium sized creatures before it becomes too cramped.

"Seems like we won't have much more light and we don't know if we'll find more shelter. Looks like only four of us will fit though, so I guess whoever is on watch is going to be cold." Zephri says glumly, looking up at the mountain they still have to traverse.

"Ah'll hold the first watch, walkin' back 'n forth along the ridge, makin' sure we haven't got anythin' else after us. Someone'll have to watch that bottom cave fer sure. Those monstrosities don't bode well fer our little troupe if'n that's what's up there."

Gorn frowns at the thought, but he looks determined to finish the task at hand.

I think you are thinking of our previous location Gorn?

May I recommend Berosius take the brooch and Zephri the cloak?

"Watch of two, switching with others?" Dagat suggests. She starts preparing for a cold night, doing what she can find and the fur she skinned from the cat earlier.

Survival (keep safe in wild): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

I'm looking at the DC 15 Survival check for getting a +4 bonus to fortitude saves when stationary, and granting other characters the same bonus. I'm thinking this is something like making camp?

Yep. You may give two other people the same +4 bonus. Anyone else can also try for a DC 15 Survival check to gain an untyped +4 Fortitude bonus on their cold weather save for the night.

I would say give the Cloak to Ryu, on the assumption that its a cloak of resistance, and the broach to whoever would most like to wear a brooch probably Dagat since brooches are not commonly regarded as manly. Zephri grabbed the boots because I figured Pathfinders would probably know magic items size to fit, and it seems reasonable to conclude magic boots might protect you from falling :).

"I'll take second watch then." He then spends a while trying to work out how he is going to use his hammock in the caves narrow confines finally concluding he is just going to have to lie on it. Covering himself as much as possible against the chill he falls asleep quickly.

Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Only two others? I was hoping that roll would be enough for the entire party, but I'll have to pick . . . Noorzad with his +0 Fort and Hyeon-ae because we'll most likely take watch together since she has to take care of her horse.

Dagat takes first watch, doing what she can to stave off the cold.

Dagat takes the brooch then, and wears it!

Yeah, sorry, you're right. I was thinking of the DC 5 increments for weather. It's only 1 for each additional character receiving a bonus fortitude. So with 10 over the DC, you could protect the entire party.

"Makes more sense than Gorn, you can actually see in the dark right Gorn? So how about Dagat then me, then Berosius - got night eyes to right? - then Ryu, then Noorzad. Best keep those who can see in the dark to the darkest hour I reckon."

By the time Dagat is able to properly safeguard the camp from colder weather approaching by placing fir branches over the cave entrance and funneling the campfire's smoke out away from the cave, it has been a couple of hours and darkness approaches. The watches go through the night with nothing more than the howling of wolves in the night periodically, far in the distance.

Noorzad and Hyeon-ae both take 3 nonlethal damage that cannot be healed until they rest somewhere warmer.

The party spends a restless night rotating between standing guard and sleeping in the tent. Except for Zephri, who slept quite soundly. At morning, everyone gears back up and begins the 2 hour trek to the monastery.

Halfway there, Noorzad, Hyeon-ae, and Jin become fatigued.

You guys can continue on to the monastery with 3 members fatigued, or head back to the Two Brothers, rest for an hour, and try again.

Do we know it should be a roughly two hour trek to the monastery IC? If so I say we wait until everyone is rested.

It just isn't Noorzad or Hyeon-ae's day! I vote we continue. We can rest when we're there, and it's likely that some of us get fatigued again when we come back up anyway. That both Hyeon-ae and Jin is fatigued is somewhat worrisome, so I'd like to hear her opinion.

"Pretty sure these boots keep you magically warm by the way. Someone prepared that detect magic spell today right? So we can check the stuff we found out."

Gorn is pro-continuing up and yes I was thinking the prior location. Two caves... grumble...

"A good fire by a forge, that'll keep ye warm through the night and then some!"

Gorn starts a short chant he uses when working through the difficult parts of blacksmithing, both to keep himself breathing and to set a pace.

Zephri cleans, oils, and loads Bethany before they set off, warm and cheerful thanks to his nifty boots he tried to avoid being obnoxiously happy.

"Wonder what will attack us today?"

The group continues on, forcing their way through the thinner air.

As you reach the monastery, Dagat and Gorn have also become fatigued due to the thinner air.

A large stone building lies nestled in a shallow stone cul-desac, hollowed out from the surrounding mountainside. The building shows evidence of poor maintenance—the roof is missing several tiles and the once-proud, central double doors lie in a pile of ruined timbers. The remains of a giant bell, and the wooden structure meant to support and sound it, dominate the center of the flagstone courtyard before the stone structure.

Atop a ten-foot rise of gray stone steps stands a wide paved forecourt surrounded by worn, red-painted wood pillars and faded rust-colored walls. A massive copper bell rests in the center of the area, surrounded by a mess of wooden scaffolds and a carved-smooth tree trunk, all collapsed into a pile around the carillon. The north wall features an intricate mosaic of monks walking on clouds. A pair of staircases flanks the wall, leading up to a ten-foot-high porch and three sets of wooden doors beyond.

Map

At this point, the only two not fatigued are Berosius and Zephri.

"Well she's a fixer upper, and the location isn't great," Zephri quips as he moves forward cautiously Bethany's butt resting upon his shoulder as he scans for foes lurking behind the various pillars.

If he sees nothing he ushers the others on and heads for the southern stair saying, "I reckon we get inside and clear out any threats before we take the time to appreciate the sights, thoughts?"

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Hyeon-ae woke up with a terrible chill, her chest feeling tight as if some ethereal figure was pressing down on her diaphragm and refusing air to come in and out. More than once or twice she had awoken during the night in a fit of gasps, sure that she was choking or had stopped breathing. As they progressed further, she became aware that Jin was in a terrible state as well, his breathing more like that after a long and fast charge--not merely slowly trailing up the mountain pass. The others were succumbing around her as well; the cavalier wonders idly how people manage to live so high in these mountains...

Luckily, thankfully, the monastery eventually came into vision. Not that it helped with her exhaustion, but at the very least, this meant that their quest was surely going to come to an end sooner rather than later. Hyeon-ae gently strokes Jin's mane, murmuring words of encouragement in the horse's ears; not long now until you'll feel better again... it had been quite the awful adventure for her poor mount indeed!

"Sounds like a good plan, Zephri-ssi," she responds to the gunslinger's query--although, she notes silently, she wonders how he was so peppy despite the pressure of the high altitude! Drawing her bow and knocking an arrow to the string, Hyeon-ae gently nudges Jin forward, keeping an eye out for danger as they scout out around the fallen bell. If nothing immediately jumps out, she dismounts and loosely ties her horse's reins to the structure that once supported the bell.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

As Zephri and Hyeon-ae move up to the massive copper bell, sure enough a single creature, standing like a man, yet half again the height of most men and covered with a coat of thick white fur, jumps out of the hollowed out section of the bell, intent on taking you by surprise!

Zephri is the only one that may act in the surprise round.

Group 1
Dagat

Critters
Furry Man

Group 2
Noorzad
Gorn
Zephri
Berosius
Hyeon-ae

The furry man, after clambering out of the bell, rushes over to Zephri.

Zephri, you may act now in the surprise round, taking only a single standard or move action, and free actions. Dagat may also act as the initiative begins. The furry man will act again on Tuesday morning/afternoon unless both Zephri and Dagat post their actions before then.

Zephri, managing to turn a yelp of surprise into a pretty convincing growl steps back and fires from point blank range the bullet burying itself in his foe's flesh and spraying gore!

I suspect the Yeti may be supposed to be large sized? If so it should still not get a AoO due to the second diagonal not being within a large creatures reach.

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18 Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Having internet trouble, please NPC me as needed.

Dagat maneuvers herself forward, drawing her bow and an arrow with a practiced movement, and fires!

Longbow: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 5 - 1 = 16
Damage (Piercing): 1d8 ⇒ 1

-1 is from the Dex penalty.

Gorn moves into position, drawing his waraxe as he goes (part of move), and, upon reaching his destination, he draws his shield.

Yeti? Who said anything about a yeti!? But no, it's medium sized.

Dagat Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Dagat prepares to draw her bow and nock an arrow, but at the last moment a feeling of dread overcomes her and she starts to shiver in the cold mountain air. Her eyes locked on the furry man's eyes, she seems frozen in place.

The furry man steps forward to attack the man who hurt it so.

Furry man's Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Furry man's Claw damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (3) = 6
Furry man's Claw: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Furry man's Claw damage: 1d4 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 2 + (4) = 9

His first claw sinks into Zephri's side, opening a wound that is immediately covered with hard rime.

Gorn Will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Gorn gets ready to rush forward to save his friend, but is stopped in his tracks by the creature's fierce eyes. He fingers his still sheathed axe, wondering why they were attacking such a formidable opponent with no hope of survival.

Group 1 is up! The furry man will act again on Thursday afternoon unless everyone posts before then. I will npc Dagat if she does not act before everyone else finishes.

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

Critters
Furry Man [4/17 HP]

Group 2
Gorn

Grimacing Zephri steps back reloads and shoots it in the face, "Eat lead you furry git!"

Could someone 5ft me back, on phone.

Ranged Touch: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 Damage: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Zephri Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

No need to 5' you back, fortunately! Lucky you!

Zephri stands still next to the furry man, disbelief and fear etched on his face that such a creature could still cause so much pain after taking such a lethal shot. Could they handle such a resilient creature? Were they going to die here?

Group 1
Dagat
Noorzad
Berosius
Hyeon-ae

Critters
Furry Man [4/17 HP]

Group 2
Gorn
Zephri [6/12 HP]