Rise of the New Runelords

Game Master Harakani

"Grab her." Grey's dispassionate whisper commands his minions.

Arcane Surge, cast Enervate as Swift action
Touch Attack vs. Flat Footed: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Enervate: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Standard Action, cast Accursed Glare. DC 20 will save negates (yay for enervate!)

If she has spell resistance I plan on throwing mythic surges at those checks.

Grapple, prayer: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 18 + 2 = 27

Grapple, prayer: 1d20 + 20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 20 + 2 = 41

Horror and Terror's long scything limbs snapped out with unnatural speed, reaching for fae flesh to rend.

Surprise round action: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 flat-footed touch (+2 prayer, +2 invisibility, +1 point blank) for dimensional anchor, via wild arcana.

That negates the invisibility sphere for everyone in it.

The Fey sidesteps the enervate ray, moving with an unearthly dexterity that no human could hope to duplicate
Mythic Dodge
Grey's glare has no effect, her back turned at the time to deal with
will save: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 - 2 = 24
the two enormous monsters that suddenly entangle her as she shimmers with emerald light.

I'm going to assume the plan was to give Ronald a clear line of fire and so he goes before the Grey Terror and Horror grant cover bonuses? In which case Ronald's Ray just hit.

Mythic Potent Surge
escape artist: 1d20 + 12 + 1 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 1 + 12 = 44
The woman - or woman shaped - creature writhes and escapes the grappling monstrosities

Yeah, works for me, although I do have point blank and precise shot

He's not monstrous :s

Will save: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Ugh... need a 6 on my surge to make it.
Surge: 1d6 ⇒ 4
Nope.

As expected Forsten charges into the fray, squeezing between the two hulking undead, but rather than striking at fey woman his polearm lashes out, intervening and knocking the monsters limbs away.

Aid Another for AC (DC 10): 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
He will use sudden block against the first attack against Tiressia.

Except that with mythic prayer, you only needed a 4, which you got.

Derp. Right.

Forsten wobbles as the fae woman calls for his help, he takes a single step towards her, before the rune floating around his head pulses. A moment later he gives himself a shake and returns her terrified look with a glare. His polearm swells in size as he charges forward, striking with amazing speed.

Free Action: spend arcane pool for black blade strike (+2 damage), charge, power attack (spending a point of mythic power to negate attack penalties for a minute)

Kyton's Spine: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 14 + 2 = 21
Damage: 1d10 + 23 ⇒ (10) + 23 = 33

Free Action: Amazing initiative

Kyton's Spine 2: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Damage: 1d10 + 23 ⇒ (5) + 23 = 28

Use sudden block if she makes a physical attack. 4/7 mythic power remaining.

Sorry for lateness, had some problems with paizo.com. Or rather my computer had.

Denat waits at first and then makes a casual gesture to create a stalagmite under the fae's feet.

Casting Potent Ice spears, DC 23, mythic power 6/7
cold damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7
piercing damage: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 2) = 4
trip attempt if save is failed: 1d20 + 14 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 14 + 2 = 36

Anglon rallies his allies and blesses them with fervor.

Swift action to Rally:This gives you and each of your allies within 30 feet the option to reroll any one d20 roll after the roll is made. The granted reroll must be used before the beginning of Anglon's next turn, and the creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it is lower.

Standard action casting Blessing of Fervor: Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).

Increase its speed by 30 feet.
Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.

Webbing, touch attack, fervor, prayer: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 13 + 2 + 2 = 20

Rally Reroll: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 13 + 2 + 2 = 25
If it hits, target is Entangled and can't move away from Horror without an opposed strength check (as per the Net rules)
Web Rules

Grey was not amused. His eyes narrowed beneath his mask.

Legion, True Strike. he whispered. Runic script heatlessly burned away and vanished from the inside of his mask, briefly making his eyes appear to smoke.

Legion uses a scroll of True Strike on Grey. Take 10 on UMD for 25.

Ok, Grey is done playing around.

Another line of grey energy arced from Grey's hand, this time more closely guided.

Swift Action, Arcane Surge, Enervate
Enervate, touch attack, true strike, fervor, prayer: 1d20 + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 = 43
Negative Levels: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Amazing Initiative, Extra Standard Action, Read scroll
Grey's eyes flicked to the inside of his mask. Another line of script burned free.
True Strike

Standard action, Enervate
Enervate, touch attack, true strike, fervor, prayer: 1d20 + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 = 40
Rally reroll: 1d20 + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 20 + 2 + 2 = 46
Negative Levels: 1d4 ⇒ 3

Move Action, fly straight up 30 feet.

Have 6 negative levels, b!@@+.
4/7 Mythic points left.

The undead tree moved in again, undaunted by its target's escape.

Grapple, fervor, prayer: 1d20 + 20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 20 + 2 + 2 = 29
Rally reroll: 1d20 + 20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 20 + 2 + 2 = 29

>.<

stupid mythic prayer!!@!!
ref: 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 10 - 2 = 18
will: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (12) + 9 - 2 = 19
will: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 9 - 2 = 14

save your true strikes, Grey - see discussion. Plus, you'd hit a grappled, tripped and entangled target anyway.
Forsten's blows both hit - though it is a close thing. The Dancing Lady is obviously shocked when her call for help is thrown off by Forsten (augmented with the divine power of Lissala)
She steps backwards just as the spear of ice thrusts into the sky, cutting through her leg and sending her sprawling ungracefully at Forsten's feet.
Terror grips her.
Horror holds her down.
Her vision fades to Grey, both hands glowing with necromantic energy

She's at negative. Do you kill her? How? Remember that mythic critters take a loooooot of killing.

"Well, that was anticlimactic. Perhaps beheading, staking, and burning are in order?"

"The dead are my domain, brother. I would prefer that nothing go to waste."

Grey holds forth a small crystal. Something ethereal rips itself free of the dying fae with a faint, otherworldly scream.

Create Soul Gem. Pretty sure that will kill even a mythic creature if they are already unconcious and in negatives.

"Anglon and I will initiate her vacant body into the Grey Order when we return. She will tend the gardens and till the fields of Threshold."

If she's dead...

Grey touches the body. A patch of skin peels back like it has been expertly removed with a scalpel. Blood runs freely down the patch, it's paths darkening and forming lines and words until it dries and seems to be little more than fresh leathery paper.

With a map on it.

Create Treasure Map

"I think this is over."
She is helpless, yes?
coup de grace: 3d10 + 12 ⇒ (10, 2, 5) + 12 = 29
1d10+1(Str)+1(enhancement)+2(prayer)x3

will save vs soul gem: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Ill wait until the coup de grace before casting soul gem. Forgot about the saving throw.

fort save: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 - 2 = 21
Anglon lashes out, severing the Dancing Lady's head.
It rolls towards him, slows and stops, looking at him.
The eyes blink, once, and the lips move.
Anglon; will save please...

Will Save: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27

A surge of wild, fey Evil sweeps over Anglon. Any lesser man, any mere mortal, might have been struck down by such raw hatred.
But Anglon's faith and prayers sustain him, and though his stone glows brightly for a moment, he is unaffected.

Moments later Grey acts, and a few moments later holds a map and a gem shining brightly

knowledge:religion dc 17: 1d6d6d6d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 1, 2, 5, 1, 5, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 4, 5, 2, 6, 5, 3, 6, 3, 4, 2, 2, 6, 5, 6, 1, 5, 5, 1, 3, 5, 2, 5) = 112

Remember that you weren't here to kill her, but rob her.

Remember that you weren't here to kill her, but rob her.

Oops. We can always *lightning strike* bring her back! *maniacal laugh*

Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Most ignorant priest ever!

Anglon holds her head on the bloody stump that was her neck, albeit backwards. "Mending. Mending." he chants again and again as he casts his spells.

Hmm, I thought we were eliminating a potential threat/rival to the kingdom.

Well, technically we can still rob her...

Lets go with local on that map. Robbing her will be a lot easier if we know where she hid the good stuff.

Also, if need be I can cast it multiple times on the same corpse. No reason not to make 3 maps.

Know. Religion: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32

Grey inspects the gem in his hand and nods to himself. "This will be quite useful."

He gestures to Terror.

"So, the fey boss is dead. Perhaps we make the rest of them aware of that, and the change of lleadership imminent?"

Terror quickly swallows the fae corpse.

Being an undead tree, Terror is mostly hollow these days. More details and alterations to come when we get some down time, but for now assume Terror has a good sized (10 foot) internal holding space.

Between the three maps it is possible to determine that her greatest treasure is in her room in the ruined keep. Second floor. But the widest ranging map shows another treasure man, many miles away

ie another hex not near this one, not in your territory
While a path is mapped to this location, it does not appear an easy trek.
ie, not at your CR

So let's check out this treasure, all."

Treasure room in the keep then. We can tackle the other one later.

"Treasure. That word is so.. beautiful."
Denat smiles.

The best record of the victory speech given by the Runelords to the Dancing Lady's Fey is that of the triumphal and final scene in the play "Runelords Invictus". While the literary style of the play is archaic, if not questionable, as it was written mere weeks after the event it's veracity is near unquestionable.

SCENE: THICK SCRUB in a TOWERING FOREST. Background is a DARK TOWER. Gathered around are various DARK FEY.

Anglon casts mythic prayer just before the start of the speech. +2 to skill checks.

STAGE LIGHTS DIM AS HEAVY FOG RISES, LIT FROM WITHIN. A LOW PITCHED MINOR KEY DRONE CAN BE HEARD RISING UNTIL IT DROWNs OUT ALL OTHER SOUND. ENTER GREY HORROR UPSTAGE CENTER THROUGH HEAVY FOG. HORROR IS HEAVILY ARMORED WEARING A GREY MASK SIMILAR TO THE MASTER'S WITH EIGHT EYE HOLES CUT IN IT RATHER THAN TWO. ON ITS BACK IS A MASSIVE BATTLE PLATFORM WITH A CROSSBEAM FLAG POLE RISING FROM IT BEARING THE BANNER OF THRESHOLD. FROM ITS ARCHED FORELEGS HANG GREY PENNANTS BEARING THE SHAPE OF LEGION.

THE MASTER IN GREY STANDS ON HORROR'S BACK, TOWERING OVER TEN FEET TALL. RUNES LIKE IOUN STONES SLOWLY ORBIT HIM GLOWING SOFTLY IN EACH COLOR OF THE RAINBOW. LEGION FLOATS IN THE AIR IN FRONT OF HIS CHEST.

LEIGION'S INVISIBLE PRESENCES CAN BE FAINTLY MADE OUT IN THE MIST CREATING AN IMAGE OF HUNDREDS OF UNSEEN FORMS STANDING IN THE MIST LIKE AN ARMY.

BEHIND, VISIBLE ONLY IN SILHOUETTE IS THE GREY HORROR STANDING LIKE A TOWER BEHIND THE INVISIBLE ARMY. ON TOP OF HORROR ARE THE OTHER RUNE LORDS, VISIBLE ONLY AS BLACK OUTLINES IN THE MIST. THEIR PERSONAL RUNES GLOW ON THEIR CHESTS.

THE DRONE ENDS ABRUPTLY CASTING THE SCENE INTO SILENCE. WHEN THE MASTER IN GREY SPEAKS, IT IS NOT LOUDLY. IT IS AS A THOUSAND WHISPERS SPEAKING TOGETHER DIRECTLY INTO EACH LISTENER'S EAR.

GREY: "Hear us, exiles of the First World. We speak for the Seven. We are the voices of the proud servants of the Chosen of Lysalla. Today, the Runelords have come."
"Your ruler is dead, a victim of her own ignoble practices. She was not fit to rule and now she serves."

ENTER THE CORPSE OF THE DANCING LADY THROUGH THE FOG FROM BETWEEN HORROR. SHE WEARS A GREY, FACELESS MASK. HER GREY ROBE IS OPEN, SHOWING THE FINERY SHE WEARS BENEATH AND THE BLOODY MESS WHERE FORSTEN SLEW HER.

THE DANCING LADY: "I was wrong. I am sorry I have failed you and lead you astray. The virtues of rule were never mine. This mask is my penance, and my promise. I was selfish in life. In death, I exist only to give. Your future will be made better by my hands. I am a Grey Acolyte. I am your selfless servant."

GREY: "The Runelords offer this choice to all who live beneath their shadow. Live for greatness, as fellow nobles in a society dedicated to mutual welfare. Live happy and without from toil, free to pursue any goal you choose, supported by your fellows. Cast off your rivalries and selfish pursuits. Stand with us on the Threshold."

"Or, join your former mistress…"

FEY cower

The GREEN MAN enters STAGE RIGHT. He still has the Staff from SCENE II
THE GREEN MAN: "None here dispute that the Dancing Lady was unfit to rule! Hail to her conquerors! But who ARE these conquerors? Who is this Lysalla who has chosen you? You are not Fey - are you Man? "

MELIANSE and TIRESSIA (together): "They are not Men! They are Runelords!"

GREEN MAN: "As you say, spirits of lake and tree. But my GOAL is to defend our forest from Man's Destruction. We are the Defenders of the Forest, and Man is our Rightful Prey!"

THE GREEN MAN LOOKS AT THE AUDIENCE SLYLY

GREEN MAN: "And now shall we see what these Runelords truly are!"

GREEN MAN LOOKS BACK AT GREY

GREEN MAN: "Am I then free to pursue THIS goal?"

GREY: "The choice is ever yours. The freedom to act, and the responsibility to accept an actions consequences are the first among all the Virtues."

"Today, the consequences for your previous actions have changed. Those consequences are decided and enforced by the Chosen of Nysalla according to the Laws of Rulership and the Accords of Threshold."

"The forest is yours. It is also ours. We can defend it together, or prey upon each other."

"Choose."

GREEN MAN: "Then PREY it shall be! Help us Lady Nyrissa!"

GREEN MAN runs to background, moves between trees and offstage rear. CAPERING FEY follow.

MELIANSE, TIRESSIA and GOOD FEY stay

TOGETHER: "We choose to work with the Chosen Runelords to defend this forest for all!"

RUNELORDS pursue GREEN MAN and CAPERING FEY

DIM LIGHTS

NARRATOR: "So it was that the Good Fey chose to submit to the Runelords and join Threshold, and the Evil Fey fled. They hid in the Dark Forest, hating Mankind and plotting to drive all traces of it from their forest."

NARRATOR: "So remember, when you are in the Wilds, or you meet a Fey, that they may be allies... or they may be the DARK FEY!"

Give herbs -> Check on Farm -> Back to Stronghold -> Eat Turkey -> Enhance Statue -> Kingdom turn?
Give Herbs
While history is uncharacteristically vague about what exactly was handed over to Tiressia, we do know she was reunited with her lover Falchos, and together with Melianse formed the core of a Fey outpost within the Forest.
Check on Farm
Loy Rezbin's farm had quickly taken on the look of a small village: and in honour of the great battle fought there a statue of Forsten slaying a Tatzylwyrm had started to take form from of a fallen tree. Through common agreement the village now bore the name Tatzylford.
Back to Stronghold
So it was that the victorious Runelords rode back to meet with Simon and Valerianna, once more infusing the statue of Kurshu with their conquered deific power.

Valerianna? You still present?
Anyone want to do anything before kingdom turns and levelling?

"Necromancy" starts the new ambassador "Is obviously very important to us in Geb. Yet in so many kingdoms it is supressed, or even outright banned! And why? The 'Undead'."
He shakes his head sadly at the convocation of Runelords he addresses.

"My mother is in her second life. As is my grandfather. It is my wish that one day I too will defeat the Soulstealer and join them in immortality. Why am I here, instead of one of the Dead? Because so many countries would kill them for the simple crime of existence!"

"When we heard of your enlightened experiment here, in this godforsaken wilderness, we in Geb were curious. Arcane studies have always been important to us."

"When we heard your law not only allowed reanimation, but all but required citizens to become 'Undead' - albeit of the lowest ranks - your stock with the Blood Lords rose!"

"I come before you in the hopes of Alliance. Secretly if necessary, openly if you wish. Geb can offer you economic help, military support, political advice. We only ask that you codify in your laws tolerance and equality for those who choose not to simply embrace death, but rise again."

"Undead is a qualifying term. Nothing more. It serves the same purpose as "liquid" or "solid." We see no reason to invent new terminology."

"My question to you is, what purpose do the undead serve within your society? Why do they exist, and why would you seek to become one? Do your people serve your Blood Lords, or do your Blood Lords serve your people?"

"We have three... castes, I suppose. The Quick, the Dead, and the Thralls."

"The Quick and the Dead are equal, though the tendency for powerful Quick to become Dead does give them a pre-eminent position. The most powerful members of our society are the Blood Lords - who after all these years are now dead."

"Thralls, of course, are those who would never really amount to anything. The parasites upon society. These are used for society's benefit. Dead thralls till the fields for food for the living. Live thralls breed more thralls. Thralls are more... property, than people."

The Ambassador seems quite open, though he doesn't mention that live thralls also feed the Dead, something Hargran had openly discussed in his classes.

"I suppose the Blood Lords are your analogues. Certainly, when Geb formed the kingdom I believe he had the archaic Runelords in mind. They act to keep the Realm stable, and are one of the first line of defences against attacks from our many enemies. I would say they serve the realm, but then I may be biased."