Seraphimpunk's Way of the Wicked

Game Master Seraphimpunk

A few of you ascend from the storage vault to the armory. With grizzbit and spawn, and everyone else prepped as planned, everyone lines up on the stairs up to the flag room.

Ash drops Darkness on a coin he's carrying. Everyone can see in the dark, and isn't bothered by the bubble of anti-light surrounding you as you as you ascend into the flag room, find it empty, and Forsythe casts Silence , and you emerge from the flag room into the courtyard.

The courtyard of Balentyne is a utilitarian affair. The grass is short and neatly tended. The paths are cobbled stone. A plain fountain burbles in supernatural silence as you cross the square.

A larger than life statue commemorates the man who ordered Balentyne built - King Markadian I, Markadian the Victorious. A statue of a powerfully built knight clad in plate armor bearing the holy symbol of Mitra. At the base of the statue sits a plaque.

You do see guards on watch, above the Aldencross Gate, and their torches at a few other intervals along the walls. In two rounds you cross the grounds and reach the Choir Hall doors. You find them unlocked and pull them open. Hastily entering and closing the door, which vibrates in such a way that you can tell it would be making a lot of noise, were it not for the Asmodean blessing Forsythe cast before. As they shut, sound "pops" back into place, and you can hear the empty space surrounding you again. Candles adorn the chapel, leaving a soft glow about the whole place.

Its vaulted ceilings soar some twenty five feet above you. Around the edge of the ceilings are statues of numerous saints of the Mitran faith. All of them are singing joyous hymns in praise of the shining lord. At the front of the hall is a great altar. Carved on it the phrase - "there is no darkness so deep that a single candle cannot defeat it."

Shrouded in darkness as you are, a dulcet voice demands from somewhere in front of you ( though you see no speaker ). It speaks not in common, but in all languages, the true speech of the universe, its words understood clearly to all of you.

Depart, or repent.

What do you do?

either victor or temperance have a +10 knowledge planes? otherwise you're not sure what it is so far.

Neither of us has a point in it.

gotcha. okay. heh. i was surprised Leo has a +11 in it. O.O .

Religious Loophole: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Repent? There is no need. Our lords bids that those with power use it for the greater good; why by righteous right we are here to do just that. As for Departing, I am happy to assist in that task, for I am the cleansing flame lighting the way.

aaannnddd Neji is struck down for smart mouthing one of the most anal of gods and claiming to be one. rolling new character...

Whispering to Leo and bit loudly out of the side of my mouth:
barbarian stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
pssst Leo, perhaps you could Etect-day Ood-gay while we keep the oices-vay in my head usy-bay
wink wink nudge nudge

Leo tries to subtly nod back to you, and concentrates. Yes he says, shifting his grip on his greatsword to two hands.

there's a great fluttering. You have a flashback to the rookery, where thousands of feathered beat so furiously. Feather smacking air in a cacophony of sound.

I'll go ahead and roll for initiative

[r1] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance], [19: Leo], [17: Neji], [10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]

bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

We are peaceful and powerfully devoted servants. Truly there is no need for us to leave.

is Message up ?
Fortysythes whispers back to the group - uh what do we wanna do? do you want bless and grizzbit to try and hit something? where is it? what is it?

j/k: of course its a single round, so he gets out about six words all of a sudden <uh what do we wanna do?>

If you are a servant of good, why are you skulking in the shadows? We have no desire to harm this shrine or its Guardian. Show yourself and what kind of creature you are and perhaps we can come to some kind of arrangement.

Diplo: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (14) + 13 = 27

Yep, I added to the message pool. I think it is safe to assume, others who can cast it also assume they always have it up as well.

Looking at Fortysythes and whispering in that Homer Simpson way, Perhaps much like the the Quill and the Cow.

And yea, I think we have a few instances of message up at all times.

I delay, wanna see what happens.
and i'm an electronic paper meatpuppet, so I don't want to exist.
i mean. i don't want to start something. i can't provoke.

a more resonant voice speaks again in truespeech, sounding more like a chorus of voices than just one lone melodic creature, its tone menacing, its voice rising and getting louder. You know it must be an heavenly servant of some sort, but what kind you have no idea. Likely bound here as a guardian in this holy place of Mitra.

you think you faintly see pinpricks of light. the Darkness nearly causes them to be obscured. like a swarm of fireflies or a whirling mass of candle flames, pushing back the darkness. and you realize its the gestalt of lantern archons

You do not repent your evil. You do not depart. You seal your own fate.

what was a calming sensation when you walked into the choir hall twists, and you can feel an oppressive aura of the angel, physically and mentally repelling your evil.

Ash, Victor, Spawn, Grizzbit. (fittingly) have a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for now.

[r1] [17: Neji], [10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]
[r2] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance], [19: Leo (delaying) ],

I come out of delay. smite good, move up and attack.
+1 greatsword, power attack, smite: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 292d6 + 17 ⇒ (5, 4) + 17 = 26

it lashes out at you as you dare approach it.

attack of opportunity. the benches prevent just a five ft step.

slam: 1d20 ⇒ 91d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 hits for 10 damage.

[r1] [17: Neji], [13: Archon Gestalt], [10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]
[r2] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance], [19: Leo],

Forsyteh, Neji, Ash, Leo, you know a Lantern archon requires 9 of them to form into a gestalt. they now act like a large air elemental for 2d4 rounds, with DR 5/evil AND magic. immune to crits/sneak attack, flanking. and is immune to elecricity and petrification.

::edit::
Correction on who is effected by the aura of menace. noticed that this is a unique gestalt. DC was 21. so it also effects Leo, Loran, Temperance and Neji. It does end if you successfully hit the creature. so Leo is no longer effected.

OT. gah. why must you all be in a diff timezone.

On my turn Spawn will move up and attack. (AC 20 with barkskin)

claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

I will summon a fiedish Goblin Dog behind it for a full attack

goblin dog attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Sorry work has been crazy, I'll post as soon as I get back to my desk

I move around the corner and Cast Defensively: 1d20 + 3 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 5 = 24, Burning Hands for5d4 ⇒ (2, 3, 1, 4, 4) = 14 fire damage.

Gah! Because you moved halfway across the world!

Loran, this was just not your turn.

I'm surprised, but it seems like this might actually work. On my turn, if there's still an Archon Gestalt, I'll hideous laughter it. It'll have a +4 on it's save vs DC22.

I'll shoot it with my sneaky sneaky crossbow

Prescience: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Huh. A crit threat. Well, let's confirm it.
Confirm: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

I'll use the prescience roll instead, so a 12 to confirm.

loran can't summon while his eidolon is out.
lose your action. =P heheh

will save vs. hideous laughter (just showing +4 bonus)
will save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

neji provokes an aoo through movement
slam: 1d20 ⇒ 111d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
hitting for 8 damage.

he attempts to avoid the burning hands
reflex: 1d20 ⇒ 3
taking half damage. (7)

a whirling mass of air forms around you guys, billowing out ten feet before rising up to the height of the cathedral.

Ash, Victor, Spawn, Grizzbit. Loran, Temperance and Neji. suffer the Menacing Aura still. it only lifts when you successfully hit the archon and only leo has. (-2 AC, attacks, saves)

@leo: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 damage.
@victor: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 damage.
@Neji: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10 damage.
@Spawn: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 damage.
@Grizzbit: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 damage.

and must save vs. being picked up by the winds.

and all are picked up by the whirlwind
it flies up as a move action, becoming a hurricane force vortex 5 ft hight, ejecting and dropping everyone back down to the ground.

leo@falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8
victor@falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 5) = 8
neji@falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 4) = 9
spawn@falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 6) = 12
grizzbit@falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 1) = 6

landing prone in their squares and taking damage. ( acrobatics 15 to half the damage in this case )

victor@acrobatics: 1d20 ⇒ 12
neji@acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24 4 damage , but still prone.

it remains in a 5 ft square, 25 ft. up on the ceiling.

[r1] [6: Ash], [5: Victor]
[r2] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance], [19: Leo], [17: Neji], [13: Archon Gestalt], [10: Loran],

then loran commands spawn to attack
he goes full attack on the elemental
spawn suffers from Menacing Aura, and does not beat DR/evil and magic.
spawn@claw: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 - 2 = 251d8 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (1) + 6 - 5 = 2 @-2 from menacing aura
::Menacing Aura cleared::

spawn@claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 231d8 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (3) + 6 - 5 = 4
spawn@claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 91d8 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (4) + 6 - 5 = 5
spawn@claw: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 211d8 + 6 - 5 ⇒ (8) + 6 - 5 = 9

the elemental takes 6 damage.

holy s*#!!

I throw an alchemist fire at the elemental.
alchemist fire: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 181d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 fire. bypasses its DR.

it connects. 9 damage. and its on fire for next round.

victor goes, hitting with the 24, but doing 3 damage with a mundane hand crossbow.

top of round 2
[r2] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance], [19: Leo], [17: Neji], [13: Archon Gestalt], [10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]
[r3]

Forsythe stays back and casts bless, then moves to a corner.

Grizzbit is a pile of acidic bones. he'll be out for an hour then back with 1 hp?

speaking of. spawn with 26 damage. is at -5, unconscious prone and bleeding.
i'll say Loran uses his action to dismiss him, so that he can summon something next round.

neji, not sure the state of your armor/eidolon suit.

ok, hard part is over. take him down.

Wait, I'm confused by some of your rolls,

neji provokes an aoo through movement

slam: 1d20 ⇒ 111d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

Was this touch? Otherwise it missed.

he attempts to avoid the burning hands

reflex: 1d20 ⇒ 3
taking half damage. (7)

The Reflex DC to avoid my flames would be 16; did the Archon make its save with a 3?

Lastly, since I hit the creature with my last attack, I should also no longer be affected by the aura. Correct?

I took 23 damage I think?
The suit took the first 8, leaving 2 HP. The next two hits were for 14, where I can use Fused Link (Su), to instant sacrifice personal health (14) to keep the suit up at 2. So my health looks like 2/38. Corrected in my stats above.

the 11 was on the die, total for the attack hit AC 19, and the 3 was on the die, made a DC 16 reflex save with it
.
those don't include modifiers so you don't know how much they are to keep some mystery. i just use the full modifiers when i'm rolling for npcs or rolling damage.

HP i put on the grids are Total/damage taken, because i wanted to count down to keep the damage i dished out the same as the totals ( i dunno, made sense to me at the time vs. counting down your actual hp )

Allora, that makes sense. Mystery is good, like I said I was just confused and assumed you were drunk like I am.

I do think they messed up the stats in the book for this thing. I can't decide whether to use their printed mistake, follow their mistake to the higher CR conclusion, or fix their mistake. So far, it hasn't mattered besides a few more people being effected by the Menacing aura so far. The added mystery lets me decide as i go which one to end with. can explain more after the combat.

I vote go with the mistake and adjust the XP to suit :)
Oh, and am I affected by the aura above? I hit it with my Burning Hands and I assume by "successfully hit the archon" means any to-hit or only physical?

i was going to go with needed to hit it. otherwise they could have worded it as 'until they successfully damage the archon' instead of 'until they successfully hit the archon'. presume they wanted to prevent the aura being ignored with auto-hit things like spells

Okie Dokie, that makes sense; but that wont stop me from drinking and becoming more argumentative.
How high is the alter next to me? If I stood on it, would I be able to attack with my Lucerne Hammer's reach or would I need some acrobatic jump to do so?

Pending that, on my next turn, I will cast Produce Flame (four balls/minutes) and stand up.

its a 5 ft altar. you'd be 5 ft shy with a reach weapon. standing DC jump to hit it would be ludicris ( DC 40 acrobatics, 20 with running jump. ).

Ok, so I'm guessing the d20+4=21 for his Will save wasn't including his own bonus? I was all excited about the 21, but he's still fighting so guessing that wasn't it.

I delay on my turn.

stand up ready for it to come within reach. can five ft step if needed.

Neji casts produce flame

The Gestalt touches down to grab Leo. his ready action goes off. +1 greatsword, power attack, smite: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 252d6 + 17 ⇒ (1, 5) + 17 = 23 doing 23 damage.

reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 takes 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 from the pummelling winds.

reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 and is picked up.

with 100 ft of movement, the base of the cyclone passes through to touch each of you.

at 20 ft high, ten ft wide at the top, five ft wide at the base. its got enough room to keep Forstyhe, Loran, Neji, and Leo inside.

Victor falls unconscious.
The elemental remains Large, by the ceiling. the base of the cyclone still touching down.

[r2] [10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]
[r3] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance (delaying)], [19: Leo (ready)], [17: Neji], [13: Archon Gestalt],

I attempt to summon my own air elemental...

concentration: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

And have it ready to catch me it its whirlwind if I drop out of this one (safely, not with being damaged)

Since Produce Flame is a held touch spell, does one of them go off when I get, for lack of better terms, grappled by the elemental?

I use Fused Link (Su) to mitigate the 7 damage away from the suit. Also since the elemental is large my dodge AC, Touch and CMD goes up 1 as does my to-hit (Big Game Hunter (Ex)).

you don't speak auran, but you're going to communicate to ready to catch you?
sure. not like it could do damage anyhow.

@neji, sure 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

i throw another alchemist fire.

throw: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 241d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

victor@stabilize: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Forsythe is up.

25 ft up? i exclude Neji and Leo. the rest are out of reach.
channel negative to hurt the living : 2d6 ⇒ (1, 4) = 5

elemental@will: 1d20 ⇒ 6 it takes all 5

Minus 1 on that damage from my Produce Flame...it's 1d6+4; unless I got a +1 from somewhere :)

I'll drop my hammer Rage and
Claw 1: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 2 ⇒ (19) + 8 + 1 - 2 = 26 <--I assume I still have a -2
Claw 2: 1d20 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 1 = 24
Bite: 1d20 + 8 + 1 - 5 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 1 - 5 = 5

Claw Damage 1: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Produce Flame from Claw 1: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 (2min/balls left)
Claw Damage 2: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Bite Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

3 and 4 from the claws, 6 from the fire. 13 damage goes through
(additional -1 to attack for Air Mastery, but 26 and 24 both hit. your Aura of Menace is cleared. )

[r3] [13: Leo ], [13: Archon Gestalt],[10: Loran], [6: Ash], [5: Victor]

[r4] [23: Forsythe], [23: Temperance (delaying)], [17: Neji],

skipped temperance, but guessing she's still delaying?